Mary Page 2

  “I’m not a hundred percent sure. They were a small group and I sensed they had separated from their main tribe sometime before they kidnapped me. They wore a mixture of clothing. White clothing and their own so it was difficult to say. Could have been Comanche or even the Navajo.”

  “Are you saying you’ve been living with the Utes for nearly fourteen years?” The man seemed surprised.

  “Yes.”

  “And you’ve never once thought of trying to find your family?”

  “As I said before, the Utes are my family now. My white family were killed. They are all dead.”

  “How can you be so sure?”

  “Because I saw them all die. There were only four of us. My parents, my brother, and me. We were immigrants from Ireland trying to find a new life. That did not happen.”

  “I see,” he said again. “And you've been living among the Indians since you were ten-years-old?”

  “Yes, but these people, the Utes, are my family. My mother and father took me in and adopted me as their own. They have provided for my needs. My food. My clothing. They have become my family. I know nothing else. I have nothing else.”

  Moonfire saw a spark of sympathy in the man's eyes, but it was fleeting. Within the span of a single beat of a hummingbird's wing, his understanding was replaced by a hardness she hadn't seen before.

  “I understand your situation now. That is a cruel trick of fate, and I'm truly sorry for you, ma'am. I know this life is all you know now, but it was thrust upon you against your will. It is time you returned to your people where you belong.”

  Moonfire's heart stuttered inside her chest. “Return to my people? But these are my people. I just told you, my family was killed many years ago. The Utes, this tribe, are the only family I have now.”

  The man stepped down from his horse and stood in front of her. “You're a white woman and you belong with white people. My decision is made. Pack your things. I will personally escort you to the closest settlement, and from there, I will find someone to help return you to a relative. Even if that means going all the way back to Ireland. And if that's not possible, then you must find a place among your own kind. Somewhere suitable. Somewhere you will learn to be happy.”

  Moonfire's brain swirled inside her skull. Her whole world was being ripped from her fingers and there seemed to be nothing she could do to change it.

  “How can you imagine I would ever be happy when I am again being torn from the people that I care about most? The ones who have offered me a place of belonging. How is it fair to have been ripped from my loved one's arms as a young girl and now that I have once again found a place I feel safe and cared for, you want to take that away too?” She did her best to make the man see reason.

  Instead of seeing reason, he gathered his horse's reins, grabbed the horn on his saddle, and swung up onto his horse. When he was once again sitting high atop his horse looking down on her, he said, “I know you can't see the wisdom of my decision at this moment, Miss O'Brien, but in time, you will come to realize it is for the best.” He touched his fingertips to the brim of his wide hat. The gold braid and tassel surrounding the band of the hat shimmered in the morning rays.

  She had to try once more to make the man see reason. “But I don’t want—”

  “There will be no more discussion, young woman. I must see that my junior officers are fully informed as to their duties. Then, I will be back for you. You have thirty minutes to say your goodbyes and gather your belongings. Thirty minutes. Not a moment longer.”

  She watched him rein his horse around and trot away toward another group of soldiers waiting for him. She stood frozen. Surely this had to be a nightmare. Leave her family? In just thirty minutes? She would not go. Suddenly, she knew she had to find her family. They would know what to do.

  She turned and ran up the trail with the soldier who had found her riding close behind. Mounted, he would not allow her to escape.

  She reached the family’s tepee and called out to them. “Pe-adze. Moonch. Where are you? I need you.” But there was nothing but emptiness inside.

  She ran outside and her tear-filled eyes searched the communal space for her parents. A warm hand touched the middle of her back and she turned to see her adopted father standing next to her. “It seems you have been discovered, my daughter.”

  “I’m sorry. I answered nature’s call this morning. I was careful. I thought the soldiers had gone. What can we do?” she pleaded with him to help her find an answer to this horrible nightmare.

  Her father's dark brown eyes gazed fondly over her face. “There is nothing we can do, my little Moonfire. We have no choice but to send you with the soldiers.”

  “But you and Mother are my people. I don't want to go with them. I don't know anyone in the white man's world. This is my home. My family. You are my people,” she sobbed.

  “I know this is hard for you. We will miss you, my daughter, but perhaps it is best for you to return to your people now.”

  “How can any of this be for the best?” She begged for an answer, but her father only looked at her with sadness. “Your mother and I have known for many moons you did not belong to us and someday your people would come to take you home. Today is that day.”

  “But—”

  “Enough. I will find your mother and tell her you are leaving so she can say goodbye to you.” He turned away and left her standing in the middle of the ring of tepees alone. She could see the soldiers preparing to leave and now she would be forced to go with them.

  She wiped at the tears streaming down her face and whispered to herself. “How can any of this be for the best?”

  Doctor Howard sat at the desk in his medical office studying his journals. He wanted to finish the last section on nausea relieving herbs before he left town. He was almost finished when the front door of his office swung open and a storm of activity followed.

  He turned to see his midwife, Hope Buchanan, who was also his medical assistant, arrive for work. “There you are. I thought I’d got our schedule wrong today.”

  Hope rushed into the office and closed the door behind her. She already had her cape off and had it hung on the coat rack behind the front door before she spoke a word. “I'm so sorry to be late, Doc. I knew you wanted to get an early start this morning, but my husband thought it would be a nice gesture to let me sleep in.”

  He grinned and closed his journal. “I think that was very considerate of Billy.”

  “Yes, well it would have been if I didn't know he had an ulterior motive.” Hope huffed and pulled on her white apron and tied it in the back.

  “And what motive was that?” Doc teased.

  Hope shook her head. “He didn't want me to take the kids to Aggie Hanover's house so early this morning. Said he wanted to feed them breakfast himself before he left for his freight haul to South Fork.”

  Doc laughed. Hope's husband had come a long way since those two had first met. He was just glad Billy was over his obsession that he and Hope were more than just an employer and an employee. He glanced at the trim figure of his employee and admitted to himself that she was a very beautiful woman and a hard worker, but that was as far as his feelings for her had ever gone. Besides, he had no interest in ever falling in love again, not after—

  “Doc? Did you hear me? Are you still leaving this morning to go to The Springs down in Pagosa?”

  Hope's question pulled him out of his thoughts. “Yes. Yes. I've decided to borrow one of Hiram's saddle horses and ride down myself instead of hitching a ride with your husband or John Malone. It'll give me a chance to take my time and gather herbs and flowers along the way. If I take the stage or ride with John on his freight wagon, I'm at their mercy of how fast we travel and how often we stop.”

  “How long will you be gone?” Hope asked as she set out the medical implements for this morning's patients.

  “I'm not sure. Will you be alright here by yourself for a week . . . maybe longer?” He hadn't planned to be gone that long
, but he could use some time away from the constant demands of his job and the marriage-minded mamas of Creede's single young women. Everyone just assumed if a man was unmarried, then it was their duty to see to it that he didn't stay that way long.

  “Of course I can. I should be able to take care of just about anything that comes my way. I can set broken bones, cure upset stomachs, deliver babies, relieve headaches, and stitch up gashes and cuts. The only thing I can't do is operate, so as long as no one suffers internal injuries, I should be able to handle things quite competently while you are away,” Hope assured him and pulled the window shade on the front window up to reveal the open sign

  “Good. Well then, I think I'll get started.” Doc shut his journals and tied the leather thong around the pages to keep them closed. He packed them away inside the saddlebag on his desk. “I'll finish clearing away my things and then I'll be off. That way, I'll get a good head start on the day’s ride.”

  He walked down the long hallway that led to his personal quarters and filled his duffle bag with clothes and plenty of woolen socks. Nothing worse than being up in the mountains with wet feet. A man could catch his death without dry socks and a warm fire.

  Twenty minutes later, he returned to the front office carrying his coat and duffle. Hope was busy talking to Mrs. Gunderson about her upcoming delivery.

  “Oh, Doctor Howard. There you are. I was hoping—are you going somewhere?” The woman's eyes nearly bulged out of her head when she caught sight of his bags.

  “Yes, I'm going out of town for a week or so. But Hope will be here.” He assured the woman and threw his saddlebag over his shoulder. He clutched his duffle by its two short handles and started for the door.

  “Oh, no. Doctor, you can't go. I'm having my baby anytime now. You have to stay. You just have to,” the woman lamented.

  “Mrs. Gunderson, Hope here is perfectly capable of delivering your baby. You are in very good hands.” He headed for the door in spite of the woman's protests. Pregnant women were often emotional about giving birth to their first baby, but in the end, nature took care of everything. Usually, all he had to do was hold her hand and reassure her that everything would be fine.

  “But, doctor . . .” He could tell by the sound of her voice she was near tears.

  He took pity on the woman, set his things down by the door then crossed the examining room to take her hands in his. “I taught Hope everything I know. It won't matter if it is me here delivering your baby or her.” He crooked his head in Hope's direction. “Please, just relax. Take some deep breathes and don't worry. Your baby is fine. You are fine. But if you stress yourself, you could be putting your baby at risk. Now, you wouldn't want to do that, would you Mrs. Gunderson?” He squeezed her two hands between his and offered her an understanding smile.

  The woman shot a look toward Hope and grimaced. “No, I suppose not. If you're sure?”

  “I'm as sure as I've ever been about anything, ma'am.” He gave the woman's hand one last squeeze and then gave Hope a look that said you're gonna have your hands full with this one.

  “Hope, send word if you need me. Otherwise, I'll be back in a week or so.” He bent down, picked up his gear, and offered the two women a smile. “Take care and when I get back, I want to see a healthy little baby, Mrs. Gunderson.”

  She offered him a weak smile in return. He turned and left his office stepping out into the late-May chill. Snow still covered the mountaintops, and the roads were deep in the middle of a muddy spring thaw. He was looking forward to escaping the confines of town.

  He shouldered his gear and walked down the wooden sidewalk toward Hiram Hanover's carriage house. The successful attorney had offered to let him use one of his saddle horses instead of having to rent one of the nags at the livery. He, himself, chose not to own a horse. It was too much responsibility as far as he was concerned. And it was an expensive investment. Feed. Tack. Stable rent. He just didn’t need a horse that often. Most of his patients came to town, and the few occasions he did have to travel to see his clients, there was always someone willing to loan him a mount whether beast or wagon. But the biggest reason for not getting a horse, or a dog, was that he was just too soft-hearted. He feared the emotional investment more than the financial one. It would be too painful if something happened—and with his luck—something always happened.

  Chapter 2

  Moonfire had been in Pagosa Springs for the better part of a week, but she was no closer to finding that happiness the colonel demanded she look for than she had been the first day she rode through the town's streets under the scrutiny and judging stares of the good citizens of the town. Even without her telltale buckskin dress and doeskin moccasins, the tattoos on her face laid her secrets bare for all to see.

  “Young lady, come set the table. Staring out the window isn't going to get the job done.” Mrs. Webber's sharp words forced their way into her thoughts.

  “Yes, Mrs. Webber,” she answered the woman dutifully. The colonel had deposited her with the Webber family because he said he knew she would be well taken care of. She was certain that Colonel Beckham was trying to do the right thing, at least what he considered to be the right thing, by leaving her with a family like the Webbers. And although Mr. Webber had agreed to the colonel's request, it was apparent that Mrs. Webber hadn't been consulted until after the deal had been struck. It was equally obvious that the woman was not happy to be associating with someone like her.

  “Well, hurry up about it. You may have grown accustomed to laying around doing nothing all day with those people, but you won't find that behavior acceptable here. Not in my house. I told my husband I'd agree to help you, but on one condition. You would be under my authority. It’s the only way I was able to assure my neighbors that you will behave properly while in my house.”

  Moonfire’s blood boiled at the woman's unkind words, but she kept silent. How could she convey to this hateful woman that no one worked harder than her adopted family. The whole village was a constant flurry of activity. Every member of the community hunted and fished. Everyone carried firewood and cooked and foraged. Everyone cared for everyone’s children. During the summer months, when the weather was warmer, members of her village even managed to grow grain and vegetables to eat.

  A quick look at her keeper’s sour expression made it clear that she could not change the woman's prejudices. They were buried too deep to root out. And it would only cause trouble for herself. Besides, she knew how to be patient. She had no intention of staying in this town long. The colonel may have the authority to require her to come here, but he couldn’t make her stay here, not when he had moved on with his troops. An opportunity to leave would make itself known, and she would be watching for it.

  Mrs. Webber ordered her to set the table. It had been a long time since she had actually set plates made of china onto a white tablecloth. She remembered how to set the plates, but she couldn’t remember how the silverware went. When she got it wrong, Mrs. Webber was quick to criticize.

  Anxious to get out from under the woman’s meanness, she listened to the sounds of the house hoping to learn the woman’s location. When she heard the dishes rattling in the kitchen, she stepped outside trying not to make a sound with her new hand-me-down heeled boots. The boots weren’t new for they had holes in the soles. This type of footwear was new to her.

  Soon, she had disappeared around the corner of the house. Cutting through the next yard, she dashed into the alley and ran toward the line of pine trees dotting the edge of town. If she could just have some quiet time alone, maybe she could think of a way to get back to her village and her family. She could walk, but that would take her weeks and these clothes weren’t practical. If only she could have kept her buckskin dress and moccasins, but Mrs. Webber couldn’t throw them away quick enough.

  The Springs was a wonderful place to visit. She had been here with the people of her village before, but she had not been allowed to go into town for fear she would be discovered and taken. Little goo
d that had done, she admonished herself for being so careless.

  Moonfire stayed inside the edge of the great forest and she moved quickly. She knew there would be a great price to pay when Mrs. Webber learned she was gone. The woman would certainly be making more trouble for her. Truth be told, she didn't care. She knew the woman could not harm her physically because there were too many eyes watching. And the woman could not hurt her with unkind words. She was long past that.

  The river was just below the road. She was careful to keep the tattooed side of her face hidden beneath her cast off bonnet. Two men on horseback nodded greetings to her when they rode past. She timidly nodded back and kept her fast pace hoping they wouldn't stop her for idle conversation.

  Ten minutes later, she reached the bridge over the river. The hot springs weren't far now. She looked down the road in both directions to make sure no one saw her leave the road and then she descended the worn trail to the river.

  There were quite a few shallow pools of bubbling hot water around her, but most of them could be seen from the road. She wanted something more secluded and private so there would be no chance someone could catch her out here alone.

  With great care, she walked between the pools, and finally, she saw just what she was looking for. A deep pool hidden behind a thick row of sage bushes. Glancing around to make certain no one was near, she shucked off her restrictive clothing, hid them behind a small bush at the edge of the steaming pool, and slid beneath the hot water satisfied she was well hidden by the thick brush.

  She inhaled a deep breath filling her lungs with fragrant air full of cedar and pine and the unmistakable smell of the minerals in the water.

  Finding a shelf, perfectly formed by nature as a most comfortable seat, she wedged herself within the small alcove. She sank deep into the water indulging in the luxurious feel of the heat lapping at her skin. Emotionally spent over the last week, she allowed herself to relax. Soon, her head fell back to rest on a wide, flat rock near the edge of the pool. Her gaze drifted up to the clear, blue sky overhead and she marveled at the beauty that surrounded her. It was so peaceful here, and yet her emotions were a storm of anger and fear.