Moon Racer (10 page)

"Did you fill your canteen, Major?"

Abby's face flushed with indignation when he
laughed aloud and replied, "Sometimes you just have
to laugh at the absurd." Then his eyes gleamed, re fleeting humor. "I am in the cavalry, Miss Hunter; I
don't go anywhere without water."

She felt like such a fool, and his laughter only
made her feel worse. He was an officer who led
troops into battle, she reminded herself. Of course
he would know the fundamental survival skills that
were probably taught to first-year cadets at West
Point.

As they rode away, Jonah was still amused, and
that further nettled Abby. So far she was not enjoying herself, and the morning had just started. Later
she would have some choice words to say to Quince
for volunteering her to spend the day with his friend.

The two of them rode abreast and in silence until
the house was out of sight. When they came to a
fence, Abby bent to open a gate and, after they rode
through, fastened it behind them. They rode through
the tall grass at a steady pace, scattering a large herd
of deer as they went.

Jonah felt the warmth of silent companionship
spread through him like a gentle wind. He could
imagine himself owning a spread like this one with
Abby riding beside - He shook his head. No, not
Abby-Patricia.

He had fallen behind and spurred his mount to
catch up with her. The sight of that frivolous little
braid swaying down her back was too enticing for
his peace of mind.

At one point Abby noticed that Jonah kept
glancing behind him, and he finally halted. She
reined in and raised an inquiring brow at him.

"That's the horse you were riding yesterday; why
is he following us?"

A smile lit her face when the stallion galloped up
to her and nudged her hand. "Moon Racer is like a
pet he thinks he can go anywhere I go." Her
fingers trailed down the stallion's thick mane.
"Once he even followed me onto the porch,
thinking he could go in the house with me." She ran
her hand down the roan's neck. "You should have
seen Frances take a broom to him that day."

"Quince told me how you saved Moon Racer's
life by bottle-feeding him."

She laid her face against the stallion's neck.
"He's still just a big baby who wants affection."

While Jonah watched her with the horse, he felt a
tightening in his heart. There were so many aspects
to Abby's personality that he couldn't decide who
she really was. One moment she could be happy and
glowing, like now, then the next moment, saucy and
defensive. She was like a spring mist, visible, but
untouchable by the human hand. She was intelligent
and able to hold her own in a conversation. But there
was also a distant, cold part of her that was like a
winter wind, intense and relentless.

He could remember, as a child, catching a firefly
in his hand-he had felt wonderment at the delicate
glow that had spread outward from his fingers. In
the end, he had opened his hand and allowed the
firefly its freedom.

Would it be like that with Abby if he tried to
catch her?

He had a burning need to learn more about herhe wanted to hear her laughter sing on the wind. He
wanted to know the real Abby. He wanted to hold
her until the deep sadness disappeared from her
eyes.

She smiled and leaned closer to him and
whispered, "Moon Racer is jealous of any other
horse I ride."

Jonah watched her eyes sparkle with devilment,
and for the first time he heard her laughter. The
sound struck deep, arousing powerful emotions, and
ignited an answering happiness in him. She was the
most enchanting creature he had ever seen. If he
wasn't careful, she would beguile him-if she
hadn't already done so.

"You see, Major, I've never told Moon Racer
that he's a horse-he thinks he's a person."

The great stallion tossed his head and whinnied,
pushing against the pinto and causing the mare to
edge sideways.

"Moon Racer, stop it," Abby demanded, trying to
guide Sassy away from the aggressive stallion's
powerful teeth.

Before Abby could intervene, the roan had
already nipped the pinto's neck, and the frightened
mare reared and backed away.

When Abby finally calmed the frantic Sassy, she
slid out of the saddle and went to Moon Racer.
"You should be ashamed of yourself." Even as she
scolded him, she drew his head toward her and
patted his back. "Why do you have to be jealous?
You know how important you are to me."

Moon Racer would have gone after the mare
again, but Abby grabbed his mane and yanked his
neck toward her. "Don't do that!"

She looked up at Jonah. "I'm sorry about this. If I
had known Christmas put Moon Racer in this
pasture, I would have taken us in a different
direction. I am going to have to change mounts."

Jonah leaned forward in the saddle. "So you let
the stallion have his way?"

"Not always, but I will today." She went back to
the mare and unsaddled and unbridled her. Looking
Sassy over to make certain that the stallion had not
drawn blood, Abby nodded in satisfaction when she
saw no injury. With a gentle pat on the mare's
rump, she sent her galloping across the pasture. "I'll
have Christmas bring her home tomorrow."

Before Jonah could offer his help, Abby had
already thrown her saddle over Moon Racer and
cinched it. He watched her smile at the horse,
dimples dancing in her cheeks.

"You can't always have me to yourself," she said
to the stallion before climbing into the saddle. Then
she turned to Jonah. "I know he's spoiled, but he
almost died as a colt. He grew up without a mother,
like I-"

Even though Abby had clamped her lips together,
Jonah knew she had stopped short of telling him
about her motherless childhood. She was tugging at
his heart, and other lower extremities, and he didn't
seem to have any defense against her.

He found himself thinking how difficult her life
must be, knowing her father had murdered her mother. The woman in the portrait had definitely
been a lady, and if she had lived, her gentle
guidance would have helped her daughter. He
wondered if Abby dressed in trousers because she
had never learned how to be a woman, or if it was
her way of defying convention.

He tried to think of Patricia, but her image was
blocked by Abby's mischievous green eyes.

He had to concentrate on something else, say
something, anything, to distract himself. "Now that
I see how much the stallion means to you, I know
why you were offended when I offered to buy him."

Her mood changed from somber to hostile. "Moon
Racer is as much a part of this ranch as the soil itself
Many of the horses you see here were sired by him,
and many of our neighbors' horses as well."

She nudged the stallion forward, and they rode
away from the pasture, through another gate, until
they finally reached a hilly meadow.

"The two horses you asked to see are just over
the next hill," Abby told Jonah. "If you choose one
of them, I'll train it for you."

He glanced out at a land that looked like Eden,
but there were thorns and secrets in this paradise.
The woman who rode beside him was like an
unbroken horse herself, wild and untamed.

Abby Hunter had disturbed him almost to the
brink of madness. He'd had trouble going to sleep
the night before, knowing that she was in the room
next to his. He had been awake to hear her restless
pacing and wondered at the reason for it.

She reined in the powerful stallion. "After lunch
I'll take you to see the mustangs," she told him.

Jonah nodded, his attention centered just above
her head because he dared not look into those
mesmerizing eyes. "I'll look forward to it," he
answered, wishing she had never come bounding
out of that tree at him, disrupting his orderly life.

Frances had prepared a feast.

She had certainly outdone herself for the major's
benefit. Abby thought of the sandwiches and fruit
the housekeeper usually packed for her on the days
she couldn't get home for lunch.

"You have a choice of spiced beef, chicken,
block cheese, and apple or cherry tarts. What would
you like to start with?"

He had sat down with his back against a tree
trunk, watching her. He bent forward and looked
into the bag. "Is there a chicken leg in there?"

"As it happens, there is." She handed him a redand-white-checked napkin along with the chicken
leg he had asked for.

Abby took a chunk of cheese and nibbled on it
while she watched the way the breeze danced through the high grass, all the while feeling the
major's eyes on her.

At last he asked, "What do you do for fun?"

"Fun?"

"Yes, fun-interest, hobbies, pastimes."

She had to think a moment. "I like riding, of
course. I try to draw when I have time. I used to
spend a lot of time visiting Iona Montgomery-you
met her husband yesterday."

"Used to?"

She frowned and glanced up at the sky. "Iona
was a good friend." Abby looked at him. "She died
a short while back."

"I'm sorry. I wouldn't have brought up a
painful-"

She stood, feeling pain in her heart for the woman
she had loved like a mother. "No. It's all right. Iona
had been ill for some time before she... died."

"What is your impression of Mr. Montgomery?"

"He's my father's friend. The whole town of
Diablo seems to think highly of him."

It did not escape Jonah's notice that her voice
was cold when she spoke of the banker.

"Let me ask you a question," Abby said, wiping
her fingers on a checked napkin. "You knew
Quince before he met Glory-do you find him
much changed?"

He paused for a moment. "I suppose he is more
contented than he was when he scouted for me.
Yes, I would say Quince is very contented."

"Yes, he is that, but it's more than just being content. He's happy, I mean, really happy. And so is my brother Brent." She met Jonah's gaze. "Is it the same
for all men when they marry? Is that the way you
feel about the woman you are going to marry?"

Jonah was taken aback by her bold questions. His
lips twisted, and he arched an eyebrow. "My, aren't
we being inquisitive?"

"I don't mean it that way-I'm not prying. I'm
trying to understand why Quince, who never
wanted to be tied down to anyone, has become so
domesticated. I see a softness in him that was never
there before. Glory can just come into a room, and
Quince is all smiles."

"Yes, I have noticed their closeness. Perhaps he
feels more responsible now that he's married."

"It's not that we all feel responsible and
dedicated when it comes to the Half-Moon. It's
simply that Quince cares more about Glory's
happiness than his own."

Jonah's voice deepened as he stared at her.
"Some would call it love, but I'm not sure I know
what that word means."

Abby drew in a deep breath. "I'm glad someone
else sees it the way I do. I would never allow any
man to order my life, like Glory and Crystal do. I
can't see me grinning and getting all soft over any
man."

Jonah took a bite of chicken and chewed it for a
moment, not trusting himself to speak. He looked at
her guardedly. "There must be some man of your
acquaintance you would be willing to settle down
with."

"There isn't. I don't even like men, except for my
brothers."

He frowned. "Someone has hurt you, haven't
they?"

"Why would you say that?"

"You are always 'on guard, as if you are
expecting people to be critical of you. I believe you
dress and act the way you do out of defiance."

Abby glared at him. "You don't know me well
enough to say that. And I don't need your opinion
on the way I dress."

"I am sorry. I didn't mean it that way. But you see,
I knew you a long time before we met. Quince talked
a lot about you. He's proud of you, you know."

"Yes, I know he is."

"I haven't met your brother Matt, but between
Quince and Brent, I would say you are more like
Quince-at least in looks and actions."

"We both favor our mother in coloring."

Abby chewed on her bottom lip for a moment
and then met Jonah's clear gaze. "So you don't love
this woman you are supposed to marry?"

He was startled, because he had been trapped by
his own words. Abby didn't miss a thing. "I respect
and admire her."

She was profoundly puzzled. "Is that any reason
to marry someone? I respect Charley Herbert, and I
admire Mr. Spindle, who owns the general store,
but I wouldn't want to marry either one of them."

"Is there more chicken?" Jonah asked, trying to
change the subject, because her questions had
caught him off guard. He was accustomed to women who were coy or flirtatious. If she would faint or
have the vapors, he would know exactly what to do.
But he had no defense against her candid outspokenness, and her total disregard for him as a man.