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I must. I can. I will.
~ Mary
ADRIEN CLUTCHED AT her, trying to grab something that would keep them both upright. She didn’t weigh more than a sapling, but the force of her fall in the deep darkness knocked him backward.
At last, he gathered his balance, but the woman was plastered against him, her body warm and pliant. “Are you hurt?”
She stiffened as though coming back to herself. She seemed to struggle to get her feet underneath her, then pushed back away from him. “I...I’m fine. I’m sorry.”
Her words came in breathy spurts. If only it were lighter in this cave and he could see her face. As it was, now that his eyes were adjusting to the darkness, he could just make out the faint outline of her hood in the light filtering around the corner of the rock that concealed the cave opening.
“Are you sure you’re not injured?”
He could just hear the sound of her exhale. “I’m fine. Truly. We need to get the mule out of the weather.”
Domino, yes.
Madame Standish moved toward the opening, and he let her proceed to avoid another collision.
When he rounded the edge of the cave opening, she was bent close to Domino’s ear, probably trying to coax him into the narrow opening. The mule wouldn’t like the small entrance, but Domino usually trudged along wherever he led. They’d get him inside without too much trouble.
But when the woman tugged the rope, the mule balked. That wasn’t good. She tried for a minute longer, but Domino dug his heels deeper into the snow. Adrien knew from his earlier experiences with the mule that the more Domino refused, the harder it would be to change his mind.
He stepped out into the gusting wind, and Madame Standish halted her tugging on the rope. He stroked the animal’s neck. “All right, boy. You’ll like it better in there than out here. You’ll have to trust me on that.”
He reached for the rope, and she handed it over without argument, her gaze tracking his face. With a final pat on the mule’s neck, he tugged the rope and started back to the cave’s entrance.
Domino hesitated, but he didn’t have his knees locked like before.
“Give him a pat on his rump, please.”
The woman obeyed, and Domino stepped forward. He paused at the dark opening, and peered into the interior. Did a mule’s eyes have to become accustomed to the darkness, too? Probably.
“You’ll like it, boy. Trust me.”
Domino eased forward, one short step at a time, until finally his shoulders cleared the opening. Then he shot forward. He had to bend around the rock at the entrance, but finally he stood inside the cave. All four legs spread, sides heaving.
~ ~ ~
MARY STEPPED TO THE mule’s side, her heart thudding in her chest almost as loudly as his labored breathing in the stillness of the cave. “That’s a boy. You made it.” She crooned the words as she stroked his neck. Such trust this animal had for the man who’d dragged it out into the snowy wilderness.
It had taken her at least ten minutes to get Domino out of the woods earlier, and she might never have coaxed him into this cave on her own. Yet, he followed Lockman almost without hesitation. There must be some good in the man for his animal to trust him so implicitly.
It was too bad the cave was so dim that she could only make out Lockman’s outline. She would like to study him a bit more. See if she could find out his secrets. He surely had them. Every man did.
But now wasn’t the time. She forced herself to focus on what should happen next. “I don’t think we can make it back to the cabin now. Not until the wind settles.”
“You admit you’re not able to see when you’re blindfolded?” His voice held a hint of amusement.
But the fact that he was laughing at her didn’t make her want to laugh along. “Even I know my limits.” Sometimes.
“We need to build a fire, but I didn’t bring flint. Or wood.”
She let out a sigh. “Nor did I. We’ll have to wait it out.”
“Domino will keep us warm.” That teasing tone still laced his voice. It made her dislike him and want to smile, both at the same time. How could he be so upbeat while taking refuge in a cave from a blizzard? With no light, no warmth, and no food.
The memory from a few days ago slipped back over her, weakening her muscles as that gnawing hunger nipped at her insides. She needed to sit before her legs crumpled.
Extending her hand, she shuffled toward the wall behind her. Something to lean against so she wasn’t stepped on by man or beast.
“What are you doing?” Lockman’s voice had lost all hint of humor.
Dizziness washed over her, or maybe just a lightness in her head. She had to take hold of herself. Her hand pressed against cold stone, and she eased down to sit against the wall.
“Madame Standish, what’s wrong?”
She almost couldn’t decipher the thick French of his words. She drew in a long slow breath, held it for a beat, then let it out.
A hand touched her arm, and her heart nearly jumped out of her chest.
“What is it? Madame, what’s wrong?”
She had to pull herself together and answer the man. Another breath out. “I’m fine. Just...had to sit for a moment.”
His hand didn’t move from her arm, but shuffling sounded on the stone floor as he eased down beside her. “Are you hungry?”
She should tell him no. It wasn’t as if acknowledging her hunger would magically produce food. “Yes.” The word slipped out against her better judgement.
He didn’t respond for a long moment, and silence slipped over them. The mule let out a sigh, relaxing into his fate.
“I suppose we could eat Domino, if you’re that hungry.”
She couldn’t hold in a gasp as his words registered. “Non. I’ll never be that hungry.”
His chuckle rumbled low in the stillness, pulling a layer of tension off her chest and leaving her a bit lighter. “Domino and I both thank you.” He chuckled again, then the sound dropped away. “I wish I’d brought the food with us. If you get too hungry, please tell me. Yes?”
How would telling him help matters?
But then his hand touched her arm again. “Please?”
She nodded. Then realized how silly that was. “Oui.”
“Well then.” His hand pulled away, and it sounded like he was making himself comfortable beside her. His coat sleeve brushed against hers. “I suppose we have time to get to know each other. Did I ever tell you of my grandfather’s pet monkey?”
She couldn’t help the chortle that slipped out. “You haven’t mentioned it.”
~ ~ ~
ADRIEN WAS JUST FINISHING his story about the time his cousin snuck a pet swine into a ballroom overflowing with guests—which was several tales past the one about grand-père’s monkey. Madame Standish had seemed to relax by his second outlandish anecdote, and she even chuckled during this one.
If only he could remove the sodden blanket of fear and grim determination that weighed her down. She did have cause for the dour baggage, but if only she’d let him carry some of the load. Trust him just a little. They would weather this storm—and the entire winter—much better together.
He allowed the silence to settle again. It would be nice if she’d share a story or two now. Should he ask?
But she made some kind of movement. A stretch? Then a dainty yawn broke the quiet. “Being still so long makes me sleepy.”
“Now is a good time to rest. I still hear the wind outside, and you’ll be thankful for the added energy when we walk back.” She’d be more comfortable if she rested against his shoulder, but offering it would probably make her skittish.
“I suppose so.” She yawned again. A sweet sound that pulled at him in a way he’d do best to ignore.
He leaned back against the wall, trying to settle himself better. This would be a good time to pray.
A half hour later, the steady breathing of the woman beside him drifted closer as her head sank to rest on his shoulder. She’d been leaning into him a little more with each passing moment, and he didn’t mind. Not at all, if it made her more comfortable.
And sitting here now, with her softness pressed against his side, his heart thudded a rapid staccato in his chest. She smelled of lye and woodsmoke, two aromas he would have never thought he’d appreciate. Yet mixed with her gentle pressure on his shoulder and arm, they sank through him like the sweetest honey. Wild, soothing.
When she awoke, she wouldn’t be happy to find herself using him as a pillow. An image of her reaction slipped through his mind, and he bit back a chuckle. She had so much gumption for such a wisp of a woman, it was fun to see her riled.
Another hour later, he’d almost drifted to sleep, too. But a stirring beside him brought him back to awareness. She snuggled deeper into his shoulder, then seemed to settle back into sleep. A minute later, she shifted again, then yawned with that adorable sound.
Her head lifted from his shoulder, and he held his breath. She was quiet for a moment, probably trying to remember why she was sitting in a dark cave.
“Did you sleep well?” He kept his voice soft so he didn’t startle her.
The effort didn’t help, for she jumped and turned to face him. “What?”
It was too bad he couldn’t see her expression in the darkness. “You were asleep for a while. I should check the weather to see if the snow has stopped.”
He pushed to his feet, wiggling his ankles to work the aches out of his benumbed legs. When he stepped around the stone to the edge of the cave, the fury of the blizzard didn’t seem to have slowed much. “It’s still thick out there.”
She stepped up behind him, her presence almost stronger than the blizzard outside. “I think we’ll be here a while.”
With the world of white outside, he could see her face better. Could see the imprint of his coat where her cheek had rested against it. Those dark lashes framing blue eyes. “It’s too bad we can’t start a fire. Or at least have some way of getting light.”
She turned to look at him. “I stepped on sticks near the back of the cave. If we had something to light a fire with.”
He stared into those blue eyes, his mind reaching for ideas. His jacket had pockets sewn into the inside. Perhaps there would be something in there that could help.
After unfastening the buttons, he reached into the left pocket. Nothing. He reached into the right pocket. His fingers brushed leather. He pulled it out and held it up to the light.
The leather fell open to reveal a bit of jerked meat. “I forgot about this. I had it in my pocket the day I found your cabin.” He held it out to her. “It’s still good.”
She gave the strip of meat a look that seemed part dubious, part longing. “We should share it.”
Not a chance. “I could stand to miss a meal.” He patted his coat in the region of his belly. “You eat this. We’ll be back to the cabin before nightfall I’m sure.”
She finally took the food and bit into it, turning to watch the snow swirl in a solid white wall as she ate.
~ ~ ~
FOR A DAY THAT FELT impossible at one time, it hadn’t turned out so bad.
Mary trudged through the snow behind Adrien as dusk fell quickly around them. The blizzard had finally blown itself out, leaving only a blanket of snow that rose well above her knees. If it weren’t for the man ahead of her plowing through the drifts with his strong legs, she’d be exhausted by now.
They reached the cabin, and he pulled the door open, then stepped aside for her to pass. She didn’t complain against the civility. In truth, she was so exhausted and hungry, she hadn’t the strength to complain about anything.
She sank to her knees beside the cold embers of the fire and reached for the pot Adrien had been working with that morning. Had it only been that morning when she’d watched him cooking? She’d been in a pleasant stupor until she stepped outside and started worrying about poor Domino.
A stack of corn cakes sat in the pot, and she reached for two of them. Turning to the man who’d plopped down beside the hearth, she offered one to him. He gave her a weary smile and had the food in his mouth almost before she did.
The bite was perfect. Even cold, the cake seemed to melt in her mouth. She swallowed and bit deep into another.
“Good, eh?” Adrien’s deep voice teased her from a few feet away, threatening to tug a grin from her.
“The best I’ve had.” She finished that one and moved on to the next. Adrien, too, was well into his second.
When she reached for a third, she saw it was one of the last in the pot. “If you’ll tell me what food we have, I can cook something more for us. Maybe the rest of that fox?”
He nodded, then rose and moved to his pack.
The rest of the evening passed in a blur as they ate and made plans for the next day.
“I’ll take food to Domino first thing, then do some hunting.” He sat by the fire, a mug of ginger root tea in his hands. The firelight danced off his dark features, accentuating the rugged appeal that tied her stomach in knots when she watched him.
“I need to check my traps. I’m sure there’s something in them by now. Something very frozen.”
He nodded. “If you’ll show me where they are, I can keep an eye on them.”
That statement should irk her. She was perfectly capable of checking the traps herself. But maybe it would be just as well to have an extra set of eyes watching over them. The more game caught in the traps, the less he’d need to use his bullets, too. She nodded. “We need more firewood. I’ll gather it first thing while you take food to the mule. Then we’ll go trapping.”
He responded with his own nod. “Good plan.”
It was a good plan. Wasn’t it? Was she letting herself get too comfortable around this man? He wouldn’t be here much longer. She’d best be careful not to rely on him.
Not any more than she had to.
