Catalina's Caress (39 page)

❧

It was midafternoon and Catalina stood by the window looking out. She wondered if Marc was searching for her. No matter how she fought it, the hope that he was refused to be extinguished. She closed her eyes and pressed her head against the glass. Vivid memories of love, of gentleness, of passion came to her. They were all she had.

She brushed away her tears and concentrated on the dreams she had once had, dreams now lost. But as the hours ticked by, Catalina's nerves became so taut that she began to pace the floor.

She spun about when she heard the key in the lock, in time to see Travis and an older man she did not know enter the room.

When the door was closed, Catalina stood in defiant silence, waiting for them to speak first. The older man watched her for a while, then laughed softly.

His laugh made Catalina's skin crawl, but she remained silent.

"My dear Miss Carrington, you are quite a lovely creature. I can see why Travis wants you so badly."

She remained silent, and again he uttered the same crackling laugh. "Still the proud lady. Well, I will be delighted to give you away at your wedding in the morning. Some people of reknown have been invited, but not the friends of your... ah... former love. I'm afraid he wouldn't enjoy the ceremony so we will just exclude him. In the meantime, please make yourself comfortable. Food will be brought to you and you need only ask if there is something you desire."

"I want to see Jacob and Shawna," she demanded.

"Ah yes ... your two friends. They are just across the hall. Come, I'll let you spend a little time with them."

He motioned to her to precede him, and she tentatively moved past him. Then they crossed the hall and entered the room. Jacob was firmly bound to a chair, and Shawna lay on the bed, unbound, but extremely still.

Catalina's eyes darted to the old man, who smiled. "I gave her a light sedative. She will sleep until the wedding. Then, when you have sent your message, she and the black will be set free. We have no quarrel with them."

"And what quarrel do you have with me?" Catalina snapped, and was answered with a rumbling chuckle.

"Don't ask so many questions, Cat," Travis said. "Their safety is your only concern. Otherwise, do what we tell you and by tomorrow afternoon they will be free."

Catalina looked into Jacob's eyes and she saw his denial. When he shook his head, she only smiled encouragingly at him. "It's all right, Jacob," she said gently. "We have to get Shawna back to the
Belle
, you know that. She can't exist in the world. She's worth it, Jacob. She deserves that chance."

Travis and Simon exchanged satisfied looks; then Travis gripped Catalina's arm and forced her across the hall. Once more she was alone as the lock clicked softly behind her.

❧

Jacob could not take his eyes from Shawna. She had been too still for too long. Even the mental battles she'd fought were better than this quietness.

As the late afternoon sun warmed the room, he again strained against the ropes that bound him, but they held despite his strength.

He was becoming desperate. He feared that Marc would never dream that they were being held in upper Natchez, and he knew that once Catalina was married to Travis and the pair was gone, the merciless old man with the reptilian eyes would not hesitate to dispose of them.

He sighed and struggled against the ropes, but they refused to give. Again he turned his eyes on Shawna. He held his gaze steady, concentrating on her, willing her to waken.

❧

Shawna swam in an inky darkness. She was safe there, safe from the evil laughter and tearing claws of the shadowy forms that brought pain.

But why was a force drawing her back? Back from warmth to coldness, back from peace to pain. She didn't want to go back, and resisted, but she could still feel the relentless pull.

Shawna's hands had been freed after she had been forced to drink the sleep-inducing drug. But even that was not enough to keep her unconscious. She stirred, then opened heavy lids.

The room had been left unlit, but the hazy white glow of moonlight now pervaded it.

At first she was completely disoriented. Then bits and pieces of what had occurred to her slowly returned.

Listlessly, she turned her head, and her sleepy eyes met Jacob's. He had gazed on her so long, concentrating his will on drawing her to wakefulness, that he didn't even notice her slight movement. It came as a shock to him that his intense regard had actually gotten through to Shawna.

She looked at him for long moments before his name came to her.

"Jacob?" she said softly.

Jacob's body jerked with tension. He was afraid, afraid she was too lost and fragile to obey him.

"Miz Shawna," he said gently, "how be yo feelin', chile?"

"I... I'm so tired, Jacob. I want to go to sleep."

"Miz Shawna, please," Jacob pleaded. "Yo gots to help me."

"Help you?" she said sluggishly. "Help you do what? ... Where's Marc?"

"Marc said fo' me to wait here and yo'd help me, Miz Shawna. Now yo gots to do what I tell you, or Mistah Marc, he ain't gwan ta be pleased."

He hated to deceive her, but he had no choice. She might just go back to sleep, and if she did he was lost. He waited breathlessly to see what she would do.

Very slowly, she rose from the bed and walked to his side, then knelt by his chair.

"Why are your hands tied, Jacob?"

"Somebody's been playin' games wif me, girl." He tried to smile. "But I's gwan ta fool 'em. All yo have to do is untie my hands."

"Oh ... a game." She smiled, a vacant smile, and reached toward the ropes that bound him.

He wanted to growl at her to hurry, but he knew that might destroy any chance he had for freedom—for himself, Shawna, and maybe Cat, if he could get to her.

Slowly, so slowly, she fumbled with the ropes, while Jacob gritted his teeth to keep his frazzled nerves under control. Just as slowly the ropes loosened.

Freeing his hands, Jacob quickly bent to untie his legs. Then he stood, waiting until circulation returned to his limbs.

"Miz Shawna, go back ta de bed whilst Ah checks ta see if dere's anyone in de hall."

Like a silent wraith, Shawna obediently crossed the dark room and sat on the bed.

Then Jacob went to the door. Quietly, he pressed his ear against it to see if anyone was on guard in the hall. He could hear nothing, but he knew he couldn't afford to make a mistake. He knelt to press his eye to the keyhole and was more than pleased that he had done so.

The hallway was guarded. Two men sat on low chairs braced against the wall. They were both half-asleep, but Jacob knew he could not risk searching for Cat. He didn't even know how he could get away with Shawna.

He rose and went to the window. It had been sealed shut.

He examined the room, but not a glimmer of an idea came to him. He could think of no way to escape with Shawna, and he knew he would not leave without her.

He turned to her. She looked so utterly helpless, but she was the club held over Catalina's head. If he could manage to get Shawna away, Catalina would soon learn that they were no longer prisoners. Given her strength and courage, Jacob knew she could then resist until he could bring help.

He looked about him in desperation, while Shawna smiled the innocent smile of a child who doesn't understand a silly game.

❧

Within her room, Cat sat, racking her brain to think of some way to assure herself that Shawna and Jacob would actually be set free. Not for a minute did she trust Travis or any of the others. Their word meant nothing to her, nor did the idea of sending a message. Any messenger could be bought.

Only one way was certain. She had to witness their release. Slowly, she devised a plan to do that. Lorelei Thatcher was her only hope. She would demand that Lorelei be present at the wedding, and that, when the ceremony was over, Jacob and Shawna be allowed to leave with her. That would assure their safety.

She knew someone would be appearing soon, so she might be assured that Jacob and Shawna were still alive ... at least for tonight. In the morning, she would see them again. Then it would all be over, and Marc would have both Jacob and Shawna back.

She wanted to lie down on the bed and cry, but she could not afford the luxury of doing so. There was no doubt in her mind that her parents would pay well for her continued safety and for her release. But as far as the world would know, she would be Travis's legal wife, and she would only be freed by the sacrifice of the Carrington fortune.

Thoughts of her parents and of her beloved Aunt Charlotte brought fresh tears, and she could not bear her pain. With silent determination, she forced those thoughts from her mind, turning to her only source of comfort, memories of Marc. She welcomed them because they were helping her to survive. Even though she knew Marc had never loved her, still the memory of his gentle warmth was a shield against Travis.

Marc had not been untruthful. He had never said that he loved her. He had professed that she was his mistress, and a mistress was all he had wanted.

When Catalina heard the door being unlocked, she turned from the window.

Travis stood in the open doorway. "You wanted to check on your friends to see if they were all right."

"Yes."

"Then come with me."

He watched wary disbelief dance in her eyes. Then he chuckled softly. It was good to keep her off balance, uncertain. That way she would not be making foolish plans to escape.

She moved past him, aware of the scrutiny of the two guards in the hall. Even if she could get out of her room, she could not escape them.

Travis unlocked the door and permitted Catalina to stand on the threshold. He would not let her enter the room.

Jacob was tied securely to a chair and Shawna lay on the bed deep in sleep.

"Satisfied?" Travis drew her from the doorway and again locked the door, slipping the key into his pocket Then he pushed Catalina across the hall to her room. This time he entered and closed the door behind him. Cat turned to look at him, and the smile that touched his lips turned her heart cold.

❧

Inside the room, Jacob breathed a ragged sigh of relief. "Dat wuz a close one," he muttered. When he had heard the movement in the hall, he had whispered to Shawna to return to the bed and pretend that she slept. It was, he had said patiently, all part of Marc's game.

Shawna had obeyed—after all, it was what Marc wanted—and Jacob had quickly wrapped the ropes about his ankles, and had put his hands behind him. If the guards were checking, he would look tied. If someone else was coming, he would be free to act, though he had no idea of what he could do against the force that must be in this house.

When Travis and Catalina stood in the doorway, rage shook Jacob. Travis looked so pleased, Catalina so despairing. When Travis closed and locked the door, Jacob knew that if Marc didn't kill Travis, he would.

T
ravis stood just inside the door, his back braced against it and his arms folded across his chest. Catalina returned his gaze with as much control as she could manage. She had to catch her Up between her teeth to keep from expressing aloud her disgust and anger, but since the lives of Jacob and Shawna were in his hands, she could not afford to push him into doing them any harm.

Still, she would not let him crush her courage ... or take advantage of her before the bargain was complete.

"You've no business here, Travis," she said stonily.

"Always the fighter, Cat. But you can be tamed, and I intend to make sure you are."

"Not now you won't. Because if you touch me, you can be certain there will be no wedding. You will have lost your chance at all that money." She smiled, showing much more courage than she felt. Inside she was quivering with fear.

"Oh, there will be a wedding." He laughed. "I know you too well. After all it was your soft heart that sent you dashing off after that stupid weak brother of yours, wasn't it? Too bad you were unsuccessful." He shrugged. "But of course you were following the wrong trail. All this time you played right into our hands. You truly thought Marc knew where your brother was. How neatly you fell into my lap."

"Seth," Catalina breathed softly, certain now that it was Travis, not Marc, who had the answer—an answer she was afraid to hear, yet afraid not to. "Marc never did see Seth after that game, did he?"

"I'm afraid not, my love. I was forced to ... ah ... rid myself of a nuisance."

"Rid yourself... Where is Seth? He's ... he's dead, isn't her

"Unless he had the strength often men and the power of God, he's resting quite silently on the bottom of the Mississippi or his body has washed ashore miles and miles away."

Catalina gasped at this blatant confession of murder. Seth was gone! Dead! Only the fact that Marc was not responsible permitted her to keep her control. At least he had been truthful to her once in their topsy-turvy relationship. He hadn't known where Seth had gone.

Travis watched pure hatred glow to life in the depths of Catalina's golden brown eyes. For a moment he was shaken, and sensed that one day he would have to rid himself of her, for if he gave her an opportunity, turned his back on her once, she would strike.

Catalina fought back the anguish that tore at her. Someday, somehow she would escape Travis's clutches. Then she would see justice done. He would pay for the death of her brother. She wanted to cry, but she would not give Travis the satisfaction of seeing her weaken. She glared back at him.

Travis's smile faded before the animal-like snarl that drew back Catalina's lips. Yet he knew it was only a matter of time before he forced her to his will.

As soon as the wedding was over, he would make certain that Catalina's parents met with a fatal "accident," an accident that would leave Catalina's husband in possession of their fortune.

As far as he was concerned, he had only to wait to have everything he wanted. Cat could fight him, but she would be his when he decided to take her.

"Get a good night's sleep, love," he said coolly. "Tomorrow night we will leave Natchez as husband and wife, and I guarantee you, you will not sleep for many nights. You have put me off for too long. This time you will see who is the master. You will bend to my will. Sleep, Cat... if you can."

He turned and left the room, and Catalina gazed at the closed door, knowing she would die before she would bend to his will.