The Officer and the Southerner (Historical Western Romance) (Fort Gibson Officers Series, Book 2) (16 page)

~Chapter Twenty-Five~

Dinner went well.

Ella had been a bit worried at first when Allison made up some silly excuse for her and Wes to leave. But their absence allowed Ella and Jack time to have a much-needed talk. Only she didn’t know how to say what she needed to say.

She was certain that Colonel Lewis had spoken to him by now about his time off, and for some reason, he hadn’t claimed it. That stung a little, but she supposed she deserved it for how she’d treated him.

“
Thank you for dinner, Ella,” Jack said, clearing the plates.

“
I didn’t actually make it,” she reminded him.

“
No,
but
you did give Allison suggestions,
and
you provided wonderful dinner conversation.”

“
I had no idea that talk of growing fruits and vegetables excited you.”

“
When you got to the part where the boys on the plantation used the onion as a ball to bat around with a fallen tree branch, you had my full attention.”

“
Of course, I did,” she said with a slight giggle. “I have yet to meet a man who doesn’t enjoy hitting or kicking.”

“
You?” Jack croaked, looking startled.

“
Me?”

Jack nodded, a pained expression on his face.

“Jack?”

Jack reached for her hand and she allowed him to take it. Well, perhaps not
allowed
. Well, she had, allowed him to take her hand, that is, but allowed sounded so...begrudging or resigned. And she certainly wasn’t either of those about his touch. She’d quite enjoyed it earlier when he’d held her hand. It had excited her. Then, he’d started acting strange. His hand squeezed hers, gaining her attention. “You said that you hadn’t met a man who didn’t enjoy hitting and kicking, I just wondered if you’d been the object of their fury.”

“
Jack, I wasn’t talking about hitting people,” she said slowly. “I was talking about balls.”

Relief came over his face, and then he grinned. “Well, some people have balls.”

She stared at him for a moment, then started laughing at his bizarre statement. “You must not have gotten enough sleep last night.”

“
Not as much as you did,” he quipped. He ran his thumb over her row of knuckles, sending warmth and prickles of awareness skating up her arms. “Thank you for your clarification.”

“
I’d be grateful for yours, too, but I doubt you can offer any,” she remarked, squeezing his hand. Some people had balls. What on earth did that mean?

He gave her an odd look, and then something flashed in his eyes. Something quick and dark, dangerous almost. “I’d love to give you clarification, but I don’t think tonight is the night.”

Awareness of him and his masculinity shot through her. Thrilling her and startling her all at the same time. “If you’re having trouble sleeping, I can borrow some tea from Allison,” she said, needing a distraction.

“
No, thank you. I prefer coffee.”

“
I can make you some, if you’d like,” she offered.

“
No. I can make it. You rest.”

Ella waved her hand through the air. “It won’t hurt me to make coffee. You heat the water, and I’ll do the rest.”

He arched a brow. “Is there much else besides boiling the water and brewing the bean?”

“
I have a recipe.”

He gave a quick glance to their little stack of dirty dinner plates. There wasn’t a crumb remaining, hopefully a good sign that he enjoyed her recipes. “It’ll be my pleasure.”

While Jack poured water into a carafe to heat, Ella turned around in her chair and pulled a few items off the shelf. Coffee was just a roasted bean steeped in hot water, but one could add a pinch of this and a dash of that to it to improve its taste.

When she was done grinding and mixing, Jack set the carafe down in front of her. “If you’d like it hotter, I’ll put it back on, but I hate having to wait an hour to drink it.”

She grinned and dropped her little packet of grounds in to steep. “It’ll just be a few minutes.”

He nodded and sat down across from her, resting his hands on the table, but not touching hers. “Can I ask you something personal?”

Ella sucked in a sharp breath. “A-all right.”

“
Don’t worry, I don’t plan to ask if you kissed a boy under the oak tree in the back corner of your plantation.”

She clapped both hands over her mouth and made her eyes go wide. “However did you know?”

He chuckled then reached for her hand again. “Why did you become a mail order bride?”

All the blood rushed to Ella’s face. How would he respond to the rejection she’d faced? Would he think she deserved it? “I didn’t find a man who suited,” she hedged.

He knit his brows. “Did you look?”

Stung, she pulled her hand from his. “Yes, I did. I just didn’t find any that—” a bubble of nervous excitement caught in her throat and she made the most unladylike sound— “I just didn’t find the right one,” she finished.

Jack reached for her hand again. “I wasn’t trying to imply that I think there’s something undesirable about you. I was just curious about your past and why you’d want to leave and come here.”

“
In my own defense, I didn’t know exactly what would be waiting when I arrived.”

He grinned. “I suppose not. I do hope you’re finding it more enjoyable than you originally thought you might.”

She patted the top of his hand. “It’s like a fungus—it’s growing on me.”

Jack’s laughter filled the room, and her heart swelled. Not wanting him to see how much it affected her, she took the lid off the carafe and removed the packet of grounds she’d dropped in. She probably should have taken them out sooner, but it’d still be drinkable. She poured them each a cup and slid his over to him.

He picked it up and gave it a whiff. “Mmm. It smells good.”

“
Drink some,” she encouraged.

Jack lifted the cup to his lips and took a long swallow. Then, he set it down, poked out his lower lip and nodded. “It’s a touch strong, but that's all right. It'll put some hair on a man's chest.”

“Something you clearly need,” she said, then her hand came over her mouth with an echoing pop and her eyes went wide. “I—I—I—”

Chuckling, Jack waved her off. “It's all right that you enjoyed the sight of my bare chest so much the memory is forever in your mind for your future viewing pleasure.  Though—” he leveled his dark, intense eyes on hers— “I certainly wouldn't be opposed if you'd return the favor.”

***

Damn. He’d said the wrong thing. Something about her earlier explanation regarding why she’d become a mail order bride hadn’t set well with him. Her actions all evening had been a strange combination of experience and innocence. Then she’d evaded his question, spurring him on. Not that it wasn’t true. He’d certainly enjoy the opportunity to feast his eyes upon her naked body, but maybe he shouldn’t have told her.

“Perhaps it’s time for bed,” he suggested.

“
Haven’t you already done that?”

“
Gone to bed?” He made a show of looking at the bed and then down at the dining chair he was in, which was still scooted up to the table. “No, I don’t think I have.”

“
Not that.” She licked her lips and blushed, but held his gaze. “Didn’t you see my—my—my—breasts when you cared for me while I was sick?”

Now it was his turn to have a heated blush creep up his face. He couldn’t deny it. Nor would he want to. He refused to give in to the urge to tear his eyes away. He couldn’t do that. No, he
wouldn’t
do that. It was the cowardly way, and he was not a coward. “Yes.” But it wasn’t as if he’d seen her naked because she wanted to share her body with him. It was out of necessity, nothing more, and not enjoyable in the least. She didn’t need to know that though.

A warm drop of liquid hit his wrist, jerking him back to present. He blinked and realized that Ella was crying. Shock, then confusion, then irritation, then anger ran through him. She was crying because he’d seen her without her clothes? Was she addled or did she hold him in that much disdain?

He abruptly let go of her hand. How ungrateful could she be?

What did she expect from him? Was he supposed to have let her stay in her soiled garments? Or worse, just let her die? He opened his mouth to say something—what, he didn’t know—and realized his jaw hurt. He’d been so upset he hadn’t even noticed that he’d been clamping his jaw so hard.

“I didn’t do it for my personal enjoyment,” he practically barked.

“
I know,” she sobbed. She sniffled and wiped under her eyes with her knuckles. “Jack, I—I don’t know what to say.”

Neither did he. All he could do was stare at her.

“When Colonel Lewis came yesterday, I didn’t know how sick I’d been. I mean, I knew, but I thought it was just an awful, awful dream. Then, when Allison told me...” Sobs came harder, faster. “I don’t know what to say other than to tell you how very sorry I am for...everything.”

In less than a second, the brick wall he’d erected on false grounds around his heart crumbled. He stood and scooped her out of her chair, then brought her to sit on his lap on the edge of the bed. “Ella, it’s all right. I’m not upset with you about that.”

For some reason, that made the strange woman he’d married cry harder and say something inaudible about how he should be.

He rubbed her back with slow even strokes. “Ella, I promise, it’s all right,” he soothed in her ear. “We all say or do things without being fully informed sometimes.” He snorted. “I’m the worst.”

Something akin to laughter emerged from somewhere in the vicinity of her tucked head, and fortunately for him, her cries had subsided to gentle sobs.

Jack moved onto the bed until he was able to lie down, then pulled Ella with him and held her close the way he’d wanted to since he’d first set eyes on her.

~Chapter Twenty-Six~

“All right, boys, get into position to shoot!” Jack hollered to his row of men.

His men moved into position and a smile of satisfaction came over Jack’s face. More than a week with Gray and they were still the competent men he’d trained them to be.

“Take aim. Fire!”

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

“Reload!”

Click, click, shhhhh, pop. Click, click, shhhhh, pop. Click, click, shhhhh, pop. Click, click, shhhhh, pop.

“Aim.” He paused but a moment. “Fire!”

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

“Reload!” He dismounted his horse and walked among his men. “It goes faster if you hold it like this,” he murmured to one of his newest men.

The man’s face reddened, and then he took his rifle back and aimed it to shoot.

“Fire!”

Another round of shots rang out.

“Good shot, Travis.” He walked down the row. “To your knees, soldiers” he commanded.

His men took to their knees and waited for the next order. “Reload.”

The men reloaded.

“
Aim.” He walked the aisle and adjusted the shaking hands of one of his men. “Steady,” he murmured. “It’s just practice.” He straightened. “Fire!”

“
I surrender, I surrender,” Gray hollered as he approached, arms lifted in the air.

Jack shook his head. He doubted Gray had surrendered to anything in his life. “Yes?”

“Colonel Lewis wants to see you.”

Jack groaned. Yesterday, the Colonel had wanted to see him no less than half a dozen times, each time just as uncomfortable as the last. “All right, you continue with this. If I don’t return, please come save me.”

“I don’t think you’ll need my saving. You seem to be a stronger, more capable man than I originally thought.”

Jack took pride in his friend’s words. He knew they weren’t based on the physical strength he’d exhibited during their fight, but he was finally admitting that he believed Jack’s intentions toward Ella were sincere, which surprisingly meant a lot to him coming from a guy like Gray.

Colonel Lewis was waiting at his desk when Jack arrived. “Sir?”

“
I just wanted to remind you that tomorrow you will be taking the day off. Our game of rounders depends on it.”

Jack grinned. Since that awkward morning when Ella had told Colonel Lewis that Jack needed to be at work, the man had tried multiple times each day to get him to take the days off anyway, claiming Ella would be glad for the company. Perhaps she would, Jack supposed. Sewing all day couldn’t be fun, and with such a limited population on the fort, there couldn’t possibly be very much for Ella and her friends to gossip about. But, he liked this arrangement better. He’d enjoyed those few joy-filled hours with Ella last night, even if he spent them tormented with desire for her. He certainly didn’t wish to compromise what he had by rushing into spending all day with her.

“I understand,” Jack said.

“
Good.” Colonel Lewis narrowed his eyes. “You do intend to play your turn, do you not?”

“
Yes. At least this time.” He grinned. “But when Ella’s better, I just might let her bat.”

“
You’d better not,” Colonel Lewis growled, scowling. “Wes could always be counted on to help us win, but now he throws his turn away by letting his wife bat for him.” His eyes lit. “Perhaps now that Ella’s here, Allison won’t wish to play. Heaven knows how many times I’ve tried to bribe Lucille with the promise to retire after my time is up if she’d go sit with Allison and keep her out of the game.” He lowered his voice and grumbled something to himself that Jack took as his dismissal.

Jack shook his head as he walked away. He’d missed last week’s game when Ella was sick and was actually looking forward to playing tomorrow.

“By the way,” Colonel Lewis called, halting Jack. “I hope Ella was feeling well enough to spend the day with Lucille over at our cabin.”

Jack turned to face his commanding officer. “Yes, sir, she was. She’s the one who suggested it and asked me to help her walk over there.”

Colonel Lewis cocked his head to the side. “Do you always do what she asks?”

“
When it’s reasonable, yes, sir.” He had a suspicion last night that Colonel Lewis’ prodding for him to reconsider spending these few days with Ella was the product of Ella talking to Colonel Lewis. Helping her over to the Lewises to spend the day with the ladies sewing was reasonable, but taking a week off of work wasn’t. “Is that all, sir?”

“
No. Here, bring these to Gray, please. He needs to gather a dozen men and ride this out to Fort Smith.” He picked up a packet of papers from his desk and handed them to Jack.

As instructed, Jack took the bundle to Gray and gave him the colonel’s message, then went to resume target practice in the beautiful May sunshine. Not too hot, nor too windy. Perfect weather.

Perhaps Ella would like to spend some time outside this evening before dinner. A smile took his lips. He had the perfect idea.

***

Michaela pressed her hand against her stomach in hopes of settling it from the constant sway of the carriage. One would think she’d be used to it after all the traveling she’d been subjected to as a child. But, apparently, the further west one went, the worse the roads. “How much farther?”

Pa peeked out the red velvet curtains with gold fringe that hung over the windows in the carriage. “We should be halfway through Arkansas by nightfall. Then, we’ll get to Fort Smith tomorrow. It’s only half a day’s journey from there, I’d say. But we’ll probably stay there a few days to rest.”

Michaela gave a weak nod. When she’d first insisted that she accompany Pa, she had no idea the journey would be so bumpy and she’d feel so battered by the time they arrived. Not that it mattered too much that she’d insisted on coming. Pa hadn’t even argued with her about it, which likely meant he’d already decided she was coming with him before she’d said anything.

She blew out a breath and looked out the window to find something to distract her from the horrible stomach pains and the intolerable silence in the carriage, which had been the crippling tone since they’d left Savannah only a few days ago. For most travelers, it would take no less than two weeks to get to Fort Gibson from Savannah, possibly three, depending on the weather and condition of the roads. General Samuel Davis didn’t concern himself with trivial things such as weather. They were rolling down the road just as the first rays of sunshine started to break and didn’t stop for the night until late into the night when travel became too dangerous. Traveling with him had always been this way.

“Do I frighten you, Michaela?”

Her father’s sudden question and uneasy tone startled her. She licked her lips. “N-no. Why?”

He didn’t look convinced. “I just wondered why you and Ella thought to keep this from me.”

“
It was not my secret to tell,” she said, meeting his eyes.

His green eyes registered the undertone of her statement. Just like her, he had not forgotten that she held one of his secrets. One that he wouldn’t like anyone else to know, she’d wager.

“Then is Ella frightened of me?”

Michaela sighed. “No. I don’t think she left without telling you because she was too afraid of your wrath, exactly. She did say something. Last winter, she brought it up at dinner, claiming that if she couldn’t find a husband that year, she’d become a mail order bride.”

A pained expression came over Pa’s face. He remembered the conversation. “I don’t understand why it’s so hard for her to marry, any more than I understand your reluctance.”

Michaela grinned. “My reluctance is my choice. Her difficulty might be because of you.”

“How so?”

“
How many men do you think wish to have you as a father-in-law?”

Pa frowned and Michaela would have felt bad for her words, but they were the truth. “I didn’t realize I was such an unlikeable man.”

“You’re not,” she said, frowning. “It’s just that you’re very intimidating.” She sighed and racked her brain for how to word what she wanted to say. “When Virginia and Mary were looking for husbands, Ma was still alive. She softened you—”

“
She most certainly did not.”

“
Let me finish, if you please.” She ignored the way he pursed his lips and continued. “Ma had a way about her that made potential suitors not seem so put off by you.”

“
Well, thank you, Michaela. I’m glad I now know your true opinion of me,” he said in a dry tone.

“
That didn’t come out right.” She sighed. “Pa, we’re not all military men. Those under your command chose to be commanded about when they enlisted. Ella’s suitors didn’t.”

“
So you think I was too hard on them?”

Michaela arched a brow. “Pa, you used to invite them over to discuss—in detail—their plans for their future after they married your daughter.”

“I might not have been very encouraging to any of them, but I never told a single one that they couldn’t ask her,” he said, scowling.

“
No. But do you think any of them wanted to ask her to marry them after such an uncomfortable afternoon with you?”

“
Then it’s for the best they didn’t ask. If they were put off by such a meeting, then they weren’t very serious about her.”

Michaela couldn’t argue with him about that. She’d often suspected Ella’s early suitors were interested in her merely because Pa had no male issue to leave the plantation to when he died and were hoping to acquire it. This plan probably changed when they realized that they’d have to endure Pa and his probing questions and penetrating eyes until that time came, and even then, it wasn’t a guarantee. The later ones might have had the same intent, or more heartbreaking, their actions had been out of spite for Pa; but either way, they had known that treating his youngest daughter that way would hurt and embarrass him. She refused to believe that none of the young men had any sort of attraction to Ella. Sure, she wasn’t as striking as their older sisters, but without doubt she was beautiful and had a certain charm about her personality.

“What of you?”

Michaela started. “Pa, I have no wish to discuss my marriage prospects right now.”

“Good, because I wasn’t asking,” he smiled. “Do you think I’ve been too hard on you and your sisters? Too demanding? Intimidating?”

“
At times.”

He nodded once and lowered his lashes as if he were in deep contemplation.

Time passed; how quickly or slowly, Michaela didn’t know. All she knew was the silence in the carriage wasn’t nearly as uncomfortable now as it had been since the moment they pulled out of their drive in Savannah.

“
Now that we’ve discussed my shortcomings, shall we discuss your reluctance to court?”