Lynna's Rogue (23 page)

             
“Aunt Judith, what on earth are you talking about?” Lynna cried, extremely puzzled.
Sitting up, she rubbed the sleep from her eyes and wondered if she was dreaming.
Her aunt
could not
possibly know her true feelings. Could she? “A better chance at what?”

             
“Why, Captain Jordan, of course.
He is
a very handsome man, dear,” she replied
,
going to the armoire. “
I have
seen the way your eyes sparkle at the mere mention of his name, and you
cannot
deny
he is
attracted to you.” She brought out a lovely gown of peach silk and carefully spread it across the bed
. “If you want him, go after him and
do
no
t
let anything stand in your way.”

             
Evidently
,
by anything
,
she meant Suzanne. “But I
do not want him, Aunt Judith.”
And if you knew him for the rake he truly is you
would not
be trying to push me into his arms.

             
“
Of course you do, any woman would. Now
hurry, your bath water is getting tepid.”

             
Shocked clear to her bones by her aunt’s words, Lynna soaked in a hot tub until her skin was a becoming shade of pink
,
then
sat at her dressing table brushing
her hair un
til it shone,
still unresolved as to how to style it. Pulling it atop her head
,
she tied it loosely with a velvet ribbon
,
allowing the tiny tendrils to frame her face. That should do. On impulse she added a small amount of kohl to her eyelids and gazed at her reflection in the mirror. Who was she trying to impress?

             
After completing her toilette, she slipped into a sheer lacy chemise. Next she stepped into the peach colored gown trimmed with ecru lace that she and her aunt had only recently completed, with the delicate folds of material enhancing her every curve. Satisfied with her appearance
,
she pecked on the door between her room and her aunt
’
s. “Aunt Judith, would you fasten my gown, please?”
Would you fasten my gown, please?
Those remembered words caused a shiver to rush down her spine.

             
“Certainly.”
Judith entered the room with
ample
pride glowing in
her eyes. “You look
beautiful, darling.”

             
“Thank you, but we both know
you are
not an impartial judge.” She smiled fondly. “Most of my so
-
called beauty is in your eyes only.”

             
“We shall see. You just keep an eye on Captain Jordan's face when you enter the room.”

             
“Oh, Aunt Judith,
for heaven’s sakes. W
here do you get these ideas?”

             
An hour later
,
Judith and Lynna descended the stair
case together, greeted by a chorus of
whistle
s
from Daniel
and Samuel
. “You ladies are positively breathtaking
!
”

             
“Are there an
y compliments left for your own
sister?” Suzanne floated down the stairs in a cloud of emerald green chiffon. Her hair was also pinned atop her head, but unlike Lynna's shimmering curls, Suzanne's raven locks were straight and lacked the added effect of the short, bouncy tendrils falling to softly accentuate her face. Brilliant emeralds dripped from her ears to caress her neck
. She gloated in the knowledge that s
he would outshine Lynna, one way or another.

             
As Silas and Mary joined them, Daniel remarked, “Father, I
would
say we have the pleasure of escorting four of the most lovely ladies in all of Charleston tonight.” Lynna was confused by Daniel's animated banter. She had dreaded having to f
ace him after their talk that morning
. However
,
he
didn’t
seem in the least disturbed by their earlier discourse, actually he
seemed to be in good spirits
. She had that much to be thankful for.

             
Daniel smiled bravely for Lynna
’s benefit, but Suzanne knew his soul
was tortured as
she recalled their
dis
cussion earlier.
“You realize
that
Joshua has developed an apparent infatuation for Lynna, don’t you, Daniel? Believe me, the fact leaves me quite mystified, when he could have me instead.
I am
sure his choice leaves you as perplexed as it does me, dear brother. At any rate, if you continue to behave like such an incompetent wimp
,
Joshua will succeed in snatching Lynna out from under your nose
,
leaving us both in the cold!”

             
“Nonsense
,
son,” Silas was saying. “Their beaut
y encompasses the entire South.”

             
“What about me?” Beth's musical laughter chimed from the top of the stairs. “I distinctly heard you say
the
four loveliest ladies, Daniel Fletcher.” As she descended the stairs she counted off the ladies of the house on her fingers. As she neared Silas, he shammed for her ears only. “You Beth are by far my most lovely daughter
-
in
-
law.”

             
“Well, thank you kindly, sir,” she said and blushed prettily.

             
Their laughter flowed like
water through a stream
as the ladies draped lacy shawls over their shoulders and the gentlemen helped them into the waiting carriage.

             
“But
I am
your only daughter
-
in
-
law!” Beth shrieked, just realizing the jest. This brought a renewed burst of laughter from the cheerful group.

             
Lynna twiddled her thumbs nervously in a corner of the carriage until t
wenty minutes later
,
when
Beth announced, “This is where our land ends and Jordan land begins.”

             
The boundary was evid
enced by a low white fence bordering
the road on both sides
and
winding through the woods that soon gave way to snowy fields of King Cotton. Beyond the fields could be seen a wide avenue of live oaks festooned with Spanish moss. The view through the trees was breathtaking
.
B
oth sides of
the road contained
small ponds bordered by towering cypress and gaily-colored flowers. An enchanting bridge with lattice work sides rose over the water
,
and at the end of each bridge
,
nestled in the shade, sat a charming gazebo with the same wood carvings as the bridge.

             
Lynna sat in stunned silence, impressed by the pure and simple elegance surrounding her. Then Sea Grove with its huge white pillars loomed proudly before her. The house was magnificent. The upper balcony spanned the entire length of the house so that each room opened onto it, as was the case with the balcony below. She had expected
a
smaller scale. Instead, here was a plantation to rival Magnolia House.

             
Her scrutiny of the house was halt
ed abruptly when she observed the chiseled features of the
man
casually leaning against one of the columns on the verandah. He was unspeakabl
y
handsome in his fawn cut
-
away tailcoat over a crisp white linen shirt and form
-
fitting breeches. He stood next to a man in a chair with wheels, with a blanket draped across his lap. As the carriage drew up to the verandah, on closer examination, Lynna found the man
in the chair
to be a slightly more mature version of Joshua, with the same gleaming emerald eyes and soft teasing smile.

             
“Good evening,” Joshua called
, bounding down the steps to greet them. “
I’m
glad you could come on such short notice. Meet my parents
,
Jeremiah and Patricia
,
and my baby sister, Malinda.”

             
“Oh, Joshua,” his sister groaned. “
I am
hardly a baby.”

             
The family trait was strong in Malinda as well. Curly black hair framed an oval face blessed with creamy magnolia skin
, while a
light powdering of freckles across her nose gave her a charming
,
childlike appearance.

             
“Welcome to Sea Grove,” Jeremiah said after the introductions had been made. “Please
,
come inside.”

             
As Joshua moved to push his father's chair into the house, Lynna took the opportunity to take a closer look at his parents. If not for a few wrinkles and grey hair
,
Jeremiah could have easily been mistaken for Joshua's brother. His mother
,
Patricia
,
was a graceful woman with snowy white hair braided and pinned atop her head
and the same creamy smooth complexion
as her daughter. “We
a
re so glad you could join us this evening.” She smiled, taking the ladies
’
wraps and handing them to the downstairs maid. “Malinda, show our guests to the parlor, please.”

             
Hooking her arm through Lynna's, Malinda chatted amicably with her as though they
had
been confidants all their lives. Theirs was an immediate friendship. Malinda had no desire to become friends with the uppity Suzanne
,
who was a complete opposite from herself. “Lynna, Joshua has told me so much about you over the years. I do hope we can find time to get better acquainted before you return to Georgia.”

             
“I
would
be delighted.” Joshua had been conversing with his sister about her? For years! “However,
I am
afraid you have Suzanne and I confused. She
has
known your brother for some time, whereas
…
I only met him a few days ago.
I am
certain it was her and not me that your brother spoke of.”

             
“Perhaps it was,” Malinda whispered with a sly wink, infuriating Suzanne
,
who was
straining to eavesdrop and hear their
every word.
Fortunately, she missed the important ones.

             
Malinda opened the massive double doors with a beautiful fanlight spanning the entire width. Entering the spacious foyer
,
Lynna stopped motionless in her tracks. On both sides of the hallway stood twin staircases with finely carved mahogany banisters and handrails inlaid with brass. What she found most amazing was that the two staircases were joined at the top by a bridge. In the center of the house
,
the floor to the second story ceiling was open, airy and cool.

             
“The house is beautiful!”

             
“What?” Malinda questioned. “Oh, the house. Thank you.” It was obvious she was clearly accustomed to this reaction from first time visitors.

             
The parlor was no less attractive. The walls were light blue with dark blue trim. Two rosewood sofas upholstered in regal blue faced each other in front of a marble fireplace. On the mantle stood miniature statues carved from ivory, jade, bone and crystal. Displayed prominently over the mantel was a gilt and wood bull's eye mirror
,
and hanging on either side of it was a beautifully done oil portrait of Joshua’s mother with her children.

             
Taking a seat in one of the overstuffed wingchair
s, Lynna was once again caught completely off guard
by Joshua's bold
behavior as he moved
behind her and rested his hand possessively on the back of
her chair. She glanced anxiously
toward Daniel, but if he took offen
s
e he concealed it well. Not so with Suzanne. Her rigid body was planted against the wall as her steely eyes never once left Joshua’s hand.