Love's First Flames (Banished Saga, 0.5) (18 page)

I stared at the scene outside, surprised to see washing hanging out to dry. I marveled at his neighbors’ apparent lack of inhibition in displaying their clothes, including their most intimate apparel, for all to see. A small smile tugged at my mouth to see a tiny multicolored, though worn, pair of baby’s booties hanging out to dry. It seemed whimsical to me, the incongruity of them hanging next to a large pair of men’s faded gray working pants.

“You find my neighbors’ wash entertaining, miss?” Gabriel asked in a flat voice.

I turned toward him with a frown. Uncertainty spread through me, self-doubt quickly replacing the pleasure I had felt upon admiring the innocent domestic scene moments before. I looked away and shook my head in denial. “No,” I contradicted him. “Not amusement. Pleasure.”

I turned back to face him in time to see shock flit through his eyes before he masked his expression. I admired his ability to hide his feelings.

“So, you’re the infamous sister,” called out the other man, the one who had answered the door.

He stood, leaning against the back wall, avidly watching our interaction. He pushed away to move toward me. I looked up and up as he towered over me. He appeared not to want or need to hide his expression, and watched me with open fascination. “You don’t look like a walking disaster,” he said in an amicable tone. “Though Gabe suffered enough on your account.”

“I am sorry to hear that you know of my, ah…”

“Your lack of grace?” the man asked with a friendly smile. “You are quite famous at my smithy, thanks to Colin’s frequent visits. His tales of your latest misadventures are some of our favorites. I just never imagined you’d end up harming Gabe.”

I blushed at Colin’s lack of discretion.

The man reached out his hand to shake mine, saying, “My name is Richard, and I am the middle McLeod brother.”

I detected a note of pride in his voice at the name
McLeod
. He and Gabriel shared the same height, blue eyes and black hair; though if I were honest, I would say that Richard was the more handsome of the two.

I nodded an acknowledgment, belatedly taking his hand. I waited for Lucas to provide the formal introductions for me, as was proper. Lucas, however, remained stubbornly mute, engaging in a silent staring match with the elder brother. After a few moments of uncomfortable silence, I spoke up.

“My name is Clarissa Sullivan,” I said to the two McLeod brothers, “of the unfortunate mishaps.” The last was said with a small, regretful smile. I brushed at a wisp of hair that had come loose and tucked it behind my ear. I continued to glance around the room, looking at everything but Gabriel McLeod or his brother.

“Nice to meet you,” Richard responded, smiling, flashing a dimple in his left cheek, seemingly entertained by our visit. “I know your brother well,” he said. He continued to smile, watching me with a similarly intense gaze as his brother.

I studied him. Tattered suspenders held up a pair of faded black trousers, the worn dark blue shirt’s sleeves rolled up to his elbows. No amount of polishing would make his shoes black. He wore no tie, vest or collar, and his shirt was slightly open at the neckline, revealing a small tuft of black hair. He appeared more casually dressed than any man I had ever seen. I tried not to stare at him, but his beauty and evident charm intrigued me.

“Nice to
formally
meet you,” Gabriel said, interrupting my perusal of his brother. At that, I glanced over and met Gabriel’s eyes again. There remained a trace of humor in them, but, more than anything, I saw pain. He appeared to be doing his best to conceal the discomfort, but it was evident.

I gentled my voice and addressed him. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

He closed his eyes, preventing me from being further entranced by his piercing blue eyes.

Richard spoke up for his brother. “He hates to admit it, Miss Sullivan, but he is in considerable discomfort.” Worry furrowed his brow. “I had thought he would be recovered by now, but he can still barely stand up without help, and he has terrible dizzy spells.”

Gabriel spoke, interrupting Richard in a gruff voice. “Don’t exaggerate so, Rich. I’m fine. Just a little ache. Nothing time won’t heal. I’ll be back to work soon.”

I looked from one to the other, unsure who to believe. I turned toward Lucas, but he remained determinedly silent. “Let me look at your head,” I entreated, then moved toward him, but he scooted his chair away.

“Again begging your pardon, miss, I would rather you didn’t,” he said, eyeing me warily. I noted sweat on his brow, the clenching of his jaw. I reached out as though to feel his brow for fever but stopped myself in time, realizing it would not be proper. I stood stooped over him, studying him.

“You are truly unwell,” I whispered. “Lucas, we must find a doctor,” I commanded, turning to look at Lucas, who rolled his eyes at me in apparent exasperation.

“Oh, that won’t be necessary,” Richard blurted out, flushing.

“I thank you for your concern, miss,” Gabriel gasped out, his gaze momentarily unfocused. “You have done your duty by ensuring I survived my…misadventure with you. I am sure you have much more important matters to fill your time.”

I frowned at him, uncertain why he would refuse a doctor’s help.

“Mr. McLeod,” I entreated once more, reaching out and gripping his hand. “I really believe you need to see the doctor.” I saw shock flit through his eyes as I took his hand. “Please let me call for one for you?”

“No, miss, I’m sure I’ll be just fine,” he replied. “You’ve done your duty here. You can forget this last accident ever occurred.”

“But, if you are in pain…” I continued, noting the exchange of uncomfortable looks between Richard and Gabriel.

“I don’t want your charity, miss,” Gabriel muttered.

I jerked, taken aback. I watched Richard kick Gabriel in the leg, and heard Gabriel grunt softly. I stood, moving toward Lucas. He glanced at me sharply and leaned over, hissing in my ear, “Doctors cost money, Rissa. And I doubt they could afford one.”

“Well, then we should pay, as it was my fault,” I whispered back, glaring at Lucas and his blatant snobbery, wishing I could kick him in the shin as Richard had just kicked Gabriel.

After a long pause and a deep breath, Lucas spoke up and said, “Yes, Rissa, let’s fetch the doctor and send him on his way here. When you are feeling better, Mr. McLeod, I hope you will return to the store to visit with my father.” At this, he nodded, nearly imperceptibly, first to Gabriel, then to Richard. He gripped my elbow, turning me in the direction of the door. I resisted for a moment, wanting to say a farewell to Gabriel.

“I do hope you will recover soon, Mr. McLeod,” I stated, noting the inadequacy of my words as I allowed Lucas to usher me out of the room.

“Miss Sullivan?” Gabriel’s baritone voice gently called out as I turned to leave. I glanced back at him to see his pensive, troubled eyes. “I thank you for your concern.”

I nodded, unable to think of anything adequate to say. Richard led us down the hallway, thanking me for the visit while subtly ignoring Lucas.

As we walked along the small alleyway, I gripped Lucas’s arm painfully. “Why were you such a boor?” I demanded.

“Rissa,” he said, exasperation tingeing his tone. “Are you seriously concerned about me offending two poor laborers who live
here
?” He stared at me incredulously as he waved around the poorly lit area, stopping to stare at me. “You can’t actually tell me you care one whit about them?”

“They’re Colin’s friends,” I insisted.

“Yes, and Colin has some regrettable associations,” Lucas said. “Clarissa, are you so naive?” He gripped my arms lightly, as though he wanted to shake sense into me. “The elder brother looked at you with such…” Lucas broke off, muttering under his breath.

“With such what, Lucas?” I demanded.

“Insolence,” he nearly roared. “How dare he look at you like that?”

“Like what? Like he found me attractive?” I said, louder than I had meant and heard a faint catcall in response. I noted we had a small audience, and, though I wasn’t sure they could understand all we were saying, I felt uncomfortable. “Lucas, we shouldn’t be arguing in the street.” I gripped his arm, trying to propel him into motion.

“So now you worry about propriety?” Lucas ground out, remaining stock-still. “Rissa, what’s come over you?” he asked, finally allowing me to drag him toward the main street and home.

“I don’t like it when you sound like Jonas Montgomery, that insufferable fiancé of Savannah’s, all pompous and stuffy, as though you are better than other people,” I said. “I don’t like it when you stand sullenly by, glaring at an injured man, then insult him in his own home by pointing out his poverty!” I hissed. “Don’t you think he knows he is poor?”

“As long as you understand it, Clarissa,” Lucas whispered. “Don’t get any ideas about the McLeods. They’re not good enough for you.”

I shook my head futilely. “Lucas, you misunderstand. I have no ideas, romantic or otherwise, about the McLeods,” I said. “I just want to see him well, to move on with my life.”

“Rissa…” He let out a long sigh. “I’m sorry if I acted improperly, in your opinion. I didn’t like either of them. One too friendly and sure of himself, the other too…” Again he wouldn’t finish his sentence. “Rissa, just don’t plan to be around them much. It’s not a good idea.”

“I doubt either would want to see me,” I muttered as a wave of self-pitying thoughts washed over me.

***

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Banished Love
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