“Nothing has changed,” he assured her wearily, wanting to end the conversation so he could go find Erin and hear her side. “You’re the mistress of Jasmine Hill. Erin knows that. I made that clear to her. As for taking over the master suite, I felt it was the right thing to do. You know I’d planned to when…” He let his voice trail, not wanting to bring up the past.
“Yes, yes, of course.” She nodded vigorously, hoping she sounded completely submissive, while inside she was burning with vengeful rage.
“Rest till dinner,” he urged. “I’ll get it all straightened out by then.”
For the first time, Victoria allowed a tightness in her voice. “If we’re all going to live together under one roof, I can’t tolerate her talking to me that way. If she’ll apologize, it will be forgotten.”
Ryan was quick to say, “I’m sure she’d like to make peace, too.”
“Let’s hope so.” She paused at the door to give him a glance filled with pity.
Ryan found Erin in his bedroom, pacing about in agitation. He couldn’t resist the barb, “Well, I guess this is one way of getting you to come to me.”
She whirled on him at once. “I don’t have the patience for your sarcasm. Ryan, where have you been all day? Why weren’t you here when your mother arrived? She went absolutely crazy and charged into the bedroom and accused me of being one of your whores!”
He glanced up to see the way she looked at that moment, hands on her hips, legs apart in some kind of self-defensive stance, he supposed. In her anger, she was even more beautiful. Dark hair tousled wildly about her face. Long, silken lashes fringing coffee-colored eyes that sparkled with fire. Cheeks flushed with anger.
“Well?” she demanded. “Are you going to help me with this? I tried to tell her we’re married, but she wouldn’t listen, and—”
He reached out to pull her roughly onto his lap. She resisted, but he tossed his empty glass away and used both arms to hold her tightly. “Now you listen.” He nuzzled her forehead. “I don’t know what happened between you two, but whatever it was, it’s best forgotten. We both knew she’d be shocked, and her suddenly showing up no doubt took you by surprise. Frankly, I don’t think either one of you knew what you were saying. So now I’m going to ring for Ebner and send word to the kitchen that we’re going to have a very nice, and very formal dinner tonight to celebrate her return. You apologize, and we start out fresh.”
For an instant, Erin could only stare at him incredulously, and finally she was able to find her voice and stammer, “Are—are you out of your mind? I apologize? For being awakened by someone screaming I’m one of my husband’s whores? Oh, no!” She shook her head furiously from side to side. “I’ve nothing to apologize for!”
“Even if it means forgetting the whole damn incident so we can live in peace under one roof?”
“I think we should all sit down together and talk about it, and—”
He released her, nearly spilling her to the floor as he abruptly stood. “Mother isn’t the kind who can talk things out, Erin. Even though you might not think it’s fair, it’d be best for everybody if you’d swallow your pride, apologize, and get it over with.
“You knew,” he went on, “when we got married, that she was still going to run the house, and you had no business flying off the handle and telling her she’d learn who’s in control now, and—”
“She told you that?” Erin said. “Well, that’s another lie, and I’m not listening to any more.”
She started to leave, but he grabbed her and spun her around. “All I want to do is smooth things over, Erin. We’ve got enough problems without this.”
“What about when my mother moves in with us?” she reminded him. “She’s not well, Ryan.”
“I know that, but we can’t have an outsider here right now, anyway. Mother needs to adjust to our being married.”
“My mother may not have that kind of time.” Tears stung her eyes, and she blinked furiously, determined he would not see her cry.
Wearily, he murmured, “I’ll do what I can, if you’ll just cooperate.”
“I won’t apologize for something I didn’t do.”
He lashed back. “Well, I guess I’m a fool, anyway, to think you’d even give a damn. Hell, you can’t stand the sight of me, anyway. Isn’t that why you left my bed last night?”
How she ached to tell him the last thing she’d wanted to do was leave his tender, loving arms. The only time she felt safe was when he held her. The only time she knew real joy was when he was near. Yet she dared not say those things, refused to yield to her heart, silently crying out to him with love. Finally, she drew a ragged breath and lied, “I just like to sleep alone, Ryan.”
He raked her with wretched eyes and hotly proclaimed, “It’s well I did take you for my wife instead of my mistress. I’d probably have had to find a replacement by now.”
Erin gritted her teeth, clenched her fists. “Yes, I suppose it’s easier to find another mistress than a wife.”
“You aren’t very good at either position, my dear.” He began to undress.
She retreated, enraged.
Eliza, her ear pressed against the door leading into the hallway, also took her leave. Miss Victoria would be eager to hear how upset Master Ryan was over his wife’s refusal to sleep in his bed. It meant they were having trouble, and that was what they were both hoping for between the newlyweds. Miss Victoria would also be very interested to hear how Miss Erin was planning to move her mother into Jasmine Hill.
Erin stewed the rest of the afternoon, trying to decide what she should do. On one hand, she wanted to stay in her room and refuse to come out until Victoria agreed to some kind of meeting among the three of them. But, as the dinner hour approached, her pride would not allow her to hide away as though she were ashamed. Failing to appear would be the same as an admission of guilt. And perhaps more important than anything else was the fact this was her home now, and she had every right to show up at dinner.
Victoria was already seated when Erin went into the dining room. She regarded her new daughter-in-law coolly for a moment as she sipped her wine. Finally, with a smirk touching her lips, she said, “Please wait until Ryan comes in before you apologize for your despicable behavior this morning. I want him to witness.”
Erin quietly, calmly informed her, “There won’t be anything for him to witness, Mrs. Youngblood. We both know it was just a misunderstanding. I’d really like to forget it happened, because I want us to get along. I am your son’s wife, and—”
“Not for long.”
Erin blinked, sure she’d not heard right, but seeing Victoria’s smile, the threatening sheen to her eyes, knew there was no mistake. She swayed ever so slightly with shock, for she’d not expected such a threat. “Now wait a minute. You can’t—”
“I can. And I will. And get something else straight, Miss Sterling,” she added. “I’m not having your trashy mother move in my house. You can get that notion out of your head right now. You won’t be living here long enough to make any demands. I promise you that.
“Do you think I want my son married to someone like you? From a family like yours?” Victoria was slowly getting to her feet, her face twisted with rage. “Oh, no, you scheming little trollop. Your days at Jasmine Hill are numbered. You trapped Ryan with lust, but by now he’s probably had his fill. He never did stay with one woman very long, so he’s no doubt ready to admit he made a mistake. Now that I’m back, I’m ready to do everything I can to help him get out of this mess. You’d be wise, very wise indeed, just to leave, and—”
“I’m not going anywhere,” Erin cut in raggedly, coming out of her stupor to defend herself. “You can’t do this to me, to our marriage. I won’t let you.”
“Oh, can’t I?” Victoria challenged. “You’ll see. You’ll see what power I have over my son.”
“Mrs. Youngblood, there’s no need for this.”
“Perhaps not,” Victoria said coldly, thoughtfully. “Perhaps there’s an easie
r way. How much money will it take to get you out of my son’s life?”
“You don’t have enough money to make me leave Ryan.” Before she even realized what she was saying, she blurted, “Regardless of what you think, I happen to be in love with him.”
Victoria swayed as though she’d been struck. Another unexpected jolt. And there was no time to think how to react, for she could hear Ryan’s footsteps as he came up the hall from his study. Through clenched teeth, she whispered, “You’ll wish you’d taken my offer.”
Her hand closed about her wineglass, and Victoria suddenly threw the contents into her own face as Erin watched in frozen disbelief. “How dare you?” she began to scream at Erin, wildly swiping at her eyes. “How dare you do such a thing?”
Ryan heard the shrieks and ran the rest of the way to the room. He looked from Erin to his mother, who was soaked in wine. “What the hell is going on here?”
Erin was quick to answer. “She threw it on herself, Ryan, to make you think I did it.”
“Are you out of your mind?” Victoria wailed. “Eliza! Eliza, where are you?”
“I’m here, ma’am.” Eliza stepped out of the little hallway leading to the service kitchen and promptly cried, aghast, “Lordy, Lordy…” and gave a pitying shake of her head, fighting to keep from smiling, for she’d been listening, had peeked out just in time to see Miss Victoria sling the wine on herself. “Those stains are never going to come out of that gown. Here, let’s get you up to your room.”
“Yes, please get me out of here,” Victoria said dramatically.
The moment they walked out, Erin said furiously, “She’s lying again.”
“I’m supposed to believe she threw wine in her own face,” he murmured incredulously.
“Unless you think I’m the one lying.”
“Hell, I don’t know what to believe anymore.” He ran both hands through his hair, then shook his head in an attempt to clear away the deep pounding that had begun. “I knew there’d be some problems when she got back, but damn it, in one day, there’s a goddamn war going on.”
“Well, I surely didn’t start it.”
Suddenly, Victoria burst back into the room, for she had been standing outside eavesdropping. “Oh, yes, you did,” she exploded. “You started it the instant we met, but don’t worry. The war is over, because I surrender. I’m moving out of this house.”
Ryan was quick to protest. “Wait a minute. This is all getting out of hand. We need to sit down and talk about it.”
“No,” Victoria said, tears spilling down her cheeks again. “This isn’t my home anymore. I don’t belong here. I can go and live with Cousin Hannah in Richmond. She’ll take me in.” She left, sobbing wildly.
Erin said tentatively, “Maybe it would be best if she did go and visit her cousin for a while, till we can straighten everything out. She’s obviously taking this a lot harder than you thought she would.”
He looked at her, stunned. “This is her home, Erin. You think I want to run my mother out of her own home? Jesus! All this is tearing me apart. As I said, you and I had problems of our own without this happening all at once.” He slammed out of the room, heading for his study.
Erin started upstairs but changed her mind. She went to him and urged, “We’ve got to talk about this, Ryan.”
He had gone to sit behind his desk, and he looked up at her with wretched eyes. “You know something, Erin?” he asked ruefully, pausing to draw on the cheroot he’d just lit. “I was just sitting here thinking how I don’t really know you at all.”
“Your mother is lying.” She wasn’t about to soften the issue. “If you won’t believe that, then there’s no hope for us, Ryan. No hope that we can ever truly be happy together.”
“Was there ever a chance that we could?” he asked with forced sarcasm, not about to let her sense his real misery.
She left him then, because she was afraid that if she didn’t, she might unlock her heart—and she did not dare.
Ryan didn’t go after her. Instead, he rang for Ebner and told him to go and pack a bag for him, that he would be leaving first thing in the morning for New Orleans. The horse show didn’t start for a few more weeks, but he felt that if he didn’t get away, far away, and figure out what the hell to do about the maelstrom of his life, he’d explode.
But first, he wrote a letter to Erin, explaining what he had to do—and why. He couldn’t just go away without a word. He suggested she go and stay with her mother till he returned. Finally, he confided he did truly care for her. He just needed time to himself to figure out how to deal with it, because he didn’t feel she cared for him in return.
The next morning, with hopeful heart that the separation would be good for both of them, he slipped the letter under her door.
Eliza saw the corner of the envelope. It was not quite all the way under Miss Erin’s door. Picking it up, she dutifully hurried to take it to Miss Victoria.
Chapter Twenty-Two
The day passed with agonizing slowness. Too angry to leave her room, Erin paced miserably as she tried to figure out what to do about the maddening situation. She desperately wanted to go check on her mother but didn’t dare leave the house just then.
Annie brought her a breakfast tray, which she didn’t touch. At lunch, because she was starting to feel nauseated from not eating, she sipped mint tea and nibbled on a slice of cornbread, though she really didn’t want anything.
She had briefed Annie earlier about the scene the night before and asked her to be alert for anything going on. Annie said she knew nothing, but at noon she was able to report that Miss Victoria was up and about as though nothing had happened. “Eliza, she had me polish the silver service, ’cause she says Miz Victoria is expectin’ Miz Ermine and her mama for tea this afternoon. And she tol’ the kitchen girls to get some nice cakes and cookies baked and frosted.”
Erin was jolted by that bit of information. Why on earth would Ryan’s former fiancée be making a social call? Then it dawned on her. Victoria was wasting no time. She was obviously also not making good her threat to move out of the house. “Have you seen Master Ryan?”
“No ma’am, and I did like you tol’ me, I asked Ebner if he knew where he was, and Ebner said he wasn’t supposed to say nothin’ to nobody about nothin’. But I been lookin’ out, like you tol’ me, and I ain’t seen hide nor hair of him all mornin’.”
“Keep watching, Annie. And report back to me if you find him. I’ve got to talk to him. This madness can’t go on.”
“Yassum,” she mumbled, filled with pity for her mistress. Her fears that there would be bad trouble when Miz Victoria returned were coming true, all right.
It was nearly four o’clock when Annie returned to tell Erin excitedly what she’d been able to find out. “Mastah Ryan is gone, Miz Erin. I talked to one of the stableboys, and he said he left at first light this mornin’. Had a bag with him, strapped on the back of his horse and said he was goin’ to New Orleans and didn’t know when he’d be back.”
Erin couldn’t believe he’d go away like that without telling her. She went in search of Ebner. She found him on the back porch, polishing a pair of Ryan’s shoes. “Is it true? Did Ryan really leave for New Orleans this morning?”
He saw no harm in admitting what she obviously already knew and confirmed with a nod.
“And he left no message for me? No note? Nothing?”
“Not with me, he didn’t. No, ma’am.” He’d seen Master Ryan writing something when he went to tell him his bag was all packed, but wasn’t about to say so, because he had no idea what it had been.
Erin was seething. How could he do this to her? Just ride away and abandon her to his angry mother?
Just then, Victoria appeared at the back door. Angrily, she ordered Erin, “Go upstairs. At once. I’m entertaining guests, and I don’t want you around.”
Erin yielded to the sudden urge to say, “You know, Mrs. Youngblood, I really feel sorry for you, because we could have been friends. But you do
n’t want it like that. So you go on and have your tea party, and I’ll gladly get out of your way.”
Victoria laughed. “You’ll be out of my way permanently once Ryan comes to his senses. He went to New Orleans to figure out how to get rid of you.”
Erin went inside and hurried up to her room, refusing to be goaded into another scene.
She was standing on the veranda when the carriage pulled up in front of the house. She watched as the petite young woman stepped down. She was wearing an olive-green dress. Golden curls trailed from her bonnet, and as she happened to glance up, Erin saw she had a lovely, heart-shaped face.
Seeing Erin, Ermine turned to murmur something to the older woman who was just alighting. Also elegantly dressed, she regarded Erin coldly, then took Ermine’s hand and led her up the steps.
Erin thought about going to the tea party herself and making Victoria miserable, then decided it was a waste of time. She had also realized it was cutting off her nose to spite her face to remain in the house till Ryan returned. She was disappointed and hurt he hadn’t taken her as he’d promised, but she knew he was angry, and there was no telling how long he’d stay away. The thing to do was go back and care for her mother, even though she hated the thought of having to be around Zachary.
She told Annie to have a carriage made ready to take her to visit her mother the next day.
It was that very evening, when she’d made her decision to escape the misery, if only for a little while, that Annie came to her at dusk, excited to report there was a paper rose in the vase on Miss Henrietta’s grave.
“That means there’s a runaway slave hiding in the labyrinth,” Erin told Annie. “And you’ll need to go with me to be on the lookout for Eliza or anybody else that might be about.”
At once, Annie started swinging her head from side to side. “Oh, no, ma’am, Miz Erin, I can’t go out there. Not tonight. It’s a full moon, and that means Miz Henrietta’s ghost is walkin’, and I’m scared of ghosts, and—”
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