Teton Splendor Read Online Free PDF Page B

once again. Joseph clenched his jaw. She may be soft and pampered, but the fire that sparked from her eyes told him there was a strong and confident woman underneath all those exterior layers.
    Joseph broke eye contact with her, and nodded to Yancey. “Would you like me to leave the room, so you can tell her? She deserves to know the truth.”
    Yancey sank into the couch. He leaned forward, his hands at his temples, staring at the ground.
    “The truth about what, Daddy?” Raven asked solemnly. She sat down next to Yancey, and placed her hand on his arm. That she loved Yancey, and that he loved her was obvious.
    Something jabbed at Joseph’s insides. Perhaps this had been a mistake. Perhaps it would have been better to leave the past in the past. Two Bears had a right to know his granddaughter.
    Yancey glanced up at her, his eyes dull and watery. He reached for her hand, and clasped it tightly between his.
    “Sophia, you know how much I love you,” he said, his voice shaky. She nodded, her eyes wide and waiting. “Please understand that what I did, not telling you the truth, I did to keep you safe.”
    Raven’s forehead wrinkled in confusion. Joseph turned away from the scene. He stared at the orange flames dancing in the hearth. His arms ached with a need to sweep Raven into his embrace, and shield her from the heartache she was about to experience. He cursed himself. This was all his fault.
    “Sophia, I’m not your real father.” Yancey’s voice cracked. Joseph barely heard him speak the words. The only sound left in the room came from the soft crackling of the fire.
    “What . . . what are you saying, Daddy?”
     “Your real father is dead. He gave you into my care. He was my mentor while I was in the wilderness.”
    The fabric of her skirts rustled, and the leather on the couch creaked.
    “My entire life has been a lie?” Raven asked softly. “All my life, people I knew and considered my friends talked about me behind my back. They didn’t think I was good enough for them because of my tainted blood. And now you’re telling me I’m not even your daughter? I’ve worked so hard to be accepted, hoping that people would see beyond the color of my skin, and it was all for nothing?” Her voice rose with each word she spoke.
    “Sophia, that’s not true. You will always be my daughter. Can’t you see that--”
    “No, I can’t see why you lied to me,” she cried. Her skirts swished loudly. Joseph turned just as she darted for the door.
    “Sophia,” Yancey called, and bolted from the couch.
    Joseph held out his hand. “Let me,” he said, and followed her out into the hall. Raven turned, her brown eyes shimmering with tears. Joseph wished he could turn back time. He should have thought this through better. He’d been blinded with a need to bring Two Bears’ granddaughter back to him, and hadn’t seen the hurt it would cause her.
    “Stay away from me,” she called. “Leave me alone.” She gathered her full skirts in her hands, and dashed away. By the time she reached the staircase, Joseph caught her by the arm.
    “Rav . . . Sophie, wait.” The panic in her eyes tore at his heart. “Let me explain about your parents.”
    “There’s nothing to explain,” she said coldly, and sniffed. “Release my arm before I call for help.”
    “You owe it to your Pa to hear him out,” Joseph continued, ignoring her threat.
    “I don’t think it’s any of your business to tell me what to do,” she hissed, and yanked her arm from his grasp. She fumbled with her skirts and marched up the stairs.
    “Aren’t you in the least bit curious about what happened to your real folks?” Joseph pressed on, refusing to let her walk away. She stared straight ahead, her chin up in the air, and her spine so stiff that she had to be in pain.  She continued up the stairs in silence, and Joseph followed several steps behind. He couldn’t help but notice the seductive sway of her hips, and the way the bodice of her