by Lee Taylor
Governor Sampson threw back his head and roared.
“Well, Meg, and, you too, Ginny, I think this sweet little filly put you two in your place, but good. And I bet you do charm those ranch hands, Elena, if my son and my chief of staff are any example of your talents.”
Wyatt had been leaning back in his chair staring coldly at Meg and Ginny until Elena spoke up. Elena smiled when he gave her a broad wink, as did Wan. Bai stifled a grin, but couldn’t hide the twinkle in his eyes.
“Really, Bradley, you don’t have to be crude. I’m sure Wyatt and Mr. Chang do not appreciate your calling Elena a filly. That is some kind of a horse, for goodness sakes,” Meg replied, her face was red, annoyed.
Wyatt grinned. “To the contrary, Brad. In addition to her other talents, Elena is a horse whisperer and loves horses. I think she considers being called a filly a compliment, don’t you, darlin’?”
Elena smiled and nodded.
Wan’s normally stern face softened when he looked at his granddaughter with obvious pride. “In addition to working with horses, Elena is also what we call a healer. The reason she is in California is to do an internship with Dr. Nuong Li at the University of San Francisco this fall. Dr. Li is the most renowned Chinese healer in the country and recognized throughout the world. Elena is the first non-Chinese he has agreed to teach. She is by far the youngest of his apprentices.”
Governor Sampson whistled. “That is impressive, Elena. Beautiful and smart – quite a combination.”
“And how fortunate to have such a brilliant well-respected grandfather, Elena. I am sure Dr. Li considers it a privilege to work with Wan Chang’s granddaughter, not to mention the daughter of a governor,” Ginny Sampson said, her lips pressed in a thin smile.
Wyatt leaned back in his chair. His eyes darkened threateningly. Wan’s face became a stony mask but before either of them spoke, Bai stepped in. His face and voice were gracious but his words had an ominous undertone.
“What you suggest, Ginny, is quite different from the reality. As I understand it, Elena presented herself using her mother’s maiden name, Comstock. It was only after Dr. Li had accepted her that he learned her propitious heritage.”
“Oh, my, I didn’t mean to imply that Elena isn’t talented…” Ginny said, as though surprised by Bai’s reaction.
“Hell, mother,” Peter Sampson broke in, “I think that is damn impressive. Sarah and I, and you, too, Agatha,” he said nodding to his sister and cousin, “we all trade shamelessly on the fact that the governor is our father and uncle, don’t we, girls?”
“Really, Peter, I am shocked by your crude language and your insulting insinuation about your sister and cousin.” Ginny glared at her son, two angry red blotches marking her cheeks.
Peter looked at his mother, annoyance clouding his earnest youthfulness. He gazed at Elena, his face flushed with admiration.
“Are you really a horse whisperer, Elena? How exciting and how challenging, especially for a young woman. Have you saved many horses with your talents?”
Elena had been looking down at her hands during the conversation about her internship. She studied Peter for a moment, seeming to decide whether she would respond. She took a deep breath and looked him in the eye.
“Yes, Peter, I have. My skill is saving horses that people who are not whisperers give up on. I’m almost always successful, if I am given a chance.” Elena’s expression hardened. She looked directly at Bai her eyes flashing. He frowned slightly then nodded and held her gaze until she flushed and looked down.
Peter looked uncomfortable, glancing from Elena to Bai with a questioning look. “I apologize. Did I say something that upset you, Elena?” Peter asked seeing her obvious distress.
As though just realizing that he had spoken to her again, Elena said, “I’m sorry, did you ask me a question?”
Peter shook his head and put his hand over hers in a protective gesture. Elena looked down at his hand, as if surprised to see it there, and pulled hers away. Wan and Wyatt exchanged a concerned glance.
Before either of them had a chance to speak, Governor Sampson waded into the strained silence.
“You seem quiet tonight, Elena. I am accustomed to seeing you the way you are at all the governor’s balls and other parties I’ve seen you at in Wyoming. Don’t tell me that you think Wyoming is gayer, livelier than California?”
Elena stared at him. Her eyes were wide, dark, with more than a hint of unshed tears. Her voice was solemn. “I’m experiencing things in California that I never did in Wyoming, Governor Sampson. I am learning to adjust to the changes. But I haven’t learned to put a pleasant face on my confusion. Perhaps some day I will be as adept at hiding my feelings as Sarah and Agatha are. Right now it is overwhelming to me.”
For the next thirty minutes, Bai took control of the dinner conversation, skillfully batting it back and forth to Wyatt and Wan, covering a wide range of topics. None of them made an effort to include Elena. She sat quietly, her face flushed and beautiful, but obviously not interested in participating. Because of the skill of her protectors, her silence was barely noticeable. Bai saw the looks Wyatt and Wan exchanged. He agreed they had made a mistake encouraging her to attend the dinner so soon after the attack at the waterfall. The three of them gave a collective sigh of relief when the dinner was over and it was time for the men to retreat to the library for cigars, brandy, and serious conversation.
Wyatt and Elena were the last to leave the dining room. Bai saw Elena tug her father to the side and overheard her impassioned plea.
“Please, Father. Please don’t make me go with those awful women. Let me come to the library. I promise I won’t talk. Better yet, may I go back to my chambers?”
“Honey, you know if it was up to me, you could do either. I’m sorry, darlin.’ Wan sees you as his hostess tonight. It looks like you’re stuck with the ladies.”
Elena shook her head in dismay, but nodded when her father leaned down and kissed her.
“It’s just another hour or so, honey. You can do it. You’re my girl!”
Bai waited until Wyatt followed the other men into the library then caught up with Elena.
“I want to talk with you later tonight, Elena. Please wait for me after our guests leave. Oui, cherie?”
She tossed her head and didn’t answer. Looking straight ahead as though she was walking up to a guillotine, she went to join the ladies in the formal sitting room.
Bai grinned at her fierce expression, then walked in to the library to join the other men.
~~~
“Well, now that you have met her, are you surprised?” asked Meg in a loud whisper.
“I certainly am not,” said Ginny. “Her stepmother, Lei, is the picture of refinement and culture. Unfortunately, they let Elena run wild. This is the result.”
Sarah’s thin, pinched face hardened in an ugly smirk. “Going swimming by herself miles away from the villa? What does she expect? In my mind, she deserved whatever she got.”
Elena stood in the shadow of the doorway, shocked when she realized these hateful women were talking about her. Her heart slammed against the wall of her chest with such ferocity she thought she might faint. Their casual viciousness stunned her. Grasping the doorframe to keep from falling, she willed her wildly trembling legs not to not to crumble.
“She didn’t have a mark on her from what I could tell. So much for resisting,” Agatha said with a snort.
Elena gasped. A low, keening cry escaped her lips. All four women turned to the doorway in surprise. Fighting a wall of tears, Elena met Ginny’s gaze.
The diminutive viper had the decency to flush. Then with a haughty lift of her chin, she sniffed indifferently, as though Elena wasn’t present. In a voice cultivated by years of deportment training, she said, “Perhaps it will prove useful to this wayward girl to know how proper ladies view her conduct.”
Without a trace of embarrassment, the other women shrugged in agreement, as the door slammed behind Elena.
> ~~
Chapter 11
Elena ran to her chambers, slamming and locking the door behind her. She tore off her clothes and threw herself on her bed, staring at the ceiling. The tears that threatened throughout the evening coursed down her cheeks in a steady river of pain, pooling by her ears in a damp puddle.
As stunned as she was at the casual cruelty of the women in the sitting room, she was more devastated that those women knew about the waterfall. Dear God, did everyone know? Governor Sampson? Peter? Greg? They must. Who told them? Her father or her grandfather never would. Would Bai? He was angry with her, wanted to punish her, but would he tell those hateful women? Like Bai, those women thought she deserved it. She deserved to be attacked, even raped. Her mind whirled with emotions, questions, and fears. Wracked by blinding humiliation that the world knew her shame, she had a fierce desire to escape, to make it all go away.
When she heard her father and Wan say good night amidst the clatter of carriage wheels and horses hoofs, she knew she had to leave her chambers. She couldn’t bear to talk to Wyatt or Wan or, God forbid, to Bai. She threw on a nightgown and robe and fled to the garden. Looking up at the moon shining in the starlit night, a welcoming orb of infinite comfort, she begged an angel to come down to earth and sweep her up to the sky. Knowing how unlikely that was, she sunk to the ground, laid her head on the stony edge of the fountain, and wept.
~~~
Bai went to the sitting room to accompany the women out to their waiting carriages. He was surprised Elena wasn’t there.
When they joined the men in the courtyard, he looked over at Wyatt. “Where is Elena?”
Before Wyatt could respond, Sarah broke in with a harsh laugh. “She chose not to join us. Apparently, Elena doesn’t like to spend time with women. She seems to prefer the company of multiple men.”
Bai, Nianzu, Wyatt, and Wan froze as one, piercing her with a mutual glare.
Seemingly unaware of their hosts’ reaction to Sarah’s tasteless remark, Peter and Greg both chuckled. Greg said, “I wish I had known that. I happily would have foregone one more political discussion to spend quiet time with the beautiful Elena.”
Peter nodded in agreement.
His sister said with a loud sniff, “You men are so predictable.”
~~~
After they left, Bai went to Elena’s chambers and knocked on the door. Like Wyatt and Wan, he knew that they should not have encouraged her to attend the dinner. Christ, what did we expect? She had had a hell of a three days. With a twinge of regret, he knew his conversation with her this afternoon hadn’t helped. He wanted to talk to her, to tell her he was proud of her, she had done well. When she didn’t answer after several minutes of knocking, he tried the door but it was locked. Deciding she must be sleeping, he walked back to his office through the garden. When he turned the corner, he heard her sobs. He called out to her softly not wanting to frighten her.
“Elena, it’s me, Bai. What is wrong, cherie? Why are you crying?”
She leapt to her feet, staggering away from him.
To his surprise, she lashed out angrily. “Why do you care? And don’t come near me. Don’t you dare! You told them, didn’t you?”
Bai frowned, inching his way toward her.
“Tell who? What? What are you talking about, Elena?”
She sobbed, her face twisting with pain. “Those awful women know what happened to me. And… and… they agree with you! That…that I got what I deserved.”
Trying not to startle her, he moved toward her slowly, carefully.
“Elena, I told you this afternoon that isn’t what I think.”
“Then what did you tell them?” she asked, her voice rising in angry disbelief.
“Elena, I haven’t seen or spoken to any of those women since you were attacked. Moreover, tonight was the first time I had the ‘pleasure’ of meeting Sarah or Agatha and her mother. I regret you overheard their gossip. You have been through a terrible ordeal. It is painful enough without vicious women making it worse. And, yes, unfortunately there has been some talk about the attack. Clint Dunwoody has been vocal about seeking retribution for his men. That is one of the reasons I am fierce about your safety. Fortunately, he has his sights set on me, not you.”
She stared at him, her face contorted with pain and distrust. Tears trickled down her cheeks.
“Come here, Elena.”
Before she could stop him, Bai reached out and wrapped her in his arms, holding her in a tight embrace.
She tried to push away, but her pain swamped her. She began to cry uncontrollably. Deep, disconsolate sobs racked her body. He held her tight to him, his arms like steel bands surrounding her shaking body.
“Non, non. Ah, bebe. Don’t cry. Non, non, ma petite fille. Don’t fight me, Elena. You have had a terrible three days, oui, ma petite amie? Don’t cry. Let me hold you. Détendez-vous, bebe. Relax. Let me hold you.”
He began rubbing her back as he had on the way back from the waterfall, crooning comforting words in French, English, and Chinese. He ran his hands over her soft trembling body, holding her close to his chest. Little by little, she began to relax and stopped trying to pull away.
“Ah, oui. That is the way, cherie. Lean against me. Let me hold you. Triste fillette, what a dreadful evening. You are correct. Those women are wretched. I was proud of you tonight, cherie. So was your father and your grandfather. And you captured two more suitors out of the evening. Three to be precise. But then you already knew that Nianzu is in love with you.”
She tried to move back and looked up at him, questioning. “What…what do you mean? Suitors? What…what… are you saying?”
He dragged her back, wrapping his arms tightly around her. He breathed in her spicy exotic smell, then nuzzling his chin in her fiery hair, he spoke softly in her ear.
“Ah, coquette, do not pretend you do not know how those men were lusting after you. Can you blame them? You were beautiful tonight, Elena, enticing.”
When she tried to free herself, he said, “Non, non. Permettez-moi vous maintenez, cherie. Let me hold you.”
She struggled for a moment, then moved closer, resting her body against his. The wine at dinner and brandy in the library, combined with her fresh smell and that damned fragrance that seemed a natural part of her, played havoc with Bai’s resolution to put distance between them. He ran his hands over the soft silk of her robe. His fingers quickly learned what his cock already knew. She was naked beneath her nightgown. He knew he was playing with fire, but his body trumped his resolve. God, she was beautiful, tempting. Her body was lush, a treasure map of hills and valleys. He wanted to capture her, pull her closer, run his hands over her full firm breasts, the soft upturned tips, and the swell of her hips. Bury his fingers in the soft sweet mound he felt riding up against his thigh.
A rush of desire flooded him. His cock swelled hard, insistent. Without thinking, he separated her legs with his strong thigh, pressing up against her crotch. He heard her gasp, felt her body tremble in response. She hesitated, then reached up digging her fingers in his shirt, pulling him against her.
At her heated response, he groaned, a mix of need and regret. Unwanted rationality pricked his lust-ridden brain. With a soft groan, he struggled to pull away.
“Ah, cherie, this is not a good idea. Non, non. You are too soft, too lovely. Mon Dieu, but I am finding it difficult to resist you.”
He took a ragged breath, tight with arousal. With an effort, he moved her back, still holding her in his arms. Damn, he knew he was close to doing what he had promised himself he would not. Little by little, he freed himself, unwinding her from his arms. He owed it to Wan and Wyatt to protect her, keep her safe. They trusted him, believed in him. He was her protector.
He gently unwound her hands from his chest and slipped her hand in his.
“Here, petite fille, let me walk you back to your chambers. You need to sleep. This was a difficult evening. I fear the dinner party was too much, too soon. You need to rest.
”
Elena was startled, surprised. She didn’t want to go back to her chambers. She wanted to stay here with him. She wanted him to hold her in his strong arms, make her feel safe, help her forget the awful evening. But it was more than that. When he pulled her up close to him, she loved the way he smelled -- like brandy, cigar smoke, and a strong male smell that made her stomach quiver. She felt the muscles on his chest, his strong arms, his thighs pressing against her. And, God help her, she wanted more. When he moved hard against her, she felt a wild rush of sensation in the pit of her stomach that moved lower and lower -- jolting her core with an exhilarating blast of heat. It made her legs shake, her breath rage.
But then he stopped and pushed her away. Why? Dear God, why? She didn’t understand. Was he done with her? Or was he teasing her? She stared at him, trying to understand what was happening.
He shook his head, turned and pulled her after him toward her chambers. Her legs were shaking. It was hard to catch her breath. Grabbing shallow gulps of air, she regained a semblance of composure.
She stopped. Summoning up her courage, she took a deep breath. In what she hoped would be an offhand, amused “Sarah-like” voice, instead came out jagged and breathless. “Is …is this when you undress me? One piece of clothing at a time? I believe you said you will enjoy every moment. And… and I will beg you not to stop.”
Bai looked surprised, then stepped back. He let go of her hand, reaching in his waistcoat pocket for his cigarette case. Ignoring her startled gaze, he withdrew an elaborate Russian samorodok case. Elena’s eyes widened, surprised to see a wolf’s head with gleaming topaz eyes embossed on the lid. Bai took out a cigarette, snapped open the end of the case and took out a match. Cupping the cigarette in his hands, he struck the match. The acrid flash revealed the frown creasing his brow. Taking a deep drag, he blew the smoke up in the air, creating a screen between them.