Her brows narrowed. "It is not like you think. He had followed the wagon train for miles, hoping to steal a few horses. He took her because her white husband beat her. They were on a wagon train heading to Oregon. She accidently spilled a pail of water and her white husband beat her until she cried. He cares for her, very much. As he feels sorry for her, but his love is only for my sister."
"If she's white she should be with her people."
Snow Bird shook her head. "They would not have her, now."
Matt nodded slowly as he stared at her, "I guess you are right. I've seen that for myself at Fort Benning. They brought back a white captive. She had been gone five years. She looked like an Indian. Acted like one too. Her husband wouldn't take her back" He watched her closely now. "So, does this white captive care for her Indian husband?"
"Yes, because he is very good to her and they have two children together. Beautiful children." When she saw Matt's face, she went on. "Naomi says she would not go willing back to her white husband now."
"Oh." Matt studied on that information. "Well, I suppose under the circumstances, I could understand that. But others wouldn't. But I'll get you back to him, if I can."
She narrowed her glance on him. "You are a strange white man."
"Get some sleep…" He said lowly. "We'll move out first light."
She nodded and prepared both his and her blankets.
Chapter Two
Matt got up early as she did, and while she made coffee and cooked breakfast, he cleaned up, shaved, and went hunting. The forest they traveled through was rich with game and he had no trouble finding them either. The first snow hadn't come so game was still prevalent.
He could smell the fat back before he ever returned and was anxious to eat. He'd killed a wild turkey for their dinner, holding it proudly as he marched back to camp.
She saw him but seemed unimpressed. He gave her the turkey as though she would know what to do with it.
Funny thing, she never seemed grateful for anything. It was as though she expected him to bring that turkey in. He reckoned Indian women thought differently than white women. A white woman would have bragged on his hunt.
But then she did say the men hunted and protected, and the women worked. Maybe that's how she saw things. He provided and protected, she did the work, except for the horses. He tended them.
She took it and started plucking it. Even as she got on the horse, she plucked the turkey. He found that odd, but he didn't say a word about it. There was a lot to learn about the Indians and Matt found it interesting to say the least.
"That is good, we will eat well."
He smiled. She'd finally acknowledged his hunt!
"Which side of the River is it on?" Matt asked as he checked an old map, he had of the Nebraska Territories. He needed to be headed in the right direction or they'd waste too much time and be caught in the snows.
She shot him a discerning glance.
"The Cheyenne camp?"
"Yes."
"Past the Big Horn Mountains…" She smiled.
"Rough territory." Matt muttered.
"Yes." She affirmed.
"Well, we'll have to make some time." Matt told her.
She made breakfast and cleaned the dish up again.
"You are a good cook."
"Thank you, that was my job at the Store…" She told him.
"How did you happen to work there?" He asked.