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I’m just spoiled, she reminded herself.It doesn’t hurt me to miss a meal or two. A lot of people get so little to eat, and they never know when their next meal might be.She shifted in the chair. She was tired of just sitting around, waiting for Diego’s friends. There had to be a way to get out of here.
She thought about the lay of the land. Their small creek ran through their property and then off the side of the mountain in a small but beautiful waterfall. Using that for navigation would do her no good. There were several small trails, mostly made by animals, and they too would be of little help. She would have to stick with the main road.
“Do you mind if I make a fire now that it’s dark and no one will spot the smoke? It’s cold in here, and I’m freezing,” she told Diego.
He looked at her and frowned. “Go ahead.” He got up for the twentieth time and went to the door. He opened it and stepped outside. He’d done this all evening. He was clearly anxious for his men to return, but so far there’d been no sign of them.
“They should have been here this afternoon,” he said, coming back into the cabin. He left the door open, which irritated Isabella.
She said nothing, however. It had been a long time since she’d had to build her own fire, and she wasn’t sure she could do it. Papi had taught her to make one when she was a young girl, but since then it was a job servants did for her.
She grabbed a handful of kindling and dried straw. Next, she took the matches from the mantel and knelt down to arrange things in the hearth. There was only one split log in the firebox. She supposed she could get Diego to get morewood, but if he’d let her get it herself, she could use the opportunity to escape.
A sense of excitement started in her toes and worked its way up her body. She had been looking all day for a chance to escape, and now she had a great idea. She knew the path picked up on the other side of the woodshed. This would loop around to the main road. Of course, that was only a little more spacious than the path, and it was pitch-black outside. The moon was only a sliver and would hardly offer any light. But that was probably a good thing. Diego wouldn’t know his way around like she did.
It had been a long time since she’d been up here, but Isabella felt confident she could manage, despite having told Diego otherwise. She’d only said those things to make him believe it was safe to leave her untied.
To her surprise, the straw and kindling caught, and healthy flames flickered up. She grabbed the split wood and arranged it as well, leaving plenty of space for air, just as Papi had instructed.
She straightened and dusted off her hands. “We’re going to need more wood. There’s only this one piece. We’ll need to get more from the woodshed. I can go, if you like.”
Diego appeared to consider this. Isabella was ready either way. If he told her to go get it, she would make a run for it in the darkness. If he told her to stay while he fetched it, she would leave the cabin as soon as he entered the shed and run through the darkness, making her way to the road. The only real problem was if he wanted to go with her.
She made a decision there and then. “But it might be better if you get it. My ankle has been troubling me all day. I think it got hurt when you tied me up.”
Diego shook his head. “I never meant to hurt you.”
“I know that. I’m not saying it to make you feel bad. I justneed your help with the wood.” She rubbed her shoulders for effect.
“Very well. You stay put.”
“Hurry. I’m cold.”
He walked through the open door. “Don’t close the door. I don’t want to have to stop to reopen it with my arms full.”
Isabella nodded. “I won’t.”
She gave him a few seconds’ start to the shed and grabbed the blanket off the bed. She really was cold, and the night air would just make it worse. It would take quite a while to get down the mountain, especially being careful not to be caught by Diego or his men, who could return at any time.
Poking her head out the door, Isabella could see Diego had almost reached the woodshed. She pulled the blanket tight around her shoulders.
He opened the door. She drew a deep breath and held it.
He stepped inside the shed.
Isabella slipped out of the cabin and raced around to the side. She hurried along the edge of the creek and behind the outhouse. She had to time this just right so that she didn’t draw his attention as she came near the woodshed. She slowly let out her breath, then panted softly into the folds of the blanket.
She saw him step from the shed, his arms full of wood. Diego headed toward the cabin, and once he’d reached the corner of the house, Isabella took off at a run. She crossed the distance between outbuildings, slipped behind the woodshed, and found the path she knew would lead her to the main road.
Diego’s voice bellowed into the night. “Isabella, where are you? Come back here at once!”
She ignored him and pressed on. Something tripped her, but Isabella righted herself quickly and slowed her pace. Shedidn’t know the way as well here, and she had to be careful or she could fall and get hurt. She stopped momentarily to get her bearings, then continued along the path.
“Isabella!” he called again, and this time his voice was louder—closer. “You know you won’t find the way. You haven’t been here for a long time. Let me know where you are. I don’t want you to get hurt.”
She wished he would be quiet and stop distracting her. She needed to focus. There were sheer drops off the side of the road in some places, and she needed to be careful. Knowing he was right on her heels made her nervous—agitated. It was the kind of thing that caused mistakes.
God, help me, please.
