Tell Me I'm Dreamin'

by Eboni Snoe

  A thick eyebrow rose suspiciously at the mention of Basil’s name. “I have never known Basil to be so gracious.” The words were spoken slowly, ending in a derisive upward tilt of one side of Ulysses’ lips. A hint of jealousy descended on his striking features that was quickly masked, but not before Nadine saw it. Her spirits and confidence soared. She was glad she had taken some extra time with her looks: applying mascara, blush, and a light dusting of facial powder in addition to her customary dab of lipstick.

  The jealousy she had recognized in Ulysses, and her feelings of high self-esteem urged her on. “I hope things went well on Barbados.”

  “Yes, they did.” A distrusting glint entered his eyes at her obvious pleasure and willingness to strike up a conversation. “I spoke with Dr. Steward. He said he would be glad to send out the information.”

  “Wonderful.”

  Another awkward pause followed.

  “We will not hold you any longer.” Rodney brought the conversation to an end. “I am sure you must be tired after your . . . business on Barbados.” He flashed Ulysses a knowing smile, which was not returned.

  The meaningful pause before “business” was not lost on Nadine, and despite her feeling of momentary victory, the thought of Ulysses being involved with another woman was very disheartening.

  “I hope you do not intend to stay out too long, Nadine. We have a very busy day ahead of us tomorrow.”

  Before Nadine could respond Rodney came to her aid.

  “Why, Ulysses, I never knew you could be such a hard taskmaster.”

  “Why, Rodney,” he mimicked, “what else would you expect from Ulysses the Terrible?” A mock smile crossed his face as he nodded his departure.

  Nadine and Rodney walked quite a distance before they let go of another round of laughter, not wanting Ulysses to overhear them again. It had been a long time since Nadine had felt so good, and she was determined to make the most of it.

  The two of them progressed together, engrossed in laughter and idle chatter. They cut through a thick cluster of evergreen trees before reaching a road that ended at the steps of Sharpe Hall.

  “Well, this is it.” Rodney stopped and looked at his home which rose majestically in front of them. “This is Sharpe Hall.”

  Chapter 18

  To Nadine it looked like a miniature palace with columns. A wide, steep limestone stairway led up to arched openings which introduced a similarly shaped double doorway, enhanced by bronze metalwork. She remained quiet as they walked closer to the magnificent structure. Her well-trained eyes took it all in as she assessed the age of the building. Nadine could tell it was old but very well kept. The difference between Sharpe Hall and Sovereign was obvious. Sharpe Hall was much more majestic.

  “What do you think?” Rodney asked, seeking some reaction as they climbed the stairs.

  “There’s only one thing to think,” Nadine said. “It’s absolutely amazing,” she replied, then thought to herself, Not too long ago I probably would have been forced to go through the back door.

  “Glad you think so.” Rodney placed his palm in the middle of Nadine’s back. “Shall we go in?”

  A servant opened the door as they approached. Nadine sought to make contact with the young woman’s eyes to thank her, but she never raised her face from its lowered position.

  Immediately, Nadine felt something was different. There was no sense of camaraderie between the servant and Rodney as he ushered her past the head-wrapped creature without a word.

  “I will take you to the salon, and then I will check to make sure everything is ready for dinner. Make yourself comfortable,” Rodney advised her before he left her alone.

  Like the outside, Sharpe Hall was quite different from Sovereign in the inside as well. The furnishings were more modern, and there were only sprinklings of artwork here and there. As Nadine looked around the room it was plain to see everything was precisely arranged, all the way down to the ashes that had been smoothed out in the fireplace. Nadine thought it was attractive to the eye but it felt sterile instead of inviting.

  A wooden stand filled with whips drew Nadine’s attention. Their presence seemed to mar the pristine feeling of the room. The whips did not appear to be artifacts that had outgrown their days of usefulness; on the contrary, some were brand-new, while others appeared to have been used quite often. Nadine could not imagine what purpose they served in this day and time. Certainly, even here on Eros where there were many remnants from the past, the whipping of animals would be considered outdated and cruel.

  Nadine’s thoughts were interrupted when another servant, a much darker, smaller woman, entered the room carrying a tray of tea. Nadine wondered if she was of Ashanti or Egyptian descent. The woman’s curious eyes stole a brisk, but assessing look at the guest before she put the tray down and turned quietly away.

  Nadine added sugar to the aromatic brew before picking up the delicate china cup with care. Although Rodney had tried to make her feel welcome, she did not feel comfortable in the quiet, pristine surroundings. Just the thought of spilling even a drop of tea rattled her nerves, unlike Sovereign whose organized clutter drew her in, reminding her of the surroundings where she was brought up.

  Nadine knew the difference between Sharpe Hall and Sovereign was not only a physical one. The friendliness that existed among Ulysses and Madame Deane, Catherine and Clarence would seem out of place here. Then she recalled how both Melanie and Ulysses had expressed surprise when they heard Basil had invited her to dinner. Now, looking about her, she wondered why he had extended the rare offer. She was draining her cup when Basil Sharpe joined her. He was immaculate in a dark suit and tie.

  “Welcome to Sharpe Hall, Miss Clayton. I’m so glad you decided to join us tonight.”

  “Thank you for inviting me.” She reached out to meet his extended hand. His grasp was so strong Nadine nearly winced. Despite the welcome in his words she noticed there was no warmth in his eyes which glowed with a harsh light.

  Basil offered her his arm, which she took, and he escorted her into the dining room.

  The room was perfectly arranged. Just the right touch of everything. Not too much and not too little. Both Melanie and Rodney were already seated at the silver and china-laden table. Neither one spoke as Nadine and Basil entered the room. On the contrary, Melanie’s blank features watched them as they advanced while Rodney never looked up from the place setting in front of him. Basil stood at the head of the table and motioned for Nadine to be seated at his left before taking his seat. Confused over the quiet reception from Melanie and Rodney, Nadine looked at one of them and then the other.

  Finally, Melanie spoke, her voice strained, controlled. “I’m glad you were able to make it tonight, Nadine. I hope you like roasted pork. It is one of Rodney’s favorites.”

  Rodney offered a weak smile, adding, “It definitely is. And after our walk I’ve worked up quite an appetite.”

  Basil released a deep chuckle. “Rodney, you must be kidding. You tend to be hungry no matter what. A quarter of Sharpe Hall’s fortune goes toward fulfilling your lavish taste in every sense of the word.”

  Rodney looked at his brother, but said nothing. That did not seem to matter to Basil. It was just the beginning of his gregariousness. As he rattled on, the same servant who had served Nadine tea entered with a large pot and ladle. She began to serve an aromatic soup.

  Nadine was relieved someone was in the mood for talking, although some of Basil’s tactless words were less than appetizing. Still he filled the uncomfortable silence since neither Rodney nor Melanie seemed to be up to doing so.

  “Ah, the callaloo smells wonderful,” Basil commented loudly.

  The surprised servant jumped as if she had been spooked, her scared dark eyes darting from Basil to Melanie. It was obvious she was not accustomed to any kind of comment, let alone a compliment from her employer. She managed to mouth a half-audible “Thank you” before escaping with the now-shaking dish.

  “Do you serve stew wi
th okra and crab like this in America?” Basil continued his sociable chatter.

  “We wouldn’t call it stew, at least not in the circles that I’m in. I’m sure it varies according to a person’s cultural background. But a dish like that would be considered gumbo.”

  “Well, callaloo is a very popular stew on Barbados and Eros. I think you will enjoy it.” Basil lifted the soup spoon to his lips, making a soft, but audible slurping noise. Afterwards he nodded in Nadine’s direction.

  “How are you liking your stay on Eros?”

  “Everything has been fine. I’ve been working since I arrived, and there’s only so much enjoyment you can get out of that,” Nadine replied.

  Once again her host laughed, but it rang emptily through the sizable dining room. No one else joined in. Even Nadine’s supporting smile faded as she glanced at Rodney’s serious profile.

  “Well, I must say a woman as attractive as you, Miss Clayton, should always enjoy herself, or should be given enjoyment.” His dark eyes looked at her suggestively.

  Nadine looked down at her food, but not before seeing Rodney’s back stiffen, and Melanie’s skin turn rather ashy. The eldest Sharpe glanced around the table at his silent siblings.

  “Pretty soon Miss Clayton is going to feel she is not welcome at Sharpe Hall if the mood around this table does not change.” Basil’s words were said in jest but they held an ominous undercurrent.

  A flicker of dismay crossed Melanie’s features and the pulse at Rodney’s temple seemed to quicken. Yet that one mild threat was all it took for the two of them to make a concerted effort to change the mood of the dinner. Melanie began to discuss the upcoming book sale, and Rodney asked a question or two just for good measure. It was now Basil’s time for silence.

  Nadine could feel his hard eyes on her. He made her feel uneasy with his calculating stare. She was glad when the entree dishes were collected and the dessert was served.

  “Miss Clayton, I will be accompanying you back to Sovereign tonight. It was very thoughtful of Rodney to escort you here, but since you are my guest, I think it is only right that I see you back safely.”

  These words from Basil seemed to be all that Rodney could take. Suddenly, he excused himself from the table.

  “That reminds me, there are several things I need to take care of, uh, immediately. If you will all excuse me.” He rose out of his chair and began to exit the room.

  “Why, Rodney, I am surprised at you,” Basil called out to his brother’s retreating back. “I have never seen you take leave of a woman without giving her a proper farewell.”

  Rodney stopped and turned toward them with a purposeful smile on his face. Nadine could see he was trying to maintain his control.

  “You are right, of course.” He began to retrace his steps across the floor. “I am sorry, Nadine.” He then gave her the customary touching of cheeks and symbolic kiss. As he drew away Nadine noticed an ugly red mark on his face. One that she was sure had not been there during their walk from Sovereign to Sharpe Hall.

  “Rodney, what happened? Did you walk into something?”

  Automatically, he raised his hand to cover it. “It—it is nothing.”

  “You will find Rodney is accident-prone,” Basil explained in a patronizing, ironic tone. “He always has been, especially when he was a little child.” He twisted a large gold ring on his finger.

  Nadine could see the anger rise up in Rodney’s eyes as he turned toward his brother. Their eyes locked and the tension was tangible.

  “Rodney.” Melanie called her younger brother’s name with urgency. “I know you said you had something to do, but would you mind checking on the cook on your way out? She was sick earlier. Catherine had prepared some medicine for her that I have been trying to get her to take. She does not listen to me very well, but you know how she has always had a soft spot for you.”

  Rodney’s gaze dropped to the floor in a moment of indecision. After a short pause he replied, “Of course I will.” Once again he said good night and quickly exited the dining room.

  Nadine was glad to see the light coming from the tunnel-like entrance of Sovereign. Even though Basil’s chatter had been interesting enough, she felt nervous in his presence. She had not enjoyed her dinner at Sharpe Hall, and there could be little doubt that Basil was the reason.

  As she waited alone in the foyer for Basil to escort her back to Sovereign, she could hear harsh whispers in the salon. The voices were deep and she assumed it was Basil and Rodney. She could not make out the words, but she could tell they were not pleasant ones.

  This made no sense to her. Why was there so much animosity between the Sharpes? It seemed to have something to do with her, but how could that be? She had just met them, and had not developed or shown any interest in Basil or Rodney.

  Nadine looked at the man beside her and felt the urge to hurry to Sovereign’s large oak door before he made any further advances toward her. But instead she stood motionless beside him.

  “I cannot express how much I enjoyed your company at dinner tonight, Miss Clayton. I hope we can do it again . . . soon.”

  “What can I say?” Nadine searched for the proper words to express how she felt. “I appreciate your invitation, but I doubt if I’ll be able to come back again before I leave the island. The book sale is just a few days away, and I’m sure I’ll be very busy. But again, thank you.”

  “I understand.” A mechanical smile spread across Basil’s thin lips. “At the same time I am not a man accustomed to being turned away so easily. Maybe something can be arranged. Ulysses is a very reasonable man.” A suggestive tone entered his voice. “But it is late and I know you must go inside.” Basil leaned over and repeated the customary farewell Rodney had given her earlier. He seemed to prolong the touch of his hot, sweaty cheek upon hers, while holding her arms tightly to her sides, disabling any movement on her part. It sent a cold shiver down her spine. Finally, Nadine was able to pull away.

  Something about him bothered her. She thought about the way Melanie and Rodney were obviously intimidated by him, as well as the servant. With a challenging look in her eyes, Nadine drove her point home. “I don’t think that is going to happen.”

  A semi-smirk crossed Basil’s harsh features. He seemed to receive pleasure from Nadine’s discomfort. He raised her reluctant hand to his lips. “Good-bye—that is, until we meet again.”

  As the front door closed behind Nadine, a shadowy figure drew back from an open window. Ulysses’ heart skipped erratically, and he felt as if blood was rushing to his head. He wished he could have heard the conversation between Nadine and Basil, but they were speaking too softly for that.

  He knew Basil Sharpe well, arid what he knew about him he did not like. He was a cruel man with an equally sadistic reputation especially when it came to women. Women of African heritage in particular.

  Ulysses knew Basil never invited guests to dinner. As a matter of fact the gossip among the servants and the islanders implied he even refused Melanie or Rodney the luxury of visitors. Ulysses’ eyes narrowed as he lit the blackened wick on his wall, a picture of Basil prolonging the touch of his lips against Nadine’s cheek coursing through his mind. Could it be they were more than new acquaintances?

  The thought of Nadine betraying him with Basil made his blood run cold. Betraying him. What a strange phrase to use. Betraying him how? Financially or physically? Ulysses hated to admit it, but the latter caused the greatest pang. Then he chided himself for even using the word “betray.” There was no real relationship between Nadine and him, although betrayal was what he felt. From what he had been able to uncover concerning Nadine’s meager beginnings, it would not be far-fetched to think she had latched on to someone like Basil.

  At first he was reluctant to hire the private detective through John Castle. But he was determined; if learning more about Nadine Clayton could lead him to the thief who had stolen a part of the Gaia Series, and to Clarence’s attacker, he was willing to do it.

  The
letters he had been given did not indicate she was involved, or ever had been involved, in any criminal activity. But they did reveal another side of her personality.

  He sat down and unlocked the desk drawer, pulling out the smooth, tan envelope. Methodically, his fingers thumbed through the pages inside. Ulysses’ conscience nagged at him a bit as he looked at the bundle of letters he held in his hands. They told so much about Nadine, and he wondered if John and the detective had read them. He went to the last letter Nadine had received from the woman named Gloria and read the passage he felt was the most insightful.

  Well, it seems like you’ve finally gotten your head together. Going out of the country will be one of the best things you’ve ever done. And when you find the man who’s your ticket to a life of luxury, you had better latch on to him, girl. (Smile) Do whatever it takes to make it work. We both know how long it has taken you to get this far.

  Over and over this Gloria had warned Nadine against being so naive. If Nadine had taken her friend’s advice about life, love, and men, which from the last letter it appeared she had, she now was well-schooled in the art of female deception. Even her claim of being a virgin could well be a lie, and the way things stood at this point, it probably was, especially if she could take up with a man like Basil. Ulysses put the incriminating letter back inside the pack.

  It was obvious, from what he had read, that Nadine had always been on the outer circles of society, and Ulysses wondered if there was a limit to the things she would do in order to break away from the small-town country image she secretly despised. The question was: how far would she go to lose that identity?

  Ulysses wished he had known the young woman Nadine had been prior to her becoming a deceitful gold digger. But he knew there was no sense in wishing for the past, yet the new image he had of Nadine did not feel right. If she was a gold digger why hadn’t she pursued him or warmed up to Etien Richarde’s proposition? Ulysses hung his head and ran both hands through his mass of curly hair. An affair with Etien would not have amounted to much. An affair? You would not have been able to call it that. It would have been more like a one-night stand, and that would not have shown much class. If there was one thing Gloria had drummed into Nadine, it was “Whatever you do, do it with class.” How much classier could she get than deciding to become a part of an international literature and art circle, a convenient place for clandestine activities that could be quite profitable. After all she was not above lying. She had lied about being an historian.