Lakota Princess (6 page)

Estrela opened her mouth to speak while the introductions were made, but closed it as she watched the Duchess draw Black Bear’s arm through her own, her two daughters surrounding him. Both girls were blond, pretty and were now flashing their eyes up at Black Bear.

“Oh, dear,” the Duchess said, “you are so dark, not too dark, mind you, just nicely bronzed and so strong. Such a fine-looking fellow. Ha! Won’t I be the envy of all my friends? Imagine, first we discover that you, Estrela, are related to our family and now because of you, we have a real Indian staying with us, a real Indian to escort. Bless me, but I am excited. No one will have more attention than I. No one. Come, girls. Come, Black Bear. No, no, dear boy, don’t hold back. I will take you everywhere, show you everything. Since my husband has decided that you will stay with us, it is my duty to escort you everywhere. To introduce you to society. Oh, but there is so much to do. Come, girls.” The trio of women surrounded the Indian, and without choice, Black Bear, after one last look at Estrela, followed the women out of the room.

Estrela sat still. She looked at the door, at the physician, then straight ahead. She closed her eyes, opened them. Finally, when she regained her ability to speak, she said, “What was that?”

The doctor could have smiled. It was hard for Estrela to tell. A corner of his mouth lifted before he said, “That was Her Grace, Lady Estrela. Have you never witnessed her prattle before now?”

“No, I…” Estrela gazed at the older gentleman who sat beside her. It was the first time she had looked at him fully since the Duchess had placed her here under his care. He was bent over her arm now, and Estrela swallowed hard.
She knew him.
Shock waves ran through her at the knowledge. She knew him, but from where? How? Her brow furrowed briefly before she spoke, as softly as she could, saying, “It is most strange, sir, but I feel as though I should know you. Do I?”

He stopped and looked up at her. And in his face, which might at one time have been handsome, a muscle twitched. Finally he spoke, though he lowered his gaze again to her arm. “I do not believe, My Lady,” he said, “that we have ever met until now.”

Estrela sighed, raising her eyes to the ceiling. “Pray, do forgive me, sir. I fear that I am under a great deal of strain. And I am afraid that I have embarrassed you. Please, tell me again. What was it you asked me?”

“It was not important, M’lady.”

Estrela sat for a moment in thought before asking, “Is there any reason, sir, why I can’t follow the Duchess and her daughters?”

“None, except the limits that you place upon yourself. Your wound was only superficial.”

“Will you hurry then, please? I can’t allow Black Bear to be alone with them. He will not know what to do, and he would never think to say no to anything they would suggest. It is his way.”

The doctor nodded, and as his gaze met hers, Estrela thought he carefully masked something, some thought, though all he said was, “Do not strain yourself overly much. The wound may be minor, but you might still be weak from the excitement. Promise me that you will not exert yourself too much and will rest when you’re tired.”

“I promise,” was all Lady Estrela said before rising. She curtsied to the doctor, and then in a flurry of motion, left the room.

And if she didn’t see the physician’s eyes narrow at her departure, so much the better.

She found them in the west wing. Black Bear stood, arms over his chest, surrounded by feminine laughter and wiles. The two girls chatted with him, taking turns trying to escort him along the corridor.

They were making little progress, however. Black Bear simply would not move along at the pace they desired, taking his time studying the portraits that lined the walls.

He towered over the women as they relentlessly shot questions up at him, but he paid them little attention. He scrutinized the portraits instead, striding up to them, touching one, then another. He would gaze at a painting, then step back. And all the while the women moved with him, pacing up, then back, constantly talking.

Finally, Black Bear shook his head, opened his mouth to speak, perhaps to ask a question, but he didn’t get the chance. The demands for his attention were such that Black Bear, unable to do more than listen to the women, resorted back to his original stance, arms crossed over his chest, posture straight.

And Estrela couldn’t take her eyes from him.

He looked magnificent. He had draped his buffalo robe over his shoulders, his hair fanned out behind him in one long mass; his stance with legs apart reminded Estrela of his stubbornness. She was caught up at once by the odd comparison between the Indian and a portrait of an English gentleman that Black Bear was studying. Black Bear was as well and richly dressed in his own culture as this representative was in his. Both the Indian and the Englishman boasted weapons, both mocked the world with an intelligent leer; but the most striking resemblance between the two was that in the portrait, as well as in Black Bear, Estrela noted an air of confidence. The Englishman’s claim to it most likely stemmed from his title, the Indian’s, more readily from his skill.

Estrela sighed and felt a pain and longing like she had never known deep inside her.

It didn’t matter how much she admired him; she could not have him.

He turned quickly at that moment to catch her study of him and, before she could drop her gaze, he frowned. “Why are you not resting? Surely the white medicine man has insisted upon this.”

Perhaps it was because of all the excitement today. Perhaps it was her own shock over seeing Black Bear or maybe the stress was simply physical. Whatever the cause, Estrela suddenly felt quite faint. And she struggled with herself, determined to stay upright. She tried to think of something brilliant to say, but her mind was sluggish, her wit at rest, and all she managed to utter was, “I—”

“Oh, no, my dear, no,” the Duchess interrupted. Her Grace broke away from the others, hurrying toward Estrela. “My dear girl, your Indian friend is right. You should not be worrying about us after your terrible ordeal today. I shall take good care of your Indian. You really should rest. It would be a pity if you took ill. Here, I will accompany you to your room while my girls entertain your Indian, won’t you girls?”

The two girls didn’t even acknowledge their mother, so rapt was their attention on the Indian. Both of them giggled.

“I’ll be fine,” Estrela said, her gaze flicking to Black Bear as she spoke. “The doctor said the wound is only superficial and that I can carry on as usual. So you see”—she tried to smile brightly—“there is no reason why I can’t keep you company. I mean, you aren’t going out, are you—at this hour?”

“I, well…” The Duchess of Colchester was stunned speechless, an unusual circumstance. But she recovered quickly, saying, “I had hoped to visit one or two friends, but I believe you are right, my dear. It is too late and ha! I know what I shall do. I shall give a party myself, within the month. A party for you—a party for your Indian. Oh, my goodness, yes, what a simply grand idea. I imagine there won’t be a person in the Royal Court who wouldn’t come to my party—not with the Indian and all. Why, I daresay, it will be the most talked about event of the year. Bless me, what an opportunity you and your Indian have given me. Come, my dear, come along with me. And as long as you are sure that you are feeling up to it, you may as well accompany us while we show your Indian the rest of our home.”

Estrela nodded and allowed herself to be pulled along behind the party of three women and Black Bear as they set off down the long corridor of the Colchester mansion.

They made a magnificent sight, this foursome plus one, standing on the second floor of the hall with just a brass railing separating them from what could only be called a grand spectacle of a room below them. The entire hall stood bedecked with black and white marble floors, upstairs and down, along with lush, red carpet; spectacular paintings and sculptures hung everywhere; and Black Bear, instead of appearing the backwoods cousin, blended in with the rest, his stately manner as much at home here as the English treasures.

Estrela watched the images they presented with interest, but soon she began to feel weaker and weaker, and she sincerely started to doubt her own ability to continue along the tour. Had she a chair, she would have sunk into it without the least excuse.

But there were no chairs, no excuses, and Estrela somehow had to hold herself upright.

She stood, propped up with a hand on the second-floor railing, as she witnessed the butler approach the Duchess. And it was with tremendously mixed emotions that Estrela overheard their conversation: the Royal Duke of Windwright had arrived and was waiting for them in the drawing room, requesting specifically to meet the new Lady Estrela and Black Bear. Estrela grimaced. She did not feel up to the occasion.

Literally.

Nevertheless, the Duchess of Colchester ushered them all along the hall, hurrying them on toward the drawing room where the Royal Duke of Windwright stood, and as they drew near, it was clear he awaited them none too patiently.

“Oh, dear sir,” the Duchess said even before they had come fully into the room. She hurried forward and met the Duke, offering him her hand. “I am delighted, simply delighted, you have come calling on us. And lucky man, we have not yet taken dinner. Won’t you please stay?”

“Well,” the Royal Duke began, “I thank you for the invitation, but so sorry I must decline. I have come here solely to meet the new lady in the house and her interesting friend. I must say I was quite impressed today by the young lad—what did you say now? Is he Indian? Whole town is talking, you know.”

“Oh, my, but they are? How perfectly splendid. But you must stay for supper, Your Grace. At least there you can question our guests to satisfy your curiosity about them, and I’m sure these two lovely people will not mind this in the least. Will you?” She turned an engaging smile upon Black Bear, but the gesture was lost on him. He scowled at her, at the Royal Duke, and in answer to the Duchess’s question, placed his arms back over his chest.

“Yes, well.” The Duchess put her hand on the Royal Duke’s arm. “Come along this way and we will sit down to dinner. Won’t you please? I’m sure my husband is there already.”

But the Royal Duke was not to be led away so easily. “I say,” he said, “how has the Indian come to be here? Has he a sponsor?”

“Why, yes, Your Grace, I suppose we are. After all, he is here because of Lady Estrela, isn’t he, my dear?”

All heads turned toward Estrela where she lagged behind the others, and though she would have loved to claim that she hadn’t heard the exchange between the Royal Duke and the Duchess of Colchester, she knew it would do no good. All here expected her to answer.

She opened her mouth to speak, too tired and too weary to parry their interest.

“I can understand your language,” Black Bear spoke up as Estrela entered the room. He glanced over to her quickly, examining her from top to bottom. “I can even speak English a little. Why do you question a mere girl when I can answer your questions myself?”

Estrela’s eyes opened wide. She hadn’t expected Black Bear to speak. She hadn’t expected him to assert himself. She couldn’t help the warm feeling it gave her to experience his care and concern.

Black Bear moved across the room so that he stood in front of her, a bit to the right; his countenance, his stance clearly stating his intention.

“Why, I…yes, old chap,” the Royal Duke said. “I suppose that you can speak for yourself. No harm meant to the Lady, after all.” The Royal Duke’s laugh held a particular sort of nervousness. He cleared his throat. “I do believe that I can ask these questions of you personally,” the Royal Duke said although he never repeated the inquiry, “but let me introduce myself first.”

“Oh, dear me, I have forgotten my manners,” the Duchess of Colchester said at last. “Let me introduce you to the Lady first.” She led the Royal Duke toward Estrela. “Lady Estrela, the Royal Duke of Windwright. And my dear man, can you believe that she is related to our family? But of course you can see the resemblance yourself. However, we have only recently discovered her, and, bless me, but isn’t my husband trying to research through our family tree to find her relation. And he will find it, my dear man. He will find it.”

Estrela curtsied, her head low, her body bent.

Oh, dear.

Estrela grimaced, her worst fear realized. Her head reeled.
I’m going to faint.
She tried to straighten up, she tried to rise, but her body simply wouldn’t obey her command, and the ground suddenly loomed ever closer.

“But come along, my dear man, I know you are anxious to meet the Indian.” The Duchess of Colchester, unaware of Estrela’s plight turned away and moved the Duke along until they stood directly in front of Black Bear. “And this.” She reached out and touched Black Bear’s arm, which produced such a scowl from the Indian that she snatched her hand back at once. She cleared her throat. “Yes, as I said, this is the Indian, Black Bear, who so gallantly saved Estrela this afternoon and who is staying with us—”

“Ah, such a daring rescue,” the Royal Duke interrupted, “I couldn’t keep away. I had to come and meet you myself, old chap.” He offered his hand to the Indian, but Black Bear held back, arms still positioned over his chest.

Estrela, with one last concerted effort, tried to straighten up. But blood rushed to her head and with dim awareness, she saw the room spin out of control and…she swayed, rocking without intending it.
Oh dear. I can’t faint. I can’t.

But it was useless. She couldn’t keep consciousness. She attempted to speak, perhaps to convey her predicament, but no words came to her. Without any warning to the others, Lady Estrela fell over, flopping onto the floor.

“What the…? Oh, dear me.” The Duchess looked to Estrela and gasped, clutching her throat. “I…ah… Where are the servants? Ah…I told the girl she shouldn’t be up and about after her horrible afternoon… I… Girls…”

“I say, are you quite all right?” the Duke asked from a distance, as though Estrela would immediately respond to his royal question.