“We’ll sign a claim over to you.”
“Please.”
’Ring almost smiled at the scene. She sat there in a dusty dress, her hair hanging down her back, looking as regal as a princess. “Might as well give up, boys,” ’Ring said from behind the men. “She’s the most stubborn female on earth. Can’t make her do anything she doesn’t want to do.” He smiled across the men at her, and she gave a little smile back. It was a smile that said I knew you’d come, but what took you so long?
He made his way through the men, stepping over a few sprawled on the ground, and when he reached her he held out his hand. She took it and stood, then followed him through the men. They groaned and made a few muffled pleas for her to sing for them, but no one made any vigorous actions.
Slowly, ’Ring led her to his horse, lifted her onto it, then mounted behind her. Slowly, his hand near his pistol, he rode out of the camp, but not one of the sad-faced men followed them.
“You can relax now,” she said. “They won’t follow us.”
“Bastards!” he said under his breath. “As soon as we’re farther down the road, I’m going back and—”
She put her hand on his on the reins. “No, please. They meant no harm.”
“Harm! My head feels as though a wagon ran over it, Sam’s head was bleeding, and you say they meant no harm.”
“They were drunk, but it’s not something that hasn’t happened to me before.”
“I see, you’re a regular kidnap victim. Is that what that man the night before last wanted? To hear you sing?”
She wasn’t going to answer that. “These men,” she said pointedly, “wanted to hear me sing, and for a singer of my quality, abduction is not so unusual. In Russia, after I sang for the czar, the students unhitched the horses from my carriage and pulled it to a dreary little boardinghouse. They could not afford even the cheapest tickets, but they very much wanted to hear me.”
“And did you sing for them?”
“No. I wanted to because I was very flattered by their attentions, but I was afraid that if it were told that, like a bird in a cage, I would sing in captivity, then someone might permanently put me in a cage.”
After a moment he spoke to her gruffly. “Here, lean back.”
She hesitated, but she was so tired that she couldn’t help leaning back against him. Her head fit exactly under his chin.
“Who was with you during all these years of travel?” His voice was still full of anger.
“John. John Fairlie, my manager, was with me.”
She could feel the front of him against her back, feel the anger that still raged in him.
“Where’s all the money you’ve earned? For that matter, who takes care of the money you’ve earned in the gold camps?”
“I don’t know,” she said sleepily. “John took care of money. Frank does now or maybe Sam does. I don’t think Edith does.”
“How much do you know about the three of them?”
“Could you please stop asking me questions?”
He didn’t answer her, and his silence gave her peace to close her eyes and relax against him.
She was asleep in his arms within minutes, but she jolted awake when he stopped. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, but Butter’s tired, you’re exhausted, and I wouldn’t mind some sleep too.”
She was more tired than she wanted to admit, and when he put up his arms for her she slid into them. He stood close to her for a moment and removed a leaf from her hair. “You are a damned infuriating woman. You know that?”
She was too tired to argue. “I knew you’d find me. You are the most persistent man I have ever encountered.”
“I guess you’re used to men losing sleep to find you. I guess your manager came after you when the Russian students took you?”
“No, he didn’t. He had a nice dinner and went to bed. John always thought I was able to take care of myself. Which I am. They would have returned me before long.”