White Dreams (23 page)

“Do you love me?” He searched her eyes for his answer.

“Yes,” she whispered.

She loved him, yet he still saw fear and uncertainty in her gaze. “Please think about it. Just do that. Don’t deny us this chance we have at happiness. It’s taken me so long to realize again what’s important… I want to have that.”

“The cost may be too great.” Her eyes swam with tears.

“Sometimes you have to take a risk in order to reap great rewards. Think on that.” God, he didn’t want to go. He hated leaving her like this, especially after last night. But he had to. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

Star reached out to slide her fingers through his hair. She brought her lips to his. “Grady, be careful. I can’t lose you, married or not.”

Grady kissed her hard, conveying his own fears and emotions. “You won’t. Remember that.”

Charles poked his head back in. “Let’s go, old man, or we’ll miss the boat.”

Grady nodded and stepped away. He longed to tell her again that he loved her, to beg her to say the words aloud to him, but he didn’t want to add undue pressure to his proposal. Instead, he left her standing there in the large foyer by herself.

Riding quickly, he and Charlie arrived at the wharf with several minutes to spare. Riding past piers where men ran like ants to unload or load cargo, they were forced to slow down in order to avoid running down workers and passengers.

Just before they got to their boat, a voice hailed them. Grady halted his horse and turned in his saddle to see Todd Langley sauntering toward them. Frowning, Grady waved Charles on. “You go ahead, stop the ship. I’ll catch up.” He dismounted out of politeness, then turned to the businessman.

“You’re not leaving, are you?”

“My friend thinks he found where his servant was sold.”

“Ah. Good for him. Don’t let me keep you, then.” Todd stepped back and waved his hand in farewell as Grady swung back up into the saddle. “I know we had a bit of a disagreement, but I wish you well. I hope you find Hattie’s husband and son as well.”

Nodding his appreciation, Grady made his way to the steamboat.

“You fool!” the Dragon roared, the sound echoing through the large, nearly empty warehouse.

Leo backed away and bumped into an open crate. He glanced down and cringed at the sight of a tall vase depicting a painted serpent whose body wrapped around the white vase. “It’s not my fault.” He skirted the crate, not wanting anything between him and the door.

“Then whose fault is it, you damned idiot? Everything was progressing just fine until you tried to kill Olsen. Now we’ve lost everything.”

Nervously, Leo watched the bearded man pace. Somehow he had to fix things or he’d wind up floating in the river. “We can still kill him.”

“And what of the woman?”

“I can take care of Hester Mae. She’ll come around.” He made himself sound far more confident than he felt.

The Dragon pulled out his gun. “You’ve done enough.”

Leo eyed the door, desperate. “We’ll force her…then take her to that brothel you sell the other women to. No one will know. We’ll still have it all.”

The Dragon smiled and advanced. He reached down and stroked the smooth surface of the vase. “You’re right. I can still have it all.” He set his revolver down.

Leo felt a wave of relief, until he saw his boss motion to someone behind him. He whirled around. Two beefy men grabbed him by the arms.

“I warned you not to hold out on me,” the bearded man was saying. “I know about the white girl and the old woman. You got greedy, Leo. And you messed up, too.” He looked at the men holding Leo. “Get him out of here. You know what to do.”

Then the Dragon picked up his coat and left the warehouse, leaving Leo to struggle futilely for his life.

Grady wanted to marry her, was the first thing Star thought as she watched him leave.

The words both thrilled and scared her. Overcome by emotion and fear, Star paced through the downstairs rooms, for once unaware of the gilt mirror in the entry, the tables of all sizes topped with fascinating works of art, the rich colors and intricate designs in the plush carpeting.

In the sitting room that had once belonged to Grady’s first wife, Star gazed up at the features of the beautiful woman holding a place of honor above the mantel. Rather than feel threatened by this woman’s portrait, she felt a sense of comfort. Grady had known love and happiness, and the knowledge that he wished to pursue the same with her filled her heart with joy.

He loved her. And though she hadn’t spoken the words aloud, she loved him as none other. He was her soul mate, the one man who’d touched her so deeply that she ached for him whenever he was away. Against her will, their love had sprung from friendship and companionship; it had grown into a soul-searing need to be together. Without him, Star felt lost and alone, adrift, with no log to hold on to as life’s current swirled and carried her into dangerous waters.

Though still frightened of the consequences of her visions and her gift, in Grady she’d found a rock. Someone to cling to, to ease her fear. He believed in her and gave her strength. Yet was she strong enough, brave enough, to take that next step and marry him?

She wandered and paced—in one doorway, out another, winding her way from one end of the house to the next, ignoring Hattie and the other servants as she searched deeply within herself. Could she let go of her fear of losing him? Could she risk becoming Grady’s wife even if it meant losing him? It was far too late to stop the love, but binding their souls further scared her. Before, she could tell herself that it was all over at the end of the summer; she was to go back to her people. But now?

The very thought of leaving Grady brought forth a wave of pain so great, it nearly doubled her over. In that instant, she had her answer. For better or worse, she was already bound to this man. They were committed—not by words binding them in marriage, but by a love that joined their souls more tightly than anything.

Staring at the rich burgundy carpet at her feet, suddenly the colors darkened and the pattern faded. An image of dark-skinned men and women bound by chains blurred her vision. They faded once more, but frightening visions seized her mind. A horrific red creature, scaly like a snake, with a long, pointed tail and a mouth full of sharp teeth reached out to grab her. It laughed, spewing hot, angry flames. So horrible was this creature, she knew it could not exist—yet she’d seen it somewhere. She was sure of that.

Putting her hands to her head, she wanted to cry out, to call for Grady, but he wasn’t there. No one was there to help.

Don’t fight. Breathe. Don’t be afraid of this. This is a gift, not a curse. Your daughter is not afraid, so you can also handle this.

She heard Grady’s voice, heard the soft murmurs he’d whispered to her during the dark of last night as he’d coaxed her into talking. She hadn’t even realized how much he’d eased her mind, until now—until her subconscious mind whispered back his words.

She relaxed, sitting on the floor, and didn’t fight the vision. This time, instead of allowing the vision to frighten her and block all rational thought, she pulled it into focus, then tried to remember where she’d seen this creature. Grady’s life and that of the women she’d seen in last night’s vision might depend on her learning that.

There was a wild beauty to the creature. Around it. As if it was something to be prized. The vision faded from her mind, and she resumed her pacing, staring blankly at objects gracing nearly every surface. Small porcelain figures, painted glass eggs, statues, vases filled with fresh-cut flowers. But none of them sparked her memory.

Then she stared at one tall, fragile vase. Picking it up carefully, she felt the coolness of the glass—and remembered another container. Putting it back, she ran up the stairs to her room. There she searched through her drawers for the reticule that matched the dress she’d worn the day she’d arrived in St. Louis. She opened it and dumped the contents out onto her bed.

There! A small piece of broken glass lay facedown, its white underside gleaming in the patch of sunlight on her bed. Picking it up, she turned it over and drew in a sharp breath. On it was the tiny image that had frightened her in her vision. It was the same creature.

She recalled the day she’d arrived, the crate falling and breaking open, the beautiful pieces hitting the ground and shattering. This piece had been flung near their trunks and bags, and when she’d found it, she’d been intrigued enough to keep it. She’d meant to show it to Grady and ask him about it. She’d forgotten.

She studied it anew. The creature reminded her of a snake but was much more hideous and repulsive. Yet there was a savage beauty to it. Perhaps Hattie or Zeke could tell her what it was. And perhaps it was the key to unlocking the message or her visions.

Downstairs, she hesitated. A sound coming from the stairs behind her warned her to move and move fast. She jumped just as Grady’s daughter flew off the banister. “Renny!”

“Oops, sorry. I didn’t see you there.”

“And what if it had been one of the maids with something valuable…and breakable?” she scolded.

“Oh. I didn’t think of that.” Renny looked shamefaced.

Star softened. “I know. You must begin to stop to think, or else your impulsive nature will land you in trouble.” She held out her hand. “Do you know what this is?”

Renny’s eyes widened. “Hey, it’s a tiny dragon. Where did you find it?”

A
dragon.

The word chilled Star. She felt sickness and dread coil within her. Her chest constricted. Grady and Charles were searching for a man who called himself by that name. Star knelt in front of Renny, her grip on the girl’s shoulders almost painful. “Are you sure?”

The girl nodded. “Yep. Lots of shops sell stuff like this.”

“Thank you, Renny.” Star stood.

The Dragon.

Images hovered at the edge of her consciousness. She tried to call them to her. There were more, many more, and she needed to remember them.

“Star!”

Startled, she blinked. Renny and Morning Moon stood in front of her, Renny hopping impatiently up and down. “What?”

“I asked if you would take us to the park for just a little while. We want to go feed the ducks. Matilda’s never done that.”

“I don’t think we should leave the house with your father gone.”

“Aw, we’ll just stay in sight of the house. He said he’d take us, but now he’s gone.” Renny’s lip jutted out. “He’s always leaving.”

Star sighed. Perhaps the fresh air would do her good. “All right, but not for long. Let me go tell Zeke where we are going.”

Walking into the kitchen, and finding the cook, maid and Hattie sitting at the bin table going over menus, she waved them to remain where they were. “I’m looking for Zeke.”

“He went to the market.” Hattie rose.

“Hmm. I’m taking the girls across to the park for a short walk.”

Hattie bit her lip. “Are you sure it’s safe? The colonel gave orders for no one to leave the house unescorted until he returns.”

“We won’t be gone long, Hattie.”

Outside, Zeb stopped her as well. He was working and didn’t look pleased when Star refused to wait for him to accompany her. She pointed across the street. “We won’t go far. The park is crowded. We’ll be fine. We’ll stay in sight of the house.”

“All right, but I’ll be out here where I can watch you.”

With the girls skipping on ahead, they crossed the street. Under the cool shade of the tall trees, Star breathed in deeply.

Renny turned suddenly. “I forgot to ask Cook for bread crumbs for the ducks. I’m going back to go get them.”

“Be quick—and Renny, could you grab my gloves?” The items were a nuisance in Star’s opinion, but she had no desire to shame Grady and dress inappropriately. Both girls ran back and disappeared around the side of the house. Star sat on a bench behind the wrought-iron fence where she could watch for them to return. Roses climbed over and along the fence, providing a nice, secluded spot to sit and reflect. A tall shade tree kept the sun off her. She adjusted her hat.

Enjoying the warm breeze on her cheeks, she watched Zeb go down on his knees in front of some bushes along the side of the house. He’d left the patch that he’d been planting so he could position himself to watch her. Though he appeared to be working, she knew he hadn’t taken his eyes off her.

She waved to him. Who’d have thought he’d be in his element working soil? Of all the brothers, his chosen position seemed to fit his personality perfectly. It turned out he’d always kept a garden—at the base and in the mountains.

Star turned her thoughts to her home and family, then to her son. In less than two months, she was supposed to board another steamer bound for home. Her decision loomed: accept Grady’s proposal and return here to marry him, or return to her old life.

Leaving had taught her that she couldn’t hide from what she was. No matter where she went or what name she used, she was Star Dreamer, a Sioux Indian—and with that came her heritage, including the gift of the Sight. If she accepted Grady’s proposal, she’d have to leave the land of her people. Was there somehow a way to merge the two cultures into one? Could she have both?

Her mother and Emma had each given up all they’d known for a new life. Could she?

She closed her eyes briefly, torn between love and fear of the future. She thought again of her visions. Something was going to happen, and she and Grady were involved. Was it too soon to be thinking of marriage? Would Grady lose his life in battle as Two-Ree had? Like Two-Ree, Grady was a warrior—he would constantly be in danger. She knew she had to expect that. So where did that leave her? But she might be able to help him survive. Her grandmother had— From the corner of her eye, she noted a large black carriage pull to a stop in front of Grady’s home.

Who had come to call? Curious, she stood. From her angle across the street, she saw the driver, a large man, jump down. The carriage door opened and another man, his face hidden by a large, bushy heard, exited, pulling a woman down with him. She stumbled, but he grabbed hold of her. The driver came to her other side and held her arm. To her surprise, Star saw it was Hester Mae.

Frowning, she hoped there wasn’t bad news about her husband. Picking up her skirts, she prepared to cross back over to greet Renny’s aunt. But when two more men alighted, she hesitated. Their stances and furtive glances made her fall back into the shadows. Something was wrong. Why was Hester Mae here, and who were those four men?

She watched Zac walk down to the carriage to greet the visitors. The bearded man stepped forward. Zac stopped. Even from where she sat, Star heard his curse. To her horror, one of the other men held a gun trained on the scout. Then they all walked down the side of the house toward the rear entrance. The bearded man turned to watch the street as he walked.

Star cringed in her secluded seat. Even from this distance, she recognized him. He was the man from the market—the one who’d grabbed her and shoved her. Her heart pounded and her mouth went dry. With certainty, she knew he was the Dragon.

When he disappeared, she stood. Her girls! Hattie! The servants.

There was no way for her to warn them.

Renny grabbed several slices of bread, then sneaked out two tarts, hiding them beneath the bread. Hattie came up behind her and shooed her away. Grinning, she left through the doors leading to the dining room where she showed Morning Moon her stash.

Her friend licked her lips. “Cook gave you tarts?”

“Nah, I took them. Much more fun than asking.” Renny giggled. “Let’s get a napkin to wrap these in and then we can go feed the ducks—and us.” Sauntering nonchalantly back through the kitchen, she headed for the rear door, eyeing the cooling sweets on the tray. Hattie stopped her with the shake of her finger. “If you want a sweet,
chérie,
please ask for it.”

Shamefaced, Renny sighed. “Yes, Hattie.” The housekeeper’s voice when she scolded sounded like music as her French accent came alive. Smiling over at Morning Moon, Renny decided she just might have to make Hattie scold her again, so she could hear that same lilting tone.

They ran down the porch steps and headed back around the house. Suddenly, Morning Moon grabbed her arm. Her eyes were wide as she stared at the side of the house they were walking toward. “Renny, we need to hide.”

It only took one look at her friend’s features for Renny to realize something was wrong. Then she heard voices. They were deep men’s voices, and following came the muffled cry of a woman. She didn’t know what was going on, but if Morning Moon said they needed to hide, they would.

“Come on.” Renny pulled her beneath the porch. Through a small crack between planks, she saw two men shove Zeb around the corner of the house. One of them hit the scout over the head and his limp body fell with a muffled thud.

Renny barely covered her own mouth in time to keep from crying out. Then she saw two men holding her aunt’s arms. One of them had a gun. A man with a beard yanked on her aunt’s hair, causing Hester Mae to cry out. “You’ll get us into the house, Hester, or I’ll kill you here and now.”

“You won’t kill me. You need me.” The woman sounded scared despite her brave words.

“Then I’ll kill those girls.” The bearded man laughed when Hester Mae’s shoulders slumped.

“Much better, my dear.” Loud steps sounded above Renny’s head as the group climbed the steps and entered the kitchen.

Renny listened as her aunt opened the door. A loud shout followed by the sound of a gun going off made both girls fall to the ground, terrified. Above them, the floor shook mightily. Both girls retreated to the far end of the porch.

One of the men yelled out, “No one else here, boss. The squaw and them brats is gone.”

In a rush, Renny remembered what her father had said the day he’d caught her in the carriage house. These men were after Hattie and Star. She had to do something to save them!