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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JERKING THE ELK I KILLED YESTERDAY). ... R. FIELDS BROUGHT IN FIVE DEER. GEORGE SHAN NON KILLED AN ELK BUCK. SOME RAIN THIS EVENING.
— William Clark
4
The Indian did not return all night. Mara awoke several times, thinking she heard him, only to find she was still alone. The thunderstorm raged outside the cozy cave. She wondered why he would remain outside in such weather. Once she had gotten up and gone to the cave entrance and peered out into the night. She watched as lightning blazed across the sky, illuminating the countryside. The rain was falling heavily. She considered going out into the storm to search for him, but discarded that idea. He had left the cave to get away from her; he would not take kindly to her seeking him out.
Mara had the sinking feeling that he had abandoned her. That was most probably what he had done. He had found her shelter, killed a deer so she would have meat, and ridden away, leaving her on her own. What was she to do? She could not live forever in this cave. Weariness and cold drove her back to the fur robe. There was nothing she could do about her situation until morning. Tomorrow was soon enough to plan what she must do. With that thought in mind she drifted off to sleep.
The next morning Mara awoke to the smell of roasting meat. She was flooded with relief. The Indian had not left her as she had feared. She quickly made her way down the slope. It was a bright, clear morning. The only sign of the storm that had raged during the night was the sodden condition of the earth. The sun shone brightly and it promised to be a warm day.
Mara noticed that he had built three different campfires, and was apparently drying strips of venison over the heat of the burning embers.
"Good morning," she greeted him as she stood beside him.
He did not acknowledge her presence, but kept slicing meat from the deer carcass. He still wore only his breechcloth, and the sun reflected off the golden armband that spanned his upper arm.
Mara walked down to the river to wash her face and hands. She was stunned by his unfriendliness. She returned slowly to where he was working, in no hurry to encounter his icy silence. She watched him for a moment as he hung strips of meat over a wooden rack he had constructed above the fire.
Mara set her chin stubbornly. She would help him whether he welcomed her help or not. Picking up his knife, she began slicing the deer meat from the carcass as she had seen him do. Tajarez watched her for a moment, then accepted the strip of meat she handed him and hung it over the fire to dry.
The two of them worked in companionable silence all morning. It was midday before most of the meat had been carved from the deer.
Mara had decided he would tolerate her company if she remained silent. She was startled when he handed her a piece of roasted meat to eat. She had been so busy, she had not thought how hungry she was. Smiling up at him gratefully, she bit into the flavorful meat.
"I cannot understand why you are drying all of this meat." She did not expect an answer, nor did she get one.
After she had eaten, she continued to help him. They turned the meat so it would dry evenly on both sides. By late afternoon he cut a large slice of the meat and put it on a spit over the fire for their evening meal.
Mara was weary, but it was a good feeling knowing she had done something useful. Maybe now he would not think of her as such a nuisance.
As night fell, they sat side by side on the floor of the cave, enjoying the meat, which was tender and succulent. Mara thought it would be a good time to try and communicate with him once more.
"My name is Mara. Do you understand? Mara."
He gave her a blank stare, and she shook her head in exasperation as he rose and walked away from her, seating himself on the fur robe.
Determined not to be put off by his cold treatment, she followed him and sat down beside him. "I know you do not want to hear anything I have to say, but it is
— William Clark
4
The Indian did not return all night. Mara awoke several times, thinking she heard him, only to find she was still alone. The thunderstorm raged outside the cozy cave. She wondered why he would remain outside in such weather. Once she had gotten up and gone to the cave entrance and peered out into the night. She watched as lightning blazed across the sky, illuminating the countryside. The rain was falling heavily. She considered going out into the storm to search for him, but discarded that idea. He had left the cave to get away from her; he would not take kindly to her seeking him out.
Mara had the sinking feeling that he had abandoned her. That was most probably what he had done. He had found her shelter, killed a deer so she would have meat, and ridden away, leaving her on her own. What was she to do? She could not live forever in this cave. Weariness and cold drove her back to the fur robe. There was nothing she could do about her situation until morning. Tomorrow was soon enough to plan what she must do. With that thought in mind she drifted off to sleep.
The next morning Mara awoke to the smell of roasting meat. She was flooded with relief. The Indian had not left her as she had feared. She quickly made her way down the slope. It was a bright, clear morning. The only sign of the storm that had raged during the night was the sodden condition of the earth. The sun shone brightly and it promised to be a warm day.
Mara noticed that he had built three different campfires, and was apparently drying strips of venison over the heat of the burning embers.
"Good morning," she greeted him as she stood beside him.
He did not acknowledge her presence, but kept slicing meat from the deer carcass. He still wore only his breechcloth, and the sun reflected off the golden armband that spanned his upper arm.
Mara walked down to the river to wash her face and hands. She was stunned by his unfriendliness. She returned slowly to where he was working, in no hurry to encounter his icy silence. She watched him for a moment as he hung strips of meat over a wooden rack he had constructed above the fire.
Mara set her chin stubbornly. She would help him whether he welcomed her help or not. Picking up his knife, she began slicing the deer meat from the carcass as she had seen him do. Tajarez watched her for a moment, then accepted the strip of meat she handed him and hung it over the fire to dry.
The two of them worked in companionable silence all morning. It was midday before most of the meat had been carved from the deer.
Mara had decided he would tolerate her company if she remained silent. She was startled when he handed her a piece of roasted meat to eat. She had been so busy, she had not thought how hungry she was. Smiling up at him gratefully, she bit into the flavorful meat.
"I cannot understand why you are drying all of this meat." She did not expect an answer, nor did she get one.
After she had eaten, she continued to help him. They turned the meat so it would dry evenly on both sides. By late afternoon he cut a large slice of the meat and put it on a spit over the fire for their evening meal.
Mara was weary, but it was a good feeling knowing she had done something useful. Maybe now he would not think of her as such a nuisance.
As night fell, they sat side by side on the floor of the cave, enjoying the meat, which was tender and succulent. Mara thought it would be a good time to try and communicate with him once more.
"My name is Mara. Do you understand? Mara."
He gave her a blank stare, and she shook her head in exasperation as he rose and walked away from her, seating himself on the fur robe.
Determined not to be put off by his cold treatment, she followed him and sat down beside him. "I know you do not want to hear anything I have to say, but it is
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