I see one man in particular first; he is all long dark limbs and straight black hair. I know that I am unabashedly staring at him. God forgive me but I cannot help myself. He is unlike any man I have ever seen and unlike any I will ever see after. Behind him are two other native men; an older man whom I assume must be the Tall Man's father, and a white man clothed in their garb. John is speaking to them, I know this because the older man turns to say something, but john is still outside so I have no idea what he is saying.

That is when the Tall Man turns his eyes in my direction and catches me staring. He regards me with a quiet, stoic expression and then nods his head curtly in my direction. I return the nod and retrieve the bowl I dropped in my surprise. Then I quickly turn back to the cook fire, before he can see the blush I know is spreading across my cheeks.

What has come over me, staring like that? I could not possibly have forgotten all my manners in just one day. I force myself to keep my eyes down as we set the table, afraid that I will begin to gawk at him again. Once the table is ready, Alexandra and I bring the corn I so painstakingly prepared to the table. I now feel self-conscious about the food I was rather proud of only moments before. What if it is over cooked, or under cooked. What if it is not salted enough, or salted too much? I shake myself then, reminding myself that these men showed up unannounced and will have to be happy with what they get.

Once we are seated, the children flock to the Tall Man. I watch as Lucy clings to his neck like a monkey and Little John climbs onto his knee. I cannot help but smile to myself at his gentleness with them. Then I once again force my eyes down, realizing that, again, I am staring. Alexandra moves around the cook fire behind us and I turn to see the words "Why is Uncas with you? I thought he would have settled down and started a family by now?" falling from her lips.

Uncas? Is that the Tall Man's name? How strange, that both myself and this stranger, should find ourselves in the same predicament. He without a wife and I without a husband. Again I have to shake myself, really Alice, what are you thinking?

Alexandra comes back by the table, patting the shoulder of the white man who is dressed as the natives. I glance at his face in time to see him mouth "We will spend the winter with the Delaware, find a woman for Uncas. She will declare 'you are the one' and bear him many children."

Uncas, looks amused by this but says nothing. Little John peeks up at Uncas face and asks "A boy like me?" The Tall Man ruffles Little Johns hair affectionately and smiles at him.

"Never!" his lips declare. "You're too strong; you'd make me old too quickly."

Alexandra makes her way by and scoops the boy off Uncas lap, tickling him as she says 'That's what he's doing to his mama.' before placing him back in his seat. Then she takes her own place at the table and the men begin to talk of things I don't understand. I pick up a piece of corn idly and bring it to my mouth, trying to be unobtrusive. It is, after all, what I learned to do at home. It issn't until Alexandra leans across the table to lay a hand on my arm that I realize they are all staring at me, intently.

"Alice," Alexandra signs at me. "Nathanial wants to know where you come from?"

I blink, surprised and smile at him as I sign 'London. My family hails from London'. I am not surprised that he doesn't understand my hand motions, very few people do. He narrows his eyes in confusion and turns his eyes to Alexandra.

"Can she not speak?" he mouths. Alexandra gives him a sad smile and shakes her head. I watch her translate my words to him.

"Why would a Yangeese woman want to come live out here?" the man named Nathanial asks me. "Forgive my saying it miss, but you are rather young to be traveling to dangerous country on your own."

"Well, I am not altogether alone." I sign back at him. "I have John, Alexandra, and the children. Besides, there was very little for me back home."

"Then the Colonies are happy to have you!" Jack Winthrope mouths at me with a wink. I feel the familiar blush creeping into my cheeks, is Jack flirting with me?

"More like Jack Winthrope is happy to have her!" Nathanial jokes and slaps the man on the back, heartily. I blush harder and look down at my plate. No one else bothers with me as they all pick up their food and begin to eat. Halfway through the meal I feel eyes on me and glance up to see Uncas staring at me intently.

His eyes are onyx in the candlelight and I wonder what he is thinking as he looks at me. If I am being honest with myself, I would assume that he is wondering the same thing as his brother. 'Why is she out here alone, why did they send a deaf girl to dangerous territory on her own?' I give him a small smile and lower my eyes again, feeling nervous.

Once the dishes are cleared, Alexandra shoos the two children toward me and I pick up Lucy, who is sleepily rubbing her eyes.

"Off to bed you two, go with Alice." her lip's say. Lucy yawns and lays her head on my shoulder.

I feel the vibration of her voice against my chest as she answers her mother, who looks bemused at whatever she said. The men, who had turned to say goodnight mirror Alexandra's expression.

"Rabbit?" Uncas says with a raised eyebrow. "Why do they call her Rabbit?"

I see Alexandra laugh as she explains what occurred when we first arrived at the cabin earlier today, how the children were insistent that I see their little garden. I let them lead me over to the tiny patch of lettuce and carrots and, much to the children's dismay, there was a rabbit happily munching on their produce. John had gone to grab his rifle but I had simply walked over and lifted the offending rabbit into my arms.

Needless to say, the children had been impressed. I had leaned down so they could pet it as Lucy explained how they always ran away from her when she tried to approach and she had never seen anyone handle a wild animal as I did. John and Alexandra had been equally impressed. I had carried the animal to the edge of the forest and watched it hop away. Alexandra finished relaying this story and to my amazement, the men looked impressed as well.

"It just let you pick it up?" Jack is asking me. All I can do was nod; I have no easy way to explain my method to him. I'm not sure I could convey it in sign language anyway.

"They began calling her Rabbit after that." Alexandra explains.

The children say their goodnights and again, I feel his eyes on me. I look over my shoulder as the men are retiring outside for a smoke to see Uncas and Jack Winthrope studying me. I smile at them once more and then pull the blanket that hides the children's sleeping area forward, blocking out their faces. If I didn't know better, I would think they were both interested in me.

Shaking my head, I focus on getting both children into bed. Once they are situated I crawl in next to them and lay with them until they go to sleep. It doesn't take long and once I am convinced they are down for the night, I rise and walk to the trunk that we hid under my bed. From it I pull a piece of parchment and a quill. Grabbing the candle from the stool I bring it over to my side and begin to pen a letter to my sister.

Dearest Cora,

I have arrived in the New World no worse for wear. The journey was as smooth as can be expected. The Cameron's are kind to me and the children lovely and adorable.

I stop to think for a second, wondering what else I can tell her about my first day in the New World.

I met a strange man tonight, Cora. A native with long dark hair and eyes the color of night. He stared at me so intently that I think I forgot how to breathe for a moment.

I look at these words and shake my head at them; feeling exasperated, I crumble up the parchment and burn it in the candle flame. Such words would have my sister flying across the ocean in fear for my virtue. No, no I would keep such thoughts to myself. Let Uncas and Jack Winthrop stare and flirt, I was not in the market for a husband here any more than I was back in England.