Outlaw Express

by Gillian F. Taylor

  ‘Mebbe,’ Alec replied. ‘But I killed Alcott’s brother an’ for all they know, I stole you away to get the ransom for myself. Bill Alcott won’t be giving up so easily.’

  Lacey’s face went tense and screwed up, as though she were trying hard not to cry. Alec watched helplessly, until she gave a large sniff and plastered a weak smile on her face.

  ‘I’m sorry,’ she said quietly. ‘It’s just all so horrible.’

  ‘Whisht, lassie, I’ll get you back to your family, I swear,’ Alec promised, unable to think of any other way of comforting her.

  When Lacey nodded, he mounted and led them back along the gulch, once again retracing their steps.

  Alec found them a place to camp that was out of sight of the trees where the bandits were. When he got back from watering the horses, he saw that Lacey had spread the saddle blankets out in a golden patch of evening sun to air, and was gathering firewood.

  ‘I hope this is all right,’ she said. ‘I only ever used coal or boughten logs before, and never built a fire outside.’

  ‘It’s grand of you,’ Alec said, with a smile. He gave her some suggestions about what to look for, and tended to the horses.

  Not until it was almost fully dark did Alec finally light the fire. Supper was a basic stew of bacon and beans, with hot coffee, but it was filling and welcome. Lacey volunteered to clean the dishes and things in a patch of snow and all but the coffee pot and a couple of tin mugs were soon packed away neatly in the saddle-bags. Alec took out his pocket watch and wound it, checking the time by the flickering firelight.

  ‘We need to move before full daylight,’ he told Lacey. ‘Could you stay awake until midnight, and then wake me?’

  ‘I think so,’ she replied. Rest, and hot food had restored her morale and she looked relaxed as she sat on her bedroll, brushing her chestnut hair. ‘I was so excited when Uncle Peter and Aunt Pat invited me to come and visit in Leadville. I thought it would be an adventure.’ She snorted. ‘I guess I got the adventure, sleeping rough and being chased by outlaws. And with a man I hardly know.’ She stopped and gave an embarrassed giggle. ‘I’m sorry, you’ve been a gentleman. But . . . it’s shocking really.’

  ‘We dinna have much choice,’ Alec replied simply. ‘I aim to get you back to your family as soon as I can,’ he added sincerely. He handed her the watch. ‘Midnight, remember. I’ll be waking you soon after five and we’ll be on our way again.’

  Lacey nodded. ‘Midnight,’ she promised.

  Alec settled himself inside his bedroll. It did indeed feel strange to be travelling with only a young woman, and simple things like nipping behind a tree to urinate suddenly seemed a lot more awkward. The idea of sleeping, and leaving her on guard, to wake him later also seemed wrong, but he couldn’t think of another solution. They needed to be moving before dawn, and without an alarm clock, someone had to stay awake. Well, there wasn’t anything he could do about it tonight. With years of practice, Alec firmly put aside worries he couldn’t deal with at the moment, and relaxed into sleep.

  Alec had coffee brewing and a pan of beans and molasses warming over the fire before he woke Lacey in the pre-dawn dark. She grunted resentfully and burrowed further down inside the bedroll.

  ‘You have to get up,’ Alec said.

  ‘No.’ Her voice was muffled but determined. ‘It’s cold out there.’

  Alec sighed. He was cold too, but staying in their bedrolls would get them nowhere. ‘You can come out into the cold now, and let me get you to safety, or you can lie in there and let Alcott and his men come looking for us. And when they find us, they’ll kill me and drag you out of there anyway and you know what they’ll do to you.’

  There was a muted wail of frustration and despair, then, as Alec wondered if he’d been too blunt, her head popped out of the covers. She glared at him resentfully in the firelight.

  ‘I hate this mess!’ Lacey said viciously.

  ‘I’m no’ too fond of it myself,’ Alec remarked drily.

  She hissed like an angry cat, then unsnapped fastenings on her tarp and sat up quickly, shaking out the coat she’d been using as a pillow and slipping it on.

  ‘This is awful,’ she grumbled, wrapping her shawl over her head.

  Alec moved back to the fire and poured her a mug of coffee. Wriggling out of the bedroll, Lacey came to the fire, reaching for the mug. Huddled in layers of clothing and shivering, she held the cup to her face.

  ‘Thank you,’ she muttered, flashing a half-apologetic glance.

  As Alec cleaned the dishes after eating, Lacey began the process of putting her hair up, trying to pin the long braid into a coil on the back of her head.

  ‘Oh, this can be such a nuisance,’ she muttered, pulling pins out and stabbing them in again. ‘I can’t do it with gloves on and my fingers are so cold and stiff without.’

  Alec hesitated, half-wondering if he should offer to help, but not having the slightest idea how to pin a woman’s hair up.

  ‘Oh!’ Lacey pulled all the hairpins out altogether, letting the braid fall loose down her back. ‘What does it matter if my hair’s up?’ she said sharply, casting Alec a defiant look. ‘I know a lady should, in public, but what does it matter out here? You’re the only person who’s going to see me, and you’ve seen me sleeping, for heaven’s sake!’

  Alec thought of his mother, and could only remember seeing her with her hair down on the few occasions he’d seen her in her nightclothes. Dark hair, she’d had, as dark as his own. ‘If it’s in a plait, it won’t get in your face,’ he said. ‘You don’t want it loose with the winds we have in the mountains.’

  ‘Braided is fine,’ Lacey said, and dropped the hairpins into her carpetbag with an air of satisfaction.

  They were soon on their way again, this time riding along the floor of the gulch, away from the trees. The sky was a deep indigo, lit by crowded stars that threw light onto the layers of snow around them. There was enough light for them to ride with some confidence, trusting to the horses to find their way safely. It was quiet, with the soft steps of the horses and the slight creaking of saddles far louder than in the day. The horses pricked their ears to the wail of a coyote, but neither seemed disturbed by its presence. As they drew close to the trees where the bandits were camping, Alec halted and gestured for Lacey to lean close so he could speak softly to her.

  ‘I’m hoping they’re on the other side of the creek, but we must be careful; there may be someone on watch. Follow me, and let your horse pick his trail.’

  ‘All right,’ she said, her trust in him clear in her face.

  Alec hoped he was doing the right thing, but his choices were severely limited.

  He set off again, keeping as close to the side of the gulch as the trees would allow. The rustling of the undergrowth, and crunch of snow seemed horribly loud in the quiet night. It was far darker too, under the trees, and Alec had to rely almost entirely on his horse. More than once, he had to deviate from his path, or even retrace his steps as they wound their way through the tangle of pines. Lacey dropped back a couple of lengths, to let him have more room to manoeuvre. After some five minutes of cautious, slow movement, Alec caught the familiar scent of woodsmoke. He halted, and turned his head, trying to establish the direction of the changeable wind. After a few seconds he was sure the smoke was coming from the other side of the creek. If there was smoke, it meant there must be someone awake. His heartrate jumped another notch, but Alec didn’t let any fear show on the outside. As they moved on, the wind changed again and blew towards the camp.

  The quiet was broken by a loud neigh from the other side of the creek; one horse calling to another. Before Alec could do more than swear under his breath, Lacey’s horse called back to its old companions. There was more neighing and rustling, as the unseen horses responded to the presence of friends, almost drowning Hannigan’s voice as he shouted for the others to wake up. Alec pressed his legs to his horse’s sides, urging it on. He wanted to flee, every instinct telling him to get awa
y as fast as possible, but he had to hold to a brisk walk while in the dark trees.

  Alec glanced back over his shoulder and saw that Lacey was following, in control of her horse though its head was turned towards the creek. Sharp-scented branches brushed against his clothing, forcing Alec to lean forwards in his saddle as they forged their way through. Spotting a lighter area, Alec steered his horse towards it, breaking into a trot as they reached a patch where the trees were thinner. He could still hear voices back at the bandits’ camp, fainter now, but he was sure that the whole camp was wakening. Alec saw more open ground nearer the creek and used it to speed up. There was a lot of snow cover, reflecting the star light and giving better visibility.

  They came clear of the trees and the horses stretched out into a gallop. Tense as he was, there was something exhilarating in galloping through the snow under the stars. Lacey drew to his right, to avoid the snow being kicked up by his horse, but stayed a length behind. There was another patch of trees ahead before they reached the mouth of the gulch. A glance over his shoulder reassured Alec that no one was in sight behind them yet. He settled into his saddle and studied the trees ahead, looking for a way through. Then Moray’s head and shoulders seemed to disappear in front of him and Alec was flung off his horse.

  He twisted as he fell, landing on his back in an explosion of snow that was in his ears, down his neck and up his sleeves. His horse lurched and scrambled past him, snorting as its hoofs flung clumps of snow across him. Alec could do no more than gasp for a few moments, shocked by the suddenness and the cold. Getting his breath, he floundered in the snow for a few moments before scrambling to his feet. There was a hole in the snow where it had been covering a narrow channel in the ground, a tiny creek bed. Turning, Alec saw that Lacey had passed him and was reaching Moray, who had halted of his own accord. She caught his trailing reins and led him back.

  Alec shook himself and wiped away snow as he anxiously watched his horse move. Thankfully Moray seemed to be sound.

  ‘Are you all right?’ Lacey asked, as she handed the reins back to him.

  ‘Aye,’ Alec answered shortly. He pulled his glove off and examined his horse’s legs as best he could in the dim light. ‘I was a fool,’ he said reproachfully.

  Lacey looked back the way they’d come. ‘We’d better keep moving.’

  Alec patted his horse and climbed back into the saddle. He walked at first, a knot of worry in his stomach which gradually unwound as the horse continued to step out well. He seemed to have got away with his recklessness, but the accident sobered him. Fleeing through the snowy mountains at night seemed like the height of foolishness. They depended so much upon their brave, vulnerable horses. Yet, since the moment Jason Alcott had hauled Lacey Fry from her seat on the train, he’d had no choice. He couldn’t afford to brood about it now. Satisfied that the horse was all right, Alec pushed on to a steady jog, his eyes scouring the ground ahead.

  They made it safely into the next patch of trees before any pursuit emerged from the woods behind them. The outlaws would have to scramble out of bedrolls, pack and ready the horses before beginning their pursuit, but his fall had wasted some of that valuable time. Alec still slowed to a walk as they wound their way through the trees. It was infuriatingly slow, and Lacey gave little whimpers of nervousness now and again. At last the light brightened again as they cleared the trees and saw the mouth of the gulch and the wide park ahead.

  This time Alec kept the pace to a slow jog. He angled towards the creek, which was quite broad here, and flowing fast. The banks were overhung with snow in places, so he didn’t get too close. Moving now at a brisk walk, Alec followed the creek downstream towards the river. Frustration grew as he searched for somewhere to cross safely. There had to be a trail, that would indicate the crossing point, but in the dark, and with the patches of snow, he couldn’t find it. Trying to ride across in the dark without knowing where it was safe was foolish, as was trying to jump it. As he stared across the rushing water, his horse slowed of his own accord, lowering his head. Alec immediately switched his attention to the ground ahead. The snow was thin here but as Moray walked on slowly, Alec could tell he was moving onto softer ground.

  ‘Back,’ he said, for Lacey’s benefit. He backed Moray until they were on firm ground again, glanced back towards the gulch, then looked over the creek to the park beyond and the pass over the mountains.

  ‘We can’t cross,’ he said, his voice tight with frustration. ‘Not in the dark.’

  Lacey also looked back along the park. ‘How are we going to get back to that pass? We can’t wait here for daylight, and let them catch up with us.’

  ‘We must go north,’ Alec said. ‘We must keep moving. Leadville’s north of here anyway; we’ll find another way across.’ He had no idea where, and the failure of yesterday’s attempt to cross the mountains was in his mind, but the wilder part of him, his Highland warrior half, his mother had called it, was roused by the challenge.

  His mind made up, Alec turned his horse and set off at a steady jog. The mountain park was fairly open, with minor undulations in the ground. It was a little lighter on the other side of the river, as the rising sun touched the mountains there, but the side they were on was still dark and shadowed. Alec concentrated on the ground ahead, but Lacey must have been looking back from time to time. They’d gone nearly half a mile from the creek when he heard her gasp.

  ‘Sheriff! I saw them, I’m sure I did.’

  ‘Where?’

  ‘Just coming out of the mouth of that gulch.’

  Alec turned in his saddle to look, and spotted dark shapes moving across a patch of snow. As he looked, he saw Lacey, behind and to his right, kick her horse on. Alec swiftly kneed his horse across her path.

  ‘Hold your pace,’ he ordered.

  ‘They’re chasing us!’ Her voice was close to panic as she reined back to a jog.

  ‘We’ve got a good head start.’ he reminded her. ‘We let them run until they get close, using up their horses, then we speed up. It’ll be lighter then an’ safer. Their horses will have run a mile before they get within shooting range, if one of them doesn’t hit a hole in the snow.’

  ‘All right,’ Lacey replied tersely.

  The chase went as Alec predicted. When the bandits closed to just within pistol range, he speeded up until the distance widened again, then slowed back to a steady jog. The chasers gradually closed the gap again and once more, Alec and Lacey pulled away. It was hard riding, and as the sun rose, Alec was glad that their side of the park was still mostly in shadow. They slowed again, and this time it took a little longer for the bandits to close the gap. As they crested a rise in the ground, Alec glanced back. O’Leary had pulled ahead of the others, either impatient for the chase to end, or keen for the fight. Either would be typical of his impulsive nature. As they started down the other side of the slope, Alec urged his horse into a full on gallop.

  It wasn’t a very steep slope, but the gallop down was exhilarating, not least because of the patches of snow that possibly concealed hazards. Alec was grinning as he glanced across at Lacey to see how she was coping. Her expression was determined, as she clung to the saddle horn with one hand, relying completely on her horse to carry her safely. They thundered down, taking the tiny creek at the bottom in their stride, and charged up the other side. Alec risked a glance back; no one was in sight yet.

  ‘I’m going to stop in a moment; keep going,’ he called across.

  Lacey glanced at him, her face set and anxious, then nodded.

  Alec sat deep and felt his reins, warning his horse before giving the signal to halt. Moray slid to a grass-tearing half, snorting as he did so. Alec turned him with his legs, wrapping the reins around the saddlehorn with one hand while drawing the rifle from its boot with the other. Putting the rifle to his shoulder, he marked the spot where they had crested the slope and aimed for it. Moray snorted once more, sucking in deep breaths as they waited.

  CHAPTER SIX

  O’Lear
y breasted the rise exactly where Alec expected him to. The outlaw saw him and whooped eagerly, kicking his horse onto greater speed as they began the descent. Alec waited calmly, letting them take three strides. It was enough time for the horse to be stretching out into a gallop on the downhill slope, but not quite enough time for the reckless O’Leary to recognise and react to the threat of Alec’s rifle. As O’Leary began to haul on his reins to gather his horse together, Alec started firing.

  Three quick shots, Moray’s ears flickering with each one, though the horse remained still beneath him. O’Leary’s horse shied and tumbled, throwing its rider off. Man and horse rolled downslope amid sprays of snow. To Alec’s relief, the horse got its feet under itself and began to struggle up again. O’Leary also halted himself, floundering in a patch of snow. Alec threw another shot at him, and was satisfied to see the bandit collapse back into the snow, though still thrashing around and bellowing in pain.

  He couldn’t afford to wait any longer. Thrusting the rifle back into its boot, Alec unshipped his reins, turned his horse and started off up his side of the dip. When he reached the crest, he saw Lacey, some distance ahead. She had halted and half-turned her horse to look back, poised ready to flee. Alec swung his arm in a circle, indicating she should start moving. Lacey went on again at a jog, glancing back now and again until Alec caught up with her. She increased the speed of her horse to match his and they went on at a fast lope.

  ‘What happened?’ she called, her eyes searching him.

  ‘I put O’Leary down,’ Alec replied. ‘I didn’t kill him but he’s hurt.’

  ‘Good,’ Lacey said firmly. ‘You reckon they’ll leave him or stop to tend to him?’

  ‘They’ll stop,’ Alec said. ‘They can follow our trail.’

  Lacey nodded. ‘But we’ve won an advantage?’

  ‘Yes.’

  Lacey didn’t say anything else; she simply turned her face to the way ahead and rode.