Savage storm (29 page)

"Well now, I heard Oregon was right pretty," Jasse mumbled to his friend.

Elmer nodded his head up and down rapidly. "Since we started out for Oregon I'd say that's where we should go."

"I'll be happy to answer your questions should you have any others," Jason offered politely, certain his gruesome tale had ended their plans of leaving the wagon train.

"No, sir. Thank you, but we got no other questions, none at all." The two men nearly broke into a run as they left, their fright plain in their terrified gaze.

Jason smiled as he turned back to the brides. "I'm sorry you had to hear that. It's a sad story and if you'd not heard it before, it's a most shocking one. But you needn't worry for I'll not allow anything so desperate to happen to you. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm out of the mood to draw and I'll have to do the rest of your portraits tomorrow."

Easily understanding his request, the girls drifted away in twos and threes whispering amongst themselves of the horrors of the Donner party's fate. They had endured considerable hardships themselves, but nothing to compare with the unspeakable suffering that group had faced.

Gabrielle waited a moment as Jason gathered up his things and then came forward. "May I see the sketch you made of

Embarrassed, Jason handed it to her. "It's not nearly good enough, Gabrielle, not half good enough. You are so much prettier than that poor drawing makes you appear."

"Why thank you." Gabrielle was pleased by his compliment but she thought the sketch quite good. "I look exactly like this,

Jason, or at least I did. That's what you're doing isn't it? Trying to make all of us look as pretty as you possibly can, as pretty as we used to be?"

"Are my motives as transparent as that?" he inquired softly. "With a few days rest and some good food, you'll all be the beauties you were. I hope none of you are worried about your appearance because I'm certainly not."

"Tell me the truth, Jason, I look frightful. I know I do." Yet Gabrielle was laughing, as if the matter were of slight concern.

"I'll not tell you what I think if you don't already know. Now give me that sketch. I promise to do a better one next time."

"Next time? You needn't make another one, Jason. This one is fine." Gabrielle saw no reason for him to draw her portrait a second time.

Jason realized if he made only one sketch he'd have none to save for himself, but that was too sad a point to ponder so he placed the drawing of her with the others. "I am the artist here, and if I'm not satisfied with my first sketch I always make another, I might make fifty before I get it right but I'll expect you to humor me and pose as often as I need you to model."

"Whatever you like, Jason. I only wanted to make things easy for you," Gabrielle stated sincerely.

"E^sy?" Jason's temper exploded at that comment. To him it was totally erroneous. "You have never made one damn thing easy for me, lady, and I doubt you ever will!" He walked back to his tent then, half the sketches completed but his mood no better than when he'd started them.

The next afternoon Jason again drew the brides' portraits, teasing them so they'd smile prettily as they posed. Gabrielle was too intrigued by his talent to stay away so she sat behind him to watch him work. She was as fascinated as before by the ease with which he captured the young women's expressions. When he turned to ask her to sit for him again, she was flattered, but tried to refuse.

"Have you finished all the others?"

"Every last one," Jason boasted proudly. "But I still want to do yours again."

Gabrielle knew if she argued she'd draw more attention to herself than if she complied with his request so she moved to where his models had been sitting without further comment. She attempted to get comfortably seated, but he wasn't satisfied and came forward to tilt her chin slightly with his fingertips.

"There. Now stop wiggling. This is difficult enough to accomplish without trying to focus upon a moving target. Now just relax, fill your mind with pleasant thoughts and hold still for a few minutes."

Gabrielle took a deep breath and, suitably composed, tried to let her mind go blank. But she was too restless, her thoughts of him far too compelling to ignore. He was so different from her. Sit still and be quiet so he can draw, she told herself. Why does he never say come and sit beside me and tell me what is on your mind? What is he afraid I will say? she wondered.

The darkness of Gabrielle's mood was readily apparent to an artist's keen eye. The line of her brow, the set of her chin were all wrong; but Jason found himself drawing her the way she looked when she smiled with delight. She had very expressive features, and as he completed his sketch he considered giving her the smoldering glance passion infused into her gaze. But he decided to attempt that when he had a few minutes alone to draw her portrait from memory. He could draw a full-length nude he realized with a chuckle. It would be superb but he'd never dare show her such a sketch for she'd insist he destroy it. Nevertheless, he promised himself to draw it at his first opportunity and keep it for his own enjoyment. Pleased with himself for having such an intriguing idea Jason offered Gabrielle a suggestion. "Try concentrating upon no more than the blue of the sky for I want you to look your best. Think how eagerly the men have been awaiting your arrival. These

drawings are supposed to whet their appetites not cool their ardor."

Gabrielle sighed impatiently. "Must you have two drawings of me? There's none of Joshua."

'That's beside the point." Jason didn't want to argue. He knew Gabrielle could be a most difficult woman when she decided to oppose him, but the sketch he'd made was quite striking despite the downcast expression she wore. "You make an interesting subject. I'd like to do a profile, but if you're not willing to pose graciously, we'd both be wasting our time."

Gabrielle glanced over at the girls who were still sitting nearby. They were watching him work and listening attentively. However, she knew the real message in Jason's words was not the obvious one. It was ridiculous to sit there seeming to be exchanging polite conversation when the emotions which flowed between them were such volatile ones.

"You've never wasted a second of my time, Mr. Royal. I'm sorry to hear you think I would waste yours." She stood up then, intent upon leaving his presence as swiftly as possible but a sudden wave of dizziness obscured her vision and plunged her into darkness.

"Gabrielle!"

Jason flew across the distance which separated them, catching her limp body in his arms just before she collapsed on the ground. She had fainted so suddenly he was terrified she might never again awaken, and he carried her to his tent rather than to her wagon. He placed her gently upon his blankets and rubbed her wrists as he called her name in a frantic plea. She was too pale, her fair skin as white as ivory, and he turned away for a moment, searching for the bottle of brandy Clayton kept for just such emergencies. Healthy young women did not faint for no reason, but Gabrielle clearly had not regained her strength since she'd left the Duffy family who were again able to care for themselves. When at last her long lashes fluttered slightly, he Ufted her head and gave her a sip of the fiery

brandy. He set the cup aside when she struggled to sit up by herself. "Just a minute, Gabrielle. You must be more careful. I don^t want to see you faint again. It was too great a scare.''

Gabrielle frowned slightly as she lifted her fingertips to her aching forehead. She was so surprised to find herself in his tent that for a moment she could not recall how she'd come to be there.

"I must have stood up too rapidly, that's all. I'll be fine now.

"Excuse me just a moment."

Jason went out to tell the young women who'd followed them that Gabrielle was fine but he wanted her to rest awhile before she returned to her wagon. Their curiosity satisfied, the girls began to disperse. Erica had gathered up his art materials and she now handed them to him before she hurried away with the others. Glad they would be alone, Jason returned to Gabrielle and knelt by her side.

"I want you to rest for an hour or two before you try to stand up. Just go to sleep and I'll call you when supper is ready."

"Fm not a baby, Jason. I don't require a nap each afternoon," Gabrielle protested immediately, not wanting his sympathy since she didn't feel she deserved it.

"Believe me I know full well that you are not a baby, but I want you to rest all the same." The color was slowly returning to her cheeks. She looked so pretty that he leaned over to kiss her lips lightly, but when his mouth touched hers he could not bear to draw away. He slipped his hand gently behind her head to hold her fast, his mouth slowly plundering hers until he had at last drunk deeply of the deUcious sweetness he had longed to savor.

Breathless, Gabrielle had to ask, "Have you become so reckless of late you will now seduce women in your own tent rather than insisting upon discretion?"

Reacting instantly to her sarcasm, Jason't expression grew stern. "Since that is not a question you should even have to

ask, I will offer no answer. Now just go to sleep and I will awaken you later as I promised." But he didn't. She was sleeping so deeply he decided to let her rest until her body's need for food caused her to awaken naturally.

Clayton was as shaken as Jason when he heard what had happened. '*0f course you were correct in bringing her here to rest. Her wagon is too busy a place to allow her the proper quiet. It is damned awkward though. She'll have to go back there before dark, I'm sure you must know that."

Jason gave his friend a long, slow glance while he wondered if Clayton truly thought men and women only found each other irresistible at night. Or perhaps actions which were considered respectable in the light of day apparently took on an alarming sense of impropriety under the moon. But he didn't bother to argue with Clayton since the man's misconceptions worked to his advantage.

'*I intend to let her sleep right where she is. Clay. The nights are warm and we'll be comfortable under the stars. I'll not awaken Gabrielle when it could be detrimental to her health. I've made no secret of the fact she's here, nor will I try to hide her presence if she stays. If there's any gossip, then I'll take the blame for it, not that lovely woman who's obviously exhausted."

Clayton took a deep breath, ready to argue the matter further until he saw the look in Jason's deep gray eyes. It was too confident for him to risk a challenge. 'The young women are my responsibiHty, Jason. If she sleeps in our tent tonight, I will stay awake to see that her dreams are not disturbed. I will then be able to squelch all gossip before it begins."

"From whom do you think you will be protecting her, just from me?" Jason chuckled at that thought. ''I've already said I won't wake her. Do you imagine I enjoy making love to unconscious women or that I have so smooth an approach she'd not awaken were I to join her in our tent? Just what sort of man do you believe me to be. Clay?"

"A damned clever one» that's what!" Clayton knew when he was heaten. He didn't persist in his arguments, hut he'd meant what he'd said ahout staying awake. Leaving Gahrielle in Jason's care was like asking a fox to guard the hen house.

While Jason's smile was a rakish one, he was far more worried about Gahrielle than he'd let anyone see. Pregnant women were prone to fainting spells; he knew that for a fact but he'd not make the mistake of asking if that were Gabrielle's problem. He knew she'd just deny it whether or not it were true. That she'd not give him so much as the satisfaction of raising his own child suddenly angered him so greatly he gave Clayton the first excuse which came to his mind.

"I want to check with everyone, see how the repairs are coming. I know you can guard Gahrielle adequately until I return."

"You can depend upon it!" Clayton called out, wanting for once to have the last word with Jason.

By the time Jason returned to his tent later that evening, he had his temper well in control. He knew it was ridiculous to be angry with Gahrielle for not telling him about a child that might not even exist, but he was deeply concerned about her frail health no matter what the cause. He would have to caution her not to overtax herself again; she was always busy doing something for her friends. He thought back over a few such instances and he realized there were many. She'd taught several to ride, given impromptu dancing lessons, even come to his defense when Iris had made some insulting innuendos. He had to laugh as he recalled that scene. Gahrielle could always be counted upon to be in the thick of things. She'd pulled Sam Duffy out of the pond without a moment's hesitation, and he knew had the Duffys not already asked for her help when Amanda fell ill, she would have been the first to volunteer to go. She seems to have time and love aplenty—for everyone but me, he thought sadly. Seeing Clayton coming out of their tent, he pushed his own jealous thoughts aside and hurried his pace.

"Is Gabrielle awake yet?"

**0h, yes. Wide awake and gone back to her wagon. She seemed fit enough to me. I think a nap was all she needed. There was no cause for you to be so worried about her health," the blond man replied confidently.

"You walked her back to her wagon yourself to make certain she arrived there safely?" Jason asked accusingly, not about to accept Clayton's assessment of Gabrielle's health.

Clayton shrugged. "No. I offered to escort her but she said it wasn't necessary."

"Then you don't know if she ever got to her wagon or not, do

Without wasting the time to tell Clayton what he thought of him for being so careless, Jason dashed through the gathering darkness toward Gabrielle's wagon, half expecting to find her lying in a crumpled heap along the way. He slid to a self-conscious halt when he found her seated alone with Paul, talking quietly while she ate the supper he'd saved for her. She looked up as he entered the circle of light thrown by their fire, her smile a sad, sweet one.

"Are you truly all right?" he finally had the presence of mind to inquire.

"Why yes. Didn't Mr. Home tell you I was?" Gabrielle was surprised by his question.