Yours Again (River City Series)

by Dee Burks

  Taos thought he caught a movement or glint of something on the bluff, but as he stared he didn’t see anything. Another moment passed and suddenly a small woman came into view.

  The sun glinted off golden hair the color of spun silk. That was what he’d seen. He didn’t recognize her as someone from River City, but with all the new people coming in, it could certainly be someone he just didn’t know yet. She must be paying her respects, he thought until she spread her arms wide and twirled around, an angelic expression on her face.

  His breath caught for a moment as he stared trying to make out her face. Whoever she was, she’d put old Mertie Mae’s girls to shame, not that it was all that hard. That woman had gotten more desperate with each passing week as more people came to River City. While it expanded the available pool of possible suitors, most were dreamers still looking to make their fortune, not landowners who’d already made theirs. And that was what Mertie Mae had in mind as son-in-law material.

  He frowned. Pretty women coming to town would not be good news for Mertie Mae’s matchmaking, but it also made Taos very wary. He’d been the victim of feminine wiles before and he’d be damned if he fell for it again even if the woman looked like an angel straight out of heaven.

  Chapter 4

  Samantha walked back to town and quickly rented a horse from the livery, setting out to the north. She hadn’t ridden astride in nine years, but it felt good to feel the horse beneath her body as it ran. She yanked the pins from her hair and tossed them into the wind, allowing her hair to flow in the breeze.

  They raced across the valley as the last rays of sun dipped behind the clouds and shadows crossed the land. Just the feel of wind rushing past her body filled Samantha with a sense of freedom and control. It was a remembered feeling that she only now realized she had missed.

  She reined the horse to a stop at a creek bed that crossed the valley, surprised that it was dry. She’d never remembered this creek being dry, and certainly not at this time of year. She looked around and realized the grass the horse ran through was dry and crisp as if there hadn’t been rain in a very long time.

  A loud clap of thunder snapped Samantha into action. She urged the horse down the side of the bank and across, quickly climbing the other side. A creek bed was no place to get caught in a thunderstorm. As a child she’d witnessed the terror of flash floods racing through the valley and knew the danger well.

  The ranch land was remarkably unchanged with rolling hills escalating into the tall peaks in the distance. There were fewer homes than she remembered, and some of the cabins she passed seemed abandoned. Not surprising, given what she’d seen in town. The pastures rolled up to the tree line part way up the mountains that sported tall pines and beautiful aspens in full summer greenery. Cattle dotted the range in some areas but they were sparse.

  As Samantha rode toward the upper end of the valley that led to the western mountain pass, she could see several areas that had been mined and old mining equipment that looked as if the workers had just dropped their tools and walked away. She wondered what had happened on the Williams’ ranch and on her ranch which bordered theirs to the south.

  The Williams brothers had looked after her property for nine years, and hopefully at least the house was still standing. She didn’t want to impose on them forever, but for the time being it was probably better she stayed at their house just as she had the few months after her mother died.

  Samantha’s father had built their cabin by hand, but thinking about standing in it once again made her uneasy. It held some wonderful memories but had also been witness to all the grief and heartache she’d experienced at such a young age. She didn’t relish the idea of digging up all that pain again.

  The sky darkened and rolled with unspent fury like a caldron waiting to boil over. The man at the livery had been right. She should have waited for the storm to pass. The weather hadn’t looked that bad an hour ago, and after days of confinement on the train and stage coach, she’d needed to breathe deeply of fresh air.

  The horse’s hooves slid sideways a short distance, jolting her attention back to the trail. Samantha gripped the saddle horn tightly. Sandy mountain dirt became a river of muck very quickly and if the horse lost its footing not only was it dangerous, but it could be deadly. Now splattered with large round wet spots, the once beautiful periwinkle silk of her traveling dress looked like a ridiculous polka dot. She hadn’t had time to buy something more suited to this wild, rugged country when she fled Boston, and it was clear that this dress had seen its last ride. Not that she cared much, but it had been one of Aunt Mattie’s favorites.

  One quick flash of lightning brought a torrent of rain and silhouetted a lone rider at the top of the ridge she’d just passed. Samantha’s back stiffened. With the next flash she looked again. No one. Her nerves danced, and she urged the horse faster, scanning the ridge repeatedly. Still no one. Maybe she had imagined it. But she couldn’t shake the feeling that unseen eyes followed her every move.

  Another bluff loomed just ahead and she exhaled her relief. Shelter was close. She shivered. Large drops pelted the ground and the aroma of sage permeated the air. Steam rose off the horse’s neck into the rain cooled air as it galloped. The countryside now smelled like Aunt Mattie’s kitchen on Thanksgiving.

  A shout in the distance sent a tremor of fear skittering up Samantha’s spine. She dug her heels into the horse’s side and leaned forward in the saddle. The beating of hooves and rumble of thunder drowned out the man’s voice. The harsh reality of riding headlong through pouring rain with no help in sight constricted her breathing and made her heart vibrate erratically. If this stranger intended her harm, she would be at his mercy. The Williams’ didn’t even know she was on her way. They wouldn't know to come looking if she never arrived.

  Samantha skirted the base of the bluff toward a small box canyon on the other side—a dead end. No one knew about the old mine opening but the Williams boys and maybe an Indian or two. A stranger, even a ranch hand familiar with the area, would not be able to find it. Jake Williams and Sam James had initially started out gold mining but quickly realized they could make more money selling beef to miners than actually mining. The mine had been abandoned long before she could even walk.

  If Samantha could get far enough ahead of the rider, it would be easy to slip inside the old mine and wait out the storm. He’d go on thinking she had just disappeared. Now she was actually grateful for the rain. It held the dust down and quickly erased any tracks at the same time, making it very difficult for anyone to follow. She glanced behind her. Nothing.

  If I can’t see him, then he can’t see me.

  She pulled the reins across the horse’s neck and veered toward her destination. The mine was at the very back of the tiny canyon beyond a small stand of thick brush. She nudged the animal forward with her ankles as its hooves slid on the steep terrain.

  What did the liveryman say this horse’s name was? Jerry, Jamie, no . . . Jessie, that’s it.

  Samantha reached up and patted the overheated flesh, “There you go, Jessie. Come on, just a little further.” He responded to her voice, bobbing his head and trudging a few more steps up the hill. When it seemed they could go no further, Jessie stopped and she climbed off.

  Intent on finding the mine entrance, she tripped over a rotted log and slid to her knees. Cold mud soaked through her dress to her legs sending a shiver up her spine. The sticky dirt clung to everything that touched it. She stood, her skirt straining at the waist, weighed down now by thick muck. She concentrated on lifting her mud-caked feet one by one as she trudged up the hill, the earth threatening to suck each shoe off in turn.

  Samantha finally found the mine entrance and hurried forward. Jessie hesitated. A sharp tug on the reins, and they were both engulfed in inky blackness. Only shadows filtered through the long narrow opening, even though the lightning flashed nearer now. Shivering almost uncontrollably now, Samantha rubbed her upper arms, trying to get some warmth going. She listen
ed intently for any hint that the man still followed. The pounding of raindrops and the gurgle of water flowing down toward the bottom of the canyon were the only sounds.

  Jessie huffed hot breath into the darkness. She rubbed his nose, then placed icy hands on his hot neck, trying to borrow some warmth. They waited for what seemed an eternity but was probably no more than a few minutes. Samantha edged toward the opening, groping her way along the wall. Gingerly she stuck her head out and squinted through sheets of rain. She seemed to be alone, but couldn’t really tell.

  Minutes passed as she strained to detect any movement in the canyon below. Still nothing. Her heart calmed a bit, and she walked blindly toward her horse. The animal nudged her outstretched hand. She ran her palm along its mane and back to the small bag tied to the saddle. The valise contained only two dresses. Hopefully something would be dry. As she reached to untie the bag, a rock tumbled into the entrance. Jessie nervously stepped back a pace. Samantha stood frozen and held her breath.

  “I know you’re in here, lady." A deep voice echoed off the walls of the tiny mine and reverberated in her ears. His presence filled the space and seemed to take up what little air remained.

  The stranger shuffled forward and his boot clunked against a rock. Samantha heard pebbles shower the mine floor as his hand brushed the wall. She could hear his breathing as he moved closer—almost within reach now. Ducking low, she crept quietly along the opposite wall but was still no more than a few feet from the man in the tiny space of the mine. She hoped his horse would be agreeable to a different rider if she was lucky enough to make it outside. Samantha felt the air swirl as a sleeve passed over her head, and she dashed for the entrance. Gloved fingers clamped around her wrist like bands of steel, jerking her to a halt.

  “Gotcha!" His tone was triumphant, “You need to come along with me.”

  “I’m not going anywhere," Samantha scrambled for footing, trying not to fall headlong into the dirt. “I’ll be fine right here." She squirmed and tugged against his grasp.

  “In a mine?"

  Samantha was both panicked and annoyed at the sarcasm in his voice. “I can take care of myself.”

  “You think so?" His tone indicated that he was smiling. If he thought she was some wilting wall flower, then he was in for a surprise

  “I know so."

  “Do you have any food?”

  “Well, no.”

  “Any water?”

  “I‘m dripping wet." She heard him grunt and continued her struggle against an iron grip. “I’m not hungry or thirsty, so it’s not a problem.”

  “Your horse is hungry and thirsty, and I know you’re wet and cold. Do you have any way to build a fire?”

  “No.”

  “Look lady, this ain’t some big city back east. It’s dangerous out here. This storm doesn’t look like it will let up anytime soon.”

  Fear contracted her chest. How did he know she was from Boston? Had he followed her from town? She tugged harder and moved one foot in a large circle feeling for something solid. She needed a weapon, maybe a big rock. “I said I’d be fine right here. Go attack some other poor woman." She gave him a look that would have withered an entire forest if he’d been able to see it in the darkness.

  “I’m trying to help you, not attack you." He flicked his wrist and she lurched forward, slamming into him. “If you had half a brain, you would know that.”

  She could feel his voice rumble through his massive chest. “Well, excuse me for not being able to tell the difference." Samantha’s head came no higher than his shirt pockets. The man was a giant and obviously used to getting his own way.

  He leaned toward her. The warmth from his breath touched her cheek. “I’m not going to stand here and argue with you. You are coming with me whether you like it or not, and we are leaving right now."

  His voice was soft, but it sent an uneasy tremor down her spine. Keep him talking and think of some way out of this! “I am not going anywhere with you.” She slid one mud-clumped foot back behind her. What kind of mine had no rocks?

  “Yes, you are!" His voice echoed off the walls and rang in her ears.

  She stamped her foot in frustration and tried to peel his fingers off her wrist with her free hand. It was like trying to move granite with a toothpick. “Do you spend all your time harassing unsuspecting women?"

  No answer.

  She squirmed like a trapped rabbit. Her panic forced a false bravado. “I will not be held captive by some lonely, love-starved cowboy.”

  He chuckled, “Lady, if I was lonely, I could do a damn sight better than some half-witted piece of fluff too stupid to come in out of the rain.”

  Half-witted piece of fluff? Her fear transformed itself into anger in the space of a heartbeat. “You obnoxious, cocky . . . um,”—expletives weren’t really her forte, and she couldn’t think of one vile enough for this situation—“cowhand! Do you think you can bully anyone who comes along?" The mine echoed her rage. “First of all, I happen to be out of the rain and you’re trying to drag me back into it. You act like your mother never told you ‘no’ your whole life. I bet you just smack anyone around who doesn’t follow orders. It’s no wonder you’re so desperate. You just wait until the Williamses hear about this!”

  Samantha sensed the change in him as his grip tightened on her wrist. She had pushed him over some unknown precipice. The air inside the mine crackled with more electricity than the air outside. Her heart filled with dread and she braced herself, closed one eye, and cringed, waiting for the blow. It would certainly not be the first time her mouth had attracted more trouble than she could handle. She flinched as huge hands grabbed both her shoulders.

  “Who are you lady, and what do you want?” he growled

  Her mind went blank as fear washed over her anew. He shook her once and her head snapped back. She saw stars for a moment. Samantha instinctively kicked out and connected with his shin. He didn’t even seem to notice. The man bent over, picked her up, and slung her over one shoulder. Samantha beat his broad muscular back as hard as she could with both fists, unleashing the fear and panic she’d tried to contain. One strong hand held the back of her thighs and kept her from kicking as if she were no more than an annoyance. The man grabbed Jessie’s reins with the other hand and walked out of the opening.

  The rain was now a torrent and immediately seeped and soaked through every layer of fabric Samantha wore once again. The stranger led Jessie slowly and carefully down the incline toward his waiting horse. The raindrops streamed down Samantha’s back and around her neck, dripping off her chin. She sputtered and tilted her head up to keep water from running up her nose. Maybe if she were lucky she would drown before he attacked her. Without warning he plopped Samantha on her feet and quickly tied her hands together with a piece of rope, looped the long end around her waist, and pulled it snug.

  Her confidence waned sharply at this turn of events. Being slightly manhandled was one thing, but being tied up and helpless was quite another. “I do not appreciate being treated like some convict.”

  He grunted, “And I don’t appreciate having my back pounded like some steak you’re getting ready to fry.”

  It was too dark to make out his face, especially with his hat pulled so low, but he was indeed a giant; almost six-and-a-half feet tall if she were guessing. And judging by the pain in her fists from pounding his unyielding back, he was almost solid muscle. He stepped away and tied Jessie’s reins to his saddle.

  A gush of water flowed down the small canyon past Samantha’s feet. She swayed as she tried to keep her balance. Another gush and both feet slid out from under her. She fell backward into what was now a small torrent of water. Cold, sticky mud soaked the back of her dress.

  “You are nothing but a handful of trouble!" The man shouted over the thunder.

  “I was fine before you came along.”

  He ignored her as he re-secured her valise to her saddle.

  “Aren’t you going to get me out of this mud?"
<
br />   No answer.

  “You have no manners at all! You can’t just leave me laying here! Where are you taking me?”

  Silence.

  “When the Williams find out how you’ve treated me, they will probably kill you!”

  He walked a few steps up the incline and stood over her in the semi-darkness. Rain streamed off the brim of his hat onto her face.

  “You’re already muddy, lady." He spoke carefully, like she was a slow-witted child. “If I pick you back up, you will just fall down again. If you’ll be still, it won’t be so bad.”

  “How can you be so cruel? I can’t just lie here quietly in the mud until you get ready to carry me off to God knows where.”

  “I don’t doubt that.” He dug into his back pocket.

  Samantha smelled it before she saw the handkerchief he stuffed into her mouth.

  “There may be hell to pay for this, but at least you’ll be quiet.”

  Samantha’s stomach churned as she tried not to imagine how many kinds of vile filth covered the crusty piece of cloth. Her fingers flexed involuntarily with disgust, and she yanked on the rope. If she ever got half a chance she would scratch his eyes out or at least leave some very satisfying claw marks on his cheeks.

  “I am taking you to the Williamses’, and we’ll just see how they feel about this.”

  He didn’t sound the least bit scared. He must be a friend of theirs, or one of their ranch hands. Of course. Relief filled her heart. This small canyon sat on the border between her ranch and the Williams ranch, which took up most of the ridge to the north and countless acres of grassland in the valley below. He would have seen her riding across the valley and followed. She relaxed a little. At least he probably wasn’t about to ravish her, though being tied up wasn’t a good sign.

  The giant walked over and hauled her to her feet again yanking her toward his horse. Mud oozed down her back like cold, lumpy gravy. The horse shifted as the man settled his weight in the saddle. Dragging her up by the armpits, he sat her sideways in front of him. Opening his coat, he wrapped it around her, pinning down her flailing elbows.