Free Riverbreeze: Part 2 by Ellen E. Johnson

didn’t mean what he said, you know.” He shook his head then, changing his mind. “Well, he did, but ‘tis only because of the way his people are. I’m not angry with him, and you shouldn’t be either.”
    Elizabeth took a breath and looked over at the Indian, who stood at the doorway shifting his weight from one foot to the other, looking extremely uncomfortable. She took a few moments to think, her face resentful.
    “What do you say?” Robert prompted.
    “All right.” She said grudgingly. “He can stay.”
    Robert quickly gave her another kiss, then he waved Owasewas over, sat down, and grabbed a corn cake from the plate that Dolnick had pushed in front of him. Nathan brought him a full bowl of stew and went to get a second for Owasewas.
    Owasewas placed himself on the very edge of the bench and Robert wondered how he didn’t fall off. He gave him an encouraging nod and then smiled at his new bride. He was so proud of both her and his friend. He knew how difficult it was for Owasewas to sit at this table and share a meal with strangers; and he knew how difficult it must have been for Elizabeth to be left here to deal with two unfamiliar servants, one enormously unfamiliar Indian and one distraught woman, but she had done a brilliant job from what he saw. Owasewas may think him stupid, but Robert was more than pleased with the woman he had married this day.
    And he couldn’t wait for this night when he could take her to bed and make her his wife in reality.
     
     

Chapter Nineteen: Wedding Gifts
     

     
    A couple of hours later, Robert lingered in the hallway outside of his bedchamber doorway. He was bone tired, more tired than a bridegroom on his wedding night should be; but it had been a long, emotional day. Even the double-branched brass candlestick with two lit candles that he carried felt overly heavy.
    He wondered how Elizabeth felt and if she was ready for him. She had also looked tired, but satisfied with her accomplishments for the day. She had done an excellent job with supper; much to his surprise the meal had been delicious, and a success, with everyone, including Owasewas, enjoying the food and each other’s company. Once Elizabeth had gotten over her little snit, the time spent at the table was quite pleasant. He was sorry that Jamie had missed it, but he was sure that there would be many more meals like that in the future.
    After the meal was over and feeling concern for both twins, he had sent them upstairs with pitchers of warm water for them to wash with while he had stayed behind to take care of any remaining matters. He had said his farewells to Owasewas, had seen Nathan and Dolnick settled in the small house, had said a good night to Abigail, banked the fire and then locked up the house for the night. Once he had done all that, he did his final washing up in the kitchen rather than carry more water up to the bedchamber.
    Elizabeth was humming inside the bedroom, and Robert leaned against the wall, eyes closed, and for a few minutes, listened to her lovely voice. The tune was not familiar to him, but it had a lively melody and he smiled to himself, taking that as a good sign. He remembered back to the first time he had heard her sing and how shocked he had been to hear that angelic voice coming from such a delicate, young lady.
    It seemed that she was constantly surprising him, with her voice, with her actions and with her words. As much as he didn’t want to compare her to Kathleen, he couldn’t stop himself from remembering his late wife. She had been so shy and quiet; he had had to coax her out of her shell sometimes. But Elizabeth, ah, Elizabeth, she was a spirited one.
    She was almost as spirited as Makki; but then no decent Englishwoman would ever be as free and licentious as a savage. Again he hesitated to compare the two women; actually there wasn’t any comparison.
    But he was glad that he knew a thing or two about pleasing a woman now. Makki had helped him with that, showing