Frontier Agreement

by Shannon Farrington

  Turning from them, Pierre continued packing. When he was finally allowed to return to his own quarters, he fell face-first onto his pallet, expecting sleep to come at once. It didn’t.

  He was still thinking of Claire.

  * * *

  Claire had cried all the way back to the village. Half of those tears fell because she knew Pierre had misunderstood her motives. His insinuation that she did not think him a worthy suitor had cut her to the core. The fact that she had to allow him to continue to think that was the cause of the rest. If he knew she had refused him based on what he’d be forced to sacrifice, he would surely try to convince her to change her mind.

  He was simply that kind of man. She had seen him intervene on behalf of others regardless of the consequences to himself before. He cared for her people. He cared for her. He just didn’t love her, at least not in the way she wanted. Her mother had left all she had known for her father because she had wanted to do so. She loved him with her whole heart and soul and he, her. Their shared loved was the bedrock of their life together. If Pierre gave up his dreams, the marriage would not stand the test and pressures of time, at least not happily.

  Leaving the fort had been the hardest thing she had ever done, even harder than leaving Illinois, harder than watching her uncle and the medicine men take away her mother’s body for an ancestral funeral. Were even harder times to come?

  She could not be joined to an unbeliever, and she could not become a second wife to Three Horses. Still, she had been certain she was to return to this village, and that certainty grew with every step she took toward it. Yet the steps were not without fear.

  God help me. Please show me that I am doing what is right.

  The first thing she knew she had to do was apologize to One Who Smiles for leaving her unattended. She would then move to the difficult task of declining Three Horses’s proposal. She prayed he would understand.

  Thankfully the warrior was not in the lodge at the time of her arrival, and One Who Smiles bore Claire no grudge. In fact, she welcomed her with open arms, refusing Claire even the opportunity to apologize fully.

  “I know you did not intend to be neglectful,” she said. “You have much in your heart.”

  Claire greatly appreciated her friend’s understanding. Yes, she did have much in her heart.

  “It was actually good you left as you did,” her friend said. “It gave Three Horses and me time to discuss matters.”

  “Has he spoken yet with Chief Black Cat?”

  “No.”

  No? Then was he having second thoughts about his proposal? “I thought he was going to do so when Running Wolf left the lodge.”

  “So did I,” One Who Smiles said, “but later, when Three Horses returned, he said he had not gone to speak with our great chief but with the Great Creator.”

  So he had gone to pray. Claire drew strength in that. “Did God give him any answers?”

  Her friend nodded slowly. “Three Horses believes it is not right to take you as a wife. He believes that he should continue to try to persuade Running Wolf to allow you to remain here as my friend.”

  Claire heaved a sigh. Thank You, Lord.

  “I hope this does not disappoint you,” One Who Smiles said.

  “No. Not at all. When your husband seeks the Great Spirit’s wisdom, he does right by us all.”

  One Who Smiles nodded. “I told Three Horses you would say such a thing.” She leaned a little closer, whispered as if the walls were listening. “I know with which man your heart truly lies.”

  Claire felt herself flush. “Yes,” she admitted softly, “but in my heart alone he will remain.”

  “He does not care for you?”

  “He does, but not in that way.”

  One Who Smiles patted Claire’s hand gently. “Sometimes a man does not know his own mind. Sometimes it takes time.”

  Claire appreciated the comment but knew it would take much more than time. She refused to dwell on it, however. Her adopted family had welcomed her back. Claire counted that as a blessing.

  Three Horses returned just as dusk was falling. When Claire handed him his tea as he took his place by the fire, he said, “Running Wolf says you may lodge with my family until the half moon...”

  Which meant a week from now.

  “...but I will continue to press him further.”

  Claire nodded. Nothing was said about the former marriage proposal. Evidently Three Horses assumed One Who Smiles had already explained his change of heart.

  When nightfall came, Claire wrapped the couple’s newborn son in fresh cloths, brought One Who Smiles an extra buffalo skin to keep her and her child warm and gave the fire one last stir. Rhythmic snoring drifted upward toward the center opening of the lodge like smoke toward the starlit sky.

  Three Horses and Black Raven were already fast asleep. Claire couldn’t help but wonder if a similar scene was taking place in Running Wolf’s lodge. Was Spotted Eagle breathing deeply? Was River Song smiling in her sleep?

  Do they miss me as much as I miss them? Do they understand why I am not with them, or do they think I have abandoned them?

  She thought then of the dark-haired Frenchman lying at the fort, and wondered the same of him. Did she hold any place in his thoughts?

  No, she told herself. He is probably thinking now of the Pacific, as he should be.

  With a sigh, she settled down on her own pallet, whispered a prayer for his safekeeping and another of thanks. Running Wolf would let her stay for at least another week. For that she was most grateful.

  I will not think of life beyond that.

  Chapter Sixteen

  According to Chief Black Cat, no one in his village had a quarrel with the men of the fort except Running Wolf.

  “But he would not be so foolish as to go against my hospitality toward you,” Black Cat insisted by way of Charbonneau.

  So tensions at the fort waned. Still the captains kept the men on premises and well-occupied. April was fast approaching. The snow was nearly gone and the ice on the river was breaking into giant chunks, drifting south.

  For five days Pierre kept a most disciplined pace. There were no visits to the villages, no hunting excursions or idle time. All of the men had been doing extra duty, but Pierre especially was kept busy round the clock. Today he was digging out the last of the canoes. But despite his occupation, he couldn’t help but think of Claire.

  Had he misjudged her? She was an obstinate woman, an outspoken one, as well, but never in a selfish or hard-hearted way. Had she brought up the business of the land grant because she feared he had not thought of it? Was she concerned about the effect losing something so valuable would have on him? She knew the lure of property, and she had experienced firsthand how badly it felt to have it stolen away.

  He pondered that line of thinking a little longer. Does she think herself in the same category as Phillip Granger—if she accepted my proposal she’d be stealing the land away from me?

  If that was her motive, and he was becoming more convinced it was by the second, he felt even more ashamed for becoming angry with her. She was acting in my best interest, and yet I accused her of thinking I wasn’t good enough.

  There was something else she had said that puzzled him. He had asked her what she wanted.

  “What I want most, you cannot give me...”

  That sentence haunted him. What had she meant by that? And why was he so desperate to understand? Why did he want so badly to give her whatever she needed to make her happy? Captain Lewis asked if I was in love with her. Am I?

  He knew he was definitely attracted to her. He’d been fighting it since he’d first laid eyes on her. The way she carried herself, the way she smiled, the way her nose wrinkled and the way she drew in her lips when she got angry. Even the other day when arg
uing with her, he’d felt the sudden impulse to draw those pert little lips back out with his own. Christian decency had kept him from doing so. One does not go about sporting with a woman who is not one’s wife.

  The conflict within him intensified. I did ask her to marry me...but I did so for her protection...

  Protection, though, from what, exactly? Was it her uncle’s anger or another man’s arms?

  Though he wished to deny it, Pierre was forced to admit that the thought of anyone else holding her, kissing her made him burn with jealousy. He stilled his ax, realizing at last what he felt for her went way beyond the bounds of Christian charity. He was in love with her, and he had been for some time.

  He couldn’t help but laugh at his own naïveté and unawareness. All this time he’d told himself he wasn’t the marrying kind, that adventure was all he wanted. But the truth was, he had not been inclined to marry before because he had not found the right woman.

  And now that I have...

  His jubilation was short-lived. The fact remained that Claire had refused him. She could not come to the Pacific, and she would not return to Saint Louis. The only choice left is to remain here.

  Pierre drew in a breath. Could he? Physically, yes. He’d grown accustomed to the harshness of the wilderness and was confident he could survive its challenges. The remoteness of this land did not threaten him. Chief Black Cat had already allowed another white man into his village, namely Charbonneau, and according to the chief, relations between the Mandan and whites were friendly. Black Cat would welcome me. Running Wolf, however, would not.

  And what about Claire? He had won her friendship, but could he convince her the land grant no longer mattered to him? Could he win her heart?

  The light suddenly dawned on him. “What I want most, you cannot give me...” Beyond the salvation of her family, of her tribe, he knew there was one thing she wanted more than anything in this life. A marriage like her parents had, one of mutual respect, faith and love.

  Had he already won her heart? Had she refused him because she thought she did not have his? His mind raced over their last encounter—the looks, the way she’d come to him, clung to him, the fact that she had encouraged him not to forsake the expedition... The possibility made his heart pound. What if she refused because she thinks more of me than she does herself? What if she thinks I proposed only out of a sense of duty?

  “How long would it be before you tired of me?” she had asked.

  He hadn’t understood what she meant at the time, but now he did, or at least, he hoped he did.

  But was he too late? Had he missed his opportunity? Had she become the wife of Three Horses, or worse, Golden Hawk? God forbid it, he prayed. Please don’t punish her for my thick-headed behavior.

  “You gonna keep standing there, Frenchie?” Private Howard asked, “or are you going to help us carry her to the river?”

  The last of the cottonwood dugouts had been completed and was now to be tested for its worthiness. Pierre hastily lifted his end of the pirogue, carried her to the riverbank. Captain Clark was on hand to supervise the inspection. Satisfied with the canoe’s performance, Clark ordered the men be given rest for the remainder of the day. Pierre was most grateful. He couldn’t wait another minute longer.

  “Sir, if I may, I’d like your permission to travel to the village,” Pierre said.

  Clark eyed him somewhat suspiciously for a moment, waiting for further information. Pierre did not wish to divulge any more than he must. He was certain Captain Lewis had already informed him of Pierre’s conflicted heart, and of his previous decision to leave the expedition. He did not wish for this man to try to dissuade him. “There is something that I need to set right, sir.”

  Matters might already be far beyond his control, but he knew one thing. He had to apologize to her. The blue Pacific, as beautiful as it might be could no longer hold him captive. He’d forever compare every wonder of nature to her. He wanted her to know that, even if it was too late.

  “Very well, Lafayette,” Clark said. “I’m headed into the village myself to dine with Chief Black Cat. You may accompany me.”

  “Thank you, sir.”

  Pierre followed Clark as far as the main village square. Then he turned for the lodge of Three Horses. Black Raven was sitting at the entrance, stringing a new bow. He welcomed Pierre with a smile and an enthusiastic, “Bonjour, monsieur.”

  So Claire is making progress in language skills, Pierre couldn’t help but think with a smile. “And a good day to you, young warrior,” Pierre replied in Mandan.

  “Père... Mère...” Black Raven couldn’t think of the words to explain that his father and mother were inside the lodge, so he simply motioned for Pierre to follow him.

  Claire, however, was nowhere to be found. Pierre felt an immediate pang of disappointment followed by a surge of fear. Had she told Three Horses she would not marry him? Had she gone back to her uncle’s lodge?

  He did his best to offer pleasant greetings to Three Horses and One Who Smiles. The warrior bid him to join them at the fire.

  “I have come to speak to Bright Star,” he said in his best Mandan.

  Three Horses nodded slowly.

  “I have come to apologize to her. I spoke harshly to her when we last parted.”

  Three Horses held up his hand. “This is no matter for my ears,” he said.

  “It isn’t?” His heart beat a little faster.

  The warrior smiled. “It is but yours and hers alone.”

  What was the man saying? So Claire was not his betrothed? Where was she, then?

  One Who Smiles must have sensed his thoughts, for she offered Pierre a comforting smile, one that held a hint of mirth. “Do not fear,” she said. “All is well. Bright Star has gone to dig roots with her cousin.”

  “With Little Flower?”

  “Yes.”

  That was a good sign, was it not? Then she was still lodging here. And if Running Wolf was allowing his daughter to associate with Claire again, then perhaps his heart was thawing.

  “You are welcome to wait for her return,” Three Horses said.

  “Thank you,” Pierre said with a smile. “I will do so.”

  * * *

  Breadroot or prairie potato was an early spring delicacy in these parts. Claire would have gone already to search for them but was not certain exactly what the plant looked like at this stage and was waiting for One Who Smiles to be strong enough to show her. When Little Flower had come to the lodge and asked Claire to accompany her to the riverbank, she took it as a wonderful, hopeful sign.

  Running Wolf had permitted no contact with her among his family since Evening Sky’s death and no real kinship since the night he’d caught Claire and Pierre answering his grandchildren’s questions about Christ.

  Mother said God would bring healing, she thought. Was her uncle’s heart beginning to soften?

  Both Three Horses and One Who Smiles had taken Little Flower’s arrival in a promising way, as well. “Go,” they said to them, “and good hunting.”

  Claire took with her a large grass basket similar to the one her cousin was holding. Little Flower also carried with her two sharp sticks.

  “We will search among the driftwood on the riverbank,” she said.

  They started toward the river and followed it for some time in the direction opposite the fort.

  “We will use our sticks to poke the soft earth,” Little Flower said. “That is how we will find them.”

  “Are they buried deeply?”

  “Not very. Do not worry. You will find many. I will teach you.”

  Claire drew in a breath. The air smelled of water and strong earth. To a Mandan it was the scent of promise, of new life. Perhaps this year will be different here. She desperately wanted to believe that. “I have missed you, cousin,�
�� she said. “I have missed you greatly.”

  Little Flower offered her a look that seemed somewhat disconcerted, as though Claire’s words had troubled her in some way. Claire should have read the danger right then and there, but it wasn’t until she and her cousin crested a knoll and were hidden from the view of both the village and the fort that she recognized what was happening. At the bottom of the hill stood Running Wolf. He was holding several horses. Golden Hawk was with him.

  An icy chill, one colder than anything she had experienced this winter, shivered down her spine. Instinct told Claire to run. Only her previous prayer kept her from doing so. I told God I would do anything for the sake of my family’s eternity, she reminded herself. But surely this was not what the Creator had in mind for her. How could a union with the medicine man’s son bring about good? What did light and darkness have in common?

  “Trust...”

  Reluctantly she walked forward. Golden Hawk was looking upon her with a hunger that made her nauseated. Her uncle’s face bore a look of triumph. Claire cast a quick glance at Little Flower. Her cousin had fixed her eyes on the ground, refusing to look at her.

  She knew. She knew what was to take place. The offer of teaching me to find roots was only a ruse. Pain cut deep, but Claire did her best to beat back the feeling of betrayal and met the men where they stood.

  “You know what Golden Hawk wishes,” Running Wolf said.

  “I do.” God, help me.

  “He brings fine horses for your price.”

  The magnificent creatures stamped and whinnied as if they disliked being traded as much as she did. Still Claire did her best to respond respectfully. It would be better if she did. “He honors you,” she said to Running Wolf.

  “He honors you. You will accept him as your husband. You will go to his lodge today.”

  “Trust...”

  But trust did not mean silence. Conviction far outweighed the sickening feeling inside her. So did something else. Strength. “I cannot do so, uncle.”

  Horses’ lines in one hand, Running Wolf grabbed her chin with his other and jerked her head upward. His grip was like iron. His eyes flashed fire. “You will not dishonor me,” he said.