Reaching the summit, Katrina breathed a sigh of relief. Standing for a moment to rest, she looked around at their surroundings. The top was surprisingly flat and, she noted, free of any large creatures that could harm them. Her gaze turned to the view beyond. It was spectacular.
Morning Hawk had released Katrina's hand and continued on to a circle of rocks with old ashes in the center. Joining her, Katrina freed herself of the sling and, following Morning Hawk's instructions, built a fire.
“And now sit with me,” the old woman instructed.
“Is the path we took the only one up to the top?” Katrina asked before choosing her spot.
Morning Hawk nodded. “Yes.”
Katrina chose a position where she could see the entrance to the path and seated herself.
Morning Hawk grinned. “You have a good instinct for survival.”
“Caution has kept me alive on more than one occasion,” Katrina replied, wishing she'd exercised more before allowing the old woman to get her outside of the house.
From the sack she was carrying, Morning Hawk produced a thermos of coffee and two tin cups. Next came two peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. “They are my favorite,” she said with a girlish laugh.
“I like them, too,” Katrina admitted accepting hers gratefully. She also admitted that even hardtack would taste good at this moment.
They ate in silence watching the flames dancing and the smoke spiralling to the heavens. When they had finished with the sandwiches, Morning Hawk continued to remain silent. Finally, hoping to coax the old woman into telling her why they were here, Katrina said, “It is beautiful here. Sort of eerie but beautiful.”
Morning Hawk merely nodded, but said nothing. Clearly the old woman was determined to choose when they would talk and now was not the time. Katrina let her gaze travel slowly over their surroundings and then to the sky. She hadn't lied when she said it was beautiful there. She felt as if she could reach up and almost touch the stars. She'd never seen so many.
They sat for a long time that way, with only the sounds of the night and the crackling fire breaking the stillness.
Finally, wondering if Morning Hawk had fallen asleep, Katrina glanced at her to find the old woman staring into the flames. As if she sensed Katrina's attention, Morning Hawk said, “We are taught to honor our ancestorsâto learn from them.” She looked to Katrina. “But there are some lineages, such as your father and those who sired him, when it is better to break with the past and begin anew. Have you made any effort to learn of your mother's people?”
“I know who they were. They were honest, law-abiding citizens.”
“But they refused to have anything to do with you even after you went out on your own.” Morning Hawk shook her head disapprovingly.
“Vince Garduchi is a man to fear,” Katrina said in her grandparent's defense, hiding the hurt their rejection had caused.
Morning Hawk nodded. “Only the stupid do not fear evil. But you denounced it and have made your own path. Your mother's people are very unlucky to not have gotten to know you. It takes courage and a good heart to venture out into an unknown wilderness with no guide but your belief in what is right.” Amusement suddenly entered her voice. “Or with an old woman you fear is several eagle feathers short of a full wing.” Taking Katrina's hands in hers, she smiled. “My great-grandson needs a strong woman. You will suit him well.”
That Morning Hawk approved of her caused her to wish that the woman's words were true. Quickly, she squelched it. “No, I will not. He will be shaded by the same shadow of distrust that hangs over me.”
“You are wrong. Both my family and the Logans are known as people of honor. Boyd has chosen you and he would never choose a woman he did not trust. And others will honor his choice.”
Katrina stared wistfully into the fire. “I have too much experience to believe that is possible. But even if it was, I have vowed to bring Vince Garduchi down and I won't endanger Boyd's life for my own revenge.”
“You must have more faith in others. As for not endangering Boyd, he will not let you go after Garduchi alone. You will either have to give up that quest or get used to him being at your side.” Morning Hawk gave Katrina's hands a squeeze. “Look. The rays of a new day are dawning.”
Looking to the east, Katrina saw the first light of sunrise coming over the horizon. It was as if the whole earth was being born anew.
That is a fantasy,
she mocked herself. When she descended from this mesa, she would be returning to the real world. Garduchi was a part of that world and she would never be free to forget him or the taint of her family's association with him until justice was done...and she would find a way to convince Boyd that she had to do that on her own.
The sound of approaching horses' hooves reached them.
“I think we have been discovered,” Morning Hawk said.
Katrina rose and saw three riders coming their way with two empty mounts in tow. Looking back toward Morning Hawk, she saw the elderly Indian woman throwing dirt on the fire to smother it. Quickly, she moved to help her. They had doused the fire and were on their way down when the riders reached the mesa.
“Katrina, Morning Hawk, are you up there?” Boyd's angry tones sounded from below.
“We're on our way down,” Katrina called back.
“He obviously hasn't had his first cup of coffee yet,” Morning Hawk observed with a grin.
Katrina didn't grin back. Boyd, she could tell, was furious. As they left the walled part of the trail and made their way along the narrow ledge, a wave of fear washed over her. In the dark, she had not been able to see the drop below. Now, she marveled that they had not fallen and been seriously injured or even killed.
All the way out here, Boyd had pictured Katrina lying at the base of the mesa, bloodied and broken. That she was unharmed brought relief but his lingering fright fed his anger. “I cannot believe the two of you came out here in the dark,” he growled when they reached the bottom.
“I could not sleep. I wanted to go for a walk and Katrina was kind enough to accompany me,” Morning Hawk said spritely, clearly unaffected by her great-grandson's tone.
Boyd directed the full force of his fury at his great-grandmother. “You could have gotten both you and Katrina injured, even killed.” He parroted what Katrina had been thinking.
Morning Hawk smiled patronizingly. “Nonsense. I come here often before dawn to watch the sunrise. And if Katrina had shown the least bit of clumsiness, I would have stopped the climb.” She turned toward Katrina and her smile warmed. “But she is surefooted and proceeded with just the right amount of caution... not too much and not too little.”
Katrina again looked toward the open portion of the path and a chill worked its way up her spine.
Turning back to the men she saw Slade shaking his head at his great-grandmother. “You had Boyd scared half out of his mind.”
“Looks like we're going to have to post a guard on any female we bring home to meet the folks,” Jess said.
Morning Hawk frowned at the three men. “I don't know why two women can't go for a walk without causing an uproar.”
Boyd's gaze shifted to Katrina. “You should have woken me. It's not safe for a greenhorn to go wandering around on their own.”
“She wasn't on her own,” Morning Hawk reminded him curtly, before Katrina could respond.
His gaze swung back to her. “She does not know what to look for to avoid the dangers out here.”
“But I do. She was as safe as she would have been anywhere,” Morning Hawk retorted. “Life is never guaranteed. It was necessary for me to spend some time alone with her. I would not want my great-grandson making a mistake in the choice of a wife.”
“You could have sat on the porch,” Boyd growled.
“It doesn't offer the view of the sunrise you can get from the mesa. Nor would it test a person's spirit.” Morning Hawk walked to the gray mare. “Katrina and I are hungry after our morning's exertion. It's time to go back to the ranch for breakfast.”
Boyd shook his head in frustration and again turned to Katrina. His anger had cooled but the fear he'd felt for her continued to linger. “Slade is right. I was scared half out of my mind when I found out you were gone. I still can't believe you came with her. Surely you realized how dangerous it was to go wandering around in the dark.”
Again before Katrina could respond, Morning Hawk spoke. “She had no choice. I threatened to disappear into the night if she woke any of you.” The elderly woman smiled at Katrina. “She has courage and a good heart. You both have my blessing.” She turned to Jess. “Now, give an old woman a hand into the saddle.”
This whole excursion had been a test, Katrina realized. That she'd passed gave her no pleasure. It didn't change anything.
Mentally, Boyd cursed. By putting Katrina to this test, his great-grandmother had given her more reason than ever to believe she would always be mistrusted until she proved herself. As the others headed back to the ranch house ahead of them, he said, “She shouldn't have done that, but it's her way. It's part of her culture. She would have done it to anyone I brought home.”
Tears burned at the back of Katrina's eyes. “If walking through hot coals would prove to the world that I'm an honest woman, I'd do it for you. But passing your great-grandmother's test isn't going to make any difference. I doubt her approval will carry much weight in the world beyond this ranch.” Recalling the cautious glances cast at the old woman by her daughter and granddaughter and Boyd's brothers, she added, “Or even here.”
He caught her by the shoulders. “I've told you, I don't give a damn what the rest of the world thinks.”
“Someday you will and you'll regret ever meeting me.” She could no longer bear the strain of fighting him. For his good, she had to get away from him as quickly as possible. “I'm flying back to St. Louis today and I don't want you coming along.”
Maybe he was making a fool of himself. Maybe she didn't love him as much as she professed. “Nobody's family tree is without a few rotten apples. I love you and I want to marry you, but I'm not asking again.”
Tears welled in her eyes. “I can't.”
“Won't,” he corrected curtly. He motioned toward their horses. “Do you know how to ride?”
“A little.” She saw the anger and the hurt in his eyes.
Better his pride is wounded than his life ruined.
Â
Back at the ranch, she accepted the apologies from the rest of the family with quiet reserve. Unable to eat, she went to her room to pack.
A knock sounded on the door as she zipped her bag shut. Before she could respond, White Moon entered and closed the door behind her. “My son loves you. The same argument you are using to refuse him is very like the one I used with his father. I was certain marrying an Indian would cause him grief. There are still many who are not willing to accept mixed marriages. But he convinced me I was wrong. And when I recall the life we had together and I look at my sons I have proof he was right.”
Katrina walked to the window. Boyd was in one of the corrals helping Slade rope a horse. “The truth is, I'm afraid. I love him so much. I couldn't bear to see him wishing he had not chosen me. Besides, I have unfinished business with Garduchi and I won't put Boyd's life in danger for my own personal vendetta.”
“My husband was a one-woman man. Once his heart was given, it belonged to me forever. My sons are cut from the same cloth. As for putting his life in danger, it is always in danger. That is the nature of the work he has chosen.”
Outside, the men had roped the horse. It was rearing, trying to break free. The hooves came down very near Boyd and panic raced through her. “What are they doing?”
White Moon joined her at the window. “That's a wild stallion Jess brought in a couple of days ago. He wants to tame him and breed him.”
“You mean they're going to try to ride him?” Katrina didn't wait for an answer. Dashing through the house, she ran out the back door and all the way to the corral. “Boyd Logan!” she yelled, climbing the railing. “Don't you dare get on that horse.”
Slade cocked an eyebrow. “I thought you said she'd refused to marry you. She sure sounds like a wife.”
Boyd looked over his shoulder. Seeing the panic on her face, he knew she loved him as deeply as he loved her. His expression hardened. “Only the woman I'm going to marry can tell me what to do and what not to do.”
The horse reared again. Terror swept through her. She couldn't bear the thought of him getting injured if there was any way she could prevent it. “I'll marry you. Now get out of that corral!”
“Slade, you hear that?” Boyd asked, as they again fought to get the horse under control.