Free Gregory, Lisa by Bonds of Love Page A

straightened
her collar, then went down to greet her caller.
    He
was standing by the fireplace when she entered, and she walked over to him,
extending a friendly hand. His eyes lit up—she seemed lovelier to him than
ever—and he grasped her hand tightly.
    "Well,
Lieutenant Perkins, I never expected to see you here again," she said
teasingly.
    "What?
Did you think me that cowardly?" He smiled down at her. The nearness of
her, the faint rose scent, made him suddenly aware of how much he wanted her in
his bed, and he flushed slightly at the thought.
    "There
are brave men who will run at a spinster aunt's inquisition."
    "Well,
I am not one of them. Unless, of course, you wish me to discontinue."
    "No,
not at all."
    "I
am sorry that I have been absent so long, but just after I was here, I received
word that my father died."
    "Oh,
I'm so sorry." She laid a sympathetic hand on his arm.
    "Thank
you. I went to Nantucket on leave, of course, and have just now returned.
Unfortunately, my ship sailed last week, and so I have been temporarily
assigned to headquarters again."
    "How
terrible for you. I'm sure the time at sea would have been of great comfort to
you."
    "You
are very perceptive, Miss Devereaux."
    "Shall
we sit down? Would you like some tea, Lieutenant Perkins?"
    "No,
thank you." He paused. "I—I hope you won't think it presumptuous of
me, Miss Devereaux, but I worried about you a great deal while I was
gone."
    "Worried
about me? But whatever for?" Here was just the sort of calm, sensible
person to tell her problem to, she thought. Only he was a man, and of course
she could never speak to him on a matter so delicate.
    "I
thought of you down there at the yards, particularly with those Rebel
prisoners. It's just not a safe place for you. Now, don't mistake me—I think
you're a very brave and courageous lady. I know how you feel, and I am not criticizing
you at all. But still it is dangerous. So I got you a little present."
    "Oh,
Lieutenant, I couldn't accept a gift—"
    He
smiled. "Now don't be hasty. Wait until you see it." He reached into
his pocket and then held his hand toward her. A little snub-nosed silver
handgun lay nestled in his palm. "It's not candy or flowers, but it is
more useful, don't you think?"
    "Why,
what a funny little gun!" Katherine cried.
    "Yes,
it's made to be carried tucked away in some little place where it won't be
noticed. There are gamblers who carry them up their sleeves where they can drop
them quickly into their hands in case the game gets unfriendly—excuse me, I
know I shouldn't tell a lady about such things."
    "Oh,
no, please, it's quite all right. And you think I should carry one. But where
would I keep it?"
    "Make
a little pocket for it in your muff. Then if you are accosted, you can just
pull your hand out of the muff—with this gun in it."
    "As
long as I'm outside."
    "Well,
yes, but your father and Charlie and Teddy are there in the office to protect
you."
    "But
I haven't the slightest idea how to use a gun."
    "Well,
this is a gun that's used in close situations. It would be hard for you to
miss—and he'll know it. Now let me show you how to load and fire it."
    As
he instructed her, Katherine was thinking that unwittingly he had solved her
problem. Though she was still scared, this gun would give her the courage she
needed to return. Just let Hampton try to frighten her again. She would show
him that she was smart enough to defend herself. She looked at Perkins's intent
face, close to hers as he explained the gun, and suddenly she wondered if he
would kiss her as the Southerner had done.
    "Thank
you very much, Lieutenant Perkins. You are a very thoughtful man."
    "I'm
glad you accepted it. Some ladies would faint at the sight of a gun."
    "Well,
I'm not so poor-hearted."
    "Why,
Lieutenant Perkins!" came Aunt Amelia's voice from the doorway.
    Katherine
grimaced at him and turned. "Hello, Auntie." She slipped the gun
quietly into her skirt pocket.
    "You
must think it very amiss of me not