Savage Desire (Savage Lagonda 1) by Constance O'Banyon Page A
Authors: Constance O'Banyon
Tags: Fiction, Romance, Historical, Native Americans, 19th century, Abduction, King, true love, goddess, Protection, Prince, Indian, American West, dove, savage, Courted, Suitors, Lagonda Tribe, Rescued, White People
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knew there was a real threat in Tajarez's words, although they were spoken in jest. "Suppose she will not return to the Seven Cities with you? A year is a long time. Perhaps she loves another, or she might even be wed by now."
"I cannot tell you how I would react if she would not come with me, and if she is wed, she will very soon become a widow."
"She is white. Does this not matter to you?"
"If she were other than what she is, she would not be Mara."
The sun was beginning to rise. It painted the eastern sky with a rainbow of color. Both men became silent, for they heard the sound of a lone rider coming down the trail.
The white man halted his horse not twenty paces from where they were hidden.
Tajarez and Anias waited to make sure the man had not been followed. After they were satisfied he was alone, Tajarez stepped from behind a tree so quietly that the man was startled by his sudden appearance.
"You have what I need?" Tajarez asked. His voice did not show the excitement he felt.
"Yeah, I know where you can find the girl, and I have brought you clothes, and grand they are. What you want them for?"
"That is not your concern. Where is Mara Golden?"
The man was studying Tajarez closely. He had not been able to see him clearly the night before. "Lord have mercy, I ain't never seen an Indian that looks like you. Big son-of-a-gun, ain't you? And got gold on your arm there. Where in the hell did you come from?"
Tajarez's eyes narrowed. "Where can I find Mara Golden?"
The man smiled nervously as the dark eyes burned into him. "She lives outside a town called St. Louis. It will be easy enough for you to find her with this here map I drew."
"Tell me what the map says."
"You follow the river you will find about six miles from here." He pointed, indicating the direction. "Follow it in the direction of the rising sun. It will eventually empty into a large river called the Mississippi."
"How will I know this river?"
"Can't miss it. You will know it when you see it."
"After I come to the Mississippi, then what?"
"Follow the current. It will eventually take you to St. Louis."
'Then what?"
"I can't give you the exact location. It is a very grand house that sits on a hill overlooking the river."
"Can you tell me anything else?"
"I talked to the young lieutenant who escorted her home. He said when she got home she found out her Ma and Pa were both dead. Said she cried and carried on something awful!"
Oh, no, my beloved, Tajarez cried silently, remembering Mara speaking of her mother and father with love. He felt pain in his heart for what she had suffered.
"I figgered out who you are," the white man said. "You are the one who rescued her and left her at the fort."
"You have done well," Tajarez said, not bothering to confirm or deny who he was.
"You speak 'bout as good English as I do."
"White man," Tajarez said coldly. "I speak English better than you."
"Can I have the gold now?" the man asked.
Tajarez grabbed him by the shirt front and held him in a grip of iron. "If you have played me false, I will return and kill you. There is nowhere you can hide where you will be safe. This I swear."
"I have told you the straight of it, I swear I have," the man said in a voice that quivered with fear.
"You are not much of a man, but it is no more than I expected from your race. You told me where to find Mara, not knowing if I would harm her or not. Go from my sight, and take the gold. May it bring you everything you deserve."
The man rode off, thinking he was lucky to have gotten away alive.
Tajarez turned to Anias. "Come. We go to find my love."
Tajarez did not see his cousin's eyes narrow, nor was he aware of the malice directed at him from the man he loved as a brother.
CHARBONNEAU INFORMED ME THAT HE SAW AN INDIAN ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE RIVER, AT THE TIME I WAS ABSENT IN THE WOODS. I SAW A SMOKE IN THE SAME DIRECTION WITH THAT WHICH I HAD SEEN ON THE 7th... IT APPEARED TO BE IN THE MOUNTAINS.
— William
"I cannot tell you how I would react if she would not come with me, and if she is wed, she will very soon become a widow."
"She is white. Does this not matter to you?"
"If she were other than what she is, she would not be Mara."
The sun was beginning to rise. It painted the eastern sky with a rainbow of color. Both men became silent, for they heard the sound of a lone rider coming down the trail.
The white man halted his horse not twenty paces from where they were hidden.
Tajarez and Anias waited to make sure the man had not been followed. After they were satisfied he was alone, Tajarez stepped from behind a tree so quietly that the man was startled by his sudden appearance.
"You have what I need?" Tajarez asked. His voice did not show the excitement he felt.
"Yeah, I know where you can find the girl, and I have brought you clothes, and grand they are. What you want them for?"
"That is not your concern. Where is Mara Golden?"
The man was studying Tajarez closely. He had not been able to see him clearly the night before. "Lord have mercy, I ain't never seen an Indian that looks like you. Big son-of-a-gun, ain't you? And got gold on your arm there. Where in the hell did you come from?"
Tajarez's eyes narrowed. "Where can I find Mara Golden?"
The man smiled nervously as the dark eyes burned into him. "She lives outside a town called St. Louis. It will be easy enough for you to find her with this here map I drew."
"Tell me what the map says."
"You follow the river you will find about six miles from here." He pointed, indicating the direction. "Follow it in the direction of the rising sun. It will eventually empty into a large river called the Mississippi."
"How will I know this river?"
"Can't miss it. You will know it when you see it."
"After I come to the Mississippi, then what?"
"Follow the current. It will eventually take you to St. Louis."
'Then what?"
"I can't give you the exact location. It is a very grand house that sits on a hill overlooking the river."
"Can you tell me anything else?"
"I talked to the young lieutenant who escorted her home. He said when she got home she found out her Ma and Pa were both dead. Said she cried and carried on something awful!"
Oh, no, my beloved, Tajarez cried silently, remembering Mara speaking of her mother and father with love. He felt pain in his heart for what she had suffered.
"I figgered out who you are," the white man said. "You are the one who rescued her and left her at the fort."
"You have done well," Tajarez said, not bothering to confirm or deny who he was.
"You speak 'bout as good English as I do."
"White man," Tajarez said coldly. "I speak English better than you."
"Can I have the gold now?" the man asked.
Tajarez grabbed him by the shirt front and held him in a grip of iron. "If you have played me false, I will return and kill you. There is nowhere you can hide where you will be safe. This I swear."
"I have told you the straight of it, I swear I have," the man said in a voice that quivered with fear.
"You are not much of a man, but it is no more than I expected from your race. You told me where to find Mara, not knowing if I would harm her or not. Go from my sight, and take the gold. May it bring you everything you deserve."
The man rode off, thinking he was lucky to have gotten away alive.
Tajarez turned to Anias. "Come. We go to find my love."
Tajarez did not see his cousin's eyes narrow, nor was he aware of the malice directed at him from the man he loved as a brother.
CHARBONNEAU INFORMED ME THAT HE SAW AN INDIAN ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE RIVER, AT THE TIME I WAS ABSENT IN THE WOODS. I SAW A SMOKE IN THE SAME DIRECTION WITH THAT WHICH I HAD SEEN ON THE 7th... IT APPEARED TO BE IN THE MOUNTAINS.
— William
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