new rules all the time! I didn’t make any promises regarding my personal habits!”
Eagle shrugged, imperially allowing her the slight concession. “You can bring whatever supply you have with you. I don’t want you running wild into the woods in the midst of a nicotine fit. You won’t find much time though, I think, to laze around with a cigarette.” He jumped suddenly to his feet and began collecting the dishes. “We have to get a move on. Your ‘swamp week’ is going to be exact. It starts at noon today and ends at noon in seven days. That is, if you make the first hour.”
“Oh, I will make it,” Whitney said sweetly, her eyes telling him what she thought he could do with his taunting cynicism. “I’ve told you that before.”
“She’s got the look of an eagle about her, too, my friend,” Randy said with a chuckle as he scrambled up to help White Eagle thoroughly douse the fire. “Watch it; she’ll beat you at your own game.”
“Maybe,” Eagle agreed good-naturedly, extending a hand to pull Whitney to her feet “I put a gallon of gas into your car this morning and pulled it around back,” he told her. “Go on and get anything else you’re going to need for your ‘personal habits.’ The keys are still in the ignition where you left them. We don’t have many thieves running around the neighborhood, but you might want to lock it up anyway.”
“Thanks,” Whitney said, dusting off the seat of her pants. “How are we going to get where we’re going?”
“Jeep and airboat,” Eagle said briefly, smiling. “Randy is the ‘brother’ I said was coming by. He and I will go hook up now. Go on—get ready.”
“I’ll come with you,” Katie offered.
“No!” Eagle snapped at his sister, softening his command with a pleasant request. “I’ll need you out here, if you don’t mind.”
Apparently Eagle was undisputed boss. Katie shrugged and lifted helpless hands to Whitney. “I guess I won’t get a chance to know you until next week. I stay with Morning Dew a lot myself, but I have to go back to Big Cypress with Randy now.”
If Katie didn’t have to go back to Big Cypress, Whitney decided dryly, she was certain White Eagle would find some other place to send her. It was obvious he didn’t want his sister involved in any deep discussions with her. Was he ashamed of anything, she wondered. That seemed doubtful. White Eagle was proud. He would declare what he was to the world and the devil himself could go hang.
“I’ll be looking forward to next week,” Whitney promised the Indian woman. Glancing across the lawn to where Eagle and Randy were about to round the corner of the cabin, Whitney saw that her host was staring crossly at his sister. “It looks like the big chief is summoning you,” she told Katie in a wry drawl. “I guess we will have to talk later.”
Katie chuckled, amused by the reference to her brother. “This isn’t good-bye yet. We’ll be dropping you off at the village. It really is remote.” Waving, she scampered off to join the men.
Whitney thoughtfully climbed the steps back to the cabin, realizing she had made grave mistakes in judgment where White Eagle was concerned. Obviously he and his soft-spoken sister had been well educated, and it was equally obvious he had some type of decent income. His books were expensive, his clothing quality. Airboats and jeeps were not cheap. Closing the door quietly behind her, Whitney glanced around the single room of the cabin and determined that a little snooping was in order. Rushing to his bureau, she hastily began to rifle through it.
She was doomed to disappointment. There wasn’t a single document, note or paper to be found. Absolutely nothing to tell her who White Eagle was or what he did. The only reward she received for her labors was a verification of what she already knew; White Eagle did receive a good income for something. The labels on his clothing were all well-known, respected names.
“Looking for
Eagle shrugged, imperially allowing her the slight concession. “You can bring whatever supply you have with you. I don’t want you running wild into the woods in the midst of a nicotine fit. You won’t find much time though, I think, to laze around with a cigarette.” He jumped suddenly to his feet and began collecting the dishes. “We have to get a move on. Your ‘swamp week’ is going to be exact. It starts at noon today and ends at noon in seven days. That is, if you make the first hour.”
“Oh, I will make it,” Whitney said sweetly, her eyes telling him what she thought he could do with his taunting cynicism. “I’ve told you that before.”
“She’s got the look of an eagle about her, too, my friend,” Randy said with a chuckle as he scrambled up to help White Eagle thoroughly douse the fire. “Watch it; she’ll beat you at your own game.”
“Maybe,” Eagle agreed good-naturedly, extending a hand to pull Whitney to her feet “I put a gallon of gas into your car this morning and pulled it around back,” he told her. “Go on and get anything else you’re going to need for your ‘personal habits.’ The keys are still in the ignition where you left them. We don’t have many thieves running around the neighborhood, but you might want to lock it up anyway.”
“Thanks,” Whitney said, dusting off the seat of her pants. “How are we going to get where we’re going?”
“Jeep and airboat,” Eagle said briefly, smiling. “Randy is the ‘brother’ I said was coming by. He and I will go hook up now. Go on—get ready.”
“I’ll come with you,” Katie offered.
“No!” Eagle snapped at his sister, softening his command with a pleasant request. “I’ll need you out here, if you don’t mind.”
Apparently Eagle was undisputed boss. Katie shrugged and lifted helpless hands to Whitney. “I guess I won’t get a chance to know you until next week. I stay with Morning Dew a lot myself, but I have to go back to Big Cypress with Randy now.”
If Katie didn’t have to go back to Big Cypress, Whitney decided dryly, she was certain White Eagle would find some other place to send her. It was obvious he didn’t want his sister involved in any deep discussions with her. Was he ashamed of anything, she wondered. That seemed doubtful. White Eagle was proud. He would declare what he was to the world and the devil himself could go hang.
“I’ll be looking forward to next week,” Whitney promised the Indian woman. Glancing across the lawn to where Eagle and Randy were about to round the corner of the cabin, Whitney saw that her host was staring crossly at his sister. “It looks like the big chief is summoning you,” she told Katie in a wry drawl. “I guess we will have to talk later.”
Katie chuckled, amused by the reference to her brother. “This isn’t good-bye yet. We’ll be dropping you off at the village. It really is remote.” Waving, she scampered off to join the men.
Whitney thoughtfully climbed the steps back to the cabin, realizing she had made grave mistakes in judgment where White Eagle was concerned. Obviously he and his soft-spoken sister had been well educated, and it was equally obvious he had some type of decent income. His books were expensive, his clothing quality. Airboats and jeeps were not cheap. Closing the door quietly behind her, Whitney glanced around the single room of the cabin and determined that a little snooping was in order. Rushing to his bureau, she hastily began to rifle through it.
She was doomed to disappointment. There wasn’t a single document, note or paper to be found. Absolutely nothing to tell her who White Eagle was or what he did. The only reward she received for her labors was a verification of what she already knew; White Eagle did receive a good income for something. The labels on his clothing were all well-known, respected names.
“Looking for
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