A light snow began to fall the following afternoon, as they wended their way through the mountains. Liam eyed the grey sky nervously. The snow wasn’t enough to impede them from traveling, but it was enough to raise worry in their minds. They plodded through it for the rest of the day, and by the time they made camp, there was six inches accumulated on the ground.

Liam and the other men did their best to provide shelter for the animals. They cut large branches and erected a lean to of sorts where the oxen, mule and cows could get out of the snow and wind. The weather showed no sign of improving, but at least the snow wasn’t falling too heavily.

That night, Liam and Selena lay snuggled under their blankets, their limbs entwined in the afterglow of their lovemaking. As Selena lay with her head on Liam’s shoulder, cuddled against his warmth, she knew his thoughts were troubled.

“Are you worried?” she asked softly, leaning her head back to see his face.

Liam gave her a tight smile and pulled her closer against him. “A little. Snow this early could be trouble. Its only September 17th.”

“How much further do we have to go?” Selena asked, stroking his chest soothingly.

He shrugged. “I’m not sure exactly, but I know we have a few more passes to get through. Probably another week or ten days and we’ll be past the worst of it.” He gave her a rueful smile, and there was a tinge of guilt in the hazel depths of his eyes. “If I hadn’t gotten sick, we would have already been past the worst of it.”

Selena rose up on her elbow and stared down at him with amazement. “Well, there wasn’t anything you could have done to avoid that, Liam. It was an accident, plain and simple.”

“Hmmm,” he murmured. “I know you’re right, but it doesn’t make me feel any better about it. I’m just anxious to get home.”

“Home,” she whispered dreamily, resting her chin on his chest. “Our home. Sometimes I still have a hard time believing it.”

“Believing what?” he asked, tucking her hair back behind an ear.

“Believing that you’re really mine. Believing that I found my heart’s true love and that you love me too. Believing how incredibly blessed I am.” Her eyes were shining with happy tears as she smiled at him. “Sometimes I think it’s all too good to be true, and that I’ll lose you.”

Liam hooked his arm behind her neck to pull her down for his kiss. He savored her lips, using his own to reassure her. “Selena, short of God himself, no one could take me away from you. I know as well as you that we’ve been blessed.”

He kissed her again, and the tenor quickly changed until they were both panting, hungry yet again for the feel of melding bodies. He rolled her onto her back and rose on his elbow above her, one knee intruding between her thighs as he ogled her bosom.

“You know,” he said softly, reaching to cup her breast, “my dear mother always taught me to count my blessings.” He watched her eyes turn soft and dark with desire as he firmly squeezed her nipple. “I think I’ll start giving thanks with these.”

As he claimed her breast, Selena closed her eyes and luxuriated in his touch. The world, the snow, the mountain passes, and everything else would simply have to wait. She was in the arms of her beloved, and nothing else mattered at that moment.

The snow stopped during the night, but there was already ten inches of the white powder on the ground. Their progress was slow that day, as they trudged along through the deep drifts, and they only covered six miles. They all prayed that they wouldn’t get any more snow, and their luck held for the next three days, but it never got warm enough to melt the snow that had already fallen.

On the fourth day, a drizzling rain mixed with sleet started falling in the morning, and it got stronger throughout the day. The rain turned the snow into icy slush, and the oxen had to struggle to keep their footing as they negotiated their way up and down the steep inclines. By the time they camped that night, they were all shivering and miserable, wishing desperately to reach the end of their journey. They pulled off the trail and camped in a dense forest, thankful for the tall trees that gave them some protection from the weather.

They woke up in the morning to find that nine of their oxen had disappeared during the night, three from each family’s team. Liam squinted into the predawn darkness, as he felt icy fingers of dread settle into the pit of his belly. Gerald and Matthew stood beside him, equally unsettled.

“You don’t think they just wandered off, do you?” Gerald asked, standing shoulder to shoulder with Liam.

“No. It’s too neat, losing three from each team. Someone took them,” Liam muttered.

“Maybe Indians stole them,” Matthew suggested.

Liam shook his head. “It’s not unheard of for Indians to steal an ox for food, but I can’t see them taking nine. They usually wouldn’t take more than they could use.” Liam crouched down to examine the ground. The rain combined with the slush had turned the surface into a sloppy mess, but he hoped there would be signs they could follow. They needed those oxen back or they would have to abandon one of the wagons. “There!”

They could just make out hoof prints leading into the forest, but it was evident that a branch had been used to erase much of the signs. Whoever had taken the animals didn’t want it to be easy to follow them. More searching revealed the partial imprint of a boot.

Liam stood up and frowned at Gerald and Matthew. “Well, it’s definitely not Indians. We’d better get the rifles and ask the other men to come with us. If we follow this trail, there’s no telling what we’ll find. We don’t know how many there may be, and we might need all the help we can get.”

The other men nodded their agreement, and they went to talk with the others. They grabbed a quick breakfast and in a short time, the men were ready to go. Armed with rifles and pistols, they set off to track the oxen. Selena, Marcia, Cassie and Susan watched them go, worry etched on their faces.

“I have a bad feeling about this,” Selena whispered.

Marcia nodded. “Me too, but there’s nothing we can do but wait and hope for the best.”

“Well I, for one, am freezing,” Cassie said, rubbing her arms. “I’m going to go sit by the fire where it’s a bit warmer. Do you want to come with me?” Her gaze encompassed them all.

“Sure, why not?” Marcia said, smiling. She and Susan turned to follow, and only Selena remained standing where she was.

“I’ll join you in a little while. I have a few more chores I need to take care of.” Selena watched them walk away before returning to her own campsite. She tidied everything she could but decided to leave the tent and pallet. She didn’t know whether Liam and the others would find the oxen and return in time for them to move on today or whether they would stay an extra night here. Selena went to see about the other animals. She had told Liam not to bother with tending them, as he had been in a hurry to go and look for the oxen.

Glad for something to keep her occupied, Selena fed the animals and then fetched the bucket so she could milk the cow. She smiled as she stroked the cow’s nose. Selena remembered when Liam had chosen the animal, and she had been doubtful of his wisdom. Sure enough, she had proven to be an excellent milk cow, and she routinely produced more milk than most cows. In addition, she had a sweet temper and was easy to handle. Liam’s instincts about animals never ceased to amaze her.

Selena ran her hands along the cow’s side, cooing to her softly as she settled the bucket beneath her udder. Selena was about to settle down for the milking, when she was snatched backward against a hard male body. She opened her mouth to scream, but a filthy hand clamped over her lips, and she felt the tip of a knife dig into the side of her neck. She knew who held her before she even heard his hated voice.

“Easy there, missy,” Jeb hissed into her ear. He could feel her heart pounding, and he relished the power he had over her. “Now, nice and easy, you just come with me.”

He pulled her backward a few steps, and Selena’s eyes opened wild with panic. She searched through the trees, trying to catch a glimpse of the other women. Cassie’s campsite was at least fifty yards away. The three families had a habit of camping a short distance apart for added privacy. The other women were facing away from her, and they hadn’t noticed anything amiss. Tears of fear welled in Selena’s eyes, but she blinked frantically to clear them. It wouldn’t do her any good to give in to her terror. She had to think. If she could just struggle loose from Jeb’s hand, she could scream and draw the other women’s attention.

Jeb seemed to sense her train of thought. He leaned close to whisper in her ear. “I wouldn’t do that, if I were you, missy. If you get them other women involved, I’d just have to kill ‘em.” He pulled her face downward so she could see the pistol tucked into his waistband. “Now, I really don’t want to have to do that. After all, this is between me and you. You understand?”

Selena gave a small nod of her head as she felt her hopes plummet. She didn’t want to risk her friends getting hurt, and she didn’t doubt for a second that Jeb was evil enough to carry through with his threat.

“Good,” Jeb said softly. “Now come on.”

He turned her and they walked deeper into the woods, away from their camp. Jeb kept his hand clamped over her mouth and the knife pressed against her neck. At one point, Selena tried to struggle against him, but he pressed the knife into her skin until a tiny trickle of blood dripped down her throat.

“Now, now. Don’t make me cut you, missy. You just do what I say, and I promise not to hurt you.”

Selena’s heated glare told him what she thought about his promise. With each step, her fear increased, but she couldn’t think of any way of escaping. Her only hope was to go along with him and stall for time. She hoped that eventually, she would be able to find an opening to escape from him. With that thought in mind, she paid careful attention to the direction they took. She wanted to be able to find her way back to camp if she did manage to get free. The sky was too overcast to see the sun, so she really didn’t know which direction they were going, but there was a light wind, and she noted its direction.

After what seemed like an eternity, they reached a small clearing, and Selena saw a horse tethered to a tree. Jeb walked her to another large tree and pressed her face forward against the trunk, using the weight of his body to pin her against it.

“Now,” he said, grinning down at her, “I’m gonna take my hand off your mouth, but if you scream, I swear I’ll slit your throat. Do you understand?” At her nod, he removed his hand but kept the knife against her neck. Using his free hand, he reached into his back pocket and withdrew a length of rope. “Put your hands through here,” he ordered.

She moved her hands as if she would comply with his request, but instead, she jabbed her elbow into his ribs and tried to twist and wriggle out of his grasp. Jeb swore and slapped her viciously across the face, splitting her bottom lip. His fingers bit into her upper arm as he shoved her hard against the tree, knocking the wind out of her.

“Listen, you little bitch, you’ll do as I say or it’ll go even harder for you. Do you understand?” Jeb hissed into her ear.

Selena gasped for breath but managed to nod her head. She would have to wait for a better opportunity to get away from him.

“Now, put your hands through here,” he ordered, giving her a shake.

Selena looked down to see that he had already tied the rope into two loose loops. She hesitated, loath to let him tie her hands. She felt the knife dig into her neck once more and gasped. Swallowing hard, she slipped her hands through the loops, and Jeb yanked the end, tightening the loops around her wrists until the rope bit into her skin. Selena winced and shot him a venomous glare.

Jeb’s taunting grin told her that he knew just how tight he had made the loops. He was enjoying her discomfort, and she had no intention of asking for him to loosen the bands. She refused to give him the satisfaction. Jeb wound the end of the rope around her waist and tied it in another knot over her wrists, securing her arms tightly against her belly.

“There,” he said with satisfaction. “That should hold you nicely.”

He turned her to face him and gave her a taunting smile. He leaned hard against her, pressing her back into the tree until its rough surface bit into her shoulders. His foul breath nearly made her retch, making her wish she hadn’t gotten her breath back so quickly. His eyes raked down her body, clothed in the thick wool coat.

“I’m gonna enjoy you, Selena. I’ve been waitin’ a long time to have you beneath me again.”

Selena shivered with dread, but she glared up at him. She refused to let him see just how terrified she felt. “My husband will kill you for this. You know that don’t you?”

Jeb laughed softly, obviously not frightened by her threat. “It will take him most of the day to find those oxen I stole. By the time he gets back to camp, it’ll be dark, and you and I will be long gone.” Jeb forced her legs apart with one knee and reached a hand between to cup her crudely. He lifted her skirt and reached into her pantalets to jab and prod her clenched pussy. “You and me are gonna have a real good time this evenin’. I’m gonna ride you ‘til I get my fill, then maybe, if you’re real good and behave yourself, I might let you go back to that husband of yours.”

Selena fought to quell her panic as she bucked and squirmed, trying to rid herself of his loathsome touch. “You’ll have to kill me first! And my husband will catch up with you sooner or later. Then you’ll wish you were dead.”

Something in her tone made Jeb’s hackles rise, but he shook off his unease and grabbed her by the elbow. “Come on,” he said, yanking her along as he stalked to the horse.

Selena struggled against him as he tried to lift her to the horse’s back. Each time he came close to getting her mounted, she wriggled off. After several attempts, Jeb lost his patience and punched her on the jaw, knocking her nearly senseless.

“Be still you little bitch,” he snarled. He waved the knife in front of her face. “You wouldn’t want me to carve up that pretty little face of yours now would you?”

Having no doubt that he meant every word, Selena ceased her struggles and held still as he lifted her astride the horse. Jeb looped another piece of rope around one of her ankles and wound it beneath the horse before tying it to her other ankle. She blinked back tears of pain and frustration, realizing that even if she could scramble off the horse’s back, she would be trampled or dragged helplessly beneath it. She waited, powerless and full of dread, as Jeb untied the horse and swung up behind her.

Selena tried to straighten away from making contact with his body, but Jeb yanked her back against him. He set the horse in motion. With the density of the forest and the ground covered in slippery slush, they could only manage a brisk walk, but as each minute passed, Selena knew the chance of Liam catching them grew slimmer. She couldn’t suppress the tears that slid down her cheeks.

************

Liam and the others followed the trail for almost an hour. Whoever had taken the animals had been careful to cover their tracks, but the odd thing was that every time they had almost lost the trail, they would find another couple of prints a few yards away. They occasionally found a boot print, always belonging to the same boot and obviously that of a white man. Liam couldn’t shake a growing sense of unease.

It was almost as if the thief had wanted them to keep following the signs. Liam opened his mouth to say as much and froze. Sharp talons of fear dug into his mind, and he gasped.

“What is it?” Gerald asked, seeing Liam’s sudden pallor.

“It’s almost as if someone is trying to lure us away from camp,” Liam whispered, almost to himself. “I’ve got to get back to camp! Selena’s in danger.”

“We’ll all go,” Matthew said, turning to follow him.

“No, you stay on the trail and find the oxen. I’ll go and make sure the women are all right,” Liam said. He turned and started trotting back to camp at the fastest pace he could manage through the icy slush. Hearing steps behind him, he turned and found Gerald following in his wake. “I’m going with you,” Gerald said firmly.

Liam didn’t want to waste time arguing, so he nodded and led the way. Before they even reached camp, they could hear the other women calling Selena’s name.

“Oh God, no!” Liam located Marcia through the trees and ran straight to her. “What happened?” he asked, clutching Marcia’s shoulders anxiously.

“Selena said she had a few more chores to do and then she was going to join us. When she didn’t show up, I got worried. I came to see if she needed any help, but she’s gone!” Marcia’s eyes were full of concern as she stared up at Liam.

“Where was she the last time you saw her?” Liam asked.

“Over near your tent.” Marcia put an arm around Gerald’s waist, hugging him for comfort as they both followed Liam to his campsite.

Liam noticed the milk bucket near where the cow was tied, and he searched around on the ground. It wasn’t hard to pick up a trail of Selena’s small footprints and the same boot prints they had been following earlier.

“He’s taken her! The bastard’s taken Selena!” His voice sounded so primitive that Marcia shivered.

“You know who it is?” Gerald asked with surprise.

“I think so, but there’s no time to explain right now. I have to catch them.” Liam glanced at Marcia, “You women stick close together. No one should stray from camp. Do you have a pistol?”

“Yes, and a shotgun,” Marcia whispered.

“Good,” Liam said, nodding grimly. “Keep them handy and use them if any strangers show up. I’m going after Selena.” He turned to follow her trail.

“I’m going with you,” Gerald said firmly. “Why don’t we take Adam and Peter’s horses? We don’t know how far we will have to travel, and we’ll have a better chance of catching them.”

Liam didn’t even pause, but yelled over his shoulder. “You go saddle them, and catch up to me. I’m going to stay on the trail.”

Liam followed the tracks for several hundred yards before coming to a small clearing. He could see from the footprints where Selena had been forced against a tree and then lifted onto a horse. Liam’s jaw hardened even further. He turned as Gerald approached. He was riding one horse and pulling the other behind him. Liam quickly mounted and led the way as they picked up the trail once more. At least this time, the bastard hadn’t taken the trouble of covering his tracks.

Liam suspected that Selena’s stepfather was the man who had kidnapped her. Ever since Selena had encountered him at Fort Laramie, Liam had thought about the man and wondered if their paths were destined to cross again. One way or another, he was going to find the bastard and kill him. Liam could only hope and pray he found him before he was able to hurt Selena again.

************

With every minute that ticked by, Selena’s fears increased. She hoped desperately that Liam would come after her and rescue her, but the more she thought about it, it could be hours before he even knew she was missing. Although she racked her brain, she couldn’t think of any way to get free, the way she was tied to the horse. She worked as inconspicuously as possible trying to free her hands from the loops, but she only succeeded in making the rope bite into her wrists. Jeb’s laughter in her ear made her stiffen.

“Tryin’ to wiggle loose are you, missy? Those knots are tied special. The more you wiggle, the tighter they’ll get.” Jeb laughed again at his own humor. Realizing that Selena wasn’t going to answer him, Jeb searched for a way to ruffle her composure. “You always thought you were too good for me, didn’t you? Well, we’ll see how good you are when I get you beneath me again.”
Selena gritted her teeth and focused on not letting her fears get the best of her. She knew from prior experience that Jeb enjoyed seeing her frightened. “You’ll never get away with this,” she hissed.

“Oh, I think I will,” Jeb sneered. He unbuttoned her coat and reached inside, roughly assessing her curves through her dress. “Just like I’ve done before. It’s your fault I’m here, you know. If you hadn’t told the sheriff about what happened with your Ma, I’d still be back East, but when he came nosin’ around, wantin’ to arrest me, I hid out. When he finally gave up lookin’ for me, I decided it was time to head out west.”

“The sheriff tried to arrest you?” Selena asked, desperately trying to distract Jeb from unbuttoning her clothes.

“Yeah, but I was too fast for him. Thanks to you, he was convinced I should be tried for murder,” Jeb said, jerking her harder against him to stop her from squirming. His fingers never paused as he taunted her. “I was hopin’ to be the first to have you, but I don’t really mind that you gave yourself to that husband of yours. He just broke you in for me. He just greased the way for me so to speak.” Jeb cackled at his own humor. “Besides, I’ll bet that asshole of yours hasn’t been touched yet.”

Selena squirmed against him, trying to keep his hands from making contact with her skin. “Don’t touch me!” Her voice rose with panic even though she tried to keep it calm. “You’re nothing more than a filthy murderer.”

Jeb tightened his other arm around her, making her ribs creak beneath the pressure. “That was your fault that your Ma died. If you hadn’t been hollerin’, I coulda had myself a taste, and then everthing would have been fine.”

He had her dress opened to the waist. Selena felt cold air streaming over her exposed skin, but her shiver was from pure dread rather than cold. She watched in helpless horror as his grimy hand worked on opening her thick cotton chemise, and although she continued to squirm, he made steady progress on the buttons. She couldn’t suppress a panicked sob when he pulled the two halves apart, baring her breasts so he could ogle her lewdly.

“You’re even prettier than I remember,” Jeb cackled. He used the arm around her waist to press her bosom upward and hold her firmly against him while his free hand roughly kneaded her breasts. “Your tits are fuller than your Ma’s were. Does your husband ever bite you?” he asked. He pinched her nipple so hard she cried out with pain. “Does he ever bite you right there?”

“He’s not an animal like you,” Selena choked out, cringing from his hands. “He doesn’t have to torture women to get his pleasure.”

That only made Jeb laugh more as he continued to torment her. “Well, I’m gonna bite you hard enough to leave some marks you’ll remember me by. Then every time your husband sees you naked, he’ll remember that I had some fun with his wife.” Jeb cackled with glee.

Selena tried to block out everything as he groped her. He took special delight in pinching and twisting her nipples, laughing when she flinched beneath his cruel fingers or whimpered in pain. He whispered terrible things in her ear, just as he had done that day by the creek. He told her how he was going to make her do all manner of degrading things. Selena clenched her eyes tightly shut and tried to think about Liam. She called to him in her mind, hoping against hope that he would catch up to them before Jeb had a chance to follow through with his threats.

Jeb finally realized that Selena wasn’t going to react to his abuse, and he concentrated on steering the horse over the uneven terrain. He pulled her coat partially closed, but he left her clothes unbuttoned. He took pleasure in reaching in to tweak her breasts from time to time, just to see her jump and squirm again.

As an hour passed and then another, Selena endured a private hell. The more Jeb tormented her, the more aroused he got, until she could feel the hard length of him pressed against her bottom. He waxed bolder with each passing mile. He stroked her crotch through the layers of her skirt and pantalets, and Selena fought back waves of nausea. Her resolve grew stronger with each vile caress, and she realized grimly that she would rather die than to let him rape her.

When Jeb leaned sideways to reach for the hem of her skirt, Selena saw an opening. She leaned her upper body as far forward as his restraining arm would allow. Jeb straightened when he felt her sudden movement just as Selena jerked her head back with all her might. The back of her head hit Jeb’s face with a sickening thud, and Selena was gratified to hear Jeb yowl with pain.

She ignored the shooting pain in the back of her head, intent on wriggling free of his grasp. She felt his arm loosen around her, and she squirmed frantically, clutching the horse’s mane and using her knees to keep from falling off while digging her heels into the animal’s sides. The horse didn’t know what was going on, and it danced in a nervous circle as the two riders struggled on its back.

“You little bitch,” Jeb mewled, reaching up with both hands to touch his face. “I think you broke my nose!”

Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of him clutching his bloody nose. Without pause, Selena leaned forward and jerked back against him once more, cracking her head onto his face for the second time. The force of the blow combined with the pain of her slamming into his wounded nose was enough to unseat him. Selena heard Jeb hit the ground with a thud and a loud curse, but she didn’t waste a glance on him.

Selena dug her heels into the horse’s sides, tugging on the reins with her bound hands and using her knees to turn the animal back in the direction they had come. “Giddyup!” she screamed, clutching the horse’s mane to keep from falling off as he bounded forward.

The horse was thoroughly spooked, and it ran recklessly through the thick forest. Heedless of the icy ground, Selena urged it on, wanting to put as much distance between her and Jeb as possible. She heard a shot ring out, and she leaned even lower over the horse’s neck, praying that Jeb wouldn’t hit her or the horse. She knew he was a good shot, so her only hope was to get out of range. Using her knees to guide the horse, she managed to weave in and out through the trees as she heard another shot. This time, she heard the bullet hit a nearby tree, and her heart leapt into her throat.

Selena prayed fervently as the horse continued to run, and finally glancing back, she realized they had left Jeb far behind. She couldn’t see anything but dense forest around her. After several more minutes, she spoke soothingly to the horse, getting it to gradually slow its frantic pace. The last thing she needed was to have the horse fall on the ice, crushing her beneath it. When she had the horse walking calmly once more, she clung to the reins, keeping her eye on the ground and following the tracks they had made in the snow.
Her wrists were still tied and secured around her waist with the rope, low enough that she couldn’t reach the knot. Keeping her wrists still, Selena wriggled her body until she got the rope to slide upward from her waist. She managed to get her hands high enough to reach the knot with her teeth, and she worked at loosening it. She was shivering with shock and cold, and her hands felt numb. She had just begun to feel the knot loosening when she heard the sound of someone approaching fast through the trees. She glanced up, fearful that Jeb had somehow caught up to her, but her relief was instant when she spied her husband racing through the trees, Gerald not far behind him.

“Liam!” she cried. “Thank God!”

He quickly closed the gap between them and jumped down from his horse. “Are you alright?” he asked, his eyes scanning her.

He had been terrified when he heard gunshots, but he was relieved to see Selena was alive and apparently not wounded. However, his eyes took on a murderous glow as he assessed her open bodice and coat that did little to protect her modesty. He noted her swollen lip, a dark bruise on her jaw and a trickle of dried blood on her neck.

“That bastard!” he snarled. “I’ll kill him.”

He retrieved a knife from his saddle and quickly cut through the ropes on her wrists and ankles and lifted her down from the horse. He clutched her against his chest, stroking her hair as she sobbed against him.

“It’s alright, sweetheart. You’re safe now.” His eyes scanned the woods behind her, looking for any sign that she was being followed. He looked at Gerald from over his shoulder. “Keep an eye out. The bastard might still be after her.” He saw Gerald nod, and Liam turned back to Selena. “Was it your stepfather?” he asked quietly.

Selena nodded, clutching at his coat front. She finally calmed and managed to catch her breath, although she couldn’t stop trembling. She rubbed her raw wrists, shaking her hands against the prickling sensation as her circulation returned.

“Thank God you found me,” she murmured as she looked up at Liam. “I knew you would come.”

“It looks like you had matters pretty well in hand already,” Liam said as he searched her face, concern evident in his eyes. “I’m sorry I didn’t get here sooner.” His eyes dropped to her open bodice and he swallowed hard. “Did he . . .” Liam couldn’t bring himself to finish the question, but visions of his wife being raped clawed at his mind.

Selena shook her head, burying her face against his neck. “No, he didn’t have time to follow through on his threats. He knew you would be coming after us, so he was too concerned with getting far away. He was planning to have me tonight though.”

Selena shivered against him. She reached to button her clothes, but her hands were trembling so much, she could only fumble.

“Here, let me,” Liam said. He quickly fastened her garments, doing his best to ignore the bruises he saw on her creamy skin. When he had her fully clothed once more, he hugged her tightly against his chest, dropping a soothing kiss on the crown of her head. “Can you tell me what happened?”

Selena did so, feeling Liam’s muscles go from tense to rigid as she described how Jeb had molested her. She left out the details of the threats he had made, seeing no reason to further inflame Liam’s anger. As it was, she sensed that he was burning with rage. When she finished her tale, explaining how she had managed to escape, Liam nodded, a grim expression on his face. He kept an arm around her shoulders while he grabbed the reins of Jeb’s horse. He gave Selena a quick kiss on the forehead before lifting her onto the horse. He turned to face Gerald.

“Take her back to camp.”

“Where are you going?” Selena and Gerald asked in unison.

Liam swung into the saddle of his own horse. “I’m going after the bastard.”

“What are you planning to do?” Selena asked. As much as she would like for him to kill Jeb, she didn’t want Liam to be hung for murder. “You can’t just kill him, Liam.”

“Go back to camp, Selena. I need to know you are safe, and I’ll take care of Jeb,” Liam said firmly. Seeing that Selena wasn’t going to budge, he softened his stance a bit. “Don’t worry. I’m not going to kill him in cold blood, but neither am I going to let him run free so he can come back to haunt us later on. He has a lot to answer for, including your mother’s death.”

“I’m coming with you,” Selena said. “I know Jeb. He’s a sneaky coward, and it would be just like him to set some kind of a trap for you.” The obstinate set of her jaw was a familiar sight, and Liam could see there was no point in trying to dissuade her.

Liam glanced at Gerald for support, but the other man shook his head. “She’s right, Liam. You shouldn’t go after him on your own. If you’re determined to do this, I’m going with you.”

Liam heaved a sigh. “Alright, we’ll all go, but stay behind me and do as I say. Do you promise to do that?” He waited until Selena nodded her agreement, then he turned his horse around to follow the trail.

They rode in a single file, being as quiet as possible. It took them a few minutes to reach the place where Selena had managed to escape. Selena and Gerald kept careful watch as Liam dismounted and looked at the ground. He found a trail of blood that led off into the woods.

“He’s gone that way,” Liam whispered. “He can’t be far away though, so we’ll need to be quiet.”

He motioned for them to dismount, and they led the horses, keeping a careful eye on the surrounding woods as Liam followed the spatters of blood. They came to the edge of the woods where the mountain sloped down into a deep ravine. They paused there as they all scanned the surrounding trees and open area for signs of Jeb.

“There!” Selena said, tugging Liam’s sleeve and pointing to the opposite side of the ravine.

They could see Jeb on the opposite side of the gully. He was clawing his way up the steep rocky incline, stumbling frequently on the icy surface as he went. Liam pushed Selena behind some trees, motioning to Gerald to take cover as well. When they were all in place, Liam drew his pistol.

“Jeb Hawkins!” he yelled. “Stop where you are.”

Instead of stopping, Jeb scrambled behind a large boulder. “I ain’t gonna let you take me,” he yelled back. “They’d just hang me anyway. You’ll have to kill me first.”

“That’s just what I intend to do if you don’t come out with your hands up,” Liam called back. After a long pause, he continued. “You can’t stay there indefinitely.”

“Neither can you,” Jeb taunted.

Liam looked at Gerald and whispered, “He’s right, you know. We have to start back soon or it will get dark.” Liam scanned the ravine and the woods that circled its edges. “If I circle around through the woods, can you stay here and keep him covered?”

Gerald nodded. “Yeah. If he moves from behind that rock, I’ll have him in my sights. I’ll shoot him if I have to, but I won’t let him get away.”

“Good,” Liam said, facing Selena. “You stay put behind this tree.” Seeing her nod, he kissed her briefly on the lips and then started to turn away.

Selena clutched at his sleeve. “Be careful,” she whispered.

“I will,” he said, giving her a brief smile. Then he was gone, moving like a shadow through the trees until he quickly disappeared from sight.

Selena and Gerald kept watch, tensely waiting as the minutes ticked by. Although she peered intently into the trees, she couldn’t see even a glimpse of Liam, and she wondered where he was. Her nerves were thoroughly frayed by the time she heard Liam’s voice coming from somewhere in the trees on the other side of the ravine. She still couldn’t see him

“Jeb, you might as well give up. We’ve got you surrounded,” Liam called. He threw a small rock at the boulder behind which Jeb was crouching. “I could shoot you right now if I wanted to.”

“Don’t shoot,” Jeb whined, standing up and holding his arms in the air. Jeb’s face was a mess of dried blood, and his nose was swollen and bruised. “I give up.”

“Take your gun out and toss it on the ground,” Liam ordered. When Jeb had complied, Liam continued. “Now lean over and put your hands on that rock.”

Liam waited until Jeb had done as ordered before emerging from the trees. Selena’s heart pounded in her chest as she watched Liam pick his way carefully down the steep hill. When Liam was only a few yards away, Jeb snatched a second pistol that he had hidden in his waistband and whirled to fire at Liam. Selena’s scream was drowned out by the sound of two gunshots. Jeb’s gun fell from his hand, and blood dripped from his fingers while he let out a yowl of pain. Liam had shot Jeb in the hand, and Jeb’s shot had gone off harmlessly into the trees.

Liam launched himself at Jeb, and the two men fell to the ground, punching and wrestling on the icy slope. Selena watched in horror, deathly afraid that Liam would go toppling over the edge. Jeb was no match for Liam, and he took a severe beating as Liam’s fists pummeled him with punishing precision.

“Alright, I give up! Please don’t hurt me,” Jeb whined, mewling like a pathetic kitten.

Some semblance of sanity gradually returned to Liam’s features, and he stood up and yanked Jeb to his feet, shaking him roughly by the collar of his jacket. “Stand up, you miserable coward. We’re going to turn you in so you can get the hanging you deserve.”

Jeb snatched free and began to back up, his eyes darting frantically around to look for an escape route. He wasn’t watching his footing, and he slipped. His arms flailed as he tried to catch his balance, but it was useless. A split second seemed to stretch into eternity as they watched Jeb fall backward with a terrified scream. His body went rolling and bouncing down the craggy canyon to land in a lifeless heap at the bottom. Selena’s breath returned in a rush, and she and Gerald ran as quickly as safety would allow to where Liam stood at the edge of the cliff, and they all three peered down through the jagged rocks. Jeb’s body was several hundred feet below them, his limbs twisted at unnatural angles.

“Good riddance,” Liam muttered. He put an arm around Selena and could feel her trembling against him. “He saved us a lot of trouble having to haul his sorry carcass to the nearest sheriff.” Liam hugged Selena close against his chest, dropping a kiss onto the top of her head. “I’m sorry you had to see that, sweetheart. At least you won’t ever have to worry about him again.”

“I don’t give a damn about him,” Selena said with feeling. “He deserved even worse than he got. I was only afraid that you would be hurt.”

Liam hugged her even tighter against him and exchanged a look with Gerald over her head. “I don’t know how we’re supposed to bury him. We don’t even have a shovel with us.”

Gerald gave a disgusted snort and spat down the canyon. “I say we should leave Jeb’s body to rot where it fell. He doesn’t deserve a decent burial.”

After a moment of silence, they all agreed by unspoken consent. “Come on then,” Liam said, turning Selena around to head back up the hill. “Let’s get back to camp. It’s going to get dark soon, and the others will be worried.”

They made it back to camp before nightfall, much to everyone’s relief. Liam, Selena and Gerald were immensely grateful to learn that Matthew, Hank, Adam and Peter had found all the oxen, healthy and unharmed, and they had brought them all back to camp.

“But what happened to you?” Marcia asked, looking at Selena with deep concern etched on her face.

“I’m fine. I’ll let Gerald fill you in on the details,” Selena said with a tired smile. “Right now, I just want to bathe and change.” She kept an arm around Liam’s waist and they made their way to their tent.

“You go inside,” he said, kissing her forehead. “Let me take care of you for tonight, alright?”

Selena nodded and disappeared into the tent, a dazed expression on her face. Liam built the fire up and hung a pot of water to heat over the flames. By the time he had gotten clean clothes, a basin, soap, washcloths and towel out of the wagon, the water was ready, and he carried all the items into the tent.

Selena was sitting on their pallet, a glazed look in her eyes. She had removed her shoes, and her legs were tucked to the side, but her eyes softened when she looked up at him. Liam set everything down nearby, uncertain how he should proceed.

He cleared his throat nervously. “Maybe I should leave and give you some privacy.”

Selena grasped his hand and tugged, urging him to sit beside her on the pallet. “No, I want to be with you,” Selena whispered. She reached up to unbutton her dress, but her hands were trembling from the shock of the day’s events.

“Can I help you?” Liam asked quietly. He was afraid of doing anything that might remind her of what her stepfather had done to her.
Selena merely nodded. She sat still as Liam unbuttoned her dress and slid the sleeves down over her arms. Selena shivered.

“Are you sure you want me to stay?” Liam asked, uncertainty showing on his face.

“I’m shivering from cold,” Selena said with a smile, “not because you’re undressing me.”

“I’ll hurry then,” Liam said, clearly relieved by her answer.

He quickly unbuttoned her chemise, peeling it down to her waist. He lifted Selena onto his lap, slipping her garments off over her hips as he did so. His jaw hardened as he took in the bruises on her breasts where Jeb had mauled her. Misunderstanding his fierce expression, Selena hid her face against his neck in shame.

“Please don’t look at me like that?” she whispered. “I can’t bear it.”

Liam hugged her close against him, lifting the blanket up to wrap around her forming a warm cocoon as he held her.

“Sweetheart, I’m not thinking anything bad about you. I’m furious about what that bastard did to you.” His voice dropped lower as he continued. “And I’m angry with myself that I didn’t protect you from him. I should have never let him get his hands on you again.”

Selena pulled slightly away so she could look up at his face. She wore a puzzled frown. “Liam, there’s no way you could have known what was going to happen. I was just so relieved to see you. I knew you would come for me.”

Liam hugged her tightly, his chuckle rumbling in her ear. “Well, you didn’t need my help. By the time we caught up to you, you had already broken his nose and escaped.”

Selena smiled too. “Yes I did, didn’t I?” She stroked Liam’s chest, enjoying the reassuring feeling of his arms surrounding her. “I just couldn’t bear him touching me anymore, and I would rather have died than to let him carry out his threats.” Selena couldn’t suppress a shiver as she remembered.

Pulling away from Liam’s chest once more, Selena reached for the washcloth and soap. “I want to bathe. I feel so dirty.”

Understanding her need, Liam helped her to wash until every inch of her skin had been thoroughly scrubbed. He rubbed her dry with a towel and then pulled her once more onto his lap, tucking the blanket around them both. Several long moments passed while Liam stroked her hair and held her as the gloom of late afternoon gave way to the darkness of night.

“Are you hungry?” Liam asked her softly, not wanting to disturb the peace that surrounded them.

“No, I don’t feel like eating. What about you?”

“No, me neither.” Liam continued to stroke her hair.

Selena reached up and drew his head down to her, offering her lips to him. Liam kissed her tenderly, careful not to make any sexual overtures. Selena could sense his hesitation, and she pulled back with a sigh.

“I don’t think I ever told you why I asked you to bring me with you on this trip,” Selena said softly, as she gave him a wry smile. When Liam raised his brows in unspoken curiosity, she continued. “After the first time Jeb attacked me, I couldn’t bear for any man to touch me. The merest brush of a man’s hand made me cringe, and I started thinking that all men were animals.” She snuggled against his chest. “Then you came along. That first night I met you, you grabbed me and pulled me down onto your lap and propositioned me.”

Liam squirmed with discomfort, embarrassed by his actions that night. “Selena, I’m sorry about that. If I had known . . .”

“Shh,” Selena said, reaching to put her finger over his lips. Her smile was full of love as she gazed at him, leaning back against his arm so she could see his eyes. “Don’t be sorry, Liam. You changed my life in that moment. Even though I didn’t know you, I reacted to your touch. I knew instinctively that you were different. Instead of cringing with dread, I felt alive. I felt like a woman.” She caressed his cheek and gave him a shy smile. “I think I started falling in love with you that very night.”

Liam stared at her with wonder. “I thank my lucky stars every day that you were brave enough to ask to come along with me. I didn’t know that night that you were destined to be the love of my life.” He gave her a teasing grin. “I just knew I wanted to get inside your pantalets.”

Selena gave a humph, raising a haughty brow as she turned to straddle his hips and loop her arms around his neck. “Well, you certainly managed to do that,” she murmured with a suggestive rock of her hips against his. She saw the uncertainty in his face, and she placed her palms on his cheeks, forcing him to meet her eyes.

“That’s why I’m telling you this, Liam. I want you to understand that when you touch me, when you make love to me without reservation, you erase all the terrible memories from my stepfather. He can’t hurt me anymore when I know that you want me and you love me.” Her eyes locked with his, willing him to understand. “I don’t want you to handle me with caution, always remembering the past. I want you to make love to me with abandon, to make my body sing with pleasure. Only then can I forget all the hurt.”

Liam needed no further urging. He took her lips in a kiss that was tender but quickly became scorching. His hands explored her body, boldly and possessively with a hunger that made her skin burn. Selena pressed her own kisses and caresses on him, her hands divesting him of his clothing until he was lying naked beside her under the blanket. When he knelt between her thighs, she opened joyfully to receive him.

Their lovemaking was slow and sensuous as they took turns stoking each other’s passions. They shared their bodies without hesitation, more keenly aware than ever before of just how much they needed each other. When they finally lay sated, their limbs twined intimately under the tangled blankets, they had tasted the full measure of their love. Their eyes melded in the glow of firelight, and no words were necessary between them. The scars of the past had been healed and firmly laid to rest. Jeb’s abuse could never come between them again.