“Miss Landon, you have exceptional talent.” He wished the tone of his voice hadn’t deepened just then.
“Thank you.”
Her face flamed brighter as she looked everywhere else but at him. Finally, when she met his stare, her green eyes darkened. She was breathtaking.
“Here.” He handed her a bottle of quinine. “This is for you to take only if you get jungle fever. All you need to do is drink a couple of swallows of this, and within hours, you’ll feel better.”
“Will I be able to tell if I have jungle fever?” she asked.
“Yes. You will start hallucinating and you’ll be extremely ill. But don’t worry. I’ll be able to tell if you have contracted the fever.”
Nodding, she closed her fingers around the bottle. Their fingers brushing against each other caused his insides to burn. Perhaps he’d already caught the fever. Why else would he get so warm every time they were this close?
A gentle smile broke across her face as she turned to her pack and set the bottle inside. Her gaze moved across his face, stirring desire in him he wished hadn’t taken root. When her attention was drawn to something over his shoulder, he was relieved. Confusion wrinkled her brow and she pointed at something in the distance.
“What is that?” Standing, she shaded her hand over her eyes and squinted. “Why do those trees look so oddly shaped?”
Felix stood and swung around to see what she was pointing at. His heart sank as panic consumed him. Howler monkeys hung from the tall trees; all of them still as they watched the group on the boat move closer. These wild animals were easily agitated and could make their journey miserable, especially because the boat was nearly underneath these trees, slowly moving nearer.
He glanced at Katrina’s wide, curious eyes. He needed to protect her, but where could he hide her here on the barge?
He prayed she wouldn’t do anything to irritate the wild creatures.
WHEN FELIX DIDN’T ANSWER Katrina right away, she looked at him. Worry etched his expression as his mouth grew tight. Although his stare was fixed on the trees, he crept closer to her. In fact, everyone on the boat seemed to move as slow as turtles, heading toward their weapons.
“Mr. Knightly?” she whispered only for his ears. “What is wrong?”
He turned toward her and grasped her wrist. His hold wasn’t tight, but his actions still worried her.
“What you see in those trees are howler monkeys,” he spoke in a low tone.
His voice was calm, yet his expression didn’t match the tone. “Howler monkeys?” she asked. “That’s an odd name.”
Extremely hairy and mostly brown in color, they were indeed odd looking primates. Their snouts were short and stubby, and the nostrils were wide and round. It was their heads that had her really studying the creatures, because their faces appeared almost...orange. At first she wondered if they had all been slapped with orange paint, but then she realized that was what they were supposed to look like. Their tails were longer than their bodies, and were the very things keeping them attached to the tree branches, while their hands and feet clutched different branches—almost forming a spider web. Many of them filled one tree alone, yet it seemed that all the trees held about the same amount of monkeys.
“I’ve never seen anything quite like it before,” she continued. “I suppose they are cute in an odd sort of way—”
“Listen closely,” he cut her off with a slow but steady voice. “Do not make any sudden movements. You might think they are cute, but they are easily irritated. Making them upset is not wise, because they have been known to attack humans.”
A surprised gasp stuck in her throat. They would attack? They looked harmless. But as she watched his crew cautiously prepare for the battle they thought could possibly happen, she realized she’d better follow Felix’s warning this time.
She wondered if she’d get another sight. In fact, she almost wished for one, only so she could prepare herself. But so far, nothing flashed in her mind.
“Attack?” her voice squeaked out.
“Mostly they will urinate or fling their um...waste...on us. However, there have been a few times I’ve witnessed them springing out of the trees and physically beating a person to death.”
“Oh, dear.”
He loosened his grip on her arm. “Stay by me and I’ll protect you. We don’t want to do anything to agitate these wild primates.”
“All right,” she whispered as fear slowly seeped into her body.
One of Felix’s crew members slowly approached him and passed him a machete. Felix gripped the handle and stepped closer to Katrina. All the talking—and even whispering—on the small vessel stopped as the barge crept underneath the trees. Panic knotted in her throat as she switched her attention from one monkey to the next, trying to study their eyes. They all appeared to be watching them with great intent, and she prayed they could pass beneath the trees without any disturbance. Even the thought of them flinging their...unmentionables...on her or urinating made her want to gag.
Her heart hammered, and she tried not to get too frightened. Felix promised he’d protect her, so she must trust him.
He took careful steps, shifting even closer to her. “Katrina,” he whispered, “you’re breathing too loudly. Try to calm down.”
Silently she groaned. How in Heaven’s name could she calm down when everyone around her was on guard for a battle to the death?
From one of the trees, a monkey rose higher than the others as if the animal was ready to pounce. She held her breath. Oh, please don’t! The grip Felix had on her wrist tightened. He, too, must be preparing for something to happen.
Without being able to stop it, a small peep escaped her throat as fear consumed her.
“Shh...” he said softly.
The barge inched its way underneath the watchful monkeys. They only needed to pass two more trees before they were out of harm’s way.
Her body shook, and for the life of her, she couldn’t control it. Felix released her wrist and gently slipped his arm around her waist, pulling her against his frame. The warmth from his body brought a strange sense of comfort to her.
“We’re almost there...” he said.
She held her breath again, saying a silent prayer they could get past without any difficulty. After a few—but very long—minutes, relieved sighs from Felix and the others swept over the stillness. Her sigh echoed theirs as her legs threatened to collapse. If she didn’t find someplace to sit soon, she’d be on the floor by Felix’s feet.
Katrina waited for the others to start moving before her wobbly legs carried her to a crate and she sank on the wooden top. For some reason, the tips of her fingers were throbbing painfully. She glanced down and realized she had been clutching the tablet to her chest, wrinkling the pages. Shifting her attention, she glanced back at the trees and monkeys. A cold chill ran through her when remembering Felix’s words about how dangerous they were.
What were the odds that this was the most dangerous thing she would encounter during their journey? Would she have to worry about being attacked again? Oh, Father...why would you put me in danger?
At this moment, she didn’t want her father’s inheritance. He could take his wealth with him to Hades for all she cared! She would just have to find other means to help obtain medicine for her mother. And she didn’t even care if he was shot with a dart—or if his house burned down. She hated feeling this frightened.
A shadow passed by and she blinked at the vision. Felix stood in front of her with his arms folded over his wide chest.
“Are you all right, Miss Landon?”
“Y—yes, I think so. I’m just a little shaken, that’s all.”
“Well, you can relax now. In a few more hours we will be at the point in the river where we’ll stop and continue the rest of the journey on foot.”
“Why on foot? I had heard the river reaches most main roads.”
“They do, unless of course the rivers are clogged.”
“Oh.” Nodding, she cleared
her throat. “I understand. I’m just relieved we were able to get by those monkeys. I would rather not see them again.”
“Actually, Miss Landon, I’m afraid we might see them again in the jungle. There won’t be as many, but there might be times when we will cross them.”
She held her breath again as she studied his face. Was he jesting? She’d not forgive him if he was teasing. “Then I suggest you teach me how to shoot or use a sword so I can defend myself.” She shrugged. “Or just give me a dagger and I’ll protect myself just fine.”
He arched an eyebrow. “Indeed. You know how to use a knife? Were you given lessons of blade-throwing before or after your etiquette lessons in boarding school?”
Silently, she groaned. She didn’t mean for that to slip. For some reason he thought she had always been a pampered wealthy girl, so she must let him continue to believe such a lie since it was such a nice way to pass the time. She would enjoy seeing his shock when she proved to him how much she actually knew about survival.
“Mr. Knightly, I have never had lessons, but I’m quite sure it would be easy to handle such a sharp object, especially when my life is threatened.”
It didn’t take long for the corners of his mouth to stretch upward. Although not a full smile, she realized he was even better looking when he was relaxed.
“You don’t say,” he said with sarcastic humor in his tone. “As it is, I’ll be the one protecting you. Giving you a knife is almost as dangerous as having howler monkeys in my tent. Knives are very sharp, you know, and since we are out here in the wild now, I won’t be able to rush you to a physician to have him stitch you up if you accidentally slice your own leg.”
She scowled. “Do not worry, Mr. Knightly. I assure you, I won’t cut myself or need stitches.”
“I know you won’t, since I’ll be guarding you.” His smile disappeared as his cocky attitude returned. “But as I said before, please rest up until we reach land. From there we’ll be walking, and I’m sure you’ve never had to be on your feet for so long, especially in men’s boots.”
“Really? Try wearing heeled shoes for several hours and dancing all night.” Even though she’d never been to a dance, she wore heeled shoes at the tavern, so she knew exactly how uncomfortable they were. She lifted her chin haughtily. “I can assure you, women know the pain of sore feet.”
He mocked a bow. “If you say so, my lady.”
As he turned and walked away she grimaced. She’d like to shove those words down his throat. Apparently, the only way to prove to him that she knew what she was talking about was to show him.
Suddenly, the stress from what just happened with the monkeys vanished and she looked forward to proving him wrong...and letting him know it at every turn!
FELIX WANTED TO LEAD the way as they traipsed through the jungle, but he didn’t dare leave Miss Landon too far behind. He was eager to get her to their destination without any setbacks. The sooner he got her to her father, the sooner the job was done and he could be out of her presence. She was a nuisance to be sure, and at times, he couldn’t decide whether to strangle her...or wrap her in his embrace just to hear her pleasurable sigh. Because of the confused emotions rolling through him, the best course of action would be not to get close to her. Unfortunately, he had to in order to protect her.
They’d been walking about two hours, and so far Miss Landon didn’t show any signs of fatigue. In fact, some of his men looked wearier than she did. Then again, his men were helping to carry supplies whereas Miss Landon didn’t carry anything. Perhaps Felix should strap something to her back tomorrow so she could help with the load. He didn’t want her thinking this was a walk through the park.
It also surprised him she wasn’t limping or acting like her feet were sore. Deep down inside, he knew she was trying to prove to him that she could walk in men’s boots—only because he’d told her she couldn’t. That blasted woman defied him at every turn, and she enjoyed doing it, he was certain.
She seemed to have made friends with Manuel’s wife, Suzette. The slightly older woman had shown Katrina how to wrap her hair in a coil that lifted the hair away from her face that would bring a little more circulation to her skin. Here in the jungle, surrounded by trees and bushes, there was no wind as they’d briefly had while on the boat. Beads of moisture lined Katrina’s face and neck, but then everyone in this group suffered from the suffocating humidity. Every once in a while Katrina used her canteen to drip water on her head, but thankfully, she didn’t use too much. He was relieved to know she had listened to him and followed his instructions about saving water.
Felix wished Katrina wasn’t so lovely. Any normal man would lose their thoughts whenever she was around. Her exotic eyes and infectious laugh only made it harder for him to keep his distance. Throughout the day he heard her chuckle along with some of his men. Inwardly, he boiled. Hadn’t he told her not to flirt with his crew? Being this playful, she was inviting mayhem.
He slowed his steps and waited until Manuel joined him. They’d been good friends since the first month Felix was in town, and they’d gone on several expeditions together. A pang of remorse twisted in Felix’s chest. He would truly miss his friend once he moved back to England. Returning home to step into his title was necessary, but he wished his friends could come with him.
Manuel’s grin bothered Felix since his friend had only smiled while chatting with Katrina. Felix gave him a nod. “What is so funny?”
The other man’s mouth stretched wider. “Miss Landon’s sense of humor surprises me. She has made us laugh more than I can remember doing while on an expedition. Not often do I laugh while hiking through the jungle in this horrendous heat.”
Felix arched an eyebrow. “Tell me, Manuel, what does she say that’s so funny?”
“The way she talks with humor in her story-telling makes us all laugh.” Manuel shrugged. “I do not know how else to explain it. Sometimes I forget she is wealthy because she acts and talks just like one of us.”
Now Felix was very interested in finding out what Katrina was saying. Of course that meant he would have to get closer and talk to her, and be nice. That, he didn’t think he’d be able to do.
“How amusing. Well, I’ll certainly have to listen to one of her tales now, won’t I?” he asked.
“Yes, you will.”
Felix slowed his steps and stretched his back as he glanced around their surroundings. If memory served him—which it usually did—not far from here was a little stream where they could refresh themselves. Some streams like that one were not good for drinking, but splashing water on their faces was allowed. Right now, they needed to do something to cool off. “Manuel, when we pass that group of trees up there, we’ll stop near the stream and rest our tired feet for a spell.”
His friend nodded. “I will tell the others.” Manuel quickened his step and hurried ahead.
Felix waited for Katrina and Suzette to join him. Suzette gave him a nod, but Katrina didn’t look at him. Stubbornly, she lifted her chin and gazed in another direction.
“How are you faring, Miss Landon?” he asked.
“Quite well, if you must know.”
Her answer was short and clipped. He bunched his hands into fists as anger slowly filled him. “I’m glad to hear that. I was sure you wouldn’t be able to handle the walk, and now I see how wrong I was.”
Her gaze whipped to him and her eyes widened. “You actually admitted you’re wrong?”
“Of course. I’m smart enough to acknowledge when others are right, which is why tomorrow I will not treat you like the delicate flower I thought you were.”
“You won’t?” Her voice rose a little higher as if she still couldn’t believe he was saying this.
He tried not to grin, but it was almost all he could do to keep a straight face. “No, I won’t. In fact, I will speak with Manuel this evening when we break for the night, and we’ll see what items in our packs will be reasonable for you to carry tomorrow.”
Her steps faltered
, and for a moment it looked as if color had vanished from her face. Once again, he tried not to laugh and had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from doing so.
“Y—you want me to carry something?” This time her voice wasn’t as loud.
“Yes. It’s clear you can handle the task. I applaud you for your strength, and I shall not treat you like an invalid again.”
“Well...you see, Mr. Knightly, although my feet might be strong, I’m not certain if my back is—”
“Come now, Miss Landon. This is not the time to be doubtful. I’m sure you can handle the task or else I wouldn’t have suggested it.”
Her expression morphed from confused and anxious, to vexed. It appeared as if she were trying to find a way to convince him otherwise. He quickly decided to switch the subject and pointed to the stream that was now visible. “Splendid. We are here.” He smiled at her. “Miss Landon, we will take a small break and rest our tired feet. Feel free to splash yourself with the water, but don’t get it in your mouth because it’s not clean enough to drink. The liquid will refresh you, I promise.”
Before she could stop him, he hurried to the water, not daring to peek back for fear he’d let loose the laugh he’d been holding. Indeed, it was quite comical to watch her, especially when he bested her at her own game this time.
He shrugged out of the pack he’d been carrying before sitting on a large rock. He leaned down, scooped a handful of water, and splashed it on his face. If only the liquid could be cooler, but it was better than nothing. Cupping his hands, he then scooped up more water and threw it on his head a few times before threading his fingers through his damp hair.
When he straightened, he glanced toward Katrina. Her gaze was on him, wandering slowly over his face and hair. Once her eyes locked with his, her face flamed crimson, and she spun around and moved to another part of the stream.
This wasn’t the first time he saw a spark of interest in her eyes, but he quickly doused his thoughts, telling himself there wasn’t anything he was going to do about it, anyway. Although she appealed to him because of her beauty, he did not like her stubbornness or her haughtiness.
Katrina's Sight Page 6