Proud Wolf's Woman Read Online Free PDF Page A

shivered and, opening her eyes, stared at Kenneth. That he turned on her, that he scoffed, that he cursed at her yet again, shouldn’t bother her.
    But Lord help her, it did.
    Deciding no good would come from further argument, Julia dismounted without help and, taking the reins of her gelding from Kenneth, she began to lead the animal up and over the slight rise in the hill.
    Once there, out of the eyes of the men, of her husband, and using the horse as a sort of shield, she attended to her needs.
    It took only a moment, but Julia hesitated before returning to where her husband waited for her. She sensed he was not yet finished with her and she wished to delay the moment of confrontation as long as possible.
    Finally, several minutes having gone by, she knew she would have to return. Sighing, she gathered up the reins of her horse and, turning the gelding around, proceeded back up the rise the same way she had gone down.
    He waited for her, her husband, his mood not at all improved, and for want of anything else to do, Julia gave him a quick smile. In truth, her grin was often her only means of defense against her husband’s ill humor.
    “Are you done at last? Now hurry,” he ordered her. “I have no time for this, for you. There’s trouble for my troops, and you are in my way. Now, mount up.”
    Julia nodded, although she hesitated. “Kenneth, I need a hand.”
    He groaned, but he came toward her all the same. “You know, this is all your fault. If we hadn’t had to come back and pick you up at the Colbys’, we would already be back at the fort. I hope you see what trouble you are.”
    Julia raised her brows. It was her only reaction to his accusation. Though she knew he might believe a part of his tirade, she also realized he baited her. Their predicament had little to do with her. She had heard the men talking, heard the rumors of what had happened in the Kiowa camp; she had asked questions. And it would appear that Kenneth’s inability to control his men’s baser appetites had borne so much ill will in the Indian camp that most feared the Kiowa might follow them now…seeking revenge for what could only be termed the rape of the Indian women. It was this that most likely disturbed Kenneth’s peace of mind—not Julia.
    “What?” Kenneth folded his hands over his chest, as he halted, poised, ready for a fight. He pursed his lips, and when Julia further delayed speaking, he continued, “And what does my too-sweet wife have to say? And don’t tell me it’s nothing. I know you too well.”
    Julia sighed, attempting to keep her gaze cool, assessing. Truly, she wished to say nothing. At this moment, anything she uttered would only serve to further enrage him.
    Still…
    Keeping her hands firmly wrapped around the reins of her horse, she took a deep breath and began, “Kenneth, I think the trouble does not lie with me, but with your own men and their violation of the Kiowa women. You were supposed to be on a peaceful mission in the Indian camp. You were supposed to do nothing but create goodwill toward the military, toward the pioneers who travel through their country. How could you have allowed your men to treat the Kiowa women in so degrading a fashion?”
    She saw him flinch, saw his face redden even further. “What do you know of it?” he hissed at her. “You, with your great knowledge of military intelligence?”
    Julia merely lifted an eyebrow, and though it mocked him, she could not help herself. “And what sort of intelligence does it take, Kenneth, to know that with the safety of Fort Leavenworth several days’ ride away, one does not anger one’s hosts in such a way?”
    “You weren’t there. How could you know how those women baited my men? The women begged for it, I tell you. Why the savages even seemed glad we had done it. Probably couldn’t…”
    His voice trailed off, but Julia barely heard any more, her attention centered on one thing only. We, he’d said. We?
    Julia carefully