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She was Sweet Dove's daughter.
"I hope you are right," Jolena said, giving him a sweet smile, then turning her eyes away from him again when she felt him looking at her at though she were something precious. "And I do thank you for notifying those at the fort that you sighted the euphaedra. I enjoy watching and studying the interesting life cycle of butterflies. It was my father's deepest desire long ago to find the rare, elusive butterfly. I hope to fulfill his dream by taking it home to him for his collection."
"Collection?" Spotted Eagle said, drawing Jolena's eyes back to him by the guarded way he had said the word. "How do you mean… collection? Ralph spoke of this at the fort. I did not understand then. I do not understand now. I thought you were coming only to study the butterfly, to take your knowledge back to the white people who learn and teach about such things as that."
Jolena nodded. "I will take my knowledge of this butterfly back with me, but I will also take a specimen," she explained. "My father must see the butterfly to fully appreciate its loveliness. One cannot tell someone something is lovely and express it in a way that this person can see it as the one who sees it firsthand. If I find the rare butterfly and catch it, I will be taking it to my ailing father. That is my purpose for being here."
"Ailing?" Spotted Eagle said, raising an eyebrow. "Your white father is not well?"
Jolena's pulse began to race as she noted his reference to her white father. Obviously, he was aware that her true father was someone other than Bryce Edmonds.
She looked away from Spotted Eagle, thinking this would be the wrong time to delve into those questions that she so badly wanted answered.
Later.
Later when they were drawn together with more ease and understanding.
"My father is not well at all," she murmured, tears burning the corners of her eyes as she saw her father in her mind's eye. "His legs are paralyzed. He is also weakening generally. I fear terribly for him. I must find the rare butterfly before… before…"
She could not help the deep sob that leapt from her throat at the thought of her father dying before she could see him again.
Embarrassed for allowing her emotions to get so out of hand so quickly in the presence of this man whose face had so often filled her midnight dreams, she stumbled to her feet.
"I must return to my tent," she said, wiping the salty tears from her lips. "I've stayed much too long as it is."
She started to run away but was stopped abruptly by a firm grip on her wrist. Her knees weakened, and her heart seemed to stand still for a moment. She turned slowly around and gazed up into Spotted Eagle's dark eyes as they stood facing each other in the moonlight, her heart now racing out of control.
"Why did you stop me?" Jolena asked, breathless from the tumultuous emotions swimming through her.
"Did I not tell you that I would escort you back to the camp?" Jolena smiled softly up at him. "I guess I forgot," she murmured. She glanced down at his fingers still circled around her wrist, then up into his midnight-dark eyes again. "You can unhand me now. I don't need any further reminding."
Spotted Eagle's heart throbbed and his eyes raked over her as he still held her by the wrist and drew her slowly toward him.
"Stay with me tonight by the river," he said, the words rushing across his lips without even any conscious forethought. "You are lovely, so very lovely. Let me hold you. Let me kiss you."
Stunned and thrilled at the same moment by his sudden decision to bring more into their relationship than mere talk of butterflies and stars, Jolena felt dizzied from the passion his suggestion evoked within her. She folded without hesitation into his arms. They kissed dazedly, his arms nudging her closer.
A noise from somewhere close by drew them quickly apart. When a black panther appeared at the edge of the clearing, its green eyes glinting in the moonlight, Jolena became frightened and darted off in the opposite direction.
The panther bounded after Jolena, as Spotted Eagle stood numb at the sight…
Chapter Nine
Her knees too weak to run any longer, Jolena turned around and stared with a throbbing heart at the panther, which also stopped, crouching, its eyes glaring at her. Too frightened to look past the panther to see what Spotted Eagle was doing, Jolena stood frozen on the spot, her screams seemingly frozen in the depths of her throat.
As the panther began slinking toward Jolena on its belly and four paws, Spotted Eagle acted swiftly. He notched an arrow onto his bow, and just as the panther's great m
outh opened with a roar and it leapt suddenly at Jolena, Spotted Eagle sent an arrow flying through the air.
Jolena felt faint as she watched the panther leap toward her, then gasped when a whistling arrow pierced the sleek fur of the cat's back. She covered her mouth with her hands and stood wild-eyed as she watched the panther fall to the ground on its side, howling in rage, then spring to its feet and leap at her again.
Spotted Eagle had already notched his arrow on his bow a second time and this time made a more accurate aim, sending his arrow into the heart of the animal.
A momentary feeling of unreality swam through Jolena's dizzied head, as though the whole thing had never happened.
Then she seemed to come out of her frozen reverie when she saw Spotted Eagle throw his bow aside and begin running toward her.
Feeling so much more than simple gratitude for Spotted Eagle, Jolena began running toward him. When she reached him, she flung herself into his embrace, clinging to him with all of her might, sobbing.
