Restoring Hope Read online

  Restoring

  Hope

  Ruth Ann Nordin

  Ruth Ann Nordin’s Books

  Springfield, Nebraska

  Restoring Hope - Smashwords Edition

  Published by Ruth Ann Nordin at Smashwords

  Copyright © 2010 by Ruth Ann Nordin

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Smashwords Edition, License Notes:

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  Editing by Stephannie Beman

  Cover made by Bonnie Steffens

  Cover Photo images Copyright Shutterstock Images LLC. All rights reserved – used with permission.

  Cover Photo images Copyright iStockphoto LP. iStockphoto.com/eyecrave LLC All rights reserved – used with permission.

  Cover Photo images Copyright Getty Images. All rights reserved – used with permission.

  Dedicated to Bonnie Steffens who has brightened up my life. May God bless you and your family as you have blessed me.

  And thank you for making the cover!

  Other books written by Ruth Ann Nordin

  The Nebraska Romances (chronological order)

  A Bride for Tom/A Husband for Margaret (two novellas in one book)

  Eye of the Beholder

  The Wrong Husband

  His Redeeming Bride

  Loving Eliza

  Other Historical Romances

  Falling In Love With Her Husband

  Romancing Adrienne

  A Chance In Time (novella inspired by Meant To Be)

  Contemporary Romantic Comedies

  With This Ring, I Thee Dread

  What Nathan Wants (coming late-summer 2010)

  Time Travel Romantic Comedy

  Meant To Be

  The Virginia Trilogy

  An Unlikely Place for Love

  The Cold Wife

  An Inconvenient Marriage

  Quick Author’s Note:

  In United States’ history, Native Americans were referred to as Indians. (I realize some of my readers are from India, and I do not wish for there to be any confusion. When I refer to Indians in this story, it is for North American Indians.)

  Regarding the Okipe Ceremony, the Mandan tribe celebrated this after the first of August after they moved north. Originally, their tribes were further south in the United States, and they celebrated the Okipe Ceremony in early summer. (This is why some sources site early summer for this celebration.) Since this story takes place in North Dakota, I am going by the later celebration date. I base my research for this and other Mandan facts from the book The North American Indian (volume 5) written and published by Edward S. Curtis (1909).

  Chapter One

  September 1897

  Woape closed her eyes and forced her breathing to return to normal. If they heard her, they’d find her hiding place. She took deep breaths and counted backwards from a hundred. By the time she reached eighty, her heart rate slowed.

  She opened her eyes and scanned the clearing in the moonlight. The tree bark dug into her skin, but she didn’t dare let go of the large branch stable enough to hold her weight. Thankfully, the leaves hid her. She just hoped it hid her well enough.

  She heard a horse neigh and tightened her arms and legs around the branch. Biting her lip so she wouldn’t inadvertently cry out, she drew blood. She ignored the sting and the metallic taste.

  Be quiet. Just be still.

  The three hunters spread out, their bows drawn. The steeds methodically made their way along the quiet prairie. They were getting closer. And she’d run out of options. This was the last place she’d found to avoid them.

  Gulping, she drew a shaky breath. She couldn’t afford to lose heart now. Not when all they had to do was pass under her and keep their pursuit across the land. A coyote howled in the distance, but she kept her ears tuned into what the hunter moving in her direction was saying.

  “She’s not here,” Tecumseh said, keeping his voice low.

  “She’s here. She has to be,” Hothlepoya replied. “There’s nowhere else she could have gone.”

  She shivered at the chill in Hothlepoya’s voice. Why couldn’t they just go? What made her so special anyway?

  “I don’t see her horse,” Tecumseh said. “She wouldn’t abandon it.”

  Hothlepoya and Tecumseh stopped their horses beneath her tree and studied their surroundings. She held her breath. They were right there! If they looked up...

  Oh please don’t let them look up!

  Who she made that request to, she didn’t know, but maybe whatever was out there guiding the fates of people was listening to her pleas now.

  “Hothlepoya! Look!” the third Indian called out.

  Woape’s gaze followed the trail he pointed at, and she shifted her weight slightly to get a good view of the man leading the mare she’d let loose. She felt her heart rate accelerate. What was he doing? Who was he? Why was he doing it? She glanced back at the two men below her who nudged their horses in his direction. Did the stranger just buy her some time?

  “That’s Woape’s horse,” Tecumseh said. “Maybe the white man has her.”

  Hothlepoya nodded. “Maybe.”

  “Shouldn’t she be on the horse?”

  “Not if he hurt her. The white man can’t be trusted.”

  “You’re right.”

  Hothlepoya pulled out an arrow and got it ready. “We won’t take our chances.”

  The other two men followed suit and the three made their way over to the stranger who stopped as they approached. Whatever reprieve the white man had granted her was a temporary one.

  But what should she do about it? Was there really any way to escape? Hothlepoya was an expert hunter, and the North Dakota prairie spanned for miles in every direction. No. She couldn’t leave her hiding place. Her best chance was to stay in the tree and hope he and his two friends would continue their pursuit elsewhere.

  She leaned forward slightly so she could see what the three were doing with the white man. They were too far for her to hear, but Hothlepoya lowered his bow and arrow—an indication that the white man wasn’t the threat they feared. She wished she could hear them.

  The white man shrugged and pointed behind him. That was the direction her horse went when she let the mare loose. He turned his attention back to the three Indians and handed the rope to Hothlepoya.

  She realized her left arm had gone numb, so she shifted but a squirrel hopped onto her branch and startled her. Shrieking, she lost her balance and fell to the side. She managed to catch hold of the branch but the damage was done. They’d heard her.

  The four men turned their gazes in her direction. She dropped to her feet, landing hard on a tree root jutting out of the ground. Ignoring the pain in her thigh, she bolted to her feet and ran. It was stupid. She knew it was stupid. There was no way she could outrun the horses, but instinct kicked into high gear and she wasn’t thinking rationally. All she could t
hink of was escaping.

  They came after her. The sound of horses’ hooves pounding into the ground thundered in her ears. A gunshot rang through the air. The horses came to an abrupt stop, and she dropped into the grass. She’d heard a gunshot only once in her life and it meant bad things. Unsure if she wanted to know what was happening, she looked over her shoulder.

  The white man yelled something and waved his gun at the other men who were six feet behind her. The white man moved his horse in their direction at a cautious pace. He yelled again, his authoritative tone startling her.

  Hothlepoya glanced at her and their eyes met. There was no denying the animosity in his gaze. She swallowed the lump in her throat and forced herself to breathe. When the white man barked an order at him, he finally broke eye contact with her and backed the steed up.

  She looked at the white man, trying to determine his motive. He couldn’t know what was going on. Hothlepoya would never tell him the truth.

  She tried to make out what the stranger looked like in the moonlight, but his hat fell too low over his eyes and the shadow of his beard hid most of his face. He spoke to her in gentle tones, forcing her mind back to the moment. He pointed the gun at Hothlepoya and pointed to her with his free hand.

  She struggled with what to do. If she understood what he was saying, it’d help her make a decision. She knew Hothlepoya would hurt her, but the white man... He didn’t appear to be a mean man, and he obviously wasn’t siding with Hothlepoya. But really...what did she know about him? Nothing.

  She glanced at Hothlepoya whose fingers twitched on his bow and arrow resting in his lap. If she went with him, she knew what her fate would be. If she went with the white man, she didn’t know what would happen. But it couldn’t be worse than what Hothlepoya would do. And she’d never outrun any of them, regardless of their intents.

  Slowly getting to her feet, she said, “Help me.”

  Hothlepoya gave a low growl.

  The white man cocked his gun.

  They started.

  The stranger tipped his hat back and that’s when she caught sight of his eyes. Kindness. That was the first thought that crossed her mind, and in that instant, she knew she could trust him.

  He motioned to her horse and held his free hand out to Hothlepoya.

  Tecumseh raised his bow and arrow.

  Before she could warn the white man, he shot the bow out of Tecumseh’s hand.

  “Did he get you?” Hothlepoya asked his friend.

  “No, but he got close.” Tecumseh studied his broken bow and looked at Hothlepoya. “Too close.”

  The white man said something to her in a gentle tone. Then he held out his hand again to Hothlepoya.

  “We don’t have a choice,” Hothlepoya told his friends. “We must obey him.” He glanced at her. “You got lucky.”

  She quickly averted her gaze from him.

  He held the rope out to the white man who took it. He said something to her and motioned to the rope.

  She wished she knew what he was saying, but all she had to go on were his actions. Nodding, she approached him, hastening her step past Hothlepoya’s horse which snorted at her, and took the rope. She mounted her mare.

  The white man made a comment, and since he looked at the horse’s back and shook his head, she guessed it had something to do with the fact that she rode the animal bareback. He spoke to the three men and waved them in the direction she’d fled from. Home. She wondered if she’d see her father, brother, and sister ever again. She didn’t dare return anytime soon. Not with Hothlepoya near there.

  She glanced at the white man and wondered if she should leave too. It seemed logical. He’d just given her a means to escape. She could go in the opposite direction and go to some other place. Somewhere far from home. She blinked back tears at the thought of leaving everything she’d ever known behind. But did Hothlepoya give her a choice?

  She turned to the man who finally lowered his gun as the three men grew smaller in the distance.

  He placed his gun into something that looked like a sack attached to a belt at his waist. Then he gave her a worried look.

  She didn’t know what it meant, so she shrugged.

  He smiled and spoke to her, and even laughed.

  Unsure of what he wanted, she also smiled. Smiling was good, right? He was being friendly. If he meant to harm her, he would have. He had the gun, and she didn’t.

  His head lowered and he made another comment. He took something out of the pouch hanging off his saddle and handed it to her. Then he returned his gaze to her and motioned to the land around them.

  She studied the leather bag for a moment before she opened it. Food. At least that’s what it seemed to be from the smell of it. She couldn’t see it in the moonlight. Her heart warmed, for he had no reason to give a stranger food...or protection from Hothlepoya...but did. This man had a good heart. The heart of a warrior.

  He waved to her and headed off in the direction from where she’d seen him coming.

  She glanced over her shoulder, reassured that Hothlepoya wasn’t lurking behind her, and peered back into the pouch. She touched one of the hard pieces in the sack. Curious, she pulled one out and sniffed it. Meat. Dried. She bit a piece off, noting how tough it was. But it was edible and it didn’t taste bad. She put the rest of the meat into the pouch and closed it.

  The white man led his horse in a leisurely pace. She bit her lower lip. Dare she go with him? What if Hothlepoya searched for her? Could she really afford to be without protection? Another glance over her shoulder showed her that the three Indians were now almost down the slight hill. Soon, they’d be out of her viewing range.

  Taking a deep breath to release the nervous energy of her plight, she nudged her mare in the sides and directed her to follow the white man.

  Chapter Two

  Gary Milton was surprised when the young woman followed him. He expected her to run off. But she stayed with him, her horse a mere six feet behind his. Finally, he stopped and waited for her to catch up to him. She might as well ride beside him if she insisted on joining him.

  She pulled back the rope halter on her horse as soon as she was three feet behind him.

  He turned toward her. He almost asked her why she kept her distance but knew she didn’t understand his language. Sighing, he waved her forward.

  Looking uncertain, she obeyed.

  He nodded and led her to his campfire, noting she rode beside him this time. Once he dismounted, he went to help her from her pony, but she already slid from the bareback. He marveled at her skill on the animal but figured she’d probably learned to ride at an early age.

  “You might as well rest.” He took the rope from her and led the two horses to where they would remain for the night.

  She carried his leather sack and sat in front of the fire.

  As he took care of the horses, he noted her appearance. She was young. Maybe sixteen or a little older. He wasn’t much older at twenty, but he wondered what the other Indians could possibly want with a young woman. What could she have possibly done to evoke their wrath? He’d never seen a woman that scared before. What was she doing—hiding in a tree? Well, this was one of those mysteries he’d never figure out. As soon as he made it to town, he’d find a place for her to stay and then she’d be safe.

  When he returned to the site, he picked up a tin cup and poured water into it. He held it out to her. “Drink.”

  She tucked her black hair behind her ear and looked up at him with her dark brown eyes before her gaze drifted to the cup.

  “Water.” He made a drinking motion with his free hand and then pointed to her.

  After a few seconds, she accepted the cup and sniffed the liquid in it.

  He thought that was odd. For someone who was eager to follow him to his campsite, she sure did seem reluctant to take anything from him. Shrugging, he turned his attention to what their sleeping arrangements would be. He only had a bedroll. Well, she’d get it. He would make do on the grass. A quic
k scan of the area showed him they were alone. He didn’t think the Indians would come after them, but he decided he’d stay alert, just in case. So he wouldn’t need the bedroll anyway.

  “You sleep here,” he told her and patted the bedding.

  She wrinkled her brow so he closed his eyes, pretending to sleep. When he opened his eyes, she nodded and said a word that he guessed meant ‘sleep’. Turning her attention to the cup, she finally took a sip.

  “Water,” he said, pronouncing the word slowly.

  She took a long drink.

  He poured more water into her cup and sat against a tree not too far from her. The night was quiet except for the occasional howling in the distance and singing of crickets. He forced himself to relax. The Indians weren’t returning. Still, to be on the safe side, he kept his gun close to his side.

  To his surprise, after she set the cup down, she picked up the bedroll and walked over to him. She placed the bedroll right next to him and settled into it.

  “Go to the fire,” he said, pointing to it. “Fire. Warm.”

  She shook her head and spoke in her language.

  He sighed. What was he supposed to do? This was the best lookout point in the immediate vicinity, but he couldn’t have her away from the campfire on a September night, even if she was in the bedroll.

  He glanced at her. He was committed to her now. It wasn’t something he minded. He was glad that she was alive and safe. As soon as he got her to town and talked to his family about where she would continue to be safe, he could continue on to his next job.

  Again, he looked out at the vacant prairie. He didn’t notice anything suspicious. His horse remained quiet.

  Returning his gaze to her, he realized that she fully intended to sleep right beside him, for she had already closed her eyes.