Chasing Shadows (47 page)

Karen hurried over with a thick quilt slung over her arm. “You can put her down now.” Will realized that she was speaking to him and jerked his eyes to her face. The redhead was grinning up at him in compassionate understanding. He nodded, realizing that he was still clinging to Sarah even now that the immediate danger had passed. Uncurling his aching muscles, he slowly placed her feet on the ground, and his arm was the only thing holding her upright.

Karen directed her attention to the woman trembling against his side and winced as she took in her condition. “Come on, let’s get you into some dry clothes,” she murmured soothingly, easily taking control of the situation as she wrapped her arms around Sarah’s shoulders and gently tugged her away. When Will’s hold seemed unflinching, the redhead shot him an encouraging look. “I’ll take care of her.”

She held the blanket out to him, and he slowly relinquished his grip. Karen immediately sagged as Sarah’s full weight leaned against her. With the lack of her presence, Will’s body felt offset, and he staggered to the side where her form had been. The redhead was already moving to the other side of the barn with Sarah safely tucked against her side, whispering words of comfort to her as they moved slowly along.

Unable to stand any longer, Will sank onto a large haystack just behind him, body sagging in relief. Stripping off his sopping coat, he rubbed his head and face with the warm, scratchy fabric of the blanket, trying to be rid of as much water and frost as possible. Wrapping the thick fabric around himself, he allowed his head to fall back against the wall, feeling his eyes close against his will. Now that there was nothing to occupy his thoughts and keep him moving, exhaustion overcame him as the immediate danger passed and his body at last registered that they were safe.

Several minutes passed before the redhead reemerged from somewhere in the barn’s depths. Sarah was slumped against the young woman’s side, face devoid of its typical color as she trembled. Her hair had been tousled, and the soaked gown was nowhere to be seen; she was dressed now in a garment of gray wool that looked enviously warm and cozy. Where had she found that? Will vaguely recalled opening his eyes momentarily to find the redhead rifling through a trunk, but he had been too wearied to keep his lids open for long.

He forced himself to sit upright, pressing his back against the wall for support. “How is she?”

“Dry now, at least.” Karen shuffled over, her eyes trained on her charge’s slow footsteps to ensure that she wasn’t moving too quickly. “I need to run up to the house to get some hot water ready,” she was saying to Sarah, whose lids were already at half-mast. Then she looked up at Will, nodding her head at the blanket. “Wrap that around the both of you to share warmth.”

He quickly obeyed, opening the quilt as Karen shifted her weight, softly coaxing Sarah into letting go. He was momentarily taken aback when the redhead plopped Sarah directly in his lap, but he quickly recovered, turning her shivering body so that she fit snugly in the small space.

“I’m t-tired, Karen,” she whispered, teeth chattering loudly. Will thought they could both use a little rest and nearly closed his eyes at the delectable notion of sleep. But when he glanced up for Karen’s approval, she shot him a worried look as she pulled the blanket around to cover them both.

“I know, honey,” she said soothingly, brushing Sarah’s hair back from her temples. “You can sleep later. But right now you gotta stay awake for me.” Will suddenly understood her apprehension: If she fell asleep at this point, would she ever reawake?

Sarah mumbled something incoherent into his chest, causing both he and Karen to exchange concerned glances.

“Give me five minutes to get some water heating. I don’t want her out in the snow before we can get her warm inside,” she said to him, her worried eyes flickering to Sarah’s face. “Do
not
let her fall asleep. Slap her if you have to.”

“Heard that,” came the muffled complaint.

Some of the tension eased from Karen’s young features, though the worry clung to the corners of her eyes. “Glad to see you haven’t lost your sense of humor or sense of hearing.” She straightened to her petite height and shot Will a piercing look.
Five minutes
she mouthed, and he nodded. Then she left in a flash, the wind slamming the door closed.

Will hugged Sarah to his chest, rocking her softly as he ticked off the seconds. After two minutes, he realized that it was completely silent in the barn. He angled his neck to see her face and her closed lids. Jostling her gently, he called her name and felt his heart begin beating once more when her eyes fluttered open partway. He released a breath of sheer relief through his nostrils. “Your friend said you need to keep awake.”

“Just wanna s-sleep,” she slurred, sounding near tears as she burrowed under the warmth the blanket provided. 

Will closed his eyes, agonizing over the wounded note in her voice. “I know, love,” he whispered, throat constricting. Reaching blindly for her hand, he realized how cold she still was when he found it. How long now? Perhaps three minutes? Even in his exhausted state, he felt so anxious to be moving that it was all he could do to remain seated.

Folding his arms tight about her frame, he felt her shoulder press harder against his chest and became aware of how small and fragile she felt in his arms. And though the constant shivering had lessened some, sporadic, uncontrollable tremors shook her body. Each time it happened, he grimaced, mentally counting off the remaining seconds until he could take her inside. The wait was unbearable.

“You’re strong,” he whispered to her, needing to hear the words aloud himself.

When he felt they had waited long enough, Will pulled the blanket from about his shoulders, doing a balancing act so he could wrap it around her to stave off the cold air outside. He shifted her body in his arms and rose on shaky legs, cradling her against his chest. Once outside in the frosted air, he didn’t bother closing the door behind them but made his way directly to the house.

Dusk had quickly turned into a cold night. He focused his mind on the thought of a warm fire and a roof and not on the steady chattering of his teeth or the fact that Sarah’s shivering once again persisted.

The snow was deeper out here, away from town where people plowed and shoveled the streets to make for easier navigation. Will’s aching legs sank deeply into one particularly large mound, and it took most of his strength to pull himself free without toppling over. He tried to angle his body so that his back blocked most of the wind, but he knew that even with the added warmth of the blanket, his slow progress through the snow wasn’t helping Sarah’s condition.

The front door slammed closed, and Seth bounded off the small porch, taking off toward them at a clipped pace. His expression belied his shock over finding both of them in this state, and Will gritted his teeth, struggling to stay upright.

Seth stopped at his side, reaching for Sarah. “Let me take—”

“I have her,” Will barked, then immediately regretted it when Seth blinked in surprise. He was exhausted, cold to the bone, and fighting feelings of incompetence, but that was no reason to snap at his old friend. “Seth, I’m sorry.”

He shook his head, and Will could tell that he had already dismissed the offense. With a wary glance at the distance between them and the house, he felt his tired body sag. Knowing he was wasting precious seconds in indecision, Will stuffed his pride and shifted his bundle, wincing at the cramp in his shoulder. The instant Sarah was out of his arms he missed her warmth, but Seth was practically jogging back to his home, making better time than he would have, and Will struggled to take up the rear.

A small woman was standing in the doorway, worrying a towel between her hands. It had been years since Will had seen Seth’s mother, and he was sorry that it was under such upsetting circumstances that they should meet again.

“Hurry, darling, hurry!” Ruth Jones urged her son, flapping her towel in the air before running inside and leaving the door open for them.

The two shadowed forms disappeared inside, and a few moments later, Will lurched in after them. He barely maintained his balance when he forced his body to cease movement. Someone closed the door behind him, but he couldn’t have said who.

The house was already in chaos, the main room packed to capacity. He barely recognized Joshua, as the boy had matured considerably in the years it took to move into adulthood. He stood at the base of the stairs with his hands planted firmly on his sister’s shoulders, holding her back. Leah had grown several inches since he’d last seen her, and her face looked more like that of a young woman and not the freckle-faced child Will had known last. Or perhaps it was the grim, tight-lipped expressions they both wore that matured their faces.

Seth stood to the side against the wall with his father, but Karen and Ruth had immediately set to work, placing their charge on the floor as near to the fire as they dared, and went about chaffing her skin with warm towels. The younger woman was rubbing Sarah’s hair dry, and Ruth held her quaking feet over a bowl of steaming water, pouring small handfuls of the warm liquid over her skin to acclimate her before she submerged her feet completely. Sarah hissed in surprise, and the older woman shushed her gently, whispering soothing words that only the three women could hear.

Will heard someone come up beside him, but he refused to avert his gaze. A thick quilt was placed about his shoulders, and a hand remained behind after it was settled.  “Relax, they’ve got her now.”

Will realized that he was clenching his fists at his sides and tried to release the tension in his shoulders. 

“You look ready to drop,” Seth observed. “Why don’t you get some rest?”

A quick headshake was the only response he received. Will blinked, trying to keep his eyes open. If he sat down now, he wasn’t sure he would be able to get back up ever again.

A moment of silence. “I understand,” Seth said, so quietly it was almost a whisper. Will’s attention snapped to him, but the other man was watching the women with the same tight-lipped expression of concern that Will felt on his own face. His heart sank, seeing in his old friend’s features the look of worry that only came with deep love. 

“I left the door open,” Will said, suddenly remembering. Should he go back to the barn? His legs quaked, protesting the very thought of movement.

“Got it.” Seth clapped him on the shoulder in the familiar way he used to do when they were friends.

With Seth gone, his father seemed to think it was a good idea to give the women room to work. “All right, you two. Time to move out.” The large man folded his arms across his chest and hiked his chin up the stairs. Both children looked upset to be left out, but little Leah looked crestfallen.

She broke away from her brother and crouched beside Sarah, throwing her arms around her. “Get better,” Will heard her say. He felt his throat close and blinked rapidly. It took several soft words from her mother before Leah broke away. Sarah managed to give her a wobbly smile. “I’m too stubborn not to,” she assured, voice weak. Will caught the tears Leah quickly wiped from her cheeks before she joined her brother again.

The middle of the Joneses’ herd smiled encouragingly at Sarah when her glazed eyes met his gaze. “You’ll be all right.” Josh sounded so much like his brother when he said it, though Seth would have been more convincing about it. With a tug on her arm, he managed to get Leah moving, and she gave Sarah a half-hearted wave before she disappeared upstairs after her brother.

Samuel Jones leaned down to say something to his wife, and she nodded. He came and joined Will. “You know as well as we do that she’s a fighter.” He gave him a pat on the shoulder. “And she’s in good hands.”

Will tensed when the older man wrapped his arms around him in a quick, fatherly embrace, and the band around his chest tightened as he remembered what it felt like to be part of this family.

Samuel clapped him on the back and released him, grinning with a fondness that Will thought would have faded through the years. “Don’t be a stranger this time, son.”

“I won’t,” he barely managed.

The head of the Jones house moved to the stairs, appearing completely at ease and at peace. But Will caught the way his eyes tightened in concern and compassion when his gaze flickered to Sarah.

It took a few more minutes of pained silence before Seth came back, rubbing a hand over his head to dispel the melting flakes. “It’s snowing again,” he said, cupping his hands over his mouth and blowing to warm them.

He came to stand with Will again, and it was silent for a minute before he commented, “Karen told Mother what happened, but I didn’t catch all of it. You both fell into the lake by the west rise?”

Will released a gusty breath, raking both shaking hands back through his hair. “Just her. She went out onto the ice without realizing it, and by the time she did, it was too late.” He couldn’t contain his cringe at the memory.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Seth shake his head in disbelief. “But how’d you get so wet?” Will remained silent. “You went in after her, didn’t you?” 

He risked a glance at the other man. Seth started to grin slowly, that lopsided smile he remembered from boyhood. He nudged Will. “So when did you become a hero? Did I miss something?”

“It was the only thing I could do,” Will murmured, feeling slightly embarrassed at the gentle tease, though he hadn’t realized how much he had missed the easy camaraderie between he and Seth, even if his jesting was simply to cheer Will up.