glances and whispered speculation. Tomás's
men were known to the villagers, and some wandered off with acquaintances. Sim Kavanagh
stood along at the edge of the milling crowd, smoking a cigarette. His baleful stare caught
Rowena more than once.
If she were less a lady, she would confront that man and demand to know the reason for his
dislike. But to acknowledge his stares was beneath her—as much beneath her as fluttering
about Tomás with coy glances and hooded eyes like several of the pretty señoritas. Tomás had
a jaunty word and a wink for every one of them.
None too soon, the well-wishers went about their business, leaving a trio of staid older men
who spoke to Tomás with dignified formality. Tomás introduced the elder of them as Don
Pablo. He tipped his hat to Rowena. She nodded.
"Don Pablo insists that you and I stay in his casa," Tomás said. "We will dine with him." He
turned back to the men and withdrew something from his waistcoat. Rowena recognized the
leather bag of coins he'd received for the stolen horses.
At first Don Pablo refused the bag, looking both hopeful and embarrassed. But Tomás pressed it
into his hands with a coaxing grin. "Para los ninos" he said.
Don Pablo bowed his head, the telltale moisture of tears in his eyes. "Dios le bendiga, Don
Tomás. Dios le bendiga."
"De nada. "Tomás pretended not to notice the old man's emotion. He excused himself with a
slight bow and took Rowena's arm to draw her away.
Once A Wolf – 19th Century Werewolf 02
Page 59 of 275
"Was that for my benefit?" she asked.
"Perdon?"
"You wanted me to witness the disposal of your ill-gotten gains, did you not? I see that I
misjudged you." In spite of herself, the words rang with mockery. "El Lobo is simply an
American Robin Hood—stealing from the rich to give to the poor."
"Do you find that so ridiculous, my Lady Ice?"
"Don't call me that."
"But it suits you so well." Under his light tone and idle half-smile lay a core of steel. "Your
English Robin Hood stole from nobility just like you, my lady." He gestured at señora Valdez's
house. "Don Pablo and Asunci6n, who have invited us to eat at their table, were not always
poor. Once they were among the ricos of the Territory. They owned much fine land, and many
sheep. When the Americans came, some like them began to lose what they'd had since the old
days under Spain and Mexico. They didn't understand the new ways and new laws, and the
lawyers found it easy to trick them. Don Pablo and his people were driven from his family's
land, and started again in this village, where life is much harder. He cares for the people who
once worked for him as best he can. I am merely trying to give back a little of what was taken
from him."
An unexpected suspicion crowded into Rowena's mind. "You aren't suggesting that Cole had
something to do with this man's situation?"
"Not Cole, but another much like him."
She released her breath. "I am sorry that fortune treated Don Pablo so poorly," she said. "There
is still much about this country I don't know. But you are clearly an educated man, Tomás. I
doubt that you were ever among the poor."
"Have you finally developed an interest in my past?"
"If I did, would I find justification for criminal behavior?"
He laughed. "I have a premonition that before you and I part company, you'll find yourself on
the wrong side of the law at least once, mi rubia."
"I should hate to disappoint you. Why not let me go, before you learn how mistaken you are?"
"When your company is so very… stimulating?" His grip on her arm became a slow caress from
wrist to elbow, a stroke she felt keenly through her snug sleeve. "I don't know how I managed
without you to keep me in my place."
"Your place is in a jail."
Once A Wolf – 19th Century Werewolf 02
Page 60 of 275
"I'd far rather be in your bed."
Six
His shocking bluntness sent a stab of alarm and heat racing along Rowena's spine. Games, she
reminded herself.
men were known to the villagers, and some wandered off with acquaintances. Sim Kavanagh
stood along at the edge of the milling crowd, smoking a cigarette. His baleful stare caught
Rowena more than once.
If she were less a lady, she would confront that man and demand to know the reason for his
dislike. But to acknowledge his stares was beneath her—as much beneath her as fluttering
about Tomás with coy glances and hooded eyes like several of the pretty señoritas. Tomás had
a jaunty word and a wink for every one of them.
None too soon, the well-wishers went about their business, leaving a trio of staid older men
who spoke to Tomás with dignified formality. Tomás introduced the elder of them as Don
Pablo. He tipped his hat to Rowena. She nodded.
"Don Pablo insists that you and I stay in his casa," Tomás said. "We will dine with him." He
turned back to the men and withdrew something from his waistcoat. Rowena recognized the
leather bag of coins he'd received for the stolen horses.
At first Don Pablo refused the bag, looking both hopeful and embarrassed. But Tomás pressed it
into his hands with a coaxing grin. "Para los ninos" he said.
Don Pablo bowed his head, the telltale moisture of tears in his eyes. "Dios le bendiga, Don
Tomás. Dios le bendiga."
"De nada. "Tomás pretended not to notice the old man's emotion. He excused himself with a
slight bow and took Rowena's arm to draw her away.
Once A Wolf – 19th Century Werewolf 02
Page 59 of 275
"Was that for my benefit?" she asked.
"Perdon?"
"You wanted me to witness the disposal of your ill-gotten gains, did you not? I see that I
misjudged you." In spite of herself, the words rang with mockery. "El Lobo is simply an
American Robin Hood—stealing from the rich to give to the poor."
"Do you find that so ridiculous, my Lady Ice?"
"Don't call me that."
"But it suits you so well." Under his light tone and idle half-smile lay a core of steel. "Your
English Robin Hood stole from nobility just like you, my lady." He gestured at señora Valdez's
house. "Don Pablo and Asunci6n, who have invited us to eat at their table, were not always
poor. Once they were among the ricos of the Territory. They owned much fine land, and many
sheep. When the Americans came, some like them began to lose what they'd had since the old
days under Spain and Mexico. They didn't understand the new ways and new laws, and the
lawyers found it easy to trick them. Don Pablo and his people were driven from his family's
land, and started again in this village, where life is much harder. He cares for the people who
once worked for him as best he can. I am merely trying to give back a little of what was taken
from him."
An unexpected suspicion crowded into Rowena's mind. "You aren't suggesting that Cole had
something to do with this man's situation?"
"Not Cole, but another much like him."
She released her breath. "I am sorry that fortune treated Don Pablo so poorly," she said. "There
is still much about this country I don't know. But you are clearly an educated man, Tomás. I
doubt that you were ever among the poor."
"Have you finally developed an interest in my past?"
"If I did, would I find justification for criminal behavior?"
He laughed. "I have a premonition that before you and I part company, you'll find yourself on
the wrong side of the law at least once, mi rubia."
"I should hate to disappoint you. Why not let me go, before you learn how mistaken you are?"
"When your company is so very… stimulating?" His grip on her arm became a slow caress from
wrist to elbow, a stroke she felt keenly through her snug sleeve. "I don't know how I managed
without you to keep me in my place."
"Your place is in a jail."
Once A Wolf – 19th Century Werewolf 02
Page 60 of 275
"I'd far rather be in your bed."
Six
His shocking bluntness sent a stab of alarm and heat racing along Rowena's spine. Games, she
reminded herself.
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