by West, Everly
She glanced at Beth. “What are we going to do about him? Any plans for private time for him with either of our cousins?”
Beth bit her bottom lip in thought. “I will come up with something. I have the best idea.” With that, she hurried back to where Sybil watched them through narrowed eyes.
Jane wanted to smile but, instead, she scowled. Why had she given Beth ideas of matching O’Leary with one of her cousins? It was exactly the opposite of what they should be doing. What they needed to do was find a way to make it clear to O’Leary he should seek a wife elsewhere.
“Come, Beth,” her mother called from the doorway. When Beth went to her mother, not waiting for an invitation, Sybil rushed to join them as they went to greet the Carlsons.
Jane remained behind with her cousins who seemed bothered that the book conversation had ended.
“Etta,” Jane started. “Do you have plans to marry soon?”
Her cousin’s wide eyes went from her sister to Jane. “I haven’t considered it.”
“I’m surprised. Surely you must have a beau in mind.”
Her cousin, although a bit round in the face, was pretty. And even if Etta didn’t speak much around non-family members, she was adept at conversation.
“I often think I will remain to care for my parents. Why do you ask? I hope you and your sisters don’t have matchmaking plans.” She looked to the doorway, as did her equally alarmed sister.
“No, of course not. I’m just curious. You see, this entire evening is because Mother has decided to find Beth a suitable husband.”
Both cousins seem to relax with relief. “Is there anything we can do to help?” Rose asked.
Jane chuckled. “I don’t believe Mother will require any assistance from any of us. If anything, it will provide us with entertainment.”
“I certainly hope Beth is agreeable to this. Otherwise, our delight may be at her expense.” Etta looked about to cry and changed the subject. “Oh, goodness, I hope my mother doesn't get any such ideas tonight.”
It was hard to keep from rolling her eyes. “It’s not as bad as all that. Our parents won’t marry us away against our wills. Mother is hoping to hurry things along, that’s all.”
Just then, Aunt Therese came to the door and looked to them with an endearing, excited expression. “Earlene has arranged for a game of croquet. I’m sure you girls will have great fun. Come on.”
Jane loved competition. She hurried after her aunt, knowing that one or both of her cousins would find excuses to bow out.
Her mother had ordered a croquet set after hearing about it from Madame Danielle. Now, every time they had a chance to play, she insisted on it.
Jane was sure they didn’t play it correctly, but it was fun nonetheless.
Her father had finished setting up the wickets, while Sybil got everyone’s attention and divided them into teams. She and Wesley Carlson and Michael O’Leary were to play against Beth, Thomas Carlson and Sybil.
Beth gave her a wicked wink and Jane narrowed her eyes. Of course Beth had something to do with her and O’Leary being on the same team. Turnabout was fair play.
Although Jane’s team was first and propriety would allow for her to be allowed to go before the men, Jane asked an eager Wesley to go ahead and play. It was obvious he could barely wait to show his expertise.
“Have you played before, Mr. O’Leary?” Jane asked the quiet man who studied the game with interest.
“No. Seems easy enough.” He turned to her, his hazel gaze light in the sunshine. “Please call me Michael.”
For some reason, the sentence sounded intimate. “Very well. And you can call me Jane.” She attempted at a light tone.
Wesley hit his ball through the first and second wickets. He gave them a triumphant look.
Jane looked to her sisters. “I do believe the men think to have an advantage over us because of their strength.”
Wesley missed the next hit, the ball going farther than it needed to since he hit it too hard.
“It takes more than strength to win at this game,” Sybil shot back, taking her turn. However, at her turn, she hit her ball sideways when Thomas teased her. She blushed. “Not fair, Thomas, you distracted me.”
“For pity’s sake,” Beth snapped. “Pay attention.”
Jane chuckled and muttered under her breath, “This is anyone’s game.”
It was her turn next. She hit her ball through the first two wickets and then hit Thomas’ ball, which gave her another bonus hit. When was done, she was at the fourth wicket. She gave the opposite team a triumphant grin and went to stand next to her teammates. Wesley was glowering while Michael continued to study the game.
When it was Michael’s turn, everyone stopped talking to watch. He mastered the game as if he were born with a mallet in his hand. Beth and Jane exchanged looks.
“Obviously, you’ve played before,” Jane told him when he finally came to stand next to her and they watched as Thomas played again.
He shook his head. “I’ve not.”
They stood at one end, away from the other players. As they were out of earshot, Jane considered it was best to go to where her Beth and Sybil stood.
“Are you afraid of me, Jane?”
“Of course not.” Jane attempted to laugh, but she found it impossible. It was not fear, not really. It was something else that made her anxious. She was much too aware of him.
“Then why do you avoid looking at me?”
Her chin hitched, she met Michael’s gaze. “You are mistaken. I have looked at you, but you’ve spent the entire time studying the pitch.”
His deep chuckle was soothing. “True.”
When they went indoors to eat, the sun was low in the sky. It was the perfect ending to a delightful day.
Jane caught up with Beth. “Right after dinner, I think we should tell Sybil to go to the side garden for a surprise. Then we can tell Thomas to go there.”
“I think it's a grand idea,” Beth whispered. “Maybe you should go with Sybil and leave just as Thomas arrives.”
“All right.” Jane frowned, not quite sure why it was necessary to go with Sybil. However, Beth was the sensible one and always thought things through.
Beth tugged her forward. “I am ravenous.”
At the doorway, she searched for her place. There were two empty seats, one beside Michael.
Conveniently, Beth was seated between Wesley and Thomas, which made her smile. Michael was seated between Jane and Sybil. Obviously, her mother sought to focus on Beth and had not considered that Michael was also single and of marriageable age.
Michael stood and pulled the seat back for her. It felt as if every eye was on her and Jane wondered if she’d torn her dress or worse, had smudges on her face. She lifted her eyes to meet her mother’s.
“Darling, there’s something on your neck.” Her mother’s lips were pulled tight over her teeth in a strange grimace.
Jane’s hand trembled as she reached up slowly. Sybil squeaked. “It’s some sort of long insect,” Sybil leaned away, her eyes wide. “You should go outside.”
Torn between slapping the offending insect and chancing that it would fall on the table or running with it on her person, Jane wasn’t sure what to do.
In the next instant, Michael took her by the shoulders and calmly cupped the side of her throat with his large hand. His fingers slid across Jane’s skin as he slid the offending creature up and into his grip.
When his lips curved, Jane let out a shaky breath. “Th-thank you.”
Everyone remained silent as he walked toward the front door. “I feel as if whatever it was is still crawling on me.” Jane shuddered. “Ick.”
The women all shivered in revulsion, while the men remained without expression.
“Let’s put that dreadful occurrence out of our minds,” her mother instructed.
When Michael sat, her father grinned at him. “Thank you for rescuing the day, young man.”
Uncle Ted chuckled only to stop
when Aunt Therese glared toward him.
Michael’s leg touched hers for a brief second, but it was long enough for unwarranted sensations to travel up and down her body. Why did this man have such an effect on her? And why didn’t anyone else seem as affected. It was clear everyone took an immediate liking to Michael, but neither of her sisters nor her cousins seemed to find anything uncomfortable about him.
“Thank you, Michael, I appreciate it,” Jane whispered. “What was it?”
“A walking stick.”
Sybil nodded and leaned forward to look at Jane. “I would have screamed and ran. You were so controlled. Bravo on you, Jane.”
Several times during the meal, Jane caught Beth and Sybil exchanging glances. Beth met her gaze and slid a look to Michael. Jane glared back at her.
“Etta will play the piano for us after dinner,” Aunt Therese announced. Etta grimaced and Jane’s mother’s eyes widened. It was obvious Earlene planned to have Beth entertain and this foiled her plan to ensure her eldest to be the center of attention.
Sybil leaned forward. “Perhaps she and Beth can sing a duet. They do complement each other so well.” The comment made Earlene smile at Sybil, who looked to Beth again.
Something was going on between her sisters that she wasn’t privy to and Jane didn’t like it one bit. Whatever was going on, she’d find out as soon as dinner ended.
“Do you also play?” Michael studied her, his hazel gaze much too disconcerting.
“I do, but quite poorly. Mother would never volunteer me to either play or sing in front of company.” She couldn’t help but smile. “As a matter of fact, the only talent I have apparently is attracting insects.”
When he looked to the side of Jane’s throat, his gaze lingering and a slight lift to the corner of his mouth, she could barely breathe. Inch by inch, he seemed to scan the area for something. “You’re excellent at croquet and, from what I saw the other day, an accomplished rider.”
“Neither are useful for evening occasions,” she quipped, enjoying the private conversation. “And you? Do you sing?”
A look of amusement crossed his face. “I play the harmonica and croak like a frog.”
A bubble of laughter escaped, mortifying her by how loud it was. Her mother gave her a quizzical look and Aunt Therese leaned forward to look at her. “You must share whatever Mr. O’Leary said that is so witty.”
“Neither Mr. O’Leary nor I have any musical talent. However, he can impersonate toads and I attract insects, which are of no use to entertain.”
“Jane,” Sybil whispered. “Stop talking.”
It was the best idea, but nerves took hold when Michael reached under the table to grasp her hand.
“Oh, I do play croquet well. Mr. O’Leary is a quick study at the game. I’m sure that is good. I mean, what would everyone do without some sort of talent you see...”
“Very good, Jane,” her mother snapped and scanned the confused expressions around the table. “Perhaps this is a good time for us to go to the parlor.”
Jane slid her hand from under Michael’s, albeit reluctantly. She slid a look to him. “I wish I could disappear right now.”
Chapter 4
Everyone made their way to the parlor. “Jane,” Sybil said, tugging her away. “I think you should go out for fresh air. Your face is bright red and you look about to faint or something.” Her sister peered into her eyes. “Are you in love?”
“What? No, don’t be silly. I’m just overwhelmed.”
Jane hurried toward the side door of the dining room. “Make an excuse for me. I’ll be along in a few moments.”
The air was, indeed, exactly what she needed. Whatever was the matter with her? If anything, Michael was trying to calm her by taking her hand. It was in no way any kind of romantic overture.
She blew out a breath and then another as the first piano notes sounded. No one probably thought anything of her silly rattling on. Thankfully, her mother didn’t plan to find her a match this night. If this were any indication of how she acted in public, her parents would probably skip right over her and push Sybil toward marriage next.
The gardenias were in full bloom, sending their intoxicating aroma to waft through the air each time the breeze blew. Jane closed her eyes, inhaling the cloying sweet smell. One sniff was enough, but each night she loved to catch a whiff of the flowers.
“I hope you’re not upset.” The deep voice made her heart tumble, her stomach drop and something like butterflies take flight at the same time.
Why did he have to come to check on her? No one else took it upon themselves to. If anything, one of her cousins, who’d relish the idea of the quiet, should have been out by now. Then Jane remembered that Etta was probably playing the piano, with Beth singing. Rose was no doubt sitting next to Aunt Therese to support her shy sister.
“I’m not,” Jane finally replied. “I’m not sure why I couldn’t stop babbling.” She turned to face Michael only to find that he stood directly behind her and ended up bumping against his chest.
“I make you uncomfortable.” It was a statement, without inflection. Once again, he did the annoyingly disturbing deep look that sent her pulse racing.
Jane made the second worst mistake. Spreading her palm on his hard chest, she planned to push him away. Instead, it gave him the opportunity to cover her hand with his.
The steady thumps of his heart, and his chest lifting and lowering with each breath, every movement sending shivers right up her arm. Her eyelids threatened to fall and, once again, Jane stood at the cusp of yet another embarrassing moment.
“You make me feel... why do you look at me so much? Do things?”
His eyebrows lifted. “Can you be more specific?”
As she struggled to explain, he lifted her hand and then pressed his lips to Jane’s palm.
“Those things. I don’t like it.” Jane’s voice was breathless, sounding less than convincing.
They remained but a breath apart. Even if someone had offered her a mountain of gold, Jane wasn’t so sure she’d find it possible to move away. Whatever hold Michael O’Leary had on her was disorienting. The sooner she put distance between them, the better.
“You should go,” she whispered, not exactly sure why it seemed impossible to speak at a normal volume.
There was a silent challenge in his expression as he leaned closer. “Or?”
Jane gaze fell to his lips. “I don’t know.”
It seemed the most natural thing when he cupped her head and covered her lips with his. The kiss was like a soothing balm to her frazzled nerves. Everything stopped. The wind, the smell of the gardenias, the music all disappeared. The only thing that remained was Michael.
She wanted the feel of his mouth as it pressed harder and his breaths fanning across her face to never stop. Losing tether to the ground, Jane clung to his shirt. If it wasn’t for Michael’s lips over hers, she would beg him never to stop.
Just as suddenly, he broke the kiss and pushed her sideways, his body blocking her from view. “Someone is coming,” he whispered.
“Oh?” Apparently the ability to communicate and hear vacated along with everything else because when she opened her eyes, he was gone.
“Jane?”
It was Sybil. Jane hurried to a nearby bench and lowered to it. Had it been a dream? Goodness, had she really allowed Michael, a virtual stranger, so much liberty?
“Ah, there you are.” Sybil grinned at her. “I just saw Michael heading inside. He was a bit flushed.”
“Oh?” Hopefully soon, she’d acquire a second word. There was only so far she could go with the one.
Her sister plopped down next to her. “The song was pretty, wasn’t it?”
Other than a few piano notes, she’d not heard anything. Now as she listened, she could hear Etta singing along to a cheerful tune.
“Yes, it was.”
“You’ve been out here a long time,” Sybil said, her keen gaze sweeping across Jane’s face. “We should wait a
few moments for your coloring to return to normal. I’m not sure what can be done about your kiss-swollen lips.”
“Ah!” Jane cried out, covering her mouth with both hands. At the same time, Sybil broke out in peals of laughter.
“Stop it, Sybil, it’s not funny. I don’t know what came over me. It will be most distressful if it’s that noticeable.”
“No one will pay you any mind. I’ll ask our cousins and the men to come out and we can have a delightful chat in the garden. The shadows from the trees will make it hard to see clearly.”
As much as Jane wanted to believe Sybil, she doubted anyone would be fooled. Except for her cousins, the men would most probably notice.
“I should try to sneak upstairs and go to bed.”
“How exactly do you expect to get past Mother?”
Moments later, she and Sybil went to the porch. The timing was perfect as both Thomas and Wesley were standing out there with Michael. Beth and Rose walked out and they began discussing attending the upcoming festival in town.
Jane did her best to avoid looking at Michael but, eventually, she couldn’t resist a peek. If her lips were swollen, obviously his should be as well.
When she dared a peek from under her lashes, he looked absolutely natural. Nothing different. The corners of his lips quivered and he winked at her.
Jane gasped at his brazenness.
“Did you see another insect, Jane?” Wesley asked, a wide grin splitting his face.
Jane would have kicked him if he were closer. “Yes, it flew right over your head,” she replied flatly.
When Michael walked to where she stood and leaned on the banister, he was the picture of control. “I should apologize,” Michael said in a low tone, not looking a bit apologetic. “For the...”
“No need,” Jane interrupted. “It’s fine. Best to forget it.” That was easier said than done as just the thought of his lips over hers brought tingles of awareness. The kiss would be forever seared into her brain. Deciding it was best to change the conversation, she looked to Wesley who seemed distracted. The handsome man looked toward the corrals.
“Wesley, I hear you may be leaving us for a trip to California.”
