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“Why did I decide to leave?” Thunder Horse said, continuing farther and farther away from where he felt he had left his heart. “Because the man who is approaching in that buggy is our toka, our enemy, Reginald Vineyard. I do not wish today to see him face to face.”
“Is the woman then a toka, as well?” Lone Wing asked. “For surely she belongs to the man. He seems to be coming for her.”
“I am not quite certain yet what to make of her,” Thunder Horse said, his voice tight. “Or what her true relationship is with that man. But in time I will find out, and then I will know how to act.”
Lone Wing gazed silently at his uncle. He had seen in his eyes that he did care for this mitawin, whether or not she had skin the color of his enemies, and even if she belonged to the Fox band’s worst enemy of all: Reginald Vineyard!
He could not help wondering how his chieftain uncle was going to act on that?
Chapter Eight
Jessie felt uneasy as Reginald rode up in his horse and buggy and drew rein close to her. His eyes seemed even more beady than ever as he glared down at her.
When he glanced at the beautiful horse he had been generous enough to give her, then looked hard at her again, she could guess what he must be thinking. She knew he had seen Thunder Horse with her only moments ago.
Reginald was probably thinking that she was taking advantage of his generosity to ride her horse to meet with another man. His next words confirmed her guess.
“When did you first meet him?”
That question, asked so suddenly and with such venom, made Jessie’s spine stiffen.
She didn’t want to tell Reginald the truth of how she and Thunder Horse had first met. That was something she wanted to keep inside her heart like a wonderful secret . . . a secret that only she and Thunder Horse shared.
That might be the only thing they could ever have between them.
“Today,” Jessie said quickly, hating to lie.
“Today?” Reginald scoffed, now glowering at her. “And I am to believe that? You must know it is not a normal thing for a white woman and a powerful Indian chief to come together as friends. It is forbidden in all respects.”
“He just happened along and found me studying his people’s sacred stone,” Jessie said, refusing to back down. “I was horseback riding. I saw this strange stone painted red, and then when I got closer I saw all those things lying around it. I stopped and took a better look, and that was when Chief Thunder Horse and his nephew found me here.”
“You say that name—Chief Thunder Horse—so easily, as though you have no fear of that Sioux warrior,” Reginald said, his eyes holding a strange twinkle, as though he had guessed Jessie’s feelings for Thunder Horse.
“Why are you here?” Jessie blurted out, angrily placing her hands on her hips. “Are you going to watch everything I do . . . everyone I happen to speak with?”
Reginald shifted nervously on the buggy seat. “I’m tired of this conversation,” he said stiffly. “But listen well to what I have to say, Jessie. That Sioux chief is someone you must stay away from.”
“Why?” Jessie asked, slowly dropping her arms to her sides. “What on earth did it hurt to have a short conversation with him? He seemed kind enough. I did not feel at all threatened by him. And if you are going to preach to me about it being forbidden for a white woman to talk with an Indian, I call that hogwash.”
“Hogwash?” Reginald said. His eyes narrowed even more angrily than before. “Jessie, the reason I am warning you to stay away from that chief is because we are bitter enemies,” he said tightly.
“Enemies?” Jessie said. Then suddenly she recalled something that Jade had told her last night about Reginald’s nightmares having to do with an Indian’s curse.
Could that Indian be Thunder Horse?
“Why are you . . . enemies?” Jessie asked cautiously.
“Never mind,” Reginald said flatly. “Like I said, I’m tired of this conversation. Get on your horse. I’m taking you into town.”
“You’re taking me into town?” Jessie asked, mounting the beautiful white steed. “What is the occasion?”
“I’m going to buy you a bonnet, that’s all,” Reginald said, idly shrugging. “Come on. I want to take you by horse and buggy. We must first go home before going to town. I want you to leave your horse in the stable.”
“A bonnet?” Jessie said, quest
ioning him with her eyes.
He ignored her question, turning the buggy around without waiting to see if she was following. He now seemed intent on returning the horse home.
