The Kissing Stars Read online

  Her heartbeat sped up as anticipation swept over her. Then she identified the horseman and anticipation melted into disappointment. Captain Robards. Not Gabe.

  Oh, well. Maybe he brought a letter from Will.

  The Ranger smiled broadly as he rode into town on a bay mare. Dismounting, he greeted the Aurorians and spent a few moments talking to Andrew, discussing a herd of wild horses he’d run across on his way down to the Big Bend He accepted Andrew’s offer to see to his mount, then he turned toward Tess, tipped his gray felt hat, and said, “Hello, honey.”

  “Lionel.” She nodded and hoped her return smile didn’t look as letdown as it felt. “How was your trip? Did you find Doc and Will?”

  He nodded. “I did. And I must admit, it took some doing. Thankfully, they camp outside the caves Doc is studying and I spotted their smoke. It’s a wicked land down there, Tess. I’d hate to get stranded there alone. Doc and the boy said to tell y’all they were fine and working hard. They send their hellos to everyone.”

  “No letters?” Tess asked.

  He snapped his fingers and delved into his saddlebags, withdrawing a pair of envelopes addressed to Tess. She grinned with delight and tucked them into her pocket, choosing to savor them later in privacy.

  Amy invited him to stay for supper and promised to make her biscuits to go along with it. Andrew offered his extra bed and the Ranger accepted their hospitality with grace. Tess was anxious for more details about her loved ones, so when he invited her to take a walk with him, she readily agreed.

  He asked to see her telescope, so they climbed up Lookout Peak. As they walked she inquired about Doc and Will, and listened attentively as he described what he’d found along with her family down near the Rio Grande.

  “Spiders,” she repeated, shuddering. “For the most part, I truly love the desert. But I have to say tarantulas frighten me half to death. I’m not surprised to hear of Will’s collection, however. He’s always been fascinated by the creatures.”

  As the path grew steeper, the lawman took the lead Tess couldn’t help but notice that Lionel Robards cut a fine figure. Broad of shoulder and slim of hip, he did the Texas Rangers proud. She felt a rush of gratitude that the people of Aurora Springs had such a man looking out for them. “How did you come to be a Ranger, Lionel?” she asked. “Did you always want to be a lawman?”

  For just a moment, her question appeared to take him aback. Then he chuckled. “No, I didn’t. What I truly wanted was to grow up and play games.”

  “Pardon me?”

  “Chess, my dear. I’ve always wished a man could make a living playing chess. It was such a disappointment to learn as a boy that it couldn’t be done.”

  Tess thought about that, then observed. “You must have an analytical mind, Lionel. I would think that serves you well with the Rangers.”

  “It does.” He paused to take her hand, offering her balance as she stepped over a fallen log. “Tracking down criminals is often a case of out-thinking them. How about you? Did you always want to study the stars?”

  She thought of those late night “stargazing” sessions with Gabe and shook her head. “No, I guess you could say I fell into it. But I love astronomy. It’s a beautiful, fascinating science that is peaceful, considering one is studying distant explosions.”

  They reached the crest of the hill and Tess’s work station. There she showed him her new telescope and explained a little of how she tracked the Kissing Stars’ movements.

  “The Kissing Stars. I must admit, Miss Tess, I like the sound of that much better than Ghost Lights, which is what I hear them called most.” The Ranger sent her a sidelong look then winked. “If a fella were up here watching the Kissing Stars with you, would he be allowed one or two himself?”

  The blatant flirtation caught her by surprise and she didn’t know how she should react. Evading the question, she donned an act of dim-witted innocence and replied, “You’re welcome to use my telescope to look at the lights any time.”

  The fact that her reply didn’t address his question apparently didn’t bother him. Nor did it do much more than buy her time to figure out how to react to him because she hadn’t discouraged him. To the contrary. Lionel’s remarks grew more suggestive and his pursuit more overt as the minutes ticked by.

  This wasn’t at all like him. Lionel Robards had long pursued a mild flirtation with her, but it had remained just that. Mild. What in the world had gotten into him? What was different about today?

  In an effort to change the direction of their conversation, Tess swivelled her telescope away from the flats and around toward Aurora Springs. She focused on Castor and Pollux as they chewed their cuds, then motioned for the Ranger to take a look.

  “Not one of God’s prettiest creatures, is it?”

  “Now don’t go maligning my animals, Lionel. I get enough of that from Gabe.”

  “Gabe. Ah, yes. Whip Montana, the estimable Hero of Cottonwood Hollow. And where is the man? I didn’t notice him in town.”

  “He left,” Tess told him simply.

  “Did he go to Austin?”

  “No,” Tess said, thinking of his guns. Gabe hadn’t packed a thing when he left her house that day. Along with his personal possessions, he’d left a pair of Colt revolvers behind. She’d taken comfort in that fact. Gabe might take off without taking his pants, but he’d never skip out on a fine pair of pistols. “He didn’t mention Austin when he left.”

  She saw no reason to mention that he hadn’t spoken at all.

  “Good,” the Ranger forcibly replied. “Glad to hear it.”

  His reaction surprised her and it must have shown on her face. Robards explained, “I heard through the ranks that Governor Ross has asked Montana to come to Austin and revamp the Texas Rangers. The rumor is he wants to put all the Indian fighters out to pasture now that they succeeded in driving the Indians out of Texas. They say he’ll bring down the corps.”

  Tess felt compelled to defend Gabe. “I don’t think he’s the type of man to recommend any action that isn’t warranted.”

  Lionel wanted to argue—she could see it in his expression—but he chose not to. Instead he reached out and took her hand. “Enough about Whip Montana. I’m just glad he’s gone from here. I didn’t like the idea of him being around to spark my woman.”

  Spark his woman? Tess’s unease escalated into full discomfort. Taking a step away from him, she reclaimed her hand “Lionel, please. I’ve told you in the past there can be nothing between us.”

  He nodded “I understand, Tess. You are trying to protect the boy and everything.”

  “No, you do not understand, Lionel,” Tess insisted. “I’m not trying to protect anyone. It’s the truth. I’m married.”

  “Uh huh.” He grabbed her hand again. “This isn’t exactly how I wanted to get into this, but I can see it is time. I know there is no Mr. Cameron. You’ve no need to be ashamed of being a grass widow with me, Tess. I’ll be more than glad to make your make-believe husband a reality. I want you to marry me, my dear, and along with my proposal, I’m offering the promise to stay here in Aurora Springs. I will not ask you to move away from your home.”

  Tess wanted to groan aloud hut she managed to stifle the impulse. A marriage proposal from Captain Lionel Robards of the Texas Rangers. Rather than being flattered, Tess was ashamed.

  Though she had always presented herself as a married woman, she had to admit she’d enjoyed his attentions. She’d been alone a long time and his admiration had appealed to her femininity. It had been nice to be reminded she was still a woman. It had been nice to be shown a man could still want her. But today, under current circumstances, it wasn’t so nice after all.

  Shame nipped at her like kitten’s teeth, and she began, “Lionel, please. You must—”

  “Get down on my knee,” he interrupted dropping to one knee with a flourish. “Tess Cameron, would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

  Oh no, oh no, oh no. Mortification heated Tess’s cheeks and sh
e knew they must be as pink as Rosie’s tongue. She grabbed Lionel’s arm and tried to tug him to his feet. “Oh, I’m so sorry. Please Lionel. I’m so very sorry, but you’ve misunderstood. I truly am married.”

  He frowned and finally rose to his feet, thank God. Surely he believed her now.

  “No, you’re not married,” he answered, dashing her hope. “I know you’re not. I’ve asked around. No one has ever met your husband. You are just trying to protect your bastard.”

  “What?” she shouted sharply, her guilt melting in a flash of anger. “I have no bastard.”

  “The boy. Will. He’s your son. He calls you mama.”

  “He does call me mama, but he also calls Twinkle mother and Amy mommy. It’s the way we do things here in Aurora Springs. We are all one big family.”

  “Are you denying him?”

  “The only thing I’m denying is my marital status. I’m married, Lionel. I’m sorry if you feel as if I’ve led you on, but the feet of the matter is, I am not free to marry. You have met my husband, Lionel. Last time you were here. It’s Gabe. I’m married to Gabe “Whip Montana” Cameron, and I have been for going on thirteen years. I told you from the first that I was married, and I’m sorry if my actions—innocent though they were—led you to think otherwise. I won’t blame you if you are angry, but I must insist on something. You won’t ever use that distasteful term in connection with our Will again.”

  For a long moment, Lionel Robards stood completely still. Then he shook himself and gave her a sad little smile, and the tense moment was past. “I apologize, Tess. In my disappointment, I spoke out of turn. It’s true, you always told me you were married, and it was wrong of me to doubt it. I guess I simply didn’t want to believe you weren’t free to be mine.”

  Honestly, Tess said, “You’ve been a special friend to me, Lionel, and I hope that won’t change. If things had been different…”

  He leaned over and tenderly kissed her cheek. “Well, Tess, I have to tell you, I’m not giving up hope. Things can always change, can’t they? And while you might be married to him now, who’s to say what will happen in the future? After all, Whip Montana isn’t here, is he?”

  Tess closed her eyes. Lionel was right. Gabe wasn’t here.

  So what else was new?

  GABE RETURNED to Aurora Springs at dusk. He’d timed it that way, hoping to find the spooklights shining and the place deserted. His next conversation with his wife would be better held in private.

  He’d spent the first day of his exodus into the desert in a haze of grief and despair. The second and third day he raged in anger. The fourth he planned his revenge. Monty Cameron would finally get what he had coming. Because Gabe, unlike Tess, knew the extent of Monty Cameron’s sins.

  Once a year for the past four years, Monty had tracked down Gabe for a visit. Never once during those tense, angry hours had he mentioned Tess or the fact that Gabe’s marriage was still valid or the detail that, for a short time anyway, Gabe had been a father.

  For that alone, Gabe could kill the man.

  That Monty had denied any knowledge of Tess on those occasions made him want to cut out Cameron’s tongue before doing him in.

  After careful consideration, Gabe decided against patricide, mainly because he thought of something much better—or worse, to his daddy’s way of thinking. It was just that plan that led him back to Aurora Springs.

  As he had hoped, the village was deserted. Good. Glancing up toward the setting sun, he figured he had time to scrape some of the dirt off, too. Even better. Smelling like a horse as he did at the moment likely wouldn’t help his cause, and he didn’t want to give Tess any excuse to say no.

  Because one way or another, by fair means or foul, trickery or truth, he intended to win her away from her damned precious Doc.

  Tess was his wife, his responsibility. His joy. Monty Cameron had stolen that joy away from Gabe for years. He couldn’t have her any longer.

  At the house, Gabe bathed, shaved, and donned fresh clothes. Then, suitably armored both mentally and physically, he headed for Lookout Peak.

  Total darkness came slowly in this part of the world, and although the sun had dipped below the horizon, fingers of brilliant red and gold light stretched from the horizon into the sky, lighting his way up the hill. He found Tess seated on a thin, multi-colored quilt near her observation point overlooking the flats. She was alone, none of the other Aurorians in sight. Her telescope stood abandoned while she sat with her arms wrapped around her knees. Her manner was that of someone lost in thought rather than study, and Gabe wondered if the spooklights were not glowing tonight after all.

  He purposefully rustled a bush or two as he approached, not wishing to startle her. She didn’t speak, but he could tell she knew he was there. He drew a deep breath, let it out in a rush, and said, “Hello, Tess.”

  “So, you came back,” she said flatly, not bothering to turn around.

  Gabe grimaced. Not exactly an auspicious start. Maybe he’d best ease into the topic another way. “What are the spooklights doing tonight?”

  She waved her hand toward the flats. “See for yourself.”

  Gabe figured this was as good a place to start as any. Tess always had been a sucker for vulnerability. “I would if I could, but you know I don’t see your stars, Tess.”

  She didn’t respond.

  Gabe scooped up a handful of pebbles and started launching them one by one out into the air. “I wish I did see them. I wish I could share that with you.” He sent her a sidelong look and thought, What the hell! Then he laid his heart right out between them. “I want to share everything with you. I love you, Tess. I always have. I imagine I always will.”

  Gabe waited for her reaction. Then he waited some more. Silence stretched between them like miles of empty desert.

  A serrated blade of emotion twisted in his gut. Gabe had not honestly expected her to return his declaration, but he had hoped. Sonofabitch. This war might be harder to win than he’d thought.

  Tess shut her eyes and said softly, “I’m so angry at you.”

  Well, it wasn’t exactly the response a man likes to hear following a declaration of love, but at least she was talking to him “Do you want to push me off this hill?”

  “Part of me does, yes.”

  “In that case I reckon I’ll take a seat.” He sat beside her, legs crossed at the ankles, and leaning back on his hands. “But part of you still wants to keep me around.”

  “That’s the problem, Gabe.” She turned her head and looked at him, her eyes round shimmering pools of blue. “You’re not around. You’re never around.”

  Tess always had been one to cut right to the nut.

  Gabe let another rock fly and debated the best way to respond. “I have lots to feel guilty about where you’re concerned, but I do have a defense in this case. Remember, Tess, I wasn’t around because you sent me away. Back then I believed you meant it.”

  “And now?”

  “Are you trying to send me away?”

  She sighed. “No.”

  “Good. No way in hell I’d go, but I wouldn’t want to have to fight you on it.” After a moment’s pause, he said again, “I love you, Tess.”

  The wicked woman ignored him again. Even worse, her next comment involved another man. “Lionel Robards paid me a visit yesterday.”

  The Ranger. He must have brought word about Monty. Wonderful. Gabe took a cue from his wife and didn’t respond.

  She didn’t seem to care. “He asked me to marry him. Do you know that it was the fifth such offer I’ve received in the past twelve years?”

  Gabe felt torn. Which got to him worst? Robards or the four unknown suitors? He shot her a disgruntled look and said, “I trust you told the Ranger to fork his saddle and hit the trail. Who were the others, Tess? You never mentioned any others.”

  She gave a frustrated groan. “You are such a man, and I mean that in the worst sense of the word. What does it matter who the others were? Isn’t it enough to
know I’ve had to put my life on hold because I’m married to you?”

  “If you’ve had five marriage proposals it doesn’t sound like you were holding on all that tight.” When she didn’t reply, he clamped down on his irritation and grumbled, “I love you, Tess.”

  “You are starting to sound like Twinkle doing one of her spirit-summoning chants.”

  Gabe’s temper flared “That’s a helluva response, woman.”

  “What do you expect from me, Gabe? Do you want me to bow at your feet and say I love you, too? Well, guess what? It’s not gonna happen. I waited for you for a dozen years, and what good did it do me? At the first sign of trouble, you leave.”

  He uncrossed his ankles and sat up straight. “At the first sign of trouble you lash out and tell me to leave.”

  “I can’t trust in your love, Gabe,” she said bitterly. “I’ve finally figured it out. I can’t trust in your love, and it’s an anchor around my neck keeping me from living my life.”

  A tremor of something that might be related to fear rumbled around in Gabe’s gut. This wasn’t turning out at all like he had planned. He’d figured Monty to be the stumbling block. Hell, he could declare war against that man, but how could he fight Tess? He couldn’t fight her. He loved her.

  And apparently, she couldn’t care less.

  Shoving to his feet, he began to pace. With every step, the knot in his stomach grew harder. “Are you telling me you wanted to marry the others? Do you want to marry Robards?”

  She didn’t answer.

  Gabe halted abruptly. Fury whipped over him like a brush fire. Had he been totally mistaken? Had it truly come back to this? “Are you asking me for a divorce?”

  “It depends.”

  “It depends? What kind of answer is ‘it depends’? Do you love him? Is that the problem?”

  “I’m not in love with Lionel, although this would all be so much easier if I were. Then I wouldn’t care if you breezed in and out of my life.”