The Gambler (31 page)

"He don't deserve y', gal," Jude sulked, "but he'll stay with y', and he'll treat y' right. I'll see t' that." He drew a deep pensive breath. "Tomorrow we'll start heading south. Maybe I should a took y' there a long time ago."

"We'll be heading south, all right," agreed Raven. "But only so far as St. Louis. She has..." He smiled, showing a good many teeth and no good humor. "
We
have relatives there."

"I've been to St. Louis," Jude said, his face stern. "It's no place for a gal like my Charm. You'll take her to my farm in Kentucky or you'll be sorry you didn't."

"Jude, please," Charm begged, placing her hand on his arm. "Not now. Can't I have a moment's peace?"

Jude's brow wrinkled as he put his hand with slow uncertainty on Charm's slim fingers. "Peace. That's what I want for y', gal," he murmured, then patted her hand, sighing as he noticed the difference between her pale skin and his. "Such a pretty thing." His tone was guttural with sudden, unexpected emotion. "You always was pretty, Charm, since the first day I seen..." He lifted her hand in his gnarled one. His fingers grazed Raven's ring, drawing his attention there, and he noticed the unique, unforgettable design for the first time.

Charm felt his pain even before she heard him gasp.

"Jude?" She leaned closer. "Jude! What is it?"

His face had gone pale. His gaze remained downcast as if he lacked the strength to lift it to her eyes. He rose stiffly, however, and with a tremble, finally turned to stare at Raven. "You mistreat her, boy, I'll kill y', no matter who the hell you are," he said hoarsely. Turning with a jolt, he stumbled away.

"Jude," Charm called, rising quickly, but Raven, too, had risen.

"What the hell was that about?" He turned to follow, but Clancy was behind him, and without a breath of warning, crashed him into unconsciousness with a bottle across his skull.

"What—" Charm gasped, but Clancy was across the floor in an instant, grabbing her from behind and pressing his palm across her face.

"Sorry to spoil your weddin' night, Miss Charm, but we gotta go," he said and pushed her toward the back door. Before she could move, a gag was tied about her mouth and a coarse rope around her wrists. "Sorry. Sorry again, but there's a bundle at stake here, and this ain't nearly so bad as it might be. Come on now, up on yer horse."

It all seemed to happen before Charm could draw a breath. One moment she was watching Jude depart from the room and the next she was prodded into Angel's saddle. Her bound hands gripped the horn, and her reins were, once again, out of her keeping. They rode at a walk at first, staying at the softest footing until they'd passed out of town, where they picked up to a trot and then a canter.

But where were they going? Charm wondered frantically. And why? Panic threatened to swell up and drown her, but suddenly, in the back of her mind, she saw Raven. His expression was impassive, but the tendons in his dark throat stood out in sharp ridges and in his mahogany eyes was the glint of rage as he followed their trail.

She drew a breath, calmed her nerves, and waited.

It was well past midnight when they stopped. The waving green of the prairie stretched endlessly away from them in the darkness, but they'd finally come upon a small oasis. It boasted fewer than a dozen stunted trees.

"We'll rest here for a couple of hours," Clancy said and threw a leg over the pommel to dismount.

She couldn't help but notice the nervousness in his tone. "Damn this nothingness. There ain't enough brush t' hide a flea. I should have tied him up. Shouldn't a... Oh," said Clancy, seeming to notice Charm with a start. "Get down. Get down, and don't worry," he said, reaching for her arm.

She pulled her elbow from his reach, feeling some of her old terror return. Angel tugged at his reins, reaching for grass and moving her a few inches farther from Bodine.

"I'm not gonna hurt y'," Clancy said. "You're too damn pretty. 'Sides..." He glanced over his shoulder, then chuckled, seeming amused by his own nervousness. "Joseph would kill me if I did. You know..." He placed his hands on his hips to gaze up at her and keep the horse's reins within his grasp. "He ain't the killin' kind. But fer you... Now me, I'd like to believe it's just the reward, but it's damn hard, cuz..." He paused. "Damned if it ain't fun to see him riled. Come on now, get down."

He reached for her again, and she allowed him to help her. In a moment the gag was removed. She turned abruptly to face him. Her breathing was a bit ragged, she noticed, and she knew with some chagrin that it was caused by her old, hated fear of men. But Raven was a man, and Raven hadn't hurt her, and Raven would come. She raised her chin slightly, hoping to look brave. "Why are you doing this?"

He stared at her. "Damn you're pretty. But..." He shrugged. "I can't tell you."

"What do you mean, you can't tell me?"

Another shrug. "Just can't."

"What are you planning to do with me?"

"Plannin'?" asked Clancy. "Nothin'. I'm just gonna keep you out of trouble for a few days. Wishin'..." He looked into her eyes again and sighed longingly. "That's a different story." Pacing over to Angel, he pulled a bedroll from behind the saddle before tossing it to the ground. "Now get some sleep."

"I don't sleep."

He turned toward her again, his surprise obvious even in the darkness. "Ever?"

She was remembering to breathe, even when he stared at her. "Hardly ever."

"Damn, that'd give us a lot of time wouldn't it?" he murmured with a shake of his head. "If only... Well, you better lie down at least. But hell... if you don't sleep, how am I gonna trust you to stay put?"

She backed away a step, knowing his thoughts. "I'd promise not to run away."

Clancy chuckled. "I seen a fresh scar on Joseph's chest. And somehow I don't think it was made by Injuns. No, I think I'll tie you up, just to be safe. Sorry."

Charm sat very still upon the blanket as he tied her ankles. There was fear again, just on the edge of control. She closed her eyes and breathed slowly through her nose.

"You all right?"

"Yes."

"Good. Now try to get some sleep," he said, retrieving his own bedroll and tossing it to the ground next to her. "Unless... you wanna do other things?"

Her throat closed up with fear, but she managed to shake her head.

Clancy sighed. "Pity," he said, and untied his blankets before stretching out atop them. "Good night."

She remained as she was, watching him for quite some time. But after a while her breathing came more easily, and her muscles relaxed. She lay down, closed her eyes, and waited.

It took less than fifteen minutes before she knew he slept. The butter knife was still in her pocket. She could feel it against her hip and eased over just enough to grasp it with her bound hands. It was no easy task to reach it, even harder to pull it from her pocket, and when she finally had, it slipped from her tingling fingers to fall to her blanket. She stifled her gasp and stiffened, snapping her gaze to Clancy's face, but he only grunted in his sleep and twitched once. The knife handle was warm from her body's heat and smooth against her fingers when she retrieved it. She held it tightly now and carefully turned it so that the serrated edge was against her wrist bonds.

Clancy twitched again, and she jerked, but again it was a false alarm. She bit her inner lip, and then in a moment's decision, rolled silently to her other side. This new position was somehow worse, because she could no longer see her captor, no longer watch his face and read his intentions, but it also hid her movements.

She lay immobile for a few minutes, waiting to hear Clancy awaken behind her. But no sound came, and so she quietly pulled her knees toward her chest, pried the knife handle between her feet and began to saw at the binding on her wrists.

It took almost an hour to cut through the first rope. The coarse hemp eased away from her arms, but she remained very still, waiting and listening. No sound came from behind her. She finally pulled the knife from between her feet to cut her ankles loose. She was free! But she kept her breathing steady and soft, praying Clancy would continue to sleep.

He did so. Charm thrust the knife back into her pocket and rose silently. She wanted desperately to turn to make sure Clancy was still sleeping but forced herself to creep quietly toward the scrub trees. The horses remained saddled and were grazing not far away. Charm chanced a deepbreath and lengthened her strides. It was then that Angel raised his head and nickered.

Behind her Clancy awoke with a start. "Time to... Damn! Hey!"

Charm could hear him scrambling to his feet, but already she was running.

"Hey. Come back here. Don't do that, Miss Charm. Hell, I ain't gonna hurt you."

Angel skittered sideways, frightened by Charm's quick movements and dragging his reins.

"Come on!" Clancy shouted again. "We don't have time fer this. I gotta find us a good hidin' spot. Joseph might be here any minute."

"Wrong," said Raven. Stepping from behind a bent cottonwood, he slammed his fist into the other's face. "Joseph's already here."

"Damn!" swore Clancy, crashing to the ground where he lay, feeling his jaw before rising cautiously to his feet.

"I haven't hit you for a long time, Bodine," said Raven, advancing.

"Yeah." Clancy retreated. "How'd you track us?"

"I followed a three-shoed horse and a snake in bastard's clothing. And now... I'm going to enjoy this."

"Hey!" Clancy shouted, peering past Raven. "She's getting away."

Raven turned a fraction of an inch. In that moment Clancy struck, but already Raven was turning back. The blow glanced off his chin.

With a twist and a jolt, Raven jabbed his fist into Clancy's abdomen. There was a whoosh of pain and surprise from Bodine. Charm had caught Angel's reins, but stood now, watching while the emotions roiled within her.

Though she couldn't see where Clancy's next blow fell, she knew it connected. She heard Raven's grunt of pain and watched as he slammed his fist forward in a rapid uppercut that struck Clancy squarely beneath his jaw. Charm heard his teeth clink, then saw him fall liked an axed pine, straight over backward.

Raven braced his feet, wanting to see if the other would rise, but he did not, and so Raven staggered forward to lift the downed man by his shirt-front. "Damn you, Clancy," he swore. “Thought you could claim the reward yourself, didn't you?"

"Can't blame a man for tryin'."

"Oh yes I can. You've made a regular practice of taking credit for my work. It's just like you." Turning, he dragged Clancy back toward the blankets.

"Now don't go fergetting we're pals, Joseph."

"I'm not forgetting anything, Bodine. Nothing at all. Where's the rope?"

"Rope?
What are you plannin'?"

Raven grinned, but now his gaze fell to the strands of hemp that had bound Charm's arm and he swore aloud. "You tied her up."

"Well, I..." Clancy tried to back away, but his shirt was still held.

"Goddamn you Clancy. How dare you tie her up?"

"But..." For a moment nothing but befuddlement showed on his expression. "
You
tied her up too."

"That was different," said Raven through his teeth.

"How so?"

"Cuz I—"He stopped his words just in time. "Down on your knees."

"You're not gonna hang me, are y'?"

"Damn if you don't deserve to hang. After all you've done. I searched for her for six months. Six months! Nearly got killed more times than I can count. You know she carried a knife strapped to her thigh! And a derringer in her pocket. Shot the thing off right in my face. But I stuck by her." He shook Clancy by the shirt front. "And you know why? To gain her trust."

"You're right, pal," Clancy said, lifting one placating hand. "You deserve the prize. But think on it, old boy, I'vedone you a favor by helping old Jude find you. You couldn't be sittin' prettier, cuz you don't need t' settle for the measly reward. Not when the heiress herself is yers."

Goddamn, Raven thought, he himself was a bastard, but Clancy brought the whole misbegotten lot to new lows. "I should kill you, Bodine."

"Me?" Clancy squeaked. "What are you thinkin', boy? You don't have time to kill me. The girl's pretty enough to be a princess. If I was you I'd hole up with her somewhere private and have me an extended honeymoon. Then after a month or two of lovin' I'd head south to pick up her inheritance."

"Amazing."

"What's that?"

"That you've been allowed to live as long as—"

"Hey!" Clancy broke in, craning his neck to see past Raven. "She really is getting away."

Raven turned with a start, still holding Clancy's shirt. "Charm?" All that answered him was the sound of fleeing hooves. "Goddamn it!" he swore, and drawing back his fist, slammed Clancy into the safekeeping of oblivion.

Truth tumbled with lies in Charm's head. She was Charm Fergusson. But she was Chantilly Grady. She was Jude's daughter. But she was the child of the hat man, a monster from her darkest dreams who came only to torture her mind and body.

She shook her head, trying to flee from the doubts that hounded her. She knew nothing, except that she must escape, and lose the man that thundered after her, who planned to destroy her with her own ragged, unwanted emotions. Raven didn't care about her. He only saw her as a means to gain wealth. He was a liar. She knew that. She'd been a fool to believe a single word he'd spoken.

"Charm! Slow down before you break your neck," Raven yelled.

Beneath her, Angel galloped up a sandy incline, his speed aided by hard years on the prairie and the light weight of his rider. But the night was dark, the terrain uncertain. Charm felt the gelding's shoulder dip and she grabbed for the saddle horn, but too late. Her mount's foot found a hole and she was flung aside as the earth pitched toward her.

"No!" Raven screamed.

But Charm merely hit the soft earth and rolled rapidly to her feet. She faced Raven in the darkness, seeing him fling himself from his saddle to race toward her.

"Leave me be!" she screamed.