Wings of a Dove (30 page)

    Allie nodded, tears welling in her eyes. "I know."

    Delaney touched Allie's cheek, then trailed his fingers to the corner of her mouth. Her lower lip was trembling, and he ran his fingertip lightly across it. She turned her head away.

    "That tickles."

    It had not been his intention to tickle her, and staring down at Allie, Delaney was suddenly uncertain just exactly what his intention was.

    He was so damned confused. It seemed he had spent most of the past six years being confused about Allie. Everything else had been so easy. He had done his work on the farm and on the newspaper, and had allowed no personal feelings to touch him. He had even held himself aloof from Mrs. Case's illness, realizing that he could not forestall the inevitable. He had used the shield he had developed as a child on the streets both to protect himself and to allow him the single-mindedness necessary to fulfill his ambitions.

    That shield had never protected him from Allie. She had managed to creep behind it, to snuggle deep inside him, and to find a home there. She had trusted him when no one else thought him worthy of trust. She had loved him without reservation. She called him her best friend.

    Friend.

    Cupping Allie's cheek with his hand, he slid his fingers into the pale wisps at her hairline. He frowned in annoyance at the restriction imposed by her tightly coiled hair.

    "I don't like your hair bound. I like it better hanging loose."

    Allie appeared startled and a little hurt by his comment. She gave a small shrug. "I'm too old to wear my hair down."

    "Too old? Who told you that?"

    "No one
told
me. No one had to tell me. Sarah started wearing her hair up at sixteen, although she still wears it down sometimes."

    "Sarah is different. Besides, I couldn't care less how Sarah wears her hair. She could shave her head for all the difference it would make to me."

    A smile tugged at the corner of Allie's mouth. "She'd be beautiful even then."

    "I told you, I couldn't care less."

    "Anyway, my hair stays neater this way, most of the time. James says he likes it."

    James again.

    Delaney slid his fingers into Allie's hair. He had tossed the first pin into the grass before she realized what he was doing. Her protest was instantaneous. When he pulled the second pin free, Allie slapped angrily at his hands.

    "What are you doing? I'll never find those pins! Delaney, stop!"

    Ignoring her, Delaney was not satisfied until Allie's hair was free at last. With great deliberation, he tossed the last pin over his shoulder and met Allie's heated glare.

    "If James likes your hair pinned up, tell
him
to buy you more pins."

    Furious, Allie struggled to sit up, but he would not allow it. He had never seen her so angry, and he was suddenly disgusted with his own high-handedness. Damn it all, what had gotten into him?

    "Allie, I'm sorry."

    "Let me up!"

    "Allie, listen to me. I said I'm sorry."

    "I said,
Let me up
!"

    Dammit, dammit, dammit!

    Restraining her as she attempted to pull herself up, Delaney waited until her struggles had finally subsided before releasing her enough to slide his hand into her unbound hair. The silky strands were warm against his palm, distracting, and he frowned.

    "You can wear your hair any way you like it. I'll buy you new pins to replace the ones I threw away."

    "I don't want new pins. I want the old ones. And I want you to let me go."

    Allie was perfectly still at last, and Delaney released her slowly, with caution. She glared at him, her small face set in angry lines.

    "What's the matter with you, Delaney? Why are you so angry   with me? What difference does it make if I wear my hair up or down, or if I cut it all off, for that matter?"

    Yes, what did it matter how Allie wore her hair, except that Allie was growing up and slipping away from him, and he didn't like it? But even that didn't make sense, because he would be leaving soon. Delaney shook his head, more confused than ever.

    "I suppose I don't want you to change."

    Now it was Allie's turn to be confused. "Everybody changes, Delaney. You've changed. You've gotten older. You're bigger and more handsome than you ever were."

    Delaney frowned at Allie's unconscious compliment, realizing she would never believe him if he paid her a compliment in return, no matter how heartfelt.

    "But I don't tell you how to wear
your
hair."

    Delaney gave a short laugh. "Maybe you should."

    Allie shook her head. "No, it's not my place."

    Delaney's smile slowly froze. "Just as it's not my place to tell you how to wear yours. Is that what you're trying to tell me?"

    "Yes."

    Delaney took a deep breath. Allie was growing up, all right.

    "You're right, and I was wrong. I'm sorry. Can we forget the whole thing if I get you some new pins?"

    "No, I want you to help me find the old ones."

    Delaney was beginning to get annoyed. They were wasting time arguing, something Allie and he seldom did. Time was slipping away and he didn't want to waste what was left in searching for hairpins.

    "To hell with the hairpins. I told you I'll buy you new ones when we get back to the store."

    "Delaney"

    In a swift, unexpected movement, Delaney seized Allie's wrists and pinned them to the ground beside her head. He brought his face closer to hers. The dark pupils of her eyes widened at his whisper, "And if I say I won't let you up?"

    "Bastard! Take your hands off her!"

    Delaney's head jerked up at the sound of James's voice. Hesitating only a moment, he stood and extended a hand toward Allie.

    "Don't touch her, Marsh!"

    Ignoring James's warning, Delaney grasped Allie's hand and

    drew her to her feet. He was turning back to James when a blinding pain exploded against his jaw, sending him staggering backwards. He hit the ground with jarring impact, the sound of Allie's sharp cry echoing in his ears as he fought the wave of blackness that threatened to overwhelm him. He felt a light touch on his cheek, heard Allie's voice close to his ear, only to have it suddenly withdrawn.

    Still reeling, he sat up, his uncertain gaze fixing on Allie's frightened face as she pulled herself free of James's hold and ran to his side.

    "Delaney, are you all right?"

    Delaney slowly rose to his feet. He did not bother to respond to Allie's shaken question. He would show her he was all right. He'd beat her puny protector to a bloody pulp!

    "Delaney, no! Please!"

    The panic in Allie's plea halted Delaney. "It was a misunderstanding, Delaney." She darted a pleading glance toward James. "Tell him it was a misunderstanding, James!"

    His eyes raking Allie's disheveled appearance, James covered the steps between them and took her by the arm. "It was no misunderstanding, Marsh, except on your part! And I'm telling you now: Touch Allie again and you won't live to see a new day!"

    Fury pushed the last trace of confusion from Delaney's mind. He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with the back of his arm.

    "Whatever you thought you saw, you were wrong, Case. You should know Allie better than to think"

    "Allie? The only problem with Allie is that she's too innocent! She should've known what you had in mind when you dragged her out of town and up here to this deserted hill. The rest of the town did! You didn't give a damn for her good name. You left tongues wagging up and down Main Street. She would never listen to a word I said against you. Even now, after you proved I was right, she's standing up for you!"

    "James, please listen to me." Her face white, Allie shook her head. "Delaney wasn't hurting me! He only wanted"

    "I know what he wanted!" Shaking with rage, James paused to take a deep breath. "Come on, Allie. We're leaving."

    "Allie's not going anywhere with you." His head completely    clear at last, Delaney took a warning step forward, ignoring Allie's grip on his arm. "Get out of here, Case. Get out of here before I show you how lucky you were to get in that first punch."

    "No!" Releasing Delaney's arm to squeeze between the two men, Allie held them apart. "James, you're wrong. You didn't see what you thought you saw."

    "Don't tell me what I saw, Allie!"

    "I told you to get out of here, Case. I won't tell you again."

    "When I walk away from here, I'm taking Allie with me."

    "Oh, no, you're not. You're laboring under a misconception, Case. Your family didn't get ownership papers when they took Allie in. She doesn't
belong
to you."

    "Bastard! Are you trying to tell me she belongs to you? Never! She's too good for you!"

    Delaney nodded. "Maybe, but she's too good for you, too."

    "At least I wouldn't try to take her innocence out in the open, on the ground, like an animal. But you wouldn't know how to treat a decent woman, would you, Marsh? Cheap trollops don't teach a man how to treat a good woman."

    Overcome by rage, Delaney pushed Allie from between them.

    "Delaney! I… I'm going with James."

    Delaney threw an incredulous glance toward Allie. "You don't believe this bastard? You know I'd never"

    "I know." Allie was holding his arm. She loosened her grip and rubbed his arm in silent commiseration. "But I also know neither of you is willing to listen to a word of good sense right now."

    "I don't want you to go back with him, Allie."

    "I came to town with James, Delaney. Mother Case is waiting for us, so I'll return with him as planned. You have to go back to the newspaper. When you come home tonight everything will be straightened out."

    "Everything will be straightened out, all right!" James said angrily.

    "James, please…"

    "Let's go, Allie."

    Allie was turning away, and Delaney shook his head in disbelief. "Allie?"

    "I'll see you later, Delaney."

    Biting her lip, Allie turned at James's urging and walked to     the crest of the hill. James spoke to her, and she anxiously pushed her hair back from her face. Delaney closed his eyes briefly, disgusted with himself and his stupidity. When he opened his eyes again, Allie and James had disappeared over the rise.

    Delaney wiped the blood from his mouth again and shook his head. Christ, he felt rotten. He hadn't wanted to hurt Allie, to make her cry. Not Allie.

    For a few short moments, Delaney stared down at the grassy slope beneath his feet. Hairpins. Allie and he had been arguing about hairpins. Where in hell were they, anyway?

    Realizing that searching for them was futile, Delaney snatched up his hat and started up the slope with a slow step. He'd buy her new ones, just as he had said.

    Damn that bastard James!

    Delaney reached the crest of the hill just as James and Allie turned onto Main Street and out of sight. The taste of blood was strong in his mouth, and he wiped at the corner of his lips one more time before starting down the hill. His step slow, he walked past the livery, noting Mosley Rourke's disapproving glare followed him. He had been renting a horse from Rourke for the past two and a half years, since James had made it clear that using the gelding was putting a hardship on the family. He had never bothered to exchange even the time of day with Rourke, and it was obvious what the fellow was thinking. Well, let him think whatever he wanted.

    Delaney walked onto Main Street just as the wagon carrying Allie and James turned out of sight on the road out of town. Just as well. He walked past the
News
office and on to the general store. Elmer Winthrop observed his entrance with obvious distaste. His small eyes darted to the corner of Delaney's mouth with satisfaction.

    "I did like you said and told James you and the Pierce girl went for a walk. Too bad he caught up with you, huh?"

    Elmer's arrogance wilted under the heat of Delaney's silent gaze, and he twitched nervously. "What can I do for you?"

    "Hairpins."

    His surprise obvious, Elmer turned to the shelf behind him and, after a fraction of a moment, put the hairpins down on the counter.

    "Anything else?"

    ''No."

    Slapping down a coin, Delaney waited only long enough for change before snatching up the small package and walking out of the store. He was striding back toward the
News
office when a familiar figure emerged through the doorway of the dressmaker's shop.

    "I'd say good day, but it doesn't look like you've had such a good day so far." Lil gave him a brief smile. "You look like hell, Delaney."

    Delaney's attempt at a smile resulted in a pained wince.