The Circle Eight: Caleb (16 page)

“No, jackass, I have a fever.” Her teeth started to chatter and she considered untying the bedroll behind her.

“Shit.”

Rory chuckled rustily. “Damn right. I won’t last much longer.”

“Let’s find shelter then. We’ll get some water into you and see if we can break that fever.” He turned right then left. “If I’m right, we’re not too far from some caves. That might be our only choice.”

A cave sounded great, provided she didn’t have to sit on the mule any longer. She couldn’t manage to endure any more constant jarring and bumping on her bony backside, along with the pain in her side and head. The day had been one of the hardest of her life, certainly one of the hardest physically. She needed it to be over. Although it was past midnight for sure, it seemed like a never-ending day.

Before she knew what was happening, Caleb had lifted her out of the saddle. Her head lolled and she scrambled for purchase on his shirt. When she’d seen him wearing Horatio’s shirt, her body had tightened almost painfully. He filled that shirt out much better than her late husband ever had. She was glad he could use it. Truthfully, she should have given the clothes away before now, but she hadn’t. Perhaps something told her another man would come into her life and need them. Or her fever was boiling her brain.

He walked up a small hill, followed by Benjy, who lit the lantern and led the horses behind them.

“Did you find the caves?” She slurred her words, worse than she expected. “Oh, no. I’m slurry.”

“Yep, I reckon you are. Hang on, Rory. We’re almost there.” He held onto her, heavyweight and all, keeping her safe as he climbed the hill.

The mouth of the cave yawned open, an inky blackness even darker than the night around them. Benjy scrambled ahead with the lantern, tying the horse and mule to the bushes. He took the bedrolls and disappeared inside. Caleb ducked down a foot to walk in with Rory still in his arms.

“You know it’s very strange that you’ve carried me twice when I don’t even know anything about you.” Rory was glad the cave was dry and didn’t smell of bat shit. Anything but bats.

“Yes, you do. You know I have seven brothers and sisters. You also know I am a ranger and my horse’s name is Justice.”

Her head started to spin and she hung onto him. “Those are just facts. I mean I don’t know what’s in your heart.”

He stumbled a bit then righted himself before they both fell. “Nobody does.”

She didn’t have time to respond to his cryptic remark before he laid her down on a bedroll. Finally still, she huffed out a sigh. Her eyes stung and she told herself it wasn’t tears. She was tired, that was all. There was no way Rory Foster would be crying.

“Go check the other caves to see if there’s room for the animals.” Caleb spoke softly to Benjy.

She heard the boy’s feet slapping the cave floor as he ran out, leaving her alone with his brother. Caleb’s hand stroked her face.

“You’re hot.”

“Mmm, knew it was coming.” She leaned into his touch, now strangely familiar and comforting.

“It’s not good news.” He blew out a breath. “We’re going to have to hole up here until it passes.”

The talons of the fever bit into her, tightening until she had trouble pulling in a breath. Rory didn’t want to die in a cave with the ranger and his brother for company. Hell, she didn’t want to die at all.

“Don’t let me die.” The words fell out of her mouth, small and weak. She wanted to shout them.

“I promise I won’t. You’re too stubborn to die anyway.” His thumb caressed her cheek. “It’s gonna be a bumpy few days, Aurora.”

He was the only person who called her by her given name. She liked the way it rolled off his tongue. It made her feel like Aurora, and not the Rory she’d been for so many years. Like a girl, like a woman. When he leaned over and kissed her forehead, a feeling of being safe washed over her. She had no reason to trust him but she did. Perhaps the fever was affecting her brain.

She found herself sinking down into blackness, unable to fight the sleep that threatened. Her body needed to heal, to gain strength to overcome the fever.

“Fight like I know you can.” He kissed her forehead one more time and she surrendered to sleep.

Elizabeth Graham was finishing a few dishes when heard the horses riding hard into the yard. Eva was helping Rebecca with her hair and no one else was about mid-morning. No Texan worth her salt would be unable to take care of her property or herself. She dried her hands and walked to the door. She might be only sixteen but she knew how to use a gun, and the Grahams didn’t answer the door to strangers without one.

The shotgun hung above the door, loaded of course, but high enough the younger siblings couldn’t hurt themselves. She took it down and opened the door, the gun a welcome weight in her hands. With the muzzle pointed at the ground she walked out onto the front porch.

Six men on horseback waited. Her stomach clenched but she kept her expression cool. At the center of the group was a well-dressed man with a dark brown flat-brimmed hat. He took it off and nodded to her. Although the men around him were dark-haired and browned by the sun, this man had pale skin and dark blond hair. He obviously did no work outside.

“Good morning, miss. My apologies for interrupting your day but I’m looking for someone.”

Elizabeth tightened her grip on the gun. “State your business.”

His smile made her skin crawl. “I’m looking for Ranger Caleb Graham. I understand this is the family ranch.”

She had a feeling whatever this man wanted, it couldn’t be good for her brother. Although she wished Matt was there to speak to him, she was capable and strong.

“He doesn’t live here. Now be on your way, mister.”

The man laughed. “A woman who speaks her mind. I like that. You have the same eyes as Ranger Graham. I think I’m in the right place. Now as soon as you tell me where he is, I can be on my way.”

“He doesn’t live here. Hasn’t for four years. I don’t know where he is.” She lifted the gun a bit higher. “I told you to be on your way. You’re trespassing.”

“Do you mind if I look around?” The men started to move, spreading out.

She pulled the shotgun up in an instant, cocked and pointed straight at the stranger. “I do mind. I’m not going to tell you again, mister, get moving.”

The man held up his hands, hat dangling from one of them. “She knows how to use the weapon too. You’re not married are you?”

Elizabeth didn’t answer. She kept her arms and hands as steady as possible. Her aim was pretty damn good. Every one of the Grahams were taught to use weapons. Their Pa and now Matt made sure of that.

“We will leave for now. Your brother took something that belongs to me and I will get it back.” He smiled again. “Tell him Pablo Garza is looking for him.”

She noted the name didn’t quite match the man who looked more like a Tom Johnson than one with a Mexican name. Another unsettling piece of whatever puzzle he was crafting. Whatever Caleb had done, it was big trouble.

“Get moving then. Don’t stop until you pass the big banyan tree.” She didn’t lower the weapon or even blink, although she wanted to puke up breakfast. After they left, she might do that anyway.

Garza put his hat back on his head, keeping his gaze locked with hers. It was unsettling and she wanted to shout at him to stop, but she held her tongue. Silence was a weapon Elizabeth knew how to wield.

“You have beautiful eyes,
niña
. Such a unique color.” With that he signaled his men and they rode off, leaving a cloud of dust behind them.

She waved her hands in front of her face to clear the air. Whatever Garza wanted with Caleb, it was bad, really bad. That was a man who took what he wanted, no matter who or what stood in his way.

Elizabeth stood there, gun still at the ready, and watched them ride away until she could only see a puff of dust. Only then did she lower the weapon and go in search of Matt. Caleb was in trouble and they had to help him.

Caleb wiped Rory’s body down for the dozenth time in twenty-four hours. Her temperature had finally started to come down, but she’d sweated and burned as the fever ravaged her body. She scratched and bit, fighting him every time he tried to cool her down. The woman would have made a hell of a soldier if she’d been a man. Her arms were muscled and lean, not overly so. He found himself touching her simply to touch her. Not good for a Texas Ranger who needed to be in control, certainly not acceptable, but he couldn’t help himself.

He was fascinated by this woman. She was different from any woman he’d ever met, and that was saying a lot. Caleb wasn’t one to have ladies in his bed one after the other, but he’d had his fair share of encounters. Never met a woman to make him want to stop for more than a day or two. Now he’d spent the last three days taking care of Rory. Unfortunately she’d been unconscious the entire time.

How could he have developed such an affection for her in four days? Only one of which she actually spoke. Truthfully, he was embarrassed by how much he had come to know her by taking care of her. It was odd and he couldn’t have explained it if asked.

He wrung the rag in the makeshift basin made from a concave rock Benjy had found. They had some food left, but not much. He did his best to pour the peach juice down her throat when she would let him. Her cheeks were sunken and he could almost count her ribs. If the fever didn’t let loose soon, she wouldn’t survive.

It was that thought alone that kept him up all night and all day. He napped when he could. Benjy didn’t want to touch her, but he was good at finding what they needed. He was the one who found the rock for the basin, and dry kindling to keep a small fire going. The boy also took care of the animals, cleaning their shit from the cave and foraging for food for them after the feed ran out the day before.

Benjy was a smart one, resourceful as hell, but still silent. It bothered Caleb quite a lot. He hoped his brother would start talking after he was out of Garza’s grasp, but it didn’t happen. They were lucky to have stayed undiscovered for so long. Caleb fully expected Garza and his men to find them any minute.

Yet three days had passed and still they remained hidden. Garza must’ve assumed they had kept moving. Caleb had gone back and erased their tracks for at least a mile, leaving nothing for the patron to follow. The ruse had worked well enough to give him time to nurse Rory, or at least try to nurse her. He wasn’t sure how good his work was since she hadn’t gained consciousness yet.

Benjy crept back into the cave with the canteen. He’d gone to get fresh water from the creek nearby. Caleb took the canteen from him and handed him the rock.

“Go dump this and bring it back quick.”

The boy took the makeshift basin without hesitation and left the cave again. Caleb opened the canteen and held Rory’s neck, dribbling the water into her mouth. She swallowed, which was a good sign. He stared down at her face and wished she would open her eyes. He missed her amber gaze, full of spark and fire.

“Don’t give up on me, Aurora. You’re stronger than that. Hell, woman, you tried to kill me with your forge. You can’t give up because a tree decided to poke a hole in you.” Her eyes flew open and he almost dropped her head in surprise. “Rory?”

“Ranger.” Her voice was a raspy whisper.

He was ridiculously pleased to see her awake and aware. “You done lying around and being lazy?”

She blinked. “Just about.”

He grinned. “Good because I was hoping someone else might cook.”

“I don’t cook.” She shifted beneath the blanket and grimaced. “Have you been kicking me?”

“You caught me. I thought it would be fun to kick you while you were unconscious.” He held the canteen up to her lips. “Now drink. You’ve barely had enough to wet your lips.”

She obeyed, probably because she was too tired to fight with him. After she’d had enough, he pulled it away. Her eyes drooped as she looked at him.

“I have trouble showing appreciation.” Her confession surprised him.

“I noticed.”

“You would mention it too.” She closed her eyes. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” He smoothed her limp hair off her forehead. “Now first thing we’re going to do is get you clean, because woman, you stink.”

“Jackass.”

“I aim to please.”

The corner of her mouth twitched. “I think I’d like to get clean. I can smell myself.”

Caleb barked a laugh. “I guess that’s when you know you need to find soap.” He missed sparring with her. It was good, better than good, to have her back. Damn he might even say something stupid to her. Thankfully, his brother saved him from making a fool of himself.

Benjy came back in with the empty basin and set it down. Caleb reached over to pat his shoulder but his brother pulled away. He fisted his hand and held back the curse that bubbled up his throat.

“She’s awake.”

Benjy’s brows went up. He peered at her and jumped when her eyes popped open. She gifted him with a small smile. Caleb told himself he wasn’t jealous.

“Thank you. I know you helped.” Her face had softened.

Benjy nodded and sat beside her. He seemed to need to be near her, to make sure she was okay. He had lost his mother so long ago, perhaps he saw Rory as the maternal figure he needed. That housekeeper Bernadette certainly wasn’t it—she’d been too stiff and bossy. The lady blacksmith wasn’t a typical mother figure but she was a good person. Perhaps her influence would pull Benjy out of his silence.