"Yes, yes, I will follow you. But, I should tell you what he has said."
"I am not interested."
Still, she was determined, and, facing Thomas, she relayed the message in English, saying, "He says there are many warnings to indicate there will be a blizzard today. Geese are flying high and going south. Songbirds are retreating into groups, and there is a feeling of doom in the atmosphere."
Thomas shook his head. "And you believe him because he watches birds?"
"But, there is more. There were rings around the moon several nights ago, and sun dogs accompanied the sunrise this morning. He believes these alone indicate a blizzard is coming here today. Maybe tomorrow. But, he says his dreams tell him the storm will come today."
"Nonsense," Thomas spit out. "A dream? He expects us to stay here because he saw something in his dreams? The Injun is dimwitted."
"I'm not sure I agree with you, Thomas. While I also don't give credit to the superstitions of these Indians, I wouldn't completely discount what he says."
"Then, stay here. Maybe you'll enjoy his company better than mine."
"Thomas, no! You know that's not true."
"Then, come with me." He turned on his heel and retraced his steps toward the horses.
"Yes, very well. I will."
She smiled at Eagle Heart, then stepped past him, following Thomas through the fort's gate and out onto the open prairie.
****
THERE WAS NOT A CLOUDin the sky when they stopped to picnic on a bluff overlooking the wide prairie. The day was so beautiful and warm that Laylah was beginning to agree with Thomas about Eagle Heart's prediction of snow and danger. Perhaps he had wrongly read the signs of the weather.
"Come on," encouraged Thomas as he came up to his feet and extended a hand to her to help her up. "Let us go and investigate the prairie. Perhaps there is a place where we might find some privacy."
He smiled at her, and she giggled a little, even though a wave of embarrassment swept over her instead of the thrill of anticipation. She frowned a little. What was wrong with her?
After announcing their engagement almost a year ago, she and Thomas had often kissed and hugged one other, and she had always felt their embraces were enjoyable. Not until now had she experienced embarrassment.
She sighed. Perhaps she should give in to her father's demands and marry Thomas with all possible speed. Her thoughts were too often concerned with the Blackfoot Indian of late, and this was wrong, so very, very wrong.
Yes, she would speak to her father. Certainly marriage would solve the difficulty she was facing and would put thoughts of the Indian man to rest.
Her determination to marry might also cause her father a fair amount of relief, because she'd encountered one problem after another since the announcement of their engagement, especially since Thomas' visits to St. Louis were rare. Too many times she'd had to postpone their marriage due to conflicts. Indeed, her father was more than a little frustrated with her.
But, perhaps he was right. Maybe she had been sitting on the fence about her upcoming marriage for far too long.
In truth, this was another reason for the trip into the northern territory of the wild Indians: to spend more time with Thomas and allow him to court her properly. Yes, now that she was finally here in this beautiful country, she would do her best to please her father and become a more obedient daughter.
****
THE LAND WAS A CONTRADICTIONin heights. Brown, flat prairies extended in all directions, while in the distance were high bluffs and buttes rising up majestically from the prairie floor. In some places, the prairie extended endlessly toward the horizon, blending in with it. Yet, in other locations, the prairie ended abruptly, giving way to the towering buttes and hills.
As was told to her by the French traders, this land was also scattered with lush coulees and ravines, where streams were flanked with flowers and grasses and where groves of cottonwood and willow trees took root. The coulees were not easily seen from the fort, however, and she was barely able to contain her excitement, for she and Thomas had discovered one today.
She had become accustomed to looking out upon the woods that hugged the shores of both sides of the Missouri River. She had discovered it was from these woods where most of the timber was gathered and used for constructing and repairing the fort. When she had first arrived at Fort Union, she had wondered how long these groves of trees would last before surrendering to civilization's push. Hopefully, the men here wouldn't cut them all down. Or, if they did, perhaps they might plant new ones.
At present, she and Thomas were riding at the bottom of a wide coulee that cut an extensive tear into the land. Earlier, they had spread their blankets beneath a large willow tree and had waded in the stream that flowed through the bottom of the gully. There they had splashed and teased one another.
But, recently it had started to rain, and, looking skyward, Laylah espied a large black cloud moving swiftly toward them. A heavy wind blew in suddenly with that cloud, and the temperature dropped within what seemed a matter of seconds.
She shivered and wondered: was Eagle Heart right? Was there some danger in being out on the prairie today?
"Do you think we should be getting back to the fort?" she asked Thomas. "It's starting to rain a little, and the wind is slightly stronger and is suddenly cold."
