insists. He promised Mama before she died.”
Christopher studied her profile. He’d been told she was the same age as him, but the grave purpose in her eyes made her seem older. Perhaps, like him, she hadn’t been a child in a long time.
His gaze swept the dark forms of horses grazing in the pasture. Above, stars glittered in an ink-blue sky. “I can’t blame you for not wanting to leave here.”
She glanced sideways. Consideration drew her brows together. “I suppose this is heaven for you.”
“Yes.” His feelings were a jumbled mess he couldn’t explain with words. He looked away, but the darkness didn’t supply any answers.
“Do you like to talk about the past, Christopher?”
“No,” he said honestly.
“Good. Neither do I.” She turned back to the horses. “That one is my favorite.”
“The bay gelding?”
“Yes. He can follow the ball as well as most riders.”
Christopher drank in the sound of her voice as she described each animal and its merits on the polo field. He wasn’t sure how much time passed before she pushed away from the fence. “I had better make an appearance at my party. I don’t want to offend Papa.”
They turned to walk away when a soft scuffle caught his attention.
“No. Stop,” a small voice cried from the barn.
In unison, they moved toward the dark building, their footsteps silent on the packed earth. In the shadow of the doorway, they paused. Christopher waited a moment for his eyes to adjust to the relative darkness. He saw a dark shadow and a brighter, smaller form.
Shoes scuffed. Fabric rustled.
“Please,” a child’s muffled voice pleaded.
Eva stiffened. She reached for a switch on the wall. Light brightened the aisle, revealing an older man and Maria. The man was at least twenty-five. His body pressed Maria against the wall. Her patent leather shoes kicked, seeking traction. His head swiveled, and he saw them.
Christopher lunged forward. Though smaller and lighter, he’d learned to fight to survive. He used surprise to his advantage, kicking the man in the back of the knee and punching the man in the kidney. The man dropped to his knees, and Christopher yanked Maria behind him. She sobbed quietly into the back of his shirt.
He turned to Eva. “You’d better get your father.”
But she wasn’t running for help. She raised a shovel over her head. Rage contorted her features. She swung. The shovel hit the man’s skull with a dull, metallic thunk .
It wasn’t the violence or the blood or the death that made the deepest impression on Christopher. He’d seen death before, and a man who preyed on children deserved the worst of fates. It was the gleam of angry satisfaction on Eva’s face that branded itself into his heart. With her fierce eyes and white dress, she could have been an avenging angel. Her gaze met his, and he realized her beauty was the least important of her qualities. In a world filled with selfishness, deception, and greed, there was nothing more compelling than loyalty.
“We protect our own,” she said.
“I understand.” And he envied their bond.
“Good.” She prodded the man’s body with her toe. He lolled, dead and limp. With a nod, she tugged Maria out from behind Christopher’s back and pointed at the dead man. “You never have to fear him again.”
Maria’s breath hitched over and over as she fought for control. “I-I-came to the barn to s-spy on you.”
“This is not your fault.” Eva smoothed the wrinkles from her sister’s dress. “Go back to the party. Act as if nothing has happened.” When Maria continued to cry, Eva dried her sister’s eyes with gentle thumbs. “You must be strong. If Juan’s boss finds out what happened, there will be retribution.”
Maria’s head snapped around. Her gaze locked with her older sister’s. Understanding passed between them. With a final sniff, Maria pulled her emotions in with a huge lungful of air. Her chin rose and she nodded. “I can do it.”
“Good
Christopher studied her profile. He’d been told she was the same age as him, but the grave purpose in her eyes made her seem older. Perhaps, like him, she hadn’t been a child in a long time.
His gaze swept the dark forms of horses grazing in the pasture. Above, stars glittered in an ink-blue sky. “I can’t blame you for not wanting to leave here.”
She glanced sideways. Consideration drew her brows together. “I suppose this is heaven for you.”
“Yes.” His feelings were a jumbled mess he couldn’t explain with words. He looked away, but the darkness didn’t supply any answers.
“Do you like to talk about the past, Christopher?”
“No,” he said honestly.
“Good. Neither do I.” She turned back to the horses. “That one is my favorite.”
“The bay gelding?”
“Yes. He can follow the ball as well as most riders.”
Christopher drank in the sound of her voice as she described each animal and its merits on the polo field. He wasn’t sure how much time passed before she pushed away from the fence. “I had better make an appearance at my party. I don’t want to offend Papa.”
They turned to walk away when a soft scuffle caught his attention.
“No. Stop,” a small voice cried from the barn.
In unison, they moved toward the dark building, their footsteps silent on the packed earth. In the shadow of the doorway, they paused. Christopher waited a moment for his eyes to adjust to the relative darkness. He saw a dark shadow and a brighter, smaller form.
Shoes scuffed. Fabric rustled.
“Please,” a child’s muffled voice pleaded.
Eva stiffened. She reached for a switch on the wall. Light brightened the aisle, revealing an older man and Maria. The man was at least twenty-five. His body pressed Maria against the wall. Her patent leather shoes kicked, seeking traction. His head swiveled, and he saw them.
Christopher lunged forward. Though smaller and lighter, he’d learned to fight to survive. He used surprise to his advantage, kicking the man in the back of the knee and punching the man in the kidney. The man dropped to his knees, and Christopher yanked Maria behind him. She sobbed quietly into the back of his shirt.
He turned to Eva. “You’d better get your father.”
But she wasn’t running for help. She raised a shovel over her head. Rage contorted her features. She swung. The shovel hit the man’s skull with a dull, metallic thunk .
It wasn’t the violence or the blood or the death that made the deepest impression on Christopher. He’d seen death before, and a man who preyed on children deserved the worst of fates. It was the gleam of angry satisfaction on Eva’s face that branded itself into his heart. With her fierce eyes and white dress, she could have been an avenging angel. Her gaze met his, and he realized her beauty was the least important of her qualities. In a world filled with selfishness, deception, and greed, there was nothing more compelling than loyalty.
“We protect our own,” she said.
“I understand.” And he envied their bond.
“Good.” She prodded the man’s body with her toe. He lolled, dead and limp. With a nod, she tugged Maria out from behind Christopher’s back and pointed at the dead man. “You never have to fear him again.”
Maria’s breath hitched over and over as she fought for control. “I-I-came to the barn to s-spy on you.”
“This is not your fault.” Eva smoothed the wrinkles from her sister’s dress. “Go back to the party. Act as if nothing has happened.” When Maria continued to cry, Eva dried her sister’s eyes with gentle thumbs. “You must be strong. If Juan’s boss finds out what happened, there will be retribution.”
Maria’s head snapped around. Her gaze locked with her older sister’s. Understanding passed between them. With a final sniff, Maria pulled her emotions in with a huge lungful of air. Her chin rose and she nodded. “I can do it.”
“Good
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