Broken Promise Read online

  Broken Promise

  Theresa Scott

  "Carefully researched and detailed, Dark Renegade is an engaging addition to a growing collection of prehistoric novels... A fine read!"

  Romantic Times

  "Theresa Scott's captivating writing brings you to a wondrous time and shows you that love itself is timeless."

  Affaire de Coeur

  "The passion is primitive and lusty... Kudos to Theresa Scott for an exciting and refreshing reading adventure. Superb!"

  Rendezvous

  "Yesterday's Dawn is an entertaining read and an enticing beginning to the Hunters Of The Ice Age series."

  Romantic Times

  He leaned over and kissed her lips and she felt herself melting once more. "Oh, no," Star moaned and pulled away.

  "What hold is it that you have over me, Falcon?" she cried.

  He stared at her in silence.

  She rose to her feet. "I must return to the others." Her hands were shaking as she put on the dress.

  "Star." He rose without any sign of the shame that she seemed to feel. "I want to make love to you."

  "Well, you cannot."

  "You are going to be my wife. It is only natural for a man to want to be with his wife."

  "That may be," she retorted archly, "but you seem to have forgotten something."

  "What is that?"

  "I have not agreed to be your wife! You stole me from my family. And I do not want to lie with you."

  Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-one

  Chapter Twenty-two

  Chapter Twenty-three

  Chapter Twenty-four

  Chapter Twenty-five

  Chapter Twenty-six

  Chapter Twenty-seven

  Chapter Twenty-eight

  Chapter Twenty-nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-one

  Chapter Thirty-two

  Chapter Thirty-three

  Chapter Thirty-four

  Chapter Thirty-five

  Chapter Thirty-six

  Chapter Thirty-seven

  Chapter Thirty-eight

  Chapter Thirty-nine

  Chapter Forty

  Chapter Forty-one

  Chapter Forty-two

  Chapter Forty-three

  Chapter Forty-four

  Chapter Forty-five

  Chapter Forty-six

  Chapter Forty-seven

  Chapter Forty-eight

  Chapter Forty-nine

  Chapter Fifty

  Chapter Fifty-one

  Chapter Fifty-two

  Chapter Fifty-three

  Chapter Fifty-four

  Chapter Fifty-five

  Chapter Fifty-six

  Chapter Fifty-seven

  Chapter Fifty-eight

  Epilogue

  This book is dedicated to Vivian Atwell,

  modern-day healer of troubled souls.

  A LEISURE BOOK®

  January 1995

  Published by

  Dorchester Publishing Co., Inc.

  276 Fifth Avenue

  New York, NY 10001

  If you purchased this book without a cover you should be aware that this book is stolen property. It was reported as "unsold and destroyed" to the publisher and neither the author nor the publisher has received any payment for this "stripped book."

  Copyright © 1995 by Theresa Scott

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the Publisher, except where permitted by law.

  The name "Leisure Books" and the stylized "L" with design are trademarks of Dorchester Publishing Co., Inc.

  Printed in the United States of America.

  With special thanks for technical expertise to:

  Andy Appleby, fisheries biologist, Olympia, WA;

  Dr. Richard Daugherty, archaeologist;

  Christopher Johnson, PA/SA, medical consulting;

  Ruby Martin, nurse-midwife, Olympia, WA;

  and Daniel S. Meatte, archaeologist, who finds all the good sites for me.

  Chapter One

  Autumn, 10,000 years ago

  Palouse River area

  "Put more mud on your face."

  Star obeyed her mother and poured water from a deer bladder onto the dirt and ashes mounded beside the dead fire. She made a thick paste and patted it on her skin. Coarse grains of the charred wood ground into her cheek. She wrinkled her nose at the acrid ash smell.

  Blue Jay, her mother, tipped her head critically. "More."

  Star picked up a second handful and smeared it across the other cheek, then streaked a glob across her forehead. It felt surprisingly cool and refreshing.

  "Now your chin."

  Star rolled a dab of mud around her jawline.

  When her mother gripped her chin, Star winced and looked into her mother's narrowed eyes.

  Blue Jay dropped her hand and scanned Star's face. ''Ah, but I despair of hiding your beauty! Those dark brown eyes, those cheeks ..." Her indrawn breath rattled.

  Star stared at her mother. "Surely the Jaguar men cannot be so fierce."

  Her mother peered outside the tent, then looked back. "They are," she answered. "I see the Jaguar scout still waits outside Echo's tent. Oh, how I wish our men had not chosen this morning to go hunting. Had they but known the Jaguars were coming, surely they would have stayed... ."

  She turned back to Star and slid a lock of Star's black hair to one side. Blue Jay cocked her head, frowning thoughtfully. "Every year during this moon, the Jaguars search us out to trade for wives. We have given them women in return for protection against the powerful Fish Eaters, who are even worse than they are. Until now, we have been most fortunate. The Jaguars could not find us for this many years." She held up three muddy fingers. "But alas, our good fortune has ended."

  Blue Jay draped the lock of hair in front of Star's face and reached into the ashes. With shaking hands, she rubbed it on the shiny dark hair.

  Star closed her eyes, not wanting to see her hair become white, coarse, and gritty.

  "The Jaguars will be hungry for women. We must make certain that they do not choose you," said Blue Jay.

  "What of the other young women? No one else's mother puts mud on her face and ashes in her hair."

  Blue Jay snorted. "A mother does what she must do to protect her daughter. If the other Badger mothers are wise, they will smear mud."

  Star tried to rise.

  Blue Jay restrained her and pleaded, "Only a little more." She reached for the gray ashes again.

  Star smiled tightly and sat back down. "Very well, Mother."

  "Your teeth! I must dull your teeth. They are too white." Blue Jay rubbed ash on her daughter's upper front teeth. "There."

  Star tried to spit out the foul-tasting substance. Her skin was covered with dirt, her scalp itched from ash, and white dust had drifted all over her yellow leather dress. Always so careful to keep clean and neat, she shivered with repugnance.

  "Do not spit it out," warned Bl
ue Jay. "I know you do not wish to walk around like this, but I promise you, it will protect you." She rubbed her hands together. ''Now you must stand up so that I can see" Her gaze darted nervously over the girl. "Oh, no! I had forgotten how tall and straight you are. Oh, what am I to do?" She scanned the tent and picked up a ratty fur the dogs slept upon.

  "Here. Hunch over. And put this on."

  "Mother! I do not want to wear such a thing. It is" Star studied the fur. "Why, it crawls with vermin. I can see little tiny things moving... ."

  "Enough," said her mother. "Here"she picked up another skin"Then wear this under it. But hasten. They will be here soon!"

  "Mother, I cannot wear that fur!"

  "Please," begged her mother. "Just put it on. And remember to walk bent over. None of your proud walk, now. That would surely gain the Jaguars' attention."

  Star swept the clean fur onto her shoulders. Then with two fingers and a grimace, she picked up the vermin-ridden fur. Several tiny black fleas burrowed into the pelt. She shivered and dropped the filthy piece. "It is for the dogs! I will not put it on." She challenged her mother's narrowed eyes.

  "Oh. I understand now. You would be happy to warm the bed of a Jaguar man. How fortunate for you. And he will only beat you now and then. He will take you, my only child, away to live with his people and I will never see you again. Then you will truly be the most fortunate of women! And I, the happiest of mothers!"

  Star frowned. "I am not going to join with a Jaguar. I am going to marry Camel Stalker. You know that, Mother. You helped arrange the promising."

  Blue Jay sighed. "There will be no joining with Camel Stalker if one of the Jaguar men sees you first!"

  "Pah! Jaguar men, Jaguar men! That is all you talk about. Where did they suddenly come from? You never worried about them before."

  "You were younger then and I had no need to worry. Now you are fully grown. I worry." She hugged Star. "Ever since your father was killed by the grizzly bear, you have been everything to me, my precious daughter. I do not want you forced to go away with those people."

  "You said the Jaguars protect us from the Fish

  Eaters. How can the Fish Eaters be any worse than our protectors?" demanded Star.

  Blue Jay sighed and released Star. "It is said, my daughter, that you can recognize Fish Eater territory when you see the rotting heads of their enemies hoisted up on sticks. They are put there to warn of the Fish Eaters' ferocity."

  Star shuddered.

  "You must remember that many years ago they raided our people for women."

  "Yes, you have spoken of them before."

  Her mother nodded. "In that raid, there was much fighting and ten of our men were killed. Three of our women were stolen.

  "Now, the Jaguars are a strong people who also live in the west. They do not like the Fish Eaters and they promised to protect us against the raids. In return, they demanded three of our daughters as wives. Our headman, Echo, and the other Badger men refused. They thought that we could hide from the Fish Eaters."

  "What happened when our people refused the Jaguars' protection?" prompted Star.

  "The Fish Eaters raided us again. This time they stole five women and killed five men. I can tell you there was much wailing and crying and gnashing of teeth in the Badger tents that night. So our men sent for the Jaguars, and together they made the agreement. We knew if we did not, the Fish Eaters would kill our people off."

  Blue Jay sighed. "But while the Jaguars protect us, they also take from us. I know it is necessary to give brides to them, but I am a selfish old woman. I do not want to give you, the joy of my life, to a

  Jaguar. I fear that they will take you away and I will not see you for many years, if ever."

  When tears rose in Blue Jay's eyes, Star swallowed hard. She clasped her mother's hands. "I love you, Mother. I do not wish to join with the Jaguars, either. They seem no different from the Fish Eaters."

  "Ah," answered Blue Jay sadly, "there is a difference. The Fish Eaters steal women and give nothing back. The Jaguars protect us and give us gifts in exchange for joining with our women. Gifts are important."

  "They give gifts? Well then, I say we are free to reject the Jaguars' gifts," said Star with a toss of her head. "I, a Badger woman who does not wish to join with a Jaguar man, can tell him so by rejecting his gifts, just as I would do with a Badger man!"

  "Unfortunately, it is not that easy, my daughter. The Jaguar men will not accept having their joining offers rejected."

  "Pah! A man is a man. No man likes his marriage offer rejected."

  Blue Jay's hands fluttered. "Yes, and you would know about this, my daughter. You who have already rejected the joining offers of three of our finest Badger hunters!"

  "I did not like the men."

  "Gopher is a good man."

  "I do not want Gopher. He is a lazy hunter and does not share. He hid his meat from old Grouse when she was hungry and her son was away hunting."

  "Hmmm, well, Finds the Marten is an excellent hunter and shares his meat. And I like his mother," said Blue Jay. "She is a very dear friend to me."

  "Finds the Marten is indeed an excellent hunter and generous and his mother is very kindly, but he is too quiet. Not once did he speak to me while he was making his joining offer. His mother did all the talking for him. I have no wish to live in a tent with a mute man all my days."

  "Wolverine chatters like a squirrel. He is a good hunter and the son of our headman. And he is generous," pointed out Blue Jay.

  "True. But alas, I consider him a kinsman. He is related to my father's brother. That makes his blood too close to mine." Star sighed. Finding a good man had proved trying. But she wanted a husband; she wanted a family. She sighed again.

  "Well, I am relieved that Camel Stalker is a good hunter and a generous man," said Blue Jay. "He also speaks with great wisdom and he is not related in any way to you."

  Camel Stalker would do. He was kind and he was handsome to look upon. Star's confident shrug sent the fur sliding off one graceful shoulder and Blue Jay hastily tugged the fur back up.

  "Camel Stalker would not like me to reject his joining offer," teased Star with a sly smile.

  Alarmed, her mother met Star's eyes. "Do not reject his offer at this time! If one of the Jaguars should discover you, we can always explain that you are already promised to Camel Stalker." Under her breath, Blue Jay added, "But I fear that a joining promise would not deter a Jaguar."

  She dusted Star's forearms with dry ashes.

  "Your sleeves should hide your arms, I think. Oh, I do hope this mud and ash hides your beauty. You see, these people are very proud," warned Blue Jay. "They do not take well to being told no. Now, if we were to reject Camel Stalker's offer, why, he would merely be angry with us for a little while. Perhaps even ask us to reconsider."

  Star smiled. "I will not reject Camel Stalker's offer. I am pleased enough with him. I think he is the best hunter of our people. And he practices the manly virtues of honesty, bravery, and generosity. Several times I have seen him give meat to Crow." Crow was a widow with two young children.

  Her mother touched more mud to Star's temple and smoothed it around.

  "Camel Stalker and I will have a happy life together, Mother. I have it all planned! We will be joined soon and have many healthy children and travel the land with our Badger People."

  Blue Jay grimaced. "I hope what you say will truly happen."

  "It will."

  "But first you must evade the Jaguars. I will tell you what will happen, my daughter." Blue Jay stroked Star's ash-grayed hair. "They want all the young women to gather in one place. Then they will choose which women they will give gifts for. The women so selected must leave their families and go away with the Jaguars. If they are fortunate, they will see their Badger families again. But some will not, like my cousin, Fragrance. She was chosen, and I have not seen her for many years." Again, tears welled in Blue Jay's eyes.

  "I would not have a Jaguar for my husband!
" cried Star.

  "Yes, well, I do not want such a husband for you, either. But remember, the Jaguars take women away as wives. Fish Eaters take women away as slaves. Fish Eater slaves work very hard. They must gather wood, and catch and smoke fish. Tend children. Gather roots and berries. Build fish traps. Weave fishnets"

  "Stop, Mother. I grow weary merely from hearing you speak of the work they must do."

  "Living with the Fish Eaters makes a woman into a dog who must work hard and beg for every piece of meat she gets. I do not think you would like to live like that."

  Star held up a hand to stop her mother's words. "I think I should go and hide in one of the caves, Mother. There I will be safe. If I stay here, one of the Jaguar men might see past the mud on my face."

  Her mother smiled grimly. "Unfortunately that has been tried before, my sweet daughter. And the Jaguars were very angry when they discovered the hidden women! They were so angry that they threatened to withdraw their protection. They even threatened to tell the Fish Eaters exactly where we were located."

  "How would they tell them? I thought they were enemies of the Fish Eaters."

  "Even enemies communicate now and then. There is a dangerous group of trading men, known as slave catchers, who move freely between the Jaguars and the Fish Eaters unscathed. The Jaguars would tell the slave catchers; then the

  slave catchers would tell the Fish Eaters."

  Star shook her head. "These slave catchers sound like they cannot be trusted."

  "They are most treacherous! They hunt for slaves for the Fish Eaters. We Badgers know it was the slave catchers who told them to raid us. There is a story old Granny Dawn tells of the day a trader came and visited us. Shortly after he left, the Fish Eaters raided us for the first time!"

  Star considered this. Her thoughts went back to how she could save herself. "What happened after the Jaguars found the hidden women and threatened to withdraw their protection?"

  "At first our men were glad. They do not like giving women to the Jaguars. But then Echo, our esteemed headman, pointed out that we do not have enough men to fight off the Fish Eaters. The Jaguars do. The Badger men listened to Echo's wise words. Then Echo gave a most apologetic speech to the Jaguars, convincing them to extend the cloak of their protection once again."