toward the door leading to the deck, her straight dark hair

streaming behind her in a wild, shining banner. She heard

Nicholas call her name, but she ignored it. Fierce joy was

surging through her veins. She had done it! She had bested

Nicholas and now she would complete her plan.

Cool night air struck her hot cheeks as she rushed out on

deck and ran toward the stairway leading to the boiler deck.

She glanced over her shoulder. Nicholas and Valentin had just

emerged from the saloon and were running after her.

She should take off the slippers, but there was no time. She

glanced over the rail at the shore that was scarcely forty yards

away. She had reached the boiler deck, but she couldn’t jump

here. It was too close to the paddle wheel. She streaked across

the deck, climbed up on the rail, and then slipped onto the

narrow ledge hanging over the water.

„Silver!“ Nicholas shouted.

She glanced back over her shoulder. His face was pale in

the moonlight. Strange, he didn’t look angry now as he ran

toward her. If she didn’t know better, she would swear his

expression reflected panic.

„Good-bye, Nicholas.“ She waved mockingly and then

dove into the waters of the Mississippi.

The river was cold and for a moment she lost her breath

and felt frightened. Then she struck out with swift strong

strokes toward the shadowy bank.

„You’re going after her?“ Valentin asked as he watched

Nicholas jerk off his boots and toss them aside.

„You’re damn right I’m going after her.“ Nicholas flung off

his coat and threw it on top of his boots. „If she makes it to

shore, she’ll disappear before we can launch a boat and get to

the bank.“

If. The qualifier caused an icy chill to chase through him.

Silver appeared to be swimming with exceptional strength, but

he had heard there were many dangers lurking in the river.

Whirlpools, currents… He climbed over the rail, his gaze

searching the water. Now that she had left the glowing

perimeter of the riverboat s lanterns, he could no longer see

her. Where the devil was she? Then he saw a gleam of

moonlight shining on a seal-wet head and felt a relief so

intense it made him dizzy.

He balanced on the ledge, keeping his gaze fixed

desperately on Silver. „Tell Robert to wait until dawn to send a

rescue party after us. We don’t want any more people than

necessary blundering around lost in that damn forest.“ He

dove into the river and struck out after Silver, cleaving the

water with powerful strokes. His heart was pounding with fear

as his eyes strained in the darkness. Incredibly, he found

himself muttering a prayer beneath his breath.

She was almost to the bank. Relief coursed through her,

revitalizing her tired muscles. Another fifteen yards and she

would be safe. She wanted to hurry, to strike out with greater

speed, but she knew she must hoard her strength.

She swam steadily, drawing closer, closer still. Soon she

would be there. Stroke, breathe deeply, another stroke, breathe

deeply, str –

Blackness! A gnarled, scaly monster bearing down on her!

There were no river monsters, she thought wildly, no

monsters here.

The monster struck! She gasped as an avalanche of pain

tumbled through her head. Dizziness. Pain. Blackness. She

must keep moving. But she couldn’t remember what to do,

how to move her arms. Panic ripped through her. She was

going to die. She was going to be with Rising Star. Oh, God,

she didn’t want to die!

„No!“ Her arms began to thrash wildly. She wanted to live.

There was something wonderful waiting for her. Something

that was meant to be… Someone…

The blackness returned and she fought against it. She

wouldn’t die. She was strong. She wouldn’t be destroyed when

that wonder was waiting for her.

Then the blackness deepened and the waters of the river

closed over her head. She sank slowly downward, a silent

scream of protest resounding through every cell of her being.

Nicholas!

Nicholas’s face was intent in the firelight, a slight frown

knitting his brow. His golden hair was touseled and a little

damp and he was wearing no shirt. That was strange, she

thought vaguely. She had never seen Nicholas when he was

not faultlessly dressed. „Where’s your shirt?“

His eyes flew up to meet hers and relief flooded his face.

„I’m sorry to appear with such a shocking lack of decorum,

but I thought you needed it more than I did,“ he said lightly.

„Your gown may have been eyecatching, but it gave you little

protection from the elements.“

She looked down at herself in surprise. She was wearing

his shirt. The linen of his white shirt was no longer crisp, but

wilted and slightly damp. She was barefoot and she could see

the yellow slippers she had worn lying watersoaked and ruined

on the bank a few yards away. „Why are we wet?“

His smile faded. „Don’t you remember?“

She tried to think. Something wonderful waiting for her.

Someone… She suddenly sat bolt upright. „The monster!“

„Lie back down,“ Nicholas said, trying to push her onto the

bed of moss and leaves. „There was no monster.“

„There was.“ She dazedly lifted her hand to her head. „I

saw it. Black and scaly and – “

„It was a log being carried by the current,“ Nicholas said.

„No monster. It struck you a glancing blow on the head and

stunned you.“ His lips tightened grimly. „But it was enough to

have drowned you if I hadn’t been a few yards behind.“

„I thought I was dying.“ She suddenly began to shiver. „I

was dying. I was so afraid.“ Her voice held a note of wonder.

„I don’t think I’ve ever been afraid before. I thought my heart

was bursting and I couldn’t breathe and – “

„Hush.“ Nicholas’s arms were suddenly around her,

rocking her as if she were a dearly loved child. „Don’t think

about it. It’s over now.“

„No.“ Her words were muffled in the warm flesh of his

shoulder. „I thought I was strong enough to win over anything.

But I wasn’t.“ The shiver had evolved into shudders that

racked her slim frame. „I was so frightened.“

Nicholas suffered a poignant ache deep within him. God,

she was young. How long ago it had been since he had

believed he had the strength to win every battle, vanquish

every foe, even one as powerful as death itself. „It’s all right to

be frightened. No one expects a wo – “ He stopped. This was

not a comfort Silver would be able to accept. His hand gently

stroked the silky dark hair at her temple. „No one is strong

every moment of every day. Everyone is afraid at some time in

his life.“

„You?“

„Oh, yes, many times.“

She began to relax, the shivering gradually ebbing.

„Truly?“

He chuckled. „Truly.“

She lifted her head to look more directly at his face. „Why

are you being so kind to me?“ she asked haltingly. „You were

very angry with me in the saloon tonight.“

„I’m still angry with you.“ Something flickered in the

depths of his eyes and then was gone. „But I’ve never enjoyed

a battle against an unarmed opponent, and I believe it’s safe to

say you’re amazingly defenseless at the moment.“

She looked away. He was right. She had never felt weaker

or less sure of herself. She moistened her lips with her tongue.

„It won’t last.“

He laughed again. „I’m well aware of that, but for tonight,

at least, we’ll call a truce. I gave orders that a boat not be