“Let me down now! You can’t get away with this?—”
“You’re going to stop me?” he demanded, suddenly setting her upon her feet.
“Yes, I’ll stop you!” she challenged.
But as she stumbled and tried to catch her balance, his hands were on her again, pulling off Deer Woman’s elegant doeskin dress. She swore, striking him, fighting to retrieve the garment. But she was lifted again, and then she had the sensation of sailing. She cursed him as she flew through the air, only to cry out as she landed in the icy cool river once again.
She sputtered to the surface, but he was there. Instead of admitting defeat, she flew at him again, but his chest was now wet and slick, and her blows seemed to be deflected even as they fell. He caught her arms. “I don’t begin to understand you. I don’t even know what the hell this is about, but you will not do this here.”
“You don’t know what it’s about? And I will not do what here?” she demanded. Then she cried out because his fingers had tightened to such an extent that her arms were in real pain. He didn’t seem to notice.
“Hawk! Damn you, please!”
“We’re going back to the camp. Where you are going to be a good wife. No one expects you to really understand a woman’s work, but you are going to cook a delicious meal for your husband and a number of his peers.”
“Oh, am I?”
“You are.”
“What peers?”
“Crazy Horse is joining me to eat this afternoon.”
“Crazy Horse is coming to dinner?” she repeated, astonished.
“And it had best be a damned good one!”
She tried to jerk free. He held her fast.
“You’re out of your mind. I’m not?—”
“You are.”
“Since it seems you are in pursuit of another woman, get a second wife for the entertaining you plan on doing. Your white wife is leaving.”
“What?”
“You heard me!”
“My white wife is about to be throttled or drowned. And if you humiliate me any further?—”
“If I humiliate you!”
“You risk our lives if you risk my reputation here. I’ll tie you to a lodge pole and take a buggy whip to you before I let that happen.”
It was an idle threat. He’d never dare carry it out. Or would he?
“Let me go!” she demanded.
To her surprise, he shoved her from him. She landed some distance from him in the water. She quickly scurried across the shallow river to the other side, emerging naked upon the grassy embankment.
She stood, flipped her soaking hair around, and started walking.
“You’re walking back naked, my love!” he called back to her.
“Well, you are the one who just removed my clothing.”
“You needed to cool off.”
