“But not what we wanted to happen. What are we going to do?”

“We’ll work it out.” Shamus closed the account book on the desk. “Let me think about it for a while, darlin.’ ”

“I don’t want Dominic to leave again, Shamus,” she whispered. “I’m afraid every time he rides out of here that he won’t come back. I don’t want to lose another son.”

Shamus smiled reassuringly. “He won’t be leaving Killara, Malvina. Now, come over here and sit down and let’s talk it through. There’s nothing we can’t bring about if we work together.”

She slowly crossed the room and sat down on the chair next to the desk. He was right, she had been foolish to panic. They would solve this problem together as they had every one they’d ever confronted.

Shamus would think of something.

The knock on Elspeth’s door was light but firm, and the door opened before she was given a chance to answer.

A plump Mexican woman in her late thirties stood there, a broad smile on her face and a tray in her hands. “I am Rosa Gonzalez. Señora Delaney said you were very sore and must not come down to dinner. I brought you some of my soup and a glass of lemonade.”

Elspeth sat up in bed, her eyes widening in surprise. “Why, thank you. How very kind.” She reached for her dark blue robe and slipped it on over her flannel gown. “But you needn’t have done this. I’m not ill.”

Rosa stepped into the room and nudged the door shut with her shoulder. “It was no trouble. Are you less sore now?”

Elspeth nodded. “Silver rubbed me with something wonderfully soothing before she left to go back to her village.” She smiled. “At first I thought it was horse liniment, but it doesn’t smell at all terrible. Once you grow accustomed to the scent it’s even rather pleasant.”

Rosa came forward and set the tray on the table beside the bed. She sniffed. “Mint and maybe a touch of clover. That Silver is clever with her herbs. Once I had a very bad belly ache and she brewed me a drink that smelled like a dead gato but it stopped the pain.”

“I’ve found Silver clever at most things.”

Rosa turned to pluck the napkin from the tray. “I hope the soup won’t be too hot for you. I put many chili peppers in it.” She smiled tentatively. “I thought if you did not like it, the lemonade would cool you down.”

“I enjoy a touch of spice. As a child I lived for many months in India and became accustomed to exotic dishes.”

Rosa looked relieved. “That is good, I know the patrón and the señora want you to be very happy here at Killara. They would not be pleased with me if you did not like my cooking.”

“I enjoyed my dinner last night very much indeed,” Elspeth said gently. “And I’m sure this soup will be equally good.”

Rosa smiled uncertainly again and moved toward the door. “Good night, Señorita MacGregor.”

“Good night.” Elspeth gazed at the panels of the door after it had closed behind Rosa. The servant was obviously completely devoted to Shamus and Malvina and terribly afraid of displeasing them. Were all the vaqueros and servants equally loyal to the Delaneys? It must be like belonging to a wild highland clan to live with that kind of power. It was no wonder Dominic acted as if he were a law unto himself.

Well, day after tomorrow she wouldn’t have to worry about any of the Delaneys. She briskly swung her legs to the floor and reached for the white napkin on the tray and spread it on her lap. She picked up the spoon and dipped it into the fragrant soup.

15

The stairs stretched mountain-high before him, and Dominic knew he was going to have a head as big as a chamber pot in the morning. He shouldn’t have had that last drink with Da. For that matter, he shouldn’t have had that first drink with Da. His father had kept the bourbon flowing as freely as his arguments as to why Dominic should remain at Killara. If he wasn’t drunk, he was damn close to it.

He reached the top of the steps and moved slowly down the corridor. His gaze went automatically to the door at the end of the hall. The door to Elspeth’s room.

She would be lying in that big soft bed, her fair hair wild silk on the white pillow. He had warned her to lock her door. Had she done it? He paused outside his own room, feeling the familiar swelling of his manhood as he thought of how she had looked this afternoon with her breasts bare, cheeks rose-pink, eyes limpid. No matter what she said, she had wanted him. Heaven save him from pure, virtuous women. They were all liars whose greatest delight was the torment of men like him. From now on he would stay with the kind of women he knew something about.

Hell, maybe it was a good thing Da had kept filling his glass throughout the evening. He might be able to sleep tonight. If he wanted to sleep. He took an impulsive half step toward Elspeth’s door. Why not? he thought recklessly. The bourbon was setting off tiny fires in his veins, and he needed a woman. He had warned her that she was not safe from him.

He came to a stop even as he reached for the knob of the door. He was a fool. Why was he hesitating? Tomorrow he would ride out and perhaps never see her again. Why not take what had been withheld so long? He stood there for a full moment, his muscles tense and his heart beginning to pound. His hand slowly fell away from the knob and he returned to his own door. Yes, there was no question about it. He was a fool.

He entered his room, not bothering to light the lamp on the table beside the door. He stripped off his shirt, poured water into the basin on the washstand, and splashed water on his face. The cold shock cleared his head a little but did nothing to alleviate the turmoil in his body. He reached out blindly for the towel on the rack beside the washstand.