Southern Beauty - By Julie Lucia Page 0,24

balcony,” Johanna accused him with more anger than she wanted to show.

“Well Miss Lee, did you also see me brush her off and tell her I was in love with someone else?” He continued to pull her through the crowded ballroom.

“What?” Johanna tried to stop not sure if she should be thrilled by the news or not.

“Why am I arguing with you about this?” He grabbed her arm and continued through the mingling couples.

“Are you trying to steal my date?” Malcolm asked David.

“Oh you again, don’t you have something you ought to be doing?” asked David.

“Do you two know each other?” Johanna continued to switch back looking at both of them. They ignored her.

“Sir, may I have a word with you?” Malcolm stared David down.

“It would be a pleasure,” David stared Malcolm back down.

“Excuse us Miss Lee,” they both headed toward the door without once glancing at Johanna.

“What was that all about?” Mary Alice noticed Johanna had been left on her own.

“I have no idea,” Johanna and Mary Alice watched the men walk out of their sight.

”Do they know each other?” inquired Mary Alice.

“I don’t’ think so,” answered Johanna confused at the new situation played out in front of her.

“Now this is very exciting! Maybe they are fighting over you. Where is Rene?” Mary Alice looked around the room. “He should be in on this.” exclaimed Mary Alice.

Johanna ignored her friend’s excitement. “For some odd reason, I don’t think it’s really about me.”

# # #

“You have the audacity to come here and ruin all my plans,” Malcolm accused David.

“Ruin your plans? Who are you working for now, Malcolm?” asked David.

“I have special orders to take Lee’s niece to Virginia, envious?” Malcolm smiled arrogantly. “What are you doing here?”

“You, you are Johanna’s escort? Wait…you’re the mole?” asked David.

Malcolm grinned. “So, I see you are on a first name basis with her? Well, that is too bad, this one is mine. I suggest you leave us alone. You don’t want to ruin that squeaky clean reputation of yours by divulging my secret.”

“My mission has nothing to do with Miss Lee,” David insisted. “You are supposed to be reporting Lee’s every move. How can you do that taking her to Virginia?”

“You don’t need to worry about that, I have everything under control,” said Malcolm.

“Under your control, what are you getting out of this?” David asked.

“I have my orders. I suggest you stay away from Miss Lee,” Malcolm warned David.

“How could anyone trust you with their niece?” David asked him.

Malcolm laughed. “You still sore that I left your sister at the altar? I do hope she has gotten over that by now, clearly you haven’t.”

David ignored his jab and stared him down.

“I want to know why Johanna is so important to you,” Malcolm questioned.

“She’s not.” David lied.

“Then what do you care if I fancy her or not?” Malcolm now intrigued by David’s concern.

“You, you care about her? That is a laugh. What does she have that you are so interested in?” asked David.

“She is a pretty thing isn’t she?” stated Malcolm ignoring David’s question, while trying to provoke him.

“Just stay away from her. She doesn’t need to be hurt by this.” David warned.

“Oh, are you becoming noble now? Don’t worry, McPherson, by the end of this mission, I will have saved the day and won the girl!”

David couldn’t have predicted this. Not only was the man who was spending time with Johanna someone he actually knew. He was Malcolm Graystone. He was on the Northern side pretending he was a wavering patriot following Lee. He was a master of trickery. He hurt his sister and now he was after Johanna. This was grave indeed.

Malcolm had been bent on beating David at everything since they were at West Point together. Malcolm always looked for the next big mission to carry out, the next mountain to climb, and the next goal to achieve without any regard to morality. David had caught Malcolm cheating at West Point and had him expelled. Malcolm never forgave him and went after his sister when he was away for months with General Meade. Now Johanna was caught in the middle of this. He needed to save her. And if Malcolm had any idea how much David loved her, he would never give up. Malcolm would forever ruin her if it would destroy David.

# # #

“Johanna, I thought you would want to know, I just overheard G.T. talking with some cadets. Your uncle was delayed and will not be able to make