Southern Beauty - By Julie Lucia Page 0,21
few days they had spent much time together. She had unexpectedly begun to feel fondly toward him, and since the party she was actually a bit impressed with him. While he sauntered over to her, his face beamed and he stared at her like she was the only one in the room. Now any woman would feel important with that kind of attention, Johanna thought. Malcolm was a genius at making you feel like you were the most important person in the world. Johanna liked that about him and was also weary of him for it.
“Miss Johanna, I was told your uncle has arrived and has stepped out onto the balcony. Should we go see him?” Malcolm smiled pleased with himself.
“The balcony, are you sure?” Johanna feared for her uncle’s safety, that is where they had left David alone. She ran ahead of Malcolm leaving Mary Alice behind.
Her heart beat faster, she was to reunite with her uncle and maybe even David, who she still was conflicted about.
Once David came in view Johanna was mortified to see him in a compromising scene with Clarice. Johanna’s heart stopped. She was horror-struck. As Johanna ran back into the ballroom where the music played merrily and the couples danced with delight, she ran into Malcolm who had been lagging behind.
“Was he not there?” he asked.
“No,” was all Johanna could muster.
“Oh, I must have been mistaken.” Malcolm smiled in triumph and then quickly noticed her agitated state. Feeling a tinge of regret he said, “Are you okay?”
“I am fine,” she lied. “I want to leave now. I want to go to Virginia tonight.”
“But, this is a party let’s have fun, maybe we should dance again.” And before Johanna could speak, Malcolm pulled her on the ballroom floor. Johanna could barely breathe or think straight. She tried to smile at Malcolm but couldn’t stop thinking about what she had seen. Thankful her uncle was not in danger but horrified at finding David kissing Clarice. It was a blow she felt she could never recover from.
“May I cut in?” David interrupted their dance. Malcolm didn’t utter a word or put up a fight, he was so shocked to see the redhead he met just a few weeks earlier standing right in front of him in a beautiful crimson gown ready to take his hand for a dance.
“No, I don’t think so,” Johanna gritted her teeth, but it was too late. The mesmerized Malcolm had already left her side for Clarice.
“Now what is wrong?” David asked as he bowed.
Johanna not wanting to make a scene curtsied back. She was so mortified that her heart was actually breaking. Even though it all made sense, he must have been Clarice’s lover, them soon to be engaged, and to find him molesting her on the balcony it just put a knife in her chest.
“I see you found your Southern whore” Johanna straightened herself up. She refused to let him bother her anymore. She began to hate him. She must have been mistaken about her affection towards him.
“Oh, but you are my Southern Beauty,” he whispered in her ear.
“Just stay away from me,” surprising herself, her lips quivered as she whispered, but she did not cry.
“I can’t,” he said more with feeling than he wanted to express. If he would have said what was on his heart, his words would have freed her from the pain.
“I need that map. Your uncle has arrived and being held by Preston with a gun pointed to his chest.”
Johanna’s face went pale. She searched the party with her eyes trying to find her uncle, trying to find Preston. She looked back at David.
“Why are you doing this to me?” Johanna couldn’t remember ever being this confused in her entire life. Everything had always seemed black and white to her, right or wrong. She couldn’t take this emotional mountains and valleys he was sending her on. One minute she wanted him desperately, the next she never wanted to see him again. She wanted to throw the locket at him and be done.
“He’s on your side the last time I checked,” Johanna said with conviction.
“Then why is he in enemy territory?” David asked.
“He still has friends here,” Johanna insisted.
“I need that map,” he said.
“I don’t have it here. I left it at the mansion. I will take you there. Just leave him alone,” She was desperate and realized now she loathed him even more. He tried to grab her locket that was peeking out of her dress.