Xenia’s Renegade by Agnes Alexander Read Free Book Online Page A

station at her feet. Xenia sat beside her sister. Across the aisle, Lou Bullins sat with his hat and his case of gambling paraphernalia beside him on the seat. He didn’t seem to want to talk, and he refused to look at the women or the baby.
    Xenia turned to Mea Ann. “Do you realize I haven’t had a chance to hold the baby since we found him? Would you share him with me now?”
    Lou huffed and let out a low curse, but didn’t say anything aloud to them.
    “Of course you can hold him. He’s a sweetie, and I know you’re going to fall in love with him just like I did.” Mea Ann put the baby in Xenia’s arms.
    “He is precious.” Xenia wondered what it would be like to have a baby of her own. One like this with dark hair and skin and little round eyes. She was sure they were black, but he was asleep so she wouldn’t swear to it. Maybe his were as black as those of Ty Eldridge. She hoped they were, because Ty had beautiful eyes. Any young man would be handsome with eyes like that.
    She figured Lou Bullins had been right, and Ty had an Indian ancestor. If so, it certainly hadn’t hurt his appearance. In fact, it probably helped. Of course, that dimple which appeared when he laughed didn’t hurt his looks either. Though she wouldn’t admit it if asked, she thought he was one of the most handsome men she’d ever seen, if not the best of all. He was nothing like the top-hatted, smooth talking, silly men her father kept introducing to her and Mea Ann in Richmond. Men like Jasper Newman, who Mea Ann was being pushed to accept as her husband. The type of man her family expected Xenia to marry and settle down with, as well. She wasn’t sure she could ever settle for a man like that. Not now. Not after seeing what a strong man like Ty Eldridge could do.
    Of course, she could never see herself with a man like Ty Eldridge either, even if he was strong and handsome. He was too opinionated, too arrogant, and much too sure of himself. Besides, he’d never be interested in a city woman like her. She had nothing to offer him, even if she would consider it. Which she wouldn’t.
    “Xenia, didn’t you hear me ask you a question?”
    “I’m sorry. My mind was woolgathering. What did you ask?”
    “I asked, what do you think of Michael as a name for the baby?”
    “Why are you asking me? I have no right to decide on the baby’s name.”
    “Well, we can’t keep calling him, the baby .”
    Xenia though a minute. “Why don’t you see if you can find out his father’s name? I’m sure when he grows up he’d be proud to know he was named after his father.”
    “That’s a wonderful idea. I wonder if Ray would know his name.”
    “He might.”
    “As soon as we stop, I’ll ask him.”
    “Hell fire, why don’t you just call the brat Breed . That’s what he is, after all. Some of them might say they have normal white man names, but they really don’t. They’re all really named things like Bear Killer or Desert Rat.”
    Mea Ann squared her shoulders. “Lou Bullins, if you insult my baby one more time, I’m going to kick you in your shins. You’re a mean man, and you have no right to say such things.”
    He laughed. “You’ll see as soon as we get to Deer Meadow. The town folk won’t be very accepting of a white woman carrying around an Indian baby. They’ll think you’ve been laying up with some redskin and got yourself pregnant.”
    “How dare you speak to my sister like that, you vile man!” Xenia glared at him. “What makes you think other people in town are as narrow-minded and bigoted as you are?”
    “Because I know those people. A lot of their ancestors were killed by Apache savages and they ain’t forgot about it. They hate Indians, though most of them call them Injuns.”
    Xenia turned up her nose. “A lot of my ancestors were killed by Yankees during the war, but that doesn’t make me hate all people from up North.”
    He shook his head. “Deer Meadow has a long memory. It wouldn’t surprise