Savage Autumn (32 page)

“I suppose I had hoped he would work a miracle, Kate.”

“You must do exactly as he told you and keep the bandages in place for a while longer.”

“Yes, I will, although I am very tired of wearing them.”

“I know, dear, just be patient a little longer.”

Kate picked up a brush with an ivory handle and began brushing Joanna’s lovely hair.

“I had all your things laundered this morning, Joanna. You have some very lovely gowns.”

“I forgot, what color did you say I was wearing tonight, Kate?”

“It’s blue, dear.”

“Oh, yes, I remember the gown. It has dark blue piping around the sleeve and the hem of the skirt.”

“That’s right—you look lovely.”

“Kate, I can’t thank you and Colonel Jackson enough for taking Tag and me into your home. I don’t know what we would have done without you.”

“Hush, you know I love having you here. Now, turn around and let me look at you.”

Joanna smiled as she turned around in a wide circle, causing the full skirt of her gown to billow out. Kate watched as the smile left Joanna’s face.

“I’m nervous, Kate. I have never been to a formal dance.”

“Nonsense! You will be the prettiest girl there tonight. I can’t tell you how many young officers have inquired about you. They are all anxious to get to know you better.”

“Oh,” was all Joanna could manage to say. She had been at the army post for over a month, and in that time Kate had guarded her privacy, turning away many visitors.

“Are you ready to go, Joanna?” Tag asked, sticking his head around the door.

“I suppose so,” she replied apprehensively.

“Kate, what has everyone been told about me?”

“As far as I know, very little. They know, of course, that you were a captive of the Indians.”

Tag took Joanna’s hand and the three of them went into the sitting room. Colonel Jackson was waiting to escort them to the entertainment hall where the officers’ dance was being held.

The dance was already in progress when they arrived. Joanna held tightly to Tag’s hand, hearing the sound of laughter and music. Now that she was here, she wished she had never consented to attend the dance.

Harland had been waiting by the door, and when he saw Joanna, he rushed toward her.

“Miss James, how lovely you look. Would you do me the honor of allowing me to lead you in a quadrille?”

“I don’t know, Captain. Perhaps with my sight problem, it would be best if I were to sit out the dances.”

“Nonsense! You and I have danced together before, have you forgotten?”

Joanna smiled. “No, I remember quite well, but that was when I could see what I was doing.”

“I will be your eyes this evening,” he said, taking her hand persuasively.

Joanna had very little choice but to allow him to lead her away from Tag.

“There are three steps leading down to the dance floor, Miss James,” Harland coached her.

When they reached the dance floor, the music began and soon Joanna was dancing, changing partners, and weaving in and out with very little trouble. Once when she stumbled, Harland caught her and she laughed up at him. For the moment Joanna forgot her miseries and had put her troubles aside. She was young, and she was dancing on the arm of a handsome officer.

Claudia stared daggers at Joanna. She could see how all the
men were watching her with admiration written on their faces. Was her life always going to be overshadowed by Joanna James? she wondered. What was it about Joanna that drew the men to her like bees to the honeypot?

Her eyes wandered jealously over Joanna’s lovely blue ball gown. Claudia had been forced to wear castoffs of the women at the army post. She gritted her teeth when Lieutenant Simms, whom she had been dancing with, asked to be introduced to Miss James.

By the time Claudia reached her, Joanna was surrounded by several young officers and Claudia had to move them aside to get to her.

“Well, Joanna, it seems once again you are the center attraction. I heard that you have lost your sight or is it another ploy of yours to gain sympathy?”

Joanna gasped at Claudia’s hateful words, too stunned to even reply.

Harland’s temper flared as he stepped between the two girls. “I am appalled at your insensitivity, Miss Maxwell! Miss James has been through a harrowing experience and you are being unduly harsh.”

Claudia tossed her honey-colored hair and her hazel eyes flamed. “Poor Joanna! We musn’t upset Joanna! Joanna this! Joanna that! I am sick to death of hearing about her!” Claudia said, turning on her heels and walking away.

“That is the most unpleasant girl I have ever encountered,” someone remarked.

Joanna was still feeling the sting of Claudia’s words. The fun had gone out of the evening for her. Moving forward, Joanna stumbled and several of the officers reached out to steady her.

“I think…I am tired. If you gentlemen will excuse me, I wish to retire.”

Harland took her arm. “Miss James, I wish you wouldn’t let what Miss Maxwell said upset you. No one pays the slightest attention to her spitefulness.”
“It isn’t Claudia, Captain. I just want to leave now,” Joanna said.

“I wish you would reconsider—the evening is young yet. I would like to have at least one more dance with you.”

Joanna had just been hit full-force with the feeling that she was out of place among people who lived their day-to-day lives in a tight little world. She no longer felt right in her fashionable gowns, and she didn’t know how to deal with unwarranted pettiness such as Claudia had demonstrated tonight.

“No, I want to leave now, but I don’t want to disturb Colonel and Mrs. Jackson, Captain. Would you mind walking me to their quarters?”

Harland tucked Joanna’s hand about his arm. “It would be my pleasure, Miss James.”

As they walked into the night air, Joanna felt cold and pulled her fur-lined cape tightly about her. “Has it stopped snowing, Captain?”

“Yes. There are no clouds in the sky and a bright moon is lighting up the countryside.”

She smiled, “You are becoming more descriptive. Tell me, is this a large fort?”

“Yes, considering that it’s in the middle of nowhere. There are about one hundred and seventy-five men stationed here, not to mention a good number of women and children.” He looked down at her delicate features and felt his heart swell with love. Tonight, he knew Claudia had hurt her deeply and he had been hurt for her. He had the strongest impulse to take her in his arms and hold her close to him.

“Miss James, do you remember I once asked you if I could call you by your first name?”

She smiled. “I remember.”

“You never did give me permission, so I will dare to ask you again.”

Again she smiled. “If my memory serves me correctly, Claudia also interrupted us that night.”

“Indeed, she did, but you still have not answered my question Miss James.”

“I feel you are a good friend, Captain. I would like for you to call me Joanna.”

Harland drew in his breath. “My given name is Harland. I would deem it an honor if you would consider calling me that, Joanna.”

By now, they had reached the Jacksons’ residence and Harland helped her up the porch steps.

“All right, Harland. Friends should call each other by their first names.”

“Would you like me to see you safely inside, Joanna?”

She shook her head. “I’m afraid there has already been too much gossip about me. I think if I invited you in, it would be most unconventional.”

He squeezed her hand, wishing he dared bring it up to his lips. “In a day or so when you are feeling rested, perhaps you would like to go for a ride with me?”

“I would like that very much.” Joanna felt for the doorknob and opened the door. “Good night, Harland.”

He watched her until she was inside, then he turned and walked toward his quarters. He had no desire to return to the dance. Tonight he hoped he had taken the first step in winning Joanna’s affection. His mind was on her flaming hair and velvety soft skin when he entered his room.

Lying down on his cot fully clothed, he wondered what it would feel like to kiss Joanna’s soft lips.

Joanna felt her way around in the darkness, fearing she would bump into one of the low tables where Kate’s what-nots were displayed.

When she reached what she knew to be her bedroom, she heard a loud rapping on the front door. She dared not try to make her was back across the room, fearing she would break something.

“Please come in,” she called out.

The door opened and a cold blast of air hit her in the face. “Who’s there?” she asked.

“You know very well who it is, Joanna,” Claudia’s voice spoke up.

“I have nothing to say to you, Claudia. Let us just say you drew blood tonight and let it go at that.”

“Oh, no, Joanna! I haven’t even begun to draw blood yet. I want to know what makes you think you can come here and bat your eyelashes and every eligible man on the post will fall at your feet?”

“In case you haven’t noticed, Claudia, my eyelashes are covered. I believe I once told you I leave the batting of eyelashes to you.”

“You think Captain Thatcher likes you, but he is going to marry me. I’ll never stand idly by while you take him away from me.”

Joanna could tell that Claudia was standing right beside her. “Claudia, I have no wish to take Harland or anyone else from you. All I want is to be left alone.”

Joanna could not see the glazed look in Claudia’s eyes. “You dare to call him Harland! Just what went on between the two of you on your way to the fort! Did you perhaps dally in the bushes?”
Joanna had remained calm up until now, but Claudia had just overstepped her bounds. Joanna’s head jerked up and her cheeks flamed. “You dare to say this to me! I can assure you that Harland is too much of gentleman to act as you suggest, Claudia.”

“I’m not suggesting that Captain Thatcher is not a gentleman. I was going more on the assumption that you are no lady,” Claudia said sarcastically. “I have heard it said that you were living freely with an Indian savage. Do you deny that?”

“The only savages I know are white, Claudia. You come closer to being a savage than any Indian I know.”

Claudia’s hand shot out and she struck Joanna hard across the face. The blow was so hard it caused Joanna to slam into the wall with such force that it knocked her to the floor. Her head struck against a wooden table and she cried out in pain. She was too dazed to hear Claudia cry out in surprise.

Claudia was not aware that Tag had entered the room until he grabbed her by the arm and jerked her forward with a strength that startled her.

“I wish you were a man, Claudia! I would give you the licking you deserve,” he said, through clenched teeth. Never had he wanted to strike a woman so badly. “If you ever touch my sister again, I will not stop just because you are a girl.”

Claudia backed away at the anger she saw in Tag’s eyes.

Kate bent down and helped Joanna to her feet. She and Tag had witnessed most of the scene between Joanna and Claudia, and Kate was fighting mad.

“Taggart, you take your sister to the bedroom. Since I am a woman, I believe that gives me the right to deal with Claudia.”

Kate was a gentle woman who never raised her voice. She grabbed Claudia’s arm and pushed her across the room. “I will just show you the door and invite you to never darken my doorstep again.”

“Joanna called me a savage,” Claudia cried out in her own defense.

“And so you are! It’s too bad it’s winter or I would have my husband show you the gate.”
Claudia braced herself against the doorframe when Kate tried to push her through. “I don’t see how you can have a harlot staying under your roof. Especially an Indian’s harlot!”

Kate’s eyes sparkled with anger. “Leave my house at once!” she demanded, too angry to say anything more.

“What’s going on here?” Colonel Jackson demanded to know as he entered the room.

Claudia cringed when she saw the commander of the fort. Gathering up her gown, she dashed past him and darted down the steps. Joanna had won again, she thought bitterly. One day she would have the last say, Claudia promised herself.

Kate looked at her husband. “Richard, you must go for the doctor. Joanna may have been injured.”

“I don’t understand anything that was going on when I came up. Why were you ordering Miss Maxwell out of our house?”

“I don’t have time to talk to you now, Richard—I have to see about Joanna. Just get the doctor!” Kate said, rushing into Joanna’s bedroom.

When Kate entered the room, Joanna was lying on the bed and Tag was washing her face with a cloth. “My dear, are you hurt?” she asked, moving Tag aside and gathering Joanna into her arms.

“I am not really hurt, Kate,” Joanna said. “It’s strange, but I just feel a little dizzy. You wouldn’t think that someone blind could feel dizzy, would you?”

“Just lie back and rest. Richard has gone for the doctor.”

“I don’t think there was any need…”

“Nevertheless, the doctor will examine you,” Kate interrupted. “I will feel better when he tells me you have not been injured.”

Kate turned to Tag. “You run on out and wait for Richard and the doctor. I’m going to help Joanna get into her nightgown.”

Joanna stood up slowly, and Kate helped her remove her gown.

“I never did like Claudia, and I like her even less now. Whatever set off the argument between the two of you?”
“I’m not quite sure. I think she fears I am trying to take Captain Thatcher away from her.”

“That’s not likely. Harland never gave her the time of day. He has never been interested in her.” Kate pulled the white nightgown over Joanna’s head and helped her into bed.

“I believe Harland cares for you, Joanna. You should have seen him when Farley told him you were still alive. He lost little time riding out to rescue you.”

“I like Harland a great deal, Kate, but I assure you, there is nothing but friendship between us.”

Kate would have debated the point, but she saw no reason to continue. If Harland liked Joanna, he should be the one to tell her so. Kate fluffed up Joanna’s pillow and noticed that her face seemed overly pale. Touching Joanna’s forehead, Kate found it to be cool and was glad she had no fever. She was grateful when she heard the doctor’s voice in the other room.

Doctor Morehead removed the bandages from Joanna’s eyes, cautioning her to keep her eyes closed. Kate stood at the foot of the bed with a worried frown on her face. Joanna still appeared pale and shaken.

“I can’t see anything other than a knot on the side of your forehead, Miss James,” the doctor said. “How did you say you received your injury?”

“I didn’t say,” Joanna answered, not wanting the doctor to know about the argument between her and Claudia.

“I want to caution you against being left alone until you learn your way around,” he said, going on the assumption that Joanna had fallen on her own. “I’m going to examine your eyes now, Miss James. You can open your eyes slowly. Kate, bring that lamp closer, will you?”

Joanna held her breath as she saw a flicker of light. It wasn’t bright and she seemed to be viewing it through a dense fog.

“Doctor! Kate! I can see a light!” Joanna cried.

Doctor Morehead motioned for Kate to hand him the lamp, and he waved it in front of Joanna’s face. “Can you see it now?” he asked.

“Yes, it seems a little brighter!” Joanna said excitedly.

Doctor Morehead moved the lamp slowly and he watched as Joanna turned her head to follow its brightness.

“Saints be praised!” Kate cried, “It’s a miracle!”

“Don’t celebrate too early, Kate,” the doctor cautioned her. “Tell me, Miss James, can you see anything other than the light?”

“No, nothing but the light.”

“I’m not sure what this means, Miss James, but I’m going to rebandage your eyes, and I want you to rest in bed tomorrow. I’ll be by to check on you in the morning and then tomorrow night we will remove the bandages and see what’s happened. It could be that the blow to your head in some way returned some of your vision. I just don’t know.”

“Do you think she will regain all her sight?” Kate asked.

“It’s too soon to tell. Let’s just take this one day at a time,” the doctor cautioned.

“Doctor, don’t tell anyone about this. I wouldn’t want it to get back to my brother, Tag, until we are sure one way or another. I wouldn’t want him to get his hopes up, only to have them dashed.”

“I think it would be a good idea to keep it between ourselves,” the doctor agreed. He patted Joanna’s hand. “Don’t you get your hopes up either. Just rest and we will see what develops in the next few days.”

In spite of the doctor’s warning, Joanna did allow her hopes to rise. She had definitely seen light where before there had only been darkness. She pushed all the ugliness that had occurred between her and Claudia out of her mind.

Without her wanting it to, her mind drifted back to Windhawk. If she got her sight back, would she dare try to find him? No, he had made it very plain that he didn’t want her anymore.

“Joanna, are you asleep?” Tag asked, cautious opening the bedroom door.

“No, I’m not asleep.”

“I’m real mad at Claudia, Joanna. I may yet punch her!”
“Don’t let her worry you, Tag, although I confess she got to me tonight.”

“I know. I heard what she said about you. Why didn’t you tell her you were Windhawk’s wife?”

“Because she wouldn’t understand, Tag.”

“I miss Windhawk, don’t you?”

“Yes.”

“I promised him I would someday go back to see him, Joanna. That’s one promise I intend to keep.”

“Perhaps one day you will, Tag.”

“Since Papa is…dead, and we can’t go back to Philadelphia, couldn’t we go back to Windhawk’s village?”

“That’s not possible, Tag. You really admired Windhawk, didn’t you?”

“He’s the best, Joanna. I want to grow up and be just like him.”

“You could do worse.”

“Are you sleepy, Joanna?”

“Uh huh.”

They were both silent for a long time, until at last Joanna spoke. “Tag, thank you for caring about me. I don’t know what I would do without you.”

“I love you, Joanna.”

“I love you, too, Tag.”

Tag kissed her on the cheek and left quietly.

Soon Joanna fell asleep and the bright moonlight shone its light into the bedroom, kissing the darkness where Joanna dwelled. She sighed in her sleep, dreaming of the happy times she had spent as Windhawk’s woman.