This Fierce Splendor (14 page)

She was trying desperately to think. He had said it would be a few weeks before she was well, but that would be too long. She had only a little money and she must set out for Kantalan before it was gone entirely. “I cannot wait.” There was a thread of anxiety in her voice. “I have to go to Kantalan.”

Patrick’s fingers gently smoothed away the frown lines creasing her forehead. “Stop worrying, it will only set you back. Just think about getting well. Dom will be back from Hell’s Bluff in the morning and you can talk to him then.” He tucked a strand of pale brown hair behind her ear. “He rode into town to get supplies and to see if he can fetch some medicine from Doc Bellings. He’ll be very happy you’re back with us.”

“Will he?” She wished Patrick wouldn’t keep talking about his uncle. She was having difficulty enough blanking him out of her consciousness. She kept seeing those translucent eyes that were both soft and hard; she kept hearing his deep, gentle voice soothing … No, there was something wrong. Dominic was not a man who was either gentle or soothing, certainly not in regard to her. “Should you be away from Killara this long? Won’t your grandfather worry?”

“He’s probably sent one of my uncles into town to ferret me out of Rina’s. Someone will have told him I left to hunt for Dom.”

Dominic again. She closed her eyes, shutting out
both the name and the image it recalled. “I think I’ll sleep now. I’m very tired.”

“You do that.” She heard a rustle as Patrick rose to his feet. “I’ll be here when you wake up, and, if you need anything, just call and I’ll fetch it.”

“Go Patrick, can’t you see you’ve worn her out.” It was Silver Dove’s voice.

Elspeth’s eyes opened to see the Indian girl standing in the doorway.

An amused smile touched Patrick’s lips. “You came back. Now, I wonder why you decided to do that, Silver?”

Silver gave him a disdainful look. “I’ve spent valuable time healing this woman. Why should I let your white man’s blindness destroy what I’ve created? You would have her dead or crazed within a week.”

“You’re probably right.” Patrick’s expression was solemn. “So I guess you’d better stay around and protect her from Dom and me. Right, Cousin?”

Silver started to frown, then a faint reluctant smile touched her lips. “That is my intention … Cousin.” She glided forward and dropped to her knees beside Elspeth. “Leave us, I will care for her until she is able to defend herself.”

Defend herself. What a curious phrase, Elspeth thought. Is that how Silver looked upon life, as a battle in which one must always be on guard? How terrible for a mere child to have learned so harsh a lesson. She smiled gently. “I’m glad you came back.”

“It had nothing to do with you,” Silver said. “I told you why I turned around and rode back.” She avoided Elspeth’s gaze. “Close your eyes and go to sleep. Do you wish to undo all my work?”

“No.” Elspeth obediently closed her eyes. “I wouldn’t want to do that. It’s very important I recover quickly.”

Elspeth felt Silver’s hand on her hair, smoothing it with a tenderness that amazed her. “Then sleep, I will do the rest.”

“S
he’s awake!” A broad grin creased Patrick’s cheeks as he began to untie the rawhide thongs of the saddlebags on Dominic’s stallion. “Came around late last night.”

Dominic went still. “And?”

“She’s going to be fine.” Patrick lifted off the heavy leather bag and dropped it to the ground. “Kind of hazy, but what can you expect?”

A dizzying stream of relief poured through Dominic. “You’re sure?”

“One of the first things she said was that she didn’t have time to be sick, she had to get to Kantalan. I think our little owl is definitely on the mend.”

“It sounds like it.” Oh, God, she was going to be all right! “Is she awake now?”

Patrick shook his head. “Silver gave her a bath, washed her hair, and fed her a little broth. She was pretty tired after that and went right back to sleep. Did you get anything from Doc Bellings?”

“Just some laudanum to help deepen her sleep. I thought it might stop the dreams. Maybe she won’t need it now.”

“Probably not. I hope to God that’s all over. Any news from Gran-da?”

Dominic slipped from the saddle. “The one you expected. Cort was in town two days ago and left a message with everyone he met for you to get your tail back to Killara.”

“And no messages for you?”

“No messages.”

“I imagine Gran-da will have quite a few things to say when Cort gets back to Killara and tells him what you’ve been up to.”

“I doubt it.” Dominic began to unsaddle the stallion. “When he was a young man Da would have considered it pretty tame to carry off a woman.”

“Maybe.” Patrick’s expression was skeptical. “But he’s become real respectable with the years.”

“He likes to pretend he’s respectable, but beneath that Sunday-go-to-meeting smile he’s as big a rascal as he ever was.” Dominic’s lips twisted in a bitter-sweet smile. “Perhaps that’s why he still manages to forgive me for all I’ve cost him through the years. Like to like. I’m a true son to the old devil.”

Patrick frowned. “Everything you’ve done, you’ve been forced to do, Dom. We all know that.”

“Do we? Tell that to the woman in the cabin.” Dominic’s voice was thick with disgust. “I swear to God, I was going to rape her, and, instead, I nearly killed her. Ten years ago I would have shot the balls off any bastard who so much as thought of doing that to a woman. What kind of man does that make me?”

“You went loco for a little while. You would have come to your senses—”

“The hell I would.” Dominic whirled to face him with a movement alive with barely contained violence. “She does something wild to me and … I would have done it, and if I’m ever left alone with her, I might still do it. I’m not the same man I was when I left Killara. Why the hell don’t you all realize that and stay away from me?”

“We love you,” Patrick said simply. “You’re family.”

Dominic stared at him for a moment. He felt as if he’d been struck in the stomach. He finally pulled his gaze away. “Haven’t you ever heard of black sheep? The smart thing to do is to cast them out and let them go their own way.”

Patrick smiled. “I never claimed to be smart. I kind of like black sheep. At least they’re not boring.” He
paused. “I think you should know I’m not going back to Killara.”

Dominic’s gaze flew back to his face. “Oh, yes, you are. We’ve had this discussion before.”

“As I remember, we didn’t discuss it at all. You just told me what I was going to do. I’ve thought it over and come to the conclusion that it’s my duty to stay with you. You obviously need my help to keep you from wandering further down the path to hell and damnation. It should be a very interesting experience for both of us.” Patrick smiled blandly. “I’m staying glued to your side until you decide to come back to Killara with me.”

Dominic’s expression darkened. “I told you …”

Patrick held up his hand. “No one tells me anything these days, Dom.” There was a hint of steel in his lazy drawl. “Remember that, will you? If you want me to go back to Killara, you’ll have to go with me.”

“You damn fool, you’re going to get yourself killed,” Dominic said harshly. “It’s only a matter of time before one of Durbin’s hired guns shows up in Hell’s Bluff.”

“All the more reason to go back to Killara. We could make sure no one gets to you there.”

“They can get to me anywhere. Durbin’s price doesn’t require a fair fight. He’d be just as happy to have me bushwhacked.”

“Your being on Delaney land would make it more difficult. You’re not going to change my mind, Dom,”

Dominic abruptly realized he was not going to be able either to persuade or intimidate Patrick, and the knowledge filled him with fear. He suddenly could see young Sam Bergstrom’s dead, staring eyes, the slow trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth. He felt the hot bile rush to his stomach. God, not again. Not Patrick. “You can bet that I’m going to change your mind. Who the hell wants to be saddled with a snot-nosed kid like you? You’ll only get in my way.” He injected a taunting note of scorn in his voice. “What’s the matter, did someone finally take the blinders off Josh? Did he find out how you feel about Rising Star? Is that why you want to leave Killara for a spell?”

The color flooded Patrick’s face and his hands suddenly clenched into fists at his sides. “Shut up, Dom.”

Dominic smiled coldly. “I don’t remember ever going to bed with an Indian. Are they any different? Tell me, do they give a warwhoop when—”

Patrick took a step forward. “Shut up or, so help me God, I’ll kill you, Dom.” His voice was shaking. “How can you talk like that about her? I thought you liked Rising Star. You know she would never be unfaithful to Josh.”

“Do I? You’ve been nosing around her from the moment you found out what women were for. Everyone but Josh knows how you feel about her. She must be damn good to keep you coming back—” Dominic broke off as Patrick’s fist smashed into his mouth, snapping his head back and causing him to stagger sideways. He shook his head to clear it of the black spots dancing before his eyes. Christ, the kid had a wicked right hook. “Do you still want me to come back to Killara?”

“I want you to burn in hell,” Patrick said between his teeth. “Don’t just stand there,
fight
me.”

Dominic shook his head. “I don’t fight children. Go home and grow up.” He turned away. “Maybe I’ll give you your chance in a few years.”

“The hell you will.” Patrick fastened his hand on Dominic’s arm and whirled him around to face him. “Damn you, I’m going to—” He broke off and suddenly the fury was fading from his face. “You did it deliberately,” he said slowly.

“And I’ll do it again.” Dominic met his gaze with a cool steadiness. “I’ll hurt you where you’re raw. I’ll uncover all the wounds you’ve hidden for years and make you bleed. Do you think you can stand that?”

“You son of a bitch.”

“Yes.” Dominic’s lips twisted in a crooked smile. “That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you.” He jerked his arm from Patrick’s grasp. “I’ve learned to do what I have to do to get my own way. Go home, Patrick, you won’t like what I’ll do to you if you stay.”

He turned and walked around the cabin without another glance.

He almost trampled over Silver, who was standing only a few yards away, leaning against the rough logs of the cabin. “I was coming to see if you had brought any medicine for the woman,” she said as she slowly straightened. “And then I decided to listen. We heathen Indians have no scruples about things like that, you know.”

Something flickered in Dominic’s expression. “I didn’t know. The Indians I’ve known have usually had a more highly developed sense of honor than most white men.”

She met his eyes. “Yet you speak of my aunt, Rising Star, as if she were a whore, as if all Indian women are whores. What you believe has little meaning to me, but I found it … curious. My aunt regards you with affection.”

“I regard Rising Star with affection also. You weren’t meant to hear my words; they held no truth. Sometimes it’s necessary to …” Dominic trailed off and then continued wearily. “I apologize if I hurt you.”

“You didn’t hurt me, I permit no one to hurt me. I knew what you were doing. You wanted to send Patrick home to safety and you used what weapons were at hand. I would do the same.” She smiled sweetly. “If I had not known that, I would have plunged my knife into your back, or better yet used it to remove the part of the body with which white men make whores of virtuous Apache women.”

For a moment Dominic felt the heaviness of spirit he was experiencing lighten and a faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips. “Then I’m extremely glad you’re so perceptive. I’m very fond of that particular body part.”

“Most men are,” Silver said dryly. “They pale and tremble when it is threatened. Why is that? I wonder. You’d think they would value their limbs or their eyes more. Men are very foolish.” She dismissed the
subject of masculine unreasonableness with a shrug. “Do you wish me to go away for a little while? Your woman is awake again.”

“How is she?”

“She gains strength slowly; it will take time.” Her eyes narrowed. “You could take her to Killara. They would treat her very well if she brought you back to them.”

“No!”

“You need not shout at me. I do not care whether you ever go back. It is nothing to me. It is your woman who needs a place to heal. Are you going to keep her lying on that dusty mat on the floor? She would be better off at my people’s village. At least there I could give her soft furs to cushion her and not have to—”

“Stop stinging me with that scorpion tongue, dammit,” Dominic said. “I’m taking her back to the hotel at Hell’s Bluff as soon as she’s able to travel. When will that be?”

“She will not be able to sit on a horse by herself, but if you could make her comfortable, she could leave tomorrow. It would be better than keeping her here. She is not accustomed to roughness.” Silver continued grudgingly, “Though I think she would suffer it without a complaint. Her spirit is stronger than her body.”

So Silver had discovered that as well. “She won’t have to suffer it. I’ll give her whatever she needs to make her well. Will you come with me, Silver? I don’t know what kind of reception she’s going to receive in Hell’s Bluff.” He smiled bitterly. “I made sure I burned all her bridges when I took her away. The good people of the town may be very cruel to her if we don’t protect her.”