Love's Fiery Jewel (8 page)

Contrasting vividly, a younger woman walked beside
her. On closer inspection it became apparent that she was
more girl than woman as evidenced by the youthful
beauty of her face, and her naturally graceful but
uninhibited walk. About her was a vitality that flashed in
the gleam of the dark hair bobbing against her back, the
glow of a golden, lightly tanned complexion that defied
convention, and the sparkle of brilliant violet eyes and a
flashing, dimpled smile that turned heads all along the
street. Beside the fading bloom she walked, an exquisite
flower in only the first magnificent stage of full glory.

Shooting a short glance to the small woman walking
beside her, Amethyst felt the warmth of her mother's smile and sighed. It wasn't often that Mama felt well
enough to venture out for a walk, and her obvious joy in
her however temporary feeling of good health was
exhilarating in itself. The past six months had seen
Amethyst taking over more of her mother's acting
commitments while she was incapacitated, and she knew
her mother was extremely proud of her accomplishments. It was with great determination that she refused
to acknowledge the inevitable, which was written more
clearly on her mother's face each day.

With a positive effort, she directed her thoughts once
again to William Sheridan, but try as she might, she still
could not figure out what had set off his tirade a week
ago.

The Creole cane was a few months from harvest. She
had arrived at the plantation that day by wagon, along
with the new supplies which she had found on her
doorstep a few days previous in the same mysterious
manner as usual. Inexplicably, her arrival with the
provisions had seemed to spark William's irritation, and
her greeting was acknowledged with only the briefest of
nods. Despite the fact that he had made a point of riding
her home from the plantation at least twice a week during
the past year, allowing an easy and pleasant companionship to grow between them, he was suddenly acting
decidedly remote. When she left the kitchen with her
exchange of supplies, he allowed her to walk alone down
the trail to the road for a few yards before accompanying
her with obvious reluctance.

"So, you've had a visit from your smuggler friend
again, I see. He certainly goes out of his way to take care
of you, doesn't he?"

Momentarily stunned at William's peevish tone and
veiled innuendo, Amethyst stared speechlessly at his
lightly flushed face for a few moments before answering
haughtily, "Captain Straith isn't concerned about me...it's Mama. I've told you that before, William. He
took a liking to Mama when we sailed here on the Sally.
He doesn't really like me, and I certainly dislike him."

Flicking a contemptuous glance over her in an
insulting manner, William's voice was a low sneer. "Of
course..."

Aghast at his behavior, Amethyst eyed him unbelievingly. He was the same William for whom she had
developed a great fondness.. .the same thick, mahogany colored hair and boyishly handsome face, tall, the
same slender stature.. .he had not changed much in
their year of acquaintance, but the flashing, heartwarming grin that so typified his personality was not present.
Instead, his lips were pressed into a straight line, and a
small muscle ticked in his cheek with suppressed anger.

"William! What is the matter with you today?"

"It just seems to me that the infamous Captain Straith
goes to a great deal of trouble just because he took a
`liking' to your Mama..."

Suddenly feeling the blood rising in her own cheeks,
Amethyst responded heatedly, "Are you insinuating,
William Sheridan, that there is some type of...of...
illicit relationship between Captain Straith and my
mama?" Without waiting for his response, she continued
furiously, "Well, you are wrong! Neither Mama nor I
have even seen him in over a year, and he doesn't go to
`so much trouble' to see to us. It's not so difficult to send
a few of his men."

"Well, I don't like it, that's all!"

"You don't like it!" Exploding with anger, Amethyst
shouted, "And what concern is it of yours? My business
agreement is with your father, and he seems to be well
satisfied with the arrangement!"

"I don't like your associating with a man of that type."

"Oh, you would rather Mama and I go hungry, like the
majority of the people on this island. Well, I don't find that thought too appealing, and neither does Mama. We
don't choose to turn away help, even if it comes from a
smuggler! So you can keep your opinions to yourself,
William Sheridan, and go wash your mind in the creek!"

Amethyst's blazing temper seemed only to inflame
William's anger, and glaring heatedly in return, he
shouted, "You are left far too much on your own for a
respectable young lady. You need..."

"Now you're telling me that I'm not respectable?"

"...you need someone to take care of you...to
watch out for your welfare."

"I don't need anyone now, William Sheridan, and I
never will! Mama and I have done quite well for ourselves
since Papa died. We support ourselves and run our own
lives, and we do not need or want you to tell us how to
behave!"

With that last shouted, unmistakable declaration,
Amethyst had turned on her heel and stepped off the path
onto the road. Without turning back once to see William
staring moodily after her, she had stomped proudly down
the road to town.

Frowning slightly, still puzzled with his behavior of the
week before, Amethyst caught her mother's silent
scrutiny and flashed her a short smile. Mama had met
William several times and liked him immensely. It
wouldn't do to upset her with his confusing behavior. In
an effort to relieve her mother's mind by appearing
intensely interested in shopping, Amethyst directed her
glance toward some of the market stalls across the street.
As she did, a mahogany colored head standing above the
crowd caught her attention, and when the crowd of
shoppers shifted for a moment, she saw William. His eyes
were trained on the face of a slender blonde girl hanging
tightly on his arm, her face turned up to his as she cooed
appealingly.

"So," Amethyst mumbled to herself angrily, "that's the reason he's suddenly so critical of me..."

Slipping her arm through her mother's, she urged
quietly, "Let's look at the wares across the street,
Mama," and before Marian Creer realized what had
happened, she felt herself being propelled across the
street. Within moments she was facing William Sheridan
and his female companion. Startled, Marian Greer said
lightly, "William, how pleasant to see you!"

Before William could respond to her mother's
greeting, Amethyst smiled brilliantly up into his face,
fluttering her silky black lashes in flagrant imitation of
his companion's soleful expression. Directing the full
power of her violet gaze into his eyes, she cooed sweetly,
"Yes, William, it's sooooooo good to see you, but I'm
afraid we have no time to chat right now and must run
along." Flashing him another dazzling smile, she
mumbled under her breath for his ears alone, "Yes, she
does appear to be very... respectable."

Satisfied to see the beginning of a bright flush suffuse
his face as she turned away, she urged her mother
forward, chatting amiably as she did, "It really is such a
lovely day, isn't it, Mama? I'm so glad we decided to come
out for a walk..."

Amethyst turned the bend in the road and immediately
caught sight of William's tall, spare frame as he stood
waiting at the turnoff to Sheridan Plantation. Nero was
tethered to a tree close by, his black coat gleaming in the
early morning sun. She had started out a few hours
earlier this morning with the hope that she would be able
to pick up her supplies and go before William even
expected her to arrive. Somehow she felt William would
make an effort to meet her today, and she was in no mood
for another of his outbursts. She realized her behavior
the day before when she had mocked Cecily Hargrove so
blatantly was not that expected of a "proper" young lady, and her mother had upbraided her severely. She did not
wish to give William the opportunity of saying she had
proven him right. She could not really say she regretted
her actions, either. Oh, what great satisfaction it had
been to show Cecily Hargrove up for the simpering
thoughtless idiot she really was! And if that was the kind
of girl William wished her to emulate, he was more of a
quashi than she had thought him to be.

Head held high, she approached him, swinging her
milk container and basket casually. As she drew closer,
Amethyst noted that William did not appear angry as she
had expected, but seemed extremely sober, more serious
than she had ever seen him. Somehow this serious
William unnerved her far more than the raging William
of a week before.

Suddenly very serious herself, Amethyst stepped onto
the trail to the plantation, and said softly, "Good
morning, William. You're out quite early today, aren't
you?"

Without a flicker of a smile, William answered quietly
in return, "Somehow I had the feeling it would be safer to
get here early today, Amethyst, if I wanted to see you."

"And is it so important to see me today, William?"
Amethyst was once again puzzled by his behavior and
tried valiantly to draw him out, but William would not be
budged. Nodding his head slightly, he refused to say more
than, "Yes, it is," before moving forward onto the trail to
the kitchen, indicating he had nothing more to say at
present.

Except for an exchange of pleasantries with Delsea,
they maintained complete silence until they returned to
the road. Mounting up on Nero, William held out his arm
in a familiar gesture, saying as he did, "Come on,
Amethyst, I'll ride you home. There are some things we
must discuss that have been put off far too long already."

Abruptly wary of this new William, Amethyst shook her head. "No, William, it's a nice day...I think I'd like
to walk."

His eyes suddenly catching and holding hers, William
did not allow her to continue. "Please, Amethyst, don't
be difficult. It's important to me that some things be
straightened out."

The soft quality of desperation in his voice persuaded
her far more effectively than a command, and reaching
up, Amethyst accepted his hand and was pulled up
behind him.

As before, there was an uneasy silence between them
that went unbroken for the duration of the ride until
Amethyst noticed that William was directing Nero off
the road.

"Where are you going, William? I have to go home."

"I just want to talk to you for a few minutes,
Amethyst, and I can't do it while we're bumping along
the road and you're staring at my back."

Within a few minutes, Nero was tethered at a small
tree and William had seated her on a log in a lovely little
glade beside a small brook. Once seated alongside her, he
seemed reluctant to begin, and feeling extremely uneasy,
Amethyst nervously looked away from his troubled
mahogany eyes.

The spot William had chosen to talk was lushly
beautiful. Small trees common to the area were in full
blossom, their dark, glossy leaves contrasting brilliantly
with the profusion of mauve-blue flowers that preceded
the fruit. Nearby a fat green lizard scampered up the
trunk of a large palm, his throat fan flaring colorfully for
the benefit of a drab little female close by, and Amethyst
could not suppress a small smile at his vain display.

"It's lovely here, William. This area must have been
glorious before so much of the land was cleared for cane.
I've never seen these trees in such profuse bloom
before."

"Yes, it is lovely, Amethyst, but all beauty pales to
insignificance beside yours."

Startled by his compliment, Amethyst turned her gaze
to his and saw that he was in complete earnest.
Amethyst's heart began a slow pounding as their glances
met and a light giddiness stole over her. Unable and
undesirous of looking away, she continued to hold his
gaze as William raised a tentative hand to touch her
cheek lightly.

"You know what these trees are called, don't you
Amethyst?" he said softly, referring to the brilliant
blooms. "They're called the `tree of life.' A very
appropriate place to bring you to discuss..." Appearing
suddenly unable to say more, he swallowed tightly and
in one swift movement had pulled her into a crushing
embrace, straining her tight to his chest as he whispered
unevenly against her hair. "Oh, Amethyst, darling, don't
you realize why I was so unreasonable last week when
you arrived with the supplies? I was jealous... insanely
jealous of that damned smuggler. I still am."

"But William," she whispered softly, the heady
sensation of his heart thudding so wildly against her
breast sending little shivers along her spine, "I told you
there is no need..."

"And I believe you, Amethyst, I really do...but
darling," he released her slightly so he might look down
into her eyes once again, "I don't want anyone else
taking care of you. I want to take care of you! I want to be
the one you come to for help, not some smuggler. Oh,
God, Amethyst," his voice was a soft, anguished cry,
"don't you realize I love you?"

Without waiting for her response, William's mouth
covered hers, a small groan escaping him as he pulled her
more tightly against him, straining her closer still as his
lips devoured hers. Completely overwhelmed by the new
violent feelings flooding her senses, Amethyst's arms slowly circled his neck, her fingers tangling in the thick
hair at his neck to move with an inborn sensuousness
that set him to trembling.

Finally loosening his embrace to hold her at arms'
length, he said softly, his breathing uneven as he stared
longingly at her soft, bruised lips, "But damn it,
Amethyst, you're still a child... and so damned
innocent! You don't even realize how close I am
to... God! You're barely fifteen!"