Then her head was stung with a million needles as she was lifted by her hair out of the river. She swallowed the brackish water in her mouth and began sucking in great mouthfuls of precious air. Kurt held her under the chin as she clutched his saddle trying desperately not to lose her hold on either it or consciousness.
Somehow, miraculously, Kurt’s horse was able to make it to the other side of the bank. He dropped Lauren gently onto the ground, where she lay choking and spitting. Kurt dismounted and lifted her limp form against him. He shook her slightly as he asked, “Are you all right?”
It took her a few moments to regain enough strength to answer, “Y-yes. I think so.”
“Come on, it’s not far now. Just at the top of the hill there.” He lifted her onto the horse, and she would have fallen forward if he hadn’t mounted quickly behind her and supported her with his sturdy arms.
She must have slipped out of consciousness then, because when she came to, they had stopped and Kurt was dragging her off the horse. He steered her toward what appeared to be a solid wall of rock. As they got nearer, she saw that there was a small opening practically hidden by a clump of bushes. Kurt drew them aside and pushed her into the cave. She had to bend from the waist in order to get through the low opening. She walked in the crouched position with dread of the unseen terrors lurking in the walls of the cavern.
Finally she saw light ahead and, knowing that she would soon see Jared, she quickened her pace. The pale light came from a small lantern hanging on the wall within the cave. She stepped into it and stood upright. She was looking directly into the hooded, reptilian eyes of Wat Duncan!
Behind him stood June, her pale hair forming a halo around her head as the light from the lantern reflected on it. Lauren’s eyes darted swiftly to all corners of the room, and nowhere did she see Jared.
Myriad horrors flashed through her mind, so quickly that her brain couldn’t catalogue them. She felt Kurt behind her as he stepped into the room.
“Well, well, Miz Lockett. I see you made it to our little party. Not a very nice night for a swim, though.” Duncan grinned indolently and his eyes roved her body.
Lauren whirled on Kurt. “Where is my husband? You said you were bringing me to my husband!” She clenched her fists and pounded his bulky chest ineffectually. Grabbing her wrists, he held her away from him.
“I had to tell you something to get you here. And it worked.”
Stunned, she stammered, “B-but why? You planned all of this? Why?” She was too shocked at the situation she found herself in to be frightened. That would come later. Now she was angry and puzzled.
“I don’t think I have to tell you why, Lauren. Surely you can guess my motivation.” His eyes moved from her face to her chest and all the way down her body, taking in every detail. Lauren shivered, but not from the cold. She looked down at the dripping garments that were molded to her and revealed every secret of her body.
“We done just what you axed us to, Mr. Vandiver. I got the lantern and brung some food. It’s all ready for you.” Duncan’s tone was sycophantic, and Lauren knew he must have been promised money for his generosity.
“Everything is fine, but what’s she doing here?” questioned Kurt, indicating June, who as yet had not spoken.
“June and me, we got a lot in common, and one of them common interests, you might say, is bringing down Mr. Jared Lockett.” At the mention of his name, Lauren started and June looked at her smugly, haughtily. “So she begged me to bring her along. ’Sides, she kinda took a shine to you, Mr. Vandiver. She wanted to see you again.”
Kurt smiled seductively and looked through half-closed eyes at the girl who stood with her feet planted far apart, hands on her hips, displaying her body shamelessly in the thin, low-cut dress. Lauren looked away in disgust as June’s tongue slid slowly across her bottom lip, making promises to Kurt with her eyes.
“You’re not bad, Miss June.” Kurt walked farther into the cave and stood directly in front of her. “Yes, not bad at all. I may have you for seconds.” Then he turned to Lauren. “After I’ve satisfied Mrs. Lockett.”
June shot Lauren a look full of jealous hatred and resentment, but Lauren didn’t see it. June posed no threat at all compared to Kurt Vandiver.
* * *
“Why did you do it, Olivia? It wasn’t necessary. Why did you endanger that girl?” Carson had not quite recovered himself after having faced the fact that Olivia had betrayed her own son. He still couldn’t believe that she was capable of such treachery.
Jared and his brother, along with Thorn, had ridden out of the yard only minutes ago. Carson hoped they would find Lauren before any harm could come to her at the hands of Vandiver. Carson stood over the woman he had loved for years and stared down at her black hair. The silver strands fanned through it, away from her aristocratic brow. He had always thought her hair was beautiful.
Olivia appeared not at all unnerved either by the events that had happened earlier or by Carson’s close scrutiny.
“Answer me, please, Olivia. Why did you do this?” His voice was raised and held more censure than she had heard since she had known him.
“Carson, really, I find this sudden streak of conscience in you surprising and tiresome. You, of all people, should know that sometimes in business we must do things that are not always appealing.”
“I have done things, yes, to manipulate people. As far as I know, however, I have never sacrificed an innocent young woman, who has done nothing to hurt me, to someone as ruthless as Vandiver.”
“Innocent? Ha! You men, you’re all alike,” she accused. “And I wouldn’t exactly call the way she turned Jared against us doing nothing. That was no small feat.”
“Lauren isn’t responsible for Jared’s convictions, and you know it. He has mistrusted the Vandivers from the beginning. He felt that his whole legacy from Ben was threatened by them. He protected it as he saw fit. Lauren has been good for him, I think. She has made him take a real hard look at himself.”
Olivia slammed her hands down
on the desk much the way Jared had done earlier. “I don’t want to hear any more about Lauren and her virtues. I’m sick to death of everyone showering her with accolades.”