“Duncan,” Jared said curtly.
“We sure was sorry to hear about yore pa, Mr. Jared. That’s a real shame now, ain’t it?”
Jared ignored the comment. “How’s your business?”
“Well,” he whined, “it could always be better. If’n you’d let us clear some of the land where them damned nesters is, we could both be better off.”
“You know that land is off-limits to you, and it always will be. You stay on this side of the river, or you’re off for good, understand?”
“Now, Mr. Jared, you wouldn’t run us off. What with our famblies and all.” He paused and split his lips in a sickening parody of a smile. “You couldn’t see June no more, either.”
Jared swung down from his saddle and stood facing the man, his body as tense as a coiled snake ready to strike. Only common sense and the grim consequences of such a stupid action kept him from grinding his fist into Duncan’s insolent face.
The charcoal burner read the hesitation and continued with a leer, “You hadn’t forgotten Juney now, hadja, Mr. Jared?” He inclined his head and Lauren followed his indication to the cabin where a young woman leaned against the doorjamb. Her expression was as insolent as the man’s. She pushed away from the door and sauntered closer to them, her hips swinging suggestively. She was barefoot and her feet were caked with dirt. Her dress barely covered her knees and the bodice was stretched across pendulous breasts. Lauren realized that she was naked under the thin cotton dress and was stunned at the girl’s immodesty. Her hair was almost white and her eyes were piercing blue. She might have been pretty, even beautiful, if it weren’t for the sullen mouth that drooped at the corners and her lack of personal hygiene.
The slinking walk brought her to within a few inches of Jared. She swayed slightly as she said huskily, “Hello, Jared.”
Jared turned on his heels and walked over to Flame and her rider. He raised his voice. “This is my wife.” He placed a gloved hand on Lauren’s thigh, and if she had not been frightened by this strange camp and the gypsylike people who lived here, she would have wondered why she trembled and felt like melting at his touch. “If anyone from this camp comes near her, I’ll kill him. You have been warned.” It could have been her imagination that he applied more pressure to her leg just before he released it. He walked around Charger and mounted in one fluid movement.
“Uh… Mr. Jared, we was wonderin’ what’s gonna happen to all of the goddam nesters and sheepherders when you dam up the river.” Duncan stood with his squat legs spread, arms akimbo, his chin thrust out belligerently. Gone was the groveling attitude he had assumed at first.
Jared riveted his amber eyes on the man. “Where in hell did you ever hear that?”
“I don’t rightly recall.” He scratched his head in mock-puzzlement, and Lauren was nauseated to see startled lice crawling in his hair. “Word just got around, that’s all.”
“Well, it’s only gossip. Understand? I don’t want to hear any more about it.”
“If’n they was to move on like, could we work that land then?”
“I’m going to say it one more time.” Jared’s voice was hard and even, as sharp as a rapier. “You work only where I or Rudy tell you you can. Nowhere else. And anything else that happens on Lockett land is none of your business.” He rested his hand lightly on his pistol holster.
He nudged Charger with his knees and Lauren did the same to Flame. They rode out of the camp slowly, though she would have liked to gallop, so malevolent were the looks that June had given her. When she had passed close to the girl, Lauren heard her hiss, “Bitch!”
When the camp was well behind them, Jared pulled up and listened for a moment before he spoke. “I think it’s all right now.”
“What in the world is that place? I was frightened.”
“I was, too.” He laughed. “That riffraff back there are charcoal burners. Wat Duncan is more or less their leader. Ben made a deal with him years ago that they could cut down the cedar and burn it into charcoal. There’s a market for it in San Antonio. They use it to purify the water and make it taste better.” Lauren remembered the bitter-tasting water she had drunk from the spring and Jared’s explanation that it had to be filtered. “We let them keep all their profits and, in turn, they keep the ranges cleared of excess cedar. The only problem is that they are mean, dishonest, and completely amoral.”
Lauren looked away from him as she murmured, “The girl was pretty in a way.”
A grin twitched his lips as he studied her. He said, “One day in my reckless youth, Ben caught June and me giving each other a biology lesson. He beat me to within an inch of my life. I never went near her again, especially after he impressed upon me what can befall a young man who fools around with sluts like her. She and Wat must have been insulted, because he never fails to make reference to her when I’m around.”
“Are they related?”
“Yes. She’s his sister.” He paused significantly. “And his mate.”
Lauren felt ill as she spurred Flame into a gallop behind Jared’s lead.
* * *
They were only a few miles from the house when the wind suddenly shifted to northerly and the gusts of cold air stung Lauren’s cheeks. Her eyes began to water.
Jared shouted for her to pull her bandana over her nose as he did, and it offered a little protection from the biting wind.
They rode a few more minutes and then he signaled for her to follow him. He led her to a group of boulders and rode into a pocket formed by the enormous rocks.
Lauren was shivering from the cold, but at least now they were out of the fierce wind. Jared came around to Flame’s side and offered up his arms to help her down. She placed her hands on his shoulders as he lowered her gently to the ground.