Whispering Hills of Love (American Wilderness Series Romance Book 3) (10 page)

“Kelly. I have plans for you. You need not worry.”

“What plans?” she asked warily. A warning voice whispered inside her head.

“We’ll discuss those when we reach Lexington. But to put your mind at ease, I am a man of means and want to provide you with an education.”

“I am already well-schooled. I’ll have you know I can read and write quite well.”

“I am pleased to learn that. However, there’s more to an education than reading and writing. Who taught you to read and write?”

“My mother.”

“She is an educated woman?”

“Was. She’s dead now. She came from a fine northern Virginia family. Her father owned a tobacco plantation.”

“Did he? Well, I’m delighted that she taught you to read. And sorry for her that she wound up with such an appalling brut. If she looked anything like you, she could have had her pick of Virginia gentlemen.”

If truth be told, she was sorry too. What would her life been like if her mother had married a fine Virginia gentleman? Someone who treated them both well? Kept them both safe in a big fine home. What would it have been like to become a young woman in a home full of life and love? She hadn’t felt love from her father in a very long time.

This man seemed more interested in her welfare than her father ever was. But he was a stranger. As he rode beside her, she was conscious of his continued scrutiny. His gaze started to roam
freely over her entire body. She became even more uneasy and was suddenly anxious to escape from this mysterious man. As she pondered her situation, Kelly’s head ached with worry and her face grew hot.

Growing more and more uncomfortable, she shifted in the saddle and chewed on her bottom lip.

She could not trust this man. Even if she could trust him, did she want to? What she wanted to do was turn her horse and run away, but his more powerful stallion would easily catch up to her mare. And the man looked stout. Any effort to bolt would be wasted.

Besides, alone, deep in the wilds of these hills and woods, there were all sorts of potential dangers. From bears and mountain lions to Indians and outlaws. Leaving might mean jumping from the frying pan into the fire. Logic dampened the last traces of her desire to flee.

She gazed at him in despair. “Please, take me back. I have friends in Boonesborough who will protect me and help me to avoid my father.”

“You’ve already escaped him.”

She closed her eyes, her heart aching because he was right. She was glad she was away from her father and did not have to face him this morning. He was probably still asleep, and hadn’t even noticed that she was gone.

She tried to hide her inner sadness from Harpes’ probing gaze.

But without her father, what would she do? Despite her own attraction to William, he had only acted as a good friend or brother toward her. He obviously didn’t intend to court her or to marry her. If he had, wouldn’t he have made his intentions known
by now? She couldn’t blame him for not wanting her. Her mother once told her that gentlemen want to marry unsullied young ladies. And she was far from a pure maiden. William even saw her entirely unclothed with Ben Jack and his brother. The sight probably repulsed him and made it difficult now for him to think of her romantically. She held out little hope that William could ever return her affections.

She looked away from Harpes, off into the darkness of the forest, as she swallowed her disappointment.

Did she have any other options? She didn’t want to live with Sam and Catherine, they were newlyweds. And Stephen and Jane already had plenty of responsibilities with two daughters and another child due any day. She didn’t want to be a burden to any of them. Even William.

Especially William.

She wished William would want to be with her because he loved and desired her. Because he felt about her as she did him. Not because he pitied her. Her heart tightened with conflicting emotions, some sweet, as she remembered both his gentle promise to help her heal, and her growing attraction to William. And emotions of regret, that he had never shown anything more than brotherly concern for her and she might never know what his love would feel like.

She faced an uncertain future to say the least. Maybe going to Lexington was for the best. She could find another job there and not be dependent on anyone. Maybe there she would have a chance to heal—to rid herself of the incessant shame she felt. She could start a new life, a completely fresh life, in a place where no one would know what had happened to her. The thought gave her a strange numbed comfort.

“All right. I’ll agree to continue on with you.” But just as soon as she spoke the words aloud, she felt oddly unsettled.

William! A single hot tear slipped down her cheek and she quickly swiped at it with her knuckle.

“You need to rest awhile,” he said kindly. “We’ve been riding for a couple of hours. We’ll stop at the next creek and make camp.”

She just shook her head, afraid her voice would betray her distress.

They dismounted as soon as they reached a narrow stream and let the horses water. Kelly gulped water down her own parched throat and washed her face and hands. Studying her reflection in the moon-gilded water, she wondered if the man really did find her beautiful. Right now, she felt anything but. Her eyes felt swollen with fatigue, her hair was a frazzled mess, her clothing wrinkled. She dipped her hands into the water again and splashed her face. The cool water felt good against her pounding forehead.

But it would take more than cool water to quench the pain of her aching heart.

CHAPTER 9

H
is partner Belle would be forever indebted to him. It had been awhile since Harpes had acquired one as innocent and lovely as Kelly. And eventually the young woman would also be grateful to him for rescuing her from the clutches of her father. The man didn’t deserve a daughter like Kelly.

He could hardly wait to get her fixed up and have her see her reflection in the beautiful mirror that hung in the home’s parlor. The mirror was among the home’s many fine furnishings. Belle had insisted on the best of everything for Lexington’s most orderly of ‘disorderly’ houses. Rich velvet drapes, the latest fashionable furniture, cut crystal oil lamps, and, of course, the richest food and finest drinks.

Belle also insisted on the best in female companionship for her clientele—some of the most powerful men in the community and even surrounding states. Her clients often wanted someone new. And he was all too happy to keep Belle supplied with fresh young women and teach the young ladies how to please a man. Almost without exception, they were ignorant of the skills needed for their profession. But he was an excellent teacher.

For his efforts, he got half of Belle’s considerable profits and as much time as he desired with his pick of the whores.

Kelly was perfect.

He’d recognized her potential at once. Her beauty was delicate, her lips a rosy flower. They had few blondes at the brothel and none with Kelly’s exquisite young figure. She was probably still a virgin too. Yes, he would certainly sample her beauty close up and teach her a few things, just as soon as he could get her into a big luxurious bed. He was not about to soil his fine clothing and pick up ticks and fleas by taking her now. And, he really needed to keep his wits about him in case there were natives roaming about. He’d always managed to trade or talk his way out of Indian problems. In fact, he carried folded silk cloth and pearls in his saddle bags for just that purpose. Fortunately, Indians were honorable and honored their trades.

The sweet thing probably didn’t even know what a brothel was. It would be an education all right. For the first few days, Belle clandestinely kept new arrivals drugged with her carefully controlled doses. After that, nearly all of the women he’d cherry-picked for the house chose to stay in order to continue taking the drugs. They enjoyed the fine food and beautiful clothing as well. And for women who were alone in the world or had little family, Belle’s home offered some degree of protection.

It was the perfect set-up. In Lexington, the city readily acknowledged the women’s work as a profession, alongside physicians and attorneys. Especially accepted, were houses like Belle’s, whose clients were among the citizenry’s elite.

He could hardly wait to begin Kelly’s instruction. With a few drugs in her, just enough to keep her compliant, she would be a willing pupil. He would make sure she learned her lessons well.

After washing up, Kelly returned to where Harpes waited. She approached slowly.

Glancing up from his saddle bag, he openly appraised her. His look was so peculiar it sent a tremor of foreboding through her.

She sat down next to a tree and stretched out her legs while keeping her eyes glued on Harpes. She fought to keep her growing uncertainty from showing.

Harpes offered her a biscuit wrapped in a towel. “Here, you’ll enjoy this. You must be famished.” His voice was kind, yet edged with something else she didn’t recognize.

Ravenous, she quickly gulped the sweet bread down. She would have to sleep soon, her senses felt dulled. She pressed her hands to her burning tired eyes. Her entire body felt heavy with weariness and her heart ached for William. What was she doing here with this man? She began to wonder just what he wanted of her.

“Go ahead, sleep,” Harpes suggested. “There’s no reason not to rest. We’ve made excellent progress and it will be dawn in a couple of hours. I’ll keep a watch out.”

She gave a forced smile and a slight nod of consent. “Maybe just a few minutes. Do you promise to stay over there?”

Amusement flickered in his eyes. “Indeed, I’ll just be taking a short nap myself, right here.” He tapped the ground beside him as he too sat down and leaned back against a large pine tree.

“First, give me back my father’s weapons.” Kelly tried to sound demanding, but to her dismay, her voice broke slightly.

He frowned and shook his head decisively. “No my dear. I
might need them in case we’re attacked.” He sat there, blatantly intimidating.

That set alarms ringing in her heard. “If we’re attacked, it would be better if we were both armed.” She drew a settling breath and forbade herself to tremble, but her hands, hidden in the folds of her dress, twisted nervously.

He seemed to enjoy her struggle to maintain her dwindling composure.

She lifted her chin, boldly meeting his eyes, and fought for self-control. “I insist that you give me the weapons. They belong to my father, not you.”

His expression darkened and something disturbing revealed itself far back in his eyes.

Kelly’s guard was fully up now. Her heart thudded within her chest. They stared at each other across an uncomfortable silence. She swallowed and found her voice again. “I am a competent shooter, I assure you. I had to hunt my own food where I liv….” She couldn’t finish the sentence. She gasped, realizing something was not right with her. A warm pressure filled her head and then all of a sudden she felt like she was laying in quiet field in the sun. All her confusion, all her loneliness, all her shame, gone. She felt so good...

She struggled to open her eyes, but they refused to stay open. Before her lids closed again, she saw Harpes mouth spread into a thin-lipped smile.

Harpes wasn’t surprised that the drug affected Kelly so rapidly. The poor girl was exhausted. But the drug would make her sleep deeply. He would let her rest for an hour or so and then tie her on
her horse. It would be late in the morning before the drug wore off, but by then he would have her safely hidden away at Belle’s house.

He studied her. He’d seen strength of character on that delicate face and a strong mind in her intelligent eyes. This one might not be as easy as most to bend to Belle’s iron will. He felt sure there would be an interesting skirmish between the two until he got Kelly under his control. In fact, he rather looked forward to her resistance. It would make taking her all the more exhilarating.

He decided to catch a few winks himself. He covered his face with his tricorne and crossed his legs and arms, a smile of satisfaction tipping the corners of his mouth.