He pulled back the hammer and turned to her. “We must run, Anna.” He darted a glance across the river one more time and took aim at the crocodile.
Anna scampered up the sandy riverbank, catching herself with her hands when she lost her balance. She was shaking so badly she could hardly focus; her mind was a whirl of terror. Was it merely a few hours ago that Philip had called her brave?
The blast of the pistol sent her to her knees, clapping her hands over her ears. She turned back and saw Philip shrug out of his jacket and then lift Tom’s arm over his shoulder. Tom balanced on one leg and hopped with Philip’s help up the bank.
Shouts drew her attention, and she looked back.
Horace pointed toward them, bellowing for his men to give chase. They ran toward the river. When Horace saw Anna, he froze and locked his gaze on her. His mouth twisted in a smile that made her heart turn cold.
She pulled her eyes away and reached to help Philip. The cords on his neck stood out as he strained to pull Tom up the hill. “Anna, lead the way. But do not follow the path.” His words were tense and breathless.
She glanced back one last time as Horace’s men neared the flowing river. She hoped it would detain them. She turned into the jungle, pushing her way between the tall fronds and wide leaves. She paused at the tree line and pulled aside the branches as well as she was able to allow Philip and Tom to pass unhindered. For her effort, she received scrapes and slices on her arms. Her kid gloves offered little protection from the sharp ferns. The men followed her, though she had no idea which direction she was leading them.
Anna estimated they had gone no more than a hundred yards when she heard the crashing and yells of Horace’s band in the jungle. The sounds were muted, but she knew they would increase as the men got closer. It was only a matter of time before they were discovered. She turned to Philip, panic stealing her thoughts. She was unable to even put words to her fear.
“You must leave me,” Tom ground out between clenched teeth. Sweat stood out on his forehead, and his face looked like chalk.
“We will not,” Philip said. He breathed heavily as he adjusted his hold on Tom. “Anna, we need to hide.”
She nodded and turned, scanning the area, wondering which way to go. It was impossible to see through the dense foliage, but now that she wasn’t moving, she listened closely. Above the sounds of birds and insects, she thought she could hear flowing water in front of them. Perhaps there was another river and a place to hide. She led the men in the direction of the sound at a quicker pace. Twigs and branches scraped her skin. The ground was becoming moist, and the leaves on the ground smelled rotten. Speckles of light fought through the thick canopy as the jungle grew darker. She worried she was leading them to a swamp, but she pressed forward as the rushing sound of water grew louder and she had no other indication of what direction they should follow.
Moments later, Anna pushed free of the vines, emerging into a clearing bordered on one side by a sheer black cliff rising in front of them. A large waterfall blasted into a pool at the rocky base. Streams led away from the pond; mangroves with tangles of thick roots grew along the marshy banks.
Anna’s heart leapt into her throat when she saw countless iguana lizards climbing over the rocks, the ground, and the roots and trunks of the trees. She shrank back, glancing at Philip as he and Tom stepped from the jungle.
He lifted his chin and held her gaze steadily. “You can be brave, Anna. I know it.” Sweat ran in droplets from his forehead, and he breathed heavily. He must be utterly exhausted from supporting Tom and every bit as terrified as she, but somehow he had faith in her.
Anna took the machete from Tom’s hand, surprised by the large knife’s weight. The way Tom had held it and waved it around, she’d imagined it to be much lighter.
She grasped it in both hands and moved around the pool. She didn’t think she would be able to slice one of the terrifying lizards with the knife, but its weight in her hand gave her courage. When she stepped closer to the mangroves, her foot sank in the swampy ground. She pulled it out, but her boot was covered in sticky mud. Anna wrinkled her nose, lifted the hems of her skirts, and walked in the other direction, away from the mangroves and closer to the rocky area near the pond. She kept a wary eye on the great lizards that hung from the cliff or lay on the rocks and branches, but except for an occasional raise of their heads, they did not seem overly concerned with her presence.
She glanced back at Philip. He had lowered Tom to the ground and was reloading his pistol, his gaze moving along the tree line surrounding them. The crashing of the waterfall covered the noise made by their pursuers in the jungle. They could burst out of the trees any second. She knew she had to hurry and find cover.
A cool mist drifted over her as she neared the waterfall. On the other side of the pond, Anna followed the wet cliff, searching for a hiding place but staying clear of the iguanas. She rounded a clump of rocks near the tree line and found just what she was looking for. Where the wall of the cliff met with the jungle trees, there was a gap in the stone. She stepped gingerly over the loose rocks and used the machete to push aside hanging vines, worried that a family of iguana lizards might have made the fissure their home. The crack was wide enough for one person to pass comfortably through and deep enough for the three of them. There was no overhang, and if it rained or one of the iguanas decided to jump, they would have no cover, but it would have to do. She stepped back around the rocks and waved to Philip.
He half dragged a nearly unconscious Tom to join her. He rounded the rock, and when she held aside the vegetation, Philip gave her a look that melted her heart into her toes. “Perfect, Anna.”
The nook was large enough that Tom could lie down fully, but with him in that position, Anna and Philip were forced to remain at the entrance, practically against the foliage. The vines covered their hiding spot. The opening faced away from the clearing, and Anna strained her ears to listen above the sound of the waterfall for the noises of Horace’s men.
They sat uncomfortably on the damp ground in the eerie shadows, unable to see beyond a few feet outside of their hideaway. They had to hope nobody came close enough or moved aside the leafy branches concealing them. The leaves rustled, birds jabbered, and something scampered in the undergrowth.
Philip laid both his and Tom’s weapons on the ground next to him.
Tom’s labored breathing echoed through the small space. His muscles were rigid, and his fists were clenched. Anna turned and moved onto her knees to examine Tom’s foot. She could see blood inside his boot.
Anna worried his wounds would become infected in the moist jungle air. “Tom,” she whispered, “I am going to remove your boot.”
Tom made a hissing noise as he breathed through his teeth. He nodded, pushing himself up onto his elbows to brace for the pain.
Philip picked his way carefully to the far end of the cavity near Tom’s shoulder. He crouched down, lifted Tom into a sitting position, then nodded to Anna.
Anna lifted Tom’s foot carefully from the ground, and he gasped, inhaling a shaky breath. Tom cried out when she pulled on his boot, and Philip clapped a hand over the man’s mouth, stifling the noise.
The boot wouldn’t come free. As she examined it closer, she could feel that his ankle was swollen inside.
Tom collapsed onto the earth, his breath still coming in gasps and stutters.
“I am sorry,” Anna whispered. “I do not think we can get it off.”
“I think Dr. Bevan will need to cut it off,” Philip said. He helped Tom lay back then moved back around to join Anna. “It will probably do more harm than good to attempt it ourselves. We do not have the supplies, and I for one do not know how to treat an injury like this.” From the pack, he removed the napkins Betty had packed around their luncheon. Handing them to Anna, he lifted Tom’s leg and slid his pack beneath the foot to keep it raised.
Anna pressed the napkins to the slices in Tom’s boot. The bleeding seemed to have slowed, so she did not apply
any pressure. The slightest touch was agony to Tom. His eyes rolled in his head, and his breathing sounded more like growling. Finally, mercifully, his head dropped onto the ground as he slipped into unconsciousness.
Anna resumed her place next to Philip at the mouth of the cavity, where the vines hung in front of them like curtains.
For an instant, a memory drifted into her mind. Hiding under a table . . . peeking out from beneath a long tablecloth. I am laughing. The memory fluttered out of reach, and she couldn’t discover any more. She wrapped her arms around her legs, pulling her knees to her chest. “I do not know what else to do for him,” she whispered. “At least he is sleeping now.”
Philip nodded. He sat with his arms resting on his knees, the pistols and machete nearby. “He needs a doctor,” he said quietly. A rustling sounded nearby. He tipped his head to the side, his hand creeping toward the pistols.
Anna listened closely. The rustling stopped, and she decided it must have been a bird or another small jungle animal.
They sat in silence for what seemed like hours. The fear that had coursed painfully through her veins had begun to abate, leaving behind an exhaustion that was only intensified by the warm air and dimly lit cave. She closed her eyes, just for a moment, and tried to recapture the memory and discover more. Was it a memory of my childhood? Was I playing with my parents? Or was I the adult, hiding from a child? Whose child? She nodded and jerked her head up when she started to doze.
Philip pulled her head to rest on his shoulder.
“What do we do now, Philip?” Anna said, noticing how very comfortable his shoulder felt beneath her cheek.
“I have been contemplating that very question for the better part of an hour,” he said in a low voice. “Horace and his men have no doubt found our trail and the horses.”
Anna lifted her head. “Smokey—”
“Horses are valuable. They will not hurt Smokey.”
She laid her head back down.
“Horace knows I saw him. He will do all he can to prevent me from returning to Oakely Park or Port Antonio.” He rubbed a hand over his face. “With Tom injured, we do not have many options. They will undoubtedly watch the road.”
“Perhaps you or I could stay with Tom while the other goes for help?” The very thought of making her way through the jungle alone or of hiding with an injured man while enemies searched for them sent jolts of fear through her.
“Out of the question.”
“But if it is the only choice . . .”
“We will find another way.”
“I am glad. I do not want to leave you,” Anna said.
Philip didn’t respond. He rested his head on hers, and for a moment, Anna forgot that they were being pursued by thieves and murderers through a reptile-infested jungle. Aside from eminent danger and their injured friend and the hundreds of lizards, the moment was nearly perfect. But before long, her mind was pulled to the memory of Horace attacking the slave with a whip, then to the sound of his pistol . . . She squeezed her eyes shut, willing the thoughts away. “Why do men hurt each other, Philip? Men like Horace Braithwaite. Why do they take such pleasure in inflicting harm?”
“I do not know.” He took her hand in his. “I wish you had not witnessed such an atrocity. The first day I met Horace, he beat a woman with no provocation, and I saw something so merciless in his eyes that it made me ill. Some men are innately cruel. I do not understand it.”
“You do not understand it because you are kindhearted and generous.”
“I hardly think that is the case.”
Anna lifted her head and scooted around to face him, leaning her back against the damp cliff. “My lord, you saved a man’s life today at risk to your own. You retain a valet who is vastly ill-suited to a man of your standing only because you are fond of him. You have not once mentioned the loss of hundreds of pounds worth of sugar because the deaths of your slaves have so distressed yo—”
Philip turned his head, motioning with his hand for her to be silent.
Anna listened, at first believing the sounds outside their hideaway to be no more than animals moving through the jungle. But the rustling grew louder and turned into a crashing accompanied by men’s voices. Her heart pounded. She clapped a hand over her mouth to prevent a sound from escaping.
Philip lifted the two pistols, shifting onto one knee, ready to spring forward if their hiding place was discovered.
The men’s words were distorted by the waterfall. Judging by their tones, Anna thought they were complaining.
Philip leaned forward, slowly moving the tall grass and heavy branches aside. He crept out from the cover of the vines but remained behind the screen of grass, hiding in the shadows beneath an outcropping of rock.
Anna waved her hand, motioning for him to return, but he shook his head, wanting to keep an eye on their enemies. Anna didn’t dare to move any farther back into the fissure for fear of disturbing Tom by bumping his injured foot. She clenched her hands together in front of her mouth, praying that the men would not see Philip.
An explosion shattered the silence, and Anna jerked, hitting her head on the rock. She bit her knuckles to keep from crying out and squeezed her eyes shut against her tears. Another shot rang out, and something landed on the ground with a thump near their hiding place. The men cheered. Her breath came in short gasps.
Philip glanced at the cliff above them and then to Anna. “They are shooting the iguanas.” He mouthed the words silently and turned back to watch through the grass.
Another shot was fired, and Anna heard scampering through the undergrowth. She imagined the lizards running over the rocks and cliff face into the jungle. She shuddered as she thought of their small legs and long, writhing bodies darting around the clearing.
Another shot sounded, and small rocks scattered on the ground near Anna. Directly afterward, a giant iguana lizard fell from above. It twisted around until it was upright and, in its panic, ran toward their hiding place. Through the vines, Anna saw the reptile running at her, its body bending strangely from side to side as it moved, and a scream swelled in her lungs. She clutched at her face. The gray-green animal drew close enough that she saw its dark eyes and sharp teeth in a lipless mouth.
Her fingers went numb, and her vision blurred as the lizard climbed over the vines in front of her to reach the cliff above. Its spiky toes scratched her legs and arms. Cool scales brushed against her, and Anna drew her limbs in, pressing her forehead against her knees and curling into a ball. She held back her shrieks but could not stop the tremors that shook her body. The lizard scampered up the cliff side, and Anna’s stomach tightened. She thought she would vomit.
She was shaking so badly she didn’t notice when Philip moved the vines aside and crouched next to her, pulling her into his arms. “Anna, they are gone. And the iguana, it is gone.”
She continued shaking, pressing her eyes closed against the horror of the things they’d witnessed since entering the jungle. And the scales, the claws . . . Her stomach clenched again.
Philip cupped his hand beneath her chin, lifting her face. “Anna.” He searched her expression. “Anna, it is all right now.”
“The iguana . . .” Her voice was no more than a squeak.
“Your scaled nemesis has fled.” The side of his mouth lifted in a smile. “I’d call that a victory, Miss Lizard-Survivor—to face one’s darkest fear and endure it without retreat. And now, you know for certain that there is no reason to be afraid of those beady-eyed devils.” He brushed his thumb over her cheek, sending chills through her nerves. “And incidentally, the villains pursuing us are also gone.” The other side of his mouth spread into a slow smile. He held her gaze a moment longer before he blinked and shook his head slightly, pulling back and releasing her. She thought he muttered something about a guardian.
He glanced at Tom and then back at her. He scratched his hand through his hair. “I am trying to determine whether the wisest course is to remain here or to press on to Oakely Park. I do n
ot know how far the men have gone or whether they will return, but with Tom’s injury, the journey will not be easy and is probably best attempted before dark.”
He started to rise, but Anna put her hand on his arm, stopping him. “It is not my worst fear.”
His brows raised in question.
“My worst fear is not the iguana lizards like you said. I fear that something bad would happen to someone I care for. To you. That is infinitely worse.” Anna realized what she had said. She felt her cheeks redden and slid her gaze away, then she hurried to add, “If any of you—Betty, Tom, or Ezekiel—were to come to harm, I could not bear it.” She lifted her gaze back to his.
Philip’s head was tilted to the side as he regarded her. In the dim light, his expression changed from teasing friendliness to something warm that both excited and scared her. He held her gaze and brushed a finger over her cheek. He opened his mouth, closed it, and then moved deeper into the crevice to help Tom rise to a sitting position.
Anna’s face burned where he’d touched it. The combination of the panic and terror she’d felt moments ago were weak compared to the intensity of emotions that the simple action and the heat in Philip’s eyes produced. She moved the foliage aside, needing to breathe, to have a moment alone to compose herself.
She stepped out of the rocks and shook her damp gown then hurried away from the crevice, pressing through the tall grass and leafy stalks. Emerging into the clearing, she lifted her gaze, and her heart lurched into her throat. A group of men surrounded her with muskets, pistols, and swords drawn.
Anna drew back toward the jungle.
A tall man with broad shoulders and dark eyes stepped forward, motioning for the others to lower their weapons.
“I hardly think this is how to greet a lady.” He removed his hat and bowed deeply, sweeping his hand in front of him. “Alastair Courtney, miss. Cap’n of this ’ere band. Brethren of the Coast.”
Chapter 17
Philip heard men’s voices and sprang from the crevice. He should not have allowed Anna to leave the hiding place alone. Why had he become so flustered by her words? He’d ignored caution as his emotions had thrown his mind into a whirl. Images of what the evil men would do assaulted him in the instant it took for him to push his way through the grass, surge through the vegetation, and emerge into the clearing. His mind raced as he cast his eyes around, waving his pistols toward the men surrounding Anna.
Simply Anna Page 15
