From This Day Forward (29 page)

Half an hour later, in the dim light from her candle, her attacker stared back at her from the paper. A shudder shivered down her spine. She did not want to meet him again. The thought of his whiskey-laced breath, coupled with the stench of tobacco, nauseated her even now. The smell reminded her of Tom. The remembered feel of her attacker’s hands on her iced her blood, and she crossed her arms over her chest to warm herself.

A noise from the main room drew her attention. She quickly dressed in a plain gown she had made since living at the farm. The muslin and simple lines fit the work she did here, not a parlor in Charleston or London. But this was her life now and there was something satisfying in knowing she was carving out a life for herself and her daughter.

While sitting on the bed, she put her boots on and wondered if she had not met Tom, what she would have been doing in England. Probably married to the man her father had chosen for her. Practically a stranger but from a good family, with plenty of money to support her, according to Papa. As though that was the only thing important to a woman.

Do I want to go home to England, if given the chance?

Not too long ago, she would have immediately said yes. She was not so sure now. She could not leave Emma and Ben.

How can I expect Nathan to stay much longer?
Maybe through the harvest, but after that he had his own life.
Can I make it by myself without him?

She didn’t have any answers to the questions that floated through her mind, taunting her with her precarious situation.

A knock at her bedchamber door aroused her from her thoughts. She rose, saying, “Yes?”

“Ben and I are leaving.”

She rushed to open the door and found Nathan standing in the entrance, a serious expression on his face.

“It stopped raining,” he said, his look skimming over her features. “If Ben and I are not back in three hours, you go to my sister’s then Charleston and let the constable know what’s going on. Mr. Baker is staying to look out for you all. Promise me you will not come looking for us in the swamp.”

“I cannot do that.”

He grasped her upper arms. “You have to promise me. I cannot go if you don’t. Get the constable, and he can go into the swamp. Mr. Baker knows the location of the oak tree where the money is hidden. He can show the constable.”

“But it could be too late.”

He rubbed his hands up and down her arms. “I don’t intend to get caught.”

“But what if you—”

His sudden kiss cut off her next words. His lips claimed to hers, and she shuddered, melting against him, not caring who saw her and Nathan kissing.

“I don’t want to worry about you. Don’t go outside. Stay indoors until Ben and I return. We will return with the money and this will be all over soon.”

“Oh, I almost forgot. I drew a picture of the man who attacked me. I want Ben to see it. I think it is the same person.” Rachel hastened to her bed, picked up the sketchpad, and then went into the main room, where Ben was wolfing down some bread and cheese.

“I have a picture I want to show you of a man who bothered me in Charleston.” Rachel placed it on the table for Ben to look at. “Is he the other man working for Geoffrey?”

The boy studied it for a moment then nodded.

“Then when we go to Charleston, I shall show this to the constable.” On impulse she kissed Ben’s cheek and whispered, “Stay safe.”

He snatched up the last piece of bread and cheese and marched to the door where Nathan waited. When they left, she glanced from Maddy to Mr. Baker, desperately wanting to call Nathan and Ben back to the house. What if this were the last time she saw either one? Her heart plummeted to her stomach.

Rachel paced the main room, trying to squash the uneasiness that gripped her. Stopping, she swept around. “Mr. Baker, you need to follow Nathan and Ben. We are not in danger here. They are. If the thief is watching the place, he will go after them because Ben is with Nathan.”

“I cannot do that. Nathan wanted me to protect you all.”

“If you don’t, I shall.” Rachel planted her fists on her waist and pulled herself up tall. “I have my husband’s gun. I shall keep the door bolted. We shall be safe. They are not.” When Mr. Baker’s expression remained frozen in indecision, she added, “Please. As soon as they find the money, that man will attack them.”

“Nathan knows that.”

“Yes, but Nathan is not ruthless like that man is. Look what he did burning the field.”

Mr. Baker peered at Maddy, an appeal for help in his eyes.

“You need to go after them. You know the swamp and can track them.” Maddy came to stand beside Rachel, united in their request. “We will be all right. If you don’t, I will help her go after them.” Her face set in a determined look.

Mr. Baker swung his attention between Rachel and Maddy. “Nathan will not like this.”

“But he and Ben will be alive. I have a bad feeling about this. Please. I am begging you.” Rachel’s panic mushroomed with each word she spoke. Nathan was here because of her. He could not die because of her. Ben was a child who should never have been exposed to a situation like this.

“Very well. Neither one of you will come after me?”

Maddy shook her head. “I promise I will keep Mrs. Gordon here. We have the girls to protect.”

Rachel’s servant had come a long way since they had landed in America. For that matter, Rachel had too. In England she would never have envisioned going into a swamp alone after a kidnapper and Ben.

Mr. Baker picked up his musket, looked back at Maddy, and opened the door.

“Wait.” Maddy scurried toward him and kissed him on the cheek. “Take care of yourself.”

A smile transformed his solemn expression. “I will. There is unfinished business between you and me.” Then he left.

Maddy went to the window to watch his progress away from the house.

Rachel came to her and stood next to her in silent support. They were both waiting. Praying. If the men and Ben did not come back, she did not know how she would overcome the guilt. She was the reason this was happening. If she had returned to England and thrown herself on the mercy of her family, perhaps they would have taken her back. Instead, she had let her stubborn pride take over. She had been determined to make it on her own, to show her father she did not need his support or money.

Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.

Lord, I am so sorry. Whatever You want, I shall do. Just bring them back safely
.

Fifteen

If Nathan could have looked for the money without Ben, he would have, but he was not as familiar with this area as George. And he would not send George out to do what was his responsibility. If the man who set fire to the cornfield was still near, he would follow them into the swamp. That was why he and Ben pretended to go to the barn and then snuck out through a loose board on its side closest to the bog.

But still, even with those precautions, he sensed the man out there watching Ben and him slosh their way through the murky swamp in the dim light of dawn. Armed with his musket and knife, Nathan tried to avoid places where footprints would show. Which meant he and Ben stayed in the water most of the time. Its cool temperature numbed his feet and lower legs.

“ ’Tis not far. Do ya think he is out there?” Ben stared behind him.

“We have to assume he is. We will get the money and go back a different way.”

The silence of the marsh kept Nathan’s nerves on alert. Too quiet. As though the animals were waiting for a confrontation.
Lord, please keep Ben safe. I know You have no reason to answer my prayer, but Ben is a child. He needs Your protection
.

“We are here.” The boy gestured toward a piece of land in the middle of a waterlogged area with one large oak standing sentinel.

Nathan locked his gaze on the hollow in the tree about eight or nine feet off the ground.

“I will have to hoist you up to get the money.”

“Pa had to.”

Emerging from the couple of feet of water surrounding the small island, Nathan scanned the shadows. The hair on his nape tingled. He tensed. At the base of the oak, he lifted Ben up to reach into the hole in the trunk.

“Got it.”

Nathan lowered Ben to the ground, and the boy handed him a sack, filled with coins as well as jewelry—two necklaces and four rings. “Let’s get out of here.”

Again Nathan scouted the terrain. Not seeing anything unusual, he started toward the water to the right of the path they had used to come to the island. His chest constricted, and he forced a deep breath into his lungs. He couldn’t relax until he had given the money and jewels to the constable. Then perhaps Rachel and the children would be safe.

This time he led the way, with Ben slightly behind him. Careful to make as little noise as possible, Nathan chose his steps with caution. Off to the side, about twenty feet away, he saw an alligator scurry into the water and sink below its surface. He paused and watched for any signs of the animal.

In a low voice Nathan said, “We need to hurry.” He pointed to a spot where there was some dry land, indicating Ben was to go first while Nathan backed away to guard their escape.

The sloshing sound of their footsteps echoed through the quiet. The alligator surfaced a few yards away. The only part of him visible was his eyes and snout. Nathan kept moving backward, but he brought his musket around and loaded it then aimed it at the beast. He did not want to fire his gun if he did not have to.

He made his way toward the small rise in the swampland, his gaze trained on the alligator. “Ben, all right?” he asked in a whisper since he had not heard him for a moment.

No answer.

A chill skimmed down Nathan’s length. He chanced a look behind him at the small dry spot of land. His heart plummeted. The man who had accosted Rachel in Charleston had his arm locked around Ben and a knife at his throat.

“Drop that musket or…” The man let his threat trail off into the silence.

The wild-eyed look on Ben’s face held Nathan’s attention. He evened his expression into a calm one, trying to convey a composed bearing to the boy. Nathan stepped out of the water and leaned over to lay the weapon on the ground.

“Move away from your gun to the left.”

Nathan did as the assailant ordered. As he sidled toward higher ground, the man, still gripping Ben to him with the knife pressed into his neck, sidestepped toward the musket.

“I want the money. Toss it to me.” His dark eyes bore into Nathan with lethal intent. When Nathan hesitated, the man grinned, revealing tobacco-stained teeth. “Now. You don’t want me getting impatient.”

Having stuffed the sack into his shirt so his hands could be free, Nathan reached inside and withdrew it. The assailant’s eyes flared. Nathan only had one chance. He threw the bag off to the man’s side into the water. The assailant followed the bag as it made a splash and began to sink below the surface. He loosened his grasp on Ben.

“Run, Ben!” Nathan leaped toward the large man as he went after the money.

Nathan tackled him in midair, and they sailed into the swamp. The man still had his knife clasped in his hand and brought it up between them. The blade caught the sunlight filtering through the trees and gleamed. It nicked Nathan’s neck before he got a good grip around the thief’s wrist. Nathan poured all his strength into his hand about the man’s and managed to push the knife away, a few inches from his throat. Squeezing, Nathan grappled for control, the blade hovering between them. The thief’s fierce expression slowly evolved into one of pain, but he did not relent.

Ben screamed. “The alligator, Nathan!”

Nathan glanced up and spotted the beast making straight for them. He continued to struggle for the knife, but when the animal was a few feet away, Nathan lunged back toward his musket, releasing the man’s hand. Nearest to the alligator, with his body mostly submerged in the water, the assailant could not move fast enough. The beast opened its jaws and clamped down on the man’s right arm. As Nathan scrambled for the gun, the alligator shook his head and grasped more of the man, biting into his shoulder.

The thief’s screams pierced the damp air. He thrashed about, but the alligator dragged him farther out into the swamp. Nathan clasped the musket and lifted it to shoot the beast, but the animal pulled his prey below the murkiness and disappeared.

Nathan hurried to the place where the sack went into the water and felt around for it, his gaze fixed on the spot he had last seen the alligator. Finally he clutched the bag, brought it up, and clambered out of the swamp.

The sound of Ben crying behind him swung him toward the boy. “We will be all right. He will not bother us.”

“The alligator?”

“Both. Let’s get out of here.”

“Are there more?”

“The weather is warm. There might be. Keep an eye out for any. I still have my knife and musket.”

Ben panned the dense vegetation then nodded.

Nathan clasped the boy’s shoulder. “I am not letting anything hurt you.”

Ben gave him another nod, but doubt darkened his eyes.

A sound behind Nathan stiffened him. Was there more than one thief? He whirled around, bringing up his musket.