Savage Surrender Page 2

  "The matter did not concern you, Elise," Uncle Theo said grimly. "However, I suppose it won't hurt for you to know, since you are now involved. Honoré's gambling debts amounted to fifty thousand francs. Plus another ten thousand to a young lady of decent family whose father I shall never be able to look in the face again."

  "Oh, no." The room seemed to tilt. I closed my eyes until it righted itself. "I had no idea—"

  "There was nothing you could do then, Elise, and I didn't want to worry you. I was unable to raise that last ten thousand. The Baron came to our aid. We have a great deal to thank him for."

  We were silent for a few minutes, then I burst out, "But it's not fair! Why should I have to pay for Honoré's sins? How can you bear to leave him the house and lands after the way he has behaved? I thought you loved me, Uncle Theo, but I have been deceived. You love Honoré and the stupid Lesconflair name and this pile of rocks and timber better than me. You have no heart, Uncle Theo! You're not even human! Doesn't it matter to you that I'll be unhappy for the rest of my life? Did you think of me at all when you arranged this monstrous match? Oh, I'll never forgive you for this! Never, never!"

  I hid my face in my hands and cried bitterly and loudly, as I had not cried since I was a child. Uncle Theo came over to me and rested his hand on my shoulder. I jerked away from him.

  "I did think of you, Elise," he said softly. "If there is to be ruin and disgrace in our family I want you to be far away from it. The Baron is a kind man and I think you will come to love him in time. You have a good heart, and surely you can see that I have done what was best. Thank God you are not devoid of sense, Elise. Please try to understand."

  "I understand only that this gross frog thinks he has fallen in love with me, for no other reason than that I am beautiful. Oh, I wish I were ugly, ugly and so stupid that I could actually believe the lies you have told me. Those silly, feather-brained girls at school could hardly wait to be married. They had their children named and their homes furnished before they had even met a man who would marry them! They would count themselves lucky over this, and they would even pretend to be in love. But I won't pretend. It is clear to me that there is no such thing as love, and that marriages are made on earth because it profits someone to make them, not in Heaven at all, as the nuns said. I'm so unhappy! I—I shall kill myself on my wedding night. I would die rather than let that—that gross pig touch me!"

  Uncle Theo sighed deeply. "It would indeed be ironic, Elise, if you, not Honoré, were to bring disgrace upon the family."

  "I don't care!" I cried passionately. "If that horrid man tries to touch me I shall kill him, too!"

  My uncle shook his head slowly. "When your father married your mother I had my doubts about the wisdom of his bringing Corsican blood into the family. I was right. You are a little savage."

  "I'm not!"

  "Then act like the daughter of a noble family, and not like some Italian peasant bent on murder!" he said crisply. We glared at each other. Uncle Theo sighed again. "Dear Elise," he said wearily, "you are too passionate. You are almost a woman and you're still acting like a spoiled, selfish child. I won't tolerate any more, Elise, and please remember that I don't have to!"

  I ran for the door and paused with my hand on the knob. "I would rather be too passionate, Uncle Theo," I said in a husky voice, "than be dead and buried in the tomb of the Lesconflairs." I went out.

  Honoré was standing in the hall. He looked at my tear-streaked face and flushed slightly.

  "Oh, hello, Elise," he said with uncharacteristic kindness.

  "Ah, and here we find the real culprit," I exclaimed wrathfully, "sulking in the halls, gloating over his victory. Traitor! Fiend!"

  "Elise, I beg you," he said pleadingly. He held out his hands toward me. I slapped at them.

  "I should have known that Uncle Theo was too kind to think up such a scheme on his own. You are at the root of this whole conspiracy, aren't you, Honoré? You put it into his head to accept the Baron's proposal, didn't you? And I'll wager you encouraged that—that moronic pig to offer for me in the first place! Didn't you? Didn't you?"

  Honoré stiffened. "Certainly not. Give yourself a little credit, Sister. The Baron was besotted with you from the first moment he laid eyes on you, you know that. Every saucy turn of your raven head and every flash from those black eyes made his head spin. And I have not been in collusion with Uncle Theo. When he first mentioned the idea to me I was against it. Now I rather like it. Imagine the poor Baron's surprise when he finds out what he has really married. The sweet young daughter of a noble house? The convent-educated goddaughter of the Emperor? Hardly! You've a devil, Elise, we both know that. You're spoiled and headstrong and wild. It's a pity the Baron's not the man to tame you."

  I flew at him. I hated him and I wanted to kill him. Honoré caught my wrists and held me tightly. I cursed him under my breath and struggled to escape.

  "For God's sake, Elise, calm yourself! This isn't the end of the world. A wedding is, after all, the high point of a woman's life. You ought to thank—ouch! You bloodthirsty little bitch!"

  I had bitten into his hand as hard as I could and he released me. We stood apart, eyeing each other suspiciously, while Honoré nursed his wound.

  "And you ought to thank me, Honoré," I said through my teeth. "How would you be enjoying yourself right now if Uncle Theo hadn't come up with that last ten thousand francs?"

  His color rose. "I don't know what you mean."

  "You know very well what I mean! The oldest son and heir gets himself into a scrape and badly needs money to buy himself out of it, and where does the money come from? From me! From the only piece of salable goods left on the estate! Uncle Theo sold me to the Baron to save you, Honoré, and to rescue the family honor. Honor! I'm so sick of the word I could scream. What kind of honor is it that demands that a woman be sold like a slave to the highest bidder? Your luck held this time, Honoré. You can breathe easily, thanks to me. But don't expect me to thank you for what you've done. And don't you dare preach to me about weddings and happiness. I—I can't bear it!"

  Tears rushed to my eyes. I ran blindly out of the hall and down the steps to the drive, across the terraced lawns where the marble fountains played, into the stand of pines that bordered the lawns on the west side. I threw myself onto the ground and cried furiously until I could scarcely breathe. I hated them, hated them all, the men who controlled and manipulated my life. Brothers, uncles, suitors, priests, emperors. Finally my tears ceased. I sat up and brushed the damp hair out of my face. I had no wish to go back to the Chateau yet. I felt hurt and humiliated, and I couldn't face them until I had myself under control.

  I stood up and looked around resentfully. The sun was still shining brightly. The sky was still the same dazzling August blue. Birds sang cheerfully. A rabbit scampered into view, paused to look me over, then scurried into the underbrush. The world was oblivious to my suffering. Life had collapsed in ruins around me, and nobody cared.

  Anger welled up inside of me and almost choked me. I began to walk hurriedly through the park, towards the wilder part of the forest out of sight of the Chateau, where the gardeners and their boys never penetrated. Why had I behaved so childishly? I should have remained calm. I might have been able to persuade Uncle Theo that there were better ways to repair his losses. But no. He had already accepted the Baron's proposal in my name, and the family honor demanded that I conform to his wishes. I recalled the humiliating encounter with my brother. I should have played on his sympathies, tried to win him over. But Honoré would surely side with Uncle Theo. They were both eager to have that rich pig in the family and they didn't care if they had to sacrifice me to get him.

  I tramped for hours, not caring where I was going, not wanting to go home again, ever. My conversation with Uncle Theo kept coming back to me. He had said I was too passionate. Too passionate! Yes, and too alive, too vital, too demanding. I wanted too much from life, more than I had a right to expect, obviously.

  Late
in the afternoon I came to a place where fallen trees and floating debris had formed a natural dam across the stream that cut across the Lesconflair lands. The water spilled over the falls into a deep, crystal clear pool. It was a beautiful, enchanting spot, wild and unspoiled. Deer watered there, birds nested in the tall grass on the banks, and an ancient willow tree drooped elegantly over the water. We had swum there, Philippe and Honoré and I, when we first came to live with Uncle Theo, after our mother died. I missed Philippe terribly and wished he would come home. He would take my part against the other two. He loved me.

  Dropping down on a rick by the pool's edge I kicked off my shoes and stockings and splashed my feet in the water. It felt delightful. In an instant I had shed my dress and chemise, and plunged naked into the pool. The water was icy cold, for the stream was fed by underground springs. The shock of immersing myself in it drove everything else from my mind. I floated lazily for a long time, reveling in the coolness of the water and the joy of being unencumbered by clothing. I ran my hands slowly over my swelling breasts and down my sides.

  I was beautiful, and the Baron desired me. I shivered with disgust. A lot of men desired me. I had seen their eyes when they looked at me, scanning my rounded hips, my tiny waist, and the beautiful white breasts that swelled over the tops of my gowns. Why, I could run away to Paris and become a courtesan, a demimondaine. I could have hundreds of lovers, all young and handsome and rich. The Baron Freddy would be shocked, and Uncle Theo would be furious. Françoise would scold. The plan amused me, and I splashed delightedly in my private pool. Finally I drew myself out of the water and lay panting on the grassy bank. The low roar of the falls obscured all other sounds and lulled me to sleep.

  "Well, I see old Neptune has tossed me up a tasty-looking fish."

  I sat up with a start and rubbed my eyes. A man was standing near the pool, holding a horse that was drinking thirstily. He was staring boldly at me through pale ice-blue eyes.

  I gaped at them. The horse, a giant chestnut covered with lather from hard riding, snorted and blew noisily as he drank. The man was tall and bare-headed. The sun glinted on his hair, making it shine richly like burnished gold. His face and neck and hands were quite tan. He wore no neckcloth and his loose-fitting shirt hung open, revealing a brown, muscular chest. His face was lean and hard with hollows under the cheekbones, and he had a fine, straight nose and high forehead. His lips were thin and firm, and at the moment they were curved into a cynical suggestion of a smile.

  His clothing had been chosen for serious travel over rough roads. His coat was loose-fitting like his shirt, and dark brown in color. His fawn colored breeches clung tightly to his thighs and calves. His high boots were covered with dust.

  "Your pardon, Mademoiselle Nymph." His voice was pleasant, warm and deep. "This is the way to the Angiers road, is it not?"

  His eyes caressed my naked body. Only then did I come to my senses. Hoping that it might not be too late to salvage my modesty, I scrambled for my chemise and slid it over my head. Under his unwavering gaze my fingers fumbled ineptly with the ribbons on the bodice, and finally I drew the edges together over my breasts and knelt in the grass with my knees drawn up under me.

  "Who are—what do—how dare you!" I sputtered.

  He rested his arm casually on his horse's back. His smile grew broader. "How dare I water my horse at this lovely stream on the hottest day of the year?"

  I felt tremors starting up and down my spine. "You are trespassing on private property," I snapped. "Go away from here at once or I shall have you arrested."

  He laughed softly. "So I'm a trespasser, am I? And since I have drunk your water and breathed your air, I suppose I am a thief as well? I plead guilty, then. But before you hang me, you must permit me to dine on the luscious feast you and the gods have set before me."

  I gasped, paralyzed for a moment as his meaning became clear. He turned away to tend to the horse, who, having drunk its fill, lifted its dripping muzzle as if to ask for praise. The man patted the horse, then dropped to one knee at the pool's edge and drank from cupped hands. Then he splashed his face and neck with water and ran his damp fingers through his hair.

  I jumped up from my grassy bed and raced for the shelter of the woods. I thought I heard a low laugh, but I plunged on recklessly, impeded by rough tangles of briars and vines and sharp twigs and thorns that dug into the soles of my bare feet. I thrashed about in blind panic, telling myself that he wouldn't dare give chase. Then to my horror I heard the unmistakable thunder of hooves and the crashing of bushes as his horse plowed easily through the undergrowth that had made the way almost impassable for me.

  In another moment they were upon me. I looked up and saw the powerful horse with its villainous rider bearing down on me, and in an instant the man leaned over and slipped his arm around my waist, lifting me onto the horse s back with one easy movement. I pushed feebly at his chest as I tried to catch my breath, and as I regained my strength I cursed him and struggled violently.

  "I had no idea there were naked savages in these woods," he said with a little laugh. "So young and beautiful, too."

  I tried to jam my elbow into his side, but his muscles were like iron. He pinned me against his chest with the arm that held the horse's reins, and with the other hand he opened the bodice of my chemise.

  "Delightful!" he exclaimed. The touch of his fingers on my breasts inflamed me further.

  "Let me go! Vulture! Dog! Let me go!"

  He chuckled. "Ah, they heave like waves on the ocean when you are angry. Only in France do the girls have such lovely, slender legs and such superb bosoms."

  I wriggled in his grasp. "Let me go," I panted. "Put me down at once!"

  "I wouldn't let you go now if Napoleon's whole army were chasing me," he said. "Are you in a hurry to go home? I suppose your master is waiting for you, and for that I cannot blame him." His hand moved down to my stomach and he pulled me fiercely against him pinching my buttocks with his thighs.

  A servant! He thought I was a servant! I was outraged. "I—I'll kill you for this!" I said in a choked voice.

  "Never fear," he said mildly. "I shall make this afternoon worth your while."

  I was so furious that I could hardly speak. A servant—and a whore!

  When we reached the clearing near the stream he dismounted first, then reached up to lift me down. I saw a riding crop sticking out from one of his saddlebags, and I grabbed for it and brought it down on his upturned face with all the force I could muster. A bright red streak appeared on his cheek. He seemed astonished, but he made no move to touch his wound. I slid off the horse's back and darted past him.

  His arm shot out and he grabbed me around the waist and pulled me to him. "I swear you are no nymph, girl, but a wildcat in need of taming."

  "You are no better than—than a swine!" I hissed breathlessly. He laughed harshly and bent his head to kiss me. I bit him savagely on the lip. Suddenly he raised his hand and slapped me across the face. Tears smarted in my eyes.

  "You have a taste for blood, don't you, my girl?" he demanded angrily. "We must indulge this taste at once." Pinning my arms to my side, he covered my mouth with his. I felt weak and breathless from running, and my cheek still smarted from the blow he had given me. His kiss drained me of my remaining strength. I tried vainly to keep my lips pressed tightly together, but he forced them apart with his tongue and ravished my mouth. When he released me I gasped for air. My head was throbbing.

  He said, "I can see that you have never been kissed before. I find that almost impossible to believe. Are the men in this part of the country blind, perhaps, or are they idiots?"

  I spat on the ground and wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. "They are gentlemen, not animals," I snapped.

  He grinned. His gaze went to my bosom and moved slowly down my body. My bodice was hanging open to the waist. I pulled the thin fabric over myself, my face burning with shame and anger. I was keenly aware of my vulnerability.

  "I would call them
saints," he mused, "these poor, crude provincials. Or perhaps they are really cowards, afraid to tangle with a vicious spitfire who first entices them and then tries to blind them."

  "I never enticed you!" I said hotly.

  "Oh, but you did." His voice was low, hypnotic. He stepped closer to me, moving slowly like a hunter stalking a wild creature. I stared at him dumbly. My eyes felt as large and as round as dinner plates, but I could not pull them away from him. My brain was empty of all thought, and I was conscious of a hollow feeling in my body, then of shivers passing up the backs of my legs and into my middle. The heaviness in my legs weighed me down. I knew I could not run away from him.

  "Don't—please don't hurt me, Monsieur," I whispered. My mouth felt as dry as dust.

  He was very close to me. He loomed over me. I could feel the heat of his body, and I could smell the traces of horse, sweat and leather that clung to him. He put his hands on my shoulders and looked searchingly into my eyes. The cruel little smile never left his lips. I shuddered and looked down, and I saw the greatness of his manhood straining at his breeches. I gave a little cry of horror and tried to jerk away.

  "A man's anatomy betrays him every time," he said lightly. The hands on my shoulders tightened their grip. He was breathing hard. "But I don't know that that's such a bad thing."

  His face came closer to mine, filling the field of my vision, obscuring everything but the terror I felt. I could see the blood caked on his cheek and the red blister on his lips where I had bitten him. His eyes were cold. They looked right through me, seeing only a wench he would use to break the monotony of his journey.

  My hypnotic state faded for a moment, and I began to fight him. "Leave me alone! Let me go!"

  The smile faded from his lips and he wrestled me easily to the ground. I fell heavily and he came down on top of me. He pinned my wildly thrashing arms and legs and he kissed me again and again. Each time his tongue seemed to go deeper until I was almost gagging with rage and fear.