Temptation’s Tender Kiss

by French, Colleen

  Sterling scrambled for his pistol. "Get back, Reagan," he ordered.

  Before she could make her escape, Indian John lashed out, catching her arm. Brutally, he pulled her across the bed, putting it between him and Sterling.

  "Let her go. " Sterling shouted. "This is between you and me, half-breed."

  Grayson burst into the bedchamber, a lamp in his hand. He came to a halt just inside the doorway.

  Reagan trembled with a mixture of anger and fear. She could feel Indian John's cold knife pressing against her throat. It was just like in her dreams, only somehow the reality was less frightening. This man had terrorized her too long, and tonight it would end . . . one way or another.

  "Get back," Indian John answered shakily, confused by Grayson's presence. "Get back the both of ya or I cut her."

  The half-breed's stench sickened her. "Shoot him!" Reagan told Sterling. She stood perfectly still.

  Sterling kept his eyes fixed on Indian John's scarred face. "No. You're too close."

  She looked to Grayson who stood in the lamplight, his pistol drawn. "Come on, Grayson. Kill the bastard!" She could feel Indian John beginning to tremble as his breath quickened. "Kill him," she repeated. "It's an easy shot!"

  Indian John took a step back, dragging Reagan with him. "Shut up! You hear me, you little redcoat whore!" He gave her a vicious shake. He was frightened by the twin men . . . bad medicine.

  "Let her go and we'll let you go," Grayson bargained. He was moving ever so slowly toward the bed.

  Indian John shook his head. "No. I ain't that stupid. Now the two of you get away from the door. I aim to get myself outta here with the girlie, lessin' of course you wanna see her die here. " His one good eye darted back and forth between Grayson and Sterling.

  Grayson glanced at Sterling who nodded slightly. At his brother's indication, he moved out of the half-breed's path. Indian John dragged Reagan around the bed and toward the door.

  "Now you just walk right along here, bitch," he murmured in her ear. "You stay right close. You keep me safe, I keep you alive, least for the time bein'. " Indian John backed out of the room and down the hallway toward the stairs.

  Grayson and Sterling followed slowly, still hoping for a chance to fire without risking Reagan's life with the shot.

  When Indian John and Reagan reached the staircase, he began to back down them, feeling his way along in the semidarkness. "I ain't kiddin' with you two devil's spawn. I don't know which she belongs to, maybe both, but unless you wanna see her bleed all over your floor, you'd best back off."

  Reagan waited until Indian John reached the landing where the tall case clock stood. When he turned to descend the final flight of stairs, she rammed her elbow into his stomach, at the same time twisting her leg around his so that he lost his balance.

  The two went crashing down the stairs, but Reagan manage to catch hold of the railing and the half-breed fell free of her. His knife flew from his hand as he landed at the bottom of the staircase. He leaped up and fumbled with the lock at the front door.

  Grayson raced down the steps past Reagan, firing his pistol. The half-breed gave a groan as the lead ball penetrated his back, but he kept moving. He flung open the door and darted outside.

  Sterling came running past Reagan. "Grayson!" He threw his pistol and Grayson dropped his, catching his brother's weapon in midair. "You've got to stop him," Sterling shouted.

  Reagan stumbled to her feet with Sterling's aid and they ran down the steps. They reached the front hall in time to see Indian John start across the lamplit street. At the same moment a carriage came careening around the corner. By the time the driver saw the man, it was too late. Reagan turned away just as the half-breed was trampled under the slashing hooves of four galloping horses.

  Indian John's agonizing scream echoed in the air as he was caught beneath the carriage and dragged down the cobblestone street. A sickening thud was repeated again and again until his screams ended abruptly.

  Sterling wrapped his arms around Reagan, pulling her inside. Grayson came back up the front steps.

  "Guess I'd best get dressed," he told Sterling. "I told you I'd take care of the half-breed. " He offered Sterling his loaded flintlock. "And see, I didn't even waste a second shot."

  Sterling kicked the front door shut. "Anyone see us?"

  Grayson gave a snort, already hurrying up the grand staircase. "I hardly think so. Not with that show. But you'd best lay low until the morning when we can get you out of Philadelphia. " His face twisted into a scowl. "Grisly sight, wasn't it?"

  Reagan pulled away from Sterling, having gathered her wits. He tried to reach for her again, but she slapped at his hand. "I thought you said he was dead," she flung bitterly. "He could have killed you!"

  "Let me explain," Sterling pleaded. Nothing was coming out the way he'd expected. He loved Reagan so much that it hurt, yet, he was losing her and he seemed powerless to stop it.

  "I'm sick to death of your explanations!" She looked up at him, trying to hold back her tears. Her hand rested on her flat belly. "I could never live with you. How would I ever know what was a lie and what was the truth."

  "It wouldn't be like that."

  She wrapped her arms around her waist, shivering in the warm night air. "Get out of my way. I'm going to bed. Grayson will have to deal with the soldiers tonight."

  "Reagan, don't do this to me, to yourself. I have to leave at first light."

  "Godspeed, then," she responded bitterly, brushing past him.

  Sterling grasped her arm. "I wasn't the only master of deception here."

  She gave a laugh of disbelief. "I hardly think the situations are comparable."

  "You knew I was looking for the penman. You could have told me, you knew I'd not have turned you in."

  "I knew no such thing. " She yanked her arm from his grasp and started up the steps. Her throat was constricted, her heart was pounding. She loved him and yet she knew she couldn't go with him.

  "Reagan, I'll ask one last time," he called after her, his voice trembling. His hands were clenched at his sides in anger. After all they'd been through together, how could she treat him like this? She'd said she loved him, for God sakes. "Will you marry me?" he asked.

  Reagan turned onto the landing, refusing to meet his gaze. "Go to hell, Sterling."

  Chapter Thirty

  An hour before dawn, Elsa rose and dressed noiselessly. She ran a hairbrush through her thick dark hair and tied it back in the scarlet ribbon Reagan had bought her. Taking an ancient carpetbag, she packed a clean change of undergarments, her toiletries, the silver-handled toothbrush her father had given her, and her favorite rag dolly.

  Her shoes and best bonnet in one hand, the carpetbag in the other, she left her room and went down the steps and through the hall to the kitchen.

  Elsa came to a halt, making a small noise. She hadn't expected Grayson to be awake! She knew it was the brother because the Grayson that was now Sterling was still wearing her bandages around his head. "Oh," she whispered.

  Grayson looked up from his palm toddie. "I'm sorry, did I scare you, sweetheart?"

  Elsa nodded.

  Grayson glanced at her bag, bonnet, and shoes in hand, then at her stocking feet. "Going somewhere?"

  Elsa nodded. "Going to get married," she said solemnly. "Only Ethan says nobody's supposed to know. Not until it's too late."

  "The blacksmith your sister says you can't see?"

  She nodded again, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. "Um hmm. She thinks I'm too dumb too get married. She doesn't understand that me and Ethan, we love each other."

  Grayson stared into his pewter mug thoughtfully. "You know Sterling asked your sister to marry him, only she said she couldn't because she had to stay here with you."

  Elsa shrugged. "I tried to tell her I wasn't going to need her to take care of me anymore but she wouldn't listen. I think Reagie's the stupid one sometimes, not me. She loves Sterling—even though she can't always remember his ne
w name."

  "You certain you want to marry this Ethan fellow and live with him?"

  Her face lit up. "Ethan says he'll love me for the rest of time. " She lowered her gaze to the floor, squirming. "I don't really know how long the rest of time is going to be, but I bet it's a long, long, time. " She looked up at him, a grin on her face.

  Grayson couldn't resist a smile. "Sounds like a good enough reason to me."

  She chewed on her lower lip. "You won't go tell, then, will you?"

  He shook his head. "Not my place to stop you."

  She dropped her calfskin shoes on the floor and slipped her feet into them. "You're nice, just like Sterling. I like both of you."

  Grayson lifted a blond eyebrow. "You certain you wouldn't like to marry me instead, then?"

  She giggled. "Don't be silly. I don't love you."

  "Can't blame a man for trying. I'll hate to lose a pretty girl like you, Elsa."

  "I got to go now because Ethan'll be waiting for me."

  "Good-bye, then."

  "Good-bye. " She turned and started for the front door then stopped short. "Grayson?"

  "Yeah, sweetheart?"

  "Could you write a letter for me?"

  «A letter?"

  "For my sister. So she'll understand. I don't write, I just draw pictures."

  Grayson contemplated the proposal for a moment. Why the hell not? he thought. "Sure, Elsa. Get me some ink, a quill and a sheet of paper, but we'd better hurry. Sterling and that housekeeper of yours will be awake shortly."

  "I'll be right back. " A few minutes later, Elsa returned with the writing materials.

  "All right, tell me what you want to say and I'll write it."

  She took a deep breath before starting. "Sister . . . I hope you won't be mad . . ." Elsa looked up anxiously. "You think that's all right? She's gonna be hopping mad."

  Grayson lifted a hand. "It's fine."

  Nodding, she went on. " 'I hope you're not going to be mad, but I married Ethan this morning. I'm sorry I had to do what you told me not to, but you wouldn't listen.' " She paused. "Have you got that?"

  Grayson dipped the quill into the ink again. "Got it. Anything else?"

  "Yes. 'Please come to visit us at our house and see how happy I am. Love, Elsa.' " She leaned over him. "But I can write the Elsa part. Ethan taught me."

  Grayson handed her the goose quill and watched her concentrate as she strained to scrawl her name.

  Finally she handed him back the quill. "I think the 'S' is snaking the wrong way, but it's all right isn't it?"

  He waved the paper to dry the ink. "Perfect, sweetheart."

  "Oh, and one more thing. At the bottom write, 'I think you should marry Sterling and be happy, too.' "

  Grayson chuckled. "Got it. Now you go before she catches you. I'll make sure she gets the letter."

  To Grayson's surprise Elsa gave him a peck on the cheek. Before he could speak, she grabbed her carpetbag and bonnet and ran from the kitchen. He heard the front door open and then close a moment later.

  Reagan woke to a deafening silence in the house. She knew Sterling was gone. She'd heard him moving about sometime near dawn. She'd half expected him to come to her bedchamber, but he hadn't. She glanced at the small clock on the mantel above the fireplace. Good heavens. It was nearly noon. She'd never slept this late in her life!

  She got out of bed, refusing to think about Sterling or her possible pregnancy. If she thought of it now, she'd surely crumble. Methodically, she dressed in her green lutestring gown. It had been one of Sterling's favorites and had always made her feel good inside. Pulling back her hair with one of his old green hair ribbons, she added a lace mobcap and was finished.

  Downstairs, Reagan went into the kitchen, intending to be truly decadent and finish the last of the good English tea Mr. Carleton had left on the step. "Nettie?"

  The old woman was pouring a pot of tea. "Here, girl. Thought we could use some tea. There's a pot of porridge if you're hungry."

  "No. Just the tea. " She frowned. "Where's Elsa? didn't hear her in her room."

  The old woman shrugged her bony shoulders. "Don't rightly know. I was going to ask you the same question."

  Reagan's cheeks colored with anger. "She must be with that blacksmith, again. Nettie, I don't know what I'm going to do with her!"

  The blind housekeeper offered Reagan a cup of tea. "Don't know that you can do anything with her. She's got a head like you . . . like her mother. Once somethin's chilled, she don't change her mind."

  Reagan gave a sigh. She wasn't in the mood for Nettie's prophesying this morning. Going to the worktable, she pulled out the old three legged stool to sit on. As she raised her teacup to her mouth she spotted a piece of paper on the other side of the table. Curious, she picked it up.

  Reagan took too big a gulp of the steaming tea and choked. The handleless tea cup fell from her hand, shattering on the floor.

  "What is it?" Nettie turned to her, startled.

  Reagan read the letter slowly, hearing Elsa's voice echoing in her ears. Tears began to slip down her cheeks. "Oh, no, Nettie," she breathed. "She's gone . . ."

  "Elsa?" The old woman turned her full attention to Reagan. "Gone where, girl?"

  "She says she married the blacksmith this morning. " Reagan looked up. "Oh, Nettie. This must have been written hours ago. I don't know by who. The writing looks something like Sterling's, but it wasn't him."

  Nettie nodded. "The other one would be my guess."

  Reagan crumpled the letter in her hand. Nettie was headed for her own room in the lean-to. "Nettie, where are you going?"

  "To pack."

  "Pack?" Reagan asked, bewildered. "Pack to go where?"

  "To Elsa. She needs me. This big house is gettin' to be too much on these bones anyway."

  "But what about me? I need you."

  The woman gave a wave of her shriveled hand. "Only one person you ever needed Reagan Anne Llewellyn and you sent him packing this morning!"

  Reagan's lower lip trembled. "How can you leave your home? You've lived here half your life."

  Nettie shook her cane at Reagan. "You sayin' I'm too old for change? A body's never too old for change. Change is what keep a person young and full of life!"

  Reagan lowered her head to the table, cradling it in her arms. She'd never felt so alone in her life. Everyone was gone, Papa, Elsa, Sterling, even Nettie was going. Who was left for her? The sound of footsteps made her raise her head.

  For a moment, her breath caught in her throat. Standing before her was a strikingly handsome redcoat. But it wasn't the man she loved. "Grayson," she said quietly.

  "I've been to Major Burke's. The half-breed's death has been classified as an unfortunate accident. He'll go to his grave with our secrets."

  She nodded, then lifted the ball of paper she still held in her hand. "You wrote this. " It wasn't a question but more an accusation.

  "I did."

  "Why?"

  "Because the young lady asked me to. " He dared a smile. "She was quite hurried."

  "You knew I'd forbade her to see that man. Now she's gone off and married him, for heaven sakes!"

  "She's a damn sight more sensible than you. " Grayson yanked off his grenadier cap and set it on the table. From inside his coat he retrieved a silver flask.

  Reagan's eyebrows arched defensively. "How so?"

  "You were a fool not to go with him."

  "He lied to me."

  "Oh, don't start that song and dance again. You didn't go with him because you were afraid to."

  "No. " She shook her head vigorously.

  He sipped from the flask, savoring the bite of the whiskey. "Yes. You were afraid to leave the security of this house, of your sister, and go into the unknown. You didn't trust him."

  "It's not true. " She slid off the stool. "He deceived me."

  Grayson's eyes narrowed. "Tell me something honestly, Reagan. Had you been in his place, had it been your captain who'd been giving you the or
ders, would you have done the same?"

  She couldn't break from his startling gaze, one so much like Sterling's. "Yes," she whispered finally.

  "What? I didn't hear you."

  She sobbed. "Yes, I'd have done the same. Yes, I was afraid!" She hung her head. "I just didn't know it."

  Grayson threw up his hands. "So there you have it!"

  She blinked. "Have what?"

  He leaned against the worktable, shaking his head. He crossed his lean legs and took another pull on the silver flask. "The understanding. Now that you know you were afraid, you'll be able to face it. What, you don't think Sterling's scared out of his breeches?"

  She didn't know what to say. All she knew was that at this moment she wanted Sterling. She was still angry with him, hurt by his deception, but she wanted him more than life itself. "It's too late," she told Grayson, defeated. "He's gone."

  "Hell, it's never too late. You ride out now and you can catch him by nightfall."

  She looked up at him anxiously. "You think so?"

  He shrugged. "I can't promise he'll take you, but was I you, I'd sure as hell give it a whirl."

  "I'd have to leave Elsa."

  "She's already left you."

  "My grandfather's house."

  "I can look into renters for you. " He shrugged. " 'Course your sister and her new husband might like it here. Elsa said there are several children."

  "Where is he?"

  "A tavern in New Castle, Delaware."

  "I'll need a pass to get out of the city, and a horse."

  Grayson winked. "I've got a horse. And I just happen to have a pass here somewhere. " He pulled a folded piece of paper out of his scarlet uniform coat. "But if you're going at all, you've got to go now."

  "I can't leave now! I'll have to pack, leave instructions with Nettie for the house, cover the furniture—"

  "Look," Grayson interrupted. "Either you love him or you don't."

  She dropped her hands to her hips. "How do you know so much about this business? I don't see you married!"

  He took another sip of his whiskey and then screwed the cap back on the flask. "Only because I haven't met a girl like you yet."

  She stood staring at Grayson for a long moment. That was a nice thing for him to say. "I was cruel to him. I thought it was all right for me to have loyalties, but not him. You think he'll take me back?"