“Stop,” Tate said softly.
“What stop for?” Luke turned to face them.
Happy for the break, Kate bent to put her hands on her knees and tried to catch her breath. The midafternoon sun continued to beat down as rivulets of sweat ran down her cheeks. The climb didn’t seem to bother the other two at all.
“Stay with Luke,” Tate said to Kate.
Luke moved past Kate and began to head back down the trail. “I go look. You stay with your woman.”
Tate shook his head. “She’s not my woman.”
“I’m not his woman,” Kate said at the same time.
“Then why you sleep with her?”
Kate’s face turned a fiery red as she waited for Tate’s answer.
Tate shook his head again and put a hand on the boy’s shoulder. “Take her and go. I’ll catch up. I know where you’re headed.”
Kate’s eyes clung to Tate. She didn’t like being left with the Indian boy. Tate nodded at her reassuringly and, after pressing his canteen into her hand, turned away. In seconds, he was out of sight.
Without another word, the Indian boy continued on up the hill. Kate focused her eyes on the boy’s back, determined not to let him get too far ahead. As they reached a small tree that was growing out from between two large boulders, the boy stopped and squatted down in the shade. Kate sat down beside him and opened the canteen. The water felt wonderful on her dry throat. She turned to offer the canteen to the boy, but he was squirting water into his mouth from a leather pouch.
“Where did Tate go?”
“He look for Hayden.”
“What will he do if he sees him?”
“Kill him,” the boy said matter-of-factly “Or Hayden kill him.”
Kate was stunned into silence. She scarcely knew the cowboy, but the possibility of his being killed terrified her. Somehow he had managed to find her. He had taken her away from the cabin, away from Hayden and Squirrelly and Eddy. Now he was risking his life to get her out of here.
The Indian boy stood, shaded his eyes with his hand, and looked back down the hill. Without a word, he turned and started moving away. Kate reluctantly got to her feet and hastened to follow.
Luke moved steadily upward. Kate, not far behind him, was panting from the effort of keeping pace. Her shoes, while better without their heels, were little protection against the sharp stones.
Her sheltered life hadn’t prepared her for this kind of exertion.
Kate was exhausted when Luke finally motioned for her to stop. His arm pointed at a dark hole in the hillside.
“Stay. I go look for snakes.”
“Snakes? Good heavens.”
“What mean ‘good heavens’? Ain’t no bad heavens.”
“It’s only an expression,” Kate explained.
“What you mean ‘expression’?” Luke didn’t wait for an answer before heading upward again. Kate watched as he approached the dark hole and then disappeared inside.
Moments later, when Luke came out of the hole, he motioned for Kate to follow him. Without hesitation, she began her trek up the hill. Her back was wet with sweat by the time she reached the cave entrance. She peered into the darkness as Luke tossed away a large stick.
“No snakes.”
“Well, thank goodness for that,” Kate said with relief.
“Why you thank goodness? What ‘goodness’?”
Kate could only shake her head. How can I explain that?
Chapter 11
KATE STOOD AT THE ENTRANCE TO THE CAVE and looked back down the hill. The sun continued to rise in the clear blue Texas sky. Heat shimmered off the rocks below. A couple of hours had passed since Tate had headed back down the hill to check on Hayden, and she was anxious for him to return. Luke had sat quietly against the cave walls, watching her as she fretted. She didn’t want to go into the cave for fear of bats.
“When will Tate be back?”
“Why? You ’fraid I’ll scalp you?”
“No, I don’t think that.” Kate hugged herself closely, regardless of the hot summer day. Her voice had wavered when she denied it.
“I a savage Indian. City women ’fraid of savage Indians.”
“How do you know I’m a city woman?”
Luke gave a short snort of laughter. “Only city woman wear silly clothes and no hat. Why Hayden want you? Can you skin rabbit? Can you set up tepee? Are you good on blanket?”
At first, Kate didn’t understand what he meant. When it dawned on her, her face turned deep red with embarrassment. “You’re a fresh-mouthed kid. I don’t appreciate such talk.”
“What you mean ‘fresh-mouthed’?” When Kate refused to answer his question, Luke returned to another earlier one, which he repeated. “Why Hayden want you?”
“He wants money from my father.”
“You no want Hayden for your man? You want Tate?”
“Absolutely not!” Kate blurted out. I can’t believe the nerve of this boy! How can he say such things!
“Tate better man.”
“I don’t doubt that. I don’t want either one of them.”
“You got no man. Woman need a man. I take you for my woman.”
“You’re just a boy.” Kate turned to face him. “I’m years older than you.”
Luke leaned forward, squared his shoulders, and tossed his head back. “What difference that make? I am a man. I take many girls to my tepee.”
“I don’t want to hear about your girls, you horny little toad.”
“I no toad. I an eagle.”
Kate suddenly realized that the Indian boy was having fun with her. He smiled as he stood up and walked to the entrance of the cave. Shielding his eyes with one hand, he looked into the distance.
Turning away from the boy, Kate reached for the canteen, opened it, and took a swallow. The liquid felt wonderful on her throat. She thought about taking another gulp but decided not to. “Tate doesn’t have water,” she said. “I’ll save the rest for him.”
“Tate come now,” Luke announced.
Kate hurried over to the entrance. All she could see were trees, rocks, and the glare of reflected sunlight. “Where? I don’t see him.”
“He come.”
Kate felt immense relief that Tate was near. From the moment that he left them, she had worried that he would meet up with Hayden. The brutal man might injure or kill him. Still, staring long and hard at the trail that she and the Indian boy had taken to the cave revealed no movement. Was Luke teasing her about Tate coming?
“He is not coming,” Kate argued. “I don’t see him.”
“You think I lie?”
“I didn’t say that. I just said I don’t see him.”
“Tate don’t want you see him,” Luke said matter-of-factly “You see him, Hayden see him.”
“Why do you always talk in riddles?” Kate frustratedly asked. Dealing with Luke was complicated. “And don’t you say what ‘riddles’ mean!”
“Tate tell me what mean ‘riddles. ’ Tate my good friend.”
“How long have you known him?”
“Long time. He bring mission school. I learn to read and write my name. I first in family to go to school. I go to Tate’s house and take little girl moccasins made by my mother.”
“Tate has a little girl?”
Kate looked back down the hill, still seeing nothing but the heat ripples and the harsh landscape. She squinted her eyes and saw Tate climbing the hill.
“There he is,” she said.
“Told you he was coming.”
“How did you know?”
Luke looked up at a lone eagle soaring overhead. “My brother, the eagle, tell me.”
“I’m not so stupid that I believe that.” Kate smiled, her spirits lifted now that the cowboy was in sight.
“You not smart like me.”
Kate laughed. She was getting used to the boy, and liked him. He was witty and intelligent.
Her eyes stayed on Tate as he approached. He didn’t appear to be hurt.
“Are you thirsty?” she asked, handing him the canteen.
“I had one drink this afternoon, but I could sure use another.”
“Did you see Hayden?”
Tate drank deeply before answering. “He followed my horse a ways, then backtracked when he realized that we’d fooled him. Somewhere back he picked up our trail.”
“Is he nearby?”
“A few miles.” Tate took another drink.
The hours of the day drifted by until the sun began its slow descent behind the hills. Shadows grew into deeper darkness, and the sounds of animals, free to come out now that the sun had set, reached the cave. The cry of a coyote calling for its mate sent a shiver down Kate’s back. She had heard somewhere that Indians signaled to each other using the coyote call.
Tate and Luke moved away and talked together in low tones. Kate sat down on one of the boulders beside the entrance to the cave and took off her shoes and stockings. Her feet throbbed. Being careful to keep her skirt around her legs, she picked up one foot and massaged it.
“Your woman wear silly shoes.” Luke’s voice reached her, and she glanced up to see Tate and Luke watching her.
“How many times do I have to tell you … I’m not Tate’s woman,” Kate said.
“Then you be my woman.”
Tate smiled. “You’d probably have to fight Hayden for her.”
“I kill Hayden.”
“Don’t be silly,” Kate admonished them. “Will you two please stop passing me around as if I were a peace pipe.”
“Peace pipe? Don’t pass peace pipe no more. We civilized Indians. Only scalp city women now.” Luke put his hand on the knife in the scabbard that hung from his belt.
Tate laughed, his eyes twinkling as he looked at Kate. “Has this kid been scaring you?”
“No,” Kate answered, giving a tiny lie, “but he’s been trying his best.”
Tate walked over to where Kate sat, then knelt down and picked up one of her feet. “Another day’s walk and you’ll have blisters. What can we do about some footwear for her, Luke?”
“She no need footwear. She only silly squaw.”
Tate actually laughed aloud. Looking at his face, Kate saw the small wrinkles bunch at the corners of his eyes, the dark whiskers that grew on his face, and the way that his smile seemed contagious. She couldn’t believe how hand some he was when he smiled, and she hoped that she wasn’t blushing.
“If you want your woman to have moccasins, I go back to village, but it take all night.”
“How far to your village?” Kate asked.
“Not far.”
“Why don’t we all go to his village and hire a car to take us out? Hayden can’t possibly catch us in a car.”
Luke glanced over at Tate and shook his head. “Silly woman.”
Tate, still smiling, said, “It isn’t that easy. The village is a small one in the hills. There won’t be a car there.” Turning to Luke, he added, “Keep an eye out for Hayden. Last time I saw him, he was over by that small patch that got burned out by lightning this spring.”
Luke gathered up his things and took a long drink out of his waterskin. “I bring back moccasins for your woman and food for you. On way back, I make sure Hayden still there.”
Without another word, Luke trotted down the hill and into the growing darkness. Within moments, he was lost from sight.
“Isn’t it risky for him to go back?” she asked Tate.
“Luke can take care of himself.”
“But he’s only a boy.”
“In this country, he’s considered a man. He’ll be all right.”
Now alone with Tate, Kate found herself at a loss for words. She wanted to ask him about his daughter and how his wife felt about him going out to find her. But their relationship had not reached the point where she was comfortable asking Tate personal questions.
Tate dug into the saddlebags and brought out the cloth-wrapped biscuits and handed one to her.
“This isn’t exactly a fancy meal, but it’s all we got.”
“You eat it. I’m not very hungry.” She tried to give the biscuit back, but he refused to take it.
“Force yourself to eat. We have miles to go, and you need to keep up your strength.”
Aware that Tate was right, Kate gnawed at the biscuit. “Did you have anything all day?” she asked.
“No, but I’m used to it. Luke will bring food back in the morning.”
“Have you known him long?”
“Since he was knee-high to a grasshopper. His people have been in this area since before any white men, and his father and I were good friends. Luke’s a smart kid, even if he is mouthy.”
“He told me he has been to your house.”
Tate turned to look down the hill and made no reply. He picked up one of her shoes and tossed it farther into the cave. “I’m sure Luke checked it out, but I want to be sure that there are no bats in there.” He picked up the other shoe and threw it after the first one.
“Hey, those shoes cost me twenty dollars.”
“You’re kidding, aren’t you?”
“No, I’m not kidding,” Kate said, instantly self-aware. “But it’s all right. They’re no use to me without heels.”
Tate looked down at her feet. Her toes were red, and on the side of one foot was the beginning of a blister. “You just stay here. I’ll spread the blanket inside the cave and come back for you.”
“Don’t go,” she said. But he was already gone.
It was so quiet that she could hear the pounding of her own heart. Tate was back almost immediately. He scooped her up in his arms and headed back into the cave.
“Oh,” she said, surprised. “Put me down. I’m too heavy.”
“Not on those bare feet.”
“I’ve never been carried before.”
“Your men friends in New York haven’t lifted you?”
“There was never any reason to.”
“You’re not heavy. I doubt you weigh any more than a newborn calf.” Tate set her gently down on the blanket.
Kate was surprised the cave was so small. Where she lay was only a few feet from the entrance. “I thought it was bigger,” she said. “Luke made it seem like it was deep and full of snakes, bats, and bears.”
Tate chuckled lightly. “Luke likes to scare city folks. He gets a big kick out of pretending to be a full-blooded savage and getting them all worked up. Truth is, he’s really one hell of a smart kid.”
“Do you think he’ll be all right?”
“He’ll be fine. He knows this area better than anyone. He’ll run most of the way to his village. I only hope he doesn’t get it into his head to tackle Hayden.”
“Why does Luke hate Hayden?”
“Hayden ruined several girls from the village. One of them was Luke’s sister. To the Indian way of thinking, any girl who’s been with a man not her husband is ruined and only fit to be second wife. Luke will kill him someday unless someone else gets to him first.”
“Why do you hate him?” Kate cautiously asked.
“Because he’s bad to the core. Always has been. He’s cruel to animals and anyone weaker than he is, especially women. If there’s easy money to be had, Hayden will be there. He tried to knife me in the back a couple of years ago. Probably would’ve succeeded if one of his old enemies hadn’t taken advantage of the situation and jumped him. That’s how he got those scars on his face. For some reason, he blames me.”
“Did you get hurt?”
“Just a knife wound in the shoulder.”
Tate sat down on the blanket beside her. He took his hat off and ran his forked fingers through his black hair. Kate wondered if some of his ancestors were the Indians that had roamed these hills for hundreds of years. When she spoke, the words didn’t match her thoughts.
“Will Hayden find us here?”
“He probably knows about this place,” Tate answered while fixing her with a serious look, as if he wanted her to know that they were far from
being free of danger. “I’m hoping he’ll think we headed straight for town. We’re all right for a while. He won’t try to track us over the rocks at night. Lay back and get some sleep if you can.”
“I don’t know if I can. The last few days have been so difficult. Being taken from the train, hauled off to that cabin, imprisoned by those three men … I’ve been too nervous to sleep.”
“I know all about Hayden, but who were the other two?”
“One of them is the nephew of my father’s business partner. His name is Edwin Jacobs. The other one, the one you saved me from, is called ‘Squirrelly’ His father is a big-time crook in New York City.”
“He looked kind of familiar.”
“He should. He was the button salesman who was waiting with us at the train depot. He’d been following me all the way from New Orleans—from New York, I guess. But he’s too stupid to be any more than a hired man.”
“So the nephew was in on the kidnapping?”
“I didn’t think so at first, but now I’m sure he was,” Kate said softly. It was still hard for her to accept that Eddy, her sister’s beau, was involved in her kidnapping. The more she thought about it, the more she believed that it must be William who was behind all this. “Maybe his uncle wants to take over my father’s company.”
“Doesn’t seem like much of a partner.”
“No … no, he doesn’t.”
“Will your father pay?”
“He’ll pay. I don’t know what they are asking, but he’ll pay.”
Tate was thoughtful for a minute, then said, “Did they tell you that as soon as they had the money, they would let you go?”
“Yes.”
“Did it ever occur to you that there was no way they could let you live? Not after you’d seen their faces.”
“Yes, it occurred to me, but Eddy kept telling me that he would see to it that I wasn’t harmed.”
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