Beautiful Whispers (Ausmor Plantation Book 1 - Romance/Suspense) (12 page)

“I know,” I said. “Mrs. Kiness talks about her all the time.”

“Yes, Mrs. Kiness and I were close many years ago,” Grand Maeve said coldly.

I wondered about the animosity’s source.
“And you knew Carolina, Alexander’s mother.”

Grand Maeve nodded. “Hers was a tragic soul. We were so heartbroken she refused to accept our help.
Stubborn little thing. She believed she had to withstand all hardship even though it was none of her own making.” She threw up her hands in disgust. “Once she married Alexander’s father, she thought her life was over.”

I flinched. “
But Mr. Ravenswirth was so nice.”

“He was. The nicest of m
en. A pure heart. And he loved Carolina. He would do anything for her...but he was a gardener and perfectly happy with that.” She stopped and shook her head. “I always believed she hoped for rescue back to the life she was born into.”

“Covil Bashley?”

Grand Maeve nodded. “I think she loved him and would have married him but was forced away…” She stopped and bowed her head. “We never believed the rumors about Alexander.”

My heart skipped faster. “What rumors?”

Grand Maeve kissed my forehead. “He is a good man and incapable of what he was accused of. Never forget that.” She sighed and looked at the mantle. “Charles, I will be entertaining a young man in my room tonight. Do not remain silent and jealous. You know where my room is, you naughty soldier.” She glided towards the door.

“Grand Maeve…” I stopped her. “What rumors about Alexander?”

She shook her head. “Now is not the time to discuss such things, and I will never mention them in this house. After the party, we will go into town and have lunch at that little cafe you like. Until then, trust your heart.”

“But there are things I can’t remember, and everything’s all jumbled.”

She smiled. “Trust your heart, Jane. Deep down, you know the truth. Trust how you feel when you’re with him.” She turned around and walked away.

My eyes took in the Christmas tree with all red ornaments, the red walls, the bare mantle with just a picture of Grand Maeve, the red sofa and uncomfortable red chairs, but my thoughts didn’t register anything but
confusing memory fragments. Panic rose, and a searing pain pierced my brain I knew from experience was sure to be a visiting migraine – as exciting as the visits from the rest of the Austens and Morgans as they descended for hours of excruciating dullery.

Alexander rush
ed down the hallway and walked past. A calmness overtook me, and I could breathe again. It was going to be alright.

He stopped quickly and returned. “
Jane, didn’t know you were in here.”

“Trust myself.”

He walked further in the room. “What?”

“Grand Maeve told me to trust
my heart.”

Alexander
frowned.

I rushed over to him and kissed him.
“I trust you.”

Alexander didn’t say anything. I wasn’t sure if he didn’t know what to say or if I scared him when I kissed him suddenly.

“Grand Maeve told me you couldn’t have done what you were accused of.” I said it offhanded because I was afraid of keeping things to myself. Tired of secrets, I needed help to figure things out.

Alexander paled. His eyes, so full of life before, dulled, and he looked at me as if he was looking at a stranger. He backed away. “She told you or
you remembered?”

“She wouldn’t tell me anything. She just said you were a good man and would never do
whatever it was.”

He turned his back to me
and walked to the doorway. He stopped. “I didn’t. I wouldn’t.” He finally faced me, but his eyes aged. “You have to believe me. I didn’t do that. I couldn’t.” He moved closer to me.

“Grand Maeve said she wouldn’t speak of it in this house.”

Alexander relaxed. “She’s always believed me. It was seven years ago. That’s why my mother and I had to leave. Don’t think she ever forgave me…” His voice trailed off as his memories took over. He recovered and grabbed my hands. “You have to know I’d never hurt you. Ever.”

I nodded. I believed him, but I had to learn the truth.

Think Jane believed me, but her eyes told me she still didn’t trust me completely. The fact she told Byron to go instead of me meant something. Didn’t mean much to her. But, to me, it was everything. After last time of spilling my guts and having her tell me she was still in love with Byron… It took everything to cross Ausmor’s property again. I swore I wouldn’t do it, but something keeps dragging me back.

Any
chance with Jane - I swore long ago I’d take it. Thinking of Jane kept me going. It kept me sane. She said Byron was her first love, but she’s my only love. Couldn’t imagine life without her. There wouldn’t be a point. Fixing the banister and thinking of Jane, I was preoccupied. That’s why I didn’t hear him. I turned around and saw him. “The hell are you doing here?”

Byron grinned like he does to subordinates
. “I’d watch that tone with me.”

“Evan told you to leave.
”

“Evan?” Byron laughed. “Wouldn’t that be Mr.
Morgan to you?”

I ignored him. “
Mrs. Kiness told you to leave. Jane told you to go.”

“Say it with me: Miss Austen.”

I rolled my eyes. “Arrogant bastard. Are you that stupid you can’t take a hint?”

“I go where I want when I want.”

“Even if she doesn’t want you here anymore?”

Byron stepped closer
.

“That’s cute. Like you’d actually try something without your entourage.”

“You don’t talk to me like that.”

I
stepped closer. “Do I need to use smaller words?”

“She’ll choose me again. You know that, don’t you?”

I laughed. “She hasn’t yet.”

“She’s too good for you.”

“I know.” I waited.

He frowned - s
hocked that I’d admitted it.

“Better than me.” I looked him up and down as he normally did
to his servants. “Definitely better than you. You cheated on her how many times?”

“I can provide security.”

“Who’s going to protect her from you?”

Byron
took a deep breath. “Financial security.”

“The Austens don’t need your money.”

“I have a prestigious family name.”

“The Austens are one of the oldest families in
Virginia.” I waited to see what else Byron would spew.

He hesitated. “I’m not the son of a whore.”

Blinded at first with rage, I couldn’t even see him standing in front of me. But I told myself that’s what he wanted. He wanted me to strike first. He’d never be able to defend himself, and I’d be the violent bastard. More points for him.

H
ad to control myself. I closed my eyes. Byron was a prissy little asswipe who swiped at the gutter to get me to react. So, I did the unexpected. I put my hands behind my back to better control myself and looked at him.

He wasn’t expecting that.
“What? You now agree with me about your whorish mother? She should have known her place. Besides, she was married to your father…” He stopped and smiled.

I prepared for whatever thoughts crept into his pathetic brain.

“Was that even your father? I mean, god knows, with a mother that spread it around like she did. Your father could have been anyone.”

“Maybe even your father.”

Byron’s eyes widened as the thought swirled. “My father would never lower himself with the help.”

“Right…” I laughed. “Like that’s never happened.” I knew my mother had never been un
faithful to my father, but torturing Byron made it all worth it. I hoped my mother would forgive me for hinting.

Byron’s face reddened as his anger grew.

I patted him on the shoulder. “Don’t worry, By. Your father was going to cut you out of the will and make me his heir. I’d have given you a few crumbs to live on until you found a job.”

Byron shoved my ha
nd away, or at least he tried. In a quick swoop, faster than Byron could react, I grabbed his arm and twisted it around his back until he yelped.

“I’m faster than you and stronger than you
. If we weren’t at Ausmor I’d kick your ass a thousand times.” I tightened my grip on his arm until he stopped struggling. “So don’t hint about my mother. Don’t hold Jane over my head and don’t threaten me again. Me entiendes?”

Byron struggled
and nodded. “Okay, I get it just let go of me already.”

I let go and pushed him back.

He held his arm. “You could have broken it.”

I stepped closer and smiled when he
jumped. “Like your little boy toys broke three of my ribs?”

“You did plenty of damage on your own. One’s still in the hospital.”

“And what did they do to Jane?”

Byron
blankly looked at me. “Nothing. They took her back to the party.”

“
She can’t remember.”

“They didn’t do anything. They wouldn’t hurt her. They wouldn’t dare.”

I believed him. His money hired the best.

Byron looked down at the ground. “Look, just go
home.”

“I am home. I was born at Ausmor. I grew up here. My mother lived here. My father worked here.”

Byron held up his hand. “Yeah, I know your story. Just find someplace else.”

“Why?”

“You don’t belong here. Jane belongs with me.”

“You don’t own Jane. She’s in love with me.” I flinched. I’d hoped
that was true, but I’d never heard her say that to me.

Byron laughed
.

“Did I say something funny?”

“Love? She doesn’t love you. She can’t even remember half the things that have happened to her. Why would she be in love with you?”

“She’s remembering more every day. You know what that means, don’t you By?”

Byron shook his head and started to walk away but turned back around. “I’m warning you.”

“This should be good.”
I crossed my arms over my chest to prepare for Byron’s latest.

“Don’t push me. Jane will never be with you. She’ll always choose me. I’m going to ask her to marry me at the Christmas party.”

The pain struck me as if he’d hit me. Jane couldn’t marry Byron. I trusted her feelings for me but wasn’t sure she wouldn’t go back to Byron. He was her routine. I needed more time.

“Her family will help her decide, and then it will
be done.”

I shook my head. “That’s not what she wants. It’s not what she needs. She won’t marry you.”

“I’m warning you to walk away.”

“You know I won’t.”

“Then you’ll force my hand, and it will be on you.”

I tried to imagine what that asshole meant.

“Jane is mine. I’ll do what I have to do.” Byron grinned.

That
smug gesture told me he wasn’t worried at all. What would he do? He turned around and casually walked away.

The Christmas party was tomorrow night.
Not much time. I dropped my tools and forgot what I was doing. Had to find Jane. Had to protect her from Byron. If I didn’t leave her side… I raced through the house and heard her voice on the second floor.

I
looked up the moment she looked down. Our eyes met, and I motioned that I’d be in the library. I raced through the Old Wing.

“Alexander…” Mrs. Kiness said stopping me from rushing past her. “Did you get
a chance to study that banister? It looks not at all safe.”

“Fixin to take a look at it now,” I said racing past her, up the stairs and through the connecting door. I avoided the maid
who usually smiled at me and ran into Tour Guide Taylor.

“Oh, young man,” Taylor said blushing. “I
assumed you to be someone else.”

“Byron’s in the garden.”

Taylor gasped. “Mr. Bashley is here? Oh, my.” He straightened out his hair and smoothed his coat.

I left Taylor in the hallway
to fidget and slipped into the Morgan library while Jane talked with one of Mrs. Kiness’ protégés.

Jane tried to cut her conversation short, but whoever it was… Marcy
- I think - wanted to talk on and on. I moved closer and hid behind some book cases so I could hear.

“Then Joshua said he wanted to see that movie, but he wasn’t there when I got there. It was his idiot cousin, Hank or Steve or something. I didn’t like him as much. I made out with him the last half hour of the movie, but the movie
totally sucked. I didn’t like all that romantic stuff anyway, but I think I had too much to drink because I think I went back home with him.”

Jane backed farther away as she nodded.

“At least I think it was his apartment because I didn’t wake up in my house, but no one else was there so how will I know who I went home with last night?”

“Quite the dilemma,” Jane said as she gave me the look.

“I mean asking Hank or Steve or whoever would be kind of slutty, don’t you think? I mean I think I should know, you know? Is there any way I could know for sure?”

Jane shrugged as she backed farther away. “You
could find out where whoever lives and see if it matches where you woke up?”

“Yeah, I could do that…”
Marcy crunched her nose a bit. “But then, I can’t really remember where that was, you know? I mean I took the bus cause my car’s in the shop again, but it’s not the normal bus route. So I didn’t pay any attention. With all the transfers and stuff I can’t remember where it was. But do you think the bus driver would know where he picked me up?”

Jane nodded her head enthusiastically. “Absolutely. I’d get right on that.”

Marcy smiled. “Thanks, Miss Austen. You’re a lifesaver.” She skipped down the stairs.

Jane ran into the library and found me. “Sorry,
Marcy is…I don’t know what she is.”

I pulled her to me and kissed her. I didn’t want to let her go. “
Tell me you remember me.”

Jane touched my face.

“Do you trust me?”

She nodded.

“Promise me you’ll stay away from Byron.”

Jane frowned. “What’s he done now?”

I started to kiss her again, but she pulled back.

“Seriously, what’s he done?”

I noticed the twinge in her eyes. Worried. “Nothing…” I pressed my forehead to hers. “He just said some things…”

“What things?”

“Something about doing whatever it took to make you forget about me.”

She pulled back and took my face in her hands. “I won’t let that happen.”

I appreciated the words but wasn’t sure Jane would be able to stop it. I knew Byron. I knew what he was capable of. She remembered him from when they were kids He was harmless then. But I knew what he was capable of. I’d seen it that day seven years ago. I wouldn’t take any chances.

“Jane?” Mrs. Kiness called from the hallway.

“Promise me?” I whispered. “Stay away from Byron until after the party.”

Jane
hesitated, but she nodded. “I promise.”

“Jane? Are you up here?
Marcy said you were up here?” Mrs. Kiness bellowed.

Jane took my hand and kissed it and started to leave but came right back and kissed me. She pulled away and looked deep into my eyes. “You’ll have to keep me at my word. I might slip. Who knows what I would do.”

“Jane Eva Austen? Where are you?” Mrs. Kiness said.

“Three names means business,” Jane said.

I pulled her back to me. “What are you getting at?”

“
You’ll have to stay by my side until the party. It’s the only way to be sure.” She kissed me quickly and skipped away glancing back at me with a devilish grin.

I sighed. I was a lost cause.
No matter what - I’d never be able to walk away from her. She’d caught me and wasn’t letting go. I was hers forever. I’d do anything.

For the rest of the day, I managed to
fix everything Mrs. Kiness wanted and watch over Jane. Maybe it helped that Jane pre-followed me. As soon as Mrs. Kiness ordered me to another part of the house, Jane would be within eyesight doing something. She’d glance at me when no one was looking and smile. If I could live on that I would… I stopped.

I knew Jane all my life, and I’d never known a day without loving her. My mother saw it. She saw the way I looked at Jane. She told me when I was eight that I wasn’t good enough for her. That my life would be misery because I’d never have her. I listened, but, in my heart, I hoped Jane and I would be together. She’d choose me regardless of the stupid convention or society or rules or whispers or damn gossip. She’d choose me and tell Byron to go to hell.

Wh
en mom and I moved to Williamsburg, I was without Jane for five long years. I saw her when I’d sneak away and return to Ausmor without mom knowing. I promised mom I wouldn’t return, and I didn’t…officially. Unofficially, I had to see Jane. Had to know she was okay. I’d heard about her accidents. The things she chose to forget. I didn’t know if she’d ever remember everything. I had to be with her in case she decided she was strong enough to deal with the truth. She was right in believing it started with her mother, but I wasn’t sure about the accidents.