Forbidden Legacy (Historical Christian Romance)

by Barbara Goss

  "Storm forbade me to say anything!"

  "Storm knows, too?"

  "I didn't tell him," Dawn assured her. "Wilson did. They were close, and he wanted Storm to know he was his only true offspring."

  "But Storm could have used that against me!"

  "Storm said the Lord would take care of it and that it would not be right to use such a personal matter for material gain."

  Sarah's heart swelled with love for Storm. "You both knew I wasn't Wilson's granddaughter?" Sarah asked in astonishment. "But you realize I can't keep quiet about the will we found any longer. Dawn, Storm trusts me! He's so good. I can't deceive him! I love him. What am I to do?"

  Dawn remained adamant. "If you love him, keep the secret. Why chase him into Little Bird's clutches? Besides, I may have something to help win our case."

  As Sarah's face brightened Dawn continued, "Don't get excited. It may be nothing. It's just a hunch, and I can't say until I know more. I need time."

  Sarah's spirit sank. "Something we have little of, by the looks of Little Bird."

  As they strolled back toward the house Sarah touched Dawn's arm lightly. "Dawn, may I ask you a personal question?"

  The Indian woman nodded with a gentle, motherly smile.

  "Doesn't it upset you that your husband got – did— I mean…" Sarah faltered.

  "Fathered Little Bird's child? No. Because I insisted. It's all my fault," Dawn admitted sadly.

  "You? But why?"

  "This may be hard for you to understand, but growing up as a Comanche, my father had three wives, yet we had a good family life. My mother lived with the other wives happily. They loved one another. Storm and his Bible say I'm wrong, and I have begun to see that is true. But then I felt it unnatural for Wilson to deprive me of the fellowship and help of other wives.

  "Wilson felt as Storm does; we fought about this for years. Although our marriage was only recognized among the Indians, Wilson said we were married before the eyes of God, and that was good enough for him. He never took another wife, so I had no 'sisters' and no help with the chores. At that time we had only Rosa.

  "So when Little Bird confessed that Wilson had fathered her child, I assumed he had finally been persuaded to take another wife. But I never thought he would skip the ceremony or not tell me about it. I guess he just didn't understand Indian customs."

  Sarah shook her head. "But weren't you jealous? I couldn't stand the thought of Storm with another woman—that's why I must leave before the wedding."

  "If you had lived with this custom, you wouldn't feel that way." Dawn turned around to look at Snakebite, who followed behind at a distance, rolling his eyes and sighing loudly. "We're walking too slowly for your chaperon; he's becoming impatient."

  They both laughed at Snakebite's restlessness but increased their pace until they reached the house. Sarah asked, "Was Wilson as close to God as Storm is?"

  "No, not as close as Storm. He often seemed interested and encouraged Storm but didn't get deeply involved with God until shortly before he died."

  "And you? Have you God's Spirit within you?" Sarah asked hopefully.

  Dawn's face glowed and her eyes glimmered. "Yes, Wilson, Storm, and I prayed together while he lay on his deathbed. He died happy, and while I miss him, I never grieve, because the Book assures me Wilson is with God."

  Dawn smiled, "I'm trying to learn everything about White man’s God and His Book, but it's hard for me because of my heritage. It's so very different."

  "I'm learning the Bible, too. We can work on it together. Every day we'll read and study." Sarah returned to the subject troubling her. "But I don't know how much longer I can keep the will from Storm."

  "Give me a week, Sarah. I need more time."

  Sarah agreed.

  "Little Bird," began Sarah a few days later at breakfast, "why do you appear fearful whenever I speak of the baby's birth?"

  Little Bird tensed, pushing her unfinished breakfast plate away.

  "There, you're doing it now!"

  "She's afraid of childbirth," Dawn said, coming to the table and pouring herself coffee. "Her own mother died having her and Black Feather; they were twins."

  The mother-to-be's eyes reflected unadulterated fear.

  Sarah took Little Bird's hand. "Is that true, are you frightened of childbirth?" she asked tenderly.

  Little Bird, teary eyed, nodded.

  "Dawn and I are here and will do everything possible to see that nothing happens to you or the baby. If it will make you feel better, perhaps we could find a doctor." Sarah looked at Dawn hesitantly.

  Dawn shook her head. "The nearest one is twenty miles away and refuses to treat Indians."

  "Why?" Sarah asked indignantly.

  Dawn hesitated. "His family was killed by Indians fifteen or twenty years ago."

  "I guess that would explain why."

  Little Bird spoke for the first time. "You must do something for me." She looked at Sarah pleadingly. "Black Feather promised to bring someone to help birth baby. Now that crew searches for Black Feather, he can't bring Comanche midwife. Take Little Bird to meet Black Feather. He promise to bring midwife to meeting place. If I have this woman, I will not be afraid."

  Sarah and Dawn exchanged looks. "I don't know, Little Bird. I'm being guarded from Black Feather. He hasn't been exactly friendly to me."

  "That is because I not yet tell him you are friend. I will do this if you go with me."

  "Why haven't you told him?" Sarah asked.

  "Wasn't sure if friendship was real. If you go with Little Bird, I will know you're friend for sure."

  "Why do you need me along? You've been meeting your brother alone for weeks."

  Little Bird blinked blankly at Sarah—the only sign of surprise that her trips had been noticed.

  "I want brother to see you are friend and feel scared baby might come. Must not be alone anymore till baby come."

  "What do you think, Dawn?" Sarah asked, searching Storm's mother's face for an inkling of her thoughts.

  "I think you should ask Storm."

  "No!" cried Little Bird, with flashing eyes. "Storm will harm Black Feather! Do not tell him!"

  Sarah eyed the Indian girl carefully. "But Storm is your future husband. You wouldn't want to disobey him. He must come before your brother, if you truly love him."

  Apparently confused, Little Bird hesitated.

  "You do love Storm, don't you?" prodded Sarah.

  "Black Feather is my twin brother," Little Bird murmured slowly.

  "And Storm is your future husband," added Sarah.

  "You don't have to fish for your answer, Sarah," Dawn proclaimed loudly. "Little Bird feels no love for my son. Do you, Little Bird? She just wants to be mistress of the ranch, with a white man's name for her baby."

  At Sarah's startled look, Dawn added, "Not that she hasn't a right to them, under the circumstances—just that love is not the reason she marries my son."

  "Is that true, Little Bird?" Sarah asked gently.

  "Yes," she answered, putting her chin up proudly.

  Sarah took her hand again, "But Little Bird, wouldn't you rather marry for love, even if it meant living in a hut without a white man's name for your baby?"

  "But Black Feather said…," Little Bird slapped a hand over her own mouth.

  "What did Black Feather say?" Sarah and Dawn chimed at once.

  "Not important. About midwife—will you go with friend or not?"

  Dawn stood. "I'll go with you."

  "No," cried Little Bird. "I want Black Feather to see Sarah is friend."

  "All right then, the three of us will go," suggested Dawn.

  Again Little Bird protested. "No. Black Feather must see Sarah come alone with me. It shows true friendship to risk life for friend. It proves Little Bird is Sarah's friend."

  "I'll go with you, Little Bird," Sarah said resolutely, glancing swiftly at Snakebite, lounging idly in the hall outside the dining room, unaware of their dangerous conversation. Sara
h added softly, "I'll go, because you're my friend."

  "And you will not tell Storm?" she asked anxiously.

  "No."

  "You?" she asked Dawn.

  "I won't tell Storm—unless you aren't back within a reasonable timespan."

  "When are we to meet Black Feather?" asked Sarah.

  "Tomorrow at noon," answered Little Bird.

  Sarah thought there was nothing more beautiful than a Texas sunset. Every evening she sat on the front porch steps, watching the red, yellow, and orange colored sky seem to slip behind the distant mountains. Sarah couldn't recall a sunset to compare, back in Chicago.

  Would she remember everything about the ranch and Texas? How she dreaded going back! And would she be able to forget Storm? What about Aunt Emily? Naturally she'd want to stay with her husband, whom Sarah couldn't picture in a Chicago drawing room. These things passed between Sarah and the panoramic sunset. So engrossed was she that she failed to notice someone had settled beside her on the porch step.

  "Do they have sunsets like this in Chicago?"

  Sarah jumped at his voice. "Storm!" Then her eyes fed hungrily on him. How glad she was for his company that seemed so scarce these days. "I suppose," she answered, "Chicago must have sunsets like these, but I can't recall ever seeing them."

  He stared ahead at the sunset. "Farthest north I've ever been was to college in Kansas City." He glanced at her, "What were you thinking about when I sat down? You seemed so deep in thought."

  "I was memorizing everything—for future use."

  "You're not thinking of leaving?" The sharp edge to his voice cut sharply through the evening silence.

  "Did you think I'd stay and become your second wife, Indian style?" she flung bitterly.

  He stared ahead in painful silence.

  Sarah's voice softened. "I can't bear watching you ruin your life, Little Bird's, and mine. It's time I checked out. It's not going to be easy, leaving all this—and probably Aunt Emily, too!"

  "You can't leave your own ranch, Sarah," he reminded, gently.

  "But," she caught herself quickly, remembering her promise to Dawn. She'd have to wait a week or so, then give him the will and leave. "But, she quickly searched her mind for something else to fill in the sentence she'd started. "But, the baby. It should be here soon."

  "I already spoke to Little Bird about that. I made her see that I can't marry her until the will is found, even if it means marrying after the baby comes. She put up a fuss, but I assured her it shouldn't be much longer."

  "Giving us more time?" she asked. "But for what?"

  "God is trying to show me something; I'm sure of it. But I can't tell what. Because of my emotional involvement, it's hard to tell whether God is speaking or my own heart. Often we think He is encouraging us in something we want, when in reality it's our own desire urging us.

  "It's hard for me to believe, Sarah, that God would want me to go back on my word. He teaches us to live by truth and goodness, yet," he faltered.

  "Yet what?" she prodded anxiously.

  "Yet you were right about Little Bird. I don't think I've reached her with the Word of God. She goes to the services, but her life doesn't show her love and obedience to God. Then you enter my life: fresh, vibrant, and truthful. You accept God; you accept my people and me. Since the day I explained how to belong to God, the commitment has been evident in your life. Even your love for Little Bird is apparent." He shook his head. "I'm so confused, Sarah. How could God want me to neglect my responsibility to Little Bird and at the same time send me you?"

  "But you're a preacher. You studied God's Word. Don't you know why? Your question sounds like one someone might ask you."

  He shook his head, "I guess I'd tell anyone who asked that question to keep praying, and that God will clarify his message and direction."

  Sarah put her hand over his. "Then that is exactly what we'll do, preacher!"

  He took her hand in both of his and raised it to his lips.

  "You're good for me, Sarah," he whispered. Standing, he squeezed her hand then disappeared into the darkness.

  Sarah's heart felt full and empty all at once.

  She stood to go into the house and was startled to see Little Bird, huddling within the darkest corner of the porch.

  "Little Bird, you startled me! Were you getting air, too?"

  The swollen form came out from the shadows. "You love Storm?"

  Sarah laughed nervously. "Me? I-I think Storm is—is a wonderful man. We're very good friends."

  "Too bad," Little Bird said. "You could be Storm's second wife. We be close sisters."

  "That's no longer allowed. God wants a man to have just one wife. The white man has been living by that rule for many years, and it seems to be the best way. But I'd like being a sister to you." Sarah put her arm around the Indian girl. "I'd like that very much."

  Little Bird flinched at Sarah's affection. "You really like Little Bird? Would like her for sister?" Her face displayed pure bewilderment.

  "Do I like Little Bird? No, I love Little Bird." Sarah leaned close to the Indian girl and kissed her forehead before marching into the house, leaving a puzzled Little Bird to stare at her back in wonder.

  Early the next morning Sarah prepared for her journey with Little Bird. Dawn entered from the adjoining bedroom with coffee. Sarah gave her a curious look.

  "I didn't want to use the hall door and rouse Snakebite," she explained.

  Sarah clapped her hands to her mouth. "Snakebite!" Her blue eyes searched the serene Dawn's for help. "How can I get away from him long enough to go with Little Bird?"

  "I asked our little mother-to-be that very same question this morning, and she has promised to take care of it. I don't know how, but I think this once we should ask no questions." Dawn reached for Sarah's hands.

  "I don't like this, Sarah. I'm glad you're helping Little Bird, but I don't like keeping it from Storm or having Little Bird hinder Storm's orders that Snakebite guard you. I also am worried about you."

  "I feel uneasy, too. I prayed hard and long about it. But it's the only way I can prove my friendship, and if I can also make friends with Black Feather, I won't even need a guard any longer."

  True to her word, when Sarah left her room, Snakebite was nowhere in sight.

  Around eleven, Sarah and Little Bird slipped out the back door, scurrying for the woods nearby. Little Bird knew the way, through paths and shortcuts, and led Sarah at a swift, steady pace. Sarah tried to slow Little Bird, because of her condition, but Little Bird insisted on walking fast.

  The Indian girl seemed quiet and tense, which confused Sarah, who'd thought Little Bird would be delighted with her company. Wasn't she proving her friendship? Perhaps it was Little Bird's pregnancy that made her moody.

  Just before they reached the arranged place, Little Bird slowed. She looked at Sarah oddly. "It is just ahead."

  "Are you all right? Do you want to rest?" asked Sarah.

  "Why do you care about me?" Little Bird snapped angrily. Her eyes bored through Sarah, then moved beyond her and changed to recognition. Little Bird smiled warmly, joy aglow on her face.

  Before Sarah could turn, she was grabbed from behind. Someone had one hand over her mouth, the other around her waist. Judging by the strength of the grasp, she knew struggling would be useless.

  ~ C H A P T E R 10 ~

  When Sarah made no move to free herself, the strong hand slipped from her mouth.

  "White lady have no fire!" the voice from behind spat.

  But Sarah stared ahead at Little Bird, who avoided Sarah's eyes.

  "Why you no fight, white lady?" asked Black Feather bitterly. "Take the fun out of capture!"

  Sarah continued staring into Little Bird's quick, darting eyes, but inwardly she prayed. Finally, having gathered strength from God, she said, "I'm not afraid, Black Feather. You can't do anything to me that my Father won't allow you to do."

  "I see no father here," he growled, yanking her wrists behind her back,
tying them painfully with a coarse rope.

  "My Father, God. He's here and everywhere," she spoke calmly.

  "You think your God can save you from Black Feather?" he barked.

  "He will if He chooses."

  "I not believe in your God, so He not harm Black Feather."

  Sarah's eyes still begged for eye contact with Little Bird.

  "Why do you do this, Little Bird? Storm won't marry you when he finds out."

  Little Bird's frightened eyes flew to Black Feather for reassurance.

  "Ha!" laughed Black Feather. "Storm never guess Little Bird in on this."

  "You're wrong. His mother knows where I am and with whom," Sarah added.

  Again Little Bird's doubting eyes flew to her twin brother.

  "We make what happened look like accident. Little Bird will run to Storm, report you fall in creek and drown. He will believe Little Bird; he believe everything she tell him so far." He laughed hawkishly.

  Little Bird glanced anxiously from her brother to Sarah, then started to speak, but instead winced, clutching her stomach. Black Feather hadn't caught the action, but Sarah had.

  "What is it, Little Bird?" she asked anxiously.

  The Indian girl straightened. "Why do you worry about me? Should be worrying about self!" she screamed, before again doubling in pain.

  "The baby! It's the baby, isn't it, Little Bird?"

  She nodded, tears streaming down her petrified face.

  Black Feather rushed to his sister. Sarah tried moving her arms, but they were securely tied. She watched Black Feather carefully ease his sister to the ground. Yanking Sarah's shawl from her shoulders, he gently placed it beneath Little Bird's head.

  "Not now, Little Bird—" he cried.

  "Little Bird can't stop nature," replied Sarah, "but if you'll untie me, I'll help deliver the baby! I've seen it done."

  "Free her!" gasped Little Bird.

  "She get away, if I untie," said Black Feather, frowning.

  "Let her go! See, brother, only her hands are tied. You didn't tie feet, and she not run. Loose her—make her help me!" Little Bird growled between clenched teeth.

  Black Feather confronted Sarah. "You help my sister?"