Page 5 of The Last Warrior

Suzette closed her eyes and prayed.

As it turned out, William was right. Apparently, Irena was going to sing.

After a short introduction by Buffalo Bill himself, Irena stepped up to the platform, which was set in front of the band. She even opened her mouth as though to sing the American national anthem, but instead of a melody, her speaking voice rang out loud and strong. “I would like to dedicate this beautiful work I am about to sing to my granddaughter, Suzette Joselyn, and to her fiancé, William Blair, the Earl of Lankersheim.”

To Suzette’s complete mortification, Irena began to sing the opening stanza of Henry Purcell’s “Dido’s Lament,” an aria of death and of love betrayed. She might as well have been singing a funeral march.

William’s complexion turned pink. However, he laughed. Suzette, on the other hand, knew her face had to be a bright shade of red.

Oh, to find a hole and sink into it…

“Darling, be fair,” said William. “Your grandmother is older. She’s eccentric. She has a right to live her life as she has always lived it.”

“Not when it influences me…and you. And she’s not really that old.”

“Suzette, I, for one, am not upset.”

“But I am.”

William placed his hand over hers. “There, there. I am certain she will come to like me in time.”

“It is very kind of you to say this.” But truth be told, Suzette was too annoyed to take pleasure in William’s comfort. “I must go down there, for I am going to talk to her. Now. Would you like to accompany me?”

William gazed at the arena, where the Indians were only beginning to enter in single file. All were dancing. All were dressed in the most colorful display of feathers, buckskins and beads Suzette had ever seen.

“Of course I will accompany you.”

Suzette sensed William’s reluctance. He wanted to stay and watch the show.

She smiled at him. “No, you needn’t come with me. I understand. When is the next time you will be able to witness a spectacle like this? Pray, be at your ease. I will go and find Irena, and we will both be back here soon.”

“Yes, my precious.” William grinned at her and patted her hand. “Do not scold her overly much, though. Remember, she is older.”

“I will consider it.” Suzette accepted William’s hand to help her up, and, clasping hold of her skirts, she picked her way through the crowd.

Chapter

Three

Black Lion awoke with a start. Had he overslept?

It appeared he had; the signs were not good. Sunlight poured in overhead from the ear-flaps of the canvas tepee, and, glancing up through the lodge poles, Black Lion caught sight of the sun, which was already positioned mid-sky.

What had caused him to oversleep? And this on a day when he had been cautioned to arrive for the performance in a timely manner. Needing to pull on his jeans over his naked body, he had no more than stepped foot into them when he remembered he was supposed to be attired in traditional dress.

“Damn.” He uttered the white man’s word.

Tossing his jeans to the side, Black Lion grabbed hold of a breechcloth lying on the floor, stretching the softened leather through his legs and tying the long string securely around his waist. Sliding his feet lightly into his moccasins, he decided he wouldn’t bother with leggings today—the kind of riding he was doing was traditionally done naked anyway.

The Long-haired Show Man—Buffalo Bill—might have words to say to him later, but Black Lion couldn’t consider this now.

He grabbed his quiver full of arrows—mere sticks with rubber tips, since they were now minus the traditional bone arrowhead—and his bow. Then he heard feminine laughter outside the tepee.

Black Lion shook his head as though the simple action might serve to enlighten him. What was wrong with these European women that they followed him? Why did they wait for him? Touch him? Ask for his autograph?

Sighing, he realized he was doomed. Not only would he be unable to hurry to the arena as was needed, he was going to have to humor these females. It was either this or face a dressing-down if one of them complained.

And this would never do, not when he acted in his friend’s stead.