The River Girl's Christmas (Texas Women of Spirit Book 4) Read Online Free

squinted at the trading post. “Is there a river or stream somewhere ahead?”
    “Yes, in maybe half an hour.”
    “We’ll go there.” He urged his horse forward.
    Soonie bit back a protest. She had learned to trust her husband’s instincts in these situations. If she had brought up similar concerns, she knew he would have valued her thoughts as well.
    The brook was just where Soonie remembered it and the water was cold, clear and clean. After a lunch of bread and cheese, Lone Warrior took a quick nap on a large, flat rock in the watery December light.
    After half an hour, Soonie shook him awake. “We probably ought to get going, dear. We have at least two hours of riding ahead of us, if we don’t make any more stops.”
    Lone Warrior pushed back his hat, which had been over his face, and yawned. “All right.” He peered up at the sun. “Two hours, you say? We should make it by dark.”
    As the shadows grew longer, the air chilled. Though Soonie didn’t mind the cold, she wished she could snuggle in Lone Warrior’s arms to get warm. She hadn’t expected to miss the tipi they’d set up on the outer edge of the reservation, but now she longed to see the shadows dancing on the hide walls and the mysterious shapes the smoke made when it disappeared through the top.
    Life on the reservation had been an adjustment. Due to her teaching position and Lone Warrior’s job as head of the reservation patrol, they both had more freedoms and favor then many of the other Comanche and Kiowa people in the territory. But it was still a sort of prison, and Soonie gulped the free air with gratitude.
    Lone Warrior held up a dark, scarred hand and halted the bay.
    “What is it?” Soonie asked, scanning the path.
    He swung down off the horse and gestured for her to do the same.
    “Did you see something? What’s wrong?”
    Grabbing her hand, he pulled her towards him. “Nothing. Just this.” He bent over and kissed her.
    She kissed him back and pulled away, gasping and laughing. “Silly man! We have to get to town. It’s going to be black as pitch soon. Good thing they’d have had time to finish building that bridge across the river. We’d never wake the ferry man at this hour.”
    “Sorry, I couldn’t wait any longer.” Lone Warrior touched her face. “Those lips just kept taunting me.”
    The rattling of wheels interrupted their embrace.
    Lone Warrior shielded his eyes and looked down the path. “We should get off the road.”
    “Don’t be silly.” Soonie patted his arm. “We’re only a few miles from Bastrop. Everyone around here knows me.”
    Lone Warrior stiffened and stepped in front of her as a buggy appeared around the corner.
    Two men Soonie didn’t recognize sat in the front, and a third man rode behind on a horse.
    “Whoa, whoa.” The driver pulled up the reins. The wagon came to a stop a few feet away from Soonie and Lone Warrior.
    The driver was tall and lanky, with a drooping black moustache and a bowler hat. The other two men were also dark, but more plainly dressed.
    The driver squinted at Lone Warrior. “Howdy. What are you folks doing out here?”
    “Visiting family for Christmas.” Soonie straightened and lifted her chin. “How about you?” The hairs on her neck rose as rocks crunched behind them. The man on the horse now blocked any chance of escape.
    “Say now.” The driver slid down from his seat and walked towards them. “You must be part injun, ain’t you, girl? He peered under her bonnet. “I’d say Comanche. And you,” he jabbed a finger at Lone Warrior, “I don’t know what you are, but I’m thinkin’ you’re one hundred percent red man. Are you legal or illegal?”
    “We’re legal.” A muscle in Lone Warrior’s cheek twitched. He reached into his coat pocket, where their permission papers had been stored.
    “Wait!” Soonie cried, but the shot rang through the air too fast for either of them to react. A spurt of red bloomed through a fresh hole in the fabric of