Wanted

By E. Jamie

 The Civil War is over and Mara Aubrey has returned to her beloved home in Virginia to find that everything has changed. One change Mara finds she doesn't mind at all is the addition of their new field hand Colin Beaudine, a sexy cowboy whose blue eyes hold the promise of pleasures Mara can't imagine.

Mara is used to bending men to her will. Colin is used to women who revel in submitting to him.

Has he finally met his match in the spoiled plantation owner's daughter or is Mara brave enough to learn everything that Colin wants to teach her?

• Language: English
• Publisher: E. Jamie
• Release date: May 4, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223059486

Book preview

For Jessie who gave me Colin Beaudine’s name

Chapter One

Abingdon, Virginia , 1867

The second Mara laid eyes on him, something dark and hungry stirred deep in her soul. She wanted him. She leaned against the stage coach as the driver helped her aunt Chloe down. Mara’s attention stayed on the field hands working in the corral in front of the house.

He was new. She watched him silently as he led one of the horses through the stone arch toward the stables. He moved with smooth purpose, long legs clad in brown trousers. She gave a little start when he turned suddenly, having apparently sensed her eyes on him. He was too far away to tell, but Mara could swear the corner of his mouth turned up and he touched his beige cowboy hat briefly before turning away.

He hadn’t been here when she had left before the war. Her parents had sent her overseas to Paris when war was declared, fearing for her safety. She had wanted to stay and help protect their land from those interfering Yankees, but her parents wouldn’t hear of it. They stayed behind and her brother Ty had gone on to fight and die in battle.

Now, she was all that her parents had left. It made her dread that they would coddle and restrain her even more than they had when she was a child. Well, she was eighteen now, a grown woman, and she would simply have to make them understand that.

Her parents came rushing out of the house and tears immediately stung her eyes. Mara tried to blink them back. God, she had missed them so, missed her home, her town, her life here.

Her mother Claire wrapped her arms around her and squeezed tight. Oh, darling, it’s so wonderful to have you home again!

Mara buried her face in her mother’s shoulder and sighed with a shaky exhale. The sweet smell of her mother brought such a feeling of comfort. It’s so good to be home.

You must tell us all about Paris. Chloe, welcome back. Thank you for taking such good care of our little girl. Claire hugged her sister-in-law while Mara moved on to her father, Jack.

He looked older to her, older than the six years since they had been apart. She knew it was an aging brought on by great hardship.

Mara hugged and kissed him and turned back to look at the house. It was so wonderful to be home. The wide two-story white mansion with its warm burgundy roof stood as majestic as ever. She had feared that the Union soldiers would have laid waste to her beloved house, but her mother had assured her that the house had been spared any irreparable damage. The reason, she learned from a later letter, was because the soldiers had taken over the house for their own use, allowing her parents to live there as long as they didn’t interfere.

She scowled as she looked up at the window of her bedroom. Had they used that room for anything? She hoped the staff had disinfected the whole house.

We have Selma preparing a wonderful dinner in celebration of yours and dear Chloe’s return.

Selma is still here? Mara asked in pleasant surprise.

Claire smiled at her as they made their way into the house, her arm wrapped around Mara.

She chose to stay. Lincoln’s emancipation was all fine and good for those poor slaves being brutalized, but Selma and her husband Dwight and a few of our slaves chose to stay on. We’re repaying their loyalty with a small salary. It’s not much now because things haven’t been easy since the war, but don’t you worry, things will get better.

Jack turned and smiled at his wife, sharing a knowing wink with his daughter as they moved through the white arched hallway.

Her mother was the eternal optimist. Mara had no doubt that her mother’s will was strong enough to return their home and their ranch to its former glory. She liked to think she had inherited her parents’ strength and she would certainly do her best to help.

The cotton industry was understandably suffering. Mara imagined even with those slaves who stayed with them out of loyalty or necessity, their labour force had dwindled considerably. Her family dealt mostly in tobacco and horses, but they did have some dealings with the cotton plantations. Once she had a chance to rest, she would go out into the fields to get a better feel for what they were dealing with.

Hopefully, she would also get another look at the man who had commanded her attention. A warm shiver moved just beneath her skin at the thought of him. He’d stood tall, well over six feet, with dark hair visible beneath his hat. She was looking forward to getting a better look.

The men in Paris had been handsome and oozed sexuality, but it had been a different sexuality from the man she had seen today. His had the promise of a raw, natural sensuality, as if it was a primal part of his maleness as opposed to the cloak the French men put on to seduce and beguile her.

Not that she had allowed it. Oh no, Mara thought with a smile as she stopped at the foot of the stairs to her old bedroom. She had enjoyed the teasing game with the French men, and they had most certainly enjoyed it, but she had stopped short of giving away her virginity, not deeming them worthy of such a gift.

But this man, this nameless worker? Hmm, he most definitely had potential to be worthy enough.

Dwight came toward them, ready to take Mara and her aunt’s bags with a welcoming smile. Dwight! How are you? I’m so happy you and Selma have decided to stay on.

He nodded, his wide face and deep set brown eyes looking at her with the warmth of one who helped raise her. Fine, Miss Mara. Just fine. My Selma and I are happy enough to stay on as the Mr. and Mrs. have always been good to us. With the money we is being able to save now, I’m hoping to build my Selma and I a fine house.

Oh, close by, I hope? Mara asked, following him up the stairs.

Mr. Jack has been kind enough to loan me a spot of land right on the ranch and we be starting building at the end of the year.

How exciting! You must show me just the spot, she insisted as he set the bags outside her bedroom door.

A slim black woman came rushing toward them with a smile. Miss Mara, how good to have you back!

Penny! Mara smiled in delight, opening the door to let the young maid carry the bags into her bedroom after Dwight nodded and turned back to the stairs. Oh I had hoped you would still be here! She wrapped her arms around the young woman who was only a few years older than herself. Before her parents instilled in her the idea that it was no longer proper, as she was becoming a young woman, to do so, they had played together on the Aubrey plantation.

I’s free to stay or go as I please, thanks to Mr. Lincoln, may the good lord bless his soul. I choose to stay as me ma and pa do. We’s do what we can for Master Jack and your mamma. It ain’t been easy for them.

Mara felt a nervous lump in her throat as she watched Penny set the bags on her bed. Yes, my mother wrote me of the troubles they have been having.

They sure be having their share of that. she nodded. Rebels came and made off with half your horses in a barn fire a few months back.

Mara blinked. Southerners? Our very own people? That’s why my mother originally told me it was too dangerous to come back.

She probably thought it best to keep you back in Paris ’til these folks calmed down and got down to the business of starting over.

Mara got to her feet and started helping Penny unpack her clothes just to give herself a distraction from her now troubled thoughts. She had to know the full extent of what her parents had tried to protect her from. She held a pale pink Princess gown, her favorite Paris acquisition, against her body. How bad are things?

Penny looked at her uneasily and shrugged.

Penny, Mara pressed. I consider you a friend. I always have. Please.

The other woman sighed. Bad. They’s blown up the railroad so food and other supplies can’t get in. Lotsa poorer folks is starving. Here at Aubrey, you’ve got only four horses left in the new barn and, well...

Mara’s head spun as she fell on the bed, stunned. Four? From the fifteen they’d had before she had been sent to Paris.

And us that stayed behind had our hands full with the tobacco crops so Master Jack had to hire on men to help in the field and with the horses.

Mara’s head went to the window and she thought again about the man she had seen. Her stomach fluttered, distracted from her worry by the image of him standing outside. She wanted to get a closer look at him. Would he still be out there? She bit her lip and moved to the window. How many people did we lose? He was no longer there and Mara felt a twinge of disappointment.

Twenty. Not counting the little ones.

That brought her attention sharply away from the window. So there’s only...you, your parents, along with Dwight and Selma? Ben left?

Sadness filled Penny’s dark eyes and she nodded slowly.

Mara moved back toward her. Oh, Penny. I’m sorry.

Penny lifted her chin, but Mara saw her blink back tears and she couldn’t help admire the young woman’s bravery. She had loved Ben very much and before Mara had left, she knew he and Penny had hoped to marry some day. He was a free man. He wanted to make his own way and that meant getting away from here. He couldn’t stay. I understood.

But you didn’t go with him?

Penny exhaled. My parents wanted to stay and I understood why. How much worse off would Master Jack and Mrs. Claire be if we left? They treat us good. We wouldn’t repay them by running off. No matter how hard it be.

Mara felt tears spring to her eyes and she took Penny’s hand. Thank you for staying to help my mother and father.

Penny squeezed her shoulder. Let me get these clothes put away for you and I let you rest from your long journey.

She was about to protest that she wanted to know more about her parents’ situation, but a yawn betrayed her.

Penny gave a soft laugh. That’s right. Don’t try and argue.

Mara pressed a hand to her mouth and got to her feet. Well, let me give you a hand putting these away. I, of course, did much too much shopping and... Oh...I wish my parents had told me how bad things were. I wouldn’t have spent so much if I had known. She shook her head and looked at the numerous gowns and underclothes being pulled from her cases and bags.

May be why they didn’t tell you. Master Jack’s mighty proud, you know. He do what need be doin’. Hiring on more folks to get this place back on its feet and he saw no need to be troublin’ you.

Mara vowed then that she would do what she could to help her father and mother return this place to its former glory.

SHE MADE HER WAY TO the barn the next morning after her father had assured her at breakfast that her favorite horse, Adonis, still remained with them.

Adonis bucked wildly when he saw her and Mara laughed in delight. Missed me, did you?

The horse neighed enthusiastically.

She stroked his black head lovingly. Well, you don’t seem to have suffered too much in my absence, have you?

Rebs took his mare away, a deep male voice spoke behind her, startling her.

Mara whirled around with a shocked cry and felt a jolt of electricity when she realized she was now face to face with him. The field hand she had seen yesterday.

Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you like that. Thought you’d have heard me mucking out Barron’s stall.

He towered over her at well above six feet and Mara found herself short of breath while she took in the utter male beauty of him. His dark hair came just below his neck with a soft wave and had a lush fullness that made Mara’s fingers twitch with the urge to slide into it. His blue eyes held hers, making her pulse race through blood which seemed to grow thicker in her veins. Curved, slightly full lips were framed by a stubbled jaw and cheeks. Mara unconsciously licked her lips, wondering what it would feel like to kiss that mouth.

She saw something flicker there in his eyes, an awareness of a pulse of lust that suddenly surged between them. Mara had to look away quickly before she took complete leave of her senses and pressed herself against the hard-muscled wall of his smooth bare chest.

I...I...suppose I would have heard you if Adonis hadn’t made such a to-do.

You’re right. He seems to be thrilled you’re back.

How long have you been here? Working here, I mean, she asked.

Just a few months. Your father hired me on back in March to help fix up the barn. Kept me on ’cause I’m good with the horses. Colin Beaudine. He extended his hand to her.

It was a strong-looking hand. Not too large, though Mara knew it would certainly dwarf her own slim fingers. She shivered as she imagined those long, work-roughened fingers moving over her body. Mara, she replied, willing her breath to not catch as she tried to speak past the tightness in her throat. The touch of his skin against hers sent her breath out of her body in a shaky exhale and her heart pounded in her ears. His hand was warm and thick over hers. She forced herself to smile past her own nervousness. I’m sure you know I spent the past six years in Paris. It’s wonderful to be home.

He nodded. Ain’t never been overseas, though got family somewhere in Ireland, I think. Can’t imagine a more beautiful place than right here, though.

She wondered if perhaps he meant Virginia itself or right here chatting with her. So, you’re in Abingdon by yourself? She smiled at him to let him know that she was well aware of the electricity between them. It almost sent her senses spinning. She was determined to master the surge of emotions barreling through her and keep things on a more controllable footing. Her smile wavered when she saw him stiffen and the light in his eyes seemed to flicker out.

Did I say— Mara began to ask and could have kicked herself when she realized that he may have lost people in the war.

No, he assured her quickly, though his face remained rigid. Of course not. It’s all fine. Just...well, I really should be getting back to work if I want to have time to head on over to MacGuire’s as your pa ordered me to—

Mara stepped forward and placed a hand on his arm, a shiver going through her at the tight, corded muscle evident beneath the skin, her palm tickling over the soft dusting of dark hair. Please, you must forgive me if I said something that offended you. I... A sick fist of guilt tightened in her stomach. I sometimes forget myself and go on about things without thinking of the other person’s feelings. Did you lose someone in the war? My brother Ty died in battle. He was older than I am.

He...Colin...Mara let his name roll around like a warm ball in the center of her chest, still had his gaze on her hand on his arm and she lifted her eyes to him. Again, the hot pulse of awareness and Mara felt her whole body flush.

He took a step back. No need to apologize, miss. As I was saying, though, I really must get back to work.

Mara gave him a soft smile. Of course, Mr. Beaudine. Well, I’m very glad you’ve come to Aubrey.

Colin looked at her for a few seconds, then his smile quirked the corners of his mouth upward and he gave an amused snort before shaking his head. You have a nice day, Miss Aubrey.

As he turned away from her, she studied the strong muscles of his smooth back and the way they tapered down to a lean waist and led a very tempting tight behind in gray trousers. Lord above, but he’d tempt a saint head long into damnation, Mara thought, watching him walk back to the other stall.

Mara! She heard her mother call out from the house. She gave a sigh, and left the stable and the devilishly handsome Colin Beaudine.

Chapter Two

W ould you like to accompany your father and me on a trip into town? Claire asked, wrapping an arm around her as they walked back into the house. Your father wants to see if there is any lumber available and if there are any more people looking for work. We can do some shopping and visit with Tilly.

Mara smiled as she headed toward the stairs to change. Well, that is certainly the quickest way to let all of Abingdon know I’ve returned. Tilly Ludlow was the owner of one of the few shops still standing, as well as a notorious gossip.

Her mother grinned in agreement and patted her shoulder. We’ll have some nice cool tea in town. Lord knows we need it in this infernal heat.

The memory of a bare-chested Colin Beaudine filled Mara’s mind and her cheeks grew warm as she made her way back up to her bedroom.

Penny helped her change into a light summer gown, pale green with tiny daisies along the bodice and hem.