Chapter Twenty-one
Sweet Dreams Plantation House
Grace woke in her own bed. Pale dawn light filtered in through the closed French windows. She wished Luc was with her, but as he’d carried her home, he’d said something about checking on DeLille and Guidry. Across the room, the dogs performed their early morning, “we need to go out” dance.
“All right, all right.” She sat up, and glanced down. Heat suffused her face. She was naked. Must have left my clothes on the Only Love. “Just let me put on a robe.”
Mars and Mercury were on her heels all the way down the wide staircase. Taking note of the steady fall of rain, she let them out, while she prepared their food and water bowls.
She also fed the cat, who—when she was near—still huddled under the large iron stove. The feline had never become friendly. Grace believed it was because of the dogs. However, the preferences of a cat were of small importance.
Her highest priority, and the most exciting prospect—other than Luc, of course—was resolving the reincarnation paradox of being both Grace and Grainne. She stood on the precipice of a great adventure. However, she had no idea when or how that adventure would begin.
I did not figure out or believe in curses and reincarnation in a single day.
The adventure would start whenever it started. Grace doubted she could do anything to make that happen.
She spent the day catching up on household chores neglected while she’d been researching. Shortly after lunch, her land manager knocked on her door.
“Come on in,” she called, recognizing the pattern of raps he typically used.
Opening the door she smiled a welcome. The morning’s steady rain had become a deluge.
The middle-aged man removed his drenched hat from his graying hair.
A black rain slicker covered his clothes and most of his sun weathered skin.
He entered but stood near the door. “I’m dripping all over your floor, Miz Thibodaux. ”
“Goodness, all that rain can’t be good for the fields, but a little wet won’t hurt the floors.” She hurried to bring him a couple of kitchen towels. “Here, dry yourself as best you can and don’t mind the floor.”
“Thank you,” he mumbled from beneath the towel he scrubbed over his sodden hair and face.
“What brings you to the house?” Grace asked, though she suspected she knew.
“We’ll need a flood before those plants will be in any danger,” he addressed her first concern. “As to what brings me, I came to tell you that my crew and I have been offered work up near the Arkansas border. Pays a lot more than you, and we all have mouths to feed.”
“I wish I could increase the pay for you and the crew, but I need to manage what I have for future expenses and emergencies. A flood that wipes out my crop, for example.”
“Makes sense. Nonetheless, I’m sorry, Miz Thibodaux, but we have to take it.”
“Of course, I don’t want to hold you back, but I also can’t harvest the beetroot by myself.”
“Might be, the crew and I could come back for the couple of days needed to bring in the harvest. I’ll talk it over with my new boss and let you know.”
“That will work for the harvest, but what about my next crop and the one after that?”
“I know some fellas might be willing to hire on with their crews. They’re all working right now, but that will change. I’ll ask them, and send you information on how to contact those who are interested.”
“I appreciate that. You’re sure I can’t persuade you to stay on just until the harvest?” She’d found it reassuring to have someone trustworthy near to hand.
“I stay, and I’ll lose this opportunity. I can’t do that to myself, or my crew. Nothin’ against you, Miz Thibodaux, but I got people depending on me, like everyone else.”
“I understand.” She and Luc had expected this, just not for a couple of days.
Luc, I hope you’re hearing this.
“When will you be leaving?” Grace asked the manager.
“We should have everything secure by end of work tomorrow.”
Good, if what Luc told me is right, DeLille won’t act until tomorrow night at the earliest. Most likely, we’ll see him the following morning.
She did a quick calculation of the money she kept in her office safe. “I’ll have your wages ready by then.”
“I’d better get back. I want to leave your fields in the best possible shape.” He dipped his head.
“Thank you.” She saw him out the door, frowning at the pond-sized puddles in her yard. Grace went to the back door as soon as the man had retreated. Her frown deepened. The dock was sunk halfway in water. The bayou was rising, fast.
“I didn’t think it had been raining that much.
” She tried to recall when the rain had started.
Sometime while she’d had her nose buried in books about reincarnation.
Returning to the house, she placed her rain gear and tall galoshes right inside the back door, so they were easy to quickly grab.
Then she resumed her cleaning and organizing, keeping her rifle close.
“Luc, I need to talk to you,” Grace called, looking up from the straightening she was doing in the kitchen. He’d said to call his name and he would come.
Shortly after dusk, Grace locked the front door, then went to look out the back. Rain fell in sheets, and even less of the dock was visible than a few hours ago.
“We won’t be sitting by the bayou tonight, boys.” She let the dogs out, taking an umbrella and standing outside the back door watching them. “You stay close to the house now. I don’t want either of you finding a water moccasin in a puddle or worse, a gator.”
Mercury whined, Mars barked a protest, but both obeyed. She put out a bucket of clean water when they were done. “Wash those muddy paws before you come inside.”
One at a time, they dunked their feet in the water, shaking off most of the wet and carefully setting clean feet on the cement slab in front of the door.
“Good boys.” She smiled. She wouldn’t have to scrub floors before sleeping, so she opened the door and followed them inside.
They all trooped upstairs. When she entered her bedroom, Luc was at her desk, paging through the log book. The music box sat at his side on the desktop.
“You’re here?” she exclaimed.
Mars and Mercury settled by the door after a few tail wags for the man she loved.
“Indeed I am. I arrived while you spoke with your land manager.”
“You heard that?” Grace asked.
“I’ve been listening for it. DeLille is acting faster than expected.”
“Why didn’t you tell me you were here?”
“It wasn’t necessary.”
She frowned. “You heard me.”
“I did. You were concerned, as you should be. However, the land manager and crew will still be here tomorrow afternoon. So DeLille won’t act before then. You knew that, and you continued with your normal activities. You were neither panicked, nor careless. The danger is real but not imminent.”
“Nonetheless, I’m glad you’re here.”
He pushed to his feet and closed the distance to her, taking her in his arms.
“Knowing the peril that looms, did you think I would desert you, especially after what we shared last night?”
Meeting his gaze, Grace beamed at him. “I believed you meant what you said, but with your curse apparently in flux, I could only hope.”
The words felt nearly as strange as the hope itself. She’d lacked hope for so very long.
“Good.”
“Good?” she asked.
“If you hoped I’d come, you are unlikely to throw me out.”
She slapped his shoulder. “I couldn’t throw you out. You’re ephem… Wait. I’m pretty sure it isn’t a full moon, yet you are holding me. I can touch you. You’re corporeal, and we are not aboard the Only Love.”
Luc nodded, grinning.
“However, you aren’t wet, and it’s been raining to beat the bands for hours. How did you get here?”
“I ran.”
“Fast enough to dodge raindrops?”
“Not quite. I’ve been waiting a while, so whatever was wet has dried, mostly.”
Grace combed fingers through his black hair, finding a damp tendril or two.
She rested her forehead against his chest, and soaked in the safe secure sensation of being in his arms. “I want to know what you were looking for in that book,” she whispered.
“I’ll tell you. However, first I’d like you to do something for me. ”
Grace looked up at him. “Anything.”
“Oh, what I could do with a promise like that. However, I’ll not take advantage,” he teased, wearing the sexy pout she loved.
“What is it you want?” she prodded, rolling her eyes, although her tummy filled with butterflies of anticipation.
He let her go long enough to reach into the open music box and remove the white pouch. “I believe now is the time for you to ask Loa Eshu for help.”
“I won’t mock you for believing the mambo’s nonsense, but do you really think that amulet can protect me?”
“What can it hurt to wear it?” he asked.
“Nothing,” she said. “However, we have at least one day before DeLille acts. So, I don’t want to overuse the power the amulet might have. Let’s deal with that in the morning.
Luc thought for a long moment. “All right.”
“Now answer my first question.”
“Remind me.” He pressed a kissed to her check.
“What were you searching for in that book? How did you get into the chest, by the way?”
“I found the key where you keep it under your camp hat in the armoire. I wanted to see the box and double check some of the dates in the book.”
“I should not be surprised that you figured out where I kept the key for the chest. Nonetheless, you have invaded my privacy.” Grace issued a mock glare.
He smiled. “I intend to invade something much more private than a book and a music box, if you’ll let me.”
She patted his cheek. “As if I could stop you.”
“You can. If you tell me to stop, I will.”
“I believe you, and yes, I’ll let you invade wherever you like.” She batted her eyes and gave a girlish giggle.
Luc scooped her into his arms, carried her to the bed and began to disrobe with his back to her.
Grace knelt on the bed, hurrying to remove her clothes, flinging them every which way.