She averted her eyes shyly. “Pastor Harlow thinks quite highly of you.”
“After hearing about you before you returned from school, I went out of my way to cultivate him so I’d have the advantage over other beaus.” That way, Billy thought, if you did tell him I had raped you, he would never believe I was capable of such behavior. But then, my doting mama never thought I could do any wrong, either. She always made apologies or had Daddy buy me out of any trouble I got into.
“The reverend says you’re from a prominent Missouri family.”
He nodded modestly, secure that no one was going to check his past. Daddy had lost everything because of the vengeance of a Texas family by the name of Durango who sucked the greedy older Warton into a deal designed to take the Warton wealth. The Durangos had been smarter than Daddy.
“What’s the matter?” Willow asked as she finished her food.
“Huh?” Billy was startled back to the present. “Oh, nothing.” If he did the unthinkable and actually married this little squaw, he could end up with all that land the reverend was holding; besides, she might even know the secret of the Nez Perce gold. He finished his food, set his plate aside, grinning at her, that lock of hair hanging down on his forehead. His mother always said that was appealing to women. Women. Billy had an insatiable appetite for them that kept getting him into trouble. Right now, he couldn’t think about land or gold, all he could think of was that in a few minutes, he intended to be lying on Willow with his mouth on her breasts and his throbbing manhood deep inside her soft little belly.
The horse snorted and stamped its hooves uneasily. Willow reached to gather up the picnic things. “Even the horse thinks we should go now,” she said.
Damn that old nag! Why, now, of all times? Billy moved to sit next to Willow. “Let’s just enjoy the view a few minutes more, shall we?”
He seemed to feel her stiffen. “The reverend will be expecting me home.”
“Oh, he won’t worry, he knows you’re with me.” Everyone always trusted Billy with their women; he radiated such wholesome, boyish charm. She had one small hand on her knee. He reached out and covered her hand with his. “You are so pretty, Miss Willow, I’m just dazzled by you.”
She acted disconcerted as if she weren’t quite sure how to react. “Why, thank you, Billy, but I really think we should go.” She stood up and he stood up, too. It wouldn’t take much now to take her in his arms, put his body against the length of hers and kiss her. When he let his knees buckle, he would pull her down to the quilt with him and with his tongue in her mouth, it would be hard for her to cry out. Then if he could just get his hand under her skirt or on her breasts, she might forget that she ever meant to object.
The horse snorted again, twisted its head, sniffing the breeze.
Willow pulled away. “I wonder what’s ailing that horse.”
Why at this most strategic time did the old nag decide to start sniffing the wind and getting restless? “Maybe it’s nothing; he smells another horse or something.”
The horse was stamping its hooves and snorting.
“No, something’s really scared him,” she said, “and listen to the birds!” Around them, crows and magpies were setting up a chatter, telling the forest residents that something was amiss.
Billy felt the hair raise up on the back of his neck. Something sinister really was out there in the shadows of the dense forest. He grabbed for his pistol even as he saw the flash of movement, knowing as he did so, he was too late.
Six
Willow heard the roar and screamed as a flash of tan leaped past her; the cougar springing off the limb toward the startled horse.
Billy grabbed for his pistol, but she knew instinctively that he was inexperienced even as the old horse reared and snorted and took off at a gallop with the buggy.
The cougar missed its mark as the horse bolted. The lieutenant fired, panic etched on his handsome features. Even though his shot went wild, the noise seemed to startle the big cat, and with a yowl, it jumped to the ground and bounded off through the trees. Billy fired again and again, but the cougar kept moving, blending into the mottled brown and green of the trees as it fled.
Willow took a deep breath. “It-it’s gone now. Are you all right, Lieutenant?”
His ashen face colored red as he cursed under his breath, nodded weakly. “I-I’m all right.” He stumbled off into the brush and after a moment, she heard him vomiting. Then he staggered back to the clearing, looking sick. “The horse.”
They both turned and looked up the road where the old nag was still moving, but had slowed to a trot.
“Damn!” Billy muttered, wiping his mouth. “Now I’ll have to chase it. This wasn’t what I had in mind at all.”
She wondered what he had had in mind and realized how humiliated he must feel that she had seen his fear. She tried to make light of it. “I suppose it just wanted some tasty horse meat for lunch.” She brushed her hair out of her eyes and bent to pick up the scattered picnic things.
“Now, don’t you be afraid, Miss Willow,” Billy blustered, brave now, she thought, when they both knew the cougar was gone. “I’ll catch the horse; you just wait here.”
“I’ll be all right.” Willow nodded, a little relieved that the awkward moment on the quilt was over. She had been afraid he would try to kiss her. No, of course he was a polite and gallant young officer; he wouldn’t do anything so brazen and bold. Why then was there something about Billy that made her uneasy?
He started in pursuit of the horse, frowning as if he wasn’t used to walking much and maybe his boots hurt. Willow was still shaking as she began to gather up things. In the distance, the officer disappeared over a rise as he trudged after the buggy. She paused and looked around, feeling very much alone. The forest seemed hostile and dark in the afternoon shadows. Was there any chance the cougar might come back? The birds began a noisy racket again as if something might be approaching. She felt a little chill of apprehension at the thought of being stalked. At least, she would defend herself as best she could. Grabbing up a stout kopluts, she whirled at a noise behind her.
Bear sat his Appaloosa, watching her.
“Oh, it’s you.” She breathed a sigh of relief and leaned on the stick she had picked up for a weapon.
Bear glanced around. “I heard the scream and the pistol shots. Where’s the lieutenant?”
She was so relieved that it hadn’t been the cougar returning that she choked up. “Gone; gone to catch the horse.” She gestured, “a big cat.”
He slid off his horse, concern etched into his rugged features. “What were you doing out here?” He looked at the quilt.
She was weary, had had a bad scare and now this savage was asking embarrassing questions.
“We were picnicking,” Willow said, angry with herself because it sounded so silly.
“Picnicking?” He looked at the quilt again and she saw in his dark eyes the conclusion he might be drawing.
“Yes, picnicking; that’s all. The lieutenant had brought a lunch.”
“I should warn you, Takseen, that bluecoats do not hold Indian girls in high regard.” His face was stony cold.
“I don’t like what you’re inferring!” she snapped, her temper fraying as it always seemed to around this warrior. “Look, you may be Raven’s big brother, but you’re not mine. I’ll thank you not to lecture me.”
“If I had a younger sister, which I don’t, she wouldn’t be stupid enough to go out in the woods with a soldier.”
She almost brought the stick back to throw at him, then remembered what had happened when she had struck him with the little buggy whip. Instead, she threw the stick away, feeling frustrated enough to fight back sobs. “You think everything I do is stupid or wrong. You’ve done nothing but disapprove of me ever since I got here.”
“That’s not true.” He looked uncomfortable.
“Isn’t it? You are the most overbearing, bossy—! You won’t ever let Raven grow up.”
His rugged
face darkened like a summer storm. “On the contrary, I fear he will never become a man; sometimes he acts like a meopkowit, a little baby. You two make a good match; no wonder he is drawn to you!”
There was no point in wasting her breath arguing. With angry gestures, she returned to gathering up the picnic things.
“Leave those,” he ordered, “the lieutenant can come back for them.”
She made a helpless motion. “For all I know, he’s had to chase that buggy clear to town.”
“In that case,” Bear said curtly, “you’ll have some explaining to do to the old preacher.”
“Oh my Lord!” Willow’s hand flew to her mouth. “What will he and the townspeople say if the buggy comes galloping down the street empty?”
Bear smiled ever so slightly. “Just tell them you were picnicking.”
“I don’t need your sarcasm.” She stuck her nose in the air, whirled, and began marching up the road after the departed buggy.
“I do not know that word,” he called after her. “Where are you going on foot?”
Willow didn’t answer. She gritted her teeth and kept walking. Behind her, she heard the big Appaloosa coming along the road.
“Wait!” Bear ordered. “You can’t walk back to town in those silly little shoes. Wait here until the lieutenant returns with the buggy.”
“I’m not Raven,” she snapped without looking back, “you can’t bully and boss me like a disobedient child.”
“Then stop acting like one.”
“This is not your business!” She flung over her shoulder, “What were you doing spying on us anyway?”
“I was looking for my brother.”
Her shoes were pinching her feet and her corset was so tight, she was having difficulty breathing. It was a long way to town, she wasn’t sure she could make it all the way. The sun beat down on her as she walked and she felt the cloth of her dress sticking to her skin. Willow began to pray that any moment, she would look up and see the lieutenant returning with the buggy. She kept walking and Bear’s horse kept following her. Was this going to be a test of wills? She would show him that she was not some little sister to be ordered about as he did the irresponsible Raven.
How far had she walked? Surely not as much as a few hundred yards, but her feet were hurting and she was breathing hard, except that her tight corset kept her from taking deep breaths. She began to feel a little faint, see dark places around her vision. Willow hesitated. “I-I think ...”
She swayed on her feet, determined she wasn’t going to faint in front of this smug warrior. He would enjoy it too much. She grabbed for something to hang onto, but there was nothing but air. Even as she fell, she was only vaguely aware of Bear hitting the ground, scooping her up in his big arms. “Willow, are you all right? My brother would be very upset if I let anything happen to you.”
She opened one eye, looked up into his concerned face, and promptly closed it again. It would be too humiliating to hear him say “I told you so.”
Cursing softly in a mixture of English and Nez Perce, he carried her over to the shade of a nearby tree. She lay her face against his broad chest as he carried her and sighed. At least if she were dying, she wouldn’t have to deal with his pointing out that he had warned her not to try to walk.
He sat her down under the tree and took her hand. “Willow, are you all right?”
She didn’t open her eyes, marveling at the hard callouses of his big hand enveloping her small one. There was something secure about that hand.
She heard him move away and opened her eyes to see him getting a canteen from his horse, returning.
She looked up into his worried face. “I-I think I tripped.”
“Tripped?” He snorted and held the canteen to her lips. “You are not only stubborn, you are a nesammeiek.”
“How dare you call me a liar!”
“Hush and drink.”
She started to make a hateful retort, but she had a mouthful of water and it was cold and good. Willow drank deep and sighed. “All right, you told me not to try it and I did and couldn’t make it. Are you happy now? I’m a stupid mimillu, a fool.”
“Saus! Quiet!” He ordered.
“I’m not through. Yes, I must be an irresponsible girl who needs some superior, smug male to look after me.”
He nodded. “Tukug.”
It meant “I agree,” which annoyed her even more; but before she could say so, Bear said, “I don’t know what Raven sees in you; you’re as irresponsible as he is.”
She had to blink back tears. “I’m not irresponsible; I was trying to help the children! No one else seems to care if they ever learn anything.”
He poured a little water on his fingertips and touched them to her face. It surprised her how gentle his touch was. “I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings, Green Eyes.” He looked down at her with a puzzled expression as if he were not quite sure what he felt himself. “Koiimize! Hurry! I’ll take you to your soldier boy; I’ve already spent too much time on a chit of a girl.”
Again, he swung her up in his arms and strode toward his horse.
She looked into his face intently. “You were concerned about me?”
“Raven would have been upset if you hadn’t gotten home safely.” His face was set, emotionless, again.
“I had protection,” she protested, “the lieutenant was looking after me.”
“And doing such a good job of it, too.” It was impossible to miss the sarcasm of his tone.
She lay her face against his muscular chest and listened to his heartbeat as he carried her to his horse. “You are insufferable.”
“I’ll take your word for it, since I don’t know what it means,” he said patiently, “but at least I am not stupid and stubborn.”
“You are stubborn,” she snapped back.
“Then at least, I am not stupid,” he answered as if dealing with a child. “A girl who would walk until she faints is not very smart.”
“Put me down! I’ll not ride with you.”
Instead, he swung up on the big horse, still holding Willow effortlessly. “Saus! Be silent! You will do as I tell you.”
He was too big for her to try to escape from and besides, it was a long way back to town and her feet hurt. There was nothing to do but let him cradle her against him while he nudged the great horse into a walk. His arm was strong and warm around her and she could feel his breath against her hair as he held her close; closer, in fact, than he really needed to to keep her from falling. She had never felt so protected, so safe as she did at this moment in his embrace.
What was she thinking? He was too old, perhaps maybe even thirty or so, much too grim and serious, and he didn’t like her at all. Both the lieutenant and Raven were more handsome and they seemed eager to please her, while Bear regarded her as a nuisance. Nevertheless, she was startled to realize she was enjoying this ride ... or was it only that she was so relieved to be riding instead of walking?
“Look!” she yelled, pointing. “There’s the lieutenant in the road up ahead; he’s caught the buggy.”
“At least he can do something right,” Bear said wryly.
She was abruptly embarrassed for the lieutenant. He looked so callow and awkward standing in the road holding the horse. She couldn’t even imagine Bear in such a humiliating predicament; he was too sure of himself.
As they rode up to the buggy, Willow said, “Well, taz alago, thank you for your help.”
“One more thing,” Bear whispered hoarsely against her hair, “stay away from that soldier boy.”
She twisted her head to stare up at him, her lips only inches from his set face. “Why do you suggest that? ”
“I don’t suggest it,” he said, “I order it.”
“Or you’ll do what?” She was outraged.
“You don’t want to know.”
They were looking into each other’s eyes, scant inches apart and Willow was startled at the almost electrical current that seemed to pass between them. It unnerved her;
it even seemed to unnerve him. He pulled back from the touch of her body. “Raven will escort you to the camp every morning if you insist on coming.”
“If you think to scare me away, you’ve failed!” Before he could react, she slid to the ground.
Lieutenant Warton hobbled forward. “Miss Willow, are you all right? If that Injun has—”
“She’s all right,” Bear snapped. “See that she stays that way.” Without another word, he wheeled his big horse and galloped back down the road.
“Why, the nerve of that Injun!” Billy seethed. His face looked sunburned and streaked with dust and his forelock hung limply in his eyes. “I should have whipped him good and proper.” He glanced over at Willow. “Of course, Miss Willow, I wouldn’t want to do violence in front of a woman.”
“Of course not, Lieutenant.” Willow managed to keep a straight face before the dusty, out-of-sorts officer. She had no doubt as to who would win if the two men were to get into a fight.
Billy Warton assisted her into the buggy and the lathered old horse plodded up the road. “I’ll send some private back to pick up the picnic things.” He sounded annoyed. “The reverend wouldn’t like it at all if he had seen that Injun holding you like that.”
She looked over at him, suddenly very weary of the callow young man. “If Reverend Harlow hears about it, I’ll see that he also hears how I ended up in that situation.”
Billy made a sound as if he were choking. “Now who would tell him?”
“I’m glad we understand each other.” She didn’t say any more as the buggy creaked toward town. After a while, she said, “You needn’t escort me tomorrow, Lieutenant.”
“Good.” He smiled. “I’m glad to hear you’ve come to your senses about going out there to that—”
“I didn’t say I wasn’t going again; I said I didn’t need your escort.” They were going through the little settlement now.
“But, Miss Willow, those Injun bucks are liable to do something terrible—”
“I don’t think I want to discuss this anymore with you, Lieutenant.”
He reined the horse in before the house. Willow reached to gather her school supplies. “I would appreciate your returning the horse and rig to the livery stable.”
Song Of The Warrior Page 8
