by Kitty Margo
The following afternoon, while the others were enjoying the birthday festivities, the front door slammed and all eyes turned to see a glowing Suzanne enter the room. Lynna’s heart sank as she witnessed her satisfied smile.
“You almost missed your nieces’ party,” Beth chided her narcissistic sister in law.
“I take it you found Joshua,” Samuel added.
Suzanne turned to Lynna with an expression of pure bliss and breathed, “Actually, we found each other.” Strolling over to Lynna, she leaned over and whispered, “Come upstairs.”
When she could slip away, Lynna climbed the stairs with mounting dread. Why did the thought of Suzanne and Joshua together rip at her heart so?
When Lynna entered her bedchamber, Suzanne rushed to close the door, then flung herself on the bed. As if in a trance, she fabricated a detailed lie solely for Lynna’s benefit, reveling in the immense pain that she knew it caused her.
“I was riding down the road this afternoon. I hadn’t gone far when I noticed Joshua repairing a downed fence. Quietly, I slipped from my horse and went to join him.” She breathed a deep sigh as a dreamy smile settled over her face. “But, almost before I knew what was happening, he was pulling me into his arms and kissing me like a man absolutely starved for me.”
“Suzanne, what you and Joshua do holds absolutely no interest for me.” Lynna used her most convincing tone, but they both knew that she was lying through her teeth.
“Oh, Lynna, I love nothing more than being wrapped in his strong arms. He makes me feel so…alive.” Suzanne clutched a feather pillow to her breast. “And I have no doubt that he is in love with me. He could never make love to me with such passion if he didn’t.”
“Oh, believe me. Yes, he could.” The words were out before Lynna even realized that she had spoken them out loud.
“You are just jealous!” Suzanne stormed, leaping from the bed to stand in front of her with eyes blazing. “You always have been. You want Joshua for yourself, everyone knows that. Why, a blind person could see it, but you will never take him from me.”
Lynna opened the door to leave, feeling nothing but loathing for the girl, but she refused to leave without one parting shot. “To be perfectly honest, I would imagine the field hands heard your little display of temper. However, be advised of one simple truth, Suzanne.” She had taken so much abuse and insult from Suzanne over the past three years and now she had the perfect opportunity for a little payback. For once, she was actually angry enough to mete it out. “Consider yourself fortunate, because we both know that if I wanted your Captain Jordan, I could easily have him.”
She had then casually strolled from the room, having finally succeeded in delivering to Suzanne her comeuppance and, for once, leaving her at a loss for words.
Two hours later Lynna’s eyes flew open as her aunt shook her from her afternoon nap. “Lynna, honey, wake up. Captain Jordan was here with an invitation for dinner.”
“What? But I... we cannot possible go.” The mere thought of spending an evening with the man caused her entire being to quake. How could her betraying body react to him in such a way when she knew him to be nothing more than a heartless philanderer who used women without a care? She had no intention of becoming his next conquest. “You go ahead without me, please. I don’t feel up to visiting today. I would rather remain here and keep Bethany Breanne entertained.”
“Nonsense.” Judith’s hand on her face forced Lynna to meet her eyes. “You have just as much of a chance with him as Suzanne does, actually a better one.”
“Aunt Judith, what on earth are you prattling about?” Lynna cried. Sitting up, she rubbed the sleep from her eyes and wondered if she was dreaming. Her aunt could not possibly know her true feelings. Could she?
“Why, Captain Jordan, of course. He is a very handsome man, dear,” Judith replied, going to the armoire. “I have seen the way your eyes sparkle at the mere mention of his name, and you cannot deny that he is attracted to you.” She brought out a lovely gown of peach silk and carefully spread it across the bed. “If you want him, go after him and don’t let anything stand in your way.”
Evidently, by anything, she meant Suzanne. “But I don’t…want him, Aunt Judith.” And if you knew him for the heartless rake that he truly is, you would not be trying to push me into his arms.
“Of course you do, any woman would,” Judith continued stubbornly. “Now hurry, your bath water is growing tepid.”
Shocked clear down to her toes by her aunt’s words, Lynna soaked in a hot tub until her skin was a becoming shade of pink. Then she sat at her dressing table brushing her hair until it shone, still unresolved as to how to style it. Pulling it atop her head, she tied it loosely with a velvet ribbon allowing the tiny tendrils to frame her face. That should do. On impulse she added a small amount of kohl to her eyelids and gazed at her reflection in the mirror.
After completing her toilette, she slipped into a sheer lacy chemise. Next she stepped into the peach colored gown trimmed with ecru lace that she and her aunt had only recently completed, with the delicate folds of material enhancing her every curve.
Satisfied with her appearance, she knocked on the door between her room and her aunt’s. “Aunt Judith, would you fasten my gown, please?” Would you fasten my gown, please? Those remembered words caused a shiver to traipse along her spine.
“Certainly.” Judith entered the room with pride shining in her eyes. “You look beautiful, darling.”
“Thank you, but we both know that you are certainly not an impartial judge.” Lynna smiled lovingly at the woman that she positively adored. “Most of my so called beauty is in your eyes only.”
“We shall see. You just keep an eye on Captain Jordan’s face when you enter the room.”
“Oh, Aunt Judith, for heaven’s sakes.” Lynna’s hands were planted firmly on her hips as she shook her head. “Where do you get these ideas?”
An hour later, Judith and Lynna descended the staircase together, greeted by a chorus of whistles from Daniel and Samuel. “I must say that you ladies look positively breathtaking.”
“Are there any compliments left for your own sister?” Suzanne floated down the stairs in a cloud of emerald green chiffon. Her hair was also pinned atop her head, but unlike Lynna’s shimmering curls Suzanne’s raven locks were straight and lacked the added effect of the short, bouncy tendrils falling to softly accentuate her face. Brilliant emeralds dripped from her ears to caress her neck as she gloated in the knowledge that she would outshine Lynna one way or another.
As Silas and Mary joined them, Daniel remarked, “Father, would you not agree that we have the pleasure of escorting four of the loveliest ladies in all of Charleston tonight.”
Daniel smiled bravely for Lynna’s benefit, but Suzanne knew that his soul was tortured as she recalled their chat earlier in the day as they had sat on the verandah sipping sweet tea. “Of course, you realize that Joshua has developed an apparent infatuation for Lynna, don’t you, Daniel?”
Daniel had chosen not to respond, but rather focused on the swirling ice in his glass.
“Believe me, the fact leaves me quite mystified when he could have me instead. I’m sure his choice leaves you as perplexed as it does me, dear brother. At any rate, if you continue to behave like such an incompetent wimp, Joshua will succeed in snatching Lynna out from under your nose leaving us both in the cold.”
“Nonsense, son,” Silas was saying. “Their beauty encompasses the entire South.”
“What about me?” Beth’s musical laughter chimed from the top of the stairs. “I distinctly heard you say the four loveliest ladies, Daniel Fletcher.” As she descended the stairs she counted off the ladies of the house on her fingers. As she neared Silas, he shammed for her ears only. “You, Beth, are by far my most lovely daughter-in-law.”
“Well, thank you kindly, sir,” Beth beamed.
Their laughter flowed like water through a stream as the ladies draped lacy shawls over their shoulders and t
he gentlemen helped them into the waiting carriage.
“But I am your only daughter-in-law,” Beth shrieked, just realizing the jest.
Lynna twiddled her thumbs nervously in a corner of the carriage until twenty minutes later, when Beth announced, “This is where our land ends and Jordan land begins.”
The boundary was evidenced by a white fence bordering the road on both sides and winding through woods that soon gave way to snowy fields of King Cotton. Beyond the fields could be seen a wide avenue of live oaks festooned with Spanish moss.
The view through the trees was breathtaking as both sides of the road contained small ponds bordered by towering cypress and gaily colored flowers. An enchanting bridge with lattice work sides rose over the water, and at the end of each bridge, nestled in the shade, sat a charming gazebo with the same wood carvings as the bridge.
Lynna was duly impressed by the pure and simple elegance surrounding her. Then Sea Grove with its huge white pillars loomed proudly before her.
Chapter 18