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“Go and fix some food, Evie. I’m sure Jasper is hungry.” He had to get her away from him. She would surely drive him mad. Alex released her hand, and the warmth in her eyes cooled almost immediately when he spoke his harsh words, and he instantly regretted it. She visibly inhaled a deep breath and held up her chin. Nodding silently, she turned to leave. Alex’s hand reached out and grazed her arm. “I’d be much obliged,” he said quietly, silently calling himself every vile name he could think of.
“Of course, Alex,” Evie said, and she smiled softly, but the hurt was evident in her eyes.
“Wouldn’t mind eatin’ some of that there bar,” Jasper said, running a hand across his lips.
“I’ll have to ask Laurent about how to cook that,” Evie said, glancing from him to the trapper. “I’ve never prepared bear before.” She turned quickly and scurried off toward the fire where Laurent was busy with the coffeepot. Alex stared after her. So did Williams.
“Yessir, ya got a good woman,” Jasper said again, nodding in approval and appreciation of Evie. “Shore makes me miss my Molly.”
Alex raised his brows. “Molly?” he asked.
“My wife,” Jasper answered, and adjusted the furry hat on his head.
“I didn’t know you were married.” Alex was certain that Williams had never mentioned a wife. Everyone he knew, and who knew Jasper, assumed he lived a solitary life.
“Yep. Left’er back in St. Louie.”
Alex chuckled. “You never spoke of a wife before.”
“Cause talkin’ ‘bout ‘er would be plumb hurtful,” Jasper said quietly, looking right at Alex. “Yer a lucky man, Walker. Yer gal is here with ya. Mine didn’t wanna come. I shore miss her summat fierce when I’m in these here mountains. This’s my last season. Come next spring, I’s goin’ home fer good. My Molly needs me, an’ I need her.” He pulled his hat off his head and held it to his chest. Then he pointed a finger at Alex. “Ya be sure an’ do right by that gal, Walker. I can see the love shinin’ in her eyes for ya. There ain’t nothin’ more powerful’n a woman lovin’ ya, and it’s a lucky man who can lay claim to such a woman. I thought them mountains was more important than my wife, but over the last year, I come to realize it ain’t so. You hold on to that gal, and don’t let ‘er go.”
The mountain man ran his hand over his face, and turned away from Alex. Alex stared at Evie. She squatted by the cooking fire, poked at the coals and added some wood. She laughed at something Laurent said, just before her gaze darted to him. The laughter froze on her face when their eyes met. Alex held his breath.
Jasper’s words echoed in his mind. I can see the love shinin’ in her eyes for ya. Was that what he himself had seen in her eyes earlier today, and just before he sent her away to cook a meal? Impossible. Evie couldn’t be in love with him. He hadn’t done anything to win her favor. Alex looked away. He couldn’t allow her to see how much she affected him, how much he wanted her to love him. Sending her back to St. Louis would be bad enough. After listening to Jasper talk, he wasn’t sure he could go through with it and let her go.
Chapter 12
Evelyn gave the cloth in her hand a hard twist to wring the excess water from it. Kneeling beside Byron Yancey under the lean-to, she gently dabbed the cool rag against his forehead. His eyelids fluttered open and his unfocused gaze settled on her face. She offered a reassuring smile.
“How are you feeling?” she asked quietly, and wiped at his whiskered cheeks, taking care to avoid the gash along the side of his jaw that ran from his lip up into his scalp. Laurent had done his best to sew the man’s skin together using the hair from his horse’s tail, but the ugly jagged wound would no doubt leave a visible scar.
“I feel like I’ve been mauled by a bear,” Yancey groaned, and tried to smile. Evelyn frowned at his apparent attempt at humor. Shifting his weight, he raised his head. “Where are we?”
“Still in camp,” Evelyn answered, turning her head to cast a fleeting look over her shoulder. Crickets chirped loudly in the evening air.It would be dark soon. Laurent, Alex, and Jasper Williams sat around the campfire, the lone trapper telling boisterous tales of his travels. Evelyn understood only a few words of what the mountain man said. After serving a supper of bear paw meat and corn cakes to the men, she had excused herself to tend to Yancey.
“You saved my life, Miss Evelyn,” Yancey said, his eyes wide as struggled to raise himself to a sitting position. His hand flew to his head and he groaned again.
