Sagebrush Bride

by Tanya Anne Crosby

  But he wasn’t going to let it go.

  He might have: if General Sully weren’t looking for McKenzie; if Doolittle, the head of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, weren’t determined to roll some heads; if McKenzie hadn’t heaped accusations his way before walking out on his position; and finally, but most auspiciously, if Sully hadn’t sent a man who hated this particular breed as much as Magnus did to slap a golden opportunity into his waiting hands.

  He might have let it go.

  But Sully had sent Colyer with the dispatch. And it was just a matter of time before Sully caught up with McKenzie. As far as Magnus was concerned, it wasn’t gonna happen. If Sully intended to campaign into the Dakotas, he was gonna require Cutter McKenzie’s services. Without it, he wasn’t going to find the first hostile. And because of that, there wasn’t much of a chance Sully would give up. Sully needed McKenzie, and he’d find him, come hell or high water.

  Thing was, as Magnus saw it, Sully’s bluff wasn’t going to work, anyhow. Furious as McKenzie was about Sand Creek, there was no chance he was gonna give his assist—damned redskin-lovin’ breed! The only thing McKenzie was likely to do was nose into ongoing investigations—three of them if the rumors Magnus had heard were correct; two by Congress and one by the military commission. And by damn, if they were looking for someone to court-martial, it sure as hell wasn’t going to be him! He’d done nothing more at Sand Creek than the others had… and McKenzie wasn’t going to live to testify otherwise.

  Unknowingly, Sully had seen to that.

  Though most folks felt that McKenzie was at least a moral deserter, he, in fact, wasn’t a deserter at all. His argument with Sully had been over the fact that, because of the massacre at Sand Creek, McKenzie wouldn’t renew his commission. Magnus was aware of that fact—but the document in Elias Bass’ hand implied otherwise, and that was good enough for Magnus. Wasn’t a man alive who wouldn’t applaud him for shooting a deserter… even if it did happen to be in the back—most especially if he was a breed.

  “Ma’am…” Magnus sighed for emphasis, while he adjusted the wad of tobacco in his mouth. “Look, I can see why you’d be disinclined to believe me. Your granddaughter’s safety is at stake here… but I’m more’n sure—I’m damned sure!” Impulsively he looked over his shoulder at the two men waiting silently at his flank. He waved the fairest of the two forward. “Why don’t you ask Colyer here about his ear?” Scratching at his beard, he watched the expression on the old woman’s face intently as the man he called Colyer nudged his horse forward and raised the hair away from his bad ear, relishing her revulsion at seeing only half an ear where there should have been a whole.

  The animosity in Colyer’s icy green eyes completely negated his boyish good looks, prompting Miss Mimi to take a step backward. “He slashed m’ ear, ma’am,” the young man said without emotion. “Without any provocation at all.” His eyes narrowed, spilling hate, though he tried to conceal it. “Scariest sight y’ ever saw. McKenzie was sane as you or I one minute, and the next—”

  Magnus spat the wad of tobacco out of his mouth suddenly. “That’s enough, Colyer,” he said. “Can’t you see the old woman’s fainthearted already? Can’t take hearing the rest.” He made a dismissing motion with his head, and Colyer immediately fell back again to wait with O’Neill.

  As was intended, Miss Mimi looked ready to swoon. With a pained expression, she turned, clutching at Elias’ arm. “Oh, Elias,” she moaned. “What have we done?”

  His face turning white, Elias straightened to his full height and took Miss Mimi’s hand into his own, bringing it to his lips. His anger was apparent in every taut line of his face. “We did what we thought best, Mimi. There was no reason not to trust them,” he reminded.

  Miss Mimi nodded, her expression pained.

  With a nod, Elias released her hand and turned to face the lieutenant, nervous perspiration beading on his upper lip. “If McKenzie’s so dangerous,” he charged, “Then what the hell took you so long to get here? Dammit—I wired Sully about him as soon as I heard he and his wife were on their way.”

  Magnus lifted a brow. “Don’t know who the woman is,” he interjected, “but she ain’t his wife.”

  Miss Mimi choked at his disclosure, her fingers going to her throat, but Elias spared her only a glance in his concern for Katie. “She’s Elizabeth Me—hell, I dunno her blamed name—reckon it’s Bowcock if not McKenzie. She’s my daughter-in-law’s sister!”

  Magnus lifted the other brow. “You sure about that, Mr. Bass?”

  “Course I’m sure,” Elias countered. “Damn you people! Was I informed back then that McKenzie was any army deserter? Hell no! Damn me, too, for not looking into it further! Christ—don’t give a hoot about the half-breed part, but that’s all you people bothered to reply about!” He waved the paper up at Magnus in outrage.

  Magnus nosed his mount closer to the old man and woman, snatching the document from Elias’ hand. “Now, now,” he said, his tone patronizing. He leaned forward in the saddle with intimidating slowness. “Don’t reckon you ought to be takin’ that tone with me, Mr. Bass. We came as quick as we were able.” He glanced back at his men, then again to Elias. “You’re the ones who trusted that roughneck savage with your grandkid,” he took great pleasure in reminding them. “Not us.” His lip curled suddenly. “And if you already knew that much about ‘im, Mr. Bass, then you should’ve considered yourself forewarned. Breeds are breeds are breeds. They ain’t no different from the full-blooded bucks! Every one of them savages’ll lift your scalp in the blink of an eye.”

  The veins in Elias’ temple stood out as he shook his head in rebuttal. “No, sir, Lieutenant Sulzberger,” Elias countered, “I’ve known my share of half-breeds, and that just ain’t true. But it doesn’t matter—that’s my granddaughter we’re talking about. If what you say about McKenzie is the truth, then instead of sitting here jawing, you ought to be out there searching for her.”

  Magnus’ eyes glittered with open contempt now. “Yes, sir, Mr. Bass,” he agreed. “We should be. I reckon that’s why you ought to be tellin’ us where they’re headed.”

  Miss Mimi started to sob in earnest. “Elias,” she pleaded, her voice breaking. “We can’t risk leaving Katie with them.”

  Elias gave her a look of intense frustration before glancing back to the lieutenant. He considered himself a good judge of character, and the picture Sulzberger was painting just didn’t ring true. Still, he couldn’t take chances, couldn’t risk his granddaughter. And the man did have his papers—from General Sully, no less. He eyed the document with revulsion. He’d just never figured Cutter McKenzie for a deserter—or, for that matter, Elizabeth for a liar. “Sioux Falls,” he snapped out. “But I’m coming with you! Just let me go in and get my gun.”

  Ignoring his declaration, Magnus surged upward. Standing in his stirrups, he waved his men ahead with an eagerness that sent a chill down Elias’ spine. “You heard ‘im, boys! Burn the breeze! Fulton City—in case they decided to take the Gulf. And you, sir,” he barked, his head snapping back to Elias, “aren’t going anywhere.” His eyes were intimidating in their brilliance. “This is army business, sir, and you’ll just stay put.” He tipped his hat in a mock gesture of respect. “We’ll get back to you real soon.” Having imparted that, he slammed himself down into his saddle, driving the full force of his brass heels into his mount’s belly.

  His expression screwing with suspicion, Elias watched the lieutenant sprint after and catch up to his men. All three suddenly threw victorious punches into the air, and then one of them, the one called Colyer, unsheathed a rifle and held it high, discharging it once while the others whooped.

  “Mimi,” he said ominously as he continued to watch, “something ain’t right here.” And there wasn’t. All three seemed to take an unnatural enthusiasm in their appointed task. He turned toward the house, springing into a run, intending to get his rifle. “I’m going after ‘em,” he called out. “Either way, Katie’s gonna need
me.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE

  Distracted by the unusually thick crowd milling around the platform, Elizabeth looked around her and reasoned that the throng awaiting to board the train might be a result of the recent end to the war. The station was teeming with Union soldiers who were evidently still trying to get home. A small group of uniformed men caught her eye, as she noticed them laughing at something farther down the track. Following their gazes, Elizabeth spotted a plump man, red in the face, trying desperately to shove his cow into one of the compartments. She smiled and then, turning her attention to Cutter who stood beside her, she found him watching her intently.

  Feeling like a ninny, Elizabeth stood, her fingers intertwined with Katie’s as she and Cutter simply stared at each other. Strange that, after being together almost every waking moment, this brief separation felt like good-bye.

  But it wasn’t, she reminded herself.

  “So… we’ll see you on the train?” she said, more for her own benefit than for Katie’s. A faint light twinkled in the depths of Cutter’s black eyes, as though he knew her thoughts. Flustered by it, she averted her gaze, glancing down at Katie.

  As though by cue, Cocoa nickered impatiently, saving Elizabeth from an embarrassing moment.

  Cutter chuckled at her look of relief, glancing over his shoulder at the querulous Cayuse. “Keep your shirt on, Brownie,” he muttered.

  Katie burst into giggles at his ridiculous remark, and Elizabeth gave him a narrow-eyed look. He was teasing her, she realized—affectionately, not maliciously—and she found herself smiling against her will. “Cocoa,” she corrected. Amazing, she thought, how that causal wit of his had once annoyed her so much, because now she found she enjoyed the sparring immensely—though she’d never actually admit it.

  “If you say so,” Cutter allowed, reaching down to catch Katie beneath the chin. “Think you can take care of your aunt till I get back?” he asked her with a wink.

  Katie rubbed at her eyes tiredly. “Oh, yes!” she assured him.

  “That a girl.” He shook her head gently, releasing it as his gaze reverted to Elizabeth. “I’ll be aboard as soon as I get the animals settled in,” he told her, sweeping his hat from his head and swiping his arm across his sweat-dampened forehead. But having said that, he stood, turning the hat in his hands.

  Elizabeth nodded but didn’t move, unable to tear her gaze away. At their feet, Shiftless began to yap impatiently, and Katie immediately shook her hand loose from Elizabeth’s, bending to give him a pat. “Don’ worry, Shifless… don’ worry,” she crooned. “Uncle Cutter will take care of you! Right, Uncle Cutter?”

  Reluctantly wrenching his gaze away, Cutter looked down in time to see Katie grin up at him, and the wink she gave him was priceless—the longest, most innocent, wink he’d ever been the recipient of. Charmed by it, he stooped to pat Shiftless’ head right along with Katie. “That’s right,” he told her. Glancing up at Elizabeth, he passed on the wink, feeling more lighthearted than he’d felt in a lifetime. The answering look in her eyes made both his heart turn over, and his body tighten at once. Grimacing, he switched the weight to his right foot, and giving the dog a last pat, he rose to face her.

  Elizabeth’s brow furrowed. “Cutter? Are you all right?”

  “Fine,” he told her with a tight smile. She looked at him a little doubtfully, prompting him to add softly, “Never better.” And it was the truth; things had gone so smoothly, so well, that he’d not wanted to spoil it by getting sick on her. The last few days had given him more pleasure than he’d ever thought possible. Reaching out, he smoothed a tendril of hair from her face, his expression softening.

  For Elizabeth, every sound seemed to fade away in that moment as Cutter’s dark eyes held hers—all sound except for the pounding of her heart. Somehow, as they held each other’s gazes… somehow, without a word being spoken between them… she knew. There would be no more good-byes between them. Not ever. It was time to let go of her fears.

  “Cutter,” she began, and then losing her nerve, she bit into her lower lip, glancing away. Cutter’s fingers gripped her waist in that moment, lightly, so very lightly that her heart jolted at the feel of it. Elizabeth was unable to bear the incredible intimacy of his touch; her eyes fluttered closed and she stood there, her knees going weak, as the world vanished.

  They could have been alone, in that instant, or not. It wouldn’t have mattered.

  Without warning, Cutter swung her into the circle of his embrace, his hat at her back, and bent his head slowly, twisting to fit his mouth over hers. Her heart somersaulted as his lips descended, brushing tenderly over her own, the sensation too heady to bear. Helpless to contain it, she moaned at the velvety caress of his tongue, her heart leaping into her throat as the kiss deepened, reaching clear into her soul.

  Suspending time.

  With a reluctant groan, Cutter wrested his mouth free. Resisting the urge to sweep her up and carry her away to some secluded spot, he rested his forehead against the top of her head. “Elizabeth,” he whispered hoarsely. “You make me lose control, gal.” Gripping the back of her neck, he bent to taste her lips once more, closing his eyes, as though drugged by the scent and taste of her. His breath hissing through his teeth, he placed tiny kisses upon her chin, her neck, nibbled her ear…

  A sudden urgent tug on his pant leg caught his attention.

  “Uncle Cutter! Uncle Cutter!” Katie shrieked in panic. “I think… I think you hurt Shifless’ feelins!”

  As absorbed as he was in the kiss, it took Cutter a long moment to regain his senses, another to digest what Katie had said. He looked down at her with an expression of stunned surprise on his face, having actually forgotten she was even there.

  Elizabeth didn’t suffer the same disorientation. Startled by Katie’s voice, she pulled away from Cutter at once. Bending to take Katie by the hand, she looked up at him guiltily, then back to Katie. “Shiftless?”

  “Yes!” Katie wailed, pointing. “See! He’s running away! An he won’t come back!”

  Cutter looked over his shoulder in time to see the dog’s wagging tail end disappear into the crowd. “Aww hell!” he exclaimed, sweeping his hat back to his head, adjusting it quickly. “Go on, get aboard!” he told her as he started away. And then he came back suddenly, snatching Elizabeth into his arms to kiss her soundly. Releasing her abruptly, he seized up the reins and sprinted after the dog, both horses at a slow trot behind him.

  Elizabeth watched only a moment longer as Cutter dodged his way through the cram of people, away from the train, noticing his limp for the first time. They’d spent so little time together in the last days, because he and Elias had been busy repairing fences. She’d seen him only briefly during dinner, and then at night, but as far as she could recall, he hadn’t complained of any leg pain. Her brow furrowing with concern, she ushered Katie aboard the Gulf Mobile Ohio. “Come on, now, sweetheart,” she said. “We’ll go find a seat by the window. All right?”

  “All right—but what about Shifless?” she wanted to know.

  “Don’t worry. Cutter will get him,” Elizabeth assured her. “Now, up—and watch that next step—careful now.”

  “I never fall!” Katie exclaimed, her little hand gripping Elizabeth’s fingers tighter.

  Elizabeth chuckled softly. “Of course you don’t,” she agreed with a smile. “But you should never say never. Once I said I’d never eat a rattler, you know… but guess what?”

  “What?” Katie replied automatically, and Elizabeth proceeded to tell her, as they made their way down the aisle, all about the rattler she’d been forced to eat.

  Alternating between whistling and cursing, Cutter weaved his way through the depot, away from the train. No matter how loud he called, Shiftless seemed not to hear him—or not to want to. Confounded dog raced like a bullet out of blazes, and kept running, his tail wagging wildly.

  Just when he came close enough to catch the dog, Shiftless darted beneath a dozing horse. The animal
startled, its ears perking and its nostrils flaring. Knowing it was alarmed and sensing danger, Cutter gave it a wide berth, taking his own two mares through a thick crowd of people in order to dodge it.

  When finally he worked his way out of the mob, he spotted at once what it was that Shiftless was after.

  Elias Bass. He was coming down one of the side streets, his rifle under his arm, and was still whistling through his fingers as the dog leapt up, thrashing its tail in welcome. Elias ignored the mutt. For some reason, seeing that Shiftless had come alone seemed to make him all the more agitated.

  “Elias!’’ Cutter shouted in greeting.

  Hearing his name, Elias turned, but the moment he saw Cutter, his face screwed with anger. He said nothing, just commenced marching in Cutter’s direction. When he was within five feet, he picked up his pace. When he was only two feet away, he hurled his gun to the ground. Heaving himself at Cutter, he tossed a punch at Cutter’s middle.

  Surprised by the attack, Cutter released the reins he held in his hand, falling backward holding his gut. His back slammed the ground, knocking the breath from his lungs. Clutching his chest, he managed to roll free of the horses.

  “You son of a bitch!” Elias snarled, diving at him again. “You deceiving son of a bitch!” His face scarlet with anger, Elias threw another unexpected jab that landed just beneath Cutter’s eye.

  “What the hell’s wrong with you, Bass? You got a complaint with me, spit it out!” Having spent enough time with Elias to know that there had to be a good reason for the man to be behaving so irrationally, Cutter restrained himself.