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"He was so…young…"
"Katherine," he took her hand in his, his thumb absently caressing the top of her hand. "He wanted you to know…your mother told him about you. But…it didn't matter to Josh. He loved you truly as a brother should. He wanted to live to help you…he didn't want you to be alone."
Katherine couldn't stop the tears now, like long ropes of water coming, slipping down her cheeks. She wept openly, and Chase rose to his feet to take her into his arms again. It felt so right to hold her close and love her so. Strong emotions tied him to this woman.
"I loved him, truly," she whispered against the shoulder Chase offered.
"He knew you did. His last words were of you, Katherine. Nothing speaks more highly of love than that," Chase assured her.
For a long time she sobbed against him, as he held her, combing the long strands of her hair with his fingers. She had been through so much, and still she was strong, and he fed her his strength too, to go on, for he knew it would take much courage to keep going now.
Some time later, Katherine raised her head from his shoulder and backed away a bit. "And Lee and the Captain?"
"They are okay. They might be here soon. They will be out of water soon. They can't last without it. I left them back on the trail after the last dream I had of you."
"You should have listened to me…," she whispered.
"I would not, could not let Hawks kill you, Katherine… Whether you understand me or not, you are bound to me, and me to you. I will always take care of you Katherine…" he pledged and held her close.
She pulled away. "That was only a dream…"
Chase considered her words, and understood. She did not recognize their coming together as a marriage, and she was right, there were no promises, only love which reached beyond promise.
Yet he understood her. She thought like a white, and it would be difficult, even if he did manage to get her back to the tribe to convince her that God Almighty had deemed them as married.
Understanding was one thing, living with that understanding was quite another. He wanted her and she was his, there was no denying it. But she rejected him. So he would have to learn to live with that too. He only hoped that Burning Tree would bring them together again, somehow, and make her see.
Perhaps the night would have been painful but Lee and the Captain appeared out of the darkness. The Captain pulled Lee just as Chase had done, and he was wobbling as he stomped into the camp.
Katherine ran to Lee and immediately started doctoring him. Lee seemed better after much sleep. The Captain was worn to a frazzle, but happy to finally reach the station.
"What happened?" he didn't hesitate to ask even as out of breath as he was.
Chase offered him water. "Mathew Tyler showed up before I came into the station. I convinced him to wait till nightfall and go in. But Hawks had seen us and had the upper hand. He captured me, and Mathew made it to the barn to warn Katherine, but as he came out, Hawks shot him. Thinking him dead, Hawks made the mistake of walking around him. Mathew got off one shot, and killed Hawks. I'm kinda glad it was him that did it. Seems only right," Chase added sadly.
The Captain bowed his head. "All the Tyler boys, killed, by one man. And what was Hawks after?"
Katherine came around to look the Captain in the eye. "It seems he and my father had stolen money from a bank back in Missouri. After the robbery, a deputy was shot and presumably killed. The posse lit out for them. So they separated. Hawks went to Indian Territory, my father came here. Hawks was convinced the money was here, buried in the ground somewhere. We didn't find it, Captain…but I reckon it's here, somewhere."
Chase looked at Katherine then the Captain. "She knew nothing about this, all this hit her like a twister gone bad."
Katherine nodded. "Hawks was full of information I knew nothing about."
"We'll make a full report when we get to the fort," The Captain predicted.
"Am I under arrest, Captain?" Katherine held out her hands.
The Captain cleared his throat. "No…Miss Katherine, I've a few things to look into, but I don't think it will be necessary. Although I won't forget that trick for a long time."
Katherine smiled and the Captain smiled back.
Chase felt his gut wrench as Katherine was almost flirting with the Captain now.
Chase eyed the Captain as Katherine cooked his quick finds in the desert for supper. "You pulled Lee, yourself?"
Lee chuckled. "I told him I could try to walk now, but he insisted."
"I'm not saying I did it as well as you, but we got here…" The Captain laughed now although he was definitely ready to cave in for the night as soon as he ate something.
