A Lady's Choice (19 page)

In the week since Alice had told Sarah about Roger's deception, she hadn't been able to confront him. She wanted to, but she had mixed feelings about the matter. As angry as she was that he had paid the Memphis group to sponsor her, she still was glad she had been given the opportunity.

Every night she had tossed and turned trying to decide what to do. Confront him or ignore the situation? Deciding hadn't been easy, but now she knew what she must do and couldn't put it off any longer.

She took a sip from her second cup of coffee and rose from the dining room table just as Dora appeared at the kitchen door. “Are you through with your breakfast, Miss Sarah?”

“I am, Dora. Thank you.”

Dora stacked Sarah's dishes and picked them up. “When are you leaving for headquarters?”

“I'm not sure. Mr. Thorne will be here any time now, but I'm not sure I'm going today.”

Dora's mouth dropped open, and she frowned. “You're not sick, are you?”

“No, it's nothing like that. I just may take the day off.”

Dora narrowed her eyes, and cast a suspicious look in Sarah's direction. “Are you sure you ain't sick? It's not like you to miss a day.”

“No, I'm not sick. I'm going in the parlor to wait for Mr. Thorne. I'll talk with you later.”

Dora backed toward the kitchen door, but she didn't take her eyes off Sarah. “I have to go to the market to pick up some things for Mrs. Simpson, but I won't be gone long. I'll check on you when I get back.”

“All right, Dora.”

Sarah walked to the parlor and sank down on the brocade sofa that faced the fireplace. She clasped her hands in her lap and waited for Roger. He should arrive any minute, for he was never late. As if she'd conjured him up, the door opened, and he walked into the house.

His eyes lit up when he spotted her on the sofa, and he eased down beside her. “Aren't you ready to go?”

Sarah nodded and let her gaze drift over him. Since they'd been in Washington, Roger had appeared to relax, and he'd acted happier and looked healthier than he had in months. Perhaps it was being away from the stress of his business in Memphis and the hours he'd spent on the golf course since arriving in Washington that had brought about the change. Whatever it was, he seemed to have benefited, and she hoped he didn't get too upset over what she was about to say.

She sat up straight on the sofa and cleared her throat. “I need to talk to you.”

He nodded. “All right.” Then he frowned and glanced around. “Where is Aunt Edna?”

“A friend picked her up early this morning. They're spending the day out at Mount Vernon.”

“Oh yes, I forgot.” He shifted on the sofa to face her. “I think I'd like to have a cup of coffee while we're talking. Is Dora in the kitchen?”

“She's getting ready to go the market, but I'll ask her to fix you some.”

He shrugged. “I'll get some at the golf course after I drop you at headquarters. Now what did you want to talk to me about?”

She took a deep breath. “I learned something last week that really upset me.” His eyes narrowed, but he didn't move as she told him what Marion had revealed to her. When she finished, she waited for him to say something, but he didn't move. “Aren't you going to explain yourself, Roger? Why did you lead me to believe the Memphis group wanted me to represent them when you had really bribed them to let me take someone else's place?”

He stood up, walked to the fireplace, and then turned to face her. His face was void of any emotion, and that frightened Sarah more than if she'd seen anger. He stared at her as if she were some insect he was studying under a microscope. “You disappoint me, Sarah. Surely you can't be stupid enough to believe an organization as large as our group would want to send a girl who's lived the pampered life you have.”

Sarah rose to her feet and bit down on her tongue to keep from giving a heated retort. Making him angry wasn't the answer. He needed to understand how betrayed she felt. “I wouldn't call my life pampered, Roger. I've lost both my parents, and I'm working so I can take care of my needs.”

He took a step toward her, and his mouth curled into a sneer. “Your needs are being very well taken care of, my dear. You've been furnished a place to live, given all your meals, and paid a salary too. I think that sounds rather pampered.”

“I understood I was given room and board as part of my salary.”

Roger threw back his head and laughed. “Do any of the other teachers get anything extra? Poor Christine didn't. She could barely make ends meet.”

Sarah closed her eyes for a moment to digest the things Roger had said. When she opened them, he was staring at her, one eyebrow cocked. “I suppose I am a foolish girl. I can see now I was given special treatment, and it makes me ashamed. The other teachers must hate me.”

Roger shrugged. “Who cares what they think? I'm sure they suspected your special treatment was because you're going to marry me.”

Sarah gasped and shook her head. “Roger, I have told you repeatedly I don't want to marry you. When are you going to believe me?”

His eyes narrowed, and he took a menacing step toward her. “And when are you going to understand you have no choice? I have given you a comfortable life, and I've arranged for you to get to do what you've dreamed about. You owe me, and I intend for you to repay your debt.”

She heard the words, but she couldn't believe what he was saying. Tears ran down her face, and she shook her head. “You have done some wonderful things for me, and I was naïve enough to think you did it out of friendship. Now I understand it was your way of manipulating me into marriage. But it's not going to work, Roger.” She took a deep breath and pulled herself up to her full height. “Now I think I must leave this house. I have money my parents left me, and I will repay you for every penny you've spent on me in the past year. I'm just sorry we have to part on such bad terms.”

She turned to leave the room, but he caught her by the arm and whirled her around to face him. “Where do you think you're going?”

“Upstairs to pack. Then I'm going to call a taxi to take me to Cameron House. Maybe Alice will let me stay there for a few days until I can find a place to live.”

His face turned pale, and he shook his head. “No, you can't leave. I'm sorry if I made you angry. I'll do anything if you'll just stay.”

“I can't stay, Roger. I'm sorry.” She pulled loose from his grip and strode to the staircase. She had just put her foot on the first step when he called out to her.

“Don't leave me, Sarah. You don't know what I've gone through trying to make you love me. Don't make me do it again.”

Sarah glanced back at him, and for a moment was almost persuaded to go to him. His shoulders drooped, and tears stood in his eyes. He reminded her of a little lost boy with nowhere to turn….

No. She couldn't let him manipulate her again. “I'm sorry, Roger. I'm leaving.”

She left him standing alone in the parlor as she rushed up the stairs and to her room. There was no need to pack all her clothes at the moment. She could take only what she needed and get one of the volunteers to come back with her later for the rest.

Her small valise sat in the corner of the room, and she grabbed it. Within minutes she had stuffed three dresses inside. She opened the top drawer of her dresser and pulled out a nightgown. She was just closing the bag when Roger's quiet voice interrupted her. “What do you think you're doing?”

She turned to face the door, and a shiver raced up her spine. He leaned against the doorjamb, his body filling the opening. He held a small object in his right hand, and he repeatedly flipped it in the air and caught it again.

Sarah's heart pounded like a drum at his imposing figure. “I'm packing. I told you I was leaving.”

Roger's cool stare bored into her and sent an icy surge through her veins. She stepped to the far side of her bed to put some distance between them. He flipped the object one more time and straightened before he walked closer. “You're not going anywhere, Sarah. Not until I say you can.”

Fear radiated through her, and she swallowed. “Roger, please. Let's not argue. I just want to go.”

He shook his head. “But you can't. I've done too much because of you.”

She frowned and shook her head. “I don't understand. What are you talking about?”

He sighed and stepped closer. “Oh Sarah, I thought you were the most beautiful child I'd ever seen, but I waited until you were eighteen before I let anyone know how much I cared for you. Aunt Edna said I should ask your father's permission to call on you. And I did. Right after you graduated from our school.”

Sarah's stomach roiled, and she wrapped her arms around her waist. “I—I didn't know. He never said anything.”

“I know. He didn't like the idea at all. Called me all kinds of names and accused me of having designs on you while you were a student at our school. He warned me to stay away from you or he would let other parents know they should watch their children around me. Well, you can imagine how upset I was.”

Sarah nodded in an attempt to appease him. “Yes. I wish I had known. I would have assured my father you'd never done anything except to encourage me in my studies.”

He smiled. “I knew you would understand. That's why I decided I had to get him out of the way.”

Sarah could do nothing but stare at him. No. No! It couldn't possibly be true. But as Roger flipped the object in his hand once more, she jammed her fist against her lips to keep from screaming as she recognized her father's lucky piece.

She stepped farther away and stopped when her back touched the wall. Her breath came in bursts, and she bent forward to relieve the pain in her chest. “Why?” she screamed.

He ambled closer and held out the coin. “I called him at work and asked him to meet me that night at his office so I could apologize. When I got there, he was waiting for me, but I hadn't come to apologize. I wanted him to know that I always get what I want, one way or the other. He was sitting at his desk, and I kept talking until I had maneuvered right behind him. Then I whipped out the small hammer I had hidden in my coat pocket, hit him in the head, and dumped him out the window before he recovered. He had been looking at that coin when I came in, and I took it. It really was quite easy.”

Sarah braced her back against the wall to keep from sliding to the floor. Roger's words ran through her mind like they were on a flashing sign. Then another thought struck her. She'd been right. The killer took a souvenir.

She pressed her back against the wall. “Christine? Not her too.”

Roger stepped closer until he stood in front of her. “When you left with your mother, I nearly died. I was so angry with you for leaving. I tried to forget you, but I couldn't.” His gaze raked her face, and he reached up to stroke her hair. “They were all blond, you know.”

“Who?” She flinched from his touch, but he leaned closer and kissed the top of her head.

He bent his head and whispered in her ear. “It was your fault I killed them. You left me, and now you're doing it again. I can't let you do that, Sarah.”

Sarah put her hands over her ears and shook her head. “I don't want to hear any more. You're sick, Roger. And I'll tell the police what you've done.”

He drew back and stared down at her. “No, you won't.”

Panic rose in Sarah as his facial expressions contorted into a mask of rage. She looked for an escape route, but he blocked her way. His lips curled downward, and his chest heaved. “It's that farmer, isn't it? You want to run back to him.”

Sarah forced her voice to speak. “No, it's not Alex. I just want to leave.”

Roger clamped a hand around her throat. The chain of her mother's locket dug into her neck. “You're not going anywhere.”

Her palm cracked across his face, and his grip loosened. His stunned expression reflected surprise at her action. “You're going to pay for what you did to my father and all those women.”

The words barely left Sarah's mouth before his fist crashed into her jaw. Her head reeled from the punch, and she fought to remain conscious. Her body sagged against the wall, but he caught her before she hit the floor.

Through a painful haze she saw Roger's fingers close around her locket, and the chain snapped. He hurled the necklace across the room, where it bounced off the wall.

“My locket!”

Roger's body shook with rage. “I'm sick of seeing you wear that cheap piece of jewelry.”

“It's all I have left of my parents. Give it to me!”

Roger's eyes burned with rage. “No!” He raised his hand again.

Sarah threw her hands in front of her face to deflect further blows, but Roger grabbed both of her hands with one of his and held them in a grip like a vise. With his free hand he slapped her repeatedly across the face.

Blood poured into her mouth, and she struggled to free herself from his hold. He pushed her toward the bed, his body pressed to her. The more she fought, the tighter his hands held her prisoner.

Between blows she screamed at him. “Roger, have you gone mad? Why are you doing this?”

Through her blurred vision, she looked into his crazed eyes. She toppled onto the bed, and he fell on her. “You're no better than the others.” His voice sounded like the snarl of a wild animal.

His weight pinned her to the bed, and understanding dawned on Sarah. She fought like a caged animal, kicking and screaming at the top of her lungs, as his free hand fumbled at the opening of her dress.

Roger abandoned his efforts with the unyielding buttons and grabbed the front of her dress. He muttered and yanked the material. A swishing sound split the air, and his head jerked toward the side. A choking sound escaped his lips.