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.Go on."Madeline nodded, releasing a loud squeal as she was smacked on the rump by a man that stood watching the joviality.Blair sat with the group to play poker and tipped glasses with them as they imbibed the potent liquor."You really are a looker, Miss Blair," one man grinned as he wobbled in his chair."Most lookers end up in the brothel down a ways.Bad place, that is.""Why is that?" Blair asked, tapping the table for another card."I was led to understand that the prostitutes were respected in the territories.""By most.Show your hand, ma'am.Damn!" He slammed his cards on the table and downed another glass."Full house.This hand is mine, boys.Another round!" Blair announced, finishing off her drink."So what is the difficulty with this particular brothel?""Deuce don't like whores.Said they gave him the clap," another man proclaimed."Took his manhood.""That is terrible! Who is Deuce?" Blair asked, tossing her bet into the center of the table."The boss.He runs the longhorns up from Texas.He is meaner than a rattler with a sore tooth.Don't like running much cuz of his condition.""I imagine it to be very painful.""Yeah, he even went to the Chief to see if the Medicine Man could help him.Old chief laughed," the man slammed down another drink, "said he got what he deserved.""That sounds rather cruel.Why would the Chief say that? Hit me," she patted the table for another card."Deuce thinks himself a lady's man.Went after the chief's daughter and was shot in the thigh.He never quite got over that injury—or the insult.Still has that bullet lodged in there.Makes him even meaner when it rains."Blair bit her cheek, considering his words."That poor man.How long has it been?""Dunno, about five or six years, give or take.Why ya ask?""I just feel sorry that the poor dear has suffered for so long.It must be difficult for him to get around during the winter because of the cold.""Yeah, he holes up in an open town to rest out the snow.Lead poisoning is also messing with his brain.He's not in good sorts lately.""I can't blame him for feeling so terrible.Please forgive my ignorance.What is an open town?""No real lawmen, big saloon, nice bordello.The necessities."Before Blair could comment, Madeline tugged her sleeve."Pardon, Miss, but Mr.Sloan and Mr.Malcolm just road up.Mr.Sloan looks positively livid."Madeline's observation barely scratched the surface of the clouds covering Sloan's face as he stared down at Blair."Time to come home," he growled, grabbing her arm and pulling her up from the chair.Several guns clicked and were aimed at him."Put those away, boys.This is my wife.""Maybe the lady doesn't wanna go, cowboy.""Boys! Boys!" Malcolm's loud voice echoed through the room."Put the guns down.The girl is my granddaughter, and this sour-faced chap is her doting husband."The men slowly complied, moving aside when Malcolm joined them."Give them another round on me.Is anyone interested in playing a hand and winning back some coin that my sly little girl pocketed from you?""I'm going to take Blair back to the ranch, Malcolm.Madeline? You will come with me.""Leave the woman here, Sloan.I'll take good care of her," Malcolm said with a grin."Yes, sir.I'll hitch your mount to the wagon and Blair can ride Skinwalker.""That crazy horse tried to bite me," one of the men stated."Women shouldn't be allowed to ride a devil like that.""I ride as well as I can shoot," Blair stated proudly, straightening her back and walking towards the swinging doors with Sloan gripping tightly to her arm."That's my girl," Malcolm stated.He slapped the table, "Are we gonna play or what? Madeline? You are in charge of coin.If I run out, we leave.""Yes, sir, Mr.Malcolm.Miss Blair?""Don't be concerned about your mistress, Madeline," Malcolm said."She is in good hands."Blair stayed silent as Sloan unhitched Skinwalker from the wagon and replaced him with Malcolm's mare.After securing her purchases to the back of the wagon, he handed her a bridle to slip over Skinwalker's head.Sloan's hooded eyes did not once miss the opportunity to make contact with hers, his expression dripping with disapproval of her behavior.She swallowed dryly, wishing that she had indulged in a less diluted amount of liquor."Sloan, I need to tell you something.""It will have to wait.Right now, I am madder than hell.What were you thinking, woman?" he snapped as they began to trot in the direction of the ranch."May I answer or are you going to silence me?""I suggest you take that nasty tone out of your voice to start with.You are dangerously close to getting your bottom toasted right here and now.""I apologize.Please, allow me to explain.""You have until we arrive at the spread.Start talking."Blair launched into a description of the events and the story told to her.When she had finished, the only sound between them was the clapping of the horse's hooves upon the dry ground."Sloan? Are you going to spank me?""What do you think?""Well, to start, I must say that …""You deliberately disobeyed me about coming straight home.You deliberately went into the saloon and started drinking.And I taught you to play cards to pass the time on the trail, not to gamble!""I won, though!" Blair said brightly.She sobered up when she saw the sharp look cast at her under the moonlight."Sloan, please consider my words.It was not my intent to disobey.I did so in order to avoid an incident and perhaps learn something that we needed to know.This man, Deuce, appears to be the one killing those women.""It was not for you to be involved in this, Blair.How many times have I warned you about the men in these parts?""I did what I thought was best," Blair said quietly, her heart pounding as the amber lights of the ranch house came into view."I will also do what I think is best.I will not have you disobeying me and putting your life in danger.I love you too much to ignore foolish choices.""What was I to do?" Blair's voice became more frantic the closer they came to their destination."I could not have just pushed past them, could I?"Sloan pulled up on the reins."What did I tell you about firing a gun?""That it is a means of protection or food.""What else?" His voice was low and gravelly.Blair winced, "That is it not a toy to show off with and that if I ever draw it in the presence of men, be prepared to use it to kill.""And?""They had to see that I was not afraid of using it, and that I could actually hit something!""You opened yourself up to be killed.You are never to draw a gun in public!" he hissed, unhitching the horse and walking her to the corral to hand her off to the stable boy."Don't raise your voice to me, Sloan Adkins!""You have not heard me raise my voice, little girl.Get off that horse and march your bottom right into the house, Blair.""Please …""Go to our room and strip every stitch of clothing from your body.You may sponge off the dirt from your ride, but I want you with your nose in a corner as soon as you are done.""I am not going to stand in a corner like a child!" Blair stomped her foot."Remember the strapping you got over the barrel for drinking at the saloon before? It is nothing to what you are going to feel on that lovely little bottom this evening.Go."Blair swore as she kicked the corral post."This is unfair!""Blair Lorraine, I am very close to putting you over this fence, lifting yours skirts to bare your bottom, and then turn it into the color of burning coals right now.Defy me further and it will be done.I don't care who is here to witness it, either."Blair felt the burning in her cheeks as she glanced at the stunned stable boy
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