A hot feeling spread from Chases Rabbits’s neck to his hair.
“Will you come visit me tonight?”
Chases Rabbits grew hotter. “Does this mean I can court you?”
“Silly man. What else have you been doing all this time?”
Her laughter was the music of a flute and the beauty of a rainbow all in one.
At that moment Chases Rabbits would have done anything for her—scaled the highest cliff, caught a wild horse, slain the grizzly he had encountered. Well, maybe not the grizzly, he reflected.
“So tell me what happened with the whites,” Raven On The Ground urged. She drew him to a log and perched with his hand in hers.
“They want me to make a request before the council,” Chases Rabbits related. “I will do so tonight.”
“What do they want of us?”
Chases Rabbits explained how the whites were interested in hiring women to do work at the mercantile. “They will give blankets and beads and whatever else the women might like.”
Raven On The Ground’s lovely eyes lit up. “That is something I would be interested in.”
“I know. That is why I came straight to you before I told anyone else.”
“Maybe I could get a hand mirror like Yellow Butterfly has. I have always wanted one.” She bubbled with excitement. “Oh, this is grand. What kind of work would I have to do?”
“The whites want women to cook and clean and do other things.”
“What other things?”
“The man called Geist didn’t say.”
Raven On The Ground stood. “Come. I will ask my mother and father right away. And when you bring it before the council tonight, I will be the first to step forward and say I am interested.” She tenderly placed her palm on his face. “You have done me a great favor. I am grateful.”
“I would do anything for you,” Chases Rabbits said.
Chapter Ten
Well after night had settled in, and long after the last of the Indians had left, Geist and Petrie walked from the mercantile to the new building that from the outside resembled a stable. It didn’t have double doors, as a barn or stable would, but only a single door that Geist opened and strode through.
Dryfus, Gratt, and Berber were already there. Dryfus pushed his floppy hat back on his head and said, “What do you think?”
Instead of stalls for horses, there were four rooms just big enough for a bed and a stand for a lamp. They had made the beds from planks and used blankets for a mattress.
Geist went from room to room and nodded in satisfaction. “It’s not much, but it will serve our needs.”
“Are four beds enough?” Berber asked.
“We could put two beds to a room,” Gratt suggested. “Do twice the business.”
“All you think of is filling your poke,” Geist said. His face hardened. “Or is it you’d rather run things?”
Gratt thrust out both hands and vigorously shook his head. “Hold on. I never said any such thing. I just remember how it was in Missouri when you crammed them in like apples in a barrel.”
“We start slow and build,” Geist said. “A year from now we could have three beds to a room. It all depends.”
The door opened and Toad filled the doorway. He came in and looked at each of the rooms, then came back again to stand in front of Geist. “I am against this.”
“I don’t give a damn what you are against,” Geist said, and the others laughed and sneered.
“This wasn’t what I thought you meant when you approached me in St. Louis.”
“If I’d told you I was coming west to set up the first Indian whorehouse, would you have taken us on?” Geist scornfully asked.
“Of course not.”
“There you go.” Geist indicated the door. “Go back to your precious mercantile and don’t butt in again.”
“This is wrong,” Toad said.
“Oh, hell,” Geist said.
“You’ll ruin everything! I’m trying my best to earn their trust, and you’ll bring it all crashing down.”
Petrie leveled his rifle. “Want me to take him back and see that he stays there?”
“No need.” Geist glared at Toad and poked him in the chest. “You listen to me, you dumb bastard. All you are to me is a means to an end. I’ll make more money in one month from my whores than you’ll make in six months from your store.”
“The Crows won’t like it. They’ll massacre us.”
Geist was growing angry. He put a hand on his pistol. “Shows how much you know, Levi. When a stranger visits a Crow village, guess what he’s allowed to have for the night if he wants one?”
“You’re not implying…” Toad began.
“I sure as hell am. They let the stranger have a female for the night. Now think about that. If they let a man have a woman for free, why in hell would they raise a ruckus over their women parting their legs for money?”
“Maybe because the women would be doing it for you and you’re white.”
“So? The Crows are almost as friendly to whites as the Shoshones. And besides, we’ll be greasing the wheel with gifts to that idiot Chases Rabbits and to their chiefs.” Geist tapped his temple. “I have it all figured out.”
“I still don’t like it, Ranton.”
“The name is Geist now. And if you ever talk to me like this again, I’ll have Petrie blow out your wick.”
“With pleasure,” Petrie said.
Louisa King came out of their cabin and saw her husband by the lake with a storm cloud on his brow. She went past the chicken coop and their cow. “What are you doing out here, as if I can’t guess?”
“I should go back,” Zach said.
Lou fluffed her sandy hair and put her hand on his arm. “You brood better than anyone I know.”
“Thanks.”
“Don’t get prickly on me. You’ve been there once with Touch The Clouds and Drags The Rope and you all agreed those traders are treating the Indians properly. But you’re still not happy.”
“I can’t shake the feeling that something isn’t right.”
“What’s not right,” Lou said, “is you getting worked up when there’s nothing to get worked up about. And you have something more important to focus on.” She took one of his hands and placed it on the swell of her belly.
Zach smiled and squatted and put his ear to her. “Can you feel it move?”
“It?” Louisa said. “You’re calling our son or daughter an it?”
“We haven’t picked names yet.”
“It’s still not an it.”
Lou then realized what she had said, and laughed. Zach chuckled and caressed her stomach.
“Our first child. I can’t wait.”
“Well, it’ll be months yet, so don’t hold your breath.” Lou embraced him as he straightened and hugged him with all her strength. “I’m so happy and I’m so scared.”
“Scared?”
“What if something goes wrong? We’re in the middle of the mountains. There’s no sawbones for a thousand miles.”
“Now who’s brooding?” Zach teased. “You have my mother and Blue Water Woman to help. Everything will be fine.” He kissed her.
“A woman can’t help worrying. To have a new life come out of me…” Lou looked down at herself. “It’s a miracle.”
“Pa says they were some of the greatest moments of his life, when my sister and I popped out.”
“You did not just say popped.”
“Slid, then? Or is it squeezed out? Or maybe pushed? Whatever it is you women do.”
“You’ll see for yourself.”
“What?”
Louisa raised his hand and pecked his palm. “I want you there with me.”
“You want me in the room with you when the baby is born?”
“You’re the father, aren’t you? What a ridiculous question.” Lou grinned. “You’ll be there holding me and comforting me.”