Silken Thunder

by Fayrene Preston

  “I love you,” he said, making it sound like a prayer.

  “I love you,” she whispered back, “and while you’re building an empire, I’ll be making a home for us.”

  “I've never had a home,” he said wistfully. “Not really.”

  “Then there’s no time to waste,” she said firmly. “Where are we going, by the way?”

  He realized it hardly mattered to her, and he did laugh out loud. “How about California?”

  “I’ve always wanted to see California. I heard someone say once that the end of the rainbow is there.”

  “If it isn’t there,” Wes said, lifting her onto her horse, “we’ll keep looking until we find it.” He mounted his own horse.

  And side by side, hands clasped, they rode away together and never looked back.

  Sunday Afternoon

  3:30 p.m.

  Killara

  My Dear Maureen,

  Isn’t it awful? It’s been six long months since I’ve had the time to write, but being a part of the Delaneys means there’s always something happening. And believe you me, I’ve got a lot to tell you.

  First off — oh, goodness, I’m just about to pop with the news — Mr. York and Miss Sierra had the most beautiful baby boy you could ever imagine. And healthy! All that time I spent on my knees praying really paid off. Well, first things first. The darling child’s name is Dominic, after old Shamus’s son, Dominic. Did you know that the original Dominic was a gunfighter. My bones just chill whenever I think about it. But the man was a Delaney after all, and that makes whatever he did just fine by my way of thinking. At any rate, this little angel of Mr. York’s is going to be a president of the United States. Or even something more important. Of course, since I'm having a large hand in raising this next generation of Delaneys, I feel they’re all going to do great things. In fact I feel it so strongly, I’m wondering if the good Lord hasn't blessed me with second sight.

  Maureen, you'd better sit down for my next piece of news, because its fair wondrous. Are you ready? Mr. Burke and Miss Cara are expecting! Don’t you see? Now all three of my Delaney boys will be fathers. A year ago, we thought Mr. Burke, Mr. York, and Mr. Rafe were the only remaining Delaneys on earth. And now we have the three Delaney girls in Australia and a new generation of Delaneys started here. It’s all so exciting.

  My, I do go on, don’t I? But I haven't finished!

  Cougar and Bridget have moved back to Killara. At least for the time being. Just between you and me, that Cougar has always struck me as half wild, but I must admit that it’s a wonderful thing how happy Bridget has been with him, and she’s made a lovely home on his ranch in the upper part of the state. It makes me go fairly teary-eyed to see how soft she is around him.

  Wait a minute.

  I got off the subject.

  The reason Bridget and Cougar are back at Killara is because Miss Cara is expecting twins. Can you believe it? And everyone, from Bridget and Cougar right on down to the other two boys and their wives, is fussing over her, trying to take care of her. But Miss Cara just laughs and then goes right on and does what she wants. And Mr. Burke always seems to have this look on his face like he's captured a leprechaun and found the end of the rainbow and the pot of gold.

  Needless to say, Maureen, I’m a happy person. All these babies to take care of! It's like a dream come true.

  A month later

  Maureen, you just won’t believe what's happened! Three weeks ago those movie people out in California had their Academy Awards ceremony, and guess what? Roman Gallagher won. I watched the whole thing on television and shed more than a few tears of happiness and pride, let me tell you. After all, he is part of the Delaney family now.

  Well, after it was all over, Miss Manda and Mr. Roman came to Killara for a visit. They wanted to see the family, and they needed to escape from all the news people that was fair hounding them like a foaming-mouthed pack of dogs. Of course, as I’ve often told you, if a body wants to be protected, there's no better place to be than on Killara. And with Cougar here and all, well, I’ll tell you, no one got on or off the ranch without him knowing about it. Oh, and on the first day of their visit, I baked up the biggest batch of gingerbread you’ve ever seen and while I was serving it, I told Mr. Roman that I’d known all along he would win. He was amazed, and now I really am beginning to believe I have been blessed with second sight.

  At any rate, Miss Manda and Mr. Roman were really excited about all the news they had to tell us. The reason I know they were excited was because they were so busy talking that they barely ate a bite of my gingerbread.

  The told us that Deuce Moran has finally won the heart of the lady, Mandarin. It’s all so terribly romantic, don’t you think? Two lost souls finally finding each other. I predict they’ll have a very happy life, and my predictions are nothing to sniff at. Even though, I must say, Bridget does. But never mind.

  The next piece of news they told us set my head to spinning. Miss Sydney and Mr. Nicholas are expecting a wee one! They live on the Isle of Charron, on what they call the “wild side” of the island in a house that’s built on a headland that juts out over the untamed sea. And there’s a lagoon by the house that black swans fly to every evening so they’ll be safe. It’s a truly wondrous place. The only thing is, now I’m in a quandry. Miss Manda swears to me that Miss Sydney's life is as blissful and peaceful as a body could want. But I’m worried. Somehow I just don’t think it's fair for that branch of the Delaney family to have to go without my services. I mean, imagine! There’s going to be a spanking, brand new Delaney baby halfway across the world, and I’m thinking that perhaps I should offer to go over there and take care of the little bairn.

  I don't know what I’m going to do. My mind is busy turning the matter over and over. I’ll have to let you know what I decide.

  But even if my Delaney boys won’t let me go that far, they might let me go to Kentucky to see Miss Addie and Mr. Shane and their wee one, a blessedly fair little girl who they say can already charm anyone.

  Well, I’d better get this letter in the mail to you. There’s so much going on around here that I’m afraid I might miss something if I don’t end right now. You take care of yourself and, remember, it’s your turn to write me.

  Love,

  Kathleen

  Book Information

  The Thirteen Books in the Delaney Dynasty Series Ask your bookseller for the books you have missed

  The Shamrock Trinity:

  RAFE, THE MAVERICK

  by Kay Hooper

  YORK, THE RENEGADE

  by Iris Johansen

  BURKE, THE KINGPIN

  by Fayrene Preston

  The Delaneys of Killaroo:

  ADELAIDE, THE ENCHANTRESS

  by Kay Hooper

  MATILDA, THE ADVENTURESS

  by Iris Johansen

  SYDNEY, THE TEMPTRESS

  by Fayrene Preston

  THIS FIERCE SPLENDOR

  by Iris Johansen

  The Delaneys, The Untamed Years — I:

  GOLDEN FLAMES

  by Kay Hooper

  WILD SILVER

  by Iris Johansen

  COPPER FIRE

  by Fayrene Preston

  The Delaneys, The Untamed Years — II:

  VELVET LIGHTNING

  by Kay Hooper

  SATIN ICE

  by Iris Johansen

  SILKEN THUNDER

  by Fayrene Preston

  THE DELANEYS, THE UNTAMED YEARS II

  Silken Thunder

  Fayrene Preston

  BANTAM BOOKS

  TORONTO • NEW YORK • LONDON • SYDNEY • AUCKLAND

  SILKEN THUNDER

  A Bantam Book / November

  All rights reserved.

  Copyright © 1988 by Fayrene Preston.

  Cover art copyright © 1988 by Rino Daeni.

  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying,
recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

  For information address: Bantam Books.

  ISBN 0-553-21979-0

  Published simultaneously in the United States and Canada

  Bantam Books are published by Bantam Books, a division of Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, Inc. Its trademark, consisting of the words “Bantam Books” and the portrayal of a rooster, is Registered in U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and in other countries. Marca Registrada. Bantam Books, 666 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10103.

  PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Book Information