When Kat entered the dining room, Ethan got up from his chair. She stopped, suddenly, glancing around. She eyed George, with the abrupt sensation that she’d interrupted a fight, but George only smiled at her as usual.
She glanced at Ethan. He looked away, his face flushed, like he found it much harder to school his rage.
Kat frowned as George came forward to seat her. She smiled at him, still watching him. She wondered how he could look so calm, when she could clearly see how angry Ethan was, but then the food was served, and she soon forgot all about it.
When they’d finished their dinner, Kat eyed George, then Ethan, glancing once more at her grandfather’s empty chair.
George didn’t say anything, only placed his napkin on his plate and stood. Ethan held his hand up, smiling gently at her. “I’m sorry Kat,” he said. “He’s just too ill to join us.”
“And he doesn’t want to see me?” she asked. “I mean,” she glanced away. “He won’t let me go and visit him.”
George still didn’t say anything, and Ethan only shook his head. She sensed his regret, though she didn’t look at him. “He doesn’t want you to see him this way,” he said quietly.
Kat nodded. “I understand,” she said.
But she didn’t understand. She didn’t understand at all.
Chapter Thirteen
Her Gilded Cage
Kat stood beneath a beautiful hardwood tree on her grandfather’s immaculate lawns, breathing in the scent of the flowers, the trees and the green all around her. She gazed around. As always, everything looked so beautiful.
A beautiful cage, she thought
Every breath she took—seemed as though she fought to breathe.
Kat needed these moments, when she had the chance to escape all the people who were constantly moving around. She loved seclusion. People surrounded her here. And Kat loved to be alone. There seemed to always be something going on here. And Kat loved quiet. The city’s hustle and bustle constantly assaulted her ears, from beyond her grandfather’s estates. She didn’t know how much longer she could do this.
Could she change? She didn’t really think so. She had the horrifying idea she’d likely die, trying.
She tensed when she picked up the sound of Ethan’s heavy foot, on the lush green carpet of grass beneath her. She picked up the smell of her cousin, without having to turn to see him.
“I don’t think you’re happy here, cousin,” Ethan said behind her.
She turned, giving him a tight smile. “It’s true. I’m not use to such activities,” she replied. “I would be out riding fence this time of day. Instead, I’ve just finished my morning studies.” She glanced away but didn’t really see what she stared at.
Anything she said would be a lie. She felt trapped here, so she quickly came to resent this place, and she didn’t want to resent it. She wanted to develop a fondness for it and for the family she hadn’t had a chance to know. She’d wanted to remember where her father and mother had come from—not live there.
“Did your man ever return,” her cousin asked abruptly.
Kat frowned. “What man?”
Her cousin’s brow furrowed. “You know,” he said. “The one who’s out searching for some would-be assassin, who they tell me took a shot at you.”
Kat stared at him then. “No,” she said. “He hasn’t. He probably wouldn’t come back here anyway. He’ll wire us if he learns of anything. He has a family back home. Why do you ask?”
He straightened at her question. He tapped his walking stick against his leg. “Well, I would think that would be obvious,” he said. “Someone tried to kill you.”
Kat smiled in attempt to settle his growing agitation. “I wouldn’t concern yourself there, cousin,” she said. “We’re pretty sure it had nothing to do with anyone here. And since I am no longer there—well, there’s no further need for anyone out West to try and kill me.”
She saw her cousin’s frown deepen. His dark, gray eyes seemed stormy. She considered what might be bothering him so much, and figured he was kind to care. She might be his family, but he hardly knew her. It was nice, anyway.
“I wonder,” he said, stroking his well-groomed beard.
He didn’t go on, and Kat felt obliged to give him encouragement to do so. “What is it, cousin?”
“No,” he said. “I shouldn’t have said anything. It’s wrong of me to point fingers.”
Now, her curiosity peaked. “Oh, come now, cousin,” she gently prodded. “You can’t stop now. What’s bothering you?”
He seemed to consider her for a long moment. “I guess I would be remiss if I didn’t share my concern—and if anything were to happen to you because I didn’t say anything….”
He stepped close, put his arm around her, and Kat had to fight a sudden urge to move away. How, odd. She liked him. She did. She just wasn’t use to having someone constantly fidgeting about her.
“It’s just that—well….” He cleared his throat.
He seemed distressed to share whatever he seemed to think he should share. She waited patiently, hoping he could go through with telling her.
“Oh, dear,” he said. “I hadn’t thought it would be this difficult.” He straightened, stroked his beard again, and finally said, “It’s just that—I cannot help but wonder about our grandfather’s right-hand man.”
Kat didn’t follow. “What about him?”
Her cousin took a deep breath. “He hired men to find you,” he said, as if that explained everything.
Kat stared at him, unable to absorb what he seemed to be intent on telling her. “But he did so at our grandfather’s request—did he not?”
Her cousin gave her a sad look. “Grandfather had long since thought you were gone from him forever. He’d raised this boy. Now, the boy’s a grown man—who stands to lose everything he thought he’d gain.”
Kat opened her mouth, then closed it as his meaning became clear in her mind. Her thoughts mushroomed out in several directions at once, and none of them bode well for her. She stared at her cousin. “But wouldn’t he get all of those things if he married me, the way grandfather seems to want? Or—better yet—wouldn’t it have been better if he’d just left me lost….”
Ethan shrugged. “I’m sorry, Kat,” he said. “I can see you are distressed. I did not mean to upset you.”
She shook her head. “No, not at all.” She tried to smile, to reassure him. “Well, yes, I am upset. But—it’s good you told me. I’ve been strutting around her—unaware of the danger.”
He let out a breath. She could see he’d been worried how she would receive this news.
“You can see this would distress grandfather,” he said, clearly concerned.
“Yes,” she said. “Of course.” She reached out and put her hand on his forearm. “Thank you,” she said. “You may have saved my life.”
He flushed slightly at her praise and waved his hand, as if to wave it away. “Think nothing of it, cousin,” he said. “We are family. It’s my duty to protect you.”
Kat smiled, warmed by his words. “Still,” she said. “I’ve been walking blind to what’s been going on here around me.” She finally drew her hand away.
He seemed satisfied and nodded. “Well, I’d better be getting back.”
“Thank you, cousin,” she said.
“Think nothing of it,” he said and tipped his hat to her as he left. She glanced around, feeling as though she were being watched—and saw George come out from beside the livery. He watched as Ethan made his way across the grounds. “What did my brother want?” he asked.
She eyed him. She had an idea he already knew. He’d been close enough to overhear. “He wanted to warn me about Liam,” she obliged anyway.
He turned, watching Ethan disappear around the manor. “I don’t think it was Liam at all,” he said, turning back to her.
Kat frowned. “How do you mean?”
He frowned, staring at her. “I would think it would be obvious,” he said. “I’ve th
ought my father and brother have been out to remove you from the will, for a long time,” he said.
Kat’s stilled. She stared at him. “What?” she said. She stopped, still staring at him. “But if they wanted me gone—why did they bring me back here?” She looked away. “Why didn’t everyone just leave me lost?”
George frowned. “They weren’t the one who went looking for you.” He shrugged, then tried to smile as she turned to look at him. “I’m sorry. Now, I’ve done exactly what Ethan did. I really didn’t mean to upset you,” he said. He shrugged again. “I’m sure I wouldn’t know anyway,” he said. “It’s just a feeling I’ve had for a very long time.”
Kat frowned. She turned, looking out across the grounds. He didn’t seem interested, one way or the other. So why did she get the feeling he was right?
When he’d left, Kid stepped on silent feet from the trees. “What was that about?”
Kat drank in the sight of him. “Spying on the spy, who spied on me?” she teased, amazed at how happy she felt to see him. She didn’t know how she could stand to always be separated from him, here. And she couldn’t deny that someone had been busy making sure they stayed just that way.
Kid’s easy smile lit up a gentle feeling within her breast. She loved him. She loved the sight of him. She loved everything about him. And she couldn’t lose him—not because of this place—or some past she hadn’t even known existed, until just a few days ago.
“Ethan seems to think grandfather’s man, Liam, may have put that assassin on my tail back in Cheyenne,” she told him.
Kid frowned now, shaking his head slightly. “No,” he disagreed. “I don’t see that.”
“He has reason,” she said. “He’s losing everything he stood to gain by my family’s death, and my disappearance.”
“And he was the one who went searching for you,” he countered. “He had no reason to do so—other than his love for an old man’s grief for his missing granddaughter.”
Kat nodded. “That’s true—if he married me. Those were grandfather’s plans.” She shrugged. “Perhaps he wanted to make sure I’d never come home and mess up his own plans.
Kid glanced at her. “No, kitten. Your grandfather had thought you lost to him. He’d already planned to leave everything to Liam.”
Kat gazed up at him. “Hmmm,” she said. “And I think George thinks that his father and his brother hired that assassin back in Cheyenne,” she said.
Kid stilled. “Really…,” he said. “And what makes him think that?”
She frowned. “He didn’t seem to really know,” she said. “He said he’s just thought it for a long time.” She laid her head on his chest. “Do you think he might be right?”
Kid didn’t say anything to this. He only pulled her closer to him. “One thing is for certain,” he said. “Whoever put that man on your tail—still wants you dead.”
Kat leaned back and gazed at him. “Do you really think so?”
He gently cupped the side of her face. “Do you really think he would stop, just because you made it here in one piece?” he countered.
She shook her head. Probably not—but I honestly hadn’t really considered that. I’d convinced myself that it had nothing to do with anyone here. She bit down on her lip. Well, that put her in a fine fix, then. She thought about that. Actually, it would give her something more to do—than try and solve the mystery of how to go home—breaking her grandfather’s heart, once again.
Kid kissed her gently, and they started heading back toward the manor. “Just be careful, kitten” he said as they walked. “Just be on the safe side—and don’t think of either of them as your friend. One of them clearly isn’t.”
Kat nodded. “I’ll be careful,” she promised, grinning up at him.
He stared down at her, frowning as they reached the side of the manor where Kat slept. Then, shaking his head, he pulled her into his arm—into the shadows of the tree—under her room. “Do you think we could sneak up to your room?” he gently teased.
Kat bit her lip at the idea that she could actually spend some time alone with him. She wanted to grin, but desire flooded her at his words. “Only if you sneak up that tree,” she whispered.
To her surprise, Kid tipped his head back to scan the old hardwood tree. “You’ve got a deal,” he said, and within seconds he’d disappeared up through the branches.
Kat watched him, for a long moment, as it occurred to her that she’d likely just given him permission to get to come to her room every night, now. Then, she grinned—and headed into the manor.
When Kat entered her room, a few minutes later, she met Kid on the bed in the darkening shadows, as the sun went down, in a kiss that lit up her world. She couldn’t imagine how she’d managed to go all these days without this to bring life to her day.
She kissed him back, with a growing fire within her belly. She lifted his shirt, running her hands against his bare chest. He moaned in her mouth and then returned the favor, not stopping until he cupped her breast. She arched hard against him, kissing him with everything she had inside her.
He picked her up, setting her on the bed. He pushed her skirts up, coming up on his knees to watch her, as he bared her to him. He pulled her top apart and released her breasts, and she came up to help him finish undressing.
He bent over her and entered her in single thrust. She would have screamed out in pleasure, if he hadn’t covered her mouth in a burning kiss. She moaned into his mouth as he took her, and she didn’t know anything else but the bliss of him, for some time.
When she finally came back to herself, Kat lay there, running her fingers over his bare chest. His eyes were closed, and she lay there watching him breathe.
“I could be doing this every single day—if I hadn’t delayed our wedding,” she whispered in regret.
Kid reached up, not opening his eyes, pulling her close to his side. “You couldn’t have done anything to prevent this,” he said. “Whoever had you brought here, would still have had you brought here, regardless of anything you did.”
Kat lay her head in the crook of his arm. “Yeah, but they couldn’t have ignored the fact that we were married,” she said.
Kid kissed her forehead, finally opening his eyes. He cupped her face, so she could look deep into his dark gaze. “It wouldn’t have stopped him from trying,” he said. “They would have thought they either needed to make you a widow—or needed to have us both killed.”
Kat closed her eyes at this. “Then, we’ll just have to figure out who they are—won’t we….”
She sensed Kid nodded, though he didn’t say anything. He gathered her to him, and it finally dawned on her that now they’d found an easy way for him to get into her room—from the tree reaching up past her window—at least no one could keep them apart.
The thought filled her with relief—and renewed joy. Kat sighed, realizing what had kept her so morose lately. She’d only needed Kid.
She lay her head down and snuggled up to his side, her blond curls falling across his chest. And they both drifted off to sleep.
Chapter Fourteen
Wise Woman
The old woman indicated a seat for Kat. Kat obliged her, though she wanted to remain standing. She glanced around. Shock coiled through her that she was actually here. More to the point—she could hardly comprehend that this woman actually lived here.
Her name was Kate Anderson—and her name belied her looks. For Kate was full-blooded Cherokee Indian. Kat had found out about her from her cousin. He’d been only too happy to tell her that she lived outside of town. At Kat’s request, he’d set up this meeting. Kat wasn’t sure why it had seemed so important to see her—but the feeling had only intensified from the first moment she’d laid eyes on her.
The inside of her home had much the same wild natured look as the outside—not something you would expect from these parts. Kat clearly had been raised by someone who had known a lot about Native American lore. Sage hung over the doorway, and large, hoop Native Amer
ican drums on the wall.
Kat felt warm here—comfortable here—in a way she hadn’t, since being led in this direction.
She turned and smiled at the woman—Kate. “I was told you had something to tell me,” she said.
The old woman smiled at her. “Yes, child.” She sat down opposite of Kat and stared at her a long moment, considering. She pressed her lips together, and finally, she said, “It’s about the Dark Cloth.”
Something skittered up Kat’s spine, but she simply watched her, waiting for her to go on. And the old woman nodded, as if she’d heard her speak out loud.
“You saw a man who appeared to be wearing a mask, while fighting in a battle out West, didn’t you.” It wasn’t a question. She’d stated it as fact.
Kat stared at her now. She sat there for a long moment. “Are you like Mandy?” she finally asked.
“Who, child?”
Kat frowned. “Never mind.” She ran a hand over the fur on the arm of the chair. “Yes,” she said finally. “We did see him.”
The old woman nodded. “I’m known as Kate Anderson, around here.” She looked up at Kat. “You understand, he’s not a man.”
Kat didn’t like having that confirmed, but she nodded. She did understand that, even if she didn’t want to. She glanced up at the old woman and waited for her to go on.
“They’ve been biding their time, waiting for the right moment—to tip the scales of good and evil—so to speak,” she said. “They’ve been watching for opportunities—to put the right men into official positions to further their agenda.”
Kat nodded. “McCandle said as much, after he took Mandy captive,” she said.
The old woman nodded. Now, she seemed to know exactly who Kat spoke of. How odd, she thought again.
“They didn’t want the Red man to gain strength. The White God could be used to control a nation, who adopted fear as a means regulate the masses.”
Dark Warrior: Kid (Dark Cloth Series Book 2) Page 10
