Riverbreeze: Part 3 (38 page)

“What do we do now?” Jamie asked. He looked sick, also feeling awful about Burcher getting shot.

Robert stared across the clearing at the open doorway, thinking. He was able to see right into the house; however, Wesley nor Elizabeth were visible, only the fireplace with a fire in it. The flames were dancing all over the place from the wind coming through the open door.

Burcher was dragging himself back towards the house. “Come out here, Wesley, and help me.” He yelled. “You’re the cause of this.”

Of course, Wesley did not come out.
Damn him
, Robert thought.

Finally, he turned to Jamie and Nick. “You two go left and move up to the left side of the house; I’ll go right so I can get to Burcher and see what I can do for him. Then when I give you the signal we’ll burst through the door and shoot Wesley.”

“Are you sure that’s going to work?” Nick asked, looking skeptical.

“Do you have a better idea?” Robert snapped.

Nick backed down. “No.”

“All right. Let’s move.”

“You stay here, Owas, and if he comes out, shoot him. I don’t care where.”

Owasewas nodded, retrieving another arrow from his quiver.

Robert crouched low and ran from tree to tree until he had gone about one hundred feet. He watched Jamie and Nick do the same thing going in the opposite direction. He was dismayed that he could see them so clearly. It meant that Wesley could see them also, if he was watching from the window. And possibly Wesley could see him as well. Oh well, he was out of options. But he also berated himself for believing that he could rescue Elizabeth on his own with only Jamie, Nick and Owasewas as reinforcements. He realized he should have used Sheriff Huett and the search party.

Too late now
, he thought, as he sprinted across the side yard and flattened himself against the side of the house. He peeked around the corner and watched Jamie and Nick do the same. Robert was glad to see how fast they reacted.

“Hey!” Burcher yelled out. By this time he was almost to the doorstep.

Robert waved frantically at him to shut him up. In the off chance that Wesley hadn’t seen them, he wanted everyone to be as quiet as possible.

Burcher acknowledged him with a nod and a wave of his own; then he looked over his shoulder at Jamie and Nick at the other corner of the house. Going limp with relief, he scooted himself up against the side of the house and sat leaning against the rough clapboards, still clutching his leg with the arrow sticking out of it.

Robert crouched low and scurried to Burcher, dropping to the ground at his side. “Who the hell shot me?” Burcher demanded.

Robert looked at his leg and grimaced at the sight of the arrow sticking out of his thigh. Blood stained his breeches, but not too much actually. “My friend, Owasewas. How does your leg feel?”

“How do you think it feels?” He snapped. His face was flushed from anger and pain, making his burn scars look even more grotesque than usual.

Robert immediately flinched. “Shh. I don’t want Wesley to know I’m here.”

“He already knows, you moron!” Burcher said in a loud voice; then he whispered, “He’s got a gun. He’s holding it against Elizabeth’s head. Pannoowau’s yell was a signal to him.”

Robert snorted. “I gathered that.”

“Get out here, Wesley, and help me before I bleed to death!” Burcher shouted again. Then he lowered his voice again. “If you go in, I’ll keep yelling and hopefully it will distract him.”

“I doubt that.” Robert scoffed, “But I thank you for your help.”

“Good luck.”

Robert squeezed Burcher’s shoulder. Then he cocked his pistol. It was now or never. He signaled to Jamie and Nick with a pointed forefinger, and then he stood up and yelled, “I’m coming in, Wesley.”

“Be my guest, brother.” Wesley yelled back. “I’ve been waiting for you.”

Robert stepped slowly into the house with Jamie and Nick at his back. They stopped after only taking three steps through the door.

Oh God
. Wesley held Elizabeth in front of him as they sat on the bed, Wesley’s gun at Elizabeth’s head. His eyes met hers. She was extremely pale except where she had a slight bruise on the left side of her face. She looked frightened but not hysterical. Her hands were tied behind her back and her hair was a mess. Oddly enough, she wore a man’s shirt and breeches. She had on her own stockings but no shoes. Was that Wesley’s idea to keep her from running if she managed to free herself?

“Welcome Robbie. Jamie, and friend.” Wesley smirked. “So good of you to visit. I see you found my note.”

What note?
Robert thought.

From outside Burcher shouted, “Get out here, you bastard! You shithead! I’m bleeding to death here!” He continued to yell and shout obscenities and yell some more.

Wesley’s face hardened. His lips pressed together, but otherwise he didn’t react. Much to Robert’s dismay he kept his pistol pointed at Elizabeth’s temple.

Damn
. Robert was afraid to move in case Wesley took it as a threat. He slowly lowered his gun. “Let her go, Wesley. I’m here now; kill me if you want.”

Wesley laughed. “Oh, that will happen in time, but for now I want you to watch your little wife suffer. She’s already had a bad night, but not bad enough for me. You see, I had eight years of bad nights after you were born—“

“She has nothing to do with that!” Robert shouted, taking a step forward.

Wesley nudged the barrel of his pistol into Elizabeth’s temple. She let out a whimper and Robert froze.

More shouting from outside, “You devil savage! You filthy bugger; get out here and help me, you shitbrain!”

“Shut your damn mouth, Burcher!” Wesley shouted back.

By now Burcher was sitting on the doorstep, leaning into the open doorway. “You’re a coward and a worthless, lying bastard, Halcock! You bugger sheep; you drink your own piss and eat your own shit—“

That’s when Wesley made his one mistake which cost him his life. You could see it on his face; he was furious, absolutely, completely furious. He was fed up with the yelling and shouting and insults, and he snapped. In that impulsive moment of rage he shoved Elizabeth away from him and went to stand up, intending to charge out of the house and shut Burcher up, no doubt.

Robert reacted instantly and raised his pistol. In that split second before he pulled the trigger, Wesley realized his mistake and his face went from mottled red to chalk white. The shot echoed in the small one-room cabin and smoke obscured Robert’s view for a second or two, but soon it was clear enough for everyone to see Wesley lying flat on the bed, blood quickly staining his doublet from the wound in his chest.

Robert looked at him and felt nothing. Wesley wasn’t dead yet, but he would be soon. Even with her hands tied behind her back, Elizabeth managed to slip off the bed and run to her husband, throwing herself into his arms. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. “Thank God you’re all right.” He whispered into her hair.

“You’ll burn in hell for this.” Wesley hissed, gasping for breath. He struggled to sit up, but couldn’t quite manage it. He clutched at the middle of his chest, blood seeping through his fingers.

At those words, Robert seethed. He gently handed Elizabeth to Jamie, giving her a tender kiss on her bruised cheek. “I need to take care of this.” He said softly to both of them. Jamie nodded, his face resolved. Nick nodded once too and quietly slipped out the door, giving them privacy.

Robert purposefully went up to the bed and put his pistol down as he leaned over his older half-brother. He looked him all over, feeling nothing but hatred. No compassion, no forgiveness, no affection or love. This man had nearly ruined his life; this man had nearly murdered his wife; this man had nearly killed him when he was twelve years old and he had had no compunction whatsoever. Robert grabbed Wesley’s doublet close to his throat; he jerked him up slightly while he spat into his face. “No,
you
will burn in hell.
You
abducted my wife.
You
whipped me and Jamie when we were children.
You
are the spawn of the devil.”

Wesley tried to hit Robert, but Robert was quicker and stronger and caught his hand and wrestled it down.

Even as he lay there, shot and defeated, he still had to goad Robert. “I had her, Robbie.” Wesley said, an evil smirk on his face. “And she was ever so sweet.”

Robert tightened his grip on Wesley’s doublet, tightening it around his neck until Wesley’s face turned purple.

Elizabeth spoke then and Robert turned to look at her. “No, he didn’t, Robert. He tried, but…but…” She started to cry and she buried her face into Jamie’s shoulder as he held her close.

Robert turned back to Wesley, burning with rage. “You see me, Wesley? You see my face? Remember that I am the one who killed you.” He said through his teeth. He let go of Wesley’s doublet, only to wrap his hand around his brother’s throat. He squeezed until Wesley’s eyes bulged and his mouth opened wider as he struggled to breathe. “Remember that I am the one who took your last breath. You will not hurt me or my family ever again. I will be free of you. Jamie and I will finally be free.” And he tightened his fingers around Wesley’s throat, pressing his hand down and pushing Wesley’s chin up until Wesley started to make horrible choking noises. He kicked his feet and struggled to free himself, but he was too weak and Robert glared into his terrified eyes, pressing and squeezing, crushing his windpipe, until the life went out of his eyes and he went limp.

* * *

Robert and Elizabeth didn’t share a bed that night. Instead he was in Jamie’s bedchamber, sharing his. At the moment, however, he was standing at the window, staring out into the dark of night.

“Are you coming to bed?” Jamie asked. He was already settled in, ready to call it a night.

This was the first time Robert and Jamie had been alone since returning to Riverbreeze. They had brought Billy Burcher with them, knowing he would need medical care that they could not provide alone at the cabin. Abigail knew what herbs and poultices to use on his wound, and she had taken charge immediately upon them entering the kitchen. Robert had this knowledge as well, but his mind was elsewhere and Burcher didn’t have the required dried herbs anyway. Burcher was now sleeping in the small cottage with the servants. Owasewas had been the one who actually removed the arrow from Burcher’s thigh, (he said he had done it several times before on his own people after a few skirmishes with warring tribes), but after that, all they were able to do was wrap it up and bring him back to Riverbreeze. Owasewas didn’t return with the brothers and Elizabeth, Nick and Burcher. Robert had invited him, but he refused. He said he had to face Matchitehew and Pannoowau, untie them and go back to his village with them. Robert understood and before Owasewas left, he gave Owasewas Wesley’s and Burnett’s guns. Robert didn’t want them. That may have been a mistake giving those guns to the savages, but he was not the only one illegally trading arms with the natives.

Now Robert didn’t answer Jamie’s question. Instead he said, a note of surprise in his voice. “My hand hurts.” He opened and closed his fist a few times, then rubbed his fingers. His hand was sore as if he had strained it, as if he had…choked someone to death. Jamie didn’t respond, so Robert continued as if it didn’t matter. “I killed him.” He said softly, his voice hoarse. “I killed him, Jamie.” He covered his face with his hands.

Jamie got out of bed and went over to him. He put his arm around Rob’s shoulder in a comforting way. “And I let you do it. God forgive me, but I’m glad you did.” He said.

“Are you really?” Robert asked, peering at him.

“Yes! I wanted him dead as much as you did. We all wanted him dead.”

“Elizabeth is afraid of me now.”

“No, you’re wrong about that.”

“She watched me murder a man.”

“She watched you save her. You saved all of us.”

“She didn’t want me to touch her after we got home. She clung to me on the way home, but as soon as we came through the door, she only wanted Evelyn.” Robert looked at Jamie with despair in his eyes.

Jamie was sympathetic. “Of course she would feel more comfortable with her sister. Give her time to heal. Both she and Evelyn need that time, but especially Elizabeth.”

Robert sighed. “I guess you’re right. Go on to bed, Jamie. I think I’ll go downstairs and make myself a hot drink.”

“Are you sure? I can stay up with you.”

“No. I’ll be fine.”

“Remember, you did the right thing.” Jamie said, before hugging Robert.

When they parted, Robert said, “There was a time when you didn’t want me to do it.”

“I was wrong. You know I’m the weak one. You’re strong, in body and in mind.”

Robert had to laugh. He didn’t believe that.

“What’s so funny?” Jamie demanded.

“You, the weak one. You’re the one who took Wesley’s whippings time after time. You’re the one who defied him again and again. You’re not weak, Jamie.”