Love and Honor: The Coltrane Saga, Book 7 (10 page)

Hurrying to the barn, she wondered what her father would say when he came home that weekend. If her mother had even noticed Pegasus, she no doubt thought he was just another horse from Doc Frazier’s ranch. Her father, however, would know that Pegasus was rare and expensive. He’d ask questions—questions that she would have to answer truthfully. He was not going to like it when he heard that she’d been racing and betting with vaqueros. Well, Kit was not one to worry about the future—she faced problems as they came along. She had stories of her Grandpa Travis to thank for that philosophy. “Play the hand you’re dealt, Kit,” he’d say, “and don’t worry about the next deal of the cards till they’re shuffled.”

She saddled Pegasus, who pawed the ground in anticipation. They left the barn and skirted across the back pasture lest one of the guests be outside for a breath of fresh air and see her in the moonlight. Then, when she was a good distance away, Kit turned back to the main road, which would lead her toward the river.

She passed dense groves of orange trees and breathed in the sweet fragrance. Kit loved the peace and quiet of the night, the gentle breeze that kissed her face as she rode slowly, lost in thought, lost in the sheer joy of being alive in a world she adored.

She soon reached the little ranch, delighted by the sight of the dilapidated house perched on the hill. Why, she mused curiously, did houses fall apart so quickly once no one lived in them any longer? It was as though the very spirits of the inhabitants kept the walls alive, and once they left, there was nothing to hold the structure together. Well, she’d take care of that soon enough. Necessary repairs would be made, and by spring she’d have flowers blooming in window boxes. The grass would be green and soft, and she’d walk barefoot, delighting as clover tickled her toes. The barn, now a dull gray color, would have to be painted bright red. Pegasus would have a special stall, and…

Kit stopped, nerves suddenly taut.

Excited over being at the ranch once more, she had dismounted and tied Pegasus to a tree.

She had begun to walk up the hill toward the house when she heard a sound—like someone stepping on a twig in the dense forest to her left. Drawing her gun, she moved quickly into the shadows and waited.

She heard only silence, broken occasionally by a night bird mournfully calling his mate. Chiding herself for being so jumpy, Kit reminded herself that once she moved in, she’d be all alone here. She would have to get used to noises or she’d be a bundle of nerves.

She stepped from the shadows and began to walk toward the house again. She wanted to see the view of the river in the moonlight. Reaching the porch, she thrilled to the breathtaking sight. It was as lovely as she’d imagined. No wonder the old man had loved it here.

Kit stepped from the porch and began to turn around and around dreamily, arms wrapped about herself. Humming quietly, she began to dance in the dappled nighttime wonderland.

“You’re even more beautiful by moonlight.”

Kit instantly drew her gun, whirling about to aim it at the ominous shadows of the house. “Come out or I start shooting,” she tersely commanded. Kurt Tanner stepped out into the moon’s luminous glow. An amused smile was on his lips as he came toward her. “I’ve got an idea you wouldn’t miss, either.”

“I never miss,” she assured him, “and I’ve a mind to prove it. What the hell are you doing spying on me?”

When he stood a few feet away from her, his smile faded. “I like to keep an eye on my property,
señorita
, and that Hispano belongs to me, regardless of how you came by him.”

Kit holstered her gun and laughed. “Are you so greedy that you have to make up lies to try and get what you can’t have? I hear you’re rich. Why didn’t you offer to buy him?”

“I already bought him once,” Kurt grimly reminded her. “I hear that your family also has money, so I didn’t figure that a rich spoiled brat like you would be interested in any amount I offered.”

She was stung by his insult. “That’s right. I don’t want anything you’ve got.”

He raised an eyebrow and grinned lazily. “How do you know?”

Fury snapped within her like a whip. “Because I find you an insufferable, egotistical bastard, Kurt Tanner! You may be used to getting your own way, but not from me! The Hispano is mine, I won him fair and square, and if he was stolen from you—which I doubt—then I suggest you question a man named Galen Esmond. How
he
came into possession of the horse is no concern of mine.”

“I have a bill of sale.”

Kit narrowed her eyes. “I don’t believe you.”

Kurt reached into the pocket of his leather vest and took out a folded slip of paper. “See for yourself,” he said, handing it to her.

Even in the dim light Kit could see that it was indeed a bill of sale for a horse whose description matched Pegasus.

“How do I know it’s the same horse?” she asked, not yet ready to concede ownership.

“You have to take my word for it.”

“Why should I? I won the horse from Esmond, and nothing else concerns me.”

“It should, seeing as how he stole Pegasus from me. You’ve no legal right to him.”

Kit turned thoughtful. If he was telling the truth, then she would have to give up the horse. Even though she didn’t trust Kurt Tanner, she felt instinctively that he was being honest.

“Very well,” she relented. “I suppose I’ve no choice but to give you the benefit of the doubt. But that doesn’t mean I intend to turn my horse over to you just like that!” She snapped her fingers, her lavender eyes sparkling defiantly in the silvery light. “I m willing to make a deal.” Her voice was a taunt. “Are
you
?”

“You’re in no position to make a deal,
señorita
,” Kurt responded. “I might find you irresistibly beautiful”—his gaze passed over her appreciatively—“but that doesn’t mean I’m going to let you keep my horse. All I have to do is show this document to the local law, and you’ll have to turn him over. I don’t even have to go to that much trouble—I have a feeling Colt Coltrane wouldn’t approve if you refused.”

“You’d go to my father…or the law,” Kit said scornfully, “because you’re afraid to accept a challenge from a woman. You’ll dance with a woman, and dare to kiss her, but when it comes to real courage, you don’t know what it means.”

Her taunts smarted, but he could not help being impressed by her boldness. “What kind of wager did you have in mind?”

“One that proves I deserve to own such a fine horse,” Kit replied confidently.

Suspicious, Kurt prodded, “Go on.”

“Hispanos are known for their courage and agility, that’s why they’re used in the
acoso y derribo
. It’s dangerous, but the Hispano can stand the challenge of an angry bull better than the average horse. It takes an experienced rider to handle such a spirited animal.”

Kurt chuckled. “And you think that just because you’re a good rider you deserve to keep my horse?”

“No. I want to prove that I deserve to own him.”

“That’s going to be rather difficult, since I can’t think of anything you could do to change my mind.”

“What if I fought a bull?”

Kurt shook his head, certain he’d heard her wrong. “What did you say?”

“I said, what if I fought a bull? Surely you will agree that if a woman has the skills of a matador, she deserves to own a horse also known for prowess in the ring. Oh, I’d never use Pegasus for that,” she hastened to add. “I’ll fight the bull like any matador, on my feet.”

He stared at her, incredulous. “You’re crazy! You don’t know anything about bullfighting.”

“Then you don’t have anything to worry about, do you? I’ll go in the ring, make a complete fool of myself—”

“And get yourself killed!” he exploded. “No. I won’t accept this deal.”

“I’m merely asking for a chance to prove my courage by making a few passes—not an official bullfight.”

Kurt shook his head, repeating, “You are crazy!”

“Maybe.” She grinned up at him. “But if you don’t agree to my challenge, I can assure you I’ll spread the word that you were afraid to wager with a woman…because you were afraid you’d lose.”

“I don’t care about that,” Kurt declared. “There’s no way you can win,
señorita
. It’s a waste of time.” He reached out to cup her chin with his hand. “Maybe a waste of
you
, and that would be a shame.”

She knocked his arm away angrily. “Don’t touch me! You seem to think you can do anything you want to a woman, Kurt Tanner.”

He grinned. “I’ve never done anything to a woman she didn’t want me to…or that she didn’t enjoy.”

“Then I’m the first, you bastard,” Kit exploded, “because I didn’t enjoy what you did to me at the ball.”

“Yes, you did. You just won’t admit it—to me…or to yourself.”

Kit was struggling to control her temper. “Stop changing the subject, damn you. I made a challenge. Are you going to accept it?”

Kurt was sure she was bluffing. She would ultimately back out, and so he decided there was no harm in going along for the moment. “All right. When?”

“You agree that if I can defeat the bull, you’ll make no further claims on Pegasus?”

Kurt nodded.

“There’s an old bullpen behind Doc Frazier’s ranch that’s hardly ever used. His vaqueros will set it up for me and won’t say anything—I don’t want my parents to hear about this.”

“I don’t blame you,” he agreed sarcastically. “What you’re doing is not exactly a complement to your femininity.”

“You’d best be worried about your masculinity,” she retorted.

He stiffened. The little vixen had a tongue as sharp as cactus juice. “I asked
when
,” he growled. “I’m tired of wasting time. I want my horse.”

“I’ll have someone send word to you when it’s all set.” Kit turned to go, then paused to add curtly, “By the way, it won’t be necessary for you to follow me anymore. I’m certainly not going to run away with the horse. Why should I? After all, he’s going to be mine.”

“I can think of a lot of reasons to follow you,” Kurt murmured, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her close against his chest, “but believe me, I wasn’t. This is my land…or soon will be.”

He kissed her, but she jerked from his grasp, looking at him with wide eyes. “What…what did you say?” she managed to ask.

Puzzled by her reaction, Kurt repeated, “I said this will soon be my land. I might build a new house in this spot, and I rode over to see the view in the moonlight.”

“You…you live near here?” she asked.

“My land joins at the ridge, up there,” he said, pointing, then asked curiously, “Why?”

Kit shook her head, trying to compose herself. “
Señor
Gaspencia…I knew him. He was a dear friend. I…it hurts to think the land isn’t his anymore.”

“It’s being sold for taxes. As soon as they post it.”

Kit thought of the sign she’d pulled from the ground that morning and hidden in a clump of weeds by the river. Now she was doubly glad she’d been so sneaky, because Kurt Tanner had no idea that probate time was up and the land was ready to be sold.

Once again she turned to go, for there was no need for further conversation. It bothered her to think that her property would adjoin his, but it really made no difference. Kurt Tanner had two thousand acres or more. He’d hardly be close.

“I’ll be waiting…” he called after her softly, “to see what you can do.”

Kit whirled about, ready to hurl an angry response, but he was gone. There was no sound but the wind in the branches and the tumultuous beating of her heart.

Chapter Eight

The next morning Kit woke early and immediately sent Muego to post the letter to Kitty. Then she dressed and was going out the back door when her mother called from the breakfast porch. With a silent groan, Kit turned around and went to her.

The room was filled with dozens of miniature orange and lemon trees, planted in bright pottery. The furniture was white wicker, and a peach-and-blue hand-loomed rug covered the mosaic tile floor. It was Kit’s favorite room, offering a splendid view of the rolling sea from its point on the bluff.

Jade looked fresh and cheerful in a pink silk dressing robe, but when Kit walked in, her smile changed to a gasp of dismay. “Oh, good heavens, Kit, look at you! You look like…like one of those gypsies, all rags and tags! Whatever can you be thinking, going out in public like that?”

Kit sighed, struggling for patience. “Mother, I’m going riding. I have on
riding
clothes.”

“Those aren’t riding clothes!” Jade’s gaze swept her with contempt. “Ladies were riding
habits
—not shabby men’s clothes. You just go back to your room and change. No, on second thought, I don’t want you riding at all today. You need to start getting ready for the party tonight.”

Now Kit groaned out loud. “Are you having another party, Mother? Really, it seems that every night—”

“
I’m
not having the party,” Jade was quick to inform her. “If you paid any attention to your social obligations, you’d know that tonight’s Anaya Esteban’s birthday party. Not just anybody has been invited, but
you
have, and you’re going. Do you understand me?”

Kit could not stand Anaya Esteban. She was a horrid girl, snobbish and conceited. But she was pretty and rich, and young men vied to court her. Society-minded girls strove to be invited to her many parties and socials.