“Why, her home in Chicago is four times the size of this house.”
“But he didn’t know that. All he wanted was for us to be thrown together so the sparks would fly. He knew they would. He knew I hated her. He made sure I would.”
“Why do you hate her so, Jessie?”
“Damn you, Summers!” she hissed, her lips thinning. “Don’t start prying. And I didn’t give you leave to call me Jessie!”
“All right, I’m sorry.”
“And another thing,” she continued. “I also heard what she asked you to do when you were discussing me—which you had no business doing. The fact is, I am well aware of the kind of man Laton Bowdre is. I don’t just think he’ll try something crooked, I know he will. I’m already prepared for it. So you’ll only be wasting your time concerning yourself.” Then she added, just for meanness, “But you waste your time a lot, don’t you?”
The gibe hit home. Chase’s eyes turned quite black. “I wonder why. Could it be because a certain girl we both know hasn’t grown up yet?”
“You’re looking for another sock on the nose, mister!” Jessie retorted hotly.
“Look,” he replied, “I’m only pointing outthat spiteful lying and going off to sulk do not make a mature young woman.”
“And a fool’s errand makes for a fool!”
Having reached a stalemate, they just stood glaring at each other. Jessie told herself to walk away, but something compelled her to stay. Matching wits with him was stimulating, exciting. She wondered what he would do next.
As usual, he surprised her. He admitted softly, “You are right, of course. I was off on a fool’s errand and was quite the fool for it.”
“Well, you were wrong,” Jessie said. “I didn’t go off to sulk.”
“Then why stay away a whole week?”
“That’s how long it takes to get where I was going and back.”
Chase sighed. “And where did you go?”
Jessie frowned. “Why are you asking me? Jeb already told you where I went.”
“No,” he said. “He fabricated some nonsense about Indians, but I know for a fact you’ve never been to the Wind River Reservation.”
Jessie smiled. “That’s where you went?”
“Of course,” he replied tersely. “But the question is, where were you?”
Jessie shook her head. “You really should find out about a territory before you enter it, Mr. Summers. I take it you’ve never been this far north before, or you’d know that the tame Shoshone are not the only Indians we have in our area. There are the Cheyenne and the—”
Chase interrupted. “I’ve been west of the Missouri long enough to know that the Cheyenne were defeated long ago, and what’s left ofthem are confined to a reservation about five hundred miles south of here.”
Jessie’s hands went to her hips. “So you think you know everything, do you? Okay. Black Kettle’s Cheyenne, the ones you’re talking about, were confined to a reservation, yes. They had no choice after the cavalry attacked their peaceful village and massacred most of them. That Army butchery was what enraged the northern tribes and allied them more closely with the Sioux. They are not all confined, Mr. Summers. The Northern Cheyenne still roam the plains and protect what little land they have left.”
“And you expect me to believe you went to visit them?” he asked, truly incredulous.
“I don’t give two hoots what you believe,” she said levelly. Then she turned away and went to her room, leaving him standing there.
Chase heard the door to her room close. He ran a hand through his hair, exasperated. She wouldn’t be back to finish the argument. Argument? Hell, he had not meant to fight with her again. He had meant to be reasonable. Apologetic. Charming, even. He had sincerely wanted to end the animosity. Damn! What had gone wrong?
Chapter 7
J ESSIE didn’t usually sleep late, but she woke to find her room quite bright. Several hours of the morning were gone. Why? Usually, if she wasn’t up by seven o’clock,
“But he didn’t know that. All he wanted was for us to be thrown together so the sparks would fly. He knew they would. He knew I hated her. He made sure I would.”
“Why do you hate her so, Jessie?”
“Damn you, Summers!” she hissed, her lips thinning. “Don’t start prying. And I didn’t give you leave to call me Jessie!”
“All right, I’m sorry.”
“And another thing,” she continued. “I also heard what she asked you to do when you were discussing me—which you had no business doing. The fact is, I am well aware of the kind of man Laton Bowdre is. I don’t just think he’ll try something crooked, I know he will. I’m already prepared for it. So you’ll only be wasting your time concerning yourself.” Then she added, just for meanness, “But you waste your time a lot, don’t you?”
The gibe hit home. Chase’s eyes turned quite black. “I wonder why. Could it be because a certain girl we both know hasn’t grown up yet?”
“You’re looking for another sock on the nose, mister!” Jessie retorted hotly.
“Look,” he replied, “I’m only pointing outthat spiteful lying and going off to sulk do not make a mature young woman.”
“And a fool’s errand makes for a fool!”
Having reached a stalemate, they just stood glaring at each other. Jessie told herself to walk away, but something compelled her to stay. Matching wits with him was stimulating, exciting. She wondered what he would do next.
As usual, he surprised her. He admitted softly, “You are right, of course. I was off on a fool’s errand and was quite the fool for it.”
“Well, you were wrong,” Jessie said. “I didn’t go off to sulk.”
“Then why stay away a whole week?”
“That’s how long it takes to get where I was going and back.”
Chase sighed. “And where did you go?”
Jessie frowned. “Why are you asking me? Jeb already told you where I went.”
“No,” he said. “He fabricated some nonsense about Indians, but I know for a fact you’ve never been to the Wind River Reservation.”
Jessie smiled. “That’s where you went?”
“Of course,” he replied tersely. “But the question is, where were you?”
Jessie shook her head. “You really should find out about a territory before you enter it, Mr. Summers. I take it you’ve never been this far north before, or you’d know that the tame Shoshone are not the only Indians we have in our area. There are the Cheyenne and the—”
Chase interrupted. “I’ve been west of the Missouri long enough to know that the Cheyenne were defeated long ago, and what’s left ofthem are confined to a reservation about five hundred miles south of here.”
Jessie’s hands went to her hips. “So you think you know everything, do you? Okay. Black Kettle’s Cheyenne, the ones you’re talking about, were confined to a reservation, yes. They had no choice after the cavalry attacked their peaceful village and massacred most of them. That Army butchery was what enraged the northern tribes and allied them more closely with the Sioux. They are not all confined, Mr. Summers. The Northern Cheyenne still roam the plains and protect what little land they have left.”
“And you expect me to believe you went to visit them?” he asked, truly incredulous.
“I don’t give two hoots what you believe,” she said levelly. Then she turned away and went to her room, leaving him standing there.
Chase heard the door to her room close. He ran a hand through his hair, exasperated. She wouldn’t be back to finish the argument. Argument? Hell, he had not meant to fight with her again. He had meant to be reasonable. Apologetic. Charming, even. He had sincerely wanted to end the animosity. Damn! What had gone wrong?
Chapter 7
J ESSIE didn’t usually sleep late, but she woke to find her room quite bright. Several hours of the morning were gone. Why? Usually, if she wasn’t up by seven o’clock,
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