great deal about caring for wounds.“

„I should. Except for four months a year, when Rising Star

insisted I come to Killara for schooling, I spent my entire

childhood in an Apache village.“ Her lips twisted. „There was

much opportunity to learn about healing battle wounds.“

„Rising Star?“

„My aunt who married Joshua Delaney.“ Her lashes

suddenly lowered to veil her eyes. „She died in childbirth four

years ago.“ She turned back to Mikhail. „I have no salve to

give you for the cut. If you’d allowed me to pack a

portmanteau instead of snatching me away with nothing but a

cloak, I could have brought my medicine and herb box.“

He shook his head, his eyes twinkling. „You gave me

enough trouble without stopping to fetch luggage. Perhaps

next time – “

Silver’s smile lit her face with warmth as she held up her

hand to stop the flow of words. „Next time I’ll do the

snatching, Mikhail Kuzdief.“

Mikhail burst out laughing. „Only if you put on two

hundred pounds and grow two feet taller, little one.“

Jealousy. My God, I am actually jealous of Mikhail,

Nicholas thought with amazement as he gazed at Silver

Delaney s glowing face. She had not smiled for him. It was

Mikhail who had caused that sudden sunburst of radiance that

made him realize yet again what a magnificently beautiful

woman Silver Delaney was. Before, he had been conscious

only of her stormy sensuality, now he knew she possessed an

attraction infinitely more complex. He found his nails digging

into the palms of his hands as his fists clenched, and he

consciously forced himself to relax.

But it should have been him, dammit. She shouid have

smiled first at him.

„My aunt was fond of telling me a tale from the Bible

about a giant named Goliath and a boy named David.“ Silver’s

eyes danced. „I immediately went out and began practicing

with a slingshot. I became very good at it.“

Mikhail chuckled. „Better than with your little knife?“

She tilted her head as if to consider. „Well, the – “

„If you’ve finished, perhaps Mikhail should go to bed,“

Nicholas interrupted. „We wouldn’t want him to become

overtired.“

Mikhail looked at him in surprise. „I am not – “ He stopped

and then nodded in comprehension. „I will go to bed.“ He

glanced at Silver. „Thank you for bandaging my wound, little

one. Do not worry. No harm will come to you.“

„I know,“ Silver said calmly. „Sleep well, Mikhail.“

When the door closed behind the Cossack, Silver turned to

Nicholas. „I’m tired. I also wish to go to bed. Where do you

want me to sleep?“

There was no smile, no hint of provocation; her expression

was coolly matter-of-fact. He gestured toward the bed. „Did

you expect any other answer?“

„No.“ She took off the waist-length jacket and began

unbuttoning her high-necked white blouse. „It doesn’t matter

to me where I sleep, though perhaps it will to you.“

His gaze clung compulsively to her rapidly moving fingers

unfastening her shirtwaist. „No perhaps about it.“ He sat down

in the chair Mikhail had just vacated and stretched out his legs

before him, crossing them at the ankles. „It’s of the utmost

importance to me. I’ve thought of little else since I left you

this afternoon.“

„That seems a long time ago.“ She took off the rumpled

white blouse and tossed it carelessly on the padded velvet

bench at the foot of the bed. She heard a soft sound as if

Nicholas had drawn a deep breath, but she didn’t look at him.

She had not thought this would be so difficult. Her hands must

not tremble, she must show no signs of the turbulence she was

feeling or she would be lost. Nicholas was a man accustomed

to reading women and would leap on any hint of weakness. If

she was to defeat him, she must show him nothing but

indifference. She sat down and briskly unbuttoned her ankle-

high boots and pulled them off.

„Would you like any help?“

He had asked his question in a voice that was hoarse, she

noticed with satisfaction. He was hurting. „No.“ She set the

shoes neatly together beneath the bench and stood up to begin

untying the white silk ribbons of her camisole. „I am not a

child who cannot unbutton her shoes. Why should you help?“

„Because I want my hands on you.“

„Are you disturbed?“ she asked coolly, still not looking at

him. „I wonder why?“

„My God, you’re bold. How many other men have you

undressed in front of like this?“

She didn’t answer as she slipped the strap of her camisole

off one golden shoulder.

„How many, dammit?“

„I don’t see what difference it makes. How many do you

suppose?“

She heard a muttered curse as she pushed the other strap off

her shoulder. The thin muslin slipped down until it barely

crested her upper breasts, only their roundness keeping the

garment from falling to fully reveal the lush bounty outlined

beneath the material. Her fingers mustn’t shake. It merely took

strength of will, she reminded herself. She glanced around the

room to avoid looking at him. Her eyes widened as they

encountered the murals on the walls and her gaze swung back

to Nicholas in surprise. She immediately regretted the lapse.

Nicholas’s broad cheeks were flushed, his lips thickly

sensual, his dark eyes fastened on her with an intensity that

caused an odd current of heat to flow through her. She

hurriedly looked away. „What… interesting murals you have.

Exactly what I would have expected of you.“

„You’re not shocked?“ His voice was suddenly rough.

„One would almost think you’re accustomed to the

accoutrements of a bordello.“

She shook her head as she unfastened her skirt. „I’ve only

been in one bordello, and there were no pictures like this.“

„Only one?“ He laughed harshly. „At the advanced age of

nineteen? Pray, what have you been doing with your time?

May I ask whether you were purchasing or selling?“

It seemed she had struck pay dirt. Something she had said

was evidently annoying him exceedingly. „Neither. Though

Rina did once ask me if I wanted a job.“

„Rina?“

„Rina Bradshaw.“ She took off her blue skirt, draped it

over the bench, and stood garbed only in the camisole and her

petticoats. „She runs a whorehouse in Hell’s Bluff.“

„You must have impressed her. Will you take off that

goddam camisole?“

„You wish to see my breasts?“ She shrugged. „Very well. I

don’t understand why white men become so excited when a

woman takes off her clothes. Indians are much more sensible.

They accept a naked body as a part of nature.“

She took off the camisole, revealing a glimpse of full,

heavy breasts crowned by pink areolas for only a tenth of a

second before she turned her back on him to lay the camisole

with the other garments on the bench. „Indian children run

naked unless the weather becomes cold.“ She quickly finished

disrobing. „Yet white children and even women are forced to

wear layers and layers of clothing and become smothered with

– “

„Turn around.“

She could feel the muscles of her spine stiffen with tension

and she forced herself to relax. Now she must face him and he

must see no weakness. She slowly turned and unconsciously

lifted her chin. „Yes?“

Nicholas hadn’t thought he could become more aroused,

but he now realized how mistaken he had been. The muscles

of his stomach twisted and he could feel his manhood thrust

against the material of his trousers as his gaze moved over her.