What had he gotten himself into?
****
Suzanna left Nathan and his family tucked in after the birth of little Jeremiah, and trudged home to her empty house for a bath and a light meal. She was invariably exhausted after assisting in a birth and looked forward to a long night’s sleep.
Annie would need some help for a few weeks, but the remainder would be up to the Cantrell family. If her friend called, she would go, but Suzanna wanted to give the family time to bond and adjust to the newest member of the household. Best to leave them to themselves for a while, with some everyday assistance from Annie’s mother.
Suzanna entered her home and lit the kerosene lamp. A fire and a nice cup of tea was just what she needed. She could relax and let go of the tensions of the day.
She put the kettle on and struck a match to the kindling. The growing flames chased the shadows from the room and filled it with warmth. Leaning her head against the spindled back of her rocking chair, she moved to and fro in comforting cadence and let her mind empty.
Delivering the Cantrell baby had drained her energy, and the news she’d overheard as she walked the blocks from their home to hers hadn’t exactly helped.
Julian Hilliard and Missy Yarbrough intended to announce their engagement this Sunday after services. Suzanna wondered if she should feel hurt that it came so shortly after Julian had sat on her front porch and declared his love for her.
It seemed he was ready to be married, and wanted a wife. Why did it bother her? He’d only done what she’d urged him to do, but for some reason the announcement caused a catch in her heart. Julian was her last hope in this town. Now that he was engaged… Oh, well, he was a man, after all, and no doubt needed the comforts of a woman and a home. She didn’t begrudge him, though the timing stung a bit and added to her loneliness.
She drank her tea, ate a little broth, and tried to sleep. She turned restlessly from side to side until, eventually, foggy dreams of a handsome man on horseback, a man with golden curls and eyes the color of spring skies, repeated over and over the entire night through. His smile made her heart race and turned her blood to fire. It was a pretty good dream.
One morning a few weeks later, Suzanna woke to weather that was unseasonably warm and sunny. She gathered her laundry, prepared a soapy bucket, and started a fire under the rinse water.
Bending over the big, black kettle centered in a glowing wood fire, she dipped her delicate underwear into the simmering water with a long, smooth stick, rinsing the soap from the garments and getting hotter by the minute.
Before long, she simmered along with the water and put off almost as much steam. Holding the garments above the water to allow the excess to drip and cool, Suzanna blew her sticky hair from the side of her mouth and paused to wipe her face with the back of her hand. As she straightened into a long stretch and arched her aching back, two birds took flight from the sweet gum tree just beyond.
Wondering what startled them, she squinted into the blinding sunlight and searched the hedges. The fine hairs on the nape of her neck stood at attention. Someone was watching her. She spun around, her hand to her throat.
A large white stallion chafed and danced with restless hooves on the tender green shoots of the lawn. A tall man. A white horse. He seemed familiar, yet she was sure she didn’t know him. Time stood still. Suzanna stared with pounding heart.
The stranger sat motionless upon his steed, tall in the saddle, his body alert, his gaze fixed upon her.
Suzanna gasped. It was him—the man from her dream.
Chapter Three
Suzanna didn’t believe in the supernatural, nor in premonitions, yet right in front of her sat a very tall gentleman astride a powerful animal exactly as she’d dreamed almost every night for the past several days.
Leaning his large body over the pommel of his saddle, so like the image in her dream, he had taken her by surprise, and she paused to get control of her senses. The paddle holding her garments slipped back into the steaming water as she straightened into a welcome breeze.
“May I help you, sir? Are you lost?” she called as she wiped her hands on her apron and took a step in his direction.
The man appeared respectable, too well dressed to be a ruffian or a carpetbagger. A long oilskin duster cascaded from his broad shoulders and covered the tops of his boots. A wide, dark hat sat low on his brow and obscured his features except for a strong, square jaw. Overall, an imposing figure, but not menacing.
“Sir?” she prompted.
The haze in the air and the heat of the sun cast a wavering aura around his figure. Perhaps she should feel afraid, but strangely she did not. Rather, a surge of excitement sped through her veins. Aware she was alone in the yard, Suzanna stood her ground and waited while he guided the huge animal toward her. As the steed came to an abrupt halt, the man touched his fingers to his hat in salute and leaned forward in his saddle.
“I’m sorry to have startled you, ma’am. I’m looking for the home of Mr. Nathan Cantrell and his wife, Annie. I wonder if you might direct me?” A rich baritone accompanied a disarming grin.
His easy manner put her at ease, and she returned his smile.
“Of course. I know them well.” She pointed over his shoulder as his gaze followed her finger.
“They have a house on the next street over. It’s the yellow one with white shutters. Nathan might be at the mill, but Annie and the baby will be there.”
Her smile faltered. Had she given the stranger too much information? She hadn’t a clue who he was or what he wanted with Nathan’s family. She was far too trusting, and these were perilous times. Moving a step closer, she studied his face.
The stranger hastened to put her at her ease.
“Ah, yes, little Jeremiah. Please don’t be alarmed, ma’am,” he offered politely. “You have nothing to fear. I should have introduced myself. My name is Jackson Cantrell. Jake is what most people call me. I’ve come to visit. On a mission, of sorts.” He nodded, his gaze fixed on her face.
“The brother from Wyoming?” she asked.
“At your service. Pleased to meet you, ma’am.” The leather saddle creaked as he leaned down to offer his hand.
She hesitated, then placed her hand in his.
The overwhelming connection stole her breath. Their touch was far beyond the physical. A melding of souls. As if they’d known each other always. The sensation shook her to her core.
Their gazes met and locked. The eyes she hadn’t been able to see before darkened from a bright blue to midnight and bored into hers, the pupils growing wide, drawing her in.
Fingers, long and strong, took control of her in his firm grasp. Rather than the expected shake, he brought her hand to his lips and pressed. Taken by surprise, a soft moan escaped her lips. A lady would protest his forward attitude, but Suzanna couldn’t speak, and heat flooded her face. What on earth was the matter with her? She was acting like an addle-pate. Nathan would have a good laugh about this. The ever-aloof Miss Worthington befuddled by his rough-riding brother.
A shiver crept up her spine. Not of fear. Of longing. Swallowing hard, she channeled her courage, lifted her chin, and boldly challenged his gaze.
“You must forgive me, madam, but you are a most fetching sight. Had I known the ladies of the south were so beautiful, I would have visited sooner.” A rakish grin revealed deep dimples framing his mouth.
A flirt, as well. Suzanna bit her lip. It wouldn’t do to encourage him, and she wasn’t altogether sure she cared for the older Cantrell brother. Still, he was rather handsome.
“Yes, well, I am quite certain we all would have waited with bated breath,” she returned.
Jake laughed aloud and the squawking birds scattered. “A quick wit and a sharp tongue. An attribute in so lovely a lady.”
“Really? I’m afraid those are some of my lesser qualities. I’m told I can be quite intimidating.”
“Perhaps to some men. Not to me…but perhaps to some.”
She ha
d no comeback, and the dark blue eyes narrowed as her brow lifted in chagrin.
“Please, I meant no offense. You must pardon me, ma’am.”
“No offense taken, sir.”
“There are not many ladies of quality where I come from. My manners have forsaken me.” He lifted his hat with a bow of apology.
His hat in the air, her eyes were drawn to a thick mane of golden hair. Yellow shot through with white strands that glinted in the sunlight. So very unusual. Goodness, the sight of it made her fingertips tingle, and she had a sudden vision of being held in his arms, her hands tangled in its thickness as he lowered his mouth to hers. Oh, my, such wicked thoughts. She grew warm beneath his perusal and dropped her eyes before his steady gaze.
“May I have your name, dear lady?”
“I am Suzanna Worthington, sir. As a brother of Nathan and Annie, you may call me Suzanna.”
His grin widened, pleasure warming his expression. Had Nathan mentioned her to him? It would seem so, from the satisfied gleam in his eyes. Yes, indeed, he was an extremely attractive man. The heat in her face fairly burned.
Straight white teeth beneath firm, full lips. Square jaw, with a day’s growth of beard darkening his face. Very…distracting. His mesmerizing stare pinioned her feet, and she found herself unable to move until he straightened, the leather saddle creaking, drawing her gaze to his muscled thighs, where it lingered. Suzanna remained mute, thoroughly embarrassed by her reaction to him.
“This way, did you say? To Nathan’s residence?” He cast his chin toward the street with a smug grin on his face.
“Yes, just beyond there,” she answered, and watched as he reined his horse around with a farewell glance in her direction.
Bemused by the encounter with the dynamic man who’d just made her acquaintance, she stood facing the direction he’d ridden and recalled Annie’s description of her brother-in-law. Attractive, presumptuous, controlling, and arrogant. Not altogether favorable. Nor was she positive about the accuracy. The attractive quality was definitely correct, but he seemed a nice enough man. No doubt certain of his appeal to women—a man who looked like that would have to be, wouldn’t he?
Oh, Annie—you should have warned me!
Not that it mattered. Suzanna had a feeling nothing would have prepared her for the Jake Cantrell she’d just met. Perhaps his visit would be a short one, and she could avoid him while he visited. She hadn’t felt this way since Jason. The rapid pulse, the heated skin, the need to draw close, touch, feel, respond…
She raised her apron and fanned her hot face.
Yes, she could see why Annie thought him a handful. Jake Cantrell was imposing. Impressive. An altogether delightful example of his gender.
One edge of her mouth lifted, then the other. A blast of warm air from the fire under her kettle broke her musings. She’d best get on with her work, or she’d be at it all day. Still, the encounter with Nathan’s brother added a spark of excitement to an otherwise dull morning.
Was it possible she was coming alive again? That the darkness of the losses and horrors of the last few years were beginning to fade? And all because of a tall, handsome man sitting on a white horse, teasing her and making her feel like a woman again.
Imagine that.
****
Nathan stared at his brother, not knowing how to begin. He was a businessman, not a matchmaker, but his concern for Suzanna and his devotion to his brother required he do his best. These two people he loved needed each other, deserved each other. All he had to do was convince them of it.
Jake gratefully accepted a bourbon from Nathan’s hand and followed him to the porch at the back of the house. They sipped in silence, taking in the cool of the evening and the sound of cicadas from the woods beyond.
“So what’s this about having found me a wife?” Jake began. “You must have gotten my letter some time ago asking you to help. I expected a reply long before this, and then, out of the blue, I receive a wire demanding I drop everything and travel to Alabama.”
“I have had other matters to attend to, Jake. You do recall the birth of your nephew?” Nathan remarked in a dry voice. “Finding a wife for one’s only brother is not something one should rush. I have a great lady in mind, but this particular woman…well, she’s important to me—to Annie and me. I wouldn’t hand her off to just any man. I had in mind to find her a husband before I heard from you, but even after I got your letter it was a little while before it struck me it had to be you, Jake. I wouldn’t trust her to anyone else. She has quite a story, and I’m not quite sure where to begin.”
Nathan paused and took a few sips of the amber liquor in his glass, hissing air through his teeth at the quick, delicious burn. He needed the courage and heat the bourbon sent coursing through his veins, and he needed to pick his words carefully.
After another sip, he cleared his throat and began. “Suzanna is a close friend of our family.” Jake’s head shot up to meet his brother’s gaze.
“You know of her?” Nathan asked, surprised by Jake’s reaction.
“Suzanna Worthington? That was the name of the woman who directed me to your house.”
Nathan shared a man’s glance with his brother. “One and the same. She’s…special.”
“I’ll grant you that,” Jake interjected.
“Beautiful, kind, and good—a core of strength in this community. Suzanna has touched the lives of everyone in this town in one way or another.” He paused and took a swallow of his bourbon. “She was engaged before the war to a fine man, a friend. We lost him at the first battle of Manassas. He was buried on the battlefield, and Suzanna was notified two months later that he would not be coming home. They were very much in love, and she was devastated.
“Most women would have wallowed in their grief and taken to their beds, but not Suzanna. The church had been converted to a hospital, and she showed up one day and volunteered. The local doctor put her to work caring for wounded soldiers from nearby battles, returning soldiers who still needed medical attention, and the community at large. She assisted in surgeries and delivered the townswomen’s babies. At times she was so overworked she looked as if she’d drop. Never once did she give in to self-pity, never once complained. Just rolled up her sleeves and threw herself into taking care of all of us here at home. She’s an amazing woman, Jake.”
“So it would seem. She’s beautiful, I’ll grant you that.” Jake shrugged one shoulder, recalling the curves outlined in the sunlight, damp hair curling around her face, a sweet smile on her lips.
“Yes, well…as I was saying, Suzanna ignored her grief and made herself useful. The year after she lost Jason, her parents died—father, then mother. It was a hellish four years for her. The passing of those she loved, all that death and destruction… Annie and I worried about her, but she soldiered on. I’ve never witnessed such courage and strength in anyone.”
“She sounds like an admirable person, Nathan.”
“She is, Jake. You’ve seen her. So lovely. Long brown hair, eyes the color of spring grass. All woman, if you catch my meaning. A real treasure. A woman any man would be proud to have as wife.”
The two men faced each other in silence.
****
At last.
There it was.
The true motive behind Nathan’s letter. There was more to the story than his brother wanting to see Suzanna Worthington settled or helping him find a wife. Jake’s piercing gaze penetrated Nathan’s unspoken motives.
“So you brought me here to introduce me to your ‘friend,’ this beautiful Suzanna that you worry about because you’re in love with her yourself?”
A shocked silence permeated the air around them on the porch.
“No…no, it isn’t like that. I…” Nathan swallowed, quickly glancing around for Annie, the deep color on his skin a dead giveaway.
“Don’t bother denying it, brother. It’s written all over your face when you talk about her. It’s obvious she is more to you than a family friend. How
long has this been going on?”
“Damn it, Jake, lower your voice,” Nathan sputtered, hands held palms out in front of him. “Annie could hear you, and God knows I would never hurt her…never.”
Jake scowled at his brother. “But you are in love with Suzanna?”
At the bleak expression on Nathan’s face, Jake let loose a disgusted curse.
“Yes, I love her, but I’m not in love with her. Not any longer, and there’s a difference.” Nathan rose as he defended the implication of any impropriety between him and Suzanna. “Suzanna doesn’t know I had those kinds of feelings for her. She’s never given me a second glance other than as a man she considers a friend, an older brother…God! What a mess.” He turned his back on Jake and grabbed the back of a nearby chair for support.
“So what do you want from me?” Jake asked plainly. “Other than to marry this woman and take her far away so you won’t be tempted to act on your feelings for her yourself.”
Nathan flushed, a muscle ticking rapidly in his jaw. “I would never do that, Jake. I’m married to a woman I’ve come to love and respect. But I will not rest until Suzanna is provided for. If not you, I will find someone else.”
“Simmer down. I didn’t say I wouldn’t do it. When do I begin to…how shall I say—persuade—this paragon of womanhood she can’t live without me?”
“Annie and I thought we could have her over for dinner this evening. Let you two meet. See if there might be some interest between you. Where’s the harm? If you don’t like her, it’s just a meal. If you do…”
“If I do, then what?”
“You asked me to find you a wife from the women left destitute after the war. You wanted a lady, you wanted someone attractive and educated. You wanted a woman to give you children, and warm your bed at night. The rest is entirely up to you.”
Jake sipped his bourbon. It could be worse. She could be old or ugly or a shrew. She was not. But the girl did have a sassy mouth. He appreciated a fine animal with spirit, but a woman with a streak of independence in his bed was a different story. He was a man accustomed to having his own way, unchallenged by those in his employ. A wife with a mind of her own could prove annoying.
A Necessary Woman Page 3
