Love's Mountain Quest

by Misty M. Beller

  And then she’d had to leave the home she and Robert had built. Did she miss the quiet of living so far in the hills? Settler’s Fort was a good town, filled with hardworking people. But probably not the peaceful living she was describing.

  “And what now? You’re taking in washing in town, right? Are you settled comfortably?” During these past months, it bit deep in his gut every time he’d thought that she might not have everything she needed. And even the idea of her slaving over a washtub and hot fire all day didn’t sit right. She was meant to do more with her life than that kind of drudgery. Deserved so much better.

  She nodded, and her shoulders sagged a little. “We’re making do.”

  Making do. Those two words formed a knot in the pit of his stomach. When they finally arrived back in Settler’s Fort, he’d make sure life changed for her and Samuel—for the better. Even if he had to build her a house himself and set her up with enough milk cows and chickens to live off the sales of their milk and butter. Maybe she could even manage that library she talked about.

  The idea settled better than images of her slaving over boiling water, but there was still something that made his chest tug because he knew, deep down, that he wanted to be in that picture his mind formed, seeing her and Samuel’s eager smiles each day.

  But that would never happen.

  He was content in his life, taking care of Pa. Satisfied each evening that he’d put in an honest day’s work. Enjoyed being around to help a neighbor in need.

  Like now. He was helping Joanna in what was probably one of her darkest times. And once they accomplished their mission and she no longer needed his help, he’d walk away. By then, she’d know about his past and any trust he’d gained would be destroyed.

  He needed to remind himself of that truth more often.

  TEN

  Night had settled in earnest when the men finally finished setting up camp. After Laura and Samuel ate the meager pittance they were given, there was nothing left for her to do except to hold the weary lad close to her.

  She ran a hand through his matted curls. In the darkness, they shone a rich auburn, and even though they were as desperate for a washing as the rest of him, the strands still possessed a silky feel that she loved.

  Yet his labored breathing made her heart ache.

  She pressed a kiss to his hair. “I’m sorry you don’t feel well, love. If there was any way I could take it from you, I would.”

  A whimper sounded, and he pushed deeper into her lap. “Mommy.”

  The word sprang tears to her eyes. “I know, honey. I wish she were here, too.” Actually she wished them both far away, back in Settler’s Fort with Joanna. But she had to keep the child’s spirits up. She pressed another kiss to his hot temple. “At least we’re together, though. And we’ll see your mommy again soon.” Lord, please let that be true. Where were the people who’d been following them? They should have caught up by now. Lord, don’t let them give up. Lead them to us.

  A figure stepped toward them, and she stiffened as she strained to make out the form with the firelight behind him. She couldn’t bear any more of Bill’s rough handling. Not tonight.

  When the approaching man dropped to his haunches beside her, she eased out a breath. Aaron.

  He laid something on the ground. “Here’s a little extra I was able to save for you two. Do you have enough water for the night?”

  She could smell the roasted venison wafting up from the plate. “Yes, thank you.”

  Her middle gurgled at just the thought of more to eat, and she had to stop herself from raising a chunk to her mouth right then. She couldn’t remember ever being this hungry, and her clothes had grown looser each day of the journey. The lack of food might be contributing to Samuel’s sickness, too.

  “Is there anything else you need?” Aaron’s voice sounded so earnest, as though he truly wanted to help.

  She almost asked if he could set them free, but that would be a silly request. He was one of the men holding them captive.

  So she shook her head. “Thank you for the food.”

  “Aaron, you over there trying to earn her good graces again? It won’t help you. I get first dibs, no matter what you do.” Rex’s voice sounded too loud in the still of the night, his whiskey-laden tone grating on her last tightly strung nerve.

  Aaron’s mouth pinched. “Sorry about him.” Then he rose and turned away. The flicker in his eyes looked almost like remorse. Was there a chance he’d help them escape? Maybe she could find a chance to ask him.

  She was too tired to sort through the fears and questions in her mind. For now, she and Samuel had a little extra food to soften the ache in their bellies. Then she’d best get them to sleep.

  As they ate, a stirring among the men pulled her attention to the fire. Bill settled his rifle in his lap, aiming it in the direction they were all staring. She peered into the darkness where they were looking, but the night was so thick she could see nothing.

  Birdsong sounded nearby—unusual at this time of night—and all three men visibly relaxed. Someone they knew must be coming.

  Moments later, the crunch of footsteps sounded. “It’s Nate,” a voice called just before he stepped into the circle of firelight, leading a horse behind him.

  Rex raised his cup in greeting. “It’s about time you showed up.”

  Aaron rose and clapped his brother on the shoulder. “I’ll settle your horse while you fill your belly. We’ve fresh venison.”

  Aaron took his horse’s reins, and Nate moved toward the fire. But as he was about to sit, he caught sight of her and Samuel. He stilled as he took them in, then swung around to face Rex and Bill. “Who are they?” His voice rang with alarm. Maybe even suspicion.

  Rex took another gulp from his flask before answering. “We had more trouble than expected with the sheriff in Settler’s Fort. They were the unfortunate witnesses to his demise, so we brought them with us until we decide what to do with them.” Even with a hint of a slur, his voice contained a lecherous quality that made her skin crawl.

  “You killed the sheriff?” Nate’s hands fisted, then released. “Then you made the problem so much worse by kidnapping? How could you think that was a good idea?”

  “It was the only choice we had.” Bill’s tone was more than a little defensive.

  Nate whirled away from them, marching toward her and Samuel. She shrank back from him before she could stop herself. His face was shadowed with the firelight behind him, but the angry set of his shoulders and the stomp of his boots was impossible to miss. “Did they hurt you?”

  Before she could answer, another voice sounded. “Nate.” Aaron’s voice held a low warning as he stepped into view.

  “Get your brother under control, Aaron.” Rex’s casual tone barely covered a clear warning.

  “You went along with this?” Nate sent an accusing glance to Aaron.

  The other man shrugged. “It was the only choice we had,” he repeated.

  Nate stood for a long moment, the rise and fall of his shoulders his only movement. Then his chin came up. “This is it. I won’t be party to murder and kidnapping. I haven’t felt right about everything else for a while now, but I stayed because of Aaron. But I refuse to stand by for this.”

  He looked to his brother. “We’re leaving, Aaron. And we’ll take the woman and boy with us. Go saddle the horses.”

  “You’re not leaving.” Rex’s growl was low and frightening enough to raise gooseflesh on her arms. “You know as well as I do you’d be recognized in any town you entered. You’re an outlaw, Long. That’ll never change.”

  Bill lifted the rifle and aimed it squarely at Nate. “Sit yourself down and eat a bite.”

  Nate ignored them and strode back toward her and Samuel. He reached for the knife fastened at his waistband.

  “Nate. Stop.” Aaron’s sharp voice cut through the night.

  Nate paused, then turned back to him.

  “We’re not going anywhere tonight.” Aaron spoke with t
he same measured, easygoing manner that seemed to be his trademark. “When we get back to the cabin, we can decide our next move, but splitting out in the middle of the wilderness in the middle of the night isn’t a good idea.”

  Long moments passed as the two brothers stared at each other. She couldn’t read either expression, but the turmoil churning inside Nate seemed to radiate from him.

  At last, the stiff line of his shoulders eased. “All right. We’ll talk more when we get back to the hideout.” His quiet tone made the words sound like they were meant for his brother only. He trudged back to the fire and sank to the ground near the roasted meat, still hanging from the stick they’d used for a spit.

  Laura eased out a long breath, trying to relax her own tension. Part of her had thrilled at the thought of Nate taking them away from Bill and Rex. But she knew nothing about this fiery stranger, except that he was Aaron’s brother. The two didn’t seem very similar in personality, although their looks were almost identical the more she studied them. Could she trust Nate more than these other men?

  It didn’t really matter, though. He’d given in to their resistance and abandoned his plan to free her and Samuel. Maybe he’d been all bluster from the beginning.

  Sleep came easy at the beginning of the night, but then Samuel woke frequently during the darkest hours, keeping her awake more often than not. Sometimes the fever made him restless, sometimes he struggled to breathe through the congestion. Poor lad.

  When the men began to stir at first light, she had to force her groggy eyes open. The skin on her face pulled tight like it was swollen, and every part of her felt as though she were attempting to swim in a lake fully dressed with her winter coat on. Each movement took effort.

  Aaron came to untie them and walk her to a tree where she’d have a minimum of privacy to relieve herself. She was getting used to the humiliation, but the anger it stirred wasn’t a good way to start each morning. When he brought her back to camp, he took Samuel to do the same.

  As she unplaited her braid and refastened it for the day, Nate approached with two steaming bowls and a cup. He squatted down in front of her and lowered the bowls to the ground. He cradled both hands around the cup as he spoke in a low voice. “I didn’t have a chance to introduce myself last night, but you probably figured out I’m Nate Long, Aaron’s brother.” His mouth formed a thin line, but his eyes seemed to offer an apology. Or maybe that was only hopeful thinking on her part.

  She nodded, but he must have been expecting more, for he raised his brows. “You are . . . ?”

  “Laura Hannon.”

  “This is your son?” He motioned toward Samuel, who stood near the tree with Aaron.

  She shook her head. “I’d taken him for an afternoon at the swimming hole when we met your . . . friends.” She couldn’t help the bitterness that crept into her tone.

  “I’m sorry. So very sorry.” His eyes spoke the same message as his words as he gazed at her. Then he pulled his focus down to the cup he still held. He lowered it to the ground, slipped something from his hand, and placed it underneath the tin. As he did so, he raised his eyes to her with a penetrating look.

  Then his face changed to a relaxed expression and he stood. “I think we’ll be ready to leave in a half hour or so. Call if you need me, but otherwise best to stay put.”

  She nodded, her gaze trailing him as he walked away. But her mind strayed to the slip of white he’d placed under the cup. A paper?

  Her fingers longed to reach for it, but Aaron was approaching with Samuel. Nate had taken pains to hide the object, so she’d best wait until she was alone to look at it.

  As the man and boy approached, her heart pounded loud enough in her chest that Aaron had to hear it. But he simply motioned for Samuel to sit, then turned and walked away.

  She forced herself to breathe.

  Samuel reached for his bowl and began slurping corn mush. He seemed focused on his food, so she reached for the cup with both hands, trying to scoop the paper into her palm as she took up the mug. Anyone paying close attention to her would see the act, but the men seemed busy, and Samuel didn’t look her way.

  She needed to look at the missive now, for once Aaron retrieved them to mount up, she wouldn’t have another moment alone until at least noon.

  Tucking the paper into the cradle of her crossed legs, she used the pretense of drinking as an excuse to look down. The slip of paper had been folded so it was no bigger than her palm. Once she opened it, small neat words spread across several lines. Her eyes took a moment to make sense of the markings, but as they sank in, a bit of cautious hope bubbled up in her chest.

  Camp tonight will be in thick woods. I’ll cut you both loose before bedding down. Sneak away after midnight and climb trees to hide. After we leave the area, go to the town west of here two mountains over. Get help.

  If her heart had been pounding before, it galloped in her chest now with the thunder of stampeding horses.

  Nate was helping them escape? Against her better judgment, she shot a glance his way. He was saddling his horse, as was Rex. Bill and Aaron were still loading camp supplies in their packs.

  None looked at her, yet it seemed as if all were aware of her and the paper tucked in her hand. She turned back, her stomach roiling with the thought of what all this might mean.

  “Aren’t you gonna eat, Miz Laura?” Samuel’s words jerked her focus to him. The lad was eyeing her bowl of gruel, and he certainly did need more to fill his belly. But she also needed sustenance, especially if they were to escape that night.

  “I can share a little.” She scooped two large bites into the boy’s dish, then worked to finish the rest herself. When she was pretty sure no one was looking, she tucked the paper down in her bodice.

  If she and Samuel could only make it through the long hours of riding ahead, freedom would be theirs by this time tomorrow.

  Joanna studied the sagging line of Isaac’s shoulders as evening brought a pink blush to outline the peaks on the western horizon. The pain must be wearing him down. His horse’s pace had been slower than usual through the afternoon, probably because Isaac wasn’t able to prod him with only one good leg.

  She rode up alongside him. “Is there a good place to camp around here?”

  His head drooped, and he looked over at her without actually lifting his chin, as if the effort was too much. “I was going to push on another hour or two until full dark.”

  She shook her head. “Let’s stop as soon as we find a suitable place.” As much as she wanted to ride on, he didn’t look like he’d make it much farther. Perhaps after a few extra hours of sleep he’d be stronger.

  “Those trees will give good shelter. I think there’s a stream running through them.” He nodded toward a small grove of aspen and pine in the valley just below.

  “Good.” The trees were surrounded by a grassy area, which would be helpful for the horses. And stopping early would allow her to tend the animals and gather wood before dark fell in earnest. Her weary bones would be ready when she finally fell into her blankets later.

  They reined in the horses at the edge of the trees, and she slipped to the ground quickly so she could help Isaac down. Dismounting seemed a great deal easier for him than climbing up on his gelding, but she still liked to be close. If the horse stepped forward or if Isaac landed wrong, he could do a great deal more damage to his injured leg. She pulled the walking stick from the packhorse’s load and moved to Isaac’s side.

  As she gathered the reins at his gelding’s head, the horse seemed fixed on something in the trees. She stroked her hand down his neck. “It’s all right, boy. Only shadows in there.”

  Isaac gripped the saddle and leaned forward as he hauled his splinted right leg over the horse’s back.

  “Careful.” The word slipped out before she could stop it.

  He didn’t make a sound as he eased down to the ground, but when she finally saw his face, every tendon in his neck bulged from the strain.

  She handed ov
er the walking stick, which seemed like a paltry offering when he needed so much more. Twin sticks would probably make it easier for him to maneuver, but they hadn’t had time to find and fashion a second.

  With the walking stick positioned under his arm, he let out a long breath and looked over at her. She worked to conjure up a smile on her tired face, then stepped beside him and slipped herself under the arm on his good side.

  The warmth of him wrapped around her caught her off guard every time she helped him from his horse. The strength obvious in the arm draped over her shoulders, the touch of another human, was something she hadn’t realized she missed. Other than Samuel, of course, and his sweet little-boy hugs. But the child always moved so quickly, wrapping his small arms around her neck, then darting away to his next distraction.

  This connection with Isaac was different in every way.

  They hobbled forward into the trees, and she could tell he was trying not to put the force of his weight on her. She wouldn’t have minded, though. Helping him like this filled her with purpose and a tingly sensation in her middle.

  The trees were interspersed with underbrush, quite thick in some places, but the sound of bubbling water drifted from up ahead. Maybe they’d be blessed with a cool, clear spring.

  “Do you want to go all the way to the water?” She guided him to the right, around the trunk of a large tree.

  “Yep.” His grunt gave evidence of his strain, and maybe his pain, too.

  “All—” Her toe hit a root, and Isaac’s weight pressed harder on her, knocking her balance askew. She scrambled to get her foot back under her, but she was already tumbling forward. She landed hard on her knee.

  Isaac was falling, too, and she braced herself for the impact of his body hitting hers. But he twisted to tumble forward, landing hard on his knee and elbows, missing her completely. A cry slipped from his mouth as his broken leg thrust out behind him.