Savage Desire (Savage Lagonda 1) by Constance O'Banyon Page B
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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Clark
6
Mara sat in her mother's garden. A warm breeze stirred the air, carrying with it the fragrance of roses.
A year had passed since her return home, and it was spring once more. The lonesome sound of a dove cooing in a nearby tree drifted on the wind, but Mara did not hear it, nor did she notice the flowers that were in full bloom and peppered the garden with a rainbow of color.
It had been a long year, full of heartache and grief for her. Her mind reached back to last spring. She remembered the amazement of the soldiers at the fort when she had shown up at the gates, alone and unharmed.
Colonel Meyers, a portly gentleman of indeterminate age, who had been in charge of the garrison, had received word of her capture by the two Indians, and had sent out a patrol to search for her. He had listened kindly when she told him of the daring rescue by Tajarez, and he had been surprised when she described Tajarez to him. It was apparent from the colonel's reaction that he did not fully believe her story until she showed him the golden armband and the mink robe.
The colonel was as mystified by Tajarez as she had been. He assured her he knew all the Indian tribes that populated the United States and its territories, and Tajarez could belong to none of them.
The soldiers at the garrison had treated her kindly and had escorted her safely home.
When Mara arrived home it was not to the happy reunion she had envisioned. The house was shrouded with mourning. Her father had drowned while he was searching for her. The boat he was traveling in had capsized, and his body had not been discovered until the next day. George and her two brothers had brought him home for burial.
When Mara's mother had been told of her husband's death, she had collapsed. The strain of losing her husband and daughter had been too much for her. Tess told Mara that her mother had just given up, and she and Mara's father were both buried on the hillside overlooking the Mississippi river.
Mara's brothers had not been home when she returned. Tess told her they refused to give up searching for her. George had been sent out to locate them and let them know Mara was safe.
There had been no one to comfort her in her grief but the ever faithful Tess. Mara had shut herself in her room and refused to see the many friends and neighbors who came by to offer their condolences. Mara was carrying a huge burden of guilt. She blamed herself for the death of her mother and father. If she had not gone into the woods that day, they would still be alive.
Her grandparents had come from Philadelphia to take her home with them, but she refused to come out of her room, and they had returned home feeling defeated. Tess had begun to fear for Mara's sanity, and was relieved when her brothers finally returned home.
When David and Jeffery entered Mara's bedroom, she had not responded to them, but had cried all the harder. The family physician had been summoned and his report had not been good. He told her brothers that if Mara did not pull herself out of her depression she would waste away to a hopeless invalid.
Mara thought often of Tajarez. She could not seem to forget him. When she was not grieving over her mother and father, she was heartbroken at Tajarez's rejection of her. Her love for him ran deep, and she felt lost and alone without him.
Mara knew she would never have come to terms with her grief if it had not been for her brother Jeffery. She remembered the day he had come charging into her room like an avenging angel. He had thrown the covers off her bed and grabbed her by the shoulders, lifting her out of the bed. Propelling her across the room, he had forced her to look into the mirror that hung over her vanity.
"Who is that stranger I see, Mara? She has stolen my sister from me. Is it not bad enough that I have lost my father and mother? Must I lose my sister as well?" he had said angrily.
Mara had stared at the thin, pale face in the mirror, not
6
Mara sat in her mother's garden. A warm breeze stirred the air, carrying with it the fragrance of roses.
A year had passed since her return home, and it was spring once more. The lonesome sound of a dove cooing in a nearby tree drifted on the wind, but Mara did not hear it, nor did she notice the flowers that were in full bloom and peppered the garden with a rainbow of color.
It had been a long year, full of heartache and grief for her. Her mind reached back to last spring. She remembered the amazement of the soldiers at the fort when she had shown up at the gates, alone and unharmed.
Colonel Meyers, a portly gentleman of indeterminate age, who had been in charge of the garrison, had received word of her capture by the two Indians, and had sent out a patrol to search for her. He had listened kindly when she told him of the daring rescue by Tajarez, and he had been surprised when she described Tajarez to him. It was apparent from the colonel's reaction that he did not fully believe her story until she showed him the golden armband and the mink robe.
The colonel was as mystified by Tajarez as she had been. He assured her he knew all the Indian tribes that populated the United States and its territories, and Tajarez could belong to none of them.
The soldiers at the garrison had treated her kindly and had escorted her safely home.
When Mara arrived home it was not to the happy reunion she had envisioned. The house was shrouded with mourning. Her father had drowned while he was searching for her. The boat he was traveling in had capsized, and his body had not been discovered until the next day. George and her two brothers had brought him home for burial.
When Mara's mother had been told of her husband's death, she had collapsed. The strain of losing her husband and daughter had been too much for her. Tess told Mara that her mother had just given up, and she and Mara's father were both buried on the hillside overlooking the Mississippi river.
Mara's brothers had not been home when she returned. Tess told her they refused to give up searching for her. George had been sent out to locate them and let them know Mara was safe.
There had been no one to comfort her in her grief but the ever faithful Tess. Mara had shut herself in her room and refused to see the many friends and neighbors who came by to offer their condolences. Mara was carrying a huge burden of guilt. She blamed herself for the death of her mother and father. If she had not gone into the woods that day, they would still be alive.
Her grandparents had come from Philadelphia to take her home with them, but she refused to come out of her room, and they had returned home feeling defeated. Tess had begun to fear for Mara's sanity, and was relieved when her brothers finally returned home.
When David and Jeffery entered Mara's bedroom, she had not responded to them, but had cried all the harder. The family physician had been summoned and his report had not been good. He told her brothers that if Mara did not pull herself out of her depression she would waste away to a hopeless invalid.
Mara thought often of Tajarez. She could not seem to forget him. When she was not grieving over her mother and father, she was heartbroken at Tajarez's rejection of her. Her love for him ran deep, and she felt lost and alone without him.
Mara knew she would never have come to terms with her grief if it had not been for her brother Jeffery. She remembered the day he had come charging into her room like an avenging angel. He had thrown the covers off her bed and grabbed her by the shoulders, lifting her out of the bed. Propelling her across the room, he had forced her to look into the mirror that hung over her vanity.
"Who is that stranger I see, Mara? She has stolen my sister from me. Is it not bad enough that I have lost my father and mother? Must I lose my sister as well?" he had said angrily.
Mara had stared at the thin, pale face in the mirror, not
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