Savage Tempest

But none of that seemed to matter now, for she knew that this warrior was not going to change his mind about taking her.

“Pack your things,” High Hawk said more determinedly, shoving the bag in Joylynn’s arms. “I know it will be hard enough to live among my people without having anything with you that is yours.”

Joylynn’s eyes widened at his show of consideration for her. Could he be a different breed of Indian? No, not only of Indian, but of man?

Or was it just a ploy to make her begin to trust in him?

But no matter how she tried to figure this man out, the fact remained that he was taking her as his captive. Surely in his mind she now belonged to him, and he would feel free to do whatever he chose to her.

She sighed heavily, for she knew that she had no choice but to do as he said. Still, she would find a way to get free at her first opportunity. Neither this Indian nor his friend had eyes in the back of their heads.

She doubted now that there were any others out there in the dark, or surely they would have come and joined the first two.

Fighting off her fear of what the future held for her, Joylynn hurried around the cabin, grabbing those clothes that were the most comfortable for her now that she was pregnant. She hoped the loose dresses would help hide her pregnancy for as long as possible from the Indians with whom she would be living.

She shoved these dresses in her bag along with her hairbrush and some underthings.

She gazed up at High Hawk, finding it strange that this man was being kind to her on one hand, by allowing her to take some of her things with her, yet cruel, too, since he was taking her captive.

High Hawk stood there watching her; then something caught his eye. It looked like a strange sort of weapon, but what were those two eyes on it?

He went to the table and picked up the strange apparatus, turning it from side to side as he studied it.

Joylynn saw his interest in it. “What you are holding is called binoculars,” she said, hoping to get on his good side by being friendly.

“What does it do?” he asked, glancing at Joylynn, and then again studying the binoculars. “Shoot? How do you load it?”

Joylynn realized he knew absolutely nothing about binoculars. She laughed softly, hoping he would not think she was mocking him.

“It isn’t a weapon,” she said. “Put it to your eyes. Look through it. Look at one thing in particular. Can you see how it seems to magnify what you are looking at?”

She was relieved when he didn’t seem offended by her laughter, but instead looked through the lenses as she’d suggested.

“Take it with you,” she murmured. “You might find it of value one of these days.”

High Hawk lowered the binoculars from his eyes.

Surprised by her generousity, especially since she was his captive, he held the binoculars in his hand a moment. Thinking she was somehow trying to trick him, he started to place the binoculars back on the table.

Then, too intrigued by them, he changed his mind and slipped the long strap they hung from around his neck.

Pleased that he had decided to take the binoculars, Joylynn lifted her bag and stepped outside with him.

When she saw her breech-loading rifle still on the ground, only a few feet from her, she thought she might have found the opportunity to escape that she’d been looking for.

She took a quick step toward it, but High Hawk quickly saw what she was trying to do and grabbed up the rifle himself.

Her heart pounded as she wondered how he would react. Joylynn gazed nervously into his eyes, where the moonlight glowed in the dark depths, then turned her head away when she heard the whinny of her horse. The other Indian led Swiftie to her, saddled and ready for traveling.

“Take your horse’s reins,” High Hawk commanded. He took her bag from her. “Come with me.”

She glanced around to see what the other Indian was doing. But he was already lost to sight, invisible in the darkness of the forest.

They went into the forest and walked until they came upon Three Bears, who was already on his horse, holding the reins of High Hawk’s mount. He held them out for High Hawk as he stepped up to him.

“Mount your steed now,” High Hawk said over his shoulder to Joylynn, swinging himself upon his saddle. “Come now with me and Three Bears. The others await us.”

Joylynn’s heart skipped a beat at hearing that there were others. Being with two Indians was frightening enough; she had no desire to be in the company of many.