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But gently was, in the end, enough; when my release came I cried out with joy and coer, then he, too, was satisfied, and lay down beside me

"I love you, Robbie, I love you," I said, the eain

"Yes, lass, yes," he said, kissing ed

"Please do not leave ed him "I am not whole without you I shall die without you near hlander chieftess You will endure-and triumph-whatever comes our way"

"I will die without you," I repeated, "and your son with me"

"Ah, there will be no need, for I will not leave you, lass," he said

_________________________

I was co house two days later when the Indian woman stepped in front of , I stared at her, my hands at my breast

Her face was slanced around, trying to see if the babe was on her back; she took a step to the side as if to shield it from me

"Robert Stew-art," she said

"He-he is away," I stammered "But the master is at home if you wish to speak with him-"

She turned and as swiftly as she had appeared, she vanished into the woods The baby was not on her back

My heart still thudding, I hurried to the cabin and went inside Rabbit looked up fro I collapsed into a chair "Madam? Are you well?" asked Rabbit

"Yes, yes, I am well," I said breathlessly "There was an Indian-"

"An Indian?" she repeated, her voice rising to a squeak

"No, no, and Indian woood for you to get frightened," scolded Rabbit, and she put aside her sewing and stood up "I fetch you tea"

"Thank you, Rabbit, that will be lovely," I said

That night I could not sleep for thinking about the woman Why had she asked for Robbie? And where had her baby been today? Was it indeed the sa to Pete?

Perhaps it was a different woman

That must have been the case I must have assumed that it was the same woman It was a different woman But still the question burned in my mind: What did she ith Robbie?