Love and War: The Coltrane Saga, Book 1 Read Free Page A

father.”
    “But he would be loyal to his state, Katherine, and whatever position his state voted to take if war does come.” This time he reached out to touch her cheek, and she did not pull away. “Those of us who stand together won’t have any sympathy for those who stand apart. But do you and I have to quarrel? If you only knew how long I’ve wanted to call on you, but you never gave me any inclination that I might have a chance. I’ve heard about how you turn away every man who comes to your door.”
    Through lowered lashes, she looked at him teasingly. “Then why do you come now to invite me to a party for a man who supports something I stand against?”
    “Because I’ve waited too long already.” His voice was firm, and his arms encircled her waist. “Besides, last Sunday in church I happened to catch you looking at me, and there was a little sparkle of interest in those lovely eyes of yours, so I dared to hope maybe I’d have a chance. Now will you go to the party with me? We won’t have to worry about Weldon Edwards. We can be together.”
    A wave of dizziness washed over her. No one had ever made her feel this way—all quivery inside as though everything within would explode and burst any second. Confused, not knowing what to say, she turned to gaze out the barn window at the stark, naked fields beyond. To her father, this land was beautiful, and she shared his affection, because it was theirs. But to someone like Nathan, whose family owned hundreds and hundreds of acres of farmland, tended by a hundred or more slaves, this was poverty—a squalid dirt farm. Why, then, when they obviously lived in two different worlds, was he asking her to attend an important party at his family’s home?
    And then she remembered Nancy Warren, his constant companion at every social occasion. Snapping her head back to stare at him, she bluntly asked, “What about Nancy Warren? Did she go away to visit someone and leave you without someone to escort to the party?”
    “Now why do you have to be so stubborn?” His hands moved to clamp firmly on her shoulders, shaking her gently. “Can’t you get it through your head that you’re the girl I’ve yearned for all these years? I just never thought I’d have a chance with you, Katherine. Believe me, there’s no one else I’d rather be with than you.”
    She pulled away from him and walked slowly to the barn window. He followed and stood beside her. A few chickens pecked about in the yard, cackling softly to each other. “What about your family?” she asked. “Would they approve of your courting me, Nathan?”
    Quickly he reached to spin her around, their faces so close she could feel the warmth of his breath upon her cheeks. “You’re so beautiful… I’ve dreamed of this moment…”
    And then his lips came down, slowly, gently, at first, as she stiffened, then yielded, and the kiss became demanding as he tightened his arm about her to draw her body closer. For long, seemingly endless moments, they clung together. Kitty began to tremble with longing for more. There had been stolen kisses in corncribs or haystacks with boys when she was but a child, but never had there been a kiss like this, with fire and passion, a kiss that brought every fiber of her being alive and tingling with emotions she never dreamed existed with such force.
    Someone giggled. They pulled away instantly. Kitty turned just in time to see one of Jacob’s little boys scrambling down the rope that hung from the hayloft opening, escaping to the ground below, outside the barn.
    Once again they were alone. He reached for her, but she held back, whispering nervously, “We shouldn’t…”
    “Oh, yes, we should.” He pulled her against his chest. “I’ve wanted this for a long, long time, Katherine, and don’t lie to me and say you haven’t wanted it, too. I’ve seen you looking at me from across a room. Say you’ll come to the party with me. Don’t keep us apart when we feel this way