Dominic’s lips twitched. His father would as soon give up the burden of running Killara as he would give up his life. The rascal was positioning himself well in his first foray tonight. Dominic strolled toward the fireplace and seated himself in the wing chair opposite Shamus. “You have Josh. As you said, hes a good, steady man who eats, sleeps, and drinks Killara. You couldn’t hope to have anyone better at your side.”

“Yes, I could.” Shamus’s lids lifted to reveal keen blue eyes glinting sharply in the lamplight. “I could have you.”

Dominic instinctively braced himself and tried to keep his face expressionless. “No, you can’t have me. You don’t even need me with Josh around.”

“I do need you,” Shamus growled. “The other boys are fine, but they don’t have the hunger. They could keep Shamrock and Killara prospering, but they’d never reach out for more. Ever since you were a lad I’ve known that you had the same taste for power that I have. Together we could own the whole blame territory.” His voice was fierce with intensity. “Hell, we could own the world!”

Dominic laughed, his eyes dancing. “You mean I’m as greedy a son of a bitch as you?”

“A little honest greed never hurt anybody; that’s how empires are built. I’ve given you a fine start here with Killara and Shamrock. Why don’t you see what you can make of it all?”

The challenge was almost irresistible, the lure of home, the opportunity to take hold and build, the companionship of the people he loved. Jesus, he wanted it all so much he could taste it on his tongue like the bourbon he had just sipped. He gazed blindly down into the amber liquid in his glass. “There’s Patrick.”

There was a snort of impatience from Da. “Do you want me to go down the list? Patrick is too young, it will be years before he’s ready to take over. Sean and Cort are more interested in horsebreeding than cattle. God only knows when or where Falcon will turn up. He loves Killara, but he hasn’t spent more than a month here since the start of the war. Joshua is steady but-”

“I can’t.” The words were wrung from Dominic. “Do you think I don’t want to come home? God, I’d give my soul to-” He broke off and drew a deep, harsh breath. “It’s not possible.”

“Why?” His father pounced. “I bought you your damn pardon. It bled me white, but you’re a free man now.”

“I’m not a free man,” Dominic said. He took a hefty swallow of bourbon. He needed it. “You know why I can’t come back here. I told Patrick.”

“You told Patrick you were afraid that one of us would get hurt if Durbin sent his hired guns here.” His father was glaring at him. “Do you think we can’t protect our own? This country is mine, and, by God, anyone who comes here will learn it.”

“I can’t risk it.”

“Why the hell not?”

“No!” Dominic’s gaze met his father’s, his eyes blazing. “I know what can happen. I’ve seen it, dammit! And I’m not going to watch it happen again.”

Shamus went still, his eyes narrowed on Dominic’s face. “Watch what happen?”

Dominic drew a deep breath and leaned back in his chair. He should have known Da would claw until he got to the root of his resistance. “Two years ago I was in Virginia City. I was doing a little gambling, a little prospecting, anything that would keep me fed. It wasn’t a good time for me.” He looked down at the glass in his hand, recalling just how bad a time it had been for him. “I’d been on the run for eight years and there were times I almost wished I’d get caught, just to have it over. I was tired of moving from town to town, tired of never being safe, tired of never being able to get close enough to anyone to call him a friend. I met a young farmer in a saloon in town. His name was Sam Bergstrom, and I think he was the only man in Virginia City who didn’t want to strike it rich. All he wanted was enough money to buy a farm and bring his parents over from Sweden. He was a kid, not much older than Patrick. I liked him a lot and we became friends.” His hand tightened on the glass. “For a while it made life… bearable.”

“Only for a while?” Shamus asked quietly.

Dominic nodded jerkily. “I was stupid. I shouldn’t have taken the chance, but I wasn’t really thinking. Two bounty hunters showed up about a month later. They weren’t good enough with a gun to face me, so they decided to bushwhack me.” His lips twisted bitterly. “But not in Virginia City. The vigilantes were strong as hell there, and they didn’t take kindly to outright murder. One morning I got a note telling me to show up at a line shack outside of town or they’d blow Sam’s head off.” He finished the remaining bourbon in the glass in one swallow. “They’d heard in town that Sam was my friend and decided to use him as bait. They ambushed me on the way to the shack, but I’d been expecting it and got away from them. As I said, they weren’t very good. I went on to the shack and found Sam.” His words quickened, he wanted to get it over with. “They’d shot him in the head. I suppose he was just in the way and they’d decided to get rid of him. He was probably dead before they even wrote that note.” He closed his eyes. “God, he was only nineteen.”

“You killed them?”

“I killed them.” Dominic opened his eyes to reveal a chilling bleakness. “I left the shack and went after them, and I didn’t make it easy. It was the only time I’ve ever enjoyed taking a life.” He set his glass down on the table beside him. “Not that it did any good. Sam was dead and I couldn’t bring him back.”

Shamus was silent for a moment. “It’s not the same situation. The boy was helpless, and he wasn’t a Delaney. We can take care of ourselves.” He smiled grimly. “I’d like to see anyone come here and try to take you.”

Dominic shook his head. “Well, I wouldn’t like it, and it’s not going to happen.” He stood up. “I think I’ll go to bed. Good night, Da.”

“I’m not giving up, you know.”

“I know,” Dominic said softly. Da never gave up. It was one of the characteristics he admired most about his father. “And neither am I.”

Shamus smiled suddenly. “But I have all the aces, Dominic. You want to come homeland we want you here. I’ll find a way to keep you at Killara, where you belong.” His eyes were narrowed thoughtfully. “I already have a few ideas on how I’m going to do it.”

Dominic shook his head in amusement as he strolled toward the door. “I’m leaving in three days and going back to Hell’s Bluff. That doesn’t give you much time.”

“Time enough.” Shamus’s voice took on silkiness as he continued. “By the way, Patrick didn’t tell you the complete price of that pardon I had to buy for you. I didn’t choose to tell him or the rest of the family just how greedy those politicians in the governor’s office turned out to be.”

Dominic stopped as if he’d been struck by a bullet. He turned around and gazed silently at Shamus. Waiting.

“I had to take a mortgage out on Killara,” Shamus said softly, not looking at Dominic. “A very large mortage.”

“God,” Dominic whispered.

Shamus’s gaze rose to meet his son’s. “We could lose Killara. It needs every one of us to keep it alive, to keep it growing.” He smiled with catlike satisfaction as he saw how upset Dominic was. “You might keep that thought in mind during the next three days, son.” He stood up. “I believe I’ll go to bed too. An old man like me needs his rest. Are you planning on going back to Shamrock tomorrow?”

“Yes,” Dominic said absently, his thoughts on the news with which his father had just bludgeoned him. A mortgage. Even the thought of some pompous banker’s hands on Killara made him sick to his stomach.

“Why don’t you stay here and show Miss MacGregor around Killara instead? They don’t need your help over there.” Shamus turned out the lamp and the room was suddenly plunged into darkness. “You know, I believe I like her. At first I thought she was a little too missish for a man like you, but I’ve changed my mind. She has more to her than you’d think from a first look.”

Dominic couldn’t see his father’s face in the dark but his tone was entirely too casual. He agreed warily. “Yes, she does.”

His father passed him, surefooted and certain as a cat, and opened the door to the hall. “A woman is a strange creature. Sometimes she thinks she wants one thing and she really wants another. Did you know that our firstborn, Rory, was three months on the way when Malvina and I went before the priest?”

The inference was clear. There would be no interference, only approval, if he chose to bed Elspeth in his father’s house. The knowledge sent heat tingling through him. First the shock of the mortgage on Killara and then this tacit permission to soothe the lust that had been tormenting him since he had first set eyes on Elspeth. Da was charging ahead with his usual ruthlessness, striking at him where he was weakest. “No, I don’t believe you ever mentioned that fact.”

Shamus’s chuckle drifted back to him as he began to climb the stairs. “I thought it time I did. Good night, Dominic.”

Dominic stood in the dark hall, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. Da had no intention that he should sleep well this night. He wanted him to lie awake worrying about Killara and then think about Elspeth lying in the room next door, and he had accomplished his goals with his usual satanic skill. Dominic deliberately forced his hands to open and relax. He drew a deep breath and headed across the hall, then up the stairs.

He had reached the top step when Rising Star’s door opened and a figure in white drifted out into the hall carrying a candle in a copper holder. At first he thought it was Rising Star, and then the woman closed the door and turned, the flickering light illuminating the pale brown of her hair. Elspeth.

She saw him at almost the same moment, and froze, her eyes wide and startled in the pool of golden light formed by the candle. “Hello.” Her voice was breathless, the words hesitant. “I hope your brothers are well. Did you have a pleasant day?”