Savage Destiny (The Hearts of Liberty Series, Book 1) (39 page)

BOOK: Savage Destiny (The Hearts of Liberty Series, Book 1)
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"I said I was sorry."

"It's too late," Hunter informed her coldly. Unable to remain with his guests another second, he rose and left the long house.

Alanna turned to Elliott. "Was what I said as rude as he made it sound?"

"No, you weren't rude at all, but he's not like us, and you can't expect logical replies from him. Come on, let's find the hides he mentioned hanging as a partition."

"Don't you think you ought to go after him?"

"No, that will only make things worse. He'll probably be back in awhile."

"Where do you suppose he sleeps?"

Elliott gestured toward the platform where Hunter had sat during supper. "Over there I think. I'll take the one opposite his. That way you'll have the whole back of the house to yourself."

Alanna chewed her lower lip nervously. "Hunter is Indian. Why should the suggestion he wed an Indian maiden insult him?"

"Haven't you better things to think about than him? My proposal, for instance?"

They were standing in the narrow passageway that ran down the center of the long house, and when Elliott reached out to catch her in a fond embrace, Alanna couldn't escape him. His touch was familiar, bearing the comfort of home, but none of the almost magical excitement she had felt in Hunter's arms. He kissed her then, a soft, sweet, gentle kiss that left her totally unmoved. Had Hunter kissed her that afternoon, she knew she would still feel it, and guilt rather than pleasure brought tears to her eyes.

"Please don't," she begged.

Instantly, Elliott dropped his arms to his sides. "I didn't realize my affection would disgust you."

"I'm not disgusted, not in the least," Alanna argued. "It's just that, well, I wish you'd give me some time to adjust to the idea you'd like to court me. I'd never even considered the possibility before today."

When stated that way, Elliott readily understood her reticence. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have spoken so sharply to you. Let's just concentrate on getting Hunter's name on a statement for the time being. We can talk about us on the trip home."

Alanna had said earlier that day that love wasn't all that important to her, but that had been before she had seen Hunter again. He was as wrong for her as he had been for Melissa, but she couldn't deny the way he made her feel. His touch made her long to reach out and caress him, and she had not forgotten the kiss he had given her last August. How could a Seneca brave be more appealing than her own cousin? How could the black-eyed devil fill her with the desire another man might never satisfy? Why would the gods torment her so cruelly?

"Alanna? Are you all right?"

"No, I don't suppose that I really am," she admitted. "It was about this time last year that we met Hunter. It's been a truly awful year, hasn't it?"

Elliott turned away to fetch her valise. "The worst. Here, you take this, I'll find a rope we can use to suspend some hides. This house is really cleverly made. Did you realize that?"

Alanna saw only how dark it was, rather than the ingenuity of it. "I wonder if it's warm enough in winter?"

Elliott bent down to inspect the hides stored beneath the platforms. "I'll bet it's as cozy as a cave," he offered as he searched among them. "Here, these deer skins look long enough to use. Now where would Hunter keep a rope?"

"I thought I saw one outside."

"You're right, so did I." Elliott stepped outside and returned with the neatly coiled rope. He hummed softly to himself, as he stretched it between two poles on opposite sides of the structure. He draped the hides he had chosen over it, and stood back to judge the quality of his handiwork.

"That's a pretty flimsy wall, but it's probably more privacy than you'd get at the trading post."

Alanna wondered if Hunter hadn't deliberately been trying to frighten them, but she did feel more secure there than she would have staying in a rowdy inn filled with drunken sailors and frontiersmen eager to pay a woman for her favors. She wondered if a man as appealing as Hunter ever had to pay for a woman's attentions, and decided that was not a question she cared to have answered.

The hides covering the rear of the long house were secured only at the top, permitting an easy exit, and after telling Elliott she was going to prepare for bed, she stepped outside. Surrounded by dense forest, she breathed deeply and attempted to clear her mind of the distractions conjured up by thoughts of Hunter. Despite Graham Tyler's attentions, she was still dreadfully inexperienced when it came to men, and told herself that was undoubtedly why dealing with a man with Hunter's confidence was so unsettling. At least she would only have to pretend an indifference she didn't feel until noon tomorrow, rather than the rest of her life, but managing such a feat for even those few hours wasn't going to be easy.

Seeing her leaning back against his house, Hunter stepped out of the shadows and approached her. Her eyes widened slightly when she saw him, but he raised his fingertip to his lips to warn her not to cry out. He waited until they were mere inches apart to speak.

"Elliott says you're his woman now. Is that true?"

"I, well, that is—"

"Can't any of you speak the truth?"

"Of course, I can!" Alanna whispered defiantly. "It's just that I'm not sure what it is in this case."

Hunter caressed her cheek with his fingertip. "How can you not know if you are his?"

Her hands at her sides, Alanna gripped the hides covering the doorway in a frantic clutch, and wished her emotions were as easy to hold in check. "If I have no right to inquire as to your marriage plans, then you certainly can't expect me to confide in you about mine."

"Why not? They might be the same."

The sun had already sunk below the trees, but the twilight was still bright enough to reveal Hunter's smile with alarming clarity. His lips were parted slightly, and when he leaned close, she thought he meant to whisper something, but instead he kissed her. She gave only the smallest cry, and that was muffled by his second kiss, or perhaps it was the third. She lost count as he traced a meandering trail of kisses across the soft swell of her cheek, and then lingered at her temple. Next he drew her earlobe into his mouth, and sucked it gently before sliding his tongue down the smooth curve of her neck.

By then, he was wrapped around her as securely as a vine, and she still wanted him to come closer. His mouth returned to hers, his taste honey-sweet, and she welcomed him eagerly. He was kissing her as passionately as he had the morning he had mistaken her for Melissa, but now neither of them was confused as to his purpose. His tongue caressed hers until she feared she might drown in desire, but all too soon he drew away.

"You are as hungry for love as Melissa. Would Elliott want to marry you, if he knew you were just as faithless?"

Stunned to be insulted after she had welcomed his affection so joyously, Alanna raised her hand to slap the smirk from his face, but Hunter caught her wrist and twisted her arm behind her back. He pulled the hides aside and gave her a gentle shove.

"Now that I have you so eager, sleep with Elliott."

Alanna jerked free. "You despicable bastard," she mouthed silently.

Hunter blew her a kiss. "I love you, too," he answered.

Alanna ripped the hides from his hand to shut him out of the long house, but fearing he might return for more of the delicious affection she couldn't refuse, she spent the night tossing in fitful slumber, tormented by a shameful dream in which she was scorned as a harlot by all of Williamsburg. When in the morning Elliott placed his hand on her shoulder, she sat up so quickly they bumped heads, causing them both to recoil in pain.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you," Elliott whispered. "It's early. You needn't get up yet, but Hunter just left, and I'm going to follow him. He took his quiver and bow as well as a musket he had hidden under his bed. Maybe he's only going hunting, but I'm afraid he might plan on staying away for several days, so that he won't have to sign a statement for us. After coming all this way, I'm not leaving here without one."

Alanna swept her hair out of her eyes. "Why didn't you stop him?"

"I awakened just as he was leaving, or I would have."

Alanna reached out to grab his arm. "Wait, I want to go with you."

"There's no need of that. You'll be better off staying here."

"No, I won't. What if Hunter's going home? Do you know where his tribe lives?"

"No, but—"

"You can't ask me to stay here all alone, when you don't know where you're going or when you'll be coming back. If I wouldn't have been safe staying at the trading post, then I certainly won't be safe here. Just give me a minute, and I'll come with you."

Initially, Elliott hadn't seen any reason to take Alanna along on what could be an arduous hike through the woods, but now understanding how frightened she was of being left on her own in a strange place, he reluctantly had to relent. "All right, I'll wait for you, but hurry."

Her head aching from lack of sleep and worry, Alanna rose and hurriedly gathered up the clothes she had worn the previous day. Thinking her petticoats would only impede her progress, she didn't bother with them, nor with a corset. Making do with only her chemise and drawers for underwear, she donned the gray gown and was dressed in just a few minutes. She brushed her hair, coiled it atop her head, and covered it with a cap. Once outside, she splashed water from the rain barrel on her face, wrapped a shawl around her shoulders, and was ready to go.

"I'm afraid you're going to ruin your dress."

"I have others. Which way did he go?"

"Luckily the ground's damp, and I found the tracks of his moccasins. Come on, he went this way." Elliott reached out to take Alanna's hand, but the trail soon narrowed, and they had to travel in single file. Fortunately, she had no difficulty keeping up with him. Hunter was traveling northwest on a well-worn path, but after the sun came out and dried the ground, they could no longer be sure he hadn't left it.

It was now too warm for Alanna to need a shawl, and she tied it around her waist when they stopped at a creek to take a drink of cool water. They were walking at such a brisk pace, they had traveled several miles. "If we miss today's barge, when is the next one?" she asked.

"Not until next week." Elliott raised his hand to shade his eyes, as he looked up to judge the position of the sun. "We still have time to make it. If we can find Hunter, that is."

"Why does he have to be so terribly uncooperative?"

Elliott was touched by Alanna's troubled frown. "I used to think I understood him, but now I doubt anyone ever will. Clearly he's running from us, but we can't let him get away with it." Startled by a rustling in the shrubbery bordering the stream, Elliott reached for Alanna's hand and pulled her close.

"What was that?" she asked.

Hoping to identify the source of the noise, Elliott strained to listen, but it didn't come again. "I don't know. Perhaps only a thirsty animal, but we've tarried too long. Let's keep following the trail."

Again Alanna stayed close behind her cousin, but she was haunted by the eerie sensation that they were being watched. Rather than the familiar calling of songbirds and tittering of playful squirrels, the forest now seemed alive with mysterious sounds. A red-tailed hawk soared overhead in narrowing circles. It would not swoop down on her with its wickedly sharp talons, but she felt as vulnerable as the defenseless rabbit that was probably being stalked.

The sound of snapping branches, as though someone were hurrying through a pile of dry twigs, prompted her to grab Elliott's coattail. "Hunter, is that you?" she called out.

"Did you hear something?"

The forest was thick here, with not only dense stands of pine, but also hemlock, spruce, and fragrant cedar. Alanna scanned the fence of trees lining the trail, but saw only the primeval world through which they had passed. "It sounded as though someone were running, but they stopped, when we did."

Elliott had a knife at his belt, but no other weapon, and now fearing they had strayed too far from the trading post, he wished for a musket. "I think we better go back," he whispered softly. "There's probably no one else on this trail, but just in case there is—"

This time the rhythmic sound of running feet padding against the earth was unmistakable, but it was coming from the trail up ahead, and Elliott pulled Alanna off the path. Hidden by the lush green undergrowth, he could see who was approaching without being seen. When seconds later Hunter sped into view, the Virginian relaxed. He stepped out to block the way, and Alanna went with him.

"Wait, if you're going back to the trading post, we'll go with you," he said.

Appalled to come across his two guests wandering the forest unarmed, Hunter came to an abrupt halt. "You shouldn't be way out here," he scolded crossly.

"We can say the same of you," Alanna shot right back at him. "You knew we weren't finished talking. Did you think we'd just give up and leave without seeing you again today?"

His expression growing increasingly hostile, Hunter glanced over her head and peered through the trees. "I would have been back long before noon. I've been looking for Blind Snake, the Indian who killed our wounded. Have you seen anyone?"

BOOK: Savage Destiny (The Hearts of Liberty Series, Book 1)
7.52Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

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