Forever, For Love by Becky Lee Weyrich

Author:Becky Lee Weyrich
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: FICTION/Romance/Historical
Publisher: Diversion Books
Published: 2014-06-05T04:00:00+00:00

She closed her eyes for a moment, imagining how she would feel when she first saw him, when he first touched her, kissed her, held her in his arms. Putting aside all the disturbing uncertainties of Paris, she told herself she was about to fulfill her destiny. She was more than ready to continue loving Jacob where Nicolette’s love for Laffite had left off.

In her mind’s eye, Jacob’s image became confused with that of Jean Laffite. Both were tall and lean, but there the resemblance ceased. Jacob’s hair was lighter, his eyes warm-brown instead of green, his features smooth instead of rugged. Yet Pandora imagined that she could see some of Laffite in Jacob Saenger. She wanted to so desperately.

A moment later, the boat’s whistle blew, interrupting her thoughts. She opened her eyes and there it was—Galveston Island. The sandy spit seemed to float just above the water, all shimmering white with touches of green here and there. The tin roofs blazed in the afternoon sun as they drew nearer. She imagined that she could smell the sweet perfume of the oleanders although she knew they never bloomed until the hot weather came. Her heart quickened and her cheeks grew warm. Tears suddenly flooded her eyes.

As they steamed past the east end of the island, with Bolivar Point to starboard, Cassie rejoined Pandora on deck.

“Won’t be no one to meet us, Miss Pan. How we gonna get home?”

Pandora never took her eyes off the busy docks as she answered, “You go straight to the Emporium, Cassie. Uncle Horace will have one of the boys pick up my trunks and drive you home. I have an errand to take care of. I’ll hire a buggy.”

“But, Miss Pandora, what am I supposed to tell Miz Tabitha when I come in without you? She’s going to be powerful upset.”

“Tell my aunt that I had some important business. Tell her she can expect me for dinner. There won’t be a problem, Cassie.”

Knowing that there was no use arguing with her mistress, Cassie sighed resignedly. Soon the two women were in the crush of passengers crowding down the gangway. Pandora hailed a cabbie. He eased his one-horse buggy through the throng of disembarking passengers, porters, and waiting vehicles.

“Where to, ma’am?” the young driver asked as he helped Pandora mount the step.

She gave him Jacob’s address on Mechanic Street, between Sealy Hospital and St. Mary’s Infirmary. The driver clicked his tongue at the old black horse, who broke into a smart trot once they cleared the dockside traffic.

As they moved down Water Street, Pandora’s gaze locked on the tumbled ruins of Maison Rouge. She saw more than the broken stone steps and the weeds overgrowing the foundation; she saw a great, scarlet-painted mansion with a tall, green-eyed man and a ebony-haired woman standing arm in arm on the broad veranda. She blinked and the vision vanished, but the warm glow of their obvious love for each other remained in her heart.

Soon, she heard the driver call, “Whoa there, Lightnin’!” as he pulled back on the reins.

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