understand any of this,” Maddie muttered. “You’d think I was carrying a grand fortune that attracts unwanted interest.”
“How much money are you packing?” Boone questioned as he nudged his horse forward.
Maddie glanced uncertainly at Jonah, who nodded, indicating his acceptance of Boone’s integrity and trustworthiness. Jonah trusted Boone without question, but he was leery of her, she noted. That really hurt.
“Eight thousand dollars,” Maddie told Boone. “Five thousand in ransom to rescue my sister and three to cover the losses from cattle rustling.”
Boone whistled softly. “That’s more than enough money to attract a crowd, ma’am. Your friends—”
“They are not my friends!” she shouted at him.
Jonah snickered as he took the lead. “Forgot to tell you that she’s mighty sensitive about referring to our shadows as friends.”
“So I noticed,” Boone said dryly.
Before Jonah could interject his usual skepticism, Maddie offered Boone an abbreviated version of Christina’s disappearance and the ransom demand.
Boone glanced quizzically at Maddie, then at Jonah. She suspected that Boone was trying to figure out why Jonah had never been to the Bar G Ranch if they were supposedly married. She decided it was time for Boone to know exactly what was going on.
“The fact is, Jonah and I aren’t really married,” she stated as they trotted across a rolling hill.
“You’re not?” Boone’s surprised gaze darted to Jonah. “Since when do Comanches speak with forked tongues? You must have more white man’s blood in you than I first thought.”
“I forced him into it,” Maddie said in Jonah’s defense. “I needed help and the only way to get past the hotel clerk who had instructions not to disturb Jonah was to claim to be his wife.”
“Ah, now this makes sense,” Boone said thoughtfully.
“What makes sense?” Maddie questioned, bemused.
Boone smiled as he hitched his thumb toward Jonah. “You and the Comanche. Couldn’t quite picture the two of you together, right from the start.”
Maddie narrowed her gaze on Boone. “And why not? Don’t you think I’m good enough for him, either?”
Boone flung up his hand and grinned in amusement. “Easy, wildcat. Save that fiery tone and sharp claws for your supposed husband.”
“He thought it was the other way around, princess,” Jonah informed her. “ I’m the one who should be taking offense here.”
“Then why aren’t you? The two of you are living testimony that it is possible to bridge the gap between different backgrounds and cultures. You grew up in one civilization and live in another. We’re all the same. Americans. ”
That shut them up, Maddie noted. As well it should have. They rode in silence for an hour before Jonah called a halt.
“We’ll camp here for the night,” he announced. “We can make use of the sheltering trees and the river before we face the rough terrain, formidable thorns and oversize patches of prickly pear cactus that lie to the west.” He glanced quickly at Maddie as he retrieved his gear from behind the saddle. “You might as well take advantage of the river for bathing because waterholes will be few and far between tomorrow.”
Nodding agreeably, she grabbed her satchel and headed to the river.
“I’ll double back to see how close our shadows are following,” Boone volunteered.
“No,” Jonah countered. “You can hunt supper and set up camp. Your gear got wet when we had to swim your horse across the river. You have clothes to hang up to dry. I don’t.”
Assured that he was leaving Maddie in capable hands, Jonah mounted up and headed for higherground. He was oddly pleased that Maddie had come to his defense earlier, even if anyone with eyes in his head could see that he and Maddie were hopelessly mismatched. But Boone understood perfectly, even if he hadn’t debated the issue with Maddie.
In most of the places Jonah had been through, half-breeds were considered
“How much money are you packing?” Boone questioned as he nudged his horse forward.
Maddie glanced uncertainly at Jonah, who nodded, indicating his acceptance of Boone’s integrity and trustworthiness. Jonah trusted Boone without question, but he was leery of her, she noted. That really hurt.
“Eight thousand dollars,” Maddie told Boone. “Five thousand in ransom to rescue my sister and three to cover the losses from cattle rustling.”
Boone whistled softly. “That’s more than enough money to attract a crowd, ma’am. Your friends—”
“They are not my friends!” she shouted at him.
Jonah snickered as he took the lead. “Forgot to tell you that she’s mighty sensitive about referring to our shadows as friends.”
“So I noticed,” Boone said dryly.
Before Jonah could interject his usual skepticism, Maddie offered Boone an abbreviated version of Christina’s disappearance and the ransom demand.
Boone glanced quizzically at Maddie, then at Jonah. She suspected that Boone was trying to figure out why Jonah had never been to the Bar G Ranch if they were supposedly married. She decided it was time for Boone to know exactly what was going on.
“The fact is, Jonah and I aren’t really married,” she stated as they trotted across a rolling hill.
“You’re not?” Boone’s surprised gaze darted to Jonah. “Since when do Comanches speak with forked tongues? You must have more white man’s blood in you than I first thought.”
“I forced him into it,” Maddie said in Jonah’s defense. “I needed help and the only way to get past the hotel clerk who had instructions not to disturb Jonah was to claim to be his wife.”
“Ah, now this makes sense,” Boone said thoughtfully.
“What makes sense?” Maddie questioned, bemused.
Boone smiled as he hitched his thumb toward Jonah. “You and the Comanche. Couldn’t quite picture the two of you together, right from the start.”
Maddie narrowed her gaze on Boone. “And why not? Don’t you think I’m good enough for him, either?”
Boone flung up his hand and grinned in amusement. “Easy, wildcat. Save that fiery tone and sharp claws for your supposed husband.”
“He thought it was the other way around, princess,” Jonah informed her. “ I’m the one who should be taking offense here.”
“Then why aren’t you? The two of you are living testimony that it is possible to bridge the gap between different backgrounds and cultures. You grew up in one civilization and live in another. We’re all the same. Americans. ”
That shut them up, Maddie noted. As well it should have. They rode in silence for an hour before Jonah called a halt.
“We’ll camp here for the night,” he announced. “We can make use of the sheltering trees and the river before we face the rough terrain, formidable thorns and oversize patches of prickly pear cactus that lie to the west.” He glanced quickly at Maddie as he retrieved his gear from behind the saddle. “You might as well take advantage of the river for bathing because waterholes will be few and far between tomorrow.”
Nodding agreeably, she grabbed her satchel and headed to the river.
“I’ll double back to see how close our shadows are following,” Boone volunteered.
“No,” Jonah countered. “You can hunt supper and set up camp. Your gear got wet when we had to swim your horse across the river. You have clothes to hang up to dry. I don’t.”
Assured that he was leaving Maddie in capable hands, Jonah mounted up and headed for higherground. He was oddly pleased that Maddie had come to his defense earlier, even if anyone with eyes in his head could see that he and Maddie were hopelessly mismatched. But Boone understood perfectly, even if he hadn’t debated the issue with Maddie.
In most of the places Jonah had been through, half-breeds were considered
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