Each Time We Love (14 page)

They traveled in silence for hours and it was only when they
stopped to eat, around midday, that Savanna found out their destination.

"Jason Savage," Micajah said as he finished off a cup of
strong coffee, "lives several days north of here with his wife and
children, on his plantation, Terre du Coeur. We're going there and we
intend to kidnap him and head for the Sabine River. I've already made
arrangements to have fresh horses and the supplies we'll need waiting
for us at Nacogdoches. Once we're safe, I'll force Savage to tell us
how to get to the treasure."

Savanna's spirits sank even lower. Micajah had everything
planned and it didn't look as if she were going to be able to escape
any time soon. She also wasn't so certain that she wanted to—the tale
of her father's motives and the Aztec gold made an insane sort of
logic, and if she allowed herself to believe it, it explained so much
and enabled her to think of Davalos with something other than
resentment. Reluctantly she admitted that she
wanted
to believe it.

She glanced at Micajah. It was highly unlikely that he was
really
going to let her share in the gold, but surely, by the time they found
it—
if
there was any gold to be found—she would
have been able to concoct some sort of plan of escape. A faint smile
curved her lips. And if she was escaping, she might as well take some
of the gold with her! Besides, if even half of the tale was true, she
was
entitled to a share of it. Thinking how much she could accomplish for
her mother with a sizable fortune, she stubbornly closed her mind to
further speculation. She would cling to the thought that Davalos
had
loved them and that he had died trying to find a treasure with which to
make a better life for all of them. As for Jason Savage having killed
her father… Her smile faded. Elizabeth had obviously come to the wrong
conclusions about the gold and about Jason Savage!

By the time they reached their destination some days later,
Savanna had done a very good job of convincing herself that she was
doing the right thing. She had even been able to arouse a modicum of
hatred for Jason Savage—the bastard who had murdered her father!

Micajah had been true to his word and had made no
overt
moves toward her, but she didn't trust him or the expression that
sometimes came into his eyes when he looked at her. She didn't rest
well at night, fearful of being attacked by him as she lay asleep, and
her lack of a weapon was on her mind constantly. But Savanna was a
gambler by nature and she couldn't deny that the prospect of finding a
fortune in Aztec gold was a powerful lure. Gold her father had died
for, she reminded herself when despair leaked into her thoughts, gold
that she was entitled to possess.

The men had decided to wait until after dark before slipping
into the house to kidnap Jason Savage. When Micajah refused to let
Savanna accompany them and, after an ugly tussle, proceeded to shackle
her again to a small oak tree, all her fears and mistrust rushed back.

Glancing down at her from atop his horse, Micajah said
bluntly, "I don't trust you and I wouldn't put it past you to queer the
deal, so you'll just stay here while Jeremy and I go get Jason Savage.
You just wait here quiet-like."

Like a caged tigress, Savanna raged at the length of her
chain, cursing Micajah in two languages, as he and Jeremy disappeared
into the darkness. More furious than frightened, she waited with
growing impatience, every second seeming like an hour, her thoughts on
Jason Savage and the unpleasant surprise in store for him…

Safely in New Orleans with his wife and family, Jason Savage
was in no danger from Micajah and Jeremy. Unfortunately, the two
intruders didn't know that, and so when they slipped silently into the
elegant house at Terre du Coeur and discovered a tali, black-haired man
drinking brandy in the library, they made the natural assumption that
they had found Jason Savage.

Adam had enjoyed the time since Jason had left and was quite
at home at Terre du Coeur—there was no reason for him to expect danger.
Having already dismissed the servants and having decided to partake of
one last brandy before seeking his bed this particular night, he was
just lifting the snifter to his lips when his well-honed senses alerted
him to menace. He was in the act of spinning around when Micajah
viciously clubbed him. Sparks exploded in Adam's head and he knew
nothing.

Savanna didn't know whether to be relieved or disappointed
when Micajah and Jeremy returned with the limp body of a man thrown
across the front of Micajah's saddle. But there was no time to waste—it
was imperative that they leave the area before the kidnapping was
discovered. If luck was with them, it would be morning before the
master's presence was missed, but they were taking no chances.

To Savanna's relief, Micajah immediately released her, and
seconds later they were careening through the moonlit darkness. The
moon was waxing full and since the swamps had been left behind some
days ago, the terrain was fairly level, though heavily forested, but
they were able to make good time. Hours later, when Micajah finally
decided to call a halt, Savanna could only sink tiredly to the ground,
thankful that she could rest at last. Deliberately she did not look at
the still body of Jason Savage, his hands and feet now firmly bound, as
Micajah threw him callously on the ground.

Thoroughly worn out from the events of the past several days,
Savanna fell asleep almost the instant her head hit the ground, and for
the first time since she had been captured, she slept deeply. It was
the furtive touch of a hand on her breast that woke her hours later and
she reacted instinctively, moving like lightning, her teeth sinking
deeply into the flesh of the exploring hand.

Micajah let out a pained holler and jerked away as Savanna
leaped to her feet in one smooth, dangerous movement. Her red-gold
curls bristling like a fiery mane around her lovely face, her
aquamarine eyes gleaming fiercely and her fists bunched, she stared
furiously at Micajah. "You swore," she enunciated with cold precision,
"that you wouldn't touch me."

Nursing his wounded hand, from a safe distance Micajah sent
her a sickly smile. "It was an accident. I was just trying to wake you
and my hand, er, slipped."

"If you don't want to be permanently maimed, I would suggest
that your hand doesn't
slip
again!" she snapped
icily.

Micajah shrugged and turned back to the small fire that Jeremy
had lit. Certain the threat of danger was over for now, she spun away
and stalked over to the narrow, clear stream that bordered the area
where they had camped, and proceeded to bathe her face and neck with
the cool water. Feeling refreshed, she straightened and with her
fingers she halfheartedly tried to bring some order to the tangled
curls that fell to her waist.

Later, sipping some coffee from the tin cup handed to her by
Jeremy, she stared over at the sprawled lump on the ground that was
Jason Savage. "He's not awake yet?" she asked no one in particular.

"Micajah hit him pretty hard," Jeremy replied uneasily,
glancing nervously at the man.

"He ain't dead!" Micajah said defensively. "You can see his
chest moving up and down. He'll wake up soon enough."

"Well, since we can't hang around here waiting for
Mister
Savage to wake up, I suggest we do something to help speed up his
waking process," Savanna remarked grimly. Grabbing an empty pot, she
filled it with water from the stream.

As she approached the prone body of Jason Savage, she reminded
herself harshly that this was the unprincipled monster who had murdered
her father. Hadn't even her mother admitted that Davalos had stated
that Savage had sworn to kill him? She glanced down at him, noticing
that he was considerably younger than she had expected and
astonishingly handsome in spite of the ugly bruise that darkened his
temple. Angry that she was even aware of his black, curly hair and the
hard beauty of his face, she kicked him ungently in the ribs. When he
stirred slightly and groaned, she dumped the pot of water into his face.

Shocked into wakefulness, Adam surged into a sitting position
and became aware of several unpleasant things at once. His head ached
abominably, his hands and feet were tightly bound and someone had just
thrown a great deal of cold water in his face. Ignoring the various
pains that were racking his body, he swiftly apprised himself of his
situation and surroundings. He did not recognize any landmarks, nor had
he ever seen the two surly-looking men by the fire. Memory came
flooding back, and he instantly concluded that he had been attacked
last night and for some reason kidnapped.

Suddenly aware of a third person nearby, he glanced up and
looked at the most gorgeous woman he had ever seen in his life.
Unaccountably, his heart gave an unexpected leap as he stared at her
tall, magnificent body, the humble brown gown detracting little from
the lush curves it covered. Red-gold curls framed the face of an
avenging angel and, his gaze mesmerized by the dazzling clarity of her
incredible aquamarine eyes, Adam continued to stare in stunned
beguilement. The blatant dislike in the depths of her eyes and the
unfriendly expression on her face gradually dawned on him, and because
he was at a total loss to understand anything that had happened, he
began to speak carefully. "I don't know what the hell this is all
about, but I think that there is some mistake."

With an effort, Savanna tore her own fascinated gaze away from
the brilliance of his blue eyes and ignored a curious curl of
excitement deep in her belly. Furious that she was reacting to him at
all, she snarled, "There is no mistake! You're the son of a bitch who
murdered my father and now you're going to pay for it, Mr. Jason
Savage!"

A
DENIAL SPRANG TO ADAM'S LIPS, BUT EVEN AS HE opened his
mouth, it occurred to him that telling these people that he wasn't
Jason Savage wouldn't solve his problems. From the unsavory looks of
the two by the fire, more than likely he'd get his throat slit for his
pains and then they would immediately go in search of the
real
Jason Savage! By speaking the truth, he would not only put his life in
greater jeopardy, but endanger Jason…

Eyes narrowed in rapid concentration, Adam stared at the
flame-haired Amazon before him, wondering with one part of his brain
what her position was in the scheme of things. It was obvious she
honestly believed that Jason had killed her father, and knowing much of
Jason's early wild days, Adam was aware that it was entirely possible
that Jason
had
killed her father! To his
knowledge, though, his brother hadn't killed anyone in many years, not
even in a duel; so was this kidnapping motivated solely by desire for a
belated revenge, or was there some other factor involved? And how did
the two men by the fire fit into the situation? Had she hired those two
ruffians to kidnap Jason for her?