Compromised Hearts

by Hannah Howell

  “I don’t like to be the bearer of bad tidings—but a storm’s brewing.”

  Cloud looked up at the sky and began to curse softly and viciously. James was right. A storm would slow the renegades, but it would also obliterate any trail they left. He could only pray that they were able to find Emily before that disaster occurred.

  Emily was first aware of the smell of horse combined with that of a unwashed body. She nearly gagged on it as she slowly returned to consciousness. Then her memory returned and she tensed, slowly opening her eyes while dreading what she would see.

  All around her rode the renegades. Some seemed badly wounded. Even as she watched, one man slid from his saddle. Another man dismounted, felt for a pulse, then pronounced the man dead. To Emily’s shock and disgust, the man then stripped the body, remounted and, taking the reins of the dead man’s horse, started on his way again. Emily decided that nothing else could have shown her more clearly that these men cared nothing for anyone.

  No one spoke to her. She decided that was probably for the best, so she made no sound. The last thing she wanted to do was to draw any attention to herself. She did try to edge away from the odiferous man she rode with, but the arm around her waist tightened painfully whenever she moved.

  She tried not to think about all that could happen to her, but her mind refused to grant her that peace. Every word Cloud had said about the renegades echoed in her mind. It was far too easy to visualize the horrors that could be facing her.

  A faint hope that Cloud could save her flickered in her heart, but she struggled to douse it. There were at least a dozen renegades, although some seemed to be in poor shape. That represented odds that she dreaded to see Cloud facing. He was strong, knew the territory, and had a fighting skill even she recognized as notable, but she felt sure he would be hard-pressed with no sturdy defensive position to take up. She was terrified and dreaded what was to come, but she did not want her freedom bought at the cost of Cloud’s life. Unfortunately, she could not see any way to gain that freedom for herself.

  It began to grow dark, but Emily was sure it was still too early for nightfall. Glancing up at the sky, she marveled at the blackness or the clouds rolling across the sky and obliterating the sun. The sky looked malevolent and she found that fitting.

  The horses began to grow restless and Emily sensed a tension growing amongst the men. It was finally decided that they would stop and try to shelter themselves in some meager way from the impending storm. She shivered as a chill entered the increasing wind and wondered just how bad a storm they were in for.

  When they halted, she was roughly set down, then kept a close watch on. Even if she had been able to loosen the bonds that held her wrists behind her back she knew she would not have gotten very far. She sat down and watched as a camp was erected in the shelter of some large boulders, a camp she doubted would offer much shelter if the sky delivered the torrents of rain it seemed to promise.

  As soon as everything was settled to the leader’s instructions, she was leashed to a stake by a rope tied to her ankle. She was seated with her back to a large rock, sticks and a worn blanket providing a flimsy shelter. If the rains did come, she knew she would be dangerously soaked and chilled. Settling back against the rock, she listened to the men talking as they sat a few feet away around the campfire. Their words frightened her, but she felt she had to know it all.

  “Why can’t we do nothing with her, Burt? Ain’t seen such a fine piece in a real long time.”

  “'Cause I said no. You have a bit and the rest’ll want some. That’d probably kill a little thing like her and a dead woman won’t bring us any money, you fool. Now leave it, Bob. Corey, you set out extra guards like I told you?”

  “I did, Burt. Sure it’s worth it? There wasn’t any sign of them following.”

  “Don’t mean they aren’t.”

  “You think they’d risk that much for the woman?”

  “As Bob said, she’s a fine piece. Women ain’t that plentiful and pretty ones ain’t found too easy at all.”

  Burt glanced her way and Emily shivered. He had the coldest eyes she had ever seen. Cloud could look cold, but she knew that, for the most part, it was simply an expression donned to hide his thoughts or feelings. Burt was hiding nothing. The coldness went to his soul. His eyes revealed his lack of humanity, of all the things that could raise a man above the beasts or, she thought with a tremor, in Burt’s case, a rabid beast.

  “Rodrigo will pay plenty for this one. Fair, pretty and clean.”

  “Burt, she ain’t untouched.”

  “What makes you so sure, Bob?”

  “Well, she was traveling with them two men and she had that kid hanging onto her skirts.”

  “So you figure you can have a bit.” “Well, how’s Rodrigo gonna know if we do?”

  “He’ll know. He always does. He won’t cut the price much if she ain’t virgin, but he won’t give us a cent if she’s like the last one we brought him. He don’t want her bad used or beat. You’ll leave her be, Bob.”

  There was no threat put into the words, but Burt’s voice held all the threat they needed to hear. Emily relaxed a little. She might face horror at the end of her journey, but she would not have to suffer it the whole way there. It was comfort of a sort and she tried to pull some strength from the knowledge. She knew she would need all she could muster.

  Just as she started to doze off, Burt approached and crouched before her. He held out a plate of beans. Her stomach rolled with hunger, but she lifted her gaze from the food she wanted so desperately to meet Burt’s steady gaze with a look of haughty disgust.

  “You expect me to lick my meal from the plate?” She did not like the way his eyes widened slightly, a mercenary gleam lightening their cold depths for a moment.

  “I mean to loose your hands. You ain’t going nowheres.” Setting down the plate, Burt did just that.

  Picking up the plate, Emily said, fighting for a calm she did not feel at all, “I am not without family that will search for me.”

  “Let ‘em search. Once Rodrigo has you, they’ll never find you.”

  Since she suspected that was true, she had no reply and concentrated on eating the beans. She then drank the too-strong coffee he pressed upon her. The last drop had barely passed her lips when he retied her wrists behind her back. She tensed when he took a strand of her hair between his dirt-blackened fingers, studying it closely.

  “Rodrigo’ll pay a fortune just because of the hair,” Corey said as he approached them.

  “That he will. Ain’t many women with such fine hair. He’ll pay a lot for something else too.” Burt slowly stood up.

  “Yeh, she sure is a pretty little thing. Don’t think we’ve ever grabbed ourselves a prettier one.”

  “Nope, don’t think we have either, but that ain’t it. We have us a lady—from the east.”

  “Yeh? Think Rodrigo’ll like that?”

  “Oh, yeh, he will. He’ll like that fine. We’re going to do well with this one.” He stood up and stared at Emily for a moment longer before heading back to the campfire, Corey in tow. “Very well indeed.”

  Emily shivered. It seemed that, by opening her big mouth she had made herself more valuable. She wished she had kept silent. Since her value had just been raised, they would undoubtedly hold onto her even tighter. Although she was not sure she could have managed a successful escape, she sincerely doubted she would even get a chance to try for one now.

  When the rain started, it seemed fitting. She was not surprised when her flimsy covering proved no protection at all. Huddling as close as she could to the rock, she tried to make herself as small as possible in a vain attempt to lessen the area the rain had to strike. It was going to be a long, cold, uncomfortable night.

  The urge to weep swamped her, but she fought it. It would gain her nothing and, although she had no real hope to grasp at, she did not want to give in to complete despair. That would steal her wits, make her too accepting of her fate and then, if by
some miracle, a chance to escape or help herself came her way, she might well be too cowed to grab at it.

  Huddled against an uncomfortable rock, cold and wet, she lacked the strength to keep her thoughts from Cloud. There was, however, comfort to be found in the knowledge that he, James, and Thornton were alive. She just prayed that Cloud felt no inclination to be gallant and try to come after her, thus putting the three of them right back into a perilous situation.

  Cloud rode ahead of James, leaving Thornton with his friend. While James tried to secure some sort of shelter for them from the threatening storm he intended to scout ahead. If nothing else, he thought morosely, he could at least assure himself of the direction the renegades were headed before the storm obliterated the trail.

  Just as the rain began, telling Cloud that his time was up, he heard the sound of a horse made nervous by the storm. His heart tightened with hope as he quickly secured his mount out of sight. Stealthily, he moved toward the sound. Despite being soaked with a cold, steady rain, he was suddenly glad of the inclement weather. Instinct told him he had found the place the renegades had stopped to wait out the storm. The rain, clouds, and wind cut visibility and disguised noises, both of which could only aid him.

  When he saw the man, Cloud smiled coldly. The renegade was huddled in his poncho, most of his attention taken up by a vain attempt to stay warm and dry. If the other guards were that careless, Cloud felt sure that he and James would have little trouble disposing of them. Cautiously, he retreated after carefully noting where the man was placed. He would circle the camp, which he judged to be within a barely visible circle of rocks, and locate any other guards before he returned to James to plan and execute Emily’s rescue, a rescue he began to feel was well within his grasp.

  James swiftly drew his pistol when a rider suddenly appeared from out of the driving rain. “Hold it right there.”

  “It’s me, James.”

  “Christ, Cloud, where the hell’ve you been? I began to think the impossible had finally happened, that you’d got lost.”

  After securing his horse, Cloud crawled beneath the cart where James and Thornton huddled. “This the best you could do?”

  “You expected a two-room cabin with a fireplace?” James became aware of the tension in Cloud almost immediately. “You’ve found the bastards, haven’t you.”

  “I have. If we hadn’t stopped here, we would’ve rolled right into them. They’re that close.”

  “You found Mama?”

  “I found her, Thornton, but I don’t have her yet. That’ll take a little time and work”

  “Only a little?” James muttered. “Well, let’s have it. I assume you have some sort of plan.”

  “First we silence the guards.” “How many?”

  “Four and only one of them seems alert. The others were more concerned with staying dry or as dry as they could. They probably think the storm’ll halt all pursuit.”

  “Did you see Em?”

  “Nope. Saw the fire of the camp though. I know where she is. Didn’t want to chance discovery.”

  “ ‘Course not. We can reconnoiter after we’ve disposed of the guards. It’ll be safer that way. How many do you think are left?”

  “Take away four guards, and that’ll leave us with a manageable number.”

  “Yeh, if we get Em out of the line of fire. Can’t let them use her to hide behind. So, once we get rid of the guards, we’ll meet back at the point where we first separated and approach the camp together.

  “Good. What about Thornton?”

  “He stays here.” Cloud looked at the boy. “You understand, Thornton? You wait right here no matter what. If I’m to have a chance of getting your mother back, I can’t be worrying about you. I certainly can’t take you with me because we’ve got to be real quiet and move quickly, and there’ll be some fighting. I want to know you’ll be setting right here where you’ve been left.”

  “I will, Uncle Cloud. I won’t move an inch ‘til you bring my mama back. I can set still real good.”

  “That’s a brave fellow.” He ruffled the boy’s damp hair. “That’s as important to saving your mother as anything James and I can do. Ready, James?” “I’m ready. Just point out my quarry.” “With pleasure.”

  When they reached the point where Cloud had first heard the guard’s horse, they separated. Cloud gave James detailed directions on the two guards he was to silence, as well as what information he had gathered in his brief observation of them. As soon as James had disappeared Cloud began to approach his quarry.

  The moment the guard was in sight, Cloud pulled out his knife. For once he knew he would feel no regret over the taking of a life. He had always considered renegades a scourge, and this time they had touched him personally. As Cloud stalked the man, waiting for the best time to strike, he decided he was doing the world no small favor in ridding it of such men.

  It was several moments before the man stood still in a position that would allow Cloud to spring from his hiding place unseen. He wanted no outcry, no matter how small. In one swift move, he clamped his hand over the man’s mouth, snapped the man’s head back and drew his knife over the renegade’s vulnerable throat. In the past he had always felt remorse and disgust for being brought to such a pass, but neither touched him now. Before the man had finished falling to the ground, Cloud was stealthily moving on to the next guard.

  Removing the second guard took a little longer. Cloud wondered if the man sensed something, for he was overly restless. When he finally got the chance to move, however, Cloud did so quickly, quietly, and efficiently. As he trotted back to the meeting place, he hoped that James had been as fortunate.

  Cloud was kept waiting several long, nerve-wracking minutes before James wandered back and muttered, “Quick, aren’t you. No trouble?”

  “None. And you?”

  “Just the tedium of waiting for my chance. Our route of retreat is clear. Now for Emily.”

  “Now for Emily and, I think, it’d be wise to make sure that no one is left to chase after us.”

  James nodded and sighed. “That’d probably be best. Losing so many men might not be deterrent enough.”

  “Nope. Might even make them vengeful, even if they didn’t care squat for any of the ones that died.”

  They crept towards the camp as stealthily as their considerable skill allowed despite the noise of the storm. Cloud spotted Emily and signaled James to halt. Lying on their bellies on the increasingly muddy ground, they both studied the camp.

  “Perfect. Em is separated from the rest,” Cloud whispered. “You keep watch from up here while I circle round behind her and cut her free. Don’t shoot too soon but don’t let any of them start toward her. They’d just as soon kill her as let us get her free.”

  “Right. Take care,” he called softly as Cloud started to edge towards Emily.

  Keeping his gaze fixed upon Emily and trusting James to watch the renegades, Cloud slinked towards her. She looked miserable, cold, and wet but there was no sign that she had been abused in any way. He felt hope rise that he had been right, that the renegades saw how much greater her value was if she remained relatively unharmed. He wished he could let her know in some way that he was coming for her, so that she would not give him away when he first reached her, but he knew such a thing could prove fatal. He could only hope that she still had the wit to control and hide any surprise she felt.

  Emily sighed as she finally accepted the fact that she would never get to sleep. It was not only her extreme discomfort that kept her from finding the ease of that oblivion, but fear. All her efforts to still her fear had failed and it was a living thing within her. She could taste it, nearly smell it. Closing her eyes only gave visual strength to her fears as her mind worked against her.

  Shifting her position a little, she tensed. She could feel the pistol in her pocket and was stunned that she could have forgotten such a thing—or that her captors had not searched for a weapon. She reasoned that her skirts were voluminous enough
to hide its bulk and that the renegades simply did not think a woman like her would either have a weapon or use it against them if she did. Emily heartily wished she could get free, so that she could show them just how wrong they were.

  A strong shiver tore through her and she wished she could free her hands, simply so that she could wrap her arms about herself. Just as she was thinking, somewhat darkly, that it would serve the renegades right if she died of pneumonia, she felt a tug on the ropes that bound her wrists. Slowly she tensed, thinking that it could be someone helping her, but that it could also be one of the renegades up to something that would be of no benefit to her whatsoever. She was too afraid of disappointment to hope for the former.

  “Easy, Em.” Cloud spoke as softly as he could yet still be heard by Emily. “Don’t draw their attention, honey. Be still.”

  Cloud! her mind screamed in relief as she grew so still that she nearly forgot to breathe. Her heart felt as if it had climbed into her throat. She was both exhilarated over the thought of regaining her freedom and terrified for Cloud.

  He could feel her trembling and was not sure if it was simply from the cold. “Even when you feel the ropes loosen, don’t move. Sit as if you’re still tied. When I tell you to, try to move your body so I can get some cover behind it while I cut your ankle free.”

  When he breathed the signal, she turned slightly onto her side facing the renegades. It was not easy to leave her arms as they had been without rubbing her aching wrists or using her hands to help herself move. So too was it hard not to see Cloud, to judge his presence only by a whisper in the dark. If her wrists had not been freed she might have feared that her mind was slipping, making her imagine what was not there. Then a gentle, calloused hand briefly stroked her rope-burned ankle and that made her fears ease.

  “Now, darlin', try to act as if you’re still bound, keep your eyes on that scum and start to edge back this way.”

  She shook with the effort and her eyes stung from staring fixedly at the renegades, but she did not falter as she followed his directions, his whispered encouragement giving her strength. As soon as she reached the outer edge of the rock she had been huddled against, a strong arm curled around her waist and she was yanked behind the rock. Silently, Cloud pushed and dragged her along, but they were only a few feet away when an outcry was raised. Emily gasped as the air seemed to be suddenly filled with the sound of gunfire.