Authors: Jill Marie Landis
“I’m her husband. Now where is she?”
The man thumbed toward the door at the end of the hall. “I don’t want no trouble here, mister.”
Colin was already limping down the hall.
A
lone in her small room above the cobbler’s shop, Kate slipped the hat pin from her hat, rethreaded it, and set her hat on an overcrowded dressing table. She barely had room to move between the bed and the armoire crowded against one wall. A washstand and a chair completed the furnishings. Kate liked to deny that a life of privilege had spoiled her, but with no one there to hang up her clothes, there were pieces of clothing strewn all over the bed.
Kate had found the small room by chance two days after leaving
Belle Fleuve
. She’d been walking the streets and alleyways, studying balconies and ironwork on older buildings for design inspiration when she saw a small sign in the window of the shoe repair shop on the ground floor.
The flat was passable, highly affordable, and the landlord did not insist upon a lease. Dan Rosen had congratulated her on her thriftiness. Kate was certain he’d be appalled and worried about her safety if he ever actually saw the place.
Kate had expected to be there a week or two at the most. Now, two months later, she was still dealing with the cramped room.
She picked up a small tin of matches to light the candle she’d placed on the windowsill last night. The flame danced, reflected in the glass as it bloomed. Outside, evening shadows expanded around the buildings.
There are far worse things than being alone on Christmas.
Far worse things
.
Kate jumped when a firm knock sounded on the door. Not once had anyone sought her here.
As she threaded her way around the bed, she smoothed her hand over her hair.
“Who is it?”
“It’s me, Kate. Open the door.”
She immediately recognized Colin’s voice and the thread of impatience in it and closed her eyes. How on earth had he found her?
Fear for the children set her heart racing. Her fingers fumbled on the lock before she opened the door. He was tall and imposing, a formidable force in the narrow, dingy hallway.
“Come in.” She stepped back to give him room. It must have cost him dearly to climb the stairs. There was nowhere for him to sit so she tossed a pile of clothes off a chair and onto the bed. She folded her hands together to keep them from shaking.
“Please, sit down.” She saw the room through his eyes: Damian’s peanut necklace hanging around a lamp shade; the repaired Staffordshire dog sitting beside her miniature of
Belle Fleuve
; Marie’s paintings tacked up to the wall over her bed. The pages of Myra’s long-awaited letter were scattered across the pillows. Kate’s clothing was everywhere, and various pairs of boots and shoes littered the floor.
“I’m sorry things are in such upheaval.” Kate knitted her fingers together. “Are the children all right? Is there an emergency?”
She longed to smooth the deep creases from his brow. Instead she waited, felt the anger roiling off him even from across the room. Had he come to ask for a divorce? Would he go that far?
“The children are fine. They are at the Boltons’. There is no emergency, Kate, but had there been, how would I have found you?”
She dropped her gaze to her hands, but he gave her no time to respond.
“I went to the St. Charles earlier and asked for you at the front desk. Apparently you haven’t been in residence there for quite a while.”
“No …”
“And yet you led everyone to believe you were — not only your employer, but Cora, Eugenie, the children. Me.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t want …”
“Does Ezekiel Stevens know you live here?”
She met his dark gaze and saw hurt and jealousy there.
“Of course not. Why?”
“I saw you leave Antoine’s with him.”
“You were at the restaurant? Why didn’t you say something? Is that how you found me? By spying on me? Following me?”
“I wasn’t spying. When I didn’t find you at the St. Charles, I went to Jamison’s. He had no idea where you were, so I decided to have dinner before I left town. That’s when I saw you and the captain coming out of the restaurant—”
“I ran into him coming out of church. He asked me to dine with him.” She met Colin’s unwavering stare with one of her own. “That’s all it was. As you are well aware, I returned alone.”
She expected a comment. He fell silent. The tension in the air was as thick as gumbo.
“My dinner with the captain was completely innocent. Can you say the same for your association with the redheaded woman Stevens saw on your arm when you came to town seeking your loan?” It was impossible for Kate to imagine him going to another woman after what they had shared the night before.
His brow knit in obvious puzzlement. “Redhead?”
Kate held her breath.
“You don’t mean Tillie Cutter?”
“I don’t know. Do I?”
“She’s a prostitute, Kate.”
She pressed her hand to her heart, aghast.
“She means nothing to me,” he insisted.
“You slept with her?” she whispered.
“Of course not. I originally met her on the train from Texas, and I ran into her when I came to town with Jason. She helped me cross the street, that’s all. That’s when Stevens saw us. I’ll bet he couldn’t wait to tell you.”
Kate wanted to believe him.
“Oh, Kate, come on. Ask yourself why he would want to make more of it than it really was.”
Stevens’ behavior had been above reproach today, but it wasn’t beyond the captain to try to stir up trouble between them.
“I sent Tillie away when she came to
Belle Fleuve
, and I sent her on her way that night too, Kate. Please, say you believe me.”
She met his gaze and saw the truth. There were far more threats to their marriage than Tillie Cutter. Awkward silence stretched between them in the confined space.
His gaze traveled to Marie’s paintings on the wall above the bed, to the map showing the way to
Belle Fleuve
above her desk. Then the heat of his stare returned to her.
“Oh, Kate, why are you here”—he indicated the room with a wave—”living like this?”
Like the candle in the window, a flicker of hope ignited inside her.
“Why are
you
here, Colin? What do you want?”
C
olin wished she’d move closer. How could he even begin to tell her what was in his heart when he was so worried about what she was doing in a place like this?
Suddenly he surged to his feet and crossed the room. Kate’s eyes widened as he took hold of her shoulders. She had to tip back her head to stare into his eyes.
“Tell me you did not spend your entire inheritance on
Belle Fleuve
.” He could see her mind racing and could feel her shoulders rise and fall on a sigh.
“I have not spent everything on
Belle Fleuve
, not that it would matter to me if I had. My accountant warned me my funds are running low, but he is making investments for me.” She smiled at Colin as if she hadn’t a care in the world. “I’m sure that soon I’ll have no worries.
We’ll
have no worries. I’m staying here to save money. That’s all.” She shrugged. “I don’t need more than this.”
He glanced at the mountain of clothing on the bed. “You might not need more room but you could certainly use some help.”
“I’ve told you what you wanted to know,” she said. “Now tell me why you are here.”
He swallowed and smoothed his palms along the black silk across her shoulders.
“I came to apologize.” He felt lighter already. “I came to take you home.”
Tears filled her eyes. He hated himself for causing them.
“If you can forgive me,” he added. “If it’s not too late.”
She reached up, traced her fingertips across his brow.
“I had no idea my actions would cause you such embarrassment and pain. I had no right …”
“You saved
Belle Fleuve
. You saved
me
, Kate.”
Colin slipped his arms around her, pulled her close, and kissed her, hoping that his kiss would convey everything his words lacked, everything that was in his awakened heart. When Kate kissed him back, when she melted against him, his heart soared.
He lifted his head and cupped her face in his hands.
“You weren’t gone long before I regretted what I’d done, but I’d backed myself into a corner. I thought I couldn’t ask you to come home until I was solvent and successful and had some hope of repaying you, but I was a fool for not factoring in the time it will take for that to happen. I never knew how much I would miss talking to you, hearing the rustle of your skirt. I miss having you there in the evening presiding over our table. I miss touching you. I even miss seeing you make certain your hats are on just so and your glasses are on straight. I’ve been haunted by the memory of our last night together, the beauty and promise of what we shared.”
“Oh, Colin.” She drew his head down until their lips met again. When their kiss ended her smile took his breath away.
“Last night I took the children to watch the bonfires along the river and saw the celebration through their eyes. They believe in the magic and joy of the season as I used to, the hope of the season, the promise of a new beginning for the world. I prayed Kate. I prayed for a new beginning for us too. I can’t live without your love. I can’t live without the light you bring into my life.”
“Oh, Colin.” She started to say something, but he gently pressed his finger to her lips.
“You saved
Belle Fleuve
for me, Kate. You saved me with your love. I can’t go down on one knee, but I beg you, come home where you belong.”
“Of course,” she whispered. “Of course I will. I love you, Colin. I wish we could leave right now. But I should see to my things, and I have to tell Roger I’ll be working from the plantation again.”
“I was going to leave on the last boat upriver. I’m afraid I may have missed it.” He paused, looking around the room.
“Stay with me tonight,” Kate whispered.
He turned, cupped her cheek. “Are you sure?”
“We can leave together tomorrow.”
“I told Eugenie not to worry if I was delayed. She and Simon will collect the children from the Boltons.”
Kate pictured Damian and Marie. “Did
Pere Noel
find them?”
“Thanks to Eugenie, he left treats in their shoes last night.” He glanced at the bed piled high with clothes.
Kate blushed. “Perhaps we should get a room at the St. Charles …”
Colin grabbed up an armful of gowns and tossed them aside.
“Anywhere is fine as long as we’re together.”
OCTOBER 1877
B
elle Fleuve
.
The pungent smell of the boiling cane was cloying, but it was a reminder of a successful harvest, of security, of prayers, hopes, and dreams coming to fruition.
Belle Fleuve
’s first harvest in sixteen years had been underway for two weeks. Since the old sugarhouse was one of the few still standing, Colin had opened it to his neighbors. Despite the hectic pace, the constant coming and going of wagons, the cutting and harvesting in the fields, and the round-the-clock boiling, Kate had never been happier. God had seen her through the darkness.
A true Delany at last, she belonged at
Belle Fleuve
.
Outside the huge boiling shed she watched Colin supervise the men as they unloaded yet another wagon filled with cane. Blessed with love, a home, and a family, Kate’s only remaining wish was to find her sisters.
Colin spoke to Jason Bolton before he made his way across the yard to join her in the shade of a willow. His countenance had changed. With every day that the weather cooperated and the sugarcane thrived he relaxed a little more and smiled more. He
even laughed. Once the sugar was processed they would be solvent if not wealthy.
“Are you feeling all right?” He lifted his hat and wiped his brow with his shirtsleeve.
Kate placed her hand protectively over the slight mound of her belly and smiled.
“We’re both feeling fine. Do you need to sit down?”
He shook his head. “Not yet.”
“We’re bringing in a fine crop, Kate. More than a novice should expect. Here come the children.” He nodded toward the road from the main house.
Marie was driving a bright blue-and-yellow pony cart Dan Rosen’s children had outgrown. Damian began to climb down before the old pony even stopped trudging along. With a crimson scarf tied around his head and one of Colin’s cravats as a sash, he tossed out his sword and then his favorite shovel.
“Ahoy!” He waved the shovel around. “It’s a fine day for treasure hunting, mateys!”
Marie set the brake. “Be careful, Damian.” She shook her head as her brother ran over to Kate.
“Where should I start today?” Damian asked Colin.
Colin pointed to a spot far away from the men and the hubbub but close enough to be able to keep an eye on him.
“Don’t go any farther than that hickory tree.”
“I won’t. I promise.” Damian jogged away with his sword in one hand and the shovel in the other.
Kate laughed and Colin chuckled. Marie held up a sack.
“Eugenie helped us string some more pecans for
chapelets de pacanes
. May I have someone dip them for me, Uncle Colin?”
“Very good French, Marie,” Colin complimented.
As far as he was concerned they were the brightest, most fascinating children in all of Louisiana.
“I’ll wave you over when someone is free,” he promised.
Kate remembered the excitement of stringing pecans on a
thread and having them dipped into an open kettle of boiling sugar. The sugared nuts were a special treat for all.
“Did you bring your sketchbook?” she asked the girl.
“It’s in the cart.”
As they waited for Colin’s signal, Marie touched Kate’s elbow. “Have you chosen a name for the baby? You said you would decide by today.”
“For a boy, not yet. If it’s a girl, we’ll name her Amelie.”
Marie’s smile bloomed. “Mama would like that.”
“I think so too.” Kate slipped her arm around Marie’s shoulder and hugged her to her side.