The Officer and the Traveler Read Online Free PDF Page B

and the daughter of the commander of the fort, the decision to avoid her was very easy. And avoid her he did. Well, he did until she was no longer avoidable, that is.
    A chill came over him as an image of the two of them together presented itself in his mind. Gritting his teeth, he slowed Quicksilver and turned him back toward the barracks. It wouldn’t do to run at full charge into Cherokee land. He’d gone there uninvited mere days ago when Jack was in need of a miracle from the medicine man for Ella. They’d gone together that night, and had somehow survived, despite being shot at and tied to a tree before being made to suffer other forms of torture. Gray returned home that night with enough knowledge and fear to convince him to never return without the sun high up in the sky, a flank of men, and an invitation.
    Leading his stallion in a slow trot, he took his time heading back toward the barracks. With any luck, he’d have been gone long enough that he’d have missed dinner. Even with an exhausting game of rounders this afternoon, he wasn’t hungry enough to have forced himself to be upset at missing the meal. Anything—even a night of hunger pangs—was a preferable option over being forced to dine with Colonel Lewis and his guests while fending off an unwanted announcement of marriage. At least if he wasn’t there General Davis might have the good sense not to make such a foolish announcement.
    He clenched his jaw. He doubted that. When General Davis took a notion into his head, it was impossible to sway him. So why was Michaela so amiable? She’d all but sworn she didn’t want to marry him and that she’d dissuaded her father from making the announcement. Unfortunately, he still didn’t know if he could believe her.
    As much of this puzzle he’d solved, there was just as much unsolved. His best course of action was to remain out of sight for the night. No dinner, no cards, no going to his room, no nothing. Perhaps he’d offer to take Private Kellogg’s place and hole himself up in the watchtower.
    The outline of the barracks came into view and it took every ounce of strength Gray possessed not to steer his horse back toward the open field. With any luck he could stable his horse and make his way to the watchtower undetected.
    Or perhaps not.
    He stopped his horse and narrowed his eyes. There was a man on a horse positioned just in front of the alley in the corner of the fort by the stables where Gray needed to enter. He shifted his eyes to the left. There was another man at the mid-wall position. Damn . On the far right there was another officer on his horse. Someone—General Davis, if Gray had to guess—had planned this.  
    Gray’s hands itched to tighten his hold on the reins and steer Quicksilver the other way. But the thought was fleeting. He might be able to outrun them, but to where? The Cherokees’ land? No, thank you.
    Taking a deep breath and stiffening his spine to full height, he casually guided Quicksilver to the alley.
    “ Halt there, Captain Montgomery,” came the cold voice of General Ridgely.  
    Gray obeyed and stopped his horse. “Sir?”
    “ Your presence is needed immediately.”  
    Gray scowled. All respect he’d held for General Ridgely fled. Did General Davis, though retired, have some sort of spell about him that made even General Rigid cow to his demands? “I have no intention of going anywhere other than to my bed.” There was no way he was going to tell the man where he really planned to go, lest General Davis come looking for him.
    “ Whether you intend to or not, you will be coming with me. Now.”  
    “ No, I won’t.” Gray dismounted his horse and started to walk toward the stable.  
    “ Arrest him,” General Ridgely barked.  
    From out of nowhere, a man ran toward Gray. Gray transferred the horse’s reins to his left hand and punched the man in the jaw as soon as he was close enough. With a grunt the man fell to the ground and large, strong-arm