The Lumberjack's Bride (17 page)

“I'll be back in a few minutes. Be ready to travel.”

She moved to her uncle's head and placed it on her lap. Julianne knew he didn't have long to live. Tears ran down her cheeks unchecked. He may have abused her, but at one time in her young life, Uncle Edmond had been her hero.

He looked up into her face. “I'm sorry.”

“Please don't try to talk, Uncle Edmond. I'm going to get you out of here.” Julianne couldn't stop the flow of tears.

He reached up and touched her swollen lips and then her eye. “No time. I never wanted to hurt you, Julie girl. Can you forgive me?” He coughed and blood trickled from the corner of his lip. “You have to go back to Martha. You'll take over the businesses and take care of the family. Promise me.”

Julianne placed her hand over his. “Uncle Edmond, don't give up. We'll get you out of here and you'll be good as new.”

He coughed once more. Frantically he grasped her hand. “Promise me, Julianne.”

Confused, she hesitated then blurted out, “But what businesses, Uncle Edmond? You said you lost them all.”

His eyes drifted shut. “You turned eighteen, Julianne. That's how I lost them. You are now the sole owner of your father's businesses. They were never mine. I planned to steal them from you. I thought I had another year, but the day you turned eighteen the estate lawyer refused to allow any more business dealings without your signature. I pulled money from different places and came to get you.”

She listened, blinking in bewilderment. Her uncle had lived off her father's wealth. She'd been treated like a slave in his home while his family lived like New York high society. But even though she felt the sting of his duplicity she still wanted him to live.

“We can work it out, Uncle Edmond. I'll sign the papers. You'll be okay.” With his last breath he said. “That's not going to happen, Julie girl.” His hand slid from her face and fell to the ground.

The sound of boots at the entrance of the cave announced Marcus's return. Julianne gently slid out from under her uncle. She rested his head on the ground and lifted the baby into her shaking arms. Tears blinded her and rolled down her cheeks. A flash of wild grief ripped through her. Her uncle had not treated her kindly, and most of her life she'd feared him, but he was family. And now she was alone with Marcus.

“We're leaving.” Marcus grabbed his bag and the one Edmond had been carrying.

Julianne stood her ground. “I'm not going anywhere with you.” She clung tightly to the baby.

Marcus growled in the back of his throat. “Yes, you are.”

She shook her head at him and stepped backward.

He was on her in a heartbeat. “I said we are going.” Marcus ground out the words through clinched teeth. His fingers bit into her arm as he dragged her from the cave.

“Where are you taking me?” Julianne tried to dig her feet into the cave floor.

Marcus jerked on her arm harder. “We're being followed. I'm trying to get you to safety.”

Her heart leaped into her throat. She had felt that strange sense of being followed but instead of fear it had made her feel assured. Relief weakened her knees. She was tired and sore, and her heart ached. She didn't understand why she did it, but she laughed. “Get me to safety?” She fell to the ground.

He was at her side in a flash. When Julianne didn't attempt to get up, Marcus thrust the knife under her chin. “See this?”

Laughter continued to spill from her body as she rocked back and forth. “Yeah, I see it. But, I don't think you will kill me, Marcus. If you had wanted to kill me, I'd already be dead. So put that away.” The words poured from her lips. Julianne wondered if exhaustion could be the reason she didn't care what he did to her now.

Marcus jerked the baby from her arms. “You're right. I plan to sell you to one of the ship captains.” He turned the knife on the baby.

“No!” The word shuddered through the breath that caught in her throat. “I'll go.” She added a little more calmly.

“I thought so.” Marcus yanked her to her feet.

They walked for what seemed like hours, but in actuality couldn't have been more than fifteen or twenty minutes. They entered a clearing where the trees had little underbrush, and Marcus began to run at a fast clip, his tight grip on Julianne's upper arm propelling her along beside him. They ran until the underbrush thickened again and began to scratch through her long dress, tearing her petticoat. Her sides ached, and her stomach heaved. “Marcus, please, I can't run anymore.”

He stopped. His gaze searched the trees. “We'll rest here—but only for a few moments.” His hard eyes warned her not to try to escape.

Julianne sat down on a boulder by a large tree. In the evening dusk, she couldn't make out what type of tree it was, and she really didn't care. “Marcus, please let me have my baby back. I'll go with you.”

Marcus thrust the baby into her arms and sank down at her feet. His eyes searched the woods around them.

She checked the baby to make sure he wasn't injured. He grabbed her finger and sucked on it. “Oh, you poor thing,” Julianne cooed.

“Be quiet.” Marcus hissed.

“Who do you think is following us?” Julianne whispered as she clutched the baby closer to her. The thought that maybe Caleb was out there made her heart quicken.

“We're not far from an Indian village. If you're a smart girl, you'll keep quiet. Haven't you heard what they do to pretty little white girls?”

Julianne had heard the stories of tribes taking captives and turning them into slaves. She'd heard many tales about horrible things the Indian men did to white women. But she also knew Morning Star, and Julianne couldn't imagine her people being that cruel. And Marcus had already proven to be an animal without any morals. How much safer did he think he made her feel?

They sat in silence for several minutes. The sounds of small animals rustling through the leaves and grass filled the evening air.

Julianne tucked the baby's blanket around her shoulders and cuddled him close to keep him warm.

“Marcus, why did you kill my uncle?”

Her question seemed to amuse him. “Why do you think?”

“I don't know. I thought you would let him live, at least until he paid you.” She patted the baby's back.

“I guess it won't hurt none to tell you. While you were out, I checked his bag and found it full of money.” He sneered then chuckled. “Your money, as it is. I didn't need him anymore.” Marcus tipped his head and looked up into the foliage that was blocking what little light was left of the evening.

Julianne's tired mind spun with questions. So Marcus knew she had money. Businesses. He wasn't going to sell her; he was going to demand a ransom. How could Marcus kill in cold blood? How many times had he killed? She knew he would have killed her already, if he didn't think her family would pay handsomely for her.

“Why do you say it's my money?”

“Your uncle tried to convince your aunt to sign the papers releasing the inheritance from your parents. He told her he'd had word from you and that you wanted to come home.” He gave an evil grunt. “But you'd come of age and she couldn't sign any longer. Now neither of you will return home.”

“But you didn't have to kill him.”

“What do you care anyway?” He sneered. “He killed your pa and ma, and soon as he had your signature on those papers he planned to kill you, too. 'Sides it wasn't like he was yer fav'rit uncle or nothing. He slapped you around.”

Julianne rocked the baby from side to side. “He was my uncle.” But even as she said it she wondered if Marcus was telling the truth about her uncle killing her parents. Could he have been so evil?

Marcus laughed, “Yeah, he told me he didn't think you had it in ya to run off the way you did. Especially since he stole all yer money.”

“I forgive him for that. I would have loved to have seen him make it back home to my aunt and cousins.”

“Now don't ya go spouting that religious stuff ta me 'bout forgiveness. I tried me that when I married my first wife. So purdy she was and loved to go to Sunday meeting. I thought about it and figgered it was a better way of life than my pa had, so I started going with her to the services.” He leaned his head back against the tree.

“But the whole time I was a-trying to live better, she was seeing another man. Ever' day she told me she had to drive just outside town to tend her sick mama, but it was all lies. She left on the stage one day with the preacher man. That's when I found out. Decided right then and there that there'd be no more religion fer me. No sirree.”

Julianne saw a frown settle deep into his features and sought for a plausible answer to soothe the anger, betrayal and hurt she knew lay buried in this man's soul. It did not escape her tired mind that, once again, lies had taken away a person's happiness, leaving in their place an empty, broken shell. She'd noticed that with each word he spoke, Marcus dropped more letters in words. It was as if he was reliving a time when he'd been younger.

She pulled her thoughts back to the problem at hand. What could she say to him? Her uncle was dead but there was still a chance for her and Marcus to grow whole again. “Marcus, when you tried out religion with your wife, did you give your heart to the Lord?” Julianne kept her voice low and purposefully nonchalant.

“Naw, I reckon not. I was a-workin' up to it, but when Daisy left it came to me that ever'thing she ever said about religious stuff was pro'bly a lie, just like all the other stuff that came outta her mouth. Since that day, I been a-takin' what I wanted and killing anything that got in my way.”

A hand, massive and strong, clamped down on her knee.

“And I be a'thinkin that it's time I take what you got to offer, and I don't mean no religion.”

Julianne stiffened, bracing herself for the fight she knew approached like a raging fire. She cast a fearful look down at Marcus. She gasped.

A snake wound around through the foliage of the tree he leaned against. He turned his head to see what had captured her attention and yelped in fear. Alarmed by the sudden movement and noise, the snake sank its fangs into his neck and would not let go.

Julianne jumped off the boulder and ran, clutching the baby against her chest.

Chapter 16

C
aleb couldn't believe his eyes. The scene in front of him seemed to unfold in slow motion.

The snake coiled around Marcus's shoulders then slithered to the ground. Runs Swiftly threw his knife and pinned the snake's head to the ground with the tip of the blade.

Julianne tripped over a branch and stumbled, just managing to catch herself from falling. She cradled the baby against her. Caleb watched her eyes widen as he ran to her. Her face turned ashen and she fainted into his arms. He lowered her gently to the ground.

Runs Swiftly left Marcus to his own devices and came to stand beside Caleb. “She is hurt?”

The baby let out a soft whimper and Runs Swiftly lifted the infant from the tangled folds of Julianne's dress.

Caleb knelt beside Julianne. Her bottom lip was bruised and cracked. A small trickle of blood had dried in the corner. One eye was swollen. He quickly ran his hands over her arms and legs. “I don't think she has any serious injuries.” He smiled up at Runs Swiftly, thankfulness winging its way through his veins.

The Indian man stood, holding the baby Julianne had carried. His face paled and his dark eyes blinked with disbelief.

“What's wrong?”

Runs Swiftly raised his head and stared down at Julianne. “Your woman had Little Eagle.”

Marcus moaned, drawing the men's attention.

Runs Swiftly gently placed the infant in Caleb's arms. He walked to the snake and pulled his knife out of the reptile's head. In one swift motion he ended Marcus's suffering then turned back toward Julianne.

Caleb saw the anger and mistrust in his friend's eyes. He quickly stood to his feet and braced to protect Julianne.

Runs Swiftly stopped and extended his arms for the child. The baby whimpered as Caleb handed the child back.

“I don't understand, Runs Swiftly.”

Caleb watched the softening in the expression on the warrior's face as he gazed down at the infant, then his features became more animated.

“I must get Little Eagle back to my sister. You will care for your wife alone?”

“You're leaving me?” Puzzled by the abrupt change in Runs Swiftly's mood, Caleb's brain failed to comprehend what he had said.

Sure that Julianne was no longer in danger, Caleb returned to her side. He smoothed the hair from her forehead.

“While you slept in the night, Mountain Boy, from our village came with the news that our village was attacked yesterday. Our warriors were out on a hunt and only the older men were in camp. Several of them were wounded and my sister's baby, Little Eagle, was taken. My tribe will be happy to see that this child lives.”

Caleb had been aware of Runs Swiftly's silence most of the day. Now he knew why. “I'm sorry. But, surely you know that Julianne would never have taken part in something like that.”

“No, I believe the man did it.” Runs Swiftly carried the baby to his horse. “Little Eagle needs his mother's milk.” He mounted the horse in one swift motion and turned to go. “Morning Star will bring your son to you.”

“Thank you.”

The Indian nodded and left.

Julianne groaned. One eye opened slowly. The swollen eye remained shut. She focused on his face and began to cry.

“It's okay, sweetheart. You're safe now.”

She struggled to sit up. Her hands touched his cheeks. “You're alive?”

Caleb laughed with relief. “Of course, I'm alive.”

“Marcus said…” Her gaze jerked to the tree where Marcus's still body lay. “Is he…?”

He turned her face toward him. “He's dead.”