Lynna's Beau (Tropical Paradise Series Book 2) Read online

  “Suzanne, we are all well aware of the Bloodhound Law,” her brother advised her with a warning glance.

  “The Fugitive Slave Law,” Suzanne corrected. “Some of those foolish abolitionists named it the Bloodhound Law simply because dogs are used to track down runaway slaves. I personally cannot think of a more expedient way to capture and bring the escapees to justice.”

  Lynna was so astonished by what she was hearing that she almost choked on her sweet tea. As her husband patted her gently on the back she cried, “Surely you cannot be serious, Suzanne. Why, we would never even dream of turning Rob over to the authorities. Would we, Joshua?”

  “Of course not, darling.”

  Then she had an idea that she should have had earlier. “Joshua, could we please find out who Rob belonged to and buy his freedom? Why, I should have thought of it months ago.”

  Taking Lynna’s hand he brought it to his lips. “Consider it done, my love.”

  “What balderdash,” Suzanne sneered. “A slave does not have a mind of his own. They only do as they are told. There are millions of slaves in the South, outnumbering us by over two to one. Why, if they had a lick of sense they would revolt and kill us all instead of being mindless animals that work from sun up to sunset on average of 360 days of the year.”

  Covering her hand with her mouth, she snickered, “Have the two of you been reading that trashy novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin by chance? I declare, sometimes I think both of you would be better suited to live up North with the damn Yankees.”

  “Suzanne, I would not have survived on that island without Rob,” Lynna tried to make her see how horribly she was misjudging an innocent man.

  “Don’t be such a ninny, Lynna. Rest assured, he wasn’t doing it out of any sort of kindness or feelings for you. Slaves do not have the same feelings as we do. Only when they are feeling the bite of a whip do they exhibit a considerable range of emotions.” Suzanne giggled, an entirely malevolent sound.

  Lynna felt tears welling in her eyes that Rob, sweet, wonderful Rob, could be so wrongfully maligned.

  Suzanne continued her detestable diatribe. “It was his duty to serve and protect a white woman on the off chance you were rescued. He would have had hell to pay otherwise.”

  “His duty!” Joshua stormed, unable to hold his tongue for another second. “He didn’t have any duty to fulfill. He could have easily killed Lynna and buried her body and no one would have been the wiser. Odds of them ever being rescued were slim to none. He had numerous chances to do anything he saw fit to Lynna. Yet all he did was protect her. You Madame, are a fool!”

  Patricia gasped, shocked that anyone, even her own son, would speak so at her dinner table and reached for her husband’s hand.

  Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, Joshua tried to calm his rising anger for Lynna’s sake. “I have no doubt that Rob would have laid down his life for Lynna and you will not sit in my house and insinuate otherwise.”

  Suzanne had never been accused of knowing when to leave well enough alone. Having enjoyed numerous romps in the cotton fields with a few of the more… masculine… slaves on her father’s plantation, she simply could not fathom that Lynna and Rob had remained on a secluded island for months without getting… intimately acquainted. It just wasn’t possible in her mind. “Lynna, darling,” she couldn’t help but say, “if the man forced himself on you, then you were by no means responsible for his actions. But I feel I would be remiss if I didn’t warn you that practically every person in the entire county is eagerly awaiting to see firsthand the hue of your child’s skin.”

  Patricia’s gasp echoed around the room as Joshua’s fist slammed down on the table hard enough to make the silverware dance across the linen tablecloth. Suzanne’s intentionally cruel words were more than Joshua could be expected to tolerate even for Lynna’s sake. He could not have been more livid had Suzanne reached across the table and slapped him squarely across the face. He stood so fast he almost tipped the table in the process. “Out!”

  “Excuse me?” Suzanne cried, thoroughly affronted by his behavior.

  “Get out of my house, Suzanne. Now! And don’t ever darken our doorstep again.”

  “You must be joking.” She turned to Jeremiah for assistance in dealing with his rash son, but found no sympathy in his eyes. “Jeremiah, please.” Then she turned to Patricia, always a soft touch. “Patricia, please do not let him do this, I beg you. I was but stating what everyone else is whispering behind your backs.”

  “Father!” Malinda cried. “Do something.”

  Jeremiah remained silent. His son was completely loyal to the man who had saved Lynna’s life, as he should be, and would not sit still for any one to disparage him. Besides Suzanne needed to be put in her place for once.

  “Will you leave on your own, Suzanne?” Joshua ground out. “Or would you be in need of an escort?”

  “We will leave,” Daniel said, hanging his head in embarrassment. “Please forgive my sister’s outburst.”

  “What she said was unforgivable as far as I am concerned, Daniel,” Joshua ground out between clenched teeth. “I bid you good evening.”

  As the door slammed shut behind Suzanne and her brother, Malinda burst into tears and fled to her room. Patricia and Lynna each appeared to be in a state of shocked silence as Jeremiah sought to calm his son. “I will have a talk with Malinda, Joshua. I cannot believe she brought that troublemaker into our home.”

  “That won’t be necessary, father. I will get to the bottom of this myself.”

  “Joshua, please,” Lynna pleaded. “Malinda was as shocked as we were to see Suzanne. I have no doubt that she invited herself to dinner.”

  “If that is the case then I will offer my sincerest apologies to my sister,” Joshua promised. “Father, Mother, will you please keep Lynna company while I speak with her?” Then he was gone.

  When they were in bed later that night, Joshua tenderly caressed the smooth, silky skin of Lynna’s cheek. “You were right as usual, my love. Malinda had no idea Suzanne was coming to dinner. I apologized, of course, but she is distraught over Daniel. Perhaps you could assure her tomorrow that I hold no ill will against him.”

  “I will do my best,” she said after several seconds had passed.

  Joshua waited patiently for Lynna to tell him what was on her mind. The wait wasn’t long.

  “You don’t really believe Suzanne intentionally tripped me. Do you, Joshua?”

  “I believe it to be completely within the realm of possibilities. Nothing she does would surprise me, nor should it you.”

  “But, I saw her.” Lynna had difficulty believing that Suzanne would actually cause her physical harm no matter how much she hated her. “She was moving in the opposite direction when it happened.”

  “I just find it disturbing, to say the least, that your belly has been obscuring the view of your feet for some weeks now and I haven’t noticed you tripping over them prior to today. I don’t like the fact that trouble, especially where you are concerned, seems to follow Suzanne around. And why is she still here? Why doesn’t she return home to Georgia? I’m sure she has long since worn out her welcome with Samuel and Beth.”

  “Joshua, darling, you know Samuel loves his sister.”

  “In all honesty, I don’t see how he could,” he answered truthfully.

  “Could you stop loving Malinda?”

  Smart enough to realize when he had been bested, Joshua acquiesced. “You are correct, as usual. But let us not talk about her. Suzanne is the devil incarnate and no one will make me believe otherwise. Let’s talk about you and me, and what I plan to do to you once our child has been safely delivered.”

  “First there will be a healing period,” Lynna blushed, realizing she was as eagerly counting down the days as he was.

  “How long does that take?”

  “A couple of months.”

  “Then I shall mark my calendar for exactly two months hence from the birth of our daughter.” Kissing her sof
tly he whispered, “It will be a night to remember. I promise.”

  “Sing me to sleep, darling.”

  Happy to oblige Joshua pulled her closer and sang softly for her ears only until she drifted to sleep.

  Angeline the baker lives in our village green,

  The way I always loved her beats all you ever seen.

  Angeline the baker, her age is forty-three,

  I bought her candy by the peck,

  And she won't marry me.

  The following morning before daybreak, Lynna was up with the sun. Actually it was the third time she had risen in search of the chamber pot since going to bed. With that inconvenience out of the way she slipped back under the covers snuggling against the warmth of her husband’s broad back. As she placed her hand on his sinewy muscles, the ominous and foreboding feelings that had become her constant companion as of late settled over her like a thick fog, causing her to shiver uncontrollably as she pressed against him.

  Feeling her tremble, Joshua reached behind him to take her hand and pull it to his chest. “Are you cold?” He threw back the covers in an effort to rise from the bed. “I’ll throw another log on the fire.”

  “No, darling. That isn’t necessary.” Placing her hand on his shoulder she tugged him back down beside her and covered him with the quilt. “You can provide me with all the heat I need.”

  “With pleasure.” Joshua rolled her over to cradle her back against his chest. “Since you didn’t get much sleep last night, due to our Little Miss feeling the need to press her adorable self against your bladder for the better part of the night, you sleep in this morning and I’ll have a tray sent up later.”

  “Little Mister.” Yawning sleepily, Lynna was happy to agree with her husband’s suggestion. “Thank you, darling. Whatever the gender, the little rascal did keep me hopping up and down most of the night. I feel like I could sleep for days.”

  “I won’t be here when you wake up.” He relaxed against her deciding to hold her until she fell asleep.

  “Why not?” she mumbled drowsily.

  “I have the meeting at Cedar Hill with Samuel and our neighbors to discuss, in Daniel’s words, ‘Those fools up North’.”

  “Um…”

  As she gave up the fight to stay awake and drifted off to sleep the last words Lynna heard were, “Sleep tight, my darling, and know that I will love you until the day I draw my final breath.”

  Chapter 3

  Returning home from the meeting at Cedar Hill, Joshua’s thoughts were troubled. He had a growing fear that the South as he knew it, and the only way of life he had ever known, was about to change forever. He cocked his head when he heard the loud report of gunfire ricocheting across the land. Deer hunters.

  Turning, he scanned the trees lining the side of the road, but before he could focus on the three riders slowly cantering toward him he felt a sharp jolt and… pain. A searing pain the likes of which he had never experienced spread from his chest to every other part of his body like a slow burning fire. He glanced down in disbelief, noticing a bright red stain flowering across his snowy white shirt.

  A slow comprehension dawned on him at the same time as a warm coppery taste filled his mouth and he swiped a trembling hand across his lips. He glared at his hand, smeared with blood, dumbfounded. Before he could make sense of all that was happening, he found himself unable to remain upright on his horse and plummeted to the hard earth. From his back he looked up, squinting his eyes against the glare of the blazing sun.

  Suddenly the harsh light was blocked from his view and he saw a silhouette standing over him.

  Then his vision cleared and… Suzanne came into focus.

  “Tsk, tsk, tsk.” Smiling broadly, an evil light caused her eyes to sparkle. “It seems as if your luck has finally run out, Captain Jordan. What a terrible shame, when you had so much to live for.” She inhaled a deep breath and released it slowly before continuing. “Why, just this morning at breakfast I overheard Samuel telling Beth that he had never seen anyone as happy about impending fatherhood as you were, and then rambling on and on about how marriage agreed with you and your thieving tramp. I couldn’t even break my fast after that. I was certain it would come back up if I so much as swallowed one bite.”

  Bending down on one knee in the dirt, she brushed a lock of raven hair from his heavily perspiring forehead. Then, in what she thought of as an extreme act of generosity on her part, she removed a lacy handkerchief from her bodice and wiped the sweat from his brow. “Oh, how upset your little strumpet will be. And her heavy with child. Poor thing. Oh, dear me, I do hope the news of your death doesn’t upset her overmuch and cause her to lose the little bastard.” Using her handkerchief, she wiped at the blood streaming from Joshua’s mouth, keeping her hands and body well away from the blood seeping from his chest at an alarming rate.

  “What do you think, boys?” she asked, glancing up at the two ruffians she had hired for the job.

  “Ummm….he’s a goner, that’s for sure, ma’am,” one of them replied. “Looks like the bullet went right through his heart.”

  “Yes, I do believe you are correct.” Suzanne returned her attention to the man rapidly losing consciousness before her. “Oh, Joshua, why did you force me to do this? We could have been so good together. If it not for your tramp, we could have lived a lifetime of pure happiness, spending our days and nights making passionate love, attending balls, and traveling to other countries. But no, you were dead set on having her. Now look at you. You’ll just be…dead, and you won’t have either of us. Why couldn’t you just love me?”

  Joshua was fading fast, but he found the energy to whisper, “You repulse me, Suzanne.” With one final burst of energy he looked straight into her eyes and whispered, “And Lynna is my wife.”

  Hearing him call Lynna his wife enraged Suzanne beyond measure. Dropping the bloody handkerchief to the ground she turned to her henchmen. “Boys, put him in the buggy and take him far, far away.” Remembering all too well Joshua’s hateful words to her the night of the Harvest Ball, she added, “Make sure there isn’t a breath left in his body and dump his corpse at the bottom of a deep ravine.”

  Chapter 4

  Lynna sat in a rocking chair on the verandah at Sea Grove as the chilly autumn breeze sent the remaining leaves on the trees fluttering to the ground. The leaves were dead. Just like everything good in her life.

  How could her life change so rapidly, in the blink of an eye? She had feared it was all too good to be true, that it couldn’t last. That something inherently evil was about to happen, and her chilling premonitions had proven to be correct. But what had happened? Had Joshua known the last time she’d seen his precious face that he would not be returning home to her.

  He must have. Why else would his parting words be that he would love her until the day he drew his final breath? As if he knew he was leaving, and it was the last time he would ever see her.

  Had he tired of the sight of her swollen body and sought comfort in the arms of another, slim figured, woman? Had Suzanne finally worn down Joshua’s resistance and succeeding in luring him into her bed? Lynna was so bone weary and tired of questions swirling around in her head that she could not find answers to. She knew something had to give soon or she might lose her tenuous grasp on reality.

  She wanted to scream to the top of her lungs at the injustice of it all, pull her hair out by the roots, rake her skin with her fingernails until blood poured from the wounds. She wanted to hurt, feel deep physical pain on the outside, anything to make her forget the indescribable pain in her heart that gripped it like a vise. Sadly, she realized that even though she had known in her heart that something awful was about to happen, she never for one second imagined how truly horrible it could actually be.

  Her eyes were swollen from crying and her insides ached with every beat of her heart. Her entire body ached. She couldn’t even remember what happiness felt like. It seemed like years had passed since she last had cause to smile. If not for Joshua’s
child sleeping securely inside her womb she would see no reason to carry on with this drudgery called life.

  Absently noticing dust being kicked up on the road, she watched as a carriage wheeled to a stop in front of the house. Shoving her burgeoning body up, she moved toward the edge of the verandah as the slightest bit of hope stirred in her breast. Could it be Joshua? Was he finally returning home? She released a disappointed sigh when the door of the carriage swung open and her father leapt to the ground and hurried toward her.

  “My darling!” Nathan rushed up the steps two at a time and clutched his daughter, burying his face in her lilac scented hair. “I cannot believe this has happened, Lynna. It’s inconceivable. I would never have left you had I known…”

  “Don’t be ridiculous, father.” Lynna responded despondently. “Of course you couldn’t have known.”

  Her father reluctantly released her to Judith’s embrace. “Oh, my precious girl,” she cried. “I’m so sorry. I… I am at a loss for words.” Removing her arms from around her niece she placed both hands on her face and peered into her distant, miserable eyes. “Have you any news, dear?”

  “No, not a single encouraging word.” Lynna clutched her stomach and eased back down into the rocking chair while her eyes drifted back to the road. “The sheriff found a patch of considerable… blood… and a handkerchief on the road coming from Cedar Hill. They are assuming it was highway robbery. His body has not been found, which I am grateful for. As long as they don’t find a body then he can still come home to me.”

  “Oh, my sweet baby girl,” Aunt Judith cried. “Of course, he can. Come with me and let’s get you out of this cold. Where are Joshua’s parents to let you sit outside and catch your death?”