Eden Read online

  A faint sound reached her then, a muffled thunder of hooves, as if riders were nearing the place where she was hidden, and Katie’s breath caught in her throat. Perhaps Jacob had returned. What if Mrs. Rice were even now in danger?

  And then she caught sight of five men below the tree line, there where the road led to the Schrader farm. Tall in their saddles, they were but a blur to her eyes, but something about the way the second man held himself made her heart pound harder. As if she recognized him, although it was highly improbable through the falling snow, she knew that John rode with four other men, there on the road a few hundred feet from where she watched.

  And then she heard a muffled sound, recognized Mrs. Rice’s voice and knew that she had also recognized the men. The five figures halted, turning in their saddles to look up the hillside and then one of them rode toward where Mrs. Rice surely must be.

  In moments, the teacher appeared, leading the two mares, the figure of the deputy close behind her. His voice was crisp and his orders clear as he issued a command.

  “You ladies stay right here and don’t be exposing yourselves, you hear? The sheriff’s down there with Shorty and Roper and that Indian friend of his. We’re going on to the barn out behind that house and see if we can find the girl.” He looked up to where Katie crouched just inside the small cave.

  “Are you all right, Mrs. Roper? You haven’t been hurt, have you? That husband of yours is havin’ a fit, worrying about you.”

  Katie shook her head, uncertain if the deputy could see her, unsure whether or not he would understand her denial of John’s worry. But he seemed to get the message, for he nodded and turned away, leaving Mrs. Rice to lead the two mares toward the cave where Katie sat.

  Katie rose, unable to sit longer, hoping for respite from the backache should she stand upright. “I think we should go down the hill and watch from the road,” she told Mrs. Rice.

  “Katie, don’t be so foolish. John and the others can handle things, and they’ll feel a whole lot better about us if we’re out of danger.”

  Katie’s chin tilted upward as she stepped from the cave’s opening. “I’d feel a whole lot better myself, if I knew that Jane was all right, and Jacob hasn’t hurt her. I’ll bet he’s thinking he’s got her back home and he can keep her there.”

  Mrs. Rice wore a frown, her head shaking a denial to Katie’s plan, but when the mare’s reins were taken from her hand, she could only watch as Katie led the animal to a low piece of log and then proceeded to climb into the saddle. “Get on board, Mrs. Rice. We’re about to watch a rescue.”

  Her mood bordered on mirth, and Katie felt a new lightness of spirit as she turned her mare, heading down the hill. Behind her, the teacher mounted her own mare, and followed at a slow pace. Fearful of the horse slipping in the snowy leaves beneath her hooves, Katie was careful to rein in the animal and ride carefully until they reached the side of the road.

  Ahead of them the lane to the house and beyond it the barn, stretched for several hundred feet, the five horsemen who rode its length staying to one side of the fence line. A row of trees sheltered them somewhat and Katie uttered a silent prayer for their safety as she watched their progress. Abruptly, as if from some signal, they broke into a faster gait, heading for the barn, bending low over their horse’s necks as though they would provide as small a target as possible.

  Katie reined her horse closer to the lane, her gun held before her. For unbeknownst to the men who rode toward the barn, the door of the house had opened and Jacob Schrader stepped out onto the porch, a shotgun held before him.

  The sheriff halted halfway between house and barn and called out stridently. “Jacob Schrader. Come on out here.”

  From the back porch, Jacob’s nasal tones sounded a warning, and Katie shuddered, for John and the other three men were in the direct line of fire. “You’re in my sights, Sheriff. I’ve got my eye on all five of you.”

  The sheriff spoke quietly to the men with him, and they slid from their mounts, holding the horses between themselves and the man on the porch. As Katie watched, they armed themselves, half crouched for shelter. Jacob laughed raucously from the porch, sounding as if he’d been drinking, and perhaps he had, Katie thought, for he was seldom far from his jug of rotgut.

  His shotgun wavered a bit, and he leaned it on the porch railing, kneeling on the floor, the better to take aim at the men and horses before him. Even as she watched, John turned, looking at the barn, then with a quick movement, he ran to the wide doors that stood open and was inside the shadowed interior. A shot rang out from the porch and as she watched, the snow was scattered, blown about by buckshot, a few bits of the ammunition hitting the horses, sending them into a panic.

  Katie felt a bolt of fury such as she had never known slice through her and she lifted her reins and kicked the mare into motion, riding quickly toward the house. From the barn a pistol sounded and Jacob jerked as a bullet apparently hit him.

  “Katie, get back.” It was John’s voice and his command was clear, but Katie bent low over the mare’s neck and rode to within twenty feet of the house. On the porch, Jacob pulled himself up on the railing, blood streaming from his shoulder, and gripped the shotgun, taking aim in Katie’s direction. The weight of the weapon did not allow him to lift it far from the porch, but he managed to rest it on the railing once more and squatted behind it.

  Katie pulled her mount to a halt and took aim, her pistol held firmly, her determination that Jacob not fire again at the men in the barn making her braver than she’d thought possible. Taking aim as John had shown her, she fired the gun, at the same time, hearing the sound of the shotgun’s blast.

  Jacob’s body collapsed on the porch again, and beneath Katie, the mare shuddered and then fell to the ground. She crawled from the saddle, hiding behind the mare’s bulky body, hearing the animal’s snorts of fear and pain.

  From the house, Agnes’s wail could be heard, and then the door was jerked open and she came out onto the porch. “Damn you, Katie. Damn you. You’ve kilt him.”

  Katie’s lips formed words she’d never thought to utter, and her whispered wish was fierce. “I hope he’s dead. Oh, Lord Almighty, I hope the man is dead.”

  From the barn, John ran full tilt in her direction and he fell beside her, reaching for her, his hands harsh, his grip unmerciful as he pulled her beneath himself. “Don’t fight me, Katie. Just lie still. Agnes has the shotgun now, and she’s turning it in this direction.”

  But from the barn, the sheriff ran toward the house and his voice rang out, catching Agnes’s attention. “Put that gun down, lady, or the next bullet fired is gonna have your name on it.”

  Agnes shrieked loudly, dropped the shotgun and slumped on the porch beside her husband. The sheriff and deputy sped quickly from the barn toward the house, and in seconds had pulled Agnes to one side and silenced her loud cries.

  “You all right, Roper? That woman of yours still in one piece?” The sheriff’s call was welcome, for Katie was uncertain of the outcome, hidden as she was by John’s big body over her.

  “We’re fine, Sheriff, but I’m gonna get my wife out of here. Can you and your deputy handle things all right?”

  John stood, helped Katie to her feet and together they walked toward the porch, Mrs. Rice, still perched on her mare, close at their heels.

  “Old man Schrader ain’t goin’nowhere,” the deputy called out. “Leastwise not till we get him to town to the doctor. Your wife’s got a good eye, Roper.”

  John’s voice was low and menacing as he uttered words meant only for Katie’s ears. “My wife’s in big trouble.”

  “I want to see Jane,” Katie said quietly. “I won’t leave till I know she’s all right, John. And then we can go home.”

  His sigh was long, but he nodded, as if he understood her concern. Turning back to the barn, he shoved the big door open, holding Katie close and leaving Mrs. Rice to follow him inside. The teacher slid from her saddle and was behind them in seconds as they entered th
e dim interior of the building. From a stall to her right, Katie heard Jane’s voice calling, and she went swiftly to where Jane huddled in a corner of a stall.

  “She’s tied up, John,” Katie cried out. “Come turn her loose.”

  He brushed past Katie and knelt by Jane, bending to cut the bonds that held her hands behind her. The girl sat on the dirty straw, her coat rumpled around her and shivers seized her even as Katie watched.

  “Katie, you shouldn’t have come here. I was so worried. Jacob said if he caught sight of you he’d snatch you up and you’d be in the same fix as me. I didn’t know how I’d get away, but I prayed that John would be taking care of you. And now here you are, with that baby comin’ any time now.” With a cry of anguish, Katie fell to the straw beside her sister, and her arms reached to encircle Jane’s shoulders, even as she placed her fingers against Jane’s lips, hushing the words she spoke. Even knowing her sister’s concern was for the baby whose birth was imminent, Katie would not have her alarm John any more than necessary.

  What Jacob had had in mind for Jane, and perhaps herself was a question she did not want to consider, and she could only be thankful that John had managed to find her and keep her safe.

  Now his arms surrounded her and he lifted her from where she knelt beside her sister. “We’re going home, Katie girl. Hang on tight, honey.”

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  MRS. RICE STOOD AT the wide doorway, watching as John carried Katie from the barn, Jane close on their heels. And it was to John that the teacher directed her words.

  “You’d better get her home, John,” she told him quickly, leaning toward him to look at Katie. Her arm was around his neck, her face buried in his throat and his clasp against her body was firm.

  “I wonder if she isn’t in labor,” he said quietly, and felt Katie’s body jerk at his words.

  “I’m all right, John. I have a backache, but I just need to get home.”

  “And I need to get you there. In a hurry, I fear.” His anger was subdued, had been quieted by the paleness of her skin, the trembling of her limbs. Yet there was within him a sense of fury that she had managed to elude both Shorty and Berta, the two people he had counted on to keep a close eye on her. He wanted to scold her, was tempted to shake her till her teeth rattled, and knew that he would do neither. For the woman he loved was in his arms, and he could no more hurt her in any way than he could fly to the moon.

  For a moment he thought of the past, of the times when he had caused her pain, not physical so much as the pain of harsh words and actions. And he rued each circumstance that rose to his mind, knowing that she was more precious to him than his own life.

  And yet, he could not help but speak his mind to her, make her aware of the worry that had filled his thoughts, of the pain he’d felt knowing that she might be at the mercy of Jacob Schrader.

  “What were you thinking of, running off that way, Katie? I’d think you’d have known better, Mrs. Rice,” he spouted, his words stern.

  “I couldn’t let her go alone,” Mrs. Rice said calmly, “and I couldn’t stop her from looking for Jane, once she’d decided that Jacob Schrader had her.”

  “I’m so sorry, John. It’s all my fault,” Jane sobbed, her head bowed, her clothing disheveled and her eyes red-rimmed. “He caught up with me right after I left the schoolhouse.” She’d been brave up until now, John would be willing to warrant, but being rescued had allowed her to give in to her feelings. “I couldn’t get away from him. He was holding a gun on me and he said if I gave him a hard time, he’d get Katie. And I couldn’t let that happen. He said if I’d just come back to the farm, he’d leave Katie alone.”

  “We’re all of us fine now,” Katie said swiftly. She snuggled closer to his chest, her arms holding him tightly with a fierceness he hadn’t expected of her. She held back tears, of that he was more than aware and as he held her close, he felt her body stiffen against his, knew a moment of panic as she groaned aloud.

  “I think you’re right, ma’am. Katie is having labor pains,” he said to the teacher. “I don’t know much about having babies, but I’d say she’s well on her way.”

  And then he bent his head to peer into her face. “Katie?” John spoke her name. “You all right, honey?” She nodded.

  From the back of the house two men called out, Gray Wolf and the deputy, leading horses and heading for the barn. “There’s not much more to do here,” the deputy told John. “We’ll load up Schrader and take him to town in his wagon. His missus will have to go along, I suspect. And you’d better get these women home.”

  Gray Wolf stepped silently closer to where Jane stood, his dark eyes intent on her.

  “Are you hurt?” he wanted to know, his hands touching her shoulders as he spoke, as if he would see for himself that she bore no injuries.

  “He didn’t have time to hurt me, really. Just tied me up and left me out here while he went in the house to talk to Agnes. They were planning on taking Katie, too, if they could get their hands on her, and leaving here tonight,” Jane said simply. “Jacob was feeling pretty smart about having captured me. He knew that Katie would come looking for me, and he was just waiting for her to show up. I don’t know what he thought he was going to do with us. He might know we wouldn’t stick around any longer than it would take to walk out the door again.”

  “I don’t even want to think what his ideas were, Jane. He’s an evil man, and neither of you women need to ever lay eyes on him again. As to messing up his plans, he sure didn’t bargain on the sheriff coming along right behind Katie,” John said. “He’s layin’ there on the porch doin’ his best to cover his patoot, and the sheriff ain’t buyin’ it, no way. Jacob told the sheriff that Jane needed a place to stay and she wanted to come back here.”

  Jane laughed, a taut sound that lacked humor. “Not even on my deathbed would I come here for help,” she said firmly.

  “Sheriff knows that,” John told her. “He’s not believing a word the old coot is saying in there. I’d say both the Schraders are going to spend the night in jail and when the judge comes to town they’ll be up on charges of kidnaping. It won’t go easy for them. Judge Henry wasn’t much impressed with them the last time he saw them in his courtroom.”

  Katie’s hold on John’s neck tightened, and she stifled a sound that put him in mind of a kitten’s cry. “I’m gonna have this baby before you know it, John,” she said, and it seemed she swallowed a cry of pain, for her voice trembled. “I need to be getting home to Berta. She said she’d be with me when the baby came.”

  “I’ll take her up on my horse, and make tracks for home,” John said to the sheriff, who had approached, leading horses behind him. Katie’s grip had crept up into his hair and he winced as her fingertips dug into his scalp. “Turn me loose, love,” he said with a laugh. “You’re about pullin’ my hair out.”

  “I’m sorry, John. I’m just hurting pretty bad,” she murmured, her teeth biting into her bottom lip as she leaned against him, sheltering in his arms.

  “I’ll take those two up at the house back to town and stick them in a cell,” the sheriff said calmly. “I padded Jacob’s wounds up good, and he ain’t goin’nowhere but where I put him. I reckon Agnes will come along without any trouble. Shorty, why don’t you tag along with me and my deputy, and drive their wagon into town. We’ll put them in the back and tie your horse on. Katie’s horse will need tending, what with that buckshot Jacob let loose at her. We’ll take her along with us.”

  Shorty nodded his compliance, doing as the sheriff asked. Gray Wolf lifted Jane onto his own horse, mounting behind her and setting off. John held Katie before him, his arms enclosing her, riding carefully with Gray Wolf close by.

  She clung tightly, and he felt her heart pounding against his wrist as he held her, ruing the need for leaving her alone today. He’d sensed that she was feeling edgy, that her body was not performing as was its usual, but the chores had beckoned and he’d thought that leaving her would be all right for the few hours he
’d be gone. Shorty would be handy should she need help and Berta was in the house.

  It hadn’t turned out as he’d thought, for she’d been having labor pains for who knew how long already and her body was tense and stiff in his arms, growing taut every few minutes, soft sounds of distress coming from her lips.

  He bent over her, kissing her forehead, speaking soft words of comfort, promising her to have her in her own bed in less than an hour. In those long minutes he thought of the calamity should she begin to have the baby out here in the open with the cold weather threatening to become even worse, with snow falling at a speed he hadn’t counted on.

  He rode carefully, lest his horse slip and toss both of them to the ground. His thoughts were upon the words she’d spoken months ago when she’d asked him if he thought there was someone in the heavens who cared for her, who would hear her if she prayed.

  He’d glibly said he was sure of it, and now he put it to the test, for his thoughts were on the babe she carried, the tender female form of his wife who bore the responsibility of birthing his son or daughter. He even prayed that if Katie was set on a girl that God would send her one, that he’d do without a son, so long as Katie was happy, so long as she survived this night.

  “John, I hurt so bad,” she whispered softly. “I didn’t know it would hurt this bad so early on in my labor. I thought just at the end it would be this painful.” She stiffened against him as she spoke and he heard the tortured sound she could not contain.

  “Ah, baby, we’ll be there in no time. Just hang on, sweetheart. It will be all right.”

  And yet, he worried that it would not be all right, and though the words came to him easily, the torment of her pain filled him with despair. If something happened to Katie, he would not survive, for she meant more than the world to him, and he wondered suddenly if he’d ever let her know how much he cared for her.

  He’d told her how lovely she was, how much he desired her, but he couldn’t recall now if he’d declared his love for her, and with a cry from his heart, he knew that he must let her know right now how important she was to him.