Master Of Paradise (41 page)

As the blue summer twilight finally faded and dusk took over, Beau arrived with half-a-dozen young attachés to the army whom Amanda had never seen before. She was surprised to find Aunt Billie dressed to the nines in a green satin gown trimmed with black lace. When the young men arrived, Billie went into the card room to stand behind the roulette wheel.

Pamela said to Jennifer, "You stay and enjoy a visit with your sister. I'll see that the young men get some refreshments." She smiled at Amanda and said smoothly, "I think your Southern hospitality one of the finest things I've ever known. It is so generous, so utterly commendable to open your house to the brave boys who are fighting for the Cause."

Nicholas made a safe berth by slipping the Rattlesnake around Edisto Island and up into the Edisto River. He saw Bernard in Charleston and arranged for the cargo to be transferred by rail to Augusta, Georgia.

Samuel was relieved to see Nicholas home safe again. Bernard thanked him for his invaluable help and reluctantly let him go back to Paradise with Nicholas. The two men rode the paddle-wheeler up the Ashley to save time getting home.

As Nicholas leaned against the rail of the Charleston Belle watching the churning yellow water flow past, a young officer made his acquaintance.

Nicholas should have been complimented, but there was something in the young buck's manner that made him uneasy.
Why does he keep winking and grinning in a salacious manner?

"It sure has the perfect name for a House of Pleasure!"

Nicholas stiffened and his eyes turned a cold ice blue. "Someone has been pulling your leg, son. I own Paradise. If I were you, I'd turn around and go back downriver." He turned to search for Samuel and beckoned him over. "I think we may have an unpleasant task awaiting us at home," he said grimly.

The two men strode toward the gangplank as the riverboat pulled alongside Paradise's water steps.

Amanda had just poured the last of the Scupernong wine into three crystal goblets. Mammy Lou and Mandy raised their glasses to Jennifer in a private birthday toast when Nicholas strode into the room.

Lou's face beamed her welcome. "Nicholas!" Amanda cried out joyfully, but Jennifer jumped guiltily to her feet so fast, her wine glass smashed to the floor.

Without a word, he strode to the card room and flung open the door. The noise level was high, so he simply took out his pistol and fired a shot into the air.

There was a dangerous quality about Nicholas that Amanda had barely glimpsed before. Her mouth had gone dry, and her lips trembled.

Nicholas looked from Jennifer to Aunt Billie to Pamela, and said with a sneer, "Apparently ladies and whores are sisters under the skin." His eyes traveled to the center door of the games room, behind which a raucous could be heard in the silence.

Nicholas gave her a level look. "Then you'd better get back home to the Jackson Plantation because I won't have you here." He looked at Aunt Billie and Pamela and said with self-mockery, "Knowing what I do about each of you ladies, I guess I had it coming. Billie, if you want to run a whorehouse, be good enough to open one in Charleston, will you?" he asked, almost politely.

His eyes finally turned to Pamela. He did not need to say any words to convey his hatred.

"I'm going." She went swiftly to gather her things.

He spoke quietly to Mammy Lou and Samuel. "You would do me a great service if you would help these people pack and lock the doors when everyone has departed. Lou, see to those twins for me."

Finally, he gave his full attention to Amanda. "Since this seems to be a brothel, I should get my choice. Upstairs!" he ordered.

Mandy stood trembling beside the bed as she watched him enter their chamber and lock the door. Her lovely dream of Nicholas's homecoming had turned into a hideous nightmare. Downstairs she had been bewildered, shocked, and frightened by the events that had unfolded before her eyes. Realization of her husband's suspicions had finally dawned on her, then he had thrown open the door on Beau Hampden and his suspicions had been proven.

As Nicholas advanced toward her, words died in her throat. She swayed. "I'm going to faint," she whispered.

He pulled her roughly into his arms. "I'll make you faint before I've done with you." He shook her. "You promised you'd pay me back for Solange and Maggie. Is this how you retaliate?" he demanded.

"Nicholas, let me explain!"

"Did you let me explain at Virginia's fancy ball? No ma-am you did not! You turned deaf ears to my pleading. Did your hard little heart relent toward me for one moment? No ma'am, not even the night before I sailed to England. You had kisses to spare for Philip, but none for me."

"You spied on me!" Amanda was outraged.

"By Christ I have to spy on you. You need a keeper. If you're not with the bloody voodoo woman, you're drowning yourself in the Ashley, or selling your favors to Johnny Rebs!"

His accusations so outrageous, yet containing a grain of truth, made her giggle. "Or publicly brawling with your mistress," she said with mischief.

He groaned and pulled her into his arms. "Oh Mandy, I love you so much-- why do you try my patience to its very limits?"

"Nicholas, I don't mean to, but perhaps it's for the sheer pleasure of having you forgive me." Her arms went about him tightly and she lifted her half-parted mouth to his. When he drew back to search her face, she swore, "This was the first evening I've spent downstairs since you went away. I had no idea what was going on."

"Thank God." He felt an enormous relief. "If I'd left Samuel in charge here, none of this would have happened." He turned her around and undid the fastenings at the back of her gown. "Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. Come to bed and let me hold you close. When I'm away from you, sometimes I fear I'll never get to hold you again."

They almost melted with tenderness now that they lay heart to heart in the great bed. "The trouble is that both of us go insane with jealousy. You actually shot a hole in the ceiling you know."

"I don't see where that's any worse than smashing a priceless crystal punchbowl." He buried his lips between her breasts.

Much later as they lay curled together, exhausted by love, she whispered into the darkness, "Poor Jennifer."

In the pink light of dawn as the sunshine stole across their bed, he thought she possessed all the loveliness of a dew-kissed rose. He caught her gaze and held it until she blushed. His strong arms reached for her to lift her atop of him, when suddenly she moaned and rolled away, just in time to hang her head over the side of the bed and retch miserably into the chamberpot. At that moment Mammy Lou came in with a breakfast tray.

"Mandy's ill," he said distractedly. "My God, what's caused this?"

"Yo' did." Mammy laughed. "Ah better git dis food outta here or she never stop." Lou turned and left with the tray.

He took her hand gently. Honey love, I'm not angry with you, only worried for you. If I'd known about this I wouldn't have arranged to sail to England again. How can I go off and leave you in this condition?

She laughed softly. "Have you any idea how many men are off to war leaving their wives in this condition?"

"That doesn't make it right, Amanda." He smoothed back the tendrils from her brow. "That settles it. This is the last trip I'll make. Rafe can get somebody else to captain the Rattlesnake. Actually, I'd feel better if I got you to England out of this war altogether, but I'm afraid it's too dangerous at the moment. We got hit by a couple of shells running the blockade this time. She's being patched up right now."

She put her fingers over his lips. "Don't tell me about it. I go mad with worry when you're a few days late."

He frowned. "Perhaps I shouldn't have thrown Jennifer out last night. I hate to think you'll be alone, but at least I know Lou will look after you properly."

Amanda smiled. "You know Jennifer Joy will be back in a couple of days as if nothing had happened."

"Well, that's up to you. Paradise is yours, and you may have her here if you wish, but I'll be damned if the other two are coming back," he warned.

"I don't want them either. It will be much more tranquil to have Paradise to ourselves."

Mammy Lou came back with a bowl of rosewater and towels to clean up Mandy.

Nicholas grinned with irony at his wife. "One thing we can sure as hell count on around here. The minute I get excited, Lou walks in and I have to cool my play."

Lou chuckled. "Masta Nick, yo' sure say some scandlous things."

He teased, "You should hear some of the scandalous things Amanda comes out with. Do you know what she suggested we do last night?"

Mandy gasped. "Nicholas you stop that lewd talk!"

He took the rosewater from Mammy, then bathed her and changed her nightgown. He even brought her brush and lovingly untangled her dark hair until it fell in a silken mass across her pillow.

Amanda sighed contentedly. She loved him totally, completely.
I will love and trust him to the last breath in my body.

The value of Confederate money completely collapsed, and the price of any foodstuff or clothing rose alarmingly. White flour disappeared and was replaced by corn flour, if you were lucky enough to get any at all. A horrible-tasting substitute for coffee was made from parched corn and dried sweet potatoes, and since material of any kind could not be purchased, people brought out old fashioned hand-looms and made homespun cloth.

Folks were asked to donate everything for the Cause, not only gold and jewelery, but sheets and table linen for bandages. Iron railings, gates, and cooking pots were turned into cannon.

A recruiting sergeant rode through the county signing up volunteers and was even recruiting black men. Nicholas manumitted his field hands and told them they were free to go or stay, as they wished. Brute chose to stay with his wife Cleo and new baby. Jason decided to stay at the brickyard with Solange, but Vulcan and Lance, the two rivals, joined the Confederate Army.

Next day the two brothers, Gold and Silver went missing. They'd received an offer from Aunt Billie to help her open a brothel in Charleston. The same day Sugar and Candy were nowhere to be found, and Mammy Lou didn't bother to look too far. Later, Samuel confirmed they had been spotted at Madam Billie's. All news eventually filtered down through the black servants' grapevine.

Lady Pamela had more brains than to join Billie in her venture. She could hardly snare a rich gentleman from the hallowed halls of a whorehouse. Instead she chose to stay at the Jackson Plantation with Jennifer until an opportunity presented itself.

Nicholas was uneasy about the number of rag-tag soldiers passing through on their way to Virginia, so provided Brute with a rifle and ammunition to prevent any looting of Paradise. He gave Samuel a pair of pistols and asked him to keep them loaded at all times to ensure Amanda's protection.

He saw that there was gold in the safe, and again told his wife that if he was detained and the household needed money, she was to contact Gabriel DuBose, his Charleston banker.

The day before Nicholas left for his last trip to England he arose early and inspected the fields. Since the cotton would be ripe before he returned, he left Brutus in charge of gathering the crop and storing it for the future.

As he returned to the house, he spied Mandy on the upper gallery. She had come out into the morning sunlight in her nightgown, and he was held in thrall. He came and stood beneath her. "A true Goddess of the Dawn."

He came out onto the gallery and swept her into his arms. As he carried her into their bedroom he whispered, "Will you indulge me in one of my fantasies, Mandy?"

She brushed her lips across his mouth. "You know that I will."

"Wear that pale green batiste dress, but don't put anything underneath it. When I look at you, I want to know that you're naked beneath your gown."