“Don’t you dare pity me, you little fool,” Marice sneered. “It is I who pity you. I came here to try to help you, but I should have known better. You never were as smart as I am.”
Briana stared at her in silence. She didn’t want to fight with Marice. When had Marice begun to change? she wondered, and why hadn’t she seen it? Had she been too absorbed by her own problems?
Finally, she reached out and took her friend’s hand. In the kindest voice she could manage, she said, “Marice, give up this kind of life before you can’t turn back.”
“Oh, shut up!” Marice snatched her hand away. “I did not come here to have you lecture me. I’m happy. And look at you—poor, as you always will be.” Marice leaped to her feet, gave her long auburn hair a toss, and stared down at Briana in contempt. “And you’re lying when you say you’ve never been with a man. You’re no virgin. You’re just too proud to admit you were stupid enough to give yourself away and not get anything in return.”
She ran to the door, turning to glare at Briana one last time. “Come to Paris and beg in the streets, Briana. When I see you, I’ll give you a few francs for old times’ sake.” She walked out the door, closing it with a bang.
Briana felt like crying. Marice, she knew, had not really come only to reveal her plans. She had come seeking approval and, receiving quite the opposite, had become angry. The two would never be friends again, but there was nothing Briana could do about that, or anything she could do to change Marice.
Briana got up, smoothing her worn skirt, and walked to the mirror that hung on the wall opposite the door. She pushed her hair back away from her face. She looked at herself for a long moment. She looked tired. She was tired. Madame deBonnett was an ogre these days, making unreasonable demands. It was as though she were trying to get every shred of work out of Briana in anticipation of the time when she would be forced to dismiss her. She had already dismissed the butler and the cook. Briana was now required to take over those duties. Only by sneaking out of the house while Madame napped was she able to have a few moments of respite.
Briana sighed, knowing madame would be awake now, and probably screaming for tea and cake.
Preparing to go back to the château, she turned away from the mirror, lifted her skirt, and smoothed her black cotton stockings.
“Nice. But lift the skirt a bit higher, please.”
Briana gasped and whirled around. Her fright was at once replaced by fury as she saw Gavin leaning in the doorway, smiling insolently, eyes bright, as usual.
She jerked her garments down and cried hoarsely, “How dare you!” She pointed at him. “Get out of here!”
He kicked the door shut and began moving slowly toward her. “It’s time we had a talk, Briana. Strictly business, however. You’ve nothing to fear.”
She lifted her chin defiantly and said clearly, “I’ve never been afraid of you, monsieur. And we have nothing to discuss. I work for Madame deBonnett, not for you,” she added pointedly.
Reaching her side, Gavin touched her bare arm and murmured, “Such smooth skin for a woman of the servant class.”
She swatted his hand away and marched to the door. “You have no right to be here. This is my home, and you are intruding, sir.”
He crossed the room and slammed the door. The smile left his face, and his eyes narrowed menacingly. Grabbing her shoulders, he pushed her into a nearby chair, towering over her to yell. “Enough insolence. You will listen to what I have to say or else I’ll mess up that pretty face so badly that you’ll be ashamed to be seen. Do you understand me?”
Briana, still not intimidated, tried to get up, but he shoved her back down and pressed his hands against her shoulders, hard. She tried to push him away, but he slapped her, then entwined his fingers in her long hair and pulled on it mercilessly. Held that way, utterly helpless, she had no choice but to hear him out.
“I really don’t want to hurt you, Briana. You’re of no use to me if you’re battered. Now, will you behave yourself and listen?”
Briana hoped her hatred of him was in her eyes as he gave her hair another yank. “Say what you’ve got to say,” she conceded.
He released her so abruptly she toppled to the floor. Before she could scramble to her feet, he picked her up and sat her in the chair again. “Now then, I will talk, and you will listen.”
His eyes moved to her heaving bosom, and he sighed. “I must admit it’s hard to discuss business when you inspire…other thoughts.”
“Please say what you came here to say,” she requested coldly.
“Ah, Briana, such spirit,” he said. “You’d be sheer delight in bed, moving those luscious hips, with me rammed inside you. Certainly you’d be better than that little twit Marice. Oh, yes,” he informed her, “I saw her come in. I was waiting for her to leave. I’ve had many a good tumble with her, but she’s decided to sell what she was giving me for free, and, unfortunately, my allowance has been greatly reduced, so…”
He sat down across from her. “I suppose,” he continued musingly, “that if we are going to be business partners, I shall have to be completely candid with you and say that my allowance is, actually, nonexistent. The deBonnett fortune is gone, as you doubtless know. Alaina has a reprieve from the bank, but unless something is done soon, the château will have to be sold.”
“What do you want of me?” she interrupted. “I have my own troubles.”
He nodded. “Yes, I know you do, and that is why we need each other, Briana. You are going to help me and Alaina, and you’re also going to be able to help yourself and that poor, sick brother of yours.”
He lit a cheroot and inhaled, then blew the smoke out slowly before saying kindly, “How would you like to have enough money to pay for your brother’s operation?”
She went stiff with shock. She had never known Gavin Mason to do anything charitable, so there had to be something devious in his mind. “You are not going to get me to submit to you. Not even for that kind of money.”
He threw back his head and laughed. “Of course not. I can have you any time I want you, you silly girl, don’t you understand that? Besides, I’d never pay that much for any woman. No, I’ve something else in mind, something that will require you to be quite a good actress. Are you desperate enough to do a good job?”
“That depends on what you have in mind. I have my principles,” she informed him.
“But you also have a price,” he said wearily. “Everyone does. Now, here is the proposition I’m making to you.”
“I’m listening,” she said warily.
“I will tell your brother’s doctors in Paris to prepare for the operation. I will have Charles moved to a private hospital so he will receive the best of care while he’s waiting for the operation. How soon the operation takes place will depend entirely on you. It’s a question of how quickly you get your job done.”
Briana’s heart was racing. Was there really a chance that she could earn the money?
Was there really a chance for Charles?
“You will be going to America with me.”
“America?” she gasped. “Whatever—”
He held up a hand for silence. “Listen to me. I don’t know if Dani ever told you, but her father is a very wealthy man.”
Briana shook her head. “She never talked to me about that.”
Gavin proceeded to tell her the whole story, finishing, “So Travis Coltrane is now in Paris. He’s written to Dani to tell her that she may claim her half of his estate any time. I offered to marry Dani, but she refused. She was determined to enter the convent.” He wrinkled his nose in distaste.
Briana smiled to herself. Dani would never have consented to marry Gavin in any case.
“Why do you need me?” she asked.
“Because,” he replied, smiling confidently, “all Dani has to do is go to America and claim her fortune.”
“Well, she’s not going to, is she?”
He sighed impatiently. “No. She’s not going to ask for her mon
ey. However”—he paused significantly—“Dani is going to America to lay claim to her share of the Coltrane fortune, because, you see…” He paused again, then continued: “You are going to be Dani.”
Briana shook her head without a second’s hesitation.
“No.”
“Yes,” said Gavin. “It is the only way you can hope to save your brother’s life. And,” he continued, “my plan will work. Coltrane won’t be in Nevada. The only member of the family who’ll be there is his son, who has not seen Dani in almost fourteen years. You resemble her closely enough. The coloring is right. And you speak English perfectly, with only a trace of a French accent. Dani would conceivably speak the same way, having lived in this country for so long.” He paused. “Thank God she taught you English. The bitch isn’t entirely useless.
“It’s all quite simple,” he went on fluidly before she could speak. “We’ll go to America. I will outline my plan for you later. Meanwhile, I’ll make the provisions for your brother’s care.” He sat back and watched her. What he had told her was all she needed to know for the time being. How he planned to use her to get control of all the Coltrane money was nothing she needed to know, at least not yet.
Briana’s mind raced. It was not right, but it wasn’t as wrong as what Marice was doing. Or letting her beloved Charles die. Wasn’t it her sacred duty to help that helpless boy? Dani had no need of the money anymore, so who would be hurt? And Charles would have a chance to live. That same thought kept coming back over and over: Charles would have a chance to live.
She leaned back in the chair and closed her eyes. The years rolled backward and she recalled all the close times with her mother. How she wished her mother was there to help her now! Was there no other way? Could Briana stoop so low? Was the fact that Charles’s life might be saved a pardoning grace in the guilt of this conspiracy?
Yes. Charles had to have a chance.
With a silent prayer, Briana lifted misty eyes to Gavin and said, “I will do it.”
His eyes sparkled. “I knew you would. You’re stubborn, but you’re not stupid.”
“One thing,” Briana said quickly, her expression grim. “You will not touch me. You will not try to get me into your bed. That is not part of our agreement. That must be understood from the beginning. I want your word of honor,” she said solemnly, wondering fleetingly if Gavin had any honor.
“Oh, you have my word,” he said airily. “There are plenty of other women around, Briana. I don’t lie awake at night thinking about you.”
He stood. “I’m going now to make arrangements for the money to provide care for your brother, and also to arrange our passage to America. We’ll leave as soon as I can get everything taken care of. Meanwhile, go to Dani’s room and begin packing her clothes. You will fit into them, I’m sure. Alter whatever needs altering.”
He went to the door, then paused to warn, “You will not say anything about this to anyone. I demand the utmost secrecy.”
Briana nodded agreement. She certainly didn’t want anyone knowing. “You have my word.”
Gavin left and hurried to the house, relief making him elated. But he knew the next part would be difficult.
He entered the house and went straight to Alaina’s room, where he found her seated at her mahogany desk, studying the family ledgers.
He stood behind her, lowering his hands to dip down inside the bodice of her dressing gown and caress her breasts.
A ripple of pleasure went through Alaina, but she refused to yield to desire. “Not now, Gavin. I’m going over the books. I’m in no mood for lovemaking.”
He nibbled her ear. “You will be in a very different mood when I tell you that our worries are over, my darling.”
She twisted around to stare up at him. “What are you talking about? We’re destitute.”
He fingered the diamond-and-emerald necklace she was wearing, one of the last of the deBonnett family jewels. It was her favorite. The Count had given it to her when they married. It had been in Count deBonnett’s family for six generations and was very valuable.
He took her hands and drew her to her feet, leading her to the bed.
Holding her close, tilting her face to look up into his, he talked. He told her of his plan. As he talked, her face began to look less haggard, less worn, and he was pleased with himself.
When he finished, she threw her arms around him, exulting, “Oh, Gavin, Gavin, my darling. You’re brilliant! Who will ever know? Travis’s son surely won’t know Briana isn’t Dani. And Travis won’t be there. Why, it won’t take any time at all. When you come back with all that money, we’ll live like royalty. We’ll send Briana away so that no one will ever find out.”
Gavin caught her arms and said gently, “It might take awhile, Alaina. Briana doesn’t know this—she has no need to—but we are going to come away from Nevada with more than Dani’s half of the fortune. We might very well come away with all of it. I’ll have to look over the situation when we get there. I can’t plan everything until I’ve seen what’s what.”
Alaina nodded. “There’s one thing more,” he went on, fingering her necklace. “I need money right away. For passage to America. And to take care of Briana’s brother. She’s not stupid. Unless she knows I’ve started carrying out my part of the bargain, she won’t cooperate.”
Alaina’s elation faded. “There is no money, Gavin. You know that.”
He gave the necklace a tug. “There’s this.”
Alaina clutched the jewels possessively as she shook her head wildly. “No. Gavin, this is almost all I have left, all that’s worth anything. And it has sentimental value. And—”
“And we can buy a dozen just like it once we have the Coltrane fortune,” he snapped. “Hand it over.”
Her eyes filled with tears, but he wasn’t moved. Tears never moved Gavin. With trembling hands, she unfastened the necklace and let it slip into his outstretched palm.
He gave it a playful toss, then put it on the bedside table.
“Now then,” he whispered huskily, pushing her down onto the bed. “I want your other jewels, my lovely bitch…the jewels that belong only to me.”
Chapter Seven
Flat valleys, ringed by buttes and mesas, framed by rugged mountains—this was the world the posse from Silver Butte and Colt became a part of as they tracked the bank robbers who had killed Charlene Bowden.
For five grueling days, the men rode, senses keenly alert for any sign. The Indian scout Marshal Booth procured fell by the wayside on the second day when it became clear that Colt was a better tracker. Like his father, Colt did not depend solely on signs like horse tracks and broken brush, but trusted his instincts, putting himself into the mind of his prey. He thought as the prey would think. It worked. They were on the trail of the gunmen, and not far behind them.
The trouble was, they were in rugged country, with many places men could hide in ambush. The posse moved slowly, lest they become an easy target for the outlaws.
Except for Colt, who took chances and refused to listen when Marshal Booth told him to be careful. Booth and his deputies were all eager to catch the men who’d murdered Charlene and robbed the townspeople of their hard-earned money. Yes, they were eager. But they were careful not to jeopardize their lives or the lives of the others.
They stopped on the fifth night to camp on the top of a jutting butte. It was a good place for keeping an eye out all around them. Marshal Booth helped himself to some rabbit stew, then walked over to where Colt was sitting next to a clump of mesquite. Colt wasn’t eating, wasn’t doing anything except what he’d been doing ever since they’d ridden out of Silver Butte—keeping to himself in frigid silence. He had thrown an impenetrable wall around himself.
Booth knew Coltrane and the Bowden girl had been seeing each other for a while, and he knew there’d been some trouble. Hell, old man Carleton Bowden had pitched a fit out in the street, saying it was Colt’s fault his daughter was dead, threatening to kill Colt.
The marsha
l sat down a few feet from Colt. Colt didn’t acknowledge him. He stared into the distance, eyes narrowed.
The marshal ate his stew, keeping his eyes on Colt, who didn’t even glance his way.
“Okay,” Booth began, intent on having his say. “We need to talk, Coltrane.”
Colt regarded him coolly, then averted his gaze.
“You got me worried, boy. I don’t like the way you’re acting. You charge straight ahead, knowin’ any time you could be ridin’ into a hail of bullets. It’s like you’re wantin’ to get yourself killed. Well, that’s no good, especially if you take me and the other men with you. Now, I don’t know what went on back there in town between you and old man Bowden. But whatever it is, settle it when you get home. And, Coltrane, truth is, I’d as soon you headed on back to town now anyway, ’cause you’re makin’ us all jittery as mules in a lightnin’ storm. The way you’re actin’ is spooky.”
Colt murmured, “I know what I’m doing. You have no reason to worry, Marshal.”
The marshal’s eyebrows shot up. “No reason to worry when you charge ahead without lookin’ left or right?”
Colt smiled. He knew exactly what he was doing. But he wasn’t ready to explain. “You want me to leave the posse, I will,” he said.
The marshal’s head bobbed up and down. “I think that’d be best, Coltrane. I can send somebody to get that Indian scout back. We might go slower, but it’d be safer. I’d feel a lot better if you’d just head back to Silver Butte.”
“I’m not going back to Silver Butte.” Colt got to his feet. He reached for the saddle he’d taken off his horse, then started toward where the horses were tethered.
“Hey, wait!” The marshal got to his feet. “Where do you think you’re going?”
Colt stopped and turned, staring at him with eyes suddenly flashing. “Don’t worry about me, Marshal. You’ve got a job to do. I’ve got a job to do. It’s best we split up and each do things our own way.”
The marshal ran to block his path. “Now, you wait a minute,” he ordered, anger rising. “I ain’t havin’ you ridin’ outta here thinkin’ you’re the law. That ain’t the way I run things. If you ain’t goin’ back to town, you can just fall in with the rest of the posse and start takin’ orders and actin’ like you got some sense.”
Love and Fury: The Coltrane Saga, Book 4 Page 8
