Chapter 13 #2
Heather bent and tried the top drawer. It was locked. She tried the second and then the third. They were all locked.
“Drat,” she said softly, looking around for the key elsewhere. Did Mr. Bernini have it on him? That would be a disaster.
Looking around on the desk, Heather saw some papers. A couple of words caught her attention. She picked one up and held it to the light.
The inauguration of the independent state of Copper Canyon. What is this? Is that what Bernini is planning? His own private state? Can he do that?
There was a noise outside the door. Footsteps. Heather’s heart jumped all the way into her throat, and she felt sick. Ducking down behind the desk, clutching the duster to her chest, she tried to calm herself.
The door was opening. She was going to be caught.
“They’re probably in here,” Pedro’s voice said. “I’ll just get?—”
“No, I found them!” Bernini’s voice called from the parlor.
Heather watched as the light from the passageway dimmed and the door closed with a click. She let out the breath she’d been holding. She had dodged a literal bullet there, and no mistake. Thank you, God!
She leaned back and put her hand on the floor. There was something under her hand. Picking it up, she saw that it was the right size key to unlock the drawers.
Slipping the key into the lock of the first drawer, she pulled it open.
Thank you, thank you, thank you, Lord! There was a large ring of keys in there. One fit the description perfectly. She removed it from the ring and slipped it into her pocket.
Then, hurrying around the desk, she quickly went to the kitchen and sat down beside Clary.
“How did it go?”
Heather held up the key.
At that moment, Nick opened the back door. “I’d like coffee,” he said.
“Coming right up,” Clary said, rising and quickly heading to the range.
Heather sat and sipped her tea, waiting for her hands to stop shaking. By the time she was done with her tea, Clary had made Nick his coffee.
“We’re heading upstairs now,” Clary said as she handed Nick his drink. “You’ll have to make your own coffee if you want more later.”
He grumbled something, clearly thinking that anything in the kitchen was women’s work. But Mr. Bernini wouldn’t tolerate bad behavior. A couple of men were in the clinic, beaten and bruised to prove how serious he was.
Walking quickly out of the kitchen, Heather and Clary stomped up the stairs. They creaked and groaned loudly when someone walked on them, and they were certain that even Nick on the porch would hear. It was vital to their plan that everyone thought they were going to sleep.
When they were safely in their room and the door was locked from the inside, Heather began to get ready.
Mr. Bernini had given them their key after one of his bandits had forced his way into their room with something unsavory on his mind.
He was one of the men in the clinic. She still shuddered at the memory and thanked God for His protection—and for Clary’s fast thinking.
A fire poker to the man’s head had proven a very effective defense.
It had worked out well since Clary and Heather now had their door key on the agreement that they would do their work without complaint or trouble.
So far, they had kept their word and been nothing if not helpful, quiet, and diligent. Three things that Clary kept saying she found terribly difficult.
“Okay, I think we’re clear,” she said, stepping away from the door.
Heather handed her a flannel shirt, a cap, and a pair of trousers. The clothes had been taken from the laundry and mending piles. They were too big, but that didn’t matter much in the dark.
Clary smiled. “I find trousers to be far more comfortable.”
“Me too,” Heather said as they changed clothes.
Then they hurried to their window. It was conveniently close to a large tree, and they climbed out and down.
Heather’s nerves were already singing in her ears. She couldn’t be more afraid than she was, but they had to hurry. Being out too late would cause a stir, even if they were dressed as men.
Heather and Clary hurried up the road, keeping to the shadows as much as possible. They wouldn’t fool anyone up close, but the patrols on the wall hopefully wouldn’t see a difference.
Luckily, they were only going about four houses up the street to where Lizzy lived.
She had a little forge in the back. It wasn’t the impressive one in town, where she and Troy, her husband, turned out all manner of things.
That was now off-limits. Her small one at home, however, was working, repairing mining tools.
There were more tools broken than ever before now since Mr. Bernini had men working in the mines now who didn’t know a pick from a shovel.
Heather and Clary went around the back as they had arranged earlier with Lizzy. She was waiting.
“About time,” she said. “I sent my minder off to get coffee. You’ll have to leave the key with me for a day. Is that going to be a problem?”
“I hope not,” Heather said.
“How is Evelyn?” Clary asked. She hadn’t seen her little sister much since the invasion.
“She’s inside looking after the twins for me,” Lizzy said, taking the key. “She’s okay.”
She patted Clary’s shoulder. “She’s keeping her head down and her mouth shut. She is making a list of all the men she plans to shoot before this is over though.”
“I would expect nothing less,” Clary said. “Give her my love.”
“Will do,” Lizzy said. “Now go.”
They turned and left, heading back down the street. It was such a weight off Heather’s shoulders to have the key with Lizzy. If they got back into their room before anyone came looking, they would be home-free.
The house was bright, and Nick was still on the porch when they reached it. Heather’s heart was still thudding in her chest, and she just wanted this whole thing over.
“Okay, up the tree we go,” Clary said, climbing nimbly up. “Watch out for that one branch; it’s a little weak.”
Heather nodded. Then she began to climb up after her friend. When she was about five feet off the ground and heading toward their window, there was movement on the street.
“Let go!” someone yelled.
Turning to look, Heather saw that Diane and Julie were coming home. The bandit Oscar had just grabbed Diane by the arm. She jerked it back. He came closer.
“Get away from her!” Julie yelled.
“Heather, come on. This is perfect! No one will ever know,” Clary hissed. She was already inside the window.
Heather turned back. She moved her foot. Too late, she remembered about the branch. With a crack and a snap, it broke. Heather let out a squeal, trying not to scream, and grabbed onto the windowsill. Her heart plummeted to her boots.
Her palms were becoming slick with nervous sweat. Heather adjusted her grip, and her left hand swung loose.
And now I’m going to fall. Drat! This isn’t going well.
“Oh, good grief!” Clary hissed. She leaned out and grabbed Heather by the back of her trousers. That made them ride up in a most uncomfortable manner, but Heather didn’t make a sound.
Behind them on the road, Nick had gone to see what was going on. Now he was yelling at Oscar. There was the sound of someone being hit, and then the grumbles and groaning of people moving on.
Heather dangled out of the window, hoping they wouldn’t come around the side of the house for any reason.
Clary pulled, and Heather scrabbled with her feet on the wall. She found something to brace her foot against, and with a colossal effort, drew herself up and in through the window.
“Hurry,” Clary hissed, throwing her nightdress to her.
Heather drew it on over her shirt and trousers with shaking hands. She pulled her boots off and jumped into her bed as the sound of footsteps on the stairs filled the air.
Holding their breath, Clary and Heather heard someone come to their door. The knob rattled. Then the footsteps retreated, and they let out their breath.
“That was crazy,” Heather said, sagging back against her pillows.
“It was great,” Clary said. “We should do things like that more often.”
“Are you out of your mind?” Heather asked, her pulse still racing.
Clary shrugged. “It beats being stuck in here all day.”
She had to give Clary that, but she still thought she would rather have a nice, quiet life without all the danger and intrigue. Hopefully, this would all end soon, and she could be with Mark. They could start a family and live happily ever after.
It was a nice dream, but she would have to do a lot more dangerous things to make it happen. Heather was determined to do whatever it took, even if it meant dangling from the windowsill again.