"That is correct," Edward said, drying his hands on a towel, and facing the giant man, daring him to deny his right to his son.
"I promised Victoria I would say nothing to you, but I will ask you one question."
Edward studied Bodine. There was no way anyone could read him; his cold gray eyes gave nothing away.
"Are you taking Farraday because you want him, or is it to hurt Victoria?"
"Maybe a little of both," Edward told him honestly.
Bodine nodded. "The sooner you leave, the better." He walked across the room. "Watch your step while you are here; I would not like to hurt you.
Edward said nothing. He knew Bodine did not make idle threats.
After Bodine left, Edward lay on the bed trying to find relief for his aching body. Paul had landed a few good punches, but Edward was satisfied that Paul must also be suffering from their encounter.
When Edward came out of the bedroom, he met Victoria on the landing. She had just come from Farraday's room. She was dressed in her britches. He gave her a look that clearly told her he disapproved.
"I heard you and Paul quarreled. I will ask him to stay away until you have gone."
"And afterward?"
Victoria ignored the question and walked down the stairs. As she waited for him at the bottom, she noticed the bruises on Edward's face. "You should have some liniment put on your bruises."
"Forget it," Edward said angrily. "Are you going out, Victoria?"
"Yes, but I would like to talk to you for a moment, if you do not mind."
"Of course not. My time is yours."
She went into the study, and he followed. Sitting down at her desk, she took a sheet of paper from a desk drawer. "Please sit down, Edward." She indicated the couch, but he sat instead on the edge of her desk. She was painfully aware of his nearness and wished she could put some distance between them.
"Paul has found you a wet nurse. Her name is Lara. I know her well, and she will be completely trustworthy with Farraday. I told her you would be very generous, and would pay for her return trip when Farraday is weaned in about three months. Is that to your satisfaction?"
He nodded, feeling anger that Paul had taken it upon himself to find a wet nurse for his son.
"How is my grandmother, Edward?"
"Why should you care? You gave no thought to her when you left. It did not matter to you that she has been worried sick about your safety."
Victoria felt ashamed that she had caused her gentle grandmother pain. "Is she well?"
"Her health is good."
"And Ned, how is he?"
"He misses you."
She looked away from him. "Tell me about Consuelo and Manuel."
"Manuel has set up a leather shop in town. They are doing very well."
"I am glad."
"Dan and Clarissa are married," Edward said.
Victoria smiled. "I am happy for them. Will you tell them I send my love?"
"Of course." Edward wondered how she could sound so casual when he was burning with awareness of her.
"I have a favor to ask of you, Edward."
"I could never refuse you anything, Victoria," he said mockingly. "What would you ask of me?"
"Will you send Rebel to me?"
"Yes, I will arrange it when I return home. Do you need anything? Money?"
"No, I am doing very well." She picked up the pen and started to write. "His full name is Michael Farraday Hanover. You may want to call him Michael."
"No, Farraday suits him. Thank you for naming him after my father, Victoria," Edward said, watching her face closely.
She continued, "He is on soft foods. His favorite is mashed potatoes, chicken if it is chopped very fine. He is partial to chocolate pudding and egg custard. I only allow him one dessert a day. He takes a nap in the morning and one in the afternoon." Her voice broke. She was quiet for a moment and kept her head down while she composed herself. "He loves to visit the stables. I try to take him every morning. I wanted him to get used to the horses so he would have no fear of them." She laid her pen down, folded the paper, and handed it to Edward. "He is a very good baby and hardly ever cries. He is . . . he . . ." She rose from the desk. "He needs a lot of love, Edward." She was so near, Edward could smell lilacs. He wanted to reach out to her.
"Becky is packing his trunk today," Victoria said. "You can leave in the morning." She looked down at the wedding ring he had given her. She had not removed it since he had slipped it on her finger. She pulled it from her hand, and handed it to Edward. He stared down at it. "Take it," she pleaded.
He grabbed her with such force she dropped the ring. He crushed her to him. "Do you feel pain, Victoria?"
"Yes!" she cried.
"Is it almost more than you can bear?"
"Yes! Yes!"
He pushed her away from him. "Then you are feeling some of what you put me through."
She took her leather gloves from where she had tucked them into her belt, and slipped her hands into them, wishing they were not trembling so violently.
"I will be glad to leave tomorrow," Edward told her coldly. "Your Georgia does not suit me."
"I will be glad to have you gone." She walked to the door. "I will return later this afternoon. I would like to spend some time alone with Farraday."
She closed the door behind her. Edward picked up the ring which had fallen to the floor. He looked at it, then put it into his pocket.
Victoria spent the afternoon with her son down by the river. She held him to her and talked to him. She tried to memorize everything about his face, so she would not forget. He laughed and cooed at her, not knowing his mother's heart was breaking.
At dinnertime she carried him back to the house. She dined in her study with the excuse that she had paperwork to do. Edward and Bodine ate in the dining room. They had very little to say to each other. After dinner Bodine excused himself and left Edward alone.
Edward walked about the grounds and listened to the lonely sounds that came from the swamp. He wished tomorrow were behind him, and he were on his way to Rio del Lobo. When he returned to the house, Becky told him Victoria wanted to see him in the study. Edward could tell by the hostility in Becky's eyes that she knew he was taking Farraday to Texas. She opened the door to the study and stood aside for him to enter.
Victoria was sitting on the sofa talking with a woman. Victoria introduced her to Edward. "This is Lara, Edward. She has agreed to accompany you to Texas as Farraday's wet nurse. I think you will be pleased with her. She is from the O'Brian plantation and knows Farraday quite well."
Edward smiled at Lara. "I am glad you are coming to Texas with me on such short notice."
The eyes that looked back at him were cold. "I is doing it 'cause Master Paul asked me to," she told him, "and that is the only reason."
Edward paused thoughtfully. "Nonetheless, I am grateful to you."
Lara looked at him angrily; then turned her back to him.
"You may go now, Lara. Becky will show you to your bed." Victoria took the black woman's hand in hers. "Thank you, I really appreciate what you are doing."
"I would do anything for you, Miss Victoria." She cast Edward a belligerent glance and swept from the room.
"I get the distinct impression she does not treasure my acquaintance. I am about as popular around here as a weasel in a henhouse."
"I am sorry, Edward. Lara will come around in time. I trust we have made you comfortable while you were here."
"Your hospitality has been everything one would expect from a Southern lady."
"I will not see you in the morning, so I will wish you a pleasant trip."
"You will not see us off?"
She walked over to the window. "No, I find I cannot spare the time. April is a busy month on a plantation. Moss will drive you to Savannah. Please see that he stays the night in town. He is much too old to make a round trip in one day."
"I will see to it."
She turned her back to him. "Good-by, Edward."
; He took a step toward her. "Will you not kiss your husband good-by, Victoria? You neglected to do so when you left me."
She looked into his eyes, remembering when they had been so close, remembering when he had held her and told her of his love. "I think we have gone beyond that now, Edward."
"Perhaps you are right. Good-by then, Victoria." He bowed to her formally, and left the room.
The next morning Farraday's trunk was loaded into the buggy. Lara sat on the seat beside Moss, holding the baby in her arms. Edward mounted his horse, and looked about him for the last time. He had hoped Victoria would change her mind and see them off, but she did not come. Edward knew why. She did not want to lose her composure in front of him.
Becky was standing on the steps, crying as she waved to little Farraday. Bodine stood beside Edward, his cold gray eyes were piercing. "Take care of the boy."
"I will do that. Tell Victoria—"
"Tell Victoria what?"
"Tell her I said good-by."
Bodine watched as the buggy pulled away with Edward riding beside it. He watched as they rounded the bend and were lost from view behind the trees. Still Bodine waited. His eyes never left the road. He smiled as he heard the sound of Edward's horse returning.
Edward jumped from the saddle and looked at Bodine.
"She is down by the river," Bodine told him. He watched as Edward ran around the side of the house and down the path that led to the river. If anyone had looked at Bodine in that moment, they would have seen joy on the face he turned up to the heavens in a gesture of thanksgiving.
Victoria lay with her cheek resting in the cool grass. Tears she could no longer control flooded her eyes. She heard footsteps, but did not look up. "You do not need to tell me, Bodine; I know they have gone," she sobbed broken-heartedly. "How can one hurt so badly and still live? You and Paul were right when you said one day I would begin to feel again. I love Edward so much maybe in time I will feel comfort in the thought that he and Farraday are together." She heard him sit down beside her. "Please leave me, Bodine. I need to be alone. Even you cannot help me now."
She felt strong arms lift her from the grass and she was held against a white silk shirt. "Oh, Victoria, my love, I thought I could leave you, but I could not."
She looked into eyes that were misty with tears. She saw love shining in their brown depths. She threw her arms about his neck. "Oh, Edward, please forgive me for what I did to us. I love you so much."
His lips crushed hers in a punishing kiss. He held her so tightly she could hardly breathe. His arms brought life to her once more. She felt a fire flicker in her body, and strained to be closer to him. His hands moved over her body, becoming reacquainted with every curve. At last he raised his head. He was breathing hard, and his eyes burned into hers. "Where can we be alone? It is more than kisses I want from you."
Victoria felt a moment of uncertainty. She pulled away from him. "Will you be able to forgive me, Edward?"
He laid his cheek to hers. "Nothing matters that happened in the past. We will never speak of it again, Victoria."
She watched, fascinated as a tear rolled down Edward's face. "Promise me you will never leave me again. I have lived through hell."
She framed his face with her hands. "I will stay so close to you that you will grow weary of me."
"I can never have enough of you, Victoria. Will you return to Rio del Lobo with me?"
"Oh, yes, my love, yes."
Then they searched each other's faces, looking for any change wrought by the long months of separation.
"Your face is thinner, Edward."
"Yours is more beautiful," he told her. He shifted his weight, reached into his pocket, and took out her ring. He slipped it on her finger. "Never take it off again, Victoria."
She brushed the dark lock of hair from his forehead. "I shall wear it the rest of my life."
They stood up and walked toward the house. There was a need to be alone.
Victoria lay with her head on Edward's shoulder. A slight breeze stirred the curtains that hung at her bedroom window. Raising her head, she looked deeply into his eyes, dark eyes that drew her under their spell once more. Their lips met hungrily and ignited a fire that had never gone out, but had lain dormant, waiting for the two of them to come together again. Old wounds healed, washed away by their love and their need for each other.
Bodine supervised the loading of Mary Elizabeth's portrait. It had been crated in a strong wooden box ready for shipment to Texas. Edward had told him it would hang alongside his mother's portrait at Rio del Lobo.
He heard a rider coming down the drive, and saw Paul approaching. Paul pulled his horse up beside the wagon. He did not dismount, but leaned forward in the saddle.
"Is Tory leaving today, Bodine?"
"No. In the morning."
"Tell her I wish her happiness."
"Why don't you tell her yourself?"
Paul gazed off into space. "No, I am on my way to Atlanta. You do understand? I will be gone for quite a while."
Bodine offered Paul his hand. "Good luck, Paul," he said as they shook hands. "You always knew she loved Edward."
"Yes, but I did hope . . . Oh, well, that's history now."
"Time passes, Paul, and time is a great healer."
Paul looked at Bodine. "So they say. Good-by." Paul nudged his horse in the flanks and rode away without a backward glance.
He will be all right in time, Bodine thought. Bodine's mind raced ahead to the mound of work awaiting him. The books had to be put in order. There was more cotton to plant. The new overseer was a very competent man, and if things continued to go well, Bodine would be able to leave for Texas in the fall.
He felt excitement at the thought of returning home. He walked up the steps to the veranda. He could hear the sound of laughter from inside. Edward and Victoria were playing with their son. Life was good, thought Bodine. Victoria was happy.
Ecstasy's Promise (Historical Romance) Page 43