Whispers in Time by Becky Lee Weyrich

Author:Becky Lee Weyrich [Weyrich, Becky Lee]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: FICTION/Romance/General
Publisher: Diversion Books
Published: 2014-06-15T22:00:00+00:00

A short while later, Vic found himself out on the street again. Once he had dressed, Ivory insisted that he leave immediately. “You have no need to be mixed up in this,” she’d told him. “The authorities will think nothing of finding a drifter’s body in this house. I will show them my bruises, tell them what he did to me. I’ll say that we fought over the knife when he tried to kill me. That will be the end of it. Now, go!” She had refused any and all arguments on the subject.

Ignacio, weary of waiting in the hot sun, had gone back to the Blue Bottle, Vic was sure. He turned and headed toward the bar to tell his friend all—or almost all—that had happened.

When Vic finished his story, Ignacio slapped the counter and grinned. “Lady Luck, she is with you, just as you said, my friend. Otherwise, you might be lying dead in Mam’zelle Ivory’s parlor at this very moment, spilling your guts on her nice carpet. But, you see, here you stand—not a scratch on you and plenty in your pocket to wager on the game tonight. And what will you do when you win this great fortune, eh?”

Vic thought hard for a minute. He was sure he would win, but Ignacio was right; he needed a plan of investment. “You know I’ve always wanted to buy back Golden Oaks.”

“Oui!” Ignacio nodded. “But that would take a great fortune, indeed. Why, you would have to save money to do that, M’sieur Vic, and you are a gambler.”

“You’re right,” Vic said, his dream deflated. Then his dark eyes lit up and he smiled broadly at the ruddy-faced barkeep. “Perhaps it is time I had a woman in my life again, Ignacio.”

The shorter man frowned. “But you have a wife, M’sieur Vic. You cannot marry twice.”

“I never said anything about taking another wife,” Vic replied. “No law says I can’t have a mistress, though.”

“Not Ivory!” Ignacio looked horrified at the thought, afraid of losing the woman to his friend.

Vic shook his head. “No, no! That would never work. I mean a young woman, an innocent woman. One with hair as dark as night and eyes that shine only for me,” he said, remembering Ivory’s words. “One whom I can shape and mould. I’m talking about taking a placée, Ignacio. I’ll win enough to buy myself a fine new suit of evening clothes, then on Thursday night I’ll go to the Orleans Ballroom. Surely there must be some young, lovely child who could make even this cynical gambler happy.”

“Oh, oui, M’sieur Vic! What a grand scheme! And you will set her up in your house in Condé Street? Ah, I can see it all now—you coming home late after a hard night at the gaming tables and this beautiful, delicate flower waiting with open arms to pleasure you. A pretty picture, no? Shall we drink to it?”

Black Vic smiled and winked at his friend. “Indeed! A toast to my lovely love.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.