Paloma and the Horse Traders Read Online Free PDF

tease her if he were here, but he was not, so she
struggled to keep her tears inside.
    Thank the Almighty that the guards were
watching. As she raced toward them on her energized mare, the gates
swung open to receive her and her babies. Emilio ran into the
courtyard, summoned by a cry from one of the guards. The big patrol
dogs began to bark, which made Soli put her hands over her ears and
mutter something that sounded surprisingly like what her papa might
say at such a moment.
    Emilio struck the iron bar that dangled from a
chain, which brought Sancha and Perla from the kitchen garden and
into the courtyard. Paloma handed down Soledad, who still had her
hands over her ears, and Perla helped Paloma from the
saddle.
    Paloma eased out of the cradleboard and handed
it to Perla. “Take them into the kitchen. I will be in there in a
moment.”
    Not waiting for an argument from Sancha, who
would insist that she come too, Paloma followed Emilio up the
ladder to the parapet, where three guards had gathered. She looked
where they looked and saw, to her relief, Eckapeta bending low over
her horse, riding fast.
    The gates closed behind her as soon as she was
through them. In one smooth motion, she dismounted, let the reins
drop, and climbed up the ladder without even drawing a deep
breath.
    She put her arm around Paloma in a gesture so
tender that Paloma felt all her love and concern, but her words
were to the mayor domo , who watched them both.
    “ I believe I know these Kwahadi,”
she said, only then betraying that she was slightly out of
breath.
    “ Is that good?” Paloma
asked.
    Eckapeta shook her head. “Their leader, a man
named Great Owl, had words with Kwihnai last winter in the cañón . He was angry because Kwihnai has sworn to your
husband never to attack Santa Maria again, or anywhere in Valle del
Sol. Great Owl and his band rode from the cañón , and we have
not seen them until now.”
    “ Will there be trouble? Paloma had
to ask, even though she could read Eckapeta’s expressions well. I don’t want trouble without Marco close by , she wanted to
say. Please tell me all is well, even if it is not
true .
    “ There will be trouble, Paloma. Let
us prepare.”
     
     

Chapter Four
    In
which Paloma is proxy for her husband, the carefree fair-goer, drat
his hide
    “ W e will
keep you and your children safe,” Emilio said, after a long look at
Eckapeta, who stared back at him with an equally impassive gaze.
“By the Virgin, I promise you.”
    Paloma nodded to Emilio, thinking how kind he
was to spare her tender feelings, and also grateful for Eckapeta’s
unvarnished honesty. He sees me as a fearful woman and Eckapeta
sees me as a warrior, ready to fight to the death for my
children , she thought. Our ways are
different .
    She held out her hand to the old man, who had
faced a lifetime of uncertainty, living in Valle del Sol, that
farthermost outpost of Spanish civilization in New Mexico. “Tell me
what I need to do,” she asked, even though she already knew what
course to take.
    “ The Comanche moon is rising again,”
he told her. “You will need to go underground tonight.”
    Paloma nodded, feeling suddenly like the
fearful woman Emilio already thought her. Marco had taken her once
to the hiding place under the chapel floor. She could almost smell
the close air again and feel the dampness of the earthen
walls.
    “ Very well. For now, though, we
women will stay indoors and out of your way.” She took his hand. “I
know you will do everything in your power to keep us
safe.”
    “ On my honor and by all the saints
who have ever heard of this colony, I swear to you that we
will.”
    “ Since you will all be watching from
the parapets, we will bring you food,” Paloma assured
him.
    “ All anyone wants is something to
do,” she told Eckapeta when they reached the kitchen. “Even Soledad
here.” She knelt by her daughter, who clutched her skirts, fearful.
“My dearest, I have a pile of napkins. Will you