Del
told her only that their cargo needed guards, so he and Clem and some hands
would form an armed escort for the wagons. But as the days sped by it became
harder to convince her to remain behind. A week before departure she still
badgered him, declaring at breakfast, arms crossed, "You haven't given me
one good reason why I can't go."
He
stirred his coffee. "If there's trouble someone could get hurt, even
killed."
Killer
eyes, full force. "You know I shoot better than most men. If you’re riding
shotgun, why can't I?"
He
flashed an equally harsh gaze back. "Because no matter how hard you work
at it, you're not a man,. Stop being unreasonable. I'm riding with the
shipment. You're staying here." He set down his spoon. "Shouldn't you
be out telling the men where to drill the seeds?"
"Stop
changing the subject. Why don't you admit you don't want me along?"
Was
she testing him? "Diana, I don't want you along."
She
dropped the subject but her pique continued to fester. It did not seem
unreasonable for her to be with Del when the copper was delivered and payment
changed hands. Were they equal partners, or not?
Two
mornings later she woke well before dawn to sounds of Del packing saddlebags.
She dressed and followed him down the stairs. In the office he selected a
pistol, shotgun, and boxes of ammunition from the gun cabinet, stepping around
her as if she weren’t there.
She
trailed him to the stable, where Clem and four others were mounted and ready to
ride. Darkness cloaked the valley, the air was heady with the sweet fragrance
of green growing things, underlaid by the ever present smell of thousands of
warm-bodied cows. Birds chattered, a lightening sky above the eastern horizon indicated
daybreak was imminent.
Del
led out his horse and turned to her. "Aren't you going to say
good-bye?" He tied back his hair and lowered his hat, rendering his
features indistinct.
She
linked her hands behind her back, muttered, "Good-bye."
He
dropped the reins, strode to her and folded her into a hard embrace, his hands
sliding down her arms to her wrists, pinning them to the small of her back.
While she wriggled to escape, he bent his head and kissed her half-opened mouth
with possessive ferocity. She responded with a dark passion that left her
gasping.
One
by one the mountain peaks erupted with bright vermilion light. Del's eyes were
silver lamps burning beneath the brim of his hat. She pulled back. "Let me
go. This is--indecent." Over his shoulder she saw the men gazing at the
sky, at the ground, grins on their faces.
Rather
than release her, Del tightened his hold. His face now bathed in warm golden light,
he winked at her. "How can this be indecent after the things we did last
night?"
Available at:
indigo https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/the-queen-of-paradise-valley/9781509217557-item.html?ikwid=The+Queen+of+Paradise+Valley&ikwsec=Home&ikwidx=0
--Cat
Available at:
Barnes & Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-queen-of-paradise-valley-cat-dubie/1127176154?ean=2940158564567
--Cat
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