Chapter VII:
In the end, she'd had mercy on him and allowed
him to ride back in the carriage with her. It was funny, a few
years ago he wouldn't have been caught dead in something like
that. White horses, and carriages covered in flowers just weren't
his thing. She'd said that they weren't always that... girly, but
most of the normal carriages had to be used in the war, leaving
the town itself with the leftovers. That didn't make him like the
ride any better.
Of course... there was one good aspect of it
all. He had the chance to watch Marie closely. She concentrated
on the scenery, leaving him free to look without getting caught.
Or so he thought, anyway. He started at the top and worked his
way down, it was the way he always studied people. Two features
stood out more than anything else; her eyes, and her hair. Well,
the auburn coloring of her locks wasn't anything to pay attention
to, but the white shock of hair between them certainly drew you
in. He wondered if they were natural, or if she somehow had it
done.
Her eyes were large, but then, many women had
large puppy eyes. He cocked his head slightly and wondered what
it was that made you notice them. The dark, striking, deep green
coloring certainly was a compliment to the rest of her. At first
glance, they looked like normal, every day eyes. He'd seen plenty
to know that. But then, when you looked deeper, you saw the
sadness. And it made him curious as to what could have put it
there. Her mutation could have added to it. After all, he was
sure after years without any physical human contact, anyone could
be deeply effected by it. But that wasn't it, not entirely
anyway.
Abandoning the question of her eyes for the
time being, he let his own wander further down the way. The dress
she was wearing definitely flattering to the rest of her, even if
he didn't say so out loud. He skipped the obvious parts that men
generally wanted to study, granting that he'd have time for that
later on, until his eyes fell upon her hands, folded properly in
her lap. He couldn't help the half grin that grew, as he saw her
legs crossed. Glancing up at her face, he waited to be sure that
she was looking anywhere but at him, then shifted slightly in his
seat to get a better view.
Sitting half slumped, it suddenly occured to
him how ridiculous he must look to anyone watching them pass by.
When his eyes fell upon their intended target, he forgot that
realization and grinned a little more. With her legs crossed the
way they were, he could just barely see up her skirt.
"Enjoying the view?"
"Yup." A minute later he realized
that it wasn't the driver asking, as he'd thought, but Marie
herself. He didn't even think twice about the voice. That is,
until Marie suddenly uncrossed her legs and pulled her skirt down
some. That was when he realized she'd been the one talking to
him. He remained in the position he had been in for a moment,
wondering how he could possibly get out of this situation without
looking like a complete idiot. Seeing none, he straightened his
back and folded his arms over his chest and looked into her face.
Her lips were pursed tightly, and after the
surprise wore off, he noticed she was trying not to laugh. Not
only that, but she had a faint pink coloring in her otherwise
pale cheeks. He kept up the gaze, wanting to see her smile and
blush a little more. Nonchalantly, he stretched some and cocked
his head again. "Of course... I'd enjoy it a lot more if you
could move your skirt up just an inch more..."
"Logan!" Her eyes grew wide and she
blushed a deep scarlet color at his comment. Desired effect
granted, he grinned and leaned back, against the seat, always
watching her. His good nature was spoiled only when they reached
the hospital again. "From now on, your gaze wanders
silently, understand? We get caught talkin' an' actin' like this,
an' Ah'll be shipped home on tha next boat."
"Yes ma'am!" He saluted her again and
allowed the driver to help him back into the wheelchair. True, he
felt utterly ridiculous in the chair, because at the same time,
he appeared useless. Mind you, anyone who said that to his face
would have a personal introduction to all three adamantium claws.
A sharp "Miss Marie!" turned his
attention away from her and to a small, portly woman waddling out
toward the two of them. Her face was etched with concern, her
hands wringing the life out of the bottom half of her apron. At
closer inspection, one could see small spots of blood splattered
over the nurse calling for Marie.
"What is it Betsy?"
"Bed number 7, Miss Marie. He's hurting
real bad..." At mention of the patient, Logan saw her face
fall slightly, and for a moment he knew she was caught trying to
figure out what to do.
"Betsy, please help this man to his bed.
Floor 2, bed 3." Without a parting word to Logan, he watched
her move swiftly into the hospital, and Betsy took hold of his
wheelchair. He wanted to growl and push her aside, saying he
could do it himself. But he remained calm, letting her take him
back to bed.
"What's wrong with the guy?"
"Excuse me?" He took in a slow deep
breath, trying to control the impatience this woman had
pushed him to without even doing anything. He wasn't sure why he
was so touchy suddenly, especially since it was a small nurse as
his apparent enemy.
"I said... what is wrong, with the
guy?"
"What guy, sir?" He clenched the arm
rests on his wheelchair, watching as his knuckles turned to a
white color. "Oh! You mean the man Miss Marie is
helping?"
"Yeees!" He could feel her flinch
from his sarcasm, and he muttered a gruff apology under his
breath.
"I'm not permitted to say sir."
"Well, why's he need HER then? Can't
somebody else do it?"Amazing how he suddenly sounded like
such a spoiled child.
"I suppose someone else could. But he's so
very fond of her. And she seems to like him fine."
"Oh is that right?" He mocked her
perky tone, though she wasn't aware of it. She just assumed he
was a cheerful person and laughed.
"Yes. Now, I didn't tell you this, but...
she does seem to spend quite a bit of time with him. And I heard
he asked her to marry him! Why... if she wasn't his nurse I
should think she would have accepted!" Funny how, until
prompted and asked the right questions, she wasn't at liberty to
speak about other patients to him.
"Really? Isn't that grand?" His good
mood was dissipating at a faster rate now. Damn her for leading
him on like that. And damn himself for believing the bull she was
feeding him.
"Do you need anything?" A beer would
be nice.
"No." Noticing his slowly changing
mood, she was quick to dismiss herself. A permanent scowl
imprinted on his face, he folded his arms and watched the door,
waiting for Marie to come to him. There were a few things he had
to get off his chest.