"No wonder the cavalry wanted you bad enough to pay you twice what they thought Pete might pay." She paused with the meat half way to her mouth. "By the way. How much did Dad pay you?"
Silence fell between them and then he finally spoke. "Are you sleepy?"
"No."
"Good. You can keep watch while I get some sleep."
She heard him stretch out on the ground and within minutes his breathing changed. Why did he avoid answering her question? Was he angry because he had come so far for nothing? Or had he? If he married her, wouldn't he benefit from any inheritance in the future? What a wicked thought to have about the man who had risked his life to protect her - not once, but a number of times in the last few days. And with so little to gain.
She ate the meat and drank some of the cool water. Wiping her hands on her pants, she gripped her rifle and tried to stay awake. Her hunger and thirst satisfied, she was getting sleepy again. She sat up straight, thinking that position would be uncomfortable enough to keep her awake.
A coyote howled in the distance and another answered. The desert made the cry sound different than in the hills of Texas. Nothing to echo off of, she supposed. The night was quiet, no insects chirping, no water gurgling.
She kept her vigil for what must have been several hours. Finally Bordeaux stirred.
"You sleep now. I'll watch."
He didn't have to tell her twice. She stretched out on the hard cold rocks and fell asleep.
She woke to a cool dawn. Bordeaux clamped a hand over her mouth before she could speak. She stared up at Bordeaux, whose attention was focused on the rock above them. He removed his hand and they moved back against the rock wall of lava that swirled over them.
Horses were moving around on the ledge above, their hooves clicking against the rocks. Their hiding place was safe for the present. They couldn't be seen unless someone came down into the ravine. They waited in tense silence as the horses slowly moved on. A few minutes later another horse came by, its hooves clattering loudly above them.
Bordeaux frowned and then his jaw tightened. When the last horse had been gone for a few minutes, he stood.
"You stay here. I'll be right back."
She stared at his retreating back. What now? She waited, terrified that the Indians would return. Her hand was sweating on the stalk of the rifle when she heard the last horse return. Did they suspect she was here? She flattened against the rock wall as she heard the horse scramble down into the ravine a little way down from her. She lifted her rifle. A shot would bring the others back. The horse finally came into view and she slumped to the ground in relief. Bordeaux was leading his horse.