Tempest(53)
“Byron’s come to Barbados to paint,” Adam explained.
His friend grinned at Cathy. “Of course, there’s more to it than that. Hello, Lady Raveneau; it’s splendid to see you again.” Standing, he lifted her hand and kissed it.
“I’m so happy you are here, Mr. Matthews!” And indeed, she was pleased not only because she liked him, but also because Adam now had companionship at Tempest Hall. Cathy then greeted June with a warm embrace and allowed Adam to guide her onto a second settee. When they were all seated, Byron held out a lollipop to Paul. “Come and join me, Mr. Button.”
The child climbed down from his father’s lap and went to get it but then came right back. Gazing soberly at Cathy, he touched a fastening on his short pants and explained, “But-ton.”
Her heart seemed to melt under the spell of his eyes, which were so much like Adam’s. “That’s a fine button, Paul. Do you know how to work it yourself?”
He nodded and tasted the lollipop, lounging back against his father’s chest. “Papa teached me.”
“Well, it’s a skill in progress,” Adam amended with a wry smile. Turning to Cathy, he continued, “I know you are very busy, so we will be brief. June’s teacher has died and her class is unable to attend school until another can be found. I thought that you—”
“Oh, yes!” she cried. “June, you and your classmates must come to me for your lessons. There is nothing I would enjoy more.”
Adam arched an eyebrow. “You anticipate me, my lady.”
She ignored him. “The only problem is that I have some duties here at the hotel and I cannot leave during the day. Would it be a terrible inconvenience for you girls to come to me and have your lessons here?”
“Most of us live in Bridgetown, ma’am,” June replied, beaming. “We can travel to Hastings on the mule tram.”
“What a splendid plan!” exclaimed Byron.
“We couldn’t dream of having a better teacher,” said June. “I am so happy!”
“If you will make a list of the books you want the class to have, I’ll provide them,” Adam told his wife.
She nearly waved away his offer with the assurance that she would purchase them herself, but something in his expression stopped her. “All right. Thank you.”
“Good. That’s settled then.” He glanced pointedly at Byron, who immediately got to his feet.
“We’ll be on our way. Come on, Mr. Button, your Uncle Byron will give you a ride.” Byron held out his arms to Paul, who reluctantly complied. They went first, out into the sunlight, and soon the child had been hoisted onto Byron’s shoulders and was giggling with excitement as they walked toward the open landau.
Simon, who had stayed outside to water the horses, came forward now to greet Cathy.
“Ma’am, we do miss you.”
“It’s so nice to see you, Simon. Please give my best wishes to Retta, won’t you? I hope that she and Josephine are getting along.”
He only shook his head and looked heavenward, then bade her farewell. When Cathy turned to Adam, her heart began to pound again. “I’ll say goodbye, then. Thank you for bringing June and suggesting this arrangement.”
“You’re welcome, but I’m not leaving.” Shielding his eyes against the sun, he looked toward the carriage, which was rolling out onto Hastings Road. Little Paul was waving and crying, and Adam waved back, calling, “I’ll see you tonight! Be good for Uncle Byron.”
She felt a pang of unexpected emotion at the sight of Paul’s tears and Adam’s fatherly response. “I don’t understand. Didn’t you come with them?”
“No.” He pointed to Lazarus, standing in the shade of a stout, jug-shaped baobab tree. “I rode down on my own. I have other business to attend to today.”
She felt more nervous by the moment. “Well, I won’t keep you from it, then...”
“Cathy.” Gazing into her eyes, he said simply, “It’s you. You are my business.”
Her nervousness gave way to a tingly melting feeling that started in her heart and traveled down between her thighs. “If you are worried that I am seeing other men so soon after our... separation—”
“Oh, God.” His expression told her that he was holding himself in check. “Will you walk with me for a bit?”
She let him lead her down to the beach, where they took off their shoes. Adam hung his suit coat on a tree branch and loosened his tie as they started off, away from the hotel and the bathhouses. Glancing over, Cathy drank in the sight of him, coatless, his tapering chest and narrow waist accentuated by the fitted vest. “I really can’t be away very long,” she said. “Mrs. Ford, the cook, is expecting me for our little pre-luncheon meeting. Tomorrow is the outdoor market in Bridgetown and I want to discuss her list...”
Adam started to reach for her hand, then stopped himself. “I perceive that you are making yourself quite indispensable here.”
“I like it very much. Theo has been exceptionally kind to me.”
“I’m glad.”
“Are you? Truly?” Cathy glanced down at the hem of her skirt, which was now edged with sand, and shook it slightly with both hands.
Stopping to wait for her, Raveneau listened to the sound of the ocean for a few moments. “That’s what I want to tell you. In spite of my behavior on the verandah, I didn’t come here today to challenge any of your would-be suitors to a duel and then attempt to reclaim you myself.”
The dry, honest tone of his voice struck a chord deep inside her. “No?”
“Cathy, I am here to tell you that I have done you an injustice. You deserved a man who would woo you properly and not be afraid to let you love him, and to show his love in return.” He rubbed his jaw with long fingers. “Everything you said about me the day you left Tempest Hall was true. I didn’t deserve you.”
The strange melting feeling intensified inside her. It was hard to breathe. What was he trying to say? “Adam, we can’t go back and change the past. I begged you to marry me, knowing how you felt, so I can hardly blame you for not being transformed into a romantic lover after we recited marriage vows.”
“And is this what you want? To remain separate from me, here at the Ocean Breeze?”
His tone was even, but the passion in his gaze made Cathy look away, and perspiration dampened her delicate shirtwaist. “At the moment, I can only contend with today. What I know is that I have been controlled all my life by my mother— until the day I broke free and married you. What did I know about men, or real love, or marriage? Everything I had witnessed growing up turned out to be hollow. And my feelings for you have only confused me more.” To her horror, tears sprang to her eyes, and Adam offered a handkerchief from his vest pocket. Lifting the snowy linen to her face, Cathy felt a shock of arousal as she breathed in the scent of him. “We should go back, I think.”
As they turned and started in the direction of the hotel, he cupped her elbow protectively. “You’re right, Cath. We were both quite unfit for marriage.”
She was grateful he didn’t argue with her or tell her again why she should return to Tempest Hall with him. “I’ve never been on my own until now. I hate to say this, but all my life Mother was like my jailer.”
His arm moved naturally around her waist, drawing her against the hard length of his body in unspoken understanding. “Thank God she’s gone.”
“I would say that you and I both need to sort out our lives. You are a father now, and that is a very demanding role. It’s plain that Paul loves you very much. As for the two of us, I simply don’t know what the future holds...”
He wanted to tell her that he didn’t intend to lose her, by God, that he would kill any other man who tried to touch her. He burned to take her in his arms and bend her back and kiss her deeply until she was moaning in surrender and he could feel her melt and her hips arch against his. Yet, somehow he managed to suppress all of these primitive urges.
Instead, Raveneau merely reached out to gently brush back tendrils of her hair that had come loose in the sea breeze. “You are even lovelier than when I last saw you.”
“That’s very kind of you, but we both know that I am no beauty—”
“I know nothing of the kind. I am utterly sincere.” His strong hand shaped itself to the fragile curve of her jaw. “Clearly, life here agrees with you, and I want you to be happy. I have just one request.”
She ached to feel his lips on hers. “I’m listening.”
“Give me a chance to court you as you deserve.” When she didn’t protest immediately, he continued, “Will you have dinner with me two nights from now?”
“But, how— where?”
“Let me surprise you. May I call for you at seven o’clock?” Seeing her hesitant expression, he gave a rueful laugh. “Don’t worry, I promise not to abduct you and ravish you against your will.”
Cathy blinked, slightly disappointed by his words. “Well, then, how can I refuse?”
“Exactly so,” Adam replied with a rakish smile. He caught her delicate hand and lifted it to his mouth, aware of the quickening of her pulse. “I shall look forward our evening together.”