Savage Courage

He gazed at the panther across his shoulder, then looked ahead, at the glow of the fire against the darkening sky. “I will send someone back to take the panther’s skin. It belongs to the mother who lost her two children that day when the creature attacked and killed them.”

Shoshana was so glad to hear Storm sound content that finally the panther’s killing days were over.

She went with Storm to the campsite, where all who had heard the gunfire were standing and waiting to hear the reason for it. Apparently, they had not gone to see for themselves, because they knew the women were bathing and did not want to come up on them unclothed.

Storm explained what had happened, leaving out the part about what his sister had done.

Several men left to bring back the beautiful panther pelt, while the others gathered around the fire and sat and laughed and talked.

“It is time now to catch beaver for our meal,” Storm said, rising with his rifle in hand. He smiled down at Shoshana. “Nuest-chee-shee. Come and join us. See how plentiful the beaver are in this area and how we shoot them in the moonlight. Their tails roasted in ashes make a delectable dish.”

All of this was interesting, but Shoshana had something else on her mind. She had news she wanted to share with Storm tonight after the others went to their blankets for the night.

She had purposely waited until now, while they were beneath the stars after an exciting day, to tell him that she was with child!

A sudden realization made her look quickly at Dancing Willow, who sat on the opposite side of the fire from Shoshana and Storm. If Dancing Willow had caused Shoshana to miscarry, it would be Dancing Willow who would have to look over her shoulder for the rest of her life . . . to make certain Shoshana wasn’t there to avenge the loss of a child.

Shoshana felt that God and Maheo were looking out for her and had kept her child safe in its mother’s womb.

Chapter Twenty-nine

His heart in me keeps him and me in one.

—Sir Philip Sidney

Storm had made a small shelter from saplings and brush so that he and Shoshana could have privacy for the night. The red embers of the fire glowed in a small pit just outside the entrance of the shelter. They cast a faint light upon Shoshana’s golden face, her lustrously dark eyes, and long black hair.

The moon was high in the sky. A wolf howled its mournful song somewhere in the distance.

Storm and Shoshana were some dis

tance from the others, who slept even now around the safety of the campfire.

The horses that had been captured whinnied now and then from where they were corralled in a nearby canyon.

“It’s so wonderful to be here with you,” Shoshana said, snuggling close to Storm inside the small dwelling. “The entire day was exciting. Thank you for including me. I do love horses so much.”

She snuggled even closer to him. “Thank you especially for the white stallion that you captured just for me,” she murmured as she sat up and gazed down at him. “Now I have two horses that were gifts from my husband. I shall take turns riding them both.”

“My wife, what do I see in your eyes?” Storm asked, reaching to gently touch her cheek. “Why are you sitting instead of lying beside me? Do you not want to make love? Are you too tired from the long day on the horse?”

“No, I’m not tired. Why do I look at you like this?” she said, taking his hand from her cheek and lovingly holding it. “Because I love you so much. I am so happy that you are mine and are such a wonderful husband.”

Storm slipped his hand free of hers and placed it at the hem of the robe she had donned.

Shoshana trembled and sucked in a wild breath when his hand reached the juncture of her thighs and he began stroking her there. She closed her eyes, sighed, then reached down and gently took his hand away.

“Not yet, my love. I have something even more magical than this moment to share with you,” she murmured.

Storm sat up. He placed his hands at her waist and lifted her onto his lap so that she was facing him. “What could be better than this?” he asked huskily, the fire’s glow reflecting in his gleaming eyes. “My wife, my lover, I cannot think of anything else at this moment that would please me more than holding you naked in my arms—”

She placed a gentle finger to his lips, silencing what he was about to say. She wanted what he was suggesting as much as he, but she could not hold inside herself any longer the news about being with child. She had missed her monthly flow by several days, and she was the sort who had always been regular.

She guessed that she must have gotten pregnant the very first time she and Storm had made love.

It thrilled her heart to know that she was carrying his child.

Now she was going to let him in on the secret. She had only waited this long because she wanted to be certain that she was indeed carrying his child. She did not want to tell him news that might, in the end, be wrong.