The Fragrance of Her Name (9 page)

“
Yes, Ma’am,” Patrick mumbled obediently, if not resentfully. The disappointed boy slunk down in his seat.

“
And besides,” Georgia continued. “I have my own questions.”

Brant smiled as he settled in his seat next to Patrick. So did Lauryn and her grandmother. Lauryn was beginning to think that maybe a family, even one other than his own, would do this man, so injured in body and soul, a bit more good than she expected. And maybe a man, stranger though he may be, would do her family who had suffered such a great loss in their father’s death, the same good. Lauryn realized, that had the appearance of Brant not caused such interest, had he not arrived with her and her grandmother…the scene at the station would’ve been quite different. Most likely wrought with tears and sadness.

“
How did y’all meet? Lands sakes! I mean it’s amazin’!” Georgia began.

“
On the train. Just today,” Nana answered. “It was no accident, I’m certain. I’ve no doubt that somebody intended it.”

“
Mr. Masterson,” Georgia began another question.

“
Brant, Ma’am,” Brant corrected her.

Georgia smiled. “Brant.” Then she began again. “Where were you bound? Were you as astonished as I am now to find out who these two ladies were?”

“
Yes, Ma'am,” Brant answered. “I was heading for Memphis to meet my brother…and then these two angels of mercy came into the wounded car. And we just sort of….bumped into each other.”

Lauryn felt she was in a dream. As she sat, so completely fatigued, listening to Brant and her mother converse, she could not quite believe she was in a realm of reality. It seemed too strange…to simply meet Brant on a train as she had and have him here, in their auto on the way to Connemara.

Patrick wriggled, miserably confined in the back seat. Lauryn put her arm around his shoulders and whispered, “Don’t you worry, Patrick. Mr. Masterson will have plenty of time this week for you.” Patrick sighed heavily and squeezed Lauryn’s hand.

“
I’m awful glad you’re home, Lauryn,” he whispered in return. “And I’m glad you brung a blind soldier with you, too.”

Lauryn smiled. Yes, she was home. As they drove along the streets of Franklin, she breathed in the familiar air, gazed at the familiar buildings in town and felt whole once again. There was something about home that was comforting, secure, loved.

“
So you’re stayin’ with us for only a week?” Lauryn’s attention was drawn back to the conversation by her mother’s disappointed exclamation. “That’s hardly long enough to have sit-down supper.” Georgia’s disappointment was obvious. “And besides, between Sean and Patrick…won’t any of us women have one minute of your leftover attention.”

“
Sean, Ma’am?” Brant asked.

“
Sean. Lauryn’s older brother,” Georgia explained. “He and his wife Mindy, and my adorable grand-baby, live a few doors down from Connemara House. He’s been home near to a year. Got the flu overseas and made it through, thank Heaven.”

“
Is the baby just too cute, Mama?” Lauryn asked. The thought of a baby nearby caused her heart to flutter with delight. Her own little niece to dote on!

“
Well, of course!” Georgia exclaimed. “What kind of a silly question is that?”

“
I take it that you like babies, Miss Kensington?” Brant chuckled. It was obvious he’d noticed the thrill in her voice, as well.

“
Does Lauryn like babies?” Patrick exclaimed as if it were the most ridiculous question he’d ever heard uttered. “Why do you think I thought y’all was married and gonna have one, Mister?”

Again Brant chuckled and Lauryn’s face turned crimson as her grandmother giggled as well. Reaching over she pinched Patrick’s knee in retaliation.

“
Ouch! Mama! Lauryn pinched me!” the child tattled.

“
That’s enough! And Patrick…you shouldn’t say such things. And Lauryn…quit pinchin’ your brother.”

Brant was still enjoying a chuckle when Lauryn looked over to him. Though he tried to restrain it out of respect for their mother’s reprimand, it was obvious that he was deeply amused.

If the train ride had seemed long, the mere 5 miles home from the station seemed even longer. Lauryn’s mother continued to pop out questions to Brant, and Patrick continued to be completely tactless in his interruptions. Several times, Nana reached back from the front seat and patted Lauryn reassuringly on the knee. But all Lauryn wanted was escape. And she kept wondering why Patrick was sitting between her and Brant. And it bothered her that he was…which also bothered her because, why did she care?

At long last, they reached Connemara House and a sweetly familiar warmth and calmness sifted over Lauryn’s tired mind and body. There it was…lights beckoning from the windows. Mindy, a baby in her arms, peered out anxiously through the large window in the parlor. And Sean stood against one column on the porch, waiting on his own terms.

“
Nana!” Sean exclaimed helping the elderly woman from the auto and hugging her tenderly. “You look even more beautiful than the day you left.”

“
Oh, go on with you boy,” Nana giggled, kissing his cheek affectionately. “Where’s that great-grandbaby of mine?” And she toddled off toward the house, seeming to forget everything else. Lauryn smiled to herself. That was another thing she adored about the elderly…the way they were drawn to little ones and the way the little ones seemed to recognize the great worth of their old folks.

Lauryn stepped out of the car and into Sean’s warm embrace as well. “My, my, my!” he whispered. “Haven’t we all but blossomed?”

Lauryn shook her head. Sean was the sarcastic member of the family. “You haven’t changed an ounce, I see,” she told him as he kissed her cheek.

“
I’m serious, Lauryn!” he assured her. “You’re so grown up and pretty that I can’t believe you didn’t come home on the arm of a man.” Sean stopped his teasing when Brant stepped awkwardly out of the car with Georgia’s assistance.

“
But she did, Sean,” Patrick corrected. “A blind soldier!” Lauryn buried her face miserably in her hands even though she heard Brant chuckle.

“
Well, how do you do, sir,” Sean greeted, raising his eyebrows daringly in Lauryn’s direction as he took Brant’s hand and gave it a firm shake.

“
Well enough, sir,” Brant answered, smiling.

“
You up and married a soldier already, Lauryn?” Sean asked.

“
Mother!” Lauryn whined.

“
Sean!” Georgia scolded.

“
I see you and young Patrick here know how to properly tease a sister,” Brant chuckled.

“
We try our best to make her life as miserable as we possibly can,” Sean affirmed, smiling at his sister and pinching her cheek affectionately. Brant chuckled and placed his hand on Lauryn’s shoulder.

Again his touch thrilled her but, somehow, she felt the need to escape into the loving embrace of Connemara House.

“
Well, let’s get this mob in the house, Mama,” Sean ordered. “Mindy’s beside herself with waitin’ to show Junie to Lauryn and Nana.”

As Lauryn walked toward Connemara’s front entrance, she marveled at the ancient, winterly barren vines that covered the columns and most walls of the house. In a matter of a few months they would be heavy with green leaves and their flowers’ heavenly perfume. She couldn’t wait! The wisteria was something she’d adored, treasured, cherished since she could remember. And when she entered the house, Brant at her heels, she sighed, brushing tears of joy from her cheeks. Home! At last! It had been far too long.

“
Lauryn!” Mindy exclaimed. She held her baby safely propped on one hip but she threw her free arm around Lauryn and hugged her tightly. “I’m so glad y’all are home.” Then looking past Lauryn and up to Brant she added, “And who’s this dashin’ young man with you?”

“
He’s a blind soldier that Lauryn drug home. Only, they ain’t…isn’t married or havin’ a baby,” Patrick explained.

“
Hello,” Mindy greeted taking Brant’s hand. “I’m Mindy Kensington, Sean’s wife.”

“
It’s a pleasure, Mrs. Kensington,” Brant greeted. “I’m Brant Masterson.”

Immediately the color drained from Mindy’s face. “The Captain?” she whispered.

“
Oh, no,” Georgia assured her startled daughter-in-law. “This is a relative of the Captain’s. His grand-nephew.”

Mindy sighed with relief. “Oh. For a minute there I thought I was…” she stopped and swallowed, trying to regain her composure. “Well, it’s a pleasure to have you here, Mr. Masterson.” Brant nodded, still grinning. Obviously very amused by all that had transpired with Lauryn’s family.

“
Just look at this little angel!” Nana exclaimed, taking the baby from Mindy’s maternal possession.

Lauryn’s eyes brightened. Sean’s baby. His own daughter! And she was, indeed, an angel. Her eyes were green, her curly hair as dark as night. It was very apparent who her father was.

“
Hey there, Junie baby,” Lauryn cooed holding her hands out toward the baby. Junie, being but eight months old, paused, shyly looking toward her mother for encouragement.

“
It’s okay, Junie. That’s your Auntie Lauryn,” Mindy assured her.

“
Don’t you want to come to your auntie, Junie?” Lauryn coaxed. And in the next moment the adorable child stretched her arms out toward Lauryn. Lauryn’s heart swelled as she propped Junie up comfortably on her hip and studied her intently.

“
Aren’t you a pretty girl?” Lauryn asked. Junie smiled and nodded and everyone, except Brant, laughed.

Suddenly, anxiety washed over Lauryn as Junie looked up to Brant, his eyes bandaged, his hair long and rather unkempt. Lauryn was so afraid Junie would be frightened by Brant’s appearance that she found herself to be, once again, struck mute. What could she say to assure the child without making Brant uncomfortable?

“
That’s Mr. Masterson,” Mindy told the baby. “He’s come for a visit, I gather.”

Amazingly, Junie held her arms up toward Brant, wanting him to take her.

“
There now, Mr. Masterson. Junie wants to make friends with you,” Mindy told him.

“
What?” Brant asked as Junie began tugging at his shirt.

“
She wants you to hold her,” Sean explained.

“
Me?” Brant questioned.

“
Come on now, sir,” Sean said, taking Junie from Lauryn and handing her to Brant.

Brant took the child in his arms, awkwardly at first. But after a moment he had her neatly arranged, cradling her against his chest with his arms.

“
Owee,” the baby cooed, touching the bandages on Brant’s eyes.

“
Yes. Owee,” Brant mumbled. And Lauryn was delighted when Junie then planted a slobbery kiss on Brant’s cheek and threw her arms around his neck in a warm baby hug. Then she turned and held her arms out to Lauryn once more. She took her and lovingly kissed the top of the sweet smelling little head.

“
She is a beauty, Sean,” Lauryn complimented her brother.

“
I know. She takes after her mother,” Sean agreed hugging his wife.

“
What is wrong with all of y’all?” Patrick exclaimed suddenly. “We have here, in our very own house, a blind soldier! And all anyone can think about is how cute Junie is!”

“
Patrick,” Georgia scolded, again. “Go out and feed your dogs. This minute!” she added when Patrick paused.

“
You and me…” Patrick told Brant in a hushed voice. “We’ll have our time later.”

Brant smiled. “We will,” he assured the boy. Once Patrick had left, Brant spoke once more. “I…I don’t mean to seem rude or ungrateful to all of you,” he stammered. “But…but there’s things a man needs to tend to and…”

“
Say no more, sir,” Sean said, placing a hand on Brant’s shoulder. “Lauryn will be glad to take you to the water closet.”

“
Sean,” Lauryn whined.

Brant chuckled and so did Sean. “Follow me, sir. I’m not one to leave a fellow soldier in need.”

Once out of hearing distance, Georgia and Mindy immediately began casting out a string of questions directed at Lauryn and her grandmother.

“
For Pete’s sake, Lauryn!” Mindy exclaimed in a whisper. “How in the world did you end up bringin’ home such a fine man as that? A relative of your Captain, no less?”

“
We met on the train,” Lauryn answered simply.

“
Today? Y’all just met him today?” she asked, astonished. Lauryn nodded. “And he’s blind. How sad,” Mindy mumbled sympathetically.

“
He’ll be with us a week,” Nana explained. “His brother, who I do need to try to telephone, will be out here in a week. As far as his family knows right now, Brant’s on his way to Memphis. I need to let them know we’ve kidnapped him.”

“
I’ll need to freshen the sheets up in the guest room,” Georgia mumbled to herself. “And get a fire goin’. We don’t want him to catch cold.” Then looking to Lauryn, her eyes filled with tears. “Oh, my sweet darlin’ daughter. How I have missed you!” Lauryn returned her mother’s loving embrace.

“
I’m so sorry I wasn’t here when Daddy…” Lauryn began. But she couldn’t speak another solitary word for the pain was so deeply stabbing at her heart.

“
I know, Honey,” Georgia whispered. “But you let it all go now. We can’t be a house of bawlin’ women with this new man here who so desperately needs encouragement. Now can we?”