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keeping her distance of about fifty feet from the trail so she wouldn't be breathing in the dust and odors of the horses, oxen and wagon wheels. There was another seventy feet or so to the edge of the woods on her left, and a spread of prairie grass to the right.
     
    Up ahead, a deathly silence enveloped the wagons. Usually, there was talking and shouting amongst the men and families traveling along together, the clang of pots and the cheerful whoops of children playing as they ran alongside the slow-moving conveyances. Now, though, everything was suddenly still except for the grinding of iron wheel-guards on gravel and the occasional low of an ox. A shudder ran down Sally's spine as she spotted four Indian warriors sitting like statues on their horses at the forest edge far ahead, watching the progress of the wagons roll by.
     
    Lord have mercy, what would he do when he saw her?
     
    There was no doubt in her mind it was Standing Bear and his companions. She'd recognize that meltingly masculine silhouette anywhere. They'd come to organize a day of trading, Jeb had said. She wondered just what Standing Bear had in mind to trade...
     
    Keeping her eyes to the ground, she walked on. As she neared the warriors, she felt four sets of eyes drill into her. She would not look up. He could do nothing to her here. Just as he could do nothing about it for the last three nights when she'd refused to answer his calls.
     
    One of them had to be sensible. If the Indians took her forcibly, there would be trouble. Lots of people would die, probably on both sides.
     
    And how could she even think of going willingly? As much as she felt for Standing Bear, as much as her body ached for him, and as sure as she was that she could love him madly if given but half a chance, how could she ever give herself over to a life as his... whore?
     
    For that's exactly what she'd be. He'd made no promises of marriage. Indeed, she didn't even know if Indians had such a thing. Although he'd mentioned the word 'wife' at one point, so probably they did. But as she recalled, in the next breath, he'd also mentioned selling her to another man.
     
    Surely, he must see that no sane woman would willingly submit to such a life? Regardless of the fact that she'd had no sleep for the past four nights thinking of him and his magical hands and wonderful lovemaking.
     
    She heard a commotion, and looked over to see two of the other braves trying to restrain Standing Bear. He flayed her with a furious look. Breaking away, he wheeled his horse along the forest edge a few yards behind her. She quickly turned forward and resumed walking, deliberately ignoring him. The last thing she needed was a confrontation with the man in front of the whole damned world.
     
    She felt his wrath scorching the back of her neck as he kept pace on his horse behind her. She could hear whispering from behind the canvas flaps of the nearby wagons, and the quietly called advice to run to her wagon and hide from the dangerous renegade who'd taken such an interest in her. Alyssa was weeping audibly inside the Tompkins' wagon, lamenting that Sally was sure to be carried off to a certain, horrible fate.
     
    If only she knew.
     
    Standing Bear trailed her for what seemed like hours. Each minute that dragged by, his angry gaze bored deeper and deeper into her spine, making her itch with its intensity. It was a good thing she'd decided not to go to him -- he'd probably as soon kill her as make love to her at this point.
     
    Finally, she could take no more. She spun to face him. "Stop following me!" she shouted.
     
    Muffled gasps echoed along the line of wagons.
     
    He didn't say a word, but reined his horse and sat staring at her, an inscrutable look on his face.
     
    She stomped over to him. "I will not go with you, " she hissed out under her breath, for his ears only. "And you can't make me. "
     
    A muscle in his jaw worked up and down.
     
    "So, just stop calling me with your stupid bird