Chapter 10
THEN IT WAS HER TURN TO MAKE A TOTALLY UN-expected move. With surprising strength and agility, she raised her shoulders and locked her soft arms tightly about his neck. An instant later her hot thighs gripped his waist and he felt her heels in the small of his back. Next she was hanging loose under him, free of the ground. .She maintained this position for only a few seconds, unable to do so longer for the mad surges of ecstasy charging through her small, white body. The second she dropped back to the earth she used her hands, her elbows, her heels and her buttocks in effort to crawl out from in under him.
Her efforts availed her nothing. Jeff merely lowered his weight down against her and let her struggle.
"You're killin' me, Jeffery," she said suddenly, quietly, in a little-girl voice. She only managed this because of a pause in the raging storm inside her. When the pause was over the visitation struck again, exploding a second heat bomb and unleashing more thunder and lightning through her quivering frame.
"Have mercy!" she screamed as the rampaging invader stroked and caressed her deep within, sending through her wave of excruciating rapture so sweet and unbearable she thought her mind was going. "Oh lord have mercy!" she begged, now completely lost in the throes of orgiastic thralldom.
Still, Jeff gave her no heed. Instead, he kept at his rapidly paced rhythm, knowing that soon the dam within him would break.
It did. And when Prudence became aware of this new heat scalding her secret places she became a clawing, snarling fury of such strength and violence Jeff was forced to grab her wrists and hold them against the moss, ceasing all action. Even so, she fought furiously to free herself, rolling her head from side to side and lunging blindly with her hips against the buried cudgel again and again and yet again. Once her lips drew back when she snarled and spat at him not unlike an angered cat. This was followed immediately by the very audible click of her white" teeth as she snapped at his arm.
But since all things must pass, good as well as bad, the visitation finally left her and she lay quiet under him, though she continued to squirm her hips against the base of the sunken shaft for some minutes.
"Whew!" she smiled after awhile, opening her eyes. Then she repeated, almost verbatim, words spoken by Susan Crowder the night before: "I don't reckon I'll ever be the same woman again, Jeffery Hudson," she whispered dreamily. "Not after bein' with you." Her eyes held his as she studied his face in detai. "Not ever. How did Susan take to your-treatment last night?"
"She had no complaints," Jeff smiled down at her, releasing her wrists and bringing his weight to rest on his elbows. "I think she wishes they could continue."
"Yeah," she replied, smiling at him and making a little rnoue through her smile. "I can see how she would. We're goin' to miss you around here while you're gone huntin' Bonnie O'Brian."
"Then you've heard the proposition Bully made me." It was a statement, not a question.
"The whole settlement of Franklin knows of it," she replied. "And I think it's a cryin' shame, too, that she has to be bound to an overbearin' oaf like him, what with him pesterin' her all the time to get between the sheets. That's all he wants her back for, anyway."
"How come I find you here alone and naked in the woods?" he asked, wanting to change the subject. His mind was already made up as far as Bonnie O'Brian was concerned, and he saw no point discussing the matter any further.
"I was takin' a swim," Prudence told him promptly, "and doin' some exercises. Why?" She placed her palms tenderly against his ribcage, closed her eyes and massaged herself against his buried weapon several times. He waited until she was finished before he replied.
"Didn't you know it could be dangerous? Some man was bound to come along sooner or later."
"That's right," she giggled suddenly, her eyes lighting with a secret gladness. "And he did." Then her face became serious. "I'd just about reached the end of my rope," she continued quietly. "It ain't fit and proper for a-woman to be-without a man, but every time one come near me when no one else was around I'd get scared as all get out, so I figured that if one caught me out here, in swimmin' naked, why-he'd do just exactly what you did. I was afraid of bein' whipped, of course, but then-well-anyway, I did it. And I'm glad." She circled his neck with her arms and drew his lips down to hers and when the kiss was over her dark eyes were large and solemn and very serious. "I'm so very glad, Jeffery," she whispered.
"So am I," he told her honestly, glancing awkwardly up at the sun to check its position. Within an hour the long shadows of evening would begin creeping over the wilderness. Time had fled. He had been with Prudence much longer than he realized, until now.
"You aimin' to leave me now, Jeffery?" she asked softly.
"For a little while," he said. His intentions had been to head for his cabin, but now it was too late. Instead, he decided quickly, he would rest awhile after Prudence departed, then return to the Crowder cabin for the night. And to prevent the obnoxious Bully from knowing of his presence, he could easily enter the bedroom he had occupied the night before through the huge, second-story window. If he slipped out before dawn no one would be the wider-unless he sneaked downstairs to the room where Susan slept. "But I'll be returning soon."
"Is that a promise, Jeffery, or is it just talkin'?"
"It's a promise." Then, of its own volition, his mind formed the words and forced them past his lips, mildly surprising him with their abruptness. "Since you like to run around with no clothes on, how would you like to spend the summer at my c bin with a bunch of Indian girls?" There were no Indian girls, but if she did not object to them, certainly she would not object to Charity Breeden-just in case he decided to take Charity with him.
"You mean me and you and a bunch of Indian girls-runnin' around naked all summer?" she asked in an awed voice.
"That's right," he said. "Would you like it?"
"I'd love it!" she chortled suddenly, then her glad laughter wafted through the forest around them as she raised her head to kiss his upper chest and the base of his neck several times enthusiastically. "You mean all summer?"
"All summer," he grinned at her happiness.
"And how many Indian girls have you got?"
"Oh-several," he lied easily, the slender, graceful image of Chief Wild Hawk's young daughter, Naomee, flashing through his mind. Twice already she had been to his cabin and each time she made it crystal clear to him she wanted to be treated the way a warrior treats his favorite squaw in private. But neither time had Jeff so much as touched her, even though Wild Hawk had previously made it quite clear he had no objections.
"Naomee no take Shawnee brave," Wild Hawk had chuckled recently when Jeff visited his village. "Naomee like tall man with white skin." Then he had regarded Jeff carefully for several seconds with his wise old eyes. "Soon now Naomee take you, my good friend. Soon."
"I like the Shawnee," Prudence said simply. "I think their life is a lot better than ours. It's freer because they ain't tied down by a lot of stupid customs and conventions."
"Then you'll go?" Jeff asked, his heart pounding at the thought.
"Of course I'll go, Jeffery Hudson! You just tell me when!"
"Well-not right now," he laughed. "Right now I think we should take a dip in the pool and get you back to your cabin. Hold still, now." With this he slowly withdrew completely and rolled to one side, stretching out beside her on the moss.
"Lordy me!" she gasped, raising to a sitting position and staring at him in wonder. "Suddenly I feel as hollow as a gourd. That-that instrument of yours-"Again her glad, girlish laughter rippled through the trees and underbrush as she sprang to her feet and made for the water. In seconds he was beside her and, for the next quarter-hour, they splashed and laughed and played, happy in their youth and at being together.
Some time later, after they had dashed the water from each other's body, dressed, crossed the ridge, and following a dozen fervent kisses with as many fervent promises from Jeff to return soon, he stood just inside the edge of the tall timber, watching her make her way toward the cabin she called home. After one long, lingering look in his direction from the doorway, she turned and disappeared inside. When this happened, Jeff returned to the deeper woods in a little hollow at the base of the ridge, soon located a giant spruce whose bottom limbs reached the ground. Inside the limbs the pine needles made a thick, soft mattress. Even with the nap he had taken at Charity's cabin, he still felt the need for sleep and had been stretched out on the needles less than five minutes before it overtook him.
The forest was dark and filled with night sounds when he awakened. High overhead the full, silvery moon of last night moved majestically across the sky. He lay motionless for some time when he awakened, wondering whether he should sneak into the Crowder cabin as he had planned. Even though he had spent countless nights under the stars since leaving Boston, still, it would be more comfortable to be in the big bed in the upstairs bedroom. With this thought in mind, he rose to his feet, then began making his way toward the settlement.
As he neared it he circled cautiously until he reached the Crowder cabin, approaching it from the rear; from the direction of the river. Careful to make no noise, he tried the door he and Susan had used last night. As he expected, it was securely bolted. Still moving silently, he moved around to the side of the cabin and under the window of the room he had occupied the night before. He half-expected the heavy wooden shutters to be closed. They weren't, and since the window itself had no glass, but was only an opening in the building to permit the cool air to circulate in hot weather, nothing prevented him from entering. Nothing, that is, exept that the window was on the second floor.
Earlier he had cached his rifle and gear near the river. He stood now under the window, studying the rough log wall, then without hesitation removed his moccasins and stuffed them into the pockets of his buckskin jacket. He had no problem finding plenty of niches for his fingers and toes. In fact, climbing the wall-was simplicity itself. It was just as he threw his leg over the sill and straightend it when he saw the figure sit bolt upright in the big bed and heard the frightened feminine voice, still somewhat thick with sleep.
"And who the devil might you be?" the girl gasped, clutching the sheet close under her chin.
Had there been any doubt in his mind, even with the light of the moon pouring through the window dancing off her flaming red hair he would have easily recognized the Irish accent.
"Hello, Bonnie," he said quietly. "I didn't think you'd return to Bully of your own accord. And certainly not this soon."
"So 'tis you, Jeff Hudson," she said, scorn heavy in her voice. "The great woodsman what took the chore of findin' me and bringin' me back to Bully Crowder. The likes of you ain't fit to breathe clean air."
"But you returned," he reminded her.
"Not to Bully, I didn't. Last night I spent with Charity Breeden and this night she arranged with Susan to let me in here when Bully came sound asleep-so if it's blood-money you're wantin' to earn just wake Bully now and say you brought me back."
"Didn't Charity tell you what I said about returning you?" he asked, taking a seat on the edge of the bed and looking at her.
A tiny frown creased her smooth, intelligent brow as she studied his face. Bonnie O'Brian was a beautiful girl, to say the least, and Bully Crowder was not the first or only man of the settlement who had evinced earnest effort to take her to bed. She had large, widely spaced amber eyes, a full-lipped, generous mouth made for laughing and a body, Jeff knew the numerous times he had seen her about the settlement, that could easily drive a man from his mind. As fate would have it, however, their conversation until now had been limited to nothing more than polite greetings, though many times Jeff had envisioned the two of them in much more intimate situations.
"Charity told me what you said." She tossed her head saucily. "Is it to be believed?" . "It is," he replied. "Do you?"
For a long moment she failed to answer and he was about to repeat the question when she spoke.
"Yes," she said softly, quietly. "I believe." Then she chuckled warmly and in the moonlight he could see imps of merriment dancing in the back of her amber eyes. "Nor is that all Charity told me."
"What else?" Jeff asked, though with a feeling he already knew what her answer would be.
"'Tis a shameful thing to take such advantage of a lass when she talks through the window to a friend," she said, laughter bubbling from her ripe lips.
"Charity told you that?" he grinned.
"Aye," she nodded largely. "And what about the bedroom and the venison stew and the little apron? And also about her going to your cabin in the deep woods where the two of you can run naked and free as you please."
"What do you think of the idea?" he queried.
"Would you be hungry?" Bonnie asked, politely ignoring his question. "After Bully was asleep Susan fetched me a huge tray of food. 'Tis on yon vanity, along with a large pitcher of mulberry wine."
"I could use some of the wine," he said, as he rose from the bed and approached the vanity.
"Beware," she cautioned quietly. "'Tis heady and strong and sets the blood afire."
Heedless of her warning Jeff tilted the pitcher to his lips, downing a long draught. He felt its warmth blossom deliciously in his stomach before he returned to his seat on the bed.
"I came here to sleep tonight," he said to her as she regarded him evenly in the light from the silvery moon "Though now I suppose I'll have to return to the forest."
She ignored this statement in much the same manner as she had his question of a few minutes before. In-stead she said, "Did you know I am no longer a bond servant, though Bully is unaware of it yet?"
"How so?" He partially reclined on the bed beside her, resting his weight on one elbow.
"Well," she continued eagerly. "A sutler's supply wagon arrived here in Franklin this afternoon. Charity told me of it. The driver claims the Town Hall in New Bedford has burned. There's no record now of me being a bond servant. All records were destroyed."
"But Bully still has his bond certificate," Jeff said. "It'll stand up in any court."
Bonnie shook her red head happily, warm laughter bubbling from her ripe lips again. "Huh-uh," she said. "This afternoon Susan searched Bully's papers and found me bond certificate. She burned it in the woods back of the cabin before me very eyes."
"Then all record of your being bonded has been destroyed," Jeff said, somehow elated.
"Aye," she said. "All. And in time I'll return the money he gave for me passage to this land."
"What is the amount of the sum?" And when she told him he continued in amazement, "Why, Bully gave me twice that just to find and return you to him."
"No!" she said in surprise. "Not really?"
"It's true," he said with conviction. "And you know what I'm going to do?"
"'Tis no tellin' what a wild creature of the forest will do, Jeff Hudson," Bonnie said happily.
"I'm going to return his money," he told her. "Half of it, anyway. Then he'll be out nothing, but will have gained your labor free in the months you've been here."
"Oh!" she said, a wild gladness coming into her amber eyes. "Oh!" Then she dropped the sheet she had been holding close under her chin and leaning toward him threw her arms about his neck. "But you've no cause to be so kind," she continued as he held her close.
"You want to bet?" he asked, and before she could withdraw, he lowered his lips to hers. The mulberry wine he had drunk was rapidly heating his blood and building a fire low in his belly. It was only after several kisses that he released her.
"Aye-ee!" she gasped smally, never taking her eyes from his as she lay back on the bed. "'Tis now I'm beginnin' to understand the reason for the delight Charity spoke of this afternoon."
"If you like, I'll leave," he told her, having no intention of so doing. "I've slept in the woods many times." Only then did he glance down to see that she wore no gown, but her breasts lay ripe and plump under the light of the moon pouring through the big window.
"Foolish man," she chided, wiggling her body to move away from him. "This bed is large enough for both."
At this Jeff rose to this feet and immediately began shedding his buckskins. In a matter of seconds he was under the sheet beside her and moved close, feeling the gentle heat of her body reach out toward him.
"You have intentions of makin' love to me, Jeff Hudson?" she asked in a strained voice which contained a note of fear.
"No," he told her and watched her eyes widen with surprise. "Not to you, but I'd like to make love with you."
"'Tis no possible," she said quickly. "Charity spoke to me of your-your-greatness. Such could ruin a girl for life-the first time." He looked at her quickly and, even in the moonlight, could see the blush fusing her lovely features turning them almost as red as her hair.
"The first time?" he demanded, raising to an elbow to lie looking down into her eyes. "Don't tell me-"
""Tis tellin' you I am, Jeff Hudson," she replied in a rush. "Have you been thinkin' I'm a common trollop? A strumpet to serve any man who wished? A wench what lifts her skirts to all who ask?" By the time she finished, tears of frustration were edging her voice.
He propped his head on his hand to lie looking at her, knowing she was telling the truth, yet finding it hard to believe. "And you've never-?" he began again.
"No!" she replied quickly, the sheet drawn to her chin once more. "Never!"
By way of answering he stretched out flat on his back on the bed, laced his fingers behind his head and lay staring at the dark ceiling above. If that's the way she wants it, he thought to himself, that's the way it's going to be. This afternoon with Prudence Goodbody was the closest he had ever come to forcing his attentions on any woman, and even though he had learned later such was what Prudence wanted, he had absolutely no intentions of forcing himself on this girl beside him. Rape just wasn't his forte. No matter how high the wine heated his blood, he made up his mind to keep his side of the bed.
Night sounds from the surrounding forest drifted through the open window, along with a cool breeze which ruffled the near edge of the sheet under which they lay. Once Jeff thought he heard someone moving in another part of the cabin, but he couldn't be sure and as he continued to lay there motionless the fire in his blood commenced to cool. Bonnie lay beside him, straight and stiff as a poker to begin with the sheet clutched tightly under her chin, but after a while she slowly relaxed and her breathing became more even.
"Well," she finally began hesitantly, but thought better of whatever she intended saying and again they were silent, each concerned with his own thoughts, then, "'Tis remarkable control you have, Jeff Hudson." she blurted, jerking to a sitting position once more and twisting to stare down at him. "Few men could contain themselves, what with bein' in bed naked with a lass and all."
"I didn't know you were naked," he teased, moving his hand under the sheet. The natural swing of his arm from left to right brought his hand in abrupt contact with the soft, downy forest at the apex of her thighs.