Her eyes roamed over him, her mind still not quite comprehending that she hadn’t lost the only remaining member of her family after all. Dressed in wool trousers and shirt, with a wide brimmed hat on his head, he looked as out of place in this wilderness as he had when he stood next to that bunch of river pirates. Evelyn shuddered involuntarily. One man’s dark and menacing face flashed before her eyes, and her heart leapt nervously in her chest. She hoped she never had to cross Oliver Sabin’s path again.
“How did you find me?” Evelyn asked. Her lips quivered, overwhelmed at seeing her brother alive. She looked past Henry’s shoulder to see if anyone else was with him, but he appeared to be alone. Her eyebrows drew together slightly. “And here on this trail, of all places.”
“I came up on that little cabin in the woods by the lake, and saw you in the distance. I couldn’t believe my eyes at first, and I wanted to make sure it was really you before I made my presence known.”
“I have so much to tell you, Henry. So much has happened, but I want to hear all about you first.” She smiled brightly, and squeezed her brother’s arm.
Henry studied her in silence. He pulled his hand from her grip, and turned away from her. In the back of Evelyn’s mind, something about his behavior nagged at her. He didn’t seem to be happy at all to see her.
“We can talk back at the cabin, Henry,” she said, and stepped around him. “We can catch up on everything there. Alex will be so happy to see you.”
Henry glared at her. “Alex?” The name slipped coldly from his mouth.
“We were both wrong about him,” Evelyn said hastily, and reached for Henry’s arm. “He didn’t kill our parents, Henry. I’m convinced of it. I think Charlie lied to you that day. I think he’s the one who murdered them.”
Henry’s eyes widened, the shock and surprise at what she’d said written clearly in his eyes. He removed his hat and ran his hand through his hair.
“I see you’re still starry-eyed for Alex,” he said slowly. “How did he manage to convince you of his innocence?”
Evelyn averted her eyes momentarily. She stared down at her feet, then squared her shoulders and raised her chin. Henry should be glad his longtime friend was innocent of any crimes.
“Alex and I are married, Henry.” She studied his face for a reaction.
Henry grabbed her arm. “You what?” he sputtered. “How can that be possible? Here, in this awful wilderness?” He swept his arm toward the mountains.
“He saved my life,” Evelyn said, taken aback. “He’s a good man.”
“You can’t be serious, Evie? Have you lost all of your Christian values? A heathen marriage isn’t a marriage. Besides, he’s a ruthless killer. The Indians told me he is known as Shadow Walker, a man who kills without mercy. One of these days he’ll kill you, too.”
Evelyn stared wide-eyed at her brother. The man before her was not the man she had known all her life. A stranger stood before her now. What had happened to Henry to make him so cold?
“I would be dead if not for the man who protected me from those thugs you hired. The ones who tried to kill you. If not for Laurent –”
“Laurent Berard?” Henry’s head snapped up, and a murderous gleam sparked in his eyes.
Evelyn took an involuntary step back. She stumbled on a loose rock, and nearly lost her footing. Her hand shot out, and Henry grabbed for it, pulling her roughly toward him.
Evelyn stared into her brother’s cold eyes. “Yes, he’s become a good friend. He kept me safe from men like Oliver Sabin, and brought me to Alex. He’s not one of those criminals. In fact, he’s been trying to uncover who they work for.”
Henry’s eyes narrowed. “Is that right?” he mumbled. His eyes darted around the hillside before his gaze settled on her again. His grip on her arm tightened, and his jaw tensed.
“Evie, you’re coming back with me. I’m getting you out of this wilderness. You’re going back to St. Charles, and you will marry Charlie like we planned.”
Evelyn yanked her arm from his grip. She shook her head vigorously. “I’m not going back, Henry. I’m married to Alex. My life is here now. If you would only hear me out, then—”
In an unexpected move, Henry forcefully grabbed her upper arms and shook her. The gleam and hate in his eyes sent a jolt of dread down her spine.
“You’ll come with me willingly, Evie, and marry Charlie, or I will hand you over to Oliver Sabin.”
Evelyn’s jaw dropped, and she couldn’t suppress a gasp. “He’s the man who tried to kill you,” she sputtered.
Henry laughed coldly. “By the time he’s through with you, not even your precious Alex will want you.”
Evelyn’s mind raced. Comprehension and words failed her. Why would Henry offer her up to a killer? Why was he so unwilling to listen to her. She struggled against her brother’s tight grip. Fear flooded her. Fear of her own brother. Her eyes darted to where her rifle lay on the ground a few feet away.
“Let go of me, Henry. I don’t know what’s come over you, but you can’t make me do something against my will.”
Henry released one of her arms, only to strike her forcefully across the face. Her head snapped to the side, and she gasped for air. Blackness swirled before her eyes, and she blinked to try and clear her head. Her knees buckled, and she struggled to remain standing. Henry yanked at her arm.
“Why?” she stammered, staring into the cold and cruel eyes of her brother.
“Let’s go, Evie,” he said callously, and shoved her in front of him. Evelyn dug in her heels, and twisted her body.
“Don’t make me hit you again,” he warned. “You’ve always had to make everything difficult, haven’t you?” he spat. “I had the perfect plan. I was even going to take care of you, give you a good life in St. Charles, but you had to ruin everything when you couldn’t do what you were told and had to follow me.” With every word, Henry’s voice grew louder and angrier.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Evelyn retorted. “What plans?” She had to keep her brother talking. She had to buy some time so she could figure out what to do. How long had she been gone from the cabin? Alex would surely come looking for her when he returned. But that wouldn’t be for many hours yet. There was no telling what Henry was capable of in his deranged mental state.
Henry laughed again. “Do you really think I was going to spend my entire life breaking my back on that farm?” He shoved her again, jabbing his fist into her lower back. She flinched, and took a reluctant step forward. Evelyn couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Suddenly she realized that the brother she had loved all her life was someone she didn’t know at all.
“I told Father I didn’t want to be a farmer. I wanted to go on an adventure in the wilderness with Alex, but he wouldn’t allow it. He needed me to work the farm. I was no better than a slave to him.”
“What on earth are you talking about?” Evelyn twisted to look back at her brother. “Papa gave you the best of everything. The best he could afford. We all worked hard. After everything I’ve seen and witnessed here in these mountains, I don’t think this sort of life would have suited you any better.”
Henry bared his teeth at her, hate and anger spewing from his eyes. He laughed again. “You are so naïve, Evie. The fur trade is going to make me rich, and I don’t so much as have to lift a finger. I wouldn’t even be here if you had simply married Charlie, but you forced me to come looking for you, and bring you back.”
A sick feeling washed over Evelyn. She didn’t want to believe the terrible thought that entered her mind. She stopped and faced her brother.
“What have you done, Henry?” she whispered, afraid she already knew the answer. Blinding fear for her unborn child raced through her, and she stood still.
An evil smile spread across his face. Bile rose in her throat, and she recoiled from his sinister stare.
“If you don’t cooperate, dearest sister, I’ll—”
A sudden loud explosive boom jolted the serene stillness
of the mountain, and the ground shook, cutting off Henry’s words. They both stopped and stared. A low rumble coming from deep beneath the earth suddenly gained in intensity, and rocks broke free from the terrain. First gravel, then smaller stones, then larger rocks rolled down the trail, stirring up dust and debris. Trees and bushes began to sway, even though there was no wind.
“Henry, what’s happening?” Evelyn shouted, trying to steady her feet. She leaned against him, wondering if she would lose her balance and fall. The earth beneath her feet continued to shake and rumble, as if she were standing in a bouncy buggy. Only, this ride gave her no sense of control. Fear raced through her, and she realized they were at the mercy of an unexplainable force of nature.
“Come on,” Henry yelled, and pulled her along with him. Dodging rocks and debris, he ushered her down the hill. She nearly fell to her knees when a large crack in the ground opened right before her, and just barely managed to dodge around it. Faster and faster they ran. A tree uprooted right in front of them, falling to the ground with a loud groan and thud, and Evelyn screamed.
Henry held firm to her arm, leading her away from the direction that should take her back to the river and her home. The loud rush of water reached her ear, and she glanced swiftly toward the river. Like a flash flood, water raged in a muddy torrent where a crystal clear stream had flowed peacefully earlier in the day. It would be impossible to cross now.
Thoughts of Alex entered her mind. Was he safe? He was most certainly along some stream or riverbed, laying his traps. Would a flash flood sweep him away? Tears streamed freely from her eyes. Her beautiful world was literally crashing down right in front of her. After a couple of minutes that seemed like hours, the ground stopped rolling. Rocks and boulders continued to tumble down the hillside, and the air was thick with dust.
“Henry, look out!” Evelyn shouted when another tree creaked and groaned, then toppled before them. Henry yanked viciously at her arm, but it was too late. A large branch snapped across her back like a whip, and she fell forward. She gulped for air, and her free hand flailed out instinctively to block her fall. Her head hit the ground, and blackness claimed her.
****
Alex pulled back on his horse’s reins, bringing the gelding to a skidding halt in front of the cabin. A quick glance in all directions told him that the shaking of the earth hadn’t done any damage at his home site. The trees all stood, and except for the whitecaps and murky water of the usually pristine lake, nothing else seemed out of the ordinary.
“Evelyn,” he called. He swung his leg over his horse’s neck to dismount in a hurry. His gelding trotted off. Alex darted to the door, and pushed down on the wooden latch. The newly fashioned door swung open with a creak, and Alex stepped into the dark interior.
“Evie?” The eerie quiet, and the coals smoldering in the hearth sent an icy chill of foreboding down his back. “Evie,” he called, more loudly. He reached their bedroom in a few hurried strides. Nothing looked out of place. The only thing missing was his wife.
Alex spun around, and headed for the door. He noticed immediately that the rifle was gone, and the wool capote he’d hung on the back of the door was missing, too. Where had she gone? His heart pounded in his chest, and he raced around the side of the cabin. Repeatedly, he called her name. Cold sweat beaded his forehead and trickled down his back, even in the chill of the early afternoon.
Cursing under his breath, he found his horse grazing near the water’s edge. He pulled his rifle from the saddle, and scoured the area for tracks. A million thoughts raced through his mind. There were no signs that Blackfeet or any other Indians had been here.
When the earth had started shaking, Alex’s first thought had been of Evie alone at the cabin. He’d heard of earth tremors before, through legends from the Indians. Never had he imagined he would experience one. The usually calm waters in the stream he waded in had sloshed over their banks like bathwater in a wooden tub, and dust swirled in the air. Nearby trees swayed with the movement of the earth, and loud rumbling and crashing of rocks and boulders that loosened from the mountains reached his ears. Yancey shot him a startled look. He grabbed for their horses, whose ears twitched nervously back and forth. Not more than a few minutes passed and the shaking stopped. Alex hadn’t wasted any time, and leapt onto his horse.
As he galloped his mount toward home, visions of Evie, alone and most likely scared, raced through Alex’s mind. Had his cabin withstood the tremors? He shouldn’t have left her today. He should have insisted she go along. Clenching his jaw, he conceded that he had no choice but to head out and set his traps. From now on he would insist that she accompany him.
Alex spotted fresh footprints close to the shore of the lake, and followed them toward the inlet. Debris covered some of the prints, indicating that they had to have been made before the ground started shaking. Where was Evelyn headed this morning? She hadn’t told him she had plans to leave the cabin. The further along the river he walked, following her trail, the greater his sense of dread took hold in him. When the tracks ended abruptly at the edge of the churning water, Alex stared across the river. Why had she headed out into the mountains? He couldn’t think of one good reason that would send her this way alone.
Alex scanned the area across the heavily wooded opposite bank of the river. The well-traveled deer trail on the other side looked disturbed by uprooted trees and boulders that had crashed down the side of the mountain.
“Evie,” he called repeatedly, his voice reverberating through the air. There was no answering call.
Alex pushed the dreadful thought that something had happened to her from his mind. He stepped into the water and, using the butt end of his rifle, steadied himself as he navigated his way through the current. The river wasn’t deep, reaching only to his mid-thigh, but the current was strong and the invisible bottom slick and dangerous. Once safely across, he sprinted up the trail, skirting around boulders and debris.
A massive landslide of huge rocks and large boulders that the earth’s shaking had no doubt broken loose finally blocked his way. His heart hammered in his chest. Facing down a grizzly, or fifty Blackfeet warriors could never produce the kind of fear he experienced at this moment. His eyes scanned the hillside, and he climbed on top of the massive heap. Nothing. Not a sound, not a footprint, nothing.
Ravens circled the air, their harsh caws drawing his attention. Alex’s gaze followed their movement. The presence of ravens was not a good sign. They were often the first at the scene of a dead animal or . . . No! He wouldn’t allow himself to think it. He swallowed back the sudden nausea, and his stomach clenched as if someone had punched him in the gut. Ignoring the sensation, he climbed further up and over large rocks and boulders blocking his way, then stopped abruptly. A sudden movement on the ground drew his attention. His eyes fell to the space where two large rocks had collided. A familiar red piece of wool fluttered in the breeze, stuck between the large boulders.
“Evelyn!” His breath left his lungs, and his heart must have stopped beating. A cold numbness washed over him from head to toe, and for a moment he couldn’t move. Then he rushed to where the tip of his capote stuck out from under one of the countless rocks that had piled up here in the slide.
Alex dropped to his knees. He pushed against the stone with his shoulder, leaning his entire weight into the massive object, grunting in frustration. It wouldn’t budge. Frantically, he dug at the dirt around the rock with his bare hands. His fingertips and knuckles soon tainted the ground with his blood, scraped raw from the hard ground. The pain only drove him to greater effort. It was no use. The earth below the boulder was hard and packed down.
Alex panted, and his chest heaved in painful spasms. He barely managed to scrape away several inches of dirt. Defeated, he sank to the ground, drawing his knees up to his chest.
“Evie,” he murmured. Abruptly, he turned and pounded his fists against the rock. “Evelyn,” he roared, his voice reverberating off the mountains. The sights and sounds around him cea
sed to exist. He slumped against the hard earth, pounding his fist repeatedly against the gravelly ground.
“I love you, Evie. You made me whole.” His voice cracked, whispering her name over and over. He cursed the Creator and everything around him, but most of all, he cursed himself. His life held no meaning. Everything he lived for lay buried under the rock he leaned against.
Chapter 20
Laurent strained against the leather binding his hands behind his back. Discreetly, his eyes scanned the camp. Leaning against the trunk of a lodgepole pine, he slowly worked his wrists up and down along the rough bark of the tree. For several hours, he’d sat here already, and his efforts seemed to produce some favorable results. The ties didn’t bite quite as painfully into his flesh, and he hoped to work his hand through one of the loops very shortly. Breaking through the leather would be impossible. The pain was a small price to pay in order to be free.
Quietly, he listened to the three men sitting around the campfire a short distance away. Oliver Sabin tilted his head back, taking a long drink from the leather bag in his hand. Soon, these men would be drunk enough to fall asleep. Or so Laurent hoped. Sabin had made a grave mistake when he boasted that he wanted to keep Laurent alive to prolong his death. Apparently the man still held a grudge for not handing Evelyn over to him.
Although it had been unfortunate that he had been found out as a spy against the American Fur Company, Laurent had gained valuable information in the process. Two days ago, he had met with a couple of the men who considered him one of their own. It hadn’t been until Oliver Sabin showed up in their camp that his cover had been revealed. Without warning, Sabin had pointed a pistol at his head, and ordered the other men to disarm and bind him. How had Sabin known that he was a spy?
Laurent shook his head. No matter now. He would get his answers. Whiskey quickly loosened a man’s tongue. He only needed to ask, and Sabin was all too eager to boast, and share his information with him.
Teton Romance Trilogy Bundle: Includes Yellowstone Proposal (Short Story) Page 18