Patricia Hagan (12 page)

“I must be dreaming,” he called boldly. “Fairy princesses don’t come in pairs, do they?”

Claudia laughed and hurried down the stairs to meet Jarvis. Holly took her time, thanking Roger for his compliment as she stepped down into the foyer.

His eyes devoured her as he took her arm and said, “I confess that I demanded to be your escort tonight. I hope you don’t mind.”

Before she could reply, Jarvis interjected, frowning,
“I just want you to know that what happened last night is an outrage, Holly. I’ve told Colonel Colter to get to the bottom of it, fast. We won’t tolerate things like this around here.”

Holly regarded him coolly. He sounded sincere, but she could not help wondering just how genuine his concern was. Roger had said that his father wanted her land, after all. Suddenly she found herself hoping that her mother’s engagement would be a long one. She wanted time to find out all there was to know about Mr. Jarvis Bonham.

In the silence that followed Jarvis’s pronouncement, an air of subtle tension settled about them, and Claudia hastened to retrieve the festive atmosphere. “She doesn’t want to talk about it, Jarvis. She just wants to forget it, don’t you, dear?”

Holly shrugged. “I won’t forget it, of course. And I’ll be ready if they come back. I just don’t see why we should talk about it. We are on our way to a party, remember?”

Roger flashed his father a look. “Of course. Now isn’t the time to discuss it. I’m sure Colonel Colter will handle it, and I intend to look after Holly, myself, from now on.”

Holly allowed that to pass. There would be time later to set him straight.

Roger led her to his carriage, Jarvis escorted Claudia to another.

“Forgive my father and his hypocrisy,” Roger sneered when they were on their way. “He’d be tickled to death to see you off your land. Then he could own more property. Don’t worry.” He patted her hand. “If you do decide to sell, I’ll give you a good price. You won’t have to sell to
him
.”

Holly regarded him curiously. Why was he being so nice to her, and so openly condemning of his father? “You don’t seem to like your father very much, Roger.”

He snorted, popping the reins across the horses’ backs impatiently. “That’s too complicated to go into right now, Holly. When we know each other better, I’ll bore you with all the details. Let me just say that
I
am not what you think I am—a bloodsucking carpetbagger preying on the South. I’m a businessman. I get what I want by hard work.
Honest
hard work,” he added with a meaningful look.

“So how do you feel about him marrying my mother?” Holly asked bluntly.

He allowed himself a smile. “Not much gets by you, does it? The reason for tonight’s party was supposed to be a big surprise.”

“Really, it didn’t take much to figure out what was going on. Mother and Abby were giggling like schoolgirls all day. And the way she and your father look at each other…well.” She shrugged.

He nodded. “I know. As to how I feel, well, to be honest, at first I thought your mother was after his money.”

Holly bristled. “She isn’t like that.”

“Wait a minute,” he laughed and held up a hand to silence her. “I said at first. What else was I to think? The woman who marries him will live like a queen. It was only natural I’d be suspicious. Then, after I got to know Claudia better, I saw her for the warm, lovely person she is. I’ve grown quite fond of her. I think she really loves him.”

Silently, Holly admitted that she admired Roger’s honesty. “Do you think he’ll make her happy?”

He shrugged. “Depends on what she wants. If she can be happy with a ruthless, money-mad and power-crazed husband, fine. If she expects warmth, sincerity…” He shook his head. “There’s not much in my father to like.” Holly was too shocked to speak. “I do hope we’re going to be friends, Holly,” he went on. “I know you’ve been through a lot and that you’ve got a lot of painful memories. I won’t rush you. But I do want to warn you that I find you a very beautiful and appealing woman. I intend to pursue my deep interest in you. I hope you won’t mind.”

The last thing she needed was this. “I think,” she said quickly, anxious to make him understand, “you should know I’m not interested in a man courting me, Roger.”

He smiled confidently. “Courtship will come later. First, I just want to be your friend. You can’t have any objection to that, can you?”

What could she say? They rode the rest of the way in silence, Holly wondering just how stiff-necked she was being.

The Allison house was ablaze with lights. Roger pulled up in front and a servant took the reins from him. As they reached the wide, white-columned porch at the top of the marble steps, a Negro in a red velvet coat and white knee-length trousers bowed, then held the door open for them.

Holly stepped inside, her heart suddenly heavy with memories of happier times. The Allisons had been close friends of her family for as long as she could remember. Now Robert Allison lay in a grave in the Vicksburg cemetery, killed in the siege as he fought to defend this very home. Myrtle, his wife, lay beside him, having died of a broken heart, unable to overcome the loss of her husband and all three of her sons.

With a rush of bitterness, Holly wondered whether the Allisons were turning over in their graves right at that moment. She assumed that many Southerners tossed in their coffins, the way things had turned out.

Roger led Holly through the crowd. She was aware of the admiring glances of the men, the envious looks of the women. She knew she looked lovely, but she acknowledged that she was also probably somewhat of an oddity. She was the “little Rebel” everyone was gossiping about, the one who’d been so outspoken about despising Yankees. Yet there she was on the arm of a carpetbagger.

Roger offered her punch, made from fresh peaches. “Father sent a wagon all the way to Georgia to get the first crop,” Roger commented. “Nothing’s too good for Father.”

Holly noted the impressive refreshment table, laden with exotic fruits and lavish pastries. She wished she could take some back to Grandpa’s cabin.

“A small gathering, compared to Father’s other parties. But there’s so little space here. He invited only a select few tonight. The invitation list for the wedding will be something very different. Anyone of importance will be there, rest assured—politicians, government officials from all over the country. It will be the biggest social event of the year in Mississippi, maybe in the entire South.”

He sounded resentful. “You don’t approve of the marriage, Roger, I know.”

“My dear, I never approve of anything my father does, because he always winds up hurting someone. But he didn’t ask my permission.” She tensed. “Believe me, Holly, it is nothing to do with Claudia. She’s a charming lady, and I’ve grown quite fond of her, as I told you. The truth is, I just don’t
like
my father, and that makes me dislike anything he does.”

Could he truly hate his father so much? Suddenly she felt a need to be alone for a while. “Excuse me. I need to freshen myself.”

She hurried away from him. She didn’t, however, turn toward the stairs and the ladies room she knew would be provided on the second floor. Instead, she moved through the foyer and out the doors into the warm night, wanting to escape the sense of oppression that had suddenly descended around her.

She was almost through the door when she came to an abrupt halt. A whirlwind of emotions attacked her at the sight before her. Anger, jealousy, humiliation, all warred with one another, and she commanded herself to control the storm inside her.

There was Colonel Scott Colter, devastatingly handsome in his full dress uniform. Lisa Lou Pollock clung possessively to his arm. She turned slowly and saw Holly staring. Their eyes met and held, Lisa Lou sending a silent message of defiance.

Holly turned away, biting back tears. She ran blindly for the stairs. Oh, damn, why did she care? Why did she allow herself to care? She hurried up the stairs as fast as she could, praying that no one would see her tears.

Chapter Ten

No one saw her mad rush up the stairs. Grateful to find the ladies room empty, she reached for the white porcelain pitcher and poured water into the bowl beside it. She dipped into the cool water and gently patted her flushed face.

She stared at her stricken expression in the mirror above the table. This is ridiculous, she told herself adamantly. She took several deep breaths, felt her heart return to a smooth rhythm.

Facing her reflection once more, she was able to smile. No man, no Yankee, was going to affect her this way. She would return to the party, hold her head high, and enjoy herself. Roger was pleasant company, after all. Still, she found something unsettling about the man… Shaking the thought away, she smoothed her hair a little, careful not to dislodge the ribbons, and told herself to look happy.

The door opened, and Holly stiffened as Lisa Lou Pollock breezed in. Holly nodded coolly.

Lisa Lou was lovely, dressed in a pale blue satin gown that complemented her carefully coiffed golden hair. The pleasing image was ruined, however, by the anger twisting her face. “You’re just like your mother,” she hissed.

Holly was stunned. “I beg your pardon?”

Lisa Lou gave her head an arrogant toss. “Just like her,” she said contemptuously. “You see a man you want, and you go chasing after him. Everyone in Vicksburg knows Roger Bonham has been courting
me.
My friends couldn’t wait to tell me how you’ve been hanging on to him. You wheedled and begged him to bring you tonight, didn’t you? You really don’t have any pride.” Holly tried to move on by, but Lisa Lou planted herself in her way. “You’re going to listen to me. Just who do you think you are, Holly Maxwell? You live in the woods like white trash, you shoot a man, then you have the nerve to show up here and try to mingle with decent folk. You think a fancy outfit makes you a lady? You think you can hang on to a gentleman like Roger Bonham with bedroom tricks, I suppose. You’re nothing but a trampy, little slut!”

“That’s enough,” Holly cried. There was a limit. “You’ve no right to talk to me like that, Lisa Lou,” she warned, eyes flashing dangerously.

“You think I’m afraid?” Lisa Lou screeched. “What are you going to do, shoot me? Or maybe you want to tear my hair out.”

“What I want”—Holly drew in a long breath, let it out slowly—“is for you to get the hell out of my way before you make me do something. Move.” Her voice rasped harshly.

But Lisa Lou’s tirade had gotten the best of her. “You won’t get Roger. I’ll see to that. And don’t think I haven’t noticed the way Colonel Colter looks at you—the same way my daddy’s hound dog looks at a bitch in heat. Why, look at your mother,” she rushed on, eyes dancing wildly. “She used every trick she knew to get Jarvis Bonham to propose—because he’s rich.”

Holly reached out and grabbed Lisa Lou by the shoulders, catching her off-guard. She flung her to the side, and Lisa Lou stumbled. Holly walked out and slammed the door behind her before Lisa Lou could recover.

Awash with fury, Holly was trembling from head to toe. But she was proud that she’d been able to leave without giving that vicious girl a beating.

She was walking so fast, head down, that she didn’t see Scott. She bumped squarely into him, and he grabbed her shoulders to steady her. “What the hell is wrong with you?” he demanded.

“None of your damn business, Colonel. Just get out of my way,” she lashed back.

Momentarily taken aback, he let her go. She took a few steps, then turned. “You’d best go find Lisa Lou, Colonel. If she finds both of us missing at the same time, she’ll think I’m a bitch and you’re a hound dog.”

He called after her, but she kept on going down the stairs, across the foyer. She was almost out the front door when Jarvis Bonham saw her and rushed over.

“Whatever is the matter, Holly?”

“I have a terrible headache. I’m leaving.”

“You can’t do that. It would upset your mother. We’re about to make an announcement—”

“Yes, I know,” she interrupted gently. She lowered her voice. “I know you’re going to announce your engagement to my mother, and—”

“And you don’t want to be around to hear it,” he cut in. “I suspected you would object, Holly, but out of respect for your mother, you could at least put up a courteous front.”

She was shocked. Shaking her head firmly, she hastened to reassure him. “Believe me, Mr. Bonham, my mother’s happiness is all that matters to me. If she wants to marry you, that’s fine. You’ve been very kind to her, so I’m sure you care for her. Why would I have any objection?”

He cocked his head to one side, looking at her sharply. “Then what’s wrong? You’re upset. Did someone do something to upset you?” Oh, how could she explain herself to this man? When she said nothing, he took command. “Your mother would be upset if you left now. I won’t allow you to spoil this evening for her.” He steered her back inside, and Holly allowed him to have his way. What would it be like to have such a domineering man for a stepfather?

Roger saw them and rushed over to take Holly’s arm. “Is anything wrong?” he asked.

Jarvis regarded his son coolly. “Would you mind behaving like a gentleman and staying with your lady? Something upset her. She won’t tell me what it was, but I found her ready to leave.”

“Holly?” Roger looked at her sharply.