The Officer and the Traveler (15 page)

“
Then put on the pan,” Michaela finished for her, grinning.
 

Allison sighed. “Sorry, it’s not very hospitable for me to let you help.”

Michaela picked up a knife and started to cut apart the meat. “And what would I have to do if I didn’t help?” She shot a pointed glance to where Wes was lain out on the bed like a cat and Gray sat in a nearby chair with his feet propped up, the two of them just chatting. “It’s not as if I thought they’d include me in their all-too-important conversation.”

Allison chuckled. “They used to share a room, you know. Along with Jack, of course. But I think these two were closer, being of the same age and all.” She shrugged and continued stirring.

Michaela bit her lip and nodded slowly. Was it possible that her husband didn’t like her sister’s husband very well?

“
I know what you’re thinking and the answer is
no
.” Allison paused and frowned. “Or should it be
yes
?” Shaking her head, she continued. “The three of them like each other very well, if that’s what you’re wondering. When I first came, I had my doubts if they genuinely liked each other or just tolerated the others’ presence, but I think it’s all very genuine. I have no siblings, myself, but I imagine their relationship is similar to what I’ve observed between you and Ella today: you two love each other dearly and sometimes you get along great and other times you’d rather be in just about anyone else’s company.”
 

Michaela froze. “Were we that obvious?”

Without a hint of hesitation, Allison said, “Oh, yes, you were. About as obvious as—” She broke off and cut her eyes toward the wall adjacent to Jack and Ella’s room.

Michaela nearly choked on her laughter. She hadn’t wanted to draw attention to the quiet, yet still unmistakable, sounds that were coming through the wall. If nothing else, at least Ella had a man who seemed to love her as much as she loved him.

“
Sorry, about today,” Michaela said, forcing herself to forget about Ella and concentrate on making supper. “We’ll try to be on our best behavior tomorrow.”
 

“
No need to do that because then I’d have to be on mine,” Allison said with a wink.
 

Michaela grinned. She’d liked Allison earlier today, but now she had the strangest urge to offer her unreadable husband some sort of praise for arranging this dinner tonight. He was right, she needed friends other than Ella, and though it’d make her sad if she and Ella were separated, she believed it might be possible to become just as close to Allison as she was with her sister.

The two shared inconsequential small talk as they prepared the meal.

“
It’ll take a while for all of those beefsteaks and potatoes to cook over such a small fire so we can either sit here and continue our talk or join the men,” Allison offered, wiping her hands on a red hand towel.
 

What Allison didn’t say was much louder than what she did. Her brown eyes were soft and full of compassion in a way that might suggest that Allison understood the circumstances of their visit tonight better than Michaela originally thought. Blessedly, Michaela knew enough about Allison to know she’d never pry, but it was still nice to know she could come to Allison for advice if she needed to. “Let’s join them, that way they can’t intrude since we’re intruding first.”

Allison grinned at her logic and called Gray over to move the only other chair in the room over by him for Michaela while she settled herself on the edge of her bed close to Wes.

“
Smells good, ladies,” Wes commented.
 

“
Hopefully it’ll taste that way,” Allison replied. She tucked a tendril of her brown hair behind her ear. “Actually, I know it should. Michaela tested the spices and added a few.”
 

“
I’m sure it would have been delicious either way,” Wes said, then he turned to face Michaela and moved his lips almost as if he was saying, “Thank you”, but Michaela wasn’t sure.
 

“
I saw that,” Allison nudging him in the side with her elbow. “You have to admit, my cooking is far better than what you’d be served downstairs.”
 

“
Well, if he can’t appreciate your fine fare, I’ll start coming by to have his share and he can go downstairs to claim my ration,” Gray said, making the room suddenly go strangely silent with discomfort. It took a moment, but Gray’s bluish-green eyes suddenly flared wide as he realized his statement, though meant to be charming, hadn’t been seen as such now that he was married to another.
 

“
Don’t mind him,” Wes said in a slightly elevated tone. “He’s just not yet used to being married and now that he’s a husband such compliments should be reserved for only his wife.”
 

“
It’s all right,” Michaela said softly. She tried to make eye contact with Gray to assure him she’d not taken it as anything other than an innocent compliment to his friend, but he seemed to have a
formed a sudden fascination with a hangnail. “I’m accustomed to Gray and his...charm.”
 

“
You are?” Wes and Allison asked in unison.
 

Michaela nodded once. “He used to stay with one of the officers under my father’s command and help the men. He was a charmer even then.”

“
I see,” Wes said slowly, a teasing note in his voice. “I hate to inform you of this, Mrs. Montgomery, but you have married a shameless flirt.”
 

Despite herself, Michaela giggled. “Is he?”

“
Yes,” Wes said adamantly. “Why when Allison first arrived, I was introducing them and he immediately started paying her compliments—”
 

“
Until I put him in his place,” Allison added with a grin.
 

Michaela looked at Gray who twisted his lips into an overdone frown and shrugged his shoulders as if he had no idea what the problem with this was.

“
Then when Ella arrived,” Wes continued, “he kept trying to assure her that she had other marital options besides Jack.” He laughed. “I thought the two might have a bout of fisticuffs to see who could take her to the altar.”
 

“
She couldn’t have been swayed,” Michaela stated. “Though she’d never seen fit to actually share his letters with me, I knew she’d been writing him and was quite taken by him. No amount of Gray’s charm was going to change her feelings.”
 

“
And that was for the best,” Gray commented quietly.
 

Michaela tried to read his expression, but she couldn’t. What was wrong with the insufferable man? Why was he still avoiding her gaze? They weren’t alone.

“
I agree. I think she’s quite happy with her choice,” Allison said softly. She looked at Michaela, compassion and perhaps a bit of a question in her eyes. “I think it worked out for the best for everyone.”
 

“
Indeed,” Wes agreed. “Say, you’ve known Gray longer than anyone else here. Anything you’d care to share with us about him?”
 

“
No. He seems to be the same now as he was then: a charmer.” That’s all she wanted to say on it. Speaking further of his past and the extent of his charming would only bring up bad feelings for her and possible resentment or worse, nothing, for him.
 

“
Well, I have a story for you,” Wes said with a chuckle. “When Ella was still sick and Jack didn’t come to work so he could care for her, Gray and I had to take turns taking charge of Jack’s men. There’s one in particular—”
 

Gray’s loud groan cut off Wes’ words, leading both Wes and Allison to laugh at his discomfort. Michaela’s interest was undeniably piqued by their reactions.

Unfortunately a knock at the door kept her interest from being satisfied.

Gray, being the closest to the door stood and opened it. He greeted Jack and Ella then stepped aside to allow them room to come inside. Gray gestured to the chair he’d vacated and offered it to Ella. Before she could sit down, Jack did then patted his lap and with a slight blush, Ella took her place on his lap. What a wonderful sight they made together. Both of them smiling and carefree, sneaking peeks at the other. Jack placed his large hands on Ella’s abdomen.

“
We won’t stay long,” Ella announced, covering Jack’s hands with hers. “We just wanted to see what all the commotion was about.”
 

“
Nothing nearly as interesting as the commotion the two of you were making a bit ago,” Gray said without shame.
 

Ella’s cheeks pinkened and Michaela shot her an apologetic smile for her husband’s rude statement. It had been quite clear what they’d been over there doing, but he needn’t be so indecent as to mention it to her!

Jack merely grinned at Gray. “I do believe you’re jealous.”

Gray’s expressionless face and silence only confirmed what she’d already believed to be true: Gray didn’t desire her.

“
As I was saying,” Wes said when unease had settled over the room, “there’s this fella around here named Private Galworth—”
 

“
I warned you to be careful or he might end your wretched life,” Jack cut in, grinning. “That man can’t shoot.”
 

“
Oh, he can shoot. That’s not a problem for the man. He just can’t aim,” Gray said, grimacing.
 

“
I told you that, too,” Jack said. “I’ve seen the man miss a target two feet in front of him. He can’t hit a thing.”
 

“
Unless it’s me,” Gray muttered. “I’m lucky he didn’t hit anything vital.” He grimaced again and for some reason crossed his legs, making Wes erupt in laughter.
 

Understanding dawned and Michaela blushed. She hadn’t noticed any bullet wounds on him in that region...but then again, she hadn’t been looking.

“
To the good fortune of both me and Galworth, the bullet just grazed the skin on the inside of my thigh. It ruined my trousers, but the wound hasn’t required anything beyond salve.”
 

“
If it gets infected you can always make another trip to visit Dark Moon,” Jack said. “I’m sure he’d be happy for the company.”
 

“
How unfortunate he doesn’t bother to dress appropriately for company,” Gray said, his lips
twisting in distaste.
 

 “
You mean like Saving Grace?” Jack suggested helpfully.
 

“
Who?” everyone in the room asked at once.
 

“
You know the one who wore the little square over his...” He coughed and lifted his brows as if everyone would magically know what he meant.
 

“
That wasn’t much better,” Gray said, scowling.
 

“
Sounds like the two of you had quite a night,” Ella commented.
 

“
I’d say I’m sorry I missed it, but I’m not,” Wes chimed in. “Someone had to watch the ladies.”
 

“
And if I’d known what awaited me for going, I might have volunteered for your post instead,” Gray said. The solemnness of his tone rocked Michaela to the core. With all of the nervous excitement of their wedding and suddenly becoming a wife, Michaela had been so selfishly caught up in her own feelings, she’d nearly forgotten the circumstances surrounding their sudden nuptials—apparently Gray had not.
 

“
I think it’s time to flip the steaks,” Allison murmured, climbing down from where she sat on the bed.
 

Michaela went over to the fire to help her friend tend to dinner and called a quick goodbye to Ella and Jack who’d just announced they needed to be going so Ella could start their dinner, too.

The rest of their visit passed much the same way it had begun: with lighthearted conversations and unabashed fun. But under it all, Michaela couldn’t help but wonder what was upsetting Gray. Was he treating her so cold because she was now unchaste, therefore, an imperfect woman, like she’d originally thought, or was he being withdrawn because he felt guilty about marrying her to help himself to a fair trial?

She’d have to ask him. There was no other way about it. She had to know.

At almost ten o’clock Gray and Michaela were back in their eerily quiet room.

Wordlessly, Gray got ready for bed and Michaela did the same. She chanced a glance at him when he turned the blankets down to see what he was wearing: trousers. She bit her lip and turned her attention back to the buttons that went down the front of her gown. Did he plan to remove his trousers or did that mean he wasn’t interested in her? Had he been naked, she’d have had no trouble guessing his intentions, but trousers? Suppressing a sigh, she removed everything except her chemise. She climbed in bed beside her husband and lay still as he rolled onto his side and extinguished the lone candle beside their bed.

“
Gray?”
 

He grunted his response.

She closed her eyes and swallowed. “Never mind.”

The next morning, Gray woke up in the exact position he’d fallen asleep in: on his side, facing away from his wife. It wasn’t a surprise he’d been able to hold his position all night. He’d been sleeping in that exact position for years. First when he’d shared a bed with one of Colonel Jones’ sons, then at West Point and again when he’d been sent to Fort Gibson. The military was always short on beds and it was just part of the life of being a military man: you had to share a bed.

The only difference was now he was sharing a much larger bed with a woman and for as loud as his body was raging for him to do something other than sleep, he couldn’t.