Enchanted Heart by Brianna Lee McKenzie Page A

to comfort her. Seeing Marty’s obviously frightened face made him want to wrap his arms around her. He desperately wanted to assure the woman that he loved that he would never let anyone hurt her and that he would give his life to keep her safe. But, Marty was not the only person who needed saving.
    The rest of the people in the wagon train, including Marty’s sister and niece were in danger of being killed as well. That band of Indians, which had discovered him riding behind their group and had turned back to chase him back to the wagons, seemed as if they were out for blood. And when savages are eager to instigate a massacre, no one is safe from their attack. Since Caid felt responsible for bringing the raid upon the people in his charge, he knew that it was his obligation to protect them all.
    Marty nodded and scurried from the seat and then called for Greta and Seraphina to join her beneath the wagon. She huddled them close to her and waited and watched as the others did as Caid had instructed. She rose up to see if she could find Caid and when she caught a glimpse of him riding away again, her heart fell in fear for him. She watched his figure growing smaller and smaller, toward the direction in which he’d said the Indians were and away from the safety of their wagons.
    Remorse roiled in her heart as Marty pulled her sister and niece into her arms while they huddled on the hard Texas soil. Anger at herself for pushing Caid away both physically and emotionally every time they became close enough to fall in love stabbed at her with unbridled wrath. Pity for herself and all that she had lost during her lifetime of troubles bubbled into silent tears that streamed down her cheeks and into the baked earth beneath her. And finally the all-encompassing fear that Caid would be killed and she would be alone yet again, having tossed away her last chance at happiness. A torrent of emotions whirled inside her like the dust devils that twirled on the barren ground as if they were dancing within the circle of wagons, mocking her, taunting her, chiding her for, in her stubborn attempt to remain unaffected by him, bringing all of this on herself.
“What is it?” Seraphina asked while she lifted her head to see where Caid had gone.
“Quiet, Seraphina,” Marty chided her while lifting her head as well.
“Sera Dear,” the girl corrected her aunt. “My name is Sera Dear.”
Greta looked at her daughter and questioned her, “Since when have you become ‘Sera Dear’?”
The girl shrugged, giving Marty a knowing glance before she answered, “Since Mr. McAllister gave me my new nickname.”
“Well, Sera Dear, it seems as though you and Mr. McAllister have become quite good friends,” Greta mused aloud.
“Not as much as him and Aunt Marty,” Sera quipped and then ducked her head in feigned embarrassment.
“He,” Greta corrected.
“He,” Sera Dear began, “and Aunt Marty are VERY good friends.”
    “Seraphina!” Greta admonished her daughter. “It is not polite to speak of your aunt in that manner. Now apologize to her for being disrespectful.”
    Seraphina lowered her eyes and pushed out her bottom lip before she grumbled, “I’m sorry.” She turned her head and whispered into her sleeve, “But he loves you!”
     
     
    Chapter Twelve
     
    By then, Greta and Marty had turned their attention to the horizon. They watched intently for a sign that something would happen to take the place of the fear that filled their hearts.
    Everyone waited. For what seemed like hours, they waited for the attack, but none came. They waited until dark under their wagons, wondering if Caid had been killed by the Indians and if the savages were just waiting until night time to strike.
    Finally, Marty heard a footstep behind her and she froze in fear. They were coming! She touched Greta’s arm to silently warn her not to scream and alarm the others. Then, she eased her way toward the sound, hoping that the Indians would be merciful but