Mountain Stronghold: Blood Ties: Mountain Stronghold, #2

By Martha Murray Moore

On their trip East to buy horses for the ranch, John and Maryan find themselves involved in adventure and peril.  Maryan's crazed former fiance is only one of the challenges they must face.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Double H Publications
• Release date: Oct 3, 2014
• ISBN: 9781500376482

Book preview

DEDICATION

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For my son Michael, whose support makes it all possible.

CHAPTER ONE

Colorado, December 1875

If Lawrence’s bullet had not hit the buckle on John’s suspenders,   he would be dead.  The sight of John lying on the ballroom floor at   the fort was an image she would not soon forget. Maryan had been   sure she was holding a dead man.  Anguish drained her as she tried to   envision her life without this big, muscular man whose strength and   love surrounded her.  She had gone limp with relief when he finally   gasped and started breathing. She still shuddered when she thought   how close she had come to losing him. The only evidence now was a   fading bruise.

When her heart began to beat again and she knew that John would   live, she had gone for her knife.  It took only a moment to bend, slide   her hand up to the scabbard on her thigh, and lunge for Lawrence   White, the blade seeking his throat.

Paco should not have stopped her.

Well, that was last week and now they were home, and John's   bruise was fading.  They were safe in The Stronghold.

The Stronghold! A large valley roughly three miles long and about   a mile wide completely contained within a single mountain.  Obviously   a millenia ago a volcano had created this small world.  Only two   entrances existed, both controlled by cleverly designed pivoting rocks   – created far in the past by early native Americans. 

Now their whole extended family was home, safely secured in The Stronghold.  They had spent the days since their return from the fort toboggan sliding with the children down the long snowy trail within The Stronghold.  Even John had joined in, so Maryan was beginning to put it all behind her. 

Her heart overflowed.  Her Indian family had enfolded her to their hearts and her children were as beloved as Morning Star’s.  The great war chief, Morning Star’s father, had adopted Maryan when John refused to sell her and had named her Snowflower. Walks With Lightning must have a special bride.

That was John’s Indian name. With their blazing Colt revolvers, he and his partner Mingo had saved the tribe from a massacre soon after they came to Colorado.

Maryan had spent the fall working on a pair of paintings for her husband and Mingo.  They were profiles of the two of them and the one for John had him as the foreground figure.  The one for Mingo had him in the foreground. The contrasts between the two men magnified how handsome they were.  John’s thick wavy black hair, bushy mustache and his beard trimmed neatly along his jawline were in sharp contrast to his piercing blue eyes. 

Mingo’s smooth black hair was braided tightly and hung down behind each shoulder.  His deep brown eyes and strong angular features were a swarthy golden. 

John personified the skirl of the Highland pipes countered by Mingo’s deep beat of the tribal drums. Both were muscular, lean-hipped and well over six feet tall.

Marissa and Bluebird smiled at each other in the painting for their grandfather, the war chief.  Two little girls, one with hazel eyes and curly tumbling hair, the other with rich brown eyes and thick shiny black braids.

South Carolina was someone else's life, not Maryan’s any more. She rarely thought about her parents, back on the plantation.  It had taken a while, but Colonel Stone at the fort had finally convinced her that she should at least let them know she was alive and married to a good man.  It had taken another year to receive her father’s curt reply. He hoped she would not regret her choice of husbands because after all, he had chosen a   fine man for her who was now a United States Senator.  Maryan   shuddered.  Lawrence White was not a fine man.  He was an obsessed   lunatic.  Obsessed with her.  He had tracked her all the way from   South Carolina to the mountains of Colorado.  Well, he had been sent   East this time with a damning indictment from the Colonel that even   the War Department would have to believe. Trying to kill John   MacKenzie was the final straw.

Nahay had taken charge of the Christmas feast.  Now that all the   children were out of diapers, she took over the kitchen.  Maryan was   happy to turn it over to her and only served as Nahay's helper when   needed.  Maryan played with the children and sewed for everyone and   reveled in the fact that John's bruise had gone through all the colors   and faded out to nothing. Fear still wrenched her when she thought of   that gun fired right at his heart!  They should have let her kill   Lawrence White.

Christmas Day the chief came riding through the lower secret   passage into The Stronghold followed by his extended family. Maryan   smiled and knew what her next painting would be.  She could see it   already, with the mountains and deep blue sky and the snow, and the   chief on that elegant dancing black and white horse.  Yes!

John and Mingo were quite speechless when they unwrapped   their paintings of the two of them. The chief smiled. These were   painted by someone who loves you both very much.

Morning Star smiled through tears when she saw the painting of   her handsome husband with John. 

The chief was stone-faced when he looked at the painting of his   two baby granddaughters.  Bluebird and Marissa—Little   Moonflower.  Now I will always remember you as babies, even when   you become women. 

Watching his large family delight in their gifts, he felt gratitude to   the Great Spirit that John, Maryan, and Mingo had come to share their   lives.  He was a fierce and merciless warrior, but he loved his large   mixed family.  The kindness and sharing of these once-strangers   touched him deeply. Morning Star was his youngest daughter. These   two petite women, from such diverse cultures, were so much alike.  Maryan’s long dark hair was curly and Morning Star’s was shiny and straight, but their warm hazel and brown eyes glowed with the love they shared for their big combined family.

Mingo beamed with pleasure and kissed Morning Star in front of everyone when he opened the package with his watch fob.  And John laughed out loud when he saw the little silver longhorn.  It would join the little silver Morgan horse on his watch chain. 

And now, ladies, we have something for you. John and Mingo held out two packages to Morning Star and Maryan.  Excitedly, Maryan and Morning Star ripped aside the paper and ribbon.  Nestled in little velvet-lined boxes were bottles of perfume, one for each of them. Through a mist of tears Maryan smiled and held hers out to John so he could work the glass stopper out for her.  Please! 

He grinned as he handed it back to her, and she put the little glass wand up to her face and sniffed gently. 

Oooohhh, John.  It's heavenly! 

She dabbed a trace behind each ear and on her wrists.  Morning Star watched and had Mingo open hers so she could do the same.  Carefully stoppering the bottles, they put them on a high shelf. 

Maryan threw herself into John's arms and squealed, Thank you!  Thank you!  I love perfume and it's been ages! 

He held her close and inhaled her. 

You smell wonderful, and his arms tightened around her as his lips brushed hers. 

A gruff voice sounded from across the room. 

All right, Walks With Lightning.  Let her go.  She has to come let me smell, too.

The chief was grinning broadly and holding out his arms.  He stood up as Maryan got near and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close and smelling her ear. 

It's a summer meadow with flowers! 

With his other arm he reached for his daughter Morning Star. 

What a treat—summer in the midst of all this snow.  What a   perfect present for Snowflower and Morning Star.

He reluctantly let the girls go and pushed them away. 

Now go back and let those husbands sniff all the flowers. 

And the room rang with laughter.  The children were clamoring   for their turns. Maryan and Morning Star sat on the footstools and   soon had arms full of children.  

Oh Mama.  Me, too! Marissa and Bluebird begged, and Maryan   and Morning Star dabbed a tiny bit on each little girl. 

There now, boys don't wear perfume so you'll just have to sniff   the girls!

Being boys, they feigned disinterest, but Maryan noticed that they   managed to be near a few times, before the novelty wore off.

John and Mingo had decided that this would be a Christmas of all   sorts of sliding toys, and they were very well received.  After lunch, the   children were allowed to have several trips down the long trail in The   Stronghold on their new sleds, accompanied by their cousins from the   Indian village, and Maryan decided to let naptime go for the day.  They   could go to bed early tonight.

As the shadows lengthened in the valley, the chief  announced   that it was time to leave.  Amid much hugging and many farewells,   they left.  Mingo had gone on down to open the lower passageway.   Hidden rock levers caused the big locking stones to pivot and open   the passageways through the outer walls of the hollow topless   mountain.  In times of turmoil, these inner levers could be secured by   rope loops and could not be opened even by someone who knew   where the outside levers were hidden.

This high valley within a mountain was now known only to a few   of the elders in the tribe, John, and Mingo.  The chief had taken them   there after they had become members of his tribe because he wanted this hidden valley in the hands of strong men who could protect this sacred valley from the encroaching hordes who were moving West all the time.  John and Mingo had filed a land claim on an area ten miles to a side enclosing the Mission church and running ten miles West and ten miles South, encompassing the whole mountain with its hidden valley, large areas of the prairie at the foot of the mountains between the mission and the Rockies, and on into the mountains.

The two hidden passageways into The Stronghold announced their opening by the rumbling of their pivot stones.  The ledges that ran through the mountain transmitted the sound all through this hidden valley. 

In spite of all the excitement of Christmas, the chief had managed to get the whole story out of John and Mingo about Lawrence White's appearance at the fort Christmas dance and Maryan's attempt to knife him.  He was proud of her fierceness, but he was glad that they had stopped her in time.  It would be a heavy burden for such a small woman to carry – to kill even such a vile man.

It was enough that John had lived with no harm done to him except the bruise, so unless Lawrence White came back for more, they would forget him.  If he came back, the chief vowed he would kill him and be done once and for all.

The snow was deep and the sliding was wonderful all winter, which was good, With all those active little children, the cabins would have burst at the seams if they had been kept indoors. John and Maryan’s three little boys and Marissa were as lively and inquisitive as Mingo and Morning star’s four.  The six little boys kept their parents and nursemaids busy outthinking them.  Marissa and Bluebird played with their dolls and usually were surprisingly good. The long winter strained the adults’ imagination to keep all these lively children busy.

Watching Maryan peeling outer clothes off the children, John was finding it hard to watch her slim figure in her snow pants.  Because she wore dresses all the time, he never got to watch the curve of her hip and bottom and he found that it stirred him very deeply. He squirmed uncomfortably in his chair, trying to hide his arousal.

She felt his eyes on her and turned.  Can I help you with   something, Captain MacKenzie?

He held out his arms and she sank onto his lap and wrapped her   arms around his neck.  He put his hands on her hips and kissed her.  It   might have gone farther, but there were little faces and bodies   climbing into his lap and Maryan's and he had to laugh and hug   everybody. 

Jamey saw more than you would expect of someone only four   and a half.  Mama is pretty even in men's pants, Papa, but I like her   best in a dress. 

John was at a loss for words for a moment and then agreed with   his son.  Right, Jamey.  But your Mama looks good in anything. But   he didn't finish the thought, . . . as well as in nothing at all. 

By February, John and Mingo decided to make another supply   run and went down to the mission to tell the pistoleros when they   wanted to go. Because of the dangers out on the high plains from   bandits and renegades, Paco and the other villagers had formed this   band of armed guardians to protect their own village, the mission and   its padre, as well as the residents of The Stronghold.  Any time John   and Mingo planned to leave The Stronghold, a group of pistoleros   went with them for protection.  Paco chose the biggest men for his   group and they were a sight guaranteed to strike fear into the hearts of   bandits.  Each man was as big as John and Mingo, over six feet tall,   strong and muscular.  Most of them sported big mustachios, and they   wore bandoliers of bullets crossed over their chests. 

John and Mingo took a packhorse and Maryan's school-book list   and headed for the fort. It would be a long time before their friends in   the village and fort forgot the sight of that handsome, six foot four,   broad-shouldered man lying so still on the ballroom floor. 

Colonel Stone let John read the General's dispatch from the War   Department in which he laid down the law about Lawrence White. 

If he ever shows up out there again, arrest him and send him to   me under guard.  And tell John MacKenzie that he no longer has to worry that his wife is in danger from that maniac.  He's gone home to South Carolina and from what I hear, he is keeping busy,  We learned he has a wife and little girl.

John looked at Colonel Stone.  "Wife?  That son of a bitch has a wife and little girl?"

John was enraged that while White had been stalking Maryan so persistently all those years since she left South Carolina, he had a wife and a child of his own! He shook his head in disgust.  The man was definitely insane, he would never give up his obsession.

CHAPTER TWO

Drinking coffee in the Padre's study at the Mission, Maryan looked around at all his books. Suddenly she said, "Father Thomas!  These are school books!"

He grinned.  Yes, Maryan.  I teach the people in the village when we have time.  Not just the children, but anyone who wants to learn.

But, Father Thomas, I teach all of the Indians in The Stronghold, too.  They can now speak, read, and write English and some Spanish.  Even the children are learning.

But they're only babies!  Jamey and Little Wolf won’t be five till this summer!  He was astonished.

Maryan laughed, I know, but those little sponges are soaking it up right along with Ahna, Mia, Nahay, and the ranch hands and we never noticed.  Now the younger children are beginning to learn.

Father Thomas was pleased.  He wasn't all that surprised because he knew this was a very clever bunch of youngsters who were years ahead of themselves in other skills also.  John and Maryan, with Mingo and Morning Star, had brought the whole brood down to visit a few times this spring and the padre was totally captivated. 

In fact, the whole village was completely charmed and while the adults sat out in front of the cantina in the warm spring sunshine, the children all played in the village square.  Village children had been slow to join, but when these new children persisted, and in Spanish, too, they started coming   out and soon all the children were playing, shouting, and running.    Nahay had insisted on riding down with them and she became the   games mistress and quickly had them all organized. 

Father Thomas watched with delight.  Not in his wildest   imaginings could he have foreseen this future for the bride and groom   who came to him that long ago November day.  The woman who   loaned Maryan her prayer book reminded Maryan of her prophecy of   many children and Maryan laughed and told her that she had   certainly fulfilled it.  But she was satisfied with her four.  Ahna, Blue   Feather's wife, was pregnant back up in The Stronghold so soon there   would be another baby.

All too soon for the children, John whistled for attention and   announced that it was time to saddle up and go home.  Groans of   disappointment greeted him but he was adamant.  No complaining.   We’ll come back again soon.

When they left The Stronghold for trips like this, they always   used the lower passageway on the South side.  John and Mingo felt the   waterfall passage high on the East end of their hidden valley should be   kept secret in case of emergency.  In fact, they even talked about   widening the openings in the lower passageway some day so that they   could drive teams and wagons through and not have to resort to pack   animals all the time. 

Inside the mountain, this lower corridor was cavernous on the   inside with ceilings soaring up forty and fifty feet.  Some day when this   country was more settled and the renegade bands and outlaws were   fewer, this could be a proper entrance to their valley, complete with   high wrought iron gates.  But not yet.

On the way home from this visit at the mission village, they came   upon the wild horse herd led by a young Morgan stallion.  He stood in   the middle of the trail, black mane and tail flying, red bay coat   gleaming, and bugled a challenge to John's big stallion.  John reined up   and patted his horse on the neck.  Easy, there, old man.  That son of   yours thinks he's pretty hot stuff, doesn't he? and he waved his arm   and yelled at the now-wild stallion.  He turned and fled down the trail driving his band ahead of him. 

The children were thrilled with the sight of this beautiful horse.  Look, Papa.  Isn't he wonderful!  He looks just like your horse.

That's because he's my horse's son.  I turned him out here with the wild horses when you were a baby, Jamey, so that the wild horses would be stronger and more beautiful.  Looks like it worked!

The foals in that group of wild horses were round, athletic, and handsome.  The yearlings and two year olds were traveling in a bachelor group away from the main herd of mares and foals. 

John, Mingo said.  Maybe we should catch some of those older colts and bring them into The Stronghold and break them.  They would bring good prices in Denver and they'll just cause problems for the herd sire if they are left here to fight with him.

Good idea.  We'll work out a plan and come get some of them.  We can build something for the mouth of one of the box canyons and drive them in there and trap them.  I'm sure the chief will give us some men to help for a share of the horses.

Not only did the chief give them some help, he came himself and took part in the big roundup in June.  After they culled through the bunch they had caught, there were fifteen handsome colts left that John and Mingo recognized as three and four year olds from the first crops from the Morgan. 

Gelding them was a hot, dusty grueling business and John was glad when it was done.  They had Maryan and Morning Star keep the children home that day and didn't let them come to the corrals.  In fact, they kept them away from the corrals several days until the colts were healing well and the children would not find as much to notice.  John and Mingo felt they were not quite ready to field too many questions yet, these children were still hardly more than babies.

CHAPTER THREE

That summer of 1876, Colorado was admitted to the Union as the 38th state.  John received a fancy invitation to attend the festivities down in Denver and he debated with himself long and hard before telling Maryan about it.

As a large stockholder in the biggest bank in Denver and one of the bigger properly recorded and deeded landholders, he was included among the former Territory's prominent men. Because there was still much hostility towards the Indians, only John's name appeared on their land and financial holdings, but John knew he was only a partner and not the sole owner.  Someday, they could proudly display Mingo's name, but not yet. Safely stored in the vault in The Stronghold were documents attesting to Mingo’s partnership, in case he had to prove it some day in the future.

John decided that it would probably be safe enough to take Maryan to the series of parties and receptions that were to be held in Denver, so they began making plans.  She and Morning Star and Nahay began a month ahead making her a suitable wardrobe for the city and more than one party dress.  The rose red velvet dress she always wore to the fort Christmas dances would be perfect for the Governor's Ball but she needed two others for smaller parties—and daytime dresses—and new underthings!  And even some hats!

So while Maryan was creating a wardrobe, John consulted with the pistoleros and worked out their security plans. Paco chose men as big as himself and John. Their big sombreros made them look even bigger.  These pistoleros were formidable.

They would all ride to the water tank and catch the train into   Denver. and they would arrange for a carriage and driver plus horses   for Paco and his men for the whole time they were in town. Other   pistoleros would take their horses back to town until the party   returned.

Paco and his men would accompany John and Maryan on   horseback to the various functions they planned to attend. Any sign of   trouble and they would be at John and Maryan's side instantly to get   them out of there.

They had to take a packhorse for the suitcases.  This trip called   for more clothes than saddlebags could handle. 

John thought Maryan looked wonderful in her brown traveling   dress, her gloves, and pert little brown hat with the feathers curling   around the side of her head.  She was five feet four inches tall, slim   and curved invitingly.  Four children had only perfected her figure.    With her waist-length curly dark brown hair and hazel eyes, she was   pert and enchanting and John’s heart surged any time he looked at her. 

The train steamed to a stop at the water tank and the conductor   helped Maryan aboard while John and the pistoleros sent the horses   back to town.  Soon they joined her in the coach.  Ladies who had   been talking to Maryan looked up at John and preened and smiled at   him, holding out their hands to be kissed. Maryan stifled her laugh.    John MacKenzie was a dashing, handsome man.  But the ladies froze   and drew back when Paco and his men came in behind John.  Several   gave little screams of fright.

No, no, ladies, Maryan laughed.  These men are with us.  They   are our friends and protectors and no one will dare bother this train   while they are with us.

Nervous smiles began to appear but the ladies made sure they   and their escorts stayed a few seats away from John and Maryan and   their intimidating companions.  Maryan thought it was quite funny, but   John admonished her to be nice.  After all, if you weren't used to Paco   and his pistoleros, they would be frightening.

Denver was the first big city Maryan had been in since she had left St Louis and headed west with the wagon train.  After they got settled in their hotel, John called up the carriage and he and Maryan, followed by Paco and his men, toured the city so Maryan could see everything.

Driving along one avenue, she spotted a carriage headed towards them.  Look, John, aren’t those two of our horses?  Don't they look handsome!

The man in the carriage tipped his hat at Maryan and then recognized John.  Standing up, he told his coachman to stop and John had his team stopped.  The men stepped out of their carriages and met in the middle of the quiet street exchanging greetings.  John introduced Maryan and the gentleman was effusive in his flowery greeting.  Maryan was careful not to be too friendly, not to smile too pleasantly—be cool and a little above it all. She had learned her lesson when she was a teenage runaway.  Smiling at strangers caused problems!

After they had parted and both carriages were moving on in their different directions, John told her she had been perfect.  That she had to watch her friendliness with these city folks, they might misunderstand.  Oh, Maryan knew that all too well.

* * *

Why once in St Louis:  Hey there, Pretty Miss.  All alone?  She had turned and smiled at the man who was standing there with his hat in his hand.  Before she could speak, he had caught her elbow and was trying to draw her along with him.  Come on over to the hotel and we'll have a drink.

Maryan was a naive daughter of the plantation, but she had smartened up during her flight west and she realized that this was not a good idea, so she had pulled away from him, gathered up her skirts, and darted up a narrow alley, turned a couple of corners, and found herself on quite a different street.  Well, I won't smile at anybody else.  Friendly means something else around here.

* * *

Oh, yes.  She would remember not to be too friendly here in Denver, even if she did have a broad-shouldered escort and the biggest guardians in   town!

John took her to the bank where he and Mingo kept much of   their money and introduced her to the officers.  He had her sign a   signature card so she could access his accounts, if the need arose.    Women were still not able to vote, though in less than twenty years,   Colorado would vote for Women's Suffrage, right behind Wyoming.

The parties were numerous and Maryan met far too many people.    By the time Governor John L. Routt was inaugurated as the First   Governor of Colorado, she was more than ready to go home. 

The ball was exciting and Maryan was the focus of many eyes in   her red dress.  Her diamonds sparkled and she was beautiful.  John   was so proud to have her on his arm.  In spite of constant invitations,   Maryan refused to dance with anyone but her husband.  When John   saw the Governor bearing down on them, he told her she would not   be able to say no to him, and Maryan said, Watch me, and she   slipped off to the ladies' retiring room. 

When she came out some twenty minutes later, John was waiting   in the corridor for her and the Governor was dancing with someone   else, Maryan forgotten with all the beautiful women there.  John   smiled and kissed the palm of her hand and she looked up at him, Do   we have to stay any longer?  I'm feeling mighty tired, with her impish   smile. 

Tucking her hand through his arm, he led her to the front door   and their waiting carriage.  Paco saw them immediately and when they   rolled away, he was right behind them.  Every night, one of Paco's   men sat in an alcove of the hotel, in sight of John and Maryan's door.    A curtain screened him from people passing by. Only the hotel   management knew he was there. 

The next morning, over breakfast, John announced, Time to go   home, and Maryan laughed delightedly.  She was packed and ready to   send their cases down fifteen minutes after breakfast.  Paco and his   men had enjoyed seeing the big city, but they, too, were ready for the   high plains and the mountains.  The city was not a very pleasant place   as far as they were concerned.

Taking a long slow lunch near the station, they managed to laugh and talk until time to catch their train.  Paco had been watching city people treat each other like one thought the other was beneath him, so he was warmed by John and Maryan's insistence that he and his men had to sit at their table and join in the conversation and stories.  John regaled them with commentary of the parties and people they had seen all week and Maryan filled them in with tales to take to their wives about what the women were wearing and saying.

It was a happy group that caught the afternoon train North.  It was dark and late when they were unloaded at the water tank. Paco’s men and their horses were waiting, and soon they were headed across the plains for the town and fort.  They only paused to say hello to Sary and Sarge at the tavern and continued on home after a quick cup of coffee.  Once they started, they didn't want to tarry. Maryan was anxious to get home to her children.  John had to keep chiding her so she wouldn’t push her horse into a gallop.

Paco and his men tucked their jingling pouches into their pockets with broad smiles making their white teeth gleam in the moonlight. The gold coins John gave them after their guard trips would be most welcome to their families.  John and Maryan and the packhorse waited near the trail fork until the pistoleros were well down around the bend and then they headed for the waterfall.

Later, lying in each other's arms, Maryan kissed John's cheek, Thank you for taking me to Denver, dear heart.  It was fun and different, but I'm so glad to be home again.  And she snuggled close to him. 

He rolled over holding her in his arms and looked down at her.  Denver is a big city, but you were the most beautiful woman in the whole state.  Even the Governor wanted to dance with you!  And he began to kiss her deeply. 

CHAPTER FOUR

After another late summer sales trip to Denver with a string of well-trained horses, John and Mingo sat down one evening after supper and began to talk about increasing their mare herd. 

"For three years, we have sold these horses for a lot more than the going price because they are so good looking  and well trained.  I think Denver is getting more like the East in that they won't accept half-wild, poorly bred horses any more.  They want them young, handsome, and well started.  Look how much we got for that driving team last year and this year we got even more for another team.

"I think next summer we need to think about a trip East to buy mares.  Why don't we