Patricia Hagan (6 page)

A mysterious little smile touched Claudia’s lips. “Jarvis was nice enough to lend it to me.”

Holly thought for a moment, then surprised Claudia by saying, “If he’s a friend of yours, and he’s being nice to you, then I won’t be rude about it.”

“He wants to be your friend, too,” Claudia said hopefully, relief buoying her hopes.

“Don’t rush me into anything, Mother.”

Cautious again, Claudia ventured, “I’ll be honest with you, dear.” She touched Holly’s shoulder in a fond gesture. “I want to show you off. I want you at Jarvis’s party. You’re so pretty, and if we do something with that dreadful hair, you’ll be beautiful. We need to have your dress fitted, and—oh, Holly!” She shook her head. “You aren’t even listening to me, are you?”

“Daydreaming,” Holly said quickly, guiltily. Her mother would surely have a spell if she knew what her daughter was thinking about. Her daughter…with a man? Lying naked and moaning with joy?

Quickly, Holly said, “If you really want me to go to Mr. Bonham’s party, I will.”

Claudia hugged her. “You’ve made me so happy, Holly. I don’t want us to quarrel. I love you.”

Holly nodded. “I love you too, Mother. We’ll try to get along. I promise I’ll try my best to behave and make you proud of me.” Inside, Holly felt her demons rumbling, and she knew it would take every bit of self-control to behave. For her mother’s sake, she had to try.

When they reached the outskirts of Vicksburg, Holly felt the familiar sadness. This was where her father had died. How happy he’d been, she remembered bitterly, to be sent here. His eyes had shone when he explained how important was the defense of Vicksburg. The Yankees, he had declared, would want it desperately.

He had been right.

Finally, her mother declared happily, “That’s Abby’s house.”

Holly reined the horses in and looked up at the large white frame house set back from the tree-lined street. There was a wide, sweeping porch with narrow, ornate posts. The lawn was neatly kept, dotted here and there with crepe myrtles trimmed to shrubs. There were a few dogwood trees and several magnolias.

A plump woman wearing a dress of pale blue muslin was sweeping the brick steps, and as she saw them she smiled and waved. Hurrying down the sidewalk, she called out gaily, “Claudia! You found Holly and brought her back with you. Oh, I’m so glad.”

She reached the carriage as the two women alighted, and she embraced first Claudia, then Holly. “I’m Abby Pearson, and you don’t know how pleased I am that you’re going to be staying with us. I’ve got lots of room, and it’ll be like having another daughter. Your mother already seems like a sister.”

Holly smiled and responded politely, “It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Pearson.” Then she decided to get things straight from the start and added, “But I’ll only be here for a couple of nights. I promised Mother I’d go to the party with her. After that, I’ve got to go home. I’ve a lot to do there.”

Claudia and Abby exchanged glances, Abby puzzled and Claudia weary.

They turned toward the house, but just then a man’s voice called to Claudia. They waited as he approached.

He was not very tall, and of medium build. He was very well dressed. A carpetbagger, Holly decided. He directed a smile at her, which she acknowledged with a polite, cold nod. With dark, waving hair and a thin mustache, he was not unattractive, but there was something about his eyes that Holly found distinctly unappealing. “Holly,” her mother was saying, “I’d like you to meet Jarvis’s son, Roger.”

Roger Bonham bowed and murmured, “You are almost as beautiful as your mother, Holly.”

Claudia laughed. “And you are almost as charming as your father, Roger.” Then she hastened to add, “I was going to send the carriage over. You didn’t have to make a trip to get it.”

He waved away her apology. “I thought you might be tired, and I wanted to save you the trouble.”

Claudia clasped his hand. “You’re so kind to me, Roger, and so is your father. I hope you both know how much I appreciate your friendship.”

“We do,” he assured her. To Holly, he said, “Will you be at Father’s party tomorrow night? I would consider it an honor if you would save me a dance.”

Before she could reply, Claudia interjected, “Of course she will, but”—she winked teasingly—“aren’t you afraid Lisa Lou will be jealous?”

He stiffened slightly, his eyes even colder as he remarked that he could surely not be expected to refrain from mingling with guests at his father’s party.

Claudia laughed good-naturedly. “Well, I’ve known Lisa Lou since she was a baby. She’s always been spoiled and had her own way. I can’t imagine her taking your flirting with other girls gracefully, Roger, but that’s your business. Holly would love to dance with you.”

Holly did not speak, did not smile. She had no intention of dancing with Roger Bonham or anybody else. She would go to the party and be polite, but that was all. Her mother would have to realize sooner or later how useless it was to push men at her.

Roger bade them good-bye and hurried to the carriage. Hoisting himself up onto the seat, he watched as Holly went into the house. Despite her baggy, worn clothes, he could tell that she had a lovely body. Young, innocent, probably naive…he would have no trouble getting what he wanted, her land, and that delectable body as well.

He popped the reins to start the horse moving, and he frowned. The girl was stubborn. He had seen that in her determination to hang on to her little parcel of land. He might not have an easy time with her, but it was going to be a challenge he’d enjoy.

Chapter Five

As she bathed and washed her hair, doing everything desultorily because she wasn’t looking forward to any of this, Holly’s memory tormented her with scenes from parties before the war, when her life was charmed and everyone she loved lived within her charmed circle…her mother, faintly silly at times but kind and beautiful; her strong, wonderful father who seemed to know everything; and her beloved Grandpa, who taught her all the things her parents simply weren’t interested in, things about the swamps and the woods, about hunting and respect for the myriad wildlife abounding in Mississippi.

Holly hadn’t been badgered into parties then, no indeed, there’d been no need. She’d loved being fitted for dresses and, when she turned fifteen, real grown-up gowns. While her appearance didn’t matter to her at other times, she frankly cared to be pretty for parties and she allowed Claudia to fuss over her.

Once she’d gone to a birthday party for her friend Anna Spencer, who was turning fifteen, and been astounded to encounter a boy who wanted to kiss her. John Williams, also fifteen, had been solemn about it, courting her hurriedly under a huge maple tree where the refreshments were laid out. She’d been unable to match his serious mood, assuming he was joking. She would always remember the hurt look on John’s face when he realized she thought he wasn’t serious.

John was the second boy from the Vicksburg area to die in the war, shot off his horse in a battle the Confederate soldiers won, decisively, that same afternoon.

Holly wondered whether any girl had kissed him good-bye when he marched off to war. Then she shoved the memories away and finished rinsing her hair. I’m doing this for Mother. I have to attend this party for her sake…

A couple of hours later, Abby stepped back from the dressing table, smiling at Holly’s image in the mirror. “You’re beautiful, child, a sight to behold. Your mother was so right when she said you’d turn the head of every man at that party.”

Holly gazed at herself in the mirror. The young woman staring back at her was anything but plain. She was a beauty.

What would Scott Colter think if he could see her now? Could he walk away so easily now? That ragamuffin of the swampland hadn’t resembled this other self.

It was best, she told herself firmly, to forget Scott Colter, best to realize he wasn’t for her. His kind didn’t really care about anybody.

Abby touched her bare shoulder. “Are you all right? You’re shivering. I’d better give you my lace shawl.”

“No thank you,” Holly said quickly. “I’m fine. I just want the evening to begin and end so I can go home.”

“Holly, I want you to think of this as your home. Nothing would make me happier than having you stay here with your mother and me.”

Holly smiled, appreciating Abby’s generosity. There was no reason to be unkind to this nice woman.

Abby had styled Holly’s hair, pulling the long tresses up to her crown. Ringlets of curls cascaded from a garland of fresh gardenia blossoms. Her dress was white lace over emerald satin. It had a dipping bodice, but a modest one. Holly liked the small puffed sleeves that dropped to her elbows. The skirt was not as bouffant as skirts had been before the war because no one wore hoops now. Ladies looked better without hoops, Holly decided as she looked at her reflection.

She was touching her neck with the sweet lilac perfume Abby had given her when Claudia breezed into the room, her eyes sparkling with excitement. She was delighted with Holly’s appearance, and she whirled for them several times to show off her own gown of tangerine satin, the neckline most provocative.

Holly gave her mother many compliments, stiffening a little as she endured her mother’s instructions for the evening. “Keep your political views to yourself. It isn’t ladylike to expound. Be nice to everyone, including Yankees. The war is over, everyone believes that. And don’t, for heaven’s sake, talk about your plans for living in the swamps! Smile, dear, and be as lovely as you are.

“And remember,” she went on solemnly, “it’s an honor for us to be invited to Jarvis’s party. There will be a lot of Union officers there. I want you to be civil to them.”

Holly nodded, all the while praying silently, Please, just let the hours pass quickly…

Jarvis Bonham sent a carriage and driver for them, and Claudia and Holly left, Abby standing on her porch waving and calling good wishes. Holly asked why she had not been invited, and her mother explained that Abby had, but declined. “Her husband died less than a year ago, so she doesn’t want to be seen at such a grand party. Not yet.”

Claudia chattered constantly, nervously, during the ride. Jarvis, she explained, hated having to host his party in the hotel ballroom, but until he had his own home, there was no choice. The hotel was old and run down, not the kind of place Jarvis was accustomed to. He had traveled, Claudia said, all over Europe. And he’d found exquisite pieces of furniture in Europe and bought them in preparation for the time when he would build a mansion. He had a shipping business, a factory in Illinois, and Claudia wasn’t even sure what-all else.

Holly asked whether Mr. Bonham had completed the transaction for the purchase of Magnolia Hall, and her mother fidgeted, mumbled that he had, then quickly changed the subject. “He’s had chefs busy for days preparing all the food for tonight! Goodness, I’m going to be so fat! And there’s an orchestra, all the way from Boston. Maybe I can dance all the food away.” She giggled nervously, eyes pleading with her daughter not to say anything further about Magnolia Hall, not to be hurtful.
Please, Holly, I am doing what I must.

Holly remarked, “He went to a lot of trouble for this party. He must want to show off his wealth.”

Claudia was quick to defend Jarvis. “No, he doesn’t. Jarvis isn’t like that. And this isn’t just an ordinary party. I told you, he’s giving this party to welcome the new commander of the troops.” Holly sniffed, and her mother watched her eyes darken and hurried on. “The new commander is a hero. Jarvis wanted to give him the respect he’s earned.”

“Hero?” Holly laughed, incredulous. “Hero to whom? Did he collect more Southern scalps than the average Yankee?”

Claudia would not apologize. “No more! You are going to put your personal feelings aside and behave as a lady should. Do you understand me, Holly?” She turned away and they rode the rest of the way in silence.

When they arrived at the hotel, a doorman helped them alight. They were barely inside the lobby when a man rushed toward them, all smiles as he embraced Claudia and kissed both cheeks. Then he stood back to look at Holly. “You are every bit as lovely as your mother said you were, my dear.” He bowed and kissed the hand she coolly extended.

Claudia flushed, terribly pleased with her daughter as she introduced Holly to Jarvis Bonham.

Holly’s gaze raked him, scrutinizing closely, suspicious. He wore an expensive maroon velvet coat with white satin lapels and a dark red cravat. His trousers were black, and she saw the tips of expensive, shiny leather boots. He was, she decided grudgingly, not displeasing to look at. His dark hair was flecked with silver, and his narrow mustache was neatly trimmed. She noted, however, that while his eyes were blue and twinkled amiably, there was the glimmer of shrewdness there.

He led them inside to where he had managed to turn the plain ballroom into a world of enchantment. Bunting of silver and blue overshadowed the drab wallpaper. Hundreds of candles flickered in delicate crystal globes. Large nets, filled with fragrant gardenias, roses, and lilacs, hung from the ceiling. Their scent filled the room.

The orchestra was playing soft music from a flower-bedecked stand in the corner. The musicians wore red satin coats and white trousers.

“You must have some punch,” Jarvis was saying as he walked between Holly and Claudia. Gently he took their arms in his, linking the three of them. “Champagne imported from the best region in France, where the grapes are the sweetest. And fresh strawberries, sweet and cold.”