The Fragrance of Her Name (55 page)

One by one, everyone left…Mr. Jackson said he had to get
‘on home to supper at Mariah’s ‘fore she skins me alive.’
Sean and Mindy took baby Junie and Patrick and started for their own home, and Lauryn’s mother said she wanted to walk through the rose gardens for a moment.

Even Penny and Jeffrey, after hugging Lauryn tightly, took their leave. Lauryn felt oddly alone as she stood watching her Nana and Carissa dab at their tears with their lace hankies. Brant still stood staring at the fresh grave and Lauryn was lost. For the first time in her life, she felt lost. Lost to her family, lost to the Captain, lost to Connemara…and most of all, lost to Brant who still remained so silent and brooding.

Burying her face in her hands for a moment, overwhelmed with conflicting emotions, it wasn’t until she sensed the soft fragrance of wisteria, heard her Nana’s startled gasp that she raised her head. Standing at the edge of Laura’s grave was the Captain. At his side, on his arm, as beautiful as the day she died, was Laura.

“
Laura?” Carissa breathed. Instantly, Lauralynn rushed forward, throwing her arms around first one sister and then the other in a loving embrace.

“
All is well, my darlin’s,” Lauralynn said. Lauryn felt her mouth gape open at the beautiful and very audible sound of Laura’s voice. “All is well.”

“
But, Laura,” Carissa began.

Lauralynn O’Halleran Masterson shook her head and smiled. “All is well,” she repeated.

And as Lauryn watched the Captain coming toward her, she noticed that Brant’s eyes were filled with moisture as Laura approached him.

“
Thank you, my angel,” The Captain said, taking Lauryn in his arms and kissing her forehead tenderly. “Thank you.” Lauryn looked up at him, tears streaming down her face.

“
You’re goin’, aren’t you?” she choked.

“
We are. And you’re to be happy,” he said. “I promise we’ll never be far…that we’ll watch you be happy. Never too far away.”

Lauryn turned as Laura approached, leading Brant by the hand.

“
Thank you, Lauryn,” she spoke. The melody of her voice as soothing to Lauryn’s soul. Yet, Lauryn’s tears increased, for she knew this was a goodbye that would haunt her always.

“
You see,” Laura said, taking one of Brant’s hands and one of Lauryn’s in her other. “The family had two lost members, angels. Not just one. Not just me.”

“
Carissa,” Brant mumbled.

Laura smiled at him. “Yes. Carissa. She needed peace. She deserves it. And I couldn’t rest until she and I, both of us were found. I didn’t even know myself why…couldn’t tell Brant why…until…until you found me and everything became clear.”

“
You couldn’t talk to me because…” Brant began.

“
Because I was bound. By bein’ lost to Brand…to Connemara. All I knew was where Brand
might
be…near you, Brant. Near
his
home and family…and that is where I lingered. I’m sorry for your hardship, my sweet boy.”

Brant shook his head and smiled. “What would my life have been without you?” Lauryn felt a pang of heartache. What a bittersweet reality it was to have found Laura. And in finding her, lose her…lose the Captain.

“
I love you, sweet Lauryn,” the Captain whispered, caressing Lauryn’s cheek softly. “Thank you, Brant.” His voice seemed quiet, far away somehow.

“
And I love you…both of you,” Laura whispered, her voice slowly vanishing to nothing more than a fragrance. “Have peace now…and life,” her mouth moved. Then she turned to the Captain, and Lauryn watched with wonder as they kissed, passionately, joyously. And then…as if they’d never been…they were gone.

“
They’re gone. Aren’t they?” Lauryn said. There was a sweet sort of peaceful longing in her as if two spaces were now empty in her heart. Voids left by the Captain and Laura. And yet, she wasn’t sad for the loss of them. Their journey of over fifty years was finally, blessedly at an end. They were together. Happy. Forever.

But, as she watched Brant, standing very still and looking off into the distance, his eyes narrowed and full of tears, a trembling began to overtake her. A trembling so strong that she wondered if her knees would, indeed, give way beneath her. What would be their lives now? For so long, both she and Brant had longed to live free of the mystery. But, now that it was upon them…

“
Yes,” he mumbled. “They’re gone. I can feel it.” He put a hand to his chest just over his heart and closed his eyes a moment. “They’re gone.” He looked to her then, and added, “And we’re both free.” He turned and looked at her, his eyes narrow, emotion blazing from them. Lauryn felt her breath shorten, her heart begin to pound furiously as he strode toward her with an aggression she’d never seen in him before! A determination in his eyes that was almost frightening.

Upon reaching her, he didn’t pause even for an instant, but took hold of her face and kissed her almost brutally! His mouth demanded response from her! His kiss was so driven and deep that she could hardly catch her breath.

“
Lauryn,” he breathed as he kissed her, let his hands be lost in her hair. He kissed her neck, her face, her mouth and after long moments that found Lauryn crying in his arms, the salt of her joyous tears mingling with their kiss, he paused looking at her with a longing, an emotion that was too profound to describe.

“
I love you, Lauryn,” he said, his voice low and intensely passionate. “From the very first instant I touched you…heard your voice. I swear it. I loved you from that moment.”

“
Brant,” Lauryn sobbed, as he held her face in his hands forcing her to look at him through her tears. She felt as if her heart might burst from her chest with the sudden ecstasy she felt because of his confession.

“
And I don’t care. I don’t care about anything else! I’d rather die and wander around forever…than to live another minute without owning you!” he added.

“
I love
you
,” she stammered through her sobbing. “In my dreams, before I met you…I loved you. I’ve loved you my whole life!”

“
I couldn’t have you, you know,” he mumbled, his own eyes filled with tears. “Not wholly…not when we both were bound by the past. You understand that I had to keep myself controlled…disciplined. I would’ve failed otherwise…because, so many times, I simply wanted to leave. To take you away from here…and selfishly live my own life.”

Lauryn smiled and caressed his face with her hands. He was hers! Truly and finally. She could touch him whenever she wanted! Ask for his arms around her, feel his magnificent kiss whenever she needed him. Which, she knew, was every minute, eternally. The freedom she felt was rapturous! As if she’d begun to breathe easily for the first time in her life.

“
I’m ready now,” he began, kissing her quickly. “I’m ready to ask your Mama for the thing I want from Connemara.”

Lauryn smiled, understanding. “And what would that thing be?”

Brant smiled, chuckled and hugged her. “And we’ll stay here,” he added, kissing her forehead lovingly “If that’s what you want…we’ll stay here. As long as I can have you that land in New Mexico doesn’t…”

“
No,” she interrupted. “That’s where I want to be…with you. Everythin’ is…is different now. There’s too much of the past here. And all I want is…the future. I want every tomorrow…every moment yet to come…to be
our
moments. I don’t want to belong to the past anymore, Brant. I only want to belong to you.”

Lauryn felt weakened with love, at the same time powerful with it, as Brant smiled lovingly down at her. Brushing a stray curl of nutmeg from her cheek, he took her face in his hands and kissed her again.

“
I won’t be able to stop now, you know,” he mumbled into her ear as he held her to him. “You’ll have to marry me soon.”

“
When?” Lauryn giggled.

“
Tomorrow,” Brant determined, kissing her again.

“
Where?” Lauryn sighed between kisses.

“
Here…at Connemara House,” Brant answered. And then they were lost…but only to the world. For in each other’s arms they were found…found in their love.

Virginia Anne O’Halleran Kensington sighed as she watched the young lovers, now oblivious to all else around them. “A love like no other, that one,” she said.

Carissa O’Halleran McGovern smiled. “Oh, maybe like one other, dear sister. Maybe like one other.”

Epilogue

Lauryn Masterson slid her hand to the back of her neck and lifted her braid as she brushed the hair from her forehead. The evening breezes were cool, and she was very glad…for the summer days in New Mexico were hot and dry. Still, as she gazed at the mountain, turned a brilliant shade of watermelon pink by the setting sun, she was happy to look forward to another day filled with the brilliance of blue sky, the space of the pastures and love of her family.

She closed her eyes, breathing the freshness of the air scented with cedar, pine, sagebrush and wildflowers. She could hear the windmill busily spinning to fill the water troughs, hear the breeze dancing through the cottonwoods down by the riverbank. A calf bawled and “kitty,” her pregnant and very lovable tabby cat, purred at her feet.

“
Mama!” Ginny called. Lauryn opened her eyes to see Ginny, now almost five years old, rushing toward her dragging a dusty three-year-old brother behind. “Mama…there is bird mess all over Henry again!”

Lauryn giggled. Ever since Ginny was born, it seemed, she had worried over Henry. “Well, we’ll just have Daddy wash him off again, sweet pea.”

“
But, Mama…it’s all down he’s face and he’s shirt… and there’s a big ol’ wad of it on he’s foot and Michael sticked his finger right in it and wiped it all over his face and…” Ginny babbled excitedly.

Kneeling down, Lauryn gathered her two children into her arms, hugging them lovingly. “Oh, I’d be willing to bet that Henry’s had bird mess on him most of his life, Ginny. Don’t worry about him so.”

“
But, Mama!” the child whined stamping her foot. “He’s all messy!”

Brushing a curl of ebony hair from Ginny’s cheek, Lauryn smiled. “Well? What about May Belle? Did the birds get May Belle?”

When Sean and Patrick shipped Henry, the statue, from Connemara to New Mexico several years before, Brant commissioned a sculptor in Santa Fe to create a statue of a woman to keep Henry company. He affectionately dubbed the female statue, which was sculpted with attire true to the same time period as Henry, as May Belle. Brant explained that the statue reminded him of an old school teacher he had as a child, Miss May Belle Bomgardner.

“
May Belle is fine, as always, Mama.” Ginny sneered. “Them birds never mess on May Belle.”

“
That’s because May Belle is a lady and they know it,” Lauryn told her daughter. Lifting her apron and moistening its edge with her tongue, Lauryn proceeded to clean Michael’s face. “There’s Mama’s big boy. Now you quite playin’ in that bird mess, Michael! I swear you put me in mind of your Uncle Patrick!”

The thunder of approaching hooves captured Lauryn’s and the children’s attention. She looked up, enchanted by the sight of Brant and Keil riding toward them. Though only nine, Keil had already become a good rider under his father’s guidance. Both riders reined up smiling contentedly.

“
Mama!” Keil exclaimed. “You should see the writhin’ maggots livin’ on that ol’ cow that died last week! It’s amazin’!”

“
I’m certain it is,” Lauryn commented. “And where’s your shirt, boy! You’re goin’ to be burnt through and through,” she scolded. “Brant…he’s gonna be browner than a bean, just like you.”

“
Hell, Lauryn. Ain’t nothing wrong with brown beans. Is there, Keil?” Brant chuckled.

“
Brant!” Lauryn scolded. “For pity’s sake, quit that swearin’.”

But Brant only chuckled and looked to Ginny who was tugging on his pant leg.

“
What’s the matter, kitten?” he asked.

“
Daddy, them birds have been at Henry again. You’ve got to do somethin’ about it!” Ginny whined.

Brant laughed. “Henry’s fine, Ginny. You have Keil help you water that wisteria out by Henry.” Brant held a hand out to Lauryn. “And you two watch Michael. I’m stealing your mama away for a bit.” Winking flirtatiously at Lauryn, he asked, “Up for a ride, sugar?”

Lauryn smiled and tugged at the ribbon holding her braid a moment before mounting up behind Brant. She hugged him tightly around the waist, letting her face rest against his bare back. His skin was warm from work in the sun, and he smelled like leather and dust.

“
Hang on, baby,” Brant told her. At his signal, the horse broke into a comfortable pace. Lauryn smiled as she tipped her head back, letting the breeze cool her cheeks and blow through her hair. She waved to the children as they stood watching their parents ride away, grateful for the blessing of their happy faces.

Riding with Brant was always exhilarating. It always had been one of Lauryn’s favorite pastimes. Ever since she and Brant had moved to New Mexico, they had ridden together. Riding with him was something of a romantic notion to Lauryn, and she reveled in it.

“
The sunset is beautiful today,” Brant sighed, as he sat next to Lauryn atop the giant rock in the west pasture. “Look at that mountain!” he exclaimed. But Lauryn was too distracted by a much larger beauty in the world.