Savage Autumn Read Online Free

telling of Mama’s death. Just think of them as being together now.”
    Tag looked up into her face. “What about you and me, Joanna? I don’t like Uncle Howard and Aunt Margaret. Do they have to live with us?”
    “It won’t be forever, Tag.” She tried to smile. “We still have each other and no one can ever separate us.”
    His arms went around her waist. “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of you, Joanna,” he said earnestly.
    She hugged him tightly. “We will take care of each other, Tag.”
    Winter was slowly releasing its grip on the land. The bleak snow-filled days turned to bleak rainy days.
    Joanna and Tag were sitting in the morning room, quietly reading a book, when Franny appeared. “That man wants to see you and Tag in the sitting room,” she declared. “He thinks you are at his beck and call.”
    Joanna laid her book aside and took Tag’s hand. “Whatever he wants it’s best to find out now,” she said.
    When they entered the room Aunt Margaret smiled triumphantly,as if she were privy to information that pleased her. Uncle Howard was standing by the window, and he motioned for Joanna and Tag to be seated on the settee, but they both remained standing.
    How pompous he looked, Joanna thought. Now that he had access to her father’s fortune, he had changed his appearance. His outlandish clothing was now of a more expensive cut, but still in bad taste.
    “I was told by Franny that you wanted to see me,” Joanna said, raising her head defiantly.
    “That’s right, missy. It galls you that I call and you must come to me, doesn’t it?”
    “It galls me that you think you have the right.”
    He smiled, “Oh, I have the right by law, as you have already found out.”
    Joanna clenched her teeth together, knowing he was right. “Tag and I are here. What do you want?” she demanded.
    He walked toward her with a satisfied smile on his face. “I have made some plans for your and Tag’s future. Would you like to hear what they are?”
    “What more can you do to us that you have not already done?” Joanna said, staring into his little beady eyes with contempt. She felt his foul breath on her face. “I could show you, fancy piece, if your aunt weren’t present.” He pressed his body against hers and Joanna felt afraid. Seeing her eyes dilate in fright, he gave her a satisfied smile. He then forced her to sit down, and placed a heavy hand on her shoulder.
    “I will tell you what I can do. I have decided that it’s time for Tag to become a man. What better way for a boy to grow up than to go to sea?” he replied, watching Joanna’s face closely.
    The color drained from Joanna’s cheeks as she stared at him in disbelief. “Never! I will never allow you to separate Tag and me.”
    “You think not?” her aunt asked, popping a chocolate bonbon in her mouth and looking at her husband. “Tell Joanna what our plans are, Howard.”
    Howard crammed his hands in his pockets and propped hisfoot on one of Joanna’s mother’s gold velvet chairs. “As I said, Joanna, I want Tag to take ship as soon as possible.”
    “Never!” she cried, looking at her brother fearfully. “I would die before I allowed you to take him from me.”
    “Oh, you won’t die, Joanna, but Tag might,” her aunt said with an evil grin on her face.
    Howard Landon frowned. “Hush, Margaret.”
    Joanna clasped her trembling hands together to still their quaking. “What are you talking about? Do you dare threaten me with my brother’s life?”
    Howard smiled humorously. “Of course not. That would be unlawful. I am merely looking out for the boy’s own good. I am well acquainted with the captain of the Sea Witch, and he has consented to take Tag on his next voyage as a cabin boy.”
    Joanna looked at her uncle suspiciously. “That’s not one of our ships. Tag is the legal heir to my father’s shipping line. Why would you want him to sail aboard…unless…”
    “I think you get the picture, Joanna,” her aunt squealed