by Nan Ryan
“No!”
“No?” What do you mean, no? Don’t you want—”
“Please,” she cut in, “I don’t want parties and presents! I don’t want to leave this room.” She pressed her face into his neck again.
Completely at a loss, Austin cradled her head and said softly, “Suzette, turning twenty-three is hardly a tragedy. It’s really very young.”
“It isn’t that!” She pulled back to look at him. “Austin, I know you’ll think me childish and absurd, but I…I…I’m always so frightened on my birthday. The worst tragedies of my life happened to me around my birthday. Those horrors come back to haunt me and I always have the terrible feeling that something awful will happen to me. It’s the same each year. I’m terrified. It’s like…like…oh, Austin, what if something should happen to you because you married me? What if—”
“Sweetheart,” he said, hugging her tightly, “I certainly don’t think you are childish and absurd. I can understand your being upset on your birthday. Bless your heart, I should have been thoughtful enough to have guessed. Listen to me, Suzette, nothing is going to happen to me. Nothing. And nothing is going to happen to you. Those tragedies are behind you. There won’t be any more. You and I will get all dressed up and then—”
“No! Please, Austin, no!” she pleaded. “Don’t make me go out today. I can’t. I don’t want to spoil your plans, but I just can’t.”
Austin kissed her temple and smiled. “Relax, there’s no need for us to leave the room if you’d rather not.”
“You mean it?” she asked relieved. “You don’t mind if we don’t celebrate?”
Austin drew her closer. “Listen to me very carefully, Suzette. I love you more than you will ever know. There is nothing I would not do to make you happy. You’re safe here in my arms and you may stay here for the rest of your life. I told you a long time ago that should you ever need a dragon slayed, I’d be happy to do it.” He grinned and kissed her ear. “You could never spoil my plans because every plan I have is for you. If you feel you’d like to remain inside today, let’s do it. Just tell me what you want, darlin’. Always tell me what you want. I can get you anything you desire.”
“Austin,” she murmured, her eyes softening, her hand absently roaming over his chest, “may I really tell you what I want? Will you be shocked if I do?”
“Sweet, it takes a lot to shock me.”
“I know, but I’m embarrassed.” She let her hand trail down the dark line of hair.
Austin smiled. “Whisper it to me.”
Smiling, Suzette leaned close to his ear. “Will you make love to me now, in the middle of the day with the balcony doors wide open?”
“Oh, Jesus!” He groaned and pulled her over on him. Kissing her softly, Austin lifted her to his other side, placing her gently on her back in the middle of the bed. With sure hands, he whisked away her flimsy nightgown while his mouth heated on hers. Suzette’s lips parted, her tongue mating with his. She shivered when his big hand spread on her stomach. His touch was feather-light on her quivering flesh, awakening sensitive nerve endings, spreading pleasure with a slow sweep of his hand.
Then his big, powerful body was over hers and Suzette’s eyes opened wide as he took her, filling her with warmth, driving out her fears, making her a part of him. A glorious feeling of well-being battled with a sensual feeling of urgency as he moved within her, thrusting deeply, raising her to the heights of erotic pleasure. Her mouth dry, her breath coming in shallow gulps, Suzette’s long nails punished his smooth, broad back as the climactic crest came for them at the same time. “Austin, Austin…I…oh…ooooh…yes…yes…Austin!”
Austin’s great gray eyes were locked with hers and the sound of her excited voice shrieking out her ecstasy made him groan with satisfaction. After the last small shudders shook them, Austin lay quietly beside Suzette, holding her in his arms, kissing her flushed face. From the courtyard below, soft strains of “The Blue Danube” drifted up through the open balcony doors as the noon concert began. The air inside the bedroom was still and close; the lovers’ bodies were damp with perspiration. Suzette, her pulse finally slowing, her head against Austin’s shoulder, turned her face to his and whispered softly. “Austin, thank you.”
“Thank you, my darlin’,” he said against her temple.
By evening Suzette had cast aside her fears, and she and her happy husband were dressing in their finest for dinner at Moon’s restaurant on the lake. After their midday loving and short nap, Austin had brought Suzette’s birthday presents from their hiding place and dumped them onto the bed with her. Giggling, she had eagerly torn into the gaily wrapped packages. Vowing after each one that it was definitely her favorite, Suzette put each article on as she unwrapped it.
First came a pair of gold and oystershell combs; they immediately went into her hair, sweeping the long, tangled tresses back from her face. Next, a pair of diamond earrings, their unique design making her swoon with pleasure, were fastened to her lobes. A stunning gold bracelet, entirely plain and two inches wide, went directly on her right wrist. A ring of emeralds and diamonds twinkled brightly from its bed of velvet.
“I love it!” Suzette squealed and slipped it on her finger.
There were at least a dozen little gifts: a new journal covered in blue brocade, a gold pen, a Dickens story, a music box that played sweetly while a man danced with his sweetheart on its top. And on and on. When finally Suzette had opened all the gifts and the bed was full of her treasures and the boxes and crumpled paper, she rose to her knees and stretched out her arms to her husband. “Austin, thank you so much. I love everything. Thank you. There’s only one gift that I can’t use.”
“What’s that darlin’?”
Suzette handed him the shiny blue brocade journal. “This, Austin. I no longer have to write about life. With you I am living it to the fullest!”
Austin grinned and tossed the journal to the floor. He put a knee on the bed and embraced her. “Happy birthday, Suzette,” he said softly, pulling her gently into his arms. “Now, what would you like to do for the rest of the day? Still want to stay in?”
“No. What I’d really like to do is get dressed up, wear some of my beautiful new jewels, and go to dinner. Then…I’d like to go to the casino.”
“Then that’s exactly what we’ll do.” He lifted her from the bed.
“Are you sure? I mean, I didn’t know whether or not ladies are permitted in the casino. If we can’t do it, it’s fine.”
Austin set her on her feet. “I think you’ll find that with enough money, one can do just about anything one wants.”
Suzette, her new diamond earrings sparkling in the light cast by the chandelier, sat on a velvet stool in a private room in the casino and played faro and roulette while Austin stood above her, motioning the croupier to hand her more chips whenever she ran low. When she won, she happily raked the colored chips into a heap in front of her and looked up at her husband with wide-eyed excitement.
Austin didn’t gamble. It didn’t interest him. He’d gotten it out of his system in his youth. Now he found it a rather foolish, boring entertainment, but he was perfectly willing to let Suzette play. His fingertips resting lightly on her bare shoulder, he looked down at her with possessive pride. His heart speeded as the vision of her lying in his arms, looking into his eyes, came flooding back. “Thank you, Austin,” she had murmured in the afterglow of lovemaking.
Austin’s big hand involuntarily tightened on her delicate shoulder as unfounded fear pushed itself in to prick at his happiness. He knew just how Suzette had felt earlier in the day. It was her birthday; bad things happened on her birthday. Would something bad happen? Would they be allowed to be this happy? Do I deserve such bliss?
At that minute, Suzette turned around to smile up at him. “This is the best birthday of my life,” she whispered happily. She kissed the big hand resting on her shoulder before turning back to the game. Austin Brand relaxed.
You’re damned right we deserve t
o be this happy! he silently told the fates.
Two thousand miles away, in a lavish hotel room in Fort Worth, Texas, a lean, dark man sat reading the Fort Worth Democrat. His cold, black eyes narrowed as he read a society piece on a honeymooning couple. The rotogravure picture accompanying the story showed a young, beautiful woman, dressed elegantly, smiling up at her tall, handsome husband. The man’s eyes were on the woman, full of love and adoration.
The dark young man recrossed his long legs and carefully tore the picture from the newspaper. Folding it neatly, he slipped it into the breast pocket of his tight black shirt.
A short, paunchy Mexican walked into the room at that moment, a wide, toothy grin spreading over his fleshy face. “Did you see the latest on the honeymooners?” The dark, handsome man barely nodded, the expression in his eyes never changing. “Well?” the Mexican questioned. “Will it be soon? They will return in a few weeks.” His grin broadened and he rubbed his ham-like hands together.
The dark man took a long, brown cigar from a small table beside his elbow. Biting off the tip, he rolled the narrow cigar between his lips before clamping it firmly between even, white teeth. He didn’t light it.
Slowly he took it from his mouth, and for the first time he spoke. “There’s no hurry, my friend. I may wait years. I want him to be so much in love with his beautiful new plaything, he’ll suffer properly. I’ll let him be happy for a time. I’ve the rest of my life.”
With a shrug of his shoulders, he placed the cigar back into his mouth and lit it, puffing it slowly to life. He inhaled deeply. In his black, hooded eyes was a look very near to joy.
18
From Saratoga, the Alpha swept its illustrious passengers southward to Atlantic City, New Jersey. Suzette loved the ocean and the strolls down the long boardwalk. The couple stayed at the resort through the end of September, and both agreed it had been the most wonderful trip ever and vowed they would return to their favorite places the next year.
The Alpha pulled into Fort Worth at mid-morning on October 12, 1878. Suzette stood at the window of their stateroom, searching eagerly for familiar landmarks. “Austin,” she said, “can you believe we’ve been away for nine months?”
Smiling, Austin slipped his arms about his wife’s waist and kissed the top of her head. “No, angel, I can’t believe it. Thank you for the most wonderful time of my life.”
“Mine, too, Austin.” She leaned back against him. “We’re stopping. Shall we get off right away?”
Releasing her, he said, “No, darlin’, we’ll have lunch on board, then spend the night at a hotel. Tomorrow we’ll go home. I’m going to step outside for a few minutes.”
“I’ll dress for lunch while you’re gone.” She turned and flashed him a big smile.
Austin returned shortly with the morning paper. As Suzette took the front section of the Fort Worth Democrat, her eyes grew wide and she said, “Austin! Listen to this.”
HOSTILE PRISONER COMMITS SUICIDE
The last of the great Kiowa war chiefs committed suicide yesterday by throwing himself from a second-story window at the Huntsville prison. The impressive Satanta, who was returned to prison after the outbreak of 1874, jumped to his death yesterday morning, unable to stand the confinement.
Let Satanta’s own prophecy, spoken by the rugged warrior years ago, be his epitaph: “When I roam over the prairie, I feel free and happy, but when I sit down, I grow pale and die.”
Suzette lowered the newspaper and smiled at Austin. “I couldn’t be happier! At last the animal has paid.”
“I share your happiness.” Austin nodded.
Across town, in a second-story hotel suite at the Mansion, a lean, dark man read the article. Slowly he lowered the newspaper, his eyes narrowed to mere slits.
“I hope the white bastards are happy,” he said thinly.
“I am sorry, son,” a gray-haired man offered, shaking his head.
The dark man didn’t reply. Carefully he tore the article from the paper and folded it neatly, then put it into his breast pocket. Rising from his chair, he sighed heavily as he went to the open window. His cold, black eyes swept over the city. Carriages and buggies and mounted cowboys crowded the unpaved streets below. Music and laughter floated up from the numerous saloons and dance halls. At the edge of the city, train whistles blew as steam engines chugged into town pulling cargo and passengers. Everywhere was noise, shouting, hustle, and bustle.
The dark man released the curtain and said without emotion, “Perhaps Satanta is finally free. The world he knew is no more.”
“Austin, may I ask a big favor?” Suzette sat brushing her long hair in their suite at the newly opened Hotel El Paso.
Austin, boots and shirt off, sat sipping bourbon, watching his young wife with unabashed enjoyment. “Darlin’, when I see you sitting there in that thin chemise with all that golden hair tumbling down around your shoulders, you could ask for just about anything and get it.”
Suzette lowered her hairbrush and turned to look at him. “Remember what fun we had at the casino in Saratoga?” Her big eyes flashed as she spoke.
“I shall never forget, my sweet.”
“Well, they have casinos in Fort Worth, don’t they?”
Austin chuckled. “Honey, I’m not sure you’d call them casinos, but there’s plenty of gambling in Fort Worth. There’s gambling in the saloons in Jacksboro.”
“Really, Austin? You can gamble in Jacksboro?”
“Sweetheart, wherever there’s money, there’s gambling. The federal payroll to the troops at Fort Richardson pumps money into town, just as the cattlemen paying their hands brings in money. Why, our little home town is one of the liveliest in all Texas. The famous and beautiful Lottie Deno used to run a faro layout right in Jacksboro.”
“Who is Lottie Deno?”
Austin pulled a cigar from a wooden box and lit it. “Lottie is a professional lady gambler. She’s cultured and beautiful and highly intelligent. She’s had more men in love with her than most women meet in a lifetime. Doc Holiday has been mad about Lottie for years and she won’t give him a tumble.”
“The Doc Holiday? Has he ever been to Jacksboro?”
Drawing on his cigar, Austin grinned. “He followed Lottie to town and he stayed until she left a few months ago.”
“Why have you never told me this before, Austin Brand?” Suzette rose from the stool and her hands went to her hips, the hairbrush still in her hand.
Austin laughed. “Why, because you were a proper young lady and I sure didn’t think you’d be interested in the adventures of soiled doves and outlaws. Come here.” He put out his hand and pulled her onto his lap.
Tossing the loose hair back from her face, Suzette scolded, “You’re teasing me, Austin. You know very well I’m dying to know about such things! Did Lottie wear red satin dresses and mesh stockings and…I’m getting off the subject. What I wanted to ask you is”—she began to flirt with her husband, letting her hand run over the curling hair on his broad chest while she smiled at him—“could we please gamble after dinner?”
“I shall have to think it over. Perhaps a sweet kiss would help to persuade me.” He grinned and laid his head back against the tall, padded chair.
Suzette giggled and put her hands on the sides of his head, raking her fingers through his hair. Happily, she pressed her lips to his, then pulled back to look at him. “Well?” She raised an eyebrow.
“Still not sure,” he kidded.
She immediately leaned to him, kissing him passionately, her parted lips moving intimately on his, the way he’d taught her. Austin’s big arms came around her and he held her close and kissed her back with eagerness and fire. When finally she sighed into his mouth and reluctantly lifted her head, her face was warm, her eyes dreamy. “Well?” she asked shakily.
Austin sighed, too, and twisted a long blond curl around his finger. “You may gamble till dawn if you desire.”
“Good.” She smiled and snuggled close to his warm chest. “Will w
e gamble when we get home to Jacksboro?”
“Sweetheart, I love you and I’d like always to give you anything you want, but I must forbid you from going into the saloons back home, even in my company. Ladies never go there, and my wife must be the grandest lady in town. Don’t fret, I’ll take you on enough trips to let you do all the gambling you can handle.” He kissed her neck. “Besides, Mrs. Brand, I’m shocked. It’s you who never misses church on Sunday. Don’t you think the congregation would be surprised to hear you’d been seen turning the cards with a bunch of drunken cowboys?”
“Austin”—she sat up and looked dismayed,—“you won’t tell anyone, will you?”
Laughing softly, he raised a hand to her velvety cheek. “Darlin’, your secret vice is safe with me. I’m the soul of propriety. Now, get dressed and I’ll take you to dinner.” She was off his lap like a bolt of lightning, rushing across the room to finish getting ready.
After dinner Suzette held Austin’s hand as he led her into the Peers House. His face twitched with amusement when Suzette saw that the waiters were scantily clad females. She gaped at the women and turned to look at him. “Austin, they’re…” She saw the mischief in his gray eyes and was determined to undermine his merriment. Knowing he was waiting for her to exclaim her shock, she raised her chin haughtily, but she couldn’t help sneaking looks at the painted, well-endowed women with their daringly low bodices and shockingly short skirts, displaying sheer stockinged legs.
“Shall we go directly to the roulette table?” she said in what she hoped was a flat, even voice.
“That’s what we came for, isn’t it?” he replied, his eyes twinkling.
Suzette started laughing. Austin laughed with her and put a long arm about her. She stood on tiptoes, holding his lapel. In his ear she whispered truthfully, “I’ve never seen ladies so near naked in a public place.”
“Darlin’, I rather doubt that they’re ladies.” Suzette shook her head in agreement when she saw a cowboy reach out and loop a long arm around one of the women. He hauled her up against his chest and slapped her bottom soundly. Showing absolutely no outrage at his behavior, the pretty woman laughed and made no effort to escape his grasp.
