River Lady (James River Trilogy 3)

The little interior consisted of a fireplace, a big table, five chairs, and some blankets in the corners. Scattered everywhere were bags of heaven-knew-what, Leah thought.

When Leah stepped back into the cabin she saw that Bud and Cal were already seated at the table, already beginning to eat. Leah sat across from them, Abe at the head. When she tried to get Verity to join them the woman cringed deeper into her corner.

“Don’t bother her,” Abe snapped. “She’s scared of Revis. Don’t know why, though,” he added quickly. “Revis is a real nice man, ain’t he, boys?”

Neither Bud nor Cal bothered to acknowledge Abe’s question, but ate the food Leah had prepared. Their manners were good, much better than Abe’s as he shoveled food into his mouth.

As Leah ate, she worried about Wesley. Would he rest? Would he try to get up and find her? Was he hungry? How was she going to find her way back to him?

“Eat up!” Abe commanded. “Revis don’t like skinny women.”

A little alarm went off in Leah’s head. “Of what concern is my weight to your partner in crime?”

“Oh nothin’,” Abe said hurriedly. “Just that Revis is a real gentleman and he likes pretty women.”

She leaned forward. “No gentleman robs people for a living.”

“Well said,” came a voice from behind Leah.

Leah whirled about as Abe jumped up, knocking his chair over. “Mr. Revis,” Abe said with a gasp, awe, respect, and some fear in his voice.

Leah wasn’t sure what she’d expected, but the man standing in the doorway wasn’t it. He was tall, broad-shouldered, slim-hipped, with black, curling hair. His dark, dark brown eyes were riveting. Set in a handsome, square-jawed face, his eyes bored into hers as his lips curved into a sardonic smile.

Chills started to form on Leah’s spine.

“This is her, Mr. Revis,” Abe said. “This is my sister. Ain’t she pretty? And she’s real strong too. You ain’t gonna wear her out in no month or two.”

Leah couldn’t look away from the man. There was something frightening about him, yet fascinating. She wet her lips.

Slowly, like a cat, the man approached her. He wore a black silk shirt, black wool trousers, and black leather boots. Gracefully he extended his hand to her.

Leah accepted and for a moment she thought she was back in the Stanford drawing room. She rose to stand before him as if he were bidding her to dance with him.

“She is indeed lovely,” Revis said in his deep voice.

“I knew you’d like her, Mr. Revis. I just knew it. She’s real willin’ too. And she’s got fire in her. She’ll make you real happy.”

Leah stood there holding Revis’s hand while standing in the midst of the squalid cabin. Behind her were the quiet sounds of Bud and Cal continuing to eat. Slowly she began to hear her brother’s words.

For a moment she looked from Abe to Revis and quickly it all became clear to her. Revis was no one’s partner, least of all Abe Simmons’s partner. And Leah wasn’t there to cook, but she was there as some sort of human gift to this good-looking, charming villain.

She snatched her hand away. “I think there’s been a misunderstanding,” she began. “I came here to cook.”

“Ain’t she a caution!” Abe gave a nervous laugh. “My little sister knows lots about men, just loves men, and I can see she likes you a lot, Mr. Revis. Go on, Leah, give him a kiss.”

Leah whirled on her brother, a snarl on her lips. “You said you wanted a cook but you expected me to whore for you, didn’t you? Well listen, you piece of slime, I don’t whore for anybody, especially not for criminals like this one.”

Abe turned white. “Mr. Revis,” he began, “she don’t mean that. You know how all the ladies like you. She just thinks you’ll like her better if she’s a little hard to get.”

“You—!” Leah gasped and lunged at her brother.

Revis’s strong arm lashed out and caught Leah by the waist, pulling her to him. “Whatever the reason, I’m glad you’re here,” he said softly. “I like my women to have a little spirit.” His free hand began to run up and down her arm. “I’ll enjoy taming the tigress.”

“Enjoy this then!” she exclaimed as she kicked him in the shins.

Whatever happened as a result of her action, she knew it’d be worth it for the look on Revis’s face. Why did handsome men always assume women were going to fall for them? “No dirty thief is going to touch me,” she said with bravado, but the next moment she was backing away from Revis.

“Get her, Mr. Revis. She’s an ungrateful sister and she