Ever Bound (8 page)

To my dismay, Grace had taken the place setting directly in front of me. She jerked her napkin open and slapped it into her lap.

Annabeth entered the room. As she kissed her aunt and her cousins, she took up all the oxygen in the whole house.

My chest swelled with admiration and awe. Every time I saw her, she grew more beautiful.

Grace glared at me as I stared past her.

Annabeth’s dress was purple and black. Without a bit of makeup, her skin glowed and her pink lips looked as if I’d just kissed them. Her dipping neckline was that much more troubling.

As gentlemanly as I’d fooled her into thinking I was, it wasn’t the embroidery and beaded designs my eyes were glued to.

She nodded to me and smiled.

I tried to appear unmoved as Annabeth took the place setting between Grace and her oldest cousin.

She was a year or two older than Grace with hair the color of straw pulled away from her face and higher cheek bones than either of the Rollins sisters.

“Olivia, you remember Colby.” Annabeth placed her hand on her cousin’s arm.

“Hello.” My pulse sounded like trampling horses in my ears at the mere sound of Annabeth’s voice.

“I remember. He was a boy the last time we met.” Olivia took an inventory of me.

Annabeth grinned.

I was so used to being blamed, with a mere look from Grace, for any attention I received from other girls that sweat broke out on my forehead.

“You should get acquainted,” Annabeth said with a mischievous smile. What was she trying to do? Get me in more trouble with yet another of the Rollins women? She had no idea how deep I was already sinking.

Olivia raised an eyebrow as if she might consider it. “You have grown into a fine young man.”

Translated, she wanted to get me down to the pond too.

If Annabeth hadn’t been two people down, I might have given her a friendly little what-the-heck-are-you-trying-to-get-me-into kick.

Annabeth gave me a wink.

Grace clanked her fork loudly on her plate and huffed. “You just can’t stop flirting.”

Mrs. Rollins cleared her throat meaningfully. “Remember your manners.”

Annabeth ducked her head with a grin, primly folded her napkin, and delicately laid it on her lap.

Mr. Rollins glanced down the table and smiled at me as if we shared some secret.

I nodded in return.

A few seconds later, he did it again, then returned his attention to his wife and Mama as they talked about some sewing technique.

With my hands on either knee under the table, I waited for my legs to stop shaking. I eyed the door. I could dart out of it, feigning illness.

The smells from the kitchen were too enticing to pass up after the long day I’d had at the maze, so I decided to stay.

When the cook brought in the food, we all started in on dinner. I ate a few bites but ended up rearranging the rest of it at least fourteen times.

“Colby, you aren’t eating,” Mama said. She put her napkin down.

I’d be forty-seven, and I’d still be her baby.

“The heat. I’ll be fine.” I forced another bite but almost couldn’t swallow.

Annabeth’s concerned gaze silently questioned me.

“On that note, Colby, you’ll be glad to know”—Mr. Rollins stood, the sharp points of his collar giving his chins some relief. He lifted his glass—“you might not have to sweat the days away on the property if you play your cards right. Miss Peachtree has contacted me about your schooling. She and I are both in agreement that you are one of the brightest students she’s ever taught and that you need to spend your time not in the heat, wasting away like the other workers, but in putting your talents to use. For that reason, I am willing to offer you schooling in whatever field you’d like. I have spoken with an architect friend of mine who would love nothing better than to take you under his wing. Your father has voiced that you can’t leave to go to school, so I will hire the best architect to tutor you in the field if you so desire. You deserve this. You’ve worked hard.”

I looked to Pop.

He dipped his head and stared at the place setting in front of him.

Was I supposed to be happy about this? It was already obvious that we weren’t part of the family and that we were poor, lowly farmhands just by the derelict condition of our clothes.

Did Mr. Rollins really have to point it out in front of everyone that we didn’t have enough money to send me to a good school?

I really wanted to crawl under something now. All I could muster was, “Thank you, Sir.”

“And that would give you the perfect social standing to have your choice in the local ladies.” Grace took a bite of green beans, sliding her lips over the shaft of one.

“Grace.” Mrs. Rollins turned a glare on her daughter, then back to her husband. “Charles, I think maybe this is a subject we should speak with the Kinsley’s about at a later date. But it’s a kind offer.”

Charles waved his glass and wobbled. “I’m sure they’d be pleased to see their son doing more than hauling manure.”

I almost choked.

“And it would give him the opportunity to court ladies with a much higher social standing. After such a generous offer, it’d be in his best interest to choose wisely.” Grace chopped the green bean in half with her teeth.

“That’s a kind offer, Mr. Rollins. One I’ll take into consideration.” I stood and slid my chair under the table. “If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to turn in early.”

“I can’t believe you.” Mrs. Rollins gripped Grace’s arm with a gloved hand. “I’m sorry, everyone. Grace hasn’t been quite herself lately. And Charles just gets a little excited when it comes to education.”

Forks clinked and glasses tinkled as they were placed on the table. Once again, Grace had made a spectacle of herself, and this time had done a wonderful job of pulling me into it.

Annabeth stared straight ahead as I rounded the table and made my way to the door.

Mrs. Rollins’s long earrings dangled as she jerked her head toward me. “I’m so sorry, Colby. We’ll talk soon.” She regarded the dinner party. “If you’ll excuse us for a few moments, I’m going to settle Grace into her room for the evening. I’ll return as soon as possible. Carry on with dinner.”

I slipped into the hallway and leaned against the cool stone walls. I’d never been so embarrassed.

Mr. Rollins wobbled toward me, his stomach making him front heavy. “My intentions were to honor your hard work. Not to embarrass you. After a few drinks, I forget myself from time to time. And Grace just says what she’s thinking without…thinking. I’ll admit I’d hoped if you were molded into a gentleman, you might decide to marry her. She’s told me of your affections.”

I almost lost what little dinner I’d been able to eat on his shiny shoes.

“With all due respect, sir, I don’t have any sort of affections for Grace. Your offer is kind, but I can’t accept.” I left him standing there, not caring if he fired me.

Grace Rollins would never have me.

I would run away with Annabeth on my arm if I had to.

Afraid my legs wouldn’t carry me to the cottage, I waited for use of them again beside the patio door facing the rose maze. The fountain splashed in lulling tones and eased my nausea.

Holding her skirts as if she were prepared to run, Annabeth rushed out the back door. She scanned the property.

I took a minute to gaze on her as she scanned the yard. She was too beautiful to be true. Would we ever be together? Would her family allow it?

Her mother seemed to be the only one with decency. Maybe she’d see my love for Annabeth and allow me to prove I was good enough.

I clasped my hands around her waist, covered her arms with mine, and brought my lips to her cheek.

Annabeth gasped, then rested her weight against me. “Please don’t leave. I’m so sorry. My family is crazy.”

“It’s not your fault. I have to warn you, though. Your sister is going to try anything she can to come between us when she learns of my devotion to you. I’ve never been scared of anything, but I’m terrified of that day. She has your father uncommonly wrapped around her finger.”

Her arms went around my neck, and she pressed her cheek against my lips. “I’m ashamed to call them family at times. And I’m not worried about her. I’ll fix her when the time comes.” Annabeth turned in my arms and held my face in her hands. “I want you to know I didn’t know the dinner was in honor of you. To my understanding, it was to announce that Mrs. Peachtree had told Father how well you’d done in school, and considering it was your last year, she had found a way to get you a scholarship. I had no idea that my father was the benefactor. That was something he should have taken up with you in private. Please don’t allow them to send you away from me.”

“I love you and nothing will separate us. The rest doesn’t matter. It literally makes me sick to hide us.” I closed my eyes against the rising heat that came with holding her.

“Then don’t.” Grace stepped outside.

I jumped back from Annabeth. I’d seen her mother escort Grace to the elevator.

She was supposed to be in her room.

Annabeth took my hand and held it firmly.

“So, this is the reason you won’t see me or speak to me? Annabeth, when he’s done with you, I imagine he’ll probably move on to Olivia. I mean, let’s keep it in the family, right?” Grace fingered a large pendant hanging between her cleavage.

“Like you do?” Venom dripped from Annabeth’s tongue.

Grace’s face twisted and contorted. She lifted her head and stared down her nose at Annabeth. A broad, malicious smile broke out over her beautifully evil face. “I have just the solution for this.”

My heart sank.

Grace spun away from us and rattled the hinges of the door as she slammed it behind her.

“As you can see, she’s not above making a scene,” Annabeth said.

“Go. I understand.”

She rushed after her sister.

I ruined everything I touched. I was cursed.

After dinner, my mother and father came through the front door of the cottage to find me sitting upright on a chair with my hands clasped into a tight knot.

“Aren’t you feeling well, Son?” Pop said.

My mother pressed the back of her hand to my forehead.

No news of an uproar.

“I’m…fine?” I examined their faces.

“You handled that as well as can be expected. I can’t believe that high-falluting jackass thought he could buy you like that,” Pop said. “I heard him in the hall. Don’t worry. Your mother and I will stand behind whatever decision you make. I want you to be educated, but not at that price.”

Great. The whole house knew the sordid plan Mr. Rollins had concocted.

But that could be a good thing. If Mrs. Rollins was the person I thought she was, she wouldn’t stand for her husband pawning her daughter off on someone just so he could get rid of her. Sure, social standing mattered, but Grace was his daughter. How could he want to be rid of her so bad that he’d pay so much money to have her taken off his hands?

After they read the Bible and prayed together, I watched Mama and Pop from the living room. After they raised their heads from the prayer, they stared at one another from their respective sides of the bed.

Still on his knees, Pop held out his hand to Mama.

She took it.

Sometimes, the way they regarded one another was so deep I was embarrassed that I’d seen. It was as if I’d witnessed something private, not meant for another to see.

Pop got up and shut the door.

Staring down at the wide floorboards, I waited for news from the house. Surely Annabeth would be here soon.

I would have to find a way and the right time to tell Annabeth about the pond and Grace. That night might have been the perfect time. With Grace and her father’s concocted plan and the way Grace had carried on lately, I might sound believable if I told the whole truth, but I was so scared.

I went to my bedroom and waited for a tap on my window. At this point, I would welcome news from either of the sisters. At least then I would know what had happened.

At the door to my parents' room, there were no hushed whispers.

“I’m going to go to the barn to check on Sampson.” I stood a few feet from the door.

“Don’t be out too long,” Mama said.

At the back door, I stared out at the other houses. All the sharecroppers were already locked in and lanterns were off. It wouldn’t surprise me if they were all still wide awake, waiting for Grace’s next show of lunacy.

Taking a lantern off the back porch, I slid a match up the side of a metal strip outside our wagon. I headed to see Sampson, the new colt. I needed something to keep my mind off everything. A day not too long ago, I had promised myself I wouldn’t worry over women or get married. Too much trouble.

Delilah stood patiently in her stall. She was the mother and her son had been named Sampson. He was white with a brown spot in the center of his forehead. The sharecroppers had finally washed almost all the blood from his coat.

A few stains still remained, but blood was like that. It didn’t go away easily.

Sampson’s long legs were curled under him, but he wasn’t sleeping. He made a wobbly start but stood and came to me. He nuzzled my cheek. There’d never been a sweeter animal on the farm.

With a sugar cube I brought from the cottage, I held out my hand. Petting and praising him only kept my mind off the situation for a few seconds.

“Boy, if you ever see a foal with a crazy look in her eye heading in your direction, run.” Smiling, I patted his head.

In the large entry to the barn, I leaned against the wooden slats. The back of the house was quiet and dark.

Finally, unable to take it anymore, I walked from the barn to the manor, crept around the side, and looked up to Annabeth’s window.

Light flickered in her room.

She was still awake.

Up the back steps and toward the back entrance, there was still no one. The house was dark.

I left the back door slightly opened so I could make a fast getaway if need be. I crept up the first few steps on the staircase.

There was no light on in the master suite.

Being very careful not to make a sound, I made it to the small stairwell that serviced the upper levels. With shadows in every corner, the trip up the stairs was hard to make.