The next morning, after a hearty breakfast served on behalf of the fact that they had an extra person at the table, Karen took Adam out to the stable and introduced him to the older horses.
"Karen, would you like some extra company on your ride this morning with the older horses?" Adam asked her as she saddled one of the horses. Heath had decided to ride one of the other older horses and would be riding with her.
"I think that would be wonderful, Adam. What do you think, Heath?"
"I think that would be a good idea. He could ride the third horse and then we could complete all the exercise in one ride."
"I'll take Flamestar. He's a rather temperamental old boy when he doesn't know someone. But he and I have an understanding." Karen was talking as she turned the horse she had been saddling over to Adam and walked toward the other stall. "Don't we, Flamestar? You behave for me because you know that I won't hesitate to tell Ms. Victoria if you don't." The horse nickered and nodded his head.
"Are you trying to tell me that this horse is actually afraid of Ms. Victoria?" Adam asked with a grin.
"He isn't exactly afraid of her but he does know that it isn't a good idea to get on her bad side. She may not be a man but she has a mean guilt trip when she chooses to use it."
"That's a trademark of all good mothers," Adam said smiling. "Most of them don't even have to choose to use that guilt trip. It just comes out instinctively."
"I guess some mothers are just better at it than others."
"I think you're right, Heath. And there's nothing to argue about on that subject."
The three of them set off on their ride. Karen hanging back a bit, not as certain of herself as she once was. She was worried. Worried that something might happen while they were out and she might not be able to help the two men as much as she would like to. Worried that she might actually get in the way of them doing what they needed to do.
"Karen, are you okay?" Heath asked noticing that she had been far quieter than usual. Both men had noticed it. Adam allowed Heath to fall back and ascertain whether or not Karen was worried about something that she might not be willing to tell him about.
"I just don't know, Heath. I have a feeling about today. That something's going to happen on the ride and I'm not sure that I'll be much help to the two of you when it does happen. But I'm not sure what's going to happen. I just don't think it's going to be anything good."
"Karen, everything's going to be just fine. Adam and I are here and you're protected. No one is going to hurt you. I promise you that much. Okay?"
"Okay. Just make sure that you and Adam don't get hurt, okay? It might make me start feeling like a jinx."
Heath chuckled at that and reached out his hand to take hers. Suddenly, all three of them came to a stop.
There were eight people sitting astride horses in front of them. "We'll take the girl," one of them said leveling a shotgun at Adam.
"She stays with us. She's my sister."
"Not really. We already know that she's not your real sister. There's no blood between you."
"Doesn't matter. She's my sister and I'm not handing her over to you."
Karen knew that this man would shoot Adam over her. She was terrified. But Heath continued to hold her hand. He looked at her and shook his head ever so slightly. He knew Adam's reputation as a fast gun.
Karen started thinking. She was no slouch when it came to shooting fast. Adam had worked with her extensively to boost her speed. If Adam could take out three of those men and Heath could take out another three, she had no doubt she could take the other two. The only question became if one of them would be hurt in the process.
She nudged her horse forward as if to surrender to the men. She had no clue what they wanted with her but she wasn't sure that she wanted to risk either Heath or Adam. She thought, 'If I could get the men distracted somehow after they start me riding away from Heath and Adam, maybe we could overpower them and bring them in for attempting to kidnap me.'
"What do you want with my sister?"
"It's not what we want, Cartwright. It's what Gregori Dastrovsky wants with her. He wants her in exchange for the fact that he lost his wife to her sense of vengeance. He will let the girl pay for his wife's loss."
"Gregori will not have my sister. She has nothing to do with all of this."
"Oh but she does. You see it was kidnapping her to make your family pay for what happened to them after leaving Virginia City all those years ago that cost Mr. Dastrovsky the wife he loved so much."
"If he loved her so much, why did he introduce her around Virginia City as his daughter? Why did he not keep her closer to home? Why didn't they have some children to keep her occupied?"
"That is none of our business and none of your business either. Unless you want to go with us to ask him yourself."
Heath noticed at that point that Karen had been edging forward. He moved his horse forward and took the reins to Flame Star. "I don't think so, sweetheart. You're not going anywhere with them. This Gregori character probably told these creeps that he didn't care if you came to him intact of not. If you get my meaning. He wants to exact revenge on your family for his wife dying and he will probably take you whether they do on the way or not."
"We've been told that she is to arrive intact." Apparently, one of Gregori's henchmen had heard what Heath said to Karen. "He wants that pleasure for himself. If she doesn't satisfy him, he'll turn her over to us and we get to have whatever fun we want with her. At least, until he decides that she's no longer useful to anyone." The men all laughed.
In a moment of terror, Karen grabbed the reins from Heath's hands and turned Flame Star around. She kicked him into a hard gallop and headed back for the ranch, praying that Adam and Heath were following her. She just prayed that she could reach the Barkley ranch before Gregori's henchmen caught up with her or decided just to shoot her down.
She felt almost certain that Flame Star was picking up on her fear because he was running faster than she had ever seen him run before. She leaned in as close to his neck as she could to keep the wind resistance down.
But suddenly she felt herself falling from the horse's back. Landing hard on the ground, her head hit a rock with a good deal of force. She sat up shaking her head in an attempt to clear it.
She was still sitting there when Flame Star came back to her and nuzzled his nose to her cheek. "I fell, didn't I, boy?" He nodded. "I need to get back up. I'll never get back to the ranch if I don't and those men could catch me." She started pulling herself to her feet at first by holding on to the stirrup and then working her way up to her feet, at which point she was holding on to the saddle to keep herself stable.
Flame Star nickered and she knew what he meant. "I know, boy. I need to get back in the saddle so that you can get me back to the ranch. I'm trying. I just can't seem to keep myself steady enough to do it."
Finally, she was able to get herself settled enough that she was able to pull herself into the saddle and hang on as he started toward the ranch again.
Before she knew it, Flame Star arrived back at the ranch. He rode straight into the yard where Jarrod and Nick were working on something. Jarrod grabbed the reins and Nick stepped closer. Karen's adrenaline died out and she slipped from the saddle nearly unconscious.
One of the ranch hands stepped forward with a blanket and started rubbing down the horse. She had ridden him to a lather and they didn't want him getting chilled.
Nick had caught Karen as she slid from the saddle, her knees weakened by the fright she'd had. He dropped to his knees with her in his arms as his older brother dropped to the other side of the young woman between them. "Karen, where are Heath and Adam?" Nick demanded of her.
"I don't know if they were following me or not." She sounded almost delirious. Nick looked at Jarrod, his worry on his face.
"I'll take some hands and we'll find them. Make sure they're on the way back." He brushed the hair back from Karen's face. "You just stay put, Karen. Nick will watch over you and stay with you until I bring the boys back."
"I promise. I don't think I could walk anywhere right now even if I wanted to." She moved to stand up. Jarrod scrambled to his feet first and Nick followed as soon as Karen was on her feet with Jarrod holding on to her, ensuring that she was stable. She still wavered. "I didn't hurt Flame Star did I? With that wild ride?"
"I don't think so. One of the hands is taking care of him now. I'm sure they let us know when they get him taken care of whether or not he's okay." He looked at Nick. "Take her inside and don't let anyone in until I get back with Heath and Adam."
Nick nodded before scooping Karen up in his arms and striding toward the house. Jarrod ran for the stable to saddle his horse. He knew that his youngest brother was out there and might be in trouble. He couldn't just leave his brother and his friend, Adam Cartwright, out where they could be hurt.
Gesturing to the twelve ranch hands that had already saddled up, the whole group of them rode out of the stable and then out of the yard in the direction that Karen had come from. They would find Heath and Adam or they wouldn't come back.
Nick strode straight into the house with Karen cradled carefully in his arms. Victoria had been sitting in her chair in the living room and jumped up when he walked in. "What happened?" she asked.
"I don't know, Mother. Jarrod and I were in the yard when Flame Star rode in at a full gallop. He rode straight up to Jarrod and I moved to his side where Karen slid out of the saddle and into my arms. She seemed so weak that we asked her where Adam and Heath were. She just said that she wasn't sure if they had followed her or not."
"Where's Jarrod?"
"He took about twelve hands with him and rode out to find Heath and Adam. He told me to bring Karen inside and not to let anyone in until he got back with Heath and Adam."
Victoria nodded. "For now, take poor Karen up to her room. Ask Audra if she feels up to sitting with her for a bit. Tell her what happened if you must and only if you must. After that, you come back down here and we'll organize to keep the house protected until your brothers and Adam return to the house."
"Yes, Mother."
"Ms. Victoria?" Karen's voice sounded shaky and weak.
"What is it, dear?"
"I'm sorry I left Heath and Adam behind. I just couldn't take the way the men were talking about what would happen to me after they took me to their boss."
"Who was their boss, Karen? Can you tell me?"
"Gregori Dastrovsky. His wife is the one that kidnapped me the first time." Karen shuddered as if remembering the horrible things she'd gone through because of the woman.
"He's not going to get you here, dear. You are safe." She brushed a gentle hand across Karen's forehead before looking up at Nick. "Take her upstairs. She'll be safer up there than down here."
"Yes, Mother." Nick started up the stairs, moving carefully so as to keep Karen secure in his grip.
Moving swiftly down the hall, he was trying to get a grip on the door handle when Audra opened her door. "Karen! Nick, what happened?" She ran to Karen's door and opened it for Nick.
"I don't know for certain what happened but I think Gregori Dastrovsky tried to take Karen from Heath and Adam. Jarrod went with a dozen hands to find them. Mother would like to know if you would feel up to sitting with her until Adam and Heath get back. She wants me to help organize the hands to keep the house protected until Jarrod brings both of them back."
"Who is this Gregori Dastrovsky?"
"Apparently, his wife is the one who kidnapped Karen the first time." He gently lay Karen on her bed after Audra pulled back the covers. Then, he helped his sister pull the covers up over the young woman between them. "Can you sit with her?"
"Of course. You go. Help Mother organize the hands to keep the house safe. We'll be just fine up here."
"Just keep yourself and her safe, Audra. I don't think Mother would be pleased if anything happened to Karen. Or you." Nick kissed Karen's forehead and then kissed his sister's forehead. He left the room, knowing that Audra would do whatever was necessary to protect both herself and Karen.
Audra sat down on the bed beside Karen. "Karen, are you alright? Do you need anything?"
Karen was shaking as if she were cold. "An extra blanket would be nice. Please."
Audra nodded and went to the wardrobe to pull an extra thick woolen blanket to put over Karen.
As she tucked it up over her charge, she noticed a bruise on the side of her head, just sticking out a bit from the hairline. "Karen, how did you get this bruise? The one on the side of your head?"
"As I was riding away from the men trying to take me, I fell off Flame Star and hit my head on a rock. It wasn't sharp but it did hurt. Flame Star must have noticed that I fell off because he came back and nuzzled me to get up. I got back on him and we continued on for the house. I thought that if I could get back here I could send help for Heath and Adam. Has anyone gone after them?"
"Jarrod took about a dozen of the hands and rode out for them. I'm hoping they'll be back soon with Adam and Heath with them. Once we're sure everything is settled and safe, we'll get the doctor out here to take a look at that. In the meantime, if you fall asleep, I'll have to wake you up often enough to keep you alert and make sure that you know what's going on around you." Audra brushed a lock of hair back from Karen's face and looked down at her sadly. "I hate the thought of doing that but I've been told by a couple of different doctors that it's necessary to keep someone from slipping away in their sleep."
"I understand, Audra. I just hope this doesn't bother you too much."
"I don't mind helping you out and watching out for you, Karen. I've told you before you're like my little sister. And I don't consider that idle talk. Just you relax. Jarrod and the hands will bring back both Adam and Heath in no time and we'll all be safe. Those men wouldn't dare attack us here. Not where we have the advantage. They would be fools and I don't think that this Dastrovsky fellow is one to hire fools."
"I hope you're right. I don't want to think of anyone getting hurt because of me."
"I'm going to tell you this right now, Karen. And then I don't want to hear anymore about it. This is not because of you. It's because other people seem to think they have the right to mess with your life. You didn't ask for this and you don't want it. You just want to live your life in peace and harmony. Not in chaos. So, no more blaming yourself. This isn't on you."
"Can we talk later, Audra? I'm getting sleepy."
"Of course, Karen. You rest. I'll wake you in a while to make sure that your head injury isn't doing you any harm."
"Okay." Before Audra knew it, Karen was sound asleep. Audra smiled at Karen and sat back in the chair, picking up a book she had brought in with her.
As she read, she heard some racket in the front yard. She set her book aside and stood to look out the window. A smile crossed her face as she saw Adam and Heath ride into the front yard with Jarrod and the ranch hands that had left with him to find them. She watched both Heath and Adam bolt for the door as soon as they had dismounted.
She had figured that Heath would be in a hurry to see Karen and Adam wouldn't be far behind. His sister meant everything to Adam and he wasn't ashamed to show it either.
Heath's gentle knock on the door amazed Audra. She almost hadn't expected him to knock before entering the room. She got up and walked over to let him in. He walked in and stared at the young woman laying on the bed. "An extra blanket, Audra?" he asked as Adam walked in behind him.
"She asked for it, Heath. She was shivering so badly when Nick brought her in that she wanted an extra blanket. I looked in her wardrobe. I saw that blanket so I covered her with it and within a few minutes she was sound asleep. She told me about what happened though. She was afraid that you two would have been hurt when she rode off the way she did."
Heath shook his head. "They asked us what was going on. What we had planned. We told them that we had no idea what she was doing but that it wouldn't be a good idea to try following Flame Star. He's too fast and has amazing stamina. I even told them that he was probably back at the house by that time and they'd have no chance of ever catching him. They turned around and rode off after telling us that they'd catch up with Karen some other day. Then, she'd be sorry for all the trouble she'd caused Dastrovsky." He took a deep breath. "Once they were gone, Adam and I started back toward the house, using a zigzag pattern of sorts to make sure they hadn't doubled back and followed us. I found this laying on the ground next to a large rock." He held up the kerchief that Karen had been wearing when they left the house that morning.
"Oh God! Heath, she told me that she fell off Flame Star and hit her head on a rock. The bruise is there, just below the hairline. I noticed it as I was tucking her in with the extra blanket." Audra moved up next to Karen and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Karen. Karen, honey. Karen, I need you to wake up for a few minutes. Please." She looked at Heath when she got little response. "Karen, Heath and Adam are back. They're here in your room and want you to wake up and talk to them for a few minutes."
Karen opened her eyes and looked at Audra. "How long have I been asleep?"
"About thirty minutes, honey. But look. Both Heath and Adam are here. They wanted to see for themselves that you're okay. That's why I woke you up."
Audra reached to help Karen as she struggled to sit up. She adjusted the pillows to help prop the young woman up in the bed before tucking the blankets around her to keep her warm.
"Heath, Adam, I'm so glad you made it back okay." Karen looked close to tears. "I'm sorry I left you behind like that. I was so frightened. I figured if I made a run for it, the two of you would be safe. And, if I got back here, I would be safe until you could get back."
Heath sat down on one side of the bed and Adam sat on the other. Both men reached out and took Karen's hands. Adam spoke first. "Karen, honey, don't apologize. You did what you did because you were scared. At least, you thought to come back here where you knew you would be safe. We aren't mad. Not at all. We're glad that you made it back here."
Heath noticed the edge of the bruise sticking out from the hairline on the left side of Karen's head. "Honey, is this where you hit your head on that rock?" He ghosted his fingers over the part of the bruise that was showing.
"Yes. It hurts but I haven't had any dizzy spells. Not like what happened when the rock hit me when I escaped from Anabelle.
"It's on the same side though. That worries me some, Karen." Adam's voice even told Karen that he really was worried about this. "We'll keep a close eye on you for a while. Don't get upset if we seem to always be nearby. I just want to make sure that you really are okay."
"Adam, you've always been protective of me. More so than Little Joe or Hoss ever could have been. I promise to try to remember why you're always there if I start feeling smothered." Karen smiled at her brother and hugged him.
"Karen, I want you to rest. Jarrod has already sent a couple of hands to fetch the doctor. We'll make sure we wake you when he gets here so that he can examine you. In the meantime, we want to make sure that everyone's watching out for people that don't belong here."
"Heath, can I go back to sleep until the doctor gets here? I'm getting sleepy again."
"Just rest, honey. We'll stay with you and like I said, we'll wake you when he gets here. I promise. We aren't going anywhere."
Heath and Adam both helped Karen snuggle back down under the covers and tucked them in tight around her. They both hoped that she hadn't heard what the men had said about catching her some other day.
Both men hoped that those words hadn't registered in her subconscious mind. Because they both feared what that knowledge would do to the young woman between them.