Southern Legacy: Completed Version

by Jerri Hines

  Oh, God! Oh, God! She crawled to her knees and recoiled against a table. Covering her mouth with her hand…Oh, Lord, it was sticky with blood! Clutching her stomach, she threw up.

  Jo wiped her hand with her sleeve. I have to get out of here! I have to get out of here! Rising, she stepped back from the body, only to feel another object on the floor. Turning ever so slowly, she looked down. Another body. She screamed…and screamed.

  Suddenly, the French doors opened wide. Light filtered in, illuminating the room with an eerie glow. Jo could see everything clearly—she was living in a nightmare.

  “Cousin, I see you have met your roommates,” Harry Lee sneered derisively and closed the gap between them. “It has been a long time. You don’t know how I have lived for this moment. When I thought I couldn’t take another breath, I thought of you and found strength again to live.”

  “You’re mad!” Jo shivered uncontrollably. Frantically, looking all around, she did the only thing she could…she bolted toward the open doors.

  Harry Lee caught her and spun her around to face him. He slapped her with enough force to send her reeling had he not had hold of her.

  Tasting blood in her mouth, Jo twisted and turned, fighting desperately to get free. His fingers bit into her soft flesh and yanked her up, so close she felt his foul breath against her skin. She cringed.

  Laughing, he withdrew a long knife from his belt. “Don’t think this is going to be quick. Oh, no. I haven’t waited this long not to enjoy every minute of what lies ahead for you. I’m supposed to wait for your sister-in-law. She will be in shortly. She wanted to see you die in front of her, but it doesn’t mean I can’t begin my fun.”

  “Elizabeth?” Jo’s mind reeled. Timid, shy Elizabeth wanted her dead? She didn’t believe it. “You lie!”

  He took the knife and ran it along her cheek, nicking her skin. She felt warm blood run down her neck. His uproarious laughter drowned out the horrid gasp that trembled out from her.

  “Damn you to hell!” Josephine burst out.

  “I suppose,” he mocked. “But you will be there long before me.”

  He pushed Jo back against a table. She watched as he took off his coat and rolled up his sleeves. “I had better get comfortable. This is going to take awhile. I owe you so much, Jo.”

  “I don’t understand,” she stuttered, gripping tight to the table’s edge to hold herself up. “You’re supposed to be dead.”

  “Do I look dead?” He chuckled. His head nodded in the direction of the dead man. “Colonel Reginald Holly, a physician for the Union army, stationed at Fort Delaware. Didn’t do much except sign death certificates. For a price, he signed mine and smuggled my dead body out of that hellhole.”

  “That makes no sense. Why on earth would he do such a thing?”

  “Ask Elizabeth. She was the one who found him after she overheard your husband say I was in a Yankee prison camp. Seems Kathleen and your devious little sister-in-law set in motion a plan to get me out.” Harry Lee snickered. “I didn’t care. Didn’t listen to half their tale about how hard it was to find me. All I cared about was that it got me out of there…got me back to you.”

  Harry Lee stepped toward her, swiping his knife one way, and then the other. “I hated you from the beginning. Imperious little tramp. Remember when you first showed up in Charleston, down at the Battery—you tried to save Gillie after I dropped her over the railing. Did you ever figure out that I could have pulled you out easy enough? I laughed and laughed as you tried to grab hold of my hand. Could you not tell I kept easing it back just out of your reach? I watched you fall backward, struggling to remain afloat, watching you go down and then…You have had all the luck, Jo. What with both Wade and Cullen coming to your rescue.”

  He tilted his head to the side and licked his lips. “There won’t be anyone to rescue you this night…you should have never refused me, Jo. You should have married me.”

  “I would have never married you! All you wanted was my daddy’s money.” She spat at him.

  He slapped her again. His eyes narrowed with hatred. “You hypocrite! You act so righteous and moral. You are no better than I am, cousin. You enjoyed the wealth and status your father’s money gave you. You reveled in our family’s demise. You stood along the side of the Confederacy until the tide shifted and you ran back to your Yankee lover.”

  “I’m nothing like you! Nothing!” She wiped her bleeding nose with her sleeve.

  “No, you are worse. You are a God damn nigger loving bitch!” he countered with a scoff. “Besides, your daddy was a bastard! What will your loving husband say when he learns he has married white trash?”

  Her face flamed. He knew about Papa. Why would he not have told the world? She stopped herself. She knew the answer: because his name would have been tainted as well. She retorted, “He already knows you are my cousin.”

  His eyes flamed his anger. His hand gripped the knife tighter.

  Jo ran. This time she got around him, but he lunged at her and knocked her down. Sprawled on the floor, Harry Lee straddled her, boasting a triumphant laugh.

  Her pounding heart caused a cold sweat to soak her body. Staring up at the knife, she realized she was trapped.

  “Mr. Haynes, I thought we agreed to wait until I returned.”

  Harry Lee eased off Jo and stood. Jo frantically got to her feet and stared, unbelieving of the sight before her. Elizabeth smiled.

  “Why on earth is she still in that dreadful room, Mr. Haynes? Please bring her out here. I’m sure she has plenty of questions.”

  ****

  Elizabeth was stark raving mad. There was no other explanation. Feeling helpless in her plight, Jo had no choice but to listen to the woman’s incoherent rantings.

  “Elizabeth, Elizabeth,” Jo repeated, anguish riddled in her voice. “Tell me why…why did you trick me? What have I done to you?”

  “Done,” Elizabeth jeered and strolled across the room. Her eyes raked over Jo. Shaking her head, she said in a wistful tone, “Such a beautiful woman. No one should ever have been allowed all you have been given. Kathleen and I wondered why God favored you so. Two men who loved you dearly. Not one, but two?

  “I suppose Kathleen was jealous. I, myself, had my fill of men after Jeremiah. He betrayed me, told me he loved me then left me. He should have never left me, but I had my baby to comfort me until Kathleen.” She shrugged with a bizarre, creepy smile. “I don’t know where he went…Mother said he went West with his family. He left me without a word. They paid him off…he used me for money and left me with shame…I loved him...”

  Jo gripped her flailing emotions with grit determination to survive. She couldn’t die. Not yet. She reached for anything to bring Elizabeth back to sanity. “You didn’t deserve him. You need someone to love you and all will be forgotten. I will help you. Cullen will help you. But we need to go home to the children…”

  ”Ah, but that’s the trouble, Josephine. The children.” A nasty smile twisted her lips. “They are the reason you are here. Percival and Madeline need a good mother who concentrates solely on them. How could you choose to stay in that dreadful prison and leave them alone?”

  “I had no choice,” Jo stated adamantly. “I love my children and have done everything I can to protect them.”

  “You should have never left them alone,” Elizabeth said, as if Jo had not spoken. She went on. “They can’t have two mothers. I thought when you arrived that everything would have been set. Madeline, sweet Madeline, she didn’t want you. You should have left well enough alone, but no! You set upon yourself to reclaim her, trick her into thinking you loved her, but you don’t love her as I do.”

  Elizabeth’s voice rose and then abruptly she halted. She looked around Jo into the parlor. Walking over to the doors, she closed them soundly. “We don’t want to disturb Kathleen. She isn’t happy as it is.”

  “It’s Kathleen in that room! Your best friend. You killed Kathleen?” Jo asked, losing her grip on her own sanity. The woman w
as insane! She had to get out of here…she took a step back.

  “You sound like Kathleen,” Elizabeth scoffed. “She had to be punished. She killed my baby. She took me to that god-awful place and they killed my little girl…it would have been a girl, you know. She came to me in a dream and told me she was coming to me. And she did. I had to protect her from Kathleen.”

  Jo’s eyes widened with horror. Elizabeth thought Madeline was hers? Oh my God, she’s crazy! Jo shook her head. “No, Elizabeth. Madeline is my daughter. She needs her mother. She loves you, but—”

  “Shut up!” Elizabeth screamed. “You don’t deserve them. I can’t have you stealing my child from me.” She winced. “I do regret what I must do, but it’s for the children’s sake. I’m afraid Cullen has to die also. He could marry again and then…” Her words faded, as if she thought of something else. “Regrettable. Rest assured I will tell them even through your faults, you loved them.”

  “Elizabeth, you can’t do this.”

  “In that you are quite wrong, my dear sister-in-law. I have thought it all the way through. When Kathleen came up with this far-fetched idea of saving Harry Lee from being a prisoner of war, it all fell into place. She believed she could manipulate Harry Lee into doing her bidding like she did before, but I knew…I knew he must have hated her. She left their child with Andrew. Kathleen could never understand the connection a real mother has to her child.”

  Jo glanced over at Harry Lee. Fannie had been his? She felt faint. She uttered in a low voice, “Kathleen plotted against me all this time.”

  “Don’t tell me that you didn’t suspect her,” Harry Lee snickered. “She was in on my little plot from the time I got to Philadelphia to stop your wedding to that sniveling little coward, Andrew. She wanted to marry Andrew and I you. Of course, you would not have survived long enough to see the end result after I inherited all that was yours. Kathleen thought I would marry her afterwards and she was going to be the belle of Charleston.”

  “She was married!”

  “Minute details, I can assure you.” Harry Lee shrugged. “Besides, I never planned on marrying her. Just needed her help to get at you… See all the trouble you have caused?”

  Jo stumbled backward, shaking her head. This couldn’t be happening!

  “Elizabeth, listen to me. You can’t trust Harry Lee,” Jo pleaded in a mild, almost soothing voice. “He killed Kathleen…Kathleen is dead, Elizabeth. When he has what he needs, he will kill you…and Madeline.”

  Elizabeth appeared less than pleased. “No! No!” she cried. “Madeline is safe…safe.”

  Jo saw before Elizabeth. The barrel glistened in the room light. Harry Lee didn’t utter a sound. He cocked the pistol and fired once. Immediately, Elizabeth clutched her stomach and collapsed to her knees. In shock, she looked down. Blood oozed out between her fingers.

  Harry Lee strolled over even before the smoke cleared and aimed once more at Elizabeth’s head.

  “Don’t,” Jo cried. “For God’s sake!”

  Harry Lee slowly turned back to her. His eyes had turned dark; his smile caustic. He gave her a nasty look.

  Jo wasted no more time. Not looking back, she rushed toward the door Elizabeth had entered. Falling against the door, her hands desperately sought her escape. Trembling, she tried to turn the handle. It has to open…it has to…

  A hand gripped her from behind and thrust her hard against the wall. “Bitch!” Harry Lee snarled. “You ain’t going nowhere!”

  He clasped his hands around her neck, squeezing so she couldn’t take a breath. When he suddenly released it, she gasped for breath. “Told ya’ it ain’t going to be quick, cus!” He touched her face and ran his hand down to her bodice. Gripping the material, he smiled smugly. “It’s time for my fun.”

  She twisted back and heard the material tear. She became like a wild animal, kicking and clawing. Jo clawed his face, digging her fingernails deep in his skin.

  Harry Lee’s face twisted into a façade of burning rage unleashed upon her. He hit her with the back of his hand. Reeling in pain, she rolled to avoid another. As she scrambled to her feet, he caught her. A cry of dismay escaped her lips.

  She strained to get out of his clutches. Abruptly, he released her. Momentarily stunned to be free, she eased back in a slow motion. He reached down to his waist and pulled his knife out. A god-awful sound emerged, and Harry Lee venomously snarled.

  With the handle grasped tightly in his hand, he lunged at her. She tried to run, but he knocked her down, hard against the hearth. As she lifted her head, she felt the world spin. She remembered nothing else as darkness descended around her.

  * * * *

  Cullen was a madman. He heard Jo scream and the sound sent cold, merciless fury throughout his veins. He ran, leaving Heyward in his wake. With the strength of ten men, he rammed the door with his shoulder, breaking the barrier between him and Jo off its hinges. He ran in swiftly and as dangerously as a mountain lion ready to pounce.

  On their way over to Kathleen’s house, he hadn’t known what he would face. When they exited the carriage, the blood-curdling cry answered the uncertainty.

  The house sat in almost total darkness; only a few lit gas lamps glowed dimly in the foyer. The air, stank and stale, gave way to a home that had fallen into disrepair, evidence that little attention had been paid to the residence for a long time.

  Immediately, his eyes caught light reflected under the doorway. Bursting through the door of what had once been a dining room, his heart sank. Josephine lay motionless in the grip of a ghost from the past. With his knife set to plunge, Harry Lee looked over his shoulder and grinned.

  With his pistol aimed straight at Harry Lee’s heart, Cullen demanded, “Put her down.”

  Moving the unconscious Jo in front of him, Harry Lee laughed. “Don’t think so.”

  Not taking the chance of hitting Jo, Cullen lowered his gun and tucked it in his belt. For a brief moment, he contemplated his options. He had only one—he charged at her assailant.

  Taken by the intensity of the attack, Harry Lee could do little to evade the assault. Cullen slammed him hard and dropped him down on the floor. Gripping tight to Harry Lee’s arm, Cullen banged it against the floor until the knife dropped out of Harry Lee’s grip.

  With the strength of his mad rage, Cullen’s fist knocked Harry Lee upside his jaw. Harry Lee drooped, but kicked Cullen back. Rolling to his right, he reached for his knife, edging ever closer until he grasped hold of it once more.

  Cullen reacted as quickly. Both his hands held Harry Lee’s, who was desperately trying to thrust the knife into Cullen. Cullen’s eyes fixated on the bloody blade sidling closer. Josephine moaned, distracting Cullen. Harry Lee used it to his advantage and kicked Cullen back. Harry Lee’s attention turned to the woman lying unconscious.

  No time to keep Harry Lee from plunging the knife, Cullen lunged over Josephine, covering her with his body.

  A shot rang out.

  The room filled with a sudden eerie silence. Ever so slowly, Cullen looked around. Knife in hand, Harry Lee stood over him. Stunned, Harry Lee’s eyes widened in disbelief. He dropped the knife and then collapsed.

  With a smoking Remington revolver in his hand, Heyward walked over to the fallen body and turned it. Barely breathing, Harry Lee opened his eyes. Heyward knelt. “Look at me, you sonofabitch, and know who killed ya.” Heyward reached over, took the fallen knife and plunged it deep into Harry Lee’s chest.

  Cullen crawled to his feet and picked up Josephine, holding her tenderly in his arms. Her body was limp. Her face was cut and bruised, but she was alive.

  Outside, a commotion arose. Someone had called the authorities. They would be inside soon.

  “Let me talk,” Cullen said to Heyward, covered in blood. Cullen’s eyes conveyed to the man…his friend…the depth of the thanks he felt. “Stay by me.”

  * * * *

  Restless, Jo tossed and turned. Dreadful dreams troubled her. She felt as though she was drowning
in a sea of memories. Struggling against wave after wave, she desperately tried to find a semblance of sanity.

  Harry Lee leaned over the railed fence on the Battery. “Here, Jo, let me help you!”

  Frantically reaching for his hand, she fell backward. Harry Lee laughed. His horrible, ghastly taunts echoed around her as water rushed about her. Gulping for air, a hand reached down and grasped hers.

  “You’re safe, Jo.”

  She felt herself being lifted out of the troubled tempest. “Wade…is that you? Oh, can you forgive me? I tried, truly I have, to hold to your legacy. It’s been so hard…so terribly hard.”

  Leaning down, she felt his hand lightly caress her cheek and his lips breezed over hers. “It is as it should be.”

  He smiled his charismatic smile she had known so well…and then faded into the fog that now surrounded her. So thick and cloudy, she couldn’t see. Until a light illuminated and the clouds parted. Jo’s heart swelled on the sight of Gillie’s lovely face…so brilliantly lovely.

  “Gillie, forgive me…forgive me!” Jo pleaded, reaching out for her. “There is so much I need to tell you. I never understood…Oh, Gillie, don’t leave me.”

  “I have never left you.” The voice carried, so soft and soothing. “I never will.”

  The haze faded and then there was nothing. Her head hurt; her body ached. She had no strength. She tried ever so hard to open her eyes. Someone was beside her, but she felt no fear. Was it Cullen?

  Tears fell down his cheek. Oh, don’t cry, my love. Don’t cry.

  * * * *

  Cullen gently wiped her brow. Jo hadn’t woken up. She should have woken up by now. It had been almost twenty-four hours and she laid the same as when he first brought her home, wincing on her every movement.

  The doctor cautioned Cullen to be patient. “She has been badly beaten, but it is the blow to the head that is the most concerning. The sooner she becomes conscious the better. There is nothing more we can do but wait.”

  Stubbornly, Cullen had refused to leave her side. She looked so white, so dreadfully white. He touched her cheek. “Come back to me, Josephine.”