The Lumberjack's Bride

by Jean Kincaid

  When she was several feet away from him, Julianne turned to run. She prayed the Lord would forgive her for lying to her uncle. Surely her God would understand. Julianne ran right into Marcus’s firm chest. He caught her up in one strong arm.

  Julianne kicked and screamed as he tried to kiss her.

  Edmond hurried to them. “Let her go!” He ordered breathlessly.

  For the first time in days, Julianne was glad to hear her uncle’s voice. She continued to fight Marcus, until he shoved her hard and her bottom hit the ground with a thud.

  Julianne looked up just as her uncle’s hand came down across the top of her head. Pain shot through her left eye. She felt as if her head might explode. She scooted backward out of the line of fire.

  “Boss, we can’t take her to town if she’s all beat up.” Marcus stood off to the side.

  To town? Which town? They were traveling away from Seattle. And why would they take her to town? Questions surged through Julianne’s mind even as she cringed, expecting another slap.

  A baby’s cry split the air.

  Julianne’s head shot up. She ignored the pain in her eye. Where had the sound come from? Her gaze zeroed in on Marcus.

  He scooped up a bundle from the ground and held it out to his side. An evil grin touched his lips but not his eyes. “I got it, boss.”

  Julianne watched her uncle’s face change from rage to surprised pleasure. With fearful clarity, understanding dawned. Edmond had sent Marcus after Jonathan. An even more terrifying realization washed over her. They were going to use the baby against her.

  “No.” The whisper tore from her parched throat.

  Edmond took the baby from Marcus. He unfolded the blanket from the child’s face. “Oh, he’s a cute one, Julie girl.”

  She sat up and watched as her uncle cooed down at the infant. She couldn’t see Jonathan from where she sat on the ground. Her throat closed. Oh Lord, how could this have happened? “Can I see him, please?” Julianne hated begging but knew it was the only way her uncle would listen to her.

  He walked within reaching distance of her. “I’m not an unreasonable man, Julie. All I want you to do is come home with no more trouble. I’ll even let you keep the brat.” Edmond stared down at the baby. A frown marred his face as he turned that gaze on her, one eyebrow raised.

  “I’ll go, just please let me have my baby.” Julianne scooted along the ground, inching closer to her uncle.

  He moved farther away, taunting her. “If I let you keep him, will you come home with no more of this nonsense?” His eyes searched her face.

  Julianne nodded. She’d do anything to keep Jonathan safe.

  “I guess we could say I adopted him.” Edmond’s hand rubbed the blanket over the baby’s back.

  Lord, please let me have Jonathan. Don’t let them hurt him, Julianne prayed silently. Her gaze moved to Marcus, and she stiffened with shock. He stared at her uncle with something akin to murder in his eyes.

  “I don’t care what we do with it, boss. But, we need to get moving. It’s gonna be dark soon.” Marcus pushed away from the tree he’d been leaning against and walked off into the woods.

  Julianne watched her uncle stiffen, and when he turned to face her, his face seemed pale. Was he afraid of Marcus? What was going on between the two of them? This situation had the potential to become even more dangerous. She had to protect Jonathan, even if it cost her life.

  Her uncle rewrapped the baby, and then placed him gently into her arms. “Come on, girl.”

  Julianne cuddled the baby against her chest. Tears of sorrow flowed down her cheeks as her thoughts clarified. Jonathan was here with her, and that could only mean one thing. Marcus had killed Morning Star to get him.

  Edmond jerked her to her feet. “Keep up or I’ll bash the brat’s head against one of these trees. Do you hear me, Julie?”

  Julianne nodded. She didn’t take time to inspect Jonathan. It was enough to know he was alive and in her arms. As long as he was with her, he would be safe. She followed her uncle into the woods and rocked the baby until she herself no longer cried.

  Chapter 15

  Runs Swiftly slowly approached the run-down shack. He motioned for Caleb to follow. No sound came from within.

  Caleb entered first. The darkness inside blinded him. He pressed his body against the wall and listened.

  “They are gone from this place, my friend.” Runs Swiftly moved about the room. He picked up some discarded rope and held it out to Caleb.

  Caleb took the rope and studied it. The thought of Julianne being tied made his stomach turn. He tossed the braided cord to the ground. “How long do you think they have been gone?”

  The Indian studied the ground in front of the door. “We are still a day behind them.”

  Caleb headed for the door to leave. “Then we better get going.”

  “You need rest.” Runs Swiftly answered. He walked away from the cabin and sat down.

  “I need to find my wife. We’ll rest when we find her.” Caleb watched Runs Swiftly stretch and lean back against the bark of the tree.

  Runs Swiftly tilted his head and said. “Runs Swiftly needs rest.” He crossed his arms over his chest and shut his eyes.

  Caleb walked back to the shack. He knelt by the door and looked for tracks. As far as he could tell, there were none. He moved further away from the shack. After searching for several minutes, Caleb became disgusted with himself. If there were any tracks, he couldn’t find them.

  He marched back to where Runs Swiftly reclined. The Indian rested peacefully but opened his eyes mere slits to acknowledge Caleb’s presence. “Rest, friend Caleb. We will look more in the morning.”

  How could he rest? Caleb doubted he would sleep a wink. He sank to the ground and pressed his back against a tree. No way could he sleep in the hut. Julianne was out in these woods without protection. He prayed for her safety. Sometime during the prayer, Caleb fell asleep.

  * * *

  “We’ll rest here for the night.”

  Marcus shoved Julianne into the dark, damp cave. She fell to the ground on her knees. A soft cry escaped her lips.

  “How many times do I have to tell you to leave her be?” Edmond yelled as he came into the shelter.

  Julianne would have laughed if she didn’t hurt all over. Most of her cuts, scrapes, and bruises came from her uncle. How often today had he struck her? More than she cared to remember.

  The baby gave a soft whimper.

  “Marcus, get a fire going in here.” Edmond rubbed his arms and looked around.

  His frown spoke louder than words. Julianne cuddled the baby against her shoulder. The last thing she wanted to do was anger her uncle.

  “It’s not much to look at is it, Julie girl?” His gaze moved to the squirming baby in her arms.

  “No, sir.”

  Edmond nodded his head. “Oh, I see you’ve remembered your manners.”

  Marcus dropped a pile of branches on the hard floor. “Good thing I went and got the brat, huh, boss.” He knelt and began piling kindling on the ground.

  The older man studied the younger. “I suppose so, but from now on you better do as I say or I won’t pay you a cent.”

  Julianne wondered how long it would be before the two men turned on each other. From the looks of hate they exchanged it would be sooner rather than later and when that happened maybe she could escape with Jonathan.

  The baby’s small whimpers gained momentum.

  Both men glared at her. Unless they turned their frustrations on her.

  She laid him gently on the dirt floor of the cave. Julianne began to remove the blanket that concealed the baby. Several times during the day, she had thought to check on the little one but her uncle and Marcus had pushed her to keep moving.

  Now that the blanket was off, Julianne gasped.

  “What’s wrong?” Edmond moved to her side and looked down at the baby.

  It wasn’t Jonathan’s blue eyes that stared back at her. This baby had brown e
yes, coal-black hair and tan skin.

  The little fellow kicked his legs and whimpered again.

  “What’s the matter, girl? The baby looks fine to me.” Edmond searched Julianne’s face.

  Julianne’s heart pounded in her chest. She was amazed that her uncle and Marcus couldn’t hear it. “He’s hungry and I just realized we don’t have any milk to feed him.”

  “Is that all? Well, it won’t hurt him to go through one night without something to eat.” Edmond straightened to his full height. He rubbed his back and then knelt down beside the fire.

  Julianne sighed with relief. She felt sure her uncle would kill the baby if he knew the truth.

  Her gaze met Marcus’s. The dark eyebrows slanted in a frown. Had he guessed he’d taken the wrong baby? She wondered how he’d known to look for Jonathan in an Indian village. Or had he found them at the cabin? As he stared at her and his eyes hardened, Julianne silently prayed. Lord, please don’t let him figure it out. She kept her expression under stern restraint.

  The baby whimpered again. Why hadn’t she noticed he hadn’t cried out all day? Jonathan would have been screaming for hours, but this baby hadn’t. Why?

  She removed the wet animal skin that had been used as a diaper. Julianne wondered if her uncle would notice the skin and realize this was an Indian child. For safe measure, she tucked the soiled skin inside a fold in the blanket.

  The baby needed a fresh diaper. Julianne stood and turned her back to the men. She pulled her dress up and tore off her chemise at the bottom, then tied it around the baby to make a diaper.

  Julianne picked up the little boy and held him close. “I won’t let them harm you,” she whispered to the baby.

  She needed to get rid of the dirty diaper. Her gaze moved to her uncle and Marcus. The men sat with their backs to her. Since they blocked the only exit out, she backed further into the darkness of the cave, keeping a watchful eye on the men.

  The further she went the darker it became. Julianne continued to ease deeper into the cavern with the baby and its blanket. When she felt the wall at her back, she searched the darkness for a place to hide the soiled skin. A crack in the wall caught her attention. Once more she looked toward her uncle and Marcus.

  They still weren’t paying attention to her. Julianne pulled the used diaper out of the blanket and shoved it as far into the crack as she could.

  “What are you doing?” Edmond barked from the entry.

  Julianne came forward, “I was just looking for a place to…” She didn’t know what more to say.

  “Come on, I’ll take you.” Her uncle got to his feet. “Well, hurry up. I don’t want to spend any more time out there than we need to.” He headed out of the cave.

  Fortunately he had misunderstood her stammer to mean she needed to relieve herself. Julianne quickly followed him.

  They didn’t go very far till Edmond stopped. He pointed at a clump of bushes. “Go behind there and hurry it up.”

  Julianne saw this as her moment to escape. It would be dark soon, and they would never find her. She took one step away, and her uncle stopped her by putting a firm hand on her shoulder.

  “I’ll take the baby, Julie girl.”

  She turned to face him. “Oh, I don’t mind taking him, Uncle. I’m used to having Jonathan with me.” Julianne offered what she hoped was her most innocent smile.

  “That may be true, but the little one stays with me.” He took the baby from her arms. “Now you hurry.”

  What could she do?

  Frustrated at the loss of a chance at escape, Julianne did as she was told and hurried back.

  Edmond handed the child to her, his eyes searching hers. “You know, I didn’t think you would leave after I took the money and your ticket. You are resourceful, just like your mother.” His eyes softened for a brief moment. “How did you get the money to come out here?”

  For a moment, Julianne thought about her uncle’s life. At one time he had been a good man with a good heart. She didn’t know what had turned him into the cold, cruel man he had become. What could happen that would cause a man to turn bitter toward God and his own family?

  “I came with Asa Mercer.” She looked down at the baby in her arms. The little one sucked noisily on his fist.

  Edmond rubbed his arms and gazed up at the stars. “They say a man can get lost in this place.”

  Julianne looked up at him. “We don’t have to go back, Uncle Edmond. You could stay here and make a new start.”

  His laugh was bitter and his eyes were full of sorrow as he answered. “Not me, Julie girl. I have a family to take care of. Responsibilities.” Edmond stared down at her for several long minutes. “I’m sorry, I can’t return without you.”

  “But why, Uncle? Why must I go back with you? You hated me living in your home. And Kassie is fifteen years old now. She can help Aunt Martha with the chores and the twins.” Personally Julianne thought it might do her spoiled cousin a world of good to get her hands a little dirty with a bit of old-fashioned hard work.

  “You don’t understand.” There was a cold edge of irony in his voice that was not lost on Julianne. “My daughters were not brought up to do manual labor. I can’t afford to hire a housekeeper—that’s what we kept you for. Since you ran away, there has been no one to help Martha and the community is getting suspicious about our financial standing. They must never learn that I am broke and my family almost destitute. That would ruin my daughters’ chances of making desirable matches.” He expelled a long audible breath. “There are no other options available. You must return with me.”

  Momentarily speechless in her surprise, Julianne spoke without thinking.

  “Broke? Destitute?” The two words caused her mind to spin with bewilderment. Her uncle owned businesses in six different cities. His name was a household word. “What are you talking about, Uncle Edmond? You’re one of the wealthiest men in New York.”

  “Not anymore.” For a moment it seemed his eyes glimmered with visions of the past, then he regarded her with curious intensity. “And not without you.” A shiver of dread slithered down her spine. What did he mean?

  “Do you remember several years ago when I made that trip to the Nevada territory?”

  “Yes. You went on a survey trip to investigate the possibility of building stores in the rapidly growing mining towns.”

  “That’s right. But while there I learned some disturbing news. I tried to find a way around the law that kept me from funds I should have had access to. But your father had sewn things up tight.”

  Julianne felt on the edge of a precipice. She was uncertain she wanted to know what he apparently felt compelled to share. “What news, Uncle Edmond?”

  “Never mind that right now, Julianne. You’ll know soon enough.” He glared at her for interrupting. “Anyway, while I was there and because I was so upset, I began to play in a gaming house.”

  Comprehension dawned and a soft gasp escaped her.

  “Oh, Uncle. You gambled?”

  He spread his hands regretfully and shrugged.

  “Quite often. And, finally, one time too many. I lost it all. The businesses, my horses, my bank account. The only thing I have left is my cattle. I’m fifty years old and starting from scratch again.”

  “How did Aunt Martha take the news?” Julianne thought about her proud aunt and her heart filled with compassion.

  “She doesn’t know, and she must never learn of this. That’s why you have to go back. If you help with the household so it looks like everything is running as usual, I can earn enough money from the sale of my cattle to keep us going till I get on my feet again. It shouldn’t take more than a year. You keep the secret, the baby stays safe, and then you’re free to leave again. By that time your older cousins will have made good matches and everything will be back to normal. Your aunt never needs to know how close we came to ruin.”

  Julianne blinked in bafflement.

  “When we get home, I’ll need your signature on some documents.”<
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  Searching for a plausible explanation she asked, “Why would you need my signature?”

  He stammered as he answered and a wave of apprehension swept through her. Her uncle was an acclaimed public speaker. Why, then, was he stuttering? This could not be good.

  “Why, um, oh…just promise that you won’t leave until the year is up.” He seemed pleased with his answer but a nagging in the back of her mind refused to be still.

  “How could Aunt Martha not know of your financial difficulties?” Julianne’s disbelief showed in the tone of her voice. Maybe he could keep the household running as usual, but Aunt Martha loved going to the store her uncle owned in New York. If the store had a new owner, her aunt would know it.

  “I told her I sold the business to fund new stores in Nevada territory. That’s where she thinks I’m at right now.” He leaned toward her, his voice mocking. “Imagine her surprise when I show up with you.”

  “Why didn’t you just tell her you made a bad mistake? Aunt Martha loves you. She would have forgiven you and helped you fix this disaster. Surely the family could learn to live on less for a while. Till you recover your fortune.”

  His expression changed and became almost somber. He was usually a massive, self-confident presence, but at the moment his shoulders sagged as if they bore the weight of the world. Drops of moisture clung to his forehead and the age lines about his eyes and mouth carved deep into his skin.

  “I couldn’t bear to see the pain in her eyes that my confession would have caused. I couldn’t have her think less of me as a man. First I told one lie, and then I had to lie again to cover that one. Then before I knew it I had created a web of deceit that could not be straightened out without major damage to my family. My girls would have been ashamed of their papa. We could not hold our heads up in town if everyone found out the truth.”

  Julianne fought hard against tears and clenched her jaw to kill the sob in her throat. How could she judge her uncle? She was guilty of the same sin. She had lied to Caleb so many times to keep her secrets. Now, she might never get the chance to say she was sorry. How could one little lie cause so much turmoil?

  The baby’s stomach growled loudly, and he twisted in Julianne’s arms. She shifted him, placing his head against her shoulder. She looked up at her uncle, expecting the hardness to have returned to his face, but the dark eyes surveyed her kindly. It was as if confessing his faults had lightened his load. Too bad he had confessed to the wrong person. Julianne could not help him, but she knew someone who could. She opened her mouth to tell her uncle how she had accepted the Lord.