Free Candace McCarthy by Sweet Possession Page B

cannot stay,” the man replied. “We must move him.”
    John nodded, as if he understood. “Then you must move him carefully and find a safe place for him to recover. He is young and should mend well, as long as he doesn’t take infection.”
    The Indian translated, and the father answered.
    “We will find a safe place for him to heal,” the man said.
    “Good,” the doctor responded. He gazed down at the bullet on the stand next to the examining table. “How did it happen?” He raised his gaze to the friend.
    “While he slept, the boy was shot by a white soldier.”
    Amelia gasped, having overheard. Her gaze was full of warmth and sympathy as she studied Little Cloud.
    The friend, noting Amelia’s reaction, smiled at her. “You think this wrong. Perhaps only a savage would shoot a child while he was sleeping.”
    “Only an evil man would hurt an innocent child,” she responded softly, drawing a respectful nod from the Indian.
    The Indians left shortly afterward, their needs makingit imperative they leave before dawn. John and Amelia Dempsey looked at each other. They should have been exhausted, but neither one felt tired. With a soft smile, Amelia embraced her father, then started to clean the surgery. With a thoughtful expression on his face, her father quietly began to help.
    “Father, who are they?” she asked, remembering her first impression that these Indians were not Ojibwa. “Why wouldn’t they stay?”
    John Dempsey paused in the act of putting away the unused bandages. “Sioux,” he said.
    Amelia frowned. “Sioux? Aren’t they—”
    “Yes,” her father said, interrupting her. “The enemy of the Ojibwa, and they have ventured into Ojibwa territory.”
    Suddenly, Amelia understood why the Indians had departed quickly and why, while at the infirmary, they’d been totally on their guard.
    He couldn’t stop thinking about Amelia … how she looked, what she’d said about Susie, how much he’d missed sparring with her. As one week then two passed since he’d last seen her at the post, Daniel wondered if something was wrong. He’d been upset at their last meeting, but from his brief experience with her, he’d learned that it wasn’t like her to avoid a challenge.
    He’d given a lot of thought to her words about Susie and had come to the conclusion that Amelia was right. This was no place for a little girl. But he wasn’t about to send Susie away, and it wasn’t the wildness of this place that was bad for Susie. It was the lack of a woman’s influence in her life. Susie needed someone to teach her proper manners; although he tried his best, he didn’t know all a lady needed to know. He’d never imagined such athing could be important out here in this vast wilderness of the great lake. He hadn’t thought ahead to Susie’s future, where her life might take her, how ill prepared she’d be for a more civilized place should fate lead her there.
    As he viewed his beloved little girl through Amelia’s eyes, Daniel had to admit that he’d failed in doing all that he should have for Susie. He planned to rectify the matter, and he hoped Amelia would help him. He was going to ask Amelia to educate Susie in the ways of being a little lady.
    With Susie safely with Jack for the morning, Daniel headed toward the mission to speak with Amelia. Would she help him or be angry that he’d dared to come? He didn’t know how she’d react, but there was only one way to find out—and that was to ask her.
    He arrived at the infirmary, expecting to find her inside, but spied her coming out of the building across the yard, accompanied by a young man. Daniel’s narrowed gaze failed to recognize her caller. He searched his memory but couldn’t recall a name.
    Was that why she’d stayed close to the mission? To spend time with this young man?
    Daniel felt a burning in his gut. Surely, he couldn’t be jealous. It didn’t make sense, but he could find no other name for this feeling.
    He heard her laugh