Hidden in a Whisper (37 page)

He left his post and crossed the lobby to the dining room, while Ivy waited until he was out of sight before entering Braeden's office. She slipped inside quickly and closed the door just as Braeden came into his office from the bedroom. He was drying his hair with a towel and hadn't even seen that it was Ivy before issuing an angry retort.

“Don't you know how to knock, Wilson?”

“I do know how to knock, but I figured you wouldn't let me in if you knew it was me,” Ivy replied softly.

Braeden drew the towel away from his head. “Well, you're right on that account. Now get out!”

“No.” Ivy took a seat and stared at him intently. “We need to talk.”

“There's nothing to be said,” Braeden said, his voice low.

Ivy could see the anger flash in his eyes. His jaw clamped tight and his expression grew gradually more threatening. “Just hear me out and then I'll leave. You could certainly do that much. After all, I want to explain a few things.”

“You've explained quite enough. Your lies this morning have probably cost me my job—not that it matters anymore. What does matter is Rachel. You've driven her away from safety and into harm's way.

That's all I care about.”

“If Rachel cared about you the way you claim to care about her, she'd be here defending you. Instead, she's taken off to who knows where,” Ivy said defiantly. “I don't think she cares as much as you'd like to believe. She saw the scene in my parlor and believed what her heart told her to be true. If she loved you, she would believe in you. And if she believed in you, she'd be here now.”

Braeden let the towel fall around his neck as he leaned over to place both hands on his desk. “I don't want to discuss this with you.”

“Well, I think you'd better reconsider,” Ivy replied. She twirled a strand of hair and smiled. “There are worse things than losing employment with Mr. Harvey. This decision could affect the rest of your life.”

“You can't threaten me, Ivy,” Braeden answered angrily. “You've already driven away the only thing I care about. But mark my words. I will find her.”

“You don't need her. She doesn't love you.”

“Oh, and you do, I suppose?”

“No, not yet,” Ivy admitted.

“I think that's the only truth I've ever heard come out of your mouth.”

“You are handsome, however. With a pleasant face to look at and a comfortable amount of money to live on, I could learn to love anyone. What
is
important is that I want you. You represent freedom from this miserable hole of a town.”

“How can I possibly represent that to you?” Braeden questioned in surprise.

“Because after we are married I want to move east to St. Louis.” She suddenly remembered her aunt's words about the fire inspector knowing she'd started the fatal fire that killed her parents. “No, not St. Louis. Chicago. Or New York. I want a big house and beautiful things and lavish clothes. You can give me all of that. My aunt said you are wealthy and—” Braeden began to laugh. He sat down at his desk and shook his head. “You are quite insane, Ivy. I will never marry you. Go have your talk with Fred Harvey. Talk to the president of the United States. It won't change a thing. You are right; I have enough money to live comfortably without this job. My father was a wise investor and his investments continue to pay off. I chose to continue working because I enjoy the challenge of using my mind for something more than sitting around the house or going on grand tours of Europe. I chose this particular job because I knew Rachel was here.” He eyed her distastefully and shook his head. “You are nothing to me. You will never be anything more than the adversary you have set yourself up to be.”

“But why not?” Ivy asked, suddenly sounding very much like a little girl. “I'm a beautiful woman. Far more beautiful than Rachel Taylor. I have grace and charm and know how to conduct myself in proper circles.”

“And you're a liar,” Braeden replied. “An unfeeling deceiver who acts without remorse for the hideous things you've done. Believe me, Ivy, your looks could never hold a candle to Rachel's beauty. Not only is she beautiful in appearance, but her heart is pure and good and that makes her even more lovely.

“You, however, are selfish and self-motivated. You choose the path that will give you the most satisfaction. There is nothing of goodness in you. The woman I marry will love God and will seek to conduct herself in a Christian manner for all of her days. Rachel is that woman.

Not some devious little harlot who has no remorse for her actions.”

Ivy took a sharp breath, taken aback. She thought of her parents and the servants who perished in the fire. She thought of her aunt's crumpled form at the bottom of the stairs. She even thought for the briefest moment of Rachel's stunned and pain-filled expression. It wasn't that she had set out to inflict pain … not really. She simply wanted what was important to her. No one could possibly understand that she'd never intended for anyone to die in the fire. Neither would they believe her if she said she was sorry. And she was sorry. At least where her parents were concerned.

“I've done what I had to do,” Ivy finally said. “You don't belong with someone like Rachel. She's much too common and plain. I can be much more to you. I can attend church as you wish, and I can be the docile wife you desire. In the years to come, you'll see that this was the wisest thing and you'll thank me for saving you.”

“In the years to come, I will look back on this time as my darkest hours—those hours spent without Rachel.” Braeden narrowed his eyes. “I don't suppose you have any idea of her whereabouts.”

Ivy smiled. “If I did, do you think I would ruin all that I've planned and tell you?”

Braeden clenched his teeth and a rumble from deep in his throat sounded very much like a suppressed growl. Ivy refused to be concerned by it, however.

“We can marry tomorrow,” she said firmly. “I'll talk to the preacher after I leave here.”

Slamming his fists down on the desk, Braeden raged. “I won't marry you tomorrow or any day. I don't love you, Miss Brooks. I love Rachel Taylor. You are nothing to me but trouble. You have deeply wounded the woman I love, and while I shall forgive you, I won't ever forget.”

Deeply shaken, Ivy fought hard to remain stoic. “You will learn to love me. I'm beautiful, and I'm sure we will find ways to—” “Your outward appearance may be pleasing, but inside you are frightfully hideous,” Braeden interrupted. “Marriage is about more than physical attraction. It's about commitment.”

“We could be committed to each other.”

“Maybe you could be committed to an asylum,” Braeden said sarcastically. “I'll ruin you if you refuse me.”

Braeden shook his head. “Don't you understand? Without Rachel, none of this matters. Ruin me. Take my job. Turn them all against me. It doesn't matter, because
you
don't matter. Not to me, anyway.”

Ivy suddenly realized he meant what he said. He found her abhorrent. No one had ever treated her in such a manner. She felt sick inside, unable to shake off the sense of dread. If she couldn't have him by choice, she'd take him by force. She could do this. She only had to think her plans through in a clear and concise manner. “You'll be condemned,” she muttered.

“Not by those who matter. Not by Rachel, and not by God.”

“You're already condemned by Rachel,” Ivy retorted. She had to make him see the truth of the situation. “As for God, who knows what He thinks?”

“He hates lies,” Braeden countered.

Ivy shook her head. “He understands why I did what I did.”

“Yes, you're right. He does. He knows your motives and He knows exactly why and what you have done,” Braeden replied ominously.

Ivy got to her feet, feeling rather unnerved by Braeden's certainty regarding God. “Don't think to threaten me, Braeden Parker. Everyone in that dining room this morning perceives you as a ruthless molester of helpless young women. If you don't marry me, you'll be stripped of everything, including your reputation and self-worth.”

Braeden smiled and seemed to calm in the wake of their harshly spoken words. “You can't destroy my self-worth, Miss Brooks. God has given me a sense of self-worth through His love for me. I find my identity in Him—not in this place, this job.”

“I thought you found all of that through Miss Taylor,” Ivy said snidely. She was confused by his calm and thought feverishly for something more to say. She was losing him—losing her chance for a new start.

“Rachel gives from her heart. She loves me and I love her,” Braeden replied. “But even if Rachel were gone for good, I would still find my hope and my future in God. That's something you can't understand, Miss Brooks. And it's something I can't explain. So go say what you will. Tell all the lies you think will serve your cause. But you won't win me over, and you won't be my consolation in Rachel's absence.”

Braeden got up and walked around his desk. Ivy felt threatened by the action, even though he was much calmer than when she'd first come into his office. She backed up a step, but still he came forward.

“I want you out of my office. Now.”

She backed up to the door and shook her head. “You don't know what you're saying. You don't know what might happen. What has already happened.”

Braeden eyed her seriously. “If you know something about Rachel, you'd better tell me.”

Ivy realized the power she could hold and felt a bit of her confidence return. “You weren't the only man to love Rachel,” she said, standing her ground. “Rachel will seek protection and safety with someone she can trust. After what happened last night, you can't possibly believe that she would come to you.”

“Where is she, Ivy?” he asked, moving in even closer.

Ivy felt excitement course through her body. She held the answers and now controlled the outcome. Even though she'd have to lie, she could weave a web of deceit that would permanently put an end to Braeden's illusions that Rachel loved him.

“I'm not the one to ask,” she finally told him. “Rachel's been spending a great deal of time with Mr. Worthington, as you probably already know. She finds solace with him—comfort and maybe even that love you speak of so freely. Reg is really a wonderful man, and he is fiercely protective of Rachel. You can't deny the way he watched over her last night, and he left right after she did.”

Ivy toyed with the doorknob. “If Rachel wanted you to know where she was, Braeden, she would have told you by now. She hasn't left Morita; she's merely taking refuge where you cannot harm her.”

Turning the knob, Ivy was surprised when Braeden's hand slammed down on top of hers. “I mean it, Ivy. If you know where she is, tell me.” He pressed down hard on her hand as if to emphasize the threat.

Ivy refused to be frightened, however. “Half-truths and rumors destroyed your lives long ago. I heard her telling this to Reg,” she lied, for in fact she had overhead Rachel explaining the matter to Braeden. “So take this as you like,” Ivy said, opening the door in spite of the pressure to her hand. “Rachel won't be turning to you this time around. She has someone else who is only too happy to fill in where you left off. If you don't believe me, just ask Reginald how he feels about Rachel.”

She smiled and walked through the door, coming face-to-face with a very put-out Mr. Wilson. Turning, she saw the discomfort in Braeden's expression and couldn't help but play on his fears. “Oh, and you might also ask him why he's not been overly worried or eager to go chasing about the countryside looking for Rachel. Seems to me that, given his feelings for her, if he thought she were really missing he'd move heaven and earth to find her.” She saw the look in Braeden's eyes and knew she'd hit her mark. Striving to drive in the final blow, she shrugged nonchalantly. “I've no doubt she's safe, Braeden. Reg wouldn't let harm come to her.”

  
TWENTY-FIVE