Jude guided his horse around a cluster of larger rocks on the right. "We’ve been looking for Gil and our other brother, Sampson. Trailed someone from town earlier today but lost him.” He sounded miffed, and confused. “Guy just disappeared.”
Into one of the secret cave entrances, no doubt.
“Anyway, we set up camp near the mountain and heard a gunshot. Got there as fast as we could."
Wow.
These brothers had come for Gil. They’d risked their lives, riding into the fray without hesitation to save one of their own.
Gil would have done that too. These Coulters were unlike anyone she’d ever known.
The creek curved ahead. Soon, they’d reach the place where it split into two streams. She leaned forward again to speak above the splashing water without yelling. "The creek divides up ahead. The right fork winds through a valley. The other flows into a river. I'm not sure if Jedidiah knows about the split. Maybe he does." She couldn’t imagine he’d done much exploring, but he knew everything. He likely had maps of the terrain in all directions from their mountain.
"The river will give us more options to lose them," Jude said. "We'll pray God leads them the other way."
Before today, she might have scoffed at such a prayer. How often had she prayed that God would make her father a different man?
After she learned about the baby, she started praying God would help her escape.
Tonight, He’d answered that prayer. In a way so much more remarkable than anything she could have imagined. Now, itseemed truly possible that He would point Jedidiah’s men the wrong direction. He really could do anything.
CHAPTER 21
“Ho.”
Jess forced her eyes open as Gil’s brother brought their mount to a halt after a long day’s ride. She straightened and blinked to bring into focus a small building in front of them. “What is this?”
“An old trapper’s cabin." Jude’s voice came low and weary. "Two Stones knew about it. Should be safe for us to rest a while."
She was too exhausted to protest. They’d ridden through the night, staying in the river—in the shallows on the opposite side. Just before dawn, they’d ventured away from the water over a rocky open area, then into the woods.
Not once had they seen Jedidiah’s men.
At first, that had been a relief. Yet it felt too good to be true. Was the fight really over?
As the morning passed, she’d dozed against Jude’s back. Maybe that had been overly familiar with a man she’d never met before, but he was Gil’s brother. He’d saved her life. And anyway, she couldn’t have kept herself awake even if she’d wanted to. Perhaps the baby made her more exhausted than she would have been.
Now, she slid from the horse, her legs unsteady as they landed on the ground. She turned to look for Gil. He would need help to dismount. During their travels, she’d given him a couple doses of the laudanum that had somehow stayed in her pack during the fight. Though he took enough to make him sleepy, he’d still be in some pain.
But he’d already made it to the ground, thanks to his brother’s help, and now stumbled toward the shack.
She hurried to catch up with him and reached him as he pulled the latchstring to open the cabin door.
A blast of musty air pushed out as the door swung inward. The place looked deserted. Gil stepped inside, and she stayed close to him.
A few log stumps sat around a fireplace on one end. Gil shuffled toward them and lowered to one and sat, squeezing his eyes shut against his pain.
She touched his shoulder. “I’ll get blankets and food so you can lie down and eat.”
She turned back toward the door, but his voice paused her. “Wait.” He nodded toward one of the other logs. “Sit, Jess. My brothers will bring in everything. I’m sure you’re exhausted. And the baby…”
Heat flushed up her neck, and she glanced to make sure the others weren’t inside yet to hear. “I’m all right. I’ll rest when you’re settled.” Her hand crept up to the roundness at her middle. Could the baby have been injured in the fight? She’d not been struck close to her belly, so surely not.
Had she felt a flutter yet today? Her mind was so numb, she couldn’t be certain.
Footsteps at the door pulled her focus as Jude stepped inside, arms full of packs and satchels. “I don’t know what all the two of you need. There’s food here, though not much. Two Stones is going to hunt so we’ll have fresh meat.”
She moved to the load. “A bit of food and some blankets will be helpful. Gil needs to eat and rest.”
