Read Online Love and Honor: The Coltrane Saga, Book 7 by Patricia Hagan - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Patricia Hagan
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morning.”
Riguero asked Kit anxiously, “Are you ready, señorita ?”
She laughed. “Oh, yes, Riguero. Quite ready.”
“ Uno…dos… ” And then he fired the gun.
The horses charged forward side by side, and a cheer exploded from Galen’s men as his horse bolted ahead. He pulled away by inches, then half his length, then a full length. Kit had raced the course many times. She knew her horse, knew when to let her out. She held back, fighting against Belle’s thundering plea to let her go, let out the reins, let her overtake the pompous, arrogant hombre .
Carlos loomed ahead, and even from a quarter mile away Kit could see the disappointment on his pudgy face. Galen was nearly two lengths ahead of her now. Would Belle be able to catch him when Kit finally let her go? Did she dare restrain much longer? Her hat had blown away and her hair flew wildly about her face. It was harder to hold back than to give Belle her head, but she gripped the reins and gritted her teeth. When she reached Carlos and swept around him, Galen had already passed and was now three lengths ahead.
“ Mi Dios! Mi Dios! ” Carlos screamed out at her, waving his sombrero at her as he jumped up and down. “Go! Go! Go!”
It was all Kit could do to hold Belle back. She was like a bridled demon. In every other race she had always been allowed to charge freely. Now she was confused and angry. Her eyes were wild in the wind whipping in her face and her hooves cut into the ground with frustrated frenzy.
Galen stretched his lead to five lengths. He dared in his confidence to turn and look back at Kit, and laughed out loud at the large margin between them.
They were nearing what would be the three-quarter mark. Kit could hear Galen’s men shouting triumphantly in the distance. She dug her knees in tight to Belle’s side and leaned forward. Her heart pounded furiously as she dropped the reins, dug her fingers into her horse’s mane, and cried, “Now, Belle! Now!”
Belle surged ahead, closing the gap by one length, then two, then three. Galen looked around with disbelieving eyes. He saw instantly what was happening, and drew blood as he kicked his spurs brutally into his horse. He whipped the reins across its rump in a frenzy, screaming and cursing in Spanish as he realized that he was losing his grip on victory.
Another length closed, and then they were side by side. Riguero stood just ahead, waving his sombrero, his men jumping up and down, cheering Kit and Belle onward.
Belle made a final charge, as though to twist the knife of defeat deeper into the man who had dared to challenge her…and crossed the finish line two full lengths ahead of Galen Esmond.
Kit reined in and trotted back to where the vaqueros were waiting, their happy roar almost deafening. She dismounted to join them in revelry, reminding them to let it be a lesson never, ever, to bet their hard-earned wages again.
Galen Esmond was momentarily forgotten in the excitement. It was only when Carlos rode up to them yelling angrily that they looked around to see Galen and his men riding away, a cloud of dust behind them as they disappeared over a ridge in the distance.
“ Bandidos! ” Carlos was screaming in rage. “ Bandoleros! They have no honor!”
“What are you talking about?” Riguero cried. His face grew livid with anger as he realized what was happening. “They have run away without paying their debt?”
Carlos threw a small burlap bag to the ground and said furiously, “They say this is all that is left of their winnings.”
A grumble went through the men, and someone cried in frustration, “We cannot take this! Any of it! The señorita won it. It is hers.”
Kit quickly shook her head. “I’m not keeping any of it. Divide it among those of you who lost your money. Let’s just be grateful we were able to get this much back.”
Riguero gave her a grateful smile. “You are very kind to us, señorita . Then he added regretfully, “But you race so hard
Riguero asked Kit anxiously, “Are you ready, señorita ?”
She laughed. “Oh, yes, Riguero. Quite ready.”
“ Uno…dos… ” And then he fired the gun.
The horses charged forward side by side, and a cheer exploded from Galen’s men as his horse bolted ahead. He pulled away by inches, then half his length, then a full length. Kit had raced the course many times. She knew her horse, knew when to let her out. She held back, fighting against Belle’s thundering plea to let her go, let out the reins, let her overtake the pompous, arrogant hombre .
Carlos loomed ahead, and even from a quarter mile away Kit could see the disappointment on his pudgy face. Galen was nearly two lengths ahead of her now. Would Belle be able to catch him when Kit finally let her go? Did she dare restrain much longer? Her hat had blown away and her hair flew wildly about her face. It was harder to hold back than to give Belle her head, but she gripped the reins and gritted her teeth. When she reached Carlos and swept around him, Galen had already passed and was now three lengths ahead.
“ Mi Dios! Mi Dios! ” Carlos screamed out at her, waving his sombrero at her as he jumped up and down. “Go! Go! Go!”
It was all Kit could do to hold Belle back. She was like a bridled demon. In every other race she had always been allowed to charge freely. Now she was confused and angry. Her eyes were wild in the wind whipping in her face and her hooves cut into the ground with frustrated frenzy.
Galen stretched his lead to five lengths. He dared in his confidence to turn and look back at Kit, and laughed out loud at the large margin between them.
They were nearing what would be the three-quarter mark. Kit could hear Galen’s men shouting triumphantly in the distance. She dug her knees in tight to Belle’s side and leaned forward. Her heart pounded furiously as she dropped the reins, dug her fingers into her horse’s mane, and cried, “Now, Belle! Now!”
Belle surged ahead, closing the gap by one length, then two, then three. Galen looked around with disbelieving eyes. He saw instantly what was happening, and drew blood as he kicked his spurs brutally into his horse. He whipped the reins across its rump in a frenzy, screaming and cursing in Spanish as he realized that he was losing his grip on victory.
Another length closed, and then they were side by side. Riguero stood just ahead, waving his sombrero, his men jumping up and down, cheering Kit and Belle onward.
Belle made a final charge, as though to twist the knife of defeat deeper into the man who had dared to challenge her…and crossed the finish line two full lengths ahead of Galen Esmond.
Kit reined in and trotted back to where the vaqueros were waiting, their happy roar almost deafening. She dismounted to join them in revelry, reminding them to let it be a lesson never, ever, to bet their hard-earned wages again.
Galen Esmond was momentarily forgotten in the excitement. It was only when Carlos rode up to them yelling angrily that they looked around to see Galen and his men riding away, a cloud of dust behind them as they disappeared over a ridge in the distance.
“ Bandidos! ” Carlos was screaming in rage. “ Bandoleros! They have no honor!”
“What are you talking about?” Riguero cried. His face grew livid with anger as he realized what was happening. “They have run away without paying their debt?”
Carlos threw a small burlap bag to the ground and said furiously, “They say this is all that is left of their winnings.”
A grumble went through the men, and someone cried in frustration, “We cannot take this! Any of it! The señorita won it. It is hers.”
Kit quickly shook her head. “I’m not keeping any of it. Divide it among those of you who lost your money. Let’s just be grateful we were able to get this much back.”
Riguero gave her a grateful smile. “You are very kind to us, señorita . Then he added regretfully, “But you race so hard
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