The Fragrance of Her Name (51 page)

“
Don’t upset yourself, Gran,” Jeffrey interrupted. “It’s in the past. It’s over.” But the elderly woman was far too upset to be settled so easily.

“
Wouldn’t you do anythin’, angel?” she said looking directly at Lauryn. “If you were younger, less wits about you…wouldn’t you do anythin’ to have him?” Carissa pointed to Brant and continued, “Anythin’ you had to do to make him your own? If you were a weak person, a weak-minded fool…if the devil had you in his clutches with a jealousy in your heart that you thought would kill you? Penny?” Carissa looked to her granddaughter. “Penny…I’m wicked, I know…but…”

“
It’s in the past, Aunt Carissa,” Lauryn offered, suddenly. “That is not why we came.”

“
But…but…Ginny-Bean…I…” Carissa stammered. Nana kissed the back of Carissa’s hand once more, smiled and caressed her cheek.

“
I understand, Ma’am,” Brant told her. He reached out and took Carissa’s hand from Nana’s grasp. Then Lauryn watched in awe as he leaned over the old woman, kissing her upturned palm. “I think I do understand how a person could lose their way when they love someone so much.”

“
Do you?” Carissa whispered. Brant nodded and leaned over whispering something in the woman’s ear. Lauryn could not hear what Brant was saying, but when Carissa’s eyes fixed on her as Brant spoke, she knew that whatever he told her had helped, for her weathered face softened, the pain fading a bit from her eyes.

“
Thank you, love,” Carissa whispered, stroking Brant’s face gratefully. “Thank you for that.”

“
Gran…I think this is too much for you today,” Jeffrey began.

“
No, Jeffrey. But…but may I have some time alone with Ginny?” Carissa asked in a whisper. “Just me and Ginny. I’m very tired and need to rest soon…but, my sister is near me and I want to speak with her. Alone.”

“
Of course, Gran,” Jeffrey said, taking Penny’s hand and pulling her away from the bed. “Everyone out. Now.” His manner was too demanding and final, but Lauryn understood a person’s desire to protect their grandparent. So she followed Jeffrey and Penny out of the room, and so did Brant.

“
I don’t want you two drudgin’ all this up for her,” Jeffrey stated, when they’d all settled in the parlor. “She’s old. She’s beaten herself her entire life over her mistakes. It’s not right to torture her like this.”

“
We’re far from torturin’ her, Jeffrey,” Penny argued. “And she’s delighted to have her sister back.”

“
I’ll thank you for whatever you said to her, Brant,” Jeffrey said, attempting gratitude. “But I won’t let you…”

“
Jeffrey,” Brant began. Lauryn saw his jaw tighten for a moment and knew he was struggling to control his temper. “I understand your concern. But we’re here to ask some questions. And we’ll ask them. And you’ll let us. Your grandmother isn’t the only person that has suffered…or is still suffering.”

“
I don’t know who you think you are,” Jeffrey growled at Brant. “But don’t think you can come into this house and start orderin’ everyone around!”

“
I know who I am,” Brant stated, angrily. “And, believe me, I have a right to talk to that woman.”

“
Jeffrey,” Penny intervened. She stepped in front of her brother, between him and Brant. “Gran needs this to be resolved, too. Lauralynn was her sister. We need to let it…” Her attempt at soothing her brother was interrupted as he shoved her aside to step closer to Brant in a threatening manner.

Lauryn’s breathing quickened, nervously. She could sense that both men were ready to throw far more than merely threatening words at one another. “Brant?” she ventured. “How about a walk?” Brant continued to glare at Jeffrey. “What do you say?” she urged again, tugging on his arm. Brant glanced down at her then, and it must have been just enough to distract him from whatever thoughts of violence he was having toward Jeffrey, because he smiled and nodded.

Lauryn linked her arm around Brant’s, sighing with relief. “Good. We’ll be back in a little while,” she said to Penny.

“
I’ll keep an eye out for the grannies,” Penny assured them. “In case they need anythin’.” Jeffrey remained silent, glaring past Penny toward his grandmother’s bedroom.

Once outside the house Lauryn exclaimed, “Whew! I was worried there for a minute. Thought you two were goin’ to go at each other’s throats.”

“
We were,” Brant admitted.

They began walking leisurely along the street, passing white picket fences as they went. The summer had brought bounteous beauty to Memphis. All the lawns were plush, the flowerbeds bursting with color. The air was light that day, the sun brilliant.

“
She knows more than she’s told Jeffrey,” Brant said, finally. “Or Jeffrey knows more than he’s telling us. He’s awfully protective of her.”

“
She is his grandmother. But….I think you’re right,” Lauryn agreed. She hadn’t planned to tell him that she felt Jeffrey was hiding something. But she
had
felt it, and was glad to know he had as well. “What, exactly, do you think we’re not bein’ told?”

Brant shrugged. “I can’t say. It’s just a feeling I have.”

“
Imagine it,” Lauryn exclaimed quietly. “All these years…Carissa’s been alive and leading a perfectly normal life. All this time Penny has been my cousin! It’s just so strange to soak up.”

“
Would you do anything, Lauryn?” Brant asked suddenly. Lauryn looked up to him, puzzled by his question. He gazed straight ahead, a thoughtful pucker wrinkling his brow.

“
What do you mean,” she asked.

“
Would you do anything to keep…to try and….” He shook his head and shrugged his shoulders as if trying to dismiss his thoughts. “Never mind.”

“
What?” Lauryn prodded. “Tell me. Would I do anythin’ to what?”

Brant inhaled deeply and glanced at her smiling. “She made it sound so desperate. Like she would’ve dropped dead if she couldn’t make him love her.”

“
Oh,” Lauryn breathed, realizing to what he referred. Carissa had asked her and Penny both if they could imagine feeling so desperate to make a man love them that they would resort to any means necessary. “You mean would I….would I ever consider….”

“
Would a regular girl…any girl I grew up with or know now, for instance…I wonder what pushes a girl to be that frantic. So desperate that she would…”

“
She was in love with him,” Lauryn answered simply.

“
But….” Brant seemed unconvinced. “I mean, I can see how a man…we have so much less self-control, in general. So directed by physical….” He shook his head again. “I guess I’m just comparing her to my sisters.” He paused and smiled down at Lauryn. “Or to you.” Chuckling he added, “You’d never be so desperate as to do anything like she did to try and catch man. You’re too good and honest….and smart.”

“
I’m smart enough to know that you can’t force someone to love you. They do or they don’t. And if they don’t….your dreams are shattered anyway. So why make so many lives miserable?” Secretly, Lauryn could somewhat understand how a woman could be so in love with a man that she would do almost anything to have him. Still, she kept the information quietly to herself and looked up to him to find him staring thoughtfully ahead. “What are you thinkin’?”

“
I think I’d at least consider it.”

“
What?” Lauryn exclaimed, aghast.

“
I think I would.” He glanced at her. Lauryn’s mouth gaped open, shocked at Brant’s revelation. “I mean, say you want to marry this girl and her father won’t hear of it. But, even these days, most families prefer a shotgun wedding to scandal and fatherless children. And knowing that…maybe I’d truly consider seducing the girl and getting her father to demand that I marry her.”

“
You would not!” Lauryn corrected him. She knew Brant would never do such a thing. Didn’t she? “You wouldn’t do that!”

“
I said I might
consider
it, Lauryn,” he reminded her. “I think anyone would consider it. It’s just a matter of how strong you really are.”

“
Well, I like to think that I’m stronger than Carissa was. It was her own sister’s husband she coveted. Remember?”

“
You’re right there,” Brant relented. “What she did was much worse because of who she hurt.”

“
Is that what you told her in there?” Lauryn asked. “Carissa. When you whispered to her. Is that what you told her? That you could understand her desperation?”

“
Pretty much,” Brant chuckled. He winked mischievously at Lauryn and she smiled, charmed with the impish side of his nature.

“
Lauryn! Brant!”

Lauryn and Brant turned to see Penny hurrying after them.

“
She wants to talk to y’all! Right now! Granny says she has somethin’ to say,” Penny panted, short of breath from her sprint.



“
I went to Connemara that day,” Carissa admitted quietly. As Lauryn and Brant sat at the foot of her bed, Nana sat next to her, encouragingly holding her hand. “The battle was…it was horrid. I was frightened. My time was so close…the baby was so near to bein’ born, and I was entirely destitute. Laura had been givin’ me money…” The old woman paused, her lower lip trembling, tears sliding down her cheeks. “After all I had done…she still helped me.” She paused and dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief, then continued. “I needed more money…since I had lost all hope of Daddy ever takin’ me in again. So, I went to Connemara. I waited until Laura came out to help a wounded soldier into the house, and then I called to her. She came to me, told me that she loved me no matter what I had done and that she wanted to see my baby born in safety. But I knew Daddy wouldn’t have it. So, she gave me all the money she had…kissed my cheek and….and then I saw Ginny Bean and….and…”

“
You never saw her again,” Jeffrey stated, ending the story rather abruptly. Penny glared at him, obviously irritated with his interference.

“
She was lost that day. I’ve missed her every moment since,” Carissa sniffled. “I’ve missed everyone since that day. I never returned to Connemara. I left…went north for a time and met my darling husband. But, eventually we came back south and…and here I end up.”

Lauryn’s disappointment was so great that she thought she might scream. It seemed the one hope of finally finding Laura was for not.

“
That’s all you remember, Ma’am?” Brant urged. Carissa smiled at him for a moment and then looked away. She nodded and dabbed at her tears.

Brant sighted heavily. “May I ask just one more thing, Mrs. McGovern?

“
Gran is completely worn out and I think…” Jeffrey began. But Carissa held up her hand to signal that Brant should continue.

“
How…how did you come by that little tea set? The one you gave to Penny? And do you know what ever happened to the piece…the cup that’s missing from it?” Brant’s question was gentle, but very forthright. Lauryn felt the hair on the back of her neck prickle as an expression of surprise crossed Carissa’s face for a moment.

“
The little white set with the lavender flowers?” Carissa asked, in a near whisper.

“
Yes,” Brant urged.

“
I….I…” Carissa glanced at Jeffrey for a moment and Lauryn wondered why. For Jeffrey’s eyes narrowed as he nodded to his Grandmother. “I…I…took it from Connemara that day. That last day I was there. It had been left in the cellar…in a little basket. And when I saw it…I took it. I wanted something to remember my family by. To remember who I really was.”

“
Why were you in the cellar?” Brant asked.

“
It’s where Laura and I spoke…that last time. In the cellar. Just like when we were little girls and used to play tea party with our dolls. It was cool in the cellar on hot days and….” Carissa explained.

“
She needs her rest now,” Jeffrey demanded, taking hold of Lauryn’s arm and tugging at her. “Thank you for your help, Gran.”

“
The cup, Mrs. McGovern,” Brant prodded. “What happened to the cup that’s missing from the tea set?”

Carissa closed her eyes and laid her head back against her pillows. “It’s lost. Just like Laura,” came her answer.

“
We’ll let you rest now, dearest,” Lauryn’s Nana whispered, kissing Carissa’s forehead tenderly.

“
Thank you, Aunt Carissa,” Lauryn said. Carissa opened her eyes. A single tear trickled down her wrinkled cheek as she smiled sadly at her sister’s granddaughter.

Once everyone left the bedroom it was Nana that spoke first. “Well, I’m afraid you children are right back where you started,” she said to Brant and Lauryn.

Sighing heavily, Brant announced, “Well, I, for one, am going right back to where I started. I’m not waiting for the morning train back to Franklin. There’s a train in an hour and I plan to be on it. Any other takers?” Lauryn could see the frustration in Brant’s eyes. Now that their hopes of ending the mystery had been upset, he was ready to move on. Or rather, go back.

“
I can’t leave ‘Rissy so soon. Now that I’ve found her again…I just don’t want to leave. Penny has agreed to stay on with me here for a few days,” Nana told them. “But I’m certain Lauryn wants to go back with you.”

“
She can’t go back alone with him,” Jeffrey interjected. Lauryn noted the way he looked from Nana to her and Brant, and back again. He was obviously befuddled at what appropriate measures he should take. “I intended stayin’ on, as well. But, Mrs. Kensington…you’re not truly considerin’ lettin’ Brant escort Lauryn home…alone. Are you?”