Rain Shadow(44)

       
           



       

The look in his eyes changed. Her words had disturbed him. His grip on  her collar loosened. "I could have been proud of him, too."

"How could I think a man who would lie to seduce me and then marry another woman would be a decent father?"

Abruptly, Ruiz released her and shoved her toward the fire. "Sit."

Trembling, but grateful he hadn't made a move to tie her, she squatted next to the warmth.

Miguel came to stand beside her. He stroked her cheek with his gloved  fingers, trailed them across her lips, down her chin and tipped her face  toward him. He leaned forward, his dark face inches from hers. "You are  so beautiful," he said in a hoarse whisper.

Rain Shadow's pulse hammered. Disgust backed up into her throat. "Not nearly as beautiful as a franc, though, am I?"

He smiled unpleasantly. "Each has its own merit. You would be wise to  remember that." His smile flickered, but he managed to retain it.  Releasing her chin, he sat across the fire from her. The rifle, slung  almost casually over his thigh, pointed at the children.

"I want my son." His eyes narrowed in challenge.

Her heart leapt in her breast. Fear eddied into every pore, diluting her courage. "You didn't even know you had a son."

"I need to punish you for that."

Keeping her tone conversational, she asked, "What would you do with a child?"

"I will take him home to my father."

Home. South America. "Why?"

Miguel poured a cup of coffee from the dented pot over the fire and  offered it to her. She refused. "Restitution," he replied, sitting back  with the steaming cup.

Confused, she stared at his narrow black features and detested her  helplessness. What did he owe his father that an illegitimate son would  repay?

"When you came to Pennsylvania, you didn't know Slade existed. What did  you come for?" The question she'd wondered all along tumbled from her  lips.

He appeared to consider answering. "I wanted the necklace."

She frowned. "What necklace?"

"The locket you wear."

Rain Shadow's hand grasped her coat front instinctively. "My locket?" She frowned. "I don't understand."

He gave her a sharklike grin. "That particular stone is worth much-its quality and cut are unequaled."

His explanation rang false, but his reasons didn't matter. She  unbuttoned the top of her coat and reached behind her neck. Fingers  numb, she fumbled with the clasp. Without a moment's hesitation, she  unfastened the chain and dangled the locket before him. "Here, then.  Take it, and let us go."

Miguel de Ruiz stared. The glittering gold filigree winked in the  sunlight, the amethyst stone catching the fire's glow. All he'd had to  do was ask. The locket was his for the taking. He took the necklace from  her and weighed it in his palm, the gold still warm from her skin.  Avarato would pay dearly for this treasure.

What of Rain Shadow? Could he get her to play along? Would she pose as  the Avaratos' granddaughter? Of course she would...for the right price.  He looked from her storm-filled eyes to the ninos cowering against the  tree and smiled.

Everyone had his price.





Chapter Fifteen




Rain Shadow met Ruiz' gaze and subdued a shudder.

"I will let you go when the time is right," he replied. "First I have a little acting role for you."

"What do you mean?"

"Do not be so impatient. You will find out in due time. Trust me."

She'd trusted him once-with her innocence-and look where it had landed  her. She watched him tuck her locket inside his heavy wool coat.  Leveling the rifle on her midsection, he stood, moved to Nikolaus and  untied his bindings.

Blue lips quivering, Nikolaus released a shuddering frosty breath and  turned enormous liquid-blue eyes toward her as though entreating her to  do something. Helplessly, her heart aching, she gave him a reassuring  nod and smiled.

"Why did you take him?" she asked across the few feet separating them.

"Look at them, querida." His breath puffed out in white gusts. "In hats  and coats I could not tell the difference. It was not such a bad move,  however. I have the farmer's undivided attention, too, do I not?"                       
       
           



       

"Let Nikky go now. You have the one you want." Oblivious to the cold, she tried to reason with him.

He gave her a considering once-over. "I have worried which would be to  my benefit. Set Neubauer's nino free and have you tell the plowboy you  want to go with me? Your disloyalty might discourage him. However, while  the nino is in my possession, I have more bargaining power. Do you not  agree?"

Slade glowered at Ruiz with hatred. Rain Shadow felt its chill more  clearly than the frigid air on her face. Something tender tore inside  her at her child's lost innocence. Ruiz untied him. Immediately, Slade  jumped to his feet and kicked his captor's shin, then swung a mittened  fist in the air.

Like batting away a bee, Ruiz backhanded the boy. Slade sprawled at the  base of the tree, his hat landing beside him in the snow.

Rain Shadow sprang forward. "Stop!"

Ruiz swung the rifle barrel toward Slade and challenged her with a smug glare.

She stopped in her tracks.

Nikolaus sobbed.

"He rides with me," Ruiz commanded. "That one-" his thin black mustache  curled in a sneer "-rides with you. I cannot bear his whining. First we  go for your horse. Where is it?"

She swallowed hard, controlling her anger and fear. Slade picked himself  up off the ground, brushed snow from his clothing and tugged his hat  down over his unruly black hair. Blood trickled from the corner of his  lower lip. The look he shot her conveyed embarrassed assurance.

Rain Shadow's mind reeled, and she fought to subdue the panic that rose  in her chest. How long ago had she and Anton separated? She couldn't  lead Ruiz directly to where Anton undoubtedly waited with the horses.  Turning her head, she signaled Jack with a whistle, waited several  seconds and whistled again. Within a minute the paint trotted to her  side and nodded, his ice-encrusted mane bobbing with the motion.

Rain Shadow scrubbed his forehead with her gloved knuckles, wishing with  all her heart it was Slade she could touch. She swallowed hard. "Good  boy, Jack."

She adjusted her bedroll and saddlebags and, assuring the horse with  soft words, lifted Nikolaus onto his back before mounting behind him.

Slade used the stirrups on the black stallion to climb up behind Ruiz  and sat there stiffly. Their captor led them forward, the horses' breath  hanging in gusts on the raw air.

Rain Shadow opened her coat and pulled Nikolaus against her body, needing the warm comfort as much as Anton's son did.

"I-wa-want-my Pa." Nikolaus no longer cried, but his voice shuddered from his recent outbursts.

"I know you do, darling." She squeezed him tight. "You'll be back with him real soon, I promise."

They left the shelter of the trees, and she prayed her promise wasn't  false. Before they'd traveled far, the exhausted child slept against  her. Rain Shadow watched Slade ahead of her, forced to cling to the back  of the man he so obviously hated. She closed her eyes momentarily and  wanted to cry herself.

Where was Ruiz taking them?

And where was Anton?

* * *

Where in blazes was Rain Shadow?

She'd been gone way too long, and standing here waiting, it was colder  than the north side of a gravestone at the North Pole. He stamped his  numb feet and cursed under his breath. Beside him, Jack's ears pricked  forward. Anton peered into the snow-still forest. The General nickered  behind him. Dismayed, he turned to watch Jack gallop into the trees.  What the...?

It only took a heartbeat to wonder what he should do. Jack obviously  knew something he didn't, so Anton mounted and rode the way Rain  Shadow's pony had gone. Minutes later, he studied the white-blanketed  ground ahead of him, leading the General along Jack's clear prints in  the snow. They led him to a clearing. The snow was trampled, and a camp  fire had been doused.

Anton studied the signs while mocking himself. He was a farmer, confound  it. He had no business pretending to be an Indian scout.

You're trying to find your son, a voice in his head replied. Your son and the woman you-

He identified the spot where Ruiz' horse had been staked. The boys had  packed a patch of snow down around a tree. He stared hard at a few  crimson drops of blood on the stark white snow.                       
       
           



       

Rain Shadow's boot prints had been trampled by the horses. She's with  them. Good. She was there to see after Nikolaus and Slade. But now all  three of them were in that madman's clutches.