Thief of My Heart (Watty Awards Finalist 2012)

Chapter 16

The saddle horn digging into her ribs was going to make her sick.  The horse was weaving in and out of the trees at a good trot.  Her stomach was being pummeled with ever beat of its hooves on the ground.  They had been riding for what she figured was about an hour.   If she didn't change positions soon her breakfast was going to be all over Harlan's leg.  That might be an improvement, she thought as the rancid smell of his filth encrusted pant leg filled her nostrils, adding further to her urge to puke.  Just as she was about to voice her extreme discomfort to her captor, he pulled rein and shoved her off the horse into a sprawling heap on the ground.  Her backside took the brunt of this fall.  Another bruise to add to my collection, she thought.  When he jumped down from the horse she expected him to try and finish what he  had started back at the camp, but she was relieved when he paid her absolutely no mind and started rummaging through the saddlebags on Joshua's horse.  Maybe I should make a run for it.  She rose to her feet too quickly and a wave of nausea hit her like a ton of bricks and the pounding in her head made her dizzy.  She was grabbing the nearest tree trunk for support when her bonds were tugged and she stumbled forward toward the horse.  

"You ain't goin' nowhere, Missy, "  he responded to her unspoken intentions.   He tied her bonds to the saddle horn and continued his pilfering.  Several items fell unheeded to the ground.  

She laid her head against Rusty's powerful neck, finding some comfort in the closeness of the gentle giant she and Joshua had become so fond of.  Joshua.  Lord, please let him be alright. She had no idea how badly he was hurt or if he would even be able to ride after her, but she did know that while there was breath in his body he was either behind them or he would send Thaddeus after them.  She felt that in her spirit as sure as she felt her heart beating.  Be careful, boys, please, be careful. 

A string of obscenities from Harlan's foul mouth startled her.  He must not have found what he was looking for.  Food probably.  "If it's food you wanted you should have stolen the mule.  That's where all the supplies were, you dummy."  The last two words she mumbled under her breath, but he heard her anyway. 

He rewarded her insults by grabbing her roughly by her upper arm and jerking her painfully around to face him.  "Git up there on that horse, girl,"  he growled as he shoved her, waving his knife in the air.  He was going to let her mount first?  Maybe she could spur Rusty into a run and get away!   "And don't try taking off on that horse neither.  I can aim and throw this blade better than your friend can aim a gun."   Her shoulders dropped at little, knowing he had anticipated and thwarted her plan.  

She did as she was told relieved that she at least wouldn't have to go any further with the saddle horn gouging her stomach.  When he mounted the horse behind her she almost wanted to laugh at the absurdity and irony of them riding double just like she and Joshua had.  Only this time,  she was being abducted, not rescued.  And she was dreading the contact of his body behind her,  where she had welcomed Joshua's reassuring closeness.  She leaned forward as far as she could to minimize the contact between her and her captor.  But she had eagerly anticipated leaning back against the refuge of Joshua's chest.   As Rusty galloped further southward,  she closed her eyes and held tightly to the memory of the feel of Joshua's warm, solid body enclosing her in safety and peace.  

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 He was sure making it easy to follow his trail.     The boys knew  that meant only one of two things.  When an outlaw being trailed didn't attempt in any way to hide his trail or zigzag around to confuse the ones on his tail, he was either headed straight for a hideout where he had backup and he wanted you to follow,  or he was severely underestimating the trackers.   The boys figured it was a combination of both.  Mathis was probably headed to where his cohorts were holed up, and he figured no one would be on his tail this soon.  The boys couldn't wait to show him how wrong he was.   They could both track with the best of  them and they were prepared for whatever awaited when they caught up to him.