A Dish Full of Stars

At that moment, there was a flurry of activity around the entrance, and a crowd of soldiers began to gather. The entire room fell silent except for a single male voice. "Holy Jehosephat!" he said in an awed tone.

A stunning young woman in a ruffled yellow gingham dress took a tentative step into the room, and the crowd surged forward. Her long, dark hair was tied back with a yellow ribbon, and the loose waves fell to her shoulders. Jack stared at her along with every other male in the room and felt his heart bellyflop into his stomach.

Colonel Hawks leaned toward him. "Recognize her?"

"Nope."

The colonel poked his arm. "Look closer."

All at once she looked up, and a fist punched him in the gut. Jonna? He didn't believe his own eyes.

The music started up again, and what looked like a whole regiment of officers descended on her. As they closed in, he saw a flicker of fear in her eyes, and without thinking, he found himself moving toward her. He elbowed his fellow officers aside, and when he reached her, she looked up and sent him a shaky smile. He held out his hand. Then, without a word, he opened a path through the crowd and walked her out onto the veranda.

"Jack," she breathed. "I did not expect so many persons. I mean people."

In only a week since their escape from the Sioux camp she'd learned to speak in long sentences? One week? One short week? He wondered what she would learn in the next week.

He couldn't stop staring at her. "Jonna . . . "

"Yes?" she said. "I am American now?"

He swallowed. "You were always American, Jonna. Just not so . . . " Not so beautiful his mouth went dry just looking at her. "Uh, would you like to go back inside and dance?"

She shook her head. "Not yet. I will not dance. I will sit with ladies inside. Learn things."

He almost laughed. Her face was a study. He'd never seen Jonna look so uncomfortable unless it was the day she first arrived at the fort. Then she had looked uneasy. Now she looked downright scared.

"Jonna, as I recall, you were dead set on getting away from the Sioux. Are you sorry?"

Excerpt from A Dish Full of Stars by Lynna Banning Wild Rose Press, November 2025

At that moment, there was a flurry of activity around the entrance, and a crowd of soldiers began to gather. The entire room fell silent except for a single male voice. "Holy Jehosephat!" he said in an awed tone. A stunning young woman in a ruffled yellow gingham dress took a tentative step into the room, and the crowd surged forward. Her long, dark hair was tied back with a yellow ribbon, and the loose waves fell to her shoulders. Jack stared at her along with every other male in the room and felt his heart bellyflop into his stomach. Colonel Hawks leaned toward him. "Recognize her?" "Nope." The colonel poked his arm. "Look closer." All at once she looked up, and a fist punched him in the gut. Jonna? He didn't believe his own eyes. The music started up again, and what looked like a whole regiment of officers descended on her. As they closed in, he saw a flicker of fear in her eyes, and without thinking, he found himself moving toward her. He elbowed his fellow officers aside, and when he reached her, she looked up and sent him a shaky smile. He held out his hand. Then, without a word, he opened a path through the crowd and walked her out onto the veranda. "Jack," she breathed. "I did not expect so many persons. I mean people." In only a week since their escape from the Sioux camp she'd learned to speak in long sentences? One week? One short week? He wondered what she would learn in the next week. He couldn't stop staring at her. "Jonna . . . " "Yes?" she said. "I am American now?" He swallowed. "You were always American, Jonna. Just not so . . . " Not so beautiful his mouth went dry just looking at her. "Uh, would you like to go back inside and dance?" She shook her head. "Not yet. I will not dance. I will sit with ladies inside. Learn things." He almost laughed. Her face was a study. He'd never seen Jonna look so uncomfortable unless it was the day she first arrived at the fort. Then she had looked uneasy. Now she looked downright scared. "Jonna, as I recall, you were dead set on getting away from the Sioux. Are you sorry?"


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