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Evelyn stared at him. Our cabin. Her lips parted in a wide smile. “Why didn’t you like--”
A loud thump and a groan interrupted what she was about to say. Alex reined in his horse and twisted his body to look behind him. Evelyn did the same.
“Oh dear God! Yancey,” she called.
Laurent jumped from his horse and ran to where Yancey had fallen from his mount. He groaned again, in obvious pain. Laurent looked up, his eyes darting from Evelyn to Alex.
“He cannot go on today,” Laurent said, concern etched on his face. “He and I will rest here. You and Madame Evelyn go ahead. I know you are eager to reach your destination. I will tend to this greenhorn and catch up with you in the morning.”
Alex dismounted his horse, and knelt beside Yancey. He glanced at Laurent. “Are you sure?”
“We will be fine,” the Frenchman answered. Alex nodded, and squeezed Yancey’s arm. “I was counting on your help to build my cabin before winter,” he said. Evelyn was glad to see Alex smile at the injured man.
“I’ll be good as new in the morning,” Yancey answered weakly, his face glistening with perspiration.
Alex stood, and exchanged a look with Laurent that she couldn’t interpret, then remounted his horse.
“Will they be all right here?” Evelyn glanced around. While there were tall shrubs that could serve as shelter, there was no water that she could see.
“They’ll be fine. Laurent will see Yancey through the night, and they’ll be along in the morning. If we hurry, we’ll get to the lake before dusk.” Without waiting for a reply, he kicked his horse into a fast trot.
****
Evelyn gaped at the crystal clear waters of the narrow lake nestled between tall lodgepole pines. She had to tilt her head back to see the tips of the Teewinots through the dense conifers. They had reached the forest about an hour ago, and Alex led the way along the shores of an azure alpine lake. The rocky banks of the lake were too steep in most areas to get near the water, but Evelyn enjoyed the serene view. Several eagles soared above the water, looking for their next meal.
After riding around nearly half of the lake’s perimeter, Alex guided his horse away from the shore and followed what looked to be a fast-flowing inlet. Heading upstream, the waters became much calmer, and the stream widened into a narrow lake that appeared to be rather shallow. Every rock and every fish was visible beneath the crystal clear water. The snowy mountain peaks and the surrounding trees reflected artistically off the water like a mirror image.
“We’ll set up camp here tonight,” Alex said, halting his horse and pack animals near the sandy shore of the lake. Birds chirped loudly in the tree branches above, and a soft rustling of the breeze completed the peaceful atmosphere.
“This is a beautiful area,” Evelyn said, and waited for Alex to help her off her horse. It suddenly occurred to her that they were completely alone, and her pulse quickened. Alex held her at the waist while she dismounted, the warmth of his hands seeping through her clothing. She turned to face him, and grabbed hold of his upper arms, afraid he would walk away after setting her on the ground.
Alex flinched. Startled, she realized she had touched the area on his arm where the bear had clawed him.
“I should look at those wounds,” she said quickly. “You need a fresh bandage.”
To her surprise, he didn’t argue. “I’ll get camp set up first and the horses taken care of.”
Evelyn nodded. Butterflies churned in her stomach. Would he be distant with her this night like all the others? With no one else to disturb them, this might be her best opportunity to attract his attention.
She rummaged in her leather pouch for a swath of muslin while Alex hobbled the horses and started a fire. She spread out their bedding, and filled the iron kettle with water from the lake. After a simple meal of leftover corn cakes and venison, eaten in awkward silence, Alex headed for the lakeshore. Evelyn remained by the fire, wringing her sweaty palms in her lap. She studied the flickering orange flames that danced upward, envisioning her insides burning up like the fire before her.
“You can see to my wounds now,” Alex called, his voice echoing in the serene stillness. Her head shot up, and she inhaled sharply. He stood at the water’s edge, his back turned to her. When had he removed his shirt? Her mouth suddenly went dry, and she scrambled to her feet. Warmth spread from her insides to her extremities and back, making her limbs tingly and weak. Carefully, she walked toward her husband, her eyes on his broad shoulders, watching the slight play of muscles along either side of his spine.
“I brought a fresh bandage,” she managed to whisper when she reached his side. He turned slightly toward her. Evelyn forced her eyes upward, past his lean and sculpted torso and chest. A smoldering look greeted her, more heated than the fire blazing at their camp. Her heart leapt up into her throat and pounded in her ears. Alex had once again managed to turn the tables on her. How could she possibly attempt to seduce her husband when he stared at her with such intensity? Was it even necessary to try?
