Journey of the Heart by Mills DiAnn; Darty Peggy;

Author:Mills, DiAnn; Darty, Peggy; [Darty, Peggy; Mills, DiAnn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 4354788
Publisher: Barbour Publishing, Inc.
Published: 1998-02-14T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seventeen

Katie silently cried out for more time. She needed to tell Peyton all those things dear to her heart—those words she’d savored for their wedding night. This was all her fault! She had been the one to insist upon riding so far from the fort. Her own selfishness had gotten them into this death trap. Too many words were left unspoken, and she feared she would never have another chance to tell Peyton how much she loved him.

Dear God, I’m scared. Lone Eagle will kill Peyton. I don’t care what happens to me, but please watch over Peyton. He’s the innocent one. I’m sorry for being so selfish and stubborn. It’s my fault, and I know it. All Peyton has ever done is try to protect and love me. Oh God, he can’t die because of me!

Peyton spurred his horse north, away from the trail toward the fort. Katie dug her heels into the sides of her horse and joined him. They raced side by side as the warriors sped down from the ridge. Comanche war cries echoed in every direction, and the foreboding screams urged her mount on faster. She leaned low against its neck just like Pa had taught her and vowed not to look behind. It would only slow down the escape. She stole a glance at Peyton. Like her, he bent over his horse’s neck. Even with the weight of the saddle, the bay ran like a bolt of lightning. Their horses’ pace made her think they might have a chance. Both animals lunged into the wind as though they sensed the impending danger. Every muscle was conditioned to respond to the rider, but so were the Comanche horses.

Peyton had led them north, then he circled back south around the ridge. The Comanches didn’t expect him to head away from the fort, and their braves were concentrated on the south side. The warriors would have to race down the ridge and across the flat terrain to catch them. The sound of advancing Indian horses pounding against the hard ground met her ears. The hooves hammered louder, and she knew Lone Eagle and his warriors were not far behind. Peyton’s move had bought precious little time.

The crack of rifle fire broke into the chase. She smelled the pungent odor of sulfur and heard the bullets whiz past her. Katie tensed. She could endure a rifle shot and not slow the horse’s pace. A prayer flashed across her mind: Dear Lord, please keep Peyton safe from Comanche fire, and don’t let me slow him down. She refused to be the cause of the Comanches overtaking her and Peyton. Determined to outrun the Indians, Katie’s focus saw the flesh rip away from Peyton’s shoulder slightly above his previous wound. The sight of blood and the anguish that must be riding with him intensified the gravity of their situation. Fright blinded her from seeing anything but a vision of Peyton lying mutilated, like the bodies of the Lawrence family. He didn’t dare allow the Comanches a chance to torture him.

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