Devils on Horseback: Gideon, Book 5 (13 page)

“There are different kinds of beautiful. Sometimes you have to look past the frosting and look at the cake.”

She scowled at him. “Are you saying I’m a cake?”

He chuckled. “No, what I’m saying is, you are beautiful. Don’t ever believe any different.” His kiss was softer than a butterfly wing, just enough to make her breath catch and her heart skip a beat.

Chloe didn’t know how to respond, so she kept her mouth shut. Gideon waited a few moments, and then he returned to his seat on the opposite side of the fire. The rest of breakfast passed in silence, but it was a more comfortable silence. Chloe allowed herself to hope for the best for the first time since her family had been taken. She saddled her horse with ease, and they packed up quickly to get started on their pursuit. Ten minutes later, Gideon broke the silence.

“I have a few things to tell you.” His voice was grave, the softness he’d shown that morning completely gone.

Chloe’s stomach quivered at the quietly spoken words. “What?” Her imagination took flight, finding too many awful things to fill in the unknown.

“I had a talk with the livery owner yesterday in town. He told me a man came in to get a cinch strap fixed early morning before we got into town. I got a general description, and I don’t know if it’s one of the men we’re chasing or not. He was a stranger, there eight hours before us, and he rode in the direction we’re following.”

Elation swept through her. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I figured you’d make us keep riding in the dark even when it was dangerous to do so.” He sounded matter-of-fact, damn sure of himself.

“I wouldn’t have.”

“Yes, you would’ve.”

“You’re annoying.”

“I’ve heard that before.”

She wanted to smack him as she clenched her hands into fists. “What else haven’t you told me?”

“I visited the sheriff, told him what happened. It happened out of his jurisdiction, but he’s putting out a wire to local lawmen to put them on alert.” He ran his hand down his whiskered cheek, the rasp loud in the quiet morning air. “By the time anyone goes looking, it might be too late to find them.”

“Is that supposed to be good news?” Her anger began to bubble as he continued in his flat voice.

“No, it’s not, but it’s honest. I also wired my cousin, who is a lawman back in Tanger. He’ll probably do more than the old sheriff in the town we just passed through.” He turned to look at her. “I’m telling you this because I know finding your family is going to depend on us.” His eyes glittered beneath the brim of his hat. “I bought us each a rifle and a pistol. I know you can use them, and you will likely have to.”

Chloe’s anger dissipated as quickly as it had come. She finally heard what he was saying.

“We’re going to war.”

He nodded tightly. “I can’t guarantee what will happen, but I made a promise to you and I aim to keep it.”

She wanted to say a thousand things, but the first thing that came to her mind was foolish. He didn’t want to hear she’d fallen in love with him.

“Do you see that?”

Chloe peered ahead. Her heart leapt at the sight of the dust cloud in the distance. “Yep, I see it.”

“You ready, little soldier?”

“As ready as you are, big captain.” She gritted her teeth and kneed the horse into action.

They rode side by side, streaks of horse and human in the morning light. Dust and tiny rocks pelted her face, but she ignored them. Her breath came in short gasps as they closed the distance foot by foot. She couldn’t think of a better man to have beside her with her family in her sights. The sound of the horses’ hooves echoed through her bones, making her feel invincible.

Soon they were close enough to actually see the back of the wagon, and Chloe growled when she recognized it. “Son of a bitch, it’s them!”

Chloe leaned down farther, nearly lying on the horse’s neck. She vaguely heard Gideon cursing at her, but she ignored him and pushed Lightning harder.

In a heartbeat, everything changed. The sky was above her, then the dirt, then the sky, then the dirt. She slammed into the ground hard enough to steal her breath. The last thing she heard was a horse’s cry of pain before a wall of black stole over her eyes.

Gideon yanked hard on the horse’s reins, his heart in his throat. He was off the horse before it stopped moving. He’d seen Chloe and her horse go down out of the corner of his eye. Her small form bounced on the packed dirt and got tangled up with the horse and the reins. Somehow Chloe had ended up with her leg underneath the horse’s rump. The mare’s foreleg was clearly broken, the protruding white bone glistening with blood in the morning sun, which meant there was no chance to save it. He could only hope Chloe’s leg wasn’t broken too.

She lay in the dust on her back, her now dirty new hat covering her face. Gideon’s heart had stopped beating for a moment—everything stopped for him. He slipped out of the saddle and ran to her faster than he thought possible. When she moaned, he was able to take a breath, and then his fear slid into anger. He cursed at the foolhardy way she had surged ahead. Chloe might have broken her neck or worse to be a few seconds closer to her family.

“Damn fool thing you did, Chloe. Why did you push Lightning like that? We were catching them without your stupid tricks. Remind me of my cousin Lee, always out in front of everyone else, trying to get yourself killed.”

When he knelt beside her, he was shocked to realize he was shaking. His complaints had come from his fear, not from annoyance. All those years with the Devils, many scrapes, skirmishes and outright battles, never once did he tremble with fear. Until now.

What had Chloe done to him?

He moved her hat off her face to find her grimacing in pain. “You’re alive.”

“I think I hurt my leg, Gid. It’s paining me something awful.” She tried to move, then hissed through her teeth.

Although he wanted to yell at her again, he didn’t. “The mare is on your leg. I’m going to try to pull her. I think she’s in more pain than you are, so this is going to be hell for both of you.”

“Do it.” She gritted her teeth, reminding him again of a soldier with her courage and fortitude.

He took hold of the mare’s bridle, wrapping the reins around his hand. What he had to do was cruel to the horse, but he had to move her, and there was no way he could budge a thousand-pound animal alone.

“Hyah, Lightning! C’mon, girl, up, up, up!” He yanked hard on the reins, pulling at the horse as she struggled to get to her feet.

The mare screamed in pain when her broken leg hit the dirt, the sound echoing around them and in his head, but Gideon had to ignore it. It was either hurt her one last time or leave Chloe beneath her to die a slow death. His heart clenched as he tried to block out the sound of the horse’s agony. Tears pricked his eyes, or maybe it was dust. He was yanking for all he was worth to move the horse, his muscles nearly ripping from the bone.

“I’m free, Gid. I’m free.” Chloe had managed to scramble backward. He could see her near the brush, ten feet from the horse.

Gideon could have wept with relief as he slowly let the reins loose on the horse. Her big brown eyes rolled round as she struggled against the pain, against his hold. He drew his pistol with reluctance. He stroked her neck, whispering his thanks for her bravery, then pulled the trigger to put her out of her misery.

He used the excuse of cleaning his gun to get a grip on his runaway emotions. The last five minutes had been intense, and his blood thumped through him so hard his ears hurt. He didn’t expect the hand on his back or the arms wrapped around his middle. When she pressed her face against him, he could not stop his tears. Chloe didn’t judge or scoff at him, she simply held him, her own tears wetting his shirt.

Ten minutes passed before either of them moved. Chloe was in pain, but she didn’t think anything was broken, mostly sore and bruised. Thank God Gideon was able to shift the horse, or Chloe may have been further injured by the mare she’d destroyed. He handed her a neckerchief, and she wiped her eyes, thankful he didn’t say anything.

The sound of the horse’s cries would forever echo in her mind. It was brutal, and Chloe hated the fact she was the cause. If only she hadn’t spurred Lightning hard, maybe she wouldn’t have broken her leg. Guilt weighed heavily on Chloe’s shoulders, and she accepted it as her due.

“How did you manage to get over to me?” he asked as he pressed his face into his sleeve.

“I crawled. I hurt, but nothing’s broken.” She touched her leg and was pleased when she could bend all her joints. “Still hurts though.”

“Can you walk?”

“I don’t know. Give me a couple more minutes to sit here. I feel like I’ve been through a twister.”

Gideon got to his feet. “We can’t sit here for long, especially if you need a doctor.” His eyes were red-rimmed, and his expression graver than she’d seen it before.

“I don’t need a doctor.” Chloe knew if Granny were there, she’d have some kind of poultice to put on her leg to take away the pain. Yet another reason not to sit any longer than necessary. They needed to keep moving. “Let’s just ride double until we can get another horse.”

What she didn’t say was she had no idea how they would pay for the horse. Gideon had money, but she had just wasted a good deal of it by killing the mare. Her throat burned with bile and shame at what had happened. Why was it no matter what she tried, it always ended badly? Life was not kind to Chloe Ruskin.

Gideon walked around examining the horse while she sat there and felt sorry for herself. Self-pity was not a pretty thing to witness, and she didn’t blame him a bit.

“It was a gopher hole.”

She glanced up at him, her entire body ready to run. “A hole?”

“Yes, Chloe, a gopher hole. She snapped her foreleg.” He pointed to the injury. “I’ve seen it plenty enough times to recognize it.” He glanced at her, his intense expression a little unsettling.

“Was it my fault?”

He shook his head. “Not necessarily. She could’ve stepped in that hole no matter how fast you were riding.”

Relief flooded through her, but the guilt remained deeply entrenched inside her heart. “She was a good horse.”

“Yep, she was. Now we see just how good her partner is.”

Before she could react, he scooped her into his arms and walked toward Thunder, who grazed placidly in the shade of a big cottonwood tree. She opened her mouth to protest, but shut it as the feeling of being in his arms washed over her. It felt good, more than good, it felt right. His heart beat a steady tattoo against her, his arms warm and strong. She could get used to being swept off her feet by a man like Gideon. Silly nonsense of course, but nonetheless, her mind kept wishing for it. Or was that her heart?

He set her down in the tall grass and started feeling her legs for breaks. She let him do it, although she’d already told him nothing was broken.

“Nothing’s broken.” He even took off her boots and checked her toes.

“Hm, that’s good news.” His fingers felt more than pleasant on her bare feet.

“Are you mocking me?” His frown could have cut glass.

“No, I, um, was distracted by your hands,” she blurted. His expression changed.

“Oh.” He took his hands away, holding them up in the air as if she was pointing a gun at him.

“I guess I won’t ask you to touch me again, then.” She couldn’t help but feel stung by his actions. It wasn’t as if they hadn’t been together in the biblical sense.

“Jesus, Chloe, I didn’t mean… Oh hell.” He took her face and kissed her then, his lips hot and hard.

Chloe wrapped her arms around his shoulders, tugging him closer until his chest was pressed against hers. He gentled his lips then pulled away. She wanted to yank him right back.

“Now, does that feel like I don’t want to touch you?” His breath was a hot burst on her skin.

Chloe’s entire body screamed for more, to be naked with him in the soft, tall grass, to join with him and quench the burning desire currently thrumming through her.

“I want to touch you too.”

He kissed her hard. “We don’t have time for touching now. Let’s get your boot back on and see if we can catch up to the wagon again.”

His reminder about what they were doing was like a slap. How could she get distracted by Gideon when her family was still being held against their will? Shame crept into her cheeks as she pulled her stockings and boots on.

He held out his hand. “Let’s see if you can stand.”

Chloe attempted to get up, but her knee buckled and only Gideon’s intervention prevented her from falling face first into the dirt.

“I don’t think you can. We’re going to have to go back to Westville.”

“No.” She tried again and again to get up, and soon her knee throbbed in agony. Chloe struggled against fury and helplessness. Her heart howled at the heavens for bringing her so close to her family, then snatching it all away.

“Yes. Don’t argue with me or I will tie you to the saddle and ride back with you belly down.” His expression had turned hard. “You know you need a doctor, and we know they’re friendly.”

Chloe couldn’t quite bring herself to say yes. She just nodded and waited for him to pick her up. She stewed at the cruel twist of fate. This time his arms didn’t feel as good wrapped around her.

Chapter Eight

Westville looked the same as it had the day before. Gideon rode in with a silent Chloe behind him, her anger almost palpable. He knew it wasn’t directed at him, but still he could nearly see it in the air around them, shimmering in the late-day sun. They stopped at the mercantile again, this time with only one horse and one furious woman.

He dismounted carefully, leaving her on the saddle alone. When he pointed his finger at her, her nostrils flared and a muscle jumped in her cheek.

“Sit here for a few minutes. I’m going to ask the Newtons where the doctor is.”

She didn’t answer or even nod—she just kept staring at him from beneath her dusty hat, her expression tight.

Gideon hadn’t dealt with a woman who was more stubborn than him before. It was as if she looked into his soul and determined what would drive him loco, then continued to do it every moment of every day. He would be hard-pressed to find another female within a thousand miles who could drive him more crazy.

Yet he was still not only attached to her but wanted to keep her by his side forever.

Joseph Newton was behind the counter, and his face registered surprise when he saw Gideon. “I didn’t expect to see you again.”

“We need a doctor for my wife. Is there anyone in town?” He prayed the friendly little town had something resembling a physician, or he’d have to ride on. It was the reason he’d ridden back here. He had no idea what lay ahead or how long it would take to get there.

“John Perkins is a vet, and he doctors people too.” Joseph came around to the front. “Can I help?”

“Just tell me where Perkins is, and I’ll be out of your way.”

Joseph shook his head. “You are good folks. You’re not in my way, and I want to help.” He turned toward the back of the store. “Daisy, I’ll be back in a while.”

Daisy came out from behind the blue curtain. She nodded at Gideon. “Everything all right?”

“No, the Blackwoods need Doc Perkins.” Joseph led the way out the door, and Gideon followed, grateful for his new friends in Westville.

Chloe sat where he’d left her, her jaw set tight enough he thought he could hear her teeth grinding. She glanced at Joseph, then back at Gideon.

“Hang on, we’re going to the doctor.” He took Thunder’s reins and followed the shopkeeper down the street. Chloe’s stare burned into his back. She would be a long time in getting over her anger. Too bad she’d have to endure the doctor’s care.

If he could, he’d leave her there and ride hell for leather after the wagon with her family. However, he would break any bond they had if he left without her. She would never forgive him, and that he couldn’t live with. Her anger, he would.

It took only a few minutes to walk over to the doctor’s, a small yellow house with an enormous barn behind it. Joseph knocked on the door as Gideon held up his arms for Chloe. She still didn’t speak, but she leaned down into him and winced only a few times as she found a comfortable spot.

“I’m sorry, little one,” he whispered in her ear as he walked up the steps. She ignored him again.

The doctor answered the door right away. He had obviously been working, judging by the dirt on his clothes and the leaves in his silvery hair. His expression was assessing and guarded.

“This is Gideon and Chloe Blackwood.” Joseph gestured to them. “She’s hurt and needs help.”

She stiffened in Gideon’s arms at the introduction but remained silent.

“Her mare stepped into a gopher hole, snapped her foreleg. I don’t think Chloe broke anything, but she’s in pain.” Gideon could only hope Doc Perkins was a competent doctor.

“Bring her in and let’s have a look.” He opened the door wider. “Joseph, bring them to the exam room while I clean up.”

The shopkeeper led them down the narrow hallway to a room with three windows, which let in a significant amount of light. There were plenty of medical instruments around and an exam table large enough to fit any human and most small animals too.

Gideon set her down, then started removing her boots. She slapped his hand away, much to Joseph’s amusement, apparently, because he stifled a laugh.

“I can take off my own boots,” she snapped. “Just go away.”

He didn’t want to be hurt by her words, but they stung anyway. Joseph sobered, giving Gideon a sympathetic look. The two of them stepped outside the exam room as the doctor returned.

“There is a sitting room at the front of the house. You may wait there, Mr. Blackwood.” Doctor Perkins shut the door in Gideon’s face.

“Friendly sort.”

Joseph walked down the hall. “He doesn’t have a good bedside manner, but he’s a good doctor.”

Gideon followed the shopkeeper, his patience worn thin. Beneath the annoyance was fear for her and for yet another delay in their journey to find her family. Chloe could truly be injured and too stubborn to admit it, although he was relieved she allowed him to go to the doctor. He’d never felt so mixed up or confused in his life.

“She’ll be all right.” Joseph clapped him on the shoulder. “Your wife seems like a tough lady.”

Gideon’s snort was part pain, part humor. “You have no idea how right you are.”

“Being a husband can have its hard days.” Joseph was trying to be helpful, but he only reminded Gideon that he wasn’t a husband, even on a hard day. The other man went back to the store a few minutes later, leaving Gideon with his thoughts. They were all centered around Chloe. A short time passed before the doctor emerged from the exam room. His brusqueness also told Gideon the man was only doing his job, nothing more. A different kind of man than he’d met in town.

“She’s bruised, maybe a light sprain, but nothing serious. A few days rest and she’ll be fine.” The doctor gave Gideon a slip of paper and two paper-wrapped packets. “That there is my bill along with two packets of laudanum for her. I take cash only.”

Gideon stared at the scribbled writing through gritty eyes. “How much?”

“Five dollars.”

It was a small fortune for just examining Chloe, but Gideon wasn’t going to argue. He handed the man payment and rose to his feet. Exhaustion made him lose his balance, and he grabbed onto the doorjamb for support.

“I’m going to find the hotel then be back for my wife.” He pointed at the cash in the older man’s hands. “That should buy me at least another half an hour in your exam room while I find a place for her to rest.”

The doctor nodded tightly then walked toward the door. “Hotel’s down past the bank. Big two-story building.”

With that Gideon left the doctor’s house, sucking in fresh air like a tonic to cure his ails. He jumped up on Thunder and made his way down the street to the hotel. Some folks said hello, others nodded at him. Westville reminded him a bit of how Tanger was now, and a wave of homesickness hit him hard, snatching his breath.

He could scarcely believe it had less than a week since he’d left and already it felt like years. Once he returned, he wouldn’t venture far again. He’d wasted time searching for where he belonged and what he was supposed to be doing with his life, and it was right there in front of him.

Now at the edge of nowhere with the bad men a fair piece ahead and a stubborn woman at his side, what he most wanted was to go home. To Tanger. He knew where he belonged now.

* * * * *

Chloe handed the doctor the empty glass of whatever concoction she’d just swallowed. “Where is my husband?” She frowned at the doctor, her brain a little muddled.

“I told you he was going to the hotel.”

“Without me? Why would he do that?” She couldn’t believe Gideon had left her there with the strange old man who smelled like horses. She hadn’t been separated from Gideon since they started on their perilous journey.

“All I know is he paid me five dollars and said he would be back after he got the hotel room.” The doctor stared at her without blinking.

Five dollars?
Gideon paid this man five dollars to take care of her? What had he been thinking? The doctor hadn’t done anything worth one dollar much less five. She thought Westville was a good place, but there was one bad apple in the barrel, that was for sure.

“How about you bring me to where he is?”

“I don’t provide that kind of service to my patients. You’ll have to wait until he returns.” With that, the silver-haired man left. He gave her the shivers, and she was glad to see his back end leave the room.

She sat there, breathing hard, her leg still throbbing, and got madder as time ticked by. Didn’t Gideon think he should tell her where he was going? He owed her the common courtesy to let her know when he was going to strand her at the creepy man’s house. She didn’t even have her gun or knife. Gideon had stripped it off her when they arrived and left her helpless.

She didn’t like it one bit.

As soon as she heard his familiar tread in the hallway, her fear began to fade, and her annoyance intensified. He poked his head in and she started on him before he even had a chance to get in the room.

“How dare you leave me here, Gid?” Instead of roaring at him, her words came out soft, ending on a pitiful note that made her cringe.

“Ah, honey, I didn’t leave you.” He scooped her up and walked out of the doctor’s house. “I was just looking for a place to rest our heads tonight.”

She wanted to be angry but found she was more hurt instead. Of course that just made her angry all over again. It was a tug-of-war with her emotions, and she lost no matter what happened. Gideon had turned her into a simpering idiot.

He slipped her up onto the saddle, then mounted behind her. His strong arms surrounded her as the gentle rocking of the horse soothed her. It was comfortable, familiar, perfect. She could get used to being there easily. She belonged with him, feeling his heart beat and his warm breath on her neck. What had the doctor given her? She was a little light-headed and definitely sleepy.

“The doctor made me drink something.” She could hardly understand herself.

“Probably laudanum for the pain and to relax you. Don’t worry, Chloe, I won’t let anything happen to you.” His voice sounded far away.

“I’m mad at you.” She tried to focus on his face, but it was so hard she closed her eyes instead.

“I know you are.”

The horse stopped, and she nearly fell out of the saddle. He gripped her tightly.

“Now I’ve got to get you down without breaking your leg or my head.”

Chloe kept breathing in his scent, the familiarity making her feel safe. She opened her eyes long enough to see him contorting himself into an awkward position with one foot on the ground, the other half on the saddle. It would have been funny if she could laugh, but her mouth didn’t work right.

He must’ve found his balance, because soon she was in his arms again as he carried her up a flight of stairs. Flowery wallpaper followed her up.

“Di’ I fall ashleep?” Chloe’s tongue had decided not to work either.

“Yes, you did. Just sleep, honey, I’ve got you.”

The feeling of warmth, safety and love washed over her as she snuggled into the soft bed beneath her. Even her leg didn’t hurt anymore. Best of all, she could still smell Gideon and knew he was there, just as he’d promised.

After taking care of the horse and grabbing their gear, he went back to the room to find Chloe fast asleep. He had no idea how much laudanum the doctor had given her, but it was enough to knock her on her ass. Gideon stared down at her as she slept like an angel. It apparently took a dose of a heavy drug to make her sleep that way, but they both needed the rest. Being with her put him on edge, or maybe it was his own reaction to her. The last few days had felt like a year with all the shenanigans and almost unbelievable happenings.

He sat on the chair in the corner, and the wood complained about his weight. There was no way he was going to able to sleep on it, which meant either the floor or the bed. His obvious choice was the bed, but that meant being in close proximity to Chloe all night. That might hinder his ability to sleep at all. However, he couldn’t stay in the chair.

He crept over to the bed, then climbed in beside her on top of the blanket. As she snored softly, he watched her sleep. There was less than ten years between their ages, but he felt much older, more bitter about life. Chloe was full of righteousness and didn’t ever stop to think about what she was doing, only that she knew it was the right choice.

Is that what he’d been missing? The hunger for life, for doing what was right and for living life rather than existing? He had been guilty of hanging on to the past, for not following the path laid out in front of him. He was afraid of the unknown, of becoming the man he could be. As a spoiled boy and young man, he’d done nothing of consequence. As an army captain, he’d led his men and survived the war with them. As just a man with nothing but his friends, he had struggled against himself. It almost seemed pitiful to think about it now.

The past was past, and his stubbornness kept him from moving on. It took a stubborn, outspoken, alluring, curly-haired loco woman to drag him from the ditch he’d been hiding in. He brushed the hair back from her face, then leaned down and kissed her cheek.

As he lay down beside her, he had the sudden realization it was the first time in his life he was going to sleep all night in bed with a woman.

* * * * *

The sun streamed through the windows, filling the room with bright light. Chloe felt like someone had stuck a wet sock in her mouth. She tried to swallow but couldn’t muster up enough spit to do it. A heavy weight lay across her waist, and someone snored in her ear. It took her a few more seconds to recognize Gideon.

She was in a bed. With Gideon. In a strange room.

What the hell had happened?

She searched her memory and found a smattering of images from the day before. The horse, her leg, a grumpy doctor, then nothing. She didn’t even remember the room, much less agreeing to sleep in a bed with him. Not much different than a bedroll, but it was a
bed
. That was what a husband and wife did, not two strangers who happened to collide in the middle of nowhere, their fates entwined by cruel reality.

The doctor had given her some kind of medicine to make her sleep. She didn’t usually cotton to taking anything, but she’d been in too much pain to protest at the time. It was a damn dirty trick he’d played on her, and she had a feeling she knew who was behind it.