slapping her quirt against her thick skirt.
“You’d best get beneath some shelter.” Cole saw Doolan running toward them. “The rain is worsening and you’ll catch your death if you get soaked.”
“I don’t melt like sugar,” she seethed.
“But I do.”
Doolan quickly gathered the horses’ reins. “The men will have your tent set up in no time, Mrs. Alexander.” He took off running, with the horses in tow.
Cole pulled Beth beneath the limbs of the tree. “Looks like you’re going to have to wait here.”
“Why didn’t you kiss me properly?” Both asked as she brushed away the droplets of water that clung to her green velvet riding gown.
Cole grinned. “I think you overestimate men. Why don’t you put that in the journal you’re keeping?”
“What do you mean, I overestimate men?” Again Beth became lost in the depths of those dark, penetrating eyes. She had to force herself to turn away and watch the others hurriedly setting up camp. The rain was heavier now.
“I think the average man is shy, or maybe I should say cautious. He has only had a few female encounters before marrying and settling down. He spends a lot of time around other men and he’s not nearly as experienced with the opposite sex as he would like women and other men to believe.”
“Are you describing yourself?” Had she misread the passion in his eyes only moments ago?
“Probably, but I never married.”
“Did some woman break your heart?”
Cole broke out in a hearty laugh.
“What is so funny?”
Suddenly the wind kicked up, causing the rain to come in torrents. Cole could no longer see the wagons parked some thirty-odd yards away. Within seconds the water had worked its way through the thick leaves and branches of the tree and was dripping on both of them. Lightning cracked and danced about. It had all happened so quickly.
Cole removed his duster and draped it over Beth. “We’re going to have to make a dash for that shallow ditch!”
The thunder was deafening and Beth didn’t hear what he’d said. As Cole started to move her from the protection of the tree, she balked. “I’m not going anywhere!”
Lacking time for explanations, Cole picked Beth up and ran. Raindrops hammered his face. Having to slosh across muddy ground made the distance seem twice as long. He didn’t see the ditch bank until he stumbled over it. He toppled forward, landing in a muddy pool with Beth beneath him.
“What are you trying to do?” Beth tried scrambling out from under him. “Drown me?” Seeing that the outlaw was making no effort to move, she frantically twisted and shoved, desperately needing to draw fresh air into her lungs. “Dammit, get off me!” Furious at being held down, she gathered all her strength, braced her back against the muddy bank and shoved. Cole rolled off her, but her legs were still pinned beneath him.
“Is this some way of getting even?” Beth yelled. “If you wanted me dead, why didn’t you just shoot me?”
Finally able to sit up, Beth tried wiping the mud from her face. It took the rain pouring down to clear her vision. It would take forever to get her hair, body and clothes clean!
Just then lightning struck the tree they had been standing beneath only minutes ago, followed by a crack of thunder that put Beth’s nerves on end.
“Oh, Lord,” she whispered.
The tree made an eerie sound as the thick trunk split in half, then burst into flames.
Beth’s body was shaking. She could have been killed had Cole not forced her into this ditch. She hated being in the wrong, but even more, she hated apologizing. She looked down at the man beside her just as another bolt of lightning crackled through the air. It allowed her a momentary view of closed eyes and a cut on Cole’s forehead. She was sick with guilt. He had to have hit a rock when he fell. Was he unconscious or... dead? She untied the wet silk scarf from her neck and placed it around his wound, hoping to stop the bleeding. As if decreed by God, the rain began to subside.
“Decker!” Beth yelled. “Jeff!” Hearing nothing, she called again. And again...and again. Finally she thought she heard voices. “Here!” she hollered. “We’re over here!”
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