Just ahead, the rock wall on either side fell away, and the ground changed to a wooden bridge spanning a deep chasm. Jess slowed just before the bridge. She inched to the place where the railing met the rock and peered down.
Gil had to rise up on his toes to see over her head.
About fifty feet below, five men struck the rock wall with pickaxes. It only took a moment to find Sampson, his wiry frame unmistakable even at this distance.
His brother swung the pickax three more times before a chunk of stone broke free. He dropped to his knees and ran his hands over the rock, his movements eager, almost desperate, as if he were mining his own sapphires rather than toiling for Mick McPharland.
Gil's heart clenched.
What kind of hold did Mick have over Sampson to make him toil away in this godforsaken pit? What poisonous promises had the man fed Gil's little brother to keep him enslaved here, scrabbling in the dirt for another man's treasure?
Gil tightened his grip on the railing until the rough wood bit into his palms. Somehow, he had to get through to Sampson, to free him from Mick's clutches before something happened to his brother. The question was, how?
And he had to find a way without endangering Jess in the process.
His throat itched to signal Sampson—to whistle the sound they used on the ranch—something to let him know his big brother was here now. That he wasn't alone.
But he'd promised Jess he'd stay hidden and silent. He eased back so he could try to read her expression in the dim light. Her brow was furrowed as she watched the men below, her lips pressed into a thin line.
She met his gaze with gathered brows, maybe worried he’d do exactly as he wanted to do, exactly what he’d promisednotto do.
He offered a single nod. He wouldn’t betray her.
He turned his attention back to Sampson, who was now using a hammer and a smaller pick to chip away at the stone he'd separated. His brother's movements were practiced, efficient, evidence of all the years he’d helped in their own mine. Sampson preferred to work with the animals, but they’d all spent long days cutting out the sapphires.
After a few more minutes, Jess tugged on his hand, motioning for them to go back the way they'd come. He backed away, letting her take the lead. He kept her hand as before while his mind spun. He'd come here to find Sampson and bring him home. They could leave tonight if his brother were his only concern.
But he had to recover the sapphires stolen from their mine—an entire wagonload of fully packed crates, worth over two hundred thousand dollars. He couldn’t leave without the sapphires, which they’d toiled to gather for an entire year. His brother Jude had worked the hardest. He’d been the most devastated over their loss. Gil couldn’t stand the thought of Jude coming after Mick himself. He couldn’t lose another brother to this man.
He could simply ask Jess where the sapphires were, but he dismissed that idea just as quickly. She had already risked so much by bringing him here, by agreeing to let him see Sampson tomorrow. Would she answer him truthfully if he asked? He didn’t know her well enough to say for sure.
Maybe Sampson knew where the sapphires had been taken. Then the three of them could take back the gemstones and sneak out tomorrow.
He prayed that was the case.
In the meantime, he needed to prepare for Mick's return this evening. Keeping on that man's good side would likely take every ounce of charm and tact Gil possessed, especially knowing now that this man had stolen from Gil’s family.
The falsehood about Jess being in the family way made the whole scheme even more complex. That particular lie couldn't hold forever.
But Gil would get her away long before that. Away from the dark caves and her father's iron grip. Every person deserved somuch more than this shadowed half-life. And he wanted to be the one to show it to this woman.
The rightness of that desire settled deep in his bones as they finally reached the lantern. In the flickering light, Jess's face was drawn and pale. She started forward again, whispering over her shoulder. “Let’s get back before my father returns.”
Mick McPharland. From what Gil had learned, the man was as cunning as he was ruthless, and one wrong move could spell disaster—for Gil, for Sampson, and for the woman who walked ahead of him, the woman he'd vowed to protect at any cost.
CHAPTER 6
Gil stepped into the dimly lit cave-home behind Jess. Her lantern light joined the only other light in the place.
When he’d first entered after meeting Jess, she’d had several lanterns blazing and the place felt cozy. Now with only these two, the stone walls felt like a prison. Confining. How could they live in such darkness all the time?
The savory scent of stewed meat and dumplings filled the air, and Jess moved directly to the cookstove to stir what she’d toiled over so long earlier. His stomach growled in anticipation. He’d only eaten a few hours ago, but maybe all this tension and pretense made him hungrier than usual.
She turned to him with a tired smile. "Have a seat. Dinner's ready."
“Smells good.” He moved to the rough-hewn table, easing into the chair he’d used before. He had a direct view of the door curtain from here, so he’d know the moment her father entered.
As he settled in, Jess brought a steaming bowl and mug to the table, placing both in front of him. The rich scents rising from the food made his belly cramp. The soup she’d served him earlier had been good, but this smelled remarkable enough to make him keel over just from breathing in the steam.
