Diamond [130-011-4.3]

By: Ruth Langan.

Category: fiction romance

Synopsis:

TEXAS 1870

Diamond had Adam Winter dead in her sights, and he didn't even flinch.
But she still hated him.  It had to be hate, no matter what her new
found sisters claimed.  For what else could make her blood burn as hot
as a prairie fire?

Diamond was a hellcat bent on revenge.

Yet Adam looked beyond the glittering hardness that she showed her
wranglers, and saw a woman as soft and free as a Texas breeze.


MILLS BOON


"I'll make you pay for what you did to my father, Adam," Diamond
vowed.

Though Adam maintained his icy calm, a fire came into his eyes.  His
fingers closed around her arm, and she felt his carefully controlled
strength.  When she tried to back away, he dragged her Close.

"Don't threaten me, Miss Jewel, And don't try to back me into a corner.
If you do, you won't like what you find."

Though she trembled beneath his touch, Diamond lifted her head
defiantly, "I'm not afraid of you."

"Well, you should be... And if you're.  wise, you'll stay as far away
from me as possible."

Ruth Langan traces her ancestry to Scotland and Ireland.  It is no
surprise, then, that she feels a kinship with the characters in her
historical novels.  Married to her childhood sweetheart, she has raised
five children and lives in Michigan, the state where she was born and
raised.

Recent titles by the same author:

ANGEL

Ruth Langan

MILLS BOON

To sisters everywhere,

And especially to my sisters, Pat and Margaret.

Our threads have woven a rich tapestry of family history.

And of course to Tom,

Whose love forever altered the fabric of my life.

DID YOU PURCHASE THIS BOOK WITHOUT A COVER?

if you did, you should be aware it is stolen property as it was
reported unsold and destroyed by a retailer.  Neither the author nor
the publisher has received any payment for this book.

All the characters in this book have no existence outside the
imagination of the author, and have no relation whatsoever to anyone
bearing the same name or names.  They are not even distantly inspired
by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all the incidents
are pure invention,

All Rights Reserved including the right of reproduction fn whole or in
part in any form.  This dit ion is published by arrangement with
Harlequin Enterprises !!  B. V. The text of this publication or any
part thereof may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any
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written permission of the publisher.

This' bool is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way
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circulated without the prior consent of the publisher in any form of
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similar condition including this condition being imposed on the
subsequent

PUrchaser.

MILLS & BOON and MILLS & BOON with the Rose Device are registered
trademarks of the publisher.

First published in Great Britain 1998

Harlequin Mills & Boon Limited,

Eton House, 18-24 Paradise Road.  Richmond, Surrey TW9 ISR

Ruth Ryan Langan 1996

ISBN 0 263 80507 7

Set in Times Roman lO on 11 pt.

Printed and bound in Great Britain

Caledonian International Book Manufacturing Ltd.  Giasglow

Prologue

You must eat something, Senorita Diamond."  Carmelita Alvarez had been
the cook and housekeeper on the Jewel Ranch for nearly twenty years.
That gave her the right to issue orders to the eighteen-year-old
daughter of the owner.

"No."  Diamond peered out the window into the gathering darkness.  "Not
until Pa gets home."

Carmelita was well aware of the close bond between father and daughter.
But she would give it one last attempt.  "The food grows cold."

"I'm sorry."  Diamond turned to the woman who hovered in the doorway,
suddenly ashamed that she had allowed.  her fears to cloud her
manners."  "Is Rosario waiting to take you home?"

"Then you should go."

"But the food..."

"I'll warm it when Pa gets here.  You know I can't eat without him.
Go."  She waved idly as the woman left, then began to pace.  Where was
Pa?  What was taking him so long?

She should have insisted on going with him.  She was always at his
side.  But this time, he'd Slammed his office

door and stormed out, saying he'd be home later.  His sudden shift, of
mood had frightened her.  It was so unlike her father.  She'd never
seen him so angry.

She stopped her frantic pacing and resumed her watchful vigil.  Pa
would be home soon.  Then they wquld settle down to share a meal.  And
Pa would take her into his confidence, as he always did.

On the banks of Poison Creek, the flickering flames of a fire
illuminated Onyx Jewel's handsome face, which was twisted into a mask
of rage.

"I've always been a fair man.  I expected the same from others."  He
pounded a fist into his palm.  "Why?"  It was the only strangled word
he was able to manage over his building fury.

The other figure, draped in shadow; spoke not a word.  But as Onyx
turned away, a pistol was suddenly pressed into his back.  A single
gunshot rang out.

Onyx Jewel half turned, his eyes wide with shock and surprise.  "Not
you"

And then, as the pain struck and realization-dawned that he had been
mortally wounded, he fumbled for his gun.  Anticipating his move, his
attacker's arm swung out, sending the pistol flying into the creek.
Seized with a crippling pain, Onyx dropped to his knees and lifted a
hand in an attempt to ensnare the offending arm.

The other figure sidestepped out of reach.

Onyx's lips moved, but no words came out.  He fell, face-down, and lay
motionless.

After a lengthy pause, the figure stepped closer.  A hesitant touch to
Onyx's throat assured that his pulse had stopped.

As hoofbeats echoed, bearing a lone rider into the lengthening shadows,
the blood of Onyx Jewel spilled from his lifeless body.  The still
waters of Poison Creek reflected a

blood red sky.  Off to the west, the crimson sunset bled into the snow
atop Widow's Peak.  The whole of Texas seemed to be bleeding for its
loss.

Hanging Tree Gazette December 1, 1870 Rancher Murdered

Marshal Quent Regan was summoned to Poison Creek by a grOup of
wranglers who found the body of Onyx Jewel, Hanging Tree's most
prominent citizen, shot in the back.  Marshal Regan promised to comb
the countryside until 'the villain is brought to justice.  Cal McCabe,
foreman for the Jewel Ranch, announced that Onyx Jewel's daughter and
only heir, Diamond, would continue operation of the cattle empire as
her father Would have wished.

Within days, the article was repeated in newspapers acrOss the country.
It wasn't often that news from the little Texas town of Hanging Tree
made headlines in cities like BoSton, San Francisco or St.  Louis.  But
then, it wasn't often that a man of Onyx lewel's stature was murdered,
even in the rOugh-and-tumble state of Texas.

Jewel, a cattleman, had carved an empire of more than one hundred
thousand acres out of some of the most primitive land in Texas.  What
was even more impressive was that he'd managed to do so without
acquiring a long list of enemies.  Onyx Jewel was not only Hanging
Tree's wealthiest citizen, he was its most beloved.  But someone.  had
taken his life.  Someone would have to pay.

Chapter One

Hanging Tree, Texas

December 3, 1870

gem ember You're dealing with a vicious killer."  Marshal Quent Regan's
breath plumed in the frost air.  "From all I've heard, Adam Winter
won't be taken without a fight.  Stay alert.  And stay alive."

Darkness still hung like a shroud over the land, though the first faint
ribbons of light could be seen on the distant horizon.  The six men,
rifles at the ready, had dismounted nearly a mile back, leaving their
horses tethered in a stand of trees.  Given the reputation of the man
they stalked they were taking no chances.  They wanted no sound to give
them away.  Their only hope of taking him alive was to catch him
unawares.

"Arlo."  At the marshal's whispered command, the men halted.  "You and
the others surround the place.  He might have a lookout posted out
back."

The stocky deputy nodded as he and three men crept to the far side of
the cabin.  The marshal waited until they were in place, then moved

stealthily forward, followed by a second man, whose glance swiveled
from one side to the other, as if expecting at any moment to be blown
away by blazing gunfire

The marshal studied the small building looming out of the darkness.  It
couldn't really be called a cabin.  It was little more than a shack,
with four walls of rough-hewn timbers the cracks gaping wide enough to
admit a half-grown pup.  There was a small window, where a hole had
been cut in one wall in order to view approaching strangers.  The door,
swaying slightly, appeared to be tied shut from the inside.  It 'would.
be an' easy matter to kick it open and take the occupant by surprise,
if luck stayed with them.  "Ready?"  The marshal gave a final look
around before driving his foot against the door.  At.  the same moment
that it swung inward," he and his Partner dashed inside, rifles aimed
and cocked.

"Don't moved winter, or I'll blow a hole in you so big they won't even
be able to find your chest."  Marshal Regan used his voice like a
weapon.  He'd spent too many years dealing with the criminal element
Desperate men would do anything necessary to survive.  They had to be
subdued quickly, and made to understand that there WOuld be no mercy.

By the dim light of glowing coals in the fireplace, a figure could be
seen sitting up in.  bed, one hand snaking out toward his gun.

The marshal swept the pistol from the table beside the bed with the
butt of his rifle.

The man leaped from his bed and tackled the marshal, driving him hard
against the wall.  The marshal gave a grunt of pain as 'a knee jammed
into his midsection,

His deputy, seeing that the marshal was fighting a losing battle,
brought his rifle into the stranger's back and snarled, "You move a
muscle, you're dead."

The man turned on him and knocked the rifle aside as

 though it were a child's toy.  But as he stared toward his pistol on
the floor, the marshal's voic stopped him.

"Stay fight there, Winter.  This badge says I have the right to shoot
you without another warning."

"Badge?"  The man froze.

"That's right.  I'm Marshal Quent RegS."

"Why didn't you identify yourself fight away?  You could have saved us
both a lot of trouble."

Seeing that the man was, for the moment, subdued, the marshal crossed
the room and tossed the rifle propped up beside the bed to his
panner.

At that moment the rest of the men crowded inside the little cabin,
dragging a scruffy, stooped old man whose hands had been hastily tied
behind his back.  Though his blue shin was faded and torn, it still
bore the markings of the Union army.

"You were right, Marshal," the deputy called with a trace of pride. "We
found this old coot sleeping out back in a wagon.  Probably a
lookout."

"Ain't no lookout," the old man said through his tangled whiskers.
"Just can't stand to sleep inside.  Gives me the sweats."

"Shut up, old man."  The marshal turned to the figure across the room.
"Let's go, Winter."  He picked up a shirt from the foot of the bed and
tossed it.  "Put this on.  You've got a long ride ahead of you."

"That so?"  The voice was deep, roughened with a combination of anger
and the last vestiges of sleep.  "Where am I going?"

"You're going to hell, where you belong," the deputy called with a
laugh.

Adam Winter.  took a step toward him, and all six men, despite the fact
that their rifles were trained on him, took a step back.  He was a
commanding figure, exuding power and something even more
frightening--raw fury.

"Would you care to tell me what this is about?"  He kept his gaze
level with the marshal's.

"It's about the murder of Onyx Jewel.  I'm sure you've heard about
it."

"I have.  But what's that got to do with me?"

"You're sitting on land that borders the Jewel property."  Adam Winter
remained silent.  But the muscles of his arms bunched and tightened as
his hands clenched at his sides.  Every man in the cabin noted the
movement, and their fingers tightened on their.  weapons.  , "Last I
heard, that was' no crime."

"The water you need for your cattle is on Jewel proPerty The marshal
nodded toward his deputy.  "And Arlo here heard Onyx Jewel tell his
foreman to see that your cattle were driven off his land and kept off
his land."  "That doesn't make me a murderer."

"Maybe.  Maybe not.  That's for a judge to decide.  But Arlo also heard
you threaten to kill Onyx Jewel if he didn't stop damming up the river
above your land.  And, Winter, I don't know where you come from, but
here in Texas, men have killed for a whole lot less than water.  Now,
get dressed."

"Looks like you're 'going to jail, Adam Winter," came the mocking
'voice of the deputy.  "And the town's going to get to see what made it
famous."

The hill overlooking the Jewel Ranch was barren and windswept, and
resembled all the hills around it, except for the freshly dug hole. The
entire town of Hanging Tree had gathered to watch Onyx Jewel's last
ride.  Despite the presence of the preacher in his somber black suit,
the crowd appeared almost festive, with the men and women in their
Sunday best, and the occasional lilt of an innocent child's laughter
carried on the morning air.

Dust spewed from horses' hooves as a long line of wranglers led a
procession from the ranch house, followed by a single wagon.  Trotting
alongside was a riderless horse.  The ranch hands dismounted and formed
two columns, standing at attention, while six cowboys lifted a simple
pine box from the back of the wagon and carried it tward the grave.  A
one figure, dressed like the other wranglers in boots and leather
chaps, trailed slowly behind.

When the procession came to a halt, a slender hand lifted to remove the
wide-brimmed hat, and a mane of fiery hair spilled loose to drift on
the wind.

"It ain't proper for a lady to go to a funeral dressed like a
wrangler," whispered town gossip Lavinia Thurlong.

"Especially to bury her own father," added neighbor Gladys WithersP n.
"But then, Diamond Jewel never cared what others thought.  For that
matter, neither did her pa."

"I could tell you things--" Lavinia began, but a look from her
long-suffering.  husband stopped her.

Both women fell silent as the preacher's words carried over the
crowd.

"Ashes to ashes and dust to dust.  Thus shall a man live his life so
that, like Onyx Jewel, when he comes face-to-face with his Maker, he
need not cower and hide, but lift his head proudly and answer the
invitation to enter paradise."  The preacher glanced around, meeting
the gazes of several of his flock with a challenging look.  "Let it be
a lesson to all of us.  We must live in such a way, as did Onyx Jewel,
that we will not fear death when it comes to claim us."

Diamond Jewel stood alone, staring at her father's casket.  It wasn:t
death she feared; it was living alone.  Without Pa.

It didn't seem possible.  they'd always been a team.  Just the two of
them.  She couldn't remember anything about her mother, who had died
when Diamond was just a baby.

But she would never forget a single thing about her proud, handsome
father.  For all of her years, he had been the center of her life.
She'd taught herself to walk like him, talk like him, even ride and
shoot like him.  How would it be possible to go on without him?

Two of the ranch hands helped lower the casket into the ground.  At a
word from.  the preacher, Diamond dug the first shovel of earth and
SCattered it over the casket.  She had to swallow hard to hold back the
lump that threatened to unravel all her hard-fought control.

"You aren?t there, Pa," she whispered.  "You're here beside me, just
like always.  Except now, I can't see you.  But you're here.  I just
know it."

She stepped aside so that the others could pay their last tributes.
Ranch foreman Cal McCabe looked grim as he shoveled dirt over the
casket.  Limping behind him was the trail cook.  One big fat tear
splashed down his cheek, and he rubbed it aside with the back of
his-hand'

Watching as each of the wranglers followed suit, Diamond felt the sting
of tears burn' her eyes, but she blinked them away, horrified at such a
weakness.  She sniffed.  Pa wouldn't have cried.  And neither would
she.  he was a Texan, born 'and bred.  And a Jewel, as Well.  Pa said
that made her special, but also gave her added responsibilities.  He'd
always taught her that She needed to be tougher?  stronger, more
honest, more diSCiplined.  Right now she didn't feel like more of
anything.  She felt robbed of everything she'd ever loved.  And
helpless to do anything about it.

Helpless.  That was the worst part.  Nothing she could do would bring
Pa back.  Nothing.

She lifted her chin and stared straight ahead.  She'd heard the
whispers from the crowd, had seen their sideways looks, but chose to
ignore them.  How could anyone be concerned about clothes at a time
like this?  Only one thing mattered.

Her father had been shot in the back.  It was up to her to avenge that
COwardly act.

She watched as the town banker, Chester Pierce, lifted a shovel of dirt
and scattered it.  He turned and drew her into his arms and she nearly
gave in to the neto weep .... "Oh," Uncle Chet."  Though he wasn't a
blood relative, Diamond had always called him uncle.  She drew in a
breath and struggled for control.

"I know.  I know."  He patted her shoulder and continued to hold her
close.

Chet Pierce had handled the Jewel finances through bad times and good.
In the early days, he had loaned Onyx Jewel the money to add to his
herd and meet his payroll.  And Onyx had repaid him a hundredfold,
banking his profits in town, despite the fact that larger banks in
Eastern cities had offered more security.  The friendship between the
two men had benefited the town of Hanging Tree, since Chet Pi.erce was
able to make loans to other, smaller businesses, thus expanding his own
bank until it had become a powerful force in the state of Texas.

When the grave was covered with drt, the young, charismatic minister,
Reverend Wade Weston, stepped forward and eanght the young Woman's
hand, speaking a few words meant to soothe.  "Onyx rests in peace now,
Miss Jewel."

"Peace?"  The word was louder than she'd intended, distorted with fury.
"My pa will never rest in peace until the coward who shot him is
hanged."  "Vengeance is mine, sayeth the Lord."

"No, Reverend Weston."  She snatched her hand from his, relieved to
have a stronger, fiercer emotion nudge aside her grief.  "I'll be the
one to avenge my father's death.  You can count on that."

Heads swiveled as a single horse galloped up the hill.  The crowd
parted for a tall, sun-bronzed man wearing the

 .

"Thought you might like to know," Marshal Quent Regan muttered.  "Early
this morning, I arrested a man for the murder of your father."

Her head came up sharply.  Her gaze narrowed.  "Who is he?"

"Namers Adam Winter.  Newcomer to Hanging Tree.  Don't know much about
him're he rubbed at his tender shoulder, which he'd wrenched in his
brawl with the prisoner "--except that he's sb.  id to be quick with
his temper, and just as quic!  with a gun.  I've asked my deputy to
look into his claim that he owns.  the land just west of yours, where I
found him scratching out a living.  Maybe his claim of ownership is
genuine.  Then again, maybe not."  He glanced at the banker for
confirmation.

Chet Pierce shrugged.  "Don't know much about this

Adam Winter.  He could be just a drifter and.  squatter."  "Where is he
now?"  Diamond demanded.  "In jail."

"I want to see him."

"Maybe you ought to wait.  I mean, with the funeral and all..."

"I want to see him now," she said in a dangerously soft voice.

No one had ever argued with a Jewel when that tone of voice was used.

She turned and made her way through the tangle of curious townspeople,
with the wranglers following.  Most had worked for Onyx Jewel for
years, and respected him.  But even those who had recently hired on had
soon learned that they were in the presence of an extraordinary man.
Onyx Jewel had always worked alongside his men.  With single-mindedness
he'd carved an empire in the wilderness.  And the young woman in their
midst was'a worthy heir.  She

had inherited not only his wealth, but his drive and determination, as
well.  There was no job she wouldn't tackle.  And few men, with the
exception of tough ranch foreman Cal McCabe, would dare to challenge
her.

Diamond pulled herself into the saddle and tOOk off without a backward
glance at her father's 'rave.  With the townspeople looking on,
whispering at this strange turn of events, the wranglers followed,
setting off at a thunderous pace.

As the earth trembled beneath he volley of hoofbeats, Reverend Weston
felt a sudden wave of sympathy for the stranger who was about to taste
Diamond Jewel's venom.  "This funeral serVice is concluded," he
announced.  When he looked around, he realized his words had been
unfiecessary.  The townspeople were dispersing as quickly as possible,
so they wouldn't miss the expected fireworks in town.

"Adam, the deputy out there says they've already wired a federal judge
to come and hold a trial."  Zebulon Forrest was a gnarled, withered old
man with cracked leather skin and a graying beard that disappeared
inside a ragged shirt.  Despite the fact that he'd been found sleeping
in a wagon on Adam's property, the marshal had released him, after
learning that the old man merely worked for Adam.

"Then it'll be up to the federal judge to find me inno "Are you crazy?
These people are getting ready for a hanging.  Somebody killed the town
hero, and they want to.

Winter said softly, "It won't be mine, Zeb."

man clutched the bars that separated them and the man who reclined on
the hard cot, his hat the morning sun from his eyes.  "From what I've
has a history of hanging men first and

asking questions' later.  There must be something we can do to get you
out of that cell."

Adam shoved the hat aside and turned his gaze toward his old friend. "I
guess if life has taught me anything, it's that I can't change fate."

"Damn it, Adam."  Zeb ran a hand through his hair in frustration.  He
knew what Adam Winter was thinking.  Hadn't they been through hell and
back together?  Hadn't they been forced to watch too many good men die?
Maybe they'd been helpless to stop all.  that but this ... this wasn't
fate.  This was just some 'federal marshal looking for a scapegoat.  It
was so unfair, the old man was itching to grab a club and start
swinging.  But there was no one to swing at.  Except maybe Adam.  Damn
him for giving up without a fight.  It wasn't like him.,

"You've got to fight back," Zeb cried, trying to fire up some
enthusiasm: "Fight like hell.  Or else, they're going to use you for a
sacrificial lamb."  Adam got to his feet and started across the cell,
limping slightly.  "Let it go, Zeb.  There's nothing--"

Their-heads came up as the door was thrown open and a cluster of
wranglers trailed behind the federal' marshal "There's your father's
killer, Miss Jewel."  There was a moment of stunned silence.

"Leave me," came the hushed, slightly breathless voice.  At once the
others did as she commanded.  When old Zeb tried to remain, the marshal
caught him by the arm and dragged him away to the outer office. 
Diamond waited until the door closed.  Then she yanked off her hat 'and
absently slapped it against her leg, sending dust flying.  She peered
through the bars at the man who stood facing her.  She should have
known he'd be a big man.  Taller even than her father, and broader of
shoulder.  Onyx Jewel had been nearly six feet of.  pure muscle, but he
would have been no match for Adam Winter.  The man

who faced her had dark, shaggy hair, badly in need of a trim.  It
curled over the collar of a tattered shirt.  There was a stubble of
dark hair on his chin and cheeks, and she recalled that the marshal had
said he'd arrested him while he slept in the shack he called a ranch.
His eyes were smoky gray, and his gaze held her evenwhcn she tried to
look away.

Adam Winter studied the tall, slender figure It had' been a shock when
she'd remox/ed her hat.  From a distance he would have mistaken her for
just another wrangler.  But her hair, the color of autumn leaves, was a
glorious tangle that fell to her waist.  In the sunlight streaming
through the small, narrow window he could see the way her shirt
strained against high, firm breasts.  Her tiny waist and softly rounded
hips were encircled by empty gun belts.  Her guns, no doubt, lay on the
marshal's desk, to be claimed when she was leaving.  Up close her face
was a small oval, with high cheekbones and eyes that were more green
than blue.  Eyes that were studying him as though he were a
rattlesnake.

"The marshal tells me your name is Adam Winter."  Again that voice,
soft, breathless.  But not from fear, he realized.  Not from nerves.
From a deep, raging passion.  It was obvious that she was struggling to
keep a tight rein on her fury.  But it would be no match for his own,
if he allowed it to take hold of him.  He cautioned himself to re
member that this young woman was steeped in grief.  "That's right."

"Why did you kill my father?  What did he ever do to you?"

"I didn't kill your father, Miss Jewel.  The marshal arrested the-wrong
man."

"Quent warned me that you'd say that."

"Then why did you bother asking?"

"Damn you.  You're so sure of yourself.  So smug."  Her

eyes narrowed.  He could almost see the sparks.  One hand curled
around the bars of his cell until her knuckles were white.  "You took
away the only thing that ever mattered to me in this world.  I had to
lay my father in the ground today."  Her voice was layered with pain.
"Do you know what that felt like?"

He held his silence, but something flared briefly in his eyes.
Something that mirrored her pain.

She took no notice.  She bent and pulled a pistol from her boot, then
straightened and leveled it at him.  "I ought to shoot you in the back,
the same way you shot my father.  But I want you to see me while I pull
this trigger, Adam Winter.  And I want to see your eyes when you know
you're dying."

He moved so quickly she had no time to react.  In one swift motion h
caught her hand and pulled it through the bars, twisting until the gun
slipped.  from her fingers and clattered to the floor of his cell. 
With his other hand he caught her roughly by the shoulder and dragged
her close, until she was pressed tightly, painfully, against the bars
of the cell.

"Little fool," he said between clenched teeth.  "Do you really want the
death of an innocent man on your conscience for the rest of your
life?"

She could feel the strength in his hands as he caught and pinned her.
Could feel his breath hot against her cheek.  And could see in his eyes
a terrible black rage that matched her own.

No man had ever dared to lay a hand on her in such a bruising, intimate
manner.  She was, after all, Onyx Jewel's daughter.  Her father's
reputation had always managed to insulate her from the tougher 'side of
her countrymen.  Now, imprisoned against her will, she felt a strange
heat slowly building within her.  The heat of anger, she reasoned.

"Let me go."  She was surprised at how difficult it was to speak.

"When I'm good and ready."  Adam continued to press the bones of her
hand and knew that, with one simple movement, he could snap them like
the lyings of a bird.  His other hand grasped her shoulder, holding her
firmly Jwhen she tried to pull back:

She was neither small nor fragile.  But she was soft, as only a woman
could be.  Though she dressed like a man, she was unmistakably female.
And for all her tough talk, a frightened, confused one at that.

All the anger, all the rage, seemed to drain out of him as quickly as
it had filled him.

He released her and bent to pick up her weapon.  As he straightened, he
saw the way her eyes widened in fear.  Almost at once the fear was
replaced by a challenging lOOk.

"Go ahead.  ShOOt me.  But I won't turn tail and run.  You won't get a
second chance to shOOt someone in the back, Adam Winter.  If you shoot
me, you'll have to face me while you do it."

She was startled when he handed her the gun through the bars of his
cell.  It was a calculated risk, he knew, but one he had to take.  She
could still turn the gun on him.  But he was betting that her quick
temper had already begun to cool.

Their fingers brushed and she felt anotherrnsh of heat.  She pulled
away as though burned.

"If you're smart, Miss Jewel, you'll put this back in your boot before
the marshal sees it.  I don't think he'd take tOO kindly to his
prisoner being shot before the town has a chance to enjoy a good
hanging."

It galled her to know that he was right.  But in these few moments, she
had lost her will to kill.  Only now was she aware of how foolish, how
rash, her actions had been.

With great reluctance she slid the pistol into her boot.

"I intend to listen to every word spoken at your trial.  And when
they're ready to hang you Adam Winter, I'll tie the noose myself."  '

His voice was rough.  "I understand how you feel.  I'd do the same to
anyone who hurt my loved ones."

"Damn you Adam Winter.  Don't tell me that you understand.  No one will
ever know the pain I feel.  I'll never forgive you.  Never."

She turned and, pulling open the door, strode away, leaving the door'
to slam behind her.

In the silence, Adam stood, head bowed, hands clenched.  It looked like
Zeb was right.  The town was ripe for a hanging.  And without a doubt,
so was Onyx Jewel's daughter.

Chapter Two

What did Mr.  Jewel say to you about the defendant's cattle, Mr.
McCabe?"

Judge Bernard Thompkins spoke to the ranch foreman, but his attention
was captured by the rapt faces of the people crowded around to witness
the trial.  As expected, the locals were spellbound.

He regularly traveled across Texas holding federal trials involving
murder or bank robberies.  He was well aware that his stern demeanor
and theatrical presence brought a bit of excitement to these otherwise
drab little towns.  As a young man he'd dreamed of joining a band of
traveling actors.  Instead, he'd joined his father's stuffy law firm,
where he'd toiled for thirty years.  Though his hair was silver and his
middle thickening, his heart was still that of a young man.  And in
truth, these past few years he'd been having the time of his life in
his very own traveling circus.

"He said to drive Adam Winter's cattle off our and and see that they
stayed off."

The crowd murmured, and the judge rapped on his for silence.

The trial was being held in the hack room of Mercantile.  It was the
only room big enough to hold the

crowd that had gathered to watch Adam Winter face the music.

The judge's table had, until today, held Durfee's complete supply of
petticoats, corsets and ladies' drawers.

The marshal and his deputy sat on either side of Adam Winter, who had
been brought in with his hands and feet chained, in case he should
attempt to escape.  The marshal figured the chains also added weight to
Winter's accusation of guilt.  It didn't hurt that' Winter had been in
jail for over a week, with no chance to bathe shave or change his
clothes.  Everything about' the defendant shouted guilty.

A few chairs' had been set up for distinguished onlookers, such as the
mayor and his wife, the minister, the banker and, of course, Diamond
Jewel.  The rest of the townspeople were forced to stand shoulder to
shoulder.  Those who couldn't fit inside were milling about outside,
listening through the open window.

It was a festive crowd.  The men had been.  up since dawn to see to
their chores so they could hurry into town.  The women wore their
Sunday best, Children of all ages swung from tree limbs and chased
after one another.  It was a fine day for a hanging.

"Deputy Ado Spitz contends that Adam Winter threatened Mr.  Jewel.  Did
you hear such a threat?"

"No, sir."  Cal McCabe squirmed.  A sworn oath was a sacred trust.  And
he wished to hell he could recall such a threat.  He just wanted this
over so he could return to the ranch.  He much preferred riding the
range to being confined in a courtroom.

At Cal's denial, the judge turned his: stern gaze on the deputy seated
beside the prisoner.  Arlo flushed and swallowed, causing his Adam's
apple to bulge in his throat like a bullfrog.  He thought he remembered
a threat, but then, he'd just been hoping the two men would get into a
brawl.  Nothing be enjoyed more than a good fight.

"Thank you Mr.  McCabe."  The judge turned to a tall stick of a man
with thin brown hair and eyes as sad as a hound's, peering balefully
through round spectacles.  "I suppose you'd like to ask a few
questions, Mr.  Burton?"

"Yes, sir."  Rayford B'uo.n got slowly.  to his feet, C moment he'd
received Zeb's telegram, he' dropped everything to come to the aid of
his old army sergeant.  Especially when he'd heard that the defendant
was Adam Winter.  After all, he owed his life to Adam.  As a scared
young recruit, he'd lost his nerve at the first sign of battle, and
would have taken a bullet in the back if it hadn't been for the
kindness of Adam Winter, a more seasoned fighter, who'd pulled him down
behind a log and stayed with him until he discovered his courage.

With his limited legal training, Rayford spent most of his.  time these
days in Pennsylvania drawing up wills for wealthy clients, or preparing
bills oflsale and eviction notices.  Since his arrival in Hanging Tree
three days ago, he'd asked hundreds of questions of the townspeople and
made voluminous notes, hoping to appear as professional as possible.
But he felt as lost as a six-year-old on his first day of school.  He
was still just that scared recruit-.

"Mr.  McCabe."  He knew he presented a homely picture to the crowd,
resembling a young Abe Lincoln.  Though the President was dead now
these past five years, his memory still conjured unpleasant memories
for many in Texas whose sympathies lay with the shattered Confederacy.
Because of that, Rayford Burton kept his face averted so as not to be
too conspicuous.  "I understand you argued with Mr.  Jewel the day
before he was shot."

Several in the crowd were heard to gasp..

The ranch foreman sprang to his feet in a rage.  "Are you accusing me
of killing my boss?"

"Sit down, Mr.  McCabe."  The judge rapped his gavel and glared at the
witness.

Cal sank back in the chair, but his eyes were as hard as rock chips.

"Did you argue with Mr.  Jewel?"  Rayford Burton persisted.

"Maybe.  I don't remember."

"I'll refresh your memory.  YoU and Mr.  Jewel had ridden to Adam
Winter's cabin, along with the deputy, to caution Winter about letting
his cattle roam off his property.  When Mr.  Winter complained about
the water being dammed, Mr.  Jewel ordered you to see that the dam was
removed at once.  And yo flew into a rage, saying Adam' Winter
was'lyilg.  Is that correct?"

"You've got it all wrong.  I wasn't mad at Onyx, I wasm, ,

"You lost your temper, didn't you Mr.  McCabe?"

Cal glanced toward Diamond, who was staring holes through him.  He'd
have to answer to her later.  "Yeah.  I lost my temper.  Everyone
around here knows I do that a lot.  But I didn't--"

"Thank you.  That's all," Rayford Burton said as he returned to his
chair.

"You're excused," the judge said.  "I'd like' to call Arlo Spitz."

The deputy avoided the marshal's eyes as he walked up and took the seat
beside the judge's table.

There was no jury Judge Thompkins wasn't about to put the fate of any
man in' the hands of wranglers whose loyalty could be bought for the
price of a horse, or sometimes the Promise of a job Like all murder
cases, this would be decided by the judge alone.  And his word was
right next to that of the Almighty.

When the oath had been administered, Judge Thompkins said, "Deputy,
you've heard what Mr.  McCabe said earlier.  I'!1 ask you the same
question.  Did you ever hear Mr.  Winter threaten Mr.  Jewel?"

"Maybe not in so many words.  But when Winter found that the water had
been dammed up above his land, and that only a trickle was spilling
into his stream, he was mad as a wounded bobcat.  I wouldn't put it
past a man with his temper to draw on an unarmed man."  v

Rayford Burton was on his feet immediately.  "And what makes you think
Mr.  Jewel was unarmed?"

Arlo choked.  "Why, he was shot in the back, that's why."

The judge's eyes narrowed.  "Do you know something the rest of us don't
know, deputy?"

"We didn't find Onyx Jewel's gun.  And everyone around here knows that
Jewel always carried a gun and was the best shot in the territory.  If
he'd had his gun, there's no doubt who would have been lying dead.
That's-why he was shot in the back by that no-good, cowardly--"

The judge said dryly, "Thank you for your brilliant observations, Mr.
Spitz.  And now, if you don't mind, I'll ask you to step down.  Unless,
of course, Mr.  Burton has more questions for you."  He turned to the
young lawyer.  "No, sir.  No more questions."

"Then I call Ezra Constable to testify."

The crowd glanced around in consternation.  None of them had ever heard
the name before.  When the grizzled old.  Cookie stepped forward, there
was a smattering of laughter.

"Is that not' your name?"  the judge asked.

"It's the name I was given at.  birth the old.  man explained.  "But I
ain't been called anything except Cookie for so many years, nobody
knows me by any other."

"All right.  Cookie."  The judge rapped for silence.-"How long have you
known Onyx Jewel?"

"Twenty years or more.  Started with him as a wrangler, until I busted
my leg.  Tended to it myself, but it healed

crooked, and I couldn't sit a horse without pain.  So I took on the
job of cooking for the wranglers."

The judge said, "I have no questions for you.  BUt Mr.  Burton here
wanted your name on the witness list.  So I'll let Mr.  Burton ask his
questions."

Once more Rayford Burton crossed the room.  "I understand you and Onyx
Jewel fought the night before he was murdered.  And you told him to
find himself another cook."

"Well, "I..."  The old man pulled a stained handkerchief from his
pocket and nervously wiped.  it across his forehead.  "I might have
said something like that.  But Onyx knew I didn't mean it "Do you often
say things you don't mean?"

"Yes.  No.  Hell!"  The old man's voice exploded.  "Onyx wanted me to
close up my chuck wagon and do my cooking in the main house.  In the
main house," he thundered for emphasis.  He turned to the judge to
avoid Diamond, who was staring wide-eyed at him.  "Do you know.  what
it would be like for an old cowhand to give up the trail and be
confined to four walls?"

"So you quit," Rayford Burton said softly.

"Hell, yes, I quit.  But just so Onyx would know how I felt.  He knew I
wouldn't really leave.  him."

"If he knew that, what good did it do to threaten?"

The old man stared at his gnarled hands.  "No good.  It was a foolish
thing to do.  But dammit, he hurt me."

"And you wanted to hurt him back."  Rayford walked back to his seat,
drawing out a long breath.  "I guess shooting a man in the back would
hurt him real good."

"You don't think...?  You ain't saying...?"  The old man was
speechless.

"YOu can step down now, Cookie," the judge said.  He glanced around the
courtroom before saying, "Td like to call Adam Winter."

The crowd both inside and outside the courtroom became

ominously still.  Since most of them didn't know the defendant, they
had to base their information on rumors.  And there were dozens of
them.  Rumors that Adam Winter was a professional gunslinger before
retiring here.  in Hanging Tree.  Rumors that he'd killed over a dozen
men, and his poster hung in every sheriff's office from here to New
Mexico Territory.  Rumors that he was hard-drinking, hard-fighting and
hard-living.  The people of Hanging Tree were eager to hear every word
from this vile outlaw's lips.

While the judge administered the oath, Diamond studied Adam Winter.
Except for the dark growth of beard, his time spent in jail hadn't
seemed to affect him in the least.  Despite the bound hands and feet,
and the soiled clothes, he held his head in an aloof, almost arrogant,
manner.

"On the day of his murder," the judge began, "you argued with Onyx
Jewel."

"I did."  His voice when he spoke was as commanding as the judge's.
Firm, with no hint of an apology.

His dark, penetrating gaze skimmed the courtroom until it came to rest
on Diamond.  She felt pinned by that look until, flushing, she' lowered
her gaze.  Damn the man.  He reminded her of a sleek mountain cat, all
sinew and muscle, afraid of nothing and no one.  At this moment, she
believed every one of the rumors about him.  If someone was foolish
enough to shoot at him, he'd probably catch the bullet in his teeth and
spit it back.

"What did you argue about?"

"Cattle and water."

The judge glowered at the defendant.  "Would you care to elaborate, Mr.
Winter?"

Even though Adam Winter turned toward the judge, he could feel Diamond
Jewel's gaze boring into him.  Though he hated to admit it, there was
Something about those haunted green eyes that got to him.  His hands
fisted against the chains that bound him.

"Onyx Jewel and his foreman brought.  back a string of cattle that had
wandered off my land.  Onyx warned me that if any more of my cows
crossed onto Jewel property, they would be considered his."

"These cattle that wandered off your property, Mr.  Winter.  Had they
been branded?"

Adam nodded.  "They were."

"Then, during roundup time, couldn't they be culled from the herd and
returned to you?"

"They could.  But Onyx.  Jewel was no fool.  He said he didn't build an
empire by feeding other men's cattle, and then returning them fattened
for slaughter."

"Were you angry when he threatened you?"  the judge asked.

"Of course I was."  Adam Winter's eyes narrowed.  "I told him the
cattle would never have crossed onto his land if his wranglers hadn't
dammed up the sUe am leaving my section and my cattle desperate for
water."

"What did he say to that?"

"He claimed he didn't know about any dam.  When he asked his foreman,
Cal McCabe said he didn't know about it, either, and didn't believe me.
So I invited them to ride with me to see the damage that had been done
to my stream.  '

From her position in the front row, Diamond watched and listened.  She
could imagine her father's anger at the suggestion that he would
intentionally interfere, with a man's water supply.  Out here, that was
considered worse than being a horse thief.  Onyx Jewel understood the
importance of water better than most men.  And why, she thought,
bristling, would a man of her father's stature need to worry about the
small amount of water Adam Winter's cattle would use?  WhY, he wouldn't
have a care about a man like Adam Winter.  After all, the marshal had
said Winter's ranch wasn't even worth bothering about.  How could

this liar even suggest that Onyx Jewel would stoop to such a cowardly
act?

"After they saw your stream, Mr.  Winter, what did Onyx Jewel say?"

"After seeing the evidence, Jewel ordered his foreman to see that the
dam was destroyed and my water allowed to flow freely.  In turn, I gave
Jewel my word that I would contain my cattle."

"Was he satisfied with that?"  the judge asked.

"I'd say he was.  Onyx Jewel and I shook hands and parted company."

"And his foreman, Cal McCabe?  Was he satisfied, as well?"

Adam Winter shook his head.  "McCabe said he didn't believe any of his
wranglers had a hand in the building of that dam.  They had no reason
to.  He suggested that I rigged the dam myself, to justify letting my
cattle stray."

"Was McCabe angry?"

"He' was," Adam said simply.  "But I figured he and Onyx Jewel would
work it out between them."

Judge Thompkins turned toward the young lawyer.  "Do you have any
questions, Mr.  Burton?"

Rayford stood and walked toward the defendant, forcing those in the
courtroom to follow his movements.  He wanted to draw attention to Adam
Winter's words.  He stopped a few feet from Adam's chair.

"So you and Onyx Jewel parted company on friendly terms."

"We were far from friends.  But at least we understood each other.  And
respected each other."

Respect?.  Though the word jolted Diamond, she found herself wondering.
Would her father have respected a man like Adam Winter?  Onyx Jewel had
often boasted that he'd built his empire from a single tract of
inhospitable landscape and some scrawny cattle.  His humble
beginnings

were much like Adam Winter's.  Her father would probably identify with
a man like Adam.  Still, she found herself rejecting the very idea that
he would respect him.

Before she could continue that line of thought, she was interrupted by
Rayford Burton's next question.

"How many guns do you own, Mr.  Winter?"  Adam's eyes narrowed.
"Two."

The young lawyer lifted them from the judge's table and held them
aloft.  "The marshal confiscated them the night he arrested you?"

"That's right."

"Would 'you tell me what they are, please:"

"A Remington six-shot pistol and a Sharp's buffalo ri-He."

The lawyer glanced at the defendant.  "That's a lot of firepower, Mr.
Winter.  Were you expecting a war?"

Adam's expression never altered.  But something blazed in his eyes.
"Tve learned the hard way that it's best to be prepared."

The judge seemed to be paying very close attention.

"Did you fire either of these guns on the night that Onyx

Jewel was killed?"

"I did not."

Rayford Burton turned to the judge.  "I have no more questions."  '

"You can step down, Mr.  Winter," Judge Thompkins said.

The young lawyer turned to the group seated in the front row.  "Td like
to ask Dr.  Prentice a few questions."

The town doctor, as round as he was tall, with a tiny black mustache
that looked as though it had been penciled over his upper lip, strode
toward the witness chair.  The judge administered the oath and he took
a seat.

"I have just one question, Doctor.  It's a simple one."  The crowd
sunined to hear.

"You examined the body of Onyx Jewel.  Could he have been killed by a
bullet from either of these weapons?"

Cosmo Prentice examined each gun carefully, then handed them back to
the judge.  In his familiar nasal voice he said, "Not a chance."

The crowd gave a collective gasp.

"The gun that killed Onyx Jewel was what I call a gentleman's gun," the
doctor went on.  "A small pistol that is worn in a man's sleeve, by a
gambler, perhaps, or carried in a lady's handbag.  It makes a very
small wound in the flesh, both as it enters and exits the body.  It's
only good for close range."

"Thank you Doctor.  That's all."  For the first time since the trial
began, Rayford Burton felt his hopes rise as he returned to his seat.

The judge turned to the marshal.  "Quent, YOu don't need to take the
witness chair.  Just remember that You're still under oath."

The marshal nodded as he got hesitantly to his feet.  He was already
beginning to sweat.

"Did you search Adam Winter's cabin and property for any other
weapons?"

"We tore his place apart," the marshal said with obvious pride.  "If
there was arother weapon anywhere on that hard scrabble piece of land,
I'd have found it."

"So you don't think the defendant could have concealed another
weapon?"

"Well, now..."  The marshal began to backpedal.  "I didn't say..."

"You said you tore his place apart."

The marshal swallowed, then nodded.

The judge made a steeple of his hands.  "Thanks, Marshal."  He glanced
at the young lawyer, and the two changed a long, meaningful look.

Rayford Burton scraped back his chair and got to his

feet.  Despite his inexperience, he could see that the case against
Adam Winter had just fallen apart.

"I ask, in view of the evidence, that you set this man free."

A rumble of dissent rippled through the crowd.  When the judge rapph. d
for silence, the people shifted their attention to him.

"I must agree with Mr.  Burton.  Since neither of the guns belonging to
Adam Winter could have possibly been used to kill Onyx JeWel, I have no
choice but to declare this man not guilty."

The crowd 'erupted into shouts.  Several in the room cursed loudly at
the judge's verdict.  They had, after all, come to see justice done.
And in their eyes, justice meant a verdict of guilty, and a hanging in
the afternoon.

"Are you saying you're letting him walk free?"  one man shouted.  '

Judge Bernard Thompkins rapped: for silence.  "That's exactly what I'm
saying."  He stood, knowing that his regal hearing and stern demeanor
would have the desired calming effect.  Enjoying the drama, he pointed
a finger at the marshal, who looked as stunned and angry as the others.
"See that this room is emptied, for the safety of the prisoner.  Then
unchain him.  He's free to go."

Old Zeb Forrest pushed and shoved his way through the crowd until he
was beside his friend.  As soon as Adam's hands and feet were unbound,
he thumped him affectionately on the shoulder.

"I knew you'd beat this," he muttered.  "Then you knew more than I did,
old friend.  Thanks for ignoring my wishes and sending for help."

Adam turned to shake Rayford Burton's hand.  "Tm grateful.  I can only
guess how much work you dropped to come to my aid.  I owe you a mighty
big favor."

"No, sir," the.  young lawyer said.  "Consider this just a

small payment for the debt I owe you.  Besides," he added with an
embarrassed smile, "Tve never participated in a murder trial before.  I
expected to be struck speechless.  But the truth is, I felt more alive,
more excited, than I can ever remember.  Maybe, when I go back to
Pn.nsylvania, consider becoming a trial lawyer."

"If you ever decide to practice in Texas, you let me know," Adam Winter
said.  "From the looks of this hostile crowd, I may be needing your
services in the future."  "Just ask.  I'll be here."

The two men clasped hands again.  "Goodbye, sir," Rayford said.  "Safe
journey," Adam murmured.

As Adam started to turn away, he felt fingers digging into his.  arm He
swiveled his head and found himself face-to-face with a furious Diamond
Jewel.

"You think you got away with it, don't you?"  Her eyes blazed with
little points of green flame.  "Well, think again, Adam Winter.  If the
court won't punish you I will.  I'll hound you day and night.  By day,
you wont be able to turn your back, or you'll find my bullet in it.  By
night, I'll see that you can't even sleep.  If you let down your guard
for even a minute, I'll make you pay for what you did to my father."

Though Adam remained icy calm, a fire came into his eyes, turning them
from silver to smoke.  A little muscle began working in his tightly
clenched jaw.  His fingers closed around her arm, and she felt the
carefully controlled strength in him.  It frightened her.  But when she
tried to back away, he dragged her close; The moment he touched her, he
felt a flare of heat and blamed it on his temper.  His voice was a low
rasp of fury.  "Don't threaten me, Miss Jewel.  And don't try to back
me into a corner.  If you do, you won't like what you find."

Though she trembled beneath his touch, she lifted her head defiantly.
"I'm not afraid of you."

"You should be, Miss Jewel."  He drew her fractionally closer, and she
found herself staring into fathomless eyes.  Then her gaze lowered to
his lips, and she watched, roes-, merized, as they curved into a
dangerous smile.  He caught her roughly by the shoulder.

At once she felt a rush of heat that left her shaken.  How dare he put
his hands on her?  This dirty, unshaven, vicious killer.

"If you're Wise, Miss Jtwel, you'll stay as far away from me as you
can."

He released her none too gently and took a step back.  Rubbing her
bruised arm, she backed away from him, bumping into Zeb.  Startled, she
nearly stumbled, but the old man steadied her.  With an oath she pulled
herself free of his touch and hurried away.

As she made her way through the crowd, Diamond shivered and came to a
decision.  She would not be frightened off by threats from Adam Winter.
Despite the fact that his touch had been unsettling, she would not
retreat.  She would make him pay.

"Looks like you got her dander up," Zeb remarked.

"Better watch out, Adam.  Onyx Jewel's kitten has claws."  "That's no
kitten, Zeb.  That's a wildcat."

Still feeling the heat, Adam watched her walk away.  His eyes remained
dark with anger.  But as he clenched his hands into fists at his sides,
he noticed that they were none too steady.

It was merely the reaction from the trial.

It was not, he told himself sternly, because of that damnable little
hellcat.

Chapter Three

Diamond stormed into the ranch house, still seething from her encounter
with Adam Winter.  Her hatred of him, and her determination to ee him
hang, had deepened with every mile.  She fed the feelings, fanning the
flames of hatred to blot out the pain of her loss.  After all, anger
was something she could deal with.  But the empty hole in her heart
left her numb and afraid.

As she entered her father's office, she skidded to a halt.  "Uncle
Chet.  What are you doing here?"  Chester Pierce came around her
father's massive desk and opened his arms.  "I' know what you're going
through, honey.  I just want to make things as easy as possible for
you.  Your wranglers will want to be paid at the end or the month.  Why
don't I deduct the money from one of your accounts?  You can return it
to me later."

"Oh, Uncle Chet.  Thank you."  Warmed by his thoughtfulness, she rested
her head on his shoulder.  "But that isn't necessary.  Ive got weeks to
worry about their pay."

"Suit Yourself.  But at least let me take your father's ledgers off
your hands.  A sweet girl like you shouldn't have to bother your pretty
head with all those tedious details."  She felt tears sting the backs
of her eyelids.  As long as

she had good friends like this, she would get through somehow.
"Thanks, Uncle Chet."  She brushed a kiss over his cheek.  "But Pa
taught me sums, and how to balance ledgers.  I figure if I'm going to
try to fill his shoes, I'd better start now."

"No one will ever fill Onyx Jewel's shoes," he said somberly.

It was the last straw for Diamond.  Her eyes filled, and she latched
on.  to Chester's arm, leading him to the front door.  She had to flee
before she embarrassed herself by crying in front of him.

"I'll never forget your kindness," she whispered as she gave him an
affectionate hug.

She watched him stride toward his carriage.  Then she flew up the
stairs to her room, where she splashed cold water on her face from a
basin, and began to pace.  She would not give in to grief.  Could not.
Because if she did, it would be an admission that she was weak and
helpless, and unworthy of her father's legacy.  Instead, she would turn
her grief into hard work.  That, in Diamond's eyes, was a much more
healthy outlet for these strange wrenching emotions.  And one that she
understood.

Cal McCabe paced back and forth in front of the massive fireplace in
Onyx Jewel's office.  The ranch foreman had been summoned from the
bunkhouse by Diamond, but when he arrived, the office was empty.
Diamond had yet to show herself.

Just like her old man, Cal thought.  He'd call you in and make you
wait.  And sweat.

He stalked to the window and stared out, hands jammed morosely into his
pockets.  He loved this place.  Loved the vast, open spaces, the hard
Work, the camaraderie of the wranglers.  Hell, he even loved the
ornery, lop-eared cattle.

But he figured he was about to lose it all.  Because of his damnable
temper.

Onyx had always Understood, but Diamond was another matter.

Sensing her presence in the room, he urned.  Diamond was standing just
inside the door, staring at her father's desk.  She looked different,
and it took Cal a moment to figure out why.  Then it dawned on him. She
was so still and quiet.  Diamond Jewel had always been known for her
vitality, her excessive energy.  Her father had called her his frisky
little mustang filly, always rearing, bucking, stomping galloping.  But
now she stood, her whole body as still as death, while her gaze shifted
from her father's desk to his boots in the corner.

She looked up to find Cal studying her, and struggled to pull herself
together.  "You defied my father.  You publicly argued with him."

"I was defending my wranglers."

"They were Pa's wranglers, too, Cal."

"But they needed me on their side, Di.  When Onyx saw that dam above
Adam Winter's place, he flew into one of the blackest rages I've ever
witnessed.  You know how your father felt about any man who would deny
another man water.  It made his blood boll.  He figured the dam must
have been built by one of the wranglers who had a grudge against
Winter.  BUt I know my men, Di.  I'd stake mt life that it wasn't any
of them."

She fell silent, and once again her gaze was drawn to her father's
desk.

It was then that Cal noticed that her.  eyes were red rimmed.  Why, she
was close to tears.  In all the years he'd worked here, he'd never seen
Diamond cry.  Even when she was seven and her attempt to fide her
father's mean-tempered stallion had cost her a broken ann and several
broken fibs, she hadn't shed a single tear.  It had been up

to Cal to hold her down while Doc Prentice set the arm, but she'd
never made a sound.  Which was more than could be said for her father,
who had paced and cursed and threatened her with murder and mayhem if
she ever did such a fool thing again.  And then, when all her wounds
had been tended and he was assured that she would mend, Onyx Jewel had
gathered his little daughter into his big arms and wept.

And now she was straggling not to weep.  For the father whose wounds
could never be mended.  For the lifetime that stretched out before her
Without the most important person there to share it.

For a fleeting moment Cal wished he knew how to be tender as Onyx had
been.  A little tenderness would probably be just the thing she needed,
to realize it was all right to cry.  But tenderness was alien to this
Texas ranch foreman.  He'd never been a father.  Hell, he'd never even
been in love.  Being tough was all he knew.  And so he cleared his
throat and said gruffly, "I can be out of here in an hour, if that's
what you want."

Her head came up in a challenge.  "Just like that Could you leave so
easily?"

"I wouldn't like it, Di.  I'd sure as hell miss this place.  But if
that's the order you gave, I'd have no choice but to obey, just as I'd
obey your father."

Her lips pursed into a little pout, and for a moment he could see the
little girl she'd been, not too many years ago.

"If I wanted you to go, I'd say so.  Right now, with Pa and all..." She
swallowed, but to her credit, her voice never wavered.  "...I need you
Cal.  And I expect you to keep me from making too many mistakes while I
try to hold things together."

For the first time he relaxed, and, realizing that his hands had been
clenched into tight fists at his sides, he opened them and flexed his
stiff fingers.  His breath came out in

one long, slow stream.  "You know' you can always count on me, Di."
'

"Can I?"

He flushed, and knew that a seed of doubt had been planted by that
damnable lawyer during thee trial.  It wold take a while before Diamond
was willing to trust anyone completely.

He watched as her eyes took on the familiar glint of fire.  In the
blink of an eye she was back in control.  She took several tentative
steps toward her father's desk, then turned.

"Tm not sure I agree with you about the wranglers.  If Pa thought one
of them was responsible for the dam, then I guess I think so, too.  I
expect you to find out who did it, and see that he's fired."

Cal sighed.  There was no point in arguing with her right now. Besides,
there was a chance, a slim chance, that she was right and one of their
own wranglers was responsible.  If so, he'd run him clear out of
Texas.

"VII make it my business to find out all I can."

She nodded and turned away, dismissing him.  As he opened the door, she
called, "Send Cookie in.  We have a little matter to discuss."

"Di, maybe I'd better--"

"Now."  She bit off the word just the way her father always had.

Cal left the main house and made his way to the.  bunk-house.  Inside,
Cookie was pacing in his awkward, limping gait.  A pipe was clenched
tightly between his teeth.

"She wants to sec you" Cal said softly.

The old man left without a word.  Hat in hand, he made his way to the
big house, down the hallway to Onyx's office.  Not Onyx's anymore, the
old man corrected himself mentally.  Now it belonged to Diamond, and
nothing would ever be the same again.

He knocked and entered, but after only two steps, he halted and
stared.

Diamond was Seated behind her father's massive desk.  Though Cookie had
never seen her there before, she looked as natural as though she'd been
there all her life.

Without preamble she asked, "Why did Pa want you to give up the cook
wagon?"

Cookie twisted the hat around and around in his stubby fingers.  "Don't
know, Diamond.  Maybe he found somebody who could cook better'n me."

"You know that's not the reason.  Tell me, Cookie."  Her voice lowered,
'just the way Onyx's always did when he was determined to have his way.
"Right now."

The old man couldn't quite meet her eyes.  "My leg's been giving me
more trouble than usual.  Your pa found me doctorin' it out in the
bunkhouse, and he decided that I'd be better off cooking in the big
house, where it's always warm.  Said he didn't want me surferin'
through another year of rain and wind and cold out on the trail."

"Oh, Cookie, I didn't know."  Diamond started to rise, but he held out
a hand.  to stop her.  He was feeling a bit too emotional since the
funeral to permit himself to accept any sympathy from this little
female.  Besides, he'd been around since she was born.  He'd watched
her grow from a filly to a mare.  And right now, he was feeling as much
pain as she

Was.

"I ain't no greenhorn that needs mollycoddling.  And I ain't going to
cook in no damned house, beg gm your par don, Diamond."

"But Pa,--"

His voice rose in anger.  "I know your pa was trying to do what was
right for me.  But I know better'n anybody what's right for me.  And
what I need is to be out on the trail with the wranglers.  And I'll
tell you what I told your pa.  Take me out of that chuck wagon and I'll
quit."

 didn't have the heart to remind the old man that he'd admitted his
lie before the entire town.  Cookie would die before he'd quit the
Jewel Ranch.  And now, everyone knew it.

"All right.  Stay with the wranglers.  But I want your word that when
it gets to be too much, you'll tell me"

His smile was radiant.  "Oh, you can count on that, Diamond, honey.
You'll be the first to know."  He half turned, calling over his
shoulder, "I got to go.  The wranglers over by Widow's Peak are waiting
for their grub."

She nodded.  "Tell Cal that I'll be gone for a couple of hours."

Cookie thought about the fresh grave on a windswept hill, and the fact
that she'd had little opportunity to grieve properly.  "That's good,
Diamond, honey.  You go spend some time with your pa."

After he left, she stared a moment at her father's rifle hanging above
the mantel, then lifted it down, testing its weight in her hand.

"I'm going to spend some time," she muttered.  "But not with Pa.  I'm
going to spend it tracking Pa's killer."

"Sorry, Adam.  I thought, with the creek flowing again, the cattle
would stay put."  Zeb shot a guilty look at the line of strays in the
distance, ambling across Jewel land, foraging as they went.  "I guess I
should have skipped the trial and stayed here where I was needed."

"It isn't tour fault."  Weary beyond belief, Adam tied his bedroll and
hauled himself into the saddle.  He'd barely taken time to eat.  The
beard that had grown during his time in jail itched.  His clothes stuck
to him like a second skin.  What he Wanted was a shave, a bath and a
change of clothes.  What he'd have to settle for was a hard day in the
saddle if he hoped to retrieve all his cows before dark.

"I'll drive the strays toward the bigger herd down by

the creek.  Once they discover water and range grass, they should
settle down."

"Hope so.  Can't get much done if we have to keep on chasing after
those fool cattle every day."  The old man turned back to the broken
wagon wheel he'd been mending.

Adam urged his horse up a steep incline.  Soon he was racing across a
meadow of lush grass, determined to round up his latest strays and keep
his word to a dead man.

Adam reined in his mount and watched as his cattle moved lazily ahead
of him.  All afternoon he'd had the strangest feelin that he was being
followed.  But a careful study of the trail showed no sign of a
horseman.  Still, he was a man who trusted his instincts.  And all his
instincts shouted that he wasn't alone.

Spotting nothing out of the ordinary, he turned to drink in the view.
Wih the sun close to setting, the tips of the mountains in the distance
seemed to take on a red-gold hue.  The sand, even the rocks, glistened
like gold He knew he would never tire of the sight of all this untamed
land.  It soothed something inside him.  Something wounded and raw that
couldn't seem to heal.

He understood what it was that had drawn a man like Onyx Jewel to seek
his fortune in this primitive place.  There was room here.  Room for a
man, no matter what his past, to put down roots and build a life.

Roots.  He shoved his hat back and wiped his forehead with his
bandanna.  Now, wasn't that a laugh?  The last thing he wanted in his
life was roots.  All he wanted now was to be left alone to heal or hide
as he chose.  But there was no room in his life for any sort of
permanence.  Not now.  Not ever.  He'd learned to take it a day at a
time.

A chill wind swept down from the north, and he drew his cowhide jacket
tighter as he urged his horse into a trot behind the string of strays.
He was grateful that they would

soon clear Jewel property.  Once they entered his own land, he could
relax his guard.

Adam froze when he heard the unmistakable sound of a rifle being
cocked.  It was a sound that, once heard, was never forgotten.  The
hair on the back of is neck prickled as he adopted a lazy pose and
nudged his horse behind a towering rock.  As soon as he was safely
concealed from view, his attitude altered.  In the blink of an eye he
took on the toughness of an outlaw.  He pulled a small deadly knife
from his boot and tensed in anticipation of the attack.  A shadow of a
horse and rider fell across the path.  He moved with the cunning of a
predator.  In one swift motion he leaped, knocking the rider to the
ground.  They landed in a tangle of arms and legs.  The two horses
skittered nervously, and one ran away while their riders rolled over
and over, locked in mortal combat.

As Adam pinned his opponent, his hand came into contact with a
softness, a roundness, that could.  only be a woman's breast.  In an
'instant all the fight went out of him.

"You!"  He stared down into glittering green eyes that were brimming
with hostilitY.  His breath was coming hard and fast as he knelt up and
grabbed the front of her shirt, hauling Diamond roughly to her feet
beside him.  "Woman, what in the hell are you doing, pulling a gun on
me?"

With a sound of disgust she shoved his hand aside Her own breathing was
labored, and she struggled to forfia the words over the fury that
threatened to choke her.  For the past several hours her anger had
deepened as she'd watched this hated man run his cattle over her
land.

"It didn't take you long to break your word to my father, Adam Winter.
His grave is barely dug and you're back driving your cattle across my
land, fattening them on my grass.  How many is it this time?  A dozen?
Two dozen?  Fifty?"

"You little fool.  If you've been following me, you can

easily see that I'm rounding up my strays and driving them back toward
my own land."

"Oh.  Of courSe."  Her voice dripped sarcasm.  "I waited, and trailed
you giving you the benefit of the doubt.  After all, the judge seems to
think you're not guilty of anything.  But if I recall, that shack you
call a cabin is in the opposite direction from here.  If you're driving
them home, you're going the wrong way."

"I'm not driving them home.  i'm driving them toward the creek, where
the rest of my herd is grazing."

"Liar!  You have an answer for everything, don't you?  I can see that'
the' only way to stop you is the same treatment you gave..," Without
warning She uncoiled a whip that had been wrapped around her arm.  In
one sleek motion she swung her arm back-and brought the whip down hard
across.  Adam's.shoulder.

It ripped away his sleeve, 'and with it, pieces of flesh, as it bit
deeply into his shoulder.  He swore viciously, savagely.  But though
the intense pain would have staggered most men, Diamond realized at
once that she had met a formidable foe.

Adam caught hold of the whip and gave it I fierce tug, dragging her to
her knees.  In a flash he wrenched the offending weapon from her hands
and stood over her.  A great black rage filled him, and he flicked his
arm, sending the whip snaking out behind him.

Diamond steeled herself against what was to come.  But instead of
retaliation, he tossed aside the weapon with a look of disgust.  For
long moments he stared down at her, and she could feel the tension that
rippled through him.

After a moment he turned away.  At once she scrambled to her feet and
grabbed his arm.  "This isn't over, Adam Winter.  I'll never he
satisfied until I've shot you in the back the same way you--"

He cut off her words abruptly by clamping a hand over

her mouth and dragging her into the shadow of the rock.  "Not a word."
You understand?"  he whispered furiously.  Her eyes widened with shock
and anger.  She lifted her hands to his chest to push him away.  But
before she could fight him, she realized what had him spooked.  In her
anger she'd missed the sound of hoofbeats appr(aching at a run.  She
stopped struggling and went very still.

They stood pressed together, her hands still clutching 'the front of
his shirt, his hand still firmly over her mouth.  Their stance might
have been as close as lovers, but there was a matching fire born of
fury in their eyes.

"Your wranglers?"  His lip were directly against her ear, and she felt
a strange little Shiver along her spine.  It was not the nearness of
this man, she told herself.  It was fear, loathing.  Nothing more. This
dirty, unshaven trail bum was the man who had killed her father. The
man Who deserved only contempt.

He stared into her eyes and felt a rush of heat that left him shaken to
the core.  It had been a long time since he'd held a woman against his
chest.  Even one as angry as an untamed mustang caught in a noose.
Despite the anger and the tension that hummed through him, he couldn't
deny the feelings that pulsed.  Her lips were soft beneath his palm. 
He felt the sexual jolt clear to his toes.  The woman-scent of her
touched something deep inside him.  Something long buried and
half-forgotten.

Diamond tore her gaze from him and studied the line of horsemen, then
shook her head.  "I don't know those men.  They aren't my wranglers."

"If you're lying..."  He let the words die.  Very carefully he released
her.  Pulling a pistol from his holster, he aimed it at the lead
rider.

"Looking for me?"  he called as he stepped from his place of
concealment.  Diamond marveled at his fearlessness.  Couldn't he see

that he was one against half a dozen?  If it had come from some other
man, she would have believed he did it to draw attention away from her.
But she refused to believe there was anything noble in what this man
did.  Besides, she needed no man's protection.  Pulling a pistol from
her boot, she stepped up beside him.

There was a string of surprised curses from the band of horsemen.

"Ride," commanded a deep voice.  "We've been spotted."

At once the horsemen Wheeled their mounts and raced away in a cloud of
dust.

Diamond waited, expecting to see Adam Winter aim and fire at their
retreating figures, If his reputation as a gunman could be believed, he
would have no trouble shooting at least some of the strangers before
they were out of range.  But to her surprise, he merely watched until
they were out of sight.

When the riders were gone, silence settled once more over the trail.

"They'll come back.  And when they do, Adam Winter, I hope they leave
your carcass for the wolves."

He turned back to her, and she was surprised to see the corner of his
lips curl in a hint of a dangerous smile.  "I

thought you said they weren't your wranglers."

"They aren't."

"Then what makes you think they were trailing me?"

It took a moment before the blank look in her eyes was replaced with
one of sudden realization.

"Who knows?"  he added, sending a shiver along her spine.  "You could
just as easily be their target."

"Me!"  She tried not to show the fear that had suddenly sliced through
her veins like an icy blade.  "Why would anyone want to kill me?"

Adam shrugged.  "Why did someone kill your father?"

She was too stunned to reply.

"I guess when you learn why your father was killed, you'll have all
your answers."

His words caused a flood of questions.  Could Adam Winter be fight?
Could her life be in danger?  Could her father's killer want her dead,
too?  But il?  that were so, it would mean that Adam Winter was not her
father's killer.  And she wasn't quite ready to accept that.

The two stared at each other for long, silent moments.  Adam holstered
his gun, then bent to retrieve her fallen rifle.  Noting that her horse
had run off, he pulled himself into the saddle.  "I'm heading to Poison
Creek to see to my herd.  You're welcome to fide along."  He leaned
down to offer a hand.

When she hesitated he said, "Suit yourself, Miss Jewel.  If you'd
rather walk back to your ranch..."

She shot him a hateful look.  Damn the man for his arrogance.  And damn
him for knowing that he'd planted a seed of fear in her heart.

She wrapped the whip around her ann and saw the way his eyes narrowed.
It gave her a small measure of satisfaction.  At least she'd managed to
inflict some pain along with a warning that she would not allow her
father's death to go unavenged.

"Looks like I have no choice but to accept your generous offer."  Her
voice rang with sarcasm.

Accepting his hand, she pulled herself up behind him.  He thrust her
rifle alongside his in the boot of his saddle.

As the horse broke into a run, Diamond had two options.  Hold on to
Adam Winter, or risk falling.

Though She held herself stiffly, she was forced to wrap her arms around
his waist.  Her hand encountered the warmth of his flesh, and she felt
a strange curling sensation deep inside.

Then she felt the warm trickle of his blood, from a wound she'd
inflicted.

Through clenched teeth she muttered every rich, ripe curse she'd ever
learned.  And wondered how she would endure being this close to a man
she despised.

Chapter Four

Adam seethed with fury at this strange turn of events.  The last thing
he wanted was to share the trail with the spoiled, temperamental
daughter of the man he'd been accused of murdering.

Onyx Jewel's daughter.  What a joke.  She might as well be called his
son.  She fought like a man, dressed like a man.  Hell, she even cussed
like a man.

The wind Whipped around them and she hunched close, pressing her cheek
to his shoulder.  Despite the cowhide jacket he could feel the softness
of her breasts against his back, the press of her thighs to his.  Not a
man, came an unbidden thought.  A woman.  Despite the way she looked.
Despite the way she talked.  Despite the way she acted; she was every
inch a woman.  The touch of her hands at his waist had his throat going
dry.  The breeze flung wisps of her hair across his face, and he had
the strangest urge to catch a handful and watch it sift through his
fingers.  Instead he grasped the reins tightly and urged his horse into
a run, reminding himself that everything about this infuriating woman
was repugnant to him.

As they came up over a rise, they looked down at Adam's herd,
contentedly grazing on the tall grass along

the banks of the creek.  It was the sort of peaceful scene that never
failed to stir the heart.  In spite of the company he was forced to
endure, in spite of the pain in his shoulder, Adam felt his spirits
soar.

"Looks like they all made it."

Behind him, Diamond made a sound of surprise.  "I didn't realize your
herd was so large."

"Only a couple hundred head.  But within a few years that could double
or triple."

She heard the note of pride in his tone, and was reminded of her
father's excite merit each year at calving time.  "Pa always took
personal interest in the calves.  He used to say they were the key to a
man's growth as a rancher."

"Your father was right.  I'm counting on the spring calving to erase my
debt to the bank."

As they drew closer to the creek, Adam reined in his mount and climbed
from the saddle, then reached a hand to assist Diamond.  As his hand
closed over hers she felt the jolt.  What was wrong with her?  Why was
she allowing this man's touch to shatter her 'cool control?  She must
be coming down with a chill.  It was the only reasonable explanation.

She slid to the ground and turned away quickly, pretending to study the
last rays of the sun as it dropped below the distant mountain peaks. 
It be dark soon.  Now that you've assured yourself that your cattle are
back on your own land, I'd like to get back to my ranch."

Adam frowned.  "I hadn't expected all thoSe ... delays "along the
trail."  He saw the flush that touched her cheeks as he shot her a
meaningful look.  It gave him a measure of Satisfaction.  It seemed
only fair that she accept some of the responsibility for what had
happened back there.  "I've decided not to leave the cattle alone here
tonight.  Those wranglers could pay another visit.  And if they do, my
cows are an easy target."

"Are you saying you're planning to spend the night hew?"  '

"It looks like I have no choice."

She stuck her hands on her hips in a familiar gesture of defiance. "But
what about me?"

His features never altered.  But she thought she saw 'a flash of wicked
humor in his eyes.  "You're free to go..It can't be mow than a couple
of hours back to your ranch on foot."  The smile grow until it almost
mac bed his eyes.

"If you'd like to stay, you're free to share my beans and biscuits,
Miss Jewel.  And my bedroll."

"How dare--" She bit back the angry words that were bursting to break
free.  When Pa had been alive, no wrangler would have dared to make a
suggestive comment in her presence.  He would have been fired on the
spot.  She'd felt so safe, so insulated, that she had been almost able
to forget the fact that her sex was different from that of the other
wranglers.  With Pa's protection, she'd been free to ride the range,
sleep under the stars, and work among the men with out fear.  Now,
suddenly, she had something new to worry about.  Something extremely
Unsettling.

It was another mason to hate Adam Winter.

He thought he'd have his revenge, did he?  Well, she would show him
that he couldn't frighten a Jewel.  She would die before she'd give him
the satisfaction of knowing that he held the upper hand.

':

In her sweetest voice she said, "How COnsiderate of you Mr.  Winter.
But Fm sum that once my horse rot urns to the ranch, Cal McCabe will
have a dozen wranglers out searching for me.  You can keep your beans.
Carmelita's been aging a side of beef for supper.  And as tempting as
your bedroll sounds, I'd much prefer to sleep in my own bed tonight.
Alone."

She spun away to escape this disgusting man, and climbed to the highest
rock, eager for a glimpse of Cal and

the wranglers who would be out searching for her.  It would.  be only
a matter of time until they spotted the campfire.  She'd see how cool
Adam Winter was when he was surrounded by dozens of her men.

For the first hour, she studied the countryside for any sign of her men
and nurtured the hope that they would arrive.  at any minute.  As she
sat alone, the realization of her dilemma grew.  She couldn't possibly
spend the night here with Adam Winter.  Maybe she should start out on
foot, in the hopes of being picked up along the way by her wranglers.
But if they didn't spot her in the darkness, she would have along,
painful walk home.  And somewhere in the darkness was-that band of
strangers.

Finally, when darkness overtook the land, she was forced to concede
that her wranglers weren't coming.  Defeated, she climbed down from her
perch and made her way to the campfire.

Adam was sprawled comfortably on his bedroll, his head pillowed on his
saddle.  He'd tied a bandanna around his shoulder to stem the blood.

Beans bubbled over the fire, causing her mouth to waler.

"Hungry?"  He didn't bother to open his eyes, which only added to her
anger.

"A little."  She eyed a in of biscuits.  "Did you bake those?"

"Yep.  They're not bad, if you scrape off the burned bottoms."

"If you weren't planning on spending the night along the trail, how did
you happen to have all this?"

"Tve learned to carry everything I need in my bedroll.  Flour, sugar,
tobacco, whiskey."  His eyes were still closed.

"Tobacco and whiskey."  Her voice revealed her disdain.  "I can see
that a man like you wouldn't need much more than that."

He knew that she was trying to goad him into a fight.  He didn't
bother to take the bait.  He was too weary.

"Why?"  she asked more softly, dropping to the ground beside him.

"Why what?"  He opened one eye and studied her "Why do you carry
everything with you?"

"I've learned to be prepared for anything.  If my cabin burns to the
ground and my cattle are stolen, I'll still have all I need right
here."

"Sounds like a man who's learned to expect the worst."  He sat up and
began filling a tin plate with beans and biscuits, which he passed to
her.  "I've already seen the worst, Miss Jewel."

"Butre"

"You talk too much.  Just eat."

She didn't need any coaxing.  As she took the first bite, she sighed
with pleasure.  She was too hungry to care that the biscuits were
burned.

"I apologize that I don't have a side of aged beef, ma'am."  Beside
her, Adam took a long pull of whiskey from a bottle.

She ignored his barb.  "You aren't eating?"

"You've got the only plate."

A grin touched her lips.  "I thought you were prepared for anything."

"I guess life still has a few surprises to throw at me.  I wasn't
expecting company to share my campfire."

With a twinge of guilt she finished quickly, then passed the empty
plate to him.  Here.  Enjoy I recommend the burned biscuits."

He ate his fill, then handed her a cup of steaming coffee.  When she
returned the empty cup to him, he filled it for himself and drank.

The sharing of plate and cup was an oddly intimate gesture.  One that
had her feeling awkward and self-conscious.

If Adam noticed, he gave no indication.  Content, replete, he sat back
and rolled himself a cigarette.  Watching his hands as he expertly
shook tobacco into a paper and sealed it, Diamond felt a sudden shaft
of pain around her heart.

"Pa always rolled a smoke after supper.  Then we'd just sit and..."

Adam could hear the catch in her voice, and remained silent, respecting
her grief.

After a long pause he said, "It sounds like you and your father were
closer than most."

She nodded, grateful that he;d given her time to compose' herself.
"From' the time I was just a kid, Pa always took me with him on the
trail.  With a spread this size, we spent as much time in the saddle as
we did at home.  He never made me feel like I Was in the way, or that I
was too little to help.  He always assigned tasks for me, and always
praised me when I did them the way he wanted.  Oh."  A sigh welled up'
from deep inside her.  "Those were the best times."

Adam stared into the flames of the fire, a pensive look on his face. He
drew deeply on his cigarette and held his silence.

Diamond drew in a long breath.  "I wish I'd told him," she said
softly.

Adam turned his head.

She glanced at him, then away, but not before he saw the glitter of a
single drop of moisture on her lashes.  She.  blinked it away fiercely,
embarrassed by this weakness.

?.: "Fathers don't have to be told.  They know."  Adam took one last
drag on his cigarette, then tossed the remains into the fire.

Standing, he shook out his bedroll.  At once, an uneasiness came into
Diamond's eyes.

Seeing it, he handed her the blankets and said, "Looks like your
wranglers aren't coming to your rescue.  Since

you're stuck here, you'd best stay close to the campfire.

From the bite' of that wind, I'd say it's going to freeze tonight."

"What about you?"

He drew on his jacket and lifted his 'rifle.  "I think Ill keep an eye
out for visitors."

"I--" she swallowed and forged ahead, determined.  to say what was on
her mind "--want you to know that just because you shared your food and
bedroll with me, nothing has changed between us."

He pinned her with a look.  "I didn't realize there was anything
between us, Miss Jewel."

She chose to ignore the dry edge of humor in his tone.  "Oh, but there
is.  Unfinished business.  Even though the judge' dismissed the charges
against you I still don't believe you.  And until I'm convinced
otherwise, I'll go fight on believing that you killed my father."

He said nothing in his own defense.  But she saw a hardness come into
his eyes.

She watched as he strode into the darkness.  For a few minutes she sat,
staring into 'the flames.  All she could hear echoing in her mind were
his words meant to soothe.  Fathers don't have to be told.  They
know.

The depth of Adam Winter's understanding had been unexpected.  And
disturbing.  After all, he was still the only suspect in her father's
murder.  And if he was the one who'd pulled the trigger, he had no
fight to go on living.  But if he wasn't... "Oh, Pa," she whispered.
"I'm so confused.  I miss you so much.  I wish you were here to tell me
what to do,"

Rolling herself into Adam Winter's bedroll, she listened to the sounds
of the night.  For as long as she could remember, she'd been comforted
by these sounds.  The lowing of cattle.  The occasional howling of a
coyote.  The cry of a

night bird.  It was the music of Texas.  A melody that stirred her
heart and soothed her pain.

She found herself thinking about Adam Winter.  What a strange man he
was.  Despite all her misgivings, he'd been as comfortable as.  a pair
of old boots.  Well, not exactly, she corrected herself.  Whenever he
got too close, she felt a distinct, uneasy stirring deep inside.  An
unsettling feeling that had her palms sweating, and her heart beating
overtime.  Maybe it was because he was a killer.  Or maybe it was ...
something else.  Something she couldn't quite put a name to.

She checked her rifle to be certain it was loaded, then placed it
beside her in the bedroll.  Just in case.

At last, tired in mind and body, lulled by the food and the warmth of
the fire, she slept.

Diamond smiled at the lovely images in her dream.  Pa was holding her
hand, telling her it was all a mistake.  He'd only left her for a
little while.  But now he was back.  And she'd never be alone again.
He'd help her work her way through the puzzle.  He'd give her all the
answers.

Without warning his image faded, and instead of Pa, she was staring
into the smoldering eyes of Adam Winter.  His lips were moving but the
words made no sense.  He seemed to be furious and out of control.

"No," she called out, rolling.  to one side, fumbling for her rifle.
"Leave me alone."

He swore again, viciously.  Before she could react he scooped her up,
rifle and all, and began running.  With every step she fought him, her
arms flailing helplessly against his chest.

She felt a wave of pure terror.  She was a strong woman, accustomed to
taking care of herself.  She'd always been able to rely on her skill
with a gun and her ability to fight like a man.  But she had never felt
such strength in an opponent before.  Despite the fact that she kicked
and bit, twisted and turned, he never faltered as he half dragged, half
carried her into the darkness.

Her mind was reeling.  She was in the clutches of a madman."  What had
happened to send him over, the' edge?  And why now, in the middle of
the night?

Just as abruptly as the strange attack had begun, it ended when Adam
dumped her unceremoniously on the hard ground.

Now she Was fully awake.  It was her turn to swear.  Unleashing a
string of oaths, she scrambled to her feet and caught him roughly by
the arm.  "Are you crazy?  What in the--?"

Before she could finish, the night air was shattered by the sound of
gunfire.  She whirled and watched from the cover of darkness as the
bedroll where she'd been sleeping was rid died with bullets.

"Who?  What... ?"  She wasn't even aware that she was clutching Adam's
arm so hard her nails bit into his flesh.

As suddenly as the volley of gunfire began, it ended.  In the eerie
stillness that followed, a figure strode into the circle of light and
kicked at the blankets.  Finding them empty, he swore and called out
something unintelligible.  At once several more figures appeared.

"It looks like our gunmen are back.  And this time they mean business."
Adam tossed Diamond her rifle.  "Get out of here.  Take my horSe and
head for the safety of your ranch.  And don't look back."

She watched in stunned disbelief as he stepped out of his place of
concealment, effectively drawing attention away from her so that she
could escape.  ""Evening, gentlemen."

His voice was as cold as ice.  Diamond thought she had never heard
anything so chilling.

"How nice of you to come c1ling.  But you should have warned me.  I
hate surprises."

One of the men lifted his rifle and took aim, but before he could fire,
Adam shot the weapon from his hand and sent him diving into the dirt.

Diamond stifled a gasp.  The rumors she'd heard were true.  Adam Winter
was a fearless, cold-blooded killer.  His hand had moved so quickly,
she would have missed it if she'd blinked.

"I'd advise the rest of you to drop your guns."  Adam continued walking
clOSer;

Two more men took aim.  Refusing to play it safe or back down, Adam
stood straight and tall and without hesitation dropped the first one in
his tracks.  Before he could aim again, a single gunshot was heard and
the second gunman pitched forward.

Another gunman, the leader of the group, aimed a pistol at Adam.

Adam kept on Walking.  "You might get off a shot in time," he said in
that dangerously calm voice, "but then again, you might not."  He came
to a halt just a few feet away.  "Are you a gambling man?"

"Not me," the gunman called, tossing aSide his weapon and lifting his
'hands in a signal of surrender.  "I only play sure things."  His fear
suddenly turned to relief as he stared past Adam and watched two
shadows emerging from the darkness.  "BUt right now," he said with a
mocking laugh,

"I'm sure of one thing.  Unless you drop that gun, my part-.

her will have to slit the lovely lady's throat.  You wouldn't want
that,.  would you?"

Adam whirled A man dragged Diamond into the circle of firelight.  One
muscular arm was wrapped around her waist.  At her throat he held the
blade of a knife.

"Drop the gun," the stranger shouted, "or the woman dies."

Adam felt a trickle of perspiration.  The gunman could be bluffing.
This whole scene could have been set up by Onyx Jewel's daughter.  Was
this her way of seeking revenge?  Had she lied earlier when she'd told
him the semen weren't her wranglers?  The thought was immediately
erased by the sight of the mangled bedroll.  "No matter who paid these
men, they'd intended to kill the person asleep by the fire.  And they
had no way of knowing whether it was Adam or "Diamond.

Whatever the outcome, he had no choice now but to see this thing
through.

"Looks like you'll have to choose your victim," he said through gritted
teeth.  He saw the look that came into Diamond's eyes, and knew that
she was both pained and enraged by his words.  There was no chance to
explain.

The gunman was clearly shocked.  "You're willing to sacrifice the
lady?"

Adam shrugged.  "The choice is yours.  Release her, and we'll talk. But
if you harm the woman, there won't be time for talk.  You'll be
dead."

"He's bluffing," the other gunman shouted.  "And even if he isn't, you
can use her as a shield until you get to your horse.  He can't shoot
both of us.  Come on.  Move."

Adam showed absolutely no emotion as he stepped closer.  "You listen to
him, you won't walk away."  Compelling gray eyes narrowed on the man.
"How about it, stranger?  Ready to risk your life?":

"My partner's right."  Sweat streamed down the gunman's face.  "You're
bluffing."  He pressed the blade of his knife to his hostage's throat
until a small trickle of blood stained her skirt.  Diamond whimpered as
the blade sliced her flesh and pain flashed, white hot, through her.

Something dark and dangerous came into Adam's eyes.  "You just sealed
your fate," he said through clenched

teeth.  And as calmly as if he were taking target practice, he aimed
his gun and fired.

The sound of the explosion roared inside Diamond's head and she waited
for death to claim her.  So this is what her father had felt.  This
searing pain, and then the darkness.  She felt the arm at her waist go
slack.  At the same moment, the gunman began to pitch forward.  Adam
wrenched her free and pulled her aside, just as her captor fell to the
rt.

A horse whinnied and Adam whirled and fired, but the bullet missed the
leader who was dragging himself into the saddle.  His horse took off in
a cloud of dust.

Adam swore then turned back to Diamond.  "What...?"  It took a moment
for her to realize that she wasn't dead.  At least not yet.  She was
amazed at how hard it was to speak.  Her heart was still working
overtime, the echo of it throbbing in her temples.  She tried again.
"What did you think you were doing?"

"Saving your miserable neck."

"Saving it!  You told him to go ahead and kill me.  And when his knife
didn't finish me..."  She gave a sound of disgust.  "For a minute I
thought you were going to shoot me instead of him."

He couldn't resist taunting her.  "I'll admit, I did think about it. It
took me a while to decide which one was the bad guy."

"But you just shot.  As calmly as though..."  Her eyes flashed fire.
"You could have killed me."

"I had to move quickly, before his partner got a chance togo for his
gun.  Then we would have both been dead.  Besides--" his look darkened
"myou have no cause for complaint, Miss Jewel.  As you recall, I told
you to get out of here.  If you'd done as you were told, you'd be
halfway to your ranch by now, and I wouldn't have been forced to shoot
all these men before I found out what they were after"

The short fuse on her temper matched his.  "Listen, Adam Winter. You'd
better get it through your head that I don't take orders.  I give them:
And if you think I'd run like a scared little rabbit from a gunfight,
you can think again.  My father taught me to shoot a riffle. better
than most men.  And fight better, too."

Adam turned away from her in disgust; Once again this sharp-tongued
female was bound and determined to have the last word.  Becauseof her,
he'd missed his chance to learn who these men were and why they'd
attacked,

He circled the campfire, bending to each man to check for a pulse.
Dead.  All of them.  And not one left to tell him.  what he wanted to
know.

He turned back in time to see Diamond sinking slowly to her knees in
the dirt.  All the color had drained.  from her face.

She pressed a hand to her fevered brow.  What in the world, she thought
dadly.  This had never happened to her before.  Through a blur she
watched as Adam hurried over to kneel beside her.

"What's ... wrong?  What's ... happening?"  Her own voice seemed to
fade in and out.

"I think you're about to faint, Miss Jewel."

"That's ridiculous" She was clearly outraged at the suggestion.  "Tve
never fainted in my life."

With.  a muttered oath he tossed aside his rifle and began to tear away
her shirt.  "Let me see that wound."

"How dare--!"  She brought her hand up to stop him, and found, to her
consternation, that she was as weak as a kitten.  Her hand was
trembling so violently, she couldn't even make a fist.

He removed his bandanna and tied it gently around her neck.

"How bad... ?"

"Could you just lie still for a minute and keep your mouth shut?  Or
is that too much to ask?"

She was surprised by the warmth and the gentleness of his touch.

"Stop fussing.  It's nothing but..a little scratch," she protested.

"Um-hmm."  He continued tying.  When he was through he said, "I think
we'll forget about staying with the herd.  What you need is a warm bed
and some of Zeb's hot stew.

Come on.  I'm taking you to my cabin."

"No.  I... an't.  Want to go ... home."

Ignoring her protest, he lifted her in his arms and carried her to his
horse.  And hoped that he wouldn't have to listen to her litany of
complaints all the way home."

But Diamond was beyond caring.  She had already done the unthinkable.
She had slipped into a dark, swirling tide of unconsciousness.

Chapter Five

Adam cradled the unconscious Diamond against his chest and held his
horse to a slow, easy pace.  He didn't like that jagged line of blood
along her throat.  Or her unnatural pallor:

Anger bubbled, hot and furious, within him.  What in the hell was the
matter with her?  The damned ornery, obstinate little female almost got
herself killed.  Did she have a death wish?

Suddenly he remembered a fact that had, until this moment, escaped him.
Or at least, until this moment, he'd had little time to sort it out.
During the exchange of bullets, there had been one shot that hadn't
been fired from his rifle.  Yet all of the gunmen had fallen.  That
could only mean... His hand tightened at her shoulder.  It had to mean
that Diamond had remained, not merely to defy him, but to join him in
the gunfight.  She'd saved his hide.  But why, when only hours earlier,
she'd tried-to shoot him in the back?

Fool, he thought.  He touched a hand to her pale cheek and allowed his
fingers to linger a moment on the soft skin.  Little fool.

He became aware of the heat of her body warming his own.  Soon it
became heat of another kind.

He was achingly aware of the woman in his arms and blamed it on the
unusual circumstances.  The gunfight, the sense of impending danger,
had heightened his senses.  That was why he was beginning to notice
little things that had escaped his detection earlier.  Like the fact
that her skin, despite the harsh Texas sun, was as soft as a baby's. In
the spill of moonlight he studied a sprinkle of freckles that paraded
across her nose, and wondered if there might be more freckles on
other... more intimate parts of her body."  That caused his gaze to
move lower, to the soft swell straining beneath her, shirt Heat stirred
in his loins, and he forced himself to look away.  But within moments
his gaze was drawn back to her.  To the tiny waist, looking incongruous
with the heavy masculine gun belt encircling it.  For all her tough
talk and mannish swagger, she was softly curved in all the fight.
places, He studied the way her hair fell over one eye in a most
seductive fashion.  There was so much about a woman he'd forgotten...
"Suddenly he nudged his horse into a run.  Now, more than ever, he
wanted to get her to his cabin.  Zeb was there.  The old man would help
him keep his mind off this damnable female and on more sensible
things.

As he neared the cabin, he saw a dark silhouette rise up from the wagon
bed and knew that Zeb had heard their approach.  The old man leveled a
rifle and peered through the darkness.

"It's all fight.  It's me," Adam called out.

At once the old man lowered his weapon and climbed down.  "Good thing
you called out a w. aming.  I'm feeling a bit jumpy tonight."

Adam's voice took on a sharp edge.  "Why?  Did something happen while I
was gone?"

Zeb shrugged.  "Bunch of wranglers from the Jewel

Ranch came by looking for their lady boss.  Said her horse returned
without her."  He moved closer as Adam slid to the ground, cradling the
woman against his chest.  "Looks like you found her first."

Seeing that she was unconscious, he managed to hold back the questions
that sprang to his lips as he walked ahead to hold open the cabin door.
His questions would have to wait until later.

Adam strode inside and deposited Diamond on the bed.

"TII nd some warm water," he called.  "And a clean cloth.  And whiskey
for her wound."

Zeb poured water from a blackened kettle into a small basin and set it
on a bedside table, then found rags and a bottle of whiskey in a
cupboard.

He peered over Adam's shoulder as' the bandanna was' removed, and
sucked in his breath at the sight of the wound.  "You going to tell me
what happened?"  he demanded.

"Gunmen attacked us in the night.  Riddied my bedroll with bullets."

"Us."  The old man studied his friend's bowed head as Adam washed away
the blood.  "You and the lady boss were sharing a bedroll?"

"You know me better than that," Adam said angrily.  Zeb chuckled.
"Well, now, I don't know.  She's a woman.  You're a man.  And you've
been alone a long time now."

"fir I wanted to ease the loneliness, I wouldn't choose a prickly
wildcat with claws that could tear out my heart.  Besides, have you
forgotten?  She's the daughter of the man I was accused of shooting."

"Hell," the old man cackled.  "If you live as long as I have, you Won't
bsurprised by anything that happens in this crazy world."

He waited a moment, watching as his friend poured whiskey onto a cloth
and pressed it to her throat.

 e let out a string of oaths.

"Looks like that brought her around," Zeb said.  "Sure can cuss, can't
she?"

Diamond's lids flickered, and she stared up at the two pairs of eyes
peering down at her.  Her gaze fastened on steely eyes that were
quickly becoming familiar.  "What did you do to me now, Adam Winter?  I
feel like my throat is on fire."

"I think I liked you better when you were undonscious," he said dryly
as he pressed the cloth to her throat again.

She gave a hiss of pain and glanced beyond him to Zeb.  "Can't you stop
him?  He's trying to finish the job those gunmen started."

The old man shot her a reassuring smile.  "He's just cleaning that
wound, little lady.  I know it stings, but Adam doesn't want to, take
any chances."

"A shame to waste good whiskey," Adam added.  "But I wouldn't want to
have your foreman accusing me of not doing all I could."

She grabbed at his hand.  "I should have known you weren't doing all
this out of the goodness of your heart."

He f!  a rush of heat at the touch of her.  "You can count on that." He
stood abruptly and handed the cloth to Zeb.  "Here, old man.  See that
she's made comfortable.  I think I've had enough of her hissing and
spitting for one night."

"Where're you headed?"  Zeb called as Adam stormed across the cabin.

Adam didn't bother to reply.  Instead he wrapped a blanket around his
shoulders and stretched out on a rug in front of the fire.  Within
minutes he was sound asleep.

With the touch of her still warm on his hand.

"Here little lady boss."  Zeb plumped up the pillows and eased Diamond
into a sitting position before handing

her a steaming cup.

"What's in this?"  She Studied the liquid with suspicion.

"Just a splash of whiskey in some coffee.  It'll ease the pain a bit
and maybe help you sleep."

"I don't want to sleep.  I want to go home."

The old man heard the note of wean ness in her voice and knew that it
wouldn't be long before she'd give in to the need to sleep.

"Adam will take you just as soon as he's had a chance to rest."  He
glanced at the blanket-clad figure stretched out in front of the fire.
"He's been through a lot today."

"No more than he deserves.  He should hang for what he did to my
father."

"He didn't kill your pa, ma'am."

"And how would you know that?"

"Because I know Adam.  If he disagreed with a man, he'd do it
face-to-face.  Adam has too much honor to ever shoot a man in the
back."  His voice lowered.  "Besides, Adam's the fastest man with a gun
that I've ever seen.  He doesn't need to try any tricks.  The man isn't
alive who ever beat Adam Winter to the draw.  And that's a fact."

She shivered, remembering the determined look in Adam's eyes when he'd
faced the gunmen.  Even though he'd been outnumbered, he'd never backed
down.  She felt a trickle of fear just thinking about the change in
him.  The look in his eyes had been that of a gunslinger, not a
rancher.

Needing to talk, she told Zeb about the gunfight, and about the way
Adam had reacted when her attacker had threatened to kill her.  "He
told him to go ahead.  He refused to drop his gun."

"That Was just a bluff," Zeb said softly.  "The Way Adam's mind works,
he was buying a little time while he figured a way to save your life
and his own."

"Maybe.  Or maybe he's just a fool.  My pa taught me to

handle a gun.  And I'm good at it," she said with a trace of pride.
"But he also taught me a healthy respect for any-.  one who drew first.
Adam Winter wasn't even smart enough to be afraid."

Zcb chuckled.  "Yep.  That's Adam.  Point a gun at him, or threaten
those he cares about, and he's a changed man.  But he doesn't go
looking for trouble.  Fact is, he'd rather be left alone.  Doesn't have
much use for people these days.  Except me," he added with a twinkle in
his eye.  "And sometimes I'm not even sure about that."

"Why would you bother with a man like that?"  "Adam's worth the
bother."  The old man poured a cup for himself and cased into a rough
wooden chair beside the bunk.  "He's a good friend," he stated simply.
"How long have you known him?"  she asked as she sipped her coffee.

"Six, seven' years He blew into his cup before he drank.  '

"That's not very long."

He gave her an appraising look before he said, "Long enough to take the
measure of a man.  And Adam Winter measures up better'n most."

"I suppose you have to defend him.  Afterall, you work for him."

Zeb looked up in surprise.  "You think Adam pays me?"

"Doesn't he?"

He grinned, showing crooked teeth.  "I don't work for

Adam, little lady boss."

"Then what are you doing here?"

He shrugged.  "I'm just along for the ride."

She frowned.  "I don't understand."

"Got nowhere else to be right now.  So I offered to help

Adam get started.  But he knows that one day he'll wake up to find me
gone.  That's just the way I am.  Can't stand houses or walls or
fences.  And when I sleep, I like to sleep

under the stars and breathe air that's free.  Don't ever want to
answer to anyone else."

"And Adam Winter?"  she asked as she drained her cup.  "Is he like
you?"

Zeb combed a hand through his beard.  "Maybe.  Ca!."t say that Adam's
like anyone else I ever knew.  Been foot-loose a long time now.  Tough
for a man like that to settle down.  And life's hardened him.  But if
anyone deserves to find a piece of land that he can call home, it's
Adam."

Diamond's lids closed and her head bobbed, causing her to jerk upright.
Seeing it, the old man drew a blanket around her shoulders and took the
cup from her hand.  He peered at the whip wrapped around her arm, then
decided to leave it alone.  "You sleep now, lady boss.  You got some
healing to do."

She had no energy left to argue.  She was asleep before the old man let
himself out of the cabin.

Adam moved soundlessly around the room, filling the kettle with water
from a bucket, putting another log on the fire.  But his gaze kept
straying to where sunlight spilled through the small window of the
shack, bathing the sleeping figure in a pool of liquid gold.

Seeing Diamond asleep in his bed bothered him much more than he cared
to admit.  He felt restless this morning, ill at ease.  Tense and edgy
and grouchy as a wounded bear

He swore and tore his gaze from the woman.  He needed to be busy.  '
Soon the aroma of coffee filled the air and he snatched up a square of
linen before heading toward the creek.

Diamond stirred.  Disoriented, she lay very still, sorting out the
strange new Sounds and smells.  This wasn't her bed, nor was this her
comfortable ranch house.

Realization dawned slowly.  Adam Winter's cabin.  She

touched a hand to her throat.  Though it was still tender, the torn
flesh had formed a crust that would soon heal over.

Adam was standing across the room.  Since he hadn't yet noticed that
she was awake; she used the time to study him.

Dark pants rode low on his hips and molded his thighs.  He was naked to
the waist, and had evidently just finished bathing in the creek, since
droplets of water still glistened in his dark hair.  A straight razor
made scraping sounds as he ran it across his cheeks and chin in smooth,
easy motions.  With each movement, the muscles of his back and
shoulders bunched and tightened, causing a funny feeling in the pit of
her stomach.

The shock of her injury must have made her fanciful.  Though she had
drifted in and out of consciousness during the ride here last night,
she could recall the way she'd felt in his arms, warm and snug and.
safe And the way his heartbeat had, kept time to hers, slow and steady
and ... reassuring.  Those weren't the kinds of feelings she'd expected
to experience with a man like Adam Winter.  She must have been more
dazed than she'd thought.

She forced her gaze upward.  And realized that he was looking at her in
the mirror.

The jolt was as powerful as if she'd been thrown from a wild mustang.
For the space of several moments she couldn't breathe.  Her heart
forgot to beat.

He was frowning.  But that was nothing new.  He seemed to be always
frowning around her.  He didn't bother to turn around.  ""Morning, Miss
Jewel.  How's your throat?"

Dry, at the moment.  But she wouldn't admit that.  "A little sore.  But
it's tolerable."

"Zeb left you some ointment.  It's on the mantel: And I made coffee.
It's strong, but it's hot.  Help yourself."

She swung her feet to the floor and waited for a brief moment of dizzy
ness to pass.  Glancing up, she could see him still watching her in the
mirror.  His eyes seemed

lighter, almost silver this morning, and she blamed it on the
brilliant sunlight.  She got to her feet and, straightening her spine,
crossed the room.

She applied the ointment, then tied Adam's bandanna around her neck.
She cast a sideways glance at the man who was studying her in the
mirror.  She wasn t accustomed to being watched.  Especially by a man
like Adam Wintea'.  She felt suddenly shy and self-conscious.  Like a
filly at an auction.  And slightly light-beaded.  Something she'd never
experienced before.

She took a few moments to study her surroundings.  This wasn't at all
what she'd expected.  Though the cabin was small and sparsely
furnished, it was neat and clean.  Comfortable.  That was the first
word that came to mind.  From the handmade quilt on the bed to the
animal furs that softened the rough wooden floor and walls, from the
child's wooden top to the dog-cared' Bible on the shelf, it had a cozy
feeling about it.

Tools leaned against a bench just inside the door.  A knife, a saw, a
wood shaver.  And beside them lay a half-finished rocking chair that
would be the match to the one in front of the fire.

It was apparent that Adam Winter was not one to be idle.  She wrapped a
linen square around her hand and lifted the blackened pot from.  the
fire.  As she poured, she called, "Care for some?"

"Yes.  Thanks."  He wiped the last of the soap from his face and pulled
on a clean shirt.  As he was tucking it into his waistband, he turned.
She found herself stating.  Again she was forced to look away.  But not
before she'd had a glimpse of a hair-roughened chest and flat stomach
that caused another uncomfortable feeling deep inside.

She handed him the steaming cup.  As their fingers brushed she felt the
warmth of heat all the way to her toes.

She knew that her cheeks were probably flushed.  That only made her
blush all the more.

"Hungry?"  'he asked.

"A little" She was relieved when he turned away.  But she would have
been distressed if she'd known just how much her presence was affecting
him.

"There's venison stew."  He ladled some from a pot that sat on a
warming ledge over the fire.  "And yesterday's biscuits"

Diamond took a seat t the table and watched as he sat across from her
"Who does the cooking, you or Zeb?"

"We take turns."  He enjoyed the sound of her voice.  It was low, with
a hint of breathlessness that whispered across his senses.  He realized
that all morning, while she'd slept, he'd been waiting to hear her
speak.

"How about you Miss Jewel?  Are you a good cook?"

She shrugged her shoulders.  "I've never tried, but I'm sure I'd be
terrible."

"Never cooked?"  He set down his cup and fixed her with a look.  "You
mean you and your mother never spent any time together in the
kitchen?"

"I don't remember my ma.  She died when I was just a baby, And Cookie
has always been around to see that Pa.  and I had enough to eat."

"What do you do When Cookie is out on the trail?"  , "I'm usually out
with him," she admitted.  Why was she telling him all this?  She
couldn't imagine sitting and talking with any other man this way.  But
with Adam Winter, it seemed the most natural thing in the world.  She
was practically babbling, and couldn't seem to stop herself.  "We' have
a woman from town, car melita who helps out at the ranch.  She sees to
it that I don't starve."

"From the looks of you I'd say you're a long way from starving."

The intimate way he studied her brought another flush to her cheeks.
"She looked down, fiddling with her spoon.

She forced herself to taste the stew and gave a sigh of pleasure.  "Oh,
this is good.  Who made-it?"

"I did.  I prefer my cooking to Zeb's.  A!,!  he' really likes is meat
cooked like shoe leather, and biscuits that could pass for cannon
shot."

Despite her misgivings about being alone with Adam Winter, Diamond
found herself chuckling..

Adam leaned back, sipping hot coffee.  Her laughter was such a pleasing
sound.  He'd forgotten how musical a woman's voice could be.  He'd
forgotten too much about a woman.  The smell, the touch, the taste...
"Zeb told me he doesn't work for you."

"That's right.  He works with me.  Although at times, I'd have to say
he works against me."

Again her laughter, warm and lilting.

"He seems ... colorful.  He told me he doesn't like walls or fences."
'

"Or rules," Adam added.  "Old Zeb says rules are for breaking."

"How about you?"  Feeling stronger now, more relaxed than she had in
days, Diamond carded the empty dishes to a basin of water and began to
wash them.  "Do you like to break the rules, too?"

"I guess in my lifetime I've broken most of them."  She was startled by
the nearness of that deep, haunting voice.  While her back was turned
he'd walked up beside.  her and picked up a square of linen to dry the
dishes.  She felt a pricky feeling along her.  scalp, and scolded
herself for her skittishness.

As she lifted another plate from the water, she was aware that her hand
was trembling.  She prayed that Adam wouldn't notice.

"So, you break all the rules.  What good would rules be if everyone
felt like you?"

"I guess..."  Very deliberately he took the plate from her hand and set
it down, all the while holding her gaze with his.  He reached up and
caught a strand of her hair, allowing it to sift through his fingers.
It was something he'd wanted to do since he'd first seen that hair, all
long and loose, spilling down her back in a riot of fiery curls.  And
it had been worth waiting for.  It was every bit as soft, as silky, as
he?d expected.  They'd have to write new rules."

At his looks, his touch, Diamond's throat went dry and her heart began
a wild dance.

All her life she'd been around men.  She worked with them, rode with
them.  Was comfortable with them.  But she'd never known a man like
Adam Winter.  And she'd never had a man touch her like this.  As though
she were soft and feminine and ... beautiful.

She saw the way his gaze moved over her mouth, and knew, in that
moment, that he was going to kiss her.  His hand suddenly fisted in her
hair.  She lifted wet soapy hands to his chest, as if to hold him at
bay.  But he took no notice as he lowered his mouth to hers.

It was the merest whisper of his lips on hers, a slow, languid brushing
of mouth to mouth.  But she reacted as though she'd been burned.  She
would have pushed away, except that his hands closed over her
shoulders, holding her still.  And then, as his lips moved on hers, she
was lost in a jumble of strange new 'feelings.

His kiss was easy, practiced.  He tasted of horses and leather, with a
tang of tobacco.  Dark, mysterious tastes that had her blood heating
and her heartbeat racing.  There was so much strength in the hands that
held her.  A strength made all the more fascinating because she could
sense the control he exerted.  As though she were a fragile flower
that

would be crushed unless he took great care.  It was an intoxicating,
diZZying feeling.

"Why, Miss Jewel.  It looks like--" his mouth moved ever-so-slightly
against her lips, forming the words "--you're not accustomed to being
kissed by a man."  -. "How dare--!"

He cut off her protest by increasing the pressure against her lips.

Her kiss was awkward.  Uncomfortable.  She fairly trembled beneath his
touch.  Her lips quivered under his.

She tasted wild and sweet and clean.  As untouched as the snow that
capped the distant mountains.  His first thought was that he'd like to
go on kissing her like this all morning, until she lost her fear and
learned to savor, to enjoy.  Oh, the things he could teach her.

His hand tightened at her shoulder and he deepened the kiss.

At once he realized his mistake.  What the hell had be ben thinking
of?.  She wasn't just some sweet, unspoiled female.  She was Onyx
Jewel's daughter.  And all that innocence was ... a trap.

Suddenly he found that he couldn't think at all.  The touch of her
lips, so soft and cool, had crowded all thought from his mind.  All he
could do was feel.

Feelings long-buried came rushing back, and with them, the pain.

Oh, God, how could he have forgotten, even for a moment, the-pain?

As abruptly as the kiss had started, it ended.  Adam lifted his head
and took a step back, breaking contact.  His hands remained at her
shoulders a moment longer as he struggled to compose himself.

There were so many things he'd forgotten.  But it was

just as well.  It was dangerous remembering.  Right now, he was
remembering how desperately he could want.

Anger rose up, replacing all other feelings.  Anger at himself for his
carelessness.  Anger at her, just for being.

Of all the women in the world, the last one he could ever desire was
Diamond Jewel.

Chapter Six

Diamond took several deep breaths, grateful for Adam's hands on her
shoulders.  Without his support, she would probably have staggered.

It seemed very important that she not let him see how deeply his kiss
had affected her.  As he stared down at her, she felt compelled to say
something to cover her awkwardness.  But she could not bring herself to
mention what they had just shared.  It was too intimate.  Too deeply
personal.  And she was in a state of total confusion.

Instead, she blurted the first thing that came to mind.  "I want you to
know that I never had any intention of shooting you in the back."

Adam regarded her in silence, though he had to dig deeply to bite back
the smile that threatened.  Did she have any idea how she looked, with
her lips still moist and swollen from his kiss, her eyes too big for
her face?  Did she not understand how appealing she was?  She was as
open, as artless, as a child.  And every one of those jumbled emotions
she as experiencing was clearly visible in her eyes.

As he studied her, her face flamed and she lowered her gaze.  "I was
just going to let you know that I was following you..."  She was
babbling, she knew, but she couldn't

seem to stop herself.  It was better than standing here, feeling
thoroughly confused and ... thoroughly kissed.  "By firing a warning'
shot."

He reached a hand to the bandanna at her throat, fingering the knotted
ends, and felt the slight tremble she couldn't' hide.  It gave him a
strange feeling to see his bandanna against her skin.  Strange and ...
unsettling.  "That would have been a mistake; Miss Jewel."

Her head came up sharply.  "Why?"

"Because I don't take kindly to gunshots."

"But you were on my property " '

"And I don't take kindly to being followed.  Oh," you were very good,"
he continued smoothly.  "Though I

sensed you I never Spotted you."

She felt a rush of warmth at his unexpected compliment.

"Then how... ?"

"You cocked your rifle.  It's a sound I've heard too many times to
ignore.  And it almost cost.  you your life.  I have a habit of
returning gunfire with gunfire.  And I rarely miss."

Suddenly the warmth of the kiss they'd just shared evaporated.  Why had
she wasted her time trying to explain her self to this infuriating
man?

He had managed to turn her words into another argument.

"I'd like to go home now."

"With pleasure, ma'am."  He dropped his hand and took a step away.  He
was as eager to be rid of her as she was to leave.  "TII hitch the
team.  Zeb will take you in the wagon."  And good riddance, he
thought.

As he turned, he heard the sound of horses approaching,

hard and fast.  He caught up a rifle beside the door and said tersely,
"Take cover."

Though her heart beat a little faster when she remembered last night's
gunfight, she refused to heed his warning.

Instead, she removed her pistol from the holster and joined him in the
doorway.

Dust rose up in a cloud as dozens of horsemen thundered up to the
little cabin.  In the lead was Cal McCabe.  His features were as dark
as storm clouds.

When he spotted Diamond, he signaled to his men, who aimed their rifles
at the man beside her.

"Drop your weapon and step aside'iWinter," Cl shouted.

Just then Zeb came around the corner of the cabin-and leveled a rifle
on the foreman.

"Drop iL old man," Cal ordered.  "You're 'outnumbered."

"Maybe," Zeb said, "but I'd like to raise the odds just a little.  If I
have to die, I'll take you and a few of your men with me."

"Cover him," Cal commanded his wranglers.

"I'll remind you that you're on my land," Adam said in an ominously
calm tone.

"You bastard."  Cal's eyes narrowed with fury.  "If you've hurt
her..."

"It's all right, Cal."  Diamond holstered her gun.  "We didn't know it
was yOU coming' We expected trouble."

As she started out the door, Cal leaped from the saddle and covered the
distance between them in a few hurried steps.  He caught her by the
arm, drawing her roughly behind him, protecting her with his own
body.

"Cal, put the gun away.  You don't understand," Diamond began, but her
foreman was beyond hearing.  Even as relief poured through him, his
blood ran hot for revenge.

"Keep them both covered," he ordered his men.  "Throw down your gun
now, Winter.  I won't give you another warning."  To Diamond he said,
"I'll send for the marshal.  Adam Winter isn't going to get away with
anything a second time."

"You'd better stop shouting orders and take the time to listen to the
lady," Adam warned him.  "The law says I

have the right to protect myself.  Especially on my own property.  And
right now, McCabe, you and your men are trespassing.  That gives me the
right to shoot first and ask questions later."

"I'd kill you right now," Cal interrupted, "but this time I want it all
legal and correct, so that we're done with you once and for all,
Winter.  It's the way Onyx would have wanted it."

"cal," Diamond called sharply as she finally managed to wriggle free of
his grasp."  "Listen to me."

Her commnding tone finally broke through his fury.  Her foreman dragged
his icy gaze from Adam to look at her.

"Adam Winter didn't do anything wrong.  In fact, he saved my life." She
stepped between the two men, who steadfastly 're fused to lower their
weapons.

"Saved yotr life?"  Cal McCabe looked from Diamond to Adam, and then
back again.  "What happened?"  "Last night we were attacked b);
gunmen."  "Gunmen!"  His jaw clenched.  "What gunmen?"  "Strangers.
I've never seen them before.  And I don't know what they were after.
Five' of them are dead.  Up on the banks of Poison Creek.  The sixth,
the leader, got away."

"That's odd," he said, still regarding Adam.  "We've been out searching
all night, and we never passed any strangers on the trail."

"Are you calling the lady a liar?"  Adam asked.

"I'm saying--"

"EnoUgh."  Diamond gave a sigh of exasperation.  "Cal, I'm sorry that
you spent the night looking for me,"

"You know we'd go to hell and back for you Di."  She placed a hand on
Cal's arm, feeling her own tension dissipate.  After last night's
attack, she'd become suspicious of everyone.  And that was dangerous.
She needed her

friends.  And she needed to trust once again.  "There was no way to
get' word to you."

Cal closed a hand over hers.  "I'm just relieved that you're all
right."  He peered down into her eyes.  "You really are all right?  I
mean, he didn't hrt you ... in aoy way?".

Diamond felt the heat that began at the base of her throat and inched
its way to her cheeks.  Cal's concern was almost as deep as if he were
her pa.  She feared that if he looked too closely, he'd be able to see
the change in her.  Did a woman's skin glow, or her eyes shine, when
she'd just shared a kiss with a man?  Oh, she sincerely hoped not.  But
she'd had no experience in such matters.

"I'm fine.  Really."

Cal looked up at Adam.  "Sorry I misjudged you Winter.  I'd like to
offer my thanks."

He stuck out his hand and Adam was forced to accept it.  But each man
continued to regard the other with guarded hostility.

"I'll need you to ride to town with us and file a report with the
marshal."  Cal lowered his ri He

Adam nodded and lowered his own weapon.  Turning to Zeb he called,
"I'll probably be gone most of the day.  After I deal with the marshal,
I intend to ride out to the herd and make sure everything's all
right."

He pulled himself into the saddle.

Diamond waited while Cal led her horse forward.  As she mounted, she
gave a long, deep sigh of relief.  At least, for the.  moment, Cal
McCabe and Adam Winter weren't about to kill each other.

But it was a tense, uneasy truce.

And a long way from any sort of peace.

The ride to town was the longest Diamond had ever endured.  With Cal on
one side of her and Adam on the other,

the air was charged with an electric current.  Even the wranglers,
sensing the hostility between the foreman and Adam Winter, rode in
silence.  Despite the fact that Diamond had been safely returned, there
was no celebration.  There was, instead, a brooding sense that a killer
rode in their midst.

Now that she was once more in her element, riding with her men, she
found herself replaying in her mind the incident in Adam's cabin.  How
could she have been so weak and foolish?  It wasn't at all like her to
allow herself to be manipulated by a man.  And yet, that's exactly what
had happened.  For a few brief moments, she had lost her common sense.
It had been a momentary lapse.  A mistake.  But it was over now.  She
was back in control.  And she would never allow such a thing to happen
again.

They rode into town, past the stable and blacksmith's shop, past
Durfee's Mercantile, until they reined in their mounts at the arshai's
office.

Cal, Dilmond and Adam dismounted and went inside, trailed by the
wranglers.

"Gunmen, you say?"  Marshal Quent Regan listened to Diamond's story in
stony silence.  He scraped back his chair and leaned his palms flat
down on the desktop, so that his gaze was.  level with hers as she sat
facing him.  "And you didn't recognize any of them?"

"Not a one."

He swiveled his gaze to Adam and narrowed his eyes.  The truth was, he
still didn't trust this stranger.  After all, someone had shot Onyx
Jewel.  Despite the judge's verdict, Quent Regan had his doubts about
Adam Winter's innocence.  "And you Winter?  You've never seen these men
before?"

Adam shook his head.  Since his arrival with Diamond and her wranglers,
he'd said not a word.  Why bother?  He knew what the marshal thought
about him.  As well as every man in this room.

"Think harder," Marshal Regan prodded.  "Maybe you had a run-in with
them in some other town.  Maybe in your travels before you settled here
in Hanging Tree, you made an enemy.  And that enemy now wants to even
the score."  Adam met his look.  "Maybe."

"Then you think they were after you a!  Diamond just happened to be in
the way?"

"I didn't say that."

Marshal Regan looked astonished.  "Are you saying they were after

Adam gave a negligent shrug of his shoulders.  "I didn't say that,
either."

Some of the marshal's careful control began to slip.

"Look, Winter.  Just tell me what you know."

"I know they were hired guns."

The marshal straightened.  "How would you knoTM that?"  Adam showed no
emotion.  "They knew exactly where they were headed, and what they were
supposed to do.  Now, if they were hired to do away with me, it could
be as you said.  An old enemy who wants to even the score.  If so,
he'll do what he came here to do, and then leave.  But if they were
hired to do away with Onyx's daughter, then it means you've got a
killer right here in your town And when it's over, he won't be going
anywhere."  The marshal bristled at the thought of someone in his town
capable of such a despicable act.  Still, he-couldn't help seeing in
his mind's eye the body of Onyx Jewel on the banks of Poison Creek.
He'd been shot, point-blank, at close range.  There was no doubt that
there was a killer around.  But one of the townspeople?

"Any names come to mind?"  the marshal asked.

Again that infuriating shrug.  "They didn't leave a calling card.  And
they didn't mention any names."

Marshal Regan's eyes narrowed.  Adam Winter was a cool one.  Too
cool.

"Arlo," he called to his deputy.  "Take a wagon out to Poison Creek
and bring back those bodies.  The rest of us are going to wait right
here."

Two figures stood in the shadowy cave and stared down at the bodies
littering the banks of Poison Creek.

"Six against two."  The voice was a fierce whisper.  "And the only ones
Who died are the ones who took my money.  How do you explain this?"

The gunman flushed.  "You told us this would be easy.  We figured we'd
just wlk in and do the job.  We weren'i expecting a grin battle,"

"Weren't expecting... !"  There was a sudden, ominous silence.  "For
the money I paid you I had the right to expect results.  I hope you
were smart enough to remove my money out of their pockets.  They won't
be' needing it."  The gunman reached into his pocket and retrieved a
handful of bills.  "I've got it right here."

It was snatched roughly from his hand.  After it was carefully counted,
the shadowy figure said, "Remember, you won't see another dollar until
I get what I paid for."  Horse and rider turned and were gone.

Despite.  the cold wind, the gunman realized he was sweating.  He'd
taken money for a variety of different crimes, including murder.  But
for the first time in his life, he'd felt that he was in the presence
of evil.

The marshal was grim faced as he examined the bodies.  The men were
young, lean, tough.  And, as Adam Winter had said, "they had the look
of professional gunmen.  With the help of the deputy and several
wranglers, the bodies were removed from the wagon and placed side by
side in the marshal's office.

Marshal Regan turned to Diamond.  "You didn't say how you happened to
be at Poison Creek."

It was the question she had dreaded.  And one she'd evaded from 'the
beginning.

"I was out riding on the north ridge."

"Why?"  the marshal asked.

"I--" she licked her lips "mneeded to get away from the ranch house.
And I came across Ada Winter drix;ing some strays."

Marshal Regan's eyes narrowed.  "Winter was on Your property?  In
violation of his agreement?"

"Actually, he was trying to live up to his agreement.  His cattle had
strayed and he was driving them home.  So I ... began riding a short
distance behind him."  She felt her cheeks flush and refused to glance
at Adam Winter.  "Then, suddenly, we startled these gunmen, who were
apparently trailing us, and they took off in the opposite direction."

"If they were trailing you how did they overtake you?"  "We were
stopped."  Diamond's mind was racing.  How was she going to explain
this without lying?  She hated lies.  But now that she had told a
single little one, she found herself mired in them.

Adam remained silent.  This was Diamond's story.  He'd let her tell it
any way she pleased.  Besides, he was beginning to enjoy himself.  It
was obvious that the lady was squirming.

"Stopped?  Why?"  Marshal Regan glanced from Diamond to Adam.

Diamond's foreman and wranglers did the same.  "I ... fell off my
horse."

"You-fell!"  Cal couldn't hide his astonishment.  "That's whdt I said.
I fell."  She put her hands on her hips and turned on her foreman.
"What's wrong with that?"

"Nothing."  He backed up a step at the murderous look in her eyes.
"It's just that in all the years I've known you Di, it took the
toughest, meanest, wildest mustang to toss

you out of the saddle.  And Sunrise, why, she's just about the
gentlest saddle horse we have."

Diamond was stuck' with her lie.  In her most commanding tones she
said, "I guess something spooked her.  The next thing I knew, I was on
the ground and Sunrise had run 'off.  Adam Winter offered to let me
ride with him, but he explained that he was heading to Poison Creek.  I
didn't see that I had any other choice but to accept his offer."

"So, you went to Poison Creek to deliver strays.  Then you must have
been returning' to your ranch when you were attacked,".  the marshal
said.

"Not exactly."

"Where were you?"  he asked with a sigh of impatience.  "On the bank of
the creek.  Lying ... sitting by the camp.  fire," she amended,
grateful that Adam had left his bullet-fiddled bedrpll back at his
cabin.

"You were lucky you weren't hit," Cal McCabe said softly.

"I would have hecn if Adam hadn't heard the horsemen coming and carded
me off to the safety of some bushes."

Everyone turned to study Adam.  The last thing they wanted to hear was
that their suspicions about this mysterious man were wrong.

"And neither of you got hurt in the gunfight?"

"Just a little cut."  Diamond felt her cheeks flush bright pink.  Oh,
she was no good at this lying business.  Adam's bandanna suddenly felt
like a noose around her neck.  "One of the gunmen caught me and
threatened to slit my throat if Adam didn't throw down his gun."

Cal McCabe swore.  "The bastard.  I'd like to get my hands on him.  Did
he hurt you?"

"Just a little cut."

"How did you get away from him?"  the marshal asked.  "Adam called his
bluff.  And shot him before he could

carry out his threat.  But in all the confusion, the leader managed to
get away."

"So, Winter, I guess you're a hero now," Marshal Regan said dryly.  The
word stuck in his throat.

Adam shook his head.  "I just did what.!  had to to survive."

"Uh-huh?"  The marshal turned away, unconvinced.  There was more here
than either of them was admitting.  And he hated loose ends.  "You can
go, Winter.  For now."

He'd already decided to have Doc Prentice go over these bodies very
carefully.  After all, Adam Winter had already admitted shooting these
men.  If any of those wounds matched the ones in Onyx Jewel's body,
he'd pay another visit to Adam Winter's ranch.  And this time, hero or
no hero, the town would have its hanging.

Adam stood and waited while Diamond and her foreman walked from the
office, trailed by their wranglers.  Pulling on his hat, he made his
way to where his horse was tied to the hitching post.  He looked up as
the stagecoach rolled to a stop in a cloud of dust.

Small clusters of townspeople began to gather around in anticipation of
the mail and supplies carried by the stage.  The driver jumped down and
held the door for a single passenger.

A young woman caught the driver's hand and stepped lightly from the
coach.  She wore a dark traveling coat in the latest fashion.  The
gown, which could be glimpsed beneath it, was palest pink.  She
hurriedly opened a pink paraSol to shield her pale skin from the sun.
In this rough Western town, where the inhabitants sported drab homespun
clothts and leathery skin chafed by wind and sun, she made an
impressive picture.  A figure that was slender as a young willow.  Hair
the color of wheat.  Cornflowereyes in the face of a porcelain angel.

"Please be careful with those trunks," she called in a cultured
Eastern accent.

"Yes, ma'am."  The driver lowered a trunk and a tapestry valise and
piled them on the wooden walkway, out of the way of horses and wagons.
"Will you be staying here in town?"

"I'm not sure."  She glanced around uncertainly, then said, "Perhaps
you could tell me where to hire a rig.  I'd like to visit the Jewel
Ranch."

At her words, Diamond paused, and all her men came to a halt behind
her.

Adam, too, paused in the act of pulling himself into the saddle.

"I couldn't help overhearing."  Diamond crossed the dusty patch of road
and said with a smile, "My name's Diamond Jewel.  Fm the owner of the
Jewel Ranch.  What could you possibly want out at my place?"

"Hello."  The young woman returned the smile and offered her gloved
hand.  "I'm Pearl."

"Welcome to Hanging Tree, Pearl.  What brings you to Texas?"

"Oh, dear."  The young woman lifted one 'gloved hand to her mouth to
stifle her little exclamation of alarm.  "I can see that you don't know
about me.  I guess Daddy never mentioned me."

"Daddy?"  Diamond' stared at her without comprehension.  "I guess I
should explain.  My full name is Pearl Jewel."  "Jewel...?  But that's
my..."  Diamond's puzzled smile began to fade.

Before she could say more, the young woman continued.  "I read in the
Boston paper about the death of Onyx Jewel.  He was my father.  And
I've come to pay my respects at his grave."

Chapter Seven

Dozens of townspeople had stopped in their tracks Already there were
little gasps of surprise, and murmurs of shock and disapproval.  A
crowd, hungry for more.  details was beginning to close in around the
two young women.

Diamond felt as if all the air had left her lungs.  She couldn't
breathe.  Onyx Jewel's daughter?  Impossible.  That would make this
cool, beautiful creature her... A lie.  It was all an elaborate lie.
Pa.  Pa would never... With as much indignation as she could muster she
managed to say, "I'm sure a great many people read about my father's
death.  And I would suppose the lure of quick money would bring a few
fortune hunters to our town.  But I assure you Miss..."  She couldn't
bring herself to call this evil creature by the name she claimed.  "I
assure you my father was an honorable man who had but one heir.  Now, I
bid you goodbye.  I'm sorry you came all this way for nothing."

She turned away, clutching Cal McCabe's arm so tightly her nails dug
into his flesh.

"I'm so sorry," came the cultured 'voice as mounted her horse.  "I
realize now that this must be a great shock to you just as mention of
your name in the news,

paper was a shock to me.  You must believe that I never intended to
cause you pain.  I have no interest in your ranch or fortune.  But I
cannot deny my birthright.  I am a Jewel.  Onyx Jewel was my daddy.  I
was overcome with grief at the announcement of his death.  And I ask
nothing more of you than the chance to visit his final resting place
and pay my respects."

"You ask too much."  Diamond stared down from the saddle like a queen
from her ihrone.  "He was my pa.  Mine," she called with a catch in her
voice.  "For all my life, he was all I had.  And I will not share him
with you.  Or with anyone.  Especially now that he cannot be here to
defend himself against such horrible lies."

"Please.  I would not lie about something as sacred as my daddy.  You
must reconsider.  I've come so far.  And I will not leave until I've
had a chance to visit Daddy's grave."  '

Diamond:s tone hardened, as did the look in her eyes.

"Stop calling him your daddy."

"But he was--"

"I can't force you to leave this town.  But I'm warning you.  If you so
much as set foot on my property, I'll have you shot.  Is that clear?"

Without a word the young woman lifted her head in a haughty gesture and
met Diamond's harsh look.

At that moment, Adam Winter, watching from a short distance away, found
himself amazed at the similarity between the two.  Though their
coloring was completely different, as was their manner of dress, there
was something about that 're gal bearing, and the way each lifted her
chin in defiance of the other.

"Well, what are you gawking at?  Comeon, Cal."  Diamond and her
wranglers urged their horses into-a gallop, leaving the town and its
curious, muttering occupants in their dust.

When the dust settled, Adam watched as the young woman picked up her
valise and started walking.  As she passed him, she compressed her lips
together to keep them from trembling.

He nudged his horse into an easy gait.  A smile split his lips.  It had
been one hell of a day, and it was only half-over.

He glanced back, to see the young woman disappear inside a
boardinghouse at the edge of town.  It looked like Onyx Jew l's chicken
had come home to roost.  And wasn't going to leave until she
accomplished what she had come here to do.

Adam wondered if the town of Hanging Tree was big enough for two
Jewels.  Espeaia!ly when one of them was a handful like Diamond.  And
the other was, for now, a complete mystery.

Adam brought his horse to a pan se atop a ridge and cast one last look
at his herd, peacefully grazing on the banks of Poison Creek.  It was
difficult to imagin this beautiful and harboring so much hatred and
violence.  But then, he'd known another time when the beautiful,
peaceful hills of his beloved Maryland had ran red with blood.  Father
against son.  Brother against brother.

He wouldn't allow himself to think about the past.  There was still too
much pain.  Instead, he would concentrate on a bright future.  Next
spring, with the calving, he could be, if not wealthy, at least
solvent.  And the year after that... He spotted a cloud of dust in the
distance and strained to see what caused it.  After a few minutes it
became clear.  A small carriage, pulled by a single horse, was heading
toward the Jewel Ranch.  Even from this distance, he could make out the
flutter of a pink gown, and the ridiculous pink parasol.

's threat, and was about to pay a call.

Wouldn't he' love to watch that display of fireworks?  As he started to
turn his mount toward home, he spotted, out of the corner of his eye,
another cloud of dust.  This one' was much bigger.

He turned.  And muttered a savage oath.

Several dozen wranglers rode in two columns toward the approaching rig.
In their lead was a similarly dressed wrangler, whose.  fiery hair
streamed behind her like a red flag.,

Adam wheeled his stallion and spurred him into a run.  He had to 'stoo
this nonsense before someone got hurt.

Straining at the bit, his horse ate up the distance, until he pulled up
beside the rig.  Pearl looked up in surprise and drew back on the
reins.  "If Diamond Jewel sent you to stop me "

"No, ma'am?"  He wiped a sleeve across his sweaty forehead, grateful
that he'd reached her in time: "I spotted you from that ridge and
thought I'd..better warn you.  Diamond and her men are just over that
hill.  And they're headed this way.  If you'd like, I'll escort you
back to town."

She studied him for a moment.  "Didn't I see you in town this
morning?"

"Yes, ma'am.  My name's Adam Winter."

"It's very nice to meet you Mr.  Winter.  I am Pearl Jewel.  And I
thank you for your warning, and your kind offer.  But I have no
intention of turning back."

"But that could be danger oust

"Good day."  She flicked the reins and the horse broke into a trot:

Adam kept pace alongside her.  "Mind if I fide along?"

She peered at him from beneath her parasol.  "Whatever for?"

"I've had a taste of Diamond's temper.  I don't think you know what
you're doing."

"I know exactly what I'm doing, Mr.  Winter."  "Adam," he corrected
her.

She smiled then.  "Adam.  As I told Diamond, I have no intention of
leaving until I visit my daddy's grave.  And no one, not even Diamond
and all her wrglers, can stop me."

Adam had his doubts about that, but decided to keep his thoughts to
himself.

As they came up over the top of the hill, they looked down on a solid
wall of mounted wranglers, with dries drawn.  In their midst was
Diamond.  When she spotted Adam, her eyes flashed fire.

"So, this is how you plan to have your revenge, Adam Winter," she
called.  "By butting into other people's business.  You should stick to
your own problems.  You have more than enough without taking on any
more."

"You're right about that.  But somebody has to try and knock some sense
into that thick head of yours."  He looked beyond her to her foreman.
"What's the matter with you McCabe?  Haven't you told her that she
can't simply shoot this young woman and walk away?"

"I've tried," Cal McCabe said tiredly.  "But Di refuses to listen to
me."

"And why can't I shoot her?"  Diamond shouted.  "She's trespassing.  As
I recall, you threatened much the same thing earlier today, when Cal
McCabe and my wranglers rode up to your cabin.  I'm entirely within my
rights.  And this time, there'll be no question.  The whole town
already heard me warn this ... person to stay off my property."

Adam nudged his horse closer, until Diamond Yffted her rifle and
pressed it to 'his chest, holding him at bay.  They sat astride their
horses, facing each other.

Despite the anger that throbbed through her veins, Diamond felt her
pulse accelerate at the nearness of him.  Damn

the man for whatever it was that caused this strange reaction in
her.

"I'm not interested in how you'll justify this to the town," Adam said
softly.  "Tm here to remind you that if .  you carry out your threat,
you'll have to live with the fact that you were responsible for the
death of your father's daughter."

"Liar."  Diamond's voice rose, and with it her temper.  At this moment,
she felt her fury slipping out of control.  Fury with Adam for
interfering.  For taking sides.  It was, she reminded herself, one more
reason to hate him.  "That woman is lying.  She's not my father's
daughter.  And if you choose to believe her, you're a fool."

"You're the fool if you react in haste, Diamond.  There are laws, even
here in Hanging Tree.  And lawyers and judges to see that justice is
carried out."

"Oh, I'm aare of that,"?  she said through clenched teeth.  "I saw what
the law and the judge did to my father's killer.  Now; get out of my
way, Adam Winter."  She waved the rifle, but he refused to budge.

"For once in your life, stop and think before you act.  How wOUld you
feel if you shot now, and discovered later that she was telling the
truth?"

Diamond sent him a hateful look.

"I have proof of my claim."  Pearl's voice, cool, composed, caused
everyone to turn and stare at her.  "And I would be happy to share
it."

She opened the tapestry valise and withdrew a Paper, then stepped from
the rig and held it out to Diamond.

"And what is this?"  Diamond's voice was filled with contempt as she
slid from the saddle to confront this impostor.

"A dOCument certifying my birth, and the names of my parents."

"Forged," Diamond scoffed, without even bothering to

look at it.  "Anyone with ink and paper can draw up a document.  It
doesn't mean a thing."

"There is more."  Pearl removed several papers from the valise.

"What are these?  More lies?"

"Letters.  From my daddy to me."  Shthrust them 0-ward Diamond.  "I'm
sure you'll recognize his handwriting."

Diamond snatched them toward her, eager to prove the lie.  But when she
caught sight of her father's large, scraWling script on the first page,
she dropped it as though burned.  "I will not dignify these forgeries
by reading them."  She tossed the letters down without another
glance.

But the damage had been done; the seed of knowledge planted.  And with
it, the growing fear that there might be a kernel of truth in what this
young woman was saying.

She watched as Pearl bent and retrieved the letters, brushing the sand
from the pages as she did.

"I wish you had never come here," Diamond whispered.  "I wish you would
just go away and.,."  She stopped, her gaze arrested by the glint of
something at Pearl's throat.  A breeze ruffled the neckline Of the pale
pink gown, revealing a rope of gold, holding two stones side by side,
one black, one a perfect luminous pearl.

"Oh, no."  The words were torn from her lips.  "What?"  Pearl pressed a
hand to her throat in a of alarm.  "What is it?  What has.  happened

"Your ... necklace."  With trembling fingers Diamond unfastened her
rough plaid shirt.  Nestled between her breasts was a similar rope of
gold.  On it were two stones, side by side.  A black onyx, and a
perfect, glittering diamond.  "It'was a gift from Pa when I turned
sixteen."

Pearl lifted her necklace and touched it to her lips.  "Mine also was a
gift from Daddy for my sixteenth day."

Daddy.  The word grated.

"Daddy told me that the necklace would remind me that he would always
be at my side."

"Pa said the same thing to me."  Confused, hurt, angry, and still
desperate to deny what she sensed now was the truth, Diamond spun away
and pulled herself into the saddle.  She needed to put some distance
between herself and this... person.

"I'll allow you a quick visit to Pa's grave.  And then I expect you. to
leave and never return.  Is that understood?"

Pearl stared up at the haughty young woman, then nodded.  As she
climbed back into the rig and lifted the reins, she glanced toward the
wall of silent wranglers, still holding their rifles.  Then she turned
toward Adam.  In this whole vast land called Texas, he was the only one
who had shown her the least kndness.

"I would like Adam Winter to go along."  Diamond's eyes glittered with
suspicion.  "Why?"; "Because I trust him."

"It figures.  One skunk always sniffs out another."  Diamond wheeled
her mount.  "Let's go," she called abruptly.  "I Want to be home by
dark."

She and her wranglers started out at a fast pace.

"I hope you don't mind, Mr.  Winter."

"Adam," he corrected her.  "And no.  I don't mind at all.  I'm just
glad I was able to slow things down awhile," He lifted a hand to shade
the slanting sun from his eyes.  "You'd better get moving.  It looks
like Diamond is in a hurry to be done with this."

Pearl had to whip her horse to catch up with the fastr moving horse
tach They made' their Way over hills, down gullies, across dry washes
that during the rainy season would be swollen and overflowing.  And
then they paused on a barren, windswept hill.  The mound of earth was
still

fresh.  It had been topped off with several boulders.  There was
nothing else to mark the spot where Onyx Jewel lay.

Adam Winter helped Pearl from the rig, then stepped back to allow her
to grieve in privacy.  But as he turned away, he caught sight of the
horror in her eyes.  TO an educated young woman from Boston, accustomed
to ornate cathedrals and carefully manicured cemeteries fillec[ with
statuary and comforting signs Of faith, this unmarked grave in the
middle of a barren wilderness would seem uncivilized.  Primitive.

He glanced at Diamond, who sat astride her horse, trying vainly not to
look at the young woman who knelt in the dust.  But when a cry was torn
from Pearl's lips, it was obvious that a knife had twisted in Diamond's
heart.

"Oh, Daddy," Pearl cried aloud.  "I cannot bear the thought of you in
this place.  You deserved betterS" She touched a hand to the rough
stones that marked the grave.  "My heart is broken at the
knowledge-that I'll never see you again.  Or hear your wonderful, deep
laughter.  I can't bear the thought that I'll never again be held in
your warm embrace."

With a shiver of recognition, Diamond could hear her own voice saying
the same words, although she had never spoken them aloud.  But they
were her words, her emotions.  And they scraped against her already raw
wounds.

She slid from the saddle and took a step closer, then stopped as Pearl
moaned.  "Oh, how crUel, that life should take first my mother, and now
you Daddy.  I feel so alone.  So helpless against what has happened.
I'm angry.  And I'm sad.  And most of all, I'm frightened.  Yes.
Frightened.  Even though I hardly ever saw you you were the most
important person in my world.  Bigger even than life.  Like bright
sunlight piercing the darkness.  Each time you came to me in Boston, my
world became bright and wonderful.  And I foolishly believed you would
always be here for me.  Now

 there is no more light or laughter.  Now there is only..."

Her voice broke, and she fell into a fit of sobbing.

Moved, Diamond stepped up beside her and awkwardly touched a hand to
her shoulder.  She felt Pearl stiffen at her touch.  '

"I ... I know how you feel."

Pearl shook her head and said between sobs, "No one can know how I
feel."  It is as though the light has gone out of my World.  Daddy was
my rock, my anchor.  I dreamed of him each night.  Waited each day for
his letters.  He was the most important person in my life."

"Yes."  Di'amond's lips began to tremble and she immediately bit them
until she tasted blood.  "I know.  We did everything together. WheneVer
he left on one of his buying trips, it was as though the world
stopped.

Then, when he returned, my life would begin again."

Pearl nodded.  "Exactly.  He could make me laugh when

I was sad.":

"Or when I was angry," Diamond added.  "He used to say I inherited his
quick temper, along with his love of horses and guns.  But Pa could
always tease me out of my temper."

"He had a wonderful laugh."  Pearl felt a fresh round of pain as her
throat tightened, and she swallowed back a sob.

"And so much strength."  Diamond felt tears well up.

But she would not permit them to spill over, to stream down her cheeks
as PearS did.  That was a weakness that a city-bred woman like Pearl
could afford.  But to a Texan there was no room for tears.  "I feel
like a stray caught in the hills during a snowstorm.  And there's no
one to rescue me.  And no way to get back to the safety of my herd."

Amazingly, Pearl nodded, understanding completely.  She squeezed
Diamond's hand.  "Since news of DaddY's death,

I've felt lost and afraid.  I know it makes no sense.  !"m an educated
woman.  A teacher.  I'm old enough to make my

own way.  But the word orphan strikes terror in my heart and I feel...
Oh, I feel..."

A sob was torn from her lips, and Diamond answered with a
heart-wrenching sigh.  But something in her perverse nature would not
permit her to give in to hat she considered a weakness.  She would not,
could not; cry.

With Adam and the wranglers looking on in silence, the two young women
turned toward each other at the same moment, opening their arms and
coming together in a fierce embrace.

For Pearl, it was as though a dam had burst.  She wept, openly,
unselfconsciously.  And all the while, Diamond murmured words meant to
soothe.  But each word thrust fresh pain through her heart.  And each
word brought a fresh round of sobbing from the young woman in her
arms.

Pearl's tears flowed freely until there were none left.  For the first
time, Diamond spoke the words she'd held inside until now.  It was as
though, with this kindred spirit, she was free to speak what had been
carefully hidden in her heart.

"I loved him with all my heart and soul.  There will never be another
like Pa."

Pearl nodded.

At last, cleansed, spent, they stepped apart.

They knelt side by side, and each young woman touched a hand to the
soft earth.  Their lips moved in silent words to the man who had meant
everything in the world to them.

"I know Pa's burial site mustn't seem like much to a fine lady like
you.  But this was one of his favorite places."  Diamond's voice held a
trace of reverence.  "He used to say that from here he could see for
miles.  And everything he saw belonged to him.  The mountains, the
hills, the creek, the sand, the cattle.  But most of all, the land he
loved."

"Then I'm glad you chose this spot for his final resting

place," Pearl said softly.  "In years to come it will be a comfort to
me to know that Daddy is in a place he loved."  They fell silent again,
each lost in private thoughts.  "If you don't mind, I would like to
leave something here.  Something very personal, that I know Daddy would
have loved."

Pearl withdrew from her pocket a scrolled paper, tied with a pale
ribbon.

"My' diploma," she said.  "Daddy would have been so proud.  I want this
to remain here with him."

She scraped away a little of the dirt and lay the scroll down,
beforeSanchoring it with earth.

At last, as if by mutual consent, Pearl and Diamond stood and, after
one last glance at the grave, turned away.

Pearl glanced skyward and took note of the smudges of crimson that
streaked the sky.  "It's growing late.  I had better return for Mrs.
Potter's boardinghouse.  If I linger much-longer, I'll lose my way
back,"

"You're staying at Mrs.  Potter's?"  With the back ofber hand Diamond
wiped at a stray speck of moisture that had slipped, unbidden, from her
eye.

Pearl nodded.

"Why don't you come back to the ranch?"  Even as the words spilled from
her mouth, Diamond egret ted them.  What in the world had happened to
her common sense?  She was shocked by her lapse.  But, she reasoned, Pa
would approve.  And somehow, that thought gave her great comfort at the
moment.

Pearl was equally shocked.  "It isn't necessary to invite me into yOUr
home.  That is not the reason I came to Texas.  I came only to visit
Daddy's grave, and to pay him a final respect."

"I know.  And I'm glad now that you had your wish.  But I'd like you to
come home with me.  Besides," Diamond added sheepishly, "I hate to eat
alone."

"Really?  So do I," Pearl admitted.  Despite the tears that still
clung to her lashes, she managed a smile.  "I wonder if we will
discover other things we have in common."

"I ... doubt it."  Diamond glanced at this immaculately groomed young
woman, so unlike herself.

Suddenly, the two women seemed ill at ease This Vry intimate scene they
had just shared was over.  They were, once again, two strangers bound
by a single thread.

Diamond pulled herself into the saddle and glanced at Cal McCabe and
her wranglers, aware that they had been allowed to glimpse something
far too private and personal.  "Well, what are you waiting for?  Let's
get stared toward home.  Cal, send one of the men into town for Pearl's
bags."

She turned a last contemptuous glance at Adam; resenting the fact that
he too, had witnessed her private grief.

She seemed about to say something, then thought better about it and
clamped her mouth shut.  She'd tell him what she thought about him
another time.  Fo.r now, she would give him a wide berth.  And hope he
would do the same for her.

Adam helped Pearl' into the rig.  When she was seated.  she cast him a
sideways glance.

"Thank you for intervening on my behalf, Adam.  And for staying.  It
was very kind of you."

He mounted his stallion and tipped his hat to' her.  "You're welcome,
Pearl.  I hope you and Diamond take the time to get to know each
other."

"Why?"  she asked softly.

He glanced at the line of horsemen, and their leader, her spine stiff,
her head lifted in that defiant pose.  Already the haughty arrogance
she wore like protective armor was back in place.  "I think it's what
your father would have wanted."

At the mention of her father, Pearl fought back the tears

that threatened to blind her.  With a nod, she flicked the reins and
the horse and rig moved ahead.

Adam held his mount still, watching the strange procession winding its
way toward the ranch house in the distance.  He'd been right earlier,
he thought.  It had been quite a day.  But for these two intriguing
young women, it was far from over.

Chapter Eight

"I guess we could take our coffee over by the fire."

Supper was finished, and Carmelira had returned to her own little ranch
with her-husband, Rosario, leaving the two young women alone.  And
feeling stiff and awkward.

Diamond led the way across the room to a sofa flanking a large
blackened fireplace, where a log blazed.  Nudging off her boots, she
lifted her feet to the hearth and gave a sigh.

Beside her, Pearl sat pal rely her feet crossed at the ankles, her cup
balanced delicately on her' knees.

During their meal the conversation had been stilted and polite.  Each
had carefully skirted the edges of the topic that dominated their
thoughts.  But Onyx Jewel was clearly on the minds of both his
daughters.

"It was nice of Mr.  Winter to intervene for me today,"

Pearl said conversationally.

"You mean interfere."

Pearl heard the emotion that crept into Diamond's tone.

"You don't'approve of Adam Winter?"  "I don't trust him."  "Why?"

"He was accused of killing Pa."

"Oh."  Pearl brought a hand to her mouth and looked stunned.  "But if
he killed Daddy, why is he still free?"  "He was found not guilty
during his trial."  "Then he's innocent."

"I didn't say innocent," Diamond said bluntly.  "I said not guilty." As
briefly as possible she told Pearl about the trial, and the judge's
verdict.  Then, almost reluctantly, she added the details of how Adam
had saved her life.  "But in my eyes' that doesn't mean a thing," she
said.  "I still have my suspicions about Adam Winter."

"His actions don't seem to be those of a killer.  And i hope, not my'
for your sake, but for Daddy's, that the killer is found soon."  Pearl
sipped her tea and contemplated for long moments.  "As for Mr.  Winter,
I thought he was a perfect gentleman."

Gentleman.  The word grated.  Diamond thought about the way he'd kissed
her.  She was pretty sure it wasn't a gentleman's kiss.  Feeling a
strange flutter in the.  pit of her stomach, she decided to change the
subject.

"Tell me about your life in Boston."  Diamond turned to study the young
woman beside her.

"It's very ordinary."  Pearl kept her gaze on the fire.  "I live in a
small, neat house with a lovely white fence.  Whenever Daddy came to
visit he..."  Realizing how painful this must be for Diamond, her voice
trailed off for a moment.

Beside her, Diamond sucked in a breath at the pain.  Her father had
kept a very important part of his life secret.  Why?  To spare her
feelings, she surmised.  But hadn't he known that one day the truth
would come out and she would be hurt by it?

To cover the awkwardness Pearl continued, "There are many shops nearby.
A seamstress, a hat maker a shoemaker, a fish market and several other
markets where each day I buy what I need for my meals."

Her words pulled Diamond out of her painful reverie.

"It sounds so strange.  I can't imagine 'looking out my window and
seeing shops and houses, and people walking along a street."  She shook
her head.  "I don't think I'd like it at all."

"Mama loved Boston.  Daddy talked about his life in the West, and I
often used to daydream about Joining him.  BUt Mama warned me that I
would probably wither and die in Texas.  She said that it was a vast,
lonely place, with few people one could call friends."

"Now that you've seen it, do you agree?"  Diamond asked.

"Oh, no.  Not at all.  This part of the country takes my breath away.
The mountains, the plains, the exotic rock formations.  And the people,
so open, so willing to say exactly what is on their minds."  She
sighed.  "It is like no other place on earth."

Her words pleased Diamond.  She tried to imagine what it must look like
to this Boston woman.  But it was impossible.  She-had no way to
compare Texas with the rest of the world.  To her, this was the only
world.

"Mama was afraid, I think," Pearl said softly.  "Afraid of what?"

"Of losing me to the allure of Daddy's life.  She knew I was enchanted
by his stories of Texas.  And so she reminded me that in Boston there
are always friends to call upon when one is lonely.  And lovely teas
and parties."

"Is that all you do in Boston?"  Diamond's eyes widened in surprise.
"Go to teas and parties?"

"Of course not."  Pearl laughed, and Diamond found herself warming to
the sound.  "I'm hoping soon to find work.  Like my mother, I've
studied at a school for young ladies, and I intend to become a
teacher."

"School?"  Diamond swiveled her head to stare at Pearl.  "You studied
at a ladies' school?  What's it like?"

"It is a very large building, with the upper rooms used

for dormitories.  The lower rooms are used for classes.  Many of the
young ladies during my term came from far away and boarded there.  But
because I lived in town, I was allowed to go home each evening."  "What
did you study?"

"English, mathematics, history, biology.  And a smattering of other
sciences.  And, of course, comportment.  Most of the young ladies were
expected to marry wealthy gentlemen, and were being trained in the
womanly arts."

Diamond.  had no idea what womanly arts were, but she thought she would
like history and science.  "You must be very smart."  '

The young woman shrugged.  "I never gave it much thought.  Mama
insisted that I get an education.  It was just taken for granted that I
would do as she said.  But because I did not come from wealth, and was
not part of a ... proper family, I Was Being trained for a life of
service."

She looked over at Diamond.  "What about you?  Didn't you go to
school?"

"Until a few years ago there wasn't even much of a town in Hanging Tree
to speak of, let alone a schoolhouse."  She flushed.  "I suppose, after
Boston, you still don't think it's much of a town."

"Don't be silly.  I think it's a lovely place.  The stage driver was
very kind to me.  And Mrs.  Potter couldn't have been sweeter when I
asked for a 'room."

Diamond chuckled.  "Tm not surprised.  It isn't often she gets a chance
to take in a boarder.  Especially one that looks like you and smells so
good."  She breathed deeply.  "What is that sweet smell?"

"Lilac water," Pearl admitted.  "Would you like to borrow some?"

"Me?"  Diamond laughed harder, feeling suddenly more relaxed and
carefree than she had in hours.  Strange.  She knew that she and Pearl
could never be friends.  But she

had never had a close female friend before, except for Car-melita, and
the housekeeper didn't count because she was so much older.  Diamond
hadn't known how easy it would be to talk with another female.  "What
would I want with lilac water?"

Pearl sipped her tea.  "Sometimes, wheni'm feelin Sad, it makes me feel
better just to touch a drop to my throat.  It lifts my spirits.  It
feels cool and it smells so lovely.""

Lovely.  Diamond rubbed at her temple.  That word again.  Pearl seemed
to use it a lot.  And it suited her.  The more she got to know this
city girl, the more she realized Pearl was a ... lovely person.  She
realized now that her first impreSsions were wrong.  Pearl wasn't a
charlatan.  She was a grief-stricken young woman who had just lost her.
father Father.  She blinked back the sting behind her lids.

"You haven't told me about your education," Pearl persisted.

"There's not much to tell.  We don't have a teacher here

'in Hanging Tree.  No need for one.  Mothers teach their daughters what
they need to know, and fathers teach their sons."

"But you said your mother died when you were a baby.  Who taught you?"
Pearl asked.

"Pa."  Diamond's 'voice warmed.  "He taught me all I needed to know.
There isn't a mustang alive I can't rope and ride Pa used to say I
could shoot almost as well as he could.  And I can hold my own in any
barroom brawl."

If Pearl was horrified by such accomplishments, she 'managed to hide
it.  "Can You read and write?"

""Course I can.  And Pa taught me sums so I could keep his ledgers."

"That's Rood.  But there are some things only a woman can teach you"
Pearl interrupted.

"Like what?"

Pear!"s cheeks turned a becoming shade of pink.  "Personal things.
Female things.  Like ... taking care of your body.  And dealing with
men."

Now, that was a topic that had Diamond's complete attention.  Could it
be that Pearl might have some advice for dealing with these strange new
feelings she'd been having whenever she got too close to Adam Winter?
At once she dismissed the thought.  After all, she hardly-knew this
young woman.  How could she bring herself to discuss anything so
intimate, so confusing?

"And Only another woman can teach you about having.  babies," Pearl
added.

"Well, I won't need to know about those things," Diamond said
emphatically.

Pearl seemed genuinely shocked.  "Why?"

"I'll never marry and have children.  I'm never going to let any man
tak Pa's place in my heart."

For long minutes the two young women looked away, staring into The
fire, deep in thought."

Pearl glanced around at the strange mix of furnishings scattered about
the substantial room.  There were ornately carved high-back chairs
from' Mexico, paired with elegantly embroidered footstools from Europe.
The rug underfoot was Turkish, and the curtains at the windows were
Irish lace.  Yet the young woman who took such splendor for granted
seemed as simple and unaffected as a child.  "How did you come by such
exotic things?"

"Pa-found a lot of these things on his buying trips to ... the East and
to California."  It suddenly occurred to Diamond that he had found more
than furniture on his "buying" trips, He'd found someone to ease his
loneliness, and eventually another daughter.  Oh, Pa, she thought with
sudden, wrenching sadness.  I thought I knew everything about you.  But
I didn't really know you at all.

She struggled to gather her scattered thoughts.  "Pa said

the ports were crammed with all manner of imported things, if a man
knew where to look."

"Some of these appear to be quite expensive."  Diamond shrugged.  The
cost of a thing had never interested her.  Nor had se ever, until now
thought to question the value of her surroundings.  "Pa used to say
that the cattle business had been very good to him?-She looked up. "But
it was never the money that drove him.  It was his desire to be the
best.  I understood that.  It's the same with me.  I won't ... I
can't," she corrected herself, "allow Pa's death to mark the end of the
Jewel empire.  For Pa's sake, for my own, I have to carry on Pa's
work."

Pearl heard the note of urgency in Diamond's voice, and realized that
this young woman was desperately trying to convince herself that she
could manage alone.

"Death is never the end," she whispered.  "It is merely a passing."

"I try..."  Diamond swallowed.  "I try to imagine that Pa is right here
beside me.  But..."

Again the two young women turned away, uncomfortably jaw are of the
fact that the grief each carried in her heart was shared by the other.
And yet, except for the.  brief moment at the grave, they seemed
determined to grieve alone.

After a few minutes Pearl struggled to stifle a yawn behind her hand,
and Diamond realized with a twinge of guilt that this delicate-looking
young woman had just endured an exhausting journey without a word of
complaint.

"I'm sorry.  You're tired."  She took the empty cup from'.  Pearl's
hand.  "Let me show you to your oom."

Pearl offered no objection as she got wearily to her feet and followed
Diamond up the stairs and down a long hail-way.

"Carmelita said she prepared this room for you before

 e her.

Like the rest of the house, the room was impressively large.  A log
blazed on the fire.  Pulled in front of it was a rocking chair draped
with a comfortable quilt.  The bed was bigger than any Pearl had ever
seen.  Made of rough-hewn logs, it dominated one side of the room.  A
fur throTM was draped at the foot of the bed.  The blankets had been
turned down to reveal snowy linens.  Beside the bed was a table on
which rested a pitcher and basin.

"It's a lovely room."

"Well..."  Diamond was suddenly unCOmfortable once again.  "If you need
anything, I'm in the room next door."

"Thank you Diamond.  Good night," Pearl called as she crossed the
room.

"Yeah.  "Night."

Too agitated to sleep, Diamond returned to the sofa and curled up in
one corner, staring into the flames as though they somehow held the
answers to all her questions.

Why had she invited Pearlinto her home?  It was completely unlike her
to open up to a stranger.  But after the intimacy of shared grief at
Pa's grave, it had seemed the most natural thing in the world. Besides,
she consoled herself, it wasn't anything permanent.  Tomorrow she would
show Pearl the ranch.  She had a sudden need to introduce. Pearl to
Pa's life here in Texas.  And then, her curiosity satisfied, Pearl
would return to her home in Boston.  And Diamond could resume her life
as she'd known it.

There was another, more perplexing problem than Pearl.  One that she
didn't want to deal with tonight.  But it nagged at the edges of her
mind.

Adam Winter.  It wasn't surprising that.  the thought of him always
caused her blood to heat.  After all, he was still the prime suspect in
her father's murder.  But why did Pearl insist on trusting him when he
was a complete stranger?

And why did the very mention of his name cause that little curl in the
pit of her stomach?

Annoyed, she got to her feet.  What she needed was a ride, alone in the
darkness.  Always, whenever she was troubled, she found her spirit
restored, her entergy renewed, by a solitary nighttime ride.

"Ye're quiet tonight."  Zeb pushed back from the table and wrapped his
hands around a cup of coffee.

"I was thinking about Diamond Jewel.""

The old man chuckled.  "I'm not surprised."  She's a fine-looking
filly."

Adam bristled.  "I wasn't thinking about how she looks."  ""Course not.
A noble fellow like you."  Zeb's laughter rumbled in his chest.
"Especially now that she's shared your bedroll."

"We didn't share it, old man.  She slept in it alone.  I found a spot
some distance away where I could keep watch for the night."

"Don't try to tell me you kept your eyes on the trail the whole
time."

Adam grinned.  "I may have cast a glance or two her wayo"

"Uhhuh."  The old man blew into his cup and said, "So what were you
thinking about just now?"

"About the latest twist in her life.  While we were in town today, a
young woman arrived from Boston claiming to be Onyx Jewel's
daughter."

"You don't say?"  Zeb's head came up.  "Looks like Onyx Jewel was
interested in more than just horseflesh."  He sipped in silence, then
asked, "How'd the' little wildcat take the news?"

"About the way you'd expect.  She threw a fit and threatened to shoot
the young woman if she came on her property Later, she invited her to
spend the night at the Jewel

Ranch."

"Well, that heats all."  Zeb drained his cup and headed toward the
door.  "But like I've said, when you've lived as long as I have, you
won't he surprised by anything."

When the door closed he hind him, Adam drew his chair up to the
fireplace and hegan to mend a broken harness.  As he worked, his
thoughts kept returning to the scene at the grave.

It had been good for Pearl to grieve.  As for Diamond ... from' the way
she'd held in her tears, it appeared that she considered crying he
neath her.  Too damned ornery to allow herself the luxury of grief.

Grief.  He'd had his share.  There were too many graves.

And too many memories.  In order to survive, he'd had to bury his
memories along with the dead.

He paused in his work to roll a cigarette.  Leaning back,

he drew deeply and closed his eyes The memory of Diamond, leading her
wranglers like a fiery little general,

caused him to smile.

She was the most contradictory little female he'd ever met.  Tough as
nails.  He'd feared, for the first few minutes of that confrontation,
that she would make good her threat to shoot Pearl.  He'd been prepared
to do battle if necessary.

Even if it meant throttling her within an inch of her life.

Yet, when that same little wildcat had held back her own tears at her
father's grave, he'd had the strangest desire to take her in his arms
and comfort her until she gave in and sobbed her heart out.

What the hell was the matter with him?  Why was he getting involved in
her fight?  She'd made her feelings about him very obvious.  She
disliked him, mistrusted him, and intended to do everything in her
power to blame him for her father's murder.

He drew smoke into his lungs, then slowly exhaled,

watching the stream drift toward the ceiling.  The truth was, whenever
he thought about Diamond Jewel, he thought about the way she tasted.
Wil& Sweet.  Enticing.  And about the way she'd felt in his arms.
Soft.

Warm.  Seductive.

, Zcb was halfway right.  He'd spent a great deal of that night
watching her, sleep.  And more that anything!-h-('d wanted to share her
bedroll.

He stood and tossed the last of his cigarette into the 'fire.  Then he
pulled on his sheepskin jacket and headed for the door.  There was no
sense trying to sleep now.  What he needed was to find some tough,
demanding work for the next hour or so.  And exorcise the images of one
damnable little witch from his mind.

The night was cold, the air crisp and clean.  A full golden moon hung
in a star-studded sky.

Diamond gave her horse its head and felt the wind ash her hair and
sting her cheeks as she and her mount raced across the flat range.

This was what she needed.  She was weary of thinking.  She wanted only
to be free.  Free from worry, from doubt, from all troublesome
thought.

Free from this stranger who called 'herself Onyx Jewel's daughter.

Free from Adam Winter.

She urged her horse faster, leaning low over the tn are neck, until she
felt as though they were flying.  It was a glorious feeling.  Horse and
rider moved as one, skimming across the grassy plain.  When at last the
mare began to slow, Diamond sat straighter in the saddle, her eyes
glowing, her lips parted in a wide smile.  As her horse crested a ridge
she slowed to a walk.

"You are one fine horsewoman, Diamond Jewel."

At the sound of Adam's voice, her smile froze.

She turned her head, seeking him in the darkness.  He sat

astride his black stallion, blending into the shadows of a stand of
trees.  It was only when he nudged his horse closer that she could make
out his figure.

Her heart was beating overtime.  She blamed it on the exertion of the
ride.

"Are you following me?"

Her voice had that same breathless quality he'd first heard in the
jail.  It had the same effect, whispering over his senses, causing his
blood to heat.

"A man would have an easier time trying to follow the wind."

As his horse moved closer, she held her mare still, even though she was
tempted to turn and run while there was still time.

"You're on my property."  She moistened her lips with the tip of her
tongue.

He watched the movement, and his hands tightened on the reins.  "I
heard some wolves.  Thought I'd see if they were having a midnight
feast on a couple of cows.  I've been losing a lot of cattle lately."

"I heard them, too."  She nodded over her-shoulder.  "I saw a couple of
shadows moving over there.  I figured I scared them off.  They don't
take too kindly to people."

"Unless they sense a weakness," Adam muttered.  "Then you'd better
beware."

She lifted her head in a gesture he'd come to recognize.  "Are you
warning me about the wolves?  Or about you?"

He caught her chin in his hand.  His gaze burned over her mouth,
sending a flare of heat racing along her spine.  "That depends.  Do you
have a weakness, Diamond?"

She tried to pull away, but he was too quick.  His hand found her
shoulder and he drew her closer.  Their two horses stood still, as
though sensing the importance of the moment.

She had the strangest urge to melt into him, to feel his

arms around her, holding her close to his heart.  Instead, she held
herself Stiffly, her gaze meeting his defiantly.

"I detest weakness.  Pa taught me one rule to live by."  "And what is
that?"  His thumb traced the outline of her lips, sending another rush
of heat courg through her blood, until it flowed like molten lava.

"Here in Texas, only the strong survive."

"Then you needn't worry, Diamond."  He drew her fractionally closer,
until his lips were mere inches from hers.  "You're the strongest woman
I've ever met."

Up close she could see his eyes, dark and dangerous.  She knew, with
certainty, that he was going to kiss her.  And she knew just as
certainly, after that earlier taste of his lips,

that she had no defense against him.

"I have to go."

"Not until I kiss you" he muttered.

"No."  She pushed against the solid Wall of his chest, attempting to
free the whip that she carried coiled around her saddle horn.

His lips curved into a smile.  If she'd thought he looked dangerous
before, she knew that he was doubly dangerous when he smiled like that.
A tiny thread of feeling curled along her spine.  Fear?  she wondered.
Or anticipation?

"Now you've done it.  You see, there's always been an ornery streak in
me that just could never stand being told what to do," 'he murmured as
his lips covered hers in a savage kiss.

His hands at her shoulders weren't gentle.  Nor was his kiss.  His
mouth moved over hers, taking, taking, until she sighed and found
herself giving in to the strange new feelings that swept through her.

If the tender kiss between them in his cabin had caused tremors, this
mating of mouth to mouth caused thunder to rumble and lightning to
strike.  She was helpless against

such an onslaught.  All she could do was hold on and hope to survive.
But she could feel herself slipping, slipping .... Her fingers curled
into the front of his shirt, and a sound issued from deep in her
throat.  A sound that was almost primitive, as the kiss deepened, and
his arms came around her in a fierce embrace.

The.  swift surge of desire left him stunned.  Her lips were soft and
warm, and slightly parted.  Her breasts were flat-ten cd against his
chest.  Adam combed his fingers through the tangles of her hair, then,
unable to get enough of her, changed the angle of Me kiss and took it
deeper, then deeper still, ufitil she gasped and pushed against him.

Diamond tried to break away, but his arms were locked around her.  His
gaze swept her and she felt another rush of heat at the way her body
strained toward his.  Her gaze was no longer defiant.  He eyes were no
longer cool and resentful.  She couldn't hide the desire that simmered
just below the surface.

He wanted her.  And if-she were another sort of woman, he'd take her
here, now.  But Diamond Jewel was an innocent.  And not the sort of
woman a man could take and then discard.  She was the sort of woman who
made a man think about vows, and permanence, and roots.

The knowledge left him shaken.

He lowered his hands and lifted the reins.  His stallion tossed his
head and moved several steps away.

"Pleasant dreams."  He touched a hand to the rim of his hat.

"Go to..."  She wheeled her mount and set off at a gallop in the
direction from which she'd come.

He watched until she was out of sight.  Then he rolled a cigarette and
struck a match to the tip.  His hand was none too steady.

He swore, loudly, savagely.  He couldn't decide who made him angrier.
Himself.  Or Diamond Jewel.

Chapter Nine

So."  Carmelita bustled about the kitchen, a crisp White apron tied
just below her ample bosom.  Beneath it she wore a colorful scarlet
blouse and long tiered skirt in 'brilliant colors.  Jet black hair,
streaked with gray, was pinned up in a knot, but stray cuds had already
pulled loose and swung like corkscrews around her flushed cheeks.  "You
and the selforita have made the acquaintance."

"Um-hmm."  Diamond popped a handful of chopped chili leppers into her
mouth and reached for another until Carmelita rapped her hand with a
wooden spoon.

She wished she could talk to the housekeeper about Adam.  She needed a
woman's advice.  But it wasn't something she could bring herself to
talk about.

"She told me about her life in Boston.  I told her about my life here
in Texas."

"And now?"  the housekeeper asked.  "Has she Satisfied her curiosity?
Does she go back home?"

"In a day or two" She'd reached the dision in the small hours of the
morning, while she'd lain awake agonizing over Adam's kiss.  For some
strange.  reason, she rather liked the idea of having another young
woman around.  Maybe, if the opportunity presented itself, shed

talk to Pearl about men.  "I thought, since she's come all this way,
I'd show her around the ranch."

"That's niCe."  Carmelita snatched away a plate of freshly baked corn
bread before Diamond could break off a hunk.  "Can't you wait until
breakfast is ready?"

"I was just going to see if it was done."

"It is done to perfection.  Now go.  Sit down.  I don't need you
underfoot."

With a sigh of exasperation, Diamond crossed the room and took a seat
at the huge wooden table.  She idly traced the indentation of her
initials, scratched into the wood years ago, when 'she'd first been
given a knife by her father.  She was restless, edgy.  And all because
of a certain irritating mall.

"Remember this?"  she asked.

Carmelita glanced over, then nodded.  "S pounds Your father threatened
to take away your favorite pony if you ever did such a thing again."

"In defense, I told him I'd learned it from him.  Pa had carved a mark
into the wall every year on my birthday' to show how much I'd grown.  I
thought it was all right to carve my initials into the wood in the same
v0ay."

"He was so angry," Carmelita said with a laugh.  "But when he'd had
time to think about it, he admitted that you were just giving him a
compliment by imitating him.  Oh, he was so proud of you."

Diamond felt an ache raw and deeP, around her heart.

Carmelita glanced up in time to spot afigure in the doorway.

Pearl looked as though she might flee at any moment.  On her face was a
look of intense suffering.  It was plain that she had overheard.  The
housekeeper realized that her words had been the cause of this
stranger's pain.  Though these two young women had shared the same
father, they had led very different lives.  One had enjoyed a great
deal

of her father's attention, and had been his pride and joy.  The other
had been denied all but a few stolen moments of his life.  And had been
kept a secret.  A deep, dark secret.  As though born in shame.

"Come, Senorita Pearl."  Carmelita beckoned her, her voice conveying
her regret.  "You will need a good meal before you begin your day."

She turned to the stove to tend to the eggs; just as Cal McCabe
sauntered in through the back door.  When he spied Pearl, his easy
smile turned into a puzzled frown.  He didn't know what to make of this
prissy little city-bred female.

He snatched his wide-brimmed hat from his head.  ""Morning, ma'am."

She nodded shyly as she crossed the room and took a seat beside

""Morning, Cal," Diamond called.  "Care to join us?"

"I ate with the wranglers.  But I'il have some coffee."  He took a
seat, stretching his long legs beneath the table.

Diamond noted the dark circles beneath Pearl's eyes.  "How'd you
sleep?"

"Not very well.  I heard a howling in the night.  A wolf,

I think.  And it had me so 'frightened, I couldn't get back to
sleep."

Diamond averted her gaze.  The mention of wolves had her thinking about
Adam again.

"Probably just a coyote," Cal explained.  "I suppose, to a city woman,
they'd be fearsome."

Pearl blushed at his derisive tone.

Seeing it, he added lamely, "They make a mournful sound, ma'am, but
they're harmless."

Diamond accepted a platter of eggs from Carmelita and spooned some onto
her plate before passing it to Pearl.

Pearl stared at the colorful concoction.  "What is this?"

"Eggs," the housekeeper said as she poured coffee for Cal.  "You don't
have eggs in Boston?"

"I've never seen eggs like this before.  There's something in them."

"Chili peppers," Diamond muttered before taking a big bite.  "Carmelita
makes the best eggs in Texas."

Pearl lOOked doubtful as she managed a taste.  Intrigued by the unusual
flavor, she helped herself to more.  And quickly reached for a glass of
milk.  "Oh, my.  They're... hot."

Even when she'd drained her milk, she could still feel her tongue.
burning.

Across the table, she could see Cal struggling not to smile as he
Sipped his coffee in silence.  That only made her feel all the more!
awkward

Diamond continued eating, unaware of Pearl's discomfort.  "I thought
you might like to see some of the ranch today, before you leave."

"You mean, you'd like me to stay on?"

Diamond shrugged.  "You may as well.  At least for a day or two.  After
all, you did come clear across the country, didn't you?"

Pearl felt her spirits begin to lift.  She had been dreading the
thought of endless miles in the cramped tagecoach until she reached the
railroad line at Abilene.  She'd been hoping against hope that she
could remain in Texas for a day or two, just to rest and recover from
the grueling journey.  And now, she would be granted her wish.

"That's very generous of you Diamond.  I'd like very much to see
Daddy's--" She saw Cal's head come up sharply, and wanted to call back
the word.  But it had already been spoken aloud.  All she could do now
was try to cover her mistake.  "...I'd love to see your ranch."

"Can you sit a horse?"  Cal asked.

"Not very well, I'm afraid," Pearl admitted.  "In Boston I was able to
walk to most places.  When I needed to go any distance, I hired a horse
and cart."

Cal drained his cup, then pushed back his chair and got to his feet.
"I'll have one of the wranglers hitch up your rig.  And I'll saddle
Sunrise for you Diamond.  Unless, of course," he added with a knowing
grin, "you'd like a gentler horse.  I'd hate to see you get thrown
am."

Diamond's cheeks flooded with color.  Once again, it seemed, her lie
was coming back to haunt her.  And judging by the silly grin on Cal's
lips, he'd recognized it.

' She nearly choked on her food as she said, "Sunrise will do just
fine."

"By the way, she seemed a bit lathered this morning.  Did you ride her
last night?"

"I ... yes.  I needed to get away for a while by myself."  "Alone,
huh?"  He studied her intently for a moment, and she felt her color
rise.  "Let me know when you're ready to go," he called as he tipped
his hat to Carmelira and ambled out the door.

Pearl took another bite of eggs, bracing herself for the burning
sensation on her tongue.  When it came, she gave a laugh of pure
delight.  She was suddenly having the time of her life.  She was eating
food she'd never tasted before.  And she was about to be given a
glimpse of a whole new world.  Her father's world.

Diamond-remained silent and tight-lipped Cal's question had brought
back all the feelings she'd experienced last night in Adam's arms.
Feelings that left her anxious.  "And restless.  And definitely out of
sorts.

"How much of this is your and?"  Pearl sat in the rig and lifted a hand
to shade the sun from her eyes.  In order to keep up with Diamond,
she'd been forced to give up the dainty parasol, which lay forgotten on
the seat beside her, and use both hands to hold the reins.

They had come to a halt atop a steep hill, affording them a view of the
rolling hills and valleys below.

"All of it."

"All of it?"  Pearl turned to Diamond in amazement.  Diamond nodded.
"As far as the eye can see, there's nothing but Jewel land."  Her voice
rang with pride.  "Except," she added grudgingly, "for a little speck
of land over that rise that belongs to Adam Winter."

"And the cattle?"  Pearl gazed at the vast herd, so large it covered
the surrounding land like a great black swarm of locusts, devouring
everything in its path.

"A thousand head or more.  There will be twice as many come spring,"
Diamond said, "when the calves are born and the strays rounded up."

"How can you possibly make room for more?"

"This is Texas."  Diamond slid from the saddle and held the reins
easily in one gloved hand while she surveyed her father's legacyr "Pa
said this land was made for cattle.  They'll graze on lush grass all
summer, and by fall, when we round them up for the drive to Abeline,
they'll be sleek and fat and Worth nearly fifty dollars on the hoof."

Pearl shook her head at the wonder of it.  Diamond made it all sound so
easy.  But from what she had seen, Pearl knew that it took dozens of
men and a great deal of hard work and money to operate a ranch of this
size.

"Your foreman said he was sending a man out to one of the line camps.
What does that mean?"

"Our ranch is so big, we had to build camps along the far perimeters."
Diamond pulled herself into the saddle, and began leading the way
across the hill to a path' worn smooth by Cookie's wagon wheels.
Pear!Tollowed in the rig.  As the path widened, Diamond was able to
ride alongside, making conversation easier.

"Those are called line camps.  They're not much to speak of.  A cabin,
and a corral for the horses One of the wranglers will live in a camp
for six months or more."

"What does he do way out there?"  Pearl asked in wonder.

"What does he do?"  Diamond chuckled.  "Everything Doctor a steer, pull
cows out of bogs, dehorn cattle, lead them through blizzards, handle
roundups: and patrol e border to keep the cattle from straying."

Pearl lifted a hand to her mouth in a gasp of surprise.  "What a
strange, lonely life."

Diamond shrugged.  "I guess," she mused, "to someone from a city like
Boston, it must seem like a strange way to live.  The truth is, some
men wouldn't have it any other way.  They thrive on the isolation.
Others can't stand the loneliness, and they leave.  But there's always
someone willing to take their place.  It's just the way of the cowboY."
"And why has your foreman sent a man out there?"  "To take supplies.
And make sure our wrangler isn't sick or injured.  Once a month,
weather permitting, someone rides out to a different line camp.  This
month he'll visit the northern camp.  When he returns in afew days, our
wrangler will give me a report on how things are going--"

At the sound of a horse approaching, Diamond cautioned Pearl to be
quiet.  Then she withdrew her rifle from the boot of her saddle and
aimed it at the trail ahead.

Within moments a horse and rider came into view.  Her finger tightened
on the trigger when she recognized Adam.  At once her heart began to
beat a little faster, and she cursed herself for her weakness.  Was
this going to happen every' time she saw him?

"Good morning, Diamond," he called.

"What's.  good about it?"

His lips curved in a dangerous smile.  "I see you're in pleasant
humor."  He addressed a welcome to Pearl.  "This is a pleasant
surprise.  I wasn't expecting to see you here.  I figured by now you'd
be halfway to Abeline, Miss Jewel."

Diamond's temper flared.  "You're on my property, Adam."

"So I am.  Again."

He turned his head, and she felt the heat of his gaze as surely as if
he'd touched her.  Or kissed her.  The very thought brought a tingle to
her lips.

"But this time, it isn't my cattle that brought me here.  It's
yours."

He turned and nodded back down the trail.  A few minutes later a dozen
or more cows came into view.  Behind them rode Zeb.

""Morning ladies."  Zeb lifted his hat in a courtly gesture.  "Thought
we'd return your cattle, lady boss.  So's your wranglers won't think
we're stealing."

"I'll have a word with Cal about this.  One of our wranglers should
have caught these strays before they got this

"Don't worry about it," Adam said.  "No harm done."  "Maybe.  Maybe
not.  But you don't have time to haul my cattle home every time they
stray."  She nodded over her shoulder.  "If you drive them that way,
Zeb, you'll see my herd on the other side of this rise."

"Yes'm."  He glanced at Pearl.  "And who might this young lady be?"

"This is Pearl..."  She still couldn't bring herself to speak the full
name aloud.  It seemed somehow disloyal to all' her childhood memories
to call this young woman by the same name as her own

"I'm Pearl Jewel," came the soft, cultured voice.  "Howdy, ma'am.
Zebulon Forrest.  Folks call me Zeb."  "It's nice to meet you Zeb."

He replaced his hat.  "We!!"  I'll just drive these---"

A shot rang out.  The bullet exploded in the dirt between Diamond and
Adam, sending sand spewing around their horses' feet.  Reflexively Adam
's as easily as if she weighed nothing at all, while he expertly
turned his horse, shielding her body with his own.  When she was safely
behind the wagon, he dropped her to the ground, just as a second shot
rang out.  In the next instant, Adam hauled

Pearl from her perch On the wagon.  She was tossed into the dirt
beside

"Stay down," Adam commanded as Diamond started to reach for her
rifle.

He slid to the ground, a pistol in his hand.  Pearl remained behind
him, peering around cautiously.  But Diamond, furious at this blatant
attack, grabbed her rifle and started forward.

At that moment they heard the sound of hoofbeats thundering away."

By the time Diamond had raced to the top of the rise, with the others
following, the horse and rider were out of sight.  All that could be
seen was a brief glimpse of a dark horse and a figure in a cowhide
jacket before the woods closed in, blocking horse and rider from
view.

"What...?"  Breathless and terrified, Pearl struggled to get the words
out.  "What was that all about?"

"I'd say SOmeone was out to kill."  Adam holstered his gun and turned a
meaningful glance toward Zeb.  "The only problem is, am I the intended
victim?"  He slowly turned to narrow his gaze on Diamond.  "Or is it
you they're after?"

It took Diamond a full minute to steady her jangling nerves.  When she
did, she was more angry than frightened.

"No man would dare to trespass on my land and threaten me.  Besides,
the only time these things happen is when you're here, Adam Winter. You
have Io be the one they're shooting at."

"Could be.  And if it's true, all you have to do is stay

away from me and you won't get hit in the crossfire."  His eyes
narrowed.  "But then again, since you might be the target, you'd 'be
wise to take extra precautions until this gunman is caught."

"What extra precautions?"  she demanded.

"Don't ride alone.  Especially after dark."

At once she felt her cheeks flood With color, and hated him for daring
to mention such a thing.

If he was aware of her discomfort, he gave no indication.  "Have a
couple of yo?r wranglers with you at all times.  And stay away from
remote areas, where a gunman could easily hide Iehind rocks or buttes."
His voice lowered.  "I guess the best thing you could do is stay on
your ranch until this gunman is caught."

Her eyes blazed.  '"In other words, I ought to turn tail and hide like
some useless little female?"

"Now, Dianond, that isn't what I was--"

"Why should I believe you?"" she demanded.  "Maybe you're just doing
this to make everyone believe in your innocence."

He shrugged, feeling his temper rise.  "Believe whatever you want.
Right now, I intend to accompany you back to your ranch, whether you
like it or not."

Her anger exploded.  "I can take care

"Please, Diamond."  Pearl grasped her arm, eyes wide with fear.  "I'd
feel a whole lot safer if you'd allow Adam to ride with us."

Despite her anger, Diamond felt a sudden wave of sympathy.  While she'd
been merely annoyed at this inconvenience,

Pearl had probably been scared out of her wits.  "You haven't had much
of a welcome to Texas, have you?"

Pearl struggled to smile, but she couldn't hide the slight trembling of
her lips.  "Please don't apologize.  It's more than I'd hoped for.  You
gave me a place to sleep, and a

glimpse of a life I've only dreamed about.  For that, I'!1 be forever
grateful But right now, I'd feel a lot better if Adam would see us
home."

In syrupy tones Diamond said, "I hope you're happy, Adam Winter.  It
looks like you managed tovc nvinceon of us that you're worthy of
trust."

Just then she glanced down at the small, silver object in Pearl's hand.
Her jaw dropped.  "Is that a gun?"

Pearl's cheeks flamed and she thrust the little pistol into the pocket
of her gown.  "A friend in Boston warned me that I would have need of
protection in the wilds of Texas"

Without a word Diamond pulled herself into the saddle and watched as
Adam helped Pearl to the seat of the rig.  Seeing his hand at Pearl's
elbow brought a bitter twinge of feeling.  Jealousy?  she wondered.
Impossible.  She'd.  never known such an emotion in her whole life.
Still, at the sight of the little derringer, she was experiencing all
sorts of doubts about Pearl.  And Adam.

When Adam had mounted, Diamond pulled her rifle from the boot of her
saddle and aimed it at him.  She saw his eyes narrow slightly.

"I don't take kindly to a gun being trained on me."  "And I don't take
kindly to a watchdog being forced on me, I'll allow you to ride with us
as far as the ranch.  But only because Pearl asked.  As for me, Adam
Winter, geep in mind that I don't believe you I don't trust you and
most of all, I don't need you."

She nudged' her horse into a gallop, leaving Pearl and Adam in her
dust.

"Zeb," Adam called.  "Drive Diamond's strays over that ridge, then
ri:turu to our herd."  His tone was rough with anger.  "I'll get back
as soon as I can."

He looked up in time to see the 0id man's eyes twinkling with
suppressed laughter, his lips split into a wide grin.

"That little lady boss sure does have a temper," Zeb shouted as he
started after the cows.

"She doesn't mean anything by it," Pearl said in Diamond's defense.  "I
think she's just shaken by what happened and she's more comfortable
with anger than gratitude.,

"One night under her roof and you've got her figured out, have you Miss
Jewel?"  Adam asked.

Pearl 'smiled demurely.  "I know her better than I expected.  You 'see,
she's just like my daddy.  He could be very funny, and he was the most
charming man I'd ever met.  He was also loyal and generous to a fault.
He loved to laugh, and his laughter was contagious.  But he was
uncomfortable with any display of what he Considered the weaker
emotions.  He had a difficult time saying thank you.  And it would have
been impossible for him to publicly grieve.  I see so much of Daddy
in

Adam shot her an approving glance.  "You're wise beyond your years,
Miss Jewel."  He nudged his horse into a trot.  "We'd better get going
if We're going to catch up."

She flicked the reins.  "It seems to be all I've been doing since my
arrival."

At his sideways glance she explained.  "Catching up."  "You're not
alone, Miss Jewel."  He squinted at the figure up ahead.  "The whole of
Texas probably has to straggle to keep up with Diamond."

Chapter Ten

Diamond kept her horse on a steady course toward home.  Though she
refused to slow down, or to look over her shoulder, she knew that Pearl
and Adam were following.  It gave her a measure of satisfaction to know
that the smug Adam Winter was forced to eat her dust.

Twice now he'd caught her off guard with his kiss.  And twice she'd
behaved like some silly, moonstruck female.  NO more, she told herself.
From now on, she would be in control of her emotions.

She could hear the deep rumble of his voice as he rode alongside
Pear!"s rig, patiently answering her questions.  For some strange
reason, the sound of his voice caused an odd flutter deep inside.

It was nothing more than nerves, Diamond scolded herself.

Though she hated to admit it, even to herself, she was still feeling
uneasy about what had happened back there.  Could Adam be right?  Was
she the target of the unknown gunman?  She shivered.  But'why?  Why
would anyone want to harm her?  At once, the thought came unbidden to
her mind.  Hadn't someone wanted her father dead?

Someone shot Pa in the back.  It wasn't too difficult to take that to
the next logical step.  If someone wanted Pa dead, didn't it stand to
reason they might want his' daughter dead, as well?  But why?  Why?

Oh, Pa.  Why did you have to keep so many secrets?  Why couldn't you
have trusted me with them?

If her father had just told her why he was so angry that night,.  and
who was meeting him, the mystery would be solved.  But he had siormed
out, his mouth twisted into a tight, angry line, without saying a word.
And now he was gone.  And his secrets died with him.

And Pearl.  HoW could he have kept such an important secret all these
years?  When Diamond thought about all the nights spent on the trail
together, talking endlessly about the future, she felt a terrible pain
around her heart.

You could have toM' me, P !  would have been able to accept it from
your lips.  And was it tn ere coincidence that Pearl was carrying a
little pistols like the one Doc had said killed Pa?  Could he have died
at the hand of his own daughter?  Could Pearl actually hate him because
he hadn't been a good enough father?

She shoved aside her wide-brimmed hat ad robbed her temple.  All these
vexing thoughts were giving her a headache.

She was relieved when the ranch came into view.  She slowed her mount,
drinking in the sight.  The house, as solid and sturdy as the man who
had built it, had a calming influence.  After all, she was home.  What
could harm her here in her father's place, surrounded by men loyal to
his memory?

Seeing the look of pleasure on her face, Pearl slowed the rig and
lifted a hand to shade her eyes.

"Your home is' beautiful Diamond.  It's even more wonderful than I'd
imagined.  You're very lucky."  Diamond glanced at the young woman,
then at the horse man beside her.  His face was expressionless, but
she thought, for just a moment, that she had seen a flicker of some
emotion in Adam's eyes.

"Yes, I am.  I just wish I'd realized it sooner, when Pa was still..."
Annoyed at her lapse, she flick ted the reins and her horse started
forward, eager for the promise of food and water at the end of the
trail.

Pearl snapped the leather and the rig rolled smoothly alongside.  Adam
followed more slowly, his gaze trained on the surrounding rocks and
hills.  He fought back a sense of frustration.  There were a hundred
places where a determined gunman could hide.  With a headstrong woman
like Diamond Jewel, it would take an army to protect her.  And even
with that, she would probably find a way to slip out of their grasp and
get herself into trouble.

Their arrival did not go unnoticed.  Within minutes a' dozen horsemen,
with Cal McCabe in the lead, rode out to meet them.

"What are you doing here, Winter?"  McCabe shouted.

"What you ought to be doing.  Looking out for Diamond's safety."

"What is that supposed to mean?"  Cal's tone hardened.  "It means that
there was more gunfire."  Cal went pale.  "Are you all right, Di?"

"I'm fine.  But it happened on my own property.  It's getting too
close, Cal."

"Tell me about it."

"Pearl and I were up on the west ridge, overlooking Adam's spread.  He
and Zeb crossed our path."

"And how did that happen, Winter?"  Cal demanded.

Seeing the dark look in Adam's eyes, Diamond quickly replied, "They
were returning some of our strays--"

"Our strays," Cal interrupted.  "This is something new, Winter.  I'd
have expected you to try to keep them."

"Please, Cal.  Let me finish.  A bullet was fired that landed right
between us."

"Between you and Winter."  Cal's gaze narrowed on Adam.

"That's right."  Adam's voice held a challenge.

"So, once again, we don't know if the gunman was aiming at you or at
Di."  Cal couldn't keep the anger from his tone.  "I suppose nobody got
a look at this invisible gun "Right again."  Adam's voice frosted over.
He noted that at least half the horses Were dark, and that Cal and many
of the wranglers were dressed in nearly identical cowhide jackets.  Any
one of them could have been the shooter.  "Where were you when all this
was going on, McCabe?"

The foreman exploded.  "Are you suggesting that I had something to do
with this?"  His fingers closed over the gun at his waist.

At once, Diamond reached out and placed a hand on his sleeve.  "Don't,
Cal.  That won't settle anything."

"Maybe.  Maybe not.  But it'll make me feel a whole lot better," he
muttered.

"The last thing I need is to have those aroind me fighting.  Don't you
see?  Right now, what I need most is your cool head and your steady
hand."

Slowly, with great reluctance, he lifted his hand away from his
holster.  Ignoring Adam Winter, he said to Diamond, "I was over on the
north ridge, seeing to the herd there.  Cookie passed me on his way to
take grub to the men.  You can ask Shim yourself."

Diamond squeezed his arm.  "I don't need to check out your story, Cal.
I'd trust you with my life.  Come on.  Let's go home."

He held back.  "What about Winter?"

Diamond glanced at the man who sat as still as a statue alongside
Pearl's rig.  She knew that that stillness masked

a grim determination.  He'd been prepared to do battle if Cal had
drawn his gun.  Even though it would have meant fighting a dozen
wranglers.

"Adam insisted on seeing us home.  I think the least I can do is repay
e favor."  She turned.  "It's been a long fide, Adam.  I hope you'll
stay for lunch."  '

Adam touched a hand to the brim Of his hat, surprised and pleased at
the invitation.  "Thanks.  I will.  As long as you promise not to do
the cooking."

That remark brought a grin to the faces of several of the wranglers.
Seeing them, Diamond felt a sudden rush of anger.  Why was it, even
when she was trying to be nice, Adam Winter seemed to take delight in
humiliating her?

Cal, too, was angry.  But it wasn't Adam's humor that had him seething.
It was the fact that this drifter had wrangled an invitation into Onyx
Jewel's home.  It wasn't fight.  After all, though Diamond may have
forgotten that Winter had been arrested for her father's murder, Cal
never intended to forget.  Or forgive.

"We'll see you to the ranch," he called to Diamond.  "But then I think
the wranglers and I will head on out to that ridge and see if we can
find any trace of your attacker."

"Fine."  Diamond turned away to hide the flush on her cheeks.  The
thought of taking a meal with Adam had her pulse racing.  But at least,
she assured herself, they wouldn't be alone.  She would have Pearl and
Carmelita to help carry the conversation.  "The sooner we eat, the
sooner Adam can get back to his cattle."  And she could get' rid of the
strange, uneasy tingle that inched along her spine whenever he was
near.  "Come on."

"Yes, ma'am."  Adam's smile deepened.

At the ranch house, Diamond found herself forced to endure Adam's touch
as he lifted a hand to help her down from the saddle.  At once she
experienced a rush of heat.

Was he aware of her reaction?  Were her cheeks flushed?  Were her eyes
too wide?  Oh, if only she knew how to handle all these strange new
emotions.

"Thank you" she muttered as he broke contact and turned away quickly.

Adam assisted Pearl as she stepped from the fig.

"Oh, my."  She touched a hand to her lower back and gave a long, deep
sigh.  "All those miles by coach seem to have caught up with me."

Diamond glanced oyer with a contrite look.  "Tm sorry, Pearl.  This was
pretty careless of me.  I only wanted to show you the ranch.  But I
shouldn't have taken you so far."

"Please, Diamond.  Don't apologize."  Pearl crossed the distance
between them and stopped, suddenly awkward.  It was a gesture that
seemed out of place between family members.  But they still had a long
way to go before they would be completely relaxed in each other's
presence.  "I wouldn't hage missed it for the world.  Though," she
added, "I would have preferred a less ... eventful ride.  I was really
terrified back there.  And so impressed by the cool, calm way you and
Adam dealt with it."

Diamond gave an uneasy laugh.  "Maybe Adam was calm.  My heart was
pounding."

"Truly?"  Pearl shook her head.  "I would have never guessed.  You're
an amazing woman."

The two young women strolled into the house.  Adam, trailing behind,
found himself agreeing with Pearl's remark.  Diamond really was a
remarkable woman.  Instead of being concerned with her own safety,
she'd been more concerned with retrieving her rifle, in order to return
the gunfire.  She was truly unique.

Cal and the wranglers wheeled their horses, intent upon backtracking on
Diamond's trail.  But as he rode away, Cal turned in the saddle and
kept a flinty gaze on Adam.  He

didn't trust Winter.  And he couldn't, for the life of him, figure out
why he was hanging around.

What he didn't know was that Adam was asking himself the same
question.

"Good.  You are back just in time."  Carmelita looked up from the oven,
where she was lifting a pan of steaming corn bread.

The wonderful fragrance wafted through the kitchen," along with the
sweet, spicy smell of onions and chilis.

"Tve brought company," Diamond called.  "Carmelita, this is Adam
Winter."

Carmelita eyed him speculatively.  So this was the man who had the
whole town of Hanging Tree buzzing.  What she had heard about him was
true.  There was a look of danger about him.  But he appeared dangerous
in more ways than one.  True, he wore his guns like a man accustomed to
using them.  And that gave him an aura of power.  But he was
devastatingly good-looking, as well.  Tall.  Dark.  Mysterious.
Slightly aloof.  And that only added to his appeal.

"Senor Winter.  Welcome.  I have missed cooking for a man.  Sit," she
command cA "You will eat while it is hot."

"She means it," Pearl said in an aside.  "My eggs were so hot this
morning, I thought my mouth was on fire."

Adam found himself grinning as Pearl cast a wary glance at the platter
of thin strips of beef laced with onions and red and green peppers.

"You are new to Texas?"  Carmelita asked as she paused beside Adam with
a basket of corn bread.

"Yes, ma'am."  He helped himself to some and passed it on to D{amond.

"And where was your home before?"

Adam was aware that Diamond was watching him carefully.  "Maryland."

"Why did you leave this ... Mary-land?"  Carmelita stumbled over the
word as she filled his glass with water.

He drained it, and was rewarded with a second glass almost at once.

"After the war, there wasn't anything left of my home."  "The war has
been over for several years," Carmelita said as she pressed the platter
of beef into his hands.  "Why did it take you so long to settle in
Texas?"

"I ... had some things to take care of.  And then I just drifted for a
while.  When I found this place, it felt good.

It felt right.  And I decided to try my hand at ranching."  "So. 
Do-you think you will stay?"

Adam shrugged.  His tone roughened.  "Who knows?  I've learned to take
things a day at a time."

Beside him, Diamond was strangely silent.  She had thought that the
size of his herd had meant he'd made a commitment to this and.  She
should have known better.  A man like Adam Winter, a drifter, a looer,
was in it only for the money to be made.  And then he'd move on, driven
by some inner demon.  Pa had always had disdain for such men, who took
from the land and never stayed around long enough to give anything
back.

Her thoughts-were interrupted by Pearl's cool, cultured voice.  "Do you
have family back in MarYland?"

"No."  He bit the word off before lifting a cup of coffee to his
lips.

Something in the way he said it caused Carmelita to turn from-the
stove.  But he merely gave her a fleeting look and said, "This is the
best food I've eaten in a long time, ma'am."

"You do not find it too hot?"  she asked.

"I spent a little time in Mexico.  I guess my mouth got used to spices.
I've missed them."

The housekeeper beamed at his words and urged him to take a second
helping.

's it like?"

"I guess, if I were to describe it in one word, it would be gentle."
Adam turned toward her, and she noted a softness in his eyes.

Even his voice had softened, and Se found herself amazed at the
transformation.  His eyes, which had always seemed so cold and hard
were the color of the pearl gray ridges of Widow's Peak she saw each
morning through bet window When she awoke.  Without his usual frown, he
was positively handsome.

"My farm was set amid green, rolling hills."

"Was it large?"  Pearl asked.

"I suppose so.  By Maryland standards.  I farmed a hundred acres of
rich soil, and had a herd of several hundred dairy cows.  I owned
another hundred acres that was given over to tenant farmers.  But
compared with the Jewel and here in Texas, it would seem small
indeed."

"Did you farm it alone?"  Diamond asked.

He shook his head.  "My father and two brothers owned neighboring
farms, and we all shared the hard work of planting and harvesting."

That would explain the hard, muscled body, Diamond thought.  The press
of that body against hers had been exquisite torture.

At that moment he turned toward her, and she felt her cheeks redden.
Could he read her mind?  Did he know what she'd just been thinking?  As
if in answer he muttered, "Did you lose your appetite?"

"What?  Oh."  She stared down at her plate and realized she hadn't
eaten a thing.  Lifting the fork to her mouth, she felt the need to say
something.  "What is the weather like in Maryland?"

"As a farmer, I'd have to say perfect for growing crops.  Like
ranchers, farmers are held hostage to the weather.

generally warm in summer, cold in winter.  But I don't think it has
the extremes that you find here in Texas.  Even the weather is
gentle."

Gentle.  There was that word again.  And Diamond found herself
fascinated by this unexpected gentle side of Adam Winter.  It was a
side she wouldn't have expected from the hardened loner she'd first met
in jail.

"Do you think you will return one day to your Maryand?"  Carmelita
asked.

At once the softness was gone.  "No.  I won't be returning."

Diamond 'as instantly intrigued.  What had wiped the smile from his
lips and his eyes?  What had happened in Maryland to send him halfway
across the country in search of a new home?

Eager to deflect any further questions, Adam said, "Tell me about your'
home in Boston, Pearl.""

While Pearl spoke fondly about the city of her birth, Diamond fell
silent, studying Adam's hard, chiseled profile.  What was it about this
man that set her heart racing, her blood pounding?  As if sensing her
scrutiny, he turned and pinned her with a look.

"Isn't that right, Diamond?"  Pearl asked.

"I..."  Feeling lost and foolish, Diamond flushed clear to her toes.

"You see how modest she is?"  Pearl insisted.  "I was telling Adam how
kind you've been since my arrival.  This sort of hospitality was more
than I ever hoped for."

Diamond's flush deepened.  "I ... wasn't exactly feeling hospitable
when you first introduced yourself."

"But that's because you had no warning.  And here I'd thought that
you'd known all along about me, even though I'd only learned about you
from the newspaper account of Daddy's death."  Pearl gave Diamond her
sweetest smile.  "I've been asking myself how I would have responded
in

your place.  "I'm sure I would have reacted exactly as you did, if I'd
suddenly learned a burning secret that had been kept from me for a
lifetime.  And the secret, finally revealed, was that I had a
sister."

Sister.  The word grated.  Diamond felt Ier temples.begin to throb once
more.  The tension was returning.  She scraped back her chair.  "If
we're finished with lunch, I'm sure

Adam will want to return to his ranch."

Adam couldn't help smiling at Diamond's reaction.  She was as
transparent as an artless child.  And at the moment, the child in her
was rebelling against the many surprises in her life.  "You're right.
Zeb will have a-few choice words for me about leaving him with all the
chores."

The three women walked with him along the cool, darkened hallway.  As
they passed the large parlor, he noted the sumptuous surroundings,
which seemed so out of place in this harsh, primitive land.  It was
obvious that Diamond Jewel, despite the fact that she could ride and
rope and shoot like a man, had been raised like a pampered princess.

They stepped out onto the wide veranda, and Diamond found herself
sandwiched between Adam and Carmelira.  As always, the nearness of him
overwhelmed her.

She turned to him, eager to send him on his way.  "We've kept you from
your chores long enough.  Thank you again for seeing us home."  She
stuck out bet, hand awkwardly.  When he took hold of it, she felt the
sizzle all the way up her arm.  It was all she could do to keep from
snatching her hand away and backing up.  Instead, she stood her ground,
and forced herself to meet his eyes.

"You're welcome."  If he felt anything at their touch, he kept it well
hidden.  His voice was cool and confident; his words' impersonal.
"Always happy to help out a fellow rancher."  He released her hand and
turned to the housekeeper, who was wiping her hands on her apron.
"Thank

you for the fine meal, Carmelita.  It was the best I've had in a long
time.",

"Then you must come back again.  Only next time, if I know in advance,
I will make you something very special.  With every spice I can
lind."

He chuckled.  "I'd like that."

Diamond couldn't believe her eyes.  Carmelita was actually blushing
like a'girl.

"Goodbye, Pearl," Adam said as he shook her hand.  "I'm glad you're
getting a chance to see some of Texas.  When 'do you leave?"

She glanced at Diamond, then looked down at the toe of her shoe.  "I
don't know.  Tomorrow, I suppose."

"Then I wish you a safe journey," he said before turning away.

Just then they caught sight of something quite extraordinary.  An
ornlate carriage, all silver and gilt, with a pair of matched white
horses, was rolling toward them.  It was an amazing sight, rarely seen
in Texas.  A carriage like that would only be at home in the streets of
San Francisco or New York.

The horses, with manes and tails flutterin like flags in the wind,
pranced in unison.  Dust swirled as they came to a halt at the foot of
the veranda.

As the others watched, the driver, an elegant young woman, set aside
the reins and prepared to alight.  Jet black hair, sleek and straight,
fell to below her waist.  Almond eyes sparkled in an exquisitely
beautiful face.  Her gown of shimmering green Chinese silk, with high
mandarin COllar and frog 'closings, fell to her ankles.  The skirt was
slit on either side, revealing a length of shapely leg as she stepped
from' the carriage.

"I was given directions to this ranch by your marshal," came a soft,
slightly accented Voice.  "Which of you is Diamond Jewel?"

 r eyes off the lovely, delicate creature who had just arrived in a
fairy-tale carriage.

"Ah.  Then I am so pleased to meet you.  I am Jade."  "Jade."  Diamond
smiled in spite of hr cUriosity, The name perfectly suited this young
Oriental'woman.  Why did you ask directions to my ranch, Jade?"

The young woman's smile faded slightly.  "I see.  "YOu do not know
about me."

"Know.:.?"  Diamond felt a sudden rush of panic as She recalled a
similar conversation .... Was it just a day ago?  A string of curses
flitted through her mind.  Oh, no.  This couldn't be happening again.
It couldn't.  The last time she'd heard these words, the outcome had
been

"I left my home in San Francisco as soon as I read about the murder,"
the young WOman explained in her musical voice.  "I am Jade Jewel.  And
Onyx Jewel is ... was," she corrected herself with a catch in her
voice, "my father."

Adam stood to one side, watching the scene unfolding he fore him.
Diamond had gone rigid with shock.  She stood, hands clenched at her
sides, staring at this tiny, delicate stranger.  All her, feelings were
mirrored in her eyes.  Shock.  Anger.  Fear.  Rejection.  But to her
credit, she held back her protest and allowed the young woman to
speak.

"Though I saw him only infrequently, my father was the most important
person in my life.  When I read about his murder, I left San Francisco
at once."

"And you Came all this way alone, just to see his grave?"  Diamond
demanded.

Jade nodded.  "It would bring great dishonor to Father's memory if I
did not come here to pay my respects at the place where he is buried.
Besides, I could not stay away.  He was, after all, my father."

"I supp se you have some proof of your claim?"

"Proof?."  Jade seemed insulted at the thought of anyone questioning
her integrity.

In that moment, as she lifted her chin defiantly, Adam could see the
resemblance between this young woman and the two who faced her.  If
they had one thing in common,

it was a determined, defiant nature.  And apparently, an impulsive
one.

Jade returned to the carriage and retrieved a delicately embroidered
satin bag.  She opened it to reveal several documents.

"As was the custom, my birth was recorded.  She held up a scroll on
which were a series of Chinese characters.  "I can't read that,"
Diamond reminded her.

"Ah.  Of course.  It says that a female child was born to Ahn Lin, the
daughter of Hu Nan, and Onyx Jewel, the son of--' '

Diamond held up her hand to interrupt.  "That isn't necessary.  Since I
can't read your language, I have no way of knowing if what you say is
true."

Jade looked stricken.  "But why would I lie?  Such a thing would
dishonor my father."  She rummaged through the satin bag and removed
several letters.  "These were missives from my father through the
years."  She held one up.  "As you can see, he had managed to earn some
of my mother's language."

Diamond examined a letter.  She could make out an occasional Chinese
character sprinkled among the words.  "But despite the presence of
foreign words, the handwriting was definitely that of her father.

Pearl, who had remained silent throughout this ox change studied the
letter.  "I am forced to believe her," she announced.

"Thank you."  Jade managed a tentative smile.  "And who are you?"

"My name is Pearl.  Pearl Jewel.  I came here from a place far away,
Boston, when I heard about my" she couldn't bring herself to say
"our-father's death."

"Another daughter?"

Now it was Pearl's turn to look stricken.  She should be accustomed to
such insults.  But each time one was hurled, it inflicted pain

"Forgive me," Jade said softly.  "The newspaper account mentioned only
a daughter named Diamond.  It made no mention of another.  Since you
have come all this long distance, you understand why I had to do the
same."  Jade glanced at Diamond, whose features were still stiff and un
Yielding "What can I say to make you believe me?"  "There's nothing you
can--" "The necklace," Pearl blurted.  Diamond shot her a questioning
glance.

"Don't yo see?  If Jade is truly Onyxes daughter, he would have given
her a necklace like ours."

"You mean this?"  Jade reached inside the high open collar of her gown
to remove a gold chain on which resided two stones, side by side.  One
was jet black, the other jade.  "Father presenfid me with this on my
sixteenth birthday," the young woman said, "He told me that it was to
remind me that he would always be beside me."

Pearl revealed her necklace, then nudged Diamond, until,

reluctantly, she did the same.

"I know how shocking this is," Pearl whispered.  "I am more than'a
little stunned myself.  But we must do the right thing and... accept
her as Daddy's daughter."

We.  When, Diamond wondered, had I become ve?  She bit her liP,
wondering how many more surprises she would be forced to endure.  But
then, prodded by Pearl's determination she managed to put aside her
worries, at least for the t. With Pearl nudging her forward, she was
forced tot step off the veranda and pretend to make this stranger
welcome.

-"I guess," she muttered halfheartedly, "Td better get used to the idea
of having ... a few surprises in my life."

Diamond and Pearl came to a halt in front of Jade and extended their
hands.  The young woman bowed before accepting their handshakes.  It
wos done quickly.  A clasp of hands, and then the three stepped apart
and faced one another awkwardly.

Diamond nodded toward the man and woman still on the porch.  "This is
Carmelita, our housekeeper and cook And this is our ... neighbor, Adam
Winter."

Jade bowed in greeting.

"Well."  Carmelita cleared her throat of the lump that had settled
there.  Like Adam, she could see the resemblance in these three young
women.  Though they were very different, she could see Onyx Jewel in
each of his daughters.  Clearly flustered, she managed to say, "You
must eat and refresh yourself after your long journey, Senorita Jade.
Come inside.  I will fix you a meal."

"Thank you."  Jade held back.  "If you do not mind, I

would first like to visit my father's final resting place."  "I'll take
you there," Diamond offered.  "That might not be wise," Adam said.

She looked up, annoyed at his intrusion.  "Why?"

"Cal and the wranglers aren't back yet.  You can't ride out there
alone."

Diamond's eyes blazed.  "Are you suggesting that it isn't even safe for
me to ride to my father's grave?"

"Yes, ma'am, I am."

"Adam Winter, you can go to"

"Yes, ma'am.  My thoughts exactly.  And I'm sure get there soon
enough."  Though his face remained impassive, his eyes were warm with
laughter.  "But if you're determined to visit your father's grave right
now, I'm afraid I'll have to ride along."

"I don't need someone riding shotgun every time I go for a ride."

"Until Cal McCabe comes back, that's just.  what I intend to do."

The two faced each other, neither willing to give an inch.

 t she had met her match in Adam.

She turned on her heel.  "VIi saddle my horse.  Pearl, you can ride in
the carriage with Jade."

Adam watched as she headed toward the corral.  Then, in quick, easy
strides, he caught up with her.

"Now what do you want?"  she demanded.

"Settle down.  I'm just going to fetch my horse.  Mind if I walk
along?"

She turned away in disgust.  It was clear to her that Adam Winter
wasn't going to let her out of his sight for a moment.

And for some odd reason, that made her more uncomfortable than the
thought of an unknown gunman stalking her.

"This is Pa's grave."  Diamond led the way to the top of the windswept
hill.

Jade, holding a small earthen jar in her hand, stood very still,
studying the mound of earth topped with stones.  It seemed a primitive
burial, compared with the colorful rituals of her people.  There had
been no ancieni ones to pray and chant; no incense, no dragons dancing.
And there were no ashes to mingle with the earth and wind, to scatter
over the ocean, to carry the spirit home to the bosom from which it
sprang.  But she did not wish to offend her father's other daughters,
who obviously approved of this stark burial.

Though she said not a word, the bleak look on her face spoke volumes.

Pearl, Whose own first glimpse of this mound of earth had left her
shaken, said softly, "According to Diamond, this was DaddY's favorite
place."

Ah Then this final resting place was chosen to honor our father in a
special way?"  Diamond swallowed, then nodded.  "I figure Pa is happy

here, with a view of the land he loved."  She was uncomfortable
sharing her grief with these two, and seeing the grave brought a fresh
round of pain.  "Would you like to be alone, Jade?"

"Oh, no.  I think Father would be pleased to see us together."  Jade
removed the stopper from the earthen -and began to sprinkle ashes over
the grave.

"What are you doing?"" Pearl asked in alarm.

"These are my mother's ashes.  I have kept them on a small altar to
honor her memory.  When I heard of Father's death, I knew that it would
please her to have some of her ashes mingled with those of the only man
she ever loved.  I only wish that I had some of Father's ashes, so that
I could place them on the altar with Mother's."

Pearl shivered, and it was obvious that she thought the custom
barbaric.  But for some strange reason, the thought pleased Diamond,
who could not remember her own mother.  Jade's exotic customs touched
some romantic place in her heart that she hadn't even known existed.

"I think Pa would like that," she said.

For the first time; Jade smiled.  "Then, if you do not mind, I will
take some of the earth from Father's grave, and mix it with the ashes
in this urn."

"I'll help you."  Grateful for something to do, Diamond knelt and began
to scoop a small portion of sand from the mound of earth.  While Jade
held out the urn, she allowed it to sift through her fingers to mingle
with the ashes.

Pearl knelt and began to pray.  Jade stood, clutching earthen jar to
her chest and chanting in an ancient tongs.  Diamond dropped to one
knee and touched a hand to the pile of rocks while staring out across
the and.  Pa's land.  My land, 'she thought fiercely.  And then, even
as that thought came another nudged it aside.  Was it truly her land
now?  Or did a part of it belong to these two strangers, who called
Onyx Jewel their father?

She was fairly certain that legally she was the legitimate heir to her
father's estate.  But more important than the legal issue was a deeper,
more personal one.  One involving heart and soul.  What would Pa have
wanted her to do about these 'two?

The thought tore at Diamond's composure.  Oh, why had she been given
this burden?

Tears coursed down Jade's cheeks, though she adamantly refused' to make
a sound.  It was clear that she did not wish to display her grief in
front.  of the others.  But the harder she tried to hold back the sobs,
the more the tears forced their way out', until, with a little moan,
she dropped to her knees and buried her face in her hands.

Pearl, whose tender heart was touched by the scene, knelt beside her
and touched a hand to her Shoulder, whispering words meant to soothe.

Diamond stood alone, watching with a frown.  When the two young women's
cries became loud-heart-wrenching sobs, she bit her lip and turned her
head away.  She would not allow herself to join in this public display.
What good were tears?  Would they bring Pa back?  Would they rid her of
this terrible pain around her heart?

Adam waited beside the ornate carriage, his gaze sweeping the rocks and
hills for any sign of a gunman.  But every so often he found himself
'staring at the slender figure in the garb of a wrangler.  Once again
she had turned inward, finding the will to deny her own grief.  She was
distinctly different from the other two young women.  Neither fragile
nor ladylike.  Still, the mere sight of her took his breath away.  He
found himself replaying in his mind the kiss they'd shared in the
moonlight.  The taste of her, so wild and sweet, lingered on his
tongue.  At the first touch of her, the memory of every other woman had
been wiped from his mind.

Right now, seeing the way she held herself apart from

the others, he wanted nothing more than to take her in' his arms and
comfort her.  To tell her it was all right to weep.  And to console her
when the tears had run their course.  Instead, he stood alone and
watched from a distance.

Pearl sniffed and wiped at her eyes wi a lace handker, chiefi Beside
her, Jade lifted the earthen jar to her lips and pressed a kiss to it,
then hollowed out a small section of earth and placed the jar in it.
Pressing the sand around the base, she stood.

"If you do not mind, I wish to leave my mother's ashes in this place. I
know it is where she would like to be."

Diamond nodded, oddly touched, and thought about her own mother's
burial plot, not far from the barn.  Maybe one day she would have it
moved to this spot.

"We'd better get back to the house."  She cast a wary eye on the clouds
overhead.  "We're in for some weather."

Jade walked to her, once again bowing slightly.  "I wish to thank you
for allowing me to visit my father's grave.  And now I will bid you
goodbye."

"Where will you stay?"  Pearl asked.  She had assumed a proprietary
role toward the newcomer, remembering her own sense of loss and
confusion upon her arrival at this wild, primitive place.

Jade gave a negligent shrug of her shoulders.  "I, will find a room in
the nearest town.  And then I will return to San Francisco."

Diamond swallowed.  Before she had time to think, the words just
spilled from her lips.  "There's plenty of room at the ranch.  Would
you like to spend the night with us?"

Jade smiled through her tears.  "I would like that verY much.  Thank
you."

"It's ... settled, then."  Diamond glanced at Adam.  "Thanks for your
company.  But I think we can manage to find our way back to the ranch
alone."

"I'm sure you can.  But if you don't mind, I'll just ride along,
anyway."

"But I do mind.  I'm--"

They heard the report of a rifle at the same moment that a bullet sent
dirt spraying around their feet.

Adam moved instinctively, gathering the three women in his arms and
shoving them to safety behind Jade's carriage.  "Don't move," he called
as be removed his gun from his holster and studied the surrounding
rocks.

"The bullet came from that direction."  Diamond pointed her pistol,
eager for the chance to return the gunfire.

Adam dropped to one knee, squinting against the setting sun.  He felt a
tingle along the back of his neck.  Once again, the bullet had landed
directly between him and Diamond.  From the cover of those rocks, it
would have been impossible to do that intentionally.  That shot had not
been intended as a wtrning.  The shooter had wanted one of them dead.

But which of them?

Adam was a man who'd learned to trust his instincts.  And all his
instincts told him that the gunman was getting closer.  And more
desperate.

He studied the rocks.  Nothing seemed out of place.  There.  was no
movement.  Not even a single shadow flickered.  The gunman, once again,
had made good his escape.

Adam got to his feet, holstering his gun.  "Come on," he said.  "I'm
taking you home."

This time, though she still brandished her gun, there was no word of
protest from Diamond.  But when she looked at Pearl and Jade, both
young women were holding small silver pistols in their hands.

"Where did you get that?"  Diamond demanded of Jade.

"It was my mother's," the young woman said.  "I always carry it on my
person for protection."

Diamond's eyes narrowed.  "Protection from what?"

 t the same for you?"

"I--suppose so."  Diamond holstered her gun.  But her mind remained
troubled.  Another pistol like the one that had killed her father.
Carried by another stranger claiming to be his daughter.

The three young women were silent and grim as they made their way back
to the ranch house.  Once there, Diamond was surprised to se Adam
dismount.

"You've done your duty.  You've seen us home.  Now what do you think
you're doing?"

"I don't see any sign of Cal or the wranglers.  I'll just stay until
they return.  I don't want the three of You to be alone here."  '

"You certainly can't believe that the gunman is going to try to enter
my home."

Adam took her arm and escorted her to the door.  "Right now, I don't
know what to think.  Just go inside."

She glanced at Pearl and Jade, who bmshed past her as they entered the
house.  Her lower lip jutted in defiance.  "I'd rather stay out here. 
I don't want to go inside."

Despite the danger, he couldn't help smiling.  "I can see that.  You'd
like to avoid any contact with those two.  It looks like your father
left you quite a mess to clean up."

She sighed, and for the first time, gave in to a mofientary display of
weakness.  "Oh, Adam.  What am I going to do?"

He tousled her hair, then allowed his hand to linger a moment, enjoying
the feel of silk against his rough palm.  "You're going to go in there
and be your usual smiling, charming.  self."

She gave out a string of oaths that had hiTM roaring with laughter.
"All right," he said when he'd managed to stop laughing.  "So you're
not going to smile and charm them.  But at least you can entertain them
with your rich vocabulary I'll bet those two young women haven't heard
most of those words before."

She shot him a look of disgust.

In a more sober tone he murmured, "I know this isn't going to be easy.
You're going to be pretty busy for a while, just figuring out how to
get along with two strangers.  But remember this, Diamond.  Your father
loved them.  And if you want to cherish his memory, you need to get to
know them better.  Maybe you'i!  learn things about your father from
Pearl and Jade that you never would have known otherwise."

"I don't nd those two to tell me about Pa."

"All right.  But' what about them?  They didn't have as much time with
him as you did.  Maybe, while they're here, you could give them a
glimpse of his life.  Something they could carry with them when they
leave."

She tilted her head up, and her lips nearly bmsbed his.  The movement
had them both going very still.  She tried to step back, but his
fingers brushing her scalp stopped her.

She felt his gaze burn over her mouth and saw a hunger in his eyes. Her
throat went dry and her heart began a painful hammering.

"Are you always this smart?"  she whispered

His hand fisted in her hair, but he managed to keep his tone light.
"Sometimes I'm even smarter."

She leaned fractionally closer, until their bodies were almost
touching.  "And while I'm busy learning how to put up with these
strangers who claim to be fmhily, what are you going to do?"

"That's easy."?  He allowed a strand of her hair to sift through his
fingers.  The urge to kiss her was so strong, he had to call on every
ounce of willpower to resist.  "I'm going to stable the horses and
check the house and outbuildings.  Then I'm going to have a second
helping of Car-melita's corn bread."

"I should have known."  She pushed against him, breaking the spell.
"This whole scheme wasn't about my safety.  You were just looking for
an excuse to sample more of Carmelita's good cooking."

He stood very still: afraid to-touch her.  "P;nd r should have known
you'd find out the truth sooner or later."

She turned away.  But Adam continued standing in the doorway, feeling
his entire body vibrating with need.

He'd manage to resist her for a while longer.  But he could feel a
storm brewing.  And it wasn't just in the clouds.

"You are quiet."  Carmelita placed a slice of corn brrad and- a
steaming cup of coffee in front of Adam.

He had checked out the house and outbuildings, and had found nothing
out of place.  He'd taken his time rubbing down the horses and stowing
Jade's carriage in the barn.  Now them was nothing to do but wait.  But
this was the hardest part.  Being forced to spend time watching
Diamond, and not being able to touch her.

"I don't believe in talking unless I have something to say."

"Diamond told me about the gunman.  Do you suspect anyone?"

He shook his head.  "It could be anyone."  Hell, he thought, it could
even be Cal or' one of the wranglers.

"Do you think it is you they shoot at?  Or is it Diamond?"

He'd been pondering that same question for the past hour.  What if the
intended victim wasn't Diamond at all?  If he was the one the gunman
was stalking, his presence here could prove to be a terrible mistake.
The longer he stayed here, the greater the chance that he could bring
harm to Diamond and these innocent women.  But he couldn't take the
chance of leaving them alone.

"I hope it's me," he muttered before lifting the cup to his lips.

"Why do you say that?"

"I like the odds better.  I'm used to.  looking over my shoulder.  And
I've been shot at before.  Diamond, on the other hand, is headstrong
and careless.  I-get the idea that she led a sheltered life here on the
ranch."

Carmelita smiled gently.  "She would not like to hear you say that.  In
many ways she has known great freedom.  She has done things that few
young ladies have done.  For the most paR she has lived the life of a
frisky young colt.  But it is true.  Her father shielded her from many
things."

They both glanced across the room, where the three young women sat
together, looking distinctly uncomfortable with one another.

"Perhaps he shielded her from too many things.  Now she is completely
unprepared for what has been given her," Carmelita added before walking
away.

Adam rubbed the back of his neck.  Who was ever prepared for what life
tossed at them?  He certainly hadn't been prepared for a hellion by:
the name of Diamond.

He looked up at the sound of an approaching horse and cart.  "Are you
expecting anyone?"  he asked.

With a shake of her head, Diamond got to her feet and headed for the
front door.  Adam followed, his gun drawn.

At the sight of a tall figure dressed in a black suit, Diamond threw
open the door and sauntered onto the porch.  "Uncle CheL What brings
you out here?"

""Evening, Diamond."  He tipped his hat and bent to brush a kiss across
her cheek.

His smile faded when he caught sight of Adam behind her.  "Winter. What
are you doing here?"

"He was"

"Paying a neighborly call."  Adam's tone was brusque.

 "

"Odd that you should entertain the man accused of murdering your
father."

"I wasn't entertaining him, Uncle Chet.  I was just."  Seeing Adam s
slight shake of the head, she let the words die.  Linking her arm
through Chester's, she said, "Come on in.  Carmelita is fixing
supper."

"I can't stay."  He walked inside, then turned toward her father's
office.  "I just came to pick up the monthly ledgers."

"Oh, dear."  Diamond stopped short.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing.  But so much has happened, I forgot about them."

He gave her shoulder an affectionate squeeze.  "No harm done, my dear.
I'll take them with me and have them tallied by tomorrow."

Diamond was struck by a sudden inspiration.  Working on her father's
ledgers would give her the perfect excuse to escape Pearl and Jade
whenever the conversation got too intense.  She had been wondering just
how she could avoid spending the' entire evening with these two
strangers.

"I'm afraid I can't let you have them, Uncle Chet."  He lifted a brow
to study her.  "What are you saying?"

"I insist upon doing Pa's books myself.  I guess I'see it as a test of
how well I can manage on my own."

"But that isn;t' necessary, Diamond.  I'm perfectly willing-"

"I won't hear of it."  She gave him a bright, breezy smile.  "I'm so
sorry you came all this way for nothing, Uncle Chet.  Are you sure you
won't stay for supper?":

"No."  He couldn't hide his frustration.  "It will be dark before I
arrive home."  He gave a sigh of disgust.  "I suppose I'll see you
soon?"

"Of course, Uncle Chet.  I'll stop by the bank in a few days."

"Good night, then, my dear."

He pressed another kiss to her cheek, then shot a withering look at
Adam before walking out the door.

""I'm afraid Uncle Chet Wasn't too happy to see you here?"  Diamond
said.

"I Seem to have 'that effect on a lot of townspeople," Adam 're
marked.

Diamond shrugged.  "You can hardly blame them.  They just want Pa's
killer caught and punished."

She turned, relieved to have something besides revenge to occupy her
time until supper.  "If Carmelita comes looking for me, tell her I'm in
Pa's room."

Adam caught her arm and dragged her close.  "Need some help?"

She hated he way her heart leaped to her throat.  She was forced to
swallow twice before she could manage,.  "No, thanks.  But I'm sure
Carmelita will be thrilled for your company."

His voice was low, seductive.  "It isn't Carmelita I want to spend time
with."

Her eyes widened in surprise.  He could read the jumble of emotions in
their depths.  Shock, at his unexpected admission.  Pleasure, that she
COuld evoke such feelings in him.  And slowly, gradually, invitation.

"And why would you want to spend time with me?"  She was teasing him.
Flirting.  It was the first time in her life she'd ever done this.  And
the realization made her blush furiously.

Mortified, she lowered her gaze, allowing her lashes to sweep down,
hoping to hide what she knew he would see in her eyes.

With great tenderness he lifted her chin and forced her to meet his
gaze.

 r met."

She was certain he could hear the pounding of her heart.  "Td ...
better get at Pa's ledgers."

Very carefully he lowered his hand to his side, where he clenched it
into a fist.  He had to remember Co stop touchn her.  It always made
him ... uncomfortable.

He crossed to the front door and stood watching Until the banker's rig
disappeared over a distant ridge.  Already the storm Clouds were
gathering overhead.  Chester Pierce would be drenched before he made it
back to town.

Adam turned to stare at the closed door to Onyx Jewel's office.  He
frowned as he thought about what he'd like to do behind that closed
door.

Still frowning, he made his way down the hall toward the kitchen in the
back of the house, where female voices could be heard in animated
conversation.  He hoped Cal McCabe and the wranglers returned soon.  He
needed to put some distance between himself and Diamond Jewel.

Chapter Twelve

Supper is ready."

Diamond looked up at the familiar sound of Carmelira's voice outside
the door.  She was grateful to close the ledgers and stash them in her
father's desk drawer.

She made her way to the kitchen.  When she caught Adam's glance, she
immediately looked away.  But she could feel the heat of his gaze, even
though she adamantly kept her own averted.

"We missed you" Pearl admonished hr as they took their places around
the table.

"I have to get the ledgers ready for Uncle Chet at the bank."

"Uncle Chet?"  Jade looked puzzled.  "Father never mentioned a
brother."

"He isn't really my uncle.  But' I've known Chester Pierce Since I was
a baby.  I've always called him my uncle."  '

"I see.  And why must you prepare ledgers for him?"  Jade accepted a
tray of thinly sliced roast beef and pork swimming in-rich gravy.  She
took a small portion, then passed the tray to Adam.

"Because he has to know how much money I'll need this month to pay my
wranglers."

"Is it not the same amount every month?"

"It's always different.  Cal often takes on extra help when the work
begins to pile up.  Every spring, during calving, we hire extra
wranglers.  And every fall, f r roundup branding, we add even more. And
when we start the drive to the stockyards in Abilene, we need to leave
extra help here to see to the ranch chores."  Diamond rubbed at her
temple.  "I just never thought doing sums would be so tiring."

"Maybe I could help," Pearl offered.  "I was considered something of an
expert at mathematics while I was a student."

"You mean it?"  Diamond couldn't hide her surprise and her pleasure.
"You wouldn't mind?"

"I'd be happy to.  It would be my way of thanking you for your
hospitality."

Diamond looked relieved as she helped herself to corn bread fresh from
the oven.  "Then, as long as you're willing, we'll tackle those ledgers
first thing in the morning."  She glanced at Jade.  "And then, Jade, if
you'd like, we'll go on a tour of the ranch before you leave."

The young woman's lips split into a wide smile.  "Thank you.  I would
like that."

"Just so long as you take Cal and several of the wranglers along," Adam
warned.

Diamond shot him a quelling look.  "Thank you for that reminder.  I
wouldn't want to go out without my wet nurse."

Adam gn."nned and chose to ignore her sarcasm.  As he bit into the beef
he looked up and asked unexpectedly, "Carmelita, are you married?"

The housekeeper blinked, then nodded.  "S/.  His name is Rosario."

"Rosario is the luckiest man in the Word," he muttered.  "This is the
tender est tastiest beef I've ever had."

She actually giggled before pressing the platter into his-hand for
another helping.

Across the table, Diamond practically groaned in disgustJ Couldn't
Carmelita see that he was using his charm?  Adam turned his smile on
Jade.  "You're a long way from home, Miss Jewel.  Tell us about your
life in San Francisco."

This brought a smile from the young woman.  "MY mother and I made our
home in a suite of lovely rooms looking out over the city.  From my
bedroom I could see the ocean, and the ships like the one that had
brought my mother to this country from China."

"Did you go to school?"  Diamond asked.

"I did not attend school, but my mother saw to it that tutors were
brought to me, to teach me everything from science to embroidery."

"Did you learn your lessons in English or Chinese?"  Pearl found
herself.  thoroughly-enjoying the meal, since it seemed to have few
spices.  It was almost-as good as the beef her mother used to cook.

"Both.  I can converse in several Chinese tongues, as well as English
and French.  It was considered essential to know the language of many
distant lands."

"Why is that?"  Diamond asked.

"Because San Francisco is a busy, exciting port.  People come from all
over the world.  Those who do business there must be prepared for many
foreign languages."

"Did you live right in the city?"  Adam asked.

Jade nodded.  "Father tried to persuade Mother to permit him to buy us
a house in the country, away from the bustle and noise of the city."
She paused and realized that this revelation had caused Diamond's mouth
to drop.  She cursed herself for her clumsiness.  She must remember to
keep mention of her life with her father to a minimum.  "But Mother
had no interest in the countryside.  Her life was intertwined with that
of the people of the city."

"Was your house as big as this?"  Diamond helped herself to more
beef.

Jade smiled.  "We did not live in a hour.  We livei the top floor of
Mother's business."

"Your mother worked?"  Pearl sipped her tea, then touched a napkin to
her lips.  "What was her business?"

"She was the proprietor of the Golden Dragon," Jade said proudly.

"The Golden Dragon?"  Diamond frowned.  "Your mother bought and sold
gold?"

"No."  Jade's smile grew.  It was clear that she took great pride in
her mother's accomplishments.  "The Golden Dragon was the largest
pleasure palace in San Francisco.  It is where my father met my
mother."

"What's a pleasure palace?"  Diamond asked.

Adam coughed.  But before he could say a word, Jade asked, "You mean
there are no such things in Hanging Tree?  A pleasure palace is a place
where men go to forget the worries of the day."

"You mean a saloon?"  Diamond's frown turned into a smile.  "Your
mother owned a saloon?"

"I suppose one could call it a saloon.  A man can bly a drink.  But he
can also buy other pleasures."

"What kind of pleasures?"  Pearl asked.

"Cards or dice.  Or perhaps the company of a beautiful woman.  '

Pear!"s cheeks went from pink to scarlet.  Her eyes widened in
surprise, then narrowed in horror.  This woman, who called herself
Daddy's daughter, had a mother who ran a... The thought was too
horrible.

Diamond, on the other hand, seemed to take no notice.

"That's nice," she commented idly.  She shoved aside her plate,
clearly unaware of what Jade was talking about.  "Carmelita, did I
smell apple pie?"

The housekeeper had lowered herself onto a chair and had buried her
face in her apron.  At Diamond's question, she managed to lift her head
and compose her features.  "S I will cut and serve it right away"

Across the table, Adam watched the various reactions to Jade's simple
description of a pleasure palace.  Diamond, in all her innocence,
didn't have the slightest inkling of what Jade had just revealed.  She
still thought Jade's mother had owned a Salotn.  Pearl on the other
hand was scandalized.  Her features were still contorted in shock.  As
for Jade, she merely sipped her tea and 'kept her gaze averted.  Her
mother's business was.a fact of life..  Nothing more.

It would seem, he thought with a grin, that Onyx Jewel's family tree
had just sprouted a fascinating new limb.

It had been raining for nearly an hour.  A cold, stinging rain that
chilled clear to the bone.  If the temperature dropped, it would turn
to snow.

Adam was sipping his fourth cup of coffee nd polishing off his second
piece of pie, when he heard the sound of approaching horses.

"The wranglers are back," Carmelita announced.

At the sound of booted feet along the hall, Adam looked up to see Cal
standing in the doorway, dripping water from his hat and duster.  The
foreman snatched his hat from his head.  When he spotted Adam, his lips
turned down into a frown.

"I didn't expect to see you-still here, Winter."

Adam Offered no word of explanation.  He merely drained his cup while
the foreman turned to study Jade.

Seeing his puzzled look Diamond hastened to explain.  "Cal, this is
Jade.  She's... That is, Pa was her..."

Seeing her dilemma, Jade said in her softly accented voice, "I am Jade
Jewel, from San Francisco.  Onyx Jewel was my father."

For a moment Cal looked thunderstruck.  His eyes mirrored his shock..
Then, recovering, he managed a bland smile ashe extended his hand.
"Welcome Miss Jade.  I'm Cal McCabe, Diamond's foreman."

An awkward silence settled over the room.

"Will you have coffee?"  Carmelita asked.

"No, thanks.  Cookie brought grub to the wranglers 'in the south
pasture, and I joined them."

"Did you see any sign of our gunman?"  Diamond asked.  "None.  Maybe
he's gone for good."  "Afraid not," 'came Adam's low response.  "What
does that mean?"

"There was another attack."  Adam was rewarded with a look of stunned
surprise from the foreman.

Cal turned to Diamond.  "Where?"

"At Pa's grave."  Before Cal could admonish her she explained, "We took
Jade there after she arrived.  She came all the way from San Francisco
to pay her respects."  "Was it the same as before?"  Cal asked.

Diamond nodded.  "The bullet could have ben aimed at Adam or at me.  It
landed between us."

"And I suppose nobody saw the gunman."  He didn."t try to mask the
sarcasm in his tone.

Diamond shook her head.

He met Adam's steely look with one of his own as he said to Diamond,
"It seems odd that the only time you're shot at is when you're with
Winter."

"I know: it's strange."  Diamond's tone was sharper than she'd
intended.  There was just too much happening.  Sisters arriving.
Bullets flying.  And Adam Winter.  Especially Adam.  He was causing her
to think about things she'd never thought of before.

She was losing control.  The one area of her life that she could still
control was the ranch and its foreman.  "I'!1 talk to you tomorrow,
Cal.  Right now, I think I'd like to turn in."

"Right."  His tone was equally abrupt.  "Good night."  He stalked from
the room.

Diamond waited until his footsteps receded.  Then she turned to Adam.
"Good night, Adam."

He thanked Carmelira for the dinner, then bade good-night to the three
young women, At the door he took Diamond's hand, in his.  He could feel
the way she tried to pull back, but he had anticipated her action.  His
strength was too much for her.

"A word of advice," he murmured.  "I know you value your freedom,
Diamond.  But don't be foolish enough to take any midnight rides.
At-least until this gunman is found."

Her eyts blazed, but she managtd to Say simply, "I'm quite able to make
my own decisions.  Good night, Adam."

He turned away in disgust.  As soon as the door closed, he headed
toward the bunkhouse.

Several of the wranglers were seated on their bunks, mending harnesses.
In one corner, a cowboy was whittling on a block of wood.  A group of
wranglers had gathered around the fireplace, swapping stories. Laughter
punctuated the steady hum of voices, and drowned out the sound of the
downpour outside.

Adam spotted Cal standing by a window, morosely staring at he rain that
streaked the pane.

"I'd like to talk to you McCabe," he called.

His words caused the wranglers to fall silent.  Cal's head came up
sharply.  After a moment he shrugged and pulled on his leather duster
before following Adam outside.  The cowboys remained silent for a
moment longer, then began

to talk among themselves again, but in a more subdued manner.

Cal stepped into the rain, pulling the door shut behind

"What do you want now, Winter?"

hmm, think you'd be wise to post guards around the ranch,"

Adam said without preamble.

"Do you?"  Cal's eyes narrowed.  "And what else do you think,
Winter?"

"I think you'd better assign a.couple of wranglers to keep an eye on
Diamond.  She's just headstrong enough to do something foolish, to
prove that she's not afraid of this gunman."

Cal's tone quivered with indignation.  "Since when did you become an
expert on Diamond?"

"What's wrong with you Cal?  You know I'm right."  Cal jabbed a hand
against Adam's chest, catching a fistful of his shirt.  "I know that I
don't tmst you Winter, And I don't want your advice.  Now go on home.
And leave Diamond to me."

Adam's voice was surprisingly soft.  And chilling.  "Don't ever put a
hand on me, Cal.  Unless you want to lose it."

It was all the invitation Cal needed.  He could hardly see through the
red mist of fury that clouded his eyes.  He went for the pistol at his
waist, only to find that Adam was al ready pressing the barrel of his
gun to his chest.

"Drop it," Adam ordered.

Slowly, purposefully, Cal's fingers uncurled, allowing the pistol to
fall to the ground.  He lifted his head, prepared to die.  Instead, he
was surprised to see Adam toss his own gun aside nd unfasten his gun
belt.

"What're you doing?"  he demanded.

"You've been spoiling for a fight ever since you first met me.  I'm
abOut to give you your wish.  But not with

guns," Adam added.  "You're going to have to fight me like a man, with
only your fists."

Cal's hand went to the buckle of his gun belt.  "With pleasure," he
said.  As soon as his gun belt dropped, he lunged at his opponent,
landing a solid blow to the side of Adam's head.

Adam shook his head to clear it, then managed to dodge Cal's second
attempt.  Caught off-balance, Cal was unprepared when Adam's fist
landed in his midsection.  The foreman doubled over for a moment.
Enraged, he attacked with a string of blows about Adam's head and
chest.  Though some landed in the air, several found their mark, and
Adam was soon gasping for air.

Hearing the sounds of shouting and scuffling, the door to the bunkhouse
was thrown open and the wranglers spilled out into the darkness. Seeing
that it was a fair fight that didn't require their intervention, they
formed a ring around the two men.  Oblivious to the rain, they shouted
words of encouragement to their boss.

The opponents were evenly matched.  Though Adam was taller by ahead,
Cal's years of wrangling' had made him hard and tough.  He'd never
backed away from a fight in his life, and this was one adversary he'd
been itching to engage.

"You keep away from Diamond," Cal shouted as he' smashed his fist into
Adam's chin.  "I don't trust you.  And I don't want you coming around
here again."

"Then see that you do your job."  Adam retaliated with a blow to the
nose that had Cal swearing.  "A wild creature like Diamond needs a
keeper.  That's the only way she's going to stay alive."

"It's not Diamond I'm worried about, Winter."  Cal gave a grunt of pain
as another blow landed in his gut.  He answered with a fist to Adam's
chest that had him gasping.

"It's you.  None of this mystetious gunfire started until you came
into the picture."

Adam butted his head into Ca!"s chest, driving shim backward into the
mud.  "And I suppose I'm hitting someone to shoot at me?  Or maybe I'm
doing the shooting myself and then appearing mysteriously after the
fact."

Cal sprang to his feet and charged at Adam.  Both men toppled, and
began to roll around and around, fists flying.  "All I know is, Diamond
doesn't need you Winter."

"It's time you took a look at her, McCabe."  Adam mo-mentatily lost his
voice as a blow landed in his face.  Re-coveting, he shouted, "She may
he your boss, but she's still just a confused, frightened girl."

"Girl!"  Cal's fist slammed into Adam's shoulder and he pinned him to
the ground.  "I've seen the way you look at Diamond.  That's' no girl
you're seeing.  It's a woman.  And if her pa was alive, he'd have your
hide.  And since Onyx isn't here to look out for her, I'll just have
to--"

As he raised his fist, a shot rang out, causing both men to freeze.

"All tight," came Cookie's voice from the doorway of the bunkhouse.
"That's enough.  Now, I want both of you to get up off the ground and
take two steps backward."  Neither man moved

Cookie fired another blast from his title, sending mud and water
spraying around their heads.  Slowly, reluctantly, Cal lowered his fist
and scrambled to his feet.  When Adam stood, the two men faced each
other, their fists clenched, their chests heaving.

"The fun's over," Cookie called sharply to the wranglers.  "Get back
inside now.  Go on about your business."

The men returned to the bunkhouse, grumbling that their night's
entertainment had ended so abruptly.

"Look at you" Cookie called, stepping forward between Cal and Adam.
"Down in the mud fighting like dogs..  And

for what?  Sounded to me like the oldest of all reasons.  A female."

"That's not what this was about," Cal began, but his words were cut off
when Diamond, her white nightshift fluttering like a moth's wings in
the darkness, came sailing toward them.  In her hand was a pistol.

Behind her, looking absolutely terrified, were Pearl and Jade, cowering
beneath the cover of Diamond's leather duster.

"I heard gunshots..  What's happened?  Is anyone hurt...?"

Diamond stared at the two men, their faces streaked With mud and blood,
their clothes torn and dirty and plastered to their skin.  "Call Adam!
What in the...?  Whatever are you doing out here?"

"You go on back inside now, Diamond," Cookie said, waving the rifle.
"This isn't any of your business."

"Not my business?"  Diamond became indignant, "Everything that happens
here on the ranch is my business."  She turned on the two men.  "Look
at you.  Instead of searching for the gunfighter, you're fighting each
other.  And you don't think this is my business?"

"But this is men's business, Diamond," the cook man aged to say with as
much patience as he could.  "Men's...?  I don't understand."

Just then, Jade, who had been studying the faces of the two warriors,
gave a mysterious woman's smile.f Touching a hand to Diamond's arm she
whispered, "Come inside, please.  I will explain."

Diamo/d gave one last look at Cal, then at Adam, whose eyes were
narrowed, fists clenched at his sides.  The sight of him bloodied and
bruised and Caked with mud did something to her insides, twisting them
into a knot.

"Please come now."  Jade caught her hand, and motioned for Pearl to
take her other hand.

 .

When the three women had returned to the house, Cookie lowered his
rifle.  But he didn't move away.  Instead he stood his ground,
determined to see the two men go their separate ways.

Cal picked up his gun and holster.  "I don't want to see you come near
Diamond again," he muttered.  Without a backward glance, he strode
toward the bunkhouse.

Adam buckled his gun belt, then retrieved his gun from the mud and
jammed it into his holster.  "You're a fool, McCabe," he shouted to the
retreating back.  "If you weren't so blind, you'd see that we're both
on the same side."

"You heard me," Cal said sharply.  "Stay away from Diamond."

With a sigh of disgust Cookie waved the rifle again.  Adam pulled
himself into the saddle and disappeared into the darkness.  Only then
did Cal McCabe turn and let himself into the' bunkhouse.

Diamond, flanked by Pearl and Jade, stood at her bedroom window and
watched as Adam rode away.  The sound of his horse's hooves faded into
the distance, Seconds later, Cal retreated to the bunkhouse, and Cookie
limped away.

"I don't know what's come over Cal," Diamond!  muttered.

"How long has your foreman known you?"  Jade asked.

"All my life."  Diamond moved away from the window and began to prowl
her room.

Pearl took a seat in the rocker by the fire, and Jade perched on the
edge of the bed.

"So he is like a second' father?"

Diamond stopped in front of the fireplace.  She shrugged.  "I've never
thought of Cal like that.  He's just ... a friend,

My foreman.  I depend on him to see that the ranch is running
smoothly.  But I don't think of him as a second father.  I had Pa.  I
didn't need anyone else."

"But now our father is gone.  An honorable man like Cal McCabe would
see it as his duty to step into the role of protector, would he not?"

Diamond thought about it and slowly nodded.  "I suppose so.  But that
doesn't explain the fight.  Did you see them?"" Her temper began to
surface again.  Her voice lowered with anger.  "Theywere covered with
blood and mud.  That wasn't just a simple argument.  They wanted to
hurt each other.  It's a wonder they didn't kill each other."

"But they did not."  Jade smiled.  "They did not wish to kill.  What
each wanted was to establish his own territory."  Diamond was clearly
puzzled.

But Pearl, who had been listening in silence, suddenly nodded.
"Of/:ourse.  Oh, Diamond.  Don't you see?  They were fighting over
you."

"Me?"  But even while she protested, "Diamond was're calling the looks
on their faces.  And for some strange reason, she was beginning to see
a few pieces of a puzzle falling into place.

"Your' foreman sees you as his responsibilityl Not just your ranch,
Diamond.  You.  Or rather, your virtue."

Diamond slowly nodded.  "But what has that to do with

Adam Winter?"

"Your foreman sees your neighbor as a threat to that virtue.  Because
it is clear, to those who will look, that

Adam Winter also wants to be responsible for you.  But not in a ...
fatherly way."

Diamond gasped at her outspokenness.

"Oh.  Did you notice how he looked at her over dinner?"

Pearl asked, clearly excited by the prospect of a romance.

Jade nodded.  "And the way his voice warms when he speaks to her?"

'd to remain in the house where it was safe?"

Jade laughed.  "He is smitten."

"Stop this."  Diamond pressed her pal.  ms Over her ears as if to shut
out the sound of their voices.  "You two talk about me as though I'm
not even here.  And then you decide that a man I hardly know is ... is
smitten."

"Why else would a man like Adam Winter be goaded into a fight?"  Pearl
demanded.  "Why, he's the most controlled, cool gentleman I've ever
met.  It has to be because he cares about you."

"You must trust me in this," Jade insisted.  "My mother saw that my
education delved deeply into all the mysteries of men, and their
intricate relationships with women."  "Why?"  Diamond asked
innocently.

"Because men's pleasures, in all their forms, were my mother's
business.  And one day they shall be mine," Jade explained simply:

In that instant, Diamond understood just what the Golden Dragon was.
She found herself thunderstruck.

"This much I know," Jade continued.  "Adam Winter has feelings for you
Diamond."  And those feelings are the cause of great distress for
him."

Diamond rubbed at the throbbing in her temples.  "I can't hear any more
of this.  If you don't mind, I need to sleep."

Jade nodded in understanding.  "Come.  Lie down.  I will show you a
lovely way to ease the tension you feel."

At Jade's urging, Diamond blew out the lantern and' crawled into bed.
Jade knelt beside the bed and pressed her fingers to Diamond's temples,
massaging them gently.  Within mihutes the throbbing was gone.

"Umm.  That's wonderful," Diamond murmured.

"It was another part of my education.  Most men must' be soothed before
they can enjoy, other pleasures.  Now

you must rest," Jade whispered as she and Pearl made their way from
the room.

The door closed softly behind them.

Diamond closed her eyes.  But sleep eluded her.  Instead, as she tossed
and turned, she found herself brooding about Adam Winter.  And seeing
in her mind's eye the way he'd looked, bloody and battered.  But
unbowed.  And darkly, tantalizingly dangerous.

 e kitchen and made her way to the table.

Diamond felt three pairs of eyes watching keenly as she sat down.  "How
did you sleep?"  Jade and Pearl asked in unison.  "Badly."  Diamond
wore her usual men's britcbes and shirt, with the sleeves rolled to her
elbows.  Her feet were encased in boots.  At her waist was a gun belt.
In the holster was a fully loaded pistol.  Her hair streamed down her
back in a tangle of fiery cuds.  Pearl was dressed in a prim gown the
color of buttercups, with a high neckline and a cameo pin at the
throat.  She had pulled her long hair back in a tight knot at 'her
nape, and tied it with yellow ribbons.

Jade's tiny slippered feet peeked out from the hem of a long sheath of
lush purple silk.  It had a mandarin collar and frog closings, and was
slit to her thigh on either side, for ease of walking.  Her black hair
fell long and straight to her waist.

"You were thinking about Adam Winter?"  Jade asked in her musical
voice.  "Don't be silly.  Why should IT' Embarrassed, Diamond

reached for a piece of Carmelira's corn bread and ducked her head.

"It is inevitable," Jade said with all the assurance of a headmaster.
It was plain that she saw it as her duty to instruct this, innocent in
the ways of the world.  "When a man' fights for a woman, she cannot
help but think about him."

"He didn't fight over me.  And I wasn't thinking about him."

Jade smiled and sipped her tea.

"After breakfast, I'll help you with Daddy's ledgers," Pearl said.
"That will help take your mind off Adam."

"My mind is not on Adam," Diamond said through grit-ted teeth.

"Whatever you sa."

Pearl's determined attempt at cheerfulness only had Diamond's
temperature climbing.

Carmelit kept her back to the young women at the table to hide the grin
that split her lips.  But every once in a while her shoulders shook in
silent laughter.  She'd never seen Diamond so flustered.  It was most
unusual.  And quite appealing.  Always, Diamond had been completely
self-assured.  A young woman who strode through life without fear,
without question.

When she served the meal, Diamond stared at the platter of eggs that
jiggled on squares of moist white bread.  "What is this?"  she asked.

"Coddled eggs," Pearl said proudly.  "I taught Carmelita how to make
them the way my mother used to."

Diamond jabbed a fork into the center and watched as the egg bled all
over the plate.  When she tasted it she muttered, "It's so ...
bland."

"It's the way we eat them in Boston."  Pearl pecked at her food like a
dainty bird.  "I hope you don't mind.  I just

wanted to repay you for all your kindness.  I thought you might enjoy
something new."

"Thank you.  They're ... fine."  Diamond choked down the egg, and
watched as Jade did the same.

As soon as Pearl had finished her breakfast, Diamond pushed away from
the table.  "Let's get to those ledgers."  "May I join you?"  Jade
asked.

"Of course.  We'll work in Pa's office.  It'll give you a chance to see
something of his life.  And afterward, we'll tour the ranch.  I'm sure,
like Pearl, you'll want to see how

Pa lived before you return to San Francisco."

Diamond led the way down the hall.

Inside her father's office, Pearl and Jade stood still as they took in
the one single room in the house that best reflected their father.  The
office was big, as was everything in it, from the massive stone
fireplace that dominated one wall, to the desk, piled with books and
papers, and the overstuffed chair that had, over the years, taken on
the imprint of his body.

The windows looked out over the ranch he'd loved, with a view of
Widow's Peak and in the distance the mirrored surface of Poison Creek.
It was easy to imagine Onyx Jewel in this room, going over the ledgers,
planning how to improve the livestock or enlarge his holdings.

"Oh."  Jade hugged her arms about herself and gave a sigh.  "I feel
Father here."

Pearl nodded.  "More than in any other room, I can sense Daddy here in
his office."

Diamond found herself smiling: "It's true.  Since that first day after.
his ... passing, I've always felt his presence here."

It was strange, she thought, that all three feel it so strongly.  But
then, weren't they all his dau

The thought should have shocked her.  A day ago, might have.  But now,
for some reason, she was

to accept the fact that they were all connected by a strong, invisible
bond.  A force stronger than her own will.

She lifted the ledgers from the desk drawer and opened them, then
positioned a second chair alongside hers.  "The sooner we get at this,
the sooner we can take Jade on that tour of the ranch."

Pearl took the proffered seat and bent to the first column of figures.
An hour later she threw up her hands in disgust.

"These figures are so jumbled, it will take forever to figure them.
out

Diamond gave a sigh' of relief.  "I'm glad you agree.  i thought it was
just my lack of schooling that made them seem so muddled."

They looked up at a knock on the door,.  and opened it to admit Cal.

Though he was freshly scrubbed and his clothes were clean and pressed,
his face still bore the ravages of last night's fight.  He had a black
eye and his right cheek was puffed and sWOllen.

"Carmelita told me where to find you" he said.  Spotting the other two
young women, he doffed his hat and nodded briefly to each of them.
""Morning, Miss Pearl Miss Jade."" He was always stiff and
uncomfortable around women, except for Diamond, who didn't count
because she was more like one of the wranglers than a female.  "What is
it, Cal?"  Diamond demanded.

"I want you to ride to town with me and report the shootings to the
marshal."

"What good will that do?"  Diamond frowned.  "If you and the men
couldn't find him, what makes you think the marshal can?"

Cal had come prepared for any argument.  After all, the Jewels had
always thought they were a law unto themselves, and the marshal merely
a hired gun.  And they considered all Jewel property sacred ground, and
resented the

thought of a deputy crossing their boundaries.  And, though Cal would
never admit it, Adam's words had kept him awake most of the night.  A
wild creature like Diamond needs a keeper.  That's the only way she's
going to stay alive.  She was proving a handful since hr pa's death.
Cal wasn't certain he was up to it.  But he had to try.

"For all we know, Diamond, Marshal Regan may have received some
information on an outlaw loose in these parts.  It's.  foolish to keep
this from him."

"Cal is right."  Jade crossed the room and paused beside the desk. "You
need to confide in the marshal."

Pearl nodded her assent.  "I quite agree.  It would be foolhardy not to
take the marshal into your confidence."

"But what about these ledgers?"  Diamond's voice held the edge of
impatience.

"We can do them later."  Pearl patted Diamond's hand.  "Your safety is
more important than the books."

Diamond glanced from Pearl to Jade, then gave a sigh.-"All right. First
Marshal Regan.  Then we'll tour the ranch.  The ledgers will have to
wait until tonight."

Jade and Pearl hurried away to fetch parasols.  Diamond followed Cal to
the barn to saddle her horse.

"Well,-now, isn't this a coincidenceT" Marshal Quent Regan looked up as
Diamond and Cal strode into his office.

Seated across from him was Adam.  And though he too, had bathed and
changed, his face bore the unmistakable bruises of his fight with
Cal.

The marshal glanced from Cal's black eye and swollen cheek to Adam's
cut lip and bandaged forehead.

"You here to report a fight with a grizzly?"  he asked Cal.

The foreman shook his head.  "Is that why he's here?"  Cal asked,
nodding toward Adam.

"Mr.  Winter is here to report more gunplay out on your ranch.  I
assume you've come for the same reason."

Cal nodded.

"Tell me your story," Quent urged.

"TII let Diamond tell it."

Diamond prayed she could find her voice.  It seemed that whenever she
encountered Adam, her throat went dry and her brain went numb.  "Damn
the man.  She hated the effect he had On her.

Marshal Regan listened quietly to Diamond's tale, his eyes downcast,
his face impassive.  When she was finished he stood and circled his
office once before coming to a halt beside her.

His eyes, when they bored into hers, were narrowed in thought.  "Is
there something you aren't telling me, Diamond?"

"No, I.,."  She shook her head.  "No."

"You and Adam Winter again.  Every time you get shot at, he's there. In
fact, it seems lately that every time you leave your door, he's there. 
What am I supposed to make of that?"

She brought her hands to her hips in a familiar stance, prepared for
combat.  "You can..."  At a look from Cal, she bit back her temper.  "I
don't see what you can make of it.  We're neighbors.  We're bound to
run into each other '

"Every time you walk out your door?"

Why did everyone insist upon making such an issue of her and Adam
Winter?  She took a deep breath and counted to ten, aSCal had cautioned
her on their way to town.  But it didn't help.  If she didn't soon get
out of this office and unleash this growing temper, she would
explode.

"How about.  you Winter?  Do you have anything to add to the lady's
story?"

Adam shook his head.  And though he'd held his silence

 y movement.

"All right."  Marshal Regan could see that his questions weren't
getting him anywhere.  "I'll look into it."

"Have you been able to identify any ?  those men who attacked us up on
Poison Creek.  Adam asked.

"Not even one.  I checked every Wanted poster for the past year, and
sent their descriptions to towns across Texas.  If they're outlaws,
they aren't well-known."  He held the door as they walked from his
office.  "It's almost as though someone brought together a whole gang
of unknown criminals just for that one attack."  He scratched his head.
"But that doesn't make any sense."

At his words, Adam's frown deepened.

As they stepped into the morning sunshine, Quent looked up at the two
young women seated in Jade's elegant carriage.

""Morning, ladies," he said, touching the brim of his hat.

Diamond knew, by the way the marshal was standing there, that he was
hoping for an introduction.  By now, everyone in town was probably
wondering what was going on at her ranch.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Lavinia Thurlong and Gladys
Witherspoon heading toward her.  She felt her palms begin to sweat.  It
was common knowledge that these two gossips were only interested in
learning all they could about everybody's business so they could repeat
it all.  over town.

"Well, well.  Diamond," Lavinia called, preventing her from bolting.
Her words flowed like syrup.  "Gladys and I have, been wondering how
yOU're getting along since the death of your father."

"Fine.  Just fine," Diamond replied through gritted teeth.  The two
women smiled and batted their lashes at the

handsome marshal, then at Adam.  But when they caught sight of Adam's
face and Ca!"s matching bruises, their eyes widened.  "Mercy.  It must
have been quite a fight.  I hope it was worth it."

"It was," Cal muttered.

Realizing they weren't going to be offered an explanation,

Gladys stared pointedly at the two young women.  "I'm afraid we haven't
been properly introduced.  Diamond, Will you do the honors?"

"I'd ... be happy to."  Happy?  Diamond's scowl said it all.  She was
practically choking on every word.  Ordinarily she wouldn't even suffer
these two fools.  But there were too many people around.  She didn't
dare tell them what was on her mind.

"Gladys Witherspoon, Lavinia Thurlong, Marshal Quent Regan, these are
my..."  Diamond realized that everyone was hanging on her every word,
waiting to see how she would handle this.  "This is Pearl Jewel and
Jade Jewel."

"Jewel.  Why, you two young women have the same last name as Diamond,"
Lavinia purred.  "How did that happen?"

"We had the same father," Pearl said in her most proper Boston tones.
She had met such women before in her young life.  And had been the
object of their scorn.  But this time, she didn't mind for herself,
since these people were strangers.  But it hurt to know that Diamond
was being mocked by members of her own town.

Marshal Regan removed his hat from his head in a courtly gesture. "Miss
Pearl.  Miss Jade.  Nice to make your acquainttnce."

"And yours, Marshal Regan;" said lade.  "Thank you for the directions
to Diamond's ranch.  I would have been lost without them."

"I was happy to be of assistance, ma'am.  After I gave you directions,
I worried that I should have gone along with

you to see that you made it all right.  It isn't often," he added,
"that the town of Hanging Tree is graced by such lovely ladies."

Pearl and Jade merely smiled.  But Gladys and Lavinia, like dogs with a
bone, would not give u.pyet

"Do you two ... ladies intend to make your home in Hanging Tree?"
Lavinia asked.

"Oh, Lavinia," Gladys said, patting her arm.  "Dont be impertinent. You
know Diamond barely knows her own... sisters."

The two women covered their mouths and cackled at their clever
remarks.

"I hope you were generously provided for in your father's will," Gladys
said, assuming a sympathetic pose.  "After all, Onyx Jewel was one of
the richest men in Texas.  It would be perfectly scandalous if all he
left you was his ... name.

Adam had been watching Diamond, and 'realized that she had reached the
limit.  Another word and these two gossips would be treated to the same
sort of brawl that he and Cal had engaged in the previous night.  Only
this time, it would be witnessed by the whole town.

"If you don't mind."  He maneuvered himself between Diamond and the two
women.  "VII say goodbye now.  I have chores to see to.  Would you
folks care to ride along?"

Diamond shot him a look of gratitude, and pulled herself into her
saddle in one fluid motion.  "That suits me just fine.  I think our
business here in town is concluded, Come on, Cal."

As the foreman started to mount, a crowd of men and boys approached,
milling about a figure on horseback.  The horse and rider drew near,
and the crowd parted for a moment, revealing a stunningly beautiful
young woman Seated sidesaddle on a strawberry roan.  The woman was
dressed all in red.  The skirts of her red satin gown cascaded

down the side of her mount in a riot of color.  The neckline was
daringly low, revealing an expanse of creamy flesh.  A red satin hat
with matching plumes adorned thick dark cuds spilling around a face
that would make men forget to .  breathe.  Dark brows arched over
liquid brown eyes fringed by long lashes.

The woman handed the reins to a young lad.  Before she could alight,
several men were jostling for the honor of helping her from the
saddle.

"Mon Dieu," she said, sighing as her feet touched the ground.  "It has
been a long, tedious journey.  But I have arrived at !asi."

The gown was molded to every lush curve of her body."  When she walked,
the narrow skirt was stretched tightly across her rounded bottom,
causing the women in the crowd to gasp.  The men couldn't hear over the
pounding of their heartbeats and their involuntary sighs.

Catching sight of the marshal's badge, she made her way toward him.
With every step, the hem of her gown swished around red satin slippers.
Even the dust, which usually rose up to choke anyone who dared to walk
the streets, seemed tamed by her presence.

"Marshal," she said in her heavy French accent.  "I am hoping you can
give me directions."

It took Quent Regan several moments to adjust his mouth and make it
work.  At last he managed to say, "I'd be happy to, ma'am.  Where would
you like to go?"

"I am looking for the Jewel Ranch."

Diamond felt a peculia buzzing in her brain, and wondered idly if the
earth might open up and swallow her.  It would be far simpler than
having to remain here and endure the looks from the crowd that had
gathered.  For even though the young woman hadn't yet finished her
sentence, Diamond had the peculiar sense that it had all been said
before.

Clearly visible around the woman's throat was a rope of gold on which
were set two stones, one onyx, the other bloodred.

"My name is Ruby," the young woman said with a sultry smile.  She
offered her red-gloved hand like a precious gift to the marshal, who
accepted it as though he'd n'er been given such a treasure before in
his life.

"Ruby Jewel," she said, to the delight of the entire town of Hanging
Tree, who hung on her every word.  "I left my home in New Orleans as
soon as I heard about the mort tragique of Onyx Jewel.  You see, he was
mon pre.  My papa."

The crowd erupted into chaos.  Those in back jostled for a better view
of the expected fireworks between Diamond and this latest surprise. The
women of the town, shocked and scandalized by the stranger's
earthiness, were straggling to subdue their husbands and sons.  A few
even managed to drag their errant men home.  But most, intrigued by the
scene unfolding, held their ground and watched in frank curiosity.

Lavinia and Gladys had the best spot of all from which to view the
confrontation.  They watched in openmouthed delight, their heads
swiveling from Diamond, seated on her horse, to the woman in red, who
seemed to be basking in the commotion she'd caused.

"Well now, ma'am," Marshal Regan began.  "I guess the best one to ask
would be--"

"Me."  Diamond spoke the Word without a hint of the inner turmoil she
was feeling.  "My name is Diamond Jewel.  And I was just heading home.
Would you care to ride along?"

Ruby's smile widened, revealing a most becoming dimple in her cheek.
"It would be a pleasure.  You do not mind, chgrie ?"

 o indication.  "I would like you to meet Pearl Jewel and Jade
Jewel."

As she indicated the two young women in the carriage, they nodded in
acknowledgment.

"Pearl.  Jade.  Enchantge.  This is more than I'd hoped for."

Adam watched from the back of his mount, marveling at the fresh new
poise Diamond had acquired.  Just days ago she had threatened to shoot
Pearl if she set foot on her land.  Now, in front of the entire town,
she was acknowledging her, as well as Jade.  And from the looks of
things, she intended to welcome this latest stranger into her home, as
well.

He could tell by the white-knuckled way her hands gripped the reins
that she was seething inside.  But to her credit, she gage away none of
her feelings.

Ruby was helped into the saddle by half a dozen willing hands, all of
whom were rewarded by her sultry smile and purr of thanks.

Then, with Diamond in the lead, and Cal and Adam on either side of her,
the little party set off down the street, with most of the townspeople
watching in awestruck silence.

"I guess you'd like to visit-Pa's grave."

Diamond saw Cal and Adam glance at her in astonishment, but she kept
her gaze firmly on the trail ahead.  Right now She was weary of the
fight.  And wondering how many more surprises were in store for.  her.
The best thing for all involved would he to get this over with as
quickly as possible, and then send all Pas ... daughters packing.

"Oult is the sole reason for this arduous journey."  Ruby touched a
hand to her bosom.  Her fingers closed around the band of gold that,
nestled in the cleft between her breasts.  "My heart has be, en so
heavy since I read about Papa."

With her attention drawn to the' necklace Diamond said,

"I suppose that was a gift from PaT'

"Oui.  For my sixteenth birthday.  Papa said that it would remind me
that he would always be with me."

"He..."  Diamond swallowed the lump in her throat.  "He gave.a similar
gift to each of us."

Ruby slanted a look at the two young women in the carriage, who rode in
silence.  "I did not know of Pearl and Jade.  And I knew of you only
because of the newspaper account of Papa's death."

 r had kept.  "And what did you think when you read that he had a
daughter?"  Diamond asked.

Ruby's voice trembled with feeling.  "That you were the luckiest
daughter in the world.  For you had Papa all the time, while I had only
brief visits with him.  But no matter how scarce, our time together was
very precious."

How-she must hate me, Diamond thought miserably.  How they all must
hate me.  It was a shocking, sobering thought for someone who had
always been so secure in her father's love.

And then she saw something that shocked her even more.  In the pocket
of Ruby's gown was the glint of something silver.  Diamond kept her
gaze fastened on the spot.  At the horse's movements, the pocket opened
to reveal a small silver pistol.  Like the one Doc had said killed her
father.

Odd, she thbught, that all three of these women carded such weapons.
Maybe it wasn't only strangers she ought to fear.  Maybe her greatest
danger lay within the circle of her family.

She studied the barren, windswept hill that loomed before them.
Gathering her courage, she said, "This is where Pa is buried."

She and Ruby dismounted, and were joined by Pearl and Jade.  The four
climbed the hill and paused before the mound of earth.

Adam and Cal stood to one side, holding the reins of the horses,
allowing the women their privacy.

Ruby took in the simple grave, topped with earth and stones.

"I know it must seem primitive," Diamond began, "but it was Pa's
favorite plac.  ands"

"On the contrary."  Ruby spoke in hushed tones, as though in a house of
worship.  "I was afraid that Papa, being such a prominent man, would
have an ornam crypt

like those in my church.  They are empty, impersonal slabs of granite
and marble.  But this..."  She indicated the tokens of love.  Pearl's
scroll.  Jade's earthen jar of ashes.  The view of sky and mountain.
Her eyes filled.  "This is how I pictured Papa.  The ragged,
independent masr of all he veyed."  Though her voice was choked, She
managed to say, "This is truly a resting place worthy of Papa."

She dropped to her knees and folded her hands in prayer.  Tears rolled
down her cheeks, and she didn't bother to wipe them away.  As she wept,
she looked younger, more vulnerable, less self-assured, and far less
sophisticated.  She cried openly, allowing all her grief to pour from
her heart.

At last she removed from her pocket a gleaming gold medal, on which was
carved the faces of saints.  She kissed it, then pressed it into the
earth.

"Though you did not believe in our faith, Papa, you were very
respectful of it, out of consideration for Mama and me.  I have asked
these saints to.  guide you on your journey into that other world,
where I know you will find peace, and where you will be reunited with
Mama and all those you love,"

Her words sent a shiver along Diamond's spine.  She found herself
looking, really looking, at this young woman.  Not at the xluctive gown
or gaudy feathered hat.  Not at the painted lips and heavily rouged
cheeks.  But at her eyes, brimming with tears.  At her mouth, moving in
solemn prayer.  At the way her shoulders sagged as she gave in to her
wrenching, agonizing grief.

Diamond had been prepared to dislike Ruby.  In fact, she'd warned
desperately to dislike her, as she wanted to dislike Pearl and Jade.
But each time one of them revealed the depth of her grief, Diamond
found her heart betraying her.  It wasn't resentment she felt for these
three.  It was a s6rise of shared loss and heartache.  But that didn't
mean she felt any sort of familial attachment, she reminded her self,
These three were strangers, far different from her.  The only thing
that bound them was the Jewel name.

"Di, it's time to go," Cal called.  '

She nodded.  Reluctantly, the other three turned and followed her down
the hill.  As she mounted, she saw Ruby's tear-filled gaze return to
the mound of earth and stones.

On a wave of sympathy she found herself asking, "Have you someplace to
sleep tonight?"

"I ... did not think about such things.  In my desire to find Papa, I
gave no thought to.  where I would sleep, or if I would find food or
sheler at the end of my journey."

"There's room at the ranch if you'd like to join us."  Ruby smiled,
though her lips still trembled.  "Merci.  I would like to see Papa's
home.  He spoke of it with much love."

They rode some distance in silence.  When they reached the boundary
'between Adam's land and Diamond's, he reined in his mount.

But before he could take his leave, Diamond surprised him 'by saying,
"If you don't mind, Adam, I'd like you to see us home."

His eyes narrowed.  "Why?  You have Calhere."  "I...". She shot a
sideways glance at Cal, who had paused alongside the carriage to speak
to Pearl and Jade.  "I'd like to talk with you.  Alone."

He shrugged.  "All fight.  I guess I can spare the time."  The fide
seemed leisurely enough, with the horses setting a slow, steady pace in
order to allow the carriage to keep up.  But Adam sensed a tension in
Diamond, and found himself wondering just what she wanted to talk
about.  He prepared himself for another one of her famous
tongue-lashings.

When they arrived at the ranch house, Cookie and Car-melita were just
walking up the veranda together, carrying several plucked chickens.
Both looked up with a smile.  But

the smile faded on car melita lips when she caught sight of the
stranger.

- "I'll leave you now."  Cal addressed his words to Diamond, but fixed
his sight on the man beside her.  "I've got to ride over to the north
range."  He paused, then.  said meaningfully, "You'll stay close to the
house, Di?"

"Yes.  Of course."  Diamond dismissed him with a wave of her hand and
turned toward the others, eager to get these last introductions over
with.

"Carmelita, Cookie, I'd like you to meet Ruby--" She paused, then
continued in one quick bnffath, hoping to get through this with as few
explanations as necessary "--Ruby Jewel.  Ruby came all the way from
New Orleans when she read about Pa.  Ruby, this is Carmelira, our
housekeeper, and Cookie, our ranch cook."

"Miss Ruby," Cookie said over the stump of a pipe in his mouth.  "Nice
to make your acquaintance.  Fine little town, New Orleans," he added.
"Just full of lovely ladies.  Though not many of them as pretty as
you."

The young woman smiled at his attempt to put her at ease.

"I will have a meal ready soon," car melita said, keeping a firm grip
on the chickens' legs with one hand while she wiped the other on her
apron.  "Senorita Ruby, you will want to come inside and rest after
your long journey."

"Oui.  I would be grateful for a basin of water' and a chance to
refresh myself."

"Ruby will be spending the night, Carmelita.  You can get a room ready
for her."  Diamond turned to the newcomer, "Pearl and Jade can show you
around the house while I unsaddle my horse and take care of some...
unfinished business with Adam."

Adam slid from the saddle and helped Ruby dismount.  Then he offered a
hand to Jade and Pearl before leading the horses toward the barn.

 walked ahead, leading her mare.  Once inside she unsaddled quickly,
then began to unhitch the horses from the carriage.  She worked
quickly, efficiently, deep in thought.

Adam worked alongside her, respecting her need for silence.

When the chores were done she crossed her arms over her chest and began
to pace.

Adam lounged against a stall, watching and waiting.-Sooner or later, he
knew, she'd get to their ... unfinished business..

"When is this nightmare going to end?"  she muttered.  "How many more
surprises has Pa got in store for me?  It's gotten so that I hate to
fide into town."

"You can't let a few town gossips get you down."  She looked up.  "Do
you think I care what those fools say?"  She shook her head and
continued pacing.  "Let them laugh.  Let them all laugh.  What d0I
care?  I've never lived my life to please the people of Hanging Tree.
But I do care about Pa's reputation.  I don't like the thought of the
Whole territory of Texas smirking at the meritJori of his name.  From
now on, I'll be afraid every time the stage pulls up, or a new carnage
rolls into town, wondering if it's another of Pa's surprises.  This
could go on for months.  Years.  And there's nothing I can do about it.
Nothing."

She turned, her eyes glittering with repressed fury.  Suddenly she
focused on Adam.  "But there is something I can do about you."

"I figured that sooner or later you'd get to the reason you asked me
here."

"Jade said that the fight you and Cal had last night was over me."

She saw the flash of surprise, followed by a sudden darkness that came
into his eyes ....... "Jade says that Cal was only trying to protect
me.  In a fatherly way, of course."

"Is that so?"  He gave her a dangerous smile.  "What else did Jade
say?"

"That your intentions are not at all fatlrly."  His smile faded.  He
went very still, and she had the impression of a predator watching his
prey.

"Damn it, Adam, say something."  Without thinking, she grabbed his arm
and jabbed a finger to his chest.  "Is Jade fight?  Am I the reason you
and Cal were fighting?"

He struggled to ignore her touch.  "Is that the reason you brought me
here?  To satisfy some feminine need for compliments?"

She was outraged.  "Is that what you think?  That I'm just looking for
some words of praise?"  "Well, aren't you?"
"Damn you."

She started to turn away, but he caught her by the shoulder and hauled
her back.

Before she could react he.  caught hold of her other shoulder as well,
nearly lifting her off her feet as he pinned her against the length of
him.

"Would you care to tell me what else Jade said about last night's
fight?"

"Only that..."  Startled, and a little afraid, she ran the tip of her
tongue over lips that had suddenly gone dry.  The fact that he watched
the movement through narrowed eyes only enhanced her fear.  "That you
wanted to establish your... territory."

His eyes darkened with a dangerous glint.  His grasp tightened
perceptibly on her shoulders as he drew her closer.  He swore, softly
and fiercely.  "Jade was fight."  His voice was low and rough with
feeling.

Diamond's heart began a wild flutter in her chest until she thought it
would surely burst.  This wasn't at all what

she'd expected.  She'd anticipated angry denial.  Or a calm but heated
explanation.  But now she felt even more confused.  And strangely
elated.

With his mouth almost on hers, he paused, as though considering the
consequences.

In that moment, she had a desperate need to taste his lips.  More than
anything in the world, she wanted his kiss.  She raised herself on
tiptoe, to claim what she.  desired.

A sigh seemed to well up from deep inside him.  And with it, he gave up
the fight.  His mouth covered hers in a savage kiss.

A razors edge of excitement sliced through her.  She could feel his
thighs pressed to hers, and his sudden, shocking arousal.  She could
feel the strength in the arms that held her.  He could break her with
no effort.  And yet she sensed that he was holding back, as though
aware of that very strength.  It was comforting.  And deeply erotic.

Roughly, almost savagely, he took the kiss deeper.  Caught up in a
blaze of passion, he forgot to be gentle His kisses became more urgent,
more demanding.  Diamond found herself caught up in something more than
she'd expected.  This was no ordinary kiss, like theJ ones they'd
shared before.  This time, they were rushing headlong into something
neither of them could control.

"Oh, God, Diamond," he breathed against her mouth.  His fingers moved
up her back and she felt splinters of fire and ice along her apine.
"Tve tried to deny it.  Tried to tell myself that this was all wrong."
He drew her even closer, until she could feel the thundering of his
heartbeat inside her own chest It matched the wild rhythm of her own.

He nibbled her lips until, on a sigh, they 'parted.  His tongue
explored her mouth, then withdrew, inviting hers to do the same.  She
was hesitant at first, then grew bolder as she reveled in the dark,
mysterious taste of him.

His kisses were by turn fierce, then gentle.  His mouth

was bruising, then soft.  His hands, too, gripped her fiercely one
moment, then gentled, as he pulled himself back again and again from
the brink.

He gave her no time to think as he took her on a wild, breathless ride,
to the top of a mountain leak, then sent her plunging headlong into a
bottomless canyon.  With a wild rush of sensations, she followed where
he led, clinging to him as her whole world seemed to tilt
dangerously.

Lost in the wonder of their kisses, they dropped to their knees in the
hay.

"I've been lying to myself.  And to you.  I want you Diamond."  His
voice was thick with desire.  He nibbled at the corner of her mouth,
then trailed openmouthed kisses along the sensitive column of, her
throat.  "I want you as I've never wanted anyone."

Thrilling to his words, Diamond moved in his arms, loving the feel of
his lips on her flesh.  She arched her neck, giving him easier access.
He ran his tongue along the line of her collarbone until, with soft
sighs and breathless whispers, her hand fisted in his hair.

"I never knew," she admitted.  "I never even dreamed..."

He chuckled at her confusion.  "Do you now long I've.

been fighting these feelings?"

She shook her head.

"Since the first time I saw you."

She shivered as his fingers fumbled impatiently with the buttons of her
shirt.  He shoved it roughly aside and bent his lips to the soft swell
of her breast, covered by a pale chemise.  Heedless of the delicate
fabric, he began nibbling, suckling, until her nipples hardened and she
moaned softly.

He drew her down in the hay and lay beside her.  "The thought of you is
driving me mad," he muttered as his hands followed the path of his lips
and he untied the ribbons of her chemise to tear aside the last
barrier.

The feel of his callused hands against her soft flesh was more
wonderful than anything she'd ever known.  No man had ever touched her
like this.  Kissed her like this.  And, she knew, no other man ever
would.

"Do you know what I do when I can't sleep?"  he murmured against her
throat.  "I lie awake and think about a hundred different ways I'm
going to make love with you."  He plunged his hands into the tangles of
her hair and plundered her mouth with savage kisses.

She'd faced snowstorms, avalanches and a thundering herd of cattle."
But never before had she been caught up in something so wild, so
primitive, she could no longer think.  All she could do now was feel.
"Adam..."  she murmured.

"Shh."  He silenced her protest with a deep, lingering kiss that had
her heart racing, her head swimming.

He reached hand to the fasteners at her waist.  Through a haze of
throbbing needs he whispered, "Tell me you want this, Diamond."

Her head was spinning, her pulse hammering.  A part of her was begging
him to go on holding her, kissing her, stroking her.  Another part of
her was terrified.

"I'm afraid," she managed to whisper over the fear that clogged her
throat.

He lifted his head.  "Afraid?  Of me?"

How could she make him understand her fears?  Of losing control.  Of
being taken over by needs so demanding, they left her stunned and
reeling.

"Of me.  Of this."  She turned her head, ashamed to have.  him see this
weakness.  "It's all happened so fast.  I don't know ... what's right
anymore.  I don't know what to do.  Oh, I wish ... l wish... Help me,
Adam."

For long moments he studied her.  How could he have forgotten how
sheltered her life had been?  It was true that she was a woman.  But
she was still clinging to yesterday,

and the girl she had been when her father had been alive to shield her
and make her decisions.

He felt her tremble and drew her into his arms with great tenderness.
He held her against his chest, rocking her like'

a child.  Suppressing his own needs, he stroked her had?  her back,
until the trembling subsided.  :

"Come on, Diamond."  He helped her to her feet and gently tied the
ribbons of her chemise, then buttoned her shirt.

With each touch of her, the need was still there, raw and desperate,
demanding release.  But he managed to hold it at bay as he said, "You'd
better go inside now.  It's time you got to know Ruby."

"Come with me, Adam.  It'll be easier with you there.  You can talk to
her, and I can just sit back and listen."

He shook his head.  "It's time for me to head back to my place.
There's'work to be done.  Besides, this is your business.  You have to
See to it."

He took a step back, and then another, feeling a sense of loss and pain
as he peeled himself away.

"When will I see you again?"

He caught the reins of' his stallion and pulled himself into the
saddle.  "Don't worry.  I'll be around."

He rode away without looking back.  It was the only way he could leave.
If he chanced even one look, he'd never find the strength to ride out
of here.  Because the tmlh was, he still wanted her.  Wanted her with a
desperation he'd never known before.  And there would be no relief for
the raw, churning needs that clawed at him, fighting to be free.

So much for unfinished business, he thought.  It was just one more
thing that lay between them like a gaping chasm.  Daring them to cross.
Threateiing to devour them if they did.  Threatening to destroy them if
they didn't.

Chapter Fifteen

"Your home is lovely, ctufrie," Ruby said as she sank into a chair by
the fire.

Diamond had to drag her thoughts away from Adam.  All afternoon she had
been subdued, while the others laughed and chatted.  But though she'd
been distracted, she had managed to' digest bits and pieces of their
conversation.

Ruby's life had proved to be as intriguing as the others'.  Her mother
had apparently been an earthy, passionate Creole, who was not above
certain ... indiscretions, such as stealing, lying or cheating to
survive.  Then she had met the charismatic Onyx Jewel.  And her life
had been forever changed.  He had bought her a fashionable home, and
had seen to it that she and Ruby lived a comfortable life.  Still,
Diamond sensed, there was a great deal of her mother in Ruby.  She was
a. strong, capable woman who would do whatever was necessary to
survive.

"Pa and I didn't care much about the house.  Our only concern was the
operation of the ranch."

"You speak of the ranch as one would speak of a lover."  Ruby's gaze
sought the distant mountain peaks, already cloaked in twilight.

Diamond straggled to ignore the trickle of ice along her

spine.  "I wouldn't know much about that.  Tell me about ... your life
with Pa

"He was so handsome and charming, all other men paled by comparison,"
Ruby said matter-of-factly.

"That's true," Pearl said with.  suddgn animation,.  "I doubt there
will ever be another man who can hold a candle to Daddy.  I remember
the time he took me to the circus."

She described, in vivid detail, her adventure with her father.

Almost at once, Jade jumped in with a story about her days in San
Francisco with her father.

And then it was Ruby's turn again.

Diamond settled back, seeing her father through the eyes of these
strangers.  And then she was suddenly reminded of what Adam had said to
her.  Hadn't he told her that she could learn much about her father
from these women?

Late into the night she allowed their stories to flow over her, seeing
her father in a way she never had before.  He had been much more than a
Texas cattleman.  He had been a world adventurer.  A man of many moods.
And many passions.

And when the fire had burned low, and they made their way to bed,
Diamond realized that their stories had soothed some of the pain, and
eased a little of her burden.  But that was Pa.

What was she going to do about Adam?

"Another tour of the ranch, Di?"  Cal gulped down his coffee and picked
up his hat.  "There can't be much left to

See.  '

The foreman was worried about Diamond.  It wasn't enough to lose her
father.  But he could see that the intrusion of all these females, and
the attacks by a mysterious gunman, were beginning to take their toll.
There were dark

circles under her eyes.  And her temper was on a short fuse.  Even
shorter than usual.

In the past few days, from dawn to dark, she had driven herself to the
limit.  She filled the hours with tours of the ranch, forcing Pearl,
Jade and Ruby to endure far more discomfort-than they would have
wanted.  With over a dozen.  wranglers to accompany them, they'd ridden
over miles of rugged hills and rocky valleys.  They'd viewed vast herds
of cattle, and had visited a line camp.  They had even spent one
afternoon on the east range, eating from Cookie's chuck wagon with the
cowboys.

Several times Diamond had spotted Adam in the distance.  Each time, her
heart had leaped to her throat, leaving her feeling as though she'd
just run a race with a mustang.  But each time he'd spotted her and her
party, he'd turned his mount in the opposite direction, as though
determined to avoid her.  '

The firs to time it happened, she thought it might be a coincidence.
But after the second and third times, she knew it was deliberate.

If being forced to view Adam from afar was painful, rejection was pure
torture.  It seemed that her heart was always either soaring or
breaking.  "The strain was becoming too much to bear.  She knew when
she refused his advances that she might drive him away.  But somehow,
in the deepest recesses of her heart, she'd hoped he would give her
time.  Instead, he'd given up on her.

In an effort to erase his image from her mind and heart, she decided to
stay as busy as possible.  Hard, physical work had always been the
solution to her problems.  And so she plunged herself into ranch chores
with a vengeance, hauling food and water, even mucking stalls alongside
the wranglers, to keep from dwelling on Adam.

The days were tolerable, since she left herself little time to think.
But the nights offered her no relief.  Instead of

sleep, she'd been plagued with images of Adam touching her, stroking
her, kissing her, until she thought she'd go mad with the need for
him.

Still, she had to keep running.  She was afraid of what might happen if
she stopped............ "There's so much the others haven't seen,"
Diamond protested.

"It would take months to see everything," Cal countered.  "And then
you'd probably miss half of it."

"That's just the point.  No matter how much I show them, there's so
much more they'll never see."

"I had no idea Father's holdings were so complicated," Jade said
softly, interrupting their latest argument.  "It is simply not possible
to comprehend anything this big, until it is seen with the eye."

The others nodded their heads in agreement.

"When I was living in Boston and Daddy spoke about his ranch in Texas,
I had no idea what he meant," Pearl mused aloud.

"Nor I, Chrie."  Ruby laughed softly.  "I think the entire city of New
Orleans and the Louisiana bayou country could be swallowed up in these
Texas hills."

"It's settled, then?"  Diamond asked as she glanced from one to the
other.  "You're not tired of seeing the ranch?"

"I, for one," Pearl said sincerely, "would never' tire of such
breathtaking scenery."

With a sigh of resignation, Cal headed for the door.  "I'll see which
wranglers I can spare."

"Cal."  Following him out the door, Diamond kept her voice low, so the
others wouldn't hear.  "It's been days now, and' there hasn't been a
single incident.  Maybe the gunman has left."

"And maybe hem hasn Cal said grimly.

"But I feel so guilty taking men away from necessary

chores.  I know you can't spare them.  Why don't you just send one or
two wranglers along with us?"

"Because," he said as patiently as if he were dealing with a child,
"I'd rather send too many than too few.  Look, Di," he said, catching
her arm when she started to turn away in disgust, "the men aren't being
wasted.  I figure the reason there hasn't been another attack is
because the gunman sees that the odds' are against him.  He might be
willing to attack a couple of females, but he isn't going to plow into
an army of men.  Now, as long as you want to give your--" he caught
himself in time, before he'd spoken the' dreaded word sisters, and
amended "--ladies another tour of the ranch, we can spare as many
cowboys as you need."

Diamond smiled and touched a hand to Cal's cheek.  Though he was
younger.  than her father by a good ten years, there were times when
she could swear he spoke with Onyx's voice.  "Thanks, Cal.  I
appreciate it.  And I won't forget this."

Stunned by her unexpected gesture and more than a little pleased at the
softening of her nature, he turned and watched as she returned to the
house.  Could it be that the ways of all these feminine creatures
around her were rubbing off on her?  If so, he hoped they'd stay a
while longer.  They were' definitely good for Diamond.

He jammed his hat on his head and were in search of his best marksmen.
Adam Winter-would never again be able to accuse him of being careless
about Diamond's safety.

It galled him to know that, even though Adam Winter wasfi't here, his
words had had a direct bearing on the decisions being made on this
ranch.  Cal hoped Adam's absence thege past few days meant that Diamond
had finally come to her senses and ordered him to stay off her and for
good.

Adam knelt and studied what was left of the carcass of a bull.  He'd
pinned his hopes on this carefully bred stud,

hoping to build a prize herd.  The animal had set him back a small
fortune.  Had he lived, he'd have been worth every dollar.

It was unusual for wolves to attack such a ferocious creature, even
when desperate.  True, the wather had turned colder, with snow in the
hills.  Still, wolf packs usually searched out a more vulnerable cow,
rather than risk being gored by a bull's horns.

The nighttime visit by nature's scavengers had left a bloodied mess.
Mangled hide.  Missing bones.  The prints of wolf, coyote, fox, even
vultures, mingled in the snow.

With a sigh of disgust, Adam started to rise.  Just then he caught a
glimpse of something shiny in the nearby brush.  Sweeping aside a few
branches, he stooped and picked up a spent bullet.  He studied it for
long minutes, then dropped it into his pocket.

Man was the only predator in these parts.  that fired a gun.  Now all
Adam needed to do was to figure out which man had fired this one.  And
why.

"You're awfully quiet," Pearl said over supper.  Diamond had pushed
herself and the others all day, deliberately leading them toward the
boundary between her land and Adam's in the hope of seeing him, even if
from a distance.  But the little cabin had shown no sign of life.  She
realized miserably that Zeb and Adam were probably with their herd on
the banks of Poison Creek.

"I am certain it is the visit to Father's grave today," Jade said in
her lovely, musical voice.  "It affects us all in very strange ways."

Ruby nodded.  "I feel ... drained."

"And I feel tranquil," Jade said emphatically.  "Father is at peace.
And Father succeeded, in death, to bring us all together."

 f sympathy and support.  "It must be especially difficult for you
here in the home you shared with Daddy."

Diamond nodded, afraid to trust her voice.  What a coward she was, she
berated herself.  She was actually allowing them to believe that Pa's
death was the only reason for her discomfort.  When all along it was
also... Oh, Adam.  What am I to do about you?  I miss you so.  I can't
stop thinking about you.  Could this feeling possibly be ... love?  The
thought hit her with all the force of a thundering herd.  Oh," sweet
heaven.  Not love.

"This will soothe you" Carmelita said, setting down a platter of
tortillas filled with a chicken mixture.  The fragrant aroma of rich
spices filled the air.

Relieved that it wasn't another of Pearl's bland dishes, Diamond heap.d
her plate before passing the platter to Ruby, who followed suit.  Even
Jade seemed to enjoy the highly seasoned food.  Pearl was the only one
who merely picked at her meal while the others dug in,

"It is a shame Senor Winter has not come around to enjoy our fine
food," Carmelita remarked.

At once' Diamond cheeks warmed.  Carmelita took no notice, but the
others did.

"I enjoy cooking for him" Carmelita continued as she moved around the
kitchen.  "Almost as much as I loved cooking for Senor Jewel."

"We could invite him for supper," Pearl said, watching Diamond's
reaction.

Jade, seeing the way Diamond's color deepened, nodded in agreement. So,
she had surmised correctly.  Diamond wasn't as immune to Adam Winter as
she pretended.  "I quite agree.  Adam is most pleasant company, is he
not, Diamond?"

"I ... hadn't noticed."  Diamond was beginning to feel

smothered by all these women and their attempts at kindness.  Ever
since their arrival she'd had to listen to their chatter, their
laughter, their tales about their lives before arriving here in Texas

"Would you like to ask Senor Winterumo dinner?"  Car-melita
persisted.

"Not tonight."-Diamond squirmed under the housekeeper's scrutiny.

"And why not?"  Carmelita asked.

'"Because..."  Diamond's mind raced.  She couldn't bear to face him so
soon after... "Because of Ruby," she said.  "I think she deserves a
little of our time."

Ruby gave a wide smile, pleased at such generosity.  "That is sweet,
chrie.  I have very much enjoyed getting to know all of you.  I think
we have much more in common than just Papa."

"There, you see."  Diamond shoved aside her plate.  Even Carmelita's
spiced chicken couldn't hold her interest.  It was another reason to
resent.  Adam Winter.  He was spoiling her appetite.

Oh, if only it were that simple.  But the truth was, she couldn't find
it in her heart to resent him.  All she could do was want him.  And
berate herself for such a silly, feminine weakness.  If this was love,
she wanted no part of it.  She had never felt so miserable in her whole
life.

"Oh, Diamond.  You startled me.  I thought everyone was asleep."

Pearl, dressed in a prim nightshift and robe, paused at the foot of the
stairs.

Diamond was wrapped in a faded army blanket, seated in her father's
favorite chair pulled in frOnt of the fire.

Pearl walked closer, lifting her lantern for a better view.  "Can't
sleep?"

"No."

"Neither can I. Do you mind if I join you?"

Diamond shrugged.  "I'm afraid I won't be very good company."  She
looked up.  "What brought you downstairs?"

"I thought I'd warm some milk.  Mama used to give me warm milk whenever
I couldn't sleep.  Would you like some?"

Diamond couldn't manage to work up much enthusiasm.  "I suppose."

Pearl padded away and returned a few minutes later with two glasses of
warm milk.  One sip, and Diamond wanted to set it aside.  "But she
couldn't bear to hurt Pearl's feelings, so she drank it down in long
swallows, before wiping her mouth on her sleeve.

"Thanks, Pearl.  That was ... that was real nice."

They both looked up as a delicate figure seemed to glide down the
stairs: Jade, wearing a flowing silk robe, hesitated when she caught
sight of the two.

"Please forgive," she whispered, folding her hands together.  "I did
not mean to intrude."

"Come and join us," Pearl called.  "Diamond and I had trouble
sleeping."

"As I did," the young woman said with a smile.  "I was going to make
myself a cup of tea.  Would you have some with me?"

They both nodded, and she left, Only to return a short time later with
a tray of steaming cups.  The three women sipped in silence.  "Is that
not soothing?"  Jade asked.  "Umm.  Yes," Pearl replied.

Diamond said nothing, but she drained the cup so that she wouldn't hurt
Jade's feelings.  And all the while, her misery grew.  This longing for
something she didn't understand and couldn't even name was driving her
to distraction.

Within minutes a third figure descended the stairs.  Ruby, wearing a
Scarlet velvet dressing gown and matching feather-trimmed slippers,
paused when she caught sight of the others.

"Is this a party?"  she asked, taking in he empty glasses and cups.

"We couldn't sleep," Pearl explained.

"Ah.  Nor can I."  She swept closer.

"We've tried warm milk and hot tea," Pearl said.  "Have' you a home
remedy?"

"Oui."  Ruby's glance swept the room and came to rest on the crystal
decanter and glasses on a shelf in a cabinet.  "Mama used to say that a
glass 'of sherry was soothing nectar of the gods."

She filled four tumblers with ruby liquid and passed them around.

"Oh, my," Pearl said, feeling positively wicked.  "The my time we ever
drank spirits was when Daddy came to town."

"At the Golden Dragon, we saved the wine and whiskey for the patrons,"
Jade said.  softly.  "The use of spirits was frowned upon by my mother.
The women who worked for us were forbidden to indulge.  Mother said it
weakened the will of a woman and strengthened the resolve of a man."

"It wouldn't take much to weaken my resolve," Ruby said with a laugh as
she sank down on the sofa be sid Pearl and Jade.  She glanced at
Diamond.  '"You look very sad, chdrie.  Is there something we can do to
help you?"

Diamond shook her head and took a sip of the wine.  It was as smooth as
the milk, cooler than the tea.  And soothing.  Definitely soothing.
Unaccustomed to it, she drained the glass in one long gulp.

"Wine should be sipped," Ruby admonished as she picked up the decanter
and refilled Diamond's glass.

"I'll remember."  Diamond drank only half, then turned

to stare into the glowing embers of the fire.  "Have any of you ever
had occasion to ... kiss a man?"  Now where had those words come from?
She had no way of knowing.  She only knew that the question had slipped
unbidden from her lips.

The three young women glanced at one another, then turned to study
her.

"Is that what troubles you chdrie ?"  Ruby asked.  "Kissing a man?"

"Of course not."  Embarrassed, Diamond emptied the glass and set it
aside with a clatter.  "I just wondered..."

"I once kissed Jeremy Peters," Pearl admitted shyly.

"He was thirteen, and the handsomest boy in Boston."  "How old were
you?"  Ruby asked.  "Twelve."

"That doesp't count, chdrie."  Ruby filled Diamond's glass a third
time.  "Diamond is talking about kissing a man, not a boy."

"I suppose you'd know all about that," Pearl said with a trace' of
disapproval.

"As a matter of fact, I would not," Ruby admitted wryly.  "I have
learned many things.  How to steal.  How to cheat.  How to attract a
man's attention.  But Mama warned me that if I were to play with a
man's affections, I could find myself drowning in a bog of
quicksand."

"That's ... that's how I feel," Diamond said, suddenly getting to her
feet.  She felt as if she'd been prodded with a pitchfork.  She began
to pace while the others stared at her in surprise.  "I'm not
slow-witted.  Pa always said I had a quick mind.  That I could do
anything'I put my mind to.  But this time..  " She shook her head and
continued pacing.  "This time I just don't see a solution."

"Perhaps if you explained," Pearl began.

But Diamond wasn't listening.  She had a need to talk.

She found the words slipping off her tongue before she even had time
to think.

"I certainly don't need a man.  Never had any use for one.  And if I
were to choose one, it wouldn' the one who didn't want to put down
roots here in Texas?"  '

The other three nodded and wisely 'kepi silent, tryin t follow her line
of reasoning.

"He's bossy and arrogant and ... secretive.  Why, I don't know a thing
about him, except that he once owned a farm in Maryland."

"Maryland?  Oh.  Adam Winter," Pearl said as understanding dawned.

Diamond took no notice as she crossed her arms over her chest and
paused to stare into the embers.  "One minute he's in the barn, wanting
t(y--" She caught herself in time, and glanced over to see the three
women watching her in-ten fly Pearl appeared scandalized.  Jade was
merely looking smug, as though she'd always known.  And Ruby was
grinning from ear to ear, eager to hear every juicy detail.  "And then
I don't see him again for days And I knowm" her voice dropped to a
whisper, and she suddenly slumped in defeat "mbe's avoiding me."

"Oh, dear."  Pearl was on her feet first, clasping Diamond's hands in
hers.

Jade followed, and dropped an arm around Diamond's shoulders.  "Do not
despair."  '

Ruby pressed her cheek to Diamond's.  "Jade is right, ctMrie.  All is
not yet lost."

They led Diamond to her chair.  When she sat down, they gathered around
her, kneeling at her feet.

"Do you love Adam Winter?"  Jade asked softly.  "Certainly not."
Diamond was indignant' at the question.

"If you think you are losing sleep over a man you hate," Ruby said,
"you are only fooling yourself, chdrie."

"Pa raised me to believe that I had to reach for lofty

goals," Diamond said in defense.  "And Adam Winter is a loner, a
drifter, a..."

"A gentleman," Pearl said emphatically.  "From the first time I met
him, I sensed that he was a true gentleman."

"He doesn't kis--he's no gentleman," Diamond said firmly.

"Putting that aside for the moment," Jade persisted, "do you wish to
see Adam Winter again?"

Diamond shrugged.  "I suppose so.  But just to let him know there are
no hard feelings about--" she felt her cheeks burning "---what happened
in the barn."

"What exactly did happen in the barn?"  Ruby asked boldly.

"He ... we ... kissed.  And then I ... told him to stop."  Pearl gave a
sigh of relief.  "That's good."

"But I'm npt sure I meant it," Diamond admitted.  "That is not so
good," Jade said softly.  The oers clucked in agreemenE

"This is all so romantiC," Ruby said with a sigh.  Jade nodded.  "You
must see Adam Winter again."  "How?"  Diamond asked miserably.  "Cal
won't let me out of his sight without a dozen wranglers around me.  And
Adam turns the other way whenever he sees me anywhere

The three fell silent.

"Food," Jade said firmly.  "Mother taught me that good food, fine
spirits and lovely women, offered in an exquisite setting, are
irresistible to a man."

The others merely stared at her.  Then Pearl nodded.  "He likes
Carmelita's cooking.  He'd come for supper, I think."

"But you can't be alone with him," Ruby added.  When the others glanced
at her, she explained, "In the bayou a young lady and a gentleman are
not allowed to be alone until they are wed."

 r voice trail off.

"By now you must realize that Papa did not live by the rules of other
men.  Nor, it would seem, did our mothers."

Diamond rubbed her temples.  Her he'd Was spinning, and she found it
difficult to follow a simple train of thought.

She yawned loudly.  "He won't come.  Even for Carmelita's cooking. I've
driven him away.  Now I have to learn to live with that and get on with
my life.  Without Adam."  The very Words brought a fresh pain to her
heart.

She got to her feet and waited a moment until the diz-zyness stilled.
Then, surprising herself, she bent a kiss to each girl's cheek.  "I
never had ... anyone to talk with until now.  You've all been very kind
and sweet, even if you can't help.  Thank you."

They watched as she made her way slowly up the stairs, her hand firmly
gripping the banister to keep from stumbling.

When they heard her door close, the three young women leaned close and
engaged in a whispered, highly animated conversation.

Chapter Sixteen

Senor Winter has accepted your invitation to dinner," Carmelita
announced as Diamond walked into the kitchen.

The sun had' been up for hours, and Diamond had just now been able to
pull herself together.  She couldn't recall ever having slept this
late.

She gripped the edge of the tablel'My invi--?  I don't understand.
When?  How.,.?"  Stunned, she wasn't able to gather her wits about her.
All She had were questions.  TOO many questions.

It was the wine, she knew.  She would never touch a drop again.

"The three lovely seoritas asked Cal to ride over to Senor Winter's
ranch this morning with the invitation.  Senor Winter sent his
immediate reply."

With a little moan DiamOnd shoved aside the corn bread and coffee, and
turned her head away from the sunlight streaming through the window,
burning her eyes.

"Where are the--" her tone hardened " lovely segoritas?"  She couldn't
walt to give them a piece of her mind.

"they- rode to town with Cal and several of the wranglers They should
d heading toward the door.  "Where are you going?"

"Out to the barn.  I need to work off some of my temper.

Before I do something I might regret."  Like send three busybodies
packing, she thought mise rabi

How could they have done such a thing without asking her?

She skidded to a halt.  Or had they?"

She wasn't at all certain just what she'd said last night.  She
remembered talking about Adam and the barn .... Her face flamed.  How
could she have made such a blunder?  In the cold light of day it was
inconceivable that she would reveal such an intimate secret.  But last
night, after several glasses of wine, it had seemed the most natural
thing in the world to confide in her three sis-She clamped a hand to
her mouth.  What in the world was happening to her?  Next she'd start
to believe they could all be one big happy family, and that she could
talk to them the way she'd always talked to Pa.

She stalked into the barn.  Snatching up a pitchfork, she walked to the
first stall and set to work with a vengeance.

Pa used to say that there was nothing like being knee-deep in horse
manure to clear the mind and sort through all life's puzzles.  ,

"Diamond.  Here you are.  Phew."  Pearl held her nose and stepped
carefully through the straw.  "Come out of that stall and see what
we've brought you."

"A noose to hang myself?."  Diamond was feeling mean.  And the hard,
strenuous chores hadn't helped to work it, off.

"Don't be silly.  Come on inside.  The others are waiting to show you
what we bought in town."

"I'm not interested."

"Carmclita said to tell you she made your favorite lunch.  Tortillas
and beef.  With extra spices."

Diamond's mouth watered.  She'd managed to work up an appetite.
Besides, though she would never admit it, she was a little curious to
know why they'd gone to town.  "I guess I could manage to eat a
little."

She followed Pearl from the barn and paused outside the kitchen door to
pry off her dung-covered boots.

Inside, the others looked up from the table, where they were admiring
an assortment of feminine frills.

"Look what we bought for you" Pearl announced as Jade held up h gown of
shimmering white satin shot with silver thread.

"It was the finest gown we could find in a town the size of Hanging
Tree," Jade explained.  "Though we are not certain of the size, we will
have time to tailor it to fit you by tonight.  And we bought you dainty
underthings to wear with it."

Pearl held up a beautifully embroidered camisole threaded with silver
ribbons, and a delicate lace petticoat.

"Me?  You expect me to wear ... those?"  Diamond's eyes widened.

"But of course, ctffrie."  Ruby's gaze roamed Diamond from head to toe.
"But first, you must bathe."

"The creek is too cold" Diamond began.  "There's probably a layer of
ice---"

Ruby stopped her with a wave of the hand.  "You will bathe here in the
kitchen, so that we can see that every trace of manure has been removed
before these lovely things touch our skin.  Also, we will want to wash
and perfume your hair."

"Perfume my hair?  I won't--"

"Ah, but you must, chdrie," Ruby said with a laugh.

"And why must I?"  Diamond stood with her hands on her hips, her chin
jutting like a boxer's.

"Because, cherie, what we issued was not merely an invitation to "Adam
Winter to dinner."

"It wasn't?"  She blinked, confused.

Ruby smiled and shook her head.  "What we issued, on your behalf, was a
challenge.  And Ada Winter, being a man, has acknowledged that
challenge.  'd accepted it."

A slow, lazy smile touched Diamond's lips.  Nothing pleased her more
than the thought of a challenge.  Especially one involving Adam.

What she didn't realize was that the others could read her like an open
book.  And knowing her feelings, had taken advantage of them.

She turned to Carmelita.  "Pearl said you've made tortillas and spicy
beef.  I hope it's ready.  I'm starving."  In fact, she was ravenous.
And eager to gird for bat He

Concealing her laughter behind her apron, the housekeeper served their
lunch, then filled every bucket and ket-He with water and placed them
on the stove.  By the time they had finished eating, the kitchen had
grown steamy, and the tub was filled with warm water.

"It's time to strip," Pearl announced.

"I will."  Diamond cleaned her plate.  "As soon as all of you leave."

"We are not going anywhere, chdrie," Ruby said.  "We are here to help
you."

"I've managed to take a bath by myself since I was able -to' walk

"Perhaps," Jade said in easy agreement.  "But you have never had a bath
like this one."

She and.carmelita spread several linen squares on the floor around the
tub.  When Diamond had stripped off her clothes, she stepped into the
tub and sank into the warm water with a sigh.

Jade handed her a cake of fragrant, lilac-scented soap and ordered her
to scrub.  She breathed deeply as she rubbed

the soap over her skin.  She hated to admit it, but this was just
about the most pleasant bath she'd ever experienced.

When her skin was scrubbed clean, Ruby demanded that she duck beneath
the water to wet her long hair: Diamond came up sputtering, and Ruby
and Pearl proceeded to soap and rinse every strand until it gleamed.

At last Diamond stepped from the tub, dripping water on the towels.
Carmelitaopened up a clean linen that had been warming by the stove and
Diamond snuggled into it.  "How do you feel, chdrie?"  Ruby asked.

"Delicious.  Like some sort of princess in a storybook."  "But the
story has' just begun," Pearl said with a'smile.

"Now we will go upstairs," Jade commanded.  "And see what magic we can
conjure."

Magic.  That's what it.  was, Diamond thought as she sat in front of a
l[oking glass while the three women fussed over her.  Her skin was
oiled and perfumed until it was as soft as a baby's.

Her fiery hair, which was long enough to sit on, was combed and brushed
and blotted with towels.  But no amount of brushing could manage the
wild jumble of corkscrew curls that tumbled down her back.

"We should pin it up," Pearl suggested, lifting the heavy mass and
studying Diamond's reflection in the mirror.

"Too severe," the others decided, shaking their heads.

"We should twist it into a crown."  Jade fashioned a coronet of curls
atop Diamond's head.

"Too regal," the others said, rejecting that as well.  "We will pull it
over to one side."  Ruby tied the hair with silver ribbons, allowing it
to spill across one breast in a tangle of curls.

"Perfect," they agreed, ignoring Diamond's protest.  "Now the
undergarments," Jade commanded.  Removing the towel, Ruby studied the
slender figure

with a critical eye.  "With a body like that, there is no need for a
corset."

"How scandalous," Pearl huffed.

But Ruby prevailed.

Diamond gave a sigh of relief, grateful for small fagors.

She was helped into the chemise and pettY oat

"Where are my boots?"  she asked.

"We bought these instead," Pearl announced.

Diamond slid her feet into white kid slippers and stood, wiggling her
toes.  Everything felt so soft against her skin.

Next came the gown.  It took all three women to lift it over er head,
and a great deal of wriggling on Diamond's part.  After the row of
glittering crystal buttons had been' fastened and the long full skirts
smoothed down, the three stood back to examine her.

"It is perfect," Jade pronounced.  "Except for the waist.  It is too
big."  She tied a 'shiny silver sash around Diamond's middle; to hide
the excess fabric.

"The-neck is too low," Diamond protested.  "TII catch my death."

"It is just right, chdrie" Ruby insisted.  "But it needs jewelry."

Diamond retrieved her necklace from her dresser and held it up.  Pearl
fastened it about her neck then studied her reflection in the mirror.

The simple gold rope, with its glittering diamond d. nd jet black onyx,
gleamed against her throat.

"Oh, my," was all Pearl could manage.

"You are.  quite something," Ruby said with a sigh.

"I believe Adam Winter will find himself speechless," Jade announced
proudly.

"Speechless?  Adam?"  Diamond smiled and studied her reflection.  "Now
wouldn't that be something?"

"One last thing."  Jade removed the stopper from a small vial and
touched it to Diamond's earlobes and throat, then

lower, to the cleft between her breasts.  "Whenever your pulse beats,
it will heat your skin and give off a faint fragrance."

Diamond breathed deeply and thought it the most wonderful perfume she'd
ever smelled.  Like wildflowers on a warm summer evening.

"We must hurry and dress," Pearl called to the others.  "Our guests
will be here in a few minutes."

"Guests?"  Diamond froze.  "You mean there's more than one?"  .

"Oh."  Pearl touChed a hand to her mouth.  "We forgot to mention.  We
also invited Cal and the marshal and your uncle Chet, so that Adam
wouldn't feel outnumbered."

"You forgot to mention.  Is there anything else you forgot?"  Diamond
'started to sink down on the edge of the bed.

Pearl caughl her by the arm and hauled her to her feet.

"You mustn't sit down.  You'll wrinkle the skirt."

"You mean I have to stand all evening?"

"Of course not.  When it's time for supper, you can sit at the table.
But dntil then, you should stand."

"What'll I do until Adam gets here?"  she asked in sudden panic.

"Study yourself in the mirror," Jade' suggested.  "And practice
smiling."

"Smiling?"

"Oui."  Ruby touched a hand to her sleeve.  "Smiling.

Seductively," she purred.

They were gone.

Diamond found herself alone.  And terrified.  What had she done?  How
could She have possibly believed that this evening would be fun?  An
entire hive of hornets droned in her stomach.  A knot the size of a
doorknob had leaped to her throat.

Hearing the sound of hoofbeats, she flew to the window

and watched as Adam tied his horse and made his way to the veranda.

In the distance she could make out the figure of Marshal Regan riding
alongside Uncle Chet's rig.

But it Was the sight of Adam that held her'Paralyzd She pressed a hand
to her pounding heart, and glanced down in surprise at the touch of
flesh.  What had she been thinking of?.  Why, in this gown, she was
practically naked.  Half her breasts were exposed.  And she would have
to endure Adam's dark, burning gaze all evening.

She heard the knock on the door, and the sound of his deep voice as he
was greeted by Carmelita.

"Senorita Diamond.  Your company has arrived," came the housekeeper's
voice.

At the door to her room she turned and stared longingly at the boots,
britches and shirt that had been carelessly tossed in the corner.

"Senorita Diamond," came Carmelita's voice.  "We're waiting."

She impulsively reached for the buttons of her gown, and turned back
into her room.  There was still time to correct the mistake.  She would
slip into her old comfortable clothes and pretend that this had never
happened.

Just then she felt hands clutching her, and Jade, Pearl and Ruby
dragged her from the room.

Pearl wore a modest gown of pale yellow, with high neckline and long,
tapered sleeves.  Her wheat-colored hair was tied back with yellow
ribbons.

Jade wore a gown of green silk, with mandarin collar and frog
fasteners.  Her jet black hair streamed down her back like a silken
veil.

Ruby's gown of red satin molded her lush figure.  Her thick mass of
dark hair was held off her face with jeweled combs.

Before Diamond could do more than mutter a few rich,

ripe oaths, she was being propelled down the stairs by the three young
women.  And shoved toward the front parlor, where Adam was standing by
the fireplace.

"Remember, chrie," whispered Ruby.  "You issued a challenge.  Now you
must be prepared to duel."

Adam stared into the flickering flames, wondering what in the hell he'd
been' thinking of when he'd accepted the invitation to dinner.

The last thing he needed right now was this sort of distraction.  He
had all he could handle, with a crazed gunman loose somewllere on the
range, and a predator out to ruin his herd.  He had no idea if the two
were somehow linked in a devious plot, or if they were random acts of
violence.  Either way, he needed his wits about him.

But the thought of seeing Diamond was too great a temptation.  Besides;
he consoled himself, it was only a dinner.  He would enjoy Carmelita's
good cooking, and the company of these fascinating women, and be'on his
way.  That was the last coherent thought he had.

When he turned, he saw the three beautiful women, like lovely
butterflies, crowding through the doorS ray Then he saw DiKmond.  And
she was the my one he saw.  He forgot how to swallow.  His heart forgot
to beat.

"Diamond."  He took her hand.  it was cold.  Without thinking he
pressed it between both of his.  She was so lovely she took his breath
away.  She looked like a goddess.  Aloud he said, "You look ...
lovely."  The words sounded hollow and empty, and totally inadequate.

"Thank you.  And you look very nice."  She studied his dark suit and
expensive shirt with starched collar and cuffs.  She hadn't expected
this.  It was a side to Adam Winter she hadn't seen before.

"Tve been admiring the portrait.  Your mother?"  He nodded toward the
ornately framed picture hanging over

the fireplace.  The young woman, with green eyes and flaming hair, was
a beauty.  But she was no match for the flesh and-blood woman beside
him.

"Yes."  Diamond followed the direction of his gaze.  "I

don't remember' her at all.  Every time I look at hers like looking at
a beautiful stranger."

"You're the image of her."

"Really?"  She brightened.

"Especially in that gown."

Her smile faltered.  Was it just the clothes he admired?  No matter,
she reminded herself.  This was war.

She could hear the sound of deep masculine voices at the door as the
young women greeted their other guests.  Within minutes they filed into
the parlor.

When Quent Regan and chester Pierce saw Adam, they stiffened for a
moment, unsure how to react.  But Cal, having had all day to get
accustomed to the idea, stepped forward and offered his hand.

"Hello, Winter," he muttered.

"Cal."

Then Cal caught sight of Diamond, and his jaw dropped.  "Di.  What's
happened to you?  Why, you look like ... like a queen.  You're so
pretty, I hardly know what to ay."

Her reaction wasn't at all gracious or regal.  Instead of being
flattered, she brought her hands to her hips and challenged, "Well, I
hope you don't expect to see me in this getup every day.  I'd have a
tough time riding and roping stray mavericks.  And it's not quite up to
mucking stalls, either."

Pearl, Jade and Ruby stepped between them and soon, in their roles of
hostesses, put everyone at ease.  With much good-natu/'ed laughter they
passed around glasses of sherry.  Gradually the tensions between the
guests were soothed, and the conversation turned to mundane events.

"I know it isn't your birthday, Diamond," Chester

Pierce said as he sipped his wine.  "So what is the special occasion
that brought us here?"

"It was..."  Diamond swallowed.

"It was us."  Ruby gave her most charming smile and every man in the
room melted.  "Diamond wanted to give us a chance to meet some of
Hanging Tree's most prominent citizens before we return to our
homes."

"It looks like you young ladies are getting to know one another,"
Marshal Regan remarked dryly.  He'd been observing the easy
friendliness between the four women.

In answer, Pearl slipped her arm through Diamond's in a display of
cmaraderie.  "You'd never believe the things we've learned about one
another."

Diamond blushed and studied the toe of her new slipper, while Pearl
squeezed her hand.  But when the young woman walked away Adam asked,
"What sort of things?"

"Just ... thins."  Diamond cursed the fact that her mind seemed to go
blank every time Adam got too close.

When Carmelita announced that dinner was ready, Chester Pierce caught
Diamond's hand and led the way to the dining room.  She told herself
that she was gland to put some distance between herself and Adam.  But
she glanced over her shoulder in time to see him offer his arm to Jade.
A wave of pure jealousy washed over her, leaving her feeling ashamed.

"Why, I've never even been in this room before."  Pearl paused on the
threshold and studied a sumptuous table, covered in linen.  Silver and
crystal gleamed in the light of dozens of candles set in silver
candlesticks.  A glittering chandelier hung from massive beams.  On a
side table rested several large silver dishes.  The fragrance of spices
perfumed the air.

Diamond glanced at a faded tintype of her father and mother hanging
over the sideboard.  It showed a tall handsome young man with his arm
around a pretty woman.  "Pa

built it to please my mother, so she could have fancy dinner parties.
When she died, he closed the room and never bothered with it again.  He
preferred to eat in the kitchen.  And so do I."

Carmelita bustled about the room, pouring Wine, passing platters of
steaming tortillas and trays heaped with spicy meats and chilis, along
with slabs of roast beef.

"You've outdone yourself, Carmelita," Cal said as he helped himself to
more beef.

Beside him, Pearl picked at her food, avoiding the spicier dishes and
relying on things that looked familiar.

Jade and Ruby, on the other hand, seemed to thoroughly enjoy
Carmelita's hottest offerings.

"I will have to teach you about some of the Spices used in my
grandmother's province in China," Jade said as Car-melita offered yet
another tray of food.

"It would never match what we use in the bayou" Ruby told her.

The marshal looked up with interest.  "Is that what makes Louisiana
women so spicy?"

Ruby shot him a dangerous smile.  "It may be one reason, Marshal Regan.
But I am certain there are others."

"Why, Quent," Cal said with a laugh, "I think you're the one who's
blushing."

Quent Regan ducked his head.  But not before he ago wed one last
admiring glance at the sultry Ruby.  She was all woman.  And all wrong,
he reminded himself, for a man of his simple tastes.

"So" Chester Pierce sat back and sipped his wine "--I suppose you young
ladies are getting weary of this place and 'are eager to return to your
own homes."

"Not at all."  Jade's tone was sincere.  "I could stay on fore vcr '
The banker couldn't hide his surprise.  "You don't find

the days long?  After all, there can't be anything to do way out here,
so far from town."

"Ah, but there is much to do," Ruby said.  "Diamond has taken us on
tours of her ranch."

"And," Jade said quickly, "we have honored our father with daily visits
to his resting place."

"And Diamond and I are working each night on Daddy's ledgers," Pearl
added.  "Although they're quite a mess.  It would appear that Daddy was
a very careless bookkeeper."

"Both of you are working on the ledgers?"  Chet turned to Diamond.  "Do
you think that's wise, my dear?"  He flushed.  "What I mean to say is,
Onyx never intended for strangers to view his private ledgers."

"Pearl isn't a stranger, Uncle Chet.  She's family.  After all, she is
Pa's daughter, isn't she?  And besides," Diamond added, without waiting
for a reply, "Pearl studied mathematics at a far icy ladies' school in
Boston.  You ought to see her do sums.  She's a hundred times better
than I am."

"Is she?"  Chester drained his glass of wine and twirled the stem
between his fingers.  "Td hoped to take the ledgers home with me
tonight."

"They aren't quite finished," Pearl said.  "But if we're diligent, I.
think we could have them completed in a few days."

"Nonsense.  Then you'd just have to make another trip into town to
deliver them to the bank.  I'll take them with me tonight and save you
all the time and trouble."

"It's no trouble,--" Pearl began.

Chester waved a hand.  "I won't hear of it.  You young ladies deServe
these last few days to enjoy yourselves before you have to face the
long journey home."

Diamond shook her head firmly.  "I told you Uncle Chet.  I see the
ledgers as my responsibility.  Pa taught me to finish what I started.
You'll get them in a couple of days."

"But--" He appeared as determined as Diamond.  But

his words were interrupted when Carmelita threw open the doors between
the dining room and the parlor.  On a round table in front of the
fireplace was a silver tray on which rested a crystal decanter and
several glasses.

Pa always offered hs friends brandy after dinner, Diamond announced.
"So I thought I'd do the same?

She led the way into the parlor and began to pour brandy for the men,
while Ruby poured sherry for the w men.  When the drinks were passed
around, Diamond refused and sipped water, instead.

"Td like to propose a toast," Cal said, clearing his throat in
embarrassment.

Everyone waited;

"To Onyx Jewel," he said somberly.

Everyone drank.

"And to his legacy," Adam added.

"You mean the ranch?"  Diamond asked in all innocence.

"I mean," Adam said softly, "you and Pearl, Jade and Ruby.  I've
learned that mere possessions can fall victim to the whims of fortune.
But people have an 'indomitable will to survive.  Even after death,
their legacy can live on.  The four of you are proof of that.  You give
testimony to the fact that Onyx Jewel lived.  Through you and your
heirs, he will live on forever."

Diamond felt tears spring to her eyes and quickly blinked them away.
Adam's words uncovered a truth that she had been denying.  But this
time, she wasn't reminded of her terrible loss.  Instead, she realized
what a wonderful gift her father had left her.  His daughters.  Her
sisters.

Because of them, she would never have to be alone again.

It's time I got back to town," the marshal announced.  "I left Arlo in
charge, and knowing him, he'll be asleep at my desk by now."  He turned
to the banker.  "You ready, Chester?"  ,

"In a minute."  Chet crossed to where Diamond stood beside Adam.  "My
dear, I must insist that you allow me to 'take your father's ledgers
with me.  I could bring them up-to-date by tomorrow, and have the
wranglers' payroll ready the day after that.  It would certainly save
everyone a lot of trouble.  And Cal has mentioned that your men are
getting restless for their pay."

Diamond brushed a kiss across his cheek.  "That's true.  And it's very
sweet of you to offer, Uncle Chet.  But the answer is still no."

She tucked her arm through his and walked with him to the door..  "I'm
so glad you came to my dinner.  And you too, Quent."

The marshal grinned and squeezed her hand before taking his leave, with
Chester Pierce-following.

"I will say good-night, as well," Carmelira called.  "Rosario is here
with the wagon."

 e morning."

"I can't remember when I've had a better meal," Adam added.  "Thank you
Carmelita."

The housekeeper's face was wreathed with smiles she walked from the
room.

"I'd better turn in, too," Cal announced.  "I have to be on the south
range by sunup."

"Would you mind if we walked with you to the bunk house?"  Ruby
followed him to the door.

"Whatever for?"  Pearl asked.

Ruby shot her a warning look, then nodded toward Diamond and Adam,. who
stood apart, looking extremely uncomfortable.

"Oh, yes.  Of course.  A walk in the fresh air sounds like the perfect
ending to this lovely evening."  Pearl turned to Jade.  "Let's get our
shawls."

Within minutes Cal had taken his leave, surrounded by Pearl, Jade and
Ruby.

"Well.  It looks like we're alone."  Adam couldn't help grinning at the
less-than-subtle way the three young women had taken their leave.  "Did
you plan this ahead of time?"

Diamond blushed clear to her toes.  "The others made the plans.  I just
Went along."

"So.  What's the plan now?"

She stared at the floor.  "I'm supposed to smile at you.
Seductively."

He seemed to have spoken volumes in that single word.  Diamondswallowed
and turned away, idly tracing a finger around the rim of a vase.

"This ould be dangerous."  Adam's voice was closer now, and she knew,
without looking, that he'd closed the distance between them and was
standing directly behind her.

"Dangerous?"  She lifted her head.  "Why?"

He ran a finger lightly across her bare shoulder, feeling her flinch at
his touch.  "This is why.  Even without the seductive smiles, the
minute we're alone, I want to touch you."  He closed his hands over her
upper arms and drew her back against him.  He bent his head and brushed
butterfly kisses to her neck, sending spasms of pleasure curling along
her spine.  '

His fingers tightened.  "But I don't think I can be trusted to be alone
with you Diamond.  The minute I touch you I

want more."

He slid his 'hands down her arms, then gathered her to him until his
hands rested just beneath the fullness of her breasts.

"Oh, Diamond," he breathed against her ear.  "What am I going to do
about you?"

Pressed to the length of him, she was aware of his arousal.  She could
hear the torment in his voice, could feel the struggle he exerted to
remain in control.

He ran soft wet kisses across her shoulder, then pressed his mouth to
the sensitive hollow of her throat.

She sighed and moved in his arms, arch in her neck to give him better
access.

He continued raining kisses while his hands began a lazy exploration of
her breasts until his thumbs found her nipples, stroking until they
hardened.

"Dear God, Diamond."  He turned her to face him and dragged her against
him.  His lips found hers and he savaged her mouth with kisses until
they were both gasping:

His tongue tangled with hers and he drank in the sweet, clean taste of
her.  Then his lips closed over hers once more and he took the kiss
deeper.

"Woman," he muttered against her mouth, "you've completely bewitched
me.  I can't think.  And I can't stop.  Ever since you walked into this
room, I've been looking at

an angel.  A beautiful, beguiling angel."  His eyes darkened as he
allowed his gaze to move over her.  His voice was a growl of desire as
he dragged her closer and muttered against her lips, "I'd like to tear
this gown off you and take you ere and now ,"

At his words she went very still.

Puzzled by her reaction, he lifted his head.  ""What is it, Diamond?
What's wrong?"

"It's ... me."  She pushed free of his arms and took a step back.  It
hurt.  Oh, sweet heaven, it hurt to push him away when she wanted him
so.  But She had to.  She couldn't lie.  Not to him.  "It's ... this,"
she said, staring down at the gown.

"I don't understand."

"Oh, Adam.  Don't you see?  This isn't me.  None of this.  The fancy
dinner party.  The polite conversation.  And this.  This gown.  I
didv,2t pick it out.  Pearl and Jade and Ruby did.  It looks like them,
not me."

His tone softened.  "I know that, Diamond."

Her head came up sharply.  "You ... do?"

"Of course.  But what's the harm in a pretty gown?  Or in a pretty
illusion?  As long as we both know who and what we really axe, there's
no harm done."

"But I feel like such a fool.  I was trying to pretend that I could be
a fancy lady like them.  And I was trying to make believe that love was
some kind of parlor game, to be played for the sake of winning."

"You know better."  He touched a hand to her cheek in an achingly sweet
gesture and kept.  it there, staring deeply into her eyes.  "And sodo
I. Love, real love, doesn't care about clothes, or fancy dinners, or
what others think.  Real love seeks only the best for the other
person."

Love.  He was talking about real love, real caring.  "Adam?  Why...?"
She felt her throat tighten, and swallowed before forcing herself to
go on.  "Why have you been avoiding me?"

He lowered his hand to his side.  "Because we're " his voice roughened
with emotion "--not right for each other."

She opened her mouth to protest, but he silenced her with a finger to
her lips.  "And now that I've had a chance to see how your life really
is, I'm even more certain."

"I don't understa--"

"Maybe it's because you've been sheltered in the past.  Or maybe it's
because there's too much in my past.  Whatever the reason, it's better
if I keep my distance from now on."

"But I don't want you to."

He shook his head.  "Diamond, your instincts were right that day in the
barn.  You were right to be afraid.  What almost happened between us
would have spoiled something special about you.  Don't syou see?  You
need to save yourself for that one special person who'll be worthy of
someone as wonderful as.  you."

"But what.  if I've already found him?"  she asked miserably.

"Now who's being blinded by illusion?"  His tone was harsh.  "This fine
suit is a remnant from my past.  What I've become is a man only too
willing to use a gun.  And.  I've paid dearly for that.  Don't you
forget it."  His voice softened slightly.  "Don't let anyone' change
you.  Just go right on being what you are, DiamOnd.  A wild and
beautiful surprise, as untamed as this land.  You deserve only the
best.  I know someday you'll find it."

He lifted his hand, as if to touch her again.  Then he seemed to think
better of it and backed away.

"Thank you for a lovely evening.  I'll see myself out."  He turned on
his heel and crossed the room.

Diamond stood, rigid with shock.  She watched him open

the door, and listened to the sound of his footsteps on the veranda. A
minute later she heard the sound of hoofbeats.  And still she stood,
unmoving.

A short time later, when Pearl, Jade and Ruby returned, the room was
empty.  Upstairs, Diamond's bedroom door was locked.  And though they
called her name and knocked repeatedly on the door, they heard not a
sound.

Adam urged the stallion into a run and pushed him.  to the limit.  His
thoughts were as dark as the night that closed.  in around him.  It was
best this way.  Clean.  Quick.  Final.

Tonight had almost been his undoing.  She'd looked so beautiful.  So
alluring.  So damned vulnerable.  And when he'd sd what he thought she
needed to hear, she'd looked so wounded.

If only she weren't so easy to read.  All her emotions were there in
her eyes.

He'd have rather cut out his heart than hurt her like that.  But one of
them had to be strong enough, and smart enough, to see how wrong it
would be to give in to these feelings.  She deserved a bright and
wonderful future with a man who could give her all her father had given
her,.  and more.  She degerved the best of everything.

At his ranch, he turned his horse into the corral and walked to the
darkened cabin.  He was glad Zeb was up at Poison Creek with the herd.
He wasn't in the mood for company tonight.

Diamond knelt by the window, her head thrown back, staring up at the
stars.  She had no way of knowing how long she'd been there.  Hours,
maybe.  Or mere minutes.  It felt like forever.

The full skirt of her gown was crushed.  beneath her.  She took no
notice.  The room had grown cold.  The fire had long ago burned to
embers.  She didn't care.

This was-worse than Pa's death, she realized.  Then she'd been filled
with a sort of raw fury, a thunderstorm of emotion, that drove her into
action, seeking vengeance.  But this.  This pain in her heart was worse
than any grief.  It left her.  numb.  And unable, or unwilling, to
act.

And so she knelt, still and quiet, watching the night sky.  Her eyes
were dry.  She had not wept.  Nor would she.  She felt ... empty.
Drained.

Adam Winter didn't want her.  It was that simple.  What she felt for
him was not what he felt for her.  Now she would have to accept that
fact and get on with her life.

The numbness set in again.  It wasn't possible to get on with her life.
He had become her life.  This man, this... silent, brooding rancher had
taken possession of her heart, her mind, her soul.  And then had
callously rejected her.

He had awakened her to passion.  And then had tossed her aside.

His words, cruel, hurtful, began to Play through her mind.  "We're not
right for each other.  Maybe it's because you've been so sheltered in
the past Whatever the reason, it's best if we keep our distance."
"Sheltered," she muttered, get fng stiffly to her feet.  "Maybe I don't
know as much about men and women as Jade, but I'm not a child."  She
began to pace, feeling her temper beginning to return.  And then she
remembered some other words he'd spoken.  "Or maybe there's been too
much in my past Real love seeks only the best for the other person."
Was 'that what this was about?  Had he somehow decided that he wasn't
good enough for her?  Of course.  She should have seen it.  "Oh, Adam,"
she moaned aloud.  "How could I have been so blind?"  She tugged
frantically at the crystal buttons of her gown, ripping off several in
her haste to undress.  She slipped out of the petticoat and the soft
kid slippers and picked up the pile of clothing in the corner of her
room.  Within minutes she had dressed in her old britches, shirt and
boots.  Gathering up her cowhide jacket and rifle, ste turned toward
the door..

Pearl, Jade and Ruby had stopped knocking and calling.  But she could
tell from the whispered voices beyond the door that they were still
waiting for her.

Thinking quickly, she left the door late bed and sliPPed out her
window.  Minutes later she was astride her mare, racing headlong over
the hills to Adam's cabin.

"Adam lay on his bed, one arm flung beneath his head.  Smoke drifted
from the cigarette that dangled from his lips.  His eyes were closed,
but he was as far from sleep as a man could be.  In fact, every fiber
of his being was alive with tension.

He had pondered every imaginable way to kidnap Diamond and flee with
her to some distant place.  A place where they could start over.  In
this imaginary place, she wouldn't own the richest cat He empire in
Texas, And he wouldn't be a man who'd turned his back on everything
that ever mattered, to become a loner and drifter.  But each time he
imagined such a life, images from his past intruded, haunting him as
they haunted him every night of hii life.  He couldWt go back.  He
couldn't undo what had been 'done, nor change what he'd become.

He sprang to his feet and crossed the room, tossing the cigarette into
the fire.  Now who was playing games?  He was as bad as Diamond,
wishing he could be something he wasn't.

He heard the sound of hoofbeats and reached for his rifle.  Peering
through a crack in the door, he watched as the horse and rider came
into view.

 n holding on a rash of air and threw open the door.

"What the hell are you doing out here alone?  Where are your
wranglers?"

Ignoring him, Diamond turned her horse into the corral" before making
her way to his cabin.

His temper exploded.  "Damn it, you headstrong little fool.  There's a
gunman loose out here somewhere, just waiting' for a chance like this."
He caught her roughly by the sleeve.  "You know the rules."

She gave him a sly, beguiling smile.  "I decided to be like you and
'not play by the rules."

"What are you... ?"  Seeing the look in her eyes, he released her and'
backed into the cabin.

She followed, pulling the door closed and leaning against it.  Now that
she was here, all the turmoil was gone.  In its place was a strange
sense of... anticipation.

He set the rifle beside the door, then, needing to put some distance
between them, crossed the room.  He picked up a log and tossed it on
the fire, then wiped his palms on his trousers.

All the while, Diamond merely watched.

He was barefoot and naked to the waist, wearing only dark pants.  His
hair was mussed, as was his bed.

He'd been smoking.  The faint whiff of tobacco still hung in the air,
along with the scent of wood smoke and coffee.

"Does anyone know you're here?"  He turned his back to the fire.  
"No
one.  '

"I'll get dressed and see you home."  He picked up his shirt and
managed to slip it over one arm before her words caused him to
freeze.

"I'm not going home, Adam;" She crossed the room and touched a hand to
his naked back.  "I'm staying here."

He stiffened, but didn't turn toward her.  The shirt hung

from his arm, forgotten.  "That's impossible.  You can't stay here."

"Why?"  She brought her other hand to his shoulder and pressed her
cheek lightly to his warm flesh.  "Oh, how had she lived so long
without touching him lke this?  .... He felt as though he'd been
slammed into a wall of stone.  His breath caught in his throat.
"Because---" he forced his mind to work, choosing his words carefully
"mI have better things to do than play nursemaid to some lovesick
girl."

"Girl!"  She pushed away from him and watched as he slowly turned.  Her
chin came up in the familiar pose, and she managed to ask, "Is that why
you ran away tonight?  You were afraid of a girl?"

A tiny thread of his temper came unraveled.  "I'll remind you that I
didn't run away."

She was on safer ground now.  She'd always been able to handle a good
fight.  "Oh, you ran, all right.  As fast as you could.  You barely
took the time to say good-night."

She was wearing the familiar rough shirt and britcbes, but all he could
see was the lush body that had been revealed in that gown.  He blinked,
hoping to erase the image.  "Well, it wasn't fear that had me
running."

"Oh.  That's right."  She lifted a hand to his chest.  The fierce
pounding of his heart gave her renewed courage.  He wasn't as immune to
her as he pretended.  "It was' some noble desire to save me from
myself."

He didn't know if he had any strength left, but he made one last heroic
effort.  He caught her wrist and pushed her hand away, as though the
touch of her offended him.  "I had no choice, since you don't seem to
have enough sense to save yurself."

Her lips curved upward in a smile.  She hadn't'come all this way just
to calmly accept defeat.  "And what if I don't want to be saved?"

 "

She moved so quickly, he had no time to react.  Standing on tiptoe she
brought her lips to his.  "I think you're the one who's going to need
saving, Adam."

"His body reacted in a purely physical way.  There was no way he could
stop his arms from closing around her.  And no way o keep his lips from
melting against hers.  But he had to act quickly to stop this Storm of
emotion that was brewing inside.

Calling on every oufice of willpower, he let his arms fall at his
sides.  Though his voice sounded hoarse in his ears, he managed to say,
"All right, Diamond.  You've proved your point.  You're ... pleasant
enough to kiss.  But you're hardly irresistible.  I'll see you home
now.  I have a herd of cattle to see to in the morning."

She nearly reeled from the pain, She turned away to hide the hurt that
she knew would be in her eyes.  What a fool she'd been.  Riding all
this way, thinking she could walk in and seduce a Worldly man like Adam
Winter.

"You're right, of course."  She swallowed.  "Tn ... wait out by the
corral while you get dressed."  '

He felt like the lowest kind of snake.  But, he reminded himself, this
was all for her own good.  What would happen to her reputation if the
town gossips found out that she'd.  spent the night at his cabin?  No
matter what the cost to him, he had to get her out of here before... At
the door Diamond turned and watched as Adam quickly rolled a cigarette.
He bet and retrieved a flaming stick from the fire, holding it to the
tip before filling his' lungs.

In that instant, she noticed that his hand was trembling.  A surge of
raw power streaked through her.  She saw clearly now what she had to
do.

Feeling steadier now, Adam turned.  And was surprised

to find her advancing toward him, with a gleam in her eye and a
mysterious, woman's smile on her lips.

"You say you don't find me irresistible, but I think you're lying,
Adam."  She brought her hand to the buttons of her shirt and began to
unfasten them.

His eyes widened in alarm.  "What are you doing?"  "Proving that you're
a terrible liar."  She slipped the shirt from her shoulders.

With an oath he tossed the cigarette into the fire and gripped her by
the shoulders.  "Stop this, Diamond."  But it was already too late. The
touch of her had him burning for more.  The challenge in her eyes had
needs pounding through his blood.

"Make me stop, Adam.  If you can."  Her voice was a low purr that
wrapped itself around him like a caress.  She touched a hand to his
lips and he felt a blow to the mid-section.  Her fingers traced the
outline of his lower lip Until, on a groan, his mouth opened. "Wouldn't
you like to kiss me, Adam, before you send me away?  Wouldn't you like
to taste my lips?"

He couldn't get enough air into his lungs.  With every straggle for
breath, he felt as though he were being crushed beneath a herd of
stampeding cattle.  Everything he'd ever wanted was here in his arms.

Without thinking he fisted a hand in her hair and drew her head back.
"Is this what you want?"  he demanded as he broUght his mouth down on
her sing a savage, punishing kiss.

If he'd thought to frighten her, it didn't work.  Instead of backing
away, she clutched at him and offered him more.

"Yes," she murmured against his lips.  "Yes, Adam.  This, And more."

"You don't know what you're doing."  He dragged her close.  His hands
at her shoulders were rough and bruising as he kissed her with a hunger
that matched her own.

"No.  But you do.  I'm sure you'll show me what to do."  She reached
for the ribbons of her chemise, but he stopped her.

Lifting her hands to his lips, he kissed them with a rare kind of
tenderness," all the while staring deeply into her' eyes.  "Understand,
Diamond.  Once we do this," he murmured against her palms, "there's no
going back."

"I'm never going' back," zhe.  whispered.  Her eyes were a deep,
fathomless sea of green.  And he was already drowning in them

"Then God forgive hs," he murmured.  "For you have no idea what you've
unleashed."

Chapter Eighteen

"I don't know if I can be gentle," he muttered.  "I've Wanted you for
such a long time.  And now that you're here, and willing--"

"Shh.  I don't need you to be gentle.  I just need you."  She touched a
finger to his mouth, then offered her lips.

He tasted, drawing the wild, sweet flavor of her into himself.  He
framed her face with his hands.  With a sigh he brushed his lips over
her forehead, across her closed eyelids, down her cheeks.  He pressed a
kiss to the tip of her nose, then nibbled the corner of her mtuth until
her lips parted.  His tongue tangled with hers and she sighed from the
pure pleasure of it.

"Diamond.  Diamond."

He whispered her name like a caress.  In his eyes she felt beautiful,
desirable.  For someone who had lived her life with no thought of such
things, it was an intoxicating feeling.

With his.  tongue he traced the curve of her ear, nipping at her lobe
with his teeth before darting his tongue inside.

She chuckled at the delicious tingles that raced along her spine.  But
a moment later her laughter turned into a moan as he trailed hot, wet
kisses along her throat.

Even as she arched her neck for him, she clutched at his shoulders,
afraid that her trembling legs might buckle at any moment.

As if reading her mind he lowered her to the floor.  They.  took no
notice of the coarse rug as, with soft sighs and tender words, they
lost themselves in each other.

"I won't hold you if you change your mind," he whispered against her
throat.  It was a lie, he knew.  He would, bar the door, he would beg
or even crawl to hold her her with him.  But he had to offer her one
last chance to escape.

"I'm not leaving, Adam.  This was my choice."  Mine, she thought'
fiercely All mine.  She tangled her fingers in his hair and dragged his
mouth to hers.

The cabin was quiet.  So quiet that she thought he could surely hear
the sound Of her heart thundering.

The only light came from the fire.  Flames hissed as they licked along
e logs in the fireplace.  An occasional draft of wind sent sparks
flying, like a Shower-of stars.

Adam studied the woman in his arms.  By the light of the fire, she
seemed some ethereal creature her hair more brilliant than the dancing
flames, her eyes soft and seductive, pulling him in to her very soul.

He straggled against a raging passion that fought to be free.  There
was so little he could give her.  But this much he could do.  He would
take care to see that this, her first time, was all she had hoped for.
And more.

She felt the coiled tension in him as he struggled for control.  It
aroused her, excited her as nothing else could.  And she responded with
wild abandon.

Their kisses grew more heated as his hands began exploring her.  He
tugged impatiently at the ribbons of her chemise, then bent his lips to
the soft swell of her breast.

She gave a gasp of surprise at the feelings that rippled through her.
Feelings that quickly had her spiraling out of control.

He heard the alarm in her voice, saw the panic in her eyes.  At once
his movements gentled, until she relaxed in' his arms.

His kisses, too, gentled, making no demands on her.  Steeped in
pleasure, she lay in a dr eke state, caught up in a silken Web of
feelings.  She responded to his patient ministrations as he led her,
with soft kisses and murmured words of endearment, to a new level of
trust.

Trust.  He sensed the change in her and thrilled to it.  It wasn't
surrender.  With a fiery creature 'like Diamond he would never want
mere surrender.-What he wanted was all the passion, all the promise,
that he had sensed when first he'd seen her.  Passion that had been
slumbering, smoldering, until this first spark had ignited it into
flame.

Now, as he undressed her, he felt the heat.  She was no longer placid
or cool.  Now she was all fire and force and fury.  And his, he thought
possessively.  His.

He studied her in the flickering firelight.  The glimpse of body he'd
seen in the revealing gown was nothing compared with this work of art.
She was even more beautiful than he'd dared to imagine, with skin like
alabaster, hair like fire, and a warm, sensuous smile that wrapped
itself around his soul until he knew he was lost.

His heart was thundering as she reached for the fasteners at his waist.
When her fingers fumbled, he helped her.

At last they knelt, facing each other.  Heat rose up between them,
their bodies already slick with sheen

The exotic fragrance of her perfume filled his lungs until all he could
smell, all he could taste, was her.  He was mad to have her.

His hands tangled in her hair and he drew her head back while his lips
covered hers in a savage, possessive kiss.

For a moment she held back, startled by this abrupt change in him.
Then, as her own Passions ignited, she leaned into him, eager for more.
As she brought her arms

around his waist, she felt his muscles contract violently.  Then on a
moan, he took the kiss deeper.

This wasn't what she'd expected.  This darkness, this undercurrent of
mystery laced with passion.  It was a side he had kept carefully
hidden.  And no wonder.  With a single toUCh he could make her shudder.
With a single kiss he could make her moan.  And as the touches became
more intimate, and the kisses more savage, she found an even darker
side to desire.

With her body a mass of nerve endings, there wasn't anything she
wouldn't do for release.  "Please, Adam," she whispered, but he was
beyond hearing.

With teeth and lips and tongue he drove her.  With his fingertips he
took her higher' He found her, warm and wet, and drove her to the first
peak.

She clutchekl at him, touching him as he touched\\ her.  She was amazed
at his quivering response.  Exulting in her power, she grew bolder. She
brought her lips across his shoulder and down his chest, then lower, to
explore him as he'd explbred her.

His body hummed with need.  Desire clawed at him, demanding 're lease.
He had wanted to go slowly, to allow her to set the pace.  But now,
with her own passion unleashed, he was finally free.  Free to.  do all
the things he'd dreamed of since the first time he'd seen her.

It was no longer enough to want to please her, to make this first time
sat ising He wanted to give her so much more.  iNot just a moment of
pleasure.  He wanted to give her a lifetime.  Not just a glimpse of
paradise.  He wanted to give her an eternity of love.

With exquisite care he aid her down and feasted on her like a starving
man,.  his lips moving from one breast to the other until she writhed
and moaned beneath him and clutched at the rug that cushioned her body.
She sighed and

whispered his name, and still he held back, learning all the new,
intimate places of her body.

The heat from the fire mingled with the heat of their bodies, until it
rose up between them, clogging their lungs, making each breath'a
struggle.  And still they gloried-in-the wonders of their newly
discovered passion keeping release just out of reach.

For Diamond, the world had narrowed to this room, is man.  She had
slipped into a world of dark, forbidden desire.  The touch of his
rough, callused hands against her flesh was more seductive than the
silk gown she'd worn this evening.  He tasted of brandy and tobacco,
and faintly of horses and leather.  Dark, musky scents that she had
known since childhood.  But now they were no longer familiar, but new.
No longer ordinary, but intoxicating.

She shuddered and strained against him as he moved over her, his flesh
hot and damp and seductive.  And still he gave her no release.

He had thought he was leading her, taking her to new places.  But at
the first touch of her, he realized he was the one being led.  The
student had become the 'teacher.  The innocent had become the seducer.
And he reveled in her mastery.

He straggled to hold back needs that were fighting, struggling, clawing
to be free.  He felt her stiffen as he ught his lips down her body.

This was a dark, sweet place she'd never been before.  A place of
exquisite pleasure that bordered on pain.  She gasped as she rode the
wave of pleasure to another crest.  But he gave her no time to recover
as he quickly drove her even higher.

Her eyes opened, and he saw himself reflected in those deep green pools
as he entered her.

She didn't think it was possible to want more, but she did.-Her deeper
arousal startled both of them.  She wrapped

herself around him, wanting to hold him like this forever.  Wanting to
hold on to the moment, the feeling, the pleasure.  Wanting it all.

And then she was moving with him, matching his strength, his rhythm,
with her own.  Such incredible strength.  Climbing.  Higher and higher,
until they reached the highest mountain.  peak, and soared beyond, into
a midnight sky lit by scores of stars.

A sound was wrenched from his lips that was both animal and human.  And
then he cried out her name as they felt themselves shattering,
splintering into a million pieces.  They touched a light more radiant
than the sun.  And drifted slowly to earth.

They lay, still joined, neither one willing to move.  Their bodies were
slick, their breathing ragged.

Slowly, gradually, their heartbeats began to return to normal.

"My God, Diamond."  Adam rested his forehead on hers, then pressed his
lips to her closed lids.  "Tm sorry if I hurt you."

"You didn't.  Much," she said with a sofchuckle.

But he was beyond hearing.  "How could I be so selfish?"  he berated
himself.  "You were sweet, untouched.  A virgin.  And I'took you on the
floor like some drunken cowboy."

"Oh, Adam."  She touched a hand to his cheek.  At once he stopped his
protests and went still.  "It was.,."

He waited, feeling his heart stop.

"It yeas the most wonderful feeling.  Is it always like that?"

His 'heart resumed beating.  He felt a wave of triumph.  His lifeblood
surged through him, and he knew, at this moment, he could stop a
stampede single-handed.

"Not always."  He kissed the tip of her nose, then rolled

to one side and drew her into his arms.  "But when two people feel the
way we do, it's always wonderful."

"How do you feel, Adam?"

"Like the luckiest man in the world.  Do you know how long I've wanted
you?"

"Since you first saw me."

He grinned and pressed his lips to a tangle of hair at her temple. "And
how would you know that?"

"You told me so.  That day in the barn."

His smile turned to a. frown at the thought of that day.  Walking away
from her had cost him dearly.

"But how could you have loved me then?"  she went on.  "You were in
jail for Pa's murder.  And I came looking for revenge."

"Call me a fool," he said against her hair.  "There's just something
about a woman in a man's clothes, toting a gun in her boot, that makes
my blood run hot."

She was laughing now.  It was a sound that warmed his heart.  She'd had
so few reasons to laugh lately.

He drew her even closer, and pressed his lips to hers.  If only he
could always hear the sound of her laughter.

She pushed slightly away, so that she could look into his eyes.  "I did
intend to shoot you you know."  She closed her eyes against the
knowledge.  "I'm so glad you stopped me."  '

He grinned.  "Not half as glad as I am."

She 'gave him a wicked, knowing smile.  "Without you

I never would have learned all-these new and wonderful things you just
taught me."

"Oh, I'm sure there would have been some cowboy willing to take.  my
place."  But though his words were warm with laughter, he felt the
twinge of pain at the thought of another man holding her like this,
loving her.

She shook her head in tenial.  "I never would have let another man get
this close, Adam.  Pa used to say that some

things were just meant to be.  That's the way I feel about you and me.
There was no sense fighting it.  You're my destiny.  And I'm yours."

"You meanM" he brushed his lips over hers and felt the curl of pleasure
"--I'm stuck with you?"

"I'm afraid so."  She nuzzled his lips and heard his low growl.  of
pleasure Growing bolder, she sat up.  Her hair spilled across one
shoulder, tickling his chest.

She idly traced the mat of hair on his chest and saw the way his eyes
suddenly darkened with desire.  It gave her a heady feeling, to know
that she held such power over him.  This strong man, who would
willingly face down a dozen gunmen, trembled at her mere touch.

Drunk with power, she moved her hands over him, then traced a path with
her lips, determined to make him lose control.

Throug loire red lids he watched her.  Her body was young ands lithe
and perfect, with high, firm breasts and a waist so small his hands
could easily span it.  Her pale skin was dotted with freckles, and he
had a sudden desire to kiss every one of them.  Her fiery hair begged
to be touched.

"Witch," he muttered.  "Do you know what you're doing to me?"

She gave him a mysterious smile.  "I hope I'm doing what I set out to
do when I left home."  "What was that?"  "Seduce you."

His arms came around her, flattening her to his chest.  His lips found
hers.  Against her mouth he murmured, "Then you've succeeded."

He rolled her over and they came together in a storm of passion more
violent than the first.

He had seen both hell and heaven in one day, Adam thought as he brought
his mouth, hot and demanding, on hers.  But this ... this was pure
heaven.

And then all thought fled as he lost himself in the pleasures of
loving her.

Darkness still hung like a curtain over the sky.  But the first faint
threads of dawn were weavinltheir way along the horizon.

Sometime during the night Adam had carded Diamond to his bed.  But
there had been little time for sleep.  Their hunger for each other was
insatiable.  At times they had loved with a passion that was almost
bruising in its intensity, At other times they had come together with a
tenderness, an exquisite gentleness that soothed their hearts and
healed their wounds.

Diamond lay with her back to Adam, snuggled to his chest.  His arms
were around her, holding her firmly against the length-of him.  He had
thrown one leg possessively over hers.  His face was buried against her
neck, his breathing slow and rhythmic.

She lay in that strange limbo between wakefulness and sleep, feeling a
sense of rare peace.  She wanted nothing more than to remain like this,
safe in Adam's arms, close to his heart.  She sighed and snuggled
closer.

At the slight movement, Adam came fully awake.  His hands tightened
perceptibly, drawing her closer still.  His palm encountered the swell
of her breast and he kept it there, loving the feel of her soft flesh
against his rough skin.

At his simple touch her nipple hardened, straining against his fingers.
He continued to stroke with one hand, while the other began a lazy
exploration of her hip and the inside of her thigh.  And all the while
his lips nuzzled her neck.

She sighed with the pure pleasure of it, but her sighs soon turned to
moans as the pressure of his touch increased and her negxl for him
grew.  She tried to turn toward him, but his leg pinned her, holding
her still.

She was aware that he was fully aroused, yet he moved

with deliberate slowness, drawing out the moment until her excitement
matched his own..

"Adam."

"Shh."  He ran nibbling kisses across her shoulder, then down her
spine, and all the while his hands-continued weaving their magic until
her body was on fire.

He eased her thigh.  upward to allow him smooth entry.  And while he
filled her with himself, his fingers continued their exquisite
manipulation until she shuddered and cried out his name.

She turned toward him and their mouths fused in a long, slow kiss.
Still locked in a fierce embrace, they drifted back to sleep.

Morning light bathed the little cabin with golden rays that streamed
hrough the tiny window and the cracks in the door.  Seeing that the
fire had burned to embers, Adam crossed the room and added a log,
Sending up a shower of sparks.

Then he returned to the warmth of Diamond's arms.  As they snuggled
beneath the covers she touched a finger to the raised.  scar that ran
from his shoulder to his hip.

"What sort of wound would leave such .a mark?"  she muttered.

ALonoe he went very still.

"I'm sorry," she whispered fervently.  "Forgive me, Adam.  I wasn't
prying.  I just can't stand to think about anyone hurting you."

"it happened a long time ago," he said against her lips.  "It doesn't
matter anymore."

She pulled back.  "But everything that happened to you matters to me.
Don't you see?  I love you."

Love.  He was thunderstruck.  For the space of a heartbeat he couldn't
speak.  He marveled at the feelings that swirled

through him at that simple word.  Feelings he'd never expected to
experience again in his lifetime.

At last he found his voice.  "You shouldn't love me, Diamond.  It isn't
wise.  And it certainly isn't safe."

"Because of the way the townspeopl fear you?"Lshe asked.

He shook his head and leaned up on one elbow, tracing the outline of
her lips with his rough finger.  "Because terrible things have happened
to everyone I've ever loved."  "I don't understand."  Her eyes clouded
with concern.  He took a deep breath.  It had been so long since he'd
'spoken of it.  But now, seeing how much she trusted him,

he realized he owed her the same trust.

"I spoke of family in Maryland."

She nodded, afraid to speak.  There was something in his eyes she'd
never seen before.  Not just danger, for she'd seen that before.  It
was something else.  Something so painful, it caused her heart to
contract.

"My family had lived in the same community for three generations,
beginning with my father's father.  When the war started, my brothers
and I chose to fight with the North."  His voice lowered.  "The war was
a hellish experience.  But we were fortunate.  My brothers and I
survived.  We returned home, eager to put it behind us."  His voice
lowered.  "But we learned a hard lesson.  The war wasn't over.  Even
after the guns fell silent, the hatred contifiued."

Diamond heard the pain and held her silence, afraid even to breathe for
fear of what was to come.

"Not long after we returned, we were attacked while we slept.  I was
slashed with an ax, and left for dead."

Diamond mentally calculated the length of his scar, and realized that
he must have nearly bled to death.

"And your family?"

"All dead.  My father and mother, my two brothers.  And my wife and
son."

Wife and son.

She absorbed the shock of this news and managed to say, "Oh, Adam.  How
horrible.  I'd heard about the bands of roving soldiers who wouldn't
accept the end of the war."

"My family wasn't killed by soldiers."  His voice roughened with
emotion.  "I suppose I could have accepted such hatred and violence
from strangers.  They were killed by our neighbors.  Men and women who
had known us for a lifetime.  My father had loaned them money in hard
times.  My mother had helped deliver their babies.  My brothers and I
had heir: red harvest their crops when rain threatened.  My wife had
sipped tea in their parlors."

She gasped in shock and horror.  When she could finally find her voice
she whispered, "But why?"

"Sometimes the reason is too simple to comprehend.  They had chosen the
other side in the war.  They couldn't punish a whole country for their
loss.  But they could blame us.  We were an easy target.": She fell
silent for long moments.  At last she said, "Thank heaven at least you
were spared."

His eyes were bleak as he relived the horror.  "That was the hardest
part.  Having to bury everyone I'd ever loved.  And knowing I would
have to go on living.  But I wasn't prepared for what followed."

She sat up.  What.  fOllowed I don't understand."

"I went off half-crazy, seeking revenge, and wound up in prison for
attacking my neighbors.  Afterward, the murderers were never punished.
There was a trial, but it was my word against theirs.  And the judge
was not inclined to believe man in prison chains."

At his words, she remembered his anger in the courtroom when he'd been
brought in in chains.  How helpless he must have felt.  How
desperate.

He took a deep breath and continued.  "When I was released from prison,
I couldn't bear to live among my neighbors I turned my back on my
country and lost myself in hard work in Mexico.  That's where Zeb and I
were reunited.  We'd fought in the war together, and when I decided to
try my luck in.  Texas, he decided to tag along."

"Oh, Adam."  Her eyes filled.

He touched a finger to the moisture that spilled down her cheek.
"Tears?  For me?  Diamond, I'm not worth them."

"Not worth them?"  She sniffed.  But it was too late to stem the flow.
They spilled unchecked from her-eyes.  She loved this man. Desperately.
Loved him with every ounce of her being.  "You're finer than any man
I've ever known except Pa.  I can't bear to think how you suffered."

"Shh."  He gathered her close and tasted the salt of her tears on his
lips.  "It's over now.  The pain.  The loss.  The loneliness."

"Yes."  She took the kiss deeper, seeking to comfort him, needing to
comfort herself.  "It's over.  For both of

US."

Their lovemaking took on a new urgency as they gave themselves up to
each other, desperately seeking to heal forever all the old wounds.

Chapter Nineteen

' I've made coffee," Adam called as he picked up a clean shirt and
headed toward the door.  In his hand he carded his rifle.  "Latch the
door behind me."

Diamond stopped him at the door with a quick kiss.  "If you take long
enough with your bath, I just might surprise you with breakfast."

"I don't think I can spare that much time."  He pulled her back with
another hard, quick kiss.  "Besides, maybe you'd better leave the
cooking to me.  I'd like to live long enough to enjoy another night of
your loving."

The sound of their shared laughter warmed the little cabin.  She
latched the door and watched through the small window as he made his
way to the creek.  The sight of his slow, easy walk made her throat go
dry.  She could hardly walt for him to return.

She busied herself in the room, pausing to examine mementos from his
past.  A piece of fine linen, bearing neat, perfect stitches, and the
names Caroline and Adam, and the date, May 1, 1860.  His wedding
date.

A mental image appeared, of a small, dainty woman, able to preside over
a beautifully appointed home, cooking sumptuous meals and sewing fine
clothes.  Diamond was

surprised that the thought caused no pain or jealousy.  Caroline was
his past.  He was entitled to his memo fides But from now on, she
intended to be a special part of his future.

She leafed through his Bible, reading the names of his parents and
brothers, his wife and son.  It pleased her to know that he had been
part of a loving fatily.  She tUCied a hand to a wooden top and a
child's slate.  She could imagine Adam with ababy in his arms. Strange,
just scant weeks ago, she would have found that image impossible..  She
had thought him to be a gunman, a man outside the law.  But that was
before she had come to know him.  Now she thought him the most
wonderful, the most noble, the most honest man she'd ever known. 
Because of his loss, he was better able to understand hers.  He was
truly a man of compassion.

She smoothed the covers of the bed, allowing her hands to linger over
the warmth that still clung to the folds.  Her heart was filled to
overflowing for the man who had shared, not only his love, but his
deepest, most intimate pain.  She was certain that, together, they
could put the past behind them and concentrate on the future.

Together.

The word made her heart soar.  Together they could find out who had
killed her father, and continued to stalk thdm.  And why.  If she could
only figure out why her father had been shot, she was certain she would
know who pulled the trigger.

At least now, with Adam's explanation of his past, she 'understood why
he'd been so sensitive to her loss.  The thought of having lost an
entire family in a brutal, senseless murder caused her to tremble.

His wolds, spoken in pain, suddenly jolted her.-"Sometimes the reason
is too simple to comprehend.  We were betrayed by people we'd known and
trusted for a lifetime."

"Known and trusted for a lifetime."

Sweet heaven.  How could she have missed it?

She let out a string of oaths that would have made even her wranglers
cringe.  The reason for Pa's murder had been right there for her to see
all along.  And she'd been too blinded by loyalty and friendship.

She couldn't afford to wait for Adam.  She had to move now, before it
was too late.  It wasn't only her life that hung in the balance.  She
had involved Pearl, as well.  And Jade and Ruby.

She grabbed the slate from the shelf.  Scrawling a note, she left it on
the table a6d reached for her cowhide jacket She ran to the corral,
saddled her-horse and took off at a gallop.

Adam stepped into the icy water and washed quickly.  Come spring, when
the weather gentled and the water was warmed by the' sun he intended to
bring Diamond here with him.  They would wash each other's backs.  And
make slow, delicious love along the banks.

At the sound of an approaching horse he strode from the water and took
up his rifle.  Spotting Zeb, he sent him a quick grin and set aside his
weapon.

"I'd better warn you" he said as he started to pull on his clothes.
"There's a guest in the cabin.".

"A guest, hmm?"  The old man knelt beside his horse and joined him in a
long, soothing drink.  When he straightened he muttered, "It wouldn't
be a fiery little wildcat,

would it?:'

"It is."

"I figured maybe the lady boss had spent the night- I just spotted her
backside in a cloud of dust when I rode.  past the cabin."

Adam's hands stilled on the button of his shirt.  His head came UP
sharply.  "Dust?"

"Umohmm."  The old man scratched his beard.  "She

looked to be in a mighty big hurry.  Had her horse pushed to the
limit."

Adam snatched up his rifle and boots and started to run.  Over his
shoulder he called, "Which way was she headed?"  .  "She appeared to be
headed home."  i

Adam crossed the distance from the creek to his cabin and charged
through the open door.  Spotting the slate, he read the message while
he struggled into his boots.  He filled a pouch with bullets, then
raced to the corral and saddled his horse.  And cursed every precious
minute he wasted.

Diamond pressed herself low.  over the back of Sunrise, urging the mare
to new speeds.  She had to get home.  Had to get to Pa's office
before

The gunshot echoed across the hills, and dirt exploded inches from her
horse's hooves.  Sunrise reared up.  Though Diamond was caught
unawares, she was too experienced to be thrown.  With deft movements
she wheeled her mount and drew her own weapon.  Again the bullet landed
mere inches from her, falling harmlessly in the sand.

"That was on purpose.  The next one wdn't miss," came a man's voice.
"Drop your gun."

With a hiss of frustration she did as she was told and watched as the
gunman emerged from behind a rock.

"Who are you?"  she called as he strode toward her.  "Name's Redmond."
He snatched up her pistol and removed her rifle from the boot of her
sad die "Hold out your hands."  With quick movements he yanked the
reins from her, then tied her hands in front of her, leaving her seated
helplessly astride her horse.

"Where are you taking me?"

"You ask too many questions."  He shot her an evil grin before climbing
into his saddle and Catching up her reins.

"I know who hired you" she called.

"Then you know more than I do."  His voice was flat, the tone ominous.
He was a hired gun, willing to do whatever was necessary for pay.

He nudged his horse into a run, forcing her mare t0fol-low.

Within minutes, they had left the familiar trail and were hidden in a
maze of rocks and gullies.

"Cal."  Pearl's face was flushed.  Her usually calm demeanor was
replaced by.  a sense of urgency.

Jade and Ruby stood on either side of her, wringing their hands.

The ranch foreman' had been summoned from his bunk.  His hair was
mussed, his chin covered with dark stubble.  On his face was a scowl of
fury.  "This had' better be ira "We can't find Diamond.  We broke into
her locked' room.  Her bed hasn't been slept in.  We think she's been
gone all night."

Cal looked from Pearl to Jade to Ruby.  "Did she say anything?  Do you
know if she had any plans?"

The three shook their beads.

"She locked herself in her room right after dinner.  She refused to
respond to our calls."  Jade's voice held a trace of sadness.

"Did you hear anything during the night?"

"Not a Sound," Pearl said.

"I thought I heard a horse's hooves," Jade admitted.  "But it could
have been one of the wranglers."

"She may have gone to Adam Winter's place," Ruby suggested.

Cal's gaze narrowed on her.  "Why would she do that?"  His look was so
fierce, she cringed.

"Because--" she moistened her lips with her tongue, considering every
word "--she's sweet on him."

Cal swore loudly fiercely.  "That's just what I need.  Damned female
hasn't even got enough sense to be afraid.  There's a man out there
gunning for her, who might have been hired by Adam Winter.  And she's
off on some romantic midnight ride.  Maybe with the very man who's out
to kill her."

"I do not believe that of Adam Winter," Pearl said in her most injured
tone.

"Then you're a fool, too."  Cal turned on his heel and stalked out of
the house.  Minutes later he and the wranglers thundered past, headed
in the direction of Adam Winter's cabin.  A lone wrangler was
dispatched to the marshal's office.  Cal wanted it all nice and legal
when he finally had his revenge on Onyx Jewel's killer.

Diamond lay at the base of several large rocks, roped as helplessly as
a calf at branding time.  Apparently her abductor had been warned of
her prowess in a fight.  He was taking no chances.  She fought against
her ropes, seething with anger and frustration.  If she could get
herself free, if she could get her hands on a gun... She suddenly
stopped struggling Why had he left her here, in plain view?  Why hadn't
he hidden her behind the rocks?

The answer came to her in a flash of understandinl;.  She wasn't to be
the only victim this day.  She was being used as bait.  In a deadly
trap.  Bait to lure a second victim.

Adam.  Dear God, Adam..

Carmelita and the three young women looked up at the knock on the
door.

Diamond," Pearl shoutzl as she got to her feet.

"Senorita "Diamond would not knock," the housekeeper reminded her.

Deflated; Pearl and the others followed Carmelita to the

front door.  Chester Pierce stood on the veranda, his hat in his hand;
a smile on his face.

"Good day," Senor Pierce," Carmelita said in greeting.  "I am sorry
that Senorita Diamond is not here."

His smile encompassed all the women.  "That's all right, Carmelita. I'm
not here to visit Diamond.  I'm just here to pick up the ledgers."

"But Diamond told you last night that we haven't finished them yet,"
Pearl said.

"It doesn't matter."  He strode past them into the house, then
proceeded toward Onyx's office.  "As banker, I deal with figUres every
day.  It will be nothing to finish the tally and prepare the wranglers
pay vouchers."

"But I don't think Diamond would approve" Pearl trailed behind him,
wondering just how strongly she should protest.  After all, this wasn't
really her business.

Oh, if only Diamond were here to make a decision.  "Nonsense."  Chester
strode to the big-desk and closed the ledger before tucking it under
his arm.  With a satisfied smile he turned toward the women clustered
in the doorway.  "I've been handling Onyx's business long before any of
you were even born.  Now if you don't mind, I'll be on my way."

The young women glanced at one another helplessly.  They knew Diamond
had wanted to handle the books herself.  Yet none of them felt
comfortable taking a stand against such a close friend of the family.

Taking advantage of their confusion, Chester made his way to the front
door and tipped his hat.  "Good day, ladies."

They watched as he climbed into his rig and flicked the reins.  The
horse started off at a run.  Within minutes he had disappeared from
view.

"What do you make of that, Carmelita?"  Pearl asked.  The housekeeper
wiped her hands on her apron and

shrugged.  "Senor Pierce has often come to take the ledgers.
Especially whenever Scfior Onyx was traveling."  She walked away
mumbling, "But I think Senorita Diamond will not like it.  She was
determined to finish the books herself."

"Mayhe it's just as well," Pearl said with a sigh.  "I came across so
many discrepancies, it probably would have taken another month to
figure out what was going on.  Daddy was a very poor bookkeeper.  And
Diamond seemed not much better."

Adam was forced to backtrack, wasting precious time.  But once he found
the place where Diamond's stalker had dismounted, the trail was simple
to follow.  Too simple.  He fought to ignore the little tingle along
his' scalp.  The whole thing smelled of an ambush.  But there was no
time to stop and prepare a plan of counterattack.  Diamond's life was
at stake.  His own safety meant nothing.  Nor would his life ever again
have meaning if he failed to save her.

He paused on the winding trail along the banks of Poison Creek.  It was
here that Onyx Jewel had been shot in the back.  He glanced upward,
toward towering Widow's Peak, and felt a sense of foreboding.  Striding
forward, he caught sight of a figure lying in the dirt, a hundred yards
away.

For a full minute his heart stopped beating.  Dear' God was he too
late?

Then he heard the sound of her voice, and his pulse throbbed in his
temples.

"Go back, Adam!  It's a trap!"

He slipped his rifle from the boot of the saddle and dropped to the
ground, seeking cover behind a rock.  A stranger's voice had him taking
aim.

"I'd enjoy nothing better than a gunfight with you Winter.  I've heard
you're the man to heat in these parts.  But I

have my orders.  Unless you drop your gun right now and come up here,
I'm going to have to kill the woman."

The coldness of the words convinced Adam that the gunman meant what
he'd said.  Standing, he tossed his pistol and rifle aside and lifted
his hands over his head.

"That's real good, Winter," said the voice.  "I like a man who knows
how to take orders."

When Adam reached the rocks, he dropped to his knees beside Diamond,
ignoring the gunman who stepped from his place of concealment.

"Has that bastard huff you?"  he demanded.

"No.  Oh, Pdam," she cried, "I'm so sorry you got caught up in this.  I
know now who killed Pa.  I was heading home for the proof when--"

They both looked up as a shadow fell over them.  A figure dressed in a
black suit and black hat emerged from behind a nearby rock.  in his
hand was a small, deadly derringer.

"You've known Pa and me all our lives.  We trusted you."  Diamond's
voice trembled with passion as she stared up at her father's murderer.
"How could you do this, Uncle Chet?"

Cal felt.a wave of frustration when he found Adam Winter's cabin empty.
Out back, he came across Zeb Forrest, just returning to the herd.

"Where's Winter?"  he demanded.

The old man scratched his chin.  "Don't know.  He took off like the:
wrath of Jehoshaphat when he found the lady boss missing."

"Missing?"  Cal's hand fisted in the front of the old man's shirt,
dragging him close.  "What do you mean?"

Zeb slapped his hand away and straightened with quiet dignity before
answering.  "He was washing in the creek when he learned she'd it out
for home.  She left him a message.  It's on the table."

"What does it say?"

"Don't know.  Figured it was none of my business."

Minutes later Cal stormed out of the cabin and ordered his wranglers to
mount up.

"Hold on," Zeb called.  He checked the bullets in his rifle, then
pulled himself into the saddle.  I'm riding along," he announced.

"I thought you said this wasn't your business," Cal said irritably.

"Tm making it my business."

"Answer me," Diamond demanded as Adam helped her to her feet.  Her
bound hands were balled into fists.  "How'

could you kill your best friend?"

The banker refused to answer.

Adam kept his gaze locked on the pistol in Chet's hand.  "It's a simple
answer," Adam said.  "And as old as time.  Money.  He wanted what your
father had worked so hard to acquire.  And he would take it any way he
could."

Seeing the way Adam was watching his pistol, Chet signaled to the
gunman to move closer, until his rifle was jammed roughly into Adam's
back.

Ignoring Redmond, Adam added, "Even if it meant murdering his best
friend."

"Why not?"  Chet said with contempt.  "Why should Onyx Jewel make all
the money?"

"Maybe because he was willing to work hard," Adam said softly.  "It
takes'a special man to turn this wilderness into a profit-making
enterprise.  And Onyx Jewel was a very special man.  If you were
jealous, why didn't you offer to give up banking and start ranching?"

"I didn't need to," Chet said with a laugh.  "I let the poor ranchers
do all the work, and I just helped myself to some of their money each
month.  And when they ran out of money, I was able to take over their
land and milk the

profits.  You may not know it--" his tone was boastful "--but I own
almost as much of Texas as Onyx Jewel did before he left this world.
And soon, thanks to these," he said, pointing to the ledgers, "I'll own
even more."

Adam's dark look challenged Chet's.  "How much did you steal,
Pierce?"

The banker shrugged.  "A few hundred thousand."  Diamond gasped at the
enormity of the sum.

Chet gave a mirthless laugh.  "Onyx could afford it.  Whenever he went
off on a buying trip and handed over the books, I saw to it that his
expenses were ... very high.  I managed to live very well... for a
while."

"Then Pa discovered what you were doing," Diamond said flatly.

He nodded.  "When Onyx first discovered the discrepancies in the books,
I think he was more hurt than angry."

Knowing her father's generosity, Diamond nodded.  "But he was your
friend.  He would have given you time to pay it back."

"A man like Pierce doesn't want to pay back his debts," Adam
interjected.  "Td be willing to bet he wanted your father to forgive
the debt."

Chet's voice deepened with anger.  "He offered to, at first.  But that
was before he knew just how much was missing.  I knew it was only a
matter of time until he discovered how serious it' was.  So I began to
make plans."

'"Plans," Adam said with scorn.  "That was when you started looking for
a scapegoat."

Chet nodded.  "I dammed up the creek and made it look like the work of
his wranglers.  That way, I hoped to start a public feud between you
and him, so that, when the time came, the townspeople would believe you
killed him."

When Diamond made a sound of strangled fury, he turned to her.  "Too
bad that traveling judge had to deprive the town of a good hanging."

 closed her eyes against the pain, thinking how desperately she had
wanted to see Adam hang.  How would she have been able to live with the
knowledge that he had been hanged for another man's crime?

"I knew my bank would fail if I hado make good on the theft," Chet
continued.  "So I concoc a little scheme to lure Onyx out here to talk
about the payment."

"Why would he come all this way?"  Diamond asked.

"I told him I didn't want anyone in town to know about this.  He came,
in order to protect my reputation.,"

"And even after all that, you killed him," Diamond said softly.  She
was feeling once again all the pain of loss' and separation from the
man who had been her whole life.  But now the enormity of her loss
seemed even more overwhelming, knowing that he'd been betrayed by his
closest friend.

"Why didn't you let it end there?"  she asked.

"I would have.  If you had been willing to give up those ledgers.  They
were the only proof of my theft.  When you refused, I hired an army of
gunmen.  Their orders were to find you alone and kidnap you.  I would
then pay the ransom, which would amount to exactly the amount I'd
stolen.  But I hadn't counted on Winter heing so good with a gun."

"And the cattle?"  Adam asked.  "Why were you killing them off?."

"So that your ranch would fail.  You see, I hold the mortgage.  And
your and is key to my plan to own this entire section of Texas."

"All of this because of money," Diamond said with a sigh.

"That's easy for you to say.  Your father saw to it that you never had
to do without anything.  Ask most people here in Hanging Tree whether
or not they'd kill for money, and you'd find that I'm not alone."

"You're wrong," Diamond said vehemently.  "It takes a

monster to do what you did."  She shook her head in disbelief.  "And
now you intend to kill me, too.  When will it end?  How many people are
you willing to kill in order to hold on to your precious money?"

He gave her a chilling smile.  "As many as necessary, my dear."  He
turned to the gunman, who had been listening in 'silence.  "Beginning
with Redmond."

As calmly as if he were pointing a finger, he aimed and fired.  Aiook
of surprise was followed by a look of pain, as the gunman dropped.  to
his knees.  He managed to squeeze off a shot with his rifle, but the
bullet went wide, missing its target.  With a cry, the gunman sprawled
face-down in the dirt.

Diamond bit back a cry of horror.  This seemed like a terrible
nightmare.  One that would never end.

To add to her woes, she caught sight of Jade's elegant carriage headidg
directly toward them.  Inside, their gowns fluttering like brilliant
butterflies, sate Jade Pearl and Ruby.  As innocent, as unprotected, as
babies.

Chet's jaw dropped at' the sight of them.  As the horses came to a
halt, the three young women climbed out.  Each of them was holding a
small silver derringer like his.

"I finally ifigured out what was wrong with Daddy's bookkeeping," Pearl
said softly.  She glanced at Diamond and saw her stunned look.  Turning
to Adam, she said, "I know you said we weren't to ride without the
wranglers aCCOmpanying us.  But we couldn't walt.  Especially fearing
that you and Diamond might be in extreme danger."

"I should have known.  It looks like none of the Jewel women know how.
to take orders," Adam said dryly.

"Fools," Chet said.  "This was none of your concern."  His mind seemed
to be working overtime.  His eyes glittered with sudden malice.  "I am
prepared to offer each of you a substantial amount if you leave now.
You can return to your homes with a fortune.  And no one will ever be
the wiser."

The three young women stared at him in stunned surprise.  This was not
what they'd expected.

Diamond held her breath, wondering what was going through their minds.
After all, their lives had not been easy.  They had been forced to make
do withogt the daily presence of a loving father.  And they had no
claim to his estate.  The offer of a fortune must be tempting.

To further tempt them, Cbet added ominously, "I warn yOU.  If you
refuse my offer, you must prepare to die along with these two."

"You are the' one who must prepare to die," Jade said softly.  "I do
not know about the Others, but I want no part of ill-gotten wealth.
Furthermore,.  be warned.  I know how to fire this weapon."

"So do I, chrie," Ruby said with a chuckle.  "Many a man who has dared
to cross me has found himself robbed of his ... manhood.  And you have
made me verY cross, Monsieur Pierce."  She took deadly aim with her
pistol, and Chet flinched as she aimed directly between his legs.

"I'm not even sure how to fire this," Pearl said her hand visibly
shaking.  "But I figure, if I fire enough' times, I'm bound to hit
something.  And your offer has made me angry enough to trY."

All the fear that Diamond had been holding inside suddenly dissipated.
Her heart resumed beating.  These three women, who had been strangers
just scant weeks ago, were willing to risk death to stand by her
side.

"I ... can't believe it."  Diamond's voice trembled with emotion.  "Do
you understand the danger you've just put yourselves in?"

"There is no danger I wouldn't face for you" Pearl said softly.

"Nor I," Jade added.

"We stand together, chrie," Ruby said emphatically.  "How verY noble."
Chefs voice rang with disdain.

"And how very foolish.  Because now, you've.  given me another
weapon."  Instead of being afraid of their threats, his eyes suddenly
gleamed.  He pointed the gun at Diamond; standing tied and helpless
before him.  "Unless you throw down your guns immediately, I'll kill
her."

"The three looked at one another with uncertainty.  "You can't kill all
of us," Jade challenged.

"I don't need to.  Unless you do as I say, Diamond's fate will be the
same as his."  Cbet pointed to the lifeless figure of the gunman, whose
blood mingled with the earth to form a mottled pool around him.  It was
a frightening scene.  And a convincing one.

With a cry, Pearl tossed her weapon aside.  Reluctantly, the other two
followed suit.

Diamond felt tears sting her eyes.  These three women, so very
different, were willing to lay down their lives for her.  She had never
known such love.  Such devotion.  They truly were her sisters.

"That's better."  The banker turned to Adam.  "Untie Diamond."

"Why?"  Her heart quickened.  "Have you had a change of plan?"

He merely smiled again.  "On the contrary, my dear; I simply don't want
any suspicious evidence left behind.  When I lead the marshal to your
bodies, it will be easy to explain.  Everyone knows that you and Winter
have been feuding.  They will believe me when I say that I was on my
way here with the ransom, after having been notified that you and your
sisters were abducted by Winter and his hired gun.  Ala," he said with
mock sincerity, "I arrived too late.  You were all dead by Winter's
hand."  He gave an evil smile.  "it would appear (hat Winter and
Redmond then fought to the death.  A tragedy.  But one that will soon
be forgotten."  "And the ledgers?"  Diamond asked as Adam untied her.

She rubbed at her wrists, willing the circulation back into them. "How
do you intend to explain them?"

"The evidence will be destroyed in my fireplace before dark tonight.
And tomorrow I will lead the town in mourning the murder of my best
friend's daughrs."  And when I take over the operation of your ranch
for unspecified debts, as well as Adam Winter's ranch, no one will
question it."

Diamond swallowed back the knot of revulsion that threatened.  to choke
her.  This evil man had stood at her father's grave pretending to
grieve.  And all the time, he had been gloating over his successful
crime.

Beside her, Adam studied the pistol in Chet's hand.  He was aware that
it had taken but a single bullet to kill Onyx Jewel.  Still he had to
take the risk.  Not for himself.  His own life had had little meaning
in the past few years.  But for Diamond's sake, he had to disarm this
madman.  He could still recall the pain he'd been forced to suffer when
he'd finally returned to consciousness on his farm in Maryland, only to
learn that' all those he'd loved were dead.  He wouldn't allow it to
happen again.  This time, he had a fighting chance.  "There was only
one man and one gun.

He braced himself for the attack.  As Chester Pierce leveled the gun,
Adam leaped at him.  He heard the sound of the gunshot, mingled with
his cry of rage as his hands found the banker's throat.  He felt a
white-hot pain rip through his chest, and seconds later his legs
refused to support him.  But even as he stumbled and fell to the
ground, he kept his fingers locked around Chet's throat, though he
could no longer remember why.

And from a great distance came the sound of a woman's cries.  Diamond's
voice.  Calling him.  Weeping.  Dear God, he realized.  She was
weeping.  But she never cried.  It could only mean... It could only
mean the wound was mortal.

Chapter Twen

The unmistakable sound of gunshots rumbled and echoed across the hills
like thunder.  Cal and his wranglers came to a sudden stop, then took
off in the direction of the sound, with old Zcb following.

The mar hal, coming from the othgr direction, pointed to a distant
hill, then urged his mount to a gallop.  His deputies had to race to
keep up.

They converged on the winding trail along the banks of Poison Creek.
And as they started forward, every man was recalling the horrible
discovery of Onyx $ewel's body in this very place.

They rounded a bend, then stopped short at the scene that confronted
them.  At first glance it appeared to be four hysterical women, sobbing
and weeping, clutching at the bodies of two men.  But as they drew
nearer, the scene became even more confusing.

DiamOnd and Pearl were struggling to pry Adam Winter away from Chester
Pierce.  The two men were drenched in blood, and Winter's hands were
locked around the banker's throat.  As they succeeded in separating
them, the women's actions became even more astounding to the
approaching riders.

Jade and Ruby scrambled to snatch up pistols from the dirt and,
instead of aiming them at Adam Winter, aimed at the banker, forcing him
to lie with his arms over his head.  They were screaming at him in a
most unladylike manner.

The prim and proper Pearl, unmindful of the dozens of men who were now
circling on horsebacg, was frantically tearing off her lace petticoat.
She gave no thought to modesty as she tugged the undergarment free.

Diamond was leaning over Adam Winter, sobbing and weeping as she tore
his blood-soaked shirt away.  Sobbing and weeping?  None of the men
could ever recall having seen such a thing before.  It was so
uncharacteristic, they thought that Diamond Jewel had surely lost her
mind.

The marshal could see that he was going to have to take charge and
bring order out of chaos.

"All right, ladies," he shouted as he dismounted and drew his gun.  "I
realize that you're not very good in a crisis.  But that's
understandable.  After all, sweet little things like you probably never
had to deal with a killer before.  Now, step back and let me take care
of this outlaw."

As he strode toward Adam, Diamond turned on him with a snarl.  "Don't
you touch him.  Can't you see he's been shot?  He may be dying."

"That'd serve him right," the marshal said smugly.  "But DoC Prentice
will keep him alive.  And then we'll showy him what we do to criminals
in Texas."

"You don't understand," Pearl said, grabbing the marshal's sleeve.
"That's the murderer over there."  She pointed to the banker, who
continued lying very still while Jade and Ruby stood over him with
their pistols aimed and ready.  Neither woman seemed the least bit
reluctant to be handling weapons.

"What?"  The marshal was clearly stunned.  "Are you saying Winter is
innocent?"

Cal and the wranglers added to the confusion by sliding from their
saddles to form a circle around the others.  They looked on as Pearl
tore her petticoat into strips and handed them to Diamond.  She in
turn, frantically worked to stem the blood that flowed from Adam's
chest.  '

As she worked, Pearl explained, "Chester Pierce was cheating Daddy for
years.  That's why we couldn't get the books to balance."

Cal McCahe's face darkened with fury.  Before anyone could react, he
caught the banker by the front of his jacket and hauled him to his
feet.  "You killed my best friend?  You murdered Onyx Jewel?"

Chester blinked a moment before Cal's fist smashed into his face,
sending him sprawling backward against a rock.  Before Cal could follow
through with a second blow, Diamond stepped let ween them and lifted
both hands to Cal's chest imploringly.

"Please,"Cal," she cried.  "I know how you feel.  Everybody here feels
the same way."  Her voice trembled with passion.  "More than anything,
I want to avenge Pa's death.  But if I've learned anything at all from
Adam it's this.  Don't take the law into your own hands.  Let Marshal
Regan handle this."

The crowd was stunned into silence.  Could this possibly be Onyx
Jewel's daughter displaying such humility?

"Looks like you've done a heap of growing up in the past few weeks,
Diamond," the marshal said gruffly.  "Adam Winter was right.  Chester
Pierce will pay.  The way any murderer pays here in Hanging Tree."

The banker slithered to the ground and fell to his knees as the
enormity of his crime and the manner of his punishment hit him.

Diamond returned to Adam's side.  A moment later a cry was torn from
her throat.

"Someone help me."  Tears streamed down her face.  "Adam's dying."

The gilded carriage, pulled by two ma ching white horses, moved smartly
across the hills and valleys

Adam lay on the cushioned seat, gritting his teeth at every jolt.  At
least, he thought, he wasn't dead yet.  But he almost wished he were.
Anything would be better than the pain-he was enduring.

So many voices babbling.  None of them made sense.  Deep men's voices,
all raised in anger.  Higher-pitched women's voices, sounding like the
chirping of birds, And one, close by, like the sighing of the wind.  He
knew that voice.  Soft, breathless.  He tried, but he couldn't speak to
her.  Couldn't give her any consolation.  It seemed supremely important
that he let her know that he was still alive.  But all he could do was
grit his teeth against the pain and feel the warmth of her arms
encircling him, holding him close each time the carriage took another
jolt.

"Don't leave me, Adam," she whispered.  "I couldn't bear to lose you
too."

God, how he wanted to live.  More than anything, he wanted to assure
her that he would fight to stay alive.  Instead, he closed his eyes as
the carnage bounced over yet another gully, then landed with a thud.

"Stop the carnage.  He's losing too much blood."  "Looks bad."  Adam
recognized Zeb's voice.  "He'll never make it to town.  Better take him
to your place, lady boss.  I'll ride ahead and fetch the doc."  His
voice faded in and out.  "Hate to do this, my friend."

"What.is it?"  Diamond's words were spoken close to Adam's ear.

"Whiskey," came Zeb's voice as though from a great distance.  "It'll
keep him from getting infected until the doc can remove that bullet."

Adam felt something cold, which instantly set fire to his flesh.  The
flames grew, until they devoured him.  And then he sank into blessed
unconsciousness.

"It's a lucky thing you're strong and healthy."  Dr.  Cosmo Prentice
affixed the last bit of dressing to Adam's chest.  His soft, chubby.
fingers had all the grace of an artist.  In a bloody dish nearby lay
the small-caliber bullet, which had missed Adam's heart by inches.

"Thanks, Doc."  Adam's tongue-felt too big for his mouth.  He couldn't
seem to make his lips move properly.

He turned toward Diamond, who was gripping his hand so tightly he'd
lost all feeling in it.  Her shirt and britches were still smeared with
his blood.  Her face was pale, her eyes red rimmed' from' crying.  She
had wept buckets of tears.  Even now, they were too close to the
surface.  The least little thing' might set her off again.

In a daze-she looked around her father's bedroom, which smelled of
chloroform and disinfectant.  The last time she'd been here, it had
been to view her father's body.  The thought caused her heart to twist
painfully.

"You're sure you're..."  She couldn't say the words.  They were' too
important to her.

"He'll be fine."  Doc Prentice's pencil-thin mustache twitched as he
gave her a warm smile.  "But he's going to need some time.  And some
care."

"We're going to take good care of him," promised Pearl solemnly.  "I
shall read to him whenever he is bored."

Adam tried not to groan.

"We will bathe him and dress him," Ruby said.

At that he flinched.

"I will burn incense and pray to my ancestors," Jade added.  "And as he
mends I will teach him the ancient arts to help him grow stronger."

Carmehta's voice broke m. "I will personally prepare all

of Senor Winter's favorite hot, spicy fOOds.  Oh, it will be good to
cOOk for a man again."

"My men and I will see to your ranch and herd until you're back on your
feet," Cal said, grasping Adam's hand in a firm handshake.  "I want you
to klow, Winter, how grateful !  am.  What you did, throwing yourself
into the path of a bullet to save Diamond, was the bravest thing.-I've
ever heard of.  I was wrong about You.  And, if you're willing, I'd
like us to be friends."

Adam accepted his handshake and gave him a smile.  But when he turned
away, Adam hissed in pain.  Zeb, who had been standing in the corner,
walked closer.  "Something I can do?"  he whispered, "Get me out of
here," Adam muttered."  "Sorry, friend.  Doc says you can't be moved."
"Then get rid of them," Adam said through gritted teeth.

"TOO much gratitude, huh?  Not used to all this love and kindness."

Adam hissed again, and the old man looked up with a grin.  "Come on,
folks.  I think it's time to go."

"But we must stay and take care of our hero," Pearl protested.

"I think your ... hero's in good hands with the doc."  Zeb herded them
toward the door.  "Besides, maybe he and Diamond would like a few
minutes alone."

"Oh.  Yes."  Three heads bobbed in sudden understanding.  Three pairs
of eyes glowed with visions of romance.  Three voices said in unison,
"Of course.  Alone."

The women began to file from the room, followed by Cal and Zeb.

In the doorway, Pearl turned.  "How-long must he stay in bed?"

The doctor snapped shut his black bag.  "Until he's strong enough to
stand."

"Then we will prepare a bath..."

"And incense..."

"And supper.."

The doctor pulled the door closed, shutting off the sound of their
voices.  At last, Diamond and Adam found themselves alone.

The silence was a welcome relief after all the madness of the past
hours.

"You were very brave."

"Um-hmm."  He frowned.  "ACCOrding to your sisters, aw" he bit back the
epithet he wanted to hurl and finished simply "--hero."

Sisters.  She vas beginning to like the sound of that word, more and
more.  Pearl, Jade and Ruby had been simply wonderful throughout the
entire ordeal.  They had stood by her side, lending their support,
their strength.  It felt good to know she had someone she could count
on.

"You make 'the word hero sound like an insult.  You were so noble,
so---"

"I was scared to death."

She was shocked.  "Of dying?"

"Of seeing you hurt."

At that she went very still.  Those damn all tears were welling up'
again, blinding her.  "I don't know what's come over me," she sniffed.
"I never cry."

"That's all right.  You're entitled."

She ran the back of her hand across her eyes, leaving a muddy, bloody
smear that made her resemble a raccoon.  "Are you truly all right?"

He gave her a lopsided grin and sat up, swinging his feet to the floOr,
even though the movement made him suck in his breath on a flash of
white-hot pain.  "I'll live."

"Oh, Adam."  She started to hug him, then thought better of it.  She
leaned forward, afraid to touch him, and brushed her lips lightly over
his.

At once he felt the flare of heat and cursed the fact that

if he made any sudden moves, he would open up his wound.

"Think you could manage a better kiss than that?"  he asked.

She sat gingerly on the bed beside him and wrapped her arms around his
waist.  "Isn't it lucky yOU fell in love With a big, strong, sturdy
woman like me?"  she muttered against his lips.  "Instead of some pale,
helpless little beauty?"

Lucky?  He felt like the luckiest man in the world.  But as she moved
her mouth seductively' over his, he couldn't answer.  He was struggling
to hold back, not only a rush of feelings, but a surge of pain.

The pain won.

The room tilted precariously.  He wasn't even aware of falling back
against the pillows.  Or of- the sound of Diamond's voice as she
anxiously summoned the doctor back to the room.

The days passed in a blur of activity.  From sunup until sundown, the
ranch house was filled with visitors.

Carmelita was in her glory, cooking for all the men who seemed to have
begun congregating since Adam's arrival.  The marshal dropped by every
day with new details of the crime.  Cal and the wranglers visited
Adam's bedroom in order to report to him and to Diamond, who was
reluctant to leave his side.  The doctor stopped by each day' to
examine his patient.  He always seemed to arrive at dinner-time.  Even
the fiery young Reverend Wade Weston came by to say how grateful he was
that the town hadn't hanged the wrong man.  And to assure Diamond that
her father's soul no wrested in peace.  That thought was a great
comfort to Diamond.

As his wound healed, Adam's restlessness became apparent.  Each day,
when Zeb appeared, he bombarded the old man with questions about the
ranch, the herd.

"What's the matter?"  Zeb asked as Carmelita retreated with a way of
half-eaten food.  "I would think all this fuss, all this pampering,
would feel like heaven."

"Then you can have it, old man.  If I don't get out of here soon, I
think I'll go stark raving mad."

"Sounds serious."  The old man sipped the coffee Car-melita had given
him.  She had added a splash of whiskey, just the way he liked it.
"Maybe some men just aren't cut out for the good life."  He glanced at
Adam.  "What are you going to do about the lady boss?"

Adam avoided his friend's eyes.  "What do you mean?"  "Mean?  Hellfire,
it should be plain enough.  You love her, don't you?"

Adam nodded.  "With all my heart.  But I can't ask her to give up all
this for what I.have to offer.  And I can't stay here any longer."

"Sometimes," Zeb mused aloud, "loving a woman just isn't enough.  I've
loved a few ladies in my lifetime.  But they always wanted me to put
down roots, and live under a roof like other men.  And I just couldn't.
So in the end, I always had to leave them and move on.  But I'll tell
you it gets to be a lonesome life."

Adam eased himself out of the chair and walked Slowly to the window,
staring out at the gathering darkness.

Zeb watched him for a few minutes, then stood.  "TII get back to the
herd now."

Adam didn't move.  Long after his old friend had ridden away, he
continued staring out the window.  And sing only the reflection of his
own bleak future looking back.

Diamond strode out of the barn, her boots covered with dung, her shirt'
soiled and dirty.  It felt good to be doing chores n She'd missed the
hard work.  But in the beginning she had been afraid to leave Adam's
side for more than a few minuS; ........ It occurred to her that love
was very confining.  At once she dismissed such a cold, heartless
thought.  She didn't mind-the time spent with Adam.  After all, he had
risked his life for her.  And she loved being with him.  These past few
days' had been a special treasure.  Frxcept, ofourse, that there had
been dozens of interruptions.

She didn't really mind, she told herself.  After all, Pearl and Jade
and Ruby had formed a special bond with her.  Sisters.  She smiled as
she strode toward the ranch house.  She was learning to love having
sisters.  But sometimes, she craved the privacy she'd once had.  She
thought it would be heaven to ride up with Adam to one of the line
camps and spend the rest of the winter alone with him, snowed in until
springtime.  At once she cursed herself for such selfish thoughts.  She
ought to be thrilled to share Adam with the others, she thought as she
pried off her boots.  After all, weren't they one big happy family
now?

As she entered the kitchen, she sensed the change.  Car-melita was
polishing a blackened kettle with such vengeance, she could almost see
sparks coming from the housekeeper's fingers.

"Something wrong?"  Diamond asked.

"Senor Winter does not want supper.  He is upstairs preparing to
leave."

"Leave.  But..."  Diamond turned toward the door.  "Come with me."

She flew from the kitchen, followed by Carmelita, and made her way
along the hallway.  As she passed Pearl, she saw her lips pursed in a
little pout.

"What is it?"  Diamond asked.

"Adam doesn't want me reading to him today.  He said he doesn't have
time, since he's leaving."

""Carmelita just told me.  Come on.  We'll speak to him."  Diamond
continued along, trailed by Pearl and the house keeper, until she came
to Jade and Ruby, who were carrying a tub of steaming water between
them.

"Chdrie, you will never believe--" Ruby began, but Diamond stopped
her.

"Let me.  guess.  Adam doesn't want to take another bath."

"Oui.  And he practically snarled at us when we entered his bedroom."

"Men," Jade said with authority.  "Once they are strong enough to take
care of themselves, they begin to resent all the things they once
loved."

Diamond's heart skipped a beat.  Was that true?  Would Adam resent her
now that he' was back on his feet?

"I'll ... we'll talk to him," she managed to say before she brushed
past them..  "Come on."

She knocked once, then pulled open the door.

Adam was fully dressed, and had pulled on his cowhide jacket.  He was
just buckling his gun belt.  when he turned and caught sight of her and
the others.

"Going somewhere?"  Her heart was hammering, but she was pleased to
note that her voice was steady.

"I was just going to look for you."  He took a step toward her, then
stopped.  It would be best if he didn't touch her.  Especially in front
of the others.  What he had to say was painful enough.  Touching her
would make it impossible.

He turned to the others.  "I was hoping to find all of you together.  I
want you to know how grateful I am for all you've dOne."

"Grateful."  Diamond felt a flash of fire and bit down on her temper.

"Without all of you I'm sure my recovery would have been much slower,"
Adam said.  "And I know this hasn't been easy on any of you.  But it's
time for me to get back to my ranch.  I've been letting Zeb carry the
load alone."

 e was very close to crying.  Or worse, begging.  If it killed her,
she wouldn't make a fool of herself in front of the others.  Besides,
they all seemed so calm, so resigned to his leaving.  She was the only
one who seened at all flustered.

"I understand," Pearl said softly as she brushed a kiss over his cheek.
"You have a need to return to your own

"And to get on with your life," Jade said as she followed suit and
kissed his cheek.

"It is natural enough," Ruby added, brushing her painted lips aCross
his, leaving a faint smudge.  "It must seem strange, sleeping in
another man's bed."

"I will miss cooking for you Senor Winter," Carmelita said.

"Not as much as I'll miss eating your good cooking."  Adam bent and
kissed her.

At his words, she brightened.  But only a little.

"Then why...?"  Diamond stopped again, cautioning herself not to create
a spectacle.

He steeled himself to kiss her cheek.  When he did he felt the jolt and
pulled baCk quickly.  "You have an empire to see to, Diamond.  And a
lot of wranglers depending on you for work.  I've kept you from it long
enough.  NoW I'll bid you goodbye."

He picked up his hat and headed for the door, with the four women
following.

At the front door they crowded around, watching as he pulled himself
slowly, painfully into the saddle.  He tipped his hat and managed a
smile.  Then he was gone.

They watched until he disappeared over a rise.  Then each one drifted
away.  All except Diamond.  She continued standing at the door, staring
into the distance.  And praying

that he would have a change of heart.  And come racing back to her
waiting arms.

The little cabin was silent, with only the crackling of the fire to
break the stillness.  Zeb was tending the herd.  Adam lay on his bunk,
smoke curling over.  his head from the cigarette in his hand.  His
thoughts centered on the night Diamond had come to him.  He'd never
known a sweeter seduction.  Or a more powerful explosion of passion
when they had finally come together.

He missed her.  Missed her with an ache that tore at his heart.  But
he'd had enough of Onyx Jewel's home and bed and food.  He'd had a need
to be his own man again.  In his own home.  No matter what the cost.

The loneliness seemed all the more desolate now that he'd tasted family
life again after all these years.  It had reminded him how much he
missed his own family.  He and his brothers had been close.  Closers,
than most.  They had shared the same jokes, the same common thread of
history.  Though he'd been able to bury his pain, these few days with
Diamond had opened up all the old wounds.

He could see that same closeness develoling between Diamond and her
sisters.  Despite their differences, the four young women were
beginning to forge a bond.  One that would sustain them throughout the
years.

If the timing had been different, he thought, he and Diamond might have
been able to make it.  But he had met her at a low point in her life.
And now that she had discovered three sisters to fill the void left by
the death of their father, he had no' right to come between them.  He
had his life.  She had hers.  And the differences between them were too
deep.

The wind howled, whipping a spray of snow and sleet against the north
wall of the cabin.  Winter was arriving with a vengeance, rattling the
door, sending a shower of sparks up the chimney.

Over the sound of the wind he thought he heard hoofbeats.  But a
moment later there was only silence.  Once again the door rattled, and
he closed his eyes against the pain of loneliness.

"Adam."  - ..... At the sound of Diamond's voice, his eyes snapped
open.  He stood and caught sight of a.vision in the doorway.  A vision
in man's britches and a weathered sheepskin jacket.  A vision he knew
he would carry forever in his heart..

"It ... wasn't easy for me to come here like this again.  But I had to
ask you one question.""

He was alarmed by the abrupt tone of her voice.  "What is it?"  "Do you
love me?"

Without a word he crossed the room to the fireplace.

"Are you in love with me, Adam?"  Her words seemed to hang.  suspended
in the little cabin.

He could lie, of course.  But he'd always been a man of integrity.  And
she was counting on that now.  Hoping to ensnare him in his own web of
honesty.

Tossing aside his cigarette, he kept his back to her.  "Hopelessly."

At that single word, she let out a long, slow breath.  All the way
here, she'd been terrified of the answer.  But now, everything was all
right.  Now they would find a. way through this maze..

"Then, why did you leave me?"

He turned to face her.  "It was time to get back to my own place,

"Is there ... room in your own place for me?"

He shook his head.  "You don't know what you're asking.  All I have
ahead of me is hard work."

"That isn't an answer.  Is there room here for me?"  "Diamond..  "

She moved closer.  In her eyes was that same determined

look he'd seen the last time she'd come here And he felt once again
all the fear and uncertainty of that time.  What if he hurt her?  What
if he selfishly asked more of her than she had to give?

"I can't cook," she said as she stopped inches from him.  "And I'm
better at mucking out stalls than cleaning house.  But I can fide and
rope and shoot better than most men.  I don't know much about being a
rancher's wife, but I do know how to be a rancher.  If you let me, I'll
be your partner, Adam.  I'll sleep on the trail with you and I'll fide
herd with you all the way to Abilene and back."

Did she know that she'd just described heaven?

He could read the sincerity in her eyes, and he longed to touch her.
But he was afraid, too.  If he did, he knew he'd never be able to stop.
And fight now, one of them had to be Sensible.,

His tone toughened.  "You don't know what you're saying.  You own the
biggest ranch in Texas, Diamond.  And I own one of the smallest.  All
you'll be doing is taking on a lifetime of hard work.  Don't you
realize what you're giving up?"

"Oh, Adam.  I'll be getting so much more than I'll be giving."

Before he could prOtest further, she added, "Besides, I'm not going
into this blindly.  I've already talked it over with Cal 'and my
sisters.  I've asked them to stay on.  As equal partners."

"Cal and the women are your partners now?"

She nodded.  "And I thought, since your ranch borders ours, that we
could share stone of the' wranglers at roundup time.  That is, if you
don't mind."

He grinned.  "It sounds like you're pretty sure of yourself, Miss
Jewel.  What if I say no?"

She touched a hand to his cheek, and he felt

sexual jolt all through his system.  "I think you'll agree when you
hear the rest."

"Are we back to the part about cooking and cleaning?"  he asked with as
mile

"I'll 1oveyou Adami'she WhisPered to fiercely he felt a shiver along
his spine.  "I'll love you better than any other woman ever could. I'll
grow old with you Adam And I promise you I'll love you until the day I
die."

He shuddered at the intensity of her words.  "Oh, God, Diamond.  I
don't deserve you."

"Does that mean you'll have me?"

"It means--" he drew her close and enfolded her in his arms "--I love
you so much, I was willing to walk away rather than see you give up all
you have for me.  But if you're foolish enough to want to share my
miserable life,

I'm never going to let you go again."  "Promise?"  she whispered
against his lips.  "I promise you undying love, for all my life."

"Oh, Adam, let's go find the preacher right now," she said.

He caught hold of her as she started to turn, and dragged her into his
arms.  "In the morning.  For now, for tonight," he murmured against her
lips, "I just want to love you.  It's been so long."

Her voice was warm with laughter.  "Are you sure your wound is healed
enough?"

He kissed her long, and slow, and deep.  "I guess it's time to find
out."

Diamond could hear the thundering of his head beat and whispered a
little prayer of thanksgiving for the courage she had inherited from
her father.  And the stubbornness.  The fide here had been the longest
of her life.

You kept your promise, Pa, she thought as she touched

a hand to the rope of gold at her throat.  You stayed right here
beside me, guiding me to the right place, the right man."

She knew, as she melted against Adam, that she would.-never be alone
again.

The little pary.  stood on a windswept hill,.  dotted with four new
mounds of earth forming a circle around Onyx Jewel's grave.  The simple
wooden crosses bore testimony to the women who had loved him, and whose
remains had been moved here so they could join him in eternal rest.

Reverend Wade Weston wore his best white shirt and shiny black suit.
Marshal Quent Regan had polished his boots and slicked back his hair.

' Adam stood with his hands clasped behind him, staring at the sweeping
vista spread out below him, a pensive look on his face.

"Having second thoughts?"  Zeb asked.

Adam lifted his head.  "Should I, old man?"

Zeb shrugged.  "She's a handful.  Your life will never be the same."

Adam's gaze moved beyond, to the gilded carriage moving toward them.
His features softened into a smile.  He clapped his old friend on the
shoulder before turning away.  "Tin counting on that."

Cal and a dozen wranglers dismounted and hurried forward to assist the
women from the carriage.  The hems of

their pastel gowns fluttered in the breeze as Pearl, Jade and Ruby
kissed Diamond, then preceded her up the hill.

And then there was only Diamond, standing alone.

She wore her mother's wedding gown of shimmering white, which sparkled
in the brittle sunlight.  A gossamer veil was attached with jeweled
combs to her fiery hair.  Hair that tumbled down her back in a riot of
curls.  At her throat was her father's necklace.  In her hands was
Adam's family Bible.

He stepped forward and caught her hand.  "There's still time to run,"
he whispered as he placed her hand on his arm and took the first
step.

"How far would I get?".  She moved easily by his side.  "I'd catch you
before you made it to your horse.  And woman, I'd drag you back to me
and chain you by my side forever."

"Promise?"

"I'm about to."  He winked and her heart tumbled in her chest.  "And
it's a vow I intend to keep."

They paused when they reached the preacher.  As the solemn words washed
over them, Diamond clasped Adam's hand and stared up into his eyes.
What she saw was a look of love that melted her heart and swept away
whatever self-consciousness she had been feeling about all this pomp
and ceremony.

This was where ey had both chosen to speak their vows.  On the land
that nurtured them.  Surrounded by the people who loved them.

Diamond thoughtsagain of how much both of them had lost.  And how much
more they had found.