Wilderness Trail of Love (American Wilderness Series Romance Book 1) (29 page)

Sam took the pan off the fire, and set it on a rock to cool. “When we decided to leave, part of the reason for going was Bomazeen. He was an unquestionable threat and eventually he would have come after you. And likely your daughters too. But he was only the final reason. Let me tell you about a discussion Stephen had with our brothers before we left.”

She sat down on her trunk. “All right.”

Sam continued, “Edward argued against taking a dangerous trip. Stephen thought the potential rewards outweighed the possible risks. So did William and so did John. And, I agreed with them. It was four to one in favor of leaving. Stephen was stumped though, because he knew what jeopardy the journey might put you and the girls in. It was tearing him apart.

“Believe it or not, it was Little John who helped Stephen to decide. Little John said we could die there too, just as his mother did, and his Grandpa and Grandma did in the mountain slide. What Little John said was true. Life has no guarantees anywhere. Amy and Mary could have died from a fever there in your home. You know the truth of that. We’ve all seen it happen in other families, often without explanation.”

“I have,” she admitted, reining in her temper, and letting out a
long sigh.

“Ultimately, Edward did not have the courage to leave. Stephen did. Would you rather be married to a complacent coward? To a man who is only content with what’s easy and safe? Or to a man like Stephen? A man with the courage to trust God and pursue his dream, even if it means facing the unknown. The man you chose to marry for those very qualities.”

She shut her eyes and buried her face in her hands. “Dear Lord, what have I done?”

“It’s not what you did, but what you can do that is important now. Forgive him Jane and forgive yourself too. No one was responsible for their deaths. No one could have prevented it. None of us know our future. It just happened for a reason we’ll never understand. Stephen loves you more than his dream, more than the land he wants so desperately so that he can provide a better future for his family. He wants only one thing more than land—to keep you safe. But if you separate the man from his dream, he won’t be the same man.”

Jane let Sam’s words sink in. They felt like a warm salve to her wounded and bruised spirit. She wanted to heal, wanted to love again. If she were honest, her anger had already faded even before she talked to Sam.

Finally, she said, “Thank you, Sam.”

Jane felt her heart beginning to heal already. There was no doubt that she would still hurt for some time, but the sorrow would come from missing Amy and Mary, not from bitter, misplaced anger and resentment. She could leave that dark abyss behind now and move on. Move on with her husband by her side, looking forward, toward the west, toward a shared dream. She prayed he would come
back to her and give her a chance to tell him she was sorry. And, to spend the rest of their new life showing him her love.

She closed her eyes, willing Stephen to feel her love, to know that she realized she was wrong to blame him. Terribly wrong. Forgiveness began to bloom in her heart.

It was then that she felt the first soft twitch of the new life growing inside her.

The sun blazed high in the sky when Stephen and William caught up with the others. Bear, who was bringing up the rear, turned in his saddle as they approached, peered down the trail toward them, and waved.

“There they are,” Bear yelled and pointed, then loped his horse back toward them.

Stephen couldn’t wait to see the girls, but most of all Jane. Somehow, he had to make amends. He tapped his heels against George’s sides, urging the horse on. Kelly and William followed close behind.

“Ye’re a sight for sore eyes now,” Bear said as he reached them. “I see ye have a young visitor with ye, and a lot more stock than ye did when you left.”

“Good to finally see you too. Dragging this ornery mule has made me want to cut off this arm,” William said.

“Bear, this is Kelly McGuffin. Kelly this is our adopted brother, Bear McKee.” Stephen slid from the saddle and handed over the lead ropes. “Take these horses will you Bear?”

Bear took the two Stephen had led and got the horse Kelly pulled behind her.

“Is everyone all right?” Stephen asked Bear. He was most concerned about Jane, worried that her heart was still breaking. Afraid that she still hated him.
Please God, let that not be so
.

“Aye. They’re fine. We heard about some Indian trouble na too far away though. We’ve doubled our watch at night,” Bear said.

“What kind of trouble?” Stephen asked. He heard real worry in Bear’s tone.

“I’ll explain later,” Bear said, glancing at the young lady.

“Let’s catch up with the others then,” Stephen said, looking for Jane and hurrying toward her wagon. George followed behind him.

Jane quickly climbed down off her seat and rushed towards him. The children ran ahead of her. The girls and Little John were the first to reach him and grabbed him around the legs. He gave each a hug and pat on the head but his gaze never left Jane.

“You got a mule and some chickens,” Little John shouted.

“Why don’t you and the girls go see them,” Stephen said with a smile.

As Jane drew closer, tears welled up in her eyes at the sight of him. His heart raced as she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him fiercely.

Could this be the miracle he had prayed for?

As though she didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, she did both. Her tears actually felt good against his face, washing away the pain, healing the anger. He tried kissing them away but there were too many.

He reached down to hold her waist and looked closely at her face. Had she forgiven him? It was there in her eyes. Love replaced the bitterness.

His heart nearly burst with joy. He hugged her so forcefully he worried he might be hurting her. He leaned back and gazed down at her. She was still crying. But these tears appeared to spring from joy not pain. He studied her face, soaking in every magnificent detail. Her eyes sparkled again with life and her smile made him want to weep his relief was so great.

She was so important to him. So much a part of him. He was nothing without her. “Jane,” was all he could say.

She tried to dry her tears with the back of her hand. “Stephen, I love you. I’m so sorry. I was so wrong.”

He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her passionately. He didn’t care who was watching. They were husband and wife, reconciled, lovers once again. He needed to taste Jane’s mouth, to feel her warmth, more than ever before. He wanted to kiss away all her heartaches, to sweep her up in his arms and carry her off to a secluded spot where he could show her how much he adored her.

He forced himself to pull back. His need to feel her passion, and share his, would have to wait for now.

After he caught his breath, and gave Jane one more spirited hug, he directed her attention toward Kelly, who had been speaking to Bear and the girls.

“Who is this pretty young lady?” Jane asked him.

“Her name is Kelly. I’ll explain later, after we get her settled,” he said, making it clear from his tone that she should ask no more questions.

“Greetings, my name is Jane.” She offered her hand to Kelly.

“Hello, I’m Kelly McGuffin,” Kelly replied timidly.

Stephen suspected that Kelly might be overwhelmed by such a
boisterous group of strangers.

“Are those your chickens on the back of that mule? And is that your milk cow?” Jane asked.

Kelly nodded a yes to both questions.

Jane smiled warmly, linking her arm around Kelly’s elbow. “Why don’t you come with me and I’ll introduce you to my friend Catherine and the others.”

He watched Kelly stride toward her new life.

A life now linked by misfortune and fortune to the dreams of others.

CHAPTER 31

S
tephen strode up as Jane tucked the girls and Little John into their pallets for the evening. She rejoiced that the sight of him made love swell in her heart again.

“Goodnight my bunnies, may the angels kiss your foreheads and bring you the sweetest of dreams,” she told them. She was anxious to find her own dreams. And, she was even more anxious to feel Stephen’s rock hard chest and strong arms envelop her again.

“Mama, tell us a story,” Polly pleaded. “It’s been so long since you’ve told us one. Please, please, just a short one will do.”

“Yes, yes,” Martha begged.

“Please, Aunt Jane,” Little John said.

Jane glanced up at Stephen. He smiled and nodded at her as though he too would enjoy hearing one of her tales. He often said she was an excellent storyteller. She usually made them up as she went. Her favorites were always about castles and princes. Stephen looked like a prince to her tonight. He had washed, shaved, and wore a fresh linen shirt over his broad shoulders. The dancing light of the fire made his long black hair gleam and his sapphire eyes
seemed more mischievous than usual. His warm smile made her ache to kiss his lips. And elsewhere. She’d make this a short story.

“All right, but you must promise to be happy with just this short one. I’m tired from today’s journey,” she said.

The children all wore happy smiles and settled in for the story.

“Well now, about 200, no 300 years ago,” she began, “there lived a small group of fairies in the old land called Scotland across the big ocean. The fairies lived in an ancient forest named Glen Affric. The forest, silent, solemn, and dark, stood unchanged for many centuries, and nothing lived there but fairies. No birds, no deer, nothing at all lived in this woodland but these wee fairies. Every evening the fairies came out of their shelters in the trees and played lovely tunes on magical pipes. These tunes were enchanted and few mortals lived who were lucky enough to ever hear them.

“One evening, a young noblewoman rode alongside the forest, through a golden grass covered pasture. She had lost her way riding her horse and could not find her way back to her castle. The sun was far in the western sky and she desperately wanted to get back before dark, because her father, who loved her very much, would be worried.”

She paused to look up at Stephen—her handsome prince. Ah, now she knew where this story was going. She looked down at the children and continued…

“Yet, the young woman was not afraid. Those of noble birth must always set an example for others to be brave. The afternoon shadows grew longer and longer, making every tree, shrub, and stone, darken the grass. She kept riding, but could not find the path that would lead her back to her castle. The reds and golds of the evening
sunset made her stop to admire, and there she heard the sweetest sound she had ever heard. She rode through the flowers and grasses, and pressed her mount right to the forest edge. She listened carefully. Was it merely the wind or a river? Had she really heard the delightful sound? Yes, she heard it again and the fairies’ pipes lured her in. At the edge of the forest, she got off her horse, tied him, and strolled slowly into the woods. After a bit, she grew accustomed to the darkness, and searched and peered past every tree. Suddenly, she heard,
‘A woman fair and true rides her horse, always following her heart’s course. Through field and glen she rides him through, and the land she loves, loves her too.’
The noblewoman sat down and leaned up against a tree to listen to the enchanting magical tune. She closed her eyes for just a second and fell fast asleep, hearing in her dreams the sweetest melodies she ever heard.

“As her lovely dreams kept her entranced, a neighboring prince spotted her tied mount as he rode home to his castle. He went into the forest to see who the horse belonged to because he thought they might need help. He found the noblewoman fast asleep. Her long golden hair, spread all over her shoulders, shimmered even in the darkness under the timber. Her fair skin glowed like the moon. She wore a gown made of silver, shinier than his long broad sword. She was so beautiful the prince could barely breathe as he gazed upon her. Right then, his heart fell completely in love with her.

“She was such a vision to gaze upon, that he did not want to wake her. But the sun was nearly down and he should wake her before darkness fell on the forest. He knelt down and kissed her hand.