"Saa," he said. He then signed, "There are many others in this camp who can see our shadows on the tepee, and I have always ensured our silhouettes are never close together. You also come here frequently, and so many of my people are accustomed to seeing you with me. But, being on the trail with me is different. We would be entirely alone."
"I know."
"Instead," he continued, "please stay here and keep my friend's lodge with you until either he or I can return and claim it from you."
"My mother could do this, and I could then go with you."
"Saa."The word was more emphatic said the second time. "It is too dangerous. You are too young. People will think bad things about you if I allow you to travel with me and if I don't also marry you. And, you are too young for me to marry."
"I am not. My grandmother on my father's side married my grandfather when she was fourteen. I am fourteen, soon to be fifteen."
"You forget. I have not asked you to marry me."
She glanced up at him with a look of reserve in her eyes. It was an emotion he had not witnessed in her demeanor before now.
She asked, "Are you married to someone else?"
He sighed deeply, then signed, "I am not. But, you must not do this. It is the man's place to ask the woman."
"I am waiting...."
He laughed. He had often found her to be an amusing girl, but this... He was Indian, she was white and her father was tracking his friend, Eagle Heart because he had dared to marry his other daughter. This was trouble. She was trouble. And, it was drama he did not wish to court.
After a moment, she breathed in deeply and signed, "If you will not let me go with you, will you at least kiss me goodbye?"
"Saa,"he said. He followed the word with sign and said, "We are not a married couple that we might kiss, and I say this again: you are too young for me to marry. You must be content to grow up and wait."
"And, then you'll ask me?"
He chuckled again. "If I were to marry you," he signed, "I would be as bad off as the hawk who must do the bidding of his mate. Always, you would be squawking at me like the female sparrow to do this or that. A man likes to have peace in his home."
"Well, I can see I will have to do it, then."
"Do what?"
She came up to her feet, paced toward him and, bending, kissed him on the lips. He was startled—not by her behavior, because he had come to expect these kinds of occurrences from her. No, he was shocked because it felt good. Too good.
He looked up at her with new eyes, but he did not kiss her back. Instead, he scooted as far away from her as his lodge would allow.
Nevertheless, she followed him, knelt in front of him and signed, "I will never forget your friendship with me at a time when I desperately needed a friend. And, I hope you will never forget me."
He nodded. He would not forget her, nor would he be able to put her kiss very far out of his mind. But, all he signed in response was, "Do not fear. I will always remember you. Will you come here tomorrow to see me off on my journey and take the tepee and other possessions from me?"
"I will."
"I will be leaving early in the morning, before the sun is up in the eastern sky."
"I know," she signed. Then she smiled at him as she came up to her feet and, turning away from him, strode toward the tepee's entrance flap. Before she stepped over the bottom fold, however, she looked over her shoulder and smiled at him again. She whispered, "Wait for me," in English, and then she was gone.
He didn't know what she'd said, yet he nodded all the same. And, as he watched her go, he prayed the time when she would grow into adulthood might pass quickly, for he did wish to see her again and experience her kiss once more. But, perhaps when they were both a little older.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
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LAYLAH HAD A BAD FEELINGabout this. It wasn't as if she feared for her own safety. Regardless of what happened, she knew Eagle Heart would protect her.
But, who was watching over him?
