Destiny for Three Read online

  Fiancé! Oh, cripes! Elise felt the blood drain from her cheeks. Now, what was she going to do? Calm down, Elise. You haven’t even met the man yet. Just get that over with and then play it by ear. Good grief, what a joke fate was playing on her. Dumped at the altar in one life, engaged to a stranger in the next.

  ****

  Freshly bathed and dressed, Elise hesitated just inside the doorway of Edward’s stuffy, darkened bedroom. The man who was her brother lay motionless in his bed. “He’s sleeping. Maybe I should come back later.”

  “No, child,” Jemma answered, prodding her forward. The woman’s voice wavered with emotion. “He needs to see you to put his mind at ease. I’ll open the curtains a bit, lighten it up in here so’s you can see better.”

  As Jemma went about brightening the room, Elise moved to the bedside and looked down at Edward. He was clearly Elizabeth’s brother, she could see the resemblance. His dark brown wavy hair was parted on the side and brushed back off his high forehead. His face was pleasantly formed, but deathly pale, with dark shadows around his closed eyes. As though he sensed her presence, those eyes opened, revealing the same blue-green that stared back at her when she looked in a mirror.

  His dry lips stretched into a smile. “Elizabeth.” He took a deep breath. “I’m so glad you’re all right.” Elise returned his smile and clasped his outstretched hand. “Sit, sit down. Stay and talk with me for a while.”

  Elise sat in the wooden chair next to the bed. The poor man. He really did look awful. Even though he was a stranger, she felt her eyes prickle with tears.

  Edward squeezed her hand weakly. “The doctor said you-you’ve been disoriented since the accident. Has any memory at all come back to you yet?"

  Elise plucked at the bedspread. There was no way for her to lie. She could never pull it off; she didn't know anything about her new life. "As much as I'd like to tell you I remember everything, I can't." Seeing Edward's hopeful expression fall, she felt compelled to add, "But I'm sure it won't be long before I do. There's something about your face, and Jemma's, that already seems vaguely familiar to me. Please don't worry."

  “I can’t help but worry,” he said sadly. “Elizabeth, you do know that I won’t be around much longer.”

  “Oh, Edward. Don’t say that.”

  “I have to. It’s true. There’s no hope for me, I’m afraid. And I-” his voice cracked with emotion, “I can’t leave this earth knowin’ I’ve left you behind with no memory of your past and no one to take care of you.”

  “Please, I don’t want you to worry about me. I’ll be fine.”

  “No, darlin’. No, you won’t. You don’t know the first thing about takin’ care of yourself. You need a man to look after you.” Elise bristled slightly at his words, but said nothing. “Jemma told me Jeff is coming to see you today. I-I want to talk to him about movin’ up the date for your wedding, as soon as possible. I want to see you safely married before I go.”

  Elise felt a surge of panic, and shook her head. “But I don’t remember him. Surely he won’t want to marry a woman who sees him as a stranger.”

  “Shh. Don’t worry, Elizabeth. He’ll want you. He’s been waitin’ a long time for you. And Doc White says your memory will likely return. Maybe we could help it along some.” He squeezed her hand again.

  Elise sighed. “All right.” She wasn’t agreeing to this marriage deal, but maybe this would be a good way for her to find out some information to make it easier to deal with her situation.

  Her acquiescence seemed to soothe him. “Good. Now, where should we start? Do you remember anything at all?”

  She shook her head. “No, not really. I guess we should start with the basics. My full name, birth date, family history...”

  In the next few minutes she learned that the current date was September 25, 1850, her name was Elizabeth Viola McBride and she was twenty-five years old. She’d lived her whole life within the walls of this house, Cottonwood. Her father had built it before she was born.

  Cottonwood. The name of the home struck a chord in her memory.

  Yes, of course! The brick Colonial in which Elise had lived in until she was eight, was built upon the site of an old plantation house named Cottonwood. She was in that house right now! The very site of her childhood home, over a hundred and fifty years earlier!

  Edward continued in a raspy voice. "Our father died last year. There was an accident. He drowned. And Mother passed on close to twenty years ago of yellow fever. I'm afraid you and I are the only family we've got left, Lizzie." He patted her hand gently. "And once I’m gone…” His eyes grew wet and voice cracked again. “I couldn’t- couldn’t bear it if I left you all alone.”

  This was heartbreaking! Wiping the tears from her eyes, Elise could only nod. There was no way she was going to marry a stranger, but if Edward was comforted by the belief that she’d marry Jeff Turner, she was not going to argue with him now.

  Edward took another deep breath and closed his eyes. Elise could see their conversation had taken a toll on his failing strength. Giving his limp hand a parting squeeze, she left him to Jemma’s care and went back to her room to prepare herself to meet her new fiancé.

  ****

  "Come on, child. Mistah Turner's awaitin' for you on the porch. You look pretty as a peach. Now let's go."

  Elise checked her appearance in the foyer mirror, still in complete amazement at her reflection. The coral gown fit like a glove about her tiny corset-cinched waist, then flared out over the starched slips and hoop she wore beneath. She'd complained when Jemma insisted she wear all the uncomfortable contraptions. The corset was a torture device! She could barely take a full breath. But she had to admit, the finished effect was striking. Her hair was artfully arranged into a cascade of sable ringlets that fell down her back, with just enough fringe around her face to cover the bruise on her forehead. It was a big change from her usual jeans and a ponytail.

  Elise stepped onto the piazza and laid her eyes on Jeff Turner for the first time. He was tall and slender, with raven-black hair that contrasted sharply with the cool, silvery grey of his eyes. Quite handsome really, except he sported a set of long mutton-chop sideburns. Hmm, those would definitely take some getting used to.

  Jeff rose from his wicker chair to greet her and his gaze roamed down the length of her body. He held out his hand and Elise automatically reached forward to give him a handshake. Instead, he bent his dark head to brush a kiss to the back of her hand.

  "Elizabeth, my dear, I’m so sorry about Edward. I just came from his bedside.” He shook his head. “It’s such a shame. But you needn’t worry. I’ll take care of you.” He backed up a bit and examined her. “I simply cannot believe what Edward told me is true. You appear completely recovered."

  Elise gently removed her hand from his and smiled a bit awkwardly. "Thank you, I do feel much better, but I'm still having some trouble with my memory."

  "Surely you remember me." The spark in his eyes spoke of a shared intimacy between them that made Elise uncomfortable.

  "I can't lie to you, Mr. Turner. I don't remember you." A flicker of pain crossed his classically molded face, but he recovered quickly and gave her a resolute smile.

  "Well, we can't have that, now can we?” He escorted her to the wicker porch swing and settled himself beside her. “I’ll just have to woo you all over again, and quickly, since this tragic turn of events requires that we move ahead with our marriage plans as soon as possible.”

  Elise blanched at the mention of the marriage. "Yes, about that… I don’t want to upset you, and I do appreciate that you and Edward are looking out for my welfare, but I really don’t feel comfortable rushing into a marriage at this point. I'm afraid you'll have to be patient with me. This memory loss is so strange, overwhelming.”

  “Edward was right. You really are so…different.” Jeff searched her eyes as if looking for a flicker of the Elizabeth he knew.

  “I know. There is the possibility that I'll never be the same Elizab
eth you knew."

  He set his jaw determinedly and clasped her hand with his. "Once we’re wed and settled at Blackfriar, I’ll take you to see a different doctor in Savannah."

  "Blackfriar?"

  "The house I'm building for you. Big and elegant, just what you ordered. It's nearly finished." Jeff slanted a meaningful look at Elise. "You promised to marry me once it was finished."

  Elise swallowed. "I did?"

  Jeff chuckled and lifted an eyebrow at her. "You wouldn't be faking this memory loss to get out of our deal, would you? You've led me on quite a chase, Elizabeth McBride, knowing all the while that I'm so crazy for you, I'd give you anything. And I have. I've met all your demands, honey. Blackfriar, the townhouse in Savannah, allowance for all the Parisian gowns your little heart desires, everything. Now, I have to admit, I'm anxious for you to keep your end of the bargain."

  Great. It appeared Elizabeth was a shallow and calculating gold digger who enjoyed terrorizing her underlings; not a very nice picture. And now Elise was left to deal with the results of her handiwork. Thank you very much, Miss McBride!

  “Jeff, I don't know what to say. I honestly don't remember."

  He surprised her then by leaning closer and raised a hand to caress her jaw. His voice lowered. "Perhaps I can try to refresh your memory a bit."

  Before she knew what was happening, his lips were on hers, muffling her startled squeak. They were soft at first then moved across hers easily, confidently, as if they'd played against her mouth a hundred times before. Perhaps they had.

  "Jeff, please," Elise murmured as she pulled back. "I'm not sure I'm ready for this." For a southern gentleman from a society that demanded adherence to strict rules of propriety, Jeff was certainly quick to put the moves on her. Maybe men hadn't changed so much after all.

  "Don't you like my kisses anymore, Elizabeth?”

  "Um, well, they're very nice, but I-"

  "Then relax and enjoy them, honey. I won't push you any farther than this." His thumb moved across her jaw to brush over her mouth. "I just need to taste your sweet lips. Give me that much. Let me help you remember how good it was between us."

  A smile touched his lips before he closed them over hers once again. His arms were strong as they held her close, and Elise forced herself to endure his embrace. She had to admit, his kisses weren’t repulsive, and she did feel kind of sorry for him. If she closed her eyes, she could almost swear it was Bruce kissing her; it was pleasant, yes, but there were no fireworks.

  His tongue delved into her mouth as he deepened the kiss. At that point, Elise felt invaded, smothered, and she broke away. Jeff seemed unaware of her slight shiver of aversion. His eager mouth moved along her jaw to her neck, then back to her face.

  "Do you remember my kisses now, Elizabeth? Remember the feel of my lips on yours? On your neck? How about between your legs, honey, remember that? You always love me to kiss you there."

  Elise's breath caught in her throat and she pulled back again. "We were that intimate?"

  "Quite a bit more intimate, in fact." He looked meaningfully into her eyes and she knew without a doubt to what he referred. "I must confess it hurts me a little that you don't remember something we shared so deeply."

  Elise jumped at the sound of a throat clearing. She and Jeff both turned toward the noise. She recognized the man in an instant. There on the porch steps was the stranger who’d rescued her the day of the accident.

  The attraction was also instantaneous. Wow.

  There had been a keen awareness of him the first time they’d met, one that had stuck in her memory despite the fact she’d been hurt and in shock at the time. But now, it was just--just…Wow. She let her gaze travel downward from that arrestingly sexy face, absorbing the lean angular lines of his body, lingering where the muscles of his thighs, outlined provocatively by his snug pants, disappeared beneath his dark jacket.

  Feeling the man next to her tense, Elise came to her senses and blushed at the path her thoughts had just taken.

  "Trey Kingston." Jeff's voice was low and flat. "It’s a surprise seeing you around these parts again."

  Trey. His name was Trey. Mmm, even that was sexy.

  Trey's mouth stretched, but it wasn't anywhere close to a smile. "Really? You weren't aware of my father's death?"

  "Of course I heard about John. Frankly, I'm amazed you'd come all the way back down here yourself."

  "Someone has to handle the estate."

  "I figured a man such as yourself would have lackeys to see to that sort of thing. I’d think a man with your…sophisticated tastes wouldn’t feel especially comfortable down here among us God-fearin’ country folk."

  The tension in the air was dense enough to touch. It was obvious to Elise there was no love lost between these two men. They stared at each other like wolves from rival packs. Trey with flames of anger leaping in his golden-brown eyes, and Jeff, his mouth twisted in a disdainful sneer. It was unbearable; she had to say something.

  "Excuse me, um...Mr. Kingston. I wanted to thank you for helping me after the accident, and apologize for the fuss I made. I realize I must have been quite a sight." She felt a new wave of heat creeping up her cheeks as he turned his hard gaze upon her, his eyes cold, hostile.

  "You're a sight right now, Miss McBride. Is it your habit now to let men paw you in public?"

  Elise drew a sharp intake of breath, her face burning like fire. She was suddenly very conscious of the cool tingling where the breeze touched the still-moist trails of Jeff's kisses, and she felt...guilty. It had only been a kiss, but now she wished she hadn't let it happen.

  "Watch your tongue, Kingston. What Elizabeth does is none of your business anymore. Besides, my intentions toward her are honorable, which is more than I could say about you." Jeff looked furious, his face an unattractive shade of red. He glared at Trey.

  "Don't get yourself riled, Turner. She's all yours." Trey crossed the porch to the front door, and it was then Elise noticed he had a slight limp in his step and gripped a slim, black cane in his hand. "I’ve only come to see Edward, so please, carry on. Take her right here on the porch, just don’t let Jemma catch you with her skirts up."

  "Vulgar animal," Jeff growled, but Trey was already out of earshot, the front door closing behind him. "But then I guess I shouldn't have expected more."

  "Jeff, what's going on between you two?" Elise asked, stunned by the exchange.

  "You heard him. What kind of man speaks like that in front of a lady?"

  "Well, actually, your language got a bit vulgar when you were kissing me-"

  "That's different! I love you, Elizabeth. There's a vast difference between a man getting carried away in the arms of the woman he loves and a man using vulgarities to insult her." He was right. Trey Kingston had deliberately degraded her and done so very effectively. Jeff looked truly wounded, like a little boy. "It sounds almost as if you're defending him."

  "I'm not defending him. He acted like a real jerk." Elise ignored Jeff's raised eyebrows. "He obviously doesn't like you, or me for that matter. And I could tell you had it in for him the moment he set foot on the porch. Now what's going on?”

  Jeff fixed her with a bitter glare. "Well, just how the devil do you expect me to feel about your former beau, Elizabeth?"

  Chapter Three

  Sitting alone in the large, elegant dining room, Elise picked at her supper and cast another glance at the ceiling. As hard as she tried to be nonchalant about the fact that Trey Kingston was upstairs with Edward right now, the fluttering feeling in the pit of her stomach wouldn't go away. For an instant, she felt a bit foolish obsessing like this over a man she hardly knew, but she couldn't help it; he intrigued her.

  She'd been involved with him, romantically.

  Yet it was clear he now deeply disliked her. Elise had seen nothing but contempt in his face when he'd made those caustic remarks. He'd meant to cut her to the quick. What had happened between Elizabeth and Trey that left him so bitter?

  Her
questions to Jeff during the remainder of his visit went largely unanswered. He was jealous and angry, skirting around the issue, twisting her words until she was put on the defensive. He apologized for his behavior before he left, but he'd made it clear that the subject was now closed between them. Trey Kingston was part of their past, not their future.

  It wasn't that simple for Elise. Her attraction to Trey was intense. Never before had she experienced anything like it, not even with Bruce. And Bruce, with his blonde, blue-eyed good-looks, was a very handsome man. So was Jeff. But Trey... She wasn't certain what it was about him that affected her so keenly. He was great-looking, of course, but if she were seeing him objectively she'd have to concede that he wasn't exactly classically handsome. Trey's face had a lean, feral quality about it that was so intimidating. And his mouth was hard, cruel-looking. It was almost impossible to imagine him smiling, a genuine smile from the heart, not the parody that had twisted his lips earlier.

  Maybe that was it, Elise thought. Perhaps it was the very thought of seeing that sort of smile on his face, and knowing that it was meant for her alone, that stirred her so. Imagining that hard mouth softening, covering her own in a bone-melting kiss, made her weak in the knees.

  Putting a hold on her overzealous imagination, she stabbed at a piece of chicken on her plate. “That’s just great, Elise,” she muttered, “You’ve got the hots for a bad boy. Too bad he hates your guts.”

  No, that wasn't true. He hated Elizabeth, and she was not Elizabeth.

  What would it take to melt through that cold shell of his? Her mind was wandering into dangerous territory once again, but something told her he’d be worth the challenge. "Trey Kingston, I don't know what went on between you and Elizabeth McBride, but I intend to find out."

  Jemma’s voice in the hall interrupted her thoughts. “Now, I won’t hear of it! Just cuz Massah Edward fell asleep on you, ain’t no reason for you to be goin’ home hungry.”