Tender savage (48 page)

his quest, and there were actually tears in his eyes when they parted.

It was a Wednesday in early June when Viper finally arrived at Lars Hanson's home. That Erica haci grown up in so imposing a structure impressed him deeply, for the gracious brick house was both large and well kept. Built to reflect an appreciation of the classical architecture of ancient Greece—a popular style after the Revolution nearly a century before—the Hanson family home was as elegant as any ever built in Wilmington. The white shutters and decorative trim had been newly painted, and the flowerbeds were overflowing with bright blossoms, giving the correct impression that the owners took great pride in their residence.

He had half a dozen stories prepared to enable him to gain news of Erica's whereabouts, but when she answered his knock herself, Viper was speechless. She was so lovely he was overwhelmed, but as his eyes traveled from her glorious blond hair and enchanting smile to her swollen figure, his delight abruptly turned to stunned dismay. Her pale pink gown was flattering, the delicate lace at the neckline and sleeves exquisite, but that she was so obviously pregnant was so great a surprise he could do no more than gape.

With Mrs. Ferguson out to do the marketing. Erica had had no choice but to go to the door herself. With the bright sunlight at Viper's back, at first glance she could not make out his features clearly enough to recognize him. She stood aside to allow him to enter as she supplied the same greeting she had given several others that week. "Won't you come in? I'm Mrs. Randall, and if you don't mind, I'd like to ask a few questions about your qualifications for the job we've advertised." She closed the door and then turned to face the man she had just welcomed into her home. Since he was the very last person she had expected to see that day, his identity escaped her until her curious glance reached his eyes.

"Oh, dear God," Erica gasped, and feeling faint, she leaned back against the door for support. "What are you doing here?" she asked in a frantic whisper.

"I came to find you," Viper replied, as astonished as she.

His shock at her condition swiftly turned his mood of elation to one closely bordering rage. "Why the hell else would I be here?"

"HushI" Erica warned him. "You must leave," she insisted. "We can't talk here."

Since he had planned, once he had found Erica, to do a geat deal more than merely talk. Viper found it difficult to lift his eyes from the soft folds of finely woven pink cotton that covered her well-rounded belly, "All these months, you had not even five minutes to write to me and tell me what had happened?"

"Oh please, you must gol" Erica pleaded, but she felt too weaJc to move away from the door. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for everything, but I simply can't talk with you nowl"

Fearing his surprise at her condition had made him behave rudely. Viper apologized for upsetting her. "You needn't be fcrightened, I'll not hit you." He had not meant to unnerve her so completely as he obviously had. All winter he had thought of her as his wife; that she might have become pregnant had not even occurred to him. This was a complication he had not foreseen, but damn it all, she had been his wife before she had become Mark'sl When he heard Mark calling her name, he wheeled around to face him. He had not expected him to be there at the Hanson home any more than he had thought Erica would be.

"Has someone else come about the job?" Mark called out from the entrance to the parlor. "You know I want to speak with any man who does."

Viper stared at the pale, thin figure in the doorway. Mark was looking right at him, but clearly he saw absolutely nothing. When the brave turned back to Erica with a questioning glance, he found her eyes were rapidly filling with tears and she had raised her hand to her mouth to stifle the sounds of the sobs he was certain she was crying inside. With heartbreaking clarity he suddenly understood the reason she had abandoned him. Turning back toward Mark, he swiftly crossed the entrance hall and took his hand in a firm grip.

"Bonjour, Monsieur Randall," he began with the thickest French accent he could affect. Since both Erica and Mark had mentioned something about a job, he decided no matter what it entailed, he was anxious to

apply. "Allow me to introduce myself, I am Etienne Bouchard. I am Canadian." With a hearty chuckle, he told the first story that came to his mind. "I came to your country to marry, but alas, the young woman proved so fickle she would not have me. Now I must earn the money to go back home, where, I am happy to say, I have always found the women far easier to please."

"Finally, a man with a sense of humor." Delighted, Mark grinned happily as he replied to Viper's greeting. "As you must have noticed, my charming bride is ex-p>ecting our first child soon, and she cannot care for me and a tiny baby, too. Do you think you would like to work for us?"

Viper glanced over his shoulder at Erica who was shaking her head emphatically. Disregarding her clear objection to his accepting that offer of employment. Viper slyly arranged to speak with Mark alone. "It is a beautiful morning. Is there a place where we might talk outside? A garden perhaps, or a porch?"

"Yes, there is a nice garden at the rear of the house. Follow me and I'll take you there." Mark put his hand upon the wall to guide his way. "I can't see a blasted thing, but luckily I can find my way around the house."

"That is indeed lucky." Viper turned again to find Erica now glairing at him with a malevolent stare. He caught the word "bastard" upon her lij>s and blew her a kiss to let her know he was so happy to see her again he didn't care what she called him. When they reached the french doors in the dining room, he helped Mark unlock them and flung them open.

"Ah yes, the garden is lovely. Be careful of the steps." Viper reached out to take Mark's arm, but held back when he realized the man knew his way. He followed him along the stone walk until they came to a wooden bench placed beneath a fragrant peach tree. When they had both been seated, he leaned back to get comfortable and encouraged Mark to talk about the job he had to offer.

"Tell me what it is you need, monsieur, and I will tell you if I can do it."

"My wife is very pretty, isn't she?" Mark asked with another engaging grin.

"She is a great b^uty," Viper responded quite sincerely, but he soon discovered as he tried to find out just what it

was he would be expected to do if he came to work for the Randalls diat that seemed to be the last subject Mark wished to discuss. Mark asked if the gardener were keeping the garden well, then he promised that Mrs. Fer^son's meals were superb. He asked if Viper liked to fish and seemed pleasea when he replied that he did. At the end of their rambling conversation, the Indian was convinced that Mark did need someone to look after him, just as a small child did.

"Am I to make my home here with you, or come and go each day?" Viper inquired when Mark suddenly fell silent, hoping his preference was not too obvious from the way he had phrased that question.

"Our housekeeper has her own family, as do the maids who come in to clean, so you woiiici live here in the servants' quarters." Mark started to rise then. "Would you Uke to see them?*'

"You needn't show me. I am sure they are very nice."

"I couldn't say," Mark admitted readily as he resumed his seat. "I didn't live here when I could see. This is my father-in-law's house, not mine. My wife brought me here when I left the hospital, and I didn't argue with her. She is very good to me, and I'd do anything to please her. I'm glad you think she's pretty, too. Did you tell me if you wanted to work for us? Forgive me if you did. I forget two things for eadi one I remember. Erica is very patient, though. She never gets angry with me when I ask her the same question a dozen times."

To realize the man he had once taken such delight in beating half to death could have changed so completely left Viper badly shaken. While he had lost a great deal of weight, Mark had also lost a good deal of himself as well, and Viper considered that a worse tragedy than the loss of his si^ht. "Yes, I would like very much to work for you, monsieur. I do not know if your wife will approve, however."

Mark frowned at that remark. "But why not? If I like you, why shouldn't she? Oh yes, I forgot to ask if you can read. She will ask that for sure, as she reads to me each day. If you don't know how, say yes anyway, and we can just sit and talk and she will never know the difference." He laughed then, as though that were a very amusing thought

"I know how to read," Viper assured him. He had come

to Delaware to fetch his wife, not to become a blind man's companion, but from the way Erica had greeted him, he was certain the only way he would be able to see her was if he became a member of her household. Getting to his feet, he reached down to help Mark rise. "Shall we go talk with your wife? As I said, I am in need of work, and if she will agree, I can begin today."

"Good. I have talked with a half-dozen men this week, but liked none of them. One talked to me as though I were a child, another shouted as though I were deaf rather than blind. The others, oh I don't even remember them now. I just didn't like them. I think you will be a friend to me. That's what I want." As they started for the house, Mark suddenly remembered something else. "My sister, Sarah, comes to see me each day. She can be a difficult person, but you'll be working for me, not her. Don't let her bother you."

Viper was glad to have that wsiming, for he had not counted on the presence of anyone other than the hired help Mark had already mentioned. A sister, a housekeeper, maids, a gardener, how many people would he have to fool? With a determined frown he decided if he had to convince the whole town of Wilmington he was a Frenchman from Canada, he would do it.

Erica was seated in the parlor, crocheting the trim on a tiny garment obviously meant for her unborn child when they joined her. When Mark said he had hired Viper, she regarded the Indian with a triumphant smile, thinking she had outsmarted him. "Just one moment, dear. Mr. Bouchard, was it?" she asked with what sounded like innocence. She had no idea what sort of a stunt Viper was trying to pull, but she heartily disapproved of it. "There is the matter of references. Since you will be living here in our home, I must insist upon at least three references attesting to your fine character before you begin working for us."

Wiper had never heard of references before, and he didn't even know three people in Wilmington, let alone three who would swear he was an honest man. "As I said, madam, I am Canadian," he announced with an imploring look to the woman he adored. "Those who know me are a long way away, but I can assure you you will be pleased with my work."

Mark sighed dejectedly, clesffly unhappy widi Erica's request. **I want him to stay, Erica. If he proves to be a thief, or fails to be helpful, then I will let him go. We agreed I was to be the one to choose the man, and I want Etienne. If I like him, then you must, too."

Erica cursed Viper silently for tricking her husband so cruelly, but she could not ignore Mark's woebegone frown, and not wanting to upset him, she let him have his way. "Of course, Mark. If references are not important to you, then I will not insist upon having them."

Grinning happily, as he relaxed his wary stance. Viper excused himself. "All my belongings are outside on my horse. If you will permit me a few minutes to see to the animal's comfort, I will bring my things inside and be ready to do whatever it is you require."

"Take your time, Mr. Bouchard. We will have dinner soon, and then my husband rests during the early afternoon. We won't need your services before three." Erica found it exceedingly difficult to sound sweet at the same time she was giving Viper furious looks, but she knew it would become easier with practice.

Viper went to her then, and with a courtly bow bait forward to bestow a light kiss upon the back of her hand. When she looked up at him with a hate-filled glance, he turned her hand over to place another far more lavish kiss upon her palm. "As you wish, madam. If there is anything I might do for you while your husband is resting, please let me know. I will be happy to perform any service tor you." He winked as he straightened up, his suggestive gesture saying far more than his words, but Erica shook her head emphatically.

"Thank you, Mr. Bouchard, but my needs are few."

"Please call me Etienne, madam." Then turning to Mark, Viper again excused himself and left to attend to his horse.

"I like him," Mark quickly restated, pleading for her approval. "Please let him stay. Erica, please."

"The matter has already been decided, my darline. Unless Mr. Bouchard, Etienne, proves to be a scoundrel, he may stay."

Mark went to her side then, and with only slight clumsiness managed to kiss her cheek. "Thank you. I do not want to be a burden to you. Erica, and I know that I am."

Taking his face between her hands, Erica kissed his lips tenderly. "No, my love, you are no burden, no burden at all." But she was grateful he could not see the tears that filled her eyes as she told that loving lie.

Regarding that Wednesday as one of the most wretched days of her hfe. Erica could not wait for it to draw to a close. When Viper went with Mark to his room to help him prepare for bed, she paced angrily in hers. She had waited all day for the opportunity to talk with the Indian alone, but from the adjoining room she could hear the two men talking and laughing together long after the hour Mark was usually asleep. Exasperated, she finally climbed upon her bed to rest, out she didn't dare disrobe and don a nightgown. When finally Viper came through her door, as she had known he would, she could barely contain the fury of her temper.

"Have you lost your mind?" she asked accusingly. "How dare you play so horrible a trick on Mark? How

He had already discarded his coat, and 21s he sat down upon the edge of her bed. Viper began to unbutton his shirt. The frills that adorned the front of the white cotton garment provided a sharp contrast to the deep bronze of nis chest. He was a handsome man and knew it, but Erica reached out to stop him before he could remove his shirt.