"Just tell me why you dragged me all the way out here."
"For one thing, your friend Williamson has been arrested and sent up to Fort Worth."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah. I have ways of finding out things."
"What was he charged with?;7"
"Several crimes. Al you need to worry about is that he's charged with robbing the army payroll." He smiled, showing a flash of white teeth. "Can you imagine anyone doing such a thing?"
-You can't get to him to shut him up at Fort Worth. Will he talk?"
"Can't say. But he's a coward, and his kind will always look after their own skin."
Edmund looked disgusted. "You called me all the way out here just to tell me that?"
"There's more. The word is that the Hunter gal has been with Tremain at Fort Fannin, and they was looking into each other's eyes and heating up the place. It seems the woman from back east has left for home-you know which one I mean, the one Tre main was supposed to marry. Guess you can draw your own conclusions from that."
Edmund felt a rush of rage so thick and hot he wanted to hurt someone. "Has that bastard had her?"
Kane shrugged his shoulders. "I'm not hired to peek into people's bedrooms." He smiled, his black eyes going even darker-he was enjoying himself. "There's more still."
Edmund jammed his hands in his pockets. "You have cheered me up quite enough for one day."
"I saved the best for last."
Irritation tinged the banker's words. "What is it?"
He stood up and stretched his arms over his head. "Your major went shopping for a wedding present. And guess what he bought?"
"I don't care, Kane."
"Oh, but you will when I tell you what it is. He bought the Taylor ranch. I bet you can guess who he bought that for."
Edmund went perfectly still.
He tried to swallow the red hot rage that coiled inside him. He knew he had been distracted lately, but how could he have missed the fact that the lien had been paid off on the Taylor ranch? He almost choked on his fury. Grabbing his chest, he sank to his knees. "I'll kill him for this-I swear I will. I'll kill them both!"
Kane's walk was almost a slither as he went to the tree, retrieved his knife, and slid it into his scabbard. "It don't seem like the major's easy to kill. The way I hear, the Apache have already tried twice. But I bet he's going to have himself a good time when he takes that pretty Hunter gal to bed."
Edmund stood up on shaky legs and braced himself against a tree. After he caught his breath, he walked to his horse and climbed into the saddle. Someone was going to be sorry for this.
Abby would be sorry before he was finished with her!
Frances eyed Abby speculatively. "You've been moping around like a cat that's lost its tail. What happened at that fort that made you come home acting like you lost your best friend?"
Abby picked up her hat, slammed it on her head, and walked to the door. "I have lost my only friend."
When she left the house, she let the screen door slam behind her. Frances was right about one thing-she had been moping. It was time for her to help out around the ranch.
Brent had said he wanted the black mustang cut away from the herd because the horse was too aggressive with the others. That would get her away from the house for most of the day.
It was peaceful at the pasture where the new herd of mustangs were being held. There was only an oc casional whinny from the horses to break the silence. She had only to show Sassy which horse she wanted to cut out, and the pinto would do the rest. Her little mare was an excellent cutting horse.
It took her the better part of an hour to drive the mustang to a fenced area. She dismounted and watched the black horse run free, then let her mind take her where she didn't want to go. Patricia would be back in Philadelphia by now, and Abby was sure it was all her fault. She had ruined Patricia's life, and she had also ruined Jonah's hope for happiness.
She glanced down at her split skirt. At least knowing Jonah had improved her taste in clothing. She wondered why she hadn't thrown those old trousers away long ago.
She glanced upward and marveled at the beauty of the white fluffy clouds; it looked like someone had taken a basket of cotton and scattered it across the blue sky. She shaded her eyes when she looked westward-someone was approaching. She waited until the rider was closer, thinking it might be Brent. But when she recognized the man, her breath hissed out in irritation, and then she felt a prickle of fear along the base of her spine.
What was Edmund Montgomery doing there?
Abby's first instinct was to get on her horse and ride away as fast as she could. She sure didn't want to be out here alone with him.
She was terrified of him!
Her pinto had wandered several hundred yards away in search of shade-she would never be able to get to the mare before Edmund reached her.
"Abby," he said, dismounting smoothly. "What a surprise to find you out here alone."
"Frances wouldn't have told you where to find me-how did you know I was here?"
He stopped close to her and looked over the land. "I have my ways of knowing. I have had you watched," he admitted.
She took a few paces away from him. "I have to go now."
"Not yet. I just want to talk to you."
"You said quite enough that night at the dance. I don't ever want you anywhere near me, and you can get off our land."
"Now, Abby, you don't mean that." He reached out to her, and she backed farther away.
"Don't touch me!"
He moved fast, grabbing her arms and taking her by surprise. He was strong, and his hands were like vises as he pinned her arms behind her.
"I'll touch you, all right. And I'll take my time about it. There is no one here to help you, and if someone did come, we would hear them from a distance."
She struggled and pushed against him, but his hold only tightened. She felt a scream rise in her throat when he jerked her forward to press his mouth over hers. She tried to twist away, but his hands went up to hold her head in place.
Queasiness churned through her stomach, and she thought she was going to be sick. His lips were wet and hot, and when he raised his head she gagged.
"Has Tremain had you, Abby-has he?"
She pushed against his chest, but he shook her until her head snapped back. She would not have thought him capable of such violence, but there was a glint in his eyes that suggested he might be capable of anything.
"Let me go!"
"So," he said, gripping her arms, "you won't answer-that means the bastard has been at you! If he hadn't, you would have denied it."
His eyes were suddenly like swirling tides of madness. He threw his leg against the back of hers and flipped her to the ground. She landed so hard it knocked the breath out of her. Before she knew what was happening, he was on top of her, ripping her blouse open and exposing her breasts.
She struggled and pushed against him as hard as she could, but he was a hard mass of unmovable and unspeakable evil. "I don't want your hands on me. Let me up!"
The more she fought him, the darker his eyes became. He breathed in her ear with lustful laughter. "My hands are going to be on you, Abby. Everywhere. Now be still!"
She arched her back and pushed against him, then tried to roll sideways, but it was no use.
She tried to dodge when he raised his fist, but it came down hard against her jaw, and her face exploded with pain. Swirls of darkness floated toward her, and she struggled to stay conscious. Her scream was muffled when he hit her again, and she felt the black tide widening to capture her in its depths.
At that moment Abby's pinto whinnied right at her head, bending its sleek neck to touch her face.
"What the hell!" Edmund said, swatting at the horse.
The momentary distraction gave Abby the time she needed to roll out from under him and scramble to her feet.
She hurt everywhere, but she couldn't let that stop her. She dove for her saddle and ripped the rifle free of the holster.
Cocking it, she laid her cheek against the stock, aiming at Edmund's heart. "If I pull this trigger, you will be dead before you hit the ground."
He took a step toward her, anger making him rash. "Give me the gun, Abby."
She dipped the gun and fired, barely missing his foot. "You have my word, the next shot will draw blood. Get on your horse and ride away from here right now!"
His blue eyes were almost eaten away by the reptilian black irises, and she shivered in spite of the fact that she had the advantage of the rifle. "I'll do it you know I will if you don't leave."
"We aren't fmished,-Abby. This isn't the end."
"If you come near me again, I will shoot you stone-cold dead."
His face was red, and his breathing was shallow as he gathered the reins and mounted his horse. "You'll plead with me many times before I've finished with you. It could have been nice between us, but you had to be like-"
She aimed the rifle at his face, her finger pressing harder against the trigger; she wanted him to come toward her so she could fire. It was with the greatest effort that she resisted that urge. "You are on Hunter don't trespass again, or I will shoot you!"
He turned his horse and rode away. She was trembling so hard, she fell to her knees sobbing. She watched him until he was out of sight, making sure he rode toward town and didn't double back.
She couldn't stop shaking, and she was so bruised and hurt, it took her three tries before she could mount the pinto. She took in a shuddering breath and tried to calm her racing heart. Already her face was beginning to swell, and when she touched her head, her fingers came away bloody. She couldn't think clearly, and she was still dizzy. It was a long way to the ranch house, but Brent's place was less than two miles away-she could make it there before she passed out.
She slumped in the saddle and cried so hard her body shook from the intensity of her sobs.
Frances had directed Jonah to Brent's cabin. He dismounted and looked about him at the tranquil scene. He could live like this if Abby were with him.
The door of the cabin swung open, and Brent came out.
"Jonah, this is a surprise! I thought you would still be at the fort."
"I'd like to talk to you, if you don't mind."
He nodded. "Sure. Would you like to come into the house? Crystal is inside. Are you hungry?"
He certainly wouldn't be able'to swallow food at the moment. "I would rather talk to you privately, if you don't mind."
"Of course." He was puzzled by Jonah's strange behavior. Something was definitely bothering him.
Jonah paced a few steps and turned back to him. "It's about Abby. I would have gone to your father with this, but I know how close she is to you."
He frowned, feeling protective of his sister. "Yes, we are close."
Jonah decided the best way to handle the situation was head-on. "I want to marry Abby, and I'm asking for your permission before I propose to her."
Brent walked down the path toward the stream and motioned for Jonah to follow him. He stopped at the paddock where he and Crystal kept their horses and braced his foot on the bottom rung.
"The last time I looked, you already had someone you were going to marry, and it wasn't my sister."
"Patricia has returned to Pennsylvania."
"I'm not sure I like the sound of this-why Abby?"
"Because I can't imagine life without her. I want her to be the mother of my children. I want to wake up beside her every morning and grow old with her." He glanced at Brent. "Does this make any sense to you?"
"Hell, no."
Jonah shook his head. "It doesn't make any sense to me either. I only know that I'm not happy when she isn't with me."
"Well, that's just not good enough for me. I'm more interested in my sister's happiness."
They both heard the rider coming, and the horse was galloping at a fast clip.
"It's Abby," Brent said, spotting her pinto as she crossed the stream, riding so fast the water sprayed around her. "She would never ride her horse into a lather-something's wrong!"
When Abby saw Jonah and her brother, she slid off her horse and ran toward them. She must have realized she was still holding the rifle, because she threw it down and kept running.
"My God," Brent said, "something has happened to her!"
Abby didn't have time to wonder why Jonah was there. She only knew she had to be in his arms so she could forget about the things Edmund had done to her.
Brent took a step forward, expecting to catch her in his arms, but she ran past him and threw herself into Jonah's embrace, sobbing uncontrollably.
"Sweetheart," Jonah murmured, holding her against him as if he could absorb the quaking of her small body. "What happened?" He brushed the hair out of her face and saw the bruises and the blood. Anger coiled inside him like a snake. "Who hurt you?"
She felt so safe being held in his arms. She pressed her face against his jacket and tried to control her tears. "He touched me," she said, fresh tears moistening her eyes. "He put his hands on me."
Jonah went down on one knee and held her on the other, rage thrumming through him. He examined the bruise and gently rubbed at the dirt on her face with his handkerchief. That was when he noticed her blouse was ripped-he met Brent's eyes and pulled the blouse together, turning her against his chest. His voice was icy cold. "Who did this to you, sweetheart?"
Brent crouched down beside her. "Who, Abby?"
She looked into the eyes of her brother and hesitated. Edmund was dangerous, and if he threatened to kill someone, he'd do it.
"Brent," she cried, reaching toward him. "It was so awful. He... he... kissed me. I fought him, I did, Brent."
Brent's eyes were burning with anger. "What did he do?"
Jonah closed his eyes, imagining the worst. His hand moved up and down Abby's back, trying to soothe her. "Tell us, sweetheart."
"He kissed me and tore my blouse."
"Who?" Brent demanded. "Dammit, Abby, who did this?"
"Edmund Montgomery," she said, laying her head back against Jonah's shoulder. "I hated the feel of his mouth on mine!"
"Did he do anything else to you, Abby?" Brent asked the question that was tearing at Jonah.
"He would have, but I managed to get away from him before he could. I ran for my rifle." She buried her face back in Jonah's jacket. "I wanted to pull the trigger-I wanted to see him dead!"
By now Crystal had heard the commotion and joined them. She took Abby by the hand and pulled her up, assessing her injuries. "Isn't it just like a man to keep a woman talking when she needs doctoring." She smiled gently at Abby. "Come with me, honey. I'll clean your scrapes."
"I'll kill him for this," Brent said, striding toward the cabin to get his rifle.
"No, you won't," Jonah said, standing slowly. "It's my place to take care of him. Abby is mine."
Brent watched his wife lead Abby into their cabin and turned back to Jonah. "I guess she is. She decided that today, didn't she?"
Jonah was trying to deal with his anger. "I want to kill him for what he did to her-but it would be far better if we work on this through the law. I can't tell you any more than that."
"He isn't going to get away that easily."
"No," Jonah said, stalking toward his horse. "He isn't. I'm going to ride into town and find the bastard."
Abby was still shaking when Crystal seated her in a chair. "Where did he hurt you?" she asked, reaching for a clean cloth and water.
"He threw me down on the ground, hit me with his fist, and tore my blouse."
Crystal looked at her sister-in-law carefully. "Is that all?"
Abby gulped back a hiccup. "Yes, thank God. He was strong, Crystal. I couldn't have fought him off if he hadn't been distracted."
"It's all right," her sister-in-law told her. "He will get what's been coming to him for a long time."
Jonah went directly to the banker's house, but the housekeeper informed him that Edmund wasn't at home. The woman told him she hadn't seen her emplo
yer since early that morning.
It was getting late, and the bank was closed, but he peered in the window, seeing nothing but the dark interior. He entered the general store to ask if anyone there had seen the banker, but the owner was just closing, and he hadn't seen Edmund all day.
The saloon was the only other place left to look. He shoved the doors open and went inside. It was noisy in the smoked-filled saloon as Jonah scanned each face to see if one of them was Edmund.
He walked up to the bartender. "Have you seen Edmund Montgomery today or tonight?"
O'Malley was drying a shot glass as he watched the major's face. "It's possible. Why?"
Jonah's voice was forceful. "Just'tell me."
O'Malley didn't like the banker; he had seen him plenty of times sneaking off to visit a woman who lived just outside of town, even while his wife was dying. The town praised him as a virtuous man, but the bartender knew better. "Is it going to bode well or ill for Montgomery if you find him?"
"Very ill."
The bartender smiled. "Then you will find him at a house just outside town." He lowered his voice and leaned across the bar as he gave Jonah directions.
Crystal had taken Abby home in the buggy. She helped her into a nightgown and pulled the covers back for her to get into bed. She saw the angry red scrapes on Abby's back, and the sight made her furious.
"Edmund Montgomery is going to be sorry he ever laid a hand on a Hunter," she assured Abby.
"Where is Jonah? I want to see him."
"He left. I believe he intends to find Mr. Montgomery."
Abby moved to her knees as fear tore at her mind. "Did Brent go with him? He can't have gone alone!"
"Brent went to get Quince, and they will both be going into town. Even if Mr. Montgomery is hiding, he can't escape all three of them."
Abby slid out of bed. "I have to go to Jonah. Someone has to help him. He doesn't know how evil that man is!"
"Get back in bed, Abby. Brent and Quince will help him. You have to rest for now."
Abby was so exhausted, she nodded while Crystal pulled the sheet up and tucked it about her chin.
"I don't think you have anything to worry about. I believe your major can take care of the banker."
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