Texas Proud (Vincente 2)

by Constance O'Banyon

  Huddling in her coat, she had never felt so cold. Why hadn't she listened to Zeb? If only the wind would stop blowing, she might be able to hear the river and gauge her direction.

  A strong gust drove snow into her face, and it felt like tiny needles pricking her skin. She had known people who had been caught in a blue norther and had barely escaped death. Six years ago, Hamp Whitlock had frozen to death while looking for strays. When they found him, he was less than a hundred yards from his house. It was said that he'd lost his direction in the blinding snow and couldn't find his way.

  The horse stumbled over a slippery spot and went down with Rachel on its back. She managed to free her left leg, which was wedged beneath the horse, and slide out from under its bulk. She grasped the reins and pulled. "Come on. You have to get up or you'll freeze to death."

  The poor animal attempted to rise, but made an agonizing sound of pain. Rachel quickly examined the horse's right front leg and she realized, in horror, that it was broken. She had left in such a hurry that she had neglected to bring a gun, so she was unable to put the animal out of its misery.

  Unsure of what to do, she sat down near the thrashing animal, wondering who would find their bodies when the storm cleared. No man would go out in this storm to look for her, because it would mean his death as well.

  She didn't know how much time passed, but the horse lay quieter now, only making occasional soft whinnies. Her teeth chattering and her body trembling from cold, she dropped her head on the horse's neck, needing to feel close to another living creature. She tried to guess her location, but nothing looked familiar. She was still on the Casa del Sol side of the Brazos because she hadn't crossed the river. Would Noble be the one to find her dead body?

  Visions of his face flashed before her, and she cried out to him. "Noble, help me. Please help me." She had always heard that one called out for one's beloved at death, and she had called for Noble. Until now, she hadn't known the extent of her love for him.

  She felt as if a weight pressed in on her chest, and she had never been so cold. With death beckoning to her, she could be honest at least with herself. "Noble, I love you," she said between trembling lips. But her cry mingled with the snow and was lost on the wings of the howling norther.

  Rachel didn't know how much time had passed, but the horse lay completely still. She tried to rake the snow off the poor animal, but it was falling too heavily. Ice had formed on Rachel's lashes and in her hair. She hardly felt the cold now, only numbness. The air seemed to freeze in her lungs and throat. A sensation not unlike swimming in the river came over her and she closed her eyes, giving herself over to the lingering comfort it offered.

  Sleep, that was what she needed sleep. It hurt to move, it took effort for her to open her eyes, and it took all her strength just to breathe.

  Noble spoke quickly to Alejandro. "Tell me again what Rachel said." His eyes went to the window, but he could see nothing past the blinding snowstorm.

  "She said she wanted to see you, Patron. And when I told her you were not here, she went away. I asked her to wait, that there was bad weather coming, but she went anyway."

  Noble reached for his wool-lined coat and lifted his rifle from the gun rack. "I must look for her. She couldn't have made it home in time to avoid the norther."

  "But Patron, you will get lost in the snow," Alejandro argued, his dark eyes filled with concern. "If you go, I will go with you."

  Noble walked to the door, and stopped as if he were listening to something. "Did you hear that?"

  "I heard only the wind," Alejandro said. "What did you hear?"

  Noble shook his head. "Nothing. I thought for a moment that someone that Rachel called. No. It's probably only the wind."

  Noble opened the door, and the wind was so strong it almost drove him and Alejandro backward. An urgency gripped him as he swung into the saddle and rode in the direction Rachel would have taken. If she had stayed in a straight line, he might find her, if not no, he wouldn't allow himself to think about that possibility.

  Alejandro stayed close to his side, fearing they would be separated in the storm.

  Noble felt the moment the wind shifted from the north to the east and died down somewhat, making it easier to see. His face was grim as he searched right and left. If Rachel had been lost in this storm, they had to find her soon, or it would be too late.

  Perhaps it was already too late. His heart clenched like a fist and hammered against the wall of his chest. No, he would know it if Rachel were dead.

  Rachel moaned and tried to shut out the persistent voice that kept calling her name. She just wanted to be left alone. Go away, she thought. Had she said it aloud? She couldn't be sure. Then again, she might be dreaming.

  She felt warmth cover her and spread throughout her body. Then she thought she heard a shot and a faint whinny from Tanner's horse. Had someone put the poor animal out of its misery? But then again, she might be delirious.

  Rachel tried to open her eyes but it took too much effort. She had the sensation of being lifted onto a horse, and someone was holding her against his body. She buried her face against the person's neck and drifted away again.

  "Rachel, stay awake-stay with me. It's just a short ride to the line cabin."

  She clearly heard Noble's voice, or had she conjured him up in her need for him?

  "Rachel." Noble shook her this time. "Don't go to sleep. Talk to me. Come on." His voice was insistent. "Talk to me, Rachel."

  "I called for you," she said without opening her eyes.

  "I know you did, Rachel." He was too concerned that she might die to wonder how he had heard her calling him all the way from Casa del Sol.

  "You're falling asleep on me again, Rachel. Fight the sleep. You can do it."

  "No." She batted his hand away. "I don't want to.

  "Think of how angry you are with me, Rachel," he told her. "Think about the reason you came to Casa del Sol when you knew a storm was coming."

  "Yes, angry." It was such an effort to speak, but she wanted to tell him how she felt before she surrendered to the arms of peaceful sleep. "You hurt me.

  "Tell me what I did."

  She could feel the horse moving beneath them, but everything was so fuzzy. Darkness hovered over her like an ominous cloud. Why wouldn't Noble let her sleep?

  Noble looked down at Rachel with fear in his heart. The strands of her hair were frozen and matted with ice. He brushed snow from her face, hoping his horse knew where the hell it was going, because he couldn't see ten feet ahead of him. The line cabin was in the vicinity, but in such a storm he could easily miss it.

  His worry at the moment was to keep Rachel awake or she might succumb to the cold. He knew enough about her temperament to realize that if he made her angry enough, she would certainly fight back.

  "Rachel, only a very foolish woman would venture out in such weather."

  She did not respond.

  He tried another tactic. "Have you no heart? Don't you care about the people who are worried about you? What about Winna Mae? She must be beside herself with worry. You are selfish, Rachel."

  Still she gave no response.

  "Rachel, have you considered Zeb? He's set himself up as your faithful watchdog. Think how worried he is at the moment."

  No reaction.

  He had to make her angry so she would respond to him. "Rachel, I thought your father taught you better than to come out in such weather. He would be disappointed in you at the moment."

  With effort, she dragged her eyes open and glared at him. "I despise you, Noble."

  He laughed and held her closer. "Despise me, hate me, my dearest Green Eyes, but keep talking to me-come on, talk! Tell me how much you loathe me."

  She moaned and pushed his hand away. Why wouldn't he leave her alone so she could sleep?

  Noble spoke close to her ear. "Talk to me, Ra chel. You can't go to sleep because you may never wake up."

  "You..." She tried to shake her head, to push him away again,
but she was too weak. "Sleep. I need"

  She had gone limp in his arms, and he shook her violently.

  "God, no, Rachel. No!"

  Rachel floated on a cloud of warmth and didn't want to open her eyes. For several minutes she just listened to the sounds around her, trying to identify them. She heard the crackling of a fireplace, the sound of sleet peppering a window, someone moving about quietly so as not to disturb her.

  She opened her eyes halfway, peering through veiled lashes. She lay on a narrow cot in some kind of crude cabin. The walls were made of unfinished logs. Her hands brushed against and identified a woolen blanket that covered her. Whoever was here with her-she couldn't see who it was-placed something hot on the blanket next to her feet, and the delicious warmth worked its way up her legs.

  Now the person stepped into her view and she recognized Noble, although his back was to her. He lifted a stone from the embers of the open fireplace with iron tongs and wrapped it in heavy cloths. When he turned toward her, she quickly closed her eyes. He placed the stone at her back, and the same warmth she'd felt at her feet spread through her upper body.

  His footsteps moved to the side of the bed, and her eyes swept open to focus upon a pair of black Spanish boots. Her gaze went to his face and he smiled down at her.

  He knelt beside her, placing his hand on her shoulder. "You had me worried for a time. How do you feel?"

  Her eyes slid shut, and nothing could have induced her to open them. She floated on boundless warmth, drifting somewhere between reality and dreams.

  She sighed in her sleep, and the worried frown on Noble's face eased. Rachel seemed to be sleeping naturally. She really was going to be all right. He sat beside the fire, his booted feet propped on the iron grate, his eyes on Rachel. When had she become so important to him? Why did he feel such an empty void, as if he were not a whole man unless he was with her? He'd been frantic when he thought he'd lost her in the storm. Did he be lieve in love, the lasting kind? He knew that his feelings for Rachel were strong, although he was not ready to call it love.

  A slight smile curved his lips. She was like no other woman he'd ever known, obstinate, proud, sometimes foolishly rushing into danger with no thought for her safety. She could be fierce and deadly, like the time she defended him in Tascosa Springs, or she could be stunningly beautiful, like the night of the dance. Then she could be soft and desirable, like the night they made love by the Brazos and she matched his lovemaking with an equal passion.

  Memories of that night swirled around in his head, and he closed his eyes. He must not dwell on that not now. He had to find something for her to eat, something hot to heat her inside.

  On a dusty shelf, he found several tins of beans, so he heated them in the iron pot suspended above the fire. He ladled some into a chipped blue bowl, and approached Rachel.

  "I have something for you to eat, Rachel." He went down on his knees beside her. "Come on, wake up."

  She opened her eyes and looked at the bowl. "What is it?"

  He shrugged. "I'm afraid all we have is beans. But they will at least be hot and nourishing."

  She pushed his hand away. "I don't want any."

  "Nonetheless, you must eat." He raised her with one arm while balancing the bowl in his other hand. Although he supported Rachel, her head fell forward against his chest. He set the beans aside and held her close to him.

  "I hope you realize what a damned foolish thing you did today, Rachel."

  She wanted to push him away from her, and she wanted to stay snuggled against him. She remained in his arms. "I seem to recall your voice telling me how foolhardy I was." She pulled back to look at him and sighed. "Or did I dream that too? I'm not sure what's real and what isn't. I don't even know if I'm dreaming now."

  He shook with laughter. "This is not a dream." He nodded at the cabin. "Surely, if you were dreaming, you'd imagine someplace better than this."

  She pulled away from him when she remembered the reason that she had gone to Casa del Sol. "Did you pay the taxes on the Broken Spur?" she asked pointedly.

  She felt him stiffen. "We'll talk about that later. Right now I want you to take at least two bites of beans and then I'll let you sleep all you want."

  "Why is it that everyone always seems to want me to sleep?" she inquired with irritation.

  "I can think of several reasons," he said in a teasing voice-so much like the old Noble she'd known. "You can't talk when you are asleep."

  Instead of laughing at his light banter, she met his eyes questioningly. "What happened to Tanner's horse?"

  "I shot it, Rachel."

  It was her fault that a beautiful animal had had to be destroyed, and the guilt weighed heavily on her. "Thank you."

  After that, she dutifully took several spoonfuls that he poked at her, wrinkling her nose after every bite. When she lowered her head to the mattress, Noble arranged the covers about her shoulders.

  Noble rose to his full height and gazed down at her. "The storm let up just before we found you. Alejandro rode to the Broken Spur to let everyone know that you are safe." He looked toward the window. "It's stopped snowing for the moment, but the wind is still blowing."

  She nodded gratefully, forgetting that she was supposed to be angry with him.

  He walked to the small window and stared out into the encroaching darkness. The clouds had moved away as quickly as they had come, but there were other storm clouds hovering in the east. A dazzling sunset tinted the snow bloodred.

  Rachel was docile for the moment, but after a rest she would be herself again, and unleash her anger on him. He should have known she'd find out that he'd paid her taxes. His lips thinned. He thought he'd been so clever in instructing the tax assessor just what to tell her. Apparently she hadn't been fooled for a moment.

  He turned back to find her watching him. "Sleep," he said gently.

  And she did.

  Noble sat beside her, watching her sleep. Seeing that she still wore her gloves, he gently worked her fingers out of them. When he saw the angry burn marks, he lifted one hand, examined it, and then did the same with the other. Troubled, he wondered what kind of accident had happened to her. He touched his lips to one small palm and then pushed it gently under the wool blanket.

  His eyes clouded with speculation. It seemed to him that too many accidents had been happening to Rachel lately.

  Rachel felt the heat of the fire, and rolling, scorching smoke closed off her breathing. She tried to run, but her legs wouldn't move. She heard the sound of the terrified horses as the flames approached their stalls. She wanted to go to them and open their stalls, but again, she couldn't move.

  She reached the barn door and banged against it with her hands, but no one could hear her.

  "Help me," she cried. "The barn's on fire. For God's sake, help me!"

  Strong hands caught her flailing arms and clamped onto her wrists. She was pulled against a hard body and she fought even more.

  "Rachel, you're all right. It's only a dream. You are safe."

  She heard Noble's voice and she clutched at his arm. "Noble, help me-help me!"

  One arm held her close while his hand moved up and down her back soothingly. "Rachel, I'm here. I won't let anyone hurt you."

  She grasped his shirtfront, her breathing labored. "Someone is trying to kill me," she whispered, still in the grip of her nightmare not asleep anymore, but not yet awake.

  Noble picked her up and carried her to a chair in front of the fireplace and sat down with her on his lap. His lips touched one closed eyelid and then the other, as he held her as tenderly as a baby. "No one can hurt you now, Rachel. I won't let them."

  Rachel snuggled closer to him, needing his warmth and the assurance that his strong arms gave her. She drifted in and out of sleep. At last she opened her eyes. The cabin was in shadows since the lamp had burned out, and the fire in the hearth was only smoldering ashes. It took her a moment to realize she was in Noble's arms.

  "It was only a dream, wasn't i
t?" she asked, seeking his eyes. "I had a nightmare, didn't I?"

  "I don't know, Rachel." He lifted one of her hands and looked at the burns. "It seems to me that your nightmare was born out of some kind of reality. Was it?"

  She pulled her hand free, feeling embarrassed. "How long have you been holding me?" She was now fully awake.

  He shifted her weight to his left side. "Long enough for my arm to go numb."

  She attempted to rise, but he pulled her back onto his lap. "Don't leave. I like you just where you are."

  Slowly Rachel raised her gaze to his, and she melted beneath a pair of dazzling brown eyes. "I am always so confused when I'm with you, Noble," she admitted.

  He touched his lips to the dimple in her cheeks, his voice deep with meaning. "Are you, Green Eyes?"

  She drew away from him, looking mischievous. "Who can fault me for that? It seems every time we're together some disaster or another happens." She thought he would laugh he didn't.

  "Let's talk about those disasters."

  "Which one?" she said with a twist to her lips.

  He reached around her and managed to throw two large logs on the fire, making sparks fly up in an arc. Soon the dry wood ignited and he settled back. "Begin with what happened to your hands. It doesn't take the expertise of Dr. Stanhope to know that they were burned. How did it happen?"

  Rachel's eyes went to her hands, and although it was painful, she balled them tightly in her lap. "It was nothing that should concern you."

  His mouth settled in a firm line and his gaze probed hers. "Indulge me."

  "My barn caught on fire."

  "I see. And with your usual reckless disregard for your own safety, you ran inside the burning barn to save the horses. That's what happened, isn't it?"

  She suddenly wanted to tell him about all the strange things that had happened to her lately. "No. I was in the barn at the time the fire started."

  "So you kicked over a lantern?"