Whispering Hills of Love (American Wilderness Series Romance Book 3) (13 page)

After the Indians left, Boone turned to him and plucked his knife from its leather sheath. “God must have some reason to let you live, Sir. If I hadn’t come along when I did, you would now be turning to ash.”

As soon as the ropes fell away, McGuffin sank to his knees, unable to stand, his throat still feeling choked. “Thank you, Sir, for your timely assistance,” he managed to croak. “Do I have the honor of addressing Daniel Boone?”

“I am Colonel Boone.”

“I thought as much. Only you could command that much respect from the natives with no more than your presence.”

“That respect took an exceedingly long time to earn,” Boone
replied, with a deep sigh.

“Colonel, I must get going. My daughter needs me. I believe that is why God allowed me live.” He tried to stand, but his legs were still unsteady.

“Your mount has had a chance to rest. He’s over yonder grazing,” Boone said pointing about a hundred yards away. “Have a rest yourself while I retrieve him.”

When Boone returned with his horse, McGuffin took a few deeps breaths and then managed to stand again. Anxious to be on his way, he said, “I must get going, but I thank you again for your timely assistance. How can I ever repay you?”

“You said your daughter’s name was Kelly.” Recognition shown in Boone’s eyes. “I met her, at Sheriff Wyllie’s swearing in ceremony.”

“My apologies. My name is Rory McGuffin. Yes, Kelly is my only child.”

“At his swearing in ceremony, William seemed quite taken with your daughter. I could see it in the way he looked at her. And if my old eyes didn’t fail me, I’m sure I noticed a fondness for William in those bright eyes of hers too.”

Boone seemed to think for a moment. “My dear wife Rebecca is always warning me not to interfere in the personal affairs of others, but I find that sometimes frontier love needs a bit of encouragement,” he said with a laugh. “And I can never resist an opportunity to play the match maker.”

McGuffin was surprised to hear this battle-hardened soldier express a softer side.

“You can repay me by encouraging your daughter to marry William. He’s one of the finest young men I have ever had the
pleasure of meeting and he has already proven his bravery and integrity to the people of Boonesborough. Judge Webb and Colonel Byrd both speak extremely highly of him and his family. Before I left, for his service to the citizens of Boonesborough, I gave William the deed to my old cabin. It has fresh water, a nice orchard, and a smokehouse. So he’ll have a comfortable home for your daughter. I don’t know much about her, but she’s a lovely young woman and William would be lucky to have her.”

McGuffin stared, amazed that this man’s insight recognized all that and that he had missed it all. Whiskey must have dulled his mind. But Boone’s perceptions rang true to him. William was clearly taken with Kelly, his concern for her amply evident. The Colonel was right. The two seemed meant for each other. “Sir, you have my word, I will not interfere if William should ask her to marry him.”

“No, I want your word that not only will you not interfere, you will encourage your daughter to consider William favorably,” Boone retorted.

McGuffin had to admire Boone’s negotiating acumen. “I’ll agree, but why do you care so much?”

“For two reasons. First, Sir, because young people like them are Boonesborough’s only hope. I have a large number of friends and family resting eternally on the other side of the sod. All of them sacrificed for Kentucky. Both my mind and my heart want to be certain Kentucky has a bright future. Without brave men like William, and spirited women like Kelly, Boonesborough will vanish like mist in the morning, and the fort will become only a perch for the owl and a hiding place for the fox.”

McGuffin’s mouth hung open at the simple eloquence in Boone’s words. He could see now how the natural leader had
inspired men by the thousands to answer the call of destiny and migrate to Kentucky.

“In addition,” Boone continued, “it has been my own personal experience, and I have observed in others, that behind every successful man is a woman who inspired and buoyed that success through her own strengths and capabilities. Men often underestimate the impact a woman can have on a man’s life. My impression of Kelly is that she is a woman who will inspire William to greatness here in Kentucky.”

“She is indeed,” he said proudly. “You have my word, Sir. I was quite impressed with William myself.” In truth he was. He just had not let William know it. They had gotten off on the wrong foot. In fact, he had to admit he’d acted like an ass to William and his brothers.

“Good, then we are in agreement,” Boone stated with finality.

“Are you headed north? If so, I surely hope you will join me. I’d hate to run into Indians again without you.”

“Indeed I am. I have business in Lexington,” Boone replied. “Then I am headed home, to the mouth of the Little Sandy River in northeastern Kentucky. Although I suspect Providence may soon call me elsewhere.”

With that, they both mounted and urged their horses to a fast trot.

Thank you, Lord. Now just let William reach her in time.

CHAPTER 11

W
illiam urged his stallion to run with all that was left in the weary animal. He needed to reach Kelly. He could see her slumped over Ginger’s neck, her head bobbing and hair flopping with each step the mare took. Was she hurt? Dear God, please no.

He searched his mind for an explanation. Who was that tall man who led her mare? She sure as hell better be all right or he would be a tall corpse in mere minutes. He swallowed hard, trying to hold his raw emotions in check.

He would be there in seconds.

As Smoke drew close, he saw the man gawk back toward him with first surprise and then alarm. The fellow seemed to hesitate for a moment or two and then dropped the reins to Kelly’s horse, before spurring his sizable stallion to a full bounding run.

Confused, Ginger started to run after the stallion. William could see Kelly’s body beginning to slip to the mare’s left side, just seconds away from being tangled in the horse’s galloping legs.

“Oh God, no!”

Swiftly closing the short gap between them, William pulled alongside the frightened mare’s right side and reached down for the bridle with one hand, while trying to support Kelly’s drooping body with his other hand. He couldn’t let her slip further. “Whoa girl, whoa. I’ve got you now. Whoa.”

Ginger and Smoke both slowed and then finally came to a full stop. William stepped off his stallion and grabbed Kelly, supporting her limp body in his shaking arms. “Kelly. Kelly. My God, what has he done to you?” Worry and fear crowded his mind. “I’m here Kelly. I’m here for you.”

Seconds later, Sam and Bear tugged their mounts to an abrupt halt beside him and instantly dismounted.

“She won’t wake up,” he told them, feeling a wave of panic sweep through him.

“Let’s get her off her horse,” Sam said.

Bear held the horses and Sam held Kelly, while William untied the ropes binding her to the mare. He couldn’t believe this was the second time he’d had to remove ropes from her wrists and ankles. As before, her skin was an angry red and raw in places.

As he gently lowered her to the ground, he swore he would use these very same ropes on the man who had tied them on Kelly.

Both of his brothers knelt next to Kelly, examining her. “No head wounds,” Sam said.

“It appears she has na broken bones,” Bear stated.

“Thank God for that at least,” William said, “but why doesn’t she wake?” His heart thumped madly as he held her hand in his.

“Let me smell her breath,” Bear urged and nudged Sam aside. “Drugged. The poor wee thing has been drugged.”

Sam smelled her breath as well. “I agree,” he said. “Opium. Her breath has the sickly sweet smell of the poppy flower. During the war, surgeons gave it to those with the worst injuries. If the bugger didn’t overdose her, she’ll come around eventually.”

“And if he did?” William asked, a pulsing knot forming in his stomach, because he already knew the answer.

Sam didn’t respond.

William stood as icy fear wrapped around his heart. “I’ll kill him!” he swore. If Kelly died, nothing would do any good but a first-class killing and he was the man that would give it to the bastard. He tucked the ropes into his saddle bag. Then he bent a knee and lowered his lips to hers, sealing his vow with a gentle kiss. He never envisioned that this would be the way he would kiss Kelly for the first time, but his heart leapt at the feel of his lips brushing against hers.

He would see the end of this nightmare for her. He stood and vaulted onto his horse. “Both of you stay with her. Take her to my new cabin. Whispering Hills is north and west of Boonesborough, no more than thirty minutes. But first be sure the doctor checks her over. And keep her miserable father away from her.”

Before they could respond, he took off. With a snap of his reins, he urged Smoke to a hard gallop. He prayed his stallion would be as fast as the abductor’s stallion was. Even if it was, though, his mount had been running at a steady pace for some time. But the man could be no more than a quarter mile or so ahead of him. All he needed was a bit of luck and he’d soon catch up with him. And there it was. A clearing in the forest provided a gap through which he could ride, cutting a shorter path. He took it, weaving around the few trees in the glade and angling so that he would intercept the man.

A few seconds later, he charged out onto the trail and skid to a halt, his stallion angled to block the road. “Get off your mount you son-of-a-bitch,” William ordered.

“Sir, I beg you to wait just a minute and listen to reason,” the man said in a smooth voice.

“Get off of your mount. I won’t ask again.”

As soon as the man dismounted, William did as well, keeping a watchful eye on the man’s every move.

“Sir…” the man began.

But William’s fist whacked the man’s jaw before the next word came out.

The man doubled over to his left side but did not go down.

William kept his fists clenched. “What is your name?”

The man lifted his chin and responded, “Harpes.”

“Harpes what?” William demanded, his tone nearly as hot as his anger.

“Harpes Robinson.”

“Mister Robinson, why did you abduct Miss McGuffin?”

“I rescued her!” the man replied abruptly. He stood there, looking indignant and offended.

William got the sense the man was a braggart—all gurgle and no guts. “Rescued her from what?”

“From her brut of a father.”

William couldn’t quarrel with the man’s description, but he still wanted to punch the man’s haughty face again. “Did Miss McGuffin ask to be rescued and how was she endangered by her
father? Did he hit her?” He would do his best to wait for the answer, but it took all his self-control not to hit Harpes again. His distrust grew stronger by the minute.

“No, he did not hit her. And she did not ask for my help,” he admitted. “But her father was drunk and acted like a boar towards her. I waited, hidden in the woods, until he fell asleep to be sure he didn’t hurt her. Later, I came to her and she subsequently agreed to go with me to Lexington.”

William found that hard to believe. But Kelly was in a precarious and fragile state of mind. Maybe she thought she could escape her problems by going with this man. With narrowed eyes, William regarded Harpes for a moment. He stared unflinching into the man’s stony eyes.

“Her father was treating her pitifully,” the stranger explained. “I heard their argument from some distance away and came to her assistance. I felt sorry for her. If you had heard the hurtful things the bully said to her, you would have wanted to rescue her too. Once you crush a beautiful rose, it cannot be uncrushed.”

William bristled at the man calling Kelly a beautiful rose, but he couldn’t disagree with his logic. Had Kelly’s father crushed her beautiful spirit? William sincerely hoped she’d found the strength to stand up to her father’s verbal assault.

But for now, his primary concern was this vexing man. “Is that why you drugged her? Because you felt sorry for her?” William questioned, squinting his eyes again.

Harpes’ left eyebrow rose. “No, I….” he stammered, and lowered his head.

William’s jaw clenched. “What did you do to her, you filthy bastard?”

“Nothing, I assure you.”

“Did…you…touch…her?” William enunciated each word with a snarl.

“She is untouched. I was taking her to Lexington to provide her with an education. I am a man of means and property and can provide her with all she needs.”

“I can just imagine what kind of education you had in mind,” William seethed, feeling like a volcano on the verge of erupting. “And as for providing for her, that is none of your concern. I’ll ask you one last time. And I warn you a poor answer will have equally poor consequences. Why did you drug her?”

The color drained from Harpes’ face and his eyes darted to the ground as he struggled to rationalize what he’d done. He gave an anxious little cough before finally answering. “Opium can take a person to great heights of extraordinary pleasure. There’s nothing quite like it. I wanted to give the young woman some pleasure, that’s all. May I offer you some?” His lips curled slowly into a cloying smile.

William’s fist slammed into the man’s jaw again. This time, knocking Harpes to the ground. “I should just hang your sorry soul. Right here. Right now.” He glowered at the bastard, letting his eyes convey the fury within him.

“On whose authority?” the pompous man asked as he regained his feet.

“On my authority,” William snapped. “I’m Sheriff Wyllie of Boonesborough. And you, Sir, are under arrest for abduction and assault of a woman.”

For the first time, the man looked worried. “I did not assault her!” Harpes insisted. “I helped her.” A shadow of doubt swept
across his face.

“Drugging a person to the point of rendering them unconscious is assault.”

Harpes stiffened and haughtily tossed his head. “Says who?”

The abductor’s contemptuous expression sent William’s temper soaring. “Says the law. And that’s me. Turn around and put your hands behind your back.”