Underground Captive (29 page)

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"Forgive me," Phillipe said.  "I'm no better than my son Gerard with my quick conclusions of people.  I should look beneath the surface of you and see the gentleman that you really are."

    
             
"I take no offense to ye," Jared said with a smile.  "Gentlemen, please let me know what yer plans are concerning yer slaves being taken away from yer plantation.  I promise ye, I'll help with everything in me!  Now, if ye'll excuse me, I am going to prepare for my departure from Crescent Wood."

    
             
"
Mon ami
, what are you saying?" Charles asked.  "Surely you aren't leaving before supper time."

    
             
"I assure ye I am, Charles."  He extended his hand.  "I thank ye for yer hospitality, but I would be less than a gentleman if I were to stay.  I intended to tell ye at breakfast this morning but I didn't get the chance.  My servants left last evening and Sophie informed me right before this meeting began that Angus brought King George to yer stables."

             
"Is there anything I can do to dissuade you?"

    
             
Jared considered Charles's question, although he knew there was nothing

that could be done to dissuade him from leaving Crescent Wood.  He was distressed by the disappointment he felt over Nicollette's general treatment of him.  During his time there at Crescent Wood it seemed like an effort for her to be civil to him.  Since the night she had gone into his chamber to inquire after his health, she'd avoided him as much as possible.

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Why the bloody deuce did she suddenly hate him so much?  More importantly, why the hell did it matter to him?  Yet it did, which was a major factor in his decision to leave.  Jared had never imagined his stay at Crescent Wood would turn out to be so disturbing when he'd accepted Charles's invitation.  And the fact that it truly mattered how Nicki really felt towards him disturbed him most of all.  Besides sincerely not wanting to uproot her in her own home, he needed to get away from all of the bloody Duplantiers to sort out his feelings.

"Jared, son, is there--"

Jared shook his head.   "Nay, Charles.  I've been here for six days and each day I stay gets worse for Nicollette.  My being here is upsetting yer daughter.  I can't do that to her in her own home.  She won't even come down to sup with ye.  'Tis her place to be in Crescent Wood's dining salon not mine.  Please extend my apologies to her for displacing her in her home."

"Rubbish!  I'm still master here, Jared," Charles said as the door opened

and Nicki burst in.

"Please, Jared, don't leave on my account," Nicki said sweetly, pinning a

stormy gaze on him that belied the softness of her voice.   "In the last days I may have come to the conclusion that I won't welcome you here, but since Crescent Wood is my father's plantation I have to abide by his decisions.  Rash or otherwise."

    
             
"That's precisely why I must leave, Nicollette," Jared retorted coolly.   "It distresses me to see ye forced to abide by anyone's decision other than yer own."

   
             
"Nicollette!" Charles said in exasperation, knowing she must have been listening by the door.  He'd ceased to become embarrassed by her antics.  They'd occurred too frequently.  "How dare you walk uninvited into this meeting with my friends!"

Jared's eyes locked with Nicollette's, his expression unfathomable.

"Charles, there's no need to reprimand her.  I won't intrude on her in her own home."

"Nicollette Solange!" Charles sputtered.  "You
will
apologize to Jared this

instant!"

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Nicollette stared at her father a moment before she spoke.  "Forgive me, Pa Pa and you, too, Jared.  I didn't mean to embarrass either of you.  Hello,
messieurs
.  Jared, please stay.  We would be delighted to have you."

Charles looked narrowly at his daughter and wondered at her ready

acceptance of his demand that she apologize to Jared.  However, he was glad she had joined them if only to say good-bye to Jared.  But one never knew with Nicki, although she certainly could've knocked on the door.

    
             
"
Oui
, Pa Pa, I do insist that Jared stay.  But let me warn you.  I think the Black Rider will be sleeping under our roof," she said, a triumphant gleam in her eyes.  After that pronouncement, she quit the room.  She'd have said more if she didn't feel her life was in imminent danger from murder at Jared's own hands.

Leaning against the door, she reproached herself for speaking so rashly.  Overwhelmed with guilt over her malicious allegation, she went up the winding staircase to her bedchamber.

In the drawing room, no one paid heed to Nicki's absurd charge.

Charles attempted to apologize.  "Jared, I--"

    
             
Jared raised his hand to silence him.  "Charles, there is no need for ye to apologize to me.  I may not understand Nicollette's reasoning for saying such a thing, but I don't hold it against ye.  I doubt ye even understand her motives.  Still, yer daughter has a right to her opinions."   He
didn't
hold it against Charles.  He wanted to throttle Nicollette, but that wasn't the fault of her father.

    
             
Charles flushed with humiliation.  "
Messieurs
, I can assure you my daughter will be severely punished for this scene.  Please...."  That was the last thing Jared heard as he left the room and headed for the stairs.

    
             
Damn the hot tempered, little witch! If Charles hadn't been so thoroughly

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humiliated he may have taken offense at Jared when Nicollette accused him of being the Black Rider.  He could, at this very moment, because of Nicollette, be calling upon his seconds.  Or worst, facing a lynch mob.

Damn her!  The bloody little bitch
.

    
             
Jared had actually felt guilty at Nicki's discomfort from his presence.  A Duplantier's well being had really mattered to him.  But 'twas obvious she hated

him.

    
             
Dammit, for what?  He'd begun to come to terms with the fact that he might feel something for her.  Now, he felt like a fool that he allowed himself to become attracted to a bloody damned Duplantier.  Again, he asked himself what reason Nicki had to hate him.  The only crime he'd committed against Nicki was to kiss her.  He couldn't recall anything else he may have done to offend her.  He'd been sorry for that first taste of her since it had taken place.  For now, his ever increasing want of her consumed him.  Though he kissed her a second time, and she'd been more than responsive, it was with that first kiss that he was lost.

    
             
Nay, he wanted her in the basest of ways.  He tried to convince himself of that as his anger at her actions left a bitter taste in his mouth.  And, he'd have her.  He'd teach her that Jared Fleming could have anything he desired.

    
             
As Jared guided King George away from Crescent Wood Plantation and the Duplantiers, revenge was what he wanted most.

             
Yet, he was in a quandary.  He didn't know which of Charles's offspring he desired retribution from first and foremost!

21

The entire first week of December Nicollette prepared for Christmas.  She took extra special care decorating the tall Christmas tree with candles, and silver and gold paper cornucopias.  Likewise, the house was decorated with fresh pine, spruce and cedar garlands interwoven with bunches of hollyberries.  Garlands ran along the winding staircase and entrance doors throughout the house.   The manor reeked of potpourri, fresh ground cinnamon, apple cider, freshly cut firewood, and other smells of Christmas that Nicki so loved.  Mistletoe hung strategically throughout the house and white lilies and red carnations were all over.

    
             
But, at the end of the week, Nicki received the shock of her life.  Antoinette Vermierre moved in as Madam Antoinette Duplantier.  From that point on, Nicki swore never to speak to her father again.  He'd lied to her and she'd never forgive him.

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That wasn't the only thing Nicki had to contend with.  It was her first Christmas at Crescent Wood in four years and she was bitterly disappointed that Ricard hadn't come home.  After continued rumored sightings of him, she'd raised her expectations for a reunion that didn't happen.  And, now, besides her father's marriage, she had to deal with her blighted hope.

    
             
Just as she had to deal with her malign treatment of Jared.  It disturbed and distressed her that her feelings for him ran hot and cold.  Charles and Antoinette had graciously extended an invitation to Jared to spend Christmas Reveillon with them.  But after the way Nicki vilified him before her father's friends, and indeed Jared's friends, she wondered at his acceptance.

    
             
Well, she would just have to make sure that any refusal by him wouldn't be because of her lack of good judgement.  Not yet feeling that she could face him, she decided to pen him an apology and have one of the slaves deliver it to him.  Jared was special to her.  Because of
her
irrational jealousy over Patricia, she'd humiliated him.  

    
             
Nicki sighed.  The slaves were busy doing Antoinette's bidding.  The house was alight with activity.  She finished doing the traditional decorations, which she knew would be her last time as mistress of Crescent Wood, and walked through the great ballroom, coming to the adjoining portrait room. 

She stepped into the room, looked around, and stayed her gaze on her mother's portrait.  Deep hurt pierced Nicki.  Sounds of laughter and music from a distant time invaded her memory.  Her mother's lilting laughter at Nicollette's girlish antics filled her.  She remembered how mercilessly she and her Maman had teased Charles and Ricard.  Nicollette was a prankster who delighted her mother immeasurably.

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But she knew her Maman wouldn't have been delighted at her treatment of Jared, especially since it hadn't been meant as a prank.  How Nicki wished she were here!  She needed Marie-Claude more than anything right now. 
Oui
, her Maman would have been angry.  She also would have
insisted
that Nicki go and personally extend her apologies to Jared.  However, Nicki knew if she'd needed her Maman’s support, Marie-Claude would have accompanied her without hesitation even as she lectured Nicki on the virtues of manners and humility.

"Do you think Jared will accept my apology, Maman?  I have no idea what to say to him.  You know, I've never been any good with apologizing to the people I love."

Nicollette looked around, tears blurring her vision, her heart seeming to shatter into a thousand shards.  The portrait room was a beautiful room, she thought, remembering the care with which her mother had redecorated it seven years ago.  Peach colored walls blended well with the crimson colored settee elaborately decorated throughout with gold threads.  It sat in front of a large, gilt-framed mirror.  Two matching wing-backed chairs were placed on opposite sides, with two more chairs against the opposite wall. Thick Oriental rugs covered the cypress floors of the large room.  A huge crystal chandelier hung from the center of the ceiling.  Nicki stared again at her mother's portrait.  The joy in her Maman’s emerald eyes--the exact same color as Ricard's--came through even on canvass. 

She brushed a tear from her cheek.  "I don't think I'll ever forgive you for leaving me, Maman," she whispered.   "Did you know that this room has become my refuge?  I feel such solace with you when I am here.  I miss you.  I love you."  She walked to the door and stopped for a long, loving look at her mother's portrait.  She smiled through a tear-filled gaze.  "Marie-Claude, I do forgive you.  There was too much joy here.  And because of it, I know there's no way you would've left if you'd had a say in it."