Comanche Haven (The Loflin Legacy: Book 1) (2 page)

“
Yes, Mr. Loflin was kind
enough to help me with my bags. Thank you, sir.” Her pointedly
vague reference to her knowledge of him as well as her cool show of
appreciation brought about only the slightest of tips from his
Stetson.

“
My pleasure,
Ma’am.”

Celia’s breath caught, as she
understood he would continue the ruse they’d just met. The ache in
her chest swelled as she glanced into those intense blue
eyes.

“
Come in and have a bite to
eat with us, won’t you?” Claudette reached out and took Celia’s
gloved hand in her own. “My word, dear, you’re trembling. You
simply must come in and rest. The trip was grueling, wasn’t it?”
She motioned in the direction of the Tyler Inn. “Come in out of the
heat for just a few minutes. The repast will do you
good.”

Celia’s eyes darted from Claudette to
Seth. He simply smiled knowingly at her. Surely, he would
object.

“
Celia!”

Breaking away to the sound of her name,
she searched through the crowd.

“
Celia?”

Turning to the sound of the deep voice,
Celia spotted the tall, muscular figure of a man dressed in
buckskin striding toward her. Recognition had her heart tightening
and tears welling in the corners of her eyes. Seth and Claudette
were forgotten as her face broke into a grin and she broke into a
very, unlady-like run. Squealing in sheer delight as her cousin
grabbed her up in a bear hug, and spun her around, Celia buried her
face in the crook of his neck. Joy filled her as he spun her around
again.

Easing her down, Broken Horse smiled
broadly. “Little One, look at you.” Holding Celia at arm’s length,
he let his eyes travel over her. The expression on his face said he
was pleasantly surprised at what he saw.

Celia noticed him peer over her
shoulder with a bewildered brow as if he was searching for
something. “What?” Bemused, Celia turned, trying to decipher his
point of focus.

With his face shadowed in seriousness,
Broken Horse confided, “I was expecting a girl with scraped knees
and a dirt-smudged face. Instead, I’m to believe this beautiful,
young woman before me is my cousin?”

Relaxing backward in his hold, Celia
couldn’t help the smile that creased her lips. “Cousin, you stretch
the truth too far.” Her eyes twinkled as she laughed. “Besides,
you’re biased.”

With admiration, Broken Horse eyed her.
“I promise you this, you’re the most beautiful creature in these
parts, Celia, and that’s the truth.”

Her color rose at the
complement.

Kissing her gently on the forehead, he
gave her one more hug.

When he straightened once more, she
touched his arm. “Oh, Broken Horse, it’s so good to see you. You
haven’t changed a bit.”

Broken Horse appeared wounded. “Haven’t
I?”

She peered up at him in mock
consideration. “Well, maybe some. You’re certainly taller.” Celia
squeezed his upper arm and her eyes widened in true astonishment.
“What have you been doing? You’re strong as a horse.”

His laugh was deep and genuine. With a
grin on his handsome face, Broken Horse shook his head. “You’ve
been gone a long time, cousin. Things change.”

Celia nodded in agreement. Cutting her
eyes fleetingly behind her, she caught Seth watching her intently.
At his side and seemingly undaunted by his lack of attention,
Claudette fiddled with his lapel and continued to bombard him with
her latest adventure. On that point, she could agree with Broken
Horse. Some things certainly did change, so she held her
tongue.

Broken Horse nodded toward two
well-stocked horses standing a few yards away at a hitching post.
“We’ve got a long ride. Are you ready to go?”

Celia glanced at the two rich coated
Paints standing down the boardwalk. Their saddles held supplies
enough for a long journey. Was she ready to see her father after
all this time and face what came next?

Before she could answer, Claudette
approached them. “Celia, won’t you and your cousin join
us?”

Celia hesitated glancing from Claudette
to Broken Horse and back. A sudden need to leave overwhelmed her.
The mocking glare Seth sent her had her stiffening. She wouldn’t
allow him to see her disquiet at being in his company. If they
joined the couple, she would be civil for the sake of her
pride.

Broken Horse’s curiosity must’ve gotten
the better of him as he studied Claudette’s sun-kissed complexion.
“We probably need to eat before starting out,” he said.

“
We would enjoy the
company,” Seth offered companionably as he appeared at Claudette
side, offering Broken Horse his hand. “The name’s Seth.”

Turning his attention more closely to
Seth, Broken Horse admonished, “I recognize you. You’re Loflin. You
own the Shooter Creek ranch, right. You spent time with our people
one summer when we camped along the creek bank. Didn’t you go off
to West Point?”

Seth nodded in the affirmative. His
eyes were sharp and accessing as he considered the tall, dark
Comanche warrior. “Broken Horse?” he asked as Celia’s cousin
gripped his hand. “Well, it’s good to see you, blood brother. How
have you been?”

“
Good. You?”

“
Fine. Your memory is good.”
Using the Comanche form of a friendly greeting, Seth gripped Broken
Horse’s shoulders and smiled in recognition. Stepping back, he
shook his head slightly. “But we were both a lot younger then, and
things were a lot different. You speak English now.”

“
Yes, learned your language
at Fort Tyler.” Broken Horse smiled wryly. “I represent the
Comanche in treaty talks. You’re right about the difference the
years can make. I guess my people would consider you the enemy
now.”

Seth nodded solemnly for his old friend
and then turned. “Miss Claudette Harding, this is my blood brother,
Broken Horse.”

Claudette smiled. “So you and Seth are
blood brothers? How fascinating,” Her light brown eyes danced from
Broken Horse’s tall frame to Celia who stood like a plank in a
wooden fence. “I guess the trouble between the Comanche and the
settlers keeps you busy with parlays and such.”

Calculating was the word which came to
mind this time as Claudette’s eyes traveled the length of Broken
Horse once more. Celia’s stomach muscles tightened even
more.

“
Yes, I’m just back from yet
another attempt to settle things between our people. If the Texas
Rangers have their way, we’ll all be relocated to the reservations
soon.” Broken Horse’s mouth firmed into a somber line as he
addressed Celia and Claudette. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to bring up
unpleasant circumstances, ladies.” Then he turned his attention to
Seth and grinned. “Time has been good to you, my friend.” With a
hand resting on her shoulder, he said. “This is my cousin, Celia.
‘Little One” is her name among The People. She’s the daughter of
Lone Eagle.” Broken Horse glanced down at his cousin. “I’m taking
her to her father’s camp.” He peered at Celia closely as if trying
to determine her state. “The trip didn’t seem to agree with her.”
He cocked a dark brow when Celia cut him a sidelong
glare.

With a swift grace, Seth reached out,
taking her limp hand in his and peered deep into her eyes. Celia’s
muscles coiled inside her like snakes. She made a fleeting attempt
to remove her fingers, but Seth held fast.

“
Ma’am, it’s a real pleasure
to meet you. We’d really like for you to have lunch with
us.”

His eyes held hers in an unyielding
stare. Celia wished he would let go. Claudette may have been a
prattler, but she wasn’t stupid. She’d figure out if Seth had known
Broken Horse before, then surely he’d known Celia as well. Yet, the
fact they’d been lovers, so long ago, would remain their secret,
Celia mused. How convenient! Was he ashamed of what they’d shared
or merely trying to hurt her still? Her heart constricted yet again
in her chest. Blinking back tears, Celia surmised that he wanted to
hide the fact from Claudette. She was probably the jealous sort.
His face was still unreadable. Why should she care? She berated
that small voice inside her that taunted her with the fact she
could still have feeling for him.

“
I’m sorry, but we can’t.”
Foolishness, it was nothing but foolishness, which allowed a
handshake to weaken her resolve. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, but
we must be going.” Celia smiled her best smile, while clinching her
teeth over the heated sensation his hand on hers evoked. Drawing on
all her courage, Celia straightened her spine. She would take care
of the business she’d come back for without his
interference.

Before Celia could object further,
Claudette’s laughter trilled around them and Celia glanced up. “Mr.
Broken Horse, would you be so kind as to escort me to the hotel
dining hall? I understand they have a wonderful chicken and
dumplings on the menu today.” With her honey, sweet drawl coating
each word, Claudette extended her delicate gloved hand to Broken
Horse.

Celia’s stoic cousin bowed slightly and
took Claudette’s hand, wrapping it about his massive forearm before
heading for the inn. Apparently, the tactically shrewd, young
blonde had worked her magic on Broken Horse’s mind with nothing
more than a coy smile.

Such nonsense, Celia decided. Some
women, using nothing more than their wiles, could lead men where
they wanted. She found the ploy distasteful and knew the
straightforward approach was much more to her liking.

Like a grand hostess overseeing the
seating at a lavish party, Claudette gestured with her free hand
toward Seth. “Would you be so kind as to see Celia to the
hotel?”

For one brief instant,
irritation flashed across Seth’s features before he morphed back
into the gentleman cowboy once more. “Of course.” He formed his
words through gritted teeth and shot Celia a warning glare. His
meaning was clear, “
Play along or
else
”. Following her cousin and Claudette,
Celia was certain Seth was leading her to the gallows as he held
her arm draped around his tense forearm. Chiding her emotions for
being affected, Celia walked toward the hall. He was simply a man
from her past, nothing more! His eyes were on her even then. Wasn’t
it
he
who had
returned her letters unopened? Wasn’t it
he
who hadn’t bothered to locate her.
Oh, yes, it was
he
who was to blame for her broken heart. She owed him nothing.
“You’ve got a lot of nerve pretending we just met.” Her voice
waivered over the words and caused a hot wave of embarrassment to
wash over her. Too involved in her own thoughts, Celia didn’t see
his next move.

With the swift speed of a lightning
strike, Seth snatched Celia up by the arms and maneuvered her into
the nearest storefront alcove. Thoroughly caught off guard, her
gasp was audible but there was no one to pay attention. Beating her
fists against his chest, she winced when he gathered her wrists in
his grip.

“
Take your hands off me,”
she hissed. Her eyes bore into his with contempt and loathing. How
dare he manhandle her in such a way! Trembling with anger, Celia
tried desperately to quell the restless throbbing of desire the
cool contact of his leather vest caused in her veins. She would
ignore the way the tanned cowhide aroused her nipples to attention
through the thin cotton of her jacket.

“
There are things we have to
discuss and I won’t let you disappear again without the
satisfaction of some long overdue answers.” His steely stare
pierced her like a hot poker.

“
I have nothing to say to
you, not now, not ever! Now let go of me.” Yanking her wrists free,
Celia busied herself by shoving the parasol between them.
Attempting to open the frilly accessory, she wanted to scream when
it balked.

“
Yes you do. You seemed to
forget you left without so much as a note. Not a damn word about
where you were going or why. Don’t think about disappearing again.
I’m warning you.” His voice felt like smooth bourbon washing over
her but his eyes were full of rage.

His words made Celia’s
hackles rise. The iron grip of his hand snaked out gripping her arm
again. “You would dare threaten me?” Celia cocked a questioning
brow at him. The reluctant parasol forgotten, she took a step
closer, before grounding out the next words. “I haven’t heard a
word from you in almost twelve years and my correspondence was
returned unopened, yet you stand there and have the
nerve
to threaten
me?”

“
Get away from me, you,
you…spawn of Satan!” Celia leveled her chin and wheeled away,
stalking off with her half-opened parasol leaning against her
shoulder. The remnants of her composure trailed behind.

The grand old double doors of the Tyler
Inn were a welcome sight and Celia entered the hotel with relief.
Letting the cool air of the lavish interior wrap her in comfort,
she willed her nerves to calm and her sight to focus. Blinking, she
looked about and took in the soothing oasis from the heat of a
Texas day. Young Indian boys dressed in matching cotton shirts and
pants stood on opposite sides of the lobby and worked shoofly fans
circulating air around the large, opulently appointed room. The
last time she’d been inside the establishment was when Seth had
brought her to town over twelve years ago. She was glad to see the
owners had kept the landmark in good repair. Celia noted the
interior of the establishment boasted new carpets and draperies.
The same plush ottoman remained situated comfortably in the center
of the large welcoming lobby and sported a new red velvet cover.
Coal oil lanterns hung on the walls and gave off a soft light.
Stepping down into the plush carpet, Celia glanced about, noticing
new pictures depicting Tyler and the town’s accomplishments hanging
on the walls.