This Fierce Splendor

by Iris Johansen

  “The Cahokia mound would be more likely. Its shaped like a truncated pyramid.” Her eagerness faded and anxiety clouded her face. “Now? You’re talking about going to Illinois immediately? What about Killara?”

  “I’ve been away from Killara for a long time.”

  “But not because you wanted to be. Are you still trying to protect your family?”

  “Nothing has changed to make my being there any safer for them. I guess you know I’m going to surround you with a small army of Pinkerton men while we’re in Illinois.” His arms tightened around her. “Nothing is going to happen to you.”

  “Pinkerton men?”

  “A company that provides guards for hire among other services.”

  “But Killara—”

  “Illinois will be safer for both of us.” He hesitated before adding haltingly. “And I want our time together to be happy.”

  His words sounded frighteningly temporary, she thought. He wanted to make these moments as happy as possible because he feared they would not have a lifetime together. She started to protest, then thought better of it.

  There had to be something they could do. She would not accept the fate of Sayan, Dalkar, and Rising Star. She would find a way. “Very well, we’ll go to Illinois,” she said as she relaxed against him and closed her eyes. “It would probably be better to go before I’m with child. A dig can be very strenuous, and besides, I think you’d like your son to be born at Killara.”

  His child, Elspeth, their life together. Dominic lay there thinking about them long after Elspeth had fallen asleep. God, how he wanted to be able to hope again. Yet how could he hope for anything when he knew men like Torres were constantly on his trail?

  Torres. He was close. Dominic could feel it. They were probably moving toward Torres now that they were on their homeward journey. Torres could pounce tomorrow, or the next day, or the day after. He stiffened as he realized he was thinking like a goat staked out for a tiger. Hell, he might just as well meekly bare his chest for Torres’s bullet. And if he waited for Torres’s attack, Elspeth might be caught in the crossfire.

  He carefully released Elspeth, rolled away from her, and quickly put on his boots. He bent swiftly and kissed her lightly on the temple before reaching for his guns. He hesitated, looking down at her. Dammit, he didn’t want to leave her. Then he stood up and moved silently from the fire to where the animals were tethered.

  It was time the prey turned hunter.

  The flames were leaping high, and delicious visions danced before Ramon Torres’s eyes. He always enjoyed this moment of meditation preceding slumber. It was almost as satisfying as dreaming of Dominic. It would be soon now. The death would come soon. He must be close and—

  The flames of his campfire suddenly erupted in a series of explosions.

  Torres rolled to the side, reaching for his rifle.

  “Afraid, Torres?” The voice wafted out of the trees that surrounded him. “Pine nuts. A little trick my nephew, Patrick showed me. Almost as noisy as firecrackers, aren’t they?”

  “Dominic?”

  “You wanted me. Now come and get me.”

  It wasn’t supposed to be this way, Torres thought with indignation as he cautiously crawled out of the glare of the firelight. He was the hunter. Dominic had no right to turn on him in this fashion.

  When he reached the cover of the shrubs behind him, he balanced the rifle against the bole of a tree, his gaze anxiously searching the darkness. Nothing. Not a whisper of sound, not a stir of movement. Where had Dominic’s voice come from? Behind that big cluster of rocks? He would have to draw him out again.

  “It was very stupid of you to warn me with your little joke,” he called out. “A clever man would have cut me down before I could make a move. But then, I’ve found honorable men are seldom clever, and you’re an honorable man, Dominic.”

  “Am I?” The voice was mocking.

  He was in the cluster of rocks. Yes, now he could see the gleam of the barrel of Dominic’s rifle on the rock next to that beech tree. Torres felt a fierce rush of joy surge through him. He began to crawl carefully through the underbrush, but he couldn’t resist the opportunity to speak to Dominic—it was so rare to talk with the prey. “Oh, yes, you have a code, my friend. It is very dangerous to have a code. It makes a man vulnerable.”

  “Why are you so determined to get me, Torres?”

  Torres moved closer. A large boulder overlooked the cluster of rocks where Dominic had taken cover. He would circle around behind it and rush him from the rear. “Because I have a fondness for you.” It was the truth. His powerful passion for Dominic was coursing through every vein as he thought of the pleasure his prey was going to give him. “Because you deserve to be killed by a great hunter, Dominic. You deserve to be killed by me.”

  “Torres, you aren’t a great hunter.”

  Anger sparked through Ramon. It was unfair of Dominic to insult him when he had only kind thoughts for his prey. “I will show you soon, my friend.” It was time to be silent as he circled the rocks. He mustn’t give his position away because of vanity.

  “Did you hear me, Torres? A great hunter wouldn’t have missed that shot at the church.”

  Sorrow rushed through Torres. How sad that Dominic was fighting against the knowledge of the greatness of Ramon Torres. It would diminish the glory of Dominic’s death.

  It was time. He cocked the rifle. He couldn’t see Dominic, but he knew he was there in front of the huge boulder. He drew a deep breath and then dashed from behind the boulder, his rifle pumping shots at Dominic in a deadly battery of bullets.

  But it wasn’t Dominic! It was only Dominic’s rifle propped on the rocks.

  “Torres.”

  He whirled to see Dominic sitting on the lowest branch of the beech tree smiling down at him. The colt forty five in his hand was leveled directly at Torres’s chest.

  A thrill of terror shot through Torres. Cornered. Helpless. Prey. He frantically lifted his rifle.

  The bullet tore through Torres’s chest, knocking him to the ground. He tried to lift his rifle but he couldn’t move. Cold. Why was he so cold? He dimly saw Dominic climb down from the tree and come to stand over him. Dominic’s expression was grim and his face pale in the moonlight. It was all wrong, Torres thought. He should be standing over Dominic, watching the life flutter from behind his eyes. That was the way it should be. Dominic was the prey. He, Torres, was the one who was the hunter. It was all wrong.…

  Dawn was breaking and Elspeth was awake when Dominic returned to camp. She took one look at his face, and her worried frown faded to be replaced by understanding. “Torres?”

  Dominic nodded as he unsaddled Blanco. “He won’t bother us anymore.”

  Elspeth shivered. “I was so frightened when I woke and found you weren’t here.” Her eyes were suddenly blazing fiercely. “Don’t you ever leave me alone that way again. I was sitting here imagining all kind of horrors.”

  “Then you imagined right.” A little shock ran through her as he turned to face her, and she saw the desolation in his eyes. He took her in his arms. “It’s always a horror.”

  Her arms went around him in fierce protectiveness and her voice was almost a maternal croon. “It’s all right now. Everything will be all right.”

  “Yes.” His arms tightened around her. “For now.”

  It must not happen again, she thought desperately. She could feel his pain and weariness. He mustn’t ever have to go through this again. An iron-hard resolve formed within her, even as she held him and tenderly rocked him as if he were a beloved child.

  This would not happen again, she vowed silently.

  Patrick came upon Shamus and his band of men two days ride out of Rosario. He reined in and quickly motioned to Consuela that all was well. The woman’s experience with bands, as ragtaggle as the Killara riders did not inspire confidence.

  The surprise that flickered across Shamus’s face was immediately replaced by a sardonic smile. He inclined his
head. “Patrick. Do you suppose I could be enlightened as to what the hell you’re doing down here? The last I heard you’d taken off after Rising Star to try to bring her back to Killara.” His glance shifted to the Mexican woman riding behind him, a papoose strapped to her back. The woman stared back at him without expression. “Who’s your lady friend?”

  “Consuela,” Patrick said. “And she’s the lady friend of a bandit named Indino. He sent her with me to wet-nurse Kevin.”

  “Kevin?” Shamus repeated.

  Patrick’s gaze turned to Joshua riding beside Shamus. “Rising Star’s son.”

  Shock turned Joshua pale. “My son.”

  Patrick shook his head. “Rising Star’s son,” he repeated deliberately. “Not yours. You didn’t want him, remember?”

  “What are you talking about?” Joshua’s voice was hoarse. “How can you have my son? What’s Rising Star doing down here in Mexico? She was going back to her village.”

  “If you’d followed her when she left Killara, you’d have found out she never intended to go back to her people.” Patrick smiled bitterly. “She had no people. We Delaneys took that away from her too.”

  Shamus’s eyes narrowed. “She followed Dominic and Elspeth on that wild goose chase?”

  “No wild goose chase. Kantalan was there, and so was the treasure. Dom and Elspeth are on their way back with enough gold and jewels in their saddlebags to buy everything west of the Mississippi.”

  “Well, I’ll be damned,” Shamus murmured.

  “And Kevin’s share will make him damn near rich enough to be considered a human being,” Patrick said. “Maybe not worthy of being a Delaney, but close.”

  “Naturally Rising Star’s and the boy’s share will go to Joshua,” Shamus said, his thoughts on the possibilities Patrick’s news opened to him. “They’re family and—”

  “No way in hell,” Patrick interrupted. “Rising Star’s share goes to Kevin and he keeps control of his share.”

  “Patrick, this is none of your concern,” Joshua said quietly. “Star and I will talk about it and decide—”

  “Rising Star is dead.”

  Joshua made a low sound deep in his throat. His hands tightened on the reins. “No,” he whispered.

  Patrick gazed at him unflinchingly. “She died in childbirth. Kevin’s twin sister died too.”

  “She should never have left Killara. The journey was too much for her.”

  “Killara was too much for her. We were too much for her. What the hell did you expect her to do? You told her you didn’t want the child—” He broke off, trying to stifle the helpless rage burning within him, the rage that had possessed him since he stood over Rising Star’s grave. “My God, how could you do that to her?”

  “Patrick.” Shamus’s voice was stern. “Don’t talk to your uncle like that. He’s just suffered a grievous loss.”

  “So have I.” Patrick’s gaze was fixed implacably on Joshua. “So have we all. God, some of you don’t even know that. She was … wonderful.”

  Joshua stared at him in helpless misery.

  “Patrick, I won’t have this,” Shamus said. “You straighten up and keep a civil tongue in your head.”

  “I’ve said all I wanted to say to him.” Patrick’s gaze shifted to Shamus. “Now I have a few words to say to you, Gran-da.”

  “They’d better be a hell of a lot more respectful than the ones you’ve just spoken to your uncle,” Shamus said.

  “Don’t count on it. I don’t feel very respectful at the moment. I feel mad as hell. There’s going to be a few changes at Killara.”

  Shamus winged brow lifted. “Indeed?”

  “Rising Star’s son is going to be treated as a Delaney. I’m not saying you have to love him, but by God, you’re going to accept him as one of us.”

  “I don’t take orders, Patrick.”

  “Too bad,” Patrick said. “Because you’re going to take this one. If you don’t, I’ll find a way of taking Killara from you, Gran-da. I’m going to be rich as bejesus in my own right and I’ll learn how to use that power.” A flicker of pain crossed his face. “I figure the treasure may come in handy to buy more than emerald watchfobs and Oriental dancing girls.”

  Shamus gazed at him, his expression unrevealing. “You’re upset, boy. We’ll talk about this when we get back to Killara.”

  Patrick shook his head. “This is how it’s going to be. Kevin is going to be treated like a crown prince in this kingdom the Kantalan treasure is going to buy because I’m going to be there to make sure he is. I’m moving back up to the house and I’ll be watching you, Gran-da.”

  Shamus smiled genially. “Your grandmother will be glad to see you back under our roof. She never did like the idea of you down at the Mex village. There’s too much mischief a boy can get into down there.”

  “I mean it, Gran-da.”

  The smile faded. “I know you do. I’m not an unreasonable man. Maybe we can come to an agreement.”

  “No maybe about it.” Patrick turned his horse and began edging around the column of riders. He glanced over his shoulder. “There had been no sign of Torres when I left Dom and Elspeth.”

  “He was in Rosario. He’s after Dom all right.” Shamus frowned. “Where are you going?”

  “I’m leaving Consuela and the baby at Rosario with Father Leon. Kevin’s too young to make the trip home to Killara yet. I’ll get them settled and then leave for the border right away. In a few months I’ll come back and bring them home.”

  “Why don’t you wait in Rosario until we come back through after we get Torres?” Shamus asked.

  Patrick shook his head. “I have something to do.” He met Shamus’s gaze. “I’m going after Silver.”

  Shamus went still. “My, my,” he said silkily. “And are we to make her a crown princess too?”

  “We’ll be lucky if she doesn’t decide to take over the whole shooting match,” Patrick said. “But if we treat her nicely, I figure she may let us keep an acre or two. And you will treat my cousin nicely, Gran-da.”

  “Cousin! She’s no—” Shamus broke off. “You’re asking too much, Patrick.”

  “I’m not asking.” Patrick urged his horse forward. “Silver Delaney is coming home to stay, and you won’t find her as easy to ignore as you did Rising Star.”

  “Patrick.” Joshua’s voice stopped him. “Where is Star buried?”

  Patrick turned around again. “Beside a lake in the Sierra Madres. Why?”

  Joshua moistened his lips with his tongue. “I want to bring her home to Killara.”

  Patrick stared at him in disbelief. Now he wanted to bring Rising Star home. Now, when it was too late. He opened his lips to blast Joshua with a scathing condemnation. Then he stopped, the words unspoken. Lines of suffering cut deeply into Joshua’s face, and his eyes were brilliant with tears. He was in pain. In his way he had loved Rising Star. Not enough, dammit, but as much as he was able to.

  Patrick’s own eyes were dry as he looked at Joshua. He hadn’t wept when Rising Star had died. He had been too full of anger and despair. Now he wished he had tears to shed for all of them. Joshua, Rising Star, Ko-Do, and himself. What a godawful waste of love.

  But he had no tears, he had only a purpose, and it was time he set about accomplishing that purpose. “Dom and Elspeth will tell you the exact location of Rising Star’s grave,” he said wearily as he kicked his horse into a trot. “I’ll see you back at Killara, Josh.”

  It was an evening two days later that Shamus and his men rode into Dominic and Elspeth’s camp.

  “Torres?” Was the first question Shamus asked.

  “Dead,” Dominic answered.

  Shamus nodded curtly. “Good.” His gaze turned to Elspeth. “We ran into Patrick. He tells me your journey wasn’t as foolish as I thought.”

  “Is that all he told you?” Elspeth asked quietly.

  “No.” Shamus motioned to the man riding to his right. “This is my son, Joshua.” He gestured carelessly to the othe
r three men clustered about him. “Sean, Cort, and my grandson, William. This is Dominic’s wife, Elspeth, boys.”

  There was a polite murmur from the young men, but Elspeth barely acknowledged it. Her gaze was focused on Joshua’s pale, tragic face. She had been prepared to dislike him, yet how could she condemn a man who was already broken by grief? “I was just cooking supper. I’m afraid there’s not enough for everyone.”

  “We’ll cook our own.” Shamus turned back to Dominic. “We have some talking to do.”

  Two hours later the glade looked like the campground of a small army. It was an army, Elspeth thought ruefully, a Delaney army, rushing to the rescue of one of their own. Her gaze turned to Shamus and Dominic across the campfire from her. They had been talking for nearly an hour, and by the expression on Shamus’s face, she could tell he wasn’t at all pleased by the conversation.

  As she watched, Dominic got abruptly to his feet and strode over to where Sean and Cort were playing cards. Shamus stared after him for a moment and then stood up and marched over to Elspeth.

  “You’re sending him on another tomfool trip,” he accused, glaring at her. “There’s no sense to it.”

  She met his gaze steadily. “You have to admit our trip to Kantalan wasn’t foolish. Perhaps the one we’re about to make will be equally successful.”

  “But Dominic doesn’t need any more money. The Kantalan treasure is enough for any sane man.”

  A faint smile touched Elspeth’s lips. “I’m surprised to hear you say that. I gathered from Dominic that you didn’t know the meaning of the word enough.” She paused. “Besides, there are all kinds of treasures in this world.”

  “You’re trying to keep him away from Killara.”

  “I would never do that.” She looked down at the cup of coffee cradled in her hands. “He loves it too much. He even loves you, though heaven knows why.”

  “Then tell him you want to forget about running halfway across the country, and come home where you both belong.”

  She shook her head.

  “Dammit, what’s wrong with everyone?” Shamus exploded. “You, Patrick, Dominic. Can’t you see I’m doing what’s best for the family?”