leveled his rifle. “Want me to take him back and see that he stays there?”
“No need.” Geist glared at Toad and poked him in the chest. “You listen to me, you dumb bastard. All you are to me is a means to an end. I’ll make more money in one month from my whores than you’ll make in six months from your store.”
“The Crows won’t like it. They’ll massacre us.”
Geist was growing angry. He put a hand on his pistol. “Shows how much you know, Levi. When a stranger visits a Crow village, guess what he’s allowed to have for the night if he wants one?”
“You’re not implying…” Toad began.
“I sure as hell am. They let the stranger have a female for the night. Now think about that. If they leta man have a woman for free, why in hell would they raise a ruckus over their women parting their legs for money?”
“Maybe because the women would be doing it for you and you’re white.”
“So? The Crows are almost as friendly to whites as the Shoshones. And besides, we’ll be greasing the wheel with gifts to that idiot Chases Rabbits and to their chiefs.” Geist tapped his temple. “I have it all figured out.”
“I still don’t like it, Ranton.”
“The name is Geist now. And if you ever talk to me like this again, I’ll have Petrie blow out your wick.”
“With pleasure,” Petrie said.
Louisa King came out of their cabin and saw her husband by the lake with a storm cloud on his brow. She went past the chicken coop and their cow. “What are you doing out here, as if I can’t guess?”
“I should go back,” Zach said.
Lou fluffed her sandy hair and put her hand on his arm. “You brood better than anyone I know.”
“Thanks.”
“Don’t get prickly on me. You’ve been there once with Touch The Clouds and Drags The Rope and you all agreed those traders are treating the Indians properly. But you’re still not happy.”
“I can’t shake the feeling that something isn’t right.”
“What’s not right,” Lou said, “is you getting worked up when there’s nothing to get worked up about. And you have something more important to focus on.” She took one of his hands and placed it on the swell of her belly.
Zach smiled and squatted and put his ear to her. “Can you feel it move?”
“It?” Louisa said. “You’re calling our son or daughter an it ?”
“We haven’t picked names yet.”
“It’s still not an it .”
Lou then realized what she had said, and laughed. Zach chuckled and caressed her stomach.
“Our first child. I can’t wait.”
“Well, it’ll be months yet, so don’t hold your breath.” Lou embraced him as he straightened and hugged him with all her strength. “I’m so happy and I’m so scared.”
“Scared?”
“What if something goes wrong? We’re in the middle of the mountains. There’s no sawbones for a thousand miles.”
“Now who’s brooding?” Zach teased. “You have my mother and Blue Water Woman to help. Everything will be fine.” He kissed her.
“A woman can’t help worrying. To have a new life come out of me…” Lou looked down at herself. “It’s a miracle.”
“Pa says they were some of the greatest moments of his life, when my sister and I popped out.”
“You did not just say popped.”
“Slid, then? Or is it squeezed out? Or maybe pushed? Whatever it is you women do.”
“You’ll see for yourself.”
“What?”
Louisa raised his hand and pecked his palm. “I want you there with me.”
“You want me in the room with you when the baby is born?”
“You’re the father, aren’t you? What a ridiculousquestion.” Lou grinned. “You’ll be there holding me and comforting me.”
“But you’ll be…” Zach stopped.
“I’ll be what?”
“You know. On your back with your legs, well…”
Lou giggled. “You’ve seen me that way plenty of times. It’s how I got this way to begin with.”
“That’s not what I meant. The baby will be coming out, and all that other