Cora's Pride (Wilderness Brides Book 1) by Peggy L Henderson

man to disappoint her, especially a man she was attracted to and who could easily steal her heart.
    Cora touched a trembling hand to the tender spot on her head. Dizziness threatened to claim her when she shifted under the covers.
    She couldn’t linger any longer. She’d never been sick a day in her life, and even on days when she’d have much rather stayed in bed longer, she’d always gotten up and done a full day’s work. Today would be no different. Judging by the sun rising in the east, she should have been up hours ago. They needed to get to Fort Hall, and it wouldn’t do any good to dally around. After yesterday’s incident, they were already delayed. . . again.
    “How come you speak Indian?” Patrick asked loudly. He held his plate out to Anna, who forked meat onto it along with a couple of biscuits. “Do you live with the Indians?”
    Nathaniel chuckled. He sipped from a steaming tin cup. The aroma of coffee lingered in the air. Cora tensed. She hadn’t brewed coffee since the day Ted had told her he was leaving. In fact, she’d traded most of it for tea before they’d left Fort Laramie. She moved her head to peer toward the fire.
    “No, I don’t live with the Indians,” Nathaniel answered in a patient voice.
    “Then how come you’re dressed like them and can speak to them?”
    The man chuckled, but gave Patrick his undivided attention. “Hard to get wool and flannel for clothes out here in the wilderness. I save most of what I have for winter, when it’s colder. It’s more practical to wear buckskin.” He sipped his coffee before continuing, “As to speaking with the Indians, living out in the wild, it’s best to know how to communicate with your neighbors.”
    Anna handed Nathaniel a plate of food. “Have you lived in the wilderness all your life?”
    He shook his head. He glanced from her to Patrick. “No. My brothers and I were raised by a trapper, Harley Buchanan. We’ve been with him now for more than a dozen years. He brought us out here after . . .”
    Cora shifted under the wagon, waiting for him to continue. After what? Nathaniel glanced her way at that moment. Her heart lurched when his eyes connected with hers. She shouldn’t be staring back, but some invisible force drew her eyes to him.
    His lips twitched in a faint smile while their eyes were locked together. Time must have stopped for a few seconds while he looked at her. Cora’s mouth went dry. The sudden urge hit her to pull the blanket over her head and hide from his stare. He’d been right about everything, and she’d acted like a fool, wanting to prove him wrong. In the process, she’d put not only herself in danger, but also her family.
    Nathaniel raised his coffee cup in front of him in silent acknowledgement and nodded almost imperceptibly. He held her gaze another second, then turned his attention back to Anna. He smiled at her, but the intensity had left his eyes.
    “Harley brought us with him after our folks were killed along the Missouri.”
    “By Indians?” Patrick asked loudly, his eyes going wide.
    “River pirates.” Nathaniel glanced at his plate. His voice lowered, as if he were reluctant to speak. “We came west from Kentucky in the summer of ‘40. My pa wanted to settle along the Missouri. It was long before wagons started crossing the river and heading further west.”
    “And the river pirates killed your ma and pa?” Patrick apparently forgot about his breakfast. A piece of meat dangled from the fork he held in front of him but didn’t put in his mouth.
    “And my baby sister.”
    Even from Cora’s place under the wagon, it was easy to see that Nathaniel’s body had grown tense. He leaned forward, staring at his plate rather than looking at Patrick. His jaw was set in a tight line.
    “If bad men hurt my sisters, I’d kill them,” the boy said loudly.
    “Patrick Hudson. I’ll hear no more talk of killing anyone.” Cora pulled her covers back, shivering at the cold blast of air. She