Swift Hawk had backed away from her an inch or two. “How will this help me to free my people?”
“By bringing them understanding. And with understanding, ignorance departs. By knowing all you can about the white man and his ways, you would set your people free from misunderstandings so that they would survive the onslaught of the incoming culture…for it is coming.”
Swift Hawk didn’t answer. Indeed, he was silent for such a long time, Angelia was concerned that she had lost her cause. At last he said, “I will think on it. And I will give you my answer soon.”
“But—”
“That is all I will say at this time and in this place.”
“Oh, I see.” She tried to keep the disappointment out of her voice. “Well, then, please do let me know your answer asquickly as possible.”
“I will.”
“Well, that’s that, then, is it?” Julian spoke up from the shadows. “I must say I am relieved to know I might have your help, Mr. Hawk. And if I might add to my sister’s cause, I will help her with your tutoring as much as possible.”
Again, Swift Hawk raised an eyebrow. “Will you?”
“I certainly will.” Julian extended his hand toward Swift Hawk, who stared at that hand before clasping it in his own. “Now, if you two will excuse me…”
“Julian!”
Julian clamped down hard on his heels and turned to his sister. “The wagon master is having a conference. I can see it from here. I need to be there.”
“But you can’t leave me alone with?—”
However, her protest was useless. Her brother had already turned and was walking away even as the words left her lips.
Angelia glanced toward Julian, then back toward Swift Hawk. Shyly, she smiled. “Please forgive my brother’s manners. But as you can see, he is quite anxious to learn about scouting.”
“Haa’he.That he is,” said Swift Hawk, who, although he held fast to where he stood, was drawing back away from her…perhaps spiritually.
Angelia cleared her throat. “It is embarrassing, isn’t it?”
“Embarrassing?”
“To be left alone, as we are, here in the dark with only the moon above us for our light.”
Swift Hawk didn’t say a word. Perhaps it was this that allowed the music from the dancing to drift toward them. Even the wind carried the tune.
It made her realize that someone must have requested a slow waltz. She loved the waltz, had always done so, and the music pulled at her, inviting her to dance. She moved this wayand that, keeping time to the music.
“Do you like this kind of dance?” asked Swift Hawk.
“Yes. Very much. It reminds me of my youth. My father used to forbid me to dance, although secretly I would watch the others, and I would practice alone, until one day my brother caught me. From then on my brother and I practiced together.”
Swift Hawk slanted her a scowl. “Your father forbade you to dance?”
“Yes. He thought it would lead to other desires of the flesh, and so he forbade it to us.”
“To the Indian, to dance is to live.”
She smiled at him. “You are lucky to have been raised that way.”
Swift Hawk’s glance at her was long and hard. “But you danced nonetheless?”
“Yes, I did. Alone. At least until I discovered that my brother loved to dance as much as I did.”
Swift Hawk paused, as though uncertain what to say. “You and your brother must be very close.”
