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For a moment, she thought about his people, and how they might react when they saw her enter their stronghold. But she quickly cast that concern aside.
Eagle Wolf was their chief. He had the right to do whatever he pleased.
Eagle Wolf badly wanted to reach for her and kiss her, but he did not want to rush into anything that might cause her to doubt the sincerity of his offer of sanctuary. He did not want her to think that he had any other motive for taking her home and offering to protect her.
Of course, he hoped in time that she would agree to become his wife. He believed that, deep down inside herself, she understood his desire and accepted it.
He believed she was willing to share her life with him, for had she not as much as told him so?
He did not want her to compare his kindness toward her to Jeremiah Schrock’s, and perhaps think he wanted her only to bear him a son.
He did want a son, but he wanted Nicole even more than any child that might be born of their love!
Chapter Twenty-five
The morning sun wafted through the windows of the large dining hall at the Mormon settlement. Oatmeal was being ladled into bowls along the children’s table, where they sat waiting for everyone to start eating. Meanwhile, Jeremiah fidgeted nervously on his seat between his two wives, his gaze moving often now to the door that led into the building.
Nicole was the only one who had not yet arrived for breakfast.
Jeremiah saw that even the children had begun to notice her empty chair, casting quick glances over their shoulders toward it. He could hear how quiet the children had become in their uneasiness at her absence.
He knew how eager they were to attend school again today. They not only loved learning things, but also had grown quickly to love their pretty, young teacher whose smile would brighten any room.
Tired of wondering about Nicole, and why she had not arrived for breakfast, Jeremiah shoved his chair back and stood quickly. Although he saw the frown both his wives gave him, he strode from the building.
As he stepped outside, he found himself surrounded by many horsemen, who had arrived quietly without anyone being the wiser.
Jeremiah recognized one of them. It was none other than the man who had come questioning about Nicole.
Jeremiah swallowed hard and took a slow step backward, yet he knew that trying to escape inside the building would be both cowardly and futile. His heart pounded inside his chest.
He could not help trembling when the man he recognized from his long blond hair and devilish eyes dismounted his steed and came to stand directly in front of Jeremiah. His eyes were no more friendly than Jeremiah remembered their being the last time they had come face-to-face.
Then Jeremiah thought of something that made him grow cold inside.
The sentries! What had happened to them? Why had they sounded no alarm?
He looked past Sam Partain and fought back the urge to vomit. Thomas Hayden lay dead on the ground, blood spattered across his chest.
It was apparent that he had not been shot there, or the report of the gun would have been heard. He had surely been shot at his sentry post, and been brought from there. The body had been dropped on the ground, as though it were worthless.
Jeremiah looked quickly at Sam again and shivered when he saw a slow, mocking smile lift the corners of his mouth.
“You killed them all, didn’t you?” Jeremiah asked, anger now taking the place of shock and despair at seeing such a God-fearing family man downed heartlessly while trying to protect his community.
“I’m the one who’ll be askin’ the questions,” Sam said tightly. “Not you. You’ll be the one answering them. Now tell me, Mormon, where is Nicole Tyler? You’d best tell me, or you’re the next one to get a bullet in the gut.”
Jeremiah knew that the only way he could possibly protect the rest of his people was to cooperate with the evil-eyed murderer. Yes, he must give Nicole up so that the rest of his friends might live. She would be the sacrificial lamb.
The only thing that worried him was the fact that she hadn’t arrived at the dining hall for breakfast. What had caused the delay?
Perhaps she had just awakened later than she had planned and was even now dressing as fast as she could.
“If Nicole Tyler is the reason that you and your men have returned to this community, then you can have her,” Jeremiah said stiffly, filled with guilt at what he was doing.
But his people and their safety must come first.
He could find another woman one of these days to take Nicole’s place in his life.
