Frontier Gift of Love (American Wilderness Series Romance Book 5) (23 page)

“An Irish monk named Saint Columba was visitin’ his companions in Scotland when he came across the locals buryin’ a poor young fellow. The monk asked them why they appeared so frightened. They all started speakin’ at once and he could na understand their blatherin’. So he asked the oldest man there to speak. He explained that they had just watched in horror as a huge water beast with a long thin neck and a humped back attacked their companion while he was swimmin’, mauled him, and dragged him under. Then they bravely took a boat out to try to rescue the lad.”

“Did they find him?” Polly asked.

“Alas, they only drug up his cold corpse.”

“The poor fellow,” Martha said.

“What happened then?” Little John asked.

Artis raised her brows. “Hearing this story, Saint Columba straightaway marched to the edge of the loch, made the sign of the Cross, and invoked the holy name of God. Then he shouted out onto the loch in a great booming voice.”

“What did he yell?” Martha asked.

Making her voice louder, Artis answered, “St. Columba ordered the monster to kill no more and sent him away.”

“Did he go away?” Polly asked.

“Aye, he did, for many years, but then…” she paused.

“Then?” Little John pressed.

“When St. Columba went to heaven, the monster returned.”

“He did?” Polly asked in a squeaky voice, her eyes wide.

“Indeed, and ever since, many have spotted the immense creature plungin’ into and out of the great depths of the loch. And many are sorely frightened of the fearsome beast. Although he has na killed another man, woman or…child…since, some have mysteriously disappeared.”

“Have
you
seen the creature?” Little John asked. His straight blonde hair hung down in his excited eyes.

He would need a haircut before Christmas Catherine noted.

“I can na say for certain, but one mornin’ when I took my walk along the loch’s shores…” Artis paused and then grippingly looked each of them in the eye.

“What?” Little John nearly demanded.

“Tell us, please,” Polly pleaded.

“…I saw somethin’ enormous, rollin’ and dippin’ on the surface of the sparkling water, but it moved so fast, I could na tell for sure what it was. But I tell ye one thing,” she said.

“What?” all three children asked.

“I would na go swimmin’ near there ever again,” she concluded. “For if I did, I might just disappear from this world, never to be seen again.”

“Oh my,” Catherine said, enthralled herself.

Then she said, “Oh my,” again, but for an entirely different reason.

Chapter 22

W
illiam was still laughing at Riley’s antics when he heard two riders approaching at a thunderous pace. His laughter broke off as did the others and everyone quietly watched the riders draw near.

He squinted into the distance. “That looks like…”

“It’s Stephen and Bear,” Kelly declared.

“Good,” Jane said, her face stern. “They can help us hang them.”

Crowell sniveled and Dixon frowned, his eyes heated under drawn brows.

Jane had been madder than an angered hornet earlier, but William was certain she realized he would never hang the men without a trial.

He wasn’t so sure about Stephen though. Or Bear. Neither one was bound by the code that a man of the law must follow. They were bound by the unwritten code of the frontier—a man always held the right, without question, to defend himself and his family.

He’d once seen Stephen’s rage unleashed upon a vicious man who dared to hurt Jane. It was an unstoppable rage. And Bear was so protective of his family, there was no telling what he might do.

“Jane!” he heard Stephen yell.

Jane urged her horse to gallop toward her husband. “Stephen!” she called as she rode toward him.

When the two reached each other, they both swiftly dismounted and ardently embraced.

William knew enormous relief filled his brother’s heart. Stephen loved Jane dearly.

Bear continued coming toward William’s wagon, giving the two a moment of privacy.

“I see ye have captured our two snakes, brother,” Bear said.

“We did,” William said, remounting Smoke.

Bear nodded to Rory and Kelly and then rode closer to the wagon. Like an angry giant, his face reddened and his flinty eyes narrowed, Bear peered down at the two men. “I ought to skin you two head to toe and then hang ye upside down for the wolves to finish off,” he growled.

Crowell paled and looked like he might heave.

Dixon’s mouth took on an unpleasant twist as he glared back at Bear. “You don’t frighten me.”

William shook his head. Was Dixon just an imbecile? He ought to be afraid. Exceedingly afraid.

“That one’s brains are in his ballocks,” Bear said pointing a finger at Dixon.

“Bear, we’ll deal with these two later. Will you help me control Stephen if he loses him temper?” William asked.

“I’m na so sure we shouldn’t let Stephen have his way with them,” Bear answered. “’Tis a man’s right to defend his family.”

“The world would be better off without that pair,” Rory said.

“Agreed, but that is not for us to decide,” William said.

“Maybe it is,” Bear said. “I will na abide these two threatenin’ our family a third time. As long as they’re alive, will any of our women and
children be safe? They are obviously desperate. I do na believe they will give up. But what they want, Sam will never give.”

“I agree, he won’t,” William said. “That mountain is sacred to him. To all of us.”

“Please, Mr. Wyllie,” Crowell pleaded, “I don’t want to die. Taking her was Mr. Dixon’s idea, not mine.”

Dixon tried to kick Crowell with his tied feet and Riley snapped at him.

“Did they wet themselves?” Bear asked, noticing the wet spots on their pants.

“No, Riley already passed judgment on the two,” William answered.

Bear threw back his head and let out a great boom of laughter. “I knew that dog was smart.”

“How are Stephen and Jane’s children? Is their babe all right?” Kelly asked Bear as soon as he finished chuckling.

“Aye, the bairn is fine. But he’s na a wee babe anymore. Ye should see the size of the lad. The lasses were frightened and worried for their Mum. But they should be at Sam and Catherine’s by now. Sam’s men took them back. The women will get them warmed up and Mrs. Wrigley will fill their bellies to near burstin’.”

“Let me go talk to Stephen,” William told Bear. “Wait here.”

William rode up to Jane and Stephen and then stepped off of Smoke. “Jane told you that I have recaptured the prisoners?” he asked Stephen, keeping his voice and manner calm.

Stephen released Jane from his arms and took a quick step toward William. “Yes. Let’s go hang them.” Fury filled his fiery eyes.

“Stephen, we can’t. They’re my prisoners now. I am bound by duty and honor to take them back to Fort Harrod for trial.”

“That’s fine for you, but I’m compelled by duty and honor to make them pay for abducting my wife and my nephew!” Stephen shouted.

“I promise you, I will personally escort them and they will remain tied until they are lying on the floor of a jail cell there. Only then will I remove the ropes. I will then see them put in shackles before I ever leave the jail.”

A swift dark shadow swept across Stephen’s face. “What if they escape again?”

“I know the sheriff at Fort Harrod. He’s a good man with a solid reputation. He didn’t get that by being careless with prisoners.”

“I think you should listen to William,” Jane told Stephen.

Stephen eyed his wife, his eyes blazing.

William could see his brother’s thoughts racing dangerously.

Stephen shook his head vehemently. “No, damn it! They could have killed you. No man puts a hand on my wife.”

Jane placed a calming hand on Stephen’s forearm. “Stephen, in the end, I am not hurt. Neither is Little John. God protected us and now we must see justice done.”

“And I need them alive,” William added. “Someone sent these men. I need to find out who and why.”

Stephen swallowed hard and seemed as if he were fighting hard for self-control. Then he lifted his chin and boldly met William’s gaze. “All right, but I want your promise that if they do escape, you will hunt them down with me and kill them.”

William took a deep breath before he answered. “I promise I will hunt them down. What happens from there depends on the circumstances. But a prisoner who escapes twice will get little mercy from me.”

Stephen hesitated for a moment and then embraced him. “Thank you for saving Jane.” His voice broke. “I don’t know if I could live if something had happened to her.” Stephen released him and swallowed, fighting to control his emotions.

William laid a hand on Stephen’s shoulder. “It didn’t Stephen. We are all going to be fine. And I heard a rumor that there’s a Christmas
celebration about to happen. What do you say I get these two snakes to Fort Harrod and then we all put this behind us?”

“You think they will be punished severely?” Stephen asked.

“I do,” William said. “I’ll recommend it and ask Judge Webb to do the same. He can write a letter to the judge at Harrodsburg.”

“Let’s go tell the others it’s time to go,” Jane said. She seemed as anxious as William was to end this before Stephen did something rash that he would later regret.

The three mounted and trotted their horses to the wagon.

As Bear had done, Stephen rode up to the back of the wagon and glowered at Dixon and Crowell. He sat there, tall and angry, his jaw hardened, letting his eyes convey the vehemence still boiling within him.

Crowell paled. “I’m sorry.” The man looked like he was about to cry.

“Which one of these men pointed the pistol at your head?” Stephen asked Jane.

Jane pointed to Dixon.

“Are you sorry?” Stephen asked Dixon through clenched teeth.

“It’s your family that will be sorry for not selling me that land,” Dixon replied recklessly.

“Are you daring to threaten our family again, you wretched shit-sack?” Stephen demanded.

Dixon merely smoldered in silence.

Stephen yanked out his pistol and leaned down, holding the weapon just inches from Dixon’s graying temple. The ominous sound of the weapon being cocked echoed around them.

McGuffin tugged Riley closer to him and held the dog against the front of the wagon. Kelly turned away and leaned downward, clutching Nicole tightly against her breast, shielding their daughter from what might be about to happen.

William hoped it wouldn’t.

He watched his brother carefully, but knew Stephen was a man of his word. His brother agreed to let him take the prisoners to Fort Harrod. Stephen wouldn’t go back on his word. At least he hoped he wouldn’t.

“How does it feel you pathetic excuse of a man? How does it feel knowing your life might end in the next second?” Stephen’s voice was growing hotter. His face looked like a threatening thundercloud about to burst with all the fury of nature. “Apologize to my wife, now!” he spat.

Dixon sat up and turned around looking for Jane. Was the man finally going to do something smart?

Jane moved the horse she rode up next to Stephen’s mount and glared down at Dixon waiting for him to speak. They were all waiting.

When Dixon finally spoke his voice held an undertone of cold condescension. “Mrs. Wyllie, I regret that you were caught up in this ill-fated attempt to persuade Captain Wyllie to sell us his land. If only he could have been more reasonable and cooperated, none of this needed to happen. Perhaps all of you can convince him that it is in your family’s best interest to sell that property to us. It is of no value to you here. I am prepared to pay top dollar.”

“That…was not…an apology!” Stephen sputtered, bristling with barely controlled fury.

The two men exchanged a long deep look, challenging each other.

William was about to say something before this could escalate further, but Bear spoke to Dixon first.

“Ye blithering idiot. Are ye trying to go out of your way to piss everyone off with yer dumb arse remarks?”

Dixon sighed heavily but said nothing.

Bear glared fiercely at the man. “I am only a ballock’s hair away from removing yer manhood from ye. Apologize now!”

“I am sorry, Mrs. Wyllie. Please forgive me,” he uttered stiffly as he
stared straight ahead.

The line of Stephen’s mouth tightened even further, but he uncocked the weapon.

Anger lit Jane’s green eyes as she faced Dixon. “I could forgive you for taking me, but for kidnapping Little John and scaring my little girls, I will never forgive you,” she swore. “For what you’ve done, I suggest you beg God for forgiveness.”

Chapter 23

S
am returned from his chores and was surprised to find the children alone in the front room. Little John was holding out some of his latest treasures for Martha and Polly to inspect.

“Little John, where’s your mother?”

“I think Artis took her to your bedroom,” Little John said. His son’s face looked worried again. That was not a good sign.

“Is something wrong?” he asked his son.

“She just said ‘Oh my,’ and then held her stomach,” Martha volunteered.

“Her side or her stomach?”

“Here,” Little John said, pointing to the front of his belly.

Sam stormed out of the room and down the hall. He threw the bedroom door open and found Artis leaning over Catherine, placing a pillow behind his wife. “What’s wrong?” he demanded.

“I think she may have started her labor,” Artis said.

“Why didn’t you come to get me?”

“I was just about to,” Artis said. “I think we should fetch the mid-wife. Do ye want me to do it?”

Sam moved closer to Catherine and took her hand in his. “Is it your time my love?” Although he found it difficult, he tried to keep his voice calm and reassuring.

“Yes, Sam, it is. Our son is coming.” Catherine closed her eyes as she winced.

“Artis, go get Mrs. Wrigley. Tell her to come quickly,” Sam instructed.

Artis flew out of the room and Sam told Catherine. “Tell me what we need to do and I’ll see that it’s done.”

“I think Artis is right. It’s time to ask Mrs. Smith to come. Then we need to get me out of this gown and do whatever Mrs. Wrigley thinks needs doing. She has nearly a dozen grown children. She would know better than I.”