The counters were dust-free and the floor was clean. It didn’t look like a house that had been abandoned for six months.
“I had it cleaned on a weekly basis,” Joss said behind her.
She didn’t turn to face him. “Why?”
“I didn’t want you to come back and find it neglected.”
She dragged a finger over the spotless tabletop. “That was thoughtful.”
“After all, this was your home once.”
She stilled. “What about my animals?”
“We’ll take them to New York. I’ll organize everything.”
She turned. “The whole pack of them? Dog, cats, rabbits, and turtles?”
He gave a crooked smile. “Maybe not the rabbits and turtles, but I can sacrifice my guest bedroom for a pack of dogs and a few cats. I’m sure we’ll find new owners who’ll take good care of the rest.”
His offer was sweet, but misplaced. She belonged here, just like her animals. They needed space. They weren’t used to apartment living. He hadn’t thought it through. Softly, she asked, “And Erwan?”
“If he wants to come with us, we’ll take him.”
She couldn’t accuse him of not being accommodating. “That’s very generous of you.” Only of being ignorant if he thought Erwan would leave his life here where his friends, boats, and memories were to live in a city.
“Your family is mine.”
The thought was noble, but didn’t he understand there wasn’t a future for them together? They grew up in the same village, but they were from different worlds now. They were on different sides, and those sides didn’t live in harmony.
“You’re quiet,” Joss said, his voice tight.
There was no point in fighting this battle. They’d never agree. Anyway, what was the point? He wasn’t giving her a choice. “You said I may not even see Erwan before we go.”
“We’ll come back for him.”
“He won’t be found if he doesn’t want to be found.”
“You really don’t know where he went?”
“He wouldn’t tell me. He could be anywhere.”
Joss’s expression was pensive. “If he finds out we got married, he’s sure to crawl out of the hole he’s hiding in.”
Just like Lupien would come for her. Her chest tightened. “What if he thinks it’s a trap?”
“He’ll come for you.”
“He didn’t before.”
“Because that was a trap, and from what I remember, your grandfather is no fool. He told you to run. Now it’s different. Now you’re back.” Darkly, he added, “Of your free will, or so it would seem. As my wife.”
She took a small step back. “Is that why you married me?”
“No.” His words were harsh. “I don’t need him any longer.” His voice turned deeper, softer. “Stop questioning my motives, Cle. You’re the one I’ve been looking for.”
The nuance of the words didn’t escape her. Only, she wasn’t the one, not as in love and soulmates. For now she was a means to an end, and later, when Joss’s obsession had worn off, she’d be discarded. Or maybe dead. At whose hand remained to be seen.
Closing his fingers around her wrist, he pulled her back to him. “You never told me what happened after you’d jumped from the yacht.”
Snow yelped at the door. The other dogs howled outside.
“It’s a long story,” she said, trying to shrug off his hold.
“We have time.” When she didn’t reply, he asked, “How did you manage?”
“Does it matter?”
His jaw set in a hard line. “Yes.”
“Harping on the past doesn’t accomplish anything.”
“Humor me.”
He wasn’t going to let it go. She didn’t want to talk about her escape, but the quicker she told him what he wanted to hear, the quicker she could go see the other animals.
Taking a deep breath, she said, “When Erwan asked me to go into hiding, he’d already buried a box on Île aux Moines with a false passport and money. He must’ve always known the day would come that my mother’s past would catch up with us, and that danger would follow.”
He waited quietly for her to continue.
“When the yacht passed near a clearing in the reef, I jumped and swam to the island. I’ve been diving for oysters there with Erwan, so I knew where it was safe to jump. The box was buried where Erwan said it would be.”
Releasing her wrist, he crossed his arms. “Go on, and don’t leave anything out.”
“I was going to board a trawler, but it wouldn’t pass for another two days, so I hitched a ride with a passing boat from the island to Lamor where I bought a change of clothes. I blended into the hordes of holidaymakers on the quay and didn’t attract attention.
“The first night, I slept in a boat that was anchored on the beach. I used public restrooms to clean up in the morning. For the rest of the day, I hid in the woods, watching the boats to see which ones were not being used. The trick was to get to the mainland to catch the trawler without being spotted. The second night, I stole one of the boats that wouldn’t be missed and took it out into the open sea. I spent the night there.”
A scowl drew his eyebrows together. “You navigated a boat in the dark and spent the night on the open sea?”
“You forget what a good skipper I am.”
He clenched and flexed his fingers, repeating the act twice before saying, “Carry on.”
“At first light, I anchored in a hidden bay on the mainland, and followed an unused path through the forest to the harbor. The trawler was already there. The captain is a friend of Erwan. These fishermen share a sacred bond. I knew he’d help. He agreed to take me to South Africa.”
The days that had followed had been hard, but she hadn’t expected differently. “After going ashore in Hout Bay, I got a ride to Johannesburg with a truck driver. I managed to find a job at a bar and an affordable room.” She shrugged. “The rest you know.”
“Did you suffer?”
“I’m fine, am
