Heart of the Wild (17 page)

Amory glanced at her, gauging her reactions. "He's known her most of his life. She's a local. They grew up together. When her husband died a few years ago, your father stood by her. They had always liked each other, ever since I can remember. I think maybe this is the first woman he's really cared about since your mother."

"Then you know her?"

"I know her."

"So…what's she like?"

"Nothing to be nervous about," his eyes landed on her hands. "Try not to break those blisters open, yet." His voice was softer. "She's a very warm and considerate lady. You'll like her." He glanced over at Kyle, but he was sound asleep and lightly snoring. "She was very in love with her first husband, and had taken care of him for nearly ten years before he died. He had some rare incurable disease. He'd been ill so long, and she stood by him without a single grudging word. But she was lonely when he died. And your father supplied a shoulder for her to cry on. They are good together."

Kasie still wrung her hands, the only outward sign that any of this was upsetting her. Still, he knew more than the conversation had upset her.

"Dad usually marries young women."

"Margaret is only a couple years younger than he is, Kasie."

"I suppose his money had nothing to do with it, either?"

Amory tensed once more. Was everything measured in money?

"She didn't marry him for money, Kasie. She married him for companionship."

"Sounds as though you know her well."

Why had the conversation taken them to such a personal level? He had shied away from her all day, intentionally, trying to sort the information she had so easily given him yesterday. But his mind had never been off her. She hadn't trusted him years ago, and that hadn't changed. Wouldn't. And he wouldn't have her without it. And yet—

Why did Kasie suddenly become combative? The day had been mind-clearing. She was naturally curious about her father, but nothing he said seemed to reassure her.

She stood up, and paced, finally, when he said no more, and she walked outside. The skies had cleared, and it was no longer snowing, even the chill seemed to have left the air.

Tanka and Gina had been kissing out by the jeep, and when they saw her, they went inside.

Amory came outside, too.

He looked at her with longing. And sadness overcame him like he'd never known before; a sadness born of loss.

He admitted he would like nothing better than to have her. But the Indian side of him knew that would never be enough.

"I know her well," Amory responded, watching her every move. "She's my cousin."

"Cousin?" Kasie blast, turning on him as though he had struck her with this news.

He nodded grimly.

"Wonderful. Now we're just one big, happy family, aren't we?" Kasie protested, throwing her arms in the air in a helpless gesture.

Was it true? Was the Indian in him what repulsed her? He refused to call himself Native American. He was Indian, and proud of it.

"What are you getting so uptight about?" Amory's gaze lingered on her.

"I don't know. I just never considered the possibilities of being kin to you."

"We aren't kin, Kasie. And it doesn't look as though we ever will be. Don't worry, my Indian blood will never spill into your lily-white hands."

________________________________________

Chapter Eight

Gina offered to do the cooking and take care of Kyle, while Kasie took care of the wood supply and menial chores. Tanka and Amory were going to assist the rangers in trying to capture Ole Blue.

As Kasie crawled under the covers that night and watched the firelight, she appreciated it much more; and she even enjoyed a quiet chat with Gina. She was a fascinating creature to talk to. She spoke with emotion and character, giving life to her words. Gina's job took her to fascinating places, and she met so many interesting people, all of which she seemed to recall with fondness. Kasie envied her in many ways; her happiness with life, her surefootedness with men.

"I hope you're not worried about the men, Kasie," Gina was saying, as she joined her on the floor.

Kasie almost laughed, so bone-tired she couldn't worry about anything, let alone two grown men. But they should be back by now, Kasie thought.

"I hadn't given them much thought, actually," she said with a sigh. It was a well-kept lie. It was all she could think of.

"Well, don't. They're in their element out there in that vast beautiful wilderness. They love this kind of thing. And they'll get Ole Blue, too, without killing him."

"I have to admit, I feel sorry for that ole bear."

"Sorry for him? After all the destruction he's caused, and hurting young Kyle? God, you're just like Chayton, he's a real sucker for an animal." Gina took out a nail file and filed her nails as they talked.

"I know it sounds pretty silly, but I developed a soft spot for the poor creature. I mean, if Amory hadn't told me about him, I probably wouldn't give him a second thought."

"Better you than me. Personally, I think they should put him out of his misery."

"Maybe you're right," she sighed heavily, not sure she really agreed, but unwilling to argue the point.

"I'm sure you've noticed the strain Chay's under." Gina changed the subject, abruptly. "He's not one to be idle. That man has an appetite for working like no other. Even Tanka gets frustrated sometimes, trying to keep up. I honestly think if he had a woman he'd slow down, enjoy life a little more. He's much too serious most of the time."

"I thought I was causing that strain," she murmured.

Gina chuckled. "Yes, well, I'm not talking about that strain. Although Tanka and I couldn't help noticing that, too. No, I meant that Chay hates not having the contract. That's putting him on edge, and it looks to me like he might be taking it out on you. He's managed to keep his father's business alive these last few years with the contracts. Tanka just became sucker bait, by not fighting for it this year. The way he figured it, they deserved some time off. Besides, they haven't finished the cabin yet. And Tanka is building one, too, further north, next year."

"Are you two getting married then?"

"A girl can hope." Gina smiled fondly. "I wish Chayton could find someone, but it seems as though he's almost given up looking."

"Maybe he's just secretive."

"Maybe. But I'd bet there's been someone in his life before. Sometimes he looks downright sad."

"I guess you know, but my father wanted Chay to marry me eight years ago. And it almost happened."

"Really, so what happened?"

"I found out that dad was behind this great coupling, and I took off. It was too embarrassing, facing Amory. I suppose it wasn't his fault. Not many people can say no to my father."

Gina looked thoughtful for a moment, then added, "Kasie, you don't think Chay would actually go through with a wedding if he didn't care about you, do you?"

"You said it yourself, he's loyal."

"But I know Chayton wouldn't dream of something that severe unless he wanted it, himself." Gina defended. "He's his own man, and always has been."

"I've spent eight years wondering why he was going through with it."

"Didn't he ever tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

"That he loved you?" Gina sat up.

"No, those words never came from Chayton Amory," Kasie said sadly, "and never will."

"My God, Kasie. No wonder there is friction. The cad. No wonder there have been so many fireworks around the two of you. But I can't help but believe there is more to this than you are seeing."

"I was eighteen; he was twenty-three. I'll admit my immaturity, but I doubt he will. And believe me, I don't really blame him. I blame my father. He should never have—."

"John loves Chayton and Tanka like his own sons."

"Yes, I know. Too bad they aren't."

A short silence gave Kasie time for reflection, then she shrugged it away and asked. "So, why haven't you married Tanka?"

"Fires!. Big ones. Tanka and Chayton have always fought the yearly forest fires, every summer. I beg Tanka not to go every summer, but he says he feels obligated as a logger to do his share to save the trees. Trees are like humans to those two. No two ever respected Mother Nature like Tanka and Chayton. Do you know, now don't tell them I told you this, but they pray before they start cutting trees. They pray for a new forest." Gina giggled.

Kasie stared into the firelight, overcome with some emotion she couldn't define.

"I dread those fires every year. They scare me to death. Their father taught them about survival. Still, it's much too dangerous. I'm not going to be a widow before I'm a wife."

Kasie pictured it in her mind, and laughed, until she realized the seriousness of the situation. A forest fire! She had never contemplated such devastation. She'd seen many on television. But to think Amory had been caught in one, and what the consequences could have been, made her shudder.

"They could be killed." The thought of Amory dying had never once entered her mind, until now.

"Maybe, but I think they are both too tough to die."

Kasie smiled again, and then asked almost shyly, "Is that how their folks died, in the fire?"

"Oh, no. It was a boating accident."

"A boating accident?" Kasie felt foolish for being so ill-informed. "But Amory said their place burned down."

"It did. A few years ago, during one of the biggest fires on the mountain. But their folks were already dead."

"That's when Amory saved the bed?"

"Of course, the special bed. The marrying bed. The only women that will sleep in that bed are their brides. That much I know."

Kasie swallowed this with a grain of salt. She'd slept in the bed, and she wasn't a bride.

"So how did their folks die?"

"They were fishing. It was the wrong time of the year for fishing, but those two didn't care. They'd fish in a hole in twenty below weather. Their mother fell in the river as she tried to capture her fish from her line. Chayton's dad jumped in after her, but they think he must have had a heart attack because he never made it."

~*~

Kyle was awake and resting comfortably beside Tanka when he came to, anxious to know all the details. "How'd you get shot, Tanka?"

Tanka tried to raise up in the bed, but found it too difficult, the pain stabbing him, so he merely glanced over at the young man with a indulgent smile. "Some young fool with a gun. I guess I managed to get in front of his bullet. I should have known better. I have no excuse; I'm not a greenhorn kid. There were so many people out there, though. When news got out that Ole Blue had hurt you, why everyone this side of the mountain came prepared to kill."

Kyle's face turned bright red, and he looked distressed. "Gee, I didn't mean to ..."

Tanka shook his head and winked. "Hey, don't worry about it. It's not your fault. It's just I've never seen so many would-be hunters in all my life. You'd have thought it was a grizzly gone loco the way they were scattering. The rangers had a helluva time controlling the firing. They were running in circles. We all were. It's funny, but Chayton and I had this foolish notion we could take that bear without killing him. Not with that circus running wild out there, we couldn't. But he died a proud death, no thanks to us."

Gina came to sit beside Tanka on the bed, her arm going around him protectively. "You could have been killed. I never once dreamed it could happen. Here I was trying to convince everyone else how capable you two were, and you were shot."

Tanka flashed her a big grin, even though his face had gone pale once more. "It would take more than one wayward bullet to kill me, Gina. But I'm glad to know you have confidence in me."

She took his good arm, and brought his hand to her trembling lips.

Kasie watched them out of the corner of her eye, envying them to some extent. Her eyes drifted toward Amory again, and he was watching her.