My Savage Heart (The MacQuaid Brothers) (9 page)

“Yes.” Wolf turned away.

“But why weren’t those people punished, surely English law—”

“Applies to the English, Caroline.” Wolf glanced over his shoulder as he gathered the horses. She stood as if rooted to the spot, her brow wrinkled as she tried to understand. Wolf shook his head. “The warriors were on their way back from fighting the Shawnee when they lost all their supplies. They were starving. They killed some cattle they found on open range. Cattle that belonged to the settlers. The warriors were set upon and massacred. Governor Dinwiddie sent an apology to the Cherokee Headmen. But in it he emphasized the warriors’ crimes against the Virginians.”

He led the horses onto the trail and Caroline lifted her skirts and scurried after him. “But it seems to me,” she said when she caught up, “that these are misunderstandings. Tragic, yes, but surely something that can be resolved if reasonable people on both sides—”

“Ah, but each side thinks theirs is the only reasonable position—”

Caroline’s hand reached up to his cheek. She could not help herself. “And you are caught in the middle.”

She thought he might kiss her then. And despite her earlier resolve to keep her distance, she wanted him to. Could almost taste him. But the passion that blazed in his eyes was soon shadowed. His sensual mouth curled at the edges. “Are you trying to mother me again, Lady Caroline?”

“No,” she whispered and dropped her hand. But the feel of his skin, roughened by a day’s growth of dark whiskers, stayed with her as they rode toward the fort.

Fort Prince George on the shores of the Savannah River, was nearly within shouting distance of the Cherokee Town of Keowee. Caroline’s prodding elicited a history of the fort from Wolf.

“When the Cherokee agreed to send warriors to fight the Shawnee near the Ohio River, the stockade was built to protect their families.” Wolf glanced over at Caroline as they sat on horseback looking down at the log fort. “They also constructed Fort Loudoun at the confluence of the Little Tennessee and Tellico Rivers and another in Virginia.”

“Did the Cherokee want them built?” Caroline couldn’t tell from his expression if he thought so or not.

“I suppose they did, though the cost was the service of Cherokee warriors to fight England’s enemies. The treaty also called for many acres of land to be given to the English, and it strengthened trade agreements.”

“This must have pleased your father.” Caroline realized her mistake of bringing up her betrothed as soon as she saw Wolf’s face. “I mean he is a trader.”

“Yes.” His succinct reply ended their conversation.

They stayed at the fort only long enough to rest their horses and for Raff to speak with the English commander, a man named Boyton. To the young officer’s suggestion that they spend the evening, Wolf responded that he wished to ford the river before dark. “But I’m sure Lady Caroline would be better served by waiting till morning.” Colonel Boyton smiled at Caroline appealingly.

“Lady Caroline is anxious to reach her new home... and her new husband.”

The last was spoken so low and private that Caroline wasn’t sure the fort commander heard it. But she did, and Caroline felt heated color rise to her cheeks. There was but one reason she wished this journey to end.

On their journey thus far they had forded waterways, but those paled in comparison to this one. Caroline looked down the slope to the swiftly rushing water and swallowed. Beneath her the mare pranced and pawed as if she shared Caroline’s trepidation. But the trail to Seven Pines ended where the water gurgled onto the rocky shoreline and didn’t pick up again till the other side.

Caroline wrapped the reins about her hands. “How deep is it?”

“Chances are you’ll get your fancy boots wet, Your Ladyship.”

Caroline ignored the sarcasm. The sound of rushing water filled her senses. “I’ve never done anything like this before,” she called down to him. He’d dismounted and was leading her horse down the muddy path to the river.

“That doesn’t surprise me. In England there’d be a bridge to cross.”

Caroline leaned back to keep her balance. “Why don’t they build one here?” She was almost willing to wait until one was completed.

“You’re on the frontier now, Lady Caroline.” Wolf swung back into his saddle and urged his horse across the potato-sized rocks that lined the shore. “Just keep behind me.”

“But—”

Wolf twisted about to look at her, and Caroline realized how desperate her tone was. She tried to calm her breathing but the dark, swirling waters kept drawing her gaze. “There was a spring. I fell in.” Caroline’s fingers tightened about the leather. “If not for Edward...” She couldn’t continue. The emotions, the fear she’d experienced swelled over her as quickly as that icy water of her childhood.

Caroline looked up, her eyes large and dry when she felt his hand enfolding hers. “Do you wish to go back?” He took a deep breath. “You can wait at the fort while I go to the Cherokee Towns. Then I shall see you safely to Charles Town.”

She was tempted, almost beyond reason. To go back to the peace of Simmons Hall, with its well-manicured trees and gently flowing streams, nothing at all like this wild, virgin land. But as much as her fear threatened to overpower her, there was something about this place, maybe even the very untamed beauty that frightened her, that drew her under its spell. That, even more than the fact that she had nothing to return to, made Caroline shake her head.

“No,” she said, her voice trembling slightly. “I can do it.” She straightened her shoulders and gave him a weak smile.

“You are sure?”

“Yes.”

“Very well then.” Wolf sucked in a breath and sidled his mount along hers. With a fluid motion he slipped behind his saddle and straddled the stallion’s broad rump. Then he reached for her.

“What are you doing?”

“I think, Lady Caroline, that it’s time you learned to ride astride.”

“But—”

“Hush now. Release your foot from the stirrup.”

She did, and his hands clasped about her waist. Caroline was pulled across her saddle and onto his. He held her there a moment, her shoulder leaning into his chest before instructing her.

“Now lift your leg over.” His hand wrapped about her thigh. “That’s it.” He settled her back into the saddle, pulling plain, white petticoats down over her exposed leg. “I know it feels a bit strange, but you’ll get used to riding this way.” His arms enveloped her from behind. “You may even learn to enjoy it.” Without further ado, he tied the mare’s reins to the saddle, shifted his rifle and powderhorn higher on his shoulders, and urged both mounts into the rushing water.

At first Caroline shut her eyes, too afraid to look. But gradually as she felt the warmth of his body surrounding her, she opened them. His corded muscles were hard against her sides as he held the reins, keeping the horse on track when the stallion would have given into the force of the current.

The water that at first only covered her feet now splashed into her lap. But they kept going toward the wall of trees on the other side, and the immobilizing panic that Caroline expected didn’t come.

Instead, when he whispered, “The worst is over,” into her ear she felt herself relax. And begin to enjoy the adventure. She was shivering uncontrollably from the icy water, but laughing as their mount found his footing on the shore.

Wolf slipped from the stallion’s back and reached up for her. With her hands resting on his shoulders, Caroline went willingly. She didn’t resist when he pulled her to him. “We did it,” she exclaimed, wrapping her arms around his neck. His hair was as wet as hers, and she tangled her fingers in the thick locks.

When he separated their bodies enough to see her face, his smile matched hers. “There’s someplace near where we can rest for the night.”

“But I thought we would reach Seven Pines by tonight.” He had said as much when they were at the fort.

“Are you so anxious to end the journey?”

“No,” Caroline admitted, though she added, “I suppose ’twouldn’t be proper to arrive with our clothes soaking wet.”

His smile was all the more enchanting because it was brief. “We must do what is proper.” The cocoon of his arms dropped away. “Come along, Lady Caroline,” he said, leading her to her horse.

They rode for only a short time. The air carried a hint of autumn and Caroline was shivering. When Wolf slid from his horse, Caroline looked around her in surprise. She could see no reason why they stopped.

“We’ll walk from here on,” he said after helping her dismount. He led them onto a footpath she hadn’t noticed from the road.

The way was not easy. Wolf took charge of the horses, leaving Caroline to lift up her skirts and follow behind. She was breathless when she stumbled into the large clearing. In the middle was a cabin, small and covered with bark. Between that and the neat garden curved a wide, shallow creek. Raff led the horses to the edge and began removing one of the saddles.

“Go inside,” he told her. “I shall be in directly with wood for a fire.”

The thought of warmth was wonderful, but Caroline hesitated. “Won’t the people who live here mind us using the cabin?” It was obvious that no one was there. But she was just as certain that the homestead was not deserted. The garden looked recently weeded and ready to harvest.

“It is fine, Caroline.” He looked up from his work when she still hesitated. “You will find blankets to warm yourself.”

The door opened easily. When Caroline closed it behind her she cut off the main source of light for the cabin’s windows were small, no more than slits in the stick and wattle walls. Small ribbons of dust-laden sunlight streamed into the interior.

Few pieces of furniture cluttered the small room. The bed consisted of a neat pile of furs in the back corner. Clothing was hung from pegs, branches really, dried into the mud mortar. Use of the space was efficient, and Caroline wondered who lived here.

She walked across the brushed dirt floor to the only chair, a handmade affair, smooth and polished in the seat and arms, with the legs left bark-covered. Beside it was a table of similar design that held a candlestick and several books. Caroline picked one up and squinted to read the title.

“Voltaire,” said the voice behind her and Caroline whirled around to see Wolf silhouetted in the doorway. “Do you enjoy him?”

“A... no, not really” Caroline replaced the book on the pile, embarrassed to be caught snooping.

He seemed to ignore her discomfort as he dropped the split logs near the simple stone fireplace and began building a fire. “The blankets are back there.” His dark hair swayed around his shoulders when he motioned with his chin toward the back corner. “But I suggest you take off those wet clothes before wrapping yourself in one.”

“Take... take off my clothes?” Caroline sounded as if she never heard of the concept.

Wolf paused in his labors and twisted around to look at her. “Stay as you are and you’ll catch a chill.”

He spoke in a no-nonsense way that reinforced the soundness of his message. Still... “’Tis rather unseemly.”

“So is dying of the fever.” Wolf turned back to building the fire, coaxing the tiny flame by blowing on the dried leaves.

Caroline picked up a blanket of tightly woven wool. “I still don’t know. What if the owners should return? What would they think?” It wasn’t the owners she worried about, but that seemed as good an argument as any. His next words squelched it.

As the flames licked up about a chunk of wood, he stood. With barely a glance in her direction he headed for the door. “This is my home.” He reached for a rope-handled bucket hanging from a peg beside the door before turning.

His eyes met hers and in the orange glow from the fire, Caroline imagined they saw through her excuses and found them childish and lacking.

“I am going for water. You do as you please, Your Ladyship.” He grabbed up the long rifle he’d leaned against the wall and left the cabin.

It wasn’t indecision but cold fingers and wet clothing that slowed Caroline’s movements. Her first instinct was to keep on her shift, but it was cold and clammy next to her skin so she removed that as well. The blanket was large, covering her completely from head to toe. That didn’t stop the blush that seeped up her face when he reentered the cabin. But he seemed to pay little heed to her nakedness beneath the blanket.