Read Online Savage Spring by Constance O'Banyon - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Constance O'Banyon
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part of Morning Song. Lifting her to his face, he kissed the smooth cheek as fatherly love washed through his heart. His tears wet the baby’s cheek as he found an outlet for his grief. Tag knew that he would never cry for Morning Song again after today, even though she would always be a part of him, no matter where he went or what he did. As he rocked his tiny daughter in his arms, her crying stopped, and so did his. Joanna had been right…this tiny bit of humanity who was a part of him and Morning Song had helped him face his loss and given him the courage to go on.
When Joanna returned a short time later, she found Tag curled up on the bearskin rug beside the fire, holding the baby in his arms—both he and the child were fast asleep. Bending down, she pulled a fur cover over them both, hoping Tag had come to terms with his sorrow.
Each day Tag seemed to grow stronger. It wasn’t long until he wasn’t satisfied staying in the lodge with Joanna and Sun Woman fussing over him. He began to ride out with Windhawk and the other warriors, and Joanna knew he was becoming more like his old self. No one ever spoke to him of Morning Song, because that was the way he wanted it. He spent hours with his daughter, but he refused to give her a name. He told Joanna that, for the time being, he would just call her the little princess. After a while, everyone adopted the name as well, so Tag’s daughter became known as the little princess.
One morning when the wind had died down, and the snow clouds had moved away, Tag went for the first time to the tipi he had shared with Morning Song. He spent most of the day inside, and when he came out the whole village gathered around in amazement as he lit a torch and burned the tipi to the ground.
That night Tag, Joanna, and Windhawk sat around the lodge, talking quietly. Joanna could see that her brother was well on his way to recovering from his wound. She hoped he would soon recover from his loss.
“I have decided that I will leave for Philadelphia in two days’ time,” Tag said, looking at Joanna.
Joanna wanted to beg Tag to reconsider, but the look Windhawk gave her silenced her just in time.
“I thought that is what you might be planning to do, Tag,” Windhawk said hurriedly, not trusting Joanna to keep her objections to herself. “Have you thought this through and know it is what you want to do?”
“Yes, I have to. The two white men who…shot Morning Song were sent by Claudia and Uncle Howard to kill me. I heard them talking about it.” He looked into Joanna’s eyes. “You understand I have to go, don’t you, Joanna?”
Joanna’s mouth flew opened in horror as the truth of the situation hit her. She hadn’t considered for one moment that Tag has been the intended victim of the men who had shot Morning Song. It was hard to believe that her uncle and Claudia would go to such lengths to harm Tag.
“Yes, Tag, I can see that you have to go. I wish I could go with you. I hate the thought that you will…”
Windhawk touched Joanna’s hand, and she knew he was telling her to let Tag go. “You must do what you must do, Tag,” she said in a soft whisper.
“I would ask something of you, Joanna. I can leave with peace of mind if I know you will be caring for the little princess. Before Morning Song died, she asked me to give the baby to you.”
“I will love and care for the little princess as if she were my own daughter, Tag. But one day, when this is all settled, you must come back for her. Not so much that she will need you, but that you will need her.”
Tag nodded his head, and his eyes traveled to the cradle where his daughter slept. “I’ll be back, you can depend on that, but it may be a long while before I return. Tell her about me and her mother. Never allow her to forget that I…love her.” Tag’s eyes were full of sorrow as he looked at his sister. “Joanna, I have to go back—try to understand. Morning Song made me promise before she died that I
When Joanna returned a short time later, she found Tag curled up on the bearskin rug beside the fire, holding the baby in his arms—both he and the child were fast asleep. Bending down, she pulled a fur cover over them both, hoping Tag had come to terms with his sorrow.
Each day Tag seemed to grow stronger. It wasn’t long until he wasn’t satisfied staying in the lodge with Joanna and Sun Woman fussing over him. He began to ride out with Windhawk and the other warriors, and Joanna knew he was becoming more like his old self. No one ever spoke to him of Morning Song, because that was the way he wanted it. He spent hours with his daughter, but he refused to give her a name. He told Joanna that, for the time being, he would just call her the little princess. After a while, everyone adopted the name as well, so Tag’s daughter became known as the little princess.
One morning when the wind had died down, and the snow clouds had moved away, Tag went for the first time to the tipi he had shared with Morning Song. He spent most of the day inside, and when he came out the whole village gathered around in amazement as he lit a torch and burned the tipi to the ground.
That night Tag, Joanna, and Windhawk sat around the lodge, talking quietly. Joanna could see that her brother was well on his way to recovering from his wound. She hoped he would soon recover from his loss.
“I have decided that I will leave for Philadelphia in two days’ time,” Tag said, looking at Joanna.
Joanna wanted to beg Tag to reconsider, but the look Windhawk gave her silenced her just in time.
“I thought that is what you might be planning to do, Tag,” Windhawk said hurriedly, not trusting Joanna to keep her objections to herself. “Have you thought this through and know it is what you want to do?”
“Yes, I have to. The two white men who…shot Morning Song were sent by Claudia and Uncle Howard to kill me. I heard them talking about it.” He looked into Joanna’s eyes. “You understand I have to go, don’t you, Joanna?”
Joanna’s mouth flew opened in horror as the truth of the situation hit her. She hadn’t considered for one moment that Tag has been the intended victim of the men who had shot Morning Song. It was hard to believe that her uncle and Claudia would go to such lengths to harm Tag.
“Yes, Tag, I can see that you have to go. I wish I could go with you. I hate the thought that you will…”
Windhawk touched Joanna’s hand, and she knew he was telling her to let Tag go. “You must do what you must do, Tag,” she said in a soft whisper.
“I would ask something of you, Joanna. I can leave with peace of mind if I know you will be caring for the little princess. Before Morning Song died, she asked me to give the baby to you.”
“I will love and care for the little princess as if she were my own daughter, Tag. But one day, when this is all settled, you must come back for her. Not so much that she will need you, but that you will need her.”
Tag nodded his head, and his eyes traveled to the cradle where his daughter slept. “I’ll be back, you can depend on that, but it may be a long while before I return. Tell her about me and her mother. Never allow her to forget that I…love her.” Tag’s eyes were full of sorrow as he looked at his sister. “Joanna, I have to go back—try to understand. Morning Song made me promise before she died that I
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