Journey of the Heart (22 page)

“I
am
still thirsty, Jimmy,” she said, with a pleading look. “I will be fine here until you get back,” she reassured him.

Jimmy’s hands relaxed and he told her he’d be back directly.

“I see you made it safely home, Miss Hart,” Chavez continued in the same polite voice. “How is the mare?”

“Gabe has taken good care of her. He’s sure her leg will heal completely.”

“Your brother is very good with horses, isn’t he?”

Sadie forgot whom she was talking to for a moment and her face lit up. “Gabe has a real talent. It has always been a joy to watch him with a horse. I still have a mare that he gentled for my fifteenth birthday, though she’s getting old, of course.”

“That couldn’t have been that long ago, surely,
señorita
,” said Chavez politely, but with a glint in his eye. It took Sadie a minute to realize that he was teasing her.

“A good ten years. I’m an old spinster schoolteacher, Señor Chavez.”

“Hardly that,
señorita
.” Chavez sat down next to her and Sadie was very conscious of the fact that their shoulders were touching. “Miss Burke is a very good dancer, isn’t she?” Chavez observed as Caitlin went by on the arm of her partner. “I had half a waltz with her at the last dance, until your brother cut in. I’m surprised he isn’t dancing with her tonight. I had the impression that there was some feeling there.”

Sadie wanted nothing more than to ask: “Did you think so? Did you ever meet Henry Beecham?” Oddly enough she almost felt she could ask and Juan Chavez would answer her honestly. But he
was
Mackie’s henchman, so how could she be contemplating a good gossip with him as though he were her brother?

“Oh, look, here comes Jimmy with my lemonade,” she said brightly, thanking God for Murdoch’s approach. She expected Chavez to stand up and yield his seat to Jimmy. Not only did he sit there, claiming his territory, he leaned his shoulder into hers.

“Here you are, Miss Hart.” Jimmy stood there awkwardly, aware that the music had stopped, the dance floor was clear and he was promised to Mrs. Burke for the next dance.

“Miss Hart, I promised Mrs. Burke this next dance, but if you want…I am sure she’d understand…” he said helplessly.

“You can’t disappoint Mrs. Burke. I will be fine, Mr. Murdoch.”

“Are you sure?”

“Absolutely.”

“You are a wise woman, Miss Hart,” said Chavez after Jimmy left. “Like all redheads, Murdoch has a quick temper. I’d hate to disturb a pleasant occasion like this. Ah, this next dance is a waltz. I would have had to cut in anyway,” he added. He didn’t smile, to show he was teasing again. He wasn’t teasing, Sadie realized. He was completely serious.

“Do you always bully people into what you want, Señor Chavez?”

“Let us just say I am good at persuasion,
señorita
. May I have this waltz?”

“Are you asking or telling?” Sadie snapped back at him.

Chavez surprised her by laughing. It was a spontaneous, natural laugh. “I enjoy you,
señorita
. Do you think I could persuade, no, charm you into a dance with me?”

“You are about as charming as a snake, Señor Chavez,” she said with an amused smile. She could have held out. She
should
have held out, for she didn’t really believe he would force her. But she realized, with no small surprise that she wanted a waltz with Juan Chavez. Just one.

“It
is
a tempting melody, though, isn’t it?” she said, as though she was the one hinting for an invitation.

“Ah, I see that
you
are out to charm me,
señorita
.” Chavez put his arm around her waist and guided her to the floor.

The melody was a lovely one; Sadie had not been lying about that. There was an underlying sadness to it that made her feel that she wanted something that she couldn’t have, although she wasn’t sure what that something was. They moved well together, as though they had danced many times before and were both so lost in that surprising sensation that they were silent for the first few measures.

Sadie was used to Gabe’s relaxed dancing. She wondered if Chavez ever relaxed, even on the dance floor. It was not tension she felt, but an energy that seemed akin to the constant awareness of an animal in the wild. Juan Chavez was present in every cell of his body. And so she couldn’t help being aware of him. It was as though a magnetic force flowed between them.

“Your brother is glaring at us,
señorita
,” said Chavez, bending his head next to her ear as though he were whispering to her. His warm breath on her neck made her shiver.

“You are afraid for me, no?” he teased in an exaggerated Mexican accent.

“I am afraid for you, no,” she replied tartly. “If I am afraid for anyone, it is me. Gabe won’t like it that I danced with you. I can’t say I blame him, given who you work for and what you do.”

“What do I do,
señorita
?”

“You frighten people off their land, Señor Chavez, and all for greedy bullies like Nelson Mackie. I may not have been here long, but I recognize his type. We have them in Texas.”

“And my type?”

“You are one of a kind, Señor Chavez. Which is probably why I am foolish enough to be waltzing with you!”

She looked up at him and was very surprised to see him smiling down at her. It was a genuine smile, one that reached his eyes, softening them so that they were no longer those of a predator, but of a man who seemed to enjoy her company.

“And will your brother’s frowns get you to interrupt our waltz?”

“Gabe is a protective older brother and I love him for it, but no, I will not be rude and create a scene for him or anyone. You were kind to me the other day and I am grateful.”

“Ah, and so you are only returning my kindness?” said Chavez with mock disappointment.

“I told you already, Señor Chavez,” said Sadie, grinning up at him, “I don’t know
what
I’m doing dancing with you.”

But she did. She knew that she would waltz until the music stopped because it wasn’t only the music that sang to her of wanting what you couldn’t have. There was something between them, something that drew her like a magnet draws iron filings. It was something she knew she couldn’t have, but she would enjoy the bittersweet waltz whether she should or not.

* * * *

When Gabe saw Chavez with Sadie, he cursed under his breath and watched them closely. He didn’t think his sister would be intimidated by the man, but she might have agreed to the dance rather than risk publicly insulting him. But as he watched, Gabe realized she actually seemed to be enjoying it. And Chavez certainly was! He’d never seen the man smile before.

When the music ended, Chavez took Sadie’s arm and had the nerve to walk her over to her brother. “I enjoyed my dance with your sister very much, Señor Hart.
Muchas gracias, señorita
.”

“
De nada, señor
,” Sadie replied.

“Well, at first I thought he’d bullied you into it, but you sure seemed to be enjoying your dance, Sarah Ellen,” Gabe drawled sardonically after Chavez took his leave.

“I am sure she was just pretending, weren’t you, Sadie?” said Caitlin who had hurried over as soon as she saw Chavez walk away.

“Stop growling at me, Gabe,” Sadie told her brother. “I’m old enough to make my own decisions now. And I don’t know why I said yes to him, Cait. But I wasn’t pretending. Señor Chavez is a very good dancer and I enjoyed my waltz with him,” she added defiantly.

Gabe gave an exasperated laugh. “I should know better than to get after you, Sadie. You’re the same contrary little sister I remember! Well, I don’t suppose you’ll listen to me, but I don’t think it’s a good idea to dance with the enemy, Sarah Ellen.”

“I don’t imagine he’ll be asking me again,” Sadie responded tartly.

Gabe was very conscious that Caitlin Burke was standing there, listening to them go at each other. “Don’t worry, Miss Cait,” he reassured her. “This is just like old times, isn’t it, Sadie?”

“Yes, he always did think he could tell me what to do just because he was the oldest.”

“Well, there is Miss Louise Taylor just waiting for me to claim my dance,” said Gabe. “I’ll see you two ladies later.”

Cait watched Gabe make his way across the floor and was very conscious of the fact that he had danced with every woman in the room at least once and now Louise Taylor for the second time this evening. Every woman, that is, except Caitlin Burke. He had done a very good job of avoiding her. She and Sadie stood there watching Gabe and then Juan Chavez leading their new partners onto the floor for a
schottische,
each lost in a bittersweet moment of wanting another dance with a man who was not for her.

Sunday morning after the dance, Gabe lay in his cot. Sunday’s work always started later, for the Burkes often went to mass at the little Spanish church near El Morro. Or at least Michael and his daughter, for as Mrs. Burke had told Gabe on his first Sunday there, her Protestant soul would not allow her to attend too many masses.

He pictured Miss Cait dressed in her Sunday best, that aster blue dress that brought out the color of her eyes, and groaned as he felt himself becoming aroused. Damn. It had been very hard to keep away from her last night. He had been aware of her the whole evening: whom she was dancing with, laughing with, even flirting with. He had wanted a waltz with her, wanted to have his arms around her again, to feel the sweet curve of her waist under his hand. But what was the point of encouraging such feelings when she would be leaving in a few weeks’ time? So he had exercised a firm control over himself. Not, of course, he thought, with an ironic laugh, that she would have noticed or cared that he was avoiding her.

He had been almost happy by the distraction Sadie had provided him by dancing with Chavez. Lord, his sister was something, he thought with a smile as he sat up and ran his hand through his hair. Well, since a part of him was already awake and up, he thought ruefully, he may as well get up. After peeing and splashing himself down with lukewarm water from the rain barrel as he always did on Sunday, his desire had subsided. He was just coming in from the back door of the barn toweling his face and hair, shirtless and his jeans unbuttoned at the waist when he almost ran right into Miss Caitlin Burke.

“Why, uh, Miss Cait. I was just washing up. I thought you and your father were off to church?” He was standing there, jabbering like an idiot, thought Gabe.

“I am sorry I disturbed you, Mr. Hart. I didn’t think anyone would be up yet. Da left a half hour ago by himself. I was too tired after last night to go with him. I just came to see how Snowflake is doing.” Cait was able to keep her voice calm and even but she couldn’t help the slight flush of embarrassment that rose from her neck to her face.

She had seen men shirtless before, of course. Her Da for one. Jake, when he was pounding at fence posts. But this was different, more intimate, because Gabe Hart had obviously just come in from his Sunday washup. He had silvery-blond hair on his chest, she realized, which ran down his flat stomach to the open buttons of his denims. He was built so long and lean, she thought, and blushed deeper as she realized where her thoughts were taking her.

“I’ll just go take a look at Snowflake’s hock, shall I?” she said brightly, as though they were exchanging polite words in someone’s parlor.

Gabe smiled as he watched her scurry off. He finished toweling himself dry and put on his old work shirt that he left hanging in the tack room. He tucked it into his jeans and buttoning up the last button, sauntered over to Snowflake’s stall thanking God that Miss Caitlin Burke had not wandered in earlier. A good-morning piss and a wash calmed a man down considerably.

He leaned over the stall door and watched her unwrap the mare’s bandage. She ran her hand down Snowflake’s leg, a look of satisfaction on her face.

“The arnica wrap seems to have brought the swelling down quickly, Miss Cait,” said Gabe.

“Yes. Da has always sworn by it for strains and bruises, Mr. Hart. You’ve done a good job of taking care of her.”

“You can leave her leg unwrapped. I’m going to put on a fresh-soaked bandage today.”

Gabe opened the stall door and Caitlin came out. He was standing in front of her, unconsciously blocking her way to the barn door and they stood there for a moment each very aware of the other’s presence.

“I was surprised to see you up after all that dancing, Miss Cait,” said Gabe, finally breaking the silence. “You were one of the most popular young ladies there,” he added with a smile, “dancing with everyone in the room.” It was an automatic compliment, given just to break the tension hanging between them.

“Not everyone, Mr. Hart. You never asked me to dance.” Cait said it without thinking and now it was Gabe who flushed red with embarrassment. What was he supposed to say? That he had avoided her on purpose because she was too tempting? “Uh, every time I was going to speak to you, it seemed like someone else had got there first,” he replied lamely. It wasn’t true and both of them knew it. But Cait was too appalled by her own forwardness to do anything but smile brightly and say: “Then it is too bad we were both disappointed, Mr. Hart. Excuse me, but I must get back to help with breakfast.”

Gabe backed out of the way and she was gone out the door before he had a chance to say good-bye. Then what she had actually said sunk in and he stood there grinning at the realization that Caitlin Burke had noticed the fact that he hadn’t danced with her and had, it seemed, been disappointed. Not that it meant much, he told himself, his grin fading. She was still engaged to her Henry. She’d forget a few missed dances with Gabe Hart very quickly.

* * * *

After breakfast, Sadie followed her brother out to the corral.

“Can I watch you with the colts, Gabe?” she asked.

“I don’t work them on Sunday, Sadie. We take it as a day of rest and only do the necessary chores. But I am going to work with Sky this morning,” he added. “I don’t like to leave off with him even for a day.”