Free Chieftain (Historical Romance) by Nan Ryan

the place ready for him. He’s due to move in on Wednesday.”
    “That’s neighborly of you,” he said with a smile. “Need any help?”
    “Thanks, but no. We can manage.”
    He knew it was true. The independent Maggie rarely required help from anyone. Bristled if you hinted she might not be able to manage something. But then that’s one of the things he so admired about her. That and her flaming red hair. He smiled as they fell into step on the wooden sidewalk. They commented again on the perfect fall weather, discussed the upcoming annual officer’s ball and made plans to attend together.
    Dave asked how things were going at school and Maggie explained that her class had grown considerably since the arrival of the Kwahadi Comanches.
    “Why, eventhe chief is a pupil,” she said. “Shanaco attended class this morning.”
    The lieutenant laughed. “You’re teasing me.”
    “No, I’m not. He was in class all morning and he…he…what? What is it?”
    The lieutenant rolled his eyes heavenward and shook his head. “Maggie, Shanaco is totally fluent in English. Speaks, reads and writes it better than I do.”
    Maggie stopped walking, tilted her head to the side and frowned, puzzled. “Are you sure?”
    “Very sure. It’s said his white mother, now deceased, insisted he learn English. Taught him from the time he was a baby. Guess she suspected that one day he would want to live in the white world.”
    “Speaks perfect English. Then why…?”
    “I don’t know,” Dave said. “If not to study the subject, perhaps to study the teacher.”
    “Don’t be ridiculous,” Maggie said with a smile, but felt her pulse mysteriously quicken.
    “Maggie, you’re going to kill me,” Katie Atwood declared when finally she opened the door to Maggie’s impatient knocking.
    Katie was still in her robe and gown. Her hair was uncombed and tangled. Her pretty face was pallid, eyes dull.
    Looking her over, Maggie gently teased, “Sure you’re not already dead?”
    Katie manageda weak smile. “I know I look a fright. I’ve an upset stomach, lost my breakfast.” She said, “I haven’t fixed anything for our lunch. Haven’t done anything.”
    “You poor dear,” Maggie sympathized, urging Katie back inside. She turned, snapped her fingers at Pistol and he obediently lay down outside. Inside, Maggie said, “Now, you get right back in bed and I’ll fix you a cup of mint tea and get you some soda crackers.”
    Katie made a face. “No, don’t bother. I’m not hungry.”
    “I know, but you need something to settle your stomach.”
    “I suppose,” Katie said, then shed her robe and got back into bed.
    In minutes Maggie brought a tray to the bed. She placed it on Katie’s lap and pulled up a chair. “Drink the tea while it’s hot. Have you any peppermint in the house?” Katie shook her head. Maggie said, “I’ll go back to the store and—”
    “No, the tea and crackers will do the trick.” Katie picked up the cup, took a drink and said, “Maggie, I feel so bad about this afternoon. I’m letting you down and I—”
    “Nonsense,” said Maggie. “I can fix myself a quick lunch right here, and afterward I’ll go on out to the chief’s cottage and hang those curtains.”
    “You can’t do that! You can’t go all the way out there alone. You’ll have to go directly through the Comanche camp and…”
    Maggie raiseda hand to silence Katie. “No one is going to bother me and the nice long walk will do me good. It’s not like I’ll be carrying the curtains. They’re already at the cottage, ready to be hanged. I can go out there, hang the drapery and be back by sundown.”
    Katie made a face. Raising a well-arched eyebrow, she said, “You’re not the least bit afraid of those devilish Comanches? I tell you that Chief Shanaco looks awfully dangerous to me and—”
    “I’m not afraid of the chief nor his People. I have roamed freely all over this reservation by myself since I first got here. I’ve