When she finally faced the man behind them, Jessica found herself wondering if the woman she had seen in the ranch yard could possibly be half as good looking as her brother. They shared the same color hair, but his curled in ringlets on his head and lashes almost as lush as Elias's surrounded deep brown eyes in his handsome face. But his body spoke of the fullness of his years in manhood, not the slightness of lesser years on his sister.
Those eyes, though, now held an unfailing wariness and warning. He kept his rifle trained on them, one hand near the trigger and hammer.
"What did you come to tell me about Eloise, Elias?" he said abruptly, though a little of the steel had left his voice.
"Tobias, I...I don't even know how to say it. Oh, my friend...."
"I'm not your friend any longer, Elias," Tobias growled. "Tell me what you've come to say and leave my land. Then I'll go to Eloise and see if you're telling me the truth."
"It's not as easy as that, my friend," Elias said softly. "She's dead. Since this morning."
Jessica felt her heart lurch in sympathy as she watched the agony fill Tobias's eyes. She had no doubt he believed Elias when his shoulders slumped and he dropped his head to hide his pain. The rifle slipped forgotten from his hands.
"How?" he asked in a choked voice.
"Tobias...she...she...."
Tobias raised his head, fixing eyes swimming with tears on Elias. "Tell me!" he demanded.
"She was murdered. They found her in her room this morning."
"No! It can't be true! Elias, please. Tell me you're just playing a cruel joke on me."
Elias only shook his head and watched his gesture send Tobias wilting to the ground, where he buried his head on his knees. Elias stepped forward, then stopped. But when the sounds of wrenching agony erupted from Tobias's throat, he shook off his hesitation and knelt to put his arm around the other man's shoulders.
For an instant Tobias allowed himself to sag in Elias's arms. Then, with a lurch, he shook off Elias and rose to his feet, wiping ineffectively at his eyes.
"We...have to tell Prudence."
"That's why I brought Miss Callaghan with me, Tobias." Elias turned and introduced Jessica and Ned. "I thought Prudence might want a woman with her. Idalee wanted to come, but...."
"I won't have her here!" Tobias bellowed. "I'll won't have her near Prudence — or let her witness my grief and gloat at me. It's enough that you're here."
"Idalee wouldn't gloat, Tobias," Elias denied. "But I don't guess you'll ever believe that."
"Never!" Elias gritted. "Besides, she'll have her own grief to contend with."
"What do you mean?" Elias grabbed the other man's arm.
Tobias shook him off again and turned furious eyes on Elias. "The bastard came here. I'd heard he escaped prison, and I thought maybe God was smiling on me. But now I see He took His payment for my revenge on my sister's honor by taking Eloise. There's always a price to pay, isn't there? But if I'd only known, I'd have whipped the bastard before I killed him!"
"Storm. Oh, God, Tobias. You don't mean Storm was here?"
"I should've ridden in closer, to make sure of my shot," Elias said in a deadly voice. "But I couldn't hold myself when I saw him below in the yard with Prudence. He had his hands on her — those damned hands that had held her in submission before. I couldn't chance his ravaging her again."
"Tobias, Storm didn't...."
"Yeah! So you and Idalee have said!" Tobias said with an angry toss of his head. "Over and over. But the court proved you both lied!"
"Where's Storm now? Tell me, or so help me God, I'll beat it out of you!" Elias demanded.
"Your friend," Tobias spat, "is lying dead somewhere near here. He couldn't have gone far, even if he did manage to get on that damned horse and outride me. I was looking for his body when I saw you three coming."
Jessica's eyes were burning with the effort of staring at the two men and trying to make sense of their words. When Elias raised his clenched fists, she stepped forward, ignoring Ned's hand, which fell an inch short of restraining her.
"Both of you, shut up!" she said. "There's a woman lying dead back in town who deserves a little reverence from the people who knew her."
"You don't understand, Jessica," Elias said as he dropped his hands. "But...I don't guess you should."
Turning, he faced Ned. "Ned, I've got to go while there's still some light left. Will you and Jessica be able to find your way back alone?"
"I'm going down there with Tobias to break the news to his sister," Jessica informed them both.
"Please, Miss Callaghan," Tobias said, his voice again filled with grief. "I'd appreciate it if you'd do that for me."
"Don't worry, Tobias. That's what I came for."
"Then I'll be going," Elias said as he reached for his horse's reins. "If you aren't in town when I arrive, I'll come back looking for you."
"Elias." Jessica's voice stopped him before Elias could swing into the saddle. "Elias, I'll be all right if Ned could help you. Two people can search more area than one."
"I'm not leaving you alone, Jes," Ned insisted.
"She'll be well cared for," Tobias promised. "I'll give you my word on that. And with two of you searching, maybe I'll get word sooner that the earth is rid of that bastard for good."
Elias ignored him and looked at Ned. "I could really use your help, Ned. I can assure you, Jessica will be in no danger here with Tobias and Prudence. She can ride back into town with them tomorrow when they come in for Eloise's funeral."
"When...?" Tobias choked out.
"It won't be until the day after tomorrow, Tobias," Jessica informed him. "Ronnie has arranged it. I'm sure she can find a room for you and your sister at the hotel, if you want to spend tomorrow night in town."
"We'll probably do that," Tobias said, hunching his shoulders and turning away.
"I'm still not sure, Jes," Ned said as he took her arm and moved her off to the side. "Are you sure you want to do this? We don't really know these people. And I ain't so sure about this Jackson feller. He acts damned dangerous to me."
"It's the right thing to do, Ned." She patted his arm comfortingly. "Elias appears to feel that I'll be all right. I don't think he'd put me in a position where I'd be in danger. Even Idalee assured us that Tobias respects women. Prudence will need me, and right now Elias needs your help."
"All right, Jes. But if you aren't in town tomorrow with them, there'll be a whole band of mighty angry cowboys scouring the countryside."
"I'm counting on that, Ned."
Her words told Ned she wasn't as totally sure as she appeared to be, but he nodded reluctantly and reached for his reins.
Jessica stirred up the fire and threw a dry log on it. She didn't think Tobias would mind her using the wood, but then she realized she really didn't know the man well enough to read his mind.
Oh, well. She shrugged her shoulders inside the cotton night rail Prudence had loaned her. Though she had thought she would fall quickly into a deep, untroubled sleep after her long ride today, she soon found the questions crowding her mind keeping her wakeful. And rather than spend hours tossing and turning in the small bed she shared with Prudence, she slipped out and went to the rocking chair in front of the fireplace.
The flames crackled cheerfully and Jessica sat down with one bare foot tucked under her. The other sent the chair rocking gently when she touched it now and then on the cold floor. She almost rose to pull the braided rug nearer to cushion her foot, then sighed and settled against the chair back.
The flames blurred a little as Jessica recalled holding Prudence in her arms earlier while the young woman sobbed out her heartbreak over the news of Eloise. And, yes, Jessica told herself, she had definitely held a woman, though a slight figured one. The breasts Jessica had felt under the gown Prudence wore confirmed Prudence's maturity. She must be at least almost out of her teens.
But one of the questions demanding an answer in Jessica's churning mind was why Prudence's eyes had already been red from crying when they came into the cabin. Jessica shrugged. She must have been upset over the man Tobias told them had attacked her.
Idalee had been right — Tobias wasn't worth much at all. He awkwardly patted his sister's shoulder, but gave up any attempt to comfort her almost immediately. Instead he slammed out of the cabin, not returning until after full darkness.
As soon as Tobias informed Jessica they would leave at daybreak for Baker's Valley, he disappeared into one of the small rooms at the back of the cabin and closed the door. Once, though, while she insisted Prudence eat at least a small bowl of the stew the other woman had previously prepared for the evening meal, Jessica heard Tobias's agonized sobs through the door.
The tell-tale squeak of the door on the bedroom she shared with Prudence drew Jessica's attention, and she turned her head to see Prudence's slight figure approaching her.
"Oh, Prudence," she said quietly. "I didn't mean to wake you."
Her short time with the other woman had already shown Jessica that Prudence understood everything she said. They had even been able to communicate a little in sign language, along with Jessica's spoken words. Now she watched Prudence shake her head negatively and pull the braided rug over to sit at Jessica's feet.
"I guess I didn't wake you, huh?" Jessica questioned. "You couldn't sleep, either."
Prudence shook her head again and looked up at Jessica.
In the glow of the firelight, Jessica could swear she saw the muscles of Prudence's throat working as though she were trying to speak. Only a soft grunt emerged, though, and Prudence's face took on an almost furious glare. Jessica watched her jump to her feet and pull open a drawer on a small chest beside the fireplace.
Prudence rummaged in the drawer and finally turned with a piece of charcoal and a drawing pad in her hand. With a smile of satisfaction tilting her lips, she knelt down on the rug and motioned for Jessica to join her on the floor.
As soon as Jessica complied, her puzzlement clear on her face, Prudence laid a hand on her arm. She pointed a finger from her free hand at Jessica, then laid that hand over her heart.
Jessica nodded in understanding. "I like you, too, Prudence. Even though we've just met, I think we could become fast friends."
Prudence nodded emphatically before she dropped Jessica's arm and picked up the paper and charcoal. She drew with swift strokes for a moment, then held the paper out for Jessica to peruse.
Jessica tilted the paper so the firelight illuminated it, studying the picture Prudence had drawn. Mountains. The jagged peaks could be mountains or high hills. Clouds shot through with angry bolts of lightening obscured their tops.
"Yes, I see," Jessica said as she glanced at Prudence. "It's the land around you here."
Prudence shook her head and grabbed the paper from Jessica. She took the charcoal and quickly shaded in the clouds on the mountain tops. She pointed at them as her eyes implored Jessica to understand.
"It's not the mountains, is it, Prudence?" Jessica questioned. "The clouds. The clouds mean something."
A fringe of curls fell over Prudence's face as she shook her head up and down. She blew them from her face and tossed her head to throw them back into place. Again she pointed the charcoal at the clouds.
Jessica could feel the other woman's determination to make her understand, and her heart went out to her. What would she do if she ever lost her power of speech? She struggled to comprehend the drawing and found herself playing a word game with Prudence.
"All right, Prudence. They're clouds, but there's something else you want me to see in them. There are all types of clouds. You've colored them in. Black clouds?" she asked.
Prudence nodded.
"All right. Black clouds. There are different types of black clouds. Snow clouds?"
Prudence's negative shake told her she hadn't figured it out.
"Then rain clouds."
An up and down shake and a hopeful light in Prudence's eyes.
"Rain clouds. Rain clouds bring rain. Rain comes in...storms?
Prudences throat began working again and she nodded furiously.
"Storm clouds," Jessica mused. "Prudence, are you trying to tell me something about this man named Storm that your brother and Elias were talking about earlier?"
"Sss...Sss...."
The hiss issuing from Prudence's lips left Jessica no doubt of the other woman's attempt to speak. But Jessica assumed the long unused throat muscles wouldn't cooperate.
"Prudence, don't," she said as she laid a comforting hand on Prudence's arm. "It will come soon, if you relax and keep trying."
Prudence nodded compliance, then touched the clouds on the paper again.
"Storm. Yes, Prudence. I understand. You want to tell me something about Storm."
Prudence drew another stroke on the paper and Jessica recognized the outline of a rifle. The rifle pointed at the clouds, and Prudence added a puff of smoke beside the barrel.
"Yes, I know," Jessica said. "Storm was shot. Your brother shot him."
Slowly Prudence nodded agreement before she turned her face up to Jessica. Leaving one hand on clouds, she placed her other hand on her heart.
"You like Storm?" Jessica said in amazement. "But I gathered from your brother's conversation that this Storm rav...." Jessica couldn't bring herself to say the word. "But Tobias said Storm hurt you, Prudence."
The violent shake of Prudence's head told Jessica emphatically that Prudence didn't agree with her brother.
"Storm didn't hurt you? Is that what you mean, Prudence?"
An affirmative bounce of the tousled brown curls indicated Jessica had at last gleaned the message Prudence meant to send her.
"Have you told your brother, Prudence?"
Prudence hung her head and pointed her finger at her ears. Then at her lips.
"I see. He won't listen to you when you try to explain."
A hopeless look filled Prudence's brown eyes when she looked back up. She pointed at Jessica, then touched Jessica's heart and pointed back to herself. The hopeless look gave way a little to the question in her eyes.
"I see. And, yes, I do like you and I am your friend. If there's any way possible, I'll try to make your brother understand, Prudence. I'll be your words for you."
Prudence leaned over and gave Jessica a hug before she rose to her feet. She pointed to the bedroom door.
"Yes. You go on back to bed now," Jessica said. "I'll be there in a while."
Prudence pointed to her head and widened her eyes.
"No, I won't forget, Prudence," Jessica said quietly. "I promise you."
After Prudence went into the bedroom, Jessica stared at the closed door for a moment. "I sure as heck don't see how I'm going to get anything through the mind of that pig-headed brother of yours, though," she whispered. "But I've promised you I'll try, and try I will."
Jessica turned back to stare into the fire. Just what had she gotten herself into here? She had a ranch back in Wyoming demanding her attention — a ranch her father had carved out from the prairie with his own hands — a ranch Mr. Olson would claim in less than three weeks now.
She and Ned had only come into this beautiful territory to search for the gold Uncle Pete assured her would lie at the end of his map. She needed that gold — needed it to get her own life back in order.
Prudence's brown eyes, deep with trust as they had been before she went back to bed, rose up in front of her. How could she walk out on this small child-woman now? Obviously Prudence had laid all the trust she held at bay from the rest of the world after her ravagement at Jessica's own feet. She had to find some way to help Prudence.
And what damage would this revelation of Prudence's have previously done to the man named Storm? Tobias had mentioned a court hearing — and an escape from prison. Storm had evidently been wrongfully convicted of the rape. What was Storm, whoever he was, doing in the territory again, where the entire population was probably on the lookout for him?
Had she walked into a star-crossed lovers situation — where Storm and Prudence were trying to overcome the odds against their love? Why didn't they just run away together? Had it been a man she loved, Jessica told herself, a man like....
Suddenly the frown on Jessica's face as she stared into the fire deepened and she slowly turned her head. Something scratched at the door. Up here in the high country, it could be any sort of wild animal. When she glanced at the uncurtained window beside the door, she could swear she saw a head duck back down below the pane of glass.
Jessica rose slowly from the rug and stilled the rocking motion behind her when she bumped the chair. No sense looking around for her rifle — she clearly recalled leaving it in the scabbard of her saddle. Before taking a step, she picked up the fireplace poker. Bare feet flinching at the coldness they encountered on her way across the wooden floor, she gripped the poker firmly and forced her legs forward.
She paused a moment at the door, then lifted the latch as she raised the poker over her head. The door swung back on silent hinges and she gasped in surprise.