“I thought you’d never ask.”
She took down a plate and placed two hot pieces on it.
He sat. He ate. He smiled. “Been hearing a lot about how good you can cook. Be nice if I could get this on a regular basis, but—“
Eddy understood. Times being what they were, the Whites didn’t patronize Sylvia’s, but she had an idea. “Suppose we wrap it up and have someone bring it to you? We’d have to charge you a bit extra of course.” Out of the corner of her eye she saw Sylvie beaming.
“You’d do that?” he asked.
“Of course. Would that be a problem, Sylvie?”
“Not at all. Just say the word and we’ll send it over and no one will be the wiser.”
He finished his chicken. “Can I pay you for say three more pieces?”
A smiling Sylvie said, “You bet.”
When he left, Sylvie said, “Eddy Carmichael, I think you just tapped us into a gold mine.”
And Sylvie was right. Over the next few days, some of the White businessmen in town began approaching Sylvie about placing orders. She happily obliged and hired Maria’s youngest son Martin to make the deliveries.
Rhine was on a business trip to Silver City, and Eddy hadn’t seen him since the Carters’ anniversary party. Just thinking about their fiery moments together made her sigh at the memory of his shamelessness and her own. His tutoring her in what it meant to be desired had her craving more and she missed him. She was in the kitchen peeling potatoes when she heard, “Good afternoon, Miss Carmichael.” And there he stood, handsome as the day was long and wearing a smile that matched hers.
“Miss me?”
“No,” she tossed back sassily. “I haven’t thought about you in once in the three days, five hours, and twenty-seven minutes you’ve been away.”
“Too bad because I’ve spent every minute thinking about how you’d look on my lap with your skirt raised and your buttons opened.”
Her eyes widened and she hastily looked around to make sure they weren’t being overheard. “You are so scandalous.”
“Not nearly as much as I’ll be the next time I get you alone.”
Heat filled her and she had to admit she couldn’t wait.
Smiling as if he knew what she was thinking, he said, “I just left Sylvie the papers for the property she’s buying from me. Everything is signed and sealed. She can begin building whenever she’s ready.”
Eddy’s heart swelled. Her dreams were one step closer to reality. She was also gaining an incredibly generous, incorrigible, and scandalous husband, too. She considered herself the happiest woman on earth.
“When do you want to get married?” he asked.
“Can we make it as soon as possible?”
“Now?”
She chuckled. “No.”
“Tomorrow?”
“How about we wait until after the ball so all that turmoil will be behind us.” The ball was only a few days away. “Are you worried?” she asked.
“I suppose, but I’m more looking forward to starting life with my sassy little wife, who I’d really like to kiss right now, but I passed Whitman Brown coming in, and I don’t want him to see us.”
“No, we don’t want that.” But she was dying for a kiss.
He turned serious. “I plan to be a good husband to you, Eddy. I don’t want you to ever regret saying yes.”
“And I don’t ever want you to regret stepping away from who you once were, so I’m going to be the best wife I can be to you.”
The look they shared silently sealed their pledges.
“Sylvie doesn’t have a storeroom, does she?”
Eddy laughed. “No.”
“Pity. I’ll have figure out a way for us to be together without prying ears or eyes soon.”
“I’d like that.”
“Any further word on Sylvie and Doc getting married?”
“No,” she replied. “And I’m afraid to ask.”
He chuckled. “Understood.”
She shared the news about Father Nash’s apprehension.
“Good. Hope he gets sent to the penitentiary for a very long time.”
“I do, too.”
For a moment there was silence, and Eddy saw a longing in his eyes that matched hers.
“I should probably go,” he said. “Otherwise I might drag you into my arms and give the gossips something to talk about.”
She figured after the ball the gossips were going to have a field day anyway, but she and Rhine would be able to go on. “Glad you’re back.”
“So am I. I’ll see you soon.” He mimed a kiss and walked out, leaving her alone.
Looking forward to the time when they could be together permanently, Eddy sighed and resumed peeling potatoes.
The next afternoon, although she was truly looking forward to her life with Rhine, she wasn’t looking forward to the meeting she and Sylvie would be having with Zeke Randolph about the architectural plans.
When he arrived, his demeanor was so cold and detached he may as well have been made of ice. He laid out the drawings on the kitchen table and went over the layout of the building, the size of the rooms, and their orientation. Eddy thought the drawings were excellent and told him so.
“Thank you,” he said tersely. “Barring any problems with the weather or supplier delays, we should be able to get it built in six weeks. Do you have any questions?”
They didn’t.
He gathered up the drawings. “I’ll see you ladies next time.” And strode to the kitchen door and was gone.
Eddy looked to Sylvie, who simply shook her head in response.
“Maybe he’ll find someone else.”
“Let’s hope so.”
Eddy wondered how he’d react once the truth came out about Rhine, but she supposed it didn’t matter.
Over at the saloon, Rhine and Jim stood by the windows to watch the crowd of biddies outside marching back and forth with their signs, singing hymns, and shouting slogans denouncing the establishment. He spotted Natalie and her friends, the mayor’s wife and a slew of women he was unfamiliar with. They’d been out front for over an hour. “When do you think they’ll move on?” he asked Jim testily. “It’s not like we’re the only saloon in town.”
“Who knows, but Natalie could have something to do with it. She seems to be yelling the loudest and wearing the angriest face.”
Rhine focused on her, positioned at the front of the crowd, and had to agree with his partner. She’d never shown the least bit of interest in anything political the entire time he’d known her but now appeared to be boisterously embracing the cause. Dressed in all gray, she was shaking a sign that read: VICE IS THE ROOT OF ALL EVILS!! He folded his arms in frustration because the group was also verbally castigating his customers in an effort to shame them into not entering the saloon. When Cyrus Benton, a big burly carpenter, walked up, the women began their vocal assault. Cyrus, known for his quick temper, snatched Natalie’s sign from her hand, threw it into the next county, and continued on inside. Natalie stomped her foot with fury, her companions cried foul. After a few moments the singing and chanting resumed but they moved on to harass another establishment.
Jim cracked, “I think Cyrus deserves a drink on the house.”
Rhine chuckled, “I agree.”
The night of the ball, a formally attired Rhine surveyed the buffet tables. He was known for putting on a big spread at this event, and Jim and Eddy had outdone themselves with the variety of dishes and desserts offered. Good thing, too, he thought, since this would likely be the last ball he’d sponsor, at least for the Lily White arm of the party. The wait staff had arrived and were getting into their supplied uniforms. In a few minutes his guests would begin arriving as well. He’d let them enjoy the food and champagne first before making his announcement.
Eddy
walked up and cast a critical eye over the offerings. “Anything you want changed?” she asked.
“No. It’s perfect.”
“Good.”
“You look very nice,” she said.
“My tie straight?”
She grinned. “Yes. If you need anything, let us know. Jim’s slicing the roast now. He’ll bring it out on the platter as soon as he’s done.”
The first of his guests, the mayor and his wife, entered the hall.
“I should get back to the kitchen so you can tend to your guests,” she said to him. “I hope things will go well.”
“So do I,” he replied. He was looking forward to it being over though, so he could spend the rest of his days with her.
As she turned to retreat to the hall’s kitchen, he called to her quietly, “Eddy?”
She stopped and looked back.
“I’ll be driving you home. Think I’ll treat you to a black powder explosion outside under the moonlight.”
She laughed and walked off. He ran appreciative eyes over the sway of her skirt then focused himself on getting through the evening ahead. Once it was over, kissing Eddy under the moonlight would be his reward.
While the musicians played, Rhine spent the first hour greeting his guests and encouraging them to help themselves to the food and drink. Some of the wives in attendance had been members of the marchers outside his saloon and he wondered if they felt like hypocrites for enjoying his hospitality. He knew better than to ask, and besides, after he made his announcement, none of it would matter. He spotted Natalie and her parents entering and walked over to them. “Welcome.”
Lyman’s nod was chilly. “Rhine.”
Rhine turned to his wife and Natalie. “Ladies.”
Natalie forced a smile and handed her wrap to the attendant. She said nothing to Rhine.
As if to balance the family’s response, Beatrice Greer said genuinely, “Hello, Rhine. Looks to be a wonderful affair, as always.”
“Thank you, Beatrice, and you look lovely. Help yourselves to the buffet.”
She smiled, and they moved off to mingle with the crowd.
He did the same, and as another forty minutes crept by he noticed that some of the couples were dancing. He checked his timepiece. The noise level of voices had risen significantly, an indication that many of the men were well on their way to being drunk. The wait staff behind the tables were still dishing out food. Rhine had had enough. He wanted to get this part of the evening over with. He walked over to the musicians and asked that they stop playing. When they did, he called out, “May I have your attention, please.”
It took a moment or two for the room to quiet, and once it did, he continued. “I’d like to thank you all for your attendance. As you know, the money raised by ticket purchases will be given over to the party as it always had been.” He glanced around at the familiar faces, drew in a breath and said, “But what you don’t know is that the man you’ve known as Rhine Fontaine was born a slave on a plantation in Georgia.”
As if he were telling a joke, some people laughed, but the serious set of his features apparently made them think differently and soon silence filled the room.
“Say that again.”
“I was born a slave.”
People began looking at each other confusedly and a buzz went through the crowd.
A male voice yelled out, “A slave? You’re a nigger?”
Rhine’s jaw tightened at the slur but he nodded.
The buzz grew louder and seemingly tenser.
Natalie came over to him and said angrily, “Stop lying!”
“I’m not lying, Natalie.”
“You’re White and everyone in this room knows it!”
“No, I’m not.”
“Yes you are! Why are you doing this? Haven’t you humiliated me enough?” She’d gone from angry to furious.
“This has nothing to do with you, Natalie.”
Another incensed male voice rang out. “You played us for fools all these years? Damn you!”
“That wasn’t my intent.”
“You Black bastard!”
Natalie yelled, “Tell them this is just a joke!”
“It isn’t.”
“Yes it is! Don’t you think I’d know the difference between a White man and a nigger! There’s no way I’d be engaged to one or let one kiss me!”
“Well, you were.”
“No, I was not! Why are you lying!”
He heard glass breaking as people dashed champagne flutes and plates to the floor as if the contents were suddenly contaminated or held a contagion. Outraged men yelled out their foul opinions of him before gathering their wives and hastening to the exit, while others hurried over to tell him to his face just what they thought of the deception. More than a few slurred him. Another few told him he’d better leave town. Natalie, her eyes wild, screamed hysterically, “Damn you! Tell the truth!” and began hitting at him until Beatrice and Lyman stepped up to quickly pull her away.
Over by the kitchen door, Eddy watched the disintegration of Rhine’s ball with a heavy heart. Only a brave man would’ve willingly stepped into such a firestorm of irrational hate. One moment they’d been his friends and now they were red-faced with fury, their fists balled as if spoiling for a fight simply because he’d revealed his true heritage. She glanced up at Jim standing beside her. His jaw was tight, his eyes keen, as if he was ready to step into the fray should any violence occur. When the glass began breaking, she said, “I’ll get a broom.”
He nodded but kept his eyes focused on his partner and the furious men circled around him. The wait staff seemed frozen in place. “Start clearing the tables, please,” she told them. “Then go on home.” They’d already been paid so there was no reason for them to stay any longer than necessary. She and Jim would handle the cleanup.
By then most of the crowd had departed, so Eddy began sweeping up the glass- and food-littered floor. But when she heard, “You! Get my wrap!” she turned and looked into Natalie Greer’s haughty face.
Eddy studied her calmly her for a second. “I’m sure the attendant can help you with that.”
“I want you to get it!”
Eddy saw a man and woman approaching. She hadn’t met the girl’s parents but from the facial likeness she assumed that’s who they were.
“Come, Natalie,” the woman said.
“I’m waiting for her to get my wrap.”
Eddy had seen her attack Rhine and the crazed performance that led up to it. Even now there was an unhinged look in her teary red eyes. “As I said, the attendant will get you your wrap.”
“And as I said, you get it. I’m your better. Do what I say!”
“Natalie!” her mother gasped, sounding shocked.
Natalie ignored her and snarled at Eddy, “You’re the reason Rhine is lying, aren’t you! What kind of voodoo did you put on him to make him deny his race!”
Her father took her by the arm. “Come, Natalie. Let’s go home.”
“I want an answer!”
But her parents were already dragging her to the door while she raged and screamed the entire way.
Eddy resumed sweeping.
On the ride home after the ball, Rhine said to Eddy, “That wasn’t so bad. They only called me a dirty Black bastard a few times.”
“And how dare you play us for a bunch of fools, twice,” Eddy added. She knew he was hurting from having to endure what he had, and she hurt for him.
“Natalie put on a particularly ugly performance, however. She’s convinced I’m lying about all this.”
“I saw. I had a particularly nasty run-in with her when folks began making a beeline to the door.”
Rhine looked away from the reins for a moment. “What happened?”
“She demanded I retrieve her wrap in a tone
I didn’t much care for, but I was polite. She accused me of putting a voodoo spell on you to make you denounce your race. Her parents finally dragged her off, but she acted almost unhinged, Rhine.”
“Hopefully she’ll calm down at some point, but the evening’s over—all of it’s over, and I’m glad.”
Eddy still worried about future repercussions and knew he did as well.
When they drove past the boardinghouse, she said, “Speaking of unhinged. You just drove past the house.”
“I know. Not taking you home yet. You have a date with the moonlight, remember?”
Eddy laughed. And without being asked began to undo her buttons.
They were in the desert when he finally stopped the carriage. The moon, full in a cloudless sky, bathed the surroundings in soft cool light. The night was breezy.
He turned to her and said, “Now . . .”
Eddy’s senses began to rise.
His finger gently traced a slow fiery line across the skin bared by the open halves of her blouse then over the rise of her breasts above her thin shift before he leaned down and licked the tip of his tongue against the trembling nook of her throat. “Your sweetness is so much stronger than their hate.”
She dissolved. His hot mouth trailed lazily up to her lips, and as he coaxed her onto his lap the kiss deepened and she caught fire. The rest of the encounter was a blur of sensation fueled by pleasure from his hands and lips. He boldly bared her breasts to the moonlight and after treating them to a series of tantalizing tributes left them berried and damp. Her skirt was raised, her drawers removed, and she didn’t care. Magnificent touches plied her core with a boldness that made her thighs part and her hips rise in ardent response. He played, dallied, and circled until she was wet with wanting and gasping his name.
“Are you ready to come?” he asked in a voice as dark and hot as the night.
Eddy didn’t want to, even as the forceful orgasm began building she wanted the pleasuring to continue, but the only word she could form was, “Please . . .”