A Leaf in the Wind

by Velda Sherrod

  "If you need help, I could go with you. Or do you prefer I stay home? Do you have somebody in mind to keep an eye on me?"

  "Do I need to?" he countered.

  They were back at dagger points again. Elise shrugged. "What you're saying is, you don't trust me."

  He tucked a tendril behind her ear. "Not much. I never know what you'll do next. You act without thinking and then sidestep out of it any way you can."

  She had no way to retreat and could only stand and grit her teeth. "I'm not that impulsive."

  He arched a questioning brow, but continued stroking, smoothing, and caressing her bare shoulder, at the same time gently goading her. "Remember, there's Toddie to think of."

  "I don't need a lecture. What if you're caught in a storm?"

  "It won't be the first time."

  In the morning light, her eyes changed to a deep amber. Her disheveled hair tangled about her shoulders and clung to his shirt. He felt once more the unmistakable lure of her body.

  "You are a temptation, love," he whispered, his voice husky. He used a forefinger to lift her chin and study her face. "A real temptation." A glint of laughter darkened his eyes. "Reckon I'll have to wait to do something about it unless you want me to yield to that temptation. Wouldn't take long."

  "I hear Toddie."

  "Remember, whatever our differences, you belong with me." Watching her carefully, he pressed her fingers to his lips. Her sudden haunted expression tore at him. Faintly worried, he strode to the door.

  At the corral, he mounted and turned his gaze up to their bedroom window. She was there holding his son. T.K. touched the brim of his hat in farewell. He rode out, carrying a picture of them in his mind.

  The day grew colder, and he hunched into the winter blast. Late in the afternoon, after he had rested his horse and eaten the food Vesper had prepared, he climbed back in the saddle. If he calculated correctly, he'd be arriving at the military camp in the middle of the night.

  He reached the sentry post at midnight and called a weary greeting, then identified himself. Someone grabbed for his horse, and he surrendered the reins. "I'm here to see my brother Patrick Burke. He's in your field unit. Before I see him, I hope I can warm up and sleep a few hours."

  A corporal directed T.K. to a tent, but didn't tarry after delivering coffee and blankets. "The cap'n will see you in the morning, sir. Early." He hesitated. "It was a good thing you identified yourself quick like. The sentries have been ordered to shoot at noises. It's the damned thievin' Injuns. They slip in under our noses and steal back their horses."

  "I understand, Corporal."

  T.K. told the soldier good night and closed the flap on his tent. Hadn't MacKenzie realized he had won the war against the Comanche?

  In minutes, T.K. downed the coffee, removed his boots, and stretched out on the cot. His long frame settled awkwardly on the uncomfortable cot. Thank God, he wouldn't be there any longer than it took to assure himself Patrick was properly cared for.

  It seemed only a matter of minutes before T.K. awoke to the corporal calling his name. "The cap'n would like to see you before you visit your brother, sir. He's waiting in the mess. I'll take you as soon as you get dressed."

  T.K. opened the flap of the tent and grinned at him. "Damned short night, Corporal. I didn't notice the wind rattling the tent until this morning."

  "Cap'n says the snow will go on, sir."

  T.K. tended to agree, but only a fool would act on his own weather predictions in that country. "Lead the way, Corporal."

  They walked across the field, their shoulders hunched against the cold. The captain turned out to be a friend. "Haven't seen you since the Battle of Jonesboro, Lieutenant."

  "Glad the war's behind us, sir," T.K. said.

  "Except now we have the Injuns."

  T.K. ignored the invitation to discuss the Comanche. "I appreciate your care of my brother."

  "I want to talk to you about that about your brother. Don't mean to rush you, but he's fit to travel, and we're ready for him to go. The doctor says the patient will need care for a good while longer. Begging your pardon, of course, but we can't keep him indefinitely. Our plans call for us to be out of here before the first of the year.

  T.K. nodded his agreement. "I appreciate the army's help. I'll relieve you of the duty when weather permits."

  "Good enough, Lieutenant."

  With a handshake and salute, T.K. told the captain good-bye. Clutching the brim of his hat, he ducked into the wind and followed the corporal to the field hospital.

  Patrick was awake and grumpy. "I thought you would've been here before now. Guess your new wife keeps you on a tight leash."

  T.K. held on to his temper. "My wife had nothing to do with my coming or staying away. She's concerned about your health, as I am. You haven't been in any condition to move. Now you are."

  "What does that mean?"

  "I'll take you to the Lazy B and get some of Juan's family to take care of you until you're on your feet." T.K. forced himself to add lightly, "You can sit around, drink tea, and play cards with my wife."

  For the first time, Patrick's face lost its frown. "How'd it feel going to bed with a stranger?" He chortled, not waiting for an answer. "What did she say when she found the kid wasn't mine?"

  T.K. remembered the look in her eyes, He tightened his fists against almost uncontrollable anger. "My wife was surprised," he snarled, "and glad."

  The smile faded from Patrick's face. "I'll bet she was. Funny as hell. All of it." He looked slyly at T.K. "She lied to you."

  Patrick's aberrant thinking would prevent his ever recognizing the pain he had caused. "Her reasons for lying had to do with the boy."

  "You're in love with her," Patrick mocked, a derisive smile curling his lips.

  T.K. wanted to smash his brother's face. He leaned forward, intent on what should have been said years ago. "Pat, I've waited a long time for you to grow up. Don't ever mess in my life again."

  "Well now, big brother"

  T.K. shook his head against Patrick's familiar, little-boy grin and his appealing look. "You're a man, Pat. Try, for God's sake, to act like one. You're welcome at the Lazy B, but only if you behave yourself."

  Surprisingly, Patrick didn't argue, nor did he meet T.K.'s eyes, focusing instead on the floor. "Under the circumstances, I think I'll recuperate somewhere else." He chuckled ruefully. "Besides, your wife knows I cheat at cards."

  "Where will you go?" T.K. asked, no longer feeling a responsibility.

  "Maggie's place. It may smell a little like a whorehouse. But I'm used to it."

  "The Lazy B is your home, provided you behave."

  "The Lazy B is your home provided you do what big brother says." A sneer contorted Patrick's face. "Just get me to Maggie's."

  Sensing it was useless to argue, T.K. poured a cup of coffee for Patrick, then one for himself. "When I get back, I'll send a wagon to get you to Maggie's place. By the way, if you have any idea where Jake took Blaze, tell me. Otherwise, I'm sending the sheriff after that horse thief."

  "I don't know where Jake is or the horse."

  He didn't believe Patrick. And he was sickened by his brother's treacherous betrayal of Grayhawk and his people. "If the snow doesn't get too deep, I'll be home about sundown tomorrow. I'll send one of the boys to let Maggie know you're on your way."

  T.K. told his brother good-bye. Patrick could make it on his own, or he could fail. It would be his choice. Relieved to be free of the responsibility, T.K. headed back to the Lazy B and whatever problems awaited. If he worked at it, he could almost forget the unanticipated events that had complicated all their lives.

  He thought of his wife and her dogged determination to be a mother to his baby, of his own combination of desire and distrust and love. When he had learned Toddie existed, with no actual proof to support it, he had known the boy was his. From that day, he had been determined to take the child to the Lazy B. His wife had been equally determined to care for a baby who had captured h
er heart. Neither of them was in a frame of mind to do more than form a fragile compromise. He wondered what he could expect when he got home.

  Snow continued its relentless blanketing of the prairie. Wearily, he plodded on, stopping at intervals to rest his horse, build a fire, and grab a few winks. He ached to hold his wife in his arms, though he supposed the law would question their marriage. He no longer thought of her as Lee.

  <><><><><><><><><><><>

  Night came and Elise stared at the snow, which was heavy for October. Somewhere in the godforsaken country, T.K. trudged homeward. She placed a lamp in the window and sat down to wait. He never, never let her forget her dishonesty. If she gave in to his demands, it would be surrender and she wasn't ready for that yet. Her papa had insisted she had been born holding a lucky hand. At that moment, she didn't hold a pair.

  She had thought T.K. loved her. Lately, he avoided her except at night, when he made no effort to hide his smoldering passion, meeting her resistance, but always eliciting the acquiescence he wanted.

  Nothing had prepared her for the pain their unresolved problems had caused. Sometimes she wondered if she and T.K. would ever be able to forge an honest bond.

  To ease the worry, she went upstairs and collected her sketchbook and pencils, then down again to settle in for a long wait.

  Her thoughts wandered to Grayhawk and Drum. Were they safe? Would she ever see them again?

  She sketched Drum's heavy body, the toss of his proud head. With a few well-placed lines, she set his strong legs in motion.

  She awoke much later to T.K.'s familiar touch. He stroked her hair and ran a knuckle down her cheek. ''I'm glad you waited for me, sleepyhead," he whispered. "Since I'm going your way, I'll carry you up."

  Chapter Nineteen

  The night's winter wind continued blowing into early morning. Its cold blast rattled the eaves and windows with no promise of abating. T.K. had stoked the fire, and the room was warm. Sometime before dawn, he had slipped out of bed, dressed, and gone downstairs. Elise knew he pampered her, but she'd heard her papa say time and again that idleness was the devil's left hand. She ran a comb through her hair and coiled it into a loose bun.

  The sweet joy she and T.K. had shared the night before still lingered, and she was eager to see him before he left for the day. When anxieties intruded into her conscious thought, she promptly forced them away.

  At her appearance in the kitchen, T.K. gave an appreciative glance, nodding his approval of the green velvet robe. She felt the heat of his gaze. He left no doubt that he would welcome making love to her again this morning.

  "Slept well, I hope."

  "You should have awakened me."

  He rose and came up behind her, pulled the pin from her hair, and slid his fingers through the shiny mass. "I did my best."

  She leaned back against him. When his hand closed over her breast, she felt the vital flow of life between them, in her own flesh, in the answering hardness of his.

  "I'm sure I would have known. Besides, I'd like to wake up with your face above me." Then she blushed at her own audacity.

  Grinning, he placed his cheek next to hers, confirming he hadn't shaved. "I'll remember. Anything else I should know?"

  "At the right time, I'll tell you. Is there something you want to tell me?"

  He answered with a slight shake of his head. "No, except that I never knew pretty women snored." He laughed at her look of horror. "Or talked in their sleep."

  "I don't believe it."

  "It's true."

  "What did I say? When I wasn't snoring, that is."

  "Oh, something about your handsome husband. Can't recall exactly."

  "I don't believe you."

  The teasing left his eyes, and he spoke so softly his voice was almost a whisper. "Maybe I misunderstood. You could have been asking me to get closer."

  "You couldn't have gotten closer," she said, nestling into the curve of him. "Were you loitering here until I came down?" When he didn't answer, she turned in his arms. "You delayed for somebody else?"

  "For Mac."

  Something unusual had come up, and he didn't want to tell her. She prayed it wasn't distrust again? He could hurt her in ways he couldn't even imagine. For a long moment, she stared at him, waiting for him to continue. Then she moved away. "More coffee?"

  "No, thanks."

  Elise tried unsuccessfully to read his guarded gaze. Why did she harbor the feeling that whatever he had planned somehow involved her? "What's going on this morning?"

  "We're going after Blaze."

  "What about Jake?"

  Sighing, he lifted his cup and studied the liquid inside. "I haven't made up my mind. That horse thief ought to be hanged. After Slim disappeared, Jake took responsibility for Blaze. Kept her hidden. Even tried to sell her. But Pat is actually responsible."

  "I'm sorry. I know what it's like to have someone you love disappoint you."

  He looked surprised, then chuckled dryly. "Do you, wife?" He paused, adding softly. "Yes, I'm sure you do."

  His eyes reflected his torment and his sympathy. Was he thinking of her papa, as she was? Or Patrick? Like Patrick, self-discipline had not come easily to her papa.

  T.K. had always carried the responsibility and much of the blame for Patrick's transgressions. Being an older brother had been a burden. So many people close to T.K. had betrayed and deceived him. Patrick, Jake, Slim. She could, she supposed, add her own name to the list. Not that she had tricked T.K. for personal gain, unless she counted Toddie, but she had caused him anguish.

  Unwittingly that day, she had led them onto a sore subject, and she searched for a way out. "Do you know where to look for Blaze?"

  "No. Mac says he heard MacKenzie plans to kill the horses they rounded up in the canyon."

  "But there must be a thousand of them," she protested.

  "More like twelve hundred."

  "And you think Blaze might be among them." She felt the blood drain from her face, and for a moment, she was sure she'd be sick. Suddenly, she understood why he had been reluctant to tell her his plans. Drummer could have been in that herd. "My God. What if they've captured Grayhawk?"

  A sardonic glint appeared briefly in T.K.'s eyes. "We must not forget Grayhawk."

  Was T.K. jealous of Grayhawk? Deliberately or inadvertently, he had misunderstood, and for whichever reason, he was willing her to look at him. She grasped the table for support. "If the soldiers have found Grayhawk, they'll put him on the reservation, dumping the Drum in with all the Indian ponies."

  T.K. grunted something that sounded like agreement, then spoke harshly. "He's not the only Comanch' forced to the reservation, and you're not the only one losing a horse." Relenting, he rose and gently took her into his arms. "I'm sorry, honey. I know this is a bad time for you. It's a bad time for me, too."

  Shuddering, a raw ache throbbing in her throat, Elise let herself be comforted. "They would actually kill the horses because that's the only way they can control the Comanche. They're barbarians. Inhuman."

  "The Indians or the soldiers, love?"

  "You know who I mean."

  He cradled her more closely. "The barbarian is always the one we hate."

  "Where will you start to look for Blaze?"

  "We'll begin in Hy-Meadow. It's only a rumor, but Boswell overheard some men talking about a black racer they'd seen. We need to go before Jake sells her and the new owner heads toward Montana or Arizona Territory. If it's a bad lead, Mac and I will try like hell to get to the military camp before they start shooting the horses."

  "And the Drum?"

  He placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. "We'll search for him, honey. Maybe we'll get lucky."

  The thought entered her mind, hammering its way into her brain. If the Drum had fallen into MacKenzie's hands, she had to do something to save him. "I'm going with you."

  "Can't wait, huh?" He grinned wickedly. "Why don't we go back upstairs for a little while?"

  She shook her head smilin
g a little. "I want to go with you to look for the horses."

  "No." He rasped the word close to her ear, then lifted his head, his strong male features set in unyielding lines. "We've been through this before. I like to think you're safe at home. Besides, we can go faster alone."

  "You don't know that."

  T.K. attempted to shrug her words away. "Maybe we'll get lucky and find both horses." His hand cupped her face and tilted it up. "A kiss good-bye, love?"

  "You know that I can sit a saddle all day," she said stubbornly.

  He gazed at her through lazy, half-closed eyes, then lowered his head to cover her mouth. She wanted to resist, but her traitorous body molded to his. After a long kiss, he released her but continued to hold her in the circle of his arms.

  At her sigh, amusement curled his mouth. "Put a light in the window again, wife. It just plain makes me happy."

  Elise rubbed her cheek against his jaw, then winced at its prickly feel. "Maybe I'll follow you."

  He appeared sure of himself and equally sure she wouldn't dare. "Better not. I can't chase after horses and an impetuous wife at the same time." His voice softened to velvet over steel. "If it's possible, I'll get your horse for you. If I can't find him, I'll get you another one you will love as much as you love Drummer."

  "I'll never love another horse the way I love the Drum," she said heatedly.

  "Never is a long time, honey." He buttoned his jacket and put on his hat, then swatted her lightly across the bottom. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

  Her mind went into a whirl. If he and Mac were delayed in Hy-Meadow, by the time they reached MacKenzie's camp, the horses could already be dead. She refused to consider it. She couldn't blame T.K. for putting his own horse first. Surely, he'd understand that she had to do the same. Drum's life might depend on her. Despite wanting to please T.K., she couldn't just sit and do nothing.

  Juan saddled the pony, his skeptical glance taking in Elise's Indian dress and the beaded leather band around her head. He watched her slip on her coat. "The senora should be careful," he reminded her politely. "Comanche hide beneath the sand."