Swift Horse

“White Cloud?” Marsha gasped, her eyes widening. “You found White Cloud? I thought she perished in the fire. My brother and Swift Horse went looking for her . . .”

Alan gestured with his head toward the door. “The horse is outside,” he grumbled. “I brought your white mare home to you. Now I wish I’d kept it for myself. A man never has too many horses.”

He glared first at Edward James and then at Marsha, then turned and stamped from the building.

Marsha felt a cold chill throughout her body. She hugged herself and visibly shivered as she looked slowly at Edward James, who was gazing lovingly down at her.

“He’ll not bother you again,” he said, gently drawing her into his embrace. Marsha clung to him, her eyes still on the closed door, and stiffened even more inside when she heard Alan Burton ride away in a hard gallop on his steed.

She seemed to have stirred up a hornet’s nest. She deeply regretted having crossed paths with Alan Burton.

Had she remained at the trading post that day of the fires, and waited for a more opportune time to get someone to listen to her about Swift Horse’s one-eyed friend, she wouldn’t have put her brother in the position of having come face-to-face with a man he abhorred, nor would she have him to fear now.

As it was, she now had not only the one-eyed renegade to be afraid of, but also the cowkeeper. She knew that she hadn’t seen nor heard the last of this man. He seemed the determined sort, and he had obviously singled her out to be the next woman in his life.

She truly feared their next confrontation.

Chapter 13

Best and brightest, come away—

Fairer far than this fair day,

Which, like thee, to those in sorrow

Comes to bid a sweet good-morrow.

—Percy Bysshe Shelley

Marsha worked quickly with her chores, glad that she had her strength back after her horrible ordeal. Her throat and lungs still ached, but not unbearably. Her parents had always said that she was the strongest girl they had ever known, despite her tiny frame.

Even when she had had bad colds that would incapacitate most people, she had been able to bounce back as good as new after only one day of having been made to stay in bed.

Today was a special day at the Creek village, and she was glad to feel well enough to join them in the council house.

Although her brother would be working at the trading post, he had told her that he thought it would be all right if she joined the Wind Clan of Creek on their special day, when they celebrated the first buck killed this hunting season, although there were some things about it that might cause her stomach to feel weak.

This special buck had been kept aside and unskinned, for the special ceremony. Marsha looked forward to this ceremony at the huge council house, because she knew that she would be able to see Swift Horse again, and this time in his full capacity as chief. He would be presiding over the ceremony.

The ceremony was to be held at midmorning, which was quickly approaching. She had seen several Creek people walking toward the council house already. She had decided to wait until only moments before the ceremony to go herself, for she would be going there alone and would want to stay far at the back so that no one would notice her.

Truth be told, all that she truly wanted from this day was to be able to see Swift Horse again, and see him presiding over the ceremony as chief. Since he had brought her home after he had taken her from Alan Burton, she had not been able to get him off her mind.

She was smitten, and she had to rationalize why.

Was it because he was so breathtakingly handsome? Or was it because he was a great chief—a leader? Or did she truly have feelings that went deeper than that?

After today, she hoped to have the answers she so badly needed, for she was in this village to stay, and she needed to get her head on straight about how she should feel about these people’s chief.

Her heart seemed to miss several beats when she heard the voice of the man she had just been thinking about out in the store. He was asking Edward James about her! He wanted to know how she was, before he went on to the council house for the special ceremony.

She could hardly believe that he cared this much for her and her welfare, that he would inquire about her before he presided over an important ceremony; yet had it not been in his eyes every time he had looked at her that he cared?

Had it not been in his voice? Hadn’t it been in the way he had held her so endearingly close when he had carried her on his lap away from the fire? And now, to have actually taken the time before the special ceremony to ask about her?

It made her insides melt with wonder all over again about him, but this time, she knew why she felt this way. She knew at this very moment that she was not merely infatuated with this man, nor simply grateful for what he had done for her.

Her feelings centered around her heart, in that she had fallen in love with this Creek chief, perhaps the very first time she had seen him.