Tramping down the mountain, Leah kept thinking. Maybe if she had more time with Wes he might grow to love her. Didn’t he already say he liked her? And wouldn’t he need help with Revis? How was he going to find out all the information he wanted? And too, Wesley said he had a debt to pay, but didn’t Leah owe Revis something for making her a part of his murders?
The more she thought about it the more she was sure she should return to help Wesley.
But first she’d have to escape Bud and Cal. As they walked, she began to look for a hiding place, a place to spend the night all alone in the big, lonely forest. She shivered.
“You would like to rest?” Bud asked from behind her.
“Oh no,” she said sweetly, smiling up at the big man. “I’m just fine.” Wesley, she thought, was worth the trial of being alone in the forest.
Chapter 21
Escaping the boys was harder than Leah had imagined, and hiding from them was even more difficult. She practically buried herself under leaves and shrubs, then held her breath as Bud and Cal walked all around her. After a nearly silent conversation, they separated and went north and south. Leah didn’t move but stayed in her crouched position until her legs ached.
At sundown the young men returned and inspected the ground carefully. They seemed to know she was near them and wanted to give her time to emerge from hiding. But Leah waited until nightfall before she crept out of her hole. Bud and Cal were nowhere to be seen as she started up the mountain.
Every sound made her jump and after only a few yards, her spine was rigid with fear. It wasn’t until after hours of struggling that she felt someone was near her. “Revis!” she exclaimed, then stood still.
“Bud and Cal,” she said with a sigh. “I know you’re there so come out.”
As if they were part of the forest themselves, the young men emerged to stand beside her.
Perhaps she should have felt that she’d been caught, but she suddenly felt safer and was actually glad to see them. With a grin she looked up at them. “Now what happens? Do you take me screaming down the mountain? I warn you, I will scream. And kick, too,” she added as an afterthought.
The men seemed puzzled by her. “Why do you want to return to Revis? Your husband wants you safe.”
“And who will keep Wesley safe with both of you gone? And Revis will hurt Verity because there’s no one to protect her and he’ll probably beat Abe because I’ve escaped.”
“You care for your brother?” Cal asked.
“Perhaps. I’m not sure. I do know I can’t run away and let Wesley take on Revis by himself. Will you help me?”
Bud looked at Cal.
As Leah watched, the two young giants seemed to engage in silent communication. Abe had said they were brothers to Revis, but right now she wondered how close they really were.
“Do either of you ever ride with Revis on his robberies?”
“No,” Bud said.
“Then why…? Why do you stay with him?”
“He pays us for firewood and game and for watching his cabin to see that no one comes near.”
Leah’s curiosity was piqued. “Does he pay you well?”
“We have bought land in the town at the foot of the mountain. We are going to be farmers.”
“The town…? You mean Wesley’s Sweetbriar? How much land do you have?”
They looked at each other. “It is now eight thousand five hundred sixty-two acres.”
“Thousand?” Leah whispered. “The two of you own thousands of acres of land?”
“Wesley knows our land and says it is good. He said he will help us build a house and help us buy seed and tools.”
Leah couldn’t help laughing. According to Abe the boys were stupid, but in truth they were smart enough to make themselves rich. “When are you planning to leave Revis?”
“We owe him something. He helped us when we were children,” Cal said. “But our debt is close to being paid. We will leave soon.”