Page 8 of The Drifter's Bride
“Yeah, forgot I’ve got a meeting in town in the morning. Did you hear any odd noises earlier?”
The tall blond man scratched his head. “Nothing out of the ordinary, but the wind plays tricks on a man.”
“It was just a brief noise and then it was gone. You be careful out here tonight. Keep your eyes open. I’m pretty sure it wasn’t a mountain lion, but you know one killed that calf last week.”
They still hadn’t found the enormous cat that dragged a calf away. Even a mother lion and her cubs needed to eat, but Lukas would prefer that the animal didn’t do it from the herd he was guarding.
“You do the same. I’ll see you on Monday.” Ranger shifted and Lukas knew he’d be scanning the horizon just to be sure.
Nudging his horse into motion, he glanced up at the sky. There wasn’t enough time to get back to the house before the sky opened. He could probably make to the line shack, although it was going to be close. Turning, he guided Hickory next to the line of bushes by the creek.
Hickory nickered and stopped.
“What is it, boy?” Lukas strained his ears. The sound of rustling leaves was getting louder, and the water was splashing against the embankment of the creek.There was that sound again.A faint cry in the dark. He still thought it sounded human, but he reached for his gun anyhow, just as the bushes to his right crackled.
“Who’s there?” he called out, sliding down from his horse. Lightning flashed through the sky, and he glimpsed a figure sitting on the ground, not more than a few paces away. “Show yourself,” he called out, raising his gun. “You’re trespassing on private land.” He didn’t want to have to shoot anyone, but there was no good reason for a stranger to be in the middle of Chapman land in the dark.
“I’m not trespassing,” a female voice called out, another whimper following her words.
“My name is Lukas Arkin, and I’m going to need you to show yourself.”
“I can’t.” The voice sounded muffled.
“Why not?”
“I can’t get up.” The woman was sobbing now.
He uncocked his gun and slid it back in his holster. “Are you hurt?”
“I… I’m not sure. My horse went lame. I thought we were headed toward home, but I got turned around. Then I stepped in a rabbit hole and my foot is stuck.”
“Let me get a light.” Reaching into his saddlebag, he found his flint. Placing the small lantern he kept around his saddle horn on the ground, he struck the soft stone and lit the wick. A warm glow surrounded him. Holding the lantern high, it didn’t take long to find the crumpled female in the brush. “Where’s your foot?” He held the lamp towards her as he took measured steps forward. The light was more for her benefit than his at this point.
As he approached, he could see dirty brown hair plastered on her face and she clung to her torn dress like a shield. She had a pretty face, but there were streaks of dirt where she had swiped at her cheeks. Lukas didn’t recognize her, and he knew most of the people who lived nearby.
“It’s here,” she said, moving her bottom to the side. Lucas could see where her ankle disappeared beneath the ground.
“I’ll see what I can do about your foot, but this is private property. I’m going to have to take you back to the ranch owner. He doesn’t take kindly to strangers roaming his fields.” Lukas kneeled beside her, taking in the situation. Her foot was most definitely in a hole, but he feared she may have found a rabbit trap.
“Uncle Weston will probably reward you for returning me.” The girl gave a strangled laugh, and Lukas felt gooseflesh rise on his skin.
“Uncle Weston?”
“I’m visiting family and I went for a ride.”
“Uh-huh.” Lukas put all thoughts of Uncle Weston from his mind. Perhaps there was another Weston he hadn’t had the pleasure of meeting yet. “It seems you’ve gotten yourself in quite a pickle, miss…” He wanted her to keep talking while he gently used his fingers to test whether there was a clamp on her ankle. When he didn’t find metal beneath his fingers, he blew out a breath in relief.
“Aland. My name is Addison Aland, and you are?” She turned her head up towards him and blue eyes reflected in the light, piercing him in his gut as if she’d struck him.
“Arkin. Lukas Arkin.” He swallowed hard and dusted his hands on his pants before standing tall.Thank goodness her last name wasn’t Chapman.A sigh of relief escaped his lips.
“I would say it’s nice to meet you, but I’m afraid I can’t do that right now.” She sighed as thunder rumbled in the sky. She jumped slightly on her seat and Lukas noticed she was holding reins in her hand.
“You still have your horse?”
“Yes. I just held onto him. I think he’s all tangled up in the bushes, though.”
“Okay, give me the lead line, and I’ll get him untangled.”
