The Wildest Heart

Todd Shannon’s dangerou

s glance told me that I was trying him too far, but he led me forward without another word.

We walked through enormous doors into a high-ceilinged room decorated with barbaric splendor. An enormous fireplace took up almost half of one wall, two highly polished, silver-engraved Henry rifles were crossed over the fireplace, and the walls were hung with paintings depicting various Western scenes and brightly patterned Indian blankets.

I knew that Shannon watched my reactions. I lifted my eyes to his and whispered, “A robber-baron’s castle!” and felt his fingers tighten over my elbow.

“You’ll find out,” he muttered, and then we were surrounded, it seemed, by people.

I was introduced to the territorial governor, Mr. Wallace, a bearded man with a habit of blinking rather shortsightedly, to “neighboring” ranchers who had traveled over two hundred miles to get here. A cavalry colonel from Fort Selden, immaculately dressed, bent gallantly over my hand. I was introduced to a federal judge, a congressman from California, several rich mine owners with their opulently dressed wives. The men were more casually dressed than the women, who had attempted to outshine each other. Flo Jeffords, her shining blonde hair falling in long curls to her shoulders, was wearing a crimson silk dress that caught the light when she moved. Rubies sparkled on her ears and at her throat. I saw her eyes flick over me and widen slightly.

“Well, my goodness, Lady Rowena, I wouldn’t have recognized you!”

To my surprise, it was Todd Shannon who cut her off, his voice holding a casual kind of contempt that immediately made me feel sorry for her. “Flo, you go with Mark and see that everything’s ready for dinner. An’ have that lazy rascal Ben bring some wine up from the cellar. Rowena, you ever tasted our American whiskey? Or are you scared to drink anything stronger than wine?”

“Is it more potent than Russian vodka?”

Did he hope to get me drunk? I would disappoint him there, for Sir Edgar’s friends had all been hard drinkers, and I had learned to handle what liquor I did consume.

“You get nervous without Mark to protect you?” Todd Shannon seemed to sense my thoughts.

I caught his wicked look and shrugged. “Why should I be nervous when you’re with me, Uncle Todd?”

“Call me that just once more and you’ll be sorry, gal!” he threatened grimly, and I widened my eyes at him.

“Oh, but why not? After all, you and my father…”

“You all excuse us for a few minutes, huh?” he said in a loud voice. “Promised to show Rowena the rest of the house. It’s her first time here, you know!”

Willy-nilly, his fingers gripping me painfully, I found myself following him. He seemed to enjoy my discomfort. “This is the parlor, never use it much. The small dining room through here, but we don’t use that too much either. These doors lead right out onto the patio. Ain’t seen my patio yet, have you?”

“What do you think you’re achieving by this show of force?” I whispered furiously. “You had better take me back before your friends.”

“Shucks, my friends ain’t gonna think a thing is wrong! Always show a pretty gal around the house.”

“If you think to exercise le droit de seigneur with me, Todd Shannon…”

“Whatever that means, all I’m doin’ is what I’ve wanted to do ever since I saw you walk in that door. An’ you’ve been asking for it, too! Uncle, hell!”

He took me in his arms, ruthlessly holding me still in spite of my furious protests. “When are you gonna face up to facts, little gal? I want you. Have done even before I saw how you look all dolled up. You turned Mark down, didn’t you? An’ you’ve been needlin’ me all evening. Better learn to pay up when your bluffs been called.”

He bent his head to mine and I saw his thin, cruel lips curve in a smile of triumph. “We’re two of a kind, and you know it,” he said, before his lips claimed mine.

Eight

“You are a robber baron. A conscienceless pirate. And you’re old enough to be my father.”

My voice sounded breathless. I felt as if he had choked the breath from my body.

I couldn’t remember how long he had kissed me, out here in the moonlight, with the trickling sound of the small fountain in the background. When he finally raised his head, I think I might have fallen if his arms had not held me. I hated him.

“Damnation, woman, why don’t you stop fightin’ me? It was meant to be this way. Think your pa knew it too. You’re going to marry me, you know that?”

“So that you’ll have all the SD, and my money as well?”

I was fighting for my sanity, and I knew it.

“You know better than that, damn you! You kissed me back. Think I didn’t know it? Why’d you think I lay low an’ let you play around with Mark? He’s not man enough for you, an’ I knew you’d find that out for yourself. You’re the kind of female that needs a strong hand on the reins. An’ don’t tire yourself strugglin,’ because I ain’t gonna let you go until I’ve had my say! You’re the woman I’ve been waiting for. Why’d you think I haven’t married again? A woman with guts, damn you, and yes, with a sharp tongue, too. A real woman, not a damn doormat who’d cry every time I yelled at her. I got a temper, an’ you know that. But so have you. But you dressed up for me tonight, an’ don’t you think I don’t know it!”