Whatever Honor would have said next was cut off by the arrival of several adults. Some of the women hailed Honor with greetings that were half-sympathetic and half-amused.
[_”Buenos dias, Honora,” _]Maria Lopez said cheer-rally, feminizing Honor’s name with an “a” on the end as did most of the people Honor had encountered in the village. “Your man is very generous to take the children to the airplane. My Paco is so excited!” Maria spoke in slow, careful Spanish so that Honor could understand. Everyone in that village was so polite and patient with her poor Spanish, Honor thought fleetingly. But when they spoke to Judd they slipped into a more natural speech pattern and she couldn’t always understand what was being said.
It was quite clear, however, that the villagers firmly believed she belonged to Judd and that he had come to collect her. Given his greater fluency in the language there was very little chance she would be able to convince them otherwise. She didn’t even know the Mexican word for “kidnap!” Most of these people seemed to believe she was exactly what Judd had implied when he had asked about her the night before. She was his runaway woman.
“Good morning, Maria,” Honor said, managing a small smile. “I hope Paco enjoys the plane.”
[_”Sí, sí.” _]Maria nodded enthusiastically, her brown eyes smiling. Then she eyed Honor consideringly.
Maria Lopez wasn’t the only woman in the small crowd who was peering speculatively at Honor. Lupe Martinez, Consuela Espinosa and several [_of _]the others were also casting interested gazes at the [_Norte Americana. _]But no one said anything until the cluster of men chatting with Judd effectively separated him from Honor by a few feet Then Maria leaned close.
“You are okay, hmmm? You look sad but you do not seem…” She trailed off, searching for a word Honor would recognize. In the end she gave up and used one Honor didn’t know.
“What?” Honor frowned intently, trying to comprehend. Instantly the other women began trying to interpret. Their voices rose with their excitement and Honor lost track of the conversation completely. Helplessly she stared at one woman and then another, trying to comprehend the chatter.
“They want to know how badly I beat you,” Judd explained, glancing back over his shoulder. “They say you don’t look happy but you don’t look badly bruised, either. They can’t figure out why you aren’t looking more cheerful since you got off so lightly.”
“You explain it to them!” Honor snapped, taking the villagers by surprise with the unexpectedly harsh tone of her voice. She glared across the heads of several of the women, who were generally shorter than she was! meeting Judd’s dark eyes with cool challenge. “Go ahead. Explain why I’m not exactly thrilled to have [_my man _]show up and take me home!”
There was silence now as the adults around them glanced interestedly from one foreigner to the other. The children, losing patience, raced ahead down the street toward the waiting plane.
For a moment Judd regarded Honor’s tense features and then he lifted one shoulder in casual dismissal of the vagaries of women and said something quickly in Spanish which brought a roar of laughter from the men and a series of knowing looks from the women. Then the whole group turned and started down the street again.
“What did you tell them?” Honor hissed, catching up to Judd.
“I explained that you weren’t in a good mood this morning because, although I didn’t beat you last night, I didn’t make love to you, either.”
“My God!” she breathed, incensed. “Isn’t it enough that you’re trying to kidnap me? Must you humiliate me on top of everything else?”
“Don’t worry. If you find it so humiliating to have everyone in town know I didn’t make love to you last night, I’ll be glad to make up for it tonight.”
“Bastard!”
He put a hand on her arm, bringing her to a sudden halt. When she automatically looked up into his face she saw the glittering eyes of the hunter and a chill trickled down her spine. “You’ve called me that more than once, Honor, and I’m getting tired of hearing it. Say it one more time and I really might resort to beating you.”
“Ah, but that would necessitate losing your temper and I doubt you’d let your control slip that much.”
“I haven’t lost my temper in a long time” he murmured warningly. “It might be interesting to see what happens when I do. Are you sure you want to be the one standing in the line of fire, though?”
“It might be amusing to see another side of you besides the cold-blooded mercenary!” Which was a flat lie. Honor knew full well that genuine rage in this man would not be at all amusing. That brief flash of lust she had endured the previous night was warning enough that if Judd Raven ever did let himself go, his emotions might be violent. Was that why he had clamped such a tight lid on himself over the years? Did he fear the depths of his own passions?
“Honor, if I were the mercenary you claim I am I’d have taken your initial offer of a bribe and then returned you to the States and collected my fee on top of it,” he pointed out as they started walking once more.
“As it is, you’re going to collect the same amount without sacrificing any of your so-called business ethics, aren’t you? Or were you planning on turning down the two thousand I’m offering for the two days you’re spending here?”
“It occurred to me that since I didn’t swallow your little story this morning, you might withdraw your offer of the two grand,” he retorted dryly.
“What about you? Are you going to renege on your promise to spend [_the _]full two days here even though you have already decided not to believe me?” She tried to keep the anxiety out of her voice, but it was difficult. When she’d realized how hopeless it was going to be to convince him to believe her story she had immediately begun to wonder if he would grow impatient with the promise he had made. Two days wasn’t much time but it was all she had.
“I told you I’d spend the two days here and I will. I don’t break my promises, Honor.”
For some reason Honor found herself believing him. He was a hard, cold man, she thought, but he was honorable in his own way. If only she could get him on her side! She had the distinct impression that, as an ally, Judd Raven would prove invaluable.
During the next hour and a half most of the population of the village took turns sitting in the Cessna, listening intently while Judd explained the instruments and controls, and generally playing make-believe. Judd was right, Honor decided as she watched the children as well as the adults thoroughly enjoying the small treat. It would have been nice to have been able to give everyone a ride.