Love Me Again (16 page)

Chapter Eleven

Abby held Daniel while he slept peacefully in her arms. “Why don’t you put him in his crib, Abby?”

Her pulse racing, Abby peered into Cord’s dark eyes. She knew by the seductive way Cord was loo
king at her he was having lustful thoughts. Her hands trembled as she carried Daniel upstairs to his crib. It had been so long since they made love and she yearned for his touch.

Gently tucking the cover around Daniel so she would not wake him, Abby patted his head of black curls. Leaning over the rail, she kissed him on his chubby cheek. It felt wonderful knowing the precious child belonged to her and Cord. Never in her life could she have imagined the love she felt for Daniel was possible. 

As if impatient, Cord waited at the bottom of the stairs and took her hand when she slowly descended to the last step. His eyes never left her face and Abby wondered what he was thinking. Without saying a word, he led her to the sofa and they both sat down. Gooseflesh spread down her body so quickly and so powerfully the moment his lips touched hers. His hands were on her face, fingers skimming over her cheekbones.  Abby’s lips went wild under his.

He pushed her away and looked into her eyes. “Are you sure your uncle and aunt won’t catch us making love on the sofa. I don’t want to find myself thrown out by Taylor at gunpoint again.”

Abby smiled wickedly. “No, Cord, you don’t have to worry about them intruding. I pressed my ear to their door after I laid Daniel down for the night. They were already going at it. The two are insatiable. Some nights I hear them from my room.”

They began peeling off their clothes not wanting to waste a single moment. In no time, Abby stood naked in front of Cord. “Abby, you have no idea the nights I have lain awake wishing I could see you as you are now. You are magnificent.” 

Abby stared at his member standing erect and throbbing. Suddenly he fell back on the sofa as Abby pounced on him. Her kisses fired his passions as her hands stroked his shaft almost sending him over the edge.

He grabbed Abby’s hand and whispered in her ear, “Slow down, honey. It will be over before we have even begun.”

She trembled with need. Heat spread along every nerve in her body as he rolled her onto her back and pressed her into the sofa with his weight. Cord slid his finger into her moistness and her tiny moans began.

“God I have missed you, Abby.” She began to buck wildly against his hand and in seconds she climaxed. Cord pressed his lips to hers to keep her from screaming in ecstasy. Her whole body convulsed as the spasms intensified. Now that she calmed and her heartbeat slowed, Cord could enjoy her body. He started at her neck and kissed her as if they had all the time in the world. He cupped her breasts and was about to cover one with his mouth when she placed her hand over his mouth stopping him. “No, Cord they are full of milk.”

Cord rolled them in his hands until she was gasping for breath. In only a moment her blood was pumping again. Abby wrapped her fingers into his hair and pulled his head back. She devoured Cord’s mouth and sucked on his tongue causing him to moan with pleasure.

Spreading her legs, Cord pressed himself against the juncture between her legs. She grunted with pleasure as he plunged inside her moistness. She matched his fervor, rocking back and forth to meet his thrusts. Her moans grew louder and louder as the pressure of their mounting desire intensified. Cord raised himself above Abby and looked into her eyes as an orgasm rumbled through her. As a scream began deep in her throat, Cord put his hand over her mouth to muffle the sound. He drove into her several more times before he collapsed and fell onto her. She squirmed trying to g
et up because she needed to fill her lungs with air. Cord rolled off of Abby and fell to the floor with a thud. He lay there on his back, heart pounding wildly.

“I never thought something like this was possible.”

Too exhausted to say anything, Abby grunted in agreement. It took several minutes for Cord to pull himself off the floor and get dressed. He helped Abby into her clothes because she was too weak to dress herself. He poured himself a brandy and watched her as he took a huge swallow. He drained the rest of the brandy and sat down beside her on the sofa. 

“I want to go home. I want my family to meet you and Daniel. If we leave early in the morning, my preacher can marry us tomorrow night at our plantation near Raleigh. Please, Abby. I’m sick and tired of having to leave you every night and go back to my lonely hotel room in town. We will no longer have to lie because we will be married.”

Abby liked the way he said our plantation. And once they married they could stop the pretense and lies. She hoped they would not have to attend another social function ever again. “I don’t want you to leave either, Cord. Stay tonight and we will tell Uncle Taylor and Judith together. They will want to accompany us to Raleigh when we get married.”

Abby sighed sorrowfully. “I want some of my family there.”

She shivered as his fingers stroked her arm. “What is wrong, Abby?”

“I would like for Nick to be there, Cord. He is my brother.”

Cord pleaded, “He will have to understand why we did not wait. I want to go home, Abby. I want us to be a family. Please marry me.”

More than anything, she also wanted them to be a family. “Okay, Cord. We will be married tomorrow.”

A huge smile lit up his face. “I do not want to upset your uncle by spending the night, so I will return first thing in the morning. Have everything packed and ready to go. I’ll rent a private car and we can take the train. I’ll send a telegraph to Adam and he will have our preacher waiting.”

Happy and content, Abby rested her head on his chest and listened to the steady beat of his heart. Life finally seemed to be going her way.

****

Racing down the stairs, Abby could not believe Cord was already there to pick her up. The blessed sun had not even made an appearance and he was pounding on the door loud enough to wake the dead. She knew he was anxious to get back to Raleigh, but this was ridiculous. Irritated, because she had not even spoken to Taylor and Judith yet, Abby jerked the door open ready to give him a piece of her mind.

Shocked, she found James McDonald standing there instead of Cord. Behind James stood a giant of a man with auburn hair and blue eyes glaring angrily. Quickly pulling her robe together to hide her nightgown, she looked on with wide, confused eyes. She ran her fingers through her unruly hair knowing it must look a mess.

James removed his hat and spoke softly. “I’m sorry we woke you, Abby. May we come in?”

“James, what on earth are you doing here at this time of the morning? Did your carriage break down? Do you need assistance?” Something must have happened because of the serious look on his face. She hoped no one had been hurt.

“I will explain everything, Abby. May we come in?” Coming to her senses, Abby moved to the side so they could gain entrance. “Abby, this is my father, Ian McDonald.”

There was nothing friendly in his demeanor. A chill crawled up Abby’s spine because he never took his intense, blue eyes off her. Nerves caused Abby to stutter. “Yes,-- I see-- the resemblance.”  Father and son did greatly resemble each other, but James was thinner and a couple of inches shorter.

James quiet whisper made her shudder. “Is there somewhere we can have some privacy?”

Abby tore her eyes away from Ian and gazed at James. “Would you like me to go get my Uncle Taylor?”

Before James could answer, they all turned toward the ominous voice at the top of the stairs. “No need, I’m already here. What is the meaning of disturbing us at this ungodly hour?” Still in his robe, and his hair mused Abby could tell he was not too happy with the interruption this time of morning.

Ian McDonald’s deep voice vibrated off the walls. “My name is Ian McDonald, and I came to ask the lass a few questions.”

Taylor descended the stairs quickly and stopped in front of Ian, not intimidated by his height for one second. “I know who you are. Why in the world would you have questions for my niece?” 

Ian gave Taylor an angry look. James stepped between the two men. “We mean her no harm, Mr. Johnson. If you will allow us but a few minutes of your time, I am sure you will understand why we need to speak to Abby.”

Nervousness quickly turned to worry. Why would they want to talk to her? She only recently met James and
didn’t know Mr. McDonald at all. She could not fathom why they would want to speak to her.

Taylor tucked Abby’s arm into his and escorted her to the parlor while James and Ian followed close behind. Ian shut the door with enough force to cause Abby to jump.

The room was deathly quiet as Ian slowly moved across the room and halted directly in front of Taylor. Abby noticed he also seemed nervous.

He held his hands behind him and rocked on his heels before replying, “You said you know me, Mr. Johnson. Then you know my infant daughter was kidnapped nineteen years ago from our home. Even though my wife, Grace, and I paid the ransom, we never saw Ellie again.”

Hands clenched tightly in front of her, Abby felt terrible for Ian McDonald. What a horrid story, never to know if his daughter is alive or dead. She wondered how anyone could go on with their lives after something so devastating happened. If something happened to Daniel, she knew she would not survive. Her sanity would be lost forever.

The confusion showing on his face, Taylor replied, “I don’t see how Abby could know anything about something that happened nineteen years ago. She is from Tarboro and has just recently taken up residence with me. I know it was a terrible tragedy to lose your daughter, but Abby knows nothing about her kidnapping.” 

Never taking his eyes off Abby, Ian replied sadly, “I’m not leaving until she answers my questions.”

“Okay, ask your questions and leave us be, Mr. McDonald.” Taylor gave a shake of his head. Of course he was as confused as Abby over Mr. McDonald’s strange behavior.

The trepidation showed on her face as Ian stepped toward her. He loomed over her and peered into her eyes. “James seems to believe the lass is Ellie.”   

Her heart began to pound so loudly it throbbed in her ears. The color drained from her face. 

Outraged, Taylor sputtered, “That is an outlandish accusation. Abby was born on a small farm in Tarboro. Her mother, my sister, would never kidnap a child for ransom and then claim it as her own. Martha was the most gentle, sweet, caring person you could ever meet.” Taylor grabbed Ian by the arm. “Look at me when I’m talking to you.” Finally, Ian tore his eyes away from Abby, who felt as if she would faint at any moment. “Do not come in my house and scare my niece! Get out of my house this instant! You are not welcome here.” 

Ian glared at Taylor. “I mean the lass no harm. If she is not Ellie, we’ll not ever bother you again.”

Her uncle shoved Ian, but it was like pushing at a brick wall. Ian punched Taylor connecting with his cheek sending him to the floor in a heap. Shocked at Ian’s behavior, Abby was by Taylor’s side instantly.

Her voice rising in anger, Abby shouted, “There is no need for violence, Mr. McDonald! What kind of a man are you coming into someone’s home and accosting them for no good reason? You need to keep your emotions under control.”

She helped Taylor to the sofa. Already swelling and turning blue, she touched her fingers to his cheek. “I’ll go get some ice.”

Abby looked down at the huge hand wrapped around her arm with distaste. “The ice can wait, lass. I came to find out if you are Ellie. Answer my questions and I will leave.”

James touched his father on the arm. “You are scaring her, Daddy. She knows me and feels comfortable in my company. Why don’t you let me ask the questions?”

Releasing his hold on Abby, Ian stepped away from her
and asked, “What is the date of your birth?”

Highly insulted, Abby considered refusing to answer any questions, but knew they would not leave until she did. “January 26, 1841, to Jacob and Martha Henley. I have one brother, Nicholas Henley. Our small farm is in Tarboro. My mother died two years ago. It is as Taylor described, my mother and father were devout Christians who would never stoop to kidnapping, let alone ransom. They were honest, hard working farmers. I am their daughter, Abigail Henley. I sympathize with you, James, but I am not your sister, Ellie.”

As if he didn’t believe a word she said, Ian asked, “Why have you left your home?”

Face red with anger, she hissed, “That is none of your business. It has nothing to do with you.”

His tone demanding, Ian stated, “I want to know.”

Not wanting to divulge her sins to a stranger, she hesitated.

“It is okay, Abby. Tell him.” James took her hand. “He is not here to judge you.”

Abby’s voice trembled. “My father and brother found Cord Sutton with a bullet in his chest. We took him in our home and I nursed him back to health. We fell in love. Nick found out we had…” Unable to say the words, silent seconds followed. Her voice almost a whisper, Abby continued, “Nick forced Cord to leave. Later I discovered I was expecting a baby. When I told my father, he was livid. He was going to give my baby away. I left my home to save my child.” With a quick glance at her Uncle Taylor, Abby smiled. “Uncle Taylor took me in and now this is my home.”