Betrayed, page 12
part #2 of The Cuvier Widows Series
“That sounds reasonable,” Max said, thinking he'd gotten a little more time with his boy. “Let's finish up these horses, and then, what if we go check to see if the fish are biting? We haven't done that since you arrived, and I feel the need to wet a hook.”
The kid laughed. “That'd be great”
“Then let's clean up and go.” Max slapped his son on the back as Paul led the horse back into the stall.
He felt lucky to have Paul. Though the kid's birth had been less than ideal and left him tied irrevocably to Desiree, he still loved the boy and was glad to be in his life.
Whereas Nicole had lost the child she so desperately wanted and Max could only imagine her anguish. Someday he hoped they would have a future together that included their children and Paul.
***
Later that evening, Max stood before Nicole's door and softly knocked. She'd been in his thoughts all day and he'd forced himself to stay away and let her rest Consuelo had been given strict instructions to let him know if her condition worsened.
“Come in,” she said. Her voice sounded dull.
He opened the door and with one arm behind him, tiptoed in to see her propped up in bed, reading a book of poetry. Though her cheeks showed more color, her blue eyes seemed lifeless, as if the sparkle had been drained from them.
“How do you feel?” he asked, standing off to the side, where she couldn't see his hand.
“I'm all right,” she replied, her voice laden with sorrow.
He held out his hand, filled with yellow field daisies, their fragrance floating through the room. “I picked these for you this afternoon and I thought that maybe they might cheer you.”
It seemed lame, but he'd wanted to do something for her other than hold her this morning while she'd cried. The daisies were the only offer of condolence he could think of.
“Thank you,” she said and looked away, blinking rapidly. Finally, she returned her gaze to his. “They're beautiful.”
“Consuelo found the vase,” he said, putting them in the ceramic holder and then pulling up a chair to sit next to her bed. “Are you in any pain?”
“No,” she said.
The word hung in the air, reverberating with how much she didn't say. She must feel battered and bruised by the experience.
Max fidgeted in his chair, not knowing what to say, feeling useless but wanting to be with her just the same. She looked so pale, and he missed her smile.
Her eyes closed for a moment and then she opened them, looking directly at him. “Thank you for helping me this morning. I appreciated your sending for the doctor and getting Consuelo.” She clenched her hands and then gazed directly into his eyes. “And for holding me after it was over.”
He shrugged. “I wanted to do more, but I didn't know what else to do.”
“I know,” she said, a tear slipping past her guard to make its way down her cheek. “You've been very good to me. If you ever decide to settle down, you'll make some woman a nice husband.”
He raised his brows, but didn't respond. Now was not the time to tell her that their vows were the forever after kind, and that he planned on being her husband until death did they part, for better or worse.
“So I guess you'll need to start the annulment proceedings,” she said. “I'm sure you want to move on.”
“Annulment proceedings?” he asked. “Even after the doctor came out and knew you miscarried? I don't think that's going to be possible.”
She sighed. “I don't care, just do whatever it takes to end our marriage.”
He watched the emotions on her face. She seemed so lost, and he didn't like the sound of her words.
“I guess what I'm trying to tell you is that you're free to leave now that the baby is...”
“We don't have to talk about this right now,” he said, watching her struggle to get the words from her throat. He didn't want to think about leaving her. He only wanted to spend time with her.
She took a deep breath. “I know, but I need to tell you that you're released from our agreement.”
Released from his duties? God, that was an awful way to describe being a husband. Somehow, he needed a quick way out of this discussion despite the fact she seemed determined to talk about this today.
Nicole ignored him and continued on. “As for the sugarcane crop, I can't pay you until it comes in, and since you won't be here when it's harvested, I don't think I should have to pay you half. I would think that a fourth should be sufficient”
The realization of what she'd just said startled him and gave him an excuse to stay. Here was the reason he could use to keep her from getting rid of him. But now still was not the time to bring this to her attention. She needed rest and he couldn't upset her, not after what she'd been through today.
“Let's not worry about this tonight, Nicole. You need to get better and once you've improved, then we can discuss how to handle this situation,” he said, wondering if he gave Nicole some time, she would truly become his wife. “There's no need to change everything right away.”
Nicole looked away and swallowed, struggling to keep the tears from falling. She laughed. “Change. I've certainly seen a lot of that recently.” She wiped the tears from her eyes. “I don't know what to do with my life now. Nothing's the same, including my relationship with you.”
Her words startled him. “How have things changed between us?”
“Isn't it obvious? I no longer need a husband.” She said the words bitterly. “I no longer need your name.”
For a long moment he said nothing as he sat there and mulled over her words. Somehow they left him disappointed, and then he realized she was hurting and he expected too much from her. It wasn't like he'd anticipated her to say he could stay, but somehow a small part of him hoped she would acknowledge that he'd made her life easier and he'd helped her. He wanted her to recognize that he wanted to take care of her.
She cocked her head, looking at him as if she were gazing into the eyes of a stranger. Afraid to push her, fearful of her fragile emotions and not wanting to endanger her health, Max let the subject go. There would be plenty of time in the weeks to come to discover what she thought about their relationship. “Nicole, just rest tonight. Let's not think of the past and what's happened today. Get well and then we'll discuss how we're going to handle our situation. Tonight, just sleep and let your body heal.”
She gazed at him, the indigo irises of her eyes void of feeling, almost blank. She looked overwhelmed by the events of the day. He knew he needed to be supportive and give her time. She'd been through so much.
“I can't sleep. I've tried and every time I close my eyes, I think of the baby.”
“Why don't I sit here and hold your hand while you try to rest”
Her brows drew together in a frown, yet she rearranged the pillows and lay down on the bed. “Thank you. I don't like being needy, but thank you for staying with me until I fall asleep.”
“It's all right to be dependent occasionally,” he said, watching her eyes get droopy, enjoying the feel of her hand tucked inside his own.
As he watched her drift off to sleep, a feeling of protectiveness so powerful overcame him, he would have died to look after her.
The emotions rattled him, leaving him startled and confused. How could this small woman have so quickly crawled inside his skin and caused him to care about her?
***
The grandfather clock had just chimed midnight when Max softly shut the door to Nicole's room. Darkness enveloped the old house and he started to walk across the main parlor toward his room.
“I was beginning to think you were going to spend the night in her room,” Consuelo said, causing Max to almost jump out of his skin.
He took a deep breath. “Do you always creep around in the shadows of this old house scaring people?”
She laughed, clearly pleased that she'd caused him to jump. “No, I've just been sitting here waiting for you to leave her room so I could go in and check on her.”
“She's asleep. I stayed with her until she fell asleep,” he said.
He could feel the older woman's eyes on him in the dark “You know, for a man she only married for his last name, you seem to be taking real good care of her.”
Max didn't say anything, instinctively realizing that Consuelo would know if he lied. “Doesn't she merit someone to look after her?”
“She definitely deserves a good man who will care for her and stay with her. I'm still trying to figure out if you're the right man for the job or if you're just like Jean and only going to take advantage of her.”
Max looked out the window at the darkened land, knowing he had to be careful with Consuelo. The old woman somehow seemed to have insight into people that most individuals lacked.
“Well, I'm not Jean, and though I have my faults, other women are not one of them. I know our marriage didn't start out as any love match, but I would like to see it become a partnership where both of us can live happily.”
He watched Consuelo nod her head in the dark. “I kind of like you, Mr. Viel. If you'd told me you loved her, I would have known you were lying, but I think you care, and that's a good start”
“Thanks, Consuelo. I kind of like you too.”
She laughed. “That's good, because I'm not going anywhere.” She rose from the chair she'd been sitting in. “Now if you'll excuse me, these tired old bones of mine are ready for bed. I'll check on her in the middle of the night to make sure she's all right.”
“Before you go, I want to let you know that I had the baby's body placed in the family tomb.”
She sighed, a tired, heavy sound. “Thanks, Mr. Viel, for taking care of that for Mrs. Nicole. The baby was too young for a funeral and for sparing Mrs. Nicole the burden of a ceremony. As it was, I didn't think she'd ever let go of that tiny body.”
Consuelo coughed, the sound deep and raspy. “This has certainly been a sad day. Good night Mr. Viel.” The old woman shuffled out the parlor door and down the hall, leaving Max alone.
Max ambled out onto the verandah and gazed into the darkened night. He stared at the land his grandfather had loved and wished the old man could be here to see the lush fields of cane now. Since moving to Rosewood, he understood his grandfather's determination to find a way to bring the plantation back into the family. And though he didn't want to hurt Nicole, he couldn't turn his back on his legacy and walk away.
He glanced back at the house, remembering the way she'd fallen asleep with him holding her hand. She seemed so fragile, so lost right now, like everything had been taken from her. How could he seize the one last beloved thing that she had left?
He rubbed his hand across his face, feeling like a monster at the thought of forcing her to realize they were married, for better or worse. How could he tell her that he would never leave her side that he was here to stay?
Somehow he must convince her that he'd fallen deeply in love with her and that he wanted their marriage to last. Somehow, before his mother descended on his doorstep with the news of his family having once owned Rosewood. For Audra would be certain to let everyone know she'd returned and her family once again owned her beloved home.
But what would keep Nicole from leaving him when she found out that his family had once lived at Rosewood and wanted to do so again?
How had he ever thought that this marriage was the solution to obtaining the plantation? Instead, now he had a badly bruised woman he cared about, one who would certainly be hurt even more when she learned of his deceit.
Chapter Nine
Three weeks passed and with each day Nicole felt stronger both emotionally and physically. Though she had wanted Jean's baby more than her next breath, part of her realized the miscarriage was for the best. The child would never have to learn the truth regarding its father and the crimes he had committed. And though she would have loved the baby with all her heart and soul, she suspected she alone would never have been enough. Though her baby would have known who its father was, Nicole knew from personal experience that wondering about a missing parent meant gazing into the faces of strangers, questioning if they were your kin. The questions of why didn't you want me? never went away, and she'd vowed long ago that her child would never experience this kind of loneliness.
The morning sun had long since begun its climb in the eastern sky and Nicole didn't want to give up her place on the verandah just yet. She tilted her straw hat farther down to protect her face, shading her fair skin from the sun.
Consuelo came out and gathered her breakfast dishes. “Would you like me to bring you a glass of mint tea?”
“No, thanks,” Nicole said, as she watched a young boy cross the yard toward the barn. She squinted and glanced at him again. “Consuelo, who is that young man? Do you know him?”
The older woman glanced at the grounds. “One of the girls in the kitchen told me that one of the stable hands said that Mr. Viel hired him.” Consuelo shrugged. “He's been here about five weeks now. I don't know where he came from, but he's very polite.”
“Five weeks! Why didn't Max tell me he'd hired him?” Nicole shook her head, her frustration mounting. “You know, since Max has been here, he's just more or less taken over. I think it's time he left”
She knew she was being irrational but she feared Max's staying would only prolong their marriage. And she didn't want to think of how quickly she'd become accustomed to his presence.
“Don't be too hard on Mr. Viel. He took good care of you while you were sick,” Consuelo said. “He seemed genuinely worried about you.”
“He treated me very nice. But the reasons for our original agreement are no longer valid, so it's time he left I don't need him to run the plantation,” Nicole said, knowing that wasn't the only reason she wanted him to leave. Never had a man taken such good care of her, and his well-meaning ways frightened her. Max made her feel special and protected, and he seemed genuinely interested in her.
Max nurtured her like no man had ever taken care of her before.
Sure, she deserved to be treated well, but his friendship couldn't be real. A man like Max didn't exist, and she didn't want to rely on him only to discover his flaws. It would be better if he left before he broke her heart, before she became so attached that she didn't want him to leave.
Consuelo shook her head. “Mr. Viel works very hard. He's not like Mr. Cuvier, who never even ventured out to the fields.”
“I think you like Max,” Nicole said, surprised at the sudden realization. She gazed at her friend and servant, waiting for her answer.
Consuelo lifted her chin. “Yes, I do like Mr. Viel, but something troubles him.”
“It's called the need to move on; and I've released him from his agreement to stay, so he should be leaving soon.” She paused. The sooner Max left the sooner she could forget him and all the reasons for their marriage. “Maybe one of the reasons he's such a hard worker is that he's going to be paid for this crop.”
“No, Mr. Viel is a man who likes to work. You can tell when you watch him. He's at ease being in charge and gives orders to the men like he's done this all his life,” Consuelo said.
“That doesn't make any sense, Consuelo. He drifts from town to town, doing odd jobs, waiting for the right place to settle down.”
She shook her head. “No, I don't know why, but for some reason that doesn't fit him. Maybe I'm wrong, but I think he is a man who knows exactly what he wants and goes after it. And I think that if you were wise, you would try to hang on to him.”
“As what? My husband?” Nicole vehemently shook her head, feeling anxious. She couldn't risk caring about another man ever again. “No. He's not staying permanently. I don't care that we are married. He knew this would not last when he married me.”
Consuelo picked up the breakfast tray. “Maybe so, but he's different from any drifter I've ever met. He has ambition, you can see it in his eyes. I don't know his story, but he's not always been a wanderer.”
***
When Max came to dinner that night, he was pleased to see Nicole waiting for him beside the long formal table. He couldn't help but think that once again color suffused her fair skin and her intense blue eyes sparkled with more life than he'd seen in weeks.
She looked radiant in a soft mauve dress that accentuated her bust, ecru lace trimming a neckline that showed off the tops of her creamy breasts. The thought of pulling that lace down past her nipples and putting his mouth on her tasty rosebuds, suckling each one until she begged him to finish what he'd started, startled him. He swallowed and took a calming breath. Their gazes locked, and a warm sensation curled, tightening within him.
“Good evening,” he said, hurrying to pull out a chair for her. “You look stunning tonight.”
Thank you,” she replied, sitting down as he pushed her chair to the table. “I thought the time had come for things to return to normal.”
He walked to his side of the table, knowing how hard it must be for her to accept the miscarriage, wondering what normal meant in her life. With the death of Jean and everything else that had happened this year, what could normal be?
“It's good to see you up and around again,” he said, watching the candlelight flicker across her high cheekbones. He'd missed her these last three weeks that she'd been in bed. They visited some each night but a tension that he'd never felt in her presence had been there.
The servants brought their dinner to the table, setting the fined chicken, bowls of squash and beans before them. Marie, the kitchen maid, served the food and then quietly left the room.
For a moment they ate in silence, the only sound the clatter of their forks against the elegant china. When they finished eating, Marie served the rich coffee the Creoles enjoy and they sipped the strong, flavorful brew.
“How are things with the crop?” she asked.
“The cane is looking very hardy. I'm hoping that we won't experience the insect problem that damaged last year's crop,” he said, wishing he could pick her up and carry her to his bed, and then start by stripping the pins from her hair and finish when she stood naked before him. But that wouldn't be the end of their night, merely the beginning.
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