Chapter Fifteen
Nathan squinted against the afternoon sun then finally pulled the brim of his Stetson down to block it. He pushed open the heavy wooden door in front of him and stepped into the lobby of the hotel. He glanced at the clock realizing he would make it to his appointment at the agreed-upon time. He hurried across the lobby to the restaurant and paused inside the door.
“Are you looking for someone, sir?” asked a young man dressed in the uniform of the hotel.
Nathan glanced up from searching the tables to meet the youth’s gaze. “Yes. I was supposed to meet a gentleman here named Mr. Reynolds.”
“Yes, sir. Right this way.” The young man led the way through the tables, stopping at one near the large-paned windows.
“Nathan, my boy, it’s good to see you,” the older man exclaimed.
“Davis, it’s been a long time.” Nathan grinned, extending his hand for a hardy shake.
The large Nordic-looking man motioned to a chair. “Sit down. Tell me how you’re doing. I don’t suppose you’ve had any contact with your family?”
“Actually, I have.” He grinned at Davis’s shocked look. “Mariah wrote to me. She says they’re doing well.”
“That’s wonderful, Nathan. I always knew that girl had gumption.”
“She sure does. It’s nice to know that at least one member of my family is willing to risk Pa’s wrath to contact me,” he agreed. “How is your family, Davis?”
“Oh, we’re just fine. Faith is just approaching her sixteenth birthday and of course Tyler is spending his days out on the range. He’s a wanderer for sure. Just like you were, the last time I saw you.”
Nathan smiled then shook his head. “Not anymore. I’ve been looking to settle down.”
“That’s good. I hope one of these days Tyler will do the same. The missus is doing as well as can be expected with both of her children nearly grown. I’m sure she hardly knows what to do with herself these days except to plan one function or another.” He paused to take a drink of water then pointed to the lemonade in front of him to indicate it was for Nathan. “But you didn’t come all the way over here just to hear an old man blather. We have business to discuss.”
By the end of the conversation, Davis promised to personally introduce Nathan to a wheat buyer who was a good friend of his. “I’m sure he’d be willing to buy what you have. Since you’re a friend of mine he’ll definitely offer you a good price for it.”
Nathan let out a smile in relief. “Thanks for your help, Davis. I appreciate it.”
“You’re welcome, Nathan.” He pushed his plate away to show he was finished. “Farming is a hard market.”
“I don’t mind farming.” He especially wouldn’t mind if he was doing it for Kate.
“You’re at the mercy of nature day in and day out. That’s a hard way to live. It certainly wasn’t what you came to Texas to do,” he said as a waiter came to take the plate away. “Personally, I think you should go back to raising horses. You’ve always had an interest in it.”
“It developed into more than an interest. When I was a partner at my old ranch it became my passion.” Nathan smiled wryly. “Not that I’d do it again.”
“Why not?”
“I already failed at it once.”
“No. You were failed at it. Someday you might be ready to try again. When you are, let me know.” The waiter extended the check. Davis grabbed it, then smiled. “I hope you know you’re staying with us tonight. My wife would have my head if I didn’t bring you home.”
He smiled. “Yes, sir.”
So this was what life was like without Nathan Rutledge, Kate thought to herself as she sat grimacing at the cow’s udder. Funny she hadn’t remembered it being so empty.
How pathetic. He’s only been gone three days but I’m already waiting for his return, she thought.
Flick meowed loudly. The sound pulled Kate’s gaze from the milk streaming into the bucket. She caught sight of Flick, then with an unpracticed twist, Kate shot a stream of milk toward the cat as she’d seen Nathan do. She missed. The small stream landed few feet from Flick rather than in her mouth.
She closed her eyes, tried to picture what she’d seen Nathan do. She tried again. This time it flew over her own shoulder, barely grazing her hair. Giving up, she lifted her shoulder to wipe away the few droplets that clung to her cheek. Looking toward Flick she shrugged. “Sorry, pretty kitty, none today.”
The cat let out a plaintive meow and slunk toward Kate to rub against the milking stool. Kate stood to stretch her arms. Flick jumped toward the bucket almost as if to submerge her entire body in the warm liquid. Kate gasped but managed to block the cat from reaching its goal.
“Flick!”
The cat continued to struggle toward the bucket.
“That is quite enough, young lady. I fed you this morning so you needn’t act as though you’re starved. Have some dignity.” She moved her legs to guard around the bucket. It took only a few more minutes to get the rest of the milk. Standing, Kate gave the cow an appreciative pat and reached for the pail. “Thank you, ma’am.”
She slowly yet carefully made her way toward the barn door then glanced up as Delilah gave a loud neigh. Kate smiled sympathetically. “I know you miss Nathan, but he really did have to take the wagon. He’ll be back soon. Don’t worry. You aren’t stuck with me forever.” Delilah snorted.
Kate hurried across the barnyard lugging the heavy bucket. She paused to stare as she noticed a rider coming toward the house, then continued walking to keep the milk from sloshing onto her skirt. She looked in the direction of town with concern. Why would anyone be riding out this way? Hopefully nothing was wrong.
Her straining arm forced her to hurry to the kitchen and leave the milk on the table before rushing back out the door. She stepped outside just as the man was dismounting. Remembering her promise to Nathan, she wondered for a moment if she should have grabbed a gun before hurrying out to meet a stranger while she was alone, but the friendly smile the man gave her quickly put her at ease.
“I’m looking for—” he glanced down at a paper “—Nathan Rutledge.”
Nathan? This man knew Nathan? She bit her lip. “He’s not here. Is there something I can help you with?”
He frowned. “That depends on who you are. You wouldn’t happen to be his wife, would you?”
She tilted her head and met the man’s gaze suspiciously. How could this stranger know she was Nathan’s wife? Only a few people outside her family knew she was married. “How do you know him?”
The man laughed. “We’re old friends. He’s probably told you about me.”
Her suspicion grew. If they were old friends he shouldn’t have needed to check the paper for Nathan’s name. Kate swallowed and stepped back toward the house. “Well, you should come back later. I’m sure he’d be glad to see you.”
The man looked at her oddly but what did it matter? She stepped back inside and closed the door. She heard him moving toward it and hurriedly tried to lock it but her hands fumbled nervously. The door flew open making her stumble back. She grasped for something to hold on to but her hand knocked painfully against the rocker and she found herself on the ground.
She stared at the floor in disbelief while a shadow fell over her. Her head jerked up at the sound of a gun cocking. She stared at the barrel of a gun before her gaze followed the strong arm up to cold blue eyes. The man’s voice was like steel. “Get up.”
Kate swallowed the dread settling in her stomach. She stood, wincing when she placed weight on her injured wrist, to survey the man before her. His hair was a remarkable shade of raven black at odds with his threateningly cold blue eyes. His features were just far enough from plain that he might be considered attractive if not for the anger that radiated from him. His gaze found hers with the look in his eyes bordering on hostile.
She met his gaze evenly then lifted her chin as she tried to speak. He cut her off by sharply asking, “Where’s the nearest table?”
“Table?” she asked in confusion. “It’s in the kitchen.”
The gun flicked in his hand. “Go.”
She slowly turned and led the way into the kitchen.
“Sit down,” he commanded and she had little choice but to obey.
Kate sank into the nearest chair. She tensed, feeling the tip of the gun barrel press between her shoulder blades as a piece of paper and a pencil were set in front of her. “You’ll write exactly what I say, do you understand?”
She nodded then wrote mechanically as the man dictated that he was taking Kate hostage. He requested that a large sum of money be deposited at a bank in a larger town that she remembered was about fifteen miles to the east. When his diatribe came to an end, she stared at the paper for a long moment, slowly realizing what she’d written. He snatched the paper from beneath her fingers and stepped up beside her to read it.
How did I get caught up in all of this? She set her lips in a grim line. She wasn’t sure but one thing was certain. She was ready to get out of it.
She eyed the gun he’d extended too close to her nose for comfort. Pulling in a deep breath, she slowly leaned back. Once she was in position, she slammed the man’s hand on the table as hard as she could. He cried out at the same time the gun discharged, sending a bullet into the wall.
She spun out of her seat and took off running. Her first fumbling steps sent her through the living room and out the door. She saw the man’s mount waiting patiently and ran toward it.
Her foot connected with the stirrup as she swung into the saddle. She heard the man shout and knew he must be coming toward her. She turned the horse and urged it toward town. A shrill whistle rent the air and the horse turned sharply; moving back toward the house.
“No,” she whispered, trying to control the horse. Her efforts almost worked until the man whistled again. The horse tossed its head in protest to her leading and trotted back to its owner. The man jumped on the horse behind her, grasped the reins from her hand and spurred the horse on.
Chapter Sixteen
She couldn’t bear to ride another moment. Any minute now the children would walk into the house and find her missing. What would they do? What could she? Every step the horse took carried her farther away from them. “Can’t we stop now? I’m so tired I can hardly see straight.”
“We have a half a mile before another camping spot. We’ll stop there.”
Minutes later, he lifted her off the horse. Her legs were stiff from hours in the saddle so she carefully walked to a nearby tree and collapsed near its base. He glanced her way and threw her a strip of jerky. “Rest up, we need to travel a few more miles today.”
She stared up at him. “I want to go back to my family. They need me.”
His gaze traced her features before he nodded. “I plan to let you go, but not until Rutledge pays his due. He owes me that much—and more—after what he did.”
She couldn’t fathom what he was talking about. “There must be some mistake.”
He laughed. “You think he’s a good man, don’t you? He certainly has you fooled. He’s nothing but a liar, a thief and a murderer.”
“Impossible.”
He knelt in front of her to grab her arm while his blue eyes sought hers in anguish. “You don’t know. You don’t know what he’s done.”
She winced. “You’re hurting me.”
He released his grip. “What did he tell you about his past? Did he tell you about his arrest? His jail time?”
She shook her head. “You’re delusional.”
“Delusional?” He stared at her for a long moment then strode to his saddlebag. He pulled out a rolled-up piece of paper and handed it to her. “I guess the wanted posters didn’t make it this far upstate.”
She pulled her gaze from his to unroll the poster. She stared in shock at the rendering of Nathan’s face with the word Wanted above it and a reward offered under it.
“The courts may say he’s served his time, but he owes me more than that—and I mean to see to it that he pays.”
Shock and betrayal made her shake her head. “I don’t understand.”
He grabbed her arm more gently but with a decided urgency. “He killed my little brother, Kate. He shot him down like a dog. Eli was my best friend. When he died a part of me died with him. I haven’t been the same since.”
He released her and began to pace. “I can’t stop thinking about him lying on the ground lifeless in the hands of the man who killed him.” He lifted his tortured gaze to hers. “Rutledge’s hands were covered in blood—my brother’s blood. All to cover up his own dirty, rotten thieving. Since the money meant so much to him that he’d kill Eli to keep it, that same money is what I’m going to take in return. It won’t bring Eli back, but maybe it will help his soul rest in peace.”
Her thoughts flew back to Nathan’s feverish mumblings about Eli. He’d mentioned blood, hadn’t he? He’d also said he didn’t do it, but he’d never said what “it” was. She should have asked him. Now all she could see was the anguish in Jeremiah’s eyes. She’d felt that anguish before. It was awful.
“You haven’t fully grieved for him,” Kate recognized softly.
“I haven’t had the chance. I’ve been too busy trying to bring him justice.” He wiped a hand over his face to forestall tears. “If you knew what I’d been through, you’d want to help me.”
Kate swallowed. “I do want to help you find some peace. My parents died two years ago. I know what it’s like to lose a loved one.”
“Then you won’t fight me?”
Perhaps she could lull him into a false sense of security. “I don’t want to fight you, Jeremiah, but why did you have to bring me into this? Why not just confront Nathan yourself?”
“I tried. He wouldn’t listen. And the lawmen…” He shook his head. “They shouldn’t have let him go. That’s not justice. This is the only way I can make him pay for what he did.” He took the wanted poster from her and stuffed it in his saddlebag. “We have to keep moving.”
Kate opened her eyes slowly to find the sun streaming through the green canopy of trees. She’d watched her captor wander from camp through her lashes, then immediately began pulling at the knots that bound her feet. It had taken the whole night to free her hands. She’d succeeded at daybreak just as her captor began to stir. The knots binding her legs came free. She cautiously rose to her feet.
“Where are you going?” a voice demanded and she whirled to find her captor only feet from her.
“I have to use the necessary.”
He surveyed her carefully. She tried to look tired even though her exhaustion was being replaced by adrenaline. She had to get away. Despite his promise not to hurt her, he was obviously unstable. She couldn’t trust him. He frowned at her.
“You have three minutes then I’m coming after you.”
“I’m afraid it’s going to take more than three minutes,” she warned.
He looked annoyed. “Five then.”
Kate turned on her heel and moved toward the thickest part of the woods and just kept marching. When she was a good distance from the camp, she picked up her skirt and ran like she’d never run before. After all, she had a five-minute head start, maybe more. He would probably stew over whether she was really trying to escape or just taking a long time. Well, let him stew. She wouldn’t go down without fighting every inch of the way.
Ten minutes passed and her legs screamed for mercy but she pushed even harder. She knew she would only have a few more minutes before unwelcome company would arrive. She needed a place to hide. Suddenly the trees stopped and so did the land. She skittered to a halt on an outcropping rock and looked down. There was water, a lot of it. And mist—a lot of that, too.
She glanced back the way she’d come, looking for any sign that she was being pursued. Finding none, she stared down into the murky depths of the water. She took a deep breath, then jumped into the lake. Her skirts billowed out around her as she landed in water up to her chest. Her breat
h caught in her throat as the cold water soaked mercilessly through the layers of her dress and petticoats to her skin. Lying on her stomach, she pushed off from the dirt outcropping and swam beneath the water, only coming up for air when absolutely necessary.
The water grew deeper as she swam toward the center of the lake. She paused a few moments later to stare back toward the outcropping. Through the mist she thought she saw a horse and rider. Her heart sped in her chest. Had she been seen?
She slipped under the water and swam farther toward the center of the lake. A few minutes later she again looked toward shore and this time she was sure she heard a horse’s neigh echo across the water. The rider turned his horse away from the outcropping and disappeared back the way she’d come.
She let out a relieved breath and allowed herself to float for a moment in the water to gain her bearings. She found herself in the middle of a lake covered with mist and dawning sunlight with a looming tree line surrounding it. It would have been beautiful had not she been running from danger.
She closed her eyes. Lord, I know I haven’t been the best at trusting You in the past but, please, I need Your help.
Something scaly brushed across her right leg. She flinched to the left. That was sign enough for her. It wasn’t long before she stumbled onto shore. She sat for a few moments to catch her breath before she finally began walking.
Suddenly a sense of foreboding gripped her. She stopped walking and looked into the woods around her. She took a step back. She sensed movement to her left. She impulsively dashed back into the water. She swam beneath the surface and came up on the other side of the lake. She staggered to shore dripping wet and gasping for breath but instantly felt peace.
She set out at a quick but steady pace. Glancing at the sky, she was thankful she had many hours to walk in the daylight. She wouldn’t even think about the night. Not yet. She had to trust that the Lord would provide.
Unlawfully Wedded Bride (Love Inspired Historical) Page 16