Текст книги "Wild Silver "

Автор книги: Iris Johansen

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Текущая страница: 12 (всего у книги 13 страниц)

11

Who was screaming? Silver wondered dazedly. She knew it

wasn’t herself; she had kept all the screaming inside, where it

could give Bassinger no pleasure. Yet these screams held all

the pain and desperation she had refused to release.

She opened her eyes. Smoke. Black smoke. A red glare.

Fire? She struggled up on one elbow. She was still tethered to

the rail, but now a section of the rail was on top of her, torn

from its moorings by the explosion.

Explosion! The memory brought her sitting bolt upright

and she gasped with pain as she once again became conscious

of the fiery throbbing of her lacerated back.

Bassinger? She forced herself to turn and look around the

deck, though every movement was an agony. No Bassinger.

The deck was littered with shattered glass blown from the

windows of the pilot house, and there were little fires licking

at the wooden planks of the deck from the broken, overturned

lanterns. Her gaze lifted and shock plummeted through her.

„Oh, my God.“

The pilot house that had formerly perched on the Texas

deck had vanished, one of the tall smokestacks was gone

entirely, and the other was broken and spewing a thick cloud

of scalding steam. The railing at the front of the boat was

aflame and she could hear a crackling roar from the hurricane

deck that denoted a larger fire raging below. The boilers, she

thought. Robert had said something about the faulty boilers on

the Mary L, she remembered vaguely. They must have

exploded when Bassinger had ordered the added steam.

The rail was pressing heavily on her lower body and she

tried to push it off her before she realized it was impossible.

She would have to cut the rawhide strap before she would be

able to move the railing.

The riverboat suddenly gave a lurch that sent a thrill of fear

through her. The Mary L was taking on water. It wouldn’t be

long before it began to sink and she was bound helplessly to

the rail.

The broken glass!

She carefully edged sideways until she could reach a

pointed sliver of glass and pick it up with her thumb and

forefinger. The glass sliced through her flesh and blood

spurted. She dropped the glass. Blast it! She tried again and

managed to keep her grip on the sliver this time. Carefully she

began to saw through the rawhide thong binding her to the rail.

Who was that screaming? It was a chorus of voices, men,

women, and children in an agony of terror.

There was something she should remember, but she

couldn’t seem to think. The frayed rawhide thong snapped and

she pushed the heavy railing off her legs. Now for the ropes

binding her wrists. She would need a larger piece of glass.

The passengers! Bassinger had said he had locked the

doors of the staterooms. They were prisoners caught in the fire

and death below. She had no time to saw through the ropes.

The fires from the lanterns… The flames could burn

through the ropes far quicker than she could cut through them

with pieces of glass.

Faster but more painful. There were several burns on her

wrists and forearms before she managed to rid herself of the

ropes. She wouldn’t think about it; the burns hurt no more than

the stripes on her back.

Then she was on her feet, running toward the stairs. A

thicker haze of smoke lay over the deck below and she could

barely make out the door to the grand saloon as she made her

way toward it. She stumbled. There was something in her

way…

Bracken. His.eyes were open and staring, a two-foot jagged

sword of glass penetrating his breast. Silver took a deep breath

and swallowed hard. She mustn’t be squeamish. He was in the

way. She grabbed Bracken’s legs, tugging and pulling until he

was clear of the door.

The riverboat was now listing heavily to the starboard and

she had difficulty keeping her balance as she ran into the grand

saloon. The Mary L was structured much like the Rose, the

doors of the passenger cabins opening on either side of the

common room, she noticed with relief. But thank God, it was

much, much smaller and the shouts and pounding appeared to

be coming entirely from behind the ten doors on this side of

the saloon. „I’m coming,“ she called desperately. „It’s all right,

I’ll get you out.“

But how? She had no key and no tool to open those locked

doors.

Well, there were plenty of tools on the boiler deck.

If there was still a boiler deck.

Still, it was her only chance. She turned and ran from the

saloon and then down the steps to the boiler deck.

There were no fires on this deck; the entire deck was

flooded with at least three feet of muddy river water.

Nothing was left of the boilers but jagged fangs of metal…

Bodies floated like garish bits of flotsam…

Horribly scalded bodies…

Silver closed her eyes for a moment, unable to bear the

sight. Men should not look like this in death. There should be

dignity.

She opened her eyes and forced herself to look around. Her

sick horror would not save the people locked in those cabins.

It was river water not water from the burst boilers that was

now flooding the deck. It should be safe to go down and look

around. She jumped down onto the deck and waded through

the water, averting her gaze from the gruesome carnage around

her. A moment later she had located a crowbar, grabbed it, and

was hurriedly wading back toward the stairs.

Then she was running up the steps, down the deck, and into

the saloon. She inserted the crowbar into the doorjamb of the

first door. „It will only be a moment. I have something now.“

It took so long, she thought in despair. Why wasn’t she

stronger? The wood finally splintered and the door swung

open. A young woman wearing a flowered pink peignoir and

carrying a small child ran out into the saloon as tears ran down

her cheeks. „We’re all going to die!“ she sobbed, clutching the

child desperately.

„No.“ Silver was already working on the next’ door. „Help

me!“

„But we’re going to die.“

„You may be stupid enough to die here, but I intend to

live,“ Silver said impatiently. „Now, help – “

„Silver!“ Nicholas’s voice!

Relief surged through Silver. Nicholas was strong. Nicholas

would help her. „Here! In the saloon, Nicholas.“

Then he was beside her, his face blackened by smoke, his

white shirt grimy and stained. „You’re very dirty,“ she said

vaguely. „Help me, Nicholas, there’s not much time.“

He stood there, looking at her, an odd radiance shining

beneath the grime. „You’re dirty too.“ His index finger

reached out to gently touch her sooty cheek. „I thought you

were dead.“

„I will be if you don’t help me get these poor people out of

their cabins.“ She pried desperately with the crowbar.

„Bassinger locked them all in and this damn boat is sinking…“

„Stand back.“ He took the crowbar and broke the lock with

one slicing blow. „Valentin is in a rowboat tied to the stern of

the hurricane deck and Mikhail is picking up survivors in

another boat.“ He was going from door to door swiftly

breaking the locks. Passengers were streaming from the cabins

into the saloon; the smoke was thickening. „Get to the boat at

the stern and off the Mary L,“ he shouted.

There were cries of relief and a rush toward the door of the

saloon as the freed passengers dashed toward safety*

Silver stood and watched as the saloon emptied. Two more

doors.

„Dammit, Silver, get out of here,“ Nicholas said harshly,

glancing over his shoulder.

She shook her head.

He broke the lock and moved to the last door. „You’ve

done your part. You can’t help here. Why the hell don’t you

get off the boat?“

Two men dressed only in their long underwear rushed by

her and out of the saloon.

„I can’t leave,“ she said simply. „Not while you’re still

here.“ It all seemed very clear, even through the haze of pain

and exhaustion enveloping her. She could not leave when

Nicholas stayed. She could not live if Nicholas died.

Then the last door was open and Nicholas was running

toward her, grabbing her by the arm and pushing her from the

saloon. A towheaded boy of thirteen years or so rushed by

them toward the small boat at the rear of the deck.

It was difficult to walk, she thought dimly. Her legs felt as

heavy as if she were still wading through the water on the

boiler deck. But there was no water here. How puzzling.

„Are you all right?“ Nicholas asked quietly. „I’d carry you,

but I don’t want to touch your back.“

Her back. Oh, yes, Bassinger had been whipping her. It all

seemed like such a long time ago. The pain was now coursing

not only in her back but in every muscle of her body. „I…

can… walk.“ She was almost to the rail. Only a few more

steps. „I… didn’t scream.“

Nicholas’s hand tightened on her arm. „I know you didn’t.“

„He wanted me to scream. He kept saying it over and

over.“

„Lord.“ Nicholas’s voice was hoarse, ragged. „For God’s

sake. Silver, shut up. You’re killing me.“

„I’m sorry… I didn’t…“ What had she been going to say?

Then Valentin was reaching out to help her into the boat,

seating her beside the towheaded young boy who had passed

them on the deck.

Cork life preservers floated on the surface of the river, and

she could see several men clutching them and swimming

toward the Rose.

Nicholas untied the rope, jumped into the boat, and sat

down beside Valentin. „Let’s go. The Mary L can’t stay afloat

much longer taking on this much water.“ He grabbed an oar

and he and Valentin began to row with powerful steady strokes

away from the river-boat.

The Mary L was listing and, except for the hissing of the

escaping steam from the broken smokestack and the harsh

whoosh of flames, was ominously silent. Tears began to flow

down Silver’s cheeks as she gazed at the wreckage. How many

lives had been lost? How many might still be lost in this river

tonight?

„It won’t be long now,“ Nicholas said gently. „You’ll be

back on the Rose in a few minutes.“

„Some of those men in the water will have burns.“ She

spoke haltingly, trying to think clearly through the pain and

horror clouding her comprehension. „I’ll have to use linseed

oil and wrap them in raw cotton.“

„You won’t do anything but go to bed,“ Nicholas said

grimly. „We’re heading back to St. Louis and they’ll get plenty

of medical help there.“

„No, I can – “

„Savron!“

The cry was a shriek of terror and Nicholas turned in his

seat to look back at the Mary L. The red glare of the fire on the

hurricane deck was mirrored on the waters. A dark head was

bobbing on the wavelets spread by the slowly sinking

riverboat. „Savron, help me!“

Bassinger!

Bassinger was clinging to one of the supports separating

the hurricane deck from the boiler deck, a rivulet of blood

running down his face from a cut on the temple. „Come back!

I can’t swim!“

Nicholas gazed at him, his face as hard and stone cold as

the men who had died on the Mary L this night. He turned and

looked at Silver sitting ramrod straight, bearing her pain and

exhaustion in silence.

He started to row again.

„Savron, come back.“ Bassinger’s voice rose to a panicky

screech. „You can’t leave me!“

„Can’t I?“ Nicholas took another long pull at the oar.

„Watch me.“ Then he remembered Silver’s words.

His voice was savage as he called back over his shoulder.

„Scream, you son of a bitch!“

Bassinger screamed, a piercing wail of terror in the night.

A moment later the Mary L slid slowly, sluggishly, beneath

the waters of the Mississippi.

Nicholas was sitting in the tufted olive wing chair beside,

the bed, the soft glow of the lamplight casting an aura of

radiance about his golden head. He was wearing dark blue

trousers and his white linen shirt was immaculate. He was

immaculate, Silver thought with resentment. It was unfair that

he look this faultlessly elegant when she felt so unkempt. She

found she was on her stomach and tried to roll over and voice

her displeasure.

„No.“ His hands were immediately on her shoulders,

keeping her from moving. „The doctor said there would be

less pain if you don’t rest on your back for a while.“

„You’re not dirty any longer.“

He smiled. „Neither are you. Your nurse cleaned you up

quite nicely.“ He straightened the sheet over her. „She thought

you quite a docile patient until the doctor told her he was

keeping you that way with morphine.“

„Morphine? I’ve been asleep?“

„For almost three days. We’ve been docked in St. Louis

since the night the Mary L went down.“

„The Mary L,“ she whispered. She closed her eyes and

then quickly opened them again as the horrifying visions of

that night came back to her. „How many were lost?“

„We don’t know exactly. At least four passengers and ten

crew members. Robert says it’s a miracle more didn’t perish.

Quite a few of the crew suffered bad burns.“ His face clouded.

„A few died after we docked here in St. Louis. We weren’t

able to move all the survivors to the hospital immediately so

the parish priest has been coming daily to hear confession and

give last rites.“

Silver swallowed. What a tragic loss of life Bassin-ger had

brought about. So much suffering. „I can help.“ She struggled

to a sitting position and started to toss the covers aside.

He stopped her again. „They don’t need your help. There

are any number of volunteer nurses watching over the victims,

and they’ll be moving the last of them to the hospital this

afternoon, You stay where you are.“

He stood up and poured a small quantity of water into a

goblet from a pitcher on the nightstand. He knelt beside her

and held the glass to her lips. „Drink. I’ve been moistening

your lips with water while you slept, but you have to be

thirsty.“

She was thirsty. She took a careful sip and then another.

„You’ve stayed here with me?“

He nodded. „Since we arrived in St. Louis and had ample

help for the survivors.“

She looked at him wonderingly. „Why?“

He deliberately gave her almost the same answer she had

given him in the saloon of the Mary L. „How could I leave?

You were still here.“

She could only stare at him as the silence resonated with

his words. She could feel her heart start to pound and she

moistened her lips with her tongue. His dark eyes were gentle,

deep, holding her gaze effortlessly. „I don’t understand you.“

„And I don’t understand you,“ he said softly. „But I think

it’s time we started. We’ve been strangers too long.“ He set the

goblet back on the nightstand but remained kneeling by her

side. „Tell me about Hell’s Bluff.“

She frowned in puzzlement. He had started to ask her

something about Hell’s Bluff in the carriage the night

Bassinger had forced her on board the Mary L. „Hell’s Bluff is

a mining town near Killara.“

„I know that,“ Nicholas said impatiently. „I want to know

about what happened there. You told Valentin you had never

met a count before, but that couldn’t have been true. You had

to have known Andre Marzonoff.“

„Andre Marzonoff? Well, I didn’t actually know him,“ she

said slowly. „And I forgot he was a count. It was a long time

ago.“

Nicholas looked away from her. „What do you mean, you

didn’t know him? You watched him die.“

„No, we were too late. Elspeth was there and tried to stop

it, but Dominic and I came too late. He was already dead when

we got to the hanging tree.“

„The hanging tree?“

„It’s a huge oak tree on the edge of Hell’s Bluff. Elspeth

found out that the vigilantes were going to lynch Marzonoff

and she was very upset. She told me they had become friends

and, if he had stolen a horse, it was because he didn’t

understand that it was wrong.“ Silver shook her head. „He

must have been very stupid.“

„He wasn’t particularly clever.“ Nicholas stopped to clear

his throat. „What connection did Dominic Delaney have with

the lynching?“

„He didn’t know anything about it. He was at Rina’s.“

„The madam?“

Silver nodded. „I ran to get him because I knew he could

stop the lynching if anyone could. I was afraid Elspeth would

get hurt and – “ She stopped. „You knew this Marzonoff?“

„He was my cousin.“

„Then I’m sorry I called him stupid. I didn’t really know

him, but anyone who would steal a horse in a town like Hell’s

Bluff must have been.“ She gazed at him, thinking hard. „It

was so long ago, but Elspeth said something….“

His gaze flew back to meet her own. „What?“

She bit her lower lip. „I just don’t remember. It wasn’t

important at the time. I think she said Mar-zonoff said

something about a Nicholas right before he died. I guess you’ll

have to ask her.“

„But I can’t ask her,“ he said dryly. „She’s in the company

of your elusive uncle.“

Her expression became wary. „And I won’t tell you where

he is.“

„That has been established.“ A corner of his lips curved in a

crooked smile. „It may no longer be necessary if you can tell

me why Charles Durbin would send me a letter telling me

Dominic Delaney was responsible for my cousin’s death.“

„Durbin!“ Silver’s eyes widened in surprise and then

glittered with anger. „Why, that yellow bastard.“

„You know the gentleman?“

„Dominic shot his son. It was a fair fight, but Durbin put a

price on his head anyway. When Elspeth told him she’d blow

his head off if he didn’t leave Dominic alone, he backed off

but – “

„The women of your family seem to be of a singularly

violent temperament.“

„He deserved it,“ Silver said fiercely. „He was probably

afraid to send any more bounty hunters after Dominic, so he

snooped around until he found out about your cousin and then

tried to get you to go after him. You couldn’t have been stupid

enough to believe anything that weasel told you?“

„If you recall, I had no acquaintance with Durbin or any of

you. I had to rely on the Randall Investigative Agency and

they – “

„Are fools,“ Silver said flatly.

„Exactly.“

„But you’re a fool, too, for not asking me before this. I

could have told you what happened.“

„I believe you swore you wouldn’t tell me anything,“

Nicholas said wearily. „And I would scarcely have trusted any

story you’d seen fit to regale me with when I first met you.

You told me yourself you would only lie to me.“

He was right, Silver thought. „But you believe me now?“

she whispered.

„Yes,“ he said quietly. „Because you also said you would

be honest with someone who had your respect. Whatever else

we feel, I think there’s no doubt that we’ve fought our way

through to respect for each other.“

There was silence in the room.

„Dominic didn’t want your cousin to die,“ she finally said

haltingly. „He would have saved him if he could have. Do you

understand?“

Nicholas gazed at her without answering.

„You can ask Elspeth.“ She hesitated, the ingrained distrust

of a lifetime struggling with instinct and the desire to ease his

troubled mind. Then she rushed on, „You can find her and

Dominic in Tyre. They’re going on one final expedition before

they go home to Killara.“

A sudden brilliant smile lit Nicholas’s face. „Thank you,

but I don’t think it will be necessary to see them. I know what

I came here to find out.“ His hand reached out and gently

stroked the dark hair at her temple. „Poor Silver, it wasn’t easy

to tell me this, was it? Neither one of us is very good at trust.“

His smile became bittersweet. „I suppose we’ve both learned

it’s safer not to let anyone too close.“

He was trying to tell her something beyond what his words

were conveying, but she couldn’t grasp what it was. They were

too far apart, she thought in despair. Strangers. She looked

away. „I can’t stay here. I have to get back to the circus.“

He frowned impatiently. „You can wait until you heal.“

„No.“ She clutched the sheet to her breasts. The burns on

her wrists were bandaged, she noticed absently. She had

forgotten about holding her wrists over the lantern flame to

free them. „I have to leave. I’ve been here too long as it is.

Etaine needs me.“

„Etaine?“

„Monteith’s daughter. She’s only a child and can’t fight

Monteith alone.“ She brushed her hair from her face, wincing

as the muscles rippled beneath the flesh of her lacerated back.

„She thinks he wants her dead and she may be right. Monteith

is capable of anything. Where are my clothes?“

„That bit of scarlet gauze you were wearing is in rags and I

haven’t procured any replacements yet.“

Nicholas’s eyes twinkled. „You could always try the bed

curtains again.“

„This isn’t funny. Etaine needs me.“ Silver’s hand

tightened on the sheet. „She has a lung affliction and – “

He placed his fingers on her lips to silence her. „I’m not

laughing,“ he said softly. „You say the child is in danger?

That’s not reasonable if the man is her father, Silver.“

„Just because he’s capable of begetting a child doesn’t stop

him from being a monster. He makes her go into a cage with

three lions every day of her life. Does that sound like a loving,

fatherly thing to do?“ she asked fiercely. „I promised her I’d

take her away from Monteith. I was going to wire Patrick and

ask him to send me a draft on a local bank. I thought Monteith

would give her up if I gave him enough money.“

„I don’t know. Monteith impressed me as being something

of a puzzle. Still, money might be the key.“ He stood up. „You

want the child?“

„Of course I want her. I just told you that I’ve made her a

promise. Now, get me something to wear.“

He shook his head. „You stay where you are. The doctor

said you should spend at least another week in bed. I have to

oversee the moving of more burned patients to the hospital,

but I’ll send Valentin to get your Etaine.“ He turned toward the

door. „Don’t worry, I’ll give Monteith enough money to be

sure he releases the girl to you.“

Silver gazed at him suspiciously. „Why should you do that?

Etaine is my problem.“ She paused. „I still won’t go to St.

Petersburg with you.“

He flinched. „I’m not without compassion for a helpless

child. I don’t demand my pound of flesh in every instance.“

She gazed at him, the frown still wrinkling her brow.

He laughed harshly. „My God, what do I have to do to

convince you? You want the child. I’m giving her to you. I’ll

give you any damn thing you want. As soon as you’re well you

can leave me and I won’t reach out a hand to stop you.“

„Why?“

„Why?“ he echoed incredulously. „I stood there and

watched Bassinger try to beat you to death, knowing I couldn’t

do a damn thing to stop him.“ His hands slowly closed into

fists at his sides. „I was helpless. I stood there muttering curses

and prayers.“ He paused. „And promises. One of those

promises was that if you lived, I’d release you and let you go

your own way.“

Silver experienced a strange throb of pain. He was giving

her what she had fought for so fiercely. How foolish to feel

this aching emptiness. „Guilt?“

He nodded, his lips twisting in a mirthless smile. „Oh, yes,

I’m capable of feeling guilt… and compassion… and many

other emotions besides lust and anger and a desire for revenge.

It’s unfortunate our association will end before I’m able to

demonstrate any of my more virtuous qualities.“ He.opened

the door. „Though you would probably only suspect me of

pretending to lure you into my bed again.“

„No,“ she said impulsively. Then when he looked at her in

surprise, she hesitated before continuing slowly. „You

wouldn’t pretend. I think you’re an honest man.“

He bowed mockingly. „Many thanks. I suppose I should be

grateful to be granted your trust in one area at least.“ He gazed

at her for a long moment, a multitude of expressions flickering

over his face. „I’ll send Valentin and the child to you as soon

as he returns.“

The door swung shut behind him.

Silver stared at the mahogany panels of the door for a long

time before she slowly turned to lie on her stomach, her cheek

nestled against the pillow. Her captivity was over. Soon she

would be free to take Etaine to Killara, where the child would

be safe. She should be wildly happy. She was happy. Naturally

her body would miss Nicholas, who had awakened it to

pleasure, but her heart would not miss him and she would

surely forget him in a few months.

Forget Nicholas? Forget his seductive golden beauty and

sorcerer’s smile? Forget the moments when she had glimpsed

tenderness behind that cynical facade?

Of course she would forget him. The tears running down

her cheeks were due only to temporary physical weakness, not

sadness. She must get on with her life, for there was no place

in Nicholas’s for her that she would accept.

She wiped her damp cheeks against the pillow. She must

plan her future, for she thought it quite possible that she would

have Nicholas’s child. If this was true, she must take measures

to protect that child. She had taken her pleasure, but the baby

must not be allowed to suffer for her recklessness. She must

leave the Rose as soon as Valentin returned with Etaine, but

there was something she had to do first.

But she would not worry about that now. She would rest

and gather strength and perhaps remember Nicholas’s face

when he had smiled at her. It could do no harm to indulge

herself when she would be leaving him so soon. Yes, she

would lie here and think of Nicholas….