A Ransomed Heart (19 page)

“You stay safe
, ya hear.” Kit looked worried at his friend.

“You
, too, and may your horse be fast and sure.”

“Logan, don’t d
o anything rash.”

He looked at the young man who
had become as much of a brother to him as anyone could. Then he smiled a rueful smile and reached his hand out to Kit.

Taking it firmly they
shook across the open plain of the badlands. “See you in a couple of days…brother.” There was a question in his voice.

Logan nodded his head and drew his hand back, “
You, too, brother.”

All was still as if the world had
stopped to witness something wonderful. They both looked fondly at each other and then tipped their hats. There was no telling what two days from now would bring. Logan’s plan was dangerous to say the least, and if things did not go well, Kit would be left to pick up the pieces. They both shouldered a heavy burden. But sunlight was scarce and there were miles to cross so the moment had to end. Pushing their hats farther down on their heads, both men gripped the leather reins of their mounts and dug their heels into the animals’ sides. They both sprang forward with their riders holding on for dear life. The race had begun.

Soon the sound of Kit
’s horse disappeared under the drum of his own animal. He leaned forward in the saddle urging his mount ever faster. He had a day and a half ride ahead of him and he was determined to make good time. With his hat pulled down around his ears, he could see the landscape whipping past him and feel the hot air press against his face. His body was tense and eager and he had to remind himself to pace his trusty horse. It would be a grueling ride for both of them, but his horse was born on this land and captured by Logan at a young age. He was a mustang through and through and his legs and barrel chest were designed for running. He probably could outlast Logan and Logan knew it.

As he
rode, he envisioned the scene that would play before him. There was a great possibility it would be his last, that he would never again see his friends, his brother Kit, or Little Bear, or Mama. Hope would be left to fend for itself. Hopefully the people would be able to stick together and make it in this harsh place. It pained him to think about leaving them alone to fight this very unfair battle, but he had little choice. The one thing he refused to think about was if he would ever see Annabelle again. Would he ever talk with her or watch her wrinkle up her nose? Would he ever touch her, or hold her, or smell her sweet scent? This was by far the most painful thing he could think about, being without Annabelle.

It seemed so strange that up until a few days ago he had no idea of her
existence. He didn’t know there was a woman who was so beautiful, but so perfect for him. How was he ever to believe, that in such a short time he had not only fallen for the girl, but actually fallen in love? As the rhythmic pounding of hoof beats resounded off the valley walls, he pondered his life. He had never been in love, not with anyone or anything. He didn’t know how it could tangle up your insides and make you think things you would never consider. For once in his life he wanted to let someone love him, to be a husband and a father. He was shocked; he wanted to be a father.

His horse was panting and frothy around the mouth. It was time to slow down. He pulled the animal to a slow trot and let his mind return to
its previous course. He, Logan Bailey, wanted to have babies with Annabelle. He nearly laughed out loud at the idea. Never in his life had even considered being married, but to bring a child into the world with anyone was so far from anything he ever dared to believe, it was almost laughable. Of course the thought of it brought back a painful memory.

He was sitting with his mother, not much older than four of five. She crumpled up a letter and let it fall to the floor. He couldn’t read it of course, but he recognized the signature. It was from him, his father. The look on his mother
’s face would never leave his mind, not until the day he died. His worried little blue eyes searched hers and found nothing but anger. She looked at him hard in the eyes and smiled a crooked smile. Then her voice rang in his ears. “He isn’t coming back.” It wasn’t long after that when she deposited him at a home for children and left, never even looking back.

The memory
changed to another as he watched children come and go, dropped off by hopeless mothers, never any fathers. And soon he learned that no daddies ever come back. He vowed then and there he would never bring a child into the world, ever. It would never be worth the hurt he would cause if he never came back.

The
memories faded to black as Logan adjusted to his current surroundings. Even with the feelings those memories evoked, he still wanted to be a father. He had spent all of these years, the past three especially, telling himself he wasn’t anything like the father he knew. People are allowed to change, to become whatever they want to be, and if he were given the opportunity, he would be a wonderful father.

Another image popped up in his brain and he felt the old anger stir inside of him. It was time for things to be set
straight; it was time that right prevailed instead of wrong. Logan urged his pony back into a run. It was the time of reckoning and he was the deliverer. All the years of hurt and pain would come to an end in twelve short hours. It didn’t matter how it ended just as long as it ended. Refocusing on his goal at hand pushed all other thoughts from his mind and he silently wished his friends luck, they surely would need it.

It was dark when Annabelle heard a knock at the door of the cabin. Mama stood from her seat near
Annabelle’s bed and went through the dark kitchen and unbolted it. Annabelle couldn’t see out to the door from the bed and the voices were too low for her to hear. She strained forward in bed ignoring the twinge of pain which pricked at her leg. Logan would not have knocked, so who was here?  They had waited all day in tense silence. Annabelle had slept fitfully on and off and even the tea Mama had made did little to sooth her nerves. She didn’t like Logan being away and not knowing if he was safe. Mama did her best to reassure both of them the boys were fine, but the wait was wearing on both of them.

The talking grew louder and for a moment Annabelle
wondered if she should get out of bed and go see what was happening. She had just thrown the bed sheets back when Mama and Little Bear came into the room. Mama’s face was pale but she did her best to smile. Little Bear looked tired and worried, but quickly went to look at Annabelle’s wound. Annabelle waited impatiently for someone to tell her what was going on. Finally it was too much to bear and she spoke, her voice strangely strained in her own ears.

“Where
’s Logan?”

Mama just smiled and Little Bear ignored her
, tending to the gunshot.

“Is he hurt?” She held her breath and then
her eyes widened, tears springing instantly to the surface. “Is he…” her voice choked in her throat. “Is he…?”

Mama shook her head coming around the bed and taking
Annabelle’s hand.

“No
, baby, he’s ok, but it may be a few days before he makes it back here.”

Annabelle’s
heart was dancing in her breast, something was wrong. Was he hurt somewhere unable to come home? Was he in trouble or kidnapped? Annabelle grasped Little Bears hands, pulling him away from the freshly placed dressing.

“Little Bear, tell me what is going
on, I must know.”

She had never spoken to the man, and
certainly never touched him, but she was frantic to know if Logan was ok. His big brown eyes looked at her for a moment, as if assessing her true feelings. Finally he spoke for the first time she could remember.

“Logan went to talk to Mr.
Sevier.”His voice was soft and perfect, a slight accent coloring the ends of his words.

Horror filled
Annabelle’s face. “Why?”

“They have unfinished
business.”

“But he promised to take me there, why didn’t he come back here first
? He should have taken me, I could have helped him.”

She tried desperately to get out of bed, but Little Bear
’s strong arms kept her in place.

“M
iss Casey, this is something he needed to do on his own, but he told me that in a couple of days I will take you to Mr. Sevier, and that he is sorry.”

The tears
which had threatened to fall earlier were now spilling down her face and she clutched the arms of the man holding her down.

“Is he not coming back?”

The room was silent, and she could feel the horrible pain stinging in her breast. He had to come home, he had to see her and talk to her. She had so much she wanted to tell him and learn from him. But most of all she wanted to tell him how much she loved him. Dropping back onto the bed she rolled onto her good side and buried her face in the pillow. Her heart hurt and she clung to the pillow hoping the pain would cease. It was almost too much to bear. She didn’t even notice that Mama and Little Bear had left, inside she felt as if she might drown in sorrow. If Logan didn’t come back to her, nothing mattered any more, nothing.

She had cried herself to sleep. Late the next morning she woke to the sun
peeking in the window. Annabelle could hear someone in the kitchen and she eased her head off the pillow to look around the room. Logan’s chair was empty and she remembered the painful night before. It hurt too bad to think about too long and so she forced herself to listen to the world around her. There was silence outside the window other than a bird call here or there. It was like the world was waiting with her, wondering what might be going on outside their little valley.

Finally laying was to
o much so she eased up and was relieved to feel very little pain in her leg. Pushing away the bed sheets she inspected it. The swelling was gone and the coloring was right. As she pushed around on her skin she felt tenderness, but only when she was really close to the actual wound. It was healing nicely and she wished Logan could see how quickly she was pulling though. She remembered his worried face and she wished he could know she was doing fine, just as she wished she knew the same about him. Knowing she could drive herself mad thinking about it, she pushed his face deep into the back of her mind and concentrated on the task at hand.

Gingerly, she swung her feet over the side of the bed and slid down the mattress until her feet touched the wooden floor. Ever so slowly she pushed up with her arms until she was standing. The movement of the sore muscle seemed to pull a bit, but it wasn’t nearly as bad as she imagined it would be. Easing one foot in front of the other, she limped her way to the door frame and then out past the little living room and into the kitchen. Mama was busy with something at the stove, but when she heard Annabelle’s bare feet against the floor she swung around still holding her spoon.

Annabelle smiled at her and took a few more steps to the table, then eased down into a chair. The pain was so
minimal she nearly dismissed it. Pulling one chair out next to her she lifted the sore leg up and rested it there. Mama watched a bit surprised but said nothing to discourage her. Instead she turned back to the meal and continued doing whatever it was she had been doing before Annabelle arrived. Annabelle looked around the room and was thankful to be out of bed. The windows were open and a breeze blew through them bringing in the smell of the outdoors. It reminded Annabelle of Logan and she again wondered what he was doing. Mama poured them some coffee and then sat down across from Annabelle.

“You look perked up.”

She nodded.

“I am worried about him
, too, honey, but it won’t do us any good fretting about it.”

Annabelle knew that but it didn’t help to
soothe her much. “What is he going to do?”

Mama swirled the cup around in her hands and the
n looked back up at the girl.

“He is going to make things right
, honey.”

Annabelle didn’t know what
that meant, but it worried her.

“There is a lot more that I don’t know
, huh?”

Mama nodded her head but didn’t offer any more information. “You still plan on going back to
Sevier?”

Annabelle shook her head. She didn’t have a plan yet, but she was working on it.
Just then the door swung open and Little Bear stood there, anxiousness in his eyes. Mama took one look at him and jumped to her feet.

“
It’s time,” he said, his voice tight.

For a moment Annabelle
wondered if he was referring to Logan, but then she realized it was Singing Bird he was talking about. It was time for the baby to come. Mama looked at her with a worried expression. Annabelle waved her hands at her.

“GO, GO, I will be just fine. Good luck.”

Mama grabbed a bag from near the door and a wrap off the hook on the wall and hurried out the door in front of Little Bear. He looked back at Annabelle at the table and she could see the worry in his eyes.