Belated Happy Independence Day.
Now that my life has settled down, I’m looking forward to working on my own book, Sweet Liberty. I’m taking an indefinite sabbatical from ghostwriting just so I can work on my own projects. The first one is finishing Sweet Liberty and trying to get it to publish on my own website. Since I wasn’t able to get A Baby for New Year’s to work, it might take me a while. I’m determined, though.
In the meantime, I will try to upload some chapters of Sweet Liberty more often for anybody who wants to read them. Today, it’s Chapters 10 & 11. Enjoy.
Chapter 10
As they walked to the location about a quarter of a mile from camp, Libby contemplated what he’d said about her wanting a chaperon. He must still believe that she was afraid of him, or he would never have made such a suggestion. She considered explaining her regret at having sent him away and the pride that kept her from changing her mind, but she couldn’t. She didn’t know how to put her feelings into words. In all her twenty-two years, she’d never had to explain anything to the men with whom she’d had more than a surface friendship. Then again, she’d never been as close to a man as she was to Nate.
While Nate searched the area for Flossie, Libby searched her mind for the most accurate words to express her regret at having made a mistake. In fact, she was very grateful to him for interfering, and she should somehow find the courage to tell him.
“I found her trail, Miss Libby,” Nate said, interrupting her thoughts in a matter-of-fact tone. “If I haven’t found Flossie by sunset tonight, I’ll come back tomorrow to tell you. Then I’ll go back out until I do find her.”
“Do you think you can find her that soon?” she asked.
Nate shrugged. “It’s possible if she didn’t travel all night, but I can’t promise you results.”
“How far can you go in one day?”
“A lot farther than you can with your wagon. I can get at least as far as where you were camped the night before last and still make it back today. Try not to worry, Miss Libby. I doubt she’s gone far. From the sense of direction she displayed when I was traveling with you, she’s probably lost and scared. I should have her back by noon today.”
“I hope you’re right. I’m afraid something awful happened to her. All sorts of terrible things keep running through my mind.”
She stared up at him with so much concern and sorrow that she hoped Nate couldn’t resist embracing her to stave away her fears. And a moment later, he did. As he held her, he ran his hand tenderly over her hair. Even his voice sounded caressing as he tried to soothe her.
“Please don’t do this to yourself, my sweet. It doesn’t help to worry about the unknown. It only intensifies the fears. Trust that I’ll bring Flossie back. And if I haven’t returned by noon, don’t worry even more. It only means she’s farther away than I expected. Remember my words, Miss Libby. Things won’t seem as bad if you do. Will you do that for me? Will you remember my words?”
She nodded her head against his chest but didn’t speak. The sensations coursing through her refused to let her. Even if they hadn’t, a lump in her throat blocked her from expressing any of her thoughts. Everything she’d said before he left was nothing more than a bad memory that she longed to correct almost as desperately as she longed for his kiss.
Then his soothing voice drifted through her thoughts, bringing her attention back to his words.
“I’ll be back no later than sunset tomorrow. And remember that even if I’m late, it’s most likely because I mistimed myself. Under no circumstances are you to fret about my delayed return. Do you understand?”
Once more she could merely nod. Had Nate read her mind? It seemed possible since he knew she would do exactly that if he didn’t appear in camp by sunset. Or did something in the way she clung to him, unable to loosen her hold, tell him what she was feeling?
“That’s my lady.” Releasing her, he held her at arms’ length to gaze down at her. “Now there’s one more thing I need to know before I leave. Do you or do you not trust me to travel alone with Flossie? I want you to be honest with me, too, because if you don’t trust me, I’ll take Will with me. Hell, I’ll even take that blundering idiot Ross if you’d rather. But I won’t go alone if you don’t trust me with Flossie.”
Moving away from him one step, she gazed into his blue eyes unfalteringly. “If I don’t trust you to be alone with her, would you take me along as the chaperon?”
“Absolutely not! Not without your brother and Ross there, anyway. Traveling with you in their company keeps me virtuous. Alone with you for more than a few minutes might turn me into a man that I don’t want to be—at least, not around you. And I refuse to jeopardize losing your faith in me because I couldn’t control myself.”
“Then I see no reason for you not to be a suitable escort for Flossie.”
Nate stared down at her in shock. “You don’t? Even after I admitted that I don’t trust myself to be alone with you? I don’t understand. That should have been the very reason you wouldn’t let me.”
“You told me the truth, Nate, and not all men would be that honest in those circumstances. I know I can trust you with Flossie, because I know how hard it is for you to be alone with me. You’ve been away from women for a long time and need physical release. But because you were honest enough to admit that you might have a problem alone with me, I believe Flossie is safe with you. Besides, you were terribly upset by her trying to seduce you the first night you were with us. I can’t imagine you taking advantage of a situation like that if it happened again.”
“There’s more to that physical release you referred to than you know, Miss Liberty,” Nate admitted with a frown. “And as long as we’re being honest, I think I should tell you about it. We’re being drawn together whether you admit it or not.”
Libby interrupted him, unable to stop the heat rising in her face. “I admit that we’re drawn together because of a need. You need to be around people, and we need you to guide us. I see nothing more.”
“It’s still there. You may be blind to your attraction to me, my sweet, but I’m not. The only difference is that I have the courage to admit when I’m attracted to someone. You’re a very beautiful lady,” Nate said as he tenderly toyed with her hair. “It’s no wonder Ross is so interested in making you his wife. But his motives and mine are completely different.”
“How? You’re both interested for purely physical reasons. Although Hiram’s physical reasons are professional while yours are personal, it makes no difference. You both want me for the sake of appearance.”
“You’re wrong, my sweet.” Caressing her face between his hands, he gently massaged her smooth cheekbones with his thumbs. She struggled to remain calm, despite the intense desire that he kiss her which swept through her. “Very, very wrong. If I merely wanted to relieve my masculine needs, I could have taken you long ago—the very first time I had the chance. Or I would have accepted Flossie’s offer. I won’t force my desires on you, though, Miss Liberty, because you’re a true lady. You deserve the finer things in life—things which I’m no longer capable of giving a lady. You see, my sweet, I know my limits, and I know myself.”
“But you don’t know me,” she said, gazing up at him. “I’m afraid that I’m not an easy individual for anybody to know.”
“I know what’s important—that somewhere beneath that cool, unruffled exterior lies a steaming volcano waiting for the right conditions to set the lava flowing. Just once I’d like to see you explode and release that heat.”
“If you don’t get on Flossie’s trail soon,” she warned with a playful smile, “that may happen right here.”
As he stared down into her eyes, he bent slowly. The passion was in his kiss from the moment his lips met hers. For the first time, he slipped his tongue into her mouth. This was much more than she’d ever imagined, so much more that she wanted to remember this kiss forever.
Oh, the feelings he sent raging through her! The heat of his kiss was incredible. Sliding her arms around him in acceptance, she reveled in the sensations. If he’d kissed her like this before, she might not have slapped him like she had.
What was she thinking! He was filling her with desire she shouldn’t have in a man’s arms—unless he was her husband. And Nate was definitely not that. She could never wed a man like him. There would be too much tension in a marriage to Nate. She would never be able to release the anger she felt whenever he was conceited or overbearing or childishly foolhardy. No, she could never spend a lifetime with Nate or anybody like him. So why was she letting him kiss her like this? She needed to stop it; she needed to tell …
Suddenly, he released her mouth and stood erect to gaze down at her. Fury swept through her almost as strong as the sensations his kiss had created in her. How dare he break the kiss! Without thinking, she pushed away and drew back her arm to slap him.
Acting quickly, Nate grabbed her wrist and grinned down at her with a glint of mischievousness in his gray eyes. “That, my sweet, was for your dreams—mine, too. Now we’d better get back to camp. I need my horse if I’m going to track down Flossie.”
“You’re a vile man, Nathaniel Payne,” she proclaimed softly. “A vile, uncouth man who doesn’t care how his actions affect another person.”
“And you’re a beautiful woman who’s beginning to learn what it’s like to release a little of your anger.” Still holding her wrist, he led her back toward camp. “Come along now. I need to get on the trail if I’m going to have Flossie back soon.”
***
Will grinned when Nate joined him by the river, then asked, “How did it go?”
“All right, I suppose. I found out which way Flossie went.”
“I’m not talking about Flossie; I’m talking about Libby.”
“I don’t know what you mean,” Nate replied. Only minutes ago, he’d been holding Libby and kissing her more passionately than any woman he’d ever kissed before. Now he was ashamed of himself. It was no wonder she thought he was arrogant. The manner in which he’d spoken to her, the things he’d said, added up to one thing—arrogance. Was what he classified as confidence and insight the same as what the civilized world thought of as arrogance and conceit? Maybe Libby was right; maybe he was arrogant.
“Are you all right?” Will asked, startling Nate from his thoughts.
“Fine,” Nate said absently. “I’m going to confide in you about Flossie, Will. I found her tracks, but I didn’t tell Libby that other tracks are there, too. I want you to keep this between you and me, but I’m almost positive that Flossie ran away with an Indian. From the way you say she was acting yesterday, kind of nervous, they probably planned it in advance.”
“Flossie and an Indian? I don’t think that’s possible, Nate. She couldn’t even talk to an Indian to make plans like that. If you found signs of an Indian, she didn’t go willingly.”
“There was no sign of a struggle. I’m going to follow those tracks, and I’m warning you right now that they’ll probably lead straight back to the area you camped the night before last.”
“You’re serious about this, aren’t you.”
“You’re damned right I am,” Nate said firmly, so there would be no doubt in Will’s mind. “Don’t mention a word of this to Liberty, either. Don’t even say anything to Ross. That bastard would tell her the truth, and I don’t want her unnecessarily upset. Let me find Flossie first and try to convince her to come back. If I can’t, I’ll explain everything to Liberty myself when I get back tomorrow night.”
“Are you sure you’ll be able to get back by then?”
“I already promised her I’d be back tomorrow night whether I find Flossie or not. That way I could keep her from becoming upset—at least, until then. She already knows not to worry if I’m late, but I don’t intend to be.”
“Do you think you can get her to come back?”
“I’m going to give it a hell of a try. I’m counting on you to take care of Liberty while I’m gone. Don’t let Ross bother her.”
“Don’t worry, Nate,” Will said with a wide grin. “I’ll keep her safe for you.”
“Not for me, Will,” Nate said as he shook his head downheartedly. “Keep her safe for herself. I’ve never trusted that damned bastard, and I certainly don’t trust him now.”
***
As Nate suspected, the tracks led near where Libby and the others had camped two nights earlier. The trail ended at a small log cabin in the woods about three miles from where the siblings had camped. After shouting and knocking without a reply, he opened the door. In the middle of the small building, Flossie stood with a rifle trained on him.
“Put that thing down,” Nate ordered gently. “You know I’m not going to hurt you.”
“Maybe not,” she granted, “but you want to take me back. I don’t want to go. I want to stay here with Jeremiah.”
“Liberty is worried sick about you, Flossie. The least you could have done was tell her you were leaving. You should have seen how hysterical she was when I got back to camp.”
“I don’t believe you,” Flossie said angrily. “She hasn’t cared about anybody but Willie since she first met you. And it’s all your fault.”
“Nonsense. How can it be my fault—assuming that what you’re claiming is true. That’s not saying that I believe you, either, because I don’t. You didn’t see how she reacted to your disappearance. And you seem to forget all the times she answered your questions the best she could. Then there was last night when she took a walk with you—just so the two of you could be alone. All she wanted to do was try to help you solve your problem. Don’t those things prove how much she cares about you? Don’t they show you how much she loves you?”
“All she ever worries about is Willie and how he’s going to turn out.”
Nate offered her a reassuring smile in the hope of calming her. “That’s all, huh? Then explain what caused her concern about you when I told her that you offered yourself to me the first night we met. Why was she so concerned when I told her that I let you kiss me?”
“You told her all that?” Flossie asked in surprise. “I thought she’d seen it.”
“I had to be honest with her before I traveled with you and the others,” Nate explained. “I have a conscience, Flossie. I needed to tell Liberty everything so she could decide if I was welcome to join your family. And I can assure you that she was definitely concerned.”
“I thought she was upset because I did something she wanted to do. I thought she was jealous.”
Unable to stifle it, Nate chuckled. “Believe me, Flossie, Liberty could never be jealous because of me. You know how she feels about me. She hasn’t exactly made any effort to conceal it.”
“My sister was jealous,” she declared. “You just don’t understand her. Besides, if she’s so concerned, why didn’t she tell me what I should do with men when we had our talk?”
“I can’t answer that for sure, but I suspect it’s because she didn’t know what to say. Remember, she knows very little about men. She can’t very well counsel you when she doesn’t know much herself.”
“Maybe not, but you do. You tell Willie everything, and you don’t tell me one word.”
“Will asked me. I had no idea that you were interested. If you come back with me, I’ll be happy to explain to you. Of course, we’ll have to get Liberty’s permission first. She should be the one to explain, but I think she’ll agree under the circumstances.”
“I won’t go back, Nate,” Flossie proclaimed as she lowered her weapon to point it at the floor. “I’m going to marry Jeremiah.”
Nate stepped into the cabin. He’d been standing in the doorway since he’d opened the door, and he was tired of the defensive stance she’d taken. Now that she’d relaxed a little, he felt he could be more daring.
“That isn’t a wise idea, Flossie,” he advised. “You’re still very young. I don’t want to see you do something now that you may regret in a couple of years. And I think I can safely say that Liberty doesn’t, either.”
“I won’t be sorry. Besides, Jeremiah told me that girls my age get married all the time in his tribe.”
“His tribe?” Nate repeated. “How the hell did an Indian get a name like Jeremiah?”
“That, sir, is none of your affair,” a man with a heavy British accent said from behind him. “And kindly cease swearing in Flossie’s presence.”
Turning quickly, Nate saw the Indian, a Cherokee with an eagle feather in his scalplock. In his right hand, he carried a tomahawk, which he was obviously prepared to use if necessary. He wore a quiver of arrows on his back, and his bow was propped against the doorpost.
“I think,” Wild Bear continued, “you should leave now.”
“Not until Flossie agrees to go with me,” Nate insisted. “Her family wants her back, and I intend to honor their wishes.”
“She’s staying with me.”
“Look, Jeremiah, …”
“Wild Bear. I only gave Flossie permission to use my English name.”
“All right. Wild Bear. You’re obviously an educated man, so be reasonable. Let Flossie come back to her family with me. You know as well as I that she’s not used to this life. She won’t be happy in the Cherokee lifestyle. It’s too harsh for her.”
“She’ll not live as a Cherokee. I’m not allowed in the village very often, and then only to trade. Flossie and I will make our home right here after we’re married. You may tell her sister and brother that she is safe and happy, but you will leave alone.”
“Then put my mind at ease before I do. Explain how you came to be educated and why you’re no longer accepted in the village. And since you’re no longer wanted, how do you plan to marry Flossie?”
“My father was a British officer; my mother, the daughter of the high chief. I was sent to my grandparents’ home in England for my education and returned two years ago. By then my father was dead, and my mother had returned to her people. I was furious when I found my wife with another man, and I killed them both. When I didn’t express sorrow, Grandfather banned me from the village. That was a compensation for having been raised in England. Any other man would have been killed. Mother convinced Grandfather to let me return occasionally to visit with her and to trade. I also trade with white men, so Flossie will be well cared for.”
“Then how can I expect you to take care of Flossie? How can you possibly expect me to trust you after you admitted to having murdered two people?”
“I could have lied to you about why I live alone, but I didn’t. Not before or since have I taken another human’s life. I’ve learned my lesson. Being ostracized is not a suitable way of life.”
“Yet you want to inflict it on Flossie. And what about your promise to marry her?”
“I have Grandfather’s permission to marry in a tribal ceremony,” Wild Bear explained, ignoring Nate’s first question. “Mother arranged it for me long ago. Flossie and I will leave tomorrow to go to the village. We’ll be married by the time a week has passed.”
“Flossie?” Nate asked without taking his eyes from Wild Bear. “Are you positive this is what you want?”
“Yes,” she answered, assurance evident in her voice. “I love Jeremiah.”
“I’m sure you have no idea what love is, Flossie, but all right. I won’t try to force you to leave. I’ll tell Liberty. If you ever change your mind, I’ll see that she takes you back. Best wishes, Wild Bear. And I wish you good luck, Flossie, because you’re certainly going to need it. I suppose there’s nothing left to say except good-bye.”
Wild Bear moved from the doorway when Nate approached. Before passing him, Nate stopped and faced the half-breed, saying, “There’s one more thing I want from you, Wild Bear. I want your promise that, if Flossie changes her mind about this arrangement, whether it’s tomorrow or a few years from now, you won’t force her to stay with you. If she changes her mind, you take her to my father’s house in Philadelphia. He’ll know where to contact me, then I’ll contact Flossie’s family. Do you promise?”
“That’s a reasonable request, and I’ll honor it. What’s your father’s name?”
“Nathaniel Payne, Sr. He won’t be hard to find. He’s known all over town. Don’t disappoint me, Wild Bear. I’m only letting her stay because you seem like a decent sort. I trap in this territory regularly, and I have every intention of returning to can check on Flossie. Treat her like a lady, or I’ll track you down and rectify the matter with my own hands.”
Without waiting for Wild Bear to reply, Nate left. Instead of camping that night, he continued so he could get back to Libby with the news as soon as possible. At daybreak, he arrived from the direction of the river. To his pleasure, Libby was alone on the bank, drawing water for the day. With a smile of satisfaction, Nate dismounted and strode up behind her.
Chapter 11
After filling both wooden pails, Libby stood, and picked up first one then the other.
“Let me take those,” Nate said from behind her.
Startled, she dropped the buckets, spilling their contents onto the dry ground. She wanted to turn around and look at him, but she was afraid to. If he was alone, she didn’t want to know. But Flossie could be with him, too. In that case, she wanted to know.
“I realize it hasn’t rained for a long time, Miss Libby,” he said with a playful grin. “But you don’t need to water the ground. By the look of the sky, it should start to rain sometime today.”
As Nate picked up the buckets, she spun to face him. Tearing the pails from his hands, she threw them aside. He stared at her mutely, obviously stunned beyond words by her first true show of a temper. Then a slow grin came to his lips. Libby knew exactly what he was thinking, too: He hadn’t gotten her to shout at him, but he had gotten her to express her feelings. Undoubtedly, that made him very proud.
“Don’t smile at me, Nathaniel Payne,” she said softly, without even a hint of irritation in her voice. “You found Flossie, didn’t you.”
“Yes.”
“But you didn’t bring her back with you.”
“No. She …”
“. . . didn’t want to come back,” Libby interrupted. “She left willingly and intends to stay away.”
“How did you know?” he asked in amazement.
“I saw the tracks, Nate. Even I knew there had been no trouble, but it was easier to think there had been. I didn’t want to admit that I’d done such a poor job of raising her since her parents died that she ran away.”
Nate’s expression changed. He didn’t look like he pitied her, nor did he appear to be sympathetic. Despite the sorrowful expression on his lips, his blue eyes carried a look of determination. In a way, it almost appeared that he wanted to protect her. But protect her from what?
“That’s not why she left, Miss Libby,” he said. “She left because she fell in love.”
Libby studied him suspiciously. His expression didn’t change this time. Instead, he stared down at her as though forcing himself not to react. Something was wrong here, and she was pretty sure she knew what it was: Nate was lying to her.
Hoping to conceal her insight, she asked, “How could Flossie fall in love? She’s not even sixteen years old. She isn’t old enough to know what love is.”
“Age has nothing to do with love,” he replied. “I knew people who fell in love when they were younger than Flossie and married when they were old enough. My parents did, and they have a very happy marriage. Then I know somebody thirty-two years old who still isn’t sure what love is.”
“Meaning you?” Libby asked, meeting his gaze.
“Yes,” he admitted. “But I think I’m beginning to understand it.”
Libby turned her back on him and mumbled, “I don’t think I ever will.” Pausing a moment, she faced him again. “Is she happy?”
“She seems to be.”
“That’s what matters then. Is she living with an Indian?”
“A half-breed. His father was a British officer. If it’s any consolation, he was educated in England.”
“But he lives as an Indian.”
“Yes,” Nate admitted with an undertone of anger, “but he promised to treat her like a lady. I believe he was sincere, Miss Libby. I’ve always considered myself a reasonable judge of character, and I think Flossie will be happy with the young man.”
Libby stared up at him. “Are you positive?”
“As positive as anybody can be when foreseeing the future.”
“Is there any chance of her changing her mind?”
“There’s always a chance, but as a gambling man, I wouldn’t make any bets on it. If you don’t mind my saying so, you don’t seem very upset.”
“I’m certainly not happy that my baby sister is living in sin, but I can’t change it, either. I did a lot of thinking while you were gone, and I’m resigned to the fact that she doesn’t want to stay with me. I don’t like it, but what can I do? If I try to force her to come back, she’ll probably run away again.”
“I’m glad you’re being realistic about this. If it’s any consolation, they won’t be living in sin. His grandfather is the high chief and has agreed to let them marry as Cherokee.”
“It’s only a slight consolation, Nate. Papa always dreamed of all three of us having big, beautiful weddings, but now my baby sister will never have one. No, Nate, I don’t particularly like her running away with a Cherokee, but at least, they’ll be married.”
Nate gazed down at her with a grin and took her hands in his. “Did you miss me while I was gone, Miss Libby?”
Embarrassment swept through her, and she averted her eyes. “You were gone less than a day. Certainly, you don’t expect me to miss you in such a short time.”
“I missed you, too.” With his fingertips under her chin, he gently lifted her head until her eyes once again met his unfalteringly. “I came right back, my sweet. I didn’t even camp anywhere last night. One reason was to relieve your mind as soon as possible, but mainly I wanted to hurry so I could be with you.”
She started to turn her head, but he stopped her by caressing her face with both hands and adding, “I want to be with you during your time of distress, Miss Libby. I want to be your comfort, your support.”
Libby sighed. The sensations flooding through her were incredible, but she couldn’t let Nate do this to her. She couldn’t let him sweet-talk her into forgiving him for not bringing Flossie back. But he was so considerate, so understanding, so genuinely concerned about her reaction. How could she not forgive him?
Without trying to break free of his embrace, she said, “Please, Nate, you’re making things very difficult for me. One minute your attitude makes me so angry that I could almost scream; then the next, you say such kind things. You make me almost believe that you care about others. I don’t know how to react to you.”
“Try reacting like the woman that you are.” He slid his hands from her face down her neck to her shoulders, and she shuddered under his tender caress. “Don’t be afraid, my sweet.”
As he tenderly stroked her throat with his thumbs, she stared up at him. There was a look in his eyes that she’d never seen before. It was almost as though he was holding himself at bay because of her naïveté. But was that truly how he felt—or was it just the overactive imagination of how happy she could be if she would simply kiss her again.
“Ah, sweet Liberty,” he said in a near-whisper, “how I wish …”
“I see you came back early,” Ross said from behind them. “I suppose this means that you lost Flossie’s trail.”
With a grimace, Nate reluctantly released Libby then offered her an apologetic smile before he turned to face Ross. “I found Flossie, all right, but she didn’t want to come back. She left willingly. She’s content and safe, so I decided to let her stay. It was best for her that way. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll get my horse and rub him down. After that, I plan to get some sleep. I’m exhausted. Tomorrow’s soon enough to travel again.”
Libby watched as Nate left. Will strode up beside her, saying, “You like him a lot, don’t you, Libby.”
She said nothing for several seconds as she stared after Nate. Would he have kissed her again if Ross hadn’t appeared? Probably, which made Ross’s presence a stroke of luck for her, because she would undoubtedly have let him. But was it good luck? Or bad? She adored Nate’s kisses and desperately longed for more of the intimate caresses they’d shared in other private moments.
“Libby?” Will prompted. She turned her gaze to his face. “You like Nate a lot, don’t you.”
Shaking her head slowly, she stifled the urge to cry out the truth. But right now she wasn’t sure what the truth was. One minute she could have honestly said that she liked him; but in the next minute, she could have said that she loathed him and have been equally honest.
To conceal her indecision, she declared, “He’s the most arrogant, most insulting man I’ve ever met, and I would have told him exactly that had Hiram not joined us. That man had the audacity to insinuate that I don’t act like a woman. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have work to do. Would you please refill the buckets and bring them back to camp for me?”
Not waiting for a reply, Libby left Will and Ross alone.
***
For several days the company traveled toward Charlotte, but not once during that time did Libby speak to Nate. This caused him a great deal of embarrassment and even more distress. The night before they planned to arrive in Charlotte, Will called Nate aside to talk.
“What the hell’s wrong with Libby lately, Nate?” Will asked when they were alone. “She’s acting awfully strange. She’s not a real talkative person to begin with, but she’s really quiet now. I’m worried that something’s wrong with her.”
Nate nodded in agreement. “I noticed, and I must admit that I’m more than a little concerned myself. All I can think of is that she’s upset or angry about something. Women react like that sometimes. God knows I’ve tried to talk with her, but she won’t let me anywhere near. She’s driving me damned insane, too. That makes me suspect that she’s angry with me for not bringing Flossie back.”
“I don’t think so,” Will said, shaking his head. “She didn’t seem upset when she told me Flossie was marrying a half-breed. She said, as long as, there was a ceremony—even if it was an Indian one—she wouldn’t try to stop the marriage. I think it’s something you said to her when you came back.”
“Something I said?” What could he possibly have said to deserve her aloofness? All he’d done was tell her the truth, even if he’d started off by lying about being in love. No, he hadn’t said anything that could explain her behavior. “For the life of me, I can’t think of anything I said that I shouldn’t have. I only told her that I hurried back to let her know the status with Flossie.” Nate paused then added, “Now that we’re talking about it, I do recall that she said some rather strange things to me. When I asked her if she missed me, she said something about not knowing how to react to me.”
“Did you tell her how?” Will asked excitedly.
“Of course. I told her that she should try reacting like a woman.”
The smile on Will’s lips disappeared, and he gasped in shock. “Oh, oh. I think that’s what did it. She told me that you were arrogant and insulting, and that you said she didn’t act like a woman.”
“What?” Nate asked, shocked by the discovery. “I didn’t want to insult her, but that’s exactly how it sounds now that you’ve said it to me. All I wanted to do was try to instill some confidence in her. I wanted her to make her feel better about her femininity. Damn! What the hell have I done?”
“You made her awfully angry with you. Now what are you going to do?”
“Hell, I don’t know,” he admitted in self-disgust. “I’m taking a walk. Maybe I’ll get an idea of how to say I’m sorry. The more I’m with Liberty, the more attracted I am to her—and the more convinced I am that she’s the woman for me. I’ll walk, and I’ll think, and I’ll find something I can do to change her opinion of me.”
Deep in thought, Nate wandered out of camp. He needed to be alone again. He needed to think of a way to assure Libby’s forgiveness, because he didn’t think he could ever forgive himself if she didn’t.
For nearly an hour, Nate disappeared. Despite her dislike of Ross, she wanted to talk to somebody that night, so she agreed to sit with him for a while. Then Nate came into the clearing and approached her as she and Ross sat at the fireside. She watched Nate, who had one arm behind his back, curiously while Ross chatted, registering only in the back of her mind, because since her thoughts focused on what Nate might be planning. Speaking politely, Nate interrupted Ross.
“Excuse me please, Hiram. I’d like to speak with Miss Libby for a few minutes. I’ll return her to you when I’m through. Would you kindly join me for a moment, Miss Libby?” he asked as he held his left hand out toward her.
Too stunned to deny him, she placed her hand in his and rose. Her gaze didn’t leave his face as he led her into a nearby grove of trees. Still, he kept his right hand behind his back. What had come over him? she wondered. He was acting like the perfect gentleman, charming and, except for his still-scruffy appearance, very debonair. At the same time, however, he was being extremely mysterious.
Then his right arm moved, and he extended a small bouquet of white violets toward her. Before she could question him, he explained his actions. “I have come to offer the flowers of truce, sweet Liberty. Instead of a white flag, I am waving white violets. I beg you to accept them. I beg forgiveness for any offense I may have unintentionally created in your mind or your heart.”
Still too amazed to say anything, Libby accepted the bouquet in silence. How many more times would Nate do this to her? How many more times could she cope with his mood changes? Then again, if she hadn’t been in the midst of a mood herself, he probably wouldn’t be offering her these flowers of truce.
What a wonderful way of wording it! The flowers of truce—showing that he wanted to atone for any indiscretion he’d made instead of simply voicing his apology. Not only was the wording he used wonderful, the gesture was quite romantic. Romantic! She’d never given thought to the word—or the concept—before. Nor had she considered that a man could have romance in his nature. Yet Nate’s voice was as tender and romantic as his flowers of truce.
“I’m led to believe,” he said, dragging her from her fantasy, “that I offended you the other day. I understand that I gave you the wrong impression with a remark I made. You have my deepest apologies and my quest for forgiveness. I in no way meant to insinuate that you don’t act like a woman. I simply meant that your reactions are those of a refined lady. In my rough manner, I was paying you a compliment. Please say you’ll forgive me for my unfortunate choice of words.”
Libby stared up at him in amazement and replied in a small voice. “You’re doing it to me again.”
“Insulting you?” he asked. “I assure you that isn’t my intention.”
With a heavy sigh, she shook her head. She didn’t want to make this admission, but she could see no way of avoiding it. “Not insulting me, Nate—confusing me. I don’t know whether to hate you or … or like you. One minute you make me furious; the next, you make me feel so much like a lady.”
“It’s my personal opinion, Miss Libby,” he replied with a seductive smile, “that you like me. I may not always be able to find white violets to wave in surrender for another mistake in my choice of words or some unintentional indiscretion that meets with your disapproval. Now if you will please answer my two questions, I’ll return you to the doctor. Do you accept my sincerest apology? And do you forgive me?”
Libby smiled up at him. How could she possibly deny him after such an endearing speech? “The answer to both is yes.”
“Thank you, Miss Libby. May I quickly kiss your cheek to say good night?”
“No.” Filled with romance, she closed the gap between them. Still clutching the flowers in one hand, she slid her arms around his neck. She didn’t want a quick kiss on the cheek; she wanted a kiss on the lips that was filled with the passion he always exhibited. “I wasn’t very polite to you the past few days, so I apologize as well and ask your forgiveness.”
“I, too, agree to both,” he replied, his arms encircling her in a return embrace.
Bending over her upturned face, he approached her until his lips were only inches from hers. Just as he was about to fulfill her fantasy, she heard a noise nearby. Nate apparently heard, too, because he stopped his descent and turned his head, his cheek less than an inch from her mouth.
“How touching,” Ross said bitterly.
Startled, she pushed away. It wasn’t Will like she’d expected. She couldn’t believe that she and Nate been caught in such a compromising position by the one man she never wanted to see such a thing!
Her chest felt heavy because she and Nate couldn’t finish their kiss, but she knew their embrace had been destroyed for the night. She gazed up at Nate sadly, then she whispered, “I’m sorry, Nate. I wish it could have been, but it can’t now. I have to go.”
“I’m sorry, too, my sweet,” he returned in a like tone. “But not only do I understand, I agree.”
The pain in Nate’s heart was reflected in his eyes as he gazed down at her for a few moments. Then, without another word, he stalked off into the woods. Her vision clouded with unexpected tears as she watched him leave. Why had she let Ross come between them again? Why did she always back away from Nate just when she was beginning to open her soul to him?
Only one thing was clear in her mind. No matter what happened, she would never send Nate away again. She would always accept him for the man he was—despite all his faults.
No longer able to see Nate, Libby glanced up at Ross as he stared down at her lustfully. She didn’t like that look in his eyes, and she dreaded the very thought of being alone with him. But the only way to avoid that was to leave, so she quickly turned away and fled back to camp.