San Antonio Rose (Historical Romance) (23 page)

"If anyone can do it, you can," he said almost
too casually.

She could tell by his expression that he'd like
to say more, but she didn't have time to listenshe had to get back. "Tell Houston I will not be
able to contact him again. It's too dangerous.
Already Santa Anna is suspicious." She pushed
the flap aside. "Good luck, Ian McCain. Take
care of yourself." She felt ripped apart by sadness, just thinking about him going into battle.
"Do not let anything happen to you."

She rushed outside, half hoping that Ian
would come after her, but he didn't.

Ian was in torment, thinking of Emerada in
the hands of a man like Santa Anna. If any of
them were in danger, it was she, and there was
nothing he could do to help her. He reached for
one of his boots and shoved his foot into it.

"God keep you safe, my darling," he whispered, knowing they could all be dead by tomorrow.

Emerada rode away swiffly, knowing that this
time she had only a three-hour ride to reach
Santa Anna's camp.

The two forces were coming closer together,
and she didn't hold much hope that Houston
could beat Santa Anna.

Covered by a long black cape, Emerada moved
through the Mexican camp on her way to
Santa Anna's tent. She could feel the apprehension running through the camp; the soldiers
were alert and preparing for a final engagement with the Texas army.

She felt great sorrow in her heart, knowing
the fate of Tejas would be decided in a matter
of hours, on this very spot. She was still not
certain that Houston could win when Santa
Anna's force outnumbered him two to one. But
she was going to do everything she could to
give Houston the advantage.

When she reached Santa Anna's tent, she told
the guard she wanted to see the president. He disappeared inside, and moments later Santa
Anna himself greeted her and led her inside.

"My dear, you must have sensed I needed you
on this eve of battle. Come and comfort me."

There were five officers present, and each one bowed gallantly to her, while their bold
eyes appreciated her beauty.

"If you are occupied, I could come back
later," she said, turning as though to leave.

Santa Anna took her hand and raised it to his
lips, his eyes lingering on hers. "No, stay. We
are all but finished here."

Santa Anna seated her on a stool and turned
to the others. "Keep the men alert and double
the guard. I want no surprises."

Emerada laughed in delight-or she hoped it
sounded that way. "Is there really any reason to
double the guards? It is not likely that Houston, with his ragtag lot, will attack us. Even he
could not be so foolish."

Her voice held a challenge, and Santa Anna
examined her eyes to see if there was any
mockery there. Sometimes he wasn't sure
whether she was goading him, or if she just
had a playful nature. "What do you suggest?"
he asked.

"It is not for me to say, Excellency," Emerada answered. "But if the men are to be prepared for a battle tomorrow, should they not
rest now?" Her laughter was infectious, and
his officers joined in. "Houston would have to stop running from you before he could attack,
Antonio."

"She is right," one of the officers agreed. "It is
unlikely that we will be set upon by a coward."

Santa Anna considered for a moment, and
then he nodded. "Houston has displayed his
cowardice for all to laugh at him." He turned to
his officer. "Have the men stand down, rest,
and prepare for tomorrow. Go to it, now. All of
you, out!"

After the officers saluted and departed,
Santa Anna turned to Emerada. "And how
shall I prepare for tomorrow?"

Emerada realized that Houston and Santa
Anna were on their final collision course, and
Houston needed her help. This was her day of
reckoning, and she knew what she must do. She
smiled up at Santa Anna. "I am here to see to
your pleasure. Would you like that, Antonio?"

His eyes gleamed. "Is this the day I have
waited for, Emerada?"

She sauntered up to him and tossed her
head, giving him a seductive look. "This is the
day I promised I would give you, Senor Presidente. This will be a day you will never forget."

He trembled with pleasure. "Why do you
wear that heavy cape? Take it off and come into
my arms."

"Not just yet," she said, going to the opening
and speaking to someone just outside. "Play
softly the songs I told you to play, and do not
stop until I tell you to. And," she said, raising her voice so it would carry, "el Presidente does
not want to be disturbed for any reason-do
you understand?"

Santa Anna looked quizzical when he heard
the strains of a plaintive tune strummed on a
guitar. He watched Emerada drop her cape,
and he lost his breath when he saw her skimpy
costume. Her gown was made of gauzy yellow
material that he could see through, and she
was wearing almost nothing underneath and
wore no shoes upon her feet.

She snapped her fingers, threw back her
head so her midnight-colored hair swung to
her waist. She inched toward him, then danced
just out of reach.

"I have never danced this dance for anyone
else," she said as she moved her hips. "It was
taught to me by a Gypsy woman from the Romany tribe. It is said that this very dance was
performed before Napoleon himself. How fitting that I should dance the dance for you,
since you are the Napoleon of the West."

Santa Anna could not tear his eyes away
from the beautiful woman he'd so long desired.
With his heart leaping in his chest, he sucked
air into his lungs. He was so overcome by the
sensuous way she moved her hips that he could
not speak.

Emerada's hands arched over her head,
weaving, hypnotizing, enticing. She wondered
how long it would take Santa Anna to tire of
her dance and insist on more from her.

Emerada forced a smile to her lips while she
circled, almost touching him and then pulling
back.

In Emerada's mind, she was dancing for Ian.
She did not see the dictators dark gaze, but
Ian's blue eyes. She would probably never see
him again, but that was the way it had to be.
Ian would never want to touch her after she
gave Santa Anna everything he wanted in order
to keep him distracted.

Santa Anna moved to the bed and began to
unbutton his tunic. "Dance, Emerada, dance,"
he said in a husky voice. "Dance only for me."

The Texas army came soundlessly across the
prairie, under the cover of tall grass. They were
so near the Mexican encampment that they
could hear an occasional voice.

Ian led a group of cavalrymen, and he, like
everyone else, expected to be met by strong resistance, but so far there was none. When they
were within two hundred yards, they were discovered and a warning cry went up-but it was
too late for the unfortunate Mexicans, who had
been caught resting, with only a few guards on
duty.

With a vengeance, the Texas army swooped
down upon them, slashing and cutting their
way through the camp.

Santa Anna had just pulled Emerada onto the
bed with him when the first shots rang out. "What is happening?" he cried, jumping to his
feet and running to the tent opening.

Emerada reached for her cape and draped it
about her shoulders. "I would think, Senor
Presidente, that would be General Houston."

"This was not supposed to happen. Is Houston crazy?" His eyes darted about the tent as he
looked for a weapon.

"Si," Emerada replied, with joy singing in
her heart. "Houston is loco like a fox."

Santa Anna was too distracted to notice the
sarcasm in Emerada's voice. The gunfire intensified, and he slid his feet into red Moroccan
slippers and moved toward his pistol. "I must
flee at once! I cannot fall into Houston's hands.
He will kill me!"

Emerada moved slowly toward Santa Anna;
her hand reached for the dagger that had been
concealed in a secret pocket inside her cape.
"No, he will not kill you." She had almost
reached him, and was prepared to bury her
dagger in his heart, when one of his officers
burst in.

"Presidente, I must get you away quickly," the
man said, his eyes wide with horror. "The
Americans have overrun the camp, and they
will come straight for you. I have brought you
something to wear so if they do see you, they
will not know who you are."

"There is no time to change. Let us go now!"
Santa Anna mumbled, grabbing up the clothes.
"Come, Emerada, you must come with us."

She tried not to smile. Houston had done
it! Now it would be Santa Anna who was running!

Santa Anna ran from the tent, and Emerada
watched him mount a horse and ride in the opposite direction from the fighting. "You will not
get far," she called out, but he didn't hear her.
He was heading toward the swamps.

Emerada gazed about her while bullets
whizzed past her head. This was not what she
wanted, to see all those brave Mexican soldiers
being cut down while their presidente ran like
the coward he was.

Domingo rode up, leading her mount. "It is
time to leave, Emerada," he said, his eyes filled
with sadness.

She swung onto the horse, and they rode
away from the scene of death and destruction.
There was no happiness in her heart, only a
heaviness that invaded her mind. She had
helped set this in motion when she'd first pitted
her wit against Santa Anna's, and now she
must live with the consequences.

The Texans-as most of them now insisted on
being called-had won in the most one-sided
battle ever fought. They had killed or captured
a force twice their size, with only two casualties and seventeen wounded.

One of the wounded was General Sam
Houston.

With Domingo at her side, Emerada pushed
her way through the throng of prisoners,
searching for Santa Anna.

"He has to be here," she said frantically.
"This can't all have been for nothing. He will be
dressed as a peasant."

One of the soldiers fell to his knees and
looked up at her. "San Antonio Rose, are the
Americans going to kill us?"

Pity swelled in her heart for the poor unfortunate men who had done no more than their
duty to their country. She knew that many of
Houston's troops had attacked the enemy without mercy, taking vengeance for the men who
had died at the Alamo and Goliad, but she also
knew that Houston would not allow these prisoners to suffer the same fate.

"General Houston is not a butcher like Santa
Anna. Now that the fighting is over, you will be
treated fairly."

"You will speak to the American general for
us, senorita."

"Si, I will speak to him on your behalf. I have
little doubt that you will soon be allowed to return to your homes."

"Gracias, beautiful one. I will remember you
in my prayers from this day forward."

She smiled and moved away. It was heartbreaking to see the proud Mexican soldiers reduced to begging for their lives. They had
fought a valiant fight and lost. Texas would
soon be a free and independent country. Al though her father would have been proud of
that, she could find no reason to rejoice. All she
wanted to do was find Santa Anna. Then her
duty would be finished and she could leave.

When the sun set on that first horrible day,
Santa Anna had still not been found. Domingo
found Emerada standing on the riverbank, gazing forlornly across the water.

"Knowing it was a worry of yours, I found
out that Ian McCain came through the battle
unharmed."

Relief ripped through her like a cleansing
tide, and she drew in a long breath. "I knew he
had to be safe. What about General Houston? I
heard he was wounded. How bad is it?"

"General Houston has a minor, but painful,
leg wound. Not so bad, considering he had
three horses shot from under him during the
battle."

She closed her eyes and gathered her
thoughts. "And they still have not found Santa
Anna?"

"No. But General Houston begs you to come
to him. He wants to tell everyone what you did
for Tejas."

"Go to him and tell him one of the favors I
ask of him is to keep my part in all this a secret." She thrust a note into his huge hand.
"Deliver this to Houston. Tell him I will call in
my debt when Santa Anna is in his custody. Remind him of his promise to me."