Tempting a Texan Page 15

  “Is that better?” His fingers massaged the muscles there, then threaded through the tangled curls.

  “Um…yes.” It was an effort to speak, and she wondered whether she’d be awake to greet the clergyman when he arrived, so great was the lethargy that swooped down upon her.

  The sound of voices roused her, and her eyes opened to see a kindly face above her. “I understand you’ve been having quite a day.” The minister’s words were soft, his expression sympathetic. “I brought my wife along to be a witness, if you don’t mind,” he said to Nicholas, who nodded his agreement. “I think we’ll skip the odds and ends and get right to the important parts,” the gentleman said. “I don’t think this young lady is up to a long ceremony.”

  Lin repeated a few choice phrases, obeying the instructions given, and then felt Nicholas take her hand and slide a cool, metal circle on her finger. He bent to press his lips against her forehead and placed her hand beneath the quilt once more.

  “Was that my wedding kiss?” Her tongue seemed thick, her voice too soft to be heard, but Nicholas’s response let her know he’d deciphered the words.

  “Would you like me to try again?”

  “Please.” His lips touched hers, a soft, undemanding caress that elicited a murmur of pleasure.

  “I’ll do better later on, sweet,” he promised, whispering the words in her ear. And then he was gone, the voices moving beyond the room and down the stairs. She lifted her hand from beneath the covers and touched her lips with one finger, there, where so recently his own had lingered.

  “I’m married.” The words were barely audible, and she wondered for a moment if perhaps she’d dreamed the whole thing. Her eyelids lifted just far enough for her to peer at the ring finger of her left hand, and she caught her breath in wonder.

  Somewhere, Nicholas had found a wide gold band, a wedding ring.

  She slept, awakening once to feel his hands touching her, lifting her head above the pillow, coaxing her with a spoon of liquid. Water. She relished the cool taste and murmured beneath her breath.

  “More?” he asked, offering the spoon again. “Your mouth looks sore. Can you drink from a glass?”

  “Um…” The sound was faint, but he apparently heard, for in seconds he was holding a water glass to her lips. They were indeed sore, she found, and then recalled the hand that had closed against her mouth with rough pressure, lest she cry out and attract attention. The thug had apparently bruised the soft tissue inside her lips. Her body felt battered from head to toe, and she groaned as she shifted in the bed.

  “The doctor left a sedative for you, to help with the pain, but Katie said you’d do as well with a tea she knows of. Would you try a little?”

  She nodded, more awake and aware of her surroundings. The windows reflected back the interior of the room. “It’s dark out,” she whispered, careful not to move her lips as she spoke. Looking up at him, she attempted a smile and failed miserably. It hurt too much.

  “Tea, please,” she said, trusting that Katie would know just the thing to give her.

  “She’s making it now,” he said, easing his arm from beneath her neck, making her comfortable against the pillows. Beside the bed was an easy chair, one he’d apparently carried from another room. He settled back in it now, peaking his fingers and watching her closely, as if she might explode should he take his eyes from her.

  “I’ve been worried,” he said quietly. “You slept a long time. The doctor dropped by and poked his head in the door. He told me you’d no doubt sleep the day away, but I kept wanting you to wake, so I could be sure you were all right.”

  “I’m fine,” she said, and indeed, she discovered that she could move a bit without groaning. By tomorrow she’d be fit as a fiddle, perhaps.

  An awareness of pain in her back caught her attention, burning like the very dickens where bandages covered the sore spots. Her arm ached, too, as if she’d been slammed against a wall. Or a wagon bed. And at that remembrance, she shuddered.

  But she was alive, and Nicholas was here beside her and he’d married her. Unless that, too, was a dream. One to match the others that had marched through her head during the hours when sleep had overtaken her so completely. She lifted her left hand and blinked, concentrating on the shiny circle on her ring finger.

  “Where’d you get the ring?”

  “I bought it several years ago.”

  “Who for?” She felt a stirring in her chest that might be jealousy, she decided. If she was wearing a ring intended for another woman, he could just take it back. She’d go without before she stooped to being second choice.

  As if he sensed her agitation, he shifted from the easy chair to settle on the side of the bed, reaching to hold the hand wearing his token. “I bought it in the city, before I ever came to Texas. It was a foolish thing, a spur-of-the-moment idea. I thought if I ever found a woman I wanted to marry, I’d be ready.”

  He grinned and she thought, for the first time, that he possessed the soul of a dreamer. Why else would he buy a wedding ring for a woman who might never materialize?

  “It fits,” she murmured, turning her hand, watching as the lamp light reflected from the shiny surface. “You got the right size.”

  He smiled, the expression softening the lines of his face, thawing the stern look of worried eyes. “Maybe it was meant to be, you and me coming together the way we did. I just guessed at the size. The jeweler thought I was out of my mind as it was, buying a wedding ring for a woman I’d yet to choose as my bride.”

  “Hmm.” Her hand felt heavy, her arm weary and she allowed it to drop to her side. “I didn’t look to marry you, Nicholas.”

  He bent and kissed her forehead. “You weren’t exactly what I had in mind, Lin. I have to admit I’d considered the idea of a wife I could tuck away and show off on occasion, sort of a trophy I might win if I succeeded in life.” He lifted a length of curls from her pillow. “And then you walked into my office at the bank, and everything I’d planned went out the door like Katie’s wash water.”

  He looked up as a movement at the door caught his eye. “And here she is now,” he said, rising to take the tray from Katie’s hands. “Is Amanda in bed?”

  “No. She won’t hear of it until she sees for herself that Linnie is safe and sound. She’s poked her head in the door half a dozen times today, miss, and you’ve slept away the whole of the afternoon, right into evening. Do you feel like waving to her?”

  “Send her in,” Lin said, looking toward the door with anticipation. “Is she all right? She wasn’t hurt?”

  “No. She took a nap and got up full of vinegar, just like always,” Katie said. “I’ve heard nothing all day but how brave you were, miss, and how those bad men mistreated you. The little one is about worried to death.”

  Lin watched as Amanda slipped through the doorway and approached, eyes wary, as if she were not accustomed to seeing her stalwart nanny lying abed.

  “Are you bleeding?” she asked. “There was blood on your dress before, Linnie. Katie said my uncle Nicholas fixed you up just fine, but I don’t like it when you get hurt.” She edged closer and bent toward Lin. “Katie said you got married to—” her index finger pointed toward Nicholas, settled once more in the chair “—to him. Did you really?”

  “She really did, Amanda,” Nicholas said, his eyes dancing as if he withheld laughter. “Come and sit on my lap for a moment and we’ll tell you about it. Or at least I will. I think your Linnie is about worn out.”

  Amanda went to him, relief alive on her vibrant features. “I’m so glad. Does that mean that we’ll all live together from now on?”

  “Yes, that’s exactly right,” Nicholas told her. “In a few days, Lin will be feeling right as rain and we’ll have a party to celebrate. Would you like that?”

  The child clapped her hands with enthusiasm. “Oh, yes. And I’ll help Katie make stuff to eat.”

  Lin closed her eyes, weary from the commotion, fearful of tears flowing from beneath her lashes, l
est she frighten Amanda, yet unable to work up much excitement for the events of the day. Nicholas whispered words she didn’t even attempt to understand, and in moments the door closed, almost silently, as though someone had very carefully turned the handle to suppress the sound.

  The bed moved as he joined her again. “Drink the tea, love,” he said quietly, and she roused herself to obey. It had cooled and she drank it quickly.

  “Are you hungry?” he asked and she shook her head, aware of the pain the movement caused. “All right, then. I’ll settle the house for the night and be right back.”

  He left and Lin closed her eyes. He’d no doubt sit in the chair all night, and she felt a pang of guilt for his discomfort. She should tell him to use her room, since he’d given over his own for her comfort.

  A movement of the mattress beneath her roused her again, and in the dark she heard his whisper. “Shh, it’s only me, love. I’m shifting you over a bit to make room.”

  “For what?” she asked, floundering as his arms lifted her and placed her on a cool spot on the sheet. “What—”

  “I’m sorry,” Nicholas said. “I tried not to wake you. I just needed more room than you left for me.”

  Even now, he was beside her, covering them both with the sheet, arranging it to his satisfaction as he bent over her prone form. “I won’t bother you,” he told her. “I just need to be here where I can watch over you.”

  “What’s wrong with the chair?” she muttered, aghast at the thought of sleeping in the same bed with a man.

  “It’s my bed,” he reminded her.

  “I’ll sit in the chair, then,” she said, struggling to sit up. It was no use. Between his strong arm across her middle and the pain that surged through her head, she was no match for his determination. Head back on the pillow, she looked away from him, feeling the tears begin again.

  “Are you crying?” he asked softly, lifting on one elbow to peer down at her. “Damn it all, Lin. We’re married. I don’t have to apologize for sleeping in the same bed with you. Especially since it’s my bed, and not six hours ago you promised to love, honor and obey me.”

  “I was leaving this morning,” she whispered, the events of the day flooding her mind with a kaleidoscope of color and sound that seemed almost intimidating, given her state of body and mind.

  “You wouldn’t have gotten far. I was on my way home to change your mind when all this happened. I’d have hunted you down, no matter where you went,” he told her. And then his strong arms enfolded her, one sliding beneath her neck to provide support to her aching head, the other turning her to face him, careful not to handle the bruised and battered parts of her body.

  He was cross as an old bear, she thought, and yet he was gentle, as caring of her as if she were a child and he the father who doted on her. The thought gave her comfort.

  “This isn’t the way I’d planned on spending my wedding night,” he whispered in her ear. “I’m having a hard time being patient, Lin, but in a day or two, when you’ve recovered enough, I’ll make up for it.”

  Her eyes opened wide, and she looked up, barely able to see any details in the light from the window. His mouth touched hers, a soft, gentle caress that soothed her sore lips, passion set aside for tonight.

  Then one large, wide palm settled at her throat and he undid the buttons of her gown. Long fingers slid through the opening he’d created and in an instant, his hand cupped her breast. Carefully, tenderly, as if he cherished the firm, full weight.

  “Nicholas?” She whispered his name, and he shushed her with a soft murmur. How she would ever sleep with his masculine body beside her was a problem, she decided. How she could think of anything but the warmth of his palm, the pressure of fingers clasping that feminine part of her, was another puzzle. And yet, her eyes closed and she was aware only of his breathing, his scent, the length of his leg beside hers, and the feeling of safety and security his presence offered.

  New York City

  “The fools are in jail.” Vincent Preston slapped the single sheet of paper against the surface of his desk and spoke vile utterances that obviously offended the man before him. “I sent two of them to handle one child and a puny woman and they ended up in the jailhouse of a speck on the map in Texas.”

  “You were dealing with a former U.S. marshal, sir,” the gentleman said harshly. “I think you underestimated your quarry.”

  “The uncle was a lawman? I thought he owned a bank.”

  “Not the uncle, but the sheriff in the town. A good friend of the banker, I understand. And the woman and child were under their joint protection. Those two hooligans didn’t stand a chance.”

  “And can you do better?” Vincent’s eyes shot fury across the room to where his visitor lounged in a chair, obviously not impressed by his temper.

  “For a price.” His mouth settled into a smug smile, and the well-clad businessman rose. “It’s up to you to pay the price, Mr. Preston. Then I’ll begin the negotiations.”

  “Are you sure you have the judge in your pocket?”

  “Try me.” Spoken with confidence, the words were a challenge, one Vincent could not ignore.

  “I expect to see the child in my parlor within two weeks’ time. With or without the nursemaid.”

  “Witnesses are not a good idea, sir,” his visitor said bluntly. “The lady will be left behind, and it will be to her advantage if she sees nothing of the transaction when the child comes into our possession.”

  “Get a court date, then, and locate the child.”

  With a nod of agreement, the visitor left. Vincent stood, stalking to the window, where he gazed out upon the street below. Irene had thought to leave him empty-handed, but he’d have the child and money both before he was done. And sole ownership of his business. The woman had lied and connived and cheated him. Revenge would be sweet, he decided.

  He hoped the girl resembled her mother.

  Chapter Ten

  “Something went on at the jail last night.” Cleary stood in Nicholas’s office, his face set in lines that measured his concern. “I found horse tracks around the back and footprints leading right up to the window.”

  “Were the bars intact?” Nicholas asked. The two men waiting in that cell had been much on his mind this morning, and the thought that they might find a way of escape made it imperative that they be dealt with rapidly. Though Cleary excelled at his position in Collins Creek, there were ways of challenging the system here, where so little crime existed and the facilities were less than foolproof.

  “Yeah, I checked that out.” Cleary frowned. “I sure as hell hate the thought of parking my backside in my office every night till we hear from a judge as to what those two will be finally be charged with. I figure I’ll have to ship them off to Dallas for trial, but in the meantime Gussie isn’t going to like it one little bit when I tell her I’ll be standing guard instead of coming home.”

  The thought of the petite, golden-haired woman giving Cleary a hard time made Nicholas come near to smiling, and then he subsided, registering the lawman’s grim features. Considering the night to come, Cleary might be in need of a backup. “Are they sending a marshal? Will he arrive today, maybe?”

  Cleary shrugged. “Who knows when the red tape will be cut and they’ll get a man out here? But it should be any time now. Kidnapping is a serious offense. I’d think there’ll be a couple of men here shortly. They won’t send just one for this job.”

  Nicholas leaned back in his chair, the primitive sense of justice he favored in this case almost overwhelming his better instincts. “I’m all for a hanging,” he said shortly. “I’ll even spring for a couple of new ropes.”

  “Don’t let that news get out and around,” Cleary warned him. “You’ll shoot your classy image all to hell and back, Nick.” His mouth twisted in a grin of recognition as he surveyed his friend. “That’s the alley rat in you comin’ out, you know.”

  “I can see I never should have confided my beginnings to you, Sheriff.” Good hum
or overcame his quick temper for a moment as Nicholas eyed the lawman. “These folks think I’m a gentleman. I’d hate to let them in on the facts of the matter. They’d never trust me with their money.”

  “Well, you’ve got my share in that safe in the back room.” Cleary moved from the doorway and settled into a chair. “Not that there’s much to brag about. But Gussie trusts you, and we both know she’s got a dandy nest egg. I won’t let the cat out of the bag, Nick. Your secret’s safe with me.”

  “Why don’t you get yourself a deputy?” Nicholas asked, reverting to the sober frown he’d been wearing during the past two days. “I’d come down tonight and take turns patrolling the place, but I need to stay with Amanda and Lin. I’m afraid to let them out of my sight. I almost stayed home again today, but Lin was beginning to suspect my motives, and I don’t want her worrying.”

  “I think we need to talk about this,” Cleary said, stretching his long legs before him and crossing his ankles. His slouch suggested relaxation, but the sharp look he sent Nicholas’s way denied that theory. “It’s not safe here for your womenfolk, Nick.”

  “You’ve got a better idea?”

  Cleary nodded. “I know of a place about forty or fifty miles north from here. There’s a ranch house and outbuildings, sittin’ a ways off the road, on about a thousand acres, give or take a few. Lots of meadow and pastureland, and not far out of town. The folks who own it moved on and the place is empty.”

  “I’d lay odds you own it,” Nicholas said without hesitation. “You planning on moving?” he asked, recognizing Cleary’s line of thought.

  “No, not for some time probably, but I’d like to see you and your family put down some temporary roots there. Just for a few weeks, maybe, till this thing is cleared up.”