The Forest Ranger's Child (20 page)

She led the animals east, toward their pasture near Watt’s Mountain three miles away. Beans trotted beside her, giving her some small comfort. She couldn’t help wishing Nate were here with her now. She’d come to depend on him. To trust him.

To care for him deeply.

No, she couldn’t think about her feelings now. She had to concentrate. To focus on the dark road ahead.

Peering through the black shadows, she moved the horses at a slow walk. Pegasus stood in the corral closest to the barn, his beautifully shaped head up high, nostrils flared, ears pricked forward, his eyes glinting with intelligence as he watched them go. He pranced back and forth, snorting and pawing the dirt. He didn’t like being left behind.

Lily shook her head. “No, boy. You can’t come with us this trip. I’ll be back for you in a little while.”

She turned her attention back to the mares and colts. A quarter of a mile up the road, she finally turned on the headlights. It’d be catastrophic if one of the horses stepped in a hole and went down. Better to take this journey with deliberate and safe caution than to be sorry later on. She also didn’t want the lights to wake up Dad.

The four-wheeler’s motor made a low humming sound. Lily steered the quad with both hands, holding on tight as she tackled the bumpy dirt road. She glanced over her shoulder now and then, to ensure the horses were moving okay. When she saw their heads down as they plodded along, her chest swelled with relief.

Thank you, Lord. Thank You for being with me tonight.

She carried the prayer in her heart, thanking God for all her many blessings. And right there, in the middle of the night, with nothing but darkness and horses as her companions, she realized God had forgiven her. A calming peace enveloped her, like the warmth of a new summer day, except it filled her heart and mind. God had her life in His hands and He wouldn’t let anything bad happen to her as long as she had faith in Him. This was where she belonged. She could stop running now.

She was home. Really home.

She’d felt so alone for so long. But no more. She realized with brutal force that she’d been pushing away the very people who were trying to be there for her. Dad, Nate and even her unborn baby. She didn’t know what life would bring to her, but she knew she could face anything as long as she had God and her family beside her.

Her family.

With serene clarity, she realized that included Nate. She couldn’t imagine life without him. They belonged together and she could hardly wait to tell him so.

Minutes ticked by, her heart pounding. A misting rain started falling and Lily shivered. She stopped the quad long enough to thrust her arms through the sleeves of the jacket she’d brought along. The horses shifted nervously. Tendrils of damp hair fell into her eyes and she brushed them back impatiently. Why did it have to rain just now?

Back on her way, she blinked, her eyelashes spiked with rain. She grit her teeth hard to keep them from chattering. Her fingers felt like blocks of ice. Flexing them around the handgrips didn’t help much. She should have worn gloves.

Throughout this activity, she noticed the baby didn’t move much. Probably too cramped with Lily bent over to drive the four-wheeler.

And then she started having doubts.

What was she thinking? Out here in a rainstorm in the middle of the night at almost eight months pregnant. If there wasn’t so much at stake, she’d have stayed home in her warm bed. But as it stood, she wasn’t willing to take a chance with their livestock. She’d be home soon and then she could rest.

The baby would be okay. She’d be okay. The Lord would bless her. She must have faith.

The headlights reflected off the wide metal gate just ahead and she breathed a sigh of relief. She’d made it. Now she just needed to put the horses inside the paddock and go retrieve Peg.

She glanced at the sky, finding not a single star to light her way. She couldn’t read the time on her wrist watch, but figured she had just enough time to bring Peg here and get back home before sunrise.

And her inevitable confrontation with Dad.

They’d rarely used the east pasture because it had no water source. Nothing but scrubby grass and jackrabbits grew here. Dad had always talked about piping water in but had never gotten around to it. First thing in the morning, she’d fill a tank with water and use a tractor to drive it over for the horses to drink. She could bring in several bales of hay, too. It wouldn’t hurt to feed and house the animals in the pasture for a couple of weeks until Nate told them they were out of danger. Then they could move the horses back home. By the time Dad awakened in the morning, the deed would be done and he’d have to accept her decision.

Of course, Dad could always move the horses back to the ranch, but Lily figured he’d let it go at that point. This was important and Lily wouldn’t take chances with their livelihood. Then she’d work on getting Dad to move into town with her for a short time. She’d called Clara before going on her date with Nate. Clara had a spare bedroom for Dad and Lily didn’t mind sleeping on the couch as long as she had lots of pillows to support her back.

It was the right thing to do. Lily just hoped her stamina held out until she could go and retrieve Peg.

Chapter Nineteen

T
he wipers thwacked across the windshield, sluicing off great droplets of rain as Nate drove toward Emerald Ranch. Before he’d gone to bed, he’d studied the thick, gray clouds blanketing the sky and worried about the potential of more flooding.

Especially above Emerald Ranch. It wouldn’t take much to push the debris dam down on top of Lily and her father.

And so Nate hadn’t slept at all. He’d laid down several times and closed his eyes, but anxiousness kept him so agitated that he couldn’t rest. A persistent, inner voice kept warning him to get up and drive out to the ranch. To check on the Hansens and see that they were safe.

The headlights of Nate’s truck gleamed off the wet asphalt, which soon gave way to gravel and then muddy potholes. The tires bounced hard across the ruts, but Nate refused to slow his speed. Tall mercury lights glimmered from the yards of each ranch house as he passed through the valley. A faint spray of dawn sunlight gleamed just above the Ruby Mountains, dimmed by charcoal clouds hovering overhead. He couldn’t explain the urgency building within him. He only knew that he had to make certain Lily was okay. Had to see her right now!

When Emerald Ranch came into view, the clock on the dashboard showed 5:18 a.m. As if on cue, the rain abated to a gentle sprinkling. As he pulled into the front driveway, Nate stared toward the barn. Lily stood beside a four-wheeler, soaking wet in a pair of blue jeans and cowboy boots. Hank paced back and forth, gesturing wildly and shouting. They didn’t even look his way, seeming not to notice they had an early morning visitor.

What was going on?

Peg stood not far away from the barn, his glistening coat steaming in the warming sunlight. Only the horse seemed to notice Nate’s presence, turning his proud head and blowing from his nostrils as he stomped one hoof.

Nate killed the motor and stepped out of the truck. The tall mercury lights by the corrals and stable illuminated Hank’s angry face. His furious voice filled the crisp, morning air. From the pallid expression on Lily’s face, this couldn’t be good. She’d wrapped her arms around her baby stomach, her thick ponytail lying like a sodden dishcloth over her right shoulder. Tendrils of hair clung to her pale cheeks, her eyes red from crying.

As he walked over to them, Nate saw a shiver course over Lily’s body, like a giant wave across the ocean. Nate’s protective instincts kicked into overdrive. He didn’t know what was going on, but she was wet and cold and he wanted her warm and safe.

“Can’t believe you did this.” Hank paced back and forth in front of his daughter, his hands clenched, his back rigid. “You could have injured one of the horses or hurt yourself. You could have hurt my grandbaby. What possessed you, girl? What were you thinking?”

Lily looked past her father at Nate and in the depths of her brown eyes, he saw a desperation he hadn’t seen there before. Fear, disappointment and pain.

“Lil, are you okay?” Nate brushed past Hank, not even caring that he surprised the older man.

“Nate! You’re really here. I prayed that you’d come and here you are.” Her words sounded like a whispered plea. Tears of relief ran down her cheeks.

“What are you doing here, Nate?” Hank whirled about and stared, a moment of surprise breaking through the red haze of rage covering his face.

“I came to make sure Lil was okay. I kept worrying about her and couldn’t sleep.” Without asking permission, Nate whipped his jacket off and wrapped it around Lily’s shoulders. Then he rubbed her arms to get her warm. She didn’t fight him but leaned close, her breath rushing against the open collar of his shirt. She felt small and fragile and he wouldn’t let her go until he was certain she was all right.

“You’re freezing cold,” he murmured against her hair.

“I…I am cold.” Her teeth chattered and she hugged her round abdomen.

“What happened?” His question was for her alone, but Hank interrupted their private moment.

“Can you believe this?” Hank bellowed. “She’s been up all night in a rainstorm, moving our horses to the east pasture. I told her not to do it, but would she listen to me? No sirree. I’m just her father after all. I don’t know anything. When in all her life has she ever listened to me?”

“I did what I thought was right,” she spoke against Nate’s shirt, a wobbly murmur that sounded dangerously near to tears. “I…I wanted to protect us. I think the ranch is in danger. I trust you, Nate, so I moved the horses. I can’t believe I did it by myself, but I never felt alone. The Lord was with me. Every step of the way.”

She spoke so softly that he almost didn’t hear. Her confession tore at his heart. How he wished he’d been here for her. “I’m glad to hear that, sweetheart, but now I think you need to rest.”

She clung to him, her voice low and urgent. “But I have so much I want to tell you, Nate. I had a special experience out there alone in the dark. I feel so free. So forgiven.”

Was she hysterical and babbling? He wasn’t sure. Obviously she’d had a spiritual experience tonight. The fact that she wanted to share it with Nate touched his heart deeply.

“I’m glad, Lil. So glad. But I’m worried about you. Let me take you inside now.”

She pulled away, looking up at his face. “But I still need to get Peg out of here. The quad got stuck in the mud. I couldn’t get back in time before Dad caught me. Please help me get Peg out of here.”

Nate’s heart gave a powerful squeeze. He couldn’t ignore her plea. He looked down into her eyes and saw the supplication on her face. The helpless, wilted expression of a woman who’d fought hard, but needed him to fight for her now.

“All you’ve done is create more work for us.” Hank drew back his booted foot and kicked one of the muddy tires on the quad. “If you’d listened to me just once in your life, you wouldn’t be in this mess. But no! You had to run off and do what you wanted.”

The conversation had shifted. Somehow Nate didn’t believe this was about moving the horses anymore, but rather about Lily leaving home when she was young and ending up pregnant.

“Now isn’t the time to discuss this,” Nate spoke to Hank. “We need to get Lil inside where she can lie down.”

Lily glanced toward the corral where Peg pranced back and forth, neck arched, tail high in the air. No doubt the normally docile stallion sensed trouble and didn’t like it. With Hank’s raised voice, the horse had become agitated.

“You left Peg outside all night in the rain. What if he gets sick because of what you’ve done? We’ll lose everything,” Hank said.

Lily cringed, looking as though her father had just socked her in the nose. Tears slipped down her cheeks. Nate brushed them away.

“I’m sorry, Daddy.”

“Sorry won’t make this right,” Hank growled.

“Stop it, Hank. You’ve said enough,” Nate admonished. He knew he had no right to interfere, but he wasn’t about to stand by and let Hank verbally abuse Lily.

Hank didn’t say another word, but he blustered and fumed, his face red as a charging bull.

Feeling the trembling in Lily’s body ease to a slow ripple, Nate stepped back and took her arm, prepared to lead her to the house. She bent slightly at the waist. Her stomach tightened, her face contorted in pain.

“Are you okay, Lil?”

She shook her head.

“Is it the baby?”

He could see the answer in her eyes. She didn’t feel well. She tossed another fleeting look toward Peg, her gaze filled with apprehension. “We’ve got to get Peg out of here.”

“Are you in pain? Or just cold and worn out?” Nate held her arm.

“I…I think I’m having contractions.” She rested a thin hand against the side of her stomach and let out a low groan.

Oh, boy! Not what Nate wanted to hear right now.

“You’re having the baby now?” Hank’s angry voice changed to stunned amazement.

“I think I’m in labor,” Lily said.

“But it’s too early.” Hank’s eyes creased with concern. For all his bad temper, he still cared about his daughter. Very much.

“Okay, we can handle this. Let’s get you into my truck and we’ll drive you into town and…” Nate didn’t get the chance to finish his spoken thoughts. A low rumbling filled the air, like thunder on the mountain.

They all turned toward the west, but the looming barn and stable stood in the way and they couldn’t see anything unusual. The sound escalated until it filled their ears. Like the rushing of a massive freight train. A deep, frenzied giant with the strength to crush them all.

Headed straight toward them.

Prickles of alarm dotted Nate’s flesh. He’d never witnessed this before, but people had described it to him.

The stable groaned and swayed, as though it were a living being. The splintering of lumber filled the air.

No, not now. It couldn’t be.

“Hank, get her in my truck and get out of here.” Nate tossed his keys to Hank before thrusting Lily into her father’s arms.

“What is it? What’s wrong?” Hank asked, looking confused.

“No time to explain. Just go!” Nate ordered as he turned toward the corral.

Lily gasped. “Peg!”

Hank just stood there. “Nate, what are you—”

“Go!” he roared.

Finally Hank moved into action, clasping Lily’s arm. Tugging her toward Nate’s truck.

“Nate! Come with us. Please,” Lily called over her shoulder.

Nate didn’t respond. He had only moments to act or it’d be too late.

Thank heaven Hank didn’t argue any further. He wrapped an arm around Lily’s shoulders and ran with her to Nate’s truck. Beans barked and followed them at a sprint, jumping inside the truck with Lily just before Hank slammed the door.

Nate sprinted toward the corral. He couldn’t let Lily down. She was depending on him. So was Hank. If Nate hurried, he might just make it. Before they lost the stallion. Before they lost everything.

Including his own life.

* * *

Lily gripped the arm rest on the truck door as Dad hopped into the driver’s seat, turned the key and put the vehicle in gear. The tires spun gravel as the truck zoomed forward, racing toward the main road.

Swiveling in her seat, Lily stared out the back window. Even from this distance, she could hear the horrible crash as the roof of the stable fell in on itself. A mountain of tree trunks, boulders the size of compact cars and sludge rolled over the top of it, a wall of debris over twenty-feet high. The torrent flattened the stable within seconds, the mound of mud gaining momentum as it picked up more debris and undulated across the yard. The mess surrounded the barn like a giant mote of mud.

Nate had been right. The dam had finally broken loose with a vengeance. The debris torrent consumed everything in its path.

Nate! He’d die if he stayed there.

Her gaze scanned the corrals. She bit back a sob when she spied him. He stood on the top rung of the fence. He launched himself toward Peg, landing on the stallion’s back, clutching handfuls of mane. Peg screamed and reared, pawing the air with his front hooves. Nate tightened his legs around the animal’s sides, clinging to its back. When the stud lowered his front hooves to the ground, Nate kicked his boot heels against the horse’s flanks.

The stallion gave a shrill whinny and ran toward the opposite side of the corral. No, they wouldn’t make it. Peg wasn’t a jumper. He’d never been trained for such a stunt. They’d crash into the rails, breaking Nate’s neck and Peg’s legs.

Lily couldn’t move. Couldn’t breathe. They wouldn’t clear the fence. Both horse and rider could be killed—

The horse sailed over the top rail with Nate lying low across his back. The stallion seemed to fly, reminding Lily of a winged Pegasus. She’d never seen such a beautiful, blessed sight in all her life.

As one body, the horse and rider landed safely on the other side. The stallion didn’t pause but kept moving. His sturdy body bunched, strong muscles pumping, galloping to safety as he raced across the grassy fields.

Like a giant wave in the ocean, the mountain of mud trailed after Nate and Peg. Nipping at the horse’s heels.

Chasing them.

Lily watched in horror as the quad, the tractor and even the tool shed disappeared in a melee of sludge. The debris torrent moved as fast as a sprinting horse, swallowing everything within its path. If Peg hadn’t had a head start, the horse would have been swallowed up in the mud.

And then the torrent spread out across the paddock and corrals surrounding the barn, finally losing momentum. Coating every available surface.

Lily could contain her emotions no longer. Sobs trembled over her body. It took several moments for her to realize Dad had stopped the truck at the top of the hill and held her in his arms.

“There, darlin’. Don’t cry now. We’re gonna be all right.”

“Daddy, I…I’m so sorry.”

“No, darlin’. I’m the one who’s sorry. I should have listened to you. I should have listened to Nate. I’ll never make that mistake again.”

“Oh, Dad.” She hugged him tight.

“You’ve become a wonderful woman and I’m ashamed for ever doubting you,” he said. “We would have lost all our horses if you hadn’t disobeyed me. I love you so much. You’re wiser than I am. If I ever lost you, I don’t know what I’d do. Will you forgive a doddering old fool? I’m so sorry, darlin’. Please forgive me.”