“It’s a little late to be asking her that now,” Drake said, making no apologies for the anger and accusation in his voice. Damn them all, leaving a child alone with a drunken father in the swamp. “Where the hell were the churchgoing women?”
Saria leaned across the table and put a hand over his. “Don’ be upset. I’m not. I had a great childhood. Pere loved me. He drowned in sorrow after ma mere died. I wasn’t the easiest child to try to raise.”
No, Drake had to agree she probably hadn’t been easy to raise, not with her need for independence and her iron will. Saria Boudreaux was one of kind. She hadn’t thought to complain to anyone about her father or her workload. Loyalty was a big part of her makeup, even to her absent brothers. She hadn’t told on Elie Jeanmard when she could have gotten him in deep trouble. If her father cared as she said he did, and he was leopard, as he had to have been—Elie would have gotten beaten within an inch of his life for touching Saria against her will.
“You should have been protected.” Any leopard lair knew that their women were of paramount importance.
“My father taught me to take care of myself,” Saria said, “and I’m grateful to him.”
“I heard Elie and his sister, Danae, are home for vacation,” Pauline said. “My sister told me they came into the post office when she was working. Iris said Elie is very handsome and of course Danae is beautiful.” She leaned close and lowered her voice, as if revealing a great secret. “Danae is seeing a boy in college and Amos and Elie are very unhappy about it. They think it’s serious.”
“Poor Danae,” Saria sympathized. “I much prefer mon pere to hers.”
“Saria,” Pauline hissed her name.
Saria just laughed as she reached for another beignet. “You have a crush on that man,” she accused. “I heard a rumor that Amos has been stoppin’ by for dinner, but I didn’ believe it until now. Tell me everything, Miss Pauline.”
Twin flags of color lit Pauline’s cheeks. She fanned herself. “Amos Jeanmard was the handsomest boy in school. Well . . . he and Buford Tregre. Iris was so madly in love with Buford. We planned to marry, but their families objected—strenuously.” She shrugged her shoulders. “Buford dumped Iris and she was devastated. She sat in her room for days sobbin’ and then Bartheleme Mercier began callin’. Bartheleme defied his pere and married Iris, but Amos couldn’t go against his family. They were big and very devout and his entire world.”
She looked so sad, Drake wanted to comfort her. Her love for Amos Jeanmard had obviously never faded.
Pauline managed a rueful smile. “Very Romeo and Juliet. I never married. Amos did and had two children. He was very true to his wife, but he visited me often and we’d sit on the porch and talk. We didn’ dare come in the house. After his wife died, he began courtin’ me again. I enjoy his visits, but we’re both set in our ways. He loves the swamp and I love my home here.” She shrugged. “I’m too old to change my ways now. We missed our time together, but I have no regrets.”
“I always wondered why you never married,” Saria said.
“I loved him. I still do,” Pauline said simply. “There was no other man for me.”
She wasn’t leopard, but she’d been the woman Amos had loved. Could she have been leopard in another life cycle? It was possible. If the families were old and could trace their lineages hundreds of years, they might have intermarried, as Bartheleme Mercier obviously had done—marrying outside the shifter species. It would stand to reason without a large genetic pool available.
Drake sighed. The world was a big place and there were few shifters left. To find one’s mate was difficult at best. Pauline could have been Amos Jeanmard’s true mate, but her soul was now in the body of a nonshifter and Amos had chosen to put his species before his own needs. Drake didn’t know if that was a good thing or not. What about Jeanmard’s wife? Leopards scented lies. She very well could have lived a very unhappy existence knowing he didn’t really love her.
He looked across the table at Saria. He could see the compassion and empathy for Pauline in her eyes. He wanted to take her into his arms and hold her.
“It’s nice to think about growin’ old with someone,” Saria pointed out. “Maybe he’d be happy sittin’ on your porch with you. He could still go out in the swamp anytime he wanted. You might discuss it with him before you make up your mind.”
Pauline forced a laugh and looked at Drake. “That from the girl who wants no part of marriage and children.”
Drake’s eyes met Saria’s. She damn well better get used to the idea of marriage and children because as he’d warned her, once he staked his claim, there was no going back. What did she think—that when her leopard was ready they’d have wild sex and he’d just go away? He suppressed a groan. She probably did think that. Damn it all. He should have been more specific.
Locking her gaze with his, Saria shrugged her shoulders. “In my experience, Pauline—and I do have five brothers—men tend to be very bossy. A few of my friends are married, and believe me, the ones staying home are definitely dictated.”
Pauline threw her hands in the air and ranted in Cajun-French for a few minutes. Saria was unfazed. She made a face at the innkeeper. “You just said you were too old to change your ways, which means you’re afraid he’ll try to dictate you.” She glared at Drake. “Men are arrogant and bossy and think they’re always right.”
Drake flashed her a quick, unrepentant smile, looking more wolf than leopard. “Perhaps the men in your life had no finesse.”
“See?” Saria pulled back as though he’d encroached on her space. “That’s arrogance. And I notice you don’ deny being bossy and arrogant.”
“Of course not. I’m not in the habit of lying. I have confidence in my abilities or I’d be a damned poor leader, now wouldn’t I?”
“What exactly do you lead?” Pauline asked.
He had to hand it to the woman. She was not only sharp, but extremely quick. “I have a field team. They’ll be meeting me in a couple of days. A few weeks ago a boat hit an abandoned oil well and knocked off the cap. I represent Jake Bannaconni’s company. He wants to know the exact damage done to the environment and how best to fix it. Mr. Bannaconni is especially fond of this area and wants it as pristine as possible. Once I determine the extent of the damage, I can formulate a plan and my team will come in and aid me with that. Mr. Bannaconni will implement the plan as soon as we complete the study.”
“I knew his great-grandfather,” Pauline said. “A good man.”
“I never had the privilege, but Mr. Bannaconni speaks highly of him.” He stood up when Saria did. “Thank you for the wonderful breakfast, Pauline. It was delicious. Saria, when we go through the swamp, would you mind pointing out the Tregre property?”
There was an instant silence as if he’d dropped a major bomb. The two women exchanged uneasy glances.