The wind howled, whipping a spray of snow and sleet against the north wall of the cabin. Winter was arriving with a vengeance, rattling the door, sending a shower of sparks up the chimney.
Over the sound of the wind he thought he heard hoofbeats. But a moment later there was only silence. Once again the door rattled, and he closed his eyes against the pain of loneliness.
“Adam.”
At the sound of Diamond’s voice, his eyes snapped open. He stood and caught sight of a vision in the doorway. A vision in man’s britches and a weathered sheepskin jacket. A vision he knew he would carry forever in his heart.
“It...wasn’t easy for me to come here like this again. But I had to... ask you one question.”
He was alarmed by the abrupt tone of her voice. “What is it?”
“Do you love me?”
Without a word he crossed the room to the fireplace.
“Are you in love with me, Adam?” Her words seemed to hang suspended in the little cabin.
He could lie, of course. But he’d always been a man of integrity. And she was counting on that now. Hoping to ensnare him in his own web of honesty.
Tossing aside his cigarette, he kept his back to her. “Hopelessly.”
At that single word, she let out a long, slow breath. All the way here, she’d been terrified of the answer. But now, everything was all right. Now they would find a way through this maze.
“Then, why did you leave me?”
He turned to face her. “It was time to get back to my own place, Diamond.”
“Is there ... room in your own place for me?”
He shook his head. “You don’t know what you’re asking. All I have ahead of me is hard work.”
“That isn’t an answer. Is there room here for me?”
“Diamond...”
She moved closer. In her eyes was that same determined look he’d seen the last time she’d come here. And he felt once again all the fear and uncertainty of that time. What if he hurt her? What if he selfishly asked more of her than she had to give?
“I can’t cook,” she said as she stopped inches from him. “And I’m better at mucking out stalls than cleaning house. But I can ride and rope and shoot better than most men. I don’t know much about being a rancher’s wife, but I do know how to be a rancher. If you let me, I’ll be your partner, Adam. I’ll sleep on the trail with you, and I’ll ride herd with you all the way to Abilene and back.”
Did she know that she’d just described heaven?
He could read the sincerity in her eyes, and he longed to touch her. But he was afraid, too. If he did, he knew he’d never be able to stop. And right now, one of them had to be sensible.
His tone roughened. “You don’t know what you’re saying. You own the biggest ranch in Texas, Diamond. And I own one of the smallest. All you’ll be doing is taking on a lifetime of hard work. Don’t you realize what you’re giving up?”
“Oh, Adam. I’ll be getting so much more than I’ll be giving.”
Before he could protest further, she added, “Besides, I’m not going into this blindly. I’ve already talked it over with Cal and my sisters. I’ve asked them to stay on. As equal partners.”
“Cal and the women are your partners now?”
She nodded. “And I thought, since your ranch borders ours, that we could share some of the wranglers at roundup time. That is, if you don’t mind.”
He grinned. “It sounds like you’re pretty sure of yourself, Miss Jewel. What if I say no?”
She touched a hand to his cheek, and he felt the purely sexual jolt all through his system. “I think you’ll agree when you hear the rest.”
“Are we back to the part about cooking and cleaning?” he asked with a smile.
“I’ll love you, Adam,” she whispered so fiercely he felt a shiver along his spine. “I’ll love you better than any other woman ever could. I’ll grow old with you, Adam. And I promise you, I’ll love you until the day I die.”
He shuddered at the intensity of her words. “Oh, God, Diamond. I don’t deserve you.”
“Does that mean you’ll have me?”
“It means—” he drew her close and enfolded her in his arms “—I love you so much, I was willing to walk away rather than see you give up all you have for me. But if you’re foolish enough to want to share my miserable life, I’m never going to let you go again.”
“Promise?” she whispered against his lips.
“I promise you undying love, for all my life.”
“Oh, Adam, let’s go find the preacher right now,” she said.
He caught hold of her as she started to turn, and dragged her into his arms. “In the morning. For now, for tonight,” he murmured against her lips, “I just want to love you. It’s been so long.”
Her voice was warm with laughter. “Are you sure your wound is healed enough?”
He kissed her long, and slow, and deep. “I guess it’s time to find out.”
Diamond could hear the thundering of his heartbeat, and whispered a little prayer of thanksgiving for the courage she had inherited from her father. And the stubbornness. The ride here had been the longest of her life.
You kept your promise, Pa, she thought as she touched a hand to the rope of gold at her throat. You stayed right here beside me, guiding me to the right place, the right man.
She knew, as she melted against Adam, that she would never be alone again.
Epilogue
The little party stood on a windswept hill, dotted with four new mounds of earth forming a circle around Onyx Jewel’s grave. The simple wooden crosses bore testimony to the women who had loved him, and whose remains had been moved here so they could join him in eternal rest.
Reverend Wade Weston wore his best white shirt and shiny black suit. Marshal Quent Regan had polished his boots and slicked back his hair.
Adam stood with his hands clasped behind him, staring at the sweeping vista spread out below him, a pensive look on his face.
“Having second thoughts?” Zeb asked.
Adam lifted his head. “Should I, old man?”
Zeb shrugged. “She’s a handful. Your life will never be the same.”
Adam’s gaze moved beyond, to the gilded carriage moving toward them. His features softened into a smile. He clapped his old friend on the shoulder before turning away. “I’m counting on that.”
Cal and a dozen wranglers dismounted and hurried forward to assist the women from the carriage. The hems of their pastel gowns fluttered in the breeze as Pearl, Jade and Ruby kissed Diamond, then preceded her up the hill.
And then there was only Diamond, standing alone.
She wore her mother’s wedding gown of shimmering white, which sparkled in the brittle sunlight. A gossamer veil was attached with jeweled combs to her fiery hair. Hair that tumbled down her back in a riot of curls. At her throat was her father’s necklace. In her hands was Adam’s family Bible.
He stepped forward and caught her hand. “There’s still time to run,” he whispered as he placed her hand on his arm and took the first step.
“How far would I get?” She moved easily by his side.
“I’d catch you before you made it to your horse. And woman, I’d drag you back to me and chain you by my side forever.”
“Promise?”
“I’m about to.” He winked and her heart tumbled in her chest. “And it’s a vow I intend to keep.”
They paused when they reached the preacher. As the solemn words washed over them, Diamond clasped Adam’s hand and stared up into his eyes. What she saw was a look of love that melted her heart and swept away whatever self-consciousness she had been feeling about all this pomp and ceremony.
This was where they had both chosen to speak their vows. On the land that nurtured them. Surrounded by the people who loved them.
Diamond thought again of how much both of them had lost. And how much more they had found.
Love. Enough to last a lifetime. Family. More than she had ever
dreamed of. And all the sweet tomorrows they would share together. These were truly treasures worth fighting for. And promises worth keeping.
ISBN : 978-1-4592-7518-8
DIAMOND
Copyright © 1996 by Ruth Ryan Langan
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher. Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road. Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9.
All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention.
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