seventeen

That evening, Micah stopped them early. He still needed to hunt, as they were almost out of meat.

Mrs. Watson did a remarkable job of stretching their limited supplies. Probably she’d had a great deal of experience doing so. Now that the danger was over, using her given name seemed wrong. And he suspected she preferred hearing her husband’s surname. Something to keep his memory alive.

In the faint light of dusk, he found a herd of deer and brought down a young buck. A coup, as the Indians would call it.

“What a blessing.” Ingrid bestowed a weary smile on him as he came to sit by the fire after preparing the meat. “Will that be enough to feed us until we reach Settler’s Fort?”

“Possibly. I hope at least until we reach the Mullan Road. I may need to hunt again at that point.” He glanced around the campsite, empty except for the two of them. “Where are the others?”

“Joanna took Samuel for a short walk.” Something in her tone shifted, as though the topic perturbed her.

“Seems like we did enough walking to get here.”

Her eyes tinged with something that looked like sorrow. “I’m sorry I haven’t been able to share in the load. I’ve only made things harder for you.”

Was she berating herself? His heart quickened. “You don’t make things harder. In fact, this journey would be worse without you.” And he hoped she didn’t ask why. He wasn’t ready to divulge the way he felt about her. Best change the conversation. “Would you like to stand again, or would you prefer I rub your feet? We need to keep your blood flowing correctly.”

A corner of her bottom lip slipped between her teeth. “I’d like to stand, if it’s not too much trouble.”

A thrill slipped through him, a feeling he shouldn’t allow. He was her doctor, assisting her with proper blood flow. He shouldn’t crave the nearness that accompanied this action.

She pushed her blankets aside and straightened her legs, then he bent behind her and lifted. “Remember, put all your weight on your good leg. Just let the other rest.”

As soon as she was upright, he shifted around to her front so she could hold on to his shoulder. She did so, bringing her face close enough so he could feel her breath on his neck. She was the perfect height for him. The perfect height to brush a kiss against her forehead.

He fought the urge to move closer. Fought the desire coursing through him. He couldn’t be attracted to her. He still loved Ella. Still craved the family they’d had.

The reminder did exactly what he hoped it would—cleared his mind and senses like a bucket of water sluicing away the dirt.

He must have pulled back—probably his unconscious attempt to put distance between them—but the movement made Ingrid teeter. She gripped harder on his shoulder, throwing her weight into the hold.

“I have you.” He moved in again, placing a stabilizing hand on each side of her waist.

“I’m sorry. I’m so unsteady.”

He made the mistake of looking down at her, catching the glow of moonlight pooling in her eyes. He couldn’t see much of her face in the darkness, but those eyes were luminous. Drawing him in. Resurrecting every bit of desire he’d just tamped down.

His focus dropped to her lips, another part of her lit by the moon’s glow. Full and calling to him. Did he dare? He flicked his gaze back to her eyes. He shouldn’t, but the look there drew him like he’d never been summoned before.

As he lowered his mouth, she reached up to meet him.

Sweet perfection. Her lips were soft, full, unschooled—and achingly sweet. Just as the woman herself.

She made a noise. A gasp.

He paused, pulling back to look in her eyes. Did she want him to stop? Above all else, he wouldn’t push her. He shouldn’t have gone as far as he had.

But she rose up again, pulling him down for another kiss. This time her lips met his as though she knew exactly what she wanted.

And she wanted him.

The thought filled him with a heady joy, but caution restrained the parts of him that he’d thought died long ago. His hands longed to cradle her face, to cherish her. But he couldn’t release her waist or she might fall.

Summoning all his strength, he caressed her lips with a final kiss, then pulled away, resting his forehead on hers. Her eyes had widened even more, touched with a wonder that magnified her innocence. He knew that wonder. The same feeling beat in his chest. He might be a bit more jaded, yet how could he not thrill with the thought that this woman saw something in him? Something worthy.

“Micah.” Her hand brushed his jaw, cupping his cheek. He leaned into the touch. “You are the best man I’ve ever known.” Her words sent a burn through him, clogging his throat with more emotion than he’d thought he could feel.

He forced the mass down. “I wish I was.” His words came out raspy, as though dragged through a dry, rocky creek bed.

A familiar little-boy voice sounded in the distance.

Ingrid jerked her hand from his face, straightening as she gripped his shoulder again.

He didn’t want to put her in a compromising situation, but he couldn’t regret the connection between them. “I’d best sit you down again.”

She nodded, averting her eyes. The darkness shadowed her features, but it looked as though her cheeks had turned cherry red. Maybe that was the cold.

“Mr. Bradley, we found some grass for Jackson. He loves it, too. We took him there and he started eating and digging at the snow.”

“Is that right?” He eased Ingrid down to a sitting position. “I’m sure he liked that.” As he tucked the furs and blankets over her legs, she sent him a shy smile.

The last thing he wanted was for her to be reticent around him. He didn’t regret that kiss. Didn’t regret letting her know she’d become more special to him than he’d ever expected. He had to let her know his feelings about what just happened between them.

“Lie down now, Samuel.” Joanna’s gentle murmurings sounded across the fire.

He spared a glance to make sure they weren’t watching, then pressed a kiss to Ingrid’s hair. “Do you have everything you need?”

She met his gaze, finally. “Everything.” That wonder brushed her eyes again, and he had to fight the urge to press a final kiss to her lips.

He settled for stroking his thumb across the back of her hand. “Sweet dreams.”

But as he laid down on his own pallet, his mind replayed their moonlight rendezvous. For the first time, doubt crept into his thoughts.

Had he started something he wouldn’t be able to finish?

It was a wonder Ingrid slept at all. Yet she did, slipping into a dream where they arrived safely at Settler’s Fort. Upon reaching Dr. Stanley’s office, she found her father, sitting in an armchair. He rose and greeted her with one of those hugs he’d given when she was a girl, running to meet him as he arrived home at the end of the day. The kind of hug that wrapped around her, holding her close, as though he’d been missing her every moment they were apart.

When the hug ended, she stepped back and reached behind her for Micah’s hand. “Papa, I want you to meet someone special.”

Micah took her hand, but that’s where the dream had ended. She’d not seen either face while she introduced the man who was winning her heart to the father who’d held it her whole life. She’d not seen the exchange of respect she desperately hoped for. Would Papa like Micah? Would he approve?

She’d like to think so. Her father had held her so close, even after she more than reached the marrying age. Looking back, it seemed like he’d begun to allow her to help more in his laboratory as she’d reached the age to enter society. Had he been keeping her from the possibility of marrying and moving away? She’d been so thankful for the chance to spend more time with him. Even now, she wouldn’t exchange those days with him for society functions or any other reason.

Especially now.

Micah acted normally as they ate and packed camp for another day on the trail. Only when he bent to lift her into the sled did he do anything that made her think he even remembered their kiss from the night before.

As he scooped her up, he cradled her close. Closer than in times past—she was almost positive. He set her gently in the sleigh, then covered her with the furs, like always. But this time when he finished, his gaze found hers and his face softened. He leaned over her and pressed his lips to her forehead, sending warmth all the way through her.

Then he straightened. “Let’s head out. Samuel, will you lead Jackson first?”

“Yes, sir, Mr. Bradley.” The boy jumped to his feet and charged toward the donkey.

A heaviness poked through Ingrid’s awareness, and she looked over at Joanna. Her friend was looking at her with a kind of knowing half-smile curving her mouth. Heat flamed up Ingrid’s cheeks. How much had she seen? What did she suspect? She’d need to find a way to explain when they were alone.

But what would she explain? That her heart was slowly melting for this man? She wasn’t sure she could claim nothing was between them without giving away the lie.

Still, she needed to talk with Joanna. To make sure she understood nothing untoward had happened between her and Micah . . . if she didn’t count that kiss.

“Come on, Jackson.” Samuel’s voice broke through her thoughts. The animal eyed the boy with a wide eye and a swiveling ear, but started forward without a fuss when he pulled.

They settled into their usual pace, with Samuel talking steadily. Their path followed a valley between two mountain ranges, winding along a frozen creek.

The day already promised to be colder than the few sunny hours they’d enjoyed the afternoon before. Ingrid pulled the fur tighter around her shoulders and snuggled in. If she were up and carrying her own weight like the others, she wouldn’t suffer nearly as much from the cold.

If only.

A couple hours after they’d begun, Joanna gasped and pointed at something in the distance. “What is that?”

Ingrid strained, but Jackson’s big ears blocked her view of the spot.

“I can’t see. Put me down, I can’t see.” Samuel bounced from his position on Micah’s back, kicking him as he wiggled to get down.

Micah obliged, and the boy’s feet were already running when he touched the ground.

“What is it?” She leaned sideways to get a better view.

“Something that sparkles. I can’t really tell with the trees in the way.”

“A waterfall. But I’m betting it’s frozen.” Micah took the donkey’s rope from Joanna, probably so she would be free to chase after her son if she felt the need to.

“Don’t go near the water, Samuel,” she called ahead, and her words actually slowed the boy’s pace to a walk.

As they neared, Ingrid had to blink a few times against the brilliant sparkle of the ice crystals. The water seemed to originate from a rock partway up the mountainside, except it had frozen solid. The flow appeared to stair-step down in three little waterfalls, each about the height of Samuel. All three falls were frozen in partially clear, shimmery ice crystals.

Micah halted the donkey at the water’s edge where she could look her fill. “It’s beautiful. More than beautiful.” To think that not only did God have the ability, but also the creativity to conjure this masterpiece. More lovely than anything man could make. “Our God is a wonder, isn’t He?”

“He is.” Joanna’s voice sounded as awestruck as she felt.

“I wanna touch it, Mama.” Samuel wiggled under his mother’s hold.

Joanna took a firmer grip on him. “We’ll just walk to the edge and reach out. We’re not going to step on the ice. Understood?”

Ingrid bit back her smile at the sudden change in her friend’s tone. Nothing could be hallowed for long with a little boy around.

After they’d spent a few minutes marveling over the natural ice sculpture, Ingrid noticed Micah studying the mountain from which the waterfall started. His brows knit in a troubled look.

“What’s wrong?”

He was standing near enough that she didn’t have to raise her voice, but he didn’t turn to look at her.

“I’d hoped we could hike up the cliff face to go around the water, but we won’t be able to do that with the sled.”

She followed his gaze to the icy rock. The mountainside wasn’t straight up, but the stone slanted enough that the cart stood a good chance of falling over. She wasn’t game for another wagon crash just yet.

He looked down at the frozen creek. “Is there any chance we could go over the ice?” The stream could be crossed in three or four long strides, and it didn’t look very deep, even if the ice broke through. “Do you think it’s strong enough to hold?”

Micah studied the stretch she was looking at. “I can’t tell without walking on it to test it. That may be our best option.”

He stepped forward, shuffling down the steep bank. The edges of the icy stream were covered in snow, and he stepped gingerly onto the first section.

An image formed in her mind of his foot crashing through the crust, sinking into the icy water. The exposure would surely give him frostbite. Or maybe a broken leg. Which would be worse?

“Micah, wait.” She sat up straight, itching to reach out and pull him back. “Don’t try it. Let’s find another way to test the ice.”

He sent her a quick glance. A smile? Surely not. “It’s holding. I’ll be careful.” He eased another step forward, sending her heart into her throat.

“Please take care.” What would they do if something happened to him? Micah was their protector, their guide, their strength. They’d have no idea how to go on without his help.

Her conscience panged. God was her protector, her guide, and her strength. He’d sent Micah to help, but He could as easily accomplish the task another way.

Still, the thought of Micah being hurt made her chest ache as deeply as her broken leg. Lord, keep him safe. Please.