Look what I have here. A gift, yes? For your woman. A gift like no other."
He pulled something sparkly from a parfleche and palmed it, extending his arm toward Hunter. "Moonlight on water, cousin. A comb for your wife."
Drawn by the glisten of bright stones, Hunter lifted the comb and turned it to catch the firelight. For an instant he imagined the look on Loretta's face if he were to give her something so fine. Then he discarded the thought. "You took it off a woman you killed. She would spit upon it."
"No! I traded with the Comancheros for it."
Excitement coursed up Hunter's spine. He wanted so badly to give Loretta pretty things, things a white woman would treasure. He knew his world was vastly different from hers. A comb like this might console her. "How much?"
"It's a gift!"
"Ah, no. Only a woman's husband should give her something so beautiful."
"It will cost you a blanket," Red Buffalo said with a shrug.
Hunter snorted. "Two horses, no less."
"One. I will accept no more." Red Buffalo laughed. "We do this backward, eh, cousin? Some fine traders we are.
He pulled something sparkly from a parfleche and palmed it, extending his arm toward Hunter. "Moonlight on water, cousin. A comb for your wife."
Drawn by the glisten of bright stones, Hunter lifted the comb and turned it to catch the firelight. For an instant he imagined the look on Loretta's face if he were to give her something so fine. Then he discarded the thought. "You took it off a woman you killed. She would spit upon it."
"No! I traded with the Comancheros for it."
Excitement coursed up Hunter's spine. He wanted so badly to give Loretta pretty things, things a white woman would treasure. He knew his world was vastly different from hers. A comb like this might console her. "How much?"
"It's a gift!"
"Ah, no. Only a woman's husband should give her something so beautiful."
"It will cost you a blanket," Red Buffalo said with a shrug.
Hunter snorted. "Two horses, no less."
"One. I will accept no more." Red Buffalo laughed. "We do this backward, eh, cousin? Some fine traders we are.
( Catherine Anderson )
[ Comanche Moon ]
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