With his gun drawn, Colt sprang through the doorway, facing Alex. When he saw the moving figure, Alex took aim. Above the roar of the fire, the gunshot, fired so near, could be clearly heard. Cameron and Jarret turned. With a look of horror, Cameron saw blood spurt from Colt’s shoulder.
"Oh my God! No! Colt! No!" She tried to reach out to him, but Jarret held her fast, his beefy hands tearing at her flesh.
Turning her head, Cameron suddenly realized that Alex had been shot as well. Falling backward, he slumped heavily against the railing. For a moment, the only sound she was aware of was the splintering of the balcony railing. A moment later, Alex tumbled through space. She and Jarret stared at the body as it landed with a dull thud.
In the same instant, Jarret grabbed Cameron and spun her around with her back to Colt. Using her body as a shield, he shouted, "Take one more step, Colt, and I’ll throw her over this balcony."
"Let her go, Jarret." Colt’s voice was low, demanding. "We’ll all get down safely and talk about this."
The sound of Jarret’s childish laughter rippled on the night air. "You don’t understand, do you, Colt?" He shook Cameron like a rag doll.
Her hair fanned out, matching the flames that danced on the breeze.
"I have to kill Cameron. Alex told me to. And I always do what Alex tells me."
"Your brother is dead now, Jarret. You’re free to make up your own mind. You don’t want to kill a beautiful woman like Cameron, do you?"
Jarret stared at her, then looked beyond her, to the man pointing the gun, who was trying to inch his way closer. "Don’t move, Colt. Stay there."
"You don’t want to hurt her, Jarret."
Jarret caught her chin and forced her head up. "Yes I do. I can’t help it, Cameron. I like being strong. I like hurting things. Alex said it was just something I was born with. Like our mother. Everyone called her crazy."
His vacant eyes glittered for a moment, then became bland.
"Even Big John decided she was dangerous. That’s probably why he hid you away, Cameron. He figured our mother would find out about you, and hurt you. If she hadn’t, I probably would. Look at your pretty red hair and green eyes. I just love having pretty things and hurting them. I like crushing butterflies. I like strangling kittens. And I’m going to enjoy killing you."
His voice, the strangely childlike whine, grew higher in his excitement.
"I’m going to toss you over this balcony now, Cameron. And I’m going to watch you, just like I watched Miriam all those years ago." His voice lowered, coaxing. "Now I want you to scream, pretty Cameron. Scream as loudly as you can. That makes it more fun."
His grasp tightened on her arm until she could feel nothing. It had gone numb from his painful grip. With his other hand, he clutched her chin firmly and lifted it for his kiss. His wet lips covered hers, drooling in mounting excitement.
For long moments, her heart seemed to stop. She felt frozen in time.
The gunshot was muffled. Jarret’s eyes widened. A look of surprise crossed his face. He dropped his hand to his chest. It came away sticky with blood. His surprise turned to horror. For the first time, he glanced down at Cameron’s hand holding the little Remington. His lips pursed, as if to speak. A gurgling sounded in his throat and bubbled on his lips. And then, in slow motion, he seemed to hover a moment in space before hurtling to the ground below.
In quick strides, Colt was at her side. Gently he touched her cheek. It was ashen. Her eyes had widened until they seemed too big for her face. He grasped Cameron’s arm. She seemed dazed by what had happened.
His voice was low, demanding. "Look at me, Cammy. There’s no time left. We have to jump."
She stared at him, unable to speak.
"Trust me, Cammy. See that rope?" He pointed to the lariat outlined against the darkness. "Quenton and Ti secured it between two trees. It’s our only hope. We have to leap into the dark air and catch that rope. Come on."
She stood, rooted to the spot. Recognizing her shock, Colt caught her arm and shook her roughly. Through gritted teeth, he hissed, "Don’t you dare give up on me now. We’ve come too far. We’ve been to hell and back. And we’re getting out of this now, together. We’re going to make it. Do you hear me, Cammy?"
She blinked. Her voice was strangled in her throat. "Yes. I’ll try."
"Good." He slapped at the flames that licked at the hem of her torn gown. "At the count of three, jump."
His words were nearly drowned out by the roar of the fire as it claimed another section of roof. "One. Two. Three."
Everyone on the ground held their breath as two figures leaped through space toward an impossibly fragile-looking lifeline. For a moment it looked as if the flimsy strand of rope had failed. They were falling. The rope sagged under their weight, then held. Bouncing slightly, they dangled precariously. Then one figure dropped to the ground. A moment later, Cameron dropped into his waiting arms. Clinging together, they fell to their knees and watched as the balcony and ceiling timbers crashed through the burning hulk of the once elegant house.
Chapter Twenty-three
The wagon halted at the charred remains. The weary band of travelers stepped out to gaze wordlessly at the ruins. They had washed and taken a meal at the Lampton house. Colt’s wound had been cleansed and bound. There had been little rest. After the terror of this night, they had seemed eager to return at first light, as if to assure themselves that it was really over.
While Rose tended little Alexander, who slept peacefully in the back of the wagon, Nina clung to Quenton. After a quick survey of the smoldering remnants of her unhappy life with Alex, she turned her head away.
"Where will you go?" Cameron asked Quenton.
"I’m taking Nina home. Back to her beloved Caribbean island."
"But what of your land?"
"I don’t want it, Cameron. I never wanted it. It’s yours now."
"But if Alex was right about my father’s discovery, this land is worth a fortune. If the assayer’s report confirms it, we could be sitting on the biggest silver mine in the country. Quenton, we could be millionaires."
"Send my portion to the Caribbean, Cameron." He smiled gently, then gazed into Nina’s dark eyes. "I want nothing more than to sit in the sun with my love and spend the rest of my days painting her and her beautiful land. Nothing on earth could keep me from her."
Cameron brushed Nina’s dark cheek with her lips. "I’m so glad you love my uncle, Nina. Be happy."
Cameron hugged him fiercely, then lifted her lips for a quick kiss.
"Your share of the land will always belong to you and your heirs, Quenton. Whatever feud there was between the McCormicks and the Lamptons is ended. We’re one family now. I’ll see that you get your share of the mine profits."
Quenton gave Colt a fierce bear hug, then solemnly shook his friend’s hand.
After a brief look at the smoky scene, Ti carried Miriam back to the wagon and tenderly settled her on a folded blanket in the back of the wagon.
"We’ll rebuild your home, Miriam," Cameron murmured to her weeping sister.
"No." Her head came up, and she clutched Cameron’s hand. "I told you I sensed the end of this place. I don’t ever want to live here again. I was never happy here, Cameron. For so long I blocked all my childhood pain and terror from my mind. Finally, I began to believe my fall down that mine shaft had really been an accident. But Jarret’s words brought it all back to me. The threats, the nightmares, and finally, the crippling fall."
She brushed the tears with the back of her hand, and smiled weakly.
"Ti has asked me to go to his home. His and Nina’s. I want to. I want to feel the warm sunlight of his tropical paradise. I want to see bright-colored flowers and lush foliage. I want to hear music and laughter." Her voice thickened. "I need to feel safe. I want to be loved."
Cameron nodded and kissed her cheek. "Then that’s what I wish for you as well. I know you’ll be happy with Ti, Miriam. But I do hope you’ll come back here someday."
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Miriam’s eyes widened. "Do you intend to stay here alone, Cameron?"
She studied Colt standing off by himself, staring intently at the ashes.
She stood straighter. "Yes. All my life I’ve been alone. I’ll manage."
Her uncle shook his head. "I can’t believe you are actually willing to stay here."
His lovely young niece smiled up at him as he settled himself beside Nina. "Too many people paid too high a price for this land, Quenton. I have no intention of leaving. This is my home. I intend to stay and work the mine."
"You can stay in the Lampton house. It’s not in a very good state of repair, but it’s shelter."
Cameron smiled. "Thank you, Quenton, but there’s only one place where I can be truly happy."
At his questioning glance, she added, "There’s a tiny crumbling cottage, that stands on the border of McCormick land and Lampton land. Part of the roof is sagging, and I’ll be able to look up and see the stars. The same stars you and Nina and Miriam and Ti will be seeing." She gave them a dreamy smile. "That will be a bond between us. Whenever you look up at the night sky, know that I’m seeing the same sky, the same moon and stars. And think of me."
Amid tears and laughter, the wagon rolled across the hills, in the direction of San Francisco, where a ship would be in dock, soon to be heading for the Caribbean.
When they were alone, Cameron turned to study Colt. He stood rigid, tense. He was staring at the distant horizon. Her heart felt wrenched from her. There was a look of longing on his face. That look told her that he was eager to be off, to join his friends in the excitement of the hunt once more.
"I suppose you’re eager to get back to your home?"
His head came up, but he didn’t speak.
"What are you thinking about, Colt?"
"I’m thinking that I’ve been away a long time. It’s best that I go, Cammy."
He caught the reins and led his horse toward her.
His husky voice washed over her. "You’re a very special woman, Cameron McCormick. You’re everything a man could want. If I were any other man, I’d stay with you." He reached out a finger, to trace the curve of her cheek.
She forced herself to remain perfectly still, though she longed to move against his touch like a kitten. When he pulled himself into the saddle, he faced her. "I have a job to do. You understand."
She nodded, lifting her head higher. Her eyes were dry as she met his dark gaze. "As you said, Colt. You’re very good at what you do."
"Yes." He allowed his gaze to travel the length of her and back, for a moment lingering on the soft auburn halo that drifted about her face and shoulders.
"Thank you for understanding." His voice grew thick with emotion. "In the border towns around Texas we have a saying. Vaya con Dios. It means go with God." He touched the brim of his hat. "Vaya con Dios, Cameron McCormick."
She swallowed. Her throat was so tight, it hurt to speak. "Go with God, Michael Gray."
He wheeled his horse and rode away, without a backward glance.
Cameron stood watching until horse and rider disappeared over the crest of a hill.
Her eyes brimmed. The words of little Sister Adele pierced her mind with blazing intensity. "Oh, Cammy, don’t ever pin your hopes and dreams on a man. For he’ll be a thief and steal your most precious possession of all."
When would she learn? When would she ever learn?
She brushed the tears with the back of her hand in an angry gesture, then turned to the smoldering ruins. There would be much to do before nightfall.
She glanced toward the hill, for a moment hoping to see the black stallion returning. The horizon stretched empty for as far as she could see. She turned away and bent to her task. There would be no tears, she reminded herself sternly. She had always known that Michael Gray was a man of duty, a man meant for the wider world, beyond her narrow border.
He had touched her life. She had loved him. And now, she must see to the job of surviving.
* * *
Cameron stood back, surveying the clutter of the tiny cottage. She had made a bed of clean hay and quilts carried from Quenton’s house. A lovely pitcher and basin stood on a small dresser. Beside it, the dressing mirror from her mother’s room reflected the mass of scarlet roses that framed the open window.
She had swept the dirt floor and covered it with a braided rug. A cozy fire crackled in the fireplace. On the raised hearth stood a basket laden with kindling.
She had tackled a backbreaking job this day. The endless miles from Quenton’s house up the hill to this cottage had taken their toll. But she was grateful. There had been no time to dwell on what might have been; no time to weep.
Cameron removed her dirt-stained britches and rough homespun shirt and poured water into the basin. After washing thoroughly and brushing her hair until it shone, she slipped the elegant nightdress over her head and smoothed down the long skirt. This had been her mother’s. It still bore the delicate scent of sachet from the closet. Tonight, she decided, she had earned the luxury of a special garment.
Turning down the quilt, she crossed the room and stared at the midnight sky, watching shadows drift across the hills, listening to the sigh of the night wind. Was Colt lying somewhere in a bedroll, gazing up at the same sky? She swallowed the lump that threatened to choke her. She had promised herself she wouldn’t torture herself with thoughts of him. But the night silence brought him rushing back to her mind. She would forever be able to recall the musky scent of him, the rich, deep timbre of his voice, his strength, his tenderness. She could fill her days with work. But her nights, she feared, would be endlessly painful.
With a determined shake of her head, she bent to blow out the candle. Hearing a sound at the door, she looked up fearfully, expectantly.
Moonlight streamed through the open door. Silhouetted in the amber rays was a figure that caused her heart to stop. She forced herself to remain still, even though she longed to rush to his arms.
Michael stared at the figure illuminated by the candlelight. Her eyes rounded, then softened. Her hair, freshly brushed, cascaded in soft waves down her back. Through the delicate, opaque gown, he could see the soft swell of her breasts, the narrow waist, the flare of her hips.
He studied her through narrowed eyes. "I should have been halfway to Texas by now."
"What stopped you?"
"A damn fool headstrong girl who’ll probably have me talking to myself next."
He watched her spine straighten, her chin jut at an imperial angle.
"I didn’t want to stand in your way, Michael. I know you have important work to do. I can take care of myself."
"Yes. I know you can." He took a step forward. "Except when a dozen evil drifters get wind of your silver mine. I suppose you’ll have to hold them off with a couple of hired guns. The more I thought about it, the more I decided you’d probably have need of a trusted gunfighter."
She nodded, feeling the first tiny trickle of hope. "I hadn’t thought of that. You could be right."
"My work in Texas is important, Cammy. I don’t just do it because it’s exciting. I’ve helped catch some of the West’s most vicious killers."
"I’m sure you have. You can be proud of your work, Michael."
He nodded. "But I think you need me here even more than Texas does."
She inclined her head slightly. "I suppose I could use some help."
"Then I’m hired?"
She frowned. "Not yet. You haven’t told me how much this will cost me."
He swore in frustration. "It’s going to cost you plenty, lady. I’m the best. I’m worth three of any other men."
"How much?"
He paused, calculating. "A percentage of the take from the mine."
She shook her head. "No deal."
Michael stiffened. "What! Why not?"
"The only ones who get a share of this mine are kin. I don’t recall hearing of any Grays in the family."
"We could change that."
She w
ent very still. Her heart was hammering so loudly, she was certain he could hear it. "And how do you propose to change it?"
His words tumbled out in a rush. "You could marry me."
"Do you know what you’re saying?" She studied him, noting the lines of tension on his face. "It would mean giving up the danger, the excitement, of the Texas Rangers."
Michael moved a step closer to touch her arm, and the shockwave that trembled through her jolted him as well.
"While I was riding, Cameron, I was thinking about something Sister Leona said the day we rescued her. She asked me if I believed that the hand of God touches all our lives."
Cameron nodded, remembering.
A smile curved the corners of his lips. "Isn’t it strange how plans have a way of changing, without any warning, when the fates step in?"
Cameron watched him, thrilling to his words.
"All my life I’ve wanted danger, excitement. That’s why I left my comfortable home in Canada. That’s why I joined the Texas Rangers."
She felt the tremor of eagerness, of breathless anxiety coursing along her spine.
He allowed his gaze to trail slowly from her bare feet, planted firmly on the rag rug, to her hands, held stiffly against her sides, to her heaving breasts, impatient to hear all he had to say. He stared at her lovely face turned up to study him. Finally his gaze rested on her mane of burnished hair.
"Cameron McCormick, let’s stop playing with words. I can’t imagine anything more dangerous or more exciting than you. And I can’t think of a greater challenge. There is nothing in this whole world I’d rather do than spend the rest of my life with you."
Her breath caught in her throat. He had just spoken all the words her heart had been longing for. She had feared she would never hear him say them.
"Oh, Colt. Do you really mean it?"
He gathered her into his arms and pressed his lips to a tangle of hair at her temple. Against the pounding pulse beat, he murmured, "I love you, Cameron McCormick. More than anything in this world. When I heard you telling the others to look up at the stars and think of you, I realized I could never again look at the stars without feeling a stab of pain. I could never again enjoy a full moon in a night sky without missing you. What would my life be like without you? Oh, Cameron, you little wildcat. I want to stay with you. I want us to tame this wild savage land together."
Nevada Nights Page 22
