Tykota's Woman (Historical Romance) Read Online Free PDF Page B

nourishing."
    He said nothing.
    Makinna noticed that he had suddenly tensed,
as if he were listening to something in the
distance. All she heard was the howl of some
nocturnal animal. Although she was unfamiliar
with them, she suspected it must be a coyote or
even a wolf. As she listened, she heard an
answering howl, and then another
and another until the creatures seemed to be
all around them.
    "You had better go inside now, Mrs.
Hillyard," the Indian said, turning his head in the
direction of the barn and staring into the
darkness.
    Makinna was only too happy to get away
from him. She had offered him food. If he didn't want to eat, it was no concern of hers. At
least now she could sleep with a slightly clearer
conscience. "Good night... sir."

    He didn't reply but simply moved silently and
quickly toward the barn. Something was
bothering him, and Makinna didn't think it was
the Brownings' rudeness.
    She went back inside, passing through the
main room without speaking to the people
gathered there. She was still too angry. Entering
her chamber, she closed the door, noting it had
no lock. Neither did the window. She felt
uneasy. If the Indian did take it into his head to
enter her room, she had no way to stop him.
    After removing her cumbersome bustle, she
lay down on the bed fully clothed, too weary
even to undo her stays or remove her shoes. She
would just rest a bit and later undress and put on
her nightgown.
    She could still hear the animals howling. They
seemed to be getting closer. Or was that only her
imagination?
    Soon her eyes drifted shut, and she fell into a
deep, dreamless sleep.
    Makinna awoke in a suffocating darkness,
gasping for breath. She lay still, listening, her
heart pounding as some unknown fear coursed
through her veins. It was quiet-too quiet. The
never-ceasing wind had died down, the howl ling animals that had frightened her earlier in the
evening were now silent, and she couldn't even
hear any crickets chirping. She pressed a hand
against her thundering heart. She wanted a
sound-anything but this ominous silence, like
the inside of a tomb.

    Abruptly, fearfully, Makinna sensed that she
was not alone. It wasn't a sound or a movement
that alerted her, but a feeling. She sat up and
swung her feet to the floor, peering into the
darkness, but discerned no shape or movement or
sound.
    She started violently when a hand clamped
over her mouth, and a strong arm wrapped
around her, pulling her to her feet.
    A harsh whisper came to her out of the
darkness. "Be still, and listen to me. Your life
depends on it."

     

It was the Indian's voice! What did he want with
her?
    "Do exactly as I say, and you might stay alive.
Now, I am going to remove my hand from your
mouth, but first you must promise that you will
not make a sound. Can you do that?" he
insisted.
    Hearing the threat in his voice, she nodded. It
was doubtful that she could make a sound
anyway, because fear had closed her throat. Was
he there because he wanted to ravish her? Oh,
why had she attempted to be kind to him? The
others had been right about him all along. Why
hadn't she listened to them?
    The Indian gripped her arm and led her to the
window. He quietly lifted her through, then quickly joined her before she could react or call
for help. He again clasped her arm and stood still
for a moment, listening.

    Makinna knew that the others were asleep, so
no one would come to her immediate rescue.
"Why are you-"
    His clamped a hand over her mouth, cutting
off both her speech and her breathing. He dipped
his head and whispered harshly in her ear. "Do
not make a sound, woman. If you do, it may be
your last."
    Before she realized what was happening, he
was tugging her deeper into the night shadows,
silently, ominously.
    Makinna closed her eyes, trying to gather her
courage so she could contend with the terror that
was paralyzing her reasoning.
    Was he taking her to the barn to ravish her