Her gaze swung to him,though he kept his eyes ahead. “Pardon?”
“This campain’t really the place for a woman after dark, but you needn’tworry.”
“Why would Ibe worried?”
“Some would.There aren’t many decent women in camp, and those that are would bebehind their own door once night fell.”
“Are yousaying Margaret is not decent?”
Was her tone arch? Itsounded arch. “I’m not saying that, I’m saying—”
“I know whatyou’re saying.” He could hear a smile in her voice, though herfeatures remained calm. “I’m not worried. I’m with you.”
Something deep, dark, andwarm unfurled in his chest. Clearing his throat didn’t rid him ofthe feeling, one he couldn’t readily identify and he couldn’trecall feeling afore in the entirety of his life. It was, however,one he were feeling more and more…because of her.
This were so differentfrom their beginning. Then, she didn’t trust him to tell her thetime of day but now she would take his hand and allow him to leadher without comment, into a night that could hold terrors anddanger, and she trusted him to keep her well. She trustedhim.
For a time, they walkedin silence, and he were still focused on the weight of her hand onhis arm, the warmth that bled through cloth from her skin tohis.
“Besides, Iam no different from Margaret or the women she works with, and theyare often out after dark. Whether I am with you or not isimmaterial.”
Jake’s lips quirked.Lord, he knew her well enough now to know she didn’t mean it likeit could be taken. She weren’t denigrating his skills, she weremerely stating fact, and the fact was she felt safe with him, eventhough there was no reason to feel fear. He could read hernow…well, he could read her some. He would never think he wouldever fully know her. “Are you wondering where we’regoing?”
“I thought toask, but this is part of your stratagem, isn’t it? The anticipationis thrilling.”
Christ, a ten-dollarword. He couldn’t stop his smile this time. “Stratagem? What do youknow of my stratagem?”
“Nothing. Iassume you will tell me what I need to know and demonstrate whenapplicable.”
Jake almost groaned atthe thought. Christ, he was looking forward to demonstrating. “Isurely will,” he said, his voice a rasp.
Hope swallowed, and herfingers tightened on his arm. Hope. He loved her name. It were toolong since he had any hope of his own, any determination apart fromliving the next day, and the one after that, and earning coin alongthe way. Hope had vengeance and purpose, was looking to rid theworld of a bad man and win herself some peace at the same time. Sheweren’t broken by her tragedies, and she’d taken what her uncle hadgiven her and built herself an empire in the meantime. He’d seenhow hard she worked, how the transport company employed many andhad even more moving parts. She kept them all spinning, even herein the middle of nowhere. It was a long time since he believed inanything even half as much as she did, but he were beginning tobelieve in her.
They approached a softglow spilling from a side street and music made by foreign handsfloated to them. Steering them toward the light, he led her throughthe side street, and after a turn or two they came out into a wideclearing where a sea of colour greeted them. Lanterns made of paperwere strung on a thin rope held aloft by slender wooden poles,flickering candles painting the light with colour. Folks whooriginally hailed from China crowded the streets, eating andtalking and laughing. Some of the revellers eyed them warily asthey passed. Jake didn’t blame them none. His kind were not knownfor their tolerance of people who held the slightestdifference.
Hope looked around them,surprise and wonder painting her features. “What isthis?”
“The Chinesecamp. They’re holding a festival to celebrate harvest.”
“How did youknow about it?”
“Someonementioned it.” He didn’t add he’d asked around the camp forsomething to take her to, something that would impress her andbring her a joy he was certain had been sorely missing in her life.He would have taken her to the Diamond’s Spectacular, but thatweren’t for another two weeks and he sure as hell wasn’t going towait that long.
Approaching a foodvendor, he handed over cash for a wedge of a strange-looking cakeand a cup of steaming tea. He offered both to Hope.
She took the delicacyfrom him. “What is it?”
“I don’trightly know, but it looks delicious.”
Her finger traced theintricate design on top. “What do you think this means?”
“Happyharvest?”
The corner of her liplifted.
Something tugged at himdeep inside.
Concentrating intensely,she cautiously brought it to her lips. Her tongue darted out,tasting the filling. He stifled a groan. Christ, he wanted thattongue.
