"If he did, she didn'tsee fit to inform me." He slowly rose to his feet. "I believe I'll gopay a visit to Patrick Reilly. I have a few questions to put to him."
"I'm afraid you won't getany answers from him. He's usually drunk by noon these days." He paused."Why don't you ask Miss Barnaby those questions? According to Patrick, shewas very much aware of what was going on."
Ruel went still. "Whatare you trying to say?"
Pickering shifteduncomfortably. "Patrick tried to defend her, but several merchants told usshe was solely responsible for ordering supplies and he finally admitted shehad ordered the rails. It's a damn shame he was fool enough to trust a woman.It's probably destroyed his career."
Ihad to cut corners.
The door cost us too much.
Jane's words at the gorge camerushing back to him.
It's my fault.
"I have to go," hemuttered hoarsely. "I have to leave… "
He was barely aware ofPickering's concerned voice calling his name as he turned and stalked out ofthe club.
Jane's hands clenchednervously on the arms of the chair when she heard Ruel enter the bungalow. Shehad told herself she wanted this confrontation over, but now she would havedone anything to avoid it. Perhaps he would go directly into the bedroom to seeIan and—
"Jane," Ruel calledsoftly.
He didn't sound angry. PerhapsPickering hadn't told him, she thought hopefully. Dear God, she had prayedPickering wouldn't say anything. "On the veranda. Was there a problem withColonel Pickering?"
He appeared in the doorway,silhouetted against the lamplight streaming from the living room.
"Why should there be aproblem?" he asked.
She tensed as she realized astrange note underlay the softness of his tone, like a coiled spring stretchedtaut. "Because you've been gone for hours. It's after ten o'clock."
"Was caring for Ian sucha burden for you?"
"No, I just wonderedif—" She stopped and then said, "I've already given Ian his dinnerand laudanum. He should sleep through the night."
"Even with the laudanumhe seldom does that. At first he woke up screaming from the pain, now he onlylies there and weeps." His tone harshened. "Do you know what thatdoes to a man? It fills him with shame. I have to pretend I'm asleep or he begsme for pardon for being so weak. God, weak!"
Hedidknow. She got upfrom the chair. "I believe I'll go to bed. Good night, Ruel."
"Not yet. There'ssomething I want to ask you."
It was coming. She bracedherself. "What?"
"About the rails."
She had thought she was readybut still went rigid.
"What a violent reaction.Does the thought disturb you?"
"Ruel, I—"
"It disturbed me so muchthat after I left the Officers' Club I took a long walk." He paused."To Lanpur Gorge."
She moistened her lips."Why?"
"I wanted to see therails for myself. I looked at those shattered rails and I remembered Ian… "He lifted his head and gazed directly into her eyes. She inhaled sharply as shesaw the torment and rage burning in him, consuming him, reaching out to consumeher as well. "And I decided I'd kill Patrick Reilly."
"No!" The rejectionburst instinctively from her lips.
