Captured by Love (Michigan Brides #3)(46)

“Never!” She’d noticed Betty’s growing sullenness over the past month. She’d seen the way Betty watched Ebenezer leave in the evenings, her young face tight with resentment. She could only imagine how difficult it was for the girl to learn about her husband’s unfaithfulness.

“Maybe you’re the one enticing my husband away from me.” Betty’s breath came in loud gasps. “I see the way he looks at you.”

“He does not look at me.” The very thought made Angelique shudder.

Betty gave a strangled cry. “I don’t know why he doesn’t get rid of you. You’re older than me. You should be married by now.”

“My betrothed was forced to leave the island and is now fighting in the war.” Angelique moved closer to the bed. “I’ll marry him when he comes back.”

“And what if he dies? What will you do then?”

Angelique couldn’t bear to think of that happening. She hadn’t let herself face such a horrible possibility and the bleak life she might have if Jean didn’t make it back. Even though men died in battle all the time, she knew Jean wouldn’t. He couldn’t.

Betty’s tone rose with each breath. “Do you plan to stay here at the inn forever and tempt my husband?”

“I’m not tempting him.”

“If you weren’t here, then maybe he’d want to stay with me instead of having to leave all the time to avoid temptation.”

Angelique could only shake her head. The accusations were ridiculous and completely unfounded. How could Betty believe such a thing? Not when Angelique had tried hard to avoid being alluring like her mother and sister.

The young girl groaned and bent over, hugging her arms to her chest. In the dim light the window afforded, Angelique could see the sheets tangled in Betty’s legs and the dark stains from the blood she’d already lost.

Angelique smoothed her hand over the girl’s taut back.

“Don’t touch me,” Betty hissed as another contraction hit her.

“What can I do to help you?”

“You should have been here earlier to go for the midwife.”

“I’ll go now.” Angelique backed slowly toward the door.

Betty shook her head and began wailing.

Angelique stumbled over a discarded shoe and bumped against the edge of a chest. If only she hadn’t gone to see Miriam tonight. She’d known she was taking a risk by leaving the inn. But she’d taken risks all winter, and it had been several days since she’d visited Miriam.

As much as she wanted to deny she’d also gone to see Pierre, she knew she’d only be lying to herself. She’d always made excuses to see him or be with him, even as a girl. There was something reassuring about being near him, even if he was outside chopping wood while she cared for Miriam. His strong presence and the occasional glimpses of him comforted her.

And when he’d declared that he was going to stay for the rest of the summer, her chest had expanded with secret relief. She’d have at least two more months with him. Two whole months.

“Don’t think that I won’t tell my husband about your disobedience tonight,” Betty cried out.

Angelique didn’t try to defend herself. She was resigned to the fact that Ebenezer would punish her again, lock her in the attic without food, and make her repent of her sins. He’d do it even if it meant he had to get one of the Indian children living on the beach to do her duties. He paid the children with worthless trinkets, which cost him nothing.

“And this time,” Betty continued, “maybe he’ll finally decide to get rid of you.”

Angelique steadied herself and tried to drive away the growing worry over Betty’s accusations. Betty was only speaking irrationally out of her pain. She didn’t mean what she was saying. Once the birthing was over, surely she’d forget everything she said.

Besides, so long as Pierre was on the island, everything would be just fine. He would keep her safe. Even so, her heart clamored a warning, the warning that she needed to be more careful not to upset Betty or Ebenezer again. She couldn’t take any more chances.





Chapter

14



“What do you mean you won’t let her out of her room?” Pierre’s words boomed through the empty tavern. His voice contained all the frustration that had been building, until now his anguish was so intense he couldn’t think about anything else except freeing Angelique.

“She has one more day of discipline.” Ebenezer rubbed at the shiny bald spot on his head, which was beaded with sweat from the humidity that was plaguing the island and bringing with it the mosquitoes and flies in their ferocious hordes.

“Non. You’ve had her locked in her room for two days. That’s long enough.” He wanted to shout that Ebenezer was an idiot, but he forced himself to swallow his anger. He couldn’t jeopardize Angelique’s situation and make things worse for her.

Ebenezer’s eyes narrowed. “I told my stepdaughter she would get three days of discipline this time, and I intend to follow through.”

“Miss McDouall told me I wasn’t to return to the fort without Angelique today.” It wasn’t exactly the truth, but Pierre was too frustrated to care.

“I’m sure she’ll understand after you explain that my stepdaughter’s disobedience nearly cost me the life of my newborn son.”