Post by Meomi on Jun 16, 2012 18:45:15 GMT -7
A WICKED PROPOSITION
..::Chapter 12::..
Catherine went to Gabriel's desk and wrote a letter to Lilly, demanding her sister seek her out. Catherine would seek out Edward if Lilly refused to aid her. This couldn't go on. The feelings she was having were alarming her. She was starting to care for the man. Leaving was the only thing she could do.
Yvetta felt elated as she poured poison into Clarice's nightly tonic. She smiled as she thought of how good it would feel to have the woman out of the way. Edward assured her the poison would only take minutes.
Clarice was fuming over her account books when she arrived.
Clarice: I asked for that over an hour ago!
Yvetta: Milly was busy in the kitchens.
Clarice: Lord Dartmouth has asked for you again tonight.
Yvetta stiffen to know she would endure a whole night with the man.
Clarice: Do not turn up your nose! Business is not what it used to be. Be glad the man seeks you out.
Yvetta: I would not mind avoiding him at all. He left bruises all over me the last time.
He scared her.
Clarice: He pays for the privilege.
Yvetta: Tell that to Nan.
Clarice: Speak no more of Nan.
Clarice scowled as she reached for her tonic.
Clarice: And do you a favor; forget all you know of that. The man would pay me more if I let him beat you to death. Be lucky you endure only the bruising.
Yvetta felt a little guilt as she watched the older woman drink the tonic. Yvetta ignored her. She turned her back on her and smiled, hearing the gurgle and then a definite thud. Yvetta turned to see Clarice face down. She wasted no time in locking the door and ransacking the room for anything of value. She looked for the wall safe that Edward spoke of. Clarice had left it open while she went over her ledgers. Nothing but packets of papers and books were inside. Yvetta dumped the contents into a satchel, humming as she left the office, not sparing her former employer another glance.
Nicholas arrived at Gabriel's residence with a box of Chinese tea. Gabriel had not been seen in weeks. Nicholas knew Gabriel was not at home. He had to see her, to know if this arrangement was what she wanted. More important, he needed to know what she was up to. Higgins let him in and told him Catherine was out back in the gardens.
Nicholas walked out the back to the house and followed the path through the small garden. He saw her. She looked so beautiful as he remembered. He was disgusted to feel his heart beating erratically the closer he got to her. She was humming under her breath, he heard, as he drew nearer. He was quiet as he approached her, drinking in her beauty.
Catherine looked up as she heard his paws upon the stone path. The big blue eyes widened at the sight of him.
Catherine: Gabriel is not at home today, Captain Van Ryker. He will not return from his appointments until late this afternoon.
Nicholas: I did not come here to see Gabriel, Catherine. I came to see you.
Catherine froze at his deliberate words, her confusion evident in her face. She was suddenly aware of the danger in being alone with him. Nicholas handed her the small box of tea then.
Nicholas: I brought you more tea. Gabriel said you enjoyed it.
Catherine: Thank you, that was very thoughtful of you.
Something about Captain Van Ryker disturbed her. She couldn't explain it. She could deny an attaction to the man all day long, but it was there. But just looking at him gave her raw shivers.
Nicholas: Why did you work your wiles upon Gabriel, Catherine? What do you hope to get out of this arrangement?
Catherine: I beg your pardon-
Nicholas: Come on Catherine, we both know you were tossed into my friend's lap for a purpose. Clarice wants something. That much is obvious. What are you up to? Tell me and I swear I will help you get out of this before it goes any further.
Catherine: I don't know what you mean!
Nicholas: Please, save your pretty lies for Gabriel. Clarice gave you to him for a reason, didn't she? You would do well to reconsider whatever she has put you up to.
Catherine: Captain Van Ryker, I would ask you to leave! We will forget this conversation ever took place!
Nicholas: I will leave when you tell me what you are after!
Catherine: You imagine something that is not there, Captain!
Nicholas: You lie, and not very well, Catherine.
Catherine: How dare you accuse me, sir? You have no right!
Nicholas: Oh, I am no sir! I have every right! Gabriel is my friend! I will not see him taken by the likes of you and Clarice.
Catherine: You are mistaken, please leave!
Nicholas: I will leave. But know that I am watching you, Catherine. I ask you to think very hard before you follow through on whatever she asked you to do. If I must double whatever she pays you, so be it.
Catherine was shaking in fear inside. The dangerous looking sea captain was on to her masquerade.
Catherine: I have done nothing wrong. You have no reason to accuse me! I didn't ask for any of this!
Nicholas: No? Clarice brought you in to work your wiles upon Gabriel! The other girls told me you met with Clarice for weeks before that night. They said you were to be give to only him!
Catherine laughed scornfully.
Catherine: I fear you were misled by your lovely companions, Captain Van Ryker. I did not ask Gabriel to buy my debt! Nor did Clarice! I did not plan any of this! He did all on his own! And as to what you were told, I know nothing of which you speak!
Nicholas: You might try harder to convince me, sweetheart. You are really not good at deceit.
Catherine: I don't care what you think of me, Captain Van Ryker! I have done nothing!
Nicholas: Don't think for a minute Gabriel is so blinded by his own lust, he will not see through your efforts to cheat him of his fortune. He has been played by better than you.
Catherine: Is that what this is all about? You think I am here to cheat him out of his wealth?
Nicholas: Aren't you?
Catherine: You are wrong!
Nicholas: Clarice will only betray you in the end, Catherine. Whatever she has promised you, she will not deliver it. You will find yourself back at her house with nothing.
Catherine: I think you jump to conclusions to excuse your own jealousy and spite. I will tell him you came to see him, Captain. I will make sure to exclude your insults to me.
She intended to leave him then. Nicholas blocked her pass, grabing her and swinging her towards him.
Nicholas: Let us just see if you are right about that jealousy of mine, sweetheart.
Catherine swung and her other hand slapped him hard across his face in fury. She kicked and twisted to get away from him, but he was too strong. Before she could cry out his mouth descended harshly upon hers. Catherine whimpered under his bruising mouth. Catherine fought against him. Shock filled her to feel a sudden jolt of desire in the pit of her belly.
Catherine: No! You must stop! Please, Nicholas, stop! Let me go! We cannot do this!
Nicholas realized what he was doing, cursing as he let her go, stepping back from her quickly. Nicholas was stunned from the violent way he had reacted to her. Catherine fled from him then. She ran past him. Nicholas watched her return to the house with a dark scowl. He did not meant to let things get so out of hand. Nicholas despised himself for what he had nearly done to them both. Catherine was hiding something. He was certain of it. He was certain of it. He had seen it in her face. She didn't trust him enough to tell him what it was.
A pained look was on his face as he sat in his coach on the way back to the docks. Nicholas had learned nothing of value from his visit. Well, almost nothing, but definitely something. He knew he was no closer to controlling his raging desire for Catherine, and had only made it worse now. He vowed to stay away from Catherine in the future, before he gave into that urge again.
Catherine trembled as her paws felt her swollen lips, still tingling from Nicholas's angry kisses. She closed her eyes in shame, realizing what nearly happened in the gardens with him. Her eyes filled with tears. She wished she could block out his disparaging words, but they repeated themselves over and over in her mind. She was then furious, wondering why she even cared what the uncouth sea captain thought of her. She shook with anger now, knowing she should tell Gabriel the truth of what happened in the gardens out of sheer spite. She wouldn't tell Gabriel of it. Catherine would certainly make Nicholas twist in the wind to think she would though. Hopefully that would be enough to keep him away from the secrets she could not tell him.
Catherine returned to the stufy where she resumed the task of organizing Gabriel's papers. Later, Catherine came across a yellowed document and she gave a start as she opened it. It was the original marriage contract between Gabriel's father and hers. Catherine read it and certain things caught her eye. Seeing her name there, knowing what had been done, did not make it easier to bear. By a cruel twist of fate, her sister was sent to marry the Earl of Iverleigh instead of her. Catherine dug through the stack of contracts and pulled out the more recent marriage document negotiated by Edward, and saw the blatant forgery of her father's name, dated one year before Lilly left Ireland. Lilly was always arguing with her mother. All the tension in the house had eased after Lilly left for England. It was not hard to feel resentment over what was done to keep the peace. Knowing she should have married Gabriel and not Lilly made her want to weep for the injustice played against them both. Catherine took the original papers. She knew the papers were a powerful tool to negotiate with if Lilly refused to honor their agreement. The documents proved their marriage was not even legal. Gabriel had the means to nullify his marriage in front of her, based on the forgery alone. Gabriel would no longer be her guardian and brother-in-law, and no longer responsible for them. Tears blurred her vision. It wasn't fair, what had been done. Knowing her parents had taken her future husband away and given him to Lilly tormented her. Her father did what he did to appease her mother. Still, she was angry to know he should have been hers from the start. Catherine found another stack of old documents. It was Giles St. Armand's will. Halfway through reading the document, she began to feel a horrible sinking sensation in the pit of her stomach. A passage within the will stated a large inheritance would pass to the Countess. A male heir needed to be achieved before Gabriel turned the age of thirty. The substantial amount made her eyes widen. She dropped her documents, her eyes thoughtful. Nicholas's predictive warnings had sent a terrible thought racing through her mind. She feared he was right about her being betrayed for all her efforts, only by the wrong person. She hid the papers in a trunk in her dressing room, determined she would use them if it became necessary.
To be continued...
Please press the thumb up if you enjoyed and thumb down if you didn't. I want to see how many read these. Thank you.