Rainbows and Rapture by Rebecca Paisley Read Free Book Online Page B

wearing it, but also to glue it to her forehead so he wouldn’t be able to miss it.
    But her compassion defeated her will to defy him. She had no idea why the sight of the ring upset him, but the reasons were obviously strong ones. Shrugging, she dropped the ring into her pocket, vowing never to let him see it again.
    Outside the stable, she stopped beside the cart, frowning when she saw the empty seat. “Feener Miner!” she yelled as loudly as she could.
    At her shout, Santiago’s stallion reared in fright, but soon calmed under his master’s skillful handling. “ Santa Maria , what are you screaming about?”
    She looked under the cart, finding nothing but cracked dirt and a few wilted weeds. “My cat, Nehemiah. He’s gone.”
    “Nehemiah? But that’s not what you—”
    “Oh, I don’t hardly never call him Nehemiah,” she explained, looking all around the area for her missing pet. “He likes nicknames better, and he has about a thousand of ’em. When we waked up, he was Boodles. Now he’s Feener Miner. He’s—” She broke off when she saw the tabby bounding toward her. “Shame on you, Mr. Stripy,” she scolded him. “I tole you to stay in the cart, and you—”
    “The cart is yours?” Santiago queried, his stomach sinking when she nodded. “Just how fast do you think we can go if you ride in a wobbling cart pulled by an enfeebled ox?”
    “Oh, we cain’t go fast a’tall,” she replied, lifting Nehemiah into the cart and slipping in beside him. “We gotta go slow, Zamora, on account o’ Little Jack Horner’s got him a bad case o’ the dwindles. Ain’t he cute with his hat? Keeps the sun outta his eyes. He won’t budge a inch if he gits a lick o’ sun in his eyes, y’know.”
    Santiago wondered if the sombrero had been payment for her services. Perhaps a hat was all she was worth. “Has it ever crossed your mind that the reason this Avery character has been able to follow you is because of your idiotic rig? Don’t you understand that people remember that stupid thing? So as Avery travels, he only has to ask if anyone has seen it. When they recall it, he knows he’s still on your trail. Get a horse, dammit!”
    The thought of giving up her beloved ox made her wince with sadness. “Little Jack Horner and Nehemiah are more’n animals to me, Zamora. They’re the only family I got, and I’d rather walk through a rat-infested alley wearin’ cheese underwear than give either one of ’em up, hear?”
    He rolled his eyes. “An ox and cat are your family?”
    She nodded. “I’m the mama, and they’re my kids. Now let’s go.” With that, she picked up the reins and moved them sideways so that they slid gently across Little Jack Horner’s back. The ox gave a loud snort and trudged forward, his lumbering gait causing the bells on the cart to tinkle merrily.
    Santiago sat motionless, staring at the back of Russia’s hat and the flowers that were jumping all over her head. His ire swelled to fury. “You’re going the wrong way!”
    He didn’t wait for her to turn around. Instead, he reined his horse in the opposite direction and urged the stallion into a fast canter, leaving Russia to follow. As he rode out of town, his lips moved in silent supplication. He hadn’t prayed in years, but after dwelling on his situation, he realized that help from heaven was the only possible means of surviving this trip with Russia Valentine.
     
    * * *
     
    Four hours into the journey, Santiago estimated they’d traveled only three miles. Three measly miles! Scanning the distance, he saw nothing but wide open space, dotted here and there by prickly pear, tasajillo cactus, a few masses of thorny brush, and a smattering of acacia and scrub oak trees. To his right lay a dried-up stream bed peppered with rocks and weeds. His head throbbing, he lifted a hand to his temple and shuddered when Russia began to sing again. Her sour notes intensified his headache.
    Santa Maria , how was he ever going to