“Good afternoon, Miss Jade. I was just talking about your new business to the Reverend and Willy here.” Rufus Durfee, owner of Durfee’s Mercantile, nodded toward Wade Weston and a visiting rancher, who had brought him a wagonload of beehives in exchange for some sacks of flour and sugar.
Jade managed a smile.
Rufus hooked a thumb toward the end of town. “Miss Jade Jewel is building the Golden Dragon.”
“You don’t say?” The rancher squinted through the dirty window and watched the workers as they scrambled to secure the final wall.
Jade walked between two shelves displaying an assortment of canned goods and bolts of fabric. She heard the rancher ask, “What good’s a place like that out here in the middle of nowhere? I mean, hell, Rufus, who can afford it?”
Rufus gave a muffled reply. “What do I care? As long as it ain’t my money, I’m willing to allow Miss Jade to build anything she wants. Don’t forget, the town’s growing. Last year alone we had the visiting judge stop by almost once a month. And those banker fellows, looking to take over Chester Pierce’s bank, after he got hung for shooting Onyx Jewel.” He lowered his voice. “It would seem that Hanging Tree is enjoying a building boom. Besides Miss Jewel’s place, Farley Duke has just finished work on his sawmill down by the creek. And there’s a rumor that the railroad’s coming to Hanging Tree. If it’s true, there’ll be cattlemen and railroad men and people from all over the country beating a path to our little town.”
“The railroad.” The rancher’s voice grew loud with excitement. “Why, Hanging Tree could become as big as Fort Worth. Or Abilene.”
“Exactly what I was thinking.” Rufus warmed to the subject. “Maybe I should add to my place. At roundup time, cattle drovers could clean me out in a single day.”
Jade smiled to herself as she selected a length of pale pink fabric for Pearl. She hoped the rumors were true about the railroad. If so, the Golden Dragon could become the most important watering hole in all of Texas.
Hearing footsteps, she whirled as Wade Weston walked up behind her. “Are you following me?”
“You flatter yourself, Miss Jewel.” He reached over her head and removed a tin of tobacco. “In the course of any given day, you’ll probably see half of Hanging Tree in Durfee’s Mercantile.”
She glanced at the object in his hand. “Tobacco, Reverend? I thought you were above such things.”
At her attempt to bait him into a fight, he merely smiled. “I’m riding out to visit old Yancy Winslow, and I thought he’d appreciate a little gift.”
“I should have known. You have no vices, do you?”
His smile grew. “None that I’d care to tell you about, Miss Jewel.”
As he sauntered away, Jade glowered at his back before following at a distance.
“’Course,” Rufus was saying to the rancher, lowering his voice for emphasis, “there always seems to be a dark side to a town’s growth. I’ve heard a few stories lately that had me wondering what this town’s coming to.”
“How do you mean?” the rancher asked.
Rufus lifted an apron and began polishing his spectacles, enjoying the fact that his audience had swelled. Two women from the town had just entered. Lavinia Thurlong and Gladys Witherspoon glared at Jade as she approached.
“There’s talk that a gang of outlaws might be in the territory. A rancher returned from tending his herd to find his wife and children dead, their house and barn torched. And that’s not all.”
“Go on, Rufus,” Lavinia urged. Her chin quivered with excitement. She couldn’t wait to pass along this juicy bit of gossip. “What else have you heard?”
Rufus took his time, enjoying the narrative. “Over in Crooked Creek a rancher was found shot in the back, his entire herd stolen. Some say it’s the Garland Gang.”
Though that meant nothing to Jade, she couldn’t help noticing the reaction of Reverend Weston. He had gone very still.
“Can’t be,” the rancher said. “I heard that gang disbanded a couple of years ago, after one of ‘em went to prison.”
“I heard that, too,” Rufus said. “But Marshal Regan thinks the killings sound like Ned Garland.”
Rufus took Jade’s money and handed her change, then turned his attention to the preacher. “You tell Yancy to give you a list of supplies, Reverend, and I’ll have my boys deliver them next time they’re out that way.”
“Thanks, Rufus. I’m sure Yancy will appreciate it.”
As Jade started out the door, Reverend Weston reached for the bolt of fabric in her hand.
“I can manage,” she protested.
“I’m sure you can.” He took it, held the door, then followed her to her rig. After setting the fabric carefully in the back, he covered it with an old quilt to protect it from the dust of the trail.
“Thank you.” She climbed aboard and caught up the reins. “But you might not want to be seen doing nice things for me, Reverend.” She gave a meaningful glance at the window of the mercantile, where Lavinia and Gladys could be seen watching. “After all, what will the good people of Hanging Tree think about their minister being seen with a wicked woman? They might decide you’re unfit to hold prayer meetings in their town.”
“I wouldn’t worry about my reputation if I were you, Miss Jewel. You’ll have enough to worry about with your own.” He gave her a dangerous smile and tipped his hat before sauntering away.
As she left the town of Hanging Tree, Jade struggled to put Wade Weston out of her mind. Why in the world should one small-town preacher cause her so much discomfort? He was, after all, smug, arrogant, overbearing. And far too perfect for her taste.
She would prefer an adventurer, like Onyx Jewel, the man who had won her mother’s heart. Or—the thought came unbidden to her mind—a mysterious gunman dressed all in black, who would calmly shoot anyone who threatened her harm, then kiss her until she was breathless.
With an effort she forced herself to put aside such nonsense and concentrate on the work ahead of her. She would have to go to San Francisco soon, to see to the furnishings for the Golden Dragon. There was only so much she could do by mail order. The rest would have to be arranged through her connections in the bustling California city.
The sound of her carriage blotted out the steady thrum of horses until they were nearly upon her. Turning, she was startled to see a cluster of horsemen. Their faces were hidden behind bandannas.
And their guns were all aimed at her.
Chapter Three
The cold, hard lump of fear settled in Jade’s throat, threatening to choke her. Recalling Rufus’s tales of horror, she urged her team into a run. The pretty, gilded carriage raced across the dusty ground, jolting over ruts and rocks until, at times, it seemed airborne.
Even when she heard the sound of gunfire she refused to halt. Instead, she shouted to her horses, urging them even faster.
A quick glance over her shoulder showed the horsemen gaining. One rider, on a lathered mount, pulled ahead until he was even with her rig.
“Stop or you’re dead!” he shouted, leveling his pistol at her.
When he saw that she had no intention of obeying, he whipped his dust-covered mount until it reached her team. Leaning far over in the saddle, he caught the lead horse’s bridle and held on until the team came to a shuddering halt.
Horsemen surrounded her carriage, their guns drawn.
“Now, woman, step down,” one of them called.
“Let’s see what we worked so hard to catch,” shouted another.
The men laughed until a glance at their leader made the laughter die on their lips.
He remained astride his mount. Instead of a gun he now held a whip in his hand. A bandanna covered the lower part of his face. Only his eyes were visible beneath the wide-brimmed hat. There was a simmering blood lust in those dark, feral eyes. Jade was reminded of a wolf about to devour helpless prey.
“Step down from that rig.” His voice, rough and commanding, added to his aura of danger.
r /> Fear had Jade’s heart hammering, but she gave no outward sign. Instead, clutching her shawl firmly around her shoulders, she stepped from the carriage and faced her attackers.
“If it’s money you want—”
“Oh, we’ll help ourselves to your money. And…other things, as well.” At the leader’s suggestive words, his men began to laugh.
“Take off the shawl. I’d like to see what I’m getting.” He began to uncoil his whip.
Jade stood her ground, clutching her shawl even more tightly about her.
“I guess I’ll just have to teach you a lesson, woman. When I give an order, I expect it to be followed without delay.” The whip snaked out, and in one quick, practiced movement snagged her shawl, tearing it from her.
His eyes narrowed when he saw what she’d been hiding beneath it. The jeweled handle of a small, deadly dagger glinted in her hand.
“You think you can use that knife against all these guns?” he sneered.
“Would you care to test my skill?” Fear clogged her throat, making her voice husky. But she had no intention of giving in to the terror that threatened. “Before your bullets can stop me, my blade will find your heart.”
At her words he sat up straighter in the saddle, regarding her in silence. “I guess I’ll just have to call your bluff.”
He lifted his arm to crack his whip. At the same moment Jade tossed her knife. Reflexively he twisted in the saddle. Instead of finding his heart, the blade bit deeply into his shoulder.
“Why, you little…” He let out a snarl of rage as he pried the knife free and tossed it aside. Then he gripped his flesh to stem the flow of blood.
Before his men could react, a series of gunshots rang out, sending them diving for cover. Another round of gunshots sent the dirt spraying directly beneath the feet of their leader’s horse.
“It must be a posse, Ned,” someone shouted. “Run.”
The leader gave one last glance at Jade, then wheeled his mount and beat a hasty retreat. With shouts and curses, the rest of his men followed, leaving Jade standing alone.
She turned in the direction of the gunshots, but could see nothing but a thick stand of trees. She waited, lifting a hand to shield the sun from her eyes, but no horsemen appeared.
“They’ve gone!” she shouted. “You drove them away!”
Her words were met with silence.
Puzzled, she bent and retrieved her knife from the dirt. It was still stained with the blood of her attacker. Clutching it in her hand, she strode toward the trees, calling, “You can come out now. We’re alone.”
The grove of trees was empty. There was no one there.
She turned to look in all directions, but could see no one.
She knelt and studied the dirt. It bore the unmistakable sign of a single set of hoofprints.
Could it be that there had been only one man? If so, he had been wise to keep his identity hidden from those gunmen. For they would surely have stood up to his gunfire and exacted revenge for his interference.
But why hadn’t he remained to reveal himself to her? She had a right to know who had saved her life. She wanted to thank him. And somehow reward him for his kindness.
After carefully studying the surrounding area, she returned to her carriage and took up the reins. As the horses set off at a brisk pace, reaction to what had almost happened began to set in. Despite the warmth of the sunlight, she couldn’t stop shivering. Her body was racked with tremors. She had no doubt that, without the appearance of her unknown savior, her fate would have been the same as that of the other victims of this vicious gang.
But who had saved her? And why had he chosen to keep his identity secret?
“A mystery man. How romantic,” Pearl said when Jade told her sisters what had happened.
Her husband, Cal, foreman of the Jewel ranch, tightened his grasp on his bride’s shoulder when he heard the news, and drew their adopted sons, Daniel and Gilbert, closer. It was one more thing to be concerned about. One more reason for the wranglers to keep a close eye on the women and children. “We’ll need to report this to the marshal.”
Jade nodded. “If it weren’t for my…mysterious rescuer, there would be something far worse to report.”
“Mystery man. Hah.” Diamond, ever the cynic, touched a hand to the gun at her hip. Her cowhide vest couldn’t hide the slight swelling of her middle, the only indication that she was expecting a baby. “What you need is a pair of six-shooters.” She glanced lovingly at her husband, Adam, who returned her smile with a wink. “Then you won’t need a man to save your hide. You can do it yourself.”
“I have my knife,” Jade said softly. “And I used it against their leader. But even a pair of pistols would not have been enough against those men. Without that mysterious gunman, I would never have survived.”
“I wonder who it was,” Diamond mused. “Most of the wranglers around here work for us, or for one of the other ranchers in the area.”
“Perhaps a passing cowboy,” Pearl suggested.
“But why wouldn’t he reveal himself to me?” Jade demanded.
“Could be a man on the run,” Adam said, recalling his own scrape with the law, when he’d been wrongly accused of murder.
Cal nodded. “A man outside the law wouldn’t want anyone to know he was in these parts.”
“You are all wrong. I know who it was, chérie,” Ruby said to Jade.
Everyone turned to the young woman, whose lips were curved into a knowing smile.
“It was your guardian angel.”
“What nonsense,” Diamond snapped.
“Nonsense! You do not believe in spirits?” Ruby’s eyes flashed. “In the bayou we know these spirits intimately.”
“Well, here in Texas—” Diamond began, but a question from Pearl silenced her.
“Didn’t you say you saw hoofprints?” Pearl asked gently.
Jade nodded.
Pearl turned to Ruby, determined that common sense would prevail. “I don’t think guardian angels ride horses.”
“What do you know?” The fiery beauty gave her sisters a haughty look. “Jade said the grove of trees was empty. Those prints could have been made hours earlier. You will need more than that to convince me that it was not a guardian angel that saved Jade.”
As Jade made her way to her room, she mulled over all that she had seen and heard. She was more confused than ever. Whether it was a spirit, a guardian angel or a flesh-and-blood man, she owed her life to this invisible protector.
Wade Weston yawned and stretched before tossing aside his bedroll and getting to his feet. He had decided against returning to his regular room at Millie Potter’s boardinghouse last night. Sometimes he needed to be alone. To get away from the fancy black suit and the starched white shirt and the polite words expected of a man of the cloth.
It wasn’t that he didn’t like people. Most of the time he enjoyed their company. Decent folks like Millie Potter and her three sweet daughters, April, May and June. And honest folks like Rufus Durfee and his fine, strapping boys, Damon and Amos. And lonely old folks like Yancy Winslow.
But there were times when he just wasn’t fit company. When the black moods came over him, blotting out all the good, the fine, the decent things of this world. Then he had to pull away, draw into himself and keep his own counsel.
He tossed another log on the smoldering embers of the fire before placing a blackened pot on the coals. Soon the air was redolent with the deep, rich fragrance of coffee.
He lathered his face and ran the straight razor across his cheeks and chin in smooth, even strokes. Then he stripped and strode into the frigid waters of Poison Creek. After soaping himself, he began to swim. With strong, powerful strokes he swam the width of the creek and back. Pushing himself to the limit, he continued to swim back and forth until his muscles protested.
Breathing hard from the effort, he clambered up the slope and tossed back his wet hair, sending a spray of water dancing in the sunlight. With his skin s
till damp, he had to struggle into his pants. As he reached for his shirt, he caught a sudden movement out of the corner of his eye. He whirled.
Jade was there, seated in her carriage.
How long had she been here? From the strained expression on her face, long enough to have seen more than she’d bargained for, he thought. Her eyes were wide, her mouth slightly open in surprise. But to her credit she wasn’t blushing. And in the blink of an eye she composed herself.
“You shouldn’t sneak up without warning. If I’d been another kind of man I might have fired off a shot before I even knew who you were.” Wade grabbed up his shirt and shrugged into it, tucking it into his waistband and buttoning it as he walked toward her.
Seeing the tight line of her mouth, he softened his tone. “Sorry, Miss Jewel. I didn’t mean to be so abrupt. But you startled me.”
“You startled me, as well.” She couldn’t seem to tear her gaze from his strong fingers working the buttons. When she finally did, she found herself mesmerized by the width of his shoulders, the muscles visible beneath the fabric of his shirt. She couldn’t put aside what she’d just seen. He had the body of a rancher, or a cowboy. Hardly what was expected of a preacher. “I—wasn’t prepared to see you… to see anyone here.”
His stern features relaxed into a mocking grin. “Obviously I didn’t expect to see you, either, or I would have been better prepared. Or at least better dressed.” He nodded toward the campfire. “Will you join me for a cup of coffee?”
“No. Forgive me for intruding.” She lifted the reins, prepared to flee.
He reached a hand to stop her. “Please, Miss Jewel. Don’t run away. I’m afraid I reacted badly. I apologize. I really would enjoy your company.”
As his hand covered hers she felt the jolt. And struggled not to show it.
Her reaction to this man puzzled her. He had already made it clear that he intended to oppose her. What had her honorable father always said about an enemy? Better to face his angry words now than his gun later. Perhaps she should try to befriend her opponent. Or at least soften his arguments with a few of her own.