amazement as the brave spoke confidently and seriously, his deep voice shivering along her spine. It dawned on her how much of a burden of responsibility now rested on Fireheart’s shoulders. She didn’t envy him his position.
Would he go with the war party? she wondered. Her heart tripped with fear at the thought. He was the acting chief. Surely, there was a war chief who would lead the men into possible battle.
She studied him as he addressed the men, and felt a tingling in her midsection. He was so handsome, so strong. It was hard to believe that he had been such a shy boy.
Or had he been that way only with her? Because he’d longed for her friendship? Her love? She thought of the necklace and was sorry.
Now she was in the same position as young Yellow Deer, wanting another’s friendship and being rejected. Was he paying her back for the pain she’d caused him?
“You must not go with hate in your hearts,” Fireheart was saying. “Hate clouds one’s judgment. Look first, decide what must be done, then do it!”
Wise words from the chief, Joanna thought.
No, she realized, whatever reason Fireheart had for his hostility toward her, it wasn’t to punish her for the past. He seemed too wise, too fair a man for that.
Why then? she wondered as she continued to watch him. Had she misread her treatment of him? Had she been cold when she’d thought she was friendly?
Why do I care what Fireheart thinks?
Because she was attracted to him.
He is expected to marry another.
It didn’t matter, she thought. The heart ruled the head, and made one think and act illogically at times.
It is true that I have not seen Fireheart with Moon Dove often.
If they were in love, wouldn’t they spend time together?
When he was done talking with the men, Fireheart came to the women. His expression softening, he spoke again.
“When the sun rises in the morning sky, a group of our men—your husbands and fathers and sons—will go to Bear Paw’s village to see how our brothers have fared in the attack by our enemy, the Iroquois. This is a dangerous task I have set our men to do, but we must help our Lenape brothers. And we must protect our own village from the dark enemy who threatens our lives.”
Woman with Eyes of Hawk stepped forward from among the matrons. “How many of our braves must go?”
“I will send ten men from among us. The warriors who will go have volunteered to protect us.”
The matron nodded. “This is a wise decision, Fireheart. You act as chief in Wild Squirrel’s name. Your mother’s brother will be proud of you.”
Mary joined Woman with Eyes of Hawk. “Is there something we can do, Fireheart?”
Fireheart regarded the women with warm affection. “Protect our children, and be here when our men return. They will bring back any of our people who need our help.”
All of the Lenape women nodded their approval. The men soon rejoined their families, and returned to their wigwams for the remaining night’s sleep. Joanna lingered to speak with Mary.
Sensing her young cousin’s need to speak with her, Mary talked briefly with her husband, then turned to take Joanna’s arm.
“Let us walk for a while,” she said.
Joanna was only too happy to comply. They walked toward the forest and onto the path toward the lake. She marveled at the way her cousin had read her thoughts. “Will Rising Bird go?”
“He will go,” Mary told her. “He is a good warrior, and the men respect him. Fireheart will put him in charge.”
“Are you scared for him?”
Mary’s eyes filled with tears. “I’m terrified.”
“How do you bear it?” Joanna felt sympathy for her cousin. She stopped walking to give her cousin a hug.
Mary hugged her back hard. “I fear for him as much as I feared for you when I left you on the Nancy Kay .”
Joanna stiffened, disturbed by the memory. “Then why did you let me go?” The air between them grew tense again.
“How could I make you stay when your uncle obviously had so
Would he go with the war party? she wondered. Her heart tripped with fear at the thought. He was the acting chief. Surely, there was a war chief who would lead the men into possible battle.
She studied him as he addressed the men, and felt a tingling in her midsection. He was so handsome, so strong. It was hard to believe that he had been such a shy boy.
Or had he been that way only with her? Because he’d longed for her friendship? Her love? She thought of the necklace and was sorry.
Now she was in the same position as young Yellow Deer, wanting another’s friendship and being rejected. Was he paying her back for the pain she’d caused him?
“You must not go with hate in your hearts,” Fireheart was saying. “Hate clouds one’s judgment. Look first, decide what must be done, then do it!”
Wise words from the chief, Joanna thought.
No, she realized, whatever reason Fireheart had for his hostility toward her, it wasn’t to punish her for the past. He seemed too wise, too fair a man for that.
Why then? she wondered as she continued to watch him. Had she misread her treatment of him? Had she been cold when she’d thought she was friendly?
Why do I care what Fireheart thinks?
Because she was attracted to him.
He is expected to marry another.
It didn’t matter, she thought. The heart ruled the head, and made one think and act illogically at times.
It is true that I have not seen Fireheart with Moon Dove often.
If they were in love, wouldn’t they spend time together?
When he was done talking with the men, Fireheart came to the women. His expression softening, he spoke again.
“When the sun rises in the morning sky, a group of our men—your husbands and fathers and sons—will go to Bear Paw’s village to see how our brothers have fared in the attack by our enemy, the Iroquois. This is a dangerous task I have set our men to do, but we must help our Lenape brothers. And we must protect our own village from the dark enemy who threatens our lives.”
Woman with Eyes of Hawk stepped forward from among the matrons. “How many of our braves must go?”
“I will send ten men from among us. The warriors who will go have volunteered to protect us.”
The matron nodded. “This is a wise decision, Fireheart. You act as chief in Wild Squirrel’s name. Your mother’s brother will be proud of you.”
Mary joined Woman with Eyes of Hawk. “Is there something we can do, Fireheart?”
Fireheart regarded the women with warm affection. “Protect our children, and be here when our men return. They will bring back any of our people who need our help.”
All of the Lenape women nodded their approval. The men soon rejoined their families, and returned to their wigwams for the remaining night’s sleep. Joanna lingered to speak with Mary.
Sensing her young cousin’s need to speak with her, Mary talked briefly with her husband, then turned to take Joanna’s arm.
“Let us walk for a while,” she said.
Joanna was only too happy to comply. They walked toward the forest and onto the path toward the lake. She marveled at the way her cousin had read her thoughts. “Will Rising Bird go?”
“He will go,” Mary told her. “He is a good warrior, and the men respect him. Fireheart will put him in charge.”
“Are you scared for him?”
Mary’s eyes filled with tears. “I’m terrified.”
“How do you bear it?” Joanna felt sympathy for her cousin. She stopped walking to give her cousin a hug.
Mary hugged her back hard. “I fear for him as much as I feared for you when I left you on the Nancy Kay .”
Joanna stiffened, disturbed by the memory. “Then why did you let me go?” The air between them grew tense again.
“How could I make you stay when your uncle obviously had so
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