“I am Mrs.Trent.”Something was wrong.She felt it.Her hands shook as she took the package.Looking up, she found the boy was still waiting.“Is there something else?”she asked before reading the attached note.
“I was instructed to wait for a reply, ma’am.”
“A reply?”Jewel gave him a blank look.“A reply?”she questioned again.Who in the world was the message from?She wasted little time reading the note.Instead she tore open the package.“No!”She shook her head.This just couldn’t be possible.It must be a nightmare.The color drained from her face.
The innocent boy reached out and touched her arm.“You all right ma’am?”
“Y-yes,” Jewel stammered, trying to gather her thoughts.“If you’ll come in and wait I will pen my reply.”
Captain Lee had Elizabeth in his possession.So that Jewel would not think he was making idle threats, he had sent a small token—Elizabeth’s chemise.The pink “E” embroidered on the front let Jewel know that it was indeed Elizabeth’s.
Captain Lee had come back to haunt Jewel.She prayed Lee wouldn’t harm Elizabeth, even though he had threatened to in the letter.Then it dawned on Jewel: Lee wouldn’t hurt Elizabeth; she was the one Lee wanted ...because only she could take him to the treasure.
So Jewel had traded places to free Elizabeth.
Jewel feltsomeone squeeze her arm and she turned, trying to focus on the present “Did you say something?”
“You must have been deep in thought,” Elizabeth commented with a half-smile.“I said, was it bad?”She repeated the question as they strolled toward the gazebo.She couldn’t help feeling responsible for Jewel’s injury.If she hadn’t wandered away from Four Oaks and gotten herself kidnapped, things might have been different.
“It was a nightmare, but at least Captain Lee is dead.He’ll not bother either of us again!”Jewel’s curt voice lashed out before she caught herself and turned to her friend, placing her hand on Elizabeth’s arm.“How are you doing?”
Elizabeth blushed.“You know, don’t you?”
Jewel nodded.“It was the first thing Lee boasted about.I would have killed him myself if I’d had a weapon.”Her lips thinned with anger.“I’m so sorry you suffered because of me,” she said in a low voice taut with anger.
“It was my own stupid fault for riding too far from Four Oaks.You warned me, but I wouldn’t listen.However, I didn’t deserve that kind of punishment,” Elizabeth said as they walked along.“I’m not sorry Lee’s dead.”
“I agree.But you still haven’t answered me,” Jewel reminded Elizabeth in a quiet voice.“Are you all right?”
Elizabeth stared at her feet.A tumble of confused thoughts and feelings assailed her, but her pride concealed her inner turmoil.“I’ll be fine.If only I could make the nightmares go away, then I’d be free.”
“This, too, will pass in time,” Jewel said softly.“Trust me.”She drew a long breath and changed the subject.“I’m worried about Jonathan—he’s refusing to see anyone.”
“How well I know.”Elizabeth frowned.“It hurt at first, but then I decided he needed time.The question is, how much time?”
Jewel poured the cream-rich coffee into fine china cups.“I don’t know that I’m the one who can give you that advice, but don’t let Jonathan withdraw into himself.He has such inner strength and has helped me so much with Adam.I owe him a lot.”
Elizabeth took abeignetand placed it on her plate.“What should I do?”she asked, brushing powdered sugar off her fingers.
“Adam said the people of New Orleans were giving a victory celebration for General Jackson and we are all invited.It would be the perfect time to get Jonathan out of the house.”
“First we have to get him out of his bedroom.”Elizabeth laughed bitterly.
“You can do it,” Jewel encouraged and patted her friend on the hand.
“But how?”
“Demand that he talk to you now,” Jewel said as she leaned back against the blue cushions.
Elizabeth thought about Jewel’s suggestion as she sipped her coffee.“You’re absolutely right.Jonathan has felt sorry for himself much too long.
He’s going to get out of that bed if I have to drag him!”
Elizabeth smiled and took a bite of the sugary treat.
She was through being nice.
Chapter 4
