Bound For Eden (22 page)

Alex grunted.

‘Do you think he has a sweetheart?' Victoria mused.

‘I think a man like him has too many sweethearts,' Alex remarked dryly.

‘What makes you say that?'

‘He practically has to beat them off with a stick.'

Victoria stiffened. ‘I haven't seen any women around him.'

‘What about those whores back in town?'

‘Oh, whores,' Victoria said dismissively. ‘They're not sweethearts.'

‘When we bought the wagon, Archie said something about a girl back in Oregon.' The words tasted like sawdust in Alex's mouth.
Did
Luke have a sweetheart back home? What was she like? Alex would bet anything that she was a real lady, and beautiful.
She
certainly wouldn't be running around wearing overalls and oversized boots. She probably had long, glossy hair and dainty manners. She wouldn't be the type of girl to argue with mules. Or to let a man seduce her out of her virginity without so much as a by-your-leave.

‘Ask him,' Victoria said suddenly.

‘What?'

‘Ask him for me if he has a sweetheart back home.'

Alex turned around to examine her sister for signs of heatstroke. But Victoria didn't look even the slightest bit flushed. Her brown eyes were clear and utterly earnest.

‘I can't do that!'

‘Why not? He thinks you're a boy. Surely men talk about that kind of thing. Besides, you can always say that you're curious because of the O'Brien girl. Maybe you're wondering how to behave with a sweetheart?'

‘Are you mad?'

‘You're a
boy,
Alex.'

‘No,
Victoria,
I'm a girl. A girl wearing a hell of a lot of dirt and her brother's clothes.'

‘Please, Alex. For me?' Victoria widened her eyes and pouted.

Alex turned her back on her sister. She ran a hand over her flattened chest, as though to reassure herself that she really was still a girl underneath the disguise. She had the awful feeling that one of these days she'd wake up and she actually would be a boy. And no-one would ever know that she'd once been the prettiest girl at the dances in Dyson's barn.

She heard Victoria sigh softly as she rested her chin on her palm. ‘What do you think he's doing right now?'

Right now, Luke was watching the Gradys follow the Missouri north. He was guessing they'd follow it to where it met the Platte River, and then they'd turn off to follow the tributary westward to Fort Kearney. Which suited Luke just fine. The wagon train had stopped keeping to the river a day or so ago, and was heading overland to Kearney. They'd be long gone before the Gradys got there. Luke was hoping to avoid a showdown until Fort Laramie. If everything went to plan, they could leave the Gradys in the lockup at Laramie, where they could kick their heels until it was time for their appointment with the hangman.

Satisfied, he and Delilah left them to it.

By the time he caught up with the wagons it was late afternoon and the sunlight was falling low and golden over the scrubby flats. He stopped to chat with each driver as he made his way up the train towards the chuck wagon. He wished the wagon wasn't stuffed to bursting with supplies – what he really wanted was to stretch out and take a nap. But this early in the journey there was no room; even Sebastian was spending his nights under the wagon, instead of in it.

‘Those mules behaving themselves?' Luke teased the runt as Delilah drew level with the Alexanders' wagon. The kid was alone on the bench. Luke peered into the wagon and saw Victoria and Adam sleeping in the back.

Alex sighed. ‘Don't take their side. You really should see my rear.' She blushed, suddenly aware of what she'd said. ‘I mean, it's black and blue,' she stammered. ‘Every time I get close they take a bite out of me.'

‘Maybe you ought to feed them more often.'

‘Yeah,' Alex said disconsolately, refusing to see the humour in the situation.

Luke took in the wilted shoulders and the pinched face. He flicked Delilah's reins over the buckboard and swung himself over to the wagon. ‘Delilah needs a break,' he explained when the kid looked startled, ‘and so do you.'

Alex let him take the reins, too surprised to protest. She was very conscious of the bulk of him beside her on the bench, and the way his solid thigh pressed against hers.

‘I shouldn't be tired,' she said eventually. ‘Adam drove for an hour or so this morning.'

‘Everyone else shares the driving between at least two people. Why don't you hand over to Victoria sometimes and take a break?'

Alex wrinkled her nose. ‘Victoria? Drive the mules?'

‘She'll never do it if you don't let her try.'

Alex couldn't argue with the logic of that.

They rode in silence for a while. Alex tingled every time his leg brushed hers. Which it did every time the wagon jolted. ‘The Gradys are out there, aren't they?' she said softly. ‘That's where you went, isn't it?'

‘Let me worry about the Gradys, runt.'

She frowned at him. ‘They're my problem too. I think I have a right to know.'

‘I'll take care of it.'

‘I never said you wouldn't, I just want to know if they're out there.' Alex gestured at the surrounding plains. ‘I mean,
here.
'

Luke turned to examine her. ‘You don't have to be responsible for everything, you know. Let me handle it.'

Alex gritted her teeth. Let him handle it. As far as she could see he wasn't handling it particularly well so far, not if the Gradys were right out there, God knows how close . . .

‘You seem pretty sure they'd want to come after you,' Luke remarked. ‘I thought they were looking for your sister.'

Alex felt like Cranky Bob had just kicked her in the stomach. How the hell did he know about any sister? She tried to keep her expression blank, aware that he was studying her. ‘What sister?'

‘Victoria told me.' His voice was gentle, but Alex felt like he'd slapped her.

‘She
told
you?' He
knew
she was a girl? Well, why had he waited so long to say so?

‘She told me your sister left you to run east,' he said. He sounded disgusted.

‘Yes,' Alex said numbly, her mind racing. So, he didn't know? She chewed on her lip. Victoria must have told him the story they'd worked out.

‘I think it's high time you told me what those Gradys want from you, runt.'

‘They want their gold back,' Alex said miserably. She didn't mention the bonds. She'd burned most of them anyway.

‘Your sister stole it?'

Alex nodded, flushing with shame. It sounded awful, laid bare like that. ‘But you don't understand. They stole from us first,' she said fiercely. ‘They took everything we had. Because Silas . . . Silas wanted . . .' She trailed off. She could hardly tell him what Silas wanted, could she?

‘Is that their gold you've been spending?'

Alex nodded again, unable to meet his eye.

‘You reckon they'll leave off if you give it back?'

‘We've spent it,' Alex said numbly.

‘On the horse,' he sighed.

‘Yes.'

‘Well, they've got the horse, so I reckon that's a fair deal.' He looked depressed at the thought of the Gradys keeping the stallion.

‘Gideon won't stop until he's got her too,' Alex said, her voice hoarse.
Me. He won't stop until he has me.
‘You don't know Gideon.'

‘Well, she ain't here, is she?'

No, Alex thought, looking down at her soiled overalls. Alexandra Barratt had gone, and in her place was a skinny boy.

‘Leave it with me, runt,' Luke said calmly. ‘We'll have those Gradys strung up for horse theft, and then you won't have to worry any more.'

‘You said the stallion was theirs by rights,' Alex reminded him glumly.

‘Maybe so. But Isis wasn't. It's a hanging offence to steal a man's horse, and the moment they laid hands on my horse, they made a date with the rope.' He began to whistle and Alex felt a mite better.

They rode along for a piece. Alex gradually relaxed, soothed by the bulk of him beside her. Luke Slater had a comforting way of making her feel safe.

‘That O'Brien girl is making eyes at you again,' he drawled, when he finished whistling his latest tune.

She thought this might be the ideal time to ask Victoria's question for her. That would sure as hell distract him. The last thing she wanted to talk about was Jane O'Brien. ‘Do you have a sweetheart?' she blurted, determined to get him off the subject.

‘What?' Luke was completely taken aback.

‘Well, just speaking of making eyes at people,' Alex said clumsily, blindly staring straight ahead, once again glad the dirt hid her blushes. ‘
Do
you have a sweetheart?'

He grinned. ‘Sure, I have a sweetheart.' He meant Amelia Harding, but all of a sudden his mind filled with a vision of Beatrice in that green gown, dancing under the lanterns in the town square of Independence.

Alex's stomach twisted. ‘Really?'

‘Really.'

She didn't want to hear any more but she couldn't help herself. ‘What does she look like?'

Golden hair. The slightest hint of a cleft in a stubborn little chin. And eyes the colour of a rainstorm . . .
Luke cleared his throat. ‘She's pretty.'

Of course she is, Alex thought glumly. Luke could have any girl he wanted.

‘She has brown eyes,' Luke continued, struggling to call Amelia's eyes to mind. All he could see were gray eyes swirling like smoke.

‘Oh.' Alex felt sick.

‘And dark hair.' Beatrice's hair had shone with streaks the colour of shiny gold coins. And it curled. Unconsciously, Luke reached into his pocket, and his fingers brushed against the battered petals of a cloth rose. ‘Dark,' he repeated, louder than he intended to.
Ripe, swelling curves, as smooth as silk, pressing against him until his pulse raced, until he was wild . . .
hell. Luke scowled. He couldn't do this to himself. She was out of his life for good. There was no point in torturing himself.

‘She's a tiny little thing,' he told Alex, banishing Beatrice from his thoughts and trying to force his memory of Amelia to take concrete form. ‘Slight. Slender. Why, I reckon her waist would fit between my hands.'

Alex blanched. And then she burned with shame. What must he have thought of her that night at Dolly's? She was everything his sweetheart wasn't. Alex felt something inside her die as she realised that she must have imagined the admiration in his face and the desire in his eyes. He'd made love to her because she was convenient. Because he was used to having any woman he wanted. Luke Slater thought all he had to do was look at a woman and she'd fall at his feet.

Alex's jaw clenched. Well, not any more. This was one woman Luke Slater would never have again.

In the back of the wagon, Victoria had to bite down on her fist to contain her joy. Brown eyes, dark hair, slight and slender. She knew it!

He
did
love her!

Twenty

Well, Fort Kearney sure was a disappointment. Alex took in the small, rough settlement by the side of the shining river and tried not to feel too deflated. After all, it wasn't like she was a city girl. Her small square of Mississippi had only been settled for a decade or so, it was far from completely civilised. And yet, at least back home there were plantations, and towns, and trade along the river. The land out here seemed so empty. The fort looked insignificant against the huge spread of land and the indifferent flow of the river. It was like a flea bite on an old hide.

Alex wondered what Oregon would be like. Even emptier, she supposed, suppressing a sigh.

‘Let Adam handle the mules,' Luke said, trotting over on Delilah, and extending his hand to hoist her up behind him, ‘you're coming into town with me.'

They'd made camp just upriver from the smudge of a town and Alex had immediately set to the chores. She was hot and she was tired. If she sat down she'd never get back up again.

‘Why?' Alex eyed Luke's proffered hand sceptically, suspecting she was being roped into more work.

‘I've a mind to buy us steak for dinner.'

‘Steak?'

‘Well, a cow.'

Alex winced. ‘And you want help butchering it.' Lord, she hated butchery. It was hard, messy work.

‘Come on.' Luke snapped his fingers at her.

‘I'm not your slave, you know.' Alex glared up at him.

‘What's going on here?' Victoria asked, gliding over to smile up at Luke.

‘He wants me to go into town with him, but I'm not going.'

‘I'll go,' Victoria volunteered.

‘Yeah, take Victoria.'

Luke gave Alex a warning look.

‘I'll have the coals hot for when you get back with dinner,' Alex told him with a facile smile.

‘Dinner?' Victoria looked back and forth between them.