Rain Shadow(10)

The morning grew late. Franz and Annette left first with Clara and their  sleeping baby, Regan. Jakob and Lydia took their leave next, carrying  their two sons, Seth and Titus.

"Thanks for the hospitality." Will stood and donned his fringed coat. "I'll say goodbye to Slade now and we'll be on our way."

An awkward hollowness arose within Rain Shadow while Slade received  goodbyes from his friends. Besides her and Two Feathers, these men were  her son's only family.

"We'll be watching for you," Will said, and embraced her shoulders  firmly. "Take care of each other. If you need anything, wire me."

"I will." She hugged him back, fighting the thick tears in her throat.  He was the closest thing to an uncle or grandfather she'd ever known.

He brought his gloved knuckles up under her chin and forced her to look  him in the eye. "Keep your chin up, Princess. I'm going to go ahead with  the plans for the exhibition."

She blinked at him in gratitude. He understood how important it was she prove herself. "I'll be there."                       
       
           



       

From the Neubauers' enormous porch, she waved the party off, an  unbearable ache squeezing her heart. She felt herself shrink and  diminish as she watched her companions ride off. She was out of her  element here with the Neubauers, away from her people and her culture,  and she didn't like the feeling one bit. "I'll be there," she whispered  with a shiver.

Two Feathers unfolded a blanket he'd left near the door and wrapped it  around her shoulders. "I want to stay with you and Slade, Rain Shadow,"  he said.

"Are you sure?" she asked him. "You can still leave with them tomorrow."

"I have no desire to see winter quarters this season. It is peaceful  here." He folded his arms over his chest. "I want to stay and hunt."

She laid her hand on his arm briefly before he stepped off the porch and moved silently toward their lodge.

Deep in thought, she didn't hear the door open and close behind her.

"Won't be long before you can join 'em."

Anton's voice sent a ribbon of sensation spiraling down her spine and  through her limbs. She turned and discovered the front of his jacket  inches from her face. Were those words meant to comfort her, or was he  reassuring himself that her intrusion would be brief? So close was he,  she caught the arresting scent of wood smoke in his hair and clothing.

Stepping away, he settled his Stetson over his shock of hair. "Best tend to chores."

He walked toward the barn while anxiety unsettled her. Her conflicting  feelings didn't sit well at all. She was saddened by the departure of  her show family, but grateful that Slade was alive and well, and that as  soon as his leg healed, they would catch up with the others. This other  feeling...this almost delightful uncertainty was the one she couldn't  define. The sentiment clouded her senses whenever Anton Neubauer cast  his intense gaze on her... spoke near her ear or stood near enough to  envelop her with his arresting male scent. That feeling could only mean  trouble.

After the winter snows melted and the rivers filled their banks, she  would take Annie Oakley's title from her. When that happened, fame would  turn up her family. Her resolve strengthened.

Finding them was all that mattered.

* * *

A brisk wind promised winter, shaking the red and gold leaves from the  sugar maples. Their stark branches fingered heavenward against a gray  sky laden with low-hanging clouds. Johann and Two Feathers removed  buckets from the trees and carried than to the house, intent on boiling  syrup. Passing them with a wagonload of dead timber, Rain Shadow tugged  up the collar of her buckskin coat and waved. Nikolaus ran alongside.  "What are you doing?"

"Going to chop wood."

"Can I help?"

"I'd be happy to have your help. I need to check on Slade first."

"Slade's reading Clara," Nikolaus informed her.

"Reading her?"

"Yup. Reading her about birds."

"Oh," she replied with a grin. Her son loved to read. She'd taught him  herself. During her childhood days on the reservation, her education had  been less than adequate, books and supplies outdated and in short  supply. Teachers were generally young and inexperienced, moving on as  soon as possible.

When she and Two Feathers joined the show, she bought and borrowed  books, studying when not practicing. She'd read the classics to Two  Feathers by lantern light, huddled next to camp fires across the  continent. Speech and education were important if she and Slade were to  fit into the whites' society.

Nikolaus helped her unload the wagon and put the horses away, then they  systematically reduced the tree limbs to manageable chunks. He peered  down a slender stick like Buffalo Bill taking aim with Lucrezia Borgia,  and she laughed at his antics. Anton called to Nikolaus from the barn.

"What?" Nikolaus called back.

"Did you pull those nails out of those boards like I asked you?"

"I'm helping Rain Shadow, Pa!"

"That's not what I asked." Anton's long legs swallowed the ground  between them in purposeful strides. "You had a chore I set you to this  mornin'."

"Sorry, Pa. We oughta be done in a hour."                       
       
           



       

"Nikolaus!"

Nikolaus peered at his father, his wide blue eyes growing wary.

"I'm sorry," Rain Shadow said quickly. "I didn't know he had chores when  I said he could help me. I'll help him with the boards when we're  finished here."

Anton turned on her, his frosty blue eyes snapping. "What're you doing  this for, anyway? There's a whole pile of firewood next to the cabin  behind the house."

His well-directed words effectively cut through the pleasant mood  Nikolaus had helped her achieve. Since the night before, she had tried  her best to keep an optimistic outlook. She held his aggravated gaze and  wondered why he was so angry with her. "That wood is not mine."

"And this is?"

A spark of anger ignited. "I gathered it. I'm cutting it."

"On my land. With my ax. And my son's help."

Her emotions reeled. He made it seem as if she were taking advantage of  him, though she had no choice. She would not be indebted to this rude  man. "I will pay you for the wood, Mr. Neubauer," she snapped back.  "I'll pay rent on the ax and the land, and wages to your son."

Nikolaus' attention bobbed back and forth between the two adults' obstinate expressions.

"Nikolaus, head into the barn." Anton jerked a thumb and watched his son  break into a run before turning back to her. "I don't want your money,"  he scoffed.

"What do you want?" Not about to be intimidated by his formidable  height, she pulled herself up straight and pinned him with an undaunted  stare. "I don't like being here any better than you like having me, but  there's nothing I can do about that now. I guess I have to remind you  that you brought Slade here in the first place, and I thanked you for  that. Obviously, your concern is for him, and I'm a boil on your  backside, but believe me, I try to stay out of your way."

He pointed a long finger under her nose. "It's my son's way I want you out of. I'm tired of your interference."

Interference? She'd thought to do this man a favor by entertaining the  boy. Nikolaus' company had been a blessing to both her and Slade.  Obviously, there was no pleasing this man. Her defensive stature  relaxed. With obvious disgust, she slapped his finger from under her  nose. "I thought I was helping."

He snorted. "If you want to help, go in the house and launder the  bedding. Do some baking and make us something for supper. Your friends  all left this mornin' and Annette won't be doing those things now. She  has her own family to worry about. Make yourself useful."

Aching with inadequacy, Rain Shadow averted her gaze at last. She could  probably manage to launder bedding, but she didn't know the first thing  about baking or cooking the Neubauers' food in their kitchen. All her  cooking was done over a fire, in a pit or a clay oven. Unwilling to  admit these things to the man before her, she nodded curtly. "I will  make myself useful, Mr. Neubauer."

Anton spun on his heel and stalked to the barn. He found his son holding  a board down with his small boot, trying ineffectively to work out a  bent nail. Nikolaus turned at the sound of footsteps, revealing a dirty  trail of tears streaking his rosy cheeks.

Immediately contrite, Anton took the hammer from Nikky's much smaller hand and removed the nail effortlessly.

"Nikolaus."

"Yeah, Pa?"

"Sorry I yelled at you. After all, you were working at another chore, weren't ya?"