“I think I’ll go outside,” she said quickly, and meant to walk away. Kyle’s hand reached out to stay her. Her head turned in his direction.
“There’s no need,” he said, still staring at his cousin. “Josh was just leaving. I’ll tell you when supper’s ready, cousin.”
What was the trouble? Kate wondered. She had the distinct feeling this had to do with her. Josh broke eye contact with Kyle, and looked at her. She held her breath. Instead of an angry look, or one of animosity, one side of Josh’s lips curved in a lopsided smile.
“Behave yourself, cousin,” Josh said, still smiling at Kate, but obviously addressing Kyle. “Miss Kate might need a big brother to defend her honor, and I don’t think you qualify.” He tipped his head to her, and sauntered out the door, leaving her to ponder his meaning.
Chapter 10
“It appears you have a protector, Katelyn.” Kyle grinned at her after Josh walked out the door. She looked at him in stunned silence, then shook her head.
“I believed you to be my protector, Kyle,” she finally said. His heart soared at her words. “Why would Josh appoint himself my protector?” Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
Kyle wiped some flour off her nose. “He’s wanting to protect you from me, sweetheart.” His eyes searched hers, waiting for her reaction.
“I don’t understand. I trust you.”
Kyle ran his hands through his hair, and cleared his throat. She wasn’t ready to hear the reason. He wasn’t sure he was ready to put it into words yet himself.
“No, Katelyn. I’ll never give you a reason to be afraid of me,” he said simply. He glanced around at the mess they’d made as a diversion for his true thoughts. Flour covered the floor, the workbench, and their clothing. Josh was absolutely right that she needed protection from him, he conceded.
“Kate, maybe you should move to the other cabin,” he blurted out suddenly. He turned to the workbench, and pulled a towel off one of the shelves above him, and began wiping the counter.
“Why?” Her voice rose in near panic.
“Are you comfortable living under the same roof with me?” He faced her again. “You could have the other cabin to yourself. Josh will move in here until I take you to Virginia City.”
Her eyes couldn’t hide her growing fear. “If . . . that is your wish. I will do what you ask.”
Kyle inhaled deeply and clenched his jaw. She was doing it again, dammit! Didn’t she ever make decisions for herself? “Kate, I’m asking what you want.”
She looked at him as if he’d asked her something incomprehensible. “I would rather stay here with you.” Staring at the ground, her answer was barely audible.
“Then you’ll stay here,” he said with finality. Katelyn’s reputation and virtue were safe with him. It wasn’t as if they shared the same bedroom. There was plenty of distance between the two rooms at either ends of the house. This wasn’t the city, where people would gossip. These remote mountains didn’t care whether a woman lived in the same house as he.
To hell with Josh and his Shoshone customs, where a man and woman that lived together were declared wed. Kyle wasn’t Shoshone. He had many friends amongst the various clans of mountain Shoshone that hadn’t yet been driven out of the area by whites. He respected their ways and beliefs, had grown up with them himself through his grandparents’ association with them, but he didn’t embrace their customs the way his cousin did.
The greater Yellowstone area was sacred land to the Tukudeka - the Sheepeater Shoshone - and remote enough that the encroachment of whites hadn’t affected their way of life. Yet. More and more settlers moved into the Montana Territory every year, and the Tukudeka’s very existence was being threatened.
Kyle’s work with Henry Washburn’s recent expedition had given him hope that something could be done by the government to help protect this area from private development. If the lands and resources here could be protected, then the Indians could retain their lifestyle. The idea of a national park as proposed by Nathaniel Langford while sitting around a campfire practically outside Kyle’s front door showed promise. California had done something similar with their creation of a state park to protect the great trees of the Yosemite Valley a few years earlier. Why not a park on a national level? He knew his grandparents would be pleased if this would become reality.
******
Kyle set a plate of steaming hot biscuits on the table, along with a pot of rabbit stew, a few hours later. Katelyn had wiped the counters while he swept the floor clean of flour, and he’d guided her through the dough-making process a second time. She’d rolled out the gooey mass and shaped the biscuits, while he took the rabbits outside to skin and gut them. She didn’t make a move unless he told her what to do, and it was starting to annoy the hell out of him. Stuffy Boston definitely had to go. If he accomplished anything during the time she was here, he swore he’d crack through her insecurity, and get her to start thinking for herself.
She’d gone to her room to change clothes before supper. Kyle wanted to point out to her that the day was nearly over, so why bother with a fresh set of clothes, but he held back. When it came to a woman’s reasoning, certain battles were not worth fighting. He’d learned that lesson with his sisters a long time ago. Josh walked through the front door, his eyes sweeping the table. His eyebrows raised in surprise.
“Somehow I figured I’d have to roast me a rabbit on the spit outside,” he said, and pulled a chair away from the table. “Where’s Miss Kate?” He reached for a biscuit and sat.
“Why don’t you wait til the lady joins us?” Kyle glowered.
Josh cocked an eyebrow, and held the biscuit in front of his mouth, ready to take a bite. “Since when are you so formal? Wait, you don’t have to answer that.”
“You could use a little more civilization, cousin,”
“And you need a little less,” Josh retorted. He paused to stare at Kyle, then asked, “Did you talk to her? Is she moving to the other cabin after supper?” He returned the biscuit to the plate.
“She doesn’t want to move, so she stays here.” Kyle glared at Josh, daring him to argue the point.
Josh shook his head, and shrugged his shoulders. He matched Kyle’s glare, and opened his mouth to speak, when the bedroom door behind him opened. Kyle’s chest tightened at the sight of her. He shot his cousin a quick look, warning him to keep his mouth shut with whatever he had intended to say.
Kate had changed into a blue floral calico dress, the color of which matched her eyes. The V-shaped neckline was outlined with a white lace trim. She didn’t fill out this dress any more than she had the yellow one, and Kyle hoped Josh wouldn’t comment the way he himself had done earlier. Although she had curves in all the right places, whichever of his sisters had owned these dresses was apparently larger through the bust. Kate had coiled the braided rope of her hair on top of her head, and pinned it in place. Several loose strands framed her pretty face. Although Kyle preferred to see her hair hanging free, she did look very attractive.
She hesitated when she stepped through the door into the main room. Her eyes darted to Josh, who’d thankfully gotten up from his seat, and turned to face her. The white man’s side of his upbringing wasn’t completely lost after all.
Josh flashed her one of his brilliant smiles that always seemed to gain him favor with the female members of his family. “Miss Kate, you look lovely,” he said, then moved to pull out a chair at the head of the table for her. Her large eyes darted to Kyle, who’d remained standing behind a chair he’d intended for her to sit in. He’d forgotten to move at the sight of her. Damn you, Josh! He ground his teeth, then nodded at her.
“You look very nice, Katelyn,” Kyle managed to say when she accepted the chair Josh offered. He pulled out his own chair, and sat, and Josh returned to his seat across from him.
Josh offered her the plate of biscuits, and she tentatively reached for one, placing it on the edge of her plate. “That looks and smells mighty tasty, Miss Kate,” he com
mented.
Kate shook her head slightly. “No, I –”
“She did a great job fixing supper,” Kyle interrupted before she could say she didn’t cook the meal by herself. He smiled and winked at her, and her eyes grew large. Quickly, she averted her gaze and stared at her plate. If she sat any stiffer in that chair, with her hands folded in her lap, she’d grow a broomstick for a spine. It seemed the only person truly at ease at the table was Josh. He piled large chunks of meat on his plate, and drowned three biscuits in gravy. Kyle ladled out some stew onto Kate’s plate when she made no move to do so herself, or even asked for any.
“Eat,” he coaxed softly, knowing she would, now that he’d said it. Sure enough, she picked up her biscuit and took a dainty bite. Kyle cursed under his breath.
“So, Kyle. What was in that letter I brought you?” Josh asked loudly. Kyle tore his eyes away from Kate, and looked across the table at his cousin.
“It was from Mr. Ferdinand Hayden in Washington,” Kyle replied. “The geologist who just finished an expedition through the area, and—”
“What’s a geologist?” Josh interrupted.
“It’s a scientist who looks at rocks and things in the earth, I think,” Kyle answered. Josh frowned. “He’s done a complete survey here, and is ready to present his findings to the government.”
“Hm,” Josh scuffed. “Why do men need to come here to survey things? Isn’t it enough to look upon the land and simply see it for it’s rare beauty?”
“Without a survey, the government won’t intervene to protect the area,” Kyle tried to explain. “It’s in the best interest of the Shoshone, or would you rather have white men come here and buy up the land, and tear it up? If the government can be persuaded to retain ownership, it will stay the way it’s been, and the sacred mountains will remain so.”
Kyle glanced at Kate. She hadn’t made a sound, her eyes focused on her plate. If this had been his family sitting around the table, the conversation would be rather loud by now, everyone vying for position to offer their own opinions.
“What do you think, Katelyn?” he asked. Her fork dropped to her plate, and she stared at him in disbelief. Josh shot her a questioning look.
“I . . . I don’t--”
“Yes you do,” Kyle said with more force than he’d intended. He’d be damned if he let her get away with saying she didn’t have an opinion. “You must have some thoughts about the things you saw while we rode here, and even before I met you.”
Kate sat stoically for a few moments, then she raised her chin. Kyle smiled inwardly.
“The land here is more beautiful than anything I’ve ever seen. The natural wonders of the water features, although frightening and dangerous, should remain as God has intended. If men like my . . . if people begin building roads and houses here, this place will be altered forever, and that would be a shame.”
Kyle grinned broadly. She did have a mind of her own. “Well said,” he whispered, leaning toward her, and Kate smiled at him.
“So why bring the railroad men here?” Josh asked, forking a large chunk of meat into his mouth. “You’re meeting up with some bigwig next month, aren’t you?”
“The railroad men have a lot of power in Washington,” Kyle said. “If they can be convinced that there’s money to be made building tracks that will enable people to come here and experience this place, rather than exploit it, they could have a lot of influence. It would only work to our advantage.”
Kate coughed, and reached for her cup of water.
“You okay?” Kyle asked. She nodded, but her eyes had gone large like they did when she was nervous about something. “What’s your opinion of the railroad, Kate? I’m sure you traveled part of the way to Montana Territory on a train.”
“I . . . I don’t have an opinion about the railroad,” she said, her voice clipped.
“But doesn’t it make sense that their backing can only help with getting Washington on board with the idea of preservation?” he prodded.
“I’ve not seen anything good come from anyone associated with the railroad,” she finally said. He raised his eyebrow at the icy tone in her voice.
“I’ll agree with that,” Josh said cheerfully from across the table. He leaned toward Kate. A piece of meat hung skewered on his fork, which he pointed at Kyle. “But my cousin here thinks that bringing some of those eastern dandies and their overstuffed wallets through here will be a good thing. What’s that man’s name who hired you, Kyle?”
“He’s part owner of the Northern Pacific Railroad, Hiram Devereaux.”
Kate’s tin cup fell to the floor with a loud clanking sound, spilling water over the wooden planks, and coming to a rolling stop a few feet away. Her hands trembled, and her face had lost all color. She abruptly rose from the table. “Ex . . . excuse me. I’m not feeling well,” she stammered, and dashed to her room.
Kyle and Josh both stared after her.
“What was that all about?” Josh asked.
Kyle’s eyes narrowed. “I have no idea,” he said slowly.
Chapter 11
Kate leaned back against the closed door of the bedroom, her hands clutched to her chest. Her breathing came in quick, spasmodic gasps, and her heart seemed to want to leap out of her throat. An icy sensation, like a cold hand, gripped her throat and squeezed, and the feeling traveled down her trunk, and through her extremities.
It couldn’t be! Her husband had hired Kyle, the one man she’d started to trust, and who could take her far away from Hiram’s clutches, to guide him through this paradise. Hiram would not see these mountains for their spectacular beauty and wonders. He would only see dollar signs. Now she knew why they had come to Montana Territory in first place. He’d always said there was a new business venture he was interested in, to benefit both him and his railroad, and Kate didn’t believe for a second he would hold the same beliefs as Kyle did about the land.
Kate pushed her hands against her throbbing temples, and tried desperately to slow her breathing. The shallow gulps of air left her with the sensation of drowning, and no matter how fast she breathed, she could not suck in enough oxygen to feed her starving lungs.
The impulse to run from the room, from this cabin, and get lost in the woods overpowered her, and every nerve ending on her body tingled with urgency. In her mind, Hiram stood right outside the door. He had her cornered again, and there was no escape. Her punishment for running away would be severe.
A soft knock sounded directly behind her. Her hand shot to her mouth and she strangled a gasp. Jumping away from the door, she wheeled around. It would open any second, and Hiram would come bearing down on her.
“Katelyn, are you all right?” Kyle’s concerned voice came from the other side. She sighed in relief. It wasn’t Hiram’s harsh, demanding voice. Her eyes darted around the room. She couldn’t face Kyle right now. He would see right through her lies, and demand answers. She hastily pulled the covers back on the bed, and doused the lamp on the nightstand, then tumbled onto the mattress, burying herself under the furs.
“Katelyn, I’m coming in if you don’t answer.”
“I’ve gone to bed, Kyle,” she called, hoping her voice sounded steady. She clutched the covers to her neck, and squeezed her eyes shut. Perspiration beaded her forehead. What if he came into the room? “I feel tired. I should be fine come morning.” Please let him believe me.
There was a slight hesitation. “Okay, Kate. Come and get me if there’s anything you need.”
“Thank you.” She waited, listening for the door to open. It didn’t. Kyle must have left. For the longest time she dared not move. She lay there under the heavy covers, the material of her dress sticking to her as sweat soaked her body. The faint sounds of chair legs scraping against the wooden floor, and the muffled voices of the two men in the main room gave her an odd comfort. When the front door creaked open and closed, she assumed it was Josh leaving to head back to his own cabin. Then all was quiet. Kyle must have retired to his room.
Kate slowly pushed the covers back, welcoming the cool air on her clammy skin. She scooted to the edge of the bed and pulled her legs over the mattress, and bent to unlace her shoes. The action caused her to clutch at her side, and she drew in a sharp breath, the pain a constant reminder of why she’d run away. After removing her dress, and unpinning her hair, she stood in the dark, hugging herself, and let the tears fall.
Her newfound happiness was short lived. What would she do now? She had no escape from this remote valley without a guide. She tried to recall her conversations with Kyle, and things that Josh had said. Kyle planned to take her to Virginia City when he delivered some horses to a customer. Josh mentioned that Kyle was to meet Hiram next month. Meet him where? It sounded as if Kyle would take her to Virginia City first. There was a good chance she was still safe. Unless he was to meet Hiram there! The thought sent a renewed wave of panic through her. She inhaled deeply to calm her racing heart. You’ve got some time, Kate. Three weeks. Perhaps an idea will come to you.
The cool air chilled her, standing in only her chemise, and she climbed back in bed, drawing a few of the furs over her. Perhaps all was not lost. She would try and find out more about Kyle’s plans in the morning. She might still be able to enjoy some freedom for a few weeks. After that, her future seemed as murky as some of those muddy hot springs they’d passed by on the ride to this valley.
*****
Kate woke from a fitful sleep. She had lain awake for hours, staring into the darkness, her mind racing with thoughts of what she should do. No clear answers came to her. She opened her eyes, and sunlight filtered in through the small window of the room. Kate’s eyes drifted to the photo on the dresser. Kyle’s grandparents smiled softly at her, and her vision blurred. The look of peace, love, and happiness on the couple’s face was in sharp contrast with her own experiences. She wondered what she had done to deserve such misery in her life.
Yellowstone Awakening (Yellowstone Romance Series Book 3) Page 8
