Read Online The Peacemaker by Chelley Kitzmiller - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Chelley Kitzmiller
Tags: Fiction, Romance, Historical, Paranormal, Western, American, supernatural, Wild, Arizona, camp, Warriors, West, wind, Southwest, Indian, Territory, of, The, Grant, massacre, Apache, Tuscon, Cochise, Old, Native
Ads: Link
lift a finger in protest!"
Indy gasped in shock. "Prudence Stallard. That's a shameless, unladylike thing to say."
Prudence gave a low, throaty laugh. "Yes, I know, but that still doesn't change how I feel."
Indy decided not to comment, hoping her silence would be disapproval enough. Because of Prudence, Indy missed the ending of the conversation between Shatto and Captain Nolan.
Next thing she knew the Apaches had turned their horses around and were moving across the parade ground, heading toward Officers' Row.
Prudence broke away from Indy's side and moved out into the track where the horses would have to pass. It would serve her right if she got her foot stepped on or got shoved aside, Indy thought meanly. She considered turning around and going back inside but changed her mind at the last moment, afraid that such an action might be taken as an affront. So she stayed where she was, trying to look like a normal spectator, hoping that Shatto's purported powers didn't extend to knowing what she was thinking . . . and feeling.
The riders approached. With an air of proud reserve impressed upon his hard, handsome face, Shatto rode slightly ahead of the others. If she were a superstitious person, she might actually believe that he possessed some magical power that made him impervious to bullets and arrows. When he saw Prudence standing in the middle of the track, hands on hips, smiling at him invitingly, his mouth quirked up at the corners, an almost imperceptible movement that Indy wouldn't have caught had she not been watching him so closely. Her temper flared and she felt a sudden, fierce resentment toward Prudence Stallard that prompted her to step forward and grab Prudence's arm. "If you don't get out of the way, they'll run over you."
Prudence's head swung around. "Don't," she said, her blue eyes snapping with sparks of anger.
Indy let go and stood back. God! What had possessed her to do such a thing? It wasn't for her to be concerned about how Prudence behaved. Let her fall at his feet in front of the whole camp. Let her make a fool of herself!
Deciding she didn't care what Shatto thought or how big a fool Prudence made of herself, she turned and started back into her quarters. She was just about to close the door when he passed by. His dark gaze pinned Indy where she stood and held her there, unmoving—not even breathing—until he and his braves had ridden around the corner.
To get her mind off the morning's event, Indy sat down at the table and began making a list of supplies and food she would need. She looked up when her father and Captain Nolan entered.
"Afternoon, Miss Taylor. Nice to see you looking so well," said the captain as he removed his hat. He gave her a warm, friendly smile that she was glad to return.
"Thank you, Captain, and same to you. But shouldn't you be back in bed?" She stood up and gathered her paper and pencil. Obviously her father had brought the captain to their quarters for a purpose, probably to have a private discussion, and she didn't want to be in his way.
"Doc says it's okay as long as I don't do anything too strenuous." His gaze slowly traveled from her face to her hair, which she had let down and braided into one long braid.
"Sit down, Captain," the colonel said abruptly.
Indy could tell that her father wasn't in the best of moods. She thought it prudent to take her pencil and paper and go sit down in the farthest corner of the room where she could be as inconspicuous as possible.
The colonel spoke without preamble. "All right, Captain, I'm tired of veiled suggestions and innuendo. You obviously have something to say, so say it."
"May I speak freely, sir, man to man, rather than captain to colonel?"
"You may," was his harsh reply.
"I know you read Major Clarke's reports upon your arrival so you're aware that he was making some progress with Cochise prior to his death."
"I am aware of his efforts, yes."
"I can only assume then that you are also aware that the
Indy gasped in shock. "Prudence Stallard. That's a shameless, unladylike thing to say."
Prudence gave a low, throaty laugh. "Yes, I know, but that still doesn't change how I feel."
Indy decided not to comment, hoping her silence would be disapproval enough. Because of Prudence, Indy missed the ending of the conversation between Shatto and Captain Nolan.
Next thing she knew the Apaches had turned their horses around and were moving across the parade ground, heading toward Officers' Row.
Prudence broke away from Indy's side and moved out into the track where the horses would have to pass. It would serve her right if she got her foot stepped on or got shoved aside, Indy thought meanly. She considered turning around and going back inside but changed her mind at the last moment, afraid that such an action might be taken as an affront. So she stayed where she was, trying to look like a normal spectator, hoping that Shatto's purported powers didn't extend to knowing what she was thinking . . . and feeling.
The riders approached. With an air of proud reserve impressed upon his hard, handsome face, Shatto rode slightly ahead of the others. If she were a superstitious person, she might actually believe that he possessed some magical power that made him impervious to bullets and arrows. When he saw Prudence standing in the middle of the track, hands on hips, smiling at him invitingly, his mouth quirked up at the corners, an almost imperceptible movement that Indy wouldn't have caught had she not been watching him so closely. Her temper flared and she felt a sudden, fierce resentment toward Prudence Stallard that prompted her to step forward and grab Prudence's arm. "If you don't get out of the way, they'll run over you."
Prudence's head swung around. "Don't," she said, her blue eyes snapping with sparks of anger.
Indy let go and stood back. God! What had possessed her to do such a thing? It wasn't for her to be concerned about how Prudence behaved. Let her fall at his feet in front of the whole camp. Let her make a fool of herself!
Deciding she didn't care what Shatto thought or how big a fool Prudence made of herself, she turned and started back into her quarters. She was just about to close the door when he passed by. His dark gaze pinned Indy where she stood and held her there, unmoving—not even breathing—until he and his braves had ridden around the corner.
To get her mind off the morning's event, Indy sat down at the table and began making a list of supplies and food she would need. She looked up when her father and Captain Nolan entered.
"Afternoon, Miss Taylor. Nice to see you looking so well," said the captain as he removed his hat. He gave her a warm, friendly smile that she was glad to return.
"Thank you, Captain, and same to you. But shouldn't you be back in bed?" She stood up and gathered her paper and pencil. Obviously her father had brought the captain to their quarters for a purpose, probably to have a private discussion, and she didn't want to be in his way.
"Doc says it's okay as long as I don't do anything too strenuous." His gaze slowly traveled from her face to her hair, which she had let down and braided into one long braid.
"Sit down, Captain," the colonel said abruptly.
Indy could tell that her father wasn't in the best of moods. She thought it prudent to take her pencil and paper and go sit down in the farthest corner of the room where she could be as inconspicuous as possible.
The colonel spoke without preamble. "All right, Captain, I'm tired of veiled suggestions and innuendo. You obviously have something to say, so say it."
"May I speak freely, sir, man to man, rather than captain to colonel?"
"You may," was his harsh reply.
"I know you read Major Clarke's reports upon your arrival so you're aware that he was making some progress with Cochise prior to his death."
"I am aware of his efforts, yes."
"I can only assume then that you are also aware that the
Similar Books
