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Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Six

"Allie, I'm really tired," Amelia whimpered that night. It was several hours after dark and the trio had been stumbling along in the moonlight, trying to put as much distance as they could between themselves and the Treadwells.

Allie wasn't too concerned that they would be pursued too adamantly--unless of course they chose to seek her out because of what she had done to Theodore; then again that would lead to the exposure of Theodore's own actions as well as risk them having it known that they'd kept their disfigured son locked in an attic for eighteen years while feeding him slop and beating him daily. Allie seriously doubted they wanted either of those things to happen.

But it was good to put lots of distance between them just the same. Allie glanced at her sister and saw her stumble a step. She turned her gaze toward Michael, who was struggling to keep up and was limping heavily. Allie sighed. She'd pushed them enough for tonight. Truthfully, she was just as sore and dead on her feet as they seemed to be.

"Okay, let's just get to that outcropping of rocks where we'll have some shelter from the wind and we can sleep there," Allie urged.

With a destination in sight, the trio was able to pick up the pace a bit and, after spreading several bedrolls on the ground they happily collapsed upon them. Allie rummaged through her sack and found some of the biscuits and jerked beef she had stowed away. She dealt out a large portion for each of them since no one had eaten all day and they silently ate their meal by lantern light.

Allie took a swig of water from the jug she'd had tied to her hip and passed the jug over to Michael as she pulled out the map and tried to assess where they were. As far as she could tell they were nearly thirty miles from Campton which meant at least another two days of walking. She had no idea if their legs would hold up that long.

She had a moment of regret that she'd left the cart and horse behind after swatting the horses backside and sending it once again toward home. Travel would have been much easier and swifter but then she would have been branded a horse thief and that was a title she did not need.

Allie built up a small fire, nothing too large as to attract attention, but just big enough to boil a tin of water for Michael's tea.

"Michael, why don't you tell us a story?" Amelia asked as the tea was steeping.

Michael shifted on his bedroll as he sat up against the rocks and frowned, "I'm not sure what story to tell...."

Amelia clutched the doll Michael had given her tightly and sat up on her knees with a smile, "Tell me one about three brave warriors on a noble quest!"

"Amelia, Michael is tired..." Allie scolded but Michael just shook his head and laid his hand on her arm gently.

"I'm okay," he assured her. "I want to tell a story. Amelia likes them."

Allie nodded and Michael launched into a tale. It was an epic one full of battles, close calls, beauty and enchantment. Allie knew he was making the story up and she was amazed as always at his ability to see such amazing things in his mind, given the life he had lived.

She finished preparing his tea and he sipped at it as he continued the story. Amelia curled up on her bedroll and Allie covered her up with Michael's cloak before leaving the small fire. She walked to the other side of the rocks and found a path that led up onto them. Allie settled herself down on top of the largest of the boulders and could see Michael and Amelia ten feet below her. She could hear the murmuring of Michael's voice as he spoke and she let it lull her into a relatively peaceful state of mind.

And then memories of the attic that morning came slamming into her reverie and Allie squeezed her eyes shut tight against them. Theodore's hands against her skin, the helplessness that she had felt so deep down in her soul, had simply served to bring back to life the memories of her father and the way his assault on her had stolen whatever innocence she had had. It had stolen her belief that men could be good.

Michael had changed that. He had given her back something amazingly wonderful. He had given her back hope. Hope that maybe she wasn't as broken as she had thought. Hope that maybe she did deserve happiness and would end up happy in her life. She could certainly see herself happy spending the rest of her days with Michael and Amelia.

Allie let her thoughts run away with her. A home, a real home, something she hadn't had in her entire life. A place full of love and laughter. Michael as her husband and Amelia growing up surrounded by such light and happiness.

Never in her life had Allie felt butterflies in her stomach, or happy anxiety swirling in her veins but she felt it then as she imagined that future, that glimpse into what tomorrow could hold.

She became so lost in her thoughts that she lost all track of time and only when she heard a scuffling noise behind her did she remember where she was. Fear gripped her heart a moment as she wondered what creature could be sneaking up on her in the dark. She reached toward her boot for the knife stowed there and then realized the night below her was silent.

Glancing down, Allie realized Amelia was sound asleep beside the tiny fire and Michael was no longer sitting upon his bedroll. Blowing out a relieved breath, Allie turned her head to see him coming up the path toward her, his left leg dragging quite a bit and his movements slow.

Quickly, Allie got to her feet and went to him, wrapping her arm around his middle and supporting some of his weight, "You didn't have to come up here, Michael. I would have come back down."

"I wanted to be with you," he replied. They settled down together where Allie had been sitting alone moments before. She sat in front of him, nestling herself between his legs with her back and head resting on his chest and shoulder.

"I'm sorry you're in such pain, Michael."

"Stop worrying about me."

"I have to worry about you. That's what you do when you love someone."

"Exactly," concern was deep in Michael's voice. He wrapped his arms around her tightly and kissed her hair which was messy and wild. "I'm worried about you, Allie."

"Me?" Allie laughed off his comment. "I'm just fine, Michael. I'm used to this kind of life."

"You shouldn't be," he countered. "And you have to stop being strong sometime. Allie, this morning...."

"Is over," Allie quickly interrupted, not wanting to talk about it. "Last night was the first time I've truly cried in a long long time, Michael, and I do not want to do that again. Please just let it go."

Michael sighed, "Just remember that I'm here, okay? I'm not too weak to help and I can handle more than you think."

"I don't think you're weak, Michael, and you know that," Allie assured him, turning her head to brush a kiss to his stubble covered jaw.

"We should get back down to Amelia and rest, Allie. Tomorrow will be another long day of walking."

"Can we stay here?" Allie whispered. "At least a few more minutes?" She didn't want to move from her spot all wrapped up in his arms. She felt so raw and exposed and this closeness was a comfort she had never dreamed possible.

Michael kissed her ear and Allie trembled, "Of course we can," he whispered. "Allie...?"

"Hmmm?" she questioned sleepily.

"You never got a chance to a..answer this morning when I a..asked..."

"Don't be nervous," Allie soothed him, running her fingers over his bare forearm. "What is it?"

"Will you marry me, Allie?"

Allie knew she should say no. She should wait until Michael had seen more of the world and could make a more educated decision about who he wanted to spend his life with. But she couldn't. She wanted that future too badly to do the right thing.

She smiled as she turned her head and looked into his blue eyes, so full of love for her, "Of course I will."