It was the hottest year anyone could remember in Stockton. Even the Barkleys had had losses in this drought. Heath had stopped in town to pick up some feed imported from out of state. He figured a quick drink before he started the long drive out to the ranch wouldn't go astray.

One of the saloon girls, a Chinese, Heath noted with surprise, collected a round of beers from the bartender and carried the tray over to a table where men were desultorily gambling. She wasn't dressed like the other saloon girls either: they were in low-cut dresses with short hems in rich fabrics of silk and satin and beribboned with cheap lace. The Chinese girl was dressed dully in brown and grey in a dress that reached her ankles and hung loosely about her. Heath wondered if she'd come out from the kitchen to lend an extra hand. She surely wasn't worth any attention from a man.

Heath turned back to the bar, taking another mouthful of beer and swallowing. He supposed he should get a move on soon.

"C'me here, my pretty," he heard a man say, followed by the raucous laughter of men who have had a little too much to drink.

Heath turned and saw that the Chinese girl had been waylaid by one of the gamblers. He had a hold of her by the arm and the other hand was running up her leg. Heath watched idly. Getting fondled was part of the job, although why the man thought the girl was worth the effort, Heath couldn't figure out.

"No!" the girl protested. "I serve drinks only!" The accent of her native land was plain, but she spoke English fluently, it seemed. Either that, or she had had to deal with this kind of attack a lot.

"Yeah, sure," said the gambler, laughing as his hand went up her skirt further. The Chinese girl twisted and cried out in vain, which only caused the men and the other saloon girls to jeer more. Her eyes scanned the room for some method of escape and found Heath.

Heath took one look at those tear-filled eyes and abruptly slammed his beer mug onto the counter. He strode across the room and stood before the gambler. "Leave her alone," he said, his voice almost a growl.

The gambler looked up, refusing to relinquish his hold on the girl. "Says who?"

Heath grabbed him by his shirt front and hauled him to his feet. "Says me," he replied in the same menacing tone.

The gambler let go of the girl long enough to swing a punch, which Heath easily ducked away from.

"You're gonna have to do better than that," Heath jibed, urging him to fight.

Recovering quickly, the gambler grabbed the girl again, mashing his lips against hers. Heath grabbed the other girl's arm to pull her away and found himself in a tug-of-war. He swiftly let the girl go and came at the gambler, punching him in the sternum. The gambler let the girl go, doubling over in pain. He charged, head down at Heath, pushing them both back to the bar.

Heath pulled the hapless gambler upright and let loose with a one-two punch to the head, sending him sprawling. Another of the gamblers had a hold of the girl now, pinning her arms behind her back.

"Let her go, Rigby," Heath said. The man shook his head and gestured to another of the gamblers.

"What do you care about a little piece of Chinese trash?" sneered Rigby. "Leave us to our own fun and mind your own business."

Heath shrugged. "It's my business now." He made short work of the gambler who charged at him, sending him flying back into the table. The table collapsed under the gambler's weight, sending chips and cards flying.

Rigby could see he was beat and thrust the girl at him. "Take her, then." She stumbled and Heath caught her up in his arms. He could feel her shaking like a leaf. He turned his head towards the barkeeper.

"Take 'er upstairs. She's no use to me in that state." The barkeeper thumbed in the stair's direction.

Taking care to avoid the destruction he had caused, Heath ushered the girl up the stairs, his arm around her. She was so short, her head nestled just under his armpit.

In the hallway above, she stopped. "This is my room," she said, opening the door. She tilted her head to gaze up at him. "Thank you," she added softly.

Heath merely nodded and leant against the lintel. "Are you sure you're going to be all right?"

The girl nodded. "Yes. I'll--" he voice faltered. "I'll have to go back down again soon though."

Heath frowned. "Isn't there another place you can work? You don't seem to fit in here."

She shook her head. "Nobody wants to hire me. I was lucky Mister Russ needed an extra hand. The girls are leaving 'cause of the drought, you see." Her eyes widened. "Sally! No!"

Heath began to turn and fell instead into a crashing darkness.

Coming out of unconsciousness is always unpleasant. Heath winced, not wanting to open his eyes just yet.

"Mister?" he heard a soft voice say. "Mister?"

Heath fluttered his eyes opened, wincing at the light from the setting sun that shone through the window. Seeing this, the Chinese girl went to pull the drapes across, returning swiftly. She patted a cool cloth over his forehead.

Wearily, Heath lifted his arm and pulled the hand holding the cloth away. The girl sat back, watching him. "Miss Sally is very sorry, Mister. She thought you were going to have your wicked way with me and Miss Sally knows that I don't do that."

Heath swung himself into a sitting position. "That's all right. It's good to see you have a friend here to look after you, at least." He rubbed at his sore head. "What did she hit me with?"

"A chair." The Chinese girl smiled for the first time and Heath found it enchanting. "Me think Mister is much stronger than chair. It splintered when it hit you."

"My name's Heath. You can stop calling me Mister." He noticed his shirt was partly unbuttoned and began to do them up.

She nudged his hands away and began to do them up for him matter-of-factly. "My name is Dai-Tai."

"What are you doing here, Dai-Tai?" Heath asked. He looked down into her face intently. She was lovely: her skin had a translucent beauty, a perfect background for her small mouth with its neat teeth, a little button of a nose and almond-shaped dark eyes that looked both innocent and mysterious. He was surprised that he'd never noticed her good looks before. "Where is your family?"

Dai-Tai cast her eyes downward. "My family came to America for the gold. There was an illness. My parents died, my baby brother died. Just me left." She looked up, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "There is nowhere else for me to go. I have no family and no honour."

"No honour?" Heath asked confused but before he could get an answer, someone banged on the door.

Dai-Tai rose and went to answer it, brushing away her tears. It was the barkeeper. "Now listen here, Barkley," he declared, his face beet-red with anger. "If I'd known you were gonna play a trick like this, I would've got one of the girls to bring 'er up."

"It's not like that --" Heath started.

"Oh, it isn't, is it?" The barkeep held out his hand. "If you're gonna use her, you're gonna pay for it."

"Now, wait a minute!" Heath got to his feet. "I ain't sleepin' with this girl. I got knocked out."

"By little Dai-Tai?" The barkeep roared with derisive laughter. "I don't think so. Don't try and pull one over me." He turned and glared at Dai-Tai. "And when you're done with him, you can get yourself dressed up all pretty and come downstairs." He shook a finger at her. "You've been holdin' out on me, chink!"

She cringed. Heath pulled out a wad of bills. "How much for the whole night?" he asked.

The barkeep's eyes went wide. "She's that good?"

Heath's eyes narrowed and said each word distinctly. "How much?" He raised an eyebrow at the price mentioned but paid up. He stuffed the few remaining bills back into his pocket and ignored the barkeep's chuckling as he left them alone.

Dai-Tai's eyes were wide. "You paid ... so much!"

Heath nodded. "You don't -- You can't --" He sighed. The words escaped him for now. The Chinese had always been the toughest competitors on the goldfields; bitter rivalries had sprung up between the children because of it and carried on into adulthood; but this girl was so helpless ...

He pulled on his jacket. "Look, you stay here. You'll be safe for tonight. Tomorrow, come out to the Barkley ranch and I'll see about getting you a job."

Frantically, the girl shook her head and tugged at his sleeve. "You can't leave! Once Mister Russ knows that you're gone ..."

Heath nodded. "OK, but I have to go and put the horses into the livery stables for the night. Tomorrow, I'll take you out to the farm myself." With that, he slapped his hat on his head and left, cautioning her to lock it until he returned.

There was more than just stabling the horses. He hurried down the street to Jarrod's office and was relieved to find the light still on. He entered and found Jarrod reading at his desk.

"Jarrod, I'm so glad you're here."

Jarrod looked up. "Why, Heath!" he said with a smile. "You're still in town."

Heath nodded. "I have to spend the night. Can you take the feed back for me?"

Noting that Heath appeared rather wound up, which was quite unlike him, Jarrod rested his chin on the back of his hand. "Is there something you're not telling me?"

"Yes." Heath reluctantly nodded. "But it can wait until morning. So, will you?"

Jarrod rose. "Sure. I was finished here anyway. Why don't you walk me back to where it is?"

Heath waited impatiently as Jarrod put his books away and snuffed out the lights. He seemed calmer as they walked back towards the saloon, even offering to stable Jarrod's horse in the livery for the night. Jarrod didn't push for any more information. Whatever it was, Heath was capable of handling it. His edginess seemed to be related to not getting the feed back to the ranch, rather than the reason he was staying in town. Jarrod smirked. Probably a woman. God knew there wasn't much in the way of enjoyment since the drought started.

Heath saw Jarrod off and, his promised tasks completed, returned to the saloon, sneaking up the back way. He knocked on Dai-Tai's door and heard her call him in.

He opened it and stood, open-mouthed. "What the-"

Dai-Tai had changed from her dull apparel into the gaudiest of corsets. It was canary yellow and edged in black lace. The matching skirt was very short, not reaching her knees. She wobbled slightly in black high-heeled boots. Dai-Tai's arms were folded defensively, but could not conceal the way the corset pushed up her small breasts.

"You paid for me, Mister Heath," she said breathlessly. "All the girls say I gotta dress for it. So, they loaned me these things."

Heath rubbed at his face and frantically cast his eyes about the room. "Here, cover yourself," he said, spotting a blue silk robe and retrieving it.

Dai-Tai closed the door behind him. She took the robe from him and put it on, wrapping it around her tightly. "I am not desirable?" she asked.

"It's not that." Heath shook his head. "I don't want you to be forced to do anything you don't want to. I paid for you so you wouldn't have to do this."

"You forget, Mister Heath, that I have no honour." Dai-Tai held herself very erect.

Heath sat down on the bed and gestured to her to sit on a chair nearby. "You told me how it is you have no family," he said. "I don't understand why you have no honour. A saloon isn't the most respectable place to work, but you have one of the better jobs."

Dai-Tai shook her head. "I had one of the more respectable jobs. All that is changed now." Heath began to protest but she continued to speak and her next words silenced him. "By all rights I should be dead." Dai-Tai began to tremble violently. "When my family died, there was no one I could turn to. I needed to bury my parents, according to our customs, just as we had buried my little brother. I went to the local store ..." Dai-Tai drew in a shuddering breath. "I had no money to pay and they would not give me credit. I-I begged them, offered to work off the debt, as our family had always done." Heath nodded. The way of the goldfields seemed designed to get the Chinese deeper and deeper into debt. "They -- they refused and took payment in kind instead."

"In kind?"

Dai-Tai was barely audible through her sobs. "I had nothing of value, except this robe which was my mother's. They --- they raped me."

Heath winced in sympathetic pain. "Come here," he murmured, leaning forwards to reach her. "Come here."

Dai-Tai tumbled forward into his arms. He held her, rocking her gently, as she sobbed out all her pain.

"I'm sorry," he murmured, smoothing back her lustrous black hair.

She looked up, tears streaming down her face. "What do you care?" she sobbed. "I'm just a nasty little chink!"

Heath shook his head and with a finger wiped away her tears. "No, Dai-Tai, I don't like to see anybody treated badly. And you're not nasty, you're beautiful."

"I have no honour!" Dai-Tai cried.

"Honour can be regained," Heath said and quietly he began to tell her about his life: how he was a bastard, who had spent many years drifting from job to job, not sparing her the shadiest detail, never knowing who his father was and hating him and himself for it, until the day when he returned home to find his mother dying and discovered the truth of his heritage. "I went to claim my heritage, my rights and expected to fight them every inch of the way. I'm still astonished at how quickly I was accepted by them. I'm not an outsider anymore, I have a family who loves me. They give me a sense of place, of honour."

Dai-Tai raised her head and gazed upon him with her dark, tear-filled eyes. Heath met them and found himself lost in those liquid depths. "I have no honour, I ought to be as dust. My soul is dust."

"You have so much feeling," Heath said. "How can your soul be dust?"

"I ought to be dead."

Heath heard the self-incrimination and guilt. "Yet you live. You live for a reason. You were strong enough to survive and you will overcome it."

"But not alone, Heath. I can't do it alone. Since -- that day -- I have never desired another man." She took a deep breath. "Tonight, I find myself wanting you, needing to be healed. You give me hope that there are men who are tender, who give honour to women no matter what their station." She shifted in his lap, moving closer. "Is it true? Or am I forever lost?"

"You're not dreaming and you're not a wanton either." Heath's eyes darted from her eyes to her lips and back to her eyes again. "Dai-Tai, I don't want to hurt you."

"You won't," Dai-Tai assured him. "If anyone can help me, it is you. Show me how."

Heath lowered his head and kissed her gently on her upturned lips. It was a soft kiss, no pressure, just his mouth lightly caressing her. Dai-Tai's arms wound around his neck. Slowly, Heath deepened their kiss, his tongue parting her lips, flicking against her teeth. After a moment's hesitation, she opened her mouth to him, his tongue exploring. She moaned and Heath broke off the kiss.

He looked down at her: her eyelids were fluttering in a half-swoon, her lips parted. "Dai-Tai, are you sure?"

She opened her eyes and gazed up at him. "Yes, I am sure." Her arms pulled his mouth down to hers again. The kisses were long and langourous; Heath didn't want to rush anything. He paid attention to her reactions, feeling her lean against him as their kisses deepened, became hungrier.

Heath released her mouth before the violence of his passion frightened her. He nuzzled at her neck, soft kisses becoming open-mouthed, wetter. Dai-Tai made a noise deep in her throat, tipping her head back to further expose her neck. Heath kissed his way to the other side of her slender throat, his hands supporting her back.

He made love to her slowly, gently and even then, Dai-Tai's fear overwhelmed her and she began to tremble violently. Heath desisted, quietly encouraging her to explore him as he had her, and this time Dai-Tai's fear was overcome.

Sometime later, Heath nuzzled at her neck. "You ok?" he asked, lifting himself to look down at her.

Dai-Tai nodded. "Oh yes." She reached up and stroked his cheek. "Thank you."

Heath bent his neck and kissed her deeply. "No," he said at last. "Thank you."

Heath woke to find Dai-Tai sitting up in bed beside him. Her fingertips were lightly playing with the hairs on his chest. She looked beautiful, her long black hair hanging down like a curtain over her shoulder.

She saw he was awake and smiled at him. "You're like sunlight," she said shyly, her hand caressing the burnished coppery curls.

Heath smiled. "If I'm like the sun, you're like the moon." His hand slid up her arm and into her dark hair.

Dai-Tai bent down to kiss him lingeringly. "What now?" she asked.

He caressed her cheek as he said, "Pack your things. You're coming out to the Barkley ranch with me. You'll be safe there."

"And ... last night?" Dai-Tai's lip trembled.

Heath gazed up at her seriously. "Dai-Tai, you're someone special. Last night was wonderful." He took her hand, lost for words. "I feel like I know everything there is to know about you -- and yet I know there's so much more."

"Yes," said Dai-Tai simply. "I feel the same."

"Last night shouldn't be repeated ... not until we are wed." Heath never thought he'd find himself proposing to a Chinese girl, but there, he just did it. "It would be dishonourable otherwise and I won't have you dishonoured again."

"Wed? You would marry me?" Dai-Tai couldn't believe he had proposed either.

"Think on it," Heath encouraged. "You don't have to answer right away. Perhaps there would be someone of your own race ..."

Dai-Tai shook her head, smiling. "I don't think there could be anyone but you, Heath. But we are of different races: would marriage be wise?"

"Some folks aren't going to like it but I won't keep you as a mistress," Heath warned. "I want you to be safe and happy with me, without losing honour. What I'm trying to say--" Heath sat up and took her other hand in his. "What I'm trying to say is that last night ... I fell in love with you." He paused a moment. "You're welcome to stay at the Barkleys no matter what you decide. There's plenty of work out there. Or at least there will be when this drought is over."

Dai-Tai placed a finger against his lips. "Heath, my heart is yours."

Heath grinned. "I don't often make big speeches like that, y'know. Didn't want any misunderstandings to come between us."

They kissed.

Audra looked out the window at the sound of hooves. "Here comes Heath now," she announced in her silvery voice.

"About time," grumped Nick. "That feed was supposed to be back yesterday afternoon, not last night."

Jarrod looked up from his newspaper. "Now, I'm sure Heath had a good reason--"

"He's got someone with him!" Audra exclaimed, quickly jerking the curtains closed.

"It better be good," said Nick, frowning.

Eventually, they heard the front door open. Victoria set down her needlework and the rest of the family became likewise attentive.

Nick launched into his harangue the moment he saw Heath's face. "What in tarnation do you mean staying out all night when you were needed back here. Time and again you're slacking off--- Who's she?" Nick's face transparently showed his surprise.

"This is Dai-Tai Liu, my fiancee," Heath announced.

"Your what?" Nick's face screwed up as he attempted to comprehend this announcement.

Jarrod quickly rose and discreetly elbowed Nick aside. "Audra, why don't you take Miss Liu to one of our guest rooms upstairs." He turned to Heath. "She is staying with us, right?" Heath nodded, smiling gratefully at Audra as she led Dai-Tai away.

Nick managed to wait until the two women were out of sight upstairs. "Now, you have some explaining to do. Who is she? One of your old mining flames?"

Heath gave Nick a killing glance and strode into the sitting room. He plucked the sherry decanter off his tray and poured himself a glass. He sipped it before replying, knowing that his delaying infuriated his brother. "No, she isn't. I met her yesterday."

"And you're engaged today?" Jarrod interposed, his eyebrows raised in surprise.

"Heath, isn't that a little hasty?" Victoria turned in her seat to speak to him.

"I know, it sounds crazy." Heath sat down beside her. "She really is a most remarkable woman."

Nick leant against the back of the sofa, nodding. "She's Chinese."

Heath glowered at him. "I would think about a certain gypsy family before you start making any more remarks."

Nick opened and shut his mouth. He turned to Jarrod. "You try and talk some sense into him."

"When do you plan on marrying?" Jarrod asked, casting a worried eye back at Nick who had stalked over to the windows.

Heath shrugged. "Nothing planned as yet. I want to be sure this is the right thing. I feel it is -- but time's fooled me on that one before."

"You're unsure?" Victoria asked, laying a hand on Heath's knee.

"Not unsure -- I would marry her tomorrow but she's been through a lot. I don't want to rush her and then find out she's made a mistake."

"What has she--" Jarrod began to ask but was interrupted by Audra.

"Mother!" Audra exclaimed as she hurried down the stairs and into the sitting room. "She's a saloon girl!"

Victoria rose stiffly. "Heath, I have always found myself to be a tolerant woman--"

"Mother, she worked in the kitchen and served drinks. She's not like that."

"Then how did you meet her?" quizzed Jarrod. "Didn't you spend the night with her?"

Heath sighed. "Yes." He told them Dai-Tai's story and where he came into it. He stopped awkwardly, glancing at Victoria and Audra when he came to the more intimate part. "I stayed with her because if I left, she would've been up for grabs downstairs. She's isn't like that, she's an innocent."

Victoria rested her hand on Heath's shoulder. "Very well, I understand."

"I sure as hell don't!" Nick exclaimed. "Do you know what they do to Chinese women who marry white men?"

Heath nodded, paling. "I'll keep her safe."

None of them noticed the small form stopping halfway down the stairs, listening intently.

"What do they do, Nick?" Audra asked.

"They kill 'em," Nick declared, wincing as he saw his women-folks distress. "That's what they do. They reckon it's sullying the bloodlines."

"Is that what you reckon, Nick?" Heath challenged. "You don't want Chinese blood mixed with Barkley blood? Is that it?"

Nick angrily shook his head. "Hell, no. I wouldn't want to kill her. But there are others who would. You have to think of them."

Heath glanced at Jarrod, who was staring seriously at him, but not trusting himself to words just yet. He knew it was a decision Heath had to make alone. Heath glanced at the worried faces of the women. "I'm going to see how Dai-Tai is settling in."

He left, taking the stairs two at a time. In a short while he was back, his face ashen. "She's gone."

Audra covered her mouth with her fingertips. "Do you think she heard?"

A rumble of thunder drowned out Heath's possibly uncouth reply. The family turned towards the windows, discovering that night had fallen faster than expected.

"Rain?" Nick scratched his head as the first spatters hit the windows.

Victoria crossed to the windows and gazed out. "That's not just rain." The lowering clouds were black and flickering with lightning. She turned to her sons. "We must batten everything down! This is a major storm and it's coming in fast!"

Nick looked horrified. "But the stock ..." They all knew that they were out in the fields far from any real shelter. Nick straightened his shoulders. "Let's get to work. Heath--" He turned to find Heath heading for the door. "Heath!"

"She's out there. I have to find her." Heath's words contained a desperate intensity. He left before anyone could say or do anything.

"Damn fool's gonna get himself killed," growled Nick.

Jarrod slapped his hand on his shoulder. "He'll be fine, Nick. Why don't we get started?"

The entire family went out in the howling wind. The first drops were big and heavy. They had barely gotten the corralled stock into shelter, battening down anything that could move in a gale, before the splatters became a downpour. Soon, they were soaked to the skin. Audra's wet skirts tangled up in her legs as they headed back into the house.

They stood in the hallway, shivering, as Silas rushed to hand them towels. Wiping her face, Audra sighed. "I do hope Heath's all right."

Jarrod rubbed his hair dry. "He should be back soon. Miss Liu can't have got very far."

But Heath didn't come back and at first light, Nick and Jarrod rode out to search for him. They met him on the road back to the ranch. Heath's body was weaving in saddle and he was unaware of his brothers until they were beside him.

"Heath?" Jarrod asked.

Heath's head jerked upwards suddenly as if he'd been woken from a sleep. "Couldn't find her," he muttered. "Looked everywhere."

Nick and Jarrod exchanged worried looks. "I'll check in town," reassured Jarrod. "Perhaps someone gave her a ride back."

Heath nodded. Wordlessly, Nick collected the reins to Charger and led them back home.

Jarrod returned that evening without Dai-Tai. At Nick's expressive glance, Jarrod shook his head. "Where's Heath?" he asked, giving Silas his hat.

"Upstairs in bed."

Audra added: "He has a fever, Jarrod. Mother's with him now."

Jarrod nodded and headed upstairs. Opening the door quietly, Jarrod stuck his head into Heath's room.

Victoria looked up from where she was gently wiping Heath's face with a cloth. "It's just a chill," she reassured her eldest son. "Did you find--"

Jarrod shook his head, cutting her off. "Mother, I need to speak to Heath," he said softly.

Victoria nodded as Heath wearily turned his head towards the door. She left them alone, casting a worried look at Heath as she left.

"Where's Dai-Tai?" Heath asked, his voice hoarse.

Jarrod sat beside him on the bed. "Heath--" he began.

"You didn't find her."

Jarrod looked at Heath and saw the angry bitterness in those blue eyes. "No."

"Nick had the men keep an eye out for her while they checked on the cattle after the storm," Heath told him, barely able to catch his breath by the end of the sentence. "Where can she have gone?"

"I don't know." Jarrod shook his head. "I just don't know. Maybe she got a ride out of town." He didn't want to raise false hopes in his brother but truly her disappearance was a mystery. "We'll find her."

Heath turned his eyes away and stared up at the ceiling. Quietly, Jarrod left. There was nothing more he could say.

Internally, Heath raged at his fever. How often had he been caught in a storm before? Hundreds. Why now -- why now did he have to suffer a chill from one? Dai-Tai needed him. He closed her eyes, remembering: her anguished face, the look of love and trust that came later. He supposed he ought to be grateful that he hadn't seen the look of hurt and betrayal when she overheard the family's conversation.

All he wanted was to have Dai-Tai back and explain everything to her. Where ever she was she was alone out there: without friends or family. He had kept her safe from the rowdy element of the saloon. He could keep her keep her safe from those who would do her harm, he knew he could.

Why had she run away? Why couldn't she trust in him? Why? Heath turned these questions over and over in his mind, eventually falling asleep, exhausted.

"Jarrod?" a husky male voice said. {Author's impromptu note: no, I don't do slash}

Jarrod looked up from his paperwork. "Sheriff!" he said, a smile gracing his features. "What can I do for you?"

"It's more what I can do for you," the sheriff replied. "I've found the girl."

"The girl?!" Jarrod pushed back his chair and stood. "Where is she? Is she all right?"

The grim look on the sheriff's face made Jarrod realise the futility of that last question. "Found her floating in the river."

Jarrod frowned. "Now, you're sure?"

The sheriff nodded. "Perfectly. Found this with her." He dropped a sodden canvas bag onto Jarrod's wide desk. From it, he pulled out a dark blue silken robe, now ruined by the floodwaters. "Sally from Russ's saloon identified it as belonging to the Chinese girl."

"And the bag?"

"Caught around her neck and a branch." The sheriff stuffed the robe back into the bag. "Must've held her under a long time before the branch broke."

"No foul play?" Jarrod was doing his best to conceal his emotion. Not only was it a tragic and unnecessary loss of life but he knew he'd be the one who would have to tell Heath and he didn't particularly relish that task.

"None," replied the sheriff, "and before you ask, I am absolutely sure of it." He rubbed at his nose. "She was runnin', right?" Jarrod nodded. "My guess is she ducked into that old creek bed by your place. I bet she knew she'd be looked for. Then the water came and she couldn't escape it. Seen it happen to animals a ton of times."

"She wasn't an animal," Jarrod said gravely.

"True enough," the sheriff acquiesced, "but anyone inexperienced could get caught up in it. Why, I remember the time when the gold rush first started and this prospector set up camp --" He broke off and smiled ruefully. "Well, Jarrod, you've heard all my stories already, I guess. I oughta be going."

Jarrod nodded. "What's to be done with the body?" he asked as the sheriff turned for the door.

He turned back. "She'd have to be buried quick. With all the flooding, the doc reckons we'll be having enough problems with disease. You let me know what you want to do with it and I'll see it gets done."

"I'm sure Heath will want to decide." Jarrod shook hands with the sheriff. "Thanks for dropping by and letting me know, sheriff."

Jarrod sat brooding for a while after the sheriff had gone. His fingers steepled, he tried to think of a way to break the news to Heath, and more importantly, how to tactfully deal with whatever Heath's reactions would be. There was little anyone could do now, except offer comfort and support -- if only Heath would accept it.

Weakened as he was by the chill he had caught, Heath hightailed it out of the house and away, heading for the mountains. He'd had to ride another horse, Charger still suffering from his night out in the storm. It fidgeted underneath him, nervously aware of its rider's emotions. Heath just had to go: the look of pity and sympathy on Jarrod's face, mirrored by the rest of the family just made him want to scream.

So he escaped swiftly, knowing even as he did so that his family were letting him go: they knew that it was what he needed, that until he confronted the demons within, their sympathy would be rejected.

By the time he'd reached the line shack, the tears had dried from his face. He slid from the saddle, hooking the reins around a tree branch.

A tree branch. Like the one that had drowned Dai-Tai. Grief froze him. Heath stood there staring at the wood and yet at nothing. He'd known Dai-Tai for less than a day and yet ... he'd given her something of himself: his past, his protection, and finally, his love.

Heath, lost in memories, remembered their night together: the passion and the possibilities they'd had for the future, now lost. He recalled her shining black hair, the way it tumbled straight down her back; those dark eyes that held tormented secrets and tentative trust.

Woodenly, he opened the door to the line shack and entered its darkened interior. He slumped into a chair, his head hanging. What could he have done to prevent it? He gave her back the ability to love, had offered her at first work her, kept her safe, and he knew his family would have done the same. Why had she run? Why didn't she trust him? Those questions would forever go unanswered.

It was dawn before he straightened his shoulders and actually rose to cast some light about the tiny hut. Dai-Tai was gone now and Heath knew that in time, she would become another ephemeral ache, rousing every now and then to prod him with a painful reminder.

The healing process was by no means over, but at least Heath felt that he could face the others now: those who knew that once again he'd lost before he'd had a chance to really love.

The End. © 1998 Leanne Shawler