your husband racing?” asked Elizabeth.
“Yes, and I think it is getting close to the time for the first race,” said Serena. She seemed to be waiting for Elizabeth to do something, although she sat there quietly enough. Then Elizabeth realized she was waiting for her to leave, to join the other women of the fort so that Serena could stand on the sidelines with the Navajo. It seemed strange to go off without her, for she had felt very close for those few moments, but she only uttered a quick good-bye and hurried off.
Chapter Five
Antonio was not in the first two races, which were only a half mile. He knew that the bay did best with distance, although he still wondered if the leg would hold up. He had kept the bay to a slow trot on the ride out along the valley, and the fetlock was still cool, so he hoped he had nothing to worry about.
Manuelito was in the first race, riding his chestnut mare. Lieutenant Greasy Hair, who was riding in that race too, kept glancing over at the headman. He hadn’t been able to beat him yet, although several times he had come close. Antonio didn’t think that Lieutenant Greasy Hair was going to win today, either. Antonio smiled to himself. He enjoyed coming up with insulting names for the lieutenant, for whom he had no respect. Although he had to admit the man was a good horseman, and presumably a competent warrior.
When they started off, he could see that the race would be close, but from a distance it was hard to tell who had won, especially since they looked nose-to-nose. But he could not see a mass of bilagaana soldiers milling around the lieutenant’s buckskin, so he was sure that Manuelito had beaten Lieutenant Bony-Ass again.
One more half-mile race and then it was his turn. He turned the bay to ride out to the three-quarter-mile mark. There wasn’t much competition from the soldiers in this race. But he was a little worried about Haastiin Ntl’ aai. He had a new gelding, a black who looked pretty fast.
And the man was a reckless rider, willing to risk his neck to win.
Antonio decided to hold his horse back a little. He was in the longer race because of the bay’s endurance, after all. Let Haastiin Ntl’ aai whip his horse up to full speed for the first quarter mile. Antonio suspected that his clansman had chosen the wrong distance.
As indeed he had. As they neared the fort, Antonio could hear the soldiers shouting. Those who had bet on the black were sure they were going to have heavy pockets that night. But in the last quarter mile, the horse began to fall behind, and Antonio called on the bay’s reserves.
* * * *
Michael had made no bets. He wasn’t stupid: he was too new to the horses and riders to know who was likely to win. But his eye had been caught by that blood bay and he wasn’t surprised when he found himself screaming as loud as the men who had their money on him. He came from a good three lengths; behind, his rider settled down with the reins slack, just letting the horse bring him in. He overtook the black three hundred yards from the finish and passed him as if he were standing still. The Navajo were silent, but the soldiers went wild.
“Did you see that, Sergeant?” said Spratt, who was pounding Fisk on the back. Even Mahoney had lost his air of indifference and was tossing his hat up in the air.
Michael grinned. “Next time I’ll put a little of me own money on that bay,” he said.
“How about putting up more than money, mick,” said a voice behind him. It was Lieutenant Cooper. Mahoney grabbed his hat up and jammed it on his head as they all stood to attention.
“At ease, men. My horse was too tired to take his race after patrol yesterday,” said Cooper, “but I’d like it if some trooper beat one of these little savages.”
Día , the man couldn’t admit that the Navajo’s horse was better, thought Michael.
“You are always grooming that wild-eyed gray of yours, Burke. You obviously think she has something. I want you to
“Yes, and I think it is getting close to the time for the first race,” said Serena. She seemed to be waiting for Elizabeth to do something, although she sat there quietly enough. Then Elizabeth realized she was waiting for her to leave, to join the other women of the fort so that Serena could stand on the sidelines with the Navajo. It seemed strange to go off without her, for she had felt very close for those few moments, but she only uttered a quick good-bye and hurried off.
Chapter Five
Antonio was not in the first two races, which were only a half mile. He knew that the bay did best with distance, although he still wondered if the leg would hold up. He had kept the bay to a slow trot on the ride out along the valley, and the fetlock was still cool, so he hoped he had nothing to worry about.
Manuelito was in the first race, riding his chestnut mare. Lieutenant Greasy Hair, who was riding in that race too, kept glancing over at the headman. He hadn’t been able to beat him yet, although several times he had come close. Antonio didn’t think that Lieutenant Greasy Hair was going to win today, either. Antonio smiled to himself. He enjoyed coming up with insulting names for the lieutenant, for whom he had no respect. Although he had to admit the man was a good horseman, and presumably a competent warrior.
When they started off, he could see that the race would be close, but from a distance it was hard to tell who had won, especially since they looked nose-to-nose. But he could not see a mass of bilagaana soldiers milling around the lieutenant’s buckskin, so he was sure that Manuelito had beaten Lieutenant Bony-Ass again.
One more half-mile race and then it was his turn. He turned the bay to ride out to the three-quarter-mile mark. There wasn’t much competition from the soldiers in this race. But he was a little worried about Haastiin Ntl’ aai. He had a new gelding, a black who looked pretty fast.
And the man was a reckless rider, willing to risk his neck to win.
Antonio decided to hold his horse back a little. He was in the longer race because of the bay’s endurance, after all. Let Haastiin Ntl’ aai whip his horse up to full speed for the first quarter mile. Antonio suspected that his clansman had chosen the wrong distance.
As indeed he had. As they neared the fort, Antonio could hear the soldiers shouting. Those who had bet on the black were sure they were going to have heavy pockets that night. But in the last quarter mile, the horse began to fall behind, and Antonio called on the bay’s reserves.
* * * *
Michael had made no bets. He wasn’t stupid: he was too new to the horses and riders to know who was likely to win. But his eye had been caught by that blood bay and he wasn’t surprised when he found himself screaming as loud as the men who had their money on him. He came from a good three lengths; behind, his rider settled down with the reins slack, just letting the horse bring him in. He overtook the black three hundred yards from the finish and passed him as if he were standing still. The Navajo were silent, but the soldiers went wild.
“Did you see that, Sergeant?” said Spratt, who was pounding Fisk on the back. Even Mahoney had lost his air of indifference and was tossing his hat up in the air.
Michael grinned. “Next time I’ll put a little of me own money on that bay,” he said.
“How about putting up more than money, mick,” said a voice behind him. It was Lieutenant Cooper. Mahoney grabbed his hat up and jammed it on his head as they all stood to attention.
“At ease, men. My horse was too tired to take his race after patrol yesterday,” said Cooper, “but I’d like it if some trooper beat one of these little savages.”
Día , the man couldn’t admit that the Navajo’s horse was better, thought Michael.
“You are always grooming that wild-eyed gray of yours, Burke. You obviously think she has something. I want you to
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