Calypso Magic (Magic Trilogy 2)

Charles Swanson said something Diana couldn't hear, but whatever he did say enraged Bemis.

"You ungrateful bastard!"

She saw Bemis strike Charles. The bookkeeper tumbled to the ground, holding his jaw. Bemis shook his fist at him, muttered something Diana couldn't hear, then stalked away, back toward the great house.

For an instant, she considered showing herself. No, she thought, no. Charles Swanson was getting up now. He looked fine. Very quietly, she guided her mare back into the trees.

23

What is the use of running when we are not on the right road?

—GERMAN PROVERB

Lucien Savarol was tired and irritated, though his face didn't show these emotions. His weariness was from a night without sleep, his irritation from the damnable mess that swirled around him, a mess he didn't understand, a mess that was affecting every soul on his island. He felt helpless and didn't know which way to turn. At the moment, he was seated across the chess table from Lyon, seemingly concentrating on his next move. They were alone in Lucien's study, a branch of candles their only light.

Lucien finally moved his king's knight to the king bishop five square.

Lyon looked up at him, cocking his head in question.

"I fear your knight is not in defensible position there, sir."

Lucien merely shook his head, his voice rueful. "Forgive me, my boy, I suppose my mind is too many thoughts away from our game. You play well."

"My father taught me. He was a fine player, much better than I." Lyon looked up at the painting of the first Mrs. Savarol. "Diana has the look of her. A very beautiful woman, sir."

"Yes, she was. Her name was Lily. There has not been a day in my life that I haven't missed her. She died birthing my son. He died as well. Had she been in London, attended by a physician there, she would have lived. When will you return to England, with Diana?"

Lyon said slowly, "Does Diana have her build, sir?"

"I don't know. I am not her husband. My Lily was narrow, and I should have known she would need special care. I was a fool and I am still paying for it. She, of course, paid the highest price for my stupidity."

Lyon remembered again the awful scare with Frances. Her English physician wouldn't have saved her. No, it was Lucia who would be present when Diana birthed their babe. "To the best of my knowledge Diana is not yet with child. I am truly sorry for what happened."

"Get Diana away from here."

"There is the question of Mendenhall plantation. You know that I have a difficult time with slavery. Frankly, I still do not know what to do. There is one thing certain, though: I do not trust Edward Bemis." Nor anyone else on this bloody island, he added silently.

Lucien shrugged. "He is much the same as the other attorneys in the West Indies. They're a special breed, Lyon. They start out as overseers, and if they're smart and cunning and their masters leave, they can become attorneys. They're a necessary evil, since owners do go back to England. I expect he was delighted at your inheritance --- an English earl who wouldn't have interest in the plantation save for its profits. But you have thrown him. He fully expected you to be like the other English owners, as I said, greedy and uncaring about anything save the profits he sends them."

"I have no need of income from Mendenhall."

"And you despise me, I suppose, because I own slaves? Have owned slaves all my life?"

Lyon said slowly, thoughtfully, "I did, before I met you, despite Diana's assurances that you were the kindest man she'd ever known, myself included. Now, I have seen that there is no abuse, no cruelty. But the fact remains, sir, they are property. Human beings shouldn't be property."

Lucien picked up his doomed king's knight, fingering the smooth white carved marble between his fingers. "Lily played chess very well, as does Diana. But that isn't the point." He sighed, dropping the chess piece onto the board. "I have lived all my life in the West Indies. Irrevocable change is coming. How soon, I don't know. If slavery is abolished next year, even five years from now, I am not certain that Savarol plantation will continue to exist. In that, Bemis is correct. Already, planters throughout the Caribbean are losing everything. The sugar market is steadily dropping every year. But you see, Lyon, slavery is still an economic necessity. When it is not, then slavery will cease by itself. I have searched for answers, but I cannot find them. Nothing is simple, I fear."

Lyon was silent. He studied his father-in-law in the dim candlelight. He realized quite clearly that he wouldn't want to be in Lucien Savarol's place. No, nothing was simple.

"That is the main reason I forced Diana to go to London."

"I beg your pardon?"

"I forced Diana to go to Lucia. I knew that eventually everything would fail here. I wanted her to marry an Englishman who would keep her safe and away from the West Indies. I would swear on my last breath that no slave revolt would ever occur here." He gave a pained smile. "Of course, I have been severely wrong of late in my judgments. You will have to decide what you will do with Mendenhall, Lyon."

"I know. It is difficult to concentrate with all the trouble we're having here."

"Yes." Lucien added in a calm voice, "Deborah appeared to hate Moira. Oh, yes, don't look so surprised, my boy. I heard about the screaming match and the riding crop you took from my wife. There is little that happens here that doesn't come to my ears. Did she strangle Moira? I really don't know. I pray, of course, that she did not. I pray she is not capable of such a thing, but how much does one know about another? Really know?"