Emerald Ecstasy (43 page)

“No! You're overwrought from all that has happened. I will wait until we're back home in Mexico City. You'll see things differently then and realize I am the man you love.”

He got up, and she sighed. “Of course, my husband. And I was all ready and willing for you.”

Raoul looked in disgust at her, and he left the room with her peals of laughter following him. It was some time later before she collapsed in a heap and cried for the man she'd never have, the man she loved.

Lianne never realized the power of her allure for Raoul until they arrived in Mexico City. She decided that he had ruined her life too many times, had deprived her of the only man she'd ever love. So, she took him to her bed and reveled in their lovemaking. Let him wonder if I love him, she thought. Let him live with the torment she did, knowing now that the man she loved didn't love her.

For all of his power, his wealth, she realized Raoul was as vulnerable as any other man. Until the day Daniel turned away from her, she had been Raoul's victim. Now he was as much a victim of her beauty, her sex, as the fly in the web of a black widow spider. She knew he longed to hear that she loved him, and she tantalized him with love words when they were in bed, but she never told him she loved him. It would be a lie. However, she enjoyed taunting him with her flesh, enjoyed the rapturous look on his face when she responded wildly to him. Each time they made love, she knew she ensnared him more. And this vengeance was all she had to appease her hurt.

So entranced by her, Raoul even relented and allowed her to perform again at the opera. Each night he sat in his box, supported by delicate columns twined with gilded flowers in riotous profusion, while she sang. And each night after a late candlelight supper at home, she knew she was the one who controlled Raoul. With her intervention he was no longer so partial to Diego, and she hoped this would help Carmen when the wedding night arrived.

“My father is much in love with you,” Carmen said one afternoon as she and Lianne sat in the courtyard, away from Josephine's prying eyes. Josephine was another matter Lianne was eager to take care of, and she hoped she'd have little or no interference from Raoul.

“Yes, he is,” she said with self-assurance.

“I know you don't care for him, Lianne. Why do you stay with him?”

“Because I owe him for many things, Carmen.” Lianne thought about the child she'd probably never see again, the loss of Daniel. Yes, she owed Raoul for many things.

Carmen looked down at her hands, and shame suffused her face. “I apologize for what happened in San Augustin de las Cuevas. My father used me to bring you to him. He knew you wouldn't come to him on your own. I am the cause of your unhappiness.”

Lianne reached over and hugged the girl in a forgiving embrace. “You're not to blame for your father's actions.”

“I fear him so, Lianne. I've always been afraid of him.”

“Afraid of Raoul?” She felt suddenly disbelieving to think that Carmen—or she herself—had been frightened of Raoul. Now that she knew how to control him, she wasn't afraid of him any longer. “He's only a man, Carmen.”

Carmen seemed about to cry. “I'm also afraid of Diego. I fear him more than my father, I think.”

“I've told you before not to worry about him. If he harms you, I'll have him groveling on his knees for hurting you.”

Despite the sadness and fear Lianne saw in Carmen's face, the young girl laughed. “I should like to see that!” Then she sobered. “I think a great deal about Felix sometimes and wonder if he is still alive. Many people perish who work in the mines, but I tell myself that he is very strong.”

Lianne looked questioningly at her. “You cared for Felix?”

“Oh, no! Not like that.” Carmen put her hands to her face in a gesture of shock. “He was kind to me once.”

Lianne nodded she understood, but she guessed that Carmen cared for Felix a bit more deeply than she let on. Sometimes Lianne wondered how Felix was, but tried to put his face from her mind. He had helped her escape Raoul and had paid for it. She never knew Carmen liked Felix, but then it didn't matter. Carmen was destined to marry Diego Gonzalez.

“I saw your Señor Flanders yesterday in the square. He was buying a pretty mantilla for the woman he keeps.”

“Isabelle Hidalgo,” Lianne said tightly.

“
Sí
, she is very beautiful. He wouldn't be with her if it weren't for me.”

Lianne sighed. “I've told you not to blame yourself, Carmen. What happened with Daniel was my fault. If I hadn't been so foolish, I'd have known your father had laid a trap for me. I just didn't imagine he'd go so far as to use you.”

“Señorita Carmen!”

They turned at Josephine's voice. “The seamstress is here to fit your wedding gown!”

Carmen visibly paled. She stood up and smiled at Lianne. “Two more days before I enter a living hell as the wife of Diego Gonzalez. I'd rather enter a convent than marry him.”

Lianne felt pity for her, but she patted her hand in comfort. “I shall help you if you need it.”

The wedding of Carmen Fortuna de Lovis to Diego Gonzalez was a huge affair. They married in the church which was bedecked with white roses, interlaced with red ones. Carmen made a sweet bride, and when the young couple left for their honeymoon at Diego's house on the other side of town, pity filled Lianne. She looked so young and vulnerable as she rode in the open carriage with Diego. Raoul was happy that, at last, his daughter was married and would no longer bother him with her looks and mannerisms which resembled Elena's.

A few days after the ceremony, an invitation was delivered from the Academy de San Carlos. Don Raoul and Dona Lianne were invited to an exhibit of paintings by Daniel Flanders. This was destined to be one of the social events of the year, and Raoul had to attend to keep up appearances and because he contributed a great deal of money to the academy.

“You can stay home,” he said to Lianne. “I shall go.”

She looked up from arranging freshly cut flowers in a basket. “Are you afraid I'll fall into Daniel's arms, Raoul? I assure you I won't. I doubt if he can stand to think about me. You made certain he detests me.”

“Are you still in love with him?” he asked.

She went to him and kissed him. “Don't ask questions if you don't wish to hear the answers.” She left the room and headed to the bedroom where she began to dress for the performance that night. She shook so badly as she tried to unbutton the hooks on the back of her dress that she was forced to send for Josephine.

Daniel. Just to think his name disturbed her, and now, she would see him again at the exhibition of his paintings. Oh, she was going all right. No one would keep her away.

Revenge was sweet. Who had said that? Daniel wondered as he took another swig from the brandy bottle. He knew he drank too much. Isabelle told him that all the time. But what the hell? The alcohol helped the pain.

The afternoon light was perfect as he observed the painting which was to be the focal point of the exhibit. He had the usual landscapes, portraits of Mexico's leading citizens to show. He knew he'd sell all of them and at high prices. But this painting was special and not for sale to just any buyer. The canvas was ten feet high and five feet in width. The background colors were soft shades of peach, green and gray; the iridescent blue of the water beside the shoreline was so lifelike that he felt he could dive in and drown in it.

Yet it was the soft colors of the flesh rising from the blue pool which held his attention. With an artist's eye, his gaze traveled upward from the bare calves to the swell of hips and upward to the perfect breasts. His eyes lingered there a moment, remembering. Then his gaze moved to the long graceful neck, then the face which even now on canvas had the power to make him gasp. The incredible green eyes stared at him, inviting him as they would every man in the room. The sensuous quality in their shining depths wasn't lost on him and wouldn't be lost on Raoul de Lovis.

Daniel laughed, quite pleased with himself, even when Manuel Tolsa entered the studio.

Manuel folded his arms in observation. “You shall be called to duel for this, my friend. I shall be lucky if de Lovis doesn't cut off all funds and order me to the dueling fields.”

“Ah, Manuel, it will be worth it. I ache to see his face when he sees the nude painting of his wife. All people of note will see it and know what a whore de Lovis is married to. And what makes it all the better is that he will make an offer to buy the painting, and I will refuse.” He took another gulp of liquor.

“You love her still, Daniel. The woman is a fever in your blood.”

“Yes. She is a fever in my blood. I admit to that. Perhaps this humiliation will appease my own pain.”

Manuel shook his head. “No, my friend. I think your pain has yet to begin.”

Lianne dressed carefully the night Daniel's paintings were to be exhibited. Though Josephine had laid out a gown of golden taffeta, Lianne chose a gown of thin blue voile, over which she draped a wrap of sheer white tulle with small golden roses embroidered in the material. Before she left with Raoul for the academy she covered her head with the tulle which enhanced the beauty of her red gold hair, but did very little to cover the low bodice of the dress.

“Don Raoul won't approve of this dress,” Josephine told Lianne and shook her head in disapproval.

“Of course, you know exactly what pleases my husband, Josephine. Have you his ear in every matter, including his taste in my clothes?” Lianne pulled on her long lacy white gloves and shot the woman a withering glance.

“No, I do not, but he shall think as I do, that you dress to attract the attention of Daniel Flanders.”

Lianne laughed. “Don't worry about Daniel. You and Raoul made certain he'd never look at me except with scorn in his eyes. I doubt very much if he'll care I'm in the same room with him. Raoul has his wish. I'm now completely his. Isabelle Hidalgo has Daniel, and from what I've heard, she sees to his every need. Everyone is happy.”

“Everyone except you?” Josephine asked with a softness which surprised Lianne.

Grabbing the white beaded reticule from the bed, Lianne turned and said over her shoulder, “Don't pretend concern for my welfare, Josephine. It's so out of character.”

When she and Raoul arrived at the Academy, she was aware he didn't seem pleased with her attire. His dark eye had raked over her like a hot coal earlier, and though he didn't say a word about the gown, she knew he was displeased. She thought Mexican men were strange. They didn't mind flaunting their mistresses in skimpy gowns, but their wives should appear in high-necked, long-sleeved dresses. But she also knew that Raoul was so in love with her, he'd allow her to wear whatever pleased her. Yet she wondered if he knew she had purposely chosen this gown because it would cause a stir, and that she had worn it to see if Daniel would notice her.

Lianne still hadn't gotten over him, would never forget the hatred in his eyes for her in San Augustin de las Cuevas. She shivered even now in the hot night air to remember he had seen her in bed with Raoul, that he knew she had enjoyed their lovemaking. No matter what the circumstances, she had welcomed Raoul's touch that night. And the reason why wouldn't matter to Daniel.

Inside the Academy Mexico City's leading citizens were present. The Viceroy sauntered over to them, looking like a peacock in his red and gold embroidered jacket next to the somber suit Raoul wore.

He bowed and kissed her hand. “Dona Lianne, what a lovely treat you are to my eyes. Every man in the room wishes to be in your husband's place.”

Lianne smiled but cringed inwardly. The man was actually salivating as his gaze rested on her partially concealed bosom. For once she was glad when Raoul took her elbow and politely steered her in another direction.

They wandered around the room, examining the paintings when he stopped and looked at her. “I hope you're aware that your gown has the attention of every person in this room, especially the men.”

“Does it?” she asked innocently. “I remember once you told me you wanted to flaunt me, to show me off to your friends.”

“That was before you were my wife.”

Lianne sighed. “I can't deny that I am your wife.”

Suddenly the black look was displaced by a twisted sneer. He grabbed her arm and spun her around so her gaze would rest on the figure of Daniel with Isabelle Hidalgo hanging onto him like a leech.

“It appears that your ploy for Daniel's attention hasn't worked,
querida
. See, he hasn't looked once in your direction. Isabelle has his black heart now.”

Lianne couldn't deny that either. She plainly saw the two were so close they appeared attached. “Why should I deny it, Raoul. I did dress to please him, to see if the flame burns within his eyes.”

She surprised herself with her newfound confidence. A month ago she would never have dared utter such a sentiment. Now she didn't care. Raoul no longer frightened her. He had taken everything from her, even her fear of him and his power.