My Savage Heart (The MacQuaid Brothers) (21 page)

“Then you also know it is an act that cannot go uncompensated, by the English or myself.”

“I have reprimanded those who took part,” Astugataga repeated. “But the attack at Seven Pines was not without provocation.”

No one knew that better than Wolf; but, at the moment, he chose to ignore it. “I have heard the warriors were permitted to hold scalp dances.”

Astugataga said nothing, only nodded his agreement.

“The British will hear of this also. Not from me, but they have their ways. Even now their tongues wag of this deed.”

“Perhaps that is good.” Tal-tsuska stepped forward, not waiting his turn to speak. “We have shown the English that we are not a band of old women who will fall before them in the dirt. We are great warriors.”

“Who attack a crippled old man and two women.” Wolf’s use of Caroline’s argument turned Tal-tsuska’s scarred face red with anger. Though fighting within the Council House was forbidden, he took a menacing step toward Wolf. But with his dark eyes leveled on his adversary, Wolf held his ground.

“Tal-tsuska. Wa`ya.” The Headman’s voice was firm. “We have agreed to the exchange of words. Nothing else.”

Wolf turned his attention back to Astugataga. “The attack at Seven Pines was an act of war, where none exists. The English will view it as such.”

“Let them come, we will show them the Ani`-Yun`wiya, the Cherokee avenge their slain.”

“And the valleys will run red with blood. Is that what you want for our people?” Wolf asked Astugataga, though it was the young warrior who’d spoken.

“He speaks of ‘our people’ but he is not Ani`-Yun`wiya. He is the son of
inadu
, the snake. He is English.”

Wolf said nothing. The Headman knew of his history. He would allow his deeds to speak for him.

“Unlike his father, Wa`ya has always been a friend to us. His mother was Alkini of Wolf Clan.” Astugataga lifted the belt given him by Wolf. “And his grandfather was a great warrior.”

“But he talks of surrender.”

“I speak of compromise,” Wolf corrected. “Even now our Headmen ponder Governor Lyttelton’s invitation to come to Charles Town for a talk.” Wolf paused, his eyes meeting those of the old, wise man. “I have been across the sea to their land. It is vast and the people are as many as the mosquitoes in the summer. They will not let this act go unpunished.” Wolf took a calming breath. His argument was sound, but it wasn’t what he should be debating. He knew it and so did Astugataga.

“You speak of the English, how the death of the
inadu
affects them. But it is you who come to me claiming the woman.”

When he spoke again, Wolf’s voice was less impassioned though his resolve was as strong. “I have lost a relative. The tribal laws are clear. I wish to be compensated for my loss by claiming your hostage, the white woman, Caroline MacQuaid.”

“She is mine!”

Tal-tsuska stepped forward angrily, but Wolf ignored him as did the Headman. Astugataga held up his hand; then, with a wave, he dismissed them both. “I have heard you both and know of your concerns. I shall think on what you have told me.”

Caroline slept poorly, and when she did, she was plagued by dreams. Screams echoed through her head, and blood covered everything. She jerked awake only to remember that though the attack was over, her nightmare was just beginning.

Wolf had not returned. In his place the Cherokee called Tal-tsuska, her captor, had come. He informed her in his broken English that she was his. Caroline had only been able to stand in silent terror as he explained that he would move her into his cabin tomorrow after she was prepared by the women.

He was lying. Caroline had been so sure of that. Wolf told her she wouldn’t have to stay here. She’d paced and waited for him the rest of the day and long into the night, before accepting that he was gone.

He had left her... again.

Caroline lay awake on the mat, staring into the dark, wondering how she could have been so foolish a second time. She tried not to think of her fate, there would be time enough for that. But Wolf... she had trusted him.

Near dawn she again drifted into a fitful sleep, so troubled that the hand on her arm brought a terrified cry to her lips. A cry that was stifled as her mouth was covered.

“We must hurry. And you must be quiet.”

She twisted, staring wide-eyed over his hand. When Wolf asked if she understood him, Caroline nodded. “I thought you were gone,” she whispered when he took his hand away.

“What made you think that?” He handed her a shoe and Caroline sat up, pulling it on as she spoke, trying not to grimace as the hard leather rubbed her feet.

“Tal-tsuska came to me last evening and said I was to move into his cabin today.” In the dim light she saw his expression grow dark.

“He only spoke the truth as he wished it to be. Not as it is. Now, no more questions.”

Her other shoe on, Wolf pulled her to her feet and led her to the door. They stepped out into the pearly grey of dawn. Few Cherokee were up and about, and those that were, paid little heed to Wolf and Caroline as they made their way out of the village.

Caroline had only seen the Indian town when she was brought here. And then she’d been too numb with fright and fatigue for her mind to register more than a blur of small cabins. In the pewter wash of dawn she noticed the neat, sturdy cabins, covered with bark like Wolf’s. There were gardens and large loom-like structures that held animal hides. She wanted to ask Wolf about everything she saw, but he was leading the way and his pace was fast. It was all Caroline could do to keep up. It seemed almost as if they were stealing away.

They left the clearing and entered the path leading through the forest. His hand, firmly gripping hers became a lifeline. The trees didn’t seem so dark, the call of wild animals so ominous when she concentrated on the warmth of his fingers.

How long or far they traveled, Caroline couldn’t say, but gradually the angle of the sun penetrated the thick canopy of pine and oak shading the trail. And Caroline knew she needed to rest. Wolf must have sensed it too for he sank down against a tree pulling her after him.

Though he seemed barely winded, it took Caroline a moment to catch her breath once she sat in a bed of pine needles facing him.

“I don’t understand.” Even though they were alone, Caroline found herself whispering. “What happened?”

Wolf shrugged. He didn’t like taking her as he had, as if he were running away, but he’d agreed with Astugataga it was for the best. Especially after hearing of Tal-tsuska’s visit to Caroline. Both of them had been told to stay away from the white captive. And though he feared Caroline would worry, Wolf complied. Apparently Tal-tsuska had not.

“The Headman summoned me early this morning,” Wolf finally began. “I am not sure he felt my claim to you was the strongest, but he said I was to take you.”

Caroline closed her eyes and sighed deeply. “Bu why did we leave as we did? If the Headman gave his permission...”

“He also had not yet told Tal-tsuska of his decision. And he thought we should be gone when he did.”

“He shall be very angry.”

Wolf couldn’t tell if her words were a statement or question, but he nodded. “Yes, very angry.”

Caroline swallowed. “What do you think he will do?”

“It is my hope, nothing.”

For several minutes, they sat in silence. Though Caroline noticed Wolf’s one hand curve about the stock of his rifle, he seemed relaxed as he rested. She took the opportunity to study him.

He wore a gathered hunting shirt over doeskin leggings. The tattoos that graced so many Cherokee warriors were only visible now around his strong wrists. His chin was darkened by a day’s growth of whiskers, and his dark hair was tied back in a queue. He was a paradox, a strange mixture of the Cherokee she just left and the English to which she returned. If the two cultures were difficult for her to accept, what must they be for him?

“Why did they let me go?”

He glanced around, and his gaze locked with hers. “I have told you.”

“No,” Caroline shook her head and curls spilled forward across her breast. “You only said they made the decision to let you have me. But you also said your claim was not the strongest. Tal-tsuska must have felt the same when he came to me yesterday.”

“He was not to do that. Neither of us were.” His dark brows lowered. “You were not hurt, were you?”

“No. Only frightened.”

“I am sorry for that”

“But then you warned me, didn’t you?” Caroline buried her face in her hands for a moment, then looked back at him. He dropped the hand he reached toward her. “Please, tell me why I was released.”

“Astugataga fears the English,” Wolf said simply.

“And Tal-tsuska doesn’t?”

“Not as much as he hates them.”

“And Robert,” Caroline said softly. “He hated Robert.” She could close her eyes and see the fiendish delight Tal-tsuska took in watching the torture.

“Yes, he hated him.”

“’Twas more than because Robert cheated the Cherokee, wasn’t it?” Sadayi and Walini disliked Robert because of that, but she couldn’t see them taking pleasure in his screams

“My mother was Tal-tsuska’s aunt. As a male of her family, he feels the need to avenge her treatment at Robert’s hands.”

“Have you ever felt that need?”

The air surrounding them seemed to grow deathly still as Caroline waited for his answer. His eyes never left hers as he spoke. “Yes,” he said simply.

He was still a moment longer, giving her the opportunity to ask the next logical question. But Caroline couldn’t make herself ask it. And she wasn’t sure why.

At any rate, the opportunity passed, for he pushed to his feet and leaned over to help her up. “We should go.”

“Back. to Seven Pines?” Caroline shook out her skirts. “’Tis that where we are going?”

“We will stop at Seven Pines to pick up Mary,” he explained. “Then I will take you both to Fort Prince George. You should be safe there for the time being.”

“But what about you?” Caroline trudged after him. They seemed to be following no path that she could discern. “Will you stay at the fort with us?”

Wolf paused long enough to glance back at her. Caroline’s pale hair curled wildly about her shoulders. There were brambles and scatters of pine needles caught in the tangles. He resisted the urge to comb them out with his fingers. Turning back he stepped over a log and heard her follow. “No,” he said, but he couldn’t erase the expression in her mauve crescented eyes as he made his way through the forest.

By the time they reached the curve of the river, Caroline was exhausted. She rued her inability to sleep while she had the chance. Doggedly she kept moving, trying her best to ignore the pain of her unhealed cuts and bruises. But she couldn’t help noticing that her companion seemed even more alert than usual.

He halted their tiny procession with a lift of his hand before they stepped from the shelter of the forest to the open shore of the waterway.

“What is it?” Caroline whispered, because his manner seemed to dictate such precautions. “Do you hear something?” Now Caroline turned her head carefully, searching through the bramble of holly and vines. But with the exception of a white-tailed deer nosing its way as carefully as they through the brush, she could see nothing.

“I suppose not,” Wolf said, but he felt a strange prickle at the back of his neck that wouldn’t go away. He took Caroline’s hand and pulled her toward the water. “We can cross here.”

There were flat rocks, oval in shape and smoothed by the splash of uncountable water droplets sliding over them. From one to the other there was space filled with swirling eddies, but these gaps were easily crossed. At least for Wolf they were. Caroline needed assistance to leap the gaps. The distance from the last one to the steep shoreline was particularly long.

The bloodcurdling scream sounded across the valley just as Wolf bent forward, grasping her hand to pull Caroline toward the shore. Both their heads whipped about in time to see Tal-tsuska hurl himself at them.

Wolf only had time to deflect the blow with his forearm as he shoved Caroline out of harm’s way. She slipped, then fell backward, fighting to keep her footing as water swirled about her thighs.

To her right the river boiled as the two men fell as one into the rushing current.

Caroline opened her mouth to scream, but some new instinct kept her quiet. Instead she struggled with her sodden skirts, trying to reach Wolf. Amid the thrashing of arms and legs and white foam, it was impossible to tell who was winning the conflict. They tumbled about, their bodies soaked and sleek, each striving to outmaneuver the other.

Swiping wet hair from her face, Caroline frantically searched for something she could use to tip the battle Wolf’s way. That’s when she saw Wolf’s rifle on the shore. He must have dropped it when he pushed her. Her heart pounding, she lunged toward the weapon. But she lost her balance, and fell into the rush of water. Pain shot up from her knee as it cracked against a sharp rock, but she did her best to ignore it as she pushed to her feet.

White water foamed about her as she threw herself again toward the shore. The gun’s barrel gleamed in the slanting rays of afternoon sun... beckoning. She was almost to it, fighting the slippery bottom and swirling flow with every step, when she glanced behind her again.