Katie-Grace O'Malley stepped out into the growing darkness of the Kentucky evening. She had lied when she told Mrs. Bradley she had need to use the privy. Instead, she turned and began to run. She knew it would be just a matter of minutes until Israel came looking for her. He was unfailingly protective of her. He had held her hand, as well as Rose's, as they had walked from their house to the Bradley's.

"Don't fret, girls. Pa will take care of Master Jacobs." His voice dripped with rage. "Ma will be safe with him there."

"I hate him." Rose said quietly.

"I do too." Israel said hoping that his father would lose his temper and hit him. He knew that his father could level the bookish school master with just one punch.

Katie-Grace said nothing.

The Bradley's welcomed them joyfully. As they gathered in the main room of the cabin, Grace Bradley had studied the faces of the Boone children and said, "What's wrong? Where are your Ma and Pa?"

It was as Israel began to explain that Katie-Grace had excused herself. She ran now through the woods, not caring where she was going. She had passed the gates of the fort, and headed out into the Kentucky wilderness.

-DB-

Daniel held Becky's hand tightly as they walked toward Grace and Matthew Bradley's cabin. It would take at most ten minutes to walk there, but he worried over all that Katie had seen and heard, which made it seem like hours. Rebecca remained silent. They were surprised to see Israel running towards them.

"Israel? What is it?" His father asked alarmed.

"Katie-Grace ran off." He said trying to catch his breath. "She said she needed to use the privy, but then she ran off. I'm sorry, Ma."

"You don't think she'd . . . " Becky looked up at her husband. "Oh, Dan!"

He nodded his head. "Let's borrow a horse from Matthew. She can't be far."

***DB***

"Don't worry, Israel and Rose can stay here with us." Grace said to Rebecca. "You go look after Katie-Grace."

Becky nodded and Daniel helped her up onto the horse before climbing up behind her. Reaching around her, he grabbed the reigns and they rode off at a gallop.

They saw her in the distance. She was only about a quarter of a mile outside the fort. Daniel slid off the horse and walked beside it. Hearing the footsteps of the horse, she turned and froze.

"Katie-Grace." Daniel said gently. "Why don't you ride on the horse with your Ma? Its a long piece off, and there's no sense you getting all wore out."

Her green eyes opened wide and she nodded silently. He smiled at her sadly, and easily lifted her up onto the horse. He glanced up at the two of them, and sighing he led them into the wilderness.

Rebecca kept her arms around her daughter. Katie had never been back since that first terrible day. Becky could remember coming here long ago alone. She had struggled with the loss of her sister and had come here in a rainstorm, but Daniel had found her. She rested her cheek against Katie-Grace's head. Katie sat silent, her muscles taut.

At last, Daniel stopped the horse and said softly, "Here," He turned to help Katie down from the horse.

Katie slid down off the horse and looked around. She saw the crosses in the distance and approached her parents' graves quietly. She could hear her Aunt and Uncle behind her, and was not surprised when she felt her Aunt's hand reach for hers. She looked down at the stone next to her mother's grave. "Beloved" it read in Irish.

"Did you do that?" She asked quietly.

"No, your Pa did. He made it for me, and for you." Rebecca looked at her sadly.

Katie nodded her head, tears already spilling out of her green eyes. She walked past the graves deeper into the woods to a small grove of trees.

"I hid here, I think. I dug a hole in the ground." She looked up at her Aunt and could see her Uncle had followed them. "I dug it with my hands." She said in a whisper, remembering it all.

Rebecca nodded saying nothing.

"I could hear my Ma screaming and the Shawnee shouting. It was terrifying. But worse was later, when there was nothing but silence. I thought I would be there forever. It was late the next day that I climbed out and saw . . ." She looked away to the distant trees trying not to remember the sight of the bodies.

Daniel had come alongside her now and had his arms around her, as well as Rebecca. But she stepped away from them both. She turned and faced them. Wiping the tears from her cheeks she looked up into their faces.

"Then I heard voices and when I looked up I saw you." She pointed to her Uncle. "You picked me up and I don't remember much else. Except this: I felt safe, at last, and when I opened my eyes again, you were there." She pointed to her Aunt.

"Katie-Grace, the things that Master Jacobs has been saying to you, none of them are true. He is a fool. He doesn't understand anything. You are our daughter. I'm your Ma and he's your Pa." Her Aunt's voice was filled with tears.

She looked up at them. She longed to speak and explain things to them, but it seemed wrong to do it here, where her other family was buried. A wave of exhaustion washed over her, as she struggled to keep all her secret fears securely tucked away inside. She wasn't sure she could keep them hidden any more, but the thought of opening her lips to speak filled her with a weariness. What could she say? How could she even begin?

"We would never send you away, darlin'. You are our girl." Her uncle spoke harshly.

She looked backed towards the graves of her parents. "I am so tired. Can we talk about this later, please?"

"Katie, " Her Uncle began, but her Aunt reached out and putting a hand on his arm said, "That's alright sweetheart, we'll take you home, then."

Her Uncle stood studying her, and swallowing down tears, he reached out and pulled her into his arms. Kissing her on the forehead, he lifted her up, just as he had so many years ago and carried her back to the horse.