Napoleon's Gift (23 page)

I frowned.

I had not destined to be this way with him ever again!

  Just one
stroke from him, and I appeared to misplace my wits.

Why Geneviève why?

I screamed at myself, but it was to no avail.

      He looked down on me, and I turned my face away from him. He put his finger under my chin, turned my face back, then brushed the tears away with his thumb.

“
I love ye greater than my existence. I have nothing without ye Ginnybean.” He whispered, and I could see it clearly in those beautiful blue eyes of his.

Nevertheless,
did that denote that I could have confidence in him, to in no way break my heart again?

I
could not help the sob; he sat up, pulled me into his lap wrapping his arms around me and held me while I cried.

     When my tears were spent
, he pulled me to my feet, and we both re-dressed. We gazed at each other for several moments, his eyes beseeching me, and I was overflowing with an assortment of sentiment, anxiety, resentment and remorse.

Yet the
most impassioned of these was love.

I
immediately sprinted from him towards my home, with him yelling my name.

I
discerned that I would by no means be the equivalent no matter what I endeavored, no matter that I was a near innocent only months ago, in no way again the same.

If anything, I could
ultimately say, that I was a true woman now.

Chapter Nine…

Rouge Oiseau…

Plantation…

“Ye do realize he’s in town right?”

The constable asked Charles as he took a seat, and Muncie handed him his afternoon tea.

“Yes I do. However, I do not know why.” Charles returned, gave Jeffries a look, then motioned for him to sit down.

“And have ye heard the news, I daresay he cannot be trusted. The paper is reporting he drew two Dragoon revolvers and emptied them into the crowd before dashing away. Three members of the crowd were killed outright, two died of their wounds
later, and five were wounded to the point, that they shall always remember him. I cannot at all fathom why ye would want this Charles. They have no respect for people like me, and I daresay this shall be the end of us, if either one of them disapproves of something.”

“Ye worry over nothing, Cole and I have an
arrangement. Declan is loyal to me, so I observe no foreseeable difficulty. The profits are divided equal ways, and he is to be on his way.” Charles countered, and Jeffries frowned.

“And ye truly believe that?”

“Yes I do, as well, I am eager to see him, mayhap, he can solve my conundrum.” Charles stated frowning, and Jeffries gasped.

“Surly, ye would
not set the lot of them on him?” The constable cried, and Charles grinned evilly.

“And why shall I not? Would serve the both of them right, for attempting to make a fool of me!
Not to mention, can ye imagine his worth now. His father’s monies, as well as Tobias’? Moreover, here I sit, forced to inline myself with robbery, thievery, and corruption, just to keep this plantation afloat. No, if it is what he wants, then Cole may have at him.” Charles grinned, and Jeffries swallowed hard.

Would he be next, i
f Charles saw fit?

He would somehow
have to warn Waverly. He had never signed on to murder anyone.

He instantly thought of Nedrick
Hayward, the Pinkerton.

He would have to inform
Hayward now for sure.

“Then I must take my leave, we shall both need alibis, and I daresay Cole will have one of his own. I believe it is the way of the Younger.” Jeffries stated, nodded to Charles, then exited the parlor.

Charles frowned at the doorway.

He would have to keep an eye on Jeffries.

He was a coward, and could impair the entire operation.
 

He would need to speak to
Cantor now.
He thought, snatched up his topcoat, then hurried from the room.

Haven

Plantation…

Two days later as I sat watching the sun go down, I contemplated Benjamin.

A girl could do much worse, colored or otherwise.

I had shunned him these last two days, because my thoughts of him were so jumbled. Claudette still refused to speak to me, and I could not say that I truly held her responsible for it either. However, I was completely regretful, that I had given her the impression that I was in love with her as well. I loved her to a great extent, in spite of this, it was not similar to what I felt for Benjamin. I was profoundly repentant, that I had given her the notion that I loved her as such.

As
preposterous as it seemed, Benjamin was the only fixation on my mind of late. So much so, that I ceased to imagine anything else, or the happenings around me. Ms. Millie came by yesterday with supper, but my stomach refused it, because it seemed my heart over ruled it, convincing it that the heart needs no food but love.

I
considered with a slight smile, sighed, then frowned as I deliberated on our tryst.

How would I keep that from happening again?

I loved him, and as frenetic as I felt I was, I craved his touch. Just the very thought of him never being intimate with me again, granted my heart cause to pause, however I was greatly conflicted between what I identified as right, what my heart sought after, and what my head convey to me that I could never have faith in.

I sighed again, then frowned as I saw
Isaiah walking towards the house with another basket of flowers, this time with a box of sweet treats. I rolled my eyes, then got up to open the door.

I frowned up at him, then bit my lip to keep from laughing at the expression on his face.

“Now Ginny, just take note before you close the door in my face.” He said, I sighed for what seemed like the 200
th
time, then nodded.

He retrieved the note, then gave me a sheepish grin, and I had to laugh as he handed me the treats and the flowers.

He cleared his throat, then spoke.

“I wake
overflowing with contemplations of you. Your image and the intoxicating evening, which we exhausted two days ago, and deliberations of you that very next afternoon, have left my senses in turmoil. Sweet, incomparable Geneviève, what a strange effect you have on my heart! Are you cross? Do I glimpse you seemingly cheerless? Are you anxious? My soul aches with regret, and there can be no rest for me, as long as I perceive your despondency. You have touched me more profoundly than I thought; even you could have touched me. My heart was full of you. Henceforward I am yours for everything.

“Promises not to love you” ah Geneviève, it is past promising, but shall attribute all concessions to the proper motive, and never cease to feel all that you have already witnessed, and more than can ever be known but to my own heart.

Perhaps to yours.

Is there anything on earth or heaven that would have made me so happy as to have made you mine long ago? Not less now than then, but more than ever at this time. I would with pleasure give up all here and all beyond the grave for you. In refraining from this, must my motives be misunderstood? I care not who knows this, what use is made of it, it is you and to you only that
I owe myself. I was and am yours, freely and most entirely, to obey, to honor, love, and fly with you when, where, and how you yourself might and may determine.

Eternally,

Benjamin.

I blinked back the tears, and all that I felt from that night long ago,
appeared to depart me in the breath, which expelled. If ever I had heeded a truer request for clemency, I would not have confidence in it.

He loved me, why should I not
acknowledge it and him.

I had loved him for what seemed a thousand years.

I took the handkerchief Isaiah administered my way, then laughed as he grinned wiggling his eyebrows while I dabbed at my eyes.

“If
chér
is interested, he is in the south gardens. He does not appear to discern what to do with himself of late. Nevertheless, I imagine, you can mend that.” He grinned, then nodded towards the house. I laughed again, then kissed his cheek, placed the treats and flowers in the house, then timorously walked towards the big house.

Big

House…

As I entered the south garden
s, I saw him seated in one of the high backed wooden chairs, with his head in his hands. He heard the crunch of leaves under my feet, looked up, then gasped.

“Ginny?” He whispered, as if he
did not truly believe that I was standing there. He had the expression on his face, as if he believed I was an apparition, which would wilt away any moment now.

“Yes?” I whispered back, he surged to his feet, then rushed to me gathering me in a tight embrace.

“Please know all that I have pledged is true.” He swore, his embrace tightening.

“I know, for I have loved you for
what seems like a thousand years.” I swore back, and he drew away from me to look at my face. The smile he gave me nearly stopped my heart.

“Come, let me
demonstrate it.” He said, then tugged me towards the house.

As we entered the parlor, the breath left me in an audible whoosh. There before us was Reverend Brant smiling.

“Benny…” I tried, but he shook his head.

“No, not a word Geneviève. Ye swore ye loved me.”

“I do but…”

“Then we shall have no buts. Reverend, ye may proceed.”
Benjamin commanded, and Reverend Brant smiled again, opened his bible, then commenced to marry us.

Secretly, my heart zipped through the air, did a somersault, then slammed back into my chest from elation.

When Reverend Brant finished, we both looked at each other, and I could not help the laughter. Benjamin joined me, then picked me up, spinning me around the room.

I was surprised, when he
drew me into the dinning area, and Ms. Millie, Isaiah, Abel, Mrs. Clarette, his friend Bartholomew, and Mary where all there cheering. It was then I noticed the wedding cake, and looked up at him astounded.

“And what if I had said no Benny?” I wailed, and he gave me a sheepish grin.

“I would have stimulated ye to tears, then played on yer compassion for me.” He grinned, and the entire room laughed.

I cuffed him, he kissed me in front of everyone, and I could feel my face turn scarlet as the people in the room cheered.

Abel began to dispense the glasses of wine, and we celebrated in a right good manner.

Hours

Later
…

“Now, I shall make love to ye as Mrs. Waverly, something I
assured nearly fourteen years ago.” He grinned, as he pulled me onto the bed, then turned me so I was beneath him.

“I cannot quite fathom that
expression? Mrs. Waverly.” I sighed as he caressed my shoulder, then his lips replaced his hand.

“Is it not glorious? At least it is to me. Mrs. Waverly.” He repeated, and I laughed.

“I do believe it has a nice ring to it. Shall ye say it again?” I mocked, he chuckled, then drew the skin in the curve of my neck into his mouth, and our play ceased.

“Tell me ye love me?” He whispered, and I nodded as his hands roamed my body, in the most intimate of ways.

“Say it Ginnybean, I need to hear it. My heart waits to nourish from it.” He moaned, as his lips began to make circles on my skin.

“I love
you; I vow that I do Benny.” I moaned back, he grinned, then turned over on the bed, so now he was behind me, his cheek pressed to mine, as he pushed his hips forward.

“Benny…” I whispered, and he drew away from me, his lips kissing their way down my spine.

“I never knew I could love a woman as I do ye Ginny. Ye are my world, and have been for what seems like an eternity.” He stated softly, then turned me over, so he could look into my eyes.

“I too my love, you have been my one and only true love.” I swore back, and the smile he gave me, could have lit up the entire room.

Our declarations ended, as my body responded to him, as if I were a guitar he strummed, and knew only too well.

“I shall never grow tired of declaring my love for ye.” He whispered, as his lips traveled the length of my thighs, and my back arched as his lips caressed me.