He pictured her wrapping herself around him. And then he tore his clothes off. He pulled her into his arms and held her and kissed her ravenously, and nothing else mattered but the feel of her against him. The world and all of his problems ceased to exist. There was only Taylor.

Their lovemaking was wild, intense, their hunger insatiable. He stroked her until she was ready for him, then moved between her thighs. He sank deep inside her. His mind reeled with each thrust. Her passion overwhelmed him, and her whimpers of pleasure drove him beyond his own control. His movements became rougher, more demanding. She tightened around him, squeezed him inside her, and whispered his name. His climax followed hers. His mouth covered hers for a long, searing kiss as he poured his seed into her.

The aftermath was just as fulfilling to him. He loved holding her in his arms and nuzzling the side of her neck while he listened to her heartbeat.

"Lucas, you're crushing me."

He immediately rolled to his side and pulled her up against him. She tucked her head under his chin.

Tears were streaming down her face. She didn't want him to know she was crying.

"No man should have to give up his dreams."

He didn't know if she was asking him for his opinion or telling him a fact she believed. "What made you think about a man's dreams?"

"I was just wondering out loud. Even a man with responsibilities should be able to follow his dreams, shouldn't he?"

"What are you trying to tell me?"

"I'm tired tonight," she whispered. "I'm not making much sense."

"I guess we'll have to have our talk after I get back."

"You're going to Chicago, aren't you?"

"How did you know?"

"I heard Hunter tell you the man you were looking for was in Chicago."

"Yes."

"What was his name?"

"It isn't important."

"He's the man you want to hunt down, isn't he?"

"How would you know that?"

"On the ship, you told me you were going to go back to your mountains after you went hunting a man who'd done something to you. I asked you if he was evil."

Her memory impressed him. He let out a sigh. "And I told you he was evil."

"You want to kill him, don't you?"

He didn't know if he should tell her the truth or lie to her. She turned his attention with another statement.

"You have responsibilities."

"Yes, I do," he agreed. He thought about the eight men Caulder had murdered. Lucas was the only voice left. The only gun. The others had been silenced forever. Only he heard their cry for justice. And revenge.

He was going to kill John Caulder all right. He was going to feel good watching him die. The law wouldn't serve him or those eight men now.

Lucas closed his eyes. He had to deal with the past before he could turn to the future. He'd made a vow.

He couldn't and wouldn't break it now. He knew all about responsibilities.

Chapter 16.

*Love looks not with the eyes but with the mind.

-William Shakespeare, Merry Wives of Windsor Taylor seriously considered delaying their departure by another day. Getting all of their purchases packed and ready was going to take more time than she'd thought. The twins were into everything and made her task ten times more difficult. Georgie had made a pretend house in one of the extra trunks Taylor had purchased, and Allie was jumping up and down on anything that didn't move. Taylor's patience was sorely tested, and by noon, she believed it wasn't possible to get everything done. She fed the children, then put the twins down for a nap, and went back to organizing her things. Daniel was David today and he helped her.

Taylor tried not to think about Lucas. Tears sprang into her eyes twice during the morning for no apparent reason at all. She finally admitted the galling truth to herself. She missed him. Oh, how she wished she'd nagged the full story out of him about the man he was going to hunt down. She didn't think she would worry as much if she knew all the facts. She assumed Lucas was going after a wanted man, which translated to mean a dangerous man, and the longer she thought about it, the more concerned she became.

Her worries multiplied. She received a wire from Harry Sherman, the banker in Boston, informing her that her uncle Malcolm had petitioned the court to throw out his mother's last will and testament. He used the shameful reason that she was mentally incompetent and was under a terrible strain. Sherman added the news that until the matter was determined by the court, the accounts in England couldn't be touched.

It was taking Malcolm's legal advisors longer to convince the American banks to cooperate.

Victoria had only just walked into the room when the wire arrived. She was alarmed by the news. Taylor wasn't at all surprised. She had expected her uncle to use every ploy possible to keep the money from slipping through his greedy fingers. It took her a few minutes to figure out how Sherman had tracked her down though, and then she remembered she'd given the banker in Cincinnati her temporary address when she'd signed the bank drafts and had a portion of her funds transferred.

The news of her whereabouts traveled with lightning speed. She and Victoria had only just agreed to wait until tomorrow to leave when a second wire was delivered. This one didn't just surprise Taylor. It scared the hell out of her. Malcolm had tracked her down. He wished to inform her that he had petitioned the court in London for custody of his grand-nieces and had just been awarded his request. He was sending armed escorts to collect the twins and bring them back to England, where he could watch over them.

"How did he find out about Georgie and Allie?" Victoria asked. "You were hopeful he wouldn't find out their father died, weren't you?"

"He's done his homework," Taylor whispered. She was in such a panic she couldn't seem to make her hands stop shaking. "Madam named the twins in her will. The money she left for Georgie and Allie is a considerable amount. As their guardian, Malcolm must think he'll have control over their inheritance. Oh, God, I don't know any of the legal ramifications. Will the authorities here help him take the babies? Do the American courts have some sort of agreement with England?"

"We'll have to find out," Victoria told her. "When we get to Redemption. I can be ready to leave in fifteen minutes."

They checked out of the hotel a half hour later. Taylor left a note for Hunter, purchased the tickets at the station, and they were all on their way to Montana Territory a short hour later.

Hunter spent the day combing the city, looking for suitable lodging. He returned to the hotel late that evening and was given the news of Taylor's departure. He had to read the note she'd left him twice before he believed it. The daft woman thanked him for his kindness, explained she'd paid for his room, and ended her letter with the wish that he would come calling for supper once she and Victoria and the children were settled in their new home in Redemption.

He thought she had lost her mind. He packed his bag, left a note with the hotel staff to give to Lucas when he returned, and then went running to catch the next train.

His mood was as black as the night. Taylor and her sickly friend were both crazy. What in God's name could they be thinking? They were out of their minds all right, and after he finished blistering the both of them with his opinion of their outrageous plan, he was going to take on the real culprit. Ross. By God, their friendship had limits. Chasing after two demented women went way over the boundary. Lucas owed him, and if that red-headed woman threw up on him one more time, he might have to shoot Lucas to even the score.

By the time Hunter boarded the midnight train, he was in a rage. He'd come to the conclusion he never should have befriended Lucas Ross in the first place. And if he had it all to do over again, he sure as certain wouldn't have stolen that useless, dull-bladed paring knife in the first place.

The journey to Redemption took Taylor and her crew eight full weeks. They went by train to Sioux City, Iowa. They stayed there for two days so the children could run and play, and so that Taylor could purchase a few last-minute supplies. The first on her list was a large wagon. There were plenty to choose from, and it didn't take her any time at all to complete the transaction. Finding four sound horses took her much longer. She spent a long while making up her mind. The cost was outrageous, but she knew that if she waited to make her purchases in Fort Benton, the price would be sky high.

Hunter caught up with them just as they were boarding the riverboat called the Midnight Blue . Taylor had chosen the larger more spacious riverboat because it carried both passengers and cargo. The cost for a cabin was an exorbitant one hundred and twenty-five dollars, which she was happy to inform Hunter when he tried to get her to turn back.

Lucas's friend had developed a rather severe twitch in his cheek by the time she finished explaining her plan to raise the children in Redemption. Then he tried to drag her, Victoria, and the three little ones back to the train station.

He didn't care how much money she'd spent. He suggested she throw all her money away. She wasn't going to need it once Lucas caught up with her. Dead women, he told her with a glare, didn't need cash.

Taylor wasn't impressed with his scare tactics. "You can either assist us or you can leave us," she announced. "We would dearly love to have your company," she graciously added. "Isn't that right, Victoria?"

Her friend snorted. Hunter's face started to turn red. Victoria marched up to him, folded her arms across her noticeably expanding middle, and said, "Either way, we're going to Redemption."

Taylor was praying he would decide to stay. They could certainly use his help, his strength, and his protection. She nudged Victoria in her side to get her to quit glaring at Hunter.

Victoria wasn't going to back down. "Yes, we would appreciate your company," she said. "But..."

"You're going either way, right?" Hunter snapped.

She nodded. He knew when he was beat. He threw up his hands in despair and then went to secure a cabin for himself.

Late that evening, after Taylor and the children had gone to sleep, Victoria went up on deck to get some fresh air. Hunter's room was directly across from hers. As soon as he heard her door open and close again, he followed the woman. He wanted to make certain she stayed out of trouble. She was a good-looking woman and would certainly attract attention. For the cost of just twenty-five dollars, anyone could secure passage on the riverboat, provided he was willing to sleep up on deck and bring his own supply of food. Men with unsavory backgrounds who traveled the river from town to town looking for easy money would find Victoria a sweet little morsel. She was too much of a lady to know how to ward off the drunken ones. She'd get into trouble all right. She was also Taylor's friend, which meant she didn't have a lick of sense either, and until Lucas caught up with them, Hunter felt it was his duty to look out for her.

Victoria was leaning against the railing looking up at the stars. There were two men sitting on the deck at the far end of the rail, smoking cigars and watching her. She didn't seem to notice her audience. One of the men started to stand. Hunter moved so that he stood between Victoria and her gawking admirers.

The man sat back down again.

He couldn't blame them for looking. Victoria was a sight to behold tonight. She'd taken all those pins out of her hair and left the curls unbound. She looked beautiful. He had to remind himself he didn't like the woman. It didn't work. He still wanted to run his fingers through her thick, fiery curls.

"You shouldn't be up here alone, Victoria." He deliberately made his voice mean so he'd scare some sense into her.

"Have you ever seen so many stars, Mr. Hunter?"

"Yes," he answered. He stopped himself from smiling. "When did you decide not to be afraid of me?"

She didn't look at him when she gave him her answer. "When I realized you were a little afraid of me."

He leaned against the rail and looked up at the heavens. "You've got it all wrong, lady. I've never been afraid of you."

She wasn't going to argue with him. The night was too lovely to be marred by bickering. She propped her elbows on the edge and looked out into the night.

"Captain says we'll make a hundred miles a day."

"We'll have to stop every morning to take on wood to use for fuel. Because of the size of the riverboat, I imagine we'll need around twenty-five to thirty cords a day."

"Will we be able to get off the boat and stretch our legs while the wood's being collected?"

"Yes," he answered. "When's your baby due?"

Her eyes widened over the question. Mr. Hunter had obviously noticed her thickening stomach.

"September," she answered.

Neither one said another word for a good five minutes. It wasn't an awkward silence. Hunter shifted his weight, his arm touching hers. She didn't move away.

"Did your husband know you were pregnant before he died?"

"Yes."

"Do you have any idea of the hardships ahead? Giving birth in the wilderness will be difficult, Victoria.

There won't be any medical help if it's needed. You'll be on your own, and if there are complications, there won't be a damned thing anyone can do about it."

"Are you deliberately trying to frighten me?" she asked.

"There's time to turn back," he countered. "I'm trying to make you realize you'll be better off in the city."

He sounded as though he really cared about her. Victoria started feeling guilty because she'd lied to him about having a husband. Hunter was a good, honest man. It wasn't right for her to deceive him. She'd seen the way he helped Mr. Ross search for the children.

She lied because she didn't want him to think ill of her. And that only made her guilt worse. Her own reaction to Hunter confused her. His opinion mattered more than she wanted to admit. She was drawn to him and thought perhaps it was because he was so strong. She always felt so unsure of herself. He was a commanding figure, intimidating really, with those dark eyes and that brooding look. His hair was long, almost shoulder length, and the color was as black as a panther's. He reminded her of the magnificent cat, for he moved with the same grace.

Victoria didn't realize she was staring at him until he pointed out her rudeness. She apologized. "Mr. Ross mentioned your grandmother was an Indian."

"Yes."

"I was wondering..."

"Yes?"

"Are all Indians as handsome as you are?"

She blushed as soon as the words were out of her mouth. She felt foolish and ignorant. She was an unmarried, pregnant woman. She should have known better than to act like a silly schoolgirl. "I shouldn't have said that to you. It was terribly forward of me. I meant no harm," she added in a rush. "And you must surely be used to hearing women tell you..."

"Was your husband handsome?"

Hunter didn't know why he was so curious about the man she'd been married to, and he knew he shouldn't be asking her questions about him. She was still in mourning, for God's sake, and here he was prodding at her to dredge up painful memories.

"He wasn't handsome," she answered. "But love is blind according to William."

"He said that?" he asked, jumping to the conclusion William was her late husband. "I'm not so certain that's true."

"Of course it's true. William wrote it down."

He shrugged. She asked him a question then. "Do you care what other people think about you?"

"No."

"I do," she admitted. "Some of the time," she hastily qualified. "And I only care what certain people think of me." And so I lie , she thought to herself. She let out-a sigh. She suddenly wished she hadn't told Hunter she was married.

"'My stronger guilt defeats my strong intent,' " she whispered, repeating one of her favorite quotes from Shakespeare.

"What did you say?"