before he passed. A friend of her grandfather’s, Beltcher visited her home numerous times.
Looking back now it seemed strange that no one had offered to help her settle her grandfather’s estate. For that matter, the livestock, did the Williamsons take it all? She didn’t remember seeing them leave with any, but she had been in shock.
No one had mentioned her grandfather’s holding and she had not asked. She had walked through the motions of living, but all that had consumed her was that burning hatred, hatred of the murdering cowards, hatred of herself for living.
She left one morning, taking only the clothes upon her back and her horse, the one her brother broke for her when she was twelve. She made her home at Laker’s Grove, surviving only with thoughts of revenge. Then she remembered a conversation she had with Joseph Williamson. He mentioned his home outside of Camden.
The thought occurred to her that it might be where Bloody Benny camped. She asked herself how hard could it be to shoot a man. She hadn’t planned on returning. Her only objective was to kill the monster that had destroyed her family, but she had failed. She only hoped now that failure wouldn’t cost her Sumner.
Chapter 5
Damp and cold, Jane plodded through the creek bed. Thankful that the rain had stopped and moonlight had broken through the scattering clouds, she wished only to find the spot where she left Sumner quickly. What if she lost her way? However would she find him again!
“Jane!”
“Sumner!”
Relief flooded through her when he walked out of the woods. He grabbed her reins before she had a chance to draw back. Slipping off the horse, her trembling body fell into his waiting arms.
“Did you run into trouble?”
Suddenly nothing else mattered but being in his arms. “None. I told Mr. Parker everything. He said he would be here mid-morning and suspected something might be afoot. He was going to tell you in the morning what he suspected. I believe he felt quite guilty, but he said he had good news. Your man Israel is set to meet you.”
“That is good,” he answered, but even in the near-darkness she saw the worry set in his eyes. Without warning, tears welled up. She lowered her gaze to shield her weakness from him. “Are you okay”
“I’m fine.”
“It is quite obvious you’re not,” he said. “Let’s get out of this rain.”
He wrapped his hand around her waist and led her to where he’d created a simple shelter for the night, a lean-to made of fallen branches.
“Are you hungry? There is still some food left from what you brought.”
She shook her head. “Mr. Parker made up a package for us. It’s on the saddle.”
“Crawl under and rest. I’ll return shortly after I take care of the horse.”
Exhausted, Jane did what Sumner told her. She lay back and stared into the night’s darkness. Her mind raced with troubling thoughts, but she refused to think about anything save for this moment. She pushed back all her disconcerting feelings, all but the love she felt for the man who saved her.
Sumner was back within minutes. He slung the saddle down close to Jane. Sitting on a log, he took off his boots and began undressing. She watched him as always fascinated by the magnificent figure of the man he was, with his broad shoulders and muscular form. Tight, hard lines lured her gaze down the taper of his back to his firm buttocks and evident arousal. He turned to her and kneeled down to where she lay.
He reached for her, pulling her into his shoulder. He held her to him with a need she could feel within herself also. His hand unbuttoned her shirt exposing her to the cool, damp air, but all she felt was the warmth he brought with his touch.
Unbuttoning her shirt, he slipped it off, leaving her exposed to his desires. His gaze meandered over her and then he paused.
“You are unsettled, Jane.” His voice was deep and low. “Do you want me to stop? Or do you feel as I do?”
Putting words to
Looking back now it seemed strange that no one had offered to help her settle her grandfather’s estate. For that matter, the livestock, did the Williamsons take it all? She didn’t remember seeing them leave with any, but she had been in shock.
No one had mentioned her grandfather’s holding and she had not asked. She had walked through the motions of living, but all that had consumed her was that burning hatred, hatred of the murdering cowards, hatred of herself for living.
She left one morning, taking only the clothes upon her back and her horse, the one her brother broke for her when she was twelve. She made her home at Laker’s Grove, surviving only with thoughts of revenge. Then she remembered a conversation she had with Joseph Williamson. He mentioned his home outside of Camden.
The thought occurred to her that it might be where Bloody Benny camped. She asked herself how hard could it be to shoot a man. She hadn’t planned on returning. Her only objective was to kill the monster that had destroyed her family, but she had failed. She only hoped now that failure wouldn’t cost her Sumner.
Chapter 5
Damp and cold, Jane plodded through the creek bed. Thankful that the rain had stopped and moonlight had broken through the scattering clouds, she wished only to find the spot where she left Sumner quickly. What if she lost her way? However would she find him again!
“Jane!”
“Sumner!”
Relief flooded through her when he walked out of the woods. He grabbed her reins before she had a chance to draw back. Slipping off the horse, her trembling body fell into his waiting arms.
“Did you run into trouble?”
Suddenly nothing else mattered but being in his arms. “None. I told Mr. Parker everything. He said he would be here mid-morning and suspected something might be afoot. He was going to tell you in the morning what he suspected. I believe he felt quite guilty, but he said he had good news. Your man Israel is set to meet you.”
“That is good,” he answered, but even in the near-darkness she saw the worry set in his eyes. Without warning, tears welled up. She lowered her gaze to shield her weakness from him. “Are you okay”
“I’m fine.”
“It is quite obvious you’re not,” he said. “Let’s get out of this rain.”
He wrapped his hand around her waist and led her to where he’d created a simple shelter for the night, a lean-to made of fallen branches.
“Are you hungry? There is still some food left from what you brought.”
She shook her head. “Mr. Parker made up a package for us. It’s on the saddle.”
“Crawl under and rest. I’ll return shortly after I take care of the horse.”
Exhausted, Jane did what Sumner told her. She lay back and stared into the night’s darkness. Her mind raced with troubling thoughts, but she refused to think about anything save for this moment. She pushed back all her disconcerting feelings, all but the love she felt for the man who saved her.
Sumner was back within minutes. He slung the saddle down close to Jane. Sitting on a log, he took off his boots and began undressing. She watched him as always fascinated by the magnificent figure of the man he was, with his broad shoulders and muscular form. Tight, hard lines lured her gaze down the taper of his back to his firm buttocks and evident arousal. He turned to her and kneeled down to where she lay.
He reached for her, pulling her into his shoulder. He held her to him with a need she could feel within herself also. His hand unbuttoned her shirt exposing her to the cool, damp air, but all she felt was the warmth he brought with his touch.
Unbuttoning her shirt, he slipped it off, leaving her exposed to his desires. His gaze meandered over her and then he paused.
“You are unsettled, Jane.” His voice was deep and low. “Do you want me to stop? Or do you feel as I do?”
Putting words to
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