Savage Splendor (Savage Lagonda 2)

by Constance O'Banyon

  "Your brother would have taken you away and I would never have seen you again. I asked you to marry me, remember. You thought you were too high and mighty for Du Lac. I will have you now though, with or without benefit of marriage."

  "Zeke will come after you, Du Lac. He will discover what you have done and he will not rest until he finds you!" she said, grasping for something to believe in. She knew if she gave in to the terror she was feeling she would be lost.

  Ugly laughter issued from Du Lac's lips. "I put a burr under Zeke's saddle, his horse will not stop running for a week, and Zeke has a long way to walk before he reaches the cabin. We will be a long ways from here by then."

  "Have you forgotten my brother? He could come back at any time."

  "Pugh, your brother, the fancy gentleman, would not know the first thing about tracking anyone. I doubt he can function outside a drawing room."

  Mara looked over her shoulder. The cabin was lost from sight. She wondered what Andrew would do when he awoke alone and hungry. She hoped Jake had not been too badly hurt. Everything looked hopeless to her at the moment. Du Lac was a madman. And she was completely at his mercy.

  Jeffery and Palomas rode down the trail single file. Jeffery's eyes scanned the horizon in the direction of the cabin. They reached a point where the trail widened, and Palomas drew even with him.

  "Something's strange, Palomas. It is a clear day and the cabin is just off to our right, and yet there is no smoke coming from the chimney."

  Palomas's eyes scanned the skies. "You are right, Jeffery there is something wrong."

  Palomas was leading two packhorses, and Jeffery had the horse he had purchased for Mara on a tight rein. Both men nudged their horses into a run. When they reached the cabin, Jeffery vaulted from his saddle. The door was standing wide open and he could hear Andrew crying at the top of his lungs.

  Running inside, he made a quick survey. The room was cold. The fire in the fireplace had been out for many hours.

  "Is anyone here?" he called loudly, not expecting an answer, and not receiving one. He rushed over to Andrew and picked him up, finding he was soaking wet. He had obviously been crying for a long time.

  Palomas appeared at his side. "There is something wrong here," Jeffery said. "You look around outside while I tend the baby."

  Jeffery found all he needed to change the baby's clothing, then he wrapped him in a warm blanket he stripped from one of the beds. Andrew felt very cold. He had not been changed for a long time, and he had kicked his covers off. Jeffery knew if he did not get him warm soon he would become ill.

  What had happened here? There was no sign of a struggle. Mara would never have left her baby, unless she had been forced to.

  Laying Andrew down, Jeffery closed the door and added wood to the fireplace and started a fire. Now that Andrew was warm he drifted off to sleep, but Jeffery knew he must be hungry and would soon awake wanting something to eat. Crossing the room he opened the door, just in time to admit Palomas carrying Jake's body.

  "Lay him on the bed," Jeffery directed. He went down on his knees and examined the gash on Jake's head.

  "I found him in the woods. He is not dead, but that is a bad wound."

  "He has to wake up. We have to know what happened to Mara."

  "I saw horse tracks leading off toward the setting sun, the horse appeared to be carrying double. I will track it," Palomas said.

  "No, you stay with Jake and Andrew, I will search for my sister."

  "Jeffery, it is my place to find Mara," Palomas said opening the door, leaving Jeffery no choice but to tend the baby and Jake.

  Palomas mounted the horse they had brought for Mara since it would be fresher than his, which had been ridden all day. He was grateful there had been no fresh snow, so the tracks were easy to follow. The man was a fool, he thought. He made a clumsy attempt to cover his tracks, but any Indian could easily pick up his trail.

  Palomas rode for several hours before he dismounted to rest the horse. He bent down and examined the tracks, he could see the man's horse was tiring. He saw where the man had dismounted to walk the animal. It was easy to recognize Mara's small footprints. He saw a place where she had broken away from the man, and the place where the man had overtaken her. He was grim-faced when he saw blood on the snow. Hatred burned in his heart for the unknown man who had hurt Mara. He mounted once more, and urged his horse forward at a run. He would catch up with them before nightfall.

  * * *

  Mara huddled near the fire, watching Du Lac unsaddle the horse. She wished she dare try to run away again. She reached up and tested her swollen lip, where Du Lac had struck her the last time she tried to get away from him. Picking up a handful of snow she used it to wash the worst of the blood from her face.

  Du Lac threw her a fugitive glance as he tossed the saddle to the ground. When he approached her, Mara cringed.

  "There is no reason for you to fear me, Mara. I will not harm you," he said sitting down beside her.

  She turned away from him, and when he reached out to touch her she batted his hand away.

  "I am not as bad as you believe me to be, Mara. You have bewitched me. I never wanted a woman as I want you. I would do anything to have you."

  "Does that include betraying Jake and Zeke, who befriended you?" she said bitterly.

  "Mara," he whispered as he drew her into his arms. "Never has there been a woman such as yourself. I love you. Ask what you will of me and I will gladly grant it."

  "Let me return to my baby."

  She saw the dangerous glint in his eyes. "I cannot see what you could find to love in that Indian baby. If it is a child you want, I will fill you with my baby."

  Mara shivered in disgust. "I would kill myself before I would ever allow you to touch me."

  His hands fell heavily on her shoulders, and she could feel his fingers dig into her skin. "You would deny me your body, and yet you love a baby that was fathered by an Indian savage!"

  "Remove your hands from me, it is you who are savage."

  He applied pressure to her shoulders and lowered her to the ground. "Why do you do this?" she said as she felt his hand slide up her leg, raising her gown.

  He lowered his head and rested his lips against her ear. "I do not know. Ever since I first saw you I knew I must have you." His lips covered hers, and Mara tried to turn her head away. She tried to fight him but he was too strong. She felt his hands move bruisingly across her breast, and she wanted to cry out. Finally she tore her mouth away from his and screamed, knowing there was no one to hear her and come to her aid.

  Looking around frantically, she tried to see something she could defend herself with. Her eyes fell on a pair of moccasin-clad feet. Before she could react, Du Lac was jerked into the air and dangled from the tall Indian's arms like a limp puppet. She watched as the Indian withdrew his knife from its sheath and plunged it into the heart of the terrified Du Lac. Mara whimpered as she saw the blood flowing from Du Lac's chest. She knew he was dead.

  Mara scrambled to her feet, never taking her eyes off the Indian. Was she to be his next victim? She was not sorry Du Lac was dead, in fact she had wanted to slay him herself, but what was to be her fate at the hands of the fierce-looking Indian?

  She took a step backward, with the intention of fleeing into the woods. Turning her back she ran as fast as she could, but she knew she was not fast enough. She could hear him right behind her. She felt his arms go around her waist and she was lifted into his arms.

  Staring into the dark eyes she saw the puzzled expression on his face. Her eyes took in his silver and turquoise headband, and she felt even more afraid. She did not struggle, but lay passive in his arms knowing she would never be able to escape this powerful Indian.

  "Do not fear me, Mara. I would never cause you harm." He spoke to her in the same dialect the other Indian had used and she understood him. He had called her by name.

  "W . . . who are you? How do you know me?"

  He looked at her with such sa
dness that she knew in that moment she had nothing to fear from him. "I am called Palomas."

  "You killed Du Lac."

  "He deserved to die."

  "I . . . suppose I should thank you for saving me. What are you going to do with me?"

  "I will take you to your brother, Jeffery."

  "You know my brother?"

  Palomas nodded. He strolled to his horse and placed Mara on the animal's back. He was about to mount behind her when she remembered that Du Lac had Jake's gold.

  "Wait, I must get the gold and return it to Jake and Zeke."

  "I will get it," he told her.

  Mara looked away as Palomas rolled the dead Frenchman over and removed the bag of gold from his belt.

  "Do we just ride off and leave him like this?" she asked thinking they should at least bury him.

  "Let his body be food for the wolf," Palomas said as he mounted the horse behind Mara.

  "His horse?"

  "The animal will follow."

  As the horse moved forward, Mara tried to hold herself stiff so she would not come in contact with the Indian, but she soon began to tire and leaned back against him. Something about this man inspired trust in her. He said he would take her to Jeffery and she believed him. She shuddered to think what would have been her fate had he not come along when he had.

  Mara felt herself getting sleepy. She closed her eyes. There were many questions that she did not know the answers to, but they would keep until tomorrow. Her head relaxed against his shoulder, and she was aware that he shifted her body crossways across the horse so she would be more comfortable.

  "Palomas," she said sleepily.

  "Go to sleep, Mara, nothing can harm you now."

  She felt comforted. Nothing would hurt her now. She drifted off to sleep.

  Palomas lowered his head and rested his face against her golden hair. His love ran deep for the woman who was his queen. She was safe, his heart cried out in joy.

  Mara sighed as she snuggled into his arms seeking his warmth.

  If she had seen the soft look on the fierce warrior's face at that moment she would not have understood it. This time belonged to him. He could hold her while she slept, taking nothing away from the king.

  Shortly before dawn he halted the horse. "Mara," he called softly. "It is time to awake." He watched as her eyes opened. She smiled.

  "I forgot, what did you say your name is?"

  "I am Palomas," he reminded her. Lifting her to the ground he pointed to the cabin.

  "Will I see you again?"

  "Yes," he told her, and then he rode away.

  16

  I feel this great fear as I seek the past.

  How long, I cry out, will this darkness last?

  Jeffery was pacing the floor with a screaming Andrew in his arms. He had tried to feed the baby some watered-down mush, but Andrew protested loudly. It had been a long night for Jeffery, with a hungry baby and an injured man to tend to. He was worried about Mara. Jake had regained consciousness, and told him that it was the Frenchman who had attacked him.

  His face lit up when the door opened and Mara herself entered. "Thank God you are safe," he said, sinking down in a chair.

  "How is Jake?" she asked.

  Jake raised up on his elbow and gave her a lopsided grin. "Takes more than a crazy Frenchman to kill me."

  She smiled brightly at him and rushed over to take Andrew from her brother.

  "I tried to feed him, but he did not like the diet I offered him," her brother told her, gladly relinquishing the baby into her care.

  Sitting down in the rocking chair, Mara unfastened her gown and fed Andrew. She dropped a blanket over her shoulder for modesty's sake.

  "What happened, Mara?" Jeffery asked.

  "Do you know a man named Palomas?"

  "Yes, he is traveling with me."

  "I did not know him before last night, and yet I owe him so much. He saved me from Du Lac."

  "How, what happened?" Jake asked sitting up weakly.

  "You must rest, Jake, you are still not well. All you need to know for now is that Du Lac forced me to go away with him. He is now dead." Jake lay back and closed his eyes. Mara was right, he did not feel at all well. His head throbbed painfully, and when he tried to sit up he felt dizzy.

  Mara watched him with a worried frown on her face. "Jeffery, will Jake be all right?"

  "He will be fine by tomorrow, Mara. That was a nasty blow Du Lac gave him, but it not life threatening."

  "Tell me about Palomas. How is it that he knows me? How did he find me last night?"

  "It is a long story, Mara, and I am a bit weary now," Jeffery said, standing up and stretching his arms over his head. "Right now that bed looks mighty tempting to me," he said, walking over to Zeke's bed and sinking down on it. It was not long before he was fast asleep.

  Mara tiptoed about the cabin so she would not disturb Jeffery and Jake. She knew when they awoke she would have to tell them all about Du Lac and the man Palomas.

  Surprisingly, Mara felt rested after her long ordeal of the day before. Of course she had slept all night in the arms of the Indian. She wondered where he had disappeared to after he had brought her back to the cabin.

  Late that afternoon, Zeke returned. He was very tired and half frozen. He told Mara he had walked over twenty miles, after Du Lac had driven his horse away. When Jake awoke Mara spoon-fed him some broth, while she told all three men about what had happened to her the day before.

  Zeke went to bed early, and Mara and her brother sat beside the warm fire, talking in hushed tone so they would not disturb Jake and Zeke.

  "Jeffery, I want to thank you for taking care of Andrew and Jake. It was so kind of you."

  "Jake was no problem." A smile brightened his handsome features. "I merely had to clean his wound, and prevent him from going in search of you. I assured him that the best tracker I knew was on your trail. Andrew was a little more difficult to deal with. He was hungry, and all I knew to feed him was watered-down mush, which he showed me in a very vocal way was not to his liking."

  Mara laughed. "Have you not been around babies much?"

  Jeffery though of his own son who had been born the day before he had set out to search for Mara. "No, but with a little luck, my nephew will have no bad after-effects from my care."

  "Jeffery, you are a fine man. I wish I could remember our life together. We must have had such fun."

  He looked into her beautiful face, feeling pain that she could not remember the past. Leaning forward, he cupped her chin in his hand. "Mara, I cannot tell you the hue and cry that has gone out over your disappearance. You would be astounded if you knew how many lives your absence has affected."

  "No, I cannot imagine. It is wonderful to have a family." She caught her lower lip between her teeth. "I want to go home with you, but I wish I did not have to be separated from Jake and Zeke. They have been so kind to me. I will miss them so much. Perhaps they could come to visit me sometime."

  Jeffery had no answer to give her. He knew Tajarez would not be inclined to forgive the two men, who, by thinking they were rescuing Mara, had caused so much grief. He doubted that they would ever be allowed to enter the hidden valley.

  "Jeffery, will the others in our family accept Andrew? I could not bear it if he were to be shamed."

  "Have no fear, Mara. I give you my word he will be welcomed with love."

  "You said you would tell me about Palomas. Did you know I was able to converse with him."

  Jeffery hedged. "Palomas is a very good friend of mine. He helped me search for you."

  "There was another Indian, who was dressed very much like Palomas, he came here and tried to get me to go away with him."

  "Yes. His name is Matio. It was he who told me where to find you. Mara, you need not fear Palomas. He would never harm you."

  "As strange as it sounds, I do not fear him, but I have many questions to ask you. How did I learn to speak the language of the Indians? Will you help me to sor
t out these things in my mind?"

  "Mara, I consulted with the doctor at the trading post. He said I must go slowly in revealing your past. Will you understand and accept this?" He hoped that would put her off for a while. Tonight was not the time to tell her about the Seven Cities, the Lagonda tribe, or Tajarez.

  Two days later, Mara said a tearful good-bye to Jake and Zeke. It was very painful leaving them. It was as though she was leaving all that was dear and familiar to her, going off into the great unknown.

  Jeffery was being very mysterious about their destination, and when Mara asked him about it, he put her off by saying he would tell her when they were under way.

  When Mara kissed Jake and Zeke, the sorrow in their eyes mirrored her own sadness. They had refused the gold, as she knew they would, so she had left it lying on her bed, knowing they would find it when she had gone.

  As she and Jeffery rode away from the cabin, Mara looked back at the only home she could remember. She was blinded by tears when they entered the woods and the cabin was lost from view.

  It was a bright clear day, but off to the north there were dark snow clouds building up. Jeffery carried Andrew strapped to his back in the leather pouch Jake had made for him. He could see Mara's unhappiness, so he decided to distract her.

  "Mara, Palomas will be joining us shortly. I do not want you to be frightened by him."

  "I do not think Zeke believed me when I told him how I had been rescued by Palomas, since he and Jake never saw him," Mara said.

  "Perhaps it is better if they believe Palomas was a figment of your imagination. Some things are not easy to explain to outsiders," Jeffery told her, moving his horse ahead before Mara could question his last remark.

  They rode until noon, then stopped to rest the horses and to eat. Mara sat down on a huge rock that had been warmed by the sun. Jeffery handed Andrew to her so she could feed him. Once Andrew's stomach was full he fell asleep once more. Mara was hesitant to remount until Jeffery explained some things to her. She watched as he tightened the cinch on her saddle.

  "Jeffery, are we going to St. Louis? Is that where we live?"