Comanche Temptation

by Sara Orwig

  As soon as they were out of the kitchen, Honor pulled her arm from him, moving farther away as they walked toward the buggy.

  “I hope you have a chance to punch Uncle Stanton again. He is a despicable man, and Pa would never have tolerated this.”

  “You are your father’s child, Honor,” he remarked dryly. She turned to slant him one of her looks that was so fiery he felt he should burn. “Save your anger for your aunt and uncle.”

  Pablo and Hank were riding with them, and Honor sat quietly beside Luke, with a wide space between them on the front seat. In an hour they reached town, and Luke halted in front of the granite building that held the bank on the first floor and the offices of Hagget and Bowdin on the second floor. Luke opened a glass-paneled door and stepped back to wait for Honor to go ahead. On a hard bench in the small anteroom, Lavinia and Stanton were waiting. Both were dressed in black, reminding Luke of vultures perched on a limb.

  Wharton Bottomly stood up from behind the desk and came around to smile at Honor. “Good afternoon, Mrs. McCloud.”

  “Mr. Bottomly,” she said with a slight smile and nod of her head. She turned to Lavinia. “Aunt Lavinia, Uncle Stanton,” Honor said coolly, and Stanton frowned, his glance darting back and forth between Honor and Luke. He did not offer his hand to Luke, but merely nodded in their direction.

  “I’ll tell Mr. Hagget that you’re here and we’re ready,” Bottomly said, rapping lightly on a door and disappearing into the room.

  Luke linked Honor’s arm through his, wondering if she would pull away, but she merely smiled at him and he winked at her.

  “Mrs. McCloud, Mr. McCloud,” said a deep-voiced man who was little over five feet tall. He had wisps of brown hair surrounding a bald spot at the top of his head. He held out his hand to Luke. “I’m Clyde Hagget.” He turned to Honor. “Mrs. McCloud, how nice to meet you, although we all wish it were under happier circumstances,” he said, gazing at Honor intently. “Mr. McCloud, you’re a very lucky man to have such a lovely wife,” he said to Luke. As if remembering the others, he pulled his gaze from Honor and glanced at Stanton. “Stanton, if you and Lavinia and Mr. and Mrs. McCloud will step into my office.”

  Honor moved ahead, and Luke stepped back to allow Lavinia to enter. He followed her, leaving Stanton and the attorney behind.

  Luke pulled a leather chair close to Honor’s and turned it slightly so he could watch everyone in the room. He felt as if he were about to watch a poker game in which he had a friend holding the winning hand, yet at the same time, he knew even though Honor would win today, it was at a high price and embarrassing to her to go through this procedure.

  “Now,” Clyde Hagget said, closing the door and sitting down behind an ornately carved rosewood desk, as his gaze settled on Honor. “I have here a copy of your father’s will, a copy which was given to Stanton Roth because he was your father’s brother. According to this will, you were married before your father died and he willed a part of the H Bar R to revert to your husband, Luke McCloud, at the same time that your younger brother Jed reaches majority at eighteen years. Since you are sixteen years old, Mrs. McCloud, you are underage, but as a married woman, you are in your husband’s charge.” He glanced at Honor, and she nodded.

  “That’s correct. Go on,” she said coolly.

  “Yes, ma’am. Well, since you are sixteen, your uncle, Stanton Roth, is concerned about your welfare. He thinks Mr. McCloud may have influenced your dying father’s judgment—”

  Honor’s soft laugh interrupted the attorney, and she turned to look at Stanton. “Uncle Stanton, have you ever in my father’s lifetime known him to go against his own wishes in any matter important to him?” Before he could answer, she turned a smile on Clyde Hagget. “Go ahead. I’m sorry to have interrupted, but that was an incredibly preposterous supposition, as my uncle well knows.”

  Clyde Hagget studied her with narrowed eyes and shot a quick glance at Stanton. Luke had to bite back a smile. Score one for Honor.

  “Yes, ma’am,” Hagget said politely. “Now, your uncle, Stanton Roth, has applied to become your guardian. He thinks you entered into matrimony simply to keep the ranch within the family, which—”

  “Which family?” Honor said lightly. “His or my father’s?”

  “You are all Roths, after all,” Hagget replied.

  “Of course. Go ahead, Mr. Hagget. I promise to behave and stop interrupting,” she said in a warm voice, and Hagget stared at her as if dazzled, and Luke could understand his reaction.

  “Your uncle feels this is a marriage of convenience. He has applied to have it annulled and to have himself appointed your guardian.”

  “On what grounds does he intend to annul it?”

  “If your marriage has not been consummated,” Clyde Hagget said softly, his face turning red, “then it can be annulled by your uncle, and the court will be free to appoint him guardian.”

  “And if it has been consummated?” Honor asked with a cheerful tone, reaching over to place her hand on Luke’s arm without looking at him.

  Hagget glanced at her hand, at Luke, and back at her. “Then you are the charge of your lawful husband, Mr. McCloud.”

  Silence filled the room, and as if Hagget realized everyone was waiting for him to say something, he cleared his throat. He narrowed his eyes again and looked at Stanton. “Do you wish to continue with the proceedings?”

  “Lord, yes! Of course, I do,” Stanton snapped.

  Hagget’s gaze shifted to papers on his desk. “Has the marriage been consummated?” he asked without looking up.

  “Yes, it has,” Luke answered to save Honor the embarrassment. She gave him a warm smile, and he gazed into her dark eyes, wishing his past didn’t stand between them.

  “We say it has not!” Lavinia snapped. “And we demand a doctor certify her condition.”

  Honor turned her head to regard Lavinia. Luke couldn’t see the expression on Honor’s face, but he suspected there was nothing there except the imperious look he had seen on the Comanche warriors who were her relatives. And he had a suspicion Lavinia was having the same reaction to facing Honor right now that she would have had to facing Tall Wind in his most solemn moment.

  Lavinia’s cheeks became bright spots of color. “This matter needs to be settled!” she snapped.

  “Very well. Mrs. McCloud, the only choice you have if you wish to prove the consummation is to submit to a doctor’s examination.”

  “Very well. I will go to Jordan Haberman, the doctor who has tended me and my family.”

  “Is this acceptable?” Hagget asked Stanton, who nodded.

  “I would prefer to get this over and done without another trip to town, so I’ll go to Dr. Haberman’s office now,” Honor said.

  “He may be with a patient. I’ll send my clerk with the necessary information.”

  Clyde Hagget left the room and silence enveloped them. “I want to stop at the general store before we start back. I have a list of things we need,” Luke remarked.

  She leaned close to him, to whisper in his ear. “I so hoped that Uncle Stanton would do something to provoke another punch in the nose.”

  Luke smiled, turning to her. “I want to take you to dinner before we start home,” he whispered, and Honor laughed softly, turning to him.

  “I’d like that. If we stay for dinner, we’ll pass Rake’s place after dark.”

  “We’ll have Pablo and Hank with us. You shoot as well as any of us.” She smiled brightly at him, and he gazed into her dark eyes, wondering if this was the last moment she would be so lighthearted with him.

  Finally Hagget returned and sat behind his desk. “Now we wait. Mr. Bottomly has gone to talk to Dr. Haberman, and we should have an answer within minutes since his office is just across the square.”

  They sat in a silence, Honor leaning close to whisper to Luke. “How long before we’ll be back home?” she asked, and in the silent room, he knew she had whispered loud enough for her question to be heard by everyone.
/>
  “Not soon enough,” he said, turning his head and brushing her lips lightly with his. He glanced at Hagget. “I don’t see any need to sit here and wait. We rode a while to get here, and I’d like to stretch my legs. My wife and I will be in the hall, and we’ll see Bottomly return.”

  “Of course,” Hagget said, his gaze lingering on Honor as he stood up when she did.

  Luke placed his arm across her shoulders and drew her close to him, going into the anteroom and closing the door, turning to pull her into his arms. As he felt her momentary resistance, he gazed at her levelly. “They can see dim shadows on the glass,” he said, not knowing whether they could or not. His gaze lowered to her mouth and he leaned forward, his lips covering hers as his arms tightened around her. He quickly forgot all their problems and kissed her as he had been longing to do for the past day and night.

  Honor’s pulse jumped, her heart pounding, as Luke pulled her against him and leaned over her. She wanted him even though she had vowed she would not kiss him again or open the wounds that had to heal, but the moment his warm lips were on hers, his tongue entering her mouth slowly in a devilish temptation, she forgot her resolve and wound her arms around his neck. With a small sob she arched against him and clung to him and kissed him with as much passion as he kissed her.

  In minutes Luke turned, moving back against the front wall and spreading his legs, pulling Honor up against his body, his arousal hard. Suddenly he pushed her away and took her hand.

  “Come here, Honor,” he ordered gruffly and left, striding down the hall. He opened doors and finally opened one on an empty darkened room. He pulled Honor inside and closed the door, pushing her against it and moving against her.

  “Luke! We can’t do this!”

  “This whole thing is because they think we have a marriage in name only. Whatever it is, Honor, it’s not name only,” he said, the words husky. Then he pulled her to him, his mouth stopping her answer.

  When Luke finally released her, she sagged against him, aching and wanting all of him. She tried to smooth her wrinkled black poplin. “Luke, this is mortifying.”

  “No, it isn’t,” he said, quietly. “You’re married and your husband has been loving you and they should have left us alone.”

  Suddenly she looked up at him, a sly look on her face. “You’re a devil, Luke McCloud. But you’re dallying with fire because, whatever’s in your past, you have a present life now that part of you doesn’t want to give up or deny. And I’m not giving you up that easily now that you’re my lawful husband.”

  He looked at her sparkling dark eyes, the invisible challenge crackling between them, and his pulse jumped. He wished with all his heart he knew he was taking her home to his bed tonight. “Honor, we—”

  There was a knock on the door, and she stepped back. “How do I look?”

  “Absolutely gorgeous,” he said, and winked at her. He opened the door to face a round-eyed, red-faced Bottomly.

  “Sir, I-ah-am sorry to disturb you, but we need you to return.”

  “Of course. We’ll be right there.” Luke closed the door and Honor giggled.

  “Luke, he’ll think it’s worse than it is! He’ll think I’m in here naked or something.”

  “He was probably thinking that before he ever knocked on the door. Give them a few minutes to wait, Honor.”

  “If I weren’t so angry, I would be mortified with all this.”

  “Anger will see you through the day. Now come here and let me make certain they begin to have some doubts about their charge of a marriage in name only.” He pulled her to him and this time she didn’t resist, but came willingly and kissed him until he knew he would have to cool down before he could go back and join the others.

  Luke released her and stepped away. “Honor, I’m on fire. Give me a few minutes, or I’ll shock your Aunt Lavinia into a fainting spell.”

  Honor laughed. “I think that would be fitting. Come on, Luke.”

  “Just a minute,” he said with his back turned.

  She came up behind him, her arms going around him and her hands sliding over his hips.

  “Honor!” He wriggled away, and she gave a throaty laugh.

  “Luke, it could be so good,” she said quietly, suddenly sounding subdued. He waited, not having an answer to give her, and he heard the door close behind him.

  When he stepped into the hallway, he saw her standing by the attorney’s office. She was a beautiful woman, and she seemed to become more beautiful every time he saw her. With his gaze holding hers, he went to join her, taking her arm. She raised her chin and gave him a faint smile.

  They entered the office and Bottomly looked at Honor as if he were gazing into the sun at close hand. He stood up and stumbled over the desk in his haste to get the door open for her.

  “I think Mr. Hagget regrets having to be a party to this, ma’am—” Bottomly broke off as he opened the door, and Honor entered with Luke following.

  Everyone turned to look at her, and Hagget came to his feet, the same dazed expression on his face that Bottomly had worn. Lavinia was frowning, shaking with anger, her face the color of old grapes. Stanton was scowling, and Luke suspected that Stanton now knew he had drawn a losing hand.

  “Sorry to keep you folks waiting,” Luke said easily, “but I wanted to be with my bride.”

  “Dammit!” Stanton snapped. “Get on with this!”

  Everyone sat down, and Hagget blinked, as if he had forgotten what he was supposed to do. He looked at the papers spread before him and then at Honor. “Mrs. McCloud, I’m sorry this is necessary, but Dr. Haberman said he could see you right now and get this over with.”

  “I’ll go with my wife,” Luke said, standing.

  “I’ll go to get the doctor’s verification,” Hagget said, his face turning a deeper scarlet.

  “We’ll all go,” Stanton said, “and get this settled.”

  “You are a dreadful wanton, Honor Roth,” Lavinia hissed as she stood by Honor. “It is your mother’s blood in your veins.”

  “At least her mother was warm-blooded, Lavinia,” Luke drawled, and Lavinia drew a deep breath, raising her chin.

  Honor took Luke’s arm and moved ahead, walking briskly, their long legs taking them ahead of the others.

  “I can’t strike a woman, but your aunt is the closest I’ve ever come to the temptation,” Luke drawled. “That woman would tax an angel.”

  “I keep telling myself only a few more minutes, and this will all be over.”

  Luke gave her a squeeze and held the door as they stepped outside into the brisk wind. She pulled her cloak around her shoulders and went across the square to the small frame building that was Dr. Haberman’s office.

  When she entered the office, he came forward. “Honor, Luke,” he said warmly, shaking Luke’s hand and looking through the glass at the others following. “Lord, what is your uncle up to now?”

  “He wants to annul this marriage and be appointed my guardian. He thinks it isn’t consummated,” she said, blushing while Dr. Haberman glanced at Luke.

  “It’s been consummated, and I’m sorry Honor has to go through this, but the H Bar R is at stake.”

  “People,” Jordan Haberman said, shaking his head. “My nurse is in the examining room. Go on in, Honor, and I’ll be there in a minute.”

  She hurried through the door and Haberman looked at Luke. “I thought this was going to be in name only.”

  “She wanted to keep the ranch. And I love her.”

  Dr. Haberman studied Luke. “You didn’t act like a man in love that night.”

  Before Luke could reply, the door opened, and the others entered. Dr. Haberman merely nodded at them and vanished through the door to the back.

  He returned in five minutes, motioning to Clyde Hagget. “Would you step into my office?”

  Hagget hurried across the room and a door closed behind him. While they sat behind the closed door, the other door opened and Honor appeared. She looked as composed as before, and
Luke felt a surge of admiration for her. He smiled and stood up, wanting to give her all the support possible. She stopped in front of Lavinia and Stanton, who sat in straight-backed chairs and had to look up at her.

  “You’ll get your answer from Mr. Hagget and from Dr. Haberman. Luke McCloud is my husband and we own the H Bar R. Neither one of you are to set foot on our property ever again,” she said quietly. “If you do, you’ll be considered trespassers, and we shoot.” She turned to Luke. He took her arm and opened the door for her. They stepped outside, and his admiration for her climbed another notch.

  She clung tightly to him as he led her across the street, going around the square to the one-story hotel. He walked to the desk, asked for a room, ordered a bottle of champagne and one of brandy.

  The clerk stared at Honor with a look of longing that was so blatant Luke wanted to step between them and tell the man to close his eyes. Instead he turned her and took the key to lead her to their room.

  “Luke, what are we doing?”

  “You’re having a case of nerves, Honor. I’m giving you a few minutes to pull yourself together, a moment for us to forget our problems, and a time for you to celebrate because you just saved the H Bar R. There’ll be no more battles over it.”

  He unlocked the door on a large room with a canopy bed, marble-topped tables, and deep red furnishings.

  She turned to face him. “Luke, we should go home now—”

  Luke closed the door and turned to face her. “Come here, Honor.”

  Seventeen

  She crossed to him and he rested his hands on her shoulders. “We’ll go whenever you want, but you need to relax a minute away from everyone.”

  A knock at the door interrupted him, and Luke moved her to one side in order to open the door. She heard him talking to a clerk, then he stepped back and held open the door while the man wheeled a cart into the room. Luke tipped him and followed him to the door, closing and locking it behind him.