by Kit Morgan
There were four men left standing. But Mr. Berg knew without a doubt, the Scotsman would have no problem. Wounded or not.
He nodded to the Scot and took off down the passage to rescue young Madeline.
Mrs. Dunnigan watched as the big Scot smiled, spit on his hands, then said. “Now laddies, is that really all ye’ve got?”
She stood then, ladle at the ready, to do her part.
* * *
“Good Lord! I feel like we’re in one of mother’s Penny Dreadfuls!” Colin quipped.
They were tied hand and foot and crammed together on the swinging bench. The ropes holding it creaked from even the slightest movement, the device not made to hold the weight of three such men. It being made for a single transport.
“Colin,” Duncan began. “Stop moving.”
“Sadie, are you hurt?” Harrison asked while trying to stay as still as possible.
She lay bound in the same spot Cozette had lain earlier. The outlaws took her off the bench, gagged her again, and set her where she was. But none of them said one word about the missing Cozette. Apparently Thackary Holmes was behind it all and had hired the gang to do his dirty work. Why else would they not say anything about a missing captive?
She nodded, tears in her eyes. Like herself, too much movement could send the three brother’s to their deaths. Only it wasn’t just a balancing act they had to do. They had to pray the smaller ropes would hold their weight.
“Now ain’t this a pretty sight?” Jeb asked as he entered the cave and went to stand at the edge of the hole.
All three Cookes narrowed their eyes at their captor. It was a lucky thing for Jeb the brothers were bound as they were and hung percariously over a gaping hole. Jeb knew it too and laughed as he grabbed the same pole used to shove Sadie about.
Sadie began to struggle wildly and screamed into the gag. Jeb turned slightly and looked over his shoulder at her. “Now don’t be wasting all your strength now, ya hear? Your gonna need it in a minute. Remember that good time you owe me?”
Sadie sobbed and shook her head.
“Hmmm, I bet the thought of someone like me having my way with this pretty little thing makes you boys mad as a rattler don’t it?” Jeb taunted.
Harrison seethed. “Don’t you dare lay a hand on her!”
Jeb laughed. “You fellas are polite even when you make threats! Must be your wife. You’re the first one to speak up.”
Harrison could only watch helplessly. If they moved too much it could mean the end.
“Well, lets see how long you can sit still while I collect what the lady owes me.”
“Owes you? She owes you nothing, you cur!” Harrison spat.
“Oh but she does. If it weren’t for you, I’d a had her a long time ago.”
Harrison’s face screwed up in confusion for a scant second, then comprehension dawned. His entire body tensed.
“Don’t move, Harrison!” Duncan warned.
“Looks like it’s all comin back to you now, ain’t it? You know your step brothers were very good at what they done when they worked for me. All that cattle rustling, and then the way they framed your two brothers here for it. I have to admit it was a regular piece of art! It truely upset me when I found out Jack and Sam got themselves caught.”
“You!” Colin began then froze. The ropes creaked and a tiny snapping sound could be heard from somewhere above them. Colin stilled his breathing and started again. “You were behind it all along!”
Jeb smiled. “And still am, boys, in a manner of speaking. Mostly this time around I’m afraid I’m just the hired help. But it isn’t without it’s perks.” He set down the pole, reached for Sadie, and pulled her to her feet. “Now, let’s see how still you boys can sit there while you watch me collect the debt this little lady owes me...”
* * *
Cozette struggled against Thackary as he made his way down the other side of the ridge. The trail was faint, but a lot easier going than the way the others went the moment they heard Sadie scream. Besides, he knew of the trail. That traitor Jeb had told him about it when he drew him the lay out of the caves at their last meeting. But the outlaws were to keep the Triple C’s stolen cattle hidden in caves. Steel enough to cripple the ranch so none of the brothers wanted to have anything to do with the title and estate and hand it over to Thackary. Kidnapping the women was not in the plan.
But he’d deal with that later. In the mean time he jumped at the chance to make himself out to be the hero, get rid of the Cooke brothers, and make off with a wife in the process and beat the old Duke’s deadline. He’d heard Jeb and his men plan their ambush just outside the cave, then go in and get Sadie Cooke to scream enough to lure the Cookes up. A good plan. He should have thought of it himself. But right now he had other problems. For one, he was getting tired.
He stopped, his breathing heavy, and set Cozette down. “I’m terribly sorry, Miss Duprie. But even as slight a load as you are, I’m afraid you’re going to have to run the rest of the way.”
He pulled a small knife out of his pocket and cut her bonds. She immediately jumped to her feet and began to scramble back up the trail.
“Wait!” Thackary shouted after her as he dove. He got her around the waist and pulled her down. They both tumbled a few feet then came to a stop.
“Don’t be a fool, Miss Duprie! Those outlaws will kill you the moment they see you! You must let me help you escape!”
She shook her head as he grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her to her feet. She struggled and tried to head back the way they came.
“I understand your concern for Mrs. Cooke, but her husband will come to her aid! Now stop it or I’ll truss you up and carry you again if I have to!”
She stopped and looked at him, her eyes suddenly wide. It took a moment for Thackary to realize she wasn’t looking at him. She was looking behind him.
Cozette’s lovely face was the last thing Thackary saw, just before everything went black.
* * *
Jeb cut the rope binding Sadie’s ankles. He then dragged her a few feet to where he could take her directly in front of Harrison and his brothers. She screamed into the gag, she cried, but no one would hear her. But none of it was for herself and what Jeb planned for her. No. It was for Harrison and his brothers. They were surely going to die.
She bucked and kicked at Jeb who laughed at her struggles in amusement.
“Stop it!” Harrison yelled as he began to pull at his bonds.
The ropes above them snapped again. The bench dropped a few inches to one side.
“Harrison! Stop! There’s nothing we can do!” Colin cried.
“Sadie!” His voice was beyond desperate at this point. He was going to have to sit there and watch his wife be raped before his eyes, and not be able to do a thing about it.
Jeb unbound her wrists from behind her then rebound them in front of her. No amount of kicking and struggling helped and she quickly began to tire. He then threw her to the ground and straddled her, a knee on either side of her hips. “I’m going to enjoy this.”
He took off his gun belt and tossed it to the side. He then began to take off his belt. “In fact, I think I’ll enjoy you for Jack and Sam as well. How does that sound?”
“That sounds like I’ve heard enough.”
Click.
Everyone froze. From Sadie’s vantage point all she could see was a gun barrel pointed at Jeb’s head. She turned and looked at Harrison, Duncan and Colin as they stared in open mouthed shock. It was then Cozette ran into the cave.
She took one look at the brothers and stopped short. Her entire body shuddered, her mouth opened, and...
“Dun...can!” Came out a barely recognizable rasp. But she’d said it. She spoke his name.
“Cozette!” Duncan cried.
The rope snapped again. The bench dropped another few inches. The three brother’s gasped at the sudden movement and froze.
“Cozette, take my gun. Shoot this filth if he moves.”
&n
bsp; Jefferson Cooke handed her his gun then quickly looked about for whatever he could find to save his step sons.
The rope snapped again, the distinct sound of it rapidly unwinding could now be heard overhead. Jefferson threw one of the wooden planks across the hole, then another just as the bench lurched to one side. Harrison and Colin managed to land on the planks but Duncan had a harder time of it. He wobbled as his knees hit the planks, it obvious he was going to lose his battle with the balancing act.
“Duncan!” Cozette screamed, much clearer this time, as she threw down the gun and picked up the pole Jeb had discarded earlier. She pushed Duncan with it enough to help him right himself as Jeb jumped up and ran.
Jefferson ignored him and carefully stepped onto the planks to help guide the brothers off. He pulled out a knife, cut the ropes that bound their ankles then helped them up. “Easy now, boys. Let’s get you off this thing.”
They stood carefully, inched their way off the planks and got themselves onto solid ground. Harrison immediately went to Sadie, not caring his hands were still bound behind his back. Jefferson cut him loose first, then went to free the others.
Duncan was last to be freed. He grabbed Cozette to him and held her close. Both of them shuddered at the contact. He then looked down at her, and without saying anything, kissed her with everything he had.
Colin stared at Jefferson, his mouth half open in shock. “I dare say, where did you come from?”
“I lit out with the rest of the posse. Just that none of you took notice.” Jefferson said gruffly.
All three brothers stood and stared at their step father.
“Well what are you all looking at? Why wouldn’t I come help? I’m a Cooke ain’t I?”
Harrison was the first to say something, a tear in his eye. “Yes, you are. You most certainly are!” He grabbed his step father to him and hugged him.
Duncan and Colin were next to do the same as Sadie and Cozette found and held onto each other, both still very much shaken from the whole ordeal.
“Seems I owe you boys an apology,” Jefferson began. “All this time I thought it was you three that was messing things up. But turns out it was Jack and Sam all along. Problem was, I was too plumb drunk to notice. Guess it took me drying out a little and... well.. letting myself feel something to be able to see the truth.”
Sheriff Hughes suddenly ran into the cave. “Everything all right in here?”
“Fine.” Jefferson said. “Everything’s just fine now, ain’t it boys?”
Duncan, Colin and Harison nodded solemly as they continued to stare at Jefferson. His words just sinking in. At long last, it looked like they could be a family again.
“You get that fella that ran outta here?” Jefferson asked the Sheriff.
“Got him. And most of the rest of the gang. Seems they’ve got themselves quite the operation. Found your missing cattle in a cave down below along with Mrs. Dunnigan. That MacDonald fella done rounded up most of the gang single handed. I’ve never seen anything like it. He had most of them stripped to their underwear and trussed up like a bunch of rabbits! Funniest thing I ever saw.”
“What about Mrs. Van Zuyen and Madeline?” Sadie asked. What happened to them?”
Sheriff Hughes suddenly took on a horrified look. “Good grief, I have no idea!”
* * *
If there was one thing Andel Berg loved it was a good fight. If there was one thing Andel liked better than a good fight it was the prize at the end. And over the years, Andel had won his fair share of prizes. Not that he always won, he didn’t. There were fights he could recall where he’d made mistakes and lost. But this fight he had to win, this particular prize, the most precious of all.
Andel was fighting for the life of a woman. But not just any woman.
They had her hands bound behind her back and a knife to her throat. Young Madeline Van Zuyen had to be no more than eighteen, if that. Her eyes were red and swollen from crying, her face bruised from where one of the men struck her.
“We know you’re out there!” One man called into the darkness around them. They had a single torch. One that didn’t come close to illuminating the vast darkness that swallowed them up the moment they entered the vast cavern.
“Yeah,” The other man began. “You come any closer and we’ll cut her throat! You hear me?”
Their voices echoed eerily off the cavern walls. Andel searched the ground near his feet for something to use to take advantage of it.
“Looks like your rescuer done left you to fend for yourself.” The man holding the knife to her throat hissed. “Too bad for you. Guess he figured you weren’t worth it. And after we’re done with ya, you won’t be.”
“Unless of course you can cook like that one lady done. Woo wee! That was something!” The other laughed.
“Can you cook little lady? Can you make something hot and tasty?” He dug the knife into her throat and grabbed at her body.
Madeline cried out and automatically kicked him.
He took the knife from her throat, spun her around and tried to kiss her. She struggled against him as he got a hand in her hair to keep her still. She cried out in frustration which only served to make both men laugh at her futile attempts. They then began to tear at her clothing.
Madeline screamed.
Then everything happened at once.
What sounded like a gunshot echoed through out the cavern. But it wasn’t a gun shot, it didn’t sound loud enough. Or was it? Another came, and another.
“What is that?” One of the men cried just before something came out of no where to hit him with rock hard force. Or in this case, a rock hitting him with the force of Andel Berg.
It felled the man instantly.
The other looked about himself, then at the torch they'd stuck into a crevice in the rock. Or at least where it once was. Something hit it and sent it hurtling to the ground, dimming the light considerably.
“Stay away! Stay away or I’ll kill her!”
But before he could so much as raise the knife to Madeline’s throat, something hit him in the back of the head. The knife dropped out of his hand just before he too, was felled.
Madeline stood in the dim light, her dress torn in several places, her body shaking uncontrollably when he came out of the darkness. He was a giant of a man, and approached her as if she was the most precious piece of china. He looked about to make sure there were no more men, glanced at the two on the cave floor, then looked right at her. But it was what he spoke that sent Madeline to her knees.
“Are you all right, your Highness?”
Did she hear him right?
“Don’t be frightened. I know who you are. Both you and your mother.”
She was speechless a moment. What was he talking about? Not only that but where was he from? He had an accent much like her mother's. She shook her head in confusion.
He straightened as he ever so carefully approached. Was he afraid she might disappear?
“You don’t know, do you? Your mother never told you?” He asked as he finally reached her.
“Told me what? Who are you?” She finally asked.
“I’m Andel Berg, Princess. And I was sent to this country to find you."
Madeline didn’t know who he was or what he was talking about. She didn’t know anything after that. Everything suddenly disappeared into a sphere of blissful blackness.
And on the Thirty-third day, with five days to spare...
“I do.”
They were only two words, but they were the loveliest two words Duncan had ever heard. And his precious Cozette had uttered them loud and clear, all on her own.
“I now pronounce you man and wife!” Josiah King said loud enough for everyone to hear. Then a little lower, “You may kiss the bride.”
And Duncan did. And would have liked to have kept on kissing her only everyone in the church started cheering and throwing hats in the air. Several gun shots rent the air outside the church which Duncan took as his cue to make their
way to the wedding wagon.
They ran beneath a cascade of flowers, rice and who knows what else as they hurried to the wagon. Duncan briefly recalled the last time he approached the same wagon not a month ago. Who would have thought his life could change so dramatically in such a short time? Or that he would now be married to the the woman of his dreams?
“Congratulations,” Colin began. “Your, Grace.” He finished with a bow.
And who would have thought he would become the next Duke of Stantham? But here he was. And he had better get used to it.
Duncan sighed. “Don’t start. There will be enough of that later as it is.”
“You might as well get in some practice, old boy.” Harrison put in. “You’ll be putting it to use soon enough.”
“I have time. And Cozette’s lessons have to take place first.”
Cozette smiled up at her new husband. “I... look forward... to them.”
Her speech was still stifled. But her words came closer together every day. Duncan didn’t care how far apart some of her words were so long as they came out. Her voice was pure Heaven, and affected those around her much the same as Mrs. MacDonald’s had. It had a wonderful soothing quality to it and was down right beautiful. When Duncan heard her hum for the first time, he thought he’d go mad.
Too bad the MacDonalds and other settlers couldn’t stay for the wedding. But once the supplies from Oregon City came, they got what they needed and pushed on. Only two days after the outlaw gang kidnapped the women from the dance. All of which were fairly well recovered. Except Madeline Van Zuyen who had a harder time after the ordeal and was ordered to stay in bed by her mother. Rescued in the nick of time by Mr. Berg she had kept to herself since then and spoke to no one. For whatever reason, Mr. Berg sulked about as well and came to the Triple C as often as he could to help out with the stock. Sadie and Belle of course, were convinced he had an eye for Madeline and perhaps they were right.
As to Mrs. Van Zuyen, Mr. Duprie rescued her in the nick of time as well, and unlike her daughter, she’d been kept busy helping Cozette regain her speech. Having been a head mistress and being well educated in etiquette, she took it upon herself to coach Cozette in the social graces over the next few months before she and Duncan left for London. After all, it wouldn’t do to present the new Duchess of Stantham as a buckskin clad huntress. At least not without knowing a few good table manners. In fact the more Duncan thought about it, the more fun he thought it would be to take along her buckskins, bow and arrows. But then perhaps fun wasn’t the right word.