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Then suddenly there was a loud thump from the bedroom.
Chapter Eight
The smell of blood made his lip curl. Blue Coats. Where were the Bluecoats?
He tried to get up. But the wound was too fresh and he fell to the floor. He winced with the pain silently as he scrambled to stand once more. He must find the woman; make sure she was all right. If those no-goods got a hold of her, he'd kill them. She'd been t
hrough so much. He had listened to her story at the table and his heart went out to her through all the pain in her voice. Not only that, but she was the woman of his dreams, he knew it. He'd found her. And nothing would stop him now from getting her to her people. The only people she had left.
She thought all was lost. She had no idea there was another life she must know.
He remembered her with such clarity and an unexplainable softness from her. In his dream, she was so untouchable and sweet, and in life, she was vibrant and he saw the potential of womanhood in her. He had not seen such beauty from a woman before. Not the refined beauty of some of the soldier's wives. Not the natural beauty from White Dove his Indian maiden, but a beauty from within that was hard to put to words. A strange beauty seemed to come from within her. A quiet beauty and something more. This woman looked at him as though she knew him. And he her. But he knew she was from his dreams and Burning Tree put her there. They were one and before long she would know this. He was well pleased with her too, for she was like him. Very brown with her bright almost golden eyes hinting at a smile that never touched her lips. She was like an unanswered prayer.
The door suddenly flew open and the woman and boy he'd seen with the horses came in.
"You must stay in bed," the woman cautioned.
"You are not harmed?" The scout asked, his eyes going over her thoroughly undaunted by his crippling wound.
She blushed and he could almost smile at such a naive gesture from a woman. He recognized her virtue.
"Yes, I'm fine. I didn't realize you spoke English. What is your name?" She asked as she helped him.
"My name is Chase Rivers."
"Chase Rivers," she repeated putting his arm around her shoulder and dragging him back towards the bed once more.
"Well Chase Rivers. I am Katherine Hightower and this is my brother Joshua. Now, you should stay in bed for a while, till you've gained your strength." The woman said in the voice that haunted his dreams. He heard her, somehow, someway; he heard her voice in his own darkness. This truly was the woman in the dream. Her voice reached out to him even now.
"We must leave this place," he managed giving Joshua a glance. Surely the young man would understand his urgency.
The woman's lips opened into an almost smile. "You're free to leave as soon as you are well enough. I've just dug a bullet from your rib. You must rest now," She insisted checking the bandage and dismayed to see he had nearly ripped it off.
"There is no time for rest. Where are the soldiers?" He demanded impatiently.
"They're dead."
Silence surrounded them as they looked at each other.
"More will come," Chase Rivers said wearily, raking a hand over his eyes. Then his dark eyes studied her closely,
"What is your name?"
"Katherine, Katherine Hightower."
"It is a fitting name."
"Thank you." She tried on a smile.
"I call her Cat, sometimes" Joshua insisted.
"Cat?"
"She's like a cat..."
"Cat...." Chase turned the name around in his head. "You are very stubborn woman." Chase announced stiffly.
"Yes, Mr. Rivers, I am." She smiled while taking a rag from the basin and rinsing his head once more.
