"You didn't care if I was safe before."
"I did, but the situation has changed. I didn't know you had met Morgan. I didn't expect him to come looking for you. I didn't know he"
"He
wanted
me?" Chastity took a shuddering breath. "Who are you, Reed? Are you telling me the truth now? I don't know what's true or what's false anymore. Were you acting when you took me into your arms?"
"No."
"Were you laughing at me all the while?"
"No!"
Reed reached for her, but Chastity drew back. "Don't touch me!"
Unable to bear the pain in her eyes, Reed reached for her again. He was unprepared when she drew back and swung her fist with all her might.
Momentarily dazed, Reed saw the look of true horror that crossed Chastity's face the second before she turned and jumped to the ground. A long moment passed before he jumped to the ground behind her and saw her disappear into the shadows.
"Chastity!
Don't run away from me, please!"
Reed's voice sounded in the darkness behind her. She heard the sound of his heavy footsteps pounding increasingly closer as she dashed through the shadows, stumbling her way through the densely foliated section of trail.
It was getting darker. Darkness wasn't her enemy, but she couldn't be sure what was. There was no truth. All were lies. Reed had told her he needed her, and that was a lie. Every whispered word, every endearment, every look, every touch… lies, all of them!
Chastity ran faster. Her breath came in short, hard rasps. She heard a sob and was startled to realize that it was her own. No, she would not cry! She was a fool… she was gullible, but she wasn't weak! She didn't need Reed! She didn't need anyone! She'd get back to civilization by herself and then she'd go on as she had originally intended. She would forget that this whole nightmare ever happened!
The heavy footsteps behind her were drawing closer! Chastity turned to look behind her.
She didn't see the sudden downward slope of ground in front of her until it was too late, and she fell, tumbling head over heels into the darkness below.
Reed paused in pursuit, his chest heaving, the wound in his thigh throbbing. He listened. Chastity's thrashing footsteps ahead of him had ceased. He strained to penetrate the shadows with his gaze, but he could not. Anxiety burgeoning within, him he called out, "Chastity, where are you?"
Silence.
"Answer me, Chastity. Don't be afraid… please."
The silence prevailed.
Something was wrong. She wasn't hiding. She wouldn't do that. Something had happened.
Abruptly aware that he had left the wagon without his gun, Reed cursed softly under his breath,
then
continued slowly forward.
"Answer me, Chastity!"
The ground sloped downward unexpectedly. Realization pounded through him as he called out, "Chastity, are you all right?"
He started down the slope. Stumbling and sliding, his throat tight, he called out again when he reached the bottom.
He heard a whimper and froze. He heard it again, and then he saw Chastity lying a few yards away. She struggled to sit up when he reached her.
Her face was shadowed. He couldn't see her clearly.
"Are you all right, Chastity?" His hand trembling, he stroked back a strand of hair from her face.
"Is it you, Reed?" He heard the crack in her voice as she repeated hoarsely, "Is it
really
you?"
She was in his arms, then. He was kissing her wildly, lovingly. He was telling her in all the ways that words could not express that he loved her… that he would always be there when she needed him… that he had discovered that nothing in the world meant more to him than holding her in his arms and that he would never let her go.
But Chastity was not responding. He drew back. "Are you all right, Chastity?"
"My head hurts."
Fear struck, roughening his voice. "Can you stand up?"
He helped her to her feet. She wavered, and he scooped her up into his arms.
"You can't carry me, Reed."
"Yes, I can."
Chastity's head was bobbing against his chest when he reached the wagon at last. He carried her to the back and put her inside. He climbed in behind her and lit the lamp there. He picked up the canteen and dampened a cloth, then sponged the dirt from her face. Her cheek was bruised and her forehead was scratched, but she had never looked more beautiful to him than she did at that moment.
Cupping her cheek with his hand, he whispered, "I love you, Chastity."
Chastity's moist eyes held his. Her voice was ragged.
"Truth… or lies?"
Ripping the parson's collar from his neck, Reed tossed it aside. "You can believe me now, Chastity. And you can believe that I never lied to you when I held you in my arms."
Chastity did not reply. Instead, she struggled to sit up.
"What are you doing?"
"You said we have to keep going. You said it wasn't safe here."
"I know." Reed attempted a smile. "But not yet. I want to hold you just a little longer."
Chastity relaxed slowly against him, and Reed held her close as her shuddering gradually lessened.
The lamplight flickered as he whispered again, "I love you, Chastity." The words fell from his lips as naturally as rain. "I love you."
Dawn stretched lacy fingers across the night sky as Morgan awakened. He glanced around the bedroom, disoriented. He frowned at the chaos of discarded clothing, miscellaneous saddle gear, and Conchita's spare belongings, all crammed into the limited space. The thought struck him that he needed to make sure that Conchita cleaned up the place and removed all trace of her presence there. Chastity was a lady. She would not suffer the thought that a tramp like Conchita had preceded her.
Morgan sat up slowly. Things had gone poorly after they left the wagon. Turner led them to the scene of the steers' slaughter. They trailed the remaining steers, found them a short distance away, and drove them back to the cabin. The men protested when he demanded that they start the branding immediately. They worked until dark.
Conchita was unnaturally silent when they returned to the cabin. She had made no attempt to follow him into his room when he retired for the night, and he realized then that part of what Walker had said was true. Conchita
was
smarter than he thought she was. She saw it was over between them, and she realized the futility of protest. In their way, both Walker and he had been right about her. She was smart, and she was a whore. She knew her place, and she knew when to move on. As for her cooking… Morgan paused at that thought, recalling Chastity's smooth, white hands. He doubted he'd get much work out of her, but there was much to be said for smooth hands and the wonders they could work.
Morgan stood up abruptly. The outer room was silent. It was early. Conchita was not yet working at the fireplace. The men wouldn't like to start work without breakfast, but they'd do it. They'd do it because they knew better than to buck him, most especially when he had
plans
.
Morgan smiled his boyish smile. And his plans were something very special. He would get those steers branded and sold as soon as possible, he would pay off the men, and then he would take Chastity with him for the time of their lives. They'd go wherever she wanted. He suspected that her parson husband hadn't given her much of a taste of the good life, but he would. He would spoil her and he would please her until she could resist him no longer.
She was a lady, all right. It might take him some time to bring her around, but he knew instinctively she would be worth the trouble. He could almost taste those warm lips now. He could almost feel that smooth skin pressed against his. He could almost hear her voice gasp his name as he plunged deep inside her.
Oh, yes, she'd be worth the trouble… but he'd be damned if he'd wait a minute longer than necessary to have her.
Morgan snatched up his clothes and dressed quickly, the heat of his thoughts propelling him. He stepped into the outer room, where the men lay asleep in their bedrolls. He announced loudly, "It's time to get up! We're startin' out early this mornin'. That buyer in Sedalia isn't goin' to wait forever, and there's a lot of work to be done."
The men grumbled awake as Morgan walked to the fireplace to find a pot of coffee waiting. He looked at Conchita, pleased as she drew biscuits from the fire. The whore knew her place, all right. He might miss her, after all.
Morgan drank his coffee as the men stirred to life behind him.
Reed stirred. His arm tightened spontaneously around the woman lying curled against him. He breathed in the scent of her hair. He caressed her softness.
He awakened with a start!
Reed stared at the sunlight peeking through the flaps of the wagon, incredulous that he had actually allowed himself to sleep through the night. He looked down at Chastity lying beside him,
then
cursed softly under his breath. The bruise on her cheek had darkened, and a lump was visible on her forehead. Her blouse and skirt were stained by her fall, and particles of leaves still clung to her fiery curls. He remembered his fear when she disappeared in the darkness, and the relief that had surged through him when he found her again. He had taken her into his arms when they returned to the wagon, waiting for her trembling to cease. He had been loath to release her.
Chastity's eyelids fluttered, and Reed held his breath. Her eyes opened. They were clear, free of confusion. She attempted to move, then groaned, her hand snapping up to her forehead.
"What's the matter, Chastity?"
"My head hurts."
Reed frowned. It was his fault that she was hurt. He had been angry and jealous of Chastity's defense of Morgan. He had blurted out the truth and frightened her into running away from him.
"I'm sorry, Chastity." He attempted a smile. "You have a lump on your head. You'll probably have that headache for a while."
Chastity looked at the sunlight seeping through the wagon flaps. "It's morning."
"Yes."
"You said you wanted to travel through the night."
"I know."
She took a shaky breath. "We'd better get started."
"No, not yet.
There's something I have to say first."
Reed paused, suddenly uncertain. He had said it all the previous night, but shadows of doubt remained in her eyes. He needed to erase that doubt.
The pounding of his heart and the emotion that choked his throat made words difficult as he began.
"I didn't start out to deceive you, Chastity. But I did, and now you aren't sure you can trust me. I suppose I deserve that. But I give you my word that I won't lie to you againno matter how hard the truth may be. Part of that truth is that we still have to get to the mission as soon as possible."
"Is it much farther?"
"No. I don't think so. We should be there by nightfall."
"What are you going to do then?"
''I'm going to make sure you're safe, and then I'm going back for Morgan."
"You can't!" Chastity winced as she raised her head. "There are too many of them!"
"Chastity, listen to me." The words he was about to speak were harder than any he had ever uttered. "I can't change the past, and I can't change the reason I came here," Reed whispered. "If I could, I would. The only thing I wouldn't change
is loving
you."
"Reed…"
Reed drew himself up to crouch beside her. He pulled up the coverlet and adjusted it across her breast. "It's early and your head hurts. Rest a little longer." The words came simply, from the heart. "I love you, Chastity."
Brilliant shards of green glistened with sudden moisture as Chastity's gaze held his. Her voice was tremulous. "I don't want anything to happen to you, Reed."
"Go back to sleep, Chastity. You'll feel better when you wake up. I'll be here."
Reed pressed his mouth lightly to hers. Her lips were soft and warm, but he forced himself to draw back. Standing outside the wagon moments later, Reed looked up at the clear morning sky. Chastity had not said she loved him. She had said she didn't want anything to happen to him. He wished he had been able to give her that reassurance. He wished he was able to tell her that everything would turn out all right when he went after Morgan.
But he had promised her the truth.
And the truth was hard.
Damn, it was hot!
Morgan looked up at the clear blue of the sky, cursing. He looked down at the branding irons in the fire, then at the steers yet to be branded in the far corral. They had been at work since dawn. The men were grumbling, and he knew that if he hadn't been driving them every step of the way, they would have stopped working hours earlier.