Napoleon's Gift

by Alie Infante

  It was as if he required me to overlook all that transpired, and begin anew.

  Even so, I was not reasonably certain I could do that. Decidedly, I loved him, even more now that I was an adult then I had as a girl, still, my heart extended to my throat each time I recalled how I felt that night.

  I sighed again, moving the baskets of flowers back to the veranda.

  As I looked up, I saw Isaiah.

  He frowned, then walked slowly to the veranda.

  He handed me the letter, then the red box. I frowned now myself, as I accepted both.

  When I opened the box, I looked at Isaiah astonished.

  There nestled between the folds of red velvet was a diamond and ruby necklace. I ran my finger over the large ruby encrusted in the center of the diamonds, took a resonant breath, then presented it back to Isaiah shaking my head.

  “Please return this to Mr. Waverly, and inform him that I am not at all capable of consenting to this.” I stated, Isaiah frowned, opened his mouth to speak, when I shook my head.

  “But Ginny…” He wailed, I shook my head again, then sauntered back into the house.

  Isaiah grinned as he hurried towards the shrubbery where Benjamin and Bartholomew were lingering.

  “Damn! What shall I do?” Benjamin moaned as Isaiah furnished the box, and Bartholomew laughed.

  “Mate, did ye observe, she did not present the letter back?”

  “Bloody right!” Benjamin cried, then looked towards Geneviève’s house as Bartholomew shushed him cuffing him on the shoulder.

  “Come chums, I think a drink is in order.” Bartholomew laughed, and both men followed him towards the big house smiling.

  ***

  I assembled myself on the settee, drew my legs up and under me, sighed again, then commenced to open the letter.

  I noticed my hands were trembling.

  I cannot subsist devoid of you. I am absentminded of everything but catching sight of you again. My life appears to stop there…I perceive no further. You have absorb’d me. I have a sensation at the present moment as though I were dissolving. I have been astonished that men could die martyrs for religion…I have shudder’d at it.

  I shudder no more…I could be martyr’d for my religion - love is my religion - I could die for that - I could die for you.

  My creed is love and you are its only tenet - you have ravish’d me away by a authority I cannot oppose.

  For eternity, everlastingly,

  Benjamin…

  I blinked back the tears, set the letter aside, and could not help the sobs.

  I desire to be absent from this dwelling; I thought as I snatched up my shawl and ran from the room.

  ***

  Benjamin frowned as he saw Geneviève run across the north side of the back garden from the parlor window headed towards the Bayou. He bolted from the room, and Bartholomew and Isaiah rushed to the window to observe what he had witnessed.

  They saw the two of them wrestle for several minutes, Geneviève sobbing, when Benjamin abruptly swept her up in his arms, walking towards the trees on the other side of the plantation.

  “And that mate, is how it ought to be. I have by no means in the fifteen years that I

  have known him, glimpsed him to be this besotted by love.” Bartholomew sighed smiling.

  “Ginny has always loved Mr. Waverly, even when we were children. So much so, that she never once paid any notion to my or any other man’s affections.” Isaiah commented grinning.

  ***

  “Release me Benny!” I yelled at him, and he paused placing me on my feet. I made a dash for my home, when he gave chase

  “Geneviève please.” He yelled as he tried to pull me into his arms, and couldn’t control my struggling form. His foot snared mine, and we both tumbled to the grass, him settling on top of me.

  “Are ye injured?” He cried looking down at me. I shook my head, but closed my eyes, refusing to look him in the eyes.

  “Ginnybean, look at me please.” He whispered hoarsely, and I shook my head.

  “No.” I whispered, then turned my head the other way. I jostle his chest, but his entire weight was restraining me.

  “I love ye, and that will by no means cease!” He wailed, I did look at him then, and the kiss he gave me resonated throughout my entire body. He placed his hand at the nape of my neck, cradling my head, as he deepened the kiss.

  “No you are…” He kissed me again with such fervor, that I was motionless.

  I felt that kiss to the tips of my toes.

  It was similar to no kiss he had ever given me thus far. He drew the skin in the curve of my neck into his mouth, and I cried out.

  “I vow to God I need ye Ginnybean, ye shall do away with me if ye repudiate me!” He swore softly.

  Before I could say anything, he pulled me onto his lap.

  His words reverberated through me; I flung caution to the wind, and kissed him back with the same pent up fervor.

  “God yes!” He moaned, then jerked me backwards so he could look at my face. He grinned, and before I could respond, he already had the bodice to my dress unlaced, his lips scorching my skin. He stood me, snatched down my knickers, then pulled me into his lap completely, and as he rocked my hips, I screamed.

  *

  Benjamin pushed her backwards, caressing her breast as he laid her on the grass. As he slid his hand between her thighs, he found she was ready for him. He massaged her with his forefinger and thumb, and she moaned his name as he began to roll his fingers. He drew her nipple into his mouth, then cupped her breast sucking on her nipple until it was stiff. She moaned his name again.

  He pulled her to him, positioned himself above her, his head dipping as he sucked the skin in the curve of her neck into his mouth, his hips driving forward, and she screamed.

  *

  I moaned as he took my nipple into his warm mouth, and his hand found its way to my thighs.

  “No Benny, what if someone should see!” I cried, as he drew his mouth to mine.

  “I care naught who observes the love between us.” He moaned, kissed my face, my eyelids, my cheeks, my brow, then came back to my lips. He drew back, smiled, then left my lips to kiss his way down my body. My breath caught as his tongue reached out and drew me into his mouth, and I moaned deeper at the feel of it.

  Although vexed about decorum, and what people would deliberate if they should happened upon us; as he began to swirl his tongue, my mind ceased to labor, and I gave in to the sensations he crafted within my body.

  His other hand came up; he took my nipple between his forefinger and thumb, gently brushing against it. He was suddenly above me, pushed at my knees gently with his, and as I looked up he pushed forward filling every inch of me. He brought my hips up, pulled himself out, so only the tip was inside me, then bent to take my nipple into his mouth again and I cried out, as he slammed his hips forward.

  “I love ye, I shall expire if ye depart from me! Do ye truly love me Ginnybean, for once the truth?

  “Yes, you recognize that I do!” I cried, as the sensations continued to build, and I could feel myself teetering on the edge of the orgasm.

  “Then declare it! This necessitates that I should hear it.” He hissed as he began to move sideways and I screamed.

  “Yes...yes...I love you!” I screamed, and he brought me up to a sitting position again. I smoothed the hair from his face, then kissed him deeply.

  He pulled me forward, I gasped as it drew an almost animalistic moan from me. He rocked my hips forward again, faster and faster. I could feel the orgasm building, higher and higher.

  As he jerked my hips faster, I felt myself spiral into it, and I rode him and the orgasm. When the orgasm hit, we both screamed, then fell back gasping for breath.

  I frowned.

  I had not destined to be this way with him ever again!

  Just one stroke from him, and I appeared to misplace my wits.

  Why Geneviève why?

  I screamed at myself, but it was
to no avail.

  He looked down on me, and I turned my face away from him. He put his finger under my chin, turned my face back, then brushed the tears away with his thumb.

  “I love ye greater than my existence. I have nothing without ye Ginnybean.” He whispered, and I could see it clearly in those beautiful blue eyes of his.

  Nevertheless, did that denote that I could have confidence in him, to in no way break my heart again?

  I could not help the sob; he sat up, pulled me into his lap wrapping his arms around me and held me while I cried.

  When my tears were spent, he pulled me to my feet, and we both re-dressed. We gazed at each other for several moments, his eyes beseeching me, and I was overflowing with an assortment of sentiment, anxiety, resentment and remorse.

  Yet the most impassioned of these was love.

  I immediately sprinted from him towards my home, with him yelling my name.

  I discerned that I would by no means be the equivalent no matter what I endeavored, no matter that I was a near innocent only months ago, in no way again the same.

  If anything, I could ultimately say, that I was a true woman now.

  Chapter Nine…

  Rouge Oiseau…

  Plantation…

  “Ye do realize he’s in town right?”

  The constable asked Charles as he took a seat, and Muncie handed him his afternoon tea.

  “Yes I do. However, I do not know why.” Charles returned, gave Jeffries a look, then motioned for him to sit down.

  “And have ye heard the news, I daresay he cannot be trusted. The paper is reporting he drew two Dragoon revolvers and emptied them into the crowd before dashing away. Three members of the crowd were killed outright, two died of their wounds later, and five were wounded to the point, that they shall always remember him. I cannot at all fathom why ye would want this Charles. They have no respect for people like me, and I daresay this shall be the end of us, if either one of them disapproves of something.”

  “Ye worry over nothing, Cole and I have an arrangement. Declan is loyal to me, so I observe no foreseeable difficulty. The profits are divided equal ways, and he is to be on his way.” Charles countered, and Jeffries frowned.

  “And ye truly believe that?”

  “Yes I do, as well, I am eager to see him, mayhap, he can solve my conundrum.” Charles stated frowning, and Jeffries gasped.

  “Surly, ye would not set the lot of them on him?” The constable cried, and Charles grinned evilly.

  “And why shall I not? Would serve the both of them right, for attempting to make a fool of me! Not to mention, can ye imagine his worth now. His father’s monies, as well as Tobias’? Moreover, here I sit, forced to inline myself with robbery, thievery, and corruption, just to keep this plantation afloat. No, if it is what he wants, then Cole may have at him.” Charles grinned, and Jeffries swallowed hard.

  Would he be next, if Charles saw fit?

  He would somehow have to warn Waverly. He had never signed on to murder anyone.

  He instantly thought of Nedrick Hayward, the Pinkerton.

  He would have to inform Hayward now for sure.

  “Then I must take my leave, we shall both need alibis, and I daresay Cole will have one of his own. I believe it is the way of the Younger.” Jeffries stated, nodded to Charles, then exited the parlor.

  Charles frowned at the doorway.

  He would have to keep an eye on Jeffries.

  He was a coward, and could impair the entire operation.

  He would need to speak to Cantor now. He thought, snatched up his topcoat, then hurried from the room.

  Haven

  Plantation…

  Two days later as I sat watching the sun go down, I contemplated Benjamin.

  A girl could do much worse, colored or otherwise.

  I had shunned him these last two days, because my thoughts of him were so jumbled. Claudette still refused to speak to me, and I could not say that I truly held her responsible for it either. However, I was completely regretful, that I had given her the impression that I was in love with her as well. I loved her to a great extent, in spite of this, it was not similar to what I felt for Benjamin. I was profoundly repentant, that I had given her the notion that I loved her as such.

  As preposterous as it seemed, Benjamin was the only fixation on my mind of late. So much so, that I ceased to imagine anything else, or the happenings around me. Ms. Millie came by yesterday with supper, but my stomach refused it, because it seemed my heart over ruled it, convincing it that the heart needs no food but love.

  I considered with a slight smile, sighed, then frowned as I deliberated on our tryst.

  How would I keep that from happening again?

  I loved him, and as frenetic as I felt I was, I craved his touch. Just the very thought of him never being intimate with me again, granted my heart cause to pause, however I was greatly conflicted between what I identified as right, what my heart sought after, and what my head convey to me that I could never have faith in.

  I sighed again, then frowned as I saw Isaiah walking towards the house with another basket of flowers, this time with a box of sweet treats. I rolled my eyes, then got up to open the door.

  I frowned up at him, then bit my lip to keep from laughing at the expression on his face.

  “Now Ginny, just take note before you close the door in my face.” He said, I sighed for what seemed like the 200th time, then nodded.

  He retrieved the note, then gave me a sheepish grin, and I had to laugh as he handed me the treats and the flowers.

  He cleared his throat, then spoke.

  “I wake overflowing with contemplations of you. Your image and the intoxicating evening, which we exhausted two days ago, and deliberations of you that very next afternoon, have left my senses in turmoil. Sweet, incomparable Geneviève, what a strange effect you have on my heart! Are you cross? Do I glimpse you seemingly cheerless? Are you anxious? My soul aches with regret, and there can be no rest for me, as long as I perceive your despondency. You have touched me more profoundly than I thought; even you could have touched me. My heart was full of you. Henceforward I am yours for everything.

  “Promises not to love you” ah Geneviève, it is past promising, but shall attribute all concessions to the proper motive, and never cease to feel all that you have already witnessed, and more than can ever be known but to my own heart.

  Perhaps to yours.

  Is there anything on earth or heaven that would have made me so happy as to have made you mine long ago? Not less now than then, but more than ever at this time. I would with pleasure give up all here and all beyond the grave for you. In refraining from this, must my motives be misunderstood? I care not who knows this, what use is made of it, it is you and to you only that I owe myself. I was and am yours, freely and most entirely, to obey, to honor, love, and fly with you when, where, and how you yourself might and may determine.

  Eternally,

  Benjamin.

  I blinked back the tears, and all that I felt from that night long ago, appeared to depart me in the breath, which expelled. If ever I had heeded a truer request for clemency, I would not have confidence in it.

  He loved me, why should I not acknowledge it and him.

  I had loved him for what seemed a thousand years.

  I took the handkerchief Isaiah administered my way, then laughed as he grinned wiggling his eyebrows while I dabbed at my eyes.

  “If chér is interested, he is in the south gardens. He does not appear to discern what to do with himself of late. Nevertheless, I imagine, you can mend that.” He grinned, then nodded towards the house. I laughed again, then kissed his cheek, placed the treats and flowers in the house, then timorously walked towards the big house.

  Big

  House…

  As I entered the south gardens, I saw him seated in one of the high backed wooden chairs, with his head in his hands. He heard the crunch of leaves under my feet, looked up, then gasped.

  �
��Ginny?” He whispered, as if he did not truly believe that I was standing there. He had the expression on his face, as if he believed I was an apparition, which would wilt away any moment now.

  “Yes?” I whispered back, he surged to his feet, then rushed to me gathering me in a tight embrace.

  “Please know all that I have pledged is true.” He swore, his embrace tightening.

  “I know, for I have loved you for what seems like a thousand years.” I swore back, and he drew away from me to look at my face. The smile he gave me nearly stopped my heart.

  “Come, let me demonstrate it.” He said, then tugged me towards the house.

  As we entered the parlor, the breath left me in an audible whoosh. There before us was Reverend Brant smiling.

  “Benny…” I tried, but he shook his head.

  “No, not a word Geneviève. Ye swore ye loved me.”

  “I do but…”

  “Then we shall have no buts. Reverend, ye may proceed.” Benjamin commanded, and Reverend Brant smiled again, opened his bible, then commenced to marry us.

  Secretly, my heart zipped through the air, did a somersault, then slammed back into my chest from elation.

  When Reverend Brant finished, we both looked at each other, and I could not help the laughter. Benjamin joined me, then picked me up, spinning me around the room.

  I was surprised, when he drew me into the dinning area, and Ms. Millie, Isaiah, Abel, Mrs. Clarette, his friend Bartholomew, and Mary where all there cheering. It was then I noticed the wedding cake, and looked up at him astounded.

  “And what if I had said no Benny?” I wailed, and he gave me a sheepish grin.

  “I would have stimulated ye to tears, then played on yer compassion for me.” He grinned, and the entire room laughed.

  I cuffed him, he kissed me in front of everyone, and I could feel my face turn scarlet as the people in the room cheered.

  Abel began to dispense the glasses of wine, and we celebrated in a right good manner.