Page 33 of Cloaked in Beauty

“Not a chance. You’re my responsibility, and—”

“I’m going.” Her conscience would allow nothing less.

He lunged for her reins, but she had already urged Shadow into motion.

The moment Rusty spotted her movement, he turned and bounded away.

“After him, Shadow.” Letty prayed she wasn’t making a mistake that would cost her her life. Or the friendship of the man she’d come to admire.

15

“Letty!”

Philip dropped the packhorse’s lead line, ordered the animal to stand, and kicked Steele into pursuit. He’d lose her in the trees if he didn’t hurry.

He grabbed his rifle before it could slide off his lap, wishing he had time to shove it back into his scabbard. He’d be more comfortable riding without the encumbrance, but having a weapon in hand might prove beneficial depending on what they encountered.

Fool woman. How was he supposed to protect her if she went haring off on some wild wolf chase? They had no idea where Drake Radcliffe’s men were or how close they might be. Not to mention a dozen other dangers she could stumble into. Black bears, timber rattlers, outlaws. Shoot, riding this fast through a dense forest was folly enough. She could get hit by a low-hanging branch. Her horse could step wrong and take them both down. Without knowing the terrain, she risked coming upon a gully or ravine with no warning. What if an animal spooked her mare and the horse reared? Letty could break her neck.

Thinking about all the dangers that could befall his charge so distracted him he nearly ran into a rogue branch himself. He lunged to his right, the end of the branch catching the brim of his hat. He reached up, rifle and all, to fit the hat back onto his head before he lost it, then realized he might have lost something else.

Letty.

He whipped his head from side to side, desperate to catch a glimpse of her. She’d been right in front of him. Only a few horse lengths at most separating them. A vise clamped around his gut and began to twist. Where did she go?

Heart hammering, he slowed his mount and scoured the forest in front of him, widening his search area with each sweep of his gaze.

Please, God. Please, please, please.

“Letty!” He hollered with such force his throat ached.

A bark echoed somewhere to his right. He snapped his attention in that direction and nudged Steele into a trot. A flash of red caught his eye as it moved between the trees about forty yards ahead.

“Yah!” He kicked Steele into a canter as he chased that flash of color—the hooded cape she kept rolled up and tied to the back of her saddle.

Steele surged forward, responding to his master’s urgency. A series of barks echoed through the trees, the sound reminding Philip of a coon dog that had treed his prey. Rusty had reached his target. Using the sound as a beacon, Philip followed the barks west.

The terrain grew steeper, forcing him to slow his mount. A movement at the top of the hill drew his eye. A black horse carrying a small rider. A stripe of red winked at him from behind the saddle before the horse disappeared over the rise.

Switching to a more direct path, Philip steered Steele straight up the hill. The steepness slowed their pace but significantly reduced the distance they had to travel.

“C’mon, boy. Just a little farther.” Rusty’s barks echoed from somewhere just over the ridge. Whatever the wolf had led them to, they were nearly upon it.

Then all at once, the barking stopped.

It doesn’t mean anything’s wrong. It just means Letty caught up to him.

But not knowing what that wolf of hers had brought them out here to find drove dozens of tiny cactus spines into his heart.

Finally, he crested the ridge, and in one sweeping glance took in the scene.

Rocky outcroppings to his left. Trees and a gentle downward slope to his right. Letty’s mare stood in a clearing ten yards ahead, saddle empty. Rusty stood atop a flat rock a short ways past the horse, his head bowed, his attention on something on the other side.

Then there was Letty, sprawled on her belly next to her wolf, feet wriggling as she slithered forward, head hidden from Philip’s view.

“It’s all right.” Her voice echoed like blissful music in his ears.

He patted Steele’s neck in celebration as they moved into the clearing.