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Eugenia turned her back to him. She could almost feel the mockery in the air. He did have a way of making her feel this way. As though he silently was making fun of her, and the situation he found her in. She lifted her fingers to work with the locks of hair that had come unbraided again, annoyed, and ignoring him. She was desperate for a drink of water, but she would not beg. Especially not to this whiskered, dirty-smelling creature.
"Damn. Don't it beat all." He laughed from behind her. "You didn't bring yourself any water on this journey of yours. You might be an independent cuss, but you're dumb as hell."
Eugenia swung around, glaring. Her hands doubled into two tight fists as her fingernails dug into the palms of her hands. But her eyes softened as she watched the tip of the cigarette in his mouth glowing orange as he stood by his horse, removing a canteen from his saddle bag.
"Here!" he said, tossing it her way. The moon had come from behind clouds, making the outline of the canteen visible below her, lying at the hem of her skirt. Panting, she reached down and unscrewed its top and placed it to her lips, her nose crinkling with the mildewed odor rising upward from the canvas material that covered it. As she drank, her eyes searched for him once again, and found him standing beside her mule, studying it. She took two more large swallows of the cool liquid, feeling it as it traveled downward through her throat and into the emptiness of her stomach, then screwed the lid shut on it once again, waiting, wondering what this stranger's next move would be.
"You're dumb in more ways than one," he said, running his hand down the mule's stomach.
"Why do you say that?" she snapped, placing one hand on her hip. Her fright was slowly changing to anger.
"Travelin' to Cripple Creek on a damn mule. That's why."
"I didn't have a horse."
"Then you should've stayed put."
"That ain't none of your business," she snapped once again.
"Oh?" he said, turning to face her once again.
"No. It ain't."
"Then should I ride off and leave you here alone?" he teased. He pushed his hat farther back on his head, revealing dark, kinky front locks of hair.
A quiet inner desperation seized Eugenia. He appeared to be the type who would leave her alone once he'd completed with his teasing and tormenting of her. He was an arrogant, unlikable man. She hadn't met anyone quite like him before. She no longer was afraid of him, but more afraid that he would deci
de to leave her. She went to him and touched the flannel of his shirt, feeling the hardness of muscle beneath it. Something foreign stirred inside her once again as she looked up into his eyes. It was an empty, confused feeling at the pit of her stomach. She fluttered her lashes upward at him. "You won't leave me here, will you?" she said. "You will take me to Cripple Creek, won't you?" Eugenia's mother had said that Eugenia's eyes being set so far apart was a true sign of "intelligence," that Eugenia would succeed at anything she attempted in life. So Eugenia was ready to test that theory, which now meant getting this man to agree to help her in her moment of utter helplessness.
He laughed sardonically. "And what if I'm not headin' for Cripple Creek?"
"Oh, but you are, ain't you? Why else would you be headin' in this direction?"
"Woman, there's more towns in Colorado than Cripple Creek."
Her heart began to race, really believing he was going to leave her behind. She glanced hurriedly in the direction of his horse, wondering if she could run and jump on it before the man could grab her. But his gaze had followed hers. His eyes were smiling knowingly.
"I wouldn't try that, honey," he drawled.
"Try what?" she asked. She pulled her full lips into an innocent pout.
"You know what." He laughed. "But all kiddin' aside. I'll take you on into Cripple Creek with me."
Eugenia's eyes lit up. "You will? Oh, thank you. Thank you." She would have even thrown her arms around his neck if he hadn't smelled so terribly bad.
"But not till tomorrow," he added, working with his saddle.
Suddenly a creeping horror began to encompass Eugenia. She was going to have to spend the night with this stranger? What if… ?
"Come on. Climb on the back of the saddle," he ordered, staring firmly in her direction.
"Where are we goin?" she whispered, hugging herself with crossed arms in front of her.
"We're headin' for a creek bed that I found a little ways back," he said, motioning for her to come ahead. "I'm plannin' to take a bath before I go any farther," he added.
"A bath?" she whispered.
He laughed. "Yes. A bath. Haven't you ever taken a bath?"
