He turned Nugget and kickedhim into a gallop, leaving her in a cloud of dust as he headed back to thesite.
He came riding back late thatafternoon, leading Bedelia. "Come on," he said curtly. "I havesomething to show you."
"Can't it wait?" Shewiped away the perspiration from her forehead on her sleeve. "We stillhave a few hours before dark."
"It won't wait," hesaid. "I've told Dilam to come back and supervise the crew until it's timeto pack up for the day."
"But Li Sung needs Dilamwith the elephants."
"Come on." His tonewas inflexible and so was his expression. "Now."
It was clear he was not goingto be dissuaded. She mounted Bedelia. "What's the problem? Where are wegoing?"
"You'll see." Hespurred ahead, heading south. "Follow me."
At first she thought he wastaking her to the clearing area where they'd been that morning, but before theygot to it he veered to the east and took a trail through the jungle. Twentyminutes later they came out of the jungle on the bank of a lake.
"Here we are." Hereined in Nugget in the feathery shade of a casuarina tree and slipped out ofthe saddle. "Get down."
"Where are we?" sheasked blankly as she gazed around at the color and beauty shimmering wherevershe looked. Scarlet poppies carpeted the banks, and across the lakeflame-of-the-forest trees bloomed brilliant orange, casting fiery reflectionsin the cool, serene blue of the water. Farther down the opposite bank twenty orthirty elephants lazily cavorted in the shallows. "I don't understand.What am I supposed to see?"
He came around and lifted heroff the horse. "Flowers, water, birds, elephants." He took a blanketoff Nugget and spread it on the moss. "Me."
"You brought me here tolook at scenery?"
"I brought you here torest. Now do it."
"I don't want torest."
"Do it anyway." Hemet her gaze. "You don't have to be wary of me. I was desperate the otherevening. I thought I'd made a mistake somewhere along the way and I was tryingto regain ground any way I could. I knew even then it wasn't the bestway." Before she could answer he turned and pointed at the elephantsacross the lake. "Recognize anyone familiar?"
Her impatient glance followedhis gesture. "I see elephants every day. I don't need to come hereto—" Her eyes widened as she saw what he wanted her to see."Caleb?"
"Caleb," heconfirmed.
"I haven't seen him sincewe first arrived."
"Dilam told me that thecows often keep separate from the bulls, and Caleb would have had to stay withhis adopted mother. I tracked him down last week."
"Why?"
"I was caught in my owntrap. I took care of him." He smiled faintly. "Now he belongs to me.You should understand that."
"He's bigger," shesaid softly. Then she laughed as she saw him squirt another elephant withwater. "And not nearly as docile."
"Don't you want to watchhim for a while?" he asked coaxingly. "What's a few hours?"
She should go back. Sheglanced at Caleb again. "Well, maybe for a little while." She satdown on the blanket and linked her arms around her knees. "He's funny,isn't he?"
He sat down beside her, close,not touching her. "Very amusing."
Minutes passed and the tensiongradually ebbed out of her. Three blue-breasted wild peacocks took heavy flightas the elephants moved farther down the shore, but the birds soon settled backto ground. No threat. No hurry. Just beauty and gentleness and affection. Thesoft breeze touched her cheeks, and the scent of flowers was all around her,pervading her senses.
"I can be amusingtoo," Ruel said, his gaze on Caleb. "If I put my mind to it."
"Running patterer… "she murmured.
"Aye, I can entertainyou. I can take care of you. I can please your body." He added grimly,"And I'll never leave you for a damn elephant."
