Final Justice (57 page)

Say You Love Me

by

Patricia Hagan

~

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Say You Love Me

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with an excerpt from

STARLIGHT

A Historical Western Romance

Excerpt from

Starlight

A Historical Western Romance

by

Patricia Hagan

New York Times Bestselling Author

Cade rolled backward
,
catching Sam's arms as she came at him. He squeezed hard, making her drop the knife and at the same time lifting his knee to her stomach to easily throw her up and over him. She landed with a grunt of pain and outraged fury. He was amazed when she did not hesitate to bounce up and come at him again. Was she crazy? As far as she knew, he was an authentic warring Indian, vicious and brutal. And no matter how angry and desperate she might be, she was no match for his strength.

With hot tears of rage blinding her, Sam cried, "You'll have to kill me, you spawn of the devil."

He wrestled her back to her bed, laid her face down, then pressed firmly to indicate she was to stay there. When she continued to struggle, he put his foot on her back to hold her still.

"Damn you, damn you, damn you," she muttered between clenched teeth, banging her chin up and down and beating the ground with her fists. "Damn you straight to hell, you son of a whore."

Cade's lips quirked slightly. How he would love to be a fly on the wall when the newlyweds had their first fight. Jarman Ballard would probably drop dead of a heart attack when he heard how his supposedly genteel, well-bred bride could unleash profanity that could make some men blush.

He found another rope and trussed her again, this time making sure she could not wander about. He had to get some sleep but knew if she weren't properly tethered, she'd come after him again.

She spat another oath, and he clamped his hand over her lips and motioned he would gag her if she didn't shut up. She understood and fell silent, not wanting the rag stuffed in her mouth again. He sat and watched her for a while, thought about offering her something to eat but knew she was too mad to care about food. Eventually, when she came to realize that no one was going to harm her, maybe she would calm down. If not, he knew the next weeks were going to be miserable.

Finally he slept, but Sam was awake much longer, emotions torn between fear and anger.

* * *

The next morning she awoke with a start, and the nightmare came flooding back as she saw the Indian. He was sitting with his back against the wall, his hands folded casually on his knees, which were drawn up to his chest. Was he smiling? She could not be sure, for it was difficult to tell because of the way his face was painted. But she did notice something odd—his eyes were
blue.

Sam didn't know much about Indians, actually knew nothing except what she'd heard, and most of that had been on the train, but somehow she knew they didn't normally have blue eyes. She'd noticed the others had dark eyes, almost black.

And there was more to bewilder, such as the way he didn't really appear to be hostile. This morning she could see,
feel
, a warmth in his piercing gaze.

She also noticed something else, something she'd not seen in the dim light last night. There was a scar on his chest, perhaps six inches long. No doubt he had been seriously wounded in the past.

"I wish you spoke English," she said dolefully. "Maybe I could talk you into letting me go."

His expression did not change.

"The entire army will be out looking for you, because my fiancé is a commander there. By now he knows what you've done, and they have hundreds of soldiers out searching for me."

He did not even crook a brow, which told her he wasn't trying to understand. She might as well be talking to someone unable to hear. But even the deaf tried to read lips; this brute just kept on staring, which was maddening. She decided to try again. After all, what did she have to lose? He might know a word or two.

"Let me go, and we'll forget it ever happened. I'll persuade the soldiers not to go after you."

Cade was fascinated. Not only did he find her lovely, despite being potentially dangerous if he dared turn his back, but he also admired her spirit. Most women would never have fought as she did, much less sit before their enemy and try to reason despite a language barrier.

He looked at her mesmerizing eyes and realized she strangely reminded him of a bobcat with which he'd once come face to face. It was during the war, while on a raid into Alabama. He had made his bed away from everyone else in his regiment that night, wanting to be alone. The moon was full, the night bathed in an eerie, silver glow. He was just about to fall asleep when the cat had suddenly dropped from the tree above to land only inches from his face.

At first Cade had been too stunned to move; then, as shock subsided, he'd realized it would probably be a fatal mistake to go for his gun. The creature was close enough to leap right for his throat and would no doubt do so if threatened. So he had lain there, fascinated, looking at the cat and realizing that as the beast's emotions seemed to change, so did the sheen and color of its eyes.

At first the animal had been angry to encounter a human, an intruder in its world. Its lips curled back in a snarl, fangs gleaming ominously, and its eyes had seemed to glow with dark red embers. Then, evidently deciding there was no danger, a golden hue appeared, wary but not so menacing. The bobcat took a few steps in retreat, then hesitated as their gazes continued locked for long, tense moments. Gold. Green. A wary flash of red, an eventual blending to hazel.

Cade had watched each transition of feeling, and now he found himself intrigued once again with the mirror of intense emotion—only this time he had an idea there would be no peaceful retreat.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" Sam asked, suddenly annoyed. "And why can't you untie me? If you keep me trussed like this, I'll be so stiff I can't move. And the ropes hurt, too. They're too tight, see?" She held up her hands.

Cade knew she was lying, because he had made sure the ropes did not cut into her flesh. Still, he knew he had to free her long enough to allow her to tend to her personal needs.

He got up and untied the end of the rope from where he'd looped it about protruding roots, then led her through the tangled passageway and into the morning sunshine. After unbinding her, he pointed to a clump of bushes about twenty feet away, then to the narrow branch before them that fingered off from the main channel of the river.

Sam took a hesitant step, afraid he would follow. Realizing he was apparently headed for his own privacy in the opposite direction, she quickly appraised the situation, heart pounding, and realized there might be a chance to escape. She rushed into the shrubs, relieved herself, then kept on going.

There was a spot just up ahead, narrow enough that she could wade across. Then she would be at the river and could hide among the brush until a boat passed. The current was strong, but she was sure she could stay afloat long enough to be spotted. It was risky, but she had to try.

Cade had anticipated what she planned and had circled about. As she came out of the bushes, he was standing to block her path, arms folded across his chest, legs apart.

"Oh, damn you!" she exploded at the sight, and without pause turned sharply and plunged right into the water.

Cade was right behind her, lunging to catch her as she threw herself out into the stream and began to swim. They both went down, but Sam did not stop struggling. The water was not deep there, and they rolled and scraped against the rocks on the bottom. Surfacing, she gasped for air, at the same time kicking out at him, her foot slamming into his stomach to stun him momentarily. Again she started swimming, but he caught her, and she continued to thrash wildly as he managed to stand and hoist her up over his shoulder as he'd done the night before.