Pink Angel

Nitika and Hunter were met at the station by Allan Pinkerton. Though they had come to look over the cattle stockades, he wanted to see Nitika and Tehya. Raven and Devon had brought him a tintype of the baby, but it wasn't enough for him. He had to see her in person. "You didn't need to come to the station to see us Allan," Nitika said as he reached for the baby. "I planned on stopping by the office." "I know, but I couldn't wait to see this little one. She looks just like her mother." "Don't remind me," Hunter grumbled. "We need to find a hotel room. Any suggestions Mr. Pinkerton?" "I took the liberty of reserving a room for you. I hope you don't mind. There's a big conference in town and most of the hotels are full." "I'm obliged," Hunter acknowledged. "You didn't happen to make arrangements for our luggage too, did you?" "Of course," he chuckled. "My carriage is over there. I'll take you to your rooms. I noticed you don't have a nurse along. Do you need one?" "Allan, you've done enough already. Besides, I prefer to take care of Tehya myself." "When you wrote, you said you were going to see what the cattle yards looked like. Surely you don't plan on taking your baby with you." "I've taken her all over the ranch. The stockyards won't be much different." When Hunter came downstairs the next morning, Allan Pinkerton was waiting for him in the lobby. Beside him stood a matronly looking woman. Without a word said, Hunter knew who the woman was. Nitika won't be happy, he thought. "I know you said you didn't want a nurse, but I just can't see Nitika taking that precious little girl into that rough of a place." Nitika saw the woman with Allan before she came down. Tehya cooed as she sat snug in her cradleboard on Nitika's back. It had been a gift from Sweet Wolf and her father and it had come in handy on many occasions. She was fully aware of the stares people were going to give her. Most of these city dwellers had never seen a cradleboard before. Allan Pinkerton saw Nitika coming down the stairs with something on her back. With both parents down here, he wondered if the baby was in their room alone. He heard the baby giggle and wondered where she was. Once Nitika joined them, he saw the infant attached to a board on Nitika's back. The woman gave Nitika a disapproving look. "Allan, I told you I didn't need any help. Tehya is fine where she's at. She's used to seeing where she's been." "That's no way to treat a child young lady," the woman scolded. "Indians have been using cradleboards for many generations without harm. My father and Sweet Wolf gave me this when Tehya was born. She's been wrapped in it most of her life. In fact, she'll scream if I take her out." "Mrs. Topper, Nitika herself is part Indian. If she says her daughter is fine, then she is. Forgive me Nitika if I overstepped the line. I momentarily forgot who I was dealing with." "You meant well, Allan. There's no need to apologize." "Can I at least take you to the stockyards, to make up for my mistake?" "It wouldn't hurt to have a tour guide," Hunter suggested. "Let me just call a hack for Mrs. Topper and we can be on our way." Marilyn Topper waited until the Tiltons had gone out to Pinkerton's carriage. "You didn't say the child was a savage when you asked me to watch her." "That's because she's not. And neither is her mother. In fact, Nitika was one of my detectives. And if I ever hear you say anything against her again, I will let it be known that you smoke your husband's cigars as you sip on his brandy when he's not home. Do I make myself clear?" "Perfectly," she said in a clipped voice. Nitika made quite a stir as she walked among the pens. Hardly anyone noticed the baby riding on her back. Most of the workers had never seen a woman on the grounds let alone wearing jeans before. There were several buyers inspecting the herds. None of them were shocked by her attire as they all knew her from the herds she had sold to them before. "Mr. and Mrs. Tilton, this is a surprise," one exclaimed. "I never thought I'd see you up this way. Where's that little cupcake of yours," he asked looking over her shoulder at the board. "She's right here, Harry," Nitika said slipping the board off. "I feel sorry for you Mr. Tilton. This one is going to break a lot of hearts when she grows up. Just like her mother." "So I've been told," Hunter said with a sigh. "How's business Harry?" "Not bad, not bad. It'd be better if I had more of your cattle to sell. Yours always brings top price. So does the Shooter's. You know it's run by a woman too?" "Yeah, Nitika and Shawna are great friends." Allan Pinkerton took the Tiltons to a little café not far from the pens. He noticed that they ignored the glances they were getting from the other patrons. Tehya's cradleboard took up the fourth seat at the table. The little girl gurgled and laughed while they ate. A woman approached their table and Allan cringed. "That is no way to treat a child," she chastised Nitika. "You should be turned into the authorities for that inhumane torture." Nitika looked over at the woman's table. She saw a young woman trying to settle down an unruly child. "Whose son is that?" "He's mine, but we aren't talking about him." "And the young woman with him, who's she?" "That is my son's governess," she said indignant. "I see. So according to you, it is better to hand off my child onto another woman than it is to actually raise her myself. Is that about right?" "We are not talking about how I see fit to raise my child. You are the one causing that child harm." "My daughter is happy and well behaved. Can you say the same about your son?" Just then, the boy kicked his governess in the shin and went running out of the café. The mother just glared at Nitika and went chasing after him. Nitika went back to eating her meal. Other patrons in the café grinned and whispered among themselves as the governess hobbled after the pair. "You amaze me Nitika," Allan marveled. "Only you would have the nerve to back her down." "I take it that woman was someone important."