«That’s a brave girl you have,» Reno said. «Not many women would have gone out in that storm for love or money, much less for a meansteeldust mustang that most men would shoot on sight.»

Wolfe’s eyes narrowed against the darkness and pain streaking through him. «My fault.Jessi was trying to prove I shouldn’t send her back to England.»

Reno gave Wolfe a questioning look.

«Jessitold me how you stood over more than one foal, holding off wolves with your six-gun,» Wolfe said, changing the subject as he poured a mug of coffee. «I owe you.»

«Like Hell you do. If it hadn’t been for your skill with a rifle, Jed Slater would have killed Willow, Caleb, and me.»

«You get the pick of my foals,» Wolfe said as though Reno hadn’t spoken.

«Lonetree, sometimes you can be a bullheaded son of a bitch.»

«Thank you.»

Reno shot him a disbelieving look, then laughed out loud.

Wolfe smiled, but it faded quickly. The shadow of a bird flying beyond the window caught his eye. For long, aching moments, he looked past the grass and trees to the unbridled glory of the SanJuans. He hadn’t truly known how much a part of his soul the mountains were until he looked at them and knew he must leave their wildness behind. The pain of it drew deep brackets around his mouth.

But it had to be done.

«Remember that blue roan you fancied?» Wolfe asked quietly.

«The wild one you caught a few summers back?»

Wolfe nodded.

«I remember. Hell of a good desert horse. Best I’ve ever seen.»

«She’s yours.»

«Now look here,» Reno began.

«You’ll earn her,» Wolfe said, cutting across Reno’s objections. «It will cost you most of a summer of gold hunting.»

Reno’s eyes narrowed as he measured the man sitting across from him.

«I want you to ride withJessi and me as far as the Mississippi,» Wolfe continued. «Between the Indians, the gold hunters, and the dregs of the soldiers on both sides of the war…» He shrugged.

«It gets real lively,» Reno agreed.

«If it were just me, it wouldn’t matter. ButJessi will be along. I’d feel better knowing you were at my back.»

Reno’s expression became intent as he sensed the turmoil behind Wolfe’s calm words.

«I’d gladly ride to Hell with you,» Reno said calmly, «and you know it.»

«I’m not going to Hell. Not quite.» Wolfe’s smile thinned.

«England?» guessed Reno.

«It’sJessi’s home.»

«You’ll have a hard time hunting mustangs for a living in England.»

«Lord Stewart has wanted me to work for him for years. He’ll get his wish.»

Reno said something under his breath in Spanish about Wolfe having the heart of an ox — and the brains.

«Gracias,» Wolfe said sardonically.

There was silence, followed by the sound of Reno’s work gloves snapping against his palm.

«When do you want to leave?» Reno asked finally.

«Soon.Jessi isn’t cut out for the West.»

«I haven’t heard Red complain. Have you?»

The question was ignored by Wolfe. After a moment, Reno stood with the lazy grace that had fooled more than one man into thinking he was slow.

«Amigo, Ithink you’re making a mistake.»

«No. I’m merely paying for one.»

«What mistake is that?» Jessica asked from the doorway.

«He’s got some damn fool idea about —» Reno began, then broke off abruptly. The look Wolfe was giving him would have frozen lightning.

Cursing under his breath, Reno snapped his gloves against his hand again and went out the back door without another word.

Jessica looked at Wolfe curiously.

«I’m giving Reno the pick of the foals,» Wolfe said.

«That’s hardly a mistake. He earned it. Without him, we would have lost more than one foal.»

«That’s what I told him.»

As though pulled against his will, Wolfe turned again and stared out the window. Jessica saw deep emotion kindle in Wolfe’s eyes, then fade into the haunted shadows she had first noticed that morning when he watched the sunrise. She went and stood beside him. She saw nothing beyond the window but the beauty of the vast land.

«Wolfe? Is something wrong?»

He turned and looked at her with haunted eyes.

«Wolfe,» she whispered, reaching toward him.

«Kiss me, Jessi,» he said, bending down to her. «Kiss me hard and deep. When you kiss me, I don’t think about what must be.»

With a small sound, she went up on tiptoe even as he lifted her in his arms, letting the wildness inside him focus in the passion only Jessica had ever been able to summon from the depths of his soul.

«Does this mean you’ve forgivenJessi for going out in the blizzard?» Willow asked from the doorway.

Reluctantly, Wolfe ended the kiss and tucked Jessica’s scarlet face against his neck. He smiled at Willow despite the bittersweet combination of sadness and desire twisting through him.

«We’re negotiating,» Wolfe said.

«Her surrender or yours?» retorted Willow.

«Mine, of course. Elves are too fragile. They either win or die.»

«In that case,» Willow said dryly, «I’ll get Ethan’s bathwater and leave you to your, er, negotiations.»

As Wolfe lowered Jessica’s feet to the floor, a cool premonition slid down her spine, the echo of Wolfe’s words.

Elves are too fragile. They either win or die.

Jessica said nothing until Willow went out of the kitchen carrying a pan of warm water in her hands. When Jessica turned to Wolfe, he was staring out the window once more. The expression of sorrow in his eyes made fear squeeze her heart.

«Love, what’s wrong?» she asked.

«Nothing.»

She shook her head slowly. «Your eyes are haunted.»

«‘Tisyour imagination.» Wolfe smiled and touched her cheek gently. «Elves are noted for their imagination.»

«Wolfe,» she whispered. «I can’t joke about what I see in your eyes. Who or what are you mourning?»

His eyes narrowed in surprise. He hadn’t expected Jessica to see into him so clearly, even more clearly than he saw into himself.

Mourning.

«I’m always sad to say good-bye to Caleb and Willow,» Wolfe said after a moment, the only part of the truth he would discuss.

It was Jessica’s turn to be surprised. «We’re leaving?»

«It’s too wild here.»

Wolfe’s voice was resonant with finality and grief. A chill roughened Jessica’s skin.

«What are you saying?» she whispered.

«We’re going to England.»

«I’d rather hunt mustangs,» she said, «or did you want to wait until autumn, when this year’s crop of foals will be weaned?»

Wolfe turned away without answering.

«Wolfe?»

«We’ll be in England when the foals are weaned.»

«Then we’ll come back next spring.»

«No.» The word was soft, final.

«Why not?»

«Spring and fall are when Lord Robert’s managers are most needed on his country estates.»

The chill moving through Jessica congealed into ice and settled into the pit of her stomach.

«What does that have to do with us?» she asked tightly.

«I will be one of those managers.»

«What are you saying?»

Wolfe looked out the window. «We will live in England.»

«You hate England.»

Wolfe shrugged. «Parts of the countryside are quite pretty.»

«They’re not a patch on this,» she said, indicating the wild beauty of the mountains beyond the window.

«No. They’re not.»

«What of your mustangs?»

«I’m giving them to Caleb.»

Jessica swayed and whispered. «You mean never to come back to the West!»

Wolfe didn’t answer. He didn’t have to. The shadows in his eyes said all that was necessary.

«But why? You love this land. I’ve seen you, Wolfe. You watch these mountains the way a man watches a woman he loves.»

«Let it go, Jessi.»