Forever My Love (Historical Romance) (30 page)

He smiled as if he were remembering something pleasant. "Actually, no. I was born in Philadelphia. It might surprise you to learn that my pa was a schoolmaster."

"No," she told him, relaxing just a little. "I can tell by your manner of speech that you had a formal education. Tell me about your boyhood."

Murdock's voice droned on and on as he recounted a time in his life that he had pushed out of his mind. Whenever he paused, Royal would encourage him to continue by asking a question.

"You know," he said, standing up and moving to the open door to stare outside, "I've told you things today that I never told another soul." He frowned. "I had forgotten that I once lived in a world far different from this one."

He swung around and stared at Royal. "But I have not forgotten that Damon Routhland gave me this!" He tapped his useless arm. "And I have not forgotten my vow to see him dead!"

30

A covey of ruffled grouse came squawking down the path as if someone had disturbed their nesting place. Damon and Ezekiel flattened themselves behind a tree, watching the path for whatever, or whoever, had frightened the birds. A twig snapped, and then the shadow of a man danced across the trail.

"Lester told the right of it," Ezekiel whispered. "That's one of Murdock's men. The camp must be just ahead. 'Course, we can't be sure that Lester didn't send word to Murdock to expect us."

The man went whistling by and disappeared around a bend. Damon and Ezekiel moved forward cautiously, staying to the bushes and avoiding the path whenever possible. It was slow progress since they had to cut their way through the tangled undergrowth.

At last they spotted puffs of smoke and knew the camp was just ahead. They dropped down on their knees and looked across the watery swamp.

"It won't be easy to get to," Damon observed, pointing to a large alligator that floated lazily on the surface of the water with only the top of his head and his eyes showing.

There was caution in the old man's expression. "You know Murdock'll be awaitin' for ya."

"Without a doubt." Damon turned to look at his companion. "That's why you aren't going in with me. I need you to stay here and watch."

A stubborn light gleamed in Ezekiel's eyes. "I ain't likely gonna let you go in there without me."

"You don't have any choice, my friend. I want you to wait here, and if I haven't come out by morning, then you will know I have failed, and it will be up to you to rescue Royal."

Ezekiel nodded reluctantly. "I can see the sense of that, but I don't like it none. You won't have anyone to watch your back if I'm not there."

"I am thinking of Royal. We are her only hope. The way I figure it, if we split up, she will have twice as good a chance of getting away."

"I reckon," Ezekiel admitted grudgingly.

For the rest of the afternoon they watched the comings and goings at Murdock's camp. They studied the lay of the land, looking for any vulnerable spot, but there was none—Murdock had chosen well. His encampment was an island surrounded by quicksand and alligators, and it was accessible only by raft or boat.

"I can't see any way to get to it without rafting across," Ezekiel stated, voicing Damon's conclusion.

"So it seems," Damon said grimly. "There must be a raft tied around here somewhere. We'll locate it, then I'll wait for dark before I cross."

Ezekiel looked at the waning sun. "There'll be a bright moon tonight," he said pessimistically.

Damon checked his rifle and tested the blade of his knife before pushing it into his boot. "I could wish it otherwise."

"You keep watch while I locate the raft," Ezekiel said, moving into the shadows. "Mayhap you can locate Miss Royal."

Damon nodded, his eyes already on a hut latched from the outside that would be the obvious place for them to keep Royal. But perhaps that was what Murdock wanted him to think. His gaze moved to a small hut set apart from the others. That, he decided, was where Royal would be.

He settled down to watch, forcing his impatience to the back of his mind. He wanted to go charging across the swamp and take Royal away from this hellhole, but he had to consider her safety, so he had to wait and bide his time.

***

Ezekiel located the raft and was in the process of returning to Damon when the man they had seen earlier came upon him.

"Who be you?" the man barked out, aiming his musket at Ezekiel's chest.

"Name's Ezekiel Elman," he answered, looking around for his weapon. He spied his rifle where he had propped it against a tree and knew he could never reach it in time.

"Well, Ezekiel Elman, you just lived your last day on this earth. Ain't no one comes near Vincent Murdock's camp and lives to tell 'bout it."

"I reckon that's fair," Ezekiel agreed, diving for the ground and rolling behind a clump of bushes. He could hear the man lumbering toward him, so he looked around for something to defend himself with. Seeing a stone, he picked it up.

When the man came in sight, Ezekiel lobbed it at him and was surprised when it caught the man in the forehead and he dropped like a tree that had been felled.

Ezekiel crawled forward and scooped up the man's musket from where it had fallen. Aiming it at the prone figure, he waited, amazed when the man did not move. Cautiously he crept forward and reached out his hand to the man's throat. There was no pulse beat.

"Thunderation!" the old man exclaimed in disbelief, "he's dead! Like David, I done slew Goliath!"

***

Dark had settled over the swamp world that Royal had come to abhor. Everything was always damp. The smell of mildew was ever present, and the air was heavy and oppressive. She longed for a cleansing breath—she wished for a day when she did not have to fear for her life.

For over a week Murdock had come each day to her hut and stayed for hours, his dark eyes raking her body, his callused hand often brushing against her. So far she had been able to keep him occupied by encouraging him to talk about himself, but the time would come when talk would not keep him away.

She moved to an eye level crack in the wall to watch the moon, like a giant ball of fire, rise over the swamp. Royal's whole being was filled with melancholy and a strange yearning. Her thoughts were of Damon.

Murdock seemed confident that Damon would come to rescue her, but she hoped not since a trap awaited him. She couldn't stand to think of him coming to harm because of her.

Suddenly gunfire erupted at the far side of the island. She turned her head to look in that direction and saw a raft floating toward the island with a man on board. She cried out as bullets tore through the figure on the raft, because she feared it was Damon.

The door burst open, and Marie stood there, her hands on her hips, a malicious grin on her face.

"Your Damon Routhland's come for ya. Ain't it a pity he's dead."

Royal shook her head, unwilling to accept what the woman was telling her. "It... cannot be true."

"It is true. If you'd seen what I seen, you'd know it. Ain't no way he's alive."

"No," Royal moaned.”

"Bold as you please," Marie taunted, "he sailed to meet death. When he got near enough, Murdock and his men peppered his body with shot."

Royal clutched her hands together, her heart shattered. "No, it cannot be."

"I'll say this for your man," Marie admitted grudgingly. "He's brave, though foolish. I don't think Murdock would do the same for me."

"I must go to him," Royal cried, her eyes wild with grief. "I will not let anyone touch him but me."

Marie stepped in front of her. "Murdock tole me to keep you here, and I aim ta do just that."

Royal's grief was now tempered with anger. She reached out and grabbed a handful of black hair and pulled Marie forward. "You can't stop me!" She flung Marie aside and rushed for the door.

Just when she thought she was safely outside, Marie caught up with her, grabbed her around the waist, and flung her to the ground. Royal did not feel the pain of her impact, she was too frantic. She jumped to her feet and tackled Marie, making them both roll down a slope, where they landed in the mud.

Both women struggled for supremacy, and finally Royal swung her fists and caught Marie a stunning blow across the temple. The woman crumpled and lay still. But before Royal could gain her feet, she was caught from behind by strong arms, and she swung out again, catching her assailant hard on the jaw.

"Dammit, Royal, it's me!" Damon called out in pain, dangling her in the air while she struggled to get free.

She whirled around, unable to believe her eyes. "Damon! Oh, Damon, they told me you were dead!"

He tested his jaw. "I was doing all right until I encountered you. You strike a good blow."

"How did you—"

"No time to explain," he said, pulling her into the shadows. "Our first concern is how in the hell to get out of here."

There was the sound of shouts and running feet, and Damon knew Murdock and his men were heading in their direction. "If you know how to pray, Royal, now would be a good time."

He scooped her up in his arms and moved toward the water. "Here's where we make a decision. Do we swim with alligators or take on Murdock and his vermin?"

"Mayhap a boat ride would suit ya better."

They both recognized Ezekiel's voice. The old man applied his oars and bumped against the water's edge. "You best hurry, Damon, Murdock's fannin' your rear."

With a loud whoop, Damon jumped from the bank with Royal still in his arms, soared through the air, and landed in the boat. For a moment the small craft teetered and swayed, and it appeared they would all three be dumped in the water, but Ezekiel's expert paddling soon brought the craft under control.

"Let's get the hell out of here," Damon said, depositing Royal none too gently on the floor of the boat and taking up oars to help Ezekiel paddle.

Shots rang out, and Damon pushed Royal's head down.

"I'll get you for this, Damon Routhland!" Murdock swore, raising his one good arm in the air and shaking his fist. "There's no place on earth where you can hide her. I'll get her back—I swear I will!"

Royal raised her head and found Murdock standing knee deep in the water, shaking his fist at the heavens. She shivered at his grim warning.

Damon and Ezekiel were applying strong strokes, and Murdock and his men soon disappeared from sight.

"Will they follow?" Royal asked, still frightened.

Ezekiel laughed merrily. "They'd like to, Miss Royal, but they can't till they repair their boats. You see, I had me this lucky stone." He drew it from his inside pocket, tossed it in the air, and then put it away. "I just busted the bottom of all their boats, 'cep-tin' this one."

Damon's laughter joined the old man's. "When will I ever learn not to underestimate you, Ezekiel? Heaven help the British if we let you loose on them."

Royal was emotionally spent. She lay in the boat, too weary to lift her head. "I never thought I would get out alive, Damon."

He secured his oars and lifted Royal into his arms. "Don't think about that now. You're safe."

She rested her head against his shoulder, feeling as if nothing could harm her now. "They told me you were dead."

"They thought I was."

"But I don't understand. I saw the body on the raft and the bullets—"

"That wasn't me, it was one of Murdock's sentries, and he was already dead. I had this notion that if Murdock and his men were pulled to the other end of the island, that would leave me free to come to you."

She smiled up at him. "That was brilliant."

"What about me?" Ezekiel asked eagerly.

"You were brilliant, too." She reached forward and kissed the old man on the cheek, and he beamed with pleasure.

"What about me?" Damon asked lightly.

"How can I thank the two of you?" she said, leaning forward and brushing her lips against his.

He smiled down at her. "That's payment enough, wouldn't you say, Ezekiel?"

"Yep, sure 'nuf."

Ezekiel turned back to his oars and concentrated on the tricky twists and turns of the byways.

Damon shifted Royal's weight so she was lying across his lap. "Sleep, little one," he said softly. "I'll take care of you now."

She nestled her head against his broad chest, comforted by the steady beat of his heart. She loved him so desperately it hurt.

"Was I in time? Are you... did Murdock—" Damon could not voice his deepest fear.

"No," she told him. "I was not harmed in any way."

He let out a sigh of relief. "Thank God." Then: "You could do with a bath," he said lightly. "You're covered with mud, you know."

"Perhaps, but I have the satisfaction of knowing that Marie fared no better."

"A most unmaidenly display, I must say." He tried to act stern, but his lips twitched into a smile. "Is that the kind of behavior they endorsed at that school?"

She looked up at him. "I know it was unladylike, but Marie said you were dead, and she wouldn't let me go to you."

"So you took her on."

"I hope she feels every bruise. I don't like her in the least." She yawned and smiled apologetically. "She deserves a man like Murdoch"

It took only a moment for Royal to drift off to sleep. Lying in Damon's arms and lulled by the gentle rocking of the boat, she slept deeply.

Ezekiel glanced at Damon's face where a bruise was visible on his cheek. "I thought you said ya didn't tangle with Murdock's men."

"I didn't."

"Then how did you get that bruise?"

He glanced down at Royal's sleeping form. "I tangled with a little wildcat."

Ezekiel chuckled. "I see. She whupped you and Marie both. Feisty little lady, ain't she?"

"Remarkable."

"We lost our horses," the old man reminded him.

"We could have lost our lives," Damon said. "If it hadn't been for you, we'd be in Murdock's hands by now."