What a ridiculous, futile thing to say.
I must know what happened at Victor. Nancy's father was killed. Who else?
White Bear said, "Nancy, I don't ask you to forgive me for what my people did to you. But I did try to stop all this from happening. I pray you'll let me tell you how I tried to make peace. And you are safe now as long as you stay with me."
"Safe with you? Here?" She shuddered. "If I mean anything at all to you, you've got to help me to get away."
His heart sank. The one thing he was sure he could not do was have her set free.
"That will be hard."
"I heard you talking to them. You were ordering them to leave me alone, and they did. Tell them to let me go. Auguste, I'll go mad. I'm so frightened!"
She clutched at his arm. He could feel her fear pouring into his arm up to his heart. He put his hand on top of hers and held it firmly. He wanted to take her in his arms to comfort her, but Redbird's eyes were on him, and she would not understand. So he just patted Nancy's hand and released it.
He told Redbird what he had been saying to Nancy.
"Does she not see that the braves would kill you if you tried to set her free?" Redbird asked.