“Yes, Papa,” the girl said. “Must you go?”
“Amity is in need,” the old man said.
“But—” she began.
“I’ll be fine,” he said. “The bugle calls, and I must follow.”
“Oh, Papa!” The girl began to cry. “It’s just that … I love you!”
Katherine watched the old man hug his daughter. She felt awkward to be a witness to such a tender parting, but the street was narrow, and to pass would cause greater interruption.
“There, there,” the old man whispered. “I shan’t be gone long.”
“Papa, I wish you would stay,” the girl begged.
“You need not fear,” the old man replied. “I can’t go too far with this old body.” The old man released his daughter and turned into the street.
Katherine was humbled by the old man’s determination, but she was alarmed as well. The staff in his hand was the only weapon he carried. Philip was in trouble if this was his only aid.
Turning around, the old man was surprised to see Katherine. Suddenly aware of his attention, she began to pass. Awkwardly she said, “Thank you for supporting Philip.”
The old man stepped back to let her pass and said, “It’s my pleasure, ma’am.”
Katherine made a mental note of the house and its surroundings. She was going to pay this family a visit when life settled down again.
Riding on, lost in thought, Katherine came to the Greenway. A movement along the river caught her attention, but she paid it little heed. It was probably a riverboatman tying down his load.
Everything seemed quiet and peaceful. Then suddenly someone shouted, “Halt! Who goes there?”
Without thinking, she responded, “Katherine Gammel. I’m seeking passage to—” Her voice broke off. Had she said too much already?
“Katherine?” a voice asked from the darkness.
She recognized the voice. “Mercinor, is that you?” she called, relief taking the edge from her voice.
A dark figure approached. “Katherine, why are you riding alone?” Mercinor asked.
“Mercinor!” Katherine exclaimed, seeing a fearful glint in the man’s eyes. “Is something wrong?”
“I should say,” Mercinor lied. “Haven’t you heard? Some of Philip’s men got into it with old Rhoop and deserted. They stormed out of Stonewall and burned the tug, and now they are terrorizing Waterfront.”
“No!” Katherine exclaimed. “But Mercinor, I have to see Rhoop right away.”
“Well, there’s no crossing the river on this side. The tug is gone, and I wouldn’t send my worst enemy down there right now.”
“What can I do?” Katherine asked in growing desperation. She wondered if Rhoop was still in charge. Would he be able to send Philip any help?
“I have a raft on the river, Katherine,” Mercinor said casually. “I could take you and your horses to Sebring. The tug is still intact on that side.”
Katherine felt a great relief. She guessed that if men had had to break out of Stonewall, it must mean there were still men loyal to Philip inside. She could at least deliver Philip’s message to Rhoop.
“All right,” she agreed, and she slipped from Shadow’s massive back.
Leaving the dusty road, they half walked and half slid down the grassy bank to the river. The smell of Barleyman wafted on the night air, and several unsavory chaps reached out to help Katherine and the horses onto a large raft.
“You didn’t tell me you had a crew,” Katherine said calmly, but she felt a sudden sense of alarm. Hadn’t she always been suspicious of her cousin? Yet here she was, stepping onto his raft with a dozen or so of his thugs in the dark of night. Katherine, she chided herself, you are a fool!
“I’ve never learned to run a raft by myself,” Mercinor said easily. “They’re so big and unwieldy. The river always shifts them around.”
That’s the first thing a riverman learns, Katherine thought, but she kept her tongue in check. She didn’t like where she was, but she didn’t want to make her situation worse.
“Where are we taking her, boss?” one of Mercinor’s men asked. The question was benign, but it frightened Katherine.
“The docks,” Mercinor replied.
The docks! An alarm sounded in Katherine’s mind. It was the one part of Sebring where she was afraid to travel after dark.
The raft was about midriver when Katherine began to devise a plan. Men were positioned evenly around the edges of the raft. Each pulled on a long rope or manned a long pole to maneuver the raft across the river. If she were to bolt on her own, they would be sure to grab her, but what if Shadow leaped off the raft, and she merely went with him?
Katherine had watched Philip train Shadow to leap forward when he clucked his tongue. She didn’t know if Shadow would bolt for her or not, but she decided to give it a try. Reaching up and gripping Shadow’s saddle firmly, she clicked her tongue.
Everything happened at once. Shadow leaped forward, taking Katherine and three men with him into the river. Though her plan had worked, she was mentally unprepared for their dive into the water. Shadow sank deep into the river, taking Katherine down with him, and she thought they would never feel air around them again.
However, once their heads broke the water’s surface, she could feel the gelding swimming powerfully toward Waterfront’s shore. She could also hear Mercinor shouting, “Don’t shoot! We want her alive!”
Then she heard her cousin shout something that chilled her to the bone. “Hey, Slavich, head her off!” Peering about in the darkness, Katherine could see another raft upstream suddenly veer straight for her. Help us, Lord, she prayed. We have to reach the shore!
Shadow swam like a champion while Katherine trailed in his wake. Poles sloshed in the water as the raft drew near. “Come on, Shadow,” Katherine whispered.
“There she is!” someone shouted. “Give me a rope!”
“Faster, Shadow!” Katherine begged. Suddenly they jolted to a stop. Katherine felt mud beneath her feet. Shadow flailed for footing and then, with a great surge, leaped from the water.
Dangling like a wet noodle beside the great horse, Katherine watched men leap ashore.
“Don’t let her escape!” Mercinor shouted.
Still clinging to the saddle, Katherine shouted, “Run!” to the horse. She tried to swing into the saddle, but Shadow was heaving himself up the steep river bank and dragging Katherine through the thorns and brambles along the bank. With the saddle slamming into her face and arms, and thorns ripping at her soaked clothing, Katherine thought it a miracle when she reached the Greenway still gripping the saddle horn.
“Steady!” she whispered, setting her foot firmly in the stirrups. Bruised and bleeding, she swung herself into the saddle.
Checking her grip, Katherine shouted, “Now!” and Shadow plunged forward into the darkness.
She could hear Mercinor shout from the river, “Stop her!” and several dark shapes appeared on the road before her. Shadow never slowed his pace but plowed directly into the men on the path, sending them sprawling.
Someone swore.
Katherine smiled, but her satisfaction was brief. There were horsemen on the road ahead, blocking her path. Mercinor’s men were behind. Without a moment’s hesitation, she turned Shadow off the road and into the briars and thorns of Northglen Forest.
CHAPTER 50
New Faith
I’ve got to catch my breath, Mary thought, leaning heavily against a tree. She was exhausted but thrilled to have come so far. Thank You for giving me such strength, Lord, she prayed silently.
As she caught her breath, Mary considered her surroundings. She was deep in a forest known for its stories of ghosts and goblins. And why am I here? she thought. I’m here because a ten-year-old boy talked me into leaving home.
A few days ago, she would have cursed Walley’s des
ertion of her, but not tonight. Lord, be with Walley and keep him safe, she thought. Thank You for sending him into my life.
Mary’s change of attitude was remarkable. For the first time, she had begun to trust someone stronger than herself.
Where to now, Lord? she wondered. It still felt strange to talk to her heavenly Father this way, but He seemed to listen and answer.
Her thoughts were shattered by a commotion in the trees some distance away. Peering out from the tangled branches around her, she saw a huge beast crash through the thickets and stop on the path. It was much too dark to determine what kind of animal it was, but when it turned and began to move in her direction, she heard the distinct clop of hooves. Mary was sure it was a horse but unsure if it had a rider and, if it did, whether that rider was friend or foe.
Mary closed her eyes and silently prayed, Dear Lord, You have brought me this far. Keep me safe. To her dismay, the clopping of hooves stopped on the road opposite the tree behind which she was hiding.
Holding her breath, Mary opened her eyes and peeked around the tree. A huge horse stood several feet away, quietly watching her. Though the horse was saddled, she did not think it bore a rider. Silently Mary crept from her hiding place and stepped onto the road.
“Hello there,” she whispered. She stopped and smiled. She must be losing her mind. She was talking to a horse. At this close range, the horse seemed huge, and it was black as coal. She watched as the creature suddenly swung his head around and nipped at his saddle.
“Does it hurt you?” she whispered, thinking the animal might be uncomfortable with the saddle. And then a crazy idea hit her. Maybe the horse wants to take me somewhere!
What should I do, Lord? Mary asked. Do You want this horse to take me somewhere?
The idea seemed ludicrous. Mary had never ridden a horse in her life. How could she start tonight, in the dark, on an unfamiliar road and on such a huge animal as this?
Suddenly the great animal swung his head around and nipped at his saddle again. Mary shook her head and reached for the great animal’s flaring nostrils. They felt as soft as silk, and she suddenly had an incredible longing to ride this animal.
“All right, Lord,” she whispered. “If he’ll let me get on, I’ll let You lead him.” To her amazement, the horse stood perfectly still.
Mary now faced a dilemma. She had never been around horses, and she had no idea how to mount them. With trembling hands, she began to search the great animal and soon found what appeared to be the rung of a ladder suspended beneath the saddle, high in the air. She thought that might be the way up, but she could not raise her foot high enough. Turning, she spied a stump several feet away, and she stepped up on its rough surface. Now, to her dismay, the horse was too far away.
“Here, horsey,” she whispered. To her amazement, the great animal snorted, stepped near the stump, and stood patiently, watching Mary.
Carefully Mary placed one foot in the stirrup and swung her free leg over the saddle. The top of the saddle had a handle, and she gripped that handle for dear life. She was no sooner seated when the horse turned and began to canter up the road.
He had not gone far before he turned off the road and into the thickets. Limbs raked Mary’s arms and legs, and briars near the ground tore at her skirt. “What are you doing?” she cried.
She had barely finished speaking when the great animal stopped. Mary looked into the shrubbery and saw the crumpled form of a human. Slipping awkwardly from the saddle, she waded through the brush and stared in horror. It was a woman!
Suddenly the woman stirred, and Mary stepped back. “Are you all right?” she asked softly.
The woman opened her eyes and tried to sit up. She was rubbing her head. “Where am I?” she asked.
“I don’t really know,” Mary said. “We are somewhere in a forest, and apparently your horse brought me here to you.”
“Shadow!” the woman exclaimed, beginning to stir. “Where is he?”
“He’s here!” Mary assured her as the woman struggled to get to her feet.
“Please help me to Shadow,” the woman begged.
“Are you able to ride?” Mary asked.
“I think so,” the woman answered. “I must have hit my head on a tree limb. I don’t think anything is broken, but I really don’t feel very good.”
“You have a nasty-looking cut on your forehead,” Mary cautioned.
The woman put her fingers gingerly to her head and winced. “Ouch!” She groaned. “Maybe I should sit a bit longer,” she said, slowly sinking to the ground. “By the way, my name is Katherine Gammel. Who are you?”
The ladies shared their stories for several minutes, but as Mary finished detailing why Walley had encouraged her to leave Capri, Katherine stood up. “We have to warn Philip,” she said. “Can you ride?”
“Not very well,” Mary admitted. “Your horse brought me here, so if the Lord is willing, He may take me farther.”
“Good!” Katherine said. “We’ll ride double. Do you want the front or the back?”
Mary was puzzled. The front or back of what? she wondered. “You choose,” she said hopefully.
“Fine!” Katherine said. “I’ll take the saddle, and you can ride behind me.” Even though she was still a bit shaky, Katherine used the stirrup and stepped lightly into the saddle.
Mary was impressed and a bit chagrined. She still could not get her foot as high as the stirrup.
“How did you manage before?” Katherine asked.
“I stood on a stump, and your horse came to me,” Mary said and smiled. “I really think the Lord wanted us to meet.”
“I think you’re right,” Katherine mused. “Here, grab the saddle horn with your left hand and give me your right. I’ll pull you up, and when your foot reaches the stirrup, get a hold and swing your right leg over.”
It was awkward, but in the end Mary finally gained a berth behind Katherine on the massive back of Shadow. The saddle trappings cut into her emaciated thighs, but she refused to complain. She was, after all, now above the worst of the thorns. Neither woman spoke as Shadow stepped through the brambles.
When they reached the road, Mary asked, “Which way should we go?”
“If what Walley told you is true,” Katherine said, “we must head east toward Waterfront. That was where I last saw Philip.”
The women followed the path through Northglen forest for what seemed hours. Mary nearly fell asleep, and Katherine wasn’t much better. Katherine had given Shadow the reins. She merely clung to the saddle, letting Shadow take them where he wanted. Mary gipped Katherine so tight that her ribs hurt, but neither woman complained.
“Where are we?” Mary’s voice startled Katherine to wakefulness.
Katherine shook her head to clear her mind. Shadow had stopped his steady plod and was standing as still as stone. The ladies looked across a large meadow dotted with campfires.
“Are they friends or enemies?” Mary asked.
“I don’t know.”
“Why did the horse stop?” Mary asked. “Is he afraid?”
“I don’t know that either!” Katherine whispered.
“If he’s afraid, we should turn back,” Mary whispered firmly.
“You place a lot of trust in this horse, don’t you?” Katherine asked.
“I can’t explain it,” Mary said, “but I think the Lord is leading him. Walley sent me on a mission to warn Philip, and I don’t want to make a mistake now.”
“All right,” Katherine agreed, gathering Shadow’s reins in her hands.
“Don’t move!” a voice from the darkness demanded. Both women froze. “You can’t leave without speaking to the Master of Amity!”
Katherine felt Mary’s fingers tighten on her ribs. Her own heart was beating fast. She looked around, half expecting to see Mercinor somewhere nearby.
An old m
an stepped from the shadows and grabbed the horse’s bridle. He stepped into the light and peered up at the women. “What are you doing here?” he exclaimed when he saw Katherine.
Katherine looked in astonishment at the weathered old man she had seen earlier this very evening in Waterfront.
“Who is it?” a voice behind the old man asked.
“Just a couple of girls!” the old man said.
“No matter,” the voice said. “Philip must speak with anyone who disturbs the camp.”
Katherine felt Mary’s fingers ease their grip on her aching ribs, and they both sighed with relief. As the old man began his slow journey down the hill, Katherine gently reached up and patted the bobbing neck of her weary mount. Shadow had brought them safely home.
As they passed rows of tents, Katherine could hear voices saying, “It’s Katherine Gammel!” She felt like she had been well introduced when they finally stopped, and strong hands lifted her and Mary from Shadow’s back.
“Katherine!” Philip’s familiar voice spoke. “Are you all right?”
The women were settled near a small fire, and Katherine realized for the first time how cold she was. She held her hands out to the flames, and her teeth began to chatter. “The fire feels really good,” she managed to whisper.
Philip wrapped a blanket around her shoulders. “You must be freezing,” he said.
Katherine glanced at her attire and blushed. Her skirt hung in ribbons around her legs, and her top barely covered her torso. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I didn’t know I looked such a fright.”
“Hang the looks,” Philip said. “Are you all right?”
“I think so.” Katherine smiled.
“Where on earth have you been?” Philip asked again.
“We’ve ridden through part of Northglen Forest.”
“Northglen?” Philip was incredulous. “Why?”
“I was trying to escape from Mercinor,” Katherine said.
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