The Sheriff (Historical Romance) (24 page)

M
idnight.

Travis was awake. Kate was not. Cal the cat dozed before the dying fire. Travis lay on his back, an arm folded beneath his head. Kate was curled up on her side, facing him. Cal was sprawled on his belly, paws out before him.

Travis was tired, but not sleepy. He was intrigued with the sleeping beauty beside him. He gazed fondly at her golden hair spilling across the pillow and at the angelic face in repose, those striking blue eyes closed, her long lashes stilled. Above the sheet’s top edge, her pale silky shoulders were a bedeviling reminder that beneath the sheet she was as naked as he was.

At bedtime she had shed her clothes, and, to his surprised delight, had not donned a nightshirt. She had winked at him, smiled and saucily climbed into bed, beautifully bare. It was the first time that had
happened. Excited by the gesture, he had anxiously shed his own clothes, supposing she was ready to make love again.

But once he’d slid into bed and reached for her, she’d kissed him quickly and said, “Are you as sleepy as I am?”

Before he could answer, her eyes had closed and she was asleep.

Two hours had passed since then.

And still Travis was wide awake. He couldn’t relax, couldn’t unwind. And it was her fault. Try as he might, he couldn’t forget for a moment that this exquisite young goddess was naked in his bed. It was so disturbing, so unsettling, he was half tempted to wake her and insist she put on a nightshirt so that he could get some rest.

Kate stirred in her sleep and Travis tensed. Her knee slid up his leg and a soft hand fell across his chest. But she slept on. He gritted his teeth. And then very carefully, very slowly, he edged closer to her until their bodies were touching. He eased over onto his side to face her, gently drawing her leg up over his hip.

Travis lifted his head off the pillow. Resting his weight on an elbow, he cautiously leaned over and lowered his lips to hers. His mouth settled gently over hers in what he promised himself would be one brief, closemouthed kiss. But once he felt her warm lips beneath his own, his mouth opened ever so slightly.

And his heart thudded in his chest when he felt the
fluttering tip of her tongue against his open lips. She was asleep, but she was kissing him. Incredibly erotic! He wondered how long they could kiss before she awakened and realized what was happening. Shudders of excitement surged through him, Travis kept his mouth on hers while she sweetly responded.

He was never quite sure when Kate woke up. Not a word was spoken between them. Their bodies said everything. Silently, they kissed and touched and embraced. And sometime during all that enjoyable play, the covers were kicked to the foot of the bed.

The fire in the grate had burned low and the room was chilly. But they were not. They were feverish with desire, their bare skin hot to the touch. And to the taste. It was the oddest of sensations for them both. They were highly aroused, but at the same time languid in their lovemaking. They changed positions again and again, tumbling about on the rumpled bed, taking turns at being conqueror and conquered.

Tingling with arousal, a deliciously lazy Kate soon found herself backed up spoon fashion against Travis. His strong arms were around her and his solid chest was pressed against her back. She sighed when a dark hand drifted up to fondle a bare breast, lean fingers plucking at the awakened nipple. Kate squirmed when that hand slipped down her belly and through the golden triangle of hair to touch that tiny bud of passion.

She sighed and shivered and felt Travis’s powerful
erection throbbing against her bare bottom. Instinctively, she knew his intent and didn’t object. He was going to make love to her in this position, and she found the prospect incredibly tantalizing.

Kate arched her back, leaned a little forward on the pillow, opened her legs and pressed her buttocks more firmly against him. Travis did the rest. She bit her lip when she felt the hard, heavy flesh enter her from behind and inch cautiously into her. His lips pressing burning kisses to her shoulder, Travis waited only a few heartbeats before thrusting farther.

Guiding her movements with his hands, teaching her how, he urged her hips back against him as he drove into her, plunging slowly, warily, taking care not to hurt her. Until at last his full, throbbing length was inside her.

For a long moment he stayed completely still, waiting for her, making sure she was relaxed and ready. When she began the subtle, sensual grinding of her hips, he flexed his buttocks and surged to meet her, keeping the tempo slow and easy.

After several pleasing moments of making love this way, their enjoined bodies cried out for more. Travis sped up his movements. Her wild golden hair slapping him in the face, Kate gasped and writhed and quickly caught his rhythm. His arms came back around her. One hand caressed her breasts; the other went between her legs.

His talented hands added to Kate’s escalating ecstasy.
She liked this way of making love. It was thrilling to have him buried deep inside her while at the same time his magical fingers were doing such wonderful things to her. The naughty thought struck her that she wanted Travis to do it just like this every time he made love to her. She would insist that he take her from behind so that his marvelous hands could…could…

Kate gasped and her body spasmed as the first blinding wave of a wrenching orgasm washed over her. Travis groaned as his own release began. They came together, sharing a climax so intense it was frightening. The deep tremors of ecstasy buffeted them for several seconds before finally leaving them totally spent.

And blissfully happy.

Deeply content, both sighed tiredly and fell asleep, lying there just as they were, having uttered not a single word throughout the impetuous lovemaking.

I
t happened at high noon.

Five days after the shooting, Winn DeLaney walked into the lobby of the Bonanza Hotel. He was about to enter the dining room for a leisurely midday meal, but the sudden thunder of horses’ hooves caused him to stop in midstride and turn. His pulse became erratic as he crossed the lobby and stepped outside to investigate.

Squinting, he looked down the street and, to his horror, saw Deputy Jiggs Gillespie and the posse ride into town. With them were the apprehended Titus Kelton and Jim Spears. In a great cloud of dust, the mounted men came to a halt before the city jail. Winn swallowed convulsively when Sheriff Travis McCloud stepped out of the building to take possession of the cuffed prisoners.

Panic seized DeLaney.
For a dreadful moment he stood there immobile, unable to think or to move.

Then it became crystal clear what he should do. He had to get out of Fortune before those two brawny thugs told on him.

Winn hurried back inside. With a shaking hand, he reached into his trouser pocket and peeled off a couple of bills. He hurried over to Dwayne, handed him the bills and instructed the puzzled room clerk to send a messenger to the Whiskey Hill Saloon to fetch a dark-haired young lady who worked there.

“Her name is Melisande,” Winn said. “Have Melisande come here at once.” When Dwayne hesitated, looked at the bills, then back at him, Winn shouted, “Now!”

“Yes, sir, Mr. DeLaney,” said the startled clerk.

Winn rushed back upstairs to start packing. In minutes a worried Melisande joined him. Out of breath, she gasped, “Winn, what are we going to do? They’ve brought in Kelton and Spears and—”

“I know that!” Winn yelled at her. “They’re sure to implicate me in Kate’s shooting. We have to get out of Fortune right now, today!”

Nodding, Melisande began anxiously tossing clothes on the bed, where a large valise was open. She was starting to change out of her gaudy satin costume when a loud knock came on the door. She and Winn exchanged looks of alarm. Winn motioned for her to keep silent. He reached for his revolver.

“Open up, DeLaney,” Sheriff McCloud calmly ordered.

His jaw ridged, Winn raised his revolver and fired through the door. The bullet missed Travis by an inch and lodged in the hallway wall. The sheriff again ordered DeLaney to open the door. When he refused, Travis warned him to stand back, then he kicked the door open.

Delaney took aim, but Melisande screamed, “No, Winn, no!” and threw herself between the two men just as DeLaney fired.

She slumped to the floor, hit in the back.

“Put the gun down, DeLaney,” the sheriff warned.

But Winn again took aim. Travis, having no choice, shot and killed him.

Travis holstered his Navy Colt and hurried to the wounded woman. He sank to his knees beside her. Her eyes, filling with tears, were open, and she was clutching her bloodstained bodice.

“Winn,” she gasped. “Is Winn all right?”

Travis gave no reply. He gingerly lifted her and carried her downstairs, then directly across the street to Doc Ledet’s office. The doctor saw them coming and rushed into the back room to wash up and ready his instruments.

“Lay her there on the table, Sheriff,” he instructed when they came through the curtained doorway.

Travis nodded and gently lowered the woman to the sheet-draped examining table. He immediately
turned and went into the front office as the doctor began cutting the woman’s bloody clothes away.

Travis paced as the minutes ticked away. After half an hour, he looked up as Doc Ledet came through the curtains.

Travis gave him a questioning look.

The doctor shook his head. “The woman’s mortally wounded, Sheriff. She won’t live till sundown.”

Travis nodded. “She conscious?”

“No. No, she’s not.” The physician rolled down his shirtsleeves. “What happened?”

Travis related exactly what had taken place at the Bonanza. When he concluded, Doc Ledet rubbed his chin thoughtfully and said, “Looks like you were right all along about DeLaney.”

“Unfortunately.”

“I’ll go on over to the hotel and pronounce DeLaney dead, then summon Clarence, the undertaker.”

“I’ll stay here. Maybe the woman will regain consciousness.”

“Good enough. I should be back in fifteen minutes.”

The sun was sinking in the west when Doc Ledet came hurrying into the jail. “She’s awake, Trav. The woman’s awake.”

Travis was up out of his chair in an instant. He trotted to the doctor’s office ahead of the puffing physician. While Doc Ledet waited just outside the curtained doorway, Travis stepped up to the table.
The woman looked up at him, her eyes filled with tears.

Travis gently took her hand in both of his. “Is there anything I can do? Anything I can get you?” His voice was low, soft.

“Is Winn…is he dead?” she asked.

“I’m sorry,” Travis replied.

Tears spilled over and ran down her cheeks as she said, “I’m going to die, too.”

“Doc Ledet will do everything he can to…”

“Sheriff, I am not going to make it, and there are some things I must tell you to…to ease my conscience.”

Travis lightly squeezed her hand. “That’s what I’m here for, miss.”

Melisande began to talk, to tell Travis everything. “Winn wanted the gold.”

“How did he know about the gold?”

Melisande swallowed with difficulty. “Winn fought alongside Kate VanNam’s brother, Gregory, under General Scott in the Mexican War. Later both Winn and Gregory turned up in San Francisco and renewed their acquaintance. Gregory bragged to Winn about the Cavalry Blue Mine and how one day he would inherit it and be a very rich man. But when his great-aunt Arielle Colfax died, Gregory learned that she had cut him out of her will. She left everything—including the gold mine—to his sister.” Melisande grimaced in pain.

“Rest awhile,” Travis coaxed. “We’ll talk later.”

As if he hadn’t spoken, Melisande confided, “After learning that Kate VanNam had inherited the mine, Winn killed Gregory to get him out of the way. You see, we had proof that there was gold in the Cavalry Blue. We stole the report from a noted San Franciscan assayist and then…then I—I killed the poor man while he was in the hospital. And I took the assay from his files.”

Travis said nothing. He showed no emotion. But he recalled reading about the murder of a prominent assayist in the crime journal.

The dying woman continued, “Winn’s plan was to come here to Fortune and marry Kate VanNam. When she was his wife, he would have her sign the mine over to him. Once he legally had his hands on the gold, he would divorce her and marry me.” She began to sob, “I was in love with Winn. I’d have done anything he asked.”

Feeling compassionate, Travis placed her hand back on the table at her side and patted her shoulder. “You get some rest. You’ll feel better tomorrow.”

But the woman’s wounds were fatal.

She died with the last glimmer of light.

Travis returned to his quarters and the anxious Kate. He told her of the pair’s failed scheme to get their hands on the gold.

Then he took her in his arms and, as gently as possible, informed her that her brother, Gregory, was dead.

“W
e’ll get the executioner over from Hangtown to take care of Kelton and Spears,” Doc Ledet said the next day.

Travis nodded, but frowned slightly. The doctor caught Travis’s expression and said, “Kate doesn’t want to see them hanged, does she?”

Travis shook his head. “She’s a sweet, charitable soul, Doc. She hates to have any more bloodshed.”

Doc Ledet rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “You could let the pair go. Warn them, under the Committee of Vigilance’s threat of death, never to set foot in California again.”

Travis looked at the white-haired doctor. Doc Ledet smiled and said, “Have Jiggs guard them tonight. He’ll fall asleep. He always does.”

Travis frowned and said, “The town’s expecting a hanging. They’ll be disappointed if there isn’t one.”
Eyes twinkling, the physician said, “Not if there’s a wedding.”

Travis finally grinned. “That’s true. All they’re looking for is an excuse to celebrate.”

Everyone turned out for the festive wedding celebration.

Chang Li was there. The loyal Chinaman who, thanks to Kate’s generosity, was a five percent owner in the gold-rich Cavalry Blue Mine, was almost as happy as the bride. He sipped French champagne for the first time in his life and looked eagerly forward to the day his wife and child would arrive in Fortune.

Doc Ledet was there. The smiling physician had agreed to give the bride away, and he couldn’t have been more proud if Kate had been his own daughter. He told anyone who would listen that he had known all along that the town sheriff and the new heiress were “meant for each other.”

The deputy, Jiggs Gillespie, was there to stand up with Travis. The well-scrubbed best man almost held up the ceremony when he couldn’t remember which pocket he had put the ring in.

Fortunately, Kate’s glowing matron of honor, the reliable Alice Hester, remembered exactly where her shy beau had put the ring. She remembered because she had helped Jiggs dress, and she had placed the ring in the inside breast pocket of his dark frock coat. With an almost imperceptible nod of her head, Alice
motioned to Jiggs, and saw the light of recollection appear in his eyes.

H. Q. Blankenship was one of the many guests. The old sourdough, whom Kate had contracted to oversee the restoration of the mansion, had a new lease on life. It had been so long since anyone had needed him or his services, he felt almost like a young, vibrant man again. He stayed busy these days drawing up plans to turn the run-down house back into a grand mansion.

Clifton Barton of Barton’s Emporium was there, taking great delight in commenting on the weather. “Why, it’s as cold as a whore’s kiss,” he was fond of exclaiming.

Everyone in Fortune had been invited to the 10:00 a.m. wedding, and a majority of the population had shown up. Once the brief ceremony was over, Travis kissed the bride and led her onto the dance floor. The happy newlyweds whirled about for a few minutes before pausing and inviting everyone to join them in the dance.

The liquor flowed in the Eldorado Hotel’s large dining room and spacious lobby as the wedding crowd celebrated.

“Think they’d miss us if we leave?” Travis asked, his arms locked around Kate’s narrow waist.

“We’d better slip away soon if we’re to catch the noon riverboat,” Kate replied.

The pair had booked a cabin on the
Golden Swan
to take them downriver to San Francisco. There they
would honeymoon in the bridal suite of the city’s finest hotel.

“Then let’s go, sweetheart,” Travis whispered.

“There’s just one thing I need to know,” Kate said, her arm looped around his neck.

“Anything, Kate.”

“You don’t mind being married to a rich woman, do you, Travis?”

“No, but I like being sheriff of Fortune. Rich wife or no, I don’t want to give it up.”

“Good,” Kate said with a smile. “I like seeing that silver badge on your chest.” She looked into his beautiful dark eyes and added, “Arrest me anytime you please, Marshal.”

Travis grinned. “How about right now, baby?”

“I’ll go peacefully, Sheriff McCloud.”