by Jewel Adams
“I see.”
His hard gaze on her said she certainly would, making her pull her attention to James’ smug smile.
Stearns plantation was something out of a history book. Large and impressive, if it weren’t for the man himself, Corin knew she would have liked its beauty. Instead, she felt as if they just arrived in hell. Well camouflaged as it might be, she sensed the evil all around as they entered the cool mansion.
It reminded her of Diamond’s place in some ways, but without the exquisite trappings that came from breeding. Stearns was a rough, cruel man and the furnishings were as cold and dark as the owner.
“Madam, Jill will show you to your rooms. We will take tea out on the porch once you rejoin us.”
Curtsying, Corin followed the small silent woman. If she hoped to find an ally among the staff to help find Brian, the stark fear in their eyes forbade her from trying.
Walking into the room, Corin waited as her trunks were brought in and the woman directed others in their unpacking. “The master thought you would like a bath, mistress.”
Following her into the other room off the bedroom, Corin was surprised over the private bathing area. “Thank you, Jill.”
“Which dress would you like freshened, mistress?”
“The yellow lawn will do.”
Backing out, half bent over, the woman left her alone.
Another girl came in and began assisting Corin with her traveling dress. When only her chemise remained, Corin sent the girl away. The servant’s silence was such a stark difference from Desireè. Closing her eyes, Corin tried to imagine living here; the exercise failed miserably.
The bath felt cool and refreshing, but she remained uncomfortable and hurried through it. All she wanted to do was find Dan, and make their plans to locate Brian and be rid of this place.
Once downstairs, she was directed by a manservant to the veranda. James and his cousin both rose as she approached. She failed to hide her dismay over not finding Dan among them.
“Your father wanted to see the stables. He couldn’t wait to see the fine Arabian stock I told him about.”
Smiling, she accepted Stearns’ assistance with the chair. “Father likes the horses.”
“And you, madam, what do you like?”
Stearns’ question confused Corin, and she wasn’t quick enough to hide it.
“I think, Janice, what my cousin is asking is why you would want to take on the task of a place on Hattie?”
Something told her to be careful. “Then I am sure you can explain my feelings, James.”
“Oh, he has, madam.”
Looking at Stearns, she said, “Then you have your answers, sir.”
“Hardly. I find the reason foolish and dangerous.”
Telling herself this wasn’t the time for anger, she never received a chance to answer. A man on horseback raced up to the porch.
“Stearns, we caught him. They’re holding him out in the south field.”
“Get my horse.” Turning to look at her, his lips curved into an evil smile. “No, get three horses.”
Corin’s hands gripped the chair arm in alarm.
“Madam, I think it is time you see exactly the type of life you will face here.”
James rose and held his hand to her. “Janice?”
Pressing her lips together, she swallowed the argument not to accompany them. It was what they both expected. Taking his hand, she prayed for strength as she rose.
James felt her body shake, wondering if she possessed any idea what was coming. His misgivings increased over the paling he saw in her features. “Maybe you shouldn’t…”
She spun on him. “What? Not face what you both are so anxious to shock me with?” She hissed out her anger. “No James, you want this, so I see no reason to delay your sport with me.”
Every bone and muscle in her body jarred under the tight hold she maintained to go through with the charade as they rode past the fields. As they passed the workers, every sickening whip crack burned into her heart, telling her everything she feared she was about to confront.
Worse was the undying belief that Rogan’s own brother had been subjected to the horrors of this place. Two years! God help him and her.
She forced her gaze to be cautious, but to look at every white male they passed for any kind of a resemblance to Rogan. Once her eyes were opened, they couldn’t shut out the ugly truth of just how many men worked the fields, black and white… their number was about even.
The pace Stearns set proved grueling, the shock of what she saw frightening. So many, how would they find him? Her hatred for the man riding before her intensified; her heated gaze grew just as hard when it went to James. Only knowing she must hide her feelings from them or risk exposure brought her emotions under control by the time they came to a halt.
James watched her, and she deliberately moved away from him. Taking in everything around her, it became easy to divide the paid help from the less fortunate. Corin didn’t believe anything could have prepared her for the shock of what the parting circle of men displayed.
In their center was a man slumped over and on his knees. About his neck, they had placed a thick chain that extended to his wrists. The booted foot of the gloating bastard stood on the chain end, keeping the man from moving. She hung back when James and Charles moved forward, unable to make her feet move any closer.
“Well, well, I thought you learned your lesson before…Drake.”
Corin lifted her gaze; her hands clutched at her stomach. No, it can’t be him. Oh God, not Brian!
She tasted the blood her teeth drew from her lip to stop her from crying for them to stop. You can’t interfere… they’ll kill him. Remember what Dan told you, remember!
As if her mind opened to the man before her, Corin’s frightened gaze took in every detail of the trapped man.
Clothes, what there were, were as filthy as the skin the shredded material exposed. Unhealed sores and bruises welted his bare ankles and wrists, evidence of the chains he tried to escape in his flight.
Dreading what she’d see, Corin finally looked at the man’s face. Swaying dangerously, the proud evidence of his wretched identity ripped through her heart. Nothing this vile place rendered on Rogan’s brother could steal away the furious, glaring pride striking out at his tormentors. Eyes as blue as the waters he’d fallen prey to, Brian Drake lashed out in silent hate. Corin felt her knees tremble over the order Stearns issued in retribution against Brian’s failed escape.
“Thirty lashes ought to kill your rebellious hide if it doesn’t end your worthless life first.”
No! She couldn’t allow this to happen. She must do something to stop them. Regretfully, she believed the last of Stearns’ ugly threat would come true. For all his proud defiance, Brian had suffered too much for too long, and the evidence lay blatant on his battered, weakened body. Thirty lashes would finish Brian Drake.
Fear lent a false calm to Corin’s voice. “You surprise me, Stearns.”
As if they just remembered her presence, their confused and angered faces pivoted about.
“Janice!”
Corin ignored James’ outburst, forcing herself to walk forward and not show one ounce of emotion, not even for Stearns’ increasing displeasure for her interruption.
“It seems your lady is displeased with my methods, James.”
Raising her chin, she glared back at them. “Hardly displeased, sir, more confused than anything else.”
The darkly dangerous man advanced on her. “How so?”
Seeing past him, she saw Brian’s shoulders sag when the man with the whip moved away to hear what she wanted to say. “Why, I would have thought it poor business to incapacitate a valuable… slave?” Her last word caused the bile to rise in her throat, but Corin showed nothing of her revulsion.
“The punishment is just and wholly demanded… the man has tried twice before, and each time the penalty increases by ten.”
Corin played a dangerous game… the reper
cussions of failing were too horrible to let herself think upon steeling her resolve. “Then I have been ill-informed.”
His patience came near to exploding at her. “How so?”
“Why the cost, of course.”
“Cost?”
“Yes, to buy his replacement, of course. I mean it is obvious he’ll not survive the punishment, so another must be purchased to fill the loss, an unfortunate and unnecessary expenditure.”
Stearns face reddened under her logic.
“I’m sorry, but I just find the whole exercise wasteful.”
He stormed at her, making her use all her strength to remain in place.
“And how would you handle it? Hmm? Pat him on the head and say, now, now, let’s not do it again? Well, how, madam?”
The men broke out laughing behind her, making him puff himself up over defeating the upstart female in their midst.
“Now that would be foolish. No, Mr. Stearns, I would choose another avenue to correct the problem.”
His arrogant brow rose, but thankfully, the man became too curious to dismiss her. “Another method?” Grinning, he looked around at their audience. “Please, enlighten us, madam.”
“How much would you say that one is worth, now… in his present condition?”
Stepping back, Stearns looked at Brian. “Six hundred, maybe seven.”
“Surely you exaggerate.” Corin shrugged, pretending it wasn’t really important. “And after the whipping, how much could you sell him for?”
“Now you jest, madam.”
She forced a small smile. “Exactly, Mr. Stearns. To replace him, you would spend what? Seven to a thousand?”
He folded his arms before answering. Corin knew the man’s mind was racing with interest. “At least that amount.”
“It’s obvious that you have a dilemma. He is a troublemaker, which must be stopped or eliminated. Punished, you lose seven hundred as now valued, plus the replacement cost of another thousand. Ridding yourself of the problem would save you the loss of seven hundred. That is if you could get such an outlandish price for a runner.”
The tension left Stearns’ face, and Corin hoped she wasn’t misreading the man’s admiration.
“So, you are telling me to sell him and only take a three-hundred-dollar loss, instead of…?”
“Seventeen hundred, exactly, Mr. Stearns.”
A few of his overseers scoffed at her. Stearns’ hand flew up, silencing them. “Madam, I apologize for doubting what lies behind your lovely eyes. I’d be a fool not to see the costly mistake I almost made.”
She reached deep inside not to display her relief, giving him a coy smile before she turned to leave. “Of course, the figures may be exaggerated.”
Before she could reach her horse, his next remark stopped her.
“Madam, how much would you pay for him?”
Turning slowly around, Corin’s face remained a mask of composure. “In his present condition?”
Bowing his head slightly, “As you see him, madam?”
Corin’s mind raced behind her cool gaze. Was he baiting her? Dare she try? Not to could be fatal for Brian. “As I said, Mr. Stearns, the figures were exaggerated. I’d not give you more than two hundred for a problem in that condition.”
“And I would still come out ahead… I accept your offer.”
Her brow rose. “In that case, Mr. Stearns, you best plan on taking me to see Mr. Whittaker’s plantation in the morning.” Turning, she went to her horse and let one of the open-mouthed overseers give her a leg up. “Until then, Mr. Stearns, it seems I must impose on your hospitality…please see my purchase is cleaned and his wounds attended to. I would hate to have wasted two hundred on a dead man.”
With her parting words, Corin whipped the horse about and raced toward the house. Tears burned her eyes and cheeks for the travesty she just committed. Can you ever forgive me?
~ * ~
Pacing the room, Corin felt ready to scream. “Where are you, Dan?”
She hugged herself to still the returning hysterics that Dan finally quieted after helping her to the room. All her pain for Brian poured out in hushed whispers to Dan. If it weren’t for his logic and comfort, Corin knew she would have fallen apart. She felt Dan’s own rage over what she faced to save Brian.
She went back to the window, searching the grounds again for Dan. Every minute he failed to come back from finding out what had happened to Brian made her fear she failed. Stearns could have been playing with her or changed his mind about selling Brian to her.
When the door opened, she turned and nearly ran across the room. “James!”
“Who else might you be expecting?”
Anger laced his hard question, stiffening Corin’s back. “My father was supposed to come for me for dinner.”
That innocent air brought a breeze of doubt over what he’d seen this afternoon. Cool composure ruled the lady. Where was her fear? Damn her!
When he stepped further into the room, Corin’s instincts flared in alarm, making her back away. “I’ll get my wrap.”
“The heat is stifling.”
Stopping, her gaze faltered over the failed excuse. “Habit… you are right; it is unnecessary. Shall we go down?”
“You made quite an impression on my cousin today.”
“It wasn’t my intention to impress anyone. I’m afraid my anger made me interfere; it was foolish.”
“Foolish?” His glaring stare drove into her. “I’d say you performed brilliantly.”
She swallowed over the simmering anger surfacing in James.
“You are a complex woman, Janice. I underestimated your abilities.”
“James, I…” Taking a deep breath, she decided he was past being pacified by any womanly performances. “I was furious at you and your cousin’s arrogance. There, I said it.”
“So, you decided to turn the tables.” His brow rose.
“I guess you could say that, but what did you expect? That I should fall at your feet, faint because this world is ugly and cruel? I’m not blind!”
“Neither are you ignorant, madam.”
Biting the inside of her cheek, she said contritely, “I’m sorry, James, I just don’t like being manipulated.”
Why did he feel there was suddenly more to her than he believed?
His breathing grew shallow, and his eyes held that same suspicious light as that first day in the library. They were so close to rescuing Brian… she couldn’t let it be ruined. “James, we should go down to dinner.”
“What will you do with him?”
“Who?” Feigning innocence, she hid her clutched fists in the folds of her dress, suffering his hard smile.
“I’d like to believe the golden naiveté in your eyes, but after today I realize they hide the real woman very effectively.”
Too nervous to let this go on, she tried to change the subject, “We need to go downstairs.”
He stepped to block her path to the door. “You can’t hide your fear, Janice.”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“I’m suddenly tired of your games, my dear.”
She stepped back over the threat taking shape. When he moved toward her, Corin’s thoughts raced over the defensive moves she could use to end his intentions. But to do so would ruin it all, fail them all… Brian, Rogan, Dan…
“Stop it, James.”
“My mistake was letting you go at the river. I never should have allowed you to come here.”
“You had no right to stop me.” It was a weak argument as she stumbled back to keep distance between them. She couldn’t breathe past the fears he instilled. “Please stop.”
The door hitting the wall earned both their surprised attention.
Rage flashed between the men’s locked glares. Corin recovered from Dan’s furious entrance, moving before either of them could. “Father, I’ve been waiting for you to fetch me.”
Reaching him, she sought Dan’s attention, but he pushed her aside, never takin
g his enraged gaze away from Whitney. “Go downstairs, lass.”
Frightened, her attention shot between the two of them, “No! Please, both of you stop it!” Clinging to Dan, she drew him to her. “It is all right, honest.” Looking at James, she spat, “Get out!”
Thankfully, her scream at him broke through his anger. He walked up to them, and Corin felt herself shake when he stopped. “We’ll finish this later.”
She held Dan back. “It is finished because it never began. Now get out.”
The battle he waged with her was devastating. When the door slammed behind him, Corin sagged against Dan.
“That bastard!” Dan’s hands held her up, helping her to the bed. “We’re leaving lass, tonight.”
“Brian?”
“I have seen the boy; he’s still getting over the shock, but he’s not any worse than when you left him.”
Clutching at his shirt, she asked, “Did you tell him how sorry…?”
“Hush now, he’s still got his senses about him, even said you saved his life. Now, you rest a while. We need to get out of here.”
“Dan, we can’t until you find the boys.” Fear cleared her thoughts. “Besides, he’d stop us. You saw him… he’s furious. No, we stay, at least until tomorrow.”
“I don’t like it. You can’t go off with those two alone again!”
“You need to get Brian out of here and find Jacob; the only time you’ll have will be while we’re gone. Dan?”
He backed away from her; his heated curse made her cringe. “I’ll leave for town in the morning.”
“Take Brian…”
His large hand stilled her attempt to rise. “No lass, it’s not possible. You may have bought him, but Stearns is not a fool. Trying to move him would tell them why we came here. He’s safe for now.”
“And if their humor fades?”
“Let’s hope we’re gone before that happens.”
Both their features froze over the ugly possibilities. Corin still needed to go down to dinner, if for no other reason than to deny the fear in which James felt he held her.
~ * ~
Dinner turned into a strained affair. Stearns sensed obvious tension between her and his cousin.