The Maverick's Bride (23 page)

He studied the steep incline leading up from the pool. “Soapy, we have our work cut out for us. Emma, you stay here. If this kidnapping is for real, they might let your sister go while we’re in the cave. Just lie low with her until we get down. Here’s the rifle if you need it.”

Emma took the weapon, her heart hammering as she watched the two men wind their way past the pool and start up the ravine. She searched the forest for any sign of life but saw nothing. She set the rifle next to the fire and tried to calm herself.

Adam was high above her now, almost concealed by ferns and vines as he guided the horses along the cliff face. His hat lay on a mound of moss near the base of the falls, and he had rolled up the sleeves of his white shirt.

Emma thought back to the first time she had seen him. Adam had scooped the small boy from the path of a tumbling wooden box and saved his life. She recalled how he had cradled the child in his arms. How strange and wonderful he had seemed with his soft shirt and denim trousers and his boots with their silver spurs glinting.

But she must not walk in her mother’s footsteps. In marrying Godfrey Pickering, her mother had chosen the safe course. Following her heart so many years later had caused her family great suffering and led her to an early grave. Emma would be foolish to plunge heedlessly after a man like Adam King who could never commit himself.

Nicholas Bond had declared his love for her, proposed marriage, avowed his undying devotion to England and all that was honorable. He was upright and steadfast, just as her father had been. Once Cissy was safe, Emma could marry Nicholas if she chose. Her money would provide a comfortable life for their children. And it would help fulfill his dreams of rising in authority with the railway and helping build the new city of Nairobi.

Nicholas did not love her. Emma knew that. She would never experience the kind of love that had sparked to life in Adam’s arms. In the end, what did passion matter? Following God was the only path to true happiness.

Resolved, Emma watched the men climb toward the cave. But a movement in the forest caught her eye. The bushes parted and a familiar face emerged.

“Good evening, Fraulein Pickering.” Dirk Bauer stepped into view, a broad grin across his face. And behind him came a disheveled, determined-looking woman.

“Cissy!” Emma’s voice rang out as she threw her arms around her sister.

“Emma, oh, Emma, how I’ve missed you!” Cissy kissed her cheek again and again as the two clung to one another, shivering with happiness.

“You were with Dirk all along,” Emma cried, tears spilling down her cheeks. “Oh, Cissy, you can’t imagine how worried I’ve been.”

“Save your happy tidings, ladies.” The harsh voice startled Emma, and she saw Dirk’s eyes widen as he reached for a pistol. Before he could draw it, a figure brushed past the women and slammed a rifle butt into the German’s abdomen, doubling him over.

“Nicholas?” Emma stared in astonishment. “But what are you doing here?”

“Business, Miss Pickering,” he spat. “Throw it down, Kaiser.”

Dirk dropped his gun to the ground and Bond snatched it up. He grabbed Emma and pulled her close, keeping the rifle trained on Dirk. “I want the gold,” he told her. “Tell your American friend to bring it down. Now.”

Emma looked up to see Adam and Soapy scrambling down from the waterfall.

“Help!” Cissy yelled. “He’s going to kill us!”

“Emma!” Adam’s voice thundered through the clearing. He dashed ahead of Soapy, but stopped short when Nicholas turned the rifle on him.

“The gold is up by the cave,” Adam shouted. “Let the women go.”

“What’s goin’ on, boss?” Soapy darted past Adam, his pistol drawn.

A deafening blast exploded next to Emma’s ear, and she saw Soapy clutch one thigh and fall to his knees. Before she could react, Nicholas threw her to the ground. He stepped forward, working the bolt action on the rifle.

“You told her,” he barked at Adam. “You’ve ruined me.”

Emma could see Soapy writhing in pain. Unarmed, Adam crouched beside his friend.

“Nicholas,” she called out, fighting with her tangled skirts to rise from the mud. “Nicholas, listen to me.”

“No.” He stepped toward her, trapping her dress beneath his muddy heel.

Rage flooded through Emma. She had been pinned before, held back, held down, cowering beneath a man’s wrath. But no longer.

“Stop, Nicholas!” She jerked her skirt free. But as she stood, he took aim at Adam’s heart. Without thinking, she lunged between the two men.

“Don’t shoot him!” she screamed. “I love him, Nicholas. I won’t let you do this.”

His face blanching, Nicholas started toward Emma, the rifle barrel now pointed at her. “Get out of the way, Emmaline.”

“Emma!” Adam leapt forward, caught her around the waist and swept her behind him. “Soapy, Bauer—get her out of here.”

Emma shrieked as Nicholas took aim a second time, but somehow Soapy and Dirk were grabbing her arms and dragging her away.

“Adam!” she cried as the men pulled her across mossy rock toward the thick brush where Cissy had taken cover. In the tangle of undergrowth she lost sight of Adam. Soapy scurried down the ravine, and Emma felt hands grasping her.

Cissy’s voice called out, but Emma could only continue to fight against Soapy’s grip. She must help Adam. Otherwise Nicholas would kill him.

She glanced up into the jade canopy of leaves and saw a dark shape descending toward her head. Through the flash of pain that preceded unconsciousness, she heard from the clearing the thunder of a gunshot.

E
mma shut her eyes against the invading light. No, she did not want to see. She did not want to feel. All she could hear was the echo of a rifle firing again and again. A cool hand stroked her forehead and she wondered if she were dreaming. Everything was confused and jumbled.

“We’re at Tsavo station.” Cissy’s voice. “Try to wake up, dearest.”

With effort, Emma opened her eyes and gazed into her sister’s face. Cissy looked pale but she was smiling.

“Where is Adam?” Emma asked.

“Lord Delamere sent a contingent to the Aberdares. They left a few hours ago.”

Emma struggled to sit up. The room tilted, and her head felt as if it held nothing but clouds. “Tsavo station?”

“Yes, and you’ve been given laudanum. Quite a lot, actually. Emma, darling, you’ve had a nasty bump.”

“You stumbled in the forest.” Dirk Bauer moved into view. His blond hair gleamed in the sunlight, but his handsome face was somber. “You fell and your head struck a stone.”

Emma frowned, unable to recall the moment clearly.
She took Cissy’s hand. “What happened at the waterfall? Where is Adam?”

“Oh, Emma,” Cissy murmured. “We don’t know. We had no choice but to flee. You and Soapy were both injured. Gravely so. Please don’t think about this now. You must rest.”

“Did you bring me here?”

“Yes.” Cissy hesitated. “I was told about Father, Emma. His grave is nearby. I waited until we could go together.”

Through the small window above the settee on which she lay, Emma saw an azure sky and dazzling sunshine. This was the office where once she had talked to Nicholas. She had seen Adam walking just outside…near the track. The train was in the station and workers bustled about. But Adam was not here.

“Let us visit the grave, then,” Emma proposed. “I’m well enough now.”

Cissy and Dirk helped her stand and supported her across the room. They stepped out onto the verandah and walked around to a small plot of ground enclosed with an iron fence. Several markers had been erected, but Emma saw only a small cross where their father had been laid to rest.

“I ordered a large headstone of Italian marble,” Cissy said. “His name and the dates will be engraved on it. You are free now, Emma. Free of our father’s domination.”

“And free to love him again as I once did.”

“As we both did when Mama was still with us.”

Dirk cleared his throat. “Excuse me, ladies, but the train is leaving for Mombasa.”

“And Mr. Potts is on it,” Cissy added. “He needs you, Emma.”

“Herr Potts refuses to allow anyone but you to treat his leg wound,” Dirk concurred. “He says the railway doctors worked for his enemy, Herr Bond. May I escort you?”

Emma accepted Dirk’s arm and he led both women to the
train. Her head throbbing, she climbed aboard and moved unsteadily down the aisle. A seat had been made up into a bed, and Soapy lay still and pale upon it.

“Afternoon, ma’am,” the cowboy greeted Emma. “Think you could patch me up? The bullet went clean through and near took all my blood with it.”

She knelt beside him. “Oh, Soapy, I’m so glad you’re alive! But why did you force me away? I needed to go to Adam.”

“The boss told me to get you out of there. I figured I’d better do what he said, shot or not. Me and Dirk there had to get you two ladies off that mountain and away from that loco and his rifle. He woulda shot all of us dead.”

“Nicholas Bond.”

“Yeah, that’s the one. And all because he thought Adam told you about him.”

“Told me what, Soapy? I don’t know anything.”

He grimaced as the train jerked to life, its whistle sending a mournful cry into the afternoon air. “I’m jiggered if I can pull it all together myself, ma’am. Ya know I ain’t got nothin’ under my hat but hair.”

Cissy looked at Emma, her blue eyes questioning. “Can you understand what he’s saying?”

Emma gave her a wan smile. “I’m learning to. All right, then, Mr. Potts. Let’s have a look at your leg.”

Soapy took off his hat and put it over his face as Emma peeled back the sheet and began to examine the injury. “I apologize, ma’am,” he muttered, “but I’m as yeller as mustard without the bite.”

“If that means you’re a coward, I shall have to disagree. You were very brave.”

“It’s the pain,” Soapy groaned. “Oh, the pain.”

Emma frowned. “Cissy, I need water.”

“Will this help, madam?” Dirk was striding down the swaying aisle, his fingers wrapped around the handle of a steaming kettle. “I got it from the kitchen car.”

Emma nodded in surprise. “Yes, thank you.”

“Dirk is always so helpful,” Cissy said. “We went everywhere looking for you, Emma, and we could hardly believe it when we saw you climbing into those mountains. Whatever were you doing there?”

“You were following
me?”

“Of course. Dirk called to me that night when we were in the railcar. He left his battalion and came to find me. I had no idea he was going to do it, but once we were together…” She looked at the man beside her, and he drew her into his arms. “Dirk is in a great deal of trouble, Emma. The German army is looking for him. We’re in a rush to get to Mombasa to plead for the British government to grant him asylum. We intend to marry.”

“Are you certain, Cissy?” Emma searched her sister’s blue eyes for assurance. “Perhaps you should rest before you agree to such an attachment.”

“Emma, this man is to be my husband. I have no doubt.”

“I have some savings,” the soldier added. “Enough to buy a small farm here.”

“Here?” Emma glanced at Cissy. “In the British Protectorate?”

“I love this country, Emma. Oh, I know it’s hard to believe I could give up my parties. Truly I cannot explain the change in me. In Africa, I’ve found what I’ve been looking for all my life.”

“I see a peace in your eyes, Cissy.”

“While tracking you into the mountains, we found a lovely place for our home. Dirk wants to plant beans and corn and have a farm of his own.”

Emma dabbed at Soapy’s wound. Adam had foreseen the future of the protectorate. It would be a busy place, a fertile land where a man and his wife could carve out a good life for themselves and their children.

“I’m happy for you both,” she whispered, leaning over to give her sister a kiss. “I’m certain your farm will be a great success.”

Cissy beamed. “That night when I ran away, Dirk wanted us to go straight to Mombasa. But I knew you would be worried and I insisted we go back. We’ve been trying to catch up to you ever since. In fact, we arrived at Mr. King’s ranch only hours after you had gone. His man Jackson sent us in the right direction. You can imagine our surprise when we found ourselves under the barrel of Mr. Bond’s rifle only moments after we’d found you.”

Emma sighed. She hardly knew what to make of all this information. Blotting away the last of the wash water, she leaned toward her patient. “Mr. Potts, are you still under that hat?”

The buckskin cowboy hat slowly slipped from in front of Soapy’s eyes. “Am I gonna live to see tomorrow?”

“Your wound is clean and it should heal well. A doctor in Mombasa will treat it.” She turned to Cissy. “If you’ll excuse me, I shall look for some bandage material.”

Dirk leaped to his feet. “I shall go for you, madam.”

“No, no. Please sit down.” The pain in Emma’s head increased as she started toward the door of the car. “I need to be alone.”

She gripped the backs of the leather seats to make her way down the aisle. It was growing dark, and she could see the conductor lighting lamps. Nearly paralyzed by her sense of loss, Emma had all she could do to keep from crying. Where was Adam? Had Nicholas killed him?

Dear God, why did this happen? And how am I to go on?

From the things Cissy had said, Emma realized Nicholas
must have written the ransom note and planned to take the gold for himself. He had been more surprised than Emma to see Cissy and Dirk emerge into the clearing.

But what had made him behave in such a villainous manner? What had driven him to such a rage that he would shoot Soapy and kill Adam?

Her vision blurred by tears, Emma was startled when she laid her hand on a seat back and felt warm fingers close over it.

“Memsahib?”
Linde floated up from the seat and pressed her forehead to Emma’s palms.

“Linde, what are you doing here?” As Emma stepped closer, she saw Tolito smiling at her.

“My arm good,
memsahib.”
The African’s eyes were warm. “You drive evil spirit away. Now we go to Mombasa, as you wish.”

Emma sat beside him. “Tolito, has anyone told you about
Bwana
King?”

“No,
memsahib.
He is here with you?”

She shook her head. “We had trouble in the Aberdares. Mr. Bond came after us.”

“That man?” Tolito’s face contorted in anger.

“What happened,
Memsahib
Emma?” Linde asked.

Emma gave a brief recounting of the story. “Mr. Potts was wounded by Mr. Bond,” she concluded. “The last I knew was the sound of gunfire. I was unconscious when the party brought us to Tsavo.”

“Bwana
King die?” Tolito asked.

“I don’t know. I pray he is still alive.” Emma fell silent for a moment. “Tolito, how did you come to know
Bwana
King? And what caused the trouble between him and
Bwana
Bond?”

Tolito closed his eyes and began to speak.
“Bwana
King come to my country many years ago. He is not of the British.
He buy land from the land office, but the British send him from Mombasa with a bad map. He get lost. In those days, I am the
olaigwenani
—the spokesman—of my clan’s age set. The men of my age set go to hunt a lioness, but we see she hunts something to eat. It is
Bwana
King. He near to death. Vultures sit in trees to wait.”

Emma gazed out the window as the sun slipped below the horizon. Black skeletons of thorn trees stood against an orange sky.

“We take
Bwana
King to our
manyatta,
where we live,” Tolito continued. “He get strong again. Then I go with him to his land. I become head man. We work hard, and two years pass.
Bwana
Potts come from America. He work also.”

“I stay with my brother and his wife,” Linde spoke up, her voice a murmur. “I am happy there.”

“One day
Bwana
King tell Linde and me to go to Mombasa.” Tolito paused, his brow furrowed as if he could not bear to summon the memory. “
Bwana
King say we get crates and woman.”

“Clarissa,” Linde put in. “That is why I should go also. But woman not come.”

“No.” Tolito shook his head. “We put crates on train. We ride train and see
Bwana
Bond also going. That day, he sees my sister.”

“Bwana
Bond want me.” Linde’s words came with difficulty. “I not want this thing to happen with
Bwana
Bond. I tell him no, no. But he tries to…force.”

“Oh, no.” Emma touched the young woman. “I am so sorry.”

“We come to station,” she continued. “It is night.
Bwana
Bond chase me, and I run and shout. Tolito fight him.
Bwana
Bond has knife and cuts Tolito. Try to kill him. Every part of Tolito is blood.”

“My arm very bad,” Tolito added.

“Then comes
Bwana
King to meet us at station. I cry to him what happened, that
Bwana
Bond want me and that Tolito dying.
Bwana
King fight with
Bwana
Bond. Then
Bwana
Bond run away.”

As Linde’s words faded, so did the last of the light. Emma sat beneath the lamp and stared out at the darkness. So Adam knew everything. Nicholas must have lived in dread that he would one day make public what had happened. Such a story, related to Godfrey Pickering or another railway director, could destroy his ambitions and career.

When Emma had come to the protectorate—an heiress and, upon her father’s death, a wealthy woman in her own right—Nicholas had seen the chance to make his dreams come true. But he knew Adam might tell Emma the story and ruin his chance. No wonder he hated Adam.

“Emma?” Cissy appeared at her side. “What are you doing?”

“This is Adam’s brother Tolito,” Emma replied, touching the African’s arm. “And this is Linde. She’s going to assist me in my clinic…if I have a clinic.”

To Emma’s surprise, Cissy gave them a curtsy before taking her sister’s hand. “Perhaps Miss Linde would be willing to look after Mr. Potts. I’ve never heard such groaning in my life. He does believe he’s going to pass on.”

Linde rose at once, and the three women made their way down the aisle. Emma settled into a sleeping berth, and Cissy drew a shade over the window.