Beneath the Honeysuckle Vine (53 page)

Breathless himself, Johnny
’
s mouth left hers for an instant as he whispered,
“
Vivi…I…
”

Vivianna
frowned
,
for there seemed a deep
guilt and pain in him suddenly.
She fancied his eyes were moist with enduring it.

“
I
’
m…I
’
m not a good man,
”
he breathed.

Vivianna gazed at him—wondered at the pain in his eyes.
She placed her fingertips to his lips to quiet him
,
and he kissed them.
“
You
’
re right,
”
she whispered.
“
You
’
re not a good man
. Y
ou
’
re a wonderful man.
”

“
No
.
I
’
ve…I
’
ve done some things…
”
he stammered.

Yet Vivianna knew she could not love a man who had done anything unforgivable—and she loved Johnny Tabor.
“
Yes, I know,
”
she whispered, kissing him softly on the mouth.
“
You
’
re a thief, aren
’
t ya?
”

Johnny frowned
and
appeared utterly astonished.
“
A thief?
”
he breathed.

“
You
’
re stealin
’
my heart,
”
she said.
“
You
’
ve unlocked it…shown me that true joy can only be recognized when a person has known real pain.
You
’
ve unlocked my heart
,
and you
’
re stealing it for your own.
”

Still he frowned
. S
he fancied the moisture in his eyes was increasing.

“
You don
’
t know me, Vivi,
”
he whispered.
“
Not really.
You can
’
t give me your heart when you don
’
t know what I
’
ve done.
”

“
I
’
ve already given it to you, Johnny…and nothin
’
you could tell me now would change that.
”

“
Promise?
”
he asked.
“
Do you promise that you
’
ll never turn from me…no matter what?
”

“
I do,
”
Vivianna said.
She was bathing in wonderment at hearing such a promise pass from her lips.
Johnny was haunted—just as
Savannah
had said he was—just as Vivianna had known all along.
Still, something whispered to her soul that whatever was haunting Johnny was not so unforgivable as he thought.
“
But if you
’
re tired of me,
”
she teased
,
squirming out of his arms and plucking a honeysuckle blossom
,
“
I suppose we could go back to sippin
’
honeysuckle nectar.
”

She giggled when he took her arms tightly in his powerful hands.
“
I
’
ll never be tired of you,
”
he said—and Vivianna melted to him as he kissed her once more.

She sensed there was more to be said between them.
Certainly, as they lingered beneath the honeysuckle vine, she knew she wanted only Johnny
. Y
et she knew her mind and heart were still spinning from his unlocking her soul.
She knew the pain of the loss of her family would return—that her doubt in whether Johnny Tabor truly loved her would return.
Still, there—as they bathed in the fragrance of honeysuckle and the delicious kisses born
e
of passion and desire—she knew only that she loved Johnny.
Furthermore, in those moments, she knew that
Savannah
had been right
. A
woman could tell by a man
’
s kiss whether he loved her
or was simply overcome with momentary want.
In that moment, Vivianna knew
:
Johnny Tabor loved her.

Justin
’
s eyes narrowed as he watched Johnny kissing Vivianna—as he watched Vivianna willingly kissing Johnny in return.
Who did Johnny Tabor think he was?
After all, hadn
’
t it been Johnny who had talked Justin into returning to fulfill his promises to Vivianna in the first place?
He
’
d near to threatened Justin with his life if he didn
’
t return home to keep all the promises he
’
d written in those damn letters!
And now—now Johnny Tabor stood there owning Vivianna
’
s affections.
Furthermore, Vivianna had never kissed him the way she was kissing Johnny Tabor.
He fancied even Tilly couldn
’
t kiss a man the way Vivianna was kissing Johnny.
Justin shook his head.
If she only knew what a liar he really was—if Vivianna knew the things Johnny Tabor had done—he reckoned she wouldn
’
t be so willingly caught in his arms.

Justin turned
,
disgusted and angry.
Sure, he
’
d lingered in town after working all day.
He
’
d missed supper too.
But an hour or so spent with Tilly Winder was worth it.
At least, he thought it had been worth it at the time—until he
’
d come home to peek into the kitchen window to see little
Lowell Wheeler enjoying the company of his family—until he
’
d seen Vivianna kissing Johnny like she
’
d never kissed him.
It had been then that Justin had begun to wonder if he truly wanted to linger on the path he
’
d chosen.
Tilly was a fine woman!
She owned a gift for causing a man to think on her all the day long—and the night too.
Still, he knew she wasn
’
t the woman Vivianna was.
Tilly wasn
’
t sweet, innocent
,
and tenderhearted.
Tilly wasn
’
t as pretty or as soft.
Furthermore, Justin knew Vivianna had saved her passion for the man who most deserved it.
That wasn
’
t true with Tilly either.

Thus, Justin had known a moment of regret when he
’
d seen Vivianna in Johnny
’
s arms.
But the moment of regret quickly turned to anger—as most moments of any emotion did in Justin.
He cussed the war as he lumbered back to the house
—c
ussed the fighting, the hardship
. A
nd he cussed Johnny Tabor for managing to keep his character about him through it all.
Well, most of his character.
Still, Justin knew Johnny
’
s secret—knew that if Vivianna ever found out the truth
,
she
’
d sure enough drop Johnny like a boiling hot yam.

He had a mind to tell her himself.
For a moment, Justin considered revealing the truth of Johnny
’
s black soul to her.
But he thought better of it.
Telling
Vivianna the truth about Johnny
might well lead to Justin
’
s own sins being revealed.
He wouldn
’
t have his mother any more disappointed in him than she already was.
No.
There were other ways to take Johnny Tabor down to
h
ell.
He
’
d wait.
Justin knew that if he w
ere
patient, an opportunity would present itself
. A
nd in that very moment, understanding washed over him
,
and Justin realized that he wouldn
’
t have to wait.
He
’
d been in town
,
lingering with Tilly long after Caleb had left for home.
Thus, he knew what had been found.
He knew what questions were already being asked.
Furthermore, he knew where suspicions would eventually gather.

Justin chuckled as he stepped up onto the porch.
Yep, he
’
d wait—bide his time a little longer.
He
’
d see Johnny get what he deserved—one way or the other.
Then Vivianna could forget him—maybe finally marry Caleb
. A
nd even Justin knew that if anybody on earth deserved to be happy, it was Caleb Turner.

“
Mr. Justin!
”
Lowell
exclaimed as Justin stepped into the kitchen.
“
I found it!
I found your place!
I come all the way from an orphanage in
Georgia
!
”

Justin smiled
,
laughed
,
and caught the boy in his arms.

“
Lowell
!
My boy!
So ya really made it, did ya?
”
Justin asked.

Lowell
nodded.
“
All the way from
Georgia
.
”

Justin chuckled.
Lowell
was a good boy.
The part of Justin
’
s heart that still remembered the man he once was was glad to see the boy safe.
He had hardly thought of him again—not since he and Johnny were taken to
Andersonville
.
Still, he was glad the boy was safe.
He smiled.
Perhaps he wouldn
’
t have to tell Vivianna the truth about the enemy she was so willingly kissing out in the woods.
Perhaps
Lowell
would do it for him.

Still, Justin had not forgotten what he
’
d heard in town before coming home.
He
’
d wait.
One way or the other, Johnny Tabor was about to pay for his sins.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

“
Justin and me…we got along from the very first,
”
Johnny said.

Vivianna tucked her feet under her skirt
and leaned back against Mr. Turner
’
s tombstone.
As she listened to Johnny, she studied him—thoroughly studied him.
She loved his manner of casually lounging—the way he rested on one elbow, his long legs stretched out in the grass.
She adored his soft chestnut hair and deep brown eyes, the way his lips moved when he talked, and
the square angles of his j
aw and chin.

“
I hate to see him so changed,
”
he mumbled
,
scowling.
“
But he
’
s been through a heap of misery.
”

“
And you haven
’
t?
”
Vivianna asked.
“
You endured the war and
Andersonville
too. Have you changed?
”

Johnny shrugged.
“
A bit maybe.
I ain
’
t as quick-tempered as I once was.
And I didn
’
t laugh a whole lot…not for a while.
”
He looked to her and smiled.
“
Not
’
til that pigeon mess hit me when I was feedin
’
the chickens.
”

Vivianna giggled
,
delighted by the memory.
“
But it seems to me that those are good changes.
I don
’
t see the changes in Justin as bein
’
good ones,
”
she said.

Johnny shrugged again.
“
War is hard on a man.
Truth is I still feel a load of guilt for makin
’
up my mind to try for you myself.
”
He shook his head and added,
“
But then I think of Justin…how he
’
s altered.
”
He paused and hung his head shamefully.
“
I might not be able to keep hold of ya
—
ya may find out the truth about me one day and change your mind about me
—
but I couldn
’
t let Justin have ya.
I just couldn
’
t.
”

“
You could tell me the truth, Johnny,
”
Vivianna ventured.
“
Then you wouldn
’
t have to worry about somebody else tellin
’
me whatever it is you think makes you the devil.
Why don
’
t you give me the chance to see if what
’
s hauntin
’
you is really so terrible?
”

“
But I know it is,
”
he said.
He looked at her again.
“
And I can
’
t find the strength to confess it and risk losin
’
your heart…not yet anyway.
”

“
Hey, Mr. Johnny,
”
Lowell
began.

Vivianna glanced up to where
Lowell
stood studying the backside of Floydie Maggee
’
s tombstone.

“
What, boy?
”
Johnny asked, craning his neck around to look at the boy.

“
Have you seen this here?
”
Lowell
said, pointing to the top of the tombstone.

“
I have,
”
Johnny said, returning his attention to the rock he
’
d been tossing in one hand.

“
It looks like blood to me,
”
Lowell
said.

“
Blood?
”
Vivianna asked, rising to her feet.

“
Yep.
It sure does,
”
Johnny said.
“
Probably some big buzzard dropped his prey or somethin
’
.
Maybe a rabbit or a small fox.
That would do it, I suspect.
”

Vivianna went to where
Lowell
stood.
She looked at the tombstone
and
frowned.
“
It
’
s an awful stain,
”
she said.
“Poor Floydie
.
I
’
m afraid that will tarnish his stone forever.
”

Lowell
’
s eyebrows arched.
“
Poor Floydie?
Why…he don
’
t know the difference, Miss Vivianna,
”
the boy said.
“
He just left his bones and teeth down there
. H
is soul is singin
’
up in heaven with the angels.
I don
’
t think he cares much about somethin
’
like this.
”

Vivianna frowned, however.
The memory of the dead Confederate Nate and Willy had found—of Zachary Powell—entered her mind.
After
Johnny and Justin
ha
d gone to look at the poor soul
,
hadn
’
t Justin said it looked as if his head had been bashed in by a rock?
She glanced into the woods—shivered as she realized how very close the body had been found to Floydie Maggee
’
s resting place.

She looked back to Johnny.
He was still stretched out in the grass
,
tossing the rock in the air over and over.
Fear began to rise in her
—n
ot fear that Johnny knew any more about the death of Zachary Powell than he
’
d already revealed but that he shared the same frightening thoughts she
’
d only just had
. P
erhaps Zachary Powell had fallen and bashed his head on Floydie
’
s tombstone and not a rock.
If he had, then someone had moved his body to the woods
,
perhaps positioning his head against the rock to make it seem as if that is where he had fallen.
Perhaps the same person who had taken the body in the end—and someone had taken it.
Vivianna was not able to linger in denial enough to think an animal could
’
ve dragged it off.

“
Lowell
, honey,
”
Vivianna began,
“
why don
’
t you run over to that mess of sweet violets we saw on our way here…and pick a few for my mama and daddy?
Would ya mind?
”

Lowell
smiled
and
gazed up at Vivianna with a rather loving expression.
“
I
’
d do anything for you, Miss Vivianna,
”
he sighed.
“
I sure am glad I finished my chores before Nate and Willy so
’
s I could come walkin
’
with you today.
”

“
Me too, sweetie,
”
Vivianna said, kissing him tenderly on the forehead.
“
Now you run on and gather a few violets for me, all right?
”

As
Lowell
nodded and dashed toward the path leading from the cemetery to the Turner home, he paused next to Johnny.

Johnny chuckled when
Lowell
said,
“
Miss Vivianna just gave me a kiss, Mr. Johnny.
Ain
’
t you just jealous as a grape?
”

“
You be
t
I am, boy,
”
Johnny said.

Lowell
turned and waved to Vivianna.
She smiled and tossed a wave in return.

“
I know what you
’
re thinkin
’
,
”
Johnny said, getting to his feet.

“
What?
”
Vivianna asked as he sauntered toward her.

He shook his head and frowned as he looked at the blood on the stone.
“
You
’
re thinkin
’
exactly what I thought when Willy and Nate showed me this awhile back…that this is where that devil Zachary Powell met with his Maker.
”

“
But what if he did?
It means someone…
”

Johnny nodded.
“
It means somebody moved him…that he didn
’
t just fall in the woods and hit his head on a rock.
”

“
Maybe he staggered to the woods!
”
Vivianna suggested.
“
Maybe the fall here didn
’
t kill him…and he staggered off to die there.
”

“
Maybe,
”
he said.
He shrugged and added,
“
Or maybe a big buzzard really did drop his prey
—
a rabbit or somethin
’
—
and it hit just here.
”
He looked to her
,
his eyes filled with doubt.
“
That
’
s why I didn
’
t say anything.
It don
’
t change the fact that none of us know what happened…that folks would sure be pointin
’
their fingers mine and Justin
’
s way.
”

Vivianna nodded.
He was right.
What did the blood on the tombstone change?
Zachary Powell had died
,
his body had disappeared
,
and none of those residing at the Turner house knew how.

She heard Johnny breathe a heavy sigh—glanced to him to see him rake his fingers through his hair.
His expression was that of fatigue, worry, and discouragement.

“
What
’
s wrong?
”
she asked.
She studied him a moment
,
the way he stared at the bloodstain on Floydie
’
s tombstone.
“
Is…is this what
’
s eatin
’
you up, Johnny?
Because we don
’
t know what happened
to
the man who died here?
Because we didn
’
t tell anybody?
”

Truth be told, the knowledge had haunted Vivianna too
.
Still, what was to be done?

“
What can we do, Johnny?
Do you…are you thinkin
’
we should tell somebody about it all…about this?
Is that what causes your handsome brow to pucker so often?
”

He looked to her
and
sighed as she placed a tender palm to his cheek.
“
Among other things,
”
he mumbled, taking her hand from his cheek and pressing a firm kiss into her palm.

“
I used to think
,
even just months ago…I used to think that when the war was finally over…that somehow everything would be all right.
But it scars us…all of us,
”
she told him.

Again he kissed her palm
,
somehow almost desperately.
He needed her—needed her comforting reassurance.
Thus, she let her arms slide around his strong body
,
hugging him tightly.
Johnny did not pause but gathered her against him, wrapping his powerful arms around her as he kissed the top of her head.