Wild Thunder

“Hannah,” he said, gently gripping her shoulders as he gazed into her weary eyes. “Admit it. Let me hear you say that you know you are skilled at caring for people. You have proven that you could be a doctor. You must forget that crazed idea of marrying an Indian. Go to school. Get your license. Come and join my medical practice. Let me have something to brag about, honey. Let me show you off to the world.”

“Are you saying that if I don’t become a doctor, you won’t have anything nice to say about me?” Hannah asked, her heart aching because he had such a narrow, one-tracked mind. “That if I don’t become a doctor, you would rather disown me?”

Her father paled. He dropped his hands to his sides. “No,” he said shallowly. “I didn’t say that at all.”

“Well, that’s how it sounded to me,” Hannah said, lifting her chin stubbornly.

Again she blinked her eyes.

They were so heavy from lack of sleep.

She felt dizzy from it.

All she wanted now, since she knew that Clara was going to be all right, was to sleep for weeks!

Her father gazed down at her. He took her hand and led her outside, on top deck, where the air was sweet and fresh; the sky was clear and blue.

Hannah breathed it all in and said a soft prayer to herself that for the most part, this nightmare was over and would soon be totally behind her. She would resume her life again, a life with the man she loved. Oh, how she had missed Strong Wolf these past dreary days.

Howard drew her into his warm embrace. “Honey, don’t purposely misinterpret what I am saying,” he said softly. “But surely you don’t want to be a mere Indian’s squaw when you could go to school and be a doctor. You would be admired. You would be helpful to those who needed you.”

Hannah found the strength, perhaps the last of her strength, to wrench herself from her father’s arms. “Father, do you realize that I am old enough to know my own mind?” she said, sighing heavily. “Yet you are still trying to tell me what to do. You are still hellbent on running my life. And please listen to me when I say that I am going to be with the man I love. He needs me. I need him.”

“I . . . don’t . . . want you to marry a damn savage,” Howard blurted, his eyes dark with fury. “Your life is worth more than that, Hannah. Much more than that!”

Stunned by how he had referred to Strong Wolf as a savage, Hannah took an unsteady step away from him. “How dare you,” she said, her voice trembling. “Strong Wolf is . . .”

Having pulled the last ounce from inside her to fight for her rights, Hannah felt a keen light-headedness quickly seize her.

She grabbed for the chair again, but missed it.

A black void enwrapping her, she sank to the floor in a dead faint.

“Hannah!” Howard gasped. He fell to his knees and gathered her into his arms.

Grace had come on top deck and stood in the shadows, listening to the debate between daughter and father. She went to Howard, her tired eyes glaring. “You just couldn’t leave her alone, could you?” she accused. “Why can’t you let it be, Howard? Hannah is no longer your little girl. She is a grown lady. And she is going to marry Strong Wolf.”

Her hands were soft on Hannah’s brow. “My sweet, precious daughter,” she said, sighing with relief when Hannah’s brow was cool to the touch. “Thank goodness she’s not ill. She’s just completely worn herself out.” She glared up at Howard. “And not only from working so hard day in and out these past several days. From listening to you, Howard.”

Howard carried Hannah to his cabin and placed her gently on his bunk.

Grace knelt down beside the bunk and kissed Hannah’s brow. “Sleep, darling Hannah,” she whispered. “When you awaken, you will be with the man you love.”

Howard gasped. “What?” he said, his eyes locking in silent battle with his wife as she turned glaring eyes up at him.

“Now that the crisis is over and the danger has passed, I am going to ask someone to take Hannah to Strong Wolf,” Grace said. “And don’t try and stop me. I imagine that man is almost out of his mind with worry over Hannah. We’ve kept her from him long enough.”

She rose shakily to her feet, herself feeling faint with exhaustion. “And we’re going to take Clara to Chuck’s ranch this morning,” she said. “We are no longer needed on this boat. And the crew has managed to

get it dislodged from the sandbar. It can now be on its way downriver.”

“Suddenly you are telling me and everyone else what to do?” Howard said incredulously.

“It’s about time, I’d say,” Grace said stiffly, defying him with a sleady stare. “Yes, it’s about time I became my own person who speaks her own mind. Thank God, Hannah has learned earlier than I. She’ll be much happier for it.”

She looked at Hannah for a moment, then cast her husband another tired, but determined gaze over her shoulder. “And she’ll have much more respect from her husband,” she said, her voice breaking.

Chapter 32