To the Wild Horizon: A totally captivating story of love and endurance on the Oregon Trail by Imogen Martin

Author:Imogen Martin [Martin, Imogen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Storm Publishing
Published: 2024-02-07T00:00:00+00:00

Lillian Hollingswood returned with a basket of mending and took over the vigil from Randolph. The camp quietened, and gradually the needle slipped from her fingers as she settled into sleep.

A tremulous whisper from Grace jerked Lilian awake. The lamp was still burning as Lillian bolted upright and realized Grace was asleep but experiencing a vivid dream.

“Leave. Leave me alone,” Grace hissed. Her voice was not loud but anguished.

Lillian stepped forward to feel Grace’s brow.

“Don’t touch me!” said Grace. “I told you to go.”

Lillian was uncertain what to do. Her movements seemed to take Grace deeper into the nightmare.

Grace mumbled and became more agitated. “I’ll shoot if I have to,” she cried clearly. “I will… I will.” She pushed herself up and opened her eyes.

Lillian could see the pulse beating in her neck vein. She fetched a cloth and dampened it, then put it to Grace’s head to soothe and cool her brow. Lillian longed to stop Grace playing out the evening’s events in her head.

Grace’s breath quickened, and her eyes were wide with fear. “Boyd!” she cried.

Lillian stopped still; had she heard that name right?

“Mr. Boyd. I’ll shoot if I have to. I will.” A sheen of perspiration shone on Grace’s face.

“Grace, Grace,” Lillian murmured.

She settled for a moment and then opened her eyes again. She looked at her hands. “Tom, all this blood.” She clutched at the bedcover. “It’s on my apron. I’ll have to burn it.”

Lillian took her hand. “Grace, you’re safe.”

Grace looked at Lillian this time, rather than through her. Her breathing calmed and she dropped to the pillow, exhausted by her dream, and slipped back to unconsciousness.

Lillian pulled the bedclothes straight and cooled Grace’s face with the cloth.

She thought about the nightmare Grace had experienced. Had it been about that evening’s events, all jumbled up in her mind? There had been a gunshot from the captain and plenty of blood. It was to be expected after the dreadful experience of being attacked.

But it didn’t make sense.

Lillian stroked Grace’s hair. Instinctively, she knew it was a different event Grace had dreamed of—but one no less real. She had suspected for some time that Grace had been running from something. Now that thing had a name: Boyd.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.