The clear affection in Willow’s voice and face was matched by Wolfe as he folded Willow close in a gentlebearhug. A dark combination of jealousy and despair snaked through Jessica, shaking her, for she had believed she could no longer be touched by anything but the black wind whispering to her of nightmares that had been reborn in daylight, and memories that refused to remain forgotten.
I would have had a chance with Wolfe but for the bloody paragon. She is destroying me as surely as slow poison.
Jessica stared into the shadow of the porch, but could see nothing of Willow except slender arms wrapped around Wolfe’s waist.
She’ll be beautiful, ofcourse, Jessicathoughtbitterly.Asbeautiful as this huge meadow and as perfect as those mountains crowned with ice.
Unhappily, Jessica glanced around, measuring the glory of the mountain ranch against the darkness that was condensing relentlessly in her soul, draining color from her life as surely as the slow condensation of night would drain color from the day.
«Come and meet your present,» Wolfe said, smiling down at Willow as he released her.
«Meet a present?»
«Ummm.»
The purring sound of pleasure Wolfe made was a steel-tipped whip flaying Jessica’s raw emotions. She had thought she could feel no greater rage, no greater despair, than she had felt the day she had ridden over the Great Divide.
She had been wrong. She seemed to make a habit of being wrong where Wolfe was concerned.
May the bloody paragon writhe in Hell.
Then Willow stepped into the bright sunlight and Jessica’s breath came in with a harsh sound. The paragon wouldn’t have to wait for Hell. It had already sunk its unsheathed claws deeply in her body. Willow was in the last stage of pregnancy, frankly round with the babe that would tear her apart trying to be born.
Dear God, help her in her time of need.
The silent, involuntary prayer that vibrated through Jessica was deeper and more powerful than her jealousy. She could take no pleasure in the agony that awaited Willow in childbed. Nor could she hate Willow any longer. Jessica could feel only a terrible empathy with the girl whose fate was to writhe and scream for mercy that never came, a wife’s endless cycle of male rutting and childbed’s torture; and over all, around all, consuming all was the black wind and the disbelieving shriek of the newly damned.
The realization of what awaited Willow made the sound of her laughter and teasing voice almost too painful for Jessica to bear. She watched with helpless agony as Willow took Wolfe’s arm to steady herself across the uneven ground where small patches of snow and mud competed with the green resurgence of life.
When Willow walked past Two-Spot, she looked up at Jessica with curiosity and a quick smile that offered friendship. Jessica smiled in return, but Wolfe didn’t stop or even look up.
«Wolfe?» asked Willow, tugging on his arm.
«Your present is next in line.»
Grinning, Rafe kicked his right leg over his horse’s mane and slid to the ground. When he took off his hat, the sun blazed in his pale gold hair, hair that was the exact color of Willow’s.
Willow stared, made a sound of joyous disbelief, then began laughing and crying and sayingRafe’s name over and over again.Rafe picked her up in a big hug and held her for a long time, saying things that were too soft for anyone but Willow to hear. Finally, he set her down and blotted the happy tears that were streaming down her face.
«Well, Willy, I have to say you grew up to be quite a woman. From what Wolfe told me, you’ve got yourself a fine man.»Rafe paused, then added slyly, «Sure as hell he’s a potent one.»
Willow flushed, laughed, and swatted her older brother on his broad chest. «Shame on you. You’re not supposed to notice.»
«Be kind of like overlooking a mountain,» he retorted. «When are you going to make me an uncle?»
«In a few weeks.» She smiled up at her older, much bigger brother. «Dear Lord, Rafe. It’s so good to see you! I can’t wait until Caleb and Matt get back from checking the north meadow.»
«I can’t wait, period. I’ll ride out as soon as we’ve unloaded the pack animals.»
Willow slipped her arm throughRafe’s and said, «I’m almost afraid to let you out of my sight. It’s been years.» She rubbed her cheek against his arm and took a deep breath. «Now, introduce me to your wife. She’s beautiful, but I expected that. You always had an eye for beauty, whether it was women, horses, dogs, or land.»
«Red is beautiful, all right,» Rafe agreed, «but she’s Wolfe’s wife, not mine.»
Open-mouthed, Willow spun and stared at Wolfe. Every question she had died unspoken when she saw his bleak, blue-black eyes.
Swallowing quickly, Willow turned to the girl who sat in her sidesaddle so elegantly. She had a delicate, elfin face, aquamarine gems for eyes, and hair whose buried fire rippled and shimmered with every motion of her body. The riding habit she wore had seen hard use, but its fashionable lines and fine fabric spoke eloquently of wealth.
Abruptly, Willow remembered. «Lady JessicaCharteris?»
«Not any longer. My name is JessicaLonetree. OrJessi.»
«Or Red?» Willow asked innocently.
«Or Red,» Jessica agreed, smiling slightly atRafe. «It’s the Western way to have nicknames, I’m told.»
«Get down and come into the house. You must be exhausted. I remember my first trip over the Great Divide. If it hadn’t been for Caleb, I wouldn’t have made it. He ended up carrying me.»
«We came the easy way,» Wolfe said. «Lady Jessica has neither your strength nor your adaptability.»
Willow gave Wolfe an uncertain look, wondering at the edge to his voice.
«I disagree,» she said quietly. «Anyone who came through thosemoutains riding sidesaddle is stronger than I am.»
Wolfe grunted and said nothing.
Jessica began dismounting, moving stiffly. Before she could put any weight on her right leg, Rafe caught her waist between his big hands and supported her until her left foot was able to take most of her weight.
«I could have managed,» Jessica said in a low voice, «but thank you.»
Only Willow saw the instant of anger before Wolfe brought it under control, just as she had been the only one to see the small, almost involuntary movement he had made toward Jessica when she began to dismount.
«No point in pushing your luck,» Rafe said. «Your ankle still isn’t up to snuff.»
«What happened?» Willow asked.
«She fell off,» Wolfe said curtly.
«It’s nothing,» Jessica said. «A bruise. Nothing at all.»
«Nonsense,» Willow said, seeing the strain on Jessica’s face. «Come in and sit down. I’ll make you some tea.»
«Tea?» Jessica looked stunned. «You actually have tea?»
Willow laughed. «It’s left over from Wolfe’s last visit. He’s the only one who drinks it.»
Jessica gave Wolfe a shocked look, remembering how many times she had longed for a comforting cup of tea.
«But we had only coffee,» she said faintly.
«Western wives drink coffee. You wanted to be a Western wife. Remember?»
The cool taunt in Wolfe’s words was unmistakable.Rafe’s eyes narrowed as he winced and said something under his breath. But he said nothing aloud. He and Wolfe had reached a tacit agreement where Jessica was concerned: Jessica was Wolfe’s responsibility, notRafe’s.Rafe didn’t understand what was driving Wolfe, but he was certain that Wolfe wasn’t a cruel man by nature.
So was Willow. With a perplexed look at Wolfe, she took Jessica’s hand.
«Come with me.»
«First I have to care for my horse,» Jessica said.
«Let Wolfe do it.»
