Magnificent Passage (32 page)

“I've changed my mind about the sherry, Mark,” she declared on impulse. If Hawk wanted to think she was Mark's mistress, she'd give him good reason. He certainly wasn't worried about the company he kept!

Mark dashed around the coach and handed her down just as Hawk's carriage rounded the corner. She let Mark lead her up the brick path toward the front door and knew Hawk had seen her. For a moment she beamed in triumph. Then, as the rattle of the wheels faded into the distance, her spirits sagged.
What had she done?
Hawk would think the worst, and she'd have no chance of explaining. She suddenly felt more miserable than ever before.

“Mark,” she stammered. “I've changed my mind. I'm
beginning to get a headache.” It was not a lie. “I'll wait for you in the carriage. You go ahead.”

Mark sighed resignedly. “Whatever you say, darling.”

The present turned out to be a pair of tiny emerald earrings that perfectly matched her eyes.

“Why, Mark, I couldn't. They're lovely, but they're much too expensive.”

“Please, Samantha, accept them as a token of our future betrothal. Say you'll marry me.”

Mandy felt close to tears. “No, Mark, I can't. Please. You've got to give me some time. This is all too sudden.”

Mark looked hurt. “All right. I won't ask again for a while. But don't make me wait too long.”

The carriage rolled away in silence. She feared Mark was thinking of his Juliet while she was thinking of a far different Romeo.

I
t was fast becoming the Christmas season. The Nutcracker Ballet was being performed in San Francisco and Uncle William had invited her to go.

Mandy was overjoyed to be leaving Sacramento. She wanted to be as far from Hawk as possible. She and her uncle, along with Mark and Bessy, were to board a paddlewheeler, the
Sacramento Queen,
and proceed downriver through the great San Francisco Bay and into the city.

With agonizing slowness, like watching a kettle come to a boil, the time for their departure arrived. Mark had agreed to accompany them at the governor's request. Uncle William would be disembarking from the boat in Vallejo to conduct some business, so Mark would escort Mandy on to the Palace Hotel. The governor would rejoin them there at his earliest opportunity.

The big paddlewheeler was everything Mandy had dreamed. It rose three stories above the water, gleaming white, with bright red trim. Sounds of the calliope lilted whimsically through the air as the party crossed the gangplank. They were quartered on the Texas deck—in staterooms fit for royalty.

Once settled, Mandy moved outside to stand by the rail.
She saw several other brightly painted flat-bottomed paddlewheelers, along with myriad other river craft: barges, dinghies, even a canoe. Anything that would carry a load of merchandise or passengers was used along the route to the sea. Mandy could see an ancient river doxy plying her trade to a load of crew members disembarking from the
Daisy Belle.
The beautiful old sternwheeler had seen better days and her rough-looking crew, better years.

Mandy glanced up as the smokestacks bellowed thick black smoke and the horn hooted its good-byes. They were off. Two huge paddles, one on each side of the vessel, churned the water and pushed the boat into the current.

Mandy waved to the crowds lining the dock, and they waved back enthusiastically. Mandy smiled and glanced up to find Mark Denton watching her.

“Allow me to get you some refreshment, Samantha,” Mark offered, his manner, even after months, still very proper.

“That would be lovely, Mark.”

“Think I'll go along, if you don't mind, my dear,” the governor said to Mandy. “I believe I saw an old friend as we came on board.”

“Not at all, Uncle William. I'm enjoying the view.” Mandy watched the governor's powerful frame depart along with Mark's thinner one.

Suddenly feeling uneasy, Mandy looked up and a little to the right. Deep brown eyes, hard as steel, bored into her.

“Why, Miss Ashton, fancy meeting you here,” Hawk drawled arrogantly.

“Mr. Langley,” she answered, trying to hide her emotions. She felt a familiar rush of pleasure at seeing him and
chided herself for it. She hadn't missed the undercurrent of sarcasm in his voice and wondered, not for the first time, how she could still care about someone who treated her as he did.

“What are you doing here?” she questioned, knowing his presence would do nothing but ruin her trip.

“I'm just doing my job,” he answered. If he'd known the governor's party would be on board, he would never have accepted the assignment. He and James were there to guard a gold shipment for Jack Murdock's company. He no longer needed to do this type of work since he'd acquired the Rutherford estate, but James had played on his sympathy. James wanted to buy the Riverfront Saloon in Sacramento City and had saved almost enough cash. James was too stubborn to borrow the money from Hawk—he was too close to his goal.

Now Hawk was forced to come face to face with the woman who plagued his thoughts nightly. He'd bedded no other since their encounter in Virginia City, his mind still unwilling to accept a substitute. His behavior was out of character and he knew it, but he couldn't seem to remedy the situation. Seeing her again would only make matters worse.

“You're looking well,” he continued, assessing her boldly. “Sacramento must agree with you.” His eyes took in the fullness of her breasts clearly outlined beneath her velvettrimmed dress. The rich brown tones of the dress matched her hair exactly and accented her full ruby lips. He longed to crush her against him, remind her of their nights together. How could one woman affect him so? The knowledge of her power infuriated him.

“Thank you.” She lowered her lashes and watched him covertly. She felt his magnetism and knew no matter how pleasant the trip, from this moment on it would be torture for her.

“I see you brought your friend,” he baited her, his eyes dark and mocking.

“Mr. Denton agreed to escort me to San Francisco as a favor to my uncle. Uncle William has business in Vallejo. Mark will be taking me on to the hotel.”

“How convenient for you both,” he taunted, “though I'm surprised your uncle approved. But then the Denton family's very well respected in these parts. Maybe your uncle is trying to marry you off.”

“My uncle is only looking out for my best interests—something I'm sure you wouldn't understand, Mr. Langley.” She lifted her chin defiantly. “All you care about is making sure your . . . your pleasures are taken care of!” She blushed hotly, and noticed a lazy smile curve one corner of his mouth.

“Still a lady of delicate sensibilities, I see,” he teased.

She could see he was enjoying her discomfort. “You're the most irritating, the most annoying man I've ever met, Travis Langley!”

“And you're the damnedest, most temperamental pain in the neck I've ever met, Miss Ashton. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'd better get back to work.” He touched the brim of his hat and departed, leaving her frustrated and furious.

Mark and the governor returned shortly with refreshments. The trip was officially under way. Mandy did her best to keep her mind off Travis Langley, but it was impossible. She'd watched him walk to the deck below, and her
glance kept straying toward the passageway. He was dressed in his buckskins, as usual when he was working, and she remembered all too well the muscular body beneath the snug-fitting leather.

The day rushed past. Sunlight sparkled like crystals on the smooth surface of the water. Willows and oaks lined both banks and cattle grazed in the fields beyond. The boat docked briefly at Vallejo. The governor departed, assuring Mandy he would join her at the hotel as soon as he completed his business.

Mark was attendant to all her needs, escorting her to supper in the elegant dining salon, pulling out her chair, and ordering for her from the sumptuous menu. She had dressed for the evening in red velvet, and Mark looked handsome in his black frock coat. Both ladies and men eyed the couple as they made their way to the floor and began dancing to the soft strains of violin and the crisp clear notes of piano.

Though Mark was a good dancer, Mandy's mind kept wandering. Eventually, feeling a bit of a headache, or at least pretending to, she asked to be excused for the balance of the evening. Mark accompanied her to the upper deck for a stroll and a chance to view San Francisco Bay. It was all very romantic and did nothing to alleviate her lonely mood.

“I'll take the last shift,” James suggested to Hawk. “Why don't you get us something to eat?” James had felt the change in the big man's mood from the moment he spotted the tiny girl standing arm in arm with Mark Denton. He
wished there were some way he could help his friend, but he knew Hawk had to work the situation out for himself. James didn't envy his friend's position.

“That sounds good. I won't be long.” Hawk turned and walked out the door, his moccasins padding softly down the pine deck, then fading as he mounted the stairs to the dining room.

Leaning back in the oak chair, James propped his feet on the desk. The purser's cabin was small but comfortable, a picture of the
Sacramento Queen
hung on the opposite wall, as well as a calendar marking the schedule for the
Queen
through the following month.

James clasped his hands behind his head and gazed out the window to the slowly passing shoreline. The bay stretched ahead of them, and the lights of San Francisco flickered dimly somewhere in the distance. The moon was full, giving him a clear picture of the surroundings even in the dark. He kept a watchful eye. They were getting close to their destination. The trip had been uneventful so far, but they were guarding a shipment of gold, and a few too many people knew of its existence.

Without warning, James hurled against the bulkhead, his head viciously thumping against the wood as a huge explosion rocked the vessel. He blinked once, tried to focus, then his vision dimmed and he slumped to the pine deck in blackness.

Elegantly garbed travelers screamed and raced toward the exits of the wildly listing dining room, knocking each other down in their mad dash to escape. Tables were upended,
plants and crockery littered the aisles. Even fallen passengers blocked the way.

“Don't panic!” Hawk boomed authoritatively above the din of hysteria. “We'll all get out safely if we just keep calm. Head down the stairs to the lifeboats; there are life vests inside the boats. Take your time and remain calm.” The even tone of his voice soothed the group temporarily, and they made their way in an orderly fashion through the doors.

Outside all hell had broken loose. White steam billowed from the smokestacks, then thick black smoke covered the milling crowd with soot and further added to their hysteria. Orange and yellow flames leaped through a huge hole in the middle of the vessel.