Bess smiled. “I guess he means his duty is to touch you.”
Leah sat back in the tub. “Bess, there’s a black trunk in the back of the wagon, on the left. Inside is a dress of gold velvet. Would you bring it to me?”
“A special dress, is it?” Bess asked.
“What little there is of it is special,” Leah said, closing her eyes as Bess left the room.
Leah thought of the dress and knew that if Wesley didn’t care for her, at least some of the men would notice her. Perhaps she wouldn’t get as much attention as Kimberly, but it would be better than she got while riding on the wagons.
The door opened.
“That didn’t take long,” Leah said, opening her eyes to see Wesley standing there.
He didn’t move as he looked at her, her beautiful body clearly visible in the water, her breasts just breaking the surface, her legs stretched out, parted.
“If you’ve seen enough, you can leave now.”
Reluctantly, Wes looked back at her face. Steamy little curls touched her neck. “Bess said—.” He didn’t finish but turned and left the room.
With shaking hands Leah began washing herself, and she wasn’t sure if she was shaking with anger or because she had suddenly and inexplicably remembered every detail of the time Wesley had held her in his arms.
When Bess returned with the dress, she had such a smug, knowing look on her face that Leah refused to say a word about Wesley’s return to the room. Even when Bess gave broad hints, Leah still didn’t comment.
The gold velvet of the gown made Leah’s skin look even creamier, and the neckline was cut so low th
at only imagination was left.
“I can’t do it,” Leah said, looking at herself in the mirror. “There’s too much of me and too little cloth. I told Regan I’d never wear this dress.”
Bess adjusted the last curl on top of Leah’s head. Her long, perfect neck eased down into the beautiful sculpture of her collarbone and breasts. “You will too wear it! I’ve seen ladies with even less on.”
Leah gave her a look of disbelief.
“They just had a lot less to show than you so less looked like more.”
“Oh Bess.” Leah laughed. “I’m going to miss you.”
“Not if I have my way and you get your husband back,” Bess said with a sniff.
“I never had him to begin with.”
Bess didn’t answer but shoved her young sister out the door.
Standing at the top of the stairs Leah had a chance to survey the scene below. Kimberly sat in a chair wearing a sedate turquoise silk dress; she looked absolutely lovely and six men surrounded her. Wesley leaned against the cold fireplace, talking in a tight-jawed way to two men, his eyes constantly shifting to Kim, and there were sparks of anger in the looks. Leah wasn’t sure whether she should laugh or be disgusted, but somewhere in her was a bit of jealousy.
As she began to descend the staircase, she was pleased to see first one pair of male eyes, then another, travel upward toward her. At Stanford Plantation she’d always been treated with respect, but she often wondered if it was only because she was married to Wesley.
“May I?” asked one man at the foot of the stairs, his arm extended. The other nine men stood still, gaping in such a way that Leah felt her confidence return.
“Thank you,” she said graciously, taking his arm.
Kim stood suddenly and said in an expert half-plea, half-command, “Am I to be left all alone? Do only married women get any attention?”
Quickly two men ran to her side—but eight stayed by Leah.
“Supper is waiting. Shall we go in?” a man asked.
Leah looked up to see Wesley, still near the fireplace, his eyes fastened to Kim’s retreating back. He didn’t seem aware that anyone else was in the room.