LeClerc 01 - Autumn Ecstasy (32 page)

“Two or three hours?” Linsey and Kaleb exchanged a grin. “You’ve been asleep since yesterday afternoon!”

“Guess I was a little tired.” He petted the animal as they chuckled at his understatement, straightened the bucket and began to milk.

Linsey’s smile was wiped away when it quickly became evident that he could milk the goat with the same expertise Kaleb displayed.

“How come I’m the only one who can’t do it?” she moaned.

“Little gal, I think you’re fergittin’ we’s both farm boys,” Kaleb offered as consolation. “I learnt how ta milk a cow afore I could walk,” he exaggerated.

“Since you’re so good at it, and it’s obvious Bear’s equally as talented, I’ll leave you to it!” She grabbed the baby off the fence post and, ruffling Bear’s hair as she passed him, headed back toward the cabin. “Come on, Squirrel, let’s go make supper!”

Chattering Squirrel followed joyfully. Cooking supper was one of his favorite pastimes. Linsey gave him taste samples and let him play with the various pots and pans. He liked the different sounds they produced when he banged them with a wooden spoon.

The men watched Linsey walk away, then turned back to the goat. The milking was quickly dispensed with and the bucket moved out of harm’s way.

“Where’d you get the goat?” Bear asked.

“Folks settled a couple days south a here. Got a passel a young’uns with ‘nother on the way.” Kaleb shook his head as he thought of the young couple and their children. “Spent the winter in a lean-to half as big as your cabin. Ain’t got but a couple a trees down to start thar house. Lessen he works good, they’s gonna spend next winter in the lean-to.”

Bear’s eyes narrowed. “They good folks?”

“Seem ta be. The missus ain’t no older than your little gal, but them kids was clean as a whistle. The man was quiet-like, but likable.”

“There’s several good building sites not far from here. Think they’d be interested in moving up this way?”

“How about the Shawnee? They’s friends of yours, so they don’t mind ya bein’ here. How they gonna like more neighbors?”

Bear sighed deeply and looked toward the woods. “Wolf talks of moving west. There’s few of the tribe left, and they say the village has bad spirits.”

Kaleb did not respond; nothing needed to be said. He knew how close Bear and Wolf were. The separation would not be easy for either man.

“How about you, Kaleb? Would you be interested in staying around?”

“Now that ya mention hit, thar’s a purty little spot ‘bout a mile from here. Overlooks the creek. Been a’thinkin’ hit’d make a nice spot fer a cabin.”

“Talk to the other people,” Bear said with a nod of satisfaction that the other man chose to stay. “Don’t want a crowd around here, and we might have to start staking land claims. Be better to know who your neighbors are than to wake up to total strangers some morning. If we work at it, we should be able to get both cabins up this summer.”

Kaleb turned his gaze to Bear. “What about the little gal?”

“I’m taking her back as soon as Wolf comes for his sons.”

Chattering Squirrel watched with utter fascination as Bear shaved off his beard. Linsey watched with the same fascination while feeding the baby his morning bottle. Both of his spectators smiled and giggled at his facial contortions, and Bear admitted to himself that he was enjoying their attentions. It reminded him of his own childhood, watching his father shave and wondering why he never cut himself with the sharp razor.

Kaleb had left before sunrise, mysteriously disappearing while Linsey and the children still slept. Bear would only say that Kaleb would be back when he wanted to come back. Linsey felt she owed him so much and had the feeling he’d left only because he knew she and Bear could have no privacy with him and the children in the cabin.

It was true she wanted to be alone with Bear, but not at the cost of hurting Kaleb.

The door was closed against the early morning chill, and as Bear was washing the shaving soap from his face, they heard Wolf.

With all his giggles and smiles, there had been something missing in Chattering Squirrel during his stay. When she saw his face light up at the sound of his father’s voice, Linsey knew what it was. He was happy with Linsey but would only be truly content with his father. She selfishly hoped Wolf had only come to visit with his sons but knew it was time for them to go home.

Chattering Squirrel danced impatiently at the door, waiting for Bear. When it was opened, he threw himself at his father, his chubby arms going around Wolf’s neck squeezing tightly.

Linsey was almost shocked by the change in Wolf’s appearance. He was gaunt, his flesh pulled tightly over his bones. There was no longer any softening in his face, his features hauntingly stark. His eyes reflected the tragedy of his loss, their piercing clarity almost frightening. But he stood proudly, with shoulders back and square chin raised. He was now chief of his people, and their lives depended on him. He carried the added responsibility with a dignity far beyond his years.

“I have come for my sons.”

Linsey’s heart sank to her toes. “Come in, Wolf,” she called quietly. “If you can wait, the baby is just about finished with his morning bottle.”

Bear and Wolf talked while she burped the baby. She laid him on the bed and gathered up his things while the men walked out back to get the goat. Doing as Kaleb had instructed her, she carefully tied the infant in the beaded cradleboard made by his mother.

“You be a good boy,” she whispered through her tears as she tightened the last thong. “Your daddy needs you so badly. You and your brother are the only family he has left.”

The baby’s sparkling eyes looked at her as if he were trying to understand her words. Opening his mouth, he wiggled and squirmed, trying to coo.

When she heard the men return, Linsey kissed his velvet cheek and carried him to the door. Squirrel importantly led the goat, his little hand tightly clutching the rope while the docile animal followed behind him.

Blinking away her tears, Linsey handed the baby to his father, then knelt to hug Chattering Squirrel. Bear carried the children’s things out of the cabin and handed them to Wolf.

“My sister,” Wolf spoke quietly, waiting for Linsey to stand. “You have given my son a name?”

She nodded. “But I don’t know if you’ll approve or not. Morning Moon once told me that Shawnee names have a meaning, but I knew few Shawnee names. One of the English names I did know was Nathan, which means ‘Gift of God.’ “

She hesitated, waiting for Wolf to respond. When he didn’t, she continued. “He was born at sunrise, so for that but mostly for his mother I added Morning. A hawk circled above us that morning we left the village. He seemed to be guarding us and flew away once we reached the cabin. He looked so strong and free, so I chose Hawk.”

“Nathan Morning Hawk.” Wolf said his son’s name in a strong, quiet voice. “Gift of God, taken from his mother at sunrise. The hawk is a mighty hunter with much grace and strength. It is a good name, my sister. I will tell him its meaning often, and perhaps he will decide not to change it.”

He strapped the baby to his back, picked up the bundled blanket and turned toward the trail. Chattering Squirrel followed behind, loudly scolding the goat, which stopped frequently to nibble on the tender new grass.

Bear wrapped his arms around Linsey as they watched the family walk away. When they were out of sight, she buried her face in his shirt.

“I’ll miss them so much!”

“I know, sweet, but right now Wolf needs the security of his sons. It won’t be easy for any of them, but with him as their chief, they will survive and rebuild their lives.”

He turned and led her away from the cabin, toward the creek in the back. It sparkled and bubbled in the morning sunlight, its rippling sounds soothing. He sat beneath a tree, his back against its huge trunk, and pulled her onto his lap. With his lips buried in her hair and her head against his chest, he began to talk quietly.

“It’s time for you to go back to Philadelphia.”

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Linsey pulled away from Bear’s hold and jumped up, walking to the edge of the creek. “Do you ever catch any fish here?”

“You’re changing the subject,
mon ange,”
Bear said quietly.

“I can’t wait for it to get warm enough to bathe in; I’m so tired of lugging water to the cabin for a bath. It certainly was easier when there was snow on the ground and all I had to do was carry it in and melt it.” She knelt and let her fingers drift in the rapidly flowing water. “It’s icy!”

“Spring run-off usually is.” Bear stood and walked up behind her. “You won’t be here when it warms up. By then you’ll be taking baths in your bedroom with maids carrying the water for you.”

Linsey turned and walked away from him. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

“We have to, sweet.” His eyes followed the course of a leaf as it floated on the glittery surface of the water. Bear turned toward Linsey, drinking in the sight of her shapely back. Her head was bent, but her shoulders were held rigidly straight.

“Early next week we’ll leave for Philadelphia. We’ll stop at Big Jim’s trading post so that I can sell my furs, then head east.”

“Have a nice trip.”

“It won’t be an easy trip, but we’ll make it — “

“
You’ll
make it! I’m not going.”

Bear ignored her interruption. “It will probably take close to a month if we walk, but we may be able to catch a boat.”

Linsey turned, her chin raised determinedly. “Bear, I am not going back to Philadelphia. There is nothing back there for me.”

“There is nothing here,” he said softly.

“You’re here!”

“Non, mon ange,”
he replied, shaking his head. “I am not for you. I am a rough man with little education. I speak French only because it was my father’s language. I do not know the social niceties, nor do I want to learn them.”

“What do I care for society or education!” she stormed, her eyes turning the dark shade of shadowed leaves. “I have been to a private woman’s school, but I can’t speak French or Shawnee!”

“You need a man who will love you and give you the protection the city can provide.”

Linsey’s eyes narrowed, and her voice softened to a whisper. “Can you stand there and tell me you don’t love me, Luc LeClerc?”

Bear’s eyes rose to above her head, and he had to clear his throat before he could speak. “I have never said that I loved you.”

“Haven’t you?” Linsey moved closer to him until he could feel her warm breath at the opening of his shirt. She let her hands rest against his chest, lightly stroking him through the cloth. “Look at me and tell me you’re taking me back because you don’t love me.”

Bear looked down at her. He saw her vibrant red hair and high forehead, her upturned nose with its powdering of freckles and her stubborn jaw. He saw the pleading in her eyes and closed his heart against it.

“I am taking you back because I love you.”

“That doesn’t make a whole lot of sense,” she whispered softly. “I didn’t know I could love someone the way I love you. I want to spend my life with you, wake up beside you every morning, sleep in your arms every night.”

He pulled her against him and felt every supple line of her body meshing and blending with the hard contours of his own. His heart seemed a lead weight as he thought of the rest of his life without her.

“You must go back, my love.”

“Why? Give me one good reason, and I’ll go without further question.”

“You are not safe here.”

Linsey smiled softly, rubbing her cheek against his chest. “I don’t know any place on earth where I’d be safer than I am right now.”

“Linsey.” He held her away from him and looked deeply into her eyes. “Think of the things that have happened since you’ve been here. First you were kidnapped.”

“If you’ll remember correctly, I was kidnapped in the city you seem to think is so safe!”

“Then sold!” he continued, ignoring her interruption.

“How lucky for us Kaleb bought me…

“You almost froze to death.”

“Bet I can light a fire as fast as you can … besides, it’s nearly summer, and you won’t have to worry about me freezing anymore.”

“Zeke broke in, and God alone knows what would have happened if Wolf hadn’t been there in time.”

“Don’t have to worry about Zeke anymore; Wolf took care of him.” Her eyes twinkled, knowing she was matching him disagreement for disagreement.

“The measles … “

“No danger, had them years ago.”

“Small Dog-“

“Measles got him. … “

Bear started to feel irritated. She was taking the dangers too lightly. “You’ll go back because I want you to go back!”

“Do you love me?” she asked softly.

“Yes!” he replied through gritted teeth.

“Then I stay.”

“You go!”

Linsey pushed against his chest, knocking him off balance. She placed her hands on her hips and narrowed her gaze.