Wild Thunder by Cassie Edwards Page B

and looked away from him. She knew that he didn’t see well enough to see her face, to see that she was uneasy every time he mentioned Strong Wolf possibly having abducted her. He had . But only she and Strong Wolf would ever know. She wasn’t about to tell anyone. Most certainly Strong Wolf wouldn’t.
    He frowned over at her. “And, Hannah. I want you to listen to me, and pay attention to what I say,” Chuck said, his voice drawn and angry. “Patrick was right in telling me to warn you about the dangers in riding alone, especially for so long a time. You are too foolhardy. Too daring. I forbid you to go horseback riding again. I’ll send Adam with you. And don’t you argue, Hannah. After what happened today, my mind’s made up.”
    â€œChuck, I can’t do as you say,” she blurted, aware of him emitting a gasp of horror. “I just want you to be patient with me, to try and understand that I need to be alone. I need to go horseback riding. I need to feel free.”
    Knowing that he had no choice but to sit back and allow Hannah to do as she wished, he sighed, then squinted over at Hannah. “All right, sis,” he said somberly. “I do understand. If you will recall, I used to feel the same as you.”
    Hannah wrenched her eyes from him. She was so sad for him, yet her thoughts drifted now to Strong Wolf.
    She was so glad that Colonel Deshong had trusted Strong Wolf. And because of his trust, Strong Wolf was free.

Chapter 11
    Smiles, that with motion of their own,
Do spread and sink and rise,
Oh! Might I kiss the mountain rains
That sparkle on her cheek.
    â€”W ILLIAM W ORDSWORTH
    Â 
    Â 
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    Strong Wolf rode beneath a shadow of trees toward his village, glad that he had chosen not to abduct Hannah, after all. Now they might have a future together . . . if he would allow himself to love a woman.
    Always when he thought that he might, his past came to him in flashes. The ugly secret that he carried around with him, to haunt his every waking hour, might still keep him from this woman whose very presence caused his senses to swim with passion.
    â€œI must have her,” he whispered, then drew a sudden light rein when he spied something up ahead beside the road that sank dread into his very soul.
    He was stunned at the sight for a moment longer, then sank his heels into the flanks of his horse and rode onward in a hard gallop.
    When he drew light rein again, he hurriedly slid from his saddle and knelt on one knee beside the silent, bloody form of a Potawatomis brave from his village.
    â€œBird in Ground,” Strong Wolf whispered, lifting the brave’s face from the ground. He leaned low over his brave, and placed his cheek against his mouth, glad to feel the hot breath of Bird in Ground on his flesh.
    â€œHe is alive, but ah, just look at him!” he cried aloud, causing birds to stir in the trees overhead and fly away.
    â€œBird in Ground,” he said, trying to arouse him. “You must awaken and tell me who did this to you.”
    Bird in Ground did not stir.
    Strong Wolf looked around for the brave’s horse. He saw no steed, but caught the shine from the barrel of the brave’s rifle as it lay just partially exposed from a thick bed of grass about a foot away.
    Then his eyes jerked around when he heard many horses approaching in the distance. Through the dust he saw soldiers on horseback riding his way. Were they headed for his village to arrest him for having stolen the dynamite and for having destroyed the dam?
    Wanting to protect his brave from any more harm, and wanting to get to his village quickly, Strong Wolf lifted Bird in Ground into his arms and carried him to his horse.
    After getting the brave positioned in his saddle, Strong Wolf mounted the horse behind him and held Bird in Ground in place as he twined a muscled arm around the injured brave’s waist. He started to ride away but stopped when the soldiers made a