by Bobbi Smith
Silver Wolf only nodded in response and watched James walk away. Only then did he smile at Ben. He was glad his friend was there to distract him. "Why are you here, Ben? Did you come to meet Jenny? Jenny, this is my friend, Ben."
"Hello, Jenny," he said smoothly, then went on. "I'm here because I've been looking for you."
"Why?"
"I was worried about you."
"You didn't have to worry about me. I can take care of myself."
"I can tell. Looks like you've been doing a great job of it tonight."
"Jenny's been keeping me company."
"That was very nice of her, but what do you say we get you out of here while you can still walk?"
"Sit down and join us, Ben. Have a drink." He picked up the bottle and held it out to him.
"I'll pass for now," he declined.
Daniel shrugged off his refusal and took another swig, straight from the bottle this time. "You don't know what you're missing."
"Oh, yes I do, and you're going to find out in the morning. I think it's time we head home."
"Home . . ." His home was with his people in the village under the stars, not in the cramped, stuffy rooms over the law office. "It's a long ride to my home, Ben, and I don't think I'm quite up to makin' it tonight."
"All the more reason to come with me now. Tell Jenny good-bye."
Daniel slowly pushed away from the table.
"You're leaving?" Jenny asked, disappointed.
" 'Fraid so." He picked up the bottle, then got to his feet. He touched her cheek. "Bye, Jenny. Take care of yourself."
"You, too."
"Why don't you leave the whiskey here?" Ben suggested, seeing how glazed his eyes were.
"Nope, I mean to finish it." He took another swallow as they left the saloon and stepped out into the night.
Ben gave him a look of despairing amusement. "You're going to be sorry."
Daniel only shrugged again. He was unsteady on his feet, so Ben kept a close eye on him as they made their way toward their rooms. They'd walked a block or so before Ben finally spoke up.
"You want to talk about what happened tonight?" He thought that might help Daniel. He was shocked when his friend stopped dead still and turned on him. Moments before, his expression had been slack, almost easygoing; now it was hard and cold.
"If you're my friend, you won't mention tonight again." He started to walk on.
Ben remained where he was, stunned, trying to grasp the sudden change in him. He realized that what had happened between Daniel and Mrs. McCord had been serious. He caught up with his friend and walked the rest of the way without speaking.
"Are you going to be all right?" Ben asked when they reached their rooms.
"Sure," he answered as he fumbled with his door, trying to juggle the bottle as he got out his key.
"See you in the morning." Ben watched Daniel until he'd gone in, then sought the quiet of his own room.
Silver Wolf entered his tiny, airless bedroom and shut the door behind him. He stood in the dark, trying to make up his mind whether or not to light the lamp. Deciding it wasn't worth the effort, he moved to his dresser and set the bottle down. Shrugging out of his jacket and taking off his tie, he tossed them both in the general direction of a chair.
The room was stifling, and he was badly in need of a breath of fresh air. He headed for the window to open it, then took a deep breath of the sweet night breeze, before going to the bed. He lay down and folded his arms beneath his head. He sought peace and quiet and forgetfulness, but every time he closed his eyes, the room seemed to go in motion.
Suddenly, everything seemed to be closing in on him, and he knew he had to get out. He practically threw himself from the bed, and quickly changed clothes. Once he was dressed to ride, he capped the whiskey bottle and stuffed it and the few other things he needed into his saddlebags. He scribbled a short note to Ben telling him he'd be back in a few days and slipped it under his friend's bedroom door on his way out to the stable.
Silver Wolf didn't breathe any easier until he'd left the lights of the town behind and had disappeared into the night. He welcomed the darkness and the solitude. He needed time alone. He needed time to think.
Since he'd been paid in advance for Jenny's services for the night, Ed offered no protest when she went upstairs after Daniel had gone.
Jenny stepped inside her room and closed the door, glad to be free of Ed and the others. She stared at the bed and thought of Daniel and the time they'd spent together. Just being with him had meant a lot to her, and though nothing physical had happened between them, she'd never felt closer to any man. He'd touched her deeply, in ways she didn't understand.
Jenny crossed to the bed and sat down on the side where Daniel had been and picked up the pillow. The scent of him was on it, and she held it to her breast, closing her eyes as she thought of him. She kept remembering what Daniel had said about her being pretty and not needing makeup, and, after a moment, she got up and went to the washstand. Wondering if he was right, she poured fresh water in the bowl and washed her face. Jenny stared at her own reflection, pink-cheeked now from cleanliness, not paint. Tears burned in her eyes as she saw not the woman she'd become in her mirror image, but the girl she'd left behind.
Pain and loneliness stabbed at her, and she returned to the bed, clutching the pillow to her as she lay down. She was reaching for the covers when she felt something strange among them. Brushing the blankets aside, she was startled to find a small leather pouch. She realized it must have fallen off Daniel's belt when she'd unfastened it.
Jenny picked up the medicine bag and thought about returning it to him right away, but decided it would be wiser to wait until the next morning. She sat up and moved closer to the light so she could see what was in it. Shaking out the contents into her hand, she stared at the strange collection, puzzled. There was no money in the pouch, only a strange-looking animal tooth, a chunk of mineral that looked to be silver, a pocketwatch without a chain, and a small white rock that was shaped like a heart.
Curious about the watch, Jenny opened it to find an inscription on the inside: To my son, Jack, on his twentieth birthday. From your father, George Marshall. She put it back, along with the tooth and silver, but kept the heart-shaped stone out to study a little longer. It felt warm against her palm, and she wondered where it had come from. She was sitting with the pouch in hand when the door opened without warning.
"Jenny! What are you doing up here already?" Mark Larson demanded as he brazenly walked right in on her.
"Mark . . ." She managed a smile as she quickly stood up. He was one of her regulars, and while he was no Daniel, he had never hurt her in any way.
"Evenin', girl," he said warmly. He'd had all the good manners and polite talk at the dance he could stand for the night. He was ready for some real fun now, and Jenny, he knew, was just the girl for that. She certainly knew how to please a man.
As he crossed the room toward her, he noticed that she was wearing no makeup. "What did you do to yourself? I don't like you this way," he complained.
His words hurt, but she didn't let him know. "I was about to go to bed."
"Well, good. We can go there together." He noticed that she was holding something in her hand. "What have you got there?"
It was then that he recognized the pouch and snatched it out of her hand. "Where did you get this?" He glared at her. "Was that half-breed with you tonight?"
"Yes, Daniel was here, but . . ."
"What in hell were you doing with that damned Indian?" Mark's temper exploded.
He backhanded Jenny viciously, sending her sprawling to the floor. As she fell, the stone slipped from her grip and slid beneath the bed. She had no time to think of the stone as Mark closed in on her.
"Mark . . . don't . . ." she cried. She couldn't believe this was happening. She didn't know what she'd done to deserve it.
Mark hated the half-breed with a passion, and he gave Jenny no chance to escape as he hit her again. He
grabbed her up by the arm and gave her a vicious shake. "You're filth, you little whore! You'll give yourself to anybody for the right price, won't you? Pack your bags and get out of Cheyenne! There isn't a white man in town who'll want you now that you've been with an Indian!"
Jenny was sobbing. Blood trickled from her mouth and her eye was already swelling shut. "But nothing . . ."
Mark didn't care about anything she had to say. He slapped her again with all the force he could muster and then practically threw her down, as if touching her was contaminating him.
"If I ever hear that you were talking about anything that happened tonight, I'll find you and see that you pay even more!"
He turned his back on her, his temper appeased as he stared down at the medicine bag. He opened the pouch, picked up the watch, quickly reading the inscription. He smiled, reassured that he did indeed have a treasure of great worth. They'd been hoping for an opportunity to bring the arrogant half-breed down, and now, between his fight with the McCords at the dance and this, they had him. Mark gave Jenny one last disgusted look as she lay, nearly unconscious on the floor, and then he rushed off to find his father and show him the prize.
Jenny was dazed by the force of Mark's blows, and she lay still, tears streaming down her face. Nothing had happened with Daniel, but Mark had never given her the chance to explain.
Daniel . . . Jenny thought of his kindness and his gentle ways and knew he was ten times the man that Mark was. With a pained sob, she crawled toward the bed. Groping beneath it, her hand finally closed around what she sought: the heart-shaped stone. She held it tightly as she collapsed back on the floor. She knew she had to do what Mark said or face more of the same, and yet she clung to the memory that at least Daniel had been kind to her.
Twelve
For the third night in a row since they'd returned to the ranch from town, Cari lay in bed, wide-awake and waiting. It was after eleven, and she was beginning to wonder if her parents would ever go to sleep. When at last the house grew quiet, she got up, shed her nightgown, and dressed. This time, instead of donning her normal shoes, though, she slipped on the moccasins Silver Wolf had given her so long ago. She was glad they still fit, for she needed to walk silently tonight.
Opening her bedroom door, she peeked out into the hall to make sure everyone really was in bed. Once she was sure it was safe, she crept from her room and out of the house. Barnie was sleeping on the porch and she looked up when Cari stepped outside. Cari hastened to pet her so that she wouldn't bark and rouse her parents, then silently moved away from the house.
The moon was bright as Cari headed for the stream in the hope of seeing Silver Wolf. She was desperate to talk to him again. The memory of his kiss had haunted her every waking moment, and her dreams, too. She wanted to be with him again, to tell him how much he meant to her and how sorry she was for what had happened between him and her mother.
Since the night her mother had slapped Silver Wolf at the dance, Cari had barely managed to be civil to her. She'd expected the woman to admire him for what he'd achieved, and she couldn't believe she still held his Indian blood against him. As much as Silver Wolf meant to Cari, she couldn't let her mother go on thinking such terrible things about him. She wasn't sure how she was going to change her mother's attitude, but she definitely intended to try.
A soft breeze sighed through the trees, and the sweet song of a night bird lilted across the land as Cari moved down the hill and along the bank. It was a beautiful night, and she was hoping and praying that he would be there waiting for her.
Silver Wolf savored the solitude of the wilderness as he sorted through everything that had happened. That first morning alone there had reminded him of why he never drank. Not only had he had a pounding headache that had made it difficult for him to think, but he'd discovered that he'd somehow lost his medicine bag the night before. He remembered having it when he'd arrived at the saloon, but everything after that was confused. He hoped when he returned to town that he'd find it in his room. The bag contained his special "medicine," and he'd never been without it since he'd reached his manhood. He'd been tempted to return to town just to get it, but he'd found himself riding for the Circle M instead.
Silver Wolf had told himself he was being foolish returning to his and Little Snow's meeting place. He'd told himself he should go back to town and forget her, but he couldn't. He'd tried to strike her from his thoughts, but instead of fading, the memory of holding her in his arms and kissing her had just become all the more vivid. She'd been an innocent temptress, a fire in his embrace, and the thought that she might accept Elliot's proposal tormented him. In spite of her betrayal, he knew he had to see her again. That was why he'd come here this night.
Reaching the stream at dusk, he'd made camp and settled in for the night. Little Snow had never visited him after dark, so when sleep didn't quickly come to him, he decided to take advantage of the small pool nearby to bathe. Stripping down, he dove into the cool waters.
Silver Wolf was standing in the waist-deep water when he heard someone coming. He froze where he was to watch, not knowing who it might be. It was then that he saw her emerge from the sheltering cover of the trees.
Little Snow was a vision of beauty to him as she moved slowly forward, drawn toward the small campfire he'd built. He could tell that she was looking for him, but he remained where he was, taking the time to enjoy watching her. She was wearing her hair down, loose about her shoulders, and he remembered how silken it had been to his touch when he'd seen her here before, sleeping among the flowers. The dress she wore was simply styled, but the soft material hugged her body in a sweet caress. Enchanted, he could only stare.
Cari didn't know why she felt compelled to return to the clearing every night. Silver Wolf had never met her there after dark. Still, she'd had to come, the hope that he might be there driving her on. As she neared the clearing and saw the soft glow from a campfire, her heart leapt within her breast. She hurried forward, forgetting everything he'd taught her about moving quietly.
Reaching the edge of the clearing, Cari stared about the small glade, looking for Silver Wolf, but she could find no sign of him. Only the low-burning fire let her know that he was there. Cari heard something then, and she lifted her gaze to look farther downstream. Her breath caught in her throat as she saw him, standing motionlessly in the waist-deep pool of water. Silver Wolf. Her dream warrior! Moonlight shone down upon him, turning the glistening water on his bare chest and shoulders to a silver sheen. He looked like a magnificent creature of the wild, and she was mesmerized by the sight of him.
She said his name in a voice just above a whisper. "You're here . . . I was hoping you'd come."
At the sound of her voice, heat surged through him and settled heavily in his loins. He knew a driving urge to take her in his arms, but he remained stoically where he was, allowing the cool waters not only temper his desire, but also shield his state of undress from her.
"Why were you hoping to see me, Little Snow?"
Across the darkly shadowed distance, their eyes met, and she saw reflected in his gaze the caution that held him in its grip. She started toward him, wanting him to trust her again. She stopped before him at the water's edge. "I've been coming here every night since we got back, because I had to tell you that I'm sorry for what happened between you and my mother. She was wrong, Silver Wolf, very wrong."
"Are you so sure?" His pride held him immobile, though he really wanted to hold her and kiss her and never let her go.
"I'm sure. I know you, Silver Wolf. I've known you all my life. No matter what my mother or the gossips think, you would never do anything to hurt me."
Cari knew she had to prove to him again just how important he was to her. She bent and slipped her precious moccasins from her feet. Lifting her skirts, she ignored the chill of the water and waded out toward him.
The water was cold and swirled chillingly about her slender legs, but she hardly noticed. Her need to touch him again was foremost in h
er mind. She moved forward, knowing that she was getting her dress wet and not caring. She came to stand before him, and her gaze was open and honest as she looked up at him in the moonlight.
"I love you, Silver Wolf." She lifted one hand to tenderly caress the cheek her mother had slapped.
Her words erased all the pain and all the doubts he'd been feeling. Giving in to his need to hold her, he swept her up in his arms and crushed her to his chest.
"What about Elliot?" His eyes were a dark, stormy gray as they challenged hers.
"He's a friend," she told him as she wrapped her arms about his neck.
"Little Snow . . ." At her response, he could bear it no longer, and he said her name in a groan of passion as his mouth descended to claim hers.
Cari clung to him. She realized that this was what she'd been longing for ever since they'd parted so painfully at the dance.
Silver Wolf held her close, savoring the moment. When the kiss ended, he strode toward the bank with her in his arms, taking care to keep her dress from getting wetter. Carrying her up on the bank, he laid her down upon the soft grass and then stretched out beside her.
Cari was thrilled that they were finally together, alone, and she smiled up at him in the moonlit darkness. "I was afraid I wouldn't see you again," she told him, her heart shining in her eyes. "Even though we were only apart three days, it seemed like eternity to me."
"I missed you, too," he said softly as he bent to kiss her.
She looped her arms about his neck and drew him down to her as she returned his kiss. He was the living, breathing standard to which she'd compared all other men, and by which all others had failed.
Cari met Silver Wolf in kiss after desperate kiss, unable to deny the power of her love for him. She ran her hands over his bare chest and shoulders, sculpting the hard-muscled planes. They'd embraced before, but there had never been this awareness between them—this knowledge of man and woman and desire. His kiss was her heaven. They had waited so long, and now . . . now it just seemed right.