“I want to thank you for your hospitality, Mr. Hollingsworth,” Miss Davis said, bringing him back to the present. “You’ve gone beyond what would be expected of an escort at a friend’s wedding.”
“It has been my pleasure, miss… Shouldn’t we dispense with the formalities, Miss Davis?” He took a seat in the wicker armchair. “I know we only met yesterday, but I feel as if we are going to know each other for a long time to come, being Mitchell and Elizabeth’s friends. Won’t you please call me Jared?”
She smiled and her green eyes sparkled. “Then please call me Rebecca.”
Jared reached across the table for her hand as a gesture of camaraderie. She slid her fingers along his; heat reverberated from their silky touch, jolting him in his seat. He pulled back his hand, abruptly breaking the contact.
Still smiling, she tilted her head and closed her eyes slightly.
Had she felt it too?
He watched her closely for several moments, but she gave no sign.
“Here you go,” a plump woman in a gray dress and crisp white apron said, sitting down a glass pitcher of pale liquid on the table before them. “There are cookies cooling in the kitchen if you get a sweet tooth later on.”
“Thank you, Mary,” Jared replied, glad for the momentary interruption.
“I hope it isn’t too tart.” Mary poured three glasses and took one to Charlotte.
Rebecca accepted the glass he handed her and took a sip. “Just tart enough, don’t you agree, Mr.…I mean, Jared.”
“Just right.”
After finishing their lemonade, they left Charlotte and Mary to visit on the verandah while Lucas slept. Jared escorted Rebecca around the grounds. On the far side of the stables he showed her the empty bins awaiting the late summer harvest of cotton. Then he took her down to where the field hands lived, boasting of the improvements that he’d made to the two rows of quarters in the six years since his father passed away.
“Why’d you decide to change from your father’s way of running the plantation?” she asked, twirling her lace parasol, as they strolled past the small houses.
A few field hands lingered nearby under shade trees, taking advantage of the lazy Sunday afternoon. They called to their employer, and Jared acknowledged them with a courteous nod before answering Rebecca’s question.
He picked up a small twig and snapped it in two as they walked. “I neither liked nor respected my father. He abused my mother as well as those who worked his land. His drinking only made things worse.”
He stopped and stared across the field before continuing. Despite his resolve, his voice cracked when he spoke, recalling the unhealed pain of his youth. “My father’s hand was responsible for my mother’s early death. A body can only heal so much before it is broken.”
He pulled at tall grass near his knees. “After my mother died, I vowed I would be different. No matter what it took, I would not become like my father and would never raise a hand to another.”
Her silence was expected, but he wouldn’t stand for her pity. Jared glanced at her. Instead of pity he thought he saw admiration in her eyes.
“You’re very brave to take this stand when your neighbors cling to the accustomed way of life. Do they treat you differently?”
“Brave? Is it really brave to live by your convictions?”
“It takes courage to go against the grain. Not many men would do it, yet you have made it your way of life. Is that why you decided to help Ruth?”
“Ruth?”
Rebecca nodded and pointed to the larger house on a small hill in the distance. “Who lives there?”
“My foreman. Mr. Paxton and his family live in what once was the overseer’s home. He has three daughters and another child on the way. They’re…they’re praying for a son.”
Rebecca laughed softly. “You don’t sound like you have faith his prayer will be answered.”
Jared shook his head. “Women get a look about them when they’re expecting as if you can tell they’ll have a son or a daughter.”
“You could be wrong.” She stopped under the shade tree.
“The joy would go to Paxton if I am.” He pointed at a stream a few yards ahead. “Let’s take a break from the heat and go wading.”
The idea of taking off her shoes and stockings and pulling up her skirts to mid-calf to go wading tempted greatly. However, the thought of Josephine having another “spell” if she found out made her think twice before she finally answered him.
What harm could a little wading do?
Rebecca closed her parasol and offered him her hand in response. They ran like children, laughing on the way to the stream. Once there, she sat down on a nearby log to unlace her boots.
“Here, let me do that.” He knelt before her on one knee and her heart skipped a beat as she watched him meticulously unlace each. He gently held her calf in his hand as he removed the boot. Tingles of gooseflesh shivered up her leg from the bottom of her foot as his fingers gently brushed along the underside. Her sheer stockings provided little protection from his intimate caress.
Her throat went dry because his actions were highly improper. She should stop him before she found herself enjoying his touch. Her heart fluttered and foreign warmth spread through her. “I—I better do the rest.”
He looked up, his blue eyes darker than she recalled. She quivered at his intense stare and shyly looked away.
“Last one in has to kiss a salamander,” he challenged.
She laughed and hastened to remove her stockings, determined not to kiss a salamander unless it had blue eyes, blond hair and looked like Jared Hollingsworth. She wasn’t sure what had come over her, but if this was living dangerously, she liked it.
To her delight, she reached the water’s edge first. She lifted her skirt and dipped her toe in to test the water when he caught up to her.
“I said
in
the water, not
on
the edge,” he teased, grabbing her hand and pulling her along with him into the cool stream.
“Jared!” she shrieked, her feet landing in the icy water, toes sinking into the muddy sludge.
“Jumping in is more fun than dipping a toe.” He kicked the water with childlike abandon.
Cool droplets splattered the front of her already damp dress. “You do
not
play fair, sir,” she accused with mock indignation. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d had as much fun. It had been years since she and Mariah had slipped off to a nearby stream to frolic without Aunt Josephine being the wiser.
A fleeting sadness engulfed her for a moment as she missed those cherished times with her sister. However, Jared’s chuckle brought her back to the merriment at hand.
“Playing fair isn’t fun.” He sidestepped her attempt to splash him with water.
“Is that why you decided to help Ruth?” Rebecca raised her skirt higher than before so it did not drag in the water any more than it already had. Then she carefully stepped on a medium size smooth rock in the middle of the stream. Planting her feet firmly on the rock’s sides, water rushed over her toes and she wiggled them, tipping her head back to enjoy the sun.
“Help?” Confusion evident in his voice, she looked over and saw his brow furrowed as if he didn’t know what she meant.
“Yes. I’m most anxious to help Ruth reach her family. Don’t you share this desire?”
****
Jared frowned. Why did she keep talking about a woman named Ruth? And why should Rebecca want him to join her efforts? They had only just met, but it was clear that whoever Ruth was Rebecca was sincere in her desire to help.
“Exactly what do you have in mind?” he asked.
She puckered her lips. Damn, but she was a vision of loveliness with the sun cascading down around her.
“I would assume
you
had a plan,” she said slowly.
A plan?
Why would he have a plan?
Confound it! He found her talk confusing. But that really didn’t matter because right now he was far too tempted to kiss her when she turned her face from the sun and smiled at him.
“How else will I take her with me?” She slipped her feet from the rock back into the water. “That is, as soon as you tell me where I can find her. Do you have her hidden on your plantation?”
He laughed at her prattle until her last statement sank in. “Hidden here? Why on earth would I do that?”
She shrugged. “I suppose that would be risking your livelihood to bring her here. I pray she is safe awaiting my introduction.”
Their conversation became more peculiar by the moment as if he should know more about Ruth than he did.
“I’m afraid—” A burst of laughter interrupted him as his foreman’s daughters came running from the tall grass and into the water.
“Can we join you, Mr. Jared?” the oldest of the three girls asked.
“Plee-eaze,” the two younger ones chimed, kicking up water around them.
He smiled. “Just don’t get Miss Davis wet,” he warned, but it was too late. In an attempt to side step the girls’ frolic, Rebecca stumbled over the rock she’d previously stood on and fell back, sending up a splash of water.
The girls began to squeal with laughter.
“Rebecca!” Jared sloshed through the water as quickly as possible to help her to her feet. “Are you all right?”
“I’m—I’m fine. I’m fine.” She laughed accepting his help up. “Just wounded pride and some damp clothing. I’m sure I’ll survive.”
“Harmony. Eliza. Sue Ellen.” George Paxton’s booming voice sent the girls scrambling out of the water.
“Ah I should have known.” Paxton scowled, planting his fisted hands at his hips. “How many times have I told you to stay out of the water? Especially, when neither ya ma nor me is around?”
“They weren’t exactly alone, Paxton,” Jared said, drawing attention away from the girls to himself and his wet companion.
“Ah, Mr. Hollingsworth, I didn’t see you, sir,” Paxton’s features relaxed slightly. “I hope my girls haven’t been a bother to ya or caused any harm.”
“Don’t be too hard on them. They were having a little fun is all,” he replied, helping Rebecca out of the water. “Miss Davis, this is George Paxton my foreman. Paxton, this is Miss Rebecca Davis, a friend.”
“It’s a pleasure, ma’am,” Paxton said.
“Nice to meet you, sir,” Rebecca said. “You have three precious daughters.”
“Thank you, ma’am. Their ma and me are right proud of them.” He shifted his weight awkwardly. “Why don’t you both come back to the house and have some tea? Isabella was putting on a pot when the girls left. It will give Miss Davis a chance to dry off.”
Jared looked at Rebecca and she nodded her consent.
“Thank you, Mr. Paxton for the offer. I’m afraid I’m quite clumsy at times,” Rebecca said.
“So my girls didn’t cause your fall?” Paxton asked.
“No, sir,” she assured him.
Jared gathered their shoes and her parasol then offered her his arm as they walked barefoot through the field toward Paxton’s house. He hadn’t paid a visit to them in a while. In fact, he rarely saw his foreman’s family except on holidays or special occasions these days. He could already see Miss Davis had a life altering effect on him in the short time he’d known her.
A brown spotted mongrel greeted them as they approached the small yard with a stone path and a rose trellis at the entrance by the door.
“I didn’t know you had a dog,” Jared said as the girls ran ahead to play with the pup.
“Simpson found him a few weeks back wandering the road and brought him to the girls. I reckon’ someone had tried to drown a litter and he got away. Mind you, I didn’t take a fancy to him at first, but he grows on ya,” Paxton said, grinning.
“A pet is good. I had a little chick when I was young,” Rebecca said.
“A chick? Now that would be an odd pet. Did ya get your hand pecked?”
She nodded. “All the time. That’s why I didn’t cry when it was big enough for my father to kill for Sunday dinner.”
Paxton guffawed. When he sobered, he beckoned, “Come on in and meet Isabella.”
Jared allowed Rebecca to go ahead of him into the house. Down the hallway, he spotted Isabella by the stove in the kitchen, pouring steaming water into a china pot.
“I’m back,” Paxton called.
“Did ya find them?” she asked, not looking up.
“Aye. Down at the stream,” he replied. “I brought some guests for tea.”
Isabella glanced their way and smiled.
“It’s good to see you again, Mrs. Paxton,” Jared called in greeting, noticing her normally trim figure swollen with child. “This is my friend Miss Rebecca Davis.” He realized he’d referred to her twice as his friend. Perhaps that was the best way to describe their current relationship.
“It’s a pleasure, Mrs. Paxton,” Rebecca said.
“Call me Isabella. Everyone does.” She placed a supportive hand to her back and collected two more cups from the cupboard.
“Let me get that tray for ya,” Paxton said, then carried the tea service to the table. “I’ll call the girls.”
“No. Let them play so we can have some quiet,” Isabella said, stopping and staring at Rebecca’s dress. “Goodness! You’re soaked.”
“I had a little accident down at the stream,” Rebecca explained. “The walk here took care of the dripping. I’m almost dry.”
“But you could catch a chill,” Isabella sounded concerned. “Tea can wait a few more minutes. You must come with me and change into something dry. Mr. Hollingsworth, I’m surprised you didn’t see to it the moment you arrived. And Mr. Paxton, is this anyway to treat our guest?”
Jared grinned as he watched Isabella usher Rebecca away from the kitchen.
“We’re in the dog house now,” Paxton grunted.