Kitty gasped for air, pulling herself up onto her hands and knees. The water rushed around her shoulders, and her skirts swam around her legs, becoming four times as heavy in the river.
Shaking the water drops from her face, she took in a shaky breath. Well, at least she was thoroughly cooled off now…
She went to stand, but before she could strong arms wrapped around her waist and hauled her up. Kitty cried out again, thrashing against whoever held her.
“Relax!” Cyrus’ voice yelled, close to her ear. “I have you!”
Kitty stopped kicking, surprise rendering her immobile. Cyrus set her back on the rock, next to her shoes and stockings.
“Are you all right?” he stared at her with concerned eyes. He still stood in the water, which came up almost to his knees.
Kitty wiped the last bit of water from her face. Strands of wet hair clung to her neck and cheeks, and her skirts stuck uncomfortably to her legs. “Of course I am all right.”
“What were you doing? You almost drowned.” His voice had turned angry, his cheeks red.
Kitty’s mouth fell open in surprise. “Drowned?” Her gaze fell down to the water gently dancing about Cyrus’ legs, and he looked there as well. “It is quite a shallow part of the river, do you not think?”
Cyrus turned even redder. “That, well—sometimes the water is faster than it looks. It might have—might have carried you away in no time at all.”
“I see,” Kitty quietly answered.
Suddenly, she noticed the dead silence in the air. Looking over at the bank, she found the other men staring at them.
“She’s fine,” Cyrus hastily told them. “You all get on with yourselves.”
Kitty attempted to stop her smile. The man in front of her was behaving very ridiculous, indeed.
“I can swim, Mr. Ross.”
“I thought you were calling me Cyrus, now.”
Heat flooded Kitty’s entire body. “Yes… Cyrus.”
He sighed. “You need to be more careful.”
“I will… Although… I must say, I was cautious to not approach a very deep part of the river. All I needed was enough water to cool off my feet in.”
He worked his jaw around almost like he chewed on something. Was she still angering him?
“I need to make sure that you’re…” Cyrus cleared his throat. “That you’re always all right. You’re my bride. My future wife. Can’t have you falling in the river and getting swept away.”
Kitty’s heartbeat grew faster and stronger. Cyrus still stood in the water, hands on his hips. He looked thoroughly ridiculous, but knowing that he’d plowed into the river for her made Kitty happy in a giddy, schoolgirl way.
“You are still standing in the water,” she pointed out.
Cyrus looked down at his legs, almost as if he had forgotten where he was, before climbing onto the rock next to Kitty. One at a time, he dumped the water from his boots. Kitty would have laughed if their current circumstances had been better ones.
“It was a very grand gesture,” she quietly said. “Leaping in and coming to my aid like that.”
He smiled, but there was a hint of chagrin in the expression. “I might have overreacted a bit.”
“But it showed your character,” Kitty insisted.
Cyrus looked over at her, his face soft. They were only mere inches away, their shoulders tantalizingly close to touching.
Kitty gulped at their close proximity. Her heart rate had not slowed any from her dip in the river, and now her stomach performed flip after flip. This close, she could see the dark stubble growing along Cyrus’ jaw. She had never kissed a man before. Never had a suitor. What would it feel like to have Cyrus’ strong fingers pressed against her skin; to taste his lips against hers?
“Character,” Cyrus repeated.
Kitty blinked in confusion, forgetting for a moment what she had said prior to becoming lost in thought. She ducked her face, strange feelings assaulting her senses. She had never been a romantic. That was for the young women who had suitors flocking to their doors; the kind of ladies who had dowries and the time to visit and fawn over handsome men with friends. A girl such as herself could not afford such luxuries. And she certainly had not come to Wyoming for love.
But, despite what was practical, when Kitty looked at Cyrus, now she could not help but wonder if perhaps love could be in the cards for the two of them. Could their marriage provide the seeds for the kind of passion only possible between a man and a woman? The kind she had heard the ladies she worked for whisper about and giggle over?
“I’ll do my best to treat you well,” Cyrus quietly said. “If that’s what you mean.”
Kitty’s breath caught as she looked back to him. “Thank you. I do appreciate it. I feel I… must be clear, though… and say I do not expect much beyond the most… practical...”
What was the matter with her? Why did she feel she could no longer speak? Hard as she tried to grab hold of the proper words, once she became close to one it scurried away.
Cyrus messed with his hat’s brim. “I see.”
Kitty’s heart began to ache as badly as her feet. Had she offended him?
“It is just...” She licked her lips and tried again. “I have not very much experience with… anything.”
Her face burned. What was she saying?
Looking to correct herself, Kitty thought fast. “My father was not a very nice man, you see. So if I have a living condition that is simply serviceable, I am happy. I do not have grand expectations. A roof over mine and my sister’s heads. Food on the table… General safety. That is all I am looking for.”
“I want your life to be more than just good enough.” Cyrus’ Adam’s apple bobbed when he spoke.
Kitty could only stare at him now. Most of his demeanor so far had been gruff. Where had this softer side come from? Was it something she had done that caused him to appreciate her more? Or the uncertain situation they found themselves in?
Cyrus went on. “I’m also going to keep looking for Helen until we find her. Or until…”
He trailed off, looking regretful.
Kitty knew what he had been about to say. Cyrus would search for Helen until he found her alive… or dead.
Kitty’s hands began shaking, and she clasped them together to make them stop. The agony that always rested just below the surface of her every thought and action bubbled up, sending tears to her eyes. Not wanting Cyrus to see her cry, she diverted her gaze to her lap.
A touch on her shoulder made her jump. Looking up, she found Cyrus gazing earnestly at her.
“Don’t worry.” His voice was throaty. “I know you won’t give up, and I won’t either.”
Kitty smiled gratefully. Since the moment Helen was viciously whisked away, she had felt she was all alone. Now, for the first time, that changed.
Cyrus’ eyes remained steady on hers, and his fingers rested against her shoulder. Kitty found her breathing picking up. Were the other men still behind her? She didn’t hear them. Perhaps they had gone off to look for food or more tracks.
Cyrus swallowed again, and each inch of Kitty’s skin burned with a delicious fire she had never known. She desperately wanted him to put his arms around her, to press his lips to hers, and to tell her again and again that everything would be all right.
His eyes roved across her face, the force of their gaze strong as a real touch. As his pupils moved to the side, they widened, and suddenly Cyrus’ back was rod-straight.
“Smoke,” he gruffly whispered.
Kitty turned to look. Up the river and off to the side some, from somewhere in the woods, campfire smoke curled up into the sky.
Chapter Twelve
12. Cyrus
Chapter twelve
The air seemed to crackle with anxiety as the posse climbed into their saddles.
“What’s the plan?” Jim Butler asked, eyes dancing.
“We be quiet as ghosts.” Cyrus looked at Domino. “And go in at two sides.”
“What about me?” Kitty asked. She’d pulled the thoroughbred up next to Cyrus’ horse. Her face was pale and her eyes determined. Water dripped from her heavy skirts, but if she was cold she seemed not to notice.
Cyrus thought fast, sending another look at the smoke. It couldn’t be more than a half mile away. There was no telling how things would go once they got there. He wasn’t putting Kitty in any more danger than was necessary.
“You stay here and hide,” he told her. “Tie your horse up somewhere in the trees, away from the river. No matter what you hear, don’t come after us.”
Kitty’s eyes went wide. “What? N—no.”
“I’m not asking, I’m ordering,” he sharply responded. “So do this.”
Before she could protest any further, he rode off. Down the bank a little bit, they climbed off their horses and tied them to the trees before splitting up on foot. With six of them and who knew how many bandits, the best card the posse had to play was the element of surprise. They’d be quieter on foot, more likely to spot the kidnappers before they spotted them.
His heart pounding in the base of his throat, Cyrus crouched close to the ground, carefully checking for twigs before he took each step. Domino, Brady, and Jim had gone around the northern side of the camp, and Cyrus and his men were pushing in from the south. If they played this right, and ambushed the bandits before they had a real chance to retaliate, this could all be over in a matter of minutes. Within the hour, they might be riding for town, Helen joining them…
Cyrus glanced sideways, clocking Dan and Nelson’s locations. They shuffled close to the ground as well, shoulders hunched and pistols at the ready.
The acrid smell of smoke filled Cyrus’ nostrils. As he took a few more careful steps, he cocked his head, listening. Birds chirped. Not too far off, the river rushed.
But there were no voices.
The hair on the back of Cyrus’ neck rose. Did the bandits know they were being hunted? Had the game turned? Was the posse now being watched? Cyrus’ heart jumped into his throat. Were the bandits observing him? Had they seen him leave Kitty all by herself?
His gaze surveyed the surrounding area, looking for signs of movement. The trees were dense, though, making it hard to see more than a few yards. It was the perfect area to hide in.
Up ahead, trees clustered around a tall, moss-covered rock. Cyrus darted forward, taking cover behind the rock. To his right, Dan hid behind a tree, and to his left, Nelson crouched behind a small pile of rocks.
Holding his breath, Cyrus rose slower than cold molasses, till he could just see over the top of the rock. A small field met his vision, in the middle of it, the campfire—the dying campfire.
For dirt had been kicked over it, and there were no signs of humans anywhere. No supplies. No horses. No slicked-back spots in the grass where bodies might have rested.
Cyrus bit his tongue in frustration. They’d missed the bandits. By minutes, maybe.
Standing up, he saw the other three men entering the small field from the other side. The six of them gathered at the campfire, continuing to warily inspect their surroundings.
“This could have been smoking for a while,” Dan commented, nudging his boot against a charred log. “Maybe a couple hours.”
“How come we didn’t see the smoke till just now?” Jim asked.
“Could be the wind blew some dirt away, and it started smoking enough for us to notice it.”
Cyrus frowned. “They must be heading along the river like we thought, but camping off to the side.”
“Or not.”
He looked over at Domino, whose frown rivaled Cyrus’. “What do you mean?”
“You fellas see any trampled down grass? Find any horse dung along the woods?” Domino shook his head. “I don’t think anyone camped here. I think we’re being misled. Could be one man lit this fire while the rest headed off in another direction.”
Icy silence descended upon the group.
“Why?” Jim asked.
“Because they know they’re being followed,” Brady’s thick brogue answered.
Jim shook his head. “But there are six of us. They outnumber us. They could kill us in no time.”
Cyrus ground down on his teeth. Jim was right. It didn’t make sense. If the bandits knew they were being followed, all they had to do was double back and kill the posse in their sleep. Or even during broad daylight.
Domino sighed. “No, it doesn’t make sense, that’s right. But someone lit this fire. We’re being intentionally misled.”
The men all looked at each other, exchanging feelings of uncertainty.
“Well, there’s nothing else we can do is continue on in the direction we’ve been heading,” Cyrus harshly announced. “We’ll search for tracks in all directions, but if we can’t find any, we’ll have to stick to the river.”
“And then what?” Nelson asked. “Wait for them to pick us off one by one like sitting ducks?”
No one responded. The answer was clear, just as it had been since they started: continue forward despite the unknown or turn around.
“We haven’t found any more pieces of the young lady’s dress,” Brady said slowly. “How do we know she’s still alive? If she is not making that trail of hers anymore, it does not look good.”
“Maybe they just caught her doing it,” Jim said hopefully.
Cyrus turned away from the group, unable to listen to the suppositions any longer. He needed hard facts. So far, they could only assume that someone was playing games with them. There was the chance that someone else was traveling through the mountains, a single rider who had left the tracks they’d found. But, like with everything else, that was just another notion. It was better to assume the worst. That way they could be ready for whatever came their way.
“Jim. Nelson,” Domino said, “Go fetch the horses. Be quick.”
The two of them ran off. Cyrus studied the field more carefully. Tracks wouldn’t show in the long grass, but if a whole group had spent some time there, surely some of the grass would be bent.
Domino had to be right. Someone was attempting to pull the wool over their eyes.
A rustling sounded to Cyrus’ left, and he whipped his pistol in the direction—only to find Kitty walking out of the trees, her face pale.
“What did you find?” she asked. “Were they here?”
All of Cyrus’ anxiety and fear from finding the abandoned fire swelled at the sight of Kitty, turning into an unchecked rage. What the blast was the woman doing? Hadn’t he just told her to stay hidden out of sight?
Heat pumping in his veins, Cyrus stomped over to her. “What is this?” he hissed.
Her brows pushed together in a petulant look. “Excuse me?”
“I told you to stay put,” he whispered fiercely, feeling the other men’s eyes on his back.
Kitty lifted her chin. “And I did.”
Cyrus took a hot inhale, and then another. Did she still not understand what kind of danger they were in? Whatever had happened to her sister could very well happen to them… if not something worse.
“Men.” Cyrus looked over his shoulder. “I need a minute to talk to my fiancée alone.”
Surprise passed over their faces. Good. They could spread the word to the two others who’d gone for the horses as well. Kitty belonged to Cyrus. He should have made it known sooner that no one else was to touch her, but better late than never.
Closing his fingers around her forearm, he guided her away from the field, to the large rock he’d hidden behind. There, they were mostly concealed from the others’ sights. Course, if Kitty started getting loud like she was liable to do, they might hear her...
Kitty yanked her arm away from Cyrus. “Why—”
“I’ll do the talking for now,” he interrupted, leaning down and getting close to her. “I told yo
u to stay back. Do you know why? Because I don’t want to see you killed. If you care about your sister at all—”
“Of course I care! How can you even suggest that?” Kitty’s lower lip trembled.
Cyrus folded his arms and glared at her. He wasn’t falling for the feminine show of emotion. “If you want her to have a sister to return to, you best keep yourself alive.”
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