Slowly he nodded, but in due time he had a further question, and he asked, “And who gave these men, who are free, their freedom, and the right to rule another’s life to the extent of restricting another’s free choice? ”
She frowned. “I … I don’t know. It has always been this way, I believe. It has to do with money, I suppose. Perhaps the king grants their favor? ”
“Ah, the English father. And who gave the English father the right to rule over another’s life, and take away his freedom? ”
She pulled a face. “You ask me questions I have never pondered. But I believe that the church gives the king his power … God? ”
White Thunder breathed out on sigh, then said, “If that is so, then I ask you this: According to the good book that the missionaries preached to me, does not the Creator make each of us with the same amount of love? I do not remember the missionaries saying that He smiles more favorably on one of his creatures than another.”
“That is true,” she replied. “In the eyes of God, we are all equal.”
He dipped his head in understanding. “So it is,” he said. “And now you understand the Iroquois way. A man is subject only to his Creator and to no other. It is in your good book, and it is also part of the Iroquois religion. The fact that according to the Creator, all men and women command their own lives is understood by those who serve the Iroquois government also. A man rules his own life. No other. Nor is he allowed to rule another. Such things were unheard of before the English came to this land.”
“But, sir,” she said, “if what you say were true, there would be nothing but confusion in a country. If all are free, how is one to pay for his necessities? How is another to secure the things he needs in order to work? ”
“This is a false idea. Do you see confusion surrounding the Iroquois? ” He paused. “Or do you see unity? ”
“I … I don’t know, sir. I haven’t had the pleasure of being among your people.”
“Then I will tell you. We of the Iroquois are united. We have laws, but our laws are those given to us by the Creator. Only these must a man obey. And I will tell you this: The Creator made no man to be another man’s slave. He who would say differently seeks to enslave you for his own benefit.”
She fell into silence. At some length, she said, “You seem quite ardent about this, I think.”
“Should a man not be impassioned about his own soul, about his own freedom? ”
“Yes, yes, of course, it is only that in my society, I have considered that I am lucky to have the position I have. I am housed well, I am clothed. I have good food. Though I am not free, without this position, I little know how I would live.”
“You would be married to a man who loves you, and who would take care of you and your children. You would be happy. Your aunts, your uncles, your parents and all others of your clan would ensure your health, also. That is how you would live.” He stated it emphatically. “What of your parents? Your aunts? Your uncles? Where are they? Were they also servants to this evil man?”
She gasped, causing him to frown. And he said, “You seem startled that I am so frank, yet the practice of owning another human being is unnatural. Any man who would dare to try to own another man’s soul is committing one of the most wicked acts a man can accomplish. Even your own good book says so.”
“It is not that,” she replied. “I, too, believe the custom of slavery is sinful. Why I reacted is not due to that, but rather because I don’t remember who my parents are or what happened to them. I know nothing of aunts or uncles. And, sir, in English society, there is no clan to see to my protection.”
“Have the English then done away with the family, so there is no one to protect you? Without the family, one could fall easily victim to men with deceitful intentions—as it appears you have.”
“Of course the English haven’t done away with the family,” she said. “I gasped not because of what you were saying, but rather at the mention of my parents. Indeed, sir, simply bringing them up, I felt suddenly sad.”
His gaze narrowed. Her hands were sweating. Her eyes looked fearful. What had happened to this woman that a simple remark would cause her such anxiety?
However, he didn’t ask. Instead he said, “I am sorry that I have brought up a matter that brings you sadness. Perhaps in time, you will remember more.”
“Perhaps. But it is maddening. At first it seemed as if my memory returned in full, and yet I can’t recall anything about my own parents, nor under what circumstances I became indentured to this man. I even remember his name—the man who holds my papers—John Rathburn. But about my parents, I recollect nothing.”
Sitting forward, White Thunder took both of her hands into his, and as gently as he could put into words, he said, “It will come back to you. It will come.”
As she gazed at him, and as he stared deeply into the deep blue of her eyes, he thought he had never witnessed anyone quite so beautiful. Again, desire ravished him. Again, he cautioned himself to do nothing.
Ah, if only he were free to hold her. If only…
Ten
Sarah sat back on her heels and loosened her hands from White Thunder’s. She hadn’t expected his outburst concerning a person’s liberty or lack of it.
His reaction worried her, since she could not predict what his response would be to the request she must make. However, since her memory had returned, and since she had no option but to ask, she began as simply as she could. “Sir, there is a circumstance that I’ve remembered, and a favor I would beg of you.”
He nodded, as if to say, “Please continue.”
Warily, she began, “Recently, before my accident, I was engaged upon the task of accompanying a young woman who was in my charge. We were traveling through these woods on our way to New Hampshire. Obviously, I am now lost from her, sir, and if you would be so kind as to help me, I would like to find her and ensure her safety. Since I have recalled who I am and the obligations I hold, I find that I’m worried about what has become of this young woman to whom I owe my loyalty.”
White Thunder hesitated before he said, “Tell me more about this woman. Is this the same person you mentioned earlier? I believe you called her your mistress. And if so, is she one of the people who thinks she owns you? ”
“Oh, no,” Sarah said at once, “not at all. She’s a young woman who was put into my charge long ago. I’ve been her friend and companion for many, many years. It was her uncle who assigned me into servitude because …” Sarah stopped and rubbed her forehead again. “Pardon me, for I still cannot remember why I am indentured to this man; all I can recall is that I’ve five more years in his service. As for Marisa—”
“That’s her name? ”
“Yes. She is truly innocent of all her uncle’s doings, and she is more like a sister to me than a mere friend. She loves me and I love her.”
“Yet,” he countered, “if she is related by blood to the evil one …”
“No, no, she’s not. He’s not really her uncle, he’s her step-uncle, so they are not related by a true family line. Indeed, she was trying to take me beyond her uncle’s influence—and that is how I came to be here … I think.”
“You think? ”
“Forgive me, but I don’t recall what happened that I became separated from her, at least not now. Perhaps in time I will remember it all.”
“
Nyoh
, yes. In time, I am sure that you will.” Drawing in a deep breath, he reached out again for her, and taking one of her hands into his, he brought it to his lips, whereupon he kissed it. In response, Sarah’s senses suddenly jerked into life, and sensation, carnal and erotic, swept along her nerve endings. Furthermore, from deep within her arose a response that was as pleasant as it was a mystery to her.
What was this? Certainly she liked the man, but this? And from a mere touch?
She did her best to ignore the perception, however, if only because he was doing nothing more than looking at her—perhaps to ascertain her response. Indeed, after a moment, he continued. “But let me tell you this so that you may know my stance about your people.”
“Yes, please. Continue.” She loosened her hand from his grip.
He seemed not to notice her withdrawal from him, however. He acknowledged her with a nod, then he said, “Although I told you that when you remembered who you were and who your people were, I would lead you back to them, I little realized at that time that ‘your people’ might include a man so degraded that he would try to own a fellow human being. Let me be clear on this: I will not take you back to this place where a man deems that he owns you. Not while there is breath within my breast would I do this to you, or to any other person. I will bring you to my home, instead, where you will be free.”
Sarah wrinkled her brow. “But free to do what, sir? ”
“Free to be your own person. Free to live your life as you see fit. In my village, there will be many who would admire you, many who would want to spend the rest of their life with you. You would have a full life there.”
Well, she thought, this was certainly a new problem to face, and she fidgeted as she considered how best to approach it. After a moment, she said, “You are kind to suggest this, sir. But I think I would be unhappy if I failed to find and assume my obligation for the young woman who was in my charge. Besides, it would only be a matter of time before those who searched for me would discover me in your village, and then there would be trouble.”
“Trouble matters little to us,” he said, “for we of the Seneca are used to adversity.”
She gazed back at him, and gradually her solemn look transformed into a smile. “I appreciate your kindness, sir,” she said, “and I thank you for your consideration. But I am not Indian and I’m not part of your tribe, and sooner or later, I fear the past would catch up with me. Besides, I worry for the life of the young woman who was in my charge, and I don’t believe I’ll rest easily until I can discover her whereabouts and what has happened to her.”
“I understand,” he said. “It is good that you feel this way. But before I agree with what you ask, tell me: If I aid you in finding her, will she lead you back to this man who thinks he owns you?”
“Indeed not. But let me correct a false impression that you have, sir. That man doesn’t own
me
. He owns my indenture papers.”
“There is little difference that I see.”
“But there is a difference. And please understand that Marisa would never take me back to her uncle. She had gone to great pains to secure me away from him. I believe that’s why we were traveling in the woods. We were escaping him and his influence over me. But as you have been open with me, speaking your thoughts, let me also speak with clarity: Even if Marisa were to escort me back to her uncle, I would not object.”
“I would.”
“But don’t you see, sir? Better it would be that I serve out my bond now to this man than never to return and spend the rest of my life in hiding. Surely you can understand this. At the end of my servitude, I would truly be free to be my own person, and I would then be at liberty to live my own life without having to leave my own society.”
Sarah watched as he bobbed his head up and down, his attention turned inward. At last, he said, “I understand that you believe this, but I fear you will only become free in your society if this man can find no other reason to detain you. Beware. At the end of five years, there could well be some other reason he concocts to keep you. I say this because any man who would flaunt the ways of the Creator is also a man who would lie. And such a man would do so without thought of consequences, I think.”
“But, sir,” she countered, “in order to keep me, he would have to tell untruths in a court of law, and I don’t believe he would dare to do it. After all, a court requires a man take an oath.”
“Hmph! A man such as he has already sold himself into the ways of darkness. Therefore, an oath would mean nothing to him because there is so little life left within him. What would it matter to him if he were to lose a little more of that life by telling untruths?”
“Sir, I fear I am not following your logic. That man is as alive as I am. Isn’t he? ”
White Thunder scrutinized her features while he took his time answering. Speaking slowly, as though choosing his words carefully, he said, “There is a wise, old sachem among us who proclaimed that a man or a woman such as this man does not truly live, because living encompasses not only caring for yourself, but caring for others.”
“But—”
“Tell me,” he continued, “how can a man who pleases only himself and no other be happy? ”
“But aren’t there many who do exactly that?
“Perhaps, for a short time. That person might even appear to be happy,” he said. “But true happiness of the mind, body and spirit is not possible to such a man. The laws of the Creator forbid it.”
“I … I don’t understand. What laws? ”
He frowned at her, before stating, “Let me tell it to you this way. Can a man find bliss and also ignore the child who goes hungry? Can a man be secure in his own needs when he pretends not to hear the cries of his slaves? ”
She opened her mouth to answer, but he saved her the necessity, when he went on to say, “No. Such men, by the laws of God, must shut off their understanding of others. They must have ears that do not hear and eyes that do not see. Thus they understand less and less, not only about others, but about themselves and the nature of creation. Because of this, such a man cannot experience life as you and I know it. He can only eat and sleep and perhaps ruin the lives of others. He does not truly live.