Bride of the Wild (19 page)

“There’s probably more than one rabid bear,” murmured Micah. “I’d be on the lookout for more. This one was as quiet as the wind. Not even a twig snapped beneath its paws. That’s quite extraordinary, actually, for something that weighs at least eight hundred pounds.”

“I don’t want to butcher anything.” I would only do so in dire circumstances of survival, leaving the task to the men. Making a fire and boiling water was something I could easily accomplish. I had flint in my pack.

“Me either,” said Silas. “But I’ll eat those baby bears. I bet they’ll be tender and tasty.” He noted my expression. “Well, they’ll die anyhow now. Their mother’s dead. Who will feed them?”

I followed him, knowing he spoke the truth, but it wasn’t something I wanted to witness. Micah joined us, walking by my side. We wandered down towards where the mother had fallen, the babies crying out, hanging in the net from the tree. I didn’t want to look at them, knowing they wouldn’t live much longer. I focused on arranging a fire pit, just like the ones pa would make when we camped outdoors.

Micah brought over rocks and firewood, while every other man had a job, besides Silas, who produced a bottle of whiskey. He sat beneath a tree, sipping the beverage, while we worked. I had packed a thin wool blanket, but nothing else to sleep on. I could manage one night in the elements, but it would grow colder later, the temperature dipping into the forties.

The bear cubs had been taken down, and Butch brought them to the river to slaughter and prepare for cooking. Wesley began to strip the fur from the female, whistling while he worked. It wasn’t long before a roaring fire lit up the night sky and pots boiled with water. The sheriff, his deputy, Butch, and Micah assembled a one-sided lean-to across from the fire. When the pelts had been fleshed and salted, they were hung over the thick branches, offering not only warmth, but also protection from the elements. The meat from the cubs had been cubed and seasoned, thrown into a large frying pan over the flames.

I sat on a blanket, sipping water from my jar, surprisingly at ease in these surroundings. The only blight on the horizon was Silas, who continued to drink, laughing at nothing in particular and generally behaving like a fool. He hadn’t lifted one finger to help with our camp preparations. I glanced at my filthy fingernails, feeling some pride in their appearance, because gunpowder and dirt had accumulated. I had earned my keep for the day, working as hard as any of the men. I had even helped kill a rabid bear. Micah sat across from me, sipping from his horn, looking thoughtful. I met his gaze, our eyes locking.

Lord, I think I’m beginning to wonder what your plan is. There’s a reason you brought Micah into my life, isn’t there?

Chapter Twenty-One

We ate supper, using tin plates and utensils that one of the men had brought. I sat next to Bryce and Micah, who spoke little while eating, although Silas kept a steady stream of conversation going, speaking on a variety of topics. From the lack of responses, not everyone thought him diverting. When Sheriff Palmer gave him a plate, he eyed the fare dubiously.

“I’ve seen rotten deer meat that looked better, but I’ll give it a try.” He stabbed the meat with his fork, bringing it to his mouth. “It’s terribly chewy, isn’t it? And gamey.” He grimaced. “I’m not all that hungry anyway.” He tossed the contents of the plate into a bush. “I’ll just drink my supper.”

Although there had been more than enough meat, such a show of waste stunned me. I continued to eat, finding the meat chewy, but it felt nourishing, and although the cubs had been slaughtered, at least the food would not be squandered. After finishing what remained on my plate, I stood, intending to wash my hands in the stream. Micah, apprehending this, got to his feet as well, following me.

“It wasn’t that terrible,” I said. “The seasoning helped. If it had been boiled all day, the meat would’ve been tender.”

“Any food is good food.”

I bent by the water, running my fingers beneath the current. “In this situation, yes.”

“I’ve been wanting to talk to you.”

That was surprising. “You have?” Shadow surrounded us, the sun having all but disappeared.

“What you did today was very brave. I’m still thinking about that bear. It was so silent. It would’ve killed me or maimed me, and then I would’ve contracted rabies and died a terrible death. I’m even more impressed by you.”

“It was my luck to look over my shoulder at that moment. It was just luck.”

“I examined the carcass. The bullet that killed it came from your weapon. I don’t carry a Sharps rifle. I thought I grazed its ear, and I did.”

I dried my hands on my skirt. “Well, if you had seen it, you would’ve done the same. At least it’s dead now. We can go home tomorrow.”

“One of the rabid bears are gone, but there may be more. It’s impossible to police the entire wilderness. If that was the only other diseased bear, then I’d be happy, but none of us know how many are out there. I’m pleased to be going home, though.”

Sitting back on my heels, I watched him cup his hands and wash his face. “I thought you were fond of mountains? You do this as a profession.”

“I’ll feel better when you’re home. I know you’re adept, but women shouldn’t be out here. There are dangers around every corner and not just the animals.”

“Well, this adventure is nearly over, and all it took was one day.” I sighed. “If I’d brought more supplies, I wouldn’t have minded staying a little longer.” I had his full attention, my senses prickling in strange, yet pleasing ways.

“I have something for you.”

“You do?”

He reached into his pocket, withdrawing a small leather pouch. “This is yours. A black bear isn’t as esteemed as a grizzly, but you could make a necklace from it all the same. The Indians believe bear claw necklaces hold spiritual powers of protection and healing.” He handed over the bag. “It’s a memento of your conquest. Congratulations.”

I took it, opening the drawstring top and examining the contents. I pulled out one huge ivory-colored claw after another. “Goodness. Imagine
that
tearing through your flesh.”

“I did.” He grinned. “You spared me untold agony.”

“Maybe you’ll get a chance to do the same for me.”

His smile fell. “I hope not. That was far too close for comfort. I’ve been pondering why I wasn’t more aware of my surroundings. I figured out what the trouble is. You’re partly to blame.”

“I am?”

“I was supposed to be alert for any sign of danger, and yet, I was too busy watching you.”

That pleased me ridiculously. “So, it is all my fault.”

“I adore watching you, Saffron. You carry yourself with natural grace, even in those over-sized boots. How anyone could not watch you is beyond me.”

“You have to stop flattering me.” I didn’t want to encourage him, because I was spoken for, but his words had their intended affect.

“Someone should tell you how beautiful you are every day, even covered in a layer of dust.”

“Stop that.”

“And how your eyes light up when you laugh. You should laugh more often.”

I got to my feet, brushing debris from the bottom of the skirt. “You’re more of a rogue than I thought. You’ve had some practice at flirting, haven’t you? It’s a wonder you’re not married yet.”

“I’ve been patiently waiting for the right woman to come along.” He stood, staring at me. “I won’t be persuaded by anything other than my ideal mate, because life’s too short to make such a catastrophic mistake. I watched my parents argue nearly every day of their lives together, and I don’t plan on living like that. If you’re not compatible at the start, you never will be.”

“I didn’t know that.”

“My mother was never completely right in her head. She had a depressive nature, which led her to drink and take laudanum. The doctor gave her enough to kill a horse, but … ” he shook his head, “never mind. You don’t want to hear this.”

“I do. What happened?”

He stepped away, his boots crunching over rocks. “She was rendered useless basically. She spent most of her days in a stupor. When she was lucid, which wasn’t very often, she and pa would argue. It was one of the many reasons I left home. I found out later she’d taken too much of the stuff and died.”

“I’m sorry, Micah. How awful.”

“We’ve all lost someone.”

I fell into step with him, glimpsing the campfire through the swaying branches of a ponderosa pine. “Yes, but it doesn't make it any easier.”

“I’m glad there isn’t an opium den in Fern Valley. Most towns have several. They’re a scourge. They should be outlawed.”

“I agree, although I haven’t seen many. I suppose I wasn’t paying attention.”

“People lose themselves that way faster than anything I’ve ever seen.”

“I can imagine.”

We approached camp, where another bottle of whiskey had appeared, the men passing it around. Silas, grinning from ear to ear, had settled on his bedroll, which he’d place on the other side of the fire.

“Tell us more about that doxy of yours, Silas,” said Butch. “She’s a fine-looking one. Widows are a young man’s dream, eh? They’re lonely and eager and oh, so willing.”

“Ahem,” said the sheriff, having perceived me. “We’ve a lady in our midst. There are some subjects we should not talk about.”

I sat on my blanket, but my ears had been singed. Had Butch been referring to Mrs. Clarissa Faris? My female intuition had needled me unrelentingly, warning me that something had occurred between them, but I hadn’t wanted to believe it. I glanced at my beau, noticing his furtive smile.

Silas gripped the mostly empty bottle of whiskey, falling backwards onto his bedding. “Ah, it was nothin’,” he slurred. “I can’t be responsible for what I do after a bottle of Taylor’s Scion.”

Lowering my glance, I stared into the flames, while something inside me died. He had all but admitted to infidelity, not realizing he had spoken so before me. It wasn’t long before his snores filled the camp, the whiskey having rendered him unconscious. Micah scooted nearer, resting his arms over his knees, keeping me company, albeit silently.

The men continued to speak, sharing whiskey and laughing, the feeling was light and congratulatory, because the offending animal had been killed today. Some meat remained, and Leonard made himself another plate, chewing heartily. The sheriff looked at me, smiling in sympathy, because he knew all too well what I had overheard. Perhaps, Silas had only said those things to brag about exploits that hadn’t happened? But why would he lie about something like that? And what man would dishonor a woman by admitting to an affair, even if it hadn’t happened? Those things should be kept private, and now every man at camp would pass along the information to all and sundry upon returning to Fern Valley.

I sensed Micah’s appraisal, turning towards him. “It’s getting colder.”

“It is.”

“How shall we sleep?”

“Side-by-side. Body heat is the best source of warmth, besides a fire, but we’ll still feel the chill.”

“How did you survive out here in the winter?”

“I’d choose my hunting ground first. Then I’d build a hut in the middle of it. It was rather primitive, with a pole framework and a bark roof. Then I’d set out each day and hunt, returning in the afternoon. When I had exhausted the area, I’d move to another and repeated the procedure.”

“I see.”

“Sometimes I’d find someone else’s abandoned shelter and use it. There’s a log cabin along the Sweetwater River. I spent an entire winter there once.”

“And you’re thinking of pursuing this line of work again.”

“Beaver’s harder and harder to find. It’s been pretty much tapped out. The only ones still making money are the trappers far in the mountains, the most hardy of mountain men. I’m not sure I’ve the will to do that. I’ve been at it long enough.”

“What will you do then?”

“Work closer to town, I suppose. I thought about heading further west, but I’m not so sure now.”

“You said you might be a scout.”

“I’d be on the road half the year. I could, if I had to. I might work for you pa.”

I glanced at the prone form of Silas, who had fallen asleep still gripping the bottle of whiskey. “I wouldn’t object, if you came to work for us.”

“You didn’t think so highly of it when I first mentioned it.”

“That’s because I was in a foul mood. I was grumpy about everything.”

“I see.” A lazy gaze drifted over my face. “Your father seems to like me.”

“He sure does. I’ve never seen him warm to a person so fast. It took ages before he’d let Silas through the front door without scowling at him fiercely. He doesn’t care for him in the least.”

“Did your mother know Silas?”

“She did. She was acquainted with his mother.”

“What did she think of him?”

I searched my memory. “That was before things became serious. I’d attended several Friday night socials with him, but nothing else. I hadn’t been invited to supper or anything, and he hadn’t come to our house. She was starting to get sick then. She had other things on her mind.”

“I’m sorry you lost her.”

“From the onset of the symptoms to death, it wasn’t a long time. It happened within a few months. One moment she was perfectly fine, and then she couldn’t leave her bed.”

“Did they know what it was?”

“The doctor thought it was an infection of the liver. There was little he could do about it, but he gave her every tonic he could get his hands on. None of the cures worked.”

He nodded glumly. “The body is one big mystery.”

I yawned. “Certainly.”

His gaze skimmed over my face. “You’re tired.”

“I am. Do you think we’ll be safe tonight? Will someone need to stay awake and be on the lookout for trouble?”

“I sleep lightly. We should be fine.”

“I do too.” I glanced at Silas. “He won’t be much help.”

He refrained from saying anything, but I could sense he had a great deal on his mind.

“I’m done with Silas,” I murmured, stunned that I had said those words out loud.

“What?” Micah’s head snapped in my direction.

“I’m going to tell him the courtship is over. I’ve seen more than enough of his behavior to know I’d be terribly unhappy, if I married him. He’s not even asked anyhow.” I picked a twig from the fabric of my skirt. “I don’t know why I didn’t see it before, but I guess I didn’t want to face the truth.”