Savage Splendor (Savage Lagonda 2)

by Constance O'Banyon

  "Princess, me and Zeke don't know nothing about bringing a baby into the world, and we can't ask the doctor to come out here. The doctor's wife is a nice lady, and I spect you will need a woman with you when the time comes," he said, using the only excuses he could think of. For, in truth, he did not want her to leave.

  Seeing that Jake was weakening, Mara placed her hand on his. "Have you thought how I will be treated if this baby turns out to be . . . fathered by an Indian? Would you want me to be shunned by the good doctor and his wife?" she said, knowing how to reach him and feeling a twinge of guilt for her method. She was playing on his sympathy, and on his love for her.

  Mara's tiny hand was dwarfed by Jake's huge one when his fingers closed about hers. He could not stand the thought of anyone's hurting the little princess. His mind was made up. He would not take her to the trading post, even if he had to do battle with his brother when he came home. If the princess wanted to stay at the cabin to have her baby, then be damned, she would remain. Patting her hand awkwardly, he released it and turned his back to her with the pretense of stoking the fire.

  "Seeing as how you are so set on having your baby here, I will speak to Zeke about it. I warn you he ain't going to like it none. He thinks you need a doctor when the time comes."

  Mara walked around him and smiled up into his face, knowing she had won her point. "Oh, Jake, I just knew you would not abandon me to strangers."

  He was startled for a moment when she stood on tiptoes and planted a kiss on his rough cheek.

  "I truly love you and Zeke. I know at times I must be a burden to you, but you are my family and I want to stay with you."

  "You ain't never been a burden, princess," he said earnestly, in a gruff voice, knowing at that moment that he would give her anything she asked for.

  Jake paced back and forth practicing what he would say to his brother when he returned. Every so often his eyes would wander to the loft where the princess slept. In his mind he envisioned the argument that would ensue when he told Zeke that Mara was not going to the trading post to have her baby.

  When Zeke arrived, Jake had worked himself into such a state, he hardly gave his brother time to get through the door before he started in on him. Jake's voice boomed out and he slammed his fist into his open palm.

  "My mind is made up and you ain't about to change it, Zeke. Being the oldest counts for something, and I want you to reckon with that."

  Zeke sat down on his bed and began unlacing his boot. "I reckon age counts for something."

  "I'm glad you see it my way, 'cause that's the way it is, and if you got anything else to say, say it now, cause I'm going to bed," Jake said, lying down on his bed and folding his hands behind his head.

  "Jake, I only got one thing to say," Zeke said, removing his boots and looking at his brother.

  Jake raised up on his elbow. "What is it?"

  "What are you talking about?"

  "I'm talking about the princess. She don't want to have her baby at the trading post, and I don't want her to go neither. She is afraid folks will treat her bad if the little one turns out to be an Injun."

  "But Jake, you and me can't bring no baby into the world!" Zeke said in a disbelieving voice.

  "You want her to be shunned when the baby comes and it's an Injun? You know as well as I do that this baby will be a breed."

  "But Jake, you said yourself that she had a husband. I remember that clearly."

  "I said that so the princess wouldn't be upset. Don't tell me you believed me?"

  "Well, if you really believe that, we can't let her go. I swear, Jake, if anyone were to hurt the princess, I would be ready to fight," Zeke said as he crawled under the covers. "What will we do when it's her time? We don't know nothing about babies."

  "I spect we'll let nature be our teacher, Zeke. I recollect when we was having with Ma and Pa, I sometimes helped Pa birth the farm animals."

  "Good Lord, Jake. The princess ain't no farm animal!"

  "No, but having babies can't be too different, can it?"

  "I don't know, Jake, but as sure as bears hibernate, we are gonna find out."

  The next morning when Jake told Mara she would not be going to the trading post to have her baby, she was ecstatic. .

  After the two brothers had left the cabin, Mara went outside to enjoy the bright sunshine, knowing it would soon be cold and she would have to spend most of her time inside. She dreaded the time when the child she was carrying would be born. For now

  she was living in a state of limbo, waiting and not knowing what would happen from one day to the next. Each morning when she awoke, she hoped to remember who she was, but so far the past had kept its secrets from her.

  Mara often wondered if she had a family who missed her, and if so, were they searching for her? Was it possible for one to disappear, never to be heard of again? Did she have a husband who loved her? Was this his child she carried? As the days passed and the roundness of her stomach proclaimed her condition, she had half convinced herself that she did indeed have a husband, and when the baby was born, it would be white.

  Autumn was short-lived as winter descended upon the land. The red and gold leaves still clung to the trees when the first snow began to fall.

  Zeke had lined the walls of the loft with many furs to keep out the cold that had seeped through the cracks in the logs. The room was warm and cozy, and Mara felt quite comfortable now.

  Jake had been absent from the cabin for a week, and Mara again could not help feeling guilty knowing that one of the brothers always remained with her because they did not want to leave her alone. By now her doeskin gown fit snugly across her stomach, and Mara was grateful she did not have a mirror to see her reflection. When the weather had been warmer she had gone daily to bathe in the creek that was a short distance from the cabin. She had stared at her reflection in the water, looking at the face of a stranger. She had been surprised to find the girl, or woman, was not bad to look at, in fact she might be considered to be pretty by some. She could not judge very well, since she could not really see clearly in the water.

  Cleaning the doeskin gown had proved a bit of a problem. She was finding she liked to be clean, and the gown had been washed many times, which made it stiff. She had to wear it for awhile, then it would become soft again.

  Mara entered the cabin after dusting the light snow from her hair. It was early afternoon and Zeke had gone into the woods to hunt for game. She checked the position of the sun through the window and hoped Jake would return before dark. Glancing about the spotlessly clean cabin she saw there was not much for her to do. Jake and Zeke now insisted on helping her with the housework. She smiled, thinking how much neater the two brothers were now, compared to when she had first come to live with them. They picked up after themselves, took care to wipe their feet before entering the cabin, and bathed often. Mara adored the two men who made up her whole world.

  Going over to the fireplace she turned the duck that was roasting over the hot coals, so it would brown evenly. Humming to herself, she wondered why Zeke had gone hunting, since the lean-to was filled with meat. Much of the meat had been dried over a slow fire to preserve it. The pork—as she called it, but which was in fact wild boar—had been soaked in brine to keep it fresh. There were wild turkeys salted down and several small game animals that had been cured for future use.

  Mara added a bit of flour to the corn chowder to thicken it. She thought how contented she was. She would be happy if her life continued on with the same safe, day-to-day existence. She had no wish to leave this cabin. This was her world and anything that threatened her haven frightened her. The only thing that ever encroached on her peace of mind was the baby she did not want, and the vision of the dark Indian she had seen, and she tried not to think of either of them.

  The door opened and a blast of frigid air circulated around the room. She smiled a greeting when she saw Jake, who was loaded down with parcels, kick the door shut with his foot.

  "I am glad you
made it home for dinner, Jake. What have you got there? I thought you were tending your traps."

  "Nope, I ain't been trapping. I been buying presents for a princess," he told her dumping the parcels on the bed.

  "For me, Jake? You bought something for me?"

  "I surely did. Seeing as how you ain't got no clothes but the ones on your back, me and Zeke wanted to get you some nice things."

  The door burst open a second time, and Zeke entered the cabin, puffing as if he were out of breath. "Did you get what you went for, Jake?" he said excitedly.

  "Yep, that's them there on the bed," his brother answered.

  "You sure took your time," he said, eyeing the bounty on the bed.

  "You wouldn't say that if you knew what a fix I been in. I ran into heavy snow that slowed me down, then the horse went lame and I had to walk him slow, the last five miles."

  Jake crossed the room and took Mara's arm and led her over to the bed where the packages were scattered. "Go on, princess, open them. They are all for you."

  Mara hesitated for a moment. "All of them?"

  "Every last one of them," Zeke spoke up.

  Mara noticed both brothers were watching her expectantly, waiting for her reaction.

  "You should not have spent money on me. I know how hard you work, and I do not want you to feel you must buy me anything," she said, teary-eyed.

  "What good is money, if we can't use it to make you happy, princess," Jake said.

  "Can I open them now?" Mara smiled expectantly.

  "Sure. Open the big one first," Jake told her as he handed her a parcel.

  Mara tore the paper apart with enthusiasm. She gasped when she saw several lengths of material. One was blue calico, another was green print, and the last was soft white flannel.

  "Oh, Jake, Zeke, these are beautiful," she said running her hand over the flannel, loving the way it felt against her skin.

  "I got you needles and thread so you can make you some mighty fine garments."

  Mara turned to the two brothers and smiled sweetly. "I do not know what to say. You are both so good to me. How will I ever repay your kindness to me?"

  "See what else we got you," Zeke said hurriedly, not knowing how to deal with her gratitude.

  Opening the second package, Mara found ribbons and lace, a hairbrush and a comb. She ran the brush through her hair, loving the way it made her golden curls crackle with electricity.

  "Mrs. White told me there was enough flannel to make lots of things for the baby. She said that's what all the women use to make baby garments with," Jake said, clearly pleased with himself.

  Laughter bubbled from Mara's lips. "I would say there is enough flannel here to make gowns, blankets—and everything two babies would ever need. Thank you both, my dearest friends."

  Jake looked pleased, but Zeke shifted his feet uncomfortably. "I got you another present. I been working on it out in the lean-to, so it would be a surprise for you."

  "What is it, Zeke?" Mara asked.

  "You wait right here while I go and fetch it," he told her as he rushed out the door of the cabin.

  When he had gone, Jake picked up the white flannel and ran his rough hands over it. "It has not escaped my notice that you never refer to the baby, princess. Don't you think it's time you began to make plans for it?"

  Mara sank down on the bed and looked up at him. "I suppose so, Jake. Not thinking about the baby will not make it go away, will it?"

  He knelt down beside her and tilted her chin up. "Some facts need to be faced, princess, and this here baby is a fact. Me and Zeke will love your baby no matter what color its skin is, and I'm betting you will too."

  "You are right. The past is hidden from me and there does not seem to be anything I can do about it. I will no longer hide from the future. Starting tomorrow, I will make plans for the baby's birth."

  Zeke returned just then. He kicked on the door and Jake walked over to let him in. Mara's eyes widened as she saw the beautiful wooden cradle he carried. Setting it down in front of her, he straightened up to his full height, proudly waiting for her to examine his handiwork.

  Going down on her knees, Mara saw that the cradle was constructed of heavy oak, which had been polished to a bright sheen. Running her hand over it, she admired the tiny rosebuds that had been skillfully carved on both sides.

  "Zeke, this is truly beautiful. I had no idea you were such a fine craftsman," Mara told him.

  "I always did like to work with my hands. Jake here always liked to poke fun at me, for wanting to make pretty things. I guess you won't laugh now, Jake," he said proudly.

  Jake dropped down on his knees to get a better look at his brother's handiwork. "I'd say this is a mighty fine piece of work. I didn't know you could do this kind of thing."

  Zeke winked at Mara. "Just 'cause you live with someone most of your life don't mean you know everything about them."

  "Well, I think you are both wonderful," Mara said giving each of them a kiss and a hug.

  "All we want is for you to be happy, princess. Ain't that right, Zeke?"

  Zeke agreed with a nod of his head, while he lifted the cradle. "I'll just put this up in the loft for the time being."

  That night as Mara lay on her soft bed, she allowed herself to think about the child she carried within her body. Jake was right, she could no longer ignore it, for soon it would be born and she needed to start thinking of it as a person. Somehow seeing the cradle tonight had made the baby seem more real to her. Her hand moved down to her swollen stomach, and she wondered about the baby's father. Was he a man she had loved and been married to, or was he an Indian savage, perhaps one of the men Jake and Zeke had killed?

  Once more she tried to force herself to remember the past, and once more she was met with a blank wall. Perhaps it was best if she never remembered, especially if she had been ravished by savages. She felt the baby move within her body, but felt no love for it. To her the baby was an unwelcome guest, using her body like a parasite, needing her body to nourish itself and grow. She pushed all thoughts of the baby out of her mind. She would live one day at a time, and when it was time to give birth to the baby, she would then deal with her feelings for it.

  Suddenly she thought of the golden medallion. She had not allowed herself to take it from the chest since the night she had seen the strange visions of the Indian. She sat up and reached for the chest, wondering if she dared hold the medallion in her hand once more. Opening the lid, she slowly lifted the shiny object out of the chest. As usual it was warm in her hand. "If you have some strange magical powers, help me remember who I am," she whispered. "I am frightened of your powers."

  "Do not be frightened," a raspy voice spoke up from somewhere behind her.

  Mara turned quickly, hoping either Jake or Zeke had come into the loft without her being aware of it, but she saw she was alone. Her eyes stared into the darkness, and suddenly she thought she could make out a shadowy mist.

  "Who are you? Am I dreaming?" she said in a shaky voice.

  For a moment there seemed to be a green glow coming from the dark, shapeless figure. She was on the verge of throwing the medallion across the room as she had done before, when she heard the voice again.

  "Have no fear. I will bring you comfort," the voice said.

  The mist seemed to clear, and Mara caught a glimpse of the old Indian man. Closing her eyes tightly, she tried to imagine she was dreaming. Either that or the medallion really did have magical powers. Perhaps it was evil. Gathering it in her hand, she sent it flying across the room.

  She lay down and turned her back on it. One thing for sure. She was wide-awake, and the strange golden medallion did have some strange power, a power that she did not want to know about. Tomorrow she would walk deep into the woods and lose this thing that must be evil.

  That night she dreamed of the beautiful Indian man.

  When she awoke the next morning, she hurriedly dressed and slipped into her moccasins, then picked up the medallion. She silently
descended the ladder, grateful that Jake and Zeke seemed to be sleeping. She walked deep into the woods. Her footsteps seemed to lag and she had the strangest sensation that she must not part with the golden neckpiece. Fearing she would change her mind, she started running, and when she felt she was far enough away from the cabin, she drew back her arm and sent the medallion flying into the air. She did not watch to see where it landed, but hurried back to the safety of the cabin.

  It began to snow heavily, and soon the medallion was covered with a thick layer of white.

  11

  He with the dark brooding eyes.

  Dark as the midnight skies.

  Tajarez looked toward the rising sun, as soft snowflakes fell to earth, covering the dismal landscape. His heart was heavy, for there had been no word about Mara. They had questioned several different Indian tribes, but none of them had been of help. Fear gripped his insides as he gave in to total despair. It did not appear they would ever find his beloved. He would not allow his mind to dwell on the fact that she might have been mistreated by the two white men who had taken her. He knew if he thought in that vein he would lose his mind.

  The day had begun, and it was time to mount his horse to start another fruitless day of searching. Perhaps Jeffery had found something that would lead them to Mara, he thought, not really daring to hope.

  His dark eyes were sad as he called on his warriors to mount their horses. As the snow fell on his ebony-colored hair, his horse moved forward, and the rising sun was soon lost behind the dark snow clouds shrouding the land like a dark omen.

  A cheerful fire was burning in the fireplace and Zeke leaned back in his chair, lit his pipe, and studied Mara's face. She wore the dress she had made out of the green print material. Since she found she did not know the first thing about sewing, the gown was made like a smock that gathered at the shoulders and fell in generous folds, hiding her swollen stomach.

  Mara's face was creased into a frown as she tried to take small neat stitches on the gown she was making for the baby out of the white flannel. She had no notion of how beautiful she looked to Zeke, as the firelight reflected off her golden hair, giving the illusion of soft spun gold. Her face was so delicate and lovely, Zeke could only stare in wonder.