Bride of the Wild (26 page)

A small clearing up ahead behaved as a sort of look out point, which jutted over a bend in the river. Silas reached it first, stopping to eye our approach. “I can’t go any further. This is the end of the path.” He frowned for a moment, and then his eyes flew wide. He sucked in a breath, having realized what it meant. “Tarnation!”

Micah reached for my hand. “Don’t panic,” he murmured. “Don’t give them the satisfaction of seeing your fear.”

“Lord in heaven.” We reached Silas, who stared into the gushing water below, which swirled around rocks in places. “We’re going to die.” I could not look, too terrified of what I saw. An authoritative brave stepped forward, uttering something in Ute. I glanced a Micah. “What did he say?”

“We are to jump. If we do not jump, we will be pushed. If we survive the jump, then we’re free.”

“Oh, my God,” I wailed, trying not to cry. It was impossible to hide the distress I felt. “Can you not beg them to let us go? Can you not reason with them?”

“Reason with heathens?” Silas smiled coldly. “They’re nothing short of barbarians.
This is an act of murder!
You’d best pray to your maker, Saffron. You’re about to meet him.”

“You’re despicable!” raved Micah, his arm tightening around me. “That’s not what a woman needs to hear, ever. Even if this was our last moment on earth, I’d not think something like that, let alone verbalize it.” He met my gaze, grasping my face. “You’ve nothing to be afraid of, my love. If the Lord wishes to take you, you must go with abandon. You’ll give yourself over to Him because you love Him. If He calls you home, you shall embrace it with all your heart. I know I shall. I’ll not regret a moment of my life and all I’ve seen and done, even if it’s ended far too soon.”

“Oh, Micah.” Tears filled my eyes.

“I’ve loved you for such a short time, but it’s enough. Enough is as good as a feast. And if we meet in heaven, which I know we will, we’ll be together for all eternity.”

I wrapped my arms around his neck. “I’ll try. I’m so scared. I’ve never been this terrified in my life. If it’s God’s will that we perish, then so be it. I shall be with you, Micah. Now and forever.”

The brave barked something in Ute, pointing at Silas, who stood nearest to the edge of the cliffside. “He says you’re to jump now,” said Micah.

“What fond farewells will you offer me? I’d declare my undying love for this woman, but you’ve beaten me to it.” Messy, blonde strands of hair fell into his eyes and dried blood crusted his shirt. “I’ve suffered the most of all of you. I’ve been injured, and I would’ve probably died anyhow, but I’ve also lost my heart, which I doubt either of you care about. I loved you first. I know you think me incapable of such an emotion, but I feel it keenly. I’m sorry my manner isn’t as smooth and enchanting as this mountain Lothario, but I could’ve made you happy, Saffron.”

“I’m sorry, Silas.”

He looked pragmatic, his lips thinning. “Ah, it doesn’t matter. I’m about to fling myself to my death. If you survive, let them know what happened. Perhaps, they’ll write a story about me or a song? They’ll say Silas Hefferman was brave, but stupid, falling for the wrong woman, but … ” he grinned, the smile not reaching his eyes, “he wins because he jumped first!” With that, he stepped from the ledge, disappearing at once.

I screamed, not having anticipated such an outcome, rushing to the edge to see if he had missed the rocks. What I witnessed horrified me. Silas floated along the river facedown, his arms out at either side. Micah stood with me, watching as the body bobbed and jerked, bouncing over a grouping of rapids to disappear around the bend. I glanced at a brave, hating him, hating all the Indians in a moment of sheer anguish. The brave spoke to us, pointing at the water, and I knew we had to jump next—to our death, just like Silas.

“Listen to me, Saffron. We need to jump far. We have to clear the rocks. If we can, we might make it. Do you understand me?”

I nodded, too frightened to speak.

He grasped my hand, squeezing me with as much reassurance as he could muster. “On a count of three, we jump.” He pulled me back a few steps. “We jump out as far as we can. There’s a hollow behind the rocks and if we hit it, we can survive.”

“I believe you.” My voice sounded as if it belonged to a scared child. “I’ll do whatever you say.”

“Good. Now, are you ready?”

Although I wanted to snatch the knife from my skirt and stab the nearest Indian, I nodded, lifting my chin. “Y-yes.” I pressed my lips together because they trembled uncontrollably.

“All right. On three.”

I grasped his hand, feeling as if my heart might burst out of my chest, the organ pounding wildly, the fear acute. I was about to fling myself into a river filled with lethal rocks and rapids large enough to suck a man in and drown him. I had placed all my trust in Micah and my faith in God. If I were to die now, then so be it.

“Let’s do it. I’m ready.”

He nodded, his expression solemn. “Then on three.”

“Yes.”

“One, two … ”

And we darted forward, jumping out as far as we could, the earth slipping away from beneath us. Nothing but air remained, the feeling of falling lasting only a few seconds before an icy blanket enveloped me. Something hard hit my arm, snapping it in two. I sucked in a mouthful of river water, the fluid stinking of fish. Gagging and struggling to breathe, I thrashed, kicking my arms and legs, tangling in my dress, but determined to remain above the surface. One of my boots slid free. A stinging pain registered in my left arm, and every movement hurt it more. Something grabbed my collar, near the back of my neck, and I coughed, inhaling more water. I was lifted to the surface.

“Swim!” shouted Micah. “Swim!”

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Freezing and in pain, I wanted to cry out in relief that we lived, but such a sentiment might be premature. The current had taken us, the strength of it worrying, yet Micah and I fought, sometimes grabbing onto rocks that slipped through our fingers, far too slick to hold. I reached for low branches, trying to find something—anything to grab onto.

“There! Go there!”

He motioned for a rocky little beach, but reaching it would be nearly impossible, because it felt as if the river wanted me to go in another direction. Utterly exhausted from having to swim in a dress that wanted to drag me down and a broken arm, I mustered up whatever energy I had left and kicked vigorously, determined to join Micah, who had managed to put himself into the tiny, sheltered cove. The river continued, rounding the bend, but I did not want to go further.

“You’ve got it!” Micah stood in the water, which went to his knees. “Come to me, Saffron! You can do it.” He reached out, grasping my hand and pulling me towards the shore.

“I can’t believe it!” I cried. “Ouch!” I bent over, coughing, while my nose stung from all the water that had gone into it.

“Are you hurt?”

I saw his face then, noting a bleeding gash in his cheek. “You’re hurt.” Pain flared, and I grasped my arm, holding it to me.

“What’s wrong with your arm?”

“I broke it. It’s nothing. I’ll live.” I glanced nervously above me, expecting a volley of arrows. “Are we free?”

Micah smiled, flashing white, even teeth. “I feel free. That was one hell of a jump. I really didn’t think we would survive it. We hit it in the sweet spot.” Then he sobered. “But you’re hurt, and Silas is lost.”

“I can’t think of that now.” I trod to the shoreline, grimacing with each step, as I wore only one boot. “I want to go home.” Grasping my skirt, I began to wring it out. “We’re finding a path to Fern Valley. I want to be out of here as soon as possible.” I shuddered, soaked through to the bone.

Wiping his cheek with the sleeve of his shirt, Micah nodded. “Yes, ma’am. I can’t agree more.”

“I won’t feel safe until I’ve cleared the woods. I know you love the mountains and all, but I’ve had just about enough of it.” Pain flared in my arm. “I … goodness that hurts.”

Micah clutched at my sodden dress, tearing away a swath of fabric. “Here. You need it in a sling. You’ll aggravate it each time you move it. I’ll tie it up for you.”

He made quick work of the strip of cotton, and my arm now lay securely in the contraption, but it continued to throb. “Thank you.”

“We can find the trail above, but we have to climb.”

“What about those horrid Indians? Will they be waiting to finish us off?”

“I don’t know. They said we would be free, if we could swim. We swam all right.” He grinned again. “What an adventure. This has been the craziest experience of my life. All those years of trapping can’t hold a candle to what I’ve just been through.”

I followed him, grimacing each time my bare foot met up with a sharp rock. I wore socks, but it hurt still. “I’m glad you find this amusing and the most exciting thing, but I’ve had my fill of adventure. It’ll be a good long while before anyone will ever convince me to go into the woods again.”

He took my hand. “We survived a jump that should’ve killed us. We’re the craziest, luckiest people on earth.”

“Not Silas, though.”

“Who’s to say he’s not alive? We might find him up ahead.”

I stumbled along, my boot snagging a branch. “I suppose. He’s just as mad as you are.”

“I’m not all that fond of Mr. Hefferman, but he has gumption. Credit must be given for that. He might still have made it.”

“I hope so. Too many have died.” Thinking about all the men we lost, tears formed in my eyes. “Those poor families.”

We had begun to ascend, stepping over rocks and branches, working our way upward. Being exhausted, I forced myself to put one foot in front of the other, eager to find a path, but worried the Indians might be waiting in ambush. Micah pulled me along, having abundant strength, and it wasn’t long before we came to a flattened spot, recognizing what looked like a trail.

“Oh, thank goodness.”

“Here’s your path.” Micah glanced over my head. “It’s the same one we took earlier. I don’t know how safe it is, but we’ve little choice. Let’s hope they’ve gone back to camp. They’re pulling it apart as we speak.”

“We’ll see it then, because it’ll be below.” That thought disturbed me greatly.

“I imagine they’ve already left. I’ve seen Indians pack and leave a camp of a thousand tipis in less than thirty minutes. They’re quite good at it.”

“How fortunate for them.” I sounded sour, but it could not be helped. If we had been treated better and let go, instead of forced off a cliff, perhaps I might’ve felt differently.

“It won’t be long. It’s coming up.”

I did not want to look for fear they would see us. I did so anyhow, dreading what I might find, but all I saw were smoking fire pits and refuse. “They’re gone.” Daisy and her family had moved camp, and I would never see her again.

“Indeed. That was fast.”

“They are nothing if not efficient.” I trod along, limping from having only one boot.

“We’ve a few miles ahead of us. Can you walk like that?”

“What else will I do?”

“You could take the other off.”

“I might, if this proves too cumbersome.”

“How’s the arm?”

“Throbbing, but not as acute. It needs to be set.”

“I can do a crude job of it, but you really need Doctor Walker to do it properly.”

“I can wait.” He looked relieved, his hazel eyes flashing happily. “You’re in fine spirits, Mr. Blaylock.”

“I most certainly am. I’ve just faced the dragon and lived. Who in their right mind would throw themselves into water like that?” He pointed to himself. “This crazy fool.”

“It was hardly our choice.”

“I’m alive!” he shouted, lifting his chin to the sky. “You didn’t kill me!” He took my hand, bringing it to his lips. “You didn’t die either. You’re here with me, and you’re going to marry me. I don't care in the least, if you’re lame. I’ll take a lame wife any day over a dead one.” A teasing look entered his eye.

How he could make light of things at a moment like this was beyond me. “Micah!” I didn’t want to, but I giggled, “I’m not lame. My arm will heal. It might be crooked, but it’ll still work.”

He drew me into his arms, my feet leaving the ground. “We have prevailed!”

I was swung in a dizzying circle. “Stop that!” My feet touched the ground. “You silly man.”

“Now that I’ve survived death, I sure could use a meal. I’m starving.”

“So am I.” It must have been around noon, because the sun sat directly overhead. “I’m such a mess.” Wet, tangled hair hung over my shoulders.

“You look beautiful.”

“Goodness you need glasses. Have you ever had an eye exam?”

“No.”

“You should ask Doctor Walker to give you one.”

“I see just fine.” He grinned. “You are truly lovely, Saffron.”

“Well, the river washed away the dust from the avalanche. At least there’s that, but a bath would’ve done the same. I thought I’d have a heart attack. I’ve never felt such fear before in my life. The attack on our wagon train was dreadful, but being forced off a cliff takes the cake.”

“Um … cake. I’d love a slice of almond cake with butter frosting.”

I giggled, “Shush. Don't do that.”

“I want to take you to dinner. I want to treat you to whatever you desire on the menu. If you order three courses of dessert, then so will I. Strawberry shortcake or lemon pound cake or cheesecake or—”

“Don’t do that! Now
my
mouth’s watering. I long for a cup of tea.”

“I’d take coffee laced with brandy.”

“Tea and brandy and cake.”

“Agreed.” He grinned. “That’s what we’ll do then.”

“But first we have to walk out of here.” I eyed the path that seemed to not want to end. Limping along, I yearned for rest, but that would only slow us. “I might take this boot off for a while. Perhaps I’ll walk faster without it.”

“I can hold it for you, if you decide you want to put it on again.”

I stopped, reaching for the boot. “Oh, lump it.” I jumped around on one foot, while pulling it off with my good hand. “I’ll just suffer.” I left the offending item on the ground. “Let’s make time,” I said firmly.

“All right.”