She grabbed his arm and gave a hard yank. "You're going home, Josh," she said, forcefully moving him along through the gawking crowd. "You're going to have a bath and drink a gallon of coffee to sober you up, and then you are going to go and find Shane and give him a helping hand."
Josh frowned. "Give him a helping hand?" he said in a drunken drawl. "Who says?"
"I do," Melanie said, giving him another hard yank. "Now come along. You don't have any choice this time. You're going to do something for someone besides yourself. Your selfish days are over as far as I'm concerned."
The men at the table that Josh was leaving began to laugh and poke fun at him. Josh hesitated and looked over his shoulder. His gaze settled on the half-emptied whiskey bottle and the stack of coins
that were his. He started pulling back from Melanie.
''I'm not finished with my whiskey," he whined. "I'm not through playing poker." He reached a hand back over his shoulder. "Give me my money! Give me my whiskey!"
The men ignored him now and resumed playing cards.
Melanie tugged and pulled with all her might until she had Josh out on the sidewalk. "There's my horse and buggy," she said flatly. "Come on, Josh. Walk on your own. Don't force us both to make fools of ourselves. I felt fool enough just having to enter that terrible place. I don't want to set the whole city of St. Paul's tongues to wagging about both our families any more than they are already."
Josh staggered. He grabbed for Melanie. He squinted down at her. "I've got one helluva headache," he confessed. "Damn it, Melanie, I need to go someplace and lie down." He looked up at the stairs that led to his room. "Come on, Melanie. Let me go to my room and get a few winks of sleep before riding on that rickety buggy. I just might puke."
Melanie shook her head. "If you think I'm going to let you sidetrack me into going to your hotel room, you're crazy," she said, shoving him toward her buggy. "Get in the buggy. And Josh, if you dare get sick in my buggy, I'll kick you out onto the road and make you walk home. Do you understand?"
Josh pulled himself up into the buggy and held his face in his hands. "You're a hard-hearted woman," he said, groaning as she climbed in beside him and slapped the reins against the horse's rump. "Please go slow, Melanie. Please . . ."
Melanie smiled wickedly at him and sent her horse into a hard gallop over the dusty road. When the buggy hit a pothole, she laughed to herself when Josh's eyes widened and he covered his mouth with a hand. She could see his throat constricting and knew that he was terribly ill. It would do him good to have to suffer like everyone else!
But she stopped to let him be sick in a clump of bushes alongside the road. After that, Josh climbed to the back of the buggy and stretched out and fell into a restless sleep. Melanie drove on, more slowly.
Stealing stealthily across the stretch of land that led from the depths of the forest to Trapper Dan's cabin, Shane tensed when he heard the trapper laughing. He went to the window and peered inside. The trapper was straddling the naked Indian woman, rutting her vigorously. Shane looked at the woman's face to see if she was enjoying it. His insides grew cold when he saw that she was passive, her eyes fixed on the roof rather than the man who held her.
Shane turned away, his teeth clenched. He had come to speak with the woman and that was
impossible now. So, he would at least achieve another part of his plan. He would steal some of the trapper's traps. He had plans for them, later.
"I will speak with the woman another time," he whispered. "But I will. I must. It is obvious to me now that she is not with him willingly!"
Chapter Twenty-seven
While Josh lay prone on the bed in his room, snoring, Melanie began filling a copper tub that she had dragged to his room. She glared at him. She would sober him up if it was the last thing she did! She had to get him to listen to reason, but while his brain was soaked with alcohol, there was no getting through to him.
Melanie went downstairs to the kitchen and pumped more water into a bucket. She sank a finger deep into the water and smiled to herself, realizing just how cold the water was as it came up from the deep well in the ground. If this cold water didn't sober Josh up, nothing would!
The bucket filled to the brim, Melanie groaned and held onto the small of her back with her free hand as she began climbing the stairs again. She
looked up, mentally counting the steps, tired from the many trips she had already made with buckets of water.
But this was the last. There was enough water in the tub to give the drunken sot a good soaking.
Now would come the true test. Could she even get Josh to the tub, to get into the water? Drunk, he was a dead weight.
The last step finally taken, Melanie leaned into the weight of the water and carried it on into Josh's bedroom. She started to pour it into the tub with the rest, then looked at Josh with a lingering stare, and reconsidered. She needed this last bucket of water for another purpose.
Setting the bucket aside, beside the tub, Melanie took a deep breath and stretched out her aching bones. Then she went to the bed and shook Josh.
"Wake up!" she shouted. When he stirred only enough to lick his lips and emit a crude hiccough, she shook him again. "Damn it, Josh, wake up. I didn't go to all of the trouble of dragging you up those godawful stairs to your room just to let you go to sleep in your bed. I have other plans for you. Get up. If you don't, I'm going to drag you to the tub and put you in the water headfirst!"
Suddenly Josh slung a heavy arm around Melanie's waist and yanked her down atop him. With dark intent in his eyes, he coiled his fingers through her hair and drew her lips to his mouth in a wet kiss.
Melanie was momentarily stunned, having thought that he was too drunk to be a threat to her. But she was wrong. He knew damn well what he
was doing. His free hand was roaming over her with obvious purpose.
Doubling a fist, Melanie slammed it into his chest, and then his jaw. His reaction was swift. He yowled painfully and released her hair. She grabbed the opportunity and jerked herself free, then jumped from the bed.
Her eyes were lit with fire. "How dare you!" she hissed, panting. "I didn't come here to be manhandled!"
Josh rubbed his jaw and leaned up on an elbow. "Why'd you go and do that for?" he drawled. "I didn't mean anything by an innocent little kiss."
"That wasn't an innocent kiss and you know it," Melanie said, eying him venomously. Her gaze raked over him, shuddering at his soiled, disheveled appearance. "I'd like nothing more than to leave this room and never see you again, but I can't. I've come here for a purpose and I'm not going to leave." She nodded toward him. "Josh, get on your feet and take off your clothes.''
Josh's eyes widened. He rose slowly to a sitting position, a sneer on his face. "Why it'd be my pleasure," he said, wobbling to his feet. "Then maybe you'll let me try and kiss you again." His gaze roamed over her suggestively as he began unbuttoning his shirt. "You goin' to join me in the bath?" His eyes gleamed, suddenly not all that drunk after all. "We'd have fun, Melanie. Perhaps you'd even forget Shane once you see what I have to offer."
Melanie began to feel uneasy as Josh placed his thumbs to his breeches and began lowering them.
"On second thought, maybe you'd best take a bath with your clothes on," she said shallowly.
Josh continued undressing. "Now who ever heard of anyone taking a bath with his clothes on?" he said, chuckling. He stepped out of his breeches, revealing his nakedness to Melanie's nervous eyes. He looked up at her as he sat down on the edge of the bed and yanked one boot off, and then the other. "I'm doin' exactly what you said, Melanie. I've taken my clothes off. Now I'm going to take that bath." His eyes gleamed. ''Are you going to scrub the filth and stench of whiskey off me?"
"The whole point to having you take a bath was not only to clean you up, but also to sober you," Melanie said, turning her back to him. Her heart pounded, afraid. "Seems you are sober enough to clean yourself, Josh." She started toward the door, intent on escape. "After you
take the bath, come downstairs. I have much to talk over with you."
Suddenly she felt a hand grip hard onto her wrist. As she was forced around, she looked up into blue, leering eyes. "Josh, don't," she said, her voice weak. "You don't want to do this."
"The hell I don't," Josh said, grabbing her around the waist and yanking her to him. "Melanie, there isn't anything you can do to keep me from having you. I've wanted you forever. You're in my room. There's a bed handy. I'll never get the same opportunity again."
Melanie eyed the tub, and then Josh. She moved into action. Splaying her hands against his bare chest, she gave him a powerful shove, then
watched gleefully as he lost his balance and fell backward into the water. She laughed as he yelled and reached desperately for the sides of the tub, his eyes wild from the shock of the cold water.
She reached for the bucket and coiled her fingers around the handle. "If you think that's cold, just wait until you feel this," she said, dumping the bucket of water over his head.
His reaction was not at all what Melanie expected. After the initial shock of the dousing, he came out of the tub like a clap of thunder, his eyes spitting fire.
Melanie's insides froze. She turned and started to run but Josh was there, his fingers biting into the flesh of her wrists.
His horse loaded down with several of Trapper Dan's steel traps, Shane rode up the lane to his house, then leaned over the pommel of his saddle when he recognized Melanie's horse and buggy. Smiling, expecting to find her in the house awaiting his arrival, he nudged his horse in the flanks with his heels and rode up to the porch. Swinging himself out of his saddle, he rushed into the house.
"Melanie?" he shouted, looking from room to room. "Melanie, where are you? Have you been here long?"
When he didn't find her anywhere, and she did not respond in any way, he scratched his brow idly. A noise like the rustling of feet overhead drew his eyes upward. Then a loud shriek split the silence.
"My God! Melanie!" Shane gasped, taking the stairs two at a time.
He followed the sound of Melanie's sobs. He flung Josh's door open and paled when he saw Josh struggling with Melanie on the floor. For a moment time seemed to stand still as Shane looked at Josh's naked form now pinioning Melanie to the floor, a knee nudging her legs apart while a hand raised her skirt.
Shane's gaze swept to Melanie. Her face was red and scratched by Josh's stiff whiskers as he attempted to kiss her. Her eyes were wild.
Then all that Shane could see was red. With a low growl and flying feet he went to Josh and twisted his fingers through his brother's thick golden hair. With one hard yank he had Josh away from Melanie. With a firm foot on Josh's abdomen, Shane pinned his brother to the floor.
With marked fear in his eyes, the pulse at the base of his throat pounding, Josh pleaded with Shane. "I didn't mean nothing by it, Shane," he cried. "She's the cause! She's the one who came to my room. She told me to undress. What's a man to think when a woman out and out asks him to undress in his own bedroom? Wouldn't you think the same thing if it happened to you? Wouldn't you take advantage of it? Shane, I've wanted her for so long! It's unfair that I can't have her!"
Shane ground his heel harder into Josh's abdomen, causing him to groan with pain. "If Melanie was in your room, it sure as hell was not for the reason you assumed," he growled. "You know that, Josh. Father failed somehow in teaching you manners." He smiled slowly, his eyes twinkling. "But maybe I can teach you a few." He kneaded his chin thoughtfully. "Now just where do you think I should begin?"
"Just let me go," Josh begged, sweat pearling his brow. "I didn't want to come back home, anyhow. Melanie dragged me here. I'll leave again. Just let me up. I'll show you just how damn fast I can get out of here."
Melanie moved shakily to her feet. She straightened her skirt and glowered at Josh, then looked at Shane. "Let him go," she said, her voice quavering. "The only reason I brought him home was to make him go and search for you and help you. Shane, you're home and obviously all right. We don't need Josh!"
Her eyes faltered as she once again looked down at Josh. "Unless he can get the hired hands to return and work for you," she said. "If Josh were here, your cowhands would return."
"That isn't necessary," Shane said, lifting his foot away from Josh. "I have my own ways of getting cowhands. By sunup tomorrow, there will be enough to tend to all of the chores around here."
"How?" Melanie gasped. "Is that where you were? In town? You weren't out searching for Trapper Dan? I even thought that perhaps you had left again, for good. Shane, I'm so glad that you didn't."
Distracted, Shane looked away from Josh. Melanie watched, horror-struck, as Josh lunged
for the knife that was sheathed at Shane's waist. She ran to Josh and kicked him in the groin, causing him to drop back to the floor weaponless, howling with pain.
Shane went to Melanie and drew her within his arms. "I'm sorry you have to become involved in my battles," he apologized. He tilted her chin with a finger. "Thank you, though, for everything you have done."
"Where were you this morning?" Melanie asked, looking up at him with adoring eyes. "I was so worried."
"In St. Paul," Shane responded, gazing raptly down at her. "I paid the blacksmith to round me up some men. Then I went to"
"You sonofabitch," Josh said from between clenched teeth, interrupting Shane. "Don't you know? Melanie wanted me to return to the farm because you don't have the brains to run it, ever. You're responsible for all of the men leaving. What are you good for, Shane? As I see it, you should be back in the wilderness living with the savages, because you are one of them!"
Melanie grabbed Shane's arm quickly, stopping him from attacking Josh again. "Shane, leave him be," she urged. "Let's let him go. We don't need him."
"No, he won't get off that easily," Shane said, bending to one knee beside Josh. He grabbed him by the throat and drew him up close to his face. "I'm tired of listening to him saying that I'm a savage and that I am ignorant."
Shane leaned down into Josh's face. "It's time
for me to prove a few things to my brother," he said thickly. "Josh, I challenge you to a duel. We'll see who is the most cunning. If I lose, the farm is all yours. If you lose, the farm is mine. And you will treat me with respect. Do you hear?"
Melanie paled. She looked from Shane to Josh, then back at Shane. "Shane, no!" she cried. "Please don't! You can't have a duel with Josh! One of you will be killed. Please don't. I can't bear the thought of losing you!"
Josh reached a hand and removed Shane's fingers from around his throat. Coughing, rubbing his raw flesh, he backed away from Shane. "A duel?" he said thinly. "Shane, I"
"Don't break out into a nervous sweat over my challenge," Shane said, laughing lightly. "No one is going to get killed, because we won't be using guns. I am challenging you to a game of poker, Josh. It will be a duel of cards and wits!"
Josh smiled slyly up at Shane. "You want to challenge me in a game of poker?" he said, reaching for a blanket from the bed to cover his nakedness.
"Exactly," Shane said, squaring his shoulders.
"I accept the challenge," Josh said, moving slowly to his feet. "Gladly."
Melanie and Shane exchanged quick looks. She smiled at Shane, he at her. She knew Shane's skill with cards.
Josh apparently didn't.
"But for now, if you don't mind, I'm going to return to St. Paul," Josh said, going to his armoire
to choose fresh clothes. "Perhaps I had better get some practice in before you get the chancemaybeto beat me." He looked smugly at Shane.
"Tomorrow, Josh," Shane said, walking Melanie toward the door. "I'll meet you in St. Paul. Have a table ready." He looked over his shoulder at Josh. "Now I would make a suggestion. Stay sober. You are going to need all your senses when you play your brother in a game of poker.''
"You scare the hell outta me," Josh said, chuckling. "You've lived in a damn Indian village all your life. Where could you pick up any skill at poker?"
He gestured with a hand around the room. "Brother dear, you'd best enjoy your night in this house, for it will be your last!"
Melanie wanted so badly to brag to him about Shane's prowess at the poker table, for she had no doubt that Shane would win. She had seen Shane play poker. She had seen a man get so riled because of his skills he had drawn a pistol on him!
Yes, Shane would be the winner. She smiled as she left the room with him.
When they got outside and Melanie saw the traps on Shane's horse, she looked up at him with questioning eyes. "Darling, where did you?"
"I stole them from Trapper Dan," he said. "When the time is right, after I get the new cowhands settled in here at the farm and I have some free time again, I plan to use the trapper's traps on him. He will see the sort of pain he has caused many an innocent animal that has lain for
hours before being taken from a trap. It will be a slow and painful lesson. I will watch him suffer and enjoy it!"
Melanie turned her eyes away, not wanting to envision the sort of vengeance that Shane was talking about. The cows bellowing in the distance gave her cause to change the subject.
"Shane, I'm going to spend the rest of the day with you," she said, turning her eyes back to him. "I'm going to help you do whatever has been neglected the last couple of days. It will be fun working side by side with you."
Melanie walked alongside Shane as he led his horse to the stable and unloaded the traps. He hid them beneath a stack of straw, then spun around and glowered at Josh as he came to the door.
"Now ain't you two a pair?" Josh chuckled, saddling himself a horse. "Melanie, are you going into the wilderness with Shane to live as a savage with him after he loses at poker with me? I can just see you nowwalking around with a papoose hanging on your back!"
Shane's eyes darkened with a quick anger. He took two wide steps forward, a fist doubled, but Melanie intercepted him by stepping in his way. "Ignore him," she urged. "He only continues to show his ignorancehis uncouth ways. Let him go. Tomorrow he'll never have cause to mock you again."
When Passion Calls Page 25