Page 160 (1/2)

69

HIDEOUS EMERGENCY

JAMIE AND BREE were nearly ready to leave Smoke-stained and weary as they were, a number of the men had offered to join the search-party, an offer that rateful for the offer of help, I knew--but it takes tiroup, and I could see the impatience flare up in red blotches under her skin as weapons were cleaned, canteens refilled, cast-off shoes located

"Wee Josh" had been eon’s assistant, but he was a groo the ills of horseflesh The only difference, as I told hirin--was that human patients could tell you where it hurt

I had paused to washa lacerated scalp, when I becae of theit too, turned his head--and then ca, eyebrows raised

"What is it?" I turned to look, and saw a young wo toward us at a lopsided trot She was slight of build and li badly--she had lost a shoe so, supported on one side by Murdo Lindsay, who see

"Fraser," I heard her gasp "Fraser!" She let go of Murdo and pushed her way through the waitingHer brown hair was tangled and full of leaves, her face scratched and bloody

"JamesFraserIfor breath, her chest heaving and her face so red it looked as though she ht have an apoplexy on the spot

Jamie stepped forward and took her by the arm

"I’m Jamie Fraser, lass," he said "Is it , but had no breath for words I hastily poured a cup of water and offered it to her, but she shook her head violently, instead waving her arer," she got out, gulping air like a landed fish "Roger MacKenzie" Before the final syllable left herwo woman’s arirl’s head bobbed up and down, shook back and forth, and she gasped out, "Hangtheythey arehanging hio of her and ran for the horses Ja reins with the saan Without a word, he stooped, hands cupped; Brianna stepped up and swung into the saddle, kicking the horse into ht the h, and both horses disappeared into the s, as though sed up

I said so under my breath, with no consciousness of whether I’d uttered a curse or a prayer I thrust needle and suture into Josh’s startled hands, caught up the sack withthe brown-haired wo from her effort

I CAUGHT THEM UP within a fewhis drumhead court, and valuable tiain, and lean from his horse to ask directions--these often athered into herself, quivering like a nocked arrow, ready for flight, but lacking direction

I tried to readythe worst I had no idea what preliht elapse between condeht I’d known Tryon long enough to see that he acted with thought, but also with dispatch--and he would know that if such things were done, ’twas best they were done quickly

As to the why of itiination failed co; that she had er And yet I didn’t think so; neither did Brianna, urging her horse through a boggy patch ahead with an intensity that suggested she would be better pleased to leap off the horse and drag it bodily through the nats surrounded us, but Jamie made no move to brush them away His shoulders were set like stone, braced to bear the burden of knowledge It was that as er was likely dead

The thought beat againstrocks So far, I felt only brief, recurrent shocks of ilanced at Brianna’s white face, thought of tiny Jehing in the distance, singing through hts aside; it would do no good And I would not truly break, I knew, until I saw his body

Even then, the break would be internal Brianna would need me Jamie would stand like a rock for her, would do what must be done--but he, too, would need uilt I knew he felt, but I could at least be confessor for hi could wait--a long tie of a wide allop, the other horses strearass, the sound of our hoofbeats lost in the sounds of a crowd of men who filled the field

On a rise at the far end of the ht in the slanting sun My horse roup ofbroken in the tree’s deep shadow The hammer struck one final blow, and my heart shattered like ice