“What? That she saw danger in your future if you took this trip with me?”
“Yes.”
“Elizabeth we went over this on the plane. That was just your mother’s way of keeping control of your life.”
“I know.” Elizabeth said as she looked back at Aurora.
Aurora had never had to deal with anything other than the ordinary. For that reason alone Elizabeth loved hanging out with her. Aurora’s life was that which Elizabeth always envied and desired, only feeling slightly a part of it when she was belly up to the island in the kitchen of Aurora’s parents log home.
Aurora…had a spirit, full of positive optimism. She always saw the good in people and life, which was understandable with never having seen the evil that some people had in them. Aurora was the ear that listened to her as she talked about her frustrations and fears, as she made her forget about her problems and laugh at her fears. Elizabeth wondered at those times what type of person she could have been if she had never had evil touch her life and change the very fiber of who she was.
No, Elizabeth thought she would tell Aurora tomorrow the true reason she had picked New Orleans, but for tonight they would have fun and Elizabeth would pretend that everything was as it should be. Elizabeth felt better with this decision as she looked out to the river once more, the yacht from earlier now just a shadow in the distance. Elizabeth smiled as she felt a hand soft and gentle, grip her fingers, the contact removed the fear that had consumed her.
“Elizabeth? I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be so callous about your question. I just hate to see your mother’s words…ruin what fun you could have. I know how much you were looking forward to this trip.” Aurora said, her words full of concern.
“You’re right.” Elizabeth said as she pulled her hand free while she brushed aside the fears that had filled her most of the day, pasting a wide smile on her face to cover the insecurity she felt at the moment. “I will not! That’s right. I will not let my mothers fears dictate my life.”
“That’s what I like to hear.” Aurora said, unconcealed doubt in her eyes.
“Oh no!” Elizabeth said, as she shook a finger in Aurora’s face with a friendly wink. “I see that doubt in your eyes. But, I’m serious and besides, you want to know what the best medicine for me would be?”
“What?”
“To just forget about the last twenty four hours and have myself some fun.” She said with a forced cheerfulness. “Now… I have a question. How did you know I would be here? I didn’t even know where I was heading when I left the hotel.”
“I didn’t.” Aurora said with a smile. “Well, not for sure anyways. But, when I read your note I decided to see if you could of come down here. I know how much you love the water and boats.”
“True that.” Elizabeth said with a chuckle. “So... girlfriend. Is it what you expected? Are we going to have a rad time?”
“We are sooo going too. These people are crazy.” Aurora said while swinging her leg around to stand up in excitement. “All up and down the streets there are people partying off their balconies and the men...” Aurora smiled big as she waved a hand in front of her face in a mock gesture of cooling off the heat. “Well… they are fine indeed.”
Elizabeth laughed as she stood up. “Sweet.” She said with unconcealed enjoyment.
Aurora laughed in agreement while she pulled Elizabeth’s arm through hers, her voice full of excitement as she described the various costumes she had seen, the music piped out onto the streets, and beads that were thrown down from balconies, as girls revealed that which the men wanted to see. Elizabeth’s spirits lifted while she listened, laughing as they skirted people on the street which had started to fill with early partygoers and parade watchers.
“Yes,” Elizabeth thought, “This is what she needed, Aurora’s contagious enthusiasm and carefree spirit to lift her out of her slump. Nothing was going to get her down tonight.” She vowed silently while looking back over her shoulder at the Mississippi River, her eyes skimming the water for the yacht, which she could no longer see.
Yes, nothing was going to get in her way.
Chapter 4
Roger stepped away from the railing, his heart clenched in anger. He couldn’t quite fully comprehend what he had just seen. Although he had always known she would return to collect what her mother, Lily, had taken from him. That was the only reason he had stayed in New Orleans and risked exposure for so many years. Only mildly surprised at the intensity of the anger he still felt even after all these years, towards Julia, he still remembered how she had poisoned his Lily against him, forcing her to run to the very place that knew him before his change of identity. The sacrifices still fresh that he had made those many years ago to create a new life. The years of developing and researching until he could finally execute his plan. He shuddered involuntarily as he thought of the pain, mentally and physically, as his hand unconsciously reached up to touch the now familiar shape, a reminder to him of the price he had paid for this life. No, he had no intentions of throwing it all away, for a scheming little bitch.
Determination filled him as he looked back up and across the water. Julia still sat so innocently on the dock as she made no attempt to cover who she was. Her outright arrogance, touched a nerve in him, painfully. Then the pain quickly changed to a raw jealousy and desire as he watched the setting sun catch her in its last rays, illuminating her beauty, so like her mother’s. Angry at the direction of his thoughts, he focused instead on who she had been, a conniving little girl, who had turned his Lily against him. A reminder to himself of his one failure and the price it had cost him. As he lived his life, day-by-day, with constant fear of exposure from the evidence Julia had on him. Knowing, always knowing, that if it was to come to light he would do anything to prevent himself from being returned to that four by four rubber room in the institute for the criminally insane. An institute he had escaped from with his cunning and wit as he hid his sanity behind insanity; in order to manipulate the staff into believing he was less of an escape risk than he was.
Roger shook the memory away; instead, he thought of his lovely brilliant Lily. His heart caught in his throat with the vision. He remembered her as if he had seen her only yesterday, instead of the nine years it had been. He brought himself back to the first time he saw her in a dingy bar with her clumsy attempt to manipulate a businessman. The act pathetic, but Roger had seen the potential in her; her talent unrefined with so many possibilities. He had known then only he could nourish her talent to its full capabilities. He saw, in her, himself before he mastered the art of the con, as he wove himself into her life teaching her all that he knew. He remembered fondly how under his care she had learned and grew until she could extract, from even the weariest, information that could be used against them for their benefit.
For this reason he couldn’t hate his Lily for doing what she had been taught; when she used those skills and techniques to learn his own most intimate secrets. But, it also had been her fatal downfall, as she learned her final lesson to never turn against the teacher. He shook his head in sadness with the memory of the final lesson he had to teach her. At the time, he had hoped by showing Julia this painful lesson her mother had to learn; that she could become his student, his apprentice, and learn the finer arts of deception. Thus, recouping some of the losses he had been forced to make. Then and only then, he had told himself, could he save her from following the same fate as her mother, Always knowing, that with time and patient instruction, she could be as good if not better than her mother, Lily. Then he could forgive her and move beyond her indiscretions.
However, she had proven herself savvier then he had originally believed, as she fell off radar shortly after Lily’s fatal demise. This action had removed all hope of his forgiveness. Although now with her return, he realized she wasn’t as clever as she most likely believed. She had made her first fatal error; returning to claim what was not rightfu
lly hers. Yes, he would show her, with pleasure, the master of the game.
The memories swirled around him as he blew out his breath in an attempt to still his nerves and excitement as he stepped back from the railing. He could still remember Julia as a child, her awkward promise of extraordinary beauty so similar to her mother. Now he saw, as she sat on the docks, his prediction had been fulfilled, her resemblance to her mother remarkable. Quickly, doubt started to darken his excitement as he wondered if the setting sun had instead played a trick on his mind. In the past few years he had seen other women he had believed to be Julia, but they had all been frauds.
Roger grew frustrated as he looked around before he spotted a telescope placed on the deck for the amusement of the guests. He quickly stepped over to it as he impatiently focused the lens on the boardwalk, moving the scope until he could see her as clear as if she was sitting in front of him. Unconsciously, he held his breath, willing her to look up to give him his final answer. Then as if she had read his mind, her eyes look away from the Saxophone player, as they pierce his with an unusual color of blue. Roger fell back and away from the telescope with shock, the sight gave him his final confirmation, that it could only be Julia. He could never forget those eyes which had haunted him for years.
Always, he had vowed that if he were to find those eyes again he would finish what he had started those many years ago, teaching her the trade, now, beyond his comprehension as his fist clenched. Her deception played like a movie projector in his mind over and over, until the memory was as smooth as a stone tossed around in the sea, which showed him that although Lily had tried to protect Julia from their world, Julia had learned more then both of them had ever realized. Over the years he had come to understand that it was her words, her actions, that had poisoned his Lily against him. Roger had only wanted to show Lily how much he loved her by giving her, her darkest desire. But that bitch, Julia, took the gift he had given her, to Lily, and twisted it into something it wasn’t until Lily no longer looked at him with pride and adoration, but instead with fear and resentment and that is why Lily had done the unforgivable. Which made it so he had no choice but to do what he did, with the knowledge it was Julia’s fault, he could clearly see that.
The movement of the boat startled Roger back to the present as he heard the roar of the engine fill the air. Panic filled him as he saw what he desired slowly move out of his grasp, an urge to jump the rail and claim what was rightfully his, consumed him. The thought quickly left him when he heard a soft-spoken voice call him from behind, the true reason he was on this floating cruise ship brought back to the forefront of his mind. He blew out his breath slowly to compose himself before he turned to face the project he was currently working on.
“Darling.” He said pleasantly as he turned around. “Where have you been? I have searched all over for you.”
A pleasant blush filled her cheeks as she looked down, before looking back up with a small shy smile and uncertainty in her eyes. “I’m sorry.”
“Well it doesn’t matter.” He said, as he stepped forward to brush a light finger across her cheek. Smiling smugly within, at the involuntary intake of air. Her eyes bright with pleasure as she looked back up to him, reminding him of a puppy eager to please its master. Roger knew this was going to be one of his easier projects, her desire to please, sickeningly pathetic, he thought. As he pulled her close, his eyes were drawn across the water as another girl joined Julia sitting on the dock, their interaction friendly, familiar although the distance and setting sun made it difficult for him to see them clearly anymore.
His thoughts then went to Lily. He could still remember her charisma and charm, her uncanny talent to weave a man into her web before she stripped him dry. She had been the quintessential perfection of a woman. Her beauty and natural allure of innocence the perfect combination to lure her victims into her web of deception. Now, he had found her daughter, the perfect combination reborn in another. His guard slid, for a moment, from his careful orchestration of old money arrogance. A harsh laugh slipped from his rigid frame as he felt triumph fill him with pleasure. Ignoring, a group of diamond dazzled women and black tie men who strolled by at that moment, he knew he was close. He could taste his victory as he envisioned himself getting back what was taken and the joy of collecting the debt.
The woman in his arms stepped back and out of his arms, a look of curiosity filled her green eyes, “What’s so funny, darling?”
The question momentarily angered him as it intruded on his private thoughts. Then once again, he buried his feelings as he focused on the woman in front of him. Her family and influence the sole reason for her existence in his life.
“Nothing.” He said with a smile, burying any form of resentment to focus on the project at hand. “I was just thinking of an old...acquaintance.”
“Really, who?”
“Oh, no one that would concern you.” He said as he lifted her soft hand to his lips, and smile into her eyes. “Besides, I would hate to bore you darling with all my business acquaintances. So…come let’s go join the party once more.”
“Fine. But, you’ll have to tell me later. Because, with you, I’m sure it wouldn’t be a bore.” She said with a coy smile as she pulled him along toward the stairs, which lead into the cabin below.
Roger smiled down at her to cover the disgust and anger towards her. He could feel his hands tingle with the desire to remove the coy little smile from her smug face. Tired of her and all her kind, superior attitude, their arrogant sense of privilege just because of the statutes of their birth. Inwardly, he smiled that now with the return of Julia, or if that was even the name she was using anymore, all his money difficulties would be resolved and his identity secured. Yes, now that he knew she was back there was nowhere for her to hide that he couldn’t find her. So fixated on this, he forgot for a moment the small space he was on the verge of entering.
When he was finally able to break away, Roger stepped back into the shadows to overlook the mingling elite as he waved over a penguin dressed waiter standing discreetly in the crowd for a glass of champagne. He needed to celebrate his find, from earlier. He could not believe his luck with what he had seen on the docks. He had joined the party as a necessary evil as he swallowed his resentment, pressured into accepting the invitation that was given to him by Amelia, the pet project he was currently working on.
His stomach had turned at not only the thought of dressing in the stiff garments of the early 1800’s but also his phobia of enclosed spaces. He had learned over the years, ways of hiding it, but the act was emotionally draining.
As a matter of fact, he had come close to declining the invitation, a need to show Amelia who was in control. But he knew it was too soon to show her his true colors, so he had swallowed his pride as he agreed to attend. Now, he couldn’t believe his good fortune, as he realized the opportunity he had almost thrown away, just because of pride.
Roger smiled broadly at the waiter as he picked up a glass of champagne from his tray, ready to celebrate the turning of his luck. He waved the waiter away with a flip of his wrist as he looked out at the crowd mingling in the luxurious cabin, their snooty and superior attitude not angering him as much as earlier that evening.
A plan formulated in his mind and as he thought of the best way to take back what was rightfully his and still have his revenge, a small smile curved his lips. His body responding to his thoughts, as he pulled his blazer down further to cover his excitement at the thought of that young lush body caving to his will and the pleasure he would find in the act of her final surrender. Roger thought of Lily as he sipped the wine slowly, and the pleasure he had taken in her. Although, this time he would have more restraint, he would make sure he had what he needed before he satisfied his final desire. Yes, he always knew this day would come when all he had waited for would fall at his feet. He smiled as he looked over at Amelia, knowing she would have a purpose after all for him tonight. Yes
, she would do for now.
Chapter 5
Elizabeth wrapped a large white hotel towel around her body as she stepped out of the glass encased shower just before she wrapped another one around her long strawberry blonde hair. The ceramic floor cool on the soles of her feet as she walked over to an elaborate dish sink with a faucet that resembled a waterfall, the mirror above steamed covered. Elizabeth leaned forward to wipe the moisture away, revealing her rosy complexion from the hot water she had let beat against her, removing her tension from earlier. Her eyes, an arctic blue with an upward slant to them giving them an exotic look, often elicited comments from strangers. Elizabeth angled her head when she leaned closer to look at the old scars on her face, touching the smooth, slightly raised white skin. Once more she attempted to place her finger on the moment they happened. Now, nine years since her abduction, she still couldn’t remember the details. Her scars were the only external evidence which became visible when her long hair was pulled back from her face. Her slim petite frame dwarfed even more by hair that reached half way down her back.
Elizabeth sighed as she turned her body so her back was to the mirror to look over her shoulder. A wish filled her that she could see what others saw, told by many that she had innocent radiance about her. But instead, all she could see was a thin frame with no curves, small petite breasts and eyes that seemed too big for her face with scars that reminded her of her own mental weakness. She shook her head at her own self-incrimination as she turned away from her reflection to walk out of the bathroom. Her head turned slightly as she tried to brush out the knots from her hair, which always seemed to gather no matter what she used in an attempt to prevent them. Frustrated she stepped through the French doors which led to the sitting area where Aurora sat on the edge of the sofa with a foot propped up onto the coffee table in front of her as she painted her toes a brilliant red.
Secrets of the Weeping Willow Page 3