Denver (17 page)

“Louisa, may I have this dance?”

“Of course,” Louisa said, delighted, fighting the urge to see if Reuben were watching. They moved to the dance floor and she smiled up at Dan.

“I can’t wait for tomorrow night,” he said softly. “Then I’ll be here with the most beautiful woman in the West.”

“Thank you! I’m surprised to see you with Miss O’Malley. She doesn’t go to dances.”

“Silas is my best friend. I promised I’d take her out sometime. A brotherly task,” he said.

He whirled her around and she looked for Reuben. To her amazement, she didn’t see him, and as she conversed and danced with Dan, coyly flirting with him, she realized Reuben was nowhere in the barn. The only place he could be was outside, and the only reason to be outside was to kiss Marian! Rage momentarily shook Louisa. She was furious with Reuben. She tried to remember to pay attention to Day, to smile at him, to laugh at the right moments, but it was difficult
to keep from leaving the dance floor to search for Reuben.

“Did you attend school in Denver?”

“Good heavens, no! Denver’s so new. I went to school in St. Louis after my family moved here. I think in a few more years we’ll have fine schools here.”

“Someday, Miss Shumacher, I’ll make you stop searching for Reuben Knelville.”

Startled, she gazed up into his solemn features, a smoldering desire blatant in his blue eyes, and her heart skipped several beats. “I’m not searching for him.”

“Tomorrow night seems years away.”

“Yet actually it’s only hours.”

“I’d like to dance you right out that door to my carriage and take you away with me,” he said. Amusement shone in his eyes, and she didn’t know if he were merely flirting, telling the same thing to other women, or if he meant it.

“You would be hauled back to Denver and locked in jail if you did. Or worse.”

“Someday, Miss Shumacher, someday…” He let his words trail away, but the intense, searing look he gave her made her breathless. His voice changed and a smile lifted the corner of his mouth. “And in the meantime, I have finally made you forget him.”

“So I did! Reuben has a temper, Mr. Castle. Be careful you don’t irritate him.”

“I’m not afraid of Reuben Knelville.”

“Perhaps you should be. Most of the men here are for one reason or another. He’s a good fighter, and his father is a powerful man in town.”

“Speaking of fathers, I talked to yours for a long time tonight.”

“Did you really? Where was Miss O’Malley? I can’t imagine Mama spending idle conversation on that child.”

“That child is a very capable woman,” he answered with amusement, wondering if Louisa Shumacher had the slightest idea what kind of life Mary O’Malley led. “Actually, Mary was talking to two of her friends at the time.”

The music ended, but Louisa gripped his arm. “We’ll dance once more.”

“So you can make Reuben jealous,” Dan said, not caring what reason she had, happy to have her in his arms.

“Perhaps,” she said, giving him a smile.

“Or perhaps…? What other reason?”

“I shan’t say another word!” A schottische commenced and they danced too fast to talk. Her eyes sparkled and her cheeks became pink from the exertion. He longed to crush her in his arms and kiss her until she succumbed to him. He glimpsed Reuben standing on the sidelines watching them, a frown furrowing his brow. Dan knew he would have trouble again from Knelville, but he didn’t care. Louisa was worth the trouble.

When the dance ended, he returned her to the sidelines, where Reuben claimed her at once. Dan found Mary talking to two of her friends.

“Sorry I was gone so long,” he said.

“I didn’t mind. You may dance with Miss Shumacher the rest of the night if you like.”

He laughed. “You’re generous with my time, Mary.”

“Miss O’Malley, may I have a dance?” Dewar Logan blocked their path.

Before she could answer, Dan said, “I’m sorry, Mr. Logan. She’s promised me every dance for the rest of the night. If you’ll excuse us…”

“Let me hear the lady say it. Is that right, Miss O’Malley?”

“The lady has promised, and I’m holding her to her promise,” Dan said cheerfully, and he stared evenly at Dewar. The two men glared at each other and Mary held her breath, afraid of what either might do, but then Dewar nodded and moved past Dan.

“Go ahead and dance with the shanty Irish.”

Dan clamped his hand on Dewar’s shoulder and spun him around. “Apologize to the lady,” he said quietly.

“Mr. Castle, no!” Mary exclaimed in embarrassment.

“She heard me,” Dewar said, clenching his fists. “Get your hand off my shoulder.”

Dan squeezed, pressing on a muscle, and Dewar swung. Dan stepped back, ducking, then followed with a lightning right that connected and sent Dewar sprawling. A woman screamed and men moved back as Dewar yelled and lunged back at Dan.

“There’s your gentleman,” said Reuben scornfully, pausing on the dance floor to watch the fight.

“Everyone knows what a troublemaker that Logan is,” Louisa said, watching the fight, gratified to see Dan handling Dewar easily. “It looks as if Mr. Castle is able to protect himself. He must be terribly strong.”

In minutes order was restored, while Dewar Logan lay unconscious on the floor and Dan took Mary’s arm, moving her away from Logan.

“You’re hurt!”

“It’s nothing,” he said, dabbing at his bleeding lip with his handkerchief while she told him about that long-ago dance when Silas first left Denver and how she had refused to leave with Dewar.

“Serves Logan right. I should have given him a swift kick for good measure.”

“You’ve made an enemy.”

“It won’t be the first one,” he said dryly. “Let’s dance. People won’t talk as much if you look as if nothing has happened.”

She laughed. “You’re the most patient man I’ve ever known. You don’t have to be here doing any of this. You didn’t have to defend me.”

“Oh, I know that, Mary Katherine O’Malley! You could have handled Dewar Logan and me at the same time.”

She laughed up at him as they waltzed. “I’ve had a good time tonight. I’m sorry he caused trouble and that you’re hurt, but it’s been fun.”

“It has been fun, and you dance as well as the best of them.”

His words made her warm and she smiled at him. It was divine to dance with him, to move with the music
and forget her responsibilities. “You were a good instructor.”

“When Silas returns, will you both stay in Denver?”

She gazed into the distance, her profile to him. “I don’t know.” Green eyes met his. “Tomorrow doesn’t exist for me. I never think about the future.”

“You think about his returning to you, don’t you?”

“Only that he will, not when or how. There’s really only today and yesterday.”

“And sometimes it would be nice to get rid of yesterdays,” he said, thinking about his past.

“Your yesterdays weren’t good?” she asked, wondering who the women or woman was in his past. “They were good when you were with Silas. I’m sorry I asked. I didn’t mean to pry.”

“You can ask me anything you please,” he said gently, smiling down at her, and she thought there couldn’t be a more handsome man in the entire country. She was aware of the women who had watched him all evening, including Louisa Shumacher. But what was nicer than his appearance was the man himself. He was fun and capable and kind. And even though she should have released him from his promise to Silas to take her out, she was glad he had, because it had been the most fun she had had in a long time.

They danced half a dozen or more dances and finally she knew the hour was late and Dan had gone far beyond the call of duty in dancing with her all evening long. “We should go home now,” she said as the dance ended. “You’ve carried out your duty beyond measure.”

“It wasn’t duty. It was fun,” he said, running his hand lightly along her jaw. “Silas is a fortunate man.”

She smiled. “Said by the man who has had half the women here tonight watching him all evening.”

He laughed. “That’s absurd! Let’s stay a little longer. I like to dance.” And, he thought, he liked to watch Louisa, to be near her. There might be an opportunity for one more dance with her.

By the time he helped Mary into his carriage, it was
half-past midnight. They sang on the way home, Dan’s bass sometimes warbling off-key, Mary’s lilting voice carrying the melody in spite of his monotone.

When they reached the boardinghouse, he jumped down, lifting her down with his hands on her waist.

“It was fun, Mr. Castle. And I appreciate your carpentry on my house,” she said, gazing at the new walls.

“It was fun for me too, Mary. I ought to ride out after Silas and bring him back here.”

“You would have to do so at gunpoint, I’m afraid,” she said with a sad note of longing, and Dan silently vowed to avoid mentioning Silas unless she brought up the conversation herself.

He ran his hands beneath her coat collar. “Someday soon, I’m going to show you my house.”

“I’d like that,” she answered.

“I never dreamed I’d be a builder, and it still amazes me. I like it.”

“You’re very good at it. And you’ve been so good to us,” she said softly, knowing there was to be another barn dance tomorrow night and that he would take Louisa Shumacher.

He gazed into her large eyes, and he didn’t want to tell her good night. He liked to be with her, just to talk to her, and now, gazing down on her in the dark night, he felt drawn to her more than ever. On impulse, he kissed her cheek. Her skin was soft, and she smelled sweet.

“Good night, Mr. Castle,” she said, gazing up at Dan, tingling where his lips had brushed her cheek.

“See you Monday,” he called, and turned to go.

She lay in bed that night, for the first time in several years thinking about a man other than Silas. She remembered dancing in Dan Castle’s arms, hearing his laughter, watching him talk to people, dance, and laugh. She gazed into the moon-splashed darkness and wondered why he didn’t want to remember his past. What had happened to him that was so bad? She remembered his remark about sheep ranching and the strange brief look that had crossed his face when she
quizzed him about it. Many men who came west hid their pasts, and she suspected Dan Castle was one of them.

April Danby McCloud, Dan’s sister, lay in bed, her golden hair spread over the pillows behind her head while she watched her husband, Noah, shave. He was bare to the waist, his thick black hair curling on his forehead.

“Noah, I had another letter from Javier yesterday.”

“Mmmm,” Noah said, preoccupied with shaving.

“I worry about him. And I worry about Hattie.”

“April, you can’t do anything about your mother and stepfather. It’s her decision to leave him and never go back.”

“But it was over me, and I’ve forgiven him.”

Noah turned, blue eyes softening as he studied his wife. “You’re generous, April.”

“I can afford to be. I’m the happiest woman on earth,” she said softly.

“Stop that or I won’t be able to finish shaving,” he commanded in gentle tones.

“It’s the truth. I want her to go back to him. He said he’s regretted for years that he took me away from her and gave me to the women in Santa Fe.”

“He separated you from your family, your mother, your half-brothers, Luke and Dan, for all your growing-up years. It’s difficult to feel sympathy for Javier Castillo.”

“But he and Hattie love each other.”

“Loved. Past tense.” Noah rinsed his face and wiped off his razor before carefully putting it away. April watched him, her eyes moving over his strong muscles, his smooth tanned skin and slim hips. He was tough, so strong, and exciting to her.

She patted the bed. “Noah, come here.”

He rubbed his jaw with a towel and glanced over his shoulder at her and tossed down the towel. “Sure thing, April,” he answered. He sat on the edge of the bed, placing his hands on either side of her. Her bare shoulders showed above the covers, and he studied her.

“Noah, can we go to San Antonio and see Hattie, let me talk to her again?”

“If you’d like.”

She ran her hands along his strong arms. “You’re good to me.”

“You’re good to me and good for me,” he answered in a husky voice, desire burning in his eyes.

“Can you get away?”

“Yes, you know I can. Duero can run everything.”

“You’re going to have one of the biggest hotels in the West soon.”

“I wish Dan were building it. At least the plans are his.”

“Between the saloons and the hotel, you’re going to be a busy man.”

“I have good men working for me who can take charge if I’m not there. When do you want to go to San Antonio?”

“As soon as you can. Noah, I’d like to bring Hattie back with us if she’ll come. I think Luke keeps her angry with Javier.”

Noah drew his fingers along April’s bare shoulder, his mind only half on their discussion. “Your brother Luke is a hard man. He had a hard past and he’s unbending about Javier. I can’t say I really blame him. I don’t know why you’re so forgiving.”

“Because Dan has told me how much in love Hattie and Javier were. I understand that. I couldn’t live without you, Noah.”

The last vestige of interest in their conversation vanished. He gathered her into his arms to kiss her. When he released her, she gazed into his eyes, her fingers trailing over his bare chest. “If she’s here and sees that I can forgive Javier, perhaps she can.”

“Away from Luke’s influence, she might relent. You can try, honey, but I wouldn’t interfere too much.”

“I won’t interfere. Look at Luke. He doesn’t have a kind word for Javier. It’s torn the family apart. It hurts Dan because he loves his father as well as his mother. I hate it, because I know Hattie isn’t happy. It keeps Luke angry.” Her thoughts switched to Luke
and the latest letters from his wife, Catalina. “I wonder if Luke will ever run for governor.”

“I’ve told you—he talked to me a long time about it. Men want him to run, but he says he won’t, and I don’t think he’ll change his mind. He doesn’t want all the family secrets aired, particularly anything about Dan.”

“Or my past either. I hope Luke doesn’t really want to be governor, because Dan and I will keep him from it.”