Savage Thunder

Chapter Twenty-six

“Good morning, Your Grace."

Jocelyn turned to smile at the young man who had caused her such embarrassment the night before when she was first introduced to him. It was laughable now, but at the time it had been quite mortifying to find that the brother and sister Vanessa had taken under her wing were the same pair Jocelyn had practically accosted right after the aborted gunfight yesterday. They had also been invited to dinner, so there was no easy escape from her discomfort.

But somehow, and she still wasn't sure how he had done it, Miles Dryden managed to put her at ease with his profuse apologies, wouldn't accept any she tried to offer in return, and even made her forget the incident for the remainder of the evening. He was, without a doubt, utterly charming. She had suspected he would be handsome too, and indeed he was, with his dark blond hair cropped just below the ears and his eyes the color of fine sherry. On the lean side and slightly above average in height, he had a pair of the most engaging dimples that appeared with every smile, and with a keen sense of humor, he smiled often, as did everyone around him.

Maura Dryden was just as interesting as her brother. There was little family resemblance between them with her ash-blond hair and large, dark green eyes, her much shorter height and voluptuous figure, but there was no denying they had both been blessed with exceptional looks. And where Miles' charm added to his attractiveness, Maura was possessed of a sultriness that enhanced hers, at least as far as men were concerned, if Sir Parker was any indication. He had also joined them for dinner, and to Jocelyn's amusement, had barely taken his eyes off the girl throughout the meal.

Vanessa had certainly been delighted with the whole evening and had no doubt gone to bed with* her worries put to rest. As a hoped-for distraction, Miles Dry den was proving eminently successful. Jocelyn had retired conceding that point, and even experienced a measure of relief that it was so — until it oc-curred to her that Vanessa's scheme could work both ways, for Colt as well as for herself. And the thought of Colt finding Maura Dryden to his liking, just as Sir Parker had, effectively squelched whatever relief she had briefly felt, and even added a new dimension to her confused emotions. To her chagrin, she was afraid it might be jealousy. But since it could just as likely be a misguided sense of possessiveness, what she might feel for anything that had cost her such an exorbitant sum of money, she wasn't going to worry about it.

So she had decided, but even now with Miles Dry-den's winsome smile turned on her, she was wondering where his sister was, and what Colt's reaction would be when he first saw the girl. She also wondered if there was any way she might renege on her agreement to allow them to join her entourage, but she supposed not. Their belongings were probably even now being loaded into the wagons in front of the hotel.

"Mr. Dryden." She nodded in reply to his greet-ing. "I hope this early hour hasn't proved inconven-ient.

We are more or less at the mercy of our guide, who doesn't believe in wasting daylight, as he so quaintly puts it."

"I know the sort. Our stage driver was a cantan-kerous old curmudgeon who rushed us in and out of every roadhouse with the threat of leaving us behind if we weren't quick enough to suit him."

She had to smile at that description, which was pretty accurate for their guide, too, except for the old part. Colt was more often than not quarrelsome, ir-ritable, and quick of temper. How would he be today? Would he even be out front waiting, or had he already gone on ahead as usual, leaving it to Billy to point the way?

She realized suddenly how anxious she was to see him. She also recalled that she still didn't know what he thought of the gift of her virginity. She didn't try to delude herself that he might not have been aware of the gift. His gentle handling of her that night proved otherwise.

"We aren't nearly so rushed, Mr. Dryden, just roused at an ungodly hour every morning." She hoped she didn't sound as impatient as she felt, but she wanted to find Colt and perhaps have a few words with him before they departed. "You will quickly become accustomed to it, I'm sure. Now, if you will collect your sister—"

"Maura is already outside, Your Grace. If you will allow me?"

She was hesitant in accepting his offered arm. With her guard surrounding her, it was so unnecessary.

Besides, she didn't want Colt to see Miles escorting her from the hotel, though she wasn't sure why. But short of outright rudeness, there was no help for it.

Outside, everything was in readiness, Jocelyn being the last to arrive. Miss Dryden stood waiting with Vanessa and the two maids in the shade of the hotel porch, but she wasn't attending their conversation: was, in fact, staring off toward the front of the cav-alcade — at Colt.

He was mounted already, as was Billy, who had his attention at the moment. But that didn't mean he wasn't aware of Miss Dryden's perusal. Likely he was, since he was usually aware of everything going on around him, the reason that his eyes turned toward the porch only seconds after Jocelyn stepped out of the hotel. The moment he saw her, he yanked his horse around to take off.

"A moment, Colt, if you please!"

Jocelyn immediately flushed, having thoughtlessly drawn every eye toward her. She had had to raise her voice for Colt to hear her, and even to her own ears she had sounded imperious. She wouldn't have blamed him if he embarrassed her further by ignoring her, but he didn't. He whipped his horse back around and waited, with obvious impatience. That he didn't dismount and come to her as would be expected of one's employee was noted, particularly by her guard, even by Miles, whose arm she could feel tense beneath her hand. But Jocelyn wasn't pressing her luck any further. Excusing herself from Miles, she quickly stepped off the porch.

For an imprudent impulse, however, it went from bad to worse, as she found out when she reached Colt. Billy had moved off to accord them a measure of privacy, but it didn't matter. Looking up at Colt, she knew without a doubt she had made a serious mistake. Although he usually kept his emotions so well hidden you never knew what he was thinking, those emotions were crystal clear right now, and they were anything but placid. She even took a step back, his look was so hostile.

Jocelyn stiffened her resolve, or tried to. So she shouldn't have approached him this soon. It was done.

She was there. And although she hadn't the faintest notion of what she had intended to say, perhaps something would come to her that might at least take the edge off his obvious anger.

"Would you get down. please?" she asked. "I want to talk to you."

"No, you don't."

"Yes, I-"

"No. you don't, Duchess."

She wasn't sure of his meaning, whether he simply refused to hear what she had to say or whether he was warning her that she wouldn't care to hear what he had to say in return. Likely the latter, which was why she didn't try to detain him again when he turned about and rode off.

She turned away herself to find all of her people suddenly busy in some unnecessary activity or conversation, which told her plainly that until that mo-ment they had been avidly watching her and Colt.

It didn't embarrass her this time, though. Instead her temper flared up, especially when she noticed Miss Dry den's rather smug expression. The woman couldn't have heard Colt's refusal to speak with her, but his disrespect and animosity were unmistakable. Jocelyn could almost read Maura's thoughts: that no man would ever treat her so shabbily.

"I — ah, didn't realize he was one of your guards."

That Miles Dryden was there to assist her into her coach did not pacify Jocelyn's now simmering emo-tions in the least. Nor did she need a reminder of yesterday's foolishness.

But not for the world would she let anyone know how easily Colt could upset her, so she managed a smile, no matter that her lips felt like they would crack, they were so stiff. "He's not. He's our guide."

"A gunfighter for a guide?"

Miles seemed determined to provide an outlet for her temper, but she didn't want a substitute. Colt de-served every bit of it himself.

"His versatility makes him an excellent guide, Mr. Dryden, despite his lack of manners and wretched disposition. But if it bothers you to have such a man leading you through the wilderness—"

"Not at all," he quickly assured her.

"Then I will see you later in the day, sir."

She stepped into her coach to wait impatiently for Vanessa to join her. If Miles had thought he would be sharing her coach, she had just disabused him of that notion. Even if she had intended to give up her privacy, which she hadn't, she would have just changed her mind. Under no circumstances could she spend this day in idle conversation with virtual strangers. She would go mad if she tried.

Vanessa sensed her mood and wisely kept quiet once they were on their way. But the silence merely allowed Jocelyn's awakened ire to feed upon itself. Where she had previously been understanding of Colt's feelings, she now resented his resentment. She wasn't sorry for what had happened between them.

She wasn't about to apologize for having wanted him. True, he had resisted her at every turn, but had she held a gun on him and forced him into her bed? No, she certainly had not. So he had no business being angry with her, and she intended to tell him so at the very next opportunity.