He glowered at Hawke. “I knew your father would assume the worst, and you would try to beat me to a bloody pulp before I could explain. I ran. I ran as fast as I could. My brother knows what happened. I explained it all to him. He helped me get to the coast and catch my ship. He has been sending me letters along with a small stipend since. Why didn’t you question him?”
“We did.” Hawke replied quietly. “He always maintained your innocence. He told a story similar to yours.”
Anger drained slowly out of Hawke. He had been told the truth. He just hadn’t wanted to hear it. His own arrogance and unreasoning anger had driven him to ignore any explanation other than what he wanted to hear. He looked at the man across from him. His face was swelling from the blows he had taken. The skin around one eye was turning purple and beginning to swell shut. Tompkins gaze was steady, waiting for him to reply. Hawke sat back in his chair. What could he say?
“I’ve tried contacting her,” Geoffrey said quietly. “I’ve written her repeatedly, but I never heard from her.”
“All correspondence from you was kept from her.” Hawke grabbed his glass and took another swallow. Realizing the harm their actions might have caused, he continued. “We thought by not letting her see your letters, she would get better. If she had only told us the two of you were in love and you wanted to marry … if we had known.” He leaned towards Tompkins, his hand palm up. “All I can do is offer my apologies. It would have been easier if you hadn’t run, but it appears my behavior contributed to this entire mess.”
“I didn’t know she had become so ill. No one told me.” Concern lined Geoffrey’s face. “Is there nothing to be done? If she would have me, I still would marry her. I’ve never stopped loving her. I know it doesn’t look like much now, but I have been saving the money I have earned working in the mines, and I was planning on buying a small ranch nearby to raise horses and cattle. This is a wonderful country and I have learned I don’t have to rely on family to be successful. I can be my own man. I feel more at home, more alive, than I ever did living off my father’s sufferance.”
Hawke saw a spark of hope in Geoffrey’s eyes as he asked. “Do you think if Bethany were allowed to see my letters, and were to hear you approved, it might help bring her from her depression? Maybe a letter from both of us?”
“It might be worth try.” Hawke felt like a burden he had been carrying had eased. He would send a telegram to his father explaining everything. Maybe it would work.
“Hawke,” The note of warning in Alec’s voice interrupted his thoughts. “I believe the proprietress would like to have a few words with you about the damage to her establishment.” Hawke followed Alec’s gaze. A woman of mammoth girth swathed in yards of dark green satin was bearing down on them. Standing at her approach, Hawke bowed.
“Madame.” He smiled politely, exercising all his courtly charms. “Might I offer my sincerest apologies on the damage my colleagues and I have caused to your lovely establishment.”
“Horse-crap,” she snapped. “I don’t want to hear your nonsensical garbage, mister.” She gestured to the broken furniture and glassware strewn around the room. “Just tell me how you plan on paying for all this.”
Alec stepped forward stepping between the woman and Hawke. “Madame, I believe Lord Stoneham is more than capable of not only repairing the damages, but should he wish, buying this drab little gambling palace of yours several times over.”
“Right.” The proprietress snorted in disgust. “And Lord Peavey over there is the next king of England.”
“He really is a very wealthy man, Madame Varnish,” Geoffrey came forward. “I realize none of us look our best, but I can guarantee you Lord Stoneham is indeed more than capable of covering the damages, no matter how exorbitant the price,” he added with a grin.
Wondering why she was so skeptical, Hawke turned and caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror behind the bar. His clothes were torn and dirty, a large purplish bruise was growing beneath his right eye and blood welled from a cut on his lip. Tompkins didn’t look any better, but he seemed to have more credibility.
“Well, Geoffrey,” she smiled affectionately, “if you say so.” Casting a baleful eye at the other two, she looked back. “I know you’re trustworthy.”
Hawke laughed at the absurdity of the situation, reached for his wallet, pulled out a wad of bills, and handed them to the startled woman.
“If that is not enough, please, do contact me at the hotel, and I will have a draft drawn on my bank to cover the rest.” He sketched an unsteady bow. “Good night, madam.”
Chapter 17
Kara woke and stretched leisurely as the morning sun shone in her bedroom window. She sat up, quickly realizing it was Saturday. They were going into town. She would see Hawke again.
Closing her eyes, she relived that searing kiss. She could feel his lips on hers, asking then taking. It was like his hands were tracing her skin again. She could feel the heat of his large palm cupping her breast. A tingling desire coursed through her. She wanted to explore these new feelings further. She wanted to understand this desire, this need to be with him. She leaned back against her pillows and thought about the past few days.
After Hawke and Alec left, she kept busy helping move the cattle to the summer pastures. On the long rides, she had replayed their last night over and over in her mind trying to understand what it had all meant.
His kiss had seared not only her lips, but her soul and she didn’t understand. Why him, why his kiss?
Other men, not many, had kissed her before, and she had fancied herself in love with at least one of them, but none had ever inflamed her senses the way Hawke had.
Colin.
She hadn’t thought of Colin for such a long time. They had met at her first cotillion in Virginia. She had been so excited that night. He was the son of a congressman, suave, sophisticated — at least she had thought so then, and very handsome. He had pursued her with a single-mindedness that was overwhelming to a raw country girl. She remembered the way he would look at her, making her feel like she was the most important thing in the world to him. She had fancied herself madly in love with him.
Kara rose from her bed, walked over to her vanity, sat and began brushing out her hair. Looking in the mirror, she let her mind wander back to that first kiss.
After a waltz, she and Colin had taken a stroll in the gardens. The night had been warm and the scent of the night-blooming flowers had perfumed the air. He had always been a gentleman, never teased her, or made suggestive comments, not like the bold Scotsman. He had even asked permission to kiss her. She had been thrilled to her toes at the first touch of his mouth on hers; the warmth of his lips and then he had gathered her gently in his arms and deepened the kiss. She had been shocked when his tongue had entered her mouth.
Laughing, she thought about how she had spent the rest of the night, wrapped in naive dreams.
It had been nice, but nothing like Hawke’s kiss. She shivered at the way he had not asked, but demanded, her lips. He held her so close it was like they were sharing the same heartbeat.
She ran her fingers over her lips, amazed at how sensitive they were.
Her door burst open and Alicia came dashing into the room.
“You’re not dressed yet! Gosh, Mama had us up at daybreak so we could get over here and then into town by midday. I just … .”
Alicia stopped. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously, “Something’s different. What’s happened?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Kara was surprised. Did she look different? Looking in the mirror she tried to see if there was some sign. “What do you mean?” she tried to bluff.
“Don’t give me that,” Alicia replied. She walked closer. “Something’s happened between you and Lord Stoneham … hasn’t it?” She grabbed Kara by the shoulders, turned her and gave her a playf
ul shake. “Tell me!”
Then she took Kara by the hand and dragged her over to the bed so they could sit facing each other. “He’s kissed you — and you liked it!”
How did she know?
Alicia pounced. “I knew it … I knew it! Tell me everything! This is so exciting, come on.”
Kara couldn’t hold back any longer. “How could you tell just by looking at me?”
“Never mind, I just did,” Alicia said impatiently, waving off her questions. “I want details. I knew the way the two of you circled each other like caged cats, something was bound to happen. I told Maria and she agreed with me. Plain as the nose on your face, we knew something was bound to happen.”
“Caged cats?”
“Yep. You were hissing and spitting about how you weren’t going to like him and how you were going to run him off the ranch. Of course, while you were saying that, you were looking at him the way a starving man looks at a steak. And he just kept watching you with a look that said he knew you liked him. I knew he liked what he saw — in spite of your rudeness.”
“Rude! I wasn’t — ”
“Please! Mother was absolutely aghast at your behavior. She told me she’d tan my hide if I ever treated guests like you did.” Alicia smiled impishly. “Of course I understand why, even if she doesn’t.”
“Caged cats?”
“Yep.”
Kara told Alicia everything. From her “rudeness” to his suggestive remarks, the events at the branding pens, the revelation about his sister and the kiss.
“But if he does ask you to marry him,” Alicia said after a moment, “what will you do? Will you go to England to live? That’s so far away. It was bad when you went to Virginia.” She cried in dismay, “What will I do if you go to England forever?”
Kara worried her lower lip with her teeth. “I guess I imagined on one level marriage might come up, but I don’t know, I hadn’t given it a lot of thought.”
“Might come up? I’ll just bet your father’s already thought of it. In fact I’ll bet he’s already mentioned something to Hawke. I know if a man looked at me that way in front of my father, he’d have called him on it.”
“Well … Hawke did mention something about a talk the two of them had, and about him not spending so much time around me.” Realization dawned on her. “Blast! I guess I’ve had so much wool in my head I didn’t put it together.”
She paced around her room, trying to sort things out. “Men,” she spat. “They are always trying to tell women how to live their lives. I wouldn’t be surprised if my father and Hawke haven’t already decided my future.”
Would her father really do that to her? Would he really encourage her to begin a relationship with his partner just to keep her from fighting him about running the ranch? Or worse, was her father trying to get her married off? Had he decided the best way to solve the problem of a partner was to marry her off to him? The thought of betrayal pierced her heart.
Maria poked her head around the door. “You’re father sent me to say you will be leaving within the hour and you better hurry up.”
Kara dressed, all the while stewing over what Alicia said. Had she gotten so caught up in that she forgot about the ranch? It was not like her at all. She loved the ranch and the life it represented. Did these new confusing feelings outweigh that? And was her father using her feelings to push her into marriage?
• • •
Hawke’s welcoming smile died on his lips when he saw the stormy look on Kara’s face as she stepped down from the buggy, ignoring his outstretched hand. What the hell happened? he wondered. She looked angrier than she had the first time they met. She brushed by him without a word.
“Don’t ask me.” Case shrugged. “She’s been madder than a wet hen the whole way here. I don’t know who she’s angrier with, you or me, and I don’t know why. By the way,” Case indicated the bruise under Hawke’s eye, “I see you found Tompkins.”
“You could say we reached an understanding.”
Hawke watched as Kara ascended the stairs with Alicia, her back ramrod straight.
“Last we spoke, she and I were on very friendly terms.”
Hawke stopped himself. Case didn’t know about the garden, and he’d be damned if he’d have both father and daughter angry with him.
“I don’t pretend to understand women.” Case hefted his bag and started up the stairs towards his room. “I figure she’ll eventually tell me what’s bothering her. She always does.” He smiled. “Of course, I’m never sure exactly how she’s going to express her anger. Be prepared.”
Alec set his hand on Hawke’s shoulder. “Wise counsel. Maybe we should go have a drink. I don’t want to be around when she erupts.” He took a puff of his cigar and poked Hawke in the chest.
“Tell you what. As your good friend, I will take it upon myself to question Miss Roberts. If anyone knows why Kara is in a snit, it would be her.”
“Be sure you don’t get Miss Roberts angry with you also.”
Slapping his friend on the back, Hawke headed for the hotel bar with him.
• • •
Hawke was surprised to see Austin Roberts at dinner. He was not surprised, however, to see Kara turn all her attention and charms on the other man, while giving Hawke nothing but chilly stares. Austin might be unaware of what was going on, but Hawke knew exactly what the little she-devil was up to. To his chagrin, the fact he knew her game didn’t make him any less jealous.
After dinner, everyone left for the opera house. He had hoped to get her alone to talk before the performance began, but she kept herself glued to Austin’s side. The sight of the other man’s head bent close to hers in quiet conversation and intimate laughter drove needles of envy and desire through him.
“If you glare any harder at them, Case is going to have the two of you married by morning,” Alec said quietly as he walked up to Hawke, blocking his view of the couple.
Fighting to gain control, Hawke pasted a look of studied boredom on his face.
“Oh, much better,” Alec laughed. “Now only your eyes give away your desire to murder young Roberts and drag Kara off to your cave.”
“Stuff it. Have you found out anything from Miss Roberts?”
“I think I just might have to let you stew in your own juices for a while. Or better yet,” Alec chuckled, “maybe I should encourage the two of them.”
Alec paused in his torment of Hawke to watch Kara and Austin walk arm in arm to their seats. “They are quite attractive together, you know.”
Hawke wanted to grab his friend by the throat and shake the information out of him.
“Yes, I have had the opportunity to find out what has put a ‘burr under her saddle,’ as they so quaintly say out here,” Alec said. “It seems Kara believes your interest in her is a manipulation by you and her father, and if you offer for her, it will only be to take her away from her home and thus gain complete control of the ranch.” Humor twinkled in his eyes. “Very Machiavellian of you. Didn’t know you had it in you.”
“I’m sorry … she what?” Incredulous such a convoluted logic could be coming from someone as intelligent and seemingly levelheaded as Kara had him dumbfounded. “Marriage? I’ve kissed her once.” Hawke sputtered. He knew his duty to his title. Knew he would marry someday, but now? Her?
“Didn’t see that possibility? I believe you might want to steer clear of this entanglement, unless — ” Alec’s voice sobered, “you have fallen for the girl and intend on offering for her.”
Further discussion was halted when the performance began.
Chapter 18
Austin had been aware of Hawke watching him and Kara all evening. Before they had left the hotel, she had caught him by the arm and had proceeded to flirt outrageously. Sitting next to her now, her anger was palpable as he watched her pretend to p
ay attention to the stage.
“What’s your game, Little Bit,” Austin leaned over, her light floral fragrance teasing his senses. “Don’t think I haven’t seen the way that big Scotsman looks at you — and me.”
Austin heard what happened at the branding pens. It had hurt for a while, but if he were honest with himself, he knew Kara would never see him as anything other than a brother, and knew deep in his heart he was not in love with her. It had been a childhood crush, nothing more. Not one to languish over a love he never had, Austin decided he would act the part of big brother for her. Protect her the way he would Alicia.
After she started flirting and looking at him like he was the only man in the world, he knew something was up. “You better tell me, Kara. I have no desire to have him pound me to pulp — and I don’t think you want me to shoot him, do you? Of course, I would if you wanted me to.” He smiled wickedly at the worry in her eyes, “Even though you still wouldn’t marry me.”
“Marry you?” Her eyes widened. “Oh, Austin, I hope I never gave you any impression — ”
“Don’t worry about it, Little Bit.” He chucked her under the chin with his finger. “I know you don’t think of me that way … though I might have wanted you to.” He smiled. “Really, I’m not torn up. Guess it was just a passing fancy. After all, you were the closest female in the area I wasn’t related to who was halfway attractive.”
“Halfway … you,” Kara punched him in the arm and leaned into him, touching her head to his in shared laughter. Austin could feel her relax knowing she hadn’t lost his friendship.
“Want to tell me what’s going on between the two of you?” Austin asked quietly. “I can see the pain in your face and the anger in his. He hasn’t done anything to you? You know,” he said, stretching his neck in his uncomfortably tight shirt collar. “Touched you in a way he shouldn’t — or you didn’t want?” Seeing panic in her eyes, his temper flared, “That son of a bitch. I will kill him.”
Diane R. Jewkes Page 13
