Julie Garwood - Come the Spring

cold in here."

"It's as hot as the inside of an oven, " she argued.

"Just close it." She stood up to do as he asked, then turned to him

once again. "Are you getting sick? " "No, I'm not, " he muttered.

"I'm just tired."

"You were hot a few minutes ago, and now you're cold." She sat down on

the bench beside him, squeezing herself in between the wall and his

side. Before he could stop her, she reached up and touched his brow

with the back of her hand. "You have a fever.

Daniel, I think you're getting influenza."

"Grace, go sit on your own bench and leave me alone. Please." She

moved back to her seat and sat there fretting about him. "Now I

understand why you're so surly.

You aren't feeling well." The train flew around another curve in the

tracks, the compartment swayed back and forth, and Daniel's stomach

felt as though it had just lurched out the window.

"I'm not surly, " he growled. "I said those things so you'd stay away

from me. It was stupid and cruel, and I shouldn't have done it, but

you need to keep your distance, Grace. That's just the way it is. Why

in God's name does this train have to go so fast? " "It isn't going

fast. It's slowing down, and how in heaven's name can I keep away from

you? We're locked in this compartment together, and you won't let me

out of your sight. What did I do to offend you so? " "Ah, hell,

Grace, you haven't done anything wrong. You're just so damned pretty

and sweet." She didn't know what to think. The words were flattering,

but the way he'd said them made them seem like accusations of some

sort. Why did the fact that he thought she was pretty and sweet anger

him?

"Daniel, you aren't making any sense at all." He could feel the bile

rising in his throat. He took a deep breath to try to keep his stomach

from overturning. "Look, it's real simple."

"It is? " she asked quietly.

"Yes, " he growled. "I haven't wanted any woman since my wife, but

lately . . . since I met you anyway, I've . . . " She waited for him

to continue, then gave in and prodded him. "You what? " He figured he

had about fifteen seconds, at the most, to make it to the washroom at

the end of the car. He bolted for the door.

"I want you, Grace. Now do you get it? Lock the door behind me, and

don't let anyone in." She was so stunned she couldn't move. He roared

her name to get her to do what he wanted, then stood outside the door

until he heard the bolt clicking into place.

He made it to the washroom the first time he threw up. He didn't make

it all of the other times. He threw up on the floor and in the bucket

the porter brought in to him. He thought he might have thrown up on

Grace too, but he hoped to God he had imagined that. He did know he'd

never felt this awful in his whole life. The illness drained every

ounce of strength from his body. He could barely lift his head, and no

matter how many blankets Grace covered-him with, he couldn't seem to

get warm.

Grace fixed a bed for him. She sat with him all through the night,

cradling his head in her lap, stroking his brow with cool, wet

compresses, and he was sure he would have rolled over and died if she

hadn't been there.

By midnight, he stopped throwing up and actually slept. She shook him

awake around dawn to tell him they had reached the station and needed

to change trains. He honestly didn't know how he managed to get from

one compartment to the other, and he was surprised when he saw that the

valises had also been transferred. Had she carried them? No, she

couldn't have. She had her hands full trying to hold him up. He had

been completely useless, and when he realized what an easy target she

had been while they were moving from one train to the other, he got

chills again.

As soon as the door was bolted behind him, he went back to sleep. He

woke up with his head in Grace's lap again. She was leaning against

the window, her eyes were closed, and she looked very peaceful and

serene.

He tried to be quiet so he wouldn't disturb her After he washed and

changed his shirt, he sat down on the bench across from her.

He noticed then that she had changed her clothes. She was wearing a

white blouse with a pretty brooch at her neck and a dark blue skirt.

She'd changed her shoes too. The ones she had on now matched her

skirt.

When had she had the time? he wondered, and why had she bothered?

"Good morning, Daniel. Are you feeling better today? " "Yes, I'm

feeling better. Did I wake you? " "No, I wasn't asleep. I was just

resting. You don't look like you feel better. Lean forward and let me

touch your brow."

"Don't fuss over me, Grace. I'm fine." She was totally unaffected by

his gruff manner. "Where have I heard that before? " "Heard what? "

"You kept telling me you were fine all through the night, but you

weren't fine, of course. Now lean forward.

" There was a thread of iron in her command, and Daniel ended up

obeying just to placate her. "You're a stubborn woman, " he

muttered.

She put the back of her hand against his forehead and frowned. "I just

can't tell, " she admitted. "If you have a fever, it isn't much. You

mustn't eat or drink anything yet, or you'll get sick again. You're

very fortunate." He leaned back against the cushions and crossed his

arms over his chest. "How's that? " "You have a mild case of

influenza. It could have been much worse.

Jessica was throwing up, off and on, for three days. I thought she was

going to die."

"I wanted to die last night, " he admitted. "By the way, thanks for

.

.

. you know."

"You're welcome." Curious, he asked, "Why did you change your

clothes?

Did I get them all wrinkled? I must have, " he added before she could

answer him. "Seems like a waste, though. No one's going to see you

but me."

"It was necessary."

"Why? " She let out a little sigh. "You threw up all over me."

"Ah, Grace, I'm sorry." She laughed. "Daniel, you didn't do it on

purpose."

"Did the porter help you . . . " He didn't finish the question because

she was shaking her head.

"I didn't let the porter come inside the compartment because you made

me promise not to let anyone in, remember? " "No, " he admitted. "I

don't remember. If he didn't come in, who cleaned up the floor? " "I

did." He looked miserable, and she was suddenly sorry she'd told him

the truth. "Why don't we talk about something else? " "Like what? "

"The weather, " she suggested.

"You're joking."

"It was all I could think of on the spur of the moment. Would you mind

if I opened the window and let some fresh air inside? " He got up and

opened the window for her. The breeze felt soothing against his

skin.

He sat down again and looked at her. "Do you want something to drink

or eat? " "Would you be able to stomach it if I ate in front of you?

" "Maybe you should wait a little while." Grace hadn't eaten anything

since yesterday morning, and even though she was starving, she nodded

her agreement. "I'll be happy to wait."

"Do you want a glass of water? I do."

"You're not going to have it, " she said in that commanding voice he

was beginning to dislike intensely.

"Why not? " "You know why not. You'll get sick again. I'm not in the

mood to clean up another mess."

"Now who's being surly? " He sounded like a bear. He resembled one

too with the day's growth of whiskers on his jaw. His hair was in

disarray, his shirttail was hanging out, and there was a definite

menacing quality about him now. Yet, she still thought he was

handsome.

He wanted her. She still couldn't seem to get past that remarkable

fact, and she really wished she could talk to him about it. She didn't

dare say a word, at least not while he was in his present irritable

mood. She supposed she would have to wait until later to bring up the

topic, and perhaps by then she would have figured out why his admission

had stunned her and left her breathless.

No, she wouldn't mention it now because it would be indelicate.

Daniel didn't have any such reservations. "About what I said yesterday

. . . " "And what was that? " "You know . . . that I wanted you. "

She folded her hands together. "You didn't mean it. Is that what you

want to tell me now? It was the fever talking."

"No, I meant it all right."

"You did? " she whispered, astounded that he was being so

forthright.

She had just given him an out, but he hadn't taken it.

"Yes, " he said. "I'm not going to do anything about it, though, so

don't let it go to your head." Her mouth dropped open. "Excuse me?

" she said.

Daniel realized he'd made a bit of a blunder when he saw the fire in

her eyes. "I just meant that I guess you could take what I said as a

compliment, but don't make too much out of it because I don't plan to

do anything about it."

"Oh, yes, it was a compliment all right. You told me you wanted me,