* * *
"So these people in Sacramento," Lucius said, pulling back on the reins as they surmounted the crest and then began their gradual descent on the winding mountain road, "who are they again, and why is it important that you call on them?"
Twila bit her bottom lip. She'd never admitted about the mix-up on the train and saw no reason to launch into a convoluted explanation now. She would greet Hilde Vogel and return her satchel. That would end the matter. The less Lucius knew, the better. Besides, he hadn't exactly been forthcoming when she'd questioned him about his sudden desire to rush out of Wadsworth.
"Miss Vogel sat with me on the train, that last evening before the unfortunate incident. She was in the sleeping car later with her grandfather. We sat up front with Uncle Fletcher, which is why we never met up with those horrid bandits ourselves."
"Right. And you and this Miss Vogel have established a habit of penning letters back and forth?"
He could be an absolute badger when he made up his mind to unearth something, so Twila decided to turn part of his own fabrication back on him. She opened the top of the satchel enough to display several wisps of frothy lace. "I've made her some love handkerchiefs and embroidered a chemise for her. I've quite a bit of spare time now, living at the ranch."
Twila glanced back, hoping to see a lone rider at the pinnacle behind them, but the shadows were long, the pines thick and the road empty. She straightened and made a show of reorganizing the items inside the satchel. Then she tucked it back under her feet and spread her cloak over her knees. " Brrr, I'm glad we went back for this. Do you think we'll reach the main heart of the city soon? If not, perhaps we should take a room in the first inn we come upon. I'm not sure it's a wonderful idea to push on once it's fully dark."
Lucius shrugged, but she noted he rubbed his free hand over his thigh in an effort to warm himself. "I suppose that's not a bad idea. Don't know how much a pair of rooms might cost, though." He dug down into his coat pocket.
Twila stopped him with a hand on his arm. "Lucius, I have some coin with me. Not a fortune, but I can probably manage two modest rooms. It's not as though we need anything beyond basic accommodations…and of course, livery for the mare."
Lucius threw her an odd look and Twila couldn't help laughing. "I do live with a horse rancher, remember? Give me credit for having learned at least the rudiments of how one raises and cares for horses."
"Forgive me. Somehow I just never imagined you as a rancher's wife…You were always just my hapless cousin, Twila."
Oh, how well she knew. His bald remark kept her riding in silence for the next hour or more.
They found a small inn at the base of the Sierra Nevadas, and Twila quickly learned they were now officially in California. She glanced around. Clearly, despite rumors to the contrary, proclaiming gold lying about everywhere for the taking, California was just as rugged and inhospitable as what she knew of Nevada. They paid the innkeeper for two tiny rooms and his stable boy took charge of the mare and buggy. Twila insisted on all the luggage being brought inside with them and the satchel being in her personal possession at all times. Lucius had protested at first, until she reminded him of her previous meeting with Miss Vogel. How the train had been robbed and Uncle Fletcher had been the first to howl in indignation about possibly being "robbed in his sleep."
Lucius grumbled, but dropped his complaints when they were shown to a corner table for a meal of mountain stew and thick bread. The beef was stringy, what Twila was able to find of it in the overabundant sauce. The tomato concoction seemed to cover up mostly undercooked carrots and chewy hunks of onion. As she hit one of those hunks, suddenly the whole bowl nauseated her, both by its appearance and smell.
Twila lurched to her feet and ran outside, becoming violently ill beside the far corner of the building. She'd just wiped her face and begun to take slow, deep breaths to calm the storm when she heard hoof beats and a man shouting that he needed livery for his mount. He heart leaped, but she couldn't be sure she knew the voice. Until the rider neared enough for her to see it was indeed a palomino and a rider wearing a battered cowboy hat and coat she recognized.
"Delancy!"
The woman flew from the shadows along the side of the inn so abruptly, Del had to rein Caramel sharply to avoid running smack into her. He wanted to snarl that she needed to grow some eyes in her skull when he abruptly realized she'd been shouting his name. The hood of her cloak fell back.
"Twila? For God's sake! Do you know how frantic I've been? I've been beating the life out of that poor animal, chasing after you like the crazy woman you obviously are, for running off without—"
His tirade got cut short by her arms flying up around his throat even as he was trying to dismount. He hadn't realized she knew how to get a man in a headlock, but if he didn't manage to peel at least one arm away from his windpipe, she'd win this wrestling match. Del just got one forearm in a solid grip when a slumping fellow shuffled out of the livery stable. "You folks want to take that on inside? Bruce has got beds and locks on the doors for rabbit-thumpers like you."
Twila's chuckle rang out like music to Del's ears. "We better go on inside, Del. I already have a room. Lucius is eating supper. Maybe you'd like some stew? I wasn't very hungry. Couldn't finish mine."
She stood there and beamed at him. Pleased to see him. Pleased with herself and seemingly life in general. As if he shouldn't be taking her over his knee and walloping her for the heart palpitations she'd caused him all afternoon long. Not to mention that big seize-up a minute ago, when she flew at him like a bat straight out of Hell.
Hell's Belle.
Nope. He was mad as a peeled rattler, ready to spit on somebody and pound somebody's face into a wall—and really didn't care if both those somebodies turned out to be her cousin from the store. But Del wasn't going to think of Twila like that. He was furious with her, but saw it was going to be all but impossible to stay mad at her.
Especially since she'd grabbed his hand and brought him into the inn. She was smiling at the other patrons who gawked at them as they burst through the door into the warm dining room. "Everyone, this is Mr. Del Mitchell. He's a horse rancher from Wadsworth and my husband." She then glanced at the man scowling at Del from the corner near the kitchen. "Is there any more stew? Mr. Mitchell's bound to be fearful hungry."
Fearful hungry.
Whatever leftover fury he'd so carefully stoked the past couple hours got dashed. Because those where his own words most nights when he got back to the house. He'd go inside to wash up and walk his woman down to the cookhouse for dinner. No matter what Biscuit had cooking or how questionable its aroma might be, Del routinely announced that he was fearful hungry, then sat down to make a show of eating as though it were true.
Which, since Jordy's death, it really wasn't. He didn't have so much appetite anymore. And a lot of the time, he expended a little effort to push food around with his utensils while in fact he studied Twila. Sitting beside her at supper gave him a chance to memorize every line of her face, savor her smallest expression.
But of course tonight was different, because he actually was famished after his frantic ride.
He shoveled the first spoonful of piping-hot stew into his mouth and found Twila grinning at him, holding out a chunk of buttered bread. He realized he'd been so concerned about her and the peculiar tale of this sudden exodus, he hadn't eaten or drunk so much as a sip of water from his canteen ever since he'd first learned she'd left the ranch.
He hadn't stopped to think of how chilled he was, how hungry or thirsty…he just knew this food tasted pretty crappy, yet he didn't mind. Because Twila was sitting next to him, smiling. Safe. Happy.
The truth kicked Del right in the head.
Da had always said a man found true love when the pangs of his heart pushed aside the pangs of his stomach.
Del swallowed and set down his spoon. "You shouldn't have gone off like that, honey. Even though Sandy knew you'd gone with your cousin…Why didn't you ta
lk to me about this?" He knew Lucius was within earshot.
"That would be partially my fault," Lucius confessed, raising his wooden cup in a toast. "Good to see you again, Mitchell. I'm afraid I needed Twila along and time was of the essence. It still is, so I believe I shall take myself off for a good night's sleep. We need to get an early start in the morning, Twila."
Del pushed to his feet. "Just a second. You say howdy, then just talk around me like I'm not even here. Why the hell do you think I came all this way? Just to eat some lousy beef stew and ride back home again? I came to fetch her back!"
Twila's fingers found Del's and tugged. Hard.
Del dropped his gaze from her cousin's stern face to Twila's pleading one. "Del, I do need to go. It's important. In fact, I'd wanted you to come along, but I didn't want to burden you."
"We never talked about—"
"If you remember, I did warn you I'd need to go to California. This is the trip I meant. Since you're halfway to Sacramento, can't you come with me? Us? I'm sure Lucius doesn't mind. Do you?"
Something passed between the cousins. Del couldn't interpret the look, but he didn't trust anything involving Lucius Bell. The little prick had always done whatever he could to embarrass or humiliate Twila. Del hadn't forgotten that, or forgiven the son of the bitch for the "witch" rumor he'd started. "I can take you and he can head on back to his papa's store."
"Well, I actually need a couple of days in Sacramento on business of my own," Lucius countered. "But it's no problem if you want to take Twila to visit her friend. I just think we should all retire early and get going at first light. We've still got quite a distance to cover." With that, he walked out of the tap room.
Twila's fingers tugged at Del again. "Del, everyone's staring," she hissed. "Please sit down and we'll talk now."
He didn't want to talk. He didn't want to eat. He wanted her alone in that room she'd mentioned. Suddenly he felt very much like doing some "rabbit thumping." Big time. He sat down again and opened his mouth to respond to Twila, but she stuffed the hunk of bread she'd been holding into it and kissed his cheek.
"I hoped and prayed you'd come after us. Of course, I didn't want Lucius to know. He'd take offense thinking I didn't entirely trust him or think he's man enough to escort me. But I knew I'd feel better having you along. And I surmised you'd be angry, tell me I couldn't leave without your express permission. But I doubt you would have given it, either. Still, it's wonderful to see you!"
His head spun. She'd wanted him to come along, but didn't want to insult her cousin by saying so…She'd purposely tweaked Del into following them. And she'd thought she needed his permission—Jesus, he sounded like an ogre. Then he thought of how he'd hollered at her that first second outside, how he'd been thinking of spanking her like some runaway, wayward child…Maybe he was an ogre.
"You tired, sweetheart?" he asked, gulping down a couple more spoonfuls of the awful stew. "Cause I'm all in. I got to tell you. Didn't you say you had a nice warm bed up there we could share?"
Twila blushed. Pay the preacher a dollar, but she turned a real pretty shade of pink and leaned so close, Del could feel her breath in his ear. "It's a tiny room and I'm afraid the bed's much smaller than ours at home. But I guess it won't matter too much. I haven't forgotten my place…underneath you."
Del pushed his bowl away and got to his feet. "Lead on, honey."
Their love nest turned out to be a sorrowful excuse for a rickety bed and thin mattress. The room was freezing cold, too, but Del barely noticed. He asked Twila about it, if he should go for some wood for the small stove, but she began stripping away her garments, eyes locked on his, and he knew she didn't mind the cold. She was counting on him to take care of that.
"Twilagleam."
He couldn't think beyond the amazing sight of her there, shivering, nipples taut, ready and eager for his lovemaking. They came together under the rough blankets. Del managed one deep kiss before entering her, and he couldn't remember her ever this hot and wet and ready for him. They both came quickly, and he lay entwined in her arms, her head cradled on his shoulder.
"I don't know how you could be so certain I'd find you," he mumbled at last, stroking her hair. "Sacramento's not exactly a small place, you know, and all I knew is you were headed there to see some kin of yours named Vogel. Which I thought would be a problem for your cousin, since the Bells and Vogels are in some kind of family feud."
"There's no feud, and we're not kinfolk. I have something important that belongs to Hilde Vogel and I need to return it. I can explain tomorrow, but I think right now we better talk about something else."
Judging where she was stroking and cupping him, "talk" wasn't exactly what she had in mind. "Del?" she whispered.
He groaned, unable to form a coherent word at the moment. His tongue was curled against the roof of his mouth and his toes were trying to meet his heels. That's how delicious her torture was.
"I think maybe…I'm reasonably sure, actually, especially after tonight. I was sick outside when you rode up. That stew—"
He pushed her hand away, shoved the blankets off and was half out of the bed when her next words stopped him cold. "I think we're going to have a child."
"You…what?" His mind was numb.
She sat up and drew his hand to her left breast. "See how I'm a little fuller than before? And I haven't had my cycle—"
He nearly crushed her in a powerful hug, then eased up at the last second. God, what was he doing, coming at her like some grizzly bear? She was carrying his baby. He needed to be extra gentle and careful with her now.
"Does this mean you're happy about it?" she asked in a small voice.
This he wanted straight from the get-go. "I'm honored, Twilagleam Mitchell. But maybe we need to be more careful about our…antics, don't you think? We could hurt you or the little feller. Or gal, as the case may be."
Twila laughed and he squeezed her again. She was correct about the subtle changes to her body, and he wondered that he hadn't notice himself before. Her breasts were heavier, lusher. The nipples were more pronounced, now that he pulled away the blanket and studied her in the pale moonlight. He used to do that from time to time, before Jordy's death. Study his naked, sleeping bride in the moonlight.
He realized that was another enjoyment he'd denied himself since grief became the overwhelming factor in his life—he used to study her naked form in the moonlight. Marvel at her. Touch her, kiss her, slowly rouse her and then make love to her. He'd missed it. Their bedroom was a dark, somber place now. A cocoon where he hid, avoided moonlight and silly musings.
"Like what you see, cowboy?" she asked, intruding into his thoughts.
His eyes stung with unshed tears. If she only knew. If she could possibly understand what she meant, how much this gift had affected him. He pulled the blankets down to her knees and slowly shook his head, ignoring the trickle of tears he could feel on his face now. "No, Twila," he answered softly, pressing a kiss to her belly just below the navel. "I love what I see. I love you, Twilagleam."
"Oh, Del! I love you, too! I've wanted to say it for so long, but I thought you—"
He put a finger to her lips and moved to cover her nude body with his own. She was beneath him again, but he made sure to keep his weight on his elbows. "I've never been a father. Just the thought of it's pretty damned sobering. I promise you, Twila: no more dares. No making them, and no rising to them. Not anymore. And no more shenanigans like this for you, either. No running off, counting on me to follow. You've got to take care of yourself and my son or daughter."
"You could help," she whispered, sliding her arms around his neck.
"Oh, honey." It was a groan, a plea. He didn't think it was wise to get so randy, but she was making him hot as a branding iron.
"Take care of me again, Del. I need…I seem to feel more aroused, somehow. I need you to make love to me again. Please? Just slow and easy, but—"
She didn't have to explain. He'd give it to her whenever and howe
ver she needed him. He'd give her the world if he could. Starting now.
"My pleasure, ma'am."
CHAPTER 14
Twila pointed to the brown satchel. "That's the heart of all this. The trip here, the ads I had Henry place. It's not my bag."
Del looked down at it and frowned back at her. They were both dressed and had already eaten breakfast. Lucius was ready and waiting at the stable, but Del refused to meet with him until she explained exactly why she'd made this trip.
"That's not your bag," he slowly repeated. "So…I'm guessing it belongs to those other people, the Vogels?"
Twila nodded. "Yes, Hilde Vogel. She's a couple of years younger than I am…a very nice girl. We sat together and visited for several hours before she and her grandfather went back to the sleeper car. I told you our train had been robbed? Well, I remember remarking to her that our satchels looked quite similar. We laughed about it."
"Twila, noon will come before your point."
"It wasn't my fault! She picked up a satchel and took it with her. Later, when I awoke to all the commotion…I discovered I had the wrong bag. Of course, mine is now long gone. It was stolen along with everything else. And I've had hers all this time. I never told Uncle Fletcher or Lucius what happened. I hated keeping secrets, but you know what the Bell men would say if I admitted there'd been a mistaken exchange."
"I can guess. That it was somehow all your fault, or more proof of curses or bad luck nonsense. And all the time you acted so worried…it was actually because you had someone else's belongings." He nodded. "Something valuable inside?"
"No," she answered too quickly. She also didn't meet his assessing gaze.
He snorted and held out a hand to her. "Twila, you're a wonder. I wish you would've said something weeks ago. Hell, I would have helped you find the rightful owners and ridden you out here to return it. Do they know you're bringing it back?"
Hell's Belle Page 15
