What a long, busy day. Though chilly from the store’s flap being opened so often, Rose was elated at the number of Shawnee who’d come to check out the trading post’s new stock. She waved good-bye to one of the few Shawnee squaws who’d actually made a purchase, as the woman left with yard goods and a pair of scissors. Rose had also sold her a needle and thread from her own sewing basket, knowing that when she returned to civilization in a few months, her sewing supply could be replenished.
She marveled at the bargain she’d made and entered the sale into the ledger. Then, as she folded a muskrat robe, a smile twitched her lips. Not long ago she’d eaten Fawn Woman’s muskrat stew and envisioned a wiry-haired, beady-eyed rat was in her mouth. Rose shook her head at the memory. Fortunately she’d never had to eat muskrat stew again.
Laying the robe in the now empty corner where only yesterday huge bundles of furs had been stacked, she heard excited Shawnee voices at the other end of the store. She turned to see an older squaw talking animatedly to a younger Indian mother toting a baby in a cradleboard on her back.
Rose looked at Shining Star, who picked up Jenny Ann, and together they crossed to the chattering pair. Rose smiled as the older one held a pair of eyeglasses up to her face and moved her hand in front of them. “Ah, the eyeglasses.” Rose plucked another pair from the basket and unfolded the arms then placed the glasses on her own face to demonstrate their purpose.
The squaw grinned and nodded then took the spectacles in her hand and held them out to Rose.
Rose cupped a number of beads in her palm and showed them to the woman, who laughed with joy and said something to the young mother and Shining Star. Rose wished she’d learned a little of the language so she could share in the woman’s discovery.
The squaw turned to Rose again and pointed to a large wooden comb fastened above one of her coiled ebony plaits. A pair of deer were intricately carved across its width. She pointed to the spectacles, indicating her desire to trade the comb for the glasses.
Rose smiled sadly and gave a negative wag of her head.
At that, the older Indian looked herself over then scanned her young companion. Surely she didn’t covet the spectacles so much she’d offer to trade the mother for them! But the squaw nudged the mother around and grabbed hold of the cradleboard instead.
Rose’s mouth gaped in surprise. No one would offer a baby in trade!
Just then, Nate and Robert entered the store, their faces glowing from the cold. Rose was vastly relieved to have an interpreter. She looked up at Robert. “Is this woman hoping to trade the baby for a pair of eyeglasses?”
Robert spoke to the squaw in her language, and she laughed and shook her head vigorously. Her answer set Robert, Star, and the young mother all snickering.
Chagrined, Rose knew the joke was on her.
Still chuckling, Robert let her in on it. “Bird Woman wants to trade the cradleboard for the eyeglasses.”
With a surge of relief, Rose sought Nate’s advice. “Do you consider this a good trade, Nate? I’m not accustomed to trading in anything but furs.”
He winked at her, a spark of devilment glinting in his eyes. “Honey-pie, a trade’s always good if both parties’re satisfied. Are you satisfied?”
In no mood for his antics, she ignored his playful tone and stuck to business. “Yes, of course. But we’re partners, you and I. What profit would there be for you if I were to accept a cradleboard in trade? The fur company pays only for furs.”
He grunted. “I know one thing for sure. My poor arms would profit. I must’a toted Jenny around half the day yesterday. What’ve you been feedin’ her, anyway?”
With a good-natured glare, Rose relented. “Oh, very well.” She turned to the squaw with a smile. “Oui-saw.”
When the last customers finally left the store, Star took Jenny to the wigwam to change her diaper and lace her into the cradleboard.
Watching after the Indian maiden, Rose caught Robert observing his young charge’s departure with longing and gave his arm a pat. “She’s such a dear girl and so helpful. I do hope she comes to know the Lord. I’d be very disappointed if we had to leave her here.”
He tilted his dark head at Rose, his expression serious. “That’s somethin’ I pray about all the time. But if I can’t marry her myself, I should be checkin’ out some of the unmarried Shawnee braves. I wouldn’t want her with a man who already has another wife to lord it over her.”
Warming himself at the nearby hearth, Nate swung around. “You ain’t still thinkin’ about leavin’ that gal here, are you?”
His friend turned somber eyes on Nate. “I ain’t mentioned anything about it to her yet, ’cause I’m afraid she’ll pretend to become a Christian just to please me. I want her to become a true believer. It should come from her heart.”
“But how could you just hand her over to some brave?” Nate tucked his chin. “You love her. Any fool can see that.”
A long braid fell forward as Bob hung his head. “Aye. I love her. But it was wrong to let myself grow so fond of her. The Bible makes it plain that a Christian shouldn’t be unequally yoked. I’m thankful I got Rose around here to keep me thinkin’ straight.” He narrowed his gaze and turned to her. “‘Cept you’re doin’ a better job with me than I done with you over that playactin’.”
Humbled by her own guilt, Rose nodded. “I’m so sorry. You’re quite right. I now realize things would’ve turned out the same with those company men had I not resorted to lies. I shall do my best not to weaken again, no matter what.” Her gaze gravitated to Nate. No matter how hard it might be.
Nate’s eyes flashed with anger as he took her by the shoulders. “Are you tellin’ me that unless I toe that holier-than-thou line of yours you won’t ever marry me?”
Rose yearned to inch back from his accusation, but his strong hands clamped her to the spot. She inhaled a calming breath. Then the full meaning of his words dawned on her. She raised her lashes and peered up into his eyes. “You’ve never asked me to marry you.”
His mouth opened with a confused sputter, and his expression became gentle. “Well, I am now.” Releasing her from his grip, he lowered his arms to his sides and gazed into her soul. “Marry me, Rose.”
Aching at his vulnerability, Rose moistened her lips and shot a helpless look to Robert but found no help there. She lifted a silent plea to heaven for the right words, words that she had to utter, even though she knew they’d wound Nate deeply. She tried to delay the inevitable. “I had no idea you actually wanted me for a wife.”
He rolled his eyes and shook his head. “What do you think we been dancin’ around all this time?”
“I was of the opinion you cherished your wanderlust too much to settle down in one place. You told me as much, if you recall.”
Averting his gaze for a second, he shrugged. “I know, but I’m sure we could work somethin’ out that’d make both of us happy.”
“Possibly.” Her pulse throbbed in her ears. He wanted to marry her! It was the deepest desire of her heart! Only…the time had come to lay out the truth. “But there’s still the matter of my obeying the Lord’s instructions not to be yoked to someone who hasn’t put God first in his life. Expecting that standard from Robert but not myself would be unpardonably hypocritical, would it not? I must be true to my faith.”
He took a backward step…inches that felt like a mile to Rose as he glowered at her through pained eyes. “You have the nerve to say that to me? After all the lyin’ we done yesterday?” He let out an exasperated huff. “I gotta get outta here.” Wheeling around, he stormed out of the trading post. The flap closed with a resounding slap.
The clog that formed in Rose’s throat made it hard to breathe, hard to talk. Her first impulse was to sink to the floor and weep. But gathering all her strength, she turned to Robert. “He’s right. I’ve been such a hypocrite. May God forgive me.”
He came closer and wrapped an arm around her, hugging her close. “Ain’t none of us gets it right all the time. I’m real glad Jesus died to pay the penalty for our sins, or we’d never get to heaven on our own.”
The tears Rose struggled so hard to suppress spilled over her lashes and down her face, and it was all she could do to utter a reply. “But what I did was worse than mere lies. I became a stumbling block to someone who desperately needs the Lord. I made it even harder for Nate to seek after God.”
Robert didn’t respond for a few seconds. He tipped his head with a soft smile. “Well, missy, I reckon the two of us’ll have to pray that the Lord’ll keep after both Nate and Star, while we try harder to stay outta God’s way. The Bible does say nothin’s too hard for God.”
Waking up again, Nate gritted his teeth. It wasn’t bad enough lying wide awake on his sleeping pallet for hours, jumping at every night sound, before finally nodding off. Now he was fully conscious again. And it was all that blasted woman’s fault. Staring into the pitch darkness, he gave a disgusted huff. Dawn was nowhere near coming.
If it was light out, at least he could get up and go chop wood—or better yet, wring Rose’s neck. Anything to work off the rage churning inside him. Funny, he’d actually expected her to loosen up from her judging ways after living out here without all the stuffiness of the rigid do’s and don’ts from back east. He snorted in scorn. Sure, he was good enough to come to her rescue and save her skin now and again, but not good enough to be her husband. She was nothin’ but a user. A useless, mealymouthed user. That woman could give the worst hypocrite a few lessons.
He smirked. And wasn’t she nice as pie at supper, smiling that timid little smile as she served him first, givin’ him the biggest chunk of corn bread. Oh yeah, she wouldn’t think of marryin’ him, but she still wanted to keep him on her leash. She—
A scraping sound interrupted his musings. Scraping and crunching…ice crunching from the direction of the river. Like canoes coming ashore!
Lunging to his feet, Nate sprang to the wigwam’s opening and peeked out.
The faintest silhouettes of several large canoes were gliding to shore, canoes holding a good twenty men each. Two had already come in, and the disembarked men were sneaking onto the beach.
Why hadn’t the village dogs announced the arrival of strangers?
Moving away from the opening, Nate turned around and knelt beside Bob, placing a hand over his partner’s mouth. “We’re bein’ attacked!” he rasped under his breath. “They’re comin’ ashore now!”