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He could not help wondering if she had found a safe haven.
Or was she still wandering, alone, lost and afraid?
He made himself push her from his mind. She was not his concern.
He was home with his people, where he belonged. All of his attention should be on them and on them alone!
Chapter Fifteen
Jeremiah was riding with several men who had volunteered to join him as he continued to search for Nicole Tyler. Jeremiah’s eyes looked in all directions as he rode onward, while the five men with him did the same.
He was not hunting for Nicole out of the goodness of his heart, but because he was determined to have her as his third wife. No, there would be no convincing him otherwise.
If he went to the trouble of finding her and taking her to safety, she would owe him, and the debt would be paid by her speaking vows with him.
But he wouldn’t hurry her to the altar. If he did find her, he would have to take it slow convincing her to be his wife.
He had to remember that she was not of the Mormon faith. She would not believe in the tenet of a man taking more than one wife.
But Jeremiah would make certain that she learned of his faith, understood and accepted it. And then he would tell her his plan; that he wanted her to be his third wife.
He knew that he might be placing himself and the men who rode with him in danger by looking for Nicole. He knew that there were others looking for her, too, who would probably not think twice about shooting him and his friends on sight.
Jeremiah did feel guilty for asking his friends to join him on this dangerous venture, but once he’d set his mind on rescuing Nicole, nothing would make him turn back. He was bound and determined to find her and to have her.
Ah, but he would treat her so grandly, even though by doing so, he would make his other two wives very jealous. But that didn’t matter to him.
He was the voice of their family. His wives would have no choice but to accept another wife among them. And eventually the children that Nicole would bring into their lives, as well.
He envisioned this pretty thing with the fiery red hair smiling at him, actually loving him, and wanting him as badly as he wanted her.
Yes, it would happen. She would stay with him willingly after she got to know him better and realized that he was a man she could learn to love.
“Let’s ride hard, gents,” Jeremiah said as he snapped his reins and sank his heels into the flanks of his mount. “I hope to find Nicole before the sun starts sinking in the west.”
“I doubt that we will,” Jacob said, turning a frown toward him. “Just think of it, Jeremiah. What are the chances of finding her?”
“No matter what, we won’t give up until we see the sun sinking in the sky,” Jeremiah said. “Only then will we think of heading back toward home. I understand your feelings. We have our children and wives to consider.”
“I’m glad to hear you say that,” Jacob replied tightly. “For a while there I thought this woman was all that you were thinking about, and you know that no woman is worth risking our lives.”
“Yet you are here with me,” Jeremiah noted. “Thank you, Jacob, for being such a good friend. One day I’ll repay you in kind.”
“No need,” Jacob said. “No need at all. I’m just glad you realize that when dusk falls, we have to head back for home. If we live long enough,” he added under his breath.
“What’s that you say?” Jeremiah asked, lifting his eyebrows.
“You heard me,” Jacob grumbled. “You heard me.”
Chapter Sixteen
The mountain paths were so confusing to Nicole, she felt as though she had been riding in circles all day. She wondered if she had gotten anywhere.
Only a few moments ago she had finally reached the base of the mountain. She just hoped that she had come down on the opposite side from where Tyler City lay in ashes. She hoped that she was far enough away that Sam Partain and his gang would not be able to find her.
She had a campfire going, so that when darkness fell all around her, she would not have to fear animals coming up on her in the dark. The flames would frighten wild beasts sniffing around in the dark.
But they might attract other animals to her…two-legged ones.
