Free Eagle’s Song by Rosanne Bittner Page B

stayed here to run the ranch, Jeremy. In spite of making a far different life from the rest of us, deep inside you are not so different. You’ve fought to be the best at what you do, and it’s your inborn strength and determination that helped you. You got that from Zeke. He hated the railroad. You know that. But he knew it couldn’t be stopped, and he’d be proud to see what you’ve made of yourself. It was only the fact that you were ashamed of your Indian blood that saddened him. It made him think you were ashamed of having him for a father.”
    Jeremy shook his head. “Never. I just … I saw so much prejudice, Mother, saw what the Cheyenne suffered, what you suffered for being married to an Indian. I figured it was impossible for me to make something of myself if people knew I had Indian blood. After a while it just got easier to say nothing at all, until I saw Father that night in Dodge City, saw the way he looked at me.” He blinked back more tears. “The terrible disappointment.”
    “That is in the past, and he understood better than you know, Jeremy. Now let’s go. The biscuits will get cold.” She turned and headed down the hill.
    Jeremy paid the buggy driver, asking him to take therig below and unload the luggage, then drew a deep breath and headed down the hill with Mary, watching the family, feeling their stares. He realized he didn’t even know any of the children. When he’d left, Margaret’s baby, Zeke, had only been a year old. His grip on Mary’s hand tightened as they drew closer, and some of his nervousness eased when Margaret and LeeAnn left the others and came to greet him with hugs and kisses and a shower of questions. They welcomed Mary with open arms. Then came Ellen, then his little brother Jason.
    Jeremy was astonished at their ages, had always pictured them as they were when he left. Jason had only been eleven. Now he was twenty-eight, and a doctor! His uncles, Dan and Swift Arrow, so much older! Abbie lined them all up, introducing them all to Mary.
    Through all the introductions, Wolf’s Blood remained standing quietly at a distance. Mary was taken aback by the sight of the man Jeremy had told her looked so much like his father. If that was the case, then Zeke Monroe truly had been very Indian. In all her years here in Colorado, she had never even met a real Indian. How strange! Jeremy said the Cheyenne once roamed all over Colorado. Now there were none left.
    “And this is Jennifer, Wolf’s Blood’s new wife,” Abbie was saying, introducing a beautiful young woman with red hair and green eyes. “These are Wolf’s Blood’s children by his Apache wife who was killed several years ago, Hawk and Iris, fourteen and thirteen. And this is Emily, Jennifer’s daughter by her first husband.”
    So, she had met them all … all but Wolf’s Blood. Mary had felt his eyes on them, knew Jeremy felt the gaze too, and that he probably wanted to avoid this final introduction. Wolf’s Blood remained a few feet away, waiting his turn. Abbie led them up to where he stood proudly, arms folded. He wore buckskin pants and justa vest because of the hot day. His bare chest and arms showed hard muscle, very dark skin. He was a handsome specimen of a man, who looked every bit the warrior, and Mary couldn’t help but wonder how safe she’d be if this were twenty years ago and Wolf’s Blood and Swift Arrow still rode with the infamous Dog Soldiers of the Cheyenne.
    “My God,” Jeremy muttered, staring at Wolf’s Blood. “You look …” He turned to his mother, unable to keep more tears from coming to his eyes. “It’s like looking at Father,” he said in a voice gruff from emotion.
    Abbie turned to look at Wolf’s Blood. “Yes,” she answered. “Anyone who wants to have known Zeke, has only to meet his firstborn son to see that Zeke Monroe most certainly still lives.”
    Mary just stared as Abbie introduced them. Wolf’s Blood looked her over, and she could see why Jeremy was nervous