Lie to Me (Pearl Island Trilogy #4)(84)

As soon as he left, she carried the cloth-wrapped necklace down to the beach. Taking a shaky breath, she unfolded the cloth and stared down at the beautiful piece. The diamonds sparkled amid the intricate gold vines and leaves that framed the mirror. It looked so much like the portal in Luc’s game, her heart ached to be back with him. Back at Vortal, talking, playing, making love.

Happiness is kicking ass, slaying dragons, and stealing pirate treasure. That’s happiness.

Yes, it was, she thought, as a tear slipped down her cheek.

Giving something so wondrous to John repulsed her.

Then don’t do it, a voice inside her head told her, along with so many other voices. Warriors don’t surrender without a fight. Follow your heart. Make the decision that’s right for you.

How, though? she wanted to shout back. How did anyone who had been hurt and disappointed so many times find the courage to go after love, knowing sometimes it ended in heartache?

You’re standing at a crossroad. In one direction lies more heartache. In the other, happiness.

But which direction was which? If she gave John the necklace, it wouldn’t change anything for the LeRoche family. John wouldn’t be stupid enough to back out of his partnership plans with Harold until his finances turned around. The necklace didn’t have the power to do that. Even if it did, it wouldn’t happen fast enough to stop the wedding. But giving the necklace to John would save her family from being torn apart. It would give her mother a chance at happiness, and give herself a chance at a relationship with Diane, and now Harold.

But at what cost?

She’d lose Luc. He wouldn’t forgive her for giving in to John, even if she could convince him she was doing it as much for him as for her family. Luc didn’t know what John could do. What strings he could pull to destroy people who crossed him. She remembered Luc insisting that John didn’t hold any power in his world.

She wanted to believe that, but did she dare take that chance?

Her chest hurt at the mere possibility that Luc or his family might suffer because of something she’d done. She wanted Luc to be happy. That seemed impossible now, no matter what she did. Right now, he had to be hurting, too. At least he’d be safe, though.

Like Marguerite, you’re making the wrong choice.

Yet, Chloe thought she finally understood why Marguerite had chosen the path she had. For years, she thought Marguerite hadn’t run off with Captain Kingsley because her faith in love had nearly been snuffed out after a lifetime of having her heart shattered. What if that weren’t true, though? What if she’d refused him because she feared what Henri would do? Maybe her sacrifice hadn’t been just for Nicole, but for Jack, too.

Had Jack known that? Had he understood? Or had he been as angry over Marguerite not defying Henri as Luc had been over her not defying John?

“But you did it for love,” Chloe whispered, suddenly sure in her heart. Nothing else could have made Marguerite endure so much. “You sacrificed everything because you loved him, didn’t you?”

No answer came, of course. She told herself to stop waiting for something that clearly wouldn’t happen for her. With a sigh, she lifted the necklace to look into the mirror one last time before taking it to John. Sunlight glinted off the surface, blinding her for a second. When the glare vanished, the reflection she saw made her gasp.

A woman stood right behind her.

Scrambling up, she dropped the necklace as she whirled to see who had snuck up on her. No one was there. She’d seen someone, though. A beautiful, dark-haired woman with clear blue eyes who had looked right at her in the reflection.

Chloe’s heart began to pound. Could it be…?

“Marguerite?” she whispered, straining to hear or feel anything different.

Nothing.

Wondering if she’d imagined it, she bent to retrieve the mirror. Tentatively, she moved the mirror so it reflected the area behind the driftwood bench.

Her heart lurched when she saw a woman standing there, watching her with earnest blue eyes. She jerked her head around, but again saw no one. Only when she looked at the reflection did she see Marguerite.

The trembling of her hand made holding the mirror at the right angle difficult. She was finally having her encounter with one of the ghosts, but she couldn’t keep the mirror still.

Breathing hard, she told herself to calm down. She’d be able to control the mirror better if she sat back down and held it with both hands. Which meant moving closer to the ghost. As much as she’d longed for this moment, she felt unnerved at the thought.

“Okay, I can do this,” she whispered to herself.

Shaking all over, she moved forward and lowered herself to sit. Taking the mirror in both hands, she aimed it over her shoulder.

Marguerite stood there, smiling as if to calm her. The blue eyes, clearly reflected in the mirror, held kindness and compassion. The shapely lips moved, but no sound came out.

“I’m sorry.” Chloe shook her head. “I can’t hear you.”

Marguerite’s shoulders moved in a sigh as sorrow filled her eyes. Her gaze intensified, as if willing Chloe to understand something.

“What?” Chloe asked, desperate to know what Marguerite was trying to tell her. As she tried to figure it out, thoughts came into her mind, words spoken in a French accent. Her imagination? Or a projection of Marguerite’s thoughts?

Oh, mon cher, I was so wrong. Love is always worth fighting for. I should have let Jacque fight with me, rather than trying to keep him safe. I should have followed my heart, wherever it took me, no matter the cost. If I had, we would not have been apart so long.