Read Online Catalina's Caress by Sylvie F. Sommerfield - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Sylvie F. Sommerfield
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balmy breeze and the beauty of the moonlit star-studded night.
He was relaxed and totally unprepared for the sudden attack. Two men leapt from the shadows and dragged him from his horse. He fought them wildly, but they had weapons. They struck swiftly and violently, and he felt the pain of several blows before unconsciousness claimed him.
They stood over him then, and one took a wicked-bladed knife from his belt. He knelt on one knee and was about to plunge it into Seth's back when a voice spoke from the shadows.
"Don't stab him. Just toss his body into the Mississippi. She'll take care of him."
Travis stepped from the shadows and stood nearby. He watched as they lifted Seth's inert body and, swinging it between them, tossed it into the swift current of the river.
"Now," Travis stated, "that's one barrier out of the way. Keep an eye on the Belle . When Copeland leaves, make sure he follows his friend. I don't want any bodies found. As far as anyone will know, he has just disappeared. Make it the same with Copeland."
"Don't worry," one man replied gruffly. "Nobody will ever find a sign of them. We do our work well."
Travis took a small pouch from his pocket and watched the men's eyes glow avariciously as he tossed it to them. By the time they opened it and took out the money, Travis had silently faded into the night.
He was pleased with himself. He would soon have a clear path to Catalina ... all the barriers would have been washed away in the muddy waters of the river.
Chapter 6
A s the hall clock chimed midnight Catalina and Charlotte paced the parlor floor. Both knew it was long past the time when Seth should have returned.
Charlotte watched Catalina closely, somehow knowing her niece was coming to a decision, and afraid that she knew what the decision was. What she didn't know, at the moment, was how she was going to prevent her from pursuing such a course.
She watched Catalina, knowing she was seeing her own younger self, and she felt a keen camaraderie with her niece, even though she could not show it without encouraging Catalina to do something extremely dangerous.
"Do sit down," she said. "You have been pacing that floor for hours and you make me nervous."
"Aunt Charlotte, Seth should have been back."
"Seth is a young man. He has probably stopped to share a drink with friends now that he's cleared his mind."
"Really, Aunt Charlotte, you don't believe that any more than I do. Something has happened."
"What could possibly happen? He was only going to speak to the man. For heaven's sake, Cat, is this Copeland foolish enough to do something to Seth when he must realize Seth would be expected to return?"
"Marc Copeland is completely without scruples. He would most certainly try something. Good God, he might—"
"Come, Cat. It would be idiocy for him to hurt Seth."
"He's shrewd, and he might just think that would solve his problem." Catalina began to walk toward the door.
"Where are you going?"
To find out what happened," she called over her shoulder. She dashed up the stairs as Charlotte rose and came to the bottom of the steps. In her room Catalina grabbed up her reticule. Then she went to a drawer and jerked it open. She ruffled through piles of lacy lingerie until her hand came to what she sought—a small single-shot derringer. She slipped the small gun into her bag and then ran from the room.
When she reached the bottom of the steps, Charlotte grasped her arm.
"Cat, you cannot do this!"
"But I can, Aunt Charlotte."
"One woman alone! What do you expect to accomplish?"
"To find out what happened."
"It's too dangerous. I won't let you go." Charlotte gripped her arm firmly. For a moment the two women looked at each other. Then slowly and deliberately Catalina's free hand loosened Charlotte's fingers.
"Don't try to stop me, Aunt Charlotte. I must find out what happened. Most likely, if Seth is still there, we will come home together."
"And if he's not?"
Then Mr. Copeland had best have some
He was relaxed and totally unprepared for the sudden attack. Two men leapt from the shadows and dragged him from his horse. He fought them wildly, but they had weapons. They struck swiftly and violently, and he felt the pain of several blows before unconsciousness claimed him.
They stood over him then, and one took a wicked-bladed knife from his belt. He knelt on one knee and was about to plunge it into Seth's back when a voice spoke from the shadows.
"Don't stab him. Just toss his body into the Mississippi. She'll take care of him."
Travis stepped from the shadows and stood nearby. He watched as they lifted Seth's inert body and, swinging it between them, tossed it into the swift current of the river.
"Now," Travis stated, "that's one barrier out of the way. Keep an eye on the Belle . When Copeland leaves, make sure he follows his friend. I don't want any bodies found. As far as anyone will know, he has just disappeared. Make it the same with Copeland."
"Don't worry," one man replied gruffly. "Nobody will ever find a sign of them. We do our work well."
Travis took a small pouch from his pocket and watched the men's eyes glow avariciously as he tossed it to them. By the time they opened it and took out the money, Travis had silently faded into the night.
He was pleased with himself. He would soon have a clear path to Catalina ... all the barriers would have been washed away in the muddy waters of the river.
Chapter 6
A s the hall clock chimed midnight Catalina and Charlotte paced the parlor floor. Both knew it was long past the time when Seth should have returned.
Charlotte watched Catalina closely, somehow knowing her niece was coming to a decision, and afraid that she knew what the decision was. What she didn't know, at the moment, was how she was going to prevent her from pursuing such a course.
She watched Catalina, knowing she was seeing her own younger self, and she felt a keen camaraderie with her niece, even though she could not show it without encouraging Catalina to do something extremely dangerous.
"Do sit down," she said. "You have been pacing that floor for hours and you make me nervous."
"Aunt Charlotte, Seth should have been back."
"Seth is a young man. He has probably stopped to share a drink with friends now that he's cleared his mind."
"Really, Aunt Charlotte, you don't believe that any more than I do. Something has happened."
"What could possibly happen? He was only going to speak to the man. For heaven's sake, Cat, is this Copeland foolish enough to do something to Seth when he must realize Seth would be expected to return?"
"Marc Copeland is completely without scruples. He would most certainly try something. Good God, he might—"
"Come, Cat. It would be idiocy for him to hurt Seth."
"He's shrewd, and he might just think that would solve his problem." Catalina began to walk toward the door.
"Where are you going?"
To find out what happened," she called over her shoulder. She dashed up the stairs as Charlotte rose and came to the bottom of the steps. In her room Catalina grabbed up her reticule. Then she went to a drawer and jerked it open. She ruffled through piles of lacy lingerie until her hand came to what she sought—a small single-shot derringer. She slipped the small gun into her bag and then ran from the room.
When she reached the bottom of the steps, Charlotte grasped her arm.
"Cat, you cannot do this!"
"But I can, Aunt Charlotte."
"One woman alone! What do you expect to accomplish?"
"To find out what happened."
"It's too dangerous. I won't let you go." Charlotte gripped her arm firmly. For a moment the two women looked at each other. Then slowly and deliberately Catalina's free hand loosened Charlotte's fingers.
"Don't try to stop me, Aunt Charlotte. I must find out what happened. Most likely, if Seth is still there, we will come home together."
"And if he's not?"
Then Mr. Copeland had best have some
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