Page 65 of The Last Warrior

Suzette closed her eyes and sighed. “First thing in the morning?”

“But…it…true.”

Suzette moaned, then turned to Black Lion. “So what you both are saying,” she began sarcastically, “is Rabbit Leggings decided to come visiting you in the wee hours of the morning—before you were even awake? And⁠—”

“You! The both of you! Come here!”

Riding a snowy white horse out of the arena, Buffalo Bill galloped to within a few yards of them.

Suzette exchanged a glance with Black Lion, whispering under her breath, “See? I told you there would be trouble.”

Buffalo Bill said loudly, “What was that all about, and whose idea was it to change the script?”

Exchanging a glance between them, Suzette and Black Lion both spoke at the same time. “The idea was mine.”

Black Lion sent Suzette a private look of amazement, as though he couldn’t believe, in the face of everything else, this woman—who was truly his wife—was coming to his defense. In turn, she frowned at him. True, she would protect him from trouble, but it certainly didn’t mean she was feeling amiable toward him. Indeed, much the opposite.

Buffalo Bill appeared puzzled. Leaning forward on his horse, he said, “You both came up with the idea then?”

“Well,” began Suzette, “after the stagecoach scene the other day, I thought⁠—”

“It was my idea, sir. The responsibility is mine, and mine alone,” said Black Lion. “And I will understand if you feel it necessary to discharge me.”

“Discharge you? Discharge you? Why, I’m going to give you a raise. It was brilliant!” said Cody. “Completely brilliant! And the crowd loved it! Did you see them standing in their seats? Even now they’re calling for you both to come back into the arena. You’re not going to disappoint them, are you?”

“But, Mr. Cody,” said Suzette, “I think that⁠—”

“Come here now, Miss Joselyn. You ride that pony”—he waved toward the Appaloosa—“while the Indian— What’s your name?”

“Two Bears, but most people call me Lion.”

“Good enough…you ride, Miss Joselyn, while Lion here guides the pony back into the arena. When you’ve reached the center point, stop and take a bow. We’ll talk about this more later, and what sort of raise you’ll be looking for. Come to think of it”—he scratched his beard—“we could expand on the theme and rescue the lady from the Indian village later in the presentation…maybe even this one. Are you both up to it?”

Suzette smiled at Cody, while Black Lion frowned. But neither of them said a word.

“Come on now.” Buffalo Bill directed the two of them as he kept his seat on the elegant white horse. “You, Lion, help the lady back up onto her seat.”

When Black Lion hesitated, Cody said, “Come now, I know it goes against your warrior reasoning, but help her up there anyway, and then come back in for a bow…both of you.”

Black Lion nodded, coming around Suzette to usher her toward the pony, then to grab her around the waist. With a simple motion, he lifted her onto the animal.

“Don’t touch me,” she whispered, even while she smiled at him for Cody’s benefit.

He returned the gesture, only his was a genuine smile. Beneath his breath, he said, “You tried to shield me against harm. What was this about? Do you begin to believe me?”

“No, I do not,” she responded with relish. “Nor do I feel favorable toward you in the least. After all, it is not as though Rabbit Leggings has denied you are her husband. Nor have either of you enlightened me as to why she was in your lodge in the first place. But I will not continue our argument here. Let us do as Mr. Cody asks, since he awaits us.”

Black Lion might have answered her, but Cody rode up to them and said, “I’ll ride back into the arena first and announce you—then you follow. Think you can do it?”

Black Lion nodded.

“Here we go!” And then once more, for good measure, “Brilliant!”

Cody turned his horse around and rode back into the center of the arena. From their position outside the open-air tent, Suzette could hear him announce the two of them as his newest actor and actress.

“Friend of…husband, Black Lion, you should know…man…here…see you. He wait…in lodge.”

Black Lion nodded to Rabbit Leggings, who had come up to the two of them as they awaited their cue.