Sioux Slave (33 page)

It was chilly outside in the October night after the hot ballroom. Kimi shivered, and immediately he came up behind her, slipped his arms around her, and kissed her bare shoulder.

“We must go in,” she said, trying to keep her body rigid, which was difficult with his warm lips caressing her skin. “Someone—someone will have seen us come out here.”

“I don't care.” He whirled her around. “Look, Kimi, I've made up my mind. I'm not going to marry Lenore.”

“You're making a snap decision you'll only regret later.” She tried not to melt as his lips moved along her throat. He held her so closely she arched against him, feeling his hard body down the length of hers.

“I'll be the judge of that.” His eyes looked troubled. “Granted there'll be a lot of gossip, and maybe some homes we won't be invited to, but that doesn't matter. I just wanted to make sure you felt the same way about me before I created an uproar.”

It would be an uproar, she thought—a scandal the likes of which the county hadn't seen in a while. It might embarrass her grandmother. It would certainly bring Mrs. Erikson's fury down on Kimi. She would never be accepted by that cold lady, never.

He kissed her, hot and deep, his tongue caressing the velvet of her mouth while his hand went to stroke the rise of her breasts. She loved him more than anything in this world, loved him enough to give him up. It took all the inner strength she had, but Kimi managed to pull away, laughing. “Oh, Rand, perhaps you didn't understand. What we had was nice, but there's a whole, big world out there waiting for a girl with money. I intend to take full advantage of it.”

He looked stricken. “I can't believe you're saying this. What's happened to you, Kimi? You've changed.”

“That's what I keep trying to tell you.” She forced herself to shrug as if his feelings didn't matter to her. She straightened the lace of her ball gown. Her skin still seemed to burn with the warm passion of his kisses. “Now hadn't you better go back inside? My sister will be looking for you.”

“Why you heartless little—! I've been three kinds of a fool! And to think I was ready to throw it all away when you care nothing for me at all!” He turned on his heel and went back into the ballroom.

Kimi clenched her fists at her sides to keep from running after him, declaring her love. She must carry this charade through for his own good. Tears began to run down her face. She would stand here a moment and compose herself. After all, if the announcement was made in a few minutes, Kimi would have to go forward, offer her best wishes to the two happy couples. Kimi intended to put on such a good show that Nana would be proud of her.

 

 

Shelby handed Lenore a cup of punch. “You are incredibly beautiful in that green satin gown. Must have cost a fortune.”

She looked pleased. “Like it? I had Camelia's dress copied. You know, the one in the painting.”

“Smart minx. Is that why you look like a cat who just cornered a mouse?”

She smiled with those golden eyes. “In a way, I have. Good news, future brother-in-law. We're going to end up with more than you think, and soon.”

“Sweet Jesus. I don't think I even want to know how you know that.”

She smiled back, mysterious, self-satisfied. “I'm not sure I want to tell you.”

He looked down at her frowning face. “What's the matter?”

“My feet hurt.”

He chuckled and fingered his diamond stick pin. “You should stop trying to stuff big feet into too small shoes.”

“Big feet?” Her golden eyes widened with outrage. “I don't have big feet. Small feet are a Carstairs family trait.”

“Remind me to tell you something about that sometime, although I'm not sure you'll find the irony funny.”

She looked bewildered and angry. “For pity's sake, Shelby, have you had too much to drink?”

“Hmm.” He was only half listening. His mind was on the luscious Laurel. Vanessa danced by with her rum-soaked father and waved. He smiled and nodded, his mind still on Laurel. He wanted her, first chance he got. He wondered if she were still out on the balcony? He'd seen her go out there with Rand Erikson.

So Rand was plowing two fields at the same time, also, just like Shelby. Shelby looked toward the balcony, wishing he were in young Rand's shoes. Shelby wanted a sample of Laurel's kisses first chance he got. Pouty Lenore was more tiresome by the day. “So how are you and your newly found baby sister getting along?”

She made a slight face and lowered her voice. “For pity's sake, Shelby, don't you remind me. I was afraid I was going to have to share the Carstairs estate with her, but something's happened.”

“Uh huh. Like what?”

“Remember you said I needed proof? I found the gun, Shelby.”

Some friends of Lenore's danced past and they both nodded. Shelby nodded back and, without looking at Lenore, said softly, “What the hell are you talking about?”

“For pity's sake, don't swear. I'm a lady, you know.” She fanned herself vigorously.

He fingered his diamond stickpin, deciding not to anger her further by pointing out that real ladies didn't roll in the dirt with their best friends' fiancées. “So some soldier dropped it during the war, so what?”

“A derringer?”

She had his attention now. “Sweet Jesus! Ivory-handled?”

“How did you know that?”

“Lucky guess.” He shrugged and ran his hand through his perfumed, greasy hair. “Where is it?”

“Never you mind, I've got it safely hidden.”

He managed to keep his face immobile as he sipped his punch, just as if he were sharing a few pleasantries with his future sister-in-law. “You got it with you?”

She fanned herself. “Don't be silly! I'm saving it for blackmail—if I need it.”

The orchestra began to play softly:
Alas my love, you do me wrong to caste me off discourteously.. .

Her words came in such a rush that he had a hard time making sense of them. “I think my mother was having an affair with a gambler. Suppose my father caught them and they killed him? They took all of the valuables like money and his watch. Then they took their bastard brat and left. I'll bet my Grandmother's been sending them money all these years to stay away and not create a scandal. Now their bastard brat is back trying to cut herself in on half the estate, but I've fixed that.” She smiled smugly, evidently pleased with herself.

Clint. Unknowingly, Lenore was talking about his brother-in-law, Clint. Did her theory make any sense? “Who knows about this?”

“My grandmother and the judge, I think. You should have seen their faces when I confronted them.”

He shook his head. “Naw. No mother would help hide something like that.”

“You don't know Elizabeth Carstairs! She would do
anything
to protect the family name. Besides something she blurted out suggested it wasn't murder, it was an accident.”

Shelby stared out across the floor, but his mind wasn't on the dancers. Was it possible that Clint had gone West with the lady and died out there?

“Shelby,” she said, “Don't you see? If what I suspect is true, I can blackmail my grandmother into cutting my bastard half-sister completely out of the will. Somehow, we're going to end up with both estates.”

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Rand Erikson come in off the balcony alone. He looked distressed. “Excuse me, dear sister-in-law,” Shelby said politely. “We'll continue this conversation when I get a look at that derringer. Right now, I think I'll go out on the balcony and smoke a cigar.”

“I'll go with you.”

“What would people say?”

But about that time, Mrs. Erikson came up. “Oh, there you are, dear.” She took Lenore's arm and smiled at Shelby. “Come along and we'll talk to Vanessa about when she thinks we should make the announcement.”

Shelby nodded politely. “I'll leave all those decisions up to the womenfolk and go smoke my cigar.”

He turned and limped out onto the balcony. Was there anything to Lenore's wild story? He wouldn't bet the farm on it. Laurel Carstairs was still out there, and there was no one else on the balcony. He could see by her silhouette that she was shaking with sobs. Vulnerable. That was just the way he liked them. Shelby had followed in his handsome brother-in-law's footsteps—except that Shelby had small feet. But he, too, made use of rich, beautiful women who liked the thrill of the forbidden. “Excuse me, Miss Laurel, may I be of service?”

 

 

Kimi looked up abruptly at the man bowing gallantly before her. She didn't care for Shelby Merson; the way he looked at her always made her want to cross her arms over her bosom. “I was just going back in; stepped out to get a breath of air.”

“Yes, it is stuffy in there, isn't it?” He leaned against one of the big, white pillars. “Thought I saw Rand come back in a minute ago.”

She didn't know what he expected her to say. She could smell his strongly perfumed hair oil from here. “We—we were talking about his and my sister's wedding, and how nice that it would be a double ceremony.”

“And you got so emotional over the plans that you're crying.” He sounded cynical. “I've heard of women weeping at a wedding, but not sobbing their hearts out over someone else's.”

She took a step away from him, looking toward the open French doors. “What are you implying, Shelby?”

He grinned. “Did I say I was implying anything? My, you are a suspicious person, aren't you? We need to get a little friendlier, 'specially since we're all going to be one big, happy family. Besides, I know something, that if you knew, you could cut Lenore right out of her share of the Carstairs money.”

His tone sent shivers down her back. He seemed so incredibly evil. How could she brush past him and return to the ballroom without creating a scene? “I don't know what you're talking about, and I don't care about the money.” She hadn't the least idea what he hinted at. Had he been drinking? All she could smell from here was that flowery hair tonic he wore.

“But I do care about the money and blackmail's a good way to get it.” His mouth smiled but his eyes didn't. He advanced a step. Kimi backed against one of the large pillars that held up the balcony, and she glanced behind her. There was a three-story drop to the flagstones below.

What was Shelby hinting at? He must know about her and Rand. He was going to tell if she didn't pay him.

“I think I need to go inside.” She started past him, but he caught her arm.

“Don't hurry off, we've a lot to talk about.”

She hesitated. He was going to blackmail her. Everyone would know about her and Rand. Nana. What would Nana say if Kimi disgraced the Carstairs name by the affair becoming common gossip? “What do you want to keep quiet?”

For a moment, he blinked as if in surprise, then he threw back his head and laughed. “I do declare, everyone in the world, or at least this county has something to hide! What I want, my dear, is you.”

She hesitated, almost speechless at his insolence; unsure what to do, how to bargain with this snake.

He snickered, but he didn't let go of her arm. “Like most women, you're more afraid of making a scene than you are of me. As long as women fear being ridiculed, what people might think, they will always be at the mercy of men who prey on that hesitation.”

He was right, of course. If she screamed, or created a scene trying to get away from him, it would be both humiliating and embarrassing. What to do? If Rand were here, he'd know what to do. No, he'd probably punch Shelby in the mouth and there'd be even a bigger scene, more gossip. Kimi glanced around. There was a staircase at the end of the balcony that led down onto that flagstone veranda and on past that, into a rose garden. If she could reach the end of the balcony, she could go down the stairs and either go out and have her driver take her home or make a new entry downstairs and return to the ballroom without anyone knowing what had happened.

That would only buy her a little time. Now she knew that the decision she had been contemplating all evening was the right one. “Shelby, you're wasting your time. I'm going away. I won't be part of whatever scheme you've devised. You will not disgrace the Carstairs name.”

“It's already been disgraced. I thought it was Rose, but the flower is Camelia. Pretty, rich, married, two children, Clint said. Yessiree, there's just all sorts of intrigue and blackmail possibilities in this county.”

“I don't know what you're talking about,” she snapped and tried to yank free.

“Don't be afraid, Laurel,” he said softly and pulled her to him. “After all, I'd be a fool to do more than steal a few kisses with people liable to come out on the balcony at any time. But later, we'll have a lot of pleasure together, so I won't tell what I know, especially about your mother.”

If he wasn't drunk, he must be crazy, but she had had as much as she was going to take. Kimi brought her hand up suddenly, slapped his face, and tried to break away from him.

“Why you little—!” He yanked her against him, his mouth covering hers as he kissed her so hard that she tasted blood from her cut lip. As they struggled, he pulled at the top of her peach ball gown, trying to get his free hand on her breasts.

 

 

Lenore stood talking to Rand, but she wasn't really listening. She was thinking that Shelby had gone out on that balcony some minutes ago and hadn't come back. She remembered Laurel was out there, too. Neither had come back in. Was her bastard half-sister capable of the same things Lenore was? Women would always forgive a little straying in a man, especially if they thought a woman had tempted him. However, the woman would be an object of scandal. Here was her chance to destroy Laurel.