Kimberly Nee - The McKenzie Brothers (22 page)

“I see.”

“And Jefferson spilled the truth to her.”

“I take it the truth is not a pretty piece, is it?”

Garrett shook his head. “Not even close.”

James let out a low whistle. “Have you apologized?”

“Until I was blue in the face.”

“A trinket or two?”

“Did you see the necklace?”

“Hmm…sounds to me as if there is only one way to rectify the situation. Swallow your pride and throw yourself on her mercy.”

Garrett took a swallow of port. “I think there is no mercy to be found, not that I deserve it to begin with.” With that, he launched into the entire story of how Katherine came to be his wife, starting with the night in the alleyway behind the Bayside, and ending with her throwing the sack of gold at him.

James remained silent, though a white line appeared as he pressed his lips together, and his forehead wrinkled as his eyebrows arched high. Garrett fought the urge to fidget in his chair, the way he did as a child, crossing his legs to keep from shifting. “And now she is convinced that I married her to win a silly wager. No matter how I try to tell her otherwise, she’ll not have it.”

“Well, why did you marry her, then?”

“Originally, I did it to protect her from that Sanders bastard who’s been lurking about somewhere. I’ve yet to find him, but when I do — ”

“You say
originally
. You mean it’s changed since then?”

Garrett sank back in his chair. “It has.”

“How?”

“She’s become everything to me.”

With that, James’s eyebrows jumped up so high they almost disappeared into his hairline. “Is that so? Garrett McKenzie, thoroughly confirmed bachelor, the man who has always adamantly claimed he’d only marry when completely and absolutely forced to, has fallen in love?”

Garrett scowled at his father. “And this is why I’ve not said a whit about it to anyone.”

“I am simply amazed,” James said, a slow smile creeping across his face. “Have you told your wife?”

“I’ve not. Jefferson ruined that for me as well with his impeccable timing.”

“Well, that’s the good thing about love, son,” James said, rising from his chair. “Trust me, it’s never too late to tell a woman you love her. And I speak from experience.”

Garrett grinned up at his father. “So, you’ll really not tell me what you did to tick Momma off so badly?” He was curious about this, as his parents were never ones to shy away from a quarrel. And judging by the dark flush creeping into his father’s face, Garrett surmised it had to be a beauty. It was the first time he could ever remember seeing James blush.

“Your mother would have my head if I so much as hinted about it. Suffice to say, it happened early in our marriage and nearly nine months after the incident, we had our first child.”

Garrett chuckled. “I always knew I was just barely legitimate at birth.”

“You were legitimate enough,” James called as he left the dining room and headed down the hall. “And you’ll figure your way out of this one as well.”

Garrett winced at the dull ache sliding through his skull. If only he could be as certain. However, he had a feeling it would be a mite more difficult than a tumble into their bed. Much more difficult, indeed.

Chapter Thirty-One

Katherine resumed her icy silence once they were bundled back in their carriage to make the short trip back to Ravenswood. Garrett glanced over at her, just barely able to make out her profile in the darkness.

“This cannot go on forever, you know,” he said softly, reaching down to thread his fingers through hers. “You do have to speak with me eventually.”

She tried to ignore the warmth streaking up her arm as he gave her hand a squeeze. Slipping it free, she said, “I simply have nothing to say.”

She turned to stare out the window at the velvety darkness surrounding them, folding her hands in her lap. It unnerved her to no end, thinking that somewhere out there, Gerald Sanders still lurked. No other “gifts” had been left, but she knew he was there, biding his time until his next calling card came. She wasn’t certain which was worse: when he vanished or when he made his presence known. It didn’t go unnoticed by Garrett. Easing an arm about her shoulders, he murmured, “Cold, love?”

“Garrett, please. Do not do this. I cannot go on with this farce any longer. I meant what I said earlier. We share a name, but that is all.”

“No, Kat. That’s not
all
,” he replied in a tight voice. “I do not know how else to apologize to you, love. Tell me, that I might make things right between us again.”

“There is nothing you can do and there is nothing you can say. That won’t change the facts.”

“You do not even
know
the facts, sweetheart,” he sighed, withdrawing his arm and clasping his hands between his knees. “You
know
what you
choose
to believe.”

“I know what I was told. And you might deny that until you are blue in the face, but that does not change the truth.”

“Very well. Have it your way, sweetheart. You believe what you wish to. When you get tired of sleeping in a cold bed, you will know where to find me.”

She refused to dignify his remark with an answer. Instead, she turned back to the window, determined to forget he was sitting right there beside her. No easy feat, as she was painfully aware of the way his knee brushed hers, or how his shoulder bumped against hers. Each tiny hint of contact an assault on her senses, sent desire trickling through her. And with each new touch, that trickle widened, until she wanted only to give in and sink into him.

Damn blasted pride. It was enough to make her see red and was the one thing keeping her from doing closing the space between them To know he’d placed a wager on her stung like nothing she thought ever could. To know he had considered bedding her sport, and not the same momentous event as she viewed it twisted her insides until she wanted to cry from the pain of it.

But then again, it was merely sport for him. It was nothing new and nothing earth shattering happened for him. After all, as he was no stranger to a woman’s body.

She wished she could see it the same way. Then, perhaps, she would be able to forgive him and find her way back into his arms. However, that was not possible and she knew it. She did not even so much as bid him good evening, but swept up the stairs and to the room farthest away from the one she’d found such happiness in for such a painfully short time.

It was another long night for Katherine. For the fifth night, she lay in the dark of her new room, staring up at the ceiling, watching the shadows change shape against the walls.

“Damn bloody thin bed. And I can probably see through this blanket.”

She punched at her pillow. “First thing tomorrow, I am bringing a lamp in here.” Those shadows were beginning to unnerve her. The house gave a low creak. She jumped, which sent her rolling right off the tick and onto the bare floor. Again.

Tears sprang to her eyes. “Oh!” she gritted, swiping at them. She was tired of the endless crying and was convinced she would never be able to see again.

She froze as the creaking became louder. This time, it was not the sound of the house settling. No, this time she most definitely heard the sound of footsteps creeping around below.

She gripped her blanket. Her first impulse was to fling it back and run to Garrett’s room, to the safety she knew she’d find in his arms. But, because of her blasted, stubborn pride, she wasn’t able to do that.

“Breathe,” she whispered, her eyes from darting about the room. “Just breathe. You’re safe in here. The door is locked. You’ve nothing to worry about, old girl.”

The creaking grew louder. It was time to swallow her pride and do as her instincts shrieked.

“Damn it,” she muttered, throwing back the blanket and grabbing her pelisse from the floor beside the bed, which was no more than a pallet. She shrugged into it as she hurried across the wood floor, taking the lightest steps she could to avoid being heard.

She pressed herself against the wall, inching closer to the door. Could he have gotten inside? Would he be so bold, so mad, as to try something with Garrett in the same house?

She paused, her hand hovering above the door handle. If Gerald Sanders was creeping through the first floor, she did not want him to know she was aware of his presence. Instead, with Garrett’s help, hopefully they would capture him and put an end to her torment.

She turned the doorknob as slowly as possible, wincing at the grating sound it made. It seemed to echo in the silence, but judging by the footsteps still coming from below, she figured it could not possibly have been that loud.

“Here goes,” she muttered, taking a deep breath and slipping into the hallway, pressing herself flat against the wall as she tiptoed toward Garrett’s room.

As she crept along, she hoped he was even in his room. True, he had been in his office all evening, poring over a mass of papers, but that did not mean he’d not decided to go out. It would serve her right if he’d decided to take her up on her offer to let him visit as many female beds as possible. If only he was discreet, of course.

She gripped the doorknob to his room, uttering a silent prayer of thanks as it turned easily. Still praying she would find him there, she stepped into the thick darkness, closing the door softly behind her.

She squinted into the darkness, whispering, “Thank you,” as her eyes fell upon the mound under the bedclothes. She crept over to the bed and stood there for a long moment, just gazing down at him, remembering those wonderful nights she’d shared it with him.

He lay on his back, one arm folded over his chest, the other flung up behind his head. The sheet was drawn just over his hips and for that she was thankful. Her mouth was dry enough. Had she happened upon him naked, she might have forgotten why she sought him in the first.

Again, the sounds of footfalls rose to her ears.
Wake him already
. She hesitated only slightly before gripping Garrett’s shoulder, giving him a sharp shake.

He was awake in a flash, practically leaping from the bed. “What the hell?”

“Shhh!” she hissed, grabbing his arm to calm him. “I apologize for waking you, but it’s urgent.”

Her harsh whisper met his ears and he yawned, reaching up to rub the sleep from his eyes. “What’s going on? It’s the middle of the night, Katherine.”

Her eyes widened as they moved down his body, illuminated now by the moonbeams pouring through the windows. “And you are not dressed.”

“I was asleep.”

“Well, you must at least put trousers on, Garrett. There is someone moving around below.”

“It’s merely the house settling.”

“No, it isn’t,” she insisted, her fingers tightening about his forearm. “I know footsteps when I hear them.”

“Katherine, honestly — ”

“I am serious! There is someone moving around down below.”

He rubbed his eyes with one hand. “What did you hear?”

She rolled her eyes. “What did I just say? Someone is moving about down there!”

He tugged on his discarded trousers, moving over to the desk in the far corner. He lit the lamp and lifted a box from the bottom drawer. “You stay here with the door locked. I don’t want you coming below, no matter what you might hear. Do you understand?”

Her eyes fell on the pistol in his hand. “Are you mad? I am not going to sit up here and listen to whatever might happen. I’m going with you.”

“You will do as I say, Katherine.” He turned his stern gaze on her. “I’ll be fine.”

She crossed her arms. “I am going with you and that is final.”

“Please, why are you fighting me on this? Can you not just do as I ask?”

When she just stared, he swore beneath his breath, adding, “Fine. Stay right behind me.”

“Might I have a pistol, then?”

“Why? So you can shoot me in the back of the head? No, thank you. You just stay right behind me.” He gave her another stern look. “Understand?”

She scowled at him. “Honestly! Very well. Might I have
some
sort of weapon, then? I mean, just in case.”

He picked up the thick book on his bedside table. “Use this.”

She stared at the book, tempted to use it on him. “You must be joking.” She tossed it back onto the table. “Go. I’ll stay right behind you.”

He gave her a crooked grin. “I’m a crack shot, Katherine. You’ve nothing to worry about.” With that, he leaned forward to brush her lips with a quick kiss.

That kiss caught her by surprise. Before she could say anything, he’d pulled away and was opening the door, motioning for her to follow as he stepped into the dark hallway.

He crept down the stairs, pistol in hand, with her smack up against him. He rounded the corner, pausing by the library, where the footfalls were coming from.

He motioned for her to stay where she was. She glared at him, but did as he wished, flattening herself to the wall.

Garrett flexed his knees and then, like a crouching tiger ready to pounce, he leapt into the library, hollering, “Stay where you are and show yourself at once!”

She winced as she heard a thud, followed by a crash. That was followed by the soft squelch of a fist hitting flesh, and a sharp intake of breath, topped off with a low moan of pain.

She froze as she heard Garrett say, “What the hell are
you
doing here?”

“Garrett?” She couldn’t keep the worry from her voice. “What is going on in there?”

A strange male voice piped in with, “Who the hell is
that
? Christ, am I interrupting something?”

With that, light flooded the room as the lamps were lit. She stepped into the doorway, a hand pressed to her mouth. Her jaw went slack and her hand dropped to her side.

The intruder was smiling as he ruefully rubbed his jaw, where a bruise was already showing. He looked enough like Garrett to be mistaken for his twin. He was taller, and stockier, but possessed the same dark brown hair and unusual amber-brown eyes Katherine recognized at once as McKenzie eyes.

Garrett snorted. “Hardly. Just interrupting a lousy night’s sleep. Katherine, this is my brother, the formerly missing Drew. Drew, this is Katherine. My wife.”

Drew’s smile melted away. Slack-jawed, he said, “Your what?”

“My wife.”

“You are joking, right? Christ, I go away for a while and when I come back, my niece is walking and talking and my ‘I’ll marry over my dead body’ brother has a wife?” Drew gingerly nudged the pistol barrel aside. “And would you point that thing somewhere else before it accidentally goes off?”

Katherine eyed him coolly. “It’s nice to meet you as well,” she said through clenched teeth. “Now, would you care to explain what you are doing, sneaking around our house in the middle of the night?”

Drew faced her, the charming grin firmly in place. “Ah, warm and friendly, just how I like ’em. Garrett, you picked yourself a keeper.”

“What the hell are you doing here? And where the hell have you been for the past fourteen months?” Garrett’s voice held a note of anger as he glared at his brother and lowered the pistol.

“I was seeing the world and enjoying my freedom,” Drew replied with a careless shrug. “I owe no one any explanations. Please try to remember, I am a grown man.”

“Really?” Garrett drawled, crossing his arms over his bare chest. “And I suppose you showed up here because you missed me the most? Or is it because you want to put off dealing with Momma and Da for as long as possible? Which is it, Mr. Grown Man?”