Prince Charming

Chapter 13

He rendered her speechless. He was out the door and halfway down the corridor by the time she recovered her wits. Then she went running across the room, almost ripped the door off its hinges when she opened it, and called after him.

"Are you out of your mind?"

He didn't turn around when he answered her. "Must be," he called out in a gratingly cheerful tone of voice.

Taylor sagged against the door frame. Her shouted question caused a bit of curiosity with some of the other hotel guests. Three doors opened along the hallway. Two men and one woman peeked out to see what all the commotion was about. Lucas and Hunter disappeared down the stairwell. She was left to deal with the neighbors. She considered calling out an apology, then changed her mind. She hurried back inside her room and shut the door.

She collapsed in the nearest chair and tried to reason through Mr. Ross's outrageous request. Or was it a demand? She sighed then. It had certainly sounded like a demand.

Didn't he realize how complicated things would become if they became intimate? She didn't want to think about it. That man. What in thunder was wrong with him? Didn't he remember he didn't want to be married?

"He's bluffing." She whispered her conclusion. The possibility filled her with relief, for sharing a wedding night with Lucas Ross would complicate everything.

Wouldn't it?

Lord, she could barely catch her breath. The image of Mr. Ross in bed with her without his pants on made her heart skip a beat. He had to be bluffing. She repeated the thought. He didn't want any complications either. Or commitment, she added with a nod.

The man was downright rude to get her all riled up with his games. Taylor forced herself to put her husband out of her thoughts. She had more important things to think about.

Like Victoria. Since Hunter had taken over the adjacent bedroom, Taylor decided to secure yet another room for her friend. She didn't have to go down to the lobby. She rang the bellpull in her room. By an intricate set of levers built into the hotel, a peg with her room number was lifted down below. Less than ten minutes later, one of the hotel's courteous staff was at her door to offer assistance.

Lucas and Hunter returned to the hotel an hour later. The train, Hunter explained, was going to be four hours late. They grabbed something to eat and were now going to meet with a man they hoped would lead them to the twins. Lucas assured Taylor that either he or Hunter would meet Victoria. Taylor, he added with a meaningful scowl, was to stay in the room.

Her husband went into the bedroom. She followed him to ask him if she could go along to the meeting. He told her she was out of her mind. She guessed then he wasn't going to be reasonable.

Lucas had gone in search of his money belt. He knew the man they were going to meet would demand compensation for selling out his friends. Lucas was going to give him whatever he wanted. He found the money, put half the amount in his pocket, and then turned his attention to his wife. He almost smiled when he saw her expression. Lord, she looked disgruntled. He told her no again but in a kinder tone of voice and even added the explanation that the man they were going to meet might not talk as freely if a woman was along.

It was a lame excuse. He didn't care. Like it or not, she was going to have to wait for them to return. He needed to know she was safe, but he didn't tell her that.

Lucas left a few minutes later. Hunter was getting as bossy as her husband. He followed Lucas out the door, then turned around and ordered her to keep the door bolted until they returned. "Don't let anyone in, no matter what the reason. Got that?"

"Yes, of course."

He started to leave, then paused again. "He's got enough on his mind. He shouldn't have to worry about you."

"And you have enough to worry about as well, Mr. Hunter. I won't let anyone in. I promise."

Hunter pulled the door closed, waited until he heard the bolt slip into place, and then left.

Lucas was waiting for him at the steps. They planned to meet their man in the lobby. They hoped he'd have information for them.

His name was Morris Peterson. He wasn't a bad sort, for he hated the Border brothers as much as Lucas and Hunter did. He didn't hold with the practice of buying and selling of people, but he didn't have any problem taking money for the information he supplied. He was taking a risk, after all, and if the Borders found out he squealed, they'd cut his throat for sure.

Lucas paid him the cash he wanted. They stood together in the corner of the lobby. It was crowded with businessmen, and no one paid them any attention. Morris still insisted on keeping hidden behind Lucas's sizable bulk.

"I can give you a name," he whispered. "Boyd," he added with a nod. "He drinks every night at the saloon on the corner of Hickery. You know the place I'm thinking of?"

"We'll find it," Hunter said. "What can Boyd tell us?" he asked.

"He was talking last night," Peterson whispered. "Bragging, he was, about the money he was going to make. I heard him say he was going to get double the money. Then he laughed real hard… like he knew a secret. I'm thinking he was referring to the twins you've been asking about."

"When does he usually start in drinking?"

"After dark," Peterson replied.

"Anything else?"

Peterson shook his head. He pocketed the money Lucas had given him and left a few minutes later.

"Could be another false lead," Hunter cautioned.

"Could be," Lucas agreed. "But you know… I got this feeling…"

Hunter smiled. "I got the same feeling," he admitted. "My instincts are telling me Boyd's going to lead us to the Borders."

Things were looking up. "It's only a little after six. I'm going back upstairs and sleep for an hour. After I meet the train and bring Victoria back to the hotel, you and I will go find Boyd."

"I'll go get Victoria. You can sleep until I get back."

"What about you? Aren't you tired?"

"I didn't lose forty hours on a train. You did. What does Taylor's friend look like?"

"Red hair, green eyes."

Hunter filed the information. "I think I'll go find this saloon. It will save us time later."

The two took off in opposite directions. Lucas told Taylor what had happened while he stripped out of his shirt and shoes. He was sound asleep on top of the covers five minutes later.

Hunter found the saloon, then backtracked to the train station. By the time he got there, the passengers had all disembarked. He told the driver to wait, tossed him a coin to keep him patient, and then went looking for Victoria.

Red hair and green eyes. Easy enough to spot, he thought. And yet he almost missed her. She was hidden behind three gigantic trunks the size of an ordinary carriage. The trunks were stacked one on top of the other, and if he hadn't noticed a bit of skirt when he turned to leave, he would have thought she hadn't been on the train.

The station was almost deserted. One of the porters had gone in search of a wagon sturdy enough to haul her trunks. Victoria was certain the man had forgotten about her. She prayed she was wrong, for she was too weary and too ill to do more than slump against the trunks and wait.

She was feeling horribly nauseated. She shouldn't have eaten the apples. They were green and not at all ripe, but she'd been hungry and feeling queasy, and she foolishly thought the apples would calm her stomach.

Quite the opposite was the case. The apples were giving her fits. She felt like she was going to throw up any minute. She stood as still as possible, afraid any movement at all would make the illness worse, and prayed she wouldn't disgrace herself.

Ladies did not lose their suppers in public places.

"Victoria Helmit?"

She turned at the sound of her name. Then she backed up a space. The man who'd addressed her took her breath away. He gave her quite a fright as well. He was extremely dangerous looking, until he smiled. Then he turned handsome. He had dark, rugged good looks. His hair was as black as midnight. So were his eyes. His gaze was piercing, his clothes were rumpled, and he was in dire need of a shave.

Who, in heaven's name, was he?

He repeated her name again. She might have nodded, she couldn't be certain. She could feel the bile in the back of her throat. She took a long breath and tried to stay upright.

He thought she was afraid of him. She was a pretty thing, with those wide green eyes and fiery colored hair. It was a mass of curls now. Pins hung from the copper locks about her face. The ribbon holding her hair behind her neck had come untied. The blue and white checkered strip was dangling down her back.

"My name's Hunter," he told her. "I'm a friend of Lucas Ross. I'll take you back to the hotel. Are these trunks all yours?"

She couldn't answer him. Her throat felt as dry as parchment paper. She swallowed and tried to find her voice. She could taste the bile now. Oh, God, she knew she was going to be ill any moment. Victoria took several deep breaths in rapid succession in a bid to stall the inevitable.

Hunter couldn't imagine what had come over her. He knew most women were a little nervous around him. He thought it was because of his size and his customary frown. Her reaction went way beyond nervousness, however. She was staring up at him with a look that suggested he'd turned into a gargoyle.

Hell, he wasn't that godawful looking, was he?

With an effort, he held onto his patience. Then he introduced himself again. He kept his voice as mild as a summer breeze. He was trying to calm her. Her eyes were wide with panic. He wasn't going to do her any harm, but he guessed she didn't know that. His ego was taking one hell of a beating.

"My name is Hunter," he repeated.

"I'm…"

She was choking on the word. He wanted to whack her between her shoulders to help. He stopped himself in time. If he touched her, she'd probably faint or start screaming.

"Yes?" he asked, trying his damnedest to sound reasonable. He clasped his hands behind his back in what he hoped was a casual stance.

She glanced to her left and then her right. She was obviously looking for a means of escape.

"How about if I put you in one of the carriages and I take another to the hotel? Will you feel comfortable with that arrangement?"

She frantically shook her head at him. When she started taking great gulping breaths again, he lost his patience.

"Look, lady, I'm only doing Lucas a favor. If you don't…"

She grabbed hold of his arm. He was so surprised by her touch, he forgot what he was going to say.

Her bizarre behavior made sense to him a minute later, but by then it was too late.

"I'm going to be sick."

And she was. All over his favorite pair of boots.

Hunter pounded on the door to Lucas's room, then bent over to take his boots off. He left them outside the door.

Taylor opened the door for them. The second Victoria spotted her friend, she burst into tears.

Lucas was in the process of buttoning up his shirt. He walked into the room just in time to see Victoria hurl herself into Taylor's arms.

"Whatever happened? Why are you so upset, Victoria?" Taylor asked. She hugged her friend while she glared over Victoria's shoulder at the man she thought was responsible for her pitiful condition.

Hunter glared back. Taylor noticed he wasn't wearing any shoes.

"I'm not feeling at all well," Victoria confessed.

"What happened to your boots?" Lucas asked Hunter. He stood behind the women.

Hunter stalked into the room. "Never mind," he muttered.

"You're just tuckered out," Taylor told Victoria. "You'll feel better after you've had a bath and a nap. Come into your bedroom and I'll help you get settled."

Hunter stood in the middle of the room glaring at

Victoria. He waited until Taylor had taken her into the adjoining room, then turned his glare on Lucas.

"What happened?" Lucas asked.

"I introduced myself."

"And?"

"She threw up all over me."

Lucas smiled. He wanted to laugh but he didn't dare. Hunter would have killed him. He turned away, coughed to cover his amusement, and then finished getting dressed by tucking his shirt into the waist of his pants.

'"Don't ask me to do you any more favors," Hunter snapped.

Taylor's laughter suddenly filled the room. Her friend had obviously confessed what she'd done. A moment later Lucas and Hunter could hear Victoria laughing.

"It wasn't funny," Hunter muttered.

"You sure have a way with women," Lucas told him. He was thoroughly enjoying his friend's irritation.

"The cabbie charged four times his usual fare."

"Why?"

"She threw up inside his carriage. I couldn't get her to calm down."

Lucas did laugh then. He pictured Hunter trying to soothe Victoria and being completely inept. God knew he would have been inept. Neither one of them had any experience dealing with persnickety ladies, and Lucas was suddenly damned thankful he hadn't been the one to go after Taylor's friend.

"I wasn't responsible for her condition," Hunter said. "She told me it was the rocking motion of the train that made her sick. God, I need a bath. Will she get hysterical if I go in there and get my clothes?"

"Taylor already had your things moved to your room. It's on this floor, just three doors down the hall. The key's on the table."

Hunter couldn't hide his surprise. "They gave me a room in this fancy hotel?"

The question was telling. Hunter was used to the prejudice against him. Lucas wasn't. Hunter pretended to take it all in stride. He never made a scene when he was discriminated against. He told Lucas once he didn't have to stand up for himself and his rights. Lucas took over the task for him.

"You weren't here to sign the register," Lucas pointed out. "Taylor put the room under her name."

They both knew Lucas wasn't being completely honest. The hotel management would never have given Hunter a room on his own. Arms would have had to be twisted. Lucas would have seen to that, but Taylor, unwittingly, had averted a scene.

Hunter was ready to move on to a more important topic in his estimation.

"When do you want to leave?"

"As soon as you're ready."

Hunter picked up the key and left. He returned to Lucas's room a half hour later. Taylor had spent her time helping Victoria get settled and seeing to the chore of cleaning Hunter's boots.

He found them waiting for him inside the door. His boots looked brand-new.

Taylor walked into the room just as Hunter was putting them on.

"It was thoughtful of you to have them cleaned, Taylor. I didn't think there would be enough time."

"Taylor cleaned them," Lucas told his friend. He leaned against the arch to the alcove. His gaze was centered on his wife. She looked flushed to him.

"You feeling all right, Taylor?" he asked.

She looked at the floor when she answered. "Yes."

It wasn't like her to act timid. Something was wrong, he decided. He put his gunbelt on, checked to make certain each of his two guns was fully loaded, a ritual that gave him a considerable amount of peace of mind, and then told Taylor to come to him.

She took her time walking across the room. When she reached his side, he took hold of her hand and pulled her into the privacy of the bedroom area.

"Look at me," he commanded.

She took her sweet time obeying that order as well. "Why haven't you asked me if you could come along with us?"

Her eyes widened in surprise. "Would you let me?"

He shook his head. "No, but you didn't ask. What's the matter with you?"

She ignored his question. "I should go with you, you know. When you find them, I should be there. They'll be afraid, Lucas. They'll need me."

She gave a valid argument. He nodded. "All right then. When we find them, I'll come back and get you."

"Thank you."

"You still haven't told me what's bothering you."

She let out a sigh. "Were you bluffing?" she asked. "I was certain you were, but now I find I need to hear you admit it."

"I never bluff."

"Oh, all right then."

"Taylor?"

She started to turn away. He put his hands on her shoulders to keep her there.

"Yes?"

"What are we talking about?"

"Your wedding night."

He smiled. Then he leaned down and gave her a quick kiss. "Our wedding night," he corrected.

She looked thoroughly disgruntled with him. "Don't you realize how complicated you're going to make…"

His mouth silenced her argument. It wasn't a gentle kiss. He wanted to overpower her. His mouth took absolute possession. His tongue thrust inside. She melted against him, wanting to be swept away, to pretend, if only for a moment or two, that everything was as right and as clean and as beautiful as sunshine after the rain.

She knew he wanted her. She wanted him to love her. But he'd rather be hanged. She pushed herself away from him. "You forget yourself, Mr. Ross," she stammered out. She was panting and blushing and diligently trying to act prim and proper.

He was having none of it. He pulled her back into his arms, kissed her again, long and hard, and when at last he pulled away, she could barely form a coherent thought.

He left her sitting on the side of their bed. Taylor came to her senses a minute later. The whistle did it. Lucas made the arrogant noise as he sauntered out the door.

Taylor patted her hair back in place, let out a loud sigh, and then went to check on Victoria. Her friend was sound asleep. Taylor tucked the covers around her, closed the window so she wouldn't catch a chill, and then tiptoed out of the room. She suddenly remembered the notes she made and wanted to discuss with Lucas. She caught herself before she let out an unladylike expletive. She would just have to wait until tomorrow to find out what her husband thought about placing an advertisement in the papers and hiring a private investigator. She couldn't imagine he would have any objections, for they needed all the help they could get, but she still felt that because he had taken charge of the search, the suggestions should first be discussed with him. Taylor got the paper out and put it on the table so she wouldn't forget again.

Then she sat down. She'd started a ritual of her own the night she found out the babies had disappeared. Every time Lucas left to search for the little girls, she prayed for him. Her plea to God was twofold. She asked Him to keep Lucas safe from harm and to help him find the babies. When Hunter had joined in the search, she of course added his name to her petition.

She couldn't sit still long. Pacing, it seemed, had also become a ritual. She would worry and pray and pace until Lucas and Hunter were safely home.

Perhaps tonight they wouldn't come back empty-handed.

"Please, God," she whispered over and over again, "let them find my babies."

Hunter and Lucas both felt they had a solid lead this time. They found the man named Boyd. They were in the process of becoming his best friends, and all because Hunter was paying for his whiskey. They sat with him at a round table in the corner of the saloon. Their goal was to get him liquored up enough to betray his own mother.

An hour later, they had accomplished their goal. Boyd took one look at the money Lucas was offering and started talking. He thought he was doing the Borders a good deed, because Hunter had hinted at the possibility of buying the twins. Money, Hunter boasted, wasn't a concern since he'd made his fortune.

Boyd was an extremely unpleasant individual. Demons, after all, usually were. He was completely devoid of morals. He was also as ugly as sin. He had thick, pockmarked skin and eyelids so heavy, the folds hung down over his eyes. He squinted in order to see.

He had the disgusting habit of puckering his lips together every time Hunter mentioned money. It was as though he was tasting his own greed.

Lucas barely spoke a word. He was afraid his voice would betray him. His loathing for the creature sitting across from him made his insides burn. The animal pretending to be a man was calmly discussing the pleasures to be had from young flesh.

Lucas wanted to kill him.

He had to give Hunter his due, however. He knew his friend was just as repulsed by the obscene man. Yet he didn't let his hatred show in his expression or his voice.

"How'd you come by so much money?" Boyd asked Hunter. "You're a half-breed, ain't you?"

Hunter ignored the second question and answered the first. "Gold," he lied.

"You hit a strike?"

Hunter nodded. Boyd grinned. "Must have been a mighty big one," he remarked.

"What about the Borders?" Hunter asked, trying to bring the man around to the main discussion.

"They already got themselves a buyer," Boyd said. "They could be convinced to go back on their word. It was a woman buyer, after all."

"A woman?" Hunter asked. He couldn't quite hide his surprise.

Boyd gave Lucas a worried glance. "Your friend doesn't talk much, does he?"

Hunter didn't answer him. "You said the woman was a buyer?"

Boyd nodded. "She wants twins for her brothel. Least that's what she told the Borders. You really willing to pay triple the asking price?"

"I got the money," Hunter replied. "Might as well use some of it. If the twins are worth it," he added. "I'd have to see them first."

"And you'll give me a split because I told you about them?"

"I already said I would."

"What if they ain't twins?" Boyd asked then. "I can't be certain they are," he admitted. He took a long swallow of whiskey, let out a loud belch, then wiped his mouth on the back of his sleeve. "I haven't seen them. I heard the brothers had a pair of twins and their older brother. The boy's a half-breed. Could be his sisters are, too. If that be the case, none of them will be worth a plug nickel."

Hunter turned to Lucas. The message was clear in his eyes. He wanted to kill the bastard. He couldn't stand to look at him another minute, and he'd heard quite enough. He reached for his knife.

Lucas shook his head. "Not yet," he told his friend.

"Not yet what?" Boyd demanded to know.

"Tell me where they're keeping the children," Lucas ordered. He couldn't keep his anger out of his voice and didn't even try. Boyd didn't seem to notice. His full attention was directed on the stack of bills Lucas had just placed on the table.

Boyd's gaze was riveted on the sight. He puckered his lips together and reached for the money. Hunter's knife stopped him. The blade sliced through the crack between Boyd's fingers.

"Not so fast," Hunter announced after Boyd had finished screeching at him.

"Give us the address first," Lucas insisted. He poured Boyd another drink under the guise of friendship.

Boyd gave Hunter a glare and then drained his glass. He stared at the money another long minute, obviously trying to make up his mind. Then he blurted out the address.

"You won't be telling how you found them, will you?"

Hunter wasn't paying any attention to Boyd. He stared at Lucas, waiting for permission, no doubt, to kill the bastard.

Lucas denied him once again. "Boyd's going with us," he explained. "If he's lying, you can kill him."

"And if he isn't lying?"

Since Boyd was following the conversation, Lucas lied. "We'll give him the other half of the money."

"I got me enough money here," Boyd argued. He was so drunk now, his words were slurred together. "I ain't going anywhere with you." it took all Lucas's discipline not to reach across the table and grab the bastard by his neck. He forced a mild tone of voice when he spoke. "My friend likes to use his knife," he said with a nod toward Hunter. "He does some pretty fancy work with his blade."

Hunter raised an eyebrow, then smiled. "Thank you," he replied, pretending to be pleased by the outrageous lie.

Boyd's face was turning pale. It wasn't good enough for Lucas. He acted as though he was discussing the weather when he continued. "He's partial to skinning a man. He keeps him alive while he works on him. Isn't that right?" he asked his friend.

Hunter nodded. "Wouldn't be any fun if he were already dead. What's the point then?"

"Exactly," Lucas agreed. "What's the point?"

Boyd was shaking now and giving worried glances around the saloon. He was apparently looking for someone to help him.

No one was giving him the time of day. "I'm a white man," he protested.

Hunter smiled. "It's all the same to me," he drawled out.

Lucas nodded. "You called it, Boyd. My friend's a half-breed and therefore a savage, right?"

Boyd nodded, then shook his head. He couldn't seem to make up his mind to agree or disagree. He snorted. "You aren't going to take me anywhere. I'm staying right where I am. There are too many people in this here saloon. Witnesses," he added with a smug smile.

Five minutes later, Boyd had tears in his eyes. He was being dragged down the street between Lucas and Hunter.

They were looking for an alley. They found one two blocks later. They left Boyd there, bound and gagged and unconscious, behind a stack of wooden crates. They didn't want Boyd having second thoughts and possibly alerting the Border brothers of trouble, and as Lucas patiently pointed out to Hunter when he demanded the right to kill the son of a bitch, they might need to ask Boyd more questions if the Borders had moved the children to another location. There was also the telling fact that neither one of them was a cold-blooded murderer.

"We might want to kill him, but we won't," Lucas said.

Hunter didn't like being reminded of the truth. He growled low in his throat. "If we were in Montana Territory…"

"It would still be murder," Lucas countered. "When this is finished, we'll make certain everyone in town knows Boyd sold out his friends. That should make his life miserable."

Hunter cheered up. He fell into step beside Lucas and walked down the main street. Neither said a word for several minutes. Then Hunter broke the silence.

"So I like to skin a man alive, do I?"

Lucas grinned. "I thought it was a nice touch."

Hunter laughed. "Expectations," he said with a nod. "He expected me to behave like a savage."

"And I merely reinforced his own ignorant beliefs."

The two men put Boyd out of their minds. They found the address they were looking for twenty minutes later. They had to backtrack twice. They were in the heart of the slum of the city, surrounded by tenement buildings. Clothing hung down from broken rails, windows were broken or altogether missing, and the sound of human misery echoed all around them. Babies cried while adults shouted. The dilapidated buildings were gray. The ground surrounding the housing was covered with garbage and worse. The stench was almost unbearable.

"They're inside. I feel it in my gut, Lucas."

"I got the same feeling," Lucas said. "I'm going to have to go and get Taylor."

"Why?"

"She's the only one who will know for certain if the twins are her nieces," he said. It was a lame excuse and they both knew it.

Hunter rolled his eyes heavenward. "How many twins do you think the Borders have up there? For God's sake, Lucas, either way we're going to get those children out of there."

Lucas nodded. "I know," he agreed. "But Taylor deserves to go with us. I promised her."

Hunter quit arguing. "I'll wait here," he said. He was already moving into the shadows between the two buildings, looking for a spot where he could keep his gaze on both the front and the back doors. If the Borders decided to move the children, he wanted to know about it.

Lucas hailed a cabbie three blocks away. He had the driver wait for him in front of the hotel while he went upstairs to get Taylor.

She opened the door for him. She took one look at his dark expression and tried to brace herself for bad news.

He stopped her questions with an abrupt order. "Get your coat."

She didn't take the time to ask him where he was taking her. She ran to the wardrobe, grabbed her coat, and went running back to her husband. She patted the pocket to make certain her gun was still there.

Lucas gave her only a partial explanation of what had happened. He didn't go into any detail about Boyd. He didn't want to waste the time.

Taylor was gripping her hands together. She was tense and frightened.

"You say the little girls have an older brother with them?"

"That's what we were told."

They reached the vehicle. Lucas assisted Taylor inside. She waited until they were on their way before speaking again.

"If they have an older brother, they can't be my sister's twins."

"Do you want to go back?"

"Of course not," she cried out. "You insult me by asking such a question. We're going to get these children away from the vile animals first. Then we keep looking for my babies."

He was pleased with her answer. "I want you to stay between Hunter and me the entire time we're inside."

"Yes."

"You'll do exactly what I tell you to do. No arguments."

"No arguments," she promised.

The list of his orders continued. Taylor understood why he was being so harsh and sounding so angry. He wanted to keep her safe. Worry made his voice take on a hard edge. She found it comforting.

They were nearing the tenements when Lucas finished with his instructions. Because she looked so frightened, he decided to give her something positive to think about.

"By next week, you could be on your way to George's relatives with the twins. Think about that happy reunion, Taylor." He was offering her a glimmer of hope. He was surprised when she shook her head. She was staring out the window, taking in the godawful view, and barely paying any attention to what Lucas was saying.

The smell of boiling cabbage and human stench made her want to gag.

"Did you ever meet any of George's relatives?" he asked.

He had to repeat his question because of her inattention. "The twins' father," he said. "Did you meet any of his relatives?"

She couldn't imagine why he was asking such a strange question now.

"No, George was an orphan. He didn't have any relatives. Look, there's Hunter. He's walking toward us."

Taylor had the door opened before the vehicle came to a complete stop. Lucas paid the driver and offered the man a handsome bonus if he would wait for them. The lure of the money outweighed the cabbie's concern about the safety of the neighborhood. He pulled out a rifle from under his perch, put it across his lap, and then promised to wait as long as thirty minutes.

Taylor waited next to Hunter until Lucas crossed the street. Then she moved to his side and took hold of his hand. She put her other hand in the pocket of her coat and held onto her Colt.

They walked in silence up the rickety steps of the tenement. Lucas went inside first. Taylor followed. Hunter was right behind her.

The apartment they were looking for was on the third floor and in the very back of the building. The floorboards creaked, but there was so much noise inside, they could have pounded their way down the hallway and not been overheard.

The walls were paper thin, as were the doors. When they reached the number they wanted, Lucas motioned for Taylor to stand against the wall several feet away. If there was gunfire, he didn't want a stray bullet hitting her.

Hunter already had one of his guns out. Lucas readied his own, nodded to his friend, and then slammed his shoulder against the door and rushed inside. Hunter followed him.

A young man, around the age of twenty, had been asleep on the divan. He awakened to find Hunter's six-shooter pressed against his temple.

A woman twice his age came running into the living room from the kitchen. She wore only a sheer nightgown. She had orange-colored hair and a heavily painted face. She didn't try to cover herself. She sneered at Hunter and went running toward him with her hands out and her jagged nails ready to do injury, but she came to a quick stop when he pulled out his second gun and leveled it at her.

She apparently decided to take a different approach. She put her hands on her hips and pulled the material of her nightgown tight against her so he'd be sure to see what she was offering and thrust her breasts out. "My name's Shirleen. I do my business out of the bedroom back yonder. Why don't you put your guns away, sugar? I can show you a real good time. It will only cost you a dollar, two if you want to use my mouth. I'm worth the money, aren't I, Charlie?"

The man on the divan was too frightened to answer her. He didn't even nod.

"You wouldn't shoot a lady, would you, sugar?" she crooned at Hunter.

His voice was devoid of emotion when he answered her. "I'm not looking at a lady."

She didn't care for the insult. Her eyes became bare slits again. Hatred glowed from her expression. "You're in the wrong place," she told him. "This here belongs to the Borders." The sneer was back in her voice. "They don't take kindly to being robbed. They'll cut you good if they catch you. You'd best get out of here while you still can."

Hunter didn't show any reaction to her threat. He simply stared at her and waited for her next move. Lucas had already made his way around the cramped apartment. There were two bedrooms. The first was empty, and from the rumpled and soiled bedding, he assumed that was the room the woman used to conduct her business. The second bedroom door was locked. He started to use his shoulder to break the barrier down, but then he heard the sound of a child crying. The noise was faint, yet still recognizable. Lucas stepped back. He was afraid to crash through the door for fear he would injure the child if he or she were standing close to the opening.

He needed the key.

"Surely you've heard of the Borders," Shirleen muttered. "Everyone has heard of Billy and Cyrus." She snorted with laughter. "You got to be new in town, sugar, or you'd know how dangerous and foolhardy it is to dare to rob…"

"Give me the key to the bedroom door."

Lucas issued the order from behind the woman's back. She jumped a foot and whirled around. Until he spoke to her, she hadn't realized there was more than one man inside the apartment with her.

This one was far more threatening to her than the other one holding Charlie captive. He didn't make a sound when he moved. Only a man used to breaking the law knew how to walk like a shadow. Shirleen took a step away and tried to hide her fear.

Taylor walked inside then. Hunter told her to shut the door. She did as she was ordered, then turned around again.

She gave the scantily clad woman only a passing glance. It was enough, however, to convey her disgust. Her gaze moved on to the man stretched out on the divan. She noticed what he was doing, and since both Hunter and Lucas were watching her, she gave the warning.

Her gaze was on her husband when she spoke to Hunter. "He's reaching for his gun. It's probably under one of the cushions."

Hunter smiled. "I know."

She didn't understand. If he knew what the man was doing, why didn't he stop him?

Lucas understood. Hunter was waiting for an excuse to kill the vermin.

"No gunfire," he called out to his friend.

Hunter frowned with disappointment. Then he let out a sigh. He flipped the gun around in his hand, and before his prisoner understood his intent, Hunter slammed the butt of his gun against the side of his head. He didn't kill the man, but when he woke up, he was going to wish he were dead. His head was going to feel as though it had been split in two.

Hunter shoved the unconscious man onto the floor, then reached down between the cushions. He found the pistol hidden there and tucked the weapon in his belt.

It suddenly dawned on Shirleen that the strangers weren't there simply to rob the place. Her gaze was locked on Taylor. She watched Taylor cross the room to the bedroom door, thinking that she looked like an angel. And for that reason alone, the threat she issued carried all the more substance.

"He might not kill a woman, but I would. You have five seconds to give me the key," Taylor said, a chilling look in her eyes. Shirleen didn't think twice about arguing with her. She believed with all her heart the angel with eyes as cold as blue ice was about to kill her.

"One…"

Shirleen ran to the stack of boxes near the window, reached into the top one, and pulled out the key.

"I didn't have anything to do with taking those brats. I only work here, that's all. What Billy and Cyrus do doesn't concern me."

Lucas snatched the key out of her hand, motioned for Hunter to keep his eye on her, and then unlocked the door. He wouldn't let Taylor go inside first. He wanted to make certain there wasn't someone else in the bedroom with the children.

It was dark inside, too dark to see his way around the room. Lucas lit one of the lamps after first scanning the area for signs of shadows moving about.

He spotted the little girls across the room. His heart suddenly felt as though it was going to explode with relief. And with rage.

The two little ones were sound asleep on the floor in front of the closet door. They clung to each other. One was softly weeping with her dream. Lucas couldn't see the other one's face. She had her head tucked under her sister's chin.

They were beautiful children. Babies, he silently corrected. They were so tiny, they couldn't be three years old yet. The one he could see clearly had coloring identical to Taylor's. Both twins had white blond hair. The resemblance was close enough to make anyone believe the twins were her daughters. No doubt about it, they belonged to her.

He motioned for Taylor to come inside, then put his gun away. He moved back to the doorway to watch from a distance. He knew he would frighten the little girls if he got too close to them. He wanted them to see Taylor first.

"They're hers, aren't they?" Lucas heard the woman ask Hunter.

Taylor wasn't paying any attention to Shirleen. She hurried into the bedroom. She stopped just as suddenly when she spotted the babies. Her hand went to her mouth and she let out a low, pitiful moaning sound that tore at Lucas's heart. She stared at the babies and slowly walked over to them.

She felt faint with relief and jubilation. She was crying by the time she reached the children. She knelt down on the floor in front of them but didn't touch either one of them for a long minute. Her head was bowed and her hands were tightly folded together in front of her. Lucas thought she might be praying.

She then reached out and gently shook her babies awake. "It's time to go home now," she whispered.

One of the little girls opened her eyes. She sat up, rubbed the sleep from her eyes, and stared up at Taylor. She looked curious and only mildly afraid. When Taylor stroked the side of her face and smiled at her, she put her thumb in her mouth and leaned forward. Taylor gently lifted her onto her lap. She held her close and crooned to her, and when the baby at last relaxed against her, she reached for her sister.

The other twin woke up crying. She was quick to stop her tears when she saw Taylor. She seemed to recognize her. Taylor knew that wasn't possible, of course, for the twins hadn't even been crawling when she'd seen them last. The little girl put her arms out to be held. Taylor lifted her onto her lap next to her sister and hugged her tight.

Taylor couldn't quit crying. She rocked her babies in her arms and told them over and over again that everything was going to be all right. She was taking them home.

One fell asleep in her arms and the other let herself be cuddled for several minutes, then began to squirm. She wanted to look up at Taylor, and after she'd wiggled her way around and could see Taylor's face, she pulled her thumb out of her mouth and reached up to touch Taylor's hair.

"Are you my mama?"

"Yes."

"Are you Allie's mama, too?"

"Yes."

It was all Georganna wanted to know. She leaned back against Taylor, put her thumb in her mouth again, and closed her eyes.

Lucas walked over and hunkered down next to his wife. "Are they all right?" he asked in a whisper.

"I think so," she answered. The babies were wearing wrinkled blue-colored day dresses. Their legs and arms and gowns were covered with dirt. They hadn't been taken care of properly, but Taylor was relieved that she couldn't see any bruises so far.

"Let's get them out of here, Lucas."

He was in full agreement. And yet he hesitated. He turned, bent lower, and looked under the bed. Then he stood up. Where was the boy they'd heard about?

He lifted one of the twins into his arms. She didn't wake up. Her head dropped to rest on his shoulder. Taylor handed him the other baby, and then she also stood up.

Lucas wanted to question the woman about where the boy had been taken. He wouldn't rest until he had all three of them. He led the way into the living room. Hunter held up three fingers. Lucas shook his head. Then Taylor drew his attention. She reached out and touched his arm.

"Wait," she whispered. She turned around and went back into the bedroom. Something wasn't quite right, but she was so exhausted with worry and relief over finally finding her babies, she couldn't figure out what was wrong.

Lucas followed her. "What is it?" he asked in a whisper so he wouldn't disturb the babies.

Taylor shook her head. She started to turn around again, then stopped. "Why were they sleeping on the floor in front of the closet?"

She didn't give him time to speculate on the oddity. She hurried over to the closet door and tried to open it. The door was locked.

"Get the woman in here," Lucas called out to Hunter.

A few seconds later, Shirleen appeared in the doorway. Hunter stood behind her.

"Why is this door locked?" Taylor asked. She could barely stand to look at the woman, so repulsed was she by the sight of such evil.

"No reason," Shirleen blurted out. "Just is." Her words were hurried when she added, "There aren't any clothes in there for your girls. They're all in a box by the front door. I'll show you where they are," she added. Hunter stopped her from moving.

"Open the closet door," Taylor demanded.

"Whatever for? I told you already," Shirleen muttered. "There's nothing inside for you to want."

She sounded agitated now and started rambling again to cover her nervousness. "The Borders thought your girls were orphans. With their curly white hair and their big blue eyes, why, they got to be yours. They're your mirror image. Billy and Cyrus will still try to keep them. They already got themselves a buyer. I'd hightail it out of here if I were you."

"Unlock this door," Taylor ordered.

Shirleen forced a shrug of indifference. "I don't know where the key is," she said. She folded her arms across her middle and glared at Taylor.

"Want me to kill her?"

Hunter asked the question. His voice was devoid of all emotion, which made the inquiry all the more chilling. Shirleen let out a gasp, glanced up at Hunter, and then turned her full attention to Taylor. She held her breath while she waited for her answer.

She missed Hunter's wink. Taylor didn't. She understood he was bluffing. He wanted to rattle the woman. Taylor wanted to worry her. She waited several seconds so Shirleen could think about the possibility, then looked at Hunter.

"Yes, please," she called out in an oh-so-polite tone of voice that sounded very like she was ordering a second cup of tea from a solicitous waiter.

Even though Shirleen's face was covered with makeup, she still paled considerably. When she felt Hunter's hand on the back of her neck, she cried out, "It's the same key that opened the bedroom door. I'll get it."

Hunter ordered her to stay where she was. He removed the key from the lock. He didn't want to leave the doorway. From where he stood, he could watch the front door. If one of the Border brothers came strolling in, he wanted to be prepared. For that reason, he didn't hand the key to Taylor, he tossed it to her.

She caught the key in midair, turned around, and unlocked the door. She opened it only a fraction and started to move back so she could pull the door wide, when it suddenly seemed to explode in her hand.

Taylor was knocked backward by the force of the door being slammed against her. The doorknob caught her in her side. She was thrown against the wall behind her, righted herself as quickly as possible, and then grabbed hold of the door before it could hit her again.

Lucas shouted the warning for her to stay back. Hunter leveled his gun on the opening of the closet. It was so dark inside, he couldn't see the threat. He wasn't taking any chances. There could be a man inside, hiding there with his gun ready, waiting to get a few of them in his sights.

Lucas was having the same thought. He moved out of the way, then half turned so the twins would be better protected. If a gun were fired, the bullet would have to pass through his back before getting to one of the babies.

Taylor started to walk forward. Lucas told her to stop. His voice was hard, abrupt. He turned to Hunter, gave him a quick nod, letting him know it was up to him to take care of the matter.

Hunter was going to do just that. He took a step to the side, thinking to approach the doorway from a safer angle, but he'd only moved a foot or two when he came to a sudden stop.

He couldn't believe what he was seeing. A little boy, surely no older than six or seven, came flying out of his prison. He was so quick, he was almost a blur. It wasn't until he stopped in the center of the room and frantically looked around him that Hunter and Lucas both got a good look at him. Taylor stood behind the boy and therefore couldn't see his face.

He had dark black-brown hair that nearly reached his narrow shoulders in length. His eyes were the same color. They were wide with panic. His stance was rigid. He looked ready to spring into action.

No one said a word for several seconds. Lucas was so filled with rage on the boy's behalf, he was shaking with it. God only knew how long the child had been locked inside the closet. Animals weren't treated with such cruelty.

Hunter was just as outraged as Lucas was. He stared at the boy and saw himself as a child. The ache he felt inside made bile rush up into his throat. He burned with the fever of revenge.

Taylor was so astonished by the sight of the boy, she leaned back against the wall and tried to recover her breath. And then the enormity of the atrocity committed against the innocent child struck her full force. Her eyes filled with tears. Dear God in heaven, someone should pay for this sin.

Thoughts of revenge were fleeting. The little boy was obviously terrified. He needed to be comforted now. Taylor started toward the child with that single thought in mind.

He wasn't paying any attention to her. He spotted the twins in Lucas's arms, let out a howl of fury, and then lowered his head and went running at the man who dared to touch his charges.

Hunter put his gun away and intercepted the boy just as he was about to butt his head into Lucas's hip.

The child was screaming and kicking and biting. Hunter held him around his waist and lifted him up off the ground. He quickly caught hold of his hand when he realized the boy was going after his gun.

He ordered the child to quit his struggle. The command was ignored. He didn't know what he was supposed to do next. He wasn't going to hurt the child, but he doubted the little one realized that. And so Hunter looked at Taylor for help.

She came running. "Put him down," she told Hunter.

"He's a little savage," Shirleen called out. "You can see he's a half-breed. He thinks he's the girls' protector. They had to lock him in the closet," she added. "He wouldn't let anyone near…"

She quit her explanation when Taylor looked at her. The fury in the angel's eyes terrified her. Her hand went to the base of her neck and she caught a quick breath.

"He calls himself their brother," she whispered. "He's lying, of course. Just look at him and you can see they aren't related," she added with a snort.

"He is their brother." Taylor made the statement in an emphatic tone of voice.

The boy stilled in Hunter's arms and looked up at her.

She nodded. He didn't understand what she was telling him. As soon as he was freed from Hunter's hold, he tried to run past her to get to the little girls again.

Taylor grabbed hold of his hand and pulled him into her side. Dark hair hung down over his forehead. She gently brushed the hair away from his brow. He wouldn't look up at her now but kept his attention fully directed on Lucas.

"We're going home now," she told the child.

He dared a quick look up at her. "You can't take them away from me. I won't let you."

She could feel him trembling. She wrapped her arms around him and leaned down to whisper in his ear. Lucas couldn't hear what she was saying to the child, but when she at last straightened away from him, he was looking up at her with tears in his eyes.

She put her hand out. He clasped hold of it. He was still afraid to trust her. She could see it in his eyes. She slowly nodded, telling him without words she meant what she had just promised him.

He tightened his hold on her hand. She wanted to weep.

"Where are your shoes?" she asked. Her voice shivered with emotion.

"I don't have any. They threw them away."

Taylor didn't show any outward reaction to his remark. "We'll get you a pair tomorrow."

His eyes widened in surprise over her promise.

She smiled at him and then turned to Hunter. She wasn't about to let the child walk barefoot outside. "We're ready to leave now," she told him. "Will you carry him?"

Hunter nodded. The boy pulled back when Taylor tried to lead him across the room. He was obviously afraid of Hunter, and Lucas as well, she surmised, because he kept giving both giants fearful glances.

She wasn't about to introduce the men. She didn't want the horrible woman to hear their names. They had enough to contend with, and Shirleen would certainly give the Border brothers as many particulars as she could remember. If she had their names, trouble would follow.

Taylor drew the child into her arms again and leaned down to whisper to him. Both her husband and his friend patiently waited. It didn't take long, and when Taylor was finished, the little boy was smiling.

Lucas and Hunter were both curious. The change that came over the child was startling. Whatever had Taylor said to him?

The boy let go of Taylor's hand and walked across the room. He had a cocky bounce to his stride. He smiled up at Lucas as he passed him. He certainly wasn't afraid of Hunter either, for when he reached his side, he reached out to clasp hold of his hand and stared up at him with wide eyes and a look of awe on his face.

Taylor looked at Lucas. He raised an eyebrow and motioned toward the child. She simply smiled at him, then suggested once again that they leave.

Shirleen followed them to the front door. Lucas was the last in the procession. Just as he was passing by the divan, the man resting there let out a low groan. Lucas shifted the babies so that he could hold them with one arm, then reached down with his right hand and slammed his fist into the man's jaw. He knocked him out cold and never broke his stride.

Taylor requested a moment alone with Shirleen. Her husband denied her by shaking his head. Taylor turned to the obscene woman. "I'm going to make certain you spend the rest of your life in prison."

"I didn't have anything to do-"

Taylor didn't let her finish her protest. "You knew what was happening. You could have helped the children. You didn't."

She started out the doorway when Shirleen turned and ran toward her bedroom.

"We'll be back."

Lucas made the comment. It wasn't a threat. It was a promise.

They took the back steps. Taylor led the way. She kept her hand in her coat pocket, her fingers curled around her gun.

They didn't run into trouble. When they reached the street and started across, Taylor offered to take one of the babies. The cold air had awakened both the twins. Georganna had leaned away from Lucas and was staring at him. Alexandra also stared but not quite so blatantly. Both babies had their thumbs in their mouths. Georganna made a smacking sound when she sucked. Alexandra didn't make any noise at all.

"They're fine where they are," Lucas told Taylor. "Take hold of my arm," he ordered then.

Hunter moved up to Taylor's other side. She reached up to pat the little boy's arm, then turned to stroke one of the twins.

She wanted to hurry to the vehicle for it was chilly out and she didn't want the children to catch cold. She worried about the possibility as she walked along.

Hunter wanted to get the hell out of the neighborhood before the Borders came home. He didn't like the notion of killing the brothers with the boy in his arms. He thought about that possibility on their walk to the carriage.

Lucas's mind was on another matter altogether-the twins' father. George, she'd said, had been an orphan. He hadn't had any relatives. Of course he hadn't. Orphans never did.

And she'd known all along. The greater good. She'd told him that was why she'd married him. For the greater good. The cryptic remark finally made sense.

Madam's master plan. Do you like children? Taylor had asked him the question. Oh, yes, the greater good.

"I'll be damned."

He whispered the remark so low only the twins heard him. Georganna pulled her thumb out of her mouth and smiled at him. Alexandra shyly smiled up at him as well, but she kept her thumb in her mouth.

They reached the vehicle a few minutes later. Taylor got inside first. Hunter put the little boy inside next. He sat next to Taylor.

Lucas handed Georganna to her. She put the baby on her lap and reached for the second twin. Alexandra was duly settled on her lap next to her sister.

Taylor put her arm around the little boy so he would be included in her embrace, leaned back against the cushion, and closed her eyes. She let out a sigh of contentment.

Hunter and Lucas were having a difference of opinion outside the carriage. Hunter insisted on returning to the tenement to wait for the Borders. Lucas didn't have any problem with the plan. He just didn't want to be left out. Since he couldn't leave Taylor with the children, he demanded that Hunter return to the hotel with them. Once everyone was settled in for the night, he would go with his friend to confront the bastards.

Taylor ended the argument. "These children are going to freeze to death if we don't get them out of the cold air. Do get inside, both of you."

A moment later, they were on their way. The moonlight was bright enough to see each other inside the carriage. Lucas's gaze was on his wife.

"Taylor?"

There was a hard edge to his voice. She ignored it and gave him a smile. Lord, she was content. "Yes?" she asked.

His gaze turned to one little girl and then the other.

It was almost impossible to tell them apart. Then his frown settled on his wife again.

"Tell me something," he ordered.

"Yes?" she asked again.

He nodded to the twins. "Which one's greater and which one's good."