The Moon and the Stars (8 page)

She was assigned to serving the green beans and mashed potatoes, and it kept her busy for a time. When the line thinned, she handed her apron to one of the other ladies and walked up a nearby hill, hoping to catch a cool breeze. A curl sprang from beneath her bonnet, so she crammed it back inside.

From her vantage point she could observe the countryside, which was rife with Spanish oaks and mulberry trees. She watched as families spread their quilts beneath the shade of a pecan grove and listened to the laughter that floated up to her. Somewhere just out of sight, someone was strumming on a guitar and singing a plaintive tune.

A familiar restlessness stirred within Caroline, and she felt a deep familiar longing for a family of her own: But a family was something she could never have, and she would probably end her days alone and afraid.

She removed her bonnet, allowing the slight breeze to play against her cheek. The sun reflected off Las Brisas Creek with its clear water that was fed by the Rio Grande some thirty miles away. The creek was a favorite swimming hole with the people from Fort Lambrick as well as the townspeople. She envied the children their freedom to splash in the cool water on such a hot day.

With her back against a pecan tree, Caroline listened to the wind rustle through the branches. Daisies dotted the area, and she watched them twist and dance in the breeze. She smiled when she saw Nelly, loaded down with food, making her way up the hill toward her with Yance Grady at her side.

The day would come when those two would marry, and they would have a good life together, and a houseful of children. Nelly had already told her that if she married Yance, she would sell the boardinghouse and live at his ranch with him. Nelly shared Caroline's love for children, and it would just be a matter of time before Nelly won Yance's son and daughter over to her side.

As Nelly approached, her face was flushed, and Caroline knew it had nothing to do with her climb up the hill, but more likely something Yance had said to her. The man was hopelessly in love.

“How do, Miss Caroline,” Yance said, shyly looking down at his boots as if examining them for flaws. “It's always a good day when we can meet like this—don't you think?”

“Yes, I do, Yance,” she agreed. “It's always nice to break bread with friends.”

“We brought enough food to feed an army,” Nelly remarked, going down on her knees and spreading out a pinwheel-patterned quilt while Yance set a picnic basket on the grass.

“Yance,” Nelly remarked with her usual straightforwardness, “please go and get us something to drink.”

Yance was a bear of a man with skin darkened by long hours in the saddle. He had curly blond hair and a deep baritone voice. His mere size caused intimidation in some folks, but not Caroline. She saw gentleness when she looked into his eyes—the blue of them deepened when he looked at Nelly. It was evident to anyone who cared to look that Yance wanted to marry Nelly.

“Yes, ma'am. I'll be glad to,” he answered, giving a salute and a deep laugh. “I always know when the ladies want to talk about woman things and send the men off on chores.”

Nelly watched him leave before she spoke her mind. “Knowing you like I do, I figured you wouldn't eat unless I brought you something.” She eyed Caroline critically. “Why are you up here all by yourself? You have friends down that hill who like to be with you.”

Caroline helped unload the picnic basket. “It's a good place to watch other people with their families.”

Nelly's gaze was fraught with sorrow. “It doesn't have to be this way. You should accept some of the invitations you get, and I know you get a lot.”

“Don't scold me today. Let's pretend that you aren't running from happiness yourself,” she retaliated. “Let's pretend that you have accepted Yance's marriage offer and that you have already set a date for your wedding.”

Nelly became pensive. “It wouldn't take me that long,” she said, snapping her fingers, “to marry Yance if Judy would accept me. But if I married him with the way she feels about me right now, it would eventually hurt all of them. That's something I'll never do.”

Caroline watched Yance walking up the hill toward them, a pitcher of lemonade in one huge hand. “All right, let it pass today. Let's just enjoy the picnic. I am here with my good friends, and I want to have fun.”

“Speaking of good friends, unless I miss my guess, that'll be Captain Dunning riding up. He can only be here because he wants to see you.”

Caroline had little doubt that her friend had encouraged the captain to attend today. He was interested in her, and she didn't want him to be—it complicated her already complicated life. As he walked up the hill toward her, he removed his hat and gave her a dazzling smile. She liked him. He was from Georgia, and they had a lot in common, but she also had a side to her life that she could never share with him or any man.

“Mrs. Richmond, I was hoping you would be here today.” His gaze rested on her for a long moment, then he became aware of the others and his need to acknowledge them as well. He turned to Nelly and nodded. “Ma'am.” He shook hands with the rancher. “It's good to see you, Grady.”

“We have plenty of food, Captain, so why don't you join us?” Nelly asked, eyeing Caroline carefully. “Sit right down and make yourself comfortable.”

The captain ran his hand through his already neat brown hair, and his gray eyes sparkled. “I'd be obliged to, if Mrs. Richmond doesn't object.”

Caroline could not send him away, and Nelly knew it. “I would be happy for you to eat with us. As Nelly said, we have plenty of food.”

The four of them soon settled onto easy banter, and Caroline began to relax. Captain Dunning had the polished manners of a trained officer. He was knowledgeable and funny. She realized that she was having fun, and that hadn't happened to her in a very long time.

They had just finished the last of Nelly's jelly roll when a shadow fell across Caroline's face, and she glanced up to see Mr. Renault. She tensed and drew
back, resisting the urge to scramble to her feet and run down the hill. She rose to her knees and then reconsidered, sitting back down. How could she be in any danger with Yance and Captain Dunning there to protect her?

“I hope I'm not interrupting anything,” the bounty hunter said in his aristocratic French tone. His gaze went to Nelly. “The whole town emptied out, and I came to see what the inducement was.”

“Mr. Renault,” Nelly said politely. “Please, won't you join us?”

“Thank you, madame, but I would not want to intrude.” His words were for Nelly but his gaze was on Caroline. When he came toward her, she could see the gold in his eyes turn rock-hard. She was reminded in that moment of how dangerous he was, and her instinct warned her to be vigilant.

She could not let her guard down for a moment.

“Nonsense,” Nelly stated, unaware of the tug of war going on between her boarder and Caroline. “You would not be intruding at all.” She knew the bounty hunter was the last person Caroline wanted to be introduced to, but good manners dictated that she should make the gesture. First she introduced Yance and Captain Dunning, then turned to Caroline. “I don't believe you have met—”

“Ah, but we have,” he remarked, cutting Nelly off in mid-sentence. “We bumped into each other just the other day, didn't we, Mrs. Richmond?”

Caroline met his gaze and found his expression as sharp as the blade of a knife. The heaviness of his presence lay on her like a weight. He was examining
her thoroughly, and she understood how a rabbit might feel while being inspected by a hawk.

She was surprised at how steady her voice sounded when she answered him. “Yes. I do recall the incident. I believe we met twice.”

“You never told me the two of you met,” Nelly said in astonishment. “Well”—she shrugged, and held out a clean plate to the man—“I hope you're hungry, Mr. Renault.”

Captain Dunning could see that Caroline was nervous around the bounty hunter, and he could understand why a woman would not want to be near so dangerous a man. He was irritated that Renault had hardly taken his eyes off her—it was as if he were deliberately trying to make her uncomfortable. “Tell me, Mr. Renault, how long do you intend to stay in San Sebastian?”

Wade turned his head in the captain's direction. “Not much longer, I should think.”

Captain Dunning was not satisfied with his answer and tried to pin him down. “How long? A day, two?”

Wade smiled at the officer, but his gaze was cutting. “I tell you what I will do; when I am ready to leave, you will be the first one to know.”

Nelly gasped at Mr. Renault's rudeness while Yance slid a calming hand over hers and said, “None of us can figure out what you're doing here in the first place. I heard you have a big fancy home somewhere in Louisiana. What can our poor little community offer a man like you?”

Wade reached for a chicken salad sandwich and took a bite, chewed and swallowed while the other
four people waited for his answer, none more tensely than Caroline.

Renault took another bite, aware of the strain on those around him. “This is very good, Mrs. Aldrich.”

Nelly met his gaze, asking in a straightforward manner. “Why are you in San Sebastian?”

Renault smiled tightly. “Why, madame, I am hunting.” His gaze slid to Caroline. “A quarry of the most elusive kind.”

Nelly tried to digest his meaning. She was sure his being in town meant trouble for some poor unsuspecting person, but who?

Caroline knew what he meant, and she was certain that
she
was the elusive quarry he spoke of: With that knowledge, calm settled around her. She was just too weary of running and hiding—she would not do it anymore.

“What have you done?” Nelly asked, seeing a bandage on Caroline's hand and trying to channel the conversation in a different direction.

Caroline unwrapped the bandage and held her hand up for inspection. “It isn't worth mentioning. I agreed to fry a chicken for Private McCaffrey. When I was frying it this morning, some of the hot grease popped on me. It isn't bad at all. I had forgotten all about it.”

Wade's lids hooded his eyes. That answered the question of the chicken, but it did not change his mind about the woman. It was what she and the private did before she cooked the chicken that he wondered about.

Captain Dunning smiled and asked, “McCaffrey is one of your students, isn't he?”

“He was the first one who came to me and asked if I would help him learn to read. I have several now.”

The captain chuckled. “I shouldn't tell you this, but most of those recruits who asked you to teach them to read already know how.”

“What!” She stared at him in disbelief. “Why would they do such a thing? It cannot be true.”

Nelly rolled her eyes, and Yance gave a deep laugh. “You tell her, Captain. Explain it to her,” Nelly said.

Captain Dunning took Caroline's hand and helped her to her feet. “I think I'll just let it go at that.” He smiled at her. “The afternoon has cooled off somewhat—would you like to take a stroll along the river?”

She nodded, willing to do anything to get away from Wade Renault. “I would like that very much.”

Renault tossed the remainder of his sandwich on the plate and stood, taking a step that brought him close to Caroline. Her lips were trembling, and he found himself becoming preoccupied with their full shape. “It's always a pleasure when I run into you, Mrs. Richmond.”

She felt herself unconsciously gravitate toward him as if he had some strange power over her. When she realized what was happening, she jerked back. “Good day to you, Mr. Renault,” she said stiffly, placing her bonnet squarely on her head and tying the ribbons. “Nelly, I will see you later. Try to remember what we talked about a few days ago.”

Nelly shook her head in puzzlement, and then her eyes brightened with realization. Caroline was talking about leaving San Sebastian.

Caroline felt Wade Renault's eyes on her as she walked away beside Captain Dunning. Under other circumstances she would have enjoyed the walk along the river, where she could watch the children playing in the water. But today all she could think about was the bounty hunter. Brace had hired the man to take her back to South Carolina, of that she was sure.

They paused beneath a mulberry tree, and the captain looked uncertain for a moment before he asked, “Would you mind if I call you Caroline?”

“Of course I wouldn't. Since we have been acquainted for over a year, I believe it's acceptable, Daniel.”

He stared at her hand as if measuring its smallness compared to his own. “I have made no secret of my deep feelings for you, Caroline. I have been patient because you lost your husband, and I wanted to give you time to grieve.”

She twisted her hand out of his grip. “Don't, Daniel. You are a very fine man, and I respect you too much to let you believe that we can ever be anything but friends.”

He took her chin and turned her face up to his. “Are you saying you aren't attracted to me?”

At that moment she wanted nothing more than to tell him everything about her past and lay all her troubles in his capable hands, but she shook her head. “Under other circumstances I could be, in another life, at another time. But please take this as the truth, Daniel: You do not want to love me.”

He gently traced her jaw line. “It's too late for your warning. I have already lost my heart.”

Tears moistened her eyes. “You must not feel anything for me, Daniel. My heart is not free to love anyone.”

“I understand if you still have feelings for your husband.” He touched her cheek. “I am prepared to wait a little while longer.”

“You need to find someone who can give you the love you need. I cannot be that woman.”

“I still have hope.”

“Daniel, I don't know if I'll ever be ready to love anyone again.”