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“Perhaps,” Stephanie said, slowly nodding. “Anyhow, he does seem sincere enough.”
Runner reached down and touched Stephanie’s cheek tenderly. “My feelings are quite genuine,” he said softly, then leaned lower and gave her a melting kiss.
A noise drew them apart. They both gasped as they
found Pure Blossom running swiftly from Adam’s private car, obviously trying to sneak away while Stephanie and Runner were occupied.
“Pure Blossom?” Runner said, his voice drawn. He gave his sister a puzzled stare when she stopped and looked at him, guilt etched onto her lovely face.
Runner slipped out of the saddle, his eyes on Adam, who cowered on the steps of the train. Enraged, he went over to Adam and slammed a fist into his jaw. When Adam fell to the ground, Runner was there just as quickly to grab him up by the shirt collar and hit him again.
Pure Blossom ran to her brother and grabbed him by an arm. “Stop!” she cried. “Big brother, do not do this thing! Adam had nothing to do with me being here. I came to him on my own. I came to him because I wanted to. Because he loved me, he took me in. Would you rather he turn me away into the dark, to return home alone at the mercy of the coyotes? Instead, he offered me lodging.”
“And more, I am certain,” Runner said. His teeth were clenched as he stood over Adam, who was swaying, finding it difficult to stand. Blood was running from Adam’s nose and mouth. One eye was already swelling shut.
“Can you tell me, old friend, that you did not share the same bed as my sister last night?” Runner said.
“I slept with him,” Pure Blossom quickly interjected, pride in her voice. “So if blame must be cast, it should be entirely on your sister.”
Runner’s eyes wavered as he looked down at Pure Blossom. “Knowing how Father feels, why would you do this?” he asked.
Pure Blossom cast a defiant look Stephanie’s way, then turned her eyes back to Runner. “Why do you, big brother, continue to have liaisons with the white woman, when you also know how Father feels?” she asked in return.
Stephanie stirred uneasily. She knew that what Pure Blossom said made good sense, yet she still did not like to be made an example of. She saw hers and Runner’s situation much differently than her brother’s and Pure Blossom’s. Sage had absolutely forbidden Adam to see Pure Blossom under any circumstances. He had made a pact with Adam, that Adam would be welcome among the Navaho as long as he no longer courted Pure Blossom.
Runner’s father had made no such ultimatum to him. Stephanie had given him no cause to, especially since she was not interfering directly in their lives.
“Pure Blossom, no matter what you say, you should not be with Adam,” Runner said, drawing her closer. “Sweet little sister, he is not right for you. He will never marry you. Do you not see that his world is so opposite ours? He would not take you into his white world with him, nor would he stay with you in yours. Time spent with him is wasted. Please see that and say a final farewell to him. You will be better off because of it.”
Runner couldn’t tell his sister how he was truly feeling: Adam might be sincere about Pure Blossom now, when only a slight hump was present at the base of her skull, but soon she would be showing more signs of her affliction which could become grotesque in the eyes of such a man as Adam.
Yet he knew that even his father would not be able to stop the love affair between his sister and this white man now. And did not his sister deserve a measure of happiness while it was still possible?
Pure Blossom went to Adam and smoothed gentle fingers across his swollen eyelid, then took a handkerchief from his breeches pocket and began dabbing at his cuts.
“You do not care that I am Navaho, do you?” she murmured. “You would not be ashamed to have a Navaho wife?”
Adam’s eyes wavered into hers. He swallowed hard, touched anew by her innocent beauty and the sincerity in her voice.
“I love you,” he said, his voice breaking. “I want everything to be possible for you. Even marriage to the man you love.”
Sobbing, Pure Blossom flung herself into Adam’s arms. “I knew that you cared,” she cried.
Stephanie went to Runner and took his hand. She led him away from Pure Blossom and Adam.
“It seems my brother is sincere about your sister,” she said softly.
“Pity your brother should he ever hurt her,” Runner said, drawing Stephanie into his embrace. Over Stephanie’s shoulder, he watched Pure Blossom and Adam kissing. His insides seethed at the sight. Yet, perhaps he was wrong about Adam. For his sister’s sake, he had no choice but to give Adam the benefit of the doubt.
Runner stepped away from Stephanie and swung himself up on his horse. “Come, little sister,” he said, his voice carrying to Pure Blossom. “Get your horse and come home with me.”
Pure Blossom retrieved her horse from its hiding place and led it over beside Runner’s. Adam lifted her into the saddle.
“Runner, if Father has not missed me, do not tell him where I spent the night,” Pure Blossom begged. “I want to give him more time. Then I shall tell him.”
She smiled down at Adam, then looked somberly over at Runner again. “When our wedding date has been planned, big brother, then I will tell both Mother and Father. Will you please allow me this time? I do not want to test our father’s wrath just yet.”
“Secrets are ugly,” Runner said, his jaw tightening.
