Swept Away (6 page)

In the cool night, the sound of a tinny piano echoed out of the one building still lit up. Occasional outbursts of laughter were carried along with the music. Duffy’s Tavern was still in business.

There was one other lit-up place on this side of town—Dare’s house. Two lanterns burning in a first-floor window. The house was on the edge of town, far enough away from the saloon that Luke didn’t need to wait for that rowdy mob to quiet down. But there might be men out and about on their way to and from the saloon, so he kept his eyes and ears open.

Looking down at Rosie, Luke felt a moment’s regret at waking her. But it was time to go, and she’d be safer inside Dare’s house anyway. He hoped.

Crouching, he gently shook her shoulder, rocking her awake.

She moaned in her sleep, and he quickly covered her
mouth with his hand. Her eyes shot open and she struggled, but when her eyes focused on him, the fear drained out of her on a sigh. He lifted his hand, conscious of the warmth of her breath, then gently touched her slender shoulders, mindful of the one she’d hurt. “Sorry.”

She nodded in silent acknowledgment of his apology. She looked fragile beyond belief. Her red hair looked black in the moonlight. It contrasted with her pale, sunburned skin scattered with freckles. Her eyes had a ghostly gray tone, though they were light blue in the daylight.

“It’s time to go in. I didn’t like waking you, but I can’t leave you out here.”

She rubbed her eyes and ran both hands through her hair. It was so snarled her fingers got tangled up, and he thought she might need help retrieving them.

He eased her to her feet. She was a skinny little thing. But few people had the time or money to get fat in the West.

Luke caught her when her knees gave out. She probably ought to be taken to a doctor, considering all she’d been through. And in this town, that was Dare, and that’s where he was taking her. Most likely, if she got some sleep and food, she’d get well on her own.

His arm felt real good around her waist, and he didn’t let go as soon as a man might have.

She looked up while he was still hanging on and their gazes locked. A breeze fluttered her hair, and Luke felt the curls brush his face. For one second he forgot where he was and the trouble he’d brought with him. All he knew was he was alone with the prettiest woman he’d ever seen. Watching her, her watching back. Silence stretched. The world receded until he felt as if they were the only two people on earth.

A sharp hoot of an owl swooping nearby penetrated the silence and broke up whatever madness had come over him. He turned her to face the town. “See that—” He sounded hoarse, so he stopped talking and cleared his throat. Twice. “See those twin lantern lights nearest us?”

“The ones in the window?” She sounded steady enough.

It irritated Luke that what had been a confusing moment for him had apparently not bothered her much. She was still letting his arm support her, though. So maybe she was still sleep-addled.

“Yep. We move quick and quiet to those lights. Can you walk or do you need me to carry you?”

By way of answering she straightened away from him, wobbled for a few seconds, then steadied herself and lifted her chin. “I can walk.”

She might be skinny and pale, but she had a solid spine. He admired that. If he’d’ve had her in his regiment, she’d’ve been one of the quiet ones who carried her weight and stuck with the troop on a long forced march.

“Let’s go.” With his hand resting on her lower back, they left their cover and walked straight to Dare’s back door. Luke was surprised at how much he was looking forward to seeing his old buddy. When he reached the back door, he tapped with one knuckle four times. He waited to a count of five, then rapped three times, then waited and rapped four again.

Luke waited only seconds before the door was jerked open. Dare’s eyes went from watchful to flashing with pleasure.

“Get in here.” Dare looked past Luke’s shoulder into the darkness, checking for trouble, then grabbed his arm and dragged him forward.

Luke went in, and only when he stepped forward, guiding Rosie, did Dare notice her. He must’ve been looking for taller trouble.

With an arched brow, he asked, “We got to bring a date? No one told me.”

“Yeah, like you can get a woman.”

With a chuckle as deep and raspy as his voice, Dare slapped Luke on the back, and that turned into the closest thing a man wanted to a hug.

“Darius Riker, this is Rosie. Dare’s the town doctor. Rosie was floating down a river, unconscious. I had to either bring her or leave her to some two-legged wolves I had on my tail.”

“Pleased to meet you, Rosie.”

“It’s Ruthy.”

Dare smiled but it didn’t reach his eyes. “I hope you’re not walking into bigger trouble than what brought you to that river, Ruthy. Go straight ahead, kitchen’s on the right. Coffee’s on. Stew pot’s hanging in the fireplace. I’ll go for Vince and Jonas. No light.”

Dare dodged around Luke and went out, shutting the back door silently. Luke felt a twinge of annoyance.
“No light?”
It was an insult to warn Luke of the obvious. Dare thought Luke had gotten soft or he’d’ve never said that.

In the murky light of the hallway, Luke said to his little woman, “You want some stew?”

Her smile was warmer than Texas in July.

C
HAPTER 4

Ruthy did her best not to run toward the kitchen and food. The only light in the kitchen was cast by the glowing red of the burning wood inside the stove. This must’ve been the room the lanterns were in, but they’d been extinguished. Moonlight helped a bit, coming through the kitchen windows.

“I wonder how long I was floating? I feel like I haven’t eaten in days, even with the jerky you gave me.” The stew smelled like heaven. Warm and meaty, layered with the aroma of onions and potatoes and carrots.

“Looked like the water had gone through a day ago, not much more than that. But you could’ve been riding that current for days. You’ve got a cut on your head so you were probably unconscious for most of it. There are a lot of branches off several good-sized rivers that lead into this area, so who knows where you started out.”

The stew was pushed to the back of the stove to keep it from scorching. Plates sat in a short stack beside the stove, and a ladle hung overhead. She scooped up two plates while Luke sawed away at a loaf of bread right beside her. They were sitting down to the savory meal in under a minute.

“Eat quick. Dare won’t tarry, and we have work to do when he gets back.”

The first bite almost brought tears to her eyes. She savored it for just a few seconds before her appetite roared to life and made her tuck into the meal. Even knowing she had the manners of a wolf, she barely chewed before she swallowed. Before she was half done with her plate, she was suddenly so full she could barely get the bite she’d already taken into her belly.

Laying her fork down, she said, “That was delicious but I can’t eat any more.”

“It’s like that when a body goes without food. Your belly shrinks to nothing and your brain is used to starving.” Luke’s midnight brown eyes took on a distant look.

“How do you know what it’s like to starve?” Ruthy’s hand clenched on her fork.

“I spent a while in Andersonville during the war.”

Ruthy gasped. “You were in Andersonville Prison? I’ve heard of all the death and deprivation.”

“Yep.” Luke set his fork aside, his plate empty.

Ruthy shoved her plate across the table to him. “No sense letting this go to waste.”

Luke started in on it with enthusiasm. “A man learns how to survive on nothing or he dies.”

“From what I heard, anyone who got out alive was lucky.”

A laugh that held no humor drew her attention to his bleak expression. “Lucky. Never much figured any luck involved in that purgatory. And almost worse than starving was when—”

The back door opened on a whisper. Luke gulped down the last of the food. His expression had been so grim, so full
of foreboding she was almost glad he didn’t say whatever he’d planned to say.

Dare came into the kitchen. “I found Vince.” Right behind him strode another man. Ruthy couldn’t see details, but he wore a black vest and a white shirt, open at the collar.

Luke stood from the table and shook the newcomer’s hand, slapping him on the back. “Invincible Vince, how are you?”

The three of them smiled. Vince was the tallest and dressed up almost like a city slicker. Dare had the look of a western man. Luke was shorter than either of them, although still over six feet, darker, his hair and eyes a flashing black. He had broad shoulders that had been wonderful to rest against. She might have come around in that stream, gotten out, found food. But it would have taken every ounce of her strength, the miraculous hand of God, and a whole lot of luck besides. The way she saw it, she owed Luke her life, and she had yet to tell him thank you.

Why hadn’t she? There’d been time. She remembered the moment they’d shared, the long look. He was the most attractive man she’d ever seen, and she knew all too well a plain little redhead like her didn’t attract men.

Virgil didn’t count.

“I’m good.” Vince’s smile was white in the darkness as he greeted Luke. “I just got into town a few weeks back. Just barely got my practice set up.”

“Practice?” Ruthy said it, then wished she hadn’t as all three men turned toward her.

“Vince is a lawyer, and Dare a doctor.” Luke smirked, which made no sense. What was funny about that?

“A doctor and a lawyer? Luke, you’re among educated men.”

There was a pause and then all three men broke into laughter.

Vince said, “What’ve we got? Maybe twelve years of education?”

“Surely you have to go beyond that to be a doctor or lawyer,” Ruthy said.

“I mean twelve years between the three of us.” Luke smiled. “And I bring the average down because I never went at all. There wasn’t a school in Broken Wheel. Ma taught me reading and ciphering at home.”

“I have the most schooling of this rabble,” Vince said. “I went clear through the eighth grade.”

“And I learned doctoring during the war,” Dare added. “I got assigned as a medic in Andersonville and I learned because I had no choice.”

“Dare claims to have gone four years, but I see no evidence of education.”

“I’m self-educated and mighty proud of it.” Dare shoved his hands in his pockets and bounced on his heels as if he couldn’t stand still.

Luke said, “Vince became a lawyer since the war ended. He got stuck one winter in a cabin in the Rockies with Blackstone.”

“Blackstone?” Ruthy asked. “Who is he?”

“Not a he, an it.” Vince gave her another flashing smile. “Or I should say a
they
. Blackstone’s
Commentaries on the Laws of England
. There were several volumes. And all the food I could eat, thanks to a well-stocked cellar. Best winter of my life.”

“Of course, you’ve had a miserable life,” Dare interjected.

“That’s the plain truth.” Vince grinned, then the grin faded. “And the misery ain’t over yet.”

Dare looked out the kitchen window. “Let’s go in my office. I’ve got heavy curtains in there. And if my lantern is on, people will just think I’ve got a patient.”

Luke swept the plates from the table.

“Just leave them in the sink.” Dare gestured toward the door to get them moving.

“I’d be glad to clean up in here.” Ruthy frowned at the messy kitchen.

“Nope, not now, Miss Ruthy. We need to make some plans, and I think you’re included in them whether you like it or not.” Dare led the way into the hall and to a door just across from the kitchen. They went into the dark room, and Dare touched Ruthy’s hand, startling a squeak out of her.

“Easy, miss. Just showing you the way to a chair.”

“Did you find Jonas?” Luke came up beside Ruthy and guided her away from Dare and helped her find a seat. Speaking in her ear as she sat, Luke said, “Jonas Cahill is a parson. He’s actually got a little bit of education.”

“Jonas left a note. Old man Hingle is dying and Jonas is sitting with him and his brother. Jonas’ll get over here if he can.” Dare spoke from in front of her, and lower, as if he’d sat on the floor.

A match struck off to the side and Vince lit a lantern. She still hadn’t gotten a good look at him. When the lantern flared to life, she realized he was as handsome as any man she’d ever seen—not counting Luke. But Vince’s was a smooth kind of handsome, clean-shaven, lean, his clothes neat.

Dare struck a match, and she could see him better. He was kneeling just a few feet in front of her, at a fireplace. A crackle told her kindling had caught and the room brightened. Dare had a rough look about him. His blond hair was shaggy, and his mustache drooped.

Vince turned up the light on the lantern and leaned against the door, his back holding it shut as if he expected intruders.

Dare stood and walked away from the fire, then back, his movements as sleek and quiet as a pacing cougar, but moving, always moving. Ruthy wondered what ate at him that kept him from being still.

Vince was the opposite. A silent presence, like a predator. His eyes glinted in the flickering lantern light. The room brightened as the fire grew and Vince caught her eye and smiled. His teeth shining white. Ruthy looked away and saw the room for the first time. This was where Dare did his doctoring. A high bed that must be where he examined patients stood away from the wall so he could get on both sides. Cabinets lined the room nearest the head of the examination table. A desk to the right of the fire was covered with oddly shaped things that were most likely doctor’s equipment. There was a door behind the desk, and any open space was filled with shelves crammed with books. Dr. Riker might not have much formal schooling, but he was a man who studied.