Shane coiled his fingers through Trapper Dan's greasy red hair and gave a hard yank. "I lived with the Chippewa for most of my life because of you," he growled. "Did you know that I learned the art of scalping quite well? Perhaps I'll take your scalp to place on my scalp pole."
Trapper Dan grimaced and looked up at Shane, wild-eyed. "You've got what you came for," he cried. "Your mother's ring! Let me go. I'll never cause you trouble again."
Shane straightened his back and stared down at the blood still oozing from the wound, the severed bone protruding from the skin at a strange angle. "No, I don't think you will be causing anyone else heartache," he said smoothly. "Soon that leg will become gangrenous. You shouldn't last long after that. That is, if you last through the night without something wild coming to feast on your leg." Shane smiled slowly at Trapper Dan. "Or perhaps on your face?"
"Oh, God, have mercy," Trapper Dan cried, reaching a hand to Shane.
"At this moment I don't even know the meaning of the word mercy," Shane said. He turned and made his way carefully around the ring of traps he had set.
"You're no better than the savages you lived with!" Trapper Dan shouted.
"No, I guess not," Shane said from over his shoulder. "And I have you to thank for that, don't I?"
He broke into a run, then stopped when he saw Melanie walking toward him. Safe from the threat of the traps, he hurried to her and drew her into his arms. "It is done," he said, his cheek resting in her hair. "Vengeance is mine."
"You're all right?" Melanie murmured, pulling
away, looking him up and down. She smiled. "Yes, I can see that you are."
"And you?"
"I feel foolish."
"Why?"
"For having fainted."
"It was the blood?"
Melanie smiled sheepishly at him. She placed a hand to her stomach. "Perhaps not," she said softly. "Perhaps it was because of something wonderful."
Shane gazed at her hands resting over her stomach, then he looked quickly up at her. "Are you saying . . . ?"
She interrupted him. "Yes, darling," she said, snuggling close to him again. "I think I am with child."
Shane held her tightly. "Nothing would make me happier," he whispered, then he held her away from him. He held out his clasped hand and opened it. He revealed the gold wedding band. "This was my mother's. Now it will be yours."
Melanie placed a hand to her throat, choked with emotion. Tears streamed from her eyes as she let him place the ring on her finger. "You found it?" she murmured. "This is truly your mother's?"
"It was among Trapper Dan's belongings. But now it is in its rightful place."
"It is so beautiful," she murmured. "I will wear it proudly."
"We must have the wedding ceremony soon," Shane said. "You must carry a child beneath your heart with a husband at your side!"
Gift stepped meekly into view behind Melanie. Shane saw her and eased Melanie from his arms, turning her to also see the Indian woman. "Melanie, I hope you don't mind that I have invited Girl to live with us," he said, beckoning for Girl to come to him. "Trapper Dan paid a bride price for her and she cannot return to her village. I now realize that I should have taken Cedar Maid with me when I left. Perhaps if I take Girl in, that will make up for my ignorance."
"Girl?" Melanie said, looking questioningly up at Shane. "That is her name?"
"She left her Indian name behind when she left her people," Shane explained, looking down at Girl as she now stood before him and Melanie. "Trapper Dan has called her Girl while she lived with him. She thinks that is the name he assigned her."
Melanie looked at the beautiful Indian woman and smiled. "Would you like a different name?" she asked softly. "One more suited to you?"
"Ay-uh, that would please me," Girl said, smiling from Shane to Melanie.
"Daphne is a name that I have always loved," Melanie said, moving to Girl. She took her hands affectionately. "Would you like to be called Daphne?"
Girl nodded anxiously, her eyes beaming. "That is pretty," she said. "I will like being called Daphne."