Savage Desires (1st in Savage Series)

Chapter Sixteen

"The stage should have been here by now." Lily said impatiently as she looked up and down the road. Hawke smiled at her excitement from where he sat on the bench waiting.

"Have patience. It will be here soon." he said, though he knew that telling her to have patience was pointless. She had been jumping up and down with excitement all day. He just hoped that she had done the math right and that Allie did arrive today because if she did not Lily's disappoint would be huge.

Hawke realized that Lily was picking up his habits as she paced back and forth across the stage office porch.

"Lily!" Doc Mason called out as he crossed the road and walked toward them.

"Good afternoon, doctor." Lily replied with a friendly smile as she forced her feet to stop pacing.

"Good afternoon." Doc Mason replied and the he nodded at Hawke. "How are you, Hawke?" he asked. Hawke rose from the bench and shook the Docs hand.

"I am well." he replied eyeing the doc suspiciously. He could tell something was on the old mans mind.

"Lily, can you come to my office for a minute. I need to speak with you about something." Lily threw a worried gaze over at Hawke who was quick to mask his own worry and nod at her.

"Go on. I'll keep an eye out for your sister." he promised.

"But what if you don't recognize her?" Lily asked uncertainly. Hawke shrugged.

"How many thirteen year old girls will be traveling alone by stage to Great Valley?" he asked. Lily rolled her eyes and nodded.

"Fine then." she said. "But Allie will have no idea who you are."

"Quit worrying so much." Hawke scolded and this caused Doc Mason to chuckle.

"Telling a woman not to worry is like telling a cow not to moo." he said. Lily crossed her arms over her chest and glared over at him.

"Did you just call me a cow?" she demanded. Doc Mason cleared his throat and pulled on his shirt collar.

"No, of course not." he said. Hawke grabbed Lily's arm and pulled her to him.

"Leave him alone. He is old." he said. "Now go. I am sure the stage will not arrive until you are back." Lily sighed and followed Doc Mason down the boardwalk toward his office.

Hawke looked across the road to the hotel and saw three women standing outside. Two of them were not familiar and he knew they must be either new in town or just passing through but he recognized the third as the head maid at the motel named Miranda Wallace. He knew that Miranda was a gossipy woman who felt it was her duty to fill every newcomer in town in on every scandal that she could. It didn't matter to her if she knew the truth about the scandal or not. Whatever she knew everyone else would learn if they held still long enough.

Hawke watched her painted, bright red lips moving. He had taught himself a long time ago how to read lips because it was a good way to pass time when he had to sit in town and wait around on something. The three women looked at Lily walking arm in arm down the road with Doc Mason and then over at Hawke and Hawke saw Miranda's lips form the word 'whore'. Hawke's temper flared and his eyes narrowed as his jaw clenched and he glared across the road at the women.

Instantly the women's looks of superiority faded and they looked afraid as Miranda quickly ushered them back into the hotel and away from Hawke's murderous gaze. He sat down on the bench, crossed his arms over his chest and stretched his long legs out in front of him. He realized that holding his head high and ignoring insults was only an option when the insults were directed at him. Hearing people say things about Lily caused him to see red.