“Mona, wake up. It’s time to go.”
Mona fluttered open her eyes. “I must have drifted off. What time is it?”
“About nine. The moon has risen.”
Mona pulled her coat tighter about her. “It’s so cold.”
“You’ll warm up after we start riding again.”
She turned to Chloe who was asleep beside her. “How’s she doing?’
“She’s sleeping. I’ll take her next. Give you a respite.”
“Chloe needs water.”
“I found a small spring. I filled the canteens from it.” Farley held out a canteen. “You want to try it?”
Mona shook her head. “I’ll hold out as long as I can. We can get sick due to the water. I saw English soldiers die of cholera in Iraq from drinking bad water. They called it the Blue Death.”
“It should be all right coming from a spring. Besides, there hasn’t been a cholera outbreak in the United States in over twenty years. Mona, you’re being overly concerned. We need water.”
“Dysentery then.”
“And you travel overseas with these concerns? How did you ever manage?”
Mona pouted. “Make fun of me if you will, but I’m always careful of food and water. Much of the water in the mountains is contaminated due to the coal mining. I won’t drink it unless I have to.”
“I haven’t seen any evidence of coal mining around here. We may have to take our chances. Let’s see if Chloe will take some water. Regardless, she needs to stay hydrated.” Farley cupped water in his hand and nudged Chloe. She opened her eyes, smelled his hand, and licked up the water. “That’s a good sign. Well, I’m thirsty. Here goes nothing.” Farley took a big swig of water from the canteen.
“I’ll drink when I get to the Fugates.” Mona struggled to get up. “Help me. I’m so stiff.”
Farley pulled Mona to her feet.
Mona bent over in pain. “The inside of my legs are rubbed raw. I wish I had Althea’s salve.”
“Can you get on Shaggy?”
“I’ll try.” Mona smiled encouragingly at Farley. “Chin up and all that?”
“Good lass. I’ll take Chloe.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yep.”
Mona held Chloe as Farley mounted and then lifted Chloe to him. He opened his coat and pressed the dog against his chest.
“Will you be warm enough?” Mona asked.
“We’ll be toasty.”
Mona tried to mount Shaggy but cried out.
“What is it?” Farley asked, alarmed.
“I feel like my skin is ripping. I think I’m bleeding where it’s so tender.”
“You’ve got to tough it out.” Farley held Shaggy’s bridle. “Come on. We’ve got to get off this mountain.”
With tears streaming down her face, Mona gave one last groan and mounted Shaggy. She patted the horse’s neck, trying to reassure the animal who was sensing Mona’s anxiety. “Not your fault, baby. Not your fault.”
Farley took one of Mona’s reins as before to lead Shaggy in the dark. With only the moonlight to guide Farley, they made slow progress.
The deliberate, steady plodding of the horses and the cold lulled Mona to drift off. Twice she caught herself almost falling out of the saddle. She wondered how Farley managed to keep going.
Finally, Farley stopped. “Take Chloe, Mona. I’m done.”
Mona rode her horse parallel to Farley as he handed the dog over to her.
He dismounted and then retook the animal. “Next time, get a smaller pet. Chloe weighs a ton.”
“Is Chloe dead?” Mona asked, fearfully. “She isn’t moving.”
“Naw, my queen, she’s asleep.” He put his ear to her snout. “Listen, you can hear her breathe. Must be a deep slumber.”
Mona sighed with relief. “That’s good, isn’t it?”
“I would think so. If she could get a couple of days of rest and food, she’d be right as rain.”
“Where are we? Why are we stopping?”
“I’ve got to get some shut eye, and the horses need to rest. It’s a couple of hours until daybreak. As soon as the birds start to sing, we’ll move on.” Farley moved behind some boulders. “This is a good place to rest. No one will be able to spot us here.”
He lay down on the hard ground. “Come on, lass. We’ve got to keep each other warm. It’s colder than a witch’s teat.”
Mona lay beside Farley as he placed Chloe between them. She was so tired she didn’t think of her bleeding thighs, or that she was thirsty, or becoming dizzy from not eating, or that she was nearly done in from exhaustion. All she could think about was that she would be at the Fugates’ house tomorrow where she would be warm and her belly full. And most of all, she and Farley would be safe and this nightmare would be over.
Perhaps, Dexter Deatherage had sent a rescue operation on ahead, and they would intercept Farley and her early in the day.
She hoped so. She fervently hoped so.