****
Horses whinnied, and birds chirped loudly. The sound of men’s voices reached her ears. Evelyn blinked and raised her head. Darkness had given way to a sunny morning. She quickly raised herself to a sitting position, and turned her head to peer behind her. Alex was gone. Had he even been here? Had he truly come to her bed in the middle of the night with the intent to shield her from the cold? She touched tentative fingers to her lips, wondering if she’d imagined it all in a dream.
Chapter 10
Alex squatted by the fire, poking at the outlying ashes with a stick. The gray swirls of his breath in the crisp early morning air mingled with the wisps of smoke rising skyward. Laurent silently handed him a tin cup filled with steaming coffee.
“Did you stay warm last night?” Laurent asked, lowering himself to the ground next to Alex with a loud grunt. He sipped from his own cup, and peered at Alex from beneath his lashes.
Alex held the hot cup between his hands, staring at the dark brew. He didn’t want to think about last night. He’d been more than warm. Last night had been heaven and hell rolled into one. The early morning cold was a welcome reprieve to the heat coursing through his body like a fever consuming him. He glanced past the fire to where Yancey stirred under his covers, then held the cup to his lips.
“It is good that you have finally come to your senses and decided to share your woman’s sleeping blanket. I truly didn’t think you would wait much longer. I am surprised, though, that you have left the comfort of her bed so early, mon ami.”
Alex didn’t respond. Laurent would find out soon enough that he hadn’t sought out Evelyn’s bed with the intent to truly claim her as his wife. What he had done instead was make a big mistake, something he seemed to be doing a lot lately where Evie was concerned. Communicating with her proved to be more difficult than trying to barter with a tribe of Indians whose language he hadn’t mastered. At least with the Indians, hand gestures and signs were sufficient means of getting a point across. Every time he spoke to Evelyn he seemed to make matters worse.
She was already skittish as a flighty deer whenever he came near her, and last night she had thought he’d come to her with the intent to force himself on her. Alex tossed the stick into the fire, sending up glowing orange embers. His coffee spilled onto his britches, and he jumped to his feet.
“Damn it all,” he growled, and tossed the remaining contents of his cup over the flames. The fire hissed, and a thick gray smoke plume rose in the air.
“She did not please you, Walker?” Laurent stared up at him, fanning his hand in front of his face. “Perhaps in time, she will learn how –”
“She pleases me just fine.” Alex glared at Laurent, and gritted his teeth. “It’s me who can’t do anything right for her. I’ve told you before, I ain’t no good for her.” He tossed his cup to the ground, and crossed his hands over his chest. Staring into the nearby woods, he cursed under his breath.
Laurent grunted and pushed himself up off the ground. He shook his head, and patted Alex on the shoulder. “I hope for your sake you will regain your sight soon, my friend.”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
“She is your wife. A woman, a wife, requires her husband’s attention.”
“Evelyn is my wife in appearance only. She and I both agreed to that. I promised to protect her until I can take her back to St. Louis, and that’s exactly what I’m doing.” Alex glared at his friend. Laurent cast him a perplexed look. He shook his head and turned, reached for his rifle lying on the ground by his bedroll, and headed into the woods.
“How the hell am I supposed to talk to her?” Alex called after the Frenchman, throwing his arms up in the air. “Every time I try, she gets her feathers ruffled.” Laurent kept walking. He raised his arm and waved in a gesture of dismissal. Alex scoffed and turned back to the dying campfire.
Women! How the hell was a man supposed to communicate with them? He threw some more wood on the fire, and glared at Yancey’s bedroll.
The greenhorn was still sound asleep. Alex envied the man. Sleep didn’t come easy for him lately. He hadn’t had a good night’s rest since arriving at rendezvous, since Evelyn became his responsibility. Thoughts of her consumed him day and night. Evie Lewis, his childhood friend’s baby sister, the woman who stood out among all others the day he arrived in St. Charles, and who had become his wife against her will. The woman he couldn’t touch. He had never been so aware of another person as he was of her. By the law of the land, she was his, yet he couldn’t have her.
Watching her laugh and smile with Laurent during supper the night before, he’d nearly lost his mind. If he had any sense at all, he would set a course for St. Louis rather than head further into the wilds. Better yet, he should ask Laurent to take her back, then he could push forward with his plans to build his cabin in the remote valley at the base of the Teewinots. That had been his intent for almost a year. He craved the solitude. A woman had never been part of his plans.
“Alex?” A soft voice called from behind him.
He spun around on his heels. How had Evie approached him without his notice? If he didn’t start thinking straight, and paid more attention to his surroundings, someone was likely to get killed. These woods were teeming with hostile Blackfeet, eager to add the scalps of white trappers to their belts.
“Good morning,” she said tentatively, smiling softly at him. She stood close enough to touch, close enough for him to catch the scent of the soap she used to wash with every day. The flowery fragrance had filled his senses throughout his sleepless night. His heart rate quickened in his chest, and he braced himself for her sharp words that were sure to come, reprimanding him for invading her privacy. Telling him what a varmint he was.
“Mornin’.” He cleared his throat and stooped over to pick up the tin cup he had tossed to the ground earlier. “There’s coffee.” Alex gritted his teeth. What a stupid thing to say! Evie hadn’t touched a drop of the bitter brew. He knew she didn’t drink the stuff.
“Would you like me to fix some food?” she asked, and stepped closer. Alex straightened to his full height. Her head reached just past his shoulders. Threads of her braided hair fluttered loosely around her face, and he gripped the cup tightly to keep from reaching out and swiping the strands away from her cheek. Her eyes shimmered up at him with expectation. What was different about her today?
“Alex?” Evelyn’s gaze turned quizzical, and her forehead furrowed.
He blinked and shook his head, trying desperately to clear his mind.
“I’d like to start upholding my end of our bargain and make myself useful. If you show me where you keep your supplies, with your permission I would like to start cooking the meals.”
Alex ran a hand over his face, the rough stubble along his jaw reminding him that he needed to shave.
“Yeah. Sure,” he answered lamely.
Yancey chose that moment to awaken. The greenhorn yawned, and awkwardly climbed out from under his blanket. He stretched and scratched at the back of his head. He glanced around, and froze when he noticed Alex staring at him. His eyes darted to Evelyn, and his mouth widened in a smile. Stepping away from his blanket, he stumbled toward her.
“Good morning, Miss Evelyn,” he greeting formally, and bowed his head. “Morning, Walker.” His attention remained on Evie, and Alex clenched his jaw. “Forgive me for not commenting last evening, Miss Evelyn, but I sure do thank you for the meal you prepared. It was the best thing I’ve eaten in months.”
Evelyn’s lips widened in a smile, and she laughed softly. Alex’s chest tightened, just as a sudden wave of jealousy hit him in the gut. Rage coursed through him, and he fought the impulse to send his fist against Yancey’s jaw.
“You’re quite welcome, Mr. Yancey,” Evie said. “If Alex will allow it, I plan to do more of the cooking from now on. I’m afraid I’ve grown quite tired of meat in all its varieties.”
Yancey laughed, and nodded in apparent agreement. “That would be most
welcome, Miss Evelyn.”
“Go and start packing the horses, Yancey,” Alex growled, taking a step toward the man, who stumbled backward. “From now on, if you decide to sleep all morning, you’re gonna get left behind. We ain’t got time for fancy cooking.” He advanced on Yancey, fully aware that his demeanor intimidated the easterner. His unwavering stare alone would send the greenhorn running for the woods. Hell, he’d probably wet his pants already.
“I’ll get right to it.” Yancey stumbled over his words as well as his feet, and tripped in an effort to get away as quickly as possible.
“See that you do,” Alex called loudly. Behind him, Evie expelled a loud breath of air. Alex turned to face her. He was acting like a mule’s ass, but at the moment he couldn’t stop himself. How could that bumbling fool talk to Evie so easily?
“Did you have to be so rude to him?” Evie glared. Gone was the warm glow in her eyes from a moment ago. He would gladly trade a year’s supply of beaver plews to see her favor him with such a look more often. That’s what had been different about her, he suddenly realized. Before he could ponder at what it meant, she held her hands to her hips, her eyes narrowing even more. “I just woke up, too. Were you about to give me a scolding as well?”
Alex clenched his jaw. “It’s late. We need to head out.” He wasn’t about to get into a spat with her again. He waved his hand toward the fire. “Do whatever it is you need to do to get ready. I’ll be back shortly.”
He stepped around her, grabbed for his rifle propped against a boulder near the fire, and strode off in the direction Laurent had taken earlier.
“You are an impossible man, Alex Walker,” Evelyn called out behind him, and Alex lengthened his strides.
****
Alex picked his way through the forest, stepping over and around downed trees. He didn’t bother keeping to a deer trail. It didn’t matter. He was only here to clear his head. He gripped the rifle in his hand, and looked ahead out of habit, scanning for any unusual movement. His breath swirled a ghostly gray in front of him in the frigid morning air. The cold was a welcome reprieve to the heat coursing through his body.
What the hell was he thinking, bringing Evie with him to his remote valley? The dangers of the wilderness were real enough, but what would happen if he lost control, and his temper got the better of him like it had done with Yancey? What if he struck her, or worse? He glanced at his hands. He knew his own strength, and what he was capable of. He’d killed enough men with those hands.
Alex clenched his jaw. He swung his rifle like a club at a vine that blocked his way. Rage and fear raced through his body. Laurent made it sound so easy, telling him to let go of his past. Images of his father tormented him. His mother sat cowering in a corner of their small farmhouse, begging for mercy. Silas Walker cursed and screamed at her, telling her she was worthless, and it was her own fault that he had to teach her a lesson.
He squeezed his eyes shut to force the memory from his mind. His arms ached as fresh memories overshadowed the ones of his childhood. He’d spent a sleepless night, holding Evie close to him. As the darkness of night slowly gave way to a gray dawn, he’d watched her sleep. No emotion had ever been as powerful in his life as what flooded his entire being during those few hours. Elation, hope, fear. He had no examples to go by, but understanding what was happening to him rooted itself firmly in his mind, and in his heart. He’d fallen in love with Evie. He was as sure of it just as he knew that the morning sun would rise in the east. He couldn’t say exactly when it had happened, but he’d been enamored with her the day he saw her at the docks in St. Charles, the day he got shot. And now she was here, in his mountains. She was his wife, and with every word he uttered, with everything he did, he pushed her further away.
It’s for the best, Walker. You’re proving over and over again that you don’t deserve her in your life. You’re just like the old bastard.
Hell. He couldn’t even communicate with her. Why hadn’t he thought to tell her she had cooked a fine meal the night before? It obviously pleased her to hear it from Yancey.
Alex stopped walking. He stood in a small grassy clearing, the sun filtering through the canopy of the tall lodgepole pines that surrounded him. A soft rush of wind swept through the tallest trees. How far had he gone from camp? And where the hell was Laurent? Birds chirped loudly, adding to the tranquility of the scene. A sudden inexplicable chill ran down his spine; a sense that something wasn’t right. He listened for any unusual sounds, and turned slowly in all directions. Cold sweat beaded his forehead. A distant scream pierced the air, and Alex took off running back in the direction from where he’d come. Adrenaline surged through his system. Why the hell had he left camp?
He leapt over a downed log, and dodged tree branches and vines, cursing under his breath. The sound of a gunshot echoed through the forest, and Alex increased his pace. Evie! What the hell was happening?
Hindered by the dense undergrowth of the forest, Alex beat a path through the vines with the butt end of his flintlock. Deeply absorbed in his thoughts, he hadn’t paid much attention to how far he’d wandered from camp. He had to be getting close.
A high-pitched yell followed closely after the gunshot. Was the camp being attacked by a war party of Blackfeet? Alex redoubled his efforts, his lungs burning and his heart pumping with renewed fear for what he might find. Looking ahead, the forest opened to the clearing where they’d set up camp the day before. The lean-to he’d built for Evie’s comfort stood off to the right.
A loud, predatory roar resonated through the trees. Alex darted into the clearing. His heart sank to the pit of his stomach. A huge grizzly stood on its hind legs about a hundred yards away, its jaw wide open. The beast let out another angry roar. Several feet away, Yancey attempted to scramble to his feet.
“Evelyn,” Alex yelled. She stooped down beside Yancey, tugging on his arms to help him on his feet. In her hand was a rifle, and she held it up defensively to ward off the bear’s impending charge.
Alex didn’t hesitate. While running across the clearing, he aimed his rifle at the beast. Past experience told him that one shot would not kill the bear. He fired, and the shot hit the bruin in the chest, slowing the animal from charging at the people on the ground. In one fluid motion, Alex yanked his pistol from his belt and fired again. This time his shot hit the bear in the eye, splatting blood into the air. The animal swiped wildly at its face, roaring in pain and rage.
Evelyn yelled, standing over Yancey, who hadn’t gotten to his feet. She waved the rifle frantically through the air as if her action would create a shield between herself and the mighty predator.
“Dammit, get back,” Alex yelled. He dashed around to the animal’s blinded side, tossing his pistol to the ground. He pulled his hunting knife from its sheath on his belt, and without hesitation collided with flesh and fur as he leapt onto the creatures back. He drove his knife deep between the bear’s shoulder blades, quickly ducking to the right when the bear swiped a mighty paw behind him. The stench of a predator’s breath emanated from the beasts mouth, and blood gushed from the stab wound. Alex repeated his action, driving his knife into the bear’s back and neck again and again.
Consumed by rage and pain, the bruin danced and darted, swiping fiercely with its mighty paws at the opponent on its back. The animal’s massive body began to wobble, and his breathing turned raspy. Alex leapt to the side when the grizzly collapsed to the ground. One final stab to the neck, and he was confident that he had delivered the fatal blow.
Alex’s chest heaved, and he leaned forward with his hands on his knees. He breathed deeply, drawing air into his burning lungs, then glanced up. His head turned to where Evie and Yancey hovered on the ground. Behind him, Laurent came running from between the trees.
“Mon dieu, mon dieu,” he called, running faster than Alex had ever seen him move.
On the ground, Yancey moaned quietly. Blood covered his face, and clothing. A fresh jolt hit Alex in the chest when he saw blood on Evie’s shir
t. He reached her in two quick strides, pulling her to her feet.
“Where are you hurt?” he called, his eyes roaming up and down her body. Evelyn’s eyes widened, the fear and panic in their depths driving a hot blade right through his chest. She frantically shook her head.
“Dammit, where are you hurt?” he growled. With a shaky hand, he reached to unbutton her shirt. Evelyn clamped a hand around his wrist to halt his action.
“Not me,” she said, her voice cracking. “Yancey’s hurt. Please, you have to help him.”
Relief swept over him like a breeze on a hot summer’s day.
“I will take care of the young jeunot,” Laurent said, already kneeling beside Yancey. “Take the mademoiselle away. This is not a sight for her to see.”
“No. Wait!” Evelyn pulled against Alex’s hold when he tugged on her arm with a bloodied hand. The flesh across his upper arm burned as if hot needles had been driven into him. He ignored the pain, knowing that the bear’s claws had hit their target at some point. He could tend to his own wounds later.
“Laurent will take care of him,” Alex said firmly, and held her arm. She shot a frantic look over her shoulder, but didn’t fight him when he pulled her away from the gruesome scene. Only when they stood next to the lean-to did Alex stop. Sudden anger replaced his fear.
“What the hell were you thinking?”
Evelyn stood, staring up at him in stunned silence. Her mouth fell open. ”I . . . I had to help him,” she said, her lips quivering.
“You can’t face down a grizzly with an unloaded gun, woman,” Alex roared. He held her arms, and shook her for emphasis. “You get yourself to safety. That bear was intent on Yancey. You only made it angrier by waving that stick in its face.”
Teton Romance Trilogy Bundle: Includes Yellowstone Proposal (Short Story) Page 10
