Dance on the Wind

by Brenda Jernigan

  “ ’Tis said that the girl was a serving wench at the castle at the time that Cromwellian troops were billeted there. The general in command had an affair with her, and she became with child. In those days, such girls were simply thrown out of the castle. She was so heartbroken that she killed herself, and that is the reason that her spirit still haunts the castle. She is looking for the man she loved.”

  “That was a good story,” Brandy said as she rose, and stretched her back. “Let’s thank Mr. MacTavish and get ready for bed.”

  Later that night, Brandy dreamed of ghosts and castles, then the ghosts faded and were replaced with dreams of Thunder and his wonderful kiss. She was going to miss him over these next couple of days.

  Maybe even his bossiness, too.

  * * *

  For the next several days, the routine was the same. They rose early in the morning and traveled until dark. Brandy’s hands were healing, so she helped Billy out with the team and wagon.

  Finally, after a grueling four days, they stopped early because they had come across some trees that flanked a small stream, the first they’d seen in the last four days.

  Ward came riding back once the wagons were circled. He was covered in dust, the brim of his hat soaked with sweat. “We are stopping a little early tonight You can get your washing done at the creek and hang your clothes out to dry.”

  “That’s a good idea,” Brandy said.

  “We are also having a hoedown after dinner so everyone come and gather around my wagon. We’ll have music, dancing, and games for the children.”

  “Sounds like fun,” Brandy said and then finally asked the question she’d been dying to ask. “Have you seen Thunder?”

  “No.” Ward smiled. “But don’t worry. He’ll show up.”

  After Ward left, Brandy frowned. Evidently, he wasn’t too worried that something could have happened to Thunder. Maybe she shouldn’t worry, either.

  She walked around to the other side of the wagon. “Girls, let’s go get the washing done. Ward said there would be a dance tonight and we can all go.”

  “Hot diggetty!” Billy said as he and Scott came over to where the girls stood. “Something different for a change. I’m all for it.”

  “Mary, why don’t you get Nettie’s laundry since she has been doing all the cooking.”

  “That’s a good idea,” Mary said. “It will be nice to hear some music,” she added wistfully. She looked at Billy. “You going to dance with me?” She gave him a small smile.

  Brandy watched the two of them. If Brandy had realized what a change could have come over that girl, she would have thrown her into the river a long time ago.

  “You betcha.” Billy grinned at Mary. “Scott will, too.”

  “I don’t know how to dance,” Scott said.

  “Don’t worry. Dancing’s easy,” Billy said. “You just have to move to the music.” He held up his hands as if we were dancing with someone.

  “Billy, can you heat us some water?” Brandy asked. “And Scott—”

  “I know. I have to milk the cow,” he said with a frown.

  Brandy laughed. “You took the words right out of my mouth.”

  “We need a butler.” Scott giggled.

  They carried their baskets of clothes to the river and found an empty spot. Brandy took out the scrub board and Mary and Ellen used big rocks to scrub the clothes with lye soap. With everyone helping, it didn’t take long, and soon they were hanging the clothing on ropes stretched between the wagons. As warm as it was tonight, the clothes would be dry by morning, Brandy thought as she clasped the last pin on a skirt.

  After dinner, Mary and Ellen picked out two pretty calico dresses. Mary wore a plum-colored dress and Ellen wore apple-green.

  “What are you going to wear?” Mary asked.

  “I’m not sure,” Brandy said. “I’m going to go through the trunk and come up with something. You two run along so you don’t miss anything, and I’ll be there just as soon as I get dressed.”

  When Brandy was by herself, she opened the trunk and looked at a couple of dress, but they were too similar to what she’d been wearing every day. Then she saw something wrapped in brown paper that she didn’t remember putting in the trunk. The girls had packed some of the things that had been delivered from the general store, so she had no idea what it could be.

  She pulled out the package and tore open the paper. Brandy smiled with pleasure. It was the dress. The one she’d liked so much back in Independence. Mr. Gardner must have slipped it into the supplies she purchased. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d had a present.

  She shook out the lavender-printed cotton fabric and the matching white apron. The top was a simple fitted bodice that opened at the front and was fastened with tiny white buttons. The dress had a round neck, with just a hint of white lace. The short sleeves were trimmed in the same lace.

  Slipping the garment on, she noticed how much fuller the skirt was than her normal dresses. She smiled. It felt good to wear something new, and this dress would be perfect for dancing. Quickly, she brushed her hair, wishing she had a mirror to see herself, but knowing that it was vain to do so. She decided to leave her hair loose tonight instead of braided. As she started for the gathering, she had to admit feeling a little excitement. Too bad Thunder would miss all the fun. Then she wondered if he ever did anything for fun because he always seemed so serious.

  * * *

  Brandy heard the music before she got there. It was a good sound, so much different from the everyday sounds they had grown used to.

  Mary and Ellen spotted Brandy immediately and came over to her.

  “You look so pretty,” Ellen said.

  Brandy smiled and blushed. “Thank you.” She wasn’t accustomed to getting compliments.

  “That is a lovely dress,” Mary said. Brandy realized it was the first time that Mary had ever said anything nice to her other than thanking her by the river.

  “Maybe you can wear the dress sometime,” Brandy suggested.

  Mary broke into a wide smile. “I’d like that.”

  “Go back to your friends and have fun. Look, there are people over there dancing. Everyone seems to be having a grand time. See all their smiles? Now shoo, go have fun. I’m just going to stand here and watch.”

  There were several men playing instruments. She saw a fiddle, a harmonica, a washboard, and a guitar. And she had to admit they sounded good together. They very seldom had music at the parsonage, so it had been a long time since she had heard anything other than hymns. Before long, Brandy was tapping her toes with the rhythm and smiling at the couples dancing. She noted how happy the couples appeared and the special way they looked at each other. Would someone ever look at her like that?

  Nettie came up beside her with Amy asleep on her shoulder. “ ’Tis a lovely sight ye be presenting tonight. Are ye having a good time?”

  “I just got here, but it is wonderful,” Brandy said. Reaching over, she touched Amy’s head. “It appears she has had all the fun she can stand for one night.”

  “Aye, I’m going back MacTavish will talk a couple more hours before he winds down.” Nettie chuckled. “Here comes Ward. Get him to dance with ye.”

  Ward was dressed in a faded red shirt, and he wore a big grin as he stopped and offered his arm. “Would you care to dance?”

  “I don’t know how,” Brandy admitted.

  “Doesn’t matter. Neither do I.” Ward laughed.

  He swung her up in his arms, and they whirled around and around, and soon Brandy was laughing and having a good time.

  “Are you enjoying yourself?” Ward asked.

  Brandy nodded “Yes, I am. It’s so nice to do something other than cooking and cleaning. And I haven’t had Thunder to yell at me in days.”

  Now it was Ward’s turn to laugh. “So you’ve been doin’ all right without Thunder. He’s trained you well, but I do expect him back soon.”

  “How did you meet Thunder?”

  “He
’s been a friend for a long time. He made the mistake of falling in love with my niece so I used to see him often.”

  “Mistake?” Brandy asked wanting to learn more. “My niece professed to love Thunder. Then she found out he was part Cheyenne and she never spoke to him again. She never even bothered to tell him the reason why. Thunder kind of changed after that. He became harder on the inside.”

  “That is terrible. It must have hurt a lot.”

  “It did scare him. But we remained friends. He is a good man.”

  “I think so, too,” Brandy admitted, but she wondered if Thunder would ever trust any woman again.

  * * *

  Thunder thought the sound of Brandy’s laughter was the most beautiful sound he’d ever heard. He stood back in the shadows and watched as Ward and Brandy danced. He’d made himself stay away a couple of days longer than he needed to, trying to put some distance between him and Brandy. He’d told himself over and over again that he couldn’t be bothered with thoughts of any woman. But somehow this little lady kept creeping into his thoughts. So he finally decided it was time to return. He didn’t want to think about how he’d punished his horse, urging him on at full speed to get back sooner.

  Brandy looked like a spring flower in the midst of brown, dry dirt. In the glow of the campfire, her skin appeared soft and creamy-looking. The memory of a soft yet passionate kiss came back to him. His unexpected reaction to Brandy startled him and so did his next move as he started toward her and Ward.

  When he reached them, he tapped Ward on the shoulder. “Do you mind if I have a dance?”

  “About damned time you came back,” Ward grumbled. But his expression didn’t match his words. “Did you find any buffalo?”

  “Yes. We will talk later,” Thunder said, his eyes fixed on Brandy’s face as he swung her into the circle of his arms.

  “I can see your mind is elsewhere,” Ward said with a grin before he moved off to dance with someone else.

  Thunder couldn’t believe how beautiful Brandy looked. The lavender color of her dress made her eyes a vivid purple, her cheeks were flushed, and her lips a soft pink. Perfect for kissing.

  Stop it, he warned himself. “Have you been well, Brandy?”

  She moistened her lips. “Yes, have you?”

  “I have done much riding and scouting the trail.” He tightened his grip on her, pulling her a little closer to him. “But it is good to be back.”

  “I’ve missed you,” she said softly.

  He smiled and gazed into her eyes. Suddenly, it was as if they were the only two people in camp, and without thinking about what he was saying, he said, “I have missed you, too.”

  The expression in her eyes told him just how much she cared for him. And knowing didn’t ease him one little bit.

  It was like throwing gunpowder into a fire.

  * * *

  Brandy rolled and tumbled back and forth in her narrow bunk. How long had she been trying to go to sleep? It seemed so long, but it had probably only been a couple of hours since they had turned in.

  Every time she shut her eyes, she could picture herself and Thunder dancing. He’d looked so handsome tonight, dressed all in black. His silver eyes had held her mesmerized.

  She rolled to the other side.

  All right, quit thinking about Thunder. And go to sleep.

  She remained motionless as she willed herself to sleep, but after a few minutes her eyes flew open. It was too hot!

  That was the problem.

  Rising on her elbows, Brandy looked at the other two girls, who seemed to have no trouble sleeping at all. So maybe it was just she who was restless. She felt like everything was sticking to her, and she needed some relief. Maybe if she cooled off, she could then get some rest because morning would be here much too soon.

  She eased out of bed, carefully making her way to the back of the wagon. She pulled up her gown so she wouldn’t step on the hem as she climbed outside.

  Glancing around, she made sure no one else was moving around. Everything was so still and peaceful. But then it should be at this time of night. She was the only one who couldn’t sleep, she thought as she headed for the river.

  She didn’t know the name of this river, but it was so different from the enormous Missouri. It was shallow in places and deep in other spots with rocky rapids here and there. She swished her foot in the edge of the water and thought about how wonderful it felt. A swim would cool her and make her feel better.

  The river curved like a snake and was hard to see in some places because it was so dark, but the full moon provided enough light that she could see a small cove where she removed her gown and tossed it in the high grass.

  Crickets chirped nearby as she waded into the water. After the first gasp, she adjusted to the chilly water and decided it was just the right temperature. She dove under the water and swam for a ways before she surfaced again. As she treaded water, snippets of childhood memories came to her, and she could picture herself and her mother swimming in a river. Brandy smiled. She didn’t have many memories of her mother, but this was a nice one. At least, she and her mother had been happy at one time.

  She should be a little more modest, she thought, but who was to know? Everyone else was asleep. So being a little wicked wouldn’t hurt. The water worked its magic, swirling, caressing her body. She relaxed and floated in the water.

  Then she heard a splash. Raising her head, she looked all around her, but saw nothing but a small ripple.

  If it were a snake or animal, she would have seen it. Wouldn’t she?

  She was just letting her imagination run wild. But the interruption had ended the mood. Maybe she should swim back to shore.

  That’s when it struck.

  Something slid around her waist and for a moment she couldn’t breathe. As cold fear swept over her body, she desperately tried to scream.

  But no sound came out.

  13

  At first Thunder thought he was dreaming. He shook his head. No. He wasn’t dreaming ... the little fool was still there.

  He’d been lounging in the cool water when he’d first glimpsed Brandy. She’d stopped in the small alcove, then reached up and slipped the straps from her shoulders; her gown slid slowly to the ground and puddled around her feet. He probably should have made his presence known, but something stopped him.

  He watched as she waded into the water, her body bathed in moonlight, her glorious hair resting on her breasts. He hadn’t realized he’d been holding his breath until she dove into the water.

  That’s when his anger mixed with his desire. Damn fool. It was dangerous to wander away from the wagons alone. And more so when you were completely naked. There could have been other Indians out here besides himself. When she surfaced and floated on her back all his eyes saw were creamy white breasts and hard nipples extending above the water line.

  That’s when all his sanity left him.

  Brandy had just pushed him too far. This time she was going to have to deal with him.

  * * *

  Suddenly the water rippled behind Brandy. She tried to straighten, but firm arms snaked around her waist, hauling her back, cutting off her air.

  She gasped because she was too frightened to scream. “Who are you? What do you want?”

  “I want to know why you are out here away from the wagons? Thunder’s angry voice was next to her ear.

  Brandy relaxed when she recognized his voice, but as soon as she did so and pressed against his body, she realized that he didn’t have any clothes on either. “I—I was hot and couldn’t sleep.”

  He took her by the arms and turned her to face him. She was glad of the darkness that hid the flush in her cheeks. She sank down in the water to hide her unclothed body.

  Thunder’s eyes glittered with anger. “Do you not realize how dangerous it is to be by yourself?”

  She nodded. “But you’re here.”

  “That is different. I can take care of myself.”

  “Well, I c
an take care of myself, too,” she snapped back.

  “Can you?” His voice held an ominous tone.

  She couldn’t quit staring at Thunder, remembering how it felt when she’d kissed him. His dark hair was slicked back away from his hard features, and his eyes appeared silver in the moonlight. The smoldering flame she saw in his gaze startled her. Her feet didn’t touch the bottom, so he was holding her steady in the water away from him.

  She shamefully longed to reach over and taste his lips. He was disturbing in every way, and she was well aware of his muscles beneath her fingertips. Trying to ignore her wanton longing for him, she stared at his chest instead of his eyes.

  Thunder watched the way her hair floated around her breasts as she clung to his forearms. The flesh and blood beneath his hands told him he hadn’t imagined her at all. An invisible web of attraction building between them was very powerful.

  “You are so beautiful. Moonlight becomes you,” he said in a whisper.

  He lifted her chin so he could see her face more clearly. Was that desire he saw flash in her eyes? The knowledge that she experienced the same feelings that he did, felt like a prairie fire sweeping over him. His thumb slowly moved to her lower lip. He couldn’t stop himself from rubbing his thumb back and forth across her lips. She was drawing him to her just like a thirsty animal to water.

  And he was bone dry.

  What would one little taste hurt?

  He bent his head, his mouth mere inches from hers. “You should go back,” he warned her.

  “Y—yes, I probably should,” she murmured as her arms went around his neck.

  That was all he could take.

  The small gesture pushed him completely over the edge. He jerked her next to him, their naked bodies fitting perfectly as he kissed the side of her neck. Hot skin next to hot skin.

  “You really don’t know what you’re doing to me,” he warned softly as he trailed kisses up her chin. She wrapped her legs around his waist and heat surged through him so fiercely that he felt he was standing in fire instead of water.