“Do not lie to me again. Is that clear?” she snapped.
Alexio’s laughter stopped as he rubbed his arm. “Uh, yes, Miss Landon.”
For a brief moment, Felix was taken aback with her actions. A well-bred lady would not have struck a man in such a way, whether she was spitting mad or not. How very interesting…
He turned his focus back on his Indian friends. They didn’t understand English very well, so Felix was certain they wouldn’t have known what Katrina was worried about.
Smiling once again, he walked forward and greeted Bruno and Dado. The tribe had a different way of greeting their friends other than a handshake, and although Felix didn’t like putting his arms around other men, he allowed Bruno and Dado to give him a hug. To refuse would have been an insult to them.
“What brings you out this way so far from your home?” Felix asked in their native tongue.
“We hear things that are not good,” Bruno said. “Come sit with us. We will explain. Too dangerous here for you and your people.”
Felix stiffened. He didn’t like the sound of that. Perhaps Mr. Faro back at the tavern had been speaking the truth. Was the jungle really cursed with an evil magic?
He glanced at Carlos. “We’ll stop here for a little while. This is a clear spot, let us make camp for the night.”
Giving a nod to Bruno and Dado, Felix led them away from the group so they could talk in private. Whatever was going on in the jungle, he didn’t want to frighten his men, or Katrina, if he could help it.
The three of them sat on the ground in a circle. This was how their Turri ancestors conducted meetings. Usually they had a peace-pipe, but right now Felix was relieved they didn’t offer it to him. He needed a clear head for this particular subject.
“Tell me what you know,” he began.
“There is a bad spirit in the jungle.” Dado waved his hands wildly as he spoke. “Spirit is angry. Spirit does not want you and your people to travel.”
Scratching his head, Felix let out an exhausted sigh. “Is it a spirit or an actual person you speak of?”
“Do not know.” Dado shook his head. “We have not seen. Only felt.”
“So what is this bad spirit doing?”
“Making the jungle dangerous,” Bruno answered in a lower voice.
“Is this bad spirit responsible for the fire ants being in the wrong place? And for the jaguar roaming so nearby?”
“Yes.” Dado nodded. “Bad spirit wants to stop you.”
Felix rubbed the back of his neck. “Why? Do you know the reason?”
Both father and son traded glances before meeting Felix’s eyes again. Dado gestured with his head toward the others. “Spirit does not like woman.”
Felix snapped his attention toward Katrina. He wanted to laugh over the Indians’ revelation. He, too, hadn’t liked Katrina when he first met her, but now things were different. Why did his warrior friends think the spirit didn’t like her? It didn’t matter. They only spoke the truth. Still, it made no sense to him.
He turned back to the father and son. “Miss Landon? What does she have to do with this?”
Bruno shrugged. “Do not know. Bad spirit does not want her in jungle. She must leave or spirit will become very angry.”
Felix blew out a frustrated sigh and fisted his hands. The bad spirit was probably just a person, or a group of people. But why did they want to be rid of Katrina? Was it because she was a woman? He shook his head. That couldn’t be it. Suzette had traveled these roads with her husband several times. No, there had to be an explanation for what the Indians said. There was something he couldn’t quite put his finger on.
Felix would ignore the bad spirit and continue with his trek. He’d take his chances. They had no other choice. He’d make sure his men were extra wary of anything strange. They could not let this stop them. Miss Landon needed to get to her father’s plantation and Felix needed to be the one to take her there.
His last big adventure was certainly turning out to be quite an escapade…
“I thank you for the warning, my friends,” he told them, “but I cannot turn back now. We have come too far. I pray my group will be able to reach our destination safely.”
Both father and son nodded. “We pray you can as well,” Dado said.
“Before you go,” Felix said as Bruno and his father began to stand, “can you tell me if you know Henry Landon? He owns a rubber tree plantation around here somewhere. He is the girl’s father and we’re taking her to him.” It worried Felix that he might not be heading in the correct direction.
Frowning, Dado gave a sharp nod. “I know him. Not good man. Cheats. Lies. Drunkard.” He took a deep breath before continuing. “Perhaps my people make him our next feast.”
Taken aback by the comment, Felix closely studied the older man’s face. The wrinkles around his eyes and mouth remained untouched, but after a few moments, the older man grinned. Thank goodness Dado had been kidding.
Felix chuckled. “Well, if the man is as bad as you say, his meat is probably very tough and not tasty at all.”
Both Bruno and his father threw back their heads and chuckled loudly. Felix breathed a relieved sigh.
“You good man, Knightly.” Dado nodded. “You, we will help.”
“So you will tell me how to get to Mr. Landon’s place?” Felix asked.
The Indians squatted on the ground, and using a stick, Bruno drew out a map to the plantation, explaining as he drew. Felix could follow their map and knew exactly how to get there. It might take an extra day, but he’d do all he could to get Katrina there safely. He also prayed his group of men would be safe as well.
* * * *
Katrina assisted Carlos and the other men in erecting tents. Often she glanced toward Felix and his cannibal friends, hoping what Felix said was right. Her stomach couldn’t settle until she knew these Indians wouldn’t have them for their main meal tonight. A shiver ran through her, but she shrugged it off, going back to setting up her tent.
Felix and his friends were embroiled in a serious conversation. His creased forehead and his frown let her know he was greatly disturbed. Yet, just a moment ago he said something to make the other two men laugh. Now it appeared they were drawing something in the dirt. She hoped it was a map to her father’s plantation.
She sat inside her tent, admiring how well she was able to put this contraption together. The men only had to show her once how to make this, and she was able to do it by herself. Although she was tired of being in the jungle, she wasn’t exactly looking forward to meeting her father, either. So right now, the jungle was her preferred choice.
Ever since she could remember, she had always resented Henry Landon. All around her, children her age were growing up with both a mother and a father. Not her. She hadn’t even met the man who had ignored her mother’s pleas for help when Katrina was a young girl. If it hadn’t been for the townspeople taking pity on them, Katrina and her mother would have died of starvation. So how on earth could she forgive the man who did nothing to help raise his child?
She dug inside her pack for her canteen and quickly took a sip. The anger inside of her made her hotter than the jungle’s humidity. She rubbed her forehead. The combination wasn’t good for her headache, either.
How would she act when she met her father for the first time? Would she slug him in the face with her fist? Would she just glare at him? Or should she call him unforgivable names? Something deep inside made her want to lash out at the old fool—whether he was dying or not. He couldn’t treat her as he had and expect her to run into his open arms and suddenly want to be his daughter. And if he did, he was an idiot.
Then again, what if he wasn’t as she expected? She had been preparing herself to be disappointed so he couldn’t hurt her any more. But what if he wasn’t the man she thought he’d be?
Off in the distance, the echo of a growling jaguar rang through the air. Her heart dropped. The cat sounded closer than before.
She scrambled on
her knees to the tent’s opening and peered out. The men were now holding machetes and pistols as they scanned the foliage and trees. Even Felix and his Indian friends were standing, alert to the jungle’s largest feline.
“It’s still too far away,” Felix said loudly. “But I want everyone on guard.”
The Indian duo said something to Felix before turning and leaving camp. Felix’s gaze landed on Katrina, and he strode her way. When he reached the tent, he knelt to her level.
“No need to fear, my dear Katrina. Our Turri friends will also search for the jaguar. I believe all will be well.”
“I hope so.” She sighed and tried to smile through her worry. “Did your friends tell you how to get to my father’s plantation?”
“Yes. I know the way now. We should be there in two days.”
“That’s good,” she said, even though she still wasn’t sure if it was good or not. “And thank you for doing your best to protect me. You don’t know how grateful I am.”
“Are you doing all right?” He swept his fingers by her boot. “Does your foot still hurt?”
“Not that much.”
“Good.”
She couldn’t take her focus off his amazingly blue eyes. His peaceful expression brought ease to her exhausted heart. He was certainly one handsome man. Although they’d only known each other a few days, she realized she would certainly miss him when he left. Even through his stubbornness, he had tried hard to protect her. She’d also miss their bantering and the sly glances they traded back and forth.
Her heart wrenched. Good heavens, she couldn’t believe she actually didn’t want him leaving! But he’d still take her back to her mother…wouldn’t he?
“Felix, I just thought of something.” She reached to touch his arm, but stopped and quickly withdrew her hand.
“What, my dear Katrina?”
She enjoyed the cadence of his deep voice when he talked sweetly. “My father paid you to bring me to him, correct?”
“Yes.”
“Well, did he pay you to take me back to my mother once our visit was over?”
One of his eyebrows arched as confusion washed over his face. “You know, I never really thought of that, but no…he didn’t pay me to take you back. All his letter instructed me to do was to bring you to him.”
“Oh, dear.” She placed her palm on her bosom, feeling the panicked beat of her heart pulsing through her. “I need to get back to my mother. I don’t want to live with my father out here in the jungle. The only thing his attorney, Mr. Jamison, told me was that I had to go to my father’s plantation in order to get my inheritance.”
Nodding, Felix scratched his stubbled chin. Not for the first time, she thought how good the five o’clock shadow looked on him. “I see your dilemma. I suppose I could take you back as well.”
Her heart lightened and she grasped his hand without thinking. “Would you? I would be so thankful, and you won’t regret it. I promise.”
His gaze dropped to her hand. Silently, she scolded herself for not thinking before reacting. Again. Trying not to make a big scene, she slowly pulled her hand away.
“You think I won’t regret it?” The corners of his mouth lifted in a teasing grin. “Does that mean you will actually listen to what I say…and do it?”
She tried not to smile, but couldn’t help it. Felix was too darn cute this way. “Well, I suppose I shall have to now, won’t I?”
“Indeed, you will.”
He winked and her heart did a silly flip-flop. “Once my father gives me a portion of my inheritance, I will pay you.”
He shrugged one shoulder. “We’ll discuss it later. Why don’t you try to get some rest while we finish setting up camp?”
“All right, I’ll try. But it’s hard to sleep when it’s so blasted hot.”
“Yes, but try nonetheless.” He smiled and stood, then turned and left.
As she watched him walk away with that cocky swagger, she sighed happily with the knowledge that she would be with him longer than she’d first thought.
She crawled back inside her tent, lay down, and closed her eyes—but sleep was far from coming. In her mind, she relived the times she’d shared with Felix. He really was a considerate man—except whenever she accidentally touched him—and he obviously cared about her in some small way, or else he wouldn’t have been concerned about her safety.
So perhaps it was time she told him the truth about herself. It would be best before they arrived at her father’s place and Felix realized for himself she’d been purposely making him think she’d grown up a wealthy, pampered girl. If she downplayed it, he might not even get upset. Hopefully, he’d see the humor in the game she’d been playing with him.
A bead of sweat trailed down her neck. Grumbling, she rolled to her side and stared at the side of the tent. If only she could take off her clothes…gah, but it was stifling hot! No matter what, she must behave properly since she was the only woman amongst these men. Her mother would certainly be pitching a fit right now if she knew how much Katrina wanted to strip down.
Taking a deep breath, Katrina tried to concentrate on relaxing, but the heat was too intense and made her restless. She could no longer hear the men’s voices outside her tent, but she knew they were close by. But another sound intruded upon her thoughts. It sounded like water. A lot of water. Why did it sound so fierce and so close?
She crawled out of the tent and stood. Felix and the men sat around a small campfire. By the seriousness on their expressions and lowness of their voices, they were in a deep conversation, and she should not interrupt.
Listening, she followed the sound of the water. The noise took her only ten steps away from their camp, and through some trees that thankfully were nothing like the ones along the trail that had hidden those awful snakes. The closer she came to the water, the cooler the temperature seemed to get. Now she was very eager to see where this sound took her.
From in between the trees, she could see the downpour coming from someplace higher up on a rocky hill. She quickly pushed aside the leafy branches, stepped closer, and then stopped. A gasp caught in her throat. The sight was literally breathtaking!
She’d never seen a waterfall, but had heard talk from some of the patrons at the tavern. It delighted Katrina to know she could now say she’d witnessed this amazing sight.
The water was a lush white, almost foamy as it rolled from the top of a rocky hill and into a sparkling pool. Shrubs and flowers grew thick all around the area—from up on the slope, clear down to where she stood. What she wouldn’t give to be relieved from all of her clothes and enjoy the refreshing cool water as it coated her skin.
From somewhere behind her, someone called her name. Felix’s panicked voice dragged her from her pleasant thoughts. She turned. When he came into view, she waved her hand and called, “I’m over here.”
Relief swept over his expression and he smiled. “What are you doing?”
Excitement bubbled inside her chest. She hurried to him and grasped his hand. “Oh, Felix. Come see the waterfall. It’s glorious.” She tugged him toward the scene. “This is the first time I’ve beheld such a sight. Is it not beautiful?”
“Indeed, this is one of the things I love about the Amazon jungle.”
“Can we take a dip?” she pleaded, staring into his eyes.
He smiled. “I think it will be all right if we do.” He tore his focus from her face and scanned the pool. “The water is flowing heavily enough to keep the snakes away.”
“How about crocodiles?”
Chuckling, he returned his stare. “No, they won’t be here, either. They like calmer waters.”
“Oh, good.” She sighed heavily. “So, do you think I can remove my boots and stockings?”
“Yes. That sounds like a splendid idea.”
Giddily, she sank to the ground and yanked off the cumbersome items until she could wiggle her bare toes and feel the air touching them. Beside her, Felix laughed and followed her lead. The sparkle in his ey
es let her know he looked forward to feeling the water rush over his feet just as much as she did.
She stood and took careful steps toward the water. Hesitantly, she dipped her toes…then sighed. It was cooler than she expected.
Felix moved beside her and bumped her with his arm. “Is this all you are going to do? Wet your feet?”
“Well, you see—”
“Because,” he interrupted, “this was what I had in mind.”
Before she realized what was happening, he lifted her in his arms. In three long strides he splashed into the water. Squealing, she wrapped her arms around his neck and held on tight. The water slowly rose up his legs the deeper into the pond he went. Soon it splashed against her legs and bottom.
Playfully, he bent and dipped her toward the water, but he didn’t release her. Of course, even if he did, she would still have her arms around his neck. This was just too much fun to let go of him.
At first it struck her odd that he would be holding her so personally when it was his rule that she couldn’t touch him. But for some reason, that rule seemed to have disappeared, and her heart sang with happiness.
She reached one hand down and splashed water into his face. Laughing, he shook his head, and sent the drops flying.
“Tell me, my dear Katrina…can you swim?”
She arched an eyebrow. “I’ll have you know I was the best swimmer in the little village where I grew up. I was even better than some adults.”
His gaze narrowed. “You don’t say…”
Without warning, he tightened his arms around her waist and sank them both under the water. Although she wasn’t entirely prepared, she was able to hold her breath. She should have released her hold from his neck, but being this close to him was just too nice…and comfortable. And yes, very intimate.
Within seconds, he brought them both rocketing up from the surface. She laughed and wiped her eyes, and he wiped his using only one hand since the other was still wrapped around her waist. His smile widened, and his eyes gleamed with humor.
They continued to stare at each other for the longest time. Soon, their laughing subsided. Katrina’s breathing quickened, and she realized his was also speeding up. His gaze dropped to her lips. Butterflies danced in her tummy.
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