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Authors: E.E. Burke
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wouldn’t shoot them that none of them went for their weapons. They regarded him with the same inscrutable expressions they’d worn since recovering from their surprise upon meeting her at the creek.
“You said we could come hunt. We smelled food. Got hungry.”
Prudence gaped at the man in the top hat. So, he knew more English than he’d let on, and it seemed he knew Arch, too. He hadn’t mentioned that, although she doubted the knowledge would’ve made her more inclined to let them in.
Top Hat said something to one of the younger men, a guttural phrase, and gestured to the door. The man in the red silk vest and the one in the bow tie walked past Arch without speaking. He didn’t stop them. But he did act surprised by their abrupt departure.
She wasn’t surprised. They’d lost their appetite.
The older Indian dropped the bread loaf on the table. It landed with a heavy thud. He gave her a disapproving frown and then exited behind the other two men. On his way out, he spoke to Arch. “You need a new wife. That one’s no good.”
* * *
Prudence didn’t utter a sound after the Indian departed. Her face had gone as pale as a bleached bone. Poor thing. She had to be scared out of her wits.
Arch propped the rifle near the door, went over to her and took her into his arms without a word. She didn’t push him away. Instead, she grabbed ahold of his shirt and clung to him, trembling. He held her close and gently rubbed her back.
“It’s all right,” he crooned against her hair, even though nothing was all right about finding her in the house alone with three Indians. Fortunate for her, these men were trustworthy and honorable, but they could’ve been Kiowa raiders or no-account white men, both equally dangerous.
“You’re safe now,” he murmured.
She turned her face into his shoulder. “No…you’re wrong. I’ll never be safe here.”
Her woeful statement pricked his conscience. Little wonder she felt that way. Despite his denial, he had kept her a virtual prisoner. Then he’d gone off and left her without protection. He’d been so intent on the backbreaking work, he hadn’t seen anyone come up to the house. Something had told him to go check on her and he’d grabbed his rifle. Hadn’t needed it, but he didn’t know that before he came in the door.
“Those Indians were no danger to you. The older one in the top hat is Mahzee . He’s a Potawatomi chief, and those are his sons. Their territory is south of here. I’ve told the chief he can hunt on my land. Sometimes we share a meal.”
Arch curled his hand around Pru’s neck. The hair growing there was even softer and silkier. He longed to put his lips where his fingers were at the moment, but he’d better not. She wasn’t in an amorous mood, even if she seemed comfortable in his arms. For now, she was willing to let him massage her neck, an improvement over conking him with a pot.
She slid her hands up to his chest as if to make sure he was really there. Maybe she was so stunned she didn’t realize she was touching him. “I’ve never seen an Indian before.”
“Never? Where did you live?”
“Ohio.”
“They don’t have Indians in Ohio?”
“Not anymore.”
Wanting to soothe her, he began to rub the tense muscles on the back of her shoulders. She responded by moving her hands to his arms and squeezing. His muscles flexed, an instinctive reaction. Not so instinctive, the quivering excitement racing through him and the dizzying sensation of being swept into an irresistible current.
He took a deep breath. She didn’t intend to arouse him. At most, she touched him like she was exploring unfamiliar terrain. That didn’t change the fact that he couldn’t control his body’s reaction. He could, however, control his behavior.
“I feared you wouldn’t come back in time.” She rested her head against his shoulder. Now that was a surprise. Maybe this incident hadn’t been such a bad thing after all. She seemed to be warming up
“You said we could come hunt. We smelled food. Got hungry.”
Prudence gaped at the man in the top hat. So, he knew more English than he’d let on, and it seemed he knew Arch, too. He hadn’t mentioned that, although she doubted the knowledge would’ve made her more inclined to let them in.
Top Hat said something to one of the younger men, a guttural phrase, and gestured to the door. The man in the red silk vest and the one in the bow tie walked past Arch without speaking. He didn’t stop them. But he did act surprised by their abrupt departure.
She wasn’t surprised. They’d lost their appetite.
The older Indian dropped the bread loaf on the table. It landed with a heavy thud. He gave her a disapproving frown and then exited behind the other two men. On his way out, he spoke to Arch. “You need a new wife. That one’s no good.”
* * *
Prudence didn’t utter a sound after the Indian departed. Her face had gone as pale as a bleached bone. Poor thing. She had to be scared out of her wits.
Arch propped the rifle near the door, went over to her and took her into his arms without a word. She didn’t push him away. Instead, she grabbed ahold of his shirt and clung to him, trembling. He held her close and gently rubbed her back.
“It’s all right,” he crooned against her hair, even though nothing was all right about finding her in the house alone with three Indians. Fortunate for her, these men were trustworthy and honorable, but they could’ve been Kiowa raiders or no-account white men, both equally dangerous.
“You’re safe now,” he murmured.
She turned her face into his shoulder. “No…you’re wrong. I’ll never be safe here.”
Her woeful statement pricked his conscience. Little wonder she felt that way. Despite his denial, he had kept her a virtual prisoner. Then he’d gone off and left her without protection. He’d been so intent on the backbreaking work, he hadn’t seen anyone come up to the house. Something had told him to go check on her and he’d grabbed his rifle. Hadn’t needed it, but he didn’t know that before he came in the door.
“Those Indians were no danger to you. The older one in the top hat is Mahzee . He’s a Potawatomi chief, and those are his sons. Their territory is south of here. I’ve told the chief he can hunt on my land. Sometimes we share a meal.”
Arch curled his hand around Pru’s neck. The hair growing there was even softer and silkier. He longed to put his lips where his fingers were at the moment, but he’d better not. She wasn’t in an amorous mood, even if she seemed comfortable in his arms. For now, she was willing to let him massage her neck, an improvement over conking him with a pot.
She slid her hands up to his chest as if to make sure he was really there. Maybe she was so stunned she didn’t realize she was touching him. “I’ve never seen an Indian before.”
“Never? Where did you live?”
“Ohio.”
“They don’t have Indians in Ohio?”
“Not anymore.”
Wanting to soothe her, he began to rub the tense muscles on the back of her shoulders. She responded by moving her hands to his arms and squeezing. His muscles flexed, an instinctive reaction. Not so instinctive, the quivering excitement racing through him and the dizzying sensation of being swept into an irresistible current.
He took a deep breath. She didn’t intend to arouse him. At most, she touched him like she was exploring unfamiliar terrain. That didn’t change the fact that he couldn’t control his body’s reaction. He could, however, control his behavior.
“I feared you wouldn’t come back in time.” She rested her head against his shoulder. Now that was a surprise. Maybe this incident hadn’t been such a bad thing after all. She seemed to be warming up
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