Each Time We Love (12 page)

The explanation didn't exactly satisfy Savanna, but since it
had all happened a long time ago, she soon lost interest in it and she
and her mother turned to happier topics. And for the first few days in
her mother's home, Savanna surprised herself by actually enjoying the
quiet, unhurried rhythm of the place.

That feeling hadn't lasted. She had been at Campo de Verde for
almost a week now and the place was already beginning to suffocate her.
Thinking of how happy her mother was that she was here, Savanna felt
guilty for feeling as she did. She loved her mother, and Elizabeth's
excitement and open pleasure at having her living at Campo de Verde was
deeply touching, but Savanna knew that she didn't belong here.

With the days of Crow's Nest far behind her, Elizabeth had
made a totally new and different life for herself, one that Savanna
found unbearably restrictive. Here at Campo de Verde, where Elizabeth's
former life was unknown, it was assumed that she had been married to
Davalos, and so she was viewed as a respectable widow with a circle of
equally respectable friends. Those same friends, not unnaturally,
expected Savanna to fall into the same mold, but unfortunately, Savanna
couldn't see herself joyfully settling down to embroidery work and
pleasant little dinner parties at which one chatted about the newest
fashions, children and the latest tittle-tattle that filtered down to
the delicate ears of the ladies!
Dios!
The future
looked bleak indeed to Savanna on this warm April afternoon.

Seeking to escape her unpleasant thoughts, she rolled over
onto her stomach, staring darkly across the narrow expanse of lawn to
the house that sat at the end of a short oak-studded driveway. The
house at Campo de Verde was not impressive, but like its grander
neighbors, it faced the mighty Mississippi River. Built over sixty
years ago, more as a summer cottage, it was not a large building and it
had the raised basement so common to houses in Louisiana, with the
family living quarters situated on the second floor. The hip roof
extended over the upper gallery that encased the entire second story,
and a series of columns, large plastered brick below, delicately turned
wood above, gave the house a faint charm, as did the small, curving
outside staircase that led to the upper floor. Once the house had been
a blinding, glistening white, but now the outside color had faded to a
more pleasing. Savanna thought, soft shade of cream that contrasted
attractively with the weather-worn cedar shakes of the roof.

Everything had been in a deplorable state of decay when
Savanna and the others had arrived from Crow's Nest, but with hard work
and as much money as they could afford lavished on the place, Campo de
Verde was once again, if not a show-place, a comfortable home.
Elizabeth had adored the place on sight, but Savanna had viewed the
shuttered, heat-blistered building with its sagging railings with a
jaundiced eye.

The surrounding area had been a veritable wilderness, the
semitropical climate of lower Louisiana encouraging the rampant growth
of every type of plant and tree imaginable. Huge cypress trees and
massive oak trees draped with gray-green Spanish moss that drifted
eerily in the air at the slightest breeze seemed to close in on the
house and outbuildings. Everywhere one looked, palmettos, Spanish
dagger, magnolia trees, wild honeysuckle and jasmine all fought for
supremacy of the land. The junglelike setting appealed to Savanna, but
quite truthfully, it was
all
that found favor
with her.

Scowling, she flung herself onto her back and was still
seeking a solution to her situation when a small sound made her frown.
The next instant, to her horror, she found herself staring up into
Micajah's grinning features…

MICAJAH
HAD WASTED TWO FRUSTRATING DAYS IN Natchez trying to
discover the whereabouts of one Adam St. Clair. His inquiries had come
to naught and it appeared that for the present, Adam St. Clair had
disappeared off the face of the earth. But having received half the
money for arranging the death of the elusive St. Clair and with Jeremy
whining that it was Savanna O'Rourke they needed to be chasing,
not
Adam St. Clair, Micajah had reluctantly conceded that Jeremy might be
right. He could kill St. Clair at any time, but if Jeremy's tale were
true, and Micajah had come to believe that it was, a visit with Savanna
was definitely in order.

It had been a setback to discover that Savanna had also
disappeared. But with only a
little
bloodshed, he
had been able to convince the hapless caretaker of the tavern to tell
him where Savanna had gone. Swiftly he and Jeremy had scurried
downriver to Campo de Verde and for the last day and a half they had
been impatiently lurking in the tangled undergrowth, trying to decide
on the best way to kidnap Savanna.

Micajah had used the intervening time since Jeremy had first
told him the tale of the gold to reflect on what he knew about Savanna
and the best way to get her to, er, cooperate with him. He didn't
believe that Savanna had any knowledge of the gold—if she did, she sure
as hell wouldn't have been running O'Rourke's Tavern! Davalos might
have claimed to have left her a golden armband, but it was obvious to
him that she hadn't discovered it yet and perhaps never would, if the
knowledge of the Aztec treasure still remained hidden over ten years
after Davalos's death! He'd already decided that it was Jason Savage
who probably knew all the answers about the gold, and Micajah didn't
see the need to find the golden armband right away—there'd be plenty of
time to leisurely search for it after they had found the main treasure
and Savanna had discovered the delights of his lovemaking. Hell, after
he found all that gold, he might even marry her if she was real good!

But first Savanna was going to have to be convinced that her
father would have come back to her and Elizabeth if Jason Savage hadn't
brought about his demise. Jason Savage had to be painted in the
blackest light possible while Davalos bathed in a rosy glow.

To this end, Micajah had been ruthlessly drilling Jeremy on
precisely what Savanna was to be told about her father's final words.
His eyes boring into Jeremy's, Micajah had said grimly, "You don't have
to say much—I'll do all the talking, you just nod your head and confirm
as the gospel truth whatever I tell her! The important thing is that we
get her to go along with us and that she views this Savage fellow as
the wickedest villain alive!"

Jeremy didn't quite understand Micajah's reasoning, but he was
willing to follow his lead. The gold was all that mattered to him, and
if Micajah thought that taking the girl with them would help, well,
then…

But getting the girl was proving to be difficult and Jeremy
had begun to have doubts. That afternoon they hunkered down near a
small bayou, hidden by the rampart vines and brush, when suddenly
Micajah said with a note of satisfaction, "Well, I'll be damned! There
she is, all alone, lying beneath that willow. Looks as if our luck has
finally changed!"

Peering through the fanlike leaves of a palmetto, Jeremy
caught sight of a tall feminine form not more than ten yards away. His
heart leaped. There was no one else in sight and the nearest building
was a safe distance away. The sun glinting on the flame-colored hair
identified her, and Jeremy was all set to snatch her when Micajah shook
his head. "No. We don't want to spook her. I'll take care of it."

After making certain that it was safe, Micajah quickly
approached Savanna. She was so lost in her own thoughts, it was only
when he was at her side, a smug grin on his face, that she became aware
of him.

Instantly she was in motion and before he had time to blink,
she was positioned in a low fighting crouch, the sunlight flashing on
the blade of the knife she held expertly in her slim hand. Her
aquamarine eyes narrowed dangerously, she spat,
"Dios!
What are you doing here?"

Gingerly eyeing the knife, his smile gone, Micajah replied
uneasily, "I came to see you. Got something to tell you that you might
find interesting."

Not trusting him, she stared contemptuously at him and
snapped,
"I
doubt it!"

"It's about your father, Davalos—he knew of a treasure and he
died trying to find it for you."

Savanna was so astonished by his words that she dropped her
guard for a moment, and moving with the speed of a striking snake,
Micajah's fist caught her viciously on the chin. Savanna gave a soft
little sigh and crumpled to the ground.

A swift glance around and then Micajah scooped her up and
hurriedly carried her into the concealing swampy brush. When Savanna
stirred sometime later, she found herself propped against a tree, bound
and gagged, sitting across from a grinning Micajah and another,
weaselly little man she had never seen before. Swallowing the acrid
taste of fear that filled her throat, she fought against her bonds,
swearing unintelligibly through the gag.

Micajah only smiled and said agreeably, "That's right, honey,
curse all you want to. It don't bother me none. Especially since I
can't understand you. But if you want to know what this is all about, I
suggest you shut up and listen."

Savanna was afraid she already had a very good idea what this
was all about, but she ceased her futile struggles to free her hands
and glared at him, unaware of how she affected him.

The flame-colored hair framed her lovely features, and with
her arms tightly bound behind her, her soft bosom was thrust forward,
fairly spilling out of the top of the coarse brown gown. Micajah's
fingers itched to touch that pale, warm flesh.

She was helpless, no one to rescue her… He had actually taken
a step forward when Jeremy whined, "Let's get out of here! Someone is
certain to notice she's missing and come looking for her."

Micajah scowled and sent Jeremy a black look, but he nodded
and growled, "You're right! Get the horses."

More terrified than she had ever been in her life, Savanna
tried to think coolly. She couldn't let them take her away! She might
be bound and gagged, but her feet were free. Scooting upright the
second Jeremy disappeared, she bolted in the opposite direction,
running and stumbling through the tangled undergrowth as fast as she
could.

Micajah gave a startled yelp and was after her in an instant.
For one wild moment, Savanna actually thought she might make it, but
then Micajah came charging out of nowhere and with a flying leap
managed to knock her to the ground. She fought viciously, her feet and
knees flaying desperately, but it was no use, and horrifyingly, all too
soon Micajah was lying on top of her, his bulky body wedged between her
thighs.

Deliberately he ground his hips against her, letting her know
how aroused he was and how very helpless she was against him. A toothy
grin on his face, he muttered, "There isn't time for us to finish this
right now, but don't you worry, I'll take care of you just as soon as I
get rid of Jeremy."