Wild Abandon

Chapter 13

Henceforth I will not set my love

on other than the country lass,

For in the court I see and prove

Fancy is brittle as the glass.

—SIR ARTHUR GORGES

A huge collie met the horse and buggy, barking and hopping up on Lauralee’s side. She recoiled and scooted closer to Abner.

Then her eyes were averted elsewhere when a young man opened the front door of the small farmhouse and stepped out onto the porch, a kerosene lantern held out before him.

Abner drew tight rein directly in front of the porch. “Good evening, Paul,” he said, leaving the buggy in one hop. “Will you go and tell your mom and pop that Abner Peterson and his lovely niece have come calling?”

“Yes, sir,” Paul said. “I’ll go and tell them. It’s nice of you to drop by. You should come more often.”

Paul paused long enough to hold the lantern farther away from himself so that he could get a better look at Lauralee. He whistled at his dog when he realized it was frightening her. The dog followed him into the house.

Abner circled his reins around a hitching rail, then went to Lauralee and held his arms up for her.

She had no choice but to oblige and allowed him to help her from the buggy. It was obvious that he was not going to settle for anything less than her meeting a young man of his choosing tonight.

It took no fortune-teller’s crystal ball to understand what was behind this late call to the Browns, especially now that Lauralee had seen their son. She could tell that he was not that much older than herself.

And there was no denying how handsome he was. Even in the dim light of the lantern she had noticed. If not for loving Dancing Cloud so much, she could say that she might have even allowed herself to enjoy her uncle’s ploy.

But she did love Dancing Cloud.

Nothing or no one could change that.

In overalls,

Noah came outside and gestured with a hand. “Come on inside and sit a spell,” he said, his voice filled with a pleasant warmth. “June just brewed a fresh pot of coffee. She made a cake earlier in the day. Have some refreshments with us while you tell us what brings you out to our farm so late at night.”

“I think I’ll pass on the coffee, Noah,” Abner said, laughing softly as he ushered Lauralee up the steps. “I only drink coffee past suppertime if I plan to work all night in my study.”

“And so this is your niece who you’ve talked about these past weeks?” Noah said. He stepped aside and held the screen door open for Abner as he escorted Lauralee on inside the house. “She’s a pretty one, Abner. I’m sure she’ll have all of the Mattoon men wantin’ to escort her to various functions.”

Lauralee looked quickly around the room. It was lit by two kerosene lamps. She could see that it was comfortably furnished. Flowered wallpaper graced the parlor walls, clean, sparkling white sheer curtains hung at the windows, and a roaring fire on the grate of the fireplace filled the room with warmth and light. The aroma of bread baking wafted from the kitchen.

Noah gazed over at Paul. He could see his son’s interest in Lauralee. “I have a son who just might beat all of the other gents to the punch,” he said, chuckling. “What do you say, Paul? Ain’t she somethin’?”

Lauralee blushed from the close scrutiny, herself now even more taken by Paul since she was close enough to get a true look at his handsomeness.

She could see why her uncle had tried this ploy to avert her attention and feelings away from Dancing Cloud.

Tall and square-shouldered, his golden hair cut straight just above his shirt collar, Paul Brown was a breathtakingly handsome man whose blue eyes seemed to pierce the very heart and soul of Lauralee.

Then she recalled other blue eyes.

Those of the damn Yankee.

The Yankee’s eyes had been cold and evil.

Paul’s were warm and friendly as was his smile as he gazed at her.