Page 481 of Conveniently Wed
He glanced over at the glowing heap, at the men standing in shock. He needed to get over there.
“Go in now, my love. Get some sleep.” He placed one last kiss on her lips. “I’ll be in as soon as I can.”
Katie waited in the kitchen, refusing to go to bed until Josiah came in.
A shake on her shoulder brought her awake, and she lifted her head from the table.
“Why aren’t you in bed?” Josiah knelt beside her, worry marking his soot-streaked face. “You must be exhausted.”
“I wanted to be sure?—”
“We’re all safe now. A couple of our men used to be soldiers. They set off after the bandits and tracked them down in no time at all. They were brought back here.”
“How many?”
“Four. They’re being taken into Sheriff Holden as we speak, but first we wrangled the answers we needed. They won’t be moving too comfortably for some time to come.”
“But who did this, and why?”
“Hinton Rowan, a big slave owner in these parts?—"
Realization struck a chord in her mind. “You mean Tommy Rowan’s father?” That memory of the creek came flooding back and she wrapped her arms around herself to still her shiver.
“The Tommy who attacked you is the son of Hinton Rowan?”
“Yes. And I doubt he’s ever gotten over his hatred for me.” Had any of this happened because of her?
“So, this could be about more than just their resentment of change. For some, the hatred never ends. I’m sure one of the names I heard the guys mention tonight was Tommy.”
Pain pressed on her chest. “It must be him.”
“Well, wouldn’t that be justice after all these years, catching the likes of such a scoundrel and being able to lay a good beating on him before having him locked up.” He smiled at her.
But then his frown lines slipped back. “Hinton Rowan has been badgering me to pay my black workers less than my white. I refused and the unrest has grown. But I never thought he’d resort to such evil. In fact, things had settled down to where I was no longer on guard. I guess that was his plan. When I think what could have happened tonight… Thank God you’re all right.”
“And what about you running into a burning barn? I stayed up because I intend to be sure you aren’t hurt. Let’s get rid of this scorched shirt so I can assess the damage.” She began undoing his buttons, and he just stood there. The sound of his breathing quickened with every touch of her hand on his flesh.
Her own hands began to tremble as they worked. She’d craved this nearness so many times. She nudged him to turn as she pulled the scorched fabric from his shoulders. His broad shoulders and sinewy back distracted her mind from looking for burns. She wanted to splay her hands and kiss him.
Instead, she said, “Sit.”
“You’re a bossy one in the middle of the night.” He slid onto the kitchen chair. A faint grin twitched on his lips.
Her thoughts flushed her cheeks with heat, but she ignored them as she moved to the stove to retrieve the basin of water she’d kept warming. She placed the tub on the table beside him and rung the warm water from the cloth. With gentle strokes, she washed the soot from his strong hands, up his muscular arms, and around his neck. Back and forth, the splash of water, the warm cloth, the hot flesh.
His gaze followed her face, tracking her every movement, but she didn’t flinch.
She reached his cheeks, and he closed his eyes as she smoothed the cloth over his forehead, to his eyes, to the roughened planes of his neatly clipped beard. She wanted to kiss every chiseled feature right down to his mouth, but she worked the cloth instead in tiny circular motion. Showing her love. Pouring her love into him as if she were an overflowing pitcher and he an empty container.
Please God, let him feel my love.
She ran her finger over his lips, and a groan slipped free. His hands settled on her waist and pulled her onto his lap.
His eyes met hers, a warmth in his gaze she hadn’t seen in so very long. One of his hands reached up to cup her cheek. “I don’t want to waste another moment not giving you every bit of love I have to give.” His voice was rough and sincere, his gaze earnest as it held hers. “Will you forgive me, Katherine? Will you give this old grouch a second chance at loving you?”
She could barely contain the joy welling inside her. “Yes.” She planted a kiss on his lips. “Yes.” Another meeting of their lips. “Yes.” After the final kiss, he lifted her in his strong arms and carried her up the stairway to his room.
The light from the soft glow of a lone candle and dying embers in his fireplace flickered across his handsome face as he set her on her feet. His eyes darkened, and his stare grew hot.
