The Fragrance of Her Name (7 page)

“
I’m sorry,” he said plainly and very sincerely. “I…I’m a brute. I had no right to bite your head off like that. And you’re right…I am an ill-mannered, rude…devil. Swearing in front of women. My Aunt Felicity would skin me alive.”

“
I had no right to place a judgment on you. I….” Lauryn began her own apology.

“
Yeah, you did,” he interrupted. “You were right, too. I let my pride get the better of me…again,” he explained. “Blindness forces you to let other people care for you…serve you. And I’m not humble enough to accept it at times. My pride reacts with cruelty.”

“
You were injured…blinded servin’ others. You should allow people the opportunity to show their gratitude by serving you,” Lauryn told him, again trying to gently pull her hand from his.

Her thoughts were stalled as he drew her hand toward his face and seemed to inhale deeply as if…as if he were…yes! He was smelling her.

“
Good advice,” he admitted. “But very difficult to initiate when you’re Brant Masterson.” Again he seemed to inhale deeply the scent of her skin. “Do you forgive me then?”

“
I don’t have any reason…” she began unable, for some reason, to find more words.

“
You owe me an apology in return,” he told her as her silence wore on.

“
I know. I’m sorry for my judgment. I…”

“
Not that. You had every right to treat me badly. I mean, an apology for running off so that I could not offer my apology on the spot. Running from a blind man. How heartless.”

Lauryn’s brow puckered into a hurt and ashamed frown until she saw the grin spread across his handsome face. He was teasing her. Yet, his making light of his injury was painful as well.

“
I’m sorry,” she whispered softly.

Then to her surprise, Brant kissed the back of her hand lightly before releasing it and straightening his posture.

“
Now…all apologies aside…what’s he like?” he asked bluntly.

“
Who?” Lauryn asked in return. For the first time in years, her mind was void where the word ‘
he
’ was concerned.

“
Your captain,” Brant chuckled. “What’s he like?”

“
Oh!” Lauryn exclaimed, rather embarrassed that she hadn’t instantly known to whom Brant was referring. “He’s…he’s wonderful. And miserable without his lady.”

“
He’s haunted in his own right,” Brant mumbled, his enticing grin fading as his head fell defeatedly back against the seat. “I know the feeling. Being haunted.”

Yes, haunted! And Lauryn could not begin to fathom the frustration and pain that would’ve been heaped upon her if she had only been able to see the Captain. Never to hear his voice in conversation. Only to see him sad and alone and begging for her help the way it seemed Brant saw Lauralynn.

"Before I'd see her…" Brant paused and put a hand to one of the bandages at his eyes. "When I could see her…I'd hear her name…like a whisper on the wind and a sweet fragrance of some flower would wash over me. It was so strong…like nectar that you could breathe in. ‘
Lauralynn’
is all I've ever heard of her voice."

"And you know everythin’? The stories? The reason…" Lauryn prodded. She was curious, suddenly. Did he know something she did not? Something that would help her…help them find Laura?
Could it be
, she wondered suddenly? Had she found, in Brant, the help she’d needed, the help they’d both needed to end the mystery?

"No. Not everything. I know she’s lost…I know that she was married to Brand Masterson, my grandfather's brother. I know that she died during the Battle of Franklin and that she was never found. I know the stories from my Aunt Felicity and your grandmother. And from Laura nodding yes and no to questions I have asked her. And now…" His voice became deeper and angry. "Now I’ll have no way to communicate with her.” He reached up and began tugging on the bandages at his eyes. His anger had returned. His frustration full-fledged.

"You mustn't!" Lauryn scolded taking his hands in her own. "The doctor is obviously hopeful that your sight may be saved. And you must follow his instruction. You must not lose hope or damage your sight further because of frustration."

"Sweet thing," he mumbled, the slightest of wistful grins capturing his mouth again. "I have been blind for near to four months. They have operated on me now…given my father false hope. False hope helps no one."

"But…but you saw
me
," Lauryn reminded him trying to ignore the thrill that traveled through her at the thought of his sudden kiss in the boxcar.

"I saw you as if you were standing in a thick fog, Miss Kensington. Enough to know where to reach to molest you…not enough to know whether or not you resemble your great aunt."

Lauryn was disappointed. Deeply. She had thought he had seen her more clearly and that her familiarity of spirit had prompted him to kiss her. And yet, she had hoped the opposite. She knew that she did not want this man's attention simply because she resembled his fragrant lady ghost. But for the first time since she was eight years old, Lauryn silently wished she did bare some resemblance to the lost lady, Lauralynn.

"Well, do not be too disappointed, Mr. Masterson. I don't look like her, " she mumbled. “And you far from molested me, sir.”

“
My Aunt Felicity would disagree,” he told her flatly. “I…I awkwardly beg your forgiveness for that as well.” His apology sounded less than sincere.

“
Because your Aunt would expect it of you?” Lauryn asked him.

“
Exactly.”

“
Then I refuse it,” she stated. “Now…back to our previous subject…I wonder, does Lauralynn…”

“
You refuse it?” he exclaimed leaning toward her suddenly. “You can’t refuse that apology.”

“
I can too. And I do.”

“
But it’s…it’s rude. And after the way you scolded me for being rude. Anyway, I thought southern girls were always the epitome of propriety.” The expression about his mouth was that of being completely taken back.

“
It’s not rude. What’s rude is to apologize when you don’t mean it. Now…do you want me to talk to you about our special…. acquaintances or not?”

Brant sighed with relief and shook his head, actually grinning again. “Yes… if you can keep from being so rude. And besides,” he added, lowering his voice, “You’re right. I withdraw my apology for molesting you. It was the first time I’ve felt like a real man in over four months. Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve ever had a woman faint from one of my kisses. I guess there’s hope for me yet.”

Lauryn blushed and looked about to see if any of the passengers may be eavesdropping. He was oddly incorrigible, this handsome, haunted, wounded soldier.

“
Very well,” Lauryn began feeling completely unsettled, and yet somewhat triumphant in helping him avoid another outburst like the one in the boxcar. “What do you know?”

Lauryn found it hard to concentrate on the subject of the Captain and Lauralynn, however. Brant’s presence seemed to dominate every sense she owned.

“
I told you,” he reminded her. “She died, he died. It was tragic and an unsolvable mystery.”

“
Oh, you have to know more than that. I could learn that much from the family bible.”

He sighed in irritation, before speaking. “Laura loves her husband. She is lost and wandering without him.”

“
How does she appear?” Lauryn asked. “What’s she wearin’?”

Brant shrugged his shoulders as if his answer were inconsequential. “A dress, true to the times…blue…soaked with bright red blood at her stomach.”

“
What?” Lauryn gasped in horrified astonishment.

“
It was a wound to her abdomen. Wasn’t it?

“
Well, yes. But….” Lauryn was distracted, imagining the horror of a young child having to be haunted by a ghost soaked in blood.

“
And she wears a gold locket and two rings,” he added as if it were no strange thing to be haunted by such an apparition. He spoke as if he wasn’t in the least disturbed about Lauralynn’s appearance. Of course, he’d had over twenty years to get used to the sight of her that way. “Is your Captain still in uniform?” he asked.

“
Um…yes,” Lauryn stumbled, still overwhelmed by Brant’s description of Lauralynn.

There was silence between them then. Each seemed to be lost in thoughts of their ghostly counterparts.

At last, it was Brant who spoke first. “How will I help her when I can’t see her anymore, Lauryn?”

At that moment Lauryn, finally, sensed the true depth of Brant’s pain. Not only was he blinded, unable to see the world, unable to be fully self-reliant, but his only method of communication with Lauralynn, his own lost lady, was gone.

“
How are you feelin’, Brant dear?” Nana asked upon returning at that moment with Dr. Nelson.

“
I’m fine,” he assured her. “It wasn’t me that got assaulted in the wounded car.” Smiling he said, “I’d wink at you teasingly Miss Lauryn Kensington…if I could.” Dr. Nelson and Nana both chuckled with amusement. But Lauryn was not amused. She understood now, how devastating his injury had been to his soul.

Nana settled herself in the seat next to Brant. “Well, my sweet soldier boy,” she began. “It’s all settled. You’re comin’ home with Lauryn and me to Connemara House until your dear brother can come for you.” Nana patted Brant’s hand maternally but his smile faded.

“
I thought Parker was meeting me in Memphis, Dr. Nelson,” Brant said. Lauryn saw his hands tighten into fists at his sides.

“
There’s…. there’s been some sort of delay, Brant. He can’t come for another week or so,” Dr. Nelson explained.

“
So strap the two Florence Nightingales with the invalid, is that it?” Brant mumbled.

Lauryn was shocked as her Nana slapped the man softly on the mouth. “That’s enough of that, Brant Masterson!” she scolded. “We’ll have none of that self pity from you. Do you hear me?”

Brant shook his head. “You’re determined to leave me off with these compassionate ladies then, Doc?” Brant reworded his question, teasingly. Nana’s soft slap had obviously had its desired effect, for Brant had indeed brightened.

“
Your sight will be restored, Brant,” the Doctor told him. “You’ve wasted near to all your patience, my boy…and I understand. But you treat these women the way you ought to. You hear?”

Brant nodded turning his face toward the window as if everything in him yearned to see out to the passing landscape. Lauryn was sure everything did.

“
Yeah. I hear you,” Brant mumbled. “In that case…if I’m off to Franklin…I’m tired. Think I’ll sit right here and doze a bit. You’ll pardon me won’t you, ladies?”

Lauryn could see that his jaw was clinched in annoyance. She suspected it took every ounce of self-control he could muster not to fly into a rage at being passed about like a homeless puppy.

“
That’s fine, Brant,” Dr. Nelson assured him. “You do need the rest.” Looking to Nana, Dr. Nelson winked and added, “I’ll be back to check on y’all later.”

“
Thank you, Doctor,” Nana said and the man took his leave.

Lauryn’s discomfort increased. It was impossible to tell if Brant was sleeping or not since his eyes were bandaged. So, for long moments, she and her grandmother simply watched the passing landscape. Soon the sun had set and Nana seemed to think a little private conversation was safe enough considering that Brant hadn’t moved a muscle in over thirty minutes.

“
Well, my peach,” she began in a near whisper. “If this hasn’t been the grandest adventure either of us has ever had on a train…I don’t know what is!”

“
Undeniably,” Lauryn agreed.

Lauryn watched then, amused to see her grandmother look over to Brant and start visually investigating him.

“
My! He is a handsome one,” Nana exclaimed quietly.

“
Hush, Nana! He’ll hear you.” Lauryn was delightfully astonished at her grandmother’s brazen appraisal of Brant.

“
Well…he is, June bug. Look at the size of him! Broadest shoulders I ever did see on a man.” Nana smiled adding, “And since he’s fast a sleep…I can size him up all I want to.”

“
He makes me nervous,” Lauryn whispered.

“
Darlin’, I suspect he makes every woman nervous.”

“
No, Nana,” Lauryn stammered. “I mean…he makes me uncomfortably nervous.”

“
That’s cause he’s a man, pumpkin. You’re used to boys. Men are different. And this one….” Nana paused touching Brant’s shoulder lightly. “This one is unique.” Then an impish twinkle flickered in the old woman’s eyes. “And to think…he’s already kissed you!”

Instantly, Lauryn’s face went crimson. “Nana! He’s…he’s a complete stranger.”

“
Many a great story starts with a handsome stranger, my darlin’.”

Brant Masterson struggled to regulate his breathing so he appeared to be completely asleep. The women’s light, complimentary discussion was the most soothing, interesting event he’d experienced in months. It was hard for him not to smile at the discomfort of his new acquaintance, Miss Lauryn Kensington. Somehow he delighted in the knowledge that he unnerved her. And, she had given him hope. Hope that perhaps not all was lost to him when his sight had been taken. She obviously knew a great deal more than he did about Lauralynn and Brandon Masterson. Briefly, he thought of the feel of her body in his arms when he had embraced her and the soft innocence of her lips when he’d kissed her—the comfort it had unknowingly given him. Yes. Maybe this girl, this bloodline of Laura, could help him find his lost lady.