Archer, Jane (33 page)

About dawn, Alexandra and Cookie sat down at the table to rest and eat. Both showed the ravages of the night before, but still they were both light-hearted for they had helped save the Bar J. They heard more horses outside and in a moment Jake and Lamar entered, looking exhausted.

Jake smiled tentatively at Alexandra as he walked in, his hat in his hand, cursing himself inwardly for feeling like a young school boy with his first girl. There was something wrong with Alexandra, but he couldn't figure it out. He wanted to part friends. He liked her spunk and she'd helped to save the ranch last night, even endangering her own life. Of course, in a way she'd been the cause of it, too. He knew he'd be better off when she was out of his life and he wished he could be more pleased about their parting in San Antonio.

Looking from Alexandra to Cookie, Jake said, "The herd's okay. We'll point them toward San Antonio tomorrow at first light."

Cookie grinned, then said, "Great. I'll be ready. Soon as you two are fed, I'll get back down to the outfit. Those boys will be hungry again in no time."

Alexandra stood up. "Let me fix those wounds for you, Jake."

Alexandra began to wash Jake's face. She tried not to notice the hard lines etched there that had become so familiar to her, or the blond hair that had formed a stubble of beard. Fortunately, the cut was not deep and would leave no scar, she thought, then turned her thoughts away from his future. She'd never see the wound healed.

"Take off your shirt, Jake," she said softly, trying to still her heart as it suddenly began beating faster. She touched his golden brown skin as she washed the dried blood away from the cuts. He caught his breath, his muscles tightening, and she knew it was painful for him. She wrapped white cloth around the wounds to protect them from dirt.

"That's the most I can do. You'll be fine."

And before she'd had time to move away from him, he put his large strong hand on her arm and said, "Thanks, Alex. You proved that you're a true Texan last night."

She jerked away from him and stood up. "I'm from New York and I'd have done as much for anyone who needed help," she said abruptly, then turned and left the room, so he could not see her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

Chapter 23

Later that morning there was a furious clatter of horsehoofs that came to an abrupt stop just outside the hacienda.

Alexandra was instantly alert. She knew it couldn't be anyone from the Bar J. They were all down with the herd.

In the main room she grabbed up a rifle, checked to make sure it was loaded, then calmly walked outside. The rider still sat on his horse and the sight that approached him did not make him anxious to get down. He almost didn't recognize Alexandra as she walked toward him, the gun aimed and handled surely. Her face was darker and her green eyes were hard, sharp in the morning sun.

As their eyes met over the muzzle of her gun, he smiled shyly and said, "Surely you're not going to shoot
me,
Miss Alexandra, not when I've come to rescue you."

"Lieutenant Blake!" she said, realizing who the rider was. "Now what's this about rescuing me?" she asked, lowering the gun.

He got off his horse and strode over to her. "Miss Alexandra, you surely don't believe that I could have forgotten you and your plight here. I returned as quickly as I could after explaining the problem to the major."

"Thank you, lieutenant, but I've been all right, truly."

"You do want to leave, though, don't you?"

Alexandra felt her heart pound hard, knowing the answer she must give. "Yes, I want to leave," she whispered.

"Good! I'm mighty glad. I'll take good care of you, Miss Alexandra. I'll treat you like the lady you are," the lieutenant said happily.

"Thank you, Lieutenant Blake. I'm sure I can depend on you to be a gentleman."

"That you can, Miss Alexandra. But we'd better go now. They're down with the herd and if we leave now we'll get a good day's start on them if they decide to follow you."

"Oh, I don't believe they will, lieutenant. You see, they're due to point the herd for San Antonio tomorrow morning. Nothing would make Jake Jarmon abandon that herd. We'll be quite safe."

"Nevertheless, I'd feel better—"

"Very well. Why don't you water your horse while I get my things."

Lieutenant Blake watched her a moment as she turned and walked back toward the hacienda. She sure had changed, he thought. It must have been mighty rough on her, a girl so gently bred. Well, he'd take her out of all this. Take her back to civilization where she belonged and then court her, make her love him.

Alexandra did not linger in the hacienda. Her mind was made up and there was no turning back. She would rather leave Jake now, than have him leave her in San Antonio. Besides, here was the lieutenant, a handsome man, anxious to protect her. She would get him to marry her, be the father of her child. And he would never give her any trouble. She could control him. So, her problems were all solved by the timely arrival of Lieutenant Blake. Why, then, did she still feel the hard knot in the pit of her stomach and why did her heart ache so?

But she had no answers and refused to look for any.

She hurried into the bedroom she shared with Jake where she splashed cool water on her face and replaited her hair. She would have room for none of her clothing. The riding habit she wore would be fine for the trip. All she needed was some money which she took out of her valise and slipped into the pocket of her riding skirt. Lovingly, she picked up the Norwegian medallion and slipped it around her neck, tucking it safely inside. Every- thing else she would leave. Picking up her gloves and sombrero, she was ready to go.

She looked neither right nor left as she walked through the hacienda. It was over here and she wanted no memories.

Lieutenant Blake helped her up into the saddle of her horse, and they were on their way.

Lieutenant Blake knew his way, guiding Alexandra away from the hacienda all morning, taking her constantly east. The route was similar to the one they'd taken coming from Corpus Christi the first time, but Alexandra didn't realize this for the mesquite country all looked alike to her. In her rides over the Bar J she had not come this far east. She wouldn't mind staying in Brownsville for a while. She would be safe from Giles and Stan with the cavalry and Lieutenant Blake. Eventually she would go back to New York, but for the moment she didn't want to leave Texas. She didn't know what hold the hot, dry land had on her, but she felt as if they were kindred spirits.

The morning was long and Alexandra began to ache in her legs, her hips, her back as they continued to ride, always east away from the Bar J. She wasn't used to riding for such long periods and although she tried to keep up with the lieutenant who still sat his horse as if they were just beginning their ride, she finally called to him,

"Lieutenant Blake, please, can we rest? I'm exhausted."

He glanced over at her, frowning slightly. "I suppose so, Miss Alexandra, but we have a long way yet to go before we reach camp. I don't want to be caught by the Jarmons."

"I've told you, lieutenant. They aren't coming. We needn't rush so. Brownsville will still be there when we arrive."

He glanced at her closely, then shrugged before looking around them and heading his horse to a clump of mesquite. He stopped, then got down to help Alexandra off her horse. Her legs gave under her and she fell against him. He picked her up in his arms and carried her over to the slight shade and set her down, his face set in worried lines.

"Why didn't you say something sooner, Miss Alexandra? I didn't know. I'm so used to riding."

"It's all right, lieutenant."

"You just rest here and I'll get some water and dried beef. That's all I brought."

"That's fine," Alexandra said as she reached down to rub her legs.

"You sure you can go on, Miss Alexandra?" the lieutenant asked when Alexandra had finished eating.

She smiled at him. "Yes, I'm better now."

They rode on and on, ever further from the Bar J. Alexandra was so tired she could hardly stay in the saddle.

"It's not far now, Miss Alexandra. I know you're tired, but you can rest this evening. Can you make it a little longer?"

She looked over at his face, the last rays of the sun showing his own tiredness mingled with his concern for her. She smiled unsteadily. "Yes.

We've come this far. I'll make it, but you'll have to get me off my horse."

He laughed shortly. "I'll be happy to do that, Miss Alexandra. And we'll take it easier from now on to Brownsville. I just wanted to be off Bar J property and have a good start on the Jarmons."

She smiled weakly, shaking her head. He just wouldn't believe that Jake would not come for her. It was over.

Finally, when night covered the flat Texas prairie, they arrived at the camp Lieutenant Blake had so steadfastly led them toward all day. Alexandra could see the campfire ahead and was grateful for the comfort it would offer in the great expanse of night. She would be only too glad to rest, eat and sleep. Lieutenant Blake slowed his horse so that Alexandra could ride in beside him.

"We're here, Miss Alexandra. You'll be all right now. Some friends of yours have agreed to help us. I was lucky to meet up with them. They set up the camp, and they'll go back with us to Brownsville."

Alexandra opened her mouth to protest. She had no friends in Texas. But they were already within the camp. Two men stood up, then walked forward, the light of the campfire behind them casting their bodies in shadows that loomed large and menacing.

Suddenly Alexandra felt apprehensive. There was something familiar about the forms that approached them. She jerked the horse's reins, starting to turn around. But she was too slow. Four strong hands shot out, grabbing the horse's reins, pulling the animal back.

"Now, Alexandra, you wouldn't run away again, would you?" a smooth eastern voice chided her.

"Stan!"

"At your service, my dear."

"And would you run away from me also, chérie?" a slow melodious voice of the South be-seeched her.

"Giles!"

"Only for you would I come so far, or endure so much."

"Oh,
no.
No!" Alexandra sobbed, her voice catching with emotion.

"Gentlemen, you've startled Miss Alexandra. I know it must be a shock for you, my dear, but then they wanted to surprise you, knowing how happy it would make you," Lieutenant Blake said.

"Happy?
Happy,
Lieutenant Blake?"

"Indeed. Now, gentlemen, we must let Miss Alexandra rest. She's not as strong as we are and it's been a long, hard day."

"Sure. Sure, Blake," Stan said, stepping back from Alexandra's horse, and Giles also moved to the other side of her pony.

Lieutenant Blake got off his horse, then walked toward Alexandra. "I'll have you down in just a minute, Miss Alexandra. Then, you can—" he started to say, but his words were lost in the belching of a gun as it went off in his back. Puzzled, he looked up at Alexandra for a brief moment before he fell forward on his face, dead.

"No! Oh, Stan, no," Alexandra cried, watching Stan quickly pocket the gun before kicking the lieutenant's body over to make sure he was dead.

Afterward, she thought that she should have known they were going to do something ugly when Stan stepped back and Giles moved to the side. If she hadn't been so tired, or if she hadn't forgotten just how ruthless they were, she might have warned Lieutenant Blake. Now it was too late. Oh, she should have suspected. The lieutenant hadn't known them as she did. She looked down at his handsome face, now smudged with dirt, a large red stain on his chest. Lieutenant Blake would never ride beside her again, protecting her in his kindly way.

"Come, Alexandra," Stan said as he reached up for her, "the man meant nothing to you."

"There was no need to kill him, Stan," she said, struggling against his hands as they encircled her waist to lift her down.

"Of course there was. He would have raised heaven and hell to get you back, and he was in the cavalry. Unfortunately, we needed him to bring you to us, or we'd not have bothered with him at all."

Growing impatient with her struggles, however feeble, he jerked Alexandra down and she fell weakly against him. He lifted her in his arms and strode into camp. He set her down near the fire where Giles was busily filling a plate of food. In a moment, he turned to Alexandra and handed the tin plate to her.

"Eat up, Alexandra, ma chère. You must be very tired and hungry."

He also handed her a strong cup of coffee laced with brandy. She wanted to refuse the food, the coffee, but she was starved, her stomach felt caved in, and if she didn't regain her strength, she'd never be able to figure out a way to escape. She simply had to eat and sleep in order to be able to flee.

Stan had taken the lieutenant's saddle and bridle off his horse and was now doing the same to Alexandra's mustang. She was glad he would let the horses rest, too. She watched him, her mind sleepily unconcerned, then suddenly gasped as she saw him hit each animal on the rump, sending them flying into the night.

She sat up in alarm. "What do you mean by running off my mustang?" Alexandra asked angrily, her eyes flashing a brilliant green in the firelight.

"Now, we couldn't very well go about with a cavalry branded animal, now could we, my dear? And your mustang hardly suits us either."

"They were good horses," she said stubbornly.

"I'm sure they were, my dear," Stan said as he walked over to her, carrying a length of rope. "Now, if you'll just hold out your hands, we'll be done here."

"What?"

"I'm going to tie your hands, Alexandra. You certainly don't expect me to trust you."

Alexandra scooted back, then tried to crawl away, but her body was weak, almost lifeless. He grabbed at her, but she kept moving her arms, her legs, jerking them out of his reach. Finally, exasperated, he called for Giles. Soon, they had her pinned down and Stan tied her hands roughly, tightly in front of her.

They stood up, satisfied. Alexandra pushed herself to a sitting position, her eyes glaring at them as they turned from her. She sat by the campfire helplessly. If only she could rest, then she could think, make plans, but at the moment her mind wouldn't work. She shut her eyes, too tired to even care what her captors were doing.