Dulcina

by Linda Carroll-Bradd

  A tread on the stairs creaked following by silence. The silence stretched so long Dulcina climbed onto the bed and picked up a novel from her nightstand. The words didn’t make much sense, but she refused to open the door to see where he’d gone.

  A thump came from the sitting room.

  She turned to stare at the wall to the adjoining room. What in the world is he doing?

  The window to her right slid upward within its frame.

  Dulcina gaped at the sight of Gabriel hooking a bare foot through the opening. “Are you crazy? What are you doing?” She sucked in a breath. “Oh, Gabriel, don’t fall.” Tossing aside the book, she ran to the window and wrapped her hands around his arm, holding him tight. A glance through the opening showed he balanced on a narrow ledge decorating the building façade. The distance to the ground made her already-queasy stomach jump.

  He maneuvered his body through the open window then leaned on the sill, glaring. “Do not ever lock me out again.”

  Her pulse still raced from the danger he’d been in. “Did you have to pick the most perilous way?”

  “Hell, this one was not as risky as coming down off the roof.” He stood and untied the knot, letting the rope fall to the floor. “When a problem comes up, we will discuss it. Face to face.” He walked across the room, removed the chair from under the doorknob, and checked the lock. “Where is the key?”

  “Hmm.” She picked up the novel and flipped through the pages, looking for her spot. His logical attitude stripped the power from her fit of pique. Now, she regretted he’d gone to such an extreme when she wouldn’t open the door.

  Gabriel carried the chair to her side of the bed and sat. “I’m sorry you read the telegram when I was not here to explain.”

  Jerking up her head, she stared across the too-small distance. “What’s to explain? You came to take me back home since my life is such a mess.”

  He scrubbed a hand over his face. “I understand that is how the message looks. But I came here for you, Dulcina. Solo tu, mí corazón. You offered marriage, and I could not resist, no matter the conditions. I told your father what he wanted to hear—”

  I will not be swayed by his soft, caring tone. She snorted. “You’re selling the saloon?”

  Gaze narrowed, he held up a hand. “Hear me out. I told him I would evaluate the business and sell if that choice made sense.”

  The book dropped to the mattress. He admits it. Her pulse drummed in her ears. She pulled her knees to her chest and hugged them. “Because as my husband, you have the right?”

  Shaking his head, he stood and scooted onto the bed, facing her and resting a hand near her feet. “Because as your husband, I am entrusted with doing whatever is needed to keep you safe. That responsibility includes making decisions to protect your livelihood and your money.”

  Oh. Her shoulders slumped. Wasn’t that exact type of caring what she wished for when she sent him the letter? She scooted her foot until it rested against his pinky finger. “And what about the arrival date?”

  “Once the saloon is running well, would visiting Questa be so bad?”

  His cajoling tone and strong fingers massaging her instep swept away the last of her doubts. “Only if you come along, too.”

  He trailed a hand up her skirt-covered leg until he unclasped her hands.

  Heart racing, she fell back against the pillow, watching his approach with a sucked-in breath.

  Gabriel planted his hands at her shoulders and leaned down to brush a hard kiss over her lips. When he didn’t touch her anywhere else, she squirmed and reached a hand to the back of his neck.

  But he pulled away and moved beside her, stuffing a pillow at his back. “Now, my news.”

  Dulcina blinked her eyes open and scooted around so she sat at his hip to watch his expression. “How was the auction?”

  “I bought four horses that met your father’s criteria.”

  “He’ll be pleased.”

  “But the special Uinta Railroad run that the widows arranged to transport the horses north has been cancelled.” His lips pressed tight.

  She shrugged. “Probably the work of Mortimer Crane.”

  “That was the consensus of the men at the auction. I do not know if I can recoup the deposit, but we have to drive the horses to Curdy’s Crossing.”

  “We?” Shaking her head, she straightened. “I have a business to run.”

  “Listen, I have thought this situation through. The majority of the men from the auction will only stay in Wildcat Ridge tonight before driving their horses to the closest railhead. After that, Ralph can handle the regular customers for a night or two by himself. Or we give him a couple days off.” He reached for her hand and stroked a fingertip over the backs of her fingers. “When was the last time you enjoyed a horseback ride?”

  A sigh escaped. “I haven’t owned a horse since I left Questa. Are we renting from Mister Jones at the livery?”

  “Nope, two of my horses arrived on Monday’s special train run. Yours is a gentle mare named Bonita.”

  “You brought me a horse?” She turned over her hand and grasped his.

  “Taking picnics in mountain meadows is easier with two mounts.” He extended an arm toward the window.

  Dulcina crawled over the few inches separating them and cuddled against his side. “I have missed riding, but it wasn’t part of our entertaining life.” She waited for Gabriel to tense at the mention of her previous marriage, but he didn’t.

  “Eight miles should not be too hard, and we’ll have most of the day. We’ll enjoy a special dinner in the town’s finest restaurant and spend a couple nights in a comfortable hotel. I will have to arrange shipping for the horses on Monday morning.”

  “What you’re describing sounds nice.” Having food cooked by someone else seemed like such a luxury.

  “I will be sure the hotel either has a bathing room or is located near a bathhouse…in case you need to soak stiff muscles.”

  “Ah, that’s the feature I can’t refuse.” A luxurious bath was always a treat.

  “And these are the lips I cannot resist.” Cupping her jaw, he eased up her chin until he could lean down and kiss her, gently pulling her lower lip between his lips and sucking.

  Dulcina sighed and ran a hand over his chest.

  With a groan, he moved away and slid off the mattress. “If you do not have riding clothes, you better plan a trip to the mercantile.”

  “Gabriel, where is all this money coming from?” Stuart had only let her shop for clothes when they relocated from one city to another.

  “Our bank account balance is quite healthy. That is another reason for you accompanying me on the trip. I want to discuss opening an account in a Curdy’s Crossing bank. I do not trust Crane, especially after our confrontations.” He moved to the door and jiggled the knob. “Still locked.”

  With a smile, she reached into her décolletage and withdrew the brass key.

  “If only I had known…” He grinned and retrieved it to unlock the door. “Plus, I have been corresponding with a pleasant beer producer by the name of Adolphus Busch in St. Louis. He iss interested in sampling my first tequila batch.” Whistling, he disappeared through the door then a moment later returned with his socks and boots and sat to pull them on. “Dress pretty tonight. I want us to perform a couple of numbers together.”

  When the whirlwind named Gabriel sailed out of the bedroom, she flopped back on the pillow. They’d weathered their first major fight. Did she dare hope the marriage could become real and lasting?

  g

  Settling his account with Jasper Jones at the livery took longer than Gabriel anticipated. Every man who bought auction horses must have had the same departure time in mind. On the return walk, he stopped at the Ridge Hotel for their mail. Only a few last-minute details to handle before he and his wife would be off on the first trip of many he hoped to share.

  “Here you are, Mister Magnus. Two letters.”

  He accepted the mail and raised a fin
ger to the brim of his hat. “Thank you, Missus Ames. Dulcina and I are herding my father-in-law’s horses to Curdy’s Crossing and will be gone for a couple days.” He shoved the letters into his back trouser pocket.

  “Oh. Did you tell Marshal Wentz?” She rested her hands on the registration desk. “She likes knowing when businesses are empty.”

  Shots rang out.

  “Get down behind the desk.” Gabriel crept to the window overlooking Chestnut Road and spotted a tall man shooting at the bank’s door lock. His body tensed. Dulcina. Had she dashed there to make a last-minute withdrawal? His sole concern was to get to her. If he went out the hotel’s back door, he could run down the alley without being seen by whoever was robbing the bank. “I will send help, Missus Ames.” He slipped through the kitchen and into the alley, turning to his right, and ran along the dirt lane with long strides. He vaulted the saloon’s back steps and burst through the kitchen door.

  Dulcina jumped back from the sink, soap suds dripping off her hands. “What in the world, Gabriel?”

  “You are safe.” He scooped her into his arms, pressed his cheek next to hers, and spun them around the room. His hat dropped off the back of his head. “I worried you might have been in the bank. Did you hear the gunshots?”

  “I did, but they were far enough away not to worry about.”

  After setting her down, he stalked over to the back door and pointed. “This door is to stay locked at all times.”

  A crooked smile appeared then faded. “Unless someone has to use the privy, right?”

  “Sorry.” He jammed a splayed hand through his hair. “I overreacted. Questa is such a quiet place, and I did not have to worry about our safety all the time.” Bending, he grabbed his hat and brushed it off.

  “What’s sticking out of your back pocket?”

  “I stopped at the hotel for the mail.” He reached behind his hip and pulled out the letters, reading the return address. “This one is for you from the Galaxy Theater in Denver.” Curiosity slammed through him, but he forced a nonchalant attitude by leaning against the counter beside her. “Some news you need to share?”

  Her head slowly lifted, and she gave him a sideways glance. “I sort of applied for a job there.”

  “What?” He shot upright. “You did not believe I had the ability to make the saloon work?” Why did they get one problem solved only for another to crop up in its place?

  “Gabriel, I was desperate. I needed to secure my future.” Watching him, Dulcina wiped her hands on a towel.

  He whirled, paced to the other end of the room, and returned. “A future you offered to me.” He stiffened. “How do I know you did not offer that future to anyone else?”

  Her gasp rang in the air. A flush crept up her neck. “That accusation was cruel, and you know it.” She spun and walked away, grabbing a towel and furiously wiping at dishes.

  As quickly as it flared, his anger dissipated. Approaching her at the sink, he rested a hand on her shoulder. “I apologize.”

  “Go away.” She shrugged him off. “I don’t want to talk to you right now.”

  “I understand. Will you be ready to leave in thirty minutes?”

  “Yes.”

  He hesitated over saying something that might make the situation worse. “No locked doors.”

  Heaving a sigh, she shook her head.

  Not knowing how to overcome his blunder, he turned and headed toward the office, his throat burning.

  “Gabriel.”

  Her soft voice made him pause at the doorway. He looked over his shoulder.

  She stared down at the sink, shoulders rounded. “I mailed my response to the theater advertisement the week before I received your wire.”

  Jaw clamped shut, he walked into the office and threw himself into the chair then buried his face in his hands. Stupid idiot.

  Thirty minutes later, Gabriel and Dulcina trudged down Front Street toward the center of town. They might have walked side by side, but they were not together. When she came downstairs after her final preparations, she refused to either meet his gaze or relinquish her carpetbag. Nothing like the excited start he imagined to the special trip, and he had only himself to blame. All he could hope was that a couple hours of being outdoors on horseback would help her forget his oafish behavior.

  At the livery, she kept up polite conversation with Jones while getting acquainted with the mare.

  Gabriel secured their carpetbags to their individual saddles and tied the reins of two auction horses onto a rope they each would hold or wrap around the pommel. The scabbard held his rifle, and his holster hung at his right hip. He turned to assist Dulcina into the saddle, but she’d used a mounting block and was already seated.

  Biting back a comment, he climbed into the saddle and, with a click of his tongue, urged Oro forward, turning left onto Chestnut. In silence, he led them through the streets and west past the town’s cemetery with scattered headstones. Something urged him to remove his hat and hold it at his chest as a tribute to the lives lost—even Stuart’s.

  Through the first meadow, he kept checking behind, thinking she’d ride forward. Instead, she maintained a space of a rod or so behind the last auction horse. Every time he looked back, he spotted her face averted as she gazed at the clouds or the trees or the occasional mule deer grazing at the edge of the meadow. The distance was too far for comfortable conversation. The quiet allowed Gabriel time to regret his harsh words from earlier.

  Then the meadow funneled into a trail with overgrown brush on both sides. He leaned forward, keeping his gaze moving for any sign of trouble. Another few rods ahead, the trail widened again, and he eased back. The sun beating down heated him fast, and he shrugged out of his jacket, laying it on his legs.

  Gunshots and yelling echoed from somewhere ahead on the road. Tense, Gabriel drew his gun and looked around for Dulcina’s position, checking to make sure the horses weren’t struggling against her hold.

  She sat wide-eyed but still.

  Signaling for her to stay put, he dismounted, secured the lead rope, and tied off Oro’s reins before creeping up to a boulder at the next bend in the road. In the distance, three men trotted their horses in a circle around the stagecoach until it stopped. Trouble he did not want to ride toward. Only one of the men in the top seat sat upright. The other was either wounded or dead. Two of the thieves aimed weapons until the strongbox was passed down. Then one rode next to the stagecoach, flung open the door, and hauled a flailing woman over the front of his saddle and galloped off.

  Glancing around for a good place to hide, Gabriel ran back to Dulcina. “Thieves are robbing the stagecoach and have taken a hostage. We need to get off the trail. Dismount and follow me.” He went toward Oro, talking gently as he hurried past the string of horses who danced in place. As fast as he could, he guided them off the road, down an incline, and into the cover of a copse of trees.

  Dulcina followed, slipping in the loose dirt but keeping hold of Bonita’s reins.

  Gabriel cursed himself. He could have handled this task on his own. Wanting Dulcina along and making the trip a special event had been selfish. Now, look at what danger they faced. He walked close enough to slip an arm over her shoulders. “We will be all right here. The bushes provide solid cover. If I cannot see the road, then no one can see us.”

  Nodding, she leaned against him and gripped a hand on his shirt front. “I hope you’re right. I enjoyed the ride until this happened.”

  But as horses galloped closer, one of their own neighed, jeopardizing their position.

  He held his breath, hoping the riders hadn’t heard.

  The hoof beats stopped.

  “Did you hear that, Snake? A horse whinnied somewhere around here. Think another rancher is moving a herd?”

  “Yeah, Skelly, but this wound is bleeding bad. My gun hand’s useless.”

  “I lost me a pretty gal, so maybe I’ll get a pretty horse.” A high-pitched laugh bounced between the mountain and the trees.

&nbs
p; Gabriel cursed. Those three who gambled in the saloon were disgruntled enough to come after his horses. Being gunshot could make Snake even more dangerous. If they’d shot the guard, they wouldn’t hesitate to shoot to steal horses. “Dulcina, take the horses ahead on your own. I will keep the thieves from following.”

  “I can’t do this alone.” She wrapped her arms about his torso. “Don’t make me go.”

  Regretting he had to disappoint her, he eased her away. “You have to. Keep Bonita moving, and the rest will follow.” He put as much confidence into his whispered instructions as he could. Gabriel tied the rope from his string of horses to a ring at the back of her saddle. Then he grabbed her shoulders and stared into her widened eyes.

  For a few seconds, he looked deep into her brown eyes, willing her strength. “Stay in this ravine for five minutes then work your way back onto the road. Run them flat out if you have to, but get yourself to the town. Do not look back. Notify the sheriff.” He drew her against his body and kissed her hard, needing a last taste of her sweetness. “Keep yourself safe. I will catch up.” When she disappeared through the brush, he moved into position to keep the trio occupied so they wouldn’t follow her. You will be fine. Ride hard, mí corazón. Then Gabriel had to shove away his worry and focus on staying alive so he could see her again.

  g

  Dulcina rode, urging Bonita through the brush-filled ravine until they reached a big boulder that blocked their path. Five minutes hadn’t gone by. So, what should she do? Her lips still buzzed from Gabriel’s branding kiss. She glanced over her shoulder at the back trail then up at the incline to the road. Did she have the skill to guide five horses up there? Why did she have to? Her pulse raced, and her heart ached that he’d sent her away. Why am I leaving Gabriel to fight those thieves on his own? I just found him again. I can’t lose him.

  She dismounted and tied the reins and ropes to tree branches. When Gabriel mentioned this trip, she’d searched for the two-shot derringer Stuart bought her. With the weapon pointed forward, she started back to where she last saw him. Her pulse raced but with each step, she repeated, he’ll be fine. Gabriel will be fine.