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Authors: Jodi Thomas
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around Jacob to complete her task, then rushed to the
wardrobe for Nel ’s gown. “I watched the nurse enough times. I should know what needs doing at bedtime
around here.”
“Lower my legs,” Nel ordered Jacob. “Let me show you how I can stand.”
Slowly, Jacob did as she asked.
“Now, step back and give me room.”
He stepped just far enough so that he wasn’t touching her, but stood ready to grab her if she began to fall.
Her fingers rested on his arm from time to time to steady herself, as Nell began unbuttoning her top. “I’m not
helpless anymore, Ranger Dalton. I can dress and undress myself. It may seem a small thing, but not to me.”
She set the last button free and opened her blouse, then slowly tugged off one sleeve at a time. Her movements
were like a circus performer balancing on a wire as she moved.
Jacob raised his eyebrow at the sight of an ivory colored camisole lined in lace. The silk was so thin he could
make out the shape of her breasts beneath the single layer of fabric. He wasn’t all that familiar with ladies’
underthings, but guessed this one was expensive and made just for Nel .
She laughed as she unbuttoned her skirt and let it fall. “Don’t look that way, Jacob. You know full well that I’m
far more dressed even in my undergarments than any of the girls who haunt these hallways.”
He’d never known Nell to be modest. In fact, a few summers when she’d been a kid, he’d had to pul her naked
from the river because she wanted to swim in the moonlight, and Fat Alice had been afraid she’d drown. She’d
been beanpole thin and slippery as an eel.
How could she be modest growing up in a whorehouse? But he’d hoped that finishing school back East had
taught her a few things about what not to do in front of a man. When she’d been so near death those first few
weeks after the accident, Jacob had stayed by her side. He’d helped with her care, including changing bandages
over most of her body.
But caring for a wounded girl was a far cry from staring at a fully grown woman in lace within arm’s length of
him. When he managed to find his voice, he said, “But the ghosts don’t have much flesh and blood beneath their
skimpy attire.”
She laughed, and he finally managed to raise his eyes to meet hers, then felt his face warm at the realization
that she’d noticed where he’d been staring.
“Tell me, Jacob, is it my flesh or my blood that makes you gawk?”
He grabbed the nightgown from Gypsy and lifted it over Nell’s head. “I wasn’t gawking. I was just noticing how
pale you’ve gotten,” he said, angry at himself. He thought of adding and rounded but figured it would be safer
not to mention any curves he noticed. “You get any whiter and folks wil think you’re one of the ghosts around
this place.”
Nel poked her head through the gown opening and moved her arms into the proper holes with his help. As she
buttoned the cotton gown to her throat, she swayed slightly, and he steadied her with a touch at her waist.
Her body let him take her weight, and he carried her the last few feet to her bed. “How long can you stand?”
“You’ve seen my only act, I’m afraid. Within a few minutes my legs give way beneath me.”
He covered her as he knelt by the bed. “You’l get stronger.”
“Maybe. Maybe not.” She looked tired. Her long brown hair spread across the pil ow as she turned her face to
the side and closed her eyes. “You don’t have to offer to marry me, Jacob; just be my friend.”
He kissed her forehead. “I am, Two Bits. I always will be. We’ll talk about getting married in the morning.”
She was already asleep by the time he stood and walked from the room.
He strol ed to the barn deep in thought, then took care of his horse before bedding down in the loft where he
had a good view of the front of the house. A light burned low in her room, and he wondered if she’d cal out for
Gypsy in
wardrobe for Nel ’s gown. “I watched the nurse enough times. I should know what needs doing at bedtime
around here.”
“Lower my legs,” Nel ordered Jacob. “Let me show you how I can stand.”
Slowly, Jacob did as she asked.
“Now, step back and give me room.”
He stepped just far enough so that he wasn’t touching her, but stood ready to grab her if she began to fall.
Her fingers rested on his arm from time to time to steady herself, as Nell began unbuttoning her top. “I’m not
helpless anymore, Ranger Dalton. I can dress and undress myself. It may seem a small thing, but not to me.”
She set the last button free and opened her blouse, then slowly tugged off one sleeve at a time. Her movements
were like a circus performer balancing on a wire as she moved.
Jacob raised his eyebrow at the sight of an ivory colored camisole lined in lace. The silk was so thin he could
make out the shape of her breasts beneath the single layer of fabric. He wasn’t all that familiar with ladies’
underthings, but guessed this one was expensive and made just for Nel .
She laughed as she unbuttoned her skirt and let it fall. “Don’t look that way, Jacob. You know full well that I’m
far more dressed even in my undergarments than any of the girls who haunt these hallways.”
He’d never known Nell to be modest. In fact, a few summers when she’d been a kid, he’d had to pul her naked
from the river because she wanted to swim in the moonlight, and Fat Alice had been afraid she’d drown. She’d
been beanpole thin and slippery as an eel.
How could she be modest growing up in a whorehouse? But he’d hoped that finishing school back East had
taught her a few things about what not to do in front of a man. When she’d been so near death those first few
weeks after the accident, Jacob had stayed by her side. He’d helped with her care, including changing bandages
over most of her body.
But caring for a wounded girl was a far cry from staring at a fully grown woman in lace within arm’s length of
him. When he managed to find his voice, he said, “But the ghosts don’t have much flesh and blood beneath their
skimpy attire.”
She laughed, and he finally managed to raise his eyes to meet hers, then felt his face warm at the realization
that she’d noticed where he’d been staring.
“Tell me, Jacob, is it my flesh or my blood that makes you gawk?”
He grabbed the nightgown from Gypsy and lifted it over Nell’s head. “I wasn’t gawking. I was just noticing how
pale you’ve gotten,” he said, angry at himself. He thought of adding and rounded but figured it would be safer
not to mention any curves he noticed. “You get any whiter and folks wil think you’re one of the ghosts around
this place.”
Nel poked her head through the gown opening and moved her arms into the proper holes with his help. As she
buttoned the cotton gown to her throat, she swayed slightly, and he steadied her with a touch at her waist.
Her body let him take her weight, and he carried her the last few feet to her bed. “How long can you stand?”
“You’ve seen my only act, I’m afraid. Within a few minutes my legs give way beneath me.”
He covered her as he knelt by the bed. “You’l get stronger.”
“Maybe. Maybe not.” She looked tired. Her long brown hair spread across the pil ow as she turned her face to
the side and closed her eyes. “You don’t have to offer to marry me, Jacob; just be my friend.”
He kissed her forehead. “I am, Two Bits. I always will be. We’ll talk about getting married in the morning.”
She was already asleep by the time he stood and walked from the room.
He strol ed to the barn deep in thought, then took care of his horse before bedding down in the loft where he
had a good view of the front of the house. A light burned low in her room, and he wondered if she’d cal out for
Gypsy in
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