Tykota's Woman(52)

"Inea, will you thank Huara for me?"

Inea spoke to Huara, and the woman nodded and smiled. She picked up a waterskin and left the room, leaving Makinna and Inea alone.

Inea sat down on the soft fur rug beside Makinna. "I have come to feel a strong friendship for you, Makinna. I know my brother admires you, and it is easy to see why. You have a sweet nature."

Makinna arched an eyebrow and laughed. "Your brother could not have given you that impression. He would never say I had a sweet temper."

"You met my brother on the stagecoach before the raid on Adobe Springs?"

Makinna nodded.

"I know what happened. We had word through the Apache drums. For a while, we feared that Tykota was dead."

"When will I see him?" Makinna asked.

"I have hardly seen him myself. He simply falls on his mat at night, too weary to speak. It is not easy for him to settle all the troubles of the Perdenelas."

"When you do see him, would you tell him that I would like to speak to him?"

"I will do this, Makinna."

Makinna smiled at the Indian woman. "Tell me about yourself. Are you married, and have you children?"

Inea shook her head sorrowfully. "I am a maiden still. I have waited for my brother to return so I would not have to marry a man I do not like."

Makinna could see that Inea was troubled. "Couldn't you just refuse the man?"

"No. His family is very powerful, and he is also a friend of my brother. Santo would not allow any other suitor near me. He threatened to kill anyone who looked on me with favor."

"Tykota has told me they were good friends and often went into the desert together to live by their wits and test their skills."

"That is so. And the only peace I knew was when Santo was away from the valley. I always dreaded his return."

"Was there nothing you could do to discourage him?"

Inea sighed. "I could not tell my father, because he wanted me to marry Santo. After my father died, Santo became more insistent. It was my right to refuse him when he asked me to become his woman, and I did that. I am afraid of him and always avoid being alone with him for fear of what he might do. I was happy when my father sent me to spend time with the Silverhorns so I could learn English. I hoped that by the time I returned, Santo would have found another to be his woman." She made a hopeless gesture. "But it was not to be."

"Is there someone you would like to marry?"

Inea's eyes became dreamy. "My heart has always turned to Kachee, and I am sure he returns my affection, though he has never spoken of his feelings to me. Since I am sister to the chief, Kachee would not dare aspire so high."

"But if you two love each other, why can you not be together? You must tell this to Tykota."

"There is little he can do for me because of our law. I must first get Santo to reject me before Kachee can look on me with favor." Inea ducked her head sorrowfully. "Santo will never reject me, and I shall never marry him."

Makinna was thoughtful for a moment. "Maybe we can come up with something to free you from him."

Inea looked doubtful. "Nothing will make Santo reject me."

Makinna thought of the story of Ruth in the Bible and wondered if Ruth's method of getting her dead husband's kinsman to reject her might provide a solution to Inea's troubles. She peered at Inea, who was looking so dejected. "I will see if I can help you. Don't despair."

Shaking her head, Inea said despondently, "I fear that no one can help me. Maybe not even Tykota."

"Don't be so sure." Makinna smiled. "I'm certain we can find the means to send Santo on his way."

Hope flamed in Inea's eyes. "If only it could be so!"

Tykota sat alone in his chamber, his thoughts troubled.

Mangas ambled in, his footsteps light, his heart happy. "The children are eager to perform their dance."

Tykota stood wearily. He hardly had time to sleep, for all the ceremonies he had to attend and laws he had to act on. "I suppose they are waiting for me."

"Of course they are. This is in your honor."

Tykota moved to the door and gazed out at the campfires and the people who had gathered around them. "I am troubled, Mangas." He glanced at his old teacher searchingly. "I do not know what to do."

"It concerns the white woman?"

"Yes. I do not want to let her go."

"You must, Tykota," Mangas said sadly.

"Yet my father himself married outside the tribe."

"And you know what happened with that Apache woman. That is the very reason we now have a law to keep that from happening again."

"But Makinna is everything to me. I will not give her up. No one should ask such a sacrifice of me."