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He could only guess that she was thinking about her father, for her thoughts seemed intense. And he even heard a soft sob and saw her body tremble as if she were crying.
He was not certain whether he should leave her with her thoughts, or interrupt them and distract her with talk and food.
He had brought delicious things to eat. His cousin had prepared the best venison and had added to it a small portion of honey to make it even more tasty.
He knew that it surely had been some time since Mia had eaten, as it had been for himself, so he walked on into the tepee. The sound of his footsteps caused her to turn her eyes to him.
She wiped at her tears, yet said nothing to him.
But she did notice the offering of food and he believed he saw a glimmer of interest in her eyes. He surmised that she was as hungry as himself.
“My cousin has prepared us food,” Wolf Hawk said, setting the tray beside Mia. “It has been awhile since I have eaten so I shall eat with you unless you would rather I didn’t.”
Mia was surprised that he would even give her a say in the matter. She was his captive. He could do anything he wanted, yet he was treating her gently and with respect.
More and more she saw the sort of man he truly was. He was ever so gentle and considerate. Surely it was because he remembered the loss of her loved ones and understood the grief she held so deep inside her heart.
“Yes, please stay,” Mia murmured.
She gazed into his midnight-dark eyes and was shaken by the way they made her feel.
She had never felt anything for a man before. She had spent more time with her family than socializing with others.
“During my recent hunt, I searched for a bee’s nest where I could find honey for my widowed cousin. She p
repares all my meals, and she sent some of this honey today to eat with the venison,” he explained.
He held out the platter, encouraging her to take food from it since she still hesitated to do so.
“Take a piece of meat, then dip it into the honey,” he softly urged. “You will soon realize how good it is.”
“I have never eaten meat with honey,” Mia said, plucking a strip of the meat from the tray.
“Dip it,” Wolf Hawk said, nodding toward her.
He watched her as she finally did dip the venison into the honey.
He waited anxiously for her reaction.
He smiled when he saw from the expression in her eyes that she liked it.
He understood now the wisdom of putting the honey with the meat. His cousin had realized that a young lady who had been taken captive by Indians needed something to lessen her fear of being with them.
And she knew that the sweetness of honey could reach into anyone’s heart and make a person feel more relaxed.
“It is very good,” Mia said, surprised and now eager to take another bite. She hesitated, however, for Wolf Hawk had not eaten any of it yet.
Hungry, and now satisfied that he had pleased the woman, Wolf Hawk set the tray down, then took his own piece of meat and dipped it into the honey.
He ate it eagerly, smiling to himself when Mia no longer hesitated, but now ate bite after bite of venison dripping in honey.
“I am glad that you are enjoying the meat. The best meal is one that is shared with friends,” Wolf Hawk said, feeling pleasantly full. He sat more comfortably with his legs crossed before him, his hands resting on his knees.
“I take pride in being a good hunter,” he said, smiling at Mia. “And a good chief. I share what I bring home from the hunt with those of our clan who have no father, brother or husband to hunt for them. No one goes hungry in the village of Wolf Hawk.”
“If you are a hunter, does that not mean that you trap animals just like the white men you wish to find and punish?” Mia dared to ask.
“We do trap small game,” Wolf Hawk admitted. “But we have never used traps that have steel jaws, which cause the animals so much suffering.”
