by Sara Orwig
He dismounted and strode into the Red Rooster unaware of the man outside who stood up and waved his arm. Down the block, another figure moved away from the front of a saloon and waved in return.
In a few minutes both men were standing at the bar of the Red Rooster.
24
A man entered the saloon and glanced around, then finally threaded his way to Dan, who studied his cards. The man waited until the hands were played, and while Dan was raking in his winnings, tapped him on the shoulder.
Dan took the cheroot from his mouth and looked up at Grizzly.
“Miss Dulcie said to give you this.” He thrust a folded paper into Dan’s hand and strode to the door.
Dan unfolded it to read Dulcie’s cramped writing: “Dan. Word has it from a customer passing through Denver that Silas found gold—more than a million.”
Dan crumpled the note and jammed it into his pocket. He continued with the game for another hour, then finally gathered his winnings and left. His mind shifted to Dulcie’s note. Silas would come home now. Dan hoped he would come before the wedding. He thought about Mary and ached to be with her. Over a month. A hell of a long time. It seemed he had been waiting half his life for a woman, but this one would finally be well worth the wait. And she wouldn’t keep him at such a distance while she waited. He adored her. Dan was so lost in thoughts about Mary that he didn’t hear the two men following him until each one clasped him by the arm tightly, one thrusting a pistol in his side.
“Just keep walking. We have a wagon up ahead.”
“What the hell?” Dan said, going cold all over, knowing before they answered him what had happened.
“Tigre Castillo, we’re taking you back to New Mexico Territory, where you’re going to hang and we’re going to collect our reward.”
Dan’s mind raced. He had been so wrapped up in euphoria over Mary, he had let down his guard completely. He didn’t wear a weapon; he could feel the pistol jammed in his side, and both men had tight grips on his arms. They approached another row of saloons whose sloping roofs came out over the boardwalk. They’d have to angle out to the street to walk three abreast, and as they did so, they passed the first post that ran from the roof to the boardwalk.
Suddenly Dan yanked forward, slamming one of the men into the post and twisting away from the other. The gun fired, and he felt a burning sensation across his middle, but he knew it was merely a graze. He locked his fists together and slammed them into the man with the pistol, knocking him to his knees.
The other one hit Dan, and both went down, rolling in the street. Dan slugged him and knocked him back, then sprang to his feet. He spun around as the other hit him over the head with the butt of the pistol.
Dan sagged to the ground, and the man hit him again. He fell face-forward, dimly conscious of the pain. Hands picked him up roughly, both men getting a tight grip on him again. “You try anything else like that and we’ll shoot you right here and you’ll never stand trial,” one of them hissed.
They began to walk, half-dragging Dan between them. “I told you we should have brought the wagon closer.”
“Shut up!”
A momentary longing for Mary tore at Dan. He finally had found a woman he adored, and she loved him in return. Now he would lose her, though, and at the moment that loomed more terrifying than the prospect of hanging. His head spun as he was half-supported by the men who moved him along quickly.
Across the street, four men burst from a saloon. They were singing an Irish song, the tenor carrying the melody, and Dan turned his head to look their way.
“Hey, Dan!” came a drunken call.
“Get rid of them or they get hurt!” one of the men holding Dan snapped under his breath.
“Do you want them shot? You say the wrong thing, and I’ll oblige.”
Dan watched as the O’Malley boys left their friends and staggered toward him.
“Dan, how’s poker?” Michael asked, swaying in front of him.
“Fine, boys.”
“Want to have a drink?” Brian asked. “Who’re your friends?”
“My friends. Remember, Brian, how we met? Well, I met these two tonight, and we’re friends just like you and I were when we met. Instant friends.”
“Hey, you have blood on your cheek,” Michael said dully in words thickened by liquor.
“I fell down and these gentlemen are helping me home. Like you did, Brian. Just exactly like you and I did the night we met. These gentlemen want to see my house. I may build one for them. Good night,” he said as they walked on past the O’Malleys.
Michael and Brian went on down the street. “Where shall we go next?”
“We can go to the California House or a beer garden or the Lazy Dog.”
“I didn’t know you were friends right off, the first night you met Dan.”
“Weren’t. Nearly killed each other. Mary—” He stopped and looked up at Michael, who looked at him.
“You nearly killed each other?”
“Well, it was a fight.” They both looked back at Dan, who went around a corner with the two men. They stood staring after him in silence. “He said it was just like when we met,” Brian repeated.
Both of them were silent a moment. “Bounty hunters,” Michael said, his voice sobering. “Try to be quiet. Let’s go.”
They ran back in long strides, slowing where they had seen Dan turn the corner, and Michael leaned around. Two men were tying up Dan, and then they tossed him into the back of a wagon. Michael yanked on Brian. “Let’s go.”
“Hey!” Michael began to sing, and Brian fell in beside him, both weaving and bellowing. “Hey, friends, have you seen where Dan Castle went?” Michael called, narrowing the distance between them.
“He went back that way!”
“Do you know which saloon? We need to pay him.”
“Look at the Lazy Dog.”
“Get away from the wagon.”
Brian was singing, walking around to one side, while Michael moved closer to the man on the other. “Mister, you want to know what we won tonight?” He swayed and laughed and slapped his knees and jingled money in his pockets. “You want to see? We won thousands! Hit the mother lode tonight! Hit it right there in the Missouri House! Couldn’t believe my luck.”
“You won thousands?” the driver asked, interest flaring in his voice as he lowered the reins.
“You don’t believe me?”
“Maybe not. You want to show me?”
“Yeah, look here.” Michael tossed a fistful of coins in the air. As the man looked up, Michael yelled and grabbed him, yanking him down. A gun blasted the air and Michael hit the man’s hand against the wagon, doubling his fist and slamming it into the man’s jaw. His head snapped around and he sank to the ground without moving.
“Brian?”
“I’m okay. Can’t say the same for the other fellow. What about Dan?”
Both of them climbed into the wagon to look down at Dan tied and gagged.
“Hey, look at old Dan. Now, this lends itself to possibilities,” Brian said. “I mean, he has whipped my tail badly a few times in the past.”
“Shut up and cut him loose. He’s not in the mood for fun.” Brian slashed the rope that held Dan, and they pulled him to his feet while Brian neatly cut away the gag.
“Thanks, boys. I hoped you’d get my message.”
“Bounty hunters?”
“Yes. Now, what do we do with them?”
“I’d say we wake ’em up and tell them how it isn’t healthy to stay in Denver,” Michael answered. “You go home, Dan. Brian and I will take care of this task. We’ll convince them. You won’t have to watch over your shoulder for them, I promise you.”
“Don’t get yourselves in trouble over it,” Dan said gruffly. He clamped both of them on the shoulder. “Thank you. I was going to wait until tomorrow to do this, but tomorrows have a way of changing on you. I need to find Paddy. Have you boys seen him?”
“He’s home in bed.”
“Is that right? Well, I have to pay a visit to your father.”
“Anything special?” Michael asked, tilting his head to one side.
Dan grinned, worries falling away for a moment. “Yeah, something special. I want to ask for your sister’s hand.”
“Son of a bitch. You’ll be family!” Brian said.
“That’s right. Let me ask Paddy before you tell him, okay?”
“Sure. That’s good news, Dan,” Michael said, pumping his hand.
Brian offered his hand. “I’m glad. I’m damned glad.”
They climbed down, and Dan wondered if the two bounty hunters were alive, but he decided to leave them alone and let the O’Malleys handle the problem.
Michael picked up his coins. “Men like that can’t resist money. Go on home, Dan. They won’t bother you again, I promise.”
“Don’t get yourselves in trouble.”
Dan left, his happiness now clouded with more than one worry. He went back for his horse, mounting up to ride home, wondering how the bounty hunters had found him. They had known exactly who he was, and he hadn’t noticed anyone trailing after him during the past days. He mulled it over and thought about Silas. Dan hoped he came before the wedding. Nothing was really going to make it easy to tell Silas.
The next morning, along with Faucheux, Dan went to Mary’s early, when he knew she would be alone in the kitchen. When she came to the door, he motioned Faucheux to go ahead.
“Bonjour, mademoiselle,” he said. “I’m happy for you!” He raised her hand to his lips to brush her knuckles with a kiss. With a sigh he hurried past her into the kitchen.
While Mary arched her brows in question at Dan, he swept her up in his arms to kiss her, crushing her to him.
Mary held him, her heart pounding with joy. He set her on her feet. “I brought my carriage and I brought Faucheux. Dulcie hired a new cook, and Faucheux is going to take over here,” Dan said, untying her apron and taking a spoon out of her hand, “and you’re going for a carriage ride with me. Grizzly is driving us.”
“That’s why he’s so happy!” she exclaimed in a whisper, rolling her eyes in Faucheux’s direction. “He’s getting my kitchen all to himself.”
With a grin Dan took her hand and they hurried to his carriage. As Grizzly started down the street, Dan pulled down the leather flaps, giving Mary and him complete privacy. In seconds she sat on his lap while he kissed her passionately. Then she pushed away a fraction. “Are you sure Grizzly won’t stop?”
“Absolutely,” Dan said, watching her. “When we get married, I wish you’d leave your hair down.”
“You can have whatever you want,” she drawled languorously, closing her eyes and leaning close. He kissed her, and in minutes his hand slipped beneath her skirts, caressing her thigh, stirring longings that were new, more intense than any she had known before their night of lovemaking. She loved him with all her being, and wanted him badly. She envisioned Dan’s golden body, remembering ecstasy, wanting him. She trailed her hand over him, working the buttons loose on his denim pants to free him from restraint.
She touched him, and he groaned, closing his eyes to kiss her. In minutes he pulled her over him, settling her down as they moved together wildly. Rapture burst in her. Both gasped and cried out. She leaned against him, spent, perspiration beading her brow while she turned to give him a mischievous look.
“Damn, you’re a lusty wench!” he said with amazement, stroking her bare legs, kissing her long and hard. She moved away from him and straightened her clothing while he tucked his shirt in and buttoned his pants. “I won’t be fit to get out of this carriage.”
“Are you complaining?”
Pausing, he pulled her beside him, his fingers biting into her flesh, he held her so tightly. “No, I’m not complaining. I’m thinking I have a woman who is even more exciting than I ever dreamed.”
Her eyes sparkled at his words, and Dan pulled her to him to kiss her.
After a moment he leaned back. “Mary—”
“I know that tone. It means trouble.”
“Yes. I heard a rumor that Silas hit it big.”
She studied him and thought it over. “Then he’ll be coming home.”
“Thinking he’ll marry you.”
“That’s all settled, Dan. I want you to promise me you’ll let me be there when you tell him.”
“I may not be able to keep that promise. He might not give me a chance.”
“I should talk to him and you should talk to him.”
Dan nodded. “There’s something else.”
She felt as if a cold wind had assailed her, because she could see from the worried expression on his face that it was serious.
“What is it?”
“Last night I was jumped by bounty hunters. Fortunately, your brothers freed me and ran them out of town.”
“Oh, Dan,” she said, giving his hand a squeeze. The look in his eyes frightened her.
“I want to go back and give myself up and stand trial.”
“No!” Terror such as she had never known gripped her. She had grown up on a frontier and she knew the unfairness of some of the rulings, the rough and violent justice meted out. “You don’t have to, and they could hang you! No!”
“Now, listen,” he said gently, extracting her arms from around his neck. “I don’t want to go through life with this hanging over me. I have a brother who is a fine lawyer. My father is established in the community now, and the Craddocks, the family who wanted to hang me and who caused all the trouble, aren’t as powerful now. I think I can be vindicated and I want to try.”
She couldn’t keep back a sudden gush of tears. She had gone through hundreds of calamities, yet she couldn’t cope with Dan’s news without crying. It shamed her, but she was terrified by what he wanted to do. “No! Please! I couldn’t bear to lose you. I couldn’t bear it!”
“Shh.” His arms tightened and he held her close against him. “Look, if we have children, would you want something like last night to happen? Next time, your brothers might not be around to save me. If they hadn’t come along, I’d be on my way to New Mexico to stand trial without Luke and without your knowing what had happened to me. The reward is for me dead or alive, Mary. They might have shot me as soon as we were out of town.”
She wouldn’t answer, burying her head against him, clinging to him tightly.
“Honey, I have to go back,” he said gently. “I just have to.”
She knew he was right when she faced the situation logically, but in her heart she didn’t want him to give himself up. She raised her head, framing his face with her hands. “You have to let me go with you. We’ll do it after we’re married. We can wait that long. I want that, Dan.”
He nodded. “If you’re sure that’s the way you want it.”
“I’m sure.” She felt tears coming again and buried her face against his chest. “I love you. You can’t imagine how much I love you!”
He held her tightly. “I promise you, Luke will get me off.”
“If he doesn’t, Michael and I will get you out of jail if we have to turn outlaw to do it!”
He laughed, wiping away her tears with his thumbs. “I believe you, Mary Katherine. I believe you without the slightest doubt!”
He pulled her to him to kiss her until they felt the carriage halt. “Our ride is over,” he said in a husky voice, gazing at her with a scalding look. “I told Grizzly what time we had to be back. Hon, I don’t think I can come in for breakfast right now. I’ll go home and be back shortly.”
She laughed, looking down at his denim trousers which bore signs of their lovemaking. Her eyes sparkled, and he squeezed her. “It was fun.”
She climbed out and hurried inside and he rode back home. When Dan returned to the O’Malleys’ he was astride his horse. He dismounted and knocked at the front door. When Mary opened it, she moved into his open arms to hug him.
“Where’s Paddy?”
“He’s in the parlor. I told him you wante
d to see him.”
“Run along and leave us alone,” Dan said, giving her a hug. He rapped on the open door. “Good morning, sir.”
“ ’Morning, Dan. Come in.” Paddy was whittling, and Dan watched him work, the short stubby fingers holding the knife with certainty.
Dan closed the door so they wouldn’t be interrupted by the boys. “Sir, I want to talk to you about a serious matter.”
“Talk away, my boy.”
Dan wanted Paddy’s full attention, but saw he wasn’t going to get it yet. “I’d like to marry your daughter. I love Mary and I’ll take good care of her.”
Paddy stared at Dan. “You want to marry her? Does Mary want this?”
“Yes, sir. You can talk to her. I wanted to wait until Silas returns, but she said she doesn’t love Silas and she never will.”
“I declare.” Paddy put down the figure he was whittling. “My boy, you have my permission, and we’ll just drink to the occasion.” Paddy crossed the room to pump Dan’s hand vigorously and clasp him on the shoulder. “I’ll get the family and we’ll celebrate. Glad to count you one of us. Yes, sir. Know you’ll make my little girl happy.”
“I intend to try,” Dan said, breaking out in a grin. He recalled the afternoon he had asked for Louisa’s hand and the stiff and cool reception he had received. Paddy went to the door and whistled. In minutes Michael and Brian came down the stairs.
Paddy poured four glasses of whiskey. “Boys, we have cause to celebrate. Our family is going to get larger. Dan wants to wed Mary.”
They shook hands as if they were hearing the news for the first time, and they all drank to the occasion. “We need to tell Faucheux!” Brian said, disappearing into the hall in spite of Dan’s assurance that the Frenchman already knew. In seconds the two returned and Paddy poured another round of whiskey for more toasts. Each proposed a toast, until Mary heard their voices and came across the hall. She paused in the doorway. “Pa! It’s before breakfast!”
“We’re having a toast, Mary, love,” he said happily while Dan crossed the room to her. When she looked into his eyes, her consternation vanished.