experienced with any other woman, but
considering he slept with prostitutes who were paid to kiss like they
were enjoying themselves, it was no wonder.
Lame Bird approached him as he stood outside his
small dwelling. “Are you ready to go?” she asked him
lightly.
He nodded. “Yes.”
She gave a slight nod toward the center of camp
where a group of men were gathered. “So are the others.”
He looked but said nothing, knowing he was going
to be on his own once in battle. They didn’t trust him and he
sure didn’t trust them.
“I need to be bold with you, Black Fox,”
she said quietly. “Before you go to fight this battle.”
He looked at her questioningly.
She met his dark eyes. “When you come back,
I want you to marry me,” she said quietly.
He didn’t laugh, smile, or react in any way.
He had no desire to hurt this woman. She had been kind to him for a
long time. Under different circumstances, he might considered it, but
with his feelings for Suzanne, he would be cheating Lame Bird out of
the love she deserved.
She smiled nervously. “I’ve been
taking care of you for a long time. Do you not think I would make you
a good wife?”
“You will make another man a fine wife, Lame
Bird. You’re beautiful, smart and give much. You will make any
man proud.”
“Except you,” she said sadly.
He slowly shook his head. “I’m sorry.
You are a good woman, Lame Bird and I am thankful for you and all
that you do for me, but I cannot marry you,” he said gently.
“You will be an old man without children,”
she said softly and walked toward the gathering in the center of the
camp.
He felt bad. He knew she was right, but he’d
never wanted to hurt her. Everything he’d told her was true,
but what he hadn’t told her was that his heart belonged to
another. All he cared about at this point was getting Suzanne back to
safety and back into his arms, even if it would be just for a little
while. He thought of the quote he’d learned while back at the
white man’s school, one he hadn’t thought of in years.
‘Tis better to have loved and lost than to
never have loved at all.
He struggled to remember who’d said it
for a moment, then snapped his fingers as it hit him. “Alfred
Lord Tennyson. That’s right,” he said with a small smile
of satisfaction that lasted only a moment.
In just a few hours, he was going to war.
Chapter 16
Suzanne was very tired and now hungry. Neither she
nor the other prisoners had been fed since the night before and, with
Major Richards being so upset with her, she knew it would be a lot
longer before any of them ate.
She apologized to the men who told her it was all
right and not to worry while they encouraged her to rest.
It was dark now and she could hear the men roaming
the fort, laughing and talking. She could hear the lively piano
music, and the whoops and hollers from Annalee’s saloon as well
as boisterous laughter and clanging glasses. She lay on her bed with
the thin blanket around herself, shivering with the cold of the night
and keeping alert of the rats that were moving freely around the
damp, dark cell. It was so dark, she could barely see her hand in
front of her face.
Her body ached from the beatings that Major
Richards had so brutally inflicted on her, but she was more worried
about the welfare of her baby. She knew the importance of good
prenatal care to ensure the baby’s health and she’d had
none since her initial visit to the doctor to confirm her pregnancy.
How long ago had that been? She’d completely lost track of time,
but knew the baby was growing since her clothes were getting tighter.
She also knew she would be showing very soon. Then what would happen?
Cody was her only chance and she begged God to
bring him back safely so he could return her to where he’d
found her.
It was her baby’s only chance.
~~~
Outside the fort, Chief Tall Deer had gathered the
warriors, including Cody, and surrounded the fort while some of the
women had
considering he slept with prostitutes who were paid to kiss like they
were enjoying themselves, it was no wonder.
Lame Bird approached him as he stood outside his
small dwelling. “Are you ready to go?” she asked him
lightly.
He nodded. “Yes.”
She gave a slight nod toward the center of camp
where a group of men were gathered. “So are the others.”
He looked but said nothing, knowing he was going
to be on his own once in battle. They didn’t trust him and he
sure didn’t trust them.
“I need to be bold with you, Black Fox,”
she said quietly. “Before you go to fight this battle.”
He looked at her questioningly.
She met his dark eyes. “When you come back,
I want you to marry me,” she said quietly.
He didn’t laugh, smile, or react in any way.
He had no desire to hurt this woman. She had been kind to him for a
long time. Under different circumstances, he might considered it, but
with his feelings for Suzanne, he would be cheating Lame Bird out of
the love she deserved.
She smiled nervously. “I’ve been
taking care of you for a long time. Do you not think I would make you
a good wife?”
“You will make another man a fine wife, Lame
Bird. You’re beautiful, smart and give much. You will make any
man proud.”
“Except you,” she said sadly.
He slowly shook his head. “I’m sorry.
You are a good woman, Lame Bird and I am thankful for you and all
that you do for me, but I cannot marry you,” he said gently.
“You will be an old man without children,”
she said softly and walked toward the gathering in the center of the
camp.
He felt bad. He knew she was right, but he’d
never wanted to hurt her. Everything he’d told her was true,
but what he hadn’t told her was that his heart belonged to
another. All he cared about at this point was getting Suzanne back to
safety and back into his arms, even if it would be just for a little
while. He thought of the quote he’d learned while back at the
white man’s school, one he hadn’t thought of in years.
‘Tis better to have loved and lost than to
never have loved at all.
He struggled to remember who’d said it
for a moment, then snapped his fingers as it hit him. “Alfred
Lord Tennyson. That’s right,” he said with a small smile
of satisfaction that lasted only a moment.
In just a few hours, he was going to war.
Chapter 16
Suzanne was very tired and now hungry. Neither she
nor the other prisoners had been fed since the night before and, with
Major Richards being so upset with her, she knew it would be a lot
longer before any of them ate.
She apologized to the men who told her it was all
right and not to worry while they encouraged her to rest.
It was dark now and she could hear the men roaming
the fort, laughing and talking. She could hear the lively piano
music, and the whoops and hollers from Annalee’s saloon as well
as boisterous laughter and clanging glasses. She lay on her bed with
the thin blanket around herself, shivering with the cold of the night
and keeping alert of the rats that were moving freely around the
damp, dark cell. It was so dark, she could barely see her hand in
front of her face.
Her body ached from the beatings that Major
Richards had so brutally inflicted on her, but she was more worried
about the welfare of her baby. She knew the importance of good
prenatal care to ensure the baby’s health and she’d had
none since her initial visit to the doctor to confirm her pregnancy.
How long ago had that been? She’d completely lost track of time,
but knew the baby was growing since her clothes were getting tighter.
She also knew she would be showing very soon. Then what would happen?
Cody was her only chance and she begged God to
bring him back safely so he could return her to where he’d
found her.
It was her baby’s only chance.
~~~
Outside the fort, Chief Tall Deer had gathered the
warriors, including Cody, and surrounded the fort while some of the
women had
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