The Moon and the Stars (25 page)

“Thank you for all the trouble you went through on my behalf.”

“I couldn't sleep until I knew you were all right.” She finally smiled. “Yance has been very patient with me.”

“What about his son and daughter?”

“That's the funny thing about it. After the picnic, Judy went to her papa and said it was time they had a new mama. She said I'd be as good as anyone else, and they wanted me for their new ma.”

“So Judy changed her mind?”

“I swear it. I not only have a husband, I have a son and daughter, too. 'Course, if I don't get back to them, they may think they've been deserted. They're staying with the Grays. Wanda Gray said she wouldn't even notice two more faces at her table.”

“Will you and Yance stay here for the night? I know Wade wouldn't mind, and I would love to have you with me.”

“Thank you, but we're still on our honeymoon.” She actually blushed. “We have a room at one of those fancy hotels in town. Now that I know you're all right, I'll pay more attention to my husband.”

“Have you moved to Yance's ranch?”

“Not yet. But as soon as we get home, I'm going to sell the boardinghouse.” She looked dreamy-eyed for a moment. “I want to be the best wife I can. He and the kids need someone to look after them. And I need someone to look after.”

“Nelly, do you ever feel like you are betraying your first husband by marrying again?”

“No. Marty would have wanted me to be happy.” She glanced at Caroline. “You aren't feeling guilty, are you?”

“Perhaps a little. Michael died so young.”

“Then tell me this—do you love Renault?”

“I'm not sure. I don't feel the same way about him that I felt about Michael. Of course, I had known
Michael most of my life. But with Wade, my feelings are so intense. I can't explain it. I have never felt this way before.” She looked up questioningly. “Does that make sense to you?”

Nelly chuckled. “That's the first sensible thing you've said to me. Wade Renault could make any woman's teeth rattle. He's so”—She tried to think of a way to put it delicately—“so male. And he's got a body like—” Nelly actually blushed. “I understand what you're feeling for him. But I'd feel better if you said you loved him just a little.”

“Maybe love will come. But I trust him more than I trust anyone else. And I want to take care of him.”

Nelly shook her head. “I can't imagine that man needing anyone to take care of him.”

“He does, though. He needs someone badly, although he doesn't know it yet.”

“When is the wedding going to be?”

“I don't know. We have not really had time to discuss it. It happened so quickly.”

“He hasn't touched you, has he?” Nelly had her reasons for asking. Her friend was in a very vulnerable position. Renault would know exactly how to seduce a woman as innocent as Caroline—and no matter what, Nelly was not going to let that happen.

“No. But if he hadn't stopped himself, I probably would have.” Caroline lowered her gaze and stared at the tip of her shoe. “As I said, he is very intense.”

Nelly stood. “I see.” And she did see. Renault had used his charm to get her to agree to marry him. “I see very well.”

“Then tell me what I am feeling.”

“It just may be the budding of love. I hope it is. I suspect that man is already in love with you.”

“No. He isn't.”

Nelly let the subject drop. “You will need to tell me what you want done with the belongings you left behind in San Sebastian.”

“I hadn't thought about that. There is nothing there I really want to keep. I had so little.” She thought of Archimedes and smiled, thinking she would like to have him with her.

“I'll box your things up and have Yance store them in his attic. You may decide later what you want done with them.”

“You have already done so much. But I would ask one other favor of you. When you are packing my things away, I would like you to give all the books to Private McCaffrey. I think he would like to have them.”

“I'll do that very thing.”

“I don't know how I will ever thank you.”

Nelly spread her hands and looked at her palms. “That's what friends do. I know because you've been that kind of friend to me.”

Both women stood and hugged each other. “Thank you, Nelly.”

“I'll be back tomorrow, if that's all right with you.”

“I would love it. I would like you to get to know Wade.”

Nelly looked doubtful. “I can never feel close to a man who makes his living with a gun.”

“Nelly, he has not made his living bounty hunting for a long time. And he has given it up.”

“Why would he do that?”

“For me.”

Nelly stared at her for a moment and then nodded her head. “I can see him doing that.” Then she gripped Caroline's hand. “I sure do miss you.”

“My dear friend, I miss you, too.”

“Well,” Nelly said, gathering her purse. “It's late, and you look all undone. Me and Yance will be back tomorrow to see you.”

“I look forward to it.” She hugged her friend. “What about Archimedes—is someone taking care of him?”

“That cat rules the boardinghouse. He sleeps on the counter or anywhere else he decides to sleep. He goes into the guests' rooms and begs for attention, and usually gets it.”

“Thank you. Thank you for everything. Oh, there's one other thing. Please tell Captain Dunning that I am to be married.”

Nelly nodded. “I understand.”

When Wade finally arrived home, it was long after midnight. With his keen hearing, he detected the presence of a stranger even before the man had stepped out of the shadows and approached him.

“Come forward,” Wade said in a threatening tone. “Whoever you are, show yourself.”

The stranger did not hesitate. “I just want to know what kind of shenanigans you are trying to pull with Caroline. And don't try to tell me that you came to San Sebastian looking for a wife, 'cause I won't believe you.”

“Yance Grady. You are a long way from home.”

“Nelly and me, we came looking for Caroline. I want to know what you've done to her.”

Wade smiled to himself. This big man could break
every bone in his body if he chose to. “I am going to make her my wife.”

“I've been told that. But what do you get out of it?”

“A wife.”

“Smart talk will not get you out of this. I left Nelly back at our hotel room with a promise that I'd make you admit what your intentions are toward her friend. And I ain't going back to her without answers!”

“Nelly is with you?”

“Yeah, she is. We got married.”

“Congratulations!”

“I'm not here to talk about us. I want to know what you feel for Caroline.”

Wade's eyes narrowed. “My feelings for her are strictly my business.”

Yance stepped in front of him, his broad shoulders blocking out the sky. “You'll tell me or I'll beat it out of you.”

Wade gave a deep laugh and shook his head. “I believe you would. You can go back to Nelly and tell her that I want nothing but the best for Caroline.” With a quick change of subject, Wade asked Yance, “Why did you marry Nelly?”

“We got married for the right reasons, but it's different with you and Caroline.”

“What do you mean?”

“Hell, every man in San Sebastian would like to have had her, but she's a lady, and she's got lots of friends. She never knew that the young recruits she taught to read and write took turns watching her house at night to make sure she was safe. If you do anything to hurt her, you'll have the whole cavalry down on you.”

Wade respected loyalty in anyone, and he certainly respected this big man. “If I can get Caroline to agree to marry me tomorrow, how would you and Nelly like to attend our wedding?”

Yance looked mollified for a moment. “We wouldn't miss it if it's what Caroline wants.”

The quarter moon unfurled a wispy illumination across the garden, leaving the pathways in shadows and casting an ethereal glow on the honeysuckle vine that twined around the base of the fountain. Dressed for bed, Caroline stood on the gallery dragging her fragmented thoughts together. So much had happened in such a short time, it was difficult to put all the pieces together. Her main concern at the moment was Jonathan and how her marriage to Wade would affect his life.

Somewhere in the distance she heard the lonesome sound of a ship's foghorn, warning other river travelers away from danger. The wind rustled through the cypress leaves, and she heard the musical sound of the fountain below her. It had been a very emotional day, starting with the swamp trip Wade had taken her on, and ending with Nelly and Yance charging to her rescue.

She smiled. Those two were the most unlikely pair of rescuers, and the most dear.

Wade had just returned from the stable to make sure his horse had been taken care of. The animal had just arrived home by a private stock car that morning.

He was thinking of Caroline as he moved past the fountain that sprayed water into the air, leaving a fine mist on his face. He paused to watch the small figure leaning on the railing of the gallery. Caroline was gazing at the moon, and he could only imagine where her thoughts were taking her.

He directed his footsteps toward her and watched her startled expression when she heard his steps on the stairs. She moved toward the safety of her room, halting only when Wade called out to her.

“It is only me. I saw you out here, and I thought we might talk if you are not sleepy.” He came up beside her. “Are you too tired?”

“No. Not at all.” She moved back to the railing. “Did the fire do any damage to your warehouse?”

“I was fortunate that my men reacted quickly and started a bucket brigade.”

“Louis indicated that the fire had been set deliberately.”

Wade leaned his arm on the railing, his elbow almost touching hers. “So it would seem.”

“Fires are Brace's specialty.” She curled her fingers until her nails dug into her hand. “Do you think he could be responsible?”

He looked down at her, noticing that her hair was unbound just the way he had often imagined it. Blond
curls fell almost to her waist, inviting a man's hand to tangle in them. “I think it is more probable that it was some disgruntled employee taking out his spite on me. I cannot think what your brother-in-law would have to gain by such an act against me.”

His shoulder brushed against hers, and her heart pounded as blood thrummed hotly through her veins. She had never been susceptible to a man's touch the way she was to his. She glanced up at him and felt trapped by the fire in his golden eyes.

“I had guests tonight,” she said.

“
Oui.
So I learned.”

She glanced up at him. “I suppose Mary told you?”

“
Non.
I have not seen Mary since I came home. I went directly to the stables before I came to you.”

“Oh.”

“Yance Grady was waiting for me when I came home.” He smiled, remembering the incident. “I should say he was lying in wait for me.”

She frowned and placed her hand on his arm. “He threatened you?”

Wade's laughter was deep and amused. “He threatened me with the entire cavalry from Fort Lambrick.”

She covered her mouth to keep from giggling. “He didn't!”

“I can assure you he did. But,” Wade added, reaching out and touching a strand of her hair and allowing it to sift through his fingers, “you might be able to save me from their attack.”

The moonlight fell on his face, softening the hard planes as she asked, “And how can I do that?”

He wound the curl around his finger, then lifted it to his lips—the sensuous gesture made her gasp for
breath. Could he know what it did to her when he did things like that?

“You can save me by agreeing to marry me tomorrow so we can invite your friends to our wedding.” His eyes were dancing with merriment. “If it is all the same to you, I would rather not feel the points of fifty sabers at my back.”

She returned his smile. “I think it can only be half that number who would come to my rescue.”

“Do you need rescuing from me?” He asked the question lightly, but waited impatiently for her answer.

“I can leave any time I choose, and I choose to stay.” She was wondering why he had set the wedding date for the next day, and she knew it wasn't for the sake of Yance and Nelly. “Tomorrow would be rushing things a bit, don't you agree?”

He turned her toward him, spinning a half lie and a half truth. “Caroline, you are an unwed woman living in my home without benefit of a chaperone. I do not want anyone questioning your virtue. Can you give me a good reason for us to delay the wedding?”

When he was so close to her, she could hardly remember her own name, let alone think of a reason not to get married the next day. “We have not told Jonathan, and he should be considered.”

“We can tell him together in the morning.”

“Wade, I have a favor to ask of you—well, two favors actually.” She had been dwelling on this all day and had come to the conclusion it would be the right thing to do for Jonathan's sake.

“I believe you could ask anything of me, and if it were in my power, I would grant your wish.”

The sound of his deep voice ran through her like
quicksilver. “When we are married, I want us to adopt Jonathon. I want to be his mother, and he already loves you like a father.”

He was quiet, thoughtful, and she was afraid he was going to say no.

“Is that all that is bothering you?” he asked tenderly.

“It is my utmost consideration.”

“That is easily granted,
mon amour.
We will bind our marriage by taking Jonathan as our son.” He laced his fingers through hers. “You said there were two things you wanted.”