Ride The Wind (Vincente 3) (22 page)

"I agree with you on that."

Noble glanced at Reese. "You are Matthew's
friend. Why have you sided with me in this?"

"I'm on Saber's side. Like you, I don't want to
see her hurt, and she would be if you told her
what was said in that room today. Matthew is
being influenced by his mother and father. He's
not usually like that."

"I need a drink," Noble said, stepping into the
street and heading for a saloon. "Come on."

"Yeah. I need one, too," Reese agreed.

They were only halfway across the street when
Reese heard a rider galloping right for them. He
recognized Jake, and his blood froze. His gaze
went to the horse Jake led, and the body that was
draped across it.

"What's happened, Jake?" Reese asked, while
Noble stopped and watched worriedly.

Jake slid from his horse, his youthful face
flushed and excited. "It's Eugene Miller, Reese!"

Reese pulled back the canvas that covered the body, took a handful of hair, and peered at the
dead face. "Yes. That's Eugene, all right." His
stomach muscles tightened in fear for Saber.
"What happened?"

"He came to the house, Reese. I know you told me to keep an eye on Miss Vincente, but her
sister-in-law came. I didn't think that anyone
would bother them in the daytime, and we left
two men behind to watch after them."

Noble's hand fell heavily on the young boy's
shoulder. "My wife, my sister, has anything happened to them?"

"No, sir," Jake said, immediately recognizing
Noble Vincente. "They ain't been harmed."

"For God's sake, Jake, tell me what happened,
now!" Reese demanded, losing patience. "Tell
me or I'll choke it out of you."

"It was Miss Saber that did it!" His youthful
eyes were full of wonder. "Miller was coming for
her and making threats, and she shot him
deader'n dirt."

"Saber did?"

"She used your old gun from the bedroom,
boss."

"I'm none too happy with you, Jake. She
should never have been forced to defend herself," Reese said, his voice shaking.

"Our men heard the shots and ran to the
house, but she didn't need them by then, other
than to clean away the blood. She's some
woman, Reese! There we was wanting to protect
her, and she took care of herself!"

Reese and Noble exchanged glances. "Take
the body to the sheriff and tell him what happened," Reese said. "Come on, Vincente; we got
some riding to do!"

Although it had been two days since Saber had
shot Eugene Miller, her hands still trembled,
and her knees went weak when she thought
about it.

Gabe and Jake had been wonderful. Gabe had
insisted that Saber and Rachel leave the house
while he cleaned up the blood, and Jake had
taken the body to Fort Worth.

She walked into the bedroom, hoping she
wouldn't cry again. Rachel had been so compassionate and understanding, but Saber didn't
want to burden her any more than she had to.

She took one of Reese's shirts and held it
against her face, knowing in her heart that she wanted his arms around her at that moment,
holding her terror at bay and giving her comfort.

Rachel heard riders and glanced toward the rifle
Gabe had loaded and placed near the door
should they need it. But when she saw who it
was, she flew out the front door, crying her husband's name. Noble was off his horse and had
enveloped her in his embrace even before the
animal halted.

Reese's glance went past Rachel, anxiously
searching for Saber. He had almost ridden his
horse to death to get to her, knowing she must
be frightened and needing him.

Rachel untangled herself from her husband
and walked up to Reese. She offered him her
hand, and he grasped it firmly in his. "I don't
have to ask who you are, Mr. Starrett. You are
exactly the way Saber described you."

Reese was anxious because Saber hadn't come
out to meet them. "How is she?"

Rachel frowned. "It is difficult for her, Mr.
Starrett. Go on in and talk to her. You'll find her
inside."

Noble started forward, but Rachel stalled him.
"Let's get the horses taken care of. It looks like
you tried your best to run them into the ground."

Noble shook his head. "I need to go to Saber."

"No, you don't." She nodded at Reese, who was hurrying into the house. "He'll take care of
her."

Noble frowned, and his jaw went rigid, the
way it always did when he was angry. "What is
that supposed to mean, Rachel? Why should
Reese Starrett take care of her?"

She slid her arms around his waist and gave
him a heart-shattering smile. "Because he's the
one she wants right now." She tilted her head
back and laughed at the confusion on his face.
"You men are always the last ones to know. How
simple it would be if we women just told you
outright that we loved you."

"What? Are you saying my sister loves that
man?"

"Of course. If you were a woman, you'd understand why. He is extraordinary looking."

Noble still looked confused and a little jealous
that his wife found another man handsome.
"Are you saying Saber loves Reese, and he
doesn't know it?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying," she answered, taking the reins of Reese's horse and
leading it toward the barn. "And you aren't to
say anything to him. That will be up to Saber to
do."

Noble had no choice but to lead his horse and
follow her. "I won't have this, Rachel. First she's
going to marry Matthew-although I refuse to let her marry him, and now she loves Reese Starrett. What's going on? What?"

"I don't know Matthew Halloway, but I like
Reese Starrett, just from what Saber has told me
about him. He isn't wealthy, and he doesn't have
an aristocratic name, but he's honorable, and if
it weren't for him we wouldn't have Saber."

Reese stood at the door with his hat in his hand.
"Saber."

She hadn't heard him ride up because she'd
been locked in her private hell. When she heard
Reese's voice, a sob escaped her lips, and she
walked out the bedroom door, wanting to be in
his arms.

Reese could only stare at the beautiful vision
in a long-sleeved pink gown with golden hair
tumbling down her back to her waist. He had
never seen anything that touched him so deeply.
He wanted to rush to her, but this was not the
Saber he knew. This was the polished and exquisitely dressed Miss Vincente.

But Saber took the decision out of his hands.
She ran to him, throwing her body against the
hard wall of his, and his arms went around her
like a protective shield.

"Oh, Reese, Reese. I...took a life. I killed Eugene Miller!"

He buried his face in her hair and held her tightly so his body could absorb her sobs. "I
know, Saber. I know. But you had to." His lips
touched her cheek, and he closed his eyes, loving
her to the depths of his soul. "Don't think about
it. It's over and done with."

She buried her face against his rough shirt
and slid her arms around his shoulders. "I
wanted you here with me. I knew you would
make the nightmares go away."

He raised her chin and stared into tear-filled
blue eyes. "What nightmares, Saber?"

"Every time I close my eyes, I see his dead eyes
staring at me. He didn't think I'd shoot him,
Reese. But I had to-I had to!"

He cradled her head against him. "It's over,
sweetheart. He can't hurt you now."

"Yes-you're here now, and everything will be
fine again. For the first time since you left, I feel
safe."

He knew that she had come to depend on him,
and that was more painful to him than if she
were indifferent to him because he would have
to let her go, and soon she wouldn't be his to
take care of.

He looked at her dainty hand with its slender
fingers and delicately shaped nails, and he
dipped his head to press his lips against that
hand. For this moment she was his. But soon
the world would come through that door in the shape of her brother, and he would have to let
go of her forever.

She raised her head and looked into those silver eyes that were softened by gentleness.
"Promise me you will never leave me again,
Reese!"

There was agonizing regret in his heart.
"That's one promise I can't make, and you know
it, Saber."

She stepped away from him and raised her
head to that proud tilt that he recognized so
well. "You are right, of course. Since I no longer
have to worry about the Millers, I can leave
now."

"Your brother has come to take you away."

"Noble?" She started for the door. "Where is
he?"

"I suspect he's talking to his wife."

Saber rushed out the door, looking about for
Noble. Then she ran toward the barn. She
needed her brother. Oh, she needed him so desperately!

Saber and Rachel were in the bedroom packing
her trunk while Reese and Noble were sitting by
the fire in the parlor. Reese was cleaning his
rifle, and Noble was quietly pondering something in his mind.

At last Noble said, "I'm going to say something to you, and I don't want you to misunderstand."

Reese glanced up quizzically. "I believe we
have come to know each other in a short space
of time. You can say what you will to me."

Noble grinned. "Remember you said that
when I make my proposal to you."

"If you are going to offer me money, stop right
now."

"No. It isn't money, it's something more valuable, and it will help us both out. I like what
you've done with this ranch. You've had a bit of
hard luck, but that can change."

Reese looked at him warily. "And you are going to tell me how I can do that?"

"Well, I wouldn't have put it quite like that,
but, yes."

Reese finished oiling the rifle and set it aside,
crossing his arms over his chest. "Go on. I'm listening."

"I purchased four bulls from England and
seventy-five head of cattle from Spain. I want to
crossbreed them and see if I can come up with
a healthier and beefier herd."

Reese nodded. "It might work."

"Well, here's the rub," Noble said, glancing
into the fire. "I have been looking for someone
who is willing to throw in with me."

"Why? And in what way?"

"I want to split the herd and the bulls, run half of them on Case del Sol and the other half with
someone I find capable of such an endeavor."

"That someone being me?"

Noble leaned forward. He respected Reese
Starrett as much as any man he'd ever met, and
he had saved Saber's life. Furthermore, if Rachel
was to be believed, Saber loved Reese. He certainly liked Reese better than he liked Maj. Matthew Halloway. "I told you, I've seen what you've
done here, and you are the right man to split the
herd with me. You've got the river and excellent
grazing."

"I don't think so, Noble. This is just another
way for you to offer me money."

"That's where you are wrong. I don't intend to
give you my cattle, and what I propose will take
a lot of work. I am prepared to split any offspring that come from the breeding. Fifty-fifty."

Reese leaned forward with sudden interest.
"You know I lost most of my herd. If we have
another bad winter, I could lose your herd as
well."

"I'm a betting man sometimes. And I have this
gut feeling that we won't have two bad winters
back-to-back."

"Can I think about it?"

"There's not that much time. We have already
missed most of this year's breeding season. You
need to decide soon, Reese now, today. The cattle arrived two weeks before I left Casa del
Sol. It will take at least three weeks for my drovers to herd them here."

Reese had lived his life as a loner, never quite
trusting anyone but he trusted Noble Vincente. He rarely let anyone get close to him or
touch the world he'd created for himself But Saber Vincente was banging on the door, and he
knew there had been moments when he'd
wanted to throw it open, if she would have him.
He thought of her brother and how close she
was to him. For the first time in his life, he
wanted that kind of closeness in his life. He
wanted children he wanted Saber to mother
his children.

"Well?" Noble asked. "What do you think? As
I said, we would be helping each other."

Reese nodded. Saber would soon be leaving,
but if he and Noble went into partnership in this,
he'd still have a connection to her. "I'll do it."

Noble grinned and extended his hand. "It
looks like I have a partner."

After a long silence, Reese said, "I assume
you'll be taking Saber to Casa del Sol. When will
you leave?"

"Early in the morning. We've taken advantage
of your hospitality long enough. But I won't be
taking her home just yet. Saber needs to settle
this thing between her and Matthew. We Vin centes have never run from-or ignored our
troubles. No matter if Mrs. Halloway wants to
keep my sister hidden away, I will never allow
that. I will put her out there for the world to see."