Deborah Camp (39 page)

“Valor, baby, please be quiet,” he said, jostling her on his shoulder. “You’re about to drive me out of my ever-lovin’ mind.”

She continued her impatient cries and sniffles. The trail veered and Tucker realized they were traveling toward Gus’ cabin.

“Good girl,” he said, pleased that Copper had
headed for her friends. Maybe she
had
suspected she was being followed and had decided to seek refuge at Gus’.

Tucker relaxed and patted Valor’s back. “Your mama is probably having supper with old Gus,” he murmured, smiling. “She’ll have a good laugh when we come riding up all worried about her. She and Gus will never let us hear the end of it.”

But as he neared the place where Copper would have veered off the ridge to ride into the valley where Gus had built his cabin, the tracks remained straight along the foothills. Tucker reined Brave and got off the horse to examine the hoofprints more closely. The other hoofprints smudged Ranger’s, evidence that the horsemen were still tracking Copper. He straightened and shaded his eyes to peer at the valley floor, appearing blue in the gathering shadows. A squatter’s cabin drew his attention. Smoke billowed from its chimney. He remembered Copper telling him about the squatter and how she’d left Floating Flower there to carve out a new life.

Climbing into the saddle again, he whistled for the dogs and directed Brave toward the squatter’s cabin. On the way, he held Valor every which way and still she complained.

“Sweetcheeks, I know you want your mama. I want her, too: But your crying sure isn’t helping me find her. Shhh.” His plea only provoked a lusty bawl from the fussy baby. He rolled his eyes and popped Brave’s sides with his heels, urging the big dapple gray into a canter.

A man and boy were plowing the fields to the north of the cabin, turning over the snowy, muddy earth in anticipation of spring planting. The boy pointed in Tucker’s direction and the man motioned for him to run to the cabin, probably to warn the others and get the man a rifle, Tucker thought. He reined in Brave to a walk and held up one hand in a peaceful salute.

“Are you Harlon Moss?” he called out.

“Aye. Who would you be?”

“Tucker Jones. I’m a friend of Copper’s.”

“Aye, she mentioned you to me.” Harlon Moss was tall and reed-thin. He wore a floppy, sweat-stained hat, which he removed to fan himself. Although the nip of winter hung in the air, he’d worked up a sweat. A band of black hair ran around the back of his head from ear to ear, leaving the rest pink and shiny. He squinted and his heavy, black-brows met above a thin beak of a nose. “What are you doing with her baby?”

“A piss-poor job of babysitting her,” Tucker said, grinning. He glanced toward the cabin. The boy was sneaking toward them, running in a crouch and carrying a Henry rifle. An Indian woman stood in the doorway. She held a baby in her arms. A toddler hugged her knees. Tucker lifted a hand and waved at her. “You must be Floating Flower! I’m Tucker. Copper’s friend.”

She nodded, but said nothing.

When Tucker looked back at Harlon, he found himself facing the barrel of a rifle. “Hey, there, friend,” Tucker said, making a placating gesture with his free hand. “I’m not here to harm you. I’m worried about Copper and I’m following her tracks.”

“She hasn’t been around here.”

“I know. Her tracks go past this place, but she was being followed by six horsemen. I just thought you might have seen something of them.”

“Nope.” Harlon snagged the boy’s shirtsleeve and hauled the youngster behind him. “We ain’t seen nothing. You’d best be on your way. That baby needs her mama.”

“Hell, I know that,” Tucker snapped, losing his patience and gritting his teeth against Valor’s constant wailing. “That’s why I’m out here! I’m looking for her mama, and I’m afraid something bad’s happened to her. Maybe not though.” He drew in
a calming breath, telling himself that he was overreacting. “I’m sure she’s at Gus’ place.”

“Gus ain’t home.”

The bad feeling returned, full-blown. “No? You sure?”

“I’m sure. He come by here two or three days ago and told me to watch over his place. Said he was going to the Boulder and maybe on to Fort Union to do some trading for supplies and wouldn’t be back until summer had greened up this valley. I just got back from there a few hours ago. Had to feed his animals. Nobody was there and nobody had been there.”

Tucker looked toward the snow-capped mountains. “Mercy, all the way to Fort Union?” He shook his head to sling his thoughts into order. “Then he wouldn’t be there to help her if she needed it. And she didn’t stop here. I guess she didn’t want to bring trouble to you folks. Of course, I’m presuming she knew she was being followed.”

“I’m not getting your meaning, fella. What are you mumbling about?”

“Copper. If Gus wasn’t home, Copper was out here on her lonesome, and those horsemen weren’t trailing her out of sheer boredom.” He jostled Valor, trying to dissuade her from crying. “Hush, baby. I can’t think when you’re squalling like that.”

Floating Flower disengaged the toddler from around her legs and left the shelter of the cabin. Harlon threw her a quelling glare.

“Woman, get back!”

She didn’t even afford him a glance as she held out her arms. “Give me the baby. She’s hungry, tired. You should not ride so far with one so young.”

“I know, but I didn’t have much choice in the matter. And I don’t have what she wants to eat.”

Floating Flower smiled. “I do.” She took the
baby into her enfolding embrace and tapped a finger against Valor’s trembling chin. “Cry, cry, Copper’s baby. Cry loud so your mama can hear you.”

“Don’t encourage her.”

“Woman, stand back from that stranger!” Harlon commanded.

“He is no stranger. He is Copper’s man. Put away that weapon, husband, and offer Copper’s man water and food.”

Harlon gave Tucker a thorough once-over before he rested the rifle in the crook of his arm. “Son, fetch the man a bucket of water for his horse. Climb down, Jones, and wet yore whistle.”

Tucker started to decline. Worry gnawed at him and he wanted to be quickly on his way while Copper’s trail was still clear. But his manners came to the fore and he found himself dismounting and handing the reins over to the boy.

“Mighty nice of you. I could use a drink, but then I’ve got to be on my way. I’m concerned about Copper. She should have been headed back for home long before now.”

Harlon motioned to the cabin. “Let’s go rest our bones. My woman will see to the babe.”

They walked to the cabin. Floating Flower went inside with Valor while Tucker and Harlon sat on tree stumps and sipped water from a wooden dipper. The boy set a bucket of water in front of Brave and the dogs and the dapple slurped noisily.

“She went to check on traps,” Tucker explained. “Should have been back by now.”

“You say she’s being followed?”

“Yes.”

“Indians or whites?”

“Indians, I’d say, from the tracks.”

“Which way they headed?”

Tucker pointed northeast.

“Gros Ventre maybe. Or Shoshone. Wouldn’t be Blackfeet this far from their hunting grounds.”

Tucker shivered, but not from the chill in the air.
“Gros Ventre, most likely. They’ve been trying to stir up trouble with us.”

Harlon eyed Tucker, then Brave. “Is that rifle the only weapon you’ve brought?”

“That and one of Copper’s bows and some arrows. She’s a wonder with them and she’s been teaching me. Sometimes I can actually hit the side of the barn with one.”

Harlon chuckled. “I’ll loan you my Colt and holster. If you’re going after her and it’s Gros Ventre following her, you ought not to take that baby along.”

Tucker nodded and noticed that Valor wasn’t crying anymore. He stood and peeked inside the cabin. Floating Flower sat in a barrel chair and rocked back and forth. She held Valor to her breast and the baby suckled hungrily. Floating Flower looked up from Valor’s sleepy eyes and smiled at Tucker.

“She’s very hungry. You don’t care that I feed her?”

“No, thanks. Copper left her with me.” He stepped further inside. “It was a show of trust, you understand. It’s important that Valor is looked after. Nothing can happen to her.”

“Nothing will.” Floating Flower ran a gentle hand over Valor’s dark hair. “Go find this one’s mother. I will watch over her like my own until you bring Copper back.” Her brown eyes met his. “This I promise you. I owe your woman and I pay her back by caring for her baby when she can’t.”

Her gaze moved a fraction to encompass the square of afternoon shadows and slanting sunlight through the open door. “It was my own people who took her.” She shook her head before he could fire questions. “I did not see. I did not hear. But I know.” She looked at him again. “There is one called Feet Like Wind who feels shamed by her. For peace to come, either he or Copper Headed Woman must die. He fears her and you.”

“Me? Why me?”

“He swears you were dead when he left to chase the others. He says Copper Headed Woman breathed her witch’s breath into you. He says you are a walking ghost, that you are a dead man with a witch’s curse inside you.”

Tucker shook his head, baffled. “A walking ghost, huh? A spook?” He chuckled to himself, but Floating Flower didn’t seem to think it was funny.

“You’d better go now. Soon darkness will hide the trail. Do you know where the Gros Ventre are camped?”

“Roughly.”

“Follow the ridge. When you reach a trail slanting down to the basin, take it. You will feel the temperature change and smell the moisture in the air before you reach the hot springs. They are camped there. Approach from the west where there are many cliffs and rocky crevices. Lookouts are posted all around, but only one or two west and they are on high perches. If you stay in shadow, they won’t notice you unless you make noise like most white men.”

“Guilty, but I’ll try to think Indian.”

She shifted her attention to Valor. “This one sleeps.”

“Then I’ll take my leave.” He touched Valor’s cheek lightly, hating to go on without her, but knowing it was best. “I’ll be back soon, sweetcheeks. Thanks again, Flower.” He glanced around. “Are you happy here?”

“Yes. Happy.” She smiled and settled back in the home-made chair. “Harlon Moss is good to me. We need each other and we make good life here.”

“Is there anything else you can tell me about your people that might help me?”

“Only that your scalp is much wanted, so guard it well.”

He slapped his bear hat against his thigh, dislodging
dirt. “I sure didn’t set out to make an enemy of Feet Like Wind. I don’t understand why he holds such a grudge against me. All I did was prosper under Copper’s medicine.”

“He counted coup on you.”

“So I’m told. I don’t recall much about it.”

“It dishonors him to have you walking around when he has counted you as dead by his hands. And the Gros Ventre fear Copper Headed Woman. Her medicine is known far and wide. That she took Feet Like Wind’s fallen enemy and stood him upright again is something Feet Like Wind cannot leave alone. It insults him. You and Copper Headed Woman insult him.”

Harlon came into the cabin and removed a holstered Colt from above the fireplace. He gave it to Tucker.

“It shoots true close up. That rifle you’ve got ought to do the job far away.”

“Thanks. I’ll bring it back to you.”

“Come back alive, you and Copper.” He slanted him an odd look. “You and her married? She’s your woman now?”

“We’re not married.” Tucker felt Floating Flower’s keen regard. “But she means everything to me. I’d gladly give my life for her.”

Harlon settled a hand on Tucker’s shoulder. “Let’s pray it doesn’t come to that. Good luck.”

“Thanks.” Tucker put on the hat Copper had made him and nodded respectfully to Floating Flower before leaving the confines of the cabin. The wind had picked up slightly, driving sharply across the flat valley floor. The Moss and Sartain children stared wide-eyed at him. They were an odd assortment; some blond, some dark, some freckled, some with skin as brown as bark. The boy Tucker had seen earlier stood near Brave, feeding the gelding handfuls of dry grass and straw. He smiled shyly as Tucker approached.

“You’re awful handy to have around, partner,”
Tucker said, ruffling the boy’s hair before he strapped on the gunbelt and secured the holster straps around his thigh.

“Hope you don’t have to use that,” Harlon said. The boy took his post slightly behind his father. The other children gathered at one corner of the cabin and whispered among themselves.

“Me, too. But I imagine I will.” Looking at the tall, gaunt man and the sharp-faced boy, half Gros Ventre and half French, Tucker envied them. His gaze strayed to the other children. Three of them broke away to kick a pigskin ball around the snowy yard. “Must be nice having a family. I’m glad you and Floating Flower hooked up.”

Harlon jerked his hat lower onto his forehead. “We both had our hardships. Copper was right to bring her here. Joining up lessened our load.” He grinned, quick and secretive. “And she’s a good cook, and pretty after a fashion. A man who looks like me can’t afford to be too picky.”

Tucker stuck out his hand. “Glad to make your acquaintance.”

“Same here.” Harlon shook his head. “Heard you was a soldier.”

“That’s right. A Union man.”

“They won. Did you hear about that?”

“Yes, I heard.” Tucker swung into the saddle and reined Brave away from the cabin. He nodded to the man and boy, then kicked Brave into a canter back toward the foothills and a trail that grew older by the minute.

If he hadn’t had the dogs with him, he would have made camp at nightfall. But Sentry and Patrol needed no light to sniff out the trail and Brave followed them, sure-footed and strong. Unencumbered, Tucker formed a plan in his mind during the quiet, desperate hours. He had plenty of ammunition stuffed in his pockets. He’d brought the
bow and arrows in case he needed a sneak attack. Guns tended to blow your cover.

It was true that Copper had been schooling him on the use of a bow and arrow, but he was only average with the weapon while Copper could slice a gnat in two using any one of her bows. It was during those bow and arrow lessons that his inadequacies had been reinforced. Copper could outshoot him and outhunt him. She knew which berries were full of poison and which ones to pick for cobblers. She brought home roots and herbs and ground them for seasonings and medicine. She made clothing and tools out of every conceivable material. In the middle of the most brutal mountain winter, Tucker knew Copper would survive. He also knew he wouldn’t.