Quicksilver Passion (69 page)

He had a heart after all. She softened a little toward him.
I like the pair, too. I’m really sorry. If anyone had asked me, I’d have told them not to go; I’m not worth the risk of two lives.”

He looked at her a long moment.
We all thought you were.” He went to the window again.
I’ve half a mind to go looking for them, but then I’d have to leave you alone and you’re in no shape to take care of yourself or drag wood in for the fire.”

Her cheeks burned at the knowledge that he had been doing the most intimate things for her. She felt helpless and vulnerable. It was not a good feeling—to depend on a man when she didn’t trust any of them but Al.

As she watched, Cherokee gathered up a rifle, Al’s old shotgun, a couple of knives, and an axe, and laid them next to his bed.

She raised up on one elbow.
What are you doing?”

He grinned at her, sat down on his bunk, and pulled off his boots.
Just in case you get any ideas, I wanted all the weapons over here by me.”

Drat it all! She counted on taking some of those weapons with her when she slipped out of here after he dozed off. There wasn’t anything she could do but lie back and pretend to sleep while he blew out the lamp and crawled into his own bed.

For a moment, Silver almost panicked. In all these years, she had always had a lamp by her bed because she was so afraid of the dark. But the fireplace gave out a little light and the lamp might make it to easy for him to see her when she got up and sneaked out. She lay there in the darkness, fighting fear. Would he come crawling into her bunk when he thought she was asleep?

She turned her head and looked at him across the cabin, curled up in his bunk. He was a mountain of a man and she would be warm and protected in his arms, her face against that big chest. But then he would want to do something to her besides hold her. The thought made her shudder all over. Finally she heard his gentle even breathing that told her he slept.

Silver waited awhile longer to be sure, then sat up and swung her legs off the side of the bed. She was still a little weak but feeling much better, so she didn’t think she would have any trouble walking back to town. It couldn’t be as bad outside as Cherokee said it was. He was simply trying to discourage her from running away. She stood up slowly and tiptoed around, getting the jacket, her boots, and a little bread. How she’d like to have a weapon, but she didn’t dare risk taking one out from under his bed.

Cherokee never moved and she realized he must be exhausted from having been up all night looking after her. Well, who asked him to? He had ulterior motives, he’d admitted it himself. Probably tomorrow at the latest, he’d be forcing himself on her, making her feel obligated for what he’d done for her. Silver didn’t want to feel obligated to the ’breed. Except for Al, men always wanted her to repay them with her body.

As she opened the door, Cherokee sighed and turned over. Silver paused in the doorway, scarcely daring to breath, thinking that at any moment, he’d sit up and realize what she was up to. She stood there waiting. After a moment, his steady breathing continued and she cast one last, longing look at the weapons beside him and slipped out the door, closing it behind her.

Not that she was much good with a gun, but it would be reassuring to have one with her. She took a deep breath of the cold air and started down the trail.

The moon came out from behind the clouds, all big and golden, throwing shadows on the dazzling snow as she crunched along the frozen surface. Any other time, Silver would have been struck by the breathtaking beauty of the scene around her, the light catching the glitter of the drifts, the blue spruce trees with their frosting of snow. Now she was too busy concentrating on putting as much distance between her and that big brute asleep back at the cabin.

Her breath hung like smoke on the chill air when she breathed and her face was already cold. She couldn’t remember how far it was in to town, but if she set a steady pace and didn’t overexert herself, surely she would make it by morning. Better yet, when she got closer to Buckskin Joe, some passerby or some rancher might spot her and offer a horse or even a sleigh.

Somewhere she heard the lonely howl of a wolf echo and reecho through the hills. Silver looked up, saw it silhouetted against the moon, and hesitated. Wolves would be hungry and bold at this time of the year.
Suppose the pack scented her?

She half turned and looked back toward the cabin. In the moonlight with the smoke curling lazily from the chimney, it looked so snug and warm and safe. Maybe she should go back and wait for Willie and Bill to bring help. Then she chided herself and kept trudging forward. Probably that wolf would never smell her. Anyway, she was in more danger from that animal back at the cabin who made no bones about what he’d like to do to her.

Somewhere, the pack answered its leader’s howl and then she saw the black outline of the animals running along a distant ridge in the moonlight.

She wouldn’t even think about the wolves. The possibilities were too scary. Silver kept walking. While the snow behind her had a crust to it, now she had come to an area that had no frozen surface. She took a step and sank in the white, soft powder almost to her knees. It was slower going now and she found herself breathing hard. She hadn’t realized she was so weak. Her hands and feet were beginning to feel the cold.

She paused, panting, wondering how far she had come. The wolves howled again and the sound echoed through the hills and bounced back at her. The sound seemed much closer now.
Would they smell the scent of the dried blood on her bandage?

The snowy scene around her no longer seemed beautiful, it seemed full of terrifying things. The shadows from the blue spruce seemed like fingers reaching out for her, black against the white, white snow.

The drifts were deeper here. Once she floundered into a soft spot and sank almost up to her waist. If her clothes got damp, it would be easy to freeze to death. Already her feet were losing their feeling. Her fingers seemed to be numb.

Whatever had made her think she could walk all the way back to town? She was going to freeze to death out here on the trail. At least people said it was an easy way to die. She’d heard that you just grew numb, closed your eyes, drifted off to sleep, and never woke up.

It would be so easy to do that, she thought, gasping for breath in the chill air. Maybe she would just sit down in the snow and rest a long moment, then she would get up and start walking again. Silver slumped down in the snow and put her face on her knees. She couldn’t remember ever being so tired or so cold.

Maybe she ought to go back to the cabin. Maybe she had a better chance against Cherokee than she did the cold. But even as she thought that, she heard the wolf pack howl again and realized with a start that they were on a scent, running along between her and the cabin. In that case, she didn’t dare think about going back. Nor could she just sit here. If she did, the wolves might pick up her trail and follow her to this spot. Freezing to death quietly was one thing; being torn to pieces and devoured alive by a pack of wolves was something else again.

She didn’t intend to do either. Drat it all, she intended to live! The thought galvanized her to action and she stood up, brushed the snow off her clothes, and searched around in the drift until she found a sturdy tree limb. This would work as a crutch and maybe as a weapon if she had to fight the wolves off. Silver began to walk again, but she tasted fear like a copper penny in her mouth.

There was no point in thinking about anything but getting to town . . . or dying in the attempt. She put one foot in front of the other and walked, even though she was having a hard time feeling her toes move in her boots.

The wind picked up, blowing past her toward the wolves. Would it carry her scent to the hungry predators ? The thought made her walk faster, leaning on the club she found. The animals might be more afraid of her than she was of them. If they should get her scent and trail her, maybe shouting at them and a few good blows with her club would scare them off.

For a moment as she struggled through the snow, she almost wished she were back at the cabin. Cherokee wouldn’t let a wolf get her. She’d be safe and warm curled up against his big chest.

Like hell she would! He’d have her on that fur rug in front of the fire, naked and defenseless while he rode her small body and put his hands and mouth all over her bare skin. Better to take her chances against the wolves!

Did she hear someone call her name? Silver stopped and listened intently. Maybe Al and a rescue party were just over the next ridge.

Here I am!” she shouted.
Here I am!”