Free Sweet Silken Bondage by Bobbi Smith Page B

sounding too disgusted over the thought of at least
another ten days of travel in this miserable vehicle.
"But, one must do what one is called to do." She thought
smugly that her response sounded suitably reverent.
    "What are ya gonna be doing back there?" Poke
refused to let the conversation die.
    "God's work, of course," Reina responded, pleased
with her inspired answer, yet wondering just how much
longer she could keep deflecting his queries without
seeming rude. Knowing how much men liked to talk
about themselves and sensing that Poke had no intention of shutting up any time soon, she turned the
questioning to him. "How far will you be traveling?"
    "Me?" He seemed surprised that she even cared to
ask. "Oh, I'm only goin' as far as Fort Yuma."
    At this news, the precocious little Melissa spoke up
with childish enthusiasm. "My Mama and I are going
there, too! My father's there, and we're going to meet
him."
    "I'll bet you're excited aren't you, little one?" Reina
asked knowing that Sister Mary Regina would show
interest.
    "Oh, yes! Papa said in his letter that I can even have
my very own horse once I get there! Right, Mama?"
    "Right, Melissa," her mother answered, giving her an
adoring look.
    "That's wonderful," Reina responded and then found herself adding almost wistfully, "When I was at home, I
had my own mare. She was a beauty, too."

    "I bet you miss her, don't you?" Melissa sympathized.
    "Yes, you know I do. But it seems so long ago now
since 1 left home..." Reina gave herself a mental
shake. It had only been four days since she'd run away,
and yet it felt like an eternity.
    "Couldn't you have taken her with you?"
    "No, I'm afraid not," she answered honestly. Dorado,
her beautiful palomino, was so distinctive that she
would have been easily recognized had she tried to
bring her along.
    "Then why did you leave her?" Melissa asked, expecting a simple answer in her childish perception.
    "Sometimes, other things become more important in
life." Reina clasped her hands tightly in her lap as the
terrible memories of her last encounter with her father
rifled through her. She had managed not to think about
it for some time now, but the remembrance renewed the
pain of her parting. She loved Rancho Alvarez. She'd
never wanted to leave, but her father had left her no
choice.
    Melissa saw Reina's expression turn melancholy, and
she quickly apologized, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to
make you sad."
    "I'm not sad," she told her, managing a weak smile.
"I'm just a little homesick, I guess."
    "I can see by your habit that you've already professed
your final vows," Ruth said gently and with the utmost
respect. "But you look so young, Sister, have you been
with your order a long time?"
    "Long enough," Reina returned all too honestly, wishing with all her heart that none of this had ever happened. "I suppose I should be used to being away from
home by now, but I'm not."
    "I understand, but I'm sure you keep busy."
    Reina thought of her mad dash to the convent and
then her hectic, secretive trip into town to catch the stage. "That's true. It seems there's never a dull moment
anymore."

    "What do you do?" Melissa wondered with open
curiosity.
    "Oh, I pray a lot," Reina replied vaguely with a smile
meant to disarm the little girl's interest. She really
didn't want to talk about life in the convent for fear that
they might ask too detailed a question. Maria had
counseled her extensively before she'd fled into the
night to make good her great escape, but Reina was well
aware that there was a lot she still didn't know about
being a sister. "In the convent we have morning prayers
followed by mass, then vespers in the evening and
meditation..."
    "That's all you do? Pray?" the youngster repeated in
disappointment, thinking a life of such holy devotion
sounded terrible. "Why would you want to do that when
you could be home riding your horse?"
    "Melissa!" her mother scolded. "You mustn't talk to