Reno’s eyes widened, then closed. «When?»
«Before the war ended.»
«How?» he asked roughly.
«She never was very strong. After Papa was killed, she just gave up.»
«Where areRafe and —»
«I don’t know,» Willow said harshly, interrupting. «I haven’t seen any of my brothers for years. The only family I really had was my memory.»
The expression on Reno’s face changed, all anger draining out, leaving only sadness. He reached for his sister again, folding her into his arms. Putting his cheek against Willow’s hair, he rocked her gently.
«I’m sorry, Willy,» he said. «I’m so damned sorry. If I’d known, I would have come back. You shouldn’t have had to face it alone.»
With a choked sound, Willow threw her arms around Reno and held on. Caleb watched throughslitted eyes, remembering the instant when a half-asleep girl had reached for him.
Matt, oh Matt, is it really you? I’ve been so lonely….
After a long time, Reno released his sister, blotted her eyes with his dark bandanna, and kissed her cheek. Then he looked over her head at Caleb.
«You and I will talk later,» Reno promised flatly. «Right now there are ten men out there, and they’re aching to get their hands on me, Willow, and that sorrel stallion of hers. They’d like a piece of your hide, too, but they’re going to have to stand in line. I have first call.»
«You won’t have to call. I’ll be stepping on your heels every inch of the way.»
Reno’s left eyebrow rose in a dark arc, but he said nothing, even when Willow went back to Caleb, took his right hand in hers, and kissed its broad palm before lacing her fingers deeply through his. She opened her mouth to say something, but before she could speak, Ishmael’s head came up. Ears pricked, nostrils flared, the stallion drank the wind coming down the small, brush-choked ravine.
Caleb’s right hand jerked, but his fingers were tangled with Willow’s. Reno had no such problem. With shocking speed a gun appeared in his left hand. Willow stared, unable to believe what she had seen. One instant Reno had been standing with his hand at his side. The next instant, there was a cocked gun in it. She had seen nothing but a blur between.
«Matt…?» she whispered, stunned.
Reno made a curt gesture with his right hand, silencing his sister. Slowly, he started forward. Caleb’s hand shot out, restraining Reno.
«No shooting,» Caleb said, his voice a bare thread of sound. «There’s a quieter way.»
He pulled off his boots, drew his long knife, and glided into the brush on stocking feet with the muscular silence of a cougar.
A movement from Willow caught Reno’s eye. He watched as she picked up a shotgun and came to stand with her back to him. Together they waited for Caleb’s return, each one guarding a different route out of the ravine.
The long minutes of waiting gave Reno plenty of time to realize how many ways his sister had changed. The girl he remembered was a laughing, teasing whirlwind who had looked to her older brothers to protect her from their father’s uncertain temper. The sister who stood with her back to him was an unsmiling woman prepared to fight for her own life. And her man’s.
Willow never knew how long it was before the ghostly cry of a wolf sifted through the ravine, announcing Caleb’s return. She faced toward the sound just as he stepped from cover. Swiftly, she went to him, her eyes going over him like hands. When she saw the blood on his coat, she made a low sound.
«Easy, honey. I’m all right,» Caleb said, taking the shotgun from her suddenly shaking hands.
«Blood,» she said.
«Not mine.» He bent and kissed Willow fiercely, holding her. «Not mine.»
She nodded to show that she understood, and she clung to him.
Reno’s pale green eyes missed none of the currents surging between his sister and the grim-faced man who was holding her with surprising tenderness. Reluctantly, Reno conceded that Wolfe had been right — Caleb was a hard man, even a ruthless one, but he was careful of those who were weaker than himself.
«All clear,» Caleb said to Reno over Willow’s head.
Reno arched a dark eyebrow. «How many?»
«Just one. I was going to let him go, but he picked up the track of the horses.»
Willow didn’t ask what had happened. She had no doubt as to the man’s fate.
«Recognize him?» Reno asked.
Caleb nodded. «I had words with him in Denver. He made his choice. So be it.»
A half-amused, half-feral smile crossed Reno’s mouth. «Wolfe was right about that, too.»
«What?»
«You’re an Old Testament kind of man. Was it Kid Coyote out there?»
«No. Just some no-account claim jumper from California.»
A sudden stillness came over Reno. «Claim jumper?»
«As ever was.» The smile on Caleb’s mouth was like the blade of a drawn knife. «I suppose he had a notion about some fool finding gold up here.»
Reno gave Willow a cool glance. «You told him.»
«She didn’t have to,» Caleb said curtly. «Only one reason a man risks his butt up on these peaks. The golden whore.»
«There’s nothing base about gold,» Reno countered softly, his voice low and his eyes vivid against his tanned face. «Indians believed gold came from the sun god’s tears. I’m inclined to agree with them.»
Caleb made a disgusted sound. «More likely the water came from lower down the body.» He looked at Willow. «Sorry, honey. I know you’re tired, but we better find another camp. I stripped the claim jumper’s horse and sent it off on down the mountain at a run, but Jed Slater is a good tracker. Sooner or later he’ll catch us unless we keep moving or a good rain comes.»
«It won’t rain tonight,» Reno said.
«Maybe by morning,» Caleb said, looking at the sky.
«Maybe.» Reno shrugged. «Nothing to do for it either way except get out of here. I have a camp nearby. We’ll wait for Wolfe there.»
«What’s Wolfe doing up here?»
«He got to fretting about the odds against you,» Reno said. «About three weeks ago he turned up at my camp and told me you were bringing my ‘wife’ to me and might need all the help you could get.»
Silently Caleb absorbed the fact that Wolfe had known where Matt Moran was holed up and had said nothing to Caleb.
You’re too evenly matched.
Grimly, Caleb admitted that Wolfe had been right about that. Reno was as quick and cool on the draw as any man Caleb had ever seen. The chance of either one of them surviving a duel in any shape to help Willow get out of the mountains was damned slim.
And if they died, she died. Only not quickly, not cleanly. Willow would die cruelly at the hands of outlaws who cared nothing for her laughter, her quick wit, her courage.
«Where’s Wolfe now?» Caleb asked.
«Out there, dogging Slater. Wolfe figured if Slater found you before I did, you’d need help. If he’d known that you were going to take advantage of Willow’s innocence…» Reno bit back an ugly word and looked at the gun in his hand. «Wolfe would have come looking for you with a whip. He was so sure you were an honorable, decent man. First time I’ve known him to be wrong.»
Willow’s breath came in harshly, but before she could speak, Caleb did.
«You’ve got no call throwing stones on the subject of seducing innocent girls and you goddamned well know it,» Caleb said savagely to Reno. «Now, are we going to get out of here or are you planning on waiting for Slater to find us and start shooting us like fish in a barrel? Or maybe you’re planning on using that gun on me right now and to hell with Willow’s safety?»
Reno returned the six-gun to its holster with an effortless motion. «I’ll wait. Slater won’t. Let’s ride.»
