Page 84 of The Spirit of the Wolf
“Troubling company ye be keepin’, lass…”
Marietta placed her napkin beside her plate—an item which was made of the finest china. Trembling slightly, she thrust out her chin. “Forgive me, Mr. Laidlaw, if I seem impertinent. Though I understand your house rules, and though I respect your right to entertain whomever you choose in your own home, I do not agree with you on the subject of Indian character. I have found Mr. Coyote and Yellow Swan to be true friends. In fact, I would not be here now were it not for Mr. Coyote. And I am disheartened he must wait outside whilst you entertain me with breakfast.”
“A necessary precaution, lass. Very necessary here in a fort like this.”
“Perhaps so, and I do not mean to tell you your business,” she said. “But I am disappointed.”
Laidlaw responded with no more than a severe look in her direction, and Marietta decided it might be best to change the topic of conversation. “Perhaps we should discuss the matter at hand, sir. Have you knowledge of the man I seek?”
Laidlaw drew his brows together in a frown. “I must ask ye again, lass. Why do ye search for him?”
Marietta set her glance to Laidlaw’s, staring straight into his hazel eyes. Could she trust this Scotsman? Perhaps. But dare she chance it? She asked, playing for time, “Do you want the truth, or a lesser version of what has happened?”
“I’ll take the truth, if ye please.”
“Very well,” said Marietta, biting down on her lip. “I have…lost a family heirloom, sir, and I have reason to believe this man either has it or has knowledge of where I might find it.”
“And what is this heirloom, lass?”
“A…a…” Marietta, who rarely had cause to tell great fibs, glanced quickly around the table, her gaze alighting on a diamond-and-gold napkin holder. “A brooch, sir.”
“A mere brooch?” Laidlaw frowned.
“It is an uncommon one, Mr. Laidlaw. It is…” she hesitated, “…made of gold and…diamonds.” She smiled.
“It must be an uncommon one, for certain,” said Laidlaw, “if it brings ye here in search of it.”
Marietta gulped and glanced down at her lap. “It is all I have left of my family, sir.” Amazed at her audacious behavior, she drew a deep breath. “This man either has my brooch or knows where it is. And so you see, I have great need to find him.”
“I understand. Then ye dunna seek him to take his life?”
“No, sir, I don’t. Although I am not certain he doesn’t deserve to die. We believe he killed the bourgeois and company at the LaPrenier and Acme Trading Post.”
“LaPrenier and Acme are dead?”
“Yes, sir.” Reaching down beside her chair, Marietta took one of the parfleche bags which she carried, and pulling it up, extracted from it the LaPrenier and Acme Post’s journal. Opening it to the last entry, she handed it to Laidlaw. “This was Mr. LaPrenier’s last words. As you can see, I believe this beast killed him.”
Several minutes passed as Laidlaw examined the book. “So it would seem…so it would seem. But come, lass.” Laidlaw gazed up at Marietta. “This be something for the likes of me to handle, not a young woman.”
Marietta smiled. “Yes, sir. However, I still seek the man. After all, it is my family heirloom that is in his possession, I believe, and I would have it back.”
Laidlaw nodded. “I hear ye, lass. I hear ye. But how did ye lose such a fine possession?”
“I…” Marietta thought fast, “…had it in my possession at one of the Indian villages. I went to sleep with it within my grasp, but when I awoke, it was gone. Others say this man was seen leaving, and in his possession was my brooch.”
Laidlaw nodded. “Fair enough. But, lass, I think now I’ll be needin’ to know how ye came to be in such bad company that ye be sleeping in Indian villages.”
“Bad company?”
“Aye, lass. How is it ye came to be travelin’ with the Indian and his squaw?”
His squaw? Oh, yes, Laidlaw was referring to Yellow Swan, of course.
But Laidlaw was continuing, “…and what have these two to do with yer adventure?”
Marietta cleared her throat. “As I mentioned earlier, they found me when I was separated from my mistress.”
“And what have these two to do with your brooch?”
