Chapter 53
Once inside their bedroom, Michel set Clarice down, slamming the door. She immediately aimed herself at the veranda door. He caught her wrist.
“No, you don’t.” Spinning her around, he released her.” Just what the hell are you trying to pull? What game are you up to this time? You’re pregnant?”
“It’s true. I swear.” Clarice cowered away from him.
“You want me to believe it’s mine? After all this time? Pregnant from a husband who’s shooting blanks? Old Dr. Mark said I’m sterile, remember? Courtesy of my diabetes. Unlike Gran’père, I don’t think he made a mistake.” He laughed and walked away from her but the laughter stopped as he looked back. “But you certainly did. It’s Luc’s, isn’t it?”
“It could be yours.”
“Hardly. I saw the way you were looking at him. And the way he looked, too. He didn’t know, did he? You sprang a little surprise on both of us.” Catching her by the shoulders, he shook her. Crying out, Clarice tried to pull away. “It’s Luc’s, isn’t it? Answer me, you little bitch.”
“Please, Michel. I-it happened that night, the night you—” She couldn’t say it, finishing lamely, “There’s a fifty-fifty chance the baby’s yours.”
“Give me a break. We’ve been married eight years and have no kids. Luc gets to you one time and you turn up pregnant and you expect me to believe it’s mine?” His laugh was the coldest sound she’d ever heard. “Tell me another one.”
“I-I lied, Michel.”
“Which time?”
“About you. About your diabetes. Old Dr. Mark said you were fine, that e-everything was okay.”
“Then why did you tell me that?”
She didn’t answer.
“For God’s sake, Clarice. Can you even imagine how I felt? I was nineteen and just married. And to be told I could never have a child. Why the hell would you do that?”
“I-I didn’t want any babies right then, but now…”
He shook his head. “I don’t believe you.”
“What are you going to do?”
“For now? Nothing, but it looks as if the time for that divorce is getting closer and closer.”
He raised a hand and Clarice cowered. Michel smiled. He lowered his hand, enjoying her fear.
“You’d better walk the line for the next nine months, ma cher. Do that and perhaps I’ll give your little bastard my name. Otherwise…”
“Otherwise?” Clarice swallowed, her throat so tight she could only whisper.
“I may decide to ignore Gran’père’s health and risk a scandal by giving Orleans Parish the juiciest divorce case it’s had in the past one hundred years.”
Throwing himself onto the bed, Michel laughed but the sound was cruel.
“A pregnant wife and a pregnant mistress. God, it’s going to be interesting to see how that bastard survives this.”
* * *
“You’re certain you’re all right?” Julie asked again as she sat on the bed.
“Positive.” Luc’s answer was sharp. “For crying out loud, Julie. I simply swallowed the wrong way, that’s all. It happens.”
Turning to the dresser, he saw the half-opened drawer and the protruding envelope. “What’s this doing open?”
She looked up. “I was looking at the papers but I thought I shut the drawer.”
He settled the envelope, pushing the drawer shut. “Be more careful from now on. I don’t want anyone seeing those.”
“Sorry.” She got to her feet, unzipping her dress.
Luc looked away, taking out his cigarettes. After Clarice’s little bombshell, he was ashamed to be alone with Julie.
“If you’re going to smoke, would you mind doing it outside?” Her tone was apologetic. “The smell makes me feel sick.”
“Sure.” Dropping the cigarette back into the pack, he walked to the veranda door. “I’ll go into the garden.”
He didn’t know whether the sickness in his gut was brought on by crossing the veranda or tonight in general.
* * *
The garden was warm, flowers in full-blossom. Summer’s sultry heat was taking over. Luc walked around the pool, watching the ripples in the water, and the way the lights wavered and trembled under the moving waves.
He heard Clarice’s footsteps before he saw her.
“I thought you’d be out here soon.” Throwing the cigarette into the pool, he seized her arm and pulled her toward him. “Damn it, Clarice!
“Don’t look at me like that. You think I wanted this to happen?” Having faced one brother and now the other, knowing firsthand the violence in each, she was thoroughly frightened. “Now that it has…”
“Now that it has…what?” He let her go, shoving her away.
“Now we can be together.”
“Are you crazy?” He looked at her as if she’d begun raving. “I have a wife and you have a husband, which you’ve always conveniently forgotten.”
“And so did you, one night recently.”
“Does Michel know where you are?”
“I told him I needed some air. Anyway, I don’t think he cares.” She brushed thoughts of Michel aside.
“I’m not about to jeopardize my marriage for you, Clarice, baby or no baby.”
“Your marriage?” She laughed, anger in the green eyes. “I know all about your wonderful marriage, Luc. Where did you find her anyway? Working some street corner?”
“What are you babbling about?”
She looked too smug. Worry coiled inside him.
“I’ve seen the papers, Luc. I know you married her to get the Trust and as soon as you do, she’s history.” Clarice laughed. “I thought she and that little girl were too good to be true.”
“Clarice…” He’d never wanted to hurt a woman, but in that moment, Luc felt he could do Clarice bodily harm with no qualms.
“Don’t you see?” She sounded so sensible, putting a frighteningly gentle hand to his cheek. “After you get your money, and you’re rid of her, we can be married. Michel will let me go. He doesn’t want me anyway.”
“That’s never going to happen.” Luc moved away from her touch. “Julie…”
“…might not be very appreciative of the fact if she knew whose baby this is.” She placed a hand on her stomach. “A shock like that. In her frail condition—”
“You do anything to harm Julie…”
“I wouldn’t think of it.” Her tone turned light. “After all, we pregnant women have to stick together.”
“You’re lying, Clarice. That’s really Michel’s child and you’re doing this to torment me…and him.”
“Michel doesn’t have enough jism in him to knock up a paper bag.” Her laugh was contemptuous. “It’s yours, Luc, and when it’s born, you’ll see and so will everyone else… and then we’ll go away together. To Dallas.”
“I’ll see you in Hell first.” Luc began to shake, clenching his fists to subdue the tremors.
“Of course, darling.” Clarice’s smile was complacent, and totally confident. “Where else would Lucifer be?”