Wild Lilly (35 page)

Catherine chimed in, “I’ve only known you for a short while, but you are the most amazing woman. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for doing this. Owen...I love him very much,” she finished, clearing her throat.

Cìarán snorted. “As if I would let anything happen. You and Owen are my ticket to heaven.” He gave her a wink and ran a hand over Estrella’s hand on the horn.

“You are not as stupid as I thought,” Estrella said abruptly and blushed. “I-I think you are very brave.” The women exchanged a grin and Lilly had to laugh at how odd her world had become. Who would have thought that she would end up being friends with Paul’s ex-mistress?

Paul searched the outline of the buildings growing clearer as the sun rose higher in the sky. “We’re going to ride around the side of the town so we aren’t seen. You and Cìarán will cut through main street to get to Krisp’s ranch. Don’t tie her up until you’re out of sight of the towns folk, but keep her close enough to look like she’s under your control. I don’t want some innocent bystander to get hurt trying to rescue Lilly. I want Lee to know you’re on the way. Hopefully that’ll keep Owen safe for a little while longer. He can’t suspect anything.” Paul eased his horse to a stop. “I love you.”

“I love you, too. No matter what happens, you are the best thing that ever happened to me.” Lilly tried to put on a brave face, and blew Paul a kiss as she and Cìarán rode toward town.

***

Gravel crunched under the hooves of their horses on their approach to the Krisps’ ranch. Cìarán had tied her hands to the saddle and showed her how to get out of the bindings easily if there was trouble. She didn’t need to try to appear desperate and scared. Five days without a decent bath, with warm water and bubbles instead of a cold creek, and a brush did that all on its own. Her formerly lilac dress was now a dark purple in color, stained by sweat and dirt. Her bonnet was long gone, and her golden hair hung in tangled curls down her back.

Her fear became very real as some ranch hands spotted them.

The main house came into view in the distance. The home was a vast, white two-story colonial with Grecian columns holding up a covered porch. Red double doors opened and a man in a grey cowboy hat raced inside. Well-kept stables bustled with activity, and a big, weathered wood building across from the stables had laundry drying in the sun next to it. Three horses were led to the front door as Krisp and two other men exited the main house.

“Here they come,” he warned in a low voice. “Remember, you hate me.”

“I know,” she replied weakly.

He arched one eyebrow at her. “If it helps, imagine me asking Estrella to share you in bed. Pressed between us and begging for more.”

Heat flooded her cheeks as she hissed at him, “You wouldn’t dare!”

His lips twitched and his green eyes lost their usual cold sheen. “No, I wouldn’t. I don’t think Estrella is the sharing type. Though I’d be more than willing to watch you ladies share each other.”

Her eyes grew wide and her mouth dropped in shock.

The pounding of hooves made her whip her head in the direction of the house. Krisp and two other men came thundering down the drive at a gallop. Krisp’s face split into a wide grin, and the two men behind him looked grim.

“Why, Miss Brooks! How delightful of you to drop by for a visit. Why don’t you come inside where we can talk?” Krisp rounded his horse next to hers and tipped his brown leather hat. Instead of his usual blue suit, he wore a red chambray shirt and a pair of suspenders.

“Where is Owen,” she asked through clenched teeth.

Krisp’s face went sour. “Owen is quite well. My daughter has taken a liking to him. They’re in the kitchen having breakfast.” He narrowed his eyes. “But don’t think I won’t harm him, he can always have a little accident when she isn’t around.”

“Don’t hurt him!” Her horse pranced and pawed at the ground.

Krisp stroked his white mustache. “Easy there, Miss Brooks. We’ll go inside and fill out some paperwork, and go down to the courthouse as nice as you please. Once that’s done, why, you’re free to go.” He frowned and asked, “Where’s Estrella?”

“The whore’s gone back to the hotel. She wanted to make a public appearance so people wouldn’t get suspicious. Besides, she’s not good for much other than sucking cock.” Cìarán’s voice grew cold. “And what about my payment? This woman was a pain in the ass to secure.”

“You’ll be taken care of. Your employer was right. You are the best. I could use a man like you around here. My crew chief had an unfortunate accident and is no longer with us.”

Lilly snorted as Cìarán studied Krisp.

“I’m afraid my services are already spoken for. But I’m always willing to do freelance work, if the price is right.” He glanced over at her and gave a leer. “Think I could have a romp with her after you’re done?”

She swore up a stream of curses that had all four men raising their eyebrows.

Krisp’s laughter cut off her tirade. “We’ll see what we can do. If Miss Brooks is a good girl and doesn’t cause us any trouble, we’ll let her go. If she is naughty...well...you can have her in front of every man that works on this ranch.”

She sagged in the saddle and began to cry, letting the tears of rage and disgust flow freely. Cìarán merely continued to appear bored. “I don’t like an audience, but I do know a man who could use her at his brothel. If she’s a naughty girl, maybe we can discuss a price? I could make a fortune off of her and that Spanish whore.”

Krisp nodded and said sharply, “We’re getting near the house.” He turned to her, snarling. “If you value your little fingers, I suggest you stop crying. If you cause a scene in front of my daughter, I will cut them off.”

She choked back a sob and rubbed her face on her shoulders, unable to lift her tied hands. “Can someone take off these ropes, please?”

Krisp held her horse and nodded to one of the men behind her. “Cut her free.”

He leaned over and captured her gaze. “If you do anything stupid, you’ll regret it for the rest of your short and painful life. Understood?”

She nodded and held her hands out, trying to keep them from shaking. Cìarán watched all of this, but said nothing. If she didn’t know better, she’d think he was a cold and ruthless man.

They arrived at the front of the house. For a moment, she thought she saw Eunice’s pale face watching them from a window on the second floor. Cìarán helped her down from her horse with a rough jerk. Krisp gave her a mocking bow and swept off his hat. “Welcome to my home, Miss Brooks.”

Chapter Twenty Four

Deliverance

The echo of Owen’s excited chatter coming from deeper in the house made Lilly’s heart constrict. Krisp gave her a final warning glare as they walked down the yellow painted hall toward the smell of frying bacon. His house was disturbingly normal. She had somehow expected it to reflect the soul of its owner. The kitchen was a bright and sunny room with a rack of brass pots and pans hanging over the deep sink. An older black woman in a green dress, with a kerchief over her head, bustled about the large cast-iron stove, frying thick slabs of bacon and flipping pancakes.

Owen sat at the long pinewood table, chatting excitedly to the little girl across from him. He was clean and wore a pair of brown pants and a blue button-down shirt that looked new. His dark hair was slightly mussed, and his hands moved in patterns as he talked.

The girl was probably around eight or nine. Her long hair, so pale blonde it was white, was tied back with a bright blue bow that matched her dress. Dove-grey eyes, the same shade as her mother’s, looked out from a little heart-shaped face. A stick of chalk and a small chalkboard sat on the table in front of her.

The girl’s hands danced in graceful patterns in the air as she scrutinized Owen’s reaction. Lilly noticed that her fingernails were bitten almost down to the quick.

“Cup?” Owen asked and moved his hands.

The little girl shook her head and repeated a gesture, shaping the air with a purpose. Owen tried again to mimic her motions. He caught sight of Lilly in the doorway, and his face lit up with a wide smile.

“Lilly! You came to visit! Mr. Krisp said you would!” He bound from his chair and wrapped his arms around her, burying his face against her dress. Lilly hugged him back, breathing in the smell of his hair, so grateful he was all right.

Owen snickered and held his nose. “Miss Lilly, you smell like horses. Where have you been?”

Lilly stiffened in his arms as Krisp glared at her. “Oh, I’ve been visiting with Storm and Sage. They missed me after my visit back east.”

“Where’s Paul? Mrs. Krisp said he would be back from his trip soon, and then I can go home.” He tugged Lilly over to the little girl. She was staring at her hands and darted a glance up. “This is my friend, Mina.” Mina waved a small hand at Lilly. “Miss Brooks is my teacher and she is going to marry my brother Paul.”

Lilly glanced at Krisp who was watching her like a hawk. She lowered herself to Mina’s level and gave her a gentle smile. “Pleased to meet you, Mina.”

Mina didn’t say anything, just continued to examine the backs of her hands.

Owen rolled his eyes. “You can talk to her, Mina. She’s real nice.”

Still not looking up, Mina’s hands hesitated, then grabbed the chalkboard and wrote out in very careful letters, ‘Nice to meet you, Miss Brooks.’

Lilly smiled brightly and placed a gentle hand on Mina’s thin shoulder. “Your handwriting is beautiful. I’m so jealous. Mine looks like scratches made by a hungry chicken.”

The words had their desired effect and Mina gave a silent giggle. Lilly was thrown off stride. Though she knew of the girl’s condition, it was very odd to see someone giggle with no sound.

Owen threw himself back into his chair. “Are you staying for breakfast? Regina makes the best pancakes.” The black woman at the stove smiled at him fondly. She darted a glance at Lilly surrounded by the men and quickly turned away.

Mina turned to grin at her father and blew him a big kiss. He smiled at her as if she were the most precious thing in the world. Lilly found it creepy that someone as twisted and evil as Lee Krisp could slip into the role of adoring father with such ease, just moments after he threatened to cut her little fingers off.

Lee stroked his white handlebar mustache and said in a jolly voice, “No, we can’t stay for breakfast right now. We have some work to do first. You enjoy your pancakes and we’ll join you in a two shakes of a lamb’s tail.” He gave Mina a gentle kiss on the cheek, and she beamed at her father. Pulling down his face with small hands, she placed a smacking kiss on his forehead. Krisp knuckled her neck and she gave her silent giggle again.

The warmth drained from his face then. “If you will, Miss Brooks, please come with me to my study.” He nodded to the two ranch hands and they left through the back door.

A long hallway lined with oil paintings of cattle and cowboys led to a grandiose two-story room. Stuffed animal heads of every kind peered down from the walls. It was a rather disturbing effect: glassy, dead eyes viewed her every move. Krisp gestured to two tan leather chairs placed before a colossal mahogany desk. On the wall, a life-sized oil painting of Krisp and a much younger Mina held a spot of honor.

Lilly took a seat and smoothed her wrinkled and stained dress. She stole a glance at Cìarán, who sat down next to her, but he kept his attention focused on Krisp.

“I’ll give you eight dollars per acre for your land, Miss Brooks, and I’ll let you and Owen go.” Krisp laced his hands behind his back, and kept his eyes on the map before him. “I think that’s a more than reasonable offer.”

“How do I know you won’t just kill me after I sign the land over?” Lilly studied the map of Caldwell that Krisp was inspecting as well. He didn’t know it, but a good section of that land belonged to the Comanche now. What would he do when he found out?

“As long as you keep your mouth shut, you’ll be safe. But if you raise one ounce of trouble, I will find you, and have you and your family killed.” He turned around and gave Cìarán a pleasant smile. “I’m sure our friend would be more than happy to take care of you for me. You might even wish you were dead after your first day working in a brothel.”

Lilly shivered as Cìarán gave her a dead smile and licked his lips. “Now, it isn’t all bad,” he said, with his lilting Irish accent. “They’ll get you so addicted to opium you won’t care who you have to open those pretty legs for.”

Lilly gulped and searched his face for some sign of the man she thought she knew. He was really good at being bad.

A soft knock sounded at the door. Krisp curled his lips back from his teeth and shouted, “What is it?”

Eunice stepped into the room, pale as a sheet against the dark brown of her high-necked dress. Her eyes darted around and she shut the door with a click that was as loud as a gunshot in the silence.

“Can’t you see I’m busy, you stupid bitch?” Krisp spat out. “Get out of here and let me finish my business before I have to teach you about interrupting me.”

“I won’t be long. There is something I have to tell you.” Eunice kept her eyes on the floor, her hands clasped in front and her fingers gripping each other.

“What?” Krisp leaned on his desk and glowered at her.

Eunice took a deep breath and shrank even further into herself. “I’m leaving you.”