Brave the Wild Wind (18 page)

She left the room, and Chase grinned. He was ridiculously delighted.

C
HASE woke to the sounds of pots clanging as someone put coffee on and started breakfast. He stared in vexation at the still-black sky. Three mornings ago, when he’d been awakened in a similar manner for the first time, he’d been angry enough to voice his objections, but had received only laughter and jesting from the others. They were used to rising before dawn for a day’s hard work. He was not. They called him a greenhorn. Hell, he
was
a greenhorn.

But he’d gotten himself into this, had insisted on it, so it did no good to complain. He’d like to think he was only being gallant, coming to a lady’s rescue and all that, but that was far from the truth.

Actually, he had seen less of Jessie in the three days since he’d followed her out to the range than he’d expected. He had been given the easy task of guarding the water hole where the cattle were being brought and seeing that the herd didn’t wander too far off. He saw Jessie once, maybe twice, a day, when she brought in the stragglers from the hills. At night, she was so tired that they exchanged no more than a few
words before she bedded down close to the fire with the others. He never saw her alone. In the mornings, no one saw her, not even the cook, who was the first to rise.

Chase sat up and shivered in the predawn cold. It must be thirty degrees or lower, he thought. His blanket was sodden and covered by a thin layer of frost. But it was only the first week in November.

Why would anyone want to start a ranch in such cold country? But Thomas Blair had, and the cattle had survived it. The men were used to working in freezing weather.

A cup of hot coffee would help, he decided, shivering at the prospect of having to get up to get it. He glanced over to where Jessie had bedded down last night, but the spot was empty. There was only the frostless outline where her blanket had been. Gone, the same as every other morning. Why? At least the sun was coming up by the time the men finished their breakfast and headed out, but Jessie took off while it was still pitch dark. He’d asked her where she went so early, but she had shrugged evasively.

He shook his head, his mind going back to what had happened the night before last. She had taken the new calamity better than most would, after her initial burst of outrage. The last thing she’d expected to hear from Mitch Faber when he rode into their small camp that night was that every single head of cattle he had taken north had been stolen, stolen the day before they were due to deliver the herd.

The men were set upon at night, while they
slept, the man standing guard over the herd disappearing altogether.

“Knocked us clean out,” Mitch said. “I didn’t even know what hit me. We weren’t hurt worse than that, though. They weren’t out to kill us, just take the herd.”

It hadn’t been necessary to kill them, Jessie learned. By the time Mitch and the men with him reached the first mining town on their list, so they could report the theft to the sheriff, it was all pointless. The cattle thieves had their timing perfect. The thieves had every cow sold before Mitch and his men woke up. And the most galling part was that the herd would be sold to the very miners Jessie had contracted with. An agent had bought the whole herd and divided it and had the cattle ready to be driven on to the surrounding towns. He had a receipt. He’d paid in cash, dealing through the bank, which was his witness. There wasn’t a damn thing the sheriff could do.

There wasn’t a damn thing Mitch could do, either. The agent could not be blamed for assuming the men who brought the herd into town were from the Rocky Valley Ranch. They sold him the contracts, which had been stolen from Mitch while he was knocked out. Jessie had never dealt with an agent before, so he didn’t know her or Mitch.

“How could they know about the contracts?” Jessie had demanded.

She took the news hard, her face ashen, her eyes disbelieving. Chase understood. He knew of the outstanding loan she had at the bank. She would have no money coming in now to put to
ward the debt, and no money to pay her men with, either.

Jessie turned furious when she heard of the disappearance of the man who had been standing guard. Blue Parker. Mitch confessed that Blue had been acting strangely during the drive. Yes, Blue knew of the contracts. And he had been surly and discontent for a month before the drive. Chase realized that was about the time he’d arrived at the Rocky Valley. Jessie realized it, too, and gave him a withering look, as if it were all his fault. Chase didn’t even know Blue Parker, but he found out later that he was the young man he had discovered with Jessie that first day. That was all Jessie told him, explaining who Blue was. But it was obvious she thought Parker was in with the cattle thieves, and it was obvious who they were.

She was too angry that night to explain any more to Chase, cursing Parker, cursing Laton Bowdre. By the time she had calmed down, Chase didn’t have the heart to bring the subject up again. But he was damn well curious about Parker. Remembering that scene he had come upon, finding them together, gave him little sleep that night.

Chase finally braved the cold and put his bedding away. What a difference a month made! It hadn’t been nearly so cold when he’d camped out under the stars on his search for Jessie, and that had been only late September.

He took a cup of coffee, clasping it tightly to warm his hands. The other two men who sat near the fire eating fried steak and eggs grinned at him as he stood there shaking.

“You’ll get used to it, Summers, if you stick around long enough,” Ramsey offered.

“Gonna get worse, friend,” the middle-aged cowpuncher called Baldy told him, chuckling. “Looks like we’ll be havin’ us some snow any day now.”

Chase grunted, and both men laughed. It was only the three of them, as it had been from the start, for they were the only two hands Jessie had besides Jeb and the two others who had gone on the drive with Mitch and Blue. Jessie had sent Mitch and one of the men to Ft. Laramie to try to sell some beef there, enough to pay her men. The second man had quit when she refused to give him time off for a little revelry. She had had to ride back to the ranch with him in order to scrape up enough money to pay him off. Chase had wanted to clobber the bastard, but it was Jessie’s business, and he knew she wouldn’t appreciate his interfering.

He wanted desperately to help her out of this new trouble. Hell, he would give her every cent he had if she would just take it.

“Either of you get a chance to talk to Jessie before she left this morning?” Chase asked casually as he took a plate and filled it.

Baldy shook his head without looking up from his breakfast. “Her ridin’ out was what woke me. Didn’t see nothin’ but the tail end of her horse.”

“Which way did she go?” Chase ventured.

Ramsey answered, “She told me last night she’d be riding west today, up into the foothills. Said not to expect her back for a few days.”

Baldy shrugged. “If she’s goin’ that far afield,
she’s probably gonna stop by the supply shack. She should’ve said somethin’ to me. I was by there yesterday and stocked up good. I could’ve saved her the trip.”

Chase was feeling more and more miserable. The thought of not seeing her for several days…

“Switch places with me today, Ramsey?” Chase said impulsively.

Ramsey looked at him in surprise. Both men knew that he had recently been wounded.

“You sure you’re up to it?”

“Some of them older cows can get pretty testy about bein’ herded in when they’re used to roamin’ free,” Baldy added.

“I think I can manage,” Chase said firmly. “And I need the exercise. I’ve been resting up too long as it is.”

“Sure thing then,” Ramsey agreed.

W
ITH the sky a solid sheet of clouds, it didn’t look like the sun was going to do much warming. Without a clear dawn, there was only a hazy blue light over the land when Chase left camp. But it was light enough to define Jessie’s tracks, distinctive as they were on the frost-covered ground.

In the mood he was in, he didn’t care if the men noticed he was taking off in the same direction she had gone. They might wonder about his relationship with her, but what
was
his relationship with her, anyway? He certainly didn’t know.

Chase rode on over the cold plain, the icy wind biting at his cheeks. He had his jacket fastened clear to the neck and wore his bandanna over his ears as Baldy had suggested. But even the old pair of woolly chaps he’d borrowed from Jeb weren’t helping. Nothing was helping. He cursed himself for leaving the camp fire to go chasing a woman it would probably take him all day to find.

It didn’t, though. He had ridden no more than half a mile when he topped a low-lying hill and
pulled up short, seeing Jessie’s big-boned Appaloosa grazing on the next rise. On the level plain between the two hills, Jessie lay on the ground. Had she taken a fall from the horse?

Chase felt his chest constrict. He raced down the hill, holding his breath. It was only when she turned her head at the sound of his horse that he let out that breath.

He got off his horse so quickly he nearly stumbled. He knelt beside her, taking in her ashen pallor.

“For God’s sake, Jessie, what happened?”

“Nothing.”

“Nothing?”

“Nothing,” she repeated in a groaning voice. “What the hell are you doing here?”

He drew back, frowning. “Damn it, Jessie—”

“Will you go away!” She cut him off forcefully.

“Of course not. You’re hurt.”

“I’m not.”

Jessie started to sit up but paled even more and lay back down, closing her eyes. God, why did he have to find her like this? She had been lucky so far, managing to get away by herself while she was plagued with the morning sickness. This wasn’t the first time she’d curled up on the cold ground until the waves of nausea passed. She’d always managed to do it in secret.

“Jessie, please, tell me what’s wrong.”

There was genuine concern in his voice. That
warmed her. She had to tell him something—not the truth, but something.

“I’m just not feeling too good, is all. I suppose I’ve been overdoing it.”

“Well lying on this cold ground can’t help. You’ll catch your death.”

“I tried to make it to the supply shack, but I couldn’t this morning.”

Too late, Jessie realized she’d said more than she should have.

“This morning? Is that where you’ve been going all these mornings? Why?”

She wanted to say, “’Cause it’s warmer there for what I have to go through.” But she couldn’t very well say that, so she lied. “I’ve been riding the northern range. Why shouldn’t I stop off there for a bite to eat? You got any more questions?”

“I’m getting you back to the ranch.”

“No! Damn it, I just need to lie down for a while. If I could ride, do you think I’d be lying here?” she asked caustically.

“You’re not staying here. I’ll take you to the cabin. You can lie down there.”

“No, Chase.” He reached for her, and she panicked. “Don’t touch me!”

He ignored her. But Jessie had known the slightest movement would stir her stomach, and it did. She jerked away from him and turned just in time to lose every thing she hadn’t lost already. As soon as she was finished, he gently picked her up and carried her to his horse, set her sideways in the saddle, then mounted behind her, gathered her against him,
and went to collect Blackstar. She didn’t protest anymore, but rested against him, snug in his arms all the way to the cabin. He carried her inside, putting her down on the cot closest to the fireplace. Immediately he got a fire going, then helped her remove her jacket, boots, and gun holster so she would be more comfortable.

“Can I get you something to eat, Jessie?” Chase offered.

“No!” she said quickly, but added in a softer tone, “But you can boil me some water if you would. I’ve got some wild mint in my saddlebag that’s good for…settling the stomach.”

Chase didn’t question the home remedy but did as she asked and put some water on over the fire before he went out to get her saddlebags. While he was waiting for the water to boil so he could add the herbs, Jessie fell asleep. He didn’t wake her. Sleep was probably the best thing for her, and the tonic could wait until she woke. He sat down to watch her, wondering if he should go for a doctor. But the nearest one would be at least a day’s ride away, and he couldn’t leave her alone that long.

The more he thought of it, the more he figured it was probably just as Jessie said. She had been overdoing it. Getting up well before dawn and working till sunset—even she wasn’t used to those hours. And she was worried, damn near wiped out by the theft of her cattle.

Chase went out to bed down the horses in the lean-to. When it started snowing, he cursed. Then he realized that if it continued, they might get snowed in. And they wouldn’t
have to worry about the cattle, either, because the weather would put a halt to Bowdre’s activities as well. As soon as he saw the horses had plenty to eat, Chase hurried back inside the shack.

J
ESSIE woke snuggled in a warm cocoon of blankets, the fire crackling near her and a tantalizing aroma wafting through the air. She found she was ravenous and feeling just fine.

She sat up. Chase was by the fire. He had his back to her and was stirring whatever it was that had aroused her hunger so.

“Didn’t know you could cook.”

He turned and grinned at her. “Passably.”

“It smells good.”

“Thank you, ma’am.” He came over to the bed. His expression turned more serious as he peered at her closely. “Can I get you your tonic now?”

“I don’t need it right now, but I can sure use a plate of your grub.”

“You’re sure you’re all right?”

“I’m fine, Chase, really. I just needed to lie down for a while. Now I’m starving.”

His lips split into a delighted smile. “You got it, sweetheart.”

Jessie frowned. She wished he wouldn’t call her that. She wished he hadn’t shown so much concern for her. She didn’t know what to make of him anymore.

As she moved to the table and sat down, her eyes remained on Chase. There was no stiffness in his movements, so his back must not have suffered from his exertions during the last few days. Her eyes traveled the breadth of his back, down to his hips, down his long legs, and back up to those lean buttocks. He looked like he was up to anything. Yes, anything…

Jessie blushed and looked away. Where had that thought come from? She might be having his baby, but ever since his bragging about being a womanizer, she’d known he didn’t really care about her. Therefore, she didn’t care about him. Remember that, Jessie, she told herself.

“Is it too hot in here for you?” Chase asked as he set a plate down before her.

Jessie blushed more, knowing he’d noticed the color in her cheeks. “A little,” she said testily.

They ate in silence, Chase confused by her abrupt change in mood. He watched her covertly, while she kept her eyes lowered and devoured her food as if she hadn’t had a meal in days. She seemed perfectly well, too well, back to her old high-tempered ways. It was hard to recall that she had been pale and sick just a few hours ago. A little sleep must have been all she needed. She’d better take it easy for a day or so, he thought, so there would be no further problem.

This silence continued. Perhaps she was more worried about Bowdre’s attempts to ruin her than he realized.

Chase began hesitantly. “You know, Jessie, if
you’re just going to keep it bottled up and brood about it, it’s going to fester.”

“What?” She looked at him with wide eyes.

“You know what I’m talking about,” Chase said flatly.

“I’m afraid I don’t,” she hedged.

“Laton Bowdre, of course. The theft of your cattle. It’s not the end of the world, you know.”

She sighed. “No.”

“Well?” Chase prompted after a while.

“There isn’t much to say.” She shrugged. “I’m simply going to kill the bastard if I ever see him again.”

Chase burst out laughing. “No, you’re not, Jessie. Come on now, be serious.”

“I’m dead serious.”

“What will you do, challenge him?”

“Why not?” she countered.

“Because he can decline, and no one will think the worse of him for it. No man would face a woman in a gunfight, not even scum like Bowdre.”

“He’s not going to get away with this, Chase. If I had proof, I’d leave it to the sheriff, but without proof, I have to take care of it myself. What else can I do?”

“Let me take care of it.”

“You challenge Bowdre?”

“Yes.”

“No.”

Her flat refusal irritated him. “But he would accept a showdown with me, Jessie.”

“I said no! That’s not right.”

“It’s probably all over with, anyway,” Chase said. “Bowdre undoubtedly got what your fa
ther’s note was worth and more when he sold your cattle. He’s probably satisfied and long gone from this area.”

“I hope not,” Jessie replied bitterly.

“Bloodlust never solved anything, Jessie. You’re not ruined. Just scratch this loss. Forget it.”

“That’s easy for you to say, Chase Summers. It’s not your life that’s threatened. My ranch isn’t big enough to absorb this loss. Thomas Blair never meant to be a cattle king. He just wanted to settle on the land where he’d spent his youth, and ranching offered the solution. Our herd was never very big. We lose a good portion of it every winter, anyhow. The blizzard of ’66 wiped out seventy percent of our gain, and Thomas went into debt then, too, to replenish the stock. No sooner did he pay that debt off than he got the idea for the grand house. It seems we’ve always been in debt, selling just enough cattle each year to get by. I can’t afford this loss.”

Chase felt strangely affected by her speech. He was feeling her pain right along with her. “You know your mother would gladly help you out, Jessie.”

“Forget it,” she snarled.

After that, he knew he’d be wasting his time making his own offer. But then, you never knew. He had to offer.

“Would you consider taking a loan from me? I won a good sum in Cheyenne, more than I need.”

Jessie sat back, shaking her head. “What is it with you, Chase? First you want to fight my bat
tles, now you want to lend me money. Are you feeling
that
guilty over my ruination at your hands? Has Rachel gotten to you?”

She surprised him. She wasn’t angry, just confused. Well, no more confused than he was!

“Well, Chase?” she prompted.

He scowled and replied gruffly, “All right. Let’s just say I owe you.”

“No. Let’s be honest and agree you don’t,” she came back coolly.

Again she managed to surprise him.

“Facts are facts, Jessie. You were a virgin before I touched you.”

“Oh, so what!” she cried in exasperation. “If you had forced me, then you would owe me. But you didn’t. Have you forgotten that I wanted you, too?”

Jessie could have bitten her tongue. Furious with herself, she added curtly, “It was purely physical.”

“Far be it for me to assume anything else,” he said just as curtly.

“You needn’t be sarcastic.”

“And you don’t have to convince me that you feel nothing for me,” he retorted coldly. “I am quite aware of that. But you’ve skirted the issue. You may feel now that the loss of your virginity doesn’t matter one bit, but you’ll feel differently when you marry someday and have to explain that loss to a husband.”

Chase thought he had lost his senses when she burst into laughter, rich, musical laughter.

“I fail to see what’s so amusing, Jessie.”

“I bet you do,” she laughed, barely able to get the words out.

She tried to stifle her laughter. How she would have liked to tell him what she found so ridiculously funny. If she ever did marry, her husband would be accepting her with a child in tow. Her virginity, or lack of it, would hardly be a question!

“I’m sorry,” she said, calming herself.

“Not at all,” he replied caustically. “Why should I expect you to feel like other girls? I keep forgetting you’re not at all like other girls.”

Jessie sobered. “I’m not so different.”

“No?” he said rudely.

“No. It’s just, being raised as I was, I see things in a different light. I see things like…how many men go to their wedding beds virgins? If it’s acceptable for a man to have lovers before marriage, why can’t a woman? As long as I’m faithful afterward, it shouldn’t matter.”

“Only
you
would think so, Jessie. Men aren’t so open-minded.”

“Well, then, it just goes to show the difference between the Indian’s and the white man’s viewpoint. Little Hawk didn’t care that I wasn’t a virgin.”

Chase stiffened, and his eyes turned coal black. “And how did he know that, Jessie? Did you let him find out firsthand?”

Jessie stood up, placed her hands on the table, and leaned forward. “I’m not going to take exception to that.” Her blazing eyes belied her words. “Little Hawk was entirely honorable except for one stolen kiss.
He
wanted me for his
wife
, not some passing fancy.”

It struck home. Her eyes bored into his. Chase’s anger shriveled. He was guilty as charged. He hadn’t wanted her for his wife…but that didn’t mean he didn’t want Jessie.

Chase stood up slowly and leaned forward in the same manner as Jessie, their faces only a foot apart now. His voice was a deep whisper. “Do you have any idea how beautiful you are when you get like this?”

Jessie drew back warily. “That’s a far way off from the subject we were on.”

“True. But when you look like this, I have a hard time thinking of any subject but one.”

Jessie could scarcely meet his eyes. His voice was so husky when he got in this disarming mood. And that damned knowing smile of his…

She made a frantic dash for the door, but just as she opened it, he slammed it shut. “You don’t want to go out there. The cattle are fine, and there’s too much snow to get any work done. We’ll stay right here.” He turned her around and hooked his hands behind her back. “Isn’t it nicer in here, and warmer? And you’ve got nothing better to do than let me love you.”

He was kissing her before she could think. She wouldn’t let herself feel anything this time—she wouldn’t! He was no good, he was…he was setting her blood on fire, damn him, just like before. Her muscles relaxed, making her lean into him. Her legs felt useless.

He was doing it to her, making her want him with the feel and touch of his body, the persuasion of his lips. His belly was pressed against her, making hers flutter wildly. The moment
she wrapped her arms around his neck, he crushed her to him even closer.

“You’ll let me love you, Jessie?”

“Yes.”

“All day?”

“Yes.”

“And all night?”

“For God’s sake, stop talking!” she whispered.

Chase laughed deeply and swept her into his arms. He carried her to the cots and, with his knee, shoved the two together before laying her down. He began to remove his clothes immediately, and Jessie did the same. She couldn’t take her eyes away as one article of clothing followed another into a pile on the floor. She found that just the sight of his body had the power to excite her, and her own hands were clumsy because of it. He was done before she was half finished undressing.

Chase leaned over to help her, and impulsively Jessie caught his face between her hands and kissed him, not with passion, but tenderly.

When she released him, Chase was looking at her strangely. That kiss hadn’t been a response to his own kisses, but something entirely different. He stood looking at her for a moment, then lay down beside her. They were both naked, and he enjoyed just lying there, bare skin against bare skin.

She was watching him, running her hands over his chest in a delightful way.

“Are you going to act this way with every man who wants you?” His voice was light and teasing, but he wanted to know.

“I haven’t so far,” Jessie replied.

“Which doesn’t mean you won’t.”

“No, it doesn’t.”

He looked down at her, his features rapidly turning solemn. “Jessie…”

She caught her fingers in his hair. “Shut up and love me, Chase.”