Rayna was too angry to even consider crying as she helped Gatana climb into the wagon, but next to her, Skylar was valiantly fighting the crippling weight of her emotions. Mary Long Horn was weeping openly as the two Apache women embraced, and the tears were nearly Skylar’s undoing.

“Everything will be fine, Mary,” Skylar promised, stroking the young girl’s hair. “You’ll be back here soon.”

“I do not think so,” Mary replied, raising her head from Skylar’s shoulder.

“I will never see you or my home again.”

“You mustn’t say that,” Skylar told her sternly. “You must be strong.”

Lapsing easily into Apache, Skylar told the girl it was her responsibility to help care for the old ones.

Though Rayna understood little of what her sister said, she was amazed at the transformation in Mary as pride overcame her fear.

“Come on, squaws, get in,” one of the troopers said gruffly, giving Mary a shove that nearly sent both her and Skylar stumbling into the wagon gate.

Outraged, Rayna shouldered her way between her sister and the soldier, forcing him back a step. “Stop that! There’s no reason for brutality. She’s just a frightened young girl!”

“Sorry, miss, but I got orders to get these squaws loaded so’s we can pull out, and that’s just what I’m gonna do.”

“Then do it without pushing anyone around,” Rayna snapped.

“It’s all right, Miss Rayna,” Mary said quickly. “I’m ready to go.”

With Skylar’s help she scrambled into the wagon and Rayna stepped back, looking around. Mary was the last. The braves were mounted, and all the women were in the wagon. Raymond and Collie were some distance away conversing with Captain Greenleigh and Major Ashford, and from their ges-50

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tures, Rayna guessed that her father was making one final attempt to change Greenleigh’s mind. He didn’t appear to be having any success. Nothing was going to stop this travesty.

“Rayna, I have to speak with Consayka,” Skylar said, moving toward her sister.

But the trooper’s patience was gone. “Oh, no, you don’t, squaw,” he said, grabbing her arm as she moved past him. “There’s been enough lollygagging.

Into the wagon, now!”

“What?” Skylar gasped, straining against his rough grasp as Rayna whirled toward them.

“You heard me, squaw. Get in the wagon.”

Incensed, Rayna flew toward the trooper and gave him a stout shove that sent him stumbling back a pace just as Skylar wrenched her arm away. Her ceremonial dress tore at the shoulder, and the trooper was left with a handful of beaded fringe.

“You keep your filthy hands off her, soldier!” Rayna said hotly, stepping between them.

Disgusted, the trooper hurled the buckskin fringe away and made another grab for Skylar. “I got my orders, miss.”

“Your orders don’t include my sister!” She brought her fist down hard on his hand and rammed her elbow into his ample midsection. He buckled over with a soft “whoof,” and Rayna whirled toward her sister. “Get out of here, Sky. Go to Papa quickly!”

“But—”

“Go!” Rayna gave her a push, but by that time other troopers had seen the tussle and stepped in, blocking her path. One of them grabbed Skylar and propelled her back toward the wagon.

“What the devil’s going on here, Gless?” Corporal Lawton demanded of the trooper who was rubbing his stomach and glowering at Rayna.

“That squaw won’t go into the wagon, and that one punched me,”

Gless replied.

“He was manhandling my sister,” Rayna said, moving toward the corporal who was holding Skylar. “Now, let her go!”

“Sister?” Lawton looked around in confusion. “What sister?”

“This one, you oaf!”

Though her eyes were wide with fear, Skylar tried to keep her voice even.

“Rayna, please, calm down. Considering the way I’m dressed, I’m sure this must be very confusing to these gentlemen, but if we explain—”

“You ain’t explainin’ nothin’, squaw,” Gless said. “You’re goin’ in that wagon with them other heathens.” After shoving Rayna out of the way, the trooper snatched Skylar away from the corporal and propelled her roughly toward the wagon.

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Acting on outrage and instinct, Rayna lunged toward Gless, her hand moving unerringly toward the revolver holstered at his waist. Before anyone could react, she had the Colt pressed firmly into the nape of his neck. “You let her go, you bastard, or you’re dead,” she said softly.

The dangerous quality of her voice might not have been enough to stop Gless, but the sound of the hammer being cocked and the feel of the warm steel on his neck was more than sufficient to freeze him where he stood.

Around her, Rayna heard the sound of other guns being drawn and cocked, and these, she knew, were leveled at her. She didn’t move an inch.

Someone shouted for Captain Greenleigh, but that made no difference to Rayna. Her only objective was freeing her sister. “Let her go, trooper.”

“Rayna, stop this!” Skylar cried, wincing against the pain of Gless’s brutal grip. “They’ll kill you!”

Lawton stepped forward. “Miss Templeton, please put that revolver away before someone gets hurt.”

“Corporal, the only one who’s going to get hurt is this trooper if he doesn’t let my sister go this instant,” Rayna replied without taking her eyes off Gless.

“Skylar is not a Mescalero, and no one is going to take her off Rancho Verde.

Now, you order this man to release her, I’ll uncock this Colt, and we’ll consider the matter settled. Otherwise, you’ll be taking Private Gless back to Fort Marcy over the saddle of his horse!”

“What the devil is going on here?” Greenleigh shouted, muscling his way through the knot of soldiers at the back of the wagon. The crowd parted, and the captain, Meade, and the Templetons moved into the circle. “Miss Templeton! Put that revolver down at once!”

“For God’s sake, Rayna, have you gone mad?” Raymond asked, moving to her side. “Give me that Colt.”

Rayna felt a surge of relief now that her father had arrived, but she wasn’t about to back down until she had a few assurances. “Papa, this idiot is trying to take Skylar away with the others.”

“What?” Raymond said with a gasp, and Rayna heard her mother mutter a fearful “Oh, dear God.”

“Corporal Lawton, explain this situation at once,” Greenleigh ordered.

“Yes, sir. Private Gless was attempting to place this squaw into the wagon when Miss Templeton attacked him. She claims the squaw is her sister, sir.”

Raymond rounded on Greenleigh. “She’s my daughter, Captain, and I want her released at once. Those papers in your pocket give you no right to kidnap an innocent American citizen.”

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moccasins. “I don’t know what you’re trying to pull, Templeton, but this squaw is obviously an Apache, and as such, these papers give me the right to take her into custody. Now, take that gun away from your daughter, and let us be on our way.”

“No!” Rayna shouted. “Papa, do something!”

“Private Gless! Release Miss Templeton at once,” Meade demanded, moving around Rayna and Raymond.

Beads of sweat that had nothing to do with the heat were streaming down Gless’s face. “Beggin’ your pardon, Major, but I ain’t got Miss Templeton. The little she-witch has got me.”

“I meant this Miss Templeton.” Though his voice was angry, Meade’s hand was gentle as he touched Skylar’s arm. When Gless released her, Meade ushered her away a few paces and looked down into one of the most beautiful faces he had ever seen. Wide dark eyes like those of a startled doe looked up at him with gratitude.

“Thank you, Major.”

“Are you all right, Miss Templeton?”

“I will be once this matter is settled.”

Meade nodded and turned to Rayna. Her expression was grimly determined, and she showed not the slightest sign of being afraid of the weapon in her hand. Clearly she knew how to use the revolver and wouldn’t hesitate to do so. Her hair had come unpinned in the struggle and was now a mane of molten gold flowing around her shoulders.

Despite his dislike of her, Meade couldn’t help but admire the way she’d defended her sister, even if pulling the trooper’s gun had been a damn fool thing to do. “Your sister has been released, Miss Templeton,” he said calmly, careful not to make any sudden move toward her. “You may return Private Gless’s gun to him now.”

Rayna cocked her head toward Greenleigh. “Not until I have his assurance that Skylar won’t be taken away.”

Meade looked at the officer in charge. “Captain? I believe Private Gless would be grateful if you would apologize for the misunderstanding.”

“There has been no misunderstanding, Major,” Greenleigh said haughtily, glancing toward a soldier who had quietly sneaked up behind Rayna.

Meade turned just in time to see the man lunge for the young woman, sweeping her gun hand into the air. The jolt caused the revolver to discharge harmlessly in the air, and before Rayna could recover from the shock, the soldier had wrenched the gun from her hand and pinned her arms to her sides.

“Let her go!” Raymond demanded, grabbing at the trooper who held Rayna, but another soldier restrained him while a third seized Skylar.

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