Beautiful Whispers (Ausmor Plantation Book 1 - Romance/Suspense) (9 page)

I held Alexander’s hand and listened to the doctor explain broken ribs, cuts, contusions, abrasions, hairline fractures of a cheek bone, swollen eyes... I stopped listening when I heard him say Alexander would be fine but needed to rest and heal.

He gave Alexander a sedative for the pain, and Alexander was out. But he never let go of my hand. Evan brought in a chair so I could sit beside the bed.

Evan didn’t know what to do with the Byron situation. Mrs. Kiness had been pale since learning of Byron’s actions. She’d always loved Byron, but she didn’t know where to place her anger. I was too numb to think about it.

Alexander
had refused to press charges. He didn’t think it would matter with Byron’s money and connections. No one could convince Alexander to change his mind. I didn’t try. Byron’s stable of lawyers could slither him from danger.

Once the doctor left, Mrs. Kiness
returned to her leadership position. She brought sunflowers from the greenhouse they miraculously were able to grow even in the middle of December. She brought pitchers of water and juice and a basket of snacks and cookies. Okay, the snacks were more extensive, but I stress eat. Sugar makes traumas less dramatic.

I watched Alexander as Mrs. Kiness placed a compress over his eyes to lessen the swelling.

“Jane,” Mrs. Kiness said touching my shoulder. “I will take the first shift.”

I shook my head. I couldn’t leave him.

“I understand, child, but...” she hesitated as she studied her patient. “I am sure Mr. Ravenswirth will be anxious for you to be here when he is conscious.”

“What if he wakes up?”

“He should sleep a good six hours. That is what the doctor said.”

“But...” I didn’t want to let go of his hand.

“You will need your rest, dear. Go and sleep so as to be fresh tomorrow morning.”

It wasn’t a request. Mrs. Kiness didn’t ask. She said; we did.
I slowly let go of Alexander’s hand and watched him a bit. Then I left.

By the time I closed Alexander’s door, the fatigue slammed me.
Adrenaline had been keeping me conscious. I must have walked through the house and up the stairs because, before I knew it, I stood in my room. A note on my bed told me Lillia had extended another invitation for Miss Fanny Dingo to stay with her. I peeked under the bed and saw all of the collections had been taken as well.

Before I collapsed, I locked my door
. I glanced at the Jack and Jill bathroom. I rummaged through drawers and found an old Fanny Dingo toy that jangled. I walked through the bathroom and peeked into Karenda’s empty room. I closed Karenda’s door and put the jangly thing on the handle to alert me of any trespassers.

Not too long after, my door jarred
quickly, but the lock held. Someone softly knocked. I rushed to it in case Mrs. Kiness needed help with Alexander. But she would say something. I listened.

“Jane...”

I recognized Byron’s voice. I put my hand on the door knob to open it, but I didn’t want to face him. I went to the bathroom and took a long shower then went to bed.

In
the morning, I woke early. Six a.m. - early for me. My organs didn’t pulsate till at least nine, and my blood didn’t start flowing until five minutes before that. I jumped out of bed, put on jeans and a sweater, slapped some form of makeup and lipstick and flung my door open. I almost tripped on Byron huddled on the floor.

He jumped up, and I noticed he still wore
his tuxedo from last night. He’d slept in the hallway all night. Good, I hope he got a cramp.

I raced around him without saying a word.

“Jane. I’m sorry. I don’t know what else to say. I didn’t mean to scare you. I’d never hurt you.”

I half listened as I raced down the stairs and through the house as Byron
and his hollow excuses followed me.

I stopped when I opened the
door to the Old Wing. Byron couldn’t follow me down the hall. I didn’t want Alexander to hear his voice.

I put my hand on
Byron’s chest to stop him, but I still couldn’t look directly at him.

“Jane, please. Talk to me. Let me explain. Let me make it up to you.
”

I heard footsteps and turned around to see Mrs. Kiness marching towards us.

“Mr. Bashley,” she said in her coldest voice as if speaking to a speck of dust. “Please leave the premises.”

I finally
glanced at Byron. His eyes actually held tears.

Banished, h
e started to say something but couldn’t. He lowered his head and walked away.

Mrs. Kiness and I looked at each other. We had a
silent conversation. She knew by my expression that I hadn’t said anything to Byron, and he didn’t acknowledge his crimes. After a few moments, she smiled at me. It wasn’t a happy smile just a ‘not much we can do about it now’ expression.

“Alexander?”

“He slept all night, as I suspected.”

I nodded. Mrs. Kiness never let an opportunity escape
to prove herself correct.

“And he has been awake for about thirty minutes. He is still in pain but does not wish to burden his body with the sedative. He has eaten and is asking for you.”

That’s all I needed to hear as I rushed to his door and went inside.

Alexander’s eyes were still covered, but he smiled when I entered.
“Jane?”

“It’s me.”

He held out his hand, and I sat down beside him.

“You sure you’re alright?”

“Yes.”

He sighed heavily. “So afraid of what he’d do to you.”

I flinched. I didn’t know why Alexander always worried about what Byron would do to me. “How are you feeling?” Stupid question, I thought.

He shifted and grimaced as he held his side. “As long as you’re okay, I’m fine.”

“Mrs. Kiness said you slept all night.”

He nodded. “Did you?”

“Mrs. Kiness forced me out or I would have stayed.”

“You’re here now.” He gripped my hand harder as if I was planning to leave.

“And I’m staying. She won’t force me out again.”

He smiled. “Good. Not bein
g able to see...” He hesitated to continue.

“
Sucks?”

“Yeah
.”

Evan ran into the room. “You’re here.”

“Yes.” I wasn’t sure what Evan’s shorthand meant. “Problem?”

Evan
flinched, hesitated, folded and refolded his arms. “Did you...were you...how long have you been here?”

“A few minutes.” Then, I realized. He’d either seen or Mrs. Kiness had told him of Byron’s vis
it. “Taken care of?”

Evan nodded. “Taken care of.”

Alexander smiled. “He was here, wasn’t he?”

I looked at Evan. “I guess he slept outside my room all night.”

Alexander clenched his jaw and sat up straight.

“I locked my room up because I didn’t want any surprises.”

“Smart,” Evan said.

“So, he slept in the hallway all night?” Alexander asked.

“I guess.”

“Hope the rat bastard
gets a cramp.”

I laughed. “That’s what I thought when I saw him.
..I left out ‘rat bastard.’ But it fits.”

Evan looked at me then at Alexander. “Well... I see you’re doing... I should...
if you need...don’t worry about...” Then, he was off.

I shook my head. “I love my crazy family.” I instantly thought of Bitty and grimaced.

Alexander shifted positions carefully. “He going to cause problems for you?”

“Evan?”

“Byron.” He spit out the name.

I didn’t know how to answer. We sat in silence for awhile.

“Tell me what Mrs. Kiness brought.”

I let go of his hand and
investigated the room. “Sunflowers, but they’re shy.”

“Sure.”

“A basket of...” I peeked inside the basket expecting brownies, fudge, cookies and all sorts of chocolate health. Instead, apples, pears and pineapple assaulted me. “Yikes.”

“No chocolate?”

“Fruit.”

Alexander curled his lip. “I’ll take the pears
. You can have the pineapple.”

I frowned. “
Guess I can dip it in chocolate.”

“What else?”

“Fresh juice, tea, water.” I looked at Alexander’s desk and picked up a picture of his mother. “Beautiful.”

“My mother?”

“Yeah.” I picked up another picture and recognized Alexander, Evan and I as kids. There was another of a blonde man who looked like Alexander. He had the same crooked smile and piercing green eyes. “You look so much like him.”

“I do
.”

“I only saw him a few times.”

“He was traditional. Didn’t think it right for the families to see their workers.”

I nodded. ‘The families’ had always been code for
the ones who lived in the house. I picked up the book,
The
Killer Angels
.

“Best book on the Civil War.”

“How’d you know I picked up the book?”

“Next thing on my desk. Can you read some to me?”

I studied him and noticed how much he held his side. “If you take a pain pill.”

“They make me tired.” He lowered his head
and winced. “I can take the pain.”

I handed him a pill and some water. “I can’t.”

He relented and took the pill. “Promise me you’ll still be here when I wake up.”

I picked up the book and took his hand. “Promise.”

After several chapters, he sat up straighter.

“I love this part.”

I examined the worn out copy with pages barely staying intact. “How many times have you read this?”

“Eleven.”

I read more until he fell asleep. I knew he was asleep because he stopped smiling. I put the book down but never let go of his hand. “Why does Byron hate you so much?”

It was the third day I held onto Alexander’s hand as he slept. He’d been out of it most of the time. It gave me a chance to look at him without others spying on me or his eyes finding mine. His bruises were healing and the swelling around his eyes almost gone. I had to resist running my fingers through his curls. Wait a minute. He had short hair.

A memory? I closed my eyes and tried to
snatch the images that floated past me like a hungry dragonfly eyeing a new puddle. I mentally reached out to grab hold, and I saw Alexander with longer hair. A mop, as some would call it, of loose honey curls.

Alexander squeezed my hand. “
Still here?”

“I am
.”

He smiled. “Shouldn’t keep you. Probably have things to do.”

“Yeah, Ausmor might collapse without my input. I don’t know how Karenda and Evan have survived without my vast decision making skills.”

“Don’t do that.”

“What?”

He sat up straight. “You are important to Ausmor. Your opinions matter.”

I didn’t respond. No one’s ever said that to me before.

“Jane? You hear me, don’t you?”

“I hear you, but you’re speaking some weird dialect.” I put my hand on his head. “You’re not warm. So there’s no fever.”

“You’re an Austen. From one of the oldest families in Virginia. You are part of Ausmor.”

I’d never considered myself anything other than the younger sister to the leader. Karenda had the strength of armies, the will of the mad and the skills of the wicked. She didn’t need me.

“
Tell me what you’re thinking. I can’t see you.”

I let go of his hand. “I’m not thinking anything.”

Why does Jane doubt herself? Didn’t Karenda ever include her? No. I knew Karenda. We all wished Jane was the Austen in charge. Karenda was a cold hearted bitch.

I hated that I couldn’t see
Jane’s eyes. Her eyes told me everything. Dark when she thought or doubted. Gold and green when happy.

“How’s the weather?” I flinched when I heard myself say those words. The weather? That’s what you said to strangers during awkward silences.

She laughed.

Good. She didn’t get offended.

“The weather? Well, it’s December in Virginia. So, it’s cold. They said it might snow late tonight or tomorrow.”

“Did Mrs. Kiness bring anything good in the basket?”

Silence. My own voice sounded so foreign to me. Usually wasn’t so nervous around Jane. Didn’t want to push her. She had to remember on her own time.

Jane rummag
ed. I took a deep breath. Relax. What was wrong with me? Next I’d ask about Byron and if she still loved him. What the hell?

“What’s wrong?”

“Huh?”

“You gonna kill your sheets?”

I unclenched my hands. Hadn’t realized I’d wadded up the sheets in my fists. “It’s all good.” I didn’t even believe that. Had to keep it together.

“I need to let you rest,” Jane said, as her voice changed. It was as if she was talking on her way to the door.

“I’ve rested enough. Don’t go.”

Were her eyes looking at me or searching for an escape? Was she frowning as she did when she
didn’t understand something? Or did she want to get away from me? “I don’t want to bother you.”

“You’re not bothering me.” I stopped. I had to calm down. “Please.” I held out m
y hand. “Stay and talk with me. Sorry I’m so out of it.”

After a few minutes, Jane sat back down and took my hand.
“Probably the pills. Pain killers always make people wonky.”

I shook my head. “It’s not that.” I took a deep breath. “
Won’t lie to you. There’s things you don’t know. Want you to remember on your own.”

“What things?”