Texas Heart

  "You saved my life. You held away the evil spirits."

  She lifted his hand to her heart, and his blood raced at the contact with her breasts.

  "My life is now yours."

  "That isn't the way of my people," Danny said when he could find his voice.

  "I doctored you so you could be strong enough to return to your home."

  Her eyes widened as if she could not believe what he was saying.

  "You do not wish to keep Morning Light as your woman .9 ' “ Morning Light.

  " Danny spoke her name as reverently as a prayer.

  "I have seen in your eyes that you do not find me repulsive."“ Repulsive?

  " Danny nearly choked on the word." I think you're the prettiest girl I've ever seen.

  "Then Morning Light will be your woman."

  Danny gently shook his head.

  "I have things I have to do before I take a woman. And you have to return to your people. They'll be worried about you."

  "You do not ask how I come to be out here alone and bleeding."

  "Will you tell me?"

  She nodded her head and said softly, "I was taken by two white men to a cabin."

  She pointed to a tall distant ridge of craggy cliffs barely visible in the distance.

  "When I tried to run they shot me, then left me for dead."

  "How long have you been away from your people?"

  "The new moon has appeared for a second time," she said softly.

  "Over a month."

  "I knew my brother and his warriors would find me if I could stay alive long enough. But when I saw your horses, I hoped to steal one and tie myself to the pony until I was found by my people."

  Danny thought of the tremendous courage it would take to chance such a thing in her condition.

  "How long did you track us?"

  She held up three fingers.

  "Three days? How could you keep up?"

  "I did not sleep when you did. I took rest only When it was impossible to go on."

  "Will you stay with us, or must you leave now to find your people?"

  She released his hands and touched a finger to his cheek.

  Danny sucked in his breath and tentatively touched a hand to her face.

  She did not flinch or back away.

  "I must leave you," she said softly.

  "If you do not want me as your woman, I must go to my people."

  "How will you find them?"

  She gave him a secret, knowing smile.

  "I will follow the arc of the sun and they will find me."

  Danny pulled the hunting knife from his waist and held it out to her.

  "You'll need this."

  "How do you know I will not use it on you?"

  She gave him that mysterious smile.

  "I guess I'll just have to trust you."

  "Trust? Between a white man and a Comanche?"

  Her smile grew.

  "It's possible, isn't it?"

  Her dark eyes settled on his cool green ones for long seconds.

  Lifting the amulet from around her neck, she gently placed it around Danny's neck.

  Then she startled him by touching her cheek to his.

  Before he could react, she jumped up and backed away from him.

  "Safe journey, Danee," she said before turning away.

  Danny stood and watched as she bolted through the slowly lifting shadows of dawn.

  Within minutes she was out of sight.

  Danee.

  The sound of his name on her lips did strange things to his insides.

  He turned and noticed for the first time that Cole was awake and watching him.

  "Morning Light is gone."

  "So I see."

  Cole had seen--and heard a great deal more than he'd intended.

  "I gave her my knife," Danny said simply.

  Cole stood and began rolling up his blankets.

  If Danny was expecting an argument from Cole, he was even more surprised by his casual response.

  Over his shoulder he said, "That's good. She'll probably be needing it."

  "You're not mad? You don't mind that I just let her go?"

  "Why should I mind?"

  "You didn't want me to help her in the first place."

  Danny waited before he said with sudden knowledge.

  "You knew, didn't you? You knew that if I saved a Comanche's life, she'd offer to be my slave."

  Cole shrugged: "I figured you'd have to make your own decision about that."

  "I told her no," Danny said softly.

  "I noticed."

  Chuckling, Cole dropped an arm about the young boy's shoulders and said, "Let's grab a bath in the creek before your sister wakes up."

  As they walked away from camp, Danny asked, "What would you have done, Cole, if a Comanche offered to be your slave?"

  Cole thought about the tender scene he'd just witnessed between Morning Light and the boy who was almost a man.

  And then he thought about the damnably obstinate little woman who was driving him mad with desire.

  And about the foolish promise he'd made to her brother.

  A promise that would likely prove to be the most painful one he'd ever keep.

  "I'd have probably done the same thing you just did, son."

  He chuckled, and the warmth of his laughter lifted the last burden from Danny's young shoulders.

  "Sometimes the only thing a man can do is walk away from that much treasure, before he finds himself getting too greedy."

  As Danny dropped his clothes onto the sand, his fingers touched the Comanche amulet around his neck.

  He walked toward the water with his hand closed around the disk.

  It was still warm from the touch of Morning Light's skin.

  With a light heart he stepped into the icy water.

  He was glad now that he'd insisted on helping her.

  Because of him, she had at least a fighting chance to return to her people.

  And because of her, he had found a wealth of emotions that he had never before experienced.

  He turned and noticed for the first time that Cole was awake and watching him.

  "Morning Light is gone."

  t "So I see."

  Cole had seen--and heard--a great deal more than he'd intended.

  "I gave her my knife," Danny said simply.

  Cole st clod and began rolling up his blankets.

  If Danny was expecting an argument from Cole, he was even more surprised by his casual response.

  Over his shoulder he said, "That's good. She'll probably be needing it."

  "You're not mad? You don't mind that I just let her go?"

  "Why should I mind?"

  "You didn't want me to help her in the first place."

  Danny waited before he said with sudden knowledge.

  "You knew, didn't you? You knew that if I saved a Comanche's life, she'd offer to be my slave."

  Cole shrugged.

  "I figured you'd have to make your own decision about that."

  "I told her no," Danny said softly.

  "I noticed."

  Chuckling, Cole dropped an arm about the young boy's shoulders and said, "Let's grab a bath in the creek before your sister wakes up."

  As they walked away from camp, Danny asked, "What would you have done, Cole, if a Comanche offered to be your slave?"

  Cole thought about the tender scene he'd just witnessed between Morning Light and the boy who was almost a man.

  And then he thought about the damnably obstinate little woman who was driving him mad with desire.

  And about the foolish promise he'd made to her brother.

  A promise that would likely prove to be the most painful one he'd ever keep.

  "I'd have probably done the same thing you just did, son."

  He chuckled, and the warmth of his laughter lifted the last burden from Danny's young shoulders.

  "Sometimes the only thing a man can do is walk away from that much trea
sure, before he finds himself getting too greedy."

  As Danny dropped his clothes onto the sand, his fingers touched the Comanche amulet around his neck.

  He walked toward the water with his hand closed around the disk.

  It was still warm from the touch of Morning Light's skin.

  With a light heart he stepped into the icy water.

  He was glad now that he'd insisted on helping her.

  Because of him, she had at least a fighting chance to return to her people.

  And because of her, he had found a wealth of emotions that he had never before experienced.

  Chapter Twelve

  On the trail once more, they made good time.

  Cole and Jessie had used the time of Morning Light's recovery to hunt, and their game bags were swollen with meat.

  Thad had used the time to pamper their mounts.

  Sleek and rested, the horses took to the trail with renewed strength.

  Jessie noticed that Danny seemed at times to draw into himself.

  Though he had always been the quiet, thoughtful one, she noticed something new in his silence.

  From time to time she saw him watching her as she rode beside Cole.

  Her brother wore a watchful, knowing expression that puzzled her.

  Danny found himself looking at Cole Matthews through · new eyes.

  Was it possible that this hardened gunman felt the same sort of tenderness for Jessie that he felt toward Morning Light?

  Did all men feel this gentleness, this need to protect?

  Or was he experiencing something so special, so wonderful, that no one in the world could feel quite the same way?

  (i It didn't seem possible that a tough man like Cole Matthews could feel anything this fine about Jessie.

  After all, Danny had seen the way Cole had boldly taken her into his arms and kissed her with a kind of savage hunger.

  Such actions didn't speak of tenderness.

  Still, underneath the tender feelings that had curled in the pit of Danny's stomach, there had been a primitive yearning to pull the Comanche maiden close and press his lips to hers.

  Maybe if he was as old and experienced as Cole, he would have found the courage to do just that.

  In the evening as they sat around the camp fire, sipping the last of the coffee, Danny began to notice the way Cole's gaze followed Jessie's every move.

  When she bent to stoke the fire or to clear away their evening meal, Cole's opaque eyes narrowed in concentration.

  Danny thought about the promise he'd exacted from Cole after their fight.

  Something told him that despite the fact that Cole Was a gunman on the run, he was also a man who would keep his promise.

  No matter what it cost him.

  "You're awfully quiet, Danny."

  Jessie looked up from the blanket she was mending.

  "Just thinking."

  "About anything special?"

  He frowned.

  "Naw."

  He stood.

  "Think I'll check the horses."

  "I just'checked them before supper," Thad chirped.

  "I'll check them again."

  As he strolled away, Jessie watched him with a puzzled look.

  "What's wrong with Danny lately?"

  "Leave him be," Cole growled.

  "He's just growing up."

  "How about me?"

  Thad climbed into'his blankets.

  "Don't you think I'm growing up, too?"

  "You sure are, Half-pint. I'll bet you've grown at least an inch since I first saw you."

  The little boy's face was wreathed with smiles as he settled in for the night.

  Jessie kissed her little brother and heard his prayers for their safety and that of their pa.

  Though he pretended to be busy with a frayed stirrup, Cole found himself grinning at the little boy's fervent words.

  When Thad was carefully tucked in for the night, Jessie returned to her mending.

  "That doesn't answer my question, Cole. Do you know why Danny has become so moody?"

  "He'll be fine. He just has a lot on his mind."

  From his tone, Jessie knew that Cole had no intention of discussing her brother any further.

  With a little snort of disgust, she bit the end of the thread and tucked her precious spool and needle into her saddlebag.

  Then she crawled between the blankets beside Thad.

  She was too tired and saddle weary to give another thought to Danny's growing pains.

  The tall grasses of the Texas Plains came up nearly to the horses' bellies.

  As far as the eye could see, the land undulated with waves of green, brown, russet.

  For the past two days the furnacelike air of early autumn had been heavy, almost suffocating.

  As they topped a ridge of prairie grass, Jessie noticed a strange odor.

  She reined in her mount and searched for a sign of Cole.

  He had ridden ahead to scout the trail.

  Her horse, normally surefooted and obedient, suddenly threw his head, nearly tossing her from the saddle.

  It took all her skill to bring the skittish animal under control.

  For long minutes she soothed him, stroking his neck, speaking softly, until he stopped fighting her.

  But even when the horse had stilled, his nostrils flared and his head tossed as he trembled beneath her hands.

  Standing in the stirrups, Jessie saw Cole far ahead, moving toward them at a fast clip.

  She relaxed then, knowing that if there was any trouble, Cole would be the first to spot it.

  If the trouble were immediate, they had a prearranged signal.

  Cole would fire a single shot that was meant to send them racing in the opposite direction.

  She wiped a sleeve across her brow and replaced the hat that was already damp with sweat.

  Would there be no relief from the oppressive heat?

  Glancing skyward, she was surprised to note a dark cloud approaching from the north.

  Even while she watched, the cloud turned inky black, its outer edges taking on a greenish cast.

  In front of it rolled what appeared to be a blue mist of smoke.

  She heard Cole's shouts.

  "Take cover. Quick. Find some rocks."

  Without waiting to ask questions, Jessie turned her mount and raced back to where Danny and Thad were slowly following her trail.

  "Quickly," she shouted, turning her horse from the trail toward an outcropping of rocks.

  "There's some sort of trouble. This way."

  The two boys spurred their mounts to follow.

  By the time they dismounted, Jessie had discovered a small low cave carved in .

  the rocks.

  With luck, there might be just enough room to allow the horses to enter.

  A minute later Cole reined in his horse.

  "We have no time to waste," he shouted, sliding from the saddle.

  "Find as many logs and tree branches as you can. Haul them into the shelter of these rocks."

  "What is it?"

  Jessie asked.

  "What's happening?"

  "Blue norther," he called over his shoulder before scurrying among the boulders.

  Jessie froze in her tracks.

  All her life she had heard stories about the terrible storms the Texans called the blue norther.

  With no warning, frigid arctic winds would blow across the plains, freezing everything in their path.

  Men and cattle froze to death before the winds blew themselves out, leaving a path of death and destruction for hundreds of miles across the Texas Plains.

  While Thad led their horses inside the small cave Jessie, Danny and Cole hurried among the rocks, searching for every piece of firewood they could find.

  Within minutes the sky was as black as night.

  By the time the first icy winds struck, Cole ordered Danny into the cave.

  "Where's Jessie?"

  Cole stared around the gloom of t
he cave.

  Danny dumped a load of firewood on the floor of the cave and brushed his hands on the seat of his pants.

  "Still getting wood, I guess."' Cole bit back the torrent of oaths that sprang to his lips." I thought she was in here with Thad.

  Don't either of you leave this place," he bellowed." No matter what!

  " Before they could protest, he was gone.

  The sky was so dark Cole could barely make out the shape of the trees that swayed in the wind.

  "Jessie!"

  Cupping his hands to his mouth, Cole shouted into the wind and swore violently when he realized that his words were being whipped away as soon as they were out of his mouth.

  Taking his pistol from its holster, he fired and stood very still, listening to the report echo and reecho across the hills.

  The wind picked up, bending the trees nearly to the ground.

  Just when he began to despair of ever finding her, he heard the sound of a gunshot.

  He turned and began running in the direction of the sound.

  "Jessie!"

  Again and again he called her name, then stopped in his tracks.

  Had he heard something?

  He called again and fired his pistol a second time.

  Closer now, he heard another gunshot.

  With his heart pounding in his chest, he stepped to the edge of a ravine and peered through the blackness.

  "Jessie, are you down there?"

  "Yes. Oh, Cole. Thank God, you're here. I slipped and fell."

  As he strained through the darkness, he could see that she was lying on a narrow rock ledge.

  "Are you hurt?"

  His heart actually stopped beating until he heard her feeble response.

  "No. I just had the wind knocked out of me. But there's no way to get back up."

  "Don't move. Stay right there. I'll think of something."

  He had no idea what he would do.

  In the darkness he stumbled around, fighting the wind and the terrible cold that seemed to engulf him like a tomb of ice.

  He nearly stumbled over the tree limb, then bent and tested its strength.

  Lowering it, he shouted, "Are you able to stand?"

  The wait for her reply seemed like an eternity.

  But at last Jessie's voice could be heard above the thundering wind.

  "I think I can. It's pretty narrow down here, but I think there's room to stand."

  "Can you hold on to this branch?"

  At last he felt a tug on the limb and knew that Jessie had found it in the darkness.

  "Yes. I have it."