King of the South

by Read, Calia

  She’s unpredictable in every way.

  It doesn’t appear that way, though. Even now, she’s wearing a yellow dress in a style Nat would fawn over. Her hair’s in an updo that I see many women wear. She’s as fresh as a daisy, and I bet my life she hates every second of it and will pull the barrettes out of her dark hair as soon as she gets home. When she was a little girl, she would run barefoot with her hair flying behind her, and her momma would chastise her and demand she come back to put some shoes on right that second.

  As she walks past me, I catch the scent of lavender. Rainey has a sharp tongue, but the floral scent is a reminder she has a feminine air about her.

  “Good mornin’,” she greets.

  “Mornin’.” I’m relieved to see she’s no longer emotional. It feels reprehensible to see her in such a state. Doubtlessly, it’s because I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve seen her at her most vulnerable.

  “Let’s go in the sittin’ room and talk,” I say before she has a chance to ask me about the plan that doesn’t exist.

  Rainey’s silence as we walk down the hall is unsettling. When I look at her from the corner of my eye, she appears perfectly normal, but something isn’t quite right.

  I stop before we enter the sitting room and reach out to keep her from walking. My hand gently curls around her arm, near her elbow. Rainey jumps as though she forgot I was beside her and stares at her arm where my hand is. At once, I let go. “Do you no longer wish to seek a husband?”

  She blinks at me rapidly. A few seconds go by before she answers. “Yes, I do. And there’s no changin’ my mind.” A determined glint fills her eyes.

  I watch her carefully. “I’m not tryin’ to change your mind. I’m merely reiteratin’ what you said yesterday.”

  The fight slowly deflates from her. What is wrong with her today? Where are her thoughts? “Oh. Very well, then. Let’s carry on with why I’m here.” She gives me a meaningful look.

  “Yes, let’s do that, shall we?” Serene says drolly from the sitting room. “While the two of you have been having the most riveting conversation, I think I’ve passed out twice from exhaustion and hunger.”

  On the spot, Rainey’s head snaps in Serene’s direction. In the span of a second, her face transforms. When she truly smiles, Rainey has dimples, and her eyes crinkle at the corners.

  What would it take to get Rainey to smile at me in such a way?

  “My word,” Rainey drawls. “I didn’t know you were here.”

  “I know you didn’t. Otherwise, you would’ve offered me a beverage or food.” Serene winks at me, but Rainey doesn’t notice. She’s too preoccupied staring at me as though I’m the devil reincarnated.

  “Livingston, where are your manners? Get Serene a beverage.”

  “God forbid Serene go one hour without eatin’. And she’s family. It’s never prevented her from forcin’ her way in here and makin’ herself cozy.”

  Rainey waves a hand in the air as though my words are neither here nor there. Without giving me a second look, she rushes to Serene’s side. As I watch the two of them talk, it occurs to me that having my very pregnant sister-in-law here might be brilliant. She and Rainey will talk for hours, and Rainey will forget the very reason she came here.

  “What brought you to Livingston’s today?”

  “I’m here because Livingston made me aware of your intentions to find a husband.”

  Serene could see me wildly gesticulating behind Rainey for her not to go any further, but she was simply ignoring me. Rainey looks over her shoulder, her eyes blazing. “You told her already? Lord, it’s been less than twenty-four hours since we’ve seen one another. Did you also notify The Post and Courier?”

  Crossing my arms over my chest, I observe her. “Of course and also The New York Times. They said it will be front page tomorrow.”

  Rainey is not amused by my words.

  I roll my eyes. “Serene will not tell a soul.”

  “He’s right. I won’t,” my sister-in-law cuts in and places a hand over Rainey’s.

  “In fact, you’ll find that she’ll be of great assistance when she’s not yammerin’ about food.”

  “He’s right again. Just not about the food part.”

  Rainey looks at Serene with something close to hope. “Do you have an idea?”

  At that, Serene hesitates. “Not yet, but I will. And if I don’t … hell, you can marry Étienne if you want.”

  Rainey laughs and shakes her head. “If only it was that easy to have a man like yours for the choosin’.”

  My brows furrow. “It’s your future husband, not a car from a production line.”

  “I know that. That’s why I said ‘if only.’”

  Something about her words doesn’t settle well with me, and I simply can’t let it go. “I’m baffled. I presumed you truly wanted to find love, not pluck the first man you saw from the street, wipe the dust from his jacket, and call him your fiancé.”

  The irritated glance Rainey gives me would send most people scurrying in the opposite direction. For myself, my blood pumps faster through my veins. If you want to feel more alive, have a disagreement with this woman.

  “You can remain baffled somewhere else, Livingston. I’ll stay here and have a lovely conversation with Serene. I’m positive that when Serene has an idea, it will be outstandin’.”

  I snort. “That’s fine, but let it be noted the only reason Serene knows you want a husband and is here is because I informed her.”

  “I would’ve told her!”

  “When you were an elderly woman?” I challenge.

  By now, Rainey’s turned in my direction. “You know what, Livingston? You can go take a—”

  “Oh, my gosh. Oh, my gosh. Both of you shut up! I just thought of something.” In unison, we look at Serene. She stares at the opposite wall with a faraway look in her eye and a cockamamy grin. Slowly, she turns to us. Rainey leans forward. Even I inch closer to hear what she’s about to say.

  “We should have a bachelor ball.”

  While Rainey frowns and stares at Serene as though she’s grown three heads, I lift a brow. “A bachelor ball?” I repeat.

  Serene nods anxiously and smiles. “Absolutely. We—Étienne, me, and you—will select about thirty or so men who we think will be good choices for Rainey. And from there, we allow Rainey to meet the men. Perhaps she’ll have dinner with some of the bachelors to better get to know them.”

  It sounds ludicrous and barbaric. Rainey will never agree to this arrangement.

  Crossing my arms, I wait for the outrage, but it never comes. Slowly, I turn my head in Rainey’s direction and see her thoughtfully considering Serene’s proposition.

  “Rainey?”

  She remains silent for a moment before she lifts a shoulder. “There are no other suggestions.”

  While Serene squeals and nearly throws herself into Rainey’s arms, I throw my hands in the air. “This cannot be the only idea!”

  “Yes, it can because it’s just that good.” Serene gestures to Rainey. “Look at our girl. She’s not bad to look at.”

  “I’m standin’ right here,” Rainey interjects.

  Serene continues. “Men will be lining up for a chance to win her hand.”

  “Yes, but for Rainey or for her dowry?” I challenge.

  “The amount of her dowry will not be made public. Besides, the Pleasonton name is as well-known as the Lacroix name.”

  “Serene,” I say somberly. “The amount of the dowry will be made known. There will be fortune hunters.”

  Serene smiles. “It’s up to us to weed out those little fuckers then, isn’t it?”

  My sister-in-law’s crass language makes Rainey’s brow lift nearly to her hairline. “I’m startin’ to regret invitin’ you over,” I mutter, rubbing my temples.

  “Oh, there’s no reason to clutch your pearls, Livingston. It’s the truth.”

  “You truly think you can find her a husband by September?” I challen
ge.

  “I’m confident I can.”

  “Why can’t she?” Rainey chimes in.

  I face her. “For starters, you’re an uncivilized hellion.”

  “I am not!”

  Crossing my arms, I smirk at her. “Okay. Define civilized then.”

  Mimicking my actions, Serene steps forward. “Civilized is the opposite of how I feel when I’m around you.” Rainey finishes her words with a bright smile.

  I look her up and down. “Should we all expect to see this charm that will lure in the man of your dreams?”

  “Oh, this charm is only for you.”

  “Okay, okay. You guys can feed each other compliments later. Right now, we need to focus.” Serene steps up to Rainey and holds her arm. “We’ll take care of you and make sure you only have the best. No idiot is going to slide past us. You trust me, right?”

  Rainey’s eyes are wary, but that’s not what fills me with apprehension. It’s that Rainey isn’t promptly rejecting Serene’s plan. This is Serene’s first idea. Her second is bound to be better.

  “Are you positive you want an arranged marriage?” I prod.

  “It’s not an arranged marriage!” Serene interjects.

  “Sounds that way to me.”

  “An arranged marriage is where the groom or bride is picked out by the parents. That’s not the case here,” Serene argues as she sits back down.

  “Absolutely. This situation is considerably different because her guardian will be the one to have final approval,” I say mockingly.

  Serene crosses her arms and gives me a murderous expression. “Rainey will obviously have the final say.”

  “Of course, as long as we all agree this is a thinly veiled arranged marriage.”

  “Call it an arranged marriage again, and I’m going to re-arrange your face.”

  “Enough!” Rainey hollers, pulling Serene and me out of what was about to be a long argument. She takes a deep breath. “I agree to Serene’s proposal.”

  Serene claps her hands together in victory and squeals, while my mouth falls open. “You cannot be serious.”

  “As long as all the bachelors have a significant fortune of their own, I don’t see why not.”

  Not once did I ever picture Rainey agreeing to this preposterous idea.

  Sheepishly, Rainey shrugs. “It’s just that I would appreciate the bachelors all havin’ money of their own.”

  “How is Serene’s bachelor scheme any different than Miles’s dowry?” I ask.

  “It’s different because she’ll be the one to make the choice,” Serene answers. She looks at Rainey, her gaze imploring. “Rainey, I understand none of this is ideal. But I think, deep down, the reason you said yes to my idea is because you truly want to settle down, marry, and start a family of your own. Am I right, or have the hormones gone straight to my head?”

  “Your hormones have gone straight to your head,” I reply

  “Can it, Lacroix,” Serene says, without looking my way.

  Biting down on her lower lip, Rainey looks back and forth between Serene and me before she nods. “Havin’ a family wouldn’t be terrible.”

  My eyes widen at the same time Serene says, “I knew it! I knew you wanted to settle down!” Serene is beaming from ear to ear, but I watch Rainey carefully and I know she’s hiding something.

  “I need to pee for the fiftieth time today,” my sister-in-law announces.

  “And for the fiftieth time, you don’t need to tell us,” I say as I help Serene up. She waddles out of the room, but not before she hugs Rainey. She steps back and directs her attention to me.

  “I will acquiesce to calling this a marriage of convenience. Deal?” Serene holds her hand out for me to shake. Reluctantly, I take it. “Fine. The two of you can do what you want. But this is never going to work. Serene, you can’t tame this.” I gesture to Rainey.

  By this point, Rainey is seething with annoyance. “Once again, I’m standin’ right here.”

  Turning to her, I grin. “I am quite aware of that.”

  Serene isn’t listening, though. She’s too thrilled that both Rainey and I have agreed to her bachelor idea. “I will speak to Étienne tonight, and we’ll get started on finding your eligible bachelors immediately!” she calls out happily and leaves the room. “One week, everybody. One week!”

  Rainey nods, but there’s a hint of dare I say it … fear? Which is impossible. Rainey looks fear in the eye and laughs. Sighing, I take Serene’s seat. Linking my hands together, I drape them across my stomach.

  Rainey remains standing, facing the window. I’m afforded the view of her slender figure and sharp profile. As though she can sense me staring, she looks over her shoulder at me.

  “I should leave, too. I told Momma I would help her—”

  “You do not have to agree to this outrageous plan,” I cut in.

  Rainey crosses her arms. “Do you have any other plans in mind?”

  “Yes.”

  “Well, are you goin’ to tell me, or do I have to stand here in suspense?”

  I rub my jaw as I carefully think my words over. “My plan is to find out the real reason you agreed to this bachelor farce because I don’t believe you want to marry and have children.”

  Rainey juts her chin out. “Perhaps it is. You don’t know that.”

  “But it isn’t,” I say quietly.

  Her mouth opens and shuts before she shakes her head. “Livingston …” Rainey stares at the floor and then back up at me. “I have no time.”

  The way her voice drops causes me to stand. I take a step closer. “Why not?”

  Her dark eyes never waver from mine as she takes a deep breath and squares her shoulders. “My family is penniless.”

  I expected numerous explanations, but not this. “What do you mean?”

  “There’s no money,” she says patiently. “Momma broke the news to me days ago that we are in financial peril.”

  Her sudden interest in finding a spouse and getting her dowry makes sense. Dread fills my stomach. This isn’t what I wanted to hear, though, because the Pleasonton family has worked hard for their money. Like my family, their success wasn’t born overnight. My brain can’t accept that it’s gone.

  “What about the land?” I ask.

  She shakes her head. “It’s all gone.”

  “How?”

  “It was sold to pay off debts.”

  “Has this been takin’ place for years?”

  Rainey nods. It seems out of the question to believe that Pleas would ever know about the family finances and not reach out for help. He had to know that Étienne and I would assist in any way. He knew that, right? Guilt gnaws at my conscience that this occurred, and I remained oblivious.

  Furtively, Rainey glances in the direction of the hall and leans in. “I trust I have your discretion.”

  “Rainey, of course.”

  She dips her head, preventing me from seeing her eyes. Briefly, I cover my mouth with my hands as I try to think this over. Étienne is the brains of the family, but I’ve been known to be adept and reliable during trying times.

  Suddenly, I lift my head as a thought occurs to me. “Who’s your accountant?”

  “I’m not certain. I believe Momma said his name was a Mr. Clarence—”

  I groan and shake my head. “Clarence Sedwig?”

  Rainey’s eyes light up. “That sounds familiar.”

  “That old man can’t tell the difference between a contract and a scroll. For all your family knows, there could be money left and you don’t need to follow Serene with her bachelor plan.”

  It’s a rarity to see Rainey quiet. But here she stands, steps away, nodding along with wide eyes. She’s never looked more terrified yet equally hopeful in her entire life.

  “I’ll look through your family’s books,” I blurt because I never want to see her look like that again.

  Without a thought, Rainey takes a step closer. “Truly?” she says in a hushed tone.

  “Of cours
e. I’ll always do what I can to help your family.”

  It’s then she launches herself into my arms.

  Momentarily stunned, it takes me a few seconds to respond. The average span for a friendly hug is a few seconds. At least that’s what I’ve been told. Rainey and I departed the friendly hug station the moment I wrapped my arms around her and splayed my fingers against her lower back, then squeezed tighter. The tips of my fingers brush against the sides of her ribs, and she sucks in a sharp breath.

  And then a decidedly odd thing happens. I bend down and bury my head in the crook of her neck. Her entire body locks up, but she doesn’t push me away.

  Loudly, I clear my throat before I back away.

  “I’ll make sure you have all the ledgers. Anythin’. Anythin’ you need,” Rainey rushes out.

  I think what we both need is for her brother to come back and provide us the answers of how any of this happened. Of why he gave her a dowry and made me the executor, or how the Pleasonton’s fortune ever disappeared to begin with. Since that’s impossible, I offer what I think is the second-best option: my help.

  “We’ll figure this out,” I assure her.

  Unlike last night when I told her I had a plan and didn’t, this time I do. And it doesn’t center around Serene’s ridiculous bachelor charade in the slightest …

  CHAPTER TEN

  Livingston

  One week later, the deadline to find bachelors for Rainey arrives.

  My signature grin is firmly fixed on my face as I saunter up to the front door. Even the birds are chirping in the trees in encouragement. Nothing will bring me down. Ben opens the front door of Belgrave right on cue.

  I smile at him. “My good man! Thank you!”

  He seems baffled by my jovial mood. I know I haven’t been my typical self since I came back from the Great War, but sometimes you have to make exceptions. Doesn’t Ben know it’s a perfect day to have a wonderful day?

  Tucking my hands into my pockets, I whistle as I walk up the stairs. Serene may be upset that I didn’t attempt to find Rainey any bachelors, but I had no options. I was the black sheep of my family. And a black sheep is typically friends with fellow black sheep. Hell, the only reason Étienne was my closest confidant is because we’re connected by blood.