Ecstasy's Promise (Historical Romance) (13 page)

Edward drove home lost in thought. He had been drawn to Victoria as he had never been drawn to a woman before. He felt as if he had not stopped himself in time, he would have gone too far. Mammaw had asked him to take her granddaughter home, trusting him to see her safely delivered.

Edward decided it was best to put the girl out of his mind. She was hardly more than a child. Let her marry her Paul O'Brian and settle down to a houseful of children. Still, he thought, her body had stirred his blood to the boiling point, and he felt he could still smell the scent of lilacs.

9

The next morning Victoria sought out Bodine. She found him at the corral, talking to Old Ned. Bodine could tell at once that something was bothering her.

"What is wrong, Imp? Didn't you have a nice time yesterday?"

"I suppose so," she said.

He walked along beside her. "Anything you want to talk about?" he asked, knowing her moods so well.

"It is something I did, and it upsets me."

He grinned at her. "What have you done?"

"Edward Hanover drove me home last night."

"What did he do to you?" Bodine's eyes were fiery.

"I let him kiss me," Victoria said, blushing.

Bodine relaxed. "Is that all?"

"I do not know what possessed me to do such a thing. I only met him yesterday. My behavior was disgraceful."

Bodine smiled and chucked her on the chin. "Oh, Imp, you are too hard on yourself."

"Bodine," she said, stopping their progress and looking into his face, "I wanted him to kiss me. I
cannot explain it to you, but I felt so drawn to him, I
could not stop myself. Even the thought of Paul did not stop me."

"This sometimes happens between a man and a woman, honey."

"It never did with Paul," she said.

"Did Edward Hanover do anything to upset you?" Bodine asked meaningfully.

"Yes! He said he was paying me a compliment by
not taking advantage of me," Victoria said angrily.

Bodine could not help but smile at this.

"I am ashamed to face him again," she said. "At
first, I was angry with him, but now, I am angry with
myself."

Bodine put his arm about her shoulders and led her to the house. "I think you are suffering growing pains. You have been protected all your life, but now, you are no longer a child," he said with regret.

"Edward Hanover thinks I am," Victoria said defiantly.

Bodine laughed out loud. "No, Imp. I do not think
so. Still, if he bothers you, you are to come to me."

"He will not ever want to see me again," she said
sadly.

Bodine watched her go up the steps and into
the house. He would have to keep an eye on Edward
Hanover, he thought.

For Edward, it had been a busy week. He had ridden out with his men on the spring roundup, and had worked hard beside the rough
vaqueros,
enjoying their comradeship. Estancio, who had been
foreman of Rio del Lobo in Edward's father's time, had been pleased to have his
patron
ride along with them. They had cut from the herd all the calves that had been born during the winter, and they now bore the brand of the wolf. Edward looked at the twelve hundred head of cattle that were ready for market. They were fat and healthy, and should bring a good price.

He was almost sorry to see the week draw to a close. Edward had enjoyed sleeping out under the stars, listening to his men laugh and joke, but it could not be expected to last forever. He vowed he would do it more often as he rode home and back to the real world.

After he had washed the trail dust away in a hot tub of water, and shaved a week's growth of beard, Edward went into his study. He found his bookkeeper behind a pile of papers. Price Williams was a man in his fifties, who had made himself indispensable to Rio del Lobo. He was fast, efficient, and completely trustworthy.

He smiled over his glasses at Edward. "Welcome back to the world of figures and ledgers."

Edward picked up a stack of unopened mail from his desk. "You know, Price, I think I would have made a hell of a
vaquero
if I was not burdened with the responsibilities of Rio del Lobo."

The man, who knew Edward so well, shook his head. "Some men were born to rule, others to serve. I cannot see you taking orders from anyone."

"Maybe not," Edward said, "but still, it was an enjoyable change." He thumbed through the letters. He came across one in Clarissa's handwriting, and wadding it up, threw it into the wastebasket.

"Jennifer Rawlins paid you a visit while you were away," Price told him, watching Edward's face.

Edward frowned at him. "Whatever possessed her to come to Rio del Lobo?" he demanded angrily. Jennifer had been his mistress before he left to join the Union Army. She was beautiful, with long black hair and brown eyes. It was not Edward's practice to bring a mistress to his home, and he was furious that she would take it upon herself to visit him there.

Edward remembered the last time he had seen Jennifer. He had wanted to make a clean break with her, but she had caused a scene, and had clung to him, crying. He detested emotional outbreaks. He found them distasteful and degrading. "What did she want?" Edward asked his bookkeeper.

"She left a note," Price said, indicating the letters that Edward held in his hand.

Edward searched through them until he found it. He opened it and read:

My dearest Edward,

I could not stand you being home and not being able to see you. Please come to San Antonio soon. I will be waiting.

I love you,

              Jennifer

He wadded up the note and tossed it into the wastebasket.

Price grinned at him. "If this continues, we will have to get a bigger wastebasket."

Edward scowled. Price laughed and went back to his ledgers. Edward returned to his mail. He saw the familiar   handwriting   of   his   friend, Maj.   Ray Courtney, broke the seal, and read:

Dear Edward,

I bet you never expected to hear from me again, but like the proverbial bad penny, I always turn up. While you have embraced the life of a civilian, I chose to continue with a military one. I have been assigned of all places to San Antonio, Texas. Although I am not looking forward to living in your wild Texas, I have found the job I am now doing distasteful, and will not be sorry to give it up. They have me rounding up civilians who have committed crimes against the Union Army. At least I can leave that behind when I come to Texas. I am looking forward to seeing you when I get settled. I saw the general last week and he asked that I send you his regards.

Respectfully yours, Maj. Ray Courtney

Edward folded the letter and replaced it in the envelope. It would be good to see Ray again, he thought.

Price rose from the desk and excused himself. He almost bumped into Dan on his way out the door.

"Am I disturbing you?" Dan asked Edward.

"You are, but come in anyway. Have you kept the community healthy while I was away?" Edward asked.

"It is not too bad mending broken bones," Dan told him grinning, "but I draw the line at mending the broken hearts you leave behind."

"What are you talking about?" Edward asked, irritated.

"Clarissa came to see me and asked me to intercede on her behalf."

"Please spare me the details," Edward told him. "I am bored to distraction with females at the moment. They have a way of cluttering up a man's life."

"It is a problem I am sure you will overcome," Dan told him.

Edward grinned. "Do you want a drink?"

"No, but you can feed me."

"Are you always hungry?"

"It does seem that way, doesn't it?"

"Come on, we will tell Juanita to set another plate."

"I already have," Dan told him.

"I just came from Mammaw's," Dan said to Edward over dinner.

"No one sick was there?"

"Why do you always think someone is sick when I go to visit?" Dan asked. "I do have a life outside my practice, you know."

"Does that include Miss Farraday?"

"She and I have become good friends," Dan replied.

"Just friends?"

Dan looked at him seriously for a moment. "I think I am a little in love with her, but she is as out of reach for me as the earth is from the sun."

"You are becoming poetic," Edward sneered.

Edward had done a lot of thinking himself about Victoria. She kept drifting in and out of his thoughts, the way she walked, the sound of her voice, the way she had felt in his arms when he had kissed her. "She is not much more than a child," he told Dan.

"Are you crazed, Edward? Since when did a child look anything like Victoria?"

"I have seen many beautiful women," Edward said thoughtfully, "and behind their beauty is usually little more than selfishness. Why should she be any different?"

"She
is
different, and you know it!" Dan said hotly.

"Oh," Edward said, "so quick to her defense, are you not? Does the lady know how you feel?"

"No," Dan said. "It would spoil everything if Victoria suspected that I love her. I will have to be content to be her friend."

"A very enviable position," Edward told him coolly.

"I have a message for you from Mammaw," Dan said, changing the subject.

"What is the message?"

"She said if you still wanted that heifer that Estancio tried to buy, you could have it at a fair price."

"Maybe I will ride over in the morning and look at her. I recall Estancio telling me I should try to buy it from Mammaw. He was impressed with its size."

"Edward," Dan warned, "do not use your fatal charm on Victoria. I would not like to see her hurt."

Edward looked at him lazily. "I told you," he said, "she is a child."

The next morning, bright and early, Edward rode over to the Anderson ranch. He found Mammaw in the kitchen, and had a cup of coffee with her. "I have come to look at your heifer," he told her.

"I wondered when you would get around to her."

"I will look her over, and then we can talk price."

"That is fair enough," Mammaw told him. "You will find Bodine in the barn. He will show her to you.

"Where is your granddaughter?" Edward asked, rising.

"She went out riding about an hour ago. She should be back soon."

Edward opened the barn door and entered. He saw a giant, gray-haired man polishing a saddle. The man looked up and studied Edward with cool, gray eyes.

"You must be Bodine."

"That is right," the man said, putting the saddle aside and walking over to him.

"I am Edward Hanover," he said, extending his hand. The two men shook hands and looked each other over.

"I knew your father."

"I have heard a lot about you," Edward told him. "Mammaw said you would show me the heifer."

"Of course," Bodine said, his steel-gray eyes still on Edward's face.

Their attention was drawn to the front of the barn where someone had just ridden in. Edward looked first at the black stallion. Never had he seen such a magnificent animal. Its gleaming coat was solid black and it tossed its head proudly as it pranced about, causing its black mane to glisten.

Edward looked up at the rider and saw Victoria Farraday looking down at him coolly. She dis
mounted and stood beside the tall stallion. Edward's eyes traveled over her. She was wearing tight-fitting
trousers that outlined her slim body. Her trouser
legs were tucked into knee-length black boots. Her
shirt was white linen. Her golden hair tumbled about
her face.

She gave him a cold, indifferent look. "Good morning, Mr. Hanover," she said icily.

"Good morning, Miss Farraday." He grinned.

She was trembling inside, but hoped it did not show. Why did he of all people have to see her
dressed as she was? He already thought her forward
and unladylike. What would he think now? she wondered. She looked past him to Bodine. "I think Rebel has picked up a stone."

"Let me have a look," Bodine said. "Which foot is
it?"

She indicated the right hind leg. Bodine picked up
the horse's leg and dislodged the stone with his pocketknife.

Edward was walking around Rebel, looking him
over. "Where did you get this horse?" he asked.

Victoria looked at him. "Paul O'Brian gave him to
me," she said scorchingly.

"He is magnificent!" Edward said.

"Do not get too close to him," Victoria warned.
"He does not allow many people to come near him."

Edward put out his hand to stroke the animal's neck. Rebel moved back and reared up on his hind legs.

"I warned you," Victoria said coldly.

"Why is it he will not let me near him?" Edward asked.

Bodine came up beside him. "He will let no one on his back but Victoria. I cannot explain it myself. No one has ever been able to ride Rebel but her, with one exception. When I was injured, he let me on his back, but only, I suspect, because Victoria was also mounted on him."

Edward stared at the animal. "I would like to own such a horse."