law? But we’ll be married,” she said in a harsh whisper. “I don’t want to marry . . . you. I don’t even know you!” She stopped to catch her breath, looking around to make sure everyone was still asleep. Thoughts of escape raced through her mind. Then thoughts of getting lost, attacked by wild animals or snakes flooded over her. Running away wouldn’t be a wise idea. She’d never find her way to Denver City. Or would she? From here she could see the lights. If she would just follow the lights, she could get out of these mountains on her own.
“I have to be in Denver. They’re expecting me.” She hoped the savage would find this an important enough reason to return her to civilization.
“Who’s expecting you?”
She sighed, preparing herself to hear the famous speech of a woman traveling alone and the great dangers thereof. She had lost count of all the people who’d warned her on the train. Just then, her thoughts knocked her upside the head. Didn’t someone warn her of Indians? And now here she sat a captive. She decided his speech would be a bit late in coming.
“The board of education,” she finally said.
“Do you have family there?”
She stared past him into the lonely shadows of the forest. “I don’t have any family.”
“What are you doing here?”
She breathed deeply. “I came all the way from New York to work as a teacher. If you will please escort me to Denver City in the morning, I would be very grateful.” She tried to sound dignified, self-assured, though in her heart she was terrified and begging. “I don’t wish to marry you. You seem like a decent person, but I don’t know you,” she added, trying to soften the blow, as if she hadn’t already been blunt about it. “Please, I have to go to Denver.”
He sighed and lay back down. “You’ve been taken by Indians. You can’t expect them to deliver you where you want to go.”
“Don’t you mean, ‘kidnapped’?” She lay down, trembling as she stared at the stars. She should have gotten off the train near Julesburg. Had she done that, she wouldn’t be lying here right now, conversing with a savage.
“The others in the wagons didn’t care about you. So you weren’t kidnapped. Just given as a peace offering.”
She crossed her arms to ward off the chill. “All they cared about was saving their own scalps. I’ve never met such cowards in all my life.” Her voice hitched as she said the words aloud, thinking of how afraid everyone was of Al and how none of them were willing to bring her water.
“Neither have I.” The purr of his voice was close, sending a tingle down her neck. He covered her with buckskin, and then moved away. The warmth enveloped her.
“Tank—thank you,” she said, glad he was no longer near, but grateful for the warmth. A knot came to her throat. She tried not to cry, isolation and loneliness choking her.
That lonely feeling was all too familiar.
She had hoped to finally be happy, maybe even find an essence of her papa in Denver City. It seemed home would always be out of reach.
But it wasn’t out of reach. She could actually see it. Hope was not lost. Not when she was so close.
The lights of the distant city called out to her, winked at her. Taunted her.
Tonight. This night.
Her one and only chance to escape.
Chapter Five
Anna lay staring at the stars for a long time. The warmth of the buckskin nearly made her fall asleep, but she threw it off in order to stay awake.
When heavy, even breathing came from White Eagle, and she was certain everyone else was asleep as their snores continued to break through the silence, she turned to Beth and poked her.
“Bet,” she whispered close to her ear.
“What?” Beth rolled over, still half asleep. “What’s wrong?”
“Get up. We’re getting out of here. I’m taking us to Denver City.”
“What?” Fear reflected in Beth’s moonlit eyes.
“Shh . . . .” Anna put her fingers to her mouth and glanced around. No one stirred. “If we’re going to escape, we have to go now. Denver is still in view, and who knows how deep in the mountains we’ll be by tomorrow evening.”
“I can’t go.” Beth rolled over to go back to sleep.
“What?” Anna shook her shoulder. “Wake up. We have to go. Running Cloud is going to force you to marry him.”
Beth faced Anna. “I know. Maybe he will treat me better than Al did. Besides, I don’t have work waiting for me. What would I do? I don’t have any money. I have nothing.” Her eyes glistened in the moonlight. “And what if they recapture us?” She grabbed Anna’s hand. “I have a bad feeling about this.”
“We can figure all that out on de way there. Please Bet, this is our only chance. We have to go now.” It seemed she’d forgotten how to speak all together, but in this moment of desperation, it no longer mattered.
“I just can’t.” Beth shook her head. “Running Cloud has been—well—kind to me. I don’t fear him. Not like I feared Al. I don’t know why, but I just don’t.”
“But he murdered your husband.” The urgency in Anna’s voice rose.
“Any future he has to offer me has to be better than anything Denver City could offer. I’d likely be forced to work as a saloon girl just to survive. I’d rather live with Indians than be forced into that kind of a life.” She took in a long, deep breath. “We mustn’t be afraid,” she said as if not only convincing Anna, but herself. She patted Anna’s hand. “Everything’s going to be all right. God will take care of us.” Beth lay back down as if all was right with the world.
Anna couldn’t believe her ears. How could Beth act as if this dire situation didn’t exist? It was beyond Anna’s comprehension. It was foolish!
Besides, where was God when Anna was being beaten by her uncle? How did He take care of her then? The only way God would take care of them was if they did something about it.
Anna didn’t have time to argue with her friend. If she were going to get away, she had to leave now. This was her only chance to escape. She hadn’t planned on leaving Beth behind, but she couldn’t force her to go without waking everybody. If Anna stayed, there would be absolutely no hope. But if she went now, there would at least be a ray of hope, small one though it might be. Once in Denver, she would notify the marshal of their kidnapping and he could rescue Beth. Yes, that’s what she would do.
Quietly, she got to her feet, wrapped the buckskin over her shoulders, and picked up her carpetbag. She felt like a tree standing amidst the sleeping bodies. Surely someone would take notice of her, but nobody moved. Holding her breath, she lifted her skirt and stepped toward a slight opening between White Eagle and another Indian.
Fingers clamped around her ankle. She froze, fear prickling from her toes to her neck.
