Authors: Cassie Edwards
She shares the dawns with him in sacred
silence,
Love, who is most beautiful among
Thei mmortal gods,the melter of limps,
Overwhelms in their hearts, the intelligence
And wise counsel of all gods and all men.
—Hesiod
Several Years Later
Kneeling beside her crackling cookfire, Lavinia was grinding corn for her family’s bread. She was using a stone mortar and
pestle, just as all the other women did.
She used all of her weight to grind the corn, pouring the cornmeal into a wooden bowl when it was ground fine enough.
She was deep in thought as she labored. It was work she loved, for it was for her family, which now included two more children.
Dorey was so proud of her younger sister, Running Laughter, who was now five summers of age, and of her younger brother, Little
Rock, who was four.
Lavinia beamed with happiness that she had two more children besides Dorey. And she was even nowheavy with another child,
who should arrive in two months.
Never had she imagined being this happy, especially away from the world of privilege she had known before meeting Wolf Dancer.
She would not give up her new world for anything. Every day brought her such contentment as she watched her children grow
and her husband wisely lead his Seminole people.
It continued to be a good time for the Seminole under Wolf Dancer’s leadership. They prospered on their island and were never
bothered by anyone. The tale of the mysterious white panther that stalked the Everglades seemed to keep strangers away.
Her back tired from the grinding, Lavinia stood and walked to the door, gazing outside where her children were enjoying the
beautiful sunny day.
She caught Dorey gazing at Running Bear with a look of utter adoration. It was no secret that Dorey had a crush on Running
Bear, who returned her admiration. They were almost inseparable, as were Twila and Deer Shadow.
Never would anyone guess how these four young people had met. Lavinia would not be at all surprised if they ended up being
married one day in the future.
She gazed elsewhere and saw Joshua. He was walking his wife to the stream, where he would help her collect water, for she
was near the time when their second child would be born.
Joshua had married his wife’s best friend, who had given Twila a brother. The little boy was one summer old now, and adorable.
Pretty Butterfly, his wife, had worked side by side with Joshua and his former wife Lorna in the fields at the Price Plantation.
They each had lost a mate and had grown to love one another after they came to Mystic Island.
All in all, things could not be any finer on the island, nor could Lavinia be any happier.
She rested her hands on her hips, smiling to herself when she felt a soft nudge from what she imagined might be a knee inside
her big belly.
That was a moment she always cherished, when a child inside her womb let her know just how alive it was, and ready to let
out its first cry once it was born. “A son,” she whispered to herself, knowing that Wolf Dancer wanted another son, and then
another. He was the sort of man who loved children, and the more, the merrier!
“I love him so much,” she whispered to herself, her heart doing a sort of flip-flop as she caught sight of him entering the
village on foot with a deer carcass casually thrown across his shoulder. He had been out hunting with his men, and she noticed
that several other warriors had caught game as well.
“We shall have plenty of venison for the next several days,” she whispered, again smiling.
Wanting to get her bread finished in time for the evening meal, so it would be ready to eat with that delicious venison, she
went back to her grinding. She was so happy, she felt as though she were swimming in joy!
Dear Reader,
I hope you enjoyed reading Savage Flames. The next book in my Savage series, which I write exclusively for Leisure Books,
is Savage Abandon, about the Winnebago tribe. This book is filled with romance, authentic history of the Winnebago people,
and majestic Indian pride.
Those of you who are collecting my Indian romance novels and want to hear more about the series and my entire backlist of
Indian books can send for my latest newsletter, autographed bookmark, and fan club information by writing to:
Cassie Edwards
6709 North Country Club Road
Mattoon, IL 61938
For a response, please include a stamped, self-addressed legal-size envelope with your letter. And if you wish, you can visit
me at these Web sites:
My personal Web site: www.cassieedwards.com
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/cassieedwardsromance
Thank you for your support of my Indian series. I love researching and writing about our nation's beloved Native Americans,
our country's true first people!
Always,
Cassie Edwards
In his darkest hour, Gabriel found Solace. She was full of life, energy and daring. And it was up to Gabe to defend her when
all society shunned her for the very individuality Gabe loved. But this time he had the strength and know-how to protect his
woman; this time he would have faith that, “Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life.”
Read ahead for a sneak preview of
Gabriel's Lady by
Charlotte Hubbard
.
“Gabe! Gabe, it's so dang good to see ya! But I'm so'”
When Billy grabbed his hand, the grip stunned Gabe'because it was so strong from his years of working with horses, but also
because it swung him into an unexpected hug. A choking sound made Gabe's eyes go wet: for the first time, someone
felt
his pain instead of just giving it lip service. Billy Bristol's arms clamped around his body like steel bands, yet he sensed
that his friend'this blood brother of his childhood'would be the one to free him from his misery.
When the redhead stepped back, his blue eyes sparkled with unshed tears. “It's so good to see ya,” he repeated, “I don't want
to get to that other part. But it tore me up pretty bad to hear about Letitia. I'm real sorry for your loss.”
Billy glanced toward the train then, where porters scurried to unload Grace's belongings at the encouragement of her pretty
smile. The platform was stacked with an impressive number of trunks and boxes. “Good thing I drove my biggest buckboard,”
he remarked with a chuckle. “Can't thank you enough for es-cortin' Gracie, since any man with eyes'll try to sweet-talk her.
And she so obviously hates that!”
Gabe laughed. “Yes, she could charm the socks off any fellow alive.”
“Yeah, well it's what those fellas'll charm off her that scares me.”
He stood back then, a rugged man in denim and homespun, clean but well-worn.
Comfortable
had always been Billy Bristol's way, in clothing and behavior. His hair had turned a darker shade of auburn and he wore it
a little longer now. Gabe tried to imagine him as a desperado, like his twin brother had been, yet the direct gaze of those
blue eyes bespoke a man of utmost integrity. A man who'd earned his place in the world by the sweat of his brow and the strength
of those broad, calloused hands.
“It was a small favor, considering your generous invitation to'”
“Well, how
else
could I get ya here? Been way too long,” Billy insisted. “It's a shame it took a situation like yours to get us together again.”
He sighed. “Yes, well…situations happen, don't they?”
“And we'll hash all that out after we get you home and outta these fancy city clothes. Gotta say I like that derby, though.
Never owned one myself.” Billy plucked at the sleeve of his brown plaid suit. “Looks like you've done right well for yourself
practicin' the law, Mr. Getty.”
“It's what's beneath the suit that's taken the beating,” he replied with a sigh. “Appearances can be deceiving, my friend.”
“And I want to hear whatever you gotta get off your mind'but meanwhile it appears our new tutor is ready to load up.” Billy
grinned. “You were the perfect escort, Gabe. Professional, well-heeled air about ya'to discourage anybody else who might be
givin' her the eye. And lots of practice at totin' a woman's trunks, I bet!”
“It's amazing how much luggage one tiny female requires. Where would any of them be without men for pack animals?”
For a fleeting moment he wondered how Cranks, the butler, spent his time now that he no longer accompanied Letitia on her
shopping excursions. It was a good sign that such a thought didn't depress him today; a better sign that he could laugh at
himself for ever depending on domestic help.
It felt good to shoulder those trunks with Billy; they'd worked together as boys, and it was only his bent for book learning
that had sent him away from such a salt-of-the-earth existence. As he heaved Gracie's trunks up to the buckboard, his muscles
told him he hadn't pulled his weight lately. Maybe this trip to rural Missouri would balance him…show him what he was made
of, without stylish clothing and someone else's mansion to live in.
When they pulled into the Bristol driveway, lined with maple trees in their shiny spring leaves, Gabe's heart fluttered. It
was still the homeplace he'd envied when he came here for Billy's wedding: the house glowed with fresh white paint and its
pillars suggested Southern grandeur of a bygone era. Lilacs scented the breeze, and beyond the large red barn stretched miles
of white plank fence. Beautiful grazing horses dotted the lush pastureland.
He couldn't have painted a prettier picture if he'd been Michelangelo.
A dog raced toward them then, white with distinctive markings around his eyes and ears. Some of his fondest childhood memories
returned: Billy letting him pick out a border collie puppy born in the Monroes' barn…their four dogs herding Texas longhorns
that had cut across their Kansas farms. Those black and white collies were long gone, but Gabe still glowed, thinking about
them. Everything about this family took him back to better days, and Gabe felt happier than he had in weeks. Maybe years.
“Rex!” a loud voice called. “Rex, you ornery mutt! We're not finished practicing!”
Billy halted the horses while Grace sat taller on the seat between them. “Don't tell me that's Solace, riding without'”
“Haven't you ever seen your sister practicin' her act?” Billy cut in. “She's trainin' her new dog, and he's a handful.”
“Mama would be having a'time and again she's told Solace not to'”
“Which is why Solace loves to come here.” Billy leaned his elbows on his knees to include Gabe in his grin. “You and Lily
were cut from silk and satin, honey, and Aunt Agatha's academy was the place you needed to be. But while you were away, how
do you s'pose Solace entertained herself? She
sure
wasn't perfectin' her needlework.”
Gabe chuckled. He gazed at the approaching figure in rapt fascination, for she was standing barefoot on the back of a bay
gelding that cantered alongside the driveway. Solace Monroe wore old denim pants and a red plaid shirt, and with her dark
brown hair flying behind her'and a daredevil grin!'she seemed like something from a dream. She balanced so confidently on
the horse's back that she appeared to be floating. Or flying.
And then, a few feet before she reached the buckboard, Solace dropped down to straddle her mount as though these acrobatics
were second nature to her. Such effortless grace bespoke hours of practice, and Gabe wondered how many times she'd tumbled
off'how many bones she'd broken'to reach this level of performance perfection.
“Gabe! Gabe Getty, it's been way too long!”
Her hands shot out and he grabbed them. A warm tingle of energy raced through his body when he felt the strength in Solace's
sturdy hands. Her face was flushed from riding and her breath came in exuberant bursts as she grinned at him. The little girl
he'd danced with at his wedding was anything but a child now.
“I was so happy to hear you'd be'” Her face clouded over then, but her brown-eyed gaze never wavered. “We were all so sad
to learn about Letitia, Gabe. How horrible it must've been for you to'but you're here now! Family again, like when we were
kids!”
His heart turned a cartwheel. When had anyone ever greeted him with such enthusiasm? Such all-embracing sincerity? He opened
his mouth but it took a moment for the words to come out.
“It's good to be back,” he murmured. Grace and Billy watched him closely, so he gave them the best smile he could muster.
“The past few weeks have been sheer hell. The Ban-crofts blame me for Letitia's untimely'”
“How absurd!” Solace had no need for more details. She believed without question in the Gabriel Getty she'd known all her
life.
He swallowed hard. Her compassion nearly overwhelmed him. He wasn't sure he deserved such outright confidence in his innocence.
Those bold brown eyes unnerved him, too, yet the glow on Solace's face drew him in and warmed his very soul. And she did all
this as effortlessly as she'd ridden her horse standing up.
“Don't mind my sister, Gabriel,” Gracie murmured. “She wants the best for you'as we all do. But she needs to rein herself
in.”
Anguish froze Solace's face, and then Gabe watched a play of familiar emotions: despair and betrayal…the sense of being
an outcast in her own family. And in that brief moment, he heard the cry of a kindred spirit. How often had he himself felt
despised and belittled these past six years?
“Now Gracie,” Billy began, “you shouldn't doubt your sister's intentions about'”
“No, Billy, she hasn't a
clue
about what anyone else might think or feel,” Solace huffed. “So nice to see you again, Saint Grace. How have we gotten along
without you?”
Before Gabe could offer Solace encouragement, she whistled. Her dog leaped onto the horse, in front of her, and Miss Monroe
wheeled her mount in a tight circle. Then she charged full-tilt toward the pasture'but the gate wasn't open! He held his breath,
wondering if'As though the horse were a part of her, flying on her will alone, it leaped up and over the white plank fence
to land proudly on the other side. The dog was still seated, and so was Solace, who urged the bay into a breakneck gallop.
Had he not seen it with his own eyes, he wouldn't have believed it.