Read Online Wind Warrior (Historical Romance) by Constance O'Banyon - Free Book Online Page A

and she was always afraid she would make a mistake. In avoiding the others, Marianna understood she had made enemies.
    “I will try for your sake.”
    Tall Woman smiled as she sliced meat into long strips, preparing to let it dry on a wooden rack. “Succeed for your own sake.”
    Broken Lance chose that moment to approach them. He immediately turned his dark gaze on Marianna, but his words were for his wife.
    “Woman, see that the white girl does not cause trouble today. She angers many of our people because you allow her to keep her white name, and she brings shame on us because she will not accept our ways.”
    “She will soon earn a name worthy of the daughter of the chief,” Tall Woman said slowly, choosing each word. “You will see.”
    Broken Lance looked doubtful. For himself he would let the girl go, but in the time she had been with them, his wife had quit grieving for their dead daughter. The white girl did labor hard at her tasks without being asked to, and she never complained.
    “She is undisciplined,” Broken Lance said pointedly.“No one likes her except Dull Knife, who has asked that he be considered for her husband when she is of age.” His brow knitted when he looked at Marianna. “I cannot think why such a powerful warrior would want this white girl for his wife. He should take a lesson from Charging Bull’s troubles with the redheaded one. Dull Knife would be wise to look elsewhere.”
    Fear struck Marianna, but she dared not say anything.
    Tall Woman knew she was terrified of Dull Knife. Pausing in her work, she looked at her husband. “Marianna is too young to be considered for anyone’s wife. And I do not like Dull Knife.” She looked at her husband, expecting him to object to her dislike of the warrior—when he said nothing she went a bit further. “I know how Dull Knife treats women.”
    “Dull Knife is a great warrior, and he has many fine horses,” Broken Lance said. “When the time comes, I will be the one who will consider whether he is a worthy husband for your daughter.”
    Marianna bit her lip. Even now she sometimes woke up in the middle of the night, her heart pounding, sweat pouring off her body as she relived that moment when Dull Knife came back from killing Susan, his bloody knife testament to what he’d done.
    Tall Woman gently touched her husband’s arm. “If we are to follow the elders’ decision to make the younger brother adviser to the council, we must not appear to favor the elder, who undermines Wind Warrior at every turn. Besides, my husband, Marianna is afraid of him.”
    “Since when does a maiden have any choice inwho will walk the path of life with her?” he grumbled.
    Tall Woman laughed. “If I had not been given a choice in the matter, I would not now be your wife, I would have been forced to marry Thin Beaver.”
    He touched Tall Woman’s cheek lovingly. “See that she does not disrupt the whole village.” His critical gaze swept Marianna’s face. “And see that she is given a proper Blackfoot name. If you do not, I will.”
    Broken Lance stalked away, not liking to be reminded that he had almost lost Tall Woman to another warrior. Then he stopped in his tracks and smiled. She had always been too much woman for Thin Beaver. It took a strong man, like him, to control her.
    Tall Woman turned to Marianna. “Do not worry about what was said here. Go out and enjoy this beautiful day.”
    Spotted Flower saw none of the beauty that surrounded her as she paced along the riverbank toward several other women and young maidens who had gathered to talk. If anyone had looked into her eyes, the anger that ate away at her would have been obvious. As a second wife, she had to obey the commands of the first wife, Yellow Bird. She resented being Charging Bull’s lesser wife, because the jealous Yellow Bird made her life miserable.
    She spotted Marianna casually walking toward her, and resentment almost choked her. The hatred that had hatched on their first