Savage Splendor (Savage Lagonda 2) (21 page)

The brothers nodded, as if in a state of shock. It was hard for them to think of their princess as being real royalty.

Du Lac sat down in one of the chairs and propped his feet on the table. "I do not believe you. How do we know you are who you say you are?" he said lazily.

Fire leaped into Jeffery's eyes, and again he resisted the urge to throw a punch at the Frenchman.

"Du Lac, why don't you shut up," Zeke said angrily. "This ain't none of your affair."

"Don't pay him no mind," Jake told Jeffery. "He thinks the good Lord put him on earth to service all women."

Du Lac lifted his feet from the table and stood up. "I can see that I am not welcome here, so I will leave." He grabbed up his jacket on his way to the door and threw it over his shoulder. "I will be back," he said between clenched teeth. There was anger in his heart, and he knew Mara had not seen the last of him.

"Will you go up and awaken my sister now?" Jeffery asked Jake. "I am anxious to see her."

"I'll do it," Jake volunteered. "Give me time alone with her to tell her about you."

"Thank you, Jake. Tell her I would like to see Andrew also."

15

How will it end, how will I know?

Where do I flee, where do I go?

Mara was awakened from a sound sleep as someone shook her gently by the shoulders.

"Mara, wake up, I want to talk to you," Jake told her.

Blinking her eyes, she sat up slowly. "Is something wrong?" She was not yet fully awake, and she glanced at the cradle to see that Andrew was still asleep.

"No, there ain't nothing wrong. I got good news to tell you." He pulled a blanket about her shoulders and tucked it beneath her chin before he spoke again. "There is a man below who says he is your brother."

Mara fumbled around in the half-light for the candle. Seeing her intentions, Jake found the candle and lit it for her. He could see her eyes were full of disbelief and uncertainty.

"Are you sure he is my brother, Jake? Could there be a mistake?"

"I am sure he is your brother, princess. He is the spittin' image of you. He says the two of you could pass for twins. 'Course you are the pretty one," he said teasingly, trying to ease her fright.

"What is he like? Will he like me, do you think?" "As to what he is like, he's a gentleman, talks all fancy, like you do. I liked him, and as to if he will like you, he said he loved you and had been searching for you real hard."

Mara's hand trembled as she tried to smooth the tangles from her hair by running her fingers through the golden curls.

"Jake, did you tell him about Andrew?" "I told him and he didn't seem to mind. He said to have you bring Andrew below so he could see him."

Jeffery watched as Mara climbed down the ladder. When she reached the bottom, she turned to face him. He searched her face for any sign of recognition, but the green eyes that looked back at him were wide with apprehension.

Mara stared at the handsome stranger who claimed to be her brother. His dress stated that he was a gentleman. His face eased into a smile and she waited for him to speak, not knowing how to react to him.

He walked slowly toward her, then reached out and took her hand and squeezed it, trying to reassure her. He could hardly stand to look into her beautiful eyes and know that she viewed him as a stranger, but he knew he could not let her see his distress.

"Hello, Mara. I am sure Jake explained to you that I am your brother."

"I . . . can see that you and I are of the same coloring. Are you sure I am your sister?" she said frowning.

The smile he flashed her lit his whole face. "I can assure you that you are my sister."

Jake, who had been standing behind her, handed Andrew to her and motioned for Zeke to follow him outside, so the brother and sister could be alone.

"I am embarrassed that I do not know you. What is your name?"

"My name is Jeffery, Jeffery Golden."

"I am Mara Golden?"

He hesitated a moment. "You were born Mara Golden." He took her arm and led her over to the warm fire and sat her down in the rocking chair. "Mara, may I see Andrew?" he asked, sitting down in the chair beside her. He held out his arms, and she handed him her son, reluctantly. She wanted to look away when he took Andrew and pulled the blanket aside, fearing what his reaction would be to her baby.

Jeffery smiled down at his tiny nephew, who could only be Tajarez's son. Jeffery thought Andrew looked more like his father than the prince royal did. "He is a very handsome boy." Lowering his head he kissed the baby on his smooth cheek, a tender gesture that startled Mara.

"Well, Andrew, I am your Uncle Jeffery. You and I are going to become very good friends."

"You do not mind that he is an Indian?" Mara blurted out, almost loving the tall blond man who was so kind to her son.

"He is your son, Mara, therefore I shall love him."

Her green eyes became misty. "I did not expect you to be so understanding . . . and loving."

"Mara, you do not remember this but you and I were closer than most brothers and sisters," he told her gently. "I am just so happy that I found you. At times I feared you were lost to me forever."

"I am sorry I do not remember. I can imagine liking you a great deal," she said earnestly. "Do we have any other brothers and sisters?"

"We have a brother David who lives in St. Louis; he is married to Linda. You are the only sister David and I have." His face eased into a grin. "Who would need another sister when I have you to bully me? You have a sassy mouth, and if you do not agree with something, your temper can flare, scorching everything in your path."

Mara laughed. "I sound simply horrid. I am surprised you should search for me at all."

"Not so, Mara. I lived in fear that I would never find you," he said in all sincerity.

"Jeffery, I think I am going to like being your sister. It is wonderful knowing I belong to someone. For so long now I have been lost. Jake and Zeke have been so good to me and I love them, but it is not the same as having one's own family."

His hand covered hers, and he looked deeply into her eyes. "Honey, I know you have lived through hell, but it is all but over. I have come to take you and Andrew home."

Just hearing the word home gladdened Mara's heart. She was not lost anymore. She belonged to someone.

"When will we leave?"

Andrew awoke and Jeffery could not help smiling down at the beautiful baby boy. "I was told by Jake that there is a trading post not far from here. I will ride there and get all the supplies we will need for the homeward journey. I will purchase a tent and warm clothing for you and Andrew. Can you think of anything else you will need?"

"Have you much money?"

He grinned. "Would it surprise you if I told you we are extremely wealthy?"

"No, I guess I never gave money much thought. I only meant, I would need a horse and side-saddle."

Jeffery knew now was not the time to tell Mara she had not ridden sidesaddle in a long time. He supposed she would be shocked to learn she rode as any Indian maiden would.

"Let us hope we will be able to find a lady's sidesaddle at the trading post."

Her forehead creased into a frown. "Yes, it would be awful if I could not ride a horse."

Jeffery reached for his jacket and withdrew something from the pocket and handed it to Mara. "I want you to give this to Jake and Zeke, as payment for looking after you."

"It feels heavy."

"It contains a great deal of gold."

"Are you sure we can afford such a large sum of money?"

He laughed. "I can assure you we can." He handed Andrew to her and stood up. "I will leave you now. Try and get plenty of rest, we have a long journey ahead of us."

Jeffery, I am sure Jake and Zeke would expect you to stay here for the night," Mara said not wanting him to leave. She liked him very much, and was almost certain he would not return for her and Andrew.

He seemed to read her thoughts. "Mara, I will return within a week's time. I would not have come all this way searching for you, to abandon you now that I have found you."

"Jeffery, I really am glad you are my brother. I think you are very handsome."

He laughed and kissed her on the forehead, seeing a trace of the sister he loved so well. "I will remind you that you said that when you get your memory back."

Mara felt as if the cabin was strangely empty after Jeffery had gone. He had given her something she could not define, a sense of belonging. He had a magnetic personality that seemed to draw her to him. She wished more than ever she could remember the past, and what she and her brother had meant to each other.

The door opened and Jake and Zeke entered the cabin. It hit Mara hard that she would have to leave her two best friends. For so long now they had been her only family. It would be a sad day when she had to ride away and leave them.

Jake saw the tears in her eyes and bent down beside her. "Don't cry, little princess. We always knew the day would come when your family would find you and you would have to go away."

"It is not that I do not want to go with my brother. I just do not want to leave the two of you."

Zeke knelt down beside his brother and wiped a tear from Mara's cheek. "It was good we got to keep you for a while, but we always knowed that you didn't belong with us. You belong with your family."

Mara leaned her head on Zeke's shoulder. "Oh Zeke, I love you and Jake so much. I will think of you often."

When she looked up she saw tears swimming in Zeke's eyes and knew she must retreat up the ladder before she broke down completely. Clutching Andrew tightly in her arms she moved hurriedly across the room.

"There is something my brother left for you on the table," she said climbing the ladder.

Mara had disappeared into the loft when the door opened and Du Lac entered.

"I saw Mara's brother leave, so I decided to return. I did not like that man."

"He didn't think too highly of you, either," Jake snorted.

Zeke picked up the leather pouch from the table and emptied the contents into his hand. All three men stared at the gold in silence. Du Lac reached out and lifted a gold nugget. Whistling through his teeth, he looked at the brothers.

"Where did this come from?"

"Jeffery Golden left it for me and Zeke."

"We ain't going to keep it, are we Jake?"

"Nope."

"I think you are both crazy. If you do not want the gold, I will take it," Du Lac said.

Jake returned the gold to the pouch and tucked it in his belt. "This goes back to the princess's brother."

Du Lac's eyes glazed over with greed. What would happen, he wondered, if he took Mara away? How much would her brother pay to get her back.

The brothers did not see the greed on the Frenchman's face, nor did they know how much he desired Mara. His eyes flamed passionately as he looked up the ladder to the loft where she slept.

Palomas watched as Jeffery approached him, trying to read his face, but Jeffery's face gave nothing away. Jeffery untied his horse and mounted solemnly.

"Do you stay here all night, Palomas, or do you ride with me to buy Mara a horse, so we can take her home?"

Palomas could not hide his joy. "You have seen her, she is well?"

"Yes, my friend I have seen her, and her health is good. She has one slight problem, though. I think you should know she has lost all memory of the past. She did not even know me."

Palomas mounted his horse and looked toward the cabin. "How can such a thing happen?"

"I am not sure, but there is a doctor at the trading post. He has seen Mara, and I want to talk to him."

"Mara will not know me?" Palomas asked.

"No, I did not even mention you to her, nor did I tell her about Tajarez. There is more to tell you."

"Not more bad news, I hope."

"No, this is good news. Tajarez has a newborn son!"

"She does not know Tajarez is the baby's father?"

"No, I did not tell her," Jeffery said, urging his horse forward. He was anxious to reach the trading post and return to his sister.

Jeffery tapped his fingers on the arm of the chair he was sitting in while he looked at Dr. White.

"You think it would be harmful to her to tell her about her husband?"

"One can never be sure in these cases, but I would advise against telling her until she gets to know the man, and to trust him."

Jeffery leaned forward. "I will tell this to her husband, I am sure I can convince him it is in Mara's best interest to be patient." He sounded more confident than he felt. Tajarez was not long on patience, but he did love Mara, and in the end he hoped Tajarez would see that Mara needed time.

Jeffery stood up and shook the doctor's hand. "I thank you for seeing me."

"I am glad you have found your sister. She is a beautiful little lady, it is good to know she will soon be reunited with her family. One thing though before you go: How will her husband take to the child?"

Jeffery smiled. "Take my word for it Doctor, he will treat Andrew as if he were his own son."

Jeffery had been gone for over a week, and Mara found time weighing heavily on her. She moved about the spotlessly clean cabin looking for something to do to make the time pass more quickly. Zeke and Du Lac had been gone for two days. Jake was in the woods somewhere, and she did not expect him back until dinnertime. She checked on Andrew and found him sleeping. Picking up the broom Zeke had made for her, she started sweeping the already clean floor. She was so deep in thought she did not hear the cabin door open, nor did she see Du Lac until he stood in the path of her broom.

"You startled me, I did not hear you come in," she said side-stepping him.

"It is much too nice a day to spend indoors. Come for a ride with me. It is the last chance I will have to talk to you alone," he said taking the broom from her and standing it against the wall.