Chapter Nine

Jarrod walked out of the cabin and looked up at the clear, blue sky. There wasn't a cloud in the sky. The storm that had hit had lasted a full day and dropped a good two inches of water on the ground…which meant plenty of mud. Vanessa was brushing down the horse he'd caught after the one he'd ridden from Stockton had fallen and broken his leg. It made Jarrod grateful he'd left Jingo back at the ranch; it would have been a nightmare had it happened to his faithful horse. He walked up to Vanessa, who had been awfully quiet since they'd eaten the night before. "Don't let Matthew get to you. He's always saying one thing or another-never means any harm by it."

"I figured that much." Vanessa turned away from the horse after a moment and smiled at Jarrod. "Matthew reminds me of one of my uncles. I was actually laughing inside as he was talking last night. I just didn't dare let it show, afraid it would just encourage him. Though, it did surprise me when Elmer actually kicked him."

"That's the first time I've seen the man do that. Though, if someone asked me, I'd have to admit it didn't really shock me." He then thanked her for the breakfast she'd cooked them that morning. "They cook well enough," Jarrod gestured in the direction the two gold miners/trappers had gone. "But their food does leave much to be desired, just don't tell them I said that." He then went on to tell her that Elmer had drawn him a map with directions that would get Jarrod and Vanessa back to the Barkley ranch even faster than the route Jarrod had intended to take…along with the fact that the two mountain men had given them enough supplies to make the rest of the trip-including better suited coats. "I don't know that I agree about the better coat bit only I didn't feel like fighting them either. Now, with the time we lost to the storm, I think we best take the route they suggest."

Vanessa felt an uneasy feeling begin to grow in her stomach. Jarrod had told her before they ever ran into Elmer and Matthew how well he knew the route he was taking. "Why follow a map into a territory you are unfamiliar with when you know the other one so well?"

Jarrod sighed. He knew she had a point only the time they'd lost, and the picture he'd get in his mind of his and her faces on a wanted poster… "I've been on the route they're talking about a number of times, just not as much as the other route. That's why they drew me a map. It's less miles, and we need that right now…especially since we don't know when another storm will hit." He went on to say that Elmer had told him to the man's extra horse, Almino. "Elmer says he'll pick him up from the ranch next time he comes to Stockton. I wasn't going to argue with him. Riding double on this horse is not good for the animal." Jarrod pointed towards the horse that Vanessa had named Asher.

Vanessa still felt uneasy only she shrugged her shoulders and went back to brushing the horse. "I still do not like it only, no matter what route we take, we best hurry. There is not time to waste."

Jarrod agreed and within the hour they were on their way, passing numerous trees and rocks and having to go around more than one mud puddle. A few rabbits could be seen scurrying through the mountain terrain, plus a few deer. They even saw a black bear in the far distance. "Sure hope we don't see anything like that up close." Vanessa shivered just a little at the thought of what the end result could be. She didn't care how well she'd learned how to handle a gun and rifle through the years…she didn't want to have to use any type of fireman at the moment.

"I agree." Jarrod then turned the subject to Vanessa and her family. "I admit I was surprised you stayed in Clairton when your parents passed away. I know your brother in Mexico wanted you to go live with him and his family."

"Si, he did not like the idea of my being alone. He thought I should go back to Mexico and find a husband since I had not found one here in the United States." Vanessa answered, keeping her eyes out for branches that were hanging too close to the ground for her comfort or any wild animal that might appear.

Because Jarrod knew how much family meant to Vanessa, and how she'd stated more than once that she'd love to have a husband and children of her own, he wasn't surprised to hear her brother had made such a statement. "But you have fallen in love with California and couldn't leave," Jarrod smiled.

'No, I fell in love with a dark haired, baritone, blue eyed lawyer and couldn't move' Vanessa thought silently. However, being raised that a woman never made the first move, she had determined years ago never to say anything to anyone. The closest she'd ever come to breaking that vow was when she'd admitted to her mother that she'd either remain single all her life or marry the only man she could ever love. "Something like that," Vanessa smiled from ear to ear as she and Jarrod continued to push their horses forward. However, any smiles or visiting came to an abrupt halt when a harmless snake slithered in front of the horses, startling the animals.

"WHOA!" Both Jarrod and Vanessa pulled on their reins and fought to stay in their saddles and get control of their horses. Vanessa's horse reared up on his hind legs more than once, but she finally got the animal to calm down. However, before she was able to do that, Jarrod's horse had managed to step too close to the edge of a hillside they were passing…and Jarrod had been thrown off his horse and rolled down the hill. Needless to say, his horse was nowhere in sight now.

"JARROD!" Vanessa flew off her horse, quickly tethered the animal to a nearby tree and ran down the hill…almost taking a tumble a time or two herself.

"JARROD!" She yelled again as she reached him and knelt down. She was relieved to hear him groaning. "Jarrod, how badly are you hurt?"

"Bad enough," he gasped through labored breath. "You'll have to go back to Elmer and Matthew's cabin. Just follow the map backwards…" He would have continued talking only he and Vanessa were shocked when they heard the two men calling out their names.

Vanessa stood up and started yelling back. It wasn't long before Elmer and Matthew were standing at the top…and they had Jarrod's horse with them. She cupped her hands to her mouth and yelled again. "He's hurt! We have to get him back to your cabin!"

"Hang on! We'll be down in a moment!" Elmer yelled back, and then he and Matthew went to work on rescuing their injured friend.