Lady Sundown (#1 of the Danner Quartet)

by Nancy Bush

“I wan’er,” he muttered. “Take it all.”

  The man with the gruff voice grabbed for the money. Harrison glanced into his eyes, trying to memorize his features. He was dirty and stank to high heaven. Harrison thought about telling him he was wasting his time trying to stuff the winnings into pockets shiny with grime. The others wouldn’t let him get away with that much cash. He would be beaten and robbed before he stepped two feet outside.

  “Ya still owe money,” a voice said to Jace.

  “Jace’ll match my winnings,” Harrison said with the drunken smile. “Take ‘im to Rock Springs. He’s good for it. You can keep it all.”

  “You goddamn filthy swine!” Jace spat viciously.

  Harrison couldn’t tell Jace he’d probably just saved his miserable life. The men currently pulling Jace roughly out of his chair would keep him alive until they had their money. Then it was up to Jace to save his own neck. Harrison had problems of his own.

  “Take him to her,” Gruff Voice ordered one of the whores. The man’s eyes were on Jace, his mind clearly on the funds still outside his grasp. Harrison followed after a voluptuous woman whose bosom was pushed up from her bodice, threatening to spill over with each of her shallow breaths.

  He’d lost a small fortune tonight. Now he needed to save the girl and get them both out of here alive. Damn it all, why couldn’t he think straight? He needed his wits about him more than ever now.

  ¤ ¤ ¤

  Miracle lay on her back atop rug-covered hay bales, staring up at the sloping barn ceiling. Her hands were tied behind her back, her ankles lashed together. Light from the lantern suspended on a wire above her head quivered over the narrow room. A tiny crack near the main joist admitted several bats. They hung from the rafters, emitted faint squeaks, then burst through the crack in a flutter of anxiety, only to slowly return again.

  Curse and rot her miserable luck! Her heart beat fast, as fast as the frightened bats’ wings. Her head ached. She didn’t remember being brought here, but she had to get out. She could feel the knife still strapped to her thigh — thank God! —so she was reasonably sure she hadn’t been physically abused.

  She grimaced. Since she was certain Bushy Eyebrows was dead, Gruff Voice must have somehow talked Jeb out of using her. She shuddered to think what would’ve happened if he hadn’t.

  Twisting onto her side, Miracle wriggled furiously against the binding ropes. Her wrists were already chafed raw. If only she could slip a hand free. Her whole future depended upon it.

  Lord, have I ever asked for much? she prayed with more fervor than reverence. Have I begged for your help? Well, I’m begging now. Get me out of here!

  A roar of male laughter rose to the rafters. Miracle flinched. The group of men downstairs was drunken and loud. She knew it was only a matter of time before someone remembered her.

  Despair flooded her. Was Uncle Horace all right? Was he even alive? The ruthless men who had abducted her were not above killing; she’d witnessed that with her own eyes. She had to struggle free. She had to!

  Footsteps sounded on the ladder. Miracle froze. There were other rooms in the barn loft; she’d heard voices through the walls. Praying these newcomers were headed elsewhere, she attacked the ropes with renewed vigor, but with a loud creak the locked door swung outward.

  Miracle’s mouth went dry.

  “An hour’s all ya paid for,” Jeb’s voice told the blond-headed man ducking inside.

  “An hour? That’s all?” the newcomer mumbled. He weaved forward and stumbled on a bale, swearing at his own clumsiness.

  “An hour!” Jeb bellowed after him. Cursing, he slammed the door shut, locking it behind him.

  Miracle scooted backward until her shoulders scraped the rough barn wall. Cold sweat beaded on her forehead. She stared at the man, wide-eyed.

  “Hullo,” he said. “Name’s Harrison. What’s yours?”

  She didn’t answer. If he was going to rape her, she wasn’t going to open her mouth until she could sink her teeth into his flesh.

  He came toward her on unsteady legs, dropping onto his side beside her. His familiar pose set her nerves screaming, but he said by way of apology, “Sorry. Can’t seem to keep my head up. We’re gonna have to work fast.”

  His hand brushed her leg. She stiffened and would have cried out had she not realized almost instantly that it was an accident. The man — Mr. Harrison — was truly drunk, she thought in disgust. But maybe his inebriation could work to her advantage…

  He shook his head, heard the bats, and squinted up at the rafters where they hung. “Friends of yours?”

  Some of Miracle’s fear faded away. At least he wasn’t a slobbering lecher. Neither was he full of evil, as Jeb was. Her skin crawled just thinking about Jeb. He’d killed Bushy Eyebrows without a qualm. She was half-amazed Gruff Voice hadn’t shot him in retribution. But thievery had strange rules, it seemed. While Miracle had been unconscious, Jeb and Gruff Voice must have somehow mended their rift. They’d apparently agreed to bring her here for their hundred dollars.

  A hundred dollars for one hour.

  Miracle blue eyes grew cold as a glacier at the thought. This man had paid a hundred dollars for a kidnapped woman! She narrowed her gaze at the chiseled lines of his face, the faintly curving lips. He was outrageously handsome, she thought inconsequentially, and for some reason it angered her all the more. Though obviously not of the same ilk as Gruff Voice and Jeb, this man was still dangerous and cruel. Oh, he was clean and handsome, with a thick patch of dark gold, sun-streaked hair that looked like burnished silk. But he was no better than his counterparts. Maybe even worse. He was the buyer, wasn’t he? Without him, the wretched highwaymen would never have been able to sell her.

  He grunted, tried to sit up, then swore and fell back down, his face whitening. Miracle’s attention was diverted. “Are you in pain?” she asked before she could help herself.

  “Damn shoulder. Nearly had my right arm cut off once.” He turned to her, his face very close. In the darkness she couldn’t see the color of his eyes, but they were clear and frank. “So you do speak.”

  She licked her lips. “You’re drunk,” she accused witheringly.

  “And then some, I’m afraid,” he admitted wryly. “You may have to help me. I’m not sure I’m going to be much good in this condition. Come on, we’ve got to hurry.”

  She was astounded by his arrogance. He thought she would be eager and willing and helpful! “How much did you pay for me?” she demanded frostily.

  He laughed. “A small fortune. Are you really as innocent as they claim?”

  “Is that what you paid for?”

  “Well — yes, I suppose so.”

  “Then you’re about to be sorely disappointed, Mr. Harrison,” she lied harshly.

  “Am I?” He considered her carefully, and Miracle, to her consternation, could feel the color rise on her cheeks. “My first name’s Harrison,” he corrected her. “You haven’t told me yours.”

  “You don’t need to know it.”

  “I guess not.” He drew a breath and shook his head again, as if trying to clear his mind. “But if you don’t give me a name I’ll call you Sally, just to keep things straight.”

  “I’m Miracle,” she answered, goaded into answering him.

  He propped himself up on one elbow, and Miracle could feel the heat of his breath fanning her face. He smelled like whiskey and hay and a subtle, masculine odor that was peculiarly intoxicating. “Miracle? That’s your name?”

  “Er — yes,” she stammered, alarmed at the way he was moving up next to her. “I help people.”

  “Help people? How?” He put a hand to his head and sucked in a breath. “Never mind. Save it for later. We’ve got to get going, Miracle, or my hour’ll be up.”

  She narrowed her eyes. If he moved much closer he would feel the knife at her thigh. She had to get out of here and away from him. “I could help that shoulder of yours,” she said quickly, when he reached a hand toward her to do God knew what
.

  His hand paused in midair. He stared at her, amused. “Maybe later.”

  “Let me try. If you could just untie my hands…”

  “You’re tied?” The muscles of his face tightened. “My God, that’s right. You would be.” With a snort of anger, he suddenly wrapped his arms around her. “Come here.”

  Shocked, she held her breath, unable to move. She lay like a slab of marble, cold and unforgiving and hard. If he felt the knife, her one chance of escape would be ended. Dimly, she realized he’d pulled out his own pocket knife and was sawing through her bindings.

  Seconds later her fingers wriggled loose!

  He stared down at her, and his expression changed to one of thoughtful appraisal, as if he’d just discovered something that surprised him. His gaze slowly moved to her lips. “One kiss for freeing you,” he said softly, then pressed his mouth against hers.

  Miracle didn’t wait. She ripped the knife from its trappings, her ears sensitive to the rasp of tearing cloth. A corner of her mind registered the sweet taste of liquor on his lips and the amazing depth of his kiss.

  She raised the knife overhead, her hand taut and shaking.

  “Then we’ll get you out of here,” he added, pulling back to smile at her through warm, seductive eyes.

  But it was too late. The knife was already arcing downward. Less than a heartbeat later, Miracle plunged it with devastating thoroughness into the smooth, hard muscles of his back.

  Other e-books by Nancy Bush

  If you enjoyed this book, you might also be interested in other e-books by Nancy Bush. Following, please find a small selection of her catalog that might interest you.

  Miracle Jones

  SEEK…

  Searching for a past that was more lore than truth, part-Indian healer, Miranda “Miracle” Jones, drove her peddler’s cart toward Rock Springs, Oregon — straight into danger. Before she could learn anything about her missing and mysterious father, and carrying the tin box he’d left her – her only memento – she was attacked by highwaymen and sold to Harrison Danner at a drunken bachelor party on the eve of his wedding. Danner meant only to save her. But Miracle, frightened and trusting only in herself, stabbed him – and then, with her herbal potions, desperately sought to save the compelling stranger’s life!

  AND YOU SHALL FIND…

  Danner was pledged to the daughter of his bitterest enemy; their wedding was meant to end a generations-old feud. Yet he could not resist his attraction for the strong-spirited beauty who had attacked him — and then stole his bartered heart. Though they both fought the wave of passion that threatened to overtake them, and which only could leave devastation and betrayal in its wake, the truth of their love was undeniable, a force of nature they willingly succumbed to within each other’s arms…

  Coming soon…

  Hush

  Cross Your Heart

  In the summer before their senior year, Coby Rendell and her friends take a beach trip together. Around a campfire on a foggy June night, Coby, Rhiannon, Yvette and the others share their darkest secrets, before a tragic accident shatters the bond between them…

  And Hope

  Twelve years later Coby attends a birthday party reunion that ends in horror when Yvette’s sister’s lifeless body is discovered in a hot tub. Soon others in the original group of tale-tellers begin meeting similar fates-unfortunate "accidents” shrinking their numbers one by one…

  To Die

  Conflicted by her growing feelings for Danner Lockwood, the investigating detective, Coby races to unravel a mystery buried in the past. But someone is watching her every move-someone prepared to kill again and again to protect a shocking truth…

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  Wicked Lies

  If At First You Don’t Succeed

  For two years, Justice Turnbull has paced his room at Halo Valley Security Hospital, planning to escape. Justice has a mission-one that began with a vicious murder two decades ago. And there are so many others who must be sent back to the hell that spawned them…

  Kill…

  Laura Adderley didn’t plan to get pregnant by her soon-to-be ex-husband, though she’ll do anything to protect her baby. But now reporter Harrison Frost is asking questions about the mysterious group of women who live at Siren Song lodge. Harrison hasn’t figured out Laura’s connection to the story yet. But Justice knows. And he is coming…

  Then Kill Again…

  All her life, Laura has been able to sense approaching evil. But that won’t stop a psychopath bent on destroying her. Justice has been unleashed, and this time, there will be no place safe to hide…

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  “Chilling… Swift pacing and an intriguing plot make this a first-rate supernatural thriller.” -- Publishers Weekly (starred review)

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  Wicked Game

  One By One, They’ll Die…

  Twenty years ago, wild child Jessie Brentwood vanished from St. Elizabeth’s high school. Most in Jessie’s tight circle of friends believed she simply ran away. Few suspected that Jessie was hiding a shocking secret — one that brought her into the crosshairs of a vicious killer…

  Until There’s No One Left…

  Two decades pass before a body is unearthed on school grounds and Jessie’s old friends reunite to talk. Most are sure that the body is Jessie’s, that the mystery of what happened to her has finally been solved. But soon, Jessie’s friends each begin to die in horrible, freak accidents that defy explanation…

  But Her…

  Becca Sutcliff has been haunted for years by unsettling visions of Jessie, certain her friend met with a grisly end. Now the latest deaths have her rattled. Becca can sense that an evil force is shadowing her too, waiting for just the right moment to strike. She feels like she’s going crazy. Is it all a coincidence — or has Jessie’s killer finally returned to finish what was started all those years ago?

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  Blind Spot

  What You Don’t See…

  The crime scene at an Oregon rest stop is brutal beyond belief—a young man’s lifeless body cut to ribbons, and his pregnant girlfriend left alive but comatose…

  What You Don’t Know…

  Psychologist Claire Norris is assigned to treat the survivor at a private mental hospital. But there are no clues to the identity of the catatonic “Jane Doe.” A difficult job only becomes more complicated with the arrival of ex-homicide detective Langdon Stone, who questions Claire’s every move.

  Can Kill You

  Reluctantly working together, Claire and Lang begin to unravel the chilling truth about a twisted case—one with ties to a killer who is right in their midst, eager to see a mission of evil through to its terrifying end…

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  About the author

  New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Nancy Bush has been writing for over thirty years. Known for her romantic suspense and mystery novels, Nancy began her career writing romance with as much intrigue as her publishers would allow. Now one of her most enduring series has returned: The Danner Quartet. The four historical romances that comprise the series – LADY SUNDOWN, MIRACLE JONES, JESSE’S RENEGADE and SCANDAL’S DARLING – will soon be available again in e-book form. Beginning with LADY SUNDOWN, meet the irrepressible Danners and follow their adventures as they span the globe from the rural environs of Rock Springs, Oregon to the Victorian era of London in the late 1800’s.

  The first two books in the Danner Quartet – LADY SUNDOWN and MIRACLE JONES – will be available in July 2011. The next two – JESSE’S RENEGADE and SCANDAL’S DARLING – will be out later in the summer of 2011.

  Connect with Me Online:

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  Table of Contents

  Author’s Note

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Epilogue

  An excerpt from MIRACLE JONES

  Other e-books by Nancy Bush

  About the author