Brave the Wild Wind (23 page)

J
ESSIE caught a lock of his hair and twirled it about her fingers, sighing in utter contentment. Chase lay on top of her, so still he might have been sleeping. But he wasn’t.

Jessie giggled, remembering that time in the wagon. “I thought you never slept on your stomach.”

“I’m not.” Chase didn’t move. “I’m sleeping on you.”

“I know you’re holding your weight back. You can’t relax—”

“I’m doing just fine,” he murmured.

“Come on, you can’t sleep now, anyway.
Siesta
isn’t for another hour or so. There’s lunch first, and you have to meet your cousins and—”

He looked up at her, grinning. “You mean we get to come back up here today and no one will think anything of it?”

“Chase, you’re terrible!”

“Am I? It’s been forever since I’ve seen you.”

“It’s only been—”

“Forever.” He kissed her to shut her up. Then he sat up, and his mood changed. She knew he’d been dying to ask, yet afraid to. She decided to help him.

“Aren’t you going to ask about Don Carlos?”

He wouldn’t look up. An interminable time passed without a response.

Finally he mumbled, “There’s no hurry.”

“I don’t believe—”

“Leave it alone.”

“But you’ve come so far!”

He looked at her, then looked away. “Jessie, it’s been twenty years since my mother first told me about the man. That’s a hell of a long time to wonder about someone. It’s a long time to—” He paused. “Call me a coward, but I’d rather not hear it.”

She couldn’t let him falter, not after all this time.

“Chase,” Jessie said gently. “Don Carlos has been ill for a long time, and now…now he’s worse. They wouldn’t even let me see him, afraid I would upset him.”

“But he
is
alive? You’re sure, Jessie?” He was gripping her shoulders.

“Yes, I’m sure. I got in to see him in spite of them.”

“
Is
he dying, Jessie?”

“I don’t know,” she sighed. “They haven’t actually said, but they treat him as if he were. Nita wears mourning clothes already. She’s your cousin by the way, the one who answered the door.”

“Never mind. Tell me.”

“Well, he didn’t seem to me like a man who was dying. His voice was strong. He’s alert.
He’s just weak, and, well, maybe he just doesn’t have any reason to live.”

“Leave it to a woman to come up with a diagnosis like that,” Chase said disagreeably.

“Well, it’s possible. Anyway, I intended to tell him all about you, but Rodrigo—”

“Rodrigo?”

“Don Carlos had two sisters. Nita’s mother is dead. Rodrigo is the child of the other sister. She’s still alive, traveling now. Anyway, Rodrigo was with Don Carlos last night. He made me realize that such shocking news could do Don Carlos more harm than good.”

“Has he so many children that one more would be too much of a burden to acknowledge?”

“Chase, he has no children. That’s why I had to be so determined. I thought knowing about you would please him. But I couldn’t tell him if the shock would make him worse.”

“So he doesn’t know? And now you’re telling me I’ve come all this way for nothing because I shouldn’t try to see him, either?”

She gave him a second, then announced, “If he saw you, he would understand instantly. Why do you think Nita was so surprised when she saw you? You look just like him, Chase.”

She watched his face as he took in the realization. If he looked just like Don Carlos, then Don Carlos truly was his father. He stood stock-still, staring into space. “So, one look at me and he drops dead from shock, eh?”

Jessie supposed it wouldn’t hurt to tell him about her fanciful notion.

“Actually,” she began hesitantly, “I mean, well…I can’t be sure—”

“Damn it, when did this problem expressing yourself start? You’ve never had any trouble before.”

“Don’t go taking your temper out on me, Chase Summers! If you don’t want to hear what I have to say, then I won’t say any more.”

He sat down on the bed again. “I’m sorry, Jessie. You have to understand—”

“I do,” she interrupted. “And what I wanted to tell you was that your father might just have realized for himself what I couldn’t bring myself to tell him. I can’t be sure, mind you.”

“How?” He was so bewildered, it hurt her to look at him.

“Well, I was amazed at the resemblance between you, and he saw my surprise. I admitted that he reminded me of someone I know. But”—she made herself recall all of it—“it wasn’t only that. We were talking about America, and he mentioned that he had gone back there ten years ago, looking for someone. I don’t know why I assumed it was your mother he was looking for, but I did. I also assumed he hadn’t found her, and I said so. He looked at me so strangely when I said ‘her.’ And then, when I was about to leave, he asked me right out who it was he reminded me of. I didn’t think it would hurt to admit it was my husband, so I did. I think he thanked me then, but of course I could easily have misunderstood. I was across the room and could barely hear him.”

“But it’s possible he knows and
wasn’t
shocked at all!”

“Yes.”

There was silence, and then Chase said, “Let’s go. Let’s go see…my father.”

T
HEY hurried for nothing. Don Carlos was sleeping. They got no more than a foot into his room before the old servant sitting guard just inside his door stopped them. Chase had no choice but to wait a little longer.

They joined their young hosts for lunch. Introductions were strained. Rather than use Jessie as interpreter, the two men chose to ignore each other. Nita, contrarily, wouldn’t leave Chase alone. She fawned all over him, and what her halting English wouldn’t convey, her eyes did. Jessie was disgusted.

She would have made nothing of it if Chase had been only politely tolerant, but he seemed to be basking in the blonde’s overexuberance. No doubt he thought he’d made another conquest. And right before his wife’s eyes.

Before the second course was served, Jessie left the table, mumbling some excuse. Chase caught up with her at the bottom of the stairs, an amused expression on his face.

“Not hungry anymore?”

“I’ve had my fill!”

He grinned. “I thought my little performance wouldn’t escape your notice.”

“Liar!” Jessie hissed. “If you expect me to believe that disgusting exhibition was for my benefit—”

“But of course it was. It’s lunchtime, Jessie, and they have to feed Don Carlos. He’ll be awake now.”

“Oh, sure. You can’t tell me you didn’t enjoy Nita dribbling all over you. She’d like nothing better than to win you from me because she knows who you are. She’s after your father’s fortune, and you’re a threat to the inheritance.”

“Jealous, sweetheart?”

“Of that…that Spanish hussy? Don’t flatter yourself. I was simply disgusted.”

“Come on, Jessie. She’s my cousin.”

“That doesn’t matter to her. But I warn you, Chase—”

“I know, I know,” He cut her off with a teasing grin. “If I so much as look at another woman, you will shoot off some part of my anatomy. One that’s quite dear to me. Correct?”

“Make light of it,” she replied stiffly. “But that happens to be the reason I didn’t want to marry you in the first place. You can’t be
trusted
to be faithful.”

“Give me a little more credit than that, Jessie,” he said seriously. “I never had reason to be faithful before. But I married you. I made the decision. And I happen to take this marriage seriously, even if you don’t. It wasn’t my idea to live separate lives. That was your idea. I was ready to settle down the moment we walked out of the church. Why do you think I stuck around after I was well enough to leave the ranch? I—”

“Señora Summers, Don Carlos is asking for you.”

They both looked up. The old servant was at the top of the stairs, looking at them sternly.

Don Carlos was sitting in bed, a mountain of pillows propping him up. A half-empty tray of food was beside the bed. The servant came in only long enough to take out the tray. The curtains were open, Jessie was glad to see, and the room was flooded with light. She was glad Chase was waiting outside in the hallway. Seeing Chase without any warning might have shocked Don Carlos badly.

Jessie stepped to the foot of the bed, but Don Carlos motioned her closer. “I feared I had overtaxed you last night,” she began.

“Nonsense.” He smiled, putting her at ease. “I have not felt so good in months.”

“I’m so glad.”

“Your husband has come.”

“They told you?”

“No one had to tell me, my dear. You have a glow about you.”

Jessie was embarrassed. She was more likely glowing because she and Chase had been arguing. But she couldn’t very well tell Don Carlos that.

“I, ah, suppose I am glad to see him,” she hedged.

“You do not have to be shy with me. It is well that you love your husband. That is as it should be. What kind of man is he? I suppose I should not ask. Is he…?”

He let the sentence trail away and Jessie could see how nervous he was.

“So you know?” Jessie said simply.

“I have searched for my child for many years, Jessica. With no luck. I could only hope that the child would find me. Every stranger I meet, I hope. It was easy to hear what I wanted to hear in your words. I even thought it was you at first—until you said I reminded you of someone. You see, resemblance is strong in the male line of my family. I look like my father, my grandfather, and it has been the same for centuries. Eye and hair coloring change, but Silvela features remarkably appear in every generation.”

Jessie smiled. “Now you’ve found your son—and you will also be a grandfather soon.”

His eyes widened, and he reached for Jessie’s hand. “Thank you, my dear. You have breathed life into me.”

“Good, because you must recover, Don Carlos. I never knew my grandparents, and I want my child to know his. But right now, Chase is waiting.”

“It seems I have waited a lifetime to meet him. Bring him to me, please.”

Jessie had only to smile at Chase, and he knew it was all right. Yet his feet dragged as he entered the room. He was afraid. It was the end of such a long road.

Jessie felt like an intruder as she watched them staring at each other, stupefied. “I will leave you two alone now.”

“No!” Don Carlos stopped her. “It will be easier for us if you stay, please.”

Jessie thanked heaven that Don Carlos spoke English so well. How awkward things would be otherwise.

“Don Carlos, this is my husband, Chase Summers. Chase—”

“That’s not necessary, Jessie,” Chase cut in nervously.

Don Carlos came straight to the point. “Your mother, she told you about me?” His voice quavered.

“Very little,” Chase said coldly.

Jessie could have kicked him. What was wrong with him? He had been dying to get to Spain to meet the man, and now this cold attitude.

Don Carlos didn’t know how to proceed. Did the young man hate him?

“I think perhaps we would do well to get questions out of the way,” Don Carlos suggested gently. “You must have much you wish to ask me, and I have many questions of my own.”

“You mean you’re actually interested in me?”

“Chase!” Jessie gasped.

His sarcasm was ignored by Don Carlos. “This man Summers. Was he good to you?”

“Her married name was Ewing actually. There was no Summers. She didn’t marry Ewing until I was ten. She called herself the widow Summers for the first ten years of my life because she had to hide her shame. She wasn’t a woman who could deal with shame very well.”

“No, Mary Beckett wouldn’t have,” Don Carlos said sadly.

“Was that her name?” Chase cried.

“You mean she never told you her name?”

“The most she would tell me about herself
was that she came from New York. She never talked of her past. She was very bitter.”

“And so are you, I see,” Don Carlos replied softly. “I cannot fault you for this. I have been filled with bitterness myself these many years since my uncle died and I learned all of what he kept from me.”

“You’re saying you didn’t know she was pregnant?” Chase asked, disbelief clear in his manner.

“My boy, it is much worse than that. For seventeen years I thought your mother had only toyed with my affections to amuse herself. I did not know of my Uncle Francisco’s machinations until ten years ago when he lay dying and was determined to confess the wrong he had done me.

“You see, I had every intention of marrying Mary Beckett, but I had not asked her because I felt it was my duty to explain my intentions to my uncle first. He was my guardian while I was in America, so that was proper.”

“And he refused?”

“No. He was not happy about it, but he did not refuse. What he did do, that I was unaware of, was keep me from seeing Mary. He kept me busy at the hacienda with one thing after another so I could not go to see her. And when she came to see me, he told her I was unavailable and he never told me she had been there. He thought that I was too young to know what was good for me. He believed that simply keeping us apart was all that was necessary, that the young quickly forget.”

“But he was told about her condition. She told
me that she and her father went to see him, that her father demanded you marry her.”

“Yes, that is true. And my uncle was so surprised and shaken by the news that he told them the first thing that came to mind, that I had already returned to Spain, that marriage with an
americana
was unsuitable at any rate, that I was already promised to another and was returning to Spain to marry this fictitious
novia
.”

“But surely you tried to see her?”

“I thought it would be weeks before she sailed. All this took place in only a matter of days, you see. I was not worried about the loss of a few days helping my uncle. I would have the rest of my life with Mary. But in fact her father was so furious with my uncle that he sailed that very night after their meeting. When I learned that their ship had gone, I did not understand. I was ready to follow her to New York on the next ship.

“Then my uncle furthered his lies by telling me he had seen Mary with another man and had confronted her for my sake. He had let it slip that I meant to marry her. And here he used the same lie he told her father, telling me that she laughed at him, saying she would never marry a foreigner, that she was already engaged and just having some fun before she had to settle down. The ship was gone, and I made the mistake of believing my uncle. He was my father’s brother, and I had always been close to him since he had no children of his own. I never dreamed he would lie to me. It never occurred to me. I was so despondent after that, he made ar
rangements to send me home, not knowing what else to do with me. Once I got home, I let my mother marry me to the first girl she found suitable. I just didn’t care.”

“But why did your uncle interfere, for God’s sake?”

“Uncle Francisco took his guardianship too seriously. He felt that he was doing the right thing, that I really was too young to make such an important decision. He also feared that my mother would not approve. He had written her about it to ask her guidance, but of course everything happened so quickly. He panicked when he was confronted with Mary’s pregnancy. He resorted to lies because he didn’t really know what to do.”

“You defend him?” Chase asked angrily.

“No,” Don Carlos replied. “I damned him myself when he told me and could not give him the forgiveness he begged for before he died. But I do understand better now. And he did try to make amends. You see, his great guilt was that my marriage had produced no children, none that lived. Yet he knew I must have a child somewhere in America. So he left his entire fortune at my disposal to find that child. I have spent nearly half of it doing just that, but with no luck. Now that you are found, his last instructions can be fulfilled. The rest of his wealth was to be given to you. It is yours.”

“No it’s not,” Chase said automatically. “I’ll be damned if I’ll take any of his money.”

“But you must take it,” Don Carlos said. “It was left to the child of Mary Beckett. There is
still a considerable amount left, and I also have much to make up for.”

“No! I didn’t come here looking for money from you and certainly not from your uncle.”

“You’ve made that quite clear, Chase,” Jessie interjected, angry at his obstinacy. “But we’ll take the money, Don Carlos.”

“Like hell we will!”

“
I
certainly will. I’m not pigheaded enough to throw away money.”

“I can support you, Jessie.”

“Yes, well, we can talk about that later,” she said evasively, sorry she’d opened her mouth. “I think I’ll take my leave now, Chase, since you’ve broken the ice so nicely.”

Jessie couldn’t get out of that room fast enough. She regretted her sarcasm but wondered why Chase couldn’t be a little bit gracious. Remembering how she’d treated her mother, she pushed the thought aside. She returned to her own room and paced the floor nervously.

The knock at the door startled Jessie, but she sighed when she saw it was Rodrigo. “I thought you were my husband.”

“And you do not wish to see him?”

“How did—? It’s just that we had a little argument.”

Rodrigo stepped forward into the room. “You do not have to explain. I could not help but overhear you on the stairs.”

“Oh.” She had forgotten about
that
argument already.

“I did not understand the words, but the tone was unmistakable.”

Jessie flushed. “Did Nita overhear, too?”

“No, I don’t think so. But you must not be embarrassed that I know. I could not be more delighted.”

He reached for her hand, but Jessie stepped back, frowning. “Delighted? I think we are having a problem with translation here. And I thought my Spanish was so good.”

Rodrigo shook his head, smiling at her. “You may think me callous, but I am glad to know all is not well between you and your husband. I wish I had confessed my feelings to you before now. I would not have had to hide them these last few days.”

“Rodrigo, what exactly do you mean?”

He smiled. “I knew I loved you from the first day I saw you.”

Jessie gasped. “But you can’t love me. I just got here, and you barely know me.”

“What does time mean where the heart is concerned?”

Jessie very nearly laughed, but stopped herself in time.

“Rodrigo, you are very sweet, but I cannot take this seriously. I’m sure you don’t, either.”

“You doubt me?” He did not appear wounded, only determined. “I have dreamed of being able to bare my soul to you. I have dreamed…”

He gathered her into his arms. His kiss was startling, neither welcome nor unpleasant. Jessie’s only thought was, I’m married now—no one can kiss me but Chase. It was disquieting that she should think only of Chase when another man was kissing her, quite a handsome man, too.

She turned her head to the side, ready to admonish Rodrigo. The words stuck in her throat. She faced the door, and Chase was standing there. She had never seen him looking so forbidding.

“That is what I have dreamed of doing, my love,” Rodrigo was saying, blissfully unaware of Chase. “This and so much more. When we are married.”

“Rodrigo, stop it!” Jessie shoved him back and looked away from Chase to glare at Rodrigo. “You assumed far too much from overhearing a little argument. I have a husband. And now I have to explain this to him.”