Rebel Heart (28 page)

He held her through her nightmares, giving of himself to ease her fears and he'd asked nothing from her.

Perhaps Savage was paying him very well. What of the computer pins she'd hidden? Had he already retrieved them, selling them to the highest bidder? Was he handing them over to Savage too?

Maybe she had an inflated opinion of him despite his risking life and limb for her twice. None of it made a bit of difference, not when he was offering a cool refreshing swim.

"Your smile is beautiful. Am I to believe the thought of a little water has rendered you so biddable all of a sudden?"

"Enjoy it while you can," she grinned back at him.

"Maybe we could swim together."

"Now you are the ones with dreams."

"Perhaps you forget how terrible nightmares can be."

"If you are going to badger me constantly and keep me from..." she broke off suddenly then stepped forward. "You left me," she accused him. She didn't know why she was angry with him. Except that close up he looked so clean and fresh and.... She realized he had already bathed....

He shrugged. "You were safe enough. The patrols have long since been gone from this area," he told her.

"Then lead the way unless you've decided you'd rather keep me here tormenting me with your words and twisting my own so I'm never sure just what I've said," she informed him regally.

"Aren't you afraid I'll sneak a peek? Or perhaps join you in the buff?"

She paused for a moment, cocking her head to study him more thoroughly. Then she grinned, recognizing the laughter in his eyes was not at her own expense.

"No."

"No? No, you wound me. What about my reputation?" His soft chuckle was contagious.

"Reputation, hah! You're a ladies man then but not a seducer of innocents or of engaged women. I have nothing to fear from you except your teasing. So lead on, Sir Lancelot."

"Then you intend to accept Savage's proposal."

She shrugged uneasily. "Perhaps. But I will continue to look for a way to get out of it. If there is a way, I will find it."

His grin swiftly faded, changing instantly to a frown. "But I've risked so much to bring you to him. I might decide I need more than a monetary reward. Why should I not sample the treasured DeMontville heiress?"

"Because you are a man of your word," she pointed out.

"And you know that for sure."

She inhaled sharply, his words leaving a trace of apprehension in her mind.

"I don't," she told him meekly.

His reply was long in coming, and when it did, it was resolute. "You are right. My honor is my word."

He turned from her. "Come along."

"You will stay close?" she suggested softly.

"To insure your safety, yes." He turned quickly, offering her a deep and troubled smile.

"Unless Savage arrives."

"Here?"

His husky laughter sent chills down her spine. "After all, Victoria, I did radio him when we landed. So I will take every possible care with you. That is, until Cameron arrives."

Again, he turned abruptly to go. With her breath coming in little gulps, Tori trailed behind.

They had planned this. It all fit now, the shelter, the food, everything in readiness for his arrival. She stepped forward, trying to match his strides and catch up to him. "Wait."

He stopped, but this time he didn't turn. His back was rigid, and his fists were stuffed into his pockets.

"What now?"

"When will he be here?"

The silence was almost her undoing, yet she held her breath waiting for an answer. It didn't come. Suddenly he was walking onward.

Sickness washed through her. Her legs trembled and she wasn't so sure she could walk. She wasn't ready to see Savage. Her heart leapt to her throat and she moaned softly, remembering their last confrontation in a forest

The pool was as clear and as still as glass. The banks were dotted with tall grasses, and the sweet perfume of wildflowers filled the air. A beaver dam at the head of the stream had created this beautiful water world.

Victoria held a smooth white pebble in one hand, caressed it with her thumb. After a moment of thought, she tossed it into the water, shattering its smooth glass-like appearance. Rings grew from the center of the stone's contact, rippling gently across the surface.

She grinned delightedly then looked around the clearing. True to his word, he had disappeared. He did indeed plan to leave her to her privacy.

She stared down the trail for long seconds, contemplating. He was a hero of sorts. His glib tongue left her eternally on edge and off balance, but despite his cavalier facade, his conduct was gallant. He had protected her, guarded her life, keeping her from Morray, or anyone else Sheridan might plot against her with.

A titmouse chattered airily in its high perch and dragonflies winged their way across the still surface of the pond. Sunlight filled the space.

Still, he had come to her rescue in the breath of time. A moment later, oh, a moment later and it would have been too late and he'd known that, had reminded her of it several times. He was right about Morray. Nothing would make her marry the man, nothing, not even the same threat Cameron Savage held over her. Her father must have had a reason for the codicil, although it eluded her. Now she had to deal with the marriage, with Savage. Even though she hated the idea, in order to escape Savage, she would have to escape The Phantom.

As far as she could tell, only one path led to and from the pond. Shielding her eyes with her hand, she searched for another trail, perhaps an animal trail, something so small that even The Phantom could not find it. She paused a moment then moved along the bank of the pool, letting the water cover her footprints. If she walked steadily down the mountain, keeping to the animal trails, she could come to a village. An outsider's village, she thought with a shiver. Surely, they wouldn't turn her over to anyone, even this hero of the times, if she told them the truth.

She found a path, overgrown with vines and bushes, but that would only suit her purpose. She looked at the pool one more time, then brushing over any trace of her passage, she slipped silently into the forest. Within minutes, it seemed that her plan had succeeded.

Far above the green canopy, the hum of a glider caught her attention. Laser beams hit the grass, starting tiny fires. She stared at the sky for a moment then dashed madly through the forest, seeking shelter, searching for a safe haven. Dirt and pine needles exploded around her. Finding a dense overgrowth, she dived into it, huddling against a tree until the sounds of the barrage finally disappeared.

Now she panicked. In her mad-dash though the woods she had lost track of the path. Everything--every tree, every rock, every blade of grass--looked the same.

She started again, searching for a trail, committed once again to finding a way down the mountain. She discovered a small stream rushing helter-skelter through the forest.

He would miss her by now and he would follow.

Aware of the sharp snap of a branch, she turned mid-stride, frozen. She held her breath. A doe and her two fawns stepped from behind a berry bush, eyeing her apprehensively. When she didn't move, they lost interest and disappeared into the shadows and the foliage. Even as she began walking again, her heart felt as if it would explode within her chest.

She couldn't go on this way, jumping at every little sound, frightened by the shadows that changed with the passing breeze. Another glider soared overhead and she knew they still searched for her. Foolishly, she'd left the shelter of camp and the protection of the cave.

Heat sensors bombarded the earth now, sensors set to stun, she thought. A bush burst into flames a few yards away. She whirled to run. Then before she could get her bearings, she slammed into him and let out a startled scream.

"Little fool," he said but the words sounded strangely tender even when he uttered them so fiercely. He grabbed her arm, pulling her swiftly through the brambles. And even then, his own pace was slow enough to accommodate her smaller strides. "This way, hurry," his voice urgent with warning and impatience, commanded her. He pulled her low, frantically pushing her beneath a large overhanging rock as a laser hit, exploding rocks and water around them. He covered her with his large body, protecting her from the fragments flying through the air.

Then...silence. "What?" she said.

"Hush."

Tramping boots and harsh curses floated their way. The search parties were on the ground now. Tori peeked through a slight opening between his arm and chest. She could see only their legs running by, searching.

Breathe soft, breathe easy, she told herself. She forced herself to calm, hanging on to his warmth and the sweet security his presence gave her.

This couldn't last forever. They had to leave. But even now, what seemed like hours since he had first placed her unceremoniously into this hollow pit, men were still out there, her enemies. Although the sound of their voices gradually faded and she thought she'd heard several gliders lift off, she still trembled.

Another hour--perhaps only ten minutes.

"I've never seen anyone go to so much trouble to put themselves in a more vulnerable position," he told her.

She pushed away from him, from the security and the heat of his body. "You followed me." Furious, she pummeled his chest. He grabbed her hands and held them away. "You let me think I would get away. You don't care that Savage scorns me and that he will simply put me away somewhere and throw away the key."

"Stop this!" But she didn't listen. She continued to fight. But he would have none of it.

Then suddenly he was tugging her from the little alcove where they'd been hiding. He pulled her along with him, one of his huge arms wrapped around her waist for support. For a brief moment, she was frightened, wondering what awaited her. Before she knew it they were in front of the glider, and she was in the passenger seat.

"Not this again."

The glider lifted from the ground and within minutes, it was above the treetops. Tori pulled against the seat belt harness then gasped when the glider took a sharp dive. It was difficult to breathe. She felt herself pushed back against the seat by a force so great that it rendered her immobile. It felt as if an iron block pressed against her chest.

"You're doing this on purpose," she accused. He ignored her. "You don't have to--" Her breath rushed from her lungs as a rocket exploded to the right. The glider shuddered. "I thought they were gone."

"Only hiding," he said calmly then banked and turned sharply to avoid the explosions.

"Hiding--you should have known." She pressed her nose to the window, trying to see.

"We'll be alright now. They can't go this fast."

Even as she struggled for a view, she gasped suddenly. She could see nothing except miles of blue sky, the clearest blue she'd ever seen with only a few wispy clouds high above. They were moving upward now, always higher. Majestic mountains rose all around them as they climbed ever higher. They flew over a ragged peak then dipped into a valley. He was following a river, winding ever northward.

"I am disappointed in you," he told her. "Simply disillusioned at your lack of courage. You are so afraid to meet the man, to meet Cameron Savage that you run right into the arms of your enemies."

"I'm not afraid. I was just asserting my rights."

"Your rights as well as Cameron's were taken away from you by your father. Cameron Savage is willing to respect your father's request, yet you are not. Where is your honor?"

"I have honor. A great deal of honor."

"You're sorry you've been caught, Victoria, and nothing more." "Of course you're right." She turned her back to him then.

He left the river, following a dirt road deeper into the forests. She saw no one, no sign of habitation. Eventually she recognized a crude landing strip. She held her breath as the glider's wheels kissed the dirt then rumbled through the airframe as Cameron brought the glider to a smooth landing.

Before her was a mountain lake and surrounding the lake were towering jagged mountains, the very tops dusted with snow.

"Where are we?"

He looked at her, continuing to ignore her question. The grimness she saw in his eyes surprised her.

"Your swim--your bath--or whatever you wanted--awaits."

She gasped sharply as he unlatched the door. "Be careful. It's steep here."

She wasn't looking, and she wasn't prepared for the ground to give way beneath her feet. To her astonishment, she tumbled from the top of a low cliff, plunging down a sheer drop to the lake. Unable to stop herself, she landed in four feet of water, flailing wildly as the lake closed over her head.