Ride The Wind (Vincente 3) Read online

  His voice was deep and resounded through her consciousness. "1 have wanted this for so long." He untied the rope that held her trousers up and pushed them over her hips. "1 want to feel all of you."

  Her words came out in a breathless sigh. "Oh, Reese, 1 didn't think you even liked me."

  "Like you?" he breathed, touching his lips to the shell of her ear, his hand moving between her legs. "I can't take a breath without thinking of you." He trembled, wanting her, and he realized what he was doing was wrong. "1 know what it feels like to stand at the door of Eden knowing you can't enter."

  Desire lingered and played along her nerve endings, and she ached from the touch of his hand. "If 1 am Eden, 1 will take you in, Reese."

  He suddenly stiffened. What was he doing?

  He grasped her arms and surged upward, taking her with him, pulling her shirt together and lifting her trousers. "Saber," he said in a voice devoid of feeling, "you will have to forgive me. 1 lost my head for a moment. That's no excuse, and it won't happen again."

  "Reese, 1-"

  "You are very desirable, and you made me forget your bridegroom is my best friend."

  TYKOTA'S WOMAN

  SAN ANTONIO ROSE

  TEXAS PROUD

  CONSTANCE O'BANYON

  Fort Worth

  March, 1868

  Saber Vincente listened to Winna Mae's soft breathing and pounded her pillow to flatten it, envying the housekeeper's ability to fall asleep so easily. The hotel bed was lumpy, and she squirmed and turned onto her back, trying to find a more comfortable position.

  What was the matter with her? This was supposed to be the happiest time of her life. Why did she feel this stirring of unease? She was doing the right thing in marrying Matthew, wasn't she?

  Tomorrow they would see each other for the first time in two years. He would be escorting her to Fort Griffin, where he was stationed. The wedding would take place there as soon as her brother, Noble, and his wife, Rachel, met them there in three weeks. There were a round of parties planned for the bride and groom. She should be happy. What was wrong with her? She felt such a heaviness in the depths of her heart.

  But what if Matthew's devotion toward her had changed what if he no longer loved her and was marrying her only out of duty? After all, two years was a long time when their only communication with each other had been through letters. But his letters had been filled with plans for their future, and he'd expressed his heartfelt affection for her. She pushed her foolish doubts aside, remembering the many tender sentiments Matthew had expressed in his letters. And he had written her faithfully. Sometimes she would receive two letters in one week. Even their wedding had been planned by mail. Because of his duties as an army officer, they had decided that they would be married at Fort Griffin. His family was coming all the way from Philadelphia to attend the ceremony and to meet her.

  Saber tried to imagine what her reunion with Matthew would be like. She would be shy, and he would look so handsome in his blue uniform and behave with such gallantry toward her. Their hands would touch, and when they were alone, he would kiss her.

  Matthew had kissed her only once, but the kiss had melted her heart and made her realize that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him. There had been obstacles to overcome because he was a Yankee, and she was from the South. When she'd met him, the war had still been raging, but she knew she and her aunt would not have survived if it hadn't been for Matthew.

  Saber had begged her father not to send her to Georgia. But he had insisted that she spend the duration of the war with her mother's family, where he had thought she'd be safe. She hadn't known it at the time, but her father had been dying. Her brother, Noble had been an officer serving on the side of the South. Looking back on that time, Saber realized her father hadn't wanted her to watch him die, and he hadn't wanted to leave her alone and unprotected.

  She hated to remember that horrible time in Georgia when it had seemed to her that the whole world was on fire.

  She had never thought that the Yankees would bring the war to her grandparents' plantation in Georgia but they had. The house had been burned and all the livestock stolen. She was glad her beloved grandparents were not alive to see everything they had cherished go up in smoke.

  Saber and her great-aunt, Ellen, had been forced to take up residence in the overseer's deserted cabin. After the Yankee army had burned Atlanta, soldiers scattered throughout the Georgia countryside, wreaking havoc. Each day it was a challenge just to stay alive. Enemy troops had bivouacked on Opossum Creek, which ran through her grandparents' land, and she had been terrified that they would discover the overseer's cabin. How frightened she was in those first days! She wanted so desperately to return to Texas to her father's ranch, Casa del Sol, but there was no way to get home with the war raging around her.

  Aunt Ellen had cautioned her not to venture out in the daytime, but they had no food, and her aunt was ill and needed nourishment. Saber waited until almost sundown to sneak back to the burned-out plantation house, hoping to find some vegetables in the weed-choked garden behind the kitchen. Of course, there was nothing for her to find-the Yankees had taken even the last shriveled vegetables. Saber ducked her head and cried, knowing that her great-aunt would surely die if she didn't find something for her to eat.

  That day was still so vivid in her memory. A low fog had swirled around her as she dropped to her knees, digging her hands into the dirt and crying bitter tears. She had been so lost in her own anguish that she hadn't heard the rider approaching until he was upon her. The rearing of his horse and the rattling bridle made her jump to her feet, ready to take flight. When she saw the blue uniform of the enemy, she backed away, wondering if she could make it to the woods before he ran her down.

  The Union officer had been blond and boyishly handsome. She could tell he was tall by how high he sat in the saddle. His blue eyes held an earnestness that lessened her apprehension. He must have seen the uncertainty in her eyes, because he smiled and gallantly tipped his hat to her.

  "Madam, I mean you no harm. Don't run away."

  There had been something in his voice or perhaps his demeanor that calmed her, and she began to trust him. That was the day she'd met Maj. Matthew Halloway, and the day she fell in love with the enemy.

  Matthew had dismounted and walked with her back to the cabin. When he saw how ill her Aunt Ellen was, he had food and medicine brought to them that same day.

  Afterward, Matthew came by the cabin daily, bringing food and supplies. The two of them took long walks. She told him about growing up in Texas, and he told her about his family in Philadelphia. Of course, she never told him that her brother, Noble, was a Confederate officer, although she was sure he suspected it.

  They had never touched hands, because she always wore gloves. But one day while they were walking in the woods, he paused and drew her hand to rest against his chest.

  She could still hear the sound of his voice as he'd proclaimed his love for her. He had kissed her so sweetly that her heart had taken wing. He had explained to her that he'd been ordered to Savannah to meet General Sherman and asked her to wait for him until the war was over. They had both known that it was only a matter of time before the war would end, and they both knew that the South would lose.

  After her aunt had recovered, she had insisted that she and Saber make their way to Saber's Great-Uncle John's home in Mobile. Saber had remained in her uncle's home for a considerable time, but she had never stopped yearning for Texas. When the war ended, she'd returned to Texas to be reunited with her brother, Noble, and to wait for Matthew.

  She closed her eyes, holding them tightly to gether, wishing she could fall asleep. Her eyes popped open, and she glanc
ed at the trunk that held her wedding gown and veil. Now the waiting was over. Soon she would be Matthew's wife.

  Tomorrow oh, tomorrow she would see her love!

  Saber heard Winna Mae stirring, but she was merely shifting positions. The streets were quiet now, with only the occasional barking of a dog to break the stillness.

  Saber's eyes drifted shut, and she fell asleep at last.

  The room was dark and so still that Saber wondered what had awakened her. She glanced at the open window but it admitted little light, since it was a moonless night. She stiffened, feeling as if someone was in the room with her. Sitting up, she started to call out for Winna Mae when a cruel hand clamped on her mouth, and a harsh voice whispered against her ear, "Don't make a sound, or you die!"

  She could smell the man's foul breath and knew he'd been drinking. She was gagging; her lungs begged for air.

  Winna Mae? What had happened to Winna Mae? she wondered frantically.

  The harsh voice spoke again. "Don't worry about your maid. She's only messed up a bit. We need her alive to deliver a message."

  Rough hands dragged Saber from her bed, and the same hateful voice grated on her ears. "We're going to take you for a little ride, Miss Vincente. If you do just like I tell you to, you won't get hurt."

  Other hands, rough hands, lifted Saber, and something was thrown over her head. She struggled and fought to get free, but something hard came down on her head, and she went limp and slipped into total darkness.

  Winna Mae regained consciousness in time to hear the men ride out of town. Weakly she rose to her feet, and then paused to listen as her keen hearing picked up the sound of the riders returning and riding in the opposite direction.

  The sound of the riders faded into the darkness. Before Winna Mae could make her way downstairs to sound the alarm, the kidnappers were well away from Fort Worth.

  Reese Starrett's eyes were steel gray and had about as much warmth as the cold, wintery sky above the deserted streets of Fort Worth. A latewinter storm had hit with the force of a blizzard, and a chilling wind whipped around the buildings, blowing the snow into a frenzy. The cold penetrated Reese's skin like icy fingers; he turned up the collar of his full-length fleecelined coat and stepped into the Frontier Hotel.

  He glanced around the small entry and found it deserted. No one was behind the front desk, but then he hadn't expected anyone at this hour. More than likely the hotel clerk had not expected anyone to be out in this blizzard. Probably he was the only fool who had braved the weather, Reese mused.

  He spun the registration ledger toward him and ran his finger down the list of guests until he came to the name he wanted Maj. Matthew Halloway room twelve.

  He moved leisurely up the stairs, wondering what was so urgent that Matthew would send for him in this storm. Reese didn't have many friends, but Major Halloway was one of the few. If Matthew needed him, he'd damn sure drop everything he was doing to help him.

  Reese had first met Matthew last summer in Comanche country, where Reese had done some civilian scouting for the army. He'd quickly gained respect for the major, even though he was a Yankee. Matthew rejected the principles of some of his fellow officers, who wanted to see the South punished for war crimes. Matthew always insisted that anyone serving under his command treat Southerners with respect. He also showed compassion for the Indians, and that had won Reese's respect more than anything else he could have done.

  Reese found room twelve and rapped on the door. He pushed the door open when he heard a deep voice bid him to enter. He was surprised to see Matthew propped up in bed with his leg bound, splinted, and elevated on several pillows.

  Reese removed his coat and draped it across a chair, then swept off his hat and slapped it against his leg to dislodge the snow. He pulled up a chair and turned it toward him, straddling it before he spoke. "Well, if I can believe my eyes, it appears that you've broken your leg, Yankee."

  "No, it's not broken, but badly sprained." Matthew's eyes snapped with hostility. "You sure took your time getting here!"

  Reese grinned. "In case you haven't noticed, I had to ride through a blizzard to reach Fort Worth. And besides, usually when I come to town, it's to spend a few pleasurable days with a pretty woman under me. Now, if you were a pretty woman, I might have gotten here sooner."

  Reese noticed Matthew was not amused. He shrugged and met his friend's eyes. "So what happened to you? You look like hell."

  Matthew winced as he raised himself up on his elbow. He groaned and quickly let his head fall back against the pillow. "Damned flea-bitten nag threw me, and if that wasn't enough, she rolled over on top of my leg."

  A slight smile curved Reese Starrett's lips. "Don't tell me an old cavalryman like you let a horse get the better of you? So the horse walked away, and you didn't."

  "Something like that." Matthew quietly assessed the man many Texans called a legend. Reese was wearing the buckskin shirt and trousers that he wore only when he scouted for the army. Reese owned a small spread outside Fort Worth, and he was mostly a loner, keeping away from people and keeping them away from him. He was tall, probably six-foot-four, and ruggedly handsome. His hair was too long, but Reese didn't adhere to the rules that other people lived by. His gray eyes were now flickering with humor, but Matthew had seen them when they could pierce through a man's defenses. It was common knowledge that Reese was the best tracker in the state, and Matthew was counting on his help.

  "I need you to do something for me, Reese."

  Reese's eyes narrowed. "I can see you're worried about something, and it doesn't appear to be your leg. Where's the woman you've been mooning over ever since I've known you? Did she write and tell you the wedding is off, Yankee?"

  "Reese," Matthew said worriedly, "I hardly know where to start."

  "I've always found that the beginning is a good place."

  There was desperation in Matthew's blue eyes, and he tried to sit up again, only to fall back in pain. "I need your skills as a tracker, Reese. I'm willing to pay you handsomely for your time."

  Reese's face froze into a stony expression. "Don't be insulting. When a friend needs help, money doesn't come into it."

  "But-"

  "Forget it. Just tell me what I can do for you, Yankee."

  "What I want from you will probably put your life in grave danger, but I don't know where else to turn. You are the only one who can do this for me."

  "Are you going to talk me to death or get to the point?"

  "Saber was..." Matthew paused as if he couldn't go on. He swallowed hard and met Reese's eyes. "Saber has been kidnapped!"

  "Aw, hell," Reese said. He didn't waste time on trivial questions, but went right to the heart of the matter. "Tell me what you know about her abduction."

  "Not much. I am scared for her, Reese. If I could get my hands on the bastards who took her, I'd kill them without a hint of mercy." He closed his eyes for a moment before he could continue. "I can't help her. I can't even walk or sit a horse for at least a week. Will you go after her for me, Reese?"

  Reese looked reflective, his silver eyes almost colorless in the faint light of the room. "What kind of men are we dealing with here, Matthew?"

  "The kind of men who would take an innocent young woman in the middle of the night. They're cowards! Dregs of the earth saddle bums!"

  Reese had often listened to Matthew's praise of the woman who was to be his bride. He'd bore anyone who would listen to him with tributes to the beauty and accomplishments of Saber Vincente. Reese had scoffed at Matthew's assessment of his intended bride. No woman was that perfect! Reese had once acknowledged that Matthew had the right to perceive her as a paragon of virtue, but begged his friend to spare him anymore details about Miss Vincente.

  "Can you help me, Reese?"

  Reese believed in facing the truth in any situation, and it was up to him to point out the obvious to Matthew. "There is a good chance that she's already dead, you know. Of course, if she's a looker, she could suffer a far wors
e fate."

  Matthew paled. "I have considered both those possibilities. But she has to be alive she just has to!"

  Reese saw the desperation in the major's eyes and wondered what it would feel like to love a woman that much. More females than he could count had lain beneath him during his life, but none whose loss would tear his guts out. Reese had a powerful drive to make love to women. But he always grew tired of them after a short time and moved on to the next one, never involving his heart with any of them.

  There was torment in Matthew's eyes. "There is a chance that she's still alive, isn't there, Reese?"

  Reese proceeded more gently. "There's always that chance. Now that I think about it, why would they go to the trouble of kidnapping her if they were going to kill her? If I remember correctly, your bride-to-be comes from a wealthy family, doesn't she?"

  "Yes. You have heard of her brother, Noble Vincente."

  Reese frowned in thoughtfulness. "I've heard of the Vincentes who own the Casa del Sol Ranch and half of west Texas. Is he the same one?"

  "Yes. That would be her brother, Noble." Hope flamed within Major Halloway as he looked into Reese's pale eyes. "Don't you think it's possible that they took her for ransom?"

  "It's been done before. It sounds like the most likely reason for abducting her."

  Matthew gritted his teeth when he tried to shift his position. "Damn this leg! I want to go after her, but I'd never make it with this."

  Reese nodded. "Tell me everything. How was she captured, where was she when she was taken, and who brought the news to you? Tell me everything you know about it."

  "She was traveling with a companion, Winna Mae-the housekeeper, more like part of the family. Saber has written about her many times. She's of Indian heritage." Matthew looked down at his balled fists and paused for a moment. "The plan was for me to meet Saber and Winna Mae here in Fort Worth and escort them to Fort Griffin, where the wedding would take place." He dropped his chin on his chest as if he couldn't go on. "My folks are on their way here from Philadelphia to attend the wedding." His voice became almost inaudible. "We were to be married in three weeks."