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"You're lost," Carrie said for the tenth time that morning.
"I am not lost," Fred replied, not bothering to cover the agitation in his voice. Better that he had really run off and left her than listen to her never-ending questions.
"Then where are we?"
He turned to face her, a heavy sigh escaping his mouth. Her hands were on her hips. She was very fond of putting her hands on her hips when she was angry with him. At times, he found it appealing. Endearing, even. Other times, like now, it irritated him like a foot fungus.
"I know perfectly well where we are," he spat.
She waved one hand wildly through the air. "So? Tell me, then."
Fred looked around. They were in a part of the forest he had never seen before. He was almost positive this was the part where Shannon Forest became Bethel Forest, but he could not say so without a doubt.
"Bethel Forest," he finally replied.
She looked at him skeptically.
"What?" he said, his defenses on the rise.
"Nothing," she said, pressing onward.
Bessie threw him a pitiful look. Even his horse knew he had met his match with this woman. She was able to bring out the ire in him like no other. He smiled as he realized his mother would approve.
He could still not believe that she had been so easy to fool. She had really thought that he'd left her alone in the forest, as if he would ever chance something like that with her. He had simply followed her, watching her as she'd decided what to do without him. She'd been so happy to see him upon his return. It was too bad the feeling had not lasted.
They continued along their path in silence. He thought it nice for a change. He could not think of another time when she’d stopped yammering. They were east of their last campsite; he knew that for certain. The sky overhead was still light; it was not yet evening. He had plenty of time left in the day to figure things out. If worse came to worst, they need only continue east. Eventually, they would hit the city.
Sweat broke out on their skin as the day wore on and the sun continued to climb.
"We should rest," he finally said, noticing that Carrie's breath was heavier than he cared for. Her dress was dark in spots along her back. He wished that he had a new dress to offer her, but was not in the habit of carrying women's clothing around with him.
"I don't need to rest," Carrie said. "I'm fine."
He smiled and put one hand lightly on her shoulder, barely touching her.
"Sit," he ordered. "Eat."
He handed her some jerky. She bit into it, eating and shooting him furtive glances. When she was through, she wiped her hands on her dress. He swore that one day he would buy her the finest dresses in all of Helena. Ones with lace and satin, the kind of dresses she deserved. The grass and sweat stains on this one would disappear. He would burn it in the fire.
"Are you not going to eat?" she asked, taking a sip of water from his canteen
"There's no more," he said. "That was the last of it."
Her face went red.
"You said nothing. I would never have eaten it all if I'd known." Her mouth turned down. The frown was most becoming on her.
"You needed it more than I."
"That's not true!" Carrie shouted. "You need to eat just as well as I."
"I'll catch something later. It will be fine."
She continued to frown at him, making slight grunting noises as she did so. She shuffled her feet, kicking at the dirt from where she sat.
"Oh, for God's sake," he snapped. "What is the matter?"
Her eyes rounded. The light blue in them darkened. "Do not yell at me so! If you had but eaten, your temper would not be so short."
"You are still angry that I did not eat?" he said.
"I am angry that you treat me so delicately. I grew up on a farm. My parents died when I was six. I have known hunger, and I do not wish it upon anyone, even outlaw cads such as yourself."
The blaze in her eyes matched the blaze in his belly. He wanted to lift her into his arms as he'd done before and kiss her until her face turned red. But he dared not touch her. Not now.
"I, too, have known hunger," he replied, "and I would rather suffer it myself than see it on you." They glared at each other from across the patch of land where they sat. "Besides, I shall catch a rabbit later. I will eat then."
"Oh, rabbit," she said, rolling her eyes.
"I thought you liked rabbit."
"I do, but we have had it every night since... well, since we've been together."
"I'm sorry," he said, offended. "I haven't a rifle in my possession. Rabbit is the best I can do."
"What of fish? Or..." She stopped speaking, letting out an exasperated sigh. "I'm sorry. I do not mean to sound ungrateful. I am. Very grateful. For everything you've done."
Fred's face softened, as well as his temper. "You're tired. So am I."
Her face brightened. "If we are both lost, then perhaps I should lead the way." She rose from her seat and began to walk.
Fred hurried after her.
"Have you gone mad? First off, I am not lost, as I've told you. Repeatedly." She shot him a look that said she did not believe a word he was saying. He could not help smiling at her intuitiveness. "Second off," he continued, "you have no better sense of direction than I. Worse, in fact. I don't see how your leading us anywhere is an improvement."
She only quickened her pace.
"That is because you are a man, and I am a woman," she said without further explanation.
"Pray tell me what that has to do with anything at the moment."
"You do not believe women capable of leading men anywhere. You think us unable to tell one direction from another."
Fred jumped in front of Carrie, blocking her path. "No, I think you incapable of telling one direction from another. Your sex as a whole I have no say on."
Carrie blushed. "I..."
"As far as your leading me anywhere," he said, leaning in close to her. He could taste her scent on his tongue. "I should follow you wherever you wished to go if you only did it without your dress."
Carrie's eyes widened. Her hand reached up to slap him. He caught it and held onto it. She struggled to free herself, but he would not give her up. He held her hand to his cheek and watched the inferno in her eyes. Her body was responding to his without her even being aware of it.
"You continue to tease me," she said. "It is most inappropriate."
"What I find inappropriate is your constant denials of your true feelings for me," he said. "Admit that you want me."
She jerked her hand away and this time he let it go.
"I assure you that if I have displayed any affection for you in the past, it was a mistake."
He laughed.
"What is so funny?" she asked, her full lips pursing with displeasure.
"I've made the same mistake as you." Her lips began to twitch with uncertainty. He longed to bite them. "It has been the best mistake I've ever made."
Her brow unfurled as her mouth curved into a smile. "You are, without a doubt, the most unconventional man I have ever met."
"The same might be said of you," he said gruffly, his voice low. Carrie's eyes twinkled back at him.
"But I am not a man."
"Thank the Lord for that."
He kissed her gently. Deeper than a peck, less than the passionate embraces they'd shared before. His hands stayed at his sides. His lips pressed tenderly against hers. He pulled away while he could still stop himself.
Carrie was still smiling. Her blue eyes shone with hints of green that he had not noticed until now.
"Next time we stop, it is best you eat," she said, batting her lashes at him. "You need to keep your strength up, you never know what you might need it for."
She walked away from him, her hips deliberately swaying from side to side. Fred's face flushed. Never before had a woman spoken to him as Carrie did. It energized him. He ran after her, Bessie neighing behind him.
Carrie came to a stop just ahead of him.
"What is that?" she asked, pointing.
He looked up and saw a symbol carved high into a tree. His face went white.
"Crow," he said, looking around them.
"Crows? We get them on the farm sometimes. I don't see what—"
"Not crows," he shouted in a whisper. "Crow. Indians."
Carrie's face paled. "Are they dangerous?" she whispered, looking around with him now.
"Only to their enemies. Unfortunately, it is sometimes hard to tell who they consider to be an enemy."
"That symbol on the tree is one of theirs?"
"Yes, it's a warning."
"For what?"
"To get out. We're in their territory."
Carrie's hands began to shake. He grabbed ahold of one and squeezed it tightly.
"Let's go," he told her. "Follow me."
She nodded. For once, she did not argue.
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