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Prologue

Galveston Island, Texas

Spring, 1835

The ley walked barefoot on the beach, looking up at the splendor in the sky She had no idea what had caused this beautiful spectacle; she just knew she’d never seen anything like it It was a large and shilowing echo, was a second half crescent Once upon a tione to her tutor, Mr Moreno--so old, soft-spoken and wise--and asked hi sky had come from He would have studied it and perhaps told her that one of the other planets was aligned with the ht have said it was an illusion created by cloud cover or by tiny dewdrops in the air that didn’t quite become rain

But, of course, she couldn’t ask Mr Moreno anything She’d given hi that resembled decency and a respectable life when she’d become convinced that her father was cruel and unreasonable, incapable of seeing what a wonderful, illustrious man Taylor Grant would prove to be

She’d run away froentility of her home in New Orleans, certain that Taylor loved her and that her world with him would be wonderful

She tried to think only of the moon and feel its enchantment But she could hear the men back at the saloon Pirate’s Cove--an apt name for a saloon, since Galveston Island had first been settled by the pirate Lafitte Lafitte was long gone Older men, remnants of the pirate’s day, still sat in the bar, where they drank and cursed and spoke of the days of Spanish rule and French rule, Spanish rule again and the co independence of Texas It was all talk Galveston was a rising port city, and there were plenty of ill-gotten gains to be found here Maybe a few of theto take up arms for Texas, but for the most part, they were lecherousworse and worse by the hour And they’d get Taylor drinking, and he’d have no money, and he’d convince them to pay for her services--and convince her that they’d pass out as soon as they were alone with her They generally did, though not always quickly enough…She winced, staring up at the moon She would feel sweaty and horrid, and the stench of the after they’d passed out, and even walking into the waters of the bay would not erase that stench

She could hear the laughter and the curses and the bawdy rehter of one of the saloon whores--women ere mostly old and used up, who poured on the perfume and accepted small amounts of money and whiskey or rum for their quick services

Taylor had turned her into one of the her eyes She tried to pretend she’d never left ho on a beach beneath a whi And it couldn’t ease the pain that suddenly filled her

She still loved Taylor After everything he had done to her She was such a fool!

"Rose!"

The sound of his excited cry made her turn Taylor had co toward her She saw, as he breathlessly reached her, that his eyes were glittering

His exciteious to her

"What is it, Taylor?" she asked hiet us out of here Rose,

She reood jewelry, like the cross her father had bought on a business trip to Italy, and the beautiful little pearl-drop earrings her iven her on her fourteenth birthday She’d never owned e plantation

Still, she knew good jewelry

And this piece was far ood It was probably worth her father’s entire plantation The glowing illue moon picked up on the brilliance of the dia The dia with an assortment of colors; it had to be five carats, if not more

And it seemed to have a life of its own It was alem burned in her hand

Rose stared at Taylor He’d been drinking, but he was sober His beautiful blue eyes were on her with tenderness, and his lips--weak lips, in a beautiful but weak jaere curved into a loving and tremulous smile

Yes, despite all that he had done to her, he loved her, really loved her

"Where did you get this?" she asked