Dorothy Garlock (35 page)

Jason felt a dull thud as something hit his back. It was seconds before he felt pain. The strength suddenly left his arms and he toppled over onto his side, unaware when the girl slipped out from beneath him. A gushing of something, warm and wet, come up and out of his mouth. His fingers turned into claws, reaching out . . . seeking . . . A foot against his body pushed him over. He felt an icy chill start in his legs and then cover his body. He was cold . . . cold.

“Help . . . me . . .” The blood bubbled up when he spoke. Oh, God! He was dying! He looked up into a fierce, dark face; the eyes were wild, the lips drawn back in a vicious snarl. The devil! The devil had come for him! This was his last thought before the knife slashed a path across his throat.

Light looked down on the mutilated body of the man he had just killed. His trousers were open and his male parts exposed to the sun that shone through the branches of the trees. Such fury was on him that he could barely restrain himself from slicing them from his body. Instead, he spit on them.

“Dog!” He spit again, this time on the still, lifeless face. He wiped his knife and returned it to his belt, rolled the body over with his foot, and held it there while he pulled the thin steel from between the shoulder blades. He rolled him back over and left his face and privates exposed to the sun as if to add more insult.

When he turned from the man he had just killed he opened his arms. Maggie flew into them. Not a whimper had escaped her lips, nor was there a tear in her eye. Her arms encircled his neck and he lifted her off her feet, burying his face in the soft curve of her neck. She could feel the trembling in his body and sensed his desperation by the way he strained her to him.

“I’m a’right, my love,” she crooned in his ear. “I knew you’d come. I only had to wait fer you.”

“
Mon Dieu,
my little one! I’ll not leave you again!” He set her on her feet and brushed the tangled hair back from her face. His fingers gently touched her bruised, swollen flesh, and he cursed. “Did he violate you, my pretty one?” His dark eyes examined her anxiously, her large emerald ones questioned him. “Did he go inside you?” he asked gently.

She shook her head vigorously, and he clasped her to him again and held her for a long, quiet moment.

“I’m yore woman, Light.”

“You’re my woman—my angel of a woman. I’ll let nothing hurt you.” His voice vibrated with tender emotion. She stood quietly while his hands moved over her, brushing the dirt and leaves from her dress and hair. He put his hands on her shoulders and held her away from him so he could examine her swollen lips and bruised face. Anger reflected in the bright gleam of his dark eyes.

“I would kill him again and again!”

She lifted a hand and her fingers traced the frown that drew his brows together. “It be a’right, now.”

“How did you know I was coming this way?”

She smiled, but only one side of her swollen mouth moved, and lifted her shoulders in a shrug. “I jist knew you were comin’. I was awaitin’ for you.”

Tenderly, he kissed the side of her soft, red mouth that was distorted. “You were waiting for me to pass this way,” he repeated softly. “It is enough to know for now.
Mon Dieu,
my sweet pet! I must guard you well, my jewel, my love, for you have become precious to me!” He kissed her face again and again, finding the broken flesh and licking it with his tongue.

“Does it make you happy to be with me, Light?”

“Very happy, my pretty one.”

She laughed, a soft trilling sound that came musically to his ears. Her small arms tightened around him, hugging him. It seemed to Light that at that moment a great swell of joy washed the torment from his soul.

When he held her away from him so he could look down into her face again, it was with gentle firmness. “Do not be so foolish again, my little one,” he scolded gently. “When you are alone you will not get so near a man that he can pounce on you.”

“He hurt the horse, Light. But I do as you say.” She reached up and laid her palm against his face, he turned his lips into it, and she smiled, holding his eyes with hers until his dark features relaxed. He smiled and cherished a joy he had never expected would be his.

“Come, my wood sprite,” he said softly. “We must go. I have the painful duty of having to tell
mon ami
that I killed his brother. Come, let’s get the unpleasantness over.”

“Where was Annie Lash off to? She cut out like a Injun after a spotted pony.” Will came out to where Jeff stood beside the house.

“She’s just now found out about Burr trying to kill us and that we’re going to Virginia for the trial. She’s madder than a wet hen because I didn’t tell her. I’m giving her some time to cool off. Goddammit, Will. It seems like everything piles up on a body all at once.”

Will glanced at the worried look on Jeff’s face and then away. It would be another blow to his friend, he thought, when he told him he wasn’t going to Virginia. He was staying with his sweet woman, wed or not. But he’d keep that bit of bad news for another day. Jeff had enough to deal with right now.

“Annie Lash ain’t no scatterhead, she’ll come ’round,” Will said as he picked up a twig, whittled a point on the end of it, and stuck it in his mouth.

“When did you meet up with Jason?” Jeff asked quietly.

“Ya noticed, did ya?”

“I didn’t think he’d run into a tree,” Jeff said dryly, his face turned away, his eyes scanning the woods along the creek for a sight of Annie Lash.

“He come to the shed ’n I jist happen to be there, so I whacked ’im. I never tol’ ya I wouldn’t whack ’im, Jeff. I tol’ ya I wouldn’t kill ’im.”

In spite of himself, a fleeting grin crossed Jeff’s face. “Where do you suppose he’s off to? He certainly wouldn’t go visit the Cornicks or the Gentrys unless they had something he wanted. He may be going to ask the Cornick boys to ride with him as far as Saint Charles.”

“He’ll be back afore he goes, ya can bet on that!” Will felt the weight of the bag of coins inside his shirt. He knew Jason wouldn’t leave without the money he’d promised him.

“Isn’t that Light coming in on Jason’s horse?” Jeff asked, and moved away from the house.

Will narrowed his eyes and watched the riders approach. Light was riding Jason’s horse and Maggie, riding astride, was on the spotted mare Light favored. He looked at Jeff’s set face and felt a premonition of more trouble.

Light rode up to within a few feet of them. He tossed the reins to Will, slid down, and reached up to lift Maggie from his horse. He turned and looked Jeff in the eye.

“I killed your brother.”

Both men stared at him with astonishment. Light stood with his feet spread, his body rigid. His piercing black eyes held Jeff’s. Maggie stood close to him, both hands clasped about his upper arm, looking up into his face.

Jeff looked steadily at the expressionless, dark face of the man who had been more like a brother to him than his own kin. It took awhile for the full import of his words to hit him. Jason was dead! Light had killed him!

“I know you, Light,” he said slowly. “You wouldn’t have killed him without a reason.”

“I killed him while he lay on top of my woman. I did not know who he was when I threw the knife. Had I known, I would still have thrown it.” A mask of fury came over the scout’s face. “But I knew who he was when I cut his throat,” he said dispassionately, despite the anger that was on him.

“He . . . a . . . was forcing himself on Maggie?” Jeff looked at Maggie. She had turned to face him. Her face was swollen and bruised, her lip cut and bleeding. He knew what Light said was true without seeing the evidence. Light didn’t lie.

“I was on my way here when I heard her whistle. He was forcing his way into her.” Rage was in the scout; he let it boil out; his voice vibrated with it.

Maggie took Light’s hand and rubbed his arm soothingly. He looked down at her, his face softening; he placed his hand behind her head and drew her to him.

“I’m sorry,” Jeff said slowly. “I didn’t know that side of Jason.”

“He lies yonder, beyond the Cornicks. I would not soil my hands to bring him to you.”

“I understand.” They stood silently for a moment, then Jeff heaved a big sigh. “I’ll have to go tell Callie. We’ll have to . . . go get him, Will. Are Jute and Henry still here?”

Will nodded. “I’ll hitch up the wagon.” He walked away, leading the horses.

“I will tell the
madame,
” Light said.

“No, my friend, I’ll do it. Stay with Maggie.” Jeff laid his hand on Light’s shoulder and squeezed it when he passed him.

Callie was sitting in the rocker holding Abe. Amos was asleep on the bunk. Jeff stood in the doorway for a moment and looked at them. Here was a family any man would have been proud of. Any man, except his own brother.

Callie took the news calmly, as he knew she would. Jeff told her everything, even about Light’s offer to tell her himself.

“I’m sorry for you, Jefferson,” Callie shook her head sadly. “And I’m sorry it had to be Light to do it.”

“I think no less of Light, Callie. I want you to know that.”

“I know. There’s nothing I can say that will ease your pain, Jefferson. Jason was your brother. Your mother loved him. His life was not for nothing. He left two sons. Let’s pray to God they don’t turn out like him.”

“Will’s gone to get Henry and Jute. They’ll take the wagon and go get him. It’ll be late when they get back. We’ll have the burying tomorrow.”

“A’right, Jefferson. The Cornicks’ll come and Silas’ll say the words if you want him to.”

“How’s Amos?”

“The poor little thing’s worn out. He’s cried till there’s no tears left. Will rocked him to sleep.”

“He thinks a heap of Will.”

Callie suddenly realized that Jeff looked tired and older. She wondered why Annie Lash wasn’t here to comfort him. She had heard him calling for her to come back when she went running out of the house hours ago.

“Where is Annie Lash, Jefferson? Is something . . . wrong between you?”

“Nothing that can’t be straightened out.” He got up to leave. “This has been quite a day,” he said wearily.

Henry and Jute brought up the wagon and Light gave them directions. Will walked down to open the gate so the wagon could pass through.

“Stop by the Cornicks, Henry. Tell them the burying will be tomorrow before noon.”

“Yas’sa, Mista Jeff.” Henry slapped the reins over the backs of the mules; they strained at the harness and the wagon moved away.

Maggie stayed close to Light, either holding his hand or grasping his shirt sleeve.

“Callie’s in the house, Maggie. If you’ll go in, she’ll give you a cup of tea and bathe your face.” Jeff looked at her swollen face and wondered how his brother could have done such a thing. She was scarcely more than a child, in mind, despite her great beauty.

Maggie shook her head vigorously. “Where is your woman?”

“She went down to the creek. She may have gone toward the river. I was just going to look for her.”

“Jeff,” Light said sharply. “You say your woman is not here?”

“No . . .” He looked at Light and a cold ring of fear begin to form around his heart.

“
Mon ami,
I must tell you the news I bring. I learned in Saint Charles two men ask about you and Will, then go upriver on the other side. They are called Branson and Collier. I know of these men. I hear much bad things about them. They hunt men for money. One is old, one is young. The old one is from the Trace. He may know you.”

“I’ve heard of Branson. He’s cold and he’s mean. He wintered a few times with Jackson, the man who was going to blow up the MacCartney place a few years back.”

“It may be they come down the other side of the river, cross over and wait.”

“My God! That’s what they’ll do! I’ve got to find Annie Lash and bring her back to the house. If they’re who I think they are they may be watching for a chance to grab a hostage to force us to come to them.” The words exploded from Jeff’s mouth.

Will came up the path. “What’s wrong? Gawdamn! Don’t tell me somethin’ else happened!”

“Remember Branson from the Trace? Light said he and a partner were asking about us in Saint Charles. They left there and came upriver on the other side. Now what the hell would they be doing here if not looking for us?”

“Shitfire! Branson’s knowed up ’n down the big muddy fer a thievin’, killin’ varmit what would split his ma’s throat fer a dollar!” Will took off his hat and wiped the sweat off his brow with the sleeve of his shirt. “Gawdamighty!” he said suddenly as a thought came to him. “The riverman who wanted my lip said he’d
overheard
the agent hirin’ a man to do the job. Van Buren must’a seen what come downriver, thought it was Branson and he’d bungled it. He come on with Jason to do it himself. Hell! Branson’d not got here yet!”

“It holds together,” Jeff admitted. “I’m worried about Annie Lash. If they get a hold of her—” He broke off his words and turned anxious eyes toward the creek. “She’s been gone an hour. Something’s not right. I’m going to look for her.”

“I’ll get the rifles ’n come.” Will started toward the house.

“I go with Jeff,” Light said. “Stay with the women, Will. Maggie is not afraid of you.”

“Yo’re a better tracker,” Will admitted. “Jeff’ll be obliged fer yore help.” Will took off on the run toward the house.

Light looked toward the sun, then down at the shadow made by a fence post. “The days are long. We have three hours.”

Light’s words chilled Jeff to the bone. They didn’t hold out much hope that they would find Annie Lash strolling down by the creek or sitting on a log somewhere pondering what she considered a serious problem between them. They implied she was in real danger, but he was already aware of that. Oh, sweetheart, he groaned silently. She’d not done one foolish thing up to now, why did it have to be this day of all days?

Will returned and shoved a rifle in Jeff’s hand. “Need another blade?”

Jeff shook his head. “I’m afraid, Will. I hope to God we meet her coming along the path, but I’m afraid.”

Will had never heard his friend voice a fear before, and he knew his fear struck deep. There was nothing he could do or say to ease his worry.