Sagebrush Bride

chapter TWENTY SEVEN





“Bastards want us trailing ‘em,” Cutter hissed through his teeth. Barely tempering his fury, he swiped at the beads of sweat that dotted his forehead, his mouth set grimly.

Riding silently beside Cutter, Elias glanced up from the rifle he was examining. “How do you know?” he asked, scanning the area ahead before returning his scrutiny to Cutter.

Cutter’s s gaze was fixed on the horizon, his jaw taut with a rage that had been growing since the moment he’d discovered Elizabeth and Katie missing. He’d checked every last railcar and then had hurled himself off the train and run like hell back into Fulton City to find Elias waiting on him, already set to ride.

Elias had already stabled Cocoa in the nearest livery, and for a few extra dimes, the man in charge had leashed Shiftless to a post outside, promising to feed the mutt until they returned. In the meantime, Cutter had picked up Magnus’ trail with a little preliminary backtracking, and they’d been following close on his heels ever since. As of yet, Sulzberger didn’t seem to realize it.

“Because we should be tracking a blind trail,” Cutter replied finally, “and we’re not.” He turned to consider Elias, worry deepening the shadows in his eyes. He wasn’t certain the old man was up to the trouble they were courtin’—he looked almost as bad as Cutter felt—but there was no choice. Because Sulzberger was a dirty player, Cutter knew he would need all the help he could get.

Aside from that, he wasn’t feeling quite right—wasn’t exactly sure what it was that was wrong, but knew it had everything to do with his foot. The last man he’d known to snag an infection had had his leg carved off, and he sure as hell wasn’t willing to live like that, so it had been easier to let it go, tell himself it would pass.

But it wasn’t going to.

The fact that his eyes were burning a hole in his face told him as much. Still, he couldn’t risk the time it would take to see to it now. Besides, he’d never known a sawbones to be anything other’n saw-happy, and he fancied himself rather attached to his leg—didn’t particularly care to part with it.

“Sulzberger’s ridden alongside me enough to know how to trash a trail if he wanted. He’s not even trying.” He pointed out the wet tracks in the soil as they passed them. “He started out at a dead run, but since late afternoon he’s been moving at a snail’s pace. Now that we’re out in the bush, with no witnesses for what he’s planning, he’s no longer in a hurry.”

He glanced again at Elias, then heavenward, to scrutinize the skyline, recalling with a twist of his gut the way Magnus had ogled Elizabeth. He vowed to himself in that moment that the misbegotten bastard would pay with his life if he so much as lifted a finger to Elizabeth’s body—or, for that matter, Katie’s. He wouldn’t put anything past the man.

“Aside from that,” he added, “they seem to go out of their way to dip their heels into water—tracks stay wet for a long time afterward... more easily identified that way.” He hauled on the reins abruptly, something catching his gaze in the distance.

In the next instant, he’d unsheathed his Spencer carbine and was holding it before him in his lap, inspecting it to be sure it was loaded. When Cutter had completed his inspection, he looked up again, studying the sky in the distance. “Unless I miss my guess,” he said, “that’s them ahead.” Lifting the barrel of his carbine, he pointed out a column of smoke that coiled upward like a wicked serpent into the graying sky.

Elias shook his head. “Don’t make sense,” he muttered in puzzlement. “Why would they chance a fire? Seems if they’re gonna shanghai someone, they’d make real sure not to get caught.”

Cutter gave him a swift glance, his black eyes gleaming savagely. “Makes all the sense in the world,” he countered. “They didn’t count on you riding with me, Elias. There are three of ‘em, aren’t there? Should have been only one of us. Namely, me.” His mouth set in a grim line. “Reckon they figure even I’m no match against three—not alone... and not in an ambush.”

“Think they know we’re here?”

Cutter shook his head. “Not yet... too busy gloating, I suspect. Don’t think they expected us to sniff them out so easily. Judging by the signs they’ve left for us to follow, they think they’re baiting an idiot.” He inclined his head toward a small grove of trees that grew to the right of them—a procession of them that marched halfway up the hillock from where the smoke unfurled behind. “You wouldn’t happen to know how to climb, would ya?”

Elias nodded, though his expression turned baffled.

“Good. ‘Cause I sure as hell don’t aim to give those sons a bitches what they’re after tonight.” A chill black silence surrounded them in that moment, and then he added, “Not till I know what it is.”

“Now, McKenzie, hold on.” Elias shook his head adamantly, coughing discreetly into his hand. “You can’t mean to leave Katie and Elizabeth in their camp all night—ain’t no telling what they could do to ‘em!”

Cutter gave Elias a look of lethal assurance, beginning to wonder if he should make Elias turn back. The old man had taken great care to keep his fatigue to himself, but it was becoming apparent he wasn’t up to snuff. Helluva pair they made. “That’s what they’re counting on us thinking,” he answered finally. “But like I said... I don’t aim to oblige.” He pointed his carbine casually at the hillock in question. “If that were me on the other side, I’d have set up camp so that I could see everything coming over for miles, knowing they wouldn’t be able to spot me until they’ve cleared the hill. Way I see it, you can be damned certain they’ll have their barrels trained on us the moment we charge over.” He pointed the carbine in turn to the thicket of trees at their right. “Instead, we’ll ride up through those, climb the bastards, and then spend the night watching every move they make.” He gave Elias a cold, calculating look. “Maybe they’ll make a mistake, maybe they won’t—but I don’t aim to risk either Elizabeth or Katie by getting my eyebrows blown off.”

Cutter’s glance returned to the hillock, but his expression was unreadable, as though he were searching beyond it. “No, we’ll play our own game,” he said abruptly. “And if they lay a hand on either of ‘em... I’ll make each and every damned one of them regret they ever took their first breaths.”



Sensing Cutter meant every word in the most violent way, Elias shuddered at the grim promise he saw in Cutter’s black expression. In spite of the deep, revealing shadows under Cutter’s eyes, and the sweat that rolled from his temples, marking his fatigue, Elias could sense the iron will and determination in him.

As well as the danger.

As he’d decided when he’d first laid eyes upon Cutter McKenzie, half-breed or not, he was one man Elias wanted on his side, not otherwise. He gave a conciliatory nod, not that he felt he’d had much choice in the decision. The tone of Cutter’s voice didn’t invite question. “All right, McKenzie... reckon you know best.” Once again, he took in the flush of Cutter’s face, a flush that had persisted despite the fact that the sun had long since begun to set and the air had long cooled, and he worried. “You all right?” he asked guardedly, watching Cutter’s expression. Something wasn’t right about the man. Something he couldn’t put his finger on. If he didn’t know better, he’d think the man was ailing. But Cutter hadn’t said a single word to indicate it was so.



Tipping his head, Cutter swiped die back of the arm that held his carbine against his forehead, soaking up the sweat with his sleeve. “Fine,” he replied brusquely, shrugging off the question. He grimaced at the pain that shot through his foot as he removed it from the stirrup to hang free. “You sure you’re up to this, old man?”

“Much as you are,” Elias countered. “That is my granddaughter out there,” he reminded Cutter.

Cutter nodded, knowing they were at an impasse. “All right,” he said, “let’s just get our butts into that thicket before someone spots us.”





Katie clung to Elizabeth’s neck, shrieking as Magnus tried to pry them apart. The carnal look in his eyes panicked her, but she didn’t intend to be a willing victim. Vowing to make his violation of her person the most difficult conquest he’d ever attempted, Elizabeth twisted her arm out of his grip. And he wasn’t going to touch her in front of Katie! That, she swore. “Let go of me, you swine!”

He smiled maliciously. “See you found your tongue finally, huh?”

“Haven’t you any conscience at all?” Elizabeth spat, ignoring his taunt. “No heart? You’re frightening her!”

Magnus merely laughed. “Don’t flatter yourself, bitch. I don’t aim to touch a hair on that head of yours. Pretty as it is... turns my gut.’’ He made a motion with his chin, grinning through his beard. “Now, Colyer over there might feel differently. Fact is, he might even like to even the score a bit.”

Elizabeth followed his gaze to where Colyer stood, his back against a tree. She couldn’t see his face at all, just his obscure silhouette. Still, there was an aura about him that sent a quiver of apprehension down her spine.

Tamping down her hysteria, she turned again to Magnus, her tone as calm as she could manage, for Katie’s sake. “If it’s his battle, then let him fight it for himself. Please... let us go... ”

She gave Colyer a scathing glance, then, feeling herself failing in that tactic, she turned to plead with O’Neill, who was standing faithfully at Magnus’ side. “How can you bear to hurt an innocent child? How can you involve us? Have mercy!” She tried to capture his eyes, to communicate with him, but he steadfastly avoided her. “Coward!” she spat. Feeling defeated, she turned again to Magnus, her voice breaking yet full of contempt. “And what do you have to gain in all this?” she spat. “Surely something.”

“Dead men don’t carry tales,” he said cryptically, slanting a glance toward O’Neill. O’Neill flinched visibly.

“My God, what cowards you are—all of you! Are you so afraid to face Cutter McKenzie alone that you would have to use a child for your shield?”

Lunging forward, his face red with fury, Magnus gripped her again by the arm and shoved her down to the ground. Hard. “Bitch! Shut the hell up before you earn yourself and that noisy kid an early grave!”

Clutching a screaming Katie before her with one hand, Elizabeth tried to break their fall to the ground with the other. Her lips trembled as they formed the beginning of the question that had haunted her all day. So many times she’d stifled it, afraid to ask it with Katie in earshot. “Just tell me... w-what do you plan to do with us?”

Magnus arched a brow at her. “Well, now, why don’t we just wait and see,” he taunted.

Elizabeth shook her head slowly, swallowing the lump that rose in her throat. Her eyes pricked with tears, but she lifted her chin bravely. She had absolute faith Cutter would come for them, but she loathed the man for using Katie as his decoy. “You’re nothing but a coward, Mr. Sulzberger.”

“I said shut up, ya breed-lovin’ bitch! O’Neill, tie her hands and feet! Behind her back. Now!”

Katie’s shrieks intensified at his command, and she clutched wildly at Elizabeth. Elizabeth’s heart twisted painfully.

“And you,” Magnus barked, pointing a finger at Elizabeth, “get that sniveling brat to shut the hell up!”



From his perch in the treetop, Cutter could see almost everything. He kept his carbine trained on Colyer, knowing that until he determined Magnus’ motive, Colyer, of the three, had the biggest ax to grind.

It had taken every ounce of his will not to squeeze down on the trigger when Magnus had shoved Elizabeth to the ground. Gutless bastard that he was. He liked using that muscle of his with women and babies. Cutter shook his head suddenly, the image of Sulzberger sweeping down on a small group of Cheyenne children, running his bayonet through the smallest of the band, coming back to his mind with sickening clarity.

The barrel swiveled suddenly to Magnus.

Sweat streamed from Cutter’s temples and down the sides of his face as he fought the command of his soul to squeeze. The aftermath of Sand Creek was so vivid in that moment that he tasted the metallic tang of his own blood as he battled his way through the images.

Women. Children. Mutilated. Magnus and his boys coming across a small child, not much older than Katie, buried in the sand. They pulled out their pistols and shot her, then dragged her out and shot her again, leaving her for dead. Christ, he’d never wanted to kill more than he had in that instant... as he did now.

The only thing keeping him from it was the knowledge that once he pulled the trigger, there would be hell to pay. Wasn’t a breed on American soil who could spill full-white blood and not end up in the skookum-house. If they were lucky they might get an unlawful trial before the string-up. If not—hell! He hadn’t lived as long as he had by being careless!

His gaze shifted abruptly from his target to Elias Bass, who was perched in a branch slightly above him. If there was business to settle, then the last thing he needed was witnesses. He’d known good men, half-breed men, who were hired by John Law to do their dirty work, and then the minute the deed was done, Johnny washed his hands.

Only this time, it didn’t appear as though he was going to have much choice. Again the barrel shifted... to Colyer, his vision blurring. Squeezing his eyes shut against the pain in his foot, Cutter blinked hard, turning his head to regard Elias, who was staring a hole through him. Damn, what was wrong with him?

“McKenzie? You all right?”

“Fine,” Cutter snarled, his gaze shifting abruptly back to Colyer. Muttering an oath, he watched in silence as all three men picked up their gear and walked away, leaving Elizabeth and Katie alone.



Elias observed Cutter a moment longer, and then, without another word, turned to watch as Magnus and his men set up camp about forty feet away from where Elizabeth remained on the downward slope. The area where she sat was devoid of trees, carpeted only with tall grass, while at Magnus’ back there was another thicket, just like the one in which Cutter was concealed.





In spite of the fact that Elizabeth was sandwiched between them, Cutter still had a clear shot at Magnus... if only it weren’t getting so damned dark... if only his eyes weren’t playing tricks on him.

What the hell was wrong with him?

He shook his head, ridding himself of the black film that was slowly obscuring his vision.

What puzzled him most was the fact that Magnus wasn’t making any attempts to hide his camp at all. It was as though he were using Elizabeth as bait. But why? He turned again to Elias, his eyes narrowing, glinting in the dusky light—the sun was going down fast. Maybe then he could make his move. “You said Magnus had papers?”

Elias nodded, shifting only the briefest glance toward Cutter, noticing that the hands that only moments before had held the carbine steady were now wavering. “That’s right.”

Cutter shook his head again distractedly. And then his eyes focused once more. “What sort of papers?”



Elias’ gaze narrowed, and he suppressed a cough. Instinct told him that Cutter wasn’t about to admit weakness to anybody, not even himself. “A letter from General Sully,” he said, clearing his throat. “Accusing you of desertion... offering leniency in return for cooperation.”

“What kind of cooperation?”

“Didn’t say.”

“Bastard was bluffing.”

Elias shifted a glance toward Elizabeth and Katie. “Didn’t appear as though he was bluffing to me.” Then back to Cutter. “That’s a mighty serious allegation, McKenzie.”



Cutter knew it wasn’t possible. He wasn’t U.S. military, just under contract, and his contract hadn’t been renewed, at that. “The dispatch actually charged me with desertion? To the letter?”

Elias returned his scrutiny to his granddaughter, and then trained his carbine on Lieutenant Magnus Sulzberger. “Well, no... not precisely. There were three lines—read something like... in reference to absenteeism without leave... will consider leniency in exchange for—” his glance returned briefly to Cutter, and he cleared his throat “—assistance, I believe.”

Cutter nodded, satisfied. “Like I said, the bastard was bluffing.”

“Don’t make sense. Why would he do that?”

“Desperate men do desperate things,” Cutter answered, shaking his head briskly, blinking again to ward away the haze shutting down like a veil over his eyes. “Sully’s career might hinge on his next campaign. Reckon he thought it’d make me mad enough to come lookin’ for him. And he was right. I’m sure he figured getting me there was half the battle, ‘cause then he could bend my ear, bribe me, whatever. Y’ see, he needs something from me I won’t give up.”

“What’s that?”

“My nose.”

Elias gave him a skeptical look, and then nodded, his voice rising slightly with the question. “He wants you to scout? Seems a lot of trouble to go through just to get you to scout. Why didn’t he just ask?”

“He did,” Cutter replied coldly, focusing his sight over the barrel of his carbine.

“And?”

“I told him to go hang himself.” His eyes narrowed. “Don’t ever aim to be a part of another Sand Creek!” The ensuing silence was thick. “You wouldn’t happen to know how Sully knew where to find me?” he asked suddenly.

The silence thickened.

“I do,” Elias answered at last.

Cutter gave him a brief glance. “Yeah?”

Elias drew his brows together. “I had every right to use my connections to check you out, McKenzie, and that’s precisely what I did—as soon as I heard from your sister that you and Elizabeth were on your way. You’da done the same thing!’’

“Yeah,” Cutter relented after a moment, giving Elias another quick glance. “Reckon so.” He turned his attention back to the small group in the distance. With the fading light, his targets were becoming too indistinct. And damn him, if he didn’t feel like he was on fire.

He couldn’t believe a small cut would take him down. Hell, he had scars from bigger wounds that hadn’t bothered him half as much. Sweat beaded on his lip. “What I can’t figure is what role Sulzberger has in all of this,” he mused aloud. “Unless... ”

“Unless what?”

“Unless he’s got his own plans—’less he aims to use that letter of Sully’s to his benefit.”

Elias’ brows rose. “How’s that?”

Cutter’s eyes sought Elias’ again in the growing darkness. Red-rimmed, they glittered like black glass with the last light of day. “To grease that bullet he’d like to put in my back,” he replied without emotion. “That’s why.” There was silence a moment, and then he added, “Elias... I want you to ride back into Fulton City. Bring the law back with you.”

“What in damnation are you talking about, McKenzie” he whispered furiously. “I’m an old man, sure enough, but not so useless I can’t help out here! My granddaughter needs me!”

“Yeah... and that’s precisely why you’ll go,” Cutter replied coolly, giving him a firm nod. “Because your granddaughter needs you.” The two faced each other in static silence.

Elias’ eyes narrowed. “You trying to tell me something, McKenzie?”

It stung Cutter to have to concede any weakness at all... but it was that... or lose Elizabeth and Katie out of stubborn pride. He couldn’t do that. Wouldn’t. And he was losing it fast. He nodded, wincing as he shifted his position slightly. Pain fired through his left leg, and he grunted as it burst into his hip. “Reckon I am,” he replied hoarsely. “If you go now, Elias, you can make it back before daybreak. You have my word that I won’t go after ‘em alone unless I have to.”

The indecision was as clear in Elias’ blue eyes as the torment was in Cutter’s.

“My word,” Cutter assured through his teeth. Sweat trickled down his temples. “And if they pull out, I’ll leave you a trail a blind man could follow.” Still Elias didn’t reply. “Whatever it takes, I won’t let them harm a hair on your granddaughter’s head.”

Elias cursed under his breath. “I know,” he relented, looking away briefly. There was a long stretch of silence, and then he said, “I know about the two of you... know you’re not married to her.”

“Sulzberger tell you that, too?” Cutter snarled.

Elias nodded, and Cutter scrutinized his features when he turned to face him finally, but there was no contempt there. None at all. He nodded back, conceding the fact.

“It don’t matter none to me,” Elias revealed, glancing again toward Katie and Elizabeth, and then back. “I can tell you love her. If you can give my granddaughter half as much... she’ll be one lucky girl. It ain’t up to me to judge ya, anyhow—not either of ya. You see... Miss Mimi and I...” He averted his gaze suddenly. “I’m gettin’ up in years now... and, well...”

“You don’t have to say it,” Cutter yielded. “I know.”

Elias nodded. “Yes, I do. You see... I want this time with Mimi. I spent too little time with my wife before she died. Too little time with my son. And I don’t aim to make that mistake again. I’ve loved Mimi a lot of years now... put off livin’ my life the way I saw fit to because... well, because I didn’t want to offend my son. He was real close to his mother... but John’s gone now, and I know you’ll make a real good father to Katie,” he continued, looking down at the ground beneath them. “Anyhow, just wanted you to know before I go.” He looked up abruptly, searching Cutter’s expression. “You do plan to marry the girl, don’t you?” he asked.

Cutter’s eyes narrowed slightly. He wanted to assure the old man that he would, if Elizabeth would have him, but pride wouldn’t let him. “That’s between myself and Elizabeth,” he said through clenched teeth. “Now... you’d best be going.”

Elias nodded slowly and began to shimmy down the branch. “Reckon I better,” he agreed with a weary sigh, “if I’m gonna get back before sunup... ”





Almost from the moment Katie had opened her eyes, she’d begun to wail uncontrollably. And despite the fact that her mouth was jammed full with cloth, she continued to shriek, clinging frantically to Elizabeth’s neck in the darkness.

Biting her lip until it throbbed, Elizabeth prayed that Magnus and Colyer wouldn’t become angered again. On the other hand, she was certain Katie and her shrieking was the only thing keeping Colyer from abusing her. She hadn’t mistaken the look he’d given her before stalking off with Magnus.

Muttering about whores and screaming brats, all three of them had moved away from her, toward the warmth and light of the campfire, leaving herself and Katie only the cold, empty darkness.

Giving her fleeting looks of apology, O’Neill had bound her hands behind her back, and then her feet, tightly, so that she couldn’t escape. To be certain they were not actually cutting off her circulation, Magnus had inspected them afterward. They were rubbing her raw now, and she gave a desperate little laugh at the notion. Where had they expected her to flee? They were in the middle of nowhere, for mercy’s sake!

Because they’d been unable to pry Katie away from her, or even quiet her, they’d tied the poor child’s hands around Elizabeth’s neck. Her little legs were stretched around Elizabeth’s waist and bound as well, and then they’d shoved a dirty sock into her mouth, containing it with a filthy gray neckerchief around her face. It was so big that it covered most of Katie’s face, and Elizabeth had had to jerk it down with her teeth so that Katie could see anything at all.

How cruel could people be? Guilt gnawed at her as she acknowledged the fact that if it hadn’t been for her own determination to raise the child as her own, Katie wouldn’t be suffering at the moment.

Her teeth chattered, though not from the chill night air, but from the stark raw fear she felt for this innocent child. Tears pooled in her eyes, and she began to tremble as she rocked Katie, trying to calm her stifled sobbing.

‘‘Cutter,” she whispered, nuzzling her cheek against the velvety wetness of Katie’s tiny face. ‘‘Where are you?” Did he know what had happened to them? Dear Lord, what if he’d thought she’d left him deliberately?

No matter what Elizabeth did, what she said, nothing seemed to soothe Katie, and the muffled whimpers were beginning to shatter her own composure. God only knew, she understood Katie’s fear, understood her hysteria—she actually felt like screaming herself—but Katie’s panic made her feel a failure. What would Katherine have done? she asked herself mournfully.

Rocking back and forth, rubbing her cheek against Katie’s damp, silky curls, Elizabeth held back her own tears, knowing her own hysteria wasn’t likely to help Katie out of hers. “Katie,” she pleaded, her whisper broken. “Katie, sweetheart...” In spite of herself, a sob escaped, but she bit her lip, holding back the rest. “I won’t let them harm you, darling... I swear it—oh, Lord! What have I done?” She swallowed another sob before it could manage to escape her throat. “Katherine... oh, Katherine, I’m so sorry. Help me.”

Helpless to do anything but bring Katie down with her, she lay back wearily upon the grass, thinking of all the dreams she had begun to weave around the child nestled against her. Every one of them included Cutter.

After a moment longer, Katie’s tearful sobs finally turned into sleepy whimpers as she went limp with exhaustion. Fighting back her own fatigue, Elizabeth closed her eyes and drifted.

Her thoughts filtered back to the day she’d met Cutter. Hard to believe it had been such a short time ago; it seemed a lifetime had passed. So much had happened since then. So much had happened to her. She was different, regenerated, like a butterfly that had only just burst from its cocoon.

Arrogant and infuriating as the man was, he’d somehow squeezed himself into the heart she’d thought long dead. For so long she’d been careful not to let anyone—not anyone—into her life, because then she wouldn’t have to suffer the pain of their leaving.

With Cutter... the risk had seemed worth taking. It didn’t matter what he was. It never had, she realized in that moment. And if she ever got the chance again, she’d make him see that, too.

Dear God, she loved him!

Her heart began to pound, and she became instantly alert, fully aware of her surroundings, every rustle of grass. She stifled the urge to cry out his name, sensing his presence. She could almost smell him in the slight breeze, but could see nothing.

With no moon, the darkness was impenetrable.