A Season Beyond a Kiss (48 page)

Raelynn opened her mouth to speak, but then closed it again just as quickly, realizing she was on the verge of tears. In view of the fact that Oakley was about an hour’s ride from Charleston, she had consoled herself that her husband had had no time to come in to see her when he was so busy tending to his many business affairs. If, however, he had been in the city all this time, then she could only believe he had been deliberately avoiding her since she had started working at Farrell’s.

In fear of betraying her crumbling reserve, Raelynn cleared her throat and dared to put forth a question. “Has he been there long?”

“I’m not exactly sure how long it has been now. Only a couple weeks or so, I think. I’ve lost track.” It seemed a trite excuse Brandon offered, but true. While he had been so wrought up worrying about what Heather would have to face during the birth of their child, he hadn’t hardly thought about anything else.

“Brandon,” Heather called from the bed.

“Yes, my love?” he answered, moving to her side. He was grateful for her interruption, yet he also sensed she had something on her mind that didn’t necessarily involve him.

His wife clasped his large hand against her bosom and smiled up at him gently. “Go downstairs with your brother. I’d like to talk with Raelynn alone for a few moments.”

Brandon perceived that she intended to lay out the complete and honest truth before their sister-in-law, and that it would be better for all concerned if he removed himself. He did so willingly, preferring to leave rather than witness the tears that would likely be forthcoming. “Don’t do anything while I’m gone now,” he urged with wane humor. “I said I’d be here with you to the end, and you know I always keep my word.”

“Even if you pass out doing so,” Heather teased, lifting her face to receive his doting kiss.

“Me?” Brandon straightened and turned a pointing finger toward his own chest in an attitude of wide disbelief. At her grin and nod, he feigned a bruised countenance, “Why, madam, shame on you. I wouldn’t do anything like that.”

“Of course not,” she sweetly agreed and squeezed his lean fingers before letting him go.

When the door closed behind him, Heather beckoned Raelynn around again to the left side of the bed, near the spot where she lay. Raelynn readily complied, but at Heather’s sudden grimace, she reached out and clasped the delicately boned hands.

“Can I do anything to ease your discomfort?” she asked anxiously, amazed by the small woman’s tenacious grip.

Unable to answer, Heather strained downward a lengthy moment until at last the contraction eased. Then she blew out a long breath, and once more slowly inhaled. Regaining her composure, she smiled up at Raelynn. “It won’t be too much longer now.”

“You wished to speak with me,” Raelynn asked gently.

“Yes, dear. I just wanted to assure you that the reason Jeffrey is staying in Charleston has everything to do with you.”

“Me?” Raelynn laughed at the absurdity of such a notion. If not for the fact that she was so completely distraught, her actions might have seemed to mimic Brandon’s earlier protestations. “But I haven’t hardly seen him since I left Oakley. He came to Farrell’s shop briefly, but he didn’t even glance at me.”

“That doesn’t mean Jeffrey hasn’t been concerned about your welfare. All along he has had men watching over you to ensure your safety, mainly from Gustav. I haven’t been informed of just where his men are located, but I believe they’re fairly close to the areas where you’re working and living. Jeffrey is staying in Charleston in case there’s trouble.”

“It seems he’s just as honorable as always,” Raelynn replied stiltedly. “Or is he just using me as bait to catch Gustav?”

“Raelynn, dear, I truly believe Jeffrey cares for you. Otherwise . . .”

“If that is true, then why hasn’t he come to see me?” Raelynn interrupted, her voice weakening. “If you ask me, it’s just a matter of manly pride. He can hardly be accused of leaving me to my own defenses if he has men watching over me when Gustav decides to come calling again with his ruffians.”

Heather tensed and pressed her hands against her stomach as another contraction rent her restraint. After a moment, she gasped, “You’d better call Hatti. I think the baby’s head is beginning to push through.”

Raelynn tore from the room and rapidly descended the stairs, calling for the black woman. Brandon charged out of the study like a man possessed, and as he bolted for the stairs, Raelynn stumbled to a halt, her eyes falling on the tall, handsomely garbed figure entering the main hall.

As their eyes met, Jeff nodded a greeting and leisurely advanced to the stairs, there placing a booted foot upon the first step. Though the hall had suddenly come alive with servants rushing to and fro, carrying bundles of linens and buckets of water, Raelynn remained unaware of everything but her husband until she realized of a sudden that Hatti had passed her some moments ago.

“Heather will be wondering where I am,” she gasped. Whirling, she caught up her skirts and raced back upstairs. She didn’t realize just how much she was trembling until she had closed the bedroom door behind her and leaned back against it. Of a sudden, her knees felt so weak they seemed incapable of bearing her weight. If not for the fact that she had clenched her teeth, she had no doubt that they would have been chattering by now. Chiding herself for allowing her husband to dismantle her reserve so completely, she forged an unsteady path to the bed, totally amazed by his debilitating effect on her. But that was not the worst of it, by any means, for her heart was thudding chaotically against the wall of her chest, as if she had run a fierce race.

At present, Heather was straining hard to thrust her child into the world. Brandon was beside his wife, his long fingers entwined with hers, appearing every bit as stalwart as his physical bearing conveyed as he murmured encouragements and dabbed at her glistening brow. Only Raelynn noticed that the large hand, which gently wiped Heather’s brow, was shaking far more now than it had been. Indeed, it nearly matched the tremor in her own.

“Yo’ doin’ fine, honey chile,” Hatti encouraged as she busily prepared the bunting for the new arrival.

Heather’s head fell back upon the pillow as the spasm passed, and for a moment she panted as if thoroughly spent. Then she let out her breath in a sigh, composed herself, and glanced around, only then noticing her sister-in-law standing near the end of the bed. Heather held out her free hand invitingly, and Raelynn seized it, fighting anxious tears. Between Jeffrey and Heather, she didn’t know if she’d ever be the same.

“It’s all right,” Heather soothed, managing a brave smile. “It will all be over very, very soon. No need to fret now, dear. I’m doing fine.”

In another moment, Heather was grimacing and bearing down hard again. The baby’s head finally pushed through, and immediately a muted, angry squall was heard, evoking laughter from all who heard.

“Ain’t got de volume Mistah Beau had,” Hatti commented with a white-toothed grin. “Dis one sounds mo’ like a dainty li’l girl ta me. Very shortly, ah ‘spect, Miz Heather, yo’ gonna be havin’ yerself a looksee at your li’l daughter.”

Heather’s head came up off the pillow again as she strove through the throes of childbirth. It wasn’t long before the black woman was cackling in glee.

“Sho nuff, a fine black-haired, li’l girl. An’ she’s a real beauty, too.”

“Oh, she is,” Raelynn agreed, laughing. Of a sudden, she felt as if her heart would soar.

Hatti placed the squalling infant upon her mother’s stomach and dispensed with the rest of the necessities involved in child-bearing. Much awed by the miracle of birth he had just witnessed, Brandon thrust a finger through the tiny, bloody fist of his new daughter and immediately the baby stopped her crying and started making a sucking noise.

“Well, we know what our new little darling will soon be wanting,” her father said with a chortle.

Hatti took the newborn to a corner of the room where she cleansed and swaddled her. Within moments, the tiny girl was lowered into her mother’s arms.

“She’s absolutely gorgeous,” Raelynn observed proudly.

Heather gazed down upon the small, wrinkled face and laughed. “Only a loving aunt would be so kind.”

Brandon rose from the bed and, crossing to the door, grinned back at his wife. “I’m going down to fetch Beau and Jeff. They’ll be wanting to see Suzanne, too.”

Heather was absorbed in inspecting her new daughter and making sure that everything was as it should be. Hatti and Melody were tidying up the bedroom and repositioning the cradle near the bed. In the confusion, no one noticed Raelynn slipping out of the room and hastening down the stairs. She left through the back of the house just as quietly and hurried out to the privy, diligently seeking the privacy it afforded. She really didn’t want Jeff to see her while she was so wrought up. At the merest thought of confronting him again, she had started shaking enough to make the trip to the privy a requirement. With her pregnancy came the necessity, and she
definitely
needed to go.

She hardly expected Jeff to be waiting just outside the cubicle when she opened the door. She flushed red in embarrassment, as if he had never seen her scurrying toward a chamber pot in their bedroom. Nervously she smoothed her skirts. “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you were waiting to use the convenience.”

“I was waiting for you, madam,” Jeff corrected. “I was informed that James brought you out from town, and I was wondering if you’d care to share my carriage on the return trip to Charleston. It would save James the trip in.”

Put that way, Raelynn couldn’t see how she could refuse. “Tizzy packed a valise for me just in case I’d be staying overnight. I’ll have to fetch it.”

“James gave it to me some moments ago, madam. It’s already in my carriage,” her husband informed her. “Once I pay my respects to the newborn and her mother, I’ll be ready to leave. Will that be acceptable to you?”

Raelynn couldn’t decide whether she should feel offended because he had taken her reply for granted, or if she should be pleased that he had gathered her belongings with his usual punctilious competence. “Yes, perfectly.”

Not daring to touch her for fear of what that would lead to, Jeff swept his hand toward the narrow path leading to the house. “After you, madam.”

Raelynn hurried along the well-worn trail, even in the moonlit shadows feeling his unrelenting gaze following her. His long legs had no difficulty keeping up with her, and when she arrived at the door, he was there to swing it open.

“Thank you,” she replied, glancing up nervously. She was so intent upon eyeing him that she failed to notice where she was walking until her head met the sharp ridge of a doorjamb, the hard way. She stumbled back, completely stunned by the impact, and wished in mortifying chagrin that she had fallen into a bottomless pit somewhere.

“Are you all right?” Jeff asked solicitously, lifting her chin with a knuckle to see the damage.

She stood blushing furiously with a hand clasped over the swelling knot on her forehead, telling herself that it was perfectly sane for a woman to wish the earth would open and swallow her up. Her husband was trying to pull away her hand in a quest to see her battle scar, but she was too embarrassed to let him. “I’m fine! Just leave me be, Jeffrey.”

“You’re not fine,” he argued. “There’s blood dribbling through your fingers.”

Startled by his announcement, she yanked away her hand and stared at it in shock. It was indeed bloody, but what was even more disturbing was the fact that droplets began plummeting onto her bosom. “Oh, my gown! It’s going to be ruined.”

“It’s a wonder your head isn’t,” Jeff quipped, gently dabbing a clean handkerchief to the small cut on her brow. He swabbed up the blood there and then, with husbandly familiarity, proceeded to her bodice.

His diligent swipes across her breast immediately caused Raelynn to forget her throbbing head, for she could feel her nipple drawing into a tight little nub beneath his casual ministrations. She lost any semblance of a ladylike poise and clasped a hand over her breast, unable to ignore the hungrily throbbing peak. “Please, Jeffrey, just leave me be!”

“Your head needs tending, madam,” he reasoned, “and at the moment everyone is busy in the house, so I’d be grateful if you’d just let me take care of it.”

“I can take care of myself.”

“You can’t even see your head.”

“Oh, all right!” Much like a petulant child, she plunked herself down upon a stool near the rear door and leaned her head back, still holding her breast within her hand. “Tend me!”

Jeff drew a bucket of water from the well, poured a small amount into a tin cup that hung from a hook, and brought it near. “You needn’t act so offended, Raelynn,” he rebuked gently, wetting the handkerchief. “I’ve done a lot more than handle your breast.”

It dawned on Raelynn that she probably looked more than a little ridiculous sitting there with a hand clasping the womanly fullness. Shifting uncomfortably, she lowered her arm to her lap. Just as quickly she caught the glance her husband shot toward her bodice and looked down at herself, curious to know what had provoked his interest. Her nipple was still tightly puckered, and with a mortified groan she crossed her arms, drawing a low chuckle from Jeff.

“It isn’t as if you haven’t seen such sights before,” she fussed.

“My memory needs refreshing.” Jeff gave the excuse with a grin. “It has been awhile.”

She wanted to quip something appropriately tart, but nothing came to mind. As it was, she endured the careful cleansing of her head wound, allowed him to bandage it, and then sought the covering of her cloak before following Jeffrey upstairs to the master bedroom.

When they arrived, Beau was sitting on the bed beside his mother, peering inquisitively at the little creature his father was holding within his hands. The boy was asking numerous questions about where his new little sister had come from. Finally Brandon settled his tiny little daughter in one hand and, reaching across with the other, laid it on the blanket covering his wife’s stomach, which was now noticeably flatter.

“That’s where Suzanne and you both came from, son.”