Counterfeit Lady (James River Trilogy 1)

“You don’t know where?” Clay asked desperately.

Travis grabbed Clay’s arm. “She doesn’t know anything, and I doubt if the old man does either. Abe wouldn’t have let them know what he planned. I think the best thing we can do is send out a search party. We can send people to the houses up and down the river and ask if they’ve seen anything.”

Clay nodded silently. He knew that was the sensible thing to do, but it would take so much time. He tried to block out the vision o

f Abe and Nicole. Abe was a man warped by many years of living under Elijah’s stern, insane rule. He turned away and headed back to the sloop. His rage at his sense of frustration was horrible! He wanted to destroy and maim, anything but this slow talking, talking, talking.

Wes walked behind Clay and his brother as they returned to the sloop. He stopped when a handful of pebbles hit his back.

“Psst! Over here.”

Wes looked toward the shrubs by the river and could barely see the outline of a small figure. He walked toward it, and a young girl stepped out. She was a pretty little thing with big green eyes. Although she was cleaner than the other Simmons children, she was dressed in a ragged, thin cotton dress. “Did you want me?”

She stared at him in wonder. “You’re one of them rich men, ain’t ya? One of them what lives in a big house on the river?”

Wes knew he was rich compared to this child. He nodded once.

She looked around her to make sure no one else was near. “I know somethin’ about where Abe’s gone,” she whispered.

Instantly, Wes bent to one knee. “What?” he demanded.

“My ma has a cousin, a lady cousin. That’s hard to believe, ain’t it? This cousin come to Virginia, and Abe said she was gonna give us some money. He and Pa and Isaac went to a party, a real party,” she breathed. “I never been to a party.”

“What did Abe say?” Wes asked impatiently.

“He came home, and I heard him tell Isaac they were gonna take some lady away and hide her. Then Mama’s cousin would give them some of Mr. Armstrong’s cows.”

“Clay’s?” Wes asked, puzzled. “Where did they take the lady? Who is your mother’s cousin?”

“Abe only said he knew where he was takin’ the lady, and he wouldn’t even tell Isaac.”

“Who is the cousin?”

“I don’t remember her name. Abe said she was really Mr. Armstrong’s wife, that the little one was a liar and wanted to take what should have been Abe’s.”

“Bianca,” Wes said in wonder. He’d always felt she was at the bottom of all this; now he was sure. Wes stared at the child, then grinned at her. “Honey, if you were older, I think I’d kiss you for this. Here.” He reached into his pocket and withdrew a twenty-dollar gold piece. “My mother gave it to me. It’s yours now.”

He pressed the gold into the child’s hand.

She held onto it tightly and gaped at him. No one had ever given her anything except curses and beatings. To her, Wesley, so clean and smelling so good, was like an angel come to earth. Her voice was very quiet. “When I grow up, will you marry me?”

Wesley grinned broadly. “I just might.” He stood up. Then, on impulse, he kissed her cheek heartily. “Come see me when you grow up.” He turned away quickly and went toward the sloop where Clay and Travis waited impatiently. The news that Bianca was involved and had some information about Nicole’s whereabouts sent all memory of the little girl from his mind.

But not so the child. She stood silently, watching the departing sloop. All her thirteen years she’d been isolated with her family. She’d never known there was anything outside her father’s meanness, her mother’s hardship. No one had ever been kind to her, no one had ever kissed her before. She touched her cheek where Wes had kissed her, then turned away. She had to find a hiding place for the gold piece.

Bianca saw Clay running from the wharf to the house, and she smiled to herself. She knew he would find out she was involved in Nicole’s disappearance, and she was ready for him. She sipped on the last of the chocolate, finished the last apple turnover, then delicately wiped her mouth.

She was in the upstairs bedroom, and she smiled as she looked around it. It had changed greatly in the last two months. It wasn’t so plain anymore. There was pink tulle everywhere, and the finials on the bed had been gilded. The mantel was covered with little porcelain figures. She sighed. It wasn’t nearly complete, but she was working on it.

Clay burst into the room, his heavy boots clanging on the hardwood floors. Bianca winced at his crudeness and made a mental note to order more carpets.

“Where is she?” Clay demanded, his voice flat and hard.

“I take it I am supposed to know what that means.” Bianca rubbed her plump upper arms and thought of the winter furs she’d order.

Clay took one long stride toward her, his eyes narrowed.

Bianca gave him a look of warning. “You touch me, and you’ll never find her.”