Because of Rebecca(24)

“I want to see Rory. More importantly I want to see the woman who is with him.”

“Patience. Have a seat. Chérie will be along with him momentarily,” Monique purred, settling on a chaise. She stretched out on her side letting her hand run down her leg from hip to knee and back again, bringing the sheer black dress up with it. “I have an array of girls who could bring you pleasure if you don’t like what you see. You’re so tense, Mr. Hollingsworth. How long has it been since you’ve been cradled between a woman’s legs?”

Jared clenched his fists, trying to keep his breathing normal as he silently counted to ten. The very thought of Rebecca entering a place like this sickened him, and to think that she knew his cousin Rory all this time without even saying a word to him infuriated him. She’d deceived him. He’d made a fool of himself thinking he was in love with her. It was obvious he didn’t even know her. How could he ever trust her again?

“I’ve waited long enough. If I have to tear this place apart to find Rory, I will.”

A side door opened and his cousin sauntered into the room. “That won’t be necessary, Jared. You really should use a little more control. I could hear your venomous voice all the way down the street.”

Jared took three long steps toward the younger man and grabbed him by the open shirt collar. “Where is Rebecca? I saw you bring her in here.”

Rory laughed, jerking free. “I thought that was you lurking in the shadows out front. But I’d never have guessed you’d stoop to spy on your lady friend. You nearly frightened the poor woman to death. She thought…well never mind what she thought. It isn’t important.”

“Where is she?” Jared shouted.

Rory sidestepped Jared’s second attempt to grasp his collar. “Gone.”

He lunged toward Rory and knocked him into a side table. It broke beneath their weight as they toppled to the floor. With a right hook, he slammed his fist into Rory’s jaw, then grabbed him by the collar and shook him. “What’s your business with her? How long have you known her? Are you lovers?”

His cousin broke free and scrambled away, giving him a look of utter contempt. “If you think any of that is true about Miss Rebecca Davis, then I say you know nothing about her at all.”





Chapter Thirteen

Rebecca’s heartbeat raced as if she’d run down a road instead of sitting in a private compartment on a northbound train. Rory assured her she’d only imagined seeing Jared follow her down the alley to Madame Monique’s. But if it had been him…what he must think of her going into a brothel. And with Rory. A man she shouldn’t even know. How would she ever explain it all to Jared?

“Are you feeling all right, miss?” Ruth spoke slowly and softly in unbroken words, laying a gloved hand on Rebecca’s arm.

“I will be soon.”

“Maybe you should get some rest?”

Rebecca shook her head. “I couldn’t sleep if I tried right now.”

The young woman carefully rearranged her skirts and smoothed her cloak of any wrinkles. “M’neither.”

Rebecca watched her companion take pride in her clothing. “You look beautiful, Ruth. The soft butter color compliments your complexion.”

Ruth smiled. “Madame Monique made up my face and fixed my hair.”

“She did well.”

A knock sounded on the sliding wooden, glass paned door and the ticket master stuck his head inside the private side chamber. “Tickets please.”

Rebecca handed him their passage stubs and he glanced at them before he smiled and punched the tickets. “Changing trains in Grenada to Memphis. Enjoy your travels.” He nodded and closed the door before proceeding down the corridor.

Ruth let out a breath and smiled faintly at her once they were alone again. “Ain’t you scared?”

Rebecca nodded. “More than I can express in words. But let’s not think about it. We’ll be in Memphis in the morning and no one will be the wiser if all goes as planned.”

“I hope you’re right.”

“Here, I brought something to help occupy our time.” She reached into her small valise and produced two hooks and two skeins of yarn. “I find crocheting relaxing.”

“M’ too, miss,” Ruth said, taking a hook and skein.

An awkward silence engulfed the chamber, but neither began a project. Rebecca couldn’t stop thinking about Jared, and she assumed Ruth was consumed with thoughts of her new home.

“Perhaps we should turn down the lamps and try to get some sleep after all if we can.”

She nodded.

Rebecca stood, turned the wicks down on both lamps, and settled herself in the corner. She pressed her cheek against the cool windowpane and watched as the dark night passed. Somewhere between the mingled tree limbs, the moon and stars, her thoughts returned to Jared and his proposal. She’d thought many times about what life they’d be able to build together once this mission was complete. Silently she prayed he’d understand her involvement with Rory, and the need for secrecy. Surely there would still be a possibility for them when she returned. If she returned.

****

The sound of a match striking flint and the smell of sulfur stung Jared’s nostrils. Sharp pain shot through the center of his head as he slowly opened his eyes to the blinding light shining in his face. Blinking, he held up a hand and shielded his eyes from the white light until he was more awake. His surroundings were foreign, but the fragrance that filled the air seemed familiar, strong and faintly exotic.

He sat up quickly. A little too quick. The room began to spin and he slumped back against the silken sheets, their coolness against his skin startling. “Where the hell am I?” he muttered to himself, not expecting an answer.

“Don’t you remember, honey?” a sultry voice spoke to him from across the room, and then the pungent scent of cigarette smoke assaulted his nose. Monique.

He recalled coming here looking for Rebecca because she’d been with his cousin.

“Rory!” Jared bellowed, pushing himself up off the bed. He landed on his feet and staggered toward the direction of the voice.

“How about a drink? Bite that dog that bit you last night to cure what’s ailing you, honey.” Monique caught him before he fell to the floor.

“What am I doing here? In your room?”

She laughed, helping him sink to a sitting position on a step leading to her doorway. “You and Rory tied one on last night, sugar. Don’t you remember? After the two of you beat the hell out of each other, you both drank until you passed out.”

“But I was on a bed?”

“I couldn’t very well let you boys sleep on the floor, now could I? Though I was tempted. Very tempted after the way you carried on. And over that little goody-good when you could have fought over me.”

Jared’s vision slowly cleared as she spoke and he saw the disheveled state of the room. Chairs lay on their sides, pillows were scattered everywhere, a few with stuffing coming from the sides. Pictures in pewter frames hung askance on the walls. He found her attitude toward what they’d done to the place peculiar. Of course, all the events of last night had been strange. He still didn’t know why Rebecca had come here in the first place.

He rubbed the back of his aching head, then his sore jaw and winced when he touched his cut lip. Looking down, he saw his hands were bruised, knuckles skinned. “Where’s Rory?”

“Having breakfast downstairs with the girls. Would you like to join him?”

Jared shook his head, but stopped as the room began to spin again from the sudden movement. “I don’t think I’d keep anything down.”

Monique laughed; patting him on the back then returned to the chaise, her filmy wrapper dancing in her wake. “How about that drink?”

“No.”

“Black coffee?” She asked, discarding the cigarette butt in a nearby ashtray.

“Yes.”

She pulled twice on a white velvet cord hanging from the ceiling. Within minutes the door opened and a maid rolled in a cart with a coffee service.

“Can I get you anything else, Madame?”

“Please tell Mr. Rory to join us when he’s finished.”

“Yes, Madame.”

Once the maid left, Monique lit another cigarette. She took long draws on it and blew smoke rings into the air.

“When you feel up to it there is fresh water behind my dressing screen and a razor if you wish to clean yourself up. As for your state of dress I cannot provide new, but I can have them cleaned and pressed if you like.”

“And then what?”

Monique smiled saucily and wet her lips. “Then you and Rory are going to make compensation for the damages to my establishment. I feel I’ve been more than tolerant to you boys.”

“How much will it cost to compensate you?”