The Savage - Page 38
“Where are we going?” Summer asked some time later, interrupting the grim silence of their ride.
“Back to town. I’m sending you home on the stage.”
“No,” she said quietly.
His eyes flashed briefly as he turned his head to give her a narrow look. “I’m not giving you a choice.”
“No,” she said again with unwavering determination. “I won’t go home. Not without Amelia. I won’t abandon her.”
His mouth tightened. “You heard Truesdale. You aren’t welcome to stay with them. And I can’t leave you here alone, not with those two jail-buzzards still running loose. I may be gone for weeks.”
Summer shuddered in remembrance. She didn’t want Lance to leave her here alone, either. His own civilized conduct might be questionable, but she would feel far safer with him than remaining here for Yarby and his brother to prey on. “Then take me with you.”
He gave her a look of scorn. “Like hell.”
“I’m serious.”
“So am I. The answer’s no.”
She hesitated, regarding him with a troubled expression. “Why not?”
“That’s a fool question if I ever heard one. Because I couldn’t guarantee you’d come out alive, that’s why. I might not be able to protect you if we ran into trouble. You might even wind up in worse shape than your sister.”
“I don’t think so. You would protect me. And even so, I’m willing to chance it.”
“Well, I’m not.”
“I would be safer with you than staying here alone.”
He didn’t try to argue the point—which gave Summer reason to hope.
“You said you would visit your family first, to ask them for help. Couldn’t I stay with them?”
The notion that she would consider living with his Comanche relatives frankly startled Lance. For a full minute he didn’t even answer.
“Lance…please…”
“No, dammit! It’d be too dangerous for you.”
“It will be dangerous for you, too.”
“Yeah, but I’m used to it.”
“I’m not as helpless as I look.”
He shook his head. No, Summer wasn’t helpless by a long shot. She’d developed a quiet, resilient strength in the years he’d been away, the same kind of strength his mother had been forced to learn. And he had to admire her devotion to her sister, her courage in wanting to help. But that was entirely beside the point. He couldn’t risk Summer’s life; it would kill him if something happened to her because of him. “You’d only slow me down,” he said, hedging.
“I’ll try not to. Please…you promised to help me find my sister.”
“I never promised to take you into Indian Territory.”
She bowed her head, biting her lip. “I’m not going home,” she said in a low voice. “I can’t leave Amelia. I can’t turn my back on her. If it were your sister who’d been taken, you would understand.” Her voice quavered as she turned tear-filled eyes to him. “I married you, Lance…I kept my part of the bargain.”
And now it’s your turn, Lance knew she meant.
He cursed, low and fluently. The hell of it was, she was right. She would be safer with him than with her own kind. He’d give his life before he’d let any harm come to her. And it was entirely possible they could make it to his brother’s camp without encountering any trouble. If he was careful, if they hugged the hills as long as possible, if he kept a sharp lookout, he should be able to keep her out of danger.
In fact, once they reached Indian Territory, the risk would lessen. He planned to turn into a Comanche warrior as soon as he crossed the border, and Comanches didn’t attack their own kin.
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