The Circle Eight: Caleb (7 page)

She snorted. “I don’t think you’ve ever done anyone’s bidding.”

Caleb wasn’t about to tell her she was right. Damn woman already knew she was. He hesitated for only a few seconds before he sprinted for the smithy. The fire was still burning but it was low. He doused it with a bucket of water, knowing she would have to clean out most of the ashes to start it up again. That would slow her down for a while.

After he pushed open the windows again, he propped them open with the wooden planks she’d used. Ingenious really. With the hinges on the flap, she could open and close them easily. Even without glass, the windows were efficient. He left the building and ran back to her.

Her eyes were closed and he thought perhaps she’d passed out. However, as soon as he knelt beside her, her eyes flew open. They were glassy with pain and were an even more remarkable shade of amber up close. Flecks of a darker shade swirled in the depths.

“Did you check the fire?”

“Shut up about the fire, Rory. I’m going to pick you up and it’s going to hurt like hell.” He slid his arms beneath her knees and neck. “Are you ready?”

“No but that doesn’t matter. You sure you can pick me up? I ain’t a lightweight.” She appeared to be serious.

“You are a ridiculous female. Shut up about everything now.” He scooped her up fast so she didn’t have time to spout anymore nonsense.

She groaned and made a funny little sound like a kitten yawning. He got to his feet with the now unconscious woman in his arms. He had to get her to the Garza hacienda but he had no idea how to get there, only that it was ten miles north.

Shirtless, he walked over to Justice with the unconscious, bleeding woman in his arms. It wasn’t the first wound he’d seen but it bothered the hell out of him. Perhaps because she was a woman.

He didn’t have time to be soft. The woman truly needed a doctor and he had to move. Justice was well trained, standing by patiently, no matter the coppery smell of blood. Although he didn’t want to do it, he had to set her belly down on the horse. He vaulted into the saddle and then picked her up, rolling her over until she lay across his lap.

Her head lolled as he started off. He could only head north and hope to find the hacienda with the doctor. If he didn’t, he’d have a dead woman in his arms within twelve hours. The blood hadn’t soaked through the shirt but she was pale as hell. That might have been caused by the fall or the loss of blood. He didn’t know which and it frustrated the hell out of him.

There was a trail of sorts through the tall grass. It appeared wagons rolled through pretty regular. He followed the well-worn path at a trot. He really wanted to gallop but was afraid the jarring of the horse might cause more damage than the additional time to get where he was going. She was pretty torn up from the branch and more injuries were the last thing she needed.

“You need to wake up Rory. I don’t know where the hell I’m going.” He jiggled her a little and her hat fell off but she didn’t respond. No doubt when she woke up she’d be annoyed he lost the ugly thing. He wasn’t about to stop for it.

Without the leather cap, her appearance softened. She looked more like a female, with soft brown hair the color of a fawn’s pelt. Too bad it was cut short. Women should have long hair. It looked nicer. He would be sure to keep that opinion to himself or she might throw one of her hammers at him.

“You finished ogling me?” Her words were slurred but she was awake.

“Nope. It’s the first time you haven’t been talking at me. Good Lord, woman, but you could talk the bark off a tree.” He looked down into her eyes. “I hope I’m going the right direction but you passed out before you could give me details on how to find the Garza ranch.”

She tried to sit up and gasped. “Shit.”

“That’s another thing. You sure as hell cuss a lot for a female.”

“Oh why don’t you shut up, Ranger. Hell, man, I can’t imagine the outlaws you chase are on their Sunday best behavior.”

She had a point yet he didn’t concede it. If she was mad, she wouldn’t pass out again.

“I found a trail back yonder, maybe fifty yards from that big tree in your yard. I’ve been following it and hope like hell it’s the right direction.” He didn’t see anything that told him there was a big hacienda nearby.

“It’s the right way. Stay on the trail until you hit the creek, then follow it north about a mile. There’s a bridge across that leads into the ranch. There will be men at the bridge with guns. Don’t shoot them. Mr. Garza protects his property.” Her face relaxed and she snuggled into his chest. “You have nice skin.”

“Jesus.” He regretted not putting on another shirt. The woman was out of her mind with pain and that made her spout nonsense. “I won’t shoot anybody unless they shoot at me.”

“That’s a good policy.” She put one blood-crusted hand on his arm. “Can I call you Caleb? It’s such a nice name.”

He choked on his own spit. “You are really going to regret everything you just said. Probably want to throw yourself in the forge to purge it from your memory.”

She giggled, startling him. “Your lashes are ridiculously long, did you know that? Do you feel a breeze when you blink?”

He shifted her in his arms, wondering if it were possible another woman had taken her place in the tree. Where was the tough Aurora Foster who had kicked his ass a few hours ago? The silly girl who had taken her place put him completely off balance. He knew what to do with a stubborn woman, but a flirty one? He had no clue.

“Don’t make me tell you to shut up again. Stop talking now. You need to save your strength.”

She stuck out her tongue. He shook his head and kept quiet. The blood loss or the knock on the head from falling out of the tree made her foolish. Either way, she would regret what she said if she remembered it. He regretted it already and it wasn’t coming out of his mouth.

The easy assignment to push off a squatter had turned into a strange battle with an unusual woman and now a life-threatening situation. A ranger was prepared for anything, but this went beyond any of that. For God’s sake, she was flirting with him. He had no idea how to respond to it. She was the least feminine woman he’d ever met.

Lights flickered in the distance. Even with her ramblings, it appeared he had headed in the right direction. Soon she wouldn’t be his problem any longer. He would make sure whoever Garza was, he didn’t allow her to return to her property. Somehow he would get word to his commander and they could come in and do what they needed to. Caleb would make sure her things were taken care of, as much as he could. The forge and anvil weren’t going anywhere unless they had a team of twenty mules to use.

“What happened?” Her eyes rolled toward him, glassy and unfocused.

“You fell out of the tree.” He kneed Justice into a faster pace, eager to get to the doctor and help the woman. She was getting worse by the minute.

“Who are you and why are you naked?”

He sighed. “Ranger Graham and I’m not naked. My shirt is busy stopping the blood from leaking out of your body.”

“I’m bleeding?” She tried to move and a groan of pain burst from her mouth. “Oh shit that hurts.”

“I’m sure it does. We’re almost there, Rory.” He had seen the wound and it was likely excruciating for her. She was tough, no matter how crazy she acted.

The armed sentries were waiting by the bridge, just as she predicted. Two large men with rifles lounged against the pillars holding up the fantastically intricate wooden bridge. Who would build such an elaborate looking structure to cross an eight-foot creek?

They straightened and held positions as Caleb and Rory rode up. He touched the brim of his hat.

“Evenin’ fellas. Ranger Caleb Graham. I’ve got Aurora Foster here and she’s wounded. She tells me Mr. Garza has a doctor here.”

“Aurora? You mean Rory?” The man on the right chuckled, his pockmarked face breaking into a gap-toothed grin. “Her name is Aurora?” That must have been the funniest thing he’d heard in a while, a knee slapper.

“I don’t think you understand the situation here. She’s bleeding to death and you’re laughing.” Caleb couldn’t keep the annoyance out of his tone and it didn’t go unnoticed.

Pockmarked man stopped laughing and straightened up. The man on the left hadn’t even blinked when they rode up. He gestured to Rory.

“Did you do this?” Heavily accented English told him the man in the shadows was Mexican. Interesting considering the war had only been over four years.

“She fell out of a tree and a branch did it.”

The Mexican nodded. “She tell you Señor Garza has a doctor?”

Apparently Caleb was going to be questioned before entering the sacred ranch property of this Señor Garza. That told him whoever this man was, he had enemies. He obviously had a lot of money to spend, given his outlying property was protected by sentries and a wooden bridge that belonged in a fancy park in a big city.

“Yes, she did. She’s also out of her mind from blood loss. I’d rather she live to tell her the story herself.” He shifted her weight and she moaned, a tiny hiccupping sound that was pitiful and bothered the hell out of him.

“Where is your shirt?” The Mexican stepped closer to the horse.

“It’s pressed up against her side to stop the blood. It was all I had. Now do you have a doctor or not? I’m a Texas Ranger. I mean Mr. Garza no harm.” Caleb spoke through clenched teeth but he kept his tone even. No need to spook the hired muscle with the temper that simmered, now beginning to boil.

“
Sí
, we have a doctor. I will walk you to the house.” The Mexican turned to his gap-toothed companion. “Stay here.”

Finally they were going to cross the damn bridge. It made Caleb think of a child’s tale and he wondered if Garza was a monster that lived beneath it. Fanciful foolishness but the entire situation was strange.

The Mexican walked and Caleb had no choice but to follow on Justice at a slow pace. Apparently sentries didn’t warrant a horse of their own to ride. It took fifteen minutes to arrive at the intricately crafted wrought iron gate and stone wall that protected the house. It was a goddamn fortress.

Caleb’s opinion of Mr. Garza reached a level of full alert. Whoever this man was, he was dangerous and rich. The sentry opened the gates after unlocking the large screw lock. Caleb wondered if Rory had made both the lock and the gates. Either way, the man had protection everywhere. The hairs on the back of Caleb’s neck stood up. He was about to ride into the lion’s den.

“Go up to the main house. Señor Garza will be there.” The sentry stayed at the gate and watched as Justice picked his way across the courtyard. There was a fountain in the middle of it, with water cascading down the sides. That was something nobody in Texas ever wasted—water. They rode toward the largest house Caleb had ever seen.

Two stories high and stretching at least two hundred feet across, the structure was made from stone with enormous wooden doors, wrought iron décor protecting large glass windows. It was a palace, not a house.

He rode Justice up to the largest door, one made of a dark walnut by the looks of it, stretching six feet across and eight feet high. Hell, the damn horse could ride through it. The door opened and a man stepped out wearing an outfit made entirely of white. He glowed in the light from the torches and lanterns around the courtyard.

“
Buenas noches
.” The stranger puffed on a cigar. He sported dark blond hair but his eye color was indecipherable in the semi-darkness. He was shorter than Caleb, with a slender build and delicate features. A very handsome man, almost pretty. His thick mustache highlighted prominent cheekbones and aquiline nose. He didn’t appear to be Mexican but that didn’t mean a thing. Many hacienda owners married Texans and vice versa. He could be the product of one Mexican parent and one Texan parent.

“Evening. Are you Mr. Garza?” Caleb knew the answer to the question already.

“
Sí
, I am Pablo Garza.” The man puffed on the cigar, the orange tip glowing in a brief circle on his face. “Who are you and why are you on my land?”

“Ranger Caleb Graham. I’m here to ask for help for Auro—Rory Foster. She was injured falling out of a tree and she says you have a doctor here.” He waited while the other man processed the information.

“Did she finish the tools she was making? I need them in a few days to start my next project.”

Caleb had no interest in finding out what his next project was. “I didn’t think to take any tools with me. She was bleeding and I thought her life more important than her business.”

“Ah, that’s why you are a ranger and I am a
patron
.” He flicked his right hand and two burly men stepped through the door. “Take Señora Foster and put her in the blue room. I will take Ranger Graham to the doctor’s quarters.”

The men approached Justice and Caleb reluctantly handed over his bundle to them. She made another pitiful sound that cut right through him.

“Careful. A branch went through her side and she’s already lost too much blood.” He could hardly believe his reaction to her injury. No explanation came to mind. He had only known her less than a day. Why would he care? He sure as hell shouldn’t.

Caleb dismounted and secured his horse to the hitching rail in front of the house. It even had an iron ring to use, no doubt made by the lady blacksmith whose sticky blood coated his chest and hands.