When Passion Calls Read online

  But Shane felt compelled to learn more of Melanie first, and of his true brother and father who were now only heartbeats away! What could it hurt to delay the search for Trapper Dan a few hours? It had already been twenty-five years!

  Melanie glanced at Shane as he urged her down to the ground beside the fire, then sat down beside her. "I know of your mother," she said, almost afraid to let him know that she was aware of that most intimate detail of his life. "It had to be unbearable, Shane. I am sorry for you for having to experience it."

  "The day she died my life was changed," Shane said, picking up a stick and idly stirring it around in the ashes that had fallen away from the fire.

  "My family as I had always known it was lost to me. Another family took me in, and that is all I have since known. Until today, I had no knowledge of where my true family resided. Until today, I was content to live without them. But now? Suddenly everything has changed in my life again and I am confused."

  "Shane, I want to helpif you will let me," Melanie said, placing a hand on his arm. "Do you want to tell me where you have been? And with whom?"

  Shane looked down at her hand resting on his arm, then up into her eyes. She was not only courageous and beautiful, she was compassionate. He looked into the fire and began talking in a monotone, seeing his life being relived in his mind's eye as he spoke.

  "The day my mother was murdered by white men dressed as Indians, I watched for my father to return and rescue me, but he never came," Shane said thickly. "I recall very little about my early life, but I do remember lying down beside my mother for warmth that day after she was slain. I fell asleep crying and was awakened when strong arms lifted me up from the ground. It was not my father. It was a Chippewa Indian. I was taken to his village and there I became as a part of his people. Until today, I was happy to be a part of them. But the old chief who rescued me that day died not long ago and his son did not want me to be a part of the village any longer. I was sent away."

  Melanie was stunned by his story. Yet she now

  understood so much about himwhy he had a sort of savage eagerness about him. He had lived with Indians all these years. She was surprised that he could still speak the English language.

  There was so much that she would have liked to know, but she did not want to pry him too deeply for answers. She wanted him to trust hernot become angry or suspicious of her.

  "Shane, I know why your father didn't arrive in time to rescue you after the massacre," she said, recalling Jared's torment when he had relayed the story to her more than once. "Shane, your father's boat had gone ahead of the one you traveled and was almost overturned in severe rapids," she began, telling him the whole ordeal of his father that day.

  Shane's heart pounded. It was good to finally know that his father had tried to rescue him that day, that when people came searching for him as a child, his father may have been among them.

  "For many years your father searched for you," Melanie said, as though she had read Shane's troubled thoughts. "After a while he quit searching, but within his heart he never gave up hope that he would see you again one day." She moved to her knees and faced him. "Shane, he will be so happy. When will you go and see him? When?"

  Doubt of himself and his acceptance assailed Shane. He brushed past Melanie and rose to his feet. He went to the edge of the butte and looked down at the darkened land below him; in the moonlight he could still see the dark forms of the

  longhorns grazing lazily.

  Melanie went to Shane. She followed his gaze, and when she looked at the lamplight flooding from the windows of her house, she grew anxious. If Terrance had arrived home and discovered her gone he would become alarmed and would come looking for her. It was best that Terrance didn't see Shane until Shane had made his appearance at the Brennan farm.

  Turning to Shane, Melanie again placed a gentle hand on his arm. Though she felt the urgency to leave, she still wanted to know just a little bit more about him and if he wanted her to go to his father and tell him that he was near.

  "Shane, you said earlier that you only found out today where your father resided," she said softly. "Why didn't you know earlier? Why didn't you come looking for him?"

  Shane swallowed hard. He turned and faced Melanie and placed his fingers gently to her shoulders. "So much of my memory as a child of four was scarred by sadness and death," he said. "I forgot my last name, even my brother's first name. All I could recall was my father's name because I had heard my mother address him as Jared so often. I could not recall where my father was traveling. It could have been to Canada as far as I knew. A child of four is only aware of what makes him comfortable from day to day. Hardly anything more. So through the years I was only called Shane because that was the only name I knew to tell the Indians to call me."

  "You speak kindly of the Chippewa," Melanie

  said, again looking at his fringed buckskin outfit. "They were good to you?"

  "They took me in and raised me as one of their own," Shane said, nodding. "I would still be there today had the old chief's son not resented me through the years because his father treated me like a son. Jealousy led him to make the decision to send me away. He was told by his father shortly before his death exactly where my true family resided. So now I am here."

  "But the old chief's son did you a favor," Melanie said. "By sending you away, you have found your true family. Doesn't that make you happy, Shane? You can live a normal life now."

  She stood on tiptoe to come closer to his face, and smiled. "Shane, your father is very wealthy. You can share in the wealth," she said softly. "You will never want for another thing. You can have all the comforts that you have been denied through the years."

  Shane did not like her referring to the Indian way of life as not normal, but he understood her feelings. They were as most white people's feelings toward the Indian. This could be the hardest part of living in the white man's world again. Resentments and prejudices.

  But now he knew that he could stand up against any ridiculebecause he wanted to be near Melanie. Though they had only just met, he knew that she was going to be his woman!

  With her lips so close and her eyes smiling so warmly into his, Shane could not help himself. His steel arms enfolded her, drawing her into his arms.

  "Melanie," he whispered. "Sweet Melanie. I am grateful for what Gray Falcon has done, for if he had not done it, I would never have found you." He locked her against his body and kissed her with a fierce, possessive heat.

  Melanie was too weak with desire to protest. She twined her arms about Shane's neck and clung to his rock hardness, giving herself up to the rapture. It was as though she had known him forever. The kiss, the embrace, the wondrous feelings were so right! How his kiss inflamed her heart!

  Chapter Five

  The sound of an approaching horse drew Melanie and Shane quickly apart. Torn with feelings, Melanie's heart was thundering wildly. She was stunned by Shane's kiss and her reaction to it. But she did not have much time to wonder about it, for suddenly her brother was there on horseback, staring in dismay down at her, and then at Shane.

  Melanie paled and blinked nervously up at Terrance. Caught in the aftermath of passion, she wondered how she could possibly explain Shane's presence there. She should have just left long ago. There would have been nothing at all to explain.

  But if she had left, she would have been denied the rapture of Shane's kiss. Anything was worth that marvelous moment of blissexcept seeing

  Shane put in the position that he was now incaught offguard by Melanie's brother.

  Fire was in Shane's eyes, and his jaw was set. She tensed when he glanced down at his knife, perhaps feeling naked without it in a time of threat.

  "What the hell's going on here?" Terrance asked, leaning his full weight on the pommel of his saddle. "I saw the campfire from the stable. I had to check it out. God, Melanie, why are you here?" He smoothed his hat back from his brow and eyed Shane even more closely. "Who is he? What are you doing wi
th him?"

  Feeling the need to protect Shane from Terrance's questioning stare, Melanie stepped in front of him. She held her chin stubbornly high, yet did not know what to say. Would Shane want Terrance to know who he was? Or did he prefer his father to be the first to know that he had returned? It was apparent that Shane had wanted more time before approaching his family, for he had chosen to spend the night before a campfire instead of in his father's house.

  "I also saw the campfire," Melanie said, trying to force her voice to remain smooth and even. "Since you were gone, I saw no choice but to see who had built it. I have found that this man is no threat to us. He means us no harm. He just needed to rest the night before going on his way. We can go back home now, Terrance."

  Her brother dismounted and went to Melanie and lifted her bodily from in front of Shane. He then took a closer look at Shane, the glow of the campfire golden on his face. "If I hadn't left Josh just moments ago, I'd swear you were him," he said, kneading his chin contemplatingly. "Who are you?" His gaze raked over Shane, then again looked him square in the eye. "Who in the hell are you?"

  Melanie stood by, helpless. She placed her hands to her throat, wondering just how long Shane would let Terrance question him in such a way. She could see anger flaring in his eyes.

  "You say I resemble Josh?" Shane said suddenly, his voice void of feeling. "That is because we are brothers."

  Terrance gasped. He looked to Melanie, then back to Shane. "You're Josh's brother?" he said, his voice drawn. "That's impossible. Everyone knows he's dead. It's been too long, too many years. You can't be Shane." He toyed nervously with his thin mustache and let his gaze take in every feature of Shane's face, unable to deny how much he resembled Josh. "YetGod, you are Josh's double! There's no denying that."

  Melanie moved to her brother's side and touched his arm gently. "No, he's not Josh's double," she murmured. "He's Josh's brother. His twin. This is Shane. Shane Brennan."

  Dumbfounded by the discovery, Terrance was at a loss for words. It was as though Shane had returned from the dead.

  "Well?" Melanie said, taking a step closer to her brother. "Don't you have anything to say? Don't you think it's wonderful that Shane is all right? Everyone gave up on his being alive long ago."

  Terrance smiled an awkward, lopsided smile. "Yes, so they had." He looked past Melanie, at Shane. "I guess a welcome is in order," he said, forcing himself to offer a handshake. "I'm glad you're safe, Shane. Welcome back."

  Shane hesitated, recognizing when a man spoke with a forked tongue. This man, Melanie's brother, was anything but happy that he was alive. Shane could understand why he would disrupt his own family's lives. But how could he matter to Terrance's?

  Shane glanced at Melanie. Yes, it was because of her. Did not all brothers love and protect their sisters? Had he not always protected Cedar Maid?

  Lifting a hand and solidly clasping his fingers around Terrance's proffered hand, Shane returned the handshake of friendship. "It is good of you to welcome me back," he said, smiling stiffly.

  Terrance felt the solid steel grip of Shane's hand, painful in its intensity. He looked into his eyes, seeing a distant coldness. Both caused a strange sort of fear to ripple through him. He wanted to ask Shane so many questions, but something held him back. He felt suddenly uncomfortable beneath Shane's steady stare. It was as though he were able to look clear through him, reading his every thought.

  What sort of man had Shane become? Where had he been all these years? Why had he returned now? Had he heard that his father was dying? Had he returned just for his piece of the pie?

  Relieved when Shane released his hand, Terrance slipped an arm around Melanie's waist. ''It's time to go home," he said, giving Shane a guarded look over her shoulder. "Damn it, Melanie, you shouldn't be here in the first place. Don't you know the dangers of leaving the farm unescorted this time of night? You could've been raped and murdered!"

  Melanie stepped away from him and went to Shane. "My brother is right, you know," she murmured. "I did take risks coming here. But, oh, Shane, I'm so glad that I did." She ignored her brother's gaping stare and took Shane's hands, holding them tenderly.

  It was hard for her to understand her sudden attraction to this man and his sensual effect on her. But she could not deny it. Even now she wanted to ease into his arms and hug him. Her lips burned for his kiss.

  "You will return tomorrow?" Shane asked, his insides melting as she looked up at him with such adoring, trusting eyes.

  "Will you still be here?" Melanie asked, her eyes questioning. "You don't plan to go to your father tonight?"

  Again she wondered if she should tell Shane about his father's weakened condition. She knew that Shane needed more time to sort things out inside his head. She did not need to complicate things any more than they already were by telling him that his father was dying.

  If only Jared would last another night! He must! He had clung to life this long with hope in his heart that he might see his long-lost sonsurely

  he would not give up just as the son had come within a heartbeat of him!

  Shane looked at Terrance, then at Melanie. "This land belongs to you and your brother," he said hoarsely. "It is all right that I stay a full night? I do not wish just yet to go to my father and brother. I would like another night to acquaint myself with all that has happened today." He leaned closer to her, his breath hot on her face. ''And also tonight."

  A weakness claimed Melanie's knees as their breaths mingled. Then Terrance was suddenly there, jerking her away from Shane.

  "Good Lord, Melanie, what on earth are you thinking?" Terrance roared, gripping her painfully by the shoulders. "Even though you know who this man is, it isn't right for you to behave soso brazenly with him. He's a stranger, Melanie. A stranger! What's got into you? I've never seen you behave so loosely before."

  Terrance's fingers dug even more painfully into Melanie's shoulders. She tried to get free, but couldn't. "Terrance, you're hurting me," she cried. "Unhand me this minute. Do you hear?"

  She gasped and stumbled free of her brother when Shane moved swiftly and jerked Terrance away from her. She watched in dismay as her brother cowered from Shane's threatening fist.

  "You do not treat your sister with the respect that she is due," Shane growled. "Never lay a hand on her again. If you do, you will pay, for I shall be near to protect her from such abuse!"

  The color had drained from Terrance's face. His heart felt a strange sort of iciness encircle it, as though he had been threatened by a savage, not a white man. He began inching his way backward, fumbling in the air behind him as he blindly searched for his horse's reins. "Melanie, I'm not going to tell you again," he dared to say. "Get your horse and come home with me. Now!"

  Melanie looked from Terrance to Shane, afraid of these dangerous feelings that flowed between them. Yet Terrance did not have the backbone to fight back. She knew him well enough to know that once he rode away from Shane and his threats, he would not return. He was not the sort who would choose a fightnot even when he had been humiliated.

  "I truly must go, Shane," she said, touching his cheek gently. She so wanted to kiss him goodbye, but that would be stretching her brother's contempt too far. "I'll be back tomorrow. Perhaps then you will let me accompany you to see your father and brother."

  "Perhaps," Shane said, devouring her with his eyes, wanting her so badly it caused a cutting ache in his gut. He reached a hand to her hair and twined his fingers through it. Not fearing her cowardly brother, Shane drew her lips to his mouth and gave her a fleeting kiss.

  Shaken, Melanie slipped free and ran past Terrance to her horse, unaware of the murderous glares being exchanged between her brother and the man that she knew she was destined to love.

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  Restless, too much on his mind to be able to go to sleep, Shane looked down from the butte at his father's house outlined in the distant darkness. It would be hard to wait the long night without
at least a glance of the man he had worshipped as a child. He could go and take a brief glance through a window. Perhaps he would even see Josh, the man who was said to look so much like himself.

  But he did not yet want to meet either his father or brother face to face. He would be committing himself to a new life by letting them know that he was alive. Though he never stepped back from a challenge, this time it was different. Many other hearts than his own were involved.

  His eyes moved slowly to the other massive house in the valley below him. Melanie's home. He looked from window to window, seeing them golden with lamplight. She should be home by now. In which room would she be? Was she, like himself, entranced over the discovery that they shared so many feelings? Would she be as restless as he was tonight? Would it be because of him?

  Shaking thoughts of Melanie from his mind, troubled enough by having been so affected by a woman for the first time in his life, Shane began running in an easy bounding gait through the forest, then down the steep embankment.

  Not wanting to stampede the cattle, he moved in a wide circle around them, his eyes on his father's house that was growing closer in the distance. His heart thudded wildly at the thought

  of looking upon his father's gentle face again. It was hard to believe that any of this was happening.

  It had been so long, so very long. . . .

  Melanie watched Terrance pacing back and forth in the parlor, a half-emptied bottle of whiskey clutched in his left hand. Her insides tightened when he tipped the bottle to his lips again and took several long gulps, then stared angrily at her as he slammed the bottle onto a table.

  "I hardly know you anymore," Terrance said in a drunken drawl. "Ever since Pop"

  "Yes, say it again," Melanie said, sighing resolutely. "Ever since Pop died, I've been nothing but a thorn in your side."