Courting the Corporal. Heather McCorkle
sight of Fergusson only added to Catriona’s frustration. She did not want the uncouth rogue to know her business, but then, if Ashlinn was right and he was her only hope, she had no choice.
She made hasty introductions and curtly invited Corporal Fergusson to sit. To the corporal’s credit, he barely spared Deirdre a glance and a kind word where most men all but ogled her and fell all over themselves to impress her. Not that she wanted the man to be curt with her friend… Oh, hells, her mind was simply all over in its state of unrest.
Taking a seat beside his wife, Sean nodded to Catriona. “Please, don’t allow us to interrupt. You were about to read the letter.”
Eyes shifting from Sean’s concerned expression to Fergusson’s wary gaze, she took a breath and began to read.
“Dear Mrs. O’Brian, Thank you kindly for the fine wine and chocolates that you sent all the way from New York, as well as your assurances that you will make a richly contributing patron to Sonoma County.”
She paused and gave Ashlinn an inquiring look. Her sister-in-law gave her a half-smile and shrugged. When she had read it aloud to Catriona a few moments ago, she had left that part out. Ashlinn must have done it on her behalf. She wanted to thank her, should thank her, but she couldn’t focus enough to do so. Attention returning to the letter, she went on.
“As you know, the gold rush has brought many settlers to California and the railroad is bringing even more. Demand for land is high and those who will utilize it to its full potential, a potential that best furthers the fine state of California, must be given preference. The man who originally petitioned for the grant on your land, a Mr. Ainsworth, has written to me to ask to reclaim the grant should the O’Brians fail to claim it. Seeing as you are a widow with no male children to help improve such land, I am giving you until the middle of this August to lay claim to the land, or it will revert to Mr. Ainsworth. I do so in the best interest of our fine state of California. I wish you the very best of luck.”
Her voice choked on the man’s name and title. Suddenly both Sadie and Deirdre were at her side, offering comforting words and touches.
Corporal Fergusson made a sound close to a growl. “Ainsworth, the blaggard. It figures. I’m sorry your husband had the misfortune to purchase the claim from him.” Indignation furrowed his brow.
“You know the man?” Sean asked.
“Aye. He’s an Englishman who’s been buying up as much of the valley as he can, selling off the bits of land he doesn’t want or can’t get to in time.” The way he stared hard at the fireplace as he talked made Catriona think there might be more to the story. But right now the why of it didn’t matter. What did was that someone wanted to take her dream from her before she even had a chance to fully realize it.
Face heating, Catriona blinked tears away, straightened her back, and gave her friends what she hoped was a determined look.
“I have to do this,” she told them.
Until it was being snatched away, she hadn’t realized just how badly she wanted this opportunity. To get out of this house and away from its bad memories, start a life with her friends from which the fruits would be born of her own hard labor, it was more than she had ever hoped for.
Wisps of tight black curls hair floated about as Sadie shook her head. “But it’s impossible to make it that far that fast.”
Catriona’s look hardened as her determination grew. “For a few wagons and an entourage of armed men, yes.” Gaze steady, she looked to Corporal Fergusson, whose head was cocked and green eyes were wide with curiosity, as if she suddenly intrigued him. “But not for two people on horseback.” Those green eyes snagged on hers and wouldn’t look away. The weight of interest in them both bothered and thrilled her.
“No!” Ashlinn cried as she flew to her feet in a flurry of yellow satin skirts.
Rather than grab hold of her as she expected her to, Ashlinn took hold of one of Sadie’s arms and one of Deirdre’s. “Please, turn her from this foolish idea. Such a thing is not done, a woman traveling alone with a man, with no escort. And, ’tis too dangerous.” The last part was no more than a whisper.
To her friends’ credit, they both shook their heads. A smile spread across Deirdre’s face. “I want to go as well!”
Gaze snapping back to Fergusson, Catriona saw alarm flash in his widening eyes. Now it was she who shook her head. “No. Corporal Fergusson will have an easier time keeping only one person safe. Is that not right, sir?” she asked.
“True enough. Two people can make the trip almost unnoticed, and within the timeframe, more would complicate matters,” he said, sounding impressed.
His green eyes held her a bit too intimately for her comfort. Pulling her gaze from them, she smiled at her friends. “You can leave in a week as we planned. You’ll just have to have another escort and will arrive a few months after I do. I’ll be all right. Corporal Fergusson is a war hero trusted by my sister-in-law and her husband. I could not be in better hands.” At the last, her attention shifted to the strong hands of which she spoke.
At over six feet tall and roped in muscle, the man was formidable indeed. Her friends could hardly contest that. And if Ashlinn trusted him, surely she was safe with him, despite the gleam of interest in his eyes. Most likely that had to do with her hiring him and nothing else, especially considering the nearly disrespectful manner in which he had spoken to her upon their first meeting.
Ashlinn strode to her husband’s side, hooked an arm through his and Fergusson’s, and inclined her head to Catriona. “If you will excuse us for a moment.”
“O’ course,” Catriona said.
As the three of them left the room, Fergusson’s gaze remained locked on her until the door closed behind them. Sadie and Deirdre began bombarding her with rushed questions and suggestions the moment the door clicked shut. She could scarcely keep up with them, especially with her mind going in so many directions. Half-hearted answers and reassurances passed her lips while her mind contemplated one thing, and one thing only. She would be alone with a man for a month. A wild, rugged—and admittedly quite handsome—man who seemed to have little care for propriety and boundaries. It was a bit harsh to just him as such, she knew, but it was hard not to considering her distrust of strange men. Or all men in general, really.
“Alone on the trail with a man, it’s not done, Miss Catriona. Surely, at least I should go with you,” Sadie cautioned in a hushed voice.
Smiling, Catriona took up one of her hands. It had taken quite a bit of time for Sadie to become comfortable enough with the two of them being friends, equals in Catriona’s eyes. She wanted to be careful what she said so she didn’t undo her fragile confidence.
“He is a trusted friend of the family, and an honorable soldier to boot. You need not fear for me, and the very act of the three of us ladies settling on our own in California steps outside the rules of propriety as ’tis, so I am not worried about that,” she told her, proud that the words sounded convincing when she herself wasn’t so convinced.
Practically skipping over, Deirdre took hold of their grasped hands in both of hers. The sweet tang of her expensive perfume wrapped around Catriona. Eyes shining behind her dark locks, she grasped her bottom lip between her teeth as if trying to keep her smile from growing too large. She failed.
“Traveling alone across America with a handsome, rugged man, I envy you so! You must do it. It will be the adventure of a lifetime, one you can tell us all about in September when we arrive with the wagons,” she said.
Sadie groaned. “An adventure, oh Deirdre.”
Laughter bubbled from Deirdre. “Indeed! Now enough of this fretting; we must prepare.”
Fighting Deirdre’s enthusiasm was like fighting an outgoing tide, impossible and exhausting if one tried too hard. Catriona gave in and allowed her own smile to slip through. Part of her wanted to jump at the chance, had to, but the ever-cautious part of her that usually won out sort of hoped