Chapter 7
Chapter Seven
“Whoa!” Jace had to stop the horses and calm them before he turned his attention to the passengers.
One horse tossed his head as if blaming Jace for the incident.
The other blew out steam and quivered. Jace’s heartbeat slammed against his eardrums. He sucked in a deep breath that did nothing to calm his shattered nerves.
As soon as the horses settled, he studied the situation.
The wagon balanced precariously, tipping at a crazy angle, one wheel over the side of the road, the one nearest him turning round and round in the air.
“Don’t anyone move.” But he must act before the wagon slid further. “I’m going to get us down, but don’t move until I tell you to.” He couldn’t say it too often or mean it more seriously. Any shifting of weight—
The tension in his body made him ache.
Inch by inch, he eased toward the side of the wagon and, hopefully, safety. The wagon quivered.
Dianne gasped, the sound echoing in his head.
He froze. Didn’t even breathe. When nothing more happened, he resumed his slow passage. Now the ground was within reach. All he had to do was jump, and then the other two could leap into his arms. But would the sudden shift of weight be enough to end this precarious situation?
He couldn’t do it. He couldn’t jump.
“Eddie, move slowly toward me. Like an inchworm.” He held out a hand, prepared to grab the boy and toss him to safety if it came to that.
Dianne’s eyes bored into his. Dark, fearful, and desperate.
“Follow him, Dianne. Slowly. Very slowly.”
Her throat worked. Her gaze never leaving his, she moved.
The wagon shivered. And the adults tensed, waiting—a wheel squawked protest.
His heart hammered so loud she must hear it.
Eddie reached his side.
Jace’s fingers caught Dianne’s. His tight hold must be mashing her hand, but he wouldn’t—couldn’t—ease back. All that stood between them and certain death was this grasp. If the wagon tipped further, he would toss the pair free.
The shifting weight made the conveyance teeter as if uncertain to trust the trail or take the easy way and fall.
“Eddie, when I say so, you jump. But don’t move until then.”
“Do as the man says.” The words breathed from Dianne’s lips.
“Yes, Mama.”
“Good boy. Mind you jump as far as you can and then get to that bank of dirt.” Jace held Dianne’s gaze as firmly as he held her hand. “When he jumps, I’m going to yank you over the side. I will be rough, but it’s necessary.”
“I understand.”
Jace drew in a breath. “Are you ready?”
She nodded, still clinging to his eyes.
He offered her silent encouragement. Then he added something that would give her more. “May God protect you.”
“Amen.”
Another deep breath was taken, and then Jace gritted his teeth.
He had to do this right. “On the count of three. One. Two. Three. Eddie, jump. Jump hard.” At the same time, Jace grabbed Dianne with both hands and tossed her from the wagon.
Then he clung to the seat while the wagon, accompanied by creaks and groans, played seesaw.
He had to get off while he could. As the corner dipped, he launched himself toward the roadway, crashed close to Dianne, and lay motionless, struggling to catch his breath.
She crawled to his side. “Are you hurt? Say something. Jace.” She shook his shoulder.
“I’m fine.” He sat up, rubbing dirt from his sleeves and brushing his hand over his face to clean it. “Where’s Eddie?”
“I’s here.” The boy sat against the bank of dirt. Even in the shadows, his eyes were too big.
“You did good, boy.”
Eddie nodded. “I did good.”
Jace turned his attention back to Dianne. “You’re in one piece?”
“You saved my life.” She slumped over her knees and sobbed.
“Dianne, don’t cry. Everything is going to be all right.” Her distress was more than he could bear, and he pulled her to his chest. “Everything is fine. We’re safe.”
She nodded against his shoulder, sucked in damp air, and sat up. “Thank you.”
“Just doing—” He’d been about to say his job, but that wasn’t accurate. “Just doing what anyone would have done.” The wagon! How could he have forgotten it? “I didn’t hear the wagon crash.”
“It didn’t. Look.”
It stood there, still balanced on two wheels.
The horses strained in their harnesses. He sprang to his feet and hurried to the front.
“Whoa. Good boys. You did an excellent job.” The soft words helped calm the horses.
“Now, let’s see what we can do.” He caught their bridles and leaned back, coaxing them to pull.
Behind them, the wagon creaked. But it didn’t move. “Pull, boys, pull.”
They did their best. The wagon slid along the edge, but the wheel didn’t come to the road.
This wasn’t working. “Whoa!” He left the horses and circled the wagon.
“Jace?” The quiver in Dianne’s voice spoke volumes.
“You and Eddie stay back. I’ll figure this out.
” He squatted at the back to assess how to force the wheel back to the trail.
The incline was too steep for him to crawl down and do anything, even if he had any idea what to do.
Only one thing came to mind, and he returned to the front corner, grabbed the highest corner of the wagon, and used his body as a counterweight.
“Pull, boys, pull,” he called to the horses.
The wagon jerked, lifting him into the air.
“Jace!”
“Stay back.” If the wagon headed for the ravine, he had plenty of time to throw himself clear. But they needed the wagon and the horses, so he clung and called encouragement to the animals. The rattle of the wheels almost shook him loose, but he held on. He had to.
With a crash and a shudder, the wagon landed on all fours.
“Whoa!” The animals were likely shaking as hard as Jace. He collapsed on the ground, waiting for his body to settle.
Dianne rushed to his side, rested her head on his shoulder, and sobbed. “I thought you were going to die.”
As soon as he had enough strength to lift an arm, he wrapped one around her back. “I’m too stubborn to die.” Although he spoke gently, those words had a mocking tone in his head.
“This is one time I appreciate your stubbornness.” She sat up, her head downturned. “I apologize for using you to weep on.”
That’s all that was in her mind? Well, what did he expect? He forced himself to his feet. “We best be on our way.”
Dianne remained seated on the cold rocky soil of the road.
A riot of reactions raced through her—gratitude for safety, of course.
Jace had risked his life for her and Eddie and again to save the wagon.
Remnants of fear still dried her throat.
And surprise and embarrassment over how readily she sought comfort with Jace. Reaction. That’s all it was.
“Give me your hand. I’ll help you up.”
She didn’t need help, but when she tried to stand on her own, she had to admit she did.
She gripped his fingers as he pulled her to her feet and led her to the wagon.
Eddie was already in the back, and she hadn’t even noticed.
That didn’t seem possible. They reached the side of the wooden box that had almost killed them all.
She patted it. But she didn’t know if the touch signified gratitude or scolding.
“I’ve never been so frightened. I thought we were all going to die.” Her teeth rattled. She clung shamelessly to Jace’s hand. Couldn’t let go. Might never let go.
“The mountains can be harsh. But beautiful. Look at the flowers by the stream.”
She blinked back tears so she could focus. Indeed, there were patches of pink and yellow. They were pretty. There was beauty in the mountains, but they were unpredictable. Her hungry lungs filled with the cool air. Cool? “It’s getting cold.”
“We need to hurry.” He lifted her to the seat, where she clung to Eddie.
When Jace took his place beside her, she eased close, her shoulder against his. He didn’t mention it, and she didn’t look at him to check for his reaction. Whether he welcomed it or not, she needed his strength. Both her insides and outside were wobbly. That’s why she clung to him.
They resumed travel.
“I remember you praying.” Surprise might have been evident in her voice, but there was no disguising how she felt about hearing him.
He nudged her shoulder. “I never said I didn’t believe in God. Or His ability to help us.”
“That’s good to know.” Sitting up, she looked around. “It’s soon going to be dark.” A shudder rattled her teeth. “I don’t want to be traveling this road when we can’t see.”
“Let’s hope there’s a full moon.”
The sky was dark and cloudy. No sign of the moon. “We might need more than hope.”
“Maybe.”
His tone was agreeable, as if he understood she meant prayer and wasn’t opposed to it.
Of course, he could hardly deny he believed in prayer when he’d called out for God’s help.
It wasn’t much, but it was enough to encourage her.
Knowing he would pray for their safety eased the tension from her body.
For a mile or two, they traveled in silence. She strained, looking for the trail, afraid Jace would miss a turn or misjudge the distance to the edge.
“Relax. I’ve got this.”
She didn’t have to look at him to know he smiled.
“Besides, aren’t you the one who said we need to trust God in everything?”
“Are you quoting my words back to me?”
His chuckle rumbled in his chest. “Could be.”
“I admit it’s easier to speak of trust than to believe it.” However, she must trust. She forced herself to relax.
“Nice to hear you be honest.”
The sweet gentleness in his voice softened her insides and drew her lips upward.
He shifted. She still pressed to his shoulder, but when he looked down on her, she tipped her face so she could see him.
“Why haven’t you remarried?” he asked. “You’re pleasant enough looking, and I assume you can cook and tend children.”
Surprise jolted her up, putting a cool distance between them. “Well, thanks. I guess.” His words were less a compliment and more an assessment of her desirable qualities. Was he thinking of himself or measuring her up to peddle to a lonesome cowboy?
“I could ask you the same thing. You’re pleasant enough looking, and I assume you can do a day’s work. Why aren’t you married?” Her words might be snippy, but she couldn’t pretend she wasn’t annoyed.
“Maybe I don’t want to be. Or maybe because there aren’t any young women in the area.”
She huffed. Obviously, she didn’t qualify. “Why don’t you want to be?”
Her question was greeted by silence. Good. That meant he didn’t have an answer.
He shifted, rubbed his neck, then huffed. “Guess I don’t think it’s worth the risk. I know how hard it is to rebuild your life when those you love die.”
Ah. His resistance was due to pain and fear. “I suppose you’re talking about your parents and sisters. But you also had Chet. That must have helped.”
“And now he’s gone.” No doubt he meant to sound accepting, but his pain was as clear as her own when she remembered the deaths of her parents and husband.
“Except for the ranch he built and left to you.”
“Are you suggesting the ranch can replace the man?” He gave her a narrow-eyed look, then concentrated on guiding the horses though as far as she could tell, they were on a fairly straight section.
The drop-off to one side made her grit her teeth, but the trail was surely wide enough to afford them safe passage.
“Of course not.” There were arguments to convince him taking over the ranch was the right thing to do. But she’d used them all, and nothing had changed. She might as well save her breath for other things. Such as…
“I can see the trail!”
“You seem surprised.”
“It’s the moon.” Shining big and bright overhead. “We have light enough to travel even though the sun has gone down.”
“That’s good news. Now, if the clouds will stay away.”
“God’s got it under control.” Relief as light as perfume brought laughter.
Eddie, who had fallen asleep behind her, stirred. “Mama?”
“Go back to sleep, son. “
“We almost there?” he mumbled.
With a quirk of her eyebrow, she asked Jace how much further they had to go.
“I’d guess another hour.”
“Almost.” It was enough information for Eddie, and he curled up into a sleeping ball.
The air was cool, and they were without sweaters, shawl, or blanket. Goose bumps freckled her skin. She drew her arms around her to preserve body heat.
“Cold?” Jace asked.
She wanted to deny it, but her bones ached from the brisk mountain air. “Eddie must be cold.”
“Whoa.”
Alarm sliced through her. What was wrong now?
Jace leaned over, picked up Eddie, sat the boy on Dianne’s lap, and resettled himself. “If we huddle together, we’ll keep him warm.”
The idea was good…practical even. But she’d already thrown herself on him.
Doing so had created a longing for more.
More tenderness. More acceptance. She couldn’t continue heading in that direction, but for Eddie’s sake, she’d do it again.
She shifted as close to him as she could.
He put an arm around her shoulders with Eddie ensconced in front of them, covered by her arms, while Jace’s arm warmed and protected them both.
Moisture filled her eyes. Longing flooded her heart. Oh, to feel this protected and cared for always. She blinked back tears. All she needed was a home. A place where she and Eddie would be safe and secure.
They traveled on in relative silence. The horses slowed for corners and trotted on straight sections of the trail.
Thank You, God, for the moon. Past Jace’s shoulder, golden light gave the land a sepia tone. Stars studded the navy canvas overhead. She lifted her head as a white light streaked across the sky, disappearing over the southern horizon.
“A falling star.” Awe rounded her words. “Did you see it?”
“I did. Did you wish on it?”
Her cheek pressed to his sleeve as she shook her head. “No need to.”
“Nothing you wish for?”
Each word vibrated against her ear like a gentle humming. Ma used to hum as she worked. The sound had always soothed Dianne. She brought her attention to his question.
“I wish for a home, for Eddie to grow into a good man and for—” For Jace to take over the ranch so she and Eddie could stay there.
He suggested a foreman could do the job, but she didn’t want someone else.
Nor was she going to analyze that thought.
“Of course, I pray for those.” Please, God, a home, health, and Jace to go to the ranch. “What did you wish for?”
Pressed to his side, his arm around her shoulders, she couldn’t miss the way he stiffened. Was it because he had wishes he couldn’t bring himself to acknowledge? Would he tell her what they were?
“Whoa.”
At first, she thought he meant to inform her to stop asking questions. Then she realized he called the horses to stop. Not wanting to allow cold air to intrude, she turned her head without moving from her comfortable position. But what she saw made her change her mind, and she sat upright.