Prudence and the Professor

by Sibelle Stone

  Anger rolled through him in scorching waves. It was possible these men had something to do with Prudence disappearing. That thought helped him focus on what he needed to do. He’d designed the arc guns as weapons to stop an enemy, not kill him. But tonight, his compassion was secondary to protecting his town and the people who lived there.

  If men died, he would not blame himself.

  All but two of the riders had dismounted. Gerritt could see a man in the center with a plume in his hat giving orders. The two mounted riders turned their horses and rode out of the clearing.

  The other men tied their horses in the back of the clearing, in an area with trees and underbrush. They squatted in the dirt in a small circle around the leader. Their voices were muffled.

  One man seated on a large wagon with a covering on the back stayed put. Gerritt wondered if there was a Gatling gun under that cover. If that was turned on his men, there was little chance anyone would survive.

  An owl hooted in the quiet and one of the men stumbled to stand , watched the woods for a few moments then returned to a crouch. Gerritt didn’t know if it was a Spirit Walker or a wild bird. It helped to cover the lack of other night noises in the surrounding area.

  Several of the men now settled themselves on the ground and lit up pipes. The glow showed their faces. They didn’t realize they’d just managed to give his men a clearer target. Their confidence would be their downfall.

  It was time, and Gerritt carefully aimed his arc gun at one of men sitting on the ground. He nodded to Brandon and Simon, counted to three and pulled the trigger.

  A stream of bright light shot from his weapon and the clearing lit up as if a fireworks display was being shot off. Bright orange and red streams of electricity crackled in the night. The man Gerritt had been aiming at grasped his chest then fell to the ground.

  The horses jumped, trying to break free. Several of the men ran toward them. When one raider managed to free his horse, it snapped it’s teeth at him and knocked him to the ground.

  The raiders scrambled to find cover but their choice of resting spot left them few hiding places. The arc cannons shot torrents of fire, taking down two of the attackers in one blow.

  The leader was on his horse now, working hard to manage the animal. “Fire damn you!” he ordered, his own pistol in his hand.

  Shots scattered around them but Gerritt and his men held their ground. He wasn’t sure how long the arc cannons would last. He’d never used them in a battle, he’d only tested them to see if they actually worked.

  The man in the wagon was clamoring into the back and yanking the cover to the ground. Just as Gerritt feared, there was a Gatling gun sitting in the back.

  “Brandon,” he yelled pointing at the wagon.

  The stream of the cannon was growing weaker and it couldn’t reach the edge of the clearing to the wagon. Gerritt knew if they didn’t stop the man from reaching the multi-firing Gatling gun, they wouldn’t have a chance against the raiders.

  He nodded at Simon. “Cover me,” he demanded as he jumped out into the melee of scrambling horses, confused men and deadly bullets. His legs pumped as hard as they could to get him across the clearing.

  A sharp pain snatched his breath as something hit his shoulder. He fell to one knee. He was a few heartbeats away from the wagon.

  The man behind the Gatling gun gave him a sneering grin. He shoved the back of the gun and twisted it toward Gerritt.

  Fear nearly froze Gerritt’s movement forward, but his hand still held the arc gun. Gerritt took careful aim and pulled the trigger.

  The gun fizzled. The other man’s grin pulled both sides of his face up as his sneer turned to a triumphant grin.

  Gerritt stood in front of the wagon, waiting for a rain of bullets to end his life. The clearing suddenly lit up and Gerritt lifted his gaze. Two streams from the arc cannons were crossing each other above the wagon.

  The explosion flung Gerritt back to the line of his men. He felt hands grab him beneath his arms and drag him backwards. There was blood in his mouth and silence.

  As he drifted away he saw the pieces of the wagon and the gun tossed up into the air.

  So that’s what happens when you cross the streams of an arc cannon.

  It was his last coherent thought as he collapsed.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Sky Charms

  Prudence was in the river, the water pushing her deeper, down into the icy, colorless depths. She struggled against the current, but even though she kicked as hard as possible, she still couldn’t reach the surface. Then she heard a human voice. Faint, and sounding very far away, but it seemed familiar.

  The sound woke her, as fear inched up her spine and slammed her awake with warning. She scrambled to the back of the lean-to and pulled the pine boughs she’d been sleeping on over her body to hide herself.

  She worked to keep from screaming out her terror. Silence could be her greatest protection if her captor was searching for her. She even tried to calm her thundering heartbeat.

  The voice drew nearer and the call more distinct. It was her name but she couldn’t tell who was searching former. She fought the urge to crawl from her shelter and yell back. She was petrified she’d be captured again and as her teeth chattered she worried Alfred Heisman might appear in the small opening to her hiding place at any moment.

  “Prudence, it’s Gerritt. Are you out there?”

  She wanted to believe it was him, searching for her. But how could it be? Was he in a boat on the river? And how had he managed to get through those rapids?

  Prudence swallowed and her warring instincts rooted her to the spot of safety. If it was Gerritt and he moved on, would he ever be able to find her again?

  The voice was louder and she’d swear, somehow…

  He called again and now she was sure of it. It was Gerritt. His voice seemed to come from high above her. He might be on a ridge in the hills behind her. If she ventured out into the clearing, she might be able to figure out where his voice came from and hike in that direction. But, what if the wild animals she’d seen were still around? It was too dangerous to answer back, but if he was nearby, maybe she could see him and send a signal.

  She allowed herself a moment to whisper a tiny prayer of hope that it was Gerritt before she crawled out of her lean-to.

  A bright flash moving above the treetops startled her, as red, white and blue ribbons fluttered in the breeze. She rubbed at her eyes, afraid she might still be asleep and dreaming.

  Then she heard Gerritt’s voice, it was his voice, and happiness swirled through her at the sound. She ran into the clearing. Her breath caught at the sight soaring high above the ground.

  Several men stood in a large wicker basket. Attached to it and holding them in the air like a star stuck in the cosmos was a giant balloon. A flash of fire was followed by a whooshing noise and the balloon began to rise.

  “Gerritt, Gerritt – I’m here.” She ran out into the clearing waving her arms and yelling as loud as her sore throat would allow.

  The voices above went silent for a moment, then Gerritt leaned over the edge of the basket and she screamed, terrified he might tumble over the side.

  “Watch out, we’re going to drop a ladder,” he warned.

  She stood back as he flung a rope ladder over the side until it almost touched the ground. She ran for it and grabbed the bottom rung, so thrilled that Gerritt was alive and waiting for her that tears of happiness slid down her cheeks.

  She was half-way up the ladder, climbing to the man she loved step by step when a gunshot boomed across the valley. She looked down.

  “Make the woman come back down,” a gravelly voice ordered. A man who looked as much animal as human stood a few yards away. He held a shotgun aimed at the balloon. He was covered in animal skins, fur and a dark beard hid all of the features of his face except for two black, angry eyes.

  “She’s mine. I paid for her full-square with good pelts.” He made a motion with his head. “Git on do
wn here, woman.”

  Prudence hung onto the rope with all her strength. She didn’t know if the man planned to shoot the balloon, the men inside the basket or her. She was so close to freedom and to love, but she knew if she didn’t climb down, Gerritt could be injured or even killed.

  He gazed down at her with a look that made her want to weep. There was loss and pathos on his face, but also strength.

  “Keep climbing,” he shouted.

  She shook her head and let go of the rope with one hand long enough to put her fingers to her lips and blow him a kiss. She hoped he’d understand that she did this for him. She could pretend to be happy anyplace in the world if she knew he was still alive and safe.

  He tilted his head and gave her a crooked smile. “It’s just like a picnic,” he said. “Get ready, hold out your hand and remember what you do best when you’re angry.”

  She shook her head in confusion, trying to tell him not to ignore the danger. But, she opened her hand just in case somehow he managed to figure a way out of this mess.

  Then a large bird swooped down near her, followed by another smaller bird. A bellowing from below alerted her and she glanced down to see a huge buffalo standing behind the man beneath her. A massive moose stood on the other side and most astonishing of all, a huge grizzly bear rested on its haunches as it pawed the air a few feet from the man.

  The man below turned his rifle away from her and she felt the familiar shape of a smooth grip with a trigger in her grasp. She didn’t even take a moment to think, she looked down the odd barrel, which seemed to be made of glass, twisted around, took aim and pulled the trigger.

  There was a huge flash, a buzzing noise and then the smell of burning hair filled her nostrils. She looked down to see the fur clad man lying facedown on the ground. A thin wisp of smoke rose from a burned place in the middle of his back. She couldn’t tell if he was injured or dead. Quite frankly, at the moment, she didn’t care.

  She climbed the rope as fast as she could and lifted one leg over the edge of the basket to fall into Gerritt’s arms. He crushed her to his chest and she cried with relief.

  He let her pour out all her misery, knowing she needed the cleansing power of tears. She hated to let her emotions drown her, but she couldn’t manage to hold herself together for another moment. Gerritt was her rock, her heart and her safe harbor.

  “Did I kill that horrible man down there?”

  Gerritt shook his head. “You just gave him a nasty electrical shock. He should recover in a few hours. By then, the sheriff will have found him and hauled him off to jail. We frown on folks who buy and sell women in our territory.”

  “Well, that’s certainly good news,” she responded. “I’m so happy to see you, to know you’re not hurt.”

  She backed a few inches away from him, felt the blood drain from her face when she saw Gerritt’s left arm was in a sling.

  She gasped. Her gaze moved to his face as she reached out one hand to touch his shoulder. “What happened to you?” Tears filled her eyes and she couldn’t control the trembling of her voice.

  Gerritt shrugged. “I was in a bit of a fracas down in town. Some rebels tried to attack Jubilee.”

  Prudence scanned Gerritt’s body from his head to his toes. “Are you all right?”

  “We gave them what for, injured a few and captured nearly all of them.” His face took on the excited look he got whenever he was in the midst of an exciting discovery.

  “But my arc cannons and guns worked . They didn’t kill or maim. They just incapacitated the men.” The proud look on his face warmed her heart, and she sniffed, tears rolling down her face.

  “Is this a serious injury?”

  They’d risen higher into the air. The treetops danced below them in the breeze. A wave of dizziness struck her and she would have fallen to her knees if Gerritt hadn’t been holding her in his arms.

  A small group of people, naked people, stood below them. She blinked. Where had they come from? And what had happened to the animals she’d seen surrounding the man?

  “I’m fine, just took a bullet to the shoulder. It was a clean shot though, just winged me. Doc says I’ll heal up and other than a small scar, there won’t be any permanent damage.”

  “What, a bullet...?”

  She frowned at him, more confused now than ever.

  “I don’t understand, what happened to those animals, and...” It finally hit her. Gerritt had been shot.

  “She grabbed him with both hands. “SHOT! You were shot? By men who attacked Jubilee? What in hell is happening?”

  Holding her hand, Gerritt dropped to the floor and pulled her onto his lap. She placed her head on his uninjured shoulder, took a deep breath and for the first time in days, she felt safe.

  “Did you know that Alfred Heisman is the man responsible for kidnapping me?”She sniffed again and he handed her a handkerchief to dry her tears.

  “He’s responsible for that and more. It seems he promised several rebel generals he’d deliver the plans for my most recent weapon designs,” he said. “And he told them I’d be delivered along with the plans.”

  “He said he couldn’t find the plans in your study and he blamed me because I reorganized everything. That’s one of the reasons he tried to scare me into leaving town.”

  Gerritt patted her on the back. “He didn’t know you’re one little lady who doesn’t scare easily.”

  “Exactly. But he’s also been stealing from you. Which was another reason he was angry at me. A woman who understands double-entry bookkeeping presented a serious threat to his thievery.”

  “It’s a good thing he’d never watched you handle a gun, then he would have been truly terrified. I could have used you on the line of defense when we met up with those rebels.”

  “I want to hear all about this attack. Every single detail.” She looked at the huge balloon above them. “And what is this contraption?”

  “It’s a hot air balloon. I was saving it for our Independence Day celebration, but decided it would come in handy to find you.”

  “Brilliant,” she offered. “But a little scary too.”

  “It’s like floating on a cloud. Pretend you’re an angel,” he suggested.

  She smiled at that. “I don’t think I’m capable of that much subterfuge.”

  “You are a bit messy for a celestial being. Perhaps you might imagine yourself as a bird. How about a majestic eagle, like the one that swooped down on that man?”

  “That was amazing. And where did those other animals come from? A buffalo, elk and bear all in the same place at the same time?” Prudence shook her head in confusion. “Then they just disappeared.”

  Gerritt wrapped an arm around her waist and grinned. “We’ll talk about it later. You’ve had another frightening experience my brave eagle.”

  Prudence glanced at her hands and recalled that her face was covered with mud. She knew she looked a fright, but shrugged.

  “I think a wren might be a better comparison,” she suggested.

  Gerritt gave her another squeeze. “The wren is the queen of birds as far as I’m concerned. Although her plumage might seem rather drab in comparison to other feathered creatures, on closer inspection she has the loveliest striated colorations, and when she sings all heaven pauses to listen.”

  “And shall I feel like singing, now that I’m returning to Jubilee?”

  He leaned against the basket and gently stroked her back. “I hope you’ll sing, but not as a captive in a cage. You’ll sing because you’ve discovered the very best nest in the world.”

  She whistled a happy little tune and a moment later he joined her.

  Sam Turnball studied them both and shook his head before spitting chewing tobacco juice out over the side of the basket. “You two deserve each other, ‘cause you’re both plumb loco.”

  The couple just whistled louder.

  Epilogue

  The Bride in the Bower

  He prayeth best, who loveth best, all things both
great and small, for the dear God who loveth us, He made and loveth all.

  Rime of the Ancient Mariner – Samuel Taylor Coleridge

  Prudence spun around in a circle, delighted at the way the huge hoop skirt swirled around the new kid leather boots on her feet. She’d never owned such a beautiful gown before and marveled as the great bell of the skirt, made of yards and yards of golden satin that touched the floor.

  She fingered the delicate lace edging the bodice, the buttons make of precious amber and the gorgeous beading that covered the bodice. It was an extravagant gown for a woman living in the wilds of Montana.

  But Gerritt had insisted that he provide her with not only a wedding gown but an entire new wardrobe. She glanced at the bed, covered with gowns in a rainbow of colors made of satin, silk moiré, cotton and even cashmere. She had several warm capes, jackets and shawls. The fashion accoutrements included parasols, gloves, boots and slippers.

  She patted the waist of her amber hued wedding gown, a color she’d chosen over virginal white. While a gown of white might be appropriate for a first-time bride marching down the aisle, it didn’t seem proper for a widow.

  So, despite Gerritt’s misgivings, because he’d wanted her to don a dress as bright as tomato red or sunset orange, she’d chosen the antique gold fabric from the samples the seamstress from Seattle had sent to her.

  She patted her elegant hairstyle. He’d won the battle of the bonnet. Prudence had wanted a bridal bonnet covered with silk flowers, ribbons and bows. Gerritt had stated he’d refuse to say the vows if she wore what he referred to as “one of those damned frippery hats.”

  Since he was showering her with gifts, she’d agreed to have her hair arranged in soft curls and ringlets and to use flowers as simple decorations. After all, Mrs. Lincoln was setting the style in Washington for such simple adornments. Prudence had to admit, the result was both charming and flattering.