“Who told you I’d be willing to go back with you?” His voice was gruffer than he intended.
“My father. He told me to come up here, and you’d have no choice but to marry me.” She took a step closer to him. “You know you want me. You know you care for me. Come let’s go back to your cabin. It’ll be fine since we’re to be married. In the morning we can go home.” She gave him a great big smile.
“It’s too dangerous to go back down now. If we hit snow, we’d be in big trouble. No more supply runs until there is plenty of snow and we use the sleighs. Even then it’s dangerous and only the most seasoned of men go.”
“It was beautiful coming up here. I love the colors of fall. The yellows, oranges, reds, all mixed together. Snow won’t happen for at least a month, maybe two.”
“I’m not going to argue with you. My word is law up here. Leon!” He knew Leon wasn’t far since he was supposed to be guarding Linda tonight.
Leon stepped out of the shadows and nodded to Samuel. “I got it, boss. Miss George, it’s time to get you back. The days in a logging camp are long, and we all need our rest.”
“This isn’t over, Samuel. I will talk to you in the morning.” She turned on one heel and strode away. Then she sped up, and it was funny to watch Leon try to walk side by side with her. She was determined that he walk behind.
Samuel ran his hand over his face. His beard was beginning to fill in. He was surprised Linda hadn’t commented on it. But he couldn’t shave one-handed, and he simply refused to allow anyone else to use a sharp blade on his face. He was tired, but hopefully Pat would be awake to help him with his shirt. He’d learned to put his pants on by himself, and he could unbutton his shirt with one hand but getting the garment off gave him trouble.
He took a deep breath of the fragrant pine air. He’d looked his full of Pat’s naked backside. Her rear-end was heart shaped, and the gentle curve of her back was so graceful, he wanted to trace her spine with his tongue. Her hair was short enough he could see her neck. He could imagine himself nibbling on the back of her neck as his hands slid across her belly.
Damn, he was aroused again.
He couldn’t very well ask her to rub dirt on herself again. He’d have to master some control over himself, or he’d end up embarrassed by his body’s reaction to her. The heck with it, he could sleep in his shirt tonight.
He opened the door, expecting Pat to be in bed. Instead, she sat near the stove with tears rolling down her face.
His heart went out to her as he closed the door behind him. He crossed the room and knelt before her. “What happened?”
She sniffed and shook her head. “It’s silly, really. I was looking through some of the crates my father ordered, and I found rose-scented soap, knitting needles and yarn. He made me get rid of my needles before we came up here. He knew we’d be living in a tent, and he didn’t want anyone seeing me knit. He also bought me a few books, a nightgown and a skirt. He’s not even here for me to thank him. He shouldn’t have spent money on me.” Tears rolled down her face. “I’ve been so busy that I’ve hardly had time to think of him as being gone. I guess I’ll get the cabin done, and then in the spring I can go down the mountain and find work.”
He placed his hand on her wet cheek, cupping it. “You don’t have to worry. I’ll protect you. No matter how gruff your father could be, he was always gentle with you. You were his pride. I could see it in his eyes when he gazed at you. You were blessed to have such a fine man as your father.” Wetness clung to his thumb as he used it to wipe away a tear. She trembled as he slid his palm over her shoulder and down her arm to capture her hand. Then he stood, drawing her up with him. “Come on. It’s time to get some sleep.”
She swallowed hard as she gazed up at him. Then she nodded. “Yes, morning comes fast. Here let me help you with your shirt.”
It was on the tip of his tongue to tell her to stop, but he enjoyed the closeness they shared. Her hands sent chills up his body each time she accidently touched his chest. If she knew what he was feeling, she’d probably run down the mountain and never look back.
“Thank you,” His hand shook slightly as he took his shirt from her. The look of appreciation on her face as she stared at his chest almost made him groan. He quickly turned away. “Good night.”
“Good night,” she said softly.
A shiver rolled over him as he waited for her to get into her cot. Then he blew out the lamp and crawled into his bed. He was full of yearning. He’d had his share of women but none had ever had the effect on him that she did.
Chapter Six
What a morning! Pat shook her head and started washing dishes. All Samuel had done was frown at her while Linda glared. What the heck was wrong with those two? Whatever it was, Pat wanted no part of it.
The sound of a tin cup falling to the ground alerted her that she wasn’t alone. Cautiously, she turned and came face to face with Linda. Her glare was even worse up close.
“Can I get you more coffee?”
“No, you can’t get me more coffee. I know all about you. You disgust me, and I want you out of Samuel’s cabin this instant. In fact, the farther away you go the better. I’d better not see you looking at him ever again.” The angry contortions of her face were frightening.
“I’m sure I don’t know what you mean.” Pat stared back trying to act brave while her heart pounded painfully against her chest. “If you have a problem, I’m sure Samuel is the one to talk to.” She turned back to the washtub.
“You know I always wondered why Samuel had a no-women rule but now with the truth out, I’m sickened by you. Now, pack your things. Hans said he’d personally take you to town.”
What was she talking about? Slowly Pat turned. “I have a job here. You have no call to tell me to leave. Even if you did, I’m not going anywhere with Big Hans. Do you have any idea what he’ll do to me?”
Linda laughed. “The same thing every other man has been doing with you. I’ve heard about boys like you. Now get going and pack a bag!”
Pat felt frozen to the spot she stood. Her mind whirled. “Where is Samuel?”
“Not here. There’s no one to save you.” Linda laughed and grabbed a knife off the table. “I said to go.”
Pat nodded. “Sure, I’ll go.” She backed away until she was at the door. She opened it, intending to run but Big Hans caught her and lifted her up over his shoulder. He had a pack mule ready. He grabbed the reins and turned toward the cookhouse. “Remember Miss, not a word to anyone. If anyone asks, I went hunting and will be back in a few days.”
“Thank you,” Linda said.
Pat started to kick and before she got out a scream, she was slammed to the ground and hit on the head.
The next thing she knew she was lying face down on the back of a mule. Her head hurt and she was sick to her stomach. “Ouch,” she cried.
“Yell all ya want, boy. We’re far enough out no one will hear us. Ain’t no one heading this way. They think we’re going down the mountain. What they don’t know is I found a way to the other side of the mountain.” Hans pulled on the reins. “Git going, you good for nothing mule.”
As much as being on the mule hurt, Pat didn’t want to stop. As long as they were moving, he wasn’t touching her. What would he do when he found out she was a woman? The only hope she had was to pray.
“What do you mean there’s no food cooked?” Anger filled Samuel only to be replaced by concern. He’d been at the cutting site most of the day. “Did anyone check the cabin for Pat?”
Hank nodded. “I looked everywhere. I even checked the area he likes to go to pick his plants. I can’t find him. Strange, really. I’ve never known the boy to wander far from camp.”
“Me neither,” Samuel said before he started to run down the road toward camp. Something was horribly wrong, he could feel it. Pat wouldn’t go anywhere without letting him know. Where could she be?
A crowd had gathered in front of the cookhouse and most of the men were grumbling.
There was a lot of shifting and shrugging going on. “Fan out. I want him found.”
Most of the men started to walk down the road toward the cutting.
“Fan out! That means go in different directions. Some down, some up, some toward the road, some away from the road.” He’d never noticed just how dense a lot of the men were. He watched as they finally spread out and began to look. Leon came hurrying to his side.
“Pat is missing? I haven’t seen Big Hans in hours. I was just about to let you know when I heard Pat was gone. You don’t think—”
“That’s exactly what I think. Someone must have seen something. Who was in camp most of the day?”
“Besides Pat, there was Miss Linda and Old Barney. Old Barney has been feeling a mite poorly lately, and I told him to stay in bed. Pat was going to look in on him after breakfast.” Leon said.
“Let’s go and talk to Barney. Hank, find Miss Linda and have her come to the cookhouse. I’m assuming she’s still in camp.”
“Yes, she is, boss. I’ll get her right away.” Hank hurried away.
Samuel hastened to the cabin that housed Barney and a few others. He didn’t bother to knock, just walked right in. The air was foul with sickness and waste. “Still feeling poorly?”
Barney nodded. “I am.”
“Sorry to hear that. Listen, did Pat ever stop by to check on you?” Samuel asked, trying to be patient.
“No, he didn’t. But I heard a heck of a lot of meanness coming from Miss Linda. She told Pat to leave. Something about you and him.” Barney said each word slowly. “I think Big Hans offered to take Pat to town. I thought maybe it was a dream or something.”
“Thanks, Barney. I’ll send someone in to tend to you.”
“Thank you, boss. Hope you find that young ’un.”
Samuel hurried out of the cabin and ran to the cookhouse. He slammed open the door and took a menacing step toward Linda. “How dare you tell any of my workers they can leave? How dare you order Pat off the mountain? Now where are they?” he thundered.
Linda put a shaking hand to her chest. “I was just saving you from yourself. I know all about the affection you and Pat share. A man cleaves to his wife and only his wife.”
“What goes on in this camp is none of your business. What I do is none of your business! Which way did Big Hans go? You’d better tell the truth, or I’ll put you out!”
“So it’s true! You care for Pat.” Linda sat down in a chair and her shoulders slumped. Tears filled her eyes. “Hans said he knew of a secret way to get to the other side of the mountain. He said no one has been there before.”
“Pompous ass. I know every inch of my mountain. Yes, Linda, my mountain. My father might own the saw mill, but I own the land.” He marched back out the building. “Leon! I need you to stay here. You’re in charge. Hank and Fred grab some firearms. We’re going after Pat. Oh, Leon, make sure someone tends to Barney and cleans out that cabin.”
He didn’t wait for an answer. He hurried to Pat’s cabin and grabbed his bedroll along with his canteen and some food. He always had the bag ready. The forest could be a dangerous place. As he walked out of the cabin, he met up with Fred and Hank. He grabbed his gun and off they went.
“We headed to Pearse’s Point?” Fred asked.
“Indeed we are. We’d best hurry. Pat is in grave danger.” He took long, quick strides across the forest floor. There were places where the trees were so dense, the sun barely came though.
At one point, Samuel held up his hand, signaling for the other two to hold their positions. He squatted down and stared at the earth. “We’re on their trail, and so is our friend, Ford.” He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Then he turned toward the two men. “Pat will be fine. Ford gets a bit testy when someone is kidnapped. He himself was caught by the French Military and turned into an unpaid soldier. Ford escaped, but he still lives in these woods. Come on. When Hans finds out Pat is a girl well, I don’t know how he’ll react. He might just kill her.”
“Boss? What did you mean about Pat being a girl?” Hank asked. His confusion was clear in his voice.
He sighed. Damn his big mouth! “Long story. Her father didn’t want any of the loggers going after his daughter, so he disguised her as a boy to keep her safe.” He turned away and walked on, not willing to answer any more questions. His urgency to get to Pat became overpowering. He’d make it before sundown, and he could only pray she would be spared. The thought of her being in danger twisted his stomach, and bile rose in his throat. Damn Linda, and damn Hans to hell and back. What right did they have to decide another’s fate?
He ran when the path was clear and became more cautious when the foliage was dense. He’d lost sight of Fred and Hank, but he knew they were behind him and would be there to help. He’d heard a story of what Big Hans had done to a boy, but he’d thought it to be tall tale. Now he wasn’t so sure. He should have protected Pat.
Familiar landmarks told him he was almost there. He dropped his things, all except for his knife and gun. He’d be at a disadvantage with his arm but he was quicker than Hans. Drawing a deep breath, he tried to calm himself. Going in with emotions high would be a mistake. He couldn’t afford the tiniest of mistakes.
With one knee on the ground, he panned the area, spotting a flickering light in the distance. Hans was so confident no one had been to this spot he didn’t hide his fire. Slowly, Samuel looked in the woods surrounding Hans and Pat. He finally spotted Ford. Only because he knew the other man would be there, was Samuel able to spot him. Ford was good, very good. Slowly Samuel backtracked until he caught Fred and Hank. He filled them in, and they took up positions.
Pat’s nausea disappeared as she became more and more frightened. She shuddered as Hans described what he had planned for the boy, Pat. What would he do when he found out the truth? No one would ever know what happened to her. Samuel would never know how she felt about him. Her heart broke. Boy, girl, it didn’t matter. No one would want her if she survived. She’d never know the pleasure of Samuel’s embrace or feel his lips on hers.
Her only comfort was she’d be reunited with her Mother and Da. They’d be at heaven’s gate to greet her. She hadn’t a long life, but it had been a good life. She’d seen enough misery in her lifetime to know how lucky she’d been. Maybe throwing herself off a cliff would be better than what Hans had planned.
She yelped when Hans kicked her side.
“Are you payin’ attention to me, boy? Maybe I should slice your skin off patch by patch. I bet you’d scream nice and loud. You’ll be begging me to stop.” He grabbed a knife from his belt and waved the blade around. “I’ve never skinned a human alive before.” His smile was evil.
Pat swallowed hard. All he’d done so far was slapped her around, kicked her, and told her what he was going to do. It was as though talking about his plan for her made him euphoric. She tried to stay quiet. Now she needed to remain focused on what he had to say. Once he stopped talking, she feared the worst.
Hans reached down and grabbed her by the arm. He dragged her to the nearest tree. She kicked out hitting his leg. He slapped her so hard in the face she almost passed out. Blood trickled from her nose. He sat her up against the tree and tied her to it.
She’d never felt so much pain and her eyes teared.
“A sissy boy. Too bad you’ll never live to become a man.” The menace in his voice was more than frightening.
Every bad word she’d ever heard crossed her thoughts, but she didn’t dare utter them. Breathing became labored, and she feared her ribs were broken. Hopelessness engulfed her as she watched him smile in triumph. The excruciating pain she felt now was probably nothing compared to the agony she’d feel soon enough. She didn’t have any expectations of being rescued. Who would rescue her? Perhaps Samuel, but he wouldn’t miss her for long. He had his fiancée waiting for him in camp. He’d have a life of wretchedness if he married Linda. Too bad he didn’t know her
true nature. He claimed to not want Linda, but who could resist her pretty smile for long?
“Sit tight. I’m going to gather wood for a fire. I’ve decided to keep you a few days before I kill you. I want to relish our time together.”
“They’ll miss you at camp.”
“Naw. I figure with you fightin’ me I’ll have a few scratches on me. I’ll spin a yarn of tangling with some varmint.” He laughed and wagged his finger at her. “Don’t go nowhere.”
As soon as he was out of sight, she frantically struggled to get free, but it was useless. She could hardly breathe. Terror left her cold and shaking. Her heart filled with what-ifs. Perhaps she should have lived her life as a woman. She should have gotten off the mountain as soon as her father died. It was too late now, but that was all she could think of.
She heard a yelp and a crashing in the forest. Big Hans probably tripped over a log. He’d be extra ornery when he got back. She slumped back against the tree as her heart beat faster. She was exhausted but fear kept her alert.
Footsteps rustled through the bushes behind her, and she wished she could be brave.
“Shh. Honey, it’s me.” Samuel said as he cut the rope that bound her.
Surely, she was dreaming. Her fright was making her see things.
Samuel rounded the massive tree and knelt before her. Her eyes grew wide and she quickly shut them. It wasn’t possible. He was still there when she opened them again. Reaching out she touched him.
“He’s going to kill me. Run while you can,” she told him.
“He’s dead. You don’t need to worry about him again.” He reached out to touch her arm but she jerked away.
“Don’t touch me!” She shied away, wrapped her arms around her ribs and groaned in pain. She couldn’t help it. She didn’t want anyone to put their hands on her. Why didn’t she feel relieved? She’d hoped to be saved but somehow she still didn’t feel safe.
Whispered Love Page 5
