Chapter 10

Morning came early for all of them, but they were already on the trail before the sun was up. Jane was glad for that. She knew how hot the days would be, and Maura did, too, now. They were on the trail soon after breakfast. And, just like Jane asked, Maura was sitting next to Korsak on their wagon.

She rode beside Frost. They weren't going terribly fast, but they weren't going slow either. It wasn't as fast she was sure that Colonel Jones wanted to go, but she knew it was because of her. She would talk to him about that at their first stop. She huffed and Frost noticed.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing really. I just think that Casey is going slower than normal for our benefit. I don't want him to do that. We can keep up with the Army and even out ride them. You know that we can."

"So that's what's bothering you?" Frost asked.

"No, I am just tired of Casey treating me like some damsel. We both know that I could out ride him and out strategize him. He hasn't been trained for Texas like we have. He's still a New York West Point boy."

"Never said you couldn't," Frost replied.

"It just makes me mad that he thinks that he needs to do this for me. I know that he saw me after what Hoyt did at Morales. Things weren't good then, Frost. I know that you weren't there yet. You were still in Austin. I just wish he would see that I am fine and that I can do this," Jane tells him.

"Why don't you try and talk to him?" Frost asked her.

"I've tried, Frost. But, it is worse than talking to Korsak about what happened in Morales and Korsak was there. I just wish he wouldn't see me as some young woman that didn't know what they were doing. I didn't come out here on a wagon train. I was born and raised her. I am a Texan and no one can take that from me. Especially not some high horse ridin', New York native, blue coat Army cavalry officer that doesn't know the difference between Texas prairie and Texas desert."

"Well, tell me how you really feel about him," Frost stated.

"He wanted to marry me, Frost. ME. He went to Ma and Pa and asked them if he could marry me. He said it was time that I settled down and had kids. He didn't ask me first. Hell, we've never been alone since I met him. We don't talk when we are alone and when he finally gets the urge to talk to me, there is always someone else there. How the Hell was I supposed to marry that? He would smother me," Jane explained.

Frost just nodded. He didn't know what else to say. He knew how difficult Jane could be. She did what she wanted to do, when she wanted to do it, how she wanted to do it and for only reasons sometimes that she understood. It was one of the reasons that she was one of the best Rangers on the force. She was her own force. Even her doubters had to shut up and take notice after what happened with her in Morales with Hoyt. He might have nearly destroyed her body, but he never broke her mind. And, that was one of the reasons that she had permission to kill him on sight. Korsak was the other. No one in Texas had ever been issued a "death" warrant, but Hoyt had. The President even signed off on it. The Rangers were the only agency in the ever growing United States of America that could chase that bastard until the ends of the Earth if necessary. Congress even agreed. The Rangers had put a bounty on his head, but all the brass knew that Jane would hunt him down. To their surprise she didn't. She trained harder. She went to live with the Cherokee and the Apache for months. She disappeared, but Korsak brought her back into the fold. When he did, she was a Ranger and no one doubted it. No one with a Ranger's badge ever spoke ill of Jane. They agreed that she could be hot tempered, but she was one of the best at getting her man. Criminals often turned themselves in when they found out that Jane was the Ranger assigned to bring them in. And, the few that didn't wished they'd had as she drug them into the closet town to be put in jail until a judge could come. By the time that the judge got to town, they would have confessed to anything to get moved closer to a more civilized area of Texas and away from Jane. She wasn't abusive, but she was hard. She was fair and she could shoot better than most.

He shook his head again. Colonel Charles "Casey" Jones didn't understand what made Jane tick. She wasn't going to lay down and just take it. She was a Texas woman and proud of it. She was going to stand up and fight back. She would do whatever she could to protect her family, blood and not. She wasn't going to let Hoyt to get to her. She would do everything in her power and everything not to make sure that he never hurt anyone again. But, she needed to make sure that her family was safe before she started hunting him this time. Frost could see it in her eyes. She wanted blood and she wanted his.

"Talk to Casey," Frost said trying to calm her down again.

He realized that it was the wrong thing to say when she turned to face him. She actually pulled up her horse to stop. He hung his head and realized that the what he'd said questioned her thinking. He knew the best thing was to back down, but he needed to fix it fast.

"I've tried that or weren't you listening," Jane accused.

"I was, but I think it would be better coming from Korsak. Get him to talk to Casey for you. Casey knows that you think of him life a father. Maybe it would be better coming from him, you know?" Frost suggested.

She nodded along with his reasoning. It was something that she hadn't tried yet with Colonel Jones. Maybe getting Korsak to go see him and talk with him wasn't a bad idea. It would also give them an insight into what route Casey was planning on taking to Fort Stockton. IF they knew that, they could go off on their own if things became too heat between Jane and the Colonel. It would also tell them where Hoyt wasn't.

Jane was a good tracker. Frost knew it. Korsak knew it. Hell, even the Indian scouts with the Army were in awe of her. But, Casey just could see her in that type of role. It was like he didn't even try. Instead all he saw was a woman that needed a strong man, an Army man, to protect her and take her away from this harsh land and away from Hoyt's possible reach. He didn't understand that by trying to hide her back in New York with his family or at some better equipped fort that wasn't on the frontier would break Jane into something beyond recognition.

Jane pointed ahead. Frost knew what she meant. He rode ahead to see what was up ahead and to see if any of the officers would tell him when they would stop. The Army was integrated so they tolerated Frost, but is was mostly because he was local law enforcement. If he didn't have the badge, they wouldn't give him any attention and would probably direct him to the cook's tent. But, he knew how and when to hold his tongue. It was another reason that he was such a good Ranger. Jane watched as he rode off. She stayed where she'd stopped until Korsak got closer. She could see the worry already on the old man's face and knew that the conversation that they were about to have wasn't going to be as pleasant as she'd hoped.

"What is it, Jane?" he asked as the wagon neared.

"Jones is going slower than normal pace," Jane said without any embellishments.

Korsak nodded. He understood the underlying problem with it without Jane having to explain. He looked at the rows of soldiers and other wagons all around them. He picked the Colonel out near the front of their colonnade.

"I'll talk to him about it when we stop next."

"Thanks," Jane said before she rode around the wagon and pulled up next to Maura.

She looked down at the blond woman. She was dressed in her trousers and Henley shirt. She looked as comfortable as she could be. Jane wondered if she wanted to ride for a little while, but thought the better of it. She wanted Maura covered and Korsak was the man for the job. She would be near her as soon as they stopped. Korsak and Frost would deal with the Army and Jane would deal with Maura. It was like an unspoken rule between them.

"You should drink some. It's hot out here and you don't want to get sick. We probably won't be stopping for few hours yet," Jane told her.

"I figured as much. I'm rationing myself accordingly. I'm fine for now, Jane. How are you feeling this morning?"

"I'm good," Jane replied much too quickly.

"Well, I am glad. You didn't seem to be too happy this morning as we finished packing up the wagon to leave. I hope that whatever is troubling you doesn't affect all day. I can tell how much you like your rides. Maybe you should scout a head or something. I am sure that the Colonel would appreciate it," Maura stated.

"I doubt it. Besides he's got his own scouts. He doesn't need me. He wants something that I cannot give him. But, don't worry your little pretty head about that, Maura. I'll deal with the Colonel in my own way. Has he cause you any grief so far?" Jane questioned.

"No, he has been very respectful and very gentlemanly towards me."

"That's good. Let one of us know if any of the men do anything... not respectful. Will take care of it for you quickly," Jane directed.

"Disrespectful," Maura stated.

"Huh?"

"The word you were looking for, Jane. It is disrespectful. That is what you were trying to say," Maura instructed.

"Yeah, well, there's that, too. Seriously though, if any does anything that isn't very gentlemanly or untowards to you. Tell us immediately."

"I will, Jane. But, I doubt that there will be any problems. It seems that most of the men are afraid of you. I am not sure why, and I am sure that they've said somethings that don't need to be repeated in polite company, but they seem to respect you. It seems partially out of fear and partially out of awe. I am not sure which reason I am more shocked about, but I don't honestly know your story. What have you done to these men?" Maura asked her.

Korsak started giggling on the bench beside her. Maura and Jane both turned and gave him a look. He tried to stop laughing, but he just couldn't handle himself. Jane's anger took over.

"Korsak, I'll drive the wagon for a while. Why don't you go catch up with Frost and talk to the colonel. You can take Jo since she's already saddled up," Jane practically commanded him.

He just nodded as she brought the wagon to a stop. Jane dismounted her horse and held the reins until he was mounted. She said something to in a language that Maura didn't understand, but she saw the recognition on Korsak's face. He smiled, nodded and rode off to find Frost. Jane walked over to the wagon. She motioned for Maura to move over, which she did. She climbed up on the wagon and sat upon the buckboard. She reached for the reins and gave them a quick snap. The wagon lurched forward and she immediately remembered why she hated driving wagons. She sighed.

She knew that new teacher was very inquisitive, but she never expected to have this talk with her. Her gloved hands worried the reins and Maura took notice. Maura's pale hand extended over onto Jane's right gloved hand and held it. After a beat or two, she squeezed it and Jane thought that she could actually tell her what happened in Morales and why the men were afraid of her. She thought that she could and then she heard the pounded on her heart in her head and clammed up.

"So, why are they so afraid of you?" Maura asked her again.

"Because I survived."

Maura looked at her puzzled. She didn't know what that meant. And, Jane was being cryptic. This didn't annoy her as much as it piqued her interest in the hard and dedicated Texas woman. There was a story there that needed to be told, but she didn't know that Jane would tell her willingly. She didn't want to pull it from her, but she also didn't want to go behind her back and ask Frost, Korsak, or both them together to explain Jane's closed off behavior.

Finally, she couldn't take and inquired, "Survived what?"

"Hoyt and the incident at Morales."