Blood and Dust Read online

  Branson eyeballed the man's greenbacks, thinking he just hit paydirt, and intending on lightening the man's load of folding money before the night was over. But, when he lifted his gaze and looked the man in the eye, he froze. The man's eyes were black as coal. An air of death emanated from him. Branson felt it seep into his bones as though he gazed at the face of the devil himself.

  "I see I have your attention," the man drawled with a sly smile. "I need your help with something."

  Branson downed another glass. "I'm listnin'."

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Bri glanced at the darkening sky. Picturesque colors of red, purple and blue followed the sun's departure.

  "The night is beautiful," she said.

  Turning to Brody, she found him staring at her, his green eyes darkening with the fading light. After a moment, he tipped back his head and gazed at the sky. "Yep, sure is," he replied before turning back to her with a broad smile.

  The flickering lights of town came into view as they rode forward. Bri's imagination had her wondering what Fort Worth would be like. She'd been to a few towns along the way from Chicago to Texas, but never stayed for very long. Her father stopped only long enough for supplies, and to acquire another guide when theirs decided not to go any further. Each time that happened she wondered why the men had changed their minds. Though her father paid them handsomely, something turned them away, overpowering their urge to earn a substantial amount of money.

  "Is there any particulars you be needin' at the general store? I'm sure B.C. Evans' Dry Goods has ladies' fixin's."

  Bri smiled inwardly again at his kindness. "No," she replied, shaking her head. "You brought back plenty of my things to keep me comfortable for awhile."

  "Ever been to Fort Worth?"

  Bri hadn't been anywhere in Texas besides lost. "No."

  A long sigh passed Brody's lips. "Well, it's got a reputation. I wanted to warn you 'bout what you may be gettin' a gander of."

  Bri raised an eyebrow, wondering what he was going to tell her about the town.

  "They call it 'Cowtown' 'cause cattle drivers take a layover here, and parts here be known as Hell's Half Acre."

  "Sounds ominous," she said with a grin.

  Brody returned her grin and nodded. "I reckon you could say that. Not rightly hospitable for most folk."

  Bri almost laughed at the delicate way Brody attempted to describe Hell's Half Acre to her. From reading tales about the place after her father had said they were headed for Texas, she knew exactly what type of place that part of town was. "Have you been to Hell's Half Acre, Brody?" Bri noticed Brody jerk slightly at the question, then fidget as though the answer made him uncomfortable. She stifled a giggle at putting him on the spot.

  "A time or two." Short and clipped came his answer. He also didn't look at her when he voiced it.

  Bri should have guessed his answer. A handsome man who rode the trail as long as any of his men, it stood to reason he would desire to see to his needs every once in awhile. He was a man after all, she reasoned. His answer should not have put a knot in her stomach, but it did. Besides, she should not have asked the question if she did not like the answer, she mentally berated.

  * * * *

  Brody noticed Bri went silent after he answered her question. He had been to Hell's Half Acre a time or two and he'd been truthful about it as lying wasn't his nature. Wasn't that what most unattached men did when out on the trail for weeks and even months? Why did he feel guilty about it now? He hadn't known Bri then. The two of them were not courting. He fancied her right enough, but what were her feelings for him?

  Brody turned his horse toward the town's main street. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Bri taking it all in.

  They passed the town's Post Office. Brody made a mental note to stop in after Bri remembered where to reach her pa's business partner to let the man know of her pa's death, and her current situation. The thought of having to say goodbye and leaving her in this town while he continued on the cattle drive ate at his insides.

  "Up yonder's a nice hotel. They serve eats in the kitchen."

  When Bri nodded, he continued on to the hotel.

  * * * *

  Brody dismounted and tied the reins to the hitching post. Before Bri could blink she felt his strong hands on her waist as she swung her leg over the saddle. His touch made her skin tingle and she enjoyed the sensation.

  "Thank you," she breathed. Bri could tell she blushed from the heat she felt in her cheeks. A sly grin crossed his face, melting her all the way to her toes. Bri blinked and had to turn away, switching her focus to her travel bag to regain her composure. Every time they were face-to-face, she couldn't stop imagining him taking her into his arms and kissing her senseless.

  "I'll be toten' that for you," Brody said as he leaned around where she stood and grabbed her bag, brushing against her as he did so.

  Bri surveyed the hotel. "This looks pleasant enough," she said as she lifted the hem of her dress and stepped onto the hotel's porch.

  A pair of chairs sat unoccupied in the corner. Bri imagined two older gentlemen resting in those chairs, watching folks pass by. Following Brody inside, Bri stood in the lobby and glanced around the room. She found it open and inviting. The woodwork gleamed as if recently oiled.

  Feeling a tug on her arm, Bri turned her attention to where a young man fidgeted behind a counter. She figured he probably wasn't used to greeting guests at the desk alone.

  "We'll be havin' two rooms for the evenin', please," Brody told the young man who nodded, then made a notation in the guest register before handing it to Brody.

  Bri watched the elegant movements of Brody's large, rough hands as he signed the paper in two spaces then removed money from his pocket and placed it on the desk.

  "Bring a tub to Miss Wallace's room."

  Brody turned to Bri, and she noticed a twinkle in his eyes. He looked pleased to be here with her, which made her feel warm inside. "I'm gonna have a shave and hot bath at the bath house, then join up with you in the dinin' hall in 'bout an hour."

  "Alright," she said. "Enjoy your bath."

  She watched Brody turn and walk out the door, his leisurely swagger making her forget everything and everyone else around her until she heard the young man clear his throat. Bri turned to see the young man standing by the stairs with her bag in his hands.

  "Right this way, ma'am."

  Ducking her head to hide her embarrassment, she walked to the staircase and followed the man to her room.

  The room was clean and the bed was soft. Bri stretched out on her back and gazed at the ceiling. The last couple of days have surely been an adventure, she thought to herself, half amused and half exhausted, both mentally and physically. How had her life managed to get so turned upside down? Trevor. Yes, Trevor was the cause, her mind replied. He had always been the cause of their family uprooting at the drop of a hat.

  Bri flung her arm over her eyes. It hurt to think of the lengths her father had gone to keep them safe, and how hard he had worked to make sure they had lived their lives at ease without fear of being discovered.

  A knock at the door made her jump.

  "Yes?"

  "Yer' tub ma'am," a croaky voice called from behind the painted wood.

  Bri rose from the bed. Opening the door wide, she stepped aside as two boys carried in a large tub. After placing the tub on the floor, they left the room, only to return moments later with buckets of hot water.

  Bri thanked them. Both boys blushed, which she attributed to their youth.

  After retrieving her wash cloth and the rose petal soap she had brought from England, she undressed and settled into the tub, wanting to soak away her troubles. She had only this one night left with Brody. One night to be happy again.

  Bri knew there was something between them. She could see it in his eyes when he looked at her. Looking and acting upon are two different things.

  A long sigh signaled her agreement with the thought. Even if Brody did
have the slightest feelings for her, that didn't mean he would stay with her tonight, or any other night for that matter. He was leaving tomorrow, and she wasn't. She was going back to living in solitude and hiding among the shadows with no money and no possessions save what she had in her travel bag. She was in a real fix.

  Brody said he would arrange for someone to fetch her things from the wagon and to deliver them here.

  Bri wondered if Trevor had taken all of her father's money and everything else of value. She hoped there was something left she could sell. Maybe she could purchase a small piece of land and have a tiny cabin built. All she needed was shelter from the light of day and a few odds and ends to make life bearable.

  * * * *

  The water felt warm and soothing. Brody couldn't hold back the groan that escaped as he laid head against the rim of the deep tub. It had been several weeks since he'd had the luxury of a sit-down bath, and he planned on enjoying every minute of it.

  Closing his eyes, images of Bri appeared on the back of his eyelids. What was it about her had him all balled up? Everything. Yes, that was true. The woman was not only beautiful beyond words, she had grit, was pleasurable to talk to, educated, set among society, destined to marry someone of worth . . . Brody, you're off your nut. She's not for you.

  Brody sighed, then let himself sink under the water to drown his sorrow. His conscience was right. Bri deserved so much more than a dusty rancher who rode the trail. She needed fancy gowns with dinners and dances to attend. She needed theater and carriage rides through the park. He knew all about those things, not firsthand, but from tales his ma had told him as a child.

  Brody thought about his parents. They had come from England to see the new world and had settled in Texas to follow a dream of her pa's -- cattle ranching.

  Brody let out a breath, hearing the bubbles as they broke through the surface of the water, and wondered what had made his pa want to become a rancher.

  Brody knocked lightly on the door to Bri's room. When the door opened the scent of roses wafted over him. He couldn't help but close his eyes and inhale. Opening them, he found Bri standing in front of him as she held the door. He noticed her fidget nervously from one foot to another as if waiting for him to speak.

  Brody cleared his throat. "I waited downstairs a spell and when you didn't show, I figured I'd check to make sure you be alright."

  A small smile of embarrassment slid across Bri's face which made him want to pull her into his arms. She was fragile, yet strong enough to go up against a wildcat. She was young, yet her eyes held wisdom as if she had lived more than her share of years.

  "I fell asleep in the bath. I'm sorry to have kept you waiting. I will be ready in a moment . . . as soon as I braid my hair."

  Brody entered the room and closed the door behind him. He was careful to stay by the door, because if he entered the room fully he would surely strip her naked and toss her on the bed.

  When Bri bent over to wipe water that had pooled on the floor beside the tub, Brody had to clench his jaws before he either groaned from the pressure of his growing erection against his pants, or growled at the sight of her round bottom pointed in his direction.

  Unable to take anymore, Brody moved forward. "Here, let me do that whilst you tend to your hair."

  Bri straightened and looked at him curiously before handing over the drying cloth. She removed her brush from her travel bag and began with long, slow strokes. Brody had thought the scent of her soap to be enough to drive him mad, but that long, beautiful, silk mane of hers was making his fingers itch to sift through the ebony strands the way her brush was doing at that very moment.

  He sat perfectly still, watching each stroke until she stopped and turned her face to him. The sudden movement broke the spell, and he quickly resumed the job of wiping up the puddles of water.

  Heat flooded his neck and his ears. What in tarnation? Embarrassed? He had never been embarrassed over watching a woman a day in his life! Man was he ever in a fix. If he didn't get back on the trail, and soon, he was going to do something stupid like fall in love with Brianna Wallace, a woman totally out of his grasp.

  When Brody finished sopping up the water with the towel he stood and turned to Bri to find she had braided her hair and had wound it in a circle at the nape of her neck. A pair of pearl combs held it in place. The smile on her face as she stood before him, as if ready for his inspection, stole his breath.

  "Beautiful." The only word Brody could force from his lips. The sight of her seemed to keep him addled.

  Bri giggled behind fingers that touched her lips. The same ones he wanted to kiss, to taste.

  "Shall we?" Brody stepped forward and held out his arm. Once Bri's slender hand rested on his bicep, he escorted her to the door and down to the dining hall.

  * * * *

  The dining hall was full. Seated in the middle of the room, Bri found herself surrounded by talking, laughter, the clink of utensils, and a few bodily noises she knew most folks believed to be a sign of a good meal.

  An older woman approached. She wore an apron over her cotton dress. Her hair was piled high on top her head and her face flushed from the heat of the kitchen. "Evenin' folks. There's fried chick'n, dumplin's, beans, and pie for de'sert."

  Bri's stomach almost growled aloud while the woman spoke of the meal choices for the night.

  "Sounds like a mighty fine meal." Brody turned his attention to Bri. "Care for lemonade or sweet tea?"

  "Oh, sweet tea would be fine." The room wobbled a bit. Bri realized she had gone far too long without blood. She quickly caught the woman's attention just as she'd turned to leave. "May I make a request of my chicken?" Bri hesitated a moment as the woman waited for her to continue. "I wish to have my chicken not fully cooked."

  The woman's eyebrows rose.

  Bri turned to Brody with a nervous smile. "I like my chicken moist and full of flavor."

  After a few moments, the woman nodded and walked away, heading for the kitchen.

  Making busy with her napkin, Bri waited. She had a feeling Brody had more questions to ask her.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Brody thought Bri's request to have her chicken not fully cooked to be a mite strange, but then again, she wasn't from this country. He figured where she was from such things were probably normal.

  Racking his brain for conversation, Brody blurted the first thing that came to mind. "You smell right nice, Bri. Like a field of flowers." Stupid.

  Bri smiled, evidentially pleased with his compliment. A few moments of silence passed before Bri spoke. "Where are you going after you leave Fort Worth?"

  Leaving. He had managed to push the thought out of his mind for a little while, and hated she brought it up. Leaning back in his chair, Brody folded his hands together on the table. "We'll leave out in the mornin' to get the broad horns to the shippin' pens in Kansas."

  He watched Bri lower her eyes once again and continue to fidget with her napkin. Brody thought he saw sadness in her face before she looked away, but dismissed it, telling himself it was only because she would be alone in town. Nothing more.

  Their meal arrived. None too soon, Brody thought, as the silence between them had become uncomfortable.

  Minutes into the meal, Brody looked up from his plate and watched Bri as she enjoyed her food. Though obviously hungry, he noticed she did her best to retain her social graces, taking the daintiest of bites and chewing them thoroughly.

  Her lips were glossy with moisture and he wanted desperately to lean over the table and taste the meal on the soft petals. His eyes followed her fork as she lifted it to her mouth. Something he caught sight of stunned him. Brody blinked quickly to make sure his imagination had not once again run riot. Two long, pearly white fangs were visible in Bri's mouth as her lips parted to receive the morsel of meat.

  Brody dismissed it as pure nonsense.

  When Bri glanced up at him, she stopped in mid-chew and swallowed quickly. "Is something wrong?"

  Brody rea
lized he stared. He cleared his throat. "No, uh, aren't you gonna eat your beans? They keep you strong and healthy." He smiled widely at her, thankful for his quick thinking.

  Laughing softly, she shook her head. Brody had figured she wouldn't. He had first-hand knowledge the affect the Mexican whistlers had on his ranch hands while on the trail. He wasn't immune to them himself.

  Brody almost laughed at the thought of a woman trying to remain composed and proper when the ill effects of the beans hit her insides.

  * * * *

  After the meal, Bri was elated when Brody asked if she cared to take a walk along the town's main street.

  Bri's hand rested lightly on Brody's forearm. In the distance, she heard a coyote howl. Another answered the call. A gentle breeze kissed Bri's face as it passed, and she couldn't stop herself from closing her eyes, tilting her head back slightly, and inhaling the night air. This was her time; when her body came alive. She always had the urge to roam at night and was glad for the walk.

  Her mind replayed the last couple of days and how her life had changed. She had not been alone, and enjoyed good food and conversation. There had been the anticipation of awaking the next day just to see Brody again. But, despite her current happiness, she knew it would not last.

  The night breeze increased in strength, making the hem of her dress ruffle. Bri got an uneasy feeling, one which made the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. Trevor. Her brother was here -- somewhere in Fort Worth. She scanned the town in all directions, but didn't catch even the slightest glimpse of him. Bri couldn't dismiss the voice telling her he lurked in the shadows, watching.

  Thunder rumbled in the distance, catching their attention.

  "Reckon we best be gettin' indoors," Brody said, his gaze going to the sky.