Love and Honor: The Coltrane Saga, Book 7 (31 page)

“Back in town, at the hotel.”

Kit started inside, but Valerie hesitated. “Is it all right?”

Kit turned to stare at her, not quite sure what she meant.

“My being here, I mean.” Valerie twisted her hands together nervously. “I didn’t know where to go that my father wouldn’t find me and make me marry George. I couldn’t go to Travis, and I couldn’t think of anywhere else,” she repeated, her voice cracking.

Her dress was tattered and dirty, and her hair hung limply about her face. There was only a shadow of the delicate beauty Kit remembered, yet there was a lovely glow about her. Kit’s heart went out to Valerie as she waited anxiously for Kit’s response, her blue eyes filled with hope. Impulsively Kit walked over to give her a warm hug. “I’m glad you’re here,” she assured her. “Don’t you worry about a thing. My home is your home.”

When she had gotten Valerie comfortably bedded down, Kit went into town and picked up her two small trunks. She went to the post office to mail a new letter to Travis, and Domingo greeted her excitedly, waving an envelope. “It just came,
señorita
, on the afternoon train. All the way from America.” Kit took the letter with trembling fingers. Recognizing her father’s handwriting, she felt her heart constrict with an undefinable emotion.

She forced herself to wait until she was on the outskirts of town before dismounting Pegasus under a shady tree. She then opened the envelope with shaking fingers. Unfolding the letter, she read her father’s ultimatum. He was giving her one year to come home, otherwise she would be disowned. Kit knew that it was just his anger talking. She cried with joy when she read that he was having her trust fund sent to the Valencia bank. No doubt he thought she’d spend it foolishly and soon run home in shame. What he didn’t know was that she was mature enough to handle that money so that it would provide her with all the security she would ever need.

Swept by conflicting emotions, Kit mounted Pegasus and headed for home. Lost in thought, she was unaware of the men watching from the rock ridge above.

Galen Esmond pointed at Kit with his knife. Grinning, he told his men, “There,
amigos
, is the
señorita
who has my Hispano. We must follow her and steal him back, because he is worth
mucho dinero
.”

“You steal the horse,” one of the men cried, “and we will steal the
señorita
!”

They all laughed. Then Galen waved them to silence as they began to follow him along the ridge.

Chapter Thirty-One

Valerie was awake when Kit got back to the ranch, and she apologized for sleeping so long. She was so pale and thin that Kit worried she might get sick after her ordeal. Then what would she do? In fact, Kit stewed, what was she going to do with Valerie, anyway?

Later, after supper, Kit bluntly asked, “What are your plans now, Valerie?”

Valerie stiffened. “If I could just get in touch with Travis, I’m sure he’d know what I should do. I even thought about going to West Point, but I was afraid that Poppa might hire detectives to find me in New York. This is the only place I felt was really safe.”

Kit knew she could not turn Valerie away. “Well, we’ll just have to make the best of things. You can stay here and help me around the place. We’ll eventually get through to Travis, even if we have to hire someone to get past Mother’s interceptors, whoever they are.” Kit told Valerie about the small fortune that was being deposited to the bank in her name. “So at least we don’t have to worry about money,” she said with a smile.

Valerie then began to tell of some of her experiences, and Kit was amazed at her ingenuity and cunning.

“You amaze me!” Kit cried, astonished. “To be honest, Valerie, I never thought you had any grit. I mean, I liked you, but I took you for a dainty little doll, groomed to marry a rich man, and do nothing but plan tea parties and have babies. Now I discover you’re as big a daredevil as I am!”

They laughed, then Valerie urged, “Tell me about your trip. It must’ve been rough hiding out all the way.”

Kit’s expression became somber.

“What’s wrong?” Valerie asked. “Is there something you don’t want to talk about?”

“Why shouldn’t I want to talk about it?” Kit replied airily. “It’s like a toothache. Pull the tooth, and the pain is gone.”

“What are you talking about?” Valerie asked, mystified.

“Kurt Tanner.”

“Kurt Tanner?” Valerie sputtered. “What’s he got to do with anything?”

“He was on the ship, too,” Kit replied flatly.

“Tell me what happened!”

Kit told Valerie the entire story. When she described the scene with Anaya, Valerie surprised her by cursing like a sailor.

“The conniving bitch!” She squeezed Kit’s hand. “But you’re crazy to let her take your man away.”

Kit stared at her. “He wasn’t my man, Valerie. Not ever.”

Galen struck a match inside the barn. He found a lantern and lit it, and he and his men looked around curiously. Galen pointed proudly at Pegasus. “See? I told you he was a fine animal!”

“So is the red-headed
señorita
!”

Galen looked at the man who had spoken. Chico Dupez had only recently joined his gang, and Galen was not sure he liked him. Only a week ago, he’d gotten into a fight over a woman, and killed a man by slitting his throat. Galen did not like such trouble. He dealt in horse stealing and petty robbery. Murder was not to his taste.

Chico licked his lips. In the lantern’s flickering light, his dark eyes glowed with lust. “I could see from the ridge she is prime meat!”

The other men laughed nastily, and Galen stiffened.

“I also know she is alone—except for yet
more
delicious meat!”

“Ah,
si
!” Mendez Puertos agreed. “The golden-haired beauty we saw walking with her is my kind of woman. You take the flaming hair, Chico. I take the gold!’

“
Si!
I want to have some fun before we move on. I am sick of paying cantina
putas
!”

The others hooted in agreement while Galen scratched his chin thoughtfully. He himself had watched the one called Kit Coltrane with desire, wondering how it would feel to touch such fine white skin. But he was not stupid. Women like that came from good families—families that would pay much money to make sure they were not ravished by
bandidos
.

Chico flashed his broken teeth. “I am going there to have some fun. The rest of you can decide who goes second, and third…”

He threw back his head and laughed, starting out the door. Suddenly a knife crashed into the wall right beside his head.

“You go nowhere until I say so!” Galen snarled. “I give the orders, and I say the women are worth nothing to us once you have dirtied them with your lust.”

Chico turned slowly, rage showing on his face. “Then what do you have in mind?” he asked tightly.

Galen’s grin was slow and triumphant. He looked at each of his men in turn before smugly declaring, “Ransom. We take them and hold them for ransom.”

“Pah!” Chico spat. “What makes you think anyone would pay for them?”

“I know about the red-headed beauty with the light purple eyes. Her father is Colt Coltrane, a very rich
Americano
. He’ll pay much to buy his daughter back.”

Chico sneered. “If her family is so rich, why does she live here alone, working a ranch?”

“Who knows?” Galen replied. “It makes no difference. She is still a Coltrane.”

“And what about the other one? Who will pay for her?”

Galen shrugged. “She’s a stranger to me, but we offer them both for one price. We share the ransom evenly, but I keep the horse,” he said, nodding toward Pegasus.

The men agreed that Galen’s plan sounded good—except Chico. “And where are we going to hide out till the ransom is paid?” he asked warily. “It’s dangerous to hang around here.”

Galen described a secret cave in the rocks along the beach, not too far away. “It won’t take long, I tell you. As soon as Coltrane finds out his daughter has been kidnapped, he will pay any price to get her back.”

Chico nodded slowly. “Very well. But this I promise you—I will have my taste of her honey before we give her back.”

With a lightning-quick, lunge, Galen yanked his knife from the door frame and held it against Chico’s throat. “And I promise you that if you so much as touch her, the only thing you will taste will be your own blood! Understand me,
bastardo
?”

Chico’s eyes bulged in horror. He blinked rapidly in agreement, not daring to shake his head for fear of cutting his own throat.

Galen released him, and he staggered away, clutching his neck. Looking at no one, he melted sullenly into the shadows of the barn.

Galen slipped his knife inside his boot. “Now”—he glanced about smiling—“we take care of the rest of our business.”

Kit slept so soundly, that she was unaware that anyone was in the house until a big, dirty hand clamped over her face. Instinctively she began to swing her fists and kick wildly.

Beside her, Valerie managed to twist her face from beneath the hand holding her down and scream.

“Stop fighting, or you will make us hurt you! Be still!” a harsh voice cried.

Kit knew that she had no choice but to obey. Valerie whimpered as a rag was stuffed into her mouth.

Slowly the hand over Kit’s face lifted. In the dim light she saw that the man grinning down at her was somehow familiar.

“Ah, the
señorita
will cooperate,” he said, pulling her up into a sitting position.

“Who are you?” Kit hissed, glancing to where she’d left her rifle.

He laughed and motioned to one of the other men to take the gun.

“No, no,
Señorita
Coltrane. That is not a good idea.”

He knew who she was!
But who the hell was he?
Kit shook her head in confusion.

“Take them into the kitchen. I am hungry. They can cook for us while we see if there is anything here of value. We have time.”

Kit was jerked to her feet. She saw that Valerie was also being pulled along, her eyes wide with terror. The six men had bandoleers across their chests, double holsters at their waists, and rifles slung across their backs.

In the kitchen, Kit suddenly realized that the band’s leader was Galen Esmond.

Kit heard Valerie whimpering and overcame her shock. “Take that gag out of her mouth,” she said as firmly as possible. “She won’t cry out, I promise.”

Galen nodded to Mendez. “Do it. If she does not keep still, we’ll gag them both.” He said to Kit, “Cook for us, and be quick about it. We must leave before first light.”

Kit reached for a bowl of eggs on the counter. “What do you want from us? We have no money. We are just poor ranchers, and—”

“You waste your breath,” he taunted her. “I know that you are a Coltrane, and your family is rich. They’ll pay plenty to get you back.”

Kit froze in panic. “What do you mean? Where are you taking us?”

“Don’t ask so many questions. Do as you are told, and you won’t be hurt. We are going to hold you for ransom. That is all you need to know. If your father acts quickly, this will all be over soon.”

Valerie gasped. “But her father isn’t here! He’s in America!”

Kit turned on her angrily. “Don’t tell them anything!” Galen‘s face darkened. He stepped closer to Kit and demanded, “Is that true? Your parents no longer live south of Valencia?”

“Go to hell!” Kit spat out.

He grabbed her hair and gave it a vicious tug, yanking her head back painfully. “I’m not telling you anything, you son of a bitch!” she ground out.

Galen flung her away from him. “Tear the place apart!” he roared. “Take anything of value. We leave for the cave as soon as we’ve eaten. I’ve got ways to make the bitch tell me what we need to know. Her family will pay much for raising such a stubborn child! The price on her head just doubled.”

Kit drew in her breath, commanding herself to hold her temper. Valerie was staring at her anxiously. Galen walked out of the room for a second, and Kit whispered, “It’s okay. I’ll think of something. Just be quiet and—”

“No talking!” Galen rushed back in. “Make the food so we can be on our way. It’s dangerous to hang around here.”

Kit and Valerie watched them eat like pigs, and then they made ready to leave. They were dragged out of the house, and gagged, their wrists and ankles bound together. As they were slung over the back of a horse, the sky was just starting to lighten in the east.

The ride was bumpy and rough, and Kit felt sick to her stomach. The sun rose, and she knew the heat was soon going to be unbearable. Just when it seemed she could stand it no longer, she realized they were on the beach. The Mediterranean breeze was mercifully cooling.

They stopped suddenly, and Kit was pulled roughly from the horse. One of the men slung her over his shoulder and headed inside a yawning cave set in the rocks. After he walked for what seemed like hours, he dumped her onto the ground. She hoped they would remove her gag and untie her, but all the men disappeared outside.