Fourteen
When the knock came at her door, Antonie swore with relief. She quickly let Oro, Tomás, Patricia, and Justin in. Patricia looked at Antonie, who was dressed only in a miniscule camisole and lacy pantaloons, and sighed. Antonie almost smiled, for she knew the girl would probably never understand her feeling that she was adequately covered in such attire. It was Antonie’s opinion that if you were not naked you were decent. The three young men sat on her bed, grinned at her, and helped themselves to the wine. She just hoped they would save a little for her.
“You three look very fine,” Antonie said as she surveyed the young men’s finery.
“It won’t do them any good if you don’t hurry and get dressed. What’s taking you so long?” Patricia asked.
“You look very fine, too, Pattie. I did not know there was so much to put on. What is this?” She held up a corset.
“A corset,” Patricia snapped, trying unsuccessfully not to blush. “I don’t think you need it anyway. Put on your petticoats.”
The three gentlemen watched in unhidden amusement as Patricia helped Antonie to get dressed, but Antonie was too annoyed to be bothered by it. She kept up a running complaint about the fussiness and multitude of clothing. When she was finally seated by an exasperated but amused Patricia, who was clearly not sure of how to style Antonie’s thick mass of hair, Antonie was more than ready for the glass of wine Tomás served her.
“Simple, I think. A very simple style,” Patricia mumbled to herself as she brushed out Antonie’s hair. “Do you have any jewelry?”
“Sí but it is not very rich.” She looked at Patricia’s pearls. “Not like yours.”
“Oh. I thought maybe Juan,” she blushed and faltered to a stop before she could finish.
“Stole some for me?” Antonie asked with a grin. “No. He and Manuel bought us everything. The money was stolen, this is true, but what we have was bought. Tomás, can you get me my things from my bag? They might not suit.”
When Tomás set the earrings, necklace, ring, and bracelet on the table, Patricia gasped and murmured her appreciation. They were intricate works of turquoise and silver. Antonie was pleased that Patricia thought they were pretty.
“They will do beautifully. There,” she stepped back from Antonie and surveyed her handiwork, “what do you think?”
“It is neat,” Antonie ventured as she studied the thick chignon while Patricia put the necklace on her. “Will it fall down?”
“I hope not. It suits you, Antonie. Truly,” Patricia soothed as Antonie put on the rest of her jewelry.
After putting on her shoes, Antonie went to view herself in the mirror. “I do not look very much like me.”
“You look lovely,” Justin said with indisputable conviction.
“Maybe, but I do not look like Antonie. Maybe this was not such a good idea. This is not what I am.”
Handing Antonie her lacy white shawl, Patricia said, “What nonsense. How can it not be what you are? That is you.”
“This can be me if I want it to be, sí. I can play at being the fine lady, but not always. If this is what Royal is seeking then I am not for him. I could not play this game all the time.”
“You can be anything you want, Antonie,” Patricia said. “A little practice and this would stop being a game.”
Antonie looked at her friend. “No. I would play it easier, but it would still be a game. I have watched the ladies and I know I could not always be like them. A lady does not talk of the stock or the men’s business. She does not shoot or wear pants to ride as one should, astride. She does not admit to liking her man’s kisses. There is a lot she does not do. I would feel choked. I could not be happy like this. To make Royal think so is to lie, and lies are always revealed.”
Oro stood up, put his arm around Antonie, and touched a kiss to her cheek. “To try to be what you are not is bad. You are right, querida. So, you will be Antonie dressed in her finest and showing her best manners, but still Antonie, eh?”
That sounded eminently reasonable to Antonie. She would also show Royal that she could look as fine as any lady and that she would not shame him in public. However, if he desired fluttering fans and giggles, then he could have that but not from her. She would not be false to herself, not even for Royal.
She was glad of the cheerful company as the five of them made their way to the hotel dining room. Although she held firm to her decision, she could not help but worry that the real Antonie was not what Royal wanted. She feared the pain his rejection would bring her. When she saw Cole and Royal with the other women, her courage faltered as did her steps, but Tomás firmly pulled her along.
“Jesus,” Cole breathed as he caught sight of Antonie, but then his gaze moved to Royal, not wanting to miss his brother’s reactions.
Lifting his glass to his lips, Royal idly glanced toward the doorway. His whole body froze at the sight of Antonie. Occasionally he had wondered how she would look if she was all dressed up, but his imaginings had not come anywhere near the truth.
The deep mauve color of her dress accentuated her fair coloring. Her lovely slim neck was fully exposed by her hairstyle and the low cut of her gown. Many a male eye was drawn to her slim figure, lingering on the full breasts that swelled gently above the neckline and cushioned the unusual necklace she wore. Her dark escort, Tomás, was a perfect foil for her beauty.
Noticing the stunned look on Royal’s face before he struggled to hide it, Antonie felt nervous, for she was not sure how to interpret it. She smiled when she noticed the narrowing eyes of the ladies, however. It could mean that they had seen the competition and were displeased. She thought the Dumfrey sisters were insur-passable in their beauty and elegance, but hoped that now she could at least give them a good run for their money.
Royal was not pleased when Antonie was seated between Baird and Tomás. Baird’s dark gaze was fixed on her as if she were the meal. Royal had not taken much notice of the man’s interest earlier in the day, but now he saw it as a threat.
“That what you bought today?” he asked, thinking that she was showing far too much bosom even though he knew she was revealing no more than any other lady there.
Antonie wondered at the strange note in Royal’s voice. “Sí. The dress I had was not suitable, eh?”
“It was a lovely dress,” Cole said, “but tonight you look like a princess.”
A faint color touched her cheeks but she grinned. “A princess, Tomás. You must kiss my hand in homage.”
“Only your hand?” Tomás murmured as he pressed a lingering kiss to her palm. “What do I get to kiss if you become a queen?”
When Antonie released her husky laugh, Royal scowled. If possible, Baird looked even more eager. The man would have to think again if he thought Antonie was his for the picking. Reluctantly, Royal turned to Charlotte when she demanded his attention.
Conversation was idle as they enjoyed the main meal. It was not until the dessert was served that the Dumfrey sisters honed their attack. Antonie had been waiting for it. She had garnered too much attention. Oro had eyes for none but Patricia, but what little attention he had had to spare went to her. Tomás had no interest in the Dumfrey sisters, so he used his special brand of charm to quell the nerves he knew assailed her. Cole seemed interested in Royal’s reactions, although Antonie was not sure why. Royal seemed to spend most of his time trying to interrupt her and Baird every time they started to converse. That left very little for the Dumfrey sisters to work with or bask in, for Justin was still too young to matter to them, and Antonie could see that they were angry.
There were undoubtedly other reasons for the coming fray that Antonie sensed was imminent, but she could only guess at them. She assumed that Charlotte, in her bid for Royal, was planning to make her embarrass herself. Firmly resolving not to let her temper flare, Antonie braced for the assault.
“What do your people do in Mexico?” Charlotte asked.
“Nothing that I know of,” Antonie drawled. “They are dead, señorita,” she added quietly.
“Oh, dear. So you are an orphan,” Margaret consoled with false sympathy. “Where is your family’s land?”
“There is no land.” Antonie saw no reason to dance about the truth.
“How do you live?” Barbara asked.
“Barbara,” Baird hissed reprovingly but was halted by Antonie’s light touch on his arm.
“I work, muchacha.” Antonie sensed that Barbara, merely seventeen, was mostly curious, not vindictive.
“You work for Royal?” Charlotte asked, resting her hand on his arm.
Quelling an urge to break that woman’s fingers, Antonie took a sip of wine. She knew what Charlotte insinuated. A woman was usually in a man’s employ for one reason only. She could see that Oro and Tomás had heard the insult behind the soft question. Their dark eyes had hardened and their handsome faces had tautened. Even Royal looked annoyed. Strangely, that soothed Antonie’s temper.
“Sí. I keep an eye on Patricia. There was much trouble on the drive.”
That change of subject was seized upon by the gentlemen. Antonie knew that the Dumfrey sisters had not finished however. She wondered if it would be best to make a strategic retreat, but then decided against it. Antonie felt that that would be admitting defeat.
Watching Charlotte charm Royal, constantly touching him and monopolizing his attention was putting a severe strain on Antonie’s determination not to lose her temper. Baird’s flirting was soothing and flattered her sorely bruised vanity. She responded to it naturally. Tomás helped, too, with his usual outrageousness and constant friendly arguing with Cole.
Royal did nothing to protect her from the constant subtle insults of the women and Antonie saw that as confirmation of his desertion, that he saw her as no more than an idle amusement. She had no trouble protecting herself or hiding how their continuous references to all she lacked stung. However, her honor was being scorned and she was hurt. If Royal had any feeling for her at all, he would not be able to stay silent, let alone continue to charm her attacker.
Royal was working himself up into a glorious rage. He knew the Dumfrey sisters assumed Antonie was his mistress, and thought he was angry over her presumptuousness at sitting with them. However, he reluctantly recognized his own jealousy and that spurred his anger. He heartily cursed the fact that the other men did, too. Even Baird was finding it amusing.
He could not stop himself from viewing Antonie’s responses to Baird’s indisputable charm as blatant flirting. Every time she laughed, he ground his teeth. Whenever she leaned forward he was torn between wanting to drag her to his room and belting Baird for letting his eyes linger so hungrily on her well-exposed breasts. So intent was he on controlling the violence that surged inside him that he was unable to respond to the Dumfrey sisters’ genteel persecution of Antonie. He feared that he would only join the attack in his present mood and with remarks that were far more direct and cutting.
It was a combination of elements that finally snapped the control of the tension at the table. The free-flowing wine made Charlotte utter a remark that was less than subtle about Antonie’s morals. Antonie tossed off the last of her wine and slowly rose to her feet, her eyes dark purple with fury.
“I have had enough. I put on my finery and display my best manners, for what? To dine with a maldita perra. Cui bono? For what use? Madre de Dios! I will go drink with those who do not play these games, ones who, when they insult you, do not expect a sweet smile and soft answer. Good manners are wasted here where there are so few.”
“Good manners?” Charlotte demanded. “What does one like you know of good manners?”
“More than you, señorita. Where I come from one does not share food with a person then ply him with insults,” her voice lowered slightly, “not if one wishes to stay alive.” She smiled a little when Charlotte paled slightly.
“Where the hell are you going?” Royal snapped when Antonie began to walk away.
“First to change my clothes. After that?” She shrugged. “It is not really your business, is it, Señor Bancroft?”
Tomás hurried after her. Before Royal could blink, Cole and Justin hastily excused themselves and left as well. At a glance, he could tell that Baird was seriously contemplating deserting his sisters to follow the blond siren. It did nothing to improve Royal’s deteriorating mood.
Antonie stormed into her room, her three escorts trailing behind her. She grabbed up her clothes and stepped behind a dressing screen. The three gentlemen sat on her bed and she heard them help themselves to the wine left from before dinner. Antonie kept up a steady tirade as she changed her clothes.
“Bah! So much for finery.” She tossed her new dress over the screen. “I do not know why I kept my temper for so long. And I did well keeping my temper, did I not, Tomás?” She peered around the screen. “Was I not the model of patience?”
“Sí, Antonie. I did not recognize you, you were so patient.” He saluted her with his glass of wine.
She nodded and went back to changing her clothes. “Well, I will not do that again. There is no satisfaction in swallowing insults.”
“Charlotte was plain jealous, Toni,” Justin said. “She wants Royal.”
Stepping out, dressed in her pants and shirt, Antonie began to search for her boots. “She had him. When he looked at me it was only to scowl. Well, if he is to scowl at me even when I am behaving then I will not behave, eh? I do not like this lady business.”
“You were ten times the lady any of those Dumfrey gals were,” Cole said as Antonie tugged on her boots. “Your tongue can have a razor’s edge, honey, but you didn’t stoop to their game. That’s the mark of a lady. Not her clothes or what fork she uses.”
Putting on her gun belt, Antonie mulled that over for a moment. “They were like Marilyn and she is a lady, sí?”
Standing up, Cole handed her her hat and draped an arm around her shoulders as they headed out the door. “Darlin’, I’ve known a fair number of ladies. Even so, I’ve never really listened to them talk, one lady to another. Tonight I was listening and, damn, it was nasty. Now, I’ll admit I wasn’t all that partial to you when I first met you. Because of the way you dressed and acted, I set you apart from other ladies. Even before tonight I knew that was a damned ignorant thing to do.”
“Gracias, señor.” She grinned at him when he gently flicked her cheek with one long finger.
“Tonight I saw why I had no trouble thinking of you as a lady even as well armed as you are now.”
“What did you see?” she asked when he did not continue.
“For a start, sweets, you’re honest. I’ve met few so-called ladies who are. They play games, darlin’. You don’t. Hell, I’d take that over a pretty dress, fluttering eyelashes, and a flicking fan any day of the week. There is one thing though,” Cole added as they stepped outside of the hotel.
She eyed him a little suspiciously as they paused. “Sí? What is this one thing?”
“We-ell, you ain’t exactly fair, Toni.” He turned to face her, still keeping an arm around her shoulders.
“What is this?” Although she could see the teasing glint in his eyes, she could not guess what the jest would be.
“I’ve been left out and I’m feeling sorely deprived. You’ve kissed Tomás, Oro, Justin, and, of course, Royal, but not me.”
Laughing along with Justin and Tomás, she slipped her arms around his neck. “I cannot let such an injustice continue.”
“Damn right,” he murmured and thoroughly indulged himself in a brief taste of what he knew he could never possess.
“A little public, isn’t it?” gritted an all too familiar voice.
Once the others had left, Royal could tolerate very little of the Dumfrey sisters. He politely but firmly hastened their departure from the hotel. With Charlotte clinging to his arm in a way that made him grit his teeth, he stepped outside and came to an abrupt halt at the sight that confronted him. When Cole and Antonie ended their embrace at his curt statement, he saw their surprise as guilt.
It hurt and he was loath to examine why. He told himself it was because Cole was taking unfair advantage of the misunderstanding that had thus far kept Antonie out of his bed. A man had a right to a sense of possession.
“Sí, you are right, Señor Bancroft,” Antonie said as she stepped out of Cole’s hold. She moved to where Royal stood, eased Charlotte’s clutching grip and placed the woman’s hand more demurely upon Royal’s arm. “Much better. Save the groping for later, señorita.”
Bidding a hasty good evening, Antonie and Tomás joined Royal’s brothers in making a hasty and less than dignified retreat. Royal indulged himself with a fierce glare at their rapidly disappearing backs. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Oro and Patricia hastily disappear up the hotel stairs and knew his anger was very obvious but found that he did not really care. He rather curtly ushered the Dumfrey sisters into their carriage and climbed in.
The fact that Baird and his own brothers found amusement in his anger only soured Royal’s mood more. He was sure that the fact that he had never had any trouble with a female before only added to their enjoyment of his current difficulties. He intended to make sure that their amusement was very short-lived.
He decided it was all Antonie’s fault that he now found himself in the uncomfortable position of playing the jealous lover and having provided the night’s entertainment. She might have a good reason for being distant from him, but that did not mean she had the right to turn to another man. Even though a small inner voice suggested that he was being somewhat unreasonable, Royal did not care enough to alter his opinion. He did not really wish to look too closely at the reasons for the way he was feeling either. It was much safer to think that she had purposely set out to annoy him and that he was only acting accordingly.
Yet again he cursed the luck that had brought the Dumfreys into his path. If he had not dined with them, he could have spent the evening wooing Antonie, soothing her ruffled feathers. Instead he had had to watch her in all her new-found elegance being wooed by Baird, then sit and watch her walk away with Cole. What should have been a pleasant evening was turning into a total disaster. Instead of he and Antonie exhausting themselves in his bed or hers, she was out carousing with Tomás and his own brothers and he had to endure Charlotte.
Royal saw that he could easily lose his chance with Antonie if he did not quickly mend things with her. It had been too long since he had reaffirmed his possession. The predators were beginning to sniff around. He was going to have to rectify that and brand Antonie as his again as soon as possible.
“I thought that woman was supposed to be watching your sister?” Charlotte remarked, breaking into his thoughts.
Even as he wondered if the buggy could move a little faster, Royal answered, “Oro’s watching her now.”
“Perhaps,” Charlotte said with a cloying gentleness, “she should be protected from him.”
“Why?” He eyed the woman coldly. “He’s Pattie’s fiancé.”
Charlotte and her sisters gasped. “He’s a Mexican.”
“Certainly is. He’s also a damn fine young man.”
“But, if this man Oro protects your sister, why did you hire Antonie?” Barbara asked.
“Antonie protected Patricia’s life on the drive. We were harassed the whole way. That little lady was the best damn guard money could buy. I never had a moment’s concern about Patricia, and things got nasty several times.”
“I’m sure that she does her job well, and that justifies your putting your sister in the company of such a woman,” Charlotte said with a less than subtle sneer.
In a clear attempt to avoid an acrimonious confrontation, Baird said smoothly, “Pull in your claws, sister dear. Your attempts to belittle Miss Ramirez this evening only showed that she is very much the lady.”
That admonition clearly exasperated Charlotte and she lapsed into a sullen silence. Even though the others chatted idly despite her withdrawal, Royal felt it was a long, somewhat tedious ride to the Dumfrey house. When they did arrive, Royal politely, if reluctantly, accepted an offer of coffee. Idly looking around, Royal decided that the Dumfreys had done well by getting in on the start of this new stage in the cattle business. They might well never come back to Texas and to all the hard work at the other end of the business.
It was impossible for Royal to relax. His mind kept drifting to Antonie out carousing with his brothers, who seemed to think she was free. Worse, Antonie seemed to think she was free as well. That sense of being unattached would communicate itself with predictable results.
The mere possibility of another man tasting Antonie’s passion put Royal into a rage, twisting his insides. Seeing her in Cole’s arms had made him realize that he had never really believed his own accusations concerning Oro. He had sensed that something was being hidden from him.
Suddenly he frowned into the dregs of his coffee. He had resented the loss of her full attention. It was plain that he felt possessive about far more than her lovely body. Royal was not sure he wanted to understand the implications of that.
“Give me a minute to change and I’ll go looking for them with you.”
Royal frowned at Baird. “What makes you think I’m going to look for them?” He frowned even more when Baird just laughed softly.
While he struggled to entertain the sisters, Royal studied Charlotte. Lovely and much like Marilyn, she had been another strong possibility as a wife. Both ladies were the sort he had envisioned as the mistress of his ranch. Suddenly the idea was so unattractive as to be almost distasteful. They would decorate his house, but not be a true partner. Both women were from ranches but he suddenly saw that, while they had an idea of a ranch’s workings, they were interested in little more than the profits and the frills ranch life provided.
When Baird returned, Royal was more than ready to leave. He would have preferred to look for Antonie alone but, even though he knew Baird was fully aware of that, he would never admit it aloud. The man had already been given enough amusement. Unfortunately Royal could never deter him and they left to go back to the hotel.
“Is Patricia really marrying Oro Degas?” Baird ventured as he sat on Royal’s hotel bed while Royal changed his clothes.
“Yes,” Royal answered. “Soon as we get home.”
“Sure that’s wise? There might be some difficulties. My sister’s reaction was not unusual.”
“No. I realize that. To be blunt, Pattie was throwing herself at the man and he was doing his damnedest to stay out of the way, even though it was the last thing he wanted to do. It finally hit me that they were both hurting.”
“And you asked yourself why.”
“Exactly. There wasn’t one damn good reason. I’m sure there will be disapproval, but she has her family behind her.” He put on his hat. “Shall we go?” He did not wait for a reply but headed out the door.
“Are you sure it was wise to let Antonie go off in the beginning?” Baird asked as they walked toward the end of town the drovers frequented.
“As if I could’ve stopped her,” Royal grumbled. “Antonie can take care of herself. Also, Oro and Tomás grew up keeping an eye on her. They’ve got a second sense about when trouble’s brewing. She’s had a rough life. She understands places like these.”
“So why are you looking for her?”
“Damned if I know.” Royal scowled at his chuckling friend and then he smiled crookedly. “Hell, I’ll be honest. The girl belongs to me.”
“Does she know that?”
“It appears not.”
“Then maybe you’re wrong. Maybe she doesn’t belong to you.”
“Oh, yes, she does.” He peered into a saloon but did not spot his prey amongst the rowdy crowd. “If she doesn’t know it now,” he said with a hint of anger as he headed toward another saloon, “she’ll know it by the time this night’s over.”