Hell on the Prairie (14 page)

“
Strong medicine protected
you.”

Derrick grinned. “There’s no stronger
medicine than Charley Blackfeather, Leah. No better friend to have,
for certain.”

She shook her head. “No. I don’t know
this Charley Blackfeather, Derrick. But to me,
you
are the best friend to have. You convinced
me not to –to do what I had planned. My cousin will tell you that
when I decide on something, I rarely change my course. Yet, you
managed to sway my decision.”

“
Twice.”

“
How so?”

“
You’re calling me
Derrick
now –not ‘Mister McCain.’”

***

“
Leah!” Josie called.

Derrick turned to look behind them. Josie
was rushing toward them. Reluctantly, Leah rose to her feet. “Here,
Josie! I’m here.”

Austen followed close behind his wife. As
they neared, Josie hugged her cousin.

“
I was worried about you! When you
didn’t come back, I –”

Leah smiled as if she thought her cousin was
being silly. “You worry too much, Josie. Did anyone ever tell you
that?”

“
I do,” Austen answered. “All the
time.” The teasing note in his voice lightened the moment. He
turned to Derrick. “Get everything straight with your
father?”

Derrick nodded. “Yes. He seems to be feeling
much better now.”

“
And you?”

Derrick hesitated. A lot had changed for
him, and even though he wasn’t certain as to how everything would
end, no matter what, it would be good.

His mother certainly deserved the happiness
that Collin Ridge offered –the thing she’d longed for all these
years but had put aside because of her children and her own
uncertainty. He was glad to see her happy for once –truly
happy.

Now that he’d talked face-to-face with
his father, he felt at peace with himself. No matter what had
happened in his life, he understood now who he was. There was no
more questioning. Something else had happened, too –something he’d
never planned on or considered.
Leah
Martin.
There was something about her spirit that
touched him as no other woman ever had.

He’d never been one to believe in destiny,
but how else could the timing of her visit and his be explained?
There was no denying the hot flare of desire that leapt between
them, stronger with each moment they spent in one another’s
company; but it was more than that. The unspoken words that brought
healing of their wounded spirits; the gentle touch of their hands
that seemed to give one another strength; the glances that passed
between them that invoked a silent understanding –all these things
he’d never experienced with another –only with Leah –whom he’d met
but a few hours earlier.

Leah, who was pregnant by a man Derrick had
hated down to his soul.

“
Derrick?” Austen asked again when
Derrick didn’t reply. “Everything all right?”

“
Uh…yeah. I –” He broke off, shaking
his head quickly. “Just…a lot of changes.”

Josie gave him a questioning look that
turned into one of womanly understanding. “Let’s go back inside,
Leah,” she said quickly. “It will soon be time to put the little
ones to bed.” She took her cousin’s arm and started for the small
house, leaving Derrick awash in a current of emotion almost as
violent as the swollen river swirling behind him.

Austen chuckled as Leah cast a glance
backward, then squared her shoulders and marched on toward the
cabin with Josie at her side.

“
She’s a wildcat, Leah is.”

Derrick slowly turned to look at his
friend.

Austen regarded him in amused silence before
he continued. “You wouldn’t want her, Derrick. She’s not for
you.”

Anger surged hot inside him. “Why not,
Austen? Am I too
white
for
Leah’s family?”

Austen shrugged, unperturbed. “That could be
an issue –since it was an Anglo who raped her…an Anglo who murdered
her sister, Rachel. I assume your father told you why she’s here,
with us. Maybe it would be easier to just let things lie.”

“
Don’t tell me what to do.”

“
Advice, that’s all.” Austen laid a
hand on Derrick’s shoulder.

Derrick flung it off and moved away.
“Unwanted and unasked for advice,” he answered tightly.

Austen came up close behind Derrick. “What
kind of father could you be to Clark Davis’s baby?” he asked in a
low voice. “A man who kidnapped your sister, rode with the likes of
Jim Danby, tortured you –and attacked the townspeople of Wolf
Creek?”

Derrick’s fists clenched. “Austenaco –”

“
How would you feel, knowing he’d
raped the woman you love? Every time you looked at the child
–”

The right cross Derrick threw as he whirled
took Austen by surprise, knocking him to the ground on the rock
ledge. Derrick followed him down, his fist raised again, but Austen
caught it and they rolled and tumbled, trading blows, until they
lay near the farthest edge of the abutment.

Derrick landed on top, looking down into
Austen’s dark eyes. Blood ran and dripped from his nose to the
front of Austen’s shirt.

“
Get off me,” Austen said, giving
Derrick a rough shove. Amusement colored his tone. “You’re bleeding
on my clothes.”

The sound of the rushing water
escalated with the blood pounding through Derrick’s veins.
What the hell was he doing?
Austen
was a friend. He’d only asked the questions Derrick had asked
himself earlier…it was right Austen would be interested. Leah was
family.

Derrick moved slowly off of Austen, rolling
onto the flat rock so that they lay side by side, both panting.

“
I’m glad you didn’t make me kick the
shit out of you,” Austen wheezed, levering himself upward into a
sitting position. He held his ribs as he pushed himself
upright.

Derrick gave a reluctant grin, swiping at
the blood on his face. “Me, too.”

Austen wiped a trickle of blood from his
mouth with a grimace. “Why’d you get so damn mad?”

Derrick gave an incredulous snort of
laughter as he sat up. “You know why. You just pushed too hard,
Austen.”

“
Which part?”

“
All of it.” Derrick rose slowly to
his feet, leaning over, hands on his knees. “Leah’s not my woman.
I’m not in love with her. Just met her.”

Austen watched him as the silence mounted.
Derrick raised his head, shouldering away a thin line of blood from
his cheek.

“
I think,” Austen said slowly, “what
made you the angriest was something else.”

Derrick remained quiet. His friend was about
to lay open a wound he’d tried to conceal since he’d been old
enough to recognize the pain. Austen meant well, because he’d found
happiness of his own –but that kind of contentment wasn’t given to
everyone.

“
What made you angriest, Derrick, is
that fact that it could all be within your reach. For once the
choice can be yours –stay here, with us, or go back to Wolf
Creek.”

“
Choose.”
Derrick chuckled wryly. “Choose my Cherokee blood –or my
white blood. Give up the place in Wolf Creek, or leave here again.”
As he spoke, he felt as if the woods around him called to him to
stay…
stay
. He had not
realized how much he’d missed this place…or, maybe he had known it
all along. Perhaps it was the very reason he
hadn’t
come back in all these years. Now that he
knew who his real father was, there was even more reason for him to
stay here. But he’d lived a lie his entire life. How could he
change that now?

“
What will happen to Leah?” Derrick
asked hollowly.

As the careful wariness veiled Austen’s
eyes, Derrick knew there was a secret here.

Austen picked his words carefully.
“She…will stay with us. She
is
Josie’s blood.”

“
What of her parents? Brothers and
sisters?”

Austen stood up and pulled a bandana from
his pocket, dabbing at the blood on his face. “They were not so
happy with the outcome of Leah’s fate,” he said slowly. “She was
the elder of the two girls. Blame was placed on her for wandering
too far –”

“
That’s bullshit!
Everyone goes there to pick berries –it’s one of the best
places.”

Austen shook his head. “Too dangerous,
now, as we’ve learned –but there was no reason to believe that when
Leah and Rachel went. Now, they’ve laid the blame for Rachel’s
death at Leah’s doorstep.” He sighed. “And they’ve convinced her it
was her fault, that
she
should’ve been the one murdered rather than
Rachel.”

Derrick gave a muttered curse. “No one has
seen what that gang is truly capable of. If they knew, they’d never
blame her for a damn thing. She’s lucky to be alive.”

Austen snorted contemptuously.
“Tell
her
that, Derrick.” He
shook his head. “I know what she was doing down here tonight,” he
murmured. “I’d never tell Josie, but I know. And unless she is
given a reason to keep living, she –she’ll find a way to end it
all.” He blew out a long breath, meeting Derrick’s eyes. “She
explained everything that happened, expecting
understanding…sympathy…maybe even –vengeance for Rachel’s death and
her own defilement.”

“
But she got none of that from her own
family?” Derrick asked. “Why not?”

A smile touched Austen’s lips. “You
don’t know Leah’s family. Her father –well, with him, the blame
always lies with another. Her mother has learned to –shall we say
–
acquiesce
in all
things.”

Derrick shook his head. “Something I don’t
believe would come easy to Leah.” He thought of the proud way she
held herself; the defiant fire in her eyes…how could such a lovely
creature destroy herself? How could a family instill that kind of
self-loathing in such a beautiful spirit?

Yet…his ‘father’ had done it to him in other
ways. Maybe he and Leah had more in common than he’d thought.

“
No.” Austen shook his head. “She is
proud. But that’s why she believes death is her only escape, now
that she is ruined.”

Derrick understood.
What choices did Leah have?
A family
who had all but cast her out for something she’d had no control
over, a younger sister’s death she felt responsible for; carrying
the child of her rapist, a man who had been unspeakably cruel
–living must not seem like much of a choice…Leah’s integrity was
about to force her to do the only thing she felt left to
her.

“
There is…another choice, of course…”
Austen murmured. “If someone asked for her hand. Someone who could
accept another man’s child as his own…someone who could see the
beauty of Leah’s spirit, and wouldn’t allow it to be crushed by
others. Someone who would love and protect her the way she should
have always been cherished –and never was.”

Derrick smiled. “If you weren’t married to
Josie, I’d say you’d be the perfect man for Leah.”

Austen remained solemn. “But I
am
married, my friend. It is
you
who is still
unattached.”

Derrick’s smile faded. “Matchmaking,
Austen?”

The two men stood looking at one another
until finally Derrick said, “What makes you think –hell, she’s so
damn beautiful –I just met her –she’s –” He finally stopped
talking, seeing the warmth of laughter in Austen’s gaze.

“
It is true you’ve only just met. And
under odd circumstances. But –have you ever thought that perhaps
these things happened as they were meant to?” Austen’s voice was
cautious, as if he understood the shock to Derrick’s thoughts, to
entertain such ideas. “Derrick,” he pressed, “things happen for
reasons we do not understand at the time –sometimes, we
never
understand. But…this chance
might never come for you and Leah again.”

Derrick’s thoughts went to the odd
twists and turns in his relationship with Charley Blackfeather, his
friend –
now
. But he and
Charley hadn’t always been so close. They’d fought on opposite
sides of the War, and Derrick had been ordered to kill Charley.
Refusing, he’d been shot and left for dead himself. When Jim
Danby’s gang had raided Wolf Creek, he and Charley had ridden
together in the posse that had gone after the outlaws. It was
during that time they’d grudgingly become friends. In the months
since then, that friendship had grown, strengthening to
brotherhood, dependability and trust –things that didn’t come easy
to either of them.

“
You’ve been alone too
long.”

“
That’s my business,” Derrick answered
sharply.

Austen shrugged. “Can you say you’re
truly happy? No…I didn’t think so. That’s why you got so mad.
You
know
what I’m saying is
the truth.”

Derrick kept his face impassive. Was he that
transparent?

As if Austen had heard Derrick’s thoughts,
he smiled. “Leah would have you if you asked. It wouldn’t be easy.
She has her pride. But, it seems, so do you. I don’t know if it
would ever happen –two prideful souls such as yourselves –you might
ignore the happiness you could have together.”

“
I take it you and Josie have nothing
but happy days?” Derrick asked caustically.