She shook her head to dislodge the memory. It wouldn’t do to dwell on such thoughts, not when Enoch seemed determined to forget the incident entirely.
Instead, she focused on the scenery around them. They climbed up a rocky slope, then over a pass between two mountain peaks. Birds wheeled overhead against the overcast sky, their cries echoing in the crisp morning air. She took a deep breath, filling her lungs with the scent of pine and fresh grass. This was exactly what she needed.
They rode on, the weather warming, though thick clouds hid the sun.
Enoch seemed content with the silence, his gaze scanning the horizon as if searching for something.
Mandie tried to relax into the easy rhythm of Rosie’s gait, but a niggling worry wormed its way into her thoughts. What if Enoch regretted bringing her along? What if he found her mere presence a burden? Did he regret asking her to marry him?
Just as she opened her mouth to start a bit of conversation, Enoch reined in his horse on the downhill slope. “Storm’s coming.” His voice came low, almost a growl.
She followed his gaze to the western sky. Dark clouds had gathered, heavy and ominous. The air felt charged, the wind picking up with a chill. How had she not noticed?
He eyed her, maybe for the first time in over a day. “You want to turn back?”
She shook her head. “I’ll be fine.” She lifted her chin, trying to project more confidence than she felt. “We’ve come this far. Might as well finish the job.”
Enoch’s mouth tightened, but he nudged his horse forward. “Stay close then. If the weather gets worse, we’ll find shelter.”
As they rode, the wind whipped at her clothes and tugged strands of hair from her braid.
The first fat drops of rain splattered against her cheeks, cold and sharp.
Thunder rumbled in the distance, making Rosie snort and toss her head. Mandie tightened her grip on the reins and eased her legs so she didn’t feed her tension to the horse.
The storm broke in full force as they crested the next rise. Sheets of rain lashed down, driven by gusts that threatened to unseat Mandie. Lightning streaked across the sky, followed by a crash of thunder that made both horses dance.
Enoch guided them off the trail and into a stand of pines that provided some shelter from the pounding rain.
“There’s a cave not far ahead,” he shouted over the roar of the storm. “We can wait it out there.”
Mandie nodded. Her teeth had already begun to chatter from being soaked through in the biting wind.
They pushed on, and she bent low against the rain as Rosie picked her way over the slick, rocky trail.
Until they finally reached the dark mouth of a cave tucked into the mountainside.
Shelter, at last.
They dismounted at the cave entrance, and Enoch reached for her reins. “Get inside. I’ll tie them and be there soon.”
Mandie ducked into the cave, blinking as her eyes adjusted to the dimness. The space was larger than she’d expected, the ceiling high enough that Enoch should be able to stand without stooping. The air smelled of dank earth and something else musky and wild.
She moved farther in, away from the water streaming in rivulets from the entrance. The cave must have a slight downward slope toward the back.
She took up a space against the side wall, far away from the wind blowing in the entrance. Her shivers had worsened, and she wrapped her arms around herself. The fabric of her split skirt clung to her legs.
Enoch stepped inside a moment later, his broad shoulders outlined against the daylight outside. Water streamed from his hat and clothes, dripping onto the stone floor. He removed his hat and dropped it upside down onto a dry part of the floor. “Horses are as secure as they can be. I tied them under the overhang, so maybe they’ll not get the worst of it.” He joined her against the wall.
Mandie nodded, her teeth chattering too much for speech. She hugged herself tighter, trying to will warmth back into her limbs.
Enoch turned to look at her and frowned. “You’re shaking.”
“I’m f-fine.” But a shiver slipped into her words, betraying her.
He looked around the space and down at himself. Neither of them had coats. Not in late summer. In Georgia, they wouldn’t need a coat for two more months, even during a rain.
Enoch looked like he might strip off his shirt to give her, but thankfully, thought better of it. Instead he slipped a hand behind her back. “Come closer.” He tugged her to him.
