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Authors: Georgina Gentry

Rio (6 page)

BOOK: Rio
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Hasta la vista
then.” He tipped his hat with a smile and rode back the way he came.

She watched him with an incredulous stare as he rode away. “You come back here!” she yelled, but he didn’t even turn his head. His stallion broke into a lope and the pair rode out of sight.

She had never been so angry in her life. People had always danced attendance on her every whim and here was a poor vaquero who had turned down her money, given her tit for tat and left her standing here. She was steaming, but there was nothing to do but sit down under a tree and wait for Edwin Forester to return. In the meantime, she waded down the creek and rescued her soggy lace hat.

Rio rode back to his blacksmith shop and slowly unsaddled his horse. He would have given that little spitfire a ride back to town, but then she had started ordering him about and offering to pay him like he was some errand boy. He didn’t feel right about leaving a lady out on the road
alone, but it was daylight and the senator was only a short distance away. Rio thought about spending the night in jail because of that pair and gritted his teeth. It served them both damned well if they had to deal with her overprotec-tive guardian.

He put away his horse and was firing up his forge when his little spotted dog, Tip, began to bark. Rio looked out the open door. A man in a buggy was driving up and stepping down.

“Hello there,
hombre,
” the man called. “We need to talk.”

“Buenas tardes.”
Rio came out to meet him and noted the man was maybe close to forty, dark, and wearing a short, expensive Spanish jacket and flat western hat.

“I am Trace Durango.” The man stuck out his hand.

Uh-oh. Rio shook it, thinking about the girl. “What brings you to my small place, senor?”

Trace looked around, then reached down to pat the small mongrel. “I looked at the job you did on my ward’s mare yesterday. You did a good job, senor.”


Gracias.
I do my best.”

“I’ve got a lot of horses out at my ranch and my farrier has gone to Mexico City to visit relatives for a while. Might I persuade you to spend a week or two at the Triple D and do some shoein’?”

It would mean he could spend some time with the uppity beauty, but did he want to? She had treated him shabbily up to now. Maybe that was what intrigued him about her. He had plenty of women who were his for the asking, but the snooty girl who had had him thrown in jail was one he wanted to know better. “Senor, I might consider your offer. I have one vaquero who can keep my small ranch running for a while.”

“Good.” Trace Durango pushed his hat back and smiled.
“I like you, amigo. Would you consider havin’ dinner with me tonight at Delmonico’s?”

“Senor Durango”—he made a dismissing, embarrassed gesture—“I do not have the clothes for a fancy place like that.”

“Nonsense. I have a private table in the back and the food is very good.”

“I have heard.” He was tempted. “Will we be alone?”

Trace shrugged. “No, my ward will join us, Turquoise Sanchez.”

“Oh?” He didn’t know for certain whether he wanted to face her sharp tongue. Suppose she told her uncle Trace about him abandoning her this afternoon? But the little vixen couldn’t do that without relaying what and whom she’d been out there with.

“You sound hesitant.” Trace grinned.

“She’s—she’s a great beauty.” Rio looked away.

“She’s that,” Trace agreed, “but has the temper of a sidewinder.”

“I agree.” Rio nodded. “Some man needs to take over.”

“No man so far has had the
cojones
to do so,” Trace said.

Rio smiled. “Maybe no
hombre
has been
loco
enough to want to. It would be breaking a mustang filly.”

Trace looked him over, nodding as if in approval. “
Si,
I think I would like to have you join us for dinner. It would be amusin’. Shall we say eight o’clock at Delmonico’s?”

Rio nodded. “Thank you, senor. I look forward to meeting your ward again.”

Trace turned back to his buggy. “Speakin’ of which, she ought to be gettin’ home from shoppin’ and her luncheon about now. I should be gettin’ back.”

Rio ought to let the little rascal get into trouble, but somehow, he didn’t want that to happen if she hadn’t returned to town yet. “Please, senor, I know you have a lot of
expertise when it comes to beef and horses. Could I get you to look around my little ranchero and see what you think?”

Trace shrugged. “You do me a great compliment, senor, but
si,
I would be happy to see your place, especially if there’s some
cerveza
at the house.”

Rio grinned. “Beer cold from hanging in the well.” He nodded. “Let’s go!”

With the little dog accompanying them, they headed for the barn farther up the road.

Edwin finally returned and the farmer’s team pulled the buggy out of the mud. Edwin tipped the farmer handsomely. “There you are, my good man.”

The old farmer shook his head and muttered to himself about “dudes” as Edwin helped the soggy Turquoise into the buggy, snapped the little whip, and headed back to town.

“I’m so sorry, my dear. It was just an accident.”

Turquoise shaded her face with her limp, dripping hat. “I just hope my guardian isn’t back at the hotel yet.”

Edwin’s pale face turned even paler. “I hope not, too.”

They drove at a fast clip back to the hotel, Edwin looking very nervous as he reined in out front and rushed around to assist her. “Do you think your guardian will be upset?”

“Only if he finds out.” She stepped down.

“I’d like to see you again.” He took her hand.

“Send me a message,” she said, turned, and hurried into the hotel lobby.

Fern was pacing the lobby and turned. “Oh, there you are! I was worried sick when you didn’t meet me for lunch.” She glanced down. “Is your dress wet? What …?”

“Too much to tell. Have you seen my uncle?”

Fern shook her head. “Was that Senator Forester I saw helping you out of a buggy?”

Turquoise nodded with a conspiratorial grin. “Let’s go upstairs so I can change and I’ll tell you all about it.”

“My word, this is just too exciting!” Fern scurried along behind her up the stairs. “I want to hear each tiny detail.”

She’d have to let her friend in on everything and swear her to secrecy, Turquoise decided as she opened her door and they went in.

Fern flopped her chubby frame on the bed as Turquoise started to undress. “Now tell me what happened.”

“Well, it started last night at the ball.” Turquoise began to unbutton the wet dress. “Senator Forester actually asked if he could escort me from the stage.”

“No!” Fern’s mouth opened in astonishment. “Why, everyone says he’s the catch of the town, but no girl has hooked him yet.”

“You see,” Turquoise went on, “I was supposed to have an escort and didn’t know it, but Edwin is such a gentleman, he stepped in.”

“Edwin?” Fern squeaked. “You call him Edwin?”

“You must cross your heart and not tell anyone, but I think he’s wanting to court me.”

“My word!” Fern breathed in awe as Turquoise changed. “But the Foresters and the Durangos are enemies. Everyone in Texas knows that.”

“I know.” Turquoise paused and smiled. “It’s just like Romeo and Juliet, except I’ve got to bring peace between the two families before we could wed.”

“Wed? Why, Turquoise, that would be the biggest wedding Austin ever saw.”

“Of course, and he’s planning on running for governor,” Turquoise said as she changed. “Would you like to come to a party at the governor’s mansion or maybe visit me in Washington if he runs for national office?”

“My word!” Fern said with a gasp. “I’m not sure what I’d wear.”

“Well, just keep all this a secret for right now. My guardian would probably call him out if he knew.”

“Oh, this is so romantic,” Fern gushed. “It makes my and Luke’s story seem so dull.”

Turquoise frowned suddenly as she remembered the annoying vaquero. “There’s just one problem, one person who might tell Uncle Trace.”

Fern leaned closer. “Who?”

“Oh, never mind. I’m sorry we missed lunch.”

Fern shrugged and got up off the bed. “Oh well, maybe I can lose a little weight before my wedding. I reckon I’d better get back to the ranch before Daddy and Luke start wondering where I am.” The two girls hugged. “Honestly, Turquoise, you lead the most exciting life.”

Turquoise shrugged. “Who knows what will happen next?”

“Well, keep me up on it. I promise I won’t tell anyone.”

Turquoise walked her to the door. “I think we’ll be going back tomorrow or the next day. That sort of stops everything.”

Fern paused in the door. “Love will find a way.”

Turquoise sighed. “That’s so romantic. The senator is such a gentleman, not like some men I’ve met.” She frowned, remembering the vaquero.

Turquoise had barely put on a turquoise satin dressing gown and slippers, and sent the wet dress out to be cleaned when she heard Uncle Trace entering his room next door. She heaved a sigh of relief that she’d gotten back in time— no thanks to that arrogant hombre.

Now Edwin was everything she was looking for in a husband: important, prominent, a white member of the social scene. No one would dare whisper about her background if she were wed to him.

But what annoyed her was that the other man kept popping into her imagination; the big, primitive vaquero with
the dark, haunting eyes and the shamrock tattoo on the back of his hand.

Uncle Trace knocked on their adjoining doors. “Turquoise?”

“Yes, Uncle?”

“Don’t make any plans for the night. I’m takin’ you to a new place.”

“Oh? How exciting.” Maybe it was the kind of place where the society people might eat.

“Did you enjoy your shoppin’?”

“Uh, yes.”

“Good. I’m going to take a little nap before dinner, so you occupy yourself.”

“I’ll read a book,” she called back. She bathed and began to wash her hair. She had just wrapped it in a towel and was drying it when there was a light tap at her door. She opened it a crack to a bellboy. “Miss Sanchez?”

“Yes?”

He handed her a note. “I was told to give this to you.”

She tipped him and closed the door quietly before opening the envelope. On monogrammed paper in refined handwriting, the note read:

Dear Miss Sanchez:

I apologize humbly for this morning’s mishap. I beg you to forgive me and hope to see you again soon.

Your most humble and adoring servant,
Edwin Forester

She smiled as she sat back down and reread the note before tearing it up in tiny bits. So she had Edwin interested in her. What should she do now? Obviously her guardian was not going to allow this enemy to call on his ward because of this silly family feud. She knew they were
returning to the ranch tomorrow. In the meantime, she laid out one of her most beautiful turquoise dresses, put her hair up in elaborate curls, and dusted herself with forget-me-not-scented talcum powder and perfume.

Now how could she get a note to Edwin? He was probably still in his office at the capitol. She sat down at the little desk and reached for note paper. She was uncertain what to say. She didn’t want to sound too eager, but on the other hand, she didn’t want to discourage such a suitable beau who offered everything a girl could dream of. No, she decided there just wasn’t any way to get a note to Edwin without someone on the hotel staff alerting her uncle. She sighed, picked up a book, and tried to read.

It was a romance, but she couldn’t keep her mind on the pages. She could possibly snare the most sought-after bachelor in Austin. Wouldn’t that be a feather in her cap? All those girls from last night’s ball would be so envious and wouldn’t dare insult or demean Turquoise again.

Finally, she gave up on the book about the time she heard her guardian stirring around in his room. With a sigh, she began to dress. Supper at a fine restaurant would have been an exciting treat before, but now dinner with her uncle sounded dull. It was the kind of thing old maids did—go out to eat with relatives. Well, it was getting late. If she did manage to reach Edwin, he probably already had plans, an important meeting or something.

It occurred to her that if they had a quick bite in the hotel dining room, Uncle Trace might want to go to bed early. In that case, she might manage to sneak out and meet Edwin if she could get a message to him.

She could hear Uncle Trace moving about in his room now and she knocked on the door.

“Come in,” he said.

She opened the door, watching him comb his graying
hair. “Uncle Trace, maybe we could have just a quick bite in our rooms.”

“On our last night in town?” He snorted. “That surprises me, Turquoise. Since we may not be back in Austin for months, I thought you’d like to see how the other half lives.”

“Well, yes. Is it a really fancy place?”

“Si.”
He nodded with a grin.

If it were a fancy place, Edwin might be there. That was all she could hope for now unless she feigned a headache and returned to the hotel early. Then it might be too late.

“Don’t look so glum,” Trace said as he began to button his shirt. “I’ve invited someone to join us for dinner.” He started through the connecting door of the suite.

“Oh. Who?”

“Never mind. Just get your wrap and I’ll meet you in the hall in ten minutes.”

She closed the door, intrigued. Maybe it was some eligible young man, she thought as she surveyed herself in the mirror. Her dress was turquoise-colored tulle with a full skirt and a small, perky bustle. She put silver and turquoise combs in her black hair and looked again. The dress was more modest than the other one. She bit her lips and pinched her cheeks to give them a rosy glow.

“Turquoise, are you comin’?” Trace’s impatient voice from the hall.

No, there was no way to get a note to Edwin now or make any plans to meet him later. She grabbed a cashmere shawl. “I’m on my way.”

She went into the hall and took his arm. He wore an expensive dark, short Spanish jacket and handmade black boots. “
Dios.
You look like a goddess.” He grinned and winked. “All the young men will be watchin’ you tonight.”

BOOK: Rio
8.98Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

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