To Catch a Wolf (37 page)

His heart was too big to hide in a corner.

All the troupers had been hiding, in one way or another, while Niall remained at Long

Park. He avoided them, and Athena kept to her room—Niall's room, given to her after

the incident with Morgan—but the atmosphere felt as poisonous as the smoke belching

from one of those horrid Denver smelters. Ulysses had learned, from listening to maids

who hardly noticed his existence, that Athena was to return to Denver with Niall as soon

as the weather permitted. She was not to see Morgan again, and she was to keep apart

from the circus folk.

A devil's bargain, Caitlin thought. Niall had demanded her obedience in exchange for

the safety of the circus—and perhaps of the man she loved. That she loved Morgan,

Caitlin had no doubt. Just as she knew Morgan could not live without her.

"No," she repeated firmly. "Morgan could not have killed his own father. Didn't he say

anything else, Harry?”

The old man's face sagged as if he had lost several pounds in as many days. "No. He

left me with that, and walked away. As if he

wanted me to think the worst.”

"He lives under the weight of an intolerable burden," Ulysses said quietly. "Intolerable

enough to make him avoid the company of other people—as you observed yourself

many times, Firefly. He punishes himself.”

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"For murder?" Caitlin snorted. "No. There must be much more to the story. Did he talk to

you, Uly? You must tell us.”

Ulysses only looked away, avoiding the question. Caitlin longed to shake him. "You're

hiding something, I know it. But I also know Morgan is not a killer. I would feel it if he

were.”

"There are times when feelings are inadequate.”

"And sometimes they are all we have," Harry said. "If he had something to do with his

father's death, there must have been a very good reason.”

"I agree," Uly said. "But I am at a loss as to how to assist him.”

"The help he needs most is with Athena—and Niall," Caitlin said.

"Interference now might make matters worse," Uly said. "Morgan must recognize the

danger of confronting Munroe directly.”

"And what of you, Firefly?" Harry asked gently.

She knew what he was asking but chose to pretend otherwise. "I know there must be a

way of thwarting Niall," she said. "He needs to be distracted until Athena finds a means

of outwitting him. With a little encouragement

”

"I don't like the look on your face, Firefly," Harry said.

"Niall is as dangerous as Morgan," Ulysses cautioned. "You have seen that for

yourself.”

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"And you've repeatedly warned me to take care, like an old grandmother," Caitlin said

with a laugh. "Did you think I really swooned up in Athena's room?”

Ulysses and Morgan exchanged glances. Harry assumed a stern expression ill-suited to

his jolly St. Nicholas features.

"We are here on Munroe's sufferance," he said. "Athena would never allow any harm to

come to us, but if she chooses to defy her brother, he may eject us forthwith." He met

Caitlin's eyes. "I won't see us cast out, Firefly, as long as we are capable of leaving of

our own free will. Nor will I allow you to place yourself in jeopardy, of body or of soul. I

will give orders for the troupers to prepare to depart as soon as the storm passes.”

"You don't mean it, Harry. It's almost winter. We can't travel now—and you want to see

Athena and Morgan together just as much as I do.”

"Yes. But I have witnessed the consequences of our meddling, and I feel—" He blinked,

giving the impression of a slightly befuddled owl. "I feel in my bones that we must go.”

"Is this because of what Morgan said?”

"I fear what he will do if he is driven too far," Harry admitted. "I'll try to persuade him to

come with us. Then, when everything is calm again, he may return.”

Caitlin studied Harry with growing trepidation. She had never seen him look so grave, or

so determined. Did he truly believe that she would get herself, or the troupe, into a

predicament she couldn't climb out of?

"You're wrong, Harry," she said. "No good will come of running away now.”

"I have made my decision." He got to his feet and started toward the door. "I shall tell

the others to begin preparations, and we will leave at the first sign of clear weather.”

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When Harry was gone, Caitlin looked at Ulysses. "You agree with him, don't you?”

"I would make any personal sacrifice on Morgan's behalf," he said. "I would assist Miss

Munroe if I were able. But it is my considered judgment that the welfare of the troupe

must take precedence over that of Athena and Morgan. They must make their own

choices." He paused. "I am sorry, Caitlin.”

She saw that arguing with him was as futile as it would have been with Harry. Men

could be so stubborn once they had an idea in their heads, no matter how wrong it was.

She'd thought that Harry followed his heart more than most, but even he fell prey to the

idea that money meant power, and women had to be protected from their own foolish

notions.

She lay in bed, fuming silently, for a good hour after Ulysses left. The troupe must not

leave until the business with Athena and Morgan was resolved. She had taken great

pains to throw them together, and she'd be damned if she'd let Niall Munroe ruin her

plans.

The storm might pass at any moment, but it would take several days for the troupe to

prepare to move. Even in fair weather, the snow would impede progress and make the

pass difficult to negotiate. That gave her a little more time.

If Harry and Ulysses feared some rash action on her part

well, she would make very

certain not to disappoint them.

"A letter has just arrived, Miss Hockensmith" Parton said, presenting the paper on a

silver tray with a little bow. "It was marked urgent.”

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Cecily paused to accept the envelope, listening to make sure that the ladies assembled

in her parlor were still engaged in conversation. When Parton had gone to retrieve more

refreshments for her influential guests, she examined the return address with an eager

smile.

It was marked from Yankee Gulch, the only substantial town nearest Niall's ranch. Her

hope that the letter might be from Niall was all too quickly dashed. The spidery writing

was definitely not his, nor did it belong to Athena.

Niall had been gone several days, doubtless due to the bad weather blanketing the

mountains. She had been glad for the respite. With the Winter Ball only days away,

nothing could interfere with the social coup she was about to achieve.

She frowned at the envelope and turned it over in her hands. If it was not from Niall or

Athena

She began to read, wrinkling her nose at the highly spiced scent of the paper, and

nearly dropped it.

You promised to help me, it became without salutation, if I aided you in keeping Munroe

and our Caitlin apart. I gave you information that you were to use to control the girl and

influence your lover. But now you must know that he is here, with Caitlin, as Athena is

with my wolf.

Cecily held the letter by her fingertips, wishing she could burn it immediately. She did

not have to read the scrawled name at the bottom of the letter to know who had sent it.

Tamar. Tamar, that horrid snake-woman with her veiled threats and promises, whom

Cecily had hoped she would never hear from again. She had not even guessed the

gypsy could read, let alone write.

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Your brother intends to make Athena return to Denver, the letter went on, but Morgan

remains under her spell. She is now able to stand and walk, which removes an obstacle

between them. Morgan may attempt to follow. I have spoken to Harry French and

convinced him that our Caitlin will put herself in danger by pursuing your brother and

trying to meddle in Athena's affairs. He has agreed that we must leave this place. We

will be departing when weather permits. But if Morgan does not come with us, you must

make sure that Athena is made to wish never to see him again.

I know that Morgan was sent to prison for the crime of killing his own father. You must

learn the truth of these matters swiftly, so that when Athena returns you may tell her

what breed of man her lover is. When she turns against him, he will come to me. Do not

fail.

Cecily crumpled the paper in her fist, her mind racing with the information Tamar had

imparted. So Niall had seen Caitlin, had he? And the girl was still pursuing him, in spite

of her supposed injury?

And Morgan Holt was a convict. A patricide. Cecily smiled with satisfaction. She was not

surprised, for it fully justified her complete dislike of the man and his cohorts. A crime of

that kind could not easily be forgiven. Even Athena would quail and shudder at such

knowledge, especially when she had so adored her own father.

And she was able to walk! Cecily's smile soured. It had occurred to her, once or twice,

that Athena's lameness might be a ploy to win the sympathy of society and support for

her causes. Certainly many of the ladies would not have been so generous had she not

been a cripple, and thus worthy of pity herself.

Had "love" transformed Athena, or had she decided she wanted something more than

what had contented her in the past? Niall would not be so cursed protective if his sister

could walk. But the girl might prove much more troublesome and difficult to influence.

She might even fight for the position Cecily was stealing from her.

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Cecily shoved the letter into a fold of her skirt and walked slowly toward the parlor.

Tamar claimed that Cecily owed her, but Cecily recognized no such debt. Indeed, if she

chose she could simply ignore the information about Morgan and allow matters to take

whatever course fate decreed. If the foolish child fell into the hands of a convicted

murderer and ran off with him, why that was of no consequence as long as Cecily had

Niall's devotion and he did not suspect her of any personal involvement. Why should

he? Athena would be out of the way once and for all, ruined in society.

On the other hand, if Cecily were to confirm Tamar's information and report it to Niall, he

would have even more reason to be grateful to her for alerting him.

Yes. Cecily paused at the doorway to the parlor, listening to Mrs. Merriwether's lavish

expressions of anticipation for the ball to come. She would take great personal delight in

exposing Morgan Holt to Niall, Athena, and the world. That would put an end to his

contemptuous looks and loutish disrespect for his betters. All she need do was make a

few discreet inquiries—her father certainly knew the right people, now that he was in

partnership with Niall—and she could learn everything necessary to shatter Athena's

puerile hopes of romance.

Smoothing her skirts, Cecily sailed into the parlor and graciously accepted the homage

of her new and most devoted courtiers.

Four days after Niall's disastrous arrival, the snow stopped falling. That same morning,

just after dawn, he bundled Athena into the ranch's heavy drag and ordered the driver to

take them to Denver.

Athena had nothing to say to Niall, and he maintained the same grim silence. She

stared out the window and looked for Morgan, tormenting herself with the thought that

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she would never see him again. Once, near the edge of the park, she heard a wolf howl.

That was all.

She had known that Morgan would refuse her invitation to return with her. She had

known that she risked nothing in asking him, that there was no question of breaking her

bargain with Niall.

She could have told him all her reasons for declining his offer to take her with him. But

when he had made his accusations, pride had left her mute. Let him believe such things

of her. Let him go back to his wild life and freedom.

She did not let Niall see her weep.

Passage through the mountains was difficult because of the depth of the snow, and they

stopped to change horses and stay overnight in a hotel in Golden. By the time they

reached Denver on the evening of the second day, Athena had made herself numb to

all feeling.

Cecily was at the house to greet them as if she had known exactly when they would

arrive, and instructed Brinkley to see to their comfort with presumptuous confidence.