Redbird

by E. E. Burke

  “Did you sleep?” His question came out gruff. He could blame worry and fatigue. The truth was more complicated. He hungered for this white woman more than he’d desired any Cherokee woman. It was madness.

  He pulled out the chair next to him. “Sit down and eat.

  Kate’s gaze darted between him and Na, as if she found something puzzling. Before he could ask what, his aunt spoke up.

  “You must be starving. Let me get you some breakfast.” Na wiped her hands on her apron. “Coffee?”

  “That sounds heavenly.” Kate didn’t take the chair he’d pulled out. Instead, she sat opposite, which put the table between them. He couldn’t blame her for being nervous, and had no comforting words to offer.

  Kate cradled a mug with steaming coffee. Her hands shook slightly. As she lifted it to her lips, she kept her gaze averted from his.

  This ache went deeper than physical frustration. He wanted her to feel safe with him. That was about as likely as a sheep feeling safe with a wolf.

  His aunt transferred corn cakes from a skillet onto a plate with fried eggs. She would see to it that Kate had enough to eat. Sheltering her was another matter. Na had made no such commitment.

  He had to make a final appeal, for Kate’s sake, as well as his own sanity. “Let the woman stay, Na. Just for a few days. Until I talk to Tsa-li. Then I’ll take her back.”

  Chapter 10

  When Jake switched to his native tongue, Kate grew annoyed. He did that whenever he wanted to talk about her. Did he think she didn’t know? She was tired of secrets.

  The small Indian woman, garbed in calico, with braided coils atop her head, had too many wrinkles to be his wife. Perhaps she was Jake’s mother. She set down a plate of food and smiled warmly. “Let us speak English, for the sake of our guest.”

  Jake slid down in his chair with his arms crossed and gave no reply.

  Kate fixed a smile on her hostess, determined to show good manners even if Jake didn’t. “I beg your pardon, ma’am. We haven’t been properly introduced.”

  “Give me your name and I’ll introduce you,” Jake drawled.

  Manners dictated he use her surname. Such a clever retort. She could be clever, too.

  “Certainly, Mister…?”

  He sealed his lips and his face tightened in displeasure.

  “That’s what I thought.” She turned to the person standing beside her, an unlikely ally. “Please, call me Kate. Are you Jake’s mother?”

  Lines creased the woman’s nut-brown cheeks as her lips curved in a smile. “I had the pleasure of raising him, but I am not his mother. I am his aunt. You may call me Na.”

  Kate collected the tidbits like a hungry bird. Had Jake been orphaned or abandoned? Why had he grown up in his aunt’s household? Did he have other family? Brothers, sisters, cousins? She wanted to know everything about him.

  Facts about his life weren’t going to get her back to where she belonged.

  “Has Jake told you why I’m here?”

  “I’ve told her you need somewhere safe to stay until I can take you home.” Jake warned against further questioning with narrowed eyes.

  His aunt turned away without another word. She crossed the hard-packed dirt floor to a tin sink where she put her frying pan and cooking utensils.

  Kate released the small thread of hope. Whether Na agreed with Jake or not, she appeared unwilling to side with a stranger. Only one person could resolve the dilemma.

  “When will you take me home?” Kate asked her captor.

  “Soon.”

  “Can you tell me why I can’t go back now?”

  “No.”

  Kate’s shoulders sagged. He told her nothing helpful, gave her no information. He couldn’t expect her to stay put just because he said so. At the same time, she had no idea where they were, much less how to find her way back to the worksite.

  She picked up her fork and went to work on the eggs while she planned her next move.

  Aside from abducting her, Jake had treated her decently. He’d protected her from his partner and refrained from molesting her even after she’d given him ample opportunities. He made sure she had a bed to sleep on and a safe place to stay with a relative who would feed her. No matter how comfortable he tried to make her situation, she refused to willingly remain his captive.

  Perhaps he didn’t believe she had the money she had offered and still planned to demand a ransom. Henry would take such a note directly to her father.

  The next bite stuck in her throat.

  If her father had to pay for her freedom, he’d be furious. Not only would he refuse to let her negotiate an agreement with the Cherokee leaders, he would ship her off to Timbuktu. Somehow, she had to convince Jake to allow her to arrange her own release.

  She leaned over and lowered her voice. “You needn’t bother Mr. Stevens about my return.”

  “Why not? Doesn’t he want you?”

  Her face grew warm beneath Jake’s speculative gaze. Honestly, she had no idea whether Henry wanted her. He wanted the benefits that would come from being married to her, though he might not consider her one of them.

  “I told you, Henry doesn’t own me. He’s not my husband.”

  “Why were you following the railroad?”

  “Why were you breaking into a private railcar?

  Annoyance flashed across his face, along with something that hinted at more complex emotions. He rested his arms on the table and leaned forward until they were nearly nose-to-nose. “Because they won’t stop stealing from us.”

  Na stood with her back to them, washing dishes out of a bucket, as there appeared to be no running water. His aunt’s dress had faded from many washings. The house consisted of one room downstairs, which served as both kitchen and sitting area, and a loft with a cornhusk mattress for a bed. The windows had no glass, the walls were unfinished, and their few furnishings were crudely made.

  Jake couldn’t be serious. What would her father possibly want from these people? They had next to nothing.

  “What makes you believe the railroad’s owner wants to steal from you?”

  “He is determined to build his track through here without our permission. If that’s not stealing, I don’t know what is.”

  Of course. She might’ve guessed. Jake’s home, his family’s land, was located somewhere along the route. This also could explain his thievery. “What were you after the other night? Private papers? Maps?”

  His lips thinned. No confessions.

  She fisted her hands with frustration. “You won’t accomplish anything by holding me hostage. If you take me back, I could talk to them about finding another route—”

  “It doesn’t matter where they put the track,” Jake interrupted. “Cherokee land doesn’t belong to them. Your government forced us out here. The white leaders in Washington promised this would be our land for all time. Then came the railroads.”

  He narrowed his eyes, accusingly. Clearly, he viewed her as culpable because of her perceived relationship to Henry. He’d truly hate her once he discovered it was her father who owned the railroad.

  Kate set her fork down. She couldn’t eat another bite without choking on it. “Even if you stop the Katy, another railroad will find a way through. The economic incentive is too great.”

  “You mean whites are too greedy to be satisfied with what they have.” Jake crossed his arms over his chest, as if he’d said all he had to say on the matter.

  If he represented the sentiments of the Cherokee leaders, no wonder her father and Henry had failed in their attempts to negotiate a settlement. Their bribes and threats only added fuel to the fire. She tried a different approach to see how Jake might react.

  “You are not viewing this from the standpoint of how your people could benefit from the railroad. Trains will bring in useful appliances, manufactured goods will be more affordable.”

  “If we had money to buy them.” Jake continued to glower at her.

  She forged ahead with more facts. “Y
ou will. The railroad will bring jobs.”

  “Not for us,” he stated emphatically.

  Argue all you want, he might as well have said, I’ll never believe you.

  She pointed out a weak spot in his apparent plan. “Even if you break into every railcar or keep me until doomsday, you won’t halt the railroad. At some point, you have to compromise.”

  “Why?” Jake leaned forward on his arms, his eyes never left hers. “If your government would keep its promises, we’d be happy to live in peace. Should I give you a list of the treaties they’ve broken?”

  He tapped his finger on the table. “Nearly thirty, and that’s just since the U.S. Constitution was written. In Tellico, they used the excuse that we didn’t clearly mark our boundaries. We had to cede land and let them build a Federal road. In exchange, they made the same old promise. The rest of the land, you can keep it. Forever. They broke that contract before the ink dried.

  “At New Echota, they pitted us against each other. Forced to us give up our Eastern lands. What did we get in return? A long walk west that killed our people by the thousands. Shall I go on?”

  “No.” Kate rubbed her forehead. Perhaps she wasn’t as effective at diplomacy as she’d originally believed. “Are you sure you haven’t studied the law? You’d be good at it.”

  “I’ve studied enough to know better than to open our boundaries. Let the railroad come through and claim free government land. They’d soon take all of it.”

  “It doesn’t have to be that way. It can be a cooperative effort.” She thought back to what she’d read to prepare for her hoped-for role. “The history of your people shows that you’ve realized benefits from embracing progress. The Cherokee are civilized. Forward-thinking. Your nation has a constitution, a written language. Your children are educated in schools and seminaries—”

  “We weren’t animals lurking in the forests before your people showed up,” he said in a tight voice. “Adopting a constitution based on your government’s laws changed our culture—a culture that’s been around far longer than whites have been in this country—and it didn’t make everything better. In some ways, it made things worse.”

  Her face grew warm under his scrutiny. She must sound foolish, parroting what she’d read without having the benefit of any real experience. A dose of humility would be more helpful than her presumptions. “Forgive me. My intention wasn’t to offend you. I do respect your culture and your history, what I know of it. I’d like to know more.”

  A muscle in his jaw jumped. He rubbed his face and looked away. “Forget about it.”

  She couldn’t forget about it, and she would never forget about him. He had snagged her heart without even trying. As hard as he worked to make her dislike him, he only succeeded in gaining her respect. His motives were honorable even if his methods weren’t.

  “I only meant to say that your people have recognized many good things and used them for their benefit. You could do the same with the railroad. Find a compromise.”

  Jake took up a spoon and examined it, as if he found the utensil more interesting than her. She deserved it, even if she knew it wasn’t true. His ardent kisses had convinced her of his desire. By now he had to know she desired him.

  That didn’t mean he was happy about it. Yet, she’d arrogantly assumed he would be pleased if a white woman wanted him, and that he ought to be grateful for her attention. She’d assumed many things. Most of them wrong.

  “Your people don’t want compromise,” he said, at last. “They want to take what little we have left and give it to rich whites.”

  No more talk of Redbird. He’d put her in the same company as the rest of her conquering, deceitful race. It hurt more than she wanted to admit.

  “Even if I don’t fully understand your struggle, I want to help.”

  “Why?”

  “Why do you want to do what you think is best for me?”

  He set the spoon down and rubbed the back of his neck. “Because I want you off my hands.”

  The answer hurt, even if his rejection was for the best. Neither of them could afford to give in to forbidden desires. She had to limit her concern to helping him preserve his land.

  As smart as he appeared to be, he could help her come up with a way to resolve the standoff between the railroad and his leaders. If he did, they would both come out of this better off.

  “Jake, listen to me. We could work together to find a solution that will be best for everyone involved. Protect your family’s interests, as well as the railroad’s.”

  “That’s not possible. Our interests are at cross purposes.”

  “It is possible, if each side gives a little—”

  “Why would the railroad give anything if they’re counting on getting our land for free?”

  Why indeed? With the land grants tied up in court, her father—and the railroad—were close to bankruptcy. If she revealed their uncertain financial situation, it wouldn’t gain Jake’s cooperation. It would only strengthen his resolve to hole up and hold out, until the next railroad came along. In the end, no one would win.

  She chose her words carefully. “At the moment, we have an opportunity, if an acceptable compromise can be reached.”

  His aunt stopped washing dishes and came over, closer to Jake. Apparently, the conversation had caught her attention. “What do you mean by compromise?”

  “Our definitions differ,” he muttered.

  “I’m sure they do,” Kate acknowledged. “But thus far, neither side has been willing to have a meaningful discussion. We could change that.”

  “Unless you can reverse those tracks, I don’t see how.”

  “Wa-ya, listen…”

  He frowned at his aunt. “There’s nothing she can do to stop the railroad.”

  Kate planted her hands on the table, frustrated by his obstinance. “You’re right, I can’t stop it, even if I want to. The Katy won the right to construct its tracks, and the treaty calls for the line to go through Cherokee land. You won’t alter that by holding me hostage.”

  Na put her hand on his shoulder in a gesture that bespoke caution. “Be careful which wolf you feed. Bitterness will lead you down a bad path.”

  His aunt urged him to listen to his conscience. Kate guessed what it would tell him. He hadn’t acted rashly when he’d lost his temper with her. He had fled rather than face off with his cousin over her fate. Jake would choose peace, if he could.

  She pressed ahead. “Wouldn’t you rather do something that gives everyone an advantage rather than fight a war you can’t win?”

  His arms remained crossed. “How do I know this isn’t another one of your tricks?”

  “What would that buy me? More time spent with you?”

  He held her gaze without blinking. “Do you think I’d trust someone who tried to get our leaders drunk so they would sign away their rights?”

  She felt dirty for even being associated with that carousal. Her father shouldn’t have turned to his Chief of Operations for advice in diplomacy. Being a man of action, Henry knew how to get railroads built. He didn’t have the patience for tedious negotiations. “I didn’t agree with them. In fact, I tried to talk them out of it.”

  “Them?”

  Drat. She’d done it again. The last time she’d stumbled over her tongue, he hadn’t pressed her for an explanation. Jake would never trust her if she lied now, and she wanted his trust. In fact, she needed his trust in order to help him and his people, and in the process, secure her own situation. “Henry Stevens and…my father, Levi Parsons.”

  Jake’s gaze sharpened. He leaned with his arms on the table. “Your father is the man they call Judge Parsons?”

  “Yes.”

  “The one who owns the railroad?”

  “The very same.”

  Jake muttered a response. She didn’t need to understand his language to know he’d cursed. He threaded his fingers through hair as shiny and black as a crow’s feathers. She recalled the texture felt like raw silk.
<
br />   When he looked up and caught her staring at him, she stammered. “Th-that’s why I can help you. We’ll find another route or some other solution.”

  “Why will Parsons listen to you this time if he didn’t before?”

  Good question.

  “I’ll have the right people behind me. We can come up with a good compromise, present it to your council. If they agree, we’ll take the proposal to my father. Together.”

  Silence reigned for a breathless moment.

  Kate studied Jake’s face for his reaction. His expression would’ve made a rock proud.

  Kate’s nerves grew taut as she watched for some sign of cooperation. She wasn’t sure if she’d gained ground or lost it, or if he had decided she was worth more as a prisoner than a partner. The only thing she knew for certain was that they would both fail if they didn’t help each other.

  He scooted his chair back and stood. “Finish breakfast. We have to go.”

  Chapter 11

  Jake strode out of his aunt’s cabin with Kate pecking at his heels.

  “Well? Will you take me to the council?”

  The elders would laugh him out of the building if he showed up with the daughter of Parsons and declared she was on their side. The laughter would stop once they realized he’d taken her against her will.

  “No. I will return you to where I found you.” He had wasted enough time avoiding the inevitable. Parsons was a powerful man who had exhibited few scruples. What they might do to recover his daughter was unthinkable.

  A congregation of speckled chickens squawked at their approach. Jake dodged an ornery hen and made for the pasture where he’d left Thundercloud. The stallion had already spotted him and pranced back and forth in front of the split-rail fence. They’d make better time on two horses, and be more comfortable. No. He wouldn’t take his aunt’s only mule.

  “Jake, wait. We need to talk…” Kate hurried up beside him.

  “Talk while we ride. It will take a day to get back to the worksite.”

  “But I don’t want to go back. I want to help you.” She grabbed his arm.