Arizona Temptress

by Smith, Bobbi

  “See you then.”

  Wondering who the mystery woman was, Silas looked up once more in the direction of the hotel and then turned regretfully back to work.

  She entered the small area that served as a lobby for the hotel and glanced around with distaste. How provincial! Soon, however, it would all be over, and never again would she have to suffer such tedious surroundings.

  Oh, how she wished Andre was still with her! Things would have been so much easier with him by her side. Why, she wondered angrily for not the first time, had he been so careless and gotten into trouble with the law back in Santa Fe? Now, instead of helping her make a fast fortune, he was stuck behind bars in that dismal jail for God knows how long, forcing her to go out on her own.

  Sighing to herself, she assumed her dignified manner and approached the deserted counter. After waiting long minutes for someone to come, she gave up and rang the small bell.

  “Yes—What can I do for you?” A harried-looking, middle-aged woman came rushing out from the back, wiping her hands on her apron. “Oh, hello.”

  “Yes, hello,” she said disdainfully. “I’d like a room, please.”

  “Of course.” The proprietress turned the register around for her to sign. “Dollar-fifty. In advance.”

  Opening the drawstrings of her purse, she extracted the correct amount. “Here you are.”

  “Fine.” She looked the newcomer up and down, amazed that such a fine lady would be staying in Mesa Roja. Then, pushing the key to a room across the counter, she said, “I’m Sally Bates. If you should need anything just let me know.”

  “I will, thank you. My trunk will be sent over from the stage office soon. I’d appreciate it if you could have it taken up to my room.”

  “Certainly, Miss—” She started to turn the book to read her name.

  “Mrs.,” she said pointedly, as she took the key. “Mrs. Mac McCaine.”

  Sally stared dumbfounded at the woman across the desk but didn’t say another word as the woman calling herself Mac’s wife smiled sweetly at her and then disappeared up the stairs to the room she’d just rented.

  Eve couldn’t stop the laughter that erupted once she was in the privacy of her room. She’d loved it! The look on the woman’s face would keep her amused for months—no, possibly years, to come.

  Judging from Sally Bates’s response to her, it seemed to Eve that no one knew Mac was married. A delighted smile curved her perfectly shaped lips. What fun it was going to be appearing on Mac’s doorstep after all these years and demanding her rightful place by his side. My, my, she could hardly wait to see him again. It had been so long.

  A loud knock at her door drew her from her reverie, and she opened it widely to admit the young boy carrying her trunk.

  “Just put it there at the foot of the bed,” she said and then handed him a coin for his trouble.

  “Thanks, lady.” He beamed. “Can I do anything else for ya?”

  “Yes, if you would—What’s your name, boy?”

  “My name’s Billy, ma’am.”

  “Well, Billy, if you would tell Mrs. Bates that I’d like a bath brought up here as soon as possible, I’d sure appreciate it.”

  “I’ll tell her on my way out, ma’am.”

  “Thank you.”

  Eve wanted to strip off all of her clothes and just relax, but she knew she couldn’t until the bath had arrived. Taking the time to survey the room, she grimaced. Though it was clean, it was definitely not up to her usual standards. She was not accustomed to staying in such coarse surroundings, and she could hardly wait for her interview with Mac to be over so she could be on her way.

  Eve was pleased that two young girls arrived then with her bath, dragging the tub into the room and then hurrying back to carry in large buckets of hot water.

  When at last they had gone, Eve locked the door and began to undress. She felt filthy from the long, stifling hours of confinement in the stagecoach and could hardly wait to soak in the soothing comfort of the hot bath. Searching through her trunk, she found the vial of her favorite bath salts and perfumed the water before stripping off the last of her underthings. Placing a towel within reach, she stepped eagerly into the tub and relaxed in the luxury of the scented liquid.

  It was over a half an hour later when she roused enough to wash. She released her thick, golden mane from its bun and then shampooed it, too, scrubbing at her scalp until she was sure it was clean of all the dust and grit. Mac had always lover her hair, and she wanted to make sure that it looked its best when she came face to face with him again after all this time. Rinsing the soap from her hair, she stood up in the tub, enjoying the feel of the water which cascaded off her body.

  Shimmering and sleek, Eve stepped from the tub, wishing that Mac could see her now. She had been so young and inexperienced when she’d left him. To this day, it still amazed her that she had had the courage to do it. Everything had all seemed so complicated then, but now, she realized it had really been a simple thing to do. She had walked out and never looked back. Never, that is, until Andre had ended up in jail and she had rapidly run out of money.

  That was when she’d heard the story of the wealthy Arizona rancher named McCaine. Discreet inquiries on her part had revealed everything she’d needed to know about Mac and his successes and, in short order, she’d been on her way home.

  Thinking of the home she’d fled so long ago, Eve could only frown. She certainly hoped that Mac had built a better house, for what they’d been living in when she’d left him had been little better than a hovel. It wasn’t often that she thought of the time when she’d been a wife and mother, for she’d buried those memories along with the memories of all the other miserable things that had happened in her life.

  Eve refused to acknowledge to herself that she could be the mother of a son in his twenties and two daughters who could probably rival her in size right now. She found the thought terribly depressing, but she supposed she would have to see them when she met with Mac.

  She dried herself and then wrapped her wet hair in the towel, turban style, before going to stand before the small mirror over the washstand. Eve was certain, as she stood in front of the reflecting glass, that she was much prettier than when she’d left. She had pampered herself over the years, and there was not an ounce of flab on her slim body. Her breasts were full and tempting and her hips as slim as ever.

  Mac had always been enamored with her, sexually, and she knew a lot more now about how to please a man than she’d known then. A sensuous smile curved her lips as she imagined Mac’s response to her return. Would he curse her for leaving him and then make passionate love to her? That had always been the pattern of their fights when they had been together. He had thought that everything could be smoothed out between them by having sex, but after three children she had wised up. What had been wrong between them could never be fixed. While they were great in bed, that was the only thing they did well together.

  No, she had done the right thing in leaving Mac. She had spent the last years enjoying life. There had been bad times in the beginning, but once she’d met Andre, she’d never regretted a moment of her freedom or the price she’d paid for it.

  She and Andre had traveled from one town to the next, working their little ploy on unsuspecting men and then skipping town with whatever money they could sweat out of them. Some called it a badger game, but Eve thought it just fun. She had enjoyed enticing the men and then watching their horror when her husband caught them in a compromising position.

  What a shame that Andre had had to shoot that stubborn one in Santa Fe. The man had told them that he wasn’t going to pay up; that he was going to the law instead. That was when Andre had lost his temper. The law had caught up with them, and though the shooting had been in self-defense, there had been no witnesses, save herself, to give testimony. So now her lover was languishing in jail, and she was here, doing her best on her own, to end up comfortably wealthy.

  She didn’t know what kind of settlement s
he could get out of Mac, but she was going to try to convince him to make it a big one. And, if he didn’t pay up, well, she’d learned a few tricks over the years, and she’d just have to make his life so miserable that he’d do anything to get rid of her.

  Feeling much refreshed and very determined, Eve put on clean clothes and a suitable gown. Then, checking her purse to make certain that the letter was still there, she left her room.

  There was no one at the front desk again when Eve descended the stairs, and she wondered idly how the place managed to stay in business.

  “Mrs. Bates?” she called out as she waited impatiently before the counter.

  “Yes, ma’am?” Sally again hurried out from the back room.

  “I was wondering if you could recommend somewhere to dine and also a way that I might get a message delivered to my husband.”

  “Oh, uh, sure. The best eating place is right down the street. You can’t miss it. And as for your letter, I can have Billy run it out to the ranch for you, if you like.”

  “That would be fine,” Eve responded sedately. “Have him meet me at the restaurant.”

  “I’ll get him for you right away, Mrs. McCaine,” Sally told her respectfully as she watched her leave.

  “Thank you.”

  Eve located the small restaurant without any trouble and had just finished ordering from the basic, boring fare when Billy came rushing in.

  “Mrs. Bates said you had an errand for me to run,” he told her anxiously, as he stood at her table, hat in hand.

  “Yes, Billy, I have a letter I need delivered, and I was wondering if you could handle that for me?”

  “Yes, ma’am. Where do you want me to take it?”

  “I’d like you to ride out to the M Circle C and make sure that Mr. Mac McCaine gets this. All right?” She opened her purse and took out the envelope.

  “Right away.”

  “Make sure Mr. McCaine is the one who gets it.”

  “Yes, ma’am. But what if he’s not there for some reason. Do you want me to leave it or bring it back?”

  “You may leave it.”

  “All right.”

  “How long do you think it will take you to ride out, drop it off and get back here?”

  “Shouldn’t take more than a couple of hours, ma’am.”

  “Fine.” Eve handed him a silver dollar. “This is for making sure that the letter gets there, unopened. There will be another one for you when you get back. I want you to come to my room at the hotel as soon as you return.”

  “Yes, ma’am!”

  “You may call me Mrs. McCaine.”

  “Yes, ma’am, Mrs. McCaine,” he answered quickly, surprised to learn that her name was McCaine, but he thought that she must be some kind of relative coming for a visit.

  Eve handed him the letter. “I’m sure I can trust you to do your very best.”

  “I will and I’ll come to you the minute I get back!” And with that Billy raced from the small restaurant, intent only on earning that other silver dollar.

  After stuffing the letter protectively inside his shirt, Billy got his horse and began the trek out to the McCaine ranch. Though the day was hot, he pushed his horse to the limit so he could get back and get his other dollar. That lady sure was nice—and rich! Never before had he earned so much money running errands in one day, and he hoped she stayed in town for a long time to come.

  Billy had been out to the M Circle C on numerous occasions, yet it never failed to impress him when he rode through the main gate. The adobe exterior of the big, main house appeared dazzlingly white in the brightness of the afternoon sun and stood in vibrant contrast to the red-tiled roof. By Billy’s standards it was as near a castle as he would ever see, and he felt important now that he had business to conduct here.

  Having spent the morning cleaning a house that didn’t need cleaning, Hildago had finally given in to her exhaustion and had lain down to try to get some rest. Since Mac had ridden out with the posse all those days ago, she had been existing in a living hell. She’d been unable to sleep or eat. All she’d been able to do was think, and her thoughts had been anything but pleasant.

  It had been bad enough having to worry about Jennie’s safety and the men who were trying to rescue her, but when she’d discovered that Carrie had followed them, she’d nearly been distraught. Carrie had never shown any inclination toward ranch living, and there she was, in the middle of a posse of rough men, looking for outlaws! Hildago shuddered at the thought, and she could only pray that it would soon be over, for the longer it dragged on, the more serious her concern for them grew.

  “Hildago!” The houseboy, Benito, called from outside the closed bedroom door, and her thoughts came back to the present.

  “What is it?” she called out, rising quickly from the bed.

  “There is a rider coming!”

  Excited, yet filled with a sense of sudden dread, she rushed from the room.

  “Which direction?”

  “From town,” he told her, dogging her footsteps as she raced through the house and out the front door.

  Stopping in the shade of the veranda, Hildago watched warily as the rider drew near.

  “Is it one of our men?” Benito asked.

  “No, I don’t think so.” She shaded her eyes against the brilliance of the sun. “It looks like that boy Billy from in town.”

  She said no more until the boy had reined in at the hitching post.

  “Welcome to the M Circle C, Billy.”

  “Thank you, Miss Teran,” he said greeting the McCaine’s housekeeper courteously. “I’ve got a message here.” He fumbled with the buttons on his shirt and finally extracted the missive. “It’s for Mr. McCaine.”

  “Mac or Jake?” she asked as she stepped from the veranda.

  “Mr. Mac McCaine.”

  “Well, Mac isn’t here right now, but if you like, you can leave it with me, and I’ll see that he gets it.”

  “Thank you. I’d appreciate that.”

  “Why don’t you come in and have a drink before you start back to town?”

  “I’d like that, ma’am.” Billy slid down from his horse’s back and looped the reins around the post. “It was a hot ride.”

  “Fine, come on in.”

  When he had settled at the table in the kitchen with a cooling drink, Billy asked, “Do you know how soon Mr. McCaine will be back?”

  “I really don’t, Billy. We had some trouble here on the ranch, and he’s ridden out with some of the men to take care of it.”

  “Trouble?” His eyes widened at the thought.

  “Yes. I suppose I might as well tell you so you can let the others know in town. Jennie was kidnapped by some outlaws, and Mac went after her.”

  Billy was stunned by the news. “Miss Jennie?”

  “Yes, but I’m sure they’ll bring her back safe and sound.” Hildago tried to sound confident.

  “I sure hope so. Miss Jennie is a real nice lady.”

  “That she is.”

  “How long they been gone?”

  “Over a week now.” The worry crept back into her voice. “So I’m hoping that they will be back soon.”

  “I’ll tell her that, then,” he said more to himself than to Hildago.

  “Her?”

  “The lady who sent the letter,” he told Hildago guilelessly.

  “Do you know her name?” She was suddenly suspicious. If the letter was for Jake, she wouldn’t have given it a second thought, but a letter from a woman for Mac?

  “She said her name was Mrs. McCaine. I guess she’s one of their relatives or something,” Billy answered nonchalantly.

  Hildago felt as if her whole world was crashing at her feet. Dear God! Mrs. McCaine? It couldn’t be. Not after all this time.

  “Is something wrong, Miss Teran?” the boy asked as he stood up to leave.

  “No, Billy. Nothing’s wrong. I’ll make sure Mac gets this as soon as he returns home.” She walked slowly with him to the door.
r />   “Thanks for the drink.”

  “You be careful on your way back to town.”

  “I will.”

  Hildago stood on the veranda, watching until Billy had ridden out of sight before turning back into the house. Her mind was in a whirl. Her heart was aching. She looked down at the envelope she was still holding in her hand. Could it be? Would she have dared to come back after all this time? Hildago knew deep in her soul the answer to that: Eve McCaine would dare anything!

  She longed to tear the letter into shreds, but she knew that it would not change anything. If Eve was back, then she had a reason for being here, and Hildago knew with certainty that reclaiming the husband and children she’d deserted so long ago was not it.

  Briefly she considered going into town, but she was afraid that she might miss Mac’s return to the ranch, and she didn’t want to take the chance. As difficult as it was going to be for her, Hildago knew she would have to wait and let Mac handle it when he got home.

  Cursing savagely at the fates that had been so cruel to them, she placed the letter on his desk in his office. Hurrying from the room, she shut the door tightly behind her as if to block the letter’s entrance into their lives.

  Chapter Twenty-nine

  Eve stood in the middle of her room, staring at the numerous gowns she’d just spread out on the bed, trying to decide which one to wear when she had her momentous meeting with Mac. Frowning thoughtfully, she picked up a low-cut evening gown. The dress, a creation of shimmering watersilk, fit her superbly, but as she held it up, she realized that this dingy hotel room was hardly the place to appear in such a fancy dress.

  No, when she came face to face with her husband for the first time after all these years, she wanted to be the type of woman he liked: soft and clinging and helpless. Sorting through her other gowns she finally selected a very conservative pale blue one which she was certain would appeal to Mac. It made her seem fragile and very feminine, and she knew it would be perfect.

  At the sound of a horse, Eve rushed to the window, thinking that it was Billy returning from the ranch, but to her disappointment, it was not. The man she saw riding slowly down the middle of the street was a disheveled, ominous-looking Mexican, and she drew back quickly before he caught sight of her. Dismissing him from her mind, she busied herself with repacking her things as she waited to hear from the boy.