“No,” answered Li, her eyes wide with fear. “No, she is with child.”
Katrina felt the world sway and she fought to maintain consciousness, but a black void persisted, easing its way into her mind. A cold clamminess washed over her, and slowly, Katrina gave in to the darkness enclosed about her. But as she sank into oblivion, Li’s words echoed in her mind — she is with child.
ALMOST FOUR MONTHS HAD passed since Blake’s sudden departure, and Ryon had received no word of his whereabouts. He and Rebecca remained in London as long as possible, hoping Blake might contact them, but now they prepared to leave for Windsong. Sitting alone in the library, pain plagued Ryon, as it had since Blake’s disappearance. His brother’s actions left him helpless and frustrated. Yet, he wished for his return; a terrible argument would be better than waiting, and not knowing where he was or if he was all right. If he were here, Ryon could make an effort to explain and make things right. Sighing, Ryon stood, intending to seek out Rebecca and his daughter. They always eased the sorrow.
Just as Ryon reached the staircase, a knock at the door diverted his attention. He answered it himself and was surprised to find John standing there.
“John. Come in, come in.” He reached out to grasp John’s extended hand and greeted his friend happily. “What brings you to London?”
“I’ve come to see Blake. Is he here?”
John had not seen them since the funeral, so he did not know of Blake’s disappearance. “He is gone, John. I don’t know when he will be back.”
At John’s grave look of concern, Ryon took him into the library and explained everything. When he finished John stood, furious. “How could he possibly believe that woman’s slanderous lies? Kat did nothing but love him. Is he such a bastard he would think her capable of doing such horrendous things?”
Ryon understood how John must feel but came to his brother’s defense. “He nearly went mad with grief, John. Catherine’s lies were the breaking point for him. He loved Katrina — we both know it, though I doubt he fully realized it himself. My brother is not a man who gives love easily, and when it was taken from him, he couldn’t cope. For whatever reasons, Blake believed the lying bitch. Now he is gone and I fear he may never return to find out the truth.”
Pouring two whiskeys, he handed one to John. “Why did you need to speak with Blake? It must be urgent to make you ride to London.”
John ran an impatient hand through his hair, came to a quick decision and said, “She is alive, Ryon. I received a brief message from her three days ago. I came straight here.”
He pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to Ryon.
“She’s alive?” Confused, Ryon unfolded the note with trembling hands.
Dearest Johnny,
I know you’ll be shocked to get this, but I am alive and well. I cannot explain now and no one must know, except Blake. You must tell him in person. I will be unable to reach London until spring of next year. Please, no one else must know. Destroy this note after you read it.
— Always my love, Kat
“Katrina is alive?” The words came out a whisper, handing the note back to John. “But we saw her, John. She was dead.”
John shook his head, “I don’t know what happened. But this note proves the woman we saw wasn’t Kat. I recognize her handwriting. She is not dead, Ryon, but it seems her life is in danger, so no one must know of this note but us. No one.”
“Dear God.” Ryon sighed — questions needed answers, but they would not find them today. “I will pray Blake returns by spring.”
“Yes,” agreed John sadly, “it would break her heart if she returns and he is not here.”
“And we have no way of telling him Katrina is alive.” Ryon closed his eyes, weary, the months of worry taking its toll. “What else will go wrong, John? They love each other, and yet they have had so little happiness together. And what of Randolph?”
John’s shoulders slumped in exhaustion. “I don’t know, Ryon,” he mumbled, tossing the paper into the fire. “I just don’t know.”
CHIN LI SIGHED, CONTENTED as she watched a bird in the sky above, the sun warm and bright. She thought about joining her friend walking along the beach in search of shells. But, feeling wonderfully lazy, she decided to stay where she lay in the soft sand.
Katrina lifted the hem of her colorful cotton dress, like the ones the natives wore on the island, and waded deeper into the blue-green water. She considered a swim to cool off, but decided against it, knowing Li did not like her to swim alone. She tenderly ran her hand over her swollen stomach, feeling the baby kick inside her womb. It would not be long before she would give birth to her child, and soon, she could return to England — and to Blake.
God, she missed him. She wondered if Johnny received her message, and if Blake knew she was alive. How he must have suffered. Sadness touched her and she stared forlornly into the water swirling about her legs. The thought of their secret pond flooded into her melancholy mind, and with it remembrance of all their bitter arguments. Like a pendulum, her mood would swing and memories of loving, tender moments would overwhelm her. She reeled from suppressed desires and longed for his touch. Shaken from the painful longing of her heart, Katrina tried to draw her mind to other things.
She could hear children as they played along an old wooden dock not far from her and she shielded her eyes against the sun to see them. With a smile, she waved at her friends, their cries of greeting echoed back. A sudden, intense spasm ripped across her belly and threw her back, bringing a gasp of surprise from Katrina. Li, ever diligent, heard the noise and quickly scurried off to get Trevor Wilde.
Katrina still marveled at Trevor’s kindness to them. Something had changed when he learned she was pregnant. He brought Katrina and Li to his home on a secluded island right after he had taken them from Captain Walker’s ship, insisting they stay as his guests until the baby’s birth. The perfect host, the months rolled languidly by and a friendship developed. Despite his occupation, Trevor was a good man, kind and generous. He had seen to it her message was carried to Johnny in England. He graciously offered all the comforts of his home to ensure Katrina enjoyed her confinement in the Caribbean.
By the time she experienced a second contraction; Trevor rushed to her and whisked her into his strong arms. “What is it, Katrina? Are you all right?” His face was pale, concern furrowing his handsome brow.
“It is all right. I think he is anxious to be born. It’s going to be a boy, Trevor. I know it.”
Chapter Twenty-two
KATRINA GAZED AT THE lush gardens below, her thoughts of the months that passed so quickly. It had been close to a year since she left England. All the events taking place cast a veil of sadness over her heart.
A baby’s cry made Katrina smile, dispelling the sadness when she bent down to kiss her son’s head. Tremendous joy touched her as she watched his smiling face. Jason gurgled incoherently to his mother and she lovingly lifted him into her arms.
“Would you like to go out to the garden, Jason?”
Jason’s answer consisted of a happy shriek and a small fist waved about in the air. His baby-fresh smell pleased Katrina, as did the gleeful chirps and squeals he always had for her. It had been three months since she gave birth. She remembered none of the pain she endured to bring her cherished child into the world — it had been forgotten the moment she first held Jason in her arms.
Katrina devoted most of her time to Jason. She passed the months in a blissful daze, unaware of certain things, one of which was her own blossoming as a mother. Her figure was slender and firmly muscled, just as it had been before. But the rosy tint on her cheeks, sparkle in her eyes, and loving smile gracing her face was what people noticed.
Unfortunately, the other thing Katrina remained oblivious to was how her presence affected Trevor Wilde. As each day passed he found it more and more difficult to deny his feelings for her, to remember she was married and she planned to return to England soon. And to complicate matte
rs more, Jason aroused feelings he never knew existed — the baby felt like his own son.
Unbeknownst to Trevor, Katrina counted the days until she could return to her home. She knew it would be hard to leave; Trevor was a good man. She suspected he might have feelings for her, though he had never said as much. But her heart belonged to another and he understood this.
There were times she worried about Blake’s reaction to having a son. But when she looked at Jason’s face, she could not believe any man would fail to love his perfection. Jason squealed his delight as a colorful bird flew by the window and Katrina brushed her lips against the baby’s soft curls. She walked from the cheery nursery and into the adjoining sitting room where Li sat. Katrina paused by her chair and asked, “Would you like to join us for a walk in the garden?”
Laying aside the needlework she worked on, Li smiled and agreed, anxious for some fresh air and sun. “Do you think Mr. Wilde will return from New Orleans soon?”
Nodding, Katrina answered, “Perhaps today, Li. He didn’t plan to be gone long.”
The two women and the child barely reached the bottom of the stairs when Trevor burst through the front door; a delighted grin spread across his tanned face when he spotted the small group descending the stairs.
“Trevor,” cried Katrina happily and quickened her step to greet him.
Overwhelmed by the beauty before him, Trevor could not resist leaning down and kissing her tempting red lips.
The passion of Trevor’s kiss made Katrina embarrassingly aware of his true feelings. The shock of it left her dumbfounded.
Seeing Katrina blush a brilliant red and knowing he caused her confusion and discomfort, Trevor cursed himself for his stupidity, and he, too, was at a loss for words. They silently and awkwardly stared at each other, neither able to move.
But to the man in the background, it played out in a different perspective. Shock flooded through Blake, leaving him standing in the doorway, unable to believe what he saw.
She was alive! His mind screamed it, the reality of it making him numb. A haze of emotions descended upon him in force, but anger sprang forth and seeped past all else when he witnessed the passionate kiss. His gaze fell to the baby Katrina held — the pirate Trevor Wilde’s child. Betrayal and hatred hit him so hard, he felt breathless and shaken, but by the time Trevor and Katrina pulled themselves together, Blake managed to find some of his composure.
Katrina handed Jason to Li, and when she turned back to Trevor, her gaze fell on the man standing in the open doorway. The sunlight filtered into the hall behind him and made it impossible to see his face, but Katrina froze, her face paling and her knees buckled.
Trevor reacted and put his arm about her waist to steady her, fearing she was going to faint dead away. “Katrina, are you all right? You look as if you’ve seen a ghost.”
Blake stepped forward and shut the door. With a calm and casual manner, belying the tremendous turmoil inside him, he said, “Actually, I am the one who has seen a ghost, Trevor. After all, you are supposed to be dead, aren’t you, little one?”
Katrina fought to maintain control of her speeding heart and found it difficult to catch her breath. Waves of extreme heat flushed over her, her mouth so dry she could not form words. Nervous anxiety struck her dumb and she could do nothing but stare.
Trevor looked from one to the other in total confusion. He was aware of Katrina’s sudden discomfort, but when he met Blake’s look he was taken aback by the burning hatred he saw. Trevor’s words came out uncertain and broken; posing the question he dreaded asking. “What are you talking about, Blake? You know Katrina?”
“I am talking about a grave marked with Katrina Easton’s name and, until now, I believed to be her final resting place,” Blake said with sneering contempt. “I am talking about a woman dressed in your clothing found murdered — raped and beaten beyond recognition. And, until this moment, I believed it was how you met your violent death. Who was she, Katrina? Who was the poor woman who met such a foul end in your stead?”
Blake’s eyes burned into Katrina’s. The hate and anger in them added to the whirlwind of emotions assaulting her, leaving her unguarded and distraught. “I don’t know her name. I … she was a p-prostitute on the docks … I don’t know any more,” she whispered, still unaware of Blake’s train of thought. What made him think she would know who the woman was? She looked away, sickened, and pushed past Trevor to escape his venom.
“You vile, scheming bitch,” Blake spat out, his fury complete. All caution fled; only a red haze remained.
Katrina stopped and turned back at his vicious words. What made him so angry? Hadn’t Johnny gotten her message? Why hadn’t Blake known she was alive?
Blake stepped forward, his face so near she could feel his breath on her face. The smell of him intoxicated her, leaving her weak and vulnerable, so much so she started to shake. It happened so fast; she could not think, could not speak. In a daze, she stood silent, unable to believe what she heard as he continued his ugly assault.
“Couldn’t you find some other way out of your marriage? Tell me, Katrina, how did you arrange it all so cleverly? How did you get Mack and Ralph to go along with it all?” Blake snorted in a derisive manner. “I guess with enough gold in their filthy hands, those fucking animals would kill their own mothers. And I’m certain you gave them plenty of what they wanted in the first place. They did mention how obliging you were.”
Blake’s mind snapped, the words poured from him in a torrent. Whether he believed what he spewed at her … he wasn’t certain. No rational thought remained in him, only a deep searing pain, ripping at his heart and soul. He turned to an astounded and mute Trevor and laughed, cruel and vile. “So, my friend, you have found out what a good whore my golden-girl is. I hope you are not terribly disappointed to find out she has been with other men, right down to the vermin crawling London’s docks.”
He turned angry, hate-filled eyes back to Katrina and continued, enjoying the shock and pain mirrored in her eyes. Blake had gone too far to stop, driven mad by the months of torment and grief. It all mixed with the hate and anger — the latter winning out to smother any love he had once felt.
“I am sure those two bastards enjoyed what they did to the unfortunate prostitute, and it is because of her I do not regret killing them,” he said. “It makes my stomach turn to think I originally did it to avenge what I believed to be your death. I was a fool to believe all the bloody lies you fabricated. Catherine told me of your whoring — the long line of men you have been with since you came to me …”
He actually couldn’t bring himself to finish, too speak of what they had shared now tainted. “I should kill you myself for all your treachery, you deceiving little bitch.”
Blake reached out and wrapped his strong hands around Katrina’s throat, the feel of it good, glorious, as his fingers tightened their grip. Trevor stepped forward, his own anger darkening his features.
“Take your hands off her,” warned Trevor, his tone dangerous.
Katrina held her hand up and stopped Trevor before he hit Blake. “No.”
Both men looked at her in surprise and were stunned by the flash of anger in the sapphire depths. She looked directly into Blake’s crazed eyes, her own narrowed menacingly. When she spoke her voice held a note of viciousness.
“If you truly believe me to be a whoring bitch; I beg you, squeeze the breath from me until there is no more.” She placed her own hands over his, as if daring him to let her go. The violence inside caused her to tremble uncontrollably, her voice rising until she was screaming at him. “If you think me so vile a creature, for God’s sake, end my life. Be done with me, once and for all. At all times you believed the worst in me and nothing will ever convince you otherwise. So kill me, Blake — kill me! I do not want to live knowing you believe these things.”
His grip tightened with deadly peril, but Katrina made no move, her eyes pleading with him to do it. Blake would never know for certain if he could have indeed cho
ked the life from her, because Trevor jumped him and knocked him away. The two men came together like mighty stags, locked together in battle. Seeing the cold fury between them, Katrina reacted. She ran to the library and retrieved a pistol from Trevor’s desk. There was no doubt in her mind they would kill each other, so she returned and lifted the pistol and aimed it directly at them.
“Stop it,” she yelled, her voice breaking through their heated haze. With a pistol bearing down on them, they parted and faced Katrina, neither misinterpreting the look on her face.
“Blake Roberts, leave this house, now. If your intent was to hurt me, you have done so. You are right to say you are a fool, because I know no bigger one than you, but for reasons you are too thick to comprehend. Now go.”
The urge to take the pistol from her and slap her silly tempted Blake. But suddenly, he felt disgusted with the whole ugly mess, and the sight of her made him feel sick. Without another word, he turned and left, slamming the door behind him. The noise echoed about in the entryway as the two people left inside stood frozen in place, uncertain of what to do next.
Katrina stared at the closed door and, inside her heart, another door shut tight. She felt tired and drained, but most of all, she felt an unbearable emptiness descend upon her. Numb and heartbroken, she walked to the stairs and started up them; but Trevor’s hand stopped her. There were questions in his eyes, but still she said nothing.
Trevor guided Katrina into the library and closed the door behind them. He took the pistol from her hand, gently pushed her into a large chair. He poured some sherry into a glass and pressed it into her cold hands.
“Drink this, Katrina. You are terribly pale.”
It came out more an order than a request, but Katrina did as told, grateful for the burning sensation as it went down.
Satisfied to see a small flush return to her cheeks, Trevor took the seat across from her, his voice sad and strained. “Katrina, I wish you would explain what just happened. I believe I have the right to know. Blake and I have known each other a long time, but I had no idea when I ran into him in New Orleans he knew you. I asked him here, thinking your gentleness would ease the pain present in his eyes. I thought to delight him with the special woman in my life. I guess I played the fool myself.”
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