Simply Anna Page 13

  “But Clarissa Stapleton? She is so—”

  “Dreadful, I know.” He looked down at their joined hands. “I do not fear being hurt by her. She will never hold my heart.”

  Anna lifted his hand and held it between both of hers. “You would rather be unhappy with a cruel person than risk caring for someone?”

  Philip pushed out a breath. He raised his eyes. “I shall lose you soon enough, Anna, and that hurts more than I can say.”

  Anna’s eyes went wide. Her face paled then reddened. “Perhaps not . . . maybe . . .” She looked down.

  Philip crooked a finger beneath her chin to lift her gaze back to his. “Anna, I think you are the dearest friend I have known. In you, I have found another soul so like my own that it astonishes me. But, I must do the honorable thing and act as your guardian until I can return you to your family.” His chest ached as he said the words.

  He lowered his hand to her shoulder. Seeing her eyes fill, he wondered how it could hurt so badly to see her cry. “Once you regain your memory, you would detest me if I allowed anything to happen to make you regret our time together.” He brushed a tear from her cheek. “Do you understand what I am saying, Anna?” He forced himself to think past his own feelings and consider the reality. It was impossible to believe that Anna was not married or, at the very least, engaged to another man.

  She closed her eyes, spilling more tears on her cheeks, and nodded. She made a little gasping sound in her throat and looked up at him. “Lord Philip, will we remain friends?”

  “Of course, Anna. We will always be the best of friends.”

  “And you will wait until my memory returns before you . . . decide on a wife?”

  Philip raised his brows. Anna understood perfectly what he had not said. She was naive enough to hope that there was a chance for them. But Philip had long ago learned that to hope was to be a fool. “I promise.”

  Chapter 14

  The next morning, Anna rode with Lord Philip and Tom Norton as they made their way to the mountainous regions of Oakely Park. After their conversation, she had little hope that Lord Philip would ever be more than a friend to her. He was convinced that Anna belonged to another, and she could neither confirm nor deny it. She wished she knew one way or the other. Was there a man somewhere who loved her? Try as she might, she could not discover any more hidden in the depths of her mind. And even if it was determined that she was unattached, Lord Philip had told her he intended to marry a wealthy woman. Anna had no idea whether she was wealthy or not.

  Although she had wept in her bedchamber the night before, today she put her sorrows aside and determined to remain happy while she was with Lord Philip. She felt that their time together was growing short. During the night, two new memories had flashed into her mind at different times. Neither gave her any more information about her past. She remembered riding in a carriage next to a dark-haired woman, but the woman’s identity remained a mystery. The other memory was even more vague. The image of a wooden sword—a child’s toy—appeared in her head. To whom did it belong? Anna pondered on both these new memories along with the others, hoping to expand them, to hear noises or feel emotions—but they remained only brief snatches.

  They had departed early enough that dew sparkled on the leaves and undergrowth. Tropical birds shrieked, warbled, and sang in the leafy forest, and Anna could hear the lowing of cattle somewhere in the distance. The group followed the yellow dirt road—Philip had told her the dirt was red on the south side of the island—through fields that were divided into portions where each of the slaves could grow their own crops to supplement their rations or to sell at market.

  “This is how a slave is able to earn his freedom,” Lord Philip said. “With thrift and hard work. Some, like Malachi, have purchased their free papers.”

  The road led around the edge of the fields. Anna noticed objects hanging from strings in the trees. She rode closer and saw small bags and bundles; some even appeared to be animal skulls. The sight was gruesome. She shivered in the bright morning.

  When Mr. Norton saw what she was looking at, he turned his horse to join her. “Protective charms,” he explained, sweeping his hand to the side.

  Anna turned her head and saw that the charms hung all around the garden. “Protection from what?” she asked.

  “A very superstitious lot, these Africans. When they aren’t here tending to their gardens, they leave these . . . talismans to guard ’em.”

  “From . . . ?” She gazed out at the small plots and waved at the few workers who had the day free to labor for their own profit.

  “Evil spirits, animals that could eat the crops.” He shrugged. “Likely, they scare the other slaves enough that they’ll keep to their own parcel.”

  Anna looked at a little skull and grimaced. “It seems macabre.”

  Mr. Norton flipped one of the bundles with his finger and sent it swinging. They urged the horses up the road toward where Lord Philip waited. “I’ve heard tales of much stranger things—Obeah rituals with beating drums and wild dancing; a white goat slit open and, while it still bleats, its blood poured on the dancers. Many on the island believe Obeah men can cast spells on their enemies.”

  “I think you are just trying to frighten me,” Anna said in a shaky voice.

  “It is why slaves gathering in any large group is forbidden. Their heathen rituals are a predecessor to rebellion.”

  They joined Lord Philip, and Anna slowed, allowing the men to lead the way. The sun did not seem as bright, and the bird calls had taken on an eerie tone. The story of the rituals sent a tingle of fear through her, but it seemed merely a fantastical tale. A slave revolt, however—that she knew to be real. There had been incidents of uprisings where plantation owners and their families and any white person nearby had been slaughtered, some in their own beds. It chilled her to think of the hundreds of slave men and women surrounding Oakely Park rising up and taking weapons.

  Lord Philip slowed his horse to ride alongside her. “Just over this rise is the beach where I met a charming young lady, Miss Plantation-Espionage. Perhaps you know her?”

  Anna shook off her frightful thoughts. She lowered her parasol so his lordship would have the full effect of her eye roll. She appreciated that he continued to tease. It seemed that Lord Philip made the same choice as she, to pass what remained of their time together in good spirits instead of dwelling on what may never be.

  They crested the hill, and Lord Philip indicated the rocky beach below. Waves broke over the jagged shoreline. Anna tried to remember being here before.

  “That is where we left our horses the day we found you, Miss Anna.” Tom pointed toward a shady spot beneath a cluster of trees.

  “Do we have time to go closer?” Anna asked.

  “Only if we do not discover any unconscious ladies on the rocks,” Lord Philip said. “They do tend to wreak havoc with our schedule.”

  Anna smiled, glad he was in good humor. She handed him her parasol as she dismounted and then took it again.

  They left their horses and picked their way through long weeds and over dark rocks.

  “Over here, miss.” Tom offered his hand to assist her. He led her closer to the water, and Philip followed. Reddish-black crabs with pointed legs and upraised claws scuttled away as they approached, and Anna wondered if they had scuttled over her when she lay upon this beach unaware. She winced at the idea of the spiderlike creatures climbing through her hair.

  “Right there is where we found ya lookin’ red and bloated as a corpse.” Tom pointed. “His lordship pulled you out of the water and laid you over there. Your lips were cracked, and your mouth—”

  “That will do,” Philip said in a loud voice as he walked toward them. “She does not need to hear the unpleasant details.” He carried an oar in his hand. When he reached Anna, he held it toward her.

  She ran a gloved finger over the ribbons and string wrapped around the wood. She closed her eyes, urging her mind to find some association, but there w
as nothing.

  “Do ya remember the strings?” Mr. Norton asked. “They were the very ones from your gown. Can ya remember tying them to the oar?”

  “No.” Anna shook her head.

  “Perhaps if you picture yourself in the water,” Mr. Norton urged.

  “She doesn’t remember. Do not push her, Tom,” Lord Philip snapped, shooting a glare at his foreman.

  “I am sorry,” Anna said.

  “Do not apologize.” Lord Philip took her arm and led her over the rocks. When they reached the horses, he set the oar carefully on the ground.

  She looked at him with a question in her eyes.

  He shrugged. “It reminds me that a person can do difficult things.” He looked around the area. “No mounting stool,” he said. He took her parasol, thrusting it at Tom, and placed his hands on Anna’s waist.

  Anna’s breath caught, and she laid her hands on his shoulders. She knew her face must be flaming red and did not look at Lord Philip. She thought he must be able to hear her heart pounding. He lifted her onto the saddle and mounted his own horse. Tom handed up her parasol.

  When Anna dared to glance at Philip, she saw that his face was flushed as well. He met her gaze, and one side of his mouth rose in his half smile. Anna was glad for the shade that hid her red cheeks. She thought if he kept it up, her heart would pound right out of her chest.

  They followed the road along the beach and then turned inland toward the mountains.

  “Why did we not just ride straight across?” Anna asked, pointing at the direction they had started. It seemed as though they had ridden in a large U.

  “Oakely Park is an oddly shaped property,” Philip said. “Another plantation nearly bisects it, and since we do not know the owner, it is safer to remain on my land.”

  “Surely he would not mind if you passed through to get to the other side of your property,” Anna said.

  Philip shrugged. “The owner is rumored to be absent, and perhaps the land is deserted. We do not know if Landon Grove functions at all, but it is best to be cautious. Some property owners command their people to shoot trespassers on sight. Besides, this section of their property is nearly all jungle anyway. And remember, if it weren’t for the detour, we would never have found you on the beach.”

  “Then I am glad for it,” Anna said. She looked up at the jagged ridges of volcanic mountain ascending from the green jungle. A mist rose over the cliffs, casting them in a purplish tinge that gave them their name: the Blue Mountains. The road ended abruptly at a grove of trees near a stream.

  “We will continue on foot from here.” Lord Philip looked to Anna. “Will you be all right?”

  “Of course.” A bubble of excitement swelled in Anna’s chest as she dismounted and ensured that Smokey’s reins were tied securely to a tree but loose enough that the mare could drink from the stream. They were going to have an adventure. She could not wait to see the land and hear the plans for the coffee farm.

  “You will not need your umbrella, Miss Anna. The jungle is shaded, and the trees are close together,” Tom said.

  She left the parasol against a tree near the horses.

  Lord Philip removed his top hat, and his light hair fell over his forehead. Anna particularly liked the way his hair split unevenly over his widow’s peak. It was as if it refused to remain tidy. He laid the hat next to her parasol. He put a pack over his shoulder, and both he and Mr. Norton took a moment to check their pistols.

  Anna felt her first pricks of unease. “Will we need weapons?” she asked, hoping her voice sounded merely curious instead of afraid.

  “It is best to be safe,” Lord Philip said.

  “And what might we meet in the jungle?” Anna’s disquiet grew as she watched Lord Philip carefully place the pistol into his pocket. Mr. Norton crammed his weapon into the waistband of his trousers.

  “If we are lucky, nothing worse than a snake or an iguana.” Mr. Norton unsheathed a large machete.

  Lord Philip’s gaze darted to Anna. Anna’s knees started to tremble. She took a step back.

  “We’ll not be close enough to any rivers to fear crocodiles.” Mr. Norton scraped his thumb on the blade to test its sharpness. “The most dangerous thing in the jungle is men.”

  Lord Philip glared at his overseer, appearing as though he wished he could seal the man’s mouth shut. He stepped close to Anna, blocking her view of Mr. Norton, and reached for her hand. “I will not allow anything to harm you.”

  Anna looked past him at the thick leaves. Her eyes moved over the branches, searching for any reptiles lying in wait.

  Lord Philip tugged on her hand, pulling her gaze back to his. “Do you trust me to keep you safe?” His eyes were earnest, his forehead creased.

  Anna knew he would never put her in harm’s way. She tried to push down the fear, squeezing his hand tighter. “I am being silly, my lord. I am sorry.”

  “It is not silly,” he said in a quiet voice, still holding her gaze. His mouth pulled to the side “But I am a bit displeased,” he spoke in a louder voice. “Did we not decide that we are dear friends?”

  Anna nodded. She wondered what had irritated him.

  “Then, why is it that you do not call me by my name? I am Philip.” His mouth pulled further and wrinkled his cheek in his half smile.

  Anna could not help but smile in return. “I would, sir, but it deprives me of my chance to assign you a name, and I have still not come up with the perfect thing. I was considering Lord Placates-Ladies-Who-Fear-Reptiles, but as you can see, it needs some work.”

  His smile spread to the other cheek. “You are right. It does not suit at all. But until you think of something better . . .”

  “I will call you Philip.” Anna blushed at referring to him so intimately. Her gaze remained locked on the deep blue of his eyes.

  “And you should call me Tom, Miss Anna.” Mr. Norton’s head popped into view over Philip’s shoulder.

  Anna startled.

  Philip closed his eyes and pushed out a breath.

  She smiled at the two men. “Very well then, as we are all friends embarking on an expedition into the deepest, darkest jungle, we shall no longer stand on ceremony. Are we all agreed?”

  Tom nodded his head enthusiastically and grinned at being part of the teasing conversation. “Off we go then.” He sliced at the plants, hacking his way into the dense jungle. “We’ll eventually need to clear a road,” he said over his shoulder.

  Lord Philip maintained his hold on Anna’s hand until they stepped beneath the trees, but the path was too narrow to walk side by side, and he released his grip, motioning for her to precede him. He touched the small of her back, giving a little push when she stopped.

  Anna took a tentative step into the jungle, but in an instant she discovered it was nothing like she had feared. The sight took her breath away. Flowers in every imaginable variety and color surrounded her, vivid against the backdrop of leaves. She wanted to gather them all, to study every strange shape and dazzling hue. Fruit hung from trees and vines. The light filtering through the trees was soft and beautiful. The air was still damp and heavy, but in the shade it was cooler, and the jungle was so green it nearly hurt her eyes.

  The birds she’d heard and caught glimpses of in the gardens surrounding the Great House seemed sparse in comparison to the droves in the jungle canopy. Tiny, bright-green birds with red throats flitted around, chasing each other or bobbing from branch to branch. Parrots squawked from high trees as the trio passed. Anna clasped her hands together when a bird with a black head and tail that looked like two long black streamers landed on a branch near her.

  “A doctor bird,” Philip said, coming up close behind her.

  She tipped her head as she studied the bird and then looked at Philip wondering what he could possibly mean.

  He shrugged. “Maybe because the tail looks like a doctor’s coat. Or the flat head resembles a hat. I do not know how it acquired the name.”

  Anna noticed he spoke quietly and
wondered why she felt she should do the same. The dense foliage muted any outside noise, and it seemed like they were in a separate world.

  “It is so beautiful,” Anna said in a soft voice. “Not only the bird, the entire jungle. Like the Garden of Eden.”

  “Even with the reptiles?” Philip teased.

  “I have not seen any yet, and if you do, please be so kind as to refrain from pointing them out.”

  Philip laughed, and they continued, finally stepping into a less dense, flat area.

  Tom stood at the edge of the semi-clearing, panting as he swept his arm in front of him. “It will only take a little effort to cultivate the first five acres.” He pointed toward the far side of the space. “There in the shade we can plant seeds and start our own shoots until we have more acreage prepared.” Tom’s eyes were bright with excitement as he hurried forward.

  Philip walked with him.

  Anna took quick steps to keep up with the men’s strides. “And how long does it take from when a seed is planted until you can harvest?”

  “From seed it takes three to four years to grow a fully developed coffee plant, but we can purchase mature plants to begin with.” Tom spoke quickly, unable to contain the excitement in his voice. He indicated a flat area in the sun, and they walked in that direction. “Here, we can dry the coffee cherries and mill the beans. And we shall need a storage building.” Tom pointed toward another part of the clearing and then turned. His brows were raised, and he chewed on his lip eagerly. “It will take some work, but the location is perfect, and in a few short weeks, we could begin planting.”

  “I can see you have put a lot of thought into this, Tom.”

  “Yes, I know it does not look very promising now, and we will not turn a profit in the beginning—” Philip’s mouth turned down in a frown. Tom pushed ahead. “But many people think emancipation is approaching quickly, and without free labor, sugar will become less profitable. If we could supplement Oakely Park’s earnings with a less labor-intensive crop . . .” He gesticulated with his hands—and the machete—excitedly as he spoke.