'Although what good you think you're going to do that girl when you can
barely hold your head up, I don't know.' 'I'll be with him,' Jon said.
Dolly was heading up the stairs.
'I'll go saddle up your horse,' Hank told Jamie, heading out.
Jamie nodded his thanks, then confronted Jon.
'You can't come with me. I need you here.'
'You can't ride alone. You're in no shape to do so.'
'Then I'll let you come as far as the border. Maybe we'll catch up with
them before that. If not, you'll have to turn back.
Jon, once I go after Tess, you'll be the only one who can stand against
yon Heusen here. You've got to do it.' He shuddered and sat on the sofa.
'Comancheros! She could already be dead! And after yon Heusen's men' --
He broke off, white, panicked.
'I'll kill him,' he swore.
'I'll kill yon Heusen with my bare hands, and every other man who came
near her.
Jesus, Jon, it was my own damned fault'--' This was going on long before
you came into it, Jamie. They meant to kill her on that wagon train. And
it's not as bad as you think. Von Heusen's men won't touch her, and the
Comancheros won't touch her, because Nalte wants his golden blond for
himself, so I learned at the saloon.'
' At the saloon?'
'There's a whore there named Rosy who knows yon Heusen well--personally,
that is. Every once in a while yon Heusen sends for her, and she goes
out to his ranch. Last time she was there, he was sending out messages
and making plans. This Nalte has always wanted a blond woman for a
bride. You know the Apache. They usually only take one wife, unless they
consider themselves well able to afford more than one. Nalte does very
well. He has an Indian bride, but he wants a white woman, too. A blond
white woman. And his requirements go a little further. He wants an
innocent white woman.'
Jamie stared at Jori blankly, then his face began to pale again.
Jon frowned, then slowly sucked in his breath.
'She isn't an innocent white woman any more, is that it?'
'Jamie Slater, here are your pants!' Dolly cried, dropping a pair of
trousers down the staircase. Jamie wrapped the blanket around his waist
and went to retrieve them. His hands were shaking as he stumbled into
his pants.
Dolly tossed down a shirt, and he shrugged it on also. 'Jamie?' Jon
said.
Jamie paused, looking at his friend.
'Maybe they won't know. I doubt it's something that Tess is going to
rush around telling them,' Jori suggested.
'First, yon Heusen's men are going to have to be damned afraid of him
not to hurt her,' Jamie said.
'Then the Comancheros. Who the hell ever trusted a Comanchero?' He
strode to the sofa and stared at Jori.
'I've got to catch up with them before they get to this Nalte. Or I'll
have to try to talk to Nalte himself.'
