Another Night Falls

by Jerri Hines

Extending his arm, he lifted her easily beside him. He pulled her tight against him, so close he could feel her heart pounding rapidly.

  “You said you knew a back way to your land. Do you know it in the dark?”

  “Go behind the barn. There is a path that leads into the woods.” Her voice quivered. The poor thing was shivering. “You saved me.”

  “I have you now and won’t let anyone hurt you.”

  He kissed her head. Her body trembled, but he could do no more than hold to her. They had to put as much time and distance away from Bloody Benny as they could before Bloody Benny realized that they had met before...then Sumner knew, without question, Bloody Benny would return...for him.

  * * * *

  Jane shivered in the cool night’s air. Tears she hadn’t been able to cry earlier flowed silently down her cheeks. She reprimanded herself harshly. She had no time for such behavior. He had come...he had saved her. She wouldn’t let him see this weakness.

  When they emerged from the woods, the vision in front of her caused a momentary gasp. A new house stood on the land which had been her home, her land, her family’s land. All that was left of her home was the ruins of the old foundation.

  There had been no time to reminisce. They had to press on. She felt his need to leave and quickly. Deep into the woods, he reined in his mount. Slipping from the horse’s back, he pulled her into his arms and kissed with a ferocity that left little doubt of the danger they had escaped.

  “Did they hurt you?”

  She couldn’t find her voice, but managed to shake her head. Leaning back, he stared deep into her eyes. Could he see into her soul...see how her heart beat for him?

  “We have much to do, and I’m afraid I have need of you to do an errand.”

  “I’ll do whatever you ask of me, Sumner.”

  “Warren is set to meet me at the house in the morning. We need to stop him. If Bloody Benny has a man there, he could well put it together that Warren is helping us. He needs to be warned.”

  “I know the back way into town, but, Sumner, if we are seen...”

  “We won’t be, not if you dress as a lad. I have my misgivings for its dangerous, but I will ride with you until we reach town. You, though, will need to go to the General Store alone.”

  She said simply, “I will do so.”

  * * * *

  Jane tensed at the sight of the Hanging Rock Creek’s general store. Glancing around, she looked to see if she was being followed. There was no one in sight.

  The Parkers lived above the store. Everything seemed quiet when she reined in her mount, but it did little to squelch her nerves. She had not been honest with Sumner. She was petrified and wanted nothing more than to curl up into a ball and hide, but that wasn’t an option. If Warren wasn’t warned, more could die and that she couldn’t accept.

  Riding to the back of the store, a breeze caught her hat. Quickly, she held it in place. She couldn’t afford for anyone to see she was a woman. She pushed her errant hair back under her hat and dismounted.

  Knocking soundly on the back door, she waited impatiently for an answer. She knocked again. This time, she heard footsteps running down the stairs. She glimpsed Warren glancing out the window, hesitate at first, but she motioned to him to open the door. A moment later he did, and quickly drew her inside, but not before he looked side to side for any movement.

  Whisking her inside, he whispered, “What is wrong?”

  “The Williamsons’ gang found me,” she said plainly, trying to keep the telling fear from her tone. “Sumner saved me, but he doesn’t want you to go in the morning. He thinks someone will be watching.”

  Warren’s face visibly tensed. Taking a deep breath in, he shook his head. “It has been my worry. I heard rumblings of a sighting of a woman at Laker’s Grove. Thought they would consider that Sumner had brought you with him. I had planned to tell Sumner in the morning. I should have sent word, but I never thought...if I had, I would have...”

  Jane soothed him. “It is fine. Nothing happened, yet, but we can’t return. Sumner wants you to meet him in the morning. We will be down below Sanwee Creek up at the fork before it hits Broad River. Whistle. Sumner said you would know what to do.”

  “Yes, of course. Tell him it might be closer to mid-day, but I will be there,” Warren quickly agreed. “Can’t say that I like it. How did you ever get away?”

  “Sumner talked Bloody Benny into it after Sumner shot and killed Henley. But Sumner doesn’t trust him to hold to his word.”

  Warren looked at Jane doubtfully, “Bloody Benny didn’t recognize Sumner?”

  She shook her head. “It was dark. Should he have?”

  “It has been a while, but Sumner served with Benny in the militia at the beginning of the war. Sumner was the reason Benny got flogged, rightly so. Benny fell asleep at his post. He was the lookout. Drank too much, I heard. The unit was ambushed. We lost a couple of men. Sumner turned him over to the commander. Benny never took responsibility. He deserted shortly after.”

  Jane stared at Warren. Sumner had gone into the midst of the Williamsons’ gang knowing full well that if they recognized him... She shuddered to think, for she could never endure another loss, especially not Sumner.

  “But then again,” Warren said, thinking out loud. “Benny wouldn’t have been expecting him. He’s not using his real name.”

  “Real name?” Jane asked. Her heart sank. In all their talks he had never mentioned he was using a fake name, but why would he? He would leave, and she would never see him again.

  “It doesn’t matter, does it?” Warren retracted himself. “Go. Tell him I will come. I have good news for him. Tell him Israel is set to meet up with him, I will tell him everything in the morning.”

  She nodded and turned to leave. “Wait,” he called out. “Let me send something to hold you over until I see you.”

  Warren took only a moment and brought out a small sack. “It’s not much, but should hold you until tomorrow.”

  “Thank you.” She didn’t look back as she mounted. Her only thought was returning to Sumner, knowing that tonight be all she had left with him.

  * * * *

  A light rain fell upon the night. Darkness covered the road, but she had not far to go. She reined her horse to the left into the woods. She didn’t like being alone, unsure of her surroundings, but she was heading back to Sumner. She wouldn’t falter.

  Jane thought back to the time she went after Bloody Benny. She felt no fear then, only a burning hatred.

  The Mathersons had taken her in after the raid. They were nice enough, she supposed, but she felt she was an imposition. They were a large family, having eight children. Their eldest child was only eleven, but the Mathersons had been her closest neighbors.

  Her grandfather helped them out numerous times in the past. Jane knew because she had kept her grandfather’s books.

  Martha Matherson kept asking her if she had other family or if she had a beau. She knew of no other family nor did she have a beau, but she saw within Mrs. Matherson a fear that the Williamson gang would descend upon them. Shelia, God bless her, had, also, offered to take her in against her father’s wishes.

  Pride overcame Jane. She didn’t want to be a burden upon anyone, let alone have anyone hurt because of her. Then she thought of Laker’s Grove. Many times she brought meals up to Mr. Beltcher and cleaned for him before he passed. A friend of her grandfather’s, Beltcher visited her home numerous times.

  Looking back now it seemed strange that no one had offered to help her settle her grandfather’s estate. For that matter, the livestock, did the Williamsons take it all? She didn’t remember seeing them leave with any, but she had been in shock.

  No one had mentioned her grandfather’s holding and she had not asked. She had walked through the motions of living, but all that had consumed her was that burning hatred, hatred of the murdering cowards, hatred of herself for living.

  She left one morning, taking only the clothes upon her back and her
horse, the one her brother broke for her when she was twelve. She made her home at Laker’s Grove, surviving only with thoughts of revenge. Then she remembered a conversation she had with Joseph Williamson. He mentioned his home outside of Camden.

  The thought occurred to her that it might be where Bloody Benny camped. She asked herself how hard could it be to shoot a man. She hadn’t planned on returning. Her only objective was to kill the monster that had destroyed her family, but she had failed. She only hoped now that failure wouldn’t cost her Sumner.

  Chapter 5

  Damp and cold, Jane plodded through the creek bed. Thankful that the rain had stopped and moonlight had broken through the scattering clouds, she wished only to find the spot where she left Sumner quickly. What if she lost her way? However would she find him again!

  “Jane!”

  “Sumner!”

  Relief flooded through her when he walked out of the woods. He grabbed her reins before she had a chance to draw back. Slipping off the horse, her trembling body fell into his waiting arms.

  “Did you run into trouble?”

  Suddenly nothing else mattered but being in his arms. “None. I told Mr. Parker everything. He said he would be here mid-morning and suspected something might be afoot. He was going to tell you in the morning what he suspected. I believe he felt quite guilty, but he said he had good news. Your man Israel is set to meet you.”

  “That is good,” he answered, but even in the near-darkness she saw the worry set in his eyes. Without warning, tears welled up. She lowered her gaze to shield her weakness from him. “Are you okay”

  “I’m fine.”

  “It is quite obvious you’re not,” he said. “Let’s get out of this rain.”

  He wrapped his hand around her waist and led her to where he’d created a simple shelter for the night, a lean-to made of fallen branches.

  “Are you hungry? There is still some food left from what you brought.”

  She shook her head. “Mr. Parker made up a package for us. It’s on the saddle.”

  “Crawl under and rest. I’ll return shortly after I take care of the horse.”

  Exhausted, Jane did what Sumner told her. She lay back and stared into the night’s darkness. Her mind raced with troubling thoughts, but she refused to think about anything save for this moment. She pushed back all her disconcerting feelings, all but the love she felt for the man who saved her.

  Sumner was back within minutes. He slung the saddle down close to Jane. Sitting on a log, he took off his boots and began undressing. She watched him as always fascinated by the magnificent figure of the man he was, with his broad shoulders and muscular form. Tight, hard lines lured her gaze down the taper of his back to his firm buttocks and evident arousal. He turned to her and kneeled down to where she lay.

  He reached for her, pulling her into his shoulder and eased them both down to the ground. He held her to him with a need she could feel within herself also. His hand unbuttoned her shirt exposing her to the cool, damp air, but all she felt was the warmth he brought with his touch.

  Unbuttoning her shirt, he slipped it off, leaving her exposed to his desires. His gaze meandered over her and then he paused.

  “You are unsettled, Jane.” His voice was deep and low. “Do you want me to stop? Or do you feel as I do?”

  Putting words to her desire only made it stronger. She whispered, “Make love to me, Sumner.”

  She only wanted him to kiss her again. Touch her. She could not pretend otherwise. He held a power over her with anticipation. She leaned upward and kissed him. When their lips broke contact, his fingertips brushed her cheek, then gently closed on a lock of her hair which had escaped its confinement.

  “I am half mad with the thought of what could have happened to you. If anything—”

  “It didn’t and I’m here with you.”

  She touched him. Her hands skimmed along his bare chest, down his lean muscular stomach to the most essentially male part. Her fingers played along the hardened ridge. She heard him release a low groan in her ear.

  He reached down and took her hand in his, pulling it back up.

  “Slowly, my lovely. Slowly.”

  She complied, encircling her arms around his neck. She edged closer to him. He smelled of the woods. She inhaled his fragrance as soothing to her as a rose in bloom.

  He kissed her gently, progressing into a deliberate series of teasing kisses, eliciting sensations of pleasure promised. He bit her lower lip, used his tongue to taunt her, luring into his world of passion.

  Within the shadowed intimacy, her body reveled shamefully with each of his kisses...his caresses. He kissed her gently, deepening until desire pulsed in the joining of their lips. Her body throbbed with want.

  His mouth claimed hers again with a ferociously driven possession. Breaking from her lips, he began a descent along her sensitized skin. With warm breaths, he whispered, “Let me touch you, kiss you as I want, my beautiful lady.”

  She felt beautiful in his arms...so desired. She arched toward him, giving all she had to offer. He shifted closer; his hard arousal pressed against her thighs reflected his own want. Cupping her breasts in his hands, his fingers circled her nipples, gently eliciting a need within her that only he could answer.

  Her body lay in wait, enthralled by the slightest caress. Her breaths shortened as he focused on her breasts, suckling each in turn. Her pleasure sharpened, making her arousal almost desperate.

  “I need you...I need you now,” she uttered weakly, submitting to the control he had over her.

  “Not as I need you.”

  His voice resonated around her. She lost herself in his essence as they became one. With every caress, every touch, they journeyed together along a path of desire. His caresses became more intimate towards the private place that throbbed with want.

  His hands parted her legs, caressing and stroking her inner thighs, the swells and the cleft of her bottom. His fingers slipped inside her...so hot...so wet, intensifying the pleasure. She gritted her teeth to hold back her cries.

  Grasping his shoulders, she pulled him to her. He stroked long and deeply, spreading the escalating waves of pleasure. She lifted her legs to draw him in more, wanting him inside of her. In that moment in time, nothing else existed...the whole world became his hands, his mouth...his being.

  Her lower pulse built and built, intensified by overwhelming sensations. Cascading sensations stunned her and pushed her into total abandonment. He mounted her then and took her hard.

  She surrendered herself to the madness, raising her hips to encourage each thrust. He quickened his entries until her passion burst. Nothing mattered but him as the deep fires of passion transformed her and carried her to a plateau where waves of pleasure enthralled her.

  Their gazes locked, exchanging an intimacy so deep, so profound that it made all else irrelevant. He was hers as she was his. They stayed that way, linked in the darkness.

  * * * *

  The night passed. Jane wanted nothing more than to halt the advancement of morning, but it was an impossibility. With his body warm against her back, she snuggled closer to him. He made no sound, but she knew he had not slept.

  Her heart broke for the words not spoken. Yet, she feared she hadn’t the courage; time was against her. The morning sun loomed on the horizon.

  She lay still and asked in the darkness, “Sumner, are you awake?”

  “Umh.”

  “Are you leaving me in the morrow?”

  He said nothing for a long moment. Finally, “Yes.”

  She had known, but the confirmation of that knowledge cut through her as sure as a dagger to her heart. She wanted to ask what was to become of her...of them, but he had never made promises. She had never asked.

  “It is what I thought,” she said softly and then paused. The words were hard to speak...but she must. “Then I will say my words now before I lose the courage. I wish everything was different, and we didn’t have to say good-bye. We both have suffere
d loss, but I wanted you to know there is one thing I will always be grateful for and that is you.

  “I love you. I don’t expect you to say the same. I realized before I lay down with you, you would leave. But I needed to say this for I feel it’s important for you to know that you are loved. As you go to fight for your cause and continue on life’s journey, remember my love.”

  Her voice wavered. She stopped for she could say no more.

  “Jane, I...”

  She interrupted him. “There is no need for you...”

  He drew her up to him and kissed her with the passion born between them. “Woman, do you think I’m going leave and never see you again...not knowing where you are at?” He stared at her intently. She broke from his gaze, but he refused for her to turn from him. He reached down and lifted her chin back up to look into her eyes. “I know I don’t say much, Jane. It is the way I am and can be no other, but have faith in me. Trust me.”

  She couldn’t control the tears she had sworn not to cry. The whole of her body shook and she wept until the sun rose.

  * * * *

  The darkness faded into the light of the morning. With a clear sky , it promised to be a beautiful day. Sleep had not come for Jane; she hadn’t expected it to.

  Sumner seemed none the worse for sleeping out under the stars, but she supposed given all, he had gotten accustomed to such. He stirred, easing himself out of their embrace. She leaned up to give him easier access. He leaned over and gave her a light kiss on her lips.

  “No tears this day,” he said.

  She nodded. Her composure regained and with it a determination not to embarrass him upon his departure. He stood. Holding his hand to her, he pulled her up beside him.

  “Let us see what happens this day. I have hesitated to tell you what I have planned, fearful that it will not come to be. I wanted to travel with you, but it isn’t a possibility. I’m heading toward a battlefield, I’m certain. You, I hope, will stay away from all this madness.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “No, I suppose you don’t, but I told you, you have to trust me. I know you know little about me. I sent for Israel my servant from home. Today, we meet up with him and he is to take you back.”