Northern Star

Chapter 27

Yellowed maps covered Perry's desk, whispering of worlds she'd never known. She tried to make her mind focus on them as she heard her office door open.

Luke stammered, "Miss Perry, y-you've a visitor."

Without looking up she answered, "Thank you, Luke." She heard the door close and knew Hunter was in the room, but she couldn't bring herself to look at him.

He stood silently just inside the door for several minutes, watching the morning light play off the halo of black hair atop her head. She was wearing a navy dress with a white lace collar and cuffs that made her look every bit the lady he now knew her to be. If it were possible, she looked even more like an angel than before. After all these months of caring about her, of dreaming of her, he suddenly found the few feet between them an impossible canyon to cross.

"May I come in?" Hunter asked awkwardly, thinking she might never acknowledge his presence.

She lifted her head, but their eyes met only briefly before she lowered hers. "I'm sorry, Captain Kirkland. Please come in and sit down."

The last thing Hunter wanted to do was sit down across the desk from her, but he knew he must move slowly. Every ounce of his being wanted to storm around the table and pull her into his arms. He wanted to finish what he'd started last night, before his unjust words had broken the spell. Yet he sat down, allowing reason to hold him temporarily in check.

Perry tried to keep her movements fluid as she absently closed the maps. He was wearing a freshly pressed blue uniform, and though he looked very handsome, the coat reminded her of a war that would always stand between them.

"Do you think you could call me Hunter? The captain will vanish in a few days when I return to civilian life, and you haven't used my last name since we've met."

His low voice made her feel like the room was suddenly running out of air.

When she didn't answer, Hunter continued, trying to stay on safe ground. "I learned that your grandfather died, and I wanted to say how sorry I am for your loss."

"Thank you," she whispered as she turned slightly toward the windows.

He twisted his hat in his hands to keep from standing and closing the space between them. "Abram told me all about why you left your home and how you were running from a treason charge. The war's over now, and no one will hold you to account for your crime."

Perry didn't answer but turned away as she tried to control the anger mounting inside her. She didn't view her actions as criminal, and she didn't want to look at him now, for all she'd see would be the Union blue of his jacket.

Mistaking her silence for shyness, he continued, "I also understand you were engaged to my cousin. My grandmother wrote that his fiancée died. You planned your own death, didn't you?"

"Yes." Perry lifted her head. "I had to make sure no one would follow me. I am sorry, though, that I brought sadness to your grandparents. They are a wonderful couple and so very much in love." She remembered the way John Williams's wrinkled fingers would reach over and pat Mary's hand every now and then, as though reassuring her of his love.

Hunter slapped his hat against his leg. "Why?" he asked. Then when she looked at him, puzzled, he added, "Why were you engaged to Wade?" The one question had haunted him all night as he'd searched for his cousin. "Couldn't you see what kind of man he was? Or were you blinded by his insane ambition for power?"

"I was never unaware of Wade Williams's character." Perry resented his questions. What right did a man who was marrying a woman like Jennifer have to ask questions of others? "He asked my grandfather, not me, for my hand. I have no wish to talk about your cousin, Mr. Kirkland."

"Nor I," he answered, wishing he could erase Wade from his life. They'd never liked each other, and Hunter aimed to see he paid for what he'd done to her. But now he wanted to talk of other things with her. So far everything he'd said had been wrong. He could feel her anger mounting toward him. He wanted to talk to her of love, not war and pain, but he wasn't sure how to begin.

The silence grew between them. When finally his voice came again, it was softer. "You fell asleep in my arms last night."

Perry turned toward him, shocked at his words.

A flicker of passion echoed as he continued. "I enjoyed watching you sleep." His eyes moved from her face to run the length of her body. He smiled, remembering her soft fullness and the way she had molded to him. Beneath the wrappings of this lady was quite a woman.

Perry felt her cheeks redden as her anger rose. How dare he talk to her of such things when he was marrying another tomorrow? First he calls the burning of her own fields a crime, then he questions her judgment, and now he looks at her with his wonderful, passion-filled eyes and thinks she'll forget he's about to be a married man.

He saw her anger grow and knew he'd somehow said something else wrong. Laughing, he thought how easily he could talk to important men, even the president, yet this little lady made him feel like he was still in short pants.

Misreading his laughter, Perry exploded into action. Before she thought, she raised a glass paperweight from her desk and sent it sailing toward him. "Get out, Captain Kirkland! How dare you laugh at me! I'm not a child or a loose woman. Go marry your Jennifer and stay out of my life!"

Perry looked down at her desk for another object to throw. "What do you want of me the day before your wedding?" When she lifted an empty china cup and glanced back up, she saw that Hunter was missing from his chair. Before she could find him, his arms encircled her from behind. He grabbed at the cup and pulled her against him.

Anger surged through her. "Let me go!" she shouted as the pain of Wade's, not Hunter's, arms returned. In her mind she was plunged back to the night a month ago at Three Oaks. "Don't touch me!" She fought with all her strength. "Don't hurt me!"

Hunter dropped his arm instantly, moving out of range as he saw the fear in her huge brown eyes. He was confused and angry with himself. Why hadn't he listened to Molly's warning? He'd stormed in again where he should have tread lightly.

Backing to the window, he raised his hands in the air. "I'll not touch you again. I won't hurt you, Perry. If you will talk to me, I swear, I'll stay the entire distance of this room away from you."

Perry took a deep breath and calmed down slightly. She saw the seriousness in Hunter's gray eyes and knew he was trying very hard to talk with her. Before she could answer, the door burst open.

Luke stormed in. He looked first at Perry, standing by the desk; then at Hunter, over by the window. All seemed in order. "I'm sorry, Miss Perry. I thought I heard a scream." Luke spoke to Perry, but his eyes never left Hunter, leaving no doubt that he'd break Hunter in half if he bothered Miss Perry.

"I broke a glass, nothing more, but thank you, Luke. It's good to know you're near if I need you." She shot Hunter a silent look of warning.

Luke swelled with pride. "I'll be right at the foot of the stairs." He bowed slightly and backed out of the room.

Hunter didn't miss the devotion in Luke's manner. It reminded him of the way Abram spoke of Perry. But Hunter didn't want to line up behind Luke and Abram as Perry's guardian. He wanted to be more, far more, to her.

Turning his back to her, he tried to think. He'd spent little time around women, but she fascinated him. He had trouble getting his words into sentences when he looked at her.

His fingers idly toyed with a small gun on the table by the window. She must have left it there when she'd run from the room-and him-the night before. He recognized the handle as one having belonged to his mother years ago, but he wasn't about to mention it to her lest she refuse to keep the gun for protection. He stared out the window and stated, "Thanks for not having me thrown out. I wouldn't have liked fighting the man who brought me here last night and very well may have saved me from a planned accidental death."

He heard Perry's sharp intake of breath and continued. "I think someone was trying to kill me." He slowly turned to face her. "The fight I found myself in, in the middle of last night, was planned. Had Luke not found me, I'm sure my body would have washed up on shore this morning." Hunter was shocked by the concern in her face. This woman was a great mystery to him. A few moments ago she'd been hurling objects at him, and now her brown eyes reflected concern.

He took a step toward her, then froze as she backed away. "Perry, I swear I'll not touch you against your will. I'm not so much a gentleman to lie and tell you I don't want you. I do want you." He'd never been good at the games men and women played. He had to tell her how he felt. "I've wanted you so much, I've dreamed of you."

She bit her bottom lip, wishing he'd say something about loving her and not just wanting her. She didn't want to be afraid of him. "I believe you. Please sit down and I'll pour tea."

Hunter pulled out one of the chairs by the window and Perry sat, trying not to brush his hands. Every part of her was aware of his nearness. She tried to keep her hand from shaking as she poured.

He accepted the cup with disinterest and placed it down on the table, his eyes never leaving her face. "There is one thing I should clear up. Jennifer and I are not planning to marry. It seems she's found another."

Perry swallowed the warm liquid, trying to hide her surprise. "You don't seem like a man who just lost his bride the day before his wedding."

Hunter didn't answer her question. He hadn't thought about it, with everything else that was happening, but Perry was right. He wasn't upset. His angel had haunted his every dream, driving all thoughts of Jennifer away. All morning he'd thought about seeing her, and now he couldn't find the right words to say. He wanted to blurt out all his accomplishments to prove himself, he wanted to share with her all his dreams of the future, and most of all he wanted to hold her.

They sat drinking tea for several minutes before Hunter broke the silence. "I'd like to ask you something, but I don't want to upset you." He sat his cup down. "Molly probably wants to keep all her china intact."

Perry folded her hands in her lap, embarrassed by her outburst.

"My grandfather is very ill and I must go to North Carolina. I want you to go with me." He hesitated a moment, awaiting her reaction. When none came, he continued. "I have a small ship, the West Wind, that has been making trips along the coast since the war ended. I sail in the morning." He wanted to tell her how desperately he needed her beside him, but he didn't know what she'd say. "I thought you might like to visit your brother."

Perry hesitated. The invitation was tempting, but she was needed here. Besides, she knew Wade would be waiting for her if she went south again. "I'm sorry, I must stay here."

"I could arrange for my bookkeeper to help Molly."

"No, thank you." Perry didn't want to think about what Wade would do if she arrived in North Carolina on Hunter's arm.

The strong set of her chin told Hunter she wouldn't change her mind. She was as stubborn as she was beautiful, and if he was honest, she was probably safer here. "Then I'll see you upon my return." He stood slowly, too proud to ask again.

As she stood, she brushed dangerously close to him. He closed his eyes as he breathed in the sweet, honeylike smell of her. Last night he'd wanted her, but today she seemed as vital to his life as air. His voice was suddenly low, speaking his mind. "You will be in my thoughts and dreams until I return."

She looked into his gray eyes, now clouded with desire. A deep yearning filled her, yet she held back, wanting more from him than just his passion.

Luke's loud knock shattered the moment. He poked his head in and shouted, "Beggin' your pardon, miss, but Molly needs you bad in the kitchen."

"I'll be right there," Perry answered as Luke withdrew. Turning to Hunter, she whispered, "Give my love to your grandparents and tell them my prayers will be with them. I'll see you when you return." On impulse she stood on her tiptoes and kissed him lightly on the cheek. A heartbeat later she was out of his reach and vanishing from his sight.

Hunter stood alone for several minutes, thinking over all they'd said to each other. How could he keep his promise not to touch her? If shed stayed another moment, he would have crushed her to him. Maybe it was good that they would be apart. How else could he get this summer storm of a woman out of his blood? Out of his mind? Out of his heart?