“He didn’t say. I asked, but he chose not to answer me. Who knows, maybe Fate stepped in as it did with us,” she absently muttered, her thoughts whirling in confusion.
“What did he say about our coming here together? I bet that jerked a knot in his tail!”
“Just what you would imagine, but I set him straight. I told him you helped me to escape from the Sioux camp and get here. I explained our friendship, and I told him you are pretending to be my brother. He agreed to remain silent about us. That’s about all. I didn’t want to tell him anything, but he would have gotten angry if I hadn’t offered some kind of explanation to him.”
“But why be so friendly to us? I don’t trust him, Alisha.” Powchutu’s eyes glittered with distrust. “He’s up to something.”
“As soon as I told him we are only friends, he seemed satisfied. However, he did insist upon separate rooms while we’re here. He wants to be sure I told him the truth about us. I couldn’t find any reasonable excuse to refuse his generous offer without angering him unduly. Besides, we do require a warm and safe place to stay, and we don’t have much money. No doubt our rooms will be several doors apart!” she jested to lighten his black mood.
“Jeffery seems to feel I chose you over him at Fort Pierre,” Alisha continued. “He was embarrassed by my so-called stinging rejection. I enlightened him on all those matters. He claims he’s done a lot of soul-searching since my departure. He claims he’s changed his mind about many things. He agrees he was mean and unfair to me back there. He says he’s truly sorry, says he wants to make it up to me. You should know by now that arguing with Jeffery is like hitting your head against a tree. For the time being, I said I believed him. I agreed to give him the chance to prove his friendship and sincerity,” she meekly stated.
“You what!” he shouted in a suppressed voice. “Surely I didn’t hear you right. You can’t let him near you again. He’s lying, Alisha. It’s some kind of trick. Even a blind fool could see through him!” Powchutu growled like a treed bobcat.
“Then I must be a fool, Paul! From what I could tell, he was being open and honest with me. Besides, we have no choice but to step lightly where he’s concerned. Are you forgetting what he could do to our new freedom? We must bide our time until he reveals what his intentions are—if any,” she cunningly added in doubt.
“I say we get out of here tonight! We could head downriver to the next settlement. He means trouble, Alisha. The glory-seeking, insolent rogue! The man’s a damn fool, Alisha; he proved his stupidity and recklessness when he raided Gray Eagle’s camp. It’s a shame Wanmdi Hota didn’t find him and kill him.”
Alisha’s mind was working rapidly to come up with some reasonable excuse for not leaving. Hating to lie to him and feeling guilty for doing so, she toughened her heart to do what must be done to protect his life and their safety. There was just enough validity and sincerity in her statements to convince him of her words. “We can’t leave, Paul. I’m not as strong as I thought. I cannot travel another mile. If you need to head out to avoid him, then I will join you as soon as I’ve rested and visited the doctor here. Too, I need to see Mr. Bigsley about my uncle’s money. Without that money, we have nearly nothing to survive on this winter.” Seeking any and every plausible reason, she anxiously added, “What about those river pirates Joe mentioned? It would be dangerous to head out at night or alone. We’ve made it this far; I think we should stick it out here for the winter. If Jeffery is dangerous or insincere, then we can deal with him later. Please…”
“Don’t be ridiculous!” Powchutu seethed. “I wouldn’t leave you here alone to face him. ‘Sides, you’re right about the money. As for river pirates, Joe didn’t mention them to me. What is a river pirate?”
“They are like renegade braves, except they’re mostly white men. They hide near the shallows in the river, then prey on unsuspecting boats as they pass by. It isn’t safe to travel at night or when the river is so deserted. Mainly, I’m just too weary to move on. I’m sorry to be such a weakling and hindrance. But it cannot be helped.”
“Don’t fret, love,” he comforted her, assuming she was upset by her fragile condition. He said with growing humor, “If our friend Jeffery wants to pay for our lodgings, then I think we should politely oblige him. We’ll rest here for a few days, then see this Bigsley. If it looks like Jeffery is up to no good, then I’ll hire some men to take us downriver. Does that plan suit you, sister dear?” he jested cheerfully.
Alisha smiled in relief and nodded her agreement. Powchutu felt so confident that he actually called upon Tommy Hardy to help them get moved to the Horne House. He was mildly surprised to discover that Jeffery had ordered their rooms next door to each other, but they were not adjoining. No doubt Gordon reasoned she might profit from Powchutu’s closeness and protection. Yet, noting the sneaky way the proprietor kept watching them, he readily concluded Jeffery was having them observed. He could not help but wonder what reason Jeffery had given for this furtive study.
While Powchutu was registering their false identities and chatting guardedly with the innkeeper, Alisha was scanning her new surroundings with little zest. The Horne House was not exactly a roadhouse or a public house, but neither did it qualify as a proper inn. It appeared a hodgepodge of all of those types of lodgings. Alisha finally decided this was because of its purpose and location. Many people were forced to survive for many months at a time in St. Louis for varying reasons; many became stranded by weather, illness, or poverty. This particular inn catered to those unfortunate transients who had somehow met with disaster. Its purpose was simply to provide food and shelter to those passing through.
Not that Alisha considered it dirty or unsound, it was just so garish and gloomy. The walls were painted dark brown; the furniture was covered in a drab coffee shade. Even the floor was stained a muted brown, giving the place a somber and depressing air. The proprietor’s attempts to brighten this dismal place with some color failed miserably, for his selection was comprised of gaudy orange sofa cushions and matching curtains. Alisha judged the only advantage to this bleak color scheme to be its ability to disguise or conceal the numerous spots and advancing age upon its surfaces.
The innkeeper did not have to inform them of the dining area situated to their left behind huge closed doors; the fragrant aroma of food and the audible clinking of dishes attested to its presence. Alisha was momentarily tempted to ask Powchutu if she could eat right that minute. Her empty stomach made its condition known to her as it perceived those delectable odors. But upon hearing gay laughter and muted voices coming from the other side of those doors, she decided to freshen up before making her first appearance in public in months.
Alisha became annoyed by the seemingly intentional delay in giving them their room keys. Although the proprietor, Jamie O’Hara, was talking and laughing genially, Alisha perceived his subtle attempts at calculated procrastination. She fumed over why he would deliberately obstruct their schedule. Each time he halted to take care of some other task, she knew he was covertly stalling them. She began to pace the confines of the lobby, hoping he would detect her obvious frustration and fatigue.
Finally she approached the long wooden counter and propped against it. She tapped her nails on its scratched surface to reveal her mounting displeasure. O’Hara glanced up at her and smiled indulgently. He lowered his head once again as he pretended to study the information listed by Powchutu.
“Might I inquire as to how much longer this business will take, Mr. O’Hara? I am totally exhausted and hungry. Surely registration cannot claim so much time,” Alisha haughtily stated.
Jamie O’Hara’s face became rosy at her bold impudence and her shameless insinuation that he was a sluggish incompetent. Seeing the difficult time he was having with concealing his guilt and anger, Alisha knew she was accurate. Before she could ask him why he was behaving so discourteously, he supplied her with an acceptable lie. She had begun to fear that Jeffery had paid him to harass them until it was too late to seek
other lodgings.
“I must apologize for the delay in welcoming you here, but it could not be helped. The rooms not in use had to be cleaned and prepared before I could send you upstairs,” he caustically informed Alisha without a friendly smile.
“Why didn’t you say something earlier? We could have been enjoying a hot meal while we waited,” she stated coldly, annoyed further by his inconsideration and overbearing attitude.
“We get very few guests this time of year. I see no need to constantly clean rooms not in service. Upon Mr. Gordon’s request, I had two rooms aired, cleaned, and prepared for you. Such tasks take time this late at night and during the supper hour. I have only two servants available this late.” He did not tell Alisha that the real hold-up was the preparation of her room, preparation done on the orders of Jeffery Gordon.
Within minutes, a young girl came down the steps and nodded to the proprietor. He sighed in relief, knowing the room was ready and Gordon’s men had departed down the back steps. Now he could get rid of this uppity female who had unforgivably insulted him. He called the young girl to come forward. He instructed her to show Alisha and Powchutu to their rooms. She was introduced as his niece Mary, the main serving girl.
She smiled timidly at Alisha, then rushed up the staircase as she motioned for them to follow her. They came to Powchutu’s room first. She halted and pointed to him, then to his room. She handed him a key, then signalled for Alisha to follow her to the next door. But this time, she unlocked the door and went inside. It was obvious to both Powchutu and Alisha that she was mute. After telling Alisha he would meet her downstairs in fifteen minutes, Powchutu entered his room and locked the door.
Alisha slowly walked inside the room which Jeffery had personally ordered for her—without her knowledge. She was pleasantly surprised to discover the unexpected beauty of this room. It boasted whitewashed walls; the floor was covered with a blue floral rug which concealed most of the drab wood surface. The curtains were made of a heavy, ivory-colored material with varied shades of blue playing subtly across its woven texture.
A small settee was positioned slightly to her left before a fireplace whose colorful, warm flames were inviting and comforting. Alisha momentarily fretted over the closeness of the settee and curtains to that stone hearth. She quickly determined to make certain she never went to bed or went outside with a brisk fire going inside it.
The smooth texture of the settee covering was a lovely hue of French blue. Beside it sat a round table which contained a vase of silk flowers, sewn in the pattern of the delicate pasqueflower. Her eager gaze travelled onward to her left and slightly to her rear. She strolled forward and ran her hand across the glossy surface of the rich pine dressing table. She could hardly trust her new luck; there was an oval mirror suspended above it. On either side of the mirror hung an oil lantern which was mounted to the wall, insuring any female of the proper light to complete her toilette.
Noting the girl’s disappearance for the first time, Alisha closed her door and slid the bolt into place. She continued her leisurely scrutiny of her lovely, soothing room. To her right there was a closet, for a wardrobe which she did not possess. She was almost ashamed to hang her meager garments in it, but vowed to immediately purchase some decent clothing for their spring trip. She lightly caressed the portiere which matched the window curtains, then absently dropped it back into place.
Alisha walked over to the bed. She could not even recall the last time when she had lain upon a real, feather mattress. She impulsively tossed the French blue coverlet aside. With a suppressed squeal of glee, she flung herself upon the luxurious bed and snuggled down into its softness. She turned over and stretched out upon it. She sighed heavily as her weary body relaxed and drew comfort from its plush surface. She dared not close her eyes for fear of instantly falling asleep.
Alisha’s distressed mind flashed back to her shocking confrontation with Jeffery Gordon. She speculated upon Jeffery’s absurd and terrifying proposal of marriage. Surely he couldn’t be serious! What black mischief was he formulating in his evil heart and satanic mind? With his knowledge of her and Powchutu’s past, she was now in a deadly situation which she had never imagined.
Marriage to Jeffery? It was unthinkable, revolting. As far as she was concerned, she was already married. What did it truly matter if the ceremony had been in Sioux and under a starry sky? How did her husband’s tormenting betrayal change her own feelings? They did not. Even now, her traitorous heart and body loved and wanted only Gray Eagle.
She closed her eyes and called his image to mind. He was such a handsome, virile man. He was the pinnacle of power and pride. Her heart fluttered wildly and painfully as she envisioned him with his bronzed body which could drive her mindless with desire, with his arrogant and confident stance which could strike fear into the heart of an enemy, with his sensual lips which could shatter her will, with his stygian eyes which could pierce her very soul with their power and intensity.
His hatred of the white man and his excessive pride in his powerful rank as legendary warrior had prevented his acceptance of her and her love. Now that his final betrayal was complete, did he ever think about her, Alisha wondered, about what they could have shared. Did memories of their endless nights and days of lovemaking never haunt him as they haunted her? Did he regret his brutal actions?
“How I wish my memory was as alive in your mind as yours is in mine,” she murmured. “Will you ever realize what you have traded for that honor you prize so highly? After all we shared, Wanmdi Hota, how could you wish me dead? I will never love another man as I still love you. Never again will I know those raging fires which only you ignited within me. Why, my beloved? Why did you destroy our love?”
She tossed restlessly upon the comfortable bed. To even imagine Jeffery Gordon making love to her as Gray Eagle had countless times sent shudders of disgust through her. No man could ever replace Gray Eagle for her; he was peerless; he was her heart and soul. She would never share that same intimacy with Jeffery Gordon! Jeffery was only playing spiteful games with her; he would never force her to marry him! Still, Alisha swore, she would overcome any vengeful plans he had in mind for her…
Suddenly aware of how much time must have passed, Alisha hurriedly jumped up and went to the vanity. She lifted the ewer from the dresser and poured some water into the matching basin. Picking up the washcloth to sponge off her face, she was amazed to find the water was warm. Evidently the young girl had placed it there when she was readying her room. The water was fresh; vibrant silk flowers graced the room; and a cheery fire dismissed the chill from her fatigued body. Adding all these facts together, she was suddenly ashamed of the brusque and suspicious way in which she had treated Mr. O’Hara. It was clear he had taken great pains to present her with a splendid, immaculate room. No wonder he had been so taken aback and angered by her sassy manner. She definitely owed him an apology! A knock at her door startled her from her deep reverie. She lay the washcloth aside and went to answer it. She cautiously called out, “Who is it?” “It’s Po… Paul, Alisha. What’s keeping you so long? I thought you were starving,” came his anxious inquiry. Forgetting her promise to Jeffery, she slid the bolt aside and opened the door. She greeted him with a vivacious, captivating smile. “This room is so inviting and beautiful that I was carried away with checking it over. I can see why it took so long to get it ready. I’ll only be a moment longer. Let me smooth my hair into place.” As she went to the mirror to adjust her mussed hair, Powchutu’s eyes strayed to the rumpled bed and exquisite room. Compared to the lobby and to his gloomy room, this one was decorated for a princess. His angry jealousy soared as he realized that Jeffery had specifically ordered this room for her. “I see Gordon has excellent taste in hotel rooms,” he sullenly noted. “This is probably the best room available in this entire town and no doubt the most expensive! Who knows, maybe he even keeps this one rented all the time for his ‘special’ guests.”
She glanced at him following his terse remark
, then slowly let her eyes roam around the attractive room. She finally decided that she didn’t really care if he had chosen this particular room just to influence her in a positive manner. She had been away from civilization and elegance for a long and trying time. She was going to enjoy this room, then worry about its meaning later!
There was a suspicious, naughty note in Powchutu’s voice when he questioned, “Tried out the bed already? Certainly looks more comfortable than the one in my room. Big enough for two people. Yes sir, that Gordon sure knows how to select a cozy room.”
She focused wary eyes upon his unreadable features, disturbed by the accusatory tone in his voice. “If I didn’t know any better, big brother, I would think you were trying to subtly tell me something! Just to clear the air, I am not paying for this room in any way. I tried out the bed, alone! Understand? Any more questions?”
He was slightly shaken by her biting tone and obvious irritation. “I didn’t mean to insinuate you were paying him for it. I was only jesting with you. Don’t get so upset with me. I think you must be a wee bit hungry and tired. You’re a little pale, love.”
At his rueful tone and hurt look, Alisha smiled faintly and apologized for her curtness. “I suppose I am exhausted and testy. That and nervous about seeing Jeffery alive and doing so well. I cannot imagine how he survived that raid. To come face to face with him like that was a great shock.”
She softly relented as she entreated, “Suppose he did select this room with some high hope of disarming me. Would I enjoy it any more if I had selected it myself? It’s marvelous, Powchutu; I mean, Paul. I must learn to call you Paul all the time, lest I slip in public. Don’t be angry or upset because I have this room. Do you know how long it’s been since I’ve seen anything this lovely? If it would make you feel better, I’ll pay for it myself just as soon as we see Mr. Bigsley and collect my uncle’s money. The sight of this room makes me feel as if I’m finally pulling free of that savage wilderness.”
Forbidden Ecstasy Page 18
