Woman of Three Worlds (36 page)

The widow drew her knife. Infuriated at Zach's scorn, she waved the blade in his face. He didn't flinch. She grasped his hair, poised the knife as if to carve at an eye.

Brittany didn't think. She sprang for the woman, catching her wrist, setting a knee behind her leg to flip her backward. The knife spun free. Brittany and the widow grappled on the earth, rolling over and over. Blood got in Brittany's eyes. Her opponent screeched as Brittany brought a knee into her stomach and sent her tumbling.

When they scrambled to their feet, Kah-Tay was between them.

Brittany was glad enough to stop. He held out his arms to check the other woman's onrush. “Wait!” he commanded. “My sister, you need a man to hunt for you, to bring you good things from raids. Would not such a man be worth more to you than vengeance?”

“Where shall I find such a man?” she cried. “Because our warriors are lost in battle, there are more women than men.” She began to weep. “I shall have to make pottery and trade it for meat, dance in a G-string when raiders come home in hope of a gift.” She threw back her head, eyes blazing at Zach. “First, though, I shall drink this man's agony. It will taste sweeter than honey!”

“For a night,” said Kah-Tay quietly. “At most, another day. But you will need food the rest of your life. You will need skins and blankets.”

“If you will let him go to Camp Bowie,” Brittany told the woman, “he can bring back enough ransom for me to keep you all your life.”

“I wouldn't trust a White Eye to come back,” sneered the widow.

Kah-Tay's eyes searched Brittany's. “Blanca, how is it that you and this man you helped to escape are still in Mexico?”

Briefly, she explained but didn't say she had been about to marry Roque when he was murdered. “So you were carried south by those who destroyed us.” Kah-Tay's face contorted for a moment. “And this scout followed you?”

Brittany nodded. She sensed it was not the time to mention Erskine's reward. Kah-Tay switched abruptly to English.

“Blanca, is this your man?” Zach's astonished gaze swung to her. Kah-Tay's voice insisted, “Is he your man? Your only man?”

With a defiant glance at Zach, Brittany looked straight at Kah-Tay. “He is my man.” She added in Apache, “I would die in his place if that would soothe the widow.”

Kah-Tay turned to that woman. “I will hunt for you. I will be your husband. Let the scout go.”

Her jaw dropped. “You?” she stammered. “
You?
”

As she believed him, her face glowed. She changed from avenging fury to pretty woman a bit shy with a suitor. She turned from Zach as if a moment ago she hadn't been battling for the pleasure of tormenting him.

“The scout can go,” she said.

Brittany looked everywhere but at Zach. Kah-Tay had forced her to admit the truth. That humiliation was a small price for his life, but she didn't think she could bear it if he acted sorry for her.

To Kah-Tay, she said, “
Asoog'd
,” the Apache word for thanks, never used lightly, but only when a tremendous favor had been done.

A faint smile touched his lips. “It is equal between us now. You preserved my son's health and spirit. You have your man. Tomorrow you may leave for Camp Bowie. Tonight we feast.”

Kah-Tay's new wife wouldn't live with him till a decent time of mourning had elapsed, but she joined the family that night, obviously trying to impress Sara, whom she held in awe, with her deftness at serving and her industry. Brittany, in new moccasins Sara gave her, helped as she had used to. As they prepared the meal, Sara told her that Pretty Eyes had been buried in her beautiful puberty robe.

Brittany could not restrain her tears. Sara touched her arm. “At least our young sister went a virgin to the Happy Place. She did not suffer.”

As they served the men, Brittany avoided Zach's eyes, but her cheeks burned when she felt him glance at her. What could he be thinking? He'd heard her admit her love to Kah-Tay. Was he amused at her or, worse, pitying?

After the men had their food, Jody took his filled bowl and sat close to Brittany.

“You cannot stay with us, my teacher?”

“I belong with my own people, Jody, as you belong with yours. But someday, when there is peace, I hope you will come to visit.”

He said wistfully, “I would like to see Laurie again. I found a piece of turquoise. Will you give it to her? It is the color of her eyes.”

“I'll give it to her,” Brittany said, throat tightening. Why were there these wars and troubles when an Apache child and a white one could love each other? “I'll tell her all about you, and each day we'll pray you're well and happy.”

His new stepmother, plainly a bit jealous of his affection for Brittany, smiled at him. “I am glad to have a strong, clever son,” she said. “He Who Is Gone had a fine war shield. When you are old enough, you shall have it.”

“A war shield?” Jody's eyes shone. Only a few warriors had them.

Evidently deciding that this new woman might not be a bad addition to the household, he slipped off to whisper his exciting secret to some boys who were playing in the twilight.

Zach and Kah-Tay talked about Jeffords, Cochise, John Clum, the brash young San Carlos agent, General Crook, Victorio, and Juh. “There are not enough of us,” Kah-Tay said. “We carry our lives on our fingernails.”

“If you would stop raiding—”

Kah-Tay gave a hard short laugh. “Will you next advise me to go in to San Carlos, that scorched land of lizards and scorpions?”

Zach shook his head. “I wouldn't ask anyone to do that. But it cannot be many years till the Bluecoats track down all Apaches who raid the other side of the border.”

“Perhaps a few of us can live in these mountains like wolves,” Kah-Tay shrugged. “But our time is ending. Who can say what will happen to those at San Carlos, to our children?”

When he spoke again, his voice was quietly anguished. “I had a vision while recovering from my wounds after the Mexicans' raid. I watched a pass through a great cliff that had a cave in its side. Blue-coats rode out of the cave. A dozen, a score, then so many I could no longer count them. They rode through the pass, filled the valley beyond, and still they kept coming. It seemed they would cover the earth.” His green eyes reflected the light of the fire as he looked at Zach. “If I am killed and there is no place for my son but San Carlos, will you raise him? Will you teach him to make a life in this new time?”

“I will do it,” Zach promised. “I will do for you anything that is not a betrayal of my people.”

“You are a man,” Kah-Tay said. “My son can be that even if Ussen wills that he not be a warrior.”

When all the women in Sara's wickiup retired, Brittany said, “I will never forget you. If there is any way that I can help you or Jody or your brother, I would be glad.”

“Only Ussen knows,” the medicine woman said. She laughed wryly. “Since it seems your tall scout is always being threatened with death by some widow, you had better keep him safe at home. There's a limit to the number of wives my brother can take to buy him free.”

She put her arms around Brittany. They stood like that for a long time.

Kah-Tay had ransomed Zach's horse. Early next morning Jody brought the gelding and La Dorada into camp. Brittany gave him all the dates and dried peaches she had left, and Sara gave the travelers enough jerky for the rest of the trip. Unable to keep tears from her eyes as she embraced Sara and Jody, Brittany brushed them away before she shook hands with Kah-Tay.

“
Asoog'd
,” she said again.

Something coursed between them before he turned away. At the edge of the camp, she turned to wave. He was already gone, but Jody and Sara raised their hands. Blindly following Zach, Brittany hoped they might somehow be able to live out their lives here. For Kah-Tay death would be better than the reservation.

The precarious descent, during most of which they led their horses, didn't encourage conversation. In any case, embarrassed by the confession Kah-Tay had forced from her, Brittany didn't know how to speak to Zach. It was almost noon when they reached the bottom of the mountain and turned north. They exchanged only a few remarks when they stopped to rest the horses and eat, but when they halted for the night, Zach spoke gruffly, face turned from her as he unsaddled the horses.

“I have to thank you for telling Kah-Tay what you did. Must have been tough. But you don't have to worry. I know why you did it.” He slung one saddle over a fallen log and moved to uncinch the other. “You don't have to worry that I'll take advantage.”

She stared at his back in amazement. What could he be getting at? Then, with savage pain, she understood. He wouldn't try to make love to her now that she'd been forced to say she loved him. Oh no, he wouldn't be that dishonorable! He'd take her back to Erskine and claim his reward.

Unfastening one of the food packs, she said coldly, “I appreciate your—scruples. Let's say no more about it.” Her heart ached, but she wasn't going to let him know that.

Five days later they struck the road where Harris had been killed late last summer. Less than a year ago, yet it seemed to Brittany that since then she had lived two lifetimes, one with the Apaches, one at Los Caciques. She had learned different ways, loved and grieved for people who had once been enemies. She was a changed person from the one Kah-Tay had abducted at this spot.

Things here had changed too. Was there a marker for Michael O'Shea in the cemetery? If not, she'd see that there was one. Though they were passing familiar places, the laundresses' quarters, the post trader's, and approaching the parade ground, she couldn't shake a sense of unreality. She felt like a ghost.

“I'll take you to the major's,” Zach said. “Then I'll stop at headquarters and tell the colonel you're back.”

Hitching their mounts, he escorted Brittany to the major's porch. She cast a sidelong glance at him but could detect no pleasure in his grim face. Strange. She'd expected him to be exhilarated at getting her off his hands and receiving that thrice-cursed reward.

Mrs. Harmon answered his staccato rap. She gaped at Brittany and was in mid scream at the Apache before her when Laurie rushed past to hug Brittany's legs.

“Brittany! Brittany! Where's Jody?”

Kneeling to embrace her, Brittany laughed through her tears, for the first time having the feel of homecoming. “Jody's with his father, darling. He's happier there. But he remembers you. He sent you a lovely piece of turquoise.”

“Bless us!” cried Mrs. Harmon. “You fair gave me a start, Miss Brittany. I never hoped to see you again, but Major Hugh, he always swore your were alive, that you'd be back.” She dabbed a handkerchief to her eyes. “I'm sorry he didn't live to see the day.”

Not believing her ears, Brittany got slowly to her feet. “What? Major Erskine—?”

The housekeeper struggled to master her sobs. Laurie started crying and Brittany bent down to her again, holding her close as Mrs. Harmon said brokenly, “He was killed on patrol last week. Apaches. His men fought them off and brought in his body. We'll have to vacate these quarters, but the colonel let us stay till I could write the major's sister. I was taking Laurie back east on the stage as soon as I got us packed, but now you're here—”

Her face lightened. Glancing down at Laurie, she said urgently, “Mr. Tyrell, if you'd stay with Laurie a few minutes, I need to talk with Miss Brittany.”

He nodded. Shocked as he must have been at hearing Erskine was dead and his travails possibly for nothing, he squatted down and smiled at Laurie, whose sobbing ebbed as she stared curiously at this big, handsome man.

“How'd you like a little ride?” he asked her. “Want to come up to headquarters with me?”

“She can ride La Dorada,” Brittany called as she followed Mrs. Harmon inside.

“It's in the major's will,” Mrs. Harmon insisted at Brittany's startled protest. “If you returned, he wanted you to be Laurie's guardian and left you the management of his estate till she's grown, along with a direct bequest that it be yours whether you accept charge of Laurie or not. There's a provision that the reward be paid for your rescue, and, of course, bless him, he left me a tidy living.” She snuffled, cleared her throat, and looked entreatingly at Brittany. “Please take her. She moped so after you were lost, she was almost as bad as the major. I'd love to stay and help, Miss Brittany, but I can't teach her lady ways.”

Raise the little girl she loved? Brittany didn't have to ponder. “Of course I'll take care of her!”

Mrs. Harmon pressed her hand. “I just hope Major Hugh can know that.” Her tone changed. She wrinkled her nose at the stong smell of woodsmoke and travel permeating Brittany's buckskins. “And now, my dear, let's find you some civilized clothes!”

By the time Brittany had bathed, washed her hair, and put on one of her old gowns, Mrs. Shaw, the colonel, Bridget O'Malley, and Regina were waiting in the parlor. Regina wept prettily, embracing her astonished cousin. Mrs. Shaw kissed her warmly, and Bridget enveloped her in a crushing hug, murmuring, “I'll be spavined if you're not a sight for sore eyes!”

“Welcome home, Miss Brittany.” The colonel took her hands, squeezed them tight, and kissed her forehead. “Welcome from us all.” He smiled at Zach, who stood in the corner near Laurie, who had a firm grip on his hand. “You're quite a scout, Tyrell. If you ever want to sign up again, just let me know.”

“I don't reckon that'll happen, sir,” said Zach. Bending to kiss Laurie, he straightened and gave Brittany a fathomless look. “So long, Miss Laird. I'm glad it's all worked out for you.”

He turned. Laurie's mouth quivered. Brittany called, “The reward, Mr. Tyrell! The major provided for it in his will.”