The Fragrance of Her Name (29 page)

“
Which reminds me,” Brant interrupted. “Your grandmother said she never saw that tea set again after that day. Does that mean it was looted away by soldiers? But why would soldiers have any interest in baby toys and why would Laura have one of the cups with her?”

Lauryn shrugged. “I don’t know.”

“
You read for a while,” Brant demanded, tossing a packet of letters to Lauryn. He realized then his rude manner and added a sincere, “Please.”

“
Maybe we should take a rest from this for awhile, Brant. After all, it’s getting late and we really haven’t learned much.”

“
It’s only midnight and we’ve learned plenty. We’ve learned that the stink of war never changes.” He was angry, hurting. But Lauryn did not argue with him. As he stretched out on his side next to her on the floor, Lauryn tired to ignore the thrill that traveled through her at the sight of his shirtlessness. The muscles in his arms and chest had been quite impressive when he’d been at Connemara months before. But it was now obvious that he’d been laboring hard the months he’d been at home. For his body was bigger, his muscles even more defined and impressive.

So clearing her throat and forcing her concentration to the letter in hands, she began to read.

“
My darling, Laura,

I’m so sorry that I can’t be with you just now. The turmoil at Connemara over this incident must be incredible. Just know that all will be well. Love continues even when someone is lost and you will always have that.”

“
Who was lost?” Brant asked, yawning.

Lauryn shrugged. “This letter isn’t dated, but I’m sure it must be her brother Ethan. He was killed in the war.”

“
That’s right,” Brant mumbled as he rolled over onto his back and tucked his hands beneath his head.

She continued reading aloud even though she was alone in her consciousness.

“War is still war, my love. But I’m determined to write of something else. It can not be good for you to only know of the terrible things I see. So…there’s a young man here, my own age and he’s quite good at playing the guitar. His voice is fairly on key as well and he’s memorized ‘Sweet Lauralynn’ without even realizing how close he is to its root. He does a fair job of rendering it and I tell him so. I’ve told him your name, though nothing else, and he says that when the war is over he’d love to come and sing it to you in person. I carry your image of course, and he said you were exactly the kind of woman that must have inspired the songwriter. How is that for irony, my sweet?”

Lauryn’s eyelids were feeling heavy and she couldn’t stifle the yawn that rose in her throat. One moment’s rest of her eyes surely wouldn’t hurt.



Brant lay stretched out on the attic floor, his head propped up on one elbow as he watched her. Lauryn was next to him, sound asleep. He had awaken to find Lauryn asleep, her hair spread beneath her head like a blanket of soft, spun spice. In her hand, which lay at the side of her head, she still loosely held one of the Captain’s letters. Her face was soft and at peace, the slightest of sweet smiles on her lips.

I am in so much trouble
, he thought as he reached out and took some of her hair in his hand and raised it to his face, drinking in the essence of its natural perfume. The situation was inappropriate at best. If someone were to find them, he only half clothed, she laying there, hair free, barefoot and several of the buttons of her blouse undone…well, Georgia Kensington would have no choice but to throw him out on his behind.

And, as far as his own self-control was concerned…he reached over and picked up his shirt, putting it on angrily and starting to button it. But again, he was distracted by the way she bewitched him completely. He knew the feel of her lips. He’d kissed her twice before. Now his craving wanted the taste of her kiss again. There was not a doubt in his mind that it would be pure nectar, sweet and perfect.

He shook his head and rubbed at his temples. Time to retreat, he knew. But she stirred and sighed in her sleep and the sigh left her lips parted ever so slightly. It was too much. Even for a man of Brant Masterson’s impeccable character. He felt the corner of his mouth twitch ever so slightly as he studied her. Carefully, he leaned over her, placing one of his powerful hands on either side of her small, curvaceous form. He shouldn’t do it, and he knew it, but she’d bewitched him. Even in her sleep, she’d managed to bewitch him and ever so carefully he bent and….didn’t kiss her the way he wanted to, for he knew that the pressure from that kiss would wake her. Slowly, very carefully, he bent and slowly caressed her parted lips with the softest of his kisses. It was far more ambrosiatic—the taste of her—than he’d even imagined and he was surprised and pleased, when she smiled in her sleep, sighed heavily and moistened her lips as if she’d tasted something delightful herself.

One more inhalation of her, the scent and feel of her hair, and he rose to his feet. He was weak and in a dangerous state of mind. He would leave her without even the courtesy of waking her. For he feared if he lingered, even for a moment…if he woke her and she looked at him with that dreamy expression she sometimes had in his presence…he was an honorable man, but this fairy tempted him too deeply. Mustering every strength and resolve in self-control he could, Brant left the attic and retired, if somewhat fitfully, to his own room.

Lauryn inhaled deeply of the fresh, spring air sweetly scented with the perfume of every colorful flower imaginable that grew along Main Street. She was returning from posting a letter in town for her mother.

Brant and his Aunt and Uncle had been at Connemara for nearly a week. During that week, Lauryn and Brant spent days upon days searching, reading the Captain’s letters to Laura and talking. Amazingly enough, even with the seriousness of their search always looming, they did find time to laugh, go for walks and talk of other things.

Still, Lauryn went to bed every night nearly sick to her stomach with anxiety, wondering how long she would have Brant. She knew he had agreed to stay at least until the McGovern’s party on Saturday. But that was only a few more days. Then what? He had to return home eventually, and she dreaded the day he would tell her he was going.

Brant went to play stickball with Patrick that morning, and Lauryn’s mother, sensing her unrest, sent her to town to post a letter. She walked toward home now, along Main, admiring the loveliness of spring. It did give a body hope. Hope in mystery solving—hope in love.

“
The little rat,” Lauryn mumbled as she saw Sean’s automobile parked in the street in front of Connemara house. She was still furious with him for embarrassing her that evening at dinner nearly a week ago. She’d never forgive him for telling the skinny dipping story to Brant. But she would enact her revenge, teach him not to do the like ever again.

Sean treasured that blasted auto of his. Even as Lauryn stood at his feet, listening to his carefree whistle as he worked, she knew how intent he was on making sure it was in perfect working order.

“
Typical,” she mumbled, putting her hands on her hips and looking down at his legs protruding from beneath the auto. “Always tinkerin’ around with that blasted contraption,” she muttered.

Sean hadn’t heard her approach, she knew, for he did not pause in either his whistling or his tinkering. From just above the waist, Sean was wedged under the auto and Lauryn could hear the familiar sounds of metal on metal as he fiddled with whatever gadget in the contraption that was giving him grief that day.

And then, oh, impish girl that she was…she felt an amused smile spread across her face as the perfect idea took shape in her clever mind. Yes! A brilliant idea! What a genius of prank she could be when given the opportunity. There he lay, completely unaware of her presence. His shoes, socks and shirt lay in a heap, nearby. There he was, his hands busy, his mind distracted and in a position that left him unable to escape. He had made it too easy! He was losing his edge! Lauryn knew that once Sean began fiddling on his auto, he was oblivious to all else around him, completely vulnerable and unsuspecting.

Propriety could hang now and he would catch what he more than deserved. It was one thing to tease her mercilessly in front of her family, but to do it in front of Brant and his family! Sean would pay. And, Lauryn didn’t care about the lecture that would no doubt follow from her mother—the one she’d heard a million times growing up when she and Sean were younger. The one about turning the other cheek. Not letting Sean’s teasing get under her skin. Poppycock! He’d really done it this time and the perfect opportunity at vengeance was presenting itself at that very moment.

“
You rat,” Lauryn, mumbled, her smile broadening as she reached down and swiftly unfastened the waist of his trousers. She heard a thud and impishly delighted in realizing that Sean, startled and trying to sit up, had conked his head hard on that blasted machine. Then quick as a mouse, Lauryn stripped his trousers down as he squirmed and hollered. She nimbly yanked them completely from his body and then, trousers in hand, broke into a dead run for the house!

“
That’ll teach you, you little weasel!” she shouted over her shoulder as she ran waving the trousers over her head like a victory banner. What a wit she was! And a proud one at that. It had been no easy task to strip Sean of his trousers quickly enough to get away before he could maneuver out from under the auto.

Racing across the front porch and into the entryway she giggled as she saw her mother enter from the parlor.

“
What is going on?” her mother demanded.

“
Now, Mama,” Lauryn began, knowing that she was about to receive a tongue-lashing. “He deserves it! He always does. You saw what he did to me the other night. Fair is fair, Mama. If Sean is gonna to dish it out… then he’s gonna have to take it!”

“
Take what?” Sean asked as he stepped into the entryway from the parlor.

Lauryn’s jaw dropped nearly to the floor. There he stood. Sean! Completely dressed, trousers and all!

“
You didn’t mess around with my auto did you?” he asked, looking past his mother and out the window to the street.

“
What on earth, Lauryn? And where did you get those trousers?” Georgia asked.

“
Well, they’re Sean’s,” Lauryn gasped.

“
What’s all the commotion?” Mindy asked as she, too, entered, Junie propped on one hip.

“
Well, it looks like Lauryn has stripped someone of his trousers,” Sean chuckled.

“
Lauryn! What have you done?” Georgia shrieked.

“
It was Sean! Out there workin’ on his danged machine.” She tried to explain. “I…I thought…”

Sean erupted into laughter, and at that very moment, the front door swung open revealing Brant Masterson, trouserless. Already there was a bruise visible on his forehead, and as he tromped in wearing nothing but a scowl and his underwear, Lauryn thought she might indeed drop dead where she stood.

“
Oh, Brant!” Georgia exclaimed in a horrified whisper.

Mindy looked the man up and down smiling in delighte and Sean doubled over, clutching his stomach as his body was racked with overwhelming, delirious laughter.

Rubbing the goose egg on his forehead, Brant simply held out his hand to Lauryn and gestured for her to return the stolen trousers. Slowly, since she was greatly distracted by the sight of him in only his underwear, she held the trousers out to him. Everyone stood silent, save Sean who still roared with laughter, enjoying his mirth.

“
Lauryn, sugar,” Brant mumbled. “The next time you want to get a good look at my manly shape….” He stepped into his trousers and fastened them up quickly. “Simply ask. It would save us both a great deal of…pain.” He rubbed his forehead again, wincing as he did so.

“
I thought…. I thought…” Lauryn stammered.

“
Well, now that the entire neighborhood has seen nearly all of me….” He frowned at Lauryn, the bump on his head obviously uncomfortable. “Tell me…is it safe to go back out and finish my work?” Lauryn felt the tears of hurt and humiliation welling up in her eyes. “Or is there something else you wanted?”

Shaking her head, Lauryn cast tear-filled eyes to the floor. Her humiliation was great. And yet, there was some sort of devilish, secret delight in the knowledge of what she had done, and in the vision of Brant Masterson in his underwear. It was, yes…almost funny to her. But, the embarrassment was stronger and won out.

“
Wait ‘til I tell the boys this one!” Sean laughed, rising to his feet again. “They won’t believe me!”

Simultaneously Mindy and Lauryn’s mother scolded, “Sean Kensington!”

“
You’ll do no such thing!” Georgia added. “Why, if such a thing should get around…”