“I imagine Noah Brown found your horse and belongings,” Lauralee said softly. “Your belongings are safely with you now. I will find out where your horse is being lodged and will see that it is taken to my uncle’s stables.”
A young woman, wearing a floor-length white dress and apron, entered the room with a tray. She smiled over at Lauralee, then Dancing Cloud, as she set the tray on a table beside the bed. “Ma’am, Dr. Kemper said that you would be feeding the gentleman?” she asked as she poured a glass of water from a pitcher.
“It would be my pleasure.” Lauralee smiled down at Dancing Cloud. Then she gazed over at the nurse. “And thank you for bringing the broth for Dancing Cloud.”
She could see the nurse’s eyes waver at Lauralee’s mention of Dancing Cloud’s Cherokee name.
But Lauralee ignored this and went to the other side of the bed. She scooted a chair close and smiled another thank you to the nurse before she left.
She plumped a pillow beneath Dancing Cloud’s head in an effort to position him higher so that he would not choke on the liquids that she would feed him.
“You frightened me when you were asleep for so long,” Lauralee said, lifting the spoon of broth to his lips. “The ether. I am sure the ether was the cause. Some doctors use more than others to be assured their patients don’t awaken during surgery.”
Dancing Cloud felt the flow of the warm broth move down his throat and into his stomach and heartily welcomed it. It was not so much that he was hungry. He knew what was required to get his strength back.
Food, and exercise.
He would get out of bed as soon as his knees would hold him up. He had to be able to defend himself should the red-haired Yankee show up again.
Dancing Cloud had been alert enough after the ambush to know that Noah Brown had told the Yankee that he could not allow Dancing Cloud to die.
He also recalled the Yankee’s threats about what he would do if Noah revealed that it was he who had fired the shot.
That made Dancing Cloud even more grateful to the farmer for having saved his life. He was taking his own life in his hands by doing it, as well as those of his entire family.
Dancing Cloud managed to empty the bowl of broth, then drank down slow gulps of water.
As Lauralee eased his head back down on the pillow, he closed his eyes and sighed.
“It’s wonderful that you were able to take so much nourishment,” she murmured as she kissed his brow. “But I can tell, darling, that you do need your rest. Although I hate having to, I will leave you now. But I shall be here again early in the morning.”
Dancing Cloud eased an arm around her shoulders. He drew her lips to his. He gave her a kiss that left her shaken with desire.
Her face was flushed as she rose away from him. She smiled, then left the room, feeling that the promise of her future was bright again. Although she enjoyed her beautiful room at the Peterson House, she would willingly leave it behind to be with Dancing Cloud.
This time when he left Mattoon she would be with him.
She met Abner in the corridor. He gave her an affectionate hug, then placed an arm around her waist and ushered her toward the front waiting room.
“I wanted to see Nancy,” Lauralee said, giving an anxious look over her shoulder at the closed door of Nancy’s room.
“She’s asleep and resting comfortably,” Abner said, walking her on outside, to the horse and buggy. “She knows your thoughts are with her. You can sit with her tomorrow.”
“Would you mind if I gathered some flowers from your garden to take to Nancy tomorrow?” Lauralee asked. She smoothed the wrinkles from her skirt as she sat down on the cushioned seat of the buggy. Abner soon flicked the horse’s reins and rode away from the hospital.
“Yes, Nancy would like that,” Abner said, nodding. “Snapdragons. They are her favorite.”
They rode awhile in silence. Both were lost in their own thoughts.
But when Abner took a swing away from the Peterson House when they reached it, and traveled down a road away from it, Lauralee looked over at him with surprise.
“Uncle Abner, where are we going?” she asked softly. “You’ve gone past your house.”
“There’s someone who needs to be thanked,” Abner said, casting Lauralee a quick glance.
“Oh?” Lauralee said. An eyebrow raised quizzically. “Who? It’s getting quite late.”
“It’s never too late to say a polite thank you,” Abner said, laughing softly. “And who might we both be saying a thank you to, Lauralee? Noah Brown. That’s who.”
Lauralee looked quickly over at him.
“My dear, Noah saved your young man’s life today,” he said. He smiled at her. “I am taking you there to give you the opportunity to thank him yourself.”
Stunned, Lauralee looked away from him. Of course she knew that Noah Brown should be thanked. She wanted to oblige him with a heartfelt thanks. But having seen her uncle’s coolness toward Dancing Cloud, she had to wonder what his true motive was for taking her to the farmer’s residence.
“Noah has a son, Lauralee,” Abner said, eyeing her speculatively as she gave him another quick, questioning glance. “I think you might enjoy meeting him. He’d make some lucky woman an excellent husband.”
Lauralee’s spine stiffened. Now she understood. She understood that Abner was not truly concerned about taking “thank you’s” to Noah. Her uncle wanted to push another man on her in hopes that she would forget all about Dancing Cloud.
“Lauralee?” Abner turned quizzical eyes her way. “Aren’t you anxious to meet the son of such an honorable man as Noah Brown?”
Lauralee frowned at him and refused to answer. She most certainly was not going to play this matching game with him.
When Abner drew his horse and buggy into a narrow drive that led to a small farmhouse, Lauralee’s pulse raced.
She felt trapped.
Totally trapped.
And without even having met Noah’s son yet, she felt as though she was a part of the betrayal that Abner was forcing upon her.
Chapter 13
Henceforth I will not set my love
on other than the country lass,
For in the court I see and prove
Fancy is brittle as the glass.
—SIR ARTHUR GORGES
A huge collie met the horse and buggy, barking and hopping up on Lauralee’s side. She recoiled and scooted closer to Abner.
Then her eyes were averted elsewhere when a young man opened the front door of the small farmhouse and stepped out onto the porch, a kerosene lantern held out before him.
Abner drew tight rein directly in front of the porch. “Good evening, Paul,” he said, leaving the buggy in one hop. “Will you go and tell your mom and pop that Abner Peterson and his lovely niece have come calling?”
“Yes, sir,” Paul said. “I’ll go and tell them. It’s nice of you to drop by. You should come more often.”
Paul paused long enough to hold the lantern farther away from himself so that he could get a better look at Lauralee. He whistled at his dog when he realized it was frightening her. The dog followed him into the house.
Abner circled his reins around a hitching rail, then went to Lauralee and held his arms up for her.
She had no choice but to oblige and allowed him to help her from the buggy. It was obvious that he was not going to settle for anything less than her meeting a young man of his choosing tonight.
It took no fortune-teller’s crystal ball to understand what was behind this late call to the Browns, especially now that Lauralee had seen their son. She could tell that he was not that much older than herself.
And there was no denying how handsome he was. Even in the dim light of the lantern she had noticed. If not for loving Dancing Cloud so much, she could say that she might have even allowed herself to enjoy her uncle’s ploy.
But she did love Dancing Cloud.
Nothing or no one could change that.
In overalls,
Noah came outside and gestured with a hand. “Come on inside and sit a spell,” he said, his voice filled with a pleasant warmth. “June just brewed a fresh pot of coffee. She made a cake earlier in the day. Have some refreshments with us while you tell us what brings you out to our farm so late at night.”
“I think I’ll pass on the coffee, Noah,” Abner said, laughing softly as he ushered Lauralee up the steps. “I only drink coffee past suppertime if I plan to work all night in my study.”
“And so this is your niece who you’ve talked about these past weeks?” Noah said. He stepped aside and held the screen door open for Abner as he escorted Lauralee on inside the house. “She’s a pretty one, Abner. I’m sure she’ll have all of the Mattoon men wantin’ to escort her to various functions.”
Lauralee looked quickly around the room. It was lit by two kerosene lamps. She could see that it was comfortably furnished. Flowered wallpaper graced the parlor walls, clean, sparkling white sheer curtains hung at the windows, and a roaring fire on the grate of the fireplace filled the room with warmth and light. The aroma of bread baking wafted from the kitchen.
Noah gazed over at Paul. He could see his son’s interest in Lauralee. “I have a son who just might beat all of the other gents to the punch,” he said, chuckling. “What do you say, Paul? Ain’t she somethin’?”
Lauralee blushed from the close scrutiny, herself now even more taken by Paul since she was close enough to get a true look at his handsomeness.
She could see why her uncle had tried this ploy to avert her attention and feelings away from Dancing Cloud.
Tall and square-shouldered, his golden hair cut straight just above his shirt collar, Paul Brown was a breathtakingly handsome man whose blue eyes seemed to pierce the very heart and soul of Lauralee.
Then she recalled other blue eyes.
Those of the damn Yankee.
The Yankee’s eyes had been cold and evil.
Paul’s were warm and friendly as was his smile as he gazed at her.
Lauralee’s eyes shifted and took in the rest of his facial features after having already seen how virile and muscled he was in his skin-tight black breeches and pale blue denim shirt. He had a long, straight nose, a set jawline, and lips that seemed way too sensual to be a man’s. She wondered how it might feel to be kissed by them.
Then she shook herself out of her reverie when she realized where her thoughts had taken her. Now she felt for certain that she was betraying Dancing Cloud’s love for her. Allowing another man to cause her insides to grow weak was wrong.
She could not feel anything for this man.
She could not allow her uncle’s scheme to work!
She would marry Dancing Cloud one day. She adored the thought of living with him forever as his wife.
She was relieved when someone else came into the room, her very presence breaking the tension. Lauralee looked over at the middle-aged woman, instantly liking her. A gentle warmth radiated from her, her blue eyes dancing, her perfectly shaped lips smiling.
Dressed in a fully gathered cotton dress, her golden hair tied in a bun atop her head, she was tall and statuesque.
“Abner, how nice it is to see you again,” June said, rushing toward him with an extended hand of welcome. She clasped onto his hand and shook it, then turned wondering eyes to Lauralee. “And this must be Lauralee.”
Lauralee was not at all surprised when June came to her with a warm hug. She found herself returning the hug.
Then Lauralee blushed uneasily when June stepped away from her and looked over at her son with a twinkle in her eyes, then gazed at Lauralee again.
“I’m sure you two young people have other things you’d rather do besides stay in the house,” June said, again smiling from Paul, back to Lauralee. “Son, why don’t you take Lauralee and show her our pond? Get acquainted.”
Lauralee gave a panicked look at Abner. She then sighed resolutely when Paul was suddenly there, his hand at her elbow, ushering her outside.
She walked stiffly with him down the steps, and across the wide stretch of lawn. Neither of them spoke until the pond was reached, where the moon made a path along the water and crickets sang love songs.
“You’ll have to pardon my parents,” Paul said almost bashfully as he gave Lauralee a half glance. “I think they are worrying about this bachelor son of theirs way too much.”
“I noticed,” Lauralee said, laughing loosely. “And I imagine you may have noticed that my uncle has the same thing on his mind about his niece.”
“I heard talk about you coming to town to live with the Petersons,” Paul said, giving Lauralee another shy glance. “You staying long?”
“That was my father’s intentions when he wired my uncle and aunt from his deathbed,” Lauralee said. She flinched when he took her hand and led her to the ground beside the pond, then sat down beside her.
Lauralee eased her hand away from his and rearranged her skirt beneath her on the grass. She then primly folded her hands on her lap as she coiled her feet beneath her.
“I’m sorry about your father,” Paul said, drawing his long, lean legs up before him, to hug them. “It must be rough to have lost both parents.”
“It’s the worst feeling in the world,” Lauralee said solemnly. “It’s all because of the war. But I’m not the only one whose life was altered by it.” She gave him a soft look. “I was told that you lost a brother. I’m sorry.”
“It’s been hard to live with the knowledge that I’ll never see Brad again,” Paul said, his voice breaking. “But I keep busy on the farm. That helps me forget. At least for a while.”
“It was kind of your father to take Dancing Cloud to Dr. Kemper’s,” Lauralee said. She inhaled a quavering breath as she envisioned Dancing Cloud in bed now, trusting her as he slept.
“The reason my uncle and I paid your family such a late visit tonight was to thank your father for what he did for Dancing Cloud,” she quickly added. “Also, I would like to ask about Dancing Cloud’s horse. Is it in your stable?”
“Yes, Pop brought it home but planned to take it to Abner’s tomorrow,” Paul said. “If it’s all right, I’d like to bring the horse. Perhaps you and I could talk some more?”
“If you wish,” Lauralee said, without thinking. Then she felt guilty again over Dancing Cloud because of her easiness with Paul.
Torn with feelings she did not understand, Lauralee tried to convince herself that it was only out of kindness that she was behaving this way with another man. How could she feel anything for him, when the most wonderful man in the world loved her?
“I truly must go,” she blurted, rushing to her feet. “I’m sure my uncle has said his thank you’s by now. I am bone-weary. I need to get home.”
“I understand,” Paul said. He rose to his full height, towering over Lauralee.
Lauralee started to walk back toward the house, but Paul’s warm hand in hers stopped her.
She was all eyes and breathless when he swung her around to face him.
She went numb inside when he swept his arms around her waist and drew her close.
“Don’t misunderstand what I’m about to do,” he said. “I’ve never wanted to kiss anyone ever, as badly as I want to kiss you.”
She grew weak in the knees when his full lips covered hers in a warm, passionate kiss. When she began experiencing something akin to rapture, she became frightened and shoved at his chest.
When she finally wrenched herself away, she stared up at him. “Please don’t ever do that again,” she said, her voice trembling. “Now I am forced to decline your invitation of coming to talk with me tomorrow when you bring Dancing Cloud’s horse to the Petersons’ stable. I’m afraid you have more in mind than mere conversation.”
She stiffened her back and stamped away, but gasped when once again his warm hand was there in hers, stopping her.
“I apologize,” he said as he urged her around to face him again. “I shouldn’t have.”
“Never shall you again,�
�� Lauralee said, her whole insides trembling from confusion.
“I would still like the opportunity of seeing you again.” Paul’s voice was soft and convincing.
“Only long enough for you to give me the reins to Dancing Cloud’s horse,” Lauralee said stubbornly. She wrenched her hand away from his. “I would expect you to leave quickly then.”
“I can’t make such a promise,” Paul said, frowning down at her.
“Then don’t bother coming,” Lauralee persisted. She placed her hands on her hips. “Send someone else with Dancing Cloud’s horse. If not, I shall make sure only the Petersons’ stable hand is there to accept the horse.”
“Why are you being so stubborn?” Paul insisted. “I felt you respond to my kiss. Why would you want to deny your feelings? Is it because there is someone else?”
Lauralee paled.
Her eyes wavered.
That was all it took for Paul to know the answers.
“Is it the Cherokee?” he asked thickly.
“I’d truly rather not continue this conversation,” Lauralee replied. She whirled her skirt around to walk away from him again. She gave him an aggravated look when he caught up with her and walked beside her in a lazy but most intriguing saunter.
“Lauralee, I would truly like the opportunity to court you and change your mind about anyone else you may think you have feelings for,” Paul said, not giving her up all that easily.
She thought back to the orphanage. Living like that, she had never had the opportunity to have men come calling, as women do who lived in normal homes, with normal families. It gave her a strange sort of thrill to think of having a man come calling on her at a front door, of having a man escort her to a fancy carriage, of having the man possibly taking her to a fancy ball where she would whirl around the floor from night to dawn.
She wanted to experience all of these things.
But she still did not want to have a life with anyone but Dancing Cloud.
And she knew that he would not be the courting kind, who would come calling in a fancy carriage, or who would even know how to dance!
Wild Abandon Page 13
