Love and Glory: The Coltrane Saga, Book 3 (9 page)

Lost in reverie, she screamed as a man’s shadow appeared in the doorway.

“Don’t be frightened,” called a familiar Virginia accent. “It’s me, Kitty. I was worried about you and I followed you.”

“Jerome!” She scrambled to her feet, furious. “How did you know I was here?” she demanded.

His voice was closer now, as he made his way across the room. “I saw you pass my store as I was closing up. I could see there was a bad storm brewing, so I decided to follow you in my carriage and offer to take you home. I had some problems with my horse’s harness, though, and you got ahead of me. This was the first shelter, and I assumed you would be here.”

“And you assumed I would want to ride with you,” she snapped. “Jerome, how many times do I have to tell you that I just don’t want your help? We can never be friends. Please leave. I’ll be on my way as soon as the rain lets up.”

“It isn’t going to let up. Not tonight. I’ve seen too many of these spring storms. You will be here till daylight, and it isn’t safe for you to continue on your way alone, anyway, not the way these lowlands flood after a rain like this.”

“I would rather take my chances with the lowlands than be alone with you, Jerome Danton.” She placed her hands on her hips. Her eyes flashed in the darkness. “I’m warning you. Get out of here and just leave me alone.”

“Or what?” He laughed. “What can you do, Kitty? We’re all alone in the midst of a raging storm. But the storm is no wilder than the one in me, the one that has been tossing around inside me since the first time I laid eyes on that beautiful body of yours.”

He lunged at her, hands groping for her breasts, squeezing roughly as his lips mashed hers.

“Now I will have you, my dear,” he whispered harshly, maneuvering his leg behind her knees to knock her off balance, lowering her quickly to the floor, and then falling on top of her.

He silenced her screams with his mouth, and when she bit his lip, he jerked the bodice of her dress down, pinching her left nipple brutally.

“Try that again, you little spitfire, and I’ll pinch it off.”

He squeezed harder, and she moaned with pain.

“You bastard!” A woman’s shriek split the stillness. “You goddamn, sneaking bastard! And you, you slutty bitch! I suspected all along you’d go after my husband the first chance you got!”

There was a sudden flash, a split-second spark, and then a lantern was lit.

“Nancy, no!” Jerome was on his knees, staggering to his feet, arms spread in a pleading gesture. “She lured me here. I had no idea what she had in mind. She—”

“Just shut your lying mouth!” Nancy cried, holding the lantern higher. “I can see well enough what was going on here. Did you think I wasn’t watching you? I followed you here, gave you just enough time so I would catch you in the act.”

“It isn’t like you think,” he repeated, beginning to recover his dignity. “You know what a conniving little hussy she is. She needs money. She tricked me. She pretended to be in trouble.”

“And you fell for it,” Nancy sneered. “Like all the other men she has charmed with her evil ways. I know her well, my husband. She has caused me pain for many years. But no more.”

Kitty had reached for the shreds of her bodice and jerked it across her. Sitting up, she faced Nancy angrily and cried, “You conceited fool! How dare you believe that I want your husband? Jerome followed me here and tried to rape me. You may rest assured I am going straight to the marshal. I will even show him the bruises on my breasts if I have to. Neither of you are going to get away with blaming me for this.” She stood up, holding the bodice across herself with her right arm.

“I am sick of you, Nancy!” Kitty’s voice cracked. Her knees were wobbling. “How many times have you hurt me? I’ve lost count. But no more.”

“Stay right where you are!”

Jerome gasped, “My God, Nancy, put that gun away!”

“I won’t use it unless she makes me,” Nancy said menacingly. “But believe me, I will use it, and I won’t have a moment’s regret.”

Kitty blinked. “You… you are
mad!”
she whispered, shaking her head.

Nancy smiled, lips curling back. Her teeth looked like fangs. “Perhaps I am mad, Kitty Wright. Having to worry about you stealing every man I ever wanted is enough to make any woman lose her mind. But I am getting rid of you once and for all. No more will you hurt me, Kitty.”

Jerome took a step forward, but Nancy waved the gun at him and screamed, “I will use this if you make me, Jerome. Now I want you to get out of here. Get out of here and get in your carriage and go back to town. I’ll handle this.”

He looked from her to Kitty uncertainly, then returned his gaze to Nancy. “I can’t leave you here like this. I can’t leave you just to shoot her, Nancy. Now put the gun away, and we can talk.”

“Talk, indeed!” Nancy laughed shrilly. “Just go home, my loving husband. I will follow you later. And don’t worry. I won’t shoot the scheming little bitch unless she forces me to.”

“But what are you going to do?” he stammered.

Nancy held the lantern high with her left hand, while her right held the gun unwaveringly pointed at Kitty. Turning her head slightly so that he could see the contemptuous look she was giving him, she said evenly, “I am losing my patience, Jerome. Get out of here. I will deal with you when I return.”

He shook his head adamantly. “No. I am not going to leave you here to do something crazy. You are my wife, and you will do as I say.”

She raised an eyebrow, eyes glittering with amusement. “Oh, so now it’s
you
giving orders, is it? Do not make me any angrier than I already am, Jerome. The only reason I haven’t shot you is that I know Kitty and the spell she casts over men. I realize you can’t help yourself. But you would be wise not to interfere. After all, you should know that I am aware of your shady dealings through the years, and if I tell what I know about your crooked business methods you will wind up behind bars for the rest of your worthless life.”

He gasped in outrage, working his lips silently before exploding, “You don’t know what the hell you’re talking about. I won’t listen to such threats.”

“You yellow-bellied bastard!” Nancy’s screams raged above the storm. “If you don’t get out of here, I’ll shoot both of you and be done with it.”

“Go ahead! Shoot her! Hang for it! They hang women, you know.”

While he was speaking, he was limping slowly backward toward the door.

“I don’t give a damn what you do, woman. You’re crazy. You’ve always been crazy. I was a fool to marry you.”

Reaching the door, he turned and lurched through it, disappearing into the howling wind and wild, driving rain.

Drenched to the skin, he reached his carriage and pulled himself up. Lost in thought, Jerome Danton did not see the figure of a man sitting atop his horse. The man watched, water dripping steadily from the brim of the hat pulled down tightly around his face. He was soaked to his bones, but he did not mind.

The man gazed steadily at the cabin, trying to make out the figures inside.

His waiting was almost over.

Chapter Five

Nancy’s smile flickered. “My, my, Kitty, I do have to admit you have some nerve. Here I stand, pointing a gun right at your heart, and you don’t appear the least bit nervous. Maybe you really are a witch, and you’ve cast a spell over yourself to make you strong and brave so you won’t give me the satisfaction of seeing you squirm.”

Kitty stared directly into her eyes without flinching. “If I could cast spells, I would have turned you into the snake you are long, long ago, Nancy.”

Nancy’s upper lip curled back over her teeth. “I don’t plan to kill you, you know. I never did. But you can talk me into it with your vicious tongue.”

“Now,” Kitty said calmly. “May we talk about this? Nancy? I am not after your husband, as you seem to think. I happen to love Travis very much. Jerome tried to rape me, and I’m glad you came along to stop him. I hope this will teach him a lesson. Now I would really like to be on my way.”

Nancy kept the gun pointed steadily at her. “Do you think I’m going to worry constantly about my husband just because you can’t hang onto Travis?”

Without giving Kitty a chance to reply, she rushed on, gloating, “I knew you would never be woman enough for a man like Travis. He only married you because you got yourself pregnant. He had to do the honorable thing. I’m not surprised he left you.” Like a coiled spring, Nancy continued, “You are not getting Jerome. He may not be the handsomest man in the world, nor the greatest lover, but he happens to be quite rich, and that is all that interests me. He belongs to me, and I’m going to keep him.”

“Do so. With my blessings.” Kitty was weary and getting angry. “Dear Lord, Nancy, I want nothing to do with Jerome. Just put that gun away and let me go home. My little boy is waiting, and I’m sure Mattie is worried sick by now.”

Nancy giggled mischievously. “Mattie is going to be even sicker, and your little boy is going to wait forever for his mommy to come home, because you aren’t going home, Kitty. Not tonight. Not tomorrow. Not ever. Once and for all, I am getting you out of my life.”

Kitty had had enough. “Then you’re going to have to use that gun, damn it, because I’m not standing around here listening to your ravings any longer.”

She walked across the cabin to where the mare was tied, unfastened the reins from the nail, and moved toward the door, leading her horse. She knew the gun might fire at any moment, but that was the chance she had to take.

Kitty and the mare moved through the door into the storm and rain outside. Suddenly Kitty froze, shock paralyzing her.

“It can’t be…” The words were torn from the depths of her soul.

The man stood a few feet away, legs spread, hands on his hips. Water still ran from his hat brim in a steady rain and his black poncho ran with water. His yellowed, chipped teeth gleamed as his lips spread in a triumphant grin.

“It
is
me, Kitty,” he chuckled. “I’ve been waitin’ a long time for this.”

“No!” She backed into the doorway again, dropping the mare’s reins. “Not you! Oh, God, not you. You’re dead. You were killed.”

“By them Injuns?” He hooted. “Naw, it’d take more than a bunch of crazy Injuns to kill me off, woman. I been around, and I figured one day we’d meet up again if you didn’t get yourself killed in the war. Now I see you’re as alive as ever and lookin’ mighty fine.”

He reached out to touch her, but she shrank away, still staring at him wildly. “Don’t touch me, Luke Tate. I’d rather die than have you touch me.”

Luke looked beyond her to where Nancy was standing, and the two exchanged grins over Kitty’s terrified state. Then Nancy walked over and handed the gun to Luke, then turned to smile at Kitty. “Luke and I are old friends, you know. He is one of the few people who remembers how Nathan and I loved each other before
you
stepped in to interfere.”

“That’s right, Nancy.” Luke nodded, his heavily hooded eyes never leaving Kitty’s stricken face. He was enjoying her fright, her submission to the inevitable. “Them two loved each other, but you’re evil. Why, hell, woman, look at all the
evil
things you made me do.”

Luke’s laugh was deep and guttural.

“I told Luke how you used to make eyes at Jerome,” Nancy continued, “and I told him how, with Travis gone, I knew you’d be after him again. He agreed to help me out…for a price.” She glanced at Luke sharply.

His response was quick and defensive. “Don’t throw that money up to me, woman. You said you wanted me to get her far away from here, and I told you I was broke. Hell, I was lookin’ to rob the bank when that fool, Bucher, got out of town, but this is a much better deal than havin’ to kill that greenhorn marshal that took his place.”

Some of the shock was subsiding, and Kitty’s anger gave her the courage to find her voice. “This is insane. I don’t know what you two devils have in mind, but you will never get away with it.”

Luke’s hand snaked out to wrap around her waist and pull her tightly against his chest. She reached up with her free hand to rake her nails down his face, screaming with rage, and he slapped her hard. Kitty sprawled to the floor as Nancy laughed shrilly.

“Oh, I’m enjoying all of this,” Nancy cried, her face mirroring triumph. “I wish I could stay and watch the fun, but I really have to get back home.”

Kitty was struggling to get up, but Luke placed his mud-caked boot on her stomach and held her on the floor. Above her screams, he called to Nancy, “Have you figured out a way to explain your pulling that much of your old man’s money out of the bank?”

“Of course. I’m just going to tell him the truth.”

Luke’s eyebrows shot up. “Are you crazy? We agreed that nobody was supposed to know I’ve been in town.”

“Well, how did I know Jerome would follow her out here tonight?” she snapped belligerently.

“I could have made up something about the money,” she rushed on, staring up into Luke’s narrowed, suspicious eyes, “but now he’s going to ask all sorts of questions when it spreads around town that Kitty is missing. The fool might think I really did kill her and hid her body. So I’ll just tell him the truth—that I paid someone to get her out of the way once and for all.”

“And what if he decides to go to the law and tell them about it?”