Read Online Savage Autumn by Constance O'Banyon - Free Book Online

unpredictable, but Joanna was an excellent rider and could easily control him.
    Against her better judgment, Joanna had given in to Tag’s pleading and allowed him to lead Fosset to the river.
    It was late in the afternoon, and as they neared the river Joanna looked about carefully to make sure there were noIndians. It was too quiet, and somehow eerie. There wasn’t the usual noise of the scolding birds in the branches overhead. Joanna glanced at Tag, but he didn’t seem to notice anything out of the ordinary, so she dismissed her feeling of foreboding. She didn’t suspect that Tag was having trouble with Fosset until the horse had already dragged him into the water.
    Rushing forward, she tried to grab hold of the trailing rope that was tied about Fosset’s neck, but the animal shied away, taking Tag along with him into the swirling current.
    “Turn loose, Tag! Let him go!” Joanna yelled.
    Tag tried to do as she asked, but by now his legs had become entangled in the long rope. With each movement Fosset made, he drew Tag into deeper water.
    Panic raced through Joanna’s mind when she saw Tag being pulled under water. Forgetting about her own safety she plunged into the river. Her gown and shoes seemed to pull her under, and she struggled to reach her brother. She grabbed his arm and tried to pull his head above water, but his legs were so entangled in the rope that she couldn’t bring him to the surface. Joanna clawed and tugged at the rope, knowing if Tag didn’t get some air he would soon drown. After many futile attempts, Joanna realized she would never be able to free him without help. She was whimpering as she surfaced to take another breath of air. Tag was going to drown! she thought, diving under the water with renewed determination. Just when she thought her lungs would burst from lack of air, she felt a firm hand about her waist pushing her above water. The man removed his knife and sliced through the ropes, then pulled Tag to the surface.
    It flashed through Joanna’s mind that the man was an Indian, but she was too grateful that he had helped Tag to be frightened of him. The Indian swam toward the bank with Tag, and by the time Joanna reached them, he had turned Tag over on his stomach and was pounding on the small of his back. Tag started coughing, and expelled the river water he had swallowed. Crawling over to Tag, Joanna hugged him tightly to her, thankful that he was alive.
    Windhawk stood up and watched as the young girl cried and sprinkled the boy’s face with kisses. He had not seen her face, but he was staring at her hair. Never had he seen hair that color. Even wet, it resembled the dying rays of the sunset. He held his breath as she turned to look at him, and he felt as if his heart had stopped beating. Her violet-colored eyes seemed to look right into his heart. He wanted to look away, but he could not. Her face was beautiful and unlike any other he had ever seen. In that moment Windhawk knew he had met his destiny. This white girl was what he had traveled so far to seek! It was not his death that he had come to find, but his life. This was the woman who was fated to walk beside him. He felt no regret that she was white—it did not matter. She had been created for him. He wondered if she also knew that their destinies would be intertwined.
    Joanna’s eyes were misty with tears, and she couldn’t see the Indian’s face very clearly. “I am so grateful to you for saving my brother’s life. How will I ever be able to repay you?” She smiled and Windhawk’s heart felt as if it had taken wings. He understood English very well although he had never spoken to a white woman. He knelt down and touched the boy’s head noticing that his hair was the same glorious color as his sister’s.
    “It is not good, little brother, that the horse lead the warrior. The warrior must always lead the horse.”
    Tag was too awestricken to speak, and could do no more than nod his head.
    Joanna was now assured