by Sharon Ihle
“It means a lot to me to know that you care,” he began awkwardly. “You also mean a lot to me, but I’m just getting to know myself these days. I don’t think I can offer more than what we already have together.”
“There are only two things I want or need from you,” she assured him. “Trust me a little more and treat me kindly.”
Gant dropped his devastating smile on her. “That much I can do. I’ve had damn few things to believe in during my life, but I think I’m ready to believe in you.”
Rayna might have cried again, and would have too, if she hadn’t almost driven him from the room the first time her tears fell. Holding them back, trying not to feel the raw emotions lashing at her from within, she managed to say in a soft whisper, ”Thank you. I promise this is all I will ask of you, all that I need.”
Gant pulled her into his arms and chuckled against her hair. “Are you sure that’s all you want from me?”
That smile again, melting her, driving her tears away. Rayna touched her lips to his, and Gant responded like lightening, kissing her hard, long, and deep. She was in over her head, knew that without question, but for the first time in her life, Rayna decided to test her limits.
Pulling away from Gant’s embrace, she smiled seductively as she said, “There may be one other thing, now that I think of it. Perhaps while I am practicing my dance alone tonight, it will come to me.”
Then, with a suggestive chuckle, she ducked around the office wall and disappeared.
Gant didn’t try to follow her. He gave her enough time to leave the arena in privacy, and for him to put his body back in order. A few moments later he strolled out of the office. As he walked, even he was surprised to hear himself whistling.
*
Had Gant and Rayna not been so wrapped up in their own thoughts and problems, they might have paid more attention to the costume rack located at the back of the office. After the pair slipped away, Maria stepped out from her hiding place.
She rubbed her eyes, swollen and red from crying, and then tried to think of what to do, of how to help her daughter before it was too late—if it wasn’t already. As she thought back to some of the things she’d heard them say to one another, Maria picked at the jeweled bodice on the Cleopatra costume she held in her trembling fingers.
She’d been sewing when she heard them come in, helping Rayna to shine, to live as full a life as possible. How would that ever happen now that this Gaje had come along, turning her head, ruining all their plans for the future and jeopardizing any chance Rayna had for happiness?
Maria could almost feel her blood pressure rise and tiny freckle-like spots danced behind her eyelids. She needed to calm herself, but her agitation continued to grow. She glanced down at the costume and saw that she’d destroyed the decorations. Soon the dress itself would hang in tatters.
Taking the damaged garment with her, Maria slowly waddled out of the office and headed for the dressing rooms. Her legs wooden, her body propelled by something much stronger than her own muscles, she felt a certain calm come over her, a sense of well-being. She was a Gypsy, was she not? A very powerful Gypsy when she put her mind to it. She could still help Rayna, and the way was right under her own nose.
Having moved into the ladies dressing area, Maria uncurled her fingers and let the gauzy costume slither down to the sawdust floor. Then she headed for the exit. She had much work to do when she got to her room. As she walked by the dressing tables and reached the last cubicle, the area set aside for Anna Mae Gunther, Maria paused. There she spotted the pair of opal and diamond earbobs she’d admired on the young girl earlier in the day.
Without giving it another thought, Maria reached inside the crystal jewelry box and removed them. Then she slipped the earbobs into her pocket and continued on her way.
Eleven
Just before dark that evening, Duke nosed the bow of the showboat up on the ledge of a sandy beach. A copse of oak trees framed the wide clearing, their shadowed trunks concealing the wildlife within. Workers hung several lanterns on T-shaped supports driven into the sand and quickly built a fire ring over which to warm the meal. Within an hour all but three members of the circus had collected there for supper and a night of pre-performance celebration. Missing were Hans, who nursed his wounds; Gus, whose war injuries were giving him even more trouble than usual; and Maria.
She was in her cabin sitting cross-legged in the center of the room. Before her smoldered a small saucer-like censer filled with incense. Breathing deeply of the intoxicating fumes, she employed every incantation she could think of to help save Rayna from herself. First she buried the earbobs she’d borrowed deep in the dagger sheath of Rayna’s crimson apron. She’d had some difficulty wresting the garment from her suspicious daughter, but she’d managed to convince her that she was sewing a little charm to it, an amulet for good luck. Not quite the truth, of course, but it had been necessary to lie. Everything she did this night was not only necessary, but vital. If all worked as planned, she would save her daughter’s life.
Diamonds like the ones found in the earbobs were known for their powers to ward off the attentions of evil or unsuitable men. When worn next to the body, or in this case, in the apron Rayna usually wore, the gems would act as an amulet to keep her morally strong and protect her against any further temptations of the flesh with Gant. Maria reasoned that if Rayna no longer desired the Gaje, she would quickly tire of him and her heart would be safe.
As for the man himself, Maria had devised two plans; one a talisman, the other, a spell that was sure to work should all else fail. She palmed the figurine of a black onyx jaguar. To her it was nothing more than a smooth, fascinating bit of artwork. Given as a gift however, any object made of black onyx became an infallibly unlucky stone. Tomorrow Maria would present the jaguar to Gant. She smiled, thinking of the consequences, the trail of bad luck that would follow him as long as he possessed the black stone. From the moment Gant took possession of the gift, the vibrations surrounding him would become so unpleasant, he’d probably jump ship, maybe even before it reached port. If for some reason that didn’t work, Maria had begun a ritual using the most dangerous aid of all; black magic.
She took another, deeper breath of the fumes, and then set about casting the ultimate spell, the only thing that could most positively rid Rayna of Gant, a spell so strong, it might even jeopardize his life. The rules were simple in theory, difficult to endure. Maria would have to fast for nine days, sleep as little as possible during that time, and make certain the incense continued to burn for the full nine days. A tough assignment for Maria’s fragile body, but somehow she would bear the ordeal. With luck, the spell would work faster. If it became necessary to continue for the whole nine days, she would find a way to manage. She could bear anything as long as her Rayna was free again, happy.
Maria leaned forward and lit a black candle she’d sealed into the middle of the censer. Then she stared into the flame, drifted into a trance, and began to chant the incantation.
“Black spirits of the night who riseth from the shadows of hell. Tormented sinners, all rise and swirl about me now. Hear my command. Go, seek out the man I name, find him, this Gaje who tempts my daughter.”
*
Outside on the beach, the troupe was just finishing the evening meal. Mollie had collected her brood as soon as they finished eating, and herded them up the gangplank to spend some time with their father.
Gant was sitting away from the others on the stump of a fallen oak, his arm wrapped possessively around his plate. He recognized this behavior as odd, and knew it was a practice he’d picked up in prison where nothing was safe from the other inmates. Yet it remained habit.
Rayna sat alone too, picking at her plate of smoked venison, day old biscuits, and snap beans. She sensed that something was wrong, very wrong. She couldn’t put her finger on what, but something evil lurked in the air, something hiding in the misty fog surrounding the camp.
Although the night was unusually sultry for e
arly spring, Rayna shivered. She pushed her plate aside, and then buried her feet into the warm sand. It occurred to her that this feeling of doom might have something to do with her mother. Rayna glanced over at the bow of the ship and considered returning to her cabin in order to check on her. She hadn’t taken supper tonight, pleading an upset stomach even though she hadn’t looked particularly ill. She thought about returning to the ship when another sensation swept over her—someone was watching her. This was no simple gaze, but almost a caress. Again she shivered, this time with anticipation.
There was no doubt in Rayna’s mind as to who her observer might be. Only one man had ever affected her this way; Gant. She almost laughed thinking about the way she’d assumed she could forget him after just one night together. She hadn’t assuaged a thing except fleeting physical desire.
Rayna stole a glance in the direction of the fallen stump. Her gaze collided with Gant’s, an impact that almost blinded her with its brilliance. Curses aside, she was struck by one indisputable fact. She was made for this man, meant to be his for all eternity. Nothing, not a palm reading, a card reading, or even her crystal ball could tell her otherwise. Destiny drew her to him, this perfect match, and no other would suit her quite as well. If only she could claim him in all ways. Gant would belong to her even now if Queen Persa hadn’t hurled that loathsome curse.
Rayna flung a fistful of sand, the small particles stinging her bare ankles and feet, and then turned toward Gant again. He was no longer simply watching her, but moving in her direction. As Gant advanced on her his image flickered in and out of the shadows, his profile occasionally illuminated by scattered rays of pearly moonlight. He was nothing short of magnificent.
When Gant passed by the lanterns, the soft amber glow they cast gave Rayna an even better view of this, the man who owned her soul, but could never have her heart. His eyes were as black as the night, and his thick crop of warm sable curls were mussed and windblown. He looked as if he’d just crawled out of bed. Even the way he walked was enough to bring her pulse to a chugging halt. Boots bogged down by the sand, his efforts to reach her had exaggerated his usual stride to a hip-jutting swagger.
Rayna’s head fell back and she sucked in a swallow of sultry night air. Her mouth was watering, her heart thundering as she remembered how those hips had ground against hers, his hot, hard body teasing, and then filling her, again the perfect fit. At the thought, the sense that he was there inside her now, Rayna squeezed her thighs together hoping to at least take the edge off the sudden agonizing ache. It didn’t do much good. She took another, deeper breath, and then exhaled, the sound a low moan that slowly slithered away with the fog.
A shadow fell over her.
“Evening,” Gant said, his voice low, husky.
As Rayna looked up, her gaze moved from his boots to his thighs, snagging for a moment on the bulge at the crotch of his Levis before moving higher to his chest. Then she glanced beyond to his piercing black eyes.
Her breath catching, she said, “Good evening. How was your supper?”
“Did I eat? I was too busy watching you to notice.”
She couldn’t be sure, but Rayna thought she might have purred.
Dropping that dazzling grin on her, Gant held out his hand. “If you’re done here, J.R. and I would like a little of your advice.”
She accepted his outstretched hand and let him pull her to her feet. Then she said, “I don’t see what kind of advice I could possibly give you two. What’s it about?”
“The show tomorrow in Memphis. We seem to be missing our lion-tamer. He took sick or something.”
“Oh, him.” They exchanged a quick grin. “Does Mollie know about the fight you two had?”
“Not exactly. In fact, everyone except you, me, and my brother thinks that Hans slipped and fell in the stables. That’s the story he told Sam, anyway, and frankly, I’m for sticking with it.”
Rayna considered this. “I suppose it’s for the best all around. What kind of advice did you want from me? I don’t know the first thing about lions, except that they stink.”
“It’s not lions we need help with. It’s lion-tamers.” Gant waved to his brother, who was standing at the fire ring, and beckoned him to join them. “J.R. and I thought you’d be our best bet to have a little talk with Hans.”
“What?” She couldn’t believe Gant would even suggest such a thing. “How can you expect me to be in the same room with Hans after all the things he said, the blackmail and assaults I endured because of him?”
He got very serious then. “I wouldn’t normally dream of asking this of you, and I sure don’t want you to see him alone. I’m asking on behalf of the circus.”
“I do want to help the circus, but I don’t think it’s a good idea for me to see Han’s with you in tow.”
“Those are my terms.”
She laughed. “Do you have any idea what Hans would do if both of us popped in for a visit? I know Hans, and he has the worst temper of any man I’ve ever met.” Rayna made a face at Gant and amended the statement. “Almost any man I’ve ever met.”
By then, J.R. had reached them. Panting and out of breath, he said, “Did you ask her about me, Gant? What’d she say?”
“We were just getting to you, J.R.” Turning back to Rayna, Gant explained the plan. “Mollie and I figured that folks are going to expect to see at least one lion when they come to this circus, and J.R. has a hankering to be a lion-tamer.”
Rayna burst out laughing again. When she realized that no one was laughing with her, and that these two were deadly serious, she said, “You really want to put your brother, a man who never even saw a circus until this week, in with the lions? Have you both gone crazy?”
The brothers exchanged a grin. Then Gant shrugged and said, “I have to admit that’s been up for debate at times, but right now all we’re trying to do is work out the lion act. We realize that J.R. can’t just jump into the ring with those animals and take over, but we were hoping you could talk Hans into showing him what to do. Maybe we can keep the act going with just one of the cats.”
Rayna shot a glance at J.R. She’d grown genuinely fond of him since he’d come on board, and admittedly had a hard time imagining him as a member of the bloodthirsty Gantry Gang, but as a lion-tamer? Impossible. J.R. was too tentative, too unsure of himself, and too downright pitiful. Those traits, while even desirable in a clown, could spell disaster for a man handling the big cats.
She shook her head resolutely. “Those lions are not pets, not even like Sweetpea. He’s trained. A pig, like the dogs or monkeys, can be domesticated easily, but the lions were captured in the wild. They are wild. Even for a man with years and years of experience, they can be terribly unpredictable.”
“I ain’t afraid,” J.R. bragged. “I wasn’t afraid up on that wire today, and I ain’t afraid a no pussycat.” He puffed up his chest. “I’m gonna learn how to tame them painters sooner or later. I figure now that Hans is busted up, it’s about the best chance I’m gonna get to try.”
Rayna glanced at Gant, hoping to find some reason or an ally, but he seemed as determined as J.R. to go ahead with the insane plan. Since she was, after all, indirectly responsible for the loss of the lion act, Rayna gave up the fight.
“Oh, all right. If J.R. isn’t worried about getting slapped around by a wild lion, then I’m not going to worry about it either.’
“I’m gonna be a lion-tamer,” J.R. said, clapping his hands. “Can we go see Hans now, huh?”
She sighed. “I guess so.”
Gant, who wasn’t about to be left behind, said, “I’ll get our supper plates over to Sam, and then we can all go.”
“No, we won’t.” Rayna took hold of J.R.’s arm. “You stay down here, Gant. Hans shouldn’t be up to giving anyone trouble after the thrashing he took from you today. Just to be safe, I think it’s best if you’re nowhere around. J.R. can take care of me if we have any problems, right?”
The younger Gantry beamed and nodded. “Th
at I can, ma’am. That I can.”
Then the pair took off for the gangplank, leaving Gant in their sandy wake.
*
Thirty minutes later after all remnants of supper had been cleaned up and the members of Gus’s band were warming their instruments for what promised to be a rowdy polka, Rayna and J.R. finally appeared at the top of the gangplank. Gant’s relief was visible as his fists uncurled and the tension slowly left his body. More than a little worried about Rayna’s safety, and Hans’s intentions if he’d managed to subdue J.R., Gant had been about one second from rushing up the gangway and heading for the German’s cabin. Now as he watched his brother escorting her down off of the wooden plank, Gant’s relief slowly turned to irritation.
Rayna and J.R. were arm in arm, laughing as they trudged through the sand on their way to the fire ring. Her chuckles, high-pitched and softly lilting, set off another irritating jolt in his gut. What was this? Jealousy over his own brother? Is that what he’d bought for himself when he’d opened up to Rayna?