The Lady Who Saw Too Much (28 page)

Landen’s fury overpowered his reason. He charged toward Kit, felt the burn in his shoulder as the shot rang out. Alice’s muffled screams filled his ears. He grasped his shoulder. Blood seeped through his trembling fingers. His ears buzzed. His body swayed. Spots formed before his blurry eyes.

He struggled against the force of the darkness luring him under. He had to stay conscious. For Alice. He blinked hard. Gia’s soothing words echoed through his mind.
Keep breathing and focus.

In the midst of repeating the mantra, Landen felt the first blow. Kit struck Landen with his cane again, knocking him to the ground. The man somehow managed to maintain his footing as he kicked Landen’s ribs.

Landen grappled blindly against the assault. The cane whipped through the air, striking his head. Landen yanked at Kit’s leg, and Kit fell to the ground. The gun flew from his hand. Landen clung to the man, fighting to keep the gun from Kit’s reach. They struggled and rolled in the dirt. Kit straddled Landen’s back, driving his head into the ground, again and again. Something cinched his throat, stopping his breath. Kit was strangling him with the scarf. The red scarf.

Landen yanked at the thing, gasping for air. He couldn’t go like this—in the dirt, at the hands of a madman, with Alice watching him die. He wouldn’t. He fought with all his might. He fought for Alice and Alex. For Gia—the woman he loved more than he’d ever realized until now.

They wrestled, rolling over each other. Landen could no longer breathe. They were getting closer to the ledge, and he was getting closer to death. Kit would kill Alice next….

The light dimmed. He thought of Gia. Of how much he loved her. She’d known this was his fate all along. The stunning truth roused his faith in her—his trust that she would save them. He trusted her with his life, and he’d prove it now.

With the last ounce of his strength, he made one final move. He rolled hard, taking Kit with him. The image of Gia’s beautiful face filled his mind. That was the last thing he saw before they hurtled over the ledge.

Gia’s chest heaved with exertion as she and Alex raced through the woods. Branches slapped at her face, her feet throbbed. She’d done her best to explain the situation to Alex, without mentioning her visions. Baffled by her ramblings, he’d refused to believe Kit would do anything to harm anyone, but Gia’s frantic pleas for his help had convinced him to go with her. Despite her relief that he’d agreed to help find his siblings, Gia couldn’t help fearing he might be a part of Kit’s scheme.

She still had the gun in her pocket, and she’d use it if necessary—even on Alex—to protect Alice and Landen. The path grew steeper as they neared the plateau high above the creek.

The sound of a gunshot stopped them in their tracks. Her rioting panic escalated, dizzying her senses. As did the fear in Alex’s eyes. Without a word, she drew the pistol from her pocket.

His face paled as he stared down at the gun in her hand.

“This way,” she said, reorienting herself. “It’s up here.”

They raced up the trail to the plateau above the water. Only the sound of the birds filled the eerie silence around them. Gia shivered against the prickle of dread that ran down her spine. The sound of a snapped twig made her jump. Alice’s horse peeked its head through the tall brush. Gia glanced to the gnarled tree, and the sudden sound of whimpers behind it.

“Alice!”

The girl’s muffled cry tore at Gia’s heart.

“Oh my God.” Alex raced toward his sister, and Gia saw in his horrified reaction he had no involvement in Kit’s plan.

Her relief was confirmed as he stood over Alice, as he had in Gia’s vision, before he sprang into action. Alice’s muffled cries became more frantic as he fumbled to unknot the long rope binding her wrists and ankles. He cursed aloud, his hands trembling as Gia moved to loosen the gag over Alice’s mouth.

“They fell!” Alice pointed, chest heaving. “He shot Denny, and they fell over the ledge!”

Gia’s heart thumped madly. She ran toward the ledge. Her heart stopped. She took in the sight—her vision come true. Landen lay deathly still in the shallow water below, a red scarf floating around him.

“Landen!”

It took only one glance at Kit’s broken body sprawled atop a large boulder on the rocky shore to know he was dead. She bit back the sick taste in her mouth.

“Why? Why would Kit do this?” Alex called out.

Staring at Landen’s still body, she feared they might never know. She swallowed hard, focusing on getting to Landen. She scrambled to climb down the steep embankment, clinging to rocks and bushes as she moved. Her skirts snagged and tangled as she struggled to lower herself. Alex appeared suddenly at her side, skidding past her in his haste to get to his brother. He directed her descent from below her, forging their path over the jutting rocks. He jumped to safety at the shore, then helped Gia down.

They waded into the shallow water, then turned Landen to his back. A deep gash on his forehead bloodied his pale face, and his lips were an alarming shade of blue. They dragged Landen from the water and up to the shore.

Gia knelt next to him, tears pouring down her face as Alex uncoiled the scarf from Landen’s neck, then tore open his shirt. The medal Gia had given Landen winked in the sunlight as Alex pressed his ear to Landen’s chest.

“He’s alive,” he said.

Gia’s heart lifted. The blood seeping from Landen’s shoulder quickly squelched her relief.

Alex gazed up the embankment. “We’ll never get him up there.” He glanced down the shoreline and then back up the embankment. “Alice! Toss down the rope!”

Alice did as directed.

Alex worked to uncoil the long rope, shouting to Alice again. “Get the horse and meet us down stream!” He hesitated, rope in hand, staring up at his sister. “Can you do that?”

With a frantic nod, Alice disappeared from sight.

“Let’s get him back in the water,” Alex said.

“In the water? But why?”

“We’ll be able to move him easier that way. We’ll use the current to float him along.”

With a nod, Gia drew a deep breath for the challenge ahead as Alex worked and knotted the rope. Together they struggled to drag Landen back into the water. Fashioning the rope like a sling beneath Landen’s torso, they each took a side as they guided him carefully on the current. The distance from the steep creek bank to level terrain seemed endless as they floated Landen along. Bedrock underfoot hindered their pace. Gia’s sopped skirts grew heavier with each step as they waded with the force of the current.

Sweat beaded on her brow, trickling into her eyes, and her throat was so parched she could barely force air into her lungs. Landen was alive. She had to keep him that way, and the urge to save him gave her the strength to push onward.

“I’m here!” Alice waved on the shore up ahead.

The girl had made surprisingly good time, and Gia couldn’t help being impressed. And grateful.

They grunted against Landen’s weight as they dragged him to shore. Alex took a deep breath, clearly exhausted. “I’ll need you both to help me get him up on the horse,” he said. “But first we have to stop the bleeding.”

Gia tore a piece of dry fabric from the tattered hem of Alice’s skirts. Alex took the long strip, then tore it in half. He packed a wadded piece against the wound, then tied it in place with the other.

Landen moaned, and his eyes fluttered open.

“Gia.” A quivering smile touched his lips. “You found us.”

“Shh. It’s all right, my darling.” She smoothed back his wet hair.

“Alice?”

“She is fine,” Gia said. “Alex is here too.”

“We’re all fine, Brother,” Alex said, securing the dressing. “Just hold on, and let us take care of you for a change.” Alex’s voice clogged with emotion, and Gia realized suddenly how much Alex truly loved his brother. Alex squeezed Landen’s hand. “We’re taking you home.”

* * * *

The trek back to the house took forever. Gia led the horse through the woods as quickly as she could with Landen slumped against Alex’s chest to keep him mounted as they moved. When they finally reached the edge of the woods, Florence and a group of people hurried toward them.

“He’s bleeding badly! He’s been shot,” Gia cried. Tears streamed down her face as all the pent-up emotion and fear spewed forth.

The men carefully pulled Landen from the horse, then carried him across the lawn toward the house.

Alice flew into Florence’s arms, hugging her tight. The girl had been through quite an ordeal. She was stronger than Gia had ever realized, and she loved her all the more for her surprising inner strength.

“Where’s Doctor Reed?” Gia cried, searching the faces around her.

“He is away. I am Doctor Merrick, Mrs. Elmsworth. I’m filling in for Doctor Reed this week.”

Gia nodded as the doctor hurried after the men. A young woman appeared at Gia’s side and took her by the arm. “I am Madeline,” she said. “Doctor Merrick’s wife.” She inspected the scratches and cuts on Gia’s face. “Are you hurt?”

Gia shook her head. “No, I am fine.”

“Come on, let’s see to your husband.”

Gia let Madeline lead her into the house while Florence attended to Alice.

“He fell over the cliff,” Gia murmured. “He’s been shot.”

“Don’t worry,” Madeline said. “We’ll take good care of him. I promise.”

Gia followed as the men carried Landen upstairs to their room. She sidled her way to the bed. Brushing back the wet hair clinging to his face, she leaned to whisper in his ear. “Please don’t leave me.”

She clutched his cold hand. Closing her eyes, she hoped for a vision of his recovery, like the one she’d had of Clara that night, but nothing appeared. The frightening possibility he might die, here in their bed, chased the breath from her lungs.

Doctor Merrick ordered the men from the room, then placed his hands on Gia’s shoulders. “Let me tend to him now,” he said softly.

“I can help,” Gia uttered, though she wasn’t sure how.

“My wife will help me.” He turned to Madeline and gave a firm nod. “She knows what to do.”

Madeline peeled off her gloves, then tossed them aside. She took Gia’s hands firmly in hers and gave them a squeeze. “Wait downstairs,” she said gently. “Let us care for him.”

The vision struck quickly. Madeline leaned over Landen’s still form, her eyes closed in a trance, her palms pressed to the bleeding wound on his shoulder. The flow of blood oozing between her fingers slowed beneath her small hands and then stopped completely.

Gia gasped in surprise, opening her eyes. Blinking back her amazement, she eased from the woman’s tight grip on her hands, blinking again.

“Are you all right?” Madeline’s eyes filled with concern.

Gia stared into her pretty face, too stunned to speak.

“Please bring her downstairs,” Madeline instructed Alex. “And get her something to drink.”

Gia moved in a daze, in a maelstrom of bewilderment at what she had seen. She glanced back at Madeline as Alex led her from the room. The sound of the door closing firmly behind them echoed through the din in the hall. Alex took Gia’s arm, and they joined the others as they filed downstairs.

Gia sat in the parlor with Alex and Alice, the low chatter of the crowd outside wafting in from the open windows. Despite what she’d seen Madeline do in the vision, her mind reeled with fears for Landen, and everything else that had transpired today—these past months.

She wiped at her misty eyes, remembering everything. The first time she’d set eyes on Landen, their first kiss. The first time he’d made love to her. How she longed to be in his strong arms again, hear the sound of his laughter.

A long hour later, Madeline stepped into the parlor. “Your husband wishes to see you, Mrs. Elmsworth.”

Gia sprang to her feet.

“He’s lost a lot of blood, and his ankle is badly sprained, but he will be fine.”

Gia smiled. She hugged Madeline with all the relief flooding inside her. “Thank you,” she uttered against her hair. “Thank you for saving him.”

Madeline drew away. “You can thank my husband—”

“No,” Gia said, shaking her head. “It was you.” She clasped Madeline’s hands and gave a firm nod. “It was you.”

The woman’s dark eyes flashed wide. Her defensive look softened into a look of perplexity. “But how… How could you know—”

“It doesn’t matter right now,” Gia said with a smile.

Madeline tilted her head, studying Gia. After several long moments, a tremulous smile touched her lips. “Perhaps the two of us should have tea sometime,” she said. “I’ve a feeling we may have a few things in common.”

Gia nodded. “As do I.” Gia hugged her again before hurrying up the stairs to see Landen.

She raced into the room. Landen lay in bed, his ankle set in a splint and raised on a pile of pillows. His bandaged shoulder hung in a sling.

“Kit is dead,” he said bluntly.

Gia nodded. “Yes.”

Landen averted his eyes. “He was Isobel’s fiancé,” he said. “Before I stole her away.”

Gia gaped, stunned by the news.

“All these years he’s been waiting to take his revenge….” He turned back to Gia. “I’m so sorry for the things I said to you, Gia.”

She shook her head and tears rolled down her cheeks.

“I’m so sorry,” he repeated.

“It’s all right.” She grasped his hand, and his warm flesh spurred a sigh of relief. “You’re all right.”

“Because of you,” he uttered. His eyes filled with sorrow. “Alice and I would have died out there. But you knew where we were. The red scarf. You knew all along.”

She nodded.

“I should have believed you,” he said. “I should have trusted you.” He straightened in the bed, grimacing at the effort. “You were telling me the truth. You really came to Misty Lake to save me. A complete stranger,” he said as though he still couldn’t believe it.

She nodded again.

“Why?”

“Prudence,” she uttered. “I didn’t fight to save her.” She gazed into his face. “I had to fight to save you.”

“And you did.” He smiled. “As I knew you would.”

She tamped back her elation. Suppressed the joy bubbling inside. She’d told him about her visions, and he believed her now. But if there was to be a future with him, she had to tell him everything. “There is something else you should know.”