“I woke up and found myself in the middle of nowhere. All I can remember when I think hard about is regaining consciousness and losing it again almost instantly. But I think I recall being on a horse with the leader.”
She wrapped her arms around herself as she remembered the attack. The more she thought about it, the more she acknowledged that with the burned teepees, the tribe would have been forced to move on.
It would take a miracle for her to discover their new location. The Cheyenne Indians loved to live deep in the forest and enjoyed their privacy. They would now have to find a place where their animals could graze, where they could find a source of water for their needs.
Despair filled her at the thought that she might never find them again.
No, I must be positive. God will help me find them.
“Olivia, I’m going to do my best to find out what happened to them and their present location,” Adam solemnly told her and she believed him.
He seemed the type of person that wouldn’t stop doing something until he got results. She was grateful to God for bringing him her way.
“In the meantime, you have to stay with my foster parents and recuperate. From what you’ve told me about the Cheyenne, I think they might go deeper into the forest. So, you’re going to need all your strength for us to find them.”
Olivia smiled. She loved his determination to help her find her people. She turned slightly on the chair to regard him with grateful eyes.
“Thank you for all your help, Adam. I really appreciate it.”
He shrugged as twin red spots crept up his face. It amazed her because she had never seen a man blush before. She also found it endearing.
“It’s my job.”
“I know but thank you all the same.”
Silence fell between them, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. Olivia thought of what to say to fill in the quietness. She found that she enjoyed his company and didn’t want him to leave just yet.
“Please tell me about the town,” she said, for want of something better to say to keep him with her.
What is wrong with me?
She wished now that she was more exposed to such situations. But she had been so content with the Indians, she hadn’t thought of going to find her kind.
She decided then that now that she knew the Stanfords, she would come into the town every once in a while. It would take days, but it would be worth the journey.
Is it the Stanfords you want to continue seeing or Adam?
Olivia blushed fierily at her inner voice. If she was truthful to herself, she would admit that she would love to see Adam after she returned home to the Indians.
Dear God, what is wrong with me?
She felt awkward that she was behaving like a shy schoolgirl because of a man. She summed it to her inexperience with men.
She belatedly realized that Adam had started talking about the town. It was unlike her to lose focus on her surroundings.
The earlier I return to Standing Tree’s tribe, the better for me.
Chapter 6
Olivia Foster.
A grin covered Adam’s face at the thought of the blonde-haired beauty. He would never forget his reaction when he first glimpsed at her cleanly washed face.
It had taken everything in him not to go to her and cup her stunning heart-shaped face. He had simply stood there and taken in her lovely sky-blue eyes, button nose and full rosy lips.
Her glorious waist-length blonde hair had been neatly plaited in a single braid. He had felt like running his fingers through the silky length.
In its place, he had smiled and forced the knot that had formed in his chest away. Not only was Olivia stunning to look at, but she was also quite young.
