“Oh, love, give Mama a moment to catch her breath and then I’ll chase you around and around.” Elizabeth sat hugging her knees, unaware of the growing twilight. Nicole was suddenly still, looking up at the sky, and Elizabeth followed her gaze.
Two pure white birds with large wingspans were overhead. Elizabeth repeated her daughter’s murmur that they were beautiful, for the birds seemed to be putting on an exhibition that showed off their grace in flight. A soft whistling noise came from them. Elizabeth was unsure if it was caused by the movement of their wings or was a sound swans usually made.
“Oh, no, Mama,” Nicole cried, already running to keep the birds in sight.
“Wait, Nicole!” Elizabeth scrambled to stand, her heel caught in her skirt hem. With a feeling of annoyance she ripped it free and turned to see Nicole disappearing into the woods. She called her daughter back, for the tall pines would make it impossible for the child to see any more of the graceful swans.
Walking steadily toward the forest, Elizabeth caught the aromatic scent of the waxy bayberry fruit and made herself a promise to pick some for their candle making.
“Nicole,” she called, glancing about. Low-spread oaks mingled with the pines, and some had vines twisted in their branches. The floor was covered with russet brown pine needles, carpeting each step that Elizabeth took. She was suddenly aware of how quiet it was.
“Precious, answer Mama. This isn’t a game anymore.” Elizabeth stopped where she stood, hoping to catch sight of Nicole’s pale blue frock or hear her giggle, a sign that she had hidden and was ready to be found.
The forest was silent. Fear pervaded every bone in her body.
“Nicole,” she called again, loudly this time, demand clear in her tone. She strained again to listen and, when the silence remained unbroken, took a few steps forward. She staggered, her legs trembling and a fear unlike any she had experienced taking hold. “Nicole,” she screamed over and over, tearing aside low-growing bushes in her rush.
“She’s fallen and can’t answer me,” Elizabeth said to herself as panic shivered through her body. Her heart seemed to stop whenever she did, and then beat out a frantic rhythm. Her breathing became erratic.
“Baby, baby, where are you? It’s all right. Come out now, Mama won’t be angry. Just answer me. Tell me where you are. Tell me,” she wailed in terror.
Up at the house, Josh was poised with the ax raised above his shoulder. He frowned and listened, hearing Elizabeth’s voice. About to finish the downward swing, he realized that she was screaming. His arms trembled for a moment before he flung down the ax and yelled for Dobie.
Musket in one hand, pistol in the other, Dobie charged out of the barn. His doze had been light, yet he shook his head as if to clear the sleep from his mind. Bits of straw clung to his shirt and the thick waves of his blond hair. His narrowed eyes targeted Josh’s.
“Where?”
“Forest over the knoll,” Josh answered, bending to pick up his ax. He followed the ground-eating lope of the bigger man. It didn’t surprise him that Dobie asked no more questions. He knew that Josh wouldn’t have called him unless something was wrong. Guilt grayed Josh’s skin. He shouldn’t have let them go off by themselves.
From below, they both could hear the terrified wails that Elizabeth made. Dobie gestured for Josh to hold up at the forest edge. He scanned the already darkening sky, heard again the feminine screams that the forest seemed to gather and then fling out in all directions. A less experienced man would not have been able to pinpoint its source.
Elizabeth felt her knees buckle and grabbed hold of a sapling for support. She dragged air into her lungs. Tears blinded her. She wiped them with her torn sleeve. Her throat was raw, and there was no moisture left to soothe it so she could scream again.
Pushing away from the support, she realized the twisting and turning path she followed had left her without sense of direction. The night hovered as if it were a huge quilt waiting to smother her.
“Nicole,” she called weakly, sweeping her gaze over the dark shifting shadows that held an unseen menace.
Time and again, her steps faltered, but she wrenched strength from an inner core, knowing only that her child needed her. In a small clearing, Elizabeth stopped and stood with head bowed, praying.
A tiny sound made her spin wildly. Was it a muffled cry she heard? She didn’t know, couldn’t tell. Tears poured down her face. Where was her baby? The nightmares of the past came alive again. She could feel the ache of empty arms, the physical pain that rendered her helpless and the emotional desolation.
“No! No, it can’t happen again,” she cried out. A surge of rage filled her, imbuing her with a furious determination not to be a victim. Nicole was never going to be lost to her again.
For she knew with a clarity that cut through the panic and madness of her plight that Alma had found them. Alma, whose own madness had nearly driven Elizabeth insane.
Twigs snapped behind her, but Elizabeth was running forward where she was sure she had heard a muffled cry.
Roots tripped her and she fell in a jarring sprawl. Don’t let her defeat you, she whispered to herself, ignoring the sting of scrapes and her belabored breath to stand.
And there, through a grove of trees, she caught a glimpse of light cloth in the purpling shadows of twilight.
She had no weapon but herself. It would have to serve. Elizabeth hurled herself after the barely discernible shape of a man carrying Nicole, her only thought to free her child.
The force of a man’s arm clamping around her waist, sweeping her off her feet, stunned her. A cry ripped its way up from deep inside her, only to be choked off.
Chapter Thirteen
For a moment, Elizabeth hung limp, then her fury exploded. She clawed the arms that held her prisoner. Violence seethed inside her. She kicked back, satisfied to hear a grunt of pain. But a second attempt missed its mark.
“Be still, still!”
She heard the words from far off. Dizzying black spots danced in front of her eyes. She couldn’t breathe. The pressure of the arm around her waist eased. Her feet felt the solid earth beneath them. And again, she heard the command in the gruff male voice for her to be still.
“You’ll obey.”
It wasn’t a question. She found herself struggling to nod. She had to get free. She had to save Nicole.
“Stay.”
Elizabeth wasn’t sure what alerted her that she was not going to be harmed. She managed to push aside the tangle of her hair and turned to see her captor.
Dobie. She mouthed the name, no sound coming forth from her throat. He shook his head, warning her to be silent, and she obeyed him. Emotions unraveled rapidly until she found simple gratitude that he was here.
Released, she swayed a moment where he left her while he picked up his weapons. Before he was lost from sight, she followed him.
Dobie never looked back, never said a word, but Elizabeth knew he didn’t want her with him. She tried to make her footsteps as quiet as Dobie’s.
As her head cleared, Elizabeth heard the sounds of Nicole’s captor as he ran from them. She prayed that he would not fall and hurt her child, for it was dark within the forest. How Dobie managed to find his way she didn’t know but was most thankful that he had.
At a slight sound, Elizabeth glanced to her left, biting her lip not to cry out. She would swear that someone was running parallel to them. But before them came the continued noise of someone thrashing as if they had lost their way. Dobie suddenly stopped, as she did well behind him.
“Mam—!”
Nicole’s cry was strangled. It was cut off so fast, Elizabeth doubted at first whether she heard it at all. She didn’t even know she was running toward the sound until Dobie gripped her arm.
“He’s cornered and knows it. Let me do my job.”
Fear held her still, held her silent, but would not hold her back.
“Josh is circling,” Dobie whispered against her ear so the sound would not carry beyond
a few feet.
Elizabeth knew she should allow them to rescue her daughter. But some instinct, some dark emotion drove her, and when Dobie moved off toward the right and was swallowed noiselessly by a thick brush of low-hanging branches, she crept forward.
Dobie had his pistol and musket, and she had to assume that Josh was armed. But what of Nicole’s captor? Would he have a weapon? And if he did, would he use it on her child to gain his freedom? Or would he try to kill either of the men attempting to rescue her daughter?
Her fears were realized when a cry and shot rang out simultaneously.
“Let the child go,” Dobie ordered.
A growl of rage. A child’s cry. Elizabeth’s heart froze in her chest. She didn’t even realize she had come upon them until the vague shape of a man loomed in front of her. She never knew if she actually saw her child or it was only her mind’s eye that pictured Nicole’s terrified face, but the sight spurred her to act.
With a snarl of blind rage, she lashed out with her fists, beating the man’s back, kicking him where she could, trying to tear his arm from Nicole’s body. Cornered he may have been, but a spinning turn of his body sent his hammered fist into her side and Elizabeth dropped to her knees with a scream.
Sounds blurred. Dobie’s demand for the release of the child. Josh’s liquid threatening drawl. Nicole’s cries. Elizabeth heard them, tried to sort them out, pain lancing her as she struggled to rise and fight the lure of the black well of unconsciousness waiting to claim her.
“You want her? Here!”
Dobie had to drop his weapons to catch the little body hurled at him. The dark cloak of night was impenetrable; he called out for Josh to wait.
It was all the time the man needed. He dragged Elizabeth to her feet, yanking her arm, pulling her backward with him.
She didn’t care. Nicole was safe and that was all that mattered. She couldn’t fight, she had no strength left. Her body was bruised and battered, so much so that she felt little of the pain. Time lost meaning. She heard the sounds of pursuit and wanted to warn them back.
Suddenly she was free. With a moan, she curled into herself.
Dobie struggled with her abductor, barely escaping swipes from a wicked, gleaming knife.
“I’m going to kill you for daring to touch them,” Elizabeth heard Dobie promise.
There was a grunt, a harsh laugh, and threats in return.
She couldn’t tell who cried out a moment later, but one man fell to his knee, the other stood poised for a moment and then lunged.
Dobie’s arm bled freely, but when his assailant charged him, he raised powerful hands to grab the man’s arm from underneath, bringing his knee up at the same time. Bone ground against bone with a sickening thud. A knife fell from the man’s hand to the ground. The kidnapper’s arm hung useless.
“Elizabeth,” Dobie ordered, “get away from here.”
She looked up and barely made out Dobie towering over the other man, but his voice, that colorless voice, frightened her.
“What will you do to him?” she managed to say, feeling the rawness of her throat.
“Just go.”
“Where’s Nicole?”
“With Josh. Safe.”
She knew Dobie meant to kill him. For now, she appeased her need to see that Nicole was unharmed. Revenge for what they had undergone surfaced. Hate and fury made her rejoice for a wild second that Dobie would make the man pay the ultimate price for what he had dared. But with each breath, each agonizing move she made to force herself to stand, saner thoughts began to prevail.
“Don’t stain yourself with his blood, Dobie,” she whispered, limping to his side. There she turned to look at the shadowed figure of the man Alma had hired. She couldn’t see his face, but then, Elizabeth didn’t want to have a face to add to her nightmares. She saw only that he clutched his broken arm to his chest.
“Tell Mrs. Waring that she’ll never have my child. Tell her that I will kill her if she dares to try and take her again.”
He didn’t answer her. Elizabeth had not expected him to. Dobie urged her to move, and when she stood firm, he pushed her aside. Elizabeth grabbed his arm without thought.
The man fled.
Dobie shoved her away and went after him.
Elizabeth tried not to think of what would happen when Dobie caught him. She had no doubt that Dobie would try to kill him. She began to walk, her steps slow, using the filtering light of the rising moon to guide her.
When she heard steps behind her, she didn’t flinch.
“Dobie, I don’t think I can walk much farther.”
He didn’t answer, but when he offered his arm for her support, she could feel the fury radiating from him.
“He escaped, didn’t he? It doesn’t matter. I’m almost grateful that he did. Alma wouldn’t have paid him in advance. He’ll go back to her and she’ll know to never try this again.”
“You’re calm,” he said, an observation that was both statement and question.
“No,” Elizabeth answered softly, knowing very well how little control she had over her teeming emotions. She longed for Colter, needed his comfort and strength. The thought of him prompted her to add, “If you’re worried about the colonel, I’m sure he will not fault you. Nicole is safe.” Wanting to make sure, she hurried her steps.
“Don’t interfere between me and the colonel,” he warned.
They climbed the knoll up to the house, the yard lit with torchlights.
Colter didn’t see them as he first rode in. The lights alarmed him and his hunter reared at Colter’s sudden tug on the reins.
“Josh! Josh, what the devil is going on?” Colter demanded, bringing his horse under control. “Dobie! Damn! Where’s everyone?”
“Colonel?” Rutha yelled from the upstairs window. “Somethin’—”
“Colter!” Elizabeth called, using the last remains of her strength to run toward him.
He swung his horse around and with a touch of his knees raced to meet her. Leaning down, he caught her up with one arm. With the other, he fought to slow the hunter’s pace. Dobie’s presence barely registered. Elizabeth clinging to him, shaking, crying his name over and over was his only concern. His soothing voice calmed his horse, even as the words he spoke calmed Elizabeth. At a walk he returned to the yard and lowered her to stand before he quickly dismounted.
Elizabeth couldn’t stop crying. Shielded in Colter’s arms, she released the terror of the past hours, her words incoherent.
Colter rocked her, cradling her close, watching as Dobie approached them, his gaze locking on the weapons Dobie carried. Their exchange over Elizabeth’s head was silent.
With a spare, barely discernible shake of his head, Dobie summed up the only words Colter cared about. His daughter and woman were unharmed and the man escaped.
“Colonel,” Dobie said, meeting Colter’s gaze with a level, direct one, “I’d be obliged to be relieved.”
“Not now, man. Can’t you see—”
“I failed to carry out your orders. And now’s as good a time as any.”
With her sobs quieting, Elizabeth heard the last. “That’s not true, Colter. Dobie did all he could. If he had not come…” Her voice trailed off and once again she was overcome by uncontrollable trembling. “I…don’t want anyone else here.”
“Ma’am, you’re not thinking too clear—”
“That’s enough, Dobie,” Colter cut in. “Elizabeth may be shaken, but she knows her own mind.”
Dobie walked away, but Colter called him and he turned.
“Thank you. They’re more precious than my own life and I already owe you that, Dobie.”
He nodded, standing a little taller, but Colter was already sweeping Elizabeth up into his arms and carrying her into the house.
With her head cradled on his shoulder, Elizabeth felt emotions wash over and around her until she couldn’t think. But as Colter moved to enter the hall, she asked him to take her to Nicole.
“In a little w
hile, love. You’ll frighten her if she sees you now.” Colter’s calm voice belied the rage seething inside him. Elizabeth surprised him by agreeing. His glance took in her torn clothes, the scratches and scrapes that bruised her flesh, the pine needles and bits of bark entangled in her hair and the puff of her lower lip where she had bitten it, a drop of blood still welled there. He brushed it away with his own lips, wishing he could as easily heal her from the trauma she experienced.
He knew that the full impact of what she had been through hadn’t yet broken, and he was not looking forward to the storm. Colter wasn’t sure he had the strength to hear her rightful recriminations for his promise of safety and failure to deliver it.
Emily, leaning heavily on her walking stick, came down the stairs and paused at the foot of them. Elizabeth’s eyes were closed and she addressed her question to Colter.
“Is she injured?”
“Not that I can tell,” he answered, noticing the tremble in Emily’s voice and hands that betrayed her state. “I will tend to Elizabeth. And Nicole?”
“Rutha is bathing her. She wants her mother.” But she too noticed the damage done. “I’ll get some hot water and clean clothes. Together we’ll—”
“No. I’ll take care of her.”
His self-accusation was apparent in the look he gave her and in his voice. “You cannot blame yourself or anyone that this happened, Colter. I’m afraid that we grew lax in our vigilance. It is obvious we all underestimated Alma’s determination. I never thought she would find Elizabeth here with me.”
“Emily,” Colter softly warned, “you tell me not to blame myself, yet that is what I hear you doing. Blaming yourself.”
“No. I didn’t mean to do so. I was thinking of the cold Nicole had, and how with the weather’s turn to springlike warmth she infected us with a child’s natural need to be outside and free. I feel guilty, as I know Rutha and Josh do, that Nicole’s giving us no peace, made us toss out caution to quiet her.”
“Emily,” Elizabeth said after hearing all she could, “I don’t want anyone blaming themselves. Alma’s plan failed and that is all that matters. Now, where is Josh? He wasn’t hurt, was he?”
A Corner of Heaven Page 14