Hannah Howell (20 page)

Seeing that Oro and Patricia were back on the wagon seat after their protracted absence, and noting their smiles and subtle loving gestures, he said, “It looks like they have sorted themselves out."

Looking at the couple for a moment, Antonie turned back to meet Royal's gaze. “You cannot go back now,
gringo."

“I don't intend to.” He grasped her reins. “I don't like games, Antonie."

She knew he now referred to the way she had stayed so close to Oro, letting everyone think they were lovers. “It was no game. You were my lover. Oro is the brother of my heart. If your brother was in trouble, who would you reach out to and who would you turn your back on and hope maybe that they would understand, trust, and be patient?"

“You could have told me what was going on."

“To do so I would have had to tell too much. You asked if Oro was my lover, and I said no. That should have been enough."

“It might have been if you hadn't shut me out."

“I told you I would not lie beneath a man who calls me a liar.” She yanked her reins free of his hold and rode away.

“Oh, hell,” Royal muttered, wondering how he could fix things, for he wanted her back in his bed.

“I was beginning to wonder if we'd ever get the damned beasts here."

Antonie smiled at Cole as they stood waiting for Royal to finish settling the deal for the cattle. It had been a long drive, months of tedious work, especially with the need to always look over their shoulders. Although the last stretch had been remarkably free of trouble, she did not feel that Raoul had given up. He would merely change his tactics.

Her gaze settled on Royal. Since the time that Oro and Patricia had been allowed to openly follow their hearts, Royal had played the beau. If it had not been for the lack of privacy, she felt sure he would have played the lover. Now that privacy could be found, Antonie had to decide what to do.

Inwardly, she grimaced as she admitted that, if he took her into his arms, the decision would be made for her. Her body was starved for him. She had grown used to feeling him at her side in the night.

Cole watched her face as she watched Royal. “Going to forgive him?"

She looked at Cole. “I am thinking on it. To be called a liar?” She shrugged and wondered fleetingly when and how Cole's opinion of her had changed, for she no longer sensed a wary reticence in him.

“Pride goeth before a fall,” he intoned piously, grinning when she laughed softly. “Maybe you should've told him the truth."

“I told him all the truth I could. I said Oro was not my lover. That should have been enough."

“Maybe. Then again, Oro's a damn fine-looking young man, whom you've known far longer than you've known Royal and you were sticking real close."

"Sí.
This is the truth. I have begun to think about that and maybe understand it."

Before Cole could make any more gentle attempts to get Royal back into her good graces, Royal arrived. “That's done. Now to the hotel."

“You can leave me at the bathhouse,” Antonie said as she suddenly found herself tugged along.

“You can have a bath at the hotel. In your room."

“I will stay with the men outside of town."

“No, you won't. You're staying at the hotel like Oro and Tomás are.” Seeing that she was about to protest, he added ingenuously, “Aren't you supposed to protect us? You can't do that with us in a hotel and you way outside of town."

Even though she had a good idea of why he wanted her in the hotel near at hand, she could not think of an argument for his logic. By the time she had thought of one, they were signing in. The clerk's initial reluctance had been quickly assuaged. Money, cold green eyes, and a low threatening voice had a way of curing prejudice, Antonie noted cynically.

Just as they started toward their rooms, they met an elegant young man escorting three lovely ladies. Antonie silently sighed, for these women were like Marilyn and, like her, they were interested in Royal. Baird Dumfrey introduced his sisters Charlotte, Margaret, and Barbara in order of age, and acted very familiar with Royal. The way Charlotte glanced at Antonie and quickly dismissed her as insignificant, stung. When a dinner was arranged, Antonie almost groaned. Baird Dumfrey's blatant interest in her did little to better her mood, for she was only partly aware of it and not at all interested. She only wanted one man's smiles and it looked as if the Dumfrey sisters were going to demand all of Royal's attention. It could prove to be a very long night.

After a much enjoyed bath, Antonie let Patricia into her hotel room. She idly mused that the girl was positively glowing. Even though she was honestly pleased for Oro and Patricia, she admitted to a twinge of jealousy.

“We're going to see about getting Oro and Tomás each a fine new suit.” Patricia asked, “Want to come along?"

Antonie's gaze rested on the dress she had spread out on the bed. “New clothes!"

“Yes. Would you like a new dress?"

“Can I get a dress like what those Dumfrey sisters were wearing?"

“I can't see why not."

“I do not know,” Antonie mumbled even as she got dressed. “A dress is not all it takes to be a lady."

“Antonie, you are a lady."

Patricia was still arguing that as they stepped out to meet Oro, Tomás, and Justin. The ease with which they guessed why she wanted a new dress made her fear she was all too obvious in her feelings for Royal. She did not, however, waste any time in denying what they thought. Everyone knew she and Royal had been lovers. It was a little late to play coy.

Justin took Oro and Tomás off while Patricia dragged Antonie into a dressmaker's. Antonie was amused, both at Patricia's eagerness and the initial dismay of the shop-woman. It was clear that they both thought her quite a challenge. Then the woman's professionalism took over. She even decided it was a delight to dress someone with Antonie's coloring and lithe figure. Antonie began to find herself collecting far more than a dress.

“What are all those things you pile up?” she asked Patricia as she stood while the dressmaker pinned her into a dress.

“Underthings,” Patricia replied. “How do you like this?"

“What is it?"

“A nightgown, Antonie. It's very frilly and enticing."

“Then you buy it for your wedding night.” Antonie slowly grinned. “Although Oro does not need enticing, I am thinking."

Blushing furiously, Patricia set the frilly nightgown aside. “I thought you might want one."

“Why?"

“Well, it is just not right to sleep naked."

“Oro will change your mind."

“Antonie!"

“If I am sleeping alone, I do not care for them. If I am not sleeping alone, I have no need for one, eh?” She exchanged a laughing glance with the seamstress. “I do not see buying something that will, I hope, get ripped off."

The groan that escaped Patricia suddenly stopped and she frowned at the pale green nightgown she held. “Ripped off?"

“In eagerness, but,” Antonie said quickly as Patricia looked ready to put the nightgown back, “a girl should have a nightgown on her wedding night, especially a girl who has never known a man and never slept naked. What is my way is not yours, eh,
chica?"

Antonie breathed a hearty sigh of relief when they finally finished in the shop, then realized that Patricia was watching her closely. She inwardly winced, for Patricia wore an expression that she now easily recognized. Patricia was to be married soon, and Antonie had a good idea of what Patricia would be asking. After a moment's thought, Antonie decided she would not try to avoid the questions, for Patricia did not really have anyone else to ask.

“We began to think we should send out a search party for you,” Justin drawled as Antonie and Patricia stepped out of the shop.

“I did not know that buying a dress involved so much work,” Antonie muttered as she let Tomás take a few of her packages.

“There is more than a dress here,” Tomás said dryly as he eyed the number of packages Antonie held.

“I needed to buy all the things to wear under the dress.” Antonie shook her head. “So many things.
Gringo
ladies do not dress for comfort, I am thinking. I am surprised there are any babies. A man would be too tired to make one after getting his woman out of all this.” She joined the young men in their laughter and even a blushing Patricia giggled.

Royal and Cole, heading for the bank, met them at the door of the hotel. “Shopping?” Royal asked.

"Sí,"
Antonie replied calmly. “Is that not what money is for?"

“What have you bought?"

“None of your business.” She held her packages out of his reach.

“Furbelows,” Royal said firmly.

“Are they those frilly things with the drawstring at the waist?"

“Antonie,” Patricia groaned and hurried to drag Antonie into the hotel away from the laughing men.

Starting out for the bank again, Royal frowned. “It sounds like Patricia has been supplying Antonie with all the usual lady's attire."

“Afraid you'll have to do more unwrapping than usual?” Cole asked with a total lack of sympathy.

“Hell, yes. Didn't realize how troublesome all that folderol was until I met a lady who didn't wear it."

“But is still a lady?"

Looking at his brother curiously, Royal quietly said, “Yes. You've changed your tune."

Cole shrugged. “Couldn't help but do so. Yes, she's learned from Juan, but he'd plainly intended that she not lead the life he had. Hell, even Hank went quiet a moment when I told him Ramirez was dead. The man was the last of his kind. Oh, he was a
bandido,
no question, but he had a sense of honor. Never hurt the innocent, none of this torturing Mendez delights in or shooting someone just to hear them fall. He hit the rich and the ones who could fight. Never, never took people to sell them."

“In other words, she and the twins took the good and left the bad."

“Right, and I think Juan and Manuel made sure they did."

“Is all this because you think I'm not looking at her as if she's a lady?"

“Are you?"

Royal shrugged. “I don't fault her for what she is."

“So what do you intend to do about her?"

“For now, get her back where she belongs. In my bed. I haven't gotten any further than that,” Royal answered, and was glad that Cole recognized his tone indicating that the subject was now closed, and quickly changed it.

Antonie noticed that Patricia was not in any great hurry to go to her own room as she put away her things. She also noticed that the younger girl seemed just a little nervous. Pouring them each a small glass of the wine she had had sent up, she handed it to Patricia and then sprawled comfortably in a chair. It was clear that Patricia wanted to talk now. After a few more minutes of silence, Antonie gave her a nudge.

“What is it,
chica?"
she asked a nervously pacing Patricia.

Sighing, Patricia sat on the bed. “I want you to tell me what happens between a man and a woman."

Smiling gently at the girl's blushes, Antonie asked, “You know nothing?"

“A little. Not much though. Mothers usually tell their daughters about such things when they are to be married. Mine was gone before I was of age."

“You have brothers, though."

“They aren't about to tell me anything. It's not like with you and the twins. I'd also be too embarrassed to ask them."

“Have you ever seen a man naked?"

It was hard, but Antonie refrained from laughing at Patricia's shocked face. Then, very gently and with as careful a wording as possible, she told Patricia just what to expect on her wedding night. The younger girl's expressions told Antonie that, whatever Patricia had known, it had not been quite enough to prepare the girl for the whole revelation.

“Does it hurt?” Patricia asked timidly.

“A little the first time,” Antonie replied. “I think Oro can make the fire hot enough so that you do not care."

“He is probably very experienced."

“He is a man."

“But if he is used to a lot of women, how can he be happy with just one? An inexperienced one?"

“You will learn. He will teach you."

“Oh, I don't know, Antonie. I have been so sheltered and then suddenly I'm expected to roll about naked and do things I was always told I shouldn't know about."

“You will like being naked with Oro. He has a fine, strong body. Very handsome."

“Antonie, you don't understand..."

"Sí.
I do. You are afraid. It will be new. But, you love Oro, Oro loves you, and you share a fire. It will be fine."

“What if I'm one of those who doesn't like it?"

“Do you like kissing him, him kissing you, the touching and the holding? Do you want to hold on when he pulls away?” Patricia, her cheeks bright red, nodded. “Then you will like it. It is beautiful,
chica.
The excitement of anticipation, the time when the fire engulfs both of you until it is all you know and the lull that comes after when you stay close, remembering and recovering. All of it. It is beautiful."

“Is that what you have with Royal?” Patricia asked.

“I would not be his lover if I did not."

“Then, you will get married."

“No, I think not,
chica."

“How can you share his bed if you know he won't, er, make an honest woman of you?"

“Because I would rather be a dishonest woman now than a regretful, unhappy one later, eh?” She smiled when Patricia frowned in slight confusion. “I know more than you,
chica.
I knew the fire when I tasted it, what it was and what it meant. It is something that is rare, comes but once in a life if at all. So, I said to myself, ‘Is saving your innocence worth not tasting this?’ and I had to say no."

“But, well, men expect their wives to be virgins."

“As I think I told you,
chica,
if I find a man I want to wed, a man who wants to wed me, I think he will understand what I did for he will know me."

“Do you love Royal then, Antonie?” Patricia watched Antonie closely as she asked the question.

“Of what matter is that? When this business is done, I will be gone."