Quicksilver Passion (158 page)

Silver shook her head absently, her mind busy.
Tell me more about him.”

Waanibe described him and told how he had hurried away with an Indian boy.

Could it be?
She made Waanibe describe the man again. Silver fought an urge to run after him, screaming his name. Instead she collspsed on the steps. For more than three years now, she had turned and stared at every big-framed man who passed, looked at any man who was dark and rugged, expecting that when he drew close, it would be the one she loved. And now perhaps she had found him, or rather, he had found her. Waanibe’s description left no doubt in Silver’s heart.

How had he tracked her here?
Doc? Had someone passing through Denver told Cherokee where to find her? She had thought her drab governess disguise was so good because it had fooled Jake Dallinger.

There was no question in her mind about what had just happened. Cherokee had come looking for her, had seen her, and fled. He didn’t want her now that he had seen she was no longer beautiful. Somehow deep in her heart, she had nourished the tiniest flicker of hope that it might not make a difference—he had said something like that to her once. But in the end, he was just like all the other men. Beauty was everything to them, and what a woman was like—
really
like deep inside—didn’t matter if she didn’t have a pretty face.

Tears came to her eyes and she closed them, remembering that one night, the way he had made love to her and kissed her palm.
Here’s a treasure to save for when you need it
. He was just like the others after all. Damn him! Damn him for it!

Silvery, are you crying?” Two little arms around her neck.

No—no, of course not! I—I just got somethingin my eye, drat it all!”

You look awfully sad. Let me give you a treasure.”

Silver automatically put out her hand, and this time, the child put a shiny penny in it.

Silvery, you can buy some candy with this treasure.”

Silver laughed and hugged the child to her.
You rascal, I think we’d better go upstairs and work on our alphabet. Candy later!”

Silver could hardly keep her mind on anything the rest of the day. When she and her small charge went out for candy, Silver found herself searching every street and building for Cherokee, half hoping, half dreading that she would run into him. After all, he’d already had one look at her and rejected her. She wouldn’t be able to stand the humiliation of seeing him someplace and having him turn away.

Waanibe pulled her sleeve.
There’s the boy the man was with.”

Where?” She looked where Waanibe pointed. A handsome Indian boy about ten or twelve years old was polishing boots on the street corner. He looked like a typical tough streetwise kid. What was his connection to Cherokee?
Could he possibly be Cherokee’s son?
Did that make any sense? This child looked like a full-blood. But maybe Cherokee had an Indian wife. If so, he had sired this child before he met Silver—the boy’s age told her that.

Stay here, Wannie.” She left the little girl in the candy shop, and ran across the street.
Hey you, I want to talk to you.”

For a minute, she thought the boy would grab his shoeshine box and run. She saw doubt and fear in his face.
Whatever it is, miss, I didn’t do it.”

Her heart went out to him. Although he was older than Waanibe, he was certainly as neglected. If he was Cherokee’s son, how could he allow the boy to live this way?