Romancing the Wilderness: American Wilderness Series Boxed Bundle Books 1 - 3

by Dorothy Wiley

  “But I’m fond of old Alexander the Great,” McGuffin said. “Alex and I have been through a lot together, me and him.”

  “Well it’s time to give the old boy a rest,” William said. “Switch horses and be quick about it, Sir.”

  For some time, they rode at a fast gallop, McGuffin’s older mount tied to the back of the handsome stallion Kelly’s father now rode.

  Before long, the gentle wind turned to determined gusts from the north, carrying drops of rain that slapped at the backs of their necks.

  Sam shouted to William. “The temperature will soon drop like a rock.”

  “The front of our mounts will be lathered from heat and their arses frozen,” Bear said.

  Bear was right. The sudden change in the temperature was not only hard on people it was especially bad for horses.

  The drops of rain turned to squalls and within minutes, they were all soaked to their skin. He wished he could do something to make it easier on Kelly. He measured her with an appraising look, wondering if she was up to coping with the storm. She seemed to be holding up all right, but he detected a slight quiver in her hands and the heavy rain forced her to keep her uncovered head facing the saddle. “Here, wear my hat,” he shouted, handing his tricorne to her.

  “It’s too big, I’m sure it will just blow off,” she yelled. “but I’ll try.” She placed the hat on her head and it seemed to fit snugly. She managed a smile at him and a shrug. “I guess I have a big head.”

  William thought she looked charming in his hat, her long wet hair hanging down both sides. The sight of her warmed his insides as no fire could, but the outside of him continued to grow unpleasantly chilled.

  The rain continued to pelt them, with the drops getting colder by the minute. William held one arm across his forehead and tried to shield his eyes in the crux of his elbow from the deluge’s constant barrage. His wool coat grew heavy on his back and his wet shirt felt like an icy second skin. Kelly didn’t even have a coat on. “Where’s your coat?” he called to her.

  She was trembling now. “In my bag, but it’s not really a coat. Just a jacket.”

  It had been so warm when they’d left, he hadn’t even thought about bringing his wool cloak. But he sincerely wished he could offer it to Kelly now. Before he could retrieve the jacket from her bag, the rain turned to hail and they rushed to find a bit of cover under the trees. But the wind was so high it whipped pieces of branches and leaves at them with nearly as much force as the hail. Kelly tried to cover her face with her bent arm.

  “We have to find shelter,” William yelled.

  “This squall will blow through soon. Then our real worries begin,” Sam replied.

  “Why?” Kelly asked, sounding worried.

  “Because that’s when the wind becomes even colder,” her father answered.

  Being wet was bad, but being cold and wet was serious, and combined with a strong wind, even dangerous. William twisted the reins in his hands nervously, worried Kelly would get sick and catch a fever. He glanced at her uneasily and his mind clouded with fear when he noticed her teeth chattering and her body trembling. He would do anything, fight anyone, to keep her safe, but how could he get her out of this weather? It’s impossible to fight the wind.

  Sam seemed to sense his disquiet. “Let’s head toward those boulders. Perhaps we can find a dry cave or at least a shelter against the wind. I’ll scout ahead,” he offered and took off.

  The rain was so heavy, William had a hard time keeping Sam in sight and the four of them struggled to keep up with his brother.

  Sam led them down a deer trail and then they crossed a gulley and started climbing upwards. The thick trees in the ravine offered some measure of shelter, but water was pouring through the layer of fall leaves covering the ground, making the surface slick. The higher they climbed, the more treacherous it became. Where was Sam taking them? Having spent so much time in the backwoods, his brother seemed to have a sixth sense in the wild. He would trust in Sam.

  To the sound of thunder, they wove their way through sandstone outcrops, which opened into a natural enclosure. The blustery wind instantly died down, blocked by the limestone cliffs surrounding them. But the icy rain continued unabated.

  Sam pressed on, searching to the left, and Bear joined him and began searching to the right. The three of them held back, waiting to see what the two men found, if anything. He was about to reach over and pull Kelly in front of him, to let his body warm her when Bear finally waved and shouted. He’d located an opening at the bottom of the cliff on the right. It looked like a cave entrance—wider at the top, narrower at the bottom, and large enough for a man to step through.

  Sam and Bear dismounted. As soon as the three of them reached his brothers, they stepped off their horses as well. Sam tied his gelding to a tree limb and then unsheathed his huge knife. He cut four branches from a small tree, sheltered from the rain under a nearby limestone outcrop. In the same spot, Bear collected a few old vines and McGuffin used a square of oiled canvas to gather up some dry leaves and tinder from under the overhang.

  William tied the other horses and then took Kelly’s arm and guided her out of the storm and into the cave opening, to wait for the others. He put his arm around her shoulder and drew her into his side.

  “What are they doing?” she asked, snuggling against his shoulder.

  The vigorous wind and cold had whipped color into her cheeks and her beauty made him just stare at her for a moment before he could answer. “They are gathering what we will need to make torches and a fire,” William finally answered. He wanted to kiss her, deep and long, and hold her soft curves against him, as he explored her luscious mouth. But with her father and his brothers just a few feet away, he had to be satisfied with just a look at her.

  “You’re ogling me like a fox looks at a chicken,” she teased.

  “Well, I have been called a Wyllie fox and I would like to taste…”

  Bear crowded under the opening with them. “Is it tall enough for a giant like me to enter?”

  “I believe so,” William said, grinning, “if you duck about a foot.”

  “We need to be sure there are no wolves or something else in there,” Sam said, joining them. “Animals will have sought escape from this storm too.”

  “Aye. And the Black Bear’s color makes it easy for them to hide in dark spaces,” Bear warned.

  McGuffin strode up and crammed into the opening as well. “I’ll go in first in case there’s a people eating varmint in there,” he volunteered.

  “Papa, no, there could be a Bear in there,” Kelly protested.

  “I’m the oldest and I’ll take the risk. I’ve dealt with many a bear in my day,” McGuffin said with just a hint of boastfulness. “If it’s clear, I’ll use my flint and this tinder and get a fire going quicker than you can spit. You men make up the torches in the meantime.” With that, Kelly’s father disappeared.

  “He’s got courage,” Sam said. “I’ll give him that much. William keep your rifle trained on the opening in case he comes running out with something chasing him.”

  William quickly grabbed his rifle and put fresh dry powder in the flintlock’s pan. Then he kept an eye on the opening while Kelly watched his brothers make torches by tightly winding the dry vines around the top of the tree branches Sam had cut.

  “Where did you learn to make those?” Kelly asked, rubbing her arms to stay warm.

  “From my father,” Sam answered.

  They had all learned a lot from their father. And from the way their father loved and honored their mother, they even learned how to treat a woman. William wanted to love and honor Kelly in the same way. He couldn’t resist a glance at her, marveling that she was now his wife.

  “I’m worried about my father,” Kelly told William after several minutes.

  “I’ll go in to check on him.” He quickly stepped toward the cave entrance, keeping his eyes pinned on the opening.

  Just as William was about to step inside the
hollow entrance, McGuffin yelled, “All clear in here. But you’re not going to believe what is in here.”

  After the men lit the torches with the small fire her father had just built toward the entrance, they entered the gloomy cavern. The top of the cave was just above her head. All the men stooped to keep from hitting their heads. Bear had to bend over at the waist.

  It smelled damp, earthy, and old. Exceedingly old. A tremor passed down her spine. It almost seemed like they were walking back in time.

  Kelly’s breathing quickened. She’d never been in a cave before and the thought of being under tons and tons of rock was terrifying. And their torches cast eerie black shadows on the rock walls. But William held her hand and it gave her the courage she needed.

  Whatever they faced, she could do it with him by her side.

  All of a sudden, the narrow tunnel widened and the men all straightened their backs. Then, after a few more yards, it opened upward. They found themselves standing in an enormous chamber and Kelly’s heart nearly stopped when she peeked up.

  Intricate draping deposits lined the walls in colorful cascades. Thousands of exceptionally beautiful rod-shaped formations, moist with the cave’s humidity, sparkled under the light of their torches.

  Kelly could barely breathe and her eyes widened in absolute soul-stunning awe.

  Some of the formations hung like glittering icicles, downward from the ceiling, while others appeared more like pillars growing from the floor. Several joined together to form complete columns. All the multi-colored formations shimmered and some were even luminous. It was a mystical ancient wonderland, hidden from people. It seemed magical and she almost expected fairies to come dancing out to greet them. Or angels spreading their wings in welcome.

  Her mouth hung open and she let go of William’s hand and stepped forward.

  A nearly spiritual aura surrounded them.

  Surely, this place was divine. Otherworldly. Ageless. Sacred.

  She could see a labyrinth of openings throughout the vast chamber, no doubt leading to more rooms filled with these amazing formations. One wall twinkled like a frozen silver waterfall, while another seemed to be nothing but clusters of little rocks that resembled shiny white pearls. And on one more, the rock unfurled gracefully, like spooled gold ribbon. She glanced back at William. He stood like a statue, motionless, his face frozen in wonder. Sam, Bear, and her father seemed equally amazed.

  “What is this?” she breathed. Her voice echoed in the hushed stillness.

  “Astonishing,” William said, holding his torch higher.

  “I heard Kentucky has beautiful caves like this all over the state,” Sam said. “I was hoping I could find one, but this greatly exceeds my expectations.”

  “This might exceed even God’s expectations,” Bear said. He let out a long audible breath.

  “We best be getting back to the fire before these torches give out,” McGuffin suggested.

  “He’s right,” Sam said, already turning back toward the entrance.

  “Oh, William, I wish we could stay,” Kelly said. Reverently, she surveyed the dazzling chamber, one last time.

  “We’ll come back, just the two of us,” William promised. “For now, we need to get you dry.”

  That reminded her how cold and damp she was. She’d totally forgotten the storm in the excitement of entering the cave and seeing this breathtaking cavern.

  When they reached the cave entrance, her father volunteered to go get more firewood. They would need a bigger fire to dry out their clothing.

  “I’ll fetch your bag. You can change into another gown,” William suggested.

  Kelly gave William’s tricorne back to him. “You’ll need this.”

  After William returned and the other men got the fire burning brightly near the cave opening, she dug around in her bag and hauled out a gown and jacket. The gown was an old one that Jane had given her, but at least it was dry. “All right, I’m going to change now,” she said, shivering. “You men turn your backs.”

  When William didn’t move and just stood there, arms crossed, she had to laugh. “Not yet, William Wyllie. You turn around this very minute.”

  William frowned and then obeyed her command. “Married and still denied,” he complained.

  “Stop yer whining,” Bear said, “there will be plenty of time for that when we get you newlyweds back to Boonesborough.”

  As soon as she finished changing, she spread her wet gown out to dry on the rocky ground. Keeping only their breeches on, the men began removing their accoutrements and most of their clothing. Sam’s shirt was made of fringed buckskin, while her father and Bear both wore sturdy hunting frocks. The linen fabric was heavy and durable, but unfortunately held onto water. William, however, still wore the fine clothing he’d worn to his swearing-in ceremony—a white linen shirt, with a lace cravat, a silver silk waistcoat with a dark blue wool coat trimmed with pewter buttons. She was amazed that the ceremony was just a day ago. So much had happened, it felt more like a month. Most importantly, she and William were now married. It seemed almost too good to be true. Yet it was true.

  As the men spread their garments out on the rocks to dry, she stood by the fire and turned her head over, letting her long hair tumble down. As she finger combed her hair trying to get it to dry, she couldn’t resist a peek at William’s bare broad chest and tight abdomen. He didn’t have even a hint of fat. Feeling quite naughty, she wished she could run her fingertips across his well-muscled body.

  “How long do you think it will rain,” Kelly asked, suddenly anxious to be on their way. After all, it was her wedding night and she wanted to be alone with William.

  They could hear the rain still falling like a waterfall outside the cave opening

  “No telling,” Sam answered. “It doesn’t appear to be letting up.”

  “Then let’s make a wee batch of coffee,” Bear suggested. “It will help warm us all.”

  “I’m not going out there again,” Sam said. “Cold and me stopped being agreeable years ago. I’m just starting to warm up.”

  “I’ll go,” McGuffin volunteered again. “I’ve got coffee and a small pot in my saddlebag.”

  When her father came back, they quickly made coffee with the rainwater he had collected in his pot before coming back inside the cave.

  Kelly went over to her father and sat down next to him, holding a rag she had pulled from her bag. She started wiping the rain from his dripping hair, but he nearly swatted her hand away.

  “No. I thank you, but I’ll dry off quick enough,” he said tersely. Then he sighed, stood, and moved away from her.

  “You’ve been drinking whiskey!” Her bitter voice echoed down the cold edges of the cave walls.

  Chapter 18

  McGuffin stared down at the damp ground and nodded, his shoulders pulled low. “I took just a swallow to warm me up,” he said. “No more than a small sip. I swear it.”

  “I thought you poured out all your whiskey,” William said, his voice accusing.

  “No, I poured out one jug, but I kept a second,” McGuffin confessed. “Just for medicinal purposes. Nothing like it to warm a man’s insides or clean a wound to keep it from festering.”

  “Sit down,” Sam ordered.

  Her father sat down, looking cowed by the Captain’s tone and commanding presence.

  Sam sat down next to him. “Sir, I’d enjoy a swallow myself right now and I’m sure Bear and William would too. But we’ll not tempt you by having it until we’re sure you’re strong enough to see it and not have an uncontrollable craving for it. That’s called respect. And you’ll not lie to us about stopping your drinking. That’s called honesty. I expect you to be honest and you can expect us to be respectful of your weakness. Because that’s just what it is—a weakness—not a flaw or fault. It’s just a weakness in your body. For some reason, you lack the ability to stop. To overcome your weakness, your mind will have to grow stronger. Frankly, it’s the only defense you have.”

  S
am’s words, though wise, embarrassed Kelly. This was her father and she was ashamed of him—mortified that he had lied to all of them. Frustrated too, because he was weak and his abstinence so short-lived. Would he become the mean, intimidating, spiteful man he’d been before? His evil twin? Her belly knotted as the thought filled her with regret and worry.

  She felt betrayed. A cold numbness unrelated to the weather crept through her. She’d held such hopes for her father. All her bitter disappointment in him seemed to return at once. Her eyes narrowed with her wrath. “You lied. You said you’d given up whiskey. You said you would be a better father.” She had managed to stop loathing him, but now, those negative feelings were returning full force and she hated that. She didn’t want to detest her father. She wanted to love him! Tears started to slip out of her burning eyes.

  McGuffin scrubbed a hand over his face, then looked up at Kelly. “As God is my witness, I shall make it up to you,” he swore. “I will be a better father. A better man. Captain Sam is right. I have to make my mind stronger than my body’s weakness.” He knelt and held his head in his hands.

  William sat down next to her father. In a gruff challenging voice Kelly had not heard him use before, he said, “You just told God and all of us what kind of man you want to be. If you go back on your word one more time and hurt Kelly again, you’ll have me to answer to, not God, and I won’t be as merciful.”

  Kelly swallowed the knot in her throat and swiped the tears off her cheeks. She hated that her father had dampened—far more than the rain ever could—what should be the happiest day of her life.

  Her father stood and moved closer to her. Kelly backed up a step. She had no desire to be near him.

  “Kelly, please girl. I know you are saddened by this. I’ve let you down again. But give me one more chance to earn back your love. I won’t disappoint you again. It hurts me too much.” He laid a hand against his chest.

  Kelly looked to William but he gave no indication about what she should say. He knew it was her decision and she appreciated that he recognized it. She studied her father’s imploring face. He appeared sincere, but could she trust him? It saddened her that she even had to ask herself the question. “All right, one more chance Papa. No more.”