It was easier said than done. For a moment Loretta struggled, unable to make up her mind. Her child had the right to know his or her father. And the chance would be lost unless she found some courage. Did she want to spend her life peering into her looking glass, as Aunt Rachel had, searching for herself, berating herself?
Loretta pulled her arm from Hunter's grasp. If she was going, she had to hurry before Hunter gave up and left. She shouldered her way through the men, ignoring the insults they hurled after her. Amy appeared out of the darkness. From the look on her face, Loretta knew she had overheard. Loretta broke stride, then threw her arms wide to catch her little cousin in a fierce hug. "I love you, Amelia Rose. Don't ever forget that."
Amy's shoulders shook with sobs. "I won't. I'll miss you, Loretta. A powerful lot."
Loretta hugged her more tightly. "Maybe one day we'll be together again. You've got to hold my baby!"
"Maybe after Swift Antelope comes for me." Amy gulped and pulled away. "You'll tell him, won't ya? That I ain't forgot my promises to him? That I'll be waitin' for him?"
"I'll tell him."
"You'd best go." Amy rubbed her cheek with her fist. "Go on! Before Hunter leaves!"
Loretta threw a regretful glance toward the buckboard. "Tell Aunt Rachel that--"
"She knows, but I'll tell her anyhow."
Loretta touched her hand to Amy's cheek, trying to smile but too frightened to manage. "Good-bye."
"Good-bye, Loretta Jane.Good-bye!"
The word followed Loretta into the darkness. As she left the wagons far behind, she felt more alone than she ever had in her life. Moonlight bathed the flats. Loretta turned in a slow circle but saw no one. If Hunter was out here, why didn't he show himself?"
Loretta pulled her arm from Hunter's grasp. If she was going, she had to hurry before Hunter gave up and left. She shouldered her way through the men, ignoring the insults they hurled after her. Amy appeared out of the darkness. From the look on her face, Loretta knew she had overheard. Loretta broke stride, then threw her arms wide to catch her little cousin in a fierce hug. "I love you, Amelia Rose. Don't ever forget that."
Amy's shoulders shook with sobs. "I won't. I'll miss you, Loretta. A powerful lot."
Loretta hugged her more tightly. "Maybe one day we'll be together again. You've got to hold my baby!"
"Maybe after Swift Antelope comes for me." Amy gulped and pulled away. "You'll tell him, won't ya? That I ain't forgot my promises to him? That I'll be waitin' for him?"
"I'll tell him."
"You'd best go." Amy rubbed her cheek with her fist. "Go on! Before Hunter leaves!"
Loretta threw a regretful glance toward the buckboard. "Tell Aunt Rachel that--"
"She knows, but I'll tell her anyhow."
Loretta touched her hand to Amy's cheek, trying to smile but too frightened to manage. "Good-bye."
"Good-bye, Loretta Jane.Good-bye!"
The word followed Loretta into the darkness. As she left the wagons far behind, she felt more alone than she ever had in her life. Moonlight bathed the flats. Loretta turned in a slow circle but saw no one. If Hunter was out here, why didn't he show himself?"
( Catherine Anderson )
[ Comanche Moon ]
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