Midnight Rider

At least Eduardo would find the girl; Colston had no doubt of that. But he dreaded the reappearance of the two of them.

* * *

EDUARDO RODE OUT TOWARD THE distant mountains, still smoldering at Bernadette’s father’s callous attitude toward her. What sort of father would leave his daughter wide open to unwanted advances from a houseguest, regardless of the reason? He hated the very thought of another man’s hands on Bernadette.

He tracked her to the mountains and then had to slow his pace as her trail became more difficult to follow. He heard a sound that chilled his blood—the scream of a puma. That was another danger that Bernadette probably hadn’t thought of, and he was certain that she wasn’t armed. He always wore a sidearm and carried a rifle. He hoped he wouldn’t need them.

As darkness began to fall in earnest, he worried that he might not find her in time to spare her a terrifying night alone in the desert. The night air wouldn’t be good for her weak lungs, and few people realized how cold it became after the sun set. He always carried two blankets in his saddle pack, just in case.

He was so frustrated that he almost missed the faint smell of smoke. Then, when a whiff of burning wood came to him, his heart leaped. He dismounted and climbed up on a boulder to get a better look in the direction from which he believed the smoke came. Sure enough, he spotted a small campfire down below.

It was precarious going down the slope in the dark, but his gelding was surefooted and careful, and he took his time.

As he rode into the small circle of light the campfire provided, Bernadette jumped to her feet with a blanket around her and stood shivering as she waited for him to come close enough to see.

She lifted her chin. “You’d better not come any closer,” she called hoarsely. “My father and brothers are just outside the camp. They’ll hear me if I scream!”

He chuckled at her nerve. She looked fragile and vulnerable, but what spirit, even in the face of tangible danger!

“You never cease to amaze me,” he said gently as he rode near enough for her to recognize him.

“Eduardo!” She ran toward him when he dismounted, looking up into his dark face with absolute trust and relief.

He smiled, discarding his gloves to catch her hands in his. “You’re freezing! Didn’t you have another blanket?”

“Only this one.” Her teeth chattered. “I didn’t realize it got quite this cold. Why are you here?” she added worriedly. “Did my father send you?”

His face hardened. “Maria told me what happened. I came to find you.”

“You, not my father,” she murmured sadly.

“He was going to send one of his ranch hands. I told him not to bother.”

“He should have sent one of his candidates for my bridegroom instead,” she said coldly.

“I believe the German will be on the first train north,” he said drily. “And the other gentleman probably won’t be far behind him.”

“Oh, thank God!”

He retrieved his blankets from his saddle pack and wrapped one around her before he removed the saddlebags and began to make coffee in a small pot.

“What did the German do to you, Bernadette?” he asked when he had the coffeepot on the fire and they were both sitting nearby.

She averted her embarrassed eyes in the bright light of the campfire. “Never mind. It doesn’t matter, if he’s gone.”

“It does matter! I should have shot the—”

“It’s all right,” she interrupted before he could voice the curse. “I can’t be the first woman who was ever fondled against her will.”

He looked furious. He watched her move away from the campfire and ease down onto her makeshift bed. “Were you planning to stay the night?”

She nodded. “I thought if I frightened my father enough, he might cancel his plans.”

“He’ll cancel them now,” he assured her, holding his hands to the fire. “I promise you he will.”

She let out a long sigh. “Thank you for coming to find me.”

He glanced at her curiously. “You might not consider yourself saved when I tell you what I have in mind.”

Her eyebrows lifted. “What?”

“I intend to keep you out all night.”

He expected shock and fear. But after a minute’s hesitation, she laughed delightedly. “What a wonderful idea! If his prospective bridegrooms haven’t left, they certainly will after this!”

“I intend to displace them,” he said shortly. “If your father wants a noble for a son-in-law, he can have me. I’ll take a damned sight better care of you than he does, and I won’t drag you off to Europe to die.”

She stared at him with delight. “You really want to marry me?”

He nodded. “It won’t be a love match,” he said, his voice quiet and calming, “but you’ll have freedom and independence, and I’ll take care of you.”

“I’ll take care of you, too,” she replied gently.

He was shocked to discover that he liked the idea of someone taking care of him. It wasn’t acceptable to admit it, of course, and he wasn’t going to. But it touched him as few things in his recent past had.

“Have you eaten anything?” he asked.

She laughed, pulling her blanket closer. “I had a roll and some cold chicken that Maria packed for me, but nonetheless, I’m hungry,” she said simply.

“So am I.”

“I don’t suppose you brought anything to eat?”

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