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two flags appeared on the rise, announcing the arrival of a long column of
cavalry troops.
 What the devil are they doing here? Rayna muttered.
Collie chided Rayna for her language, and Skylar glanced nervously
behind her at the cluster of Mescaleros who were gathering near the ceremo-
nial lodge.  I must get back to White Painted Woman. She placed one hand
on her father s arm, drawing his attention down to her.  You won t let them
disrupt the ceremony, will you, Papa?
Raymond wrapped one arm around his daughter and gave her an encour-
aging hug.  Of course not, princess. Don t you worry about a thing. They
probably just want to ask permission to make camp nearby.
Wanting to believe it was that simple, Skylar hurried off, the cones on her
dress tinkling lightly as she walked.
As the cavalry drew closer, Rayna spotted Gil Rodriguez riding alongside
the officers at the head of the queue. That made sense, since Gil would have
been on hand to greet them when they arrived at the hacienda. He had
undoubtedly offered to take them to Raymond, but if they only wanted per-
mission to camp on Rancho Verde land, why hadn t the officer in charge
come out here alone? Why bring his hot, dusty troops along?
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Whether their slow pace was a concession to the heat or a sign of the lack of
urgency, Rayna couldn t have guessed, but it seemed to take them forever to arrive.
As they drew close, Raymond finally stepped out of the shade to greet them, and
though Collie hung back a few paces, Rayna was right at her father s side.
At the head of the column, Meade Ashford studied the scene before him
with dread. He had disliked this detail from the moment he had been assigned
to it three days ago, and what he saw now made him detest it all the more. A
man was coming toward them with an attractive young woman at his side and
another lady slightly behind. All three were tall and fair-haired with complex-
ions more suited to Nordic winters than to desert summers. They looked like
a pleasant family out for an afternoon picnic.
The fact that they had permitted a group of Apaches to live and work on
their land indicated that they had some attachment to the Mescalero the cav-
alry was about to incarcerate. This wasn t going to be a pleasant confrontation
for anyone, with the possible exception of Robert Greenleigh. In Meade s
opinion, the captain was displaying far too much relish for the task at hand.
His intolerance of all Apaches, friend or foe, was well known, and Meade was
certain he couldn t be counted on to bend an inch.
The ranch foreman, Rodriguez, had said the Mescalero were engaged in
some sort of ritual, and from the looks of things, Meade guessed that it was a
maiden ceremony. Over the years, Libby had coerced him into attending a num-
ber of Apache rites, and the maiden ceremony had been his first. It wasn t one of
his fondest memories, but neither was it something he was likely to forget.
Looking beyond the man and two women near the cottonwood, Meade
studied the cluster of Mescaleros near the ceremonial grounds. A maiden cer-
emony indicated the presence of a teenaged girl, but Meade was struck imme-
diately by the noticeable absence of young children. Usually they were
everywhere at events like this. The Indians he saw were mostly old men and
women, and a few middle-aged couples.
These were the Apache he d been sent to subdue? It was absurd. These
people weren t about to make trouble for anyone.
Captain Greenleigh, whose pomaded muttonchops and bushy mustache
had long since wilted in the heat, gave a signal to the sergeant behind him,
and the troops came to a halt a short distance from their welcoming party.
 Mr. Raymond Templeton?
 That s right, Captain, Raymond said cautiously.
 Mr. Templeton, I am Captain Robert Greenleigh, and this is Major
Meade Ashford of the One Hundred-fortieth Regiment of the United
States Cavalry.
 Gentlemen, Raymond said with a nod.  My wife, Colleen, and my
daughter, Rayna.
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Both officers touched their hats in acknowledgment of the ladies, then dis-
mounted. As they came off their horses, Rayna noticed the gold oak leaves on
the shoulder of the second officer and wondered why a major would allow a
subordinate to do the talking. They handed their reins to a waiting sergeant
and stepped forward.
Meade removed his hat.  It s a pleasure to meet you, sir, ladies. We apolo-
gize for the interruption. He gestured toward the brush-covered lodge.  This
is a maiden ceremony in progress, isn t it?
 Yes, it is, Rayna replied, surprised by his knowledge.  How did you know?
 I recognized the maiden lodge and some of the other accoutrements,
Meade replied, looking at her closely for the first time. She wasn t quite as
young as he d first thought, but she was even more attractive. She was, in fact,
quite beautiful. Her simple skirt and shirtwaist highlighted a trim but well-
curved figure, and delectable wisps of her upswept blond hair clung damply to
her face, framing her lightly tanned skin and arresting blue eyes.
 You ve seen this Mescalero ceremony before? she asked.
 No, Meade replied.  My knowledge of Apache rituals comes chiefly from
the White Mountain tribes. The similarity is inescapable, though.
Since the moment she had seen them approaching, Rayna had been [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]