Midnight Star (Star Quartet 2)

She whispered his name. “I never believed a man could be so evil.”

“Evil and desperate. Now, I want you to take one of my shirts—unfortunately, they’re all soiled—and go bathe in the stream. There’s a sliver of soap and a towel on the floor in the corner. You will stay there until I come for you.”

She realized that he would bury the two men, spare her that awful sight, and she nodded slowly.

“Good girl. Go now.”

31

Only three hours had passed, Chauncey thought, dazed. Three hours since Baron and Jasper had hurled themselves into the shack. Now they were dead and buried, their horses given to the first miners they had seen.

Delaney hadn’t tried to make conversation with her. When he’d fetched her from the stream, he’d simply smiled and said, “Now, love, we’re leaving. Are you up for a long ride?”

She nodded, grateful that she wouldn’t have to return to the shack.

She didn’t particularly notice the beautiful countryside they were riding through. The fir trees jutted high on the surrounding hills. The foothills of the Sierra Nevadas, she told herself. They saw men now, miners, who were working in the creek bed, their gold pans swishing in a continuous circular motion. The air was clear and dry, and not too hot. A fine day.

She turned finally and said to Delaney, “We’re going to Nevada City?”

He grinned widely at her. “Not yet, love. First, it’s Grass Valley, a small mining town only about five miles west of Nevada City. If you haven’t noticed, you and I aren’t exactly the picture of elegance. We’ll spend the night at the Davidson Hotel, buy ourselves some decent clothes, and then I?

?ll go to Nevada City tomorrow.” He paused a moment, his brows drawing together as he stared between his horse’s ears. “I want to face Montgomery as I am normally,” he continued, “not looking like an itinerant miner.”

“What do you mean by ‘I’?”

“Just what I said,” he replied, his voice clipped, brooking no argument. He heard her draw in her breath and tensed, waiting.

“You, Del,” she said, delighting in the fact that her voice sounded so reasonable and calm, “have never before seen Paul Montgomery. I can’t imagine that he would be such a fool as to use his real name, either.”

“I, on the other hand, believe that he will. He has no reason not to. You will stay in Grass Valley, safe. For once.”

“No, I won’t.”

“I believe your marriage vows included one of obedience.”

“Bosh! I can’t believe you, Del! Not above two hours ago you were telling me how proud you were of me, telling me that I was brave and courageous. Now I’m back to being a helpless female?”

He didn’t look at her. “I didn’t protect you. I was a fool not to guess that the Indian was not the only one involved. My stupidity nearly cost you your life. I will hear nothing more about it.”

“I don’t think you can avoid it. After all, if you ride off, I’ll just get lost. Now, I don’t consider that much protection!”

He swiveled in the saddle and glared at her. He could hold his ill-humored expression for only a moment, however. She looked like an adorable waif, from her tattered and faded skirt to his huge shirt, to her thick single braid of hair. “Lord, I do wonder what Montgomery would say were he to see you now! Some English lady!”

“At least you’re laughing,” she said, grinning at him. “That’s got to be a step in the direction of good sense on your part.”

The smile was wiped from his face. “Chauncey, I’ve thought about it. I know what I said to you this morning, and I mean it. But I can’t face that again. I’ve never been so damned afraid in my life, nor felt so damned helpless.”

“Well, I refuse to let you go alone to face Montgomery. It is my fight, after all, Del. Until this morning you were but a bystander.”

“I won’t argue with you about it anymore, Chauncey.”

“Good!”

They rode in silence until they crested the rise of a small hill and saw the town of Grass Valley below them.

“How lovely it is,” Chauncey said. “So peaceful.”

Delaney hooted with laughter. “Just wait until Saturday night, when the miners come into gamble and raise hell. There are more saloons than stores or houses in this town. There’s no law, but there is a post office.”