by Ana Leigh
A strange woman, he reflected. Lovely face, trim figure, intelligent…Why did she seem so ill at ease?
“We have time for one more cup of coffee and a cigar, then I must be on my way,” Nathan said.
“Are you taking the northbound train, sir?”
“Yes.”
“That’s a coincidence; I’m taking it, too.”
“Delightful! We’ll be able to visit together for almost another forty miles. I’m sure Caroline will be just as pleased when I tell her.”
Jed arched a brow. “Yes, sir, I’m sure she will be.”
The train whistle was blowing its final departure warning by the time Jed and Nathan arrived at the station. Jed could see that Caroline’s displeasure increased when she saw that he accompanied her father.
“It’s about time you got here, Father.”
“I’m not a doddering old man, so mind your tongue, daughter.”
“I apologize for delaying him, Miss Caroline,” Jed interjected.
Garrett’s wide grin at his beloved grandfather eased some of the tension. “Mama was worried that you’d miss the train, Granddad. You coming with us, Mr. Fraser?”
“Yes, then I’m continuing a bit further than you.”
“Get on the train, Garrett,” Caroline said.
Nathan patted the boy on the head and took his hand. “Come on, son.”
They climbed on and just as Caroline followed up the steps, the train lurched forward and started to roll. She lost her balance and fell backward, but Jed caught her from the step below, preventing her from falling off as the train gained momentum. Their gazes locked for several seconds.
“Thank you, Mr. Fraser,” she said breathlessly.
He’d always been powerless to resist a pair of beautiful eyes. “The pleasure was all mine. Do you know that your eyes deepen to purple when you’re alarmed, Miss Caroline?”
She smiled slightly. “And what color would you say they are now, Mr. Fraser?”
“I’d say an exquisite azure, like the sky in summer.”
Caroline Collins arched a curved brow. “Then if your theory holds true, Mr. Fraser, I guess that would indicate I’m no longer alarmed.” She turned around and walked away.
His appreciative gaze followed the sway of her hips as she moved down the rocking train car. Caroline Collins intrigued him. She was as complicated as they come, and a hell of a beautiful female.
Garrett had sat by the window of one of the double seats facing each other. Nathan had taken the opposite seat, and Caroline sat next to her son.
“If you prefer not to ride backward I’ll be glad to sit there, Miss Caroline,” Jed said.
“Thank you, but that won’t be necessary, Mr. Fraser.”
“I think it’s fun to ride backward,” Garrett declared. “Don’t you, Mr. Fraser?”
“Well, Garrett, I guess that if I had my druthers, I prefer seeing where I’m going, rather than where I’ve been.”
“Hmmm.” Garrett reflected for a long moment. “Mama, is that why you always tell me I never know if I’m coming or going?”
They all broke into laughter, and Caroline slipped her arm around his shoulders. “I wasn’t just referring to train rides, sweetheart.”
She leaned back and opened the book on her lap as Garrett returned to gazing out the window.
“What are you reading, Miss Caroline?” Jed asked.
“A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens,” she said.
“Are you enjoying it?”
“Very much so, Mr. Fraser. Have you read it?”
“Yes, several years ago. Do you enjoy reading, Miss Caroline?”
“I always have. Unfortunately, I have less opportunity to do so than I’d like.” She shifted her gaze back to the page.
“Is your family expecting you, Jed?” Nathan asked.
“No. I thought I would surprise them.”
“In a state this size, it’s quite a coincidence we’ve settled so near to one another. Our home’s in the Napa Valley, too.”
“My brother Clay had hopes of becoming a vintner and was told the Napa Valley is a good region for growing grapes,” Jed said.
“And has he succeeded?”
“Yes, very much so.”
“I’m glad to hear it.”
Soon the motion and the rhythmic clickety-clack of the rails had an effect on all of them. Caroline continued to read, Nathan slipped into deep thought, and Garrett slumped drowsily in his seat.
Jed was now free to ponder the riddle of Caroline. Everything about her was intriguing. It seemed incredible that a woman with her beauty wasn’t married by now, especially with the shortage of women in the West. Even more, why hadn’t she married the man who fathered her child?
As if sensing his gaze, she raised her eyes and for a moment they stared openly at each other. The expression in her gorgeous blue eyes remained enigmatic before she lowered them back to the page.
She made no attempt to disguise her dislike of him, but the reason for it was a mystery to him. Back in Virginia he had barely noticed the girl; he couldn’t even remember ever speaking to her. He vaguely recalled that she was shy and rather bookish. He couldn’t recollect seeing her at any cotillions or other social events.
“You said your family is not expecting you, Jed?”
Nathan’s question jolted him out of his reverie. “Yes, sir.”
“I understand that you’re eager to see your family, but I wonder if you would consider joining us for dinner and spending the night at our home?”
“That’s very thoughtful of you, sir, but I’d hate to inconvenience you.”
“Not at all. In fact, there is a matter of deep concern that I wish to discuss with you, but I can’t do it on this train.”
“I understand. If it’s that important to you, I would be delighted, sir.”
He glanced at Caroline. Her book had fallen into her lap and she looked horrified.
CHAPTER
2
When they arrived at the Collins’s home, a yellow shape streaked across the yard to greet them.
“Buffer!” Garrett shouted joyously and jumped out of the buggy while it was still in motion.
The momentum of the barking, tail-wagging dog knocked him to the ground, and for several seconds the dog and the giggling boy rolled in the dirt.
Then Garrett jumped to his feet. “Beat you to the barn, Buffer!” He raced away. The dog stared up at Jed, gave a low growl, then chased after the boy.
“Was there hostility in that growl?” Jed asked.
“Just a warning shot across the bow, Mr. Fraser. You have just met the captain of this vessel,” Nathan said.
“Now, Father, he hasn’t deposed you yet,” Caroline said lightly. “Garrett and Buffer are just very devoted.”
“How long have you had him, Miss Caroline?” Jed asked.
“Eight years. He was born the same night as Garrett, and they’ve been inseparable companions since.”
“Really!”
Her eyes flashed with a sudden animation. “Yes, don’t you think that’s rather strange?”
“Perhaps the births were coincidental, but it’s not unusual for a boy and his dog to be close.”
“Ha!” Nathan cried out. “Thank you, my boy. Caroline believes that Buffer’s birth was some kind of divine plan that God conceived.”
“Are you implying Providence, Miss Caroline?”
Apparently he had failed some test, because her expression changed to annoyance. “I am indeed, Mr. Fraser. And if you laugh at me like my father, I swear I will shove both of you out of this buggy.”
“Forgive me, ma’am, but I can’t see anything provident about your dog happening to have puppies the same night you gave birth to your child.”
“Even if it was a stray dog that crawled into our barn that night and gave birth?”
Jed shrugged. “If I may play devil’s advocate, there is nothing unusual about a dog seeking out a quiet corner to have her litter.”
“Aha!” she exclaimed smugly. “But it wasn’t a litter; it was only one pup. She delivered it and then died. Now, wouldn’t you say that was unusual, Mr. Fraser?”
He shrugged. “Obviously she’d been ill and couldn’t survive the delivery. I’m no expert in veterinary medicine, but I was raised on a plantation where animals were breeding and birthing continually. And the only time I recall a dog delivering only one pup was because the rest of the litter was stillborn.”
Nathan reached the house and reined the buggy to a halt.
Jed offered Caroline a hand, and as she stepped down from the buggy, she gave him a devastating smile that almost knocked the legs out from under him.
“Then you agree, Mr. Fraser, that apparently this birth was due to Providence.”
“But I didn’t intend to imply that…” He could have saved his breath, for she was already through the front door.
Jed followed and was about to enter when he heard Garrett’s dog barking in the barn. He loved dogs and had never encountered one that didn’t like him. Warning shot across the bow, indeed! He’d soon have that dog eating out of his hand.
The moment Caroline reached the privacy of her bedroom, she flung herself on the bed in despair. Why had her father invited that man here? The more he was around Garrett, the greater the danger of his guessing the truth. He was too clever not to begin putting the pieces together, and with his brothers living nearby, the result could be disastrous.
Jed Fraser’s presence had resurrected her painful memories of Virginia, and once again her life was in turmoil.
She drew a shuddering breath. How she had hated her life there! Most of the other girls ostracized her, never inviting her to their teas or parties because they considered her bookish and unsociable. Not that she wanted to attend any of their stupid affairs, their endless chatter about hairstyles, ribbons and ruffles, and the men who came to call on them utterly bored her.
Books never bored her. They gave her knowledge, or carried her to a different time or place abounding with interesting and exciting people.
The Frasers were about the only ones who had been friendly and polite, though she doubted that most of them even knew her name when they nodded or tipped their hats in passing.
But all of the Fraser brothers were handsome devils, with every girl in the county chasing them.
And now, due to Jed Fraser’s arrival, the only family who had shown her any kindness was the family she feared the most.
The tears Caroline was trying to restrain stung her eyes. She gave the pillow several whacks and buried her head in it.
But, dammit, it still hurt. She’d always felt awkward and unattractive, and though she’d shed the bitterness, the scars remained. And with some scars, nine years wasn’t long enough for them to fade.
Later at dinner, Nathan told her, “My dear, I have some pleasant news. Mr. Fraser has agreed to extend his visit an additional day.”
“But he can’t,” Caroline blurted out. “I mean, I intended to paint that room tomorrow.”
She knew the lame excuse had failed to fool either of the two men and was embarrassed at her rudeness. But she was desperate to protect her son.
“If it’s an inconvenience, I can stay in town, Miss Caroline,” Jed said.
“Nonsense,” Nathan declared in a huff, “I’ll not hear of it. I apologize for—”
“I can speak for myself, Father. There’s no need for you to do it for me.” Caroline rose to her feet. “My apologies, Mr. Fraser; please forgive my rudeness. We look forward to your company. Now, if you gentlemen will excuse me, I have a headache.” She hurried from the room.
Nathan flung his napkin on the table and shoved back his chair. “I’ll not abide such conduct under my roof. If you’ll excuse me momentarily, Jed, I’d like to speak to my daughter.”
In all the years Jed had served under Nathan Collins, he had never seen him so angry.
“Sir, please stay where you are and let me handle this.”
Nathan hesitated. “Very well. If you prefer.”
“Thank you, sir.”
Jed got up and headed out the door Caroline had disappeared through. It opened into a garden, and he caught a glimpse of her white gown in the moonlight.
“Miss Caroline, please wait.” He hurried to catch up with her.
She halted but didn’t turn to face him. “What do you want, Mr. Fraser?”
“I’m sorry you’re feeling indisposed, Miss Caroline. Is there something I can do?”
“No, thank you. I just want to be alone.”
She started to walk away, but he grabbed her shoulder and turned her to face him.
“Madam, what in hell have I ever done to you to warrant this? From the first moment you saw me, you’ve made no effort to disguise your objection to me, so I can only assume this resentment goes back to some incident in Virginia.”
“Assume what you wish, sir.”
“In the name of sanity, madam, will you please tell me what’s wrong? If something I said or did offended you, I apologize, and please believe it wasn’t intentional.”
“I guess seeing you again resurrected memories about Virginia that are best forgotten. I’m sorry.”
She started to walk away again, and he joined her. “Are you happier here than in Virginia, Miss Caroline?”
“There’s no comparison, Mr. Fraser.”
“Life was so unpleasant there for you?”
She scoffed. “If I say yes, I’m sure you’ll remind me that life is what you make it, as my father does.”
“Why don’t you give me a try and find out for yourself?”
For a moment, she studied him intently. Was he sincere, or merely scheming to gain her trust? Under any other circumstances, she would have found him charming and interesting. She had created this tension between them with her own fears and suspicions—and guilt.
Yet he had been gentleman enough to endure her discourtesy.
She gave him a contrite smile. “You’ve heard enough of my rudeness and self-pity for one day, Mr. Fraser.”
“Not at all, Miss Caroline. I’ve sensed from the beginning that you are troubled, and there’s nothing I’d rather see than a smile returned to your lovely face.”
These Fraser men were charming and irresistible. And despite the threat he presented, she felt an innate kindness about him.
As they sat down on a bench, she said curiously, “I don’t understand you and your brothers, Mr. Fraser. You fought and risked your lives for Virginia, yet as soon as the war ended, most of you sought homes elsewhere.”
“I’ve always loved the sea, Miss Caroline. I never planned on remaining at Fraser Keep and becoming a planter. Then Lissy’s elopement with a Yankee soldier brought Clay and Garth to California when they followed her to bring her back. Colt always wanted to become a lawman, and while traveling, he became a deputy in New Mexico, then fell in love with the sheriff’s daughter and married her. Ironically, all of my brothers married Yankee women, and considered the happiness of their wives more important than returning to Virginia.”
“They all married Yankees! Then Clay didn’t marry that silly Ellie Deveraux, after all.”
“No.” Jed chuckled. “Actually, Ellie married Elias Buford a couple of months before the war ended, and they moved to Vermont.”
Her eyes widened in surprise. “Wasn’t he that milksop shopkeeper with the thick glasses?”
“That’s him.”
“Elias Bufford!” Caroline giggled, then she clamped a hand over her mouth. “Oh, I’m sorry. I’m sure Clay was devastated when he returned from the war.”
“Yes,” Jed said solemnly. “It took a whole two weeks to recover.”
What was she doing? Caroline thought with a start. She was falling totally under this man’s spell. She had to distance herself; she should get back to her room at once.
“I heard you tell my father that your brothers have built their own Fraser Keep right here in California. Since your brother Will is the onl
y one who remained in Virginia, do you feel it’s fair to leave him alone to keep the home fires burning?”
Jed couldn’t restrain chuckling. “Alone, when he has Emmaline, their children, Emmy’s parents, and other family members born and raised in Virginia? Fraser Keep has always been a passion with Will; he and Emmy could never be happy elsewhere. And even though we signed it over to him and his heirs, the door is always open to any of us if we choose to return one day.”
“So you think he never will come West?”
“Not to remain. I hope he will visit, though, because I’d like him to see how vast and spectacular this country is. And with a transcontinental railroad now, there’s no reason we all can’t visit one another.
“As a matter of fact, we’re planning to do just that, even Lissy and Steve. They’ll load up their families on the train and go back East together so that their offspring can see their birthplace, and their spouses are all anxious to see Fraser Keep. What a train ride that’s going to be!”
“Do you intend to go with them?”
“I wouldn’t miss it—even if I have to forfeit my commission on the Redheaded Belle. What about you, Miss Caroline? Ever think of going back to Virginia for a visit?”
She scoffed. “Not in the least! The only pleasant memory I have of Virginia is that Garrett was conceived there.”
“Aha, so you do have one pleasant memory, after all.”
She looked at him boldly. “Mr. Fraser, that isn’t due to the pleasure of my son’s conception, but rather the location where it occurred.”
“You misjudge yourself, Miss Caroline. I’m sure Garrett’s father would view it as pleasurable. You are a very beautiful and desirable woman.”
“Mr. Fraser, I am not one of those brainless twits you and your brothers always chased after, so save your flattery for one who will appreciate it.”
“All I’d like is your friendship, Miss Caroline.”
“You’re welcome to it, if you’ll stop calling me ‘ Miss Caroline.’”
“My pleasure. And please call me Jed.”
“I imagine you’re anxious to spend the time with your family, Jed.”
“I am, but your father has a private matter to discuss with me, and he’d also like to show me his mill. In addition, the opportunity to spend more time with your son was too tempting to turn down.”