AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Many Clouds turned his eyes toward Brave Wolf. “All it needs now is my blessing . . . then use it well, my chief.”
“I will have use of it today,” Brave Wolf said. “I will carry it with me on my quest.”
“I do not even have to ask what that quest is,” Many Clouds said, placing a gentle hand on Brave Wolf’s shoulder. “I have seen your restlessness since the woman rode out of our village. I see in your eyes how you ache to hold her again.”
“You are the wisest of wise,” Brave Wolf said, nodding. “I do plan to ride today to try to get a glimpse of my woman. I must see that she is not harmed by the pony soldiers. I am glad that you understand the needs of a man who has fallen in love with a woman different from himself. When I look at her I see no color. I see my heart.”
“A man cannot choose which woman his heart leads him to, it is his heart that does the leading and choosing,” Many Clouds said, lowering his hand. “I trust your heart’s judgment, my chief. It has never led you wrong.”
Brave Wolf gave Many Clouds a warm hug, then sat down beside him as the shaman began singing and chanting over the new medicine.
“It is now blessed,” Many Clouds said, slowly rising. “Guard it well, my chief. You will be guarding your future.”
Brave Wolf embraced Many Clouds again, then led him to the door.
When the shaman had left the lodge, Brave Wolf knelt before his medicine again, then slowly folded it back into the doeskin.
He left it there until he had his stallion readied for travel, then went for it and carefully placed it in his travel bag at one side of his horse.
When he returned to his lodge he bypassed his bow and quiver of arrows. Instead, he fastened a sheath that held his large knife at his right side, then carried his prized rifle to his horse. After sliding it into his gunboot, and making certain he had enough ammunition, he mounted his steed and rode from the village.
When he reached open land, with the mountains behind him, he rode at a hard gallop. He hoped that before the moon replaced the sun in the sky he would have seen his woman. If she looked as though she had been mistreated at the hands of the whites, he would go to war without hesitation!
Chapter Twenty-two
But true love is a durable fire;
In the mind ever burning,
Never sick, never old, never dead,
From itself, never turning.
—Sir Walter Raleigh
Mary Beth had had no idea how quickly the colonel’s marriage plans would evolve. The wedding was actually set for tomorrow!
Although she now knew what the soldiers had planned against Brave Wolf, she had not been able to find a way to leave the fort to go and warn him.
With the soldiers often being lax about their sentry duties, especially at night, Mary Beth had thought it would be easy to get her horse and leave under cover of darkness.
She had observed the gate being opened and closed enough times to know how to get it open without making any noise. But the problem had been finding it unguarded.
Now she had only one more night left, and then she would have no choice but to tell the colonel the truth . . . that she didn’t want to marry him.
It was critical that she find a way to escape.
She smiled. Her eyes lit up with an idea that surely would work. She was thinking it through when a knock on the bedroom door startled her.
Her pulse raced because she knew who it was. Colonel Downing.
She had not had enough time to flesh out her plan, but she knew enough to get it in motion, and pray that God was on her side today.
Her knees strangely weak from fear of what she was about to do, Mary Beth went to the door and opened it.
She forced a smile for Colonel Downing, who was grinning from ear to ear.
“It is all set,” he said, brushing past her. “Tomorrow is the big day. It’s all arranged. We shall be saying our vows this time tomorrow.”
