While she kept a hand on Itu’s arm, Hannah turned to the girl’s mother and pulled her into a halting exchange, with Reuben acting as interpreter. Together, they removed the bandage over the girl’s stump and changed the poultice, then applied a fresh covering. The wound didn’t look nearly as crimson and festering as it had the day before.
Thank You, God, for healing this child. For he had no doubt only a Divine hand could have accomplished so much in only these few short days, given how sick the girl had been when they arrived at this camp. And orchestrating their safe release from captivity? Not even Reuben Scott could accomplish that without God influencing the hearts of these Indians.
And what of Itu’s father? Nathaniel hadn’t seen him in the crowd or the procession. He certainly wasn’t here in the tent now.
Lord, don’t let him be up to no good. The moment he could speak freely to Reuben, he needed to spread the concern so they could both watch for an attack. He could just imagine the angry father lying in wait for them on their way back through the mountain wilderness. Now that Hannah was imparting instructions for Itu’s care to the girl’s mother, there was no reason for the man to keep them alive.
He forced his attention back from the swirling thoughts to see what Hannah was doing now. She seemed in earnest conversation with the Indian mother as they mixed dried plants for a tea. Although Hannah talked through each of her actions, naming the herbs as she selected each, the conversation seemed to take place more with looks and the gentle guiding of hands.
Somehow, these two women had bonded, despite the unspoken wall that had stood between them from the beginning. Did Itu’s mother finally realize that the girl’s leg had to be taken to save her life? Or maybe she was simply willing to put past grudges behind them for the good of the child.
Either way, watching the women interact seemed nothing short of a miracle, even the knowing smile the two shared when Hannah almost dumped the contents of the cup when she tried to stand.
Itu’s mother took the tin cup from Hannah and moved to her daughter’s side, helping the girl drink with the same gentle movements Hannah used.
Hannah scooted backward to allow them room. Yet he could tell by the slope of her shoulders the sadness she must be feeling. He slipped a hand around her back, and she leaned into him, resting her head on his arm.
An ache tightened his chest. If he could do anything to take this loss from her, he would. But it was right for Itu to be with her family. Especially when her mother so clearly loved her.
Lord, maybe You can find a way for us not to lose her completely.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Is this rending of my soul truly necessary?
~ Hannah
Hannah worked hard to hold her head high as she marched out of the Hidatsa camp, her brother on one side of her, and the man who’d so completely won her heart on the other.
If only her heart didn’t feel like she’d left a piece of it back in that Indian lodge, cradled in the tiny fists of a brave little girl.
As Reuben led them through the trees, her mind wandered back to what Itu’s mother had told Reuben about how the child had ended up in Nathaniel’s barn. How she’d accompanied her father on a hunting trip, but things had gone terribly wrong when she stepped in the trap that broke her leg. How he’d ended their planned excursion, but had left her in the barn to rest out of the rain while he hunted for food they could eat the rest of the way back to camp. When he returned, Hannah had already carried the girl into Nathaniel’s cabin.
So the man watched and waited. The presence she’d felt so many times, lurking in the trees, just out of sight. The thought of his leering face sent a shiver through her even now.
They stepped out of the trees and Reuben motioned them around the edge of a cluster of large boulders. The moment they stepped behind the shelter, her parents appeared with the three horses.
Her father stepped forward. “You made it.” He gripped her arms and pulled her into one of the massive hugs she remembered from her little girl days. Emotion swarmed her eyes as she relished the warm strength of him.
“I’m sorry for worrying you.” She barely choked the words loud enough for him to hear.
He pulled back and looked at her, his dark eyes as piercing as they’d always been. “I raised my girl with good, sound instincts, and I taught you how to follow them. I can hardly doubt you now.” The lines at the corners of his eyes deepened. “I just hope those instincts don’t always take years off my life.”
My girl. No matter how many times she heard those words, they still had the power to melt her heart like candle wax in flame.
As tears leaked down her face, she reached up and pressed a kiss to her father’s cheek. “You taught me well.”
It wasn’t long before they started on the trail. Nathaniel’s horse hadn’t been returned, so the five of them had to share the three animals her family had brought. Her parents rode together, and Nathaniel quickly commandeered her to ride in front of his own saddle.
Both her father and Reuben gave the man a long look, but neither said anything. She should pull her parents aside later and assure them that nothing untoward had happened between her and Nathaniel. It was probably a good time to hint that she hoped something very proper might happen between them in the future.
Namely, a marriage proposal.
Just the thought sent heat all the way up her back, and Nathaniel must have felt the shift in her, for he tightened his hold. She forced herself to relax, letting the tension slide out of her in a long breath.
And, tucked into the arms of the man she loved, she settled in for a long ride.
NATHANIEL HADN’T PLANNED to seek Hannah out that evening as they were all setting up camp. In fact, with the dark looks her father and Reuben had been giving him all afternoon, he should probably keep a more respectable distance from her.
But after being so near her these past days, his entire being craved her presence. That beautiful smile that lit her from the inside. The way her melodic voice settled over him, soothing his tension.
And her touch. She had the power to fire his blood with only the brush of her fingers.
Was it too soon to ask her? Surely not after all they’d been through.
He could just see her willowy form through the trees ahead as she bent to pick-up firewood in the dusky light. He’d finished settling the horses, so he had time to help her with this task. Besides, there was still too much chance the Indians had gone back on their agreement to punish Itu’s father for his planned violence. The man could be lurking nearby, waiting to kidnap her again.
Just the thought of that cad and his heinous actions sent Nathaniel’s blood into a fresh boil.
Hannah looked up as he approached and gave him one of her smiles that eased a bit of the heat inside him. Then her look turned worried, probably from the expression on his face. “What’s wrong?” She dropped the wood from her arms onto a pile of similar sticks she’d already gathered.
He forced himself to calm, to focus on Hannah as she was now, not on what might have happened. He shook his head and stepped nearer, a sudden need to touch her taking over. To feel for himself that she was alive and well.
She stepped into his arms when he opened them, as though she knew how much he needed her. He clung tightly, breathing in the softness of her hair, the warmth of her fully-alive touch.
Before he could stop himself, the question foremost in his mind slipped out. “Hannah, will you marry me?”
He could feel the intake of her breath. The way her body went completely still. Then she leaned back, forcing him to loosen his hold. Her eyes searched his face, and for once, her expression was impossible to read.
A weight pressed so hard on his chest, he couldn’t draw breath. Did she not feel the same way about him as he did about her? Maybe he’d rushed things. What kind of woman wanted a proposal in the midst of a wilderness while she was gathering firewood? Of course you should have waited, you simple-minded yokel.
&
nbsp; He released her and dropped to one knee, taking her hands in both of his. Her eyes widened even more, but he couldn’t tell if it was from surprise or disgust. Lord, let her say yes. If this be Your will, let her say yes.
He inhaled a breath, trying to pull his scattered thoughts together. “Hannah, you’re the woman I’ve been seeking for years now. In fact, I’d thought I’d never find you. Your heart, your passion, your strength and determination—they make me love you more every day. I don’t have much to support you with right now. In fact, I’d planned to eat mostly meat and beans through winter. If you’d rather wait until next year to wed, I think it will be a little better. And Lord willing, our stock will grow each year after that. But I promise I’ll do everything I can to provide for you. To give you the life you want.”
She placed a finger on his lips, stilling his words. That couldn’t be a good sign. Her eyes glimmered as if she was about to cry. Maybe because she planned to tell him no?
Desperation welled in his throat, and he almost moved her finger aside so he could try once more to make things right.
But then a laugh slipped through her beautiful lips. High and a little uncontrolled, but definitely happy. Hope surged in his chest to press down the desperation.
A tear slipped down her cheek. “I can’t think of anything that would make me happier than marrying you.” Another laugh slipped out. “I don’t need much. With us working together, I think we’ll have just enough.”
He worked to assemble her words in his mind. To make sure she’d said what he thought. This was too important to get wrong.
She tugged on his hand, pulling him back up to his feet as she laughed again. “Did you hear me? I said yes.”
She said yes. Joy and relief swirled inside him and he pulled her in tight, laughter bubbling in his own chest. “Thank You, God. Oh, thank You, God.”
Epilogue
Only my Father above could orchestrate such a beautiful ending. Or rather, the beginning...
~ Hannah
Was she doing the right thing?
Hannah peeked through the slit in the door of Nathaniel’s cabin at the crowd gathered outside. It was hard to believe how dear these people had become in the three months since she and her parents had arrived on Reuben’s doorstep. A family much larger than she’d ever known.
Some connected by physical family bonds, others merely by heart ties.
Her gaze slipped to Cathleen, the new sister-in-law she already adored. She would be the perfect mother to the young life just beginning to grow inside her. Cathy held her niece, Amanda, on her hip while speaking to her elder brother and his wife. Doc Brian would always hold a special place in Hannah’s heart for his tender, yet tough, care of Itu. And his wife, Claire, with her spunky personality and tenacity to care for anyone in need was the perfect match for him.
And then there was Doc Alex, Cathleen’s younger brother, who now chased their three-year-old son, William, while his wife Miriam looked on, laughing. Her rounded belly was impossible to hide, but she’d stayed awfully slim from keeping up with their active lad.
Hannah could only stand in awe of the way these people had come together, all connected in an interweaving of lives that only God could have orchestrated.
Her gaze slid to her own father, tall and handsome in the best clothing he’d brought with him on this trip, speaking to Marcus, Claire’s brother.
Except Marcus wasn’t here merely for the pleasure of a trip into the mountains with his family, even though his beautiful wife, Lilly, stood nearby with their son and daughter.
A tingle slipped down her spine. As Butte’s pastor, Reverend Marcus Sullivan was here to perform the ceremony.
Her wedding ceremony.
“Do you see him yet?” Mama slipped up behind her, voice gentle yet laced with the same anticipation churning inside her own chest.
Hannah shifted to see the area in front of the barn.
There.
The image of her groom, who was speaking with new friends they’d recently made, Gideon and Leah, sent a surge of love through her that settled all her roiling emotions. “He’s talking with the Bryants. I think Gideon offered to sell some of his horses so we can start building up the herd.”
We. The word felt so right, stirring an excitement inside her that made her want to step outside now, even though there were still a few minutes before the ceremony was planned to begin.
“Are you sure you want to go through with the wedding now, darling? We could wait until spring when your brothers and some of your cousins could come.”
Hannah turned to face her mother. “Bring them in the spring. I’m sure I’ll be ready for a visit. But this time is right for Nathaniel and me. I know it deep inside.” She pressed a hand over her chest. “We’re in this together. I need him and he needs me. He’s the reason God brought me to this place at this time.”
Tears lit her mother’s eyes, as they had already done several times that morning. “I couldn’t let you stay if I didn’t agree with you. All the same, I can’t imagine leaving without you.”
Hannah stepped into her mother’s arms, and the embrace raised a sting to her own eyes. More than a sting, but she did her best to swallow down the emotion. This was a day of joy, not sadness. “I love you, Mama.”
After a long moment, her mother pulled back, sniffing and wiping under her eyes. “I love you too, honey. I suppose it’s almost time.”
Hannah inhaled a deep breath to settle her rioting feelings. She turned for one more peek through the slit in the door, finding Nathaniel easily now that she knew where he stood.
He must have finished his conversation with the Bryants, for he turned, and he gazed at the cabin wearing one of those gentle smiles she loved. He surely couldn’t see her through the tiny peephole with the yard separating them, but her body responded as if he could. “Yes, it’s time.”
“I’ll go tell everyone we’re ready and send your father in.” Her mother rested a hand on Hannah’s shoulder.
She turned to offer a final reassuring smile, but Mama held out a bouquet of flowers. “I found some balsamroot just like we have at home. I thought you might want to carry them.”
As Hannah took the bouquet of sunflower-like blooms, the familiar scent of home washed over her. This place wasn’t so far from what she knew. The mountains, the trees, even the flowers had followed her here.
And now, mixed with the familiar, she would find new flora and fauna to discover. New adventures awaiting her each day. And the man God had created for her leading the way.
No matter what, she’d cling tight to their hands—both her new husband and her Heavenly Father.
Her mother leaned close and pressed a kiss to her cheek. “I’ll send your papa in.”
As Mama pulled open the door, a thought slipped into Hannah’s awareness. “Wait. Has Reuben arrived yet?” Her new brother had left in the dark hours of the night to help a cow in need but had promised to be at Nathaniel’s homestead by the wedding hour whether the animal had recovered or not.
Her mother poked her head out the door. “Yes, that looks like him now.”
A sigh of relief swept through Hannah. No matter what, she wanted her special new brother to be here.
While she waited for her father to come escort her to her husband-to-be, she scanned the small room. Nathaniel had worked hard to put in the wood floor the past month, although she’d told him there was no rush. She would live happily under the stars as long as they were together. He also wanted to frame out a bed chamber on the backside of the cabin, but that would come in time.
They would have a lifetime to build the perfect home. A home that would grow as their family did, Lord willing.
A commotion sounded outside, and she stepped toward the door to see what was happening. But the partition swung open before she reached it.
Papa stepped inside, and for a long moment, he simply looked at her. His gaze slid down her best dress, which Cathleen had helped add lace to, then back up to h
er face. His eyes had turned glassy, and he stepped toward her. “You look beautiful, my girl. And so grown up.” He pressed a kiss to her cheek, then stepped back as he cleared his throat. “There’s someone outside who wants to greet you.” His mouth curved in a gentle smile. “And not just that young man pacing in front of the preacher.”
Someone else? Everyone she knew from town was already in the yard.
She took her father’s arm and followed him out the door. The brightness of the sunlight struck her blind at first, and she shifted the flowers to the hand tucked through Papa’s arm so she could shield her eyes with the other.
A horse’s whinny drew her focus to the left, the direction of the main trail. Two horses approached. One was Reuben’s familiar paint mare, and the other a tall chestnut that also struck a chord of recollection in her mind. The animal looked so much like Nathaniel’s mare that they’d had to leave behind at the Hidatsa camp.
Riding the chestnut were two figures, one taller and one much smaller sitting in front. The matching black braids and tawny skin proclaimed them to be Indians, but it was the precious little face and the flash of a wide, beaming smile that sent Hannah’s heart leaping.
“Itu!” She tugged her hand free from her father’s arm and almost threw the flowers to him, then raised her skirts and ran toward the girl.
More than a month had passed since she’d seen that precious face, although she’d dreamed of the sweet child since then. Her heart sang a joyful tune as she neared.
But just before she flung her arms around the girl, a smidgeon of sense slipped through her pleasure, slowing her.
Itu’s mother, Running Water, sat behind the girl. As much as Hannah wanted to pull the child off the horse and into her arms, this wasn’t her daughter. She had to be respectful of Running Water’s wishes.
A glance at the woman showed a smile brightening her face, too. Running Water extended a hand, and Hannah took it, pressing both of her hands around the woman’s. “Welcome.” She poured all her thankfulness into the word. Into her gaze.
Running Water had brought Itu to share in this special day, and she couldn’t have asked for a better gift.
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