Mail Order Bride: Westward Dance (16 page)

She hated nights like this, when she
was weak and needy and couldn’t get the terror under control on her
own. Maddie felt Seth brush her hair back from her face and kiss
her cheek. For a moment she thought she was hearing things but then
realized that he was singing. She didn’t know the song but it was
something about the moon and the wind blowing across the prairie.
His voice was deep, resonant and enjoyable to listen to she
discovered.

It was also comforting and the
trembling in her body began to abate as she concentrated on his
voice instead of the images that flashed in her mind. The scotch
began to relax her along with Seth’s singing and after a little
while she drifted into slumber.

Seth kept singing even though he was
pretty sure she was asleep just to make sure. Seeing the crippling
fear in Maddie’s eyes and feeling it in her shaking body made him
understand just how badly that animal had hurt her and he wanted to
always protect her from any type of harm. There was only one way he
knew of to do that and he hoped that Dean had done what he’d asked
him to do.

After checking to make sure Maddie was
asleep, Seth stopped singing and laid his head down on the pillow
next to Maddie’s. His leg didn’t like the position in which he lay,
but he wasn’t going to risk waking her to shift positions. Seth lay
awake throughout the night, keeping watch against the demons that
still haunted Maddie.

Early the next morning Seth heard
stirrings in the hallway outside of his room and didn’t want Maddie
woke up so he got up without disturbing her and cracked open his
door a little ways. He saw Geoff heading for the staircase and
stepped out into the hall and called to him softly.

Geoff stopped and turned. His eyebrows
shot up when he saw Seth’s state of undress. Seth tiptoed over to
Geoff.

“Mornin’” Seth said.

“Good morning. Is there a reason you’re
parading around half naked?” Geoff said.

“Yes. Maddie had a nightmare last night
and came to my room.” Seth saw fire flash in Geoff’s eyes and held
up a hand. “It ain’t like that. It must have been a real doozey
because I couldn’t get her calmed down right away. It was like it
was still happening. I was afraid to leave her alone and
truthfully, she didn’t want me to. I gave her a little of your
scotch and sang her to sleep. She’s still sleeping and I don’t want
her to be woken up. I wanted you to know what was going on in case
someone sees her come out of my room later and says something to
you or Maureen.”

Geoff tempered his protective anger as
Seth talked. He’d seen Maddie after one of her nightmares and he
had spent some nights sitting in the chair in Maddie’s room so she
could sleep. Seth was genuinely shaken up by the experience and
Geoff could relate.

“I would have slept on the floor, but
she would hardly let me out of her reach,” Seth told him. “Sir, on
my honor, I slept on top of the covers and nothing happened. I
respect Maddie too much and I would never take advantage of her
when she was so scared. I also respect you and Maureen too much to
do anything like that in your home.”

Geoff searched Seth’s face for any sign
of dishonesty but found none. He nodded and swallowed. “Thank you
for taking such good care of her, Seth. You’re a good man and a
gentleman.”

“You’re welcome. Will you explain it to
Maureen for me? And maybe not say anything to Maddie? I don’t want
her to be embarrassed,” Seth said.

“I think you’re right.” Geoff gave Seth
a questioning glance and asked, “You sing?”

Seth answered, “Yeah. Any cowboy worth
his salt sings to calm the herd down at night. I play a mean
fiddle, too.”

Geoff smiled. “I’d like to hear you
play sometime.”

“Ok, but don’t expect me to play an
Irish jig because I don’t know any,” Seth said.

Geoff pointed at Seth’s room. “Get back
in there before someone sees you.”

“Aye, sir,” Seth said and did as Geoff
told him.

Maddie woke in stages, stretching and
yawning. She came up through the last layer of sleep and opened her
eyes. She sat up suddenly when she realized that she wasn’t in her
own room. She turned as she heard movement behind her. Seth smiled
at her from where he stood by the widow. The light caught his blond
hair and it looked like he had a halo. The memory of the night
before came back to her and Maddie thought he must indeed be an
angel who had come to her when she’d needed him most.

“Good morning, good lookin’,” he
drawled.

Her mouth curved in a smile. “Good
morning, handsome. What time is it?”

He looked out the window and then said,
“Around seven, I’d guess.”

Maddie threw the covers off and stood
up. “I have to get back to my room. The servants will be around
soon. I don’t want them to see me, or Mama or Papa for that matter.
That would be a disaster.”

Seth nodded as he came around the bed.
“Yeah. You’d best get going even though I want you to
stay.”

Maddie stopped. “Thank you for last
night, Seth. I appreciate what you did and for being a
gentleman.”

Seth bowed his head and kissed her
cheek. “You’re welcome, Maddie. Off with ye now, my pretty lass,”
he said.

“How does someone with a southern
accent pull off a very convincing Irish brogue?” she
said.

He didn’t answer, just motioned towards
the door. Maddie made sure no one was around before flying down the
hall to her room.

A few days later after breakfast, Seth
announced that he had business downtown and asked if he could
borrow a horse.

“My driver will take you anywhere you
want to go, Seth,” Geoff said.

“I know, but I want to try riding. I
think I’m ready and besides, what I have to do is private,” Seth
said.

“Very well. Tell Jerry to saddle Rogue
for you,” Geoff said.

Seth wiped his mouth and stood. “I’ll
tell him that’s the horse I want, but I can saddle him
myself.”

“All right,” Geoff responded. He
wondered what was bothering Seth.

Seth gave Maddie a kiss on the cheek
without thinking and said, “I’ll be back soon, darlin’.”

She watched him leave and then turned
back to find her parents staring after him and then turn their
gazes on her. She raised her chin. She was not going to apologize
for Seth’s show of affection. It warmed her down to her toes and
told her that he didn’t care who knew about them now. “So Mama,
shall we go shopping today?”

Maureen regarded her daughter for a few
moments and then smiled a little. “Yes, Madelyn, we shall and we
shall also have a little chat about what just happened.”

Maddie’s stomach tightened but she just
smiled.

Geoff laid his paper down and rose from
the table. “Well, it seems that you two have much to discuss. I’ll
leave you to it. I have a meeting anyway,” he said and quickly left
the room.

“Coward!” Maureen called after
him.

Seth couldn’t believe how good it felt
to have a horse between his legs again. Rogue was a big white
stallion with plenty of fire. He hadn’t taken a liking to Seth at
first and had even tried to bite Seth. Used to dealing with
spirited horses, Seth had soon calmed him and the horse had allowed
him to saddle him and mount. Seth didn’t care for the English
saddle and bridle, but riding was riding. He didn’t have English
riding boots, so he had to wear his cowboy boots with his suit, but
that didn’t bother Seth.

He’d gotten directions to the post
office from an old man he’d met not far from the O’Connor residence
and headed that way. He admired the buildings and other horses as
they rode and he was mindful to keep Rogue in line. Upon reaching
the post office, Seth dismounted and tied Rogue to one of the posts
in front of it.

Inside he asked a clerk if a letter had
come to general delivery for him. Dean had come through for him and
had sent him the money he’d requested. He went to the bank next and
cashed the check from his brother. At first the clerk hadn’t been
willing to cash it, but all Seth had to do was use Geoff’s name and
his wish had magically been granted. He couldn’t believe how much
power the man had in such a big city.

The money carefully stowed in his suit
jacket, Seth started out on his last errand.

That afternoon, one of the servants
brought a note to Maddie. It was from Seth requesting that she meet
him in the ballroom that evening for dinner. She was surprised and
delighted by the request and she wondered what Seth was up to. She
began planning what she would wear. Claire offered to help her and
the sisters had fun day together.

Seth didn’t know whether he should sit
or stand as he waited for Maddie. His nerves were stretched taut
and he wasn’t sure he was going to be able eat. He’d never been as
scared as he was right then. He walked around the perimeter of the
room like an anxious horse following a paddock fence before he went
back to the center of the room.

Maddie walked down the hallway and
entered the ballroom. It was dimly lit except for a few candelabras
place strategically around a table set with fine linen and china.
It was a beautiful, intimate arrangement and Maddie couldn’t
believe Seth had thought of it. Every day she saw another facet of
the man that surprised her.

Seth was frozen in place when Maddie
had come in. Her ice blue gown showed off her delicate shoulders
and dangling diamond earrings caught the candlelight. The look of
surprise on her face made him smile. He let his eyes trail down
over her curving figure and back up again. She wore one of those
intricate hairstyles and while she looked gorgeous, he found that
he wanted to take it down and run his hands through the soft
waves.

He cleared his throat and Maddie jumped
a little. She saw him and felt like the breath had been knocked out
of her. The suit Seth wore showed off his broad shoulders and chest
to perfection. His hair was combed neatly and he was freshly
shaven. Maddie couldn’t take her eyes from him as he strode towards
her. His eyes never left hers as he took her hand and kissed the
back of it.

“Hello, Maddie,” he said.

“Hello, Seth,” she replied.

“I hope you’re hungry.”

Maddie nodded. “Yes. Very.”

“Good.” He picked up a bell that sat on
the table and rang it.

Two maids brought in their first course
as Seth helped seat her.

Seth sat across from her and waited
until they left. “So, how was your day?”

“Very interesting,” she
said.

“I wish I could say the same,” Seth
said. “I don’t know how I let Claire talk me into going to observe
one of her classes. I almost fell asleep a few times.”

Maddie smiled. “I think it was more
like show and tell for her.”

“What?”

“She didn’t take you along to show you
her class, she took you to show you to her classmates,” Maddie
informed him.

Seth stopped the progress of his water
glass to his mouth. “So I was on display like a bull at a cattle
auction?”

“Yes,” Maddie said.

“That little vixen. You wait ‘til I see
her,” Seth said.

“So do you still think she needs
protecting?” Maddie asked.

Seth hated to admit it, but said, “No,
I guess not. I can’t believe I didn’t catch on to that.”

The meal was delicious and Maddie
enjoyed their private dinner immensely. They laughed about all
kinds of things and discussed more serious matters as well. Once
their dessert of chocolate soufflé was finished, Seth asked her to
dance. She graciously accepted and Seth signaled for someone behind
her. A violin trio entered and began playing a waltz. It was first
waltz they’d ever danced to. It brought tears to Maddie’s eyes that
he’d remembered.

Maddie took Seth’s hand and went
willingly into his arms. She couldn’t remember ever feeling this
close to someone and felt like she’d finally come home. Seth’s
movements were graceful and Maddie was filled with admiration that
he’d come this far. His leg wouldn’t be quite as strong as before
his accident, but it was close and if someone else was dancing with
him, they wouldn’t have been able to tell he’d ever been
injured.

Seth held her closer than was necessary
to waltz. He craved her touch, her scent, and wanted to always hold
her like this. Her eyes were luminous in the candlelight and he
felt like he could drown in their depths. Her mouth captured his
attention and he leaned down and kissed her while they moved around
the floor. Seth and Maddie never stopped dancing as they shared a
passion-filled kiss.

The song ended and Seth held her for a
few moments and then tipped her chin up so he could look her in the
eye.

“Maddie you’re the most exciting,
beautiful, brave woman I’ve ever met and I love you. I’ve never
fallen in love before and I want to spend the rest of my life with
you.”

He released her and knelt down on one
knee. Maddie covered her mouth as he took a jewelry box from his
inner suit pocket and opened it. The ring was simplistic in its
beauty and sparkled in the light from the flickering
candles.