Brides of Arizona, page 6
“Thank you, Lieutenant,” she stammered. Struggling to regain control, she stared at the envelope, then called to Fayth, “I’ve gotten a letter from my cousin Kathleen. I’m going to run home and read it.” She brushed past Conlon, trying to ignore the feelings he caused, trying to forget the impish grin that set her heart pounding.
Clasping the precious missive to her chest so it wouldn’t blow away, Glorianna hurried to get inside. She closed the door and ripped open the envelope.
Glory,
I thought I should tell you about Kendrick. I know you had your heart set on the scoundrel, though I can’t understand why. Half the girls around here feel the same way you do. I’m glad he never overwhelmed me.
But, enough with the lecture. I’m sorry to carry on like that. I wanted to write and let you know that Kendrick and Melissa Cornwall have announced their engagement. They are planning a November wedding. I know you can’t be here for it and probably wouldn’t want to anyway. I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news. You should get on with your life. I’ve heard there are plenty of men in the West and not many women. I’m sure you can find a godly husband, once you forget about Kendrick.
Glorianna set the rest of the letter down on the bed. Tears blurred her vision so that she could no longer make out the words. Kendrick couldn’t marry Melissa. She wasn’t at all right for him. She would surely be whiny and critical like her mother. Poor Kendrick would lose all his sense of adventure in no time.
Without deliberation, Glorianna began to change her clothes. As she struggled to fasten the buttons on her riding habit, confusion reigned. She needed to be alone and focus on this problem. Since she did her best thinking on long horse rides, she would saddle up Nina. She brushed aside Conlon’s caution about riding alone. She wouldn’t be gone long. What could a short ride hurt?
As evening drew on, Glorianna waited until the soldiers turned the other way, then she slipped out of the camp, hoping to be hidden by the brush and growing dusk. Getting this far without being seen hadn’t been difficult. Most people were indoors preparing for supper. The wind whipped across the desert in a hot, dry wave.
Nina, normally a sweet-tempered mare, wasn’t happy about being out. She had not wanted to leave her sweet hay and the comforts of her stall. She fought the bit, trying to turn toward home each time Glorianna relaxed her grip on the reins. If she hadn’t been such an experienced horsewoman, she knew they wouldn’t have gotten this far. For safety, she urged Nina to take the road to Yuma. Wider than the trail to the river, this road would lessen her chances of getting lost.
“Nina, I have to figure a way to get back east to Kendrick.”
Nina’s ears flickered and she snorted.
“Don’t you start in on me, too. I’m telling you Kendrick is wonderful. That’s why all the girls like him, isn’t it?”
Nina pranced on without comment.
Could she be wrong about him? Glorianna relaxed her grip on the reins as she pondered her decision to marry Kendrick. She’d wanted this for so long that she couldn’t remember her original reason for deciding to marry him. He was handsome, but so were a lot of men, especially Conlon. She frowned. Where had that thought come from?
Could her father be right? Was Kendrick’s penchant for changing jobs due to his shiftlessness? Would he care for a wife and family properly? Should she wait and see what happened or should she do her best to get back home?
The low rumble of thunder startled her. “How did it get so dark, Girl?” She patted the horse’s neck. “We’d better get back. That storm looks like it means business.”
Glorianna swung the mare around. She had no idea how long she’d been riding, but Camp MacDowell couldn’t be too far.
A flash of lightning lit up the black sky. Rain-laden clouds lumbered closer. A crack of thunder shook the ground. Nina jumped, then spooked again as the wind peppered them with debris from the ground. Glorianna worked hard to hold the frightened mare steady. Her nervous prancing took them sideways down the road.
Glorianna squinted against the wind. Hidden in blackness, the road was difficult to see, much less follow, until an occasional flash of lightning illuminated the desert. She searched the countryside for shelter during those brief moments of light. The flat landscape held no hope of refuge. Gnarled mesquite trees and prickly cactus offered no protection from the intensity of the storm. Where had this storm come from so fast?
She longed to urge Nina into a canter, hoping there would be something up ahead, something to block out the wind and the inevitable rain. Nina spooked constantly, afraid of every lightning flash and boom of thunder. Glorianna knew she shouldn’t have left the camp when she did. Most of all she regretted going alone.
Had she lost the road? There weren’t any high spots near here so that she could get her bearings. What if she found no shelter? Would anyone find her in this desolate place? A growing fear threatened to overtake her.
Unbidden, Conlon’s face came to mind. She smiled and relaxed slightly as she remembered the comforting feel of his arms around her. She knew the look in his brilliant blue eyes as he gazed at her. He loved her. She tried to push thoughts of him away for she knew he wasn’t God’s plan for her, even if Conlon believed he was. But, Glorianna knew with certainty that if she got lost, Conlon would find her. No matter how bad the storm, no matter how far from the road she strayed, he would come for her.
The first of the rain spattered in huge drops against her cheeks. She hunched over the saddle, urging Nina to go faster. They must be getting close to the camp and to shelter. She wasn’t prepared for the hard-hitting deluge that dropped from the sky. Lightning seared the clouds, thunder rocked the heavens, and a curtain of rain descended that cut everything else off.
Nina reared and jumped sideways, throwing Glorianna off balance. The rain-soaked desert floor, slippery as ice, gave way beneath the mare’s hooves. Nina crashed to the ground. Glorianna flew from the saddle, her head connecting with a rock. Darkness enveloped her.
“Lieutenant Sullivan!” Captain Wilton’s roar as he slammed open the door to the officers’ quarters made Conlon jump. He winced as the needle he held pierced his finger. He set down the shirt and button he’d been sewing and crossed the room.
“Yes, Sir.” He snapped to attention.
Captain Wilton looked as if he had just realized how gruff he sounded. He sighed and ran his hand through his wind-rumpled hair. “I’m sorry, Sullivan. I didn’t mean to sound like an angry bear.” At Conlon’s nod he continued, “Have you seen my daughter?”
Conlon frowned and shook his head. “I haven’t seen her since this afternoon when I delivered a letter to her.”
“Where was she then?”
“She had just helped Fayth carry home some purchases from the mercantile. She took the letter and went home. Why do you ask?”
An uncharacteristic look of fear clouded the captain’s eyes. “She’s disappeared. She isn’t home or at the Holwells’.”
“Did you ask Maria?”
“Yes, she hasn’t seen her for a couple of hours. She had to go to the mercantile, and when she returned, Glorianna was gone.”
Conlon reached over to the peg by the door where his cap hung. “Let’s go see what we can find out.”
The wind blew against them and made walking a chore as they crossed the open area to the captain’s house. In order to be heard, Conlon shouted at the captain. “Did you check with the other women?”
Captain Wilton nodded. “None of them have seen her this afternoon. The wind and blowing sand kept everyone indoors.” He paused and waited until they stepped into the house to continue. “Glorianna knows what time you eat supper. I can’t imagine where she is.”
“Did you ask Fayth what she thought? She and your daughter have become good friends.”
“She said Glorianna helped her some this morning. Fayth says she was fine then.”
“What about the letter? Could there have been bad news from back east?”
Captain Wilton frowned. “I don’t know. I haven’t seen any letter.”
Conlon couldn’t stand around any longer. An uneasy feeling settled in the pit of his stomach. He had to do something to find Glorianna before it was too late. Too late? He frowned at the thought.
“Why don’t you check her room, Sir? See if you can find that letter. I’ll talk to Maria again.”
The clip of his boot heels echoed down the hall as the captain headed for his daughter’s bedroom. Conlon crossed quietly to the kitchen, trying to ignore the growling of his stomach when the rich aromas of simmering vegetables hit.
“Maria?” The petite Mexican girl turned at his call. “We’re trying to find Glorianna. Have you noticed anything that might help?”
Maria broke off a piece of dough and began shaping a small tortilla before she answered. “Sí, Señor,” she said, hesitantly. “I think something might help.” She spoke rapidly in Spanish, then stopped suddenly, looking embarrassed. “Sorry,” she said. “Forget speaking English sometimes.”
“That’s okay.” Conlon forced a smile, trying to put the nervous girl at ease. He wanted to pick her up and shake her. “Just tell me anything you can.”
“Señorita’s riding clothes gone, Señor.”
“Her clothes?” Conlon glanced around at the ironing board in the corner of the kitchen.
“I washed yesterday. Today I iron. Her riding clothes were here. Now they gone.”
“Thank you, Maria.” Conlon turned and headed out of the kitchen toward the bedroom. A sense of impending doom weighed heavily on him.
“Lieutenant, come here.” Captain Wilton looked grim as he strode out of Glorianna’s room, a piece of paper fluttering in his hand. “Apparently, Sullivan, my daughter did receive bad news. At least, it’s bad to her.”
“What is it, Sir?” Conlon reached impatiently for the letter, but the captain pulled it away.
“I can’t let you read it, Sullivan. The letter is personal. Believe me, though, I know she’s upset. The man she wanted to go back and marry is getting married to a girl Glorianna despises. There’s no telling where she’s gone.”
Conlon raced across the parade ground to the stables, ignoring the grit of sand in his eyes. The sweet scent of rain hung heavy in the air. Foreboding built inside him like the massive clouds overhead.
Nina’s stall was empty. Conlon stared for a moment as reality sank in. Glorianna had gone riding. She would be caught in this storm.
“What did you find, Sullivan?” Captain Wilton strode toward him down the center aisle of the stables.
“Her horse is gone, Sir.” Conlon hated the look of fear in the captain’s eyes. He knew his thoughts were on the storm and his daughter braving the elements. “I’ll go after her, Captain. I’ll bring her back.”
Captain Wilton placed his hand on Conlon’s shoulder. His voice sounded husky against the rising howl of the wind. “Find her for me, Sullivan. She’s all I have. She doesn’t understand these desert storms.”
Conlon had barely enough time to decipher which road Glorianna had taken before the rain swept out of the skies. Champ pranced momentarily, then calmed down and slogged ahead through the wind, rain, and slippery desert.
She’s on the road to Yuma, he thought. Does she think she can return home and win her boyfriend back? God, I don’t understand this. Please, keep her safe. Help me to find her.
Lightning struck a nearby mesquite tree. The resulting thunderclap vibrated the air around them. Champ reared, startled by the brilliant flash and loud noise. Conlon brought him down easily, then leaned to run his hand down the horse’s wet neck. He did his best to soothe the trembling beast.
Hours seemed to pass before the rain eased up to a slow, steady shower, yet Conlon knew it hadn’t been that long. He strained to see through the moonless night. Champ lifted his head and nickered softly. Conlon leaned forward trying to see. He wished for one more flash of lightning to illuminate the night.
A movement ahead caught his attention. Out of the darkness, Nina’s soft whinny reached them. By the next flash, they saw her. She stood, her reins held fast among some rocks, her left front hoof lifted off the ground. Conlon swung down from Champ and approached the mare, dread making him shake.
“Easy, Girl.” He ran his hands over the drenched horse. The mud caked on her knees told of her fall. Her foreleg was tender, but he couldn’t feel any sign of lasting damage. He couldn’t feel any sticky blood on the saddle, as he ran his hands across it.
“Where’s Glorianna, Girl?”
Conlon stepped around the horse. His eyes strained against the inky blackness. Please, God, help me find her, he begged again. As if in answer to his prayer, lightning flashed, and the image of her crumpled body was forever burned into his memory.
Chapter 8
Dear God, no! Conlon wanted to call out. His throat constricted in fear, and he only mouthed the words that his mind screamed. In two long strides, he reached her side. He knelt by her rain-drenched form.
“Glorianna,” his voice cracked. She didn’t move. The rain and the fall had loosened her long braid. He swept the sodden curls back from her face. Her pale skin shone in the blackness. She didn’t move, didn’t appear to breathe.
Oh, God, please, let her be all right. Don’t let her die like this. A slight movement caught his eye. He reached down and slipped his fingers around her slender, cold hand. Ever so slowly, her fingers tightened around his. Tears trickled down his cheeks, lost amidst the raindrops. Conlon’s head bent forward. Thank You, Lord. Thank You.
Conlon hurried back to Champ and retrieved the extra rain slicker and blanket he had thought to bring with him. Placing the blanket over Glorianna’s still form, he put the slicker over that. He hoped she would be able to warm up a little. Her fingers and cheeks were like ice. He wondered if it was due to her being soaked and the drop in temperature or from her injuries.
Gently, he checked for broken bones, trying to determine how badly she had been hurt in the fall. As he ran his hand over her head, he felt the lump and the rock she rested against. Now he knew why she lay so still.
She groaned. He leaned closer to her. “Glorianna? Can you hear me?”
Her eyelids fluttered. Her forehead puckered and her eyelids twitched again. They quivered once more, then opened slightly.
“Don’t try to talk, Sweetheart. I’m going to take you back to the camp. I’ll do my best not to hurt you.”
She tried to nod. Her face paled even more at the effort. Then, her eyes drifted shut again. Conlon wanted to lift her into his arms and comfort her. He wanted to take away her pain and make her well, but it wasn’t in his power. Instead, he went to bring the horses closer. He tied Nina’s reins to Champ’s saddle, then returned to Glorianna.
Cradling her head in his arms, Conlon rewrapped the blanket and slicker around her. She weighed almost nothing. He pulled her close. The faint scent of roses wafted around him. He pressed his cheek to hers, willing her to be okay, to be strong for the ride back to camp. The storm had eased. Moonlight pierced through the clouds and chased away the inky darkness.
Champ seemed to understand the need to walk. Nina hobbled beside them. Glorianna rested against Conlon’s chest. Her breathing was even and a faint flush tinted her cheeks. He prayed it wasn’t the start of a fever, but her true color coming back.
Swaying in the saddle with the rhythm of Champ’s walk, Conlon gazed down at Glorianna. Her long, dark eyelashes rested on creamy white cheeks. Her petite nose turned up slightly. Rosebud lips curled in a secret smile, making him long to brush them with his own.
He had to do something to distract his thoughts, so he began to talk, even though he knew she couldn’t hear him. “Glorianna,” he whispered. “You are well named. You are a glory to look at.” He paused, smiled, then continued. “In fact, I believe from now on I’ll call you Glory. Every time I do, you will remind me of the glory of God and how He made you for me. I know you don’t believe me about that, but it’s true.” Conlon reached up and brushed a lock of hair from her face. “For years, I’ve prayed for you. I asked God to give me a wife like my mother.” He laughed softly. “I didn’t know you would be as feisty.”
He smiled. “You see, my mother is tiny, just like you. She has the same red hair and fiery temper. I learned at a young age not to cross her.” He paused a moment, swallowing a lump in his throat. “But the thing I loved most about my mother was her love for my dad. She loved him with everything in her. And she loved God the same way.”
He leaned forward and pressed his lips lightly on Glorianna’s temple. “I want you to love me like that, Glory. I think you already do, you just haven’t realized it yet. Most of all, I want you to follow God’s will.”
“As for the man back east you think you want,” Conlon clenched his teeth, trying to keep the anger from his voice, “remember this, Glory; if he passed you by for that other girl, then he isn’t worth the bother. You deserve better.”
With a sigh, he pulled her even closer, trying to keep her warm. The wind had died down and the rain had slowed, but she was wet clear through. Champ’s pricked ears told him they were nearing Camp MacDowell.
He gazed down at her, his fingers trailing down her cheek. He leaned forward slightly, giving in to temptation and followed the path of his fingers with one of light kisses. He sighed. “I love you so much, Sweetheart. Please don’t make me wait forever, although I will, if need be.”
Arriving at Camp MacDowell, Conlon roused the guard with a shout. A cavalryman ran to take Nina’s reins from him. “Rub her down and tend to her leg,” Conlon said. “Send someone for the doctor. I’ll take Miss Wilton to her house.”
At the sound of hoofbeats, the door to Glorianna’s house flung open. Her father, Fayth, and Timothy stood framed in the light. “I have her, Sir.”
“Thank God.” Captain Wilton rushed from the house. “Is she okay?”
Leaning forward to hand Glorianna to her father, Conlon found himself reluctant to let her go. “Be careful. Her horse fell with her. She hit her head on a rock and hasn’t regained consciousness, except for a moment.”
