Delilah's Flame (24 page)

Rogue whinnied like a colt and alternately stamped his front feet. Tabor rubbed a hand over the stallion’s soft muzzle, slipping a chunk of apple into Rogue’s mouth.

“The horse likes him,” Clement remarked.

“Damned if he don’t.” Gus propped his elbows on the paddock fence. “Let’s see if he’ll take that saddle.”

Tabor stroked beneath the thick mane. The stallion was in superb form. He had put back the weight the trail had taken off him. His coat shone like polished ebony. His eyes shone with excitement at seeing his master.

“Reckon we’re going to have to put on a little show, Admiral,” Tabor whispered to the stallion. “Guess I’m going to have to start calling you Rogue, huh?” His hand progressed over a muscled shoulder. “Think you can kick up your heels some?” The horse nudged Tabor’s side with his nose. “A little ruckus when I put this saddle on would be good.” Gently he stroked Rogue’s withers. The horse flicked his skin as if trying to unseat a fly. When Tabor tossed a blanket on his back, Rogue snorted.

“Watch him. He can kick a mile.” Gus broke out in a grin as Rogue sidestepped when Tabor lifted the saddle. He hoped the boy could get the girth cinched and get astride for a ride. For anybody else to saddle Rogue, the horse had to be maneuvered into a chute. For the length of time anybody stayed on him, the saddling hadn’t been worth the trouble. He didn’t want to see Tabor hurt, but a good bronco ride provided entertainment for an old wrangler.

Tabor slung the saddle on Rogue. The horse shook, but not hard enough to knock the saddle from his back. Tabor quickly stepped in and pulled the girth beneath the sleek belly, cinched it, and hooked it tight. Rogue, who never took kindly to the saddle at first, made a couple of hopping steps with his rear legs. Tabor stepped back, knowing the horse would settle down in a few minutes.

“Need a blindfold on him?” Clement asked, pulling a bandanna from around his neck.

Tabor stroked the black muzzle again, then stepped to the horse’s side. He paused before fitting his foot in the stirrup. “I think a blindfold would scare him.”

Clement retied his bandanna and chuckled. If he were mounting Rogue he’d want the blindfold for himself. “Take it easy on my horse,” he called.

Tabor smiled, figuring both Clement and Gus thought his success so far was pure luck. His real worry was that the stallion wouldn’t cooperate in this sham. Hopefully he touched his heels to a sensitive place on Rogue’s sides. Usually contact there started the stallion bucking. Rogue snorted and stomped his back legs. Tabor frowned, wondering if the horse’s tolerance was because he was glad to see him. He dug his heels in deeper.

Rogue answered with a shrill cry and a cavorting buck worthy of any wild range pony. He sunfished, spun, dived his head, and shot his rear hooves high. Tabor had all he could do to stay in the saddle and was glad when he had hung on long enough to impress even a skeptic. To calm the stallion, he whispered a few soothing words. Rogue, who had enjoyed frolicking with his master, obediently settled into a gallop. Tabor took him several turns around the paddock. When finally pulled to a stop, the stallion crooked his neck around and took a long look at his rider. Tabor, catching his breath and making sure his bones weren’t rearranged, could have sworn the horse grinned.

“That’s enough for today, boy,” Tabor said. “Wouldn’t want anyone to notice how quick you’re catching on to this.”

“Good ride!” Gus shouted, giving Tabor a smile of approval. He waved the stableboys, who had poured outside to watch, back to work.

“Looks like you’ve got the worst of it over,” Clement said as Tabor rode the horse up close.

“Sure hope so.” Tabor swung down from the saddle and sidled up to the fence. “Much more of that I’d need a new set of teeth.”

Clement laughed. “He’s strong and he’s smart. I think he figured out I wouldn’t let him near the mares until he was broken. Lucky for you he decided that today.”

Tabor nodded, glad he and Rogue had managed to put on a convincing performance. “I’ll be out every day to work with him. He’s smart, like you say. I’ll start getting him used to different riders. In a couple of weeks I think I can have him gentle enough for the ladies to ride.”

Ching walked up and handed Tabor the black hat that had sailed over the fence when Rogue took off. Tabor noted Ching’s eyes taking in the symbol on the silver disk. It wasn’t the first time he had felt Damon’s companion was sizing him up. Smiling, he thanked Ching, dusted his hat, and put it on, wondering what thoughts disturbed the Chinese’s mind.

“You know, I really appreciate this, Tabor.” Clement talked as Tabor unsaddled Rogue and handed him over to a groom, who cautiously led the horse into the stable for a rubdown. “If you hadn’t offered to break him, I might have been forced to geld a fine stallion.”

Tabor grinned, hoping Rogue appreciated being rescued from that fate. “He’ll give you good colts,” he said to Clement.

“And you get the first pick of them.” Clement raised his hand to silence the refusal he saw coming. “You’ll have earned him by the time you gentle this stallion. Since you won’t let me pay you for the job, I insist.”

“Well, then, you’ve talked me into it,” Tabor said. He liked Clement. The man was generous to those he employed and to his friends. His questions at the hotel had all brought about the same response: Clement Damon was a fine, honest man. In Damon enterprises, a man, any man, got respect and the best wages around. Of course, those same sources described Lilah as the untouchable Miss Damon who had broken more hearts and turned away more suitors than any other woman in San Francisco.

What confounded Tabor was that Clement had turned out such a daughter, one who clandestinely led a dual life right under his nose. The poor man would likely be devastated to learn what she had been doing while he thought she was in St. Louis. He sure wouldn’t tell him and break the old man’s heart. But he didn’t see why Delilah—Lilah—should know he thought that much of her father.

Clement rolled along on one side of the fence while Tabor walked along the other. “I’d like for you to come and stay at the Damon House while you’re working with the horse. It’ll save you a ride out every day.”

Tabor turned and looked at Clement’s face. The kind eyes, the sincere smile, jabbed at his conscience. He came close to turning down the offer, but the thought of being so conveniently close to Lilah stopped him. He told himself he wanted the chance to know more about her, perhaps figure out what need drove her into a secret life as Delilah. He wasn’t yet ready to admit, especially to himself, that his interest in her ran deeper than simply satisfying curiosity and evening up a score.

“That’s thoughtful of you.” Tabor stopped and propped a leg on the lowest fence rail. He took out his cigarette makings, lapsing silent as he rolled up the tobacco. “I’ll bring my gear along tomorrow when I ride out.” When he had the cigarette lighted, he cocked his head to one side and spoke offhandedly to Clement. “I thought maybe since Lilah gave you the stallion she’d be out to watch the first ride.”

Clement’s easy smile returned. He had a feeling Tabor Stanton was set to give Barrett a run for his money over Lilah. “Horse breaking’s a mite too violent for Lilah. She’s a quiet girl and she’s skittish around even well-behaved horses. Had a bad experience as a child,” he said, but didn’t elaborate. “Darling’s about as gentle a horse as they come. Lilah doesn’t much like riding any other.”

“I see,” Tabor responded, again thinking Clement hardly knew his daughter at all if he thought her a quiet type. He wondered how she would take to having him as a houseguest. He asked Clement about it. “You don’t think Lilah or Dinah will mind if I stay at the house?”

Clement chuckled. “I’m sure they will both be happy to have another guest. Emily’s leaving at the end of the week,” he added. “We’ll all enjoy having someone to liven up the place. Which brings me to another thing. I’m giving a party for Emily on Thursday night.” His smile deepened as he thought what an interesting night that would be, when Tabor met Barrett. “You’ll attend, of course. It’s a fancy to-do, the kind of thing Emily’s accustomed to in London. Dancing and such. You dance?”

Tabor half-smiled. “I do a reasonable step or two.”

“Good.” Clement patted the arms of his chair. “You can cover all my obligations on the dance floor.”

*     *     *

“Papa.” Lilah’s anxious eyes met her father’s twinkling ones. “Where will we put another guest?”

He exhaled a long breath. How many times had he remarked that Lilah never got flustered? And here she was getting fitful over having one more houseguest. He believed he would enjoy having Tabor at Damon House. Lilah was attracted to Tabor, and Tabor to Lilah. Neither one of them seemed to know what to make of the situation. However, the rather static courtship between them was proving to be amusing.

“This house has twelve bedrooms,” he said flatly. “Surely one is available for Mr. Stanton.”

“We do have other guests staying the night of the ball,” Lilah reminded.

“I know. Five couples who will require five rooms. By my count, adding the four already occupied, that leaves three vacant bedrooms. Is something wrong with those three?”

“No, Papa,” Lilah said sheepishly. “It isn’t that. It’s...”

“What?” Clement rolled his eyes. “Don’t tell me all this fuss is because you can’t decide which one to give Tabor.”

Lilah gave up, realizing she had no valid reason to offer her father for not wanting Tabor in the house. If he had to be in Damon House, she would put him as far away from her as possible, in the suite on the third floor.

“I’ll have the maid make a room ready,” she said listlessly. “I suppose Tabor will be at dinner every night while he’s here.”

“I suppose he will,” Clement said, holding back a laugh. “And at breakfast and at lunch. I don’t expect him to go hungry at Damon House.”

Clement felt sure Lilah was afraid of her interest in Tabor. The girl was so methodical about everything she did, that now the slightest interruption of her plans threw her into a dither. She needed to learn you couldn’t plan the way you’d feel about someone the way you planned the outfit you’d wear. He rather hated seeing Lilah suppress all the liveliness she’d had as a child. He’d like to see that bright spirit shine through, as it had in her mother.

Maybe Lilah was concerned about offending Barrett. But she wasn’t officially engaged yet. Later, perhaps, he would tell her the story of his and Marie’s elopement, how her mother had broken an engagement and scandalously run off with the man she loved. In the meantime, a little competition would do Barrett some good. Having to overcome a few obstacles before getting his hands on the Damon fortune would help toughen Barrett. Yes. Clement’s laugh broke out. He was surely going to enjoy having Tabor around.

*     *     *

The royal-blue Worth gown was a gift from Aunt Emily, the sapphires and diamonds a present from her father on her eighteenth birthday. Bess pinned Lilah’s curls high and helped her slip on the long silk gloves. Lilah had her mind made up to spend the evening at Barrett’s side. She considered briefly telling Barrett of Tabor’s sordid demand on her, but decided Tabor would simply counter by revealing she was Delilah. In the end she would lose her fiancé and put her papa at risk. But she would be cool to Tabor as she had been the few days he’d been at Damon House.

The family, as was the custom before such events, met in the drawing room for a few moments alone before guests began arriving. Lilah’s smile fled as she saw that her father had invited Tabor to join them. Nevertheless, she hastened to Clement’s side and told him how elegant he looked in his evening clothes.

“I had hoped Barrett would arrive early,” she said quite loudly and primarily for Tabor’s ears. “Mr. Fenton is my fiancé,” she went on, directing a haughty look at Tabor.

“He isn’t really,” Dinah piped in. She wanted that fact clear to Tabor. “Lilah keeps putting him off.”

Color flared in Lilah’s cheeks, though nobody saw or appreciated it but Tabor. He smiled to himself. “In that case, Lilah—” He let her name roll slowly off his tongue. “—you won’t feel uncomfortable accepting flowers from another man.” Stepping forward, he presented her with a corsage of white rosebuds tied up in blue ribbon and sprigged with violets.

Dinah hurried up to the pair. “I’ll help you pin that on,” she said gaily. “Isn’t Tabor the sweetest thing? He had corsages made for all three of us.”

While Dinah pinned the corsage at her waist, Lilah glanced at Emily, whose face, like Dinah’s, glowed with praise for Tabor’s thoughtfulness. Emily wore a corsage of tiny pink roses pinned to her glove at the wrist. Dinah wore one of yellow roses and green ribbons at the waist of her pale yellow satin gown. Even Papa had a white rosebud tucked into his buttonhole. Lilah wondered if Tabor had supplied that one too, as another pointed reminder of the night she had told him white roses were her favorite flower.

“Thank you,” she said icily. Dinah led her to the mirror and insisted she look at herself. Tabor’s reflection loomed overpoweringly behind hers, his face glowing with a self-satisfied smile. The corsage was beautiful and it complemented her gown, but she refused to say so. Dinah and Emily had compliments to spare for Tabor. He could do without hers.

“I hope each of you ladies will save several dances for me,” Tabor said gallantly.

“Of course they will,” came Clement’s good-natured response. He delighted in seeing his daughters dressed like royalty. His chest swelled with pride as he admired his two beautiful daughters. How he wished their mother could see them, especially Lilah. Tonight she looked so much like Marie—just seeing her brought him a nostalgic ray of happiness.

Lilah spun around. “I’m sorry,” she said, shaking her head. “I’m afraid mine are promised.”

“Not all of them,” Dinah offered. “Barrett promised one to me and, of course, he’ll want to dance with Aunt Emily.” She smiled sweetly. “So you may save those two for Tabor.”

Tabor nodded, convincing Lilah he had every intention of claiming those two dances. With a little huff she turned back to the mirror, but there was his face again, mocking her with a smile. Lilah hastened to the empty seat on the settee beside Emily, the one Tabor had vacated when she entered the room.