Say You Love Me (6 page)

His tone softened as he was again reminded of his beloved. "You're just like your aunt Iris. Her pa was a doctor and she was his shadow, learnin' everythin' she could from him. After he died, she started tendin' folks. They called her a medicine woman. Maybe you took after her that way too. But if Miz Blake don't like you seein' that Indian, you give it up, you hear me? And I don't imagine Michael likes it, either. It's time you started actin' like a woman about to be married."

"Just because I get married doesn't mean I have to forget all my dreams."

"What dreams? The only dream you ought to be havin' is about bein' Michael's wife, havin' his babies. What kind of nonsense are you talkin' about now?"

"Do you see that mountain in the distance?"

Judd followed her gaze.

"Sometimes I can't help thinking how there's more to this world than what I've known here. Roads I've never walked. Rivers I've never seen. Flowers I've never smelled. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm always going to wonder—"

Judd slapped his forehead and looked at her as though she had gone daft. "That's the craziest thing I ever heard of. One of the richest men in the state of Georgia wants to marry you and you're wonderin' about rivers and flowers."

Jacie was unmoved by his censure. "Haven't you ever thought about it, Poppa? How life might have been if you hadn't settled down here?"

A shadow crossed his face. "Listen, girl. I crossed them mountains once. Some of me is still on the other side, and the empty parts filled up with pain and made me wish I'd never gone. I'd be better off. A lot of folks would." His voice cracked. "So don't go talkin' to me about how you want to do the same damn thing."

* * *

Violet heard everything from where she stood listening inside the cabin at her bedroom window. Judd's words cut deeply, because although they had never discussed it, she knew he blamed himself for what happened to Iris and her family. He probably reasoned that if he had not gone west to return with glowing tales of the life awaiting, Luke would not have wanted to go. The trip would not have taken place and the horror would not have happened. But she also knew that Judd would have left her for good, and that was where her own nightmares began—with the reality that her lie, her deception, was what had kept him tied to her all these years. But she had loved him so much, had prayed he would learn to love her too. Only it hadn't happened, and she had come to believe they would all have been better off if she'd told the truth back then.

She wanted to love Jacie, but every time she looked at her she saw Iris, which needled her conscience. She had tried to be a good mother all the same. Now Jacie would be moving into the mansion and Violet was happy for her, but also glad to have Judd to herself at last. Without Jacie around to remind him of Iris, Violet dared hope it was not too late to make him love her after all.

The sound of a horse approaching took Violet's attention, along with Jacie's and Judd's, to the road beside the river. It was not quite time for the carriage to arrive.

It was Zach. He reined to a stop near Judd and was about to state his business when he saw Jacie and froze. "Lord," he whispered under his breath. He had never seen her look so beautiful.

Dismounting, he could not tear his eyes from her, and for the moment he forgot why he was there.

Judd had to prod him and was a bit irritable, because he had never liked Zach's interest in his daughter and didn't like how he was looking at her now. "Well, what is it? Don't stand there oglin'. We're waitin' to go to a party and have no time for you."

Zach continued to stare at Jacie as he told Judd, "I reckon you got time for Mr. Blake. He sent me to tell you them horses he bought up in Richmond last month just got here. He wasn't expectin' them till next week. Some of them got hooves in bad shape, and they're limpin'. He wants you to carry some work clothes with you so as soon as you've put in an appearance at the party you can high-tail it over to the stables and take a look at them. He said to apologize to you, Miss Jacie"—he flashed her a big grin—"and says he knows you understand about things like that."

"She understands like I do that lame horses are more important than a party I didn't want to go to in the first place," Judd snapped. He was on his feet and already unbuttoning the frock coat that made him so uncomfortable. "I won't be missed. I'll change and get on over there now."

"Sorry," Zach said to Jacie after Judd had gone into the cabin. He was turning his hat around and around in his hands. "Sorry about a lot of things, like you fallin' the other day. I shouldn't have let you do it."

"If it was anybody's fault, it was Michael's," Jacie told him matter-of-factly. "There's nothing for you to apologize for."

"He didn't see it that way."

She raised an eyebrow. "He didn't punish you, did he?"

He laughed. "What's he gonna do? Turn me over his knee and give me a paddlin'? He just run his mouth, that's all, and I want to thank you." His voice softened as he looked down at her and felt a heated rush to think how much he wanted her. "He told me you made him promise not to do anythin' to me."

"Well, I persuaded you to set those hurdles up and show me how to jump them, Zach, so it wasn't fair for him to take out his anger on you. But it's over now. Don't worry about it anymore."

He started to leave but had to tell her, "You sure are pretty, Jacie, probably the prettiest girl I ever saw in my whole life. And I want to wish you a happy birthday."

"Why—why, thank you, Zach." Jacie came and stood on tiptoe to impulsively kiss his cheek. "You're sweet to say that."

"Jacie. Get in here."

Violet had witnessed the scene and was furious. One of these days Jacie was going to get herself in trouble by being too friendly with people, and what could she be thinking, anyway, kissing Zach Newton, even if it was just on his cheek and to thank him for a compliment. Zach was a rowdy. Violet could tell. She could also tell he liked Jacie a little bit too much and needed to be put in his place. Jacie wasn't helping the situation.

"I have to go," Jacie said to Zach.

He swung himself up into the saddle. "You have yourself a nice party, Jacie."

"I will. Thanks again."

He rode away, and Violet bounded out of the cabin and down the steps. She was wearing a lovely gown too, a blue taffeta with a slightly scooped neck, the bodice crusted with little pearls. The sleeves were puffed all the way to the elbows, where more pearls sprinkled the fabric and then they tapered to the wrists. Her hair was pulled back in a snood. Michael had offered to send over one of the Negro girls who was especially good at fixing ladies' hair, but Violet had declined. She had worn her hair in a snood for years and was not about to be fussed over with a bunch of curling irons and combs.

"Are you out of your mind?" she lashed out at Jacie. "I saw what you did."

"I kissed his cheek," Jacie said quietly. "He's my friend."

"And he might take it the wrong way and get ideas about how maybe you aren't really a lady, and he certainly doesn't pretend to be a gentleman. What would Michael think?"

Jacie stiffened. Her mother scolded her for everything. Actually, the only time Violet ever talked to her at all was to fuss or give her a chore to do.

"Michael understands I show people I like them, Mother."

"He doesn't know how friendly you can be sometimes. You'll get yourself in trouble one day. And what are you looking at, anyway?"

A chickadee had landed on a branch of the mimosa tree and Jacie was staring up at it with an expectant look on her face, only to seem flooded with relief as it flew away. "Mehlonga told me birds can see into the future and if a chickadee perches on a branch near the house and chirps, it's an omen that you have a secret enemy plotting something terrible against you. I didn't want that kind of omen, today of all days. I'm glad it flew away without making a sound."

"Oh for heaven's sake. You listen to your pa and stay away from that old fool."

The carriage arrived a few minutes later and a groom, resplendent in a red satin coat and black satin pants, helped Jacie and Violet inside.

Violet settled back comfortably. She felt so at peace. Soon Jacie would no longer be her responsibility. Best of all, Jacie would not be around to intrude on the precious hours when Judd was at home. Violet would work harder to make him love her. There was still time; they were not so terribly old. She closed her eyes and dreamed of how wonderful it would be.

The carriage moved along the path beside the river and then onto the main road, turning finally into the long drive lined with the towering red oak trees that gave the vast plantation its name.

As they drew closer, they passed the gardens on one side, noted for their camellias, with pigeon houses covered in wisteria and honeysuckle. On the other side there was a statuary and a marble fountain. Everywhere the lawn was lush and green, sprawling all the way to the distant cotton fields.

Jacie's breath was always taken away by the sight of the great house—two-storied and tremendous in scale, with a hipped and dormered roof supported on all sides by huge Roman Doric columns, twenty-eight in number.

The guests spilled out onto the porch and the sweeping lawn, the women in billowing skirted gowns of every design and color imaginable and the men smartly dressed in their finest frock coats. Carriages were parked two and three deep in the circular drive in front of the house. A string ensemble played on a side terrace and servants moved through the crowd offering trays of cool drinks.

"Isn't it wonderful?" Jacie breathed as their carriage came to a stop.

"Yes, it is," Violet replied, equally impressed by the setting.

Impatiently, Michael pushed aside the groom to help Jacie alight. Then, oblivious to those watching, he kissed her on either cheek and pressed his lips to her ear to whisper, "My god, you are magnificent, and I've never loved you more."

Violet, taking the hand of the groom to step from the carriage, glanced about self-consciously as she always did to see if anyone was noticing the lack of resemblance between her and Jacie. Violet had seen it many times, the amazement of folks that anyone so plain could have such a beautiful daughter.

Then Violet noticed how one young woman was pushing her way through the crowd gathered around Michael and Jacie, not waiting her turn to be properly introduced. She was smiling, but only with her lips, for her eyes were grim.

Violet heard her say—too sweetly, she thought—"Michael, aren't you going to introduce me to the guest of honor? I've seen her at a distance when Mother and I have visited in the past, but we've never formally met."

He obliged. "Jacie, I would like for you to meet my cousin, Elyse."

That was all Violet heard before Olivia Blake appeared to politely greet her and squire her up the steps and inside.

No one noticed the chickadee as it perched on a branch near the house... and began to chirp its song.

Chapter 4

Elyse Burdette regarded herself in the elaborate Louis Quinze filigree framed mirror and wondered not for the first time why her cousin Michael was not attracted to her. Other men certainly were; they liked her bright red hair and big blue eyes, framed by incredibly long lashes that she knew how to bat coquettishly. She had a shapely figure. She had also attended the best finishing school in Charleston and knew how to behave with impeccable charm and grace.

So why couldn't Michael see her in a romantic light?

"It's that white trash," Verena Burdette said as though answering her daughter's unspoken question as she breezed into the parlor of the guest wing. "She's put a spell on Michael, bewitched him somehow. He can't be in his right mind to want to marry a ragtag like her."

Elyse responded dully, "Cousin Olivia says Michael has fancied himself in love with Jacie since they were children. He's never had eyes for anyone else."

"You didn't push yourself hard enough." Verena glanced about at the opulent decor of the room. Accenting the blue and gold Empire sofas and chairs were Sevres and Dresden vases, hand-painted china figurines and brass cornices. Paintings in gilt frames hung on the walls. There was a bedroom to each side, with incredibly carved mahogany beds and lavish lace canopies. "Jasper Blake certainly spared no expense when he built this place, and he's probably turning over in his grave to think his grandson is going to marry a blacksmith's daughter. You just didn't put your mind to it," she continued to nag.

"I don't know what else I could have done. Look at the gown I'm wearing. It's fancier than Jacie's, but Michael didn't notice."

Verena agreed the dress was exquisite, with tiers of shaded blue satin accented with lace and ribbons. She also knew how much it had cost, because she had paid for it. "We are not far from the poorhouse, Elyse. Everyone thinks your father left us a lot of money, but he didn't, and we've had to scrimp for the past three years to live on what he did leave. If you don't marry a rich man, and soon, I just don't know what we're going to do."