It was she.
At the mere thought of her approach, Black Eagle could feel his heartbeat lighten, then speed. Unfortunately for him, simply watching her caused his blood to pool in the region of his groin. And like a lad of sixteen, he was ready for her.
But he was a man, not a lad, and as a man should when passion is uncalled for, he curbed his body’s inclination. Truth be told, he fully expected her to be upset with him. After all, he had missed his opportunity to inform her of his role, and it took no genius to realize she was going to be less than pleased when she discovered he was her scout.
It did him little good now to proffer the justification that he had thought she would still be with him when he had awakened this morning. Unquestionably, he should have told her who he was and what part he was to play in her life as soon as passion had risen between them.
He grimaced, shook his head and sighed, watching the beauty’s approach with an adoration he could not suppress, prizing the way she moved, the manner in which she dressed, the motion of the wispy hairs fluttering back as her auburn tresses danced against the wind. Her dress was flattering to her skin, being the ivory color of the palest sunrise, with the sides of the skirt flaring out in the style the English seemed to favor. That it caused her waist to appear as though he could span it with one hand was a fascinating illusion. Haplessly for him, it brought back to mind the delicate treasures that lay hidden beneath her gown.
“Oh, Grandmother,” he whispered aloud. “I am in trouble.”
Perhaps he could keep her angry with him. For she would be more than a little unhappy when she discovered who he really was. Especially in light of the fact she had clearly meant to never see him again.
Could he keep her at arm’s length by courting the anger of her tongue? Once again, he breathed out deeply. He would try. He didn’t like it, but he would have to do it. It was either that or…
As he stood in the shadows admiring her approach, he decided he would wait before announcing himself openly. And though he appreciated every fluid movement of her body, he braced himself for the coming skirmish, welcoming it.
“Scout! Where are you?”
Black Eagle frowned. Her tone of voice was harsh, and she hadn’t even seen him yet. All the better for his cause, but it did propel him to wonder if there was another problem.
He didn’t step out of the shadows, which hid him from her view. But he did respond, saying, “I am here.”
“Where? I do not see you.”
“I am here by the horses,” he said in perfect English, though his voice was barely over a whisper and indistinct.
She glanced in his direction, and so great was her beauty, it was all he could do to keep himself from overly staring at her.
“Oh, there you are. I see you now, but only your shadow. Could you please step out of the dark so that I might look at the man I am speaking to?”
He stayed where he was, but she didn’t comment. Instead, she stepped toward him. “Scout, you have taken much upon yourself by denying mine and my maid’s clothing and articles to be packed on the horses. I insist you allow my servants to load these things at once.”
Ah, so that was her distress. He shook his head sadly as he realized this was the perfect time to fuel the anger already within her. He stated flatly, without explaining, “I cannot allow it.”
“You! You cannot allow it? And who are you to dictate to me what I can and cannot do? What I can and cannot take on this journey?”
Why did she have to radiate warmth and beauty, even in anger? “I am your scout,” he answered. “I am also the defender of this party. Your things will be in the way. Therefore they stay here. I have said so.”
Her eyes flashed, her color deepened. “You have said so? I beg your pardon. You have no authority to even have an opinion on this matter.”
Unconsciously, he drew his brows together. “All creatures have a right to an opinion. The Creator has made it so, and not all the earthly authority of the English can make this different, since only He, the Creator, can take that right away.”
She shivered slightly, so great was her wrath. “Do not lecture me. I am not talking about rights. I am discussing what is to be taken on this trip. What gives you the authority to dictate to me? Why, you know nothing about me or my maid. You know not how long we intend to be gone and why each and every item we choose to bring is important. Therefore, you will interfere in this no more, and you will cease harassing my servants in this regard, thank you very much.” Picking up the ends of her dress, she turned to leave.
“I disagree.”
She stopped and spun back around. “You disagree?”
“I do. I am your scout. As such I have the authority to do exactly as I am doing.”
She breathed out heavily. “You have been hired, scout, to lead us. No more. What we seek to bring is not within your realm to adjudicate. Indeed, you have no authority in this matter. Understand, please, that your duty on this journey is to obey me.”
“I still disagree.”
“You cannot disagree. You are a servant. Our servant.”
“I am a servant to no man and no woman, and since you cannot find your way through the forest without me, what I say stands.”
That he was frustrating her was evident, for she folded her arms over her chest and frowned at the place where he still lingered, the shadows still hiding his identity. “Perhaps you are confused. Is it not you, then, who has been hired to lead us east to the New Hampshire settlements?”
“It is I.”
“Do you not realize that by agreeing to do this, you have become my servant?”
“Have I? Did anyone say this to me? Did I openly assent to be your servant? No. Therefore, I disagree.”
She sighed. “Understand me. It is a part of the agreement between servant and master that when you are hired, you are beholden to the one who hired you.”
“I am beholden to none, and so long as I am scout for this party, I will continue to agree or disagree and will say what I think at my leisure regardless of what you or any man says.”
She bemoaned and glared in the direction where he stood. “Who do you think you are?”
“I am your guide.”
“Obviously, but I meant…” She paused without finishing her line of thought. “Who hired you? Thompson?”
“It is so.”
“Ah! That explains it. Perhaps you little understand that I hired Thompson. Therefore, I could unhire you,” she threatened.
He nodded, although he doubted she could see the movement. “You have that choice.”
“And I shall exercise that choice as soon as Richard Thompson arrives. In the meanwhile, you will cease being a nuisance to my servants as they load my dresses and toiletries onto the animals.”
“I cannot do that. I will not do that.” He took a step forward, coming for the first time into the soft, flickering light of the stables. “It is dangerous to take so many things on a journey such as this. Are you not aware of that?”
“No, and I—” She became suddenly cognizant of him, and as she stared at him, her lips were still parted from whatever else she had been about to say.
He well understood her plight, for she had not recognized him by his voice alone. Indeed, she was as shocked as he had feared, had hoped she might be. But seeing her now, as she glared at him in confusion, he realized he had been wrong to strengthen her distress. To reduce the edge of the surprise he had caused, he proffered, “I told you we would meet each other again. Perhaps I should have spoken more plainly on this matter before…”
At first nothing happened; she merely gaped at him. Then her eyes widened, and her expression became set. “You!” she said at last. “You!” she stated again, as though she could not believe what her eyes were telling her. She took a step away from him. “You are to be our guide?”
“I am.”
“And you knew this when you and I…? When…?”
“I fear that I did.”
“Of course, you said as much to me. I remember it now. It is only that I didn’t realize…” She took a few more steps backward. “Why did you not tell me plainly so that I understood?”
“It was wrong of me not to do so.”
“Indeed, it was.” She spun around so her back was to him, and she paced several more steps away. “This changes things.”
“It should change nothing.”
“No, I am sorry, but it changes much. You cannot possibly lead us…” She paused as an emotion he could not interpret shook her body. Then, almost to herself, she muttered, “And yet you must lead us, since there is no time to hire another.” She turned her face to the side, looking at him from over her shoulder. He was struck by the beauty of her simple profile. So captivating was she that he could think of nothing to say. But it was unnecessary, for she continued, “Had I known that you…that we…that…” She sighed. “Had I known that it was you who had been hired to lead us, I would never have come to you. I would never have…”
He paused, awaiting her next words, when she said, “As soon as Richard Thompson arrives, I will tell him that you cannot possibly lead our party. Indeed, he will have to take us on this route alone.”
“Why?”
“I should think that would be obvious.”
“It is unwise to trust your safety to only Thompson. If you do, then you will only have one man to defend you on your journey, and this at a time when there is a war waging over this land. It’s unwise. Besides, there are few white men who know of the safe paths that run through the eastern woods.”
“I am certain that he knows them well enough.”
“To lead you through enemy country, in such a way that you might arrive with your life still intact?”
“Yes. I’m certain he’s more than qualified.”
“Qualifications mean nothing to a war party.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“What you need is manpower. If you take only Thompson, it could kill you because there is only one to defend you.”
She seemed not to hear him. Instead, she began to pace forward, then as though she were unaware of making the movement she paced back, then forward again, back, repeated over and over. He watched her, fascinated.
“Dear Lord,” she mumbled after a time. “This is a terrible turn for what has already been an agonizing morning.”
“Has something else happened?”
“Yes. I was missed last night, and I’m afraid my guardian, my step-uncle, is set to dismiss me and my maid out of hand, without so much as a kind word in farewell.”
“I am sorry.”
“Are you?”
“I am, truly.” He took a step forward, into the line of her pacing.
She skirted around him. “I find that hard to believe.”
“Why?”
“Because you should have told me about yourself. To not do so is a matter of dishonesty, isn’t it? You should have given me the opportunity to think clearly with all the facts available to me.”
“I was going to tell you afterward, but you left.” He hesitated. “Why did you leave?”
“Because I had other matters to attend to,” she said, her pacing growing faster. “And because I never intended to…”
He arched a brow at her. “To see me again…”
She stopped suddenly in her tracks, and she turned, presenting him with her back. “I told you as much. So don’t tell it to me now as if you didn’t know. Oh, what am I to do? I must leave, and yet now I cannot.”
“Why must you leave? If you are experiencing trouble with your family, stay and settle whatever is wrong between you before you depart. I have a duty elsewhere, and when I return, I will guide you then.”
“No, you don’t understand. I have to go now. Something else has happened that makes this imperative.”
He pulled a face. “What else has happened?”
“I cannot speak of it. Know only that we, my maid and I, must leave, and as soon as possible. What a predicament. We need a scout and yet I cannot possibly travel with you after…after…” Her voice broke.
“Is it that you feel I will admire you too greatly?”
She didn’t answer.
“Or do you think I might seduce you?”
“No, it is that… Well, maybe.” She bent her head.
He took a few more steps, coming up behind her, and despite their cross words to each other, it was all he could do to keep his hands to himself. “And if I promise not to seduce you?”
“Can you keep that promise?”
“It would be a difficult task, I admit, but if I give you my word, I will not break it—at least not until you release me from my oath.”
“And you think I might release you from it?”
“I can hope, for it would not be an easy troth to keep.”
As if to give emphasis to the fact, he stretched out a hand to press his fingers over her nape. Nor did it bode well for him that she practically melted beneath his touch. He swallowed hard. “Usually when two people feel as we do, they marry. But we cannot. We have already agreed on that. Perhaps this could be the beginning of an unusual friendship. Friends, yet more…”
She sighed. “Please. We keep leaving the subject that is uppermost in my mind. We must leave here at once and begin our journey with the belongings that my maid and I will need.”
“You do not need these possessions. They will only hamper us.”
“I will not bend on this.”
“Nor will I.”
She sighed. “We must leave. And we must leave as I have said…without you. Oh, I wish there were time to hire another—”
“To ease your mind, I have said I will give you my word to keep away from you as much as possible.”
“I’m not certain I would trust your word.” She eyed him suspiciously. “Let us speak plainly. If we were to be friends…and more, as you say, and I allowed you to lead us, do you mean to say that we could be friends and lovers? Without marriage?”
He swallowed hard. Yes, that was what he’d meant, but he hesitated to say it plainly, because put like that it seemed cold-hearted. So he uttered, “A man can always hope.”
“And if we were to do that, what of children? They would be born out of wedlock.”
He paused. “There are ways of ensuring that you do not conceive. If that would ever be what you wanted, we would have to be careful.”
She closed her eyes and shook her head. “It is impossible.”
“Yes, almost.”
“I am willing to be friends. No more. Is that clear? Friends only. If I would allow you to lead us, there will not be anything else but friendship between us from this point forward.”
He didn’t speak. Did she realize she was issuing him a challenge?
“But I am uncertain it is wise to spend more time in your company. And so I find myself in the unlucky position of having to inquire of you if you know of another who might be willing to lead us.”
He shook his head. “If you must go today, then there is no one else to take you but me. I could ask my people if there is another who could do it, as you suggest. But know this. It is already the end of the Harvest Moon. Soon the Falling Moon and the Hunting Moon will be upon this land, and no Mohawk will wish to be away from his people when he should be hunting food for the coming winter.”
She hunched her shoulders, and he went on to say, “Besides, I would be close to you, if possible. It is a difficult and dangerous journey you are seeking to make, made more so by the war which has come to this country. I would see that you would be safe until you arrive at your destination.”
Still she remained silent, her head bowed.
He proffered, “I offer you my oath again to not seduce you, unless you wish such devotion from me and release me from it.”
“No, you still don’t understand. It is not you I fear. It is myself. You might remember that it is I who lured you.”
He was amazed she would admit the fact, since it showed a weakness. Sadly his admiration for her increased because of the concession. “I do believe that it took both of us to make love. Still, if that be the case and you feel you cannot trust yourself, then I will have to beware of you, also.” He wanted to smile, but he knew he dared not.
“Yes, I suppose you would.”
He nodded.
“And were we to journey together, I would also like to bring more of my things than what you are allowing.”
He shook his head. “Nature will provide all you will ever need. To take more than this could prove to be a disaster. As it is, I am not in favor of bringing the horses—they are too easy to track. Take only what you alone can carry.”
“You would have me walk, then?”
“It is the safest way to travel through the woods. Perhaps we will be able to go by canoe from time to time. But to do otherwise is to court trouble. I would have you safe.”
She sighed, and he took the few necessary steps to close the distance between them. Reaching out, he gathered her into his arms. “Come, let us forget our disagreements and share one more kiss before you accept my oath for good.” He placed a hand around her waist at her back and drew her close.
“This is madness.” She backed out of his embrace.
But he was not to be put aside so easily. He followed her and took her in his arms once more, and when she provided no resistance, his body reacted in the age-old male way. At first he held her; he simply held her. And then he kissed her, his lips, his tongue tasting hers. She swayed in toward him, and she kissed him back with all the passion he desired.
Oh, that she weren’t English. He pulled her in close to him, close enough so that he knew she could feel his swollen member. And then he sighed. Enough.
Bringing his lips to her ear, he kissed her there, then whispered, “And so begins my troth. Go collect your belongings. Bring only what you can easily carry. Though one might hope that it will never be, there may yet come a time when you will be glad to have brought so little. Let us leave here at once.”
She sighed. “You are certainly a unique man. Perhaps the most unusual man I have ever known.”
“I am not unusual.”
“I beg to disagree. Here I have come to you to either persuade you into doing my bidding or to fire you, and instead I find myself persuaded.”
“Persuaded to be friends, and more?”
She shook her head. “No, but I will let you lead our party. Especially since I feel you are right about Thompson. He might only get us thoroughly lost.”
“Indeed. It has long been an observation amongst my people that without a Mohawk by their side, the English are as lost in the forest as a child. I would have one more kiss before you go.”
“Yes,” she said, and he did not hesitate to provide her with what they both wanted.
It was several minutes later before he set her from him. “Go now, Ahweyoh. Get your things. I am prepared to leave here at once.”
“Ahweyoh?”
“It is what I have decided to call you. It is a good name, and someday I will tell you a story about Ahweyoh, for the two of you have much in common, I think.”
“Ahweyoh,” she repeated. “What does it mean?”
“Water Lily.”
As her light brown eyes sought his own, she smiled. It was endearing, especially when she proceeded to do the unexpected. She did exactly as he said.