The crisp breeze almost made her turn back for a coat, but with the sun so bright, she could manage. If she got too cold, she could always run to warm herself. Maybe a bit of exertion would release the tension that had her insides knotted.
Her hand drifted to the slight bump of her belly. Would jostling hurt the baby?
As she maneuvered the narrow path up the slope, weaving around pines and cedars, her boots crunched against the rocky terrain. The fresh mountain air filled her lungs, and for a moment, she could almost forget the weight of her troubles. Almost.
She paused at a small outcropping to stare out over the sprawling wilderness below. Somewhere in the distance, a hawk cried out, its piercing call echoing through the valley. She closed her eyes, letting the sound wash over her. If only she could sprout wings and fly away. But Father’s reach was long, his web of informants and enforcers spread far and wide. Even if she managed to slip away, how long before they tracked her down again, dragging her back to this cage?
The thought made her stomach churn. She couldn't let herself be shackled to Stuart Wallace, the man Father had said he’d force her to marry—another man as controlling as her own father, who saw her as nothing more than a pawn in his games of power.
She sank to her knees on the rocky ground and sat back on her heels, staring up into the heavens. "Please, God." Her voice broke through the peace around her, but speaking aloud seemed to make the prayer more real. "I need help. I need a way out of this darkness. Show me how I can get away for good.”
The wind had shifted to a gentle breeze, and the sun’s warmth lifted the chill completely.
She considered pretending to want to work in the business. If she did, would Father allow her to move to Fort Benton to act as a shipping agent? The time she and Mama had gone there on holiday had been wonderful. They’d been free to shop and visit the bakery and peruse every store in town. That was one of her favorite memories with Mama.
But Father wouldn’t allow it. He hated for Jess to go anywhere near the mine, and he never spoke of his work. He allowed her to tend injuries and sickness among his men—most of the time. He surely wouldn’t let her join him in the business. Not that she wanted to have any part in his schemes. Freedom wouldn’t be worth the guilt she’d feel every day she helped him.
Sorry, Lord, for even thinking of that idea.
If she went along with his plan to marry her to Mr. Wallace, could she run away from him? No. Her father would send Jedidiah and his men after her. Even as Mrs. Wallace, Jess would still be under her father’s thumb. Her husband’s too.
A shiver slid through her, and a knot coiled in her middle.
She had to avoid the marriage.
But how?
She closed her eyes, keeping her face to the sun. “Lord, I need You. I don’t know what to do. Send the right person to help me get away.”
She let herself linger like that, soaking in the peacefulness. The warmth on her skin.
She didn’t hear an answer from God, but this quiet contentedness felt a little like the Lord wrapping his arms around her. If only she could stay cradled in them, relishing this moment always.
The sound of horse hooves clicking against rock drifted from below, and she opened her eyes. Had Father returned already? This was far from his usual route home, so he must have come looking for her. She pushed to her feet and waited, hands clasped in front of her. She’d done nothing wrong, and he wouldn’t begrudge her this short walk since she’d already set the house in order.
But the thought of seeing him made her insides tighten, maybe because of the secret she kept from him.
The horse and rider rounded the bend, and her breath caught. Not her father.
The man from the store—Coulter.
CHAPTER 2
The Coulter brother sat tall in the saddle, his shoulders just as broad and his face just as handsome as Jess remembered. When he caught sight of her, his eyes widened, and he reined his mount in.
Her body froze as her mind scrambled to make sense of his presence here. Had he come to find her? She’d just been praying for help. Was this man God’s answer?
Of course not. He’d come to find his brother. Had he learned Sampson worked in these mountains? She forced herself to breathe. She’d wanted to tell him herself, so she should be grateful he’d discovered it.
Yet…could his appearing here, a quarter hour’s walk past the mountain where Sampson worked as a miner, be God’s answer to her prayers?
Maybe.
This man had already shown he would take a stand for right, even when it was hard. Would he help her convince her father to let her go? He’d have to be careful, or he’d find himself with a sound beating. Could he be respectful but not allow her father to push him around?
He still stared at her, perhaps having as much trouble accounting for her presence here as she was his. Their gazes had met in the store, but did he remember her?
She stepped forward, her heart pounding as she raised a hand in greeting. "Hello." Her voice trembled.
