The Tiger Lily by Shirlee Busbee Read Free Book Online Page B

suddenly realizing that he had to
have some reason for so unexpectedly inviting Brett to visit with them. He
racked his brains for some plausible excuse, and then, remembering vaguely
something about Brett winning a plantation in lower Louisiana on the throw of
the dice, he began to write.
     
    That
had been two years ago, and Alejandro seemed to recall that when he and Brett
had met by accident in New Orleans, Brett had made some mocking comment about
perhaps turning his hand to being a planter like his father. The plantation
Brett had just acquired had been devastated by the indigo crop failure back in
1792, but Brett, Alejandro remembered clearly now, had mentioned he'd like to
try experimenting with sugar cane. As Alejandro recalled, Brett had known a
surprising amount about the cultivation of this fairly new crop in Louisiana,
and his smile widened. Of course. Sugar cane was the answer! He would write
Brett, indicating that he was considering planting several hundred acres in
sugar cane and would like Brett's advice. It was weak, but it was not unreasonable.
Swiftly, before he had time to change his mind, he began to write. When he had
finished, he sat back and grinned.
     
    Thinking
of Brett Dangermond had reminded him of how fond Sofia and Sabrina were of each
other, and he was aware that he had suddenly solved several problems that
Francisca's conversation tonight had raised: if something happened to him,
under the current situation, Sofia Dangermond would be the only person he would
want to have care for Sabrina, but in the meantime—his grin widened—in the
meantime, who knew what would happen once Brett received his letter?
     
     
     

CHAPTER
FOUR
     
    When
Alejandro's gracious invitation to visit the Rancho del Torres to discuss
planting sugar cane finally arrived in Brett Dangermond's hands, it was a wet,
stormy day in late November. Brett had returned to Riverview, where he was
temporarily staying at his bachelor quarters situated some distance from the
main house, after a day spent in the company of his friend Morgan Slade.
     
    Cursing
the damp weather, in the narrow entry hall of the small house that had been
built for his exclusive use five years earlier, he tossed aside his dripping
greatcoat. Walking through a doorway to his right, he entered a large pleasant
room and strode rapidly across an elegant red Turkey rug to stand before the
welcoming fire that blazed on the bricked hearth.
     
    The
room where he stood served as both a salon and a dining room. There were
comfortable green leather chairs scattered indiscriminately about it, a heavy
oak table and sideboard were situated at one end of the room, several Louis XV
chairs covered in brown velvet were nearby, and soft gold drapes hung at the
rain-splattered windows. From the haphazard mixture of furniture and the hunting
prints on the walls, it was obviously a room that had never known a woman's
touch—which suited Brett just fine.
     
    Having
warmed his hands, he turned to face the room, and it was then that he noticed
the travel-stained letter reposing on a small inlaid marquetry table near his
favorite chair. Curious and frowning slightly, he reached for it. Fingering the
ripped edge of the packet that contained the letter, he glanced through the
doorway where his butler-cum-valet, for want of a better designation, was
grumpily hanging up the discarded greatcoat. Resignation lacing his deep voice,
Brett asked, "When did this arrive? And who delivered it?"
     
    "Arrived
about two hours ago, guvnor. A peddler delivered it, said he got it from a
Spanish soldier in New Orleans," Ollie Fram replied laconically, the
cockney accent still obvious even after nine years in Brett's service.
     
    Brett
looked over the top of the letter at his servant. Dryly he commented, "And
of course you just couldn't help opening and reading it."
     
    A
pained expression on his ugly monkey face, Ollie Fram replied indignantly,
"It might 'ave been important, guvnor—I