Rio by Georgina Gentry Read Free Book Online Page A

through clenched teeth, “or I’ll scream.”
    “You wouldn’t dare. It isn’t something rich Anglo girls do.” He kissed her hand again, mocking her.
    “Just watch me!” She threw her head back with spirit and called, “Help, sir, there’s an intruder!”
    “Damn you, you little vixen!” Rio swore and turned loose, moving toward the shadows of the back fence.
    However, Edwin Forester dropped the punch cups andthey shattered loudly on the veranda as he shouted, “Guards! Guards! We’ve got a trespasser!”
    Three guards came running around the mansion and toward Rio.
    “Good-bye, my sweet Mexican flower. You’ve got more spirit than I thought.” The vaquero made a run for the back fence, but the guards caught him and they struggled.
    Turquoise took a deep breath, praying he could get away. She regretted now that she had called for help out of spite.
    Rio seemed to be holding his own in the brawl with the three guards while the senator watched from the veranda. Finally, one of the guards hit the Mexican on the head with a pistol and his legs folded under him. “We’ve got him, sir!”
    “Good! I was worried about the young lady.” Now Edwin came down off the veranda to stand by Turquoise as the guards hauled the half-conscious intruder to his feet. “Are you all right, Miss Turquoise?”
    “Yes. I don’t think he meant any harm. He only wanted to see the party.”
    Edwin scowled. “I was afraid the dirty rascal scared you or smudged your dress.”
    “I wasn’t scared, Senator, and I wish you’d just forget this and let him go.” She looked at Rio and was ashamed of her hasty actions. He had blood running down his face.
    The senator did not look pleased. “Do you know this— this tramp?”
    “He’s the farrier who shod my horse,” Turquoise said. “I’m sure he meant no harm. Please let him go.”
    Edwin Forester glared at the intruder down his fine, patrician nose. However, to Turquoise, he smiled and bowed. “Very well. For you, my lady …” He took her hand and led her back up on the veranda. “You just wait here, my dear, and I’ll see that he’s escorted out to the street and released.”
    “Thank you.” She sighed with relief and watched Edwinreturn to the three guards and the bloody vaquero. They all disappeared around the corner of the mansion.
    Edwin made sure they were out of the girl’s sight and then he said to the guards, “Toss this greasy bastard in jail for the night and don’t be gentle about it.”
    “But I thought you told the young lady …?” one of the guards protested.
    “You heard me!” the senator snapped and turned on his heel to return to the veranda.
    The stunning beauty still awaited him there. “He’ll be fine, but he won’t invade the governor’s grounds again.”
    She took one last look at the lawn, ashamed that she had gotten Rio in trouble. Then Edwin took her arm and led her back toward the ballroom. She glanced over her shoulder, worried about the man who had been dragged out to be tossed in the street. “Thank you, Senator, for not making an issue of this.”
    He patted her hand with his free one. “If it hadn’t been for your pity, I would have thrashed the young thug for being so familiar with an elegant lady.”
    “You are so gallant.” And yet, he sounded arrogant. Besides, she remembered that he hadn’t come running from the safety of the veranda until he was sure the three guards had subdued the trespasser. More than that, she had a feeling that if he had taken on Rio, the senator would have come out the worse for it.
    They reentered the ballroom. Uncle Trace strode toward them, his face dark as thunder. Obviously everyone knew about the trouble between the families, because heads were turning to see what would happen. Turquoise had never felt so humiliated.
    But there was no confrontation. Edwin abruptly excused himself and scurried away, leaving her to face her uncle alone.
    “I think it is time we were leavin’,” Trace