tradition, and Neeheeowee feared she had something to say to him, something which must be important since she dared to flaunt Cheyenne custom. And though the two women kept their gazes down to show respect as they entered the tepee, cloaked about the both of them was a sense of expectancy.
All at once Voesee looked up and smiled. “Tell these two, big warriors,” Voesee spoke to Aamehee, as both women and the boy fully entered the tepee, Voesee and Aamehee moving off to the left to cross behind the men, while the boy sat down at once. “Tell my two brothers,” Voesee continued as the two women made their way around the tepee to the women’s quarters, sitting down across from the males, “that we heard them speaking of the white captive and that I believe the white woman should be bought. She would make a good wife, I think.”
Mahoohe choked on the buffalo jerky he was eating, while Neeheeowee grunted. Mahoohe sent his wife an imploring look. “My wife,” he said, being careful not to speak to his sister directly, “tell my sister that she does her brother great dishonor to speak of such things in front of him.”
Aamehee looked down not bothering to say a word, though she brought a hand up to cover her mouth, as though she hid a grin. Voesee, however, smiled openly.
“Will you explain to your husband,” Voesee quietly addressed Aamehee again, “that he need not worry overmuch. Tell him that I did not mean he should marry the white slave.”
“My sister is surely not thinking of her own household!”
Voesee grinned while Aamehee laughed softly.
“Hova’ahane, no, no my husband,” Aamehee said aloud. “Your sister was not thinking of bringing the white captive into her own home…something else…someone…”
“…from our northern relatives,” Voesee spoke so softly, she could barely be heard. “Someone like…”
Neeheeowee heard. Neeheeowee groaned, but he said nothing…yet…
And Voesee, still addressing her brother’s wife, said, “…like… Our northern brother-in-law has been too long without wife. It is time he came out of mourning and found himself—”
“I believe your sister would marry me to a white slave,” Neeheeowee interrupted to say to Mahoohe.
And though Mahoohe chuckled, Voesee raised her head, looking down her nose at the two men, though she addressed only Aamehee. “Would you tell these two Cheyenne warriors that this is not something I say to make them laugh? I believe the white woman has great spirit.”
Neeheeowee paused, giving Voesee an amused glance. At length he spoke, but still only to Mahoohe. “I believe the white woman has enchanted your sister, my friend.”
And to Voesee’s choked cry, Neeheeowee continued, saying, “It would appear your sister would like to see me united with someone who has no Cheyenne heritage. Do you think she forgets that the white woman is without family or kindred; without any moral or social standing in our community? I ask you, my brother, do you think your sister forgets that a Cheyenne husband would desire to know if his future wife is honorable?” Then, without even a smile, he leaned over toward Mahoohe, adding, “You had better watch your backside, brother, or next she will have you taking all the village widows as second, third, and fourth wives.”
And while Mahoohe laughed, Neeheeowee silently congratulated himself. Voesee had a habit of ignoring tradition and poking into other people’s affairs when she shouldn’t, and he hoped that in this teasing way, his words would keep his sister-in-law from prying too carefully into concerns where she was not welcome, those matters being his own private life.
But when Neeheeowee glanced up to catch Voesee’s gaze, he groaned. His sister-in-law was not to be put aside so easily.
Voesee had drawn herself up, her back straight, her head thrown back. She smiled, causing Neeheeowee to bring his brows together. “I must assume,” Voesee said after a while, “that my
All at once Voesee looked up and smiled. “Tell these two, big warriors,” Voesee spoke to Aamehee, as both women and the boy fully entered the tepee, Voesee and Aamehee moving off to the left to cross behind the men, while the boy sat down at once. “Tell my two brothers,” Voesee continued as the two women made their way around the tepee to the women’s quarters, sitting down across from the males, “that we heard them speaking of the white captive and that I believe the white woman should be bought. She would make a good wife, I think.”
Mahoohe choked on the buffalo jerky he was eating, while Neeheeowee grunted. Mahoohe sent his wife an imploring look. “My wife,” he said, being careful not to speak to his sister directly, “tell my sister that she does her brother great dishonor to speak of such things in front of him.”
Aamehee looked down not bothering to say a word, though she brought a hand up to cover her mouth, as though she hid a grin. Voesee, however, smiled openly.
“Will you explain to your husband,” Voesee quietly addressed Aamehee again, “that he need not worry overmuch. Tell him that I did not mean he should marry the white slave.”
“My sister is surely not thinking of her own household!”
Voesee grinned while Aamehee laughed softly.
“Hova’ahane, no, no my husband,” Aamehee said aloud. “Your sister was not thinking of bringing the white captive into her own home…something else…someone…”
“…from our northern relatives,” Voesee spoke so softly, she could barely be heard. “Someone like…”
Neeheeowee heard. Neeheeowee groaned, but he said nothing…yet…
And Voesee, still addressing her brother’s wife, said, “…like… Our northern brother-in-law has been too long without wife. It is time he came out of mourning and found himself—”
“I believe your sister would marry me to a white slave,” Neeheeowee interrupted to say to Mahoohe.
And though Mahoohe chuckled, Voesee raised her head, looking down her nose at the two men, though she addressed only Aamehee. “Would you tell these two Cheyenne warriors that this is not something I say to make them laugh? I believe the white woman has great spirit.”
Neeheeowee paused, giving Voesee an amused glance. At length he spoke, but still only to Mahoohe. “I believe the white woman has enchanted your sister, my friend.”
And to Voesee’s choked cry, Neeheeowee continued, saying, “It would appear your sister would like to see me united with someone who has no Cheyenne heritage. Do you think she forgets that the white woman is without family or kindred; without any moral or social standing in our community? I ask you, my brother, do you think your sister forgets that a Cheyenne husband would desire to know if his future wife is honorable?” Then, without even a smile, he leaned over toward Mahoohe, adding, “You had better watch your backside, brother, or next she will have you taking all the village widows as second, third, and fourth wives.”
And while Mahoohe laughed, Neeheeowee silently congratulated himself. Voesee had a habit of ignoring tradition and poking into other people’s affairs when she shouldn’t, and he hoped that in this teasing way, his words would keep his sister-in-law from prying too carefully into concerns where she was not welcome, those matters being his own private life.
But when Neeheeowee glanced up to catch Voesee’s gaze, he groaned. His sister-in-law was not to be put aside so easily.
Voesee had drawn herself up, her back straight, her head thrown back. She smiled, causing Neeheeowee to bring his brows together. “I must assume,” Voesee said after a while, “that my
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