“Then I’ll bring a herd.”
Her laughter faded as she met his gaze. She had no doubt he would do it. His patience and determination in caring for Caleb had been a great comfort to her in the past two days. “You may have to.”
“Will you please cease your chatter?” Li Sung asked.
“It is enough that Danor has burdened us with his offspring, you do not have to talk about him all night.”
“Do you like it?” Margaret’s eager gaze searched Ian’s face. “I couldn’t manage the Glenclaren coat of arms, so I just settled for your initials and a stalk of heather.”
“It’s very fine.” Ian gently touched the gold seal with his index finger. “And just what I wanted. A coat of arms would have been much too grand for me.”
“Nothing’s too grand for you.” She sat down on the stool beside his chair. “Are you not the laird? I had to do it twice. I ruined the first one. Naturally, that heathen Kartauk didn’t have the courtesy to tell me I was erring and made me do the entire process over. He said you always learn better from your mistakes.”
“That sounds like Kartauk. He always believes in drinking deep of every experience regardless of later regrets.”
“Not every experience.”
A note in Margaret’s voice caused Ian to lift his gaze to her face and found to his surprise that a flush had risen to her cheeks.
“I mean, he’s not as heedless as you might think,” she said quickly.
“No?”
“His work—” She stopped and then rushed on. “He’s very careful….” She jumped to her feet. “It’s time for your supper. I’ll go tell Tamar.”
“I’m not hungry yet.”
“You will be. You must eat.”
“Margaret.”
She stopped at the door, her spine rigid. “Yes.”
“Ask Kartauk to join us for supper.”
She did not turn around. “Why?”
Fear. She was afraid. His Margaret, who feared nothing and no one, was afraid.
“I need to sharpen my chess game, and he has not supped with us for a long time. I miss his company.”
He could see the muscles of her back ease. “He’s been busy.”
“He can spare one evening.” He kept his voice carefully light. “I wish to thank him for helping you fashion my fine seal.”
“I will tell him but I cannot promise he will come.”
“Shall I write him a note?”
“No!” She turned to face him. “You really wish to see him?”
“One always wishes to see a good friend,” he said quietly. “And it’s been too long, Margaret.”
“Very well, I’ll see that he joins us.” She turned on her heel and left the chamber.
His smile faded and he leaned back, closed his eyes, and let the pain wash over him.
God in heaven, why could you not have been merciful? Margaret did not need this additional cross to bear.
Perhaps he was wrong. Perhaps it was not true.
He would know when he saw them together.
“Tamar, will you fetch another bottle of wine?” Ian made a face before glancing down at the chess board again. “This vintage doesn’t please me.”
“Certainly, Samir Ian.” Tamar instantly moved toward the door. “I regret I failed you in this. Perhaps whiskey instead? I know you like that better.”
“You know he can’t have whiskey, Tamar,” Margaret said. “The doctor said he was to drink nothing stronger than wine.”
“He should not have forbidden him whiskey, if that is what he likes,” Tamar said with a frown. “Whiskey, Samir Ian?”
“This wine tastes fine to me,” Kartauk said.
“If Samir Ian says the wine is bad, it is bad,” Tamar said with a touch of belligerence.
“Just another bottle of wine, Tamar,” Ian said quickly.
Kartauk chuckled as the door closed behind the servant. “Good God, I see what you mean, Margaret. Is he always this obliging, Ian?”
“Always.” Ian smiled faintly. “The Cinnidans are so robust themselves, they have a horror of ill health. Tamar would have drowned himself in the sea before he would have become the crock I am. He sees no reason to deny me any pleasure just to prolong my life.”
Margaret frowned. “You’re not a crock and he should not have offered you—”
“He meant only to make me happy,” Ian interrupted. He changed the subject. “Margaret has been raving about your workmanship on Ruel’s seal, but I cannot believe it finer than mine, Kartauk.” Ian moved his knight on the board. “An elephant is all very well, but it lacks a certain dignity.”
“Are you saying the apprentice is more talented than the master?” Kartauk looked up from the chess board with a grin. “Blasphemy.”
“I’m saying I should judge for myself. Let me see Ruel’s wondrous seal.”
“Now?”
Ian nodded. “I’m tormented by curiosity. I must see it.”
“Then I’ll go fetch it from the studio.” Kartauk started to get up from his chair. “It will take only a minute.”
“No, not you.” Ian turned to Margaret. “Would you go and fetch it, love? I plan on checkmating this rascal within the next few moves.”
“If you wish.” She moved immediately toward the door. “Though you’ll be disappointed. My work is a mere dabble compared to Kartauk’s.”
“You never disappoint me, Margaret.”
The chamber was silent for a time after the door closed behind her.
“Well, you’ve gotten rid of both of them,” Kartauk commented as he moved his queen. “Why did you want Margaret gone?”
He should have known Kartauk would realize the seal was only a ploy, Ian thought with relief. Thank God Kartauk’s bluntness was equaled by his perceptiveness. “She was uneasy. It was an uncomfortable evening for her, poor lass.”
“Was it?”
“You know it was.” He kept his gaze on the chess board, but he could sense Kartauk’s wariness. “Which is why I will not ask you to come here again.”
“Why did you ask me tonight?”
“I had to know. I had to be certain.”
Kartauk’s sudden tension was so well masked as to have been imperceptible if Ian had not been watching for it. “Certain about what?”
Ian hesitated, searching for words. “I don’t mind for myself, you know. Oh, at first there was a sting. I’ve loved her all my life and gotten used to thinking of her as mine. I remember walking up that hill beyond the castle with her when she was only a lass of ten and thinking, all of our life is going to be like this. All of our life we’ll be together. Such happy times …” He trailed off and then smiled with an effort. “But those times are over, aren’t they? And I’d be a true dog in the manger to blame anyone but fate and myself for their passing. Margaret didn’t leave me; I’ve been the one leaving her these last years.”
Kartauk was silent for a moment. “I suppose I should deny it.”
“No lies,” Ian said. “Please, no lies. We have no time for them.”
“No lies.” Kartauk was silent again before he said haltingly, “I did not want to love her, but I do not regret it.”
“You should not,” Ian said gently. “Love is rare and beautiful. It enriches life.”
“Margaret has never been unfaithful to you.” Kartauk shrugged. “I am not like you. I do not think any pleasure is a sin. There was a time … but it never happened.”
“I know, and it never will.” Ian raised his gaze from the board. “It’s only fair you realize that truth. She may love you but she will never leave me until the day I die.”
He grimaced. “And I can’t even promise to do that with any great dispatch. I cannot bring myself to commit a mortal sin by taking my own life, or I would have been out of the way long ago.”
“No one wants you out of the way,” Kartauk said gruffly.
“No one but me.” Ian smiled sadly. “I pray for it every night but I’m never taken.” He went on brusque
ly. “But that is neither here nor there. The important thing is to keep Margaret as content as possible.”
“You wish me to leave Cinnidar?”
“Of course not. I would not deprive Margaret of your company. You will continue to keep her amused and busy, to protect her and love her as you are doing right now. However, I must deprive myself. She is so guilt-ridden, it’s clearly a torment for her to see us in the same room.” He met Kartauk’s gaze. “And she must never know we’ve had this talk. You agree?”
“I agree.” Kartauk nodded slowly. He blinked rapidly and looked down at the chess board. “You’re a fine man, Ian MacClaren, and stronger than I would be in the same situation.”
“Strong? I don’t feel strong.” He leaned wearily back on his pillows. “I’m just trying to do what needs to be done to help us all survive. I can’t let Margaret suffer any more than she—” His gaze flew to the door. “She’s coming.” He quickly moved his bishop and then looked up with a smile as Margaret walked into the room. “You’ve been very quick. I still haven’t defeated him. Come here and let me see the seal.”
She handed him Ruel’s gold seal and stood beside him as he examined it. “I told you it was much better.”
“It’s quite splendid.” Ian put it beside his own seal on the bed. He lifted her hand and pressed his lips to her palm. “But I prefer the one you made for me. Ruel may have his elephants. My stalk of heather reminds me of Glenclaren.”
ilam came to meet them when they were only two miles from the encampment at the crossing. Jane was immediately alarmed. “What’s wrong?”
Dilam smiled. “Nothing. The work goes well.”
“Then why are you here?”
“Curiosity. I wondered …” Her gaze went to the baby elephant on the stretcher. “Ah, I see. Danor’s?”
“Yes. The mother is dead. The baby will be, too, if we don’t find a way to feed him.”
“I think you will find such a way.” She looked at Li Sung. “It was wise of you to send Danor on ahead.”
“I sent that fiend nowhere,” Li Sung said curtly.
“Ahead?” Jane asked, puzzled.
“You will see.” Dilam turned her horse and led them toward the encampment. Fifteen minutes later they emerged from the jungle at the crossing.
“What the—” Jane reined in Bedelia, her eyes widening in shock.
Elephants! Hundreds of elephants—bulls, cows, babies—milling around the glade.
“Good heavens,” she murmured weakly.
“They came at dawn,” Dilam said. “We were startled.”
“I can imagine.”
Ruel’s gaze searched the herd. “I don’t see Danor.”
“He is there.” Li Sung pointed impatiently. “How can you miss him? With that tattered ear he stands out like Satan in a crowd of angels.”
Dilam’s brows lifted in surprise. “you are still fighting the makhol? You are even more stubborn than I thought.”
“Makhol?” Jane asked.
“It’s only foolishness,” Li Sung said quickly. “The herd is here. Now, how are we going to rid ourselves of this baby and get on with our work?”
“Danor seems to have the situation under control so far. Why don’t we see what he can do?” Ruel got down from his horse and unfastened the branches that formed the support for the stretcher. “Come on, Li Sung, let’s pull the stretcher out into the middle of the herd and see what happens.”
“What will happen is that we’ll both be trampled by the beasts.” Li Sung got off his horse. “At least, I will be trampled. You can run faster than me.”
“I’ll do it,” Jane offered.
“No!” Li Sung said sharply. “It is my—” He stopped and shook his head. “Madness.”
Jane wasn’t sure he wasn’t right as she watched Ruel and Li Sung each take one of the poles and drag the baby elephant into the center of the herd. The two men appeared pitifully small and weak surrounded by the huge beasts, and the elephants clearly didn’t appreciate the intrusion.
The elephants were closing around them!
Her hands grasped nervously at her reins as the two men were suddenly lost to view.
“Be at ease,” Dilam said softly. “Look, Danor.”
Danor was edging forward, shouldering aside the other elephants until a narrow path was formed which allowed Li Sung and Ruel to slip through the herd.
Jane breathed a sigh of relief when the two men finally made it to the edge of the glade. “Caleb?”
“I don’t know,” Ruel said. “We’ll have to see what happens. I saw at least four nursing cows among the herd, but they didn’t seem very interested in adopting an orphan. Even if they’d stand still for it, I don’t think the baby has the strength to get on his feet to nurse.” He grimaced ruefully. “I may still have to go after the goats.”
“I wish they’d move so I could see.” Jane had a sudden horrible thought. “What if they step on him? He can’t get up. They’ll kill him!”
“Elephants usually take care of their own,” Dilam said soothingly. “And Danor is there.”
Jane’s worried gaze searched the milling elephants. She couldn’t see either Danor or the baby. “There are so many of them and …” Then a large bull blocking her vision wandered off toward the trees and she caught a glimpse of a small familiar figure in the center of the herd.
The baby was nursing!
Caleb was standing, suckling hungrily at the teat of a small gray-brown female. His legs were obviously wobbly, but he was supported by the trunks of Danor and another female elephant.
“It’s going to be all right.” Her face was alight with joy as she turned to Ruel. “He’s going to live.”
He smiled, his gaze lingering on her face. “And I don’t have to turn goat tender after all. What a relief. I’m sure it would have been disastrous to my consequence.”
“If we’re through acting nursemaid to this elephant, maybe we can get back to work,” Li Sung said. “We have track to lay while there’s still light.”
Dilam nodded. “We can complete another quarter of a mile before dusk.” She turned to Ruel. “Tamar is at the encampment. He came with a message from James Medford.”
Ruel frowned. “Why didn’t you tell me?” “You were busy. And this appeared of more importance.”
“Elephants are always more important to her than humans,” Li Sung said caustically.
“I’ll go with you,” Jane told Ruel. She turned to Li Sung. “I’ll be with you as soon as we see what Medford has to say.”
“I do not have to be guarded and nurtured like your precious elephant.” He tore his gaze from Danor and the baby and got back on his horse. “I will see you back at camp at supper. If fortune is with us, all those elephants will have moved back where they came from by then.”
“Something’s wrong,” Jane said as she saw Ruel’s expression when he came toward her after speaking to Tamar. “Is it the railroad? Does Medford have a problem?”
“No, but we may have more problems than we can handle. Medford just got a message from Pickering. The maharajah is dead.”
“No! So soon?”
“Pickering suspects Abdar may have hastened his demise, but it’s not wise to suggest that possibility with Abdar in power.”
“He’ll start for here immediately?”
Ruel shook his head. “There’s a three-month period of mourning before Abdar ascends the throne. Until that time he has no more power than he had before. We may even have a month or two grace after that before he turns his attention in our direction, but we can’t count on it.”
“Three months,” Jane muttered. “I can’t possibly-complete the line in that time.”
“It’s got to be done in two,” Ruel said flatly. “I’ll need the extra month for shipping the gold and fortifying the harbor.”
“Impossible.”
“It’s got to be done. Medford’s almost finished his portion of the line. I’ll set him to laying the track down the canyon trail.” He
frowned in concentration. “And I’ll close down the mine and transfer the workers to the railroad and supervise that crew myself. Will that make it possible?”
“Possible but not probable. The jungle is much denser ahead. It will need extensive clearing along the track.”
“I’ll recruit more help from the Cinnidar village.” “It still may not be enough.”
“I need this done, Jane. I could lose everything I’ve worked for all these years.” He gazed directly into her eyes. “I need your help. Will you give it to me?”
She had never thought he would ask her for anything. He had always demanded, not asked, but he wasn’t demanding now. Nor was he trying to use that mesmerizing charm that was his most potent weapon. He had stated his need simply and honestly. He loved this island. It was home to him. She felt an odd surge of fierce protectiveness as she looked at him. Dammit, she would not let Abdar either hurt him or take his home. “I’ll see to it.” She turned and moved toward the tent. “Come with me. We’ll need to look at the map. There’s a stretch of marshland just ahead that I was planning to go around. It’s a nightmare finding firm ground to lay the track and working in all that mud, but we can cut seven miles off the final stretch if I go through it instead of around. That will help, won’t it?”
“Seven miles will help a hell of a lot.”
“Then you can take your crew and start laying the track beyond the marsh while Li Sung, Dilam, and I work our way through it. If we can—”
“Jane.”
She looked at him. “Yes?”
He smiled, that rare beautiful smile. “Thank you.”
The words were beautiful too, and filled her with a perilous happiness. She lifted the flap of the tent. “You’re quite welcome.” She made a face. “At the moment. I’m not sure I’ll feel quite so magnanimous when we begin going through that marsh.”
“Why do they not go away?” Li Sung said as he gazed in exasperation over his shoulder at the elephants standing in the trees. “It has been over a week now and they still try to follow behind us like tame dogs.”
She smothered a smile. “Dilam says Danor likes you. makbol.”
He scowled. “She told you that foolishness?”