Harlequin Historical February 2014 - Bundle 1 of 2: The Major's Wife\To Tempt a Viking\Mistress Masquerade (21 page)

He had to crack a smile at that. The woman was right. As much as he wanted to believe Millie was helpless, needed his protection at all times, she'd already proved him wrong. In actuality, she had all the grit and fortitude of an army man. Of a major's wife.

“She'll be waiting in Tulsa when you get there, Major. I ain't got no doubts.”

An amazing reunion flashed before his eyes. Holding up the necklace, he said, “I'm taking this to her.”

“She'll be glad to see it, and you.”

Glancing around, attempting to hide the joy bursting inside him, Seth wondered if Millie would want to live here instead of the fort. He could do that. As long as they were together he didn't care where they lived. “I hope to see you again someday, Lola.”

“I ain't got no doubts on that, either, Major.”

They both chuckled and then bade each other farewell, Seth feeling more optimism than he had in decades. However, by the time he got to Washington, he was furious. The train had been stuck on the tracks for over five hours before it started up again. Passengers had mumbled about how the same thing had happened the day before, and Seth had contemplated getting out and walking. He hadn't, and when they finally arrived, he had less than ten minutes to catch his westbound train.

He ran fast and hard across the huge railroad yard, and had to jump to grab the handrail of the already rolling train.

“Glad you made it, Major,” Jack Roberts said, pulling the door shut behind him.

“Me, too,” Seth admitted, catching his breath before moving down the row of seats.

“Your wife isn't returning with us, sir?” the sergeant asked.

He'd forgotten no one knew what had happened. Just that he'd escorted her to Richmond, to see her family. The sadness on the man's face wasn't lost on him. Everyone had been taken with her, and he could appreciate that. Smiling, he answered, “She caught an earlier train. We'll meet up in Tulsa.”

“Oh, that's good news, Major,” Sergeant Rex Moore said from his seat. “Real good news.”

“Yes, it is, Sergeant,” Seth replied, plopping onto the hard bench. “Yes, it is.”

Chapter Sixteen

P
rivate car or not, the train ride seemed to be taking weeks instead of days, and Millie was feeling like a bird in a cage. She could venture to the dining car, but hadn't liked stepping between the cars even when Seth had been at her side, so trying it alone was not going to happen. Besides, the porter, Mr. Williams, was extremely considerate in seeing to all her needs. He even sat for a few minutes during his visits, talking about some of the other passengers.

It appeared there were army men and Indians on this train, as well. Leastwise from what Mr. Williams said. Washington had been full of them for the negotiations, so it wasn't surprising. The porter said most of them were going as far as Tulsa, too, where they'd catch other trains.

Millie kept her fingers crossed that Seth hadn't already left Tulsa, and while doing that, she also prayed he'd listen to her. Let her explain why she'd done what she had. The closer she got to her destination, the more doubt tried to sneak into her mind. She battled it, but it was a hard war. The only thing that helped was recalling who she was. A major's wife, one fully capable of any battle put before her.

She awoke the last morning of the trip in such turmoil she felt as if her head was spinning along with her heart. After taking down the brown traveling suit from where she'd hung it upon boarding the train at eight-fifteen that morning back in Washington, she ran a hand over the soft, lush material. This, too, wearing the outfit, was a conflict she had to resolve. She wanted to look her best, but wearing the velvet while riding across the plains might damage it. Of course, she could put another gown in her traveling bag, but changing along the way, without access to Seth's tent, would be difficult. Then again, if he did forgive her, and she would be welcomed in his tent...

“Oh, goodness,” she whispered, plopping onto the bed beside the gown. Maybe she didn't have the fortitude of a major's wife, after all. She certainly hadn't on her first trip west.

A knock on the door brought her to her feet again. That had been the old Millie. The one so unsure of herself she'd let others rule her life. The one who no longer existed.

Millie crossed the car and pulled open the door. “Good morning, Mr. Williams,” she said to the tall, slender man with deep, sunken eyes.

“Good morning, ma'am.” He carried a tray in and set it on a small table. “We'll be arriving in Tulsa before noon. Would you like me to bring you some warm water to freshen up when I return for your dishes?”

“Yes, please, I'd appreciate that very much. I'm looking forward to arriving.”

“The soldiers are happy to be almost home, too,” the porter said. “The one major's practically jumping out the window—the one I told you about. He's with the Indian who traded his feathers for a white wig after seeing a picture of George Washington.”

She nodded, smiled, mainly because her heart was flapping against her breastbone. There was more than one major in the army, and several in the Indian Territory. She understood that, but there was only one she couldn't wait to see.

The smile remained on her face while she ate breakfast, and after Mr. Williams delivered the promised water, a bucketfull, still steaming, she made sure all the curtains were secure before stripping down to her bare essentials. With a small towel she washed herself, remembering the last time she'd been in Tulsa, and Seth had washed her hair.

Another thought flashed into her mind, making her hand stall near her throat. Everyone back here, from Mrs. Brewster in Tulsa to Briggs Ryan at Fort Sill, knew her as Rosemary. What would they think of her and her deceit?

Bits and pieces of her breath caught in her lungs. Explaining to Seth was one thing, having to explain it to everyone else was a whole different issue. He might be scorned or discredited by what she'd done.

Why hadn't she thought of this before? Why hadn't she taken the repercussions of her behavior into consideration?

“Well, Millie,” she told herself aloud, “you are just going to have to face it. That's all there is to it. There's no turning back.”

By the time the train sounded its whistle, announcing their arrival in Tulsa, she was so nervous she almost jumped out of her boots. Holding on to the door handle, ready to exit as soon as the wheels rolled to a stop, she glanced around the car. Her trunk was packed, ready to be unloaded, and Mr. Williams promised it would be set near the wall. An extra dress was rolled up inside her traveling bag.

She set the bag down, smoothed the velvet over her uneasy stomach and picked the bag back up. Only to set it down again to run a hand over her hair and make sure the ribbon securing the end of her braid was tight.

Then she took a deep breath and picked the bag up yet again, just as the whistle repeated and the train started jolting as the brakes caught and released. Mrs. Ketchum had said being an army wife wasn't always easy, and Millie knew she was about to face just how hard it could be.

The last jolt left the car gently rocking, and she opened the door, rushed down the steps. The private car was near the end of the train, and people started exiting the other cars by the dozens. Hurrying around blue uniforms and bare chests, though with the cooler weather more were covered than when she'd arrived two months ago, she kept her gaze on the main street of town. Mrs. Brewster would know if Seth had already left, and the hotel was her destination. Her only focus.

When her foot caught, brought her to an abrupt stop and sent her flying forward and downward at the same time, one thought occurred.

Not again.

A pop echoing over the platform had Seth, as well as several others around him, drawing guns and scanning the area for the shooter. The whole station had gone still, with everyone looking at everyone else.

“There's a woman down,” a man shouted.

“Her heel caught in a knothole,” another said.

“That happened once before,” someone else said.

Seth had to smile, recalling Millie's story, and though it was probably a spectacle to see, his sights were set on the hotel. Mrs. Brewster would know where Millie was. Curiosity had him glancing to where a crowd was forming, around the woman, no doubt.

His feet stopped so fast someone bumped into his back.

“Excuse me, Major,” a faceless person said. Faceless because Seth's eyes were on the brown material of the dress the woman on the ground was wearing. He couldn't see much, just a flash of skirt between bystanders' legs, but he recognized the velvet.

He elbowed, shouldered and flat-out shoved men aside until he was the one bending over her, and then a tremor shot through him, hitting every muscle.

Her little shoulders were shaking as she lay belly down on the wood. Someone had already freed her foot, and he took her arms, turning her over slowly. “Millie?”

The smile on her lips grew, but then faded as her big, adorable brown eyes locked with his. “Seth?”

“Are you hurt?” he asked, willing himself not to pull her into his arms.

She closed her eyes, pinched her lips together as she shook her head. “No,” she said, opening her eyes again. “Just my pride.”

“I thought you were crying,” he admitted.

“No, I was laughing. I couldn't believe it happened to me again.” She sat up, folded one knee to examine her boot. “My heel caught in the knothole and broke off, again.” Her eyes came back to him and that charming little grin appeared on her lips. “The opposite boot this time.”

“Here, let me help you up.” His body was alive, pounding and throbbing, all because his fingers were touching her.

Gazes locked, they stood there for a few minutes before he let her loose. They still had to talk. He had to set things straight before he could kiss her. That was the little voice in his head, and he listened to it, wanted to make sure he did things right this time.

She bent down, picked up a bag, and that made him frown. “That's your traveling bag.”

“Yes, I just got off the train and was—”

“Just got off the train?” he repeated, sure he hadn't heard right.

“Yes, I missed our scheduled train, and—”

“You missed our scheduled train?” he interrupted, checking his hearing again.

“Yes.”

He spun, glanced at the engine still letting off steam. “You were on that train?”

She nodded.

Comprehension hit him, made him say, “You were the rich woman in the Pullman car.”

Her eyes grew wide, glancing at the train and then back to him. “You were the major with the Indians?”

“Yes.”

“We were on the same train?”

“Yes,” he repeated, wanting to pull her forward into his arms. The urge was growing so strong he folded his fingers around one of her wrists. “Millie, we need to—”

“Seth, I want to—” she said at the same time.

“Come on.” He took the bag from her hand. “Let's go to the hotel, where we can talk.”

She nodded, spinning around to walk beside him, but when they took a couple steps, her uneven gait had him stopping. Scanning the crowd, he caught sight of Rex Moore.

“Sergeant Moore?”

“Yes, Major?”

“Please retrieve...” He paused, almost saying “my wife's.” “Please find the lady's heel and have that board replaced.”

“Yes, sir.” Tipping his hat, the man added, “Good to see you, ma'am.”

“You, too, Sergeant Moore,” she replied.

“Major, would you like the wagons prepared to leave in the morning?” The man's grin showed his teeth.

Seth's insides reached a new plateau of excitement. “Yes, Sergeant, tomorrow morning will be fine,” he replied. Holding her arm, he kept his pace slow to accommodate her high-low steps. It reminded him of another walk they'd taken, back at the fort, and a part of him wished he could go back to that day, start over.

“Seth, I'm sorry, I—”

“Excuse me for interrupting, but I'd prefer we wait to begin our discussion at the hotel.”

She nodded, and the haze of sorrow overtaking her eyes had him rubbing the inside of her arm.

“Just so we aren't interrupted,” he whispered.

A shine replaced the haze and a glow covered her cheeks. She nodded again, while bowing her head bashfully. Seth was fighting the desire to scoop her into his arms and carry her the rest of the way to the hotel. He almost did, except for her bag in his opposite hand.

“Oh, Major, I had my dates mixed up. I expected you yesterday,” Mrs. Brewster said, opening the door as they approached. She frowned then. “Goodness, dear, what happened? Are you hurt?”

“No, Mrs. Brewster,” Millie said, “I broke my heel. It caught it a knothole.”

“Oh, that happened once before.” The woman moved toward the desk, gathering a key. “Don't know to whom. A woman traveling through, I think.”

Seth, meeting Millie's gaze, returned her smile, enjoying their shared knowledge. “Thank you, Mrs. Brewster,” he said, taking the key the woman held out.

“Would you like lunch in your room? I could—”

“We'll let you know,” he said, already leading Millie up the stairs.

Millie. A beautiful name indeed. Stopping at the door of the same room they'd used before, he unlocked it, swung it open. She walked in and stopped in the middle of the room, glanced around as if nervous.

He knew the feeling. Turning, he shut the door and set her bag on the floor, then twisted the key in the lock.

As he turned back, she said, “Seth, I...” Her eyes fluttered shut as she took a deep breath.

Watching her breasts rise as she drew in air, he also noticed how one shoulder was a good two inches lower than the other. “Why don't you take your boots off? That can't be comfortable.”

“It's not,” she admitted, cheeks aglow.

While she sat on the bed, he moved to the window. He'd known it was going to be hard, but this was painful, keeping his hands off her. His lips off hers.

“I don't even know where to start,” she said softly.

He turned, found her standing near the foot of the bed, stocking footed.

“I'm so sorry, I know my actions—”

Shaking his head, he moved toward her, until his finger touched her lips. “I'll tell you where to start.”

Her expression grew even more serious as she nodded.

Trailing his finger from her lips to beneath her chin, he said, “Are you still engaged to Martin Clark?”

Frowning, she shook her head. “No.” Her cheeks grew red. “I lied about that, too.”

Seth held his breath at the joy erupting inside him.

“I lied to you about so many things. I—”

His finger went back to her lips. “There's only one thing I want to know. If it was a lie or not.”

Her eyes had grown teary and her lips quivered beneath his touch as she nodded.

He removed his finger. “When you said you loved me, was that a lie?”

“No,” she whispered. “That was the truth. Still is. I love you very, very much.”

The rushing of his blood had him light-headed for a moment. His palm cupped her cheek. “That's all I need to know.”

She wobbled and he caught her waist with his other hand.

“I do, however, have something to tell you.” He drew a breath while waiting until her eyelids opened, before he said, “Once, not that long ago, I promised I'd never hurt you, and yet that's exactly what I did. I knew you weren't Rosemary from the beginning, yet I never said anything. I'm ashamed of that. I should have told you, but I was afraid.”

“You were afraid?” she whispered.

“Yes, very. I still am.” Seth took a breath, knowing he had to come clean before they could start over. “I didn't want to fall in love with you. Didn't want to love anyone.”

“Why?”

He ran his finger down the side of her face, wiping at an escaping tear. “Because losing someone you love is very painful.”