In the Land of the Long White Cloud (78 page)

Paul shrugged. The word “virgin” did not mean anything to him.

“Ask her yourself,” he said. “She’s in the barn.”

John Sideblossom found Fleurette in Niniane’s stall, where the girl was just considering what her best course of action would be. Should she simply drive Niniane outside? Then there was the danger that she would not run from the stables at all but stay close to the other horses. Maybe it would be better to ride her away and put her up in a paddock farther away. However, that seemed risky, as she would have to find her way back on foot, past all the outbuildings, which were stuffed full of the search party’s drunk recruits.

Still contemplating her options, she scratched her horse under its forelock and spoke to it. The other horses suddenly got excited, and Gracie sniffed at the straw. With all that going on, it escaped Fleurette’s attention that someone was quietly opening the door. By the time Gracie became aware of what was going on and started barking, it was too late. John Sideblossom was standing in the stable aisle smirking at Fleurette.

“So, little girl. At night we sneak out to the stables, eh? I’m surprised to run into you here alone.”

Fleurette was frightened and moved instinctively behind her horse.

“These are our stables,” she replied bravely. “I can be here whenever I want. And I’m not sneaking around; I’m visiting my horse.”

“You’re visiting your horse. How touching.” Sideblossom stepped forward. His approach reminded Fleur of a predator slinking up to its prey, and that dangerous spark was in his eyes again. “Didn’t have any other visits in mind?”

“I don’t know what you mean.” Fleurette hoped her voice sounded firm.

“You know very well what I mean. You play the innocent little schoolgirl who promised herself to a young buck, but in reality, you’ve been rolling in the hay with him already. Don’t bother denying it, Fleurette. I have it from reliable sources, even if I didn’t catch you
in flagrante
today. But you’re in luck, sweetheart. I take used goods too. In fact, I don’t care much for coy prudes. It’s just troublesome to wear them down. So no worries, you can wear white at the altar. But I can have a little foretaste, can’t I?”

In a single motion, he pulled Fleurette out from behind the horse. Niniane spooked and fled to a corner of the stall. Gracie began to bark.

“Leave me alone!” Fleurette yelled, kicking at her attacker, but John Sideblossom merely laughed. He pushed her against the wall of the stall with his powerful arms and smothered her face with his lips.

“You’re drunk; let me go!” Fleur tried to bite him, but John’s reflexes still functioned perfectly despite all the whiskey. He jerked back and slapped her in the face. Fleur fell backward out of the stall and landed on a bale of straw. Sideblossom was on top of her before she could get to her feet.

“Now let’s see what you have to offer.” Sideblossom ripped her blouse open and admired her still slight breasts.

“Lovely…just about a handful!” Laughing, he reached for her. Fleurette tried to kick him again, but he laid his leg over her knee, holding her down.

“Now stop romping around like an unbroken horse. Just let me…” He was looking for the fastener to her skirt, which he did not find right away on the tailored riding dress. Fleurette tried to scream, and bit him on the hand when he covered her mouth.

“I like it when a woman keeps her temper in check!” He burst out with laughter.

Fleur sobbed, and Grace barked hysterically. Then a sharp voice pierced the tumult in the stables.

“Let my daughter go before my temper gets away from me!” Gwyneira stood in the door with a rifle in her hand, which she held aimed at Sideblossom. Fleur recognized Andy McAran and Poker Livingston behind her.

“Now, now, easy, I…” John let go of Fleurette and held up his hands in a gesture of defeat.

“We’re going to have a talk in a moment, Mr. Sideblossom. Fleur, did he do anything to you?” Gwyneira asked as she handed Andy the gun and took her daughter in her arms.

Fleurette shook her head. “No. He…he just grabbed me. Oh, Mummy, it was horrible!”

Gwyneira nodded. “I know, dear. But now it’s over. Go into the house quickly. As far as I could tell, the party in the salon is over. But your grandfather might still be carousing with a few of them in his study, so be careful. I’ll be in in a moment.”

Fleurette did not need to be told twice. Trembling, she pulled the tatters of her blouse over her breasts and took flight. The men respectfully made way as she ran headlong through the barn and into the kitchen. She longed for the safety of her room—and her mother could trust her to cross the salon as fast as the wind.

“Where is Sideblossom?” Gerald Warden asked. To his mind, the evening was far from over. He was very drunk, just like the other farmers raising their glasses in the study, but that did not stop him from suggesting a card game. Reginald Beasley, who rarely drank so much, had already agreed, and Lord Barrington was also inclined to play. They needed a fourth, and John Sideblossom had for many years been his favorite buddy when it came to cleaning out his opponents in blackjack.

“He went out earlier. To bed, probably,” Barrington told him. “Couldn’t hold an…anymore, the yo…young buck.”

“Johnny Sideblossom has yet to ever turn down a round!” Gerald defended his friend. “He always drinks everyone under the table. Has to be around here somewhere.” Gerald was drunk enough to look under the table for Sideblossom. Beasley cast a glance into the salon, but only Paul was sitting there. His head was sunk in a book, but in reality he was waiting. His sister and John Sideblossom would have to return eventually. And this position offered him the opportunity to further compromise his sister.

“Are you looking for Mr. Sideblossom?” he asked politely and in such a resonant voice that it did not escape anyone in the study. “He’s in the stables with my sister.”

Gerald Warden stormed out of the study, filled with the kind of holy rage that only whiskey could bring about.

“The damnable little whore! First she acts as if butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth, and then she disappears off to the hay with Johnny. When she knows that raises the price of the dowry. If he even takes her at all, then it’ll only be because he’s getting half my farm!”

Reginald Beasley followed him, hardly any less incensed. She had turned down his proposal. And now she was rolling in the hay with this Sideblossom fellow?

At first the men were uncertain whether they should head in through the main entrance or the kitchen door to catch the couple in the barn. It was silent for several seconds as they weighed the options. Before they could make a move, they heard the sound of the kitchen door opening. Fleurette shuffled into the salon—and stood shocked in front of her grandfather and his drinking buddy.

“You wicked little strumpet!” Gerald dealt her her second slap of the evening. “Where’s your lover, eh? Where’s Johnny? He’s certainly a cad to be dragging you off practically in front of my eyes. But this isn’t how someone behaves, Fleurette; it most definitely is not!” He struck her in the chest, but she remained standing. She did not manage, however, to hold tight to the tatters of her blouse. She sobbed when the thin material fell from her grasp, exposing her breasts to the view of all the men.

Gerald seemed to sober up. If he had been alone, he would no doubt have felt something other than shame, but for now the health of his business interests took precedence over his lust. After this incident, he would never be able to pawn Fleurette off on an upstanding man. John Sideblossom would have to take her, and that meant her honor had to be at least halfway preserved.

“Cover yourself and go to your room,” he ordered, turning his gaze away. “We’ll announce your engagement tomorrow, even if I have to force the cad to the altar with a loaded shotgun. Or you, for that matter. There’ll be no more fuss.” Fleurette was too shocked and exhausted to reply. She tugged her blouse closed and fled upstairs.

Gwyneira found her an hour later, weeping and trembling under her blankets. Gwyneira was trembling herself, but with rage. At herself first and foremost, for dealing with Sideblossom and taking the horses to safety instead of accompanying Fleurette back to the house. Not that it would have helped much. The two women would just have heard Gerald’s outburst together instead of an hour apart, because the men had not yet gone to bed. After the tongue-lashing from Gwyneira in the stables, John Sideblossom had joined them and told them heaven only knew what. Gerald had been waiting for Gwyneira, to make more or less the same threats and accusations to her. He was not interested in the other side of the story or in witnesses. He was insistent that Fleur and John would be engaged in the morning.

“And the…the worst thing is, he’s right,” Fleur stammered. “No one will…will even believe me now. They…they’ll tell the whole area. If I say no now, in front of the…the pastor, they’ll laugh at me.”

“Then let them laugh,” Gwyneira said firmly. “You won’t marry this Sideblossom, as sure as I’m standing here.”

“But…but Grandfather is my guardian. He’ll force me.” Fleurette sobbed.

Gwyneira made a decision. Fleur had to leave this place. And she would only go if Gwyneira told her the truth.

“Listen, Fleur, Gerald Warden cannot force you to do anything. He is, strictly speaking, not even your guardian.”

“But…”

“He’s considered your guardian because he’s taken for your grandfather. But he isn’t. Lucas Warden was not your father.”

There. She’d said it. Gwyneira bit her lip.

Fleurette’s sobs caught in her throat.

“But…”

Gwyneira sat beside her and took her in her arms. “Listen, Fleur. Lucas was a good man. But he…well, he could not produce children. We tried, but it never worked. And your grandfath…and Gerald Warden made life a living hell for us because he did not have an heir for Kiward Station. And so I…so I…”

“You cheated on my fa…your husband, I should say?” There was incomprehension in Fleurette’s voice.

Gwyneira shook her head. “Not with my heart, if you see what I mean. Just to have a baby. I was always true to him after that.”

Fleurette frowned. Gwyneira could see right away what was going through her head.

“And where does Paul come from?” she finally asked.

Gwyneira shut her eyes. Not that too…

“Paul is a Warden,” she said. “But let’s not talk about Paul. Fleurette, I think it’s time you left here.”

Fleur did not seem to hear her.

“Who’s my father?” she asked quietly.

Gwyneira thought about it for a moment. But then she resolved to tell the truth.

“Our foreman at the time. James McKenzie.”

Fleurette looked at her with big eyes.

“
The
McKenzie?”

Gwyneira nodded. “None other. I’m sorry, Fleur.”

At first Fleurette was speechless. But then she smiled.

“That’s exciting. Truly romantic. Do you remember how Ruben and I always played Robin Hood as children? Now you could say I’m…the daughter of a bandit!”

Gwyneira rolled her eyes. “Fleurette, grow up! Life in the highlands is not romantic; it’s hard and dangerous. You know what Sideblossom will do to James if he catches him.”