When he released one of her arms, Analisa was nearly convinced that Caleb would acquiesce. His eyes, deep blue now, as dark as the midnight sky, caressed her face. For a moment she thought she saw the glitter of tears reflected in them.
“I’m sorry, Anja,” she heard him whisper.
As his words died away, blackness engulfed her.
Chapter Twenty
Pausing to shift the burden he held in his arms, Caleb took in the surrounding landscape. The walls of the narrow canyon were bathed in milk-white moonlight. The deep shadows cast by jagged outcroppings of rock were fathomless against the ravine’s silver walls. A breeze blew across the land, rustled the leaves of the trees lining the riverbank behind him, and gently lifted his hair as it brushed his shoulders. He looked down at Analisa, wrapped in deer hide and cradled in his arms, then glanced at the sky and offered a silent prayer to the moon and the stars that she would forgive him.
As he worked his way upward, leading Scorpio behind him, Caleb was ever wary of his footing on the rocky path, which was all but nonexistent. He climbed slowly along the gentle rise toward the plain above. Forgive him? He knew he would be lucky if Anja didn’t put him under with a frying pan once she was safely back at Sully. You had to do it, he told himself. Ever since his fist connected with her jaw, Caleb had been trying to convince himself that knocking her out had been necessary. It was no consolation knowing he hadn’t hit her half as hard as he would have a man. He touched his lips to her forehead without breaking stride.
As he walked on, his mind wandered. Caleb envisioned Analisa, regal in her crown of braids, presiding over the dining table, an older more mature Kase seated between them, himself dressed in a three-piece suit, looking every bit the successful Boston lawyer.
“Remember the time I knocked you out, dear?” he would ask.
The Analisa of his fantasy would smile and nod. “Of course, darling. What a night! But you had to do it. I realized that the moment I came to.”
The scene faded, and Caleb groaned inwardly. What if Analisa did not understand? He hoped she would not go so far as to leave him. He’d never struck a woman before and hoped he would never have to again.
Caleb stopped to listen to the night sounds carried on the breeze. Analisa moaned and shifted slightly in his arms. He glanced back toward the river, illuminated now by the moonlight. He had nearly reached the plateau that stretched eastward, away from the river, a flat roiling expanse. No one had followed him.
The hint of a sound alerted Caleb. His attention was drawn to the river valley far below. Two men rode along the narrow, winding trail along the riverbank. They moved slowly toward the Sioux encampment from the direction of Fort Sully. Quickly veering to the right, he continued to follow the Missouri southward, all the while remaining just below the rim of the plateau. Scorpio followed behind, surefooted on the narrow pebble-strewn trail. The cave was just ahead. Caleb knew that he could safely leave Analisa there while he intercepted Hardy and convinced him not to ride into Red Dog’s camp. Caleb formulated a plan as he carried Analisa out of harm’s way. If luck was with him, or, as Ruth said, if it was written in the stars, everything would soon fall into place.
Moving carefully, he quickly arrived at the well-hidden opening in the wall of the bluff. Tall cuttings masked the mouth of the low-ceilinged cave from view. Pushing them aside, he left Scorpio at the entrance and carried Analisa inside. Swiftly, he knelt on one knee and carefully laid her on the cool, sandy floor of the cave. He drew aside the deer hide that covered her face and smoothed back the golden hair that fell across her forehead. She was still unconscious, but he knew she would not remain so for much longer. Locating his saddle and saddlebags, which he’d hidden near the back wall, Caleb pulled aside the worn wool blanket that he had covered with sand to hide his belongings. He picked up a coil of rope and then searched through the clothing folded beneath the saddle. From the pocket of his dark trousers he withdrew a cotton bandanna. Pulling two of the corners taut, he quickly flip-rolled the bandanna and carried it to where Analisa lay.
Caleb gently worked the twisted cotton between Analisa’s teeth and then tied the ends behind her head.
Gingerly he pulled the deerhide about her and bound her securely with the length of rope. If his plan succeeded, he would lure Hardy back to the cave and the man would mistake Analisa for a captive.
Caleb stared down at her, knowing full well that Analisa would be furious when she awoke and found herself encased as tight as a sausage. He shook his head and loosened the rope around the deer hide. That way, if anything were to happen to him, Analisa would be able to work free with little effort. He laid his knife on the ground beside her. She would have the weapon at her disposal if she needed it for protection. Covering his saddle once more, he reached for the fringed and beaded scabbard that held his rifle and slung it over his shoulder. Moving outdoors once again, he replaced the screen of cuttings and picked up Scorpio’s reins. As he began to lead the horse away from the mouth of the cave, he paused to look back and hesitated for a moment, his mind on the woman bound inside. With a slight shake of his head, he began to make his way down the trail once more.
Not again. Analisa tried to cry out into the darkness as she realized that her arms were pressed to her sides. She felt the soft warmth of the hide wrapped about her and realized immediately that she was no longer in the Sioux tepee. There was no sign of light where the smoke hole should have gaped open above her. Afraid to squirm and roll herself too far in the darkness, she chose instead to peer around, searching for any sign that might tell her where she was.
Where was Caleb? Tears formed in her eyes as she remembered his last words: “I’m sorry, Anja.”
Furiously she blinked the tears away and remembered how she had thought he was referring to his refusal to help Meika. Now it was all too clear that he had rendered her unconscious before he brought her to this place. If he had brought her here. Perhaps Caleb himself was a prisoner somewhere nearby. If not, if he had deliberately tied her up and carried her out of the camp, he would have to face her wrath.
She tried to speak, to call out, but the gag caused her to retch. Fearful of choking, Analisa fell silent and waited. The place smelled of dampness and must. Pain pounded at her temples and the rag in her mouth was maddening. Lifting her head, she felt the throbbing pain increase, but before she lowered her head to the ground once more, she glimpsed dim light filtering through a curtain of leaves.
Eyes closed, her brow creased as Analisa tried to sort out her jumbled thoughts. She could do nothing bundled in the hide that held her arms against her sides. As she began to strain to free herself, a sound from beyond the curtain of leaves alerted Analisa. She stopped. Her breath caught in her throat. She waited, listening to the approaching footsteps.
There was a brief silence. Then she heard the crackling of leaves and branches. Raising her head, Analisa peered over the edge of the hide. The curtain of foliage had been removed. Stars dotted the night sky beyond the opening. Her eyelids lowered as in sleep, Analisa watched the thin silhouette of a man approach. She shut her eyes tight and heard him stop, his feet only inches from her face. He was still for only a moment before she heard him strike a flint to light a fire.
Analisa fought the urge to open her eyes and see the intruder. When she became aware of a bright light, she could not feign unconsciousness any longer. She opened her eyes.
The summer-sky blue of Caleb’s eyes did not stare back at her as she’d half expected. She looked into eyes as dark and fathomless as the night sky. The man was thin and old; at least his dark, deeply creased skin made him look old. Unlike the other Indian men she’d seen, he wore no headband. His body was wiry, his arms and legs as stringy and brown as jerked beef. His clothing appeared to be a mixture of Indian and military. The coat he wore looked like a U.S. Army jacket, but Analisa did not recognize the insignia. Memory nagged at her. She’d seen the same type of jacket before, but could not remember where.
He did not mov
e to touch her, but studied her intently for a moment before he turned abruptly on his heel and walked away, snuffing the torch in the sand before he walked through the opening. His footsteps faded away.
Afraid that she had been left alone to die in this unknown place, Analisa struggled to break free of the hide tied about her. Twisting and rolling back and forth in the loose, sandy gravel, she grew frustrated to the point of tears. Giving one final thrust forward as she tried to sit up, she felt the rope fall away. Her arms were no longer pinned beside her. Analisa shrugged out of the hide and tried to stand. Shaking from exhaustion, she knelt for a moment to catch her breath. The opening to the shelter remained exposed, the brush no longer filtering out the moon light. She could see nothing beyond the opening but the night sky.
Analisa reached down to brace a palm against the earth. Her head was reeling, her heart pounding, her stomach a twisted knot. She took a deep breath and drew herself up. Standing in the center of the small earthen shelter, she kept her eyes on the entrance and with soundless steps, moved slowly toward it.
She looked out at the sky and then down. In the valley below, the waters of the Missouri flashed in the moonlight. A narrow ledge fronting the cave continued on, forming a path just beneath the ridge that led down to the river. By judging the direction of the current, she knew that Red Dog’s camp was somewhere to the north.
The sky was beginning to brighten to a pale blue-gray in the east. Her wrists ached from the bonds she had endured in the renegade camp, and she rubbed them as she watched the dawn. She looked to the right and saw a lone rider negotiating the narrow path. Analisa wondered how the mount could find his footing in the weak light. She stepped back into the shadows of the cave and waited. Unafraid, she recognized the rider as Caleb. It was impossible for her to mistake the outline of his strong shoulders or the proud way he sat the horse. She wondered if he could see her standing just inside the mouth of the cave. Although she’d stepped back into the interior, the rising sun was casting a wider glow every moment. Her white undergarments would not be hard to see.
Analisa fought down the biting anger that stirred within her as she watched him draw near. Her body began to betray her as she warred with her emotions. She watched him dismount a few steps from the cave, and although she longed to run to him and feel the warmth of his protective embrace, she knew she could not do so without hating herself. He had much to explain.
Caleb approached her, his footsteps nearly silent in the shifting gravel. He led Scorpio into the shelter without a word, although his eyes never left her face. She did not move or speak, but chose to wait. Uncomfortable in the silence, she crossed her arms beneath her breasts. Caleb was toying with the horse’s bridle as if avoiding her. She glanced down and found that by crossing her arms she’d succeeded only in pressing her breasts upward. They looked as if they might flow over the top of the camisole at any moment. Analisa quickly dropped her arms to her sides. It would not serve to arouse him now. Her anger was too great; her pride ran too deep to allow him to touch her.
He dropped the bridle. She watched him, turn and walk toward her. Caleb stopped an arm’s length away. The new morning sun bathed the walls of the cave and the bluffs around them with rose-tinted hues. Analisa stared at Caleb, trying to read his thoughts.
“How could you?”
She knew her tone was flat, expressionless. She could not seem to say it any other way.
“I had to.”
“But ... to hit me ...” Analisa still could not quite believe it herself, and her disbelief echoed in her voice. The expression in his eyes changed; if she had not known him so well, the difference would have been imperceptible. Was it remorse she saw in them now? Sorrow?
Caleb reached out to gently touch her chin. She flinched, unable to control the movement. Caleb closed his eyes for the briefest moment, then looked into hers again.
“Anja, if I could take it back I would.”
She shook her head. “You would do the same again.”
“You’re probably right, given the same circumstances.” He sighed and dropped his hand. His eyes searched her face before he turned to look down into the valley below. “I didn’t have time to argue.”
“Nor time to let me see my sister.”
He turned and faced her once again. “No, Anja,. No time to find her tepee. No time to ask if she could spare a minute to chat with a sister she didn’t care enough about to even acknowledge before that sister was taken prisoner. No time to sit and wait to see if Red Dog wanted to change his mind and keep you prisoner.” Angry now, Caleb turned his back on her and walked to the farthest wall of the cave. She watched him dig in the soft earth until he uncovered a blanket. Beneath it lay his saddle.
He continued talking while he hefted the saddle out of the depression in the floor of the cave and then pulled out his shirt, pants, and saddlebags.
“This isn’t exactly a tea party you know.”
She ignored the remark.
“Here.” He tossed his black shirt at her and then the trousers.
Analisa held them in her arms and stared at him. Anger forced her to end her silence. She marched toward him, a piece of clothing in each hand.
“Ja. I know this is no tea party. Even though I go to so many.”
“Calm down. You aren’t making any sense.” He threw the saddle over Scorpio’s broad back and reached for the strap.
“You know what I mean.” She shook the shirt at him as she spoke. “I have longed to find what is left of my family for five years. I have prayed. Do you know what it is like to just ride off and leave her? No.”
“Yes.” He stopped his packing long enough to stand and face her again. His eyes were dark with pain. “Yes. I know what it’s like to ride away from your family. I had to leave one world and enter another. Nothing was the same. Even when I returned to the Sioux as an adult, I found that my life with them could never be the same as it was before my father took me east.”
He reached out and grabbed her shoulders. She tried to step away and shake off his hands, but his hold was too tight. Analisa stopped moving when she saw the pleading look in his eyes. It was something she had never thought to see there.
“Listen, Anja. We haven’t time for this. We—”
“There is never time,” she interrupted. “Always you have to go off to something else. You are never here, never there.” She let her hands drop, the clothes trailing from her fingers as she looked at the ground. It was like talking to the bluffs outside the cave. He was stone.
“Don’t ...” He stepped close. She stepped back.
“Don’t what?”
“Don’t look so dejected.” His words were sad.
She stared at him. “Do not try to comfort me, Caleb. I cannot stand it just now.”
“Anja, listen. I promise you that we will come back and talk to Meika. I don’t know how we’ll work it just yet, because after tonight Red Dog won’t greet me with open arms.” Scorpio moved restlessly and drew his attention. He stroked the big animal’s nose.
Analisa pulled Caleb’s shirt over herself. The sleeves hung past her fingertips, and she worked at rolling them up to her elbows. She pulled the front panel across her breasts and began to button the side buttons. The squared-off hem fell past her hips to midthigh. While Caleb continued to strap his saddlebags behind his saddle, she pulled the trousers. He stopped to watch, and when she straightened to face him, a half-smile played upon his lips.
“Let me roll up your pantlegs.”
She stood quietly as he knelt in the sand and rolled the pants up until they hung about her ankles. He squeezed her calves before he stood. She could see that he was ready to leave.
When Caleb rolled up the deerhide, he found the bandanna gag. Without looking at her, he quickly tied it about his throat.
“You probably wish I still had that on.”
“It crossed my mind when I first came in.”
She watched him pick up his knife from the floor.
�
�Where did that come from?” She stepped forward in order to see it more clearly.
“It’s mine. I left it here for you to find, but you must have rolled right over it. It was under the hide, which, by the way, was tied so loosely a child could have worked it free.”
He would not be stared down but met her eyes.
“Who was that man?” she asked.
As if sensing the angry moment had passed, he returned to his horse and tied the rolled hide on the rest of the pack. He spoke over his shoulder. “One of Hardy’s Indian police. He sent the man up to see if I was telling the truth.” Pulling on the reins, Caleb led Scorpio to the cave entrance. “I managed to stop Hardy before he got to Red Dog’s camp. I told him that he was sure to lose his life if he rode in there, that Red Dog was furious over his mistreatment of Mia and planned to kill him.”
“He believed you.”
“He was afraid not to. I made his trip out here worthwhile, though. I told him I had stolen a white woman from the camp and that if he let me keep her two more days I would sell her to him, along with one other.”
“So his man had to see me?”
“Yes. There was no way Hardy would try to negotiate that ridge in the dark. He sent his man while I waited with him.”
“Hardy didn’t recognize you?”
“Not in these clothes and in the dark. He didn’t spare poor de la Vega a glance the night we met anyway. Come on. I’m taking you back.”
She continued to question him as she walked toward the horse. “He agreed to your plan to buy two women?”
“Of course. As soon as his man told him I had one young blond woman in the cave, he decided to wait to get hold of one more.”
“When does he expect to make the trade?”
“Day after tomorrow. Let me help you up.” He moved to grab her about the waist.
“Wait. You said you had two women. What other woman did you mean?”
“None.” He shook his head and she felt his fingers tighten about her waist. “I hope to get two of Williamson’s men to disguise themselves as women.”
Sunflower Page 35