Authors: Kitty Margo
“Very well. Lynna, please excuse me.” As he walked away, Joshua turned to give her a sly wink and promise. “I shall return
as quickly as possible
. Keep a dance open for me.”
Lynna watched at Joshua followed Samuel into the parlor and the door swiftly closed behind him.
Malinda came rushing to her side. “Come
,
Lynna, while the men are cloistered in the parlor
, let us
try the mint julep.”
Feeling adventurous, Lynna followed Malinda to the punch bowl and accepted a cup of the mint beverage, which was, surprisingly, quite tasty. While they were sipping the sweet concoction
,
Malinda pointed out the man of her dreams
,
and judging from his puppy dog eyes
,
he held no slight infatuation for her as well. They covered their mouths with dainty, hand painted fans and giggled about the thrilling exhilaration of new love. Unable to control her racing thoughts a moment longer
,
Lynna whispered behind her fan, “Malinda,
I am
almost positive your brother is about to ask me to become his wife.”
Malinda gasped, nodded her head once, and opened her mouth to speak, but then thought better of it and grabbed Lynna’s hand instead.
She knew! Malinda already knew Joshua was going to propose.
Was his entire family aware of it as well
? They moved
to stand on the balcony with Mary, Judith
,
and Patricia. Malinda stood at an angle to keep the object of her affections always within sight and
was in deep concentration,
wonder
ing
how long it would take him to work up the courage to ask her to dance.
“What is taking the men so long in there?”
Lynna wished for Joshua to hurry with his discussion of politics, secession, war, or whatever the men were discussing at the moment, so she could twirl around the dance floor
on his arm
.
“Where did
the
y
run off to?” Patricia asked.
“And where on earth is Suzanne?” Mary posed the question. “Has my darling daughter even came downstairs yet
,
or is she still primping?”
“I hope s
he is
feeling better,”
Patricia
said sympathetically.
“There she is.” Malinda frowned
, noticing the smug smile on Suzanne’s face and not liking it one whit.
Suzanne exited the parlor in the
extremely low cut, pink satin
ball gown
,
with diamonds dripping from her ears, neck, an
d both wrists and with a triumphant
smile on her face. Joshua followed close behind with a look of stark rage marring his handsome features. He sent Lynna a forlorn look as Suzanne clutched his arm possessively and followed eagerly behind her father. Samuel and Daniel followed, Samuel pushing Jeremiah’s chair.
What could this mean? Why was Suzanne so jubilant she was almost floating across the room?
Once Suzanne and the men had made it through the throng to the bandstand, Silas immediately made his way to the band and motioned for them to stop playing. Silas climbed the two steps to the stage and cleared his throat. “Ladies and gentleman
,
I am
glad you could be here tonight to share in our joy. I have an announcement to make,” he said, drawing everyone’s rapt attention and speaking loud enough for those in the back of the room to hear. “Tonight, I would like to announce the engagement and approaching marriage of my daughter Suzanne Nicolette Fletcher to Captain Joshua
J
ordan.”
Loud whoops and whistles arose from the crowd to deafening applause as the band struck up a merry tune.
Although, some of the guests looked toward Lynna with a puzzled frown, since she was the one who had been on Joshua’s arm for most of the day.
Applause and shouts of congratulations echoed from well-wishers. “You finally fell in love didn’t you, Joshua?
It’s
about time you settled down and raised a family! After all these years
,
a little lady finally came along
that was impossible to resist! I knew someone would eventually tame the rogue!”
Malinda was immediately by Lynna’s side and Lynna heard her softly
whisper, “Oh my God, Joshua!
What have you done?”
But this
could not
really be happening! There must be some mistake! But there wasn’t. She knew this when she stared into Suzanne’s gloating face. Aunt Judith rushed to take Lynna in her arms as Malinda went to her mother’s side. She saw
a stunned
Patricia lean against her
furious daughter for support.
Lynna lifted her skirts and raced up the stairs, pray
ing
with each step for the ground to open up and swallow her.
When Joshua could e
xtricate himself from the crowd and Suzanne’s clutches
without making a scene, he silently crept up the stairs. His hands trembled as he opened the door to Lynna’s room and found her wrapped in her aunt’s arms
,
weeping pitifully. It was a sound that tore at his heart and made him hate his new fiancé with a renewed vengeance. He yearned to hold Lynna and console her, assure her
that
it was all a horrible misunderstanding. But he
could not
, for it was not a misunderstanding. It was a mistake of his own doing, and one he
would
be forced to pay penance for the remainder of his insufferable life.
He
had caused her so much pain. She had
known nothing but abuse and suffering from the hands of men
, such as himself,
since the day she left France. “Lynna?”
She
did not
realize
he had
entered the room, so overcome by her feelings of pain and betrayal. When she glanced up
,
she quickly buried her head in her aunt’s shoulder, unable to look him in the eyes and l
et him see how profound her hurt
was. He must never know the agony that his and Suzanne’s treachery had caused her. She
would
hate him until the day she died for leading her to believe he loved her and wanted to marry her, when
he had
only been toying with her affections, while scheming and making wedding plans with Suzanne behind her back. She had never felt or looked
more
li
ke such a consummate fool
, nor had she ever hated anyone as she hated Joshua at that moment. “Please, Joshua. I wish to be left alone.”
“Judith, would you mind if I have
a private word with Lynna? Please?
There are some things I must… explain.
”
“
Can
you
not
leave her alone, Captain J
ordan, as she requested? Have
you
not
caused her enough pain already?” Judith felt the urge to strip the expensive silk from Lynna’s back and throw it in his handsome face.
“Please
,
Judith? I beg of you. I must try to explain all that has transpired tonight to
Lynna. I owe her
that much
.”
Conceding, Judith left the room, but not before giving him a look that told him what she, being a lady, could not.
Joshua
didn’t
know where to begin. Everything had
changed in a split second. Everything,
except his feelings for Lynna. They were stronger than ever. Had his father not been in the parlor, expecting his son to accept his responsibility and do what was right, he might have refused the demands of Silas and his sons entirely. But he could never embarrass his father, a man who
had
raised his son to be honorable in all matters, even if it hurt. But he needed to hold Lynna in his arms one last time before he lost her forever. Moving toward her
,
he attempted to do just that, but she pu
lled away from his touch as though it
had
scalded her.
“Do
not
dare touch me!”
“Please, listen to me
,
Lynna.
Do not
fo
r one second believe I have any desire to marry Suzanne. I am
being forced into it against my will!”
“Forced by your greed! You chose Suzanne over me because I live in a small cottage behind her huge plantation house, and my aunt and I work for our wages. Have you perhaps forgotten who my father is, Joshua?”
Her words were like a slap in the face, making him understand some of what she must be feeling. His hands bit into her shoulders. “Is that what you think? That I chose to marry Suzanne for her money? Why, you little fool!
I am
not seeking her money. You should know I have more than enough of own. And yes, I recall who your father is. If it was money I was after
,
don’t you think I would have jumped at the chance when you asked to me
to
marry you while onboard my ship?”
“Then why?” Her pain was mirrored in her glistening eyes. “Why, Joshua?”
He went to stand at the open balcony door, staring out at the bench under the tree where they had sat that morning, remembering her gay laughter. “She is carrying my child. I have to marry her. Just as I would have married you had you been with child.”
“Are you certain?” Lynna cried, grasping for any sliver of hope. “Perhaps s
he is
mistaken, as I was. Perhaps her…flow...is only late, as mine was.”
“Lynna!” his tone was final. “Her father assures me it is so.”
Suzanne? Carrying Joshua’s child? How could he allow this
to
happen, knowing full well the consequences of his dalliance with the insatiable Suzanne? Lynna wondered if he had any idea what a dismal future lay ahead of him being bound to her, then decided that
they
deserved each other. Leaving
her
to bear the brunt of suffering for their indiscretions. It was too much. She
could not
bear to be in his presence another second. “Joshua, please! Leave my sight!” she cried, throwing herself on
the bed as pitiful sobs shook her
.
Hearing her
pitiful
cries
,
Judith rushed into the room. Joshua opened his mouth to speak, before realizing there was nothing more to be said. No way to ease Lynna’s pain or his guilt for causing it. He left the woman he loved to join in the celebration with the woman he loathed. True, Lynna was miserable, but no more so than he would be with Suzanne tied like a ball and chain around his neck
for the rest of his life
. He went in search of a bottle of whiskey, knowing a bottle of spirits would be his dearest companion for many years to come.
Late in the night when the celebration had ended, Lynna’s tears had finally slowed and she lay snuggled against her aunt. “Thank you for understanding that I must go away, Aunt Judith.”
“Of course I understand, darling. And I agree.
There is
no reason for you to return to Magnolia House for the…”
She had
almost said wedding. “Your
A
unt Gypsie will be thrilled
that
you finally decided to visit her in Charleston for a while.”
Theirs was a tearful farewell, but Lynna knew how difficult it was to leave someone you loved behind. She wanted nothing more than to go home with Aunt Judith to their little cottage and close out the world around them, sequestered from any and all outsiders. But that would be impossible. Magnolia House would be a beehive of activity
with
planning
for
Suzanne’s
upcoming
nuptials
and lavish reception
.