Royal Ransom (10 page)

“What?”

“We will pay for a replacement canoe if this one can't be fixed,” she said. “And as for our two bodyguards, they will not be angry at you. They will be most grateful that your heroic actions saved our lives.”

“Saved your lives?” I asked in disbelief.

“But of course. If not for you we both could very well have perished in the rapids,” she said.

“If it hadn't been for me, you would never have been in the rapids to begin with. That was my fault. I'm responsible.”

“We were all in the canoe.”

“But it was my responsibility to keep you two safe. I should never have let you get so close to the mouth of the rapids … I wasn't paying attention.”

“You did seem rather distracted, but it was not your fault.”

“Then whose fault was it?”

“Mine.”

“Yours?”

She nodded her head. “I knew you weren't paying attention. I knew we were getting close to the rapids. I knew we shouldn't be there … but …”

“You wanted to shoot the rapids, didn't you?”

Again she nodded. “I thought we could do it.”

“Why would you think that?” I demanded as I rose to my feet.

“It didn't look that difficult as we portaged around it, and you said that you had been through it before, and—”

“Yes, I'd been through it before, with Ray! That doesn't mean that you and your brother could do it!”

“But you were in the canoe too.”

“In the middle, without a paddle! How could you even think that—?”

“I am sorry.”

“You're sorry?” I demanded.

“Truly, truly, sorry,” she said, and smiled at me.

“I … I … I … forget it … just forget it. Come on, we have to get back before it gets dark.”

Chapter Nine

“I
DIDN'T THINK
that we'd paddled this far,” Victoria said.

“We didn't,” I answered. “The route by water was a lot shorter. More direct.”

“But we are going in the correct direction, aren't we?” Andrew asked. He sounded anxious.

“We're fine.”

“As will be the canoe,” Victoria said.

I didn't know that for sure, but I did know that the life jacket that I'd tied on was bobbing at the surface, marking the spot where it went down. As we were walking I kept rehearsing what I was going to say to Ray, how I was going to explain to him what happened. I guess I should have been more worried about what Albert and Nigel were going to say—or do. I was pretty sure they weren't going to shoot me, but part of me still wondered. In the old days, didn't they cut off the heads of people who caused problems for the Royal Family?

I could picture Albert and Nigel going totally ballistic when we didn't return. We should have been back almost two hours ago. They were probably out in the canoes looking for us right now, yelling out our names. But I hadn't heard anything. And sound really travels up in
the bush, and we weren't that far away … or were we? I stopped. We
were
going in the right direction … I was pretty sure.

“What's wrong?” Andrew asked.

“What makes you think anything's wrong?”

“You stopped. Why did you stop?”

“I just wanted to get my bearings,” I said.

“Bearings, as in we're lost?”

“We're not lost,” I said.

“Then why did you stop?”

“You looked like you needed a rest,” I lied.

“He
always
looks like he needs a rest,” Victoria said.

“Shut up!” he snapped.

“Both of you shut up! I need some quiet to think.”

“Think about what?” Andrew demanded anxiously.

“Think about why I didn't just let you drown so I could get some peace,” I said. “I just want to make sure that we're going the shortest and easiest route back to the camp, and I have to think to do that. Unless you want to go a longer and harder way, or you think you should lead?”

“Me? No way!”

“Good. Just sit there and be quiet then. It's better you're quiet anyway. The big grizzlies like to feed about now.” Of course that was a lie. The big grizzlies feed all the time.

I tried to picture exactly where we were in relation to the campsite. There was no question we were going in the right direction. The safest route would have been to simply travel along the shore, but that was also the longest route. I'd tried to save us distance, and now I wondered if I'd
steered us too far into the forest. Maybe we'd bypassed the camp already. If we were even close to the lake we should have heard them calling for us. I could correct that by just taking us straight to the left. We couldn't help but hit the lake if we did that. Unfortunately the sun was starting down. It wasn't going to set for hours still—not till about two in the morning—but it was much dimmer when it skimmed the horizon. Besides, the longer I was away, the more worried everybody would be, and the more trouble I'd be in when we finally got there.

“I think we should just continue with your original plan,” Victoria said.

“What?”

“I am positive you are taking us on the correct course. Don't let doubts confuse you or cloud your judgment.”

I was going to say something, deny that I was even having second thoughts, but I knew that she knew. The strangest thing was that I was the one experienced in the bush, the one who lived up here, the one who was Native, and I should have been the one trying to reassure her. Instead, she was doing the reassuring. She seemed so calm about the whole thing. I guess I'd just assumed because she was so nervous about the plane ride that she'd be nervous about everything. Of course, she had reason to be nervous about airplanes.

“Perhaps it would be best if we continued on our trek,” she said. “I believe we have worried Albert and Nigel enough to last a lifetime.”

I started off, and Andrew fell in behind me so close that he bumped into my leg and I stumbled.

“Frightfully sorry,” he said.

I was going to say something, but I didn't. Maybe I shouldn't have been telling him all that bear stuff. In all the years I'd lived here, I'd only seen a grizzly a few dozen times myself, and never up close.

“I cannot wait to change into dry apparel,” Andrew said.

“What?”

“Clothing,” Victoria said. “He wants to get into dry clothes. Perhaps he could start by removing his life jacket. There is very little chance of your drowning while we are on land, Andrew.”

Sheepishly he undid the zipper and buckles and removed the jacket.

“Dry clothes would be nice. I'm starting to get a little bit chilly,” I said.

“It's amazing how the temperature drops when the sun begins to set,” she said.

“Yeah. And after the dry clothes, a big fire to warm ourselves at would be even better,” I added.

“And hot cocoa,” Andrew suggested.

“I don't know about cocoa, but I'd love a cup of hot coffee right now. Of course, I don't know whether I'd drink it or dip my feet in it.”

“Is Ray going to be worried?” Victoria asked.

“He'll be worried, but he knows I'll take care of us. I'm more worried about your two bodyguards.”

“We'll just point out to them that we are safe and sound and none the worse for the experience,” Victoria suggested, sensibly.

“Sounds good,” I said. “Now keep repeating it until it sounds believable enough to convince those two not to shoot me.”

I kept us moving until we came to a small stream. I knew this stream—at least I thought I did. I was sure it was the one that entered the lake just beside where we'd set up camp. All we had to do was follow it down and we'd be able to see the camp. I was 100 percent sure. Well, almost 100 percent sure. There was no point in saying anything to the others now.

I crossed over the shallow stream, jumping from rock to rock. I guess that it didn't make too much sense to try and stay dry now, since I was practically soaked to the skin, but still …

“So,” Victoria began, “you think that Ray will be able to fix the canoe.”

“Probably.”

“And will he have the materials with him to do that?” she asked.

“He always carries some resin and fibreglass strips to fix little gashes,” I answered.

“Enough to fix a big gash?”

“Maybe.”

“I hope so. I would not like our adventure to be over prematurely,” she said.

I shrugged. “Either way, the two remaining canoes are big enough to carry all six of us.”

“I see,” she said. “And how would you imagine he would divide us up?”

“Can't say for sure, but my guess is that it won't be me, you and Andrew in the same canoe.”

Victoria burst into laughter. “I would suspect you are correct. But maybe you and I will be travelling together?”

“Maybe. With Albert sitting in the middle right between us.”

“Yes, he'd like that. He is very protective of me.”

“I guess that's what bodyguards do,” I admitted.

“It certainly is his vocation, but at times he appears to be overly zealous in his work.”

“Yeah,” I answered, not really quite sure exactly what she'd just said.

“Look!” Andrew called out. “Over there, I see light … a fire!”

Up ahead, off to the side and partially blocked by trees and bushes, I could make out flames. It was a campfire … our campfire … our campsite! I wanted to yell out in delight, but I needed to stay calm and cool.

“What did you expect?” I asked. “I told you I knew where I was going.”

Andrew moved out in front and we doubled our pace, sticking close to the stream. As we closed in two things became obvious: we were still a distance from the camp, and the fire was enormous.

“We'll certainly be able to warm ourselves by that fire,” Victoria commented.

“It is gigantic. Ray's probably used up all the wood we gathered,” I said. “I guess he wanted it big enough for us to see it in the distance in case we got turned around or something.”

“Would they hear us if we yelled from here?” Andrew asked.

“They would, but no yelling. I want us to walk into camp nice and quiet and calm, like nothing much is wrong. Okay?”

“If that's what you wish,” Victoria said.

“And let me do the talking, at least to start,” I added.

We kept moving toward the fire. The tents became visible and the other two canoes were sitting on the shore, upside down, waiting for us to set off at dawn and … why couldn't I see anybody? Where was Ray or Nigel or Albert? Why weren't they standing there at the water's edge, looking for us, calling out? It didn't make sense. They wouldn't have just gone to sleep.

“Hold on,” I said as I reached out and grabbed Andrew by the arm. “Just wait.”

“I don't want to wait. I want to get into dry clothing and—”

“And keep your voice down.”

“Why in God's name would I … is it a bear?” he asked, ending his sentence barely above a whisper.

“Just stop and listen to me for a second.”

“Is something wrong, Jamie?” Victoria asked.

I crouched down, and they both did the same. “Do either of you see anybody at the campsite? Do you see Ray or Albert or Nigel?”

“No,” Victoria said. “I just assumed that they were out trying to locate us.”

“Out in what? The canoes are both there,” I said.

“Well … perhaps they are on foot searching through the forest and—”

“That makes even less sense. There's no way they'd look in the forest when we left by water. Besides, even if they did go out looking, one person would have stayed at the camp.”

“Somebody must be close by to keep that fire going so brightly,” Victoria said.

“I agree. So where are they?”

“Well, surely there must be a logical explanation,” Victoria said.

“If there is I'd really appreciate you sharing it with me.”

Nobody said a word.

“I am chilled to the bone,” Andrew said, and he started to rise to his feet. “Let's just go and—”

“Nobody's going anywhere,” I hissed as I grabbed him and pulled him back down.

“I know that you are fearful of your reception when we arrive, Jamie, but we must go forward,” Victoria said.

“I'd be an idiot not to be worried, but that's not what's on my mind now.”

“We cannot simply stay here,” Victoria said.

“We're not. You two are. I need to get a closer look.”

“Jamie, what is it that you expect to see?” she asked.

“I don't know. But it doesn't seem right. Just stay here and stay quiet.”

“I don't really understand why … but we'll do as you ask.”

I COULDN
'
T HELP THINKING
that I was acting like an idiot. What did I suspect I'd find at the camp? Was I just letting my imagination get the better of me because I really was scared of what Ray and Albert were going to say? Of course I was scared, but that didn't change the facts. Why weren't they either out looking for us, or standing there by the tents calling out our names?

I moved farther away from the stream bed and into the cover of the woods. I wanted to come at the camp from the
back, out of the forest and as far away from the lake as possible. It seemed important not to be seen or heard.

As I moved I felt my heart pounding in my chest and my breath was short. I wasn't moving
that
fast. But this wasn't about how hard I was working, it was about what I was thinking. I was scared, and that fear had nothing to do with what anybody was going to say to me.

I moved slowly, staying low to the ground, going from bush to bush. The sun was still in the sky but it was so low that everything, no matter how small, cast a long shadow. I worked to stay in those shadows. At one point I stopped and slumped down silently to the ground. I tried to control my breathing. I felt myself shaking. This was crazy. Why was I so nervous?