Emerald Ecstasy (31 page)

Lianne sniffed. “Suppose I give you a daughter? After all, I've had two children, both girls. I see nothing wrong with daughters.”

“You shall give me the son I've always wanted.” He touched a long auburn curl. “If not, we shall make more children together. You were meant to bear children.”

She tossed her head. “Will all of them be bastards, Raoul?”

For the first time she noticed he looked shocked, an emotion which was hard to decipher on his face, because he always hid his emotions so very well. He considered her for a moment, then he stood up. She watched as he paced the flagstone floor, resembling a dark eagle in his black attire. Suddenly he halted in mid-step. His head had been bowed, but he lifted it in a leonine gesture.

“My son shall not be a bastard. I will see to it that he isn't.” With that remark he departed the room. When she heard the slamming of the front door, she knew he had left and didn't care. The morning sickness had taken its toll upon her, and she felt tired and totally drained. More than that, however, Lianne felt an acute depression every time she thought of Daniel's face the previous night. She wished to go to him, but knew it would be useless. How could she explain the truth to him when it was so preposterous?

Half an hour later, Josephine entered her room. “Felix would like to speak with you, madame, but I told him I didn't think you were up to it.”

Lianne roused herself. “Send him in. I feel a bit better.”

Josephine frowned at Lianne's pallor but motioned for Felix who waited in the hallway.

“Hello, Felix,” Lianne said and smiled when he entered the room.

Felix gazed around the elegantly furnished bedroom and the small, pale figure in the bed. He bowed.

“I'm sorry to disturb you,” he told her, “but I wish you to dress and come with me on an important matter.” He handed her a note to confirm the urgency of his visit.

As soon as Lianne looked at the note, she identified Daniel's handwriting. All it said was, “Go with Felix.” There was no signature, but she knew Daniel had written it. Two high spots of color stained her cheeks.

Lianne rose from the bed, oblivious of the thin gown she wore, and of Felix's attempts to keep his wayward eyes downcast.

“The man who gave you this note, was he tall and dark-haired?”

“
Sí
, but he wasn't a Mexican.”

“I'll dress and meet you outside.”

When Lianne had dressed in a watery green silk which highlighted her eyes, she met Felix outside and found he waited next to a plain enclosed carriage. When she entered it, her eyes widened in surprise to find Daniel inside.

Within seconds she was in his arms and he rained kisses over every inch of her face and neck.

“I'm sorry I was so cruel to you last night,” he said, holding her against him as if he were afraid she'd run away from him. “But Elena wrote to me and told me what you had confided in her.” His gray eyes glittered and gazed with love into hers. “I didn't believe any of it at first. To think that you were really alive and living as Raoul's mistress.” For a second his eyes darkened and frightened her, but then the cloud passed and he smiled down at her. “I love you, Lianne. I always will. I want you to leave with me and return to Green Meadows.”

“Oh, Daniel,” she gasped and grew breathless. This was what she yearned for. She couldn't believe he was really beside her. “I love you too, my darling.”

He bent his dark head and branded her lips with a kiss which shook her very soul. She was blissfully unaware that the carriage had finally stopped. When he helped her out, she realized they were in front of the Academy of San Carlos, the renowned school of painting.

“What are we doing here?” she inquired as he led her through a courtyard, surrounded by balustrades made of Biscay iron and ornamented with bronze and between Ionic columns where shafts of warm sunlight slanted and touched their faces.

His eyes blazed into hers, and he flashed a smile, but still he didn't answer. He propelled her along with a firm grip on her elbow. They passed large, well-lit rooms where she noticed young people, Indians sitting among the sons of the wealthy men of Mexico, drawing from live models. Lianne quickly noticed that many of the sketches were superb, but she had no time to observe further. Daniel kept up his pace, and just as they ascended some stairs, Daniel stopped short.

Lianne barely stopped in time to see a man approaching, a very handsome man in his middle thirties who wore a gold suit, embroidered in brown at the cuffs. A red cape was thrown across his shoulders. For all his bright clothing, she couldn't help but notice the dreamy faraway look in his eyes.

“Ah,
amigo
,” he said to Daniel. “This is the young lady you spoke to me about this morning.”

“This is my friend Manuel Tolsa, the director of the academy,” Daniel introduced him to Lianne.

Manuel took Lianne's hand and kissed it warmly. “She is indeed beautiful, Daniel. I hope she'll be safe here with you.”

“
Gracias, amigo.
Without your help…”

Manuel held up his hand. “Don't thank me, but I advise you to be careful.” He smiled and left them on the staircase while he descended the stairs.

“What is all this about?” Lianne asked.

“Come along.” He led her up more stairs until they were on the top floor. Pigeons cooed right above them, and Lianne heard the rustling of their wings as Daniel stopped beside a door. He opened it and Lianne gasped to see a garret room with large windows which slanted at an angle and gave her an unimpeded view of the blue sky above them. In the corner of the room was a bed and on the other wall was a table with two chairs and a chest with a mirror attached.

“No one will find you here, sweetheart. You won't have to worry about de Lovis. He'd never think of looking for you here.” He turned her in his arms and planted a kiss on her surprised face.

“You're crazy, do you know that?”

“Hmm,” he said and nibbled on her ear. “I'm crazy about you.”

“I've missed you so much!” she said, and if he hadn't known of her love for him before this, he heard it in the intensity of her tone. “Raoul arranged everything, and I couldn't fight him, and I didn't…”

He halted her with a gentle kiss. “Let's not talk about him. When the time is right, I'll take you to Green Meadows, but for now I need to know you're safe until I make arrangements. Felix will let me know every move Raoul makes.”

“Daniel, I'm frightened. Raoul will kill you if he discovers what you've done.”

“I can take care of myself. I didn't always just paint, Lianne. You forget I have wild Irish blood in me and I've fought my share of duels over women I didn't care anything about. But I love you. As of this day, you're free of Raoul de Lovis.”

She clung to him and wished to believe that, but she found it hard to think as Daniel did when she carried Raoul's child.

His fingers traced her lips to be replaced by the fire of his mouth. Lianne moaned against him, melting into the realm of ecstasy only Daniel could evoke. She wanted him with a fierce sweet desire, but she drew away in time to remember that she carried another man's child.

“What's wrong?”

His question caused her to jump though she had expected it. She shook her head. “Nothing. I'm overwhelmed.”

Daniel laughed and scooped her into the circle of his arms again. Her gaze drifted up to his face, and she greedily drank in the startling gray eyes filled with desire for her, the sensuous mouth which was turned slightly upward and revealed the flash of white teeth against the bronze of his skin. She felt his arms tighten around her, drawing her closer to him than she was already, and she knew that if she didn't put a stop to this soon she'd fall into bed with him. She mentally chastised herself for her weakness. She must be strong and pull away, must play the game Raoul had started. Daniel's safety was more important to her than stolen moments in his arms.

Something in her face caused Daniel's smile to wane. He realized something bothered her, and he hated to ask her, because he feared that de Lovis had taken her from him.

“You can tell me what's on your mind, Lianne. I won't bite you.”

She shivered in his arms but gently pulled away from him. “Our love can never be, Daniel. I'm pregnant with Raoul's child.”

He stared at her in disbelief. He hadn't expected this and didn't want her to know how the news pained him. But he still loved her and was determined to bring her home with him. “The child changes nothing. We'll raise the baby with Désirée.”

“A baby changes everything, Daniel! In time when you looked at it, you'd see Raoul. The child will be a constant reminder of him. And how do you think we'll raise his child at Green Meadows? He'd kill both of us to have it back.” She shook her head. “Too much is at stake. I can't risk your life, mine or anyone else's. You have no idea how maniacal Raoul can be when provoked.” She didn't know what to expect from him when the slate gray eyes darkened.

Grabbing her arms, he held her to the spot. “If you loved me, none of this would matter. You'd come with me. Why don't we go to Raoul now and explain to him that you're leaving him? I know you love me, Lianne. I see it in your eyes.”

“No!” Her shout was higher pitched than she intended. Somehow she must make Daniel see reason and understand that she belonged to Raoul, no matter how unwillingly. She carried the man's baby and had no doubt that if Daniel did as he threatened, he wouldn't live to see the sunset. Though Raoul wouldn't do the deed himself, he'd have someone else end Daniel's life.

There was an alternative and she must appear convincing.

“I love you, Daniel, believe me when I say that, but I won't return home with you and it isn't only out of fear. I belong with Raoul de Lovis. You forget he's a wealthy and powerful man, much richer than you could ever hope to be. He buys me the most expensive clothes, jewels, and has made me into one of Mexico's leading sopranos. I was born into wealth, married into it, and I admit I've missed the luxuries money can buy. Your paintings, your plantation can't give me what Raoul has. How am I to become your wife and stagnate at Green Meadows when Raoul has laid Mexico City at my feet? I must think of the child I carry. You can't offer it what he can.”

His face looked blacker than a night sky. She saw he attempted to control himself though a muscle twitched in his jaw. Suddenly he seemed taller and loomed over her like a huge falcon, but the explosion she expected didn't come. “Have you forgotten our child?” he asked in a gravelly voice.

She hadn't forgotten Désirée or the many nights she had cried herself to sleep from loneliness for her daughter. However, to save Daniel she must forfeit the little girl, and she made a quick, silent prayer to heaven that Daniel would believe her lie.

“I don't want to raise Désirée with Raoul's child. She is better off with you and your mother than with me. There's a very good chance that Raoul will secure a divorce from Elena. I want to be the wife of the richest man in Mexico.”

He growled and pushed her away as if she were a plague victim. Was this the same woman who minutes ago had melted into his arms, claiming she loved him? What had happened to change her, or was it all an act? He didn't know, but he knew she didn't wish to stay with him. Raoul had changed Lianne. He saw the flicker of fear in her eyes that he wouldn't allow her to leave, a fear he decided she didn't wish him to see. So, for the moment he intended to play the game and give her peace of mind.

“Felix will drive you home,” he said harshly.

She waited a long moment, tears building in her eyes. Then she turned and fled out the door, and she was two floors down before he stopped hearing the click of her heels on the stone floor.

Daniel stood transfixed, staring at the empty doorway. He knew she loved him and that she acted the part of greedy whore to keep him safe. But determination rose within him to free her from Raoul's hold, from the bondage enforced upon her.

“Damn you, Raoul de Lovis!” His voice bellowed and echoed in the attic room.

“No divorce! No divorce!” Elena mouthed, anger exploding within her. How dare Raoul come to her home and tell her such a thing! By God's law she was his true wife, the mother of his daughter. Never in her wildest imaginings had she been prepared for this. She didn't think Raoul would go so far as to want a divorce to marry his unwilling mistress.

He appeared unconcerned by her outburst, not the least disturbed by the fire in her eyes. Sitting on the straight-backed chair next to the dining table, he casually peeled an orange, popping the juicy sections into his mouth one at a time like a man who expects his wishes to be granted and is waiting for the tirade to cease. The glittering dark eye didn't even watch her. This nonchalant attitude infuriated Elena more.

“You seem to forget that my father was Carlos Mendoza, the richest man in Mexico. I am not one of your women to be bought off. My fortune made you what you are today.”