BROKEN
PROMISESBROKEN
PROMISESThe last thing Kid had expected to be doing today was what he was doing. In fact, if he had thought about ever doing this on any day, he would not have dreamt it possible. He would have been happy to have never even thought of the events of that day, ever again, to have been allowed to forget the soldier who had kidnapped and terrified Lou, attempted to kill him and had accomplished murder and more on many helpless women. Instead he was traipsing around the side of this mountain, dodging snakes and trying not to slip into the abyss that he had so amazingly been saved from barely three weeks before, searching for that very same man. Once word had gotten up and through channels exactly who this soldier was, word had come back down those very same channels that he had been carrying important information. Cody’s captain had been accompanied by a gentleman straight from Washington when he had come to ask their help in locating the man.
Kid sat on a nearby rock to rest a minute, the others gathered around following suit. Since he had been the one to see the man fall, they were looking to him to help narrow down the search area. Cody was there as part of his unit, Jimmy just because it was something different to do and Lou had taken his run today, and another dozen or so soldiers brought up the rear. Kid was feeling positively smothered. If he turned to the right, a sea of blue flowed behind him in the same direction, if he turned to the left the entourage about faced and followed right along. When he sat, they sat, or milled around him in an endless churning mass that was getting on his nerves. Worst of all, they had been looking for hours and so far, nothing. Kid was beginning to feel desperate to find the man if only to prove to himself that he was really dead. All the talk of magic and special powers made him wonder if the soldier had had a little of his own.
Jimmy came to sit next to him, raising his face to the sun, squinting and calculating. “I reckon it’s getting to be about 2, what do you think?”
“I think if we don’t find him, we’re going to spend the night on this cold, hard ground.”
“Hmmph.” Jimmy grunted. “Why were you so happy to help these men, Kid? Seems odd to me that you’d go out of your way to help the army.” Kid glanced away from Jimmy, trying to hide the irritation he felt.
“I came because Teaspoon asked me to. No other reason.”
“Any idea what this guy was carrying?”
“Teaspoon just said papers, that’s all. I’m not sure he even knows.”
“Papers, huh. Could be anything. But probably is something that isn’t goin’ to make any of us happy.” Kid had felt the same way. He had wanted to know what the papers were before he would agree to help but Teaspoon had asked as a personal favor to him. He said they were real important and that Kid should just trust him. And so he had. And here he was, tired, dirty and thinking he’d be spending a night on the cold, hard ground instead of in his nice warm bed back home. He would have been sleeping alone anyway, in fact would be for the next several nights. Lou had begged him to let her take the next run which just happened to be a two day jaunt all the way to St. Jo. Since the kidnapping she had been on edge, nervous, jumpy.
“You still mad at Lou?” Jimmy tried changing the subject but this new topic was just as painful to Kid. He shot him a look that he hoped said “back off” but Jimmy had never been very good at reading looks.
He sighed heavily and answered, “No”.
“Oh, come on Kid, it wasn’t that big of a deal. She got mad at you and had dinner with the guy, not like she slept with him or anything.” Kid’s hand shot across his chest and grabbed Jimmy’s collar. That would normally have been enough to send the hot headed rider for his gun but for once sensitivity ruled Jimmy’s tempestuous emotions and he merely cocked an eyebrow at Kid. “Kid, I’m just talkin’. Take it easy.” Kid came to his senses just as quickly as he had lost them and let loose of Jimmy, settling back on the rock again.
Kid groaned to himself as he spotted Cody working his way past the other men towards them. He must have seen the action. Now he’d have to be explaining to Cody and he was tired of explaining things. He was tired of telling everyone that all was forgiven, especially Lou. All was not forgiven. That she had forgotten her vows so easily grated on him. And that she had tried to say that it was his fault positively incensed him. He had done nothing except visit with friends. The more he had thought of it, the angrier he had gotten and now, even if he had been in his bed at home, and even if his wife had been beside him, he had a feeling it would be as cold and hard as the night they would spend out here. His anger with her before the kidnapping had focused on the promise she had forced from his lips. Now it included the promise that she had made to him and broken, to love and honor and keep. He felt his anger justified and the fact that he now harbored secrets of his own was perfectly acceptable to him in the light of Lou’s deception.
Cody reached the two men and proceeded to park himself on the rock between them. “Gentlemen! I think it’s time we get back to work, what do you say?” he said almost cheerfully.
“You can talk Cody. I haven’t seen you do anything but run around telling these poor slobs what to do all afternoon.” Jimmy shot him a disgusted look.
“Someone’s got to be in charge, and the captain says it’s me. Groomin’ me for bigger and better things I’m sure.” Both boys rolled their eyes behind Cody’s back.
“You got any idea what it is this guy was carrying?” Jimmy asked. Cody had never been a good liar, always too excited by the power of knowing something that someone else wanted to know. He could usually be convinced to talk, a little flattery, maybe an expression of doubt as to the validity of his knowledge. Jimmy began to work on him but the blond rider for once was silent. Either this army business was hardening him or perhaps, this secret was important enough that even their arrogant, self centered Cody understood and was willing to lose a chance at the limelight to protect it. He shrugged off Jimmy’s attempts and slapped both men on the thigh.
“Let’s get going boys, I want to be home by dinner.” Kid and Jimmy just shook their heads in amazement. Five minutes later one of Cody’s soldier’s found the killer and Cody was right, they were eating Rachel’s biscuits and stew for dinner. And that night Kid was sleeping in his cold, hard, lonely bed.
“Boys! Get out here. Now!” The bunkhouse door opened and Cody and Jimmy filed out. Kid and Buck came from the direction of the barn, Kid still holding a brush in one hand.
“What is it, Teaspoon?” Jimmy asked, recognizing from personal experience the tension in the older man’s voice. Are you mad about something? ‘Cause if you are, I’d like a little warnin’.” Teaspoon didn’t answer, instead looped his thumbs through his belt and stood gently rocking back and forth on his feet while he waited for the four men to assemble.
“Where’s Lou?” he asked realizing that one of these riders should be out doing their job right now and the only one missing was the only one that shouldn’t be. Kid absently rubbed the brush he held against his thigh, as he seemed to struggle for the words to answer. “Simple question Kid. Where’s your wife?”
“She went on a run, Teaspoon. Now wait before you get all riled up.” He held up a hand to hold off Teaspoon’s explosion. “She wanted to go to St. Jo. She needed a break. After what she’s been through, I can’t say as I blame her. She asked me and I didn’t think it would hurt.” Teaspoon cocked his head at the young rider before him not sure what tact to take. She didn’t really work for the company anymore and they’d all been in a mess of trouble if anyone found out but he certainly understood what she had gone through and the pressure that was likely to have built up inside of her the last weeks. In fact in the last few months everything in her young life had changed drastically. It was more than just the memories of the kidnapping that she needed a respite from, he felt sure.
“Well, I guess if you could let her go, you’d have more reason than any of us to have a problem with it, there ain’t no reason for me to complain, huh?” Kid nodded his agreement. Teaspoon cleared his throat and cast a glance around the expectant faces before him. “I need to talk to you boys about somethin'.” Jimmy dropped onto the top step and Cody sank down next to him. “Don’t worry, this shouldn’t take long. First, I want to thank you on behalf of the army for finding that information yesterday.” Jimmy raised his hand as if in school. “Yes, Jimmy, what is it?”
“Are we ever gonna get to find out what was in those papers he had on him?” Teaspoon seemed to pale a little and pursed his lips.
“I’m not sure it’s any of our business,” he answered at last, his discomfort obvious. He focused back on what he’d called them together for though and continued, “What I’m about to say probably ain’t either but, I’ve got to ask. Someone brought a package by at the jail. Thought it might belong to one of us. Seems it was left at the Express Station in Sweetwater with just a note that said it belonged to one of the Pony Express riders, no other information. No one there claimed it so they thought, given the fact that we used to all be there, that it might belong to one of you.” The boys began to show some interest once they realized they weren’t in trouble and in fact might be getting something out of this particular discussion with their leader.
“Well, what is it?” Cody piped up. “Can’t say as I would be expecting anything but then, you never know.” Teaspoon’s eyes locked onto Cody’s innocent blue gaze and shook his head slightly.
“No, probably you wouldn’t be expecting this, and the chances of it bein' yours are pretty slim, but you’re right Cody, you just never know.” He stepped up onto the porch behind Cody and Jimmy where he retrieved a box, about the size of an apple crate, covered with a rough blanket. Teaspoon set the box down gently next to Jimmy. He paused once more to look over the eager faces gathered around him, then knelt beside the crate and removed the cover with a flourish. All four boys leaned forward eager to see what had been delivered and each in turn jumped back in surprise and shock when they realized what the box contained. Jimmy and Cody launched themselves from their seat on the top step and joined Buck and Kid standing in the yard. Buck shifted uneasily from one foot to the other. Jimmy tucked his hands under his armpits and began to kick at dirt with his toe. Cody and Kid stared at Teaspoon, their mouth’s hanging open.
Well boys?” Teaspoon asked from where he crouched next to the box. “This belong to any of you? Kid?” The young man didn’t hesitate.
“No, Teaspoon, not a chance.” Teaspoon couldn’t hide his relief. What a disaster if Kid had claimed this prize. He shifted his gaze to Jimmy, next in line. Jimmy looked up from his feet to face Teaspoon’s solemn gaze. He wrinkled his brow as if thinking hard.
“Don’t think so, not that it’s impossible or anythin’, just don’t think the timing would be right.” Not a sure enough answer to satisfy Teaspoon, but it would have to do for now, he supposed. Cody was already shaking his head.
“No, no way.”
“You sure Cody? I mean, you’re the one that’s always talking. You sure it ain’t yours?” Cody shook his head harder.
“No.” Difficult to argue with that and Teaspoon wondered if the boy’s stories were just that, stories. One final possibility, the least of his worries, he turned to the last rider in line.
“Buck?”
“It couldn’t be mine,” he stated flatly. Teaspoon breathed a sigh of relief. He stood up and practically danced down the stairs to join the boys in the yard but almost as soon as he arrived, his relief faded as he began to wonder what on earth he was going to do with this package. He turned to look up at the box on the step, drumming his fingers on his chin as he considered his options when Buck’s next words slapped him from behind, “Could it?” He spun around to face the young man.
“What?”
“Well, I’d think you’d know if it was mine, wouldn’t you?” Teaspoon closed his eyes and his shoulders sagged as the boy’s words sank in. He turned slowly back towards the porch, his step anything but light as he climbed the stairs. He pulled the blanket back further and carefully removed the contents of the box. He carried it gingerly towards the young man at the bottom of the stairs, the young man who he had not once thought seriously as a contender for ownership. Buck’s eyes had grown large and fearful as Teaspoon approached. The other boys had at first stepped away from him as if he had the plague, but as curiosity won out over their desire to distance themselves from this particular problem, they gathered around to get a better look. Teaspoon held the bundle carefully in his arms and stripped back the cover that was wrapped around it.
The baby slept peacefully, unbelievably so considering what it had been through these last days. It had a dark fuzz of hair on its head, not enough to tell the color other than it most assuredly was not blonde. It’s skin was perfect, not mottled like most babies Teaspoon had seen, but not exceptionally dark either. Teaspoon looked at Buck’s face and then back to the tiny creature in his arms. “Could be,” he thought. “Could very well be.” Just then the child scrunched its face in a yawn, fisting its tiny hands as it stretched. Immediately after, two exquisite eyes opened, revealing a color Teaspoon had seen only once before, the color of liquid chocolate. Buck’s head shot up and he locked on Teaspoon’s gaze.
“I guess it could be.
Buck had never experienced such a long night in his life. He had spent nights out in the open in the snow and rain, he had been sick more times than he cared to remember wishing through the darkness for his agony to end, he had lost loved ones and had spent lonely hours tossing and turning, trying to forget the pain of that loss. But this night, oh this night! Every time his head hit the pillow the tiny baby in the box at the end of his bed would stir. Her cries started out like the soft bleating of a lamb but by the time he had reached her side her screams could wake the dead. The fact that all three riders were wide-awake was proof of this fact.
Nothing seemed to help either. He carried her, rocked her, sang her soft Kiowa lullabies. He fed her and then fed her some more and when that didn’t work, fed her still more. Feeding at least quieted her cries for the few moments that she would suck on the bottle. He then stood bouncing her on his shoulder. Cody came to review the situation, typical for him, he shoved his face in the baby’s as she was slung over Buck’s shoulder and began to ask questions as if Buck had any idea of the answers.
“Why won’t she quit cryin’? What the hell’s the matter with her? Why on earth did Rachel leave her here? You sure don’t know what you’re doin’. Maybe we should feed her some more.” At that moment the tiny creature hurled every last bit of milk that had been coaxed down her throat for the last hour right into Cody’s face. He ran screaming from the bunkhouse leaving behind a bewildered and exhausted Buck, a hysterical Jimmy and a much happier baby. Not that that lasted for very long.
Dawn came at last, revealing riders strewn across the room where they had dropped. Kid had come to join them sometime in the night and he had curled up on his old bunk after his own futile attempts to calm the child. Jimmy and Cody were on the floor where they had ended the night with a game of poker each taking turns bouncing the little girl in their laps as they played. She had turned out to be a good luck charm, whoever held her won and by the fourth hand they were fighting over her. Buck had stepped in, retrieved the fussing infant and settled himself in the rocking chair Teaspoon had carried down from Rachel’s. He had fallen asleep with the child on his shoulder, the tiny infant tucked up against the side of his face. That was the picture that greeted Rachel when she came to fix breakfast. She managed to do so without waking a single person. When she went to take the sleeping child from Buck, his hold had tightened around her and Rachel finally had to wake him.
“Let me put her to bed, Buck. Then I think maybe you should climb in yourself, you look terrible. Didn’t she sleep last night?” He let loose of her finally and tried to focus his eyes on Rachel’s back as she moved away with the baby. His baby? He was sure of it. He had never been more sure of anything in his life. And today he would begin his search for the baby’s mother, find out why she had given up her daughter, and why she had never told Buck about this little surprise. He dragged himself to his feet and went to the pump rather than to bed, splashing cold water on his face to bring himself fully awake, or at least as awake as he could be after last night. The door to the tack room opened to reveal a well-rested Teaspoon Hunter. He met Buck as he rose from the pump, slapped him on the back and congratulated him on a successful night.
“What are you talking about,” Buck said through clenched teeth. “What planet were you on last night?”
“You mean that little angel was a problem? I find that hard to believe. I certainly didn’t hear anything out of her.” He turned and headed for the bunkhouse and his breakfast. He had no illusions that Buck had had an easy night, in fact, that had been his plan, to leave the child in her father’s care and give the boy a taste of what the mother most assuredly had been dealing with. He had no idea what had brought this package to rest on their doorstep, what would compel a mother to give up her child, but he wanted to be sure that whatever Buck might think, it would be tempered by even this single night of experience.
“You’ll see,” Buck said following, dragging his feet. He wasn’t anxious to hear those cries again. Something about them tore at his very soul. It was all he could do last night to listen to her and not be able to do anything to comfort her. And it had been probably two hours since she had been fed last. Any minute now the tiny bleats would start, the thought gave him chills. Teaspoon stopped on the porch. Yep, she was already tuning up. Teaspoon’s face when he turned was a different picture entirely. The well-rested and satisfied look of moments ago was gone, replaced with a grimace of pain. He stepped back off of the porch, took Buck by the arm and made a beeline towards the corral.
“You know, I told you last night we needed to have a little talk. I think now’s the time, don’t you?” Buck found himself glancing behind him as Teaspoon led him to the fence unable to tear himself from the need those cries awoke in him. Teaspoon pushed him up against the fence post and leaned himself against the gate facing Buck. He had to drag Buck’s face around with the palm of his hand so that they were eye to eye. He did it several more times in the course of their conversation, each time the baby screamed it drew the young man’s attention like a magnet.
“So you want to tell me the story of that precious little bundle up there? And you got any idea why she’s here and not with her mama?” Buck had known this little talk would occur, and even though he had practiced during the night the words he would use to explain his lapse of sense and decency, when faced with the man who was as good as a father to him, his mind went blank. There were no words to excuse what he had done and Buck was certain that Teaspoon would not understand. This man’s disappointment in him would hurt more than any blow he had received in his life or cruel act visited upon him. So the words he used contained only facts, no excuses, and the facts were pretty simple. He cleared his throat and looked at anything but the man in front of him as he spoke.
“You remember Emory Pike?”
“Of course.”
“You remember how he killed that man in Falls Church and the man’s daughter went looking for him and she shot at us and then I tracked her and found her? You remember that?” Teaspoon nodded his head.
“Jane, her name was Jane wasn’t it?” It was Buck’s turn to nod. “She came out to the mission when we rescued Amanda and Lou. And then you took her back to Falls Church.” Teaspoon continued and Buck nodded again. The facts, plain and simple. Teaspoon didn’t offer any more and Buck would have been satisfied to leave it there too only the older man gave him an encouraging look and said, “well?”
“Well, it took us several days to get there, we ran into some bad weather, and well, we, we, you know, well, I guess that’s where she came from,” he motioned towards the bunkhouse. Teaspoon shook his head slowly and whistled under his breath.
“Buck, how could you? She wasn’t but a child herself and her losin’ her pa and all, she was needin’ your support, your protection. You took advantage of the situation. I would have never thought you would do somethin’ like that boy.” It was as bad as Buck had imagined. The disappointment on Teaspoon’s face stabbed right to his soul. He knew there was no defense for what he had done but he had an overwhelming need to erase that look and restore his mentor’s faith in him.
“I loved her Teaspoon. I wouldn’t have done that otherwise. I swear it.”
“You loved her,” the older man snorted. “Son, how do you love someone you’ve known for what, all of a week? Explain that to me.” Buck could only shrug his shoulders. He knew the truth and he knew how silly it sounded. He had fallen in love with her the moment he had raised his knife to kill her and gazed into her wild and soulful eyes.
“I know it sounds hard to believe but I truly did and I believe she felt the same for me,” he could tell Teaspoon wasn’t buying it, his dark eyes flashing his doubt. “It was her idea anyway,” Buck mumbled, one last futile attempt to defend himself. It was a very poor choice of weapon. The man before him grabbed him by the collar and flung him back up against the fence, shoving his face inches from Buck’s. He could feel Teaspoon’s hot breath on his cheeks, see the anger and disgust in his eyes.
“Shut your mouth,” he hissed, his voice low and ominous. “She was a child, boy, and she came to you for help and you used her. You can’t blame this on her, I won’t let you. This is your responsibility start to finish. If she’d been some experienced woman maybe I would have let you share it with her, but that’s not the case. I don’t ever want to hear you try and put this off on her again, do you hear me?” Buck shook his head, shame flaming his cheeks. “Go help Rachel with your daughter.” He growled as he pulled Buck away from the fence and shoved him towards the bunkhouse. He watched as the young man trudged across the yard, his back bowed from the weight of his disgrace. Teaspoon closed his eyes, angry with himself for losing his temper, angry with Buck for making him.
Never in his wildest dreams would he have expected to have this conversation with that boy. Cody maybe, Jimmy wouldn’t have surprised him. But Buck, the circumstances of his birth alone would have been enough to ensure that he would have been more careful than the others, would have understood the ramifications of that kind of behavior. Not to mention that most girls he encountered were white and not remotely interested in being intimate with a half-blooded Indian boy. No, he had never expected this and the shock as much as the disappointment had fed his anger. But this boy, this man, would not be allowed to shirk this responsibility no matter how painful it would be to fulfill. Teaspoon had no doubt that Buck would rise to the occasion, he had faith in his sense of right and wrong, it would just take some getting used to. He had seen all of the right emotions pass across the young man’s face as he had chastised him.
And as much as he wanted to blame Buck alone for this he had to admit that the boy was young and inexperienced too. Hadn’t Teaspoon brought a child into this world and had never taken any responsibility for it at all, hadn’t even known of his daughter’s existence? He had been a lot older than Buck when that had happened. Perhaps knowledge of his own failure had made him lash out all the harder at Buck’s. He heaved a heavy sigh, releasing with it his anger, knowing full well that what was done was done and no amount of how could you have’s would change it. What the boy needed now was his support and he would provide it in any way he could.
As he headed for the bunkhouse and his breakfast he was brought up short by a sudden thought. He had spent the last few weeks praying hard, something he wasn’t real used to doing, asking for a miracle to keep this troubled child of his from returning to the Kiowa. Maybe this was God’s way of answering those prayers. He stood in the middle of the yard contemplating this thought. The responsibility Buck had to his child should far outweigh any debt he owed his brother. For the first time since Teaspoon had looked into that sweet baby’s chocolate brown eyes and realized who she belonged to, he had a feeling that this might work out okay after all. He began his trek across the yard again, his step lighter, his spirits brighter, thinking how the Lord works in truly mysterious ways, taking life’s tribulations and turning them to triumph.
“I’m going to go find her,” Buck announced at the breakfast table.
“Find who?” Jimmy asked. He and Cody both had elbows on the table and were holding their head in one hand while shoveling food with the other, too tired to hold their heads up but never too tired to eat. Jimmy stopped eating when Buck spoke to regard his friend with extreme curiosity. They had all been dying to know the story behind the little bundle of joy they had been dealing with all night but Teaspoon had told them to lay off, that he wanted to talk to Buck first. But then he hadn’t talked to him and they had spent an entire night, curiosity eating them alive. Now maybe they would get an answer. Everyone around the table stopped where they were, forks poised in midair, waiting for Buck’s answer.
Buck stared at his plate. He had known he would have to tell them but after Teaspoon’s response he was dreading it even more. He nervously cleared his throat and answered, “Jane. Jane Parchman.” It took a minute for the boys to search their memories and match the name with a face. Cody was the first to respond.
“You mean that girl from Benton that went after that Pike character?”
“From Falls Church. Yea, that’s her.”
“Wow Buck, she’s awful young ain’t she?”
“She’s the same age as me,” he said defensively. At least that was what she had told him. He was beginning to wonder if she’d just been saying that so he wouldn’t be so nervous about her being out alone. He had started mother-henning her as soon as he had figured out she was chasing Emory Pike, a ruthless killer, and she was not very appreciative of his efforts. She was strong, fiercely independent and incredibly stubborn. Maybe those attributes had made him forget that she was also just a kid who had lost her father in a horrible crime. He brought his head up to look at the group still sitting like statues around the table. Only Teaspoon was tucking into his breakfast as though he hadn’t a care in the world.
“Yea, but she was kind of innocent, don’t you think Buck, I mean for all that and all.” Cody was relentless.
“Didn’t seem all that innocent to me,” Jimmy said as he returned to shoveling food in his mouth. “She sure could take care of herself.”
“You took her back to Falls Church, right Buck?” Cody was piecing it together, the where’s and how’s. “Hmm. Guess that’s why it took you so long to get back,” he smirked.
“Shut up Cody,” Kid said poking him in the ribs.
Buck ignored him. “Rachel, would you mind watching her while I’m gone? I know she’s a handful but I really don’t think I should travel with her.”
“Oh goodness no you shouldn’t. But then you’ve got no business going yourself young man. The doctor hasn’t released you to ride yet and you know it. You’re at least two weeks away from being in any condition to make a trip like that.” Rachel came to stand next to Buck leaning towards him, one hand on her hip, one braced on the table as she spoke. “I also know you think you’ve got to go and I’ll watch that baby of yours but you aren’t riding a horse, you’re taking the buckboard and you’re taking your time. In fact, before you go you’ll see Doc Barnes and make sure he agrees to the trip, understood?” Buck nodded solemnly, he felt he was in enough trouble already and arguing with Rachel would not improve his situation one bit. “I’m checking up on you young man and if I hear anything different out of Doc’s mouth I’m sending these boys after you and they’ll be dragging you back here.”
“Do you want some company, Buck?” Kid jumped in to rescue him and Buck turned a grateful face to his friend, seated across the table.
“No, thanks, I should do this on my own. I’ll be leaving you short handed, not like I’ve been doin’ anything around here lately, but still. Cody, you gonna stick around some this week?”
“Yea, I’ll be sure and be around.” That settled, Buck pushed back from the table and headed for the door. Teaspoon hadn’t said anything and didn’t look up when Buck passed him and he felt sick inside. He gathered supplies for a week on the trail. He had no idea how long he would be, only that he would start in Falls Church. He led two horses from the barn and began to hook them up to the buckboard. He finished and started for the bunkhouse to say his goodbyes, surprised to find Teaspoon standing on the porch holding his daughter. He watched in wonder as the older man cuddled and cooed to the baby in his arms.
“She sure is a beauty, Buck.” He joined Buck in the yard and held the baby up for him to inspect. Buck marveled again for the millionth time how something so perfect, so precious could have anything to do with him. He placed a kiss on her pink cheek and already felt as if he were missing something. “You’ll do right by her son, I know you will, by both of them.” Teaspoon’s words were a first step toward reconciliation, Buck recognized at once and drew a deep breath, the first since the older man had plastered him against the fence that morning. He wanted his mentor to know that he would not let down his child or her mother, that he would do what was right. His response though was cut off by a horse and rider dashing into the yard. It wasn’t time for Lou to be back so both Teaspoon and Buck tensed, wondering why anyone would be coming so fast and furious. Buck recognized her immediately. It was Jane.
She leapt from her horse, her eyes searching barn and house and lighting on the two men in the yard. If she recognized Buck, she gave no acknowledgement. Instead she headed straight for Teaspoon and the bundle in his arms. She prized the baby from him and cradled the infant against her chest, closing her eyes tight, tears slipping unhindered down her cheeks.
