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"No, I don't believe so, but I'd never hear the end of it from her."
"What does that mean?"
"She'd not approve and she would try to talk me out of seeing you."
Melissa had let her hair fall free, and Hunter slid his fingers through the fair curls at her temples to keep her face pressed to his as he kissed her. He then wrapped her in an affectionate embrace. "Are you afraid she'll convince you that seeing me is wrong?"
Melissa responded with a throaty giggle. "I already know it's wrong," she teased, "but I'm here anyway."
She felt so good in his arms that Hunter rested his chin atop her head and continued to hold her close. "Why is it wrong?" he asked.
The warm softness of his buckskins invited her caress, and Melissa rubbed against him with the unabashed joy of a contented cat. "Why?" she murmured seductively. "It's wrong because the envious people who want to keep lovers apart constantly say it's wrong. That's the only reason I can see."
That she would refer to him as her lover was all the encouragement Hunter required. He relaxed his hold on her to allow her the freedom to step back slightly, and then kissed her again with the same demanding affection she had welcomed so eagerly that afternoon. He slid his hands to the small of her back and pressed her hips against his. He wanted her, and that blatant gesture made his need shockingly plain.
Although captivated by him, Melissa knew better than to give in to Hunter, and when he ended a lengthy exchange of deep kisses to provide an opportunity for them both to take a much needed deep breath, she slipped out of his arms. "I can't stay," she whispered dramatically, as though having to leave him tore her heart in two. "Meet me here again tomorrow night."
Shocked that she would even consider leaving him now, Hunter delayed an instant too long before reaching out to catch her arm, and she easily eluded him to escape into the night. Left too disappointed to do more than moan, Hunter vowed not to waste a second of their time talking the next evening. It would be his last opportunity to be with Melissa for several months, and he intended to leave her with such exciting memories, no other man would ever win her heart.
* * *
As was her custom, Alanna left the house early the next morning, but Melissa slept late and when she finally awakened, her late-night tryst with Hunter lingered in her memory with the vague sweetness of a dream. She was certain she had met him, but to her mind, the encounter had been far more innocent than the one beside the road, which was precisely how she had intended it to be. She had sought only a few passionate kisses, and surely, despite Hunter's ardor, he could not have expected her to give more.
She was a lady after all, and he was an Indian brave, albeit an immensely appealing one. Where her mind had been the previous day on their ride home from Williamsburg she could not explain, but she was in full possession of her faculties now. A brief exchange of fevered kisses certainly made for a memorable interlude, but falling in love with an Indian would bring only tragedy, and she would certainly not disgrace herself with such an unsuitable match.
Melissa had left her bed, but was still wearing her nightgown and stretching languidly when her mother came to her door. Completely unburdened by guilt, she greeted Rachel warmly. "It looks like another lovely day. Tell me what to do for tonight's party."
"I'd appreciate your help in arranging the flowers," Rachel replied. "Then I'd like for you to convince Alanna to join us at supper tonight. We've had ample opportunity to observe the Indian scout, and he's no savage. Besides, Lieutenant Scott has promised to bring along two of his friends, and I'm hoping she'll like one of them."
"I asked her only yesterday if she would like to meet one of Ian's friends, but I'd no idea two had already been invited."
"What did she say?"
"She gave her usual reply. She doesn't care if she ever meets a man and falls in love." Melissa picked up her brush and began to brush the tangles out of her hair. "I don't think I'll mention Ian's friends. I'll simply insist she be at dinner to tell Byron and Elliott goodbye. If I make it sound as though they'll be insulted if she stays away, she can't refuse to eat with us. After all, we're just asking her to walk down the stairs, not to attend a party in town."
Rachel gave her clever daughter a hug before turning toward the door. "Perfect, I knew you'd think of a way to convince her to join us. I'll be out in the garden when you're dressed."
"Yes, Mama." Very pleased with herself, Melissa moved to the dressing table and smiled at her reflection in the mirror. Ian had kissed her cheek a time or two, but now she wondered if he knew how to kiss as well as the Indian. If not, she would most certainly teach him. Not that night, of course, but soon.
* * *
After a day of Melissa's inspired coaxing, Alanna found herself agreeing to wear one of her cousin's fancy satin gowns. She chose a pale blue dress Melissa seldom wore, but the fact that she was several inches taller was readily apparent when she smoothed the skirt into place over a hoop and a dozen petticoats. Even encased in silk stockings, her slender ankles looked horribly unattractive to her.
"Oh, dear," she complained. "This doesn't look right at all."
Melissa stepped back to survey the problem and clucked her tongue impatiently. "That you have no beautiful gowns designed to fit you is your own fault, Alanna. Perhaps now you'll come with me on my next visit to the dressmaker's. It's high time you had more elegant clothes. You think just because you seldom leave the plantation you needn't dress well, but what about all the times we have guests? Hasn't it ever occurred to you that Mother and Father are embarrassed to have you look so neglected? It reflects very badly on them, you know."
Having never once considered that her choice of apparel was anyone's business but her own, Alanna was horribly embarrassed by her cousin's scolding. "Oh, no, I never thought—"
"No, of course not," Melissa chided. "You are too lost in yourself to worry about how we look to our friends. Well, that can't be helped tonight, but if you remain seated, or take care to stand behind me, no one will notice your gown is of an improper length. You look adorable otherwise, so let's go on downstairs and enjoy the party."
Alanna gave her skirt a tug in a vain attempt to find another couple of inches of material that just wasn't there. At least the sky blue slippers were the right size, so any anguish she might suffer was purely mental. A final glance in the mirror revealed a young woman who appeared more uncomfortable than adorable, but Alanna had agreed to go to dinner and forced herself to follow Melissa down the stairs.
It had been the prospect of dining with Hunter which had upset Alanna initially, but when she saw Ian Scott coming through the front door with two other young British officers, she panicked. She would have run right back up the stairs had Melissa not clamped her hand around Alanna's wrist and refused to let go. Trapped, Alanna took a fortifying breath, and telling herself that at least these unexpected guests were not Indians, she managed to respond to the introductions with a shy smile which completely charmed the Englishmen.
Hunter stood back, content to observe the festivities rather than participate. He had not expected Alanna to come to supper, and when she first appeared, he did not immediately recognize her. One of Melissa's ribbon-and-lace-trimmed caps sat atop her curls, and the blue gown was so flattering that for an instant he saw only a lovely young lady, rather than Alanna. When he did realize who she was, he managed a smile rather than an awkward gape, but Alanna appeared not to have seen him.
Knowing that he would not be ignored later that night, was all that kept Hunter from striding out of the Barclays' home, when Melissa appeared no more interested in him than she had been at supper the previous evening. He was pleased to see that she included Alanna in the conversation, and gave as much attention to Ian Scott's friends as she did to Ian. Soon after the British officers' arrival, two young women joined the party. Brunette sisters from a neighboring plantation, Sarah and Robin Frederick barely spoke to the Englishmen, before hurrying over to Byron and Elliott to chat.
