Wes nodded in response to her request, but for a moment he just wanted to be near. And from the way she leaned against him, he guessed she wanted the same thing. All night, he’d watched her work beside Victoria. The only time he’d touched her had been when he’d covered her up after she’d fallen asleep.

Every time he’d entered the room, his gaze had been drawn to her, as if he had to locate her before the world was in balance.

‘‘I missed you,’’ he whispered next to her ear.

‘‘I’ve been right here,’’ she answered.

His free hand cupped her chin, and he turned her face to the sun. ‘‘Not near enough.’’

Just as he lowered his lips to hers, he heard it. Silence.

Wes froze, an inch away from her mouth. Slowly, he turned his head.

Every man in the place silently stared at Allie.

He felt her fear. Her grip on his fingers tightened. She moved closer, as if she could vanish against him.

‘‘What is it?’’ he snapped, angry that they’d frightened her. In truth, he’d forgotten the ‘‘Old Guard’’ the minute she’d touched his hand.

But none of them answered. Several removed hats. A few walked closer without taking their gaze off Allie. One even scrubbed his eyes with the back of a dirty hand as if trying to improve his sight.

‘‘They see it,’’ Gideon whispered from behind Wes. ‘‘They all do. They see Victoria reflected in her face.’’

Wes leaned down. ‘‘It’s all right,’’ he said to Allie. ‘‘You’ve nothing to be afraid of.’’

She straightened. ‘‘I’m not afraid.’’ Her grip didn’t lessen on his hand, but the touch of stubbornness was back.

Wes faced the army. ‘‘Gentlemen,’’ he almost choked on the word, ‘‘I’d like you to meet Allie, my wife. We need your help protecting her and the others here within these walls.’’

The man who’d said he’d been a colonel marched toward Wes. ‘‘Luther Ashford Attenbury, reporting for assignment.’’ His words were for Wes, but his gaze never left Allie’s face.

He drew a saber from his waist and saluted Allie in true cavalry style.

The one-eyed man was next. He tipped his slouch hat and mumbled, ‘‘Dillon, ma’am. My folks were too poor to give me two names. Just Dillon. I’m at your service. All you have to do is call.’’

One by one, the others followed, most using titles that had prefaced their names years ago. A marshal, a sergeant, a scout, a captain.

There was no need for Allie to comment. They were not meeting her, only pledging allegiance to her with their introductions.

Wes helped her down from the fountain ledge and walked toward the house. He knew he’d have no trouble with passing out assignments when he returned. Their love for Victoria spilled over to Allie.

He walked past Katherine as he entered the hallway. ‘‘You two will not get away with passing her off as my sister’s granddaughter.’’ Her words were layered in hate.

‘‘I’m not trying to get away with anything. Allie doesn’t want the Catlin money. You and Michael can have it all when the old woman dies, provided she doesn’t outlive you both,’’ he shouted over his shoulder as he hurried to reach Hardy. ‘‘Just stay out of my way.’’

Katherine didn’t have time for rebuttal. She stopped at the doorway as though she’d been banned from the sickroom. Her brittle frame stood rigid a moment, looking as though she might storm the place, then she vanished.

Victoria raised her head at the sound of Wes’s footsteps. ‘‘Mr. McLain. Maxwell wishes to talk to you.’’

Without the use of a cane, Victoria moved away from the bed that had been made on a couch.

Wes knelt on one knee. ‘‘Maxwell?’’

The old man smiled. ‘‘Thanks for bringing me.’’ His voice barely passed his lips. ‘‘Allie will be safe here. There’s no way into the compound unless someone unbolts a door from the inside. With a few guns you could hold off an attack.’’

Wes agreed.

‘‘You met the Old Guard?’’

‘‘I met them.’’

‘‘Good, make sure one of them is at every entrance every hour, night and day. Let no other take a watch. Trust none but the Old Guard. There are several young hands I saw around when we came last time that I don’t know.’’

‘‘I already figured that out. I’ll keep them busy with the horses.’’ Wes had thought he’d have to use the male servants for a turn at watch. But once he saw Victoria’s army, he’d changed his mind.

‘‘Michael won’t come, but he might send someone. There are enough men out of work who’ll do anything for a price, even kill a woman. Keep Allie by your side whenever she isn’t in this room.’’

Maxwell patted his side. ‘‘I got Allie to put my pistol right here. If anyone should get this close, he’ll never leave the room.’’ Even injured, the sheriff hadn’t lost sight of his mission. ‘‘With the doors open I have a clear view of the hallway and stairs.’’

‘‘I’ll station the guards, then I’m going to get a few hours’ sleep.’’ Nights without rest started to catch up to Wes. ‘‘It could be a long night ahead.’’

Hardy touched his arm. ‘‘Tell Jason to find Crandall Cutler. He likes kids more than most and loves to talk about horses. He’ll keep the boy busy and safe.’’

‘‘Thanks.’’ Wes glanced at Jason sitting in the windowsill.

The boy nodded and hurried out, thankful to have been freed.

Thirty minutes later, Wes asked Victoria if she had a place he could bed down for a while. The old woman hadn’t said a word about the possibility of Allie truly being her granddaughter, but he’d learned there was little the blind woman missed.

‘‘The second room off the stairs has been made ready for you and Allie.’’ Victoria sat beside Maxwell while he slept, showing no sign of needing to rest herself. ‘‘The door next to mine.’’

Wes climbed the stairs, too tired to think about anything but closing his eyes. He didn’t bother striking a light when he noticed the windows were closed and shuttered. He pulled off his gun belt and boots. Now, while Victoria’s army was fresh, would be a good time to sleep. He figured if an advance came, it would probably be in the night hours. Michael seemed the type.

Stretching out on the quilt, Wes folded an arm over his eyes to block the thin rays of sun shining through the shutters. All he needed to do was let out a breath and he’d be sound asleep.

‘‘Wes?’’ Allie whispered from the doorway. ‘‘The sheriff told me to stay close to you. Can I stay in here?’’

He stretched out his arm in welcome. ‘‘Come along, Blue Eyes.’’

He’d expected her to slip into bed as she always did, quietly. He’d noticed a small step stool had been put on her side to make climbing onto the high bed easier. But she jumped forward in a mighty leap, tumbling against him as she bounced.

Opening his eyes, he laughed. ‘‘You’re a hard woman to get in bed.’’

‘‘I’ve been waiting to be alone with you. You should have told me you were coming up to our room. I would have followed.’’

He leaned back against the pillows. ‘‘I didn’t figure you’d be too tired, the way you were curled up in that overstuffed chair for several hours early this morning.’’

‘‘I’m not sleepy.’’ She sat cross-legged beside him and wiggled until she felt comfortable.

Wes opened his eyes once more, thinking he was getting to the point of being too tired to hear. If she wasn’t sleepy, why was she here?

Allie sat facing him, calmly unbuttoning her blouse. ‘‘I’ve been waiting for you to touch me again. You said you would.’’

She had the nerve to look like she requested a favor. Her huge eyes stared at him, as if she were bracing herself to be disappointed. ‘‘You will, won’t you? Touch me like you did before we left the station? You said we could do it when we were alone.’’

Wes’s blood pumped from dead-tired slow to full gallop in one heartbeat. All he could do was stare as the top of her dress fell away. He told himself he had to stay alert to protect her, and in order to do that, he needed a little sleep. But he could see the outline of her entire body as she slipped from her dress. The undergarments were wrinkled from having been pressed against her and now, even without the dress, held their place.

‘‘Would you like me to take off more?’’ she asked as though trying to encourage him to keep his promise. ‘‘I don’t mind you watching me undress now that I know that’s the way it is between husband and wife.’’

He couldn’t believe what she said. He must already be dreaming. He found it impossible to fathom that all night, while he’d been pacing, she’d been thinking of asking him to touch her again.

Raising his hand, he lowered first one of her straps,then the other. The camisole draped over her breasts lightly, threatening to fall at any moment. The sight was intoxicating. He wet his lips and took great pleasure in just watching her breathe.

She waited. ‘‘

‘‘Why are you doing this?’’ he whispered as his fingers brushed over the soft flesh at her throat.

‘‘I have to learn not to be afraid.’’

He moved his hand lower. She drew in a breath. Her chin lifted slightly with determination.

Her action strained the material, outlining the peak of each breast beneath the lace.This is too good to be a dream, Wes thought. Studying her closely, he tried to understand.

He saw it then, in the set of her eyes and the carriage of her body. She was testing the limits. Like a man taking one more step into a lion’s cage each day. Being near him was her way of conquering her fears.

Wes rose to his elbow and brushed her mouth with his thumb, pulling slightly so that her lips parted. He wanted her not to be afraid, but he needed her to want him. She meant more to him than any woman ever had in his life, but he wasn’t sure what he meant to her. Sure, she turned to him when she needed him. But did she want him?

There was no doubt he wanted her. Lord, how he wanted her. She’d been like a flash flood that washed over him all at once when he wasn’t even expecting it. A few days ago, he would have been happy to help her and let her go on her way. But now, looking at her like this stirred something deep inside him. She didn’t even know the games played between men and women. She didn’t have to.