“Thunder Hawk?” she said, her voice lilting and sweet.
Thunder Hawk and Chief Red Moon stepped apart. Thunder Hawk went to Sky Dancer and relieved her of her heavy burdens and placed her belongings on the back of his horse. She would travel in his saddle with him, where he could draw her slim form back against him, his arm willingly holding her in place.
His heart pounded as she gave her father one last embrace. He had not expected this to be so easy.
Actually, he was stunned. This quickly he had a wife. This quickly he would be able to turn his back on the schoolbooks and the dreaded one-room schoolhouse forever!
Sky Dancer stepped timidly up to Thunder Hawk. She smiled shyly up at him as he placed his hands on her tiny waist and lifted her onto his saddle.
He gave Chief Red Moon a big, grateful smile, then swung himself into the saddle behind Sky Dancer. When his arm went around her waist and she leaned back against him, a wild desire clutched at his heart.
Chapter 25
She so torments my mind
That my strength faileth,
And wavers with the wind
As a ship saileth.
—ANONYMOUS (17th century)
After two full days of travel, Stephanie and Adam arrived at Canyon de Chelley. Stephanie dismounted, taking in the imposing height of the rosy-red cliff walls, the silence and signs of a long-lost people. Their ancient dwellings were carved right out of the towering cliffs, and built on ledges in the thousand-foot canyon walls.
Remembering Runner’s words about the Navaho gods, she knew she had found the old home of the spirits.
Stephanie was anxious to travel to the canyon floor and take a close-up view of the fabulous stone monuments and the imposing canyon walls, and also to take photographs of the rock paintings, which were said to show the original arrival of the Spaniards and their horses, never before seen by the Anasazi.
From her studies of this area, she recalled that although the Navaho liked the sheep and horses that the Spanish had brought, they had not liked the Spanish customs. The Spanish soldiers had fought the Indians. They had made prisoners of them and had used them as servants.
Adam was not as enthralled by the grandeur of the canyon. He was bone tired from the long journey. He wanted to get the photographs taken so that they could start on their return journey. He still had his own things to tend to. And he would not allow his sister, nor anyone else for that matter, to sidetrack him again.
“Adam, should we take the time to eat, or should I start right in taking the photographs?” Stephanie said, stepping up to the pack mule. Adam had already taken the tripod from the mule and was setting it up for her close to the edge of the canyon. She opened one saddlebag and removed her camera, and some plates.
“We can eat later,” Adam said in a low grumble. “Let’s get this over with, Stephanie. I want to get back to the train. I almost have things settled here, as best they can be settled. We can soon return to Wichita and go to the board meeting together to report on what we’ve both accomplished here.”
Stephanie’s fingers fumbled with the camera as she tried to place it on the tripod, now realizing that she still had to tell Adam about her marriage plans to Runner. She wanted to delay until she had no choice but to tell him that she wouldn’t be returning with him to Wichita. She didn’t want to have Adam arguing with her about her decision day in and day out before he left. She had made her mind up. Nobody would change it.
“Stephanie?” Adam said, leaning toward her. “Did you hear what I said? You will go into the board meeting with me and speak encouragingly about my town, won’t you? Or has Runner swayed you against everything I stand for? Progress, Stephanie. That’s what I stand for. The same as you. You wouldn’t be going to all of this trouble taking these photographs if you didn’t plan on giving them to the Santa Fe Railroad to use to lure people west on their railroad.”
“Don’t remind me about what I’m doing today, that I’m deceiving Runner,” Stephanie said, leaning over to focus her lenses. “If he ever finds out, he’ll surely hate me forever.”
She realized what she had said the minute it had slipped across her lips. She turned around and faced Adam with a stern look. “Don’t you use this against me,” she said flatly. “If you tell Runner that I came here, in order to turn him against me for your own selfish gain, I’d never forgive you, Adam. Do you understand?”
Adam smiled ruefully at her. Little did she know that Runner already hated her. But she would know—soon. By then, she would have no choice but to stay allied with her brother. If not, she would be alone in a vast land, where she was at the mercy of the train that had brought her there.
The engineers would either leave her there, or take her with them, at Adam’s command. They owed him. He had helped pay their gambling debts.
“Certainly, sis,” Adam said, placing his fists on his hips. “I understand.”
When Stephanie saw a strange, shadowy look in Adam’s eyes, she sighed and turned back to her camera, then felt that this might be the time to spring the surprise on Adam, after all. He would have two days’ travel back to the train to get over it.
Whereas, if she told him about her plans to marry Runner after they were at the train, there was no telling what he might do. She most certainly did not want to see him ride in a flurry into the Navaho compound. He already had enough cuts and bruises on his body. No need for him to give cause for others to be inflicted.
Stepping away from the camera, Stephanie turned to Adam. “Adam, I think it’s time I quit playing games with you,” she murmured. She saw his eyebrows rise and his jaw tighten. “Adam, I won’t be returning with you to Wichita. I plan to stay behind. I’m going to marry Runner.”
Adam took a shaky step away from her. Ashen, his eyes wide, he stared disbelievingly at her. “What did you say?” he gasped.
“I believe you heard me well enough,” Stephanie said, clasping her hands tightly behind her. “I am going to marry Runner, Adam. I love him. He loves me.”
Adam was aghast at the thought of what she was saying. And then a slow calm crept over him. He had to force himself not to smile smugly at her, for he knew that there would be no marriage ceremony between Runner and his sister. Adam had taken care of that by telling Runner the clever, calculated lie.
“So, you see, Adam,” Stephanie said, “everything is up to you now. You will have to go to the board meeting without me. And while there, I would like for you to take the photographs that I am going to take today. You must do this for me. I never want anyone to think that I didn’t earn what I was paid.”
“Yeah, I’ll do that for you,” Adam said in a growl.
Stephanie was puzzled by how he was taking the news about her marriage. She had expected him to shout at her. She had expected him to tell her that he would not allow it. Instead, he was taking it as calmly as if she told him that she was going to marry a rich millionaire from New York.
“Adam, you don’t care that I am going to marry Runner?” she said softly.
“You know that I do.”
“Then why aren’t you acting like it?”
“What do you expect, sis? For me to tie you to your bedpost?”
“No, not exactly.”
“Sis, I don’t plan to do anything but mind my own business from now on, especially where your private life is concerned.”
Stephanie looked at him at length, trying to see through his strange, uncharacteristic behavior. Then she shrugged and went back to her camera. After getting it adjusted and ready for shooting, the sound of an approaching horseman drew her quickly around. When she discovered who was riding like an unleashed beast toward her and Adam, she was stunned.
“Runner,” she gasped, her fingers going to her throat as fear gripped her. “Oh, Lord, it’s Runner. He has surely been following us.”
Adam paled. He looked wild-eyed from side to side, then behind him. There was no way he could get away from Runner’s wrath. Behind him was a sheer drop. On b
oth sides were more high rock formations. He was trapped.
He looked over at Stephanie. He could tell that she felt no less trapped than he, and he was glad at the reason. As long as Runner was angry at her for having come to Canyon de Chelley against his wishes, Runner would not discuss what Adam had told him.
He watched Runner rein his horse to a stop. His heart pounded as Runner stamped toward them, his eyes narrowed with anger.
Stephanie’s knees were weak as her and Runner’s eyes met and held. Never had she seen him this way. She had seen him angry before, but never had he been this venomous. And his anger seemed leveled only at her. He did not even seem to notice that Adam was there.
When Runner stormed on past Stephanie, she jumped with a start. Gasping, now realizing his intentions, she started to go after him to stop what he was planning to do. But his fingers had already separated the camera from the tripod. He had already ripped the plate from it.
Stephanie screamed when Runner threw the camera and plates to the rocky floor of the cliff, then ground his heel into them, over and over again until the camera was nothing more than strewn bits and pieces.
Speechless, Stephanie stared down at her broken camera. She jumped with alarm when Runner bent over and began gathering the pieces up, then rose to his full height over Stephanie and thrust them into her hands.
Runner still said nothing to her. He gave Adam a glowering stare, then turned and walked determinedly to his horse and swung himself into his saddle.
When he rode away, Stephanie seemed wrenched from her trance. She dropped the pieces of the camera and went to her horse and quickly mounted. In a flurry, she rode after Runner.
When she finally caught up with him, she began shouting at him to stop. When she begged him, over and over again, he wheeled his horse to a sudden stop and glared at her as she also drew a tight rein.
“Runner, I understand how you could be angry at me, but never would I expect you to be this upset,” Stephanie said, edging her horse closer to his. “I’m sorry. Please forgive me. I was wrong. I shouldn’t have ever come. Please forgive me? I love you. With all of my heart I love you.”
“You, who betray me more than once, can ask for forgiveness?” Runner said, laughing sarcastically. “Go back to your brother. You are of the same mind. You are of the same soul and heart. He leaned closer to her. “There is one thing I cannot understand. How could I have been fooled so easily by someone like you who uses a man for the glory of a brother?”
Stephanie paled, struck dumb by what he was saying. None of it made any sense. None of it had to do with her having just been caught taking photographs of a sacred Navaho site.
“What do you mean by the ‘glory of a brother’?” she said, her voice drawn. “What do you mean by saying that I am someone who uses men for the glory of my brother? I have never been guilty of such a thing.”
“You lie as easily as you deceive,” Runner hissed, angrily. “And I allowed myself to love you. I doubt I shall ever trust enough to love again.”
Stephanie shook her head slowly. “I have no idea what you are talking about,” she said, tears now falling. “The only thing I am guilty of is coming today to take photographs of Canyon de Chelley. The rest of what you are saying makes no sense whatsoever. How could you think that I could do anything to hurt you when I have told you often how much I love you?”
She brushed tears from her eyes. “Do you truly believe that I could pretend while we were making love?” she said, choking on a sob. “If so, I have enlisted in the wrong profession. I should have gone into acting.”
“That is a good idea,” Runner said, laughing again.
He nudged his horse to walk away, then turned and glowered at her one last time. “Adam told me the truth about how you were scheming together so that he could win the support of the Navaho for his town,” he said, his teeth clenched. “When Adam told me that you were using me only for his gain, that you were only pretending to love me, I did not want to believe him. But now that I see you here, going against my wishes, I am certain all that he said was true.”
Stephanie grew paler. She found what he was saying hard to comprehend. Could Adam actually stoop this low to keep Runner away from her?
“My brother told you many lies,” Stephanie said, pleading up at him with her eyes. “You must believe me, Runner. I would never use you. Never! I want to be your wife! Please believe me.”
“Never!” Runner said. He rode away from Stephanie, forcing himself to block out the sounds of her sobs.
A part of him wanted to turn his horse around and return to her. But the part of him that feared that Adam had told the truth made him ride stubbornly onward. He had wasted enough time on Stephanie and Adam. Although he had successfully stopped her from taking photographs of the sacred canyon, he knew that he still should have spent this time looking for his brother.
His brother was worth far more to him than the lying, scheming white woman ever would be again.
After Stephanie had regained her composure and wiped away her tears, she rode back to Adam. In one swift move she was out of the saddle. She stamped over to Adam and slapped him across the face.
“You are a deceitful liar, a coward, and a true son of a bitch,” she shouted. “Runner told me what you said to him about me being a part of a ploy to use him. How could you, Adam? Didn’t you know that I would find out? How did you expect me to react? I can hardly believe that you could stoop so low as to use me for your own monetary gains.”
“Sis, I . . .” Adam said, rubbing his hand over his throbbing cheek.
“Forget trying to make excuses,” Stephanie said, flipping her skirt around as she went to the tripod. Angrily, she lifted it and threw it down into the canyon. She then scooped up the pieces of the camera and tossed them also into the canyon.
“Sis, don’t,” Adam said, stopping her just as she reached the pack mule. “You’ll regret it if you throw away any more of the equipment. You may be angry now, but when you’ve regained your senses, you know that you’d regret throwing away that which is precious to you.”
“I just lost what is most precious to me,” Stephanie said, breaking into sobs. When Adam tried to pull her into his embrace, she fought him.
Through a torrent of tears she looked up at him. “Adam, I want no more part of you,” she cried. “After we get back to Wichita, I never want to see you again.”
“Sis, you can’t mean that,” Adam pleaded. “I’m your brother—”
“Thank God it is in name only,” Stephanie said. “I would hate being blood kin with the likes of you, for fear that some of your ugly, scheming ways might rub off on me.”
“What about the Santa Fe Railroad shareholders, who are expecting the photographs that you took?”
“The Santa Fe and its shareholders can all go to hell,” she said, mounting her horse again. “You can all take the same train there, as far as I’m concerned.”
Ignoring his shouts, she rode away from him. She was determined to find a way to make things right with Runner. She would not allow herself to lose him this easily.
Chapter 26
Brightest truth, purest trust in the universe—
All were for me
In the kiss of one girl.
—ROBERT BROWNING
As Thunder Hawk rode into his village with Sky Dancer snuggled against him, he was trying to muster up the courage to face his parents with the news that he was no longer just a son. He now had a wife. He and Sky Dancer had stopped midpoint between the two villages and had performed a simple ceremony that sealed their vows.
Now he had the task of revealing this truth to his mother and father. As his heart pounded harder the closer he came to his parents’ hogan, he knew that he dreaded facing them far more than he had dreaded Chief Red Moon. He had horses as payment for what he had requested of Chief Red Moon. He had nothing to offer his parents for their approval.
Perhaps I do have something to offer them, he quickly thought.
&nbs
p; A daughter-in-law.
Yet that could be the prime reason they would be upset with him today. Not because he had skipped school while acquiring a wife, but he had missed two days of schooling in a row. And he had to explain about the horses that he had used for his bride price. His father had often preached against stealing horses.
A slow smile moved across his lips as he recalled the recent raid on Damon Stout’s horses led by none other than his father. Surely his father could no longer condemn him for stealing horses, when he had now resorted to the same tactics himself, even if for different reasons.
Thunder Hawk held his chin high, thinking that his reason for stealing from Damon was honorable enough. In past history of the Navaho, he knew that stolen horses had paid for many brides.
He stiffened and his throat went dry when the approach of his horse brought his parents from their hogan. They stood watching now, surprised and puzzled by Sky Dancer’s presence on Thunder Hawk’s horse.
“Thunder Hawk, I’m frightened,” Sky Dancer said, as she offered her wide, dark eyes up to him. “What if I am not welcomed? What if they send me away? What if they send us both away? I wish that you would have told them of your plan to marry me. If they had disliked the idea, I would not know it. I would still be in my own village, sitting comfortably and innocently by the fire, weaving.”
“There were reasons why I could not tell them earlier,” Thunder Hawk said, tightening his grip on her waist reassuringly. He stared at his father as he talked. “I had hoped that you would be spared my parents’ wrath, especially my father’s. But I can see the anger building in his eyes as we approach. As for my mother? She will be stunned at first, then she will welcome you with open arms. Soon they will both be moved to love you. Who could not? You are the loveliest and sweetest maiden in the whole world.”
Wild Desire Page 23
