Tarnished Angel (29 page)

    ''So, you made it back, Jake." Ross eyed his friend with an assessing gaze. "I don't have to ask you where you've been. This is the first time I've seen you without a frown on your face for a week."

    "That so, Ross? When it comes to
frowin
', I
kinda
think that's the pot
callin
' the kettle black."

    Ross chose to ignore Jake's retort. "I thought you said you weren't going to see that girl anymore."

    "Yeah, I suppose I said that."

    Ross gave a low snort. "Well, I guess there's no use in making yourself suffer. Everything she told you was true."

    "I suppose."

    Ross took only a moment to judge his friend's response. Jake still had reservations about the girl, but he couldn't stay away from her. Hell, the poor bastard was really in a fix.

    Ross walked into the cabin, straight toward the fire and the coffeepot that hung over it. Damn, it had been a long day. He poured himself a cup, grateful that Harry and Mack had had the foresight to fill it before they took off. He drank deep and long before he spoke again. "Well, I'm glad to see that little girl took care of you, Jake."

    "Yeah, that she did. And she told me
somethin
' that'll give you a good laugh, too."

    "A good laugh?"

    "Yeah. She told me about the party Dale's
plannin
'."

    Startled, Ross slowly lowered his cup. "Dale's planning a party?"

    "Yeah, on Saturday night. Can you beat that? Lai Hua says it's really just for show. He doesn't want to give us the satisfaction of
thinkin
' he's worried about the robberies. She says it's
goin
' to be the biggest damned party Tombstone has ever seen. Dale's hired all kinds of help, and just about everybody who means
anythin
' in Tombstone is
goin
'."

    Ross could feel the adrenaline pulsing through his veins. His heart was beginning to pound.

    "I suppose that means there'll be all kinds of commotion, with people walking in and out of the house, and strolling in that big, beautiful garden he went to such pains to put in."

    "I suppose…"

    "And do you suppose Charles Carter is invited to the party?"

    Jake was beginning to frown again. "Yeah, I suppose
Carter'll
be there. You know damned well he's sweet on the Dale girl. You told me yourself he's been there almost every day for the last week."

    "So I suppose we can depend on him being there…"

    Jake took an anxious step forward. "Ross, you aren't
thinkin
' what I think you're
thinkin
'…"

    Suddenly Ross was no longer frowning. The harsh lines of his face were lifting into a smile, the creases deepening into the incongruous dimples that erased years from the sharp contours of his face. He was laughing. Damn, he hadn't felt this good in a long time.

   "Ross…"

    Bringing his laughter under control, Ross clamped a strong hand on Jake's shoulder. "How would you like to go to a party, Jake?"

    "Ross, you're crazy! You'll never get away with it!"

    But Ross wasn't listening. His mind was moving far ahead to Saturday night and the fun he was going to have. Damn, he could hardly wait.

Chapter XI

    Harvey stood staring out the window of his office. His expression was livid, his body was rigid, and his hands were clenched into tight fists. He would not take much more of this.

    He stared intently at the tall, slender Oriental woman walking gracefully along the street. He watched as she carefully made her way past the men who lounged outside
Hafford's
Saloon, the
Maison
Doree
, the Occidental Saloon. He saw the way the men looked at her, their eyes following the delicate lines of her body. He could not hear what they said, but he saw their snickers as Lily walked, her exotically beautiful face averted from their stares. She continued on past Hatch Bill's Saloon, the Alhambra. The comments continued, and Harvey felt the blood rushing to his face. Damn the bitch, she was pushing him too far!

    Harvey turned away from the window and took two angry steps toward the door of his office before halting. No, that was what she wanted. She knew how possessive he was of her, how parading herself in front of those lascivious men would drive him wild. She wanted to push him into unwise behavior so that she might smile so delicately and pretend innocence when he confronted her. Oh, she was a clever bitch, all right.

    He had deliberately stayed away from Lily since the day he had found Devina in China Mary's store. He knew nothing had been revealed to Devin neither China Mary nor Lily would dare go that far but he had not forgotten the knowing look on Lily's face just before he walked away. She knew how hard it   had been for him to walk away from her, despite his fury. And she was not content to let matters lie.

    It was a subtle war Lily waged. He had no doubt she was coached in her strategy by her clever mother. He had thought to teach both women a lesson by pretending to ignore Lily for a while before he returned unexpectedly and casually climbed that curved staircase once more, but his strategy had obviously been as ineffective as his plans to catch the payroll thieves.

    Lily was so clever. In her subtle way she had proved to him that he was not so much the master of the situation as he would prefer to believe. Each day for the past week she had taunted him with her beauty by parading past his window and by exposing herself to the remarks of saddle tramps not fit to touch the hem of her magnificent silk garments.

    It galled him to realize that his own weakness for Lily gave her power over him. It galled him even more that Lily was so aware of his weakness. But he ached to hold her. If he did not know it would give Lily the satisfaction she sought, he would stride across the street and tear her away from the lecherous gazes following her. He would then march her to the room they had shared so many times before and take her with all the passion now flooding through his trembling limbs.

    Yes, it was a subtle war, and Lily was fast winning the battles. Damn, he had not truly realized what he was doing when he had taken her as his secret mistress. He had not realized she would get into his blood so completely that he would be forced to remind himself at each encounter between them that she was of a race inferior to his, that to declare his relationship to her openly would be to demean himself and all he stood for.

    He knew Lily did not want him to openly claim her. She just wanted him to know that the tables were beginning to turn, that the master was being mastered, and being mastered so very well.

    Harvey took a deep, shuddering breath. Lily… Lily… In his unending struggle to subdue her will, he seemed to take one step forward and two steps back. In the back of his mind was the growing doubt he would emerge the victor.

    Taking care to avoid glancing out the window, which he knew would only increase his torment, he returned to his desk and sat down heavily. With a shaking hand he reached for the folders in the basket and opened the top one. Yes, the newest diagrams of the flooded shafts. He needed to review them and make a     decision. A decision… when his mind was presently filled with one thought and one alone.

    Lily.

    On the day of the party the weather was perfect. Devina took a last glimpse out the window of her room as the setting sun tempered the misty blue of the Dragoons with reflected color. The air was clear and pleasantly warm. It would be ideal for the casual outdoor buffet she had finally decided upon. A formal table setting, considering the size of the guest list, would have become too complicated. Instead, the small tables she had set up on the porches and patio and the house would be ideal. The buffet would also allow her to have an outdoor area cleared after dinner, should her guests be inclined to dance.

    Devina mentally checked her arrangements.

    The chef was putting the finishing touches on dishes that promised to surpass even her expectations for culinary excellence.

    The sounds emanating from the living room below told her that the musicians had arrived on time. They were tuning their instruments so they might greet her guests with musical selections she herself had chosen.

    Lai Hua had informed her that the pièce de résistance had secretly been set up on the vacant patch of land beyond the garden, according to her instructions. Later in the evening, when her guests were beginning to believe they had seen the best of the party, fireworks including an aerial display of rockets, which Lai Hua had assured her would keep her guests talking for months, would be set off at her command. It would be breathtaking, spectacular, a tribute to her organizational genius.

    Yes, it was going to be perfect.

    Devina's smile faltered. Well, perhaps that was an overstatement. Father's mental state of late appeared to preclude that possibility. Her father's disposition had deteriorated markedly over the last few days. Had she had not felt that to cancel the party would only agitate him further, she certainly would have done so.

    It had been several days since the last robbery, and she could only assume that things were not going well at the mines or with the investigation of the robberies. Her father had not confided in her, but a few days ago he had returned home so sorely agitated that she had been unable to speak a word without eliciting from him a sharp reply.

    Devina gave a short sigh. Never one to accept her father's displays of temper passively, as her mother had, she had flared up at him in return, and the result had been a row that had kept them at odds until this very morning. But the need to put on a good face for the guests had obviously altered her father's behavior, and he had appeared at the breakfast table a changed man this morning. Her relief had been boundless.

    Devina walked to the mirror in the corner of her room for a last-minute check of her appearance. She paused to scrutinize the breathtaking apparition that met her eye.

    Silver, glittering and dazzling, sparkled from the top of her glorious upswept coiffure, to the toes of her dainty high-heeled slippers.

    Devina raised a delicate hand to her hair and touched the silken strands lightly. No, she could not improve upon perfection. As for her gown, the bolt of white lace shot with silver thread, which she had found buried under a pile of less exotic fabrics in the dry goods store, had been a perfect choice. The off-the-shoulder neckline of the exquisite garment was trimmed in delicate silver beading and fashioned so as to expose the flawless line of her neck and shoulders. Short puffed sleeves trimmed with sparkling silver ribbon accented the graceful movements of her arms; the cuirass bodice hugged the generous curves of her breasts and emphasized her tiny waist. The satin skirt was trained and flounced, while the lace overskirt, also flounced, was drawn up at the sides
en
tablier
and fell in alternating layers of silver braid and lace ruffles.

    The moonlight silver of her hair was piled atop her head in an elaborate mass of glimmering swirls and waves capped with a high chignon that allowed just a few dancing ringlets to fall against her neck. In a touch that was pure inspiration, she had set into each gleaming wave a small faceted silver clip, which caught and reflected the gaslight in a dazzling display. The effect was a glowing halo matched only by the splendor of the total picture she presented.

    Yes, this was perfection, Devina acknowledged. She was beauty itself, a living, glittering manifestation of her father's wealth.

    
Blood will tell
…

    
You wouldn't be worth the trouble
…

    Devina was disconcerted. Why had her memory chosen that moment to return those two haunting phrases to her mind?

    Annoyed, Devina took a deep breath and forced away the unsettling memory again attempting to invade her mind. She'd show her true worth to that damned outlaw whose memory hounded her. She'd be successful where all others had failed. She'd find out who he was somehow, and she'd laugh in his face when he was secure behind bars.

    Realizing with increasing annoyance that she was trembling, Devina raised her chin with determination. Tonight she'd do just as Charles and Father had predicted. She would set. Tombstone on its ear.

    She gave a short, harsh laugh. Admittedly, she had assigned herself the easier task for this evening. Tombstone would be in her thrall from the moment it set eyes on her. And she would play that moment for all it was worth.

    Seconds later Devina descended the staircase toward the bustle below. Determined to ignore the haunting gaze that followed her in her mind, Devina forced a smile.

    The first strains of the waltz filled the foyer as Devina continued her graceful descent, and an unexpected sense of anticipation accelerated her heartbeat. She was suddenly, inexplicably sure that this would be
her
night…

    Harvey emerged from his bedroom and paused to take a deep, appreciative breath. The aroma wafting up from the kitchen was divine. Roasting pork and apples.

    As the first few bars of a lilting waltz reached his ears, Harvey's spirits began to lift. Perhaps it would be a pleasant evening after all.

    He adjusted the collar of his suit, which he had worn only twice before. He was particularly fond of its lines. The square cut coat was close-fitting in compliance with fashion, and the narrow, low-rolled collar was the latest thing in style. Harvey knew that his freshly trimmed gray hair and recently cultivated side whiskers were the perfect foil for the dark severity of his dress.

    He was not especially at ease in the high collar and stiff front of his fashionable shirt, or with the narrow cambric bow tie, which he'd had difficulty in tying. But he could bear the discomfort for the opportunity to wear his diamond cuff links and shirt studs symbols of affluence that would not go unnoticed in this society.

    Grateful the guests had not yet arrived, Harvey was halfway down the steps when Devina walked into the hallway. He stopped in his tracks, momentarily overwhelmed, as she smiled at him. Devina was a glittering, silver vision. She was her mother, Regina Dale, incarnate, with her extremely delicate, matchless, almost angelic beauty.

    Sadness overwhelmed Harvey. Regina, his beautiful wife whom he had treated so badly. With the recent stress in his own intimate affairs, he was only now beginning to realize how she must have suffered because of his dalliances. But he was determined he would not treat Devina badly. She would have only the best, whatever her heart desired.

    Harvey covered the distance between Devina and himself in a few paces. Momentarily unable to speak, he raised his daughter's slender hand to his lips.

    "Devina, you are exquisite. You make me very, very proud."

    Devina's brilliant eyes misted, and Harvey forcibly restrained his desire to draw her into his arms as he had often done when she was a child. But Devina was a child no longer, and her momentary discomfiture was quickly subdued.

    "Thank you, Father." Harvey felt a swell of pleasure as she added with obvious sincerity, "And you are quite handsome tonight."

    "Then we make a good pair, do we not, dear?"

    Not waiting for her response, Harvey tucked her arm under his. He urged Devina along with him as he strolled outside to look around. Small tables covered with white tablecloths, a floral centerpiece on each, followed the line of the curving veranda where the colorful lanterns blinked appealingly in the twilight. Servants were placing gently flickering candles on each table. Large bouquets of flowers were tucked into every corner, scenting the air with their fragrant perfume. He smiled his appreciation of the scene.

    "Yes, it looks lovely, doesn't it, Father? I've seen to it that the patio is similarly set, as well as the dining room and the morning room. When the evening has worn on and our guests have eaten their fill, the servants have orders to clear the tables and to provide cards to those who would like them, It is my hope, however, that the majority of our guests will prefer to dance."

    Devina paused and added with a smile, "And should a night   of vigorous dancing stir our guests' appetites once more, I've instructed that a light repast be served at midnight, along with a special surprise.

    Harvey's curiosity was piqued. "A special surprise?"

    "Yes, a surprise even from you."

    Harvey led her back toward the foyer. "I look forward to your surprise with great anticipation, dear. Now let me see what you've done to my living room. I understand you've had the rugs rolled back, the furniture removed, and the floor polished."

    Devina gave a short, lilting laugh. "That's right, Father. The living room is vacant except for the musicians, bouquets of flowers in each corner, and a few chairs. We need all the space possible if our guests are to enjoy the dancing, as I hope they will.

    "Devina, dear, one look at you and every man present will line up for a dance. So, you see, you are guaranteed avid participation. As a matter of fact, I think"

    Harvey stepped into the living room, his words coming to an abrupt halt, his breath strangling in his throat. Temporarily unable to speak, he continued to stare, not believing his eyes as Lily turned a casual glance in his direction. Her smile was brief, her gaze speaking volumes. Gracefully, without speaking, she turned back to arranging the bouquet of flowers in the corner of the room.

    "Father, what's wrong?"

    Abruptly aware that Devina's hand was clutching his arm, that her beautiful face was tense with anxiety, Harvey fought to overcome his shock.

    "What is China Mary's daughter doing here?"

    His shock was fast turning to rage as Lily looked at him once more, raising sober, innocent eyes in his direction. Harvey swung back toward Devina in time to see her confused glance move between Lily, Lai Hua, and himself before she responded.

    "We… we had a problem with help, Father. Someone died in the Mexican neighborhood, and many of the women were unable to work tonight. Lai Hua managed to find some servants to replace them."

    Harvey made an effort to control his raging emotions. "That woman is not a servant!"

    Stepping forward, Lai Hua bowed. Her tone was apologetic. "I accepted those who volunteered their services. I am sorry, Mr. Dale. I did not realize you would object to her presence."

    Harvey swallowed with considerable difficulty. Devina was beginning to look decidedly suspicious. He could not afford to behave in a manner that would allow her to guess the truth.

    Damn the crafty Oriental bitch!

    Forcing a smile, Harvey apologized to Devina. ''I'm sorry, darling. Seeing that young woman here brought to mind the time I found you in her mother's store in that undesirable section of town. I know neither China Mary nor she had anything to do with your straying into that area, but I could not help but associate her with that particularly unpleasant memory."

    Turning back to Lai Hua with supreme control, Harvey said
cooly
, "Of course, I have no objection to the woman's presence, Lai Hua. We need servants tonight, and this young woman is obviously well suited to such a menial task."

    "Father!"

    Out of the corner of his eye, Harvey saw Lily's clear cheek tic spasmodically at his vindictive remark. It made him feel considerably better, and he scoffed at Devina's shock. "Devina, you worry too much about the feelings of those who are inferior to you. These people know they're suited to menial tasks. They have accepted that position in life."

    "Father, please." Taking his arm more firmly, Devina turned him toward the dining room.

    His daughter was making a firm effort to avoid harsh words, but Harvey could feel her displeasure. He frowned. Lily had forced this stiffness between Devina and himself when all had been going so well. He would see that she paid for her deviousness.

    He would deal with Lily later; but for now, this night was his and Devina's. With that thought in mind, Harvey turned toward Devina with an appealing twist to his smile, which had never failed him.

    "Come, show me the rest of your handiwork, Devina. I'm particularly interested in the buffet table. The aromas have been tempting me for hours, and now is the time for me to sample."

    "Oh, no, not yet." A reluctant smile breaking through, Devina shook her head. "You're going to have to wait until the guests arrive."

    Harvey's smile broadened coaxingly. "Just a bite?"

    "No."

    Harvey shook his head, relieved at the way the game was resuming. "You are a truly difficult woman, Devina."    Devina's smile dimmed in momentary thoughtfulness. "Perhaps that's because I was raised by a truly difficult man."

    Charles's smile belied his inner turmoil. He did not need to look at his watch to see that it was getting late. He would soon be expected at Devina's party, and still Miranda Randolph sat and talked.

    A spinster, crippled from birth with a twisted leg and burdened with an overbearing mother who was now bedridden, Miranda was a quiet, selfless woman whose problems were occasionally too much to bear. Medication for her mother's aching joints had brought her to his office shortly after he had assumed practice, and his sympathetic ear had brought her back periodically on one pretext or another. But it was time to bring Miranda's spontaneous recitation to a halt.