Tainted Love by Nancy Morse

Author:Nancy Morse
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Nancy Morse
Published: 2014-05-26T14:00:00+00:00

Chapter 15

She prowled the narrow streets for hours, alone with her thoughts and plans and the secret fantasies she dared tell no one. Her quiet footsteps took her to the tree-lined levee where it was easy to pick the pockets of men lying drunk in the alleys. From there, she turned in the direction of the bayou, to the small Creole cottage sitting at a bend in the crescent of water, nearly obscured by magnolia and sweet olive trees.

The light of a single tarnished candle lit the cottage within. As she approached, she heard a woman’s voice softly humming. She crept stealthily up the steps and peered through the window.

A lithe figure in a white dressing gown moved about the room. Her hair was down, reaching nearly to her waist. When she turned, Pru could see her arms, slender and honey-colored, and the press of her small breasts against the thin fabric. Her eyes were large and brown beneath a shelf of fine, black lashes. Nicholas was right; she was lovely. And young. A dainty little creature soon to lose her shimmering youth, to wither and die like the commonest weed in the garden. Whereas, she would remain youthful and vibrant forever, and for the first time since her making, Pru did not hate her lot in life. That, she supposed, was what jealousy did, put notions in her head that were otherwise repugnant.

A wicked thought came to her. She could slip in without a sound and overpower the girl and drain every drop of blood from her veins. It would serve Nicholas right to deprive him of his pretty quadroon. He would be terribly angry, of course. She could just picture him drawing himself up to an unimaginable height, green eyes molten, face contorted with rage. But the thought vanished like morning mist on the river. She would not kill the girl, not because she feared his wrath, because she didn’t, but because she was not a wanton killer.

Sniffing the air, she detected no hint of the sweet intoxicating fragrance that invariably accompanied his presence. He was most likely out devouring his latest victim, having left his little paramour for later consumption of a different sort. The girl’s odor came to her on a bayou breeze, and she drew back at the scent of sex. So, he had already had her this evening. Once? Twice? Insatiable beast that he was. Why should it matter to her who he bedded? She had more important things on her mind. Hugging the decanter of potion-laced wine to her breast, she left the cottage on the bayou.

She hadn’t seen Stede since the night she feigned a headache and he drove her home. They hadn’t spoken much on the dark, winding river road leading back to town. She had sucked in her breath at the strength of his hands that went around her waist to lift her down from the carriage, craving the feel of those strong fingers burning into her flesh. He had kissed her briefly but passionately at her front door before bowing low and taking his leave.

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