“It’ll work out.” Joe nodded, his expression softening.
After an hour or so of walking the property, Luke felt as though he had really come home. It was good seeing that everything really had been cared for during his absence. And what needed doing he could tend to.
He walked up to the front door again and knocked. She came to the door, her frown still in place, her gun under her arm. He wondered why. Did she always walk around with a gun in her hand? Did she have to? Maybe so.
“Come on in, I’ve laid out some clothes for you,” she said with a contrite smile. She pointed the gun down now. He was relieved.
“Did you ever tell Lee how you felt about him?” Luke asked, hoping to get more information out of her, as he followed her inside.
“He was white…what you are suggesting is…wrong….Of course I never told him how much I loved him. And you’ll not speak of it again, you hear me? I’ll run you off this place.”
Her expression took on a faraway look then.
“Maybe I’m wrong, but…love’s never wrong…” His voice trailed off.
She looked away. “He was a special person. Why, he’s the very reason these girls are with me today. He taught me that family was everything, and that I should protect children. And that’s what I been doin’. These girls aren’t mine. Their folks died and I stumbled upon them along the way and took them in. They had no family, nowhere to go, just like Sam and I didn’t years ago when Lee took us in and found us someone to take care of us. He didn’t have to do that. Gotta love a man like that. He was just too good.”
Luke watched her and smiled. It pleasured him that none of the girls were hers by birth. That there was no man in her life. His little Hattie had learned well.
“You don’t think he’d mind me wearin’ his clothes?” Luke asked with a twist of his head.
“I don’t reckon he’d mind; he’s dead,” she said quietly as though that bothered her. In fact, the fact that he was supposed to be dead seemed to really bother her. A sadness came out at him and touched him. It made him want to talk to her, but he couldn’t. Not for a while. Not ‘til he could figure out how they could ever be together, or he figured out how to stay away from her. That was gonna be harder than anything else, because he wanted her and he knew it, and he was pretty sure by the things she said that she cared for him too.
“I’m sorry, you told me that. How’d he die? How did Lee die?”
Her head hung and she turned away from him. “On the battlefield as far as I know. They told me when I enquired with the Army that many were buried on the field as they lay. No time for properness there. I thought he deserved a better burial than that.”
“I see. And Dil, did they say what happened to him?”
“Oh yes, they said. Dil was hung. He was a confederate spy and he was caught and hung. He must have been just as sweet as his brother from all I heard. Never had the pleasure of meeting him.” She stared up at him and then went to the bedroom. She opened the door and led him in.
Luke stood motionless for a long moment. Her words had sliced through his heart like a knife and he couldn’t react. He lost his breath, lost his sense of time and place as he gripped himself for control. Hung?
“You alright?” she asked a moment later as she stared at him.
“I’m sorry, ma’am.” Luke studied her from a distance. “Just took me by surprise, is all. That’s a bad way to go, I’m told.”
“They told me he went with his head up, a smile on his face, knowing he was gonna be with the Lord,” she proclaimed proudly. “A man can’t die better than that, now can they?”
Luke stared at her for a long moment, amazed at how proudly she said that.
“Yes ma’am. I guess he was one brave man.”
“The Nelson boys were as good as they come. But now see here…You’re a nosy one, aren’t you?” She frowned as she whirled around and gazed at his lips.
“I guess so, I apologize. It must be painful to talk about.” Luke tried to remain unmoved by the news, but his body felt like it might split open from the pain in his heart. “I shouldn’t have brought it up.”
“They were both good men.” She eyed him suspiciously but tears brimmed in her eyes too.
“I’m sorry about them dyin’, it must have been mighty hard to take.” Luke tried to sound as though he didn’t care about her answer, but he waited with baited breath.
“More than you could know. Lee was a good man, and you don’t find many of those, these days.”
Their eyes met again as he stood towering over her. A little too close, he smelled the rose water on her. Enticing, and her stare was anything but provocative. She had pouting lips as she dared him to ask more questions. “I shouldn’t be tellin’ you nothin’.”
“You said these belonged to Lee. Maybe I shouldn’t wear them?”
“I told you, he’s dead. Besides, he can’t use them any longer. Somebody should get some use out of them. Lee and Dil were a kind bunch, they’d be the first to offer them.”
“Were they both in the army?”
She nodded out the back. “Confederate army. They’re both out there in the cemetery if you want to go look.”
“I’m sorry ma’am, that’s a lot of dyin’ to take.” Luke narrowed his gaze on her. She smelled so fresh and clean. He liked a clean woman. He shouldn’t be noticing, but he couldn’t help it. The smells were the things that reminded him he was home. He was so used to bad food, and dirty feet, and the stench of death that a woman soaked in rose oil just naturally caught his attention. She looked so soft, and inviting.
Luke felt his heart lift a little seeing things were still the same in his room. She had taken care of it, he could tell, there was no dust on the dresser, and the floors were shined. The clothes lay on the bed, and there were a pair of boots too. “If you can wear them, they are yours,” she said. “In payment for the first month’s wages.”
“Alright ma’am, that’s more than generous of you and thank you.”
Her breath hitched as he moved away and almost touched her in doing so.
“Something wrong?” he asked, almost reaching for her.
“No, nothing, it’s just—nothing.” She shook her head.
“I’ll leave so you can change. But before I do…” She moved to stand right in front of him, her breasts nearly touching his arm as she spoke. If she knew what she did to him, she didn’t let on. And he willed himself not to react, but that was a hard command. “Let’s get somethin’ straight. I don’t like the way you keep looking at me. Just because I’m alone, doesn’t mean you can have me. I’m a black woman and proud of it. So don’t go gettin’ no ideas about me. Just because I had a soft spot for one white man don’t mean I want any more. He was different. He respected me. Took care of me. I have a gun and know how to use it. I’m also skilled with a knife. But, don’t you go lookin’ at me like I’m a prize about to be taken. I-I softened a little because of your hard luck story, I guess, but let me warn you, I know how to use this gun. Understand? I keep it handy at all times. Lee Nelson may be dead, but he’s still in my heart. He’ll always be in my heart. And no man will take his place.” She hesitated. She was shorter than him by several inches and as she moved about she brushed him unintentionally. The word soft came to mind, and this time his reaction was sharp and almost painful.
He liked the way she talked about Dil too, as though she knew him.
He looked down at her and she gasped. “Well ma’am, I’m just not accustomed to seeing such a beautiful woman on a place like this, dressed for a lot of hard work. Forgive me, and my bad manners. Not many women wear pants; it’s something to behold. I’ve been at war for years, ma’am, first in Texas then in Arkansas. But bein’ around a beautiful woman, well, it’s hard to take your eyes away. And it shore don’t get old.” He heard his voice grow husky, as her eyes ran the link of him again.
“Well, try to control yourself. Don’t let it happen again. You’ll respect me and my orders or you’ll get off
this property. I’m not a cow, and the pleasure to gawk is not yours.”
“Yes ma’am, I mean, no ma’am. I’ll do my best not to stare.”
Her voice was commanding, but there was a shine in her eyes too. And he’d put it there.
He tipped his hat and turned to the clothes, as though she’d suddenly closed some door between them. “I think you done put me in my place.”
“Let’s hope so.”
He hurriedly changed and sighed as he brought his old clothes with him. He thought about her words and shook his head. She sure wasn’t in the market for another man, that suited him just fine. Somehow he had to find a way to be honest, once he knew the whole story.
“Well now, that looks presentable.” She smiled now, and his breath caught. She was so lovely when she smiled like that, with her black hair glistening in the sunlight streaming through the window.
“I appreciate it. What do you want me to do with these?” he asked, holding his clothes out.
“We’ll burn them.” She looked at the clothes for a moment and then chuckled.
He laughed too, liking her laugh even more than her smile.
Seeing her up close again had him reacting again and this time he couldn’t stop looking.
She blushed, and even the blush was breath taking.
As she took the clothes, their hands touched fleetingly and her own breathing became labored. He was having some effect on her. “Would you care for a glass of lemonade before you get started?” she asked as she carried his clothes to the back porch. He hadn’t expected her to delay him in getting back to the field, but he certainly wouldn’t object to spending time with her.
“That would be extra special,” he said as some of her defenses subsided.
Lily came in and stared at him as she asked for lemonade too. The little girl smiled at him again.
She poured all of them some lemonade and as they drank it, their eyes met over the tops of the glasses.
He had to learn to control his reactions to her. He’d be working with her and living around her and he couldn’t keep the tension between them like a tightrope.
“So how do you like it here, ma’am? Joe tells me you haven’t lived here that long, and yet the property looks so well kept.”
“Yes, well, I did move here right after…” She paused, swallowed hard, and looked down, then went on. “Wasn’t long after that I got word that his brother died too. It was in the papers or we’d have never known it. They shipped Dil’s body here and I buried him out there alongside his brother. ‘Course Lee isn’t really there, but I think his soul might be.”
“You said Lee died in the war too.”
“They both did. I mean I guess they did.”
Of all the things Lee had heard since he came home, that sent a bullet through his heart. A lump in his throat and pain in his heart. Could he hide all that from her too? It made it difficult to stand there in the kitchen without any reaction at all. His leg needed to kick something, his hand needed to fist. His breath left his lungs. He stood rock still, unable to say anything for a long moment. And right now he wanted to jerk her into his arms and kiss her crazy.
“Mr. Sayers, are you alright?”
Firming his lips, he gathered his control about him. “It don’t seem right.” Luke wanted to know more. Hearing his brother had hanged had him in a stew and he needed to know what had happened. But between sparks flying between them and the ugly truth, whatever it was, he couldn’t keep his attention riveted.
“What don’t?” She turned to look at him again, her eyes cautious, her cheeks glowing.
“You bein’ here alone with three kids to raise, all by yourself,” Luke said, glancing at the youngest girl and wondering if they knew about it and if he had said too much in front of her.
“Well, I am, and I don’t plan on changing that. In fact, I chose it.” She seemed almost nervous now, as though she had spoken too much and didn’t know why. “I got a brother, he’s all of thirteen now, and he’s a big help to Joe and me, and the girls. They are learnin’ to cook too.”
“You mean, you don’t plan on ever marryin’?”
Flustered, she whirled about and came close. “I mean, it’s none of your business, and I have work to do and so do you.”
The woman had a daunting way of putting him in his place and it unnerved him. “Yes ma’am.” Luke met her gaze. For the love of God, he could smell roses again. And her lips were pursed almost as she stood there with her indignation. His head almost bent to take them, until sanity returned. And Lily was staring at them. What was he thinking? But he’d caught her off guard too, because she was staring at him now, and very flustered if her blush meant anything.
With all his might, he nodded and turned away. “Yes ma’am. Thanks for the lemonade.”
And he was gone. But not for good. Not for a long shot. He was going to know the whole story before too long.
Chapter Five
They were out in the corn field when Joe glanced over at Luke. “So did you find out what you wanted to know?”
Luke stopped for a minute and shook his head. “Not nearly enough. But worse still, she said Dil was hung.”
Joe gaped. “Hung?”
“That’s what she said. I was so danged shocked I couldn’t say anything for a few minutes. But I sure aim to find out more about this.”
“Mr. Lee, she never said a word about that. Look, I saw how hard you took Dil’s death. And frankly I’m sorry you gotta listen to all this and not understand it. But nothin’ you do will bring Dil back. He’s with the Lord now.”
Luke pounced on him with his harsh tone. “I know that Joe. But hung? She said he was a spy for the north and was captured. Give me some time to deal with him bein' dead, Joe. It's hard to bear."
"Yes sir, I reckon you are right about that."
"But Hattie is quite a woman…she’s taken control here, and handled things as I would have. You don’t know how much that pleases me. God, Joe, I’m falling for her so hard I don’t see how I’m gonna keep my hands off of her.”Luke asked, watching Joe for a moment, wondering just how much he did know and wasn’t telling.
“All I know is I’ve heard her cry many nights since she arrived here.” Joe saw the frown on Luke’s face and shrugged. “Late at night when the kids are in bed. I’ve heard her cry out by her window. I wondered about that for a long time, until one day it just dawned on me. She was in love with you…Mr. Lee, and I guess because she thought you were dead she thought there was no hope for her. But now…things are different. Aren’t they?”
“Joe, we live in a time where this isn’t possible. We live in a time where Hattie and I can’t show our love…openly. But I swear to you by all that’s holy, I love her, Joe, and I’m gonna find some way to make this all come right.” Luke went back to pulling corn. It wasn’t his voice as much as the way he pulled the corn that spoke of his confusion.
Before the sun went down, she brought out some baskets for them and began taking back the full ones to the house. The kids helped carry the baskets to the house for her. She introduced Violet and Daisy proper this time. And Sam.
Sam nodded but said very little, just watched.
“Why does she wear those men’s clothes?” Luke asked Joe when she had left.
“Don’t know, that’s kinda personal, don’t you think?” Joe smiled as he studied him.
“It’s just that she’s a pretty woman, but to dress like that…” Luke turned to see Joe staring at him strangely. “What?”
“Maybe you should ask her.” Joe chuckled. He shook his head. “Some women knows they gotta work, and they knows they can’t do things in a dress. And, she don’t want the Jeffries’ men thinking she’s trying to capture their attention. She’s not trying to snare a man, she’s trying to keep this land, this home for her babies. But she’s got a lot of worries. That woman is more worried about keepin’ a roof over them babies’ heads than impressin’ a man.”
“Is she that afraid of them?” Lu
ke’s gaze was full of concern.
“I think she is. After all, you said it yourself, she’s a beautiful woman.” Joe chuckled. “Only she don’t know it, and she thinks they are just mocking her. She knows they want to take her down, any way they can.”
“Sometimes not knowin’ how beautiful you are makes you more so,” Luke agreed with a smile.
They’d gotten the corn picked and as evening drew near they found her outside shucking it and they pulled up a couple of barrels and began helping her. Her kids were helping too. The bigger ones especially, Luke could tell.
“Tell me Luke…” She glanced up at him. “You said you’d been in the war. Were you a confederate?”
“Yes ma’am,” he answered, picking up the corn and shucking it quickly. They all watched him and Hattie smiled.
“You’ve done this before.” She smiled, not realizing she had relaxed in front of him.
“Yes ma’am. Many times,” he replied, continuing his shucking and doing his best not to ogle her. He kept his eyes trained down. He wanted to gain her confidence. “My Mama taught me how to do this when I wasn’t much older than Daisy.”
“Don’t know why, but I thought maybe you fought for the north,” she said, as Joe eyed them both carefully. In fact, everyone was eyeing everyone this evening.
“I don’t reckon there is many in Alabama that would fight for the north. I fought for the south. A man should take care of his own. Somehow it would seem wrong sidin’ with the north. Not that I believed the south was right about slavery. Never had a slave in my life. Don’t believe in it.”
Hattie nodded, satisfied with his answer.
“It strikes me funny that you don’t find it odd that I’m a black woman and I own this land. You haven’t said a word about that. How come?” she asked, staring at him, point blank. “I sure expected it.”
“Well, I guess because I’ve been to a lot of places. I nearly got in a revolution down in Mexico, spent some army time in Texas that was sure enlightening. Been all over. Color of skin don’t matter one way or another. We’re all just people. The good book preaches to love thy neighbor.”
Just One Kiss (The Dream Catcher Series-Book Two) Page 8
