Never Let Go by Deborah Smith

Author:Deborah Smith [Smith, Deborah]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-307-79662-2
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Published: 2011-06-14T16:00:00+00:00

Drake Lancaster was the stuff of legends or nightmares, Dinah thought. He had a dangerous aura about him, the same aura she always sensed around Valdivia. Whether he measured honor by Valdivia’s brutal standards she had no way of knowing, but it didn’t matter.

He must be seven feet tall. His effect was accented by coal black hair and the long beard. Obsidian eyes glittered with intelligence from the background of what little she could see of his rugged face.

Now he stopped at the crest of a hill, and his brown greatcoat flapped back to reveal a heavy pistol strapped low on the leg of corduroy trousers. The handle of an enormous knife protruded from a sheath stuck in his belt. Lancaster pointed across a valley to several quaint log cabins that could be seen through the still leafless forest.

“There. Tom Beecher’s rental place. Closed for a couple of weeks while Tom’s on vacation, but the water pipes haven’t been drained and the gas and electricity are on. Break the lock on the big cabin to your far right—that’s Tom’s personal cabin—and you’ll find whatever supplies you need for the night. I’ll tell him who broke in, and why.”

Dinah looked at Rucker, who shared her expression of weary curiosity. His clothes were filthy and damp. His legs were unsteady, and he leaned on Lancaster’s walking staff. His determination to make the hour-long trek from the collapsed mine to this spot brought tears to her eyes. She held his elbow, trying in vain to help support him.

“Lancaster, you don’t care where we’re from or where we’re goin’,” Rucker noted grimly. “Why?”

The great, shaggy head turned toward them slowly. The look he gave Rucker would have cowed most men. Dinah watched her husband straighten subtly, his eyes unyielding. Dinah drew a soft breath of pride.

Drake Lancaster assessed him for a moment, then abruptly smiled. He held out a huge hand. A look of kindred respect crossed Rucker’s face. His mouth crooked up at one corner as he shook the giant’s hand.

“None of my business,” Lancaster finally answered. “You don’t ask me questions, I don’t ask you questions.” His gaze swiveled to Dinah. “He was worth saving,” Lancaster noted.

“I know. Thank you.” She was spurred by a feeling that there was a great deal more to Drake Lancaster than either she or Rucker suspected. He looked like a man unaccustomed to comfort or gratitude. Dinah kissed her fingertips, then reached up and touched them to his angular cheekbone. “Thank you again.”

His dark eyes softened a little. He looked at Rucker. “You’re lucky.”

Dinah dropped her gaze and waited for Rucker’s response.

“I know,” he answered.

Lancaster half-bowed in a way that reminded her of some old-world gallant. Then he strode off without a backward glance. They stood for a moment, watching him until he disappeared in the snow-frosted woodland.

“Someone is looking out for us,” Rucker commented.

Dinah pointed toward heaven. “You mean …”

“I hope that’s what I mean. It just seems odd, that human tank appearin’ all of sudden when we needed him.

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