Bobbi Smith (33 page)
Authors: Heaven
“So why are you here? You certainly didn’t come to lecture me on Winn.” She deliberately changed the subject.
“Why do you think we’re here, my dear?”
“We need to know where you’re going next, what your destination is.”
“San Antonio,” she admitted tightly, and she hated herself for telling him. “They’ve gone to get our tickets right now.”
“Good, good. Keep up the good work. We appreciate all your efforts.”
“I’m sure you do, Philip. Just make sure my father is freed when you get the crown.”
“Oh, he will be. Rest assured. You uphold your part of the bargain, and we will uphold ours.” They taunted her.
Philip rose slowly from the bed. As he started from the room, he deliberately stopped beside Alex. Before she could elude him, he kissed her cheek. He laughed evilly when she wiped the kiss away as if it were a vile thing.
“Soon my dear, our day will come. You’re doing a great job. You almost have me convinced that you don’t want me, but we both know better, don’t we?”
“We’ll be in touch,” Robert spoke up, wanting to get his brother’s mind off the woman and back on the crown.
They moved to the door and took a cautious look outside before leaving the room. It wouldn’t do at all to run into Bradford right then. They didn’t want to ruin their perfect plan.
When they’d gone and the door was safely closed, Alex wandered miserably to the bed and sat down. She was trembling almost uncontrollably in frustration and confusion. Her hatred for Philip and Robert was a living breathing thing, but the things they’d said about Winn left her tortured. She couldn’t help but wonder if what they’d said was true. She didn’t want to think so, but . . .
Alex went to the washstand and washed her face, scrubbing hard at the spot where Philip had kissed her. Still shaken, she paced the room trying to control the confusing emotions that were churning within her. Deep hurt filled her at the thought that Winn was just using her.
Was Winn that good an actor?
She knew the answer.
Was Winn that good an actor?
She knew the answer.
An angry determination grew in Alex’s heart. While it was true that she would ultimately have to betray Winn, her cause was an honorable one . . . a matter of life and death; his was not. If she was to believe what Philip and Robert had told her, then she would have to gird herself against Winn. If this was just a game to him, then she would learn to play the game, too. She would become as accomplished an actress, as he was an actor. In fact, she knew she would have to be even better than he was, for she truly loved him, and now she would have to walk away from that love.
As Winn neared the hotel, he was so intent on getting back to Alex that he paid little attention to other passersby. Philip and Robert were glad, for they had just exited the hotel and crossed the street when they saw him. They congratulated themselves on their perfect timing and went off to find a way to San Antonio that would not put them in contact with the others.
When he knocked on her door, Alex nearly bolted to answer it. She had to force herself to relax.
“Who is it?” she asked, taking no chances this time.
“Winn.”
With a concentrated effort, she steadied her hand and opened the door for him. He stood before her, looking more handsome than ever, yet as she gazed up at him now, there was caution in her soul. She tried to see him as Philip and Robert had described him—the consummate user, a man who took what he wanted without thought to the consequences.
“You look pale, are you all right?” he asked. He reached out to touch her cheek.
Alex did not avoid his caress for she didn’t want to arouse suspicion in him. But she knew she had to steel herself against her feelings for him. She managed a wan smile. “Actually, I’m not feeling well.” It was no lie. Her heart was being shattered. “If you don’t mind, I’m just going to go on to bed tonight.”
He moved closer, putting an intimacy in his next word. “Alone?”
She nodded. “Yes.”
He grew concerned. “Do you need to see a doctor?”
“No. I just need to be alone for a while. I need to rest.” Alex would have liked to believe that he really cared about her, but she knew his concern was only an act.
With infinite tenderness, Winn kissed her cheek, then took her hand in his. His gaze searched hers. “You’re sure you’ll be fine?”
“Yes. I’ll be all right. Just go. I need to lie down.”
“I hope you feel better by morning.”
“I should. What time do we have to leave?”
“Seven, so I’ll come for you at six, then we can eat breakfast first.”
“Good night.”
“Good night.”
Alex quickly closed and locked the door, then sagged weakly against it. After a moment, she undressed and made her way to bed. She threw off the top spread that Philip had been sitting on, handling it as if it had been contaminated, then curled up under just the sheet.
Alex lay quietly, but her thoughts were racing at tortured speed. Did he really want the crown out of greed? Was this just a game for him? Was she really just another body to him? Someone to be enjoyed and then forgotten?
She lay with her eyes closed, courting sleep and forgetfulness. Tears threatened again, and this time she did not fight them. She slowly began to harden her heart against Winn, but even as she did, there was no denying her love for him.
Alex stayed awake long into the night. She did not wipe off her cheek where Winn had kissed her.
Morning came too soon for Alex. It seemed she’d barely fallen asleep when dawn brightened the eastern sky. With an effort, she’d dragged herself from bed to splash water on her face. She’d been dismayed to see the dark circles under her eyes, but she knew they’d been earned for she’d tossed and turned most of the night.
“Are you feeling any better this morning?” Winn asked when he came for her. She looked exhausted, and he wondered if she’d gotten any rest.
“I’m still tired, but I do feel a little better,” Alex told him, and it wasn’t a lie.
“We can stay here an extra day if you want,” he offered.
“No,” she replied quickly. “It’s important that we keep going. We can’t stop now.” The last thing she wanted to do was drag this out any longer. She wanted to end this as soon as she could.
“Do you want to eat breakfast? Matt went on downstairs to get us a table in the hotel dining room, but if you’d rather rest some more, I could bring you something.”
“I’m fine. Let’s eat,” Alex replied.
They joined Matt in the dining room and ate a large breakfast. They weren’t sure when they’d get the chance for a good meal again, and they took their time to savor every bite.
As she faced Winn across the table, Alex smiled and tried to act as if everything was normal. It wasn’t easy. With an effort, she finally managed to control her wayward emotions and concentrate on her one and only reason for being on this trek—to save her father. Nothing else mattered. Not the crown, and certainly not Winn Bradford! While her mind logically told her that Winn wasn’t important to her, her heart taunted her with the knowledge that he was her life and her love.
They crossed the bay and made it to the stageline on time. The stagecoach was crowded. Three other passengers, a heavy-set woman, a grizzled, old man and a middle-aged man who looked like a snake oil salesman, had already taken their places on the hard wooden benches inside.
Winn, Matt, and Alex shared a pained look before they’d boarded.
“Ready?” Matt asked, the memory of the steamboat’s comforts still fresh in his mind.
“As I’ll ever be,” Alex agreed, thinking this mode of travel ranked even below the railroads they’d taken, and that was a hard one to beat.
Winn was busy helping hand the luggage up to the driver, so Matt gave Alex a hand up into the stage.
Relieved to board ahead of Winn, Alex deliberately sat between the woman and the older man. Matt gave her a quizzical look as he settled in opposite her. She could have had the far less crowded seat where he was sitting.
“Alex, you’re welcome to sit over here with Winn, if you like,” he offered as Winn climbed in and dropped down into the seat next to him.
“No, that’s all right. You men sit together. It’s going to be a long ride, and we might as well all be as comfortable as we can.”
Alex put on a happy expression and pretended to be comfortable. In truth, she was penned in by the pair and nearly overcome by the woman’s powerful perfume.
The stage had barely rumbled off, when the old man started to doze. He began to lean on her and snore loudly a few minutes into the ride. Alex sensed this was going to be one of the longest trips of her life.
Winn sat across from Alex, watching her. In spite of the dust and discomfort, she still looked absolutely beautiful to him. She was an amazing woman, unlike anyone he’d ever known before. Her spunk and determination impressed him. She handled even the worst situations with ease and charm and still came out smiling. Winn knew he loved her, and as he let his thoughts dwell on her, he wished she was sitting beside him. He wanted her near to him always. He was glad the stage was traveling at top speed. They couldn’t reach their destination soon enough for him.
Forced into the unwanted intimacy of traveling in such close quarters with strangers, Alex battled to keep up her brave façade. She made chit-chat with the lady on her right for hours on end, trying to distract herself from Winn’s overpowering presence across from her. Sometimes, though, she couldn’t stop herself from glancing up at him. When she did, he invariably was watching her, his green-eyed gaze intent and warm upon her.
They were all glad when, late in the afternoon, the stage finally stopped for fresh horses at a way station along the route. There was little time to do anything but eat the quick, sparse meal that was offered and take advantage of the convenience out back.
When they climbed back into the carriage, Winn made it a point to claim the seat next to Alex. It was all she could do not to protest or stiffen at having him so close beside her. There was no avoiding touching him with each jounce of the stiff-springed coach. The pressure of his thigh against hers rekindled memories she was trying to suppress. Where earlier, she’d suffered the other woman’s cloying scent and the old man’s snoring, now she had to endure Winn’s potent arousing nearness. For her own peace of mind, Alex wasn’t really sure which she preferred.
Nineteen
Alex had endured many difficult journeys in her travels with her father, but the trip to San Antonio proved to be the worst ever on her nerves. The ride was rough, the weather was hot and Winn was with her constantly. His attentiveness left her more confused than ever. She tried to see through his charade, but he had perfected his thespian skills and she could find no trace of deception in his manner.
Sleeping for any length of time in the cramped stage had proven next to impossible, and the short stops at the rest stations provided little in the way of relief. By the second day, Alex was exhausted, the lack of sleep the night before they’d left having taken its weary toll on her. Braced against the side of the stage with Winn seated next to her, she hadn’t meant to fall asleep. In fact, she’d been waging a battle to keep physical contact with him to a minimum, but it was hard to do when they were so crammed in together. As her eyelids grew heavier, her efforts to keep a distance between them grew weaker, and finally without conscious thought, she gave up and slept.
“Winn,” Matt said his name softly just to get his attention, then nodded toward Alex.
Winn glanced down at Alex and, seeing how awkwardly she was sitting, trapped between him and the frame of the stage, he smiled tenderly. She impressed him more every day with her grit and fierce resolve, and he admired her for it. Gently easing an arm around her, Winn brought her against him, cradling her to his chest.
“Think she’s tired?” Matt asked with a grin.
“Exhausted, but she’s matched us mile for mile and never complained,” he praised her.
“We’ll be in San Antonio late tonight, then we can all get some real rest.”
Winn sat quietly with Alex nestled against him, enjoying at least this much intimacy with her. The long hours of riding in such close confines with the other passengers had grated on his nerves. He longed to be alone with her. He wanted to be giving her flowers and jewels and taking her to romantic places. Instead, he was stuck here in this stagecoach with Matt and three other people he would have preferred never to have met.
Alex was dreaming. In her reverie, she was waltzing with Winn. He was sweeping her around the room in graceful, dizzying circles and she was laughing at something wonderfully witty he’d just said.
“Winn . . .” she murmured his name in her sleep and shifted positions, just a little, her hand slipping unheeded into his lap.
Winn had been having a rough enough time, keeping his thoughts away from the wondrous nights he’d spent in Alex’s arms. When she touched him so innocently yet so intimately, the carefully banked fire of his sensual need for her flared to life. His breathing was suddenly strangled, and he clenched his jaw in a desperate bid for control. It was all he could do not to reveal his raging discomfort to the others. He steeled himself, holding to his position rigidly, refusing to squirm or move in any way for fear of losing his tenuous grip on himself. He looked down at her as she cuddled close, and his gaze went over her hungrily. God, but she was lovely! He dragged his gaze away from the tumble of red-gold curls and the sweet curve of her cheek and stared pointedly out the window at the passing landscape. He wished the damned trip was over.
Alex awakened to the comforting sound of Winn’s strong, steady heartbeat beneath her ear. A soft smile curved her lips as she imagined herself alone with him in some private, wonderful place. Then the stage hit a rough spot in the road, and she was jarred violently back to reality. Her eyes flew open and she found herself staring across the stage at Matt. He was watching her with an amused expression, and she suddenly realized where she was and how she was sitting.
“Oh . . . I’m sorry . . .” She was conscious of the heat of his body beneath her accidental touch and she bit back a groan of mortification.
“Don’t be,” Winn answered with a smile as his eyes met hers.
Across the stage, the other woman looked on with a condemning regard. She’d been watching the pair the whole ride and had become convinced that there was more between them than just friendship. What had just transpired had only confirmed her suspicions. When the girl had been sleeping, she’d watched the man named Winn put his arm around her and hold her close. And when the young woman’s hand had fallen in his lap. . .. Well! She’d been beside herself trying to decide what to do. It was so . . . so . . . outrageous!
As she watched them now, seeing the girl’s blush and the man’s seductive smile, she just had to take out her fan and fan herself nervously. She tried to remember the last time a man as handsome as this one had looked at her that way. She couldn’t. She slanted them another look, then fanned herself with even more vigor.
Alex could see the heat in Winn’s regard, and she looked away, still blushing. Winn acted as if nothing unusual had occurred, shifting slightly away from her. He closed his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest, pretending to relax. Relaxed was the last thing he felt, though. Being this close to Alex and having held her while she slept, had heated his desire for her. He wanted her badly, and while he found the biddy sitting across from them a troublesome, nosy woman, right then he was glad for her disapproving looks for they kept him sane.
They arrived in San Antonio on schedule that night and practically stumbled into the hotel to get their rooms. All three of them were exhausted, and after agreeing to meet the next morning they headed upstairs.
After so many days in close contact, Winn was not about to let Alex escape without a kiss. They were alone in the hall for Matt had already sought the softness of his bed, so he took her in his arms and kissed her deeply, passionately.
“I’ve waited days to do that,” he declared, setting her from him.
Pressing her acting ability to its limits, Alex managed a smile. “So have I.”
But even as she answered him sweetly, she was filled with confusion. She’d worked for days to steel herself against her need for him, yet his one kiss had set her pulse racing and her heart beating a wild rhythm. It pained her to know she wanted more than just his kiss.
“I’ll be back for you first thing in the morning,” he promised.
“I’ll be ready.”
Winn kissed her softly one last time, then sought the comfort of his own bed.
Alex bathed and lay down, but she didn’t fall asleep right away. Thoughts of Winn coupled with worries about her father besieged her. To relieve some of the tension she was feeling, she began to review the last clue, trying to find its hidden meanings.
“ ‘The patron saint of all that’s lost, claims your golden crown. Seek you now that tender prize, what was hidden is now found. Lift your eyes heavenward, and you will see a sign. Of perfect love and happiness, God’s only true design. Take no more than you deserve, be not led by greed. Follow your heart knowing that your mission will succeed,’ ” she said it out loud, dwelling on each word and phrase in the hopes of finding something.
Lawrence had sent them to San Antonio and by his own words the crown was here. It was just a matter of finding out where in San Antonio he’d hidden it. The word ‘mission’ jumped out at her in the last line, and with all the Spanish missions in the area, she had a feeling there was a definite connection. The next day she would look into it.
Feeling as if she had at least some control over her life at last, she rolled over and began to drift off. Her last thought as she fell asleep was of Winn, and a tear slipped from the corner of her eye.
“I’ve got it!” Alex announced the following morning when Winn came for her.
“Got what?” he asked, as he stared down at her, thinking how fresh and lovely she looked after a good night’s rest.
“Where the crown is hidden! Let’s go find Matt, and I’ll tell you both at the same time.”
Minutes later she was facing them both in Matt’s room.
“It must be hidden in one of the missions,” she told them.
“Why?”
“The last line—your mission will succeed. San Antonio is known for its missions. It’s the only place to start. I couldn’t find anything else in the riddle that even remotely suggests a hiding place. His mention of ‘Look heavenward and God’s only true design’ prove its religious in some way. What more logical connection in this town than a mission?”
“It’s worth a try,” Matt agreed with a chuckle. “We’ve already done convents and orphanages.”
A short time later, the clerk at the hotel’s front desk gave them a list of the missions in the area along with the directions to find them. He also told them where the nearest stable was where they could rent horses for the ride. “The Espada, Concepcion, San Jose, and San Juan Capistrano Missions are all relatively close by. The Alamo was once a mission, too, and then there’s Corazon Sagrado. It’s almost a day’s ride west of town.”
“Corazon Sagrado?” Alex repeated thoughtfully. Her Spanish wasn’t the best, but she knew ‘corazon’ meant ‘heart.’
“Yes, ma’am. It means the Mission of the Sacred Heart.”
“Thank you.” Matt was the one who spoke as they shared a knowing look.
They returned to his room.
“Do we go to the other missions first or go straight to Corazon Sagrado?” Matt wondered.
“Lawrence wrote ‘Follow your heart knowing that your mission will succeed,’ ” Winn stated. “I think we need to ride for Corazon Sagrado.”
“It’s the one,” Alex said, convinced that they were on to something.
They were on their way by mid-morning. They bought suitable clothing for the ride, denim pants for the men and a split riding skirt for Alex along with Stetsons for them all. They then went to the stable to get horses. The hand at the stable assured them that they could make it to the mission by dusk and that there would be room for them to spend the night there. He also warned them about the Comanche and encouraged them to be armed on the trip. Matt strapped on his gun. He preferred not to wear it or use it, but he knew sometimes it was necessary. They returned to the store and bought Winn a gun and holster, too.
“Do you think we really need guns?” Alex asked worriedly as she watched Winn buckle on his gunbelt.
“It’s best to be prepared.” Matt had been in his share of dangerous places through the years, and he was no stranger to using a firearm.
Winn was accustomed to riding with an English saddle, but, expert horseman that he was, he adapted quickly. They left town, heading west on their cross-country trek. The ride was an easy one across the low, rolling hill country.
“I can’t believe we’re almost there.” Matt’s anticipation was growing with each passing mile.
“I’m glad,” Alex added.
As they rode closer to their final destination, Alex knew she had to begin planning how she could get the crown away from them and deliver it to the Anthonys. It would be simple if Winn and Matt trusted her to carry it, but she doubted that would happen since she was the weakest of the three of them and the least able to defend herself should the need arise. If Winn carried the crown with him, she would have little trouble. As soon as she could maneuver a time for them to spend a night alone, she would be able to take it and slip away into the darkness. But if Matt kept it, she would definitely have difficulty. Alex wasn’t sure exactly what she was going to do, but as desperate as she was to rescue her father, she knew if it became necessary, she would use Matt’s gun.
The unwelcome thought occurred to her then that someone might have already stolen the crown from Lawrence’s carefully chosen hiding place, just as it had been looted from the tomb where she and her father had searched years before. Thinking of her father again, she wished he were there with her, glorying in the discovery. He would have been thrilled to finally locate the crown after all these centuries of being lost.
Keeping a vision of her father centermost in her mind, Alex concentrated only on what she had to do. She would let nothing else interfere, not her feelings for Winn or her doubts about him. She imagined her father, locked in a dark, dank cell, waiting for her to save him. Unconsciously, she put her heels to her horse and quickened their already rapid pace.
As they crossed the miles toward the mission, Winn grew excited too. As soon as they found the crown and delivered it into safekeeping, he would talk to Alex about the future—their future, together. He wanted to believe that this clue would be the simplest, but he couldn’t help but wonder if Lawrence had planned any last minute surprises for them.
Matt was eager to reach the mission, and he led the way at a hurried pace. The crown, the treasure he’d been searching for for years, was within reach! He could hardly wait to get to Corazon Sagrado. Once they finally had it in their possession, they could decide which museum they would donate it to, but until then, he just wanted to revel in the fact that he’d actually gotten to see it and hold it. It was a part of a civilization long gone from the face of the Earth, yet the purity of the crown’s history was ageless.
The sun was low in the western sky as they topped a low-rise to see the mission spread out before them in all its majestic glory. Made of plastered limestone, the inner buildings and the thick, white walls that surrounded the compound glowed in the fading sunlight. The cross atop the church beckoned to all who were near. The fields surrounding the mission were the picture of prosperity. Lush and green, they promised a fruitful harvest at the season’s end. It had the look of paradise about it. An atmosphere of peace and quietude prevailed. It seemed as if God had decided to recreate Eden and place it right there in the heart of Texas.
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