by Ana Leigh
“You should be. Maybe if you ever tried doing something for yourself, your ladyship, you’d appreciate what others do for you.”
Experience with her father had taught her well not to cower under male outbursts. She couldn’t help smiling at finding herself in the same position with Rico Fraser.
“I do appreciate what you’ve done, but forgive me, Daniel Boone, if I don’t find the same pleasure in tramping through the mountains in torn garments, ungroomed, chewing on a stick of jerky, and sleeping under the stars as you appear to do.”
He burst into genuine laughter and rubbed his whiskered jaw. If nothing else, he was a good sport, she reflected.
“I probably could use some grooming, but thank you for the flattery, Miss Jenny. I do admire Dan’l Boone’s exploits. Rumor has it he preferred his meat raw rather than burnt, too.”
Fortunately, Andrea had joined them and checked the meat, and she now said, “It’s not as burnt as it looks. I’m sure it’s still edible.”
“Hallelujah!” Jenny said. “Sorry it’s not raw for you to chew on, Dan’l. But if it doesn’t satisfy your hunger, try eating your words.” She spun on her heel and walked away.
Rico grinned as his gaze followed her, then he turned to Andrea. “That gal’s sure got a lot of spunk, hasn’t she?”
Smiling, Andrea said, “Spunk and courage. You wouldn’t believe how she stood up to Slatter.” Her smile faded. “She paid the price for it, too.”
Andrea told him briefly what had occurred, and of Slatter’s and his gang’s treatment of them, then went back to Don Masters.
Rico sliced off a piece of the meat, put it on a tin plate, then cut it up into bite-size pieces. Then he poured a cup of coffee and carried it all over to Jenny, who had sat down under a tree.
“Here you go. It’ll taste a lot better than jerky.” He handed her a fork. “Thought you might like to use this.”
Jenny accepted them gratefully. “Thank you. Ah, Rico, I’m sorry—”
“No apologies necessary, Princess. Eat it while it’s hot.” Then he went back to the fire.
The quail was delicious even without any seasoning to enhance it. Jenny picked up the tin cup and finished off the remaining coffee. Dark and strong, it did not have the lighter and satisfying taste of a cup of tea, but she was glad to have it just the same.
She returned to the fire and glanced over to where Andrea was trying to feed Don Masters, who had been in and out of sleep throughout the afternoon. How her aunt could look so blissful as she literally spoon-fed the man was a mystery to Jenny. She swung her gaze to Rico, who was feeding and watering the horses. She saw a smile soften his face as he patted and spoke to his horse as he fed it several handfuls of oats.
The man was a paradox. He treated his horse as if it were a child in his care, yet he could hunt down and kill a man for the bounty. Then she remembered his gentleness when he checked her knee. Remembered the compassion in his beautiful eyes when he dressed the wound. And she remembered the most disturbing thing of all—the excitement of his touch. The memory sent a warm flush through her, and she shifted back from the heat of the fire.
“You treat your horse so well,” she said when he returned to the fire and sat down.
“Bucep’s my best friend.”
“That’s an unusual name for a horse. Is it a family name?”
“No, his full name is Bucephalus. That was the name of Alexander the Great’s horse. Probably the most famous horse in world history.”
“So you see yourself as a world conqueror and the most heroic king of all time, Mr. Fraser?” she teased.
If her knowledge of history surprised him, he concealed it behind a smile. “Not at all, ma’am. I see Bucep as the greatest horse. Are you done with the cup, Miss Burke?” he asked, with a nod toward the cup she still held.
When she handed it to him their fingers brushed, and she felt a pleasant tingle from the brief contact. Glancing up in surprise, she saw that he must have felt it too. For a moment their gazes met, then he looked away and filled the cup.
What are you thinking, Rico Fraser? she wondered when he leaned back on one arm, stretched out his long legs, and stared broodingly into the fire as he sipped the coffee.
Deep in thought, Rico stared into the flames. Was Slatter dead? Was the purpose that had driven him for the past three years over? The search finally ended?
He wouldn’t believe it until he saw it with his own eyes. Dammit—if only he could have pursued the bastard, he would have found him for sure. Now it would be another three or four days before he’d get back here; by that time the trail would be cold.
But he couldn’t abandon the women in these mountains with only a wounded man to protect them. Whether the trail was hot or cold, he wouldn’t stop until he knew Slatter was dead.
He raised his head. Andrea had moved over to the fire and was braiding Jenny’s hair into a thick plait that hung past her shoulders. He watched as the fire’s glow caught the auburn strands and sent shimmering coppery ripples racing up and down it. Andrea tied it with a vine to hold the braid together, then kissed Jenny on the cheek and returned to Masters’s bedside.
Rico’s fixed gaze swept Jenny’s face. The bruises on her cheek failed to diminish her beauty. She was as beautiful as she was feisty. Although spoiled and coddled, her intelligence and spunk attracted him.
Or maybe it’s because you just haven’t had a woman for a while.
His pursuit of Slatter had driven any thought of a relationship with a woman out of his mind until now.
As he continued to stare at Jenny, Rico felt a rising physical need for her. Maybe once they were back at the fort, he—
What in hell are you thinking! There’s no place in the life of a woman like Jennifer Burke for you, until you can put Slatter behind you once and for all.
He stretched out and closed his eyes. He was just tired, and needed to sleep.
Long after Rico fell asleep, Jenny remained huddled at the fire. An evening chill had set in, and she wasn’t about to leave the fire’s warmth. The men’s blankets had been put to use keeping Don warm, and if she drank any more hot coffee to try to stay warm she would surely burst. Jenny threw some more wood on the fire to make certain it didn’t die out. She hated to think of what kind of fit that would send Rico Fraser into.
Glancing across the flames, her gaze swept the length of him. Once again her thoughts drifted to the memory of his touch, and what it would feel like curled up against the heat of that long, muscular body.
A short time later Andrea came over and sat down beside her. “This fire feels good.”
“How is Don doing?”
“Still feverish. He drifts in and out of sleep, but at least he’s no longer unconscious.”
“If you were smart, Andrea, you’d crawl under that blanket and cuddle up to him. It would be a good way of staying warm.”
“I wouldn’t think of doing that.”
“Why not?”
“It would be improper, missy. Aren’t you the one who complained of the impropriety of using first names?”
“Desperate situations call for desperate measures. What if he was shivering? Wouldn’t you do it then to warm him?”
“I suppose I would, if it was a matter of life or death.”
“Exactly. And one good turn deserves another. If your roles were reversed, I’m sure he would do it for you. I’m cold enough to be tempted to do it myself, just to get under a cover,” Jenny said flippantly.
Andrea slipped an arm around her shoulders and hugged her. “That kind of sassy talk doesn’t fool me. I’ve watched you grow up, and under that glib façade of yours lurks a woman yearning to fall in love. Have you and Rico reconciled your differences?”
“My dear Aunt Andrea, there aren’t enough seconds in a minute, minutes in an hour, or hours in a day for us to reconcile our differences.”
“I don’t understand your animosity toward him. If I were your age, I’d be swooning over those dark eyes and long,
thick lashes.”
“Too much mystery lurks behind them,” Jenny replied.
“Well, you can’t deny he’s a fine specimen of a man.”
“He’s a specimen, all right. So is an insect,” Jenny teased.
“But an insect doesn’t have long muscular legs, broad shoulders, a brawny chest, and rippling muscles,” Andrea said with a sly glance at her niece. “Rico is downright beautiful.”
“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”
“Come, dear, surely you aren’t trying to deny his face is a sculptor’s fantasy. High cheekbones and—”
“A stubborn jaw,” Jenny said.
“A sensuous mouth—”
“With which he uses to bark orders to everyone.”
Andrea gave her niece a stern frown. “A beautiful nose that—”
“He sticks into everyone’s business.” Her aunt’s attempt at matchmaking was so blatant.
Folding her arms across her chest, she declared, “I know what you’re trying to do, Aunt Andrea, and it’s not going to work. The less I have to do with Rico Fraser, the happier I’ll be. And no matter how handsome he is, whenever I fall in love, it certainly won’t be with Rico Fraser. I already have one tyrant in my life, and have no desire to live with another one.”
“Honey, all men aren’t like your father.”
“If that’s true, why haven’t you married?”
“I regret that I haven’t, and had children of my own. I guess I never met the right man until—”
“Until now? Is that what you’re going to say?”
“What does it matter?” Andrea said. “It’s too late now.”
“How can you say that? You’d make a perfect wife and mother. You’re beautiful in body and soul.”
“Honey, I’m a thirty-year-old spinster. An old maid, as some would say. No handsome bachelor like Captain Masters would consider such a choice. A man wants a young woman to bear him sons and daughters. Perhaps I could attract some widower with a passel of children to raise.”
“Like my father did to you.”
Andrea laughed lightly. “My brother did not have a passel of children. He had one daughter, whom I’ve grown to cherish as if she were my own.”
“And that’s always been the problem. You’ve dedicated your life to me at the sacrifice of your own fulfillment, Aunt Andrea. I’m as much to blame as my father. I’ve taken the same advantage of you. I needed your love. You’re the only mother I’ve ever known, and I love you dearly.”
“I know you do, honey. And I love you more than life itself. So how can you say I’ve sacrificed?”
“Because now you have the chance to focus on your own happiness instead of someone else’s. I’ve always noticed that Captain Masters is attracted to you. Can’t you see that for yourself? Just once in your life, will you shed my interests and consider your own?”
“And what of your father’s, Jenny? I was only ten years old when we were orphaned. Sure, he’s tyrannical and set in his ways. But even though he married, your father continued to raise me. He saw that I had a home, made me a part of his family. I’m indebted to him. And when the day comes when you leave, he’ll be alone—and what will become of him?”
Disgusted, Jenny declared, “You’ve paid that debt. You came west with him, raised his daughter when his wife died, and you’ve been his housekeeper and bookkeeper so that he could fulfill his dream: building the biggest ranch in Arizona. So help me, Aunt Andrea, I will not stand by another minute and watch you let Don Masters slip through your fingers in order to continue paying back a phantom debt to a self-absorbed man like my father, who considers no one’s interests above his own.”
Andrea sighed deeply. “Honey, you’re exaggerating your father’s weaknesses considerably. But speaking of letting an opportunity slip by, you’re misjudging Rico Fraser. He’s not the egotistical, strong-willed bully you accuse him of being. He’s a courageous young man who has risked his life to save us. How can you condemn him?”
Jenny’s brow arched in disbelief. “Have you forgotten the man is a bounty hunter? He didn’t follow the Slatter gang to rescue us; he followed them for the reward. And my father probably offered an extra amount if he brought us back alive. When he chased after that poor soldier who deserted, his price was fifty dollars. Since there’s two of us, that would be an extra hundred dollars for Mr. Bounty Hunter. And just what are you smiling about, Aunt Andrea?”
“I think ‘the lady doth protest too much.’”
Jenny threw up her hands in disgust. “And I’ll tell you what I think, Andrea Burke. I think that pain in your ankle has traveled to your brain, and made you as feverish as Captain Masters. That’s what I think.”
Deep in reflection, Andrea nodded. “Maybe both of us protest too much. I think I’ll take your suggestion and crawl under that blanket after all. Love you, darlin’.” She kissed Jenny on the cheek and limped away.
8
The following morning, the smell of rain hung heavily in the air. The low clouds threatened to dump their burden at any moment, and Rico was impatient to move on.
Still feverish and weak from loss of blood, Don insisted that he was well enough to ride. “Just help me get on the horse.”
But as soon as he got to his feet, his knees buckled and he would have fallen were it not for Rico holding him up.
Rico shook his head in exasperation. “It’s too dangerous. Have you forgotten how treacherous the terrain is ahead? You don’t have the strength to navigate it on horseback—and you sure as hell can’t walk.”
Rico lowered Don back onto the blanket, and the two women exchanged surprised stares when he walked away without further discussion.
“I agree that Don’s unable to ride, but he certainly could have been a little more gracious about it,” Jenny said.
Even Andrea appeared disheartened. “I must say I am disappointed in his attitude.”
“I tried to tell you how unpleasant he can be when he doesn’t get his own way.”
Knowing full well the reason for Rico’s irritation, Don came to his defense. “Don’t be too harsh on him, ladies. It’s important that he catches Slatter. Having to remain with us prevents him from following the outlaw.”
“Who’s asking him to remain with us?” Jenny retorted. “I’m sure we can take care of ourselves.”
“I doubt that,” Andrea said. “And I regret my hasty criticism of the man. We’re the ones exhibiting ungraciousness. We’d all have been doomed without him. There’s little we can do to repay him for it other than show him our respect and cooperation.”
“Frankly, I don’t think he much cares what we think of him—or anybody thinks of him. He prefers the company of his horse. And right now we’re a nuisance to him by preventing him from getting the reward on Slatter’s head.”
“I’m the one at fault,” Don said. “Because I’m unable to travel, he can’t leave us. Before I was wounded, we agreed I would get you women safely back to the fort so he could continue on his pursuit of Slatter.”
Andrea’s face softened into a tender smile. “And why aren’t you able to travel, Captain Masters? Would it be because you were shot defending me?”
“That’s beside the point, Andrea. It’s no wonder Rico wanted to come on this rescue without me. I made one mistake after another. I should have remained at the water hole yesterday morning until he showed up. Instead I set off on my own, believing he’d gone on in pursuit of Slatter. When I found you—which we all know Rico eventually would have done—I not only left my rifle on the horse when I dismounted, I failed to tether the horse so it couldn’t run away. That’s why it was able to bolt when the first shots were fired.”
“Well, if we’re going to point guilty fingers, I could blame myself,” Andrea chided. “If I hadn’t been so careless as to trip over a rock and twist my ankle, Jenny and I would have been long gone from this spot yesterday morning. Isn’t that right, dear?”
Jenny shook her head. “No, not at all. As long as e
veryone wants to blame themselves, I guess I could say if I hadn’t insisted in returning to the ranch, you and I wouldn’t have been there when the Slatter gang raided it. Hence Captain Masters would not have been shot, and Daniel Boone most likely would have been off tracking some other miscreant. Isn’t that right, my dear aunt?” Jenny offered a small smile. “This is all perception on our parts. Now take Mr. Fraser. He’s a realist, so he doesn’t suffer such anxieties; he’s always confident that he’s not at fault.”
As weak as he was, Don couldn’t help chuckling. “And it’s been my experience that he’s usually right.”
“Sad but true.” Jenny frowned as she saw Rico piling up fallen tree limbs and boughs that were too long for a campfire. “What is that man up to now?” She hurried away to investigate.
“What do you intend to do with all these branches you’re piling up?” Jenny asked when she joined Rico.
“What would you do with them?”
“I have no idea. We don’t have an ax to chop them up for firewood.”
“Really?”
“Sorry I asked, Mr. Know-It-All.” She spun on her heel to leave.
“Wait, Jenny. I’m sorry. And I could use your help. Will you bring me that coil of rope hanging on my saddle?” He started to sort through the pile and by the time she returned with the rope, he had cut four narrow tree limbs into poles of equal lengths. Picking up a heavy rock, he drove one of the poles into the ground. Then he stepped off a few feet and drove another one into the ground. By the time he finished anchoring all four poles, they formed a rectangle.
“Now go over and bring back the blanket that Masters is lying on.”
“The blanket?” Then it dawned on her what he was doing. “You’re building a cot!”
Rico drew in a deep breath. “The blanket, Jenny. Please?”
She strode across the clearing to Andrea.
“Daniel Boone wants the blanket Don is lying on.”
“You mean this minute?”