Lakota Honor (9 page)

She got up and wiped the mud smeared on the front of her dress. Confusion and hurt swarmed in her eyes. She walked away.

He pushed his heels into the ground as the words screamed in his head, s
he has the mark.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Nora walked through the last of the trees and onto the street. She'd refused to go back, or even turn around after he'd cast her out. She swiped at the hair falling into her eyes. The air was muggy and she fanned her face with her hand.
I kissed a bounty hunter.
She groaned and wiped her forehead.

Why had Otakatay told her to go? What had she done wrong? She thought he wanted to kiss her.
For heaven's sake, he started it
. She'd been so caught up in the moment she didn't know what to do.

It all happened so suddenly, first he was kissing her and then she was on the ground. She'd seen his face change from serene to disturbed within seconds, but there was no reason why. Not one she could see. She made a face. She never should've allowed him to kiss her at all.

"Damn it."

He was a killer, a bounty hunter. Her stomach turned. But she was drawn to him, determined to be his friend, even though it was clear he didn't want to be hers. In his eyes she saw sorrow, a yearning for acceptance, for peace. She'd never seen such misery, so instead of running from him, she'd taken a giant leap toward him.

She knew it was unsafe to be around him.
He threatened to kill me twice.
But no matter what he'd shown her or how badly he scared her, she was compelled to prove that not all white people were as cruel as he thought them to be.

She brushed her fingers across her lips. She could still feel his kiss—still taste him on her tongue.
Was it the kiss?
Was that the reason he wanted nothing to do with her? She paused. He'd changed after their embrace. His brown eyes hardened, and his features grew jagged and firm.
It had to be
. She must've done something wrong. She'd never been kissed like that before.

I've never been kissed at all.

She was inexperienced and was shocked when his lips met hers. She followed his lead, and look where that got her. She glanced back into the forest.

Not forty-eight hours before, he'd threatened to kill her and then he was kissing her. When his lips touched hers, excitement stirred within her and she instinctively kissed him back. She didn't think of the consequences, or why he'd kissed her at all. Nora's desire pushed all thoughts from her mind.

She was sure he found her amusing, a white girl easily seduced. He played a game, one she didn't want to be a part of. She wanted to be his friend, but he used and humiliated her. Nora kicked at the rocks on the road.

She'd never seen Otakatay before. Why was he here, in Willow Creek?
A bounty.
She froze.
But who?
She searched the street, wondering who Otakatay's next victim would be. Outlaws hid all over the territory and they could hide in Willow Creek without difficulty. Fear crawled up her spine, making the hairs on her neck spike. She'd pay more attention to who roamed the streets and to her flippant emotions when it came to the bounty hunter. She didn't want to be caught off guard if things went awry with either of them.

She shoved her hands into the pockets on her apron and felt the money. They needed food. She glanced at the mercantile. She needed to gather a few staples. She chewed on the inside of her cheek. After her encounter with Otakatay she didn't feel like eating lunch at all, and after Pa's night of drinking she doubted he would either. But there was always breakfast in the morning and a possible dinner tonight. She glanced down at the dried mud on her dress. She was a mess and she couldn't go into the store looking like a ragamuffin. But they needed food.

"Oh, hell." She hiked up her skirts and headed toward the store.

The bell jingled when she opened the door, and after the day she'd had, she found the bell to be more irritating than welcoming.

"Afternoon, Miss Rushton," Fred said merrily.

She nodded a polite hello and continued to the back of the store. She stacked flour, sugar, cornmeal, yeast and Willimena's raspberry jam in her arms. She placed them all on the counter. She'd worry about meat and eggs later. Right now she needed enough to make a few loaves of bread and the jam to spread it on.

"Will this be all?" Fred asked.

"A half pound of coffee, please."

The door to the back room swung open and a robust Willimena Sutherland sauntered through. A pale blue dress pulled tight over her plump hips and even larger breasts. "Miss Rushton," she said and her chubby hand swept across her forehead.

Nora saw it right away. There was no missing the ring on Willimena's pinky finger. She was sure the woman had shown it to her on purpose. She probably had no clue it was Nora's, and one look at Fred's uneasy stance told her he hadn't said a word about who the ring belonged to before he gave it to his wife. The ruby seemed quite a bit smaller than she remembered on Willimena's fat finger. Eyes downcast, she forced air into her lungs.

The ring didn't belong on anyone's finger except hers. Nora's cheeks flushed, and she bit her tongue to keep from shouting at them both. She balled the fabric on either side of her skirt into her hands and squeezed. She loved that ring. She loved the brooch and the watch wherever it was, whatever Pa had done with it, she loved that, too.

She focused on the counter. Nine brown and black smudges marked the wooden plank. She couldn't contain the hurt any longer. She handed Fred his money, scooped up the packages, and ran out of the store. She moaned, a strangled sound, and one by one the tears ran from her eyes.
I will not cry.

The watch was gone, she'd sold all her mother's jewelry and she'd let Otakatay kiss her. She'd never been anything to anyone, and for a mere moment she'd allowed herself to get caught up in the affection of having someone other than her father care about her. What a fool she'd been. She sniffled, wiped her face on her sleeve, tilted her chin and carried on.

She unlatched the wooden gate on the short fence, glad to be home. Voices came from around back, and she went to investigate.

Elwood and two men she didn't recognize stood with her father in the yard in a heated discussion.

"I will pay you back. We settled that last night," Pa said in an even baritone. He used the no-nonsense voice whenever she was in trouble, and she knew something wasn't right.

"I am aware of what the agreement was, and I've come to collect," Elwood said.

He wore navy pants and a white shirt open at the collar. Had he not been so shady, or tried to accost her every time he was in town, she'd of thought he was handsome. But his attitude and forceful nature made him one of the ugliest men she'd ever seen.

His eyes roamed the length of her, and he smiled.

Goosebumps covered her arms and she shivered. The man repulsed her. Why would Pa have anything to do with him? He knew as well as she did that Elwood was a devious business man, ruthless to the core. He'd strike an old woman down to get what he wanted. A head taller than her father, Elwood was wide and powerful, which didn't bode well for people who could be intimidated. Plus he had two men with him, the odds didn't favor them.

"Pa, is everything okay?" She eyed Elwood while she put the packages down.

Pa faced her. The lines on his forehead more prominent then the day before matched the deep frown on his face. "Nora, go into the house."

She didn't want to leave. She wanted to stay right here and see what this was all about. Back rigid, she walked past Elwood when he grabbed her hand and brought it to his lips.

"I'd be obliged if you'd accompany me to dinner tonight, Nora."

"Elwood," Pa warned his face beet red.

She swallowed and forced herself not to shiver in disgust. "I'm sorry but I am not allowed to take suitors."

Elwood's beady brown eyes squinted, and he squeezed her hand. "I say you are, and so does the money your father owes me." He tossed his head back and laughed.

Nora stared at her father. "What is he talking about?"

"Never mind," Pa said.

"I loaned your father money to gamble and now he owes it back," Elwood said. "However, I'm kind enough to waive the loan for a night out with you."

"No." Pa grabbed Nora's other arm and pulled her toward him.

She didn't move. Elwood had a firm grip on her wrist. Pa wasn't going to answer her, so she decided to take matters into her own hands.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Calhoun, but your money issues are with my father, not me. So kindly let go of my arm."

She glared at him, and when she felt his grip loosen, she yanked her arm away and stepped behind her father. She watched the two men on either side of Elwood and wondered if they'd killed anyone like Otakatay had. Their clothes were dirty and by the look of them they hadn't been washed in weeks. But it wasn't their attire that had her heart in her throat; it was the soulless eyes that glared back at her. She concentrated on Pa's back, praying they'd all leave soon.

Elwood took the watch from his pocket and held it up. "You will not even think about it, Nora dear?"

He smiled when he heard her gasp.

No
.

Of all the people Pa could've sold the watch to, it was Elwood, the filthy bastard. She clenched her jaw.

"One night with me and you can have the watch back."

Nora couldn't take it anymore. She went to step around Pa, when he pulled her back behind him. She glanced at the watch in Elwood's hand. She could do it, one night with him, for the watch. She had nothing left of her mother, and the watch was so special to her.

"Pa—

"No, Nora."

She watched from behind Pa's shoulder as Elwood shook his head and dropped the watch onto the ground. She took another step, but Pa's hand held her still. She wanted nothing more than to grab it and clutch it to her chest.

"Dinner with your daughter?" he asked Jack one more time.

There was a long pause, and Nora wondered if Pa had changed his mind, but he shook his head.

"No."

Elwood motioned to the tall red-headed man on his left. She watched horrified as he raised his large black boot and smashed the watch into bits.

The sound of the gold being crushed turned her stomach and bile rushed up her throat. She swallowed the bitter taste, and pushed the scream that wanted to burst from her lips back down. She tried to focus on anything but the watch. She refused to make a scene, when all she wanted to do was fall at his feet and cling to the bits and pieces lying on the ground.

Elwood would not see how this affected her. She blinked back the tears hovering within her lashes. She glanced at her father and saw his chin quiver.

"You'll pay your debt one way or another, Jack," Elwood said and winked at Nora. "And it will be
my
way. It always is."

They both sighed when he left the yard.

"It's okay, Pa." She placed her hand on his shoulder.

Pa stared straight ahead, lost within his own thoughts, and she wished she knew how to reach him. He shrugged her hand away and left without saying a word. She stepped back, stunned as he walked in the direction of the saloon. Thick tears fell from her eyes and soaked her face. Her arms hung frozen at her sides, she didn't have the energy to wipe them.

She knew he felt horrible for selling the watch, and as much as she didn't want to resent him for it, she didn't understand why it had to be to Elwood. She picked up the pieces. Holding them in the palm of her hand, she examined the broken heirloom—the shattered glass face, the deformed gold links. It would never look the same again.

She closed her hand and brought it to her chest. There were no memories of her mother to pull from her mind whenever she needed to. No lullabies, no stories, no kisses when she was sick. All she had were the fantasies built in her mind, and the pieces of jewelry Pa had given to her. She squeezed her hand until the knuckles went white. Now all that was left were broken bits, like her heart.

A low whine caught her attention, and she glanced out onto the street. Two more long moans floated toward her. She stood, dropped the pieces of the watch into her apron pocket and walked down the path behind the buildings.

The whine grew louder, and she peered into the woods. A brown burlap sack was tossed over something moving underneath. Curious, she pulled the rough fabric slowly away. She covered her mouth to conceal the loud gasp. Savage, Elwood's dog, lay beaten and bloody on the ground.

"Oh, no."

She eased past the branches and crawled toward him. A low growl met her as she came closer.

"Shush. It's okay, boy."

She inched her hand toward him. Savage bared his teeth and his head snapped to the side, almost taking her hand off.

How was she going to help him if he was going to bite her? She observed the street through the trees, glad no one could see them. Elwood could come back anytime, and she didn't want to be caught in the forest alone, with no one to protect her. She took a deep breath, held it and stepped closer again. Savage growled, but she laid her hand on the dog's side. In a flash he lunged and nipped her finger.

"Damn it." She clutched her finger close. Nora's hand throbbed as blood ran from her finger down her arm. He'd bit her good. The wound stung and by the way the skin was torn, she was sure a few stitches would be needed.