Frontier Highlander Vow of Love (American Wilderness Series Romance Book 4) (22 page)

Bear had to swallow the raw emotions that welled up inside of him. His love for Artis grew even stronger. He had not been able to protect her from the robber’s bullet, but by God, he would protect her from this Steller or die trying.

“I’m goin’ after him,” he told them.

Kelly’s face filled with alarm. “No, please, you can’t. He’ll find a way to kill Nicole. And maybe Papa too. His warning was deadly serious.”

“At least wait for William,” McGuffin pleaded. “Kelly’s right. The man is profoundly dangerous.”

“I canna. Steller’s trail will grow cold. And William may be tied up with that robber for a while. I wounded the thief so William will have to see to his medical care and question him about the stolen gold.”

“Then I’ll go with you,” McGuffin offered.

“Nay, this is somethin’ I must do for Artis. I need ye to tend to her and protect our family. He glanced over at the spot by the door where Kelly normally kept her weapons. “Where are yer weapons?”

“Steller stole them, along with the pistol you handed me in the wagon to reload,” Kelly answered. “He took my lead and powder too.”

“Anythin’ else?”

“Food, water, and blankets,” she answered.

“That means he’s plannin’ to hide away for a while,” Bear said. “What did he look like?”

“He a big man, and tall, but not as big as you,” McGuffin said. “Dark hair, severe features, and evil eyes.”

“He’s riding a magnificent black stallion,” Kelly added.

“Mister McGuffin, in the interest of time, I’d appreciate it if ye’d feed and water Camel. I’m goin’ to your cabin to change into my spare buckskins and get my weapons. I’ll bring your rifle and lead back too. Keep the rifle loaded and the door barred to everyone but William. You never know what kind of tricks Steller might pull.”

“I’ll take care of them,” McGuffin said.

“Kelly, if ye have any food left and a spare blanket, I’d appreciate it. While I’m gone, please do all ye can for Artis, includin’ prayin’. And do na worry about Steller coming back to hurt yer daughter or father.”

“How can you be so sure he won’t?” Her voice shook with anxiety.

“Dead men can’t shoot.”

He moved over to the bed and stood by Artis. Lightly he fingered a loose tendril of hair on her cheek. Then he bent and delicately kissed her lips. “Get well, my love,
my
wife. Do na worry. He’ll never hurt ye again. I swear that on the MacKay clan name.”

Chapter 26

C
aked mud covered Camel’s hooves and wet dirt hung on the horse’s coat up to his hocks as Bear had made his way north through the dense dripping forest. The storm had blown through allowing some star and moonlight to penetrate the darkness and he had taken advantage of his keen night vision.

The first night, the ground was still largely a quagmire, and made following Steller difficult. It was like trying to track someone through thick brown gravy. With owls hooting and wolves howling, he’d tenaciously pursued the man through the dark.

He’d managed to spot a few signs of Steller’s general movement—tall grass with heavy mud clinging to it in a straight line, a hoof print now and then, and an occasional broken twig or branch. And the next morning, he’d found where the man had camped.

But the rest of that day, yielded no sign of Steller’s direction.

Bear had to relentlessly fight his lack of sleep and his eyes grew tired from focusing so intensely on the ground, searching for any clue that would tell him where Steller went. Hour after hour, as the sun first climbed and then descended in the sky, he combed the tree-covered hills, still damp from the heavy rain. Normally he loved the woods, and would have reveled in the wild blazing color of the fall leaves. But not now—not with his mind
focused steadfastly on finding Steller.

The next day also yielded nothing. Somewhere, he had taken the wrong way. It made him pissing mad. But it also made him even more determined to find the man. He’d promised Artis. And Kelly and her father. God how he hoped they were all still safe.

He wished Sam were here with him. His oldest brother could track a butterfly flying over solid rock. Sam called Bear’s tracking skills excellent too, honed during his many years as a hunter. But somewhere Steller had managed to elude him.

He worried that the man had doubled back. But William would be there by now and wouldn’t leave until Bear returned. He also thought it unlikely that Steller would go back so soon. He figured the man would hide about three days ride away from Whispering Hills. That way he could come back for Artis in about a week when she would be well enough to ride. He might even wait as long as two weeks. But there was no way to tell what the devil planned.

“Another day. This better be the day I find him,” Bear swore as he woke. He’d slept with his hatchet clutched in his hand. Camel would alert him if anything or anyone came near, so he’d allowed himself to sleep for a few hours. But his sleep was troubled and restless. He’d dreamt of Artis. He kept trying to wake her, but she wouldn’t wake. No matter what he did, no matter how he pleaded. He shook his head trying to rid himself of the disturbing dream that left him feeling uneasy.

He stood and stuck the hatchet in his belt. He scratched his itchy face, covered now with three days of whiskers and dirt.

His frustration had multiplied with every hour of unproductive searching, but this morning it swelled enough to cause his jaw to ache and his stomach to feel like it carried a rock. He decided not to even eat and saddled Camel. There wasn’t much left to eat anyway and he wasn’t about to take the time to hunt or fish for something.

He chewed on his lip instead. His constant worry for Artis was nearly beyond endurance. And after the unnerving dream, his fears grew stronger
than ever. He could not go much longer without going back to check on her. He resolved to give the search the rest of the day and if he hadn’t found Steller, he would head back to Whispering Hills tonight.

He’d prayed fervently for Artis every morning and every night. He struggled to trust God to heal her, but he couldn’t stop the incessant concern that gripped his heart like a tightened fist.

Before taking off, he rode to a higher hilltop close by and, sitting atop Camel, studied the hills around him. Where to next? Due north, the terrain turned nearly vertical. So, Steller had to have gone either west or east. But which? To the west, he could see the hills gradually descending, which would make the land boggy and difficult to traverse after such a severe rain. To the east, the hills gradually climbed which would allow a rider to reach higher and drier ground.

It was time to make a ‘By Guess and By God’ decision that relied upon experience, intuition, and faith.

Bear headed east. “I know yer out here somewhere, ye slippery bastard.”

As he had in the past when fatigue crept into him, Bear imposed an iron control on himself. Through the morning, he forced himself to stay extremely focused, scrutinizing everything. He watched for any signs of the turf, brush, or trees being disturbed.

He would also look up regularly to be sure he stayed on a due east course. It was then he spotted it—a thin thread of light gray smoke, almost invisible against the cloudy sky.

His heart leapt. Could it be Steller? It had to be.

As he headed in the direction of the rising smoke, he prepared himself mentally to be the warrior he was. The difference between an ordinary man and a warrior was the difference between a puffy white cloud and a thunderstorm.

And a warrior gave his enemy only two choices—surrender or die.

But Bear didn’t know if he could give Steller that choice. The man deserved to die for murdering Artis’ mother. He hated Steller and knew Artis did to. Rightfully so. He could just picture the aftermath of Steller’s destruction of her village and her life—fire, smoke, the wails of children and their distraught mothers, her half-scorched uncle dying in her arms, and most tragic of all—her beloved mother’s body burning within the walls of her childhood home.

How many tears did Steller force Artis to shed? How hard did her heart break when she’d boarded that ship? And Steller’s actions caused her to become a slave for seven long years. He’d figured it up—it was two-thousand, five-hundred, and fifty-five days. Days of her life taken from her forever.

The misery Steller inflicted on Artis and many others was beyond imagining.

He’d been able to repress his anger when she first told him about Steller—choosing instead to focus on the future and encouraging Artis to do the same.

But now that Steller had invaded their world, hurt Kelly and her father, threatened Artis, and even claimed that he was married to her, he allowed his rage to flare within him. How dare the man lie about Artis? The devil would live to regret his lies.

But not for much longer.

His eyes burned and his body tensed as he studied the exact location of the smoke, wanting to pinpoint the spot in his mind in case Steller put the fire out.

Pinpoint where Steller would die.

He checked the powder in his rifle. He could aim the weapon extremely accurately, making the lead’s flight deadly at over two-hundred yards. But he did not like the idea of just shooting a man. He preferred to fight him face to face.

He’d lost one of his pistols during the storm. Steller had stolen his
second pistol as well as Kelly’s, and probably also had at least one he owned himself. He would have to engage the killer in close combat. He’d sharpened his long knife the night before to an edge that could peel a grape. He’d also honed the blade that hung from a pouch on his neck. His smaller bladed
sgian dubh
remained tucked into the top of his tall moccasins. And he had his hatchet—his weapon of choice.

When he’d ridden closer, he stopped a safe distance away and tied Camel. He didn’t want Camel to alert the man to his presence. He used the cover of trees and brush to make his way forward, step by step.

He could smell smoke now. The normally welcome fragrance of a cook fire put his senses on high alert.

His enemy was near.

Chapter 27

I
s he back?” Artis asked. Her voice was still weak.

“No, not yet,” Kelly answered once again. “He’ll be here soon.”

Kelly hoped Bear would return soon. Artis’ fever was rising and she hadn’t been able to even sit up in bed for three days. Yesterday, she’d eaten for the first time, taking a few bites of bread soaked in sweetened milk. That was the only sign of improvement though. Artis had lost so much blood, it would take quite a while to regain her strength.

“Here you must drink more of this.” She lifted Artis’ head and held the pewter cup to her lips. “Willow bark broth will relieve your pain.”

William had stayed with them while her father went to town for laudanum—a mixture of opium and brandy. But the doctor only had enough opium to make enough for the first day. He told McGuffin that after the laudanum was gone, Kelly should brew a tea made from the bark of a willow tree to ease the pain and that it was also beneficial for reducing fever.

Her father had spent a good part of that day searching for a willow tree and finally found one. When he brought a plentiful supply of the bark back, he told both her and William where it was located in case they ever needed it again. Lord forbid.

“My pain has lessened,” Artis whispered. “But I’m so hot.”

Kelly touched Artis’ cheek. The skin was warm beneath her fingertips. She lowered the cover down to Artis’ waist and put a cool cloth to her forehead. Then using her fingers she brushed the damp hair away from Artis’ clammy neck.

“Better?”

“Aye.”

“Do you think you could eat a little something?” Kelly asked.

“Nay,” she said, closing her eyes again.

“How is she?” William asked as he strode in.

Kelly stood and went to speak with William who was hanging his lead pouch and powder horn by the door.

“Her discomfort has eased, and she’s talking more, but her fever is rising. Oh William, I’m afraid her wound is festering. You or Papa must go to town and get the doctor,” she said softly.

“I’ll send your father. I’m not leaving here until we know Steller is either dead or in my jail.” He walked over to Nicole and gazed down at his sleeping daughter.

As soon as he’d came back from town, she had told William everything Steller had done, including threatening to kill Nicole. William had gotten so mad he wanted to go after the man himself. He’d agreed with Kelly that Steller was lying about being married to Artis. He had questioned Kelly and her father thoroughly and in the end, much to Kelly’s relief, decided to stay there to guard all of them in case Steller came back.

“I doubt Bear will allow Steller to live long enough to reach your jail,” Kelly declared.

“If I knew where Bear was, I’d go after him,” William said. “I hope I made the right decision staying here with you. If something happens to Bear, I’d never forgive myself for not going to help him.” He raked a hand through his blonde hair.

Kelly could tell William was extremely worried this morning. The last couple of days, he’d managed to stay busy around the cabin with chores, trying to keep his mind off Bear and Steller. But it had now been three days and they were all growing more concerned and ill at ease.

Kelly knew William would need to get back to his duties soon. The doctor had removed the bullet from the prisoner’s shoulder before William left for home. Aside from his constant complaining, William said the robber was all right and could just sit in his jail until William was ready to deal with him. William had asked her father to let the deputy know that he would have to remain at Whispering Hills until Steller was captured.

“I need your father to check on my prisoner too. Even though he told me where the gold was—largely because I would have found it there anyway—I’m going to suggest that Judge Webb punish him to the fullest extent possible. I still can’t believe the bastard shot Artis and none of us realized it. Bear must have been devastated.”

“Is he back?” Artis asked, turning her head their way.

“She keeps asking the same question,” Kelly whispered.