Angel in Black (45 page)

“Ohhh, luv — what has he done t’ you?” Her eyes rounded in fear as she attempted to ask the question in her tortured mind. “D-did … did he …?”

Instinctively, Katrina knew what Jenny was trying to get out. “No, Jenny. I became his widow before I became his wife.”

In less than an hour Katrina had been bathed clean of the dirt and blood, and a soothing salve massaged into the cuts and welts. Her hair was brushed free of the tangles, washed, and plaited into one long, neat braid. After a warm, filling meal and a couple of cups of herbal tea to ease her pain, Katrina felt better. A bag was prepared containing food, water, and medicines, along with another containing oats for Blackstar. Once Katrina dressed and her black boots pulled on, she picked up a sword and two pistols and went outside where the stallion stood ready. The three women had done what would have taken Katrina hours to do alone. Still midmorning, Katrina hoped to get a good head start on Langsford, who most-likely still slept at Camray.

Looking at the women, Katrina said her good-byes. “Jenny, make them understand why I had to leave — tell them I love them both. When I am able, I will send word to you and perhaps you will be able to bring Jason to me.”

Jenny wondered what Jake and John would do when they found out she was gone. Jenny could not speak for the lump in her throat, so she gave Katrina a gentle hug, her eyes saying everything for her.

“May God be with you, lass,” muttered Maggie as she and Rita put their arms about Jenny to support her as she wept for her girl.

Katrina experienced a twinge of guilt for not explaining the whole truth to her friend, a woman who had been like a mother to her. But it was best Jenny not know she wanted Langsford to follow her. No, Jenny would not have allowed her to go if she knew her plan was to lure him to his death.

Turning for one last glimpse of the village, Katrina mumbled to herself, “Take care and forgive me.”

Katrina nudged Blackstar and he galloped into the dense forest. Her black clothing blended with his dark coat and together they melted into the darkness around them.

Chapter Twenty-seven

T
HE CLOUDS ROLLED IN
, dark and ominous, making the day gloomy and dreary, much like Blake’s mood. He and David had ridden hard all day and reached the village just as the muted sun was setting. Blake slid from Hera and looked up at the sky, the first drops of rain falling onto his face.

He went to the door and pounded loudly on it until Jenny opened it, her tear-stained face frightened. This time it was too much for the old woman and she fainted dead away. Blake caught her as she withered to the floor. Jake looked around, confused, a white bandage wrapped securely about his head. Relief showed in his eyes when he greeted Lord Roberts and Lieutenant Greerson.

“I did not think you would be here so soon, lieutenant. We just sent someone t’ get you early this mornin’.”

Blake dragged Jenny’s heavy, lifeless form to a chair and tried to revive her. He questioned Jake, his voice strained with worry. “Why did you send for the lieutenant, Jake? Where is Katrina?”

The distraught look on the old man’s face panicked Blake and he left Jenny to roughly grab her husband by the shoulders. “Where is she, Jake? Is she all right?”

Jenny recovered and pleaded with him. “Lord Roberts. Please. Please let him go.”

Realizing what he was doing, Blake stopped and forced himself to take a step back and remain calm. Lieutenant Greerson took over. “I would suggest we all sit down and allow them to explain what has happened.”

Slowly, the whole story came out and Blake continued to sit perfectly still, staring into the fire, his face shadowed in the candlelight.

“It were late this afternoon when Lawrence Langsford came here. He was insane with fury an’ threatened t’ kill us all if we did not give him Katrina. She was right, yes she was. He accused her of murderin’ Randolph,” sniffled Jenny, dabbing at her reddened, puffy eyes. “Oh, lieutenant, if you had seen how that fiend of a husband beat her, you would not be thinkin’ it murder. They were goin’ t’ kill her. You must believe me — she has good reason t’ fear the man.”

David patted Jenny’s hand in a comforting gesture and smiled. “I believe you and I know the complete story about Lawrence Langsford and why he wants her dead. Katrina had no need to fear accusations of murder.”

“Oh, dear,” wailed Jenny, “I should not have let her go. Now the devil’s gone after my girl an’ she’s all alone.”

Blake finally spoke, “It’s what she wanted.” Everyone looked at him, not understanding.

“Katrina knew Langsford would follow her to the ends of the earth to find her — that’s exactly what she wants him to do. She is leading him away, and when she is ready, Katrina will try and kill him. He may have surprised her this morning, but she has turned his advantage into her own.”

“It seems we’ve been two blunderin’ ol’ fools,” sniffed Jake, wiping at the tears welling up in his eyes.

Blake felt his heart go out to these two people who loved Katrina like their own. “You did the best for everyone concerned, especially Katrina. I have learned one thing since she came into my life — she will do as she damn well pleases. And God help anyone who tries to stop her.”

“I believe stopping her is exactly what we intend to do,” David said, smiling.

Blake smiled as well and nodded agreement. “Then may God help us.”

“She’s a hell of a fighter, Kat is.” Jake put his arm about his wife to reassure her. “She will be fine, deary. You will see, an’ maybe our Kat will be free, once an’ for all.”

David looked confused and asked, “Free? I don’t understand what you mean.”

Blake understood and explained. “Free of all promises she is beholden to; but most of all, Katrina will be free of the anger and hate burdening her.”

He looked out into the dark night, the rain falling in a steady stream as lightning streaked across the black sky, thunder following with its loud crack. “We will wait until morning to leave; we can’t get far in this storm.”

“I think we could use some sleep,” agreed David. “We know they can’t get far either.”

“I’ll be back later,” mumbled Blake absently, his mind elsewhere when he left.

Blake pulled the collar of his redingote up around his neck as he walked through the darkened streets, his hat pulled low on his forehead to shield his face from the falling rain. When he came to a small cottage, he stopped and pounded on the door. Father Murray answered it and greeted him with a warm smile and hearty handshake.

“I have come to see John,” explained Blake and entered.

John called out from an alcove just off the main room. “It’s about time you got here. Come, sit. You will forgive me if I do not get up.”

Blake crossed the candlelit room and pulled up a chair beside the bed where John sat, propped up by pillows, his chest bare except for the white bandage. Blake noticed two more men sitting near the fireplace and John explained their presence.

“They are watch dogs, sent to make certain I don’t go after Kat.” Taking in Blake’s disheveled appearance, he sighed, relieved. “You are here now, and I do not have to worry anymore. I’m not so sure I could have made it.”

Blake wasted no time and asked, “Where is she headed, John?”

“North,” he answered and elaborated when Blake cast him an annoyed look. “I’ve been thinking about it for hours. If I know Kat, she’ll head for an old hunting lodge her father owned. It’ll give her shelter, a place to prepare an ambush. Lawrence never bothered to go up there — a bit rustic for a dandy like him. Kat and I used to go there when we could, when she felt the need to get away. It will take her about six days to get there. She will wait for Lawrence there.”

“If he doesn’t catch up to her before she reaches the cabin,” Blake murmured, exhausted from worry.

John grinned, much like a proud father. “Not a chance. Kat will know exactly where she is going and can move fast. Langsford will do well not to lose hours, rather than gain some on her.”

Frowning, Blake questioned John further. “Can I catch up to her before Langsford?”

“Yes.” John nodded. “There is a shortcut I’m certain Kat won’t take.”

“What makes you think so?”

“If she keeps to the roads, Kat will find help along the way. We know several families between here and the cabin; they will see she is taken care of. It would be dangerous for her to go cross-country alone given her condition and Kat would not be so foolish. She’ll stay close to the main roads.”

John gave Blake directions to the lodge and added, “I have a cousin who lives about an hour from the lodge. Kat will most likely stop there before going on. It may be possible for you to catch up to her then.”

John paused for a moment and added, “Kat is not going to be happy to see you, Blake. She will be madder than hell. Not just for trying to stop her, but other reasons as well.”

Blake’s laugh was more like a snort. “That’s an understatement. God knows I’ve given her cause to be angry.”

“I have never seen Kat run away from anything before, but she is afraid to face the hurt and pain you have inflicted. Instead, she has turned all her concentration to Langsford. Try and understand … this Kat will not be the person we are familiar with. She is like a wild animal, wounded and backed into a corner. Kat will be fighting for her life, and she wants … no, she
needs
to kill him. Revenge is everything to her now, and she will not listen to reason. Only one thing exists in her mind — Langsford must die.”

Blake rubbed his face with his hands, weariness making it hard to think. “Are you telling me to let her fight the man? To stand back and possibly watch her get hurt — or die?”

John heard the turmoil in Blake’s voice, the fear in his eyes when he answered. “I don’t know — I only know the pain and anger inside of Kat has been brewing for ten years. You and I, we can sit here and say we understand, but we really don’t. We can claim to know the right thing to do, as long as our decisions are made for another and not for ourselves. We preach two standards; one for men, the other for women. If we were in Kat’s place, wouldn’t we do the same thing? Wouldn’t we want revenge as much as she does?”

Angry at how close John’s words were to his own thoughts, Blake yelled, “I don’t know. I just know one thing — I cannot let Katrina fight him. It scares the hell out of me when I think of losing her. I could not bear it again. No — not again. And no matter how skillful she is, if she fights Langsford, she could die. There are never any guarantees when you are fighting for your life, John. So I cannot allow her to seek her revenge — I cannot.”

Sadly, John muttered, “She may never forgive you.”

“I can live with her not forgiving me, John.” Blake sighed. “But I cannot live without her.”

T
HE WATER WAS HOT
, its steam drifted in wisps around Katrina as she relaxed in the old wooden tub. The warm liquid soothed her, worked its magic on her tired soul, easing the soreness of her bruised muscles and burning lacerations. She sighed, content. It felt good to have clean hair again, she thought, feeling the weight of it piled on her head. She touched her face gingerly.

“The swelling has gone down; I wasn’t able to see much from this eye with it swollen.” Katrina smiled as a woman ten years her senior poured more hot water into the tub. “I am sorry if I frightened you, Meg.”

“Don’t you be worryin’ ’bout me, Rina. Was a shock t’ see you in such a bad way. Why, it still makes me blood boil when I think of a man doin’ t’ you what he did. I sure do not know how you rode so far in the shape you were in.”

Katrina began soaping herself, controlling her features to show no pain. “Now, Meg, I will be fine — I promise. This bath alone is working miracles. I just look worse than I feel.”

“Humph,” retorted Meg, “that’s for sure. You’re plumb black an’ blue from head to toe, I never seen the likes.”

Katrina listened patiently to Meg’s kind chastising, aware of the sight she presented, but all-in-all, she did feel better. The first three days had been terrible but the pain had eased, the soreness disappearing more each day. The bruises were at their ugliest in various shades of black, purple, green, and blue, making it apparent how badly she had been beaten. The lacerations on her back and buttocks had started to heal, along with the various other cuts and scratches. She actually was beginning to feel like her old self again.

Yes, thought Katrina to herself, I feel like I am ready to face you, Langsford. I will be waiting — tonight you will die.

Katrina jumped, hearing a noise in the other room. “What is it, Meg?”

Meg listened before answering, puzzled. “It sounds like someone at the door.”

Katrina tensed when voices drifted to her ears and she rose quickly from the tub. “My God, it can’t be him.”

Meg grabbed the large cotton towel and wrapped it around Katrina. “What’s wrong, Rina?”

Just then the door burst open and Blake loomed large and angry in the tiny room, his face a black cloud. Meg’s mouth dropped open and she backed away, his overbearing and sudden intrusion causing a fright.