Two days later, their party thankfully crossed out of Huron lands without any further incident.

Their destination was an old trapper's cabin that Nathaniel was aware of, having passed by it a few times over the years. The owner, a man they knew as William, was not currently in residence, although father and son were certain that he'd not mind their trespass in his absence.

The cabin was basic; one room with a small nook attached that served as a pantry, a bed with a mattress of straw and compacted feathers resting atop a rough wooden frame, a rudimentary stone fireplace lined with black ash and soot and a small wooden table with four mismatched chairs that stood like solitary figures in the center of the room. The bed, like the rest of the cabin, was far from luxurious, but at least it was dry and clean and would serve Uncas's recovery well.

It was a far cry from the lavishness with which the women had been raised, but Alice was grateful to be within the confines of four walls again and so resolved to look beyond the crudity. Uncas was made comfortable on the wide bunk after Cora checked his wounds again and covered him with extra furs. Since they'd been caught waking beside one another, she'd had not had another opportunity to spend any private time with him. Chingachgook's watchful eyes notwithstanding, Alice also felt Cora and Nathaniel paying both of them unusually close attention.

A week after they'd fled from the cliffs, Uncas was finally well enough to walk for a few minutes each day. His wounds were healing nicely and although Cora had advised against doing too much, too soon, Alice sensed that he hated being confined to a bed. The time out of doors on a daily basis seemed to revive him and while he was certainly no more talkative than usual, his piercing gaze seemed to follow her movements as intently as ever.

One morning after Alice returned from the nearby river with some fresh water, she walked into the cabin to find Uncas surprisingly alone. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, peering at the bandages Cora had bound securely around his midriff.

"Is everything all right?" she asked concerned, rushing in and placing the pitcher on the table, before making her way to his side.

He nodded as those dark eyes focused on her, their obvious joy at seeing her causing a flush of pleasure to sweep across her face.

Alice smiled nervously, feeling a little self-conscious. "Where is everyone?"

The rich timbre of his voice did strange things to her insides. "My father went hunting. Nathaniel and Miss Cora disappeared a while back."

She frowned. "Disappeared?"

His brow lifted and heat flooded through her as she caught his meaning. "Oh," was all she could mumble, embarrassed.

"Uncas-"

"Alice-"

They spoke simultaneously. The unexpectedness of it helped diffuse some of the awkwardness as they both smiled, relaxing instantly.

"Come," he said, patting the vacant space on the bed beside him.

Without hesitation, she moved forward and sat down, expecting him to establish some form of physical contact. It felt strange, them being together in a situation that, for once, was not fraught with danger.

"Are you really all right?" she asked, wanting reassure herself of his continued improvement.

He nodded again, still making no move to touch her. Alice tried to hide her disappointment.

"I'll heal up fine."

She studied his face, littered with small scrapes and cuts that were starting to mend, the reddish tinge fading to purple and yellow bruises. The sight was a horrible reminder of how close he'd come to dying.

Emotion swelled, fierce and strong, her tone softening to a whisper. "Why did you do it? You were almost killed." Her voice hitched on the last word.

"I saw no choice," he said, shrugging matter-of-factly, as though her question was superfluous. "I'd do it again." His quiet eyes burned into hers.

Tenderness, soft as the finest silk, flowed through her and words were impossible to come by. He kept staring, his expression inscrutable, although she thought she detected a hint of vulnerability.

Eventually, he asked, "Are you still leaving?"

A flush of shame stained her cheeks as she looked down at her hands clasped tightly in her lap. Alice knew that Uncas was remembering the last time they'd exchanged words at the Fort, when she'd told him of her plans to return to England with her father. She felt a pang as she remembered her parent, forever lost to her. So much had changed since then.

"I'm sorry about that day when I said...I-I was flustered and confused," about my feelings, she omitted "and I thought I was doing the expected thing. I did not realise then that I lo-" She cut off unable to look at him, suddenly shy to confess her true emotions. "I did not mean it."

Uncas's warm hand reached for hers then. As their palms connected, Alice felt the other half of her soul settle into place.

"Then you'll stay." It was not a question.

She blushed and nodded, happiness threading its way through her. "Yes, I will stay." With you, she added silently, not quite bold enough to say it out loud. She was trying to be more candid, but a lifetime of good breeding was hard to dismiss out of hand.

She peeked up at him through her lashes and noted that he was smiling at her, his lips curved upward attractively, the sight making her heart leap. Despite her sister's concerns, Alice knew that she loved him. There was no doubt in her mind. Looking down to where their palms connected, flesh against flesh, the differences between them were obvious, but no longer a thing that deterred her. Instead, it thrilled.

Her gaze travelling the length of his tanned fingers, she saw the two parallel lines tattooed into the skin above his right wrist. Intrigued, she traced the pattern lightly with the tip of her fingernail.

"What do they mean?" she asked, finally giving in to her rabid curiosity.

"Protection against evil spirits," he stated. "They were done when I was a boy."

"They are so intricate and beautiful," she said, admiring the circles and stripes on his other wrist. "It must have been quite painful."

He smiled. "Pain is a state of mind. Part of the ritual is learning to overcome it."

Alice's brow furrowed contemplatively. "I read once that needles and sharp bones or teeth are used to puncture the skin and then coal or even okra is rubbed into them."

"You read that?" he asked, amusement shining through his surprise.

She reddened. "Well, yes," she confessed, her cheeks on fire. "I did not tell my governess, of course. She would have disapproved, calling my interest vulgar and unladylike."

His lips twitched. "But you didn't think it was?"

Alice realised that he was teasing her. Pleasure bloomed in her belly. "I have an inquiring mind," she defended, laughter bubbling up inside of her, "and reading is knowledge, regardless of the subject matter."

He chuckled and she shivered at the warm vibrancy.

"I think you're a closeted rebel, Miss Munro," he said, sounding pleased.

Alice laughed, gratified. "Hardly. But you make it sound like a compliment, so thank you." She was enjoying the light-hearted mood. "What about you? You speak English really well."

Uncas's fingers were toying with hers, his thumb unconsciously brushing back and forth across the pulse beating rapidly at her wrist. "My father sent Nathaniel and I to Reverend Wheelock's school when I was eight. Wanted us to know both worlds."

"I must say, that was very progressive of him."

"He knew we'd have to integrate someday."

She looked at him, unaware of how she glowed. "If that is so, then how is your French?" she teased.

"About as good as your Mohegan," he replied adroitly, his eyes alight with mirth.

Alice grinned, delighted at his wit. "Touché."

It was so simple a thing, getting to know someone, and yet they were doing it all backwards. She already loved him but only now was she learning about him. Sitting together on that rustic bed, inside a quaint cabin, they talked. While neither of them were great conversationalists, the words seemed to flow between them, easy and unhindered. Each one was curious about the other, wanting to discern the fundamental things that every couple in their position already knew, but they were discovering in retrospect.

It was like this, sitting close together, hands clasped as light laughter filtered through the room, that Cora and Nathaniel found them. Though neither of their siblings reacted in any way to seeing them so intimately situated, they separated nonetheless, both a little embarrassed.

"Alice, could we talk?" Cora asked, gently.

She'd known they couldn't avoid the topic forever. Nodding, she cast a shy smile at Uncas before following her sister outside. They sat in the shade of a large tree facing the cabin.

"Nathaniel and I are to be married," Cora announced without preamble.

Genuinely thrilled for her sister, their discord momentarily forgotten, Alice embraced her sibling emphatically.

"Oh, Cora, that is wonderful news!"

Her sister blushed, radiant. "Thank you."

"When?"

"As soon as we reach the next town."

"I am very happy for you," Alice replied, sincerely.

Cora nodded, silent for moment.

"I-I want to apologise for the way I reacted the other day. I was unsupportive and inadvertently hurtful and for that I am deeply sorry."

Alice shook her head. "No, I should have realised that my declaration would come as a shock. I apologise for walking away and also for avoiding you these past few days."

He sister bowed her head, a small smile curling her lips. "I have watched you and Uncas. I can see that you really care for him."

"I love him," Alice reaffirmed, needing Cora to understand.

"Alice, I do not necessarily doubt your affection, I'm just anxious that you might be acting in haste."

Determined to listen and not react rashly, Alice swept her rising frustration aside. Cora had her best interests at heart. She owed it to their relationship as sisters to heed her concerns.

"Try to see this from my perspective," Cora continued. "Less than two weeks ago, you were ready to go back to Portman Square. You missed home, your friends, your interests. I know that a lot has happened since we set out from Albany, but can you blame me for worrying that once the reality of this new life sets in, that you might regret tying yourself down?"

As Cora spoke, Alice took stock of her words. There was truth to them. She had been all of those things and it was understandable that her sibling had those fears. After all, she didn't know what Alice felt deep down, couldn't feel the connection that existed between her and Uncas and how, no matter how she might try, she knew that she'd never be able to sever it.

"I understand your apprehension and I wish I knew what to say to allay them. I cannot explain what I feel, Cora, how unexpected and unforeseen, but how real it is," her words rang with the strength of her conviction.

Cora touched her arm. "I will admit that you've become a lot more confident, self-assured. I've never known you to be this...well, bold, to be honest."

Both of them laughed.

"I think I've surprised even myself," Alice confessed.

"I like it," Cora admitted, without equivocation. "Uncas seems to have had an overwhelmingly positive impact on you."

Alice nodded, thinking about how he'd been her anchor in choppy seas. "He is truly remarkable."

Cora grew serious again. "I just worry that you are both so young, having met under tenuous circumstances. You have not learnt to know one another outside of the perils of war. Can you be sure that this will still be what you want when you have no fine gowns to wear, no fancy carriage to cart you around in, none of the amenities that you are accustomed to?"

Those are fair points, Alice conceded. "I could ask you the same questions, Cora. Uncas and I are not so different to you and Nathaniel."

Her sister inclined her head, accepting the truth of her words. "I agree, but you forget something very important, Alice. I was never like you. I was not as attached to our former life as you were." Knowing her words were harsh, Cora softened her tone. "Please know that I do not say this to be hurtful, but you know it to be true."

Alice did. She'd always known that Cora would be capable of anything, brave and headstrong enough to defy any odds. She had never been like that. How many times had she berated herself for being so dependent on others, for being incapable of standing on her own two feet? She'd always known it would be easier for Cora to walk away from their pampered existence. But she was not the same girl she'd once been and she was determined to prove to her sister that she had what it took to survive on the frontier.

Alice stared into the clearing, watching as Nathaniel and Uncas stepped outside into the brilliant sunshine. "What would you have me do? Leave him?"

"No," Cora denied emphatically. "I want you to be happy," she stressed, "and so I only ask that you think about this carefully. Once you commit to Uncas, you cannot change your mind. I've seen the way he looks at you, Alice; he adores you. If you left, or decided to call things off, it would break his heart. I want you to be sure, absolutely sure, that is all."

Sighing, Alice acquiesced. It wasn't too much to ask. "All right, I promise to think about what you've said."

Cora hugged her. "Then I am satisfied, no matter what your decision."

In the weeks that followed, Alice and Uncas spent as much time together as permitted under the troubled gaze of Chingachgook. As Uncas grew stronger, they took walks together in the forest, never venturing too far from the cabin, but enjoying the rare moments of solitude. It was at those times that Alice realised how little they actually knew about one another, elementary things that were made more complex because of the stark differences in their respective backgrounds.

Regardless of the obvious challenges that lay ahead, Alice enjoyed spending time with Uncas immensely. She found him to be intelligent and humourous as well as in possession of a quiet confidence and capability that she found wildly appealing. Perhaps it was due to the nature of their individual upbringings, but his view of the world and his role in it was completely practical and unpretentious. He did not indulge in fantasy or whim, like she did at times, and yet he was incredibly affectionate, always touching her in little ways, keeping the connection between them as physically alive as their subconscious one was. He was also deeply spiritual; his connection to the land profound and indelible, his ties to his heritage a source of immense pride. He did everything unobtrusively, but with a precision and finesse that she envied. There was nothing clumsy about Uncas.

Alice loved watching him and she found herself doing so often. As his strength continued to return in leaps and bounds, she often accompanied him to the river to catch fish. Sitting on the banks while he waded into the water, she'd admire his bare, muscled torso glinting in the afternoon sunshine, his dark head bent in concentration, his sable, shiny hair lifting gently off his shoulders with every light gust of wind. Most times heat would creep into her cheeks as her thoughts ventured into indecent territory, her body remembering what it felt like to be held within the shelter of those strong arms.

Dusk was her favourite time, when the forest quietened down, the bright light dimmed to a glorious mosaic of reds, yellows and oranges and the heat of the day dissipated to a languid glow. Most often she chose to venture out for a short walk around that time, admiring the beauty surrounding her, showcased to pristine perfection. Cora's words were a constant source of reflection, and Alice pondered them often, wondering how best to assure her sister of her commitment to Uncas and the changes that were soon to come.

Her mind preoccupied with those very thoughts, she stopped beside a squat tree, her gaze sweeping across the magnificent panorama before her. There was thick, dense greenery as far as her eyes could see, the trees towering and impressive, more majestic than any of the finest topiary she'd seen in the gardens of some of the grandest country estates in England.

Sensing another's presence, her heart quickened when she spied the familiar purple of Uncas shirt as he walked towards her.

"How did you know I was here?" she asked when he reached her side.

He shrugged unapologetically. "I followed you."

Of course, she thought, smiling inwardly.

Sitting down at the base of a tree, he extended a hand towards her, drawing her down between his updrawn knees. She was still adapting to the familiarity with which he treated her, unaccustomed to the liberties he took as common place which she was raised to believe were improper.

"We'll be leaving soon," he said, by way of conversation.

She nodded, the back of her head resting against his chest. She'd been thinking about that too. "I know."

He held her loosely, both of them lost in their own thoughts.

"My father's not pleased," he said quietly after some time had passed.

Alice felt a pang of discouragement flare in the pit of her stomach, knowing to what he referred.

"He wants you to marry one of your own kind."

He grasped her chin and turned her face towards him. "That's not my destiny." He paused. "He'll learn to accept it."

Was she being selfish coming between them? "Uncas, I do not want him to be unhappy. You are his only son and he has hopes for you."

Uncas's eyes flared with reassurance. "He understands that we don't choose who we love."

Her breath hitched. It was the first time he'd ever mentioned that word.

"Love?" she whispered, her heart hammering.

He frowned, tensing, his eyes locked on hers. "Am I wrong?"

Alice shook her head vehemently. "No. Not at all."

His body relaxed, his hands cupping her cheeks, the flame that never quite died down igniting between them. "Then you...love me?"

"I do," she declared, blushing through her tears. "So very much."

He turned her in his arms, gathering her against him, his heart in his eyes as his mouth melted against hers. "I'm glad, Miss."

She loved how he called her Miss, not as deference to her station, but rather as a form of endearment.

Alice giggled, throwing her arms around his neck and hugging him close. She felt his warm breath on her neck, tickling the tiny hairs at the base of her skull. Pulling back, she stared into his mesmerising eyes, heat spiralling through her veins. Everything she'd secretly longed for was blazoned across his face: His love, his devotion, his adoration.

Their mouths met halfway, their kiss deep and passionate, robbing her of breath. Climbing into his lap, she plunged her hands into his long hair, holding him tightly as she wriggled to get even closer. He tasted of her salty tears and herbal tea, a drink Chingachgook diligently brewed to help him regain his former strength. Dazedly Alice thought that she didn't detect an ounce of weakness in him as his lips danced expertly across hers.

His hands were roaming down her back, grasping her waist before continuing their torturous descent and settling on the rounded curves of her derriere. Before she could react to the boldness of the caress he pulled her up and against him, their bodies coming into shockingly intimate contact with one another. Alice gasped, her mind a haze of wondrous sensation as his lips abandoned hers to leave a blazing trail of heated kisses across her cheeks and down towards her neck.

She couldn't breathe, her corset stiff and constricting as she struggled to drag air into her lungs. Her small breasts felt heavy and swollen, a strange ache settling across their rosy tips as the fabric of her chemise chafed agonisingly against them. She was sure Uncas must have known because she sighed with relief when his lips dipped into the valley between the two tumescent mounds, his teeth gently nipping at her delicate, creamy flesh before soothing the sting with his hot, moist tongue.

Alice was on fire, goosebumps breaking out across every ounce of exposed flesh. Her hands reached under his shirt, greedy to feel the polished texture of his skin beneath her fingertips. She heard him groan, or it might have been her, she couldn't be sure. All she knew was that she was drowning in a pool of bliss and she was more than happy to sink further into the sensual abyss. Her hands raked across his chest, the warmth of his body seeping into hers, inciting her mounting hunger. She felt his muscles tense and release beneath her fervent caresses, affirmation that his ardor was rising as steadily as hers.

Alice was aware of his hands lifting her skirts, the heat of his palms scorching her skin through the fabric of her stockings. Desire, heady and intoxicating crashed through her as their lips collided again, tongues wrestling for supremacy, breaths ragged with passion. The cool, late afternoon air touched her knees, now exposed, as his hands slid up the smooth sides of her thighs, drawing ever nearer to that secret place she could feel was throbbing almost painfully.

Her pulse pounded, hot and heavy, as his hands lifted higher still, her knees jerking in surprised pleasure.

Uncas groaned.

Through the fog of wanting, Alice recognised that it sounded more like pain than pleasure. Concerned, she pulled back far enough to see his face grimace, a hand reaching to touch his injured side tentatively.

Mortified, she moved back, running a soothing hand across his cheek.

"I've hurt you! I'm so sorry!"

He peered up at her, his tumultuous gaze a mixture of desire and pain. "I need a moment."

Guilt washed over her as passion receded in the wake of his obvious discomfort. "I'm sorry," she kept repeating.

"Alice, it's fine," he assured her. She couldn't look at him, far too embarrassed.

Suddenly his body started shaking and she realised incredulously that he was laughing.

Gaping at him, she exclaimed, "This is not funny!"

He grasped her chin, placing a conciliatory kiss on her lips. "It is, a little."

As she glared at the smouldering amusement in his eyes, she felt her lips twitch. All right, perhaps it is. Before long they both dissolved into muffled laughter.

When they eventually sobered, Alice placed her head on his chest, listening contentedly to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.

"Cora has some reservations about us, too," she confessed, reluctantly.

"Nathaniel said."

"I do not know how to make her believe me," she said, hopelessness creeping into her voice. "She thinks I am too young."

He rested his head against hers, quiet. "My brother had a suggestion."

Alice lifted her head, staring at him curiously. "Yes?"

"A white custom. Courtship."

Alice's eyes widened, her jaw dropping open. That had not been what she'd been expecting. "Nathaniel suggested that you court me?" she repeated, dumbfounded.

He nodded, radiating confidence. "My father and your sister are worried about the same things. This will change their minds."

She was shocked. "But I love you and you love me," she declared fervently.

His face softened at her declaration. "We know that. They don't."

"A courtship could take forever," she argued.

Uncas remained steadfast. "Patience reaps it's rewards."

Alice bit her lip. Perhaps he was right. If they took things slowly and proved to both of their families that they were committed to one another, then they were more likely to gain their blessings. It wasn't as if they needed Cora or Chingachgook to approve, but Alice grudgingly acknowledged that it wouldn't sit right with her, and probably not with Uncas either, if their close relations were dissatisfied with them. Also, deep down she wanted Chingachgook to accept her and recognise that she was worthy of his son. She'd never realised how important that was to her until then.

"Are you sure that it...will not change anything?" she asked, feeling a tad insecure.

The irony of her, the high-born English woman with a lifetime of customs and lessons in deportment drummed into her, trying to turn her suitor against the idea of courting, was not lost on her.

"You're my woman," Uncas declared, with a possessive gleam in his eyes that reassured her instantly. "But I will insult my father if I dishonour you."

Alice blushed, knowing that Uncas was referring to their lovemaking and what would most likely have happened had she not inadvertently caused him injury. As their relationship forged ahead, it was becoming harder to remain unaffected by their heated embraces. He made her feel things she hadn't known existed and made her want things she'd previously thought was profane and salacious. Only now, with him, she knew with certainty that it was none of those things.

She wanted to be with him more than she'd ever wanted anything in her entire life and if the only way that they could happily achieve that outcome was by being mindful of the feelings of those they both loved most, then Alice couldn't argue against the sentiment.

"How exactly would we go about doing this?"

She understood the rules of courtship, but this was the American frontier, not London.

Uncas shrugged, unconcerned. "We'll see."

Alice had faith in him, in them; they'd make it work.

"Then I accept," she agreed with a sigh, meeting his lips to seal their pledge.

Satisfied, Uncas got to his feet, lifting her up with him. Once she'd righted her clothing, he grasped her hand, placing a chaste kiss across her knuckles. From now on, home would be wherever he was.

Everything is going to be all right, she thought happily as they walked back towards the cabin.

The morning of their departure finally arrived, clear and bright. Having packed their few belongings and restored the cabin to its previous condition, everyone exited just after dawn.

Alice had told Cora of their decision to wait and her sister had been incredibly supportive, and probably covertly relieved, she was sure. Although Chingachook had not told her so specifically, she sensed that he, too, approved. She wanted Uncas's father to welcome her as a daughter-in-law, not only because she loved his son, but because he'd come to love her too. After all, she'd grown to respect him immensely.

Standing just outside the cabin door, Alice had Uncas's bag slung over her shoulder, the contents light and easy to carry. Securing the fastening, she was surprised when Chingachgook held out a hand towards her, gesturing that she should hand the bag over. Confused, and a little disappointed at his lack of faith in her, she reluctantly handed it to him.

His eyes, so like his sons, met hers. They were solemn, but in their depths she also saw a glimmer of admiration and respect. A lump rose in her throat.

"Make Uncas carry. You walk free," was all he said as he took the bag and handed it to his son before leading their party into the woods.

As Alice met Uncas's eyes across the clearing, she knew that they'd made the right decision. Neither one of them would have been completely happy knowing that their families had some misgivings. Also, a secret part of her was happy to be conforming to some tradition that was familiar to her, however much its tenets was likely to be modified to suit their new environment. Everything along the road ahead was going to be so new, strange and unfamiliar and although Alice was excited at the prospect of it, it was also more than a little daunting.

As Cora and Nathaniel marched ahead of her, she walked confidently towards Uncas and her future, more certain than she'd ever been that her life was unfolding exactly as it was meant to.

*A/N: The next chapters will be the epilogue and jumps ahead in time. It will be completed in 3 separate parts. I've had a request to write Alice and Uncas's "wedding night" and I'm toying with the idea. If so, the rating of the story will most likely change.