Heart of Gold

by J. R. Ward

  “But what if he hurts me again?”

  Her friend’s smile was full of wisdom. “He will. And you’ll hurt him. And the two of you will make up. That’s how it works.”

  She snorted. “There should be a better way.”

  “If you find one, let me know. But I’ll tell you this.” His eyes were full of reminiscence and love. “Jo-Jo and I have battled and made up for almost twenty years and I wouldn’t trade one moment of it.”

  Her friend stood up. “So I’ve said my piece. Let’s go see how the site is.”

  As they went over to the circle of stones, she had a lot to think about.

  When they got there, they assessed the soil drainage, which had been much better than expected, and decided they could start working again. Still thinking of Nick, Carter settled down in the last square she’d been working in. She found it harder to dig with only one hand but managed as best she could. Using her trowel awkwardly, she was surprised when she hit something in the earth a little while later. It felt like bone.

  “I think we’ve got another one,” she called out.

  Buddy came over and helped her uncover what turned out to be a set of ribs. Among the bones, they found a few metal buttons that were characteristic of the meager colonial army.

  “Looks like it may be another revolutionary.” Carter sat back on her heels, pleased with the new find. “So we’ve got two of them and two Brits.”

  “This one’s only a few feet away from the redcoat we just dug up. Someone may have buried them where they fell after the fighting.”

  “Assuming this one is another minuteman,” she hazarded, “then part of what’s in Farnsworth’s journal is likely correct. He was taken through the mountains by two militiamen and he was met by a pair of his own men who should have had Nathaniel Walker with them.”

  “But didn’t because they were going to ambush the party.”

  “A fight ensues.”

  “Red Hawk kills them all except for Farnsworth.”

  “And then disappears with the gold,” she finished. “So where’s the reverend?”

  The two looked over at the remaining, undisturbed ground.

  Together, she and Buddy worked fast over the skeleton, and by the time Ellie and Cort arrived just before lunch, they’d freed much of the upper torso.

  “You got another one!” Cort exclaimed. “Do you think it could be Winship?”

  “I doubt it,” Carter said, getting up for a stretch. “He was known for not wearing a uniform. The buttons here would indicate the man was a soldier on the colonial side.”

  “So where is the reverend?” the girl prompted.

  “And where’s the gold?” Cort chimed in.

  “I don’t have an answer for either of those.” Carter ran an eye over the whole site. “But I don’t think the gold is here. If someone took time to bury these bodies, I find it hard to believe that they wouldn’t have taken it with them when they left.”

  For the next few hours, the group made a concerted effort to unearth the skeleton. Enough progress was made so that Carter was confident they could have the bones and ancillary artifacts photographed, out of the ground, and safely stored within a day. Just as the sun was taking a downward turn, Buddy uncoiled himself with a groan, stood up, and announced he was heading into town.

  “I’ll go with you,” Ellie said. “Cort, you want to come with?”

  “Naw. I think I’m gonna stay.”

  Ellie looked momentarily disconcerted but then lifted her chin and followed her father.

  When they were alone, the kid spoke up in a soft voice. “Are you doing okay?”

  Carter was concentrating on the arm bones of the skeleton. “Of course. It’s awkward with only one hand but—”

  “I was thinking about your dad.”

  She looked over at Cort. His eyes were firmly trained on where he was digging. He was working intently, as if he hadn’t said anything at all, but there was a watchfulness about him.

  She smiled, touched by his awkward concern. “Yeah, I’m fine. It was good to see him.”

  “Cool.”

  “And thanks for asking.”

  They’d been working steadily when they heard something rustling through the trees, coming from the back trail.

  Carter tensed as Cort looked up. It couldn’t be Buddy, she thought. That left possibilities she didn’t like to consider. Nick. Lyst.

  “It’s probably just a deer,” she murmured.

  “That doesn’t sound like Bambi.”

  “Maybe it’s a tourist poking around. Or maybe it’s Ivan.”

  “Naw. You can’t hear him coming through the woods at all. Even if it’s fall and the leaves are down.” Cort went back to work.

  The sounds grew louder. As a premonition of danger swelled in her chest, Carter got to her feet. At that moment, Conrad Lyst walked into the circle of stones. Her breath caught.

  “Don’t stop on my account, Carter,” Lyst said in a mocking way. “So who’s your new digging partner?”

  Before she could head him off, the kid leapt up. “I’m Cort Farrell. Hey, I know you. You’re the guy Ivan chased off from here before.”

  “Ah, the master’s son,” Lyst muttered as he leaned back against one of the larger stones. His eyes focused on Cort as if he were memorizing what the kid looked like.

  “I’m his nephew.”

  “Indeed.”

  Cort puffed up his chest and demanded, “What are you doing here?”

  Lyst’s gaze slid over to Carter, caressing her in a way that made her feel stained. “I just couldn’t stay away from my…friend over there.”

  “Maybe you should have made more of an effort,” she said in a low voice as Cort looked at her with confusion. She was worried about him and trying to think of a way to get him the hell off the mountain.

  Lyst began to smile.

  “I’ve missed you deeply, Carter.” There was a lover’s tone to the words. “I’ve just hated being away.”

  Cort’s eyes narrowed and Carter could only imagine the conclusion he was jumping to. She couldn’t figure out what Lyst was doing. He seemed hell-bent on creating some kind of fiction about the two of them. Or maybe he actually was attracted to her.

  She thought of the many times she’d bathed naked in the stream and felt ill at the idea he might have been watching her.

  “So I see you’ve found another skeleton. You’re up to four now, is it?”

  “I think you should go,” she said evenly. “Mr. Farrell’s made it clear you’re not welcome on his property and we’re expecting him soon.”

  It was a total lie and she hoped Cort wouldn’t refute it as he looked over at her sharply. In her mind, she was madly calculating when Buddy was due back. It would be another hour, at least.

  “I should like to see Farrell again,” Lyst murmured and then surveyed the site. “You’ve been busy here. Not much further to go.”

  There was a tense pause and then he pegged Cort with an insincere smile. “Would you mind my having a minute alone with my friend? We have some things to discuss that are…personal.”

  Cort hesitated.

  “It’s okay,” she told him quickly. “Why don’t you go and tell Gertie I’ll be down for dinner soon?”

  Her eyes were shooting a command at him and she prayed he wasn’t going to argue. Cort opened his mouth as if he might but then rushed out of the circle of stones. She felt a measure of relief.

  “What an attractive young man,” Lyst said, stepping closer to her. “He seemed confused about the nature of our relationship, however.”

  “What are you talking about?” she hissed, trying not to show her fear as she took a step backward.

  Lyst frowned. “I’ve watched you with Farrell, you know. I’ve seen the way you look at him. If I were another kind of man, I’d take it as a betrayal.”

  Carter looked down at the trowel she’d left in the dirt. She decided if he lunged at her, she was going to grab for it. It was the only thing
around she could turn into a weapon.

  “And what have you done to your hand? I leave you unattended for a couple of days and there you go, injuring yourself. Good thing you bandaged it all up. It’s really important to take care of things that bleed like that.”

  Behind her mask of composure, it occurred to her that, by assuming Lyst was merely unethical, she might have vastly underestimated him.

  “Not much more room to find my gold,” he said, moving closer to her.

  She wasn’t about to argue over the pronoun. “I don’t think it’s up here.”

  “No? Well, I do, and I’m rarely wrong about these things. It’s here, somewhere.” His eyes traveled down her body. “I can smell it. Maybe not in this place but somewhere else on this mountain. Where will you dig next?”

  “This is it. After we’re done here, I’m leaving.”

  “Are you sure about that? I’m depending on you to do the work that Farrell has prevented me from accomplishing.”

  “I’m not doing anything for you.”

  “No? I should think you’d be more motivated. You’ve got a lot to lose. That barn in Burlington you’ve spent so much time working on, for instance. Fires frequently occur in the home, you know. Or what about that lovely young man. It would be terrible if something happened to him. Some kind of accident, maybe a fall in the woods? Teenagers can be so careless.”

  A cold sweat came out over her skin. “Don’t you dare go near him.”

  “God, you’re so protective. It’s positively maternal.” Lyst took another step closer. “But the one who really strikes my fancy is that young girl. Such beautiful red hair and pale skin. The things I could teach her.”

  He held out a hand to stop her from speaking.

  “I know, I know—don’t go near her,” he quipped, mimicking her voice. “The question is, what are you willing to do to keep them safe?”

  Urgent voices came through the woods, the sweetest sounds Carter had ever heard. She sagged with relief.

  Lyst shot an angry glare in the direction of her Samaritans. “Here’s what you are going to do. You will finish digging this sandbox out, and if you find the gold, you’re going to give it to me. If you don’t find it, you’re going to stay up on this mountain until you do.”

  “You’re out of your mind.”

  Lyst cocked his head. “Funny. I’m feeling quite lucid.”

  The voices grew louder.

  “Your friends are worried about you,” he said. “I’m sure you’ll be tempted to tell them all about our little agreement, but let’s just keep it between us, shall we? For the sake of the children.”

  He laughed and grabbed her, moving in a fast streak. Pushing her cap off, he pulled her hair back until she thought her neck was going to crack. His eyes roamed over her face.

  “I know you’ve been with Farrell. He’s quite a package and I like women who aim high.” Black eyes scanned her face. “I don’t mind the infidelity, you know. As long as you think of me when he’s inside you.”

  Carter winced and looked away, but his hand clamped on her jaw and forced her to meet his eyes.

  “I’ll see you soon,” he said, inches from her lips.

  “Try to kiss me and I’ll bite your lip off.”

  “Promise?” he whispered.

  And then he was gone.

  Carter staggered back against one of the boulders just as Cort and Ivan appeared.

  “’Scuse me,” Ivan said, going into the woods. He had the shotgun on his shoulder.

  “Did he hurt you?” Cort ran over to her.

  She shook her head, wondering how long it was going to take until her hands and feet stopped tingling.

  “I didn’t know you knew that guy.” There was a hint of suspicion in the kid’s voice.

  “I don’t.”

  “He made it seem like the two of you—”

  Carter shook her head adamantly. “I don’t know what that was all about. I hardly know him.”

  Cort relaxed a little. “He looked scary. That’s why I got Ivan.”

  “Don’t worry about Lyst. He’s harmless.” She tried to muster a reassuring smile.

  “He didn’t look harmless to me.”

  “Hey, I’ll bet the Swifts will be pulling in soon. Let’s go down so we can help lug groceries.”

  Cort shot her a knowing look, as if he didn’t buy the act, but he followed her to the trail. Before they started down, she looked at him seriously. “I want to be the one to tell Buddy about this, okay?”

  “I figured you might. And I don’t want Ellie to get scared.”

  When they arrived at the mansion, Buddy and Ellie were unloading supplies.

  Carter resolved to put on a good face, and it was in a cheery voice that she greeted her friends. “It’s great to know that the hunting and gathering instinct hasn’t been lost in the modern world.”

  “That’s quite a haul,” Cort said, going to Ellie’s side. She gave him a reserved nod.

  Buddy emerged from the back of the Range Rover carrying plastic bags full of food. “Hey, Carter, can you take this one in to Gertie?”

  She went over and accepted the load of rhubarb and strawberries. “What’s all this for?”

  His grin held a wealth of anticipation. “Some find pie-making in their hearts. Others have it thrust upon them.”

  Carter turned away, struggling with her emotions. Underneath her facade, she was having trouble recovering from the fear she’d felt up on the mountain with Lyst, and she knew she was going to have to talk with Buddy. Soon. The threat Lyst represented was very real and she wasn’t sure how to protect herself or the Swifts.

  As she went through the back door into the kitchen, the heat of the afternoon was replaced with the mansion’s cool balm. She took a steadying breath and smelled apples, spying a big bowl of Granny Smiths sitting on one of the counters.

  That was when she saw Nick standing by the sink. She stopped in surprise.

  “I thought you were in a hurry to leave,” he said roughly. With his hands, he was working one of the apples with a paring knife, peeling the brilliant green skin off in one long strip. Carter put the bag down on the table.

  “We are.” Her voice was admirably even, she thought.

  “That’s a lot of food for a short stay.” His expression was remote as his hand wielded the knife.

  “Buddy was probably hungry when he shopped.”

  “I understand Ivan headed up the trail with his shotgun,” Nick said casually. He finished removing the skin, put the knife down, and bit into the apple with a crack. “Having problems up there?”

  Carter’s thoughts tangled. The last thing she wanted was for him to get further involved with the dig. If he knew Lyst had returned, he was territorial enough to patrol the damn site himself.

  She wanted to see less of the man, not more.

  “Not really,” she answered.

  “So he just felt like accessorizing with a firearm? Usually he’s not so fashion forward.” Nick took another bite, his sharp, white teeth cutting through the crisp flesh. “Were you harassed by someone?”

  “Just a tourist. It was no big deal.” All the tension in the room was making her want to scream. She turned and started walking away.

  “You’re lying to me.”

  Carter froze with her hand on the door.

  “Cort told me who it was. And you lied about the bear, too, didn’t you?”

  She paused, wanting to kick herself.

  “Isn’t there something you want to say to me?” Nick’s voice was cool. Stripped clean of any emotions.

  She turned to him slowly, trying to frame something intelligible in her mind.

  In the silence that followed, he polished off the apple and pitched the core into the trash.

  “No,” she said finally.

  “No?” He crossed his arms over his chest. “A man shows up at the site, who I’ve had kicked off my property, you lie about it twice, and you don’t think you owe me an explanation?”
/>   “I didn’t ask him to come up. I don’t want him at the site.”

  Carter sent him a taut look and then stepped outside. The screen door slapped shut behind her.

  When she heard the sound again, she knew he was coming after her.

  Nick’s voice carried across the lawn. “You and I aren’t done with this. Not by half.”

  Carter wheeled around. As she looked up at him, she was reminded how tall he was. “There’s nothing more to say.”

  He pegged her with hard eyes.

  “You spend a lot of time talking about trust,” he said bitterly, “considering you haven’t proven to be trustworthy yourself.”

  She opened her mouth but he cut her off.

  “Are you collaborating with Lyst?”

  “Good God, no!”

  “So you want to try and explain why you’re keeping his visits from me? Are you sleeping with him?”

  Carter inhaled sharply. “How dare you!”

  “You’re protecting him. There has to be a reason.”

  “Well, I can assure you it’s not because…” She shuddered. “And I’m not protecting him.”

  Nick jabbed a finger at her. “I don’t like playing the fool. If I find out there’s something going on between you two, I’m going to see to it that you lose your grant on the grounds of fraud.”

  “There’s nothing between us.” Carter shook her head. “Look, Lyst is desperate because he’s got more ambition than talent. He’ll do anything to get ahead, but I’m not doing a thing to help him.”

  “And what about the lying?”

  “What about it?”

  He threw his head back and laughed. It wasn’t a happy sound.

  “I should have known better than to have expected an apology from you. You only know how to turn them down.” His voice was taut with anger. “Just do me a favor. The next time you condemn someone for lying through omission, remember this little episode so you don’t turn yourself into a hypocrite again. Trust. Christ, to think I beat myself up over you.”

  With that, he turned on his heel and went over to the garage.