Chapter 24

The day before the dance Teaspoon informed Lou that she had to attend, but she didn't have to attend as 'Lou', Teaspoon was going to introduce her as his daughter 'Louise'. Lou was thrilled that she got to go to the dance as Louise and that she could actually go with Buck.

The day of the dance the boys were in the bunkhouse fighting over the single mirror trying to get ready. Lou was in the house with Rachel getting ready. Ike and Buck were both anxious to look their best since they were the only two that had actual dates. Jimmy, Cody, and Noah would be trying to pick up girls at the dance. Not that Noah had many choices; there were only a couple of women he could ask that wouldn't cause a problem.

As soon as Ike was ready he left out to go pick up Jenny, the boys all wished him luck. Buck made his way over to the main house to see if Lou was ready yet. Teaspoon answered his knock.

"Come on in son, the girls are still getting ready." Teaspoon said as he ushered Buck into the sitting room.

Buck and Teaspoon sat down and waited. Neither one speaking, Buck couldn't help but notice that the old man seemed a bit nervous himself. Buck finally brought it up.

"Teaspoon are you ok, you seem a bit on edge?" Buck asked with a slight grin.

Teaspoon looked up at the boy that was like a son to him and grinned a rather mischievous smile, "Well you young pups ain't the only ones that like to escort pretty ladies to dances."

Buck started chuckling, "So you're taking Rachel then. I can see why you'd be nervous."

"Ain't nervous boy. Just don't like wearing fancy duds is all." Teaspoon muttered.

"Whatever you say Teaspoon." Buck said grinning.

At that moment the women made their appearances. Rachel was wearing an emerald green gown that accentuated her ample bosom and narrow waist. She was radiant in it. Both Buck and Teaspoon let out appreciative whistles over her.

Louise appeared directly behind Rachel in a gown that Buck had never seen her in. It was a dark blue with a little lower cut to the blouse than Louise wore normally, the sleeves were bell-shaped with white lace at the ends. On her left arm was the silver cuff plainly visible for once. She was absolutely beautiful.

Buck could not take his eyes off of her as he made his way to her. Stopping in front of her he bowed like a gentleman and kissed her hand. Lou giggled at him for his behavior.

"You look stunning Louise. I'll be the envy of all the guys at the dance." Buck said huskily.

Lou blushed, "Thank you Buck, you look rather handsome yourself. Course you always look rather handsome to me." Lou added the last part in a whisper just for him.

Buck and Teaspoon escorted their lady loves to the waiting buckboard and helped them up. Rachel would drive the buckboard while the men rode their horses. Jimmy, Cody, and Noah all whistled when they saw the women, causing both of them to blush and for Buck to eye the guys, which of course got a couple of chuckles.

Teaspoon and Buck rode on either side of the buckboard, next to their lady while Jimmy rode in front, and Cody and Noah followed behind. They all arrived at the dance at the same time as Kid and Dorthia. Ike and Jenny were already inside.

Buck led Louise out on the dance floor and danced the first dance with her. Teaspoon claimed the second one. While Teaspoon was dancing with Louise, Dorthia came over to Buck.

"Care to spin me around the dance floor Buck?" Dorthia asked sweetly.

"As long as your husband doesn't mind." Buck answered.

"Oh no he won't, he's dancing with a friend of mine from Virginia." Dorthia answered.

Buck led her out on the dance floor. "Did this friend come all this way just for a visit or does she live out here?" Buck asked politely not really caring.

"Well she's just out here for a visit right now, but I'm a hoping that she'll have a reason to stay." Dorthia said with her sugary accent.

Buck was started to get a little uncomfortable, Dorthia had dropped the sugary accent after a few weeks of living out here; she only used it now when she was up to something. "You trying to play matchmaker Dorthia?"

"Oh no, not really. My friend actually thinks she knows you Buck." Dorthia replied.

"I don't know anybody from Virginia besides you and Kid." Buck stated confused.

"Really… well Camille isn't originally from Virginia, no she lived out here for a time as a child, but something happened and she got sent back east to live with her remaining family." Dorthia said.

Buck had gone pale by this point, "Did you say Camille?"

"Yes I did… she read about you in that magazine of Cody's and just knew you had to be the boy she knew as a child." Dorthia said smiling innocently.

The song ended and Buck pulled away searching for Lou but Camille found him first. "Care to dance with me Mr. Cross." The dark haired beauty asked.

Buck turned to her and couldn't help but stare. The young girl he had known all those years ago, a girl that he had been promised to shortly before his village was attacked and the women and children killed, now stood before him as a beautiful young woman. He swallowed hard and nodded, not sure what he could say to her at the moment.

Louise saw Buck lead the beauty out on the floor; she had seen Kid dancing with her just moments before so she went to speak with him to find out who this girl was. Kid saw her coming and met her halfway.

"Louise you look beautiful tonight. May I have this dance?" Kid asked smiling.

Lou nodded and took his hand as he led her out on the floor, "Alright who is she?"

Kid didn't have to ask who she meant, "Her name is Camille; she's a friend of Dorthia's from Virginia. She also happens to know Buck from before he met you. She lived with the Kiowa as a child; she was taken after his village was attacked."

"Why is she here now?" Lou asked in a near whisper, her emotions on edge.

"She read Cody's magazine and just knew that Buck was the boy she had been promised to as a child, she had to come see him. I just want you to know, I was against her coming here." Kid said.

Lou had paled considerably, "I'm sorry did you say they were promised as children?"

Kid could only nod. "I think I need some air." Lou said pulling away from Kid and rushing outside.

Buck had been watching Lou the whole time he was dancing with Camille. He knew the minute Kid had told Lou that he had been promised to Camille as a child because she had gone deathly pale. He excused himself from Camille and went after Lou as she rushed outside.

Buck found Louise in the alleyway between the buildings. She had her arms wrapped around herself and was crying. Buck walked up to her and pulled her into his arms. "Baby don't cry, please, I can explain." Buck whispered into her hair.

"That woman in there is promised to you and you can explain?" Lou said clearly upset.

"No Louise, she is not promised to me. When we were children in the village we were told that when we were older that we would marry each other, because Camille was white and I might as well be white. I never wanted to marry her, I thought of her as a sister, nothing more. After our village was raided and my mother and almost all the other women and children were killed and Camille was taken, I left. I knew I needed to learn the white man's ways in order to survive in the white world that is why I came to the mission and that is when I met you. I fell in love with you the moment I heard your sweet voice. I've never wanted to marry anybody but you Louise and I never will want to marry anybody but you." Buck told her as he held her gently in his arms.

"Promise?" Lou asked in a whisper.

Buck tapped the silver cuff on her arm and arched an eyebrow, "I think you should know the answer to that Louise, but yes I promise. I love you and only you and I always will. Now dry your eyes and let's go back inside. I want to dance with the most beautiful woman in the world some more."

Lou smiled as she took the handkerchief that Buck was offering her and wiped her face off. She handed it back to Buck and then she took his arm as he escorted her back inside the dance hall. Camille watched Buck as he danced with the little woman, her eyes narrowing in anger. Buck was hers, he been hers since they were children and nobody was going to come between them. She just had to figure out a way to get Buck alone. If she could do that, she could claim he compromised her and then he would be forced to marry her. Little did Camille know that Buck and Lou were already married according to Kiowa tradition and that Buck had no intention of going anywhere near her without another person present.