Savage Flames

Yes, it was a busy time in this village, and should be a happy one for Lavinia. But as she sat beside the fire now, in deep thought, she just couldn’t find the feeling of peace she wanted so badly.

Dorey had left a short while ago after sharing her morning meal with Lavinia to play with Twila and the other children.

Lavinia wanted to believe that everyone was safe on the island. But as long as Hiram was still out there somewhere, able to wreak havoc on them anytime he wished, how could she relax and enjoy life? Soon she would be married to the most wonderful man in the world. She even hoped to discover that she was with child, for both she and Wolf Dancer wanted children born of their special love. But she could not help shivering at the memory of the mansion burning, and with it so many precious things that she had wanted to bring back with her to the village.

Hiram had even destroyed the books she would have brought home for the children to enjoy. Her mother’s Bible was ruined and even now lying in ashes, as were so many other things she would have brought into her life as a Seminole bride.

What she regretted most were those destroyed books.

Yes, Lavinia had planned to use them to teach the Seminole children, as well as the black children, who had never had the opportunity to learn to read, as Dorey had secretly taught Twila.

Lavinia’s jaw tightened with determination. She would not let those children remain uneducated. Assoon as she felt it was safe, she hoped to go into the nearest town and purchase at least a few books, which she could use to teach the children.

She turned her head abruptly when she heard footsteps behind her.

When she found Wolf Dancer entering, she greeted him with a smile, then leapt up and went to him.

He took her in his arms and gave her a slow,

sweet kiss, then put his hands at her waist and held her at arm’s length.

She saw from his expression that he had something to tell her that was not pleasant.

“What’s wrong?” Lavinia asked, searching his beautiful green eyes.

“It is Hiram Price,” Wolf Dancer said thickly. “When my warriors went to watch and wait for him, they found him dead on the grounds of the property. There were no visible wounds on his person, so perhaps he died from grief after seeing everything he owned in ashes.”

“And after realizing that the slaves…and his precious tobacco, were gone,” Lavinia added softly. She could not help feeling a little sorry for Hiram, yet not so much that she regretted his death. The fact was…she and her daughter no longer had to fear his interrupting their lives by coming and causing trouble at the Seminole village.

Nor did the slaves have to worry about their safety, especially beloved Joshua and Twila, who meant so much to Lavinia and Dorey.

“How do you feel about his death, now that it has happened?” Wolf Dancer asked softly.

“Do you really have to ask?” Lavinia said, sighing heavily. “You know that neither I nor Dorey would ever be completely safe if that man had lived. We would constantly have to worry about what he might be planning against us. It is sad, I must admit, that his life turned out to be so horrible, but I cannot regret the fact that he is gone. The future looks so bright now, darling Wolf Dancer. Thank you so much for taking me and Dorey in, as well as all the others. Without you, all of our lives would still be built around fear.”

“I have told you before that you do not have to thank me for the things I do for you, or for those you love,” Wolf Dancer said. He reached a hand up and slowly drew his fingers through her golden tresses. “My violet-eyed, golden-haired woman, you will soon be my wife. I would do anything for you. Now that you are free of that man, and everything connected with him, we can have a marriage that will shine with happiness and love. You are my happiness. You are my love.”

“Oh, how I love you,” Lavinia murmured. She twined her arms around his neck as he drew her up against him. “My love, I want to disappear into you. I…want…to be you.”

“We are each other,” Wolf Dancer said huskily, then gave her a meltingly hot kiss.

Lavinia returned the kiss for long moments. They parted from one another at the same moment, their eyes searching each other’s.

“I wish we could stay here all day, alone,” Lavinia murmured, her heart pounding with the need thathad been born inside her the very first time Wolf Dancer had kissed her. “But…but…we have good news to share with others, don’t we?”

“Yes, and it will give me joy to tell it,” Wolf Dancer said, smiling.

He took her by the hand, and together they walked outside into the morning sunshine.

It seemed that the warriors who had returned to the village had already spread the news of Hiram’s death among the people of the village. The man so many feared was no longer alive.

The former slaves’ eyes were the brightest of all as they came and stood together before Lavinia and Wolf Dancer.

Wolf Dancer’s people stopped their chores and joined the crowd, their eyes also on their chief.

“I am certain you already know what news has been brought to our island today,” he said, smiling from one to the other, his eyes lingering longest on Joshua. “The man who harmed so many with his evil ways is no longer alive. We no longer have to fear that he might bring white soldiers to search for our island. We are safe, and peace is to be celebrated.” “And the harvest is finished,” Joshua chimed in, beaming as all eyes were drawn to him. He was proud to have been a part of these people’s harvest, for he wanted them to see him as a worthy member of their village.

“And we have much tobacco to share,” he said proudly. “It no longer belongs to Massah, I mean Hiram Price.”