Sweet Savage Heart (56 page)

“My God, you look just like her,” he murmured in undisguised astonishment. He dismounted, dropped his reins to the ground, and came forward. He looked at the gun and her stance. “You don’t need to be afraid, Rana. I’m your neighbor, Harrison Caldwell.”

“I am not afraid of anything, Mr. Caldwell. The gun is for protection. Many bad things and people walk my
grandfather’s land. Why have you come to speak with me?” she asked bluntly, for she had guessed his identity and was therefore able to mask any outward show of emotion.

“I was out riding and I saw you standing here. I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting you. Your grandfather is being very protective of you. I knew your mother, and I was shocked that you look so much like her,” he replied smoothly, having mastered his surprise. “I imagine you’re glad to be home again.”

“Yes, it is good to return to my family and home. How did you know my mother?” she inquired politely.

Harrison laughed genially. “We were neighbors for years, Rana. Marissa used to come to my ranch to help my daughter, Clarissa, with her lessons, and sometimes she would watch Clarissa for me. It’s hard for a man alone to raise a small child, especially a little girl. Clarissa and your mother were friends. She’s looking forward to meeting you. Why don’t you ride over one day and visit with us?” he invited.

Rana instantly thought of the safe that might be holding her grandfather’s stolen money. If she could visit his ranch, she could see where it was located and how the house was arranged. If Travis could not get the gold, they could sneak into this man’s house and take what belonged to them after his return. She smiled and nodded. “It is good to find new friends here. When my grandfather returns from this place called Abilene, I will ask him to bring me to meet your daughter. Grandfather went to speak with a man about horses,” she lied convincingly, as she had been instructed by Nathan before his departure. “Is your ranch far away? Is it big like Grandfather’s?” she asked with feigned feminine interest.

Harrison was fooled by her delicate, friendly facade and assumed that Nathan and Travis had not told her
about their problems. His eyes swept over the flaming head of hair that tumbled to her tiny waist. Her complexion was as smooth as silk and playful freckles danced across her pert nose. He gazed into those large, innocent-looking, gray-blue eyes. She was even more beautiful and desirable than her mother had been, and she possessed a sweetness and artlessness that Marissa had lacked. “You should not be out riding alone, Rana. We’ve been having trouble with rustlers lately.”

Rana laughed at his mild scolding, and the sound of it washed provocatively over the man before her. In a skillfully controlled tone, she replied, “The rustlers do not strike when the sun is high and can reveal their faces. I have a gun, and I know how to use it. I am in no danger. Do not worry over me.”

Harrison laughed too. “I see you’re more like your mother than looks alone,” he teased jovially. “Marissa was just as headstrong and brave as you are. Still, you should be careful.”

Rana smiled deceitfully once more. “You are kind to worry, Mister Caldwell, but I can take care of myself.” He was looking at her as if she were her mother, and the strange look mystified and intrigued her.

Harrison concluded that since Nathan was gone, it was unlikely that anyone knew this ravishing creature was out here alone. She was a vivacious, daring young thing, and he wanted to know all about her. His mouth was dry, his palms were sweaty, his body was quivering, his heart was pounding, and his manhood was pleading. He wanted this girl with every inch of himself. “If you like, you could ride over with me now and meet Clarissa. She was home when I left, and she didn’t say anything about going out today,” he lied eagerly, for he knew Clarissa would be at the dressmaker’s all day and he would have this girl all to himself.

Rana sensed that the man was deceiving her, for he was
too caught up in his thoughts to realize that his gaze, voice, and behavior were giving him away. She noticed how he kept licking his lips and swallowing, and how his breathing indicated a racing heart. She had watched him dry his palms on his pants’ legs several times. She saw the glow in his eyes and on his cheeks, and she observed how he kept shifting nervously from foot to foot. She noticed all of these things without Harrison’s awareness. Rana knew she had this man duped and fascinated, and she found it impossible to avoid wondering if he had also been this taken with her mother.

She realized she was in no danger from him, at least for today. There was much she wanted to learn from him and about him, and the only way to do so was to accept his questionable invitation. “I will go with you, but I must return home soon. I must not worry those Grandfather left to protect me. Tell me about your daughter,” she coaxed as they mounted.

Clarissa paced the cabin as she talked with Wes Monroe. “You’re certain you left enough of a trail for them to follow without it looking odd?”

“Just like we planned, woman, so stop acting
loco.
By now, half the hands on the Rocking
C
should be chasing down that trail. When I see your papa later, I’ll tell him we need to strike closer to the house tonight while those men are gone. Don’t fret; I’ll make sure that girl gets in the way of a stray bullet. I know my work; it’ll look like an accident. Once it’s done, ain’t nothing he can do about it. You know this is going to cost you extra,” he announced suddenly.

Clarissa halted to look at him and scoffed crudely, “Don’t try that on me, you bastard. We both know how much you and Jack love killing people, including pretty women. All you have to do now is convince Papa to let
you raid Crandall’s stable.”

“You worry too much, woman. He won’t suspect a thing, not tonight or when I get ready to plug him for you. You want me to take him out quick and easy, or real slow and painful?”

“I haven’t decided yet,” she replied petulantly. “Right now, I just want to get rid of that little Michaels bitch before Papa gets any more silly ideas like he did with Mary Beth Sims,” she explained, knowing it was Travis she wanted to protect from Rana’s allure and not her father, for she had another way to halt anything that might start between Harrison and Rana.

Moving his tongue slowly over his dry lips, Wes commanded, “Forget all that for now and come here, woman.”

Rana entered the house and looked around wide-eyed, as if she were astonished by its size and was appreciatively admiring it. She smiled and remarked, “Your home is very big and pretty. It is strange to live in a place with many rooms and belongings. It is much different in a tepee,” she told him casually, knowing he was aware of the story of her past and concluding that her easy manner would disarm him completely. As if enthralled by the spaciousness and beauty of his home, she began to wander around, carefully studying the layout of the rooms and the objects in them.

Ushering her into the parlor, Harrison said, “I’m sorry about what happened to you, Rana. It must have been terrible for you, all those years with the Indians.”

She halted her roaming to glance at him and answer, “It was not bad with the Oglalas. They stole me from the Kiowas when I was but eight winters. The Kiowas were very bad, but I was small and remember little about them. When I was taken captive by the Oglalas, Chief Soaring
Hawk made me his daughter. I was very happy and free with them. But I am glad to be home again. Still, there is much to learn. The white teacher comes each day to help me, and I work hard to learn quickly. I do not wish to shame my grandfather, for many think and say I am… uncivilized, you whites call it. Yes?”

Harrison grinned. “Anybody who would call you a savage is blind and mean, Rana. But it isn’t ‘you whites,’ because you’re one of us.”

She laughed merrily. “I forget. I was raised Indian, and change is hard and long. You are kind not to laugh at me. Grandfather knows that many people will; that is why he keeps me home until I learn much. I am brave and strong. It will hurt if they do not like me or they treat me badly, but words cannot slay a person. I wish to make Grandfather proud of me. He has been sad many years since Mother was killed. I wish to make him happy again. Where is your daughter? I wish her to tell me about my mother. I remember little about her.”

Harrison replied, “She’ll return soon. Why don’t you look around?” he entreated. He watched Rana as she moved gracefully from one place to another as if she were on a magical journey. She was like a child filled with the wonder of Christmas. Several times her hand reached toward an object, then she would slowly withdraw it, as if afraid to touch the piece. She would ball her hands briefly as if warning herself she could break something precious or valuable. Recalling how long she had been with the Indians, he realized how new and different all of this would be for her. She was so alive and inquisitive, and he was feeling younger by the minute just observing her.

“You told me you weren’t afraid of anything, Rana,” he teased. “Pick it up and look at it,” he encouraged when she wavered over a floral glass box and her exquisite gaze remained locked on it.

“I must not, Mister Caldwell. I would be sad if I broke something that belongs to another. I have never seen flowers that are not real, except painted ones. How strange and beautiful,” she murmured, playing her naïve Indian maiden role with superb talent.

Harrison stepped forward, lifted the box, and handed it to her. “It’s yours, Rana. Now you shouldn’t be afraid to hold it.”

Rana looked at the treasure in her hands. She widened her eyes guilefully and protested, “But I cannot take it without a reason.”

“There are two reasons you should take it, Rana. First, because it’s your first visit to my home and I wish you to have it; and second, because it was bought as a gift for your mother years ago, but she left before Clarissa and I could give it to her.”

Rana looked at the fragile box and pondered Harrison’s words. She believed it had been purchased for Marissa, but not as a gift from his daughter, and this strange perception alarmed her.

“Please take it, Rana. I will be sad if you refuse.”

“I will take it because the Indians taught me it was wrong to refuse the generosity of a friend. I only wished to know why you wanted me to have it. Thank you. I will guard it carefully.”

“I’ll go see if any of my men know where Clarissa went and how long she’ll be. You relax and I’ll return shortly,” he told her, pretending to know nothing of his daughter’s absence.

Rana peeked out the window and watched him walk toward his stable to speak with the man working there. She hurriedly looked around his home once more, astutely memorizing where the doors and windows were located. She found his office and noticed the large safe behind an equally large desk. Excitement surged through her. She quickly studied the room, inside and outside,
then returned to the parlor and was feigning fascination with the pianoforte when he returned.

She glanced up quizzically when she saw that he was alone. She listened and nodded her head as he told her the stableman had said Clarissa had gone riding. Smiling, Rana rose from her seat on the oblong bench. “I must ride for home, Mister Caldwell. The others will worry if they find me gone. I will visit another day. You are most kind and generous.”

“I wish you could stay longer, but I understand. I’ll ride part of the way with you, to make sure you get home safely.”

Rana smiled. “If it pleases you,” she agreed.

Harrison bid her good-bye at the boundary to his ranch. He didn’t want any of the men seeing them together and telling Nathan about their meeting, for Nathan would surely want to keep them apart. Since it was more than likely that Rana was not supposed to be out alone, chances were she wouldn’t mention their meeting either, he reasoned. “Please ride over to visit us any time, Rana. I know Clarissa is anxious to meet you.”

Rana reached the stable, then made her way to the house unseen, laughing inwardly at her cleverness. When she was finally safe in her room, she placed the floral box on her dresser and stared at it intently. She wondered why her mother had been a friend to those who were now enemies of her family. Clearly this Harrison Caldwell had been in love with her mother, and now he desired her to take Marissa’s place. Perhaps it had not been Clarissa whom her mother had been visiting on the Circle
C
Ranch long ago… Was it possible that her mother and Caldwell had been in love and had wished to marry, but that something or someone had prevented it? Had her mother left home and married Raymond out of
spite? There were so many unanswered questions.

Rana picked up the doll from her bed and placed it beside the glass box, then laid the heart-shaped turquoise and silver pendant next to it. Her probing gaze moved from one item to the next. “What is your secret, Mother? Why did you choose a cruel beast like Raymond Michaels over Todd Raines or Harrison Caldwell? Are you the reason Caldwell hates Grandfather so intensely? What happened to you before I was born? I am sorry if you loved him, but I must make him pay for hurting Grandfather,” she vowed sincerely.

It was nearing eight o’clock when Mace knocked on the front door. Rana smiled at him and invited him inside.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea with your grandfather gone. We don’t want people talking about us. I was just making sure you’re all right,” he explained.

Rana looked confused. “Is it not the plan to have them do so?”

Mace looked at her oddly, then grinned. “Yes, but not that way. It’s fine for us to be seen outside together, but it isn’t considered nice for a lady to entertain a man when she’s alone.”

She reflected upon his words, then reasoned, “Why not? If we do nothing wrong, why would they think badly of us?”

“Not badly, Rana, just…” He hesitated as he sought the right words. “It just isn’t done like that down here. A man and woman just don’t spend time alone in this situation.”

“Travis and Rana spent time alone in this house,” she argued.

“But you’re family. That’s different.”

“No, Mace, we are not family,” she corrected him.

Mace looked disconcerted. “I don’t know how to
explain this to you, Rana. I just know it ain’t right for me to come inside tonight.”