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Back Savage Desire Save as PDF
Chapters (59)
  1. COVER
  2. ROSEMARY ROGERS
  3. DEDICATION
  4. THE BEGINNING
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. NEW ORLEANS
  12. 7
  13. 8
  14. 9
  15. 10
  16. 11
  17. 12
  18. MEXICO
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. 21
  28. LA CORTESANA
  29. 22
  30. 23
  31. 24
  32. 25
  33. 26
  34. 27
  35. 28
  36. 29
  37. 30
  38. 31
  39. 32
  40. 33
  41. 34
  42. 35
  43. 36
  44. 37
  45. 38
  46. THE JOURNEY
  47. 39
  48. 40
  49. 41
  50. THE DESTINATION
  51. 42
  52. TURNING POINTS
  53. 43
  54. 44
  55. 45
  56. 46
  57. THE PROMISE
  58. Epilogue
  59. COPYRIGHT

“Better now, though he nearly died from the wound he suffered when attacking the guard. Foolish man. But a brave one, n’est pas?”

“Yes.” Ginny managed a smile. “Very brave.”

“And it seems that the bullet already in his back was somehow moved by the new bullet. The surgeon was able to remove them both. Perhaps now he can walk without pain.”

After a moment, Ginny said softly, “I’m glad. It’s a comfort to know that he did not mean to harm the children.”

“No, though he is not blameless. He did misrepresent himself by sending the cable. He claims he meant only to provide a distraction so your husband would focus on them instead of what he was doing with the railroads and mines. Bah! The arrogant greed of men never ceases to amaze me.”

“I’m glad you were with the children,” Ginny murmured, and Tante sighed softly.

“Yes. Though I cannot like this savage country, I will stay as long as you need me, ma petite. But I must return to France in time for Pierre’s wedding.”

“Wedding? Don’t tell me—Lorna Prendergast.”

“Yes. They are very much in love. Perhaps soon I shall have grandchildren to hold close to my heart, though they will never replace Laura and Franco.”

Closing her eyes, Ginny surrendered to her body’s demand for sleep again. When she woke, Tante Celine was gone and Steve sat in a straight-backed chair beside her bed.

He looked gaunt, a dark beard stubble shadowing his cheeks, but a smile deepened the grooves on each side of his mouth. “Awake at last, lazy one?”

“Steve—” She reached out and he clasped her hand in his, warm and strong, his fingers pressing into her palms. “Steve, I want to go home.”

“Yes, my love. We’re going home as soon as you’re able to travel. Just concentrate on getting well.”

With a soft sigh of satisfaction, Ginny drew his hand to her face, lay her cheek in his broad palm. “I love you, Steve Morgan.”

With his other hand, he pushed the hair tenderly back from her face. “And I love you, my heart. Mi alma. Mi corazόn.”

“You won’t leave me again?”

“No, Ginny. Not again. We’re going home to Hacienda de la Nostalgia. I’ve decided to raise cattle and children.”

Her gaze lifted, and she saw in Steve’s eyes the love she had always yearned for, complete and encompassing, a love only for her, for all of time.

At last.

THE PROMISE

Epilogue

Zacatecas, September 1877

A cool breeze blew down from the mountains above Don Francisco’s hacienda. It shivered leaves on the towering oaks shading the sprawling house, cast dappled shadows over the adobe walls and filtered into open windows to bring the promise of autumn on brisk currents.