Chapter 1
Theo ran down the path as fast as he could in the dim moonlight, though he had to hold back in fear he’d trip on some vine and fall headlong onto the ground. The nighttime racket of crickets and grasshoppers buzzed all too loud in his ears.
“Angelique!” he cried out, but his voice disappeared into the darkness of the night. She did not answer.
Angelique’s father had sprinted ahead, and his calls for her sounded quite distant. Her mother and sisters had stuck together some way behind.
Theo cursed himself as he walked on, looking this way and that in hope of spotting a flash of her white dress among the trees of Mermaid Hole. Why had he gotten so far ahead of himself? He knew being impulsive, as well as having built him his fortune, had caused him a lot of trouble in the past. Theo was so easily swept up in the tides of passion, whether it was love or excitement or even vengeance, and allowed himself to be carried along in their waves without a fight.
But he should have known to be more careful with Angelique. As strong as she is, she was also tentative, and not quite sure of what she wanted out of life just yet. Not only that, she clearly wanted to solve things herself. She didn’t want some free ride, to be carried along by some man’s money and prestige and privileges, but instead to be supported enough to solve things herself.
It all became so embarrassingly clear to him in those moments in the dark, in the thick of the Bahamian bush. To ask Mr. and Mrs. Sands about purchasing the place had been a terrible idea. He had only been there a couple of days, and already he was putting himself at the heart of the action. Why could he not just relax, and take a passive role? It was Angelique’s home, and he was only a guest. He felt a burning sensation, something like shame, in his chest. He vowed that when they found Angelique he’d apologize and tell her he was going to fall back. Way back.
The search through the darkness was interminable. He heard new calls for Angelique from the other side of Mermaid Hole and realized that Mr. and Mrs. Sands must have joined the search, too. Theo went up to the sulfur baths, where he and Angelique’d had their first real disagreement, then to the winding paths between the tight, vibrant foliage, but caught no glimpse of her.
The longer she was missing, the more his mind tormented him. It conjured up horrible images of her lying at the bottom of the stream, and worse. He hoped she hadn’t done anything stupid, and a horrible urgency gripped him as he thrashed through the bush, sending up begging prayers that she was safe.
After a while he heard one of Angelique’s sisters call out, though she sounded a little way off in the distance. Josette, he thought. “Theo!”
“Yes?” he shouted back impatiently.
“She’s at home!”
Theo actually sank to the ground with relief, a sob catching in his throat, then sprang back onto his feet.
“I’m coming!” He didn’t know the way but he ran toward where Josette’s voice and soon he met the entrance gate to Mermaid Hole.
He leaned against it for a brief moment, catching his breath. Until he stopped he hadn’t realized how hard his heart thumped in his chest. It felt like it would burst through his ribs and skin at any moment.
Soon he was jogging down the path back to the beautiful wooden house Angelique’s parents had recently purchased. Another thought hit him then, making his stomach lurch. Maybe his proposal to buy Mermaid Hole had embarrassed them, too. After all, they had just purchased what most people the world over would classify as a dream home, a quaint Caribbean cottage nestled in vivid gardens blooming with fruits and flowers. Then he had come along and suggested they buy the whole three hundred acres. He probably looked like the most awful show off there ever was. He felt like such a fool.
When he reached the door, they were all sitting around the table. Angelique’s parents were at
Theo ran down the path as fast as he could in the dim moonlight, though he had to hold back in fear he’d trip on some vine and fall headlong onto the ground. The nighttime racket of crickets and grasshoppers buzzed all too loud in his ears.
“Angelique!” he cried out, but his voice disappeared into the darkness of the night. She did not answer.
Angelique’s father had sprinted ahead, and his calls for her sounded quite distant. Her mother and sisters had stuck together some way behind.
Theo cursed himself as he walked on, looking this way and that in hope of spotting a flash of her white dress among the trees of Mermaid Hole. Why had he gotten so far ahead of himself? He knew being impulsive, as well as having built him his fortune, had caused him a lot of trouble in the past. Theo was so easily swept up in the tides of passion, whether it was love or excitement or even vengeance, and allowed himself to be carried along in their waves without a fight.
But he should have known to be more careful with Angelique. As strong as she is, she was also tentative, and not quite sure of what she wanted out of life just yet. Not only that, she clearly wanted to solve things herself. She didn’t want some free ride, to be carried along by some man’s money and prestige and privileges, but instead to be supported enough to solve things herself.
It all became so embarrassingly clear to him in those moments in the dark, in the thick of the Bahamian bush. To ask Mr. and Mrs. Sands about purchasing the place had been a terrible idea. He had only been there a couple of days, and already he was putting himself at the heart of the action. Why could he not just relax, and take a passive role? It was Angelique’s home, and he was only a guest. He felt a burning sensation, something like shame, in his chest. He vowed that when they found Angelique he’d apologize and tell her he was going to fall back. Way back.
The search through the darkness was interminable. He heard new calls for Angelique from the other side of Mermaid Hole and realized that Mr. and Mrs. Sands must have joined the search, too. Theo went up to the sulfur baths, where he and Angelique’d had their first real disagreement, then to the winding paths between the tight, vibrant foliage, but caught no glimpse of her.
The longer she was missing, the more his mind tormented him. It conjured up horrible images of her lying at the bottom of the stream, and worse. He hoped she hadn’t done anything stupid, and a horrible urgency gripped him as he thrashed through the bush, sending up begging prayers that she was safe.
After a while he heard one of Angelique’s sisters call out, though she sounded a little way off in the distance. Josette, he thought. “Theo!”
“Yes?” he shouted back impatiently.
“She’s at home!”
Theo actually sank to the ground with relief, a sob catching in his throat, then sprang back onto his feet.
“I’m coming!” He didn’t know the way but he ran toward where Josette’s voice and soon he met the entrance gate to Mermaid Hole.
He leaned against it for a brief moment, catching his breath. Until he stopped he hadn’t realized how hard his heart thumped in his chest. It felt like it would burst through his ribs and skin at any moment.
Soon he was jogging down the path back to the beautiful wooden house Angelique’s parents had recently purchased. Another thought hit him then, making his stomach lurch. Maybe his proposal to buy Mermaid Hole had embarrassed them, too. After all, they had just purchased what most people the world over would classify as a dream home, a quaint Caribbean cottage nestled in vivid gardens blooming with fruits and flowers. Then he had come along and suggested they buy the whole three hundred acres. He probably looked like the most awful show off there ever was. He felt like such a fool.
When he reached the door, they were all sitting around the table. Angelique’s parents were at
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