“Okay,” Ned said. “You had your revenge. But if you think you’re going to shoot me, too, you’d better think about this.”
As casually as if he were lighting a cigarette, he dropped the torch into the pile of bodies. Within seconds the dead men’s clothing burst into flame.
“You’d better leave, Danny. Unless you want to become part of the bonfire.”
“I’m not leaving until you let the woman go, Ned.”
At his words a sly look crossed the leader’s face. “You mean that’s what this is all about? I thought it was revenge for what we did to you. But it isn’t, is it? It’s the woman.” He studied her with new respect, then tightened his grasp before looking up at Nevada. “She’s yours?”
“That’s right.”
The flames had begun to spread, and the stench of burning flesh caused Jade to gag. But neither man made any move to back down.
“Then why not share?” Ned asked. “Didn’t we used to share everything?”
“That’s what I thought. But then I learned the hard way that the only one sharing was me. When it came to doing time, my friends disappeared and were willing to let me swing from a rope for crimes I didn’t even commit. You wanted me to pay with my life for your crimes.”
“Now, Danny. You didn’t hang. Just did a little time. But it doesn’t seem to have hurt you much. As I understand it, you got yourself a little book learning and even found religion. Why, you look fine. Tougher than ever. Now that you’re back,” Ned said reasonably, “it’ll be like it was before. We’ll raise a little hell and have ourselves a real good time. Starting with the woman. Tell you what, you can have her first.”
Nevada had a glimpse of Jade’s eyes, wide with fear and loathing. She’d been pushed to the limit. He felt the last of his control slipping.
His tone hardened. “Like I said, Ned, I’m not interested in sharing with you. You have one chance to live. Let her go. If you don’t, I’ll have to kill you. It’s that simple.”
The outlaw went very still, weighing his chances. He knew that there was little time left before the flames reached the rough boards of the ceiling. When that happened, the hut would cave in upon itself, and everyone inside would be trapped. But he knew he had one slim chance to outwit the gunman facing him. Nevada had no way of knowing that he carried a small pistol inside his sleeve. The trick was to seize a moment to aim and fire.
“You always were better’n me with a gun, Danny,” he muttered. “But I was meaner. I guess it had to do with that guilty conscience of yours. Hell, I never had a conscience. So I’m going to call your bluff. I don’t believe you can shoot me. And to prove it, I’m not even going to draw my weapon. If you kill me, you’ll be killing an unarmed man.”
He watched with satisfaction as Nevada lowered his weapon.
Flames were licking the toe of Ned’s boot. He knew he’d just run out of time. He held Jade in front of him like a shield and started to stretch out his arm.
“Look out!” Jade shouted, before Ned clapped a hand over her mouth, stilling her words of warning.
Jade felt the panic rise to her throat like bile. She was going to be forced to watch Nevada shot before her eyes. Desperate, she twisted to face her captor and yanked her knife from his waistband.
Startled, he reacted instantly, turning the blade so that it sliced savagely into her hand.
She let out a cry as she fought back, plunging it with all her might into his chest.
Ned gave a gasp of surprise before dropping to his knees. “You…little…”
He lifted his arm, but before he could engage his weapon, a gunshot reverberated through the hut, and he sprawled facedown. His body was instantly engulfed in flames.
“Wrong choice, Ned,” came Nevada’s voice. “Looks like you’ll have to join your friends in hell.”
Jade’s legs refused to support her. In a state of shock, she started to sink to the floor. But before she could fall, Nevada swept her into his arms and raced through a wall of fire.
Once outside, he continued running until he was far enough away to escape the smell of death. Then he knelt and deposited Jade in the cool grass.
Seeing the river of blood spilling from her wound, he wrapped it with his bandanna.
“I’m sorry about all this,” he murmured. “Truly sorry, Jade. But it’s over now. Thanks to you. You saved my life, even though by now you must hate me.” His words rang with feeling. “I give you my word that I’ll do everything in my power to see you safely home.”
When he brushed the hair from her eyes, he realized that his promises were in vain. Jade had been forced to deal with more than her tender spirit could accept. The pain of the knife wound and the shock of all she’d been through had sent her spiraling into darkness.
Chapter Eighteen
Jade clung to the last vestiges of sleep. With her eyes still closed she could feel the warmth of morning sunlight kissing her cheek. Somewhere nearby water could be heard spilling over rocks. A chorus of birdsong carried on the breeze.
The feeling of peace was such a contrast to the violence she’d witnessed, she feared it might be a dream.
Her eyes opened and she glanced around in surprise. It was no dream. She was lying on a bedroll in the shelter of a stand of trees. Coffee bubbled over a fire, filling the air with its delicious aroma. A pan of biscuits rested on a nearby rock. And walking toward her, from the direction of a creek, was Nevada, still buttoning his shirt.
He looked clean and refreshed, and as innocent as the preacher she had once thought him to be.
When he was beside her he dropped to his knees. “You’re finally awake.”
He felt her cringe at his touch, and cursed himself for his clumsiness. She no longer trusted him. And he couldn’t blame her. The man she’d seen last night was a stranger to her. As violent as the outlaws who had kidnapped her.
“Are they…?” She swallowed, then tried again. “Are all those gunmen dead?”
He nodded.
“They knew you. He treated you like one of them.”
“I was one of them.”
He felt her withdraw as surely as if she’d closed a door.
She couldn’t voice all the fears in her heart. She tried to tear her gaze from the drops of water that still glistened in his golden hair. It seemed incongruous that this handsome, charming man, who had led an entire town to believe he was a good and noble man of peace, was actually an outlaw. And now she was at his mercy.
As if reading her thoughts, he handed her the little jewel-handled knife. “You’ll want this for protection.”
“My knife. How did you manage to salvage it?”
“I knew how much it meant to you.”
She clutched it firmly in one hand. “How long have I been sleeping?”
“I’d say it’s at least midday.”
“Midday!” She sat up, and felt her head spin at the sudden movement.
“Easy, now.” Nevada brought his arm around her shoulders. Though she stiffened, she didn’t have the strength to push away. “You’ve lost some blood from the wound in your hand. For the rest of the day I think you’d better take it nice and slow.”
She waited until the dizziness passed, then asked, “Where are we?”
“The foothills of Dead Man’s Mountain. A day’s ride from Hanging Tree.”
“We’d better get started.” She began to toss aside the blankets, but he caught her arm.
“We’re not going anywhere,” he said firmly, “until you’ve had a chance to recover from your ordeal.”
“It’s just a cut. It could have been worse.” Even as she spoke the words she felt the sudden flash of fear, and saw again in her mind the horror she’d been forced to witness. She paled as she whispered, “Oh, Nevada, I was so frightened.”
“You’re not alone. I was scared half to death.”
“You?” She shook her head. “I don’t think you’ve ever been afraid of anything.”
He gave her a fierce look. “Not for my
self. My life is meaningless. I was afraid for you.” His look softened as he placed his saddle like a pillow behind her. “After what you’ve been through, you need to give yourself time.”
He felt her acquiesce as she leaned back. “All right. At least I’ll wait a. little while, until I feel stronger.”
It was a start. Though he knew it was too soon for her to trust him, he’d take whatever concessions she was willing to make.
“How is your hand feeling?”
She glanced down at the clean dressings. “It throbs a bit. How bad is it?”
“Bad enough to cause you pain for a few days. But the wound is clean. It’ll mend.”
He released her hand and busied himself at the fire, filling a plate with biscuits, pouring coffee into a battered tin cup.
When he handed it to her, she managed to eat several bites before she pushed the plate aside and sipped her coffee. Even that small effort drained her.
She lay back in the bedroll and watched as he’ crossed to a fallen tree and began to chop firewood. With each bite of the ax she heard again in her mind the sound of the gunfire that had echoed through the little hut, and experienced again all the terror in those moments when she’d thought they would all die.
She closed her eyes against the pain of memory. And escaped into sleep.
It was nearly dusk. The last rays of the setting sun cast a crimson glow over the waters of the creek.
Jade sat up, shocked that she had slept the entire day away. But she knew Nevada had been right to insist upon staying. Her strength was restored, as well as her spirit.
She was surprised to see her tapestry valise beside the bedroll. The last she had seen it, it had been somewhere on the stage.
And then the truth dawned. That was how Nevada had known about her abduction. He’d come upon the driver, and had somehow spotted her valise. If he hadn’t… She shuddered. If he hadn’t recognized it, she would still be in the clutches of those evil men.
She opened the bag and withdrew her belongings, then tossed the blanket aside and got to her feet, peering around for some sign of Nevada. He was nowhere to be seen. Nor was his horse.
She felt a moment of panic before she forced herself to think rationally. He wouldn’t have brought her here, only to leave her. Wherever he’d gone, he would return. In the meantime, she knew how she intended to use these precious moments of privacy.
She walked to the creek and dipped a toe in the water. It was refreshingly cool. She was unprepared for the difficulty of functioning with only one good hand, but after laboring for long minutes she was able to shed her gown and step into the water.
Oh, how good it felt to wash away the grime of the trail. She ducked beneath the waves and came up, shaking her head, sending a spray of water dancing around her. Then she swam, slowly, lazily, feeling the tension begin to dissolve.
By the time she stepped from the creek and struggled to pull on a clean gown, she felt as if she had washed away not only the dirt but the touch of her captors, as well.
Shivering, she turned toward the fire. And was stunned to see Nevada astride his horse, watching her.
“Sorry,” he called. “I didn’t mean to be gone so long. I’d hoped to be back before you woke.”
“I’ve only been awake a little while. Where did you go?”
He slid from his horse and pointed to the carcass of a deer slung across its back. “I thought you needed something more than biscuits if you’re going to regain your strength for the ride to Hanging Tree.”
Seeing the way she folded her arms over her chest, he slipped out of his jacket and draped it around her. “Here. You’re shivering.”
Though she said nothing, she felt oddly touched by his gesture. He was being overly solicitous. And at the moment it was exactly what she needed.
As she made her way to the fire, she was aware of the way Nevada watched her. Though he still had the ability to affect her with a simple touch or look, she couldn’t forget what she had learned about him in those brief, shocking moments in the hut. She would have to learn to harden her heart.
As the moon rose over the mountain peaks, she sat huddled in the bedroll. Beside her, Nevada roasted venison over the fire.
“How did you come upon my valise on the stage?” she asked softly. “This isn’t the way to Nevada.”
“I lied to you,” he admitted. “I was never heading to Nevada.”
There was a prolonged silence before she managed to ask, “Why?”
He heard the pain in that simple word, and knew it had a deeper meaning. He kept his gaze averted. It was easier if he wasn’t looking into those big dark eyes, seeing all the doubt and mistrust. “I had to leave San Francisco. It was time for me to confront my past.”
“But why did you have to lie to me?”
“I thought it would spare you some pain. I had no right to take… what you were about to offer me.”
Her cheeks grew hot. “You knew what I was planning?”
He nodded. “I overheard everything.”
She hung her head in shame.
Seeing it, he lowered his voice to a mere whisper and touched a hand to her cheek. “Don’t misunderstand. It was everything I wanted. All I’d ever dreamed of, since the first time I saw you. But I knew I had no right to such a gift. You deserve so much better than me, Jade. I realize now that what I did was cowardly. You should have heard the truth about me before I left.”
She swallowed. “And what is the truth?”
“I’m not at all the man you think I am.”
“And what are you?”
“A loner. A liar. A cheat.” He looked away. “I’ve been on my own for most of my life. In order to survive, I had to grow up fast.”
“Why were you alone?” she asked softly. “What happened to your parents?”
“My father died when I was eight.’ My mother was young, not much more than a kid herself. And the harshness of her life beat her down.”
“In what way?”
He shrugged. “In so many ways. I’d find her sitting in a rocker, staring into space. She couldn’t seem to rouse herself enough to care for the little ones.”
“You had brothers and sisters?”
“Two little sisters. Just babies. They needed a mother, but she just couldn’t handle it after my father…after he died. And there was a man…” His jaw clenched. His features hardened. “One day I came home from hunting up our supper and found the cabin empty. I learned from a nearby rancher that she’d taken off with a sweet-talking cowboy.”
Jade gasped. Though she wasn’t even aware of it, she touched a hand to his arm. “She left an eight-year-old boy to survive alone?”
He shrugged. “I guess I was too much for her to handle. After my father’s death I let the anger and rage fill up all the empty spaces inside me.” He turned away before adding, “A month or so after my mother and the girls left, Ned came along.”
Jade tried to imagine an eight-year-old surviving for a month alone in a little cabin in the wilderness.
“Ned wasn’t much more than fifteen or sixteen, but to me he seemed like a seasoned outlaw. He was running with a gang and offered to take me along.”
“But you were just a child.”
“I told you. I had to grow up fast. Ned convinced me that my only chance to survive was to surround myself with tough outlaws with plenty of guns, or I’d end up dying young like my father. So he and his gang became my family. We crisscrossed the West, staying one step ahead of the law. And in the winter we holed up in that hut.”
“So that was how you found us so quickly. You knew where they were taking me.”
He nodded.
Jade felt her eyes fill with tears at the life he’d described. “It must have been horrible for you.”
He made an attempt to smile, but it fell flat. “It was no Sunday school picnic. But I survived.”
“Ned called you Danny.”
“Danny is dead,” he said harshly. “I buried him when I was eight, an
d took the name Nevada. With Ned as my teacher, I became an expert with a gun.”
“But you weren’t like those outlaws,” she said with a shudder. “You could never be like them.”
He turned on her with eyes blazing. “Don’t try to make me something I’m not, Jade. I ran with a gang. I’ve broken every rule of God and man. I told you. I’m a thief and a cheat and a murderer.”
“You aren’t,” she said hotly. “I know you. You aren’t a killer.”
As gently as he could manage he said, “I’ve killed men, Jade. You saw me shoot them without a backward glance whenever they threatened me or someone I cared about.”
She put her hand over his. “But that was self-defense. You didn’t go out looking for them. It was kill or be killed.”
He allowed her hand to remain there, warming his. It was a simple act, but it touched a chord deep inside him. “They’re still dead because of me. In the eyes of the law that makes me a killer.” He busied himself by filling a plate with biscuits and sizzling meat, and handing it to her. When she met his eyes his lips curved into a wry smile.
“Too bad you weren’t the lawman who finally brought me to trial. It might have gone a lot easier for me.”
“Trial?”
He nodded and looked away. “The sheriff wanted to make an example of me, and have me hung for the crimes committed by the Garland Gang. The judge took the word of witnesses who said I’d stepped in to save their lives whenever Ned got too violent. Except in self-defense, I never shot a man. So he let me off with five years in prison.”
She blanched.
Seeing her reaction, he said more gently, “It probably saved my life. I had five years to think about where I was headed. And I realized that I’d wasted half my life being angry about something that was over and done with. Nothing would ever bring my father back. I decided that when I got out I could repeat my mistakes, or make a better life for myself.”
“And that’s when you became the Reverend Wade Weston?”
“I tried,” he said softly. “God knows I tried. And it felt good to have the respect of people. But the old ways are hard to forget. Sometimes I felt helpless carrying a Bible instead of a gun. Especially when I learned that Ned and the gang were back plying their trade. The first time they attacked you, I instinctively reached for a gun.”