Lakota Princess by Karen Kay Read Free Book Online Page B

you. Do I?”
    He stopped and looked up at her. And in his face, which might at one time have been handsome, a muscle twitched. Finally he spoke, though he lowered his gaze again to her arm. “I do not believe, My Lady,” he said, “that we have ever met until now.”
    Estrela sighed, raising her eyes to the ceiling. “Pray, do forgive me, sir. I fear that I am under a great deal of strain. And I am afraid that I have embarrassed you. Please, tell me again. What was it you asked me?”
    “It was not important, M’lady.”
    Estrela sat for a moment in thought before asking, “Is there any reason, sir, why I can’t follow the Duchess and her daughters?”
    “None, except the limits that you place upon yourself. Your wound was only superficial.”
    “Will you hurry then, please? I can’t allow Black Bear to be alone with them. He will not know what to do, and he would never think to say no to anything they would suggest. It is his way.”
    The doctor nodded, and as his gaze met hers, Estrela thought he carefully masked something, some thought, though all he said was, “Do not strain yourself overly much. The wound may be minor, but you might still be weak from the excitement. Promise me that you will not exert yourself too much and will rest when you’re tired.”
    “I promise,” was all Lady Estrela said before rising. She curtsied to the doctor, and then in a flurry of motion, left the room.
    And if she didn’t see the physician’s eyes narrow at her departure, so much the better.
     
     
    She found them in the west wing. Black Bear stood, arms over his chest, surrounded by feminine laughter and wiles. The two girls chatted with him, taking turns trying to escort him along the corridor.
    They were making little progress, however. Black Bear simply would not move along at the pace they desired, taking his time studying the portraits that lined the walls.
    He towered over the women as they relentlessly shot questions up at him, but he paid them little attention. He scrutinized the portraits instead, striding up to them, touching one, then another. He would gaze at a painting, then step back. And all the while the women moved with him, pacing up, then back, constantly talking.
    Finally, Black Bear shook his head, opened his mouth to speak, perhaps to ask a question, but he didn’t get the chance. The demands for his attention were such that Black Bear, unable to do more than listen to the women, resorted back to his original stance, arms crossed over his chest, posture straight.
    And Estrela couldn’t take her eyes from him.
    He looked magnificent. He had draped his buffalo robe over his shoulders, his hair fanned out behind him in one long mass; his stance with legs apart reminded Estrela of his stubbornness. She was caught up at once by the odd comparison between the Indian and a portrait of an English gentleman that Black Bear was studying. Black Bear was as well and richly dressed in his own culture as this representative was in his. Both the Indian and the Englishman boasted weapons, both mocked the world with an intelligent leer; but the most striking resemblance between the two was that in the portrait, as well as in Black Bear, Estrela noted an air of confidence. The Englishman’s claim to it most likely stemmed from his title, the Indian’s, more readily from his skill.
    Estrela sighed and felt a pain and longing like she had never known deep inside her.
    It didn’t matter how much she admired him; she could not have him.
    He turned quickly at that moment to catch her study of him and, before she could drop her gaze, he frowned. “Why are you not resting? Surely the white medicine man has insisted upon this.”
    Perhaps it was because of all the excitement today. Perhaps it was her own shock over seeing Black Bear or maybe the stress was simply physical. Whatever the cause, Estrela suddenly felt quite faint. And she struggled with herself, determined to stay upright. She tried to think of something