Page 31 of West Wind

Butler released her with a frown. “No call to be so uppity. I was just bein’ neighborly, bein’ as how we’re going to be spending the next couple of months together.”

She left him standing there, aware that she’d made an enemy she didn’t need, aware that she’d have to watch Butler every minute. Shelley had been right about what waited for her between where he’d left her and California. He just didn’t realize she’d be riding next to one of the dangers he’d warned her about for the next couple of months. Months! It seemed like an interminably long time.

As the day wore on she realized that the next couple of months might drive her insane.

She rode her mare beside the Castletons’ wagon that Suzanne drove. No wonder her arms were so well muscled. It was hard work controlling the oxen. They plodded along at a snail’s pace. Twenty miles would be a very good day. Very good indeed.

Jim Butler stayed well away from her during the day, driving his own wagon and seeing to his family when the entire procession came to a halt for a noontime break and a cold meal. His worn-looking wife drove their other wagon. Only the newlyweds rode side by side, their meager belongings barely filling their single conveyance.

They stopped for the day much too early in the afternoon for Annabelle’s liking. They couldn’t have gone much more than ten miles! The fires were started, a few things washed and hung to dry, the wagons partially unloaded so the women could prepare the beds. It all seemed like such a waste of time to her. Shelley had spoiled her.

It was such a pleasant night that she didn’t even attempt to sleep in the wagon. She placed her bedroll beside the wagon the children slept in, used her saddle as a pillow, and admired the stars. They were brighter in the black night sky than any jewels she’d ever seen. Even brighter than the diamond earrings Henri had given her, more brilliant than the sapphire and diamond pendant Nicky had given her, the one that had belonged to his mother. The stars were more precious than all the jewels she’d left behind. The very idea made her laugh. A thought like that would’ve been completely foreign to her a few months ago, even a few weeks ago. Shelley made her look at the whole world differently.

“What’s so funny?” a voice whispered.

She rose quickly and turned around. Butler leaned against the wagon.

“How long have you been standing there?” she asked indignantly.

“Not very long. Just thought I’d stop by and see if you were feeling lonely, and maybe a bit friendlier than you were this morning.”

She sized him up quickly. He was a small man, but wiry and well muscled. His dark hair was slicked back, giving him an oily look that was decidedly unappealing. Determined to escape from his unwanted attentions, she turned her back on him. She had no intention of even speaking to Butler.

He grabbed her by her long braid and pulled her back so she collided with his chest. He trapped her with his arm, knocking the breath out of her. “You be nice to me and I’ll take care of you.”

“I don’t need anyone to take care of me,” she seethed. As she said the words, she realized they were true.

“Mrs. Brown.” She felt his breath, hot and unpleasant, on her neck. “Annie, honey. You do. I know you want me. I knew it the first time our eyes met over the campfire.”

She relaxed and he loosened his grip, seriously overestimating his charms. With a little freedom of movement, she brought her elbow straight back into his gut with all the strength she could muster. Then she brought the heel of her right boot down on top of his foot.

When she spun around and stepped back, Butler was holding his stomach and standing on one bare foot, fury on his face.

“I keep a gun on my person at all times, Mr. Butler,” she said coolly. “I was told not to display the weapon unless I intend to use it, and I’ve found that to be excellent advice.” It would be a good idea to let him believe she knew more about defending herself than she really did, as though this sort of thing happened all the time.

“If you touch me again, you’ll see it.” She couldn’t believe her voice was so calm. “Do you understand?” she asked as Butler stood there, dumbfounded.

After a moment he turned and walked away without a word. She gathered her gear and crawled into the wagon. It wouldn’t be safe for her to sleep outdoors, not with Jim Butler around.

She was through running from Butler and men like him, and from whatever awaited her in San Francisco. If she hadn’t run in the first place…

She quickly got settled, then looked beyond the opening in the rear of the wagon, back toward the east. Shelley had ridden away from her in that direction. She didn’t feel very generous toward him at the moment; she scowled into the night as if he could see her.

“I hate you, Shelley.” She whispered, so as not to wake the children. “When I get out of this I’m going to eradicate you from my memory, forget you exist. I’m going to leave you here by the side of the trail where you belong and bury your memory in the dust.”

An unspoken thought plagued her. Perhaps she could leave him in the dust, but she would never see the night sky and not be reminded, however briefly, that for a moment she’d loved him. Deeply, completely, with her heart, her soul, her body. No one else would ever make her feel what he had, and he’d walked away from her as if she meant nothing to him. Because she did mean nothing to him. At least, nothing more than countless other women. Women like Cherry Red.

She pushed away the ugly image that assaulted her. “I hate you,” she repeated as she turned away from the memories of him and dreamed of days long past.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Wendell had never claimed patience as one of his traits, and in fact viewed that particular virtue as a weakness in other people. Patience was simply another word for laziness. When you were patient, you weren’t getting anything accomplished.

Mordecai had the patience of a saint, which drove Wendell to distraction. They’d combed the northeast corner of Colorado Territory and southeast Wyoming Territory. Shelley was a popular fella. Most everybody they’d talked to knew him, or of him, but Wendell didn’t know any more about the man than he had when he’d left the Silver Palace. Worse, no one had seen him in the past couple of weeks.

“We’ve lost them, dammit,” Wendell snapped at his imperturbable partner.

Mordecai turned his head to deliver a disapproving look. “If he has her, and if they’re traveling overland, we’ll find them. If they catch the rail, Eugene and Dawson will do the job.”