Daniel's Desire Read Online Free PDF

bed.”
    He pulled out the pink and white flowered lidded bowl and handed the container to her. “I’ll send Chandler in to help you.”
    Rosemarie nodded once, her face hot with mortification.
    She took care of her business, and winced with pain as she climbed back into bed with her son’s help. Chandler left as she settled in.
    A wave of exhaustion washed over her as she rested against the pillow. No matter how embarrassing the situation, she had to trust the Reb enough to let him stay a day or so. She was tired. So very tired. Her eyes drifted closed.
    • • •
    Several minutes after Chandler had returned from Rosemarie’s room, Daniel tapped on the door. No answer. He turned the knob, then peeked into the room. Rosemarie lay on the bed, eyes closed, her chest moving softly up and down. He moved closer and rested the backs of his fingers on her forehead. The fever had returned, along with a slight flush to her cheeks.
    “Is Ma okay?” Chandler stood outside the door, the rifle clutched in his hands.
    “She’s sleeping right now. Where are your brother and sister?”
    “They’re asleep on the floor in the parlor.” He laid the gun on the floor. “Should I carry them in here to sleep with Ma?”
    “No. Having them all together might seem like a good way to keep warm, but I’m afraid they might roll into your ma and hurt her leg.”
    “Ma keeps some extra blankets in there.” He pointed to a long maple chest at the foot of Rosemarie’s bed.
    “Good. Fetch a couple of blankets to cover Amelia and Jace. Then you and I will be off.”
    Chandler raced to do as he asked.
    Daniel covered Rosemarie and studied her for a moment. So delicate, how could she keep the farm going alone? Even with her paleness, and the dark circles under her eyes, she was a pretty woman.
    A rosebud mouth, high cheekbones, and dark lashes rested against her fever-flushed cheeks. The long braid of brown and gold had loosened. Wouldn’t she be surprised to have him offer to brush and rebraid her hair? He’d oftentimes done that for his stepmother when she suffered one of her headaches.
    He’d been overcome with anger when he visited his family’s horse ranch a couple of years ago, when his regiment had marched through Virginia.
    His stepmother had sold the McCoy land — his birthright. He’d tracked her down to a decrepit boarding house where she was living out her last days, suffering from consumption. It didn’t take much for him to forgive her when she’d explained how, with both sons gone, she had to sell the land to pay the taxes. The tiny bit left from the sale barely kept a roof over her head and food in her stomach.
    When he realized what little thought he and his brother had given to his stepmother when they both rushed off to war, anxious to prove themselves as men, guilt consumed him.
    He’d held her hand and kissed her dry cheek before returning to the battle. Knowing it was the last time he’d see her, he left her bedside with tears standing in his eyes. His land gone, his stepmother hovering near death, and his brother fighting with the enemy. It took weeks to work out the depression that had descended.
    He shoved the memories to the back of his mind and joined Chandler waiting impatiently on the porch. They headed down the steps, the rifle clutched in Daniel’s hand.
    Once behind the cleared area of the house and past the grove of pear and apple trees, they entered a heavily wooded section of land. Large elm and oak trees provided shade from the meager winter sun.
    “What kind of animals are we huntin’?” Chandler skipped alongside him, his warm breath visible in the cold air.
    “Since it’s late in the day, I think we’ll be lucky to get a couple of rabbits.” He smiled at the boy. “Do you like rabbit stew?”
    “Yes, sir. Mama fixes that a lot. Pa used to bring home heaps of rabbits.”
    “What else did he hunt?”
    “Deer, mostly. Once he shot a pig, but Ma said it probably belonged to Mr. Macey,