Free A Love Forbidden by Kathleen Morgan Page B

for I haven’t enough to do it for my own.”
    As Shiloh wiped away the tears yet again, she gradually became aware of movement downstairs, of chairs scraping back in the dining room and voices lifted in laughter and talk. She flung back her quilt, sat up, and gasped at the cold air that assailed her. Then, gritting her teeth, she set her bare feet on the frigid floor and forced herself to hurry and dress.
    There was no purpose served worrying about tomorrow, Shiloh resolved, harking back to a verse from Matthew. Tomorrow would take care of itself. Today had more than enough problems of its own to deal with.

     
    By the time Shiloh exited the boardinghouse promptly at ten that morning, Jesse was already waiting outside. The day was cloudy with the sun struggling to break through, and a chill breeze blew, but it didn’t appear as if any snow was imminent. She fastened the top button of her wool coat, pulled her knit hat down more fully over her ears, and tugged on her mittens.
    “You haven’t been out here long, have you?” she asked as she joined her scowling escort.
    He was dressed in his usual buckskin leggings, shirt, and moccasins, and over it all he wore a long, fringed buckskin coat lined with wolf fur. His long black hair hung loose as always, and with his height, he appeared regal but very imposing. Yet again, Shiloh realized she no longer knew the man he had become.
    “Worried about me, are you?” Jesse shot back, managing a halfhearted smile.
    “Well, it is still winter in these mountains.”
    “And most of the rest of Colorado as well. But don’t worry. I just got here a few minutes ago.”
    Their gazes locked just then, and silence fell between them. As he stared down at her, Jesse’s glance flared hot and bright. Her mouth went dry. Her face felt warm. Then, as if suddenly realizing he was gawking, Jesse stepped back and indicated the encampment down toward the river.
    “Let’s head on out, if you’re ready,” he said, his voice gone strangely husky. “We don’t want to keep them waiting.”
    Shiloh forced her legs to move, though she couldn’t be sure exactly where she was placing her feet. Her head spun crazily for a brief moment and then cleared.
    This was ridiculous! One look from Jesse and she was as giddy as some schoolgirl. Whatever was the matter with her?
    “Who shall we visit first? Chief Douglas or Johnson?” she asked, trying to fill the uncomfortable silence with conversation.
    “I thought Johnson. He’s the medicine man. And you’ll like Susan, one of his wives. She’s Chief Ouray’s sister.”
    “Really?” Shiloh totally forgot her earlier discomfort with Jesse. “Ouray, the chief of all the Utes? Oh, I can’t wait to meet her!”
    “I’d imagine so,” he said, his tone dry and matter-of-fact. “Susan and her husband are among the few Utes on the reservation who actually try to live the way Meeker and the government want the People to live.” He pointed to a house, with several tepees nearby, located to the southeast of the Agency near the river. “Meeker just recently built Johnson that house. He lives there with Susan and his other wives.”
    Shiloh felt heartened by the information. If Jesse was determined not to help her, then she’d just find someone else. And Chief Johnson and his family, especially Susan if she shared her brother Ouray’s belief that the Utes should keep peace with the whites and learn their ways, might be just the allies she needed in her quest to get the children to attend school.
    All the doubts and fears of earlier this morning slowly dissipated. If she was nothing else, she was determined and resourceful. And perhaps this was at least part of an answer to all her prayers of late. If she could make friends with Chief Johnson and Susan and engage them in helping her, then she’d be free of further interaction with Jesse. He could go his way, and she could go hers.
    She shot him a quick glance as they walked along, the crisp snow