She inhaled noisily before saying, "There is something I have not told you. I tried to say it to you when I first arrived here, but I couldn't make the words leave my mouth. And so, now I will have to tell you what I should have said then, but before I do, I would like you to promise me to please like me, even after what I must now say to you."
He shrugged. "Of course I will still like you."
"You must promise."
"I promise."
In the distance, a wolf howled, another joined in, then another and another. Gray Falcon murmured, his voice low and spellbinding, "A storm comes, though perhaps it is many days away. When a man hears the wolves howl in this way, a storm comes. Most of us will prepare for it."
"Yes, I suppose they must. But, I am afraid of wolves. My people tell many stories of wolves harming people. My sister used to be afraid of them, also, but then they came to help her several years ago, and I believe she has changed her mind about them."
"Áa,her husband has told me the story of his rescue of her and how the wolves helped them. I know of no tales of wolves harming people here in our wide and beautiful country. Indeed, my people have often been helped by wolves, and there is a saying amongst my people that a gun which shoots a wolf or coyote will never shoot straight again. Also, there was once a girl lost and alone, and a wolf came to her, hunted for her every day and stayed with her until she was reunited with her family. Wolves also rescued and kept your sister's husband—my friend—from perishing when he was a baby. It was because of his stay amongst the wolves that he came to be able to speak to and understand the talk of all the life around him. He found his power then and has become a great medicine man, and your sister, his wife, helps him, often bringing him the herbs and roots he needs after he has worked his medicine dream upon the sick one. Together, they have become well-known amongst our people as the 'medicine man and his medicine wife.' They are beloved by all our people."
Silence stretched between them. In the distance, Amelia heard the fiddle and the bass from the fort as the engagées set up for another dance. The instruments' sound was louder than it seemed it should have been, and it carried all the way up to these bluffs, even over the distant drums from the Indian encampment. It reminded her of the dance within the fort that first night after arriving here. But, along with this memory, came another: Gray Falcon hadn't asked her to dance.
As though he might know her thoughts, she wasn't at all surprised when he said, "I watched you dance there in the fort, the first night after your arrival here."
"I know," she said.
"Did you like him? The man who was holding you while you were both dancing?"
"Yes, I liked him. But, I do not love him. I was only dancing with him, and it means nothing. I have not changed, Mr. Falcon. I love only you."
"And yet, when you say this to me, I am aware you might be going back to St. Louis soon. I think, despite your being here now, you might do as your mother wishes you to do."
"Yes." She gulped.
"Perhaps I shouldn't have spoken of marriage this evening, but I do not know the white man's way of doing these things. Perhaps white women do not marry for love. Tell me, do you plan to marry one of those men in the village of St. Louis who asked you to marry him? Even though you might not be in love with him?"
She didn't answer. How could she when he had hit too closely to the truth? Instead, since the music from the fort was reaching up to them, she asked, "Would you like me to teach you the dance we were doing that first night?"
"Saa.An unmarried man should not hold an unmarried woman in the same way he was holding you."
"Are you again trying to correct me into better behavior?"
"Áa,it seems to be the way with us. But also, if you are to be here amongst my people, you should know what is forbidden between a man and a woman who is not the man's wife."
"I suppose so," she responded. "Honestly, if you're going to reprimand me for doing and saying things I shouldn't, then I think you should save your criticism for some act that is terribly scandalous and is one we could do together. Perhaps, then, you might remind me…and perhaps yourself, too…about my wayward character."
"I do not know this word 'scandalous.'"
"It is a deed that is improper or even shocking."
He laughed. "How like you to not only think of this, but to tell it to me. I must admit I have missed your habit of speaking your mind."
"Really?"
He didn't answer.
"Mr. Falcon, please, let me teach you the steps of the dance we were doing. To my people, this kind of dancing is fun and is not scandalous." She came up to her feet and stood in front of him, there on the wide ledge looking out over the golden rays of a setting sun.
"I do not wish to learn the steps to this dance. And, I disagree. Itisscandalous."
"It is not. It is fun, and I am determined to teach it to you."
He frowned up at her, but said nothing.
"Now, listen to the beat. Do you hear it? The music is in three-quarter time," she began. "The beat is heavy on the first beat, but the following two beats are light. Like this: one, two-three; one, two-three. Do you feel it?"
