Outlaws Of Phantom Canyon (Savage Series) (6 page)

While they walked back to Gabriel's old shack, she was thinking about Ted's wife, Ruby. It hadn't dawned on Julianna that any of these outlaws might have wives. Ruby was friendly and seemed like someone Julianna would be friends with back home. But this wasn't home, it was a camp full of outlaws and murderers. She didn't understand how Ruby would want to be with an outlaw, or did she . . .

Once they were back inside his shack, Gabriel deposited his items on the table. "I bought these books for you. I thought they would help pass the time."

Touched by Gabriel's kindness, Julianna walked up to Gabriel to thank him, but the words were forgotten as she looked up into those slate blue eyes. For what seemed like forever, they just stared intently at each other, lost in the depths of each other's smoldering eyes.

Finally Gabriel looked away as he turned and headed for the shack door. When he reached for the door latch, Julianna called to him, "Gabe." As he looked at her she said, "Thank you."

He nodded his head, as he was momentarily at a loss for words
. When Gabriel found his tongue he said, "I will be back shortly. I'm going to see about borrowing a bath tub for you to get a proper bath in." And with that, he walked out the shack door.

*     *     *

True to his word, Gabriel had come back with a bath tub. With Barry's help, they hauled in buckets of steaming hot water and poured them into the bath tub. Gabriel also had Barry bring Julianna a plateful of supper. After Barry left the last time, Gabriel said to Julianna as he was headed out the door, "I have things to do tonight, so you will have the shack to yourself this evening." Julianna nodded in understanding, and then Gabriel was gone out the door.

Julianna wondered what
things
Gabriel had to do again tonight? She soon dismissed the thought as the steaming hot water was beckoning to her. She decided she could eat later.

As Julianna sunk down into the bath tub of hot water, her knotted and aching muscles started to relax. She thought she was close to being in heaven. She closed her eyes and thought about her shopping today with Ruby.

After Ruby and Julianna had picked out the riding outfits and undergarments she needed, Ruby held up an almost sheer nightgown. It was white, but made of the thinnest material. It was almost see through!

As Julianna tried not to look shocked, she just listened to Ruby tell her this was the perfect thing to wear to bed to please Gabriel. Too embarrassed to say anything, Julianna accepted it when Ruby handed it to her, and rolled it up in the middle of her outfits, where Gabriel could not see it.

Now Julianna thought about that nightgown . . . and Gabriel. If she wore it to bed . . .  would he notice?

*     *     *

Gabriel had not intended to drink much whiskey tonight, but after he had a run-in with Victor outside of the cook's shack, about kidnapping Julianna, Gabriel was in a foul mood again. He wanted to kill Victor so much he could taste it! So he quickly stormed off to the camp's saloon and ordered a bottle of whiskey.

After he finished his bottle of whiskey and lost his money at poker, Gabriel stumbled home to his little old shack. It was late again and Julianna had already fallen asleep waiting on him. When he stumbled noisily through the shack door, Julianna woke up, but she didn't move because she had decided to wear the see-through nightgown to bed, and was now too embarrassed to move.

Julianna listened to Gabriel mumble to himself. As hard as she tried, she couldn't make out what he was saying. She heard what sounded like him undressing, then he climbed into bed, snuggled up to her, and kissed her goodnight on the cheek saying, "I love you, Dora."

Good God!
She hadn't been dreaming last night!
But who the hell was Dora?

Tears streamed down Julianna rosy cheeks as she realized why Gabriel wasn't interested in her. He was in love with another woman. Now she really was embarrassed that she had wore the see-through nightgown to bed, thinking that maybe . . .

Julianna didn't have his love, but she did have his arms around her at night holding her tight. She decided she was going to enjoy that as long as she could, and just maybe she could make him forget about Dora . . .

*     *     *

When Gabriel woke up this time to the sledgehammer in his head, he knew where he was. And better yet, he knew it was Julianna he was happily snuggled up to. What he hadn't figured out yet, was why she felt like she barely had any clothes on? Against his nakedness she felt so soft and silky. Instantly he was aroused more so than he usually was, when he was near her.

As he silently cursed himself again for getting drunk, Gabriel quietly climbed out of the small bed, dressed, and headed outside before Julianna woke up
. Had he called her Dora again?

That's it! No more whiskey, Gabriel decided. Until it was the right time, he would stay away from the outlaw camp's saloon and avoid the Phantom gang as much as possible; but that only left spending his long days,
and nights
, with Julianna. He wasn't sure which would torment him more. His memories of Dora, or the feel of Julianna up against him?

Gabriel headed to the horse trough out back of his old shack, stripped all his clothes off, and climbed in thoroughly dunking himself. Never had he been so grateful for an ice cold bath! He stayed in the trough until he thought parts of him were going to freeze and fall off. Gabriel knew he had to put the thoughts of him and Julianna together out of his mind, because it could never happen.

Once he was dressed again, Gabriel fed the horses and headed to see Barry at the cook's shack about some breakfast for Julianna and himself. When Barry had two heaping platefuls of sausage, eggs, and biscuits ready, Gabriel thanked him and walked back to his small shack with the plates of food.

Julianna had awakened shortly after Gabriel left their shack. Slowly she remembered what transpired last night, and again the question haunted her, who was Dora?

Realizing she only had the thin nightgown on, Julianna hurried and dressed into one of the riding outfits that Gabriel bought for her yesterday at the mercantile store. As she brushed her hair, she saw Gabriel through the window headed her way with two plates of food. Laying the hairbrush down, she went and opened the door for him.

When his shack door opened, Gabriel saw Julianna with her hair down around her face in soft gentle curls, and he couldn't help but to smile at her. Julianna smiled back as Gabriel admired the new outfit on her. "That looks good on you. How about after we eat, I'll go saddle our horses and we'll go for a ride today, and get away from this camp for a few hours?"

"Sounds wonderful! How about we make a day of it and take a dinner with us?" Julianna happily asked.

"Alright. But are you sure you are up to r
iding that much?" Gabriel asked as he thought to himself that that was a stupid question. She had ridden hard with the outlaw gang for two days straight, and never once complained. Of course she could handle an easy day-ride.

Julianna answered him with a seductive smile that shot like an arrow through his heart. If a person could drown from falling in love, he was just about to go under.

As they ate their breakfast they idly chatted about things like the beautiful spring weather. When they had finished eating, Julianna grabbed her hairbrush again, and started to put her long brunette hair up, when Gabriel said to her, "Please leave it down."

"Okay,
" Julianna replied happy to leave her hair unconfined. "I'll go have Barry pack us a light dinner while you saddle our horses."

*     *     *

Gabriel led them out of the Phantom outlaw's camp through a different canyon trail, than the one they walked on yesterday. When they had come close to the sentry's position, Gabriel signaled to him and the guard acknowledged him by signaling back.

They rode on in silence for quite a while, riding single file along a narrow trail that wound around big boulder
s and trees as they climbed. Julianna didn't mind, she was enjoying the scenic view. She had never been west before, and had fallen in love with the mountains as soon as she saw them.

When they entered a lush buffalo grass valley a couple hours later, Gabriel led them to a stream that flowed through it to water their horses. Then he led them over to a large lone tree where they dismounted, pulled the bridles and saddles, and hobbled the horses so they could graze.

While Gabriel spread a soft blanket on the ground under the big lone tree, Julianna pulled the food from the saddlebags and then spread it out on the big blanket for them to eat. Barry had packed them a light dinner of a couple apples, and ham and cheese sandwiches.

When they had finished eating their dinner, they both laid back on their backs looking up at the sky and relaxed, content with their meal and each other's company. After a peaceful moment, Julianna couldn't wait any longer to know and asked, "Who is Dora?"

Gabriel thought she had been sound asleep when he had said Dora's name. He rolled over onto his side, propping his head up on his elbow so he could look at Julianna. "She was my fiancé."

Julianna now rolled onto her side so she
could look Gabriel in the eyes while saying, "
Was
your fiancé?"

"Yes, she was murdered ten years ago." Gabriel took hold of Julianna's hand as he continued, "I'm so sorry I called you Dora. I was upset and got drunk. I usually don't drink much. Can you forgive me?"

Julianna stared a long time into Gabriel's blue eyes before she answered, "Yes, I forgive you."

The way Julianna was looking at Gabriel, he suddenl
y felt the need to explain more. "My brother and I were cowboying for a rancher when I started courting Dora. She was the daughter of the local Doctor, and he did not like us seeing each other.

"He wanted her to marry a man of wealth and forbid me to see her anymore, but we kept seeing each other without his knowledge. We finally decided to elope, and a couple days before we was going to leave, her father found out.

"The next day he put her on a stage headed to her aunts in Philadelphia. Only the stage didn't make it, it was held up and Dora was shot dead. Since then I have been searching for the men who robbed that stage, and the man that killed her."

How awful! Julianna's heart ached for Gabriel. She gave his big hand a gentle squeeze, but she wanted to reach over and give him a hug. "How did you find out who they were?" She asked.

Finding comfort in holding hands with Julianna, he took a moment to answer. "I talked to the stagecoach driver and he described them to me. He said two of them appeared to be brothers because they looked similar in the face, and the other one had a scar that run from his eye to his chin on the right side of his face."

The moment after Gabriel described the men, it dawned on Julianna. He was talking about Clayton, Ted, and Victor who had the scar on his face. "So you've been pretending to be an outlaw to find these men?" It didn't take Julianna long now to put the pieces of the puzzle together.

"Yes, that penny dreadful was all a story the writer and I cooked up after he agreed to help me. I used it to help convince Clayton to allow me into the Phantom gang."

"But now that you've found the men, why don't you just turn them into the law, and let the law handle it?" Julianna asked.

"Revenge," was all that Gabriel would say. He was quiet then, he had already told her too much . . .

Chapter 4

Julianna knew she needed to convince Gabriel to change his stubborn mind. "We are already past the sentry, let's continue riding on to a town and tell the law where the Phantom outlaw gang's hideout is. I'm sure the law would be most happy to know where the gang's camp is located."

"You're right, they do want to know. For many years the Phantom Outlaw gang has eluded the angry posses that have chased them. The posses can track them only so far
, and then the outlaw's tracks just disappear. I had to ride with the outlaw gang for over six months, before I was able to see how to get to the Phantom gang's hideout. The gang would always blindfold me like I did you," Gabriel explained.

While Gabriel was telling her about the Phantom outlaw gang, he had been gently caressing her soft silky arm with his calloused hand. Distracted, Julianna heard what Gabriel was saying, but was more lost in thoughts about him
, and the feel of his hand at that moment.

Between caressing her velvet soft arm
, and the way Julianna looked at him with her smoldering green eyes, Gabriel badly wanted to pull her into his strong arms and kiss her.

Julianna then said in a weak voice, "I thought you had another woman, and that
. . .," she lowered her eyes, "that's why you didn't want me."

"Oh Jules, I want you!" Gabriel said seductively as he leaned over and kissed her so gently she thought maybe she was dreaming, until he deepened the kiss. He parted her lips with his tongue and once inside, begun to seduce her all over again.

Julianna, lost in abandonment, curled her arms around Gabriel's neck, and pulled him even closer. Causing a hoarse moan from Gabriel, as he slid his hand down her backside, and pulled her up hard against his lean body. Hungrily he kissed her now. She had no idea what she was doing to him. If he did not stop now . . .

Suddenly Gabriel was alerted by the sound of a horse quickly headed their way, and looked up to see Levi fast approaching. Cursing under his breath, Gabriel jumped up and headed towards Levi.

Gabriel was fuming mad at the interruption. "What the hell is so important that it couldn't wait till I got back to camp?"

"Sorry, but Clayton wants you back right no
w. We're headin' out in a few hours. There's a payroll wagon we're goin' after," Levi said anxiously, not liking the murderous look on Gabriel's face.

"Alright, as soon as I
saddle up we will be on our way," Gabriel said as he dismissed Levi, and turned to walk back to Julianna.

Having delivered the message, Levi headed back to the Phantom outlaw camp. He saw no reason to wait for Gabriel and Julianna. He knew they would be along shortly.

Running into Gabriel's strong arms Julianna cried, "Why do you have to go? Can you not tell them, no? Please Gabe, let's get out of here and go to the law."

"Jules, I wish we could, but I have to go back. I have to follow through with my plans. There are other lives at risk besides our own. Now get this stuff packed up while I get the horses ready."

As they were headed back across the grassy meadow Julianna asked, "How did Levi find us so easily?"

"He's an excellent tracker, and we weren't trying to hide our tracks, so it was easy for him. Plus the sentry would of verified that we came this way."

The meadow ended. Now they traveled through the winding trail single file again. Gabriel kept them at a fast pace, making conversation impossible.

Julianna was trying hard to figure out what Gabriel meant by there were
others
at risk? What others? And what was his plans?

*     *     *

When they rode up to Gabriel's small shack, a beautiful young woman with chestnut hair and dark brown eyes, came out of the shack door. She ran into Gabriel's opened arms after he climbed off his big bay stallion.

"My little Angel! I'm so happy to see you." Gabriel hugged her for a long time and kissed her forehead. "
Come inside, we need to talk," he whispered in her ear.

As Gabriel led Angel into his shack, Julianna sat on her gray gelding in shock. How could she of been so dumb! Of course, he hadn't been a monk since his fiancés death, but she didn't think he had a woman
here!
Julianna then realized she had been sleeping in the bed
they
shared. Her stomach started rolling as she climbed off her big horse. When she raised her head back up, she was crying.

Barry had been watching Angel from across the way, but when he saw the tears run down Julianna's face, he stepped forward. "Miss Julianna, how about you come with me to the cook shack
, and have a hot cup of coffee?" He gently took hold of her elbow and led her away to the cook's shack.

Inside his shack Gabriel pulled out a chair for Angel. As she sat down she asked him in curiosity, "Who is the beautiful woman?"

"Her name is Julianna Whitaker."

"
Not
Governor Bill Whitaker's daughter?" Angel asked in shock.

"Yes
," Gabriel told her as he continued on with the story of how he had kidnapped Julianna in a stagecoach robbery, "and she heard me say Dora's name one night, so I've told her about Dora."

"Why does she think you are here? Does she still think you
are an outlaw?" Angel asked him now thinking about how this affected their situation.

"At first she did, but after telling her about Dora, she thinks I'm only here for revenge. I figured it best she thinks that for now."

Nodding in agreement Angel said, "You know Governor Whitaker will probably send the army after you."

"Yea, I kind of
figured on that," Gabriel said with a evil smile. "I need you to update Roark and tell him we've got to move on our plans soon, but not till I get back. Right now I need you to stay here in camp and keep a eye on Jules while I am gone. Clayton has us going after a payroll wagon."

"Jules?" Angel asked
with a raised eyebrow. "Don't tell me you have fallen for her? Guess that's a good thing." Angel started laughing. "Because when her father gets done with you, you'll have no choice but to marry her."

*     *     *

Angel headed for the Phantom outlaw gang's saloon as Gabriel went in search of Julianna. He knew she'd probably be at the cook's shack or the mercantile store visiting with Ruby. The cook's shack being closer, he tried it first, and found her in the corner drinking coffee.

"There you are. Come back to the shack with me. I want to see you before I have to leave."

Julianna just silently stared at him for a moment. She had already dried her tears and was now angry at him, and at herself for falling in love with him. Not wanting to make a scene, she followed Gabriel back to their shack to find Angel was gone. Had he already had his fun with her and sent her on her way?

Reaching out to Julianna's shoulder,
Gabriel turned her to face him and said, "I should only be gone a few days. If you need another book to read just see Ruby, tell her I will pay her back when I return. I'm sure she won't mind."

As Gabriel gently kissed Julianna goodbye on her sweet lips, he saw the tears in her emerald eyes and thought it was because he was leaving. He felt so bad for having to leave her here alone, but he knew his Angel would watch over her.

"See you soon," Gabriel said as he left Julianna standing in the middle of their shack. Once the door shut, Julianna collapsed on the bed in tears.

*     *     *

Gabriel put Julianna's gray gelding out in the pasture with the herd after unsaddling it. He didn't want her to get any bright ideas while he was gone, and try to escape. If she was caught she would be killed, no exceptions. It was Phantom gang law!

Gabriel arrived in front of Clayton's shack, just as the rest of the outlaw gang was ready to ride.  He didn't want to do anything to draw suspicion to himself, so Gabriel tried to participate in small talk with the other members of the outlaw gang
, as they headed out. He was having a hard time staying in the conversation, because he couldn't stop thinking about Julianna . . .

*     *     *

Having had a restless nap, Julianna got up with much determination. She wasn't going to give Gabriel up without a fight! And if she was going to be stuck here in this outlaw camp, then she was going to make the best of it.

After she had brushed her hair and put it up in a bun, she headed out the door to go see Barry at the cook's shack. She didn't want to just sit around and nervously wait for Gabriel to return.

Upon entering the cook's shack, Julianna saw that it was supper time and that Barry was very busy. She started to turn away, but then walked up to Barry and asked him, "What can I do to help?"

Surprised, it took Ba
rry a moment to answer. "Well, you can start by washin' those dishes over there."

By the time they were done for the night, Julianna was back in her element of taking charge. Not only did she do all the dishes, but she accepted payments, took orders while Barry did the cooking, and helped clean up before closing for the night.

Barry walked Julianna home since it was now getting dark out. "Thanks for your help tonight. Most of our Phantom outlaw gang is gone with Clayton, but another one is in camp holdin' up right now."

"You're welcome Barry. I'll come again tomorrow to help you." As they reached the door to her shack, Julianna turned and said, "Goodnight."

"Goodnight Julianna." Barry turned and headed back to his cook's shack where he had his own bunk in a small room, in the back of the shack. As he neared his cook's shack, he saw Angel sitting in a rocking chair on the front porch.

"Evening Angel. Can I fix you up a cot inside?" Barry had liked Angel since the moment he met her around a year ago, but he knew she had been considered Gabriel's woman. Although
he
didn't really consider her Gabriel's woman, because she'd come and go as she pleased. Often gone for long periods of time.

"Thanks Barry. I'll take you up on that offer, but why don't you sit down and join me for a while first."

As he sat down in a rocking chair beside Angel, Barry wondered if it was over between her and Gabriel now that he had Julianna living with him? He secretly hoped so. Barry wanted to ask her, but wasn't sure the best way to go about it.

Before he could say anything, Angel continued k
nowing what was on Barry's mind. "Yep, it looks like it is over between me and Gabriel. I knew it wouldn't last. I'm just glad he wants to stay friends."

Excited at the news
Barry replied, "Well, you have a place to sleep here anytime you want."

"Thank you,
" Angel said and actually meant it. With the seed of gossip planted, Angel spent the next couple hours enjoying idle conversation with Barry. Finally the moon told the hour to be really late, and Barry went indoors to make Angel's cot up.

Once Angel had come indoors, Barry tried to convince her to take his small cot in the back room and he'd take the one out front, but she refused. So telling her goodnight, he went back to his room to bed. When he arose the next morning . . . She was already gone.

*     *     *

While Gabriel was gone, Angel kept an eye on Julianna from afar. She had tried once to join Julianna in conversation, only for Julianna to walk away with hatred in her emerald green eyes. Angel assumed Gabriel didn't have the time to tell Julianna who she really was, and that was probably best for now. The less Julianna knew, the safer she would be.

Before Angel had gone to bed in the cook's shack last night, she checked her ivory handled Colt Peacemaker, and then headed out the door to make one final check on Julianna. Having found nothing unusual at Gabriel's shack as she peeked into the old window, she went back to the cook's shack, and went to sleep on the small cot Barry had set up for her. As daylight crept into the big canyon, Angel headed to the stream to bathe before the rest of the camp woke up.

For the rest of the duration of her stay, Angel kept watch over Julianna as she promised Gabriel she would. Since Julianna had decided to help out Barry, it gave Angel an excuse to hang out in the cook's shack and spend more time with Barry.

*     *     *

A couple nights later, just as Julianna had finished cleaning up in the cook's shack, she heard the camp dog barking, and stepped outside onto the cook shack's porch to see what was the matter.

Headed her way was the Phantom outlaw gang. When she spotted Gabriel in the pack, she instantly ran to him and put her arms around his neck as he climbed down from his big stallion.

Gabriel was so relieved to see Julianna safe, that he didn't care who was watching as he kissed her long and hard. She was all he could think about when he was gone. With his strong arm around her small waist he said with a big smile, "Let's go home."

Home?
That had a nice ring to it. She smiled back at him. "Yes, let's go home."

On their way to their shack Gabriel asked her, "So what did you do while I was gone? Did you go see Ruby to get another book to read?"

"Yes, I went to see Ruby a couple of times, but only to visit. I spent the majority of my time helping Barry in the cook's shack."