Wild Desire

Chapter 9

Guard her, by your truthful words,

Pure from courtship’s flatteries.

—ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING

Adam at her side, Stephanie stood on a sandstone ledge, gazing out onto a land fed by roistering small streams of delicious, cold water. The vast, empty sky was a cornflower blue directly above, which darkened gradually to a deep, rich turquoise before it finally met the distant mountain peaks.

The morning had been long, but the length of time had been scarcely noticed by Stephanie as she had so excitedly taken photographs. She had become enamored by everything about this lovely land. She could see why the Navaho did not want to lose their rights to the land. Wanting to be as one with the land could become an addiction. She felt the bond already, and she had only been there a very short time.

“Don’t you think we’d better call it a day if you want to stop by the Navaho village?” Adam said, tipping his wide-brimmed hat back from his brow. He smiled and wiped a smudge of dirt from his sister’s face. “Or do you think we should first take a bath in that stream?”

“No, no bath required.” Stephanie laughed, handing her camera to Adam. She folded up her tripod. “A hair brushing and a spray of perfume is all I need and I’ll feel refreshed enough.”

She went to the pack mule that was being used to transport her equipment. “I’m anxious to get to the Navaho village,” she tossed over her shoulder. She cast a look at the canopy of blue above, then at the sun, which had drifted from its midpoint. “I’d like to get back to the train before dark,” she added.

“Whatever you say, sis,” Adam said. He took quick steps toward the pack mule. He secured the camera case in a saddlebag, then took the tripod and tied it to the side of the mule and covered it with a leather drop cloth.

He folded his arms across his chest and gave Stephanie a soft smile as she took a bottle of perfume from the saddlebag on the other side of the mule and gave her shirt a spray. He then watched as she brushed her hair in long strokes, making it glisten in the sunlight.

He was glad that he and Stephanie had made up their differences today, while traveling together. And it would be no problem keeping their relationship this pleasant. He had already said enough about Runner to her. She needed no more reminding about his old friend who was now Navaho in Adam’s eyes, instead of white.

When she had suggested that they swing by the Navaho village, to meet Sage’s family, Adam realized that she mainly wanted to go there to get a chance to see Runner again. It took no damn crystal ball to figure that out. Making herself smell especially good, and taking such effort with her hair, was proof of that.

Adam had quickly agreed to her suggestion. He would play up to the whole Navaho nation, if that became necessary, to sway opinion his way so that the town bearing his name could be built without interference. Somehow, he would soon have the whole damn Navaho tribe eating out of his hands.

“I’m ready to go now,” Stephanie said, mounting her horse.

Adam gave her a mock salute and swung himself into his own saddle. They turned their steeds in the direction of the Navaho village. Their bridles jangled. Their horses pranced in a light canter, heads high, obedient to the reins.

When silence fell between Stephanie and Adam, he was keenly aware of it and did not attempt talking to her. One glance told him that she was deep in thought, and he felt confident with whom her thoughts lay: Runner.

He looked at her carefully, as if for the first time. She wore a faded calico shirt tucked into her divided riding skirt. The dark riding skirt was snug about her lithe hips and swung above her ankles, which were covered by undecorated high-heeled riding boots. The sleeves of her shirt were rolled above her elbows and the neck was unbuttoned, the cleavage of her breasts just barely visible.

But she looked no less lovely than if she wore a low-swept, satin ball gown. It did not take fancy clothes to bring out her loveliness. It was all natural, from her pretty nose and rosy lips to her slim and shapely legs. He admired her as all men did, but without passion. Although no blood kin to him, she was his sister, in every way.

Should he have had a true sister, surely their bond could not have been as true as the bond felt between Stephanie and himself.

“Adam,” Stephanie said, suddenly looking over at him. “Please try and behave yourself at the Navaho village. Will you please watch what you say?”

Adam was taken aback. His contented feelings of only moments ago were as quickly shattered. “Sis, if you’re going to monitor my every word while I am with the Navaho, I think it best that we return to the train instead of going to their village,” he said, his eyes cold as he glared at her. “Lord, Stephanie, sometimes I think you don’t want my dreams to come true.”

“It’s not that, Adam,” she said, her eyes wavering when she saw how quickly she had angered him. “I just wish there were other ways to make them happen.”

“Other than making friends with the Navaho?” he snapped back. “That’s what I’m going to do today, Stephanie: make friends. Is that wrong?”

“Not if that was your only motive,” Stephanie said. She looked ahead and got her first glimpse of hogans a short distance away.

She cast Adam another quick glance. “For me, Adam?” she softly pleaded. “Please don’t say or do anything we both might regret.”

Adam wiped a sweaty palm on his dark trousers. “I wouldn’t ever purposely do anything to hurt you,” he said. “That’s all I can promise you. I would think that would be enough.”

He scowled at her for a moment longer, then jerked around and stared ahead, silent. He wished now that he had said a flat no to her when she had begged to come with him to Arizona Territory. She could prove to be more of a nuisance than a companion. Yet if she had not been there, he felt that he would have already been at a deadlock with the Navaho.

Adam felt unnerved when they rode into the outskirts of the village, dogs yapping at their heels and people turning to watch. He ignored these people. He was looking straight ahead. His spine stiffened when he saw Sage and Runner step from one of the larger hogans of the village. A lovely woman came quickly to Sage’s side, who Adam recognized as Leonida.

Her appearance gave him cause to relax somewhat. He could still feel the warmth of her smile those many years