Comanche Haven (The Loflin Legacy: Book 1) (3 page)

Celia’s gaze settled on Claudette near
the entrance to the dining hall. Claudette positioned her body
intimately against Broken Horse as she spoke to him. Celia watched
as he bent his head toward her. Having Seth’s woman show so much
attention to Broken Horse raised Celia’s ire once more. Four the
love of all that was holy, couldn’t she be rid of Seth and the
woman and be on her way?

Broken Horse spied her and moved to her
side.

Celia tried for calm and offered her
opinion of the old inn, “The hotel is so lovely.”

“
Always has been. A landmark
of sorts, I guess.” Broken Horse let his gaze wander the room in
admiration.

Numerous guests strolled about the
spacious lobby or relaxed in the crimson red settees situated in
conversation groupings about the room. Like them, several people
had chosen the lobby as their escape from the noonday heat. Celia
and Broken Horse made an odd couple in the eyes of the patrons of
the Tyler Inn. They most likely saw a heathen and an exotic
whore.

“
I left your bags at the
front desk.” Offering his arm to Celia, Broken Horse proceeded to
the dining hall.

“
Where’s Seth?” Claudette
asked as they approached.

“
He had to secure your bags
with the livery,” Celia lied. She had no idea where he was, nor did
she care. It seemed like only a moment had passed before Claudette
turned and greeted Seth. Celia stumbled. The room grew dim as the
blood drained from her face. Clutching Broken Horse’s arm for
support her fingernails dug into his flesh.

He pried his injured forearm from her
grasp. “Celia, are you ill?” Steering her to a nearby settee,
Broken Horse leaned in to examine his cousin.

Celia’s brain wouldn’t work. She could
hear her cousin speaking to her, but couldn’t form words to answer
him. The only person she could see was Seth walking toward her with
that snide grin on his face. Her heart rate increased and her
vision blurred. There was a dreadful ringing in her ears. Gritting
her teeth, she willed herself not to faint. She wouldn’t allow him
an ounce of satisfaction at having been the reason she passed
out.

“
What seems to be the
problem?” Seth’s voice was deep and reverberated with
concern.

“
She went limp all of a
sudden,” Broken Horse, explained. “She’s still trembling. Celia, do
you need some water?”

“
I’ll get her some,” Seth
offered.

Celia watched the room spin slowly
before she closed her eyes tight against the turbulence in her
stomach as well as her head.

Claudette knelt close and pulled a vial
from her reticule, waving it under Celia’s nose. “This should bring
her around.” She glanced up at Broken Horse. “Poor dear, the ride
must’ve been too much for her. I told her she should eat something
at the last stop, but she said she couldn’t bear the thought of
eating anymore hardtack.”

Broken Horse shook his head. “My cousin
can be headstrong, and apparently she’s grown unwise in her
decision making.”

Holding her head so it wouldn’t fall
off her shoulders, Celia groaned. She wasn’t in a position to
defend her actions at the moment, but the words came anyway. “I’m
just fine and I don’t make unwise decisions.” Gently dabbing
Claudette’s handkerchief dipped in smelling salts under her nose
once again, Celia silently wished she could disappear as the room
spun once more.

Claudette turned her attention to
Broken Horse. “How long has it been since you’ve seen her, Broken
Horse?”

“
Celia’s been back east for
a very long time, almost twelve years. This is her first trip
home.” He smiled at Claudette.

“
Well, she appears to be
coming around now. That’s good.” She rested her hand on Celia’s.
“Your color is returning.”

It was the flush of embarrassment at
her lack of control under the circumstances, Celia mused. She
frowned at the fog of her brain and shook her head. The room needed
to stop spinning! Closing her eyes, she prayed for calm.

“
I think the salts are
working. You’re going to be fine, dear.” Claudette patted her
shoulder absently before turning again to Broken Horse.

Irritation replaced the better part of
the fog in her brain and now the urge to take out her frustration
on someone proved unmistakable. The precocious Miss Harding was a
good candidate.

Unaware she was in Celia’s line of
fire, Claudette continued to ask questions of Broken Horse, “You
represent the Comanche in the talks?”

“
Yes, I speak for Lone Eagle
when we parlay with the white leaders.” Broken Horse met her gaze
squarely.

Claudette nodded affably. “You
mentioned Celia had been back east. Where?”

“
Charleston. She went to
school there and worked as a nurse.”

Celia rubbed her temple where the
tension centered. “I can speak for myself, thank you,” she snapped.
Pinning Broken Horse with one cool stare, Celia then turned to
Claudette. “Yes, I went to the white man’s school and got an
education. Amazed?” Celia cocked her head. “Or perhaps, you’re just
wondering how a Comanche half-breed got accepted into a white man’s
school, hum?” She winced inwardly with the sarcastic attack.
Assumption was dangerous. The woman hadn’t given her reason to
think Claudette saw her as nothing more than a Comanche.

Claudette’s smile never faltered as her
eyes traveled from her to Broken Horse and back again in intrigued
attention. “I am pleasantly surprised to be honest. It’s not every
day I get to hold a conversation with not one but two Comanche. The
fact you managed to learn our language and gain an education is
quite spectacular.” Glancing from one cousin to another, Claudette
broke the awkward silence. “Come now. I mean no harm. I’m impressed
to say the least. How long were you in Charleston?”

Her blue eyes moved slowly over Celia
taking in every detail with a smooth and surmising scan. It wasn’t
the first time Celia had witnessed the open curiosity in someone’s
eyes.

“
Almost twelve years.” Guilt
started to pry at her will.

“
Well, my dear,” Claudette
said, showing a newfound interest in Celia. “You must have some
wonderful stories to tell. We would love to hear all about them.
Wouldn’t we, Seth?” Claudette peered up at his ruggedly handsome
face as he returned.

“
Indeed we would.” Seth
offered the glass to Celia, his face as unreadable as ever. “Here
now.”

The contact with his fingers was like a
brand she could feel to the depths of her soul. Desperation danced
in her stomach. He was too close. His eyes were too blue, his face
too gorgeous to believe. With the glass in both hands, she managed
to produce yet another embarrassing moment by spilling water down
the front of her suit.

“
Oh, dear. Seth, get me a
napkin,” Claudette ordered.

Celia recovered enough to
dab at the water and murmur a feeble “thank you” when he handed her
his own handkerchief. With a flick of a glance upward, Celia found
him watching her with a keenness, which set her pulse to racing.
His face was as bland as unleavened bread. With nothing more than
his cool regard, Seth had the color in her face rising once
more.
Damn him…

Claudette peered closely at Celia once
more. “Her eyes are clear now and her cheeks are pink again. She’s
going to be all right.” Claudette announced and patted Celia’s arm.
“She needs something to eat though.” Seeking agreement from Broken
Horse, Claudette announced emphatically. “You’ll both dine with
us.”

Celia’s eyes grew wide.
“
No!
” and reached
for Broken Horse’s arm. “That’s very kind of you, but…”

“
We’re grateful to you both
for your help, but...” Broken Horse said. Celia didn’t know if he’d
read the trepidation in her face or remembered the time it would
take to get to Lone Eagle’s camp, but she was grateful for his next
words. “We have a long trip ahead of us still and it’s getting
late.”

“
Nonsense! We insist on your
company,” Claudette stated firmly.

With the blonde’s emphatic response,
Celia fell in behind her cousin and Claudette and let Seth lead her
to the dining hall.

At the entrance, their progress ceased,
halted by a male resembling a boney scarecrow. The skinny fellow
wore a drab, gray suit and was emaciated enough to be a skeleton.
His eyes bugged behind thick spectacles perched precariously atop
his crooked nose. A light emanating from the dining hall shone off
the man’s shining baldhead giving him the appearance of a freshly
polished newel post. Celia recognized the disdain in his face
before he said a word.

“
Miss Claudette, Mr. Loflin,
may I be of assistance?”

Their host glanced briefly at Celia
before his neck ran out of his starched, white collar like one of
the cranes she’d seen along the inlets of the Atlantic.

Celia marveled at the man’s coloring.
He reminded her of one of the cadavers they’d used in school to
practice on. At least the cadavers had an excuse for being so pale.
Celia raised an eyebrow at the man in mild irritation.

“
Mr. Loflin, Miss Haden,
would you like to be seated?” The man afforded Broken Horse and her
one more frigid glance.

“
Yes, Alfred. That would be
lovely. Thank you.” Claudette’s reply was warm and seemingly
clueless. With Broken Horse at her side, Claudette moved toward the
velvet ropes barring the entrance to the room.

Celia’s internal battle over Seth’s
close proximity became quickly forgotten as she sensed what was
about to happen. Back east, an Indian provided the curious an
exotic oddity to examine and appreciate like a fine wine. But in
Texas an Injun was less than dirt to most whites. Alfred was most
whites.

Lifting a skeletal hand, Alfred
effectively halted their progress. “I’m sorry, Miss Harding.” The
man then turned his attention to Seth with a chilly demeanor. “Mr.
Loflin, we don’t serve Indians.”

Celia was familiar with the tone Alfred
used. Prejudice was still the order of the day in Texas. Releasing
Seth’s arm, she turned for the lobby once more. It would do no good
to cause a scene.

Seth’s hand snaked out and gripped hers
like a vice. Wheeling her to face him, his chin hard and
unyielding, he commanded, “Wait.”

Celia was surprised. Would he argue the
point?

Reluctant to stay, she stilled,
offering him no resistance but watching his eyes.

Turning, Seth squared his shoulders and
took a step in Alfred’s direction, making the host swallow
convulsively.

His tone was pleasant with just an
edge. “I’ll be paying with good ol’ American money, Alfred. I don’t
think there’ll be any problem.”

He may have been trying to help, but
the implication stung. She could pay her own way. Did Seth assume
just because she was a woman and Comanche she couldn’t pay for her
own meal? She might be overreacting, but she didn’t need his help.
Celia took a step forward. “We’ll leave.” Her words came out cooler
and more clipped than she’d intended. A quick glance at Seth told
her he wasn’t happy with her interference as a muscle jumped in his
jaw. Celia pointedly ignored him and turned to her cousin for
affirmation. “Broken Horse?”

Broken Horse’s eyes remained on Alfred.
“No, Celia, we’re staying.”

Celia blinked. She’d been so sure he
would agree they should leave before causing a scene that she
couldn’t speak. The decision had been made it seemed. Despite her
misgivings, she had to admit she admired Broken Horse’s
determination. He exuded the cool, stoic persona of The People.
Intended to intimidate one’s enemy, his stance invited her to join
him in standing up for themselves.

Glancing from Broken Horse
to Seth, she made her choice and stepped in line with the
men.
She would discuss her displeasure with
Seth later and she
did
intend to explain a few things to the arrogant Mr. Loflin. But
for the moment, there was prejudice to defend against. Glancing
back at Seth, who stood braced for a fight, Celia gathered her
fortitude and nodded at him briefly.

Out of the corner of his eye, Seth gave
her a cocky wink and then turned his full attention to the host.
“Alfred, please show us to a table.” The tone of his words sliced
coolly through the silence like a filet knife cutting through
flesh.

Alfred began to fidget. “I’m afraid
that’s not possible.” Swallowing hard, the host lifted his chin
another inch. Finding a point to stare at over Seth’s right
shoulder, Alfred set his mouth in a thin line.

“
Why may I ask is that?”
Celia imitated Alfred’s haughty expression. Oh, yes, today was
certainly one for confrontations
.
Celia took in the fact all eyes in the dining hall
were on them and the patrons had grown hushed. Small town gossip,
Celia mused. This little standoff would be fodder for the local
gossips for days to come.

Seth broke the silence. “Alfred.” He
drew the man’s name out on his tongue. “I believe the young lady
asked you a question.”