Chapter 14
The army mess hall teemed with noise and light, music and laughter.
A throng of strangers filled the space between the benches and tables stacked against the walls.
Kate fanned her face, already feeling lightheaded.
She craned her neck, searching the crush of people, absently fiddling with the ribbons in her hair.
She was thankful that her mother hadn’t asked about where the ribbons had come from, though she had given Kate a knowing smile.
She and Ma had managed to hide most of the pink, winding them through her hair and pinning it up in such a way that the blue took pride of place.
But she was so used to her braid falling down her back that she felt almost naked without it.
Her neck hurt from the weight of all her hair piled up on top of her head.
But Ma had been so pleased when she’d asked for help getting ready, so she’d sat under her mother’s deft hands for what felt like hours.
Kate hoped it accomplished something more than the headache growing at her temples.
“Lookin’ for someone?”
She snatched her hand down to her side and glanced quickly up at Andrew. “No, ah, just admirin’ all the people.”
“It’s somethin’ to behold, for sure.”
“Mmm.” Kate smoothed her navy skirts. Ma had insisted she wear her very best dress, but it made Kate feel a little self-conscious.
She didn’t want it to seem like she was trying to draw attention to herself, although it did happen to match the blue ribbons perfectly.
Her heart fluttered. She tried to take a deep breath to calm her nerves, but Ma had tugged her corset as tight as it could go.
She could feel every inch of boning cutting into her ribs.
The army band launched into a fresh tune.
Andrew turned to her stiffly. “Shall we?”
Kate hesitated. She took another look around the crowded room, but she didn’t see any honey-haired officers. Her heart sank a little. It’s not like a dashing man like Garrett Ramsey would even remember her anyway. Then Andrew placed a firm hand on her back and guided her into the whirling dancers.
Once her feet found the rhythm of the song, she let go of her worries and allowed herself to enjoy the excitement of the evening.
Besides, it wasn’t like she lacked partners.
With the regiment at the fort, the men outnumbered the ladies five to one.
Kate barely remembered all the faces of the men she danced with, let alone their names.
There was a cocksure private with flaming red hair, a blushing and awkward farm boy barely old enough to start shaving, and even a gap-toothed old trapper who, surprisingly, was one of the finest dancers she’d ever paired with.
She laughed and clapped and sang along, refusing to let the evening be dampened by the increasingly sullen Andrew.
They paired together many times through the evening, but he grew so dour and taciturn that she was relieved when he withdrew to watch from the edge of the crowd.
“Has my Diana saved any dances for me?”
And suddenly there he was. Tall, broad, and resplendent in his uniform, there was something about Officer Garrett Ramsey that made the people around him move out of the way.
And he had eyes only for her. She blushed under his heated gaze.
“Of course, Officer Ramsey. I was waitin’”—she swallowed—“I was hopin’ you’d remember. ”
He grinned roguishly. “How could I forget ‘just’ Kate?” He took her hand, his grip strong and confident, stepping out with a masculine grace, pulling her so close that she had to tip her head back to look up at him.
So tall. So strong. “You look radiant tonight,” he said, his rich, low voice sending shivers down her spine.
“Why thank you, Officer Ramsey,” she said breathlessly. It was as if they stood still and the room and everyone in it swirled around them. Yet she couldn’t seem to catch her breath. His eyes sparkled in the lamplight.
“Please, call me Garrett.”
“Thank you, Garrett.” She looked down, trying to hide her smile. “No one’s ever called me radiant before.”
He leaned down, lips by her ear, his warm breath sliding across her neck. “Impossible,” he breathed, and she forgot that anyone else existed. There were only his intense eyes, the muscles of his shoulder tensing beneath her hand, the feel of his strong hand warm on her back, pulling her closer.
It seemed that they danced for hours, and maybe they did; she couldn’t remember anyone even trying to cut in.
He dazzled her with his smile and charmed her with talk of books and music, of stories of his glamorous life in Boston as the son of a wealthy businessman.
“My father wanted me to stay, to take over the family business, but I knew I wouldn’t be happy.
I needed to experience the world, to follow my dreams, so I joined up with the army to find adventure and glory. ”
“And did you find it?”
“In bucketloads.”
“And what about your dreams?”
“Still searching for some of those,” he said, his eyes boring into her with their intensity.
“Oh?” she asked.
“Maybe I found one tonight,” he whispered, and Kate missed a step. He took her hand and looped it on his arm, whisking her off the dance floor. “It’s late. You’re tired. Allow me the honor of escorting you back.”
They were out on the night-shrouded street before she remembered. “My apologies, Officer Ramsey—”
“Garrett.” He kept walking.
“Please, Garrett, I was escorted here by a friend. It would be rude to leave without—”
“Oh, that tall fellow with the dark hair? He left ages ago.”
Her brow furrowed. “He left already?”
“He obviously didn’t appreciate how very special you are, Kate. How could anyone ignore such a stunning creature as yourself?” He smiled, teeth gleaming white in the starlight.
She frowned. Andrew had left without her?
What had she done to make him so upset? Surely he wouldn’t be angry at her for dancing with others.
It wouldn't be fair to all the men waiting for a partner. Besides—she glanced up at Garrett and blushed—she’d enjoyed herself very much.
She didn’t even notice that they were already outside the fort.
Jacob slouched languidly against the wall, his relaxed posture masking a current of anxious restlessness.
He’d enjoyed himself this evening, dancing with as many pretty girls as he could, but now the noise in the packed hall grated on his nerves.
He loosened a button on his collar. Maybe it was the heat.
Or maybe, he reluctantly admitted to himself, it was because he hadn’t managed to snag a dance with Kate McGrath.
When she had walked into the mess hall in a striking navy dress, with her chestnut hair all done up and shiny, and a pretty flush in her cheeks, he’d barely recognized her.
She was beautiful. Stunning. But even more so because she didn't seem to be aware of the fact. She stood tall and stately, with a simple, reserved grace to her movements that made her seem somehow unattainable, like a rare flower enveloped in amber. She didn’t bat her eyelashes behind a fan and act all coy like most young ladies, or flaunt her curves like some others he had known.
She didn’t slouch to hide her height, but neither did she demand attention from anyone.
She was just … Kate. His mouth turned up in a rueful smile.
Although, that may have been the first time he’d seen her with real shoes on and not a speck of dirt to be seen.
She had proceeded to dance the night away, and no matter how hard he tried, there was always some other man at her side before he could snag her hand. Kate’s luscious curves and stately innocence proved to be an irresistible combination to all the bachelors in the room.
He tried not to notice the tinge of possessiveness that flared up inside.
He wasn’t jealous. He just wanted to check on her, see how she was doing after that ordeal with the stampede.
But he couldn’t help but think about holding her in his arms again.
How had he not seen it before tonight? Maybe he’d just been unable to look past the broad-brimmed hat and the fact that she could handle those mules like a seasoned teamster to notice her blossoming womanhood.
Jacob cleared his throat, loosening another button on his shirt.
Maybe he’d try to find her one more time.
He scanned the crowded hall. Well, she wasn’t dancing anymore.
Had she finally sat down to rest? It was getting pretty late; the crowd had started to thin.
He glanced over the benches on the outskirts of the room and sighed.
Andrew must have taken her home. His eyes narrowed.
But Andrew sat in a back corner laughing with a young man in uniform. He saw a flask pass between them.
Scowling, Jacob pushed off the wall and wove through the crowd, his height and broad shoulders easily creating space. “Thompson, have you seen Kate?”
“Jake!” Andrew slurred, his drawl thickened by alcohol. “Would you believe it, Jake, this here Private Matthew grew up in Madison, just two streets over from where I was born!”
“That’s dandy, Andrew,” Jacob said with biting sarcasm. “Now tell me, where is Kate?”
“Probably off dancin’ with any man that can stand,” Andrew said crossly, taking another swig from the flask.
Jacob’s irritation flared. “Well, she ain’t here, Andrew, and last I checked, she was your responsibility.”
Anger flared in Andrew’s flushed face, but he slowly got to his feet and scanned the crowd. His expression sobered quickly. He grabbed his hat off the table. “Her brothers maybe?”
“Ian’s with the herd, and Danny took their ma back ages ago.
She didn’t tell you where she was goin’?
” Andrew shook his head and swayed a little.
Jacob’s voice dropped menacingly. “You better sober up, Thompson. I swear, if somethin’s happened to her—” He clenched his jaw.
“You check back at camp. Maybe she just went back on her own. I’ll check the fort. ”
“Aren’t the stars beautiful tonight?” Garrett’s low voice warmed her all over.
She looked up and couldn’t help but agree.
There was no moon, and the Milky Way lay strewn across the velvety sky like a thousand diamonds.
He pointed out Orion the Hunter and told her of how Draco the Dragon had come to make his home among the stars.
She was mesmerized. The sound of the fort receded, and she was only aware of the heat of his body close to hers, the strength of his arm under the perfectly tailored serge of his uniform, his hand covering hers, virile and strong.
Kate looked down from the dazzling night sky and saw a small copse of trees materializing out of the night.
She frowned. Were there any trees on the path from the train to the fort?
She turned her head, puzzled. The river shimmered on her left.
“I’m sorry, Garrett. I think we’re goin’ the wrong way. ” His hand tightened on hers.
“Not to worry. We’re taking a different route. There’s a group of drunks loitering at the ford. I wouldn’t want to upset a lady’s delicate sensibilities.” His pace quickened.
The trees loomed before them now. Her stomach churned with sudden misgiving.
“Please, Garrett, let’s go the other way.
” She tried to stop, but his hand clamped on hers like a vise.
They were among the trees now. Fear rose like bile in her throat.
“Please, Garrett. Stop! Please!” she cried, trying to wrench her hand away.
But he caught her wrist and pulled her roughly to him.
“Don’t tell me you don’t want this too,” he growled as he forced her against a tree. “You act demure, but your eyes tell a different story. So alluring. So seductive.” He kissed her roughly on the neck.
“Please! No!” He was crushing her. Kate could barely breathe past the terror coursing through her. She struggled fiercely, the stubble of his beard scraping her cheek. Her forehead connected with his jaw.
“You little vixen!” he spat and grabbed her by the throat, cutting off her air and dragging her to the ground.
“You’re gonna make this hard for me?” He grunted and started roughly pulling up her skirts.
“Don’t you worry, sweetheart. It’s about the chase, really; the struggle will make it all the sweeter. ”
Kate tore at his hand but to no avail. He was so strong!
She couldn’t breathe. She couldn’t breathe!
She bucked and writhed, spots swimming across her vision, feeling her struggle weaken.
Lord, help me! She was losing consciousness.
Please, Lord! Her eyelids fluttered, blackness closing in around her.
The hand on her throat dropped as he knelt above her, fumbling with his belt.
She gasped, precious air flowing into her lungs, and with all the strength she possessed in her body, she brought her knee up into his groin, and as he groaned and doubled over, she made a fist and struck him in the nose with all the ferocity of a prairie storm.
Kate heard a crack as his head snapped backwards, his eyes wide with pain and surprise.
She scrambled up and started to run. Kate heard a menacing shout behind her and a sound like a bull crashing through the undergrowth.
Terror flooded through her. She ran as fast as she could, tears streaming down her face, air burning in her ragged throat. Lord, please! Please help me!