Frontier Highlander Vow of Love (American Wilderness Series Romance Book 4) (25 page)

Chapter 31

B
ear just stood, breathing hard as he surveyed the destruction and carnage around him. Two majestic bears and one heinous man lay dead among the scattered remains of what was Steller’s campsite.

The hellish battle even disturbed the cook fire. Fingers of flame snaked out in several directions. The breeze and abundant fall leaves scattered on the forest floor quickly fed the flames causing them to multiply and gain strength in seconds.

He used his hatchet and feet to toss and kick dirt on the largest fire and then shifted to the next and the next. Fortunately, the soil was still damp from the heavy rain and effectively smothered the fires. Soon there was more gray choking smoke than flames. By the time he finished, he was weary and his wounds throbbed, but he was pleased he’d been able to stop a fire that could have easily spread into the woods.

He found a spot to stand where the smoke wasn’t blowing and scrutinized the campsite once again. The female bear’s body hid most of Steller’s ravaged remains. Unfortunately, he would have to see him again when he buried the man.

The first order of business was to reload the rifles and pistols and put all the weapons back on his person again. He set about accomplishing that task as quickly as he could. When he finished, he found Steller’s canteen
lying on the ground near where the cook fire had been. Fortunately, it wasn’t crushed. He drank greedily and then poured some water on a rag and wiped the blood that had dripped from his head onto his face. After that, he went to retrieve his horse.

The walk to where Camel was tied gave him time to settle his raw nerves and plan what he would do next. He needed to accomplish his tasks quickly and then get the hell away before the scent of blood drew more hungry animals like wolves.

He found Steller’s fine black stallion grazing near Camel. That didn’t surprise him much. Horses are herd animals and seek out other horses, especially when they are scared.

“Whoa now, whoa,” he said as he eased toward the jittery animal. “The bears are dead now, ye need na be afraid. What a handsome fellow ye are,” he whispered into the horse’s twitchy ear. “I do na blame ye one bit for runnin’. But tis time to go back now.” At the sound of Bear’s soothing voice, the stallion calmed and did not object when Bear picked up the reins that were dragging the ground. He led the steed toward Camel. Bear mounted and he headed back to the campsite with the big horse in tow.

When he returned, he left both mounts a short distance away from the campsite, near a patch of grass growing in a low area where the horses could graze for a little while. Camel wouldn’t run off and he thought the stallion would stay close to the gelding.

He trudged back and started digging a grave for Steller with his hatchet. His right shoulder was painfully sore from the vicious blow he’d blocked, but he ignored it and got the grave dug. When he hauled Steller out from under the bear, revulsion welled up inside of him and threatened to make him gag. But his revulsion for the man Steller had become during his life was even greater. He considered saying a few words over his grave, but couldn’t find even one thing to say. He couldn’t even ask God to rest his soul. What the good Lord did with this man was up to Him. But he suspected Steller’s soul, if he had one, would never rest peacefully.

He was about to toss dirt over the man when he decided he needed to
search Steller’s pockets. He completed the gruesome task quickly, finding only a few coins. In another pocket, he found a document releasing Steller from an indenture in Wilmington, North Carolina. So, he’d been banished from Scotland and impoverished too. Steller clearly did not profit from his cruelty and pilfering. He was sure Artis would find that news comforting. She’d be even more comforted to learn her tormentor was dead.

As he hurriedly tossed dirt and then rocks over the body, Steller’s motivation for coming after Artis became clear—revenge. The same thing that had compelled Miller to come after him. Their lives wasted, all both men had left was revenge.

When he finished, he set about skinning the bears. Their shiny black pelts would make a beautiful warm covering for the bed he would share with Artis.

For what must have been the hundredth time since he left, he prayed again she would grow well while he was gone. He wanted to start their life together so he could make her happy. After everything she’d been through, she deserved some tranquility in her life—and a great deal of happiness.

He procured a tooth from each bear for a necklace. He’d given his last bear-tooth necklace to a native chief as a peace offering and wanted to start another. Maybe, he’d even give the one that killed Steller to Artis, if she’d have it. Nay, she’d not want a reminder of the man. And he couldn’t blame her one bit.

It was time to go. It took him three days to get here, but without having to search for tracks, he could easily make it back in half that time. He couldn’t wait to be on his way and marched toward the horses, glad to be alive.

I’m coming Artis
.

“Kelly,” Artis called. “Kelly.”

“I’m up here Artis, in the loft. I’ll be down in a second. Just let me get
dressed,” Kelly hollered. “Her voice sounds stronger William.”

“Indeed.”

Artis heard what Kelly said. She did feel stronger and not as sore. Her fever was gone too. In fact, she felt so good, she wanted to get up for a moment.

When Kelly descended the stairs, Artis smiled at her. “Thank ye for comin’ again to my rescue. I believe I need to use the chamber pot.”

“That’s wonderful news!”

Artis let out a small giggle. “That’s the first time anyone’s called it that.”

“Well it means you’re getting better, of course,” Kelly said. “William stay up there for a few minutes.”

Kelly helped her gingerly complete the chore and when they’d finished and washed, Artis got back in bed but managed to sit up. “I have to ask. Is Bear back yet?”

“I wish he was,” Kelly said, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. “William said he was going out to look for Bear later today. I’m concerned for Bear, but I also fret about William going after that killer, and I worry for us if the man decides to return.”

Just the thought of Steller returning made Artis’ heart sink and her insides quiver. She’d remembered his promise to kill her. That was why just the sound of his voice, when she’d heard it from the wagon, was so disturbing it caused fear, stark and vivid, to tear at her insides. She’d been so terrified, she hid like a wounded animal. If she’d been her normal self, she would never have done that. She would have confronted him. But she wasn’t. She’d been so weak she was near death. All she could think of was getting away.

Images of what Steller might do to her new family now flashed through her mind. Her mouth grew dry as she struggled to keep her fragile control. “May I have somethin’ to drink? My mouth feels like I have a ball of cotton
in it.”

“Of course. Do you want water, coffee, or tea?”

“Aye. All three.”

“Oh, you are feeling better! I’m so pleased you are recovering,” Kelly said, bending to scrape a piece of flint against a firesteel to light kindling in the hearth.

“It will be awhile before I’ll be ready to wear a corset or dance a jig again, but I think I’ll be able to walk a wee bit later today. Kelly, I’m so worried about Bear I can hardly think of anythin’ else.”

“Don’t worry. He’ll be back.” She blew on the small flames to give them life.

“But ye just said you were concerned for him.”

“I am. But I also believe in him. Don’t you?”

“Oh, aye, more than anyone else I’ve ever known.”

She watched as Kelly added a few more twigs and when they caught fire, a few logs. Before long, the hearth glowed with a cheerful cook fire.

“Then, what do you say we spend the day getting you prettified for his return?”

“Oh Kelly, that would be so wonderful. I smell bad even to myself. I must smell dreadful to ye. And my hair itches.”

“I can’t promise to get you looking as grand as we did the night of the ball, but I can at least get you clean and smelling good with some of my wildflower-scented soap. And we’ll get your hair washed and braided.”

The thought of being clean again, lifted Artis’ spirits. “I have a fresh shift in my bag too. Is it still up in the loft?”

“No, it’s here beside the bed. I’ll get it out for you later. William, ye can come down now. And I need a lot of water from the cistern please.”

William retrieved several buckets of water and Kelly heated them.
When he sat the last one down, she told Artis about the first time he’d gotten water for her. “He slipped at the creek bank, swollen from a storm, and wound up covered head to toe in mud,” Kelly said, snickering.

“And I was forced to ask Kelly to help me wash it all off,” William added, laughing with her, and giving Kelly a roguish wink.

“Hush, you’ll wake Nicole. Off with you now. You’ll have to eat breakfast at my father’s cabin. Artis needs to eat something light so we’ll have just a simple custard or pudding. Here, take this loaf of bread, sliced ham, and these eggs. Papa will know what to do with them, even if you don’t,” she said, snickering.

Artis chuckled just a bit at their recollections. She couldn’t let out a full laugh just yet. Her wound and her worry for Bear would not allow it.

She couldn’t wait until she and Bear could share a story or tease each other as Kelly as William did. She smiled as she remembered how good it had felt to laugh with Bear. She desperately wanted to feel that way again.

Laughter is the sugar in happiness.

And with Bear, her life would be sweet.

Chapter 32

E
very muscle in Bear’s body ached by the time he stopped and tied the horses up late last night. The moon was high in the sky and made it easy to find his way, and he’d wanted to keep pushing himself toward Whispering Hills. He was so close. But he had badly needed rest. And food. Even though it was late, he had built a fire and warmed the last of the dried meat and corncakes Kelly sent with him. They were hard and stale, but better than his growling empty stomach.

With his hatchet clutched tightly in his hand, he’d fallen asleep, afraid he would dream about the monstrous bear.

But his thoughts had turned to Artis and he’d slept well, dreaming of kissing her, endlessly.

This morning, he awoke to a brilliant and stunning dawn, and felt refreshed and eager to be on his way. He ate the one apple he had left and saddled Camel. The cool fall air held a note of crispness and it reminded him that he would need to make building their cabin a priority. He might even make it grand enough to be called a house, funds permitting.

Within two hours, he crossed the creek that signaled he was close. He squeezed his legs to Camel’s sides and urged the horse to a gallop. As he splashed through the water, it dawned on him that he needed a bath—badly. He smelled foul and still bore bear and his own blood on him. He
was sure he smelled like smoke too from putting out the fire. Although he was anxious to reach Artis, he didn’t want to be repulsive to her when he arrived.

He tugged up on Camel’s reins and walked the horses to a spot where they could drink and rest.

He pulled out the wedge of lye soap he always kept in his saddle bag, stepped into the knee-high water, and started scrubbing his clothing. His buckskin shirt was ripped open along one side and torn in several places on each sleeve. And his black leather breeches revealed the pale skin of his legs in a few places. The stains might not come out, but at least he would get his clothing dirt-free. The tough buckskin and sturdy leather had helped to protect his flesh from the bear’s claws. If he’d worn a linen shirt and wool breeches, his injuries would have been far worse.

When he finished, he took everything off and washed his entire body vigorously, except for the side with the gashes from the bear’s claw. That side he washed with a feather light touch, wincing when the lye soap burned the deep scratch there and the cuts on his arms and hands. The strong soap would help to keep the cuts from festering.

The last thing he washed was his hair, taking great care around the puncture wound on his scalp. He scrubbed everywhere else vigorously, and made sure he got all the blood out of his hair. When he finished rinsing the soap out, he squeezed out as much water as he could.

It took quite a while, but at last, he felt clean. Actually, he felt a lot better too. The cool water seemed to benefit his wounds. His cuts were still stinging but they weren’t as sore and tender to the touch. And he smelled a whole lot better too. He took a twig, chewed the end until it softened, and then used it to clean his teeth with the pumice he carried in his saddle bag. Too anxious to be on his way, he decided not to bother with shaving.

He started up again and his heart beat faster with each pound of the horses’ hooves. He could think of nothing else but Artis. She had to be all right. She had to be getting better. She just had to.

When he caught sight of the cabin, joy exploded through him. He raced
Camel up to the porch, leapt from the saddle, and swiftly tied the two horses. He didn’t bother to knock and threw the door open.