Lacy's Legacy, page 12
“I’m sorry, Lacy. So sorry.” She must be worried about the coming baby, and with good reason. Out here, childbirth ended in death often. Either the baby or the mother. Or both.
Ethan had never given such things much thought, but now this woman he cared for was involved, the unexpected danger hit him hard. And he admitted he cared for her more each day.
He’d faced down a lot of danger, but nothing like this. This helplessness was worse than charging an Indian war party or a trigger-happy rustler.
Please God, protect Lacy and her child.
He wrapped his arms around her, resting his chin on the top of her head and rubbed circles on her back, letting the sorrow drain from her.
Even here beside the graves, life made its presence known. Birds sang. Insects hummed. Frogs croaked. All while the air held its breath and time stood still.
Lacy slipped her hand behind his neck and pulled him down to her upturned face. Her soft lips touched his for the briefest of moments. The kiss held no passion, but the tenderness gave him hope.
She rested her forehead against his.
Staring into her amber gaze sent a warmth spreading through him like he’d fallen into a hot spring. There in her eyes he saw the first spark of true, abiding love. He’d have to tenderly hold and breathe life into that tiny ember.
He kissed her forehead. “You can tie me in knots, you know that?” His voice held a just-awake-in-the-morning huskiness.
Her luscious lips curved, turning his knees to mush. “Supper’s ready.” She offered him her hand, and he gladly took it.
Chapter 21
Lacy watched Ethan ride away to the wheat fields to work with the harvesting team. At least she knew where he was and he’d be safe out there—or so she hoped. But they’d finish up today, and then what?
Every time he rode off, she wondered if it would be the last time she’d see him. And that thought squeezed her heart. She couldn’t deny it anymore. She loved Ethan and wanted him to stay. No, her feelings wouldn’t be denied any longer. She wanted him to marry her and be a father to her child.
Mark would want her to marry Ethan.
She remembered that last time Mark rode away. Her mind had been filled with trivial things. Finishing the baby’s blanket. Weeding the garden. Mending Mark’s work shirts. Her only worry was to decide what to fix for supper.
Mark had given her no indication it wasn’t a normal routine day. Later, she understood he’d shielded her from the events leading up to that fateful day. Now she feared Ethan was hiding his plans from her.
Ever since her visit with Ester, she’d stewed over what to do about Malcolm Dye’s proposal that she sell him a passage through her land. She hated to yield anything to the odious man, but was the land worth it. Now that Ethan was in danger.
No, she wasn’t willing to risk the life of another man she loved. And she did love Ethan though in a different way from the way she loved Mark. She and Mark had grown up together. They’d been more friends than lovers, even after marriage. Ethan made her feel different, like a woman who needed his touch.
As soon as Ethan disappeared over the horizon, she made up her mind. She’d meet Malcolm and sell him the land, even if he insisted on the box canyon as she suspected he would. There was plenty of undeveloped land for Ethan to use for his horses.
She checked on Granny and found the dear old lady snoozing. Carefully closing the front door, she ran to the barn. Gramps was cleaning out the horses’ stalls.
The black thoroughbred stuck her head out of the stall and stomped. She needed exercise. “Gramps, I’m going to take Ebony and hitch her to the buggy. I’m going to meet a man who’s surveying our land.” She was already pulling down the harness.
Gramps dropped his pitchfork and scurried to her side. “Let me do that. The doctor said you shouldn’t be lifting heavy things.”
It certainly wasn’t heavy, but she relinquished the leathers. “Thanks, Gramps.”
“Won’t take long. Ebony’s not used to the harness, but I guess you can handle her.”
“I know I can.”
“Why isn’t Ethan going to meet with the surveyor and hasn’t the land already been surveyed?”
Gramps might be old, but he wasn’t stupid. “This is for a section we need to divide.” To keep from answering any more questions she might not be able to answer, she busied herself with inspecting the other horses while Gramps hauled the harness and horse outside. If Gramps got suspicious he might go get Ethan.
When Gramps came back inside, she met him just inside the open doors. “I’ll be back before supper, so no reason for Granny to fire up the stove.”
Gramps scratched his head. “I don’t like you going off by yourself. Wished you’d wait until Ethan could go with you.”
She reached up to kiss his whiskered cheek. “I’ll be fine. I’m taking my rifle, and I’ve gotten handy with it.” If he only knew how fear coiled in her stomach almost making her sick. But if there was any chance of warding off a confrontation between Malcolm and Ethan, she had to take it.
Ebony was fresh and cantered swiftly over the stretch toward the box canyon. Lacy allowed herself to relax and enjoy the wind blowing on her flushed face.
As she topped the rise leading to the lake, she spotted a gathering of men and gripped the reins, making Ebony slow. She’d assumed there’d only be three men waiting for her—Malcolm, the surveyor, and the lawyer. There were four horsemen.
She wanted to turn around, but they’d already seen her, and what protection would her rifle be against at least four armed men, including Steel. There was no surveyor.
The silvery blue waters of the lake spread out behind them. It occurred to her, they could easily take her out to the middle, weight her body and drop her in the lake’s depths. Who would ever find her? She should have told Gramps who she was meeting.
Dear Lord, cover me. She urged Ebony forward at a brisk pace. No need to let them see her fear.
They all turned their horses to face her as she approached, Malcolm Dye in front.
She pulled Ebony to a stop about five yards away. “I don’t want to lose the lake.”
Dye moved to Ebony, his horse nudging the black. “I’m afraid you don’t have a choice. Your boundary line runs along the lake.”
She held the horse steady. “Get back from my horse.”
“Mrs. Avant,” John Healy, the lawyer, spoke in a conciliatory tone. “I’m taking a rough survey of the property. If you’ll allow me to join you on the buggy seat, I can spread out the land plat for your perusal.”
She didn’t like how they were crowding her in, but what choice did she have? Besides, Mr. Healy and Mr. Smithers, who was also present, were respectable businessmen. Dye and Steel wouldn’t do anything to her in front of them. Would they?
“Very well.” She scooted as far to the edge of her side as possible while the man dismounted and strode toward the buggy.
He pulled himself onto the buggy’s seat and spread the document on his knees. “Here you’ll see the lake and where your boundary line goes. We’re going to walk the boundary, and I’ll adjust your plat by fifty feet to the north, then take in the canyon that’s of no use to you.” He took a pencil and drew a thin line along the boundary line. “You can see how little it decreases your land.”
“It still cuts me off from the lake.” And the canyon that Ethan coveted.
“I agree, it does restrict your water rights, but you don’t really need it. You don’t raise cattle.”
That was true, but Ethan was going to raise horses, and they’d have to have access to water.
Healy seemed to read her mind. “There are other streams on your property, Mrs. Avant, clean mountain water. Come, let’s go the length of it and I’ll show you.” He meant for her to follow the edge of the lake and toward the wooded area. She flicked the reins and steered Ebony in that direction. Malcolm, Steel, and Tobias Smithers followed.
The canyon stretched out before them, lush and green. Perfect grazing land. Beautiful. Peaceful. Was she making a mistake to sell it? Knowing Ethan wanted this land? Knowing that Mark paid for it with his life?
When they reached the tree line, she jerked back on the reins. “I’ve changed my mind.” She said it loud enough for Malcolm to hear.
He came up beside her and grasped her arm so hard pain sliced all the way to her shoulder. “Let go of me.” Even as the words left her mouth she knew they were wasted. Malcolm pulled her down off the seat. Her feet hit the ground so hard it jarred throughout her body. Her free hand went to cup her stomach, knowing it must jar the baby too.
Malcolm’s eyes were dark and hard, his lips curled into a sneer. “We’ll go on foot from here. Do you think I didn’t know you wouldn’t cooperate? But we have another plan, the only one that will work.”
“Then let me go. Do your plan. It doesn’t involve me.”
“Oh, but it does, my dear. You’re the bait.”
She struggled, knowing it was futile. Help me Lord, if not for my sake, then for the innocent baby.
Steel and Smithers had dismounted. Healy set the buggy brake and dropped to the ground beside them. Malcolm tugged her along, his hand still cording her arm, cutting off the blood flow.
“Bait? What bait?” she demanded.
He gave her a look like she was crazy. “Why, bait for your Mr. Wilkes, my dear.”
She relaxed and gave him some slack. If he thought Ethan would walk into his trap he was the crazy one.
Chapter 22
Something was wrong. Ethan could feel it as soon as he returned from the fields. Lacy hadn’t greeted him on the porch, and it occurred to him he’d come to depend on it. To look forward to it at the end of a day of hard work.
He left Smokey hitched to the rail and went inside. Granny looked up from her needlework. She blinked a few times like she didn’t recognize him. “Lacy,” he called.
“Lacy’s not here,” Granny said.
“Do you know where she is?”
Granny squinted. “Bert would know—wherever he is.” She chuckled and went back to her work.
Gramps would probably be in the barn. Ethan hung his hat on the peg and trudged outside. He unhitched Smokey and, with Sol on his heels, led the horse to the barn for a brush down, assuming Gramps could relieve his anxiety about Lacy.
The pungent smell of hay and horse manure hit him as he entered the barn. Gramps propped on his rake and lifted a hand in greeting. “I’m getting slow in my old age. Should have had these stalls mucked out an hour ago.”
“That’s all right. The stalls can wait. Do you know where Lacy is?”
A worry line formed on Gramps’s brow. “She’s not back yet? She left right after you went to the fields after dinner. Said she’d be back before supper. It’s about that time now, ain’t it?”
“Past. Did she say where she was going?”
“Yep, going to meet the surveyor and Malcolm Dye at our southern property line.”
The tension strangling his muscles coiled tighter. “Why?”
“Didn’t say.” Gramps walked past him to stick his head out the door. “I asked her if she didn’t want to wait for you, but she said no, she’d be back before supper.” He turned back to Ethan. “I don’t like this.”
“I don’t either. I’m going after her.” He took a couple of wide strides to Smokey, then spun back around. “I’m going to signal my friend who’s camping in the woods. Don’t get alarmed by the gunfire.”
“Glad you got someone to help. I’d go myself but I can’t leave Louise.”
Ethan pulled his rifle out of the scabbard and pointed upward, firing twice in quick succession, each blast echoing off the dense woods.
With Sol close behind, Ethan raced into the house, refilled his canteen, and stashed a few stale biscuits and bacon strips left over from breakfast wrapped in a napkin. One never knew how long a rescue could take. Memories of hunger while penned down under fire made him aware of the need for food. While he was gathering items, he stuffed a couple of cookies in his pocket.
One never knew about injuries either. He grabbed a bar of soap, wrapped in a clean rag and the pack of medicinal items Lacy kept in the kitchen cupboard. Lastly, he replenished his supply of ammunition for the rifle and both pistols. Quint would have his own.
After stuffing the supplies into his saddlebag, he hastened out the back to await Quint. Leading Smokey to the water trough, he scanned the sky. The sun was already low but, thankfully, clear of threatening weather. If they had to travel after dark, the moon would show.
He reloaded the rifle and slipped it back into the scabbard. Where was Quint? It probably hadn’t been five minutes since Ethan had found Lacy gone, but the seconds crawled over his raw nerves.
The dog had picked up on his anxiety, whining as he circled Ethan. “Come on, boy.” Sol followed him into the barn. “Gramps, would you keep Sol in here until I leave?” He backed out the door and closed it. Sol didn’t like being left behind, and started howling. Ethan considered taking him. The dog could help track Lacy, but he and Quint might have to move faster than Sol could keep up.
It was possible Quint had gone back to the Double D, or that he’d run into some trouble. Ethan prayed that wasn’t the case, but he couldn’t wait much longer. He’d just have to tell Gramps if Quint showed up, to tell him to follow.
Smokey’s whinny stopped him at the back door. Quint’s roan stallion, Pegasus, greeted the other horse with an answering whinny and a shake of the head.
Ethan didn’t offer Quint a greeting. He leaped into the saddle and gestured toward the south. “I’ll tell you about it on the way.”
After they’d gotten underway, Ethan eased into a canter that allowed conversation. “I hope I’m wrong, but I’m pretty sure they’re holding Lacy, probably up at that box canyon.”
“For what purpose?” A no-nonsense question he’d come to expect from Quint. There was not a bit of surprise or alarm in the man’s tone. That’s what made him such a good partner in this type mission. He would calm the nerves just by his demeanor.
“I don’t know. All I can think of he’s using her to lure me up there, intending to kill me, then blame it on some accident.” Gall rose in his throat. “And probably kill Lacy, too.”
“No, that’s not what I mean. Why would Mrs. Avant go with them? Was she forced?”
From what Gramps had said, Lacy left on her own. “That’s a good question. She didn’t trust Dye. Why would she go alone to meet him?”
Quint cleared his throat. “While I was at the livery after I left you I overheard Mack and another of Dye’s men talking.” He slowed Pegasus to a walk. “Dye was planning to offer Mrs. Avant a deal. If she’d give him a strip of land to the south of her claim and the box canyon, he’d pay off her loan. He would send someone to present this offer with the stipulation that she couldn’t tell you, and she’d have to meet with him and the surveyor at an appointed time. The fellow who was talking didn’t know the time or day but he didn’t talk like it would be right away. Mack thought it was strange that Dye didn’t want him to go. Just Steel. Mack lost a lot of his clout when you shot a finger off his right hand. He’s been relegated back to driving cattle.”
“Wished you’d have come to tell me that.” Ethan couldn’t restrain the frustration in his voice.
“I should have, but you’d already gone out to the wheat field when I got out here, and I was afraid you were being watched. Guess it never occurred to me Dye intended to put that plan in action today. Besides, I’d been watching the house and no one came to visit Mrs. Avant.”
“Then how did she know about this plan of his?”
“Had to have been told by someone in town. Maybe Mrs. Granville’s husband. Or Mrs. Granville herself.”
Now he understood why Lacy was so distant and quiet on the way home. She was pondering the deal Malcolm had presented. It must have seemed attractive to know her loan would be paid off. But giving up water access and the box canyon. Didn’t she know how much she’d lose?
Twilight was already setting in. “We have to get to that lake before full dark.” Ethan kicked his knees into the horse’s flanks, and Smokey sprang into a gallop. They hugged the tree line since riding out in the open would make them a perfect target.
“That’s the last rise before the lake,” Quint shouted over the noise of the panting horses.
Ethan pulled on the reins. “You’ve scouted the place?”
“You know I would have, all the way back of that mountain. Did you know there’s a cave up there?”
“A cave?” He didn’t remember seeing a cave.
“Not a big one. Much wider on the other side.”
“It goes all the way through the mountain?”
“About half way up, yeah. Caused by a fissure a million years ago, I guess. It’s tight in places, but I went all the way through to that ledge you talked about.”
That would be a good place to hide, and it might be where they were holding Lacy. Of course they might also know the cave traversed the mountain’s interior. “We’d better dismount here. I’m going to crawl up the rise and scope the place.”
Quint nodded, and Ethan dropped to the ground, scrambling on all fours until he just topped the rise enough to see below. He positioned his scope and swept the landscape. Not a sign of a living creature until he got to the south edge. There in the shadows of the trees stood Lacy’s buggy with Ebony still hitched to it. His heart hammered. They’d taken her up that mountain all right and likely were holding her in the cave. A good vantage point for them. They could see anyone who approached.
He backed down the rise and ran to where Quint waited. “Her buggy’s down there. They likely took her up the mountain. We’ll have to go through the tree cover and hope Dye hasn’t left any lookouts.” He swung onto Smokey’s back and they turned around, headed for the trees.
“Might be a good thing it’ll be dark. They probably will surmise we’d wait until morning to come looking.”
