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“Wake up, Michelle.”
Someone was shaking her shoulder. She rolled over and grumbled. “What?”
“Come on, sleepyhead, wake up. We’re going hiking,” Luther said.
“Hiking?” She yawned and stretched her arms over her head. “Now? It’s too early to get up.”
“Early? It’s past eight. A hike will be good for you.” Luther tugged the blanket off the bed.
She reluctantly got up and pulled on her boots. Redfeather was seated at the table, carving a piece of wood.
“You ought to be happy we let you sleep in so late. You missed the sunrise.” Luther ducked into the storage room and came out carrying a leather satchel.
Michelle walked to the table and poured herself a cup of coffee from the dented metal pot. A plate of steaming biscuits sat in the center of the table. “Where are we going?”
“On the ridge, to places you ain’t seen yet. We should leave soon so we can get back before dark. It’s a long hike.” Luther cocked his head to one side. “You wearing what you got on?”
“Of course, why?” she asked, as she bit into a honey-filled biscuit.
“I don’t want you to ruin your fancy clothes.”
She laughed. “These? Fancy? These are ordinary.”
“But not practical,” Redfeather said, glancing at her. “Your husband is asking if you would rather change.”
“Change? Into what?”
“Breeches,” Luther answered.
“Again with the breeches? I told you I don’t want to wear them.”
Redfeather cleared his throat and she quickly interpreted his warning. This “learning” wasn’t going to be easy with Redfeather around. She slumped back in the chair.
“No, Luther. I’ll be fine with what I have on.” She smiled. “But thank you for being concerned.”
* * *
THREE HOURS LATER, they had hiked past the ridge and high into the hills. Luther walked ten feet in front of her. She tried to keep up, but her skirt kept getting caught on thorny bushes, and fallen branches tripped her. Redfeather trailed behind her and sighed impatiently each time she stopped to free her skirt.
“What you need to remember, Michelle, is the woods are full of living things. You can’t see them, but they see you. You’ve gotta be careful out here,” Luther lectured.
She paused and untangled a bramble from her skirt. How could Redfeather walk around half-naked and not get scratched to pieces? The blazing sun beat down on her, and she wiped sweat off her forehead with the back of her hand. “Can’t we rest for a minute?”
“Rest? We’ve only gone a little ways,” Luther said.
“But I’m hot and thirsty.”
“Fine then, take a drink. We’ll wait.”
“Where’s the water?” she asked.
“Didn’t you bring any?”
“No. I didn’t know I was supposed to.”
“Here.” Luther handed her an animal-skin canteen, then sat on a log. “I don’t want you fainting on us.” He patted the space beside him.
She sat and took a long drink from the canteen. Her body was coated in sweat, and her breathing was labored from hiking. “Can’t we walk slower?”
“Nope.” Luther gestured at her blouse. “What you should do is unfasten a few of those buttons. Let the air get to your skin and you’ll cool off. You knew you were goin’ hiking, did you think about bringing any water? No. If I wasn’t here, what would you do?”
She studied Luther for a minute. He wore buckskin breeches and boots and had changed into a sleeveless doeskin shirt. She noticed a thick scar across one of his biceps. Luther had been walking much faster than she was and he wasn’t out of breath or sweating. He was right. Her long-sleeved, high-collared blouse trapped the heat. “I guess I’d go home.”
Redfeather rested his moccasined foot on the log next to her. “What direction is that?”
She glanced around the mountain. She had no idea where they were. “I don’t know. I’m lost.”
“That does not surprise me,” Redfeather grumbled, and walked off into the woods.
Luther let her rest, and then they resumed hiking. It was a steep climb, and the ground was covered with large rocks and fallen trees. She had reluctantly opened the first two buttons on her collar and sleeves. It helped cool her off some, but not much.
“You see, Michelle, you’ve gotta be ready for anything in the woods. Look around and take note of stuff. If you don’t pay attention”—Luther moved past a wide gap between two large boulders—“then you can get hurt.”
“Yes, Luther.” As she walked by the opening in the rocks, an arm wrapped around her neck. She squirmed and tried to scream, but her air was cut off. She stared transfixed at the glistening knife blade pointing at her chest.
“See? I told ya to be alert.” Luther sighed. “Let her go, Redfeather.”
Redfeather loosened his grip, and she spun around to face him. “Do you think that was funny?”
“It’s a good lesson,” Luther said. “I knew he was there. He left clues, but you never noticed them. What if he was a bobcat or a bear? You wouldn’t stand a chance.”
“I don’t care.” She glared at Redfeather, her heart racing out of control. “Don’t you ever do that to me again.”
“It is for your own good,” Redfeather replied. “You will be given many lessons today, Little One. Learn all you can,” he said, then scaled the rocks until he reached a high ledge.
Luther gestured upward. “Well, go on.”
“How? I can’t climb up there. I—”
“Git!” Luther swatted her in the rump with his satchel. “I’ll stay behind to help.”
Michelle placed her boot on the lowest stone and pulled herself up to the next rock. A lock of hair fell in front of her eyes and she tucked it back behind her ear. How was she supposed to climb in her long skirts?
“Keep going,” Luther said.
She climbed the series of rocks, surprised to discover they were laid out like a rough staircase. She stepped across an empty space and stopped. A row of boulders was spread out before her. A large crevasse separated each rock. She looked down and froze. The ground and trees were far below.
“What’s wrong?”
“I can’t get across. I have to go back.”
“It’s only a few feet. Hike up your skirt and step over.”
“I’m not lifting my skirts that high. I don’t—”
“Fine.” Luther walked around her and effortlessly bounded across the rocks. He sat on the ledge next to Redfeather. “Stay down there until you’re ready to join us.”
Redfeather opened his satchel and took out several biscuits and pieces of dried meat. “Now we will eat.”
“What about me?” she asked. “I’m hungry.”
“If you cannot come to the food, you go without,” Redfeather answered.
“But I’m stuck. I can’t get up there.”
Luther bit into a biscuit. “How would you like to make this climb in the dark, when it’s raining, with no moon to go by, and only your memory to keep you from stepping off the cliff?”
“I wouldn’t be dumb enough to come out here in the dark when it’s raining.”
A small stone landed on her shoulder. Michelle craned her head up and saw Redfeather scowling at her. The rock had been a warning. She didn’t want to make him angry, especially after he had pretended to attack her. She knew he could leap off the ledge and land next to her in a flash. Why wouldn’t Luther come down and help her?
“Luther, what if I fall?”
“Then it’ll hurt,” he said, and Redfeather chuckled.
She ignored them. If she stalled long enough, Luther would have to help her. He wouldn’t leave her stranded here. After a few minutes, she heard Redfeather speak.
“We will move on without her. If you coddle her, she will grow weaker, and so will you.”
“You don’t know how stubborn she is.”
“She will not outwait that rock. It is your duty to teach her and guide her.”
Michelle stomped her left foot. “I hear you. Stop talking about me.”
A stone landed near her boot and she snapped her head up. “Stop it, Redfeather.”
“You are a weak, spoiled woman. You are unworthy of our time.” He stood and walked away from the ledge.
Luther rose and followed Redfeather.
“Where are you going? You can’t leave me here. Luther, come back!”
She waited, expecting to see Luther peering over the ledge at her. After several minutes went by, she realized he wasn’t coming back. They were leaving her! “They think this is funny, do they?” she grumbled. “Fine. I’ll show them.”
She hiked her skirt over her knees and made her way out onto the first rock. The jagged stones sloped at odd angles, and she was forced to concentrate on where to step so she wouldn’t slip and fall.
Michelle jumped onto another rock and stood eye-level with the ledge. She boosted herself up, barely getting her upper body and chest over the top of the ledge.
A breeze blew dirt in her face. She cursed and spat dust out of her mouth. Beads of sweat dripped off her forehead and into her eyes. Her boots slipped on the stone beneath her. She cursed and clutched at the sharp rocks, tearing open her hands.
She tried to push herself up onto the ledge, but something had her caught. She glanced over her shoulder and saw her skirt wrapped around a branch. There was no way to free her skirt and hold on at the same time. She grunted and pushed hard. The cloth tore away as she inched herself onto the ledge.
Michelle collapsed face down in the dirt, gasping for breath. She was angry, exhausted, and disheveled, but on the ledge. After a minute, she sat up and wiped her face on her sleeve. She had hoped to see Luther waiting for her nearby, but she was alone.
How could Luther have abandoned her? Why hadn’t they come back for her? She could be dead for all they knew. She had expected this sort of treatment from Redfeather, but not from Luther. He would have helped her if Redfeather hadn’t been here to influence him.
Michelle marched down the trail, cursing under her breath. She came around a bend and spotted the two men a few yards ahead. Her temper flared, and she charged at Redfeather, shoving him hard in the back with both hands. He felt solid, like a tree with hot skin.
“You bastard! You left me stranded.”
In the blink of an eye, Redfeather spun around, grabbed her shoulders and lifted her a foot off the ground. “Shut your mouth, woman.”
Luther bolted to Redfeather’s side. “Redfeather, don’t. She didn’t mean—”
Redfeather shook her like a ragdoll and she squealed. “Remember who you are dealing with. I am not Luther. I will not let you behave like a child.”
Luther clenched Redfeather’s arm. “Put her down. Now.”
Redfeather dropped her to the ground and she landed hard on her backside “Next time I will not be gentle.” He turned to Luther. “You keep this disgrace as a wife? Why?”
“Enough!” Luther threw his satchel to the ground. “I’m not gonna do this.” Luther stood in front of Redfeather. “Don’t you ever lay a hand on her again. I won’t have it.”
“You tell him, Luther. Make sure he—”
Luther glared at her. “And you, what the hell is wrong with you? I ought to let him punish you like you deserve.”
“Send her away. Be rid of her,” Redfeather barked. “She is not the proper wife for you. She is not—”
“Don’t listen to him, Luther. He hates me. He—”
“Shut up.” Luther paced back and forth, alternately glaring at the two of them. “I will not have this. I won’t have you two putting me in the middle. What do you want me to do, Redfeather, rip myself in half?”
Luther pointed at her. “If you don’t like it here and you don’t like Redfeather, then leave. Go back east.”
Luther poked Redfeather in the chest. “And you... You sound like Black Elk. You keep telling me about all the mistakes I made. Don’t forget to remind me that I was a mistake. And now I made a mistake by buying me a white woman. I guess I can’t do anything right, huh? If you wanna complain about my childish wife, fine, go ahead.” Luther’s eyes narrowed. “But don’t hurt her. I won’t stand for violence against her, not even from you.”
Redfeather took a step back. “Luther, your rage is—”
“To hell with my rage.” Luther picked up his satchel. “You know what? I don’t give a damn anymore. I’m tired of fighting. I thought you’d be happy for me, Redfeather. But I messed this up too, didn’t I?”
Luther frowned at her. “I thought getting me a wife would be a good thing. I thought I’d be appreciated for a change. But nope, I got that wrong, too. You don’t care about me one bit.”
He brushed past Redfeather. “As far as I’m concerned, you both can go to hell. I can’t cut myself in half to make either one of you happy. Do whatever you want. Make up and agree to get along, or kill each other,” Luther snapped as he marched down the trail. “I don’t care which.”
* * *
MICHELLE SAT ON THE ground, too stunned to move. Redfeather’s assault had knocked most of the air out of her, but otherwise she was unhurt. Roger would have beaten her senseless if she had dared to shove him.
Redfeather stood staring in the direction Luther had gone. What should she do? Follow Luther? No. It would probably be best to let him cool down. She examined her torn and bleeding hands. They stung, but not as much as Luther’s words. What was all that talk about him cutting himself in half? Who was Black Elk?
Redfeather walked to a large rock and sat down. He gripped the pouch dangling from his neck in his right hand and closed his eyes.
As much as she dreaded it, she had to apologize to Redfeather, if only for Luther’s sake. She rose and stood before him. “Um, Redfeather? I’m... I’m sorry about—”
His eyes snapped open. “On your knees.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Fall to your knees. Show respect. Then I will listen.”
Michelle sank to her knees as she had done so many times when praying in church. “I’m sorry. I’m not sure what... I mean... I didn’t—”
“Speak straight. Talk strong.”
She furrowed her brows. Speak straight? What in the world did that mean? She took a breath and started again. “I’m sorry I pushed you.”
Redfeather grabbed her chin and tilted her head up, forcing her to stare into his eyes. “Say it to me. Do not hide.”
“I’m sorry I pushed you. It was wrong.” She licked her lips and continued. “But it was wrong of you to leave me there.”
“That is how you learn.”
“I’ve never had to learn like that. I don’t know how to do things out here. I need time to adjust. I’m used to living in a town with sidewalks, not climbing up mountains. I was afraid, but Luther’s right, I’m stubborn. I don’t give up. I wouldn’t have made it this far on my own if I was a quitter. Next time, I’ll do better, I promise.” She sighed. “What are we going to do about Luther?”
“We?” He arched an eyebrow. “You are concerned about him? Why?”
“He’s upset. I care for him. He’s been good to me.”
Redfeather shook his head. “You are no wife to him. Go home to your white people.”
“I can be a good wife, but I don’t stand a chance if you keep telling him to send me away.” Her voice cracked. “I don’t want to make him choose between us.” She paused. “Because if he did, he wouldn’t choose me.”
She wiped a tear from her cheek. “I don’t want to go home. I hated it there. It was horrible. No matter what, I’ll never go back.” She sniffled. “For Luther’s sake, I’ll get along with you.”
Redfeather folded his arms across his broad chest. After a moment, he spoke. “A man has no right to touch another man’s wife, no matter how foolish she is. I acted wrong.” He scowled at her. “You are a troublesome female. You annoy me. But for Luther’s sake, I will accept you.”
He gestured for her to stand. “We bind our agreement with a drink.” He opened his canteen and raised it to the sky. “For Luther.” He took a drink of water and handed her the canteen.
She stared at the animal-hide canteen. Redfeather expected her to drink from the same container he did? Back home it would have been unheard of, but she knew it was a test.
“For Luther.” She sipped the cool water and handed the canteen back to Redfeather. “Should we find Luther and tell him we’ve made up?”
“No need.” Redfeather motioned up the trail. “He is watching.”
She turned and saw Luther sitting on a rock several yards away.
“Come.” Redfeather stood. “We will all cool down in the lake.”
* * *
AN HOUR LATER, THEY approached the pebbled edge of a small lake nestled in the woods. The sun reflected off the lapping waves, and she spotted a deer drinking on the far shore. “Do you fish here?” she asked Luther.
“Sometimes,” he answered as he pulled off his boots and socks. “You swim?”
“No.”
Luther handed her his satchel and canteen. “Then go hang these on that tree.” He pointed to an elm tree. She followed his instructions without argument.
A moment later, she heard a splash behind her and turned.
Luther and Redfeather were swimming to the center of the lake. Luther’s breeches and shirt lay next to his boots on the shore. Redfeather’s scrap of clothing rested near the water’s edge. If their clothes were here, then they were—
“What’s the matter?” Luther called out. “You ain’t comin’ in?”
“No.” Her heart pounded with a combination of excitement and nervousness as she walked to the shore.
“Wade in a bit. It ain’t deep,” Luther said, swimming to her.
“Don’t come any closer. I’ll sit over there.”
Michelle sat on a rock at the water’s edge and took off her boots and socks. Her feet were red and blistered. Her delicate brown leather boots were meant for the cobblestoned streets of Kingston, not for hiking in the wilderness. She dipped her feet in the water and swished them around. The lake was cool and inviting. She longed to jump in, but didn’t dare.
Luther swam closer to the shore. “You can come in. Nothing in here will get ya.”
She averted her gaze from Luther’s tanned shoulders. “I can’t. You’re nude.”
He chuckled. “So? I’m your husband. Don’t be shy.” He splashed her skirt, and she giggled. “Git in and cool off.”
She saw Redfeather watching them. “Is he still angry with me? I apologized.”
“I know, and I’m glad. I’m sorry I yelled like that, but I can only take so much. Don’t worry. I’ve got faith in you, Michelle. This’ll work out.”
She bowed her head. How could Luther have faith in her? He didn’t even know her real name. Guilt tore at her. If she confessed the truth about her identity now, maybe Luther wouldn’t turn her away. “Luther, I’m not—”
“I know. You’re not used to the way we do things out here. I understand and I’m willin’ to give you the time you need. After all, it’s only been a few days.”
She pursed her lips. “No, you don’t understand. I shouldn’t be here. I’m not—”
“Don’t talk like that.” He soothed. “You’re my wife and I couldn’t imagine you not being here with me. You’ll settle in, don’t worry. Years from now we’ll tell our grandkids how we used to spat with each other.”
She glanced into Luther’s eyes and her courage faltered. How could she tell him the truth? It would break his heart. The last thing she wanted was to hurt him. “Are you sure?”
“Yep. Now, are you getting in this lake, or not?”
“I suppose a little bit won’t hurt.” She stepped into the lake up to her ankles. The frosty water made her feet tingle. “It’s cold.”
“Come on,” he encouraged.
Michelle waded in up to her waist. The icy water surrounded her legs and buttocks, and she broke out in goose bumps. The bottom of the lake felt muddy and squished between her toes.
“See? It’s not so bad, is it? You should duck under, get your hair wet.”
A loud splash from the center of the lake distracted her. She saw Redfeather staring at something in his hand. He called out to Luther in his Indian language.
“What’s he doing?”
“Not sure. I’ll be back.”
Michelle soaked her torn and scraped hands in the water as Luther swam away. The sun warmed her face, and she listened to the birds chirping in the trees. It was hard to believe she had only been here for three days. For the first time in months, she felt safe and could relax without looking over her shoulder and worrying about Roger finding her.
She watched Luther from the back as he talked to Redfeather. With their long, black hair and tan skin, they looked alike. Luther was handsome in a rugged, woodsy way. He acted very different from the men in Kingston.
What would have happened if she had met him back home under different circumstances? She giggled. Her prim and proper mother would drop dead on the spot if she knew her daughter was in a lake with a naked Indian and a man who thought she was his wife.
She bit her bottom lip. But no matter what Luther thought, she wasn’t really his wife. There was no point in caring if he liked her. She had to stay strong and not let herself be taken in by him. Eventually she would leave, and it would be better for both of them if they stayed detached. But deep in her heart, she feared it was already too late.
* * *
LUTHER SWAM TO THE center of the lake and floated next to Redfeather. He was studying a handful of muck. His mouth was drawn, and his brows were knitted together. “What’s in there?”
“A tooth.” Redfeather held up a yellow-white pointed fang.
“Bear?”
“Yes. I do not like it. It is a bad sign.”
“Why?”
“I asked the Great Spirit to let me know how your woman would pass her test. What she would have to conquer. This was the answer.”
Luther scowled. Everyone faced challenges in life and had obstacles to overcome. He was tested at fourteen. He had been forced to walk along the rocks in the rain at night and had to swim in this lake in the dead of winter. Although he’d hated it, it had made him stronger. He wanted to give Michelle small challenges to prove she could be strong and do things for herself.
He glanced at the shore and watched Michelle wading in the lake. She was smiling and seemed happy. A protective urge washed over him, and he scanned the shoreline, looking for anything unusual lurking in the woods.
He trusted Redfeather’s wisdom, but the sign couldn’t be right. Michelle was a woman, and a grown man couldn’t challenge a bear. “Perhaps it’s a symbol, or intended for another purpose.”
“We could have her dive down,” Redfeather suggested.
“No, she can’t swim. Are you sure about this? How is she supposed to conquer a bear? Maybe it means—”
“I see this upsets you.” Redfeather examined the tooth in his palm. “She has taken a place in your heart.” He gestured in Michelle’s direction. “It would be best—”
“I know you don’t approve, but I’m falling in love with her. She’s staying. Michelle will be fine, you’ll see,” he insisted.
Redfeather shot him a quizzical look. “For her sake, I hope so.”
* * *
“WAKE UP, LITTLE ONE.”
Someone touched her shoulder and she rolled over. “It’s too early to get up.” Michelle felt the nudge again, harder this time, and she opened her eyes.
Redfeather knelt at the side of the bed.
“Where’s Luther?”
“Gone to check his traps. We are alone.”
“Why did you wake me up?”
“To give you this.” He held up a necklace crafted from beads, stones, and leather. A piece of pointed bone dangled from the center.
She opened her mouth to speak, but Redfeather raised his hand. “Hold your tongue. No one learns by talking, and you have much to learn. Listen to Luther and let him teach you. You wish to know about your spirit and heal? The place to start your search is within yourself.”
Redfeather leaned closer and tied the necklace around her neck. “Wear this always. It will give you strength and protection.”
She raised the necklace to study it. “Nobody ever gave me anything like this before. Thank you.”
“I am glad you like it. Be good to Luther, Little One. Treat him well and do all you can for him. He cares for you a great deal.”
“I know. I will be nicer to him.”
Redfeather rose and walked to the door. “Until I return, be well.” He slung his satchel over his shoulder and left the cabin.
Michelle examined the bear and moon carvings on the stones next to the piece of bone. Did the necklace have magical powers? Was Redfeather a mystical shaman who could read minds?
Whoever he was, he was a lot wiser than she had given him credit for. He had seen through her lies and into her soul. What would happen the next time he came to visit? Would he tell Luther what he suspected about her?
