Love by Dawn (27 page)

But she got an attack of nerves again, as
soon as they reached his family’s home. It was magnificent and left
her speechless and in awe. The house was a two-story mansion, the
likes she had never seen. A hundred of her shack she had lived in
could have fit into that place. All Casey was capable of doing was
to gap as they drove up the long, flower-lined gravel driveway to
the mansion. Blake had to literally push her unhinged jaw up before
she swallowed a bug. And that blasted man continuously chuckled at
her wonderment.

He helped her down from the wagon and before
Blake could pull the cord that rang the doorbell a glum-faced man
servant opened the door. Apparently they were expected, but Casey
wondered how they knew the exact day or time. She assumed Blake
sent a telegram on ahead. The black servant nodded and stepped
aside.

“Hello, Smithy,” said Blake. “I see you’re
still as cheerful as when I left.” He just nodded again. She didn’t
miss the fact that his lips twitched and she was sure he wasn’t
giving the prodigal son a welcoming home response.

Stepping into the huge marble entryway, Casey
continued to be amazed at the size and cleanliness of the stone
floors and neutral colored walls. Her boots clanked as she walked
across the tiles and the glasslike shine reminded her of a frozen
pond; she could practically see her reflection in it. What in hell
had she gotten into? He never told her that his family was wealthy,
only that his father was a doctor. Making loads of money off sick
people didn’t seem right, but she figured someone had to do it. She
continued to muse over why Blake roamed the wilderness, catching
slave traders when he had all of this. What was he thinking? The
object of her thoughts took her elbow.

“Sweetheart, I know this is all overwhelming
but you have to snap out of your woolgathering.”

She blinked. “What?”

He laughed. “C’mon, Letty will show you up
to your room while I see mother. You can meet her after your nap
and bath.” He kissed her cheek, but she was still in a daze and
didn’t hear everything he’d said.

“This way, Miss Walsh.”

Casey gave Blake a bewildered glance and he
nudged her forward. “Go with Letty, dear.” He pointed up at the
huge, circular, carpeted staircase with his chin.

“Oh, um, yes,” she answered still in her own
little world. She followed as if she were going to the guillotine
tying to recall all he had said to her. Her attention was then
drawn to expensive oil paintings that were hung all the way up the
wall to the second landing. She assumed they were of his
family.

Casey counted seven doors and she inquired
if they were all bedrooms. The servant said that one was a small
library. She was also informed that the downstairs floor, to the
left of the foyer consisted of a large dinning room, a cook’s
kitchen to the right, but not attached to the house. There was a
large sitting room and another library; an office that was Blake’s
father’s to see to his patients and a music room. Casey wondered if
she’d need a map to find her way around. The opulent mansion was
beyond her imagination, to be sure.

“Miss?” the young servant showed her to her
quarters and she stopped in mid-stride making Letty bump into her
back.

“Orf! Oh, sorry, miss.”

She sucked in her breath; maybe she should
pinch herself. This definitely had to be a dream. She turned to see
the flush face of the servant. “Are you sure I’m to sleep in
here?”

Letty bobbed. “Yes, miss.”

She shook her head a bit confused. “This must
have been for a princess.”

“No, miss,” replied Letty.

No words could describe the room so Casey
simply said, “Thank you Letty. She sat on the lace bedspread and
looked up at the matching canopy while she waited for her bath to
be drawn. When she was led into the water closet, she was
speechless believing that she had died and gone to heaven. This was
better than a brass tub in her kitchen and the privy in the yard.
Much better!

The bath was luxuriously wonderful.

The bed was luxuriously wonderful.

Life was wonderful, what else could a girl
want?

A husband would be
nice,
was her last thought before she went
dozed off to dreamland.

Casey slept late every morning for almost a
week and put the weight back she had lost, and then some. Blake
told her that she had never looked better. She didn’t know how to
take the left handed compliment. His mother, Liana was easy going
and Casey liked her from the start. She could see that Blake had
inherited his coloring and good looks from her. The woman was tall
and regal; no one would guess she was in constant pain. Her soft
blue eyes held no ill feelings towards anyone, she discovered in
the short time she had been there.

Liana didn’t gossip. Casey thought it was an
awful shame that a woman so loving should have to suffer. She and
Blake respected Liana’s privacy and wishes and they never pried.
His mother never confided her illness to anyone, not even her
son.

It had been a month since
they arrived here and Casey was starting her fifth month and yet
there was no mention of wedded bliss.
What
was he waiting for? How many hints would she have to give him?
Apparently not enough, because he hadn’t taken the bait.

“Where are we going?” Casey asked him when he
handed her, her kid gloves and a shawl. Although August was hot
during the day, a slight breezed had stirred up and he said he
didn’t want her catching a chill.

“It’s a surprise, m’dear. Now come along and
no more nosy questions.”

She gave him a bemused look. He was dressed
in a gray suit and white shirt but he still wore the leather strap
with the bear claw under the starched collar. Casey had to admit he
looked very handsome with his blond hair slicked to one side, but
she missed his rugged look and western attire. She also missed her
comfortable pants and boots, but she was now, according to him, a
Southern Belle. So, donning her bonnet over her upswept chiffon,
she pulled her gloves over her fingers. Surely, she was ten pounds
heavier with all the petticoats, but they hid her protruding
stomach. He helped her into the family coach and she eyed him
curiously. He was looked so smug, like a person who had discovered
all the secrets of the universe. What was he up to? When the coach
stopped before a hotel, Blake took her gloved hand and helped her
down. Placing his palm on the small of her back, he escorted her
through the doors and into the restaurant. Waiters were hustling
about and wonderful smells wafted through the air. She turned and
looked at him, as if to say, “Are we eating here?” Blake read the
query in her eyes and nodded. Someone escorted them to a table
where flowers and champagne in a bucket of ice was waiting for
them.

“Oh, Blake!” she exclaimed excitedly. “What’s
the occasion?”

“Patience m’dear.” He held
out the chair for her and she sat. She took a deep breath and gave
an anxious little cough as she tried to relax.
Was he going to break some bad news? Is that why he brought
her here? Flowers? Champagne?
A warning
voice whispered in her head.

This can’t be good!
Nervously, she bit her bottom lip. Her nerves
tensed wondering what to expect.

“Hey, don’t look so upset. Now,” he reached
across the table and took her hand, “let’s enjoy our meal. After we
eat I have something to tell you.”

She only half listened, as
she struggled with uneasy thoughts. Nodding, she gave him a weak
smile.
She knew it!
But something cautioned her not to ask.
You’re a coward,
needled her
smart-self. Maybe she was.

The meal could have been delicious for all
she knew. The problem was that she was unable to swallow past the
lump in her throat and she noticed that he seemed a bit edgy. This
definitely can’t be good. She declined the champagne never liking
any alcohol, beside her belly was queasy enough.

“You hardly touched you food,” Blake said.
“Aren’t you feeling well?”

Is he kidding?

Searching for a plausible reason, Casey
nodded and fibbed, “Sure, I am. It’s just that I’m… I’m a tad
u-uneasy among so m-many strangers.” To her dismay, her voice broke
slightly.

“That’s understandable,”
Blake agreed and wondered now if this was a good idea. Although he
was not prone to subtle hints, he knew enough to understand what
Casey was getting at when she said things like:
You know I’m in my fifth month. And, people will soon see the
proof of our out of wedlock bliss. And, what will your mother think
when she discovers she’ll soon have a grandchild? And, etc. and
etc.

Blake had to bite his cheek to avoid spilling
the beans; he wanted to propose to her in a

romantic way. Luckily she wasn’t showing…
yet. That is to the unknowing eye so he planned a night out, in
this nice hotel restaurant. But what he hadn’t planned on was
meeting an old flame of his.

He reached into his pocket for the box which
held the pearl and diamond ring he had bought for her. He cleared
his throat, now he was becoming unglued a bit.

“Honey, I want to---”

“Yoo-hoo! Blake!”

A young woman was getting
up from another table, rushing towards them. Blake stiffened when
he recognized the owner of that honey voice that went through him
like a sharp blade. His lips puckered with annoyance.
Shit! Of all the damn luck!

Casey blinked. The vision
seemed to float towards them. The young lady had black hair, violet
eyes, and very large breasts. She was tall and beautiful too and
had large breasts. Her pearly-white teeth gleamed as her face split
into a wide smile and her large breasts were heaving in her low cut
gown. She didn’t like her right off and it had not a damn thing to
with large breasts.
Not much!
Before her surprised and flabbergasted eyes, the
dark-haired beauty hugged Blake who had stood up from the table.
She found that she was extremely upset, but that was putting it
mildly!

“Oh, Blake January, when did y’all come
home? You naughty boy,” she tapped him with her fan and fluttered
her long dark lashes. “You’re hear and didn’t tell little ol’ me,”
she purred completely ignoring Casey who was now thinking that
maybe this woman was the reason Blake never asked her to marry
him.

Her anger increased tenfold when he didn’t
even think to introduce her. Well, she’d not sit there being
ignored while that big-breasted hussy drooled all over him! And
just look at him, he was blushing. Peeved, she jumped to her feet
causing the chair to crash to the floor, as he shot her a pensive
look. Was he trying to think up a good excuse? Had his plans run
amuck? That woman probably wasn’t supposed to show up until he
admitted the truth. He had used her; never loved her. Oh, she could
die. Throwing down the cloth napkin, Casey dramatically stormed out
of the restaurant under stares and bemused smiles of other
patrons.

Blake gritted his teeth. He couldn’t believe
his luck; of all the people he had the misfor- tune to meet was an
old flame of his. In fact, both families assumed that they would
one day wed. Well, this was what she expected, not he. He was so
angered that he wanted to strangle the woman who was hanging onto
his arm preventing him from running after Casey. But he did call
after her. Why hadn’t she given him a chance to explain about Dawn
Ann Summers? That it was only by chance they met. He was resentful
of the situation and Casey’s mistrust. What did she think?

“Oh, Blake darlin’, never mind her,” Dawn Ann
purred. “Come, mother and father are over at another table. I’m
sure they’ll be happy to see little ol’ you.”

Blake pulled her talon fingers from his arm,
his eyes met hers disparagingly and he sneered, “I’m not interested
in seeing your parents and I have no interest in re-acquitting
myself with a snob like you! You have just ruined a lovely dinner.
I had planned to ask the woman I love to marry me before you so
rudely and crassly interrupted. Say hello to your parents and tell
them they raised a cold bitch!”

He was brought up better than that, but hell!
Some people simply needed to be told the truth. Her gasp was heard
by all, making heads look up again and he didn’t give a rat’s ass!
Blake instructed the waiter to give the dinner bill to the woman in
the plum colored dress and lied saying that she had insisted that
she’d pay for the meal. Out in the street he cursed seeing his
coach was gone, but he expected as much. Damn, why did Casey have
to have such an untrusting mind?

And you haven’t?

Blake groaned aloud. The tables were turned
on him and he didn’t like it any better than she had; jumping to
conclusions seemed to be a nasty habit they both shared. Then a
wagon pulled up beside him.

“Hey! Is that you?” The young fellow pulled
on the reins to steady his sway-back horse. “Blake January, it is
you! Well, I’ll be damned. It’s me, Bucky.”

“Bucky?!” This was Blake’s second encounter
with an old acquaintance, but he was happy to see this young man.
He had been his father’s stable boy.

“What’cha doing standing out here all alone?”
asked Bucky.

Blake shrugged. “It’s a long story, but I’d
appreciate a ride home.”

“You bet’cha. Hop in.”

Blake did and sat in the front seat. “How
have you been?” Both asked in unison and laughed. “You first,
Bucky,” offered Blake.

“Well,” he scratched his head. “After ya pa
died and all the horses had been taken by the army. I joined up to
fight the Yanks, got me a wooden leg for my troubles.” He knocked
on it and laughed.