Chapter 10 #3
“And this is exactly the problem,” she said, her gaze at him serious.
“I thank you kindly for your offer, but I feel I must decline. I think, if I return to the Minnetaree village now, I have the chance to arrive in St. Louis within the month, because we would travel by boat. From there I would be able to hire a ship returning to England and be home in the shortest time possible. This is important to me.”
He simply looked at her.
She added, “It is very important to me.”
For the first time, it became real to Grey Coyote that this, indeed, might be their last time together. If he could not convince her to go with him—and it appeared he might not be able to do so—they would have to part here tonight.
She continued to speak, “In truth, we are not far from the Minnetaree village, are we? It is possible I could make it back there on my own, is it not? Particularly if I travel by night? You could show me how.”
Grey Coyote considered his choices while he hesitated, then said, “It is possible, but—”
“Then you must agree you have no other choice but to let me go. Honestly, in my mind, you are under no responsibility to me. In a way, I was forced on you. And you have been a gentleman about it. But the time has come for you to let me go.”
Grey Coyote tilted his head, staring at her intently.
“Please, Mr. Coyote. I am pleading. We traveled here safely enough, and out in the open. I have been in this country long enough now so that I think I can return there without a problem.”
He frowned. “It is possible…”
She swallowed hard and touched him.
It was true that his buckskin shirt stood between his bare skin and her fingers, but it didn’t matter. Her mere touch brought him excitement.
But, she was speaking, and she said, “Let me take some of this food we have prepared, and… It’s only a few days’ journey, isn’t it?”
He took hold of her hand, bending down to touch his lips to each finger. “Perhaps three.”
She sucked in her breath, but if her response was because of his kisses or due to what he said, he might never know. The look in her eyes, however, softened. “Only three?” She stared straight up at him. “If this is so, then I truly think I can make this journey alone.”
He grimaced, squeezing her hand. “I do not like it.”
“I know. But you will let me go, won’t you? You are now aware of how much I have at stake. I have to try.”
At length, he finally conceded her point. “Hokake, you may go, but only once I have shown you how to travel at night.”
She let out her breath. “I will learn. I will learn quickly. Thank you.”
He nodded. “It is decided, then. I will whistle for my pony, for he has probably not gone far, and we will load him with provisions for you. Then I will show you what to do when you travel. But you must give me your complete attention.”
“I will.” She smiled and chuckled, though the sound of it did border on a sob. “Thank you again, Grey Coyote. You won’t regret it. After all, you’ll be free of me, free to go your own way, without having to worry about me.”
He inclined his head, but only slightly, and he wondered if his eyes mirrored the sadness he felt. After a moment, he said, “Hau, I will be free…”
Grey Coyote stared at her, committing her features to mind.
However, there was little more he could do to keep her with him, for she didn’t really belong to him. Thus, dropping her hand, he stepped away from her. “Ito, come, Little Sunset, let us prepare you for this journey.”
“Little Sunset?” Her look at him was intense and a bit somber. Breaking eye contact, she asked, “It is my Indian name?”
“Hau. You have an Indian name now. It will be with you always.”
“Thank you. I will treasure the name for as long as I live.” After a short pause, she gazed back at him. “I have another name, as well. An English name. I think you should know it.”
“Hau, yes. I agree.”
“Funny,” she said.
“Funny?”
“Yes, it’s odd that I haven’t seen fit to tell you my real name. We have been so close, one would think I would have said something about it before now. It’s…strange.”
He inclined his head.
“Marietta. My English name is Marietta.”
He frowned. Marietta? He had heard this name before. But where? When?
All at once, he felt odd, as though he were not a part of his body. A peculiar feeling swept over him. The name was connected with his tribe somehow, with him, with his mission…
“Do you not like my name?”
Grey Coyote’s throat constricted, and he chose not to answer, calling back to mind the exact memory. It had been in the Minnetaree village, and he…
He could barely believe it. He had been with this woman for days, and he hadn’t known who she truly was. He hadn’t put the pieces together.
But he recalled every single part of that puzzle now. It had been evening, he had been preparing to leave, and the wind had whispered to him. It had spoken to him, had called out this name. He had ignored the message at the time, and apparently, he had done so at his own risk.
The woman, it had said. The woman, Marietta. She is the means.
He was a fool not to have realized it sooner. This woman had something to do with him, with his people, with the riddle, with their freedom.
And he had almost let her go.
“Please don’t scowl at me like you are doing.” Marietta leaned in toward him. “It’s a pretty name. Of course my full name is Maria Marietta Welsford. Can you not say it? At least once?”
“Marietta,” he repeated softly. “Marietta.”
He stared at her hard, very hard, because she was about to become very upset with him. And he was going to have to proof himself against her wrath.
He only hoped that when it was all over, she would forgive him.