Chapter 23

NORA SETTLED IN that evening near the fire. They had spent the remainder of the day constructing ground shelters to be clos-er to the heat in the evening. Running Bull and Jack had taken turns scouting the surrounding forest until both were confident no one else was near. Jack seemed surprised when Nora constructed her own sturdy shelter without their help. It was true that she probably spent more time securing it than she needed to, given that they had decided to head into Philadelphia in the morning and she only needed it the one night, but she felt any-thing worth doing was worth doing right. That was Ben’s influ-ence on her.

The day had been surprisingly busy. Between the shelter construction and Jack testing her skills with the bow and arrow, she was exhausted. He continued to grumble about her pants, but Nora paid him no mind. She would do as she pleased and dress as she pleased. She wasn’t about to change the way she had done things for over eighty years simply because he deemed it so. They were a team—for the moment—and he would not order her about as if he were in charge.

“The language you speak,” Nora asked Running Bull, “is it specific to your tribe?”

“It is the Algonquin language,” Running Bull explained. “Many tribes speak it. It is easier to communicate with the other tribes when we share the same language.”

“Was it difficult to learn to speak English, then?”

“No,” Running Bull said, shaking his head. “Our tribe had Jack to teach us and practice with. We were fortunate. In the beginning, he communicated with white traders and translated for our elders and chief. He has an important place in our tribe.”

Nora noticed a look exchange between Running Bull and Jack. Running Bull’s seemed to be a knowing one, while Jack’s appeared to hold warning. Nora decided not to press that par-ticular issue and moved on to something else.

“What is it like to live in an Indian village? Are you self-sustaining?”

“Not entirely, though we could be,” Running Bull said. “We are a farming people. Our women tend to crops, and our men hunt. We trade our food for clothing and rifles. Our chil-dren play and help with chores. Everyone in the tribe works. Everyone knows their place.” There was another glance at Jack, but Jack wasn’t looking at Running Bull. He was staring into the fire and appeared to be lost in thought. “You built a fine shelter, Lady Nora. We live in wikkums, which are made of wood and mats crafted of animal hides. They are large and hold a whole family. We are governed by a tribal council and chief.”

“Our two worlds sound very similar.”

“And yet very different. No matter what your status or rank in our world, everyone works from the time they are able to do so until they time they are not. The harder, more physical work is not given to small children and elders, but there is work for them as well. The good of the tribe depends on the work everyone does.”

Nora considered Running Bull’s words. Had she lived the life she was born into she would have been a lady of leisure. She was a lady of leisure once. Of course, one day, she would have married and overseen the running of the household, but she wouldn’t have done any of the work herself.

But that was before she’d embarked on a life on the run. Her previously pampered life had done nothing to prepare her for surviving. Nora had learned by trial and error. She had nearly starved learning how to hunt and fish, and spent many a terrfied night under the stars, huddling next to trees and beneath bridges until she learned to build her own shelters. She had learned how to fight and wield weapons, something her earlier self would have been appalled by. But Nora no longer had the luxury of being appalled. She’d had to learn to fight. She could not easily be killed—except by a shot to the head or heart—but a serious injury would make her vulnerable, and she could never afford that.

“And what of you, sir?” Nora asked, turning to Jack. “Where did you live?”

Jack turned his attention to her and studied her face for a moment before answering, “I live in a wikkum with my parents and the rest of my family.”

Nora considered this answer. If he lived with his parents then did that mean he did not have a wife? Surely he was of the marrying age.

“And do you have a family of your own awaiting your return?” She couldn’t help but ask. She hadn’t realized that she held her breath awaiting the answer until she let it out again when he spoke.

“Just my parents,” Jack said, then tossed a careless thumb in Running Bull’s direction. “And him, of course.” Of course, knowing what she did from Fox’s vision, she knew he couldn’t have been married if he was destined to be her mate. Then again, she was not ignorant in the ways of the world either. She knew full well a man and a woman didn’t have to be married to have physical relations. Flushing at the thought of intimacy with Jack, Nora looked away.

The easy camaraderie between the brothers made her miss her own with unexpected longing. So much time had passed since she had last seen her beloved brother that her feel-ings had transformed almost into mourning. There were days she had lost hope of ever being reunited. When she’d found Ben, her faith had been restored. She felt confident she would not only find her Warrior very soon, but that her days of mourning would end.