Cassandra Austin (20 page)

When his arms and shoulders began to ache, he straightened and stretched. He was as bewildered as ever. He left the balcony and crossed the room. He caught a hint of her perfume and held his breath until he was on the landing and her door was closed behind him.

He went slowly down the stairs. Hugh and Felicia were together in the living room, and they watched him descend, the very picture of concern. He wished he could think of something glib to say to end the tension and allow him an escape. His mind seemed too dull, too numb.

“Christian,” Felicia said, coming to her feet. “I had no idea. When Arlen took the news so well, I thought the worst was over, but now you act as if you love her, too.”

Christian shrugged. “She fooled us all, I guess.”

Hugh spoke up. “I’m not so sure about that.”

Christian looked at his father sharply. He was amazed to find a tiny spark of hope still survived in
his heart. Foolish. He should snuff it out, not fan it to life to cause him additional pain. He turned away.

Felicia said, “I can’t see how she could prefer Mr. Taggart to either one of my sons.”

Christian’s response was automatic. “I’m not your son.” He saw the pain on her face and sighed. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that”

She came to him and wrapped her arms around his waist “I left you too, didn’t I?”

“Shhh,” he said, stroking her narrow back. “It was a long time ago.”

Over the top of Felicia’s head he watched his father stand and walk toward them. “I don’t think we misjudged her,” he said.

Christian clinched his jaw. Why did his father insist on torturing him?

Felicia raised her head, half turning but remaining in his arms. “You mean she didn’t really want to leave with him?”

“I think she’s being blackmailed somehow.”

“But he already told everyone about the book,” Felicia insisted. “What else would there be?”

Christian gave a mirthless laugh. He waved away his parents’ questioning gazes, unable to explain. When she confided in Taggart, had she flattered
him
into thinking he was the only one who knew? God! She had made him feel special.

Hugh continued, evidently undaunted by the pain he was causing. “Before Taggart arrived, I would have sworn the girl was in love with you.” This news startled Felicia, but Christian was beyond any more surprises.

“Felicia.” Hugh turned to her. “Remember her first reaction upon seeing Taggart? She was frightened. She denied that she was promised to him. It was only after they were alone that she changed her story.”

Christian eyed his father, trying to decide what he meant. He gently set Felicia away from him and stepped toward the older man. “You think she left here against her will?” He shook his head. “Upstairs she told me I was nothing to her.”

Hugh shook his head sadly. “I don’t know, son. I just don’t want to see you make the same mistake I did. You shouldn’t let her go.”

Christian didn’t stay to see what Felicia’s reaction might be to that confession. He started for the door, hurrying faster with each step until he left the house at a run.

Lynnette chewed her lip to keep the tears at bay. She had a feeling Taggart would enjoy seeing them. He had laughed and gloated over Christian’s broken heart all the way to town.

She had tried to block out his voice and think. Now that she had led him away from Christian and his family, she needed to find a law officer, someone trained with guns. She didn’t know how much law there was in Cottonwood Station, if any. She would have to wait until they got to Topeka and talk to the police. But what could she tell them? She had destroyed the letters with their veiled threats. Julian would deny that he was taking her against her will. He could be very charming if he wanted to. The idea that she might have to stay with him horrified
her. She would escape. But to where? She couldn’t seek protection from Amanda or any other acquaintance without endangering someone else. She would have to take her chances with the police and hope they believed her.

She pictured herself running and hiding from Taggart all her life. The desolation she felt reminded her of Christian’s face, and a new wave of tears threatened. She had hurt him beyond forgiving, but perhaps she had saved his life.

“Here we are,” Taggart said, pulling the buggy to a stop near the train station. “Come with me while I buy our tickets.”

“I’ll wait with the buggy,” she offered, uncertain if her legs would hold her if she tried to stand.

He laughed. “I’m not that stupid.” He took her arm, dragging her from the buggy. “You’ll come with me.”

He bought the tickets, directed the porter to the trunk and paid a boy to return the buggy to the livery, all with one hand firmly gripping Lynnette’s arm. Taggart was eager to board and moved to a few feet from the edge of the platform where he could watch for the train. There they stood side by side, as close as lovers, and waited.

It was a surprisingly short wait. If Lynnette had realized, she might have stalled in her packing, making them miss this train. That would have made little difference, though, she supposed. He would have simply bought a room in town for the night. She shuddered at the thought.

The train was coming into view when she felt Taggart
stiffen. She turned to see what had caught his attention and gasped. Christian was galloping toward the station. He looked magnificent. But Lord, he shouldn’t be here!

“Let’s discourage your rancher friend,” Taggart said, swinging her around to face him. “Kiss me.”

His mouth came down hard on hers. She feared for Christian and knew she needed to make him leave. Still, she couldn’t pretend to enjoy Taggart’s assault She tried to struggle, but he held her too tightly.

One hand left her arm, and she hoped for a chance, trying to wrench away. The next horrifying second she realized he was reaching for the pistol under his coat.

Time seemed to hang suspended. Events happened in quick succession, even overlapped, but she saw them each clearly, helplessly. Christian dismounted and ran toward them. She screamed a warning, but it was drowned in the shrill whistle of the train. Taggart had the pistol out, hidden from Christian by her body, which he clutched as a shield. He raised the pistol to aim it, and she shoved with all her might, knocking him off balance. He stumbled back, one step, two. The pistol discharged, and she felt a burn near her throat.

If she was shot, Christian was safe, she told herself even as she felt herself falling. But she was falling forward, falling with Taggart. He was going over the edge of the platform into the path of the oncoming train. And he was taking her with him!

She thought she screamed, but it might have been the train whistle again. Strong arms encircled her waist, pulling her back, wrenching her arm free of
Taggart. The train screeched past in front of her, coming to a stop.

She turned and buried her face in the strong chest, grateful for the arms that held her up. She was shaking, but, she realized, so was he. She would have pulled back to see his face, but one callused hand pinned her head against his chest.

“I couldn’t let you go,” he whispered.

She couldn’t speak. There was too much to say to know where to begin. All that mattered now, anyway, was that Christian was safe, and so was she.

It was dark by the time they returned to the ranch. They had told their story to a young deputy, who found plenty of witnesses to Taggart’s final minutes. Lynnette buried her face in Christian’s shoulder as what was left of his body was removed from under the train. Christian rented the same buggy, reloaded Lynnette’s trunk and, with his horse tied on behind, took her home.

Jake came to meet them. “Take care of the horse,” Christian said. “We’ll unload the trunk in the morning.”

Lynnette let him help her down. He grabbed the valises and escorted her to the door as Jake jumped into the buggy and turned it toward the barn.

She had told him everything on the way home. He had said so little she didn’t know what he was thinking. He had come after her and now had brought her home. She clung to that and prayed.

Everyone was waiting for them in the living room. Hugh and Arlen stood when they entered and Hugh
greeted her with a kiss on the cheek. “I’m delighted to see you’ve come back to us,” he said.

She smiled her thanks. Christian led her toward a chair and deposited the bags at the foot of the stairs, taking a seat across the room from her. She tried to look at everyone except Christian, but they all seemed a bit of a blur.

“Has Mr. Taggart left, then?” Felicia asked.

Christian supplied the answer. “He’s dead,” he said simply.

Felicia paled, but Emily looked at her brother with admiration. “You killed him for her?” she asked.

Christian left it to Lynnette to answer. “I killed him,” she said. She told the whole story again, starting with her brief relationship with Taggart. Hugh and Felicia seemed to have pieced much of it together in her absence, but Emily listened enthralled. When she told of falling in love with Christian, the girl sighed dreamily.

She couldn’t explain the terrifying letters from Taggart without explaining about the book. Emily sat up, her eyes wide. “You wrote
Passion’s
—I mean, a book called
Passion’s Secret?
That’s wonderful.” She and Rose exchanged a look.

“Can you keep that a secret, Muffin? Rose?” Christian asked. Lynnette could see a certain speculation in the gaze he leveled on his sister and her friend.

“Swear to God,” she breathed, her hand on her heart.

“Rose can keep a secret, too,” Arlen said, smiling at the girl. “Can’t you, dear?”

The girl blushed furiously.

“I doubt if it will hurt Arlen now that you’re no longer engaged,” Felicia ventured.

“Unless she’s engaged to Arlen’s brother,” Hugh suggested.

“We should keep it quiet then, I suppose,” she said.

“I need to check the horses,” Christian said, rising. Lynnette watched him sadly. The talk of his possible engagement to her had made him uncomfortable. It was not as sure a thing as the elder Prescotts assumed.

He was almost to the door before he turned and addressed her. “Come with me,” he said.

She was startled. What explanation would they give the family? Christian evidently felt they needed none. He took her hand as she rose and led her from the room without another word.

Inside the barn, he lit a lantern, then turned toward her. She had hoped he would pull her into his arms, but he kept his distance. She had explained everything twice. What more could she say? Was he angry that she hadn’t trusted him to protect her?

It was on the tip of her tongue to ask his forgiveness when he spoke. “Can you forgive me?”

She laughed in surprise. “For what? For coming after me? For saving my life?”

“For letting you go. I should have known you didn’t want to leave with him.”

“I intended to be convincing,” she said. “I was scared for your whole family. Especially for you.” She walked toward him, hoping he would welcome her into his arms. “I knew about the pistol under his coat. I was afraid if you tried to stop me he would kill you.”

“He almost killed you instead.” One gentle finger touched the powder burn at her throat.

He opened his arms, and she stepped into them, pressing her body flush against his. “We’re both safe now.” She looked up at him and smiled. “Help me forget it ever happened.”

“I think I can do that.” His voice was so seductive it made her tremble. Keeping one arm around her, he took down the lantern and started toward the back of the barn. “No more excuses. You’re going to marry me.”

It wasn’t a question, but she murmured, “Yes.”

He kissed her then, tenderly at first then fiercely. When he lifted his head, he chuckled. “I shouldn’t do that while I’m holding the lantern. I’m liable to burn the place down.”

Inside the tack room, he set it on the worktable. She didn’t wait for him to come to her but moved into his arms as soon as he turned around. Her fingers sought his buttons as she kissed him eagerly.

“No more secrets?” he asked as he raised his head.

“None,” she murmured, pressing upward to await another kiss.

He grinned again, that heart-stopping dimpled grin she loved. “I just have one more secret to share with you.”

His lips found hers, as filled with promise as his words. She felt the familiar passion rise inside her along with anticipation.

He carried her to the bunk and laid her down gently, bracing himself above her. She looked up into his dear
face and felt emotion bubble up inside her. It came out a throaty laugh.

“What?” he asked, smiling fondly.

“I thought each time we made love it was special because it could have been the last. Now, I discover that knowing we will always be together fills me with such joy I can’t contain myself.”

“Don’t try,” he said, brushing his cheek against hers. “We deserve a little joy.”

He loved her then, with kisses and caresses and whispered promises of more to come until she thought she would go mad. How could this final fulfillment be better than what they had already shared? But it was. Feeling him fill her body as he did her senses brought her to a peak higher than she could have imagined. He followed less than a second behind.

When their pulses had returned to normal, he rolled off her, cuddling her against his shoulder. “Now you belong to me completely,” he said.

She turned to look at him, amused by the arrogance in his voice. “And you belong to me,” she said.

He grinned down at her. “That sounds wonderful from your lips.” He turned to kiss them again.

“If I marry you,” she began, drawing circles in the fine hairs on his chest.

“When,” he corrected. “When you marry me.”

She laughed. “When I marry you, can I continue to write?”

“Of course.”

“Even if I have to publish them as Silver Nightingale?”

He laughed, rolling over to look down at her. “Have
I told you I’m very proud of Silver Nightingale? And don’t think I haven’t noticed the little silver nightingale feather you like to wear.” His fingers teased her collarbone where the pin usually rode her bodice.