Alex scoffed. Absently, he kicked at the rocks on the ground, stirring up dust. “Do you think I want Evelyn bound to me in that way? She already thinks I murdered her folks. Besides, I ain’t no good for her.” He stared at the ground.
“Mon ami, when will you stop running from your past?” Laurent placed a heavy hand on Alex’s shoulder. “You are not your father.”
Alex raised his head and stared at the Frenchman. The bruises on Evie’s wrists proved otherwise. “What the hell am I supposed to do with her?” He worked the muscles in his jaw. “This arrangement is no better than the slave trade in the east.”
“You are mistaken, my friend,” Laurent said, an easy smile on his face. “The young mademoiselle has been under my protection since she boarded that boat in St. Louis. She consented to allow me to be her guardian. I have not abandoned that duty.”
Alex stared at him blankly. “I don’t understand.”
“As her guardian, it is within my right to choose a husband for her, no? I choose you.” He poked a finger in Alex’s chest, making him wince when it jabbed his incision. “The bride price is one beaver plew.”
Alex blinked and shook his head. His eyebrows scrunched together. Laurent laughed and slapped him on the back. “It is simple, no? If you were to go to the father of an Absaroka or a Shoshoni, and ask for his daughter in marriage, he would name his price. This is no different. Mademoiselle Lewis has no father or male relative to give her away in marriage. As her guardian, that duty falls to me.” He paused, staring intently at Alex, but the corners of his mouth twitched.
Alex scoffed, shaking his head at the Frenchman’s logic. “Those are the ways here in the mountains. Evie is hardly an Injun. She’s the type of woman who would want a church wedding and be married up all proper like.”
“Who says you cannot offer that to her? In time? Until the time comes when you go to St. Louis, she is married to you according to the customs of the land. A la facon du pay.” Laurent stopped smiling. His jaw muscles tightened, and his lips were drawn in a tight line. “It is the only way to protect her from men like Oliver Sabin. You know this is true, Walker.”
Begrudgingly, Alex agreed with Laurent’s reasoning. Hadn’t that been his intent already when he bartered for Evie? To protect her from the likes of Sabin?
“Why didn’t you simply bring her to me? You said you knew I’d be at rendezvous already. Why did you have to put her through the humiliation of a barter?” Alex’s voice rose in sudden anger. He hadn’t thought to ask these questions the previous day.
“Sabin forced my hand,” Laurent shot back. “He wanted the little mademoiselle ever since it was revealed that she was on board that boat. I did what I could to protect her. Once we got to rendezvous, all I could do was buy an hour’s time. If he had not been so insistent, I would have sought you out myself, and simply given her to you.” He stared intently at Alex, then smirked. “Besides, you will be doing me a great favor, too. Now that you have a wife, Whispering Waters will see that I am the man for her, and not you.”
Alex groaned silently. Whispering Waters, the Bannock Indian woman he’d met while trading with her father’s tribe over the course of several seasons had made it no secret that she would like nothing better than have him offer a bride price to her father. It was also common knowledge that Laurent was in love with her. Alex never encouraged the young woman’s interest in him, not only out of respect for his friend, but also because he simply felt no attraction to her.
You sure as hell are attracted to Evie Lewis, Walker. And for that very reason you need to stay away from her.
“What the hell am I going to do about her, Laurent? She thinks I killed her folks. I don’t have time to take her back to St. Louis.”
Laurent laughed, and slapped Alex on the back. “Bring her with you to the valley. It is the only solution. I will have to meet with Sabin and his men in a few months, but I will accompany you and help build your cabin, just like we agreed last year, my friend. Perhaps one long winter with you, and the mademoiselle will see you in a different light, no?” His eyebrows rose suggestively. “You will have many long nights to convince her that you did not kill her parents. There is always time next spring to go to St. Louis and find out who the real murderer is.”
Alex stared off into the distance. The snow-covered jagged peaks of the Tetons rose like a wolverine’s sharp teeth into the distant sky. These mountains had beckoned to him since he first laid eyes on them six years ago, calling him back year after year. The thought that he would ever want to leave the mountains to return to his old life in St. Charles never crossed his mind.
Alex inhaled a deep breath. He knew what he had to do, what he wanted to do, and both stemmed from the same selfish reasons. If Evie didn’t hate him already, she would surely hate him the next time he spoke with her.
****
“I wonder what’s keeping Alex. He said he’d be here at dawn.” Aimee heaved a large leather pouch onto one of her packhorses’ backs. “Hand me that rope there on the ground, please, Evelyn.”
Evelyn reached for the coiled twine, and stepped up beside Aimee. The comment only served as a reminder that Aimee and her family were leaving shortly, and she would be left to deal with Alex on her own. The shorter blond woman glanced up at her with a smile, which faded instantly. She placed a hand on Evelyn’s shoulder, her face etched with concern.
“He’s a good man, Evelyn. Alex may have bartered for you, but I know he did so with the best intentions. He’s trying to look out for you, no matter what you may think he’s done.”
“Would you trust a man who might have murdered your family?” Evelyn blinked back the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes. She had thought a lot about what Alex said yesterday, and she had to admit that Charlie did seem to have a lot to gain by killing her parents. The more she had thought about it throughout the day and into the night, it started making more sense to her. Was it possible that he had lied to Henry?
Evelyn hadn’t seen Alex since the previous morning. Her anger seethed anew at the memory of his heated statement that she belonged to him. It had taken all of her restraint not to strike out at him. Instead, she’s sought sanctuary in the tent she’d occupied since he brought her to Aimee. Her mind was overrun with a jumble of mixed emotions where he was concerned. One minute he acted quiet and reserved, almost friendly, and the next his eyes would blaze in anger and he became a stranger to her again.
His clean appearance had both shocked and surprised her. It also brought back all the old feelings and emotions about him that she thought had died years ago when he didn’t return from his venture into the wilderness. Worse, these feelings seemed to have intensified. Her childhood infatuation had erupted into a grown woman’s desire for a man. His touch had evoked the most electrifying sensations in her when his fingers grazed hers as he handed her the muslin, leaving her both confused and exhilarated. Anger had quickly evaporated those warm feelings when Alex proclaimed he owned her.
“Evelyn, I know there are some misunderstandings between you and Alex, but I can’t believe he would kill someone in cold blood.”
Evelyn stared at Aimee. The entire Osborne family thought fondly of Alex. Daniel Osborne seemed like a decent man, so unlike most of the other trappers she’d encountered. If he thought highly of Alex, shouldn’t she be a bit more trusting?
“How did you come to know him?” Evelyn asked. Perhaps if she knew more about the man he had become, she could think more clearly about her reaction to him.
Aimee grinned. “It was six years ago, when he first came to the mountains. He thought he had to prove to everyone how tough he was. The trouble is, this wilderness quickly humbles even the strongest man.”
“What happened?” Evelyn asked eagerly. Henry had certainly never divulged information to her about Alex when she tried to ask discreet questions.
“Apparently he thought he could bring down a fully grown grizzly by himself with a single shot flintlock. His first dumb mistake that
day was to go out on his own to set his beaver traps. Then he provoked a bear by shooting at it. You’ll have to ask him about the details, but it was a good thing that Daniel came along when he did, or Alex wouldn’t have survived his first winter here. He was such a greenhorn back then.” Aimee grinned, obviously thinking of a fond memory. Quickly, her face turned serious again. “But he’s learned a lot. I would trust Alex with my life, Evelyn. I think you should put a little more trust in him, too. It takes a special kind of man to carve out a living here, and Alex has proven himself as just such a man.”
Evelyn gazed at the ground. “It must also take a special woman to endure life here,” she mumbled.
“Something tells me you might be just the type of woman who can handle it. With the right man at your side . . .” Aimee left her thought unfinished. She turned her attention back to her horse, and finished securing the pouch to the animal’s back before facing Evelyn again.
“Do you want to return to St. Louis?” she asked tentatively.
“Do I have a choice to return?” Evelyn’s eyes widened, surprised at Aimee’s question. What would she do if she was allowed to return to St. Louis? Marry Charles? She shook her head at the thought, and a cold shudder passed down her spine.
Before she had a chance to contemplate Aimee’s question further, a man’s voice spoke from behind them. Evelyn pirouetted on her heels, her heart slamming against her ribcage.
“I’ll be heading out today, too.” Alex clasped hands with Daniel, but his gaze was clearly locked on her. “Heading up the Snake to a small valley between a couple of lakes closer to the mountains. Gonna build my own cabin before winter sets in.”
“Sounds like you are ready to settle down.” Daniel grinned broadly.
“Looks like it,” Alex answered.
Evelyn swallowed back the lump in her throat. Her palms began to sweat. This was the moment she was both dreading and almost anticipating. She stood by silently while Alex said his goodbyes to the Osbornes. Aimee wrapped her arms around Evelyn’s shoulders.
“It’ll be okay. You’ll see. And if you want to return to St. Louis, I know he’ll take you back,” she whispered.
“Thank you for everything,” Evelyn said, forcing a smile. She embraced Sarah, then stood silently by, watching the family ride from camp.
“Ready?” Alex asked, reaching for the leather pouch at Evelyn’s feet. “Are these your personal effects?”
“It’s what Aimee gave to me, and the cloth from you,” she said, drawing in a deep breath when he straightened to his full height. A dark shadow of stubble had grown on his face since yesterday, and Evelyn wondered if he planned to grow his beard again. Far from off-putting, his look at the moment made him appear even more handsome than with a cleanly shaven face.
“Are you taking me back to St. Louis?” The question was out before she could stop herself. Did she want to go back home? There was nothing for her to go back to.
Alex raised his eyebrows. “Going to St. Louis was not part of my plans this season, Evie. I just came from there, remember?” His look challenged her to say more.
She swallowed nervously. “Then what are your plans for me, Alex?” Her eyes narrowed. She didn’t want to be reminded that he considered her his property, like he did his pack animals.
“I reckon you’re coming with me,” he said matter-of-factly. He looked up, glancing beyond her shoulder at something behind her. His eyes narrowed for a split second, and he stepped closer to her. Evelyn drew in a sharp breath, her senses filled with his masculine scent. Her heart suddenly raced in her chest. If only things were different between them. If only he didn’t consider her his property.
“What if I refuse? What if I simply say I don’t want to go with you? What if I say –”
Before she had a chance to react, Alex snaked his arm around her waist and pulled her up against his hard body. In the next instant, his mouth covered hers, drowning out anything else she wanted to say.
Too shocked to move or react to his unexpected assault, Evelyn stood stiffly in his embrace. She braced her hands against his chest, which only caused him to tighten his hold around her. His hard mouth on hers suddenly softened, and the kiss changed from one of aggression to a much softer exploration of her lips. His free hand cupped the back of her head while his fingers wrapped around her hair, holding her to him.
Heat suddenly exploded within her, and her legs refused to support her weight. Instead of pushing against Alex, her body instinctively leaned into him, and her arms reached up to grip his shoulders. His mouth slid slowly against hers, coaxing her to respond. Evelyn moaned softly, and her lips parted slightly. Hadn’t she dreamed about this years ago? The world evaporated around her while Alex held her in his embrace. There was nothing threatening about him. This was Alex as she had envisioned him a thousand times over; Alex returning the love she had felt for him all these years.
Slowly, much too soon, Alex loosened his arm around her waist. His calloused hand slid from behind her neck, his fingers lingering against her cheek. His lips broke contact with hers, and Evelyn stared wide-eyed up at his face. Bewilderment was written in his blue eyes, along with something she hadn’t seen before, nor could she put a name to it. He held her gaze, his eyes scanning the contours of her face. Evelyn slid her hands from his shoulders, and took a shaky step backward. Her heart pounded loudly in her ears, and her lips tingled in the aftermath of his kiss.
“Why?” she squeaked. Speaking seemed impossible. She wished she could hold on to this moment forever. A nagging voice somewhere in the recesses of her mind warned her to remain cautious, while her heart told her this was where she belonged.
Alex cleared his throat. He finally broke eye contact, his gaze seeking something behind her again.
“I had to silence you somehow,” he said, his voice raspy. His cheek muscles clenched. “Oliver Sabin has taken quite an interest in this camp. I couldn’t allow him to hear that you were about to break your ties to me.”
Evelyn’s jaw dropped. Her world had ended and begun in that kiss, but to him it had been nothing more than a means to silence her? Heat crept up her neck, and her cheeks burned. She took a shaky step backward. Alex reached for her arm, preventing her from turning.
“You can hate me for bartering for you, Evelyn,” he said, his voice tense. “You can hate me for refusing to take you back to St. Louis. According to the ways of the people who inhabit these mountains, you and I are wed just as if we had stood before a preacher in church back in St. Charles.” He paused, his gaze never wavering from hers. “But you also have the right to break the tie,” he continued slowly, his eyes staring deeply into hers as if trying to read her mind. “I can’t stop you from leaving, Evie. If you want to take your chances with men like Sabin, go ahead and cast me aside. But if you want to live, you’ll accept my terms.”
With those final words, he released her arm and stepped around her, leaving her standing by the cold ashes of Aimee’s abandoned campfire, more confused than before.
Chapter 8
The majestic snow-covered peaks of the mountain range that Evelyn had seen when Laurent and the other trappers brought her to the rendezvous loomed in the distance. Like sentinels standing watch over the vast valley stretching before them, they rose high into the sky. Aspen trees and conifers were the only obstructions to the magnificent view.
Alex reined in his horse in front of her, and the animal’s neck dropped immediately to drink from the narrow creek that gurgled and meandered snake-like through the tall grass. The two packhorses Alex led followed suit, and Evelyn’s mount moved eagerly up alongside the others without any encouragement from her. Alex swung his right leg up and over his horse’s neck, and disappeared momentarily from view. He moved around behind the animals, his rifle cradled in the crook of his arm. His head turned slightly from side to side, and his eyes seemed to be in constant motion as he scanned the tree line behind them.
Evelyn forced her gaze away from him. He hadn’t spoken a word t
o her since leaving the large encampment of trappers and Indians behind at the site of the rendezvous early in the day. Her stomach grumbled loudly, and she rubbed at her sore back. She’d become accustomed to riding horseback over the long weeks of traveling with Laurent and the other river pirates, but the endless hours in the saddle still didn’t agree with her backside. She leaned forward, and inched her left leg backward, intent on pulling it over the horse’s back to dismount. Luckily, she still wore Henry’s britches. A skirt would be much too cumbersome.
Her boot heel caught in the blanket tied to the back of the saddle, and Evelyn ground her teeth, determined to get off the horse’s back. Her leg muscles tightened, refusing to cooperate while she tried to free her foot from the blanket. Suddenly, strong hands clamped around her waist and hauled her from the saddle. Her backside collided against Alex’s solid thighs just before he set her feet on the ground. Evelyn whirled around on her heels, grabbing hold of his arms for support while she fought to regain her balance.
“I could have managed on my own,” she said, sucking in a sharp breath of air.
“Didn’t look like it from where I was standing,” he retorted, a smirk on his face. Strands of his dark hair fell over his forehead, partially obstructing his eyes, but his gaze rested intently on her face. She fought the impulse to swipe the hair away from his forehead. Abruptly, as if he just remembered that he still held her at the waist, he released his hold and pulled his arms away, then took a step backward. He reached for his rifle on the ground, and turned away from her.
Alex’s shirt couldn’t hide how his back muscles tensed while he stood facing toward the creek. Evelyn inhaled a deep breath. Why did he seem so angry and withdrawn again? She had told him before leaving the trapper rendezvous that she accepted the terms he laid out for her. They had come to an agreement . . . of sorts. He had offered her his protection with the promise to return her to St. Louis the following summer. In exchange, she would travel with him to the place where he planned to build a cabin, and assume all domestic duties customary of a wife.
Teton Sunrise (Teton Romance Trilogy) Page 7
