Love Me Again (13 page)

Undaunted, he moved toward the other room permitting light. Through the thin curtains of the double French doors he saw a woman nursing a baby. Not able to make out her features, he determined this room was also not Abby’s. Before he could move away from the doors, a weird sensation kept him from continuing his search. His eyes locked on the woman as he turned the knob in his hand and the door opened. His heart began to pound so loudly it th
robbed in his ears. Time stopped as he stood there, transfixed on Abby as the baby suckled at her breast. She cooed and stroked the baby lovingly as the child rubbed her cheek with a chubby hand. Never had he seen her more at peace.

As if sensing a presence in the room, Abby raised her head and saw him standing there. Fear shimmered in her dark blue eyes. She never moved as he slowly walked to the side of the bed, and looked down at the child at her breast. Cord felt her stiffen as his hand reached out and touched the baby’s thick, black curls. The baby stopped suckling and looked at him with big brown curious eyes; eyes the same deep color as his. Cord’s voice barely a whisper, he asked, “Is this my child?”

Abby paled to a sickly white as soon as he asked the question. She could not get the words past her lips. The silence seemed to go on forever.

In a louder tone, Cord asked again, “Is this my child?”

Abby kept her head downcast obviously too afraid to look him in the eye. Softly she whispered, “Yes.”

Cord picked the child up under the arms and held him at arms length. He kicked his chubby legs and giggled. For a moment, he held him in the awkward position before cradling him in his arms as if he would break. Never taking his eyes from the child, Cord asked, “Why have you kept him from me?”

Tears flowed down Abby’s cheeks. She struggled to speak. “I didn’t think you would want him.”

Becoming angry, Cord whispered furiously, “I wanted you, why would I not also want him?”

Loud wails echoed from his son now frightened by his angry voice. Abby tried to take him from Cord but he would not release his hold. He stepped back so Abby could not reach him. “I waited three damn days in town for you. Why did you not come?”

Unable to keep the pain from her voice, Abby asked, “What did you plan to do with me, Cord? You said you wanted me to come with you, but you never told me what you intended to do with me.” 

The baby kept crying. Abby raised her arms and pleaded, “Please, Cord. You are upsetting him. Please let me have him back.” By Abby’s terrified expression, she feared he would not give his son back.

Cord looked into the face of his son and felt guilty. The child’s face was scrunched up in fright and his cries were becoming louder. Cord handed the baby back to Abby. She tried to get him to take her nipple, but he was too upset and would no longer nurse.

“Why did you not come to town?” The louder the child cried, the louder Cord’s voice rose in anger.

“I did come.”

Cord snorted, “You lie.” 

Abby lifted her son to her shoulder and began to pat him on the back. Eyes showing her pain, she looked Cord in the face and stated, “I came in time to see you in bed with your whore. Your hands were all over her.” Abby’s tears turned into ragged sobs.  “My bed was not even cold yet and you were already with another.”

So that was why she was so angry with him. She thought he slept with the whore at the saloon in Tarboro. Before Cord could explain to Abby, her door swung open hitting the wall with a loud thud. Taylor stood in the doorway with a pistol pointed at him. Judith squirmed around Taylor, and plopped down on the bed beside Abby taking her in her arms. 

In a stern voice Taylor hissed, “Get out of my home!”

At first Cord never moved, determined to explain to Abby he never slept with the whore. It had all been a misunderstanding. He looked at her holding his child. She was so upset he knew he would not be able to convince her nothing happened. He walked to the French doors and hesitated. He turned to face Abby. His voice full of pain, Cord asked, “What is his name?”

Abby stopped crying long enough to whisper, “Daniel.”

Chapter Ten

The next day Cord and Adam arrived around noon, just in time to witness Judith sending two young men away at the door. No doubt many others had already come calling after seeing Abby at the party last night. Insanely jealous, Cord took his anger out on his hat now in his hand. He gripped the edges until his finger imprints were left in his favorite Stetson. It seemed she made quite an impression on the gentlemen at the Lewis’ party.

Judith saw them coming up the steps and motioned them inside. She
didn’t bother with pleasantries. “Taylor is waiting for you in his study.”

Neither spoke as they followed Judith. After his behavior last night, he was sure she had nothing to say to him. He entered their home uninvited and before he left the whole house was in an uproar. But then if he had not snuck into the house, he may never have found out he had a son. He could not comprehend Abby bearing the burden of a child without telling him of his existence. All because she thought he slept with a whore at the saloon. He hoped he would be able to convince her otherwise.

Taylor stood when they entered. “Gentlemen, please take a seat.” Brows drawn, he gestured toward two chairs as he plopped back down into his.

Cord and Adam sat in the matching leather wing back chairs across from Taylor’s desk. Pleasantries ignored, Taylor got right to the point. “I admire Abby. She has taken on the responsibility of being a mother without one complaint. She is an extraordinary woman and I do not want to see her hurt. Your uninvited visit last night upset her greatly.”

Cord had every intention of talking sensibly with Taylor. Now he felt he had a right to be mad. Abby kept his son from him. He tapped the arm of his chair trying to calm down before he lost his temper completely. “I apologize for my behavior. I should not have sneaked into your home last night, but I was so excited to learn Abby was not married. Her father convinced me she married Andrew. I wanted to talk to her.”

“You made a muck of everything by not waiting.” Taylor’s sharp tone made Cord even angrier.

“It was a bit shocking to find out Abby kept my son from me. If you had been in my shoes, I’m sure you would have behaved the same way.”

“I would never have stolen
into a young woman’s room in the dead of night.” Taylor stood and sat on the edge of the desk directly in front of Cord and Adam. “How do you propose to rectify this situation?” He crossed his arms and waited for Cord’s reply.

“I plan on marrying Abby. She has no choice but to marry me. Daniel is my son and will be raised in my home.”

“Abby feels you betrayed her. Did you sleep with a whore in the saloon in Tarboro?” His voice was controlled, but had a chilling edge in his tone.

Unable to keep his anger in check any longer, Cord bolted to his feet. With his fists balled tightly, he exclaimed rather loudly, “I will not explain myself to you! Send Abby down here now! I will talk to her and only her!”

Adam finally spoke, “Sit down, Cord. Your anger will not get us anywhere.”

Still glaring at Taylor, Cord did as his brother ordered and sat down. He fought for control knowing Taylor could refuse to let him see Abby. Not did he think for one minute Taylor could keep him from seeing her, but knew he needed to use finesse instead of brute force.  

“Cord and I rarely socialize and would not have even been at the party last night if we had not received a telegraph informing us to come. The person who sent the telegraph stated they had information leading to the whereabouts of Bart Langley. I suppose you are the one who sent the telegraph to lure us to the party? Why did you want us to attend?”

Even though Adam asked the question, Taylor faced Cord. “I wanted to be sure you were there. I think Abby is being very stubborn. I told her she should have told you about Daniel from the start. She fears you do not really love her. Her main worry is you will take Daniel from her. She is in love with you, but feels you betrayed her. It does not help matters any that she knows nothing about you. I had you investigated. I found out why you seek revenge. I know what Bart Langley did to your family. I used that information to draw you to the party so Abby would see you again. She has been miserable and I would love to see her happy. After your behavior last night, I fear I made a huge mistake in judging your character. I am the one that brought you back into her life, but I will not let you cause her anymore grief.”

Cord leaned forward. “I came here last night to find out why Abby is so angry with me. When I asked her to meet me in town, my intentions were to send her to Adam’s plantation until my business with Bart Langley was completed. I could not leave her in that house with her father. The man mistreated her terribly.” A huge lump formed in Cord’s throat. If only Abby would have gone with Adam, then Daniel would have been born on Sutton land. Adam and Meredith would have been there so she could have been surrounded by his family.

“There was no excuse for his atrocious treatment of Abby. She is a very devoted daughter who worked all day and into the night to make their small cabin a home. He should have been proud of her but she could never please him.” Cord shifted in his chair. “I will explain to her what happened at the saloon and hopefully she will believe me. But it makes no difference if she believes me or not. We will be married immediately. Now, may I please talk to Abby in private?”

Taylor rubbed the back of his neck as if trying to relieve some of the tension. “What were your intentions toward Abby when you asked her to meet you in Tarboro?”

“Not that it is any of your business, but I was going to marry her.” Tired of the questions, Cord sat up straighter. What did Taylor think? Did he believe he intended for Abby to become his mistress? The man was treating him like he had no morals.

“Abby has changed. She is no longer the timid, meek young lady that showed up on my doorstep months ago. She had to leave her home because Jacob was going to take her baby and give him to a Christian family. She fled and showed up here depressed and scared. I fear what would have happened to my niece if I would not have taken her in, given her love and support. If you back her into a corner, she is going to come out fighting.  Daniel is her main concern now. You will have to woo Abby.”

“Woo her?” Cord arched a brow. “I have already lost precious time with Abby and Daniel because of a misunderstanding. They will be leaving with me today.”

Adam scolded, “He is right, Cord. Court Abby. If you pour on the charm and treat her like a lady, she will come around a lot quicker than forcing her. If you make demands, she will only defy you. Don’t forget she has been through a lot. She could have done as her father demanded and given Daniel to a family. She chose to keep him.”

Taylor shook his head in agreement. “If you want to win Abby back, you have no other choice. I will not allow her to leave this house with you. She saved your life when you were shot. She nursed you back to health. What did you do for her? You sedu
ced her, and left her with child. A child she could have given up and continued her life as before, but she did no such thing. She escaped the only home she had ever known to keep her child. She loves Daniel desperately.”

Cord looked at Taylor menacingly. He w
ould love for him to try to prevent him from taking Abby and Daniel. They belong to him. Then Cord remembered Daniel’s cries. He wanted Abby to leave on her own accord. He wanted her to be happy. “Okay, have it your way. May I please see Abby?”

Taylor crossed the room, opened the door, and yelled, “Judith, send Abby to my study.”

Cord replied in a gentle tone, almost a whisper. “Tell her to bring Daniel with her.”

****

Nervous, Abby stopped in the doorway and chewed her bottom lip. She had dreaded this confrontation all morning. Taylor informed her Cord would make an appearance so she would not be upset when he arrived. Her eyes met Cord’s and she almost panicked. Last night he had been so angry.

She shifted Daniel from her left arm to her right because he was getting heavy. As Cord moved toward her she fought the urge to run away. As if Daniel were something fragile and precious, he took her son from her arms. Cradling him against his chest, he replied, “We have a fine, strong son, Abby. He is so handsome. Takes after his father, doesn’t he?” She never bothered to answer.   

Adam stood, tucked his arm into Abby’s, and escorted her into the room. “You look lovely this morning.”

“Thank you, Adam.” 

Abby watched as Daniel played with the buttons on Cord’s shirt, his eyes sparkling mischievously. She could see the pride in Cord’s eyes as he watched his son fumble with the buttons. “What day was he born?”

Too weak to stand, she took the chair Cord vacated. “December 17
th
.”

For some reason his demeanor seemed to change. Disbelief showed on his face as he hesitated before continuing, “He is so big. He looks as if he is already a year old. I guess he has a good appetite.”

Abby gave a weak smile. “Yes, he is very demanding at feeding time.”

Taylor marched over to Cord and took Daniel. “Adam and I will take Daniel out for some fresh air. You can find us on the terrace when you are finished talking.”  Glaring at Cord, Taylor exclaimed, “Please keep your emotions under control. We don’t need a repeat performance of last night.”

Cord actually blushed. After Taylor and Adam disappeared through the door, he sat down in the chair beside Abby and took her hand. Brown eyes wide with hope, Cord replied, “I came today intending to take you and Daniel to Raleigh with me.”

Moisture filled her dry mouth causing Abby to swallow hard. “I will not go with you, Cord.”

He ran his fingers through his hair. “Abby, I did not have sex with that whore in Tarboro. I drank too much the night before, got into a fight, and was beaten unconscious. The barkeep put me in the whore’s bed to sleep it off. When I woke the next morning, still groggy, I thought she was you. I was so accustomed to you waking me and making love to me.” His fingers stroked her hand lovingly as he continued, “I swear the moment I realized it was not you, I high tailed it out of there. I went back to my hotel and asked if you had arrived. I felt like you had rejected me. After waiting three days for you, I thought you had changed your mind about leaving with me.”

Abby began to cry. “I saw your hands touching her, Cord. I know what I saw.”

He squeezed her hand tighter. “I swear I stopped when I realized it was not you, Abby. I did not have sex with her.” Cord drew a deep breath. “I wrote you letters asking you to wait for me. Every time I came near a town, I sent you a letter to let you know I love you and would return and marry you.”

Her misty eyes met his. Of course she didn’t believe him. In a voice heavy with sadness, she whispered, “I never received any letters, Cord.”

“Your father probably kept them from you. He has done everything in his power to keep us apart. Your father is the reason I sent Adam to fetch you back to his plantation until my business was ended. I couldn’t tolerate the thoughts of your father mistreating you.” His penetrating stare held hers as he continued to clutch her hand.

“You said you spoke to father. When did you talk to him?” she asked, choking on her tears.

“The day after Daniel was born. I came to your farm on December 18
th
. I came to get you, Abby. I had missed you. You stole my heart and I wanted to marry you, spend the rest of my life with you. Come with me, Abby. We can be married tomorrow. I have a plantation in Raleigh. We can be a family.”

For over a year she had longed to hear those words. Still, she didn’t quite trust him. She lifted her chin, blinking away tears as she said, “You say you love me, but you told me nothing about yourself, Cord. I thought you were a hired gun. Now you tell me you have a plantation. You never told me why you were shot or who you sought for revenge. You have too many secrets.”

“I will tell you everything, Abby. I haven’t given you any reason to trust me but I’m asking you to now. I swear there will be no more secrets between us. Come with me and I promise to tell you what Bart Langley did to my family. You will understand why I seek revenge.”

Seconds ticked by as he waited for her answer. Loneliness tightened around her heart as she considered a life without him. But could she commit to a man who would never be true to her? “I no longer make hasty decisions, especially since I have Daniel to consider. I need time to think.”

In the blink of an eye, his anger returned and his jaw clenched in fury. His voice deceptively calm, Cord stated, “Not only have you kept my son from me, but you were on the hunt for a husband. When I asked you why you were at the Lewis’ party, you said you were looking for a husband. You were going to let another man raise my child. Daniel is my son, who I have already lost three precious months with.”

Taking a deep breath, Cord continued. “I will court you for two weeks. At the end of the two weeks, if you do not choose to leave with me, I will take Daniel from you. He will not be raised by another man. I have the money and connections to do so.”

Abby bolted to her feet, raised her hand, and slapped Cord across the face so hard her hand stung. “No, Cord. You can’t do that. I will die without Daniel. He is all I have left. I won’t let you take him.”

Cord glared at Abby as his fingers touched his red cheek. Realizing what she had done, she took a step back in fear.