Al went to the door. Your looks can’t last forever. Take advantage of this situation. Brett is the black sheep son of a fine family. He’s rich, handsome, a man of power. You could do worse.”
Stop telling me how lucky I am!” She whirled on him, eyes blazing. If I hadn’t been pretty, that Dallinger wouldn’t have brought me here!”
No, you’d be freezing to death on the streets. You’ll learn to trust no one.”
Brett trusts you.”
Al shrugged. It’s in my best interests to be reliable. Besides I owe Brett for taking me off the streets, giving me the good life. It’ll only last as long as he can trust me to look out for his interests.” He went to the door. Oh, by the way, there’ll be messengers here later with all sorts of jewels and clothes for you to choose from. Your beauty has bought all this for you—remember that. And it won’t last forever.”
My beauty—that’s all I’ve got. That’s all any man wants from me.” She stared at her reflection in the mirrow and her eyes were hard, expressionless. My face is my fortune—that’s what Ma said. Then why don’t I feel rich and lucky?”
She picked up a gold-handled hair brush and crashed the mirror into a thousand silvers of glass, then collapsed in a chair and wept.
Why did he feel like such a rotten skunk? Brett was right; this girl was different. With a sigh, Al left the room, closing the door softly behind him.
As the weeks passed, Al watched her, waiting for Brett to tire of her and put her to entertaining customers. A number of wealthy men had seen her, had asked about when Silver would be available.
When the boss gets tired of her, just like the last one,” Al answered mechanically.
What he hadn’t counted on was that Bart Brett would fall madly in love with Silver and ask her to marry him. Or that he himself would finally care so much about the fragile blonde that he would be driven to betrayal, robbery, and murder to rescue Silver from the Velvet Kitten.
Chapter Five
Cherokee looked from the girl’s ashen face to the snow falling outside the cabin window. U-nu-tsi. Snow. It was damned if you do, damned if you don’t, he thought. They didn’t have a wagon, and he could hardly walk into Buckskin Joe carrying her all the way. The weather was getting worse. He had to make a decision now. Reluctantly he turned to the two old men. Do you two think you can make it to town and bring back the doctor?”
By cracky, shore!” Willie said. Bill, get your coat and a knapsack of food, and let’s get out of here before the afternoon gets any older.”
Cherokee helped them get their gear together. You think you can find your way?”
Bill leaned closer to catch the words. Phash! Ain’t we been to town a couple of dozen times? We got a compass, and besides, once we get within a mile, we’ll be able to see the lights of the town.”
He sounded more confident than he looked, Cherokee thought. Colorado Territory was the kind of country where a man got lost in a storm and his remains weren’t found until the spring thaw.
Silver moaned a little and Cherokee knelt beside her bunk. It’s all right, Silver. You’re okay now.” Without thinking, he stroked her hair back from her face and she seemed to shrink against the pillow. He remembered again that she didn’t like to be touched.
Bill shook his head. Our talk is disturbin’ her. I never meant to hurt her. Every man in the Rockies would die for Miss Silver.”
She must know that,” Cherokee said gently, standing up. Neither one of you would hurt a flea.”
Bill wiped his face on his sleeve. There’s just been so much claim jumping and gold stealin’ around these parts.”
You two could put yours in the bank in town like I did,” Cherokee said.
Nope.” Willie combed his beard with his crippled hand. I had my money in a bank once. It went broke and took everybody’s money with it. I’ll take my chances hidin’ it in the woodpile and outsmartin’ robbers, thank you.”
We’re wasting time,” Bill said and opened the door. Cold wind blew in. It may be morning before we can get back with help, pard.”
Cherokee looked at the swirling snow outside. If this keeps up, no one will be able to get back through the drifts. This country’s so unpredictable in the early spring.”
By damn, he hated to send them out in this weather! Maybe her horse will go back to the stable and a search party will start out.”
Bill leaned forward, his hand behind his ear to catch the words. Phash! You can’t count on that. The horse may find shelter out of the wind and not go home for days. There ain’t no other answer, Cherokee, face it—someone’s got to go for help and it’s got to be us! Now shut the door behind us, you’re wastin’ precious heat!”
The two went out and Cherokee closed the door, walked to the window, and watched. The pair trudged down the trail and out of sight.
The girl whimpered and he went over to her, realizing the room was chilly now. He got more wood and built the fire up. Still she shivered. He got extra blankets off the other beds, covered her, and checked the wound. It looked like it was still bleeding. He held her wrist and her pulse seemed weak to him. Suppose she was dying? Was her heart still beating?
He slid his hand under the cover and put it on her breast. Her breasts were large and firm and warm. Immediately, she seemed to pull away from him. No,” she whispered, please no . . .”
Silver, you’re all right.” He took his hand away. I won’t hurt you. I would never hurt you.”
He felt guilty as hell. When he had his hand cupping her breast, all he could think of was sucking that nipple until she arched up under him and opened her thighs wide to accept him. He wanted to make love to her, he thought, but he would never hurt her. There was something not quite right about a saloon whore afraid of a man’s touch. Surely she was used to men pawing her breasts when they used her for their pleasure.
Yet she looked so small and defenseless lying here. He brushed her hair away from her bruised forehead. You’ll be fine, sweet darlin’, sweet Silver,” he murmured. No one’s going to hurt you. They’d answer to me if they do.”
She shivered again and he remembered that her clothes were damp. He’d never get her warm unless he got those wet things off her. Very gently, he pulled back the covers and got a knife. He wasn’t going to disturb her trying to lift her out of those clothes. He took the knife, cut the shirt and pants away, and bared her body to the firelight.
What a beauty! She was small for a woman, narrow enough in the waist to span with his two big hands, but big breasted and wide-hipped. She was meant to mother a brood of children—or pleasure men.
He felt himself throb with desire just looking at her creamy body, then he chided himself. What kind of man was he that he could look at an injured, unconscious woman and all he could think about was how he would like to make love to her? Her full breasts moved with the effort of breathing and the hollow of her belly looked so inviting, he had to force himself not to lean over and kiss her there.
Silver moaned and thrashed about. Immediately he put out a restraining hand and she jerked away. Silver, I won’t hurt you; I won’t let anyone hurt you. You’re safe with me. You’ve got my word on that.”
And then he cursed himself for his slip of the tongue. When he gave his word, he kept it. Well, she was safe until she consented and later, when she was well, he’d work on that. He bandaged her shoulder, pulled the damp clothes out from under her, and spread the blankets over her. What else should he do? He was no doctor, but he had helped the vet a little when he’d doctored Shawn O’Bannion’s fancy Tennessee Walking horses on the Shannon Place plantation.
He got a bottle of whiskey out and trickled a spoonful between her lips. No,” she whispered, no, Bart.”
Who the hell was Bart? Cherokee shrugged and trickled a little more between her lips. She became even more agitated, mumbling and thrashing about in fear. Whatever good the spirits might do her was being canceled by the frightening memory the taste of liquor brought to her delirious mind. He gave up and
looked at the bottle a long moment. Whiskey had never looked so good to him as it did at this moment. But he had sworn never to touch it again after what had happened that night when another blond beauty had gotten him drunk at Shawn’s country place.
Silver didn’t seem so completely unconscious now. Maybe he could get a little broth in her. His big fear was that he would cause her to choke. Gently, he turned her head to one side, put a few drops of broth between her lips, and watched her. It seemed to trickle down her throat and she swallowed. Good. Anything would help to raise her strength and get her warm. He spent over an hour putting broth in her mouth, a few drops at a time. Then finally, he ate a plate of stew himself.
It was dusk now and the storm seemed fiercer than before. The wind rattled the windows as if it were a monster trying to get inside. Cherokee went over and looked out. It was snowing hard and blowing in drifts through the trees outside the cabin. He cursed, feeling both helpless and guilty. Two old men were out in this trying to make it into town and here he was inside safe and warm.
The room was almost dark. Silver roused and murmured, obviously disturbed about something. He’d better check that wound again and make sure it had stopped bleeding. When he brought the lamp over by her bunk, she seemed to relax immediately and he put the lamp down on the crate by her bed. Was she afraid of the dark? And if so, why? There were a lot of things about this girl that mystified and intrigued him. He pulled the blanket back to check the bandage. Her creamy breasts moved as she breathed. Cherokee had to fight the urge to reach out and cup that fullness with his hand, stroke that rosebud pink nipple. He had just given her his word. Did it count if she didn’t hear it said?
I heard it said, he chided himself without thinking. Of course he wouldn’t touch a wounded, helpless girl, but when her shoulder healed, he’d pay her whatever it took to let him lie on that smooth belly and kiss those breasts. Surely her reluctance was an act to lure men into paying more for her favors.
Okay, sweet Silver,” he said softly, you win. Whatever money I got, you can have. Just once—that’s all I ask—and then maybe I’ll see you’re just a female after all, just like all the rest.”
Only she wasn’t like all the rest. He’d never met anyone like her before—soft, vulnerable mouth, eyes hard as ice. He wondered again where she’d come from, what her past was, and how that bartender figured into the picture. A girl as beautiful as this one didn’t have to sleep with an ugly ape like Al; she could have her choice of men.
He sat down on the floor by her bed, watching her face in the glow of the lamp light. After his father had deserted his mother for that saloon girl, his Indian grandmother had said all white women were whores. Cherokee had believed everything the old woman told him because she had looked after him, and was the only one in the world who cared about him. E-li-si. My grandmother, he thought in his language. Most of the others of their tribe had been taken away by force to walk the Trail of Tears to Indian Territory.
But Silver didn’t look like a whore. Asleep with her pale hair spread out on the pillow around her, she looked like a little girl or a wounded angel. His body was tired and cramped from sitting here, but he was afraid to go to bed. Suppose she took a turn for the worse or needed something in the middle of the night?
He reached out and took a strand of hair between his fingers. Fine as silk and the color of silver. He had a sudden vision of himself tangling his fingers in that hair as he took her. Then he was ashamed that he could think such thoughts about a defenseless girl. He had been a long time without a woman and his groin ached with need. But he had promised to look out for her and he had given his word.
By damn! What a stupid fool he had been to promise that when she was in his power and he could do anything he wanted to her. But if the boys were lucky, there’d be a rescue team on its way here tomorrow and she’d be safe back under Al’s shotgun tomorrow night while she recuperated in her room at the Nugget.
He got up and went to the window. Had the boys made it okay? For an instant, he was tempted to go looking for them, but he couldn’t leave her alone. His partners had been in this country awhile and were seasoned frontiersmen. If the weather got too bad, they might find shelter in the lee of a hill or brush pile and wait the storm out. There wasn’t any way for Cherokee to know what was going on out there. And if it kept snowing like it was doing now, a rescue team couldn’t get back up here through the drifts even if the boys made it into town.
He went back and stood looking down at her. The two of them might end up isolated here for days as her wound healed. How could he handle her naked body, look at her beauty, and not break his word?
With a loud sigh, he sat back down on the floor by her bed. He wanted very much to take her hand, to comfort her. But he didn’t. She must be in pain and he wished he could bear it for her. Somehow, he wanted to put himself between everything and anyone who threatened her security or made her unhappy.
You must be loco, Cherokee, he thought. Why are you getting so protective and possessive about a saloon whore just because she’s small and hurt and helpless? She’s not yours to worry about. He wanted to take her in his arms and hold her against his chest, assure her that whatever it was in her past that scared her, made her afraid of the dark and being touched, he wouldn’t let it get her.
You’re safe, Silver,” he whispered. No one or nothing is ever going to hurt you again, not as long as I have the strength to raise a hand to stop it!”
She didn’t move, and without thinking, he reached out and took her small hand in his. Immediately, the unconscious girl began to thrash and pull away.
By damn! He’d forgotten. Cherokee tucked her hand under the covers. He must remember not to touch her. She was afraid of being handled. Her soft, full lips looked so inviting, but he must resist the urge. He was going to be her protector, not her rapist. A frown crossed her face and she mumbled something, obviously disturbed. What was she thinking? What kind of thoughts did she have? Maybe she was imagining that she was shot and falling again. There was nothing he could do but sit here on the floor by her bed and watch her, and hope his partners were even now walking into the Nugget and organizing a rescue mission.
That Al would be fit to be tied, Cherokee thought, but after all, it hadn’t been Cherokee’s doing. The whole thing had been an accident.
She whimpered again in her sleep and Cherokee moved the lamp closer to comfort her. He wondered if she was in much pain and wished he could do something about it. Even if she didn’t drink, a little liquor would numb her pain. He got the bottle again and spooned a little between her lips.
Silver shook her head. No, Bart. Please don’t . . . I won’t fight you tonight . . . no whiskey . . .”
She was afraid, and pleading. Cherokee put the bottle down and clenched his big fists. Whoever this Bart bastard was, Cherokee wished he could get his hands on him. Rage flowed through his veins at the thought of anyone making Silver beg that way. She sounded so alone, so afraid.
And he was no better than the bastard who had hurt her, Cherokee thought with shame. All he’d thought of since the first moment he’d seen her was how he could get her under him, if he had to kidnap her to do it. He’d fantasized about what it would be like to carry her off to this isolated cabin and have her at his mercy, and now he felt like the world’s worst heel.
In her dreams, Bart Brett handed her a goblet. Here, drink up.”
She took it, her hand trembling. Does this mean I have to get in your bed again?”
His handsome face turned dark with anger. A lot of women would like to change places with you, baby! You’ve been here a couple of months now and I’ve been patient, and good to you.”
She looked up at him from her chair by the fire in his bedroom. You’ve bought me fancy clothes and jewels. And almost every night, you expect me to get in your bed, spread my thighs, and let you—”
If you were married, you’d have to let some other man do that to you. Some women even like it, Silver. What happened in you
r past before Dallinger brought you to me?”
She thought about her stepfather and shivered. I don’t want to talk about it. If you’d use a little tenderness, and be patient—”
Be patient!” he stormed. Ain’t I been? Look, Silver, you’re mine; you might as well get used to the idea. I’m rich and powerful. I pay off a lot of people. No Prince Charming on a white horse is gonna ride in here and rescue you, so you might as well make the best of the situation. All I’m asking is a little response.” He pulled her negligee open and put his hand on her breast.
Silver closed her eyes and trembled.
Damn it!” he swore, and stood up. I hate it when you pull away from me like that,” he growled, lighting a cigar. You’ve made a fool of me, Silver. I never let a woman do that to me before.”
She looked at her hands in her lap. I don’t mean to make a fool of you, Bart. All I want is out of here.”
And away from me?” He crossed the room, leaned on the fireplace with both hands, and stared into the flames.
She didn’t answer, knowing the truth would infuriate him.
You know why Jake brought you here? You know what you would be doing tonight if I hadn’t taken a fancy to you? There’s fifty rich, fat men in this town who keep asking when I’m putting you up for my clientele’s use. How would you like to have to let dozens of strangers ram into you every night? I’m tempted to do that; it would serve you right.”
Do you want me in your bed now?” she sighed. The sooner she did it, the sooner it would be over with.
Burt cursed. Okay, if that’s the way it’s got to be.” He threw the cigar into the fireplace, came over, caught her arm, and dragged her to her feet. I got no pride where you’re concerned, Silver, or I’d deny myself the use of that ripe body and let my customers have at you!”
He dragged her over to the bed and ripped the nightgown down the front. God, you have the most flawless face, the most beautiful body I ever saw!” He pushed her down on the bed.
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