In the pre-dawn hours, Cale made love to Tess again, once more withdrawing to the blanket. Barely. While gritting his teeth. How long he could continue with this course, he didn’t know.
It was as if Tess was tied to the wind and the mountains, the sunlight, and the water flowing in the creek. She connected him to life, burning through him, her wildness matching his own and igniting a hope in his chest he’d only experienced fleetingly when he was a boy.
Life held promise.
Happiness thrummed through his body.
Intoxicated by her sweet trust in him, he would’ve liked nothing better than to spend all day wrapped around her. Inhaling the musky scent of their lovemaking, he savored the feel of her in his arms.
* * * *
Tess hastily dressed as the first rays of sunlight broke the mountain peak to the east, not wanting Bipin, Nitis or Smita—or especially her pa—to stumble across her and Cale.
He’d told her he loved her. He’d said he wanted to marry her.
Suddenly, her chest tightened, and the familiar panic began to spread. Her world began to spin out of control.
No.
From behind, an arm encircled her waist and Cale kissed her cheek.
She tried to relax and accept his touch, but it took every ounce of strength not to flee.
How could she tell him of her weakness? How she trembled uncontrollably with no warning? How, during those times, life itself terrified her.
Shame filled her. She could well imagine his disappointment when he realized how deep her debility went.
She stepped away from him and grabbed the blanket that had accompanied their lovemaking. “I’ll make sure to launder this today.”
They made their way to the cabin. Tess set the blanket on the porch, then went inside to find Hank snoring on the floor in the outer room. A quick check into the bedroom eased her mind about Lenna. The girl slept soundly, and from the look of it, well. Tess quietly went to work on breakfast, trying to make as little noise as possible. The chore helped to quell the unease she couldn’t seem to shake.
Hank awoke and stood. “Mornin’ Tessie.”
She acknowledged him with a curt nod. He stepped outside, and she stacked his bedroll and blanket in a corner of the room. She soon had flapjacks and syrup on the table. Cale returned from the barn with a bucket of fresh milk and Bipin. Hank followed.
“Nitis and Smita haven’t seen Vern since we left several days ago,” Cale said.
Hank took a seat at the table. “The ol’ geezer could easily get himself lost in the mountains. It’s why he keeps the Apache couple on, to look after the animals and the place.”
Tess poured coffee for each of the men. “I can’t believe he’s survived out here alone for so long.”
Hank spooned sugar into the steaming brew before him. “Some men like livin’ on them boundaries.”
It would seem I’m banished to it as well.
Hank, Cale and Bipin finished their food, and Tess collected the plates.
As she cleaned the dishes in a basin of water Cale had filled for her, Hank told Cale he wanted to talk to him outside, and they left.
Bipin remained. When Lenna awakened, Tess brought the girl a flapjack and a cup of fresh milk, which she readily consumed.
Tess wondered at the interchange between Hank and Cale, but stopped herself from going outside.
* * * *
Cale followed Hank into Vern’s barn. They passed a menagerie of animals—a sorry-looking sorrel, a bleating goat, and the milk cow—and halted in the far corner. Hank moved a wooden crate and cleared a pile of brush, then yanked on a false floor. In a hole measuring ten feet by ten feet sat several canvas bags.
Cale didn’t need to see inside to know what they were. “What the hell are you doin’, Hank?”
“Surviving, and protecting what’s mine.”
He retrieved a bag and set it on the ground, then untied it. Stuffed inside were at least ten long guns of varying make and model.
“Take your pick, boy,” Hank offered.
“Are you selling these to the Apache?”
“It’s good business.”
“And it’s highly illegal.”
Hank stood upright and faced Cale. “Look, laddie. I know where the gold is. I found meself a nice vein up in the hills. It’s why I left you yesterday. I had to backtrack and cover all the evidence. I sure as hell don’t want Saul Miller findin’ it. The Apache leave me alone because of these guns. It was a necessary transaction so I could live in peace here.”
“No one can live in peace in these mountains, least of all the Apache.”
“You love ’em, don’t you? The guns give ’em a fightin’ chance.”
Frustration pushed at Cale. Hank spoke a measure of truth.
“I have a rifle,” Cale replied. “I don’t need another.”
“Suit yourself. I thought to take backup when I go after Saul, and I was hopin’ you’d come along and help, for old times.”
Cale looked Hank in the eye. His mentor’s clear-eyed gaze spoke deeply of retribution and determination. This was the Hank Cale remembered.
“I thought I’d killed that bastard the mornin’ after he hurt my Tessie,” Hank continued. “But it appears me aim was off. I’m not makin’ that mistake again. He’s not leavin’ the Dragoons alive. And considerin’ how you feel about me little girl, I’d expect you to want a slice of this.”
Cale couldn’t disagree, and he’d certainly felt a level of vengeance when he’d learned about Saul’s attack, but gunning the man down wasn’t justice. It was simply murder.
“He needs to be taken alive,” Cale said. “It’s not up to us to decide his fate.”
Hank huffed and shook his head. “Don’t get all righteous on me, sonny-boy. We can bring ’im up on charges of Bennett’s murder, but he’ll just pin it on Lange. And if you nail ’im with the assault on Tess, she’ll have to testify. You really wanna put her through that?”
The past pushed into the present, and Cale felt wedged in a hard place once again. This was the world Hank inhabited, the one that Cale had finally had to leave.
“Maybe it’s best if I just take Tess and leave,” Cale said. “You’re gonna do what you want anyway.”
“Fine. I never wanted her here in the first place.”
“I suppose I shouldn’t be shocked.” Cale and Hank both jerked their heads around at the sound of Tess’s voice. “You were only a father when it suited you. But I appreciate that you’re willing to kill Saul. I guess I have to take that as a sign that you really love me. But Cale’s right. Gunning him down is wrong.”
“Tessie, I do love you,” Hank said. “I only meant you got no business bein’ ’ere, because it’s not safe. But I am gonna kill Saul. That bastard will pay for what he did. And when it’s over, I’ll extract the gold in these hills and I’ll take good care of ye.”
Cale didn’t like the resigned expression on Tess’s face.
She said nothing and left the barn.
Cale regarded Hank, then silently went in pursuit of Tess.
He found her in the woods, turned away from him and standing in the clearing where he’d loved her during the night. He rested a hand on her shoulder, letting it slide down her back. His mind replayed how fully she’d come to him, the passion she hadn’t held in check, and he marveled at the change in her. She’d come a long way from the girl he’d met several weeks ago.
“Tess, what are you thinking?”
“I’m thinking that Hank has done the best he can with his life. I’m thinking that he’s made mistakes. But then, so have I. If he goes back out, I can see only two outcomes. Either Saul dies or Hank does. If Saul is the one to survive, then I must go far away, because I never want to see him again.”
With hands on her shoulders, he turned her to face him. “Tess, you’re not responsible for Hank. And I’ll make sure Saul never gets near you.”
“You can’t make a promise like that.”
“I can try.”
“Is that why you want to marry me? To protect me?”
Cale frowned. “Yeah, partially.”
Tess averted her eyes. “This is all moving too fast.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Us.” Her gaze flashed to his. “How can you possibly think you love me? We hardly know each other.”
“I know enough.” An unwelcome knot began to form in his stomach.
“I need time to sort through everything.”
He dropped his hands from her. “I’m not rushing you, Tess.”
“Aren’t you? I could already be with child.”
“I told you we’d be more careful from now on. And even if you are, it doesn’t matter. I’ll take care of you.”
“But now I have no choice.”
What was happening? He thought she was happy. He thought he’d finally gotten through to her.
“Just answer me one thing,” he said, shocked that she was slipping from him so quickly. “Do you love me?’
She paused. “I don’t know.”
Cale inhaled sharply through his nose and rested hands on his hips, just above his gun belt. “Fair enough,” he said through gritted teeth. “I always told you that you could set the pace.” What the hell had happened? It felt like his horse had thrown him, but instead of hitting the ground, he was dropping over the side of a canyon with no bottom in sight.
“I’ll tell you what, Tess. I’ll go with Hank, and we’ll take care of Saul. That way, you won’t have to worry about either of them.”
“I didn’t mean it that way. It’s dangerous. What if something happens to you?”
At least she was concerned. It was something.
“Back in the day,” Cale replied, “I was quite good at what I did.”
“What if Saul or Haverly comes here?”
“We’ll get ’em before they even think of heading this way. You can’t move Lenna yet. I’ll leave Bipin here.”
Cale waited, for her to touch him, to change her mind and profess her love, for...something.
“Be careful,” she whispered, then turned and left him.
He watched her go, feeling as though his heart had just been ripped from his chest.