Page 25 of Burning Escape

Which totally wasn’t his fault. Like on the night they’d first met, he’d been nothing but a gentleman. Maybe it was the embarrassment of her late-night confession getting to her. She’d completely fallen apart like some dumb damsel in distress. She was supposed to be stronger than that. But he hadn’t brought it up this morning when they’d woken.

She and Orion walked back to the cabin’s front porch from the chapel building. Apparently, morning prayer time was nonnegotiable to stay here. At least she didn’t have to lean on Orion anymore to get around. She hobbled on her own and sat on the log bench outside the front door. Hiram and his family were gone for the day and had made sure to tell them they could stay as long as they liked.

But this wasn’t a vacation. It was time to leave.

They just needed to figure out where this Brink homestead was.

“I heard Amos tell some of the guys that they’re going out this afternoon to check on their game traps. If you really think you can walk, we could try leaving when they’re gone,” Orion said.

“I can definitely walk. I can use a branch for support too, but we still don’t know where the homestead is.”

“Amos outright refused to tell me anything this morning when I told him we’d like to go. He said it’s not time yet. And this morning at breakfast when I tried to ask Mara’s brother where the homestead was, he made an excuse to leave the table.”

“Maybe we have Mara ask him. But no matter what, we have to get back. We’ve been gone two days already. The team is probably worried about us.” Tori kept her voice low, though the daily tasks had been given and most of the community members were off completing them.

“We don’t have food or supplies to get very far if we don’t know where we’re going. I don’t want to put Mara in a bad spot with her family, but we’ll have to risk it and ask her to get her brother to tell us where the homestead is.”

“What are you two whispering about?” Gabby stepped up to the cabin. She had a bit of a crush on Orion.

Not that Tori could blame her there. His dark hair, blue eyes, and those hero vibes made a very appealing package. Gabby smiled up at him now, ignoring Tori completely. “Is it stuff only husbands and wives talk about?”

“Yup.” Tori linked an arm through Orion’s. Better remind the girl the man was taken. “Did you need something, Gabby?”

“I’m supposed to get you to come help at the garden. Hannah said you’re late.”

Tori glanced at Ry. She laid a hand on her stomach and groaned a little, hoping he’d catch on.

“Oh, honey, is your stomach still bothering you?” Orion played the part well.

She nodded. “It must’ve been something I ate.” She looked at Gabby. “Could you find Mara and ask her if she has anything to help an upset stomach?”

“Sure, but it probably won’t help you if you’re pregnant.”

Tori balked. “There’s no way I’m pregnant.”

Gabby’s brow wrinkled. “Why not? You’re married. Isn’t it time for you to start having kids?”

This was not the time to explain anything to a young, impressionable girl. “Could you please get her?” Tori bent over and wrapped her arms around her middle, groaning again for good measure.

“I’d better help her. You’ll get Mara for us?” Orion asked.

“Of course.” But Gabby stayed glued to the bottom step, looking up at him a few seconds still. Orion ushered Tori to the door before the girl finally slipped away.

“Great. Now the whole community probably thinks I have morning sickness,” Tori muttered.

“Who cares? We’re leaving.” Orion shut the door behind them.

Tori paused. “I feel kinda bad lying to them.”

“Yeah, but the way Jeremiah follows you around, it’s safer for them to think we’re married. Let’s get dressed back in our regular clothes, pack the canteen with boiled water, and see what food we can scrounge up.” He unbuttoned the thick flannel Hiram had loaned him.

Tori found her pants clean and folded on the table. She slipped them on under her long dress. “I also hate the idea of stealing from them.”

Even if the older ladies watched her suspiciously all. the. time. No surprise there since they were Christians. Weren’t they all about judgment and condemnation?

Not that she got that sense from Orion though. And Hiram and his family were sweet. And when Orion had held the door open for Hannah this morning, she’d nodded with the tiniest hint of a smile. So maybe he was winning her over. But if these people had any clue about Tori’s past, they’d kick her out in a flash of fire and brimstone.

Still, that didn’t mean she actually wanted to take from them without asking. “I mean, they work so hard for everything they have here. I don’t want to take from them.”

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