Savage Spring

by Constance O'Banyon

  How different her life was now. At one time, all she had wanted was to live at Meadowlake in peace and contentment, without Barbara’s constant badgering and Rodney’s leering glances. Now she knew that wouldn’t be enough. Alexandria had found a true and lasting love, and she would never love another man as deeply as she did Tag.

  What Alexandria really wanted to do was to tell Tag of her love and beg him to allow her to stay with him. But she knew she had been little more than a nuisance to him—it was past time for her to leave. She had worn out her welcome, and she knew it would be best if she were gone when Tag and his father returned in the afternoon.

  Alexandria jumped out of bed and hurriedly put on her clothing. She had made her decision. She would go home to Meadowlake! It was past the planting season, but if she worked very hard, she could still put in some crops for this year’s harvest. Again she reminded herself that she was her mother’s daughter. She would be strong and face whatever the future had in store for her.

  When she reached the dining room, she found Farley eating his breakfast, so she sat down beside him.

  “I’m glad to see you back, Farley. We missed you around here.”

  He shoveled a hot biscuit into his mouth, and grinned. “I heard you had some excitement while I was gone. Sorry I missed it.”

  Alexandria smiled at the old man who had become so dear to her. “We could have used you. Tell me, what do you think of Meadowlake?”

  Farley shook his fork at her. “I like your farm better than this here place, but it’s still a tad too civilized to suit me. I was glad when Tag told me this morning that we was going home.”

  “You…and Tag are returning to the Blackfoot village?” she asked, as her heart seemed to break into a thousand tiny pieces.

  “Yep, as soon as things get cleared up here. I surely was surprised to learn that stranger was Tag and Joanna’s pa, weren’t you?”

  “No, I have known for some time who he was.”

  “Well, why didn’t you say so, then?” Farley asked pointedly, giving her an amazed glance.

  “Mr. James asked me not to tell anyone.”

  “Well, I’ll be a lop-eared jackrabbit. I found me another woman who can keep her mouth shut. I was beginning to think Joanna was the only woman I know who could keep a secret.”

  “I suppose I will be returning to Meadowlake,” Alexandria said, hoping Farley would tell her that Tag wanted her to go with him instead.

  “I ’spect so. Mrs. Green stayed behind to wait for you. She sent all them servants packing and got the place running right nicely. I guess you’ll want to see to the planting and all.”

  Alexandria stood up. “Yes, I suppose I will. Do you know when Tag will return?”

  “Nope. Him and his pa went riding out bright and early this morning. They didn’t say when they’d be back.”

  “Do you think Tom would mind driving me to Meadowlake today, Farley?”

  “I can’t see why he would. You go put your things together, and I’ll see to the hitching of the buggy.”

  Alexandria left quickly, hoping Farley wouldn’t see the tears in her eyes. As the old man watched her leave the room, a smile covered his face. Alexandria would have been surprised if she had known how well he understood her feelings. He scratched his grizzly white beard and ambled outside. He thought it would be a good idea if Alexandria was gone before Tag returned. It wouldn’t hurt the young pup to have to go after her. Farley knew that the two young people loved each other, but they were too foolish to admit it. He reckoned that some time apart would do them both good. He didn’t have the slightest doubt that when they left Pennsylvania, Alexandria would be with them. Maybe, if Tag thought he had lost Alexandria, he would do something about their situation.

  Tag and his father had a busy day. The first thing they did was go to their house and dismiss all the people who had worked for Claudia and Howard Landon. They then went into town and hired new servants, laborers, and decorators to redecorate the house. By midafternoon they ended up at the shipyard. Russell had found his old bookkeeper and had put him in charge of straightening out the finances. It was long past the dinner hour when they finally returned home.

  Farley came ambling in as Tag and his father were eating a late dinner, and the old man sat down to have a second helping of dessert.

  “Where is Alexandria?” Russell asked. “Has she already gone to bed?”

  “Nope, she lit out for her farm early this morning. She told me to tell you both that she didn’t like good-byes, and she wished you both good fortune. Said if you was ever out her way you was to drop by.”

  Tag stood up and threw his napkin on the table. “The hell she did! What right has she got to go anywhere without consulting me? Why did you allow her to leave?”

  Russell caught Farley’s eye, and he saw the twinkle dancing there. That wily old fox, Russell thought, he knew exactly what he was doing. Russell James smiled to himself. The old man had realized that Tag would never allow Alexandria to go without at least an explanation—they both knew he would go after her.

  “I didn’t see no sense in holding her here. It’s past planting time on her farm. I ’spect she’s got her work cut out for her.”

  “Well, that’s gratitude for you. She forgets all we went through together and just runs off without a by-your-leave,” Tag said, stomping out of the room.

  Farley leaned back in his chair and suppressed his laughter. “You’re his pa—how long you ’spect it’ll take him to go after her?”

  “Well, I would say he will be angry for about a week—then he will begin to be angry with himself for caring. By the third week, I would estimate he would be ready to knock anyone out of his way that tried to keep him from her.”

  Alexandria had always loved Meadowlake in the summer. The land seemed to reflect every shade of green known to man. She had found that keeping busy gave her little time to dwell on her heartache. It wasn’t until late at night, when she lay in bed listening to the sound of the wind in the trees and the night birds singing to their mates, that she would feel lonely. At those times she would often cry herself to sleep.

  If she closed her eyes and concentrated very hard, she could remember what it had felt like to have Tag take her in his arms and make love to her. Many times Alexandria had resisted the urge to go to him and tell him how much she loved him. She thought about how Tag had come into her life at the time when she had needed him most. He had stood by her and helped her through every difficulty. She tried to imagine what Morning Song had looked like and what there had been about her that had inspired the undying love of a man like Tag.

  She wondered if Tag and Farley had started back to the Blackfoot country. How empty her life was now that she knew she would never see Tag again. All she had to look forward to was growing old alone. No matter that their wedding had been held under the most adverse circumstances, she knew she would always think of herself as Tag’s wife.

  Alexandria rolled over on her back and closed her eyes, praying for a reprieve from her misery. Would it not have been better if she had never met Tag? She turned to her side and stared at the shadows dancing on the wall as the breeze blew the branches of the trees. No, how could it be better never to have known love?

  She closed her eyes tightly, wishing for the sleep that eluded her. Wasn’t love supposed to be beautiful? It wasn’t supposed to leave an empty void in one’s heart.

  Alexandria pulled her mount up beside the stream. Dismounting, she bent down and cupped her hands, taking a deep, cooling drink of water. The day was hot and cloudless, and the sky was a hazy blue. She turned her head to the sun and closed her eyes, feeling its warmth on her face. She could smell the fresh, clean aroma of the damp earth, which had been left behind by an early morning shower. She was almost contented as her eyes moved over Meadowlake, knowing that as far as the eye could see, the land belonged to her.

  Tag dismounted at the hitching post in front of the big stone farmhouse, while his father and Farley watch
ed the uncertainty in his eyes. Mrs. Green had been watching out the front window, and she rushed out to the front porch to greet them with a welcoming smile.

  “I was wondering when you would be calling on us,” she said warmly.

  “Where is Alexandria?” Tag asked, wondering why she hadn’t come out of the house to greet him.

  “I saw her riding toward the stream just a short time ago. I imagine she’s still there. It’s just over that hill, if you want to follow her. You won’t need your horse; it’s but a short distance.”

  Hearing a rider in the distance, Alexandria placed her hand above her eyes to shade them from the glaring sun so she could see who her visitor was. One good thing she had found since she returned to Meadowlake was that her neighbors had welcomed her back wholeheartedly. Once they had learned that Barbara and Rodney weren’t coming back, many of them had offered to help her in any way they could. She was finding out, from the comments many of them made, just how much they had disliked her stepmother and Rodney.

  When the rider drew near, Alexandria saw that it was Bart Lewis, whose farm bordered Meadowlake to the east. He had been very helpful to her since her return. He had even sent some of his workers to help her plant the corn and potatoes. Alexandria’s heart went out to Bart, because his wife had died three years back, leaving him with three small children to raise.

  “You are looking lovely today, Alexandria,” he said, dismounting and removing his wide-brimmed hat.

  She looked up at him, thinking he was a nice-looking man, with his sandy-colored hair and deep brown eyes. She was grateful to him for his kindness, and it showed in the bright smile she gave him. “I must warn you, I am a fool for pretty words,” she laughed, feeling flirtatious.

  “I passed by your cornfield, and even though you planted late, if the weather holds I believe you will have a good crop this year.”

  “I couldn’t have done it without you, Bart. I hope the time will come when I can repay you for all your kindness.”

  “When I help a pretty woman, I don’t want thanks, but you could do me a favor.”

  “You name it.”

  “I was kind of wondering if you will be going to the Hamiltons’ barn raising this Saturday week?”

  “No, I wasn’t planning on going. There is so much to do around Meadowlake, I don’t feel I can spare the time. If you would like me to keep the children while you go, however, I would be delighted to accommodate you.”

  “No, that wasn’t what I was asking.” His eyes shifted down to study the toe of his boot. “I was wondering if you might like to go with me?”

  “The lady won’t be going anywhere with you. Hasn’t she told you she has a husband?”

  Alexandria spun around to face Tag. She could tell by the coldness in his blue eyes that he was angry. “Tag, when did you come?” she cried, wishing she dared throw herself into his arms. Her heart seemed to soar with happiness because he had come to see her! She noticed he was once again dressed in buckskin. Could this mean he was going back to the Blackfoot village?

  His eyes moved past her to stare at the man who was looking from Tag to Alexandria in confusion. “I asked you a question—did Alexandria tell you she had a husband?”

  “No…I never…she didn’t tell me,” Bart stammered.

  “Tag, I would like you to meet Bart Lewis, my friend and neighbor. Bart, this is my husband, Taggart James,” Alexandria said, trying to cover up for Tag’s rudeness.

  “Just how good a friend are you to my wife, Mr. Lewis?” Tag asked angrily.

  Bart looked at Alexandria. “I see that the two of you have things to discuss. I’ll just be going on home now.” He swung into the saddle and looked back at Alexandria. “If you need me, you have only to…”

  “She won’t be needing you,” Tag said, pulling Alexandria close to him possessively and giving Bart a murderous look.

  As Bart rode off, Alexandria moved away from Tag. She couldn’t understand why he was behaving in such a rude manner. “You could have been a little nicer to Bart. He has been a good neighbor to me.”

  “I didn’t ride all this way to watch some neighbor fawning over my wife.”

  “Bart is not like that—he is a gentleman, and besides, I don’t know what business it is of yours.”

  Tag looked as though he would like to say more, but he clamped his jaw together tightly. He was still angry, but he decided not to pursue the matter. He didn’t quite know how to deal with his jealousy, since he had never before experienced this strange, troubling emotion.

  “I’m sure if you come up to the house, Mrs. Green will have a good meal ready for you,” Alexandria said, still confused by Tag’s strange attitude.

  “My father and Farley are with me,” he mumbled, not yet ready to forgive Alexandria for being with another man when he had been unable to get her off his mind.

  Alexandria gathered up her horse’s reins and started walking in the direction of the house while Tag caught up with her. “I wasn’t sure if you were still here or if you had gone to see your sister.”

  “I’m on my way there now.” His voice still sounded strained and angry.

  “I’m delighted you decided to come by and see me before you left,” she said, covering up the agony she felt at the thought that he was leaving. She realized she might never get to see him again.

  “Why didn’t you say good-bye to me before you left Philadelphia, Alexandria? One would have thought you might at least have left a note or something.”

  She glanced up and saw he was watching her closely. “I told Farley that I always hated good-byes.”

  “So he said.”

  “How long will you be staying at Meadowlake, Tag?”

  “We want to get started as soon as possible.” He stopped and caught her hand. “I was wondering if you might not like to go with us?”

  Alexandria couldn’t believe she had heard correctly, and she couldn’t contain her joy. She hadn’t expected him to want her to go to see his sister with him. Suddenly her face fell. “I can’t just leave. There is no one to look after the farm.”

  “I anticipated that. My father knows this man who has agreed to run Meadowlake for you until you return. He is completely trustworthy and will be satisfied to take ten percent of this year’s profits.”

  “I…don’t know. I just hadn’t thought…”

  “Come with me,” he urged, raising her hand to his lips. “Even though the journey is long and hard, I want you to meet Joanna, and I want her to come to know you as I do. You are my wife.”

  Alexandria felt her joy spill over. After what he had just said, there was nothing that would stop her from going with Tag. He might not love her, but she had the feeling that he needed her. She knew that she must not put too much emphasis on his invitation. She was sure he had only come for her because he felt duty bound to. Whatever the reason, she would jump at the opportunity to be with Tag, even though she was sure it would end in heartbreak for her.

  “I would like very much to meet your daughter and your sister, Joanna, Tag,” she said, turning away so he wouldn’t see the tears in her eyes. She had been so afraid she would never see him again. Now, he was asking her to go with him. No matter what the hardships were, she would endure them just to be near Tag.

  The mild days of early summer were over, and a hot July sun beat down on Alexandria as she left Meadowlake behind. She rode beside Russell James, while Tag and Farley led the way.

  Alexandria admitted to herself that she was frightened at the prospect of facing a whole Indian tribe. Farley and Tag had assured her that she would be safer among the Blackfoot than in her own bed, but still the apprehension wouldn’t go away.

  The first week they covered many miles each day. They were traveling at a fast pace that Alexandria was sure she would never be able to keep up. It wasn’t until the third week that she felt they were leaving civilization, as she knew it, far behind. The land they were traveling through was covered by dense forests, and they only saw an occasiona
l farmhouse.

  Tag had ignored her for the most part, leaving Farley and Russell to look after her comfort. Alexandria had begun to wonder why Tag had asked her to accompany him. She knew it wasn’t out of any love he felt for her. Perhaps he felt he should take her to meet his sister, since she was his wife.

  As they rode across a small stream and up a steep embankment, Alexandria noticed that Tag seemed withdrawn and unapproachable. This mood seemed worse than it had when he been eaten up with hatred for Claudia and Mr. Landon. What was tormenting him now, she wondered.

  She noticed the way he held his head high and proud, seeming to stare straight ahead. As if he felt her eyes on him, Tag turned and glanced back at her. She couldn’t read the expression on his face, but she could feel the chill of his blue gaze even from a distance.

  Alexandria began to wish she hadn’t consented to make this journey. She had no way of knowing what would be the end result.

  “It will be all right, Alexandria,” Tag’s father encouraged her as he rode up beside her. “Give him time to sort out his feelings.”

  Alexandria gave Tag’s father a weak smile, but said nothing. She had come to believe that not even time would bring her and Tag together.

  Chapter Thirty-one

  Alexandria lay on a blanket, feeling the hard ground beneath her. As she ran her hands along her legs she could feel the taut muscles that had formed from riding every day from dawn to dusk. She remembered the way her body had ached for the first two weeks of the journey, but after that she had become accustomed to the rigorous pace Tag had set for them to follow. It was as if he were so anxious to reach the Blackfoot village that he pushed them almost beyond endurance. His father and Farley seemed to have no trouble keeping up, but there had been times when Alexandria felt she couldn’t go another mile. She was very careful not to complain, however, for fear Tag would think her weak in comparison with Morning Song.