Shades of Gray (20 page)

Chapter 23

Blackness
ebbed to a grey mist and covered the clearing surrounding the woods.  It seemed
odd that Kat had come to Gray’s home through this thicket.  She should have
been meeting with dressmakers and deciding whether she would serve ham or duck
for her wedding feast.  Instead of constructing guest lists and flower
arrangements, she was fleeing her fiancé through a dense forest, fearing for
her life.  The next wedding she planned would be filled with joyful
anticipation.

Kat’s face
floated into his mind.  Beaten and bloody, she had been so frightened weeks ago
when she collapsed at his feet.  He could only imagine her terror as she fled
an assailant into the brush, not knowing where the path would lead or if she
would be able to distance herself from a man bent on killing her.  Why had she
returned to Reece?  Did she really think there was no place for her in Gray’s
life?  He planned to learn the answer to that question as well as one other
that was even more important.  He squeezed the brooch in his pocket, determined
to replace it to its rightful owner.

Instead of
storming Reece’s home, insisting he release Kat, Gray knew it would take more
than his anger to free her.  He had worked throughout the night, devising a
plan to get her back, even though it meant he would lose a connection to
Daria.  He opened the last container and shifted it into place.  Lily was in
his thoughts, more and more, reminding him that he would always be connected to
his wife. 

Confident that
his plan would work, he adjusted the rope leveraged over a tree limb.  A bound
weight hovered above his head, waiting to fall.  Its target was a pole wedged
beneath a small mound of twigs and leaves.  The pile smoldered innocently
beneath the taut line.  If his instructors back in school had been correct, the
flames would grow when the nearby branches were added to the blaze, burn
through the cord, and then release the stone. 

Knowing
Reece’s lust for power and money, a right of way to the cave was the only thing
he could barter with.  Not willing to jeopardize the main water source for Oak
Willow, Gray would never allow anyone to mine the saltpeter from its walls,
regardless of their reason.  He glanced around, making certain everything was
placed in the exact position necessary to complete the job.  A dark corner
caught his eye, and he stared at the spot.  The coldness of the cave crept into
his bones. 

Twice in his
life, a woman had stood in this spot, trembling in fear of Reece Mullins.  Gray
should have demolished the catacomb years ago.  But if he had, would Kat have
been able to escape Reece the night of her fateful decision?  A moot issue now,
in a few moments, this property would benefit no one.

Gray had been
wise to store potassium nitrate in the depths of the cavern.  Mr. Shields at
the General Store had never questioned all of the crates that were shipped to
Oak Willow.  He had been good about having them delivered to Gray’s home before
Daria died.  After her death, the rumors surged, growing wilder with each
interpretation, and no one set foot on the property.  Gray had planned to burn
the saltpeter after Daria’s death, but couldn’t bring himself to destroy a
place that held so many tender memories.  He had stolen many kisses under the
leafy canopy, and had freely professed his feelings.  If things went as he
planned, he would create new memories in the ashes of the old ones.

With the
sodium nitrate in place, he would finish the idea that began years ago.  Pit
marks in the cave walls showed evidence of mining.  Reece had undoubtedly
excavated small amounts of the mineral, most likely while Gray visited with
Lily.  If the fiend had any notion of continuing his theft, he would have to
make a choice.  He would either release Kat or lose all of the mineral he had
yet to uncover.  For a man like Reece, his pride was as important to him as
power.  If the gravity of his answer was not so serious, it would be
interesting to watch him decide.  He would undoubtedly squirm as he tried to
finagle a means to keep both.  Men didn’t come viler than Reece Mullins.  Gray
planned to make the decision easy for him.  Kat would be permanently free of
the man, and any claims he had to her, today. 

Satisfied that
he would be able to burn the saltpeter without disturbing the water beneath the
bedrock, Gray walked to the small fire at the mouth of the cave.  The delicate
flames bounced playfully as they consumed the miserly morsels of tinder. 
Little did the fire know how powerful a part it played in the demise of evil. 

Sunlight
inched into the woods.  The Mullins household should be awake.  Bending down,
Gray stirred the coals and then carefully stacked two limbs over the blaze, one
for each woman in his thoughts.  The flames lurched upward anxiously licking
the bark of the new fuel.  The taut rope held at chest-level, and he estimated
a lengthy delay before the rope burned through.  This should be time enough for
Reece to act honorably.  If the man acted quickly enough, the fire could be
extinguished and the calamity avoided.  However, once the cord snapped free, it
would drop a bundled weight, launching the fire into the sodium nitrate.  Gray
surmised what the outcome would be and had carefully positioned the mineral so
that it would ignite with ease. 

Leaving the
woods, he walked Polly onto the Mullins property.  The return path to his home
was no longer an option.  From this point forward, the only way to reach Oak
Willow and the Gregory home would be from the main road.  He stretched his
steps to their full length and shook his head, anticipating what lie ahead. 
His demands were irrevocable, and Reece would certainly challenge him.  But if
his nemesis waited too long to concede, he would lose both Kat and the water
source to Oak Willow. 

The steps to
the front porch bowed under his weight.  Unlike the Mullins’ supports, Gray’s
confidence bolstered as he climbed to the veranda.  Not bothering to knock, he
grabbed the brass handle to the door.  He would twist it complete free of the
latch if it was locked.  It turned smoothly, and he barged in, leaving the door
open behind him. 

The smell of
baked goods permeated the room.  Two maids dressed in identical aprons passed
each other in the hallway.  One carried a box of flowers and the other balanced
a stack of white linens.  Whatever they planned, they seemed to be in a hurry
to complete their task.  From the top of the stairs, Milly shouted commands,
and three girls scurried to the back of the house.  The orderly woman leaned
over the rail and stared down at Gray.  Her loyalty to her employer was
admirable.

“Mr. Gregory.” 
She wrung her hands together and cast a quick glance over her shoulder.  “I
didn’t expect anyone to arrive so early. Mr. Mullins gave me explicit
instructions.” 

Gray stood his
ground.  He hadn’t come this far to be dismissed by the help.  “Where’s Reece
and Miss Bailey?’  His lip curled at the thought of linking those two names in
the same sentence.

“He’s
preparing for the day.  We all are.”  She accepted a box from a maid and looked
down to the first floor.  “He won’t be receiving guests.  As you can see --”

“Reece!  Show
yourself.”  Gray bounded up the stairs, taking them two at a time.

“Sir.  This is
not appropriate behavior, especially today.”  Milly moved to the top of the
stairs, blocking him from coming onto the second floor.

“Again, Gray? 
You’re barging into my home, again?”  Reece stepped onto the balcony from the
stairway.  He tugged the ties of his neckband forward, flipped one end over his
hand, and then pulled the strips into a bow.  “Milly, please see to the rest of
the arrangements.  We want the decorations to be memorable.”

“Yes, sir.” 
She bobbed a quick curtsey and then hurried down the stairs, pulling to the
side as she passed by Gray.

“There’s no
reason for the Mullins’ household to celebrate today,” Gray said.  He climbed
the last of the steps to the landing.

Reece backed
away, his head pulling back and his face contorting.  “Do you not bathe at Oak
Willow?  You smell like you fell into a sty.”

“Where’s Kat?”
Gray demanded.

Reece adjusted
the cuffs on his sleeve.  “Dressing, I would assume.  You know how particular
brides are on their wedding day.”

Gray heard the
words, but refused to accept them.  He lowered his gaze and looked fully at
Reece.  Always neat in his appearance, Reece only wore items for a season at a
time.  When most fabrics relaxed under the wear of several washings, Reece
tossed his garments to the help, opting for new clothes.  Local tailors set
aside a full month from each year to prepare his wardrobe.  What he wore today
was different.  The lines of his pants were crisp and his shirt was cut to
allow extra embellishment.  His suit was similar to one that Gray had worn when
he had married.  He now understood the reason for the household commotion. 

Reece laughed
and adjusted his collar.  “Did you really think I would give Katherine the
chance to leave my home again?  She will be my wife by day’s end and there is
nothing you can do to stop it.”  He reached for his waistcoat, hanging over the
balustrade.  “And to make sure she doesn’t have a change of heart, I have a
guard with her.  He will see that she remains at the church until I arrive,
even bound and gagged if necessary.  And when the ceremony is over, I will take
my time making sure she understands what it means to be my wife.”

Gray had seen
his method of ownership before, and wouldn’t let Kat experience it again. 
Perhaps it was time Reece felt a strong arm at his own throat.  Launching
himself forward, he caught Reece around the waist, throwing his full weight
into the man.  They crashed to the floor, tangled in each other’s arms.  Reece
twisted to his side and reached his arms above his head.  He grabbed a railing
spindle and tried to jerk it free.  Gray wasn’t sure if he tried to pull away
from him or if he meant to use the pole as a weapon.  He didn’t plan to give
him the chance to decide.  There was only one thing he wanted from Reece, and
he wouldn’t be denied. 

He straddled
the well-groomed chest, pinned his knees over Reece’s arms, and alternated
punches.  He had expected each blow to lesson his aggression.  Instead of
freeing his demons, he saw the gashes on Kat’s back.  Blow after blow, he tried
to duplicate the marks on Reece’s face. 

Reece’s hands
firmly gripped the backs of Gray’s thighs and toppled him forward.  Apparently,
it would take more than a few strikes to discourage Reece.  Gray turned to his
stomach and scrambled to his feet.  A walking cane leaned to its side in the
corner.  Reece grabbed the handle and swung upward.  Gray dodged to the side,
but the steel rod caught him across the arm.  A loud crack deafened him.  Cold
sweat swept over him and the light in the room dimmed.  He shook himself to
clear his head and looked to see from where the next blow would come.

Across from
him, Reece hunched over and charged toward him.  Gray staggered and tried to
brace his feet for the impact.  Caught in the mid-section, they slammed into
the railing.  The wood cracked louder than his broken arm.  Falling to the
first floor, he flailed his good arm, trying to position himself for the safest
landing.  The marble floor rose up more quickly than he expected, and his
breath left him in a huff.

Milly
flattened herself against the wall and tried to keep from being dragged into
the scuffle.  She swatted at them with a dish cloth and threatened to douse
them with a bucket of water if they didn’t stop.  A water pitcher rattled and
then crashed to the floor.

“Ma’am,
ma’am.  The woods,” a servant shrieked for Milly.  “They’re on fire.”

Reece pushed
himself off of Gray.  “Let them burn.”  He grunted.  “It will make for easier
access to the cave.  I told you, Gray.  I would take everything from you.”

With the added
weight removed from his body, Gray sucked small gasps of air into his lungs and
tried to force his chest to expand.  He concentrated on the chandelier hanging
over him, and forced tiny puffs of air into his throat.  He had come too far to
allow a broken bone and emptied lungs to interfere with his plans.  “Aren’t you
concerned about the saltpeter burning?”  He lifted his head and tried to sit
up.  “Release Kat, and I will stop the fire,” he whispered.

Reece pushed
himself to a seated position and cast a sideways glance to the window.  “Once
the woods have been consumed, it will die out.”

Gray chuckled
and coughed.  He rested his head back on the floor.  “It will burn.”

Reece slowly
stood to his feet.  He seemed to check each joint to make sure all the bones
were attached in accordance with their original design.  “You are as daft as
Daria,” he sneered.

Gray shot his
hand in the air and lunged for Reece’s throat.  He didn’t have the use of two
arms, but he was certain he had enough strength in one hand to collapse the
man’s windpipe.  His fingers stretched, grasping for a shred of cloth, any
amount would bring him closer to his death.

Reece pulled
back, his eyes wide.  He sniffed the air and looked down at Gray.  “Sodium
nitrate.  That’s why you’re so sure the cave will burn.”

Gray nodded. 
“It makes everything burn faster, even saltpeter.” 

Reece shook
his head.  “You wouldn’t do that.  That place is sacred to you.”

Finally
feeling his strength return, Gray rolled to his side and pushed himself to a
seated position.  “So is Kat.”

“Do you have
any idea what you’re doing?”  His voice screeched.

Cradling his
broken arm, Gray turned onto his knees and tried to stand.  “Release Kat and
the saltpeter won’t be destroyed.”

“I don’t bow
to demands.  I give them,” Reece sneered and swung his foot.