Comanche Haven (The Loflin Legacy: Book 1) (35 page)

Soon, Maggie rapped at the door three
times before hurrying in with a tray. “Good morning, dear.” She
greeted Celia with a warm smile. Setting the tray down on the side
table in the sitting area, she stood back, and surveyed her. “How
are we on this fine day?”

Celia knew what was going on in
Maggie’s busy brain at that point. Since Seth was missing she was
the only one left. Irritation warred with annoyance at being the
teller of the tale regarding their first night of wedded bliss.
Still, the charade must go on, so she fixed a bright smile on her
face and greeted Maggie warmly. “We’re fine, Maggie.” Giving the
woman a keen scrutiny, Celia turned the focus to Maggie. “You’re
looking particularly pleased with yourself this morning. A body
would believe you had something up your sleeve, Maggie, ‘ol
girl.”

Maggie planted her fists on ample hips
and pretended offense. “Well, the very idea. Can’t a body wake with
a cheerful slant on the day without everybody thinking they’re up
to something?” So there was no misinterpretation, Maggie winked and
continued to set up the breakfast table.

Smiling at Maggie’s quick dodge of her
barb, Celia reached down and plucked the white linen napkin from
the tray on the table. When she spotted what Maggie had brought,
she couldn’t help the grin of delight. “Oh, biscuits, I adore them
and I’m starving this morning. Thank you, Maggie.”

“
Well, you’re welcome, dear.
‘Tis good, to see, you have an appetite this fine morning. I’ll be
back directly to help you with your dress. Enjoy,” A beaming Maggie
flung the information over her shoulder as she disappeared out the
door.

Again there was a knock at the door and
this time Seth appeared. “Maggie said you were up. How did you
sleep?”

Celia couldn’t help the smirk that
crossed her lips. He’d knocked. “Fine.” She could tell he was
trying for the casual demeanor again and attempted to sound as
nonplused as he did. “What’s on the agenda for today?”

He didn’t answer her immediately.
Instead, he crossed the room and peered out the balcony window,
glancing steely-eyed up and down the street.

“
Seth?” She paused in
spreading peach preserves on her bisque to watch her husband’s
serious behavior.

“
Hmm?”

“
What are you looking
for?”

“
Nothing. I just wanted to
see how hot it was getting to be outside.” Turning to Celia, he ran
his gaze down his wife’s flimsy duster of delicate lace. Celia saw
a muscle flex in his jaw before he turned away.

A private smile of appreciation crossed
her lips.

“
You’ll need to dress. We’ll
be meeting the stage today. We have an appointment with the Bureau
of Indian Affairs. Charles wired the representative from
Natchitoches. He’ll be arriving at noon.” He turned back to her and
his eyes never left her face. “Charles thinks it’s necessary we
document the massacre.”

He hadn’t slowed in his explanation
long enough to even give her a chance to ask why she hadn’t been
informed. With the beginnings of irritation, Celia got up and went
to the dressing screen. “Really, Seth, what can the Bureau of
Indian Affairs do about my father’s death?” Opening the armoire,
she selected a dress and undid the intricate buttons of her
nightgown. With the gown out of the way, she donned a chemise and
slipped into a full-skirted slip, tying the waist securely before
reaching for a corset. Why she wasn’t told about this latest
development kept coming back to her.

“
We’ll have a record of
everything that happened and a statement for the record. If the
Rangers did have something to do with the massacre, the information
we can provide will be important.”

Celia stepped out from behind the
screen. Smoothing the dress, she checked her reflection in the
mirror. “You still think Brannon’s men are responsible, don’t you?”
She bent to retrieve a small hat that matched her dress of dark
wine.

He turned and watched her from the
window. Their eyes met in the looking glass. “There’s too much
circumstantial evidence not to consider it a possibility. Major
Chance at the Fort agrees with the assessment.”

Celia worked the pin into the hat
sitting jauntily atop her head. “What about Cole?” She glanced back
at him. “He should have some idea as he is the sheriff.”

“
Well, Sheriff Cole isn’t
saying much.”

“
Oh!” Wincing, she examined
a small dot of blood as it formed on her finger. “Darn hair
pin.”

Before she realized what he was doing,
he was across the room and had her hands in his. “Show me.” He took
the injured digit to his mouth and sucked.

Celia couldn’t breathe. The pull he
gave her finger with his mouth did quire things to her
belly.

As if he sensed it too, slowly, he
raised his head and looked into her eyes. “You’re the most
beautiful woman,” he whispered.

Their conversation forgotten, her
irritation with him gone, she held onto him because she found she
couldn’t stand. The intensity in his voice stilled her. She could
only stare at him. Reaching down, he kissed her hand, making a
point of turning it over and tracing her lifeline with his tongue.
The warmth in her belly dipped further sending a desire flowing.
Unable to response, she tenderly touched the hair that needed a
comb. “Oh, Seth…” Tilting her head, she gave him a lopsided smile
and ran her fingers through his dark hair. She wanted to say more,
but he lowered his lips to hers in the stirring heat that was his
kiss.

He held her close and nipped her bottom
lip. Trailing kisses down her neck, he whispered in her ear. “We
could tell them to go on without us.”

Torn between the vision of the
agreement, which had abruptly appeared in her mind and the
suggestive bend to his words worried her more than she wanted to
admit. Had the years made her so wary of his intentions? Why didn’t
she trust him?

He stroked down her neck and
lower still to the swell of her breast. She was aware of his touch
to the depths of her soul. She could see the need rising in his
eyes, feel it in the beat of his heart. Soon her mind started
screaming, Isn
’
t
this all just a business deal? Celia couldn’t help herself. She
shoved at him and her green eyes found his. “What about the
contract?”

Seth stiffened and his eyes cooled. A
callous laugh of disbelief rumbled up from low in his chest before
he cut it off with an oath. Staring at her now, he set his chin.
“Without knowing better, I’d say you just wished me to go to hell.”
They stared at each other for a humming ten seconds before he
released her and disappeared out the door.

Celia stared after him. The thought
that she’d just walked a tight rope like those in the circus she’d
seen back east skipped indignantly through her mind’s eye. One
false step and she would’ve fallen to her death. Was their damned
agreement going to be her demise?

The need still burned in her
veins. Celia looked down at her trembling hands and clasped them
tight against the tension inside. Why, oh why had she agreed to
this damnable ploy? Wanting to smash something, she went straight
to the bed and threw the cursed bed pillows she used as a barricade
across the room before flopping across the bed. He had no real
intentions
–
it
was nothing more than a contract. Her inner voice could rise at the
damnedest of times. Through the haze of need and frustration, a
different idea formed. Wasn’t protection a form of love?

Boots scraped the hallway
floor.

The tingle of hope ran up her spine.
She held her breath and the sound receded down the hall. Sighing,
she let out the breath, she hadn’t realized she was
holding.

A minute later, Maggie knocked. “Would
you be ready then?” Her Irish lithe glided into the room with her.
“How did you fair last night dear? I hope all was well?” Light blue
eyes twinkled and Maggie smiled broadly.

So, Maggie thought she’d catch her off
guard, did she?

Giving Celia the flash of a wink, the
housekeeper folded her hands and did a quick check of the
bed.

Her meaning didn’t escape Celia. “I’ve
already told you, everything was fine, Maggie. Now we’d best be
going or we’ll be keeping the men waiting.” Bless the woman’s
inquisitive soul. She glided past Maggie and out the
door.

***

Below in the lobby, the conversation
ceased as if on cue. Seth glanced up the stairs just as Celia
started down.

She noted the smile fall away from his
lips. She was certain that the mention of the contract had
unsettled him, perhaps even angered him. Imposing an iron control
over her temper, she came down the stairs. It had been his idea
after all. Thank goodness, they could get it annulled once this
business with the Rangers ended.

Making the mistake of glancing once
more in his direction, Celia faltered. The heat in his stare
branded, marked and claimed her, she was certain. Well, they’d just
see about that. Huffing past him, she extended her hand for Ty. She
smiled warmly when Ty gave her hand a brotherly pat as he ushered
her out of the lobby into the morning sun. Other than the light
glinting off the barrel of the twenty-two rifle Ty picked up and
slug casually across his other arm, they comprised a fairly normal
sight in a town such as Tyler.

Seth caught up with them and
unceremoniously shoved his brother aside, Celia noted. She
continued to focus instead on the boardwalk and the beautiful
morning.

“
You look exceptionally
lovely today. Is that dress new?”

“
Since you bought it, you
already know the answer to that question.” She gave him a chilly
glance and hoped he comprehended she was in no mood for small talk
or complements. He, in turn, merely wrapped her arm around his and
with a warm chuckle continued their procession down the sidewalk.
So he wanted to appear unaffected. Well, two could play at the
game. She gritted her teeth. Damn him to hell for affecting her at
all. She lifted her chin another fraction and smiled sweetly at the
next person they passed.

“
Good morning.” Her words
dripped sugar and she deemed herself fractionally better for the
effort.

Their little party continued down the
boarded walkway.

One thing became apparent the further
they went. He wasn’t his usual polite self with a smile for those
he passed and a tip of his hat. No, his features remained stiff and
controlled. She’d not heard him utter a word to anyone else as they
proceeded to Charles’s office. Celia noted the tension in his jaw.
“Seth, what’s wrong?”

“
Nothing.” His eyes never
left the street. His gun hand never left his colt.

Something was amiss. She was sure of
it. Was there more to his concern over the Ranger than he’d told
her about? Celia let out a small huff of exasperated breath. They
were going to have to have a serious talk. She had to know what was
going on!

***

In the cool shade of the
alley, the stranger watched. Shaded by his sweat brimmed hat, the
stranger’s keen eyes never blinked. Watching carefully, he lit a
smoke and casually leaned against the wall. The mere fact that he
was bidding his time with regard to what he wanted showed his
talent for the game was improving, didn’t it? He’d come into town
on a scouting mission, a gathering of facts, hadn’t he? As the
Loflin party passed his position on the opposite side of the
street, the stranger laughed to himself. Well now
wasn
’
t this a
pretty sight. The tall, cool cowboy accompanied by the squaw. My,
my, but she made a fetching sight. Made a man
’
s dick stand at attention. And look,
she was masquerading as a white woman, all schooled and trained.
She
’
d be a prize,
yes, sir, a real prize. An Indian maiden all dressed up and soon
with nowhere to go. Flicking the cigarette from his teeth, the
stranger smirked before he turned and headed in the opposite
direction. “Soon…”

***

“
Seth, Celia, welcome.
Maggie, Ty how are you?” Charles nodded as each one of them came
into the small, but comfortable waiting area. “Can I get anyone
some coffee? The pot will be ready soon.”

“
Yeah, Charles, that would
be good.” Seth seated the ladies and then turned to his friend.
“Thanks for taking the time to schedule this meeting for
us.”

“
No problem.” Charles pulled
out chairs and motioned for them to make themselves comfortable.
“Here, have a seat. The stage is late. We’ll sit and visit until it
arrives.” Their host went about serving coffee and making sure
everyone was comfortable. “Mrs. Loflin, I have some tea in the back
if you’d prefer it?” He smiled down at Celia as she settled on the
settee.

“
No thank you, Mr. Harrison,
coffee’s fine.” Celia clasped her hands tightly in her lap. The
fact she was indeed Mrs. Loflin did strange things to her nerves.
Bemused the title should bring on a wave of pride as well as
frustration, vexed her. Briefly, thinking of the responsibilities
that came with the title, she took the cup from Charles with
trembling fingers before she forced her nerves back to their normal
hiding place.