Whispers on the Wind (22 page)

She took a bite of tender
meat and admitted it was wonderful. However, the company left much
to be desired, and she was determined not to be the first one to
speak. She’d just enjoy the food and then go back to her
cell.

“If that was your
brother,” Carter said out of the blue, “then how come you have
different last names?”

“I don’t have any real
brothers or sisters.”

“Aha! I knew he was
lying.”

“If you’d let me finish,”
Mary snapped, a little irritated that Carter would always think the
worst where she was concerned. “I grew up in an orphanage. There
were six of us,” she said in a soft voice. Then her pride kicked in
and she spoke with more confidence. “Somehow, we managed to become
a family, but it wasn’t easy. When the oldest, Brandy, married
Thunder, he became my brother, too, or you could call him my
brother-in- law.”

“That’s interesting,”
Carter said as he picked up his cup of coffee. “Thunder was one of
the orphans?”

“No. Thunder was raised by
the Cheyenne. If you think he looks savage now, you should have
seen him then. He scared all of us. When we met him, he was a scout
for a wagon train. Since we didn’t have a man with our wagon,
Thunder took care of us.”

Carter leaned back and
propped one booted foot on his leg. “He actually volunteered?”
Carter asked with a grin that was irresistibly devastating. “After
meeting him, I find that hard to believe.”

Mary started laughing and
Carter actually smiled. She reached for her cup of coffee. She
chuckled, then swallowed her smile. “No, he didn’t volunteer,” she
admitted. “He was roped into taking care of us, and he didn’t like
it any more than we did.” She smiled as she remembered all the
interesting times they’d had.

Mary went on with her story
because every time she paused, Carter would prompt her to continue,
much like a child hearing a bedtime story. So she told him all
about the journey until she came to the part where Brandy had
murdered Sam Owens. She hesitated, then with a resigned sigh she
related the tale.

“It must run in the
family,” Carter said nonchalantly.

Mary placed her cup on the
table, her eyes feeling like they were spitting sparks. Why had she
bothered to tell him anything if he was going to make fun of her?
She stared at him long and hard. Instead of exploding like she
wanted to, she didn’t say anything.

“Are you going to finish
your story?” he asked.

She arched her eyebrow. “I
don’t appreciate your comment,” she informed him.

“But it’s the truth,”
Carter argued.

“Only on the surface. That
is your problem, Carter,” she snapped. “You never bother to look
beneath the evidence. You only accept what’s right on the surface.”
Mary pushed herself to a standing position. “Sometimes, things are
not as they seem. Let me tell you why Brandy shot the man. It was
because Sam was trying to rape Ellen, my younger sister, and when
Brandy tried to stop him, he turned on Brandy.”

Mary leaned across the
table so she could see Carter at eye level. She wanted him to know
she was serious about Brandy. “If Brandy hadn’t shot him, I’m sure
I would have. So you can arrest me for thinking about
it!”

Mary straightened, then
gave him a sarcastic look. “Oh, I forgot, you’ve already done
that.” She flung the words at him, turned, and went back to her
cell.

“Where are you
going?”

“I’m a prisoner, Marshal,
or have you forgotten?”

Carter sauntered over to
the cell, rubbing the back of his neck. The woman made his head
hurt. He had been enjoying the conversation, figuring it was a good
way for him to get to know her. And he’d been surprised at what
he’d found so far— this was one hell of a woman who also had one
hell of a temper.

“Look.” He grasped the
bars as he leaned against the door. “Why don’t we call a truce
tonight and just talk? It’s going to be a long night, and we may
never get another chance.”

Mary wasn’t sure she wanted
Carter to know anything about her. But then again, his opinion
couldn’t be much lower. “All right,” she finally agreed. “You can
sit over in that chair, but make one more sarcastic remark and I’ll
throw you out on your ear,” Mary warned him.

He chuckled and seated
himself leisurely, stretching his long legs out in front of him.
What was it about her that made him feel so good? “Your family is
definitely interesting.”

Mary nodded. “You could say
that They would probably tell you that I was very hard to get along
with.”

“They wouldn’t have to
tell me.” Carter smiled devilishly. “I know that
firsthand.”

Mary shook her finger at
him. “I hate to tell you but you’re no prize yourself.”

“Maybe it’s because we’re
both so alike.”

Mary smiled.
“Perhaps.”

Carter shifted in the
chair. He realized he liked it when she smiled.

“What happened to your
parents?” he asked.

“I never knew my father,”
Mary said, her smile immediately disappearing. “My mother worked in
a brothel, and that is where I was raised until I was put in the
orphanage.”

Carter frowned. I’m sorry.
Sounds like you had it rough.”

Mary thought he really
looked sincere. ‘Thank you. I guess we can’t help where we come
from, but we can help where we’re going. I swore I would never be
like my mother, but I’m definitely not as good as your family. I’d
never even seen such pretty clothes until I wore your sister’s
things,” she said.

Carter leaned over and
touched her hand. “Don’t put yourself down. No matter what clothes
you have on the outside, you are still the same person
inside.”

She laughed sarcastically.
“Yeah, I’m no good.”

“I didn’t say
that.”

“It’s kind of hard to
believe in yourself when you’re accused of something you didn’t
do.”

“I can see your
point”

Mary held up her hand.
“Enough about me. Tell me about your father,” Mary said. “I can’t
imagine having a father.”

“I won’t deny it was nice
having loving parents. I guess I never realized how fortunate I was
until hearing your story. According to my mother, I look a lot like
my father. Everyone looked up to him.” Carter shifted to a more
comfortable position. “And he doted on my mother.”

“I could hear the
affection in your mother’s voice when she spoke of him. How did he
die?”

“He came up on some
rustlers hotfooting calves. Instead of going for help, he went
charging up the hill toward the men. He was determined to run them
off. You see, my father wasn’t afraid of anything.”

“What’s
hotfooting?”

“It’s when rustlers take a
hot iron and burn the calf between the toes, making its feet too
sore to walk.”

“How cruel.
Why?”

“So they will get lost
from their mothers. It makes the strays easier to rustle. Anyway,
my father must have surprised the four men. They all turned and
fired at him.” Carter’s eyes flashed with sudden anger. It still
made him angry to think of his tragic death. “He never stood a
chance.”

“I’m so sorry,” Mary
whispered, her hand on her chest as if she felt his
pain.

“It taught me a very
valuable lesson,” Carter said as he rose. “To always be cautious.”
He glanced at the oil lamp, which gave off only the dimmest light.
“The oil is getting low. I guess we should turn in.”

Mary’s eyes were the
darkest sapphire color. “Thank you for not leaving me locked up
tonight You’ve made it easier.”

Carter looked down at her
upturned face. He saw the heartrending tenderness of her gaze. “I
wish things were different”

With their faces only
inches apart, she whispered, “I do, too.”

When Carter’s gaze fell to
her lips, Mary felt her heart race. She tried to stop the dizzying
current racing though her as his hands slipped up her arms,
bringing her closer. She wound her arms around his neck in
response.

This is a mistake,
she thought.

She felt Carter’s breath
against her face as he pressed his lips to hers, causing her to
moan. Even though she knew Carter was the enemy, it was as if her
mind shut down completely when he touched her.

She trembled with the need
to be held. She fitted herself perfectly to his body. A burning
desire was building inside of her, creating an aching need for him.
His lips crushed down on hers, parting them with a hungry urgency,
and she responded, mating her tongue with his.

He kissed her again and
again until her breath became his. Mary knew she should pull away—
save what dignity she had left—but she craved his affection even
now, after he’d arrested her. She hadn’t been lying when she’d told
him that she loved him. She couldn’t deny herself his touch any
longer.

Lifting his head, Carter
gazed down at her. “What is it about you that makes me forget every
other thought in my head?”

“Tell me last night wasn’t
a lie,” she said—the same question he’d asked her.

“It wasn’t a lie,” Carter
admitted. It was an awakening experience that had left him reeling.
Then he knew he was going to do something that he shouldn’t “I want
you just as much now as I did last night I want to feel your naked
body next to mine, to hold you in my arms once more.”

“Sleep with me tonight,”
Mary whispered in his ear.

Carter’s eyes darkened as
he pulled her down on the cot The soft light was so dim she could
barely see the desire in his eyes, but she knew it was
there.

His mouth caught hers in a
kiss that was both rough and tender, and Mary gave in to her
swirling emotions. The last thing she remembered was Carter
whispering, “I don’t want to lose you.”

Chapter Fourteen

The only sound coming from
the cell was the even breathing of the couple entwined in a lovers’
embrace as they slept on the small cot.

The first rays of sunlight
slipped through the high cell window and cast a warm glow into what
was usually a cold room.

Carter stirred, waking
Mary. Her head was resting on his shoulder with her arm draped
across his chest. She really didn’t want to move because, once she
did, the contented spell she seemed to be in would vanish, reality
would barrel back into her life, and she’d be on her own
again.

“Did you sleep well last
night?” Carter asked.

“Yes, I did. No
nightmares,” Mary murmured, wondering if he felt as wonderful as
she did this morning. “How about you?”

“I did sleep well,” he
said, looking down at her. “We should get dressed before we have
company, and I have to explain why I’m in a cell with you without
my clothes on,” Carter murmured, absently rubbing her
arm.

Mary laughed as she looked
up at him. “Even though the answer would be obvious, I suppose
you’re right” She traced her fingers across his chest swirling
circles in the thick hair. Thank you for staying with me last night
You seem to chase my demons away.”

“If only I could keep them
away.” Carter pulled Mary up and kissed her. “But you don’t have to
thank me. I guess by now you’ve figured out that there is something
between us. You’re very special to me. I—I don’t know what else to
say,” he said hesitantly.

Mary sat up and reached
for her blouse.
You could try saying I
love you.
Somehow, his words were
irritating this morning. Then she remembered her mother and another
woman talking. At the time the words had meant nothing to Mary,
but
now...
The
woman had said, “You mustn’t mistake a man’s attention for anything
other than what it is. Just because he desires you don’t mean he
loves you. You have to hear the words.”

And Carter hadn’t said the
words.

“Well, maybe one day
you’ll figure everything out,” Mary snapped at him.

Carter got up and grabbed
his breeches. He stepped into them quickly and reached for his
shirt.

Evidently, her barb had
bounced off him like water, which irritated her even
more.

When Carter had finished
buttoning his blue shirt, he glanced at her. “You realize I have to
take you back to Gregory Gulch for trial.”

Mary stood across the cell,
her arms folded, damning Carter with her eyes as he locked the
door. Maybe he didn’t love her at all. If he did, would he lock the
door? Could it be nothing more than lust that he felt?

Had she been a fool, just
like her mother?

He said he cared for her,
but hell, he cared for his horse, too. Well, he wouldn’t kiss her
again so easily. She might love him, but she wasn’t a fool. “I
realize you have to do your job, Marshal.”

Carter narrowed his eyes
and stared at Mary. He started to say something but changed his
mind. Instead, he walked over to the potbelly stove and opened the
small door. Taking a poker, he stirred the coals, then chucked some
small pieces of wood into the fire to take off the morning chill.
This time of year, they only needed the heat in the morning and at
night now that the weather was turning warmer.