He turned for a glance backward. “You came over that range?”
She nodded. Her breathing had grown louder, as though toting her pack up the slight hill had worn her out. He itched to reach out for the bundle but had a feeling that would only push her away.
“You live in that direction?”
Again she nodded, but from her pinched mouth she didn’t appear inclined to say more.
Perhaps she would relax if he told a bit about himself. “I started out from Fort Versailles at the end of summer with a trapping group. We went northwest first, had two different camps. When I split off from them, they were headed south.”
“Why did you leave?”
Couldn’t stand myself, and neither could anyone else.A pang tightened his chest. He should’ve known talking about himself was a bad idea. “Just ... wanted a go at it alone.”
He could feel her glance but kept his focus forward. They were nearing the last few uphill strides before reaching the cliff above the cave, so maybe they’d done enough talking.
When they stopped at his pack, snow had already formed a layer over the bundle. He brushed off the white fluff, then lifted the strap over his shoulder.
“Where’s the cave?” Miss Durand looked around, and a hint of fear slipped back into her eyes.
He motioned to the cliff. “It’s in the rock right below us. The climb isn’t hard. I’ll go first to show you where to put your hands and feet.”
She took a step away from him, her blue eyes growing round. Then she shifted toward the edge, just enough to peer over. “That’s straight down.”
“It’s not hard. Really. I’ve been up and down seven or eight times at least. I’ve stocked enough firewood that you shouldn’t need to come out for a day or two, as long as you have food.”
Her attention jerked to his face. “I only need a place to stay the night. I’ll be on my way in the morning.”
He raised his brows. “Even if it’s still snowing?”
Her expression dropped to a frown, and she pulled her coat tighter around herself. “It will stop by then.” Though her words weren’t a question, her voice held a measure of uncertainty.
“I guess we’ll see.” No need to frighten her more than he’d already done. Only time would tell for sure, though from the looks of the storm, it had a long way to go before the clouds spent themselves.
He moved toward the ledge. “Watch what I do.”
But he’d only turned onto his belly and dangled his feet over the edge before her shaky voice sounded above him. “Never mind. I’ll find another place to camp.”
He gripped a thick sapling so he could look up at her without sliding down. She’d backed three steps away and was shaking her head. “Thank you for your offer, though.”
She seemed ready to turn and stride away, so he pulled a knee up onto flat ground and worked to stand. “Is it the climb down that bothers you?”
She eyed the edge of the bank. “I don’t take risks like that.”
This little cliff wasn’t much of a risk, especially with the water below. “Would it ease your mind if we tie a rope around you, in case your foot slips?”
Her mouth thinned, and her gaze flicked from him back to the edge. “I can find other shelter.”
The frustration he’d been holding back finally edged over. “Miss Durand, it’s nearly dark and getting colder as we speak. You’ll stay warm and dry down there. You have my word I’ll get you down safely, then back up anytime you want. All you need to do is call out and I’ll be here to help.I’d rather not waste any more time. I have my own camp to set up, too.”
She studied the edge of the bank, though she wasn’t standing close enough to see down to the cliff or the cave. Twice she blinked. “Do you have rope?”
He eased out a breath, then lifted the pack over his shoulder. “Right here. Let’s tie it around you, then I’ll go down so you can see how to do it. We’ll leverage the rope around this tree, and I’ll hold it steady from just inside the cave.”
After he handed her one end of the rope, she wrapped the braided leather around herself and attempted to tie the end. Between her thick gloves and probably cold fingers, she fumbled with the cord for a few minutes.
Finally, he slipped off one of his own gloves. “Mind if I try? We’ll need that knot to be nice and tight.”
She held both pieces out, and he secured a strong knot within seconds. His hand had already turned bright red and was stinging from cold as he worked his glove back on. Within another minute, he refastened his bundle so he could still wrap it around himself without the rope he’d been using as a strap.
