Master Of Paradise (37 page)

She moaned at his entrance and wrapped her legs about his back.

He clasped his hands behind her waist to support her back, and whirled her round and round.

The intensity of her climax made her collapse against him, and he went to his knees in the grass and cradled her until she had the strength to move.

Together they went into the fountain, and he cupped the water and lifted it to refresh her heated body. Suddenly the moon came out to silver the water and trace its light across her silken limbs.

The sight of her sent desire flaming through him, and he lifted her from the fountain and tumbled her beneath him. She felt the grassy earth at her back and the hard, flat muscles of his belly pressed against her, and it was a deliciously long, slow loving to bring her to climax again.

"My God, no! I feel guilty enough about you, Mandy. I've shamelessly seduced you, totally disregarding your tender years, but I won't allow you to have my child for a long time yet. Besides, there's a war on. God knows what our future holds. It would be totally irresponsible of me to get you with child."

He sat on the edge of the fountain and helped her to dress. He kissed her ear and whispered, "I brought you a present from England. You'll find it under your pillow. It's doubly precious now it's been smuggled through the blockade."

Amanda smiled a dreamy, secret smile into the shadowy darkness. She knew the present she wanted. She also knew what Nicholas said about a child was perfectly logical, and yet... and yet...

Chapter Nineteen

Brandon's departure for Virginia was a wrenching experience for family and slaves alike. He rode off so eagerly with his body servant, Jim, beside him, that it brought tears to almost every eye.

Amanda patted Mammy Lou to comfort her. "We need our spirits lifting. Why don't we give Jennifer an engagement party before Beau has to leave for Virginia?"

Nicholas seconded her. "I think that's a good idea. Decide when it's to be and I'll carry the invitations today to your father, and to Beau at his headquarters in Charleston."

Amanda was dismayed. "You're going back to Charleston today?"

"Honey, I must sell my cargo; it's entirely made up of military supplies. Probably your father will take it. I also have to find Rafe. He should be back, but he may have made port elsewhere to avoid the patrols. I promise to be back by Thursday."

"Then we'll plan the party for Friday. Bring Daddy and Beau back with you."

Jennifer agreed happily. They would invite the whole county and it would make her engagement official. "A party will dispel all the gloom and worry of the silly old war."

Porter was duly dispatched to all the plantations with the invitations and told to wait for an answer at each house.

Amanda wanted everything to be special for Jennifer, especially since it was her first opportunity to be a real hostess at Paradise.

She and Philip became instant friends. He found he could talk to her about his innermost feelings without fear of embarrassment. She was a good listener, and when they were together she gave him her undivided attention.

He found himself telling her all about what happened to Nicholas when his father had died, how he had been turned out without a penny, and how he had miraculously returned when Philip needed his help so desperately.

Amanda promised Philip would be surrounded by admiring Southern belles at the coming party, but he doubted he would meet anyone who would capture his heart the way that she had.

Charleston was overflowing with attachés of the army. Military headquarters were at a hotel, and though the streets were merely busy during the daylight hours, at night disorder reigned. Drunken rows and fights broke out nightly, ribald songs and disgusting profanity kept the citizens awake, and the plethora of uniforms attracted an increasing number of prostitutes.

When Nicholas did not return on Thursday as promised, Jennifer began to panic. However, they arrived on the paddle-wheeler early Friday afternoon, in high good humor. Beau had brought a roulette wheel for what he called 'The Gambling Hall of Paradise', and the men spent two hours setting the thing up so it was perfectly balanced.

Jennifer was piqued at their tardiness. She'd had visions of the neighboring plantation owners arriving and finding an engagement party without a prospective bridegroom. She was angered further when Beau began drinking bourbon in the early afternoon. When her voice became shrill and petulant, Mandy tried to distract her.

"Let's go up and you can show me what you're wearing tonight."

Jennifer allowed herself to be persuaded. "It will make the Caldwell girls pea-green with envy. It's a dress I got before we went into that horrid black mourning. It's deep rose color with little silver beads sewn all over. The skirt has just yards and yards. What are you wearing, Mandy?"

It was the final straw that ruined Jennifer's day. She deliberately sought out her father who was relaxing on the verandah with Nicholas and Philip.

Bernard explained, "Atlanta has been chosen as the chief depot for collecting food and supplies for the army because its railroads link north, south, east, and west."

"Then no matter which port we reach from Wilmington to Savannah, it would be best to ship the cargo directly to Atlanta?" Nick asked.

Bernard nodded. "It's going to be a manufacturing center for pistols, rifles, and cannon. Next trip you make to England, we need designers smuggled through the blockade to set up the machinery to manufacture these guns."

Philip shook his head. "I can't understand why Britain has declared neutrality when their interests lie with the South. Why doesn't Britain smash the blockade to get the cotton it needs?"

Nicholas explained. "If they did that, the North would cut off wheat supplies to Britain and she'd starve to death."

Bernard shook his head. "The South, I'm afraid, placed too much trust in help from Britain. They cannot support us openly."

Jennifer thought she saw an opening in the conversation. "Daddy, what would you do if you placed your trust in someone and he betrayed that trust?" she asked innocently.

Bernard frowned. He knew Jenny was hinting around at some indiscretion and his mind immediately jumped to Brandon. He cleared his throat and laughed. "Well, I suppose I'd consider all the circumstances and try not to be too judgmental."

Nicholas narrowed his eyes in warning to Jennifer, but she ignored him and persisted. "But if this person had promised you something, under oath, then the minute your back was turned he deliberately deceived you?"

Beau Hampden sauntered in and helped himself to another bourbon. "Ah'd like permission to take my fiance for a stroll in the gardens before our guests begin to arrive."

Bernard replied, "By all means you young 'uns go and have a few minutes to yourselves. I'd better go up and change. Doc Caldwell has a habit of arriving at least two hours before everyone else.

Jennifer gave an impatient sigh, but she was determined the moment of truth was only postponed.

Nicholas followed Bernard up the curving staircase to his bedroom. "Bernard, I've something to say that you may totally oppose, but I must say it." He plunged on. "War changes all the rules. None of us knows how much time he has left. I'm deeply in love with Amanda, and I won't wait longer. I want my wife sharing the master bedroom with me where she belongs." He wasn't asking Bernard's permission, he was merely informing him of what was to be.

After a few moments of thought, Bernard nodded his understanding.

Joy and elation lifted Nick's spirits high, and he went downstairs to set his house in order.

Jennifer came rushing indoors. "Daddy was right. Dr. and Mrs. Caldwell just drove up, and I'll die if Romeda an' Lorena see I'm not dressed for the party yet."

Amanda soothed her. "Don't fly into a panic. Mammy here will help you.. Lady Pamela, would you like Fanny to help you dress? Philip, would you be a darling and help Beau entertain our guests until we're ready?"

Just as the Caldwells came in the front door, Nicholas spoke in his deep voice of authority. "Lou, before you help Jennifer, would you see that Amanda's things are changed over from her bedroom in the East wing? Mrs. Peacock will be sharing my room from now on." He gave Jennifer a mocking bow and stretched out a warm hand to welcome the Caldwells.

A hush fell over the room. Amanda looked from Nicholas to Philip, to the Caldwells, to Lady Pamela, and finally to Mammy Lou. Everyone in the room was staring at her. She blushed scarlet and fled upstairs with Mammy following as quickly as she could manage.

Mandy wished the earth would open up and swallow her. She was on the verge of tears.
Whatever prompted Nicholas to act as he did? God Almighty, what will happen when Father learns of it? Great balls of fire, how the Caldwells had gaped open-mouthed. And Mammy Lou--
Amanda paled as she imagined what she would have to say to it all!

She turned and realized with a start that Mammy had half emptied her wardrobe and was taking her dresses to Nicholas's bedroom. She lifted her skirts and hurried to the master bedchamber.

What she saw was unbelievable. There stood Nicholas making room in his wardrobe for her things, while Mammy hung up her dresses. Amanda slammed the door shut. Her tears of embarrassment had turned to anger and her temper mounted dangerously.

"How dare you?" She was panting with seething indignation.

Nicholas was surprised and slightly amused at her reaction. "Honeysuckle you know this is long overdue."

"How dare you tell Mammy to put my things in here without consulting me? You arrogant, high-handed bast..." she cut off the word at his dangerous look. "Oh, men are such devils. Take my things back at once, Mammy."

"Well," Mandy said with icy control, "it isn't going to go on in this bed, between this man and woman." She swooped up her dresses and sailed from the room. She bumped into her father and swept past him without so much as an 'excuse me'.

Bernard chuckled when he saw Nicholas's tight-lipped frustration. "I see little madam still has a mind of her own. I don't think I need worry about her any longer. She's more than a match for you."

Earlier in the day, the furniture in the three main rooms on the lower level had been arranged around the walls to make room for dancing, while the long dining table had been placed against one wall for the buffet supper. The guests could take their refreshments to the tiled patio, the long, sweeping verandahs, or into the many arbors in the flower-shaded gardens.

Though Jennifer had been robbed of her weapon to wound Nicholas and Amanda, she pretended to be the happiest and luckiest female in the South. She was somewhat mollified at the envy of Blanche Davis and Laurel Beverly, and indeed Beau was just about the handsomest young man in the room in his dashing cavalry uniform. But the men kept clustering together to discuss the war, and it was almost hard work to persuade them to dance and forget their cares.

Amanda stubbornly stayed in her room until the hour grew late. Finally Mammy Lou came in to put an end to her nonsense.

"Chile, der ain't no use fussin' over what Masta Nick done. Ah wondered when yo' was gonna wake up an' realize yo' was a woman. If yo' got any brains at all, yo' gonna git dressed an' git downstairs, an' let all dem females know he yores. Der ain't one dat ain't got it bad for Masta Nick, an' dat includes Jennifer Joy an' dat Lady Pamela."

Amanda raised her eyes to Mammy's. "Help me dress. Hurry!"

Mandy caused quite a stir as she descended the curved staircase. She wondered if it was due to her tardy entrance, or her diamonds that caught the light with glittering brilliance.

Actually, it was neither. It was that seemingly overnight Amanda had been transformed from a young girl into a seductive woman with an aura of mystery about her slanting, golden eyes.

Nicholas, who was across the room doing his duty as host, chose to ignore her.

A secret smile curved her lips and her dimples appeared.

Philip held out his hand to assist her from the bottom step. "I'd willingly forfeit claim to my title if that smile were for me."

She examined him closely. He was so different from his brother. Philip was extremely tall and slender with fair hair and light complexion, and yet the aqua eyes told her they were brothers.

He danced divinely, and she promised to take supper with him. Clay Hampden danced with her next. "Mandy, you've changed so much, ah can't hardly believe it's you." Though they were the same age, she had become a woman, while Clay was still just a boy.

Clay was in a sullen mood because Beau and his father Wade were off to war, while he had been forbidden.