smiled. “Everything will be different then.”
“I hope you’re right,” Elspeth said gently. “Good-bye Rising Star.”
“Go with God.” Rising Star took a step back. “Good luck finding your Kantalan.” The faintest shadow seemed to pass through her eyes. “I feel I should be going with you.”
Elspeth shook her head. “You’re with child and there’s nothing for you in Kantalan.”
“No, there’s nothing for me there,” Rising Star whispered. “Except, perhaps, my destiny.” She moved her shoulders as if shrugging off a burden. “But that is the Indian talking. I must think like a white woman now. Whites believe they can write their own destinies. You are right, my place is here with my husband and my child.” She turned away. “Now I must say good-bye to Dominic. Be sure to use the salve I gave you.”
“If he will let me. He is very displeased with me at present.”
“It will pass. I think he’s worried you may be harmed if he takes you with him. I’m surprised that he consented to continue with his plans to go to Kantalan.”
“He had no choice. Do you think I’d let the man ride out alone with a hole in his shoulder? His mother may think he’s as invulnerable as Achilles and as immortal as Zeus because he bears the Delaney name, but I’m not so foolish.”
A tiny smile tugged at Rising Star’s lips. “I see. No wonder Dominic is displeased. He does not like having his decisions challenged. Your trip to Kantalan may be more interesting than I had thought possible.”
The sun was going down when Dominic and Elspeth rode out of the stableyard leading the two pack animals. Rising Star and Malvina gazed after them in silence until they were lost from view. Then Malvina turned briskly back to the house. “No use standing around here with long faces. They’ll be back. Dominic won’t let anyone keep him from getting what he goes after; he’s too much like Shamus.” She started across the stableyard. “I’ve got things to do. Shamus and the boys will be riding in from Shamrock soon and they’ll be wanting a meal as well as some food prepared for the trail. Rosa is weeping and wailing like a sick puppy over the way Torres used her.” Her expression turned grim. “She’s lucky I don’t knock her silly head off for letting that murdering bastard crawl into her bed, instead of putting up with her foolishness.”
“I could help you,” Rising Star offered hesitantly.
Malvina paused and for a moment Rising Star thought she was going to agree. “That won’t be necessary.” Her tone was stilted. “I can manage fine by myself.”
Loneliness. Just once why wouldn’t Malvina let her do something? Rising Star wondered. Why couldn’t she share in the running of Killara? She was so terribly lonely… and weary of being treated with the forced politeness of a guest who had overstayed her welcome.
Rising Star’s hands clenched slowly at her sides as she watched Malvina disappear into the house. Patience. She must have patience. It would be different when the child was born. In spite of what Silver claimed, the birth of the child had to be the key that would open all doors. Joshua would be home tonight, and she would no longer be alone. Even though Malvina refused to allow her to help in the kitchen, there were many things she could do while she waited. She could practice her French or compose a poem. There were always books, the wonderful world of books that had once been her challenge and were now her solace. She squared her shoulders as she started across the stableyard. She was a very fortunate woman and she would be stupid to permit herself to be depressed by Malvina’s coldness.
Joshua was here!
Even in the darkness Rising Star knew unerringly which of the riders in the stableyard was Joshua. He was not as tall as his father, his brothers, or Patrick; yet had his silhouette been identical to theirs she still would have been able to identify him instantly.
She let the lace curtain she had held to one side swing back into place and ran over to the oval mirror on the wall. She quickly tidied her hair, straightened the folds of her white cotton robe, and pinched color into her cheeks. Then she drew a deep breath and sat down on the edge of the bed, clasping her hands on her lap. It seemed a long time before she heard Joshua at the door.
He looked tired. His dark curly hair was frosted with fine motes of dust, and his green shirt, darkened by perspiration, clung to him like a second skin. Tenderness tightened her throat and moved through her in a soft, glowing tide. “You’ve been working hard at Shamrock?” She jumped to her feet and crossed the room toward him. “Are Anne and William well? Would you like me to tell Rosa to heat water for your bath?”
He shook his head and answered the last question first. “I only have time to wash some of the sweat off me and grab a couple clean shirts. Da doesn’t want to let Torres’s trail get cold.” He crossed to the washstand against the wall and poured water from the pitcher into the basin. “Anne and William are fine.”
“I was hoping you could stay until tomorrow morning,” she whispered as she stepped behind him. Her arms slid around his waist and she pressed her cheek to his back. “I have missed you. Have you missed me?”
“Yes.” She could feel the muscles of his spine tense against her cheek. “Yes, I’ve missed you.” He dipped his palms into the basin and splashed water onto his face. “Hand me that towel, will you?”
She stepped back and handed him a white towel from the rack. Loneliness. Yet he had said he had missed her. She mustn’t demand too much. She knew he didn’t like to be crowded, but it was so hard not to- “You’re tired. Perhaps you could join them later.”
He shook his head as he dabbed the water from his face. “I want my chance at Torres.” His voice was harsh. “He shot my brother, dammit.”
“It was not a serious wound.”
“That’s not the point. He shot him. No one is going to hurt one of my family and ride away. You should know by now that Delaneys don’t forgive harm to one of our own.”
She flinched. “I do know that, Joshua.”
“I guess you do,” he said wearily, staring into her strained face. He threw the towel onto the washstand. “I’ve got to get downstairs. Da wanted us ready to leave by the time fresh horses are saddled and the provisions packed.” He took a step closer and kissed her gently on the forehead. “Are you all right?” he asked awkwardly.
“Yes.”
He hesitated, looking down at her with a curiously tormented expression. “And the child?”
“Well. I think it must be a boy. He kicks with the strength of a warrior.”
A shadow crossed his face. “You’re not in any pain?” His palm gently cradled the curve of her cheek. “He doesn’t hurt you?”
Her hand covered his on her cheek, holding it there, desperately savoring the tenderness of the action. “There is no pain, and if there were, it would be pleasure-pain. We are going to have a fine son, Joshua.”
He stared down at her softly glowing eyes and for an instant she again saw the torment before his hand dropped from her cheek and he turned away. “Take care of yourself while I’m away.”
“When will you be back?”
“I don’t know. We’ll be gone as long as it takes to find that bastard.” The hardness was once again in his voice. “We don’t want him on Dom’s trail.” He opened the door. “Good-bye, Star.”
“Joshua-”
He looked back over his shoulder inquiringly.
“Nothing.” Her teeth pressed into her lower lip. “Good journey. I will miss you until you return.”
He smiled. For a moment there was no torment, no harshness, no veil of guilt or memory between them. He was the young Joshua who had come to her village and captured her heart with his boyish smile and loving passion.
He closed the door behind him, leaving her with loneliness… and hope.
Silver threw open the door and burst into the room. Her clothes were as dusty and her skin as dirty as Joshua’s had been. Her gray eyes were flashing. “Is it true?” she demanded. “I saw Patrick downstairs. He told me of the wedding, the shooting, Torres… Elspeth has really left without me?”
A tiny smiled appeared on Rising Star’s face. “I believe that was always her plan. That’s why you went back to the village to hire a fine guide for her.” Her gaze searched Silver’s face. “But I think you had no intention of fetching a guide to lead her to Kantalan.”
“I did not lie,” Silver said hotly. “I went to the village as I told her I would. Can I help it if I am the best guide in the village? She is far better off with me.”
“Elspeth has Dominic now. He will see that she comes to no harm. You trust Dominic, Silver.”
“Yes, but I wanted…” Silver nibbled at her lower lip. “This is all very strange. Did the old woman force her into
