A Love Forbidden by Kathleen Morgan Page A

then paused to glance down at Josie. “Don’t plan on her being back before later this afternoon. This latest snowfall is going to slow us down even more.”
    The other woman nodded. “I’m not worried. I know you’ll take good care of Shiloh.” She looked up at her friend. “Good luck. And remember, Captain Jack can be a bit . . . er . . . difficult at times. You don’t have to win him over with just this first meeting.”
    Jesse gave a snort. “Now that’s an understatement, if ever I’ve heard one. I’ll tell you right now that Jack isn’t interested in anything you have to say. Even now, it’s not too late to call it all off.”
    Shiloh’s mouth tightened in irritation. If he thought to scare or intimidate her, he had another thought coming. The only reason she even needed him was to show her the way to the Ute encampment and provide protection against potential renegades or ruffians. Otherwise, she’d have far preferred going it alone.
    Jesse wasn’t coming along because he wanted to. And her gut told her that he’d no intention of making things any easier for her than he could. But then, nothing about this undertaking was going to be easy. Nathan Meeker had made that apparent from the start.
    “Let’s get going, shall we?” she gritted out. “And, for what it’s worth, your counsel has been duly noted.”
    “Yeah, I just bet it has.” He smirked, then nudged his horse forward. “For what it’s worth.”
    As they headed east along the White River, Shiloh vowed a thousand times over that she’d not be the first to speak. No matter how she needed any and all information that might aid her in her attempt to win over first Captain Jack and then his people. Perhaps she could blame her stubbornness partially on wounded pride, but Shiloh also sensed Jesse didn’t plan to be forthcoming. It’d be a lost cause to humble herself and beg him.
    She would’ve, though, if she’d thought her pleas would move him. Too much depended on her success with the Utes to allow pride to get in the way. It wasn’t just about her, anyway, but about her employer and all the people who worked at the Agency. It was also about the Utes and their welfare. And she firmly believed that education and adopting the white man’s ways were their only hope.
    “It’s a fool’s quest, Shiloh,” Jesse said just then, almost as if he was reading her mind. “The People don’t want to learn the white man’s ways. They want to honor their ways, the old ways, the ways of their ancestors. They don’t want to farm. They don’t want to be limited to just a small area for the rest of their lives. They’re hunters. They’re mountain people. It’s in their blood, in their hearts, to roam the land, to follow the seasons and where the food is at the different times of the year. You, of all people, should know that.”
    Shiloh clenched the reins in her hand. Jesse was right. She did know what the Utes wanted. But that no longer mattered. Yet how could she even speak such words, much less convince him to agree and to help her?
    “The old ways don’t work anymore.” She looked over at him. “And wishing it were so and digging in one’s heels and refusing to change is even worse. The People have got to change or they’ll lose whatever freedom they still have.”
    “Adopting the white man’s customs hasn’t helped them so far.” He turned his head to meet her glance, and the look in his dark eyes wasn’t at all encouraging. “The government still keeps lying to them and stealing their lands.”
    “As true as that might be, I can’t do anything about it,” she replied, her exasperation rising once more. “All I can do is help them adapt and learn to live with what they now have. And education is paramount if they are to survive with any of their traditions intact.”
    “Well, good luck.” Once more, Jesse riveted his gaze straight ahead. “You’ll get no help from me.”
    A sudden anger filled her. What a