The Cry of the Wolf Chapter 19

"More fish?" Small Bird held out the platter to Brebeuf.

"Thank you," Brebeuf breathed, "Thank you for your kindness and hospitality. May the Lord bless you for taking me in and showing kindness to the least of His servants."

He sounded pretentious perhaps, yet looking into his eyes, it was clear Brebeuf meant every word, his words soft like one of their storytellers.

The Iroquois children leaned forward trying to understand his words, the tone of his voice soothing.

Falcon frowned. The white demon was already enchanting the children. He should have left when they moved their camp in the morning. Let him fend for himself. He'd keep Maggie away from this intruder for the remainder of the day, worried an evil spirit would enter their unborn baby as long as Brebeuf remained in their midst.

He glanced up to where his mother was hovering over Maggie, feeding her broth as she lay on their bed. He couldn't question his chief, but he was not going to put his family at risk.

****

The further away they moved from the fort, the more Adelaide lost all hope of ever returning home.

"Why won't you let Chief Long Knife love you?"

Maggie raised an eyebrow. Surely she could not be the only one to fall for her captor. She glanced up at Falcon beneath lowered lashes, her cheeks flushing. Oh, he was good to her, his tender loving concealed beneath his iron strength and fierce features.

Adelaide refused to answer the question, looking over at her children shadowing Chief Long Knife. Something stirred in her heart watching her son strut beside the chief, his shoulders straight with an air of confidence in the firm set of his youthful jaw.

Dressed in fringed buckskin, Isabella played with the other children, having picked up the Iroquois tongue quickly. After all these years, Adelaide had no idea her children had an ear for languages.

Sarah sat beside Small Bird, twisting her hands in opposite directions until the kernels of corn released their hold on the cob before falling into the dish. Sarah's soft laughter caused Small Bird to beam in delight.

The Wyandotte Nation highly valued children, and physical discipline was unheard of. Instead, the children learned by playing and imitating their elders. In this environment, the children thrived and yet, Adelaide worried. After all, their captors were heathens. What influence were they having on her children? What were they telling the kids in a language Adelaide struggled to grasp?

Maggie had clearly already succumbed to Falcon's whiles regardless of the fact he was an unbeliever. No, Adelaide must act quickly resolving to confide in the kindly Jesuit. At the moment, he was the lesser of the two evils.

****

Brebeuf glanced up in surprise as Adelaide approached. He'd been welcomed into the wigwam after running the gauntlet and given a meal, yet no one had made him leave, prolonging their hospitality to him as they moved camp the day after his arrival.

He was a patient man, repeating their words slowly as he put his mind to learning their language as he joined the women out in the fields.

The men laughed behind his back as the demon did women's work, finally realizing Brebeuf was not nearly as evil as they had initially assumed.

The stout man seemed to take great satisfaction in learning their language and, within the month, had begun to gain their trust.

Adelaide hunkered down beside the Jesuit as her fingers nimbly harvested roots.

"I am worried..."

Adelaide began looking furtively over her shoulder although she needn't have concerned herself. Maggie was the only one who understood her and she was working at her mother-in-law's side.

Adelaide had Brebeuf's full attention.

"I am worried about my soul and the souls of my children."

The aging priest nodded, pulling weeds at her side.

"These people are heathens and I fear what they are teaching my children. I am slow to grasp the language..."

"They must be taught the Scriptures. Each is a precious soul facing a Christless eternity..."

"Yes, yes, I know!"

Adelaide was impatient with his slow enunciation. She only had a few minutes before they'd grow suspicious. Adelaide wouldn't put it past the other young women to report back to her husband. No one could be trusted, except for Maggie and she was so in love with Falcon that Adelaide had begun to second-guess her friend as well.

Husband.

The word left a bitter taste in her mouth even as her heart skipped a beat. Ashamed of her heart's reaction at the thought of Chief Long Knife, she pressed forward.

"I cannot be intimate with him. I am married! My husband was left behind..."

Adelaide didn't have to explain. For nearly a month she'd lain in Chief Long Knife's arms, held against his side. The same thing every night - the chief pulling the furs over her shoulders then held her incredibly close until he fell asleep.

Things were changing between them, his eyes on her during the day causing her heart to hammer and his hands on her at night, a silent promise that his waiting had come to an end. She was his wife - completely, and he wouldn't wait much longer.

"If he...it is a sin! I cannot!" Adelaide stammered, glancing up at Small Bird unaware of the scope of her mother-in-law's influence.

"I will speak with your husband tonight. Let us pray the Lord will help me make him understand. You are doing what is right in the sight of the Lord..."

"Thank you," Adelaide smiled at his reassurance.

A year ago she never would have assumed she'd find comfort in the Jesuit's words.