Laurie Kingery - The Outlaw's Lady

How long had it been since he had thanked God for what he put in his mouth? Pilar had always been the one to bless the family dinners.

He saw that Delgado had also noticed what she was doing. Then Tess raised her head, and both men picked up their knives and forks and pretended they had not been watching her.

“Tell me about yourself, señorita,” Delgado invited, after a moment or two. “I know little about you except that you are a lady photographer. Tell me of your family.”

Tess shrugged, unconscious that the gesture called attention to her lovely shoulders. “There’s not much to tell,” she said, and went on to tell Delgado what Sandoval already knew of her family.

“Have you ever been away from home like this?” Delgado asked.

As Sandoval listened, Diego Delgado effortlessly drew her out. She told them about being sent away to a fancy finishing school, which purported to be all that was needed for a young lady of good family to be ready to make a brilliant marriage.

Who knew that a notorious outlaw like Diego Delgado could be such a good host, Sandoval mused. He could see Tess relaxing in the midst of Delgado’s concentration on her answers and was glad for that, at least.

“But how did you develop an interest in photography?” Delgado inquired. “It is an unusual pastime for a lady, no?”

Spearing a piece of the spicy chicken and dipping it in the chocolate-based sauce, Tess told them about her uncle James, who had been a Brady photographer and had taught her all she knew, and about her goal of going to New York to work for Brady.

Sandoval pretended absorption in his beef as he fought the surprising sense of jealousy that twisted his gut. He should be the one plying Tess Hennessy with clever questions, drawing her out, not this scoundrel! She had been standoffish with him when they had met at Taylor’s, but surely with time and charm he could have won the right to court her.

And so he might have been the one, if he hadn’t decided first to use her to achieve his own goal regarding Delgado.

“Ah, you are a woman of amazing ambition,” Delgado purred, after taking a long draft of his wine. “Do you not wish for a home? A husband? Babies to dandle on your knee?”

Sandoval saw two spots of color spring to Tess’s cheeks and sparks flash from her eyes. “Jefe, I think your question may be a little too personal…” he began, but Tess found her voice before he could finish his sentence.

“I’d like to ask you a question or two, Diego,” she said, biting out the words. “Such as, how did you develop an interest in thievery? Especially thievery on such a grand scale?”

Slowly, deliberately, Delgado laid down his knife and fork in turn. The color had fled from his face. “How did I become Delgado, scourge of the Rio Grande Valley, you mean? This land is rightfully Mexican, Tess Hennessy. So I don’t really feel that I am doing anything wrong—I am merely taking back those possessions which should belong to my people.”

“But people have been killed who sought to protect their property from you and your men, Señor Delgado,” she protested.

Sandoval could see the nerve jumping in Delgado’s temple and knew the outlaw was perilously close to losing his temper at her outspokenness.

“I kill no one who does not resist us,” Delgado said.

“That is your excuse?”

Sandoval knew it was time to intervene. Delgado had been so affable a host before they got on this subject that Tess had forgotten who and what he was. Beneath the table, he very gently but firmly put his booted foot down on Tess’s foot. “I think you have said enough, Miss Hennessy,” he warned. “Do not forget you are a captive here, and dependent on Delgado’s goodwill.”

Yes, that’s it, he thought, when she transferred her indignant gaze to him. Show me your anger, not Delgado. It’s much safer.

He increased the pressure on her foot, hoping she’d take the hint and not insist on having the last word.

Her eyes were disks of ice as she stared at him, her mouth a thin, tight line, but she held her peace.

“I believe you will be pleased at the pictures Miss Hennessy took today, jefe,” Sandoval said, praying Delgado was ready to let go of the conflict, too. He turned to Delores, who’d been half dozing in a corner of the room, asking the old woman to bring the photographs from Tess’s hut.

Delores was back in a few moments, and Delgado was so thrilled with the results of Tess’s first session that he was once again beaming at her, all his wrath forgotten.

“You are a true artista, Señorita Tess,” Delgado enthused, kissing his fingers at her as if the past, tense moments had never happened. “A genius of daguerreotype, isn’t she, Sandoval?”

“Indeed she is,” Sandoval said, watching Tess warily.

“And it was masterful on your part to think of bringing her to me,” Delgado went on, slapping Sandoval on the back. “Thank you, my loyal amigo!” He turned back to Tess. “And you will be ready at dawn tomorrow to take the pictures of me on horseback, just before we ride out on our raid, sí?”

Tess nodded.

“That being the case, perhaps I should escort Miss Hennessy back to her quarters so that she can get her rest,” Sandoval said, rising.

“Oh, but we have not had our dessert,” Delgado protested. “Delores makes the best flan in Mexico, perhaps in the world!”

Tess rose also, protesting that she couldn’t eat another bite, as polite as any guest could be.

“Then go and get your beauty sleep, señorita,” Delgado said, bowing. “Sandoval, after you have seen her safe inside, summon my other lieutenants and come back. We need to plan our strategy, eh?”

Tess was silent until Delgado closed the door and she was alone with Parrish on the short path to her hut.

“I’m sure I can manage the rest of the way by myself,” she told him, her voice burning with suppressed fury. “Go summon the rest of his lieutenants as you were told.” She mimicked Delgado’s accent mockingly. “You have strategy to discuss, don’t you?”

“Woman, hold your tongue,” Sandoval snapped, taking hold of her elbow so tightly she almost squeaked at the sudden, unexpected roughness. He yanked her along and pushed her roughly inside the hut, and to her alarm, followed her inside. The interior was dimly lit by a flickering tallow candle burning in a niche in the adobe wall above a pallet like the one Tess had slept on.

“Now, just a minute,” she began, beginning to realize too late she might have pushed him too far. “I didn’t invite you in—”

His dark eyes smoldered down at her, frightening her with their intensity.

“I had to come in, since apparently you have no more sense than to mock me right outside Delgado’s quarters,” he said in a low voice. “I don’t care how you feel about me,” he told her, “but don’t you think he’d be listening at the window for what you might say? You can’t take hints, evidently, so I came inside to tell you what you need to hear.”

“Oh, and what is that, pray tell?” she retorted, with all the bravado she could muster.

“Don’t think you can be insolent with Delgado, Tess. He may act the courtier at times, but don’t forget he’s an unprincipled bandit. You’re going to have to mind that redheaded temper of yours and at least pretend to respect him and his men if you hope to get out of this situation unscathed.”

“How dare you, Sandoval Parrish?” she demanded, taking a step forward and thrusting her chin out. “I wouldn’t be in this situation, as you so charmingly put it, if it weren’t for your desire to curry favor with that same unprincipled killer!” She was too angry at him to care that they were alone in this hut, and she was very much at Sandoval Parrish’s mercy.