Wild Thunder (3 page)

Oh, Lord, had destiny brought her here to meet this man? she wondered. Had her father been led into the decision of sending her here because of some hidden force urging him to?

Her heart was beating within her chest like the claps of wild thunder as she imagined being alone with this Potawatomis warrior, asking him his true reason for staring at her in such a way.

Surely she was being foolish; he studied her because she was a white woman. Perhaps he saw her as . . .

When he looked suddenly away from her and began talking in a cold tone to her brother, Hannah lost her train of thought and listened to his accusations about a dam having been built that was interfering with the lives of his people.

“I know of no such dam,” Chuck said, stunned by the change in Strong Wolf's behavior toward him. He had thought they had gained some respect between them, some camaraderie.

But surely he had been wrong. Friends trusted one another. They gave each other the chance to delve into the truths of that which troubled one another.

“You own this ranch, yet you do not know what is happening on its soil?” Strong Wolf said, dismounting his horse. His eyes occasionally moved to the woman, then forced them away again. He had come to get answers from this man. Not get caught up in feelings for a woman.

“Yes, I do own the ranch and the pastureland that surrounds it,” Chuck said stiffly. “And I would be the first to admit that just perhaps I don't know everything that goes on, as I should. I have a foreman. He is in charge of much that happens.”

“This foreman. He is called Tiny?” Strong Wolf said, folding his arms across his chest as his jaw tightened at the remembrance of watching the tiny little white man roaming around too close to land that was, by treaty, the Potawatomis.

“Yes, my foreman is a small man,” Chuck said, nodding.

“Then you must order this man to remove the dam that he built across water that I secured for my people when I touched the goose quill to treaty papers with white leaders,” Strong Wolf said flatly. “My people are a home-loving group. They never seek fame in war. As you know, I will soon guide more of my people to this land of sunshine and blowing grasses. I seek peace in all things. But if I must fight for my rights in this new land, I
will
.”

Strong Wolf stepped closer to the porch. “You must prove to me that you are no liar, that when you say you know nothing about a dam, you know
nothing,
” he said thickly, his face twisting. “I do not ever wish to believe that you are a wily, treacherous, and deceitful man who has been led into bad roads of life.”

As Strong Wolf occasionally looked at Hannah, she was given the opportunity to see into his beautiful midnight black eyes. They seemed to look into her very soul.

Thus far she had stood there and listened, not saying anything in the defense of her brother, for this Indian's confidence as he talked so openly and fearlessly to her brother greatly impressed her.

But being strong-willed and hardheaded, Hannah could no longer keep her silence. “I've heard enough,” she said, stepping between Chuck and Strong Wolf. “No one is going to talk to my brother like that. Not even
you,
Strong Wolf. My brother is an honest, God-fearing man. You should be ashamed of yourself for thinking otherwise!”

She was aware of her brother giving off a gasp behind her. Her knees weakened as she stared at Strong Wolf, whose eyes were wide with obvious shock of seeing a lady interfering in business between two men.

Suddenly Hannah was no longer as confident when his eyes narrowed into hers. Fear grabbed her at the pit of her stomach. Yet she stood her ground and lifted her chin, defying him with a set stare, willing her eyes not to waver.

“And who is this woman?” Strong Wolf suddenly blurted out. He took one step sideways so that he was again face-to-face with Chuck. He had never before seen a forward woman. He was not so repelled and angered by it as he was impressed.

“This is my sister Hannah,” Chuck said, still in a partial state of shock over Hannah speaking up in such a way. Yet shouldn't he have expected it? She had always been outspoken. And he never held that against her. She had always been able to fight her own battles in life.

Except for when their father had placed her in the convent. He had worried about that stifling her spirit. He knew now that had not happened.

“Hannah?” Strong Wolf said, turning slow eyes her way again.

She smiled sheepishly at him, then turned quickly away and watched Tiny as he approached on horseback toward them.

“Who is that, Hannah?” Chuck asked, squinting his eyes, trying to see.

“Tiny,” Hannah said, glowering at the tiny man.

“Just the man I need to see,” Chuck said.

Tiny dismounted and stepped around Strong Wolf, their eyes locked in silent battle. He went on the porch and stood beside Chuck.

“Chuck, what's he doin' here?” Tiny grumbled, nervously fingering a rust-colored mustache. Freckles were thick on this thin, weather-beaten face. His wide-brimmed Stetson hat was sweat-stained. His chaps were briar-scratched.

“Tiny, Strong Wolf says he found a dam built across a stream that belongs to him,” Chuck said, his voice guarded. “You did it, didn't you, Tiny? No one else would.”

“I had help, if that's what you mean,” the tiny, redheaded man said, sneering as he gazed at Strong Wolf.

“You know you're wrong, don't you, Tiny?” Chuck said, his voice sounding tired.

“I had to,” Tiny argued. “It's necessary for the operation of the gristmill that has recently been built at the ranch.”

“Tiny, destroy the dam,” Chuck said, heaving a deep sigh. “We can find other ways to run the gristmill.”

“But, Chuck, this is the
only
way,” Tiny argued.

“Tiny, we don't want no trouble with the Potawatomis, now, do we?” Chuck said impatiently.

“You'd think they'd understand,” Tiny grumbled.

“The dam you built has interfered in my people's lives,” Strong Wolf said, not allowing this man to sway the rancher against the decision that he had already made. “When the hunt for game is slow, then fish in the stream is good for my people's cook fires. The dam
must
be destroyed. And that is my last word. It is
final
.”

Chuck turned to Tiny, his jaw tight. “Remove the dam, damn it,” he growled out. “Remove it immediately.”

Strong Wolf breathed in a slow, quivering breath. He was glad that this confrontation was settled with the landowner, yet he did see a troubled path ahead with the tiny man. He could see the rage in the depths of his gray eyes as Tiny continued to glare at him. Strong Wolf could see how he clasped and unclasped his hands into tight fists at his sides.

Yes, this was a man who would not accept defeat all that easily. But Strong Wolf was a much better man than he, and would never let the man best him.

Confident that the dam would be removed and that he had been wrong to test the waters of friendship with this landowner, who until now had offered him friendship, Strong Wolf gazed intensely at Chuck.

“Friends still?” he said, squaring his shoulders.

“Yes, friends still,” Chuck said, nervously clearing his throat.

Strong Wolf turned slow eyes to Hannah. “Friends?” he said, his eyes locking with hers.

Hannah's whole insides melted when she met his direct, intense gaze. Her knees weakened as she reached a hand out toward him. “Yes, friends,” she murmured, her heart leaping when he placed his powerful hand in hers and shook it.

Tiny emitted a disgusted groan from the depths of his throat, then stalked away. Day by day his hate for the Potawatomis was growing inside him. And today was the last straw! His schemes, thus far, to discourage these Indians from staying in this area had not been severe enough. The Indians' farmland was thriving. Their people were well and happy. Yes, he must turn to more severe measures to change this.

All that Tiny had schemed to own—all of Chuck's land and possessions—was threatened, not only because of the stubborn Indian, but now also because Chuck's sister was there to care for him. He had wasted too much time waiting for Chuck to become completely blind so he could swindle Chuck out of all that he owned—a ranch and hundreds of acres of farm and grazing land. He had never suspected that Chuck would have a relative come to live with him, to help him with his affliction, especially not an interfering sister.

As Tiny saw it, Chuck's sister was an obstacle to his plans, and the Potawatomis had land that he wanted for his own ranch. He was now not only Chuck's foreman, but also his bookkeeper, and if he had calculated right in placing the wrong entries in Chuck's ledgers, Chuck's land would soon be Tiny's.

And he must act soon, before Hannah was shown the ledgers.

Tiny sneered, then laughed to himself when he thought of how asinine Chuck had been to trust Tiny to care for the journals. Chuck no longer had the ability to even add up figures to see if they balanced.

“I'll be the richest man in all of Kansas Territory,” Tiny gloated to himself as he swung himself into his saddle. He grabbed up his reins and took one last look at Strong Wolf, then wheeled his horse around and rode away.

“Come again soon, Strong Wolf,” Chuck said as Strong Wolf released Hannah's hand. “We shall have council here for a change, instead of at your village. I feel I should do something to make up for this inconvenience caused you today.”

“You have done enough by ordering the removal of the dam,” Strong Wolf said, his eyes still on Hannah. What he saw today in the woman was something he wished to ignore, yet his heart told him that was impossible. There was too much about her that was different from most women. His intrigue of her touched him to the very core of his being.

“Tiny was just looking out for my best interests,” Chuck said, sighing. “But I have my doubts about him sometimes.”

“It not my place to discourage you about those who work for you; yet I cannot help but say that if I were you, I would be wary of that man,” Strong Wolf said, then turned and went to his horse. “I have my duties to see to. I must leave.”

He gazed at Hannah again, “We shall meet again, I am certain,” he said. He nodded to Chuck, then rode off in an easy lope on his beautiful chestnut stallion.

Hannah's heart beat soundly as she watched Strong Wolf ride away. He sat so tall and so masterfully in his saddle. His shoulders were so squared and muscled. And she loved the way his dark, waist-length hair fluttered in the wind.

“Sis?”

Chuck's voice broke through Hannah's reverie. Red-faced, she turned to him. “Yes?” she murmured.

“What do you think?”

“About what?”

“About Strong Wolf.”

“In which way, Chuck?”

“Hannah, am I wrong, or did I feel strong feelings being exchanged between the two of you?”

Hannah gulped hard. She sucked in a wild breath. “You noticed this?” she murmured. “You can't even see all that well, yet detected something evolving between me and Strong Wolf?”

“Besides my eyes, my other senses have been enhanced, and, yes, Hannah, I felt something happening between you and my Potawatomis friend.”

“And if you are right?” Hannah murmured. “How would you feel?”

Hannah became unnerved by Chuck's sudden silence.

Was that thunder?
I grasped the cord of my swift mustang,
Without a word.

—F
RANK
D
ESPREZ

 

 

 

Hawk, a Sioux and the son of Star Flower and Buffalo Cloud, was traveling alone on horseback, his destination Kansas. His village was not far from the village of Strong Wolf's people in Wisconsin. He was thinking back to what his mother had said to him before he had left for this long journey. She had told him that it was now time to follow the scent of skunk that had been left along the trail made by Strong Wolf and his friend Proud Heart, who were now settled in the Kansas Territory.

The fathers of Strong Wolf and Proud Heart were responsible for the death of Hawk's uncle, his mother's brother. Hawk never knew his uncle Slow Running, but his mother had told him often how much she had loved him.

And she had stood beside her brother when he had gone against the Chippewa, the Sioux people's natural enemy. And since his death at the hands of Chief White Wolf and his companion Sharp Nose all those years ago, she had lived with resentment, with revenge on her mind.

She had ordered her son to do the avenging. She had told him that she had waited long enough for this to happen. She had told Hawk to go now to the Potawatomis's newly established village. There he was to avenge his uncle's death by killing the sons of those two warriors who were responsible for her brother's death!

From the beginning, when his mother had first approached him to do this for her, Hawk had told her that he could not kill those whom he himself did not see as enemies.

He had finally agreed to do what she had asked of him after his mother had repeatedly reminded him that he owed her so much. Because of her having trouble giving birth to him, she couldn't have any more children.

Even
he
held himself to blame for his mother's barren womb. And how could he not? She had never let him forget that he was the reason she could never have any more children.

Yes, he owed her anything she asked of him.

Also, he had agreed never to tell his father, Buffalo Cloud, what he and his mother had conspired to do. His father, the peace-loving man that he was, would never approve.

As he rode onward, Hawk's thoughts centered on Proud Heart's sister, Doe Eyes. He hadn't told her, either, what he must do for the sake of his mother. He had been forced to leave Doe Eyes behind, his one and only love, although both hearts would be broken by such a silent farewell. Because of tensions between families, theirs had been a forbidden love, one that only they had secretly shared.

When wild thunder rolled across the hills in the distance, Hawk sank his moccasin heels into the flanks of his white mustang. He was anxious to get this done and over with. His mother had told him not to return home again until the deed was done. He
must
hurry and return home alive and well, for he would be chief after his father.

“How am I to kill people I do not even hate?” Hawk despaired to himself, having not even known the man whose death he was avenging. Like his father, Hawk was a peace-loving man.

“And she expects them both to die,” he whispered to himself. “How . . . can . . . I?”

He lifted his eyes to the sky. “Doe Eyes, if you could just be here, to comfort my bleeding, troubled heart!” he cried to the heavens.