Shelter in Seattle

by Jean Kincaid; Rhonda Gibson

  Julianne placed her hand over his. “Uncle Edmond, don’t give up. We’ll get you out of here and you’ll be good as new.”

  He coughed once more. His eyes drifted shut, and with his last breath he said. “That’s not going to happen, Julie girl.” His hand slid from her face and landed on the ground.

  The sound of boots at the entrance of the cave announced Marcus’s return. Julianne gently slid out from under her uncle. She rested his head on the ground and gently lifted the baby into her shaking arms. Tears blinded her and rolled down her cheeks. A flash of wild grief ripped through her. Her uncle had not treated her kindly, and most of her life she’d feared him, but he was family.

  “We’re leaving.” Marcus grabbed his bag and the one Edmond had been carrying.

  Julianne stood her ground. “I’m not going anywhere with you.” She clung tightly to the baby.

  Marcus growled in the back of his throat. “Yes, you are.”

  She shook her head at him and stepped backwards.

  He was on her in a heartbeat. “I said we are going.” Marcus ground out the words through clinched teeth. His fingers bit into her arm as he dragged her from the cave.

  “Where are you taking me?” Julianne tried to dig her feet into the cave floor.

  Marcus jerked on her arm harder. “We’re being followed. I’m trying to get you to safety.”

  Julianne was tired, sore and her heart ached at her recent loss. She didn’t understand why she did it, but she laughed. “Get me to safety?” She fell to the ground on her knees.

  He was at her side in a flash. When Julianne didn’t attempt to get up, Marcus thrust the knife under her chin. “See this?”

  Laughter continued to spill from her body as she rocked back and forth. “Yeah, I see it. But, I don’t think you will kill me, Marcus. If you had wanted to kill me, I’d already be dead. So put that away.” The words poured from her lips. Julianne wondered if exhaustion could be the reason she didn’t care what he did to her now.

  Marcus jerked the baby from her arms. “You’re right. I plan to sell you to one of the ships captains.” He turned the knife on the baby.

  “No!” The word shuddered through the breath that caught in her throat. “I’ll go.” She added a little more calmly.

  “I thought so.” Marcus yanked her to her feet.

  They walked for what seemed like hours, but in actuality couldn’t have been more than fifteen or twenty minutes. They entered a clearing where the trees had little underbrush, and Marcus began to run at a fast clip, his tight grip on Julianne’s upper arm propelling her along beside him. They ran until the underbrush thickened again and began to scratch through her long dress, tearing her petticoat. Her sides ached, and her stomach heaved. “Marcus, please, I can’t run any more.”

  He stopped. His gaze searched the trees. “We’ll rest here—but only for a few moments.” His hard eyes warned her not to try to escape.

  Fear gripped her heart. Julianne sat down on a boulder by a large tree. In the evening dusk, she couldn’t make out what type of tree it was, and she really didn’t care. “Marcus, please let me have my baby back. I’ll go with you.”

  Marcus thrust the baby into her arms and sank down at her feet. His eyes searched the woods around them.

  She checked the baby to make sure he wasn’t injured. He grabbed her finger and sucked on it. “Oh, you poor thing.” Julianne cooed.

  “Be quiet.” Marcus hissed.

  “Who do you think is following us?” Julianne whispered as she clutched the baby closer to her. The thoughts that maybe Caleb was out there made her heart quicken.

  “We’re not far from an Indian village. If you’re a smart girl, you’ll keep quiet. Haven’t you heard what they do to pretty little white girls?”

  Julianne had heard the stories of tribes taking captives and turning them into slaves. She’d heard many tales of horrors that the Indian men did to white women. But, she also knew Morning Star, and Julianne couldn’t imagine her people being that cruel.

  They sat in silence for several minutes. The sounds of small animals rustling through the leaves and grass filled the evening air.

  Julianne tucked the baby’s blanket around her shoulders and cuddled him close to keep him warm.

  “Marcus, why did you kill my uncle?”

  Her question seemed to amuse him. “Why do you think?”

  “I don’t know. I thought you would let him live; at least until he paid you.” She patted the baby’s back.

  “I guess it won’t hurt none to tell you. While you were out, I checked his bag and found all the money. I didn’t need him anymore.” He tipped his head and looked up into the foliage blocking what little light was left of the evening.

  Julianne’s tired mind spun with questions. How could he kill in cold blood? How many times had he killed? She knew he would have killed her already, if he didn’t think the captain of the ship would pay handsomely for her.

  “What do you care anyway?” He sneered.”Wasn’t like he was yer fav’rit uncle or nothing. He slapped you around worse’n my old man did me.”

  Julianne rocked the baby from side to side. “He was my uncle.”

  Marcus laughed, “Yea, he told me he didn’t think you had it in ya to run off the way you did. Especially since he stole all yer money.”

  “I forgave him for that. I would have loved to have seen him make it back home to my aunt and cousins.”

  “Now don’t ya go spouting that religious stuff ta me ‘bout forgiveness. I tried me that when I married my first wife. So purdy she was and loved to go to Sunday meeting. I thought about it and figered it was a better way of life than my Pa had, so I started going with her to the services.” He leaned his head back against the tree.

  “But the whole time I was a’trying to live better, she was seeing another man. Ever’ day she told me she had to drive just outside town to tend her sick mama, but it was all lies. She left on the stage one day; with the preacher man. That’s when I found out. Decided right then and there that there’d be no more religion fer me. No siree.”

  Julianne saw a frown settle deep into his features and sought for a plausible answer to soothe the anger, betrayal, and hurt she knew lay buried in this man’s soul. It did not escape her tired mind that once again, lies had taken away a persons happiness, leaving in its place an empty broken shell. She’d noticed that with each word he spoke, Marcus dropped more letters in words. It was like he was reliving a time when he’d been younger.

  She pulled her thoughts back to the problem at hand. What could she say to him? Her uncle was dead but there was still a chance for her and Marcus to grow whole again. “Marcus, when you tried out religion with your wife, did you give your heart to the Lord?” Julianne kept her voice low and purposefully nonchalant.

  “Naw, I reckon not. I was a workin up to it, but when Daisy left, it came to me that ever’thing she ever said about religious stuff was pro’bly a lie, just like all the other stuff that came outta her mouth. Since that day, I been a’takin what I wanted and killing anything that got in my way.”

  A hand, massive and strong clamped down on her knee.

  “And I be a’thinkin that it’s time I take what you got to offer, and I don’t mean no religion.”

  Julianne stiffened, bracing herself for the fight she knew approached like a raging fire. She cast a fearful look down at Marcus. She gasped.

  The largest rattler Julianne had ever seen lay coiled a few inches from his hip. He turned his head to see what had captured her attention, and jumped up at the same time the snake struck.

  Its fangs sank into Marcus’s calf. He yelled and swung his leg back and forth.

  Julianne jumped off the boulder and ran.

  Chapter 18

  Caleb couldn’t believe his eyes. The scene in front of him seemed to unfold in slow motion.

  The poisonous snake dropped from Marcus’s leg and coiled to strike again. This time it buried it’s fangs in his ankle.

  Ru
ns Swiftly threw his knife and pinned the snakes head with the tip of the blade.

  Julianne tripped over a branch and stumbled into the tree trunk. She cradled the baby against her. Caleb watched her eyes widen as he ran to her. Her face turned to ash, and she fainted into his arms. He lowered her gently to the ground.

  Runs Swiftly came to stand beside Caleb and Julianne. “She is hurt?”

  The baby let out a soft whimper and Runs Swiftly lifted the infant from the tangled folds of Julianne’s dress.

  Caleb knelt beside Julianne. Her bottom lip was bruised and cracked. A small trickle of blood had dried in the corner. One eye was swollen. He quickly ran his hands over her arms and legs. “I don’t think she has any serious injuries.” He smiled up at Runs Swiftly, thankfulness winging its way through his veins.

  The Indian man stood holding the baby Julianne had carried. His face paled, and then his dark eyes blinked with disbelief.

  “What’s wrong?”

  Runs Swiftly raised his head and stared down at Julianne. “Your woman had Little Eagle.”

  Marcus moaned, drawing the men’s attention.

  Runs Swiftly gently placed the infant into Caleb’s arms. He walked to the snake and pulled his knife out of the reptile’s head. In one swift motion he ended Marcus’s pain then turned back toward Julianne.

  Caleb saw the anger and mistrust in his friend’s eyes. He quickly stood and braced to protect Julianne.

  Runs Swiftly stopped and extended his arms for the child. The baby whimpered as Caleb handed the child back.

  “I don’t understand, Runs Swiftly.”

  Caleb watched the softening in the expression on the warrior’s face as he gazed down at the infant, then his features became more animated.

  “I must get Little Eagle back to my sister. You will care for your wife, alone?”

  “You’re leaving me?” Puzzled by the abrupt change in Runs Swiftly’s mood, Caleb’s brain failed to comprehend what he said.

  Sure that Julianne was no longer in danger Caleb returned to her side. He smoothed the hair from her forehead.

  “While you slept in the night, Mountain Boy, from our village came with the news that our village was attacked yesterday. Our warriors were out on a hunt and only the older men were in camp. Several of them were wounded and my sister’s baby, Little Eagle was taken. My tribe will be happy to see that this child lives.”

  Caleb had been aware of Runs Swiftly’s silence most of the day. Now he knew why. “I’m sorry. But, surely you know that Julianne would never have taken part in something like that. “

  “No, I believe the man did it.” Runs Swiftly carried the baby to his horse. “Little Eagle needs his mother’s milk.” He mounted the horse in one swift motion and turned to go. “Morning Star will bring your son to you.”

  “Thank you.”

  The Indian nodded and left.

  Julianne groaned. One eye opened slowly. The swollen eye remained shut. She focused on his face and began to cry.

  “It’s okay, Sweetheart. You’re safe now.”

  She struggled to sit up. Her hands touched his cheeks. “You’re alive?”

  Caleb laughed with relief. “Of course, I’m alive.”

  “Marcus said ...” Her gaze jerked to the tree where Marcus’s still body lay. “Is he ...?”

  He pulled her face toward him. “He’s dead.”

  As if she suddenly remembered, Julianne franticly searched the ground around her. “The baby, where’s the baby?” Tears formed as she searched the area for the child.

  “Julianne.” Caleb drew her attention back to himself. When he was sure he had her full attention once more he continued. “The baby is fine. Runs Swiftly just left with him. He needs nourishment.”

  Julianne cradled his face in trembling hands. “I thought you were dead. My Uncle said he would kill the baby if I didn’t go with him. Marcus killed my uncle.”

  Caleb pulled her to him. “I know.” His gaze moved to Marcus. What kind of man threatened and hurt a woman? It was a question that would never be answered for him. He pulled his wife into his embrace and held her tight.

  His strong hands rubbed her back. His rich voice soothed, offering words of comfort, while his heart beat strongly under her cheek.

  ****

  Julianne clung to his shirt. Deep sobs racked her insides, fear and anxiety slowly releasing their tenacious holds on her body. Her tears drenched the front of his shirt. She didn’t ever want to leave his strong arms. Now that they were together again, Julianne decided she never wanted to be where Caleb was not.

  He eased her from his arms. “Julianne, we need to get out of here before the light fades. Can you stand?” He put his hands under her elbows and helped her to her feet. “Stay right here for a moment while I tend to a few things.”

  He walked to the body, and she watched him checked for a pulse on Marcus. She turned away and walked to the horse, unable to stomach the sight before her.

  “Let’s go home.” Caleb moved the horse a few steps away for better mounting.

  “Home,” she sighed. Her body ached and her eyelids felt heavy.

  Caleb waited beside the animal. “Sweetheart, we have to get on the horse.”

  What if this was a dream? It had to be a dream. Caleb had never called her sweetheart. What if he wasn’t real? She hurried to him, fear causing her to voice the panic in her mind. “Don’t leave me, Caleb.”

  “I’m not going to leave you.” He hugged her close, his breath fanning her cheek. He brushed a gentle kiss across her forehead.

  The warmth in his voice assured her. She released her hold on him. He made a stirrup with his hands. She put one foot in his hand and allowed him to give her a lift up on the horse.

  Caleb swung up behind her and took the rope in his hands, resting his arms on either side of her body. Julianne leaned back against him and enjoyed his warmth. If this was a dream, she prayed she’d never wake up.

  “We’ll be home soon.” He assured her.

  She felt as though she was forgetting something, but her tired mind refused to focus. The warmth of Caleb surrounded and comforted her. Sleep pulled at her. Her eyelids grew heavy.

  Then she remembered.

  Julianne sat up and pulled away from Caleb’s warmth. “Oh, Caleb. Where is Jonathan?” She cried.

  He gently pulled her back against him. “Jonathan is fine. Morning Star has him. Don’t worry; he’s safe, Julianne.”

  “You met Morning Star?” Dread filled her tired mind. She had wanted to be the one to tell him everything. More tears ran silently down her face. “I’m sorry.” She whispered.

  He placed his head on top of hers. “So am I, Julianne.”

  Julianne couldn’t fight the fatigue any longer. She was frozen in limbo where all decisions and actions were impossible to make. She was aware that Caleb spoke softly to her, but his words didn’t register on her dizzied senses. Gradually his voice drifted into a hushed whisper, and she fell asleep.

  ****

  Caleb cradled his wife in his arms. Even dirty, she smelled of lavender. He rested his head on hers and inhaled deeply. Oh heavenly Father, he couldn’t even whisper the words, they were a groan from his soul, thank you, thank you, oh how my heart does thank you. Tears ran rivulets down his cheeks; cleansing tears of relief and joy.

  By the time they reached the cabin, the first streaks of dawn spanned out over the heavens, pinkish in its hue.

  He was tired and sore, but he had to admit he was a happy man. His wife was safe and resting in his arms.

  As he rode into the yard, Maggie ran out to meet him. “I’m so glad you’re back! I have been worried sick.”

  He nuzzled Julianne’s hair one last time. “Sweetheart, wake up. We’re home.”

  She stirred in his arms, and then snuggled deeper into his chest.

  “How is she?” Maggie stood beside the horse looking up at them.

  Caleb shifted Julianne’s weight. “She’s tired. I don’t think she’s slep
t at all in the last five days.”

  “We’ll have her in her nice warm bed in no time.” Maggie’s loud voice carried on the morning mists.

  Julianne pulled herself from the deep sleep. She straightened up and looked down on Maggie. Then she burst into tears.

  “Now, now, let’s get you down from there.” Maggie soothed, as Caleb lowered Julianne until she was within Maggie’s warm embrace.

  As soon as her feet touched soil, Julianne fell into Maggie’s arms and sobbed. “It was awful, Maggie.”

  The older woman drew her into the house. “I’m sure it was, child.” She made a couple of clicking noises with her tongue.

  “What you need is a nice, hot bath.” She eased Julianne into the rocker and headed outside for the washtub.

  Julianne sat, her mind in limbo, her energy reserves depleted. From somewhere deep in her soul, there was rejoicing that she was safe from harm inside her cozy home. The Lord had taken care of her. His grace had been sufficient.

  Maggie dragged the metal bathtub into the kitchen. “Caleb’s taking care of the livestock and said he’d be in later.”

  “I’ll help bring in the water.” Julianne stood slowly. Every muscle in her body ached. A soak in hot water would do her a world of good.

  “You’ll do no such thing. There’s fresh coffee on the stove. Why don’t you pour us a cup? I’ll get the water going, and then you can tell me all about your adventures.”

  Julianne limped to the stove and filled two cups with hot coffee as Maggie carried the water inside. While the water heated she told Maggie about her uncle and her life before she came to Washington. Then, she told her about the abduction and the time that she’d spent with Marcus and her uncle.

  Maggie poured the heated water into the tub. “Well, it’s all over now, and you’re home safe. Here, let me help you climb into this bath and soak some of those worries away. I’m going to go check on that man of yours. It’s time I tell him I was wrong and you aren’t expecting a wee one any time soon.” She closed the door behind her as Julianne eased into the tub.