Chapter 15 #2
Without warning, Swift Hawk sat down beside her, and peeking sideways, she caught a glimpse of a naked thigh, there where breechcloth and leggings did not meet. Her pulse jumped at the sight, and quickly she turned her head.
Perhaps she might be a little friendlier, she thought. But why?
Fact was, she was homesick, and she was yearning for conversation, for this was a caravan made up mostly of merchants, men she could hardly speak with. On the face of it, she had Mr. Hudson’s children and his mother to talk to. But that wasn’t quite the same thing.
Additionally, though Angelia was committed to telling Swift Hawk what she must, she was bothered that the man was all but ignoring her. In fact, this was so much the case, she was beginning to believe she was worrying over their encounter for nothing.
Angelia tried to remain silent. But when several more minutes drifted by and Swift Hawk sat there, not uttering a word, Angelia found herself saying, “Where are your friends?”
“Red Fox is watching your brother while your brother is busy tracking someone who is following him.”
This was rather alarming news, and Angelia sat up a little straighter. “There is someone following my brother?”
Swift Hawk nodded.
“Who is it, do you know?”
Another nod from Swift Hawk.
“Will you tell me who it is?”
“It is someone you know.”
Angelia gave Swift Hawk a sly glance. “Hey, what is this? A quiz?”
“What is this word, ‘quiz’?”
“Never mind. Does Julian know who it is that tracks him?”
“No, it is this that your brother is determined to discover.”
“I see. But you do know this person’s identity?”
“I do.”
“And that is…?”
“If I tell you, you will find your brother and inform him of all that I have said. And then Red Fox and I will miss the fun.”
“Fun? Do you realize that this could be serious? And I hardly think that someone tailing my brother is fun.”
“Saaaa. That is where you are wrong. Laughter is good for the spirit, and this is, indeed, a fine joke. Even you would find it so.”
“I hardly think so.” Angelia came up onto her knees so that she could lean forward over Swift Hawk’s reposing body. “I don’t believe this. How can you be poking fun at Julian, when he might be in danger?”
“Very easily, I think. And we do not poke fun at him. But we do think that what he is doing is humorous. There is a difference. Now, do you wish to see this danger that follows him?”
“You would take me there?”
Swift Hawk nodded, and turning around, he pointed toward a ridge that sat perhaps a half mile away.
Angelia shielded her eyes, gazing toward the spot. “That’s where Julian is?”
“Haa’he.”
“Well, it’s not too terribly far away, is it?
If he’s that close by, surely there won’t be any trouble that—” Angelia paused.
Was it possible that the bounty hunters were here?
She hadn’t received any accounts of them, but maybe they worked in secret.
She sat back on her heels. “Perhaps you had better take me there, after all. Wait a moment while I awaken Pierre that he might accompany us.”
“Pierre?” Swift Hawk frowned at her. “There is no need to bring Pierre.”
“Yes, there is. I can’t be going off alone with you somewhere. We’ll be seen, and that will cause trouble.”
“It caused no trouble last time we were together.”
“I don’t know if that’s true,” she said, reflecting upon it. “It might have. But no matter. Wait here, and I’ll wake up Pierre.” She made to rise, but Swift Hawk placed his hand over hers and kept her seated.
“Do not worry. There is no need to bring Pierre.” He stared at her, and in his eyes, Angelia thought she saw a spark of…laughter? “After all, what trouble could there be, since a man and his wife are often seen alone together?”
Angelia wasn’t certain she had heard Swift Hawk correctly. “What was that again?”
He shrugged. “What?”
“What you just said.”
He gave her a perfectly innocent look and repeated, “Your brother is over by that ridge, trying to discover who trails him.”
“No, not that—that other thing.”
“You mean about my wife and I being alone?”
“That’s it. That’s the one. Your wife? You have a wife?” she asked, feeling more than a little confused.
He said, “Certainly I have a wife.”
She sent him a sideways scowl. “I don’t believe you. Where is this person?”
He grinned. “Right here beside me.”
“Wait a minute. How can I be your wife?”
“Very easily, I think.”
Angelia sat for a moment, dazed. How could this be? On one hand, she was cheered that Swift Hawk was, indeed, very much interested in her. On the other hand, she realized she should have been worrying less and practicing more of exactly what she should say to this man.
Was this what he’d meant when he’d said they belonged to one another? Marriage?
Aloud, she said, “Swift Hawk, have I missed something? I don’t remember a marriage ceremony between us.”
Swift Hawk frowned. “You do not remember? And yet recalling those moments we spent together is forever here.” He pointed to his head, and then to his heart.
“Moments? What are you talking about?”
“You do not remember.” He tsk-tsked.
Angelia grimaced, placing a hand on her forehead, as if to ease the spinning sensation. “There must be something here I don’t understand, because I don’t recall a thing.”
“Ah, then I should refresh your memory. But…surely you do not wish me to do this…” he made a mock glance around him, “…where others might overhear us, or see us.”
“Swift Hawk, please. Be serious.”
“I am.”
She shook her head. “Have you gone crazy?”
“Perhaps, for my wife treats me as though I am nothing more to her than a…” he drew his brows together, looking for all the world as if he were in deep thought, “…friend.”
“You are a friend.”
“Haa’he, that I am…plus more. Now, I have something else to tell you, and for a moment, I would ask that we forget all this, switch our duties and I will be a teacher and you will be my pupil.”
“Why?” she asked, still feeling bewildered and having difficulty following his line of thought.
“Because I have a problem in mathematics for you.”
“Swift Hawk, please, we are not doing our lessons now. We are having a discussion about…about…”
Swift Hawk shrugged. “All right. If you do not wish to hear this problem, I will not bore you with it.”
Angelia blew out her breath. “Very well. Tell me.”
“No, I do not wish to disturb you with it…at least not now.”
She sighed heavily. “I’m sorry, all right?
I… It’s only that you’ve said some things that have…
surprised me, things I don’t understand, and frankly, you’re speaking about a subject that must be discussed by us in greater detail.
But by all means, let me hear this problem that you have with mathematics first.”
He ignored the sarcasm in her voice and gave her a look that could have been innocent, but it wasn’t. Before she could decide what he was up to, he said, “Tell me, what is the result when you add a man, a woman, and a morning spent together in each other’s arms?”
“Shh. Swift Hawk. What are you doing? Say that quietly.”
“Very well.” Lowering his voice, he whispered, “What do you get when you add—”
“I heard you the first time. Swift Hawk, really, it…it…wasn’t like that… It was…” She stopped, for she seemed incapable of uttering another word.
Now was the time. Now she should tell him.
Angelia opened her mouth to speak, took a deep breath, then held it. How in the name of good heaven could she begin?
She shut her mouth, thinking, summoning her nerve to say what must be said.
Swift Hawk leaned in toward her. “Ah, I can see that you understand. Now you must observe that all of these things, added together, equals a marriage, does it not?”
“No, it—” Angelia shook her head, exhaling sharply.
“It does not equal marriage. There was no ceremony.” She said every word distinctively.
“But let’s not quibble. Not now. Not here, where we might be overhead.
Besides, we forget that Julian might be in trouble.
Now, if you would be so kind as to lead me to my brother, I would be much beholden. ”
“How beholden?”
Angelia rolled her eyes. “Please, will you take me to him?”
“Yes, my wife,” said Swift Hawk seriously, though she could have sworn that a corner of his mouth lifted upward in a smile. “Truly, my wife, I will do anything you say.”
“Please, if you must say that, say it softly.”
“Very well.” Leaning up onto his elbows, Swift Hawk spoke quietly, for her ears alone, “Yes, my wife. I am yours to command, my wife.”
Angelia raised an eyebrow. “You are mine to command?”
“It is so.”
“Good. Then I command you not to speak to me of this again.”
Smiling, Swift Hawk inclined his head. “Very well. I will show you instead how eager I am to please you.” He held out a hand toward her.
Angelia rolled away. “Swift Hawk!” she uttered sharply, under her breath. “Stop this at once. Just…just take me to my brother.”
“Yes, my wife. Anything you say, my wife.”
Angelia frowned at him, but this time she didn’t say a word. Arising, she found Swift Hawk doing the same, coming easily onto his feet, and with a gesture of his hand, he made her to understand that she was to follow him.
Terrific.
He intended to lead her across a field, one that stretched out in front of the wagons, where every eye within the caravan could see them.
Angelia blew out a breath. This was not good. No, this was not good, at all.
But somehow, in some way, she would think up something to explain away why she was with Swift Hawk.
What that might be she didn’t know, but she would think of something. And Lord knows, it had better be good.