by Sara Orwig
“The fire’s growing,” she goaded him, seeing flames dance up in the stall behind him.
“I ought to tie you up and let you burn in it. No woman is worth this!” he said, breathing hard, his eyes fiery with rage. He lunged at her, and she jabbed at him, catching him on the leg. He grabbed the fork and yanked it away, catching her wrist and slamming her against a stall. He yanked at her trousers, pulling them down. “I’m going to take you before you burn.” He grabbed her hair, dragging her inside the stall.
Her hair felt pulled out and she screamed and kicked. Taking her wrist, he tied her to a stall. In minutes he had both wrists tied, her arms spread wide while she stood in the center of the stall, her clothes almost gone.
“You could stop the fire if you tried now. You could save everything,” she said.
The black pupils of his eyes were dilated, and he looked wild and ferocious. He snarled at her, looking at the fire, and then running outside and returning with a bucket of water to toss it on flames.
In minutes he had the fire doused in one stall, but it raged in the other, and she watched as it danced high, wood burning, a tiny lick of flame curling upward toward the loft. If the loft caught, he couldn’t put it out. She struggled against her bonds, knowing he would let her burn in the fire.
Smoke was thick and he coughed as he ran past to throw water on the other stall. The loft caught, flames racing across the length of the barn, the heat and bright fire making her cough.
He was swearing all the time he poured water on the fire, but in minutes the loft was a raging inferno. The stall where she was tied was filled with straw and when it caught, it would burn swiftly.
Looking down, she saw she was standing on straw. She tried to kick it away until there was only dirt right beneath her feet, but she knew that would do little good. Smoke filled the stall, and a cinder fell on her shoulder burning her. She looked up, and between cracks of the floor of the loft, she could see the bright orange of the fire. Smoke curled against the top of the stall, burning her throat and mouth and eyes.
The whole barn burned now, flames a steady roar above her, a beam crashing down near the front of the barn. The roof was in flames. McKissick still ran back and forth with buckets of water, swearing as he tossed water as if he had lost all reason. And then she couldn’t see him for the flames and smoke.
She yanked against her bonds, coughing and struggling, unable to get free.
Suddenly McKissick loomed up in the stall, his body darkly outlined against the orange and red fire. “Damn you!” He coughed, his voice more raspy than ever, smoke swirling around him. It was becoming impossible to see and she wondered how soon the roof and loft would fall in on them.
“Rachel!”
The deep-voiced cry was unmistakable. It was Dan!
Chapter 25
“Dan!” she cried out, joy making her forget everything. McKissick spun around. “McKissick’s here!” she screamed a warning.
“You!” McKissick snarled and she heard the stunned disbelief in his voice. “How the hell—?
“You bastard! What have you done to her?”
She saw McKissick lunge forward, could only see dark shapes moving in the smoke and flames, heard the sound of bone smashing against bone as they exchanged blows.
McKissick slammed back against the stall. A rafter crashed at the front of the barn, sending sparks dancing upward and flames shooting out.
McKissick yanked up the pitchfork and lunged forward.
“Dan!” she screamed, terrified for him. Cinders dropped from the burning loft, setting fire to straw. In the stall next to her, flames danced high, and she tried to yank her hand away uselessly. Perspiration poured off her and she could feel the heat from above and beside her. Her hand felt seared and she bit her lip to keep from crying out while she struggled to peer through the smoke as the men fought.
Rage churned in Dan along with panic for Rachel. He dodged McKissick’s vicious swing, moving in to slam his fist against McKissick’s jaw again, sending him sprawling. Trying to curb his panic to get Rachel out of the burning barn, Dan’s rage made him shake.
He lunged on McKissick as he started to get up, knocking McKissick back to the floor. Pounding him with both fists, Dan remembered the searing agony he had experienced, wondering what McKissick had done to Rachel.
Suddenly McKissick bellowed and rolled, both men pounding each other as they tumbled across the floor. McKissick slammed Dan’s head against the floor and locked his hands around Dan’s throat.
Gagging and unable to breathe, knowing he didn’t have his full strength back, Dan slammed his fist into McKissick’s jaw, sending him sprawling and both jumped to their feet. Something fell, striking Dan’s shoulder and knocking him off balance. McKissick hit him in the stomach and Dan staggered back against a burning stall.
He heard Rachel scream again. Smoke was dense, burning his eyes while he gasped for breath. He saw a shadowy form move in front of him and dodged. McKissick’s fist caught him only a glancing blow on the jaw.
Sweat poured into his eyes and his ears rang. Terrified that his strength would go before he could save her, Dan swung at McKissick.
Rachel screamed again, a high piercing sound that went through him like the rip of a knife.
Desperate to get to her, Dan locked his fists together and swung both hands, slamming against McKissick. Pain shot up his wrists and arms as he hit a solid blow to McKissick. Lyman staggered back and fell, sprawling on the floor.
Running to Rachel, Dan yanked his knife out of the scabbard at his waist. She was tied in a stall, her arms stretched out, the trousers down around her ankles. Flames curled into the stall from an adjoining one and she was trying to jerk her hand out of the fire. He sliced at her bindings, cutting through them. Her hand fell free.
She coughed, and his throat felt seared as he coughed and gasped for breath. He sliced through her other bonds. She yanked up the trousers while he grabbed her arm. “Run!” he shouted.
Suddenly a man moved out of the smoke, pistol drawn as he faced them. She recognized Hogue Winters, one of McKissick’s men, as he raised his revolver to shoot Dan.
She hit his arm and he knocked her away. Dan’s knife sliced through the air and sunk in Hogue Winter’s chest. He staggered back, smoke enveloping him while she stared in horror.
Dan heard the crash of timbers giving way. “Run!” Dan yelled again, shoving her in front of him, knowing the barn roof would soon collapse. A beam struck him, knocking him down. He pushed and wriggled free, coming up as she tugged on his arm.
He heard a rumble and grabbed her around the waist, leaping for the open door. They slammed against the ground and he rolled, taking her with him.
“Rachel, wait—” he gasped, rushing back into the barn.
She stared in horror, terrified Dan was risking his life to save Lyman. She watched Dan emerge from the smoke, dragging a man’s body. For the first time she noticed that Dan wore only buckskin trousers, a headband, and moccasins.
Stunned, she saw the man Dan had pulled from the fire was not McKissick, but Hogue Winters.
“Get my horse,” he called. She looked around and saw a horse tied nearby.
Boards crashed behind them. Rachel gasped for breath, turning her head to look as the roof of the barn fell in, flames shooting up.
“Hurry, Rachel, before others come!”
She brought his horse and frowned, unable to reason what he was doing as he threw the man’s body across the back of the horse. He leapt up and swung her up in front of him, turning the horse to ride away.
Suddenly she didn’t care what strange things he had done or what he did. She forgot McKissick, the fire, the pain. She turned, throwing her arms around Dan to cling to him and sob with relief and joy. His arm tightened around her, and she relished it, thinking it was the most wonderful feeling in the world.
“Love,” he whispered, holding her, his hands roaming over her head and shoulders. “My love. Rachel, don’t cry. He’s go
ne forever.”
“I’m not crying about him!” she gasped, looking up at him and running her fingers over his features as if to reassure herself that he was really present. “I thought—”
“I know what you thought,” he said roughly, his face filled with anger. “Did he hurt you?”
“No,” she said, shaking her head and looking into Dan’s eyes. “No. I fought him and while we fought, I set his barn on fire.”
Dan closed his eyes and pulled her against him again. She clung to him, crying again out of joy and relief.
In minutes he reined at a narrow creek. He set her down and dismounted.
Repulsed, she looked at the body across his horse. “Dan, why?” she asked, pointing at the body.
“I’ll leave him before we get home, so we don’t ride in with him. Eb and I’ll go back and pick up the body. When I saw that barn burning and was riding to reach it, I knew what I wanted to do with McKissick. Instead, this way will be better.” He placed his hand on her shoulder. “You’re looking at the body of Peter Benton who burned in a fire. Eb and I will build a pine casket and ship the body and Peter Benton’s few belongings back to Vicksburg.”
She stared at Dan and then glanced at the body, thankful it was night and she couldn’t see it. “Oh, Dan, do you think they’ll accept it?”
“I have one of the best records with Pinkerton’s. They’ll believe me. I’ll write Eubanks to give the reward to charity that I don’t need it because I may join my people.” Dan felt weak with relief that she hadn’t been harmed badly by McKissick, never wanting to relive the moments when he had raced toward the burning barn.
“Let me see your hand,” he said. She held out her burned hand and he swore. “As soon as we get home, I’ll do something for that. We won’t carry the body much longer, but I want to get off McKissick’s land. Let’s get going.”
She waited while he lashed the body to the horse, then mounted to swing her up in front of him. She clung to him, joy coursing in her because Dan was safe and now Pa would be safe.
Three weeks later, Rachel stood in Abeyta’s front parlor with family and friends crowded around. Looking up at Dan, she repeated wedding vows. Wearing a pale blue silk dress given to her by Abeyta, Rachel had tiny white rosebuds pinned in her hair. Dan wore a black coat and trousers and white linen shirt, his black hair combed back from his face.
“I now pronounce you man and wife,” the preacher stated.
Feeling as if she would burst with joy, Rachel lifted her face and Dan kissed her lightly. Everyone crowded forward to wish them well.
They spent the next hours mingling with family and friends, but Rachel was aware only of Dan. Finally she kissed Lissa and hugged her, and kissed Josh. When she turned to Abigail, Abby’s eyes shone.
“I’m so happy for you. And Will is talking more about marriage. He’s talking to Pa about building a house for us on our place.”
Rachel smiled and hugged Abby. “I’m so happy for you.”
“I’m happy for you!” Abby said, laughing. “With Dan building a house for you on land next to ours, we’ll all be together. Now don’t worry about Lissa. Between all of us, she’ll be taken care of.”
“I know that.” Rachel hugged Abby and left to find Abeyta who grasped Rachel’s hands and smiled at her.
Rachel glanced across the room at Abeyta’s daughter, Rianna, whose black hair and flashing dark eyes were as beautiful as her mother’s. “Rianna is as nice as she is beautiful.”
“I’ll tell her you said that. I wish you all the happiness possible,” she said, hugging Rachel and then leaning back, her eyes twinkling. “I expect us to be a very close family. Your father is talking about marriage, as you know. I love your father very much.”
She gave Rachel another hug and then Eb joined them. Rachel stood on tiptoe to kiss Eb’s cheek. “I love you, Pa.”
“I’m glad for you, Rachel. You deserve so much.”
She turned to find Dan waiting. He shook Eb’s hand and then she went with him as they slipped out the back of Abeyta’s house to a buggy. She hesitated a moment. “This reminds me of the last time we rode in a buggy.”
He swung her up in his arms. “This won’t be like that time.”
He set her in the buggy and then climbed in. In minutes he stopped in front of the hotel and glanced at her. “We have two nights here and then we leave for Galveston to sail to New Orleans. My parents have already planned a party for us.”
She smiled at him, feeling as if her world were perfect. He took her hand to help her out of the buggy.
Minutes later she stood in the hotel room, watching as Dan poured glasses of brandy for both of them. For a moment her gaze went over the elegant carved rosewood bed and marble-topped furniture, and then she looked at her handsome husband as he walked to her to hand her a glass of brandy.
“Here, love,” he said, “happiness for all our lives,” he said quietly, raising his glass and touching hers. He drank, watching her and then he set down both glasses.
Rachel felt the fiery brandy burn inside her, but it was nothing compared to the warmth kindled by the look in his eyes.
He slipped off his coat and she drew her breath, wanting to kiss and touch him, to feel his hands on her.
He drew her to him, sliding his arms around her waist. “Rachel, you are all I want,” he whispered huskily. “I was so scared I would lose you, I still have nightmares that wake me about it.”
He kissed her throat, his fingers moving on the row of tiny buttons until he shoved away the blue silk and it fell with a rustle around her feet. She slipped her arms around his neck, her fingers winding in his hair as his dark head bent while he kissed her.
“Dan,” she whispered and his head raised, his gaze searing like a flame, yet filled with love that held promises of years of joy. As his head bent and his mouth covered hers while he kissed her hard, she melted against him, clinging to him tightly, knowing that she had found a love as lasting and promising as the land where they had settled.
More from Sara Orwig
The Comanche Series
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Luke McCloud is on the run for a crime he is innocent of, and wants nothing more than to pay his debt to Honor Roth’s father and be gone again. But first he must survive poachers and bounty hunters that are hot on his trail and the blazing yearning for Honor that is hot in his heart.
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When Comanches threaten Caroline Brandon, a spirited young orphan fleeing the ruins of life post-Civil War, handsome army scout Sawyer Day agrees to accompany her to her uncle’s Texas ranch. But as they brave the dangers of the wilderness, an undeniable attraction tempts them both, and soon they find themselves surrendering to one another’s embrace.
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She knew who he was. Captain Joshua Raven, rebel aristocrat and fierce pirate, ravaging his way through the Spanish main. But he had no way of knowing that the beautiful girl disguised as a maid was Lianna Melton, a high-born British damsel, fleeing a loveless marriage.
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Before long, she finds herself melting beneath the heat of his caress, and soon passion sweeps her away like the rising tide, toward the golden shores of love.
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