She jerked back as something suddenly came bursting through the brush to stop in front of her. She caught hold of herself as she realized it was a riderless Ansgar. The reins were dragging off the side, and she could see burrs stuck in the side of the horse. She busied herself pulling them out as she talked gently to Angar, trying to calm him down. She led him back down the path to see where he had come from, her heart beating anxiously as she tried to block from her mind all the possible conclusions of what could have happened to Callum. Not too far down the path, she stumbled over a large rock. As she circled around to her other side, she gasped as she saw a small splatter of red on the ground — it looked like blood and most was on the side of the rock.
“Ansgar, what happened?” she asked, her eyes flicking around her anxiously. The horse must have taken a trip through the bush surrounding the trail as it seemed he traveled a lot farther than the distance of the path. She began to circle the area, looking for any sign that Callum was nearby, perhaps having moved himself or been further injured. All she found was crushed brush leading west.
“Well Ansgar,” she said, “how are you feeling, boy? Ready for an adventure?” After giving him a pat and making sure he wasn’t too agitated to continue, she gave him some water she found in the saddlebag, mounted the horse, and urged him down the newly created path.
As Callum slowly opened his eyes, the world gradually came into focus. Through fuzzy lenses, he saw a wooden floor, and boots walking back and forth in front of him. Voices began filtering in through his grogginess.
“What do we do with him now?”
“We’ve got to take him out. What else are we supposed to do?”
“He knows too much. There’s no other option.”
“We’re not killers though.”
“Only because the bloody man won’t tell us where it is.”
“We could use him, though.”
“Use him, how?”
“With his cousin, as leverage.”
“Ahhhh…..”
“Shush, both of you. He’s coming to.”
Callum opened his eyes all the way this time, as much as they hurt and as groggy as he was.
“What….”
“Good morning sunshine.” Alistair’s craggy face came into view, and the scent of his rancid breath wafted down to Callum’s face. Callum tried not to be sick, from the smell and the stars still circling his head.
“So, Callum.” Chester’s smooth voice came from somewhere above Callum’s swimming head as he tried to sit up. “What are we going to do with you?” Callum realized his hands were tied behind his back, as were his ankles in front of him. He managed to prop himself up against an old bed that was shoved into the corner of the room, giving him some sense of dignity.
“What have you done with Gregor?” Callum asked in a raspy voice.
“Ah, lad, that’s not your concern,” answered Alistair. “But not to worry, you’ll be meeting up with him soon. Now have yourself a little sleep here and we’ll be back with your beloved cousin.”
Callum saw the backs of Alistair and Chester exit through the door before another knock to the head sent his world swirling into black once again.
Victoria followed the path through the brush. Branches slapped at her face, scratching her through her thin summer dress. She wasn’t exactly prepared for a day-long ride through the woods, and as the sun slowly set the air began to cool. She shivered. She should have gone back to town for help, or to Angus and his police. What had she been thinking? Now it was too late to turn around.
She slowed Ansgar when she heard voices up ahead. They were still a ways off, but wanting to be careful, she stopped the horse, slipped off of him, and quietly led him back a few yards, where she tied him to a low-hanging tree branch.
Victoria crouched low in the tall prairie grass, slowly inching her way forward. She stopped when voices began to cut clearly through the air.
“Here’s the plan,” said an older voice she recognized distinctly as Alistair’s. “We use the cousin to get Gregor to tell us where the gold is. Once we have the location, we keep them both — separated — until we make sure it is where he says it is. Then we come back and throw them both in the river and be done with it.”
“Why the river?” It was Brandon, she realized, figuring Chester would make up the third portion of the trio.
“It does not have to be the river. I donna care what you do with them,” said Alistair with exasperation. “But you’ll get rid of them. Can ye do that?”
“Of course I can.”
“And you think we’re covered?” Yes, there was Chester. “Do ye think Callum told anyone what he found out?”
“Maybe the girl,” growled Brandon. “I could get rid of her too.”
“We tried the one day after she started poking her nose into our business,” said Chester. “Who would have guessed she could swim?”
“First, we see what she knows,” answered Alistair. “There’s more people around here who would miss her. That nosy aunt of hers, and the aunt’s friends — especially the grocer. But first let’s take care of the cousins. Brandon and I will go get some food and Gregor. Chester, you keep an eye on the cousin. We’ll be back in a couple of hours.”
Brandon and Alistair trampled off to their horses, leaving Chester outside. Victoria tried to decide what to do. Should she go back and find Angus? It had taken her at least a couple of hours to get here, and she wasn’t entirely sure of the path home. By the time she came back it might be too late. She was on her own. Against Chester. She peeked around the grasses that were hiding her from view. Chester’s back was to her, as he filled his canteen with liquid from a large bottle sitting on the ground. He had a gun on his belt, and a rifle propped up against the building beside him.
The shack was poorly constructed, with gaps in the boards and a roughshod roof that wouldn’t keep out much rain.
As he took a swig of his drink, Victoria’s own dry mouth and lips screamed out at her. She’d given most of the water to Ansgar before she’d left him at the tree, and was saving the rest for Callum. That should be the last of her worries right now, she told herself, batting the thought away.
She felt around on the ground near her feet, searching for something small enough to throw but big enough to make noise. Her fingers found a pattern of rocks buried into the ground. She scrambled to dig one out, her fingernails breaking as she clawed her way around the rock to dig it out.
She took the small moment of victory as she clasped the rock in her hand. She looked up to see Chester still leaning against the small shack, looking like he had not a care in the world with his hat tilted backwards on his head, the canteen in his hand and a cigar loosely caught between his index and middle finger.
Staying low, Victoria hefted the rock and threw it with all her might as far as she could to her right. It didn’t squarely hit the tree she was aiming for, but it scratched at a couple of the branches, making enough noise to attract Chester’s attention. As he looked up, her heart began to race. He began a slow, slightly hesitant jaunt over to the tree. It was the only chance Victoria would have. She moved as slowly as he did towards the shack. When she was just a few yards away, she broke out into a run. She heard Chester shout as she reached the rifle and whirled around. She held it in her arms just like Callum had taught her to, levelling it directly at Chester.
“Victoria…” he drawled out her name with a charming smile, as if he had just run into her on the street and was asking her to head out for a walk together. “What are ye doing here? Come to see me?”
“Where is Callum?” she demanded, with enough anger and movement of the rifle to cause him to raise his hands in the air.
“Callum? Oh your friend from the boardinghouse?”
“My husband.”
“Your husband? Well that is quite the turn of events. And when did this happy occasion occur? I must have lost my invitation. Or was it one of those… fast-moving occasions?” His gaze went down to her stomach.
“What you think of me means nothing. Lead me to where Callum is.”
“Or what? You’ll shoot me? Lass do ye even know how to work that thing?”
In answer to his question, Victoria aimed the rifle slightly to his right, took a deep breath, and pulled the trigger. The recoil was enough to almost send her flying backward, but she had remembered what Callum showed her about her stance. Please let me him be all right, she said in a quick prayer as Chester recovered from the shock of her firing.
“All right!” He said. “I’ll take ye to him. Just a moment…”
“Drop your gun.”
“Pardon me?”
“The gun you’re reaching for — behind your back. Put it on the ground.”
“You drive a hard bargain, lass. Don’t ye think it’s fair…”
“Drop it.”
He complied with a scowl, his countenance slowly changing.
“Lead the way,” she said.
He walked to the door, holding up one hand as he took the key off his waist belt with the other. He unlocked the door, and opened it, revealing nothing but a dark room.
Callum shot up, quickly waking when a crack fired through the air just outside. It was a gunshot, he realized. Who was shooting? Had Angus followed him? He hoped Ansgar would lead the way to him. He was taken off the track to the Mountie barracks, so his only plan of action right now was that Angus had come across the area where the skirmish occurred and tracked them here to the cabin.
He heard voices outside, and shuffled his way over to where the faint light came from underneath the bottom of the door. He awkwardly got himself to his feet, with much effort and heavy breathing, and plastered his ear to the side of the door.
He heard Chester, and then he heard a female voice — Victoria? What in the bloody hell was she doing here? He cursed. If they made it out of this intact, he was going to tell her exactly what he thought of her little rescue attempt. What was she thinking? One girl against three grown men — fur trappers who knew the area and didn’t seem to stop at much to get what they wanted.
As the voices came closer, Callum shifted backwards, out of sight. The door slowly creaked opened. Chester came through first, searching to find the lantern. As he passed in front of him, Callum jumped onto Chester from behind, his tied hands going around the man’s throat as he struggled backward with him.
“Callum!” Victoria’s cry to him was a mix at relief at finding him alive and relatively away from harm, while at the same time warning him not to take things too far. Amazing how much a female can voice into just one word.
He wrestled Chester backwards onto the bed, holding the rope tight against his neck. Chester put up quite the fight, managing a few blows with his heels on Callum’s shins, but eventually he passed out from lack of air. After letting Chester go and watching him slink to the floor, Callum collapsed back on the bed himself, his head spinning from the knocks he had taken and the effort he had just expended.
“Callum! Are you all right?” Victoria, who had watched the struggle with wide eyes after realizing Callum was just fine without her help, dropped the rifle and ran to his side, her cool hands going to his face. He opened his eyes to see the shadow of her staring down at him, and he sighed.
“Victoria, you shouldn’t be here. Go back, get help, go find…” his mumbles dragged off as his eyes slowly closed again.
“Callum! Stay with me.” Victoria alternatively slapped at his face and worked at the bindings on his wrists, her fingers, already torn from digging at the rock, bleeding as she worked her nails underneath the tight binds of rope. She finally succeeded in wrenching them off before tackling the ones around his ankles. “Callum, what happened to you? The other two are coming back soon, we’ve got to get out of here. Come…”
His eyes still closed, she worked an arm underneath his shoulders, trying to lift him off the bed. She managed to wrest half his body off the bed, but try as she might to lift him the rest of the way, he was just too heavy. Her efforts were enough to snap his eyes back open again and get his attention. “Gregor,” he groaned. “They have Gregor.”
“Yes, they do. We have to figure out how we are going to get him back. We best get a move on. Are you all right to continue on?”
“I’ll make it. First, lass, can you please take these binds and tie up Chester before he comes to? Make sure they’re nice and tight.”
“Of course, yes.”
Victoria tied the knots around Chester’s wrists and ankles as tightly as she could before going back to Callum.
“Do you think you can make it to the horse? Ansgar is just outside and down the path.”
Callum nodded in assent, and tried not to lean too heavily on Victoria as they made their way out the door and through the grasses to where Ansgar was waiting patiently. Victoria stopped on the way to retrieve the gun she had forced Chester to drop before entering the cabin.
When they reached the horse, Callum reached into the saddle bag and was relieved to find his water canteen still somewhat full. It revived him some as he took a long drink and splashed water over his face.
“Victoria, we need to find Gregor. From the sounds of it, he’s—”
“About an hour away,” she finished. “I heard them talking. They said they were going to use you to make Gregor tell them where the gold is. But what gold could they be talking about? There isn’t gold around here.”
“I didn't think there was. Angus told me a tale, though. I’ll tell you the short version. There was a wealthy family in the area, I believe they were a duke and duchess. They were running from something or someone. They traveled here from England about twenty years ago, bringing with them a son and two daughters. It was believed they also brought with them a vast treasure. Tragically, most of the family died from a smallpox epidemic that ran through the area in about 1870. Only one of the daughters survived, and she was raised by a nun in the village. She claimed no knowledge of treasure, saying it was a made-up tale. Gregor never wrote me about her, but Angus says that when Gregor arrived, he and the young woman — Sophie is her name — became attached to one another. What Gregor’s plans were, I do not know. They both went missing around the same time. I didn't realize until I arrived that it wasn’t just Gregor. People felt they ran away together, but what was the point? They had everything they needed to start a life together here. It seems now there is more to it.”
“My goodness,” Victoria had listened with rapt attention, for once not interrupting or trying to get a word in edgewise. The story was fascinating and she wished they had more time for her to ask more questions. “But I never heard them say anything about a woman. Just Gregor.”
“I know,” replied Callum, his face grim. “Anyway, first we find Gregor, and see if he knows anything about Sophie. If they had planned to return, we best wait… hold on.” His voice dropped to a whisper. “I think they’re coming back. Victoria, we have the element of surprise. I’ll take the rifle, you take the gun. I’ll come up behind them, and when they enter the cabin, they’ll find Chester, not me as they were expecting. They’ll turn, and there I’ll be. Stay here, and if I do not come back, you must leave and find Angus.”
“I will not. I’m coming with you.”
“Victoria —”
“You need me with you. You can barely walk. I’ll let you go first, how is that?”
“Fine. Once their guns are down, and only once their guns are down, come in behind me.”
She nodded in assent, and they made their way back through the field, crouching in the same position Victoria had not so long before. The half-moon illuminated Brandon and Alistair, leading a man with a slight limp who walked with resistance.
“Come on now, boy,” Alistair’s grumble sailed through the air. “You’ll see your cousin soon! You should be excited. Chester’s got him waiting for you. Maybe then you’ll find it in your heart to share your little secret with your friends.”
At that, Gregor’s head snapped up, apparently newly aler
t to his surroundings.
Alistair pushed open the cabin door. He lifted the lantern they carried with them as Victoria and Callum slowly creeped up behind them. He shone the lantern around the cabin and began to exclaim, “Hey—” when he turned as he heard Brandon thump to the ground after the cold butt of Callum’s gun met his temple.
“Drop your weapons,” Callum ordered. Alistair whirled around to find Victoria directly behind him, the rifle levelled at his forehead.
“Victoria, I told you to wait outside,” Callum said in an exasperated tone.
“Oops, I didn’t hear you,” she replied with a grin on her face. “Now Alistair, could you please join your friend Chester beside the bed?”
They all moved fully into the shack. Callum frisked Brandon and Alistair for their weapons as Victoria kept her rifle closely trained on them.
Finally he turned to his cousin, who had watched in silence.
“Gregor.” Callum held out his arms and enveloped his cousin, who paused a moment before lifting his arms in return and hanging his head onto Callum’s shoulder.
“Well this is all very touching,” interrupted Alistair. “But do you really think the three of you — two weak men and a woman — are going to keep us here in the cabin? You have a plan there son?”
“Excuse me —” Victoria was ready to protest the “woman” comment when the door burst open behind her.
A tall figure shadowed by the moonlight slowly entered the room.
“Angus,” exclaimed Callum. “Am I ever happy to see you.”
21
Victoria sighed and leaned her head back onto Callum’s shoulder, strong and steady behind her. As tired as he was, Callum had rallied and was back on the horse, heading for home. The two of them now seemed to be supporting each other to stay upright.
“Can you believe tonight?” asked Victoria. “I think of my life over the past few months. More has happened in that time period than in the 20 years before that. Here I am, riding a horse in the middle of this country I barely knew, with my back against my husband.”
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