Apache Summer sb-3

by Heather Graham

  yell at her.

  "You're totally inebriated!"

  "Inebriated--you mean drunk, don't you? I wish I were. Drunk enough to

  give you what you need! And what you need is a good switch taken to your

  hide."

  "Oh!" She shimmied up to her knees.

  "Don't you dare speak to me like that, Jamie Slater" -- "I don't think

  I'm just going to speak!" he warned her, his lashes falling over his

  eyes so that they were narrow and dangerous.

  "I think I'm going to act" -- She was on her feet instantly, running for

  the flap in the tent with a speed and agility as fleet as a doe's. But

  at the flap she paused, realizing that she would be running into a group

  of raucous Apaches.

  She spun around, certain Jamie was almost upon her. But he was standing

  back, watching her with supreme arrogance and amusement. He had known

  she wouldn't run out of the tent.

  She decided to take her chances with the Apache. She didn't make it.

  Jamie had been still, but he came to motion in a flash. Just as she

  reached for the rawhide flap, his arms swept around her calves, and she

  came crashing down to the hard ground. She coughed and gagged and

  struggled against his weight to turn around and face him. He straddled

  her. Her sir~ple doeskin dress was wound high around her hips, and she

  was naked beneath it. Jamie didn't seem to notice. He sat calmly upon

  her, crossing his arms over his chest, aware that she wouldn't be going

  anywhere at all.

  He stared down at her.

  "Undisciplined--brat!"

  "Brat! I'm twenty-four years old" -- "An old maid! Maybe that's half the

  problem."

  She gasped, stunned by the remark, and started to struggle furiously

  beneath him. Her fingers wound into fists but he was ready, leaning

  forward to pin her wrists to the sides of her head.

  "I told you--it's done my way. You may be Miss. Stuart, and you may be

  the publisher of the Wiltshire Sun, and you may own one of the finest

  ranches this side o the Mississippi, but you're with me now, and I

  warned you, it's going to be done my way! Especially among the Apache!

  You don't make a fool of a man in front of them!"

  " But I just wanted to know what was going on!"

  "I really should take a switch to you--but at some later date." The fury

  suddenly faded from his voice. He released her wrists, his hands

  massaging both tenderly and tempestuously through the splay of her hair.

  "Tess, Tess, what are we doing? We're going back to Wiltshire, and all

  hell will break loose when we get there. Let's not fight each other

  now." ' She stared at his striking features, at the handsome and rugged

  angles and planes of his face, at the passion in his silver eyes. She

  trembled suddenly and wound her arms around him.

  "Hold me!" she whispered.

  And he did.

  They shed their clothing, and she thought that he made love to her more

  tenderly, more carefully, that night than he ever had before.

  When the sun rose their naked bodies were entwined together in the soft

  shadows. She didn't want to leave, she thought. She could live among the

  Apache with Jamie forever.

  But of course she couldn't. This was not her world, and she had vowed

  that she would fight von Heusen. Neither she nor Jamie could walk away

  now.

  Jamie leaned over and kissed her lips, and she looked into his eyes.

  "It's time," he told her.

  He rose and dressed quickly, and she followed his example.

  They did not leave with the dawn, for Nalte wanted another conference

  with Jamie. His sister, Little Flower, came to Tess to say goodbye. Tess

  had learned very little of the language, but she had been grateful for

  Little Flower's shy kindness. It seemed that Nalte was bestowing gifts

  on Tess-- she was given a new outfit in which to ride, in pale buckskin,

  with fine tin cone pendants and beautiful beadwork. There was a long

  overdress that fell nearly to her knees, and beneath it, soft trousers

  so that she might ride easily. She was given boots at last, fine boots

  with rawhide bottoms and soft leggings to cover her calves. She thanked

  Little Flower as best as she could for the gifts, then kissed the young

  woman on the cheek.

  Nalte came to her then. Little Flower fled, and Nalte watched Tess for

  several moments before speaking.

  "You 255 will take the dress, too. Slater has told me that it will

  always be special to him."

  She flushed.

  "Thank you. Thank you for the gifts. I've nothing to give you in

  return."

  He shrugged.

  "I have gotten what I wanted from Slater. And I give you the gifts in

  his behalf. In our courting ritual, we exchange gifts, as I have told

  you." She smiled and lowered her head, wondering what Jamie had given

  him.

  "Most of all, Nalte, I thank you for my freedom."

  He grunted and looked at her still.

  "I understand that you are a warrior yoursell~' " A warrior?" she said,

  startled.

  "You take on men's battles."

  "I didn't really intend to. I just--I had to fight back." She paused.

  "This man had my uncle murdered. Do you understand?"

  "Yes, I understand. I will pray that the sph'its will be with you."

  He left her then.

  Jamie returned soon after.

  "They are ready to ride," he told her.

  "Let's go."

  She nodded and hurried after him. There was a small roan mare set aside

  for her use, and she silently accepted Jamie's help to mount the saddle

  less creature.

  She was startled to see Jamie mounting a large paint gelding. She stared

  at him and said softly, "Jamie, your own horse" -- "He's Nalte's now,"

  Jamie said curtly. "Your horse! But you loved that horse. Why on earth

  would you want to" She broke off. He hadn't wanted to give Nalte the

  horse. The horse had been the negotiation.

  "I'm sorry, Jamie."

  "It doesn't matter," he said, and, turning his back, he rode ahead to

  talk to the half-naked warrior in a breech256 clout at the head of the

  party of a dozen or so, their escort through Comanchero territory. The

  Indian turned and she gasped, startled to see that it was Nalte.

  She couldn'? t ponder the chief's participation in their ride then, for

  cries suddenly filled the air and they were leaving the village behind

  at a quick pace. Jouncing on her pony, Tess turned back.

  Little Flower was waving to her. Tess smiled warmly and waved in turn.

  They she turned again and hugged her knees to her pony. She had thought

  that she knew how to ride hard, but she had never ridden with the Apache

  before.

  She realized she was learning about a hard ride all over again, from the

  very beginning.

  By the time they stopped for the night, she could barely dismount, and

  when she did she nearly fell.

  Jamie was there to catch her. She widened her eyes and stared at him and

  she wanted to straighten and show him that she could be strong. But her

  knees were buckling and she merely managed to whisper, "Oh, Jamie ..."

  He caught her before she fell. The Apache warriors were
preparing a

  fire, and he carried her to it. One warrior stretched out a blanket for

  her, and a roll was stuffed beneath her head.

  She never ate a meal that night for she fell asleep instantly.

  Somewhere in the middle of the night she felt a new warmth. She opened

  her eyes and realized that Jamie had stretched next to her, and she was

  curled up in the shelter of his arms.

  She stared up at the stars and was suddenly very afraid. She had wanted

  to go home, and they were going home. But Jamie was right, it would be

  open war now. She didn't want to die.

  She was just learning how to live.

  She closed her eyes and curled her fingers around the strong male hand

  that curved beneath her breast.

  "Please God, please God, please God," she whispered. The rest of her

  prayer formed no words, but she knew it in her heart.

  She wanted to survive. and more.

  She wanted to survive with Jamie. The life that was now so precious to

  her would be meaningless without him.

  She dosed her eyes again, and to her amazement, she slept once more.

  The Apache stayed with them all the next day and the next night.

  Jamie seemed c6ncerned for them, warning Nalte that they were moving

  into Comanche territory. But Nalte knew Running River, and he didn't

  seem concerned.

  Tess tried to talk to Nalte, reminding him that many whites had believed

  yon Heusen when he said that it had been Indians who caused all the

  trouble. Few of the new settlers knew there was a difference between

  Comanche and Apache.

  Nalte, however, was resolute. He and the Apache rode with them to the

  outskirts of the town of Wiltshire. Then he lifted his spear high in the

  air and a shrill, blood-chilling cry escaped him. The Apache formed

  behind him.

  "Goodbye, Slater, Sun-Colored Woman."

  "Thank you. No matter what comes, Nalte, I will always be your friend,"

  Jamie told him.

  "I believe you." The chief moved forward, and he and Jamie clasped

  hands.

  Then Nalte swung his newly acquired mount around and his men raced off

  behind him. Jamie watched them disappear in a cloud of Texas dust, then

  he looked at Tess.

  "This is it. We're almost home."

  "Perhaps we should go into town"

  "No. We'll head to the ranch."

  "But I need to put this in the paper" -- He swore, roughly, violently.

  "Tomorrow, Tess! We're going home. I tried to make a few arrangements

  for help.

  You can't go into town alone, and I have to get back to the ranch!

  Got it?"

  "Got it!" she shouted back.

  They weren't far. She swung her Apache mare around and nudged her to a

  fleeting gallop. She raced for a good ten minutes before she pulled up

  suddenly, a feeling of utter joy encompassing her heart as the ranch

  came into view. It was still standing. No one had burned it to the

  ground.

  Smoke was spewing from the chimney; Dolly or Jane must be cooking

  something inside. Life had gone on while she had been with the Apache.

  And the people who loved her had held on.

  Jamie was behind her. She turned and shouted to him. "It's still

  standing!"

  "Yes," he began.

  She didn't let him say more. She nudged the mare hard again with' her

  heels and thundered toward the ranch. She passed the paddocks and the

  beautiful mares with their foals and she felt joy cascade throughout

  her. Von Heusen hadn't beaten them--not yet.

  She reined in the mare as she came to the house. Dust flew as the little

  horse pawed the ground. Tess leaped down and went racing for the front

  door.

  "Dolly, Jane, Hank!" She stood in the entryway, looking at the large

  desk, at the stairway leading to the second floor, at the furniture in

  the parlor, at the dining table. She was home.

  "They're here! Someone is here!" a voice shouted. It was an unfamiliar

  voice. Tess stared in astonishment as a tall, slim blond woman came

  hurrying down the stairway. She was followed by a handsome little boy of

  about five, then a second blond woman with a serene and beautiful face.

  "Miss. Tess!"

  Tess swung around as Jane hurried from the kitchen, throwing her arms

  around her.

  "I knew you'd come back, I just knew that you would!"

  "Well." The first woman had reached the entryway.

  "I knew that Jamie wouldn't come back without you, of course," she said.

  "Where is he?"

  Tess stared with astonishment at the two women and the little boy.

  Then the door burst open behind her. Jamie had arrived, but he wasn't

  alone.

  With him were two men, both as tall as he, with the handsome but rugged

  features of ranchers, of men who eked their existence from the land and

  the elements. They were talking, the three of them were talking, the

  darkest of them saying something about yon Hensen.

  Then Dolly emerged' from the kitchen, wiping her hands on her apron.

  "Those twins!" she proclaimed.

  "The little darlings are going to eat us out of cookies and cakes, they

  are!

  Oh!

  Oh, Tess! Jamie, Lieutenant Slater, why you're home! You're home!" There

  were tears in her eyes, tears streaming down her cheeks.

  "I knew Tess wouldn't come home without her lieutenant. I knew you

  wouldn't!" Dolly flung her arms around Jamie, and then Dolly and Jane

  were fighting to hug Tess, and she was trying to hug them back.

  But she still couldn't help staring at the strangers who were suddenly

  filling her house. Twins? What twins?

  The two blond women were kissing and hugging Jamie. Jamie was laughing

  in return and thanking both for coming.

  Tess wasn't sure if she would lose her temper or her mind first.

  "Excuse me!" she said, but there was too much noise. "Excuse me!" she

  shouted. The room went still. She looked around, and then said frankly,

  "Excuse me, but--who are you?"

  "Jamie!" the taller woman wailed.

  "You didn't tell her?" Tess smiled sweetly.

  "No. No, he didn't tell me."

  Jamie stepped forward.

  "These are my brothers, Cole and Malachi. And their wives, Kristin and

  Shannon. And that's my nephew, Gabe. And I take it that Shannon and

  Malachi's twins are in the kitchen" -- "The little darlings!" Dolly said

  rapturously. "We've come because Jamie sent us a wire about von Heusen,"

  Cole Slater told her.

  Tess gasped. She stared at them all. So this was having a family.

  They were so close. They knew one another so well.

  They were happy and content, she could see it on their faces; they were

  serene with their world.

  She shook her head.

  "Thank you, but" -- She swung around on Jamie.

  "Jamie, you can't--they could get killed here!"

  "Well, ma'am, I'm not planning on getting killed," Malachi told her,

  tipping back his hat.

  "I'm not planning on it at all. You see, we came to kill them if need

  be."

  "You don't know von Heusen." "Oh," Kristin said cheerfully, "we have

  known men a great deal like him." She smiled, stepping forward.

  "We're f
amily, Tess. And that's what it's all about." She flashed Jamie

  a quick grin.

  "My brother-in-law was always there when I needed him," she said.

  "Oh!" Shannon said suddenly.

  "Smell that! Oh, no, Jamie and Miss. Stuart have come home at last, and

  it seems we've let dinner burn!"

  She swung around, then looked back.

  "Well, isn't anyone hungry?"

  And Tess realized she was starved.

  She glanced at Jamie. She was still amazed, still in shock. But Kristin

  Slater set a hand upon her arm.

  "Come on! I promise you, things will start to look more reasonable after

  a good dinner and a full night's sleep!"

  Jamie shrugged.

  Tess felt herself gently pulled along. Dinner. The perfect end to the.

  perfect day?

  Chapter Thirteen.

  They had just reached the table when Jon Red Feather came in with Hank.

  Tess let out a startled, joyful cry and raced to Jori, giving him a

  fierce hug.

  "You did come back! You made it out, and you came back!"

  "Of course," he told her.

  "Someone had to be here to welcome the Slaters. I mean, this is

  practically a tribe. Have you realized that yet?"

  "A tribe!" Kristin said indignantly.

  "Sit down, Jon, and watch your tongue, if you will. Jamie, by the way,

  you should marry this girl before you find out that you've got

  competition on your hands."

  Jon laughed, and Tess flushed. She wasn't sure about Jamie's reaction.

  Kristin Slater started calmly doling out food into the numerous plates

  on the table. It was a good thing it was a big house.

  Uncle Joe, you would have loved to have seen this! she thought.

  "If everyone would come sit down," Malachi said, pouting wine into the

  glasses around the table, "I think that Jon has something to tell Tess

  and Jamie."

  "Yes, I do, as a matter of fact." Jon walked to the table and picked up

  a glass of wine. He smiled at Tess and Jamie. "Cheers," he said, raising

  his glass to his lips.

  "Will you all please sit!" Cole said emphatically.

  Tess sat at her own dining table--as she had been so politely orderedl

  Jamie sat beside her, and they stared at Jon, who looked at them.

  "I have discovered why von Heusen is so particularly eager to seize hold

  of your land, Miss. Stuart."

  Tess gasped, and she and Jamie stood.

  "Why?" Tess demanded.

  Jon smiled, swirling his wine.

  "The railroad." "Oh, my God!" Jamie said, sinking into his chair.