by Connie Mason
Thank God they weren't on foot, Maggie reflected, for the going would be rough indeed Even horses
would have had a difficult time, for their hooves would have broken through the thin crust of ice and become hopelessly mired Scant daylight hours added considerably to the danger No wonder Scott had expressed concern
At the foot of a towering mountain. Chase pulled the dogs to a skidding halt "This looks like a good place to camp for the night," he said, peering through the frosty twilight at a stand of spruce a short distance to their right "Stay in the sled where it's warm while I check for the best place to pitch the tent"
Maggie nodded and snuggled deeper into the furs as Chase walked away, his tall figure a dot against the whiteness of the snow Immersed in her thoughts, Maggie paid little heed to the low rumble that began on the lofty mountainside high above her When she did become aware of the sound, she looked skyward for the source of the disturbance, thinking she'd never heard of thunder in connection with a snowstorm But anything was possible in this strange country of snow and ice and darkness What she saw set her heart to pounding with stark, black fear
It looked as if the entire mountainside had exploded, sending tons of ice and snow hurtling down on her Paralyzed with a fright she had never known before, Maggie could do nothing but stare at the churning, grinding mass of snow and rock plowing toward her with amazing speed She had barely enough time to utter a quick prayer before the unrelenting wave roared over her
Perhaps the dogs realized what was happening, for at the last minute they set up a terrible howling and lurched forward But without a firm hand to guide them, they acted independently, each pulling in a different direction Then blackness engulfed Maggie and the breath, perhaps her last, was driven from her chest with incredible force
Meanwhile, Chase had found the perfect camping place beneath a stand of spruce that offered moderate protection against the wind Water wasn't important because snow could be melted on the campstove His decision made, he started walking back to the sled where Maggie waited And then he heard it First the dogs setup a terrible racket, then came the roar of a thousand locomotives Unlike Maggie, Chase recognized the sound immediately for what it was Avalanche I
He called her name, a frantic cry so filled with anguish it was more like a sobbing scream His legs were like lead, refusing to obey, until he willed them to move A terrible thought made him realize that if he reached her in time, he'd be buried along with her Not that it mattered To lose Maggie would be the same as losing his own soul But despite his best efforts, the thundering mass reached her before he did, plowing, roaring, devouring everything in its path
Chase was knocked off his feet, floundering in waist-deep snow but not completely buried because he was on the outer fringes of the slide area and to the right of the path taken by the avalanche Even Maggie and the sled hadn't received the full brunt of the slide, only enough to bury them completely Chase watched in abject horror as ice and snow devoured her with hungry jaws
By the time the roar had dwindled to a harmless purr. Chase had freed himself, never taking his eyes off the spot where he had last seen Maggie and the sled, memorizing it in his mind despite the terrible dread churning his insides to mush Within minutes, nothing, remained to mark the spot that Maggie had once occupied but the indelible imprint on Chase's brain
Panic-stricken, Chase dragged himself on hands and knees to the place he had last seen his love.
clawing frantically at the snow, scooping it out with his bare hands regardless of the numbing cold Chase had no idea that danger from avalanches existed so early in the year It had to be a freak occurrence, though at the altitude the avalanche originated, the peaks were never devoid of snow, wind, or ice
The depression beneath his hands grew as Chase worked furiously to free Maggie His lungs burned, tears froze on his cheeks, his muscles screamed in agony, but he refused to give up Sobbing in frustration, unbearable anger over the unfairness of fate drove him beyond human endurance Then, with the horrendous thought of failure staring him in the face. Chase uncovered one limp hand It was meager encouragement, but enough to give him renewed hope as he increased his efforts The spurt of adrenelin provided the impetus necessary, and after digging down nearly three feet. Chase finally uncovered Maggie's head
Anxiously he cleared her face of accurnmulated snow, his heart plummeting when he noted how still and white she looked Her eyes were closed, and her breathing appeared shallow and labored Still unable to retrieve her from her icy grave. Chase continued digging until enough of her body was free to lift her out Thank God she hadn't taken the brunt of the avalanche I
Cradling her limp form in his arms. Chase caressed her pale cheek, finding it icy to his touch How long had she been buried1? He struggled frantically with the question, unable to put a time to that endless eternity it had taken him to reach her It could have been seconds, or minutes, or hours even While he watched in stark terror, his worst fears came to pass The tiny puffs of breath corning from Maggie's lungs fluttered to a halt
"Breathe I Breathe I" he implored, his voice a broken sob of pure anguish Who said a tough cowboy never cried1?
Hugging her close, willing her to live. Chase suddenly was at a loss Was there nothing he could do to reverse this tragedy1? Maggie didn't deserve to die She was too young, too vital, too beautiful and innocent
"Breathe, damn you, breathe I" he repeated, helplessness moving him to incredible anger "No, dammit, I won't let you die I Do you hear me, Maggie girl1? You're not gonna die I If you can't breathe on your own, I'll breathe for you "
Covering her icy lips with his. Chase began breathing small puffs of air into her lungs, all his tremendous will focused on foiling fate He never considered failure, not when he was digging Maggie out of the snow and certainly not now He'd breathe his own life and soul into her or die trying
Then suddenly Maggie gasped and shuddered, struggling for breath as Chase continued blowing into her mouth Her eyes fluttered open but she seemed not to recognize him
"Maggie I Maggie, darlin', can you hear me1?" To Chase's consternation, her lids fell over the golden dimness of her eyes, but the steady rise and fall of her chest instilled renewed hope in him
Lifting Maggie in his arms. Chase staggered to the stand of spruce where he had intended to pitch their tent He was forced to place her on the icy ground while he recovered their tent and bedrolls
Returning to the spot where he had found Maggie, Chase began digging frantically, aware that Maggie's life depended on him and his ability to provide warmth and something hot to put into her stomach Providence was with him, for he located their bundle of supplies beneath the buried sled and dragged it clear A little more digging produced his rifle
Instinct told him that it was too late to save the dogs, so he hurried back to where Maggie lay and set up the tent more quickly than he would have thought possible
Then he placed her carefully inside the shelter, piling blankets atop her to thaw her chilled flesh Next he built a fire to heat water for tea Maggie needed something hot inside her, and quickly She rallied long enough to swallow a few sips of the hot brew before sinking back into oblivion Thinking of nothing else to do. Chase slid beneath the blankets beside her, pulled her into his arms, and shared his warmth with her
The howling of timber wolves brought Chase instantly alert, and he reached for his rifle Poking his head through the opening of the tent. Chase was shocked to see how close the hungry creatures were, too damn close for comfort, their eyes luminous and predatory in the darkness While he slept, the fire had died down to glowing embers, and the wolves had grown bold enough to approach within twenty feet of the tent Chase's first reaction was to build up the fire with kindling he had gathered earlier
"Chase, what is it1?" Maggie's voice was weak but the most beautiful sound in the world to Chase
"Wolves, darlin', nothin' to worry about I'm gonna build up the fire and scare off a few of the sneaky critters How do you feel?"
&nbs
p; "Weak, but otherwise okay Wha—what happened1?"
"Avalanche We'll talk later," Chase said when the menacing wolves drew even closer to their campsite
Chase fed the dying fire until it burst into flames, an effective barrier for keeping wolves at bay Several well-placed rifle shots helped greatly, but Chase still felt compelled to sit up the rest of the night feeding the flames and firing random shots into the marauding wolf pack
During the long vigil. Chase contemplated their situation and came to a decision Because of the recent snowfall, they hadn't covered as much ground today as he would have liked In fact, according to his calculations they were closer to the cabin than to Dawson Therefore, because they were without transportation, he felt they should return to Eleven Above, even if it meant being stranded for the winter
Their supplies were plentiful, sufficient firewood was handy, and the cabin was snug and warm Chase knew what lay behind them, but not the dangers facing them should they continue on to Dawson Another thing to consider was the fact that they no longer had adequate transportation or protection from the elements They would be forced to walk to their destination When dull, murky light ushered in the morning. Chase abandoned the fire and prepared for their departure
Maggie still felt a debilitating weakness but was able to walk as they trudged back in the direction from which they had come Even if he had to carry Maggie most of the way. Chase was determined they should reach the claimsite by nightfall He wouldn't even consider another night in the open, for he had to abandon the tent and supplies for lack of transport
As the day progressed, Maggie's flagging strength made it increasingly evident that she wouldn't be able to keep up the pace, but she didn't complain, not when Chase wore a worried frown on his brow Just when Maggie felt certain she couldn't take another step, the welcome sound of yapping dogs broke through the pristine silence
"Chase, lookl"
"I see, darlin'.Isee"
Corning toward them at a furious pace was a sled pulled by a frisky team of dogs One man rode the
runners while a second sat atop a load of bundles The sled came to a skidding halt beside them, and Maggie gave a glad cry when she recognized the men
"It's Art and Bob, Chase, I know these menl"
Indeed it was Bob Croft and Art Bench returning from Daws on with a load of supplies meant to last the winter
"Looks like ya could use a lift," Bob said, sizing up the situation immediately "Kinda wondered who abandoned the tent a ways back "
Once a roaring fire blazed into life, the small cabin became a welcome haven It worried Chase that Maggie had lapsed in and out of consciousness during the long ride back to the claimsite, but at least she had been snug and warm in the sled Grizzled though they might be. Bob and Art were virtually angels in disguise Fortunately, temperatures hovered above zero and no new snowfall arrived to hinder their journey back
Before long Chase had Maggie undressed and tucked into a makeshift bed before the fire Then he turned his hand to preparing something nourishing for them to eat while Maggie dozed restlessly She still appeared deathly pale, and Chase kept interrupting his chores to return to her to make certain she still breathed Digging her from her icy grave had been the most harrowing experience of his life
Maggie hummed a tune as she engaged in the housekeeping duties she had undertaken since recuperating fully from the effects of being buried beneath tons of snow She shuddered when she thought of what might have happened had Chase given up and left her in her icy grave She owed him her life He was the strongest person she knew Nothing rattled him He was brave and confident
in the face of calamity, well-prepared to deal with whatever disaster carne his way He could do anything he set his mind to, even bring her back from the brink of death The man was incredible He laughed at fate, dared to challenge God himself if it meant the difference between life and death And she loved him, loved everything about him despite the fact that one day they'd each go their own way, each find their own destiny
"Fresh meat, Maggie girl," Chase whooped, bounding into the cabin It had snowed heavily for the past two weeks, but today was clear and the temperature hovered at zero Well into November now. Chase decided to use the lull in the weather and scant daylight hours to hunt "Ummin, smells good in here "
Maggie laughed, delighted with Chase's response to her culinary skills "I just baked bread, and there's dried fruit cooking Thought I'd attempt a cobbler today What did you shoot1?"
"A moose," Chase grinned, pleased with himself "I've already skinned him and cut him up into chunks small enough to handle " Due to the extreme cold, the meat was frozen solid before it was dressed and stored inside the woodbox to keep wild animals from devouring it "Here," he said, slapping down a good-sized hunk of frozen meat on the table, "once it thaws, cut off a couple of thick steaks for our supper "
Chase removed his outer clothes and lowered his lean length into a chair as he watched Maggie work at her womanly chores She moved with consummate grace, unaware of the seductive power her body held over Chase or the message each subtle movement transmitted But Chase was only too aware of every nuance of Maggie's face and form For two long excruciating weeks, he had slept beside her, held her, soothed her fears, and nursed her to health
without once making love to her as he desperately longed to do The last thing he wanted was to hinder her recovery in any way, or bring about a relapse after her terrible ordeal She still looked so fragile Chase felt she might break if he touched her But damnation, he wanted herl
Maggie wasn't impervious to Chase's needs, she had her own needs But when she had mentioned making love. Chase had deliberately changed the subject, citing her fragile health as a reason for abstaining But Maggie sensed he wasn't being honest with her She was perfectly well now, but still Chase remained aloof Was it something she'd said or done1? she wondered desperately Whatever the reason, she intended to put an end to it tonight
Actually, Chase did have another reason for refusing to give them what they both wanted—one that Maggie seemed unaware of Thus far she had escaped pregnancy, but their lusty appetites precluded cheating fate indefinitely The thought of having a child with Maggie didn't displease him—quite the opposite, in fact But he knew Maggie would hate him if he made her pregnant at a time when her career meant everything to her She didn't seem to want marriage as most women did, and a baby would certainly be an unwanted burden to her Chase reckoned the only way he could be absolutely certain she would leave the Klondike without a living memory of their time together was to refrain from making love, even if it killed him And the way he felt now, his death was imminent
Chase watched Maggie as long as he dared, given his desperation, then deliberately picked up a snowshoe lying nearby that needed mending
"Chase, are you tired of me already1?" Maggie asked bluntly, taking the bull by the horns
"What in blazes are you talkin' about1?" Chase demanded, stunned He wanted her, needed her—
yes, dammit, adored her Didn't she realize he was denying them for her own good1?
"Except for a few chaste kisses, you haven't touched me in two weeks Dammit, Chase, I'm not made of stone You taught me to respond, to need you, then you deliberately deny me—deny us It can't be my health, as you can see I'm fully recuperated What is it1?"
"C'rnere, darlin'," Chase said, dropping the snowshoe and holding out his arms Immediately Maggie plopped into his lap "Don't you know I have the devil's own time keepin' my hands off you1? I deliberately find chores to occupy my hands and mind, dreadin' the nights when your body is pressed close to mine Damnation, Maggie, I'm no saint If this keeps up I'll be insane before spring arrives "
"Why are you denying us if it's what we both want1?" Maggie asked, truly puzzled
Chase grinned, shaking his burnished head in dismay "You're such an innocent, darlin", I find it difficult to believe you've reached the old age of twenty-five without knowin' that if we continue indulgin' our desires, we're likely to make a ba
by Unless you know somethin' I don't"
Maggie flushed, burying her head against Chase's chest She loved the feel of him, his scent, his strength, and she couldn't deny herself their short time together even if they made ten babies She knew what it meant to be an unwed mother, and with a jolt of sadness she realized that Chase would rather abstain than offer marriage Yet she was willing to take that chance Nothing had happened yet, and she might never get pregnant Even if she did go back to Seattle pregnant, she would love Chase's child and raise it to the best of her ability If the newspaper fired her because of it, she could put her creative ability and experience in the Klondike to good use by writing and selling stones to magazines She might
even write a book on her experiences Now all she had to do was convince Chase
"Having your baby doesn't frighten me," Maggie said slowly "Living in this cabin with you like brother and sister for the next four months does Besides, I—I can't have children " It was an impulsive, deliberate lie, but Maggie felt no guilt over telling it In her mind there was no other way to convince Chase to make love to her without him worrying over the responsibility of fatherhood
"How could you know that You were a virgin the first time I took you," Chase said, stunned "A—a childhood infection left me sterile," she improvised "Does it matter1?"
"I—no, only in that it relieves my mind That's one less thing I'll have to worry about after you leave the Klondike I'd never forgive myself if I hurt you or changed your life in any way Dammit, baby, I care about you Maybe some day—"
"Don't, Chase Remember1? No promises You're not responsible for me I'm a big girl who's been on her own for along time Just kiss me"