“I’m sorry, honey,” he said quietly, placing his hands on her shoulders.
“Short of fighting the U.S. Cavalry, there’s not a damned thing we can do for now. I’ll be on the next train to Santa Fe, and we’ll get the Mescalero back, but in the meantime, Consayka’s people are going to have to go.”
“You know what this is going to do to Skylar, don’t you?” she asked, gentling her voice. “Consayka’s people are like family to her. Almost as much as we are.”
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“I know that, honey. I just don’t see any other way.” His face paled as he glanced over her shoulder. “I’d better tell Consayka, although I suspect he’s already figured it out by now.”
“I’ll go with you, dear,” Collie said, stepping closer to his side, her face deeply etched with concern.
“Your father has made a wise decision,” Greenleigh told Rayna arrogantly.
“Oh, shut up,” she snapped. “You don’t know anything about my father or me or these people you’re treating like a herd of cattle.”
“That is quite true, and quite regrettable,” Meade said. “For whatever it’s worth, Miss Templeton, I can assure you that your friends will be well cared for on the journey. I’ll see to that personally.”
Rayna wasn’t comforted. “Oh, really? Did you bring army ambulances to transport them in?” she asked, looking down the rank and file to the two wagons that brought up the rear. One was a chuck wagon, and the other appeared to be loaded to the brim with supplies.
“Of course not,” Greenleigh replied. “They will walk.”
“You would make those old men and women walk a hundred miles in this heat?” she asked, aghast. “That’s inhuman.”
“They’re Apaches,” the captain said negligently, as though that explained everything.
Rayna stepped closer to him, and Meade realized that she was really quite tall for a woman. She was nearly able to meet Greenleigh eye to eye. “You, sir, are a bastard,” she said, shocking both officers. She turned on her heel and called to the foreman. “Gil, get back to the house. Hitch up both of our supply wagons and see if you can rig some sort of canvas covering for one of them. And have Consuelo throw together some food supplies—as much as she can manage in what little time we have.”
Meade wasn’t surprised that the foreman didn’t question the order or the young lady’s authority to issue it. She was obviously a strong-willed hellion who was accustomed to getting her own way. Though Meade sym-pathized with her predicament, his initial attitude toward her had changed somewhat during her heated exchange with Greenleigh. At first she had reminded him of his sister, whose outspokenness was something Meade had learned to live with—and occasionally enjoy. But unlike Libby, who was a lady through and through, Miss Templeton was a little too outspoken for Meade’s taste.
Still, he felt obligated to give her what little reassurance he could. When she stalked away, heading toward the ceremonial grounds, he hurried to catch up with her. “Miss Templeton?”
She stopped and turned, her expression impatient. “What?”
“Your loan of transportation is very generous.”
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“Well, it’s kind of you to say so, Major, but I’m not lending you the wagons,” she responded scornfully. “They’re for Consayka and his people.”
Meade was getting a little fed up with her hostility. “I understand that, miss. I just wanted to assure you that I will take personal responsibility for seeing that the wagons and teams are returned.”
“That’s very reassuring, Major . . . Ashford, isn’t it? Forgive me if I don’t go down on my knees in thanks.”
He stiffened. “No thanks are necessary,” he said tightly. “I’m just doing my duty.”
Rayna gave him a thoroughly insincere smile. “And you’re doing it admirably, too.” The smile disappeared. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to speak with my sister. This is going to devastate her.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I’ll be sure to tell her that.”
She whirled away, and Meade cleared his throat, fighting down a surge of anger. In the space of thirty minutes, Miss Rayna Templeton had gone from attractive to outspoken to offensive to downright infuriating.
He turned and came face to face with Greenleigh, whose smug expression suggested that he’d heard the exchange. “So much for trying to do a good deed, eh, Major? These Indian-lovers are all alike. If they think so highly of the Apache, they ought to go live on the reserve, too.”
Meade took a step closer to the captain, but unlike Rayna, he was able to look down at the obnoxious ass. “The lady is right, Robert. You really are a bastard.”
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4
By the time Rayna arrived at the maiden lodge that had been constructed for White Painted Woman, Skylar was standing just outside, waiting for her. The other Mescalero were still deep in discussion with Raymond.
“Rayna, what’s happening?” Skylar asked, her voice tinged with desperation. “I saw you and Papa arguing with the officers.”
“I’m so sorry, Sky.” Rayna took her sister’s hands. “We couldn’t stop them.”
Skylar’s jaw stiffened with the twin emotions of grief and fear. “The soldiers have come to take Consayka’s people, haven’t they?”
Rayna nodded. “Yes. Apparently Ben Martinez and our other good neighbors succeeded in convincing the military that the Rancho Verde Mescaleros are a threat to everyone’s safety,” she said with disgust. “Papa is going up to Santa Fe to see what he can do about getting them back, but for now we have no choice but to let them be taken to the reservation.” She went on to explain her orders that would supply the Rancho Verde Mescaleros with wagons and food.
“This is so unfair,” Skylar said. “These people have done nothing wrong.
They’re decent and hardworking.”
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“And they’re your friends,” Rayna added softly.
Skylar nodded mutely, trying to fight back the tears burning her eyes.
“There’s nothing I can do to stop this, is there?” she asked after a moment.
“No.”
“Perhaps if I went with Papa to Santa Fe?” she suggested hopefully.
Rayna smiled. Skylar was gentle and tenderhearted, but there was nothing weak about her. In her own quiet way she was every bit as much of a fighter as Rayna. “That’s an excellent idea. In fact, I’ll go, too. Faced with all three of us, General Whitlock won’t stand a chance.”
Skylar actually managed a smile, but it faded quickly. “I’d better tell Mary what’s happening, and help her and the others prepare for the trip.”
“You’d better hurry,” Rayna advised. “We don’t have much time.”
“Why don’t you go to Gatana and see what you can do to help her. I’ll take care of Mary.”
The girls separated, and as Rayna skirted the ceremonial grounds she noticed that Consayka was now talking to Greenleigh, but even from a distance she could tell he was having no luck changing the officer’s narrow mind.
The women were hurrying toward their lodges, but some of the ranch hands were still clustered together, deep in conversation.
Were they thinking of trying to escape? she wondered. The younger ones could disperse and disappear before the cavalry knew what was happening, but would they leave the old ones? Rayna doubted it. They had too much honor to desert their elders, leaving them to the privation of the difficult journey and life on the reservation. It would be up to them to provide for and protect the old ones, and Rayna couldn’t believe they would shirk their duty.