Sweet Prairie Passion (Savage Destiny)

by Rosanne Bittner

  “This man won’t be able to drive his animals for a few days. He’s got to stay off this foot,” he told them.

  “I’ll take over while he’s disabled,” Robards spoke up, surprising Abbie with his offer to help. It was the first time he’d offered to do anything since they’d started out. He’d seldom even helped push out wagons, not wanting to get his fancy clothes muddied.

  “I’m much obliged, Robards,” Hanes told the man. Zeke studied Robards a moment, and Abbie could tell he didn’t like the man either. But for the moment he kept his feelings to himself.

  “All right,” he replied. “You sure you know how?”

  “I think I can manage,” Robards replied, looking proudly over at LeeAnn, who smiled. It was then Abbie realized he’d only offered to make himself appear more manly in LeeAnn’s eyes.

  “I’m sorry about this,” Hanes was telling Zeke. “I guess I shouldn’t have messed with that gun.”

  “I told all of you once to leave sidearms alone,” Zeke replied. “Stick to rifles, and only use those when they’re really needed. You people are farmers and teachers and so forth—not gunmen. More folks get shot out here from their own guns than from any enemies, believe me.”

  Someone brought the water, and soon Kelsoe was back with the moss. Hanes screamed with pain when Zeke poured the whiskey over his foot, then groaned as it was packed in moss and wrapped.

  “What does the moss do?” Mrs. Hanes asked, warming more to the half-breed of whom she’d been so distrustful at first.

  “Old Indian remedy,” Zeke replied. “Should help keep the foot from getting infected. I’m not sure how it works, but it does.” He saw the concern in her eyes for her husband. All were aware of what could happen if gangrene set in. Hanes would lose his foot, perhaps his whole leg, and still he would most likely die. “Don’t you worry, ma’am. He’ll be okay. The moss will help a lot.”

  “Thank you,” she replied quietly. “I’m glad you’re along. And I’m … sorry … for the remarks some of the others have made. I hope you’ll stay with us.”

  Zeke nodded gratefully. “I made a deal, ma’am. I’m a man of my word.”

  Just then Olin Wales rode into camp, and Abbie’s heart wrenched with jealousy at the sight of a lovely Indian girl astride the horse in front of him. Part of her legs were exposed where her doeskin dress came up, and Zeke approached Olin and the girl, giving her the once-over with pleasure in his eyes.

  “What the hell have you got there?” he asked his friend. “And where have you been all day?”

  Olin chuckled and climbed down; then he reached up and helped the girl down. The preacher watched the Indian girl, feeling an ache in his groin at the sight of her slender legs.

  “You told me to ride behind again and make sure Rube Givens wasn’t followin’,” he told Zeke. “Didn’t find anything to indicate he was, but I did find this pretty little thing—bought her off a Chippewa brave back there. He was pullin’ her along with a rope, headin’ for Independence to sell her to a whorehouse.”

  People gasped, and the Indian girl stood staring at Zeke, holding her head proudly. She was beautiful in shape and face, and was obviously frightened of what her next fate would be.

  “When I seen how bad that Chip was treatin’ her, I felt kind of sorry for her. I powwowed with him, had a smoke, and found out he’d stole her a year or so ago from the Sioux. You know how the Sioux and Chippewa don’t get along.”

  “I know,” Zeke replied, folding his arms and walking around the girl to study her, now looking like a proud brave with his captive. The girl watched him, obviously impressed by his stature and looks, promising favors with her eyes if he would help her.

  “At any rate, he was plannin’ on sellin’ her for a prostitute, and I didn’t figure you’d go for that. There’s been enough of these pretty little things destroyed in the whorehouses, and she looked kind of proud and scared, you know? Come to find out, that Chip was the only man she’d ever been with, and I could tell she had no idea what he planned to do with her. I finally talked him into sellin’ her to me instead—convinced him I was payin’ him more than he’d make in town. And … uh … well, I did it partly for you, Zeke. I figured you wouldn’t want her taken to Independence.”

  Zeke walked around to the front of her again, lifting her chin so she had to look up at him. “You did right,” he replied.

  “Well, I owed you a little from that card game back in Independence, so I’m payin’ you off this way. She cost a lot, and she’s the … uh … grateful type, if you know what I mean. Figured since we’re headed into Sioux country, we can deliver her back to her own kind. She told me she cries to go home to her people.”

  Zeke studied the girl’s eyes, then spoke softly to her in the Sioux tongue, and Abbie’s jealousy raged. The girl answered, then Zeke said more, and she suddenly began crying and hugged him, as though deeply grateful. The preacher watched hungrily, and Morris Connely shook his head sneeringly and went to his wagon. The rest watched with mixed emotions, some feeling sorry for the girl and others considering her loose, Abbie hating her because she was Indian, just like Zeke. His kind—something she herself could never be. But then wasn’t he half white, and hadn’t he lived in Tennessee? Surely there was enough white in him for her to capture.

  “You did right, Olin,” Zeke told the man as he patted the Sioux woman’s shoulder. “We’ll see she gets back to her people.”

  “Well, in the meantime, she’s yours. She’ll give you enough pleasure out of gratefulness to make up for what I owe you.”

  Zeke just chuckled and shook his head, gently pushing the woman away and wiping at her tears as he said something more to her in the Sioux tongue. Abbie fought her own tears of jealousy.

  “That slut has to go!” the preacher shouted. “These Christian people cannot mingle with this loose heathen! She will taint the young girls!”

  The Indian girl looked frightened, as Zeke whirled on the man. “She stays!” he commanded. “She’s been badly abused and she wants to go home, and I’m seeing she gets there. And if you people are really Christian, you’ll want the same for the poor girl.” He glared at the preacher again. “And I’d better not catch you near her!”

  The preacher’s eyes widened. “How dare you even suggest such a thing?”

  “I know your kind better than you think. She’s my property now. You remember that! The Indians have a certain understanding in these things, and I won’t bother to try to make folks like you understand. But till I get her back to her people, she belongs to me, and what I do with her is nobody’s business!”

  Others whispered as, to Abbie’s bewilderment, Zeke led the Indian girl directly up to her.

  “She says her name is Yellow Grass,” he told Abbie. “I’d be obliged if you’d let her walk along with you and your pa, and let her help you around camp, Miss Abbie. I’ve got no time for her, and you’re the only one I’d trust to be kind to her. It’s not her fault what she’s been through.”

  He seemed to read Abbie’s thoughts, and he gave her a little smile. She reddened at the realization that he’d sensed her jealousy, blushing deeply. Cheyenne Zeke had barely given her the time of day the whole trip, yet she’d grown to love him more and more; and the worst part was that she suspected he knew it. That was why he’d stayed away. But then maybe it hurt to look at her because she looked like his wife.

  “I’d … be glad to help you out, Zeke,” she responded faltering as she fought to hide her jealousy of Yellow Grass. “She’s … very pretty. You should keep her.”

  Zeke grinned more. “I know what I want to keep and what I don’t want to keep,” he replied. Her heart leaped at the words, and he vanished into the darkness.

  To Abbie’s relief, Zeke seemed to have no desire to accept the pleasures of Yellow Grass’s gratefulness, nor did he have the time. During the next two weeks, Abbie and the Indian girl managed to set up their own sign language and got along quite well. Abbie began to like the industrious Sioux woman.
She was much more help than LeeAnn, who was now totally absorbed in Quentin Robards. He hung around every night, often eating their food without offering any sort of payment.

  The days were hot and the nights cold, and Abbie worried about her father, who slept on the ground under the wagon most of the time. And she worried about Zeke, even though she told herself it was foolish. After all, a man like Zeke had spent most of his life sleeping under the stars. She wished she could be beside him to keep him warm at night; but that was a silly little girl’s dream, and her heart ached with unrequited live.

  As if the daily heat and insects and monotony were not enough, the friction between Quentin Robards and David Craig grew worse and developed into an open confrontation one evening when David came to ask LeeAnn if she would take a walk with him. Seconds later Robards was right there, looking haughtily at David and telling him that he didn’t have any right moving in on another man’s woman, especially since he was a boy who wasn’t even dry behind the ears yet. LeeAnn’s eyes lit up with pleasure at Robards’ obvious jealousy, and David Craig exploded with his own, taking a swing at Robards. LeeAnn screamed and jumped back, and David lit into Robards with a strength and skill that surprised them all, including Robards. He did a good job of messing up Robards’ face before Zeke came thundering up on his horse from out of the darkness to stop the fight, grabbing David from behind with powerful arms, while Kelsoe pulled Robards back.

  “What’s going on!” Zeke growled.

  “Looks like we have a little love triangle, Zeke,” Hanes replied. “We all know there’s a problem here.”

  Jason Trent came storming up to camp with a bucket of water, quickly added up the situation, and scowled at LeeAnn with shame in his eyes. Zeke let go of David and gave him a little warning shove.

  “I want no fighting on this train!” he commanded.

  “Then tell that to the kid!” Robards replied angrily, wiping at a bloody lip. “He took the first swing!”

  “I took all the swings, you fancy coward!” David hissed proudly. Abbie smiled. “I don’t need to stand here and take your insults,” the boy continued. “You have no right coming around here every night with your fancy duds and your fancy words and sparkin’ with a girl who doesn’t realize you’re no good!”

  LeeAnn stormed up to David, facing him with folded arms. “I’ll choose my man friends, if you don’t mind, mister David Craig!” she spat at him. “I never asked you to come around here, and I’d like you to apologize to Mr. Robards for that remark! You have no way of knowing whether he’s good or bad!”

  “A man can smell a skunk right easy!” David sneered.

  LeeAnn slapped him, and David turned red, his eyes actually tearing.

  “I feel sorry for you.” he finally stammered. Abbie’s heart ached for the boy, and she hated LeeAnn at that moment; for she had changed considerably since spending so much time with Robards. Jason Trent walked up to his daughter and gave her a light shaking.

  “That was a damned shameful thing to do!” he told her. LeeAnn, seemingly untouched by the remark, glared haughtily at her father. Trent sighed and, running a hand through his hair, walked to the back of the wagon.

  “You two fight again and I’ll hogtie both of you to a wagon and drag you a ways to get the orneriness out of you!” Zeke warned David and Robards. His eyes were on Robards, whom he judged to be worthless, just as most others had, except for LeeAnn.

  “You just try it!” Robards hissed, brushing off his fancy clothes. Zeke suddenly grabbed the man’s tie and jerked him forward, half strangling Robards with the hold. He whipped out a big knife, and LeeAnn’s eyes widened with fright as Zeke waved it under the man’s nose, while Robards glared back at him, trying to look brave.

  “It would be good for your health, Robards, if no harm comes to Miss LeeAnn Trent—neither physical, nor emotional,” Zeke hissed. “You understand me?” He made a quick flick with the knife and cut Robards’ tie. LeeAnn screamed, and Robards stepped back, beads of sweat on his forehead.

  “Your job is to lead this train, not to interfere with peoples’ personal matters!” the man growled in reply. He reached inside his fancy jacket, but Zeke was ready. For the rest of her life Abbie would try to remember actually seeing Zeke pull his sidearm, but it had happened too fast. She simply could not remember it happening. All she knew was that the gun was out and cocked and aimed at Robards before Robards’ own hidden handgun was pulled all the way out of its hidden holster. Zeke stepped closer and held a big Colt .45 against Robards’ forehead.

  “I won’t fire this gun, Robards, because Miss Trent is standing right here. But you pull a pistol on me again, and you’re a dead man! I know what my job is! Leading this train means keeping the peace on this train, and I’ll do what I have to do to accomplish that! I’ll speak with David, too. And I’ll advise him to leave you and Miss Trent alone. But like I said, you’d better not bring any harm to that young lady, or you’ll answer to me—not David Craig!”

  Robards swallowed nervously and stepped back. Zeke looked over at Abbie, and seeing the gratefulness in her eyes, he realized how worried she must be about the man’s involvement with her scatterbrained sister. He turned to LeeAnn, who looked at him with hatred.

  “Your ma must have taught you some common sense,” he told the girl. “Use it!” He turned and mounted his horse as Yellow Grass watched him admiringly.

  LeeAnn immediately began fussing over Robards, telling him to come to the creek with her and she’d wash his bleeding lip and his bruises. “I’m so sorry, Quentin!” she whimpered, as the others dispersed, whispering among themselves. David Craig watched her for a moment, then stalked off.

  “You stay here, LeeAnn!” Jason Trent ordered his daughter.

  LeeAnn shot a defiant look at her father. “I’m old enough to do what I please!” she clipped. “You can’t order me around anymore, pa! You brought me out to this horrible place, and the least you can do is let me pick my friends! I hate it out here! I hate it! It’s hot and dirty—and I’m tired! You must not love me very much if you won’t even let me be friends with Mr. Robards!” She burst into tears, and Trent turned away, shame and hurt in his eyes, while LeeAnn walked off with Robards. She turned once to face Abbie. “You tell that Cheyenne Zeke to leave my Quentin alone!” she hissed. “He might be good with a knife and a gun, but he’s got no education, not one ounce of refinement or manners! He’s got no right threatening an intelligent prosperous man like Quentin!”

  She turned and walked into the darkness with Robards, and Abbie’s heart burned with anger in defense of Zeke. “Cheyenne Zeke’s got more brains than Quentin Robards has in his little finger!” she shouted back. “He’s ten times the man that fancy gambler will ever be! Go on, LeeAnn! I don’t like you anymore since you started hanging around with that no-good! I don’t know you anymore!”

  The tears came then, and she knew others must have heard her, maybe even Zeke, but she didn’t care. She wouldn’t have believed her sister could change so much, and she knew it was because of Robards. She sniffed and walked over to hug her father, and for the next few minutes nothing was said between them.

  “She’s right, Abbie girl,” the man finally spoke up. “She’s grown up now, and she’s not about to listen to her pa anymore. Thank God for you, Abbie. You’re a good girl.”

  “I love you, pa. I’ll stick by you,” she sobbed.

  “I know you will.” He sighed and gave her a squeeze. “Abbie, I I know how you’re starting to feel about Cheyenne Zeke.”

  She stiffened in his arms. “Pa I—”

  “Now, now, it’s okay. I think he’s a good man, Abbie, a good man. But you’ll get hurt feeling like that. For one thing, he’s a man … and not likely to have those thoughts for a girl child like you. But I think if he did, he’d be honorable enough not to act on them. I want you to know that no matter what happens, I approve of Zeke. It’s just … it’s the others I worry about. Folks look down on a white girl who has eyes for an Indian, espe
cially a half-breed. I don’t want any trouble for you, baby, no pain and heartache. That’s a dead-end road, and you could get hurt bad. You be careful, Abbie girl. You’re giving your feelings away, and maybe it’s best you keep them to yourself.”

  “I know it’s silly and hopeless,” she whimpered. “Cheyenne Zeke has no eyes for me.”

  “Well, maybe not … and maybe so. I just think he’s wise enough to know what harm that could bring you. You tread real careful, Abbie. That’s a risky business, falling for a man like that. And you’re just a child. It’s probably something you’ll get over.” He gave her a squeeze. “You dry those tears now and get Jeremy to bed.”

  Down at the stream LeeAnn gently washed Robards’ face with cool water. He dabbed it dry with a white handkerchief, then grasped her arms. “You’re beautiful, LeeAnn,” he said softly. “And I want you. … I ache for you.”

  Her heart pounded and she blushed. He had held her and kissed her before, but she knew he meant something much more intimate now. More than ever, she wanted to be sure to keep him. Perhaps he would get angry about the fight and decide she was not worth the trouble if she didn’t please him in this moment of need. And, after all, he’d been in a fight over her, calling her his woman and jealously guarding that claim.

  “I—We aren’t married, Quentin.”

  He touched her breast lightly with the back of his hand. “What does it matter? We’re already married in thought, aren’t we? When we get to civilization, we can have a ceremony. But in the meantime, we’re out here in the middle of nowhere, wanting each other.”

  She met his eyes. “You truly want to marry me?”

  “Of course I do, LeeAnn! Maybe we can even find a way to go back East. I thought going to Oregon sounded like a good idea, because I’m a lonely man and I’m searching for something new. I have money, LeeAnn, a lot of money. I was going to Oregon to find a lovely place in the mountains, where I’d use my money to build a beautiful home with all the modern fineries. But if you don’t want to go West, we’ll find a way to go back. Either way, we’ll marry and have a fine home, and you’ll wear beautiful clothes and be a grand lady—Mrs. Quentin Robards!”