Apache-Colton Series

by Janis Reams Hudson

  Grandchildren.

  The word seemed to age him by just flitting through his mind. Wasn’t it only yesterday that Ella was born? And Ramón wasn’t even three yet. How could he have a three-year-old son, and grandchildren?

  He pictured Ramón in his mind as he’d looked right after he was born. Wrinkled brown skin and coal black hair.

  Wrinkled brown skin and coal black hair.

  Howard sat up straighter. Good Lord, it was true! With the exception of that little tuft of white at the girl’s temple, those twins looked remarkably like his own son had when he was a newborn.

  He smiled. He’d been fooling himself for so long, what could it hurt if he let himself believe one more lie? He’d think of the twins as Mexican! His wife was Mexican, his son was Mexican, so why not his grandchildren?

  If he could think of them that way, maybe he’d be able to keep from opening his big mouth and hurting Ella again.

  “Ahem. May I come in?”

  Daniella looked up from handing her new son, whom she had named Pace, to Lucinda, and found her father standing hesitantly in the open doorway. Serena, Pace’s sister, had already been taken to the nursery, and Daniella had just begun to wonder if someone would come to help her pass the time of day. She had not expected it to be her father.

  She gave a hesitant nod, wondering why he was here. She was in much too good a mood today to hold a grudge any longer against the man who, until a few months ago, had been the light and love of her life. She had Travis to thank for that.

  She smiled at her father. “Pull up a chair and sit down. I was just wondering what I was going to do for company this afternoon, since Travis thinks I’m an invalid and won’t let me out of bed. I’m glad you came.”

  Howard looked at his daughter skeptically. “Are you? After what I did to you, I’m surprised you want to see me at all.”

  “I’ve learned a lot since then, Papa. It hurt, what you said to me, but I’ve put it behind me. I have a family of my own now, and things are better than I ever dreamed possible.”

  “I’m glad to hear that. I’ve had a lot of time to think since you left, and I’ve learned a lot since then, too.” He threaded his fingers and cleared his throat again nervously. “I just want to say that—well, that I’m sorry for what I did to you. I was wrong, and I didn’t mean any of those terrible things I said. I know that doesn’t help anything now, but I just wanted you to know.”

  “Thank you, Papa,” she said softly. The word “papa” rolled off her tongue easily, naturally, as if she’d never cursed it, never denied it. “It does help, it does matter. You’re still my father. There were too many good times before I went back east for us to let this one thing stand between us, don’t you think?” Tears clouded her vision. When she tried to blink them away, they overflowed and ran down her cheeks.

  Howard’s eyes, too, misted over. He moved to the edge of the bed and Daniella went willingly into his arms. They held each other and cried, ridding themselves of any remaining bitterness and sorrow. Howard looked sheepish and embarrassed as he wiped the tears from his face, and he and his daughter both laughed, further clearing the air between them.

  “So,” he said firmly. “How are you feeling?”

  “I’m feeling fine. Have you…seen the babies?”

  “Yes, as a matter of fact. Your husband brought them into the salon earlier. I believe he said you were napping at the time. Yesterday he told me he intends to be their father, and he seems to be taking his role to heart.”

  “Yes, he does, doesn’t he? He’s very good to me, Papa. I don’t know what I would have done without him.”

  “You’re happy here then?” he asked, searching her face.

  “Very much so.” She watched as his face began to relax.

  “I’m glad for you,” he said. “You deserve to be happy. I’ve known Jason a number of years. He’s a good man, and apparently so is his son.”

  “You’re right, about both men,” she said with a smile.

  “I’ll let you get some rest now. I was warned not to tire you. I’ll leave in the morning, but I’ll stop in before I go.”

  When he was gone, Daniella lay back against the pillows, sighed with contentment, and fell asleep smiling.

  “Do you have a few minutes to spare me, Colton?”

  “Only if you promise to call me Travis,” he answered, coming from behind his desk to greet his father-in-law.

  “Ah. Does this mean I’m forgiven?” Howard asked with a tentative smile.

  “You’ve never done anything to me that requires my forgiveness. If you’re talking about what passed between you and Dani last spring, well, all I can say is, if she hadn’t left home, I might not have ever met her. Maybe I should thank you for that, but somehow it just doesn’t seem proper.” Travis smiled at Blackwood and extended his hand in friendship. Dani told him earlier that she and her father had settled their differences and made peace. If it was good enough for her, he would give Blackwood a chance.

  “I told you I came here because I heard in Tucson that Ella was here,” Howard stated. “But I think you should know, there’s talk in town about Ella, about her being friendly with the Apaches, bad talk. I just thought you should know…” Howard’s voice trailed off as Travis burst out laughing.

  “I’m sorry,” Travis said when he could speak again. He had to choke down another burst of laughter before he could continue. “I appreciate the warning. That’s not what I’m laughing about.”

  Howard just stood there staring while Travis struggled to control himself. “Have I said something amusing?”

  “No,” Travis answered. “Well, yes, I guess maybe you did. What was it you called her?”

  “Who? Ella?”

  Robust laughter filled the room again as Travis lost control. “I’m sorry, Howard.” Travis choked and wiped the tears from his eyes. “I don’t mean to offend you. I’ve just never heard anyone call her that before. When Matt asked if he could call her Dani, she said she liked that a whole lot better than what her family called her. No offense, but I think I have to agree with her.” His shoulders shook as he restrained his hilarity, but he couldn’t keep the grin from his face. “I’ve never heard a name suit anyone less than Ella suits her.”

  A slow grin spread across Howard’s face until he was chuckling right along with Travis. “I suppose you’re right about that. She always did hate it. If I remember, I started calling her that shortly after her mother passed on. Daniella was always traipsing around after the men, wanting to do everything they did. I think calling her Ella was my attempt to remind the little tomboy in boots and pants that she was really a girl.”

  Chapter Thirty

  “Where did you sleep last night?” Daniella asked. “And the night before?” The question had plagued her while she lay in her lonely bed two nights in a row since the birth of her twins.

  “On a very short, narrow, lonely, uncomfortable sofa in my study.”

  “Why?”

  “You needed your rest. I was afraid I’d disturb you.”

  “I’ve had so much rest the past two days I could scream,” she said with feeling. “Will you…sleep here tonight?”

  “Is that an invitation?”

  “It’s…an invitation to sleep in your own bed. I’m afraid that’s the best I can offer, for now.”

  “I know,” he said with a smile. “I was only teasing. But let’s talk about this ‘for now’ part.” He gave her a slightly lecherous grin, and she smiled back and laughed as his face drew nearer to give her a brief kiss.

  Daniella motioned toward the sheaf of papers Travis held in his hand. “Are you bringing your paperwork to bed these days?”

  “Not exactly,” he replied, his expression turning sober. “It’s something I want you to look over. I’ve already signed it, and my father and yours have witnessed my signature. The only thing left is for you to sign it, if you approve.”

  “What is it?” What could make him turn so serious all of a sudden?
r />   “Just read it.”

  Hesitant, she took the papers from him and started reading. Amazement swamped her. Halfway through the first page her vision blurred. She blinked the moisture away and looked up at him. “You want to adopt my babies?” She was stunned. This was totally unexpected.

  “Yes.” The intensity in his voice left no room for doubt. “Both of our fathers have toasted their grandchildren. Matt can’t talk about anything else but his new baby brother and sister. Everyone accepts that I’m their father, except you. You’re the only one who doubts me. Please sign it, and don’t doubt me any more. For my sake, as well as for the twins. Maybe then you’ll stop calling them yours, and start calling them ours.”

  “But…but it must have taken weeks, months even, to have these papers prepared. How did you get them?” She was stalling for time, and they both knew it. Could she let him do this? Saddle himself with two half-breed Apache bastards for the rest of his life? It seemed like too much to ask of any man.

  “I wrote Cal the week we were married and asked him to start drawing up the papers. He brought them when he came last month.”

  If Daniella was stunned before, it was nothing to what she felt now. Tears overflowed her eyes and ran down her cheeks, barely missing the legal documents in her hand as the wet drops landed on the front of her nightgown. She remembered back to that day Cochise had order her to marry. Travis had said then that he was prepared to accept her children as his own. She could have saved herself so much heartache and uncertainty if she’d only taken him at his word. But then, as now, it seemed too simple, too good to be true…too much.

  “Why, Travis?” she asked breathlessly, hope rising in her despite her efforts to still it. “Why would you do that? How could you have accepted everything so easily?”

  “You really don’t know, do you?” he asked.

  Daniella shook her head slowly in reply.

  Travis spoke again. “At first I was angry that day, but only for a minute, and not for the reason you think. I was angry because Cochise was forcing you to accept me, and I was afraid you’d get stubborn and refuse. But when you finally agreed, I realized Cochise had probably saved me weeks, if not months.”

  “I…what do you mean?”

  “I followed you into the mountains, Dani, to ask you to marry me. If you hadn’t been pregnant, Cochise would never have tried to force you. So I’m very grateful for the twins. If it wasn’t for them and Cochise, I might still be trying to convince you to marry me. I’d do anything for Pace and Serena. I want to protect them in every way possible, with my name, with these adoption papers, and any other way I can.”

  “But Travis, I…I…why would you want to marry me?”

  “Don’t you understand, Dani? Don’t you know how much I love you? How much I loved you even then?”

  Daniella squeezed her eyes shut, sending a fresh wave of tears down her cheeks, then opened them again to stare at Travis in wonder and disbelief. Her doubts melted almost instantly when she saw the look in his eyes. There, in those warm brown depths, was all the love a woman could possibly dream of wanting.

  With a choking cry, she flung herself at him and buried her face against his neck, sobbing his name over and over. The adoption papers fluttered to the floor, temporarily forgotten.

  “My God, my God, Travis. You don’t know how long I’ve prayed to hear those words from you.”

  He crushed her to him in a desperate grip and trailed moist, fevered kisses down her cheek. “How long? How long, Dani?”

  “Forever,” she breathed, her tears having miraculously disappeared with his first kiss.

  “Forever?”

  Daniella pulled back and cupped his face in her hands, looking him directly in the eye. “Forever. Because that’s how long I’ve loved you,” she whispered.

  They clung to each other, breast to chest, arms entwined, while Travis devoured her mouth with his. Daniella surrendered completely to the heat and hunger of his kiss. A low moan escaped his throat, or was it hers? He leaned forward, pressing her down on the bed. His hand roamed down and cupped a large, full breast, then down farther, to the new emptiness of her abdomen. He drew back slightly.

  “I do love you, Dani,” he whispered against her lips. “More than words can say. But maybe I should stay on the couch.” He raised his head from hers slowly. “Without the twins here to kick at me, I might forget myself entirely.”

  “No, don’t go.” Daniella wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down until their lips were only a breath apart. “I love you.”

  “Say it again.”

  “I love you. I love you. I love you.”

  And he did stay in their bed that night. He knew she wasn’t over the childbirth yet, so he tempered his cravings and reveled in the knowledge of her love.

  They settled into a routine, beginning each day with Lucinda bringing the twins for their morning feeding. Travis always stayed for this. It was a special time for him; he loved watching Dani nurse the babies. Aside from bringing them all closer together, it gave him his only chance of the day to view a part of Dani he longed to taste for himself.

  One morning when the twins were barely a week old, Dani rushed to the window and leaned out. “Hear it, Travis?”

  “Hear what?” he asked, shifting Serena’s weight in his arms as he stood.

  “A signal horn! Someone’s coming!”

  Travis heard the Apache signal horn and feared some of the people on the ranch might not realize this was a friendly visit rather than a raid. The Apaches had never raided the Triple C before, but stories of raids farther south and east kept everyone on edge. He handed Serena to Dani and hurried to make certain no one took any pot shots at the approaching visitors.

  By the time Daniella made it outside, Matt was already there, blowing an answer on his own signal horn.

  Eight dark riders approached the house slowly on rangy mustangs. As they neared, Daniella recognized Cochise and Dee-O-Det in the lead. Behind them rode four warriors whom she recognized, but whose names she couldn’t recall. Her eyes widened with surprise when she realized the last two riders were boys—Chee and Shanta.

  Nearly all the Triple C employees had gathered out front by the time the Chiricahua dismounted. With a nervous smile, Daniella introduced everyone to Cochise, wondering all the while just what Travis’s father and friends thought of the situation.

  Cochise introduced his men, then Travis said, “I’m glad you’ve finally come for your cattle and horses.”

  Cochise nodded. “Sí, we come for the bride gift, and other things.”

  Daniella tensed. What other things? Then she asked the question aloud.

  “I seek—”

  A low cough from Dee-O-Det cut him off. One corner of Cochise’s mouth twitched. “My business can wait. The Old One claims his business must come first. He has come, as shaman, to perform the sacred bestowal ritual on your new children.”

  While Cochise spoke, Dee-O-Det turned and unstrapped a large bundle from his wood-and-cowhide saddle.

  “Bring the babes,” the old man said. “This must be done outdoors.”

  Unsure of just what a “sacred bestowal ritual” was, Daniella nevertheless knew she trusted Dee-O-Det with her life. “Let’s go to the courtyard.”

  Of the eight Apaches, Cochise and the two boys were the only ones who’d ever been inside a white man’s building before. The others had to be coaxed inside. They were amazed at and somewhat skeptical of the solid walls, ceilings and floors, and the many different rooms and strange furnishings. All of them visibly relaxed when they entered the courtyard.

  Daniella and Travis each carried a child out into the courtyard, and the rest of the family gathered around in curiosity.

  Dee-O-Det carefully unwrapped a double-sized cradleboard.

  Cochise whispered between Daniella and Travis that the shaman had spent the last month constructing the ts’ał and praying over it. The frame was made of oak, as was each footrest at the bottom edge. The
re was a canopy, for shade, woven from the stems of the red-barked dogwood. The back was divided in two, one side of sotol stalks for the boy, the other of yucca for the girl. Buckskin stretched across the top of the canopy.

  “The designs in the top will tell you which side of the ts’ał is for which child. The half-moons are for the girl, the cross is for the boy. You must always put each child on the proper side,” Dee-O-Det explained to Daniella. He then pointed out the protective amulets tied to the canopy. There was a bag of sacred pollen, some turquoise beads, and over each side hung a charred piece of wood from the pine that had been struck by lightning.

  Dee-O-Det opened his bag of tádidiń and put four dots of the dust on Pace’s face. For Serena, he drew a powdery line across her cheeks and the bridge of her nose. Muttering a sacred chant, he held up the ts’ał to the east, then south, then west, then north, stopping when he faced east again. He set the cradleboard down and picked up Pace. After three ritual feints, he placed the boy in the ts’ał, then did the same with Serena, grunting his approval of the white tuft in her hair. Pace and Serena simply stared at the old man, neither making a sound.

  Dee-O-Det’s emphatic “Nzhú!” marked the end of the ceremony.

  A few minutes later, after the twins were back in the nursery with Lucinda, Daniella led the guests to the dining room. There they met with more confusion when introduced to tables, chairs, plates and silverware. They weren’t quite sure what to think about all of it, but out of politeness to their host and hostess, they refrained from scoffing openly.

  Then the feasting and partying began. Daniella had no idea where Rosita came up with all that food on such short notice, but there was plenty for everyone. Dee-O-Det won the cook over by playfully asking her to leave her husband and run away with him. He said he’d rather die of overeating than of old age.

  The afternoon was half gone by the time Cochise and his party were ready to head out. As the others mounted, Cochise paused. “There is a thing I would ask you,” he said to Travis. “We have seen that your bluecoats have gone. Many of our people believe it means we have defeated the American soldiers in battle so many times that Los Goddammies have run away. Some of us do not think this is so. Can you tell us why they have gone?”