Charles slapped a coin in the man's hand and dismissed him, takingCatherine by the arm.

"Why are you dressed like that and where in bloody hell have youbeen?"

"I'm dressed like this so no one would recognize me and I've been inthe bayou. Can we please go inside? I really am very hungry."

"A bath wouldn't hurt, either," Charles observed, confusion evident inhis manner.

"Are you alone?"

"Of course I'm alone. Who would I have with me?"

"Catherine, I have no idea who or what you might have waiting beyondthe wall. Come inside and I'll have Topsy clean you up."

The inside of Charles's house was cool and dark. The black woman who had opened the gate was standing openmouthed as she watched Catherinepeel off her hat and shake out her hair.

Charles snapped orders, directing Topsy to prepare a bath and findCatherine something decent to wear. He stood at the bottom of the stairs and watched as Catherine followed Topsy up. He was both disturbed and elated. He hadn't understood her flight, nor herdisappearance. But he'd been willing to give her the benefit of thedoubt.

Had Captain Lopaz brought her back he would have announced hisdispleasure, but he would not have canceled the marriage. He'd plannedon marrying Catherine Caden. Most of what he'd done was based on that presumption. Had he found her betrothed he might have stepped back,but to be replaced by a pirate was a discourtesy he would not accept.

Catherine, already planning the plea she'd make to Charles failed tonotice his grim expression.

After her bath, her hair was combed and pulled on top of her head whereit was secured with a set of combs.

Once clean, she'd thought that she'd feel better. She didn't. There was a sense of unreality to what was happening. Charles's house was lovely, expensive even, but she kept remembering her house in theswamp, and the bayou with its wild profusion of lush, untamed beauty.

The garment Topsy produced was little more than a wrapper, but ampleenough so that the changes in Catherine's figure would not beobvious.

Catherine fastened it and wondered briefly about its purpose. An undergarment of loosely woven fabric, almost like a night- rail, wascovered with an equally light wrapper. It seemed a strange choice ofdress for a slave, but then perhaps it didn't belong to a houseservant, but rather to a guest--one of Charles's houseguests.

So, Charles had lady friends. Somehow that thought Until she heard the voice.

Charles's voice. "What is the meaning of this, sir? What makes you think I owe you a new pair of trousers?"

Catherine would have explained, but the Frenchman let go of a torrentof words and gestures that blocked out her voice, all while he wasstill holding on to her. Finally, just as Charles was ordering himejected by a tall black man who was coming from what appeared to be astable, she managed to interrupt.

"Charles, tell this man to let go of me or he'll need a new pair oflegs to fit into those trousers!"

Charles hushed, his eyes opening wide in disbelief.

"Catherine?"

"Yes, it's me and I'm very tired and very hungry. Please pay this manand send him away."

Charles slapped a coin in the man's hand and dismissed him, takingCatherine by the arm.

"Why are you dressed like that and where in bloody hell have youbeen?"

"I'm dressed like this so no one would recognize me and I've been inthe bayou. Can we please go inside? I really am very hungry."

"A bath wouldn't hurt, either," Charles observed, confusion evident inhis manner.

"Are you alone?"

"Of course I'm alone. Who would I have with me?"

"Catherine, I have no idea who or what you might have waiting beyondthe wall. Come inside and I'll have Topsy clean you up."

The inside of Charles's house was cool and dark. The black woman who had opened the gate was standing openmouthed as she watched Catherinepeel off her hat and shake out her hair.

Charles snapped orders, directing Topsy to prepare i bath and findCatherine something decent to wear. he stood at the bottom of the stairs and watched as Catherine followed Topsy up. He was both disturbed and elated. He hadn't understood her flight, nor herlisappearance. But he'd been willing to give her the )enefit of thedoubt.

Had Captain Lopaz brought her back he would have innounced hisdispleasure, but he would not have can;eled the marriage. He'd plannedon marrying Catheme Caden. Most of what he'd done was based on that resumption. Had he found her betrothed he might have stepped back, butto be replaced by a pirate was i discourtesy he would not accept.

Catherine, already planning the plea she'd make to Charles failed tonotice his grim expression.

After her bath, her hair was combed and pulled on op of her head whereit was secured with a set of combs.

Once clean, she'd thought that she'd feel better. She iidn't. There was a sense of unreality to what was hapening. Charles's house was lovely, expensive even, ut she kept remembering her house in the swamp,and he bayou with its wild profusion of lush, untamed )eauty.

The garment Topsy produced was little more than a wrapper, but ampleenough so that the changes in Cathrine's figure would not be obvious.

Catherine fastened t and wondered briefly about its purpose. An underarment of loosely woven fabric, almost like a nigh tail wascovered with an equally light wrapper. It ieemed a strange choice ofdress for a slave, but then perhaps it didn't belong to a houseservant, but rather ;o a guest--one of Charles's houseguests.

So, Charles had lady friends. Somehow that thought amused her. He was worried about her having been with Stone, but he'd not been alone.

Catherine allowed herself an impish smile as she trailed down thestaircase in search of the source of delicious odors she was smelling.

"Charles?"

"In here" -He stopped abruptly as she entered the dining area.

"Come in, Catherine. You look--lovely. Welcome."

He went to great pains to seat her, ordering the first course of a mealto be served. Topsy brought soup, which Catherine ate without stoppingfor conversation. By the time she'd completed the main dish of fishand rice she was ready to talk. Laying down her napkin, she leanedback and smiled at Charles.

"Your cook is very good."

"Thank you."

"Your house is lovely, too."

"Yes, it was furnished for you," he said simply. As if he'd been waiting, Charles put down his napkin and asked, "You have been withthat pirate, haven't you, Catherine?"

"Yes, of course."

"Of your own free will?"

"Not exactly," she answered, remembering her forced imprisonment whilePatrick returned to the river.

"I sent the Spanish army to find you, but they never returned."

"I know. Captain Lopaz and his men chased us but by then we were atthe Green Mounds of Earth. They attacked the Indians. But then Captain Lopaz was wounded and fled. I think the alligators probablygot them, but nobody knows for certain."

"But--but you got away. How did you escape?"

For now a shortened version of her escape might be better.

"I hid on a flatboat bringing trading goods down river."

"Then he, Stone, doesn't know where you are?"

"Not yet, but he'll figure it out, and come after me." Charles groaned. During the time Catherine had been bathing he'd consideredthe situation carefully, trying to decide how to use her arrival to hisbest advantage.

Originally he had told the governor that he would produce Stone inreturn for certain trade arrangements for the Americans. The governorhad been most enthusiastic. But when the plan failed, Charles had notbeen able to gain further audiences.

In fact, none of President Washington's hopes to establish diplomaticrelations with the Spanish had been realized. The Spanish officialssimply ignored Charles as if he weren't there at all.

Every day Charles had expected to receive orders from PresidentWashington that he was being replaced. Every day he'd grown moredesperate. He held Catherine totally responsible for the sorry stateof his affairs. Now she'd returned and this time he intended to make certain that he fulfilled his promise to Governor Carondelet.

"So you expect Stone to come for you."

"Not Stone, Charles, Patrick.

Patrick and the pirate, Stone, are one and the same. You couldn't find any trace of Patrick because that Captain Lopaz had put him in prison."

Quickly, Catherine explained how Patrick had been beaten and his shipstolen; how Patrick had been falsely blamed for the plantation owner'sdeath.

"And that's why I've come to you. You are the only one who can go tothe governor and have him clear Patrick's name.

Patrick never killed anybody. Simicco, the Indian slave, did. "

"And you expect me to act in Patrick's behalf?"

"Of course."

"Why?"

"Because--because, I intend to marry him, Charles. I always did.

Patrick and I belong together at Rainbow's End. "

"What about me, Catherine. What about your promise to marry me?"

"I'm so sorry, Charles. I never meant to hurt you. When you came toPetersburg I'd been told that Patrick was dead. I thought we suitedwell enough, and I couldn't go on mourning forever. Then when you cameto the Weatherbys I knew that it would be wrong. I should have faced you with it, but I feared that you'd send me back to Cadenhill."

"You're such a child, Catherine. Everyone warned me about yourstubbornness, but I refused to listen."

"You're right. And I'm pigheaded and unthinking and, oh, Charles, I amsorry."

"You should have married me, Catherine. I came here and built this house for you. I told everyone that you were to be my wife. How do you think I felt when the governor found out that you'd run off afterthat pirate?"

He was right; she'd gone after what she wanted. She'd have used the devil if he could have gotten her to Patrick, but the hurt had neverbeen intentional. Charles had led her to Patrick, and for that reasonalone, she'd always be grateful.

"Please, Charles, forgive me. I know that what I did was wrong, andyou have every right to be angry. But you're a good man--and I'm asking your help for Pat 3 rick. He isn't a pirate. He only robs the Spanish of their own moneyto replace what they took from him. He's been wronged and I've come toask for your help. "

"And what will you do in return, Catherine, if I save your pirate fromhanging?"

"What will I do?" Catherine was puzzled.

"I'll be very grateful."

"I'm afraid that your gratitude won't be enough."

He was going to turn her down. She could tell from the strangeintensity of his reply. His hurt went deeper than she'd thought. The one hope she'd had to save the man she loved was drowning in the sterndispleasure of the man she'd once thought to marry.

Desperately she searched for a way to bargain.

"Help Patrick and I'll do whatever you want."

Charles looked directly at her. Here, away from the Mississippi, hewas a different man. Gone was the gentle, understanding person who'dpromised to find out about Patrick. Instead she was facing the smartlydressed man she'd watched walk up the path from the river at thetrading post.

She'd finally come to him, albeit unwillingly, and he intended to holdher to her rash promise.

"You are very beautiful, Catherine Caden. But you really must temperyour actions. The wife of a man in power cannot be so aggressive."

What was Charles talking about? Patrick wasn't in power and he wouldnever love a woman who tempered her actions.

"I don't understand."

"Of course you do, my dear. I'll help Patrick. You will send for him,and I'll petition the governor on behalf of President Washington."

"Oh, Charles! I knew I could count on you. I'll go back for Patrickright away."

"No, I'm afraid I can't allow that. Your family would be mostdispleased if I let you go. I've already sent word that you've beenfound and that we will be married as soon as it can be arranged."

"You did what?"

"I did the proper thing, Catherine, as you will soon do, if you want tosave this criminal. In the meantime, I'll leave you to get somerest."

He stood, walked the length of the table and held out his hand toassist her from her chair. She was startled when he pressed his lipsto hers, and alarmed. There was something intense about Charles, a hard edge that she'd never seen before."You expect me to marry you, after what I've said?""Of course. Remember what you said, that you'd do whatever I asked.And marriage is my price to clear Patrick McLendon's name. Otherwise, I'm afraid that he's a dead man. Good night, Catherine, sleep well." Chapter Sixteen there were guards, Patrick could see them. He'd hugged the shadows ofthe surrounding building for most of the night until he determinedwhere Catherine was. Why had she left Rainbow's End? There she was safe. This fool American couldn't know about Simicco and the dangerfor Catherine.

From what Patrick had learned, the American had not made a goodimpression in New Orleans. He'd been carried away with his ownimportance, more concerned about appearances than representing hisgovernment. Instead of accepting him with open arms as he'danticipated, society had ignored him, as they did all Americans.

Patrick weighed the possibilities of calling on the man directly anddecided he didn't trust him any more than he trusted the Spanish governor. Discretion would be his wisest move. In fact he intended to be so discreet that the best way he could protect the woman he lovedwas by stealing her away. ^ Having made up his mind, he scaled thelive oak tree by the brick wall outside the American's residence anddropped soundlessly into the tiny courtyard. He skirted the enclosure and made his way back to the servants' stairs leading to the balcony.Quietly Patrick climbed, his heart hammering louder with every step. Atthe top, he stopped and listened. The night was quiet, too quiet.

As always, Catherine's nearness distracted him, making it impossiblefor Patrick to determine whether his sense of unease was coming fromCatherine, or from some unknown danger.

The windows, which also served as doors on the upper level, were closedagainst the damp December air. He counted until he came to the room where he'd seen Catherine earlier, took a deep breath and slid thepanel open, stepping inside.