Love and Honor: The Coltrane Saga, Book 7 (30 page)

“How dare you laugh?” she raged. “How dare you take her side!”

She raised her parasol as if to strike him. He caught it and wrestled it away from her, throwing it into a nearby watering trough. “Calm down, Anaya. Enough is enough!” he said sternly, beginning to lose his temper. Turning to Kit, he ordered, “Go on home. I’ll take care of her, and come out to talk to you later.”

Kit wanted to do just that. She was swinging up into the saddle when Anaya suddenly began to cry loudly.

“
Mi amante!
After our beautiful nights of love in Madrid this week, how can you treat me this way?” she sobbed brokenly. “I tell you that
puta
assaulted me, and you do not believe me…”

Kit felt suddenly paralyzed. Turning slowly, she saw that Anaya was clinging to Kurt, who was trying to disentangle himself from her clutching embrace.

Kurt’s eyes met Kit’s, and he looked away quickly, misery etched on his face. He knew she was not going to believe anything he said. At that moment, he wanted to strangle Anaya. Instead, he could only stand there as she hung on to him and screamed for the whole town to hear that he’d broken her heart.

He watched helplessly as Kit snapped the reins over Pegasus and began to gallop down the street.

She did not look back.

Chapter Thirty

Kit was watering the scuppernong graftings she had set out the day before, when she heard hoofbeats approaching. She did not have to guess who it was. She stayed right where she was, gently patting the soft dirt around each plant.

He reined in perhaps twenty feet away. From the corner of her eye Kit could see the strong golden legs of his fine palomino stallion. Even when she saw his boots planted firmly before her, she did not look up.

“Will you listen to what I have to say?”

Kit did not speak. She’d done a lot of thinking since returning home yesterday. Home! She savored the sound of that word, the taste of it. Her ranch. Her barn. Her land. All of it was hers. No one made decisions for her. She was truly in control of her life now, and, yes by God, she was in control of her heart as well. She had known all along what kind of man Kurt Tanner was, that he would never be satisfied with the love of just one woman. Well, that was his privilege and his right, just as it was hers to maintain her pride and dignity.

“Kit, I think you owe me that much.”

Her laugh was bitter. “I think you’ve been amply rewarded. A
puta
would have considered you repaid by the time the ship reached Cherbourg.”

He could not resist a barb of his own. “With a
puta
, maybe I would have been.”

At that, Kit leaped to her feet, her lavender eyes blazing. “So that’s all it was? You thought I was just paying you back for saving me from being arrested? Well, I can assure you it was the hardest debt that any woman could honor, because you’re a terrible lover, and I hate you!”

“You’re lying, and you know it!” Kurt flashed a lopsided grin. He pushed his hat back and his dark curls tumbled boyishly onto his forehead, belying the throbbing ache he felt at her very nearness. Growing impatient, he said, “Stop acting like a brat and hear me out.”

“Why did you come here today?” Kit asked angrily. “Did you try to come through the window last night and realize you were locked out?”

“No, but if I had, a closed window wouldn’t have stopped me. Now, dammit”—his dark brown eyes narrowed ominously—“you’re going to listen.”

“Go to hell!” Kit spat out. She turned to stalk away, but he caught her arm and spun her around roughly. “Anaya was just trying to make trouble. Can’t you see that?”

“She did a good job,” Kit shot back.

“Only if you let her,” Kurt replied.

“Was she in Madrid?” she asked bluntly.

“Yes, but—”

“That explains why you didn’t want me to go along!” Kit interrupted harshly.

His eyebrows shot up. “Dammit, Kit, you’re the one who was so determined that no one find out about us. I didn’t think you were serious about wanting to go to Madrid, because that would have definitely made tongues wag.”

“So you took someone who doesn’t mind being fodder for gossip.”

“Who said anyone went with me?”

“You admitted that she was there. It really makes no difference
how
she got there. Now, if you don’t mind, I have other things to do, Mr. Tanner. Nothing you can say will interest me, I’m sure.”

He looked at her thoughtfully for a moment. “Maybe I’ve just gotten tired of sneaking around, Kit. Maybe I’d like to walk right up to your front door and call on you properly, court you, if you’ll permit me to sound so…conventional.” He smiled despite himself.

“You want to be proper?” she scoffed. “Do you honestly think I could ever take you seriously after you kept joking about us being newlyweds? The beginning of our relationship should have been a tender, special time, but you made me feel like a fool!”

Kit blinked back scalding tears, determined not to let him see her cry. “For the first time in my life I knew what it meant to feel loved and desired. Then you snatched all that away and brought me back to reality by making it nothing but a joke.”

Kurt shook his head, stunned at her revelation. “Kit, you silly little fool,” he whispered tenderly, “I only teased you about it because that’s the way I thought you wanted it. I didn’t want to scare you away. I knew you had your doubts, because I do have a reputation with women. Maybe some of the things you’ve heard about me are justified, but that doesn’t mean I’ve got to carry my mistakes on my back like a cross for the rest of my life.”

“It seems to me,” Kit said evenly, “that after your little tryst with Anaya in Madrid, there’s no doubt about your reputation being justified.”

Kurt had reached the end of his patience. He released his hold on her and stepped back. “I’m wasting my breath. Maybe you’re the one who never took our relationship seriously, Kit, and I’m the one who should feel like a fool.”

“Get off my land, Tanner,” Kit said, her gaze steely. “Next time I’ll blow you away.” She nodded to the rifle she’d propped against a nearby tree.

Kurt stood there a moment, stunned, looking into the lavender eyes that had once burned with desire for him, and were now filled with fiery hatred. Then he turned and walked away.

Kit watched him go. Her heart ached, but she knew it was for the best. She had her destiny, and he had his. It was just not meant for them to be together.

July melted into August. The days were long and hot, and Kit worked from dawn to dusk, loving every minute. Her money began to run low, but Doc Frazier had leased her a small herd that would bring a nice profit in the future. She also began an egg business, selling to markets in the village. It would be slow going, but she’d been prepared for that. She had a peaceful contented existence, and asked for no more than that.

There were times, however, when memories crept over her without warning. She would be riding the range or cleaning the barn, and, suddenly, she’d remember Kurt’s arms around her, his kisses, the way they’d laughed and loved together. A great warmth would overtake her body, and she would fight against it with all her might. Finally, it would pass. She could get on with her life…though still haunted by a love that could never be.

One day, while repairing a section of fence, she saw a man approaching on horseback. Since she wasn’t expecting anyone, she dropped her tools and grabbed her rifle. Holding it at her side, she shaded her eyes against the glaring sun. As the man drew closer, she groaned, laying the rifle aside. She supposed it was inevitable that sooner or later Esteban Yubero would hear she was back and pay a visit.

“
Señorita!
What is this?” He stared, startled at her appearance. He swung off his horse and dropped to the ground, carrying a bouquet of roses that seemed foolish and out of place.

“This is nothing you should be doing! I heard you had bought this place”—he waved his arm—“but never did I think you were actually working the land.”

“It’s my land,” Kit said coldly. “Why shouldn’t I work it?”

He thrust the flowers at her. “Because you are too beautiful for such drudgery. You should be the mistress of a fine
hacienda
, with many servants, and do nothing all day but sip sangria and plan delicious dinner parties.”

“And wind up a fat, drunken cow,” she retorted. “I’m sorry, but that kind of life isn’t to my liking. Maybe you should court Delhy Esteban’s daughter, Anaya. She seems more suited to you.”

“All the valley knows she is in love with the rich
Americano
, Kurt Tanner. Don Esteban hangs his head in shame, and they say his wife refuses to go out in public, because Anaya makes no secret that she sometimes stays all night at his ranch.”

Kit froze at his words. Realizing that he had her complete attention, Yubero rushed on to confide more, in hopes of gaining favor.

“She tells everyone that it is just a matter of time until they marry. Her father, it is said, went to
Señor
Tanner on behalf of Anaya’s honor, to ask him his intentions.
Señor
Tanner said he owed her nothing, for she had come to him of her own free will—uninvited. Everyone says she is no better than a
puta
, and the
Americano
, he is like a dog chasing a bitch in heat!”

He suppressed a smile of satisfaction at the anger in Kit’s eyes, so he was not prepared for her next words.

“Get off my land, Yubero. I’ve got no time for gossip about trash.”

He sucked in his breath. “And I’ve got no time for a
campesino
!” He threw the bouquet on the ground, and swung up into his saddle, shooting her a contemptuous look before riding away.

Kit didn’t care. Let him call her a peasant. She didn’t care what anyone said. All she wanted was to be left alone.

As for Anaya and Kurt—they deserved each other!

Yet her heart still ached to think of what they had shared in the past, what they’d hoped to share in the future. And she cursed herself for her weakness, swearing once again that she would forget him, forget that he had ever touched her life.

Kit went back to her work, staying out in the searing August sun longer than she had planned. She wanted to be so tired that when night came, she would sleep too deeply for dreams to haunt her.

In the distance, she could hear the creak and rumble of the postman’s mail cart.

“
Señorita
Coltrane,” the postman called excitedly, “I have a surprise for you!”

She turned with a sigh.

“Kit, oh, Kit, I found you!” called a familiar voice.

“I…I don’t believe it,” Kit cried, stumbling forward, her arms outstretched. “How—”

Valerie threw her arms around Kit and nearly knocked her off her feet. They hugged each other tearfully.

Finally they pulled away from each other. Kit’s questions tumbled forth breathlessly. “How did you get here? And how did you find me? I still can’t believe you’re here.”

“Neither can I!”

Taking her arm, Kit led Valerie toward her little house. “Just start at the beginning, tell me everything,” she said.

“Did you get my letter?” Kit asked. “I’m afraid there wasn’t time for me to tell Travis about our meeting, but I did write him at West Point. I haven’t got an answer from him yet.”

“You probably won’t, because he probably didn’t get your letter,” Valerie said flatly. “I wrote him, too, but his mail is obviously being intercepted.”

“Did he have your address in Bermuda?”

She shook her head. “No, but it wouldn’t matter if he did. My mail is being intercepted, too. I never even got
your
letter.”

Kit’s mind was whirling. “Valerie, why did you come here?” she asked bluntly.

“I had nowhere else to go. The entire way to the island, my father railed that he’d rather see me dead than married to a no-good Coltrane.”

“He has no right to say that!” Kit burst out. “He doesn’t even know my family.”

“I know that. Mother says that he has bad headaches sometimes that make him mean and crazy. Anyway, I told you that he wants to marry me off to the son of his friend. The minute we got to the island, he started making plans. His name is George Burnbaum, and I hate him. He’s fat and lazy, and every time we’re alone together he starts grabbing at me and telling me how good it’s going to feel when he does ‘it’. I won’t marry him! I’d rather die!” She curled her hands into fists.

“So you ran away?” Kit asked incredulously.

“That’s right—just like you. Except that I didn’t stow away on a ship. I took some money from Poppa’s safe and bribed one of the servant boys to take me to the mainland. Then I started making my way here.”

Kit was properly impressed. “How long did it take you?”

Valerie thought for a moment. “About three months.” Kit looked at her in awe, and Valerie laughed. “It wasn’t so bad, really.” She held up her callused hands. “I worked as a cook in the galleys when I ran low on money. Fortunately the head cook made sure I was properly protected from the sailors!”

Kit felt like crying, But now what do I do with you? Instead she said, “Well, let’s get you inside and fed. I imagine you’re starved. Then I’ll show you around my little paradise.” She glanced around. “Where’s your luggage?”