“Yes. That we are. We’ve had to be. We grew up traveling from town to town with our father. And because we were never in any one place for very long, neither one of us made many friends. So we became a friend to each other.” She smiled. “My brother, you see, is my dearest friend.”
“He is a fortunate man to have you. Perhaps I was wrong to judge you so hastily.”
“Perhaps.”
Slowly, as though he were doing something that went against his better judgment, Swift Hawk held out his hand to her. “Would you like to dance?”
She gasped. “What? Here?”
He nodded.
Angelia frowned up at him. “But do you know how to do this dance?”
The Indian gave her a half-cocked smile. “I have often seen this dance done at Bent’s Fort. I have even danced it with my cousin, Yellow Woman.”
“Have you, now?” Angelia placed her hand in his. “Then by all means, let us dance.”
He held her at arm’s length, his hand barely touching her waist. And then as easily as that, they were gliding around and around that woodland paradise, the fragrant grasses of the prairie scenting an already balmy night.
For a moment, no one else existed but the two of them, as they spun around the clearing. With the moon bathing them in a silvery mist, Angelia felt as though she might have been floating, so lightly did her feet touch the ground.
“You are a good dancer,” she said rather dreamily to Swift Hawk.
“As are you,” he responded.
Angelia smiled up at him. Hardly aware of what she did, her body drew in closer to him.
His hand tightened on her waist. He stared down at her, she up at him.
He leaned down toward her, closer and closer, until his handsome features were swimming before her. She parted her lips in anticipation, barely knowing what she was doing. All she felt was that she wanted this man to be near to her.
She shut her eyes, and then…
She was free. He had let her go.
Not only that, he had turned and was striding away from her at a rather fast clip.
What had happened? Why was he leaving?
Rational thought seemed to have deserted her, and acting on impulse, she spurred herself to hurry after him.
“Mr. Swift Hawk?” she called. “Please wait for me. Mr. Swift Hawk?”
He paused as she came toward him, and said, “You shouldnot follow me.”
“Shouldn’t I?” She shook her head, as though such an action would make her mind stop functioning in a haze. “Oh, yes, yes, of course I shouldn’t follow you. But I…”
He didn’t swing around to look at her, but he didn’t step another foot forward either. Nor did he utter a sound.
“I…I…” Angelia stumbled over her words. Gulping quickly, she stated, “I wish to thank you for the dance.”
He sighed. “That is all?”
“I…ah…I enjoyed the dance. Perhaps in the future, if you decide to help us, we might have another…”
She left the rest blank, realizing that she had best stop speaking altogether. She was aware she was acting oddly, fumbling about as if she were under a spell. To her mortification, the words seemed to tumble out of her mouth without any forethought.
But if he noticed, he didn’t show it. In truth, he didn’t answer her for the longest time.
