by Jodi Thomas
As he said the last word, he slapped the rump of the horse, and Kora leaned close to the neck to hold on as the animal took off. Rain blinded her to the little the moonless night would have allowed her to see. She let the horse find its way as she held on.
Finally, when she was well away from the campfires, she managed to grab the reins. ‘‘North,’’ she whispered as if the horse might know his directions. ‘‘I have to go north.’’
Kora closed her eyes and buried her head in the horse’s mane. The animal kept moving, galloping across the open land as though he’d understood.
For a while, all she heard was the steady thumping of the hooves and the rain, but slowly she heard another sound.
Kora straightened as two riders came out of the night in front of her. They circled wide around her and flanked her. Fear made her shiver uncontrollably. Their horses were too powerful to belong to Andrew, and their slickers and hats made it impossible to see their faces. If they were the men Wyatt had been with, she might very well be signing her own death certificate as well as Wyatt’s.
She thought of trying to outrun them, but she was having enough trouble just holding on and they seemed seasoned horseman.
‘‘Kora!’’ Jamie shouted above the storm as her hand crossed the distance between the mounts and touched Kora’s arm. ‘‘We’ll see you home.’’
Kora glanced to the left and saw Cheyenne tip his hat slightly, spilling rain as he did. ‘‘Hold on tight!’’ he yelled. ‘‘Jamie, let’s ride.’’
‘‘Home,’’ Kora whispered, finding it hard to believe it had only been hours since she’d seen Win and not days.
Win paced the attic room. His head was swimming, his body ached, and he knew he needed to lie down, but he couldn’t stop. Kora was gone. How many times had she told him she didn’t believe anything lasted? Had she been fearing this time, predicting it, or planning it?
He walked over to her dressing area. Nothing was missing. She’d been kidnapped, he was sure of it.
Then he remembered how she’d cried out when they’d made love. Maybe she’d just been waiting for her chance to run. The snakes had given her that opportunity, and she wanted nothing of his to take with her.
Win slammed his fist against the dressing table in anger. The blow shattered the thin board and sent the perfume bottle flying. It hit the windowsill and broke, the thin blue glass still held in place by the decorative metal frame.
Win ignored the destruction he’d caused and knelt beside the window. He picked up the broken bottle and stared at it as the perfume dripped through his fingers.
Like the bottle, if Kora was gone, he was only a shell, broken inside and empty. Somehow, with her quiet gentle ways, she’d crawled into his heart, leaving it open for a pain he swore he’d never allow himself to feel again.
TWENTY-EIGHT
KORA CLIMBED THE STAIRS WITH BARELY ENOUGH ENERGY to lift her rain-soaked skirt. Jamie had offered to help her, but she wanted to face Win alone. She needed to be with him for a while, even if he were already asleep. She had several things she had to tell him, but with the rain growing worse, Kora knew she had little time.
The attic room was bathed in moonlight. Kora crossed slowly to the bed with its twisted quilts. Her wrapper lay over the chair where she’d left it, as though nothing had changed since dawn. She looked around the room, fighting down the tears. Win was gone. All day she’d struggled to get back to him. It was a relief that he must feel well enough to be out of bed, but little comfort. She needed his arms around her.
Pulling off her wet dress, Kora tossed it over the wooden panel. Without bothering to remove her damp underclothes, she slipped into her wrapper and struck a single light at Win’s washstand. Lifting his comb, she pulled it through her damp hair, letting the stress of the day pass away with the tangles. Somehow, she’d done the impossible. She’d made it back.
Silently Kora tiptoed down the stairs to the kitchen, trying not to let her disappointment show. Jamie and Cheyenne sat across from each other drinking coffee. For once they weren’t yelling, but talking as they sliced cheese and bread from a large platter. While Kora waited for her tea, she sipped a glass of milk, and listened.
‘‘We’ll hitch a wagon and go after Dan tomorrow,’’ Cheyenne said as he pushed Jamie’s hand off his arm. ‘‘The rain looks like it’s getting worse tonight. He’ll be more comfortable with the old woman than caught in the storm.’’
‘‘But what about the plans I overheard?’’ Kora asked as she leaned against the counter so she could easily see both doors in case Win returned.
‘‘Nothing is moving tonight,’’ Cheyenne reasoned. ‘‘It would be suicide to move cattle in this storm. We’ll be lucky if the storm’s over by morning.’’
Jamie put her forearm on his shoulder and leaned against him. ‘‘I’ll go with you tomorrow. I know how to handle Dan.’’
‘‘You didn’t even notice he was missing.’’ Cheyenne shrugged her arm away. He’d done the action so often it was starting to look like a twitch he’d developed. ‘‘And the settlement’s no place for a lady.’’
‘‘Good,’’ Jamie chimed. ‘‘Then I’ll fit right in.’’
Cheyenne did his best to growl at her. ‘‘Some of my people believe folks take their personalities from animals. If so, yours would be a leech.’’
Jamie stood and walked her fingers across his shoulders as she moved behind him. ‘‘Yours would be a bear.’’
She jumped away as he swung behind him as if swatting a fly.
‘‘Stop pestering him, Jamie!’’ Kora scolded, then glanced at the door. ‘‘When do you think Win will be back?’’ she asked. ‘‘I thought he’d still be in bed.’’
Cheyenne looked at her closely, like he was trying to read something she hadn’t said. ‘‘He’s in the study.’’ His words came slowly. ‘‘I talked to him when we came in. I told him what happened to you and assured him you were fine. I figured he’d have found you by now, but maybe Gage talked him into having his dressing changed first.’’
‘‘The study door was closed when I came down the stairs.’’ Kora lifted her cup and stood, trying not to let her worry show. ‘‘I must have missed him.’’
She set her cup on the counter and hurried out of the room, trying to imagine why Winter wouldn’t have found her if he knew she was home. Maybe he was too weak? Maybe he didn’t want her to see the wounds?
Steven Gage was in the foyer putting on his coat when she rounded the hallway.
‘‘He must be hell to live with,’’ Gage mumbled when he saw Kora. ‘‘All I want to do is change the bandage. He said I’d best get my doctoring done when he’s out cold, because if he’s conscious, he’s well enough to take care of himself.’’
‘‘What needs doing?’’ Kora asked.
‘‘I left the bandages and ointment in the study. Each of the bites needs washing and wrapping with clean cloth.’’ Gage fitted his hat. ‘‘I’ve got to get going. There’s a baby about to be born that may not wait until this storm clears.’’
Kora tapped on the study door.
‘‘Go away!’’ Win shouted.
Gage shook his head. ‘‘He’s feeling pretty bad. If he doesn’t die, send for me when he lets you in.’’
Without another word, the doc stepped into the rain.
Kora knocked again.
‘‘Go away!’’
Cheyenne appeared in the opening from the kitchen. He didn’t seemed surprised by Win’s behavior. ‘‘He doesn’t want you to see him hurting,’’ Cheyenne whispered. ‘‘We’ll have to wait until he unlocks the door. Ten men couldn’t knock it down, and there’s only one key. The one on the other side of the door. That’s the way the captain liked it, and I figure Win plans on continuing the custom.’’
Kora whirled and ran up the stairs. In a few minutes she was back down. She lifted a gold key. ‘‘Will you stop me?’’ she asked, knowing Cheyenne guarded Win as if he were the king’s royal guard.
‘‘No, ma’am,’’ he answered. ‘‘It’s your house. Boss said you could do anything you wanted to in this house, and no one was to ever stop you. Mind my asking how you made that key appear?’’
‘‘I found it,’’ Kora answered. ‘‘And it’s mine.’’
Cheyenne smiled. ‘‘Anything you say.’’
Silently she unlocked the study door and slipped inside. The windows were open to the storm and a fire roared in the fireplace. The room was in shadows except for occasional blinks of lightning.
Kora tiptoed farther inside, feeling Win’s nearness more than seeing him. From the first, this room had been his, she reminded herself. Only, she had a key.
Halfway across the floor, she saw him sitting in the tall wingback chair by the fireplace, his legs stretched out long in front of him.
‘‘Win?’’ she whispered as she ventured closer.
He didn’t move. His head was back, his eyes closed.
Without a word, she crossed to the desk where the doctor had everything ready. She soaked a rag in warm water and picked up the scissors. Slowly she knelt by Win’s side and began cutting away the bandage on his arm, allowing the rag to soak into the places where blood had dried, holding the stained cloth to Win’s flesh.
He looked at her with angry eyes. ‘‘What do you think you’re doing?’’
‘‘I’m going to rebandage the bites and put salve on them.’’ She didn’t stop working. ‘‘You can help by removing your clothes, or I can cut them off.’’
Win remained stone. She wasn’t sure how he’d react, but she’d faced kidnapping, assaults, and riding a half wild horse today. She wasn’t in any mood to be crossed.
Without a word she unbuttoned his shirt and set to work on the second wound.
When she’d finished, she motioned for him to undress as she resoaked the rag.
Standing slowly, he removed his shirt. ‘‘I locked the door for a reason.’’ His voice seemed to rumble around the room like a mirror of the storm outside.
‘‘And I unlocked it for a reason.’’ Kora waited for him to sit back down. ‘‘Why did you shut me out?’’
Win plopped back in the chair and allowed her to resume. ‘‘I didn’t want you to see me like this.’’
‘‘Like what? Tired? Hurt? Stupid?’’
Win smiled. ‘‘That does feel better,’’ he admitted as she rubbed salve across the third wound.
‘‘Then sit back and let me work,’’ she ordered. ‘‘And while I work, I’ll tell you what I’ve learned.’’
Win leaned his head back and relaxed. He listened as she told him the discussion she’d heard at the settlement. As before, he found himself asking her questions as she reasoned through all she’d learned.
‘‘You could have been killed if Wyatt hadn’t been the one to find you.’’ Win frowned. ‘‘I’m not sure why he was there. But he helped you and that stacks the deck in his favor.’’
Winter rubbed his forehead. ‘‘I’ll think about it in the morning. Right now all that matters is you’re safe.’’
‘‘And you’re alive,’’ Kora countered.
Win winked at her. ‘‘How’d you get in here anyway? Jamie pick the lock?’’
‘‘No, I have my own key.’’
‘‘There’s always been only one key. The captain used to lock the place up sometimes so he could drink. Even Miss Allie couldn’t get in.’’
‘‘So he may have thought.’’ Kora moved the rag over his swollen skin. ‘‘But there was a key hanging on the inside of one of the wardrobes. I’d never noticed any of the doors locked, so I didn’t know what it fit until tonight.’’
‘‘So the captain wasn’t safe from Miss Allie any more than I am from you.’’
‘‘Do you want to be?’’ Kora looked up suddenly. The thought had never occurred to her that he might really not want her around.
‘‘No,’’ Win answered. ‘‘But I’m hard enough to live with on a good day. On a bad day like this, I’m not much for company. Once I knew you were safe, I figured it would be better for me to stay away until the pain eased.’’
Kora wrapped the third bite mark. ‘‘Is it easing now?’’
‘‘Much better,’’ he whispered. ‘‘God, how I missed you, woman.’’
Kora leaned over him and lightly touched her lips to his. The warmth of his mouth spread through her. From the very first she’d thought about what he’d be like to kiss and he hadn’t disappointed her. All day her only sanity had been the thought of getting back to his arms.
He didn’t kiss her back, but only accepted her offering, which excited her. When she ended the kiss and moved away, she felt in control. No matter how much she longed to kiss him again, she had work to do first.
She pulled him once more to his feet and helped him with his trousers. Then she doctored the other bites as he relaxed. Gage had cut off Win’s drawers, making him seem as if he had on a pair of short pants. When she finished, he stood and carefully redressed.
‘‘You should be in bed,’’ she whispered as she watched the muscles of his arms move. ‘‘It’s late.’’
Win poured himself a taste of brandy and leaned back in the huge wingback chair. ‘‘I wasn’t sure I could make it up the stairs before, but the pain is much better now.’’
‘‘What else can I do to help?’’ She moved her fingers into his hair. Even weak from the bites, he still had a power about him. The need to touch him was like a craving. She leaned forward and let the front of her wrapper brush against his arm as she lightly kissed his cheek.
‘‘What you’re doing is nice.’’ He didn’t move.
Kora kissed him again. Slowly moving along his face until she brushed his lips.
This time he responded.
When she straightened and broke the kiss, he whispered, ‘‘It’s good to have you home.’’ His hand moved gently along her side. ‘‘Were you hurt?’’
‘‘No,’’ Kora answered. ‘‘I was worried about you.’’
‘‘I’m fine, now you’re here.’’ Win tugged at her belt and pulled her closer. ‘‘I never thought I needed a wife, or that I’d miss a woman, but I missed you. I didn’t like waking up and not having you near.’’
He tugged again and she sat on the arm of the chair. ‘‘Pull the drapes and lock the door. I want to use the last of my energy looking at you, not climbing the stairs.’’
‘‘But don’t you want to go to sleep?’’
‘‘I want the rest of the world to go away,’’ he grumbled. ‘‘For a few hours in our marriage, I want to see and think of nothing but you.’’
TWENTY-NINE
KORA STOOD AND CLOSED THE STUDY DOOR AND pulled the curtains. She knew he was still weak and she should probably insist he sleep, but she wanted to be alone with Win tonight.
When she returned to his chair, he motioned for her to stand between him and the fire. ‘‘I need to look at you, Kora. Do you mind?’’
‘‘No,’’ she whispered, unsure of his meaning. She didn’t know if her cheeks burned from blushing or the fire’s warmth. How could he want to look at her? Didn’t he know she’d always been invisible? She’d heard the way folks talked about some women, the way boys talked of girls. That they were pretty or beautiful, or grand. No one ever said things like that about her. They usually only commented on how they hadn’t noticed her.
He didn’t say a word as she leaned her hair back, letting the heat dry it. He just stared as she stood before him. The fire danced in his eyes as a slow smile spread across his lips.
‘‘Are you warm enough?’’ he finally whispered.
Kora felt his words were touching her somehow across the space between them. ‘‘Yes,’’ she answered.
‘‘Then take off the wrapper.’’ His voice was low, a little rough as always, but she wasn’t the least afraid.
Slowly she pulled the belt free and let the wrapper slip from her shoulders. The camisole she wore was bound at the waist by her muslin underskirt. The ski
rt pulled the silk tight over her breasts.
She reached behind her and pulled the ribbons of the skirt. It tumbled, joining her wrapper. Her underdrawers were damp from the rain and clung to her knees.
For a long while, Win was silent, but she could feel him watching her. Devouring her with his gaze. With the firelight behind her, he could see the outline of her body clearly through the thin clothing. His change in breathing confirmed her theory. Kora smiled and turned slowly.
Finally he offered his hand and she moved to him, sitting on the arm of his huge chair as she had before.
‘‘I’ll never get over how easy you come to me,’’ he whispered. His fingers brushed her throat as though he were touching velvet. ‘‘Even when I hurt you, you come back to me. I didn’t have to win your hand, or promise you foolish things like love. I don’t have to flatter, or give you things, or pamper you. You just come to me. You’re like a rainbow that follows my stormy life.’’
It was the first time he’d ever said such things. Kora knew it by the awkwardness in his voice.
‘‘I’d think of you all soft, but when Cheyenne came in earlier, he told me you threatened to kill Andrew Adams.’’ Win laughed. ‘‘Did you really hit him with that old rifle and threaten to slit him open with a knife?’’
‘‘I did,’’ Kora answered. ‘‘I think he was afraid of me by the time we got to the settlement. He’s probably glad to be rid of me.’’
‘‘Well, I’m glad to have you back.’’ He pulled her across his lap and kissed her as she’d wanted him to when she first got home.
Kora sighed and relaxed against him. ‘‘Am I hurting you?’’ She would have sat up, but his hand on her shoulder held her in place.
‘‘No,’’ he said. ‘‘Be still, Kora. You’re where you belong.’’
As he stroked her hair, he asked, ‘‘Do you think Andrew is a part of moving the cattle across my land?’’
‘‘No. He would be if he were smart enough, but the man has no idea that my kidnapping was just what they wanted. He thought he was just getting a wife and if he kept me around a few days I’d decide to stay.’’