Give Me Tonight

2

THE SOUND OF LEAH'S ADDIE, I NEED MY MEDICINEstarted every morning, a signal for the day to begin. Addie lay still with her eyes closed as she waited for that call, yawning and keeping her face buried in the pillow. Why hadn't Leah called yet? Why hadn't-

She sat up with a wide-eyed start as if a loud alarm had just gone off, her heart thumping at a frantic pace. Her eyes darted around the room. She was still here. Another world away. What's happened to me? What's happened to everything?

Her surroundings were entirely different from what she was accustomed to. The ruffly little pink bedroom was not hers. It didn't suit her taste at all. She wanted her own blue-and-white bedroom at home, with Leah's painstakingly stitched needlework on the walls and the clutter of rouge pots and lipsticks on the dresser, the posters over her dresser-Valentino as The Sheik and Mary Pickford in My Best Girl. She missed all of it. She missed the familiar shape of the radio in the corner.

"Radio," she said out loud, stunned by the realization that here there would be no radios, no electric light bulbs, no Kodak cameras or ready-made clothes. They didn't know anything about the Great War or Model T's, Charlie Chaplin or jazz music. Dazedly she pondered the possibilities. She might as well have found herself in the Dark Ages. It was that different from the world she was used to.

Flying to her closet, she flung open the door and stared at the dresses that hung there. Nothing that looked familiar. No short, jaunty skirts, no little cloche hats. She saw only long dresses, frilly blouses, and flowing skirts. The closet was overstuffed with a rainbow of garments, of shining silk, patterned batiste and thin floral-striped lawn, clouds of netting and satin roses. Obviously Adeline Warner had worn the very best money could buy. It took a minute to realize that most of the clothes were pink, in shades varying from the brightest carmine to the palest coral. "Acres of it, " she said out loud, stunned as she looked from dress to dress. "Acres of pink. " It was a nice color, but this… this was a nightmare.

On the right side hung cotton and cambric dresses, simpler in design, that must have been intended for everyday use. Beautiful to look at… but to wear? She had a feeling that everything in that closet would be just as uncomfortable as the dress she had peeled off her body last night. Addie turned to the plump chair by the dresser to regard the soiled dress and the pile of white undergarments, and her face wrinkled with distaste. It had taken forever to get out of that mess.

Skeleton hoops, with a ladder of tapes up the front. A corset, and a cover that extended far over the hips, to which a short underskirt was fastened. It was inconceivable that a woman's body could endure being bound and compressed for so long. There were stays made of bone or metal, or something equally as painful, stitched into the tight corset. It had made deep red marks on her skin. Could she manage to get into any of these clothes without first squeezing herself in that contraption? It was doubtful.

The plainest dress she could find was a pink-and-white-striped batiste trimmed with clusters of ribbon loops. It took several minutes of trial and error to get dressed. Surveying herself down to her kid shoes, fastened at the sides with straps and buttons, and finished with bows on the toes, she grimaced at the picture she made.

When she finally appeared downstairs, Addie was relieved to discover only Caroline and May were having breakfast. They were both prim and proper in highnecked cambric dresses similar to hers. Evidently a crowd had just left, and a maid was clearing the dirty dishes from the empty places at the table.

"Good morning, Caroline," she said hesitantly. "Glad to see you slept late. Looks like the extra rest did you a lot of good. "

Addie glanced at the clock on the wall. Slept late? It was only seven o'clock. "I appreciated the extra sleep," she said slowly, and looked at the other woman seated at the table. " 'Morning, May."

"May?" the older woman repeated with a mixture of amusement and annoyance. "When did you decide to start callin' me by my first name? Only your father does that, Adeline." She looked down at the toast she was buttering daintily, her brows knitting together in a slight frown. "Ever since you got home from the young ladies' academy, you've had some odd notions."

"I'm sorry." Addie was immediately flustered. "M-Mother."

"Poor Addie," Caroline said gently, giving her a smile and patting the chair next to her. "Come sit by me. You've just got a case of the fidgets, that's all. You're like this every spring."

"Just wait until you get married and have children, Adeline," May said. "You'll be too tired to have the fidgets."

Addie went around the long table and sat next to Caroline, feeling an odd tingle as she noticed the pregnant swell of Caroline's stomach.

"H-how are you feeling?"

"Much better, Adeline. It's real sweet of you to ask. I'm not having problems keeping my food down anymore." Caroline smiled and patted her stomach. "I know Peter wants a boy this time, but I just have a feelin' it's going to be another girl. That'll be fine for Leah. I think she'll like having a sister."

I met you once before, when I was a little girl and you were an old woman, Addie wanted to blurt out. You're my grandmother. And that baby you're carrying is my mother. She could hardly keep her eyes off Caroline, and she stared until the other woman frowned curiously.

"Somethin' the matter?"

"I… No. I just wanted to know what… what you're going to name the baby."

"I'm not sure," Caroline said thoughtfully. "Somethin' from the Bible. I like Bible names. If it's a boy, David. If it's a girl, Rachel. Maybe Ruth."

Rachel or Ruth. But her mother's name had been Sarah. Addie chewed her lip pensively and listened to Caroline and May talk about other possible names until breakfast arrived. Her stomach turned at the sight before her. Ham, fried potatoes, fried eggs, and hotcakes topped with a lump of melting butter. She'd never seen such an overloaded plate, except for the one she had been served the night before. Could it be that they ate like this all the time? She and Leah had found it difficult to keep their tiny kitchen stocked with basics like butter, sugar, eggs, and coffee. They had eaten meagerly. They had saved the scraps.

"I can't eat all this."

"Ain't no more than you usually have, Miss Adeline," the maid remarked matter-of-factly, and set down a pitcher of corn syrup beside Addie's plate.

"I'd rather have black coffee."

"You need to have somethin' in your stomach," May said. "You're going to the Double Bar this mornin' to go riding with Jeff Johnson, aren't you?"

Who was Jeff Johnson? Addie frowned slightly.

Something Leah had once told her about Adeline Warner ran through her mind. The men went crazy for her. And 0l' Man Johnson-when he was young, he lost his head over her. …

0l' Man Johnson had been fat, unkempt, and very rich. Could that be the same Johnson they were talking about now?

"I don't remember making any plans to see him," Addie said uncomfortably. "I don't feel like going anywhere. I don't think he'd mind, do you? I don't feel well this morning, at least not well enough to go riding with anyone-"

"You told me yesterday you had promised him," May said, and although her voice was soft, there was no mistaking the unyielding note in it. "A lady doesn't go back on her promises, Adeline, and it's not right to change your mind this late. And you know you'll have a good time once you're with him, sugar."

"You and Daddy are just hoping a romance will start up between 'em," Caroline said, laughing.

"I happen to think Jeff might make a good husband.

His mother is a well-bred woman who raised him to be a gentleman-"

"And Daddy likes the thought of a daughter of his married to the man who'll inherit the Double Bar someday."

"That may be," May admitted. "But all the same, Adeline promised him, and she's got to start honoring her promises."

"Did I really tell him yes, or did I just say I would consider his invitation?" Addie asked desperately, hoping to find some way, any way, out of the coming disaster. She was a terrible rider, close to incompetent.

"You jumped all over his invitation," Caroline said dryly. "And talked about it all yesterday mornin' until you went to town."

"I've been feeling differently about things since then."

"No more arguing about it." May was determined to be firm. "You'll leave as soon as you can change into your riding clothes and get Diaz to escort you to the Double Bar. That man ought to be good for somethin' around here besides sitting on the porch and tellin' stories."

"She could ride over with Ben," Caroline suggested. "I heard Ben say he had some business over there he was going to take care of this mornin'. I don't think he's left yet."

"No!" Addie felt herself turn pale. "No, I can't do that. I'm not going with him. "

"Don't be difficult, sugar," May coaxed. "I know you aren't partial to him, but-"

"I don't know why she dislikes him so much." Caroline rolled her eyes and grinned. "If I ever saw a man worth chasin', it's Ben. With that black hair and those green eyes-and those shoulders-why, I dare you to find a thing wrong with him."

Addie was left speechless. There was nothing wrong with Ben, unless you considered strangling someone with a guitar string a small character flaw.

"Adeline has no need to chase after a ranch foreman," May said, giving Caroline a stern glance. "She's going to marry just as well as you have, Caro, and that means someone with better prospects than Ben."

"Ben's got an education," Caroline pointed out mildly, immediately rebuffed. "And he works hard, from can-see to can't-see. And everyone likes him-"

"Where did he get his education?" Addie interrupted.

"He's never said exactly where, but I suspect-"

"That's enough talking about Ben," May said shortly. "You know better than to encourage your sister in that direction, Caro. Ben's young, but he's a seasoned loner. Men like him constantly have to sleep on new ground. A cowhand's just a nomad, and nothin' can change that. "

"Daddy seems to think he's settled here for a while," Caroline pointed out.

"Your father and I don't always agree on such things. Now Adeline, if you're not going to eat, then run up to change."

Addie nodded, standing up from the table. I'm going to get away from all of this. I'm going to run as far as I can, just as soon as I get a chance to be alone. Of all the things she didn't know, including who she was, how she had come to be here, where the real Adeline Warner was, and what had happened to Leah, she knew one thing for certain. Ben Hunter was a murderer, and she didn't want to be anywhere near him.

Going back upstairs to the pink bedroom, she hunted reluctantly for some appropriate clothes, finally locating a brown riding skirt with a looped-up train, a cream-colored blouse, well-worn boots, and a flat topped hat. Right next to the boots were three pairs of spurs with star-shaped rowels, each pair made in a different style. Picking up one of the them by the heel bank, Addie examined it closely. It was like a finely worked piece of jewelry, silver engraved with flowers and elaborate scrolls. The points of the rowels were darkened with dried blood and horse hair. A spasm of disgust crossed her face, and she set the spur down by the others.

"Adeline," came May's muffled voice through the door.

"What, M-Mama?" Good Lord, how difficult it was to call someone that.

"I told Ben you'd be goin' with him. He's saddlin' up Jessie for you. Hurry, sugar, and don't make him wait. "

“After yesterday, that's the last thing I plan to do."

"That's my good girl."

Addie's heart was heavy with dread as she changed her clothes and stuck several extra pins in her hair to keep her twisted chignon in place. Wild ideas of how to avoid being with Ben raced through her mind, but none of them were even remotely plausible. Suddenly she asked herself why she was afraid of him. He wouldn't dare do anything to hurt her now, in broad daylight, with everyone knowing where they were.

Ben's way was the coward's way. He would sneak up on someone if he was of a mind to hurt. him. A spurt of hatred gave her courage. She would have to stick it out. She would have to survive whatever might happen. And there was no real danger for her. If history was following in the same course as before, Ben's intention was to kill Russell, not her.

Shoving her foot into a leather boot, Addie worked it on until it was firmly in place, then did the same with the other one. As she stood up and wiggled her toes, she realized how odd it was that they fit so perfectly. No two people's feet were alike, and yet the soles of these boots were worn in the same places that her own shoes had always been. They conformed perfectly to each arch, every line of her feet. Addie walked over to the mirror and looked at herself, surprised by her own reflection.

Where was that girl with the bright red lips and flesh-colored stockings, the girl who had worn dropped-waist dresses that showed off her legs and made her look so boyishly slender? The woman in the mirror looked fussy and old-fashioned, a feminine doll with protruding breasts and a nipped-in waist. Though the riding outfit was less confining than the other clothes in the closet, she still felt helpless, bound by the starched underclothes. What she wouldn't give for the silk knickers and short skirts she was used to wearing!

It was wrong for a woman to be forced into this image, this ripe and maternal appearance, this false voluptuousness. This kind of woman was passive and appealing, an exaggeration of femininity, an object for men to admire, desire, dominate. How long could she last like this? How long before she suffocated in corsets and crinolines?

Addie went out of the house and headed for the bam, her steps slowing as she saw Ben Hunter already seated on a horse and leading another by the reins. Similar to any other experienced cowboy, Ben looked natural on a horse, comfortable and supremely confident. The chestnut mare he was leading was an unusually light color, almost golden, a high-stepping animal with plenty of spirit evident in the toss of her head and the jaunty way she moved.

She was magnificent, and to Addie, terrifying. It had been so long since she had ridden, not that she had ever been good at it, and it would take hours of practice to reacquaint herself with all that was involved. And to have to get on that horse with Ben watching… Her heart was thumping so fast she could feel it in every part of her body.

"You forgot your can openers," Ben said, his insolent green eyes flickering down to her boots.

She had never seen a man as handsome as he was, with the brim of his hat shading his eyes and a crisp white shirt rolled up at the sleeves, and his lithe body clad in snug-fitting Levi's with buckskin patches on the knees.

"Can open… oh, you mean my spurs," Addie stammered, hating herself for being so jittery around him. "I'm not wearing them anymore. They're cruel and… and unnecessary."

"You told me last week you couldn't ride a horse like Jessie without them."

"Jessie and I will get along just fine without them," she muttered, walking up to the chestnut and stroking her nose. The horse tossed her head away irritably. "Be nice, Jessie. Are you going to be a good girl for me today? Are you-"

"You two can carryon a conversation later. Let's get going."

Slowly Addie walked around to the left side of the horse. It was the left side you were supposed to mount on, wasn't it? She struggled to remember some of the things she had once been told about riding. Don't let the horse know you are afraid. Let Jessie know who is master. Jessie's ears perked up as she sensed Addie approaching.

"There's a sidesaddle on her," Addie said, her stomach clenching at the sight. She had no idea how to ride sidesaddle.

"That's the kind you always use. You've insisted on it ever since the academy. "

"No, I can't today. Put another kind on her. Anything else."

Ben's face hardened. "I don't have time for your games this morning. I don't have time to pander to your whims, no matter how much you enjoy giving orders. If you don't like it, complain to Daddy later. But for now, get on that horse."

"I despise you," Addie said fervently.

"That fancy private school didn't teach you much in the way of manners, did it?"

"I don't owe you an ounce of courtesy. You don't show the least bit for me. As far as I can tell, you're more insolent than a man in your position has a right to be, Mr. Hunter."

"Mr. Hunter," he repeated, and a jeering smile flashed across his face. "So we're on formal terms now."

She threw him a scornful glance. "Were we ever on anything else?"

"I seem to remember that we were, if only for the space of five minutes. That day in the barn… remember, Miss Adeline? I've never seen anyone get riled so quickly, and all because I wasn't tempted by the way you throw yourself at a man."

"I never did anything like that!" she burst out, horrified. Was he actually saying that she had tried to seduce him? "I would never throw myself at you, of all people!"

"Deny it," he said, and shrugged carelessly. "It doesn't change what happened."

"That wasn't me!"

His speculative gaze lingered on her indignant face.

"Same big brown eyes, same honey-colored hair, same cute little figure. Could have sworn it was you. "

Her face was cold with distaste. What a liar he was.

"And you say you refused me?"

"Hard for you to accept, hmmn?"

"Someone like you would have jumped at any offer from your employer's daughter."

"Like I told you then, I have no interest in spoiled, hard-hearted little girls."

"Well I have no interest in greedy, insolent ranch hands with swelled heads."

His eyes flashed dangerously. "You're hardly in a position to fault anyone for greed, Miss Adeline."

"Why do you say that?"

"You have to ask?" His brow arched. No doubt he was silently reminding her of some past incident.

"I have nothing on you," she said brashly. "You'd do anything for a piece of this ranch."

There was a harsh silence between them as his gaze locked with hers.

"Get on the damn horse," he said softly.

Her anger gave her the strength to swing up into the saddle and hook her knee into place before she had second thoughts about what she was doing. The ground seemed miles away. Nervously Jessie danced around while Addie tried to soothe her. A thousand prayers for mercy flashed through Addie's mind. The horse was nothing but a massive bulk of muscle and tension, ready to explode out of her rider's control, and both Addie and Jessie knew it. The sidesaddle offered only precarious balance. It would be a miracle if she managed to stay on the horse.

"Good Jessie, good girl. Easy, Jessie," she murmured through stiff lips, yanking on the reins in an effort to calm the animal.

"For God's sake, whatever your problem is, don't take it out on the horse. I've never seen you so heavy handed with her before.

Ignoring him and pulling harder on the reins, Addie somehow managed to turn the horse around, and with a jerk that nearly unbalanced her rider, Jessie shot forward. As they galloped away from the stable in a mad, out-of-control flight, Addie was aware of Ben riding parallel to her.

"What's the matter with you?" he snapped. "Slow down. You're not in a race. At this race you'll wear her out before we're halfway there."

She strained her arms with all her might as she tightened the reins, relieved when Jessie, however reluctantly, obeyed the command. They slowed to a canter and Addie worked at catching her breath. If she could just get through this morning, she promised herself, she would never ride again.

"Why the hurry?" Ben inquired sardonically. "Can't wait to see Jeff?"

"Why do you ask in that way? What do you think about Jeff Johnson?"

"You wouldn't be interested."

"I might be." Carrying on a conversation, no matter how unpleasant, might help take her mind of the predicament she was in. "What do you think of him?"

"He's a jackass with a hot temper and a big mouth."

"Because he might not always agree with your opinions?"

"Because he has the damnedest habit of flaunting his ignore-ance whenever he gets the chance. He's never known what it's like to work for anything in his life. Which is why you're perfect for each other. "

His words stung. "You don't know anything about me or what I've done." She thought of the hours at the hospital she had spent nursing, the backbreaking hours of carrying buckets and changing beds. The strain of pretending she was unaffected by patients' wounds, their sickness and pain. She'd always been mild and gentle with them, no matter how tired or frustrated she was. And then there were the days she had spent at home, taking in extra sewing to supplement her income when Leah's medical bills began rising. Addie could remember hunching over the sewing machine until her back ached, plying needle and thread until her eyes were sore. She had done it all without indulging too often in self-pity, but now to be accused of never having worked was unbearable.

"I asked what you thought about Jeff Johnson, not me," she said coldly. "You're jealous of him, aren't you? You wish you had all that he has."

He gave her a measuring glance. "No, ma'am. There's nothing of his I'd have on a silver platter."

Including you, was the silent implication. She looked ahead, her grip tightening on the reins. Her anger must have communicated itself to Jessie, for the rhythm of her hooves began to quicken until they were galloping. Instantly Addie knew she'd lost control of the horse, and she felt a stab of panic. She jerked on the reins, putting her weight into it, but Jessie ignored the frantic signal. Addie hissed every curse she knew through her teeth.

"What are you doing?" she heard Ben demand, but she couldn't answer. She yanked the straps of leather in her hands with all her strength, and suddenly the horse stopped and reared with an angry whinny. Desperately Addie tried to cling to the ridiculous little saddle. As soon as the horse's forelegs touched the ground, she was bucked off the animals' back. She was too stunned to make a sound. For a moment she was weightless, paralyzed in anticipation of hitting the ground. Then came the hard slam of her body as she landed. Pain seared through her in a burning streak, followed by the sickening sensation of having the wind knocked out of her. Curled in a fetal position, she lay motionless, her eyes closed as she tried to recover herself.

Addie felt herself being turned over carefully, and she choked on her first breath. Ben was beside her on the ground, murmuring something in a quiet voice. There was pain all through her body, and a terrible ache in her chest. In her struggle to breathe there was nothing left but fear and a terrible sense of aloneness. Nothing was worse than being alone with pain. Her eyes slitted open, and she saw Ben's dark face above her, but she couldn't have moved had her life depended on it.

"What kind of game are you playing?" he muttered. "You could have been hurt, you little idiot."

Her throat opened with a gasp, and she was finally able to fill her lungs with air. Rapid breaths scoured her throat, and she shuddered from the burn of it. The pressure of tears built up behind her eyes, but she couldn't let herself cry, not in front of him. Shakily she covered her eyes with her palms, aware of the masculine form bent over her. Oh, for Ben of all people to see her like this… he would laugh at her… perhaps even now he was silently laughing at her misery. Embarrassment and confusion swept over her. No more. It's not going to work. I can't pretend anymore. I can't lie anymore. Her lips trembled as she fought against a wave of anguish.

"For God's sake," she heard Ben say roughly. And suddenly it seemed that it was not Ben with her at all, but a stranger. A stranger who pulled her into his arms and stroked her back, whispering something low and harsh. There was no passion in the way he held her, nothing but the casual comfort he might have given a frightened child.

Revolted by his touch, she tried to push him away. But his arm was a strong bar around her back, pressing until she fell against him in a soft collapse. One of his hands slid up the back of her neck and he was rubbing it with the tips of his fingers, and it felt so surprisingly good that she went still. The unshed tears faded away magically, and the pain in her chest began to subside.

Slowly she uncovered her eyes and let her arms drop by her sides as she leaned on him. You shouldn't let him touch you, she told herself dazedly, knowing how wrong it was, but she didn't want to move away from him. Not yet. His hands were strong but sensitive as they worked down to her shoulders. There was a brief hesitation before he let his palm drift along her spine, stroking gently.

A strange, overwhelming silence settled over them. Addie wondered why he was holding her in such a way, and why she wasn't fighting him. Of course it meant nothing. When he let her go, she would hate him just as much as she had before. But for a few moments she let herself bask in the feeling of being safe and protected. Was it really Ben Hunter holding her? He was warm and living and vital. No ghost, no demon, no shadow of the past. His arms were warm around her, his body sinewy and hard.

There was no sign of what he was thinking or feeling. His breath touched her hair in light, even gusts, while his heart beat steadily underneath ·her ear. The silence went on for so long that Addie knew it had to be broken. She searched for something to say, but the more she tried, the more difficult it was to think of anything. The odd panic grew until she was completely tongue-tied. It was with relief that she heard him speak.

"Are you in pain?"

"N-no." She pulled away slightly and raised a hand to her hair self-consciously. He looked down at her with those unnerving green eyes, causing her cheeks to flame. "I'm s-sorry," she stuttered, having no idea what she was apologizing for. "I couldn't breathe-"

"I know." His arms loosened and withdrew from around her, and he made a pretense of straightening his shirt collar. "It was obvious you were a little shaken up," he said tonelessly, looking around and reaching for her hat, which lay just a few feet away.

It dawned on Addie that they were both making excuses for what had happened. She accepted her hat without a sound, bending her head over it while the hot green scent of sun-warmed grass rose to her nostrils. The sun blazed on her hair, striking off golden highlights. Ben watched her covertly as she refastened the hairpins of her chignon.

She looked up then, her brown eyes wary, and Ben was startled by her tumbled appearance. He'd never seen her look anything but cool and perfect. The beginnings of a new awareness of her stirred inside him, and all his senses were awakening. To his disgust, he realized that with the slightest encouragement he would have taken whatever she cared to offer. She'd had him right where she wanted him.

But unlike before, she made no move to seduce, taunt, or tease. There was a touch of fear in her eyes, and no end of anxiety. Was it all an act? There was no way of knowing.

Addie fumbled with her hat, trying to set it on her head at the right angle, while her mind raced with worry. I can't pretend I'm Adeline Warner anymore. I'm no good at it. But was there any choice? There didn't appear to be. She was trapped here, and it seemed there was no going back. This was a real world, just as real as the one she had come from, and she could either thrive in it or be eaten alive. She would have to continue as Adeline Warner. There was nothing else to do, nowhere to go.

And she couldn't let herself forget, ever again, that Ben Hunter was her enemy. Addie looked at him, experiencing a shock when she met his eyes, so keen and aware. Some part of her was finally able to grasp the danger of him. Of all the disasters that could happen, the very worst would be to find herself close to him again. She moved away from him, trying to get up, and he took her hand, pulling her to her feet. Addie jerked her hand away as soon as she was able, rubbing the back of it as if to erase the grip of his fingers.

Ben shook his head slightly, his eyes locked on her face. "What's happened to you?"

She stiffened, her insides going cold. "Nothing's happened. What do you mean?"

"You've been acting strange ever since Cade found you yesterday. Your face, your expressions… everything's different."

No one else noticed a difference in her, not even Russell or May. Uneasily she wondered just how perceptive he was.

"I don't feel like humoring your whims, Mr. Hunter. Nothing about me has changed."

"Then tell me this-how is it in the space of twenty-four hours that you've forgotten how to ride? Why didn't you remember about what happened between us in the stable? Why are you walking around as if you're seeing everything for the first time?"

"My father doesn't pay you to pester me with stupid questions," she snapped, and he grinned, seeming more at ease.

"That sounds like the Adeline I'm used to. And for once you're right. I don't get paid for asking you questions. I get paid for taking care of business, and that's what I'm supposed to be doing. So if you're feeling better…"

"I… " Nervously she looked at Jessie, who now stood with the reins hanging down to the ground. "I need a few more minutes. "

He stood up and resettled his hat. "I've got to be at the Double Bar. Right now. "

"Then go! And take Jessie with you. I don't want anything more to do with her. "

"Are you serious? How the hell are you planning to get back home?"

"I'll walk back."

"Don't be a fool. That'll take you hours. No knowing you, it'll take days." As she met his eyes defiantly, he swore, and his hands flexed as if he longed to shake her. "Of all the mulish, unreasonable, troublesome females I've ever come across…" In the silence which followed, he noticed the trembling of her lower lip, the residue of her reaction to all she had just gone through, and his exasperation was tempered with an emotion she couldn't quite identify.

"Adeline." He reached out with one hand, and she froze. His thumb brushed across her lower lip in a touch so light she thought she might have imagined it. A flutter went through the center of her body, lingering in the pit of her stomach. She jerked her head back.

"Don't touch me!"

He half-smiled, shaking his head at her behavior, which clearly struck him as ridiculous. "Of all the things about you I've ever taken exception to, the one thing I could never fault was your riding. Until today you've always had a good seat and light hands. What's wrong? Is it the horse?"

Her eyes fell before his. "I can't ride sidesaddle any more."

For some reason, he didn't press for a more explicit answer. "Then don't. After today. But for the rest of. the morning you'll have to put up with it."

"I can't."

"You sure as hell don't expect me to switch with you, do you?" he asked, nudging her chin upward with the edge of his forefinger. This time she didn't protest, knowing it wouldn't do any good.

"It would m-make it easier for me."

"Adeline, just think of how it would look. Me, perched on that dainty little saddle, riding up to the Double Bar to do business with Big George Johnson. I'd planned to make a few threats to him-that's the only way to get through to him. Oh, I think Big George is gonna shake in his boots today, especially when he sees me prancing up on a sidesaddle with my knee hooked around the pommel. "

"Stop it." Addie found herself smiling unwillingly at the picture he painted. "I just want to know what you're going to tell Rus-my father after I get thrown again and wind up with a broken neck."

"It sounds as if you're asking for a riding lesson." Ben's amusement disappeared all too quickly, replaced by a sneer. "Imagine that. Adeline Warner needing a few pointers from little 0l' me."

"You're crazy if you think I'm trying to get attention from you!"

"Then why the attempt at femme fatale?" He cast a meaningful glance at the patch of ground where they had both been.

Addie swallowed back a sharp-tongued retort, wondering if it would be more in character for her to argue with him or pretend that her fall from Jessie had been a silly feminine ruse to get his attention. He seemed inclined to believe the worst of her-why not play on his ego? Besides, she had to come up with some explanation of why she'd handled the horse so ineptly. Ben might as well think she'd fallen on purpose.

"I should have known you wouldn't be enough of a gentleman to oblige me," she murmured, peeping up at him through her lashes. There. That sounded flirtatious, and perhaps it would throw him off-balance. Let him believe this entire episode was a ploy to attract him. He'd expect nothing less from Adeline Warner.

Instead of being disconcerted, Ben was frankly amused. "The merchandise doesn't appeal to me, honey." He gave her an assessing glance. "Not that it doesn't come in a pretty package."

Oh, she absolutely detested him! "You're too kind," she said stiffly.

Suddenly he grinned, the hint of malice leaving his expression. "Why the antics this morning? Just bored, hmmm? Am I the only man left in the county who isn't head over heels in love with you?"

"Probably," she said carelessly, causing him to laugh.

"Don't try again, Adeline. It's a dangerous game. I'm nothing like the boys you like to dangle by their heartstrings.”

"I'm sure you like to think so," she said disdainfully. "But you're all alike. No matter what age, you're all just boys. You like to play the same ridiculous games over and over again, and… " She closed her mouth with a snap.

"And what?" he prompted. As she remained silent, his gaze seemed" to bum through her. "What do you think the difference is between a boy and a man, Adeline?"

"I wouldn't know. I have yet to meet a real man." He gave her a jeering smile, and when he spoke, his voice was smooth and drawling, sending tremors up and down her spine. "I don't think you could recognize one, darlin'."

"A man is someone who has principles," she said, enunciating the word as if it would surely be unfamiliar to him. "And the strength to stand by them. Someone who wouldn't always put himself first, others second. And also-"

"Please." He held up a hand as if in self-defense. "I'm sure it's a long list, and very entertaining. But I don't have the time."

"You'd never measure up to it anyway."

Ben chuckled. "Darlin', you're hardly an authority on the subject."

His condescension rankled. She knew more about men than he thought! Although women back in these days were raised on silly Victorian principles, she had grown up in a time that was far less prudish. Her peers had prided themselves on being modem and sophisticated about sex. They had seen plays and read books about it until they ceased to become shocked by such openness and had merely been bored by it. Although Adele had never had an affair, she was part of a generation which had come to adulthood wondering what all the commotion was about.

"I'm not as sheltered as you seem to think," she said.

"I have an idea you're not as experienced as you seem to think."

"How do you know? I believe you said that you resisted my… er, advances in the stable."

"You still can't believe I turned down your offer, can you? I had no idea how much it bothered you."

"Don't look so smug. It didn't bother me at all! I'm thrilled nothing happened between us. You can't imagine how… What are you doing?"

He took her arm in a firm grip and pulled her over to Jessie.

"Don't," Addie said, her voice changing rapidly. "I can't manage her."

"You're too rough with her. Her mouth is sensitive, and you're fixing to tear it up. You're also bumping your heel against her side, which doesn't exactly set her straight about what you want her to do."

"I admit I'm not handling her well." Stubbornly Addie turned away from the horse as Ben urged her nearer to the animal. "But the rest of the problem is the fact that that animal is mean and bad-tempered, and that's nothing you can fix."

"She just needs the right handling. Like any female." Ben rested his hand on the saddle, preventing her from slipping by him. "Now, get on."

"Stop it. I've had enough of y-your orders." The rage she felt was directed more at herself than him. She had gotten herself in this mess by not putting her foot down this morning. She should have refused to go in the first place. Now there was nothing to do but get back on the horse.

"Enough," he said, turning her around and taking her by the waist. "I don't know what inspired you to play this game-"

She managed to knock his hat off as she struggled with him. "It's not a game!"

"-but if you want to pretend you don't remember how to ride, then I'll oblige you. You want a riding lesson? I'll give you one hell of a lesson, Adeline."

Before she could say a word, he handed her the ends of the reins and lifted her up into the saddle. Instinctively she scrabbled for a secure position on the horse's back, clutching at a coarse mane, and Jessie started to fidget. Addie closed her eyes and clung tighter, knowing she was going to be thrown again. Ben swung up behind her, his powerful thighs clamping down on the mare's sides.

"She's jumping around again," Addie gasped, drawing in the reins as tightly as she could.

"Stop yanking on those," he said, sounding irritated. "You're going to bruise her mouth."

"She's trying to kill me, and you're worried about-"

"Give me the reins." He took them in one hand and' slid his other arm around her midriff, pulling her against him as Jessie tried to rear on her hind legs. Addie's breath caught in her throat, and she clung blindly to the arm around her, frozen with fear. Contrary to her expectations, she didn't fall off. Ben's hold on her was hard and. secure, his body perfectly balanced as he accommodated Jessie's motion with no effort at all. The mare quieted soon, sensing the futility of opposing his commands. "Turn your heel out. You're kicking her again."

She was paralyzed. "I'm just trying to stay on."

"Turn your heel out."

As soon as she realized Jessie was going to stay still, Addie let out a taut sigh and obeyed, loosening her death grip on Ben's arm. Slowly his hand slid to the front of her midriff, settling in a place perilously close to her breasts. "Now, take the reins. And keep them loose. "

"S-stop talking in my ear," she said, uncomfortably aware that his murmur had produced a tickling sensation in the tops of her thighs. "And take your hand off me."

"Isn't it what you wanted?" he asked, and his hand remained where it was.

"You are the most insulting-"

"Take her around the cottonwood and back.”

"Do you mean walk or run or-"

"That depends on how much time you intend us to spend together."

Addie had had enough of his ridicule. In a flash of anger she gave Jessie a heartfelt kick in the side, hoping the mare's jerk forward would dislodge Ben. He only laughed and settled one hand on her hip. Swift as the wind, they flew toward the cottonwood tree, and Addie's eyes half-closed as the warm spring air rushed against her face.

"We're going so f-fast," she protested, her lips stiff.

"Then make her go slower. She'll do what you tell her." He sighed impatiently. "You're a hell of an actress, Adeline. I'd almost swear you didn't know how to ride this damn horse. And we both know better, don't we?"

Tentatively she increased the tension on the reins, surprised to find that Jessie obeyed the signal. "Not so hard," Ben directed, his hand covering hers to adjust her grip. Instinctively she shifted her weight in the saddle, finding a more comfortable seat. And then an unexpected feeling of ease stole over her.

"Bring her around the tree." His voice grazed the hollow behind her ear and skimmed down her spine. "Gentle. Don't pull sharply." The body of the horse leaned into the turn, and Addie found it all too natural to relax against Ben's chest. He sounded mildly exaperated as he adjusted her hold on the reins. "She's getting away from you. Slow her down. Like this. Yes."

"She doesn't want to go that way-"

"It doesn't matter what she wants. You're in control."

"Should I just-"

"Gentle. Be easy on her."

Addie's face was drawn in concentration. The rhythm of the horse's gait seemed to echo in her head, pounding, pounding on a locked door, while an elusive memory struggled to break free. Staring at the horse's fluttering mane, the land around her, the blue sky with its white clouds yawning in the distance, she searched her mind and tried to remember. Then it happened. One moment there was nothing but blankness, and in the next, a bolt of understanding burned through her. All of a sudden she knew what she was doing, as if she had remembered something she had learned long ago. But that was impossible. She had never been able to ride.

"Take her around the other way and bring her to a walk," Ben directed, and Addie discovered that the mare obeyed with just the lightest pressure on the reins. Magic. Addie gave a breathless laugh, and she could sense Ben's wry smile.

"All coming back to you?" he inquired dryly, his hand sliding upward until his thumb rested in the valley between her breasts. The heat from his palm seared through her blouse. Swallowing hard, she said nothing, concentrating on bringing Jessie to a stop.

When the sound of the mare's hooves had gone and all was still, Addie was acutely conscious of that hand, the caress of his thumb in the hollow of her bosom. "And this was all for my benefit," Ben said softly. "I had no idea it would be such an enjoyable morning. Tell me, how far in advance did you plan this? Or have I been treated to a spontaneous performance?" One part of her mind demanded that she struggle away from him in outrage, but she was confused and strangely weak. Not a sound escaped her lips. Her heart was thrashing in her chest, her breathing shallow. His thumb stroked the undercurve of her breast as she sat there facing away from him, and Addie was tormented by shame and pleasure as she felt her nipples harden. What am I doing? she wondered frantically. Stop him!

Ben was silent, but Addie could feel his chest rising and falling at a slightly faster rate. With horror, she felt his hand begin to move upward, and she grabbed his wrist, making a strangled sound of protest. His arm dropped away from her, and he dismounted leisurely. Then he turned around to face her, bracing his hands on either side of the saddle.

They stared at each other in silent fascination. Addie waited for him to jeer at her for the way she had let him touch her. It had been disrespectful and insolent, something she should have demanded an apology for. Ben's eyes raked over her, and he swallowed hard, the only indication that he'd been affected by her. For different reasons, they each chose to pretend it hadn't happened.

"All right now?" Ben asked quietly. For once, there was no mockery in his gaze.

"Yes," she answered, nearly inaudible. "I think I can ride her now."

"Sure?" he pressed, and for the first time his tone was gentle.

"Yes. "

Almost reluctantly he pulled away and strode to his horse. Addie watched him with wide eyes. She actually missed the presence of him at her back, the hard arm around her, his voice close by her ear. He had meant to taunt her, had taken liberties in order to teach her a lesson, but his closeness had had a different effeet than either of them expected. Something was terribly wrong with her, to find a man she knew to be a murderer soattractive.

She tried to find excuses for herself. It's all because of the men I'm used to. He's different from them. He has things they'll never have. The men she'd dated had been preoccupied with the defeat that faced them daily, the unemployment, the scarcity, the lack of control. Their lives had been robbed of the security their parents and grandparents had enjoyed, Sooner or later they were forced to move to the city for work. Their women were hard and sophisticated, scornful of love, eager for excitement.

And here was Ben Hunter, the exact opposite of those weary young men. Arrogantly he had made his own place in a rough world. Life was his to tame, or at least he thought so. It had been a long time since she had met a man with Ben's confidence, his vitality. He would never be bullied by a woman, never be crushed by her scorn. He's not used to a woman who'll stand up to him, she thought, and that realization made her more than a little intrigued. It would be soulsatisfying to force his respect for her, to make him acknowledge that he couldn't dominate her.

His face was inscrutable again as he mounted his horse. To look at him, she would never have guessed anything out of the ordinary had happened. Self consciously she did what she could to fix her clothes, knowing she was disheveled.

"Let's go," Ben said dryly. "I think we've kept Jeff waiting long enough, don't you?"

She nodded and applied her heels lightly to Jessie's perspiring sides. When she was assured that the mare was going to give her no more trouble, Addie cleared her throat and tried to appear as unruffled as her companion.

"Why are you going to the Double Bar?" she asked.

"Business."

"Concerning what?"

"That unbranded calf we recently acquired."

Addie couldn't hold back a triumphant smile. "The one we branded that you said was fair game? The one we stole in order to teach them to keep their strays off our land?"

"Yeah, that one. And while you're looking so self satisfied, you should know they moved their boundary line into our territory yesterday to pay us back for it. Ripped our fence clear out of the ground. "

"You're joking!"

"No, ma'am. In some territories, that's enough of an excuse to reach for a shotgun."

"What are you going to do?"

"Work out some kind of compromise with Big George. It won't be difficult. Sunrise and the Double Bar are big enough outfits to handle a few range disputes. Besides, everyone's got their eyes on this little romance between you and Jeff. The only one who likes the idea of a possible marriage more than your father is George." Ben smiled sardonically. "Neither one of the doting papas is going to do anything to stand in the way of true love."

Addie was stunned. "I'm not getting married to anyone."

He arched a dark eyebrow and smiled skeptically.

"You sure managed to get a lot of people excited about the possibility.”

"What if I decide we're not right for each other? What if I break things off with Jeff?"

"You do like to buy trouble for yourself, don't you? I'd say you'd better tread lightly this time. The Johnsons don't like to be toyed with. And when it comes to his son, Big George is mighty sensitive."

Addie was silent with anxiety as they crossed the border between the Sunrise Ranch and the Double Bar. 'A line rider from the Double Bar rode up to greet them, his gray roan stamping as the riders stopped and exchanged greetings.

"'Mornin'," Ben said, and the cowboy nodded, meeting his eyes with cool challenge. When range disputes had occurred, it took several days before excited tempers were calmed down. Everyone was involved in the controversy, from the bosses on down to the ranch hands.

"Your business?"

"Paying a friendly call," Ben replied.

"Just being neighborly," Addie tacked on nervously, earning a killing glance from her companion.

The line rider's eyes were admiring as they flickered over her. " 'Mornin', Miss Warner. Fine day, ain't it?"

"Just fine," she replied with an appealing smile, one which he returned without hesitation.

"You two go right on along, Miss Warner."

When they were out of earshot of the cowboy, Ben scowled at her. "There isn't a man in Texas who's safe from you."

"I wasn't flirting!"

"The only men you don't flirt with are the ones you're related to."

She longed for a way to puncture his arrogance. "I guess you know everything about me. Isn't that right, Mr. Hunter?"

"There's one thing I don't know."

Addie pretended to be shocked. "Imagine that. What could it possibly be?"

"Where you were during those two hours yesterday."

"Why do you care about that? What difference could it make to you?"

"It's a small town. Hard to stay out of sight that long. Cade and I went over that town with a fine-tooth comb, and there was no trace of you. "

"Did anyone say where they had seen me last?" He gave a short laugh. "Old Charlie Kendrick said he saw you vanish into thin air. Of course, he'd been drinking deadshot for three days straight."

"Vanish," she repeated shakily, and managed to laugh. "How ridiculous."

"Look over there." Ben was staring at an approaching rider, his eyes narrowing. "Sugar-britches couldn't wait for you."

"Is that JeffI"

"Can't you tell who it is?"

"The sun's in my eyes."

The rider stopped beside Addie, touching the brim of his hat and flashing her a smile. She was amazed to see a strong hint of 0l' Man Johnson in his face. So it was him! How handsome he had been when he was young! His hair was the color of mahogany, and his bright blue eyes were set in a tanned face. He was built along solid lines, but husky rather than fat. He looked like a gentleman, and a one-hundred-percent charmer, if his smile was anything to judge by. As Addie met his sunny blue eyes and felt the warmth of his grin, she couldn't help smiling back.

"You're a little late," he said, without taking his eyes off Addie. "Any problems?"

"Nothing serious," Ben replied lazily. "Tell me, what kind of disposition am I likely to find your father in?"

Jeff looked at him with obvious dislike. "Same as always."

"I was afraid of that." Ben glanced in the direction Jeff had just come from. "I trust you'll see Miss Adeline back home safely?"

"It's a guarantee," Jeff replied. "Come on, Adeline."

She hesitated, looking back at Ben uncertainly. "Ben… "

"Hmmm?" There was nothing but indifference in his face.

She wanted to thank him-for what, she wasn't certain. "I… I'll see you at dinner, I guess," she stammered, and the comers of his mouth deepened with the trace of a smile.

"Only if you don't forget how to ride Jessie on the way back."

She glared at him. Seeing her impotent anger, Ben chuckled, clicking to his horse and riding away.

"What did he mean?" Jeff demanded, looking nettled, and Addie stared ruefully after Ben's retreating figure.

"He's just being nasty," she said. "As usual." There was a short silence before Jeff reached over and took her free hand, lifting it to his mouth. "I missed you," he said softly. She didn't know how to reply. To her he was a stranger, but he looked at her as if they had shared many private moments together. "Good Lord, you're beautiful. More beautiful than I've ever seen you. What is it about you that makes my heart ache so much?"

Addie stared at him in wonder. He sounds as if he's in love with me, she thought in alarm. Just how close have I been with him? … I mean, how intimate have he and Adeline been? Oh, I wish he wouldn't look at me that way!

"Let's go to our place," he said, his blue eyes seeming to swallow her whole, and she nodded slowly, drawing her hand away from his.

"Their place" turned out to be a secluded spot near a gently rushing stream that just bordered the Sunrise Ranch. While the horses drank downstream, Addie allowed Jeff to seat her in the shade of a hardy tree.

"I was afraid you wouldn't be here this morning," he said, sitting beside her and slipping his arm around her back. Her spine stiffened at the familiar gesture, but he seemed not to notice.

"What would you have done if I hadn't been?"

"I would have ridden to the ranch and gotten you myself." Jeff smiled crookedly. "I couldn't have let another day go by without seein' you."

"Exactly how long has it been?"

"An eternity. Seven days, two hours, thirty-seven minutes. "

Addie laughed, and he bent to kiss the tip of her nose. Surprised, she jerked her head back. "Are you turnin' shy on me?" he asked tenderly. "You've never been shy with me before, sweetheart." As he bent over and pressed his lips against the side of her throat, she colored and pulled away from him. For heaven's sake, what was the matter with these men? She'd been manhandled more in the past twenty-four hours than she had ever been in her life! "I should've expected you to turn skittish on me," Jeff grumbled. "You know it only makes me want you more."

"Maybe I just want to talk a little."

Immediately his blue eyes were grave. "'Bout what? The stuff I told you about the other night?"

"I… I don't remember what that was."

"You Oh, God's sake, Adeline. Isn't there anything you won't tease me about? If you don't want to talk about it, there won't ever have to be another word. It's enough for me to know you won't stand in the way. "

Addie frowned, staring at him curiously. Was he referring to a marriage proposal? Or some kind of plan they had hatched up?

"No, I won't stand in the way," she said, hoping that would encourage him to drop some more clues.

"You think Leah understood what she heard?"

"I… I don't know."

"Just keep an eye on her, that's all."

"I w-will-"

"Aw, honey, don't look so worried. It's all gonna work out fine. We'll get it done in time. You trust me, don't you?"

"Yes, I… Jeff!"

He had taken her by the shoulders and pulled her halfway across his lap. "Enough talkin', Adeline. I'm gonna die if I wait one more second."

His mouth covered hers in a kiss that lasted for a long time. After her initial surprise, Addie lay passively in his arms, answering the pressure of his lips. My Lord, I never dreamed I'd be kissing 0l' Man Johnson, she thought nervously, and suddenly it was hard not to giggle. His hand slid to her breast, cupping lightly, and she tensed at the intimate touch, finding it anything but arousing. They were supposed to be familiar with each other-but she didn't know him at all, and she couldn't pretend to enjoy his roving hands. It was difficult to hide a sigh of relief when his hand slid to her waist and stayed there. At last he lifted his head and smiled down at her, apparently satisfied with her response, lackluster though it had been.

"I love you," he whispered, causing her to cringe inside. She couldn't make herself say it back. She had never told any man that she loved him, and she didn't want the first time to be a lie. Feeling horribly guilty, she tried to look at him as he looked at her.

"Oh, Jeff," she said, her voice trembling, and he didn't notice that the betraying quiver was caused by agitation, not love.

He held her silently, clasping her against his chest, and she discovered with some surprise that it was rather soothing to be held by him. How different this was from the torment and excitement she had found in Ben's arms. The hair on the back of her neck rose as she remembered Ben's mouth so close to her ear, his hand resting lightly on her body… Oh, how could she have let him? Now he'd never allow her to forget it.

The rest of the morning was strangely relaxing. They were quiet for long stretches of time, curled up together as they watched the gurgling stream. Although Jeff seemed to feel she belonged to him, he didn't paw her, and he wasn't heavy-handed. He kissed her often, but he was gentle with her, as if he were afraid she might break. Many times Addie would tum her face to find him staring at her raptly, apparently mesmerized. What had Adeline Warner done to cause this obsession?

"Adeline Johnson," he murmured as he held her, and she jumped slightly.

"What?"

"That's who you'll be, pretty soon. Adeline Johnson. Sounds good, doesn't it?"

"It sounds different," she said cautiously.

He drew his knuckles down the side of her face. "Witch," he whispered. "You have the face of an angel. And the heart of a witch. I'll never be free of you-I couldn't be if I wanted to. You own my soul, Adeline. "

"I don't want to own anyone."

"You're a mystery. I'll never understand you. I guess no one ever will. You get a grip on a man's heart, and every now and then you give it a little twist… but always so sweetly. And it's only because you're so beautiful that I let you tie me in knots the way you do. "

The intensity of his stare made her uneasy. "Don't, you'll make me conceited," she said, and laughed in an effort to break the tension. Jeff followed her lead, breaking out into a low laugh.

"I've got to see you tomorrow," he said, watching her as she stood up to brush the leaves and dirt off her skirt.

"I don't know." Addie smiled at him. "Something tells me I'll be very busy."

"I miss you, Adeline. And I'm gettin' tired of the way your father and his bulldog keep such a close eye on you. I never get to visit you without them hangin' over me like-"

"His bulldog?"

"Ben Hunter. Lord knows why your father has taken to him, or why he trusts him. It's not safe for you to be around him."

"Why do you say that? “

"He's up to no good, honey. Just think about it. Stranger comes to Sunrise, talkin' like an easterner and carryin' a forty-four. Has a reputation as a maverick hunter and a gambler. Somehow finds his way to Sunrise Ranch and hornswoggles your daddy into hiring him on. Anyone with eyes can see he 's on dodge from the law. You can always tell when a man's lyin' low."

"I guess you can." Addie stared into the stream and frowned thoughtfully. Then she asked him to take her home.

Russell decided to talk to Addie in the library before dinner that night-for what reason, she couldn't guess. As she sat down in a deep leather chair and watched him puff on a cigar, she found it comforting to be near him. Having been raised by a maiden aunt, she'd never been accustomed to a masculine presence in a home. She liked Russell's scratchy, deep voice, the scents of horses, leather, and the trace of strong drink that clung to him. He had the same vigor that she had admired in Ben, the same robust appreciation of life, and his roughness appealed to something inside her.

It was incredible to look in Russell's face and realize she resembled him. Perhaps it was mere coincidence, or her imagination, but it seemed to her that they even shared some of the same mannerisms. He treated her with a disconcerting mixture of directness and indulgence, one minute talking to her as frankly as if she were a man, the next spoiling her without limit.

"Lately I haven't talked to you much, Adeline."

"No, sir."

"You spent some time today with Jeff."

"Yes, we-"

"What goes on between you two durin' these visits? "

"I… He… Nothing much."

"He acts like a gentleman around you?"

"Yes. Absolutely."

He nodded, blowing out a ring of smoke. "That's good. Jeff is a good boy, for a Johnson. Soft, maybe, but he'd never dare treat you wrong. He say anything 'bout when he's plannin' to ask me for permission to marry you?"

"No."

"Then he ain't caught yet."

"No, sir."

"Well, he will be soon. But to catch him you got to hold him at the right distance. Understand?"

"I think so."

"Not too close, not too far. Hold him tight, but don't choke him. That's the way your mama caught me." Russell noticed Addie's sudden smile, and he chuckled, beaming with pride. "If you want him, we'll get him for you, honey. Just look at you. I got me the prettiest girl in Texas."

"And… I've got the most distinctive father."

"Distinctive?" Russell appeared to be pleased. "Distinctive. Five-dollar word. So you learned somethin' at that school 'sides watercolorin' and manners. Your mother might have been right about sendin' you there. But don't tell her I said so."

As he looked at her, his pride deepened until his chest was filled with it. Besides the Sunrise Ranch, he considered Adeline to be his greatest accomplishment. Any achievement of hers was a credit to him, while her faults… well, he preferred to ignore those, except to chastise her occasionally, just for show. Cade and Caroline were good children, but they were too much like their mother. Adeline understood things that most women, in his opinion, weren't capable of understanding. She thought with good, hard common sense, more like a man than a woman. And she belonged to Texas as he did. She had his nerve, she was cut from his mold.

Other men had well-behaved daughters, unassuming creatures who knew their places, women who would someday be obedient and pliable to the will of their husbands. But his daughter was wild, untamed, and beautiful. His disapproval of her independence warred with his pride in it. She thought for herself, she made decisions by herself, and there was almost no freedom he wouldn't get her.

"Let's go in to dinner," Russell said, holding out the crook of his arm, and Addie took it with a smile.

As soon as dinner was served and the edges were taken off everyone's appetite, the conversation began. Russell proved within five minutes that he was in fine fettle. "Well, Ben… I want to hear what that son-of-a-bitch fence cutter George Johnson had to say when you told him I want my fence back up!"

Caroline and her husband, Peter, winced at his loud voice and strong language, glancing at their ten-yearold daughter. Leah was staring raptly at her grandfather.

"Daddy," Caroline protested mildly, "the child-"

"Take the child up to bed," came the answering roar. "I want to hear what my son-of-a-bitch neighbor had t' say. He is what he is, and I won't call him anything else. Start talkin', Ben."

Addie glanced at Ben, whose face was perfectly inscrutable. There was, however, a betraying twinkle in his eye as he regarded Russell. You didn't have to know Russell long to understand that he thoroughly enjoyed working himself up into hearty bursts of temper. Leah was hurried upstairs by Caroline.

"We seem to have a few philosophical differences with Big George." Ben studied his table knife and turned it idly as he spoke. "Plainly speaking, he doesn't like your fence. He doesn't have one, and he doesn't see why you need one."

"I had that fence put up to protect my land," Russell said, his face reddening. "To protect Warner property from rustlers. And neighbors."

"Big George seems to think the range is open and belongs to everyone."

"He's got the wrong damned idea. What's inside my fence belongs to nobody but me!"

Ben looked at him and said nothing, a smile playing on his lips. Addie nearly caught her breath at the sight of him, with the soft evening light shining on his black hair and bronzed face. It was difficult not to stare like a foolish schoolgirl. And it was indeed foolish to be taken in by his looks. It didn't matter what a man was on the outside when he was capable of such betrayal, cruelty, and cunning. But he seemed so affectionate toward Russell. Could it be that even now he was looking at Russell with the idea of killing him uppermost in his mind? She turned her eyes away from him and forced her attention back on the conversation.

"… George said we'd built the fence too far into his property," Ben was saying.

"Hogwash!" Russell exploded.

"Oh, I don't know, Russ. You've always been one for cutting your slice of the pie a shade bigger than the others."

There was dead silence around the table as Russell stared at him bug-eyed. Ben met his gaze without flinching, that same smile still lingering on his lips. Addie was amazed at his daring. Suddenly Russell laughed deeply, and relieved chuckles erupted from the rest of the group. "Don't know why some say you're dishonest," Russell remarked, still chortling. "You're so honest it offends me. All right. What does that son-of-a-bitch George want in the way of… of… "

"Remuneration?”

"If that means slickin' his ruffled feathers down, yes."

"He wants half of that watering hole on the border of the property. And he wants to be paid for that maverick calf we… adopted."

"Adopted," Addie repeated, unable to resist breaking in. "First we stole it, now we adopted it. It sounds better every time I hear it told. You sound positively paternal, Ben, talking about that poor little lonesome critter who needed to be taken in."

He grinned at her. "I have a soft spot in my heart for neglected animals."

Their eyes met in challenge. "How altruistic."

"No, just enterprising."

May decided to interrupt their exchange. "I wish the two of you would quit tradin' words no one else understands." The statement was heartily seconded by the rest of the gathering, and Addie laughed as she stood up from the table.

"I'll leave while you discuss the details, then. I'm going to take a short walk outside, now that the air is cool. "

"Don't go too far," May cautioned.

"I won't, Mama." It startled Addie, to hear that word come so easily to her own lips, and her smile faded as she left the room.

The night air was cool and fresh. She inhaled the scent of it and knew there was something missing. There was a difference between this Sunrise and the one she had left. Here there was no seasoned, mellow fragrances of corn growing and fruit ripening. The farmers would not plow this ground and coax their harvest from it for another twenty or thirty years.

Sunrise was still the ranchers' domain. They liked the land raw and uncultivated, they liked the town frayed and comfortable, worn down and full of saloons. This was more of a man's world than the Sunrise she had come from. Moodily she kicked at a dry clod of earth and went to lean against the wooden fence by the house. There were lights on at the bunkhouse, and the muted sound of cowboys' laughter. Scattered across the ground were flashes of light. Fireflies winking at each other.

What am I doing here? she wondered as she braced her forearms on the fence. Loneliness smote her all at once. She wanted Leah desperately, not the little-girl Leah but the woman who had been her only parent, the woman she had known all her life. She wanted someone who understood her, someone who knew her, not as the spoiled Adeline Warner but as the person she really was. Her throat was tight as she fought to control her longing. It wouldn't do to think about it, not when she had to turn all of her concentration to learning everything she could about her situation.

Sighing and closing her eyes, she leaned her head on her hands and tried to remember what Leah had told her about Adeline Warner's disappearance. It was all enshrouded in a haze of grief. Frowning deeply, she focused on the faint recollection of a name. She said she'd wanted to talk to someone. Diaz, I've got to find him. I've got to ask him-.

Addie heard the sound of booted feet behind her, felt the touch of someone's fingertips on her arm.

" Adeline-"

"Don't!" She spun around, her heart leaping. "Don't touch me!"

Ben held his hands up as if she were wielding a revolver. "Okay. Okay. No one's touching you."

She put her hand up to her chest, taking an unsteady breath. "Don't walk up behind me like that again."

"From the way you were leaning, I thought you were sick.

"Well, I wasn't. But you nearly frightened me to death."

She could see the white flash of his smile in the darkness. "Sorry."

"An apology from you," she said, exhaustion robbing her voice of its intended tartness. "It's been one surprise after another today."

"Your mother asked me to bring you back in."

"I have a question or two to ask you first."

He inclined his head slightly. "About?"

"For starters, where did you get your education?"

He braced an arm on the fence and leaned against it comfortably, sliding a hand into his pocket. "Is it so obvious that I have one? I'm flattered."

"I'd like to know. Please."

"'Please' from you. Now, that is a surprise. I'm almost tempted to tell you. But you wouldn't believe me."

"Did you go to college?"

"Harvard."

"You're lying."

"I said you wouldn't believe me. But it's true. I even graduated. After that, my father offered to pay me to stay away for good."

"Why?"

"Why? Obviously he didn't like my company," he murmured with a half-smile, and stood up from the fence. "Time to go in."

"Is your family from the Nor-"

"No more questions. I've bared my soul enough for one night." He reached to take her arm and stopped in mid-motion as she edged away from him. "Oh, yes. No touching. Come on, Adeline."

Everything he said and did was carefully cataloged in her mind. She would have to remember it all. Maybe that was why she had found herself here. Maybe she was intended to expose the other side of him, to interrupt the events that would lead up to Russell's death. The fact that I'm here must change a lot of things. The fact that I'm here instead of Adeline Warner is just the beginning of it all. Everything will be different now. I'll make it different. I'll stop Russell's murder. I'll ruin Ben Hunter before it ever gets that far.

After she retired for the night, she turned fitfully as questions burned through her mind. There were things she had to know. Things she had to find out tomorrow. Addie threw off the light sheet that covered her and rolled over onto her stomach, hot and frustrated… frightened.

Her thoughts stilled as the clear, lovely notes of a guitar floated through the windows from a distance. Haunting, sweet music. Was that Ben? She didn't know the melody, but it was the most beautiful thing she had ever heard, soothing and faultlessly played. She could sense the entire ranch settling down to listen. Soon Addie ceased to wonder at the source of the music and relaxed. How could someone like Ben play something so beautiful? she thought drowsily, and then she thought of Leah, sleeping only a few rooms away. She wondered if Leah was listening.