The Raging Hearts: The Coltrane Saga, Book 2 (40 page)

They arrived at the mansion, and Kitty ran up the steps, across the porch, and did not stop running until she reached John’s room. He was sleeping peacefully, but she grabbed him and cradled him against her bosom, holding him tightly. He was the only thing in her life that mattered. Dear God, she loved him so.

He blinked sleepily, then smiled at his mother, cooing happily and snuggling closer. Even though Corey did not approve of her spending so much time with him, Kitty was with him almost every waking moment, doting on him, loving him, clinging to her one hold on sanity.

“I’ll find a way for us, my darling,” she murmured, nuzzling her lips against the fine hair that grew darker every day.

Mercifully, Corey left her alone that evening. She retired early, falling into a fitful slumber, afraid that he would come to her.

She awoke with a start. Light strained to enter the room around the edges of the heavy velvet drapes, but Dulcie had not come in to awaken her. Pushing back the coverlet, she padded across the carpeted floor to open the curtains herself. Startled to see how bright it was, her eyes went to the mantel clock. It was almost ten! Why, she was always up before eight, to bathe and dress and hurry in to spend the morning with John. What was the matter with Dulcie?

Struggling into her robe, she hurried from the room and crossed the hall. The door to the nursery was closed, and she flung it open, ready to admonish Dulcie for not awakening her.

The room was empty. She ran to the cradle. It, too, lay vacant, and her hand flew to her mouth to stifle the scream that was working its way from the depths of her soul.

And then she saw Corey.

He stood in the doorway, leaning against the frame, arms folded across his chest. “What’s wrong, darling? You look upset. And you’re still in your robe at this hour! Tsk! tsk!” He gave her a crooked smile, the corner of his mouth turning up in sinister fashion. “You are getting to be quite lazy, aren’t you? Or don’t you feel well? Would you like me to summon Dr. Sims? Perhaps you’re having a relapse.”

“Where is my baby?” she whispered hoarsely, stumbling toward him, heart thudding wildly.

“Oh, yes, the baby.” He continued to smile. “Well, Kitty, as I told you yesterday, I just can’t have you meddling in my affairs, and I can’t continue to put up with your rebellion. You have to learn that you have a place, and I expect you to stay in it. So, to teach you a lesson, I have sent Dulcie away with the baby. They will stay with friends of mine in Raleigh until after the party, at least. You are going to be much too busy to hover over that child the way you do. They may stay away even longer. It all depends on how you conduct yourself. When I am confident that you will give me no more problems and learn to be a dutiful, obedient wife, then you will get your child back. It’s all up to you.”

Rage ripped through her body like the stab of a lightning bolt through a giant oak. “You bastard!” she screamed, leaping at him with fingers arched, nails ready to rip into his face. “I’ll kill you! You can’t take my baby away…”

He threw his arms out as she reached him, hitting her across her face with enough force to knock her to the floor. She struggled to get up, still screaming and clawing at the air like someone gone mad, but he casually moved to place one booted foot upon her breasts and apply enough pressure to keep her where she lay.

“You are only making matters worse by your behavior, Kitty,” he said quietly.

When she continued her tirade, he grew impatient and reached down to wrap his fingers into her long, golden hair, yanking her painfully to her feet. Then, very methodically, he slapped her back and forth across her face until her shrieks quieted to subdued sobs. Releasing her, he allowed her to slump to the floor once again.

“I repeat, my dear. It is up to you when and if that child returns to this house. Be obedient, give me no cause to become irritated with you, and I shall have Dulcie return with him. Otherwise, who’s to say what might happen to the little brat? My friends are wealthy, and also childless. They would be most delighted to adopt him.”

“You can’t do that to me. For the love of God, Corey, have mercy. Don’t take away my baby.”

“I already have,” he snapped. “And you forced me to do it. I made an agreement with you before we were married, and I kept my end of the bargain. You haven’t kept yours. You’ve fought me every step of the way. You have argued with me, sassed me, treated me with disrespect. I won’t have it. Your going to Mattie Glass yesterday was the final blow. You’ve caused me a great deal of inconvenience. I intend to have her land, and now I have to find another way to get her to sell without my having her legally evicted and looking like a cold-hearted monster. Damn you, Kitty, why in hell didn’t you stay out of it?”

“Don’t do this to me.” She struggled to stand, her cheeks burning. “Corey, I’ll do anything you say, but bring John back to me, please. He’s all I have.”

“Then you will appreciate him more when he does come back, won’t you?” He smirked, trailing the back of his fingertips down her reddening cheeks. “I think everything will work out fine for us, Kitty. I think this little lesson is all it will take for you to learn your place and stay in it. Then we won’t continue to have these unpleasant scenes. Now, suppose we go into your room, and you can show me just how much you want to please me. Don’t hold back anything. Show me what a grateful, loving wife you are, my dear. And remember, I’m going to be taking everything you do into consideration when I decide whether to have Dulcie bring your baby back.”

Kitty left the nursery and crossed the hall to enter her bedroom. Corey was right behind her to close and lock the door behind them.

She stood motionless, staring out the window at the world beyond.

“Turn around,” Corey commanded.

She obeyed, saw him lying on the bed, naked.

“Show me,” he laughed. “Show me how much you want me and desire me, my loving wife. I’m waiting.” He wrapped his fingers around his swollen organ.

With stiff, cold fingers Kitty removed her robe, and let it fall to the floor. Then she pulled her gown over her head and stood before him naked. He gasped with delight.

“Make it last a long time, my darling…” He opened his arms to her, eyes glassy. “Show me how much you respect me.”

With an ache in her heart so deep she nearly fainted, Kitty moved to the bed.

She knew what she had to do.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Nina Rivenbark stood back in appraisal, then gasped. “Oh! Mrs. McRae, you’re lovely. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone so lovely. That dress, the emeralds, your hair! Look! Look in the mirror, my dear. It’s like seeing a fairy princess come to life.” She clapped her hands with delight, body jiggling as she bounced up and down.

Yards and yards of the lovely dark green silk were draped over hoops. Deep swaths cut down like a shawl to shape the tantalizing décolletage, exposing the barest hint of pink nipples. Her breasts seemed to pour out of the dress. At her throat she wore the emerald necklace Corey had presented with his usual flair. The jewels were exquisitely beautiful, and their fiery green hues danced in the light from the chandelier above.

Kitty stared at her golden-red hair piled upon her head in a pyramid of poufs and dips, a single cluster of curls twisting provocatively upon her left shoulder. The coiffure, like the dress, was embellished with the first blossoms of the dogwood tree. The white, four-petaled flowers accented the drape of the skirt. A few were placed in the swath of silk below her shoulders, and perhaps a dozen had been placed in her hair. The effect was breathtaking, and Kitty’s violet eyes picked up the luster of green.

“Oh, your cheeks are flushed. You don’t even need to pinch them to make them rosy,” Nina cried, walking around Kitty to further admire her creation. “Mr. McRae is going to be so pleased. Now, if you would just smile—”

“I have no reason to.”

The beaming woman laughed nervously. It had been difficult working with someone who stood like a dead statue, and Nina had wondered many times why Kitty Wright McRae seemed so miserable. The world lay at her feet, yet she was the picture of dejection.

“You should see the crowd downstairs,” Nina rushed on, tucking the dress here and there, adjusting a curl or a flower. “I heard Hugo tell one of the other servants that everyone who received an invitation accepted, except the Governor, and he had another commitment. There must be over three hundred people down there! I don’t know where Hugo will put them all. He’s doing a splendid job, though. The last time I peeked over the railing, he had the servants on their toes, serving champagne and little dainties. And the orchestra was starting to set up their instruments.”

She chattered on, but Kitty was not listening. She was thinking about little John, wondering how he was. Dulcie was with him. She had that much for which to be thankful. Dulcie seemed to love him, and she would see that he was taken care of. But did he miss his mother? Did he cry for her? No, he was probably too small, even at five months, but who could say what went on in the minds of infants? This very moment he might be sobbing for the snuggling comfort of her arms.

She blinked back the tears, shook herself. This was Corey’s night. It had to be special. She had to do what he expected or he would not bring John back any time soon.

He would continue to torture her. Everything had to go perfectly. She would paste on her most gracious smile, say and do the right things.

“Oh, I almost forgot,” Nina said, snapping her fingers. “The widow Glass, I passed her when I came in.”

Kitty looked at her strangely. “You mean she was here
that
early? My heavens, you arrived over an hour ago.”

“She was the first guest, and Hugo complained to me about it as he brought me up here. He said he didn’t know why she came so early, or what he was supposed to do with her. The champagne wasn’t even opened yet. He seemed quite annoyed. Anyway, as I came in, she grabbed my arm, and she had this wild look on her face. She said she had to talk to you right away, that Hugo wouldn’t let her come up because Mr. McRae left strict orders that no one was to see you except me. He wants you to make a grand entrance down the stairway, after all the guests have arrived. I can’t blame him. It is going to make quite a sight. I want to make sure I’m down there to see it myself. I told her I’d tell you she was down there. She was wringing her hands.”

“I don’t understand,” Kitty said, more to herself than to the chattering woman. She looked at her sharply. “Did you provide her with a proper dress as I requested?”

“Oh, yes, yes. A very simple black crepe. Tasteful but elegant. She was wearing it. Had her hair pulled back in a bun, and she would have looked halfway attractive if she hadn’t been tearing at that handkerchief in her hand and crying. Well, who’s to say what makes her behave as she does? What that woman’s been through was enough to drive her crazy, I guess. Hugo said he hoped Mr. McRae just asked her to go home since she obviously wasn’t feeling well.”

Kitty chewed on her lower lip thoughtfully. “No. No, he wouldn’t do that,” she said.

“I want you to go downstairs and find Mattie and bring her up here. Don’t let Corey see you searching for her. If Hugo says anything, you tell him I refuse to go downstairs until after I see Mattie. Do you understand?”

Nina was hesitant. “I…I don’t know, Mrs. McRae. I don’t want your husband mad with me.”

Kitty stamped her foot in exasperation. “If you don’t do as I say, I’ll tell my husband that I find your work unsatisfactory. He’ll never do business with you again. Now go downstairs and find Mattie and bring her up here. Take the back stairs and slip in among the crowd. If you’re careful, no one will notice you. Now go on.”

Shaking her head in dismay, Nina backed slowly toward the door, then turned and hurried out. Kitty pressed her fingertips against her temples. Something was very wrong. Had Corey frightened Mattie? More and more lately, she found herself wondering if what Nancy had told her were true. Had Corey had anything to do with Mattie being attacked and raped? Oh, God, she prayed not. Surely he drew the line somewhere?

Finally there was a soft tap on the door. “Come in,” she all but screamed.

The door opened. Nina stepped inside, looking quite upset, followed by a teary-eyed, trembling woman dressed in black. “I’m going now. If anyone asks, I had no part in this,” Nina said quickly, pushing Mattie Glass into the room, then moving outside and closing the door behind her.

“Mattie, whatever is the matter?” Kitty began.

“Oh, Kitty, Kitty, you’re going to hate me for what I’ve done to you.” Mattie burst into hysterical sobs, burrowing her face in her hands.

Kitty flew to her side, placing an arm about her shoulder, leading her to the velvet sofa in front of the fireplace. Mattie collapsed in a sitting position, but Kitty was forced to stand. She could not crush the floral blossoms on the back of her hooped skirt.

“Now tell me what this is all about.” Her voice was gentle, and she kept a reassuring hand on Mattie’s shoulder. “I would never hate you, Mattie. Just tell me what has happened to upset you so.”

“The marshals, they came to see me about…” She sniffed, coughed, sobbed once more, then cleared her throat, fighting for composure.

“Yes, go on. The marshals came to see you about what happened to you. I hope you were able to tell them something that will help them find out who was responsible.”