“Oh, Honor, are you telling me you is gonna be a prisoner of Cedar Ledge forever?” Katie asked surprised. That startled Honor and she sat up, also astonished.
“The ranch as my prison? Is that how I am making it sound? Cedar Ledge a gilded cage. I surely never thought of it that way,” Honor admitted, considering what Katie had said.
“Quillan always says if something has a ring of truth to it, you best listen,” Katie said helpfully. “Is that what you really be wanting for yourself, Honor Elizabeth?”
At a loss for words, Honor collapsed back onto her pillow.
“I just wanted you to know, Katie, that I did not refuse marriage to him because I wanted to lay with other men willy nilly, or that I was some snob looking down on him. It was none of that, it was simply my tether to a five-hundred-square-mile piece of land and its people who love, cherish, and keep me safe,” Honor told her with honesty.
"Thank you. I thank you for sharing with me. At least I know why you did it now. I see how it really was just as hard on you as it was on him. I won't lie, Honor, I still think you be making a mistake, you and Quillan belong together in the end," Katie told her, and Honor embraced her friend with a hug, snuggling next to her.
“Thank you. You really believe it, even with him being with Bessie?” Honor asked.
“Even with Bessie, ’cause especially now that I have heard why you done it, makes me think anything is possible.”
“I guess only time will tell,” Honor said.
“Honor?” Katie questioned.
“Yes.”
"Did you really pull a knife on Miss Bessie in the middle of the night?" she asked, and they both laughed until sleep finally took them unaware what lay in wait for them the following day…and not just for them but for her sister Lijuan and brother Blue River as well.
CHAPTER 17
SAN LUPE PEDRO
Canebraro Valley, Mexico
Lijuan Wilde sat dining with her brother, Blue River, in the Hotel Franco restaurant as warm rays of sunshine flooded into the dining room. The table had lovely linen, and the silverware and crockery were top notch. The food itself was also fantastic, and Blue River was heartily enjoying his chocolate pastry even as the pair fell under the constant gaze of others.
“It seems the people of this town are not accustomed to an Indian enjoying a fine pastry,” Blue River said. Lijuan chuckled softly.
“In the company of a Chinese no less. Let them stare. Anyone wants to make a big deal out of it they can talk to my friend,” she said and pulled her hammer out of its loop on her belt, laying it on the table next to a saddle bag that rested to her right.
"Despite the unwanted attention, it was a good idea to stop here and get something to eat before we head back to Arizona. But Señor Garcia's invited us to join him for a meal, and you turned him down. If you were hungry, why?" he asked reasonably.
"Please! Having to spend the last night enjoying his alleged hospitality at his ranch was more than enough of Señor Garcia! He's just a bit too eccentric for me. Every time we've met with him, there is something not quite right about him. Everything about him is off from all those parrots he keeps as pets, right down to insisting on paying thousands of dollars in cash with small bills. Enough to stuff this saddle bag,” Lijuan answered patting the bag on the table.
“Did you notice how disappointed he was when we arrived yesterday and told him Catalina didn’t make the trip after he asked about her?” Blue River said.
“I sure did. You weren’t here the last time we did business. He was practically drooling over her, a man old enough to be her grandfather,” she said humorously.
“Our sister is beautiful, no denying that. You all are of course,” he added.
“Thank you, Blue River,” Lijuan said.
“Which brings me to something that I’ve wanted to speak with you about,” he said. Lijuan turned to him.
“What is that?” she asked, feeling confident she already knew.
“I would like to talk to you about my other sister. Bright Feather,” he said. Lijuan stood quickly, not wanting to talk about that. She tucked her hammer back onto her belt and shoved the saddle bag across the table to him.
“Sure, but not right now. Lunch was great, but we should be on our way,” she said decisively. He grimaced and then smiled.
“I suppose we should,” he agreed.
They both left the restaurant as the people continued to stare. They went through the hall to the lobby and could hear a commotion taking place there. As they entered, a beautiful blond woman was pounding the desk with her palm. There were two suitcases on the floor next to her.
“Please hurry! I haven’t much time. The stage is leaving any minute,” the woman said urgently.
“Si, señorita,” the clerk answered, still moving slowly as he was presenting the woman with some paperwork. The blond was getting more and more frustrated and was almost stamping her foot. Blue River and Lijuan glanced at each other quizzically before they stopped for Lijuan to retrieve some money from the saddle bag.
Tied right in front outside the hotel was Judge Wilde's coach under watchful eyes. Across the street, the two men lounged in front of a saloon staring at the elegant coach.
“I’ll be damned, our friend at Señor Garcia’s said he thought they had gone straight back to Arizona! What do you think, Ernesto?” the taller of the two asked.
“It could be our lucky day, Javier. If they got the amount of cash on them that he said they would, it really could be our lucky day,” Ernesto said.
“Come, Ernesto, if we cut across country and ride like the wind, we can catch Lopez and the others while they are still at the Juarez Station. We can lay a trap for these people there! The number of pesos we are gonna get off them is gonna be far more than anything Gabriel will get out of the raid,” Javier said enthusiastically.
“And that will show the gang that you should be leading the group instead of being left out of the big raids,” Ernesto remarked. They moved off down the street just as Lijuan and Blue River came out of the Hotel. Ernesto noticed Blue River untying the horses.
“That must be them, but funny they ain’t no gringos, Javier,” Ernesto said as they kept walking away.
“We should stop one more place before we leave, Blue River,” Lijuan said to her brother.
“Where to?” he asked as he placed the saddlebag of money into the coach.
“I was going to order a case of dynamite from Phoenix, so Father can blow those stumps out by the edge of the south pasture like he has been planning. We can save a heap of money if we buy it down here. Let’s head over to the general store with this money and make a purchase,” she said as a stagecoach thundered past.
“Right away, Miss Lijuan,” Blue River told her. At that moment the blond woman came flying out of the hotel, dragging her luggage with much effort out into the dusty street.
“No! Oh, no!” She cried in frustration as Lijuan grinned at the sight of her bulging travel bags.
“Finally, someone who packs more stuff than Honor Elizabeth. I never thought I would see the day,” she laughed.
“Wait! Wait! I beg of you, please wait!” the lady yelled after the coach, but it was already rounding the corner and was soon out of sight. Lijuan turned to the woman.
“Tough break, nothing like missing your stage. I know how that feels, been there myself,” Lijuan said. “Hell, some stages wouldn’t even let me on because—” she used both her index fingers to point to her exquisitely shaped almond Asian eyes.
“There surely isn’t! I cannot stand to stay another day in this dreadful country, but the next stage won’t be here until tomorrow!” she exclaimed in despair, her shoulders sagging. Then Blue River came around the side of the coach, and she saw him up close. She was quickly surprised especially when she saw his blue eyes.
“My, oh, my. A blue-eyed Indian!” she said startled, then regained her senses. “Oh, forgive me, that was rude. I think missing my stage has made me forget e
verything about how a lady should act.” But Blue River only laughed.
“You are not the first person with that reaction. Where were you heading?” he asked politely.
“Ultimately to Tucson, but I was going to get off in Alamieda to spend a few days with my daddy. He’s the commanding officer at Fort McCallister,” she said. Blue River’s eyes widened in surprise as did Lijuan’s.
“Colonel Caine?”
“You know him?” She questioned equally surprised.
“Certainly, I have met him many times. My brother is one of his officers, and my sister is a special aid for Indian affairs,” Blue River told her.
“My goodness. Are you referring to Captain Wilde and Bright Feather?
“You know them?” Lijuan blurted out mimicking the woman question of a moment ago.
“Not personally. I mean I did meet only Dutch once in passing, but my father has spoken glowingly of them many times. You, you are the Wildes, aren’t you?”
"I'm Blue River, and this is my sister, Miss Lijuan Wilde,” he said, introducing them politely with a smile. The woman held out her hand, and they shook it.
“Christina Caine,” she said.
“A pleasure,” Lijuan said slowly.
“It is so wonderful to meet you all. I have heard so many good stories about Captain Wilde, and Blue River, your sister Bright Feather, sounds like a most remarkable woman!” she said enthusiastically. Lijuan turned her back and rolled her eyes and crossed her arms as well. She had no interest in hearing the praises of Bright Feather be sung in the hot Mexican air.
“Well, it was a pleasure to meet you, Miss Caine, but we must be on our way. C’mon, Blue River, let’s get over to the store. We’ve got some dynamite to fetch,” she urged. Blue River failed to move and was looking at her and then at Christina.
“Now hold on a minute, Miss Lijuan. Why don't we give Miss Caine a ride back to Arizona with us? We have more than enough room, and we are going to the same vicinity,” he pointed out logically, but it was not logic Lijuan wanted to hear. Her praise for Bright Feather had left her predisposed not to like this woman even though she admitted to herself that it was unfair. Still, she was going to squash the invitation. Lijuan opened her mouth, turning back to say something when Christina spoke first.
“That would be wonderful! What a fortuitous thing to have run into you at this time and place,” she said with a big smile and relief in her eyes.
“Well, I don’t know. She would be riding next to a big crate of dynamite. I’m sure a lady like her might have concerns. If the rest of the hotel is as fine as the restaurant, waiting here should be in comfort and tomorrow will be here before—” She was interrupted by Blue River as he was already loading the woman’s luggage into the coach.
“If Miss Caine is made of half the mettle of her father, transporting dynamite wouldn’t be a concern. Am I right, Miss Caine?” he asked her with a dashing smile.
“Absolutely! It will make the trip more exciting, don’t you think?” she asked with a grin. Blue River held open the door to the coach. Lijuan wanted to be angry at him, but she couldn’t truly. Gallantry was ingrained into her father and brothers, so it was not like she could blame him.
“In you go,” he said helping her up. As he closed the door, Lijuan drew him off to the side. She pointed a finger at him.
“You little brother, owe me one!” she said and smiled. “But I can’t be stern. It’s that Wilde in you, but I can see you’re sweet on her already, in just five minutes. You really are one of us,” she said teasingly. He smiled in return.
“I can’t let you, Miss Honor, Miss Cassandra, and Cattie have all the fun,” he joked, eliciting her laughter. She had been so happy to have had him along on the trip. She loved him, and he was always great company, and then there was the fact she probably wouldn’t have survived being trapped in a border town two days ago, surrounded by hostile Mescalaros without him.
"Fine, one thing though I have meant to ask you for the longest time. Why is she always just Cattie? You call the rest of us Miss. I know you have spent more time with her than the rest of us growing up but …” she said.
“Cattie is just Cattie, anything else rolling off my tongue just wouldn’t feel right. That’s is all I can say. Now let us get that TNT,” he told her, and in no time, they had secured the dynamite and got the coach rolling down the main street of San Lupe Pedro.
CHAPTER 18
YBERRA COACHWORKS
Verde Abundante Valley, Mexico
A war zone!
Those were the only words that came to Honor Elizabeth’s mind as she saw the Yberra Villa’s compound when they charged through the wide-open gates that hung askew on their hinges. She was shocked, and it felt so disjointed when minutes earlier she had been enjoying driving Quillan’s new coach back from the town of San Robeles where she and Francisco had deposited Amaury into the care of the local doctor. Francisco had once more found his former good spirits overnight and was making a pitch for the women to stay over another night.
His selling point was that it was a local holiday celebrating Founder’s Day for San Robeles. The day promised to be one of many enjoyments, and after having witnessed all the decorations and festivities in the town, Honor believed it. A barbecue for the whole town had been planned, games were scheduled, and topping it all off would be fireworks provided by the Yberras.
If it had been up to Honor, she would have said yes right when he suggested it. She knew the latest they needed to be back was in four days, so they could easily stay over one more night. However, it was ultimately up to Katie. Honor didn’t think it would take much convincing for her friend to want to stay another night, since she was raring to go for another round with Manuel, except maybe the follow-up would be in his villa bedroom instead of the coach. All of that fled her mind though as they leaped down from the coach, looking around at the carnage.
The large Yberra sign resembling a stagecoach had been cut down, hacked into pieces. The elaborate fountain in the front yard was knocked off its base, and all the windows on the ground floor were broken. Shot out by the look of it, Honor thought. Francisco was shouting the names of family and staff, but he was getting no response, and Honor felt a knot of coldness in her gut. She ran after Francisco as he dashed up the steps, around a pair of the bullet-ridden corpses. One of them she recognized as the third man with Dante and Amaury that had waylaid her and Katie on the valley rim.
They both felt relief when they charged out onto the back patio and saw Rosa with the twins. They were helping Nuñez and Carrera attend to two wounded men. Nuñez, for his part, had a bandage on his arm, soaked in blood. Beyond them, the once fancy gazebo was now a burning inferno. Honor and Francisco's relief was short-lived as Honor looked around wildly while Francisco did the same. Rosa saw them then and raced over to hug him. Her feet further crushing the shattered lens of the brass telescope that lay in a twisted ruin on the patio.
“Madre Mia! What happened?” Francisco asked. “Where is my brother?”
“It was Dante and his men. He was enraged when you did not show up with Amaury and the coach,” she told him in Spanish as Honor Elizabeth grabbed his arm.
“Please, please have her speak English. I am having a struggle translating! Where is my friend?” Honor asked panicking.
“Rosa, English please,” he begged as the woman burst into tears.
"It all happened so fast. They smashed their way through the gate and began destroying everything in sight. These two men were shot, and Nuñez wounded. Manuel, he was so brave when he tried to stop my brother. He managed to kill two of his men before he was captured. He pleaded with Dante to spare everyone and take him as his hostage. He offered to be the trade for Amaury, but it was not enough, he took the ebony gringa too,” she sobbed.
“Katie, no!” Honor cried in her fear for her dear friend.
"I have never seen my brother like that. He wanted a coach as well, but the bridge was up, and old Vincente on the other side refu
sed to lower it. He was following your and Manuel's orders never to lower for bandits. No matter what. Dante demanded that not only do you bring his son, but he wants the fanciest of the coaches. Only then will he release the prisoners,” Rosa finished and sagged. Francisco drove a fist into his palm.
“He has at last gone too far. I never dreamed Don Diego would dare to attack this place that was once his home. I knew he would be angered when we didn’t show up, but this is—there is no way I could guess he would be so emboldened to do what he has done,” Francisco said with a snarl.
“He was shouting that he fears no one now. The militia leaders are well paid to look the other way.”
Honor snarled herself and gripped the handle of her knife, the smoky air from the burning gazebo filling her nostrils.
“So, Don Diego fears no one, eh? He is about to find out what it is like to go against a daughter of Half Breed Haven!” she said viciously.
“You, what are you going to do? A mere woman!” Rosa said startled as she wiped away her tears.
“Plenty!” she returned.
“No, you shall not, señorita!” Francisco said forcefully. Honor felt her usual mild irritation with such an attitude blossom into anger. She cocked her head to one side.
“Please repeat yourself,” she said in a soft, dangerous voice.
“Rosa is right! This is nothing a woman should get involved in. Carrera, Nuñez! Have my horse saddled and you, prepare to ride with me. I shall handle this once and for all,” he glanced at Honor as the men hustled off. “As I should have done long ago,” he finished.
“What are you going to do?” Honor questioned, her eyes still blazing.
“I told you! There are others in the valley I have spoken with who do not like the actions Don Diego has been taking, the laws he has broken. The business he has cost. I shall summon up all that will ride with me, and we shall liberate my brother and Señorita Dodge,” he told her before looking at Rosa solemnly. “And if necessary eliminate my former brother-in-law for good!” he said firmly. Rosa hung her head but didn’t speak.
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