The Lumberjack's Bride

by Jean Kincaid

  Jonathan awoke with a scared little whimper.

  Caleb had no time to comfort the baby as he ran. He couldn’t risk the chance that the woman would hide from him. The natives were experts at disappearing when they wanted or needed to. He would not give up till this woman told him where Julianne was!

  * * *

  Julianne lay curled in a tight ball on her side. Her hands and feet were tied together in front of her. A dirty rag had been stuffed into her mouth, and another rag had been tied around her head to hold the gag in place.

  She’d almost escaped once, but that had been before her uncle caught her using her teeth to untie the knots.

  How long was he going to keep her here? The run-down shack didn’t keep out the cold, the bugs or the snakes. Julianne shivered with chill and fatigue. The nerves in her hands and feet were numb. Her muscles screamed from the strain of the awkward position in which she lay. Her eyes burned from sleeplessness.

  She’d only seen her uncle twice since they’d dumped her here. The first time had been when she’d tried to escape, and he’d caught her. The second had been last night, when he’d come and told Marcus he had a little job for him to do and both men had left.

  Her latest visitor was another skunk. Of the animal variety this time. It nosed its way about the dirty cabin. Julianne didn’t move. The last thing she wanted was to get sprayed by the nasty animal. Black eyes studied her warily. She held her breath, watching, till finally it lost interest in her. Its black-and-white body moved around the room with a purpose. The skunk finished its search and sashayed out the broken door.

  Julianne relaxed and closed her eyes. Her whole body was engulfed in weariness and despair. The last two nights had been cold, and rats and who knew what else moving about in the darkness had kept her awake.

  The sound of her uncle, Edmond Bartholomew III, clapping his hands in pleasure woke her up. “Come, come. Are you going to spend this glorious day sleeping?”

  Julianne glared at him from where she lay.

  “Marcus, untie her,” her uncle ordered.

  The big lumberjack stepped through the door and knelt down beside her. He pulled his knife from his boot and waved it in her face.

  “Stop tormenting her, and do as I say,” her uncle barked, pulling a large tree stump farther into the room.

  Marcus slid the knife through the ropes at her feet. He moved the knife to her hands and let the cold blade prick into her skin before slicing the ropes. She felt his breath on her face as he untied the gag, but she refused to give him the satisfaction of looking at him.

  Her legs ached and her hands throbbed as the blood returned feeling to her limbs. It took Julianne several moments to straighten her legs. She fought back tears of frustration.

  “You, my dear, will return with me on the next voyage home. Your Aunt Mary and the kids have missed you something awful.” He pulled the stump toward her.

  Julianne struggled to her feet. “I’m not going anywhere, Uncle Edmond. I have a husband and a home here. You can’t make me go.”

  Swifter than she expected, he slapped her hard across the mouth. “Who do you think you are? I am your guardian, and I say you are coming home with me!”

  “I’m Caleb Hansen’s wife.” Julianne wiped the blood from her lips. For the first time since her parents’ accident, Julianne felt loved and secure. “He will come for me.”

  Her uncle laughed harshly, “Oh, I don’t think so. You see…” he paused and waited for Julianne to give him her full attention “…by now you are a widow.”

  Shock siphoned the blood from her face. She stood there, blank, amazed and very shaken, too stunned to even cry.

  Then a small sliver of doubt curled its way into her mind. Was it true? Could Caleb really be dead? Or, was this just another of her Uncle Edmond’s cruel attempts to make her do as he wanted? A flicker of something—she wasn’t sure what—stirred inside her heart. She loved Caleb. Surely if he were dead her heart would grieve.

  Torn by conflicting emotions, she denied his words. “I don’t believe you.”

  “Sit, child. You’re tired.” Her uncle indicated the large stump.

  Julianne sank onto the hard surface. In her heart, she prayed he was lying. Surely God wouldn’t let this happen to them. She had been so close to telling Caleb the truth, finally freeing herself to love him with nothing standing between.

  “Marcus, tell Mrs. Hansen about her husband’s untimely death.” Edmond walked over to the doorway. He lit a cigar and blew smoke out the door.

  She turned her weary gaze from her uncle. What vile things would Marcus make up to convince her Caleb was dead? Julianne watched an evil grin creep across the man’s face.

  He stooped down in front of her and twirled the knife in his hands. “Oh, he’s dead, all right. I personally watched his body float down the river.” Hard eyes bored into her.

  Fear gnawed away at her fragile belief that Caleb was still alive.

  “Of course, he had a little help getting into the river.” Hatred radiated from the man as he laughed. His dancing eyes seemed to delight in her misery.

  The laughter stopped as quickly as it started. “Caleb is dead. My ax found its way into the small of his back. Then it was an easy matter to shove him into the river.”

  Julianne shook her head. It couldn’t be true. Her heart ached, and her mouth went dry. She forced herself to listen to Marcus’s account of what had befallen her husband, analyzing each word for clues.

  “With the fire and all going on, no one is going to miss either of you for days.” He sneered in her face.

  Fresh tears worked their way down Julianne’s face. Her chest felt tight. Her breathing became shallow and forced. Let the darkness take you, her mind shouted. She heaved to breathe. Black circles swam before her eyes, and she knew she would faint any moment.

  Marcus leaned close to her ear and whispered. “Don’t think I’ve forgotten I owe you, too.” He reached a hand forward and rubbed his thumb across her swollen, cracked lips.

  From deep in her center, Julianne fought the instinct to surrender. If she passed out, who knew what these depraved men would do to her? She shook her head, leaning forward, head between her knees.

  Edmond flicked the remainder of the cigar out the door. “Marcus! Leave her be!”

  The logger grabbed Julianne’s hair and pulled her head up. He stared into her eyes. He made as if to kiss her, pressing his mouth alongside her cheekbone. “Don’t expect your uncle to protect you forever.” Then he stepped away from her.

  “Sorry, boss.” Marcus’s voice sounded contrite but his eyes remained cold as stone as they bored into Julianne, daring her to voice what he’d just whispered to her.

  Julianne stared up at him. What did he plan to do? Had he really killed Caleb? And what about Jonathan? If Caleb was dead, where was their son?

  She forced herself to look away from the man who claimed to have murdered the only man who’d ever cared for her. Julianne focused her gaze on her uncle. “I won’t go.”

  “Oh, I think you will.” Edmond pulled another stump across the room. His breath mingled with hers as he sat down in front of her. He grabbed both her hands and held them tightly together.

  His narrow eyes bored into hers. “Marcus, how far is it to that Indian village?”

  Marcus moved to stand behind Edmond. “’Bout a half day’s ride from here, boss. Want me ta pay them a visit?” He twirled the knife and smiled wickedly at Julianne over her uncle’s shoulder.

  Now what would he threaten her with? Julianne glanced back and forth between the two men. She finally decided that since Edmond was the boss, he would be the one to tell her what their next move would be.

  “What do you think, Julie girl? Should I send Marcus after the baby?”

  Icy fear twisted around her heart. They knew about Jonathan. Morning Star had taken him, just as Julianne had known she would. Thank you, God. Right on the trail of her relief-filled prayer, she hesitated, blinking with bafflement. Ho
w did her uncle know she had a baby? Marcus of course, but how did they know Morning Star had him?

  Her heart beat faster, and her hands grew clammy in his. Would he do such a thing? Julianne looked into her uncle’s cold gray eyes, and for the first time in her life, she knew her uncle was capable of murder. When had he become this monster? And why?

  Chapter 14

  The young Indian woman stopped at the river’s edge and pointed to the ground.

  Caleb came to an abrupt stop. He shuffled Jonathan around in his arms and stared at the ground where she pointed.

  By the markings in the dirt Caleb knew instantly there had been a fight here. What did that have to do with Julianne? His gaze moved to the woman.

  She pointed again, “Julianne.” Her eyes entreated him to understand what her language could not tell him.

  “Who are you?” He didn’t wait for her reply. He knelt and placed a hand on the prints, his gaze scanning the torn-up earth. Two pairs of boot tracks marred the ground.

  “Morning Star.”

  “Were there two men, Morning Star?” Caleb looked up at her. He prayed she would understand and tell him what happened.

  Her head tilted sideways and her forehead furrowed. He held up his hand and two fingers then pointed at the footprints in the sand.

  Morning Star’s forehead cleared and she nodded quickly. She raised her hand high, signaling a tall person and then made a circle with her arms that he assumed represented a heavier person. She moved toward him. Keeping her eyes lowered, she touched his chest.

  “I sure hope you are trying to tell me they are men like me.” Caleb removed her hand from his chest and again examined the tracks. His heart lurched. One set of smaller footprints could be detected in the sand.

  Deep down he knew they were Julianne’s. He studied the direction they had gone. She’d put up quite a fight. He found deep indentations in the sand where she’d dug in her heels.

  Caleb ignored Morning Star as she began speaking rapidly in her own language.

  “She says two men came and stole your woman.”

  Caleb straightened so quickly he stumbled. An Indian man stood beside Morning Star.

  He wanted to kick himself. He’d been studying the tracks, worrying about Julianne, and hadn’t paid attention to his surroundings. That was the second mistake in one day. In the wild, that was a good way to get killed.Morning Star spoke once more to the man. She said Caleb’s name and pointed to him and then to Jonathan.

  “My woman says you are friend, Caleb. I am Runs Swiftly.” He stepped forward and gasped Caleb’s forearm. After several long seconds, he dropped Caleb’s arm and crossed his over his chest.

  “Does Morning Star know where they took Julianne?” Caleb asked. While Morning Star talked to her husband, Caleb bent once more to study the tracks.

  Who had her and why? Once more the woman pointed into the woods then looked at Caleb. “They took her two sunsets past.” The man shifted as if worried. “Caleb is a good tracker?”

  Two days ago? The words sank into Caleb’s heart. They could be anywhere by now. The trail was cold and in truth, Caleb wasn’t sure whether he could track them or not.

  “I’ve never tracked men, only animals. I’m not sure…” When he’d tracked animals, there had been no urgency or danger. But, for Julianne, he would try.

  A firm hand landed roughly on his shoulder. “Runs Swiftly is a good tracker. We will find your woman, Caleb.”

  Caleb breathed a quick prayer of thanks heavenward for sending Runs Swiftly to him in his time of need. “Thank you. When do we leave?”

  Runs Swiftly turned to Morning Star. He spoke quickly, motioning to the baby and then back to her.

  “Morning Star and your woman are sisters.” The Indian seemed to search his mind for the correct words. “Friends.” He stood tall and powerful, like a towering spruce. “Morning Star will care for the papoose till we find your woman.”

  Indecision ate at Caleb’s confidence. For all he knew, this was a trap. His instincts told him he was running out of time but the voice of reason insisted he take Jonathan to Maggie’s and round up some of the men to help him.

  Then, he looked at the tear tracks on Morning Star’s face and remembered how lovingly she’d handed the baby to him back at the barn. If what she said was true, Morning Star had taken care of Jonathan for two days while she’d waited for his return.

  “Lord, I need you,” he whispered, running a hand through his hair. He looked down at the babe sucking on his thumb and made his decision. He placed a kiss on Jonathan’s forehead and handed him to Morning Star.

  Morning Star enfolded Jonathan in her arms and caressed his tiny head with her cheek. She came closer to Caleb and said something he did not understand then ran into the woods before he could stop her.

  Caleb started after her but Runs Swiftly placed a firm hand on his shoulder. “Morning Star is going to our village. She will send others to follow the trail.”

  “I want my son back, Runs Swiftly.” Caleb had lost Julianne he didn’t plan on loosing Jonathan too.

  Runs Swiftly nodded. “Morning Star will take care of your son until you bring his mother home.”

  * * *

  Julianne stumbled over a root that protruded out of the ground. Her hands took the worst of the fall. She sat up and dusted them off on her skirt.

  Her uncle stopped and looked down at her. His face turned purple with rage. “Enough of this stalling, Julie girl.”

  “I tripped.” She studied her bruised and bleeding palms.

  He stomped back to where she sat on the ground. His rough hands grabbed her and jerked her to her feet. His boot caught the hem of her dress and it ripped. “You’re stalling. We both know it.”

  Julianne didn’t argue with him. She took a deep breath and wiped her hands on the ruined dress. “Uncle Edmond, are we lost?”

  His gray gaze darted around the dense woods. “Of course I’m not lost.” He pulled her along behind him, not caring that briars scratched her legs and tree limbs caught her cheek more than once.

  The only parts of the forest she’d been in had been the path to the creek where she washed clothes and small sections where Caleb had cleared the cedar and pine to make room for their future apple orchard. They weren’t on a path now, and the trees were so close she felt she might just suffocate.

  Not a ray of sunshine filtered through, making it difficult to guess the time of day. The underbrush had gotten worse and sharp roots stubbed her toes. How much longer would her uncle deny being lost and stop to get his bearings?

  “Can we rest, please? I’m tired.”

  He continued on as if she hadn’t spoken. Try though she may, she couldn’t figure out why they were going away from the ocean. If he planned to make a return voyage, shouldn’t they be near the water’s edge, buying passage on one of the ships?

  Julianne decided to use his ego against him. “Uncle Edmond, I’m not as used to the woods as you are. You’re a skilled woodsman. Can we please stop for a short break? I really am tired.” She prayed her voice sounded weak and submissive.

  Edmond stopped his rapid walk and stood a little taller. “Well, I guess we could rest a few minutes. That should give Marcus time to catch up with us.”

  Julianne sat down under a tree, thankful her ruse had worked. Surely by now, Morning Star had told someone of her plight. Or maybe Maggie would send help. She refused to give up the idea that someone was looking for her.

  If Caleb knew, Julianne was certain he would come for her. She wasn’t sure when she decided that he was alive; she simply knew she could not survive without him.

  “I wonder where Marcus is at.” Edmond looked around the area in which they had stopped.

  Julianne didn’t want to think about Marcus. He’d left right after a cold breakfast of hard biscuits and she hoped he never caught up with them again.

  Under her lashes Julianne watched her uncle turn in a circle. She lowered her head to hide the satisfaction she felt ove
r their situation. They were lost.

  “Uncle, how did you meet up with Marcus in the first place?” If she could get him to talk maybe she could find a chink in his armor, a weakening in the mean stance he had demonstrated toward her so far. In the last years she’d lived with him, he had treated her unkindly, but he had never shown such open animosity.

  “Oh, girly. A few pointed questions here and there and a person can turn up all kinds of information. A smile covered his face. “In looking for Sloan, your first intended, I found Marcus. And, I did it the very first day I arrived in Seattle. Bartenders know everything that’s going on. And one who’s been scorned is especially willing to tell what he knows.

  “At first he was wary of me, but after a few drinks Marcus spewed forth all the hatred he felt for Julianne Maxwell and Caleb Hansen.” He turned and faced Julianne. His gaze studied her for several minutes before he added. “A man who hates that badly can be talked into anything if the price is right.” He shrugged matter-of-factly.

  Julianne wondered just what Marcus had been talked into. She closed her eyes and silently prayed that the Lord would hurry and deliver her before the evil man returned to them.

  “Don’t go to sleep. We need to get going.” He barked the command.

  “I won’t, Uncle. Can’t we stay for just a few minutes longer?” Julianne opened her eyes, pulled off her shoe and rubbed her foot.

  From the corner of her eye, she watched Edmond ease his cumbersome body under a tall evergreen tree. He closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the trunk. “Don’t think about running away, Julie girl.”

  “I won’t, Uncle. I’m too tired to run.” Julianne silently thanked God she didn’t have to lie. Her back ached between her shoulder blades and her legs burned with fatigue.

  The birds chirped happily overhead. In the cool of the trees, Edmond relaxed. Soon his soft snores reached Julianne’s ears.

  She watched him for several minutes and then eased to her feet. His snores continued uninterrupted. She moved as quietly as the leaves on the ground would allow.