The Fragrance of Her Name (21 page)

“
Hello, Lauryn,” Brant greeted, grinning devilishly. “I surely didn’t expect to find you here.”

“
Well, we’re even then,” she tried to tease. “Because I certainly didn’t expect for you to find me here either.”

As she awkwardly tried to stand since she’d never had to raise her self from lying atop a man before, Brant chuckled lightly.

“
Come on now,” he said, standing and helping her to her feet. “Let’s get a good look at you.”

Lauryn felt ill. He wanted a good look at her? Well, it was the last thing she wanted. What a fright she must be. Her hair was no doubt, like some wild insane woman’s for she had only braided it loosely back to begin with. And to make matters worse, she’d been climbing about in the branches of a tree. She wondered, for a moment, if, perhaps, there was a huge, gaping, bleeding patch of her scalp showing as a result of her tearing her hair from the branch. Reaching up self-consciously, she was relieved to discover that she still possessed a full head of hair.

To make matters worse, it was then that she realized she wore the least flattering set of clothes she owned. And beyond that…well, beyond that she did not want to face the look of disappointment on his face when he saw that she wasn’t nearly as lovely as she supposedly smelled.

On the other hand, the light of the beautiful day continued to illuminate his appearance perfectly. And he was gorgeous. Gorgeous! It seemed like such a rather feminine word to be going through her mind she noted, and yet, it’s what he was. Absolutely gorgeous! More gorgeous than he had been a moment before.

It was Patrick’s intrusive whining that brought Lauryn out of her mesmerized daydreaming. “Lauryn! You left the ball!”

Patrick’s disturbance of the moment caused Lauryn’s discomfort and embarrassment over her situation to intensify and she dropped her gaze from Brant.

“
For pity’s sake, Patrick,” she began to scold. But Brant was up the tree before she could argue and returned in a matter of seconds having retrieved the ball.

“
There you are, boy,” Brant chuckled, trading the ball for his jacket and tousling the child’s hair. “You go on and leave your sister to me.”

“
Gladly, Brant,” Patrick sighed. “You can have her! She’s completely helpless!”

“
Now Patrick,” Brant scolded, teasingly. “You haven’t been giving your sister a rotten time of it since I’ve been gone, have you?”

Patrick sneered, assuring Brant that he had. “Sorry, Lauryn,” the boy mumbled before turning and running off. “I’ll tell them up at Connemara that you’re here! Nana will bust her corset strings!”

“
Patrick!” Lauryn scolded, even thought she knew she was wasting her breath.

Brant watched him go, then turned back to Lauryn. She felt like bursting into tears as an amused smile spread across his face again. “So,” he said studying her from head to toe. “This is Lauryn Kensington.”

Lauryn winced as the breeze blew a stray strand of hair across her face momentarily. “Pretty disappointin’, I suppose.” He only smiled, an amused twinkle sparkling wildly in his gorgeous eyes.

“
Forgive me, my boy,” came a booming masculine voice from somewhere behind Lauryn. She turned from Brant to see the most adorable elderly man and woman walking toward them.

“
Brant, Honey!” the woman chimed. “I just had to have a wee whiff of those lovely lilacs back there! I just
had
to! I couldn’t pass up their heavenly beauty. Why, to do so would’ve been a sin. Just an utter sin!”

“
I know Auntie,” Brant chuckled as the charming couple approached. They walked with their arms linked together and the small woman placed her hands dramatically in Brant’s as the arrived.

“
And you know that I completely understand your love of nature, Auntie…but Lauryn here was treed like a raccoon and needed some assistance.” Gasping, the elderly woman turned her full attention on Lauryn.

“
Lauryn?” she breathed in an awed whisper! “So
you’re
Lauryn!”

“
Yes, Ma’am,” Lauryn muttered with a slight curtsy. The woman, obviously Brant’s aunt, smiled and brushed a stray strand of hair from Lauryn’s face.

“
Quite a beauty, that one, my boy,” the gentleman chuckled, winking at Brant. His blue eyes twinkled and his voice was raspy and gruff. Lauryn liked it.

“
I’m Felicity Jenson…Brant’s great-auntie! And this is his great-uncle Johnny…. and I tell you…when Brant said he was coming back to thank your family for all they’ve done for him… I just up and said,
‘Brant, Honey! I’m the one to go with you! Johnny and I! We’re the ones
!” She giggled girlishly and added, “And here we am!”

Brant’s Aunt Felicity was more beautiful than any queen. Her hair was pure white and perfectly smooth in it’s style. Her eyes were the same blue as Brant’s and she still had a natural pink in her cheeks. Lauryn could guess at her age, she being Brant’s great-aunt. Her hands were bony and frail-looking, but obviously capable, and she glided rather than walked.

His Uncle Johnny was the classic example of an elderly gentleman. Thinning white hair, a kind, grandfatherly smile and a walking stick with a silver horse’s head on top. Lauryn was aware of her momentary pause as she realized they all three stood staring at her expectantly.

“
Oh!” she exclaimed in a whisper as she tried to gather her wits about her. “Well, we’re so glad to have you.” “All of you,” she added glancing quickly at Brant. “Mama will be beside herself with excitement.”

“
Is this Connemara, sweet thing?” Aunt Felicity asked looking past Lauryn to the house behind her. “I remember it looking quite differently.”

“
No. It’s just down a ways. Connemara house,” Lauryn answered as she moved past Brant signaling they should follow her. The quicker they arrived at Connemara, the quicker she could sneak away and freshen up! And, the less time Brant could stare at her with that unnerving amusement he wore on his incredibly attractive face.

“
Connemara House,” Aunt Felicity repeated reverently.

“
Well, Miss Lauryn,” Uncle Johnny asked. “What do you think of Brant now that he’s unbound for all the world to see once more?”

Aunt Felicity reached up and pinched Brant’s cheek lovingly. “Isn’t he the devil of the handsomest man?”

There was no manner in which Lauryn could give answer without sounding the complete starry-eyed fool. Instead, she inquired of Brant, “You’ve recovered then? Fully?”

“
Yep,” he assured her. “My vision is about as good as new.”

“
That’s…that’s wonderful,” she stammered. For Pete’s sake! She’d turned into a squid, all limp and nervous with no backbone whatsoever. It had been one thing to talk with him, look at him when he had been blind and unable to look back. But now! Now, especially since the complete, magnificently attractive magnetism of him was revealed, the way his eyes seemed to drill right into her soul…now Lauryn was entirely a frazzle!

“
Surprised to see me, aren’t you?” he chuckled, again appraising her from head to toe.

“
Yes,” Lauryn admitted, smoothing a wild strand of hair from her cheek again.

“
Well,” Aunt Felicity sang. “Let’s have it, Lauryn. Let’s see Connemara! I’ve only been here once before…and so many years ago that I hate to tell!”

“
Yes, let’s,” Uncle Johnny added. “You can woo and win the girl later, Brant, my boy. There are people to meet! Things to do. Lead on, Miss Kensington.”

Lauryn forced another friendly smile and turned to lead the party home. A mere matter of one block was bound to seem like an eternity. Lauryn’s legs could hardly propel her body forward. She was so anxious! Her nerves were completely frayed. She kept wondering if she’d torn her skirt anywhere while climbing the tree. She could only pray that she had not, that she still remained completely modest.

“
So,” she began cordially. “Did y’all have a nice trip down?”

“
That we did, angel,” Aunt Felicity chimed. “The scenery was beautiful. Just beautiful!”

“
And the food wasn’t too bad,” Uncle Johnny added.

“
Well, Nana and Mama will be so surprised,” Lauryn couldn’t believe that Brant hadn’t warned them that he was coming home.

“
Actually, Lauryn,” Brant began to confess. “Your um…your Nana and Mama know that we’re coming. I guess they wanted it to be a surprise to you.”

Lauryn stopped dead in her tracks and turned to look at him. He shrugged rather boyishly and she swallowed the instant irritation she felt with her Nana and Mother saying, “I guess so.”

Turning she began to walk even faster.

“
I’m certain you can mend that tear right up, Lauryn. Don’t worry. I’m sure the skirt can be saved. It’s so becoming to you.” Again Lauryn stopped, putting her hand to the seat of her skirt to discover with horror that, indeed, a large tear was gaping open on her right hip.

“
Now you’ve done it, Felicity!” Uncle Johnny scolded. “Go on and ruin all of the boy’s fun, why don’t you?”

Lauryn looked at Brant who simply smiled mischievously and winked at her. For pity’s sake! He winked at her! Lauryn tried to walk calmly at a pace considerate to the older couple. But, by now, she was ready to burst into explosion of tears of humiliation. Furthermore, she was angry. Angry with her mother and Nana for not telling her Brant was returning. Angry at Patrick for throwing his ball up into the tree. Angry at Sean and Mindy for even purchasing the blasted ball for him in the first place!

Finally, they reached the tall, iron fences that surrounded Connemara. Lauryn anxiously pushed the front gate open and started up the path to the porch. She paused when, looking back, she realized only Aunt Felicity and Uncle Johnny followed her. Brant stood outside the gate, the color completely drained from his face as if he felt ill. He stood motionless, staring up at the house. No. He was staring at the wisteria! For a moment, Lauryn thought she understood for Connemara house had long been the talk of Franklin for its beauty in the spring. Everywhere one looked there were beautiful, fragrant blossoms hanging like large clusters of lavender grapes among miles of green leafed vines that wound themselves, seemingly, over everything! The front arbor and all the fences were covered in it. The columns of the porches were drenched in it. And the trellises that lined the house on all four sides, gave the illusion that the walls of Connemara themselves were actually constructed of wisteria vines and blossoms. A breeze breathed then, whimsically sending the lavender colored flowers dancing like a million silent bells of Heaven.

Wisteria trees were here and there on the surrounding grounds at Connemara as well. The gazebo was adorned in its fragrant flowers and, though it wasn’t visible to Brant then, Lauryn wondered at his reaction when he saw that even the old spring house and servants house was covered in it. Wisteria trees grew above the old cellar and along the creek down the hill behind Connemara. Even the fences that bordered the family cemetery boasted its loveliness. Wisteria had always been the fame of Connemara house.

“
It’s…it’s awe inspiring!” Aunt Felicity whispered reverently as she too paused in her admiration. But Brant’s expression was different, not so much that of admiring beauty.

“
Brant?” Lauryn asked, going to him. “Brant? Are you well?” He looked at her, and yet she wasn’t sure that he was seeing her. His eyes seemed oddly glazed over and a frown puckered his brow.

“
That…that scent,” he managed to whisper. “Is it the vines?”

“
The wisteria?” Lauryn asked. “Yes. It’s only in bloom for a little while each year. It’s the blossoms you’re smellin’.” Why did he seem so stunned? Lauryn had always loved the fragrance of the blooms. To her, it was one of the most beautiful of God’s creations. Still Brant looked unsettled. “What is it, Brant?” she asked.

“
It’s her,” he mumbled. “Laura’s perfume. It’s the fragrance of her name.” Even before he explained, Lauryn understood. For once, a long time ago, the day she had first opened Lauralynn’s trunk, she too had recognized the fragrance of wisteria and had associated it with Laura. “The scent she carries with her when…”

“
She loved the wisteria, no doubt,” Lauryn offered. “It was even embroidered on her weddin’ gown. Do you think it’s significant?” she asked, suddenly realizing it might be.

Brant shook his head and seemed to dispel the shocked state he had been in. “I don’t know. I don’t know,” he mumbled. Then forcing a smile he reached out and took Lauryn’s hand in his. “We’ll talk about that later. I want to see your Nana and the others.” His touch was more stimulating to Lauryn’s senses than it had been even before, and she shivered as the goose bumps broke over her.

Still, she worried for Brant. It seemed to have completely unsettled him to discover the wisteria of Connemara, the scent of Lauralynn’s spirit. Walking past her and pulling her along with him, they joined his aunt and uncle on the porch.

As all three visitors looked at Lauryn expectantly, she smoothed her wild hair once more and said, “Well…welcome to Connemara!” Opening the front door, the visitors were greeted with squeals of elation as Nana and Lauryn’s mother rushed forward.

“
Land sakes, you’re a handsome one, Brant!” Nana cooed as she threw herself into Brant’s willing embrace.

“
Mr. and Mrs. Jenson!” Georgia greeted. “Welcome to Connemara.”