Tin-Stars and Troublemakers Box Set (Four Complete Historical Western Romance Novels in One)

by Rice, Patricia

  James Logan prided himself on being a gentleman as well as an officer, but casting all thought of decorum to the wind, he put his arms around Jacie to draw her close. "The only thing I want to talk to you about is how good I'll be to you if you will marry me."

  He attempted to kiss her, but Jacie twisted away. She did not want to anger him, lest he refuse to help her, but neither was she going to allow him to take any liberties. "Sir!" she gasped with proper indignation.

  "I'm sorry. I shouldn't..." He shook his head, wiped a hand across his brow and stepped back. "Forgive me.... and good night." He hurried away, feeling foolish but knowing he would try again tomorrow.

  Jacie let herself inside. She started to close and lock the shutters but decided Captain Logan would never dare crawl through the window, and she did need the cool air because the room seemed stuffy.

  Undressing and carefully folding the dress Amy Lou had loaned her, Jacie put on an also borrowed nightgown and got into bed.

  * * *

  Luke waited until all the lights of the post were out, save for the lanterns burning at strategic points about the parade ground and near the gate.

  It was pitch dark behind the row of buildings, but due to his inherent cunning, Luke crept to the guest quarters without making any noise.

  Jacie had not fallen asleep at once, tossing and turning as she stewed over her newest dilemma. She would have to keep Captain Logan and all the other would-be suitors at bay, while enlisting their cooperation. It was not going to be an easy task, she knew.

  But finally she had dozed off, only to awaken with a start of horror to realize a hand was mashing down on her face. Jacie was sure it was Captain Logan, terror gave way to fury that he could do such a thing as sneak into her room in the dead of night to press his pursuit. She fought and thrashed but was held down on the bed, her angry cries muffled.

  "Don't scream," Luke said into her ear. "I won't hurt you."

  Jacie panicked to realize it was not James Logan's voice and really began to fight. Luke managed to catch her wrists with one hand and yank her arms above her head as he tried to reason with her. "I won't let you go till you calm down. I told you I meant you no harm. I came to hear the story about your search for your mother."

  Hearing that, she froze.

  "Will you promise not to scream?"

  She nodded.

  Cautiously, Luke lifted his hand.

  "Who—"

  He clamped it down again. "I'll be shot if I'm found in here, damn it. Keep your voice down."

  "Who are you?" she whispered as he hesitantly released her.

  "I'm a Comanche."

  "Dear God—"

  He grabbed her again. "How many times do I have to tell you I won't hurt you? Now answer me." He gave her a gentle shake. "Why have you come?"

  Jacie was not sure she could ever find her voice again. She could not see his features, but he was almost on top of her, and she could feel his bare chest and the sweep of his long hair against her cheeks. He was a large man, she could tell, with powerful arms.

  When she made no move, no sound, he let her go again. One of her hands absently dropped and brushed the rock-hard flesh of his bare thigh. With a stab of panic, she wondered suddenly if he were completely naked and hoped she did not find out. "I came to find my mother. She—"

  But then he was clamping a hand across her face again, and she was about to think it had to be some kind of maddening game when light suddenly flooded through the window. At the same instant she heard voices just outside.

  "Them damn horses was spooked by a coyote," a man grumbled. "I tell you, there ain't no injuns around here. They don't like to attack at night. They're scared if they get killed their spirits can't find their way in the dark to wherever it is they're supposed to go.”

  "Tell that to the captain. He says as long as them horses are stompin' and snortin', we gotta patrol this wall."

  "Yeah, well, if you ask me, he don't know what he's doin', not since he laid eyes on that woman...."

  The sound faded as they went past, and Luke wondered what could have upset the cavalry horses. Certainly not him. He had been inside the fort for hours, it had to be something else. He only knew that he had to get out of there fast before they started waking up the entire fort to alert everyone to possible danger.

  "Listen to me," he said, still restraining Jacie. "I want to hear about your mother. That is the only reason I am here. I'll come back, but only if you don't tell anyone I was here."

  He got to his feet, prepared to bolt and run should she scream.

  But Jacie did not scream, for in that brief instant of light, she had seen his face, his piercing but warm eyes, the strong lines of his jaw. Fine features. Handsome, maybe, in a rugged kind of way. But besides that, she had sensed in that crystallized moment that he really did not intend to harm her and assured him, "I won't tell a soul. But why do you want to know about her? Can you help me find her?"

  "I'm not sure. Not till I hear everything you have to say." Luke had no intention of telling her about Sunstar, even if he discovered she actually was her daughter. He did not want Sunstar to leave their people. Not now. Not when he knew how much good she did with her medicine and how desperately she was needed. "I will be back. We will talk then. But remember—don't say a word, or you will never see me again."

  She reached out for him in the darkness, sensing he was moving away. "Please. Tell me why you want to know. You wouldn't be here if you didn't know something about her...."

  But he was gone, as quickly and silently as he had come.

  Jacie lay awake for a very long time, pondering the strange visit, daring to hope it meant she would find what she sought.

  And she knew she would keep his visit a secret, praying all the while he would soon return.

  * * *

  The moon slipped from behind a cloud, and the renegade Comanche known as Black Serpent motioned for his men to halt. They were far enough away from the fort that they no longer had to move cautiously and quietly. "Next time," he said, "we will leave our ponies farther away. Their ponies heard ours and the guards were alerted."

  Culojah, the warrior riding beside him, agreed. "Nothing must go wrong. Tall Tree was able to tell us about the temporary storage of the guns and ammunition in a shed near the hole in the wall, but the soldiers will not leave them there long. We must move fast to take them."

  "Yes, but not only for the guns. I want to see Sunstar's daughter for myself." He knew of the raid many years ago when Great Bear's woman, Sunstar, had been taken by the soldiers and how she had fled them to return to the band. He had only been a boy then but remembered well his people's wonder over what Sunstar had done, and how afterward they had accepted her as one of them. But he had never cared for her, because she had belonged to Great Bear. He hated the chief and thought him weak for his talk of peace with the white man.

  And he also hated Great Bear's son, called Luke, even more.

  "You do not know that it is so," Culojah said. "Tall Tree might not have heard right. We need to get the guns and leave quickly, not waste time on the woman."

  Black Serpent glared at him. "I say what we do. Not you."

  "I mean no disrespect. But what difference does it make if she is Sunstar's daughter? We left her and the others. Why should we care?"

  "Fool," Black Serpent sneered. Daily he was reminded why he was the leader; the others were strong and brave warriors, but they were stupid. "Don't you realize it would be my ultimate revenge on Luke? I will take her and make her my slave. And when Sunstar hears what has happened to her daughter, she will grieve, and her pain will be Luke's. And when I am done with her, I will send her body to their camp, and Sunstar will blame Luke for incurring my wrath and causing me to take vengeance in such a way. And all the others will hate him, too, for making Sunstar grieve. He will be ruined. They will no longer want him for their chief."

  Tall Tree nodded. Thinking of it that way made sense. "So we will go back tomorrow night. I wil
l lead the way to the guns. You take the woman."

  "Not that soon. The guns will not be moved for several days, but the soldiers will be uneasy for the next few nights. There will be extra guards. We must wait."

  Black Serpent touched his face and felt the still open wound from Luke's blade. Now the maidens would not talk of how handsome he was. But Luke would pay. With his life. This, Black Serpent had vowed on the grave of his father. "We will wait," he said fiercely, "but I will have her."

  Chapter 14

  "Miss Calhoun—Jacie—if I may," Captain Logan began, "we can make inquiries among the scouts and other peaceful Indians we come in contact with, but that's really all we can do after so many years."

  They were seated in his office, and with barely concealed impatience Jacie had waited for a soldier to serve them coffee and cake before getting to the point of her early morning visit. But now her forbearance was exhausted. "That's not enough. You must send out patrols to look for her."

  "Patrols?" He leaned back in his chair and laughed. Then, seeing her icy glare, he said soberly, "I'm sorry. I don't mean to make light of the situation, but you don't understand. We are at war with the Indians. When we see them, we shoot them. It's that simple. We don't pause to ask if they know of a white woman living among them."

  "I am wasting my time here."

  "No you aren't. Give us a chance." Give me a chance, he thought, panic rising to think she might leave. "A week, at least. You'll be surprised how news spreads out here. I've already ordered that the scouts be apprised of the situation so they can begin making inquiries among their people. Wait. Please."

  "Very well." After all, she reasoned, beneath her perplexity was the smoldering hope that the Comanche would return soon and speak the words she longed to hear—that he knew where her mother was and would take her there.

  "Wonderful. And now that that's settled, let's talk of something else." He reminded her of the tea the ladies were having for her that afternoon and how much he was looking forward to the special supper the Cogdales were hosting for just the two of them.

  But Jacie did not care. All she wanted was for the hours to pass till she could retire for the night and wait for her visitor. And if he did not come, and a week passed with no encouraging news, then she would have to think of a way to conduct her own search.

  She managed to get through the day but by dark was afraid her anxiety would show and arouse suspicion. It was all she could do to make polite small talk during the evening, being careful not to tell the truth about where she was from or mention any names that could be linked to Red Oakes. In the back of her mind she feared that when Captain Logan finally realized she had no intention of accepting his proposal, or of giving up her quest, he might send word back east for someone to come and get her.

  Finally, when the hour grew late and she could stand it no longer, Jacie pretended to stifle a yawn and pleaded sleepiness. She could see James's disappointment, and he took his time walking her back to her room. Outside her door, he tried everything to keep her lingering, and finally she had to be almost rude to make him leave.

  At last alone, she left the door unlocked, the shutters open, and tensely waited.

  But the hours passed, and when the first faint light of dawn crept through the window, Jacie knew the Comanche was not coming and feared he never would.

  Another grueling day passed. The officers' wives decided that to entertain Jacie they would present last season's Christmas chorale, even though it was hardly autumn. Jacie gritted her teeth and went to the social, again counting the minutes till she could once more anticipate her nocturnal visitor.

  Again she waited, and again she was disappointed as the night wore on and he did not appear. Finally, she left her vigil and moved to the bed, where exhaustion carried her away to a deep sleep.

  * * *

  Luke entered soundlessly. He crept to the bed and stood staring at her shadowy outline. He had not wanted to come. In fact, as she had waited in vain the night before, he had been on his way to the winter camp, convinced it was best to leave well enough alone. She would never find Sunstar. The soldiers would not know where to start looking. Eventually she would give up and go home, which would be best for everyone.

  But as he had ridden steadily onward, Luke had felt a strangeness gathering within him. Perhaps it was the idea that the girl might actually be Sunstar's flesh and blood. If that were so, it would explain why he was drawn to her. At least that was what he wanted to think, for he did not like to contemplate the feeling of warmth he had experienced at just her nearness.

  He had told himself to keep on going. Not to look back. But by midday, he knew he would never know peace until he heard her out.

  Lowering himself gently to the side of the bed, he put his hand over her face once more to stifle any cry from her at being awakened so abruptly. But awareness came fast and she did not struggle. He released her and gently commanded, "Tell me everything."

  She was eager to do so but first had a few questions of her own before confiding in a man many would consider savage. "How is it that you understand and speak English?"

  "My father sent me to study with missionaries."

  "And why do you want to know about my search for my mother?"

  "I won't know that until you tell me everything."

  And she did so.

  When she had finished, Luke was even more torn, because with each word she spoke, he knew she could very well really be Sunstar's daughter.

  "Do you know my mother?" She asked him. "Can you take me to her?"

  He could hear the desperation in her tone but told himself that Sunstar was better off where she was. In the white man's world, she would be shunned and mistreated. "I know of no one such as you describe," he lied.

  Jacie bolted upright. "Then why did you come here? Why did you want to hear my story? Did you want to torture me by making me think you could help me?"

  "I promised you nothing," he said defensively, experiencing a heated rush as her hands clutched his shoulders. She was wearing a nightdress of some sort, and the material was thin. He could feel the rise and fall of her bosom, her nipples grazing his bare chest ever so lightly. She was dangerously close and all too appealing.

  In an attempt to escape the torture, he fastened his hands on her waist to move her away from him.

  Jacie did not notice as she continued her angry tirade. "Then answer me. Why are you here?"

  "I'm not sure," he said, more to himself than to her. "Maybe I thought I knew someone. Now I don't think so."

  "A white woman?" Hope sprang in Jacie's heart once more. "You know of a white woman held captive by the Indians? Then take me to her, please." Again, she caught his shoulders; later she would be frightened by her boldness but at the moment was not thinking of anything except convincing him to help her.

  "A lot of white women have been taken by Indians. You think you can find every one?"

  She could not see his taunting sneer but sensed it. "Only the ones who fit the description of my mother."

  "You are wasting your time. Go home." He stood. The woman smell of her was arousing emotions he did not want just then. And there was something else he sensed in her that ignited his desire—spirit.

  He could tell she possessed the same strength and spirit that Sunstar had shown once she had come out of her deep depression and embraced his people. Coincidence, he told himself. Two women could have the same traits without being related, and somehow, some way, he was going to make himself believe that these two were not related, because he did not like feeling guilt over keeping them apart.

  But Jacie was undaunted. She bounded to her feet, stumbling against him in the darkness. "And you can go to hell if you won't help me," she said hotly. "You sneak in here and get my hopes up, then refuse to help me. Oh, what's the use? Just go. Please."

  She turned away, wiping fiercely at her eyes and cursing herself for being so weak as to cry. But it seemed the whole world was collapsing around her. Captain Log
an had one thing on his mind—persuading her to marry him. The officers' wives welcomed her as an excuse to have socials. The soldiers didn't care. And now a flesh and blood Comanche had appeared to hear her out and then laughed in her face and told her to go home. It was suddenly all too much.

  He spun her about. "I did not mean to hurt you. I am sorry. I shouldn't have come." He cursed the needles of pleasure assaulting him as he felt the softness of her. His naked thighs touched hers through the filmy gown. And was it his imagination or had her nipples become hard as they teased his chest? Could she likewise feel desire?

  Jacie's pulse began to race as she wantonly allowed her mind free rein to envision how it would be to succumb to him, to fall into his embrace—dear God! She gave herself a mental shake and moved away from him. What was she thinking?

  "If you won't help me, then go," she repeated curtly. "Get out of here."

  "I will," he said, equally gruff and lashing out in his own misery over emotions he could not deny. "And if you are smart, you will give up your foolish search. You aren't going to find your mother. You aren't going to find anything except danger."

  All the heartache she had endured the past weeks exploded in her next words: "Oh, damn you to hell! Just leave me be...."

  But he was already gone.

  She flung herself across the bed and allowed the wretchedness of the past weeks and months to burst forth—the heartbreak of learning her parents were not her real parents, the anguish of envisioning her true mother's suffering all these years, confusion about her feelings for Michael, the hardship and exhaustion of the trek west. She had endured it all, only to have a stranger reduce her to sobs of near hysteria.

  But when she had cried until there were no tears left, Jacie wiped her face, lifted her chin, took a deep breath, and acknowledged that she suddenly felt much better. She resolved to try and sleep the rest of the night; in the morning, she would make her plans to leave the post despite Captain Logan's protests.