“No, it’s because she hasn’t changed at all, Katrina. She was a whore when I married her, just like she’s a whore now.”
“You don’t know that.” Anger pounded through her, making her headache worse.
“Oh, I think I do.” He leaned closer, his hands grasping the edge of the armrests. “The time I’d sent my solicitor to your home to have him take you shopping for clothes, he flatly you’re your mother that the money was for you and you alone. Would you like to know what your mother did when she heard that?”
Katrina really didn’t want to hear, but for some reason, she couldn’t form the words on her tongue to stop him.
“She made him a proposition. She told him that the only way my man could take you shopping was if she received a few gowns as well.”
“How do you know all of this?” she asked in a small voice, her chest aching from the crushing blows knowing her mother was so calculating.
“My solicitor sent me a telegram.”
Confusion filled Katrina. “Why wouldn’t you just give my mother some of that money? Don’t you think she deserved even a little?”
“The money I sent was for my daughter, and her alone. Because your mother had turned me away from seeing my daughter all those years, I didn’t want her getting anything from me, but the only way she would allow you have it was if she got some herself.”
Tears spiked her eyes again, but this time she didn’t try to blink them gone. “Then I must apologize for my mother’s behavior.” Her voice cracked.
“Do not apologize for that woman. She is not your responsibility.”
“Actually, she is. After all, she is the only parent who saw the need to take care of me.”
“And for that, I’m truly sorry.”
“My mother may have not been the most exemplary parent, but I believe she raised me the best that she could under the circumstances.”
Henry leaned back in his chair and took another deep breath. “You have such a kind heart.”
“Thank you. At this moment, I’m not exactly certain which parent I get that from, since neither of you have shown much kindness to each other over the years.”
He smiled again. “You are correct. I have not been an attentive father, which is why I brought you here. I want to make up for my mistakes.”
“Is it because you’re dying?” Perhaps she hadn’t have added that, but sometimes words just slipped through her mouth and she couldn’t stop them.
“Yes. Can you blame an old man for wanting to meet his only daughter before meeting his maker?”
She folded her arms and cocked her head. “Am I your only daughter? I heard you had remarried not long after divorcing Mother. Did you not have more children?”
Sadness filled his expression, bringing more wrinkles to his face. “The woman I married could not give me more children. She has a son from her first marriage, but he is not my blood. I did not want to leave everything I have to someone that is not my family.”
“Are you saying,” she asked hesitantly, “that you are leaving me everything?”
He tapped his finger on his chin. “Do you want me to?”
A laugh bubbled up in her throat from the hilarity of his question. She walked to the window but didn’t pull back the curtains. Instead, she turned and leaned her back against the wall, staring at the floor. Without wanting it to happen, ideas popped into her head of how different her life would be to have lots of money. “What would I possibly do with a plantation? I don’t even know how to run it.”
“True, but what about your Mr. Knightly? He would know how to run this place.”
She snapped her head up and looked at him with wide eyes. Her heartbeat knocked quickly against her chest. “What about Mr. Knightly? What do you know about him?”
“I hired him to be your guide for a reason. He is a good man. I wanted him to fall in love with my daughter, and having him as your guide, I’m sure I had accomplished that.”
“What makes you so certain he has fallen in love with me?”
“His men have talked to me, already.”
Embarrassment warmed her cheeks. “That doesn’t mean anything.”
“Yes, it does.” A grin stretched across Henry’s mouth. “I trust Knightly to know how to run this plantation.”
“I don’t understand.” She moved away from the wall and slowly walked to Henry. “You want to give the plantation to Felix? I thought you just said you wanted everything to go to blood kin.”
He chuckled weakly. “Yes, but if Mr. Knightly married my daughter…”
Another laugh sprang from her chest, this one coming out in a loud bark. “Don’t be ridiculous. Why would he marry a woman like me? Did you know he’s an earl?”
“An earl you say?” He tapped his finger on his chin again. “Very interesting.”
She flipped her hand in the air. “Regardless, we are from two different worlds. Why would a man like Felix want to marry a lowly woman like me?”
“Tell me, Katrina. Do you love him?”
She held her breath. With all my heart. “Yes.”
“Do you think he loves you?”
She couldn’t stop the tears from blurring her vision again. “Yes.”
“Then obviously, he doesn’t care about the way you were brought up. He loves you for yourself.”
She wanted to cry with happiness but held strong instead. Did Felix really love her for herself? She’d never met a man who could. She took a deep breath and slowly released it. “He is returning to England to take his title and live as an earl.”
“Then stop him.”
“It doesn’t work that way.” She rolled her eyes. “Henry, you are living in a dream world if you think Felix is going to choose me over his title and lands.”
“Why don’t you ask him?”
Her breath caught in her throat. Dare she dream? Dare she believe in happy endings? For so long she’d convinced herself there was no such thing. Now there just might be a chance for her to be completely happy.
She blinked the tears away. “Let me think on this later tonight. I can’t think now. I didn’t eat the food Mrs. Cooney brought up for me, and I think that’s why my head hurts.”
“Have Mrs. Cooney make you something quickly. In fact, tell her I want you to meet my step-son, Robert. I think the two of you should finally get to know each other.”
She nodded. “Do I get to meet your wife, as well?”
“No. She died a year ago.” Sadness covered his face.
“I’m sorry for your loss.” She took a deep breath before saying, “I’ll go find Mrs. Cooney now.” She turned and walked to the door. Resting her hand on the knob, she paused, feeling the need to say something else. She looked over her shoulder at the sickly older man who was still watching her. “I thank you for letting us use your physician to help Mr. Knightly.”
“Felix is a good man.”
“Yes, he is.” She nodded as her voice choked. “And thank you for thinking of me all these years. I really thought you didn’t care.”
“That’s because your mother wanted you to think that, but I have saved every letter she returned. If ever you want to read them, let me know.”
Emotion tugged on her heartstrings again, and she took another calming breath. “Not at this time.” She opened the door and hurried into the hall before changing her mind. She really needed some food to stop this headache. Besides, she’d had enough shock being thrown at her already today. She didn’t need more.
Katrina couldn’t find Mrs. Cooney, so she wandered to the main level of the house until she found the large dining room. A few of the kitchen staff were mulling about and when they saw her, they stopped. Their eyes grew wide.
“Good day,” she said politely. “Could I trouble one of you for something to eat?”
“Yes, Miss.” The two younger women bobbed and hurried in to the side door.
Katrina sat at the long table and waited. She tried to take in the beauty of the expensive furniture and pai
ntings, but her mind wouldn’t rest long enough to let her do this. Instead, she kept thinking about what her father had said about her mother. He was telling the truth, and shame still crawled through her, making her stomach churn.
This was just too much to think about right now. Tomorrow was soon enough to think about her mother. For now, Katrina would think about what her father had said about Felix.
She knew he loved her because he’d told her a couple of times already, but did he love her enough to want to marry her and stay here to run the plantation? She still didn’t know if she could handle such a responsibility out here in the wild jungle. However, with Felix by her side as her husband, she could accomplish anything.
Her heart softened and slowly her headache began to disappear. Perhaps she’d mention it to him tonight when she went to check on his progress. She’s see what his thoughts were and if she felt that he would indeed stay here with her—as her husband—then she would ask that very important question.
Quite bold of her to ask a man to marry her, and she didn’t know if she was that daring yet. Maybe she’d have Henry talk to Felix first.
The side door swung open and one of the servants carried in a tray of food. Katrina’s stomach grumbled loudly, and she placed her hand on her stomach. The juices in her mouth started flowing, and she didn’t know what to eat first.
“Thank you,” she told the servant who bobbed again and then left. Hungrily, Katrina began eating the fish. Her only meal since leaving Macapá had been nuts and berries. She was dying for some actual meat.
On the hard wooden floor in back of her, heavy footsteps came her way. She turned her head to see who had entered the dining room. A tall man with wide shoulders walked toward her. His hair was black, and his glare was almost as dark. His skin tone wasn’t as olive-colored as the Portuguese servants who worked here, but she could tell he had a little of that nationality in him. He dressed in expensive clothes that were probably tailored to fit his frame. In between his finger and thumb, he held a cheroot that was still smoking.
She had seen him before, but where? In a flash, she remembered. He had been the man coming out of Mr. Jamison’s office when she and her mother were waiting to see the attorney. This was the man who had turned up his nose at her before leaving the office.
“Ah, so I see you do remember me,” he said with a smirk.
“Yes. You were in Mr. Jamison’s office.”
“How very good of you to remember. I was trying to change his mind about telling you what Henry wanted you to do.” He walked closer and sat beside her on the chair. “Let me introduce myself. My name is Robert Faro. I’m your stepbrother, although I’m not pleased with the idea at all.”
Not many times did she loathe someone after first meeting them, but this Mr. Faro…Robert…was someone her heart told her not to trust.
Chapter Seventeen
Katrina continued to stare at Robert as she swallowed the mouthful of food she’d been eating. Suddenly, the meal had lost its appeal. Either that or it was the bitterness coating her mouth. He was as rude now as when he had first thrown her that glare back in Mr. Jamison’s office.
“Then the feeling is mutual.” She arched an eyebrow. “I knew at first glance in Macapá, that you were not someone who was worth my time.”
Surprise washed over his face and his eyes widened. Within seconds a chuckle shook his chest. “I wasn’t told you had such a viper’s tongue.”
“How very sorry for you, then. I’m the kind of women who says what’s on my mind.”
“That’s good. Then maybe our conversation will go smoothly and I won’t have to do much explaining.” He stood and walked back to the door to the dining room, closing it.
She wasn’t certain she wanted their conversation to be private. Something just didn’t set right with her as she studied him. Unease rolled through her as the seconds ticked by.
“You see,” he continued, strolling back toward the table, “I’m having a difficult time trying to share something I feel is solely mine. I am the one who was raised working beside a stepfather from sun up to sun down. I was the one who labored by his side, learning all I could about rubber trees and how to sell them to get the best price.”
He stopped beside her and slammed his hands on the table. She didn’t jump. She wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction. Although he frightened her, she would not let him see. Instead, she glared into his evil eyes.
He didn’t move from his position. “Then out of nowhere, Henry claimed he was going to give this plantation to the daughter he never met.” Robert shook his head. “I’m afraid that isn’t going to happen while I’m alive.”
Laying on the dramatics, she gasped and placed her hand on her throat. “Oh, no! Are you ill and dying, too? How very awful for you, especially since we both know you won’t be going to Heaven.”
Robert rolled his eyes and moved away from her, walking to the other side of the table as he puffed on his cheroot. Men often pranced back and forth to show her how large they were, hoping to make her feel inferior. Obviously, Robert was no different. She would not cower to him. If she could stay strong in front of drunkards, she could certainly handle Robert.
“You clearly have no idea what you’re up against.” He threw her a glare.
“What would that be?”
“Did you ever wonder why things were happening in the jungle that weren’t supposed to happen?”
Fear spread through her like claws of ice. Felix had constantly mentioned that nothing was right. This had to be what Robert was talking about.
Her lips dried and she licked them to bring back moisture. “Mr. Knightly did say something to that effect.”
Laughing, he folded his arms. “The idea actually came from your mother, you know.”
Tightness consumed her chest, making it difficult to breathe. “My m—mother?”
“Yes. Are you aware that after your visit with Mr. Jamison, your mother returned to his office to offer him money?”
She narrowed her gaze. “Why would she do that, especially when she had no funds in which to pay him?”
“Because, my dear stepsister, she knew Henry was dying and that you would get his money. So in reality, she did have funds to pay Mr. Jamison.”
“I still don’t understand what this has to do with anything.”
“You see, your mother didn’t want you going into the rainforest. Not only did she fear for your safety, but she worried that you would believe what Henry had to tell you about her. Your mother told Mr. Jamison that she wanted something to happen to you that would frighten you enough to return home to Boston…with her.”
Katrina laughed uncomfortably and shook her head. “There you are wrong, Mr. Faro. You see, my mother wanted the funds even more than I did.”
“No, you are wrong.” He moved to the table again and sat on the edge. “As I’d mentioned, your mother thought that Henry was near death. Even if you hadn’t traveled through the jungle, your father would have given you some money. Your mother was aware of that, thanks to Mr. Jamison.”
“What does Mr. Jamison have to do with any of this?”
Faro snickered and rubbed his chin. “When your mother returned to his office later that day, she coerced him in a most pleasing way, to hire someone to try and stop you.” He puffed his chest. “That is where I came in. Mr. Jamison knew I didn’t want you meeting your father, either.”
The pain that had been throbbing in her skull came back full force now. Even her stomach churned so hard she could scarcely breathe. “How did you get all those things to happen in the jungle?”
Tilting back his head, he laughed victoriously. “Oh, Katrina. You obviously don’t know what I can do out here, and how much power I have in these villages. All I need to do is flash some gold coins, and men will line up to do my bidding.”
“So you’re saying that one of Mr. Knightly’s men worked for you?”
“Yes.”
“Who?” She narrowed her glare on him.
He shook his head. “I’m not saying. I might need his help again in the future.”
“Are you telling me that Carlos is dead because of you?” Anger flared inside her and she bunched her hands into fists.
He shrugged. “I was actually hoping the croc would have gotten to you first. Carlos just jumped in the water sooner.”
“What about Paulo? Did you kill him, too?”
“No. We just snatched him, drugged him, and put him on a raft. I’m sure he is fine.”
“But you don’t know for sure?”
“No.”
She gritted her teeth and spat, “You are pure evil.”
“Yes, I am.” He swung his leg, bumping the leg of her chair. “You don’t know the half of it.”
She swallowed the panic rising in her throat. “What do you mean?”
“You and I will make a deal. You will sign over the plantation to me when Henry dies so that I will have full control of everything. I shall give you a few thousand dollars, but that’s all.” He reached over and touched her cheek. “After all, you are his only child so you deserve some kind of inheritance.”
She slapped his hand away. “What if I refuse your offer?”
“Then I shall see to it that Mr. Knightly dies, as he should have when I shot that poisonous dart in his neck.”
Her stomach lurched, but nothing came up. Anger ripped through her, and she jumped from her seat. She pummeled her fists against his chest, wanting to beat him to death. When that didn’t work and all she got out of him was a laugh, she pawed at his face. He gripped her wrists and kept her from touching him.
“You are just like my pet jaguar, sharp claws and all,” he snickered. “Nevertheless, I can handle you.” He released her wrists, shoving her back. “So, Katrina, do we have a deal?”
“No we do not. I shall inform Mr. Knightly of your intentions along with Henry. My father will have you removed from the plantation immediately!”
Robert tsked and shook his head. “Actually, that won’t happen. You see, I have many friends who will help me. If by chance, I am kicked off this plantation, I will go into hiding. If that happens, you and your lover will always be in danger. Oh, did I mention your fascinating mother with many talents will also be in danger? Because if you don’t do as I say, I will torture your mother as well. So really, Katrina, you have no other choice but to go along with me. All you have to do is sign a paper which Mr. Jamison has already written up, stating that you forfeit all your inheritance to me.” He shrugged. “Then you and your pathetic mother will return home to Boston to continue working at the tavern.”
Marie Higgins Page 18