Katie's gasp was louder than she intended. From the corner of her eye, she saw Ophelia's hand fly to her mouth.
But Nick stopped only after delivering three more swats. Then he held her still, as he leaned down close to her ear. "You should know I won't tolerate that kind of behavior from you. I'll ride topside for a while. But when we stop, I'll expect an explanation for your state of pique. And I'll expect you to make it with a tone of respect."
Katie found herself lifted into the carriage and heard the door close behind her. In a second, he was gone. She sat down in the seat across from Lizzie and lowered her head.
"I told you," Lizzie murmured. "Nick won't put up with that."
Katie nodded sadly, her eyes misting. "Of all people, I should know."
Apologies
It was late afternoon when Katie felt the carriage come to a stop. She sat up straight in her seat, wondering when Nick would put his head inside the door and what kind of mood he'd be in.
She didn't have to wait long. A moment later, he opened the door, eyeing first one, then the other.
"Lizzie, Isaac and Kimbrow will take you in to get you started on supper. I'll be in to join you shortly, but first…" he paused, frowning at Katie "…I wish to speak to Kaitlynne. Alone."
Lizzie glanced at Katie as if to say, "Kaitlynne? If you're smart, you'll watch what you say," before resting a hand on his sleeve and letting him lower her to the ground.
Nick waited a moment, listening to his sister chatter away with Kimbrow and Isaac, the grooms she'd known since she was born. Then he jumped up into the carriage and closed the door, sitting on the edge of the seat opposite Katie. His long legs were just on the outside of hers, but as she moved back, he leaned forward.
"And now, Katie, I have some questions for you, and you're going to provide answers. Honestly and respectfully. Is that clear?"
Her eyes wide and round, she nodded.
"So," he demanded. "What's going on in that head of yours today? I didn't come all this way to have you, one of the dearest friends I have, act like a ten-year-old spoiled brat."
"A what? I am not."
"You are." He frowned. "And you're about to be reminded what happens when you do that. What's gotten into you?"
Katie met his eyes, her own suddenly blazing. "You really want to know? I'll tell you."
"If I didn't, I wouldn't have asked. I swear, Katie—"
"All right. Are you listening, Nick Wellington? Because I'm about to tell you. I wouldn't have, but—"
"Oh, but you would. Right side up or upside down. Spill it, brat. And it had better be the truth. I've always been able to tell when you lie."
Katie's head came up defiantly, glaring. "All right. If I'm such a dear friend to you, why is it that I didn't know you had proposed to someone I've never met, until I just happened to get a letter from Polly inviting me to her wedding and she just happened to mention it. When would I have found out? Lizzie certainly didn't tell me." Words were tumbling out over each other now. "And why is it I didn't know it happened until it had been called off? You have the nerve to call me one of your best friends? Nicholas George, that's a fine way to treat a friend. You know how to read and write. You could have sent a note—or something!"
"Whoa." He stared down at her with surprise. There was silence in the coach for a moment, while they stared into each other's eyes. "You're right, of course." He regarded her carefully. "Katie, I hadn't seen you since last Christmas. I understood then, that Archibald Edwards was about to propose to you. I figured you'd forgotten I existed."
She stared back at him, surprised. "Archie? Who told you that?"
He frowned. "No one told me. I heard some of the servants talking among themselves. I suppose I shouldn't have assumed—"
"No, you're quite right. You shouldn't. Archie is a friend, no more than that. Nick, I would have let you know if he—or anyone—was pursuing me. But you didn't come around. You were never there when I visited, and…" She looked away. "And it's not my fault you weren't home all summer." She was still glaring.
"Did you ever stop to think there might be a reason why I wasn't home all summer?"
"Yes. I thought you were avoiding me."
"Avoiding—" He shook his head, his eyes narrowing.
"Yes. Is that my fault?"
His hands descended on her shoulders, and he refused to allow her to pull out of his grasp. "Stop it, Katie. This is getting us nowhere. The point is…" He scowled. "Damn and blast, I've no idea what the point is, but you have no right to be angry with me for failing to check in with you when…" He stared down at her thoughtfully. When he reached for her hand, she pulled it away.
Two fingers raised her chin upward, until she had no choice but to face him. Angry dark eyes penetrated the emotional armor she'd woven so tightly about herself. "Let's get one thing straight, Kaitlynne Adams. Are you listening to me?"
She blinked, unable to pull her eyes away from his.
"There is to be no more of this jerking away from me when I touch you. Answer me one question."
"What?" It came out as provocative, and he shook her slightly.
"What would you have said if I had asked you to marry me?"
Her chest heaved in a gasp, and her voice, when she spoke, was breathy. "Why—are you asking me that?"
He moved closer, his face inches away. His piercing stare drilled holes through her. "I don't talk just to hear myself." Silence hung in the air for a few seconds. "Katie, I thought I had lost the chance of asking for your hand, long ago. Was I wrong? And so help me, if you want to sit down the next two days, you'd better give me the truth."
"Don't threaten me."
"It's not a threat. It's a fact. Answer me."
She blinked. "If I g-gave you that impression, Nick, I'm s-sorry. And I'm sorry for what's happened to you now. It breaks my heart to see you hurting. It must have been dreadful when she…" Her voice trailed away.
There was a long silence between them. He had released her chin, but was still holding her with his eyes. "Listen to me carefully, Katie. What's hurting me, is not Miss Watson calling off the engagement. I knew before a day or two had passed, it was a terrible mistake. Quite the stupidest thing I've ever done and entirely too hasty. That was all my fault. The truth is it was a relief. No, Katie. What hurts is the way I see you acting toward me now."
Tears were pricking, and she found herself blinking as one trailed down her cheek.
"I'm sorry." Her voice was a whisper. "But don't ever treat me like that again. Or I'll—" Her voice broke, and Nick leaned down and followed the trail of the tear gently with his finger.
"You'll what?" he whispered. "Katie, if I'd had any idea you felt this strongly, a year could have been saved for both of us. Don't cry, and don't shut me out. It'll be all right."
She nodded as another tear slid down her cheek. "How?" she whispered softly. "How will it be all right?"
Nick lifted her chin further upward and then leaned down to kiss her forehead gently. "It just will. You and I need to have a deep conversation, and soon." He took her waist and raised her to her feet. "We'd better go. Lizzie is probably finished eating by now. He rose, hunching his shoulders in the coach to keep from hitting his head on the ceiling and jumped to the ground, turning back to reach for her.
This time, she allowed him to span her waist with his hands and lift her down. Was it her imagination, or had she felt a strange sensation when he touched her, even through the fabric of her gown? He tucked her hand through his arm as they entered the restaurant.
Isaac met them, coming out.
"I'll take the team down to the Hostlers and change them out, sir. Miss Lizzie's mainspring has to wind down sometime. When she does, she'll probably sleep for days. Kimbrow and I thought we'd trade off driving through the night. You've been doing a lot of the driving, and I know you probably need to rest tonight."
"To tell the truth, I could use some sleep." Nick grinned and took Katie inside. Lizzie immediately saw them
and waved, looking curiously from one to the other as they made their way toward her table.
Nick was glad he'd insisted on having some hot rolls and butter and jam wrapped up to take with them in case someone got hungry during the night's travel. They wouldn't be as good cold, but at least they would be sustenance.
He put the ladies into the coach and climbed in behind them. Lizzie and Katie sat across from him as they continued toward Baltimore. After that, it would be Frederick and then home.
"So," Lizzie began to toss questions at him. "Tell us what's happening at home."
He raised a brow. "The long boring details or the short version?"
Lizzie laughed. "All of it."
Nick’s mouth twisted into a grimace.
"You'll get the short version. No, don't argue. There will be many a soul, when you get home, who would love to expound on the demise of my relationship. You knew Cicely Andrews and Abel Carter were married."
She nodded. "That's what Polly said. That's exciting. I always knew they would end up together. What else has happened?"
"Well, there was Miss Watson's visit into town to stay with the Andrews."
"Yes. And you proposed to her. And then she broke it off. Why?"
Her brother stared down at her. "You don't waste any time, do you? Take your questions to Miss Hazel, the housekeeper. She'll go on for days about what happened with Cicely's wedding."
Lizzie's eyes grew huge. "What happened at Cicely's wedding?"
Nick rolled his eyes. "There's no way out of this, is there?"
Lizzie grinned. "No."
A sigh escaped him. "All right. Miss Hazel and the Pembroke staff had offered to do the cake for Cicely and Abel, like they always do at weddings for those close to us." He glanced toward Katie. "And Miss Constance and the Adams House staff were to do the food. I took Miss Watson out to Pembroke on the Thursday before, just to show her around, and she disappeared for a few moments. When I found her, she was in Miss Hazel's office. During that time, she apparently told Miss Hazel to disregard doing the cake."
"Oh, no." Lizzie's green eyes were round.
"Oh, yes. Then, Miss Watson somehow sent word to Miss Constance and said the same about the food."
"Oh!" Katie's hand flew to her mouth.
Nick nodded. "Exactly. I was unaware of it until early the morning of the wedding, when Miss Hazel said something to me. She was worried about the food, and it occurred to me Miss Watson might have done the same thing with Miss Constance. Anyway, it was corrected just in time, and incredibly, there was both food and cake following the wedding."
Now, Katie's eyes were as wide as Lizzie's.
"So you saved the day," Lizzie said, finally.
"No, Miss Hazel did when she mentioned it to me."
"What else has happened?" Katie wanted to know.
"Well, there was the episode at the courthouse where she got Cicely into trouble and talked her into smoking a cigar. Cicely ended up throwing up all over Abel's courtroom, behind the bench. I wasn't there so you'll have to get that story from the judge or the twins. And then," he said as he turned, staring out the window. "There was the ladies' town brawl that had every woman in Strasburg involved, right in front of the courthouse and the sheriff's office."
Katie was staring at him, appalled. "And did that start with Phebe, too?"
He was still looking away. "Unfortunately, it did."
"And this was the woman you asked to marry you?" Lizzie's voice had turned into a shriek. "Nick, what's wrong with you? Did you lose your mind?"
Nick turned to her. "Enough, Lizzie," he said sharply. Things were quiet for a moment, and then he spoke again. "But I'll answer you. Yes, I did." He moved his gaze to Katie. He was barely able to see her in the fading light, but he could tell she was watching him.
"I did lose it," he said softly. "A year ago."
Lizzie's voice was curious. "What does that mean?"
Nick frowned. "Ask Katie. Later."
Katie turned toward the window. She was leaning back in the seat now, and her shoulders drooped. She looked tired.
"Miss Hazel sent pillows and blankets for us. And of course, food and water, too, but that disappeared on the trip over. There is still some water left. Either of you need some?"
"You're changing the subject." Lizzie leveled her gaze at him. "But no. Katie?"
"No, thank you."
A few more moments passed, and silence reigned. In a brief few seconds of moonlight between the trees, he noticed that Katie's lids were becoming heavy, and a moment later, closed. She began to lean over on Lizzie's shoulder.
"Here." Nick reached for the pillows and handed one to Lizzie, along with a blanket. "I'll take Katie, so you can stretch out."
Lifting Katie over onto his lap, he slid down to one end of the coach. He positioned a pillow under her head and unfolded another blanket, tucking it around her, to warm her. He knew Lizzie was grinning, across from him, even though he couldn't see her in the darkness. He decided to ignore it.
The truth was he didn't care. Having Katie's delicious curves lying next to him was delightful.
A myriad of thoughts raced through Nick's mind as he rested his hand on Katie's ribcage to keep her from sliding off the seat with the rocking of the coach. He vividly remembered the conversation he'd heard the previous year, saying Katie had a suitor who was about to propose, and it was certain she would accept. He also remembered his outraged reaction to it. He'd been hoping to approach her when she came home from school for Christmas that year. He thought it odd that Lizzie hadn't mentioned it in her letters. Usually, she kept him up to date on their lives and on Katie.
He'd been furious. Furious at Lizzie for not telling him. Furious at finding out this way. But mostly furious at himself, for not asking for her hand sooner. He'd been too late. He'd barely managed to stop himself from storming into the Adams House and demanding to know if it was true.
After that, he'd assumed he would hear an announcement soon of her marriage. But it never came. When she and Lizzie went away to school at the end of the summer, he assumed she was waiting until she graduated from college.
Katie spoke the truth. He had avoided her that Christmas and stayed away the whole summer, thinking she was happy in her decision, and if he came home, he might well encounter the suitor he already hated.
Nick had adored Katie since she was ten and he was thirteen. It was no different now. She'd grown up into a beautiful woman of twenty-two, and he still adored her.
She stirred suddenly, and rolled over onto her back, her innocence and vulnerability in sleep reminding him of a time when she was much younger. His protective instincts made him wrestle with the desire to lean down and kiss her forehead. At the same time, her curves and luscious mouth reminded him she was very much a woman now.
What had he ever even seen in Phebe Watson? Suddenly, he knew. Absolutely nothing. Katie, with her mischievous smile, her willful defiance, and tendency to pop off at him, had always stirred sparks in him. She'd been determined to produce a reaction in him since the day she was born. More than once, she'd pushed him into having to make a decision between kissing her or tossing her across his knee, and he'd done the latter more than a few times. When she wasn't determined to irritate the daylights out of him, she was the most delightful, loyal and protective creature alive to those she loved.
He hoped to God, he would one day again be one of those people.
Watching Katie
Katie opened her eyes, unsure for a moment where she was. Her first glance was across at Lizzie, who was still sleeping on the side of the coach opposite her. It was when she slid her hands under the pillow to reposition it that she encountered Nick's hard thighs.
Her eyes opened wide, and she looked up to see him, the corner of his mouth turned up in a grin.
"Nick?" She frowned, withdrawing her hands immediately from under the pillow. "What? Where?"
He said, "I'm holding you to keep you from falling out on the floor. And, we're
somewhere close to Baltimore, on our way home."
"Oh." Realization dawned on her, and she frowned down at the arm that rested just above her waist, attempting to push it away so she could sit up. He slid one hand under her back to help her, and she leaned toward the window to look out.
"It's early yet. You slept well."
"Thank you. I'll bet you didn't."
"Better than you'd expect. How do you feel this morning?"
"Fine. You?" She covered her mouth to hide a yawn and stretched.
"Well enough. Lie back down. You obviously aren't ready to wake up."
"I told you. I'm fine."
He reached down for the rolls he'd gotten from the restaurant the evening before. "Hungry? These might be a little hard, but they're smeared with butter and jam."
Katie shook her head. But her eyes betrayed her. She did want one. He opened the package and took hold of her hand, turning it palm-upward before setting one of the rolls in it. "Here. You're being stubborn. Eat."
She scowled.
"Katie, we're dancing around the subject we both need to discuss. If you don't need to eat, now is the time, while Lizzie's asleep."
She took a bite of the roll and turned away from him, looking out the window.
Nick had the urge to grab hold of her and spank her, but instead, brought his own roll to his mouth and bit off a good-sized chunk.
"You're still angry at me." he affirmed in a solemn voice.
She glanced up, cocking her head. "Perhaps."
"No 'perhaps' about it. Are you going to talk to me, or are you not?"
"Not." Her chin jutted out defiantly as she finished the roll.
"Want another one?"
"No."
"Water?"
"No, thank you."
With one swift move, he took her by the shoulders and brought her back down to lie down with her head on the pillow. "Then, go back to sleep."
Katie's Maverick (Strasburg: The New Generation Book 2) Page 2
