Another Well-Written Book by Patricia Potter:
This story has a great deal of internal dialog by the main characters. There is quite a bit of action here, but the focus is what each character is thinking. I thought it was a bit long because there was so much of the same introspection again and again. After saying that, I thought this story was well worth my time.
Army scout MacKenzie has been falsely charged of murder and rape. He is forced to walk behind a wagon in chains ? the goal is to for MacKenzie to die on the way to a distant fort. Traveling in that wagon is the widowed daughter and grandson of the fort?s commander.
April Manning objects strongly to the treatment of the half-breed scout, to no avail.
MacKenzie escapes, taking April and Davey as hostages, planning to leave them at a safe location. However, each of his attempts fails to deliver them to a safe haven. Before long, the attraction between MacKenzie and April deepens and Davey adores the scout. Before long, MacKenzie?s hostages refuse to leave him!
MacKenzie is accepted by neither Indian nor white. Part of it is his own problem ? he?s never tried to care about anyone. This makes for a very cold and indifferent person. April and Davey stir his feelings ? they refuse to leave him an outsider. April and Davey declare their love for him ? but he knows the dangers of having children of mixed races and refuses their love.
This is a powerful story and the last part of the book is particularly good. The reader finds out why MacKenzie has always been cold and indifferent as a fort scout.
In 2001, this story was published as part of an anthology: DAUGHTERS OF DESTINY.
