Moonwitch

Just then Clay tugged on Danielle’s skirts. “Mama, Raysho.”

Laying a gentle hand on his blond head, the auburn-haired woman looked a question at Selena. “Clay has been asking every day to see your parrot. Do you think he might be allowed?”

Selena smiled down at the child. “Horatio will be delighted to have you pay him a visit. He has missed you most dreadfully.” When Clay gaze

d up at her and gave her his heart-stopping grin, Selena could see very well why Kyle had been so reluctant to give up his son.

Danielle had brought along the elderly black woman who had been Jeremiah Whitfield’s nurse and now helped with Clay. When the servant had taken Clay into the house to view his friend the parrot, Selena asked Danielle how her son was faring.

“Quite well, actually. He still doesn’t realize why Jeremiah is no longer lying in his bed.”

“And you?” Selena asked gently. Danielle herself still looked pale and a bit weary.

Her lips sketched a smile. “I’m recovering. Jeremiah had been ill for so long. I don’t think he wanted to live.” She paused before adding, “I wanted to thank you, Selena, for all the support you’ve given me. That’s really why I came today. And I thought it might give us the opportunity to become better friends, as you once suggested.”

Selena’s acknowledgment was automatic, but even as she found herself agreeing out loud that a deeper friendship between them would be welcome, she had difficulty keeping her misgivings from showing in her expression.

It wasn’t that she disliked Danielle; in truth, she liked and admired the red-haired woman a great deal. It wasn’t even that Danielle had borne Kyle a son; Selena thought she could have overlooked that indiscretion if she could be assured Kyle’s feelings for the beautiful widow went no deeper than appreciation.

It was Kyle himself who stood between them. Selena knew she wasn’t being fair to let her doubts about Kyle color her view of Danielle. Yet she wasn’t certain she could be generous and unselfish enough to develop a cordial, intimate acquaintance with the woman who might very well have captured his love.

Still, her innate sense of justice demanded that she try, and so during the next several hours as they worked together in the store, Selena made a sincere effort to cultivate their friendship.

She succeeded better than she’d anticipated, for by the time tea had been served in the small parlor, she and Danielle had passed beyond polite chatter and social conversation and were almost on what might be called intimate terms. When the talk turned to children, Selena told Danielle about the new baby who had been birthed that morning on the plantation.

Clay’s nurse had taken the boy outside to play in the courtyard, and the windows were open to catch the slight breeze. The child’s gurgles of laughter and the pattering of his feet could be heard at intermittent intervals.

After a time, however, Danielle looked up from her cup with a frown. “I don’t hear Clay,” she said, cocking her head to listen. “I hope Zelda didn’t take him to the summerhouse. Ever since the picnic, he’s been begging to go there again. But I warned her to keep Clay close…so he wouldn’t explore.”

“We can go and check on him, if you like,” Selena offered.

But no sooner were the words out of her mouth than she heard what sounded like a distant cry. Both she and Danielle froze. Selena couldn’t be sure of the direction since the parlor opened onto the courtyard and not the front of the house, but she thought the sound might have come from beyond the east wing.

When the ominous sound was followed by another muffled shout that was clearly a shriek, Selena felt dread quicken within her. Both women leaped to their feet, but Selena was two paces ahead of Danielle as they raced for the courtyard.

By that time a dozen people had appeared there to investigate the commotion, but there was no sign of Clay. They ran on, reaching the east end of the house just as his nurse burst from around the corner. Her black face was a sickly shade of gray, and she was sobbing for breath.

“Masta Clay… Masta Clay,” Zelda cried, nearly incoherent as she stumbled into Selena’s arms.

“Zelda!” Selena demanded, dread clutching at her stomach as she gripped the black woman’s wiry arms, “What happened? Where is Clay?”

“Masta Clay… he fell from the cliff.”

“Dear God, no.” The anguished moan had come from Danielle. Desperately she caught up her skirts and started running again toward the summerhouse, while Zelda kept wringing her hands and moaning, “That poor chil’, that poor chil’.”

Selena bit back the urge to follow both examples and instead shook the servant’s shoulders. “Zelda, please… tell me how badly Clay is hurt.”

Taking another gulping breath, she nodded. “I don’ know. He didn’t move… Oh, missy, I feart that poor chil’ be dead!”

Chapter Seventeen

A soft smile curved Kyle’s mouth as he left the jeweler’s shop in Natchez with his purchase. The stunning set of sapphires and diamonds had cost him a small fortune, particularly since he’d requested the order be rushed, but he considered the expense well worth it; Selena would look exquisite in the fabulous necklace with its matching earrings and bracelet.

He had thought long and hard about what to get for her. He’d never given her a gift—unless he counted the wedding band that he’d been forced to bestow on her—and he wanted badly to make it up to her. Yet his sudden generosity was more than a desire to court her properly. He would have given her the moon if he could have managed it.

The thought lent a wry twist to Kyle’s smile. He was beginning to resemble a love-struck swain. But that was precisely what he was, he reflected. And nothing he could give Selena seemed good enough—even the jewels he’d ordered the last time he was in town.

They were the best he could do, though. Tastefully designed, they exuded a quiet brilliance much like Selena herself did. Yet what if she didn’t like them? Selena rarely wore jewelry and shunned ostentatious displays… His smile fading at the possibility, Kyle slid the small parcel into his horse’s saddlebag and swung himself up in the saddle.