Rayne Ch. 02

"Rayne, that's an unusual name, but then you are a most unusual man, aren't you?"

"Now, where would you get that idea, Gabriella? Do you know something you're not telling me?" Rayne inquired with a sardonic lift of his black brow.

"One can hardly help but pick up little tid-bits when you are all the ton has discussed for the past month."

"So, you've been in London for the past month?"

"Actually, I've only been here for a few days, I was, um detained on my way here by a small side diversion."

So was I, Rayne thought, as he once again thought of the beautiful Spanish woman in the leather breeches with the dancing emerald eyes and wildly disarrayed hair and the seductive smile. Those pouting ruby red lips. As these thoughts ran through his head he realized with a start that he was seeing those exact same features before him. Except that this woman's hair was smoothed into a perfect chignon and it was hard to tell if her hair was curly or not. His eyes narrowed as he studied the beautiful face tilted up at his and wondered if it could possible be...but, no, that would be impossible. This elegant lady before him couldn't possibly be La Gata. But then one would be hard pressed to see Rayne as he was tonight and the way he was when he was aboard The Phantom dressed as El Diablo and make the connection.

"Senor? Is there something wrong? You look as if you've seen a ghost."

"Wrong? No, it's just that you suddenly reminded me of someone I recently met. You bear a strong resemblance to her that for a moment I almost thought you might be her. But then that's preposterous, isn't it?"

"Senor, you have a friend, and yet you're not sure if I'm her? You must not be very good friends if you can't recognize her." He couldn't possible know! No one had ever made the connection. She had to get away from Rayne, to put some distance between them. She knew it had been foolish to play with this man, he was much too dangerous for these kinds of games. "I believe I am quite revived now, and perhaps we should return to the ballroom."

"As you wish senorita." Rayne had hoped he might convince her to dally in the garden for a short while. It had been a long time since he had bedded a woman, and this was the first woman he had felt any sexual attraction to since the night in La Gata's cabin. That had been the reason for his surly mood that Javonnie and his crew had been dodging. It was strange that this woman made him feel just like La Gata did.

Once inside the ballroom Gabriella was set upon by no less than half a dozen young swains begging for a dance. She flashed Rayne an apologetic look as she was swept onto the ballroom floor to the haunting strains of Mozart. Rayne joined Javonnie and Veronica to offer his congratulations and tease Javonnie that he guessed he would have to find him a new doctor for the ship. Veronica answered before Javonnie had the chance, "Yes, you had better! Next time he sails off, I won't be so easy to convince to give him another chance!"

"Easy!?! I thought we were going to have to make use of that landau before you finally gave in and consented to marry the fool!"

"Landau? What are you talking about Rayne?"

"Didn't Javonnie tell you about his little plan?" Rayne asked with devilment dancing in his eyes.

Javonnie with a murderous look on his face quickly answered, "No, we didn't exactly get to that part of the story, Rayne!"

"Javonnie, what is Rayne talking about?" Veronica asked. She could tell there was something going on between these two handsome friends, but she wasn't sure just what it was.

Javonnie took Veronica's hand in his and pressed a kiss to it before answering, "Darling, it is such a romantic story, I was saving it our wedding night. So that I could share it with you as we lay in our marriage bed sipping champagne and convince you of just how much I loved you and to just what desperate lengths I was willing to go to, just to make you mine. You wouldn't want to spoil that would you?"

Javonnie's charm came through for him again, and Rayne smiled knowingly as Veronica melted under that seductive smile of Javonnie's. Poor girl, she didn't stand a chance against the rogue! "I believe I will try to wade my way through the crowd of young swains surrounding your beautiful Spanish guest. I believe she owes me a dance."

"Rayne, you sure do seem to have developed a taste for Spanish women of late. I just hope you have better luck with this one!" Javonnie laughed as Rayne gave him a dirty look and made his way to the woman of whom he had just spoken. As Javonnie took a good look at the woman Rayne had indicated and he got a strange premonition that this woman would be a controlling factor in Rayne's life. He tried to shake off the feeling. He hadn't had one of these de´ja vu feelings in over five years. But even though he laughed and smiled the night away as he accepted congratulations from well wishers, but by the end of the night, if anything, the feeling was even stronger. He felt a certain obligation to Rayne to tell him of his "feeling". He had no fear that Rayne would laugh at his "feeling" because too many times in the past these "feelings" had proven all too fateful.

As he and Rayne rode home that night, Rayne was laughing and congratulating Javonnie on his stroke of genius in disposing of Stevie. Rayne noticed that Javonnie for all that he was trying to be attentive and jovial, he was somewhat subdued. "Come, come ole man. Don't tell me that you're already feeling the tightening of the noose?" Rayne joked.

"Oh, that not at all. Actually, I'm quite relieved that I was fortunate enough to get Roni to consent to marry me. It was what I wanted all along, only I was too bull-headed to admit it, although I will miss our days at sea Rayne. You know I could make a couple of more voyages with you, just until you find a replacement for me. I know Roni wouldn't begrudge me that."

"No sir, I'm not going to have you lose that woman, now that you've finally landed her! You just concentrate on getting her to the altar and keeping her happy afterward!"

"Actually Rayne, I do need to talk to you about something. I'm just not sure how to put this into words."

Rayne could see that Javonnie was dead serious and seemed to be somewhat upset about something. "Javonnie, I haven't heard you talk like this since the last time you had one of those damnable visions of yours."

"Yes, I haven't had one since that time, that is not until tonight."

Rayne swallowed, with unease because he knew from experience, Javonnie and his "feelings" were never wrong. "Well, what is it?"

"Actually, it was sort of a vague feeling, but it did seem to involve the beautiful Spanish woman you were dancing with. Rayne, I'm sorry, I know you hate it when I get these visions, and I wish I could be more specific. But I don't think she's of any danger to you, it was more like...well, like she was your destiny" Javonnie finished lamely.

"My destiny, huh? Well, I must say, you've definitely had worse visions. I certainly don't mind having her in my future! It's strange that you should have a vision about her, it seemed like I had met her before. She closely resembles my little feline friend."

"Do you think it could be her? It is possible you know."

"No, I think I could have been sure if it was her, I guess it was just that they had the same eyes, but somehow I can't imagine Gabriella in leather breeches wielding a sword."

"You never know. Just be careful."

The carriage pulled up to the townhouse and Rayne bid Javonnie 'goodnight' as he went upstairs to bed.