The Lumberjack's Bride (14 page)

A tug on the reins reminded him of the horse's impatience to be home. He gave the anxious animal its head and soon was speeding down the path towards his own little haven.

As the horse entered the clearing, Caleb felt that something wasn't right. It was as if the thought came from deep within him. He slowed the horse to a walk.

The little wooden structure rested snugly against the mountain. But, there was no smoke drifting into the morning mist from the chimney and it looked cold and vacant instead of warm and inviting.

Caleb turned the horse back into the tree line and circled the house. Nothing moved. He approached the barn from behind. The horse neighed. A soft moo answered from inside the barn.

He slid to the ground, tied the reins loosely to the saddle horn and let the horse go. His body blending into the shadows of the barn, Caleb eased his way toward the cabin. No sound came from within as he pressed his back against the wall.

Dread and unease threatened to overwhelm his good sense. He crept around to the front of the cabin and slipped inside the unbarred door.

The stillness grated on his nerves. He moved through the lower half of his home. Julianne and the baby were gone. Caleb hurried up the stairs. A quick glance about showed no signs of his family.

He descended the stairs two at a time. His tired, confused mind chanted.
She's gone. Julianne has taken the baby and left you.

Caleb sank into the rocker. Why had she left? Was it because he knew about her unborn child? Didn't she know by now how he felt about her? He hung his head. How could she? He'd never told her.

Where would she have gone? And did she have enough money to get there? His head came up.
The money
. Had she finally acquired enough to leave?

He stood and made his way to the box he'd crafted for her. Caleb ran his dirty hand over the surface of the wood. An ache ran through his chest as he opened the lid.

He'd expected the box to be empty but the money was still there. “What is going on here?” His voice echoed in the empty room.

Once more, the thought that things weren't right struck him. The only way to get answers was to return to the logging camp and find Maggie. Maybe she would know where Julianne was.

He smiled. Why hadn't he thought of that before? Julianne and Jonathan were probably staying with Maggie until he got home.

Caleb closed the box and hurried out to the barn. The horse had nosed his way inside and stood in the corner munching on hay. He stepped up to the animal and stuck his foot into the stirrup. Something moved in the stall on the opposite side of the horse. Caleb froze and his heart hammered in his chest.

As he reprimanded himself a young Indian woman materialized out of the shadows. She held a small blue bundle tightly against her chest. Dirty tearstains marred her light brown cheeks.

Caleb recognized the blue sheet Julianne used to hold Jonathan. His foot dropped from the stirrup and the dull ache of foreboding became so acute it was a physical pain. He pushed the horse out of the way and stumbled toward her.

“Give him to me.” She released the baby into his arms, her shoulders heaving, a hiccupped sob escaping as she stepped away from him.

Caleb unwrapped the baby and checked that his little body was unharmed. Jonathan slept contently, happily unaware of the fear welling in Caleb's heart.

“Where is Julianne?” His throat was so tight his voice came out a whisper.

“Julianne.” The cry erupted from her lips and she ran.

Caleb chased her out of the barn. He couldn't let her escape. He'd seen the fear in her eyes, and she was his only link to Julianne.

His boots thundered down the path leading to the river as he ran after the young woman. Julianne would never have willingly given up the baby. Had the Indian woman's tribe taken Julianne captive? Caleb pushed the troublesome thought aside. The tribes in this area were peaceful people.

Jonathan awoke with a scared little whimper.

Caleb had no time to comfort the baby as he ran. He couldn't risk the chance that the woman would hide from him. The natives were experts at disappearing when they wanted or needed to. He would not give up till this woman told him where Julianne was!

* * *

Julianne lay curled in a tight ball on her side. Her hands and feet were tied together in front of her. A dirty rag had been stuffed into her mouth, and another rag had been tied around her head to hold the gag in place.

She'd almost escaped once, but that had been before her uncle caught her using her teeth to untie the knots.

How long was he going to keep her here? The run-down shack didn't keep out the cold, the bugs or the snakes. Julianne shivered with chill and fatigue. The nerves in her hands and feet were numb. Her muscles screamed from the strain of the awkward position in which she lay. Her eyes burned from sleeplessness.

She'd only seen her uncle twice since they'd dumped her here. The first time had been when she'd tried to escape, and he'd caught her. The second had been last night, when he'd come and told Marcus he had a little job for him to do and both men had left.

Her latest visitor was another skunk. Of the animal variety this time. It nosed its way about the dirty cabin. Julianne didn't move. The last thing she wanted was to get sprayed by the nasty animal. Black eyes studied her warily. She held her breath, watching, till finally it lost interest in her. Its black-and-white body moved around the room with a purpose. The skunk finished its search and sashayed out the broken door.

Julianne relaxed and closed her eyes. Her whole body was engulfed in weariness and despair. The last two nights had been cold, and rats and who knew what else moving about in the darkness had kept her awake.

The sound of her uncle, Edmond Bartholomew III, clapping his hands in pleasure woke her up. “Come, come. Are you going to spend this glorious day sleeping?”

Julianne glared at him from where she lay.

“Marcus, untie her,” her uncle ordered.

The big lumberjack stepped through the door and knelt down beside her. He pulled his knife from his boot and waved it in her face.

“Stop tormenting her, and do as I say,” her uncle barked, pulling a large tree stump farther into the room.

Marcus slid the knife through the ropes at her feet. He moved the knife to her hands and let the cold blade prick into her skin before slicing the ropes. She felt his breath on her face as he untied the gag, but she refused to give him the satisfaction of looking at him.

Her legs ached and her hands throbbed as the blood returned feeling to her limbs. It took Julianne several moments to straighten her legs. She fought back tears of frustration.

“You, my dear, will return with me on the next voyage home. Your Aunt Mary and the kids have missed you something awful.” He pulled the stump toward her.

Julianne struggled to her feet. “I'm not going anywhere, Uncle Edmond. I have a husband and a home here. You can't make me go.”

Swifter than she expected, he slapped her hard across the mouth. “Who do you think you are? I am your guardian, and I say you are coming home with me!”

“I'm Caleb Hansen's wife.” Julianne wiped the blood from her lips. For the first time since her parents' accident, Julianne felt loved and secure. “He will come for me.”

Her uncle laughed harshly, “Oh, I don't think so. You see…” he paused and waited for Julianne to give him her full attention “…by now you are a widow.”

Shock siphoned the blood from her face. She stood there, blank, amazed and very shaken, too stunned to even cry.

Then a small sliver of doubt curled its way into her mind. Was it true? Could Caleb really be dead? Or, was this just another of her Uncle Edmond's cruel attempts to make her do as he wanted? A flicker of something—she wasn't sure what—stirred inside her heart. She loved Caleb. Surely if he were dead her heart would grieve.

Torn by conflicting emotions, she denied his words. “I don't believe you.”

“Sit, child. You're tired.” Her uncle indicated the large stump.

Julianne sank onto the hard surface. In her heart, she prayed he was lying. Surely God wouldn't let this happen to them. She had been so close to telling Caleb the truth, finally freeing herself to love him with nothing standing between.

“Marcus, tell Mrs. Hansen about her husband's untimely death.” Edmond walked over to the doorway. He lit a cigar and blew smoke out the door.

She turned her weary gaze from her uncle. What vile things would Marcus make up to convince her Caleb was dead? Julianne watched an evil grin creep across the man's face.

He stooped down in front of her and twirled the knife in his hands. “Oh, he's dead, all right. I personally watched his body float down the river.” Hard eyes bored into her.

Fear gnawed away at her fragile belief that Caleb was still alive.

“Of course, he had a little help getting into the river.” Hatred radiated from the man as he laughed. His dancing eyes seemed to delight in her misery.

The laughter stopped as quickly as it started. “Caleb is dead. My ax found its way into the small of his back. Then it was an easy matter to shove him into the river.”

Julianne shook her head. It couldn't be true. Her heart ached, and her mouth went dry. She forced herself to listen to Marcus's account of what had befallen her husband, analyzing each word for clues.

“With the fire and all going on, no one is going to miss either of you for days.” He sneered in her face.

Fresh tears worked their way down Julianne's face. Her chest felt tight. Her breathing became shallow and forced.
Let the darkness take you
, her mind shouted. She heaved to breathe. Black circles swam before her eyes, and she knew she would faint any moment.

Marcus leaned close to her ear and whispered. “Don't think I've forgotten I owe you, too.” He reached a hand forward and rubbed his thumb across her swollen, cracked lips.

From deep in her center, Julianne fought the instinct to surrender. If she passed out, who knew what these depraved men would do to her? She shook her head, leaning forward, head between her knees.

Edmond flicked the remainder of the cigar out the door. “Marcus! Leave her be!”

The logger grabbed Julianne's hair and pulled her head up. He stared into her eyes. He made as if to kiss her, pressing his mouth alongside her cheekbone. “Don't expect your uncle to protect you forever.” Then he stepped away from her.

“Sorry, boss.” Marcus's voice sounded contrite but his eyes remained cold as stone as they bored into Julianne, daring her to voice what he'd just whispered to her.

Julianne stared up at him. What did he plan to do? Had he really killed Caleb? And what about Jonathan? If Caleb was dead, where was their son?

She forced herself to look away from the man who claimed to have murdered the only man who'd ever cared for her. Julianne focused her gaze on her uncle. “I won't go.”

“Oh, I think you will.” Edmond pulled another stump across the room. His breath mingled with hers as he sat down in front of her. He grabbed both her hands and held them tightly together.

His narrow eyes bored into hers. “Marcus, how far is it to that Indian village?”

Marcus moved to stand behind Edmond. “'Bout a half day's ride from here, boss. Want me ta pay them a visit?” He twirled the knife and smiled wickedly at Julianne over her uncle's shoulder.

Now what would he threaten her with? Julianne glanced back and forth between the two men. She finally decided that since Edmond was the boss, he would be the one to tell her what their next move would be.

“What do you think, Julie girl? Should I send Marcus after the baby?”

Icy fear twisted around her heart. They knew about Jonathan. Morning Star had taken him, just as Julianne had known she would.
Thank you, God.
Right on the trail of her relief-filled prayer, she hesitated, blinking with bafflement. How did her uncle know she had a baby? Marcus of course, but how did they know Morning Star had him?

Her heart beat faster, and her hands grew clammy in his. Would he do such a thing? Julianne looked into her uncle's cold gray eyes, and for the first time in her life, she knew her uncle was capable of murder. When had he become this monster? And why?

Chapter 14

T
he young Indian woman stopped at the river's edge and pointed to the ground.

Caleb came to an abrupt stop. He shuffled Jonathan around in his arms and stared at the ground where she pointed.

By the markings in the dirt Caleb knew instantly there had been a fight here. What did that have to do with Julianne? His gaze moved to the woman.

She pointed again, “Julianne.” Her eyes entreated him to understand what her language could not tell him.

“Who are you?” He didn't wait for her reply. He knelt and placed a hand on the prints, his gaze scanning the torn-up earth. Two pairs of boot tracks marred the ground.

“Morning Star.”

“Were there two men, Morning Star?” Caleb looked up at her. He prayed she would understand and tell him what happened.

Her head tilted sideways and her forehead furrowed. He held up his hand and two fingers then pointed at the footprints in the sand.

Morning Star's forehead cleared and she nodded quickly. She raised her hand high, signaling a tall person and then made a circle with her arms that he assumed represented a heavier person. She moved toward him. Keeping her eyes lowered, she touched his chest.

“I sure hope you are trying to tell me they are men like me.” Caleb removed her hand from his chest and again examined the tracks. His heart lurched. One set of smaller footprints could be detected in the sand.

Deep down he knew they were Julianne's. He studied the direction they had gone. She'd put up quite a fight. He found deep indentations in the sand where she'd dug in her heels.

Caleb ignored Morning Star as she began speaking rapidly in her own language.