“Yeah, but I was thinking that maybe White Eagle might like to move his tribe onto the range. There’s plenty of room. It’d be a good home for them. They would be safe and able to stop moving around. You’d get no better horse wranglers—”
“Me?” the old man asked.
Trace nodded. “I figured you were getting a restless urge in your blood. Only, I don’t care much to turn you loose to wander. You might take a fool notion in your noggin to go out to Death Valley. Rounding up those mustangs that got away and breaking them should give you all the adventure you need—wouldn’t you think? I was considering making you a half partner in the Lazy C. You and the Indians can catch Standing Thunder and gather up his herd. You’d have a great start to stock that could equal anything back here in the East. You like the notion? Maybe if they keep holding this derby going every year, you could bring one of your colts back and race against Mae’s father, maybe even beat the pants off him. That’d sure make up for losing at checkers.”
Preacher paused for a moment, thinking.
Trace jumped to add one more thing: “Perhaps you could even turn your hand to gentling a certain Indian woman. Provided she’ll have you, maybe you can show Breath Feather just what it’s like to be well treated. Her anger might take a wander if someone were to just show her a bit of kindness, and we know she has a fondness for the ways of the whites. There’s no white man I know who has a kinder heart than you. White Eagle will see that. And if Breath Feather doesn’t want you…well, there’s plenty to be done just running the ranch.”
Preacher nodded, a smile crawling across his face. “I like that, Trace. I like it mighty fine. Maybe it will heal my wounds as well. Maybe there’s time yet for this ol’ sourdough to start again. Maybe the two of us can find the happiness you and Mae have. I wouldn’t mind seeing what she thinks of the idea.”
Trace held out his hand to shake again. “We have a deal?”
The old-timer’s leathery hand took his. “Deal.”
A short time later Trace was sitting on the top rail next to the gate, watching Duchess and Diablo rubbing noses. He supposed that was a horse’s equivalent to kissing. For a mare, she was a match for the black stallion. So intent was he on watching the courting couple, he failed to notice the lasso until it descended around his arms and then snugged down. He turned to find Mae reeling in the slack.
“Good grief, she’s gone cowgirl!” he teased as she walked toward him.
Her eyes were flashing as she gave a strong tug on the rope, not enough to pull him off his perch but enough to let him know he was caught. “You’re lucky I was practicing my roping and not my shooting. You have a faraway look in your eye, Trevor Guilliard.” She usually called him Trace, so her use of his real name was pointed. “Ever since I told you we own the Lazy C, I can see the hunger in your eyes. You’re thinking of going back and rounding up those mustangs.”
Trace sighed. “I am. That herd was twice the size I thought it would be. Do you know how much money that would bring us—not to mention the thrill of capturing Standing Thunder?”
Hurt flickered in Mae’s eyes, along with a touch of fear. Her hand whipped out, and in her fingers was the derringer that Preacher had given her. She pointed it out into the distance. “Maybe I’ll need to work on my shooting after all.”
Trace leaned down and brushed his lips against hers, and his fingers closed around her gun hand. “I think you need to give me that. You might accidentally shoot me. Again.”
“Accidentally? No, it would be quite deliberate. It would take you months to heal before you go west again. Maybe by that time you won’t want to go. Let Standing Thunder live free, Trace.”
“I can’t do that,” Trace said. “If we don’t get him, some other wrangler will—someone maybe like Comstock. I won’t see that king of the canyons condemned to such a fate.”
Mae’s lower lip trembled. “Trace, I don’t want to go back. Maybe someday years from now, but…And don’t you dare tell me I can stay here while you go. You’re my husband. If you go, I’ll go.”
“Hush, my little renegade rider. Our trail ends here. As you say, we might want to go back…someday, not now.”
“But I don’t understand.”
“Preacher’s not happy here. I offered him half of the Lazy C to run it. He can go back, get White Eagle and the Indians to round up the wild horses, restock the Lazy C, and Standing Thunder can live free there. He can spend his days keeping his mares happy.”
“Oh, Trace!” She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him, almost pulling him off the fence.
Regaining his balance he climbed down. Putting one arm around his happy wife, he reached out with his free hand and slid the lock on the gate back, then swung it wide, allowing Diablo into the pasture with Duchess. The stallion and the mare did a victory lap around the field.
“Renegade hearts, all of us.” Trace was thinking about himself and Mae, about Preacher and Breath Feather, about Diablo and Duchess. He wondered who was Standing Thunder’s mate, and if the stallion had discovered her yet. Maybe that would come in time. Shrugging, he smiled and kissed Mae. “Every renegade needs someone to love. I’m so glad I found you.”
RAVE REVIEWS FOR DAWN MacTAVISH!
PRISONER OF THE FLAMES
“MacTavish melds the dark sensual mood of Phantom of the Opera with the historical detail of Les Misérables to deliver an enthralling, nonstop read. Looking for depth, emotion, and history? You’ll clamor for more.”
—RT Book Reviews
“The action-packed story line uses real persona and a period of dangerous unrest as a backdrop to this excellent love story… one of the subgenre’s top novels of the year.”
—Midwest Book Review
“What a completely engrossing tale!…Ms. MacTavish once again [writes] a dynamic and vital story that captured my imagination from the first page to the last.”
—CK2S Kwips and Kritiques
THE PRIVATEER
“Dawn MacTavish transports readers back in time with this enchanting tale. The Privateer is full of characters you’ll either love or love to hate but I can guarantee you won’t be bored as you immerse yourself in this Regency story line. Beautifully written Ms. MacTavish! This is Regency storytelling at its best!”
—Romance Junkies
“I readily recommend The Privateer. It’s an exciting book with a fresh plot and likable, lifelike characters.”
—Romance Reviews Today
“Adventure on the high seas, family drama, rescue from a fate worse than death, passionate love; what more can a romance reader ask for? Dawn MacTavish draws us right in and paints her absorbing story with authentic historical detail in The Privateer.”
—Single Titles
MORE PRAISE FOR DAWN MacTAVISH
THE MARSH HAWK
“The Marsh Hawk is historical fiction at its very best. A breathtaking, sweeping adventure. No one does period romance with such style and panache. The Marsh Hawk stole my heart!”
—Deborah MacGillivray, Author of Riding the Thunder and The Invasion of Falgannon Isle
“If you’re looking for something fresh and lively…Dawn MacTavish’s tale of a London beauty of the ton who isn’t afraid to impersonate a masked highwayman, including robbery and possible murder, and the real, sapphire-eyed highwayman who pursues her, will keep you up reading all night. The love scenes are luscious. The Marsh Hawk is a winner.”
—Katherine Deauxville, National Bestselling Author of Out of the Blue
“The Marsh Hawk will enchant the reader from page one. This sweeping Regency will capture the reader’s imagination and make you fall in love with the genre all over again.”
—Kristi Ahlers, The Best Reviews
“A master of vividly accomplished tales, the author ups the ante yet again with The Marsh Hawk. From the first suspenseful page, I was captivated!”
—Kenda Montgomery, official reviewer for The Mystic Castle
“Brilliant!…A breathtaking hist
orical romance. The Marsh Hawk will run the gamut of your emotions—from laughter to tears… You won’t want the story to end.”
—Leanne Burroughs, Award-Winning Author of Highland Wishes & Her Highland Rogue
Other Leisure books by Dawn MacTavish:
COUNTERFEIT LADY
PRISONER OF THE FLAMES
THE PRIVATEER
THE MARSH HAWK
Writing as Dawn Thompson:
THE BRIDE OF TIME
THE RAVENING
THE BROTHERHOOD
BLOOD MOON
THE FALCON’S BRIDE
THE WATERLORD
THE RAVENCLIFF BRIDE
Copyright
A LEISURE BOOK®
March 2010
Published by
Dorchester Publishing Co., Inc.
200 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10016
Copyright © 2010 by Dawn Thompson
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E-ISBN: 978-1-4285-0819-4
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