Upon entering the large structure, she was seized from behind and held tightly. Her captor laughed satanically as he whispered, "I bet you're glad to see me, my sweet. Did you think I'd forgotten about my fiancee? It was wrong of me to leave you in that Yankee's grip."
At the sound of that familiar voice, Amanda nearly fainted in paralyzing fear. After her hands were bound, Weber flung her aside where she tumbled over cotton sacks and landed on the hard floor, bruising and scratching herself. She hurriedly came to a sitting position and leaned against another pile of sacks, gazing at him through shock-filled eyes. Her hair was in wild disarray and her clothes were mussed and soiled.
"Weber? Whatever are you doing in Alexandria? Don't you know there's a warrant out for your arrest, for treason? Where have you been all this time? Why did you send that note? Where is Reis?" she asked fearfully.
"Your beloved husband is fine for the moment. You could say he's a bit tied up, but fine," he joked devilishly. "I didn't know your blood was so hot that you needed two men to cool it. You amaze me, woman; romancing two men at once. Before I decide what to do with you two, I might show you what you've been missing."
Comprehending his lewd meaning, she warned carefully, "You're in terrible trouble, Weber. Sur render before they kill you on sight. McVane's dead, but you could find another smart lawyer to help you." Let your mind work faster than your mouth, she told herself.
"I never surrender, my sweet. Ask your husband. After I killed his family and burned his stinking ranch to the ground, he chased me for months, but I was too fast and clever. Too bad my aim wasn't truer. As to them killing me, you needn't fret about my safety, my sly vixen. I've managed to avoid them thus far. And if I still wanted you, I could take anything I please. In fact, you'd be begging to comply to spare your love from torture. Might be educating to that Yank to watch how a Reb pleasures a woman."
"You wouldn't," she murmured hoarsely.
His sardonic grin sent shivers over her. Weber thrilled to her terror and fed ravenously on it. He sought to increase it by saying, "I can promise you'll have a man to compare with old Reis, but I haven't decided if it's to be me or one of my men. I'm not sure if you're worthy of my touch. Of course, afterward, you'll have plenty of comparisons. I'm selling you for a pleasure slave. I don't really have the stomach to murder you, so I'll find other ways to enjoy revenge."
He strolled around her, nudging her with his boot when her attention seemed to stray. "I thought about killing Reis, but I changed my mind. Death would be too quick, too merciful. Months and years of suffering will be much better punishment. He'll blame himself for your sorry fate. He'll search the world for you, but he won't find you. As for our firms, nobody will profit from them. I'm burning them down before I start my search for Randy. Don't look so surprised," he jested cruelly when she paled. "That damn Union won't steal anything more from me! After I'm rid of Luke, I plan to enjoy Miranda for a long time."
"So, I was right to suspect you craved her more than me. She hates you, Web. She'll kill you first," Amanda spat at him before she could prevent the rash words from spilling forth.
"She won't have the strength, my sweet. No woman can resist me for long."
"My God, you're mad," she cried.
"Mad, yes; but crazy, no," he argued between chuckles which chilled her flesh. "I'm afraid you'll have to pay for siding with our enemy, the Yankees."
"The war is over, Weber!" she shouted at him.
"Far from it, my sweet. When we assassinate Jeff Davis, the South will rise in defiance and beat the North this time. They caught us unprepared last time but not this time. I've seen to it myself."
"Davis is a Southerner, the ex-Confederate President, you fool!" she shrieked incisively to pierce his veil of madness.
"Then he won't mind being a martyr for his cause. Life isn't the most important asset, unless you have the best," he debated nonsensically, his dark eyes rolling wildly.
Amanda was becoming frantic trying to find a way to reach him. She tried a different approach. She asked softly, "You mean the South will become powerful and free again? Is it truly possible, Web? How can you do it without your money and men? They were all arrested. Surely anyone else involved will be too frightened to help?"
At her softened tone and curious questions, he eyed her strangely. "Why'd you marry that damn Yankee spy?" he snarled. "Only a whore would choose a Yank over a Reb!"
"What was I supposed to do? You disappeared, and everything went crazy here. You left me at their mercy. You don't understand, Web; I had no choice. He was blackmailing me. He threatened to kill Luke and Randy if I didn't do as he demanded. I was stalling until Luke could get away. Reis was having me and Randy watched; he was even spying on the men you had watching me! Every time you came over, he was hiding- in the house and listening to everything I told you. That's why I acted so crazy! Damn you, why didn't you help me!"
When he stiffened and squatted to pay closer attention, she continued her cunning tale. "Until I received a letter from Randy last week, I thought he was holding her captive somewhere. I knew why she ran away; she left because of the way I was treating you. She knew I was seeing Reis, but she didn't know why. And I dared not tell her or refuse to follow his strange orders. When I called his bluff with her letter, he told me if I hired anyone to warn her he would have one of his men slay her that very day-that he knew where she was."
When she halted to catch a breath while thinking what to say next, he snarled coldly, "What kind of lies are you feeding me?"
"Reis was gone that day I asked you to search for her, but his men were lurking outside. I was afraid your actions would warn them had I confided in you. Reis told me they had orders to shoot both of us if I betrayed him to you. I thought if I dropped some crafty hints, you would track her down and rescue her. But I was trying to get you to search secretly to protect all of us. He said he was a government agent. How could I refuse to cooperate? He told me he was after some notorious ring of ex-Rebels who were buying and stocking arms for another war. He said they were using your firm and mine, but he didn't talk like he thought either of us were involved. When he said you were the leader, I couldn't believe you were guilty of treason. Heavens, Web, how could you do something foolish like that?" she asked angrily.
When the befuddled Weber did not respond, she wearily continued. "If I didn't obey his orders or if I warned you, he said I would be arrested as your accomplice. Me-Amanda Lawrence-arrested and imprisoned for treason! Do you have any idea how female prisoners are treated inside those stone walls? I do; Reis vividly described it. I was so confused and frightened, I didn't know what to do. He told me everything would be over in two weeks. But everything went crazy. He said you would be arrested and hung for treason, that he possessed positive proof. I couldn't understand why he forced me to marry him then kept it a secret. During the raid on your meeting that night, he explained why. He was using your fiancee to punish you, to gain something for what you took from him. He wanted your woman and a wealthy position and business, in exchange for that family and ranch you boasted of destroying. Like you just did, he threatened to take whatever pleased him; if I resisted or defied him, he vowed to find a way to implicate me in your traitorous schemes. I didn't want to go to prison, Web. When you escaped, he was furious. When I told him it served him right for all he'd done to me, he said you would kill me when you came back because you would never believe me innocent of helping him trap you. Look what you've done to me, to my life. How can you say you loved me after hurting me so much? Oh, Weber, are you really going to kill me?"
Weber watched the fragile creature as she focused those innocent and entreating eyes on him. He listened to her pitiful voice and he was consumed by confusion. "Surely you don't expect me to believe all this?" he debated, his eyes exhibiting his doubts. "You tricked me, woman. You nearly got me killed. You lied to me," he declared, opening the door for some valid charges from her.
"I tricked you? I nearly got you killed? I lied to you?"
she sneered, stressing his ridiculous accusations. "Reis showed me the books and letters he confiscated from the firms as evidence. He was boasting about how much he owned now, compliments of his wife and you. You lied to me about the firm, Weber! You lied about the townhouse and Morning Star! I wasn't going broke; I'm a wealthy woman. Or I was until that spiteful Yankee took control of everything! You were using me, duping me all along! It was a cruel game to steal all I owned. Oh, he enjoyed showing me how you had been deceiving me. Now you accuse me of betrayal? What a stupid, blind fool I was. I thought you were my gallant knight, saving me from all of life's dragons, when all along, you were the fire from their nostrils; you were the enemy trying to consume me. You were even spying on me! Why? You know what's so ironic and tragic? You didn't have to trick me at all. If not for your crimes bringing that Yankee here to ruin both our lives, we would be married now and our mutual firm would be thriving. And Randy would be safe at home. She's in Dakota with Luke," she added desperately to win his trust. "All this time she's been safe. If only she or Luke had told me ..."
Weber was staggered by her vast knowledge and accusations. She seemed to know everything and she was blaming him for this defeat and danger. She had seen the evidence, so he could not deny it. She appeared bitter and angry, vulnerable and sad. He had planned to kill them both and burn the businesses, then vanish. Did it change things if she were innocent? It was too late to correct his mistakes, too late for Reis's death to alter his dire situation.
In a way, his revenge on Reis could still take place. Reis wanted Amanda and her lucrative firm and holdings. He could make certain Reis gained nothing and he could burn the townhouse and the plantation. Once again, all the Yankee would have would be a scorched parcel of dirt and charred trees. The kink in his plans was Amanda. Reis had been using her like he had. It would not matter to Reis if he killed or sold the haughty bitch. In fact, as her husband, Reis would gain everything without having to endure Amanda. It irked Weber to realize his plans were being usurped by his enemy. Even with a few fires here and there, Reis would win.
"You never loved me, did you, Web?" she asked somberly, as if that realization pained her deeply.
"I wanted you because you were wealthy and beautiful-and because you were desired by so many men," he replied calmly. He went on to confess his lust for Miranda and what had happened between them.
"You mean she left because of you, not Reis?" she shrieked as if surprised by that statement. "I was only using that jealousy argument to stall your proposal. I never suspected you actually wanted her. I honestly thought I was hurting you, insulting you. You tried to attack her in our home! You tried to force her to marry you in my place! She despises you. My God, Web..."
Suddenly Amanda jerked her head toward him. She seemed to brighten with a new thought. "Reis knew! Randy must have told him and Luke. Of course-that's why they helped her get away. That's why she wouldn't confide in me. You tried to ravish her, so naturally she turned to chivalrous Reis! Reis probably told him you were the one blackmailing and threatening me. They were all three in on that plot. How could Luke and Randy side with him?" she wailed. "Don't tell me he's in love with her, too. I wonder if Reis is planning to get rid of me before she comes home! That devil! I hate them alll There's no telling what that Yankee said to them. You don't think Reis convinced them I was working with you, that I'm a traitor? Merciful heavens, Randy doesn't know it was Reis making me so jittery and secretive, not you. Your lust tossed her right into Reis's lap and plansl"
Weber did not realize Amanda was filling his head with doubts and suspicions, hoping to drive a wedge between his madness and his desire for vengeance. If she could persuade him she was on his side, that she also wanted revenge ... If only she could disarm him ... If she could entice him to trust her, to untie her...
Amanda sensed he was wavering as he gave this matter new study. She murmured, "My own sister and cousin ... How could they do such evil to me? Is there no one I can trust? Am I so terrible that everyone hates me? If only Mama and Papa were here-they wouldn't let this happen to me." She began to cry.
Her last statement reminded Weber of what he had done to Joe and Marie. Their missing bodies did not matter now, for all was lost. Just before cruelly breaking her heart by disclosing that final secret, he changed his mind. "You do have a way of bringing out the worst in people," he informed her sullenly.
"Besides everything else, must I take the blame for the wickedness and greed of others?" she scoffed tearfully. "That isn't fair." One last and desperate plan to save her beloved entered her mind. "There is one way to spite them, Web," she hinted.
"How, Miss Lawrence?" he sneered sarcastically, yet his curiosity was piqued. She looked so tantalizing, all tied up like that. She probably still wanted him, the foolish tart.
"How could a jury convict you without evidence?" she asked. When he perked up with interest, she went on, "Why not force Reis to steal it for you? If you destroy it, they can't touch you legally."
"How do I accomplish such a feat?" he scoffed, eying the soft swell of her breasts.
Amanda tried to ignore the dreadful reason for the flush on Weber's face, the passion glaze over his dark eyes, his harsh breathing. As consternation flooded her, she pretended to think of a plan. "I doubt using me as bait would work. He doesn't care what happens to me. He would probably thank you for removing me for him. And you can't threaten to burn down all he owns; he would merely place guards around the buildings. Besides, with my money under his control, he can rebuild everything with no problem. Luke and Randy are out of your reach, so you can't use ... That's it!" she squealed. "Randy! That's how to get to him. Sweet Randy will lure him into our trap."
"What?" he growled in befuddlement. "She's in Dakota."
"You know how much we favor each other. What if we use soot or something to darken my hair? Perhaps use a blindfold to hide my blue eyes. If he glanced at me at a distance in the shadows, he would think you had Randy captive. He would steal the evidence to save her. You could dress one of your men to pass as Luke. If you keep us in dim light and at a distance, with mouths gagged, he would be fooled. I can hire a lawyer to prove he blackmailed me, then I'll be free of this repulsive marriage. We'll make certain we obey every American law and give them no new evidence or suspicions for a new case; agreed? After he lowers his guard, you can get rid of the beast."
"And just how did I capture Randy and Luke?" he queried.
"You've been missing for weeks, Web. You've had time to locate them and bring them back as prisoners," she snapped in frustration, as if irritated by his lack of intelligence.
"And what if he asks to see you?" he added, finding another inconsistency.
"Must I think of everything!" she exploded in fury. "You were clever enough to trick me for months and to almost pull off a second civil warl The least you can do is help me figure out how to defeat them and save both our lives and fortunes! In case you're not thinking clearly, I've just as much to lose as you have! I don't want to be Harrison's showpiece! I don't want him commanding mel I want to come and go as I please. As long as he's in control of me and my wealth, I'm helpless; I'm like a prisoner! You can show me bound in one area of the warehouse. Then surely you can find some way to taunt and delay him while I disguise myself and sneak to where you're supposedly holding Randy and Luke for exhibition," she suggested.
"Why would you help me?" he questioned skeptically.
"As I said, for a price," she replied hastily, glaring at him.
"What price?" he inquired, piqued.
"Everything I just told you and my escape. After the ruse is over, you destroy the evidence against you. Then you must help me get free of Reis, either by his death or an annulment. In exchange for my help, I'll sign Lawrence Shipping over to you. I'll sell everything else, move to another state, and begin a new life-perhaps in New Orleans or New York. When my traitorous sister returns, she'll be at your whim because I won't be around. And neither will our property and money for her protect
ion and support. Since you find her so pleasing and desirable, you can rescue her from poverty. But I don't want her beaten or killed; is that understood? You can make her your mistress or wife, whatever suits you and her. As for Reis, you can do as you please with him. That way, we'll both have what we want."
Just as Amanda suspected and prayed, Weber agreed to go along with this scheme to obtain the crucial file. But she knew he would attempt to delude her into believing he would free her and help her afterward, which he would never do. Despite his hazy madness, Amanda was reading him clearly. Yes, Weber would try to use her one last time, but he would fail!
The plans were made. Weber untied her but placed a guard on her. She frowned at him, mocking his mistrust. "Prove yourself, my sweet, then I'll trust you with my life," he teased her. "In fact, I might do all I can to persuade you to marry me. We would make a fine team, Mandy. We could both come and go as we pleased, discreetly, of course. I would enjoy having your sister as my mistress for a while, if you didn't mind." She shrugged nonchalantly as if agreeing.
When all was prepared, Amanda was nervous. All she could do was go along with her scheme as she awaited a moment to attack him. She hoped Reis would see through this farce. If he did not, he would be offered a chance for escape and to summon help. For the first time, she knew what it meant to be willing to sacrifice her life for that of someone she loved. But to think this could be the last time she saw her love was staggering and tormenting.
Savage Conquest Page 26