Rapture's Tempest (37 page)

With her boilers useless, the
Enterprise
drifted back toward shore. The men who minutes before had been loading wood on her eagerly awaited the chance to climb back on board and get the gold off before she turned into an inferno. As she came to rest against the bank, the Rebs hauled themselves up
on her deck and made for the treasure they were after. The shooting from the hillside paused as the guerrillas worked their way through the fiery rubble to the gold. It took them only minutes to fight off the last surviving guard before they were running from the steamer with the strongbox. Jed and his men mounted quickly, and, leading the others’ horses, raced down the hill to meet them. As soon as the men had divided the gold, they were off on their desperate flight south.

Delight was thrown to the floor by the explosion and she lay huddled there, breathless and horrified, as the bullets crashed through the window and splintered the walls. Jim! She had to get to him…Scurrying across the floor, Delight stayed low as she pulled on the only clothes she could find—her trousers and flannel shirt. Slipping on her boots, she moved cautiously to the door and opened it slowly.

Smoke and heat were billowing up from the lower decks, and she knew she had to get off fast. The gunfire had ceased and the night was silent, except for the roar of the ever-growing blaze. Racing down the texas deck, she started around the corner only to spot the Rebels leaving the ship with the strongbox of gold. Stepping back into the shadows, Delight looked around helplessly for a weapon, but knew it was useless. Tears spilled forth as she watched them ride away. When she was sure they were gone she tried to get to the companionway, but the lower deck had collapsed on that side, leaving her no alternative but to turn back and work her way down on the opposite side of the steamer.

The bank was slippery as Jim staggered ashore, and he fell heavily to his knees, gasping and choking. The force of the blast had blown him overboard and had evidently saved his life. As awareness returned, he almost panicked—Delight! Turning to his boat, he scanned the decks trying to see if there was anyone moving. Hauling himself to his feet, he
knew he had to go back…he had to save her or die trying. Wading out to the hull, he managed to pull himself aboard. His shoulder was aching, but he had no time even to think about it. Moving steadily and cautiously, he sifted his way amidships, searching for a way up.

The heat of the fire drove him back twice before he finally climbed on top of some of his freight and pulled himself up to the promenade deck. Two barrels of water still stood at the far end, and, with all the strength he could muster, he dumped them over, hoping that it would contain the inferno just a little longer.

“Captain!” The shout drew his attention to the pilot house, and Jim looked up to see his pilot, injured but moving.

“Walter! Check on my wife and then get off! There’s no saving the boat!”

“Right!” With no ceremony, the pilot raced to Jim’s cabin, only to find it deserted.

Jim, meanwhile, made his way to the stateroom where the gold had been. There were six soldiers lying on the deck near the door. All had been shot and killed as they had raced from the room with their guns ready. Gathering up their weapons, Jim checked the cabin and then hurried to the other side of the ship.

“Where’s Delight?” he asked as he came face-to-face with Walter.

“She wasn’t there, Jim. I checked the cabin. The door was open but there was no sign of her.”

“All right. Get off as fast as you can, but check each deck as you go for survivors,” Jim directed, handing him the guns and casting a nervous look up toward his cabin. When Walter had disappeared below, he hurried to check on Delight himself, but, as Walter had said, there was no sign of her. Cursing and fearing for her safety, he raced down the companionway and then lowered himself to the main deck.

“Jim! I’ve found Captain Clayton!”

Jim raced to help Walter free Mark from the wreckage. “How bad is he?”

“I don’t know, but he’s still alive.”

Jim lifted the timber that had pinned Mark to the deck, and Walter pulled him free. After making sure that Mark was breathing, they carried him closer to the side and laid him down.

“He should be safe here for a few minutes while we check to see if there’s anybody else…”

“Jim!”

The sound of Delight’s voice thrilled him, and he turned to see her at the opposite end of the steamer.

“Stay there!” he shouted. “I’ll come to you!”

“Ollie’s here and he’s hurt!”

Jim climbed off the boat and helped Walter lower Mark over the side before rushing to Delight’s aid. Skirting the heat and flames, he pulled himself once more on board and took her in his arms.

“Thank God,” he groaned, embracing her quickly. He took only enough time to make sure she was really there and well before he went to Ollie.

“He’s got a terrible cut on his head…”

Jim knelt by his friend and then glanced back over his shoulder at the fire that was threatening. “We have to get him off.” He hoisted Ollie over his shoulder.

“What about Rose?”

“You haven’t seen her?”

Delight’s eyes were wide with terror. “No. I thought she was with Ollie.”

“Let’s get him ashore, and I’ll come back to check.”

With no further delays, they climbed off the boat and climbed up the bank to where Walter had taken Mark. As carefully as he could, Jim put Ollie down on the ground.

“Delight, you stay here with Ollie.” Jim’s tone brooked no argument. “Walter, I need your help. There’s a woman still
trapped somewhere on board.” His eyes ran the length of the burning steamer.

“Let’s go.”

If they felt fear, they did not show it as they made their way back on board the
Enterprise
and began to look for Rose. When their search of the lower deck turned up nothing, they headed up to the promenade deck. They were just about to give up when they heard a plaintive call. Following the sound, Jim and Walter dug desperately at a huge pile of timbers.

“Rose! If you can hear me, keep yelling!”

“Jim!” Her cry was growing louder as they threw aside the wood and finally found her. “Oh, thank God…” She was bruised and shaking when they helped her from beneath the rubble, and Jim carried her down to the main deck.

“Delight? Is she all right?”

“She’s fine.” He reassured her as he handed her over the side to Walter.

Jim jumped down from the boat and trudged up the muddy bank to where the survivors had gathered. Four of the roustabouts who’d been working on the main deck had found their way to safety and were huddled, wet and miserable, with the others.

“Was there anyone else, Jim?” Walter turned to look back at the ruined steamer after he’d set Rose down by Delight.

“No one I could find.” Jim stared at the flames blindly, thankful that they decided not to carry any passengers on this run. “The guards…”

“I know,” Walter told him. “Whoever did this knew exactly what to expect.”

“I intend to find them, Walter, and when I do…” Jim let his words die in the roar of the pilot house crashing through the burned-out deck.

Delight, who’d been intent on her care of Ollie and Mark, looked up at the sound, and she watched in horror
as the
Enterprise
self-destructed. When she caught sight of her friend, she ran to her. “Oh, Rose. I’m so glad they found you…” The women embraced, needing the comfort of one another’s touch to ease the trauma they’d just lived through.

“I was trapped…I couldn’t get out. If it hadn’t been for Jim and the pilot…” Rose started to shake again as she remembered the complete helplessness of her situation.

“You’re safe now.” Delight held her tightly. “We’re alive…”

Suddenly Rose drew back, “Ollie? How’s Ollie?”

“He was injured and he hasn’t come around yet.” Delight led Rose to him.

Kneeling next to him, Rose examined his wound carefully. “I’ll need some fresh water and bandages, if you can find some.”

“I know. I’ll go look in that cabin, maybe there’s something in there we can use.” Delight hurried off in the direction of the wooders’ small house in hopes of finding the supplies they needed.

The light from the fire was blinding as Mark slowly opened his eyes and stared around him. He groaned as his full consciousness returned and he struggled to sit upright. Rose went to his side to help steady him.

“Rose, where’s Jim?” he asked weakly. “Is he all right?”

“He’s just fine. Don’t move. I’ll go get him for you.” Rose rushed to get Jim.

“Captain Clayton’s awake, Jim,” she told him, drawing him from the morbid spectacle of his dying steamer.

At her urging, he turned away from his own angry thoughts and went to check on Mark. “How are you?”

“I don’t know yet. What the hell happened? The last thing I remember is standing with you on the main deck as the boat started to back out. Did the boilers blow?”

“No.” Jim’s tone was flat. “It wasn’t the boilers. As near as I can figure, we were blown out of the water.”

“How?”

“The wooders. Evidently, they were Rebs.”

“But what about my men?” Mark struggled to get to his feet, his gaze never leaving the hideously fascinating scene before him.

“They’re dead. All of them.”

“How?” Mark was horrified.

“There must have been sharpshooters. They were picked off as they ran out of the cabin.”

“Damn them!!” Mark sobbed as he thought of their useless deaths, and he stumbled away from Jim needing time to pull himself together.

Jim let him go, knowing that this was something he had to deal with by himself.

“Jim?” Delight, having witnessed Mark’s agony, spoke softly.

“What?” He looked up, his emotions raw as he, too, dealt with all that had happened.

“There are beds in the cabin.” She indicated the small house. “I think we should take Ollie up there.”

“He’s no better?”

“Not yet…Rose is doing her best, but he needs a doctor.”

“Help will be here soon,” he told her with more confidence than he was feeling. “But I’ll get Walter and we’ll move him for you.” Jim went to find the pilot and a few minutes later they carried Ollie to the shelter.

When they had settled the women in the cabin, Walter went to fetch water for them, and Jim went in search of Mark. To his surprise Mark had found two of the horses and had tied them near the landing.

“Where are the guns, Jim?” Mark asked, his voice cold and deadly.

“Down on the bank. Why?”

“Get them,” Mark ordered as he headed toward the small barn near the house.

Jim hesitated but finally went to retrieve the weapons.

When he returned, Mark was saddling up the horses with the tack he’d found in the barn. “I’ll take those guns.”

“Why? What are you planning to do?”

“I’m going after them,” Mark stated matter-of-factly.

“You can’t. You’re in no condition…”

“I said I’m going, Jim. Either you can come with me or I’ll go alone.” He didn’t look up as he continued to tighten the cinch. “Well?”

“Mark, you just can’t…”

“I can’t stay here, Jim. Not after my men have been shot down like dogs. I’m the only one left! I have to do something!” The desperation in his voice was real, and Jim knew Mark had no choice.

“All right. I’ll go with you. Give me a minute to straighten things out here.”

Jim strode away from Mark in the direction of the cabin. Delight saw him approaching and went to him, thinking that the worst was over.

“Darling. I’m so glad you’re alive,” Delight sighed, slipping her arms around his waist. But as she leaned against his chest she felt the tenseness in him. “What is it?”

Jim smiled gently at her perception and, with a tender caress, smoothed her hair back from her face. “I’m going with Mark.”

“Going? Going where?”

“We have to go after the Rebs. They took the gold.”

“But it’s suicide!” she cried. “Can’t you wait for help?”

“There’s no time to waste. By the time help gets here, they could already be behind the Southern lines. Our only hope is to catch them unawares. They probably think we’re all dead, so they won’t be expecting us.”

“Jim, don’t do this. It’s crazy…” she protested, but he stopped her angry words with a kiss.

“Delight. It’s something I have to do,” he told her firmly, easing himself from her arms. “Mark needs me.”

“But I need you, too!”

“I know.” He was solemn as he gazed down at her.

“Then take me with you,” she began quickly, as she sensed him withdrawing from her.

“No. I can’t.” He glanced at Mark, who was already mounted and waiting for him. “And I don’t have the time to argue with you. Kiss me, love. I’ll be back. Wait for me in town, at Re-nee’s.”

With a small cry, she embraced him, pulling his head down for one last tormented kiss. “Be careful,” she breathed as he moved away. “Please, be careful.”

“I will,” he said firmly and then, after leaving instructions with Walter, he joined Mark. “Let’s ride.”

Delight’s heart was breaking as she stood near the cabin and watched them ride off. She knew the danger he was about to face, and she longed to go with him…to be at his side in case he needed her, but it was not to be. As Jim and Mark disappeared into the woods in pursuit of the guerrillas, Delight said a silent prayer for their safety and then went back inside to help Rose.

The storm developed quickly as the warm, humid winds from the southwest met and clashed with the cold northern breezes. Lightning erupted across the nighttime sky, streaking the darkness with flashes of brilliance before playing itself out in a thunderous roar of unleashed power. The rains came then, all along the Mississippi from Ste. Gen south to Memphis, drenching the countryside in a torrential downpour.

Huddling together in the protection of the cabin, the survivors stared at the smoldering remains of the
Enterprise
.
The steady, driving cadence of the tempest had smothered the last of the fire on board, and she rested on the shallow bottom now, wedged in at the landing, a blackened, smoking hulk. There was no vestige of her previous beauty left…no telltale sign by which she could be identified. The
Enterprise
had died in a blaze of vicious Confederate glory, and few were left to mourn her passing.