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“That is?” Patrick asked, forking an eyebrow.
“I would like to have the body of Claude Odum to bury among my people, since he has no family of his own to mourn him,” Strong Wolf said solemnly.
Hannah placed a hand to her lips, touched to her very core over Strong Wolf’s continued show of feelings for those he cared for. She gave Patrick an “I told you so” look, then wiped tears from her eyes as Patrick agreed to give up Claude’s body to Strong Wolf.
When Strong Wolf stepped outside and saw his warriors waiting for him, he was touched deeply by their show of love. He took the time to embrace each and everyone, lingering longer on the injured braves.
Then he turned and smiled at Hannah as she came and stood with him. He quickly embraced her again. “You have such a big heart,” he said, reveling in the feel of her body against his. “Ah, but I chose well when I chose you to be my wife.”
Through the long night, thoughts of her had made him stay sane, as rats and mice came and went from his cell.
“I may not always be able to be as convincing as I was today.” She laughed softly.
“I do not doubt anything that you set your heart to,” Strong Wolf said, then eased away from her and gazed at the two braves again.
He then questioned Hannah with his eyes.
She saw the questioning, and how he had stared at the braves. “I urged them to come today, to show the colonel the viciousness of their attackers,” she explained. “That caused him to rethink your being incarcerated.”
“Yes, she’s quite a smooth talker,” Patrick said, coming to swing an arm around Strong Wolf’s shoulder. “And like I said before, if she wasn’t already spoken for, I might give you a run for the money.”
All the while Patrick was talking to Strong Wolf, his eyes and thoughts were elsewhere. Claude Odum’s body had just been brought out and placed on a flatbed wagon, then covered with a blanket. He stepped away from the colonel and stood beside the wagon. He stared down at the covered body, then gazed over at Hannah and Proud Heart.
“It is time for us to pay respects to our dearly departed,” he said solemnly.
Hannah went to Strong Wolf. “I shall ride in the wagon,” she murmured. She tied her pony to the back of the wagon as Strong Wolf’s horse was brought to him.
Soon they were on their way back to the village in a solemn, slow procession, the presence of Claude having taken away their jubilance of Strong Wolf having been released.
When they arrived at the village, the people came in a rush toward Strong Wolf. He dismounted and received the loving arms of welcome as each of his people took time to embrace him.
And then everyone followed Strong Wolf as he carried Claude to the burial grounds of his people. “He will have a white man’s burial,” he
said as he nodded for one of his warriors to dig the grave.
With no casket available, Claude’s body was wrapped in thick layers of sheets of birch bark, then lowered into the ground.
Hannah stood over the grave and spoke verses that she had memorized from the Bible, that she had learned while attending church as a child.
Strong Wolf said his own words for his friend over the body, then stepped aside and watched as dirt was shoved into the grave.
Hannah gathered wildflowers and placed them on the mound of dirt after the grave was fully covered.
They left the grave site. Hannah went with Strong Wolf to his lodge. They embraced again.
“I must be alone with my thoughts,” he then said as he stepped away from her.
“As I must return to the ranch, to reassure my brother that I did not get myself in trouble by coming to your aid today,” Hannah said. She flung herself into Strong Wolf’s arms again. “I’m so glad that you are no longer in that dreadful cell. Oh, how I love you.”
He kissed her long and hard, then stepped away from her. “Go, my woman,” he said softly. “Our time together will be sweeter another day. Much lies heavy on my heart.”
“I know,” Hannah murmured. He took her hand and walked her outside to her horse. It had been untied from the wagon.
She swung herself into the saddle. He reached up and took her hand and held it a moment longer, then gave it up to her. “Soon, my woman,” he said. “We shall be together again soon, when these things that trouble me are finally swept away, as only bitter memories.”
She nodded, slipped her hand free, and rode away. As she left the village, she was aware of the sky darkening. She gazed up and watched thick thunderheads gathering in the east. Overhead, the loud hacking call of the rain crow predicted rain.
She snapped her reins and rode harder, in a fast gallop, hoping to get home before the heavens opened up in a torrent of rain.
