Page 23 of The Heir's Fortune
“Even so,” he said, before pausing. “Did they… harm you?”
“No,” she said, her voice low and harsh. “I was concerned about the night, however. That is why I escaped.”
“Why I saved you.”
“You were helpful,” she acknowledged, “however I did not need you. I would have escaped regardless.”
He snorted, interested in asking her more, but that would have to come later. At the moment, they had greater concerns. He heard another whinny and looked over as it sparked an idea.
“What if we took their horses?” he said.
“Then they couldn’t follow us,” she said, immediately understanding, her lips curling into a small smile.
“It’s a bit of a risk as their horses are closer to the house.”
“But worth it,” she said.
Gideon went over and untied his own horse so that he would be ready and waiting, and then began approaching the others.
“Wait here,” he told Madeline quietly, but of course, she didn’t listen and followed, helping him untie them, and he watched her out of the corner of his eye as she crooned softly to the horses while she did so. Who was he to question her methods, however, when the horse nuzzled his nose into Madeline’s neck?
Gideon took the reins of three of the horses, Madeline the other two, and they began to lead them away from the house, praying that they would stay relatively silent.
They had neared the break in the trees that separated the cottage from the road beyond when there was a creak behind them and the front door swung open.
“Ay! ¿Quién está ahí?”
Gideon looked over at Madeline, surprised when, instead of appearing worried, she grinned at him.
“Well, they want to know who is here,” she said, shocking him as she nearly fluidly swung herself onto a horse.“¡Vámanos!”
Gideon's horsethundered alongside Madeline's, their bodies in sync as they raced through the trees. Exhilaration surged through Madeline, her hair whipping wildly behind her as they stayed just ahead of their pursuers. She couldn't help but admire Gideon's skill as he deftly guided his horse, the two of them seamlessly navigating the twists and turns of the forest.
The thrill of the chase pulsed through her veins, a stark contrast to the suffocating fear of being trapped in the cabin. But now, with Gideon by her side and the rush of freedom propelling them forward, she felt truly alive.
Suddenly, a gunshot shattered the peaceful sounds of hooves on dirt. But Gideon was unshaken, staying close to her as they urged their horses even faster. The other four horses followed suit, running as if driven by their own desire for escape.
Through it all, Gideon remained focused, expertly leading them down a path unknown to Madeline. As they rode on for over an hour, she couldn't help but feel grateful for his presence and his unwavering determination to keep them safe.
“We should stop,” he said, his breath slightly faster than usual.
“Stop?” she repeated. “Here?”
“This is as good of a place as any. I have a sense of where we are, but we are still at least an hour away from Castleton. Thereis a stream nearby – do you hear it?” He paused for her to listen and she nodded when she heard the trickle. “We will have to cross it but I would not want the horses to do so in the dark. If their footing slips, we could lose them.”
It warmed her heart that he was concerned about horses that should have no bearing on him. Unlike many of the men she knew, he saw them as more than just property.
“What do you suggest?”
“Your captors will not be able to catch us tonight if they are on foot, nor would they be able to track us, even if they are skilled, in the dark. Daylight will greet us in but a few hours. We should camp here, catch a few hours of sleep, and then continue on in the early morning.”
She nodded, trying to still her body as a shiver caught her, not wanting him to see any sign of weakness that she might not be able to do as he wished.
But, of course, being Gideon, he noticed.
“You’re cold,” he said.
“A bit,” she admitted. “But I will be fine.”
