Rapture's Tempest (36 page)

“God, how I wish I could get away now, wife.” He was burning with desire for her.

“I know.” Delight moved within the circle of his arms and rested her head on his chest. The powerful thundering of his heart warmed her, and she tilted her head up to him. “But we have the rest of our lives….”

So encouraged, Jim could no longer deny his need, and his lips plundered hers, drawing her unbridled response. With an obvious effort, he ended the kiss and stepped slightly away.

“Tonight,” he promised, bringing himself rigidly under control. Though he wanted to lay her upon the bed and lose himself in her sweet flesh, Jim knew there was no time.

“Tonight,” Delight whispered in return, and he turned from her and quickly left the room.

Ollie and Rose stood out on deck together. “Wasn’t that a beautiful surprise?” Rose remarked softly. “Delight didn’t expect it, you know.”

“I know,” Ollie grinned. “That’s why I didn’t tell her.” “Is there somewhere else I can sleep tonight?” Rose asked, not wanting to interfere with the privacy of their wedding night. “I don’t think they’ll want me in the next room.”

“Of course,” he offered. “We aren’t carrying any passengers this trip; so it will be easy to arrange for you to have one of the staterooms.”

“Thank you. I didn’t want to chance spoiling their special night,” she smiled.

“I just hope he can get away to spend time with her,” Ollie said. “We make our first wooding stop right after midnight.”

“Jim has to be around for that?”

“Everyone will be on guard. We’re taking extra precautions this trip,” he explained. “Things are getting more dangerous all the time.”

“You mean the Rebs?”

Ollie nodded. “They’re everywhere down here—raiding and pillaging. You know how the rumors were flying before we left St. Louis.”

“I know.”

“So, whenever we tie up, we have to really be careful. We’re most vulnerable then….” He was interrupted by Jim coming out of the cabin. “Jim, I’m going to arrange for Rose to have one of the staterooms tonight, if that’s all right with you?” Ollie asked as he came to join them.

Jim smiled easily. “I think that’s a wonderful idea, Ollie. Give her the nicest one we’ve got.”

“Yes, sir.”

“I’ll be on the main deck if you need me.” Jim strode off toward the companionway, excited at the prospect of the coming night in his wife’s arms.

Ollie grinned. “There goes one happy man.”

At the top of the sloping Missouri hillside, Colonel Jed Bur-ford, CSA, sat his stallion with the easy grace of a man long accustomed to living in the saddle. “What time tonight?” he asked impatiently.

“Sometime between ten and midnight,” Lieutenant Matt Carson answered.

“That’s all you know?”

“That’s it, sir. There’s been no further word from Morgan, so we have to assume that everything’s on schedule.”

Swinging his gaze down to the wood yard below, he surveyed their objective dispassionately. “We’ll wait until dark. There’s no point in rushing. Besides,” he grinned at his companions, “I’m in no great hurry to load wood on steamers.”

“I’m with you on that, Col o nel,” Corporal Zack Prescott commented.

Jed dismounted, hobbling his horse, and his men followed suit. “Let’s rest them while we can. We’re going to have one hell of a ride tonight.”

“Yes, sir.” The men of his command obeyed his every order without question, for they knew him to be a fair and cautious man.

“Colonel?”

“Yes, Lieutenant?”

“Do you want me to move in closer and see how many men there are working at the station?”

“Later. Near dusk when we have better cover. For now, just take it easy and post a lookout. We don’t want to be caught off guard at this stage of the game. We’re too close to success.”

Marshall and George stood at the railing of the steamboat, their nerves stretched taut. Each passing hour seemed longer than the last as they made their way slowly south. They had been lucky enough to book passage on the next boat out of St. Louis, but the
Enterprise
had a good headstart on them, and they knew they would not catch up unless there’d been trouble.

“I could use a drink. How about you, son?” George broke the strained silence.

“That sounds good,” Marshall agreed. “I can’t stand not knowing….”

“I know what you mean.” George led the way into the saloon.

Jed’s soldiers moved quietly as they used the darkness to their advantage. The three workers at the wood yard had no chance.
They were quickly overpowered and slain by the Confederates.

“Well done, men,” Jed complimented them. “Now all we have to do is hold it until the
Enterprise
shows up.”

“Colonel? There are some clothes in here that belonged to those men. Do you think we should change?” the lieutenant asked.

“It can’t hurt. Did you get rid of their bodies?”

“Yes, sir. Nobody will find them.”

“Good. You’re in charge here, Carson.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Let’s go over the plan once more.” Jed dismounted.

“Right.” The lieutenant went to stand by his commanding officer’s side.

“When she docks, load the wood as usual. I’m sure you’ve been on enough steamboats in your life to know the proper procedure.” He gave Matt a critical look.

“Yes, sir,” came his confident reply.

“On your last trip on board, I want the box with the explosives left out in plain sight.”

“I’ve got the box right here, sir.” Matt indicated the wooden box.

“Good. Then, after you load it, get the hell off the boat and behind some cover.”

“Yes, sir.”

“I’ll be with the sharpshooters. As soon as we see that you’re clear, we’re going to blow that ship.”

“How big of an explosion is it going to be, Col o nel?”

“Big enough so we don’t have to worry about the damned Yankee guards or the steamboat men. I want them dead or so busy fighting the fire that they don’t have time to worry about anything else.”

“Yes, sir. We’ll take care of our end.”

“I’m counting on t hat, Lieutenant.” Jed mounted. “I won’t speak with you again until after we attack. Good luck, Lieutenant.”

“Thank you, sir,” Matt said, but the colonel had already gone, turning his horse without a word and disappearing back through the trees to await the arrival of the
Enterprise
.

Delight smiled warmly as Jim entered the cabin. “Good evening.” Her tone was sultry and suggestive as he came to her.

“Good evening, wife.” He paused. “I like the sound of that.”

“So do I,” she agreed slipping her arms around his neck. “Can you stay for a while?”

“Is that a question or an invitation?” he murmured as his lips sought the sweetness of her throat.

“Both.” She sighed as his touch stirred to life the flames of her desire for him.

He lifted his head and looked questioningly about the room. “Where’s Rose?”

“With Ollie. They’re having dinner together.”

“Remind me to give that man a raise when we get back,” Jim smiled.

“I will.” She smiled and then, giving him a seductive look, she added, “And she’s already moved her things to a stateroom on the promenade deck…Just in case you were wondering.”

“So, we won’t be interrupted?”

“Hopefully not.”

Jim released her for a moment to lock the door and then returned to take her in his arms. “I love you, Mrs. Westlake.”

“That sounds so nice.” Delight pulled his head down for a flaming kiss. “Mr. Westlake.”

Their hands were restless as they embraced, and each pleasing touch encouraged another until the tension between them grew unbearable. With impatient fingers, Jim unbuttoned her dress and helped her to slip it off along with the petticoats and chemise she had on.

“Undress for me,” Delight urged him.

Lifting her, Jim carried her to the bed and lay her down before taking the time to shed his own clothes. Coming to her, he stretched out beside her and drew her to him.

“I have waited all my life for this night. I want it to be perfect,” he told her as his hands moved slowly over her silken limbs. “I want to love every inch of you.”

“And I, you.” She arched to him, shivering, as he kissed her shoulder. “Love me. Please…”

Jim needed no further encouragement to possess her.

“It feels so right.” Delight tried to voice the joy she experienced at this, his ultimate caress. “So perfect…”

Caught up in the serene beauty of the moment, Jim kissed her. Jim had hoped to take his time, to commit to memory every touch…every look…every word…but the storm-tide of his passion swept over him. He was lost in their loving.

The sense of peace that came to them as they lay clasped in each other’s arms was overwhelming, and unlike anything they’d ever known before. They spoke, but words held little meaning for them now. Their bodies had spoken of love far more eloquently then they could ever hope to. Limbs intertwined, they rested, wanting this time alone together to last forever.

Jed paced restlessly in the small clearing where he waited with his men. Three boats had come and gone, but there had been no sign of the
Enterprise
.

“Time, Hutchins?”

“Eleven thirty, sir.”

“Thank you.” Jed stared upstream, hoping to catch sight of the steamer. There was no moon tonight, and he was grateful for that, because the darkness would be essential to their getting away safely. But right now, it offered him little comfort. All that mattered was the arrival of the
En
terprise
, for without the boat there could be no success for his mission.

Delight lay in bed, watching Jim with hungry eyes as he buttoned the last button on his shirt. “You’re sure you have to go?”

“Positive,” he said, his disappointment at having to leave her most obvious.

“How long will you be?”

“It shouldn’t take more than a couple of hours. And, as soon as we’re back on the river, we’ll have our ‘wedding night,’ ” he vowed, looking over at her as she stretched languidly. “You’re lovely.”

“Thank you.” Her voice was husky as she remembered the perfection of their bodies united in love.

Taking her wrists, he drew her to her knees before him. “Stay just the way you are. I’ll be back as soon as humanly possible.” He kissed her almost savagely then, and strode quickly from the room.

Delight watched him go, and she felt suddenly alone when the door closed behind him. Slipping back under the covers, she decided to rest until he returned, for she wanted to make this night one he could never forget.

Jim stopped by Mark’s cabin on his way down to the main deck. “What took you so long?” he complained good-naturedly when Mark finally opened the door.

“I was asleep,” Mark responded, yawning. “Come on in.” Jim entered and leaned negligently against the wall while
Mark sat on his bunk and pulled on his boots. “We should be there in the next half hour. Have you given the guards their instructions?”

“Yes. Most of them have made the run before, so they know what to do.”

“Good. We should be all right, but I never like to let my defenses down.”

Mark got his coat and they left the cabin and headed for the stateroom where the gold was being kept under guard. After checking in with the soldiers now on duty and assigning two men with rifles to stand watch on the promenade deck, Jim and Mark descended to the main deck to supervise the loading of the wood. Without conscious thought, Mark drew his sidearm and checked the chambers before holstering it again.

“Worried?”

“Every minute until it’s delivered,” Mark answered, his tension increasing as the boat slowed and pulled into the wooding station.

Torches were burning brightly on the shore, and their flickering flames cast eerie shadows over the muddy landing as the wooders and roustabouts quickly began the task of carrying the stacks of wood on board.

Jed Burford stood in the darkness watching the scene being acted out below. Everything was going smoothly. There had been no questions asked when the boat had docked, just the exchange of money and the subsequent loading of the wood. They were almost done now, and he could feel the excitement surging through his blood. Now was the time! They would soon be heading south with the gold that was so desperately needed by their cause.

Moving silently, he checked with his men to make sure they were ready. All rifles were aimed at the boat. Whispering instructions, he directed each man to a different target.

“Sloan—take out the two guards on the promenade deck.

Roger—you hit that box of explosives. Anderson—I want you to try to hit the Union captain and the ship’s captain. We can’t guarantee that the explosion will kill anybody, so make each shot count.”

The men nodded their understanding and refocused their attention on the riverboat below. They smiled in victory as the lieutenant casually stacked the box with the explosives near a pile of logs within their range of fire. As the last of their men left the steamer, the gangplank was taken in and the
Enterprise
reversed her engines to pull neatly away from the bank.

“Now!” Jed’s voice roared through the stillness of the night, and their gunfire erupted, spewing forth death and destruction.

The explosion rocked the
Enterprise
from stem to stern, ripping away a portion of her superstructure and causing half of the promenade deck to collapse. Flames spread forth from the boilers, which were damaged by the force of the blast, illuminating the boat in a fiery light that helped the Rebs in their quest.

The sharpshooters were relentless, picking off the Union guards one by one as they raced from the cabin where the gold was being kept. The screams of the wounded and those trapped in the growing fire were drowned out by the continuous fusillade, as the guerrillas reloaded and continued to shoot the men who were trying to escape. Roustabouts and soldiers alike died under the relentless firing. The soldiers’ horses, terrified by the growing fire, broke free from their tethers on the main deck and plunged overboard. Scrambling up the bank, they scattered in the surrounding woods as they tried to find their way to safety.