It's bleeding some."

"Through and through, I think. I can still move the shoulder joint.

Help me sit u--" Vance caught movement out of the corner of her eye, rolled onto her side, and fired at the man who was pointing a rifle at Jessie's back. He groaned, fell to his knees, and then dropped face first into the dirt. "At least it's wasn't my gun arm."

When the pain surged again, she closed her eyes and let the sound of battle slip away.

v Kate found Jessie on the back porch, staring into the dark yard with a half-empty glass of whiskey in her hand. Coming up behind her, Kate put her arms around Jessie's waist and rested her cheek between her shoulder blades. "You shouldn't be standing on that leg, darling."

"It's fine, Kate. I've had worse after an afternoon in the corral."

"That might be, but it's a fresh wound and I don't want it bleeding again." It had taken her the better part of the evening to convince herself that Jessie wasn't badly injured. When she'd watched the cowboys' return, one leading a riderless horse, she'd thought her heart would stop. Then she'd seen Jessie on Star with Vance slumped in front of her, and she'd been able to breathe again. Until she'd seen the blood soaking Vance's shirt and heard Mae's agonized cry. "It's after midnight. You need to come to bed."

Jessie drank the whiskey down in one swallow and set the glass on the railing. She covered Kate's arms with hers, welcoming the warmth against her back. The sky was inky black, cloudless. Stars glittered like chips of diamonds. She felt so cold inside. "It was a night like this last fall when I was waiting for you to come to me. We were going to leave all this and run away. Remember that?"

"How could I not?" Kate gently drew her arms from beneath Jessie's and turned her lover to face her. She pressed both hands to Jessie's chest and leaned against her, searching her face. "What troubles you so?"

"Two people died today. It was my decision to go up there." Jessie sighed. "I knew it was right when I left here last night. I don't know why it doesn't feel that way just now."

Kate smiled softly and stroked Jessie's cheek. "Because life means something to you, and even though you did the right thing, protecting what's ours, it hurts to take a life."

"They fired first."

"Yes," Kate said gently. "And you protected yourself. And Vance protected you." She laid her cheek on Jessie's chest. "It takes a strong will to live in this land. Most people couldn't. It breaks them--destroys their dreams or corrupts their hearts. You have a good heart. I trust it.

I trust you."

Jessie tightened her hold and closed her eyes as tears trembled on her lashes. "I'd have no heart at all without you," she whispered, her voice rough and shaking. "If I hadn't found you, I don't know that I could have lived my life out here, or anywhere, without becoming one of those people dying from broken dreams. I need you, Kate." She shivered. "So much."

"I knew from the first moment I saw you that you would change my life." Kate kissed Jessie and smoothed her tears away. "I knew in that instant that this was where I belonged, in this land, with you. I promise you will always have my heart, as I have yours."

"You think Mae will ever forgive me?"

"She loves you. She will."


CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

Mae watched Vance sleep. She turned the lamp down so low the wick threatened to gutter and go out. There was very little moon, and although the sound of Vance's steady breathing was comforting, she feared the dark this night. She couldn't remember the last time there was something she'd wanted so badly the thought of losing it made her scream inside. When she'd seen Vance slumped against Jessie, her face ashen, her white shirt soaked with blood, she'd known what dying felt like. Carefully, she reached over and brushed damp, dark strands of sweat-soaked hair from Vance's forehead.

Vance's lids flickered and she muttered hoarsely, "Mae?"

"Right here, sweetheart."

"Might you have some water?" Vance tried unsuccessfully to sit up but found that her limbs were strangely sluggish. Her left arm, especially, was an agonized mass of muscle and bone. She reached over, discovered the empty place where she knew her hand should be, and groaned.

"Shh, love," Mae crooned. "It's going to be all right." She settled carefully onto the bed next to Vance and slipped her arm behind her, taking care to support her back away from the area of the bandaged shoulder. "I've got water here. Let me raise your head."

Vance drank thirstily. The tepid water tasted like ambrosia. Mae's voice sounded like beautiful music. "Arm's gone."

"Yes," Mae said, tears nearly forcing her throat closed around the word.

"Remember now." Vance opened her eyes and focused on Mae's worried face. "Appomattox."

"No justice, is there?" Mae deposited the glass on the bedside table and stroked Vance's cheek. "That happening to you the last battle of the war."

"I don't know." Vance grimaced. "Divine justice?"

"Can't see why a hero should be rewarded that way."

"I'm no hero."

"You are." Mae kissed her tenderly. "And you're going to be all right. Caleb was here."

"What did he say?"

"That you were lucky, which all of us already knew." Mae settled her free arm around Vance's waist, caressing her gently, reassuring herself that Vance was really awake and with her. "The bullet missed all the important things, apparently. He said you'd feel weak for a spell, but there's no more damage to your arm that he could see."

"Damn thing hurts like it did right after I was first shot. Hasn't felt like that for half a year." Vance grinned crookedly. "Better than getting the other arm shot up, though."

"It would've been a damn sight better if neither one of them got shot up," Mae said fiercely, but her eyes, soft with concern, belied her anger.

"Wasn't my intention." Vance put all her effort into raising her right arm and found Mae's hand where it rested on her chest. She squeezed, surprised at how weak her grip seemed. "Sorry if I worried you."

Mae laughed, a sound that bordered on a sob. "Scared me half to death. Don't do it again."

"It will be my solemn endeavor not to." Vance took a deep breath, feeling a little stronger with each moment. "How's Jessie? Her leg okay?"

"Kate and I had gotten you both cleaned up before Caleb got here.

He says she needs to be careful riding for a few days, but no real harm done."

Vance closed her eyes. "That's good." Suddenly, she stiffened.

"What time is it?"

"Why, I don't know exactly. Going on toward one, I imagine."

When Vance tried once more to sit up, Mae said sharply, "Here now, stop that. You'll start something bleeding."

"Won't you be missed back in town? I don't want you bringing trouble on yourself because of me." Frustrated, she raked her hand through her hair. "Especially when I'm laid up and can't be there to look after--"

"I sent a note round to Frank with Caleb telling him that I was sick in bed out here at Kate's. That will buy me another day or so." Mae took Vance's face gently between her fingers and waited until Vance met her gaze. "You'll have to get used to me caring for you, just like you look after me."

"I'll not have anyone hurt you again," Vance whispered. "Especially because of me."

Mae smiled and kissed Vance. "I can see that the things I love about you are also the things that are going to vex me to tears."

Vance grinned. "Love me?"

"Oh yes," Mae whispered. "I love you just about beyond reason."

Suddenly serious, Vance brought Mae's hand to her lips and kissed her palm gently. "For just a minute out there today--yesterday--I thought I was back at Appomattox. It hurt so much. Milton, my friend, was dead because of me. I knew Lee's soldiers were coming, and if I didn't die before they reached me, they'd probably shoot me where I lay. I expected to die and I didn't really mind."

Mae's heart thundered painfully, but she kept silent, knowing it was time for this wound to be purged.

"I got confused for a minute out there," Vance said, remembering the sweat and the pain and the soul-deep weariness. "I was ready to let go of everything, just to stop the hurt."

"Sweetheart," Mae whispered brokenly, kissing her forehead and holding her as closely as she dared without causing her injured shoulder more pain.

"But then Jessie reminded me of the one thing that mattered."

Vance lay her head on Mae's breast. "She reminded me of you, and I realized I had the best reason of all for living." Mae's heart pulsed strong and steady beneath her cheek, and Vance felt the promise of happiness in every beat. "I love you." She tilted her head back and smiled into Mae's eyes. "You're all the reason I'll ever need."

"I never thought to have love like this in my life, not even when I was young enough to still believe that love existed. Not like this. Not all the way through me, in every breath I take."

"You can believe it." Vance held Mae's hand to her own heart. "I promise."


***********

Jessie peeked in the open door of the upstairs bedroom. Vance was asleep. Mae sat beside the bed, watching Vance with an expression of such tenderness on her face that Jessie was embarrassed to intrude. As she started to turn away, a soft voice said, "She's worn out. You'll not wake her."

Jessie turned back and waited while Mae quietly rose and crossed the room to her. In a whisper, she asked, "How is she feeling?"