Colt by Georgina Gentry Read Free Book Online Page A

followed suit while Olivia gasped and primly helped herself to the gingerbread and ate it with her fork.
    Hannah finished her gingerbread and reached for the last sandwich. She wrapped it carefully in the cloth napkin.
    Colt said, “There’s plenty. You don’t have to squirrel food away.”
    She looked at him. “I take it with me when I go.”
    Colt sighed and looked over at Doc.
    Olivia said, “I do believe she’s daft.”
    Hannah’s eyes gradually closed, and then she jerked awake. Doc’s medicine was beginning to work, Colt thought.
    â€œHere, Miss Hannah, wouldn’t you like to bring your sandwich and sit on this bed?” Colt asked, standing up.
    â€œNo, I’m going now.” She yawned and tried to stand up, but her legs gave out from under her and Colt caught her as she fell, took the sandwich from her hand, and carried her over and laid her on a bed.
    â€œDoc, I think I’d better tie one of her wrists to the bed, otherwise, she’ll take off.”
    â€œDo that. It’ll be dawn soon and then there’ll be other people to deal with her.”
    â€œWell,” Olivia said, “I think my maid and I will be retiring now. I’ve got to get into some dry clothes before I catch a chill. My delicate constitution can’t take being wet.”
    â€œWe all appreciate your help.” Colt looked up from tying Hannah’s wrist to the iron bedstead.
    â€œWell, she certainly didn’t appreciate it.” Olivia glared at the sleeping girl. “And I was trying to do my Christian duty. Why, my mother would have gotten the vapors if she could have seen me on my knees by that tub, trying to scrub that pitiful thing.”
    â€œAnd I’m sure she appreciates it,” Doc said. “Now you and your maid can return to your quarters.”
    Olivia and her maid left with a whirl of skirts and a door slam.
    Colt sighed. Dealing with a real lady was more trouble than he’d bargained for. “Doc, I think I’ll sit outside on the porch, just in case Mrs. Brownley gets loose again.”
    â€œDo you think that’s likely?”
    â€œShe’s survived almost four years in a Comanche camp. She’s pretty plucky and tough for a girl.”
    Doc nodded and went back through the door to his quarters.
    Colt looked down at Hannah. The lines in her suntanned face had smoothed out and she looked younger and without care. Her dress was too short and it showed her ankles and her bare feet. She had tiny feet, but they looked like they had carried her a long way, mostly without shoes or moccasins. The Comanches were a mobile people who moved often, following herds of buffalo.
    Colt put the precious sandwich back in her palm and she clutched it to her in her sleep. Remembering his own time among the tribe, he knew food was precious. Life among the plains tribes was hard and getting worse because of the white man’s encroachment on their lands. He wondered again why she wanted so badly to return to the Indian camp and how long it would take before Luther Brownley would show up to reclaim his reluctant wife.
    Colt spread a blanket over the sleeping girl and went outside, sat down, and leaned against a post and smoked a cigarette, thinking about his own life among the Comanche and whether he wanted to stay in the army. His enlistment would be up in mid-June. Finally he dropped off to sleep.
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    In the middle of the night, Hannah awoke with a start, tried to remember where she was and what had happened. Then she realized she was tied by one wrist. She tucked her precious sandwich into her bodice and began to chew on her bindings. It was almost dawn when she had chewed through the ropes that bound her. Now she could escape.

Chapter 3
    By the time Hannah managed to chew through the rope and free herself, it was coming dawn. She looked through the window and saw that tall lieutenant who had captured her sitting asleep against a post on