Read Online Seneca Surrender by Gen Bailey - Free Book Online

would admit to experiencing more than one moment when he had wished she were his.
    But even then, his body hadn’t reacted like this.
    What would it feel like, he wondered, to experience her surrender? If he were to kiss her, what would she taste like? If he were to enfold her body within his in a most natural and elemental way, what would be her response?
    But even as he fantasized, he knew it could never be. For these last fifteen years he had lived with a mission—which was as yet unfulfilled. He had also lived his life as though there would never be another woman but Wild Mint for him.
    Perhaps it was true. Maybe there never would be someone to take that hallowed spot.
    But maybe there was still love to be found in this ofttimes broken-hearted world. Mayhap if he reached out …
    No. It could not be. Not with a woman who was English.
    Still, he was not dead. Not yet. Perhaps when he reached his village again, he might look to see if there were a pleasing face who might wish to spend her life with him.
    But not until his duty to Wild Mint was fulfilled. He must never forget.
    Pivoting, he retraced his steps toward the Lake-That-Turns-to-Rapids, astonished that even now, with nothing but the mere thought of the English woman, his body was still firm, alert, ready …
     
    A few days turned into a week. Aided by a diet of nourishing soups and fresh meat, Sarah’s strength gradually improved until she was able to sit up on her own.
    As the need for sleep became less and she was awake more often, one of the first details Sarah noted was that White Thunder was frequently gone from the early hours of the morning ’til dusk. At first she had done little more than sleep while he was away from her, but as she grew better physically, she began to realize that she desired his company.
    Certainly Mr. Thunder took pains to ensure her comfort before he left and when he returned, but Sarah was becoming aware that she had an emotional need for the company of others. She desired conversation; she wanted to laugh and to exchange confidences. Indeed, she needed a friend.
    She had even broached the subject with White Thunder once, and he had listened very intently to her. But in the end, nothing had changed between them, and she was beginning to wonder what it was that an Indian gentlemen did all day.
    She was not left long in pondering the puzzle. Every day he returned to the cave with some form of nourishment. Often he brought a deer or other meat to the cave. Other times, he returned with his bags crammed full of wild vegetables, berries and fruit.
    Sarah helped him sort through the vegetables from the comfort of her bed whenever she could. However, that was often strained due to her inability to walk about freely. Although her strength was returning, she had yet to take any of her weight upon her feet.
    She could crawl, however. That first day when she had discovered her hands and knees as a means of movement had been a joy. The first deed she had accomplished—after dressing herself in at least her chemise, corset and underskirt—was to crawl to the fire and prepare herself a drink.
    That had been several days ago, and it had become an everyday habit. However, she still refrained from dressing herself fully, since crawling wreaked havoc on one’s clothes. Thus she would save her open gown for the day when she returned to her people.
    But who were her people? Sarah dropped her head into her hands as if the action might cause the memories to return. Straining her mind, as she was doing now more times than not, brought about nothing but a headache.
    She heard a rummaging in the corner; raising her head, she saw that it was Miss Squirrel, an animal that had taken an interest in the goings on in the cave. Miss Squirrel had become a daily visitor and Sarah had taken to talking to it, if only to ease her need for conversation.
    “Well, there you are,” she said to it. “You know that you could come even closer to me and I would feed