Page 56 of Master of Paradise
Two maids came in to hang up her clothes andclose the shutters, then Mammy Lou arrived to turn down her bed andtuck her in, as she had every night of her life. Finally, she gotinto bed and Mammy turned the lamp down low and said goodnight.
I don't even feel drowsy.Her thoughtschased each other, all of them centering about Nicholas. The housewas quiet now.I've been in bed almost two hours and I'm stillwide awake.Mandy had hoped against hope that her husband wouldcome to say goodnight to her, and she felt disappointed. Then on animpulse she decided she'd go and say goodnight to him. She slippedfrom bed and put on her dressing gown. Softly, she opened her doorand closed it gently so none would hear her.
She moved quietly down the hall out of theeast wing and made her way into the west wing. She hesitated only amoment with her hand on the doorknob, then turned the handle andslipped inside. The room was empty. Nicholas hadn't yetretired.
She moved swiftly out of the west wing withthe intent of going downstairs to seek him out, when suddenly shepaused as her sister's voice came to her clearly.
"How could you do this to me?" Jenniferdemanded.
"What is it I'm supposed to have done?"Nicholas drawled.
"You know very well. You led me on withkisses and promises, taking advantage of my innocence. Naturally Iassumed you intended marriage."
An ice cold hand closed about Mandy's heartas she waited for her husband to answer the accusation.
"Jennifer Joy, I don't intend playing gameswith you. Let's put our cards on the table and speak plainly. Ididn't take advantage of your innocence. You lost that longago."
"How dare you insinuate such a thing?" shecried.
"Jenny, I saw you in the woods one day withBeau Hampden."
"We were just out riding," she flared.
"Jennifer, I saw you naked with him. I sawyou making love, and while the thought of it has often made medesire you, it did not make me desire you for my wife."
Mandy had heard enough. She ran back toher room, shocked beyond belief. Would Jennifer really do thosethings? What is between her and Nicholas? What secrets do theyshare?Fiercely, she dashed the tears from her eyes and gotback into bed. Jennifer had managed to cast a dark shadow acrossher day after all.
When Nicholas reached the top of the stairs,he paused as if undecided about something. He turned into the westwing reluctantly and left his bride to her slumber withoutdisturbing her.
While Mandy quietly soaked her pillow beforefalling into an exhausted sleep, Nicholas fared no better. He wasusually a good sleeper, but for once he found the heat oppressiveas he restlessly turned from side to side, then savagely threw offthe covers in a futile attempt to cool his hot blood.
If this was the result of spending theevening with Amanda, then he knew his only salvation would be toavoid her as much as possible. He would observe the formalities,keep a cool distance between them at all times, and never, ever, bealone with her.
As the hour topped midnight and slipped downthe slope toward morning, he drifted down, down into slumber. Hecould hear her siren song calling to him, and he was helpless asshe beckoned him to Paradise.
Chapter Thirteen
The next morning Amanda Virginia bathed herswollen eyes and chided herself. Hadn't she realized that otherfemales would throw themselves at Nicholas?I must be the envyof every girl in the county, yes and half the women too, marriedones included. Great balls of fire, he is so handsome, just lookingat him makes me want to swoon. It's obvious Jennifer made a playfor him. I know she plays dirty too and would try to compromisehim. That must have been what happened. It was probably the firstrejection Jenny ever received, and if I know my sister she'll keeptrying.Amanda decided to keep a very close eye on Jennifer andNicholas. If Jenny was promiscuous, Mandy realized she'd be stiffcompetition for a sixteen-year-old virgin.
Amanda went downstairs, determined to beginlearning everything about running the household. When she enteredthe kitchen, she unknowingly walked into a hornet's nest. Mammy Louwas standing in the center of the room, feet firmly planted, handson hips. Mandy recognized it as her most stubborn position, fromwhich she could never be made to back down.
Samuel stood erect, nostrils flaring, hishead at a proud angle, his icy glare chilling everyone in the room.Between them stood a young black girl, terrified.
"Ah has overseen bakin' of de bread evrymornin' for over twenty years. Ah don' intend t'relinquish dat dutynow, yo' triflin' black varmint!"
"Woman, yore black skull mus' be so thick,yo' don' hear what ah's tellin' yo', so ah'll explain one mo' time.Masta Nick bought Sarah here jist fo' the express purpose o' bakin'on dis here plantation, so stand aside yo' interferin ol' bat an'let her git on wid it."
"Ma mistresses have eaten bread prepared desame way every day o' der lives. A handful o' cornmeal in de doughmakes all de diffrence in de world. Also any fool knows yo' don'grease de pans wid butter, cause it burns!"
"Servants at Paradise are not about t'takeorders from any but me, woman, so depart dis kitchen before Iknocks yo' on yo' fat, black ass!"
Mandy waited only long enough to see MammyLou pick up a rolling pin. She ran from the kitchen and out throughthe dining room. She ran into Nicholas who had been in the fieldsfor the last two hours and had come in for breakfast.
"Oh Nicholas, thank God you're here. Samueland Mammy are killing each other in the kitchen."
A slight frown creased his brow, and hefollowed her out to the kitchen.
Samuel spoke up instantly. "Mammy isinterferin' in de breadmakin', suh."
