Nan Ryan (34 page)

Hunter tiptoed into Scott’s room. The boy was sound asleep, one leg hanging over the edge of his bed, arms over his head, one hand clutching the new flag. Hunter smiled and pulled up a chair.

“Scott,” he whispered, “Scotty.”

“Ummmm,” Scotty murmured sleepily.

Hunter took the flag, laid it aside, and said, “Scott, it’s Daddy. Wake up, son.”

“Daddy,” Scott opened his eyes and sat up in bed. “What is it?”

“Nothing important, darling. I just didn’t get the chance to say goodnight,” Hunter smiled at the sleepy dark face.

Scott put his arms around his father’s neck and said, “Goodnight, Daddy, I love you,” and laid back down.

“I love you too, Scott. Honey, there’s something I want to talk to you about, all right?”

“Sure, Daddy.”

“Do you remember saying you went down to the slave block this morning?”

“Yes, Daddy, Mister Jackson took Johnny and me.”

“Darling, what did you see there?”

“They sold niggers there.”

Hunter sighed, but smiled at his son. “Darling, those men are Negroes. Never call them niggers. And you are right, they were selling them. Scotty, what they were doing is wrong. I want you to remember that. I don’t ever want you to go down there again, promise me.”

Puzzled, Scott looked at his father, “I promise, Daddy.”

“Good. Scott, one man should never own another. Can you understand that? You wouldn’t want anyone owning you or me, would you?”

“No, Daddy, that would be awful.”

Hunter smiled and said, “Yes, it would, son. And I promise you, no one will ever own either of us. Now go back to sleep. I love you,” and he kissed the dark, sweet face of his son.

“Daddy,” Scott said, “I want to be just like you,” and he turned over and went back to sleep.

Twenty-four

Reluctant to go to bed, Hunter stood at the cold fireplace in his bedroom. He had removed his shirt and the tight black boots and put out all the lights in the room except the one on the night table by his bed. He turned down the covers on the soft feather bed and raised his hands to his belt buckle. His hands dropped to his sides and he sighed. There was no use going to bed, he knew he would not be able to sleep. He picked up a long brown cigar from the table and lit it, blowing the smoke out slowly. He paced the room aimlessly, running a hand through his thick blond hair. It was warm and stuffy in the room and he strolled to the open doors leading onto the balcony. He stepped out and breathed deeply of the sweet, humid air. The night was thick and heavy, no stars visible, hardly a breath stirring, and still uncomfortably warm though it was well past midnight.

Hunter saw the light coming from Kathleen’s room, casting irregular patterns on the gardens below. He stood watching the flickering flame, transfixed, wondering what she was doing up so late. Her room went dark as she put out the last light. The house was now completely dark except for the lamp by his bed. Everyone was asleep. Everyone but him. He sighed, tossed away the half-smoked cigar, and went back inside. He walked to the fireplace and stood there, a knee bent, a foot on the hearth, a long arm resting on the mantel, the other hand placed loosely on his hip.

A soft knock came at his door. Hunter looked up and said, “Come in,” without moving. Kathleen stepped inside and closed the door behind her. Hunter’s eyes widened when he saw her and, as he watched her cross the room to him, the hand resting on the mantel tightened its grip. She was in her nightgown and the sight she presented made his heart start beating faster in his chest. The gown was some soft, filmy material and so transparent that he could see her body as plainly as if she wore nothing at all. Its color was the palest ice blue, it had long, full sleeves and soft lace ruffles covered her hands, reaching to her knuckles. The bodice was the same blue lace as the ruffles covering her hands, barely concealing the top of her breasts, and the blue ribbon tied tightly underneath pushed up the bosom to strain against the lace in a provocative, tantalizing way. From under her breast, the gown fell in soft, full layers that gave revealing glimpses of the satin smooth skin underneath.

Hunter drew in his breath at the sight of her. Then he quickly averted his eyes as he said, “What is it, Kathleen? What do you want?”

She had reached him and stood before him, the light from the single lamp by the bed silhouetting her, the golden hair flowing loose around the white shoulders, catching the softly flickering light, making her hair appear to be on fire. “Hunter,” she said softly, “I want to talk to you.”

“All right, Kathleen,” he answered, his eyes still turned away, seemingly studying his own slender hand gripping the mantel.

“Hunter,” she whispered and reached up to his face, “please look at me. I can’t talk to you this way.” She slowly pressed his cheek and he turned to face her.

Still not moving, he looked briefly at her face and she watched as his dreamy brown eyes slid slowly from her face and down over her body. The softness left his eyes and was replaced with a tormented look, as the muscle in his jaw began to twitch involuntarily. At last, his eyes returned to her face and he said in a hoarse voice, “Kathleen, don’t you think you need a robe?”

Her fingers never leaving his tense cheek, she smiled at him and said, “Hunter, it’s very warm tonight. And you are my husband. Is it necessary for me to wear a robe in your presence?”

He looked at her coldly and said, “It may be warm, Kathleen, but in the future, if you need to discuss something with me, for modesty’s sake, I prefer you cover yourself.” He paused, then spoke of what was really on his mind. “Or do you take pleasure in torturing me, my dear? I’ve respected your wishes and left you alone, but you are being cruel. If you don’t want me to touch you, I’d advise you to get out of here and put some clothes on.” He raised the hand resting on his hip and closed it over her fingers caressing his cheek. He moved her hand away, pushing it firmly to her side. “Now, if you’ll say what you’ve come here to say, I’m really quite sleepy, it’s getting late.”

“Hunter,” she said undeterred, “I don’t want to torture you, really I don’t,” and she stepped closer.

“Well, then why in heaven’s name do you …”

She covered his lips with her fingers, silencing him in mid-sentence. “Shhh, I’ve come here to say something important, Hunter, and you are going to listen.” She lowered her head for a second, nervousness rising, her throat tightening, then raised it again and looked into his eyes. “Darling,” she began, “I’ve been a blind fool and I’m sorry. I’ve made you suffer for years, but I want to make it up to you if you’ll let me. I’ve suffered too, darling. I’ve been falling more in love with you with each passing day.” Hunter’s eyes widened in disbelief, but he remained silent, staring at her. “I’ve been trying to get up the courage to come to you for a long time. I have started down that hall a dozen times in the last few months, stopped before I reached your door, and fled back to my room, fearing you might turn me away. I couldn’t blame you if you did. I finally decided it was a chance I would have to take and if I shamed myself before you, so be it, it would be worth the risk. I know you loved and wanted me once, I’m praying you still do, darling.”

Hunter’s eyes had changed again and she read the confusion plainly as he looked at her, speechless. He opened his mouth at last, but before any words formed on his lips, she stopped him, saying, “Please, Hunter, let me finish, then if you want to send me away I’ll go and not bother you again.” Growing more and more nervous, Kathleen took a deep breath and Hunter watched the ample white bosom strain against the tight blue lace of her gown. He grew weak and beads of perspiration were starting in his hairline. She continued, “Darling, do you remember that night in the hall a couple of months ago? I wanted you that night more than you’ll ever know. It was a misunderstanding, I swear it. I wanted you to come to my room or take me to your room, but you left thinking I was rejecting you. It’s not true, I wanted you desperately. I just meant we had to stop, not go any further there in the hall. I should have followed you that night, made you understand, but I didn’t and I’ve regretted it ever since. Hunter, I want to be a real wife to you. I want to share your bed. Darling, I love you, I want you.”

She looked at his face, trying to read his expression. Pain was still written on the delicate, even features, but she could see the bare chest heaving with his labored breathing. “Darling,” she smiled, taking his hand in both of hers, “my heart is beating fast, too. Feel it,” and she took his hand and gently placed it directly under her left breast, over her heart. She dropped her own hands away and watched his face. Silently, Hunter commanded his trembling hand to move, to drop away from her, but it refused to obey him, instead tightened its grip gently on the soft white flesh, caressing it lovingly. Hunter felt a groan starting deep in his throat and the hand still resting on the mantel moved to her back. His eyes began to close helplessly as the hand he’d moved to her back went up to the soft blond hair of her head. Kathleen smiled and put her hands on her husband’s shoulders and raised herself on tiptoes, saying, “Darling, I’ve been such a fool. I love you, dearest, very, very much,” and she began kissing him softly on his lean, bare chest. His eyes flew open and the groan escaped his lips as he looked down to see the golden head bent over him sprinkling soft, sweet kisses over his heaving torso. He stood, not daring to move, enjoying the sweet agony as she pressed closer to him and sighed, “Darling, please love me. Oh, Hunter,” between the continuing kisses until he could stand it no longer. His hand tightened slightly on her golden hair and he gently pulled her head away from his chest. She looked up at him, her eyes full of love, smiling at him. Her small hands moved up from his shoulders and went around his neck as he bent and covered her mouth with his. He kissed her over and over as the hand underneath her breast reluctantly moved and went around her waist to pull her closer. She molded her body to his and when his lips dropped to her throat, she murmured, “Darling, I’ve been so wrong.”

Her sincere, tender declarations of love made all doubt leave him and he once again raised his lips to her mouth. Kissing her wildly, he said with his lips still on hers, “Oh, my God, I love you too, Kathleen, I want you so much, I must have you or die,” and he carried his wife to his bed as the hot, sticky air outside turned into a violent spring storm, blowing the blue curtains wildly in the blinding rain, while the thunder boomed and lightning cracked and skittered across the night sky.

Hunter stood her beside his bed. While he looked into her eyes, his long fingers went to the blue ribbon tied underneath her full breasts. Gently he tugged until it came untied. He raised his hands to the gathered bodice of the gown and slowly pulled it down to her waist. Clutching her shoulders tightly, he pulled her up on her toes and leaned down to kiss the gentle slope of her breasts. Her arms pinioned in the long sleeves of the gown, she was held a willing prisoner to her passionate husband’s caresses.

“You are mine, darling, and I’m going to possess you at last,” he leaned to her and his mouth claimed hers in a hot, demanding kiss. He ravaged her mouth, searching out the sweet recesses so long denied him. She responded to his blazing kiss with all the love in her and whimpered softly, longing for her arms to be freed so that she might embrace him.

Hunter raised his head and pulled the long sleeves of the gown down her slender arms and over her hands, dropping it then, letting it ride casually around her hips and stomach. Pulling her immediately back into his arms, he sighed with happiness when he felt her soft, slim arms come around his bare back.

“Hunter, Hunter,” she sighed, her lips against his throat. “I love you, my darling. Teach me to please you, I’ll do anything you want.”

Trembling, he crushed her closer and began kissing her lips once again. In a violent rush, the blood surged through his veins as her full, high breasts were pressed temptingly against his bare chest. His breath grew labored as he buried his face in her neck and murmured, “Just let me love you until I get my fill.”

“Yes, love,” she whispered and sought his lips with her own. She unconsciously pressed her swelling breasts deeper into his chest while his fiery lips made her weak and faint and his delicate hands roamed up and down over her sensitive back.

His lips were taken from hers and her eyes came open as he kissed her cheeks, her neck, her ear before his mouth slid slowly, seductively down the cord in her neck. With his hands firmly gripping her waist, Hunter slowly eased down, his lips trailing fire from the hollow of her throat over the swell of her bosom. He was on one knee in front of her, pulling her closer, while his heated mouth closed over her breasts. He kissed them greedily, his breath hot on her skin. Kathleen’s hands came up to the golden head moving so provocatively on her and she clutched at his hair as she moaned her approval.

Hunter raised his head just as the most violent lightning of the worsening spring storm gave the room the brightness of day. He looked up and saw the angelic face of the woman he loved, the blue eyes shining with love and passion, the bare, lovely breasts rising and falling with her excited breathing, her long golden hair disheveled and shimmering, falling down around her white shoulders. She was the most beautiful creature Hunter had ever seen.

In a wave of uncontrolled passion, Hunter jerked the gown to her feet as the loud, ear-splitting thunder followed the lightning.

“Hunter,” she half-screamed and swayed to him, naked and vulnerable.

Clasping her gleaming body, he filled his hands with her rounded bottom, pulling her to him. While the blood pounded hotly in his throbbing temples, he hungrily kissed her silky smooth stomach, his open mouth drinking in the sweetness of her flesh. Her hands twisted and pulled at his hair while she threw back her head, shaking the long hair down her back, lost in her mounting passion and the frightening sensations his mouth was bringing her. “Hunter, Hunter,” she gasped from dry, fevered lips while his demanding mouth moved to her thighs and his hands slid slowly down her legs to her knees. When he’d kissed her until she thought she would surely ignite and burn, Hunter rose in front of her.