Chapter 9
Belle kept looking back to see if Seth had moved, but he hadn’t.
They walked into the woods until Ezra found his horse.
He made Belle ride in front of him.
She assumed it was so she couldn’t disarm him. Then they rode northwest toward the mountains. Bile rose in her throat at the thought of touching him, but she couldn’t help it.
He leaned against her back.
Every time she moved forward, he pulled her back.
They rode for hours, but eventually they started up a path which led to a cave.
“Duck your head,” said Ezra as he pushed her head down and they rode into the cave.
He seemed to be careful of her head injury, pushing her head below the bandage.
The inside of the cavern was larger than she expected. How long had he been living here? A pile of wood sat next to a rock-ringed fire pit. Pans of different sizes lay scattered around the pit. He had set up a makeshift bed of blankets close to the fire, and he had spread clothes across several boulders as though he were drying them.
He led the horse to the back of the cave and unsaddled it, but didn’t wipe it down or brush it or any other care for it. Then he walked over to the fire pit. “You might as well find a place to sit. You’re not going anywhere.”
“Fine.” She sat on the nearest boulder, tossing his clothes onto another one. Then she crossed her arms over her chest and didn’t move or talk.
“Now that you’re here, you can make yourself useful. I need clothes mended, and you’re doing the cooking from now on. You want to keep up your strength in case you escape, don’t you? That means eating, so you’re cooking for both of us.”
She turned her face away.
“You might as well talk to me. I’m the only one you have, or are going to have, to talk to.”
“I’d rather talk to a grizzly bear.. You know, Seth will find me and when he does, you’re a dead man.”
Ezra swallowed hard. “He’ll never track us here. No one lives in these mountains. Too afraid of avalanches.”
“And you’re not? Why?”
“I’ve got enough supplies to last for a while, if we take it easy and conserve. And I figure we can dig ourselves out.”
She stood and put one hand on her hip and raised the other into the air. “You’ll dig through hard packed snow that can be one-hundred feet deep? That won’t happen. You’ve condemned us both to death.” I’ll never see Seth again. I’ll never find out if he can love me back.
“No need to worry, avalanches don’t happen very often.”
Belle noticed he hadn’t considered the possibility of being buried alive. Perhaps now she’d mentioned it, he would move out of the cave. Finding her would be easier if they weren’t here. She just had to convince Ezra to leave.
“So, you keep your horse in here. Do you clean up after him, too? I’m not living somewhere that smells like horse manure.”
“Then you can clean up his mess.”
“He’s your horse.” She had to appear to argue. Cleaning up after the horse might be her best chance of escape. She’d have to persuade him the dung had to be taken far from the cave’s opening, so it didn’t attract bugs.
He shrugged and continued arranging the wood in the fire pit. “You’re the one who doesn’t want the cave to smell.”
“Fine.”
The horse took that moment to relieve himself.
Ezra laughed. “Looks like you get to do your new job right away. The shovel is by the wall.” He pointed toward the tool while he continued building a fire.
I have to get out of here. Now might be my only chance. She picked up the long-handled shovel and passed Ezra on her way to the manure pile. She paused for a moment, then swung the implement hard, hitting him on the side of his head.
He fell right over and lay there, unmoving.
Belle grabbed his pistol and her gun belt. She put her gun belt on and then ran out of the cave. She ran as fast as she could down the rough trail they’d followed up the mountainside. It would have taken too much time to saddle the horse. She just wanted to get as far away from Ezra Fleming as she could. She ran until she had to stop to catch her breath.
She leaned against a tree, bending over with her hands on her knees, still clutching the weapons. She realized then that she could have shot him there, but she wasn’t thinking straight and she wasn’t a cold-blooded killer.
Fearing she’d spent too much time resting, she took off again at a slow run, trying to keep going at a goodly pace. The farther she could get from Ezra and the closer to Seth, the better. She had to believe that he was looking for her and that Ezra hadn’t killed him.
Seth opened his eyes,his head pounded and his leg hurt like the dickens.
He hobbled into the tent and stripped. Then he cleaned and bandaged the wound. When he got Belle back, she could look for the bullet. For now, he needed to go after her as fast as he could. After getting dressed, he checked the ammunition belt to ensure it was fully loaded, then did the same with his gun and the 30.30 rifle. He stuffed his pockets with bullets for the rifle.
He grabbed a canteen and put jerky and hardtack in his saddlebags. He wasn’t sure how long it would take him to find Belle, but he would find her. He limped over to the lean-to and saddled Big Red and the bay, too. He had a difficult time getting into the saddle, but managed it. From atop the big horse, Seth followed the tracks from his camp to the forest. Tracking them became more difficult among the trees, but as soon as a set of hoofprints veered onto a small trail and headed north, he followed suit.
He continued north. The dense forest forced him to walk Big Red. If it opened up, he would gallop as far as possible while following the tracks.
Seth rode for hours. He wondered where this trail was leading him other than to the mountains, but no one lived in the mountains. At least no sane person. He kept riding. He’d have to make camp soon. The thought of Belle out there with Ezra turned his stomach. No one would get away with kidnapping his wife, not Ezra Fleming or anyone else. Belle was his.
Where were Ezra and Belle? Where had he taken her?
Belle stopped.According to her pin watch, she’d been walking and running for almost three hours. The time was later than she expected. Darkness was falling. She’d have to do the best she could, but she needed to stop and hide for the night. If she didn’t, she could become hopelessly lost in the trees. She turned to her left and walked ten steps, going around two large trees, then stopped, and sat behind a third. If she didn’t make a noise, Ezra wouldn’t find her. She’d start out again tomorrow. For now, she’d rest. She leaned back against the tree. She couldn’t go to sleep, but she would rest.
Belle closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. She held Ezra’s gun in her lap. Then she yawned. She felt like all of her energy had deserted her. Her body felt heavy, and she was tired. More tired than she’d ever been in her life. If Ezra found her, he’d take her back. She could only guess at the punishment he would deliver, and he would make sure that she’d never again have the chance to escape. Or he might kill her on the spot. Given the choice of the two scenarios, she preferred death.
Belle finally slowed her breathing, and her body relaxed. She knew she mustn’t fall asleep, but she was so cold. Ezra hadn’t let her take her coat or anything else. She was in her flannel shirt, wool sweater, and wool pants.
Ezra would come after her...assuming she hadn’t killed him. He would be mad and she couldn’t let him find her because she was sleeping.
She awoke with a start. The sun was up. She’d fallen asleep. Horrified, she stood and peeked around the tree. Seeing no one, she stepped out and walked back to the trail. Then she turned left and started running as fast as her booted feet would carry her.
Thinking she heard something behind her, she stopped and turned, Ezra’s gun in her hands pointed at the trail. Nothing. She lowered the weapon, turned around, and broke into a run. Running as fast as she could, she finally slowed to a walk when the stitch in her side hurt too much to keep going. She held her side with one hand and her weapon with the other.
Then she heard a horse. Or was it horses? But it was in front of her. Fear clawed its way up her spine. Could Ezra have passed her by and was now in front of her? Had she eluded him last night just to come upon him now? She hurried into the trees, pausing behind a large one to watch him ride by. Then she would start on her journey home again.
It was horses and as they approached, she saw it wasn’t Ezra, but Seth. He was alive. She was saved. Her body sagged and tears filled her eyes.
“Seth.” She called and waved. “Seth. I’m here.” Belle ran out to the trail just as Seth came into view.
Belle stopped in the middle of the trail and waited for him.
She watched as he dismounted and then saw the tourniquet on his leg. Even when wounded, he came after her. Bless Seth.
He hobbled toward her.
Belle came out of her stupor and ran, rushing into his open arms. She hugged him and never wanted to let him go. He smelled of blood and tobacco and of man. Her man. He’d come after her.
Seth leaned down and kissed her. “Here, now. I’m here. I won’t let anything happen to you again. Let’s get out of here and go home.”
Going home sounded fine to her. She’d take care of his leg. She’d clean it as best she could and make sure he didn’t get an infection. “Ezra’s after me. At least, I think he is. I hit him upside the head with a shovel. Maybe I killed him. I don’t care either way, now that you’re here.”
Because of Seth’s limp, they trudged back to Big Red, and he mounted first. Then he removed his foot from the stirrup so she could use it. He reached down and gave her a hand up behind him. He turned the horse and headed for home.
The fast clip of horse hooves coming up behind them startled Belle. This was one of the few places along this trail where a horse could gallop. She squeezed Seth’s waist tighter. “It’s him. What will we do?”
“We can’t keep up this pace. The trees are already starting to close in. When we have to slow to a walk, I’ll stop and turn. I’m not letting him chase us, probably shooting, all the way back to camp. This ends here.”
She swallowed hard. “Okay. Do you want the pistol or the rifle?”
“I’ll take the rifle. I want to stop him as soon as possible.”
Seth pulled the rifle from its saddle scabbard.
Belle had two pistols, which was good, since she didn’t have more ammunition for either weapon.
He turned the horse and faced Ezra.
Belle slid off the back of the horse and kneeled on one knee, aiming at Ezra as he approached fast.
She saw the moment the knowledge hit him.
His horse skidded to a stop. He jumped down and headed for the trees on the right side of the road, shooting wildly toward them as he ran.
Belle’s hands shook violently, and she gasped for breath. She fired back. Belle missed.
Luckily, Big Red was a well-trained horse and didn’t run away when Seth fired the rifle.
Seth missed, too.
They had nothing in the way of cover.
Belle ran to the trees on the same side as Ezra, putting one of the tall pine giants in front of her for protection. She peeked around one side of the tree and searched for Ezra. She didn’t see him, so she looked around the other side and saw him running between trees. Estimating where he would be, she aimed, fired, and caught him in the leg.
He went down, but he didn’t lose his weapon. He shot at her with his rifle.
Wait, a minute.Rifle? Where did he get a rifle? It wasn’t on his horse. It must have been in the cavern.
She ducked behind the tree. Seeing movement to her right, she saw Seth. He was moving forward on the other side of the trail. Belle knew she needed to keep Ezra’s attention. She kneeled and searched for Ezra.
He was crawling to another tree.
She fired at him, missed.
As soon as he was behind another tree, Ezra shot back.
She ducked behind the closest tree as his shot hit above her. As she planned, he was not expecting her to have gone low to shoot. Now, she had to choose whether to go low again or stand and then shoot. She opted to stay low and peered around the tree.
Seth had finally come to a spot in line with Ezra. “Drop your gun or die.”
Ezra stared at him, wide eyed, and dropped his rifle.
Seth hobbled forward.
Belle stood and walked toward Ezra, keeping her weapon aimed.
Seth slowed. “Don’t move.”
Ezra raised his hands. “I don’t want to die.”
Seth limped closer.
Ezra dropped his right hand, picked up his rifle, and pointed it at Seth.
With both hands on her gun, Belle fired.
Seth, his hand steady, fired.
Ezra fell over, the long gun still in his hand.
Seth limped up to him, kicked his weapon away, and then pushed Ezra onto his back.
Ezra didn’t move.
Belle ran to Seth.
He opened his arms.
She barreled into them and clung. Her heart pounded as relief washed over her. “Thank you. Thank you for coming after me.”
He leaned back but didn’t release her. “Looks like you escaped on your own.”
“Not for long. He would have caught me because I didn’t know where I was. I don’t know if I could have found our camp.” Tears streamed down her face.
“Shh. It’s okay. I’m here, and now, we’re going home.”
She looked at Ezra. “What about him?”
“I don’t have a shovel. I’ll take you home and then I’ll come back and bury him, if there’s anything left to bury.”
She looked around them. “You think the animals will get him?”
“I guarantee they will, but I’ll do the best I can.”
“That’s more than he would have done for you.”
They found the two horses.
Seth, apparently reconsidering, put Ezra’s body on his horse and took him back to their camp for burial.
By the time they got back to camp, it was time for supper,
Seth started digging a grave.
Though she wasn’t hungry, her stomach was still roiling, Belle went to work on supper.
When the food was prepared, she called Seth in to eat.
She’d fixed a simple meal of canned pork with potatoes in gravy. She took the day-old biscuits, wrapped them in a damp dishtowel and then put them in a skillet with a lid to heat.
After dinner, she did the dishes while Seth finished digging the grave.
Seth buried Ezra and she would help him cover the grave with rocks tomorrow. Then they could be done with him for good.
He looked too darn tired when he came into the tent. She was sure his leg throbbed and his head throbbed and everything in-between was aching.
“There’s hot water on the stove for you to wash with.” Belle was already under the bedcovers.
“Thanks. I’ll be to bed soon.” He walked to the stove and ladled the hot water into the basin, adding some cold from the bucket they kept next to the stove by the wood.
“Can I get you anything?” She sat up in bed and then decided to just get up and join Seth at the table. After his work tonight, he would need to wind down. She pulled on her wool pants and a sweater. That would be enough, sitting near the stove as they did. “How about some hot tea or coffee, if you’d rather?”
“Coffee would be good. I’m not much of a tea drinker. Sadie was. That’s what’s left of her tea.”
She stood and poured them each a cup of coffee, then set the cups on the table before she took her seat.
“I’ll have to meet Sadie and thank her for all the supplies she left.”
“Hopefully, you’ll get a chance too. When we leave here, I plan on going to St. Louis to find them. I’d like for you to meet my best friends. I think you’ll like them.”
She looked down into her cup. “Are we still leaving by September first? Having never spent a winter here, I’ll have to take your word for how terrible it is. I thought it was bad enough getting here. I had days where I thought I was going to die and other days that I prayed for it.”
“It’s not an easy trek, especially for someone not prepared for it. There’s a lot of hardship involved.”
“Most of my hardship was Amos. He’d beat me at night and then expect me to keep up the grueling pace the next day, and he might repeat it the next night. That’s why I prayed for death.”
Seth reached across the table and laid a hand on one of hers. “You should never have had to endure such pain. I think you must be the strongest woman I’ve ever known.”
He’s being so supportive. Have I done something to deserve it?She lifted a brow. “How many women have you known?”