Southern Beauty

chapter 21

he is taking too long,” David looked at Jacob annoyed.

“She is very upset,” Jacob said, “give her time.”

“I think something is wrong,” David said and then heard a muffled cry from above. David took off. He skipped stairs while his adrenaline flowed, thoughts raced of what was happening to her. He smashed through the door and Malcolm had his arm around Johanna and a revolver at her temple.

“Let her go Malcolm. This is between you and me,” David insisted.

“Oh yes, this has been about you and me, you and her, her and me,” Malcolm said as he swung the gun back and forth toward Johanna and then at David. “It’s a bit of a lover’s triangle wouldn’t you agree?” he leaned into Johanna kissing her silken hair while keeping the gun pointed now at David.

Johanna mortified by the predicament she found herself in stood in shock.

“I see you have met my fiancée,” he smiled at David. “I know you are familiar with what a fiancée is, right David?”

David stared him down waiting for an opportunity to distract him and grab the revolver out of his shaking hands afraid for Johanna’s safety. She stared at David with fear in her eyes. It affected him more than he realized.

Jacob then entered the room startling everyone. David didn’t hesitate and tackled Malcolm to the floor pushing Johanna away from him. The revolver tumbled out of Malcolm’s hands. David’s adrenaline skyrocketed as he grabbed Malcolm and kept punching him thinking about how he could have hurt Johanna. He didn’t stop until he heard Johanna pleading for him to stop from behind.

Jacob ushered Johanna out the door when she began to cry for David to stop hurting Malcolm, taking the revolver that Malcolm had with him.

“Are you okay?” Jacob asked her as they descended the stairs and headed toward the drawing room.

“I am fine thank you, Mr. Evans,” said Johanna still a little shook up by the unpleasant incident.

David grabbed Malcolm and headed for the first floor where Johanna was catching her breath. He looked at her with concern and then stared down Malcolm who was sitting on the floor with a gun now pointed toward him battered from the confrontation.

“Johanna, it seems your fiancée hasn’t been quite honest with you,” David said, “Malcolm why don’t you tell her. Let her know what filth you really are,” David accused Malcolm.

Malcolm wiping the blood from his lip, looked at Johanna and then to David, “I don’t’ know what your talking about.”

“Let’s see, you are actually a Union spy, not a loyal Southerner. You have been not only deceiving Johanna but also her uncle.” David continued. “You knew all along about the papers she had in her possession which you failed several times to get from her.”

“I will tell her no such thing,” Malcolm still refused to admit his wrong doing.

“Yes, it is true. I am sorry to say he has deceived you Johanna. The pirate at the St. Charles Hotel, that was all him. He set it all up, paid handsomely for your capture. It backfired on him though; Rene saved you before he got the map. And at the steamship, he was supposed to come in like some hero and save you, but I got to you first. You were never really in danger,” David explained to her.

Malcolm staring David down gritted his teeth, “I am not the only one who has betrayed you. McPherson here will do anything to get his hands on the map, including kissing Clarice on the balcony and making her believe he loved her while the whole time he has been betrothed to a girl from his hometown. Kathleen is it?” Malcolm asked. “Aren’t you getting married in a week?”

David stared him down, but did not deny it.

“Did he make you believe he loved you too, Johanna?” Malcolm smiled knowing the damage he was doing. “He is a master of deception.”

Johanna swallowed hard. Jacob held her arm and squeezed it for support. She couldn't hide the disappointment in her face or the tears that welled up in her eyes. She didn't know which was worse of the betrayals.

“That is enough,” Jacob said interrupting their confessions.

David watched tears slowly creep down Johanna’s soft cheeks. It broke his heart to see her in pain in which he caused. He started toward her, “you have to let me explain.”

Malcolm used this moment to his advantage and he grabbed the revolver from David’s hand. He pointed it toward them still sweating and shaking.

“It appears I am now in control of this situation. Miss Johanna, give me Lee’s papers and I will not kill your precious David.”

“Don’t listen to him. He is not giving it to your uncle. He is going to sell it to the highest bidder,” David tried to persuade her.

“I don’t care anymore,” she pulled out the cigar box hidden in a pocket she made in her dress and handed it to Malcolm.

David and Jacob looked at each other realizing they were conned by her. It was in her possession the whole time. The sad part about it, David did have the cigar box, but thought they were just cigars and gave it back to her at the Beauregard House, trying to gain her trust.

“What is this?” Malcolm asked.

“The plans are hidden inside. Please just go,” whispered Johanna sad that it had come to this.

Malcolm looked at her and then looked at David. “The map, I believe it is in your possession.”

David stared him down not moving.

Malcolm pointed the gun at Johanna. “I said I want the map,” he asked David once again.

“Don’t hurt her,” David pulled out the map. “It’s here, just don’t hurt her.” He slowly gave Malcolm the map.

Malcolm watched how David looked at Johanna. He stared them both down, and then “Bam!” Malcolm shot Johanna.

“I believe now I have gotten what I came here for, my revenge on you,” and he took off into the night.

“Should we let him go?” asked Jacob.

David didn’t hear Jacob’s questioned. He had already run to Johanna’s side.

“She is bleeding, it’s everywhere Jacob,” cried David. He held her head in his lap. Tears had had already glossed his blue eyes, they slowly trickled down his unshaven face.

Jacob came to his side and leaned over Johanna inspecting the wound.

“It’s okay David,” Jacob assured him. “She’s going to be okay.”

“I can’t lose her, Jacob,” said David in shock. “I just can’t.”

“I know,” said Jacob as he grabbed a white linen cloth that had covered a chair nearby and laid it over Johanna’s now shivering body.

David thought he was going to be sick. The linen looked more like a burial shroud. He prayed silently it would not turn into one.

Jacob put his hand on David’s shoulder for support, “we need to get her a doctor.”

David couldn’t move. He was angry with himself for putting Johanna in danger and simultaneously filled with undeniable fear of losing her.

“I did this,” said David. “I put her here. I as much as shot her myself.”

“You can’t blame yourself, David,” said Jacob.

“I knew what Malcolm was capable of, I just didn’t know he would go this far,” David’s voice cracked as he held back his tears.

“We will deal with Malcolm later, but now we need to get her some help,” insisted Jacob.

“Okay,” David wiped his tears. “Tell me what you want me to do?”

Jacob looked at his distraught friend. It broke his heart to see him in such turmoil.

“Why don’t you stay with her,” said Jacob realizing David wouldn’t want to leave her side. “I will try to find a doctor.”

David looked up at Jacob in desperation; tears filled his eyes once again, “please hurry.”

“I will my friend,” said Jacob. “You just keep her warm.”

“David?” Johanna tried to whisper. Her eyes barely opened. Her face was paler than usual and her red lips seemed to be losing their color.

“I am here,” he cradled her even more. “I am here.”