Adam watched as she headed toward the corral. Then, in quick, easy strides, he caught up with her.
“Now what do you want?” she demanded.
“Settle down. I’m just going to fetch my horse. Mind if I walk along?”
She turned away in disgust. It was clear to her that Adam Winter wasn’t going to let her out of his sight for a moment.
And for some odd reason, that made her more uncomfortable than the thought of an unknown gunman stalking her.
“This is Pa’s grave.” Diamond led the way to the top of the windswept hill.
Jade, holding a small earthen jar in her hand, stood very still, studying the mound of earth topped with stones. It seemed a primitive burial, compared with the colorful rituals of her people. There had been no ancient ones to pray and chant, no incense, no dragons dancing. And there were no ashes to mingle with the earth and wind, to scatter over the ocean, to carry the spirit home to the bosom from which it sprang. But she did not wish to offend her father’s other daughters, who obviously approved of this stark burial.
Though she said not a word, the bleak look on her face spoke volumes.
Pearl, whose own first glimpse of this mound of earth had left her shaken, said softly, “According to Diamond, this was Daddy’s favorite place.”
“Ah. Then this final resting place was chosen to honor our father in a special way?”
Diamond swallowed, then nodded. “I figure Pa is happy here, with a view of the land he loved.” She was uncomfortable sharing her grief with these two, and seeing the grave brought a fresh round of pain. “Would you like to be alone, Jade?”
“Oh, no. I think Father would be pleased to see us together.” Jade removed the stopper from the earthen jar and began to sprinkle ashes over the grave.
“What are you doing?” Pearl asked in alarm.
“These are my mother’s ashes. I have kept them on a small altar to honor her memory. When I heard of Father’s death, I knew that it would please her to have some of her ashes mingled with those of the only man she ever loved. I only wish that I had some of Father’s ashes, so that I could place them on the altar with Mother’s.”
Pearl shivered, and it was obvious that she thought the custom barbaric. But for some strange reason, the thought pleased Diamond, who could not remember her own mother. Jade’s exotic customs touched some romantic place in her heart that she hadn’t even known existed.
“I think Pa would like that,” she said.
For the first time, Jade smiled. “Then, if you do not mind, I will take some of the earth from Father’s grave, and mix it with the ashes in this urn.”
“I’ll help you.” Grateful for something to do, Diamond knelt and began to scoop a small portion of sand from the mound of earth. While Jade held out the urn, she allowed it to sift through her fingers to mingle with the ashes.
Pearl knelt and began to pray. Jade stood, clutching the earthen jar to her chest and chanting in an ancient tongue. Diamond dropped to one knee and touched a hand to the pile of rocks while staring out across the land. Pa’s land. My land, she thought fiercely. And then, even as that thought came, another nudged it aside. Was it truly her land now? Or did a part of it belong to these two strangers, who called Onyx Jewel their father?
She was fairly certain that legally she was the legitimate heir to her father’s estate. But more important than the legal issue was a deeper, more personal one. One involving heart and soul. What would Pa have wanted her to do about these two?
The thought tore at Diamond’s composure. Oh, why had she been given this burden?
Tears coursed down Jade’s cheeks, though she adamantly refused to make a sound. It was clear that she did not wish to display her grief in front of the others. But the harder she tried to hold back the sobs, the more the tears forced their way out, until, with a little moan, she dropped to her knees and buried her face in her hands.
Pearl, whose tender heart was touched by the scene, knelt beside her and touched a hand to her shoulder, whispering words meant to soothe.
Diamond stood alone, watching with a frown. When the two young women’s cries became loud, heart-wrenching sobs, she bit her lip and turned her head away. She would not allow herself to join in this public display. What good were tears? Would they bring Pa back? Would they rid her of this terrible pain around her heart?
Adam waited beside the ornate carriage, his gaze sweeping the rocks and hills for any sign of a gunman. But every so often he found himself staring at the slender figure in the garb of a wrangler. Once again she had turned inward, finding the will to deny her own grief. She was distinctly different from the other two young women. Neither fragile nor ladylike. Still, the mere sight of her took his breath away. He found himself replaying in his mind the kiss they’d shared in the moonlight. The taste of her, so wild and sweet, lingered on his tongue. At the first touch of her, the memory of every other woman had been wiped from his mind.
Right now, seeing the way she held herself apart from the others, he wanted nothing more than to take her in his arms and comfort her. To tell her it was all right to weep. And to console her when the tears had run their course. Instead, he stood alone and watched from a distance.
Pearl sniffed and wiped at her eyes with a lace handkerchief. Beside her, Jade lifted the earthen jar to her lips and pressed a kiss to it, then hollowed out a small section of earth and placed the jar in it. Pressing the sand around the base, she stood.
“If you do not mind, I wish to leave my mother’s ashes in this place. I know it is where she would like to be.”
Diamond nodded, oddly touched, and thought about her own mother’s burial plot, not far from the barn. Maybe one day she would have it moved to this spot.
“We’d better get back to the house.” She cast a wary eye on the clouds overhead. “We’re in for some weather.”
Jade walked to her, once again bowing slightly. “I wish to thank you for allowing me to visit my father’s grave. And now I will bid you goodbye.”
“Where will you stay?” Pearl asked. She had assumed a proprietary role toward the newcomer, remembering her own sense of loss and confusion upon her arrival at this wild, primitive place.
Jade gave a negligent shrug of her shoulders. “I will find a room in the nearest town. And then I will return to San Francisco.”
Diamond swallowed. Before she had time to think, the words just spilled from her lips. “There’s plenty of room at the ranch. Would you like to spend the night with us?”
Jade smiled through her tears. “I would like that very much. Thank you.”
“It’s...settled, then.” Diamond glanced at Adam. “Thanks for your company. But I think we can manage to find our way back to the ranch alone.”
“I’m sure you can. But if you don’t mind, I’ll just ride along, anyway.”
“But I do mind. I’m—”
They heard the report of a rifle at the same moment that a bullet sent dirt spraying around their feet.
Adam moved instinctively, gathering the three women in his arms and shoving them to safety behind Jade’s carriage. “Don’t move,” he called as he removed his gun from his holster and studied the surrounding rocks.
“The bullet came from that direction.” Diamond pointed her pistol, eager for the chance to return the gunfire.
Adam dropped to one knee, squinting against the setting sun. He felt a tingle along the back of his neck. Once again, the bullet had landed directly between him and Diamond. From the cover of those rocks, it would have been impossible to do that intentionally. That shot had not been intended as a warning. The shooter had wanted one of them dead.
But which of them?
Adam was a man who’d learned to trust his instincts. And all his instincts told him that the gunman was getting closer. And more desperate.
He studied the rocks. Nothing seemed out of place. There was no movement. Not even a single shadow flickered. The gunman, once again, had made good his escape.
Adam
got to his feet, holstering his gun. “Come on,” he said. “I’m taking you home.”
This time, though she still brandished her gun, there was no word of protest from Diamond. But when she looked at Pearl and Jade, both young women were holding small silver pistols in their hands.
“Where did you get that?” Diamond demanded of Jade.
“It was my mother’s,” the young woman said. “I always carry it on my person for protection.”
Diamond’s eyes narrowed. “Protection from what?”
“From any threat.” Jade nodded toward Diamond’s pistol. “Is it not the same for you?”
“I—suppose so.” Diamond holstered her gun. But her mind remained troubled. Another pistol like the one that had killed her father. Carried by another stranger claiming to be his daughter.
The three young women were silent and grim as they made their way back to the ranch house. Once there, Diamond was surprised to see Adam dismount.
“You’ve done your duty. You’ve seen us home. Now what do you think you’re doing?”
“I don’t see any sign of Cal or the wranglers. I’ll just stay until they return. I don’t want the three of you to be alone here.”
“You certainly can’t believe that the gunman is going to try to enter my home.”
Adam took her arm and escorted her to the door. “Right now, I don’t know what to think. Just go inside.”
She glanced at Pearl and Jade, who brushed past her as they entered the house. Her lower lip jutted in defiance. “I’d rather stay out here. I don’t want to go inside.”
Despite the danger, he couldn’t help smiling. “I can see that. You’d like to avoid any contact with those two. It looks like your father left you quite a mess to clean up.”
She sighed, and for the first time, gave in to a momentary display of weakness. “Oh, Adam. What am I going to do?”
He tousled her hair, then allowed his hand to linger a moment, enjoying the feel of silk against his rough palm. “You’re going to go in there and be your usual smiling, charming self.”
She gave out a string of oaths that had him roaring with laughter. “All right,” he said when he’d managed to stop laughing. “So you’re not going to smile and charm them. But at least you can entertain them with your rich vocabulary. I’ll bet those two young women haven’t heard most of those words before.”
She shot him a look of disgust.
In a more sober tone he murmured, “I know this isn’t going to be easy. You’re going to be pretty busy for a while, just figuring out how to get along with two strangers. But remember this, Diamond. Your father loved them. And if you want to cherish his memory, you need to get to know them better. Maybe you’ll learn things about your father from Pearl and Jade that you never would have known otherwise.”
“I don’t need those two to tell me about Pa.”
“All right. But what about them? They didn’t have as much time with him as you did. Maybe, while they’re here, you could give them a glimpse of his life. Something they could carry with them when they leave.”
She tilted her head up, and her lips nearly brushed his. The movement had them both going very still. She tried to step back, but his fingers brushing her scalp stopped her.
She felt his gaze burn over her mouth and saw a hunger in his eyes. Her throat went dry and her heart began a painful hammering.
“Are you always this smart?” she whispered.
His hand fisted in her hair, but he managed to keep his tone light. “Sometimes I’m even smarter.”
She leaned fractionally closer, until their bodies were almost touching. “And while I’m busy learning how to put up with these strangers who claim to be family, what are you going to do?”
“That’s easy.” He allowed a strand of her hair to sift through his fingers. The urge to kiss her was so strong, he had to call on every ounce of willpower to resist. “I’m going to stable the horses and check the house and outbuildings. Then I’m going to have a second helping of Carmelita’s corn bread.”
“I should have known.” She pushed against him, breaking the spell. “This whole scheme wasn’t about my safety. You were just looking for an excuse to sample more of Carmelita’s good cooking.”
He stood very still, afraid to touch her. “And I should have known you’d find out the truth sooner or later.”
She turned away. But Adam continued standing in the doorway, feeling his entire body vibrating with need.
He’d manage to resist her for a while longer. But he could feel a storm brewing. And it wasn’t just in the clouds.
“You are quiet.” Carmelita placed a slice of corn bread and a steaming cup of coffee in front of Adam.
He had checked out the house and outbuildings, and had found nothing out of place. He’d taken his time rubbing down the horses and stowing Jade’s carriage in the barn. Now there was nothing to do but wait. But this was the hardest part. Being forced to spend time watching Diamond, and not being able to touch her.
“I don’t believe in talking unless I have something to say.”
“Diamond told me about the gunman. Do you suspect anyone?”
He shook his head. “It could be anyone.” Hell, he thought, it could even be Cal or one of the wranglers.
“Do you think it is you they shoot at? Or is it Diamond?”
He’d been pondering that same question for the past hour. What if the intended victim wasn’t Diamond at all? If he was the one the gunman was stalking, his presence here could prove to be a terrible mistake. The longer he stayed here, the greater the chance that he could bring harm to Diamond and these innocent women. But he couldn’t take the chance of leaving them alone.
“I hope it’s me,” he muttered before lifting the cup to his lips.
“Why do you say that?”
“I like the odds better. I’m used to looking over my shoulder. And I’ve been shot at before. Diamond, on the other hand, is headstrong and careless. I get the idea that she led a sheltered life here on the ranch.”
Carmelita smiled gently. “She would not like to hear you say that. In many ways she has known great freedom. She has done things that few young ladies have done. For the most part she has lived the life of a frisky young colt. But it is true. Her father shielded her from many things.”
They both glanced across the room, where the three young women sat together, looking distinctly uncomfortable with one another.
“Perhaps he shielded her from too many things. Now she is completely unprepared for what has been given her,” Carmelita added before walking away.
Adam rubbed the back of his neck. Who was ever prepared for what life tossed at them? He certainly hadn’t been prepared for a hellion by the name of Diamond.
He looked up at the sound of an approaching horse and cart. “Are you expecting anyone?” he asked.
With a shake of her head, Diamond got to her feet and headed for the front door. Adam followed, his gun drawn.
At the sight of a tall figure dressed in a black suit, Diamond threw open the door and sauntered onto the porch. “Uncle Chet. What brings you out here?”
“’Evening, Diamond.” He tipped his hat and bent to brush a kiss across her cheek.
His smile faded when he caught sight of Adam behind her. “Winter. What are you doing here?”
“He was —”
“Paying a neighborly call.” Adam’s tone was brusque.
“Yes.” Diamond recovered quickly. “He was paying a call.”
“Odd that you should entertain the man accused of murdering your father.”
“I wasn’t entertaining him, Uncle Chet. I was just...” Seeing Adam’s slight shake of the head, she let the words die. Linking her arm through Chester’s, she said, “Come on in. Carmelita is fixing supper.”
“I can’t stay.” He walked inside, then turned toward her father’s office. “I just came to pick up the monthly ledgers.”
“Oh, dear.” Diamond stopped short.
“What?
??s wrong?”
“Nothing. But so much has happened, I forgot about them.”
He gave her shoulder an affectionate squeeze. “No harm done, my dear. I’ll take them with me and have them tallied by tomorrow.”
Diamond was struck by a sudden inspiration. Working on her father’s ledgers would give her the perfect excuse to escape Pearl and Jade whenever the conversation got too intense. She had been wondering just how she could avoid spending the entire evening with these two strangers.
“I’m afraid I can’t let you have them, Uncle Chet.”
He lifted a brow to study her. “What are you saying?”
“I insist upon doing Pa’s books myself. I guess I see it as a test of how well I can manage on my own.”
“But that isn’t necessary, Diamond. I’m perfectly willing —”
“I won’t hear of it.” She gave him a bright, breezy smile. “I’m so sorry you came all this way for nothing, Uncle Chet. Are you sure you won’t stay for supper?”
“No.” He couldn’t hide his frustration. “It will be dark before I arrive home.” He gave a sigh of disgust. “I suppose I’ll see you soon?”
“Of course, Uncle Chet. I’ll stop by the bank in a few days.”
“Good night, then, my dear.”
He pressed another kiss to her cheek, then shot a withering look at Adam before walking out the door.
“I’m afraid Uncle Chet wasn’t too happy to see you here,” Diamond said.
“I seem to have that effect on a lot of townspeople,” Adam remarked.
Diamond shrugged. “You can hardly blame them. They just want Pa’s killer caught and punished.”
She turned, relieved to have something besides revenge to occupy her time until supper. “If Carmelita comes looking for me, tell her I’m in Pa’s room.”
Adam caught her arm and dragged her close. “Need some help?”
She hated the way her heart leaped to her throat. She was forced to swallow twice before she could manage, “No, thanks. But I’m sure Carmelita will be thrilled for your company.”