Still, she was married to Too Tall and like Matt he had protected her too. She owed him something. It was like sleeping with three in the bed. Her guilt could take the pleasure out of loving Matt. She would not allow that to happen. The love they shared was too strong.
But then, perhaps Too Tall hadn't survived the war going on. He might be dead and her worrying about it for nothing. She wished she could be sure he was happy and alive.
She did love Matt, though and nothing could change that. They were one! Like the bible said.
The young trapper that had been eyeing her for the last couple of days that Matt was gone, saw th
at she was alone now, and he came closer.
"You're sure a pretty Indian." He remarked. "What happened? Your man run off and leave you?"
"No, he is on a trip, he will return shortly."
Snow Bird said, turning herself away from the young man.
The young man seemed amused, "You sure he'll return?"
The other women saw the man and began to whisper among themselves. They did not like her and probably thought she encouraged the young man. But they did not know her heart.
"Did you hear what I said?" He asked with a smile.
Coon came up beside her, "She heard, but you better get, her husband will return soon and he ain't gonna take to you trying to move in on her. Besides, you'll have to go over me to get to her, first."
"Me second," Doolin said as he stood beside her too.
"I call Third," Raz laughed heartily.
"Colby edged up beside the young man, "They are all tough, but I'm the toughest."
The young man blinked, then walked away.
Snow Bird grinned at the four of them. "Thank you, my friends."
"You betcha," they all said, and they sat down to eat.
While Matt and Ferg were gone, they taught her how to play poker, and she taught them how to skin a rabbit with only one cut.
"I don't believe it. Man, that's something." Colby laughed.
"We have much to tell Matt and Ferg when they return." She smiled at them.
The other women kept whispering about her and making her feel uncomfortable. She knew she could not escape them, so she decided to face them.
She walked boldly up to the white woman. "My name is Snow Bird."
One of the women was a black girl, young and kind of pretty, but she laid with several men and Snow Bird didn't care for her much. The other was Mexican and kept to her kind, not as pretty but more approachable. The white woman was much older, and she did not lay with any man.
"I'm Margaret. Which one of them men is yours?" She asked.
"He's gone down the mountain, but he'll be back, his name is Matt and I'm his wife."
"He married you?" The woman's brow shot up in obvious disbelief.
"Yes, he did."
"But you’re an Indian." The woman couldn't quite hold her tongue and grabbed her mouth after saying it.
"Yes, but I love him…" She smiled.