She gave him her sweetest smile. “I plan to fight you every inch of the way. Every time you give me an order I’ll—.”
She broke off when he kissed her soundly, just before he pushed her from the bed.
“Get up, get dressed, and go see that Brandy has enough food for my breakfast.” A pillow landed on his face.
“Here I tell you I am massively wealthy and you don’t even comment. Some men would like to get their hands on my money.”
Eyeing her naked form, he smiled slowly. “I’m looking at what I like my hands on. As for your money, you can pay for that circus you wanted, and what’s left you can give to our children.”
“The circus I wanted,” she sputtered. “All that was your idea.”
“You wanted the courting.”
“Courting! That was the most heavy-handed, awkward, gaudy, inept courting I’ve ever seen! Any Englishman could do better.”
Lazily, Travis leaned back on a pillow. “I’m the one who had you coming to his room wearing a bit of transparent nothing, just begging me to make love to you, so maybe my courting wasn’t so bad after all.”
Regan sputtered for a few more minutes before beginning to laugh as she dressed. “You are insufferable. Shall I serve your breakfast in bed, or would you prefer a private dining room?”
“Now there’s a good wench. Try and keep that attitude. I think I’ll eat in the kitchen; just be sure there’s lots of it.”
Regan left, still laughing, and Travis wondered how he was going to have to pay for his last remarks. But whatever she did, life with her was going to be a joy. She was certainly worth all the pain he’d been through in the last few years.
Slowly, contentedly, he began to dress.
Most of the townspeople stopped by that day to congratulate Regan on her forthcoming marriage and to say goodbye to her, as they knew she’d be le
aving very soon. Contrary to what Margo seemed to think, no one thought Travis was a fool. The women thought he was wonderfully romantic, and the men liked the way he went after what he wanted.
At midmorning, Regan was up to her ears in work. A maid was complaining about some odd-colored ink on a set of sheets, and everyone else seemed to be complaining also. Of maybe it was Regan’s imagination caused by her sadness at leaving the big inn she and Brandy had built.
“You’re sad, aren’t you?” Travis asked, coming up behind her.
She still wasn’t used to the keen perception of this man. She’d had no idea he was so aware of her needs and problems when she’d known him before, and now his sensitivity was startling.
“You’ll feel better once you’re at my house. What you need is a new challenge.”
“And what happens when I learn all there is to know about running a plantation?” she asked, turning toward him.
“Couldn’t happen, because I come with the plantation and you’ll never learn enough about me. Now, where’s my daughter?”
“She’s usually with Brandy at this time of day. I didn’t check because I thought you were with her.” After a moment’s thought, she smiled. “Where is the pony you bought her? Wherever it is, that’s where she is.”
“I looked in the carriage house, but she isn’t there, and Brandy hasn’t seen her all morning.”
“Not even for breakfast?” she asked, frowning. “Travis!” she said in alarm.
“Wait a minute,” he soothed. “Don’t get upset. She could have gone to a friend’s house.”
“But she always tells me where she’s going—always! It’s the only way I can keep up with her while I’m working.”
“All right,” Travis said quietly. “You look through the inn, and I’ll walk around town. We’ll find her in minutes. Now go!” he said laughingly.
Regan’s immediate thought was that perhaps Jennifer had a stomachache from yesterday’s excitement and she had gone back to her bed, forgetting to tell anyone where she was going. Quietly, Regan walked through her bedroom and slowly opened her daughter’s door. Expecting to see her daughter asleep in her bed, she did not at first understand the turmoil of the room. Clothes were strewn everywhere, drawers open, the bedclothes half on and half off, shoes scattered on the bed and floor.
“She’s been packing!” Regan said aloud, relieved at the sight.
It was as she knelt to pick up a shoe that she saw the note on the pillow. Jennifer would not be returned unless the sum of fifty thousand dollars was placed at the foot of the old well south of town two days from now.