Free Savage Destiny (The Hearts of Liberty Series, Book 1) by Phoebe Conn Page A

bothered to wait for me."
    Entering the hall from the dining room, Hunter could not help but overhear Alanna's remark, but when she shied away from him, he thought better of saying that he would also have waited to kiss her goodbye. A pretty blush filled her cheeks and, while she was again dressed in simple homespun fabrics rather than satin and lace, he thought her as pretty as she had been at dinner the previous evening.
    He was in exceptionally high spirits, but like Melissa, did not wish to make anyone curious as to the reason, and so tried very hard to behave as he always did. "I was just going upstairs to get my things," he said as he slipped by her, but she failed to reply. Thinking perhaps his comment had not required a response, Hunter took no offense, but it felt very strange to have made love with Melissa, while Alanna would not willingly offer a kind word. He had observed the sharp differences between the two young women upon first meeting them, but he hoped by the second or third time he visited the Barclay home, Alanna would drop her reserve.
    As he reached his room, Hunter decided he would not insist upon friendliness from Melissa's family, but he believed he had a right to expect courtesy, and Alanna still had a difficult time with that where he was concerned. He had already packed his few belongings and, after slinging them over his shoulder, he gave the room he'd occupied a final glance. From the elaborately carved cornice to the highly polished pine floor, and every piece of furniture it contained, it was as fine a room as could be found in Virginia, but to Hunter, it held none of the warmth of home.
    A long house afforded Seneca families the finest of forest accommodations, and it was that unique oneness with the earth that Hunter missed. In his view, the Barclay mansion squatted on the land like an overgrown toad, rather than being a part of the natural scene as a long house was. If his visits to the plantation proved to be as frequent as he hoped, perhaps he would ask permission to build a long house nearby. Melissa and he would then have a perfect place to meet.
    For the present, however, the construction of a home was not his utmost concern. He might have felt out of place in Melissa's house, but not in her arms, and enchanted by her, he was anxious to see her again. They had made no plans before parting, but he was confident she would share his wish to keep their love a secret for the time being.
    A slow smile played across his lips as went down the stairs. As long as Melissa did not keep their love a secret from him as well, he would not complain.
    * * *
    Seeking excuses to leave the house, Melissa took on more chores that morning than she usually handled in a month. First she went to the laundry to make certain all of her brothers' clothes had been washed, pressed, and returned to their rooms. Then there were favorite dishes she asked Polly to prepare for their breakfast, and she took the cook with her to the smokehouse to search for the choicest side of bacon. The henhouse was on the opposite side of the barn, and while she had not gathered eggs in years, she made a point of doing so now.
    Finally, noticing several of the camellia blossoms in the bouquet on the dining room table were tinged with brown, she rushed out to the garden to replace them. She had just finished arranging the flowers for the breakfast table, when she heard her brothers descending the stairs. Believing Hunter would be with them, she again left the house, and this time walked down to the stable where the horses used to Alanna's pampering snickered softly for the apples Melissa was too preoccupied to dole out.
    Knowing she was far too nervous to swallow a single bite, she sat in the cool darkness of the stable until she was certain breakfast would be over. Then she walked out on the dock and watched the ducks paddling by with their downy babies, intending to stay there until the young men were ready to leave. Frequently fed from