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Authors: Constance O'Banyon
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give me if I were to deliver Joanna and Tag to you?”
Howard smiled slightly. “There is nothing I wouldn’t give to get them back.” He looked doubtful. “What makes you think you can deliver them to me?”
Claudia stood up—her eyes were gleaming as a plan began to develop in her mind. She remembered overhearing a conversation last winter between Captain Thatcher and Joanna’s hired man, Simon. It seemed that Simon was to return to Philadelphia where he would keep in touch with Joanna and Tag by sending his letters to Fort Union.
“Mr. Landon, instead of asking some buffalo hunter or fur trader to bring Joanna and Tag to you, it would be better if you put your faith in me. I know just how to get them to come to you. Never doubt that I can do it!”
Howard’s little beady eyes narrowed. “If you can deliver them into my hands, then you can name your own price.”
Claudia turned her back to him as her eyes filled with hatred. At last, her day had come. Revenge would be so sweet! She had the ways and means to bring the proud Joanna tumbling off her pedestal by separating her from Windhawk. It would be an added bonus if, at the same time, she could acquire a small fortune for herself.
“Before I help you, I must first know what you plan to do with Joanna and Tag, Mr. Landon.”
“I see,” he studied her with his actor’s eye. This girl was no friend of Joanna’s! He could read the hatred she tried so hard to conceal in her eyes. “I intend to take them back home with me. What else would you expect me to do with them, Miss Maxwell?”
Claudia knew Joanna wouldn’t want to be separated from her Indian lover. She remembered when Joanna had left Fort Leavenworth to return to that Indian. It was beyond her understanding why Joanna, who had all that money could buy, would want to live with the Indians. The thought of striking a blow against Joanna would give her the greatest satisfaction. Her heart seemed to burn with contempt for Joanna, the enchantress, who had stolen the wealthy, handsome Captain Harland Thatcher away from her.
“I would help you get Joanna back for nothing, Mr. Landon. I only want her to have what’s best for her, since she is such a good friend of mine.”
“What about Tag?” he asked, reading Claudia’s thoughts in her eyes. “Don’t you want to see him returned to his rightful home?”
“Oh, Tag, too. He is such a dear boy.”
“Let’s see if you can deliver, Miss Maxwell,” he said, watching the gleam in her eyes. “Give me what I want and I will not be stingy with you.” He knew Claudia was playing a game, but if she could help him get Joanna and Taggart back, he didn’t care how many games she played.
“Tell me how you will help me accomplish what others tell me is impossible, Miss Maxwell,” he said, thinking she couldn’t possibly be of any help to him.
“First of all, we will need quill and parchment. I can’t write, can you?”
“I can write a fair hand. Why?”
“You do the writing, and I’ll tell you what to say,” Claudia told him. Her eyes were gleaming brightly as Howard nodded his agreement.
The days seemed to pass slowly while Joanna waited restlessly for Windhawk to return. She missed him, badly. Time lay heavily on her hands and she became discontent, wishing she could tell Windhawk about the child she was carrying. She knew that he would share her joy.
Why didn’t he come? Many of the other warriors had made several trips back to the village to visit with their families. She tried not to feel hurt by Windhawk’s neglect, but she couldn’t help but feel sorry for herself.
Sometimes, late at night when Joanna was alone in the lodge and the village was quiet, the strange premonition would return, and she would try to push it from her mind. She was waiting for something to happen, and she didn’t know what it was. Only time would prove if she was worrying for nothing, she told herself.
Windhawk rode into the Piegan Blackfoot village
Howard smiled slightly. “There is nothing I wouldn’t give to get them back.” He looked doubtful. “What makes you think you can deliver them to me?”
Claudia stood up—her eyes were gleaming as a plan began to develop in her mind. She remembered overhearing a conversation last winter between Captain Thatcher and Joanna’s hired man, Simon. It seemed that Simon was to return to Philadelphia where he would keep in touch with Joanna and Tag by sending his letters to Fort Union.
“Mr. Landon, instead of asking some buffalo hunter or fur trader to bring Joanna and Tag to you, it would be better if you put your faith in me. I know just how to get them to come to you. Never doubt that I can do it!”
Howard’s little beady eyes narrowed. “If you can deliver them into my hands, then you can name your own price.”
Claudia turned her back to him as her eyes filled with hatred. At last, her day had come. Revenge would be so sweet! She had the ways and means to bring the proud Joanna tumbling off her pedestal by separating her from Windhawk. It would be an added bonus if, at the same time, she could acquire a small fortune for herself.
“Before I help you, I must first know what you plan to do with Joanna and Tag, Mr. Landon.”
“I see,” he studied her with his actor’s eye. This girl was no friend of Joanna’s! He could read the hatred she tried so hard to conceal in her eyes. “I intend to take them back home with me. What else would you expect me to do with them, Miss Maxwell?”
Claudia knew Joanna wouldn’t want to be separated from her Indian lover. She remembered when Joanna had left Fort Leavenworth to return to that Indian. It was beyond her understanding why Joanna, who had all that money could buy, would want to live with the Indians. The thought of striking a blow against Joanna would give her the greatest satisfaction. Her heart seemed to burn with contempt for Joanna, the enchantress, who had stolen the wealthy, handsome Captain Harland Thatcher away from her.
“I would help you get Joanna back for nothing, Mr. Landon. I only want her to have what’s best for her, since she is such a good friend of mine.”
“What about Tag?” he asked, reading Claudia’s thoughts in her eyes. “Don’t you want to see him returned to his rightful home?”
“Oh, Tag, too. He is such a dear boy.”
“Let’s see if you can deliver, Miss Maxwell,” he said, watching the gleam in her eyes. “Give me what I want and I will not be stingy with you.” He knew Claudia was playing a game, but if she could help him get Joanna and Taggart back, he didn’t care how many games she played.
“Tell me how you will help me accomplish what others tell me is impossible, Miss Maxwell,” he said, thinking she couldn’t possibly be of any help to him.
“First of all, we will need quill and parchment. I can’t write, can you?”
“I can write a fair hand. Why?”
“You do the writing, and I’ll tell you what to say,” Claudia told him. Her eyes were gleaming brightly as Howard nodded his agreement.
The days seemed to pass slowly while Joanna waited restlessly for Windhawk to return. She missed him, badly. Time lay heavily on her hands and she became discontent, wishing she could tell Windhawk about the child she was carrying. She knew that he would share her joy.
Why didn’t he come? Many of the other warriors had made several trips back to the village to visit with their families. She tried not to feel hurt by Windhawk’s neglect, but she couldn’t help but feel sorry for herself.
Sometimes, late at night when Joanna was alone in the lodge and the village was quiet, the strange premonition would return, and she would try to push it from her mind. She was waiting for something to happen, and she didn’t know what it was. Only time would prove if she was worrying for nothing, she told herself.
Windhawk rode into the Piegan Blackfoot village
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