"So," Nathan said, "Once we get you out of town, I can help you more with the finer points, but you're going to have to do this part alone."
Nathan had just saddled Sarah, the sweetest, gentlest mare in the livery, and was adjusting the stirrups for Elizabeth while she sat in the saddle.
He sighed, looking at her voluminous skirts, wrapped around her legs. "My mother rides the ranch in men's work trousers." He looked up at Elizabeth and smiled, "Don't suppose I could convince you to do that?"
Elizabeth laughed. "I would love to, actually! But I think I might be having another discussion with the mothers about the example I'm setting for the children."
Nathan shook his head and patted her knee, asking her to lift her foot out of the stirrup again so he could make a final adjustment. Just that touch made Elizabeth's breath catch as she moved her leg.
"As if being comfortable and safe in the saddle is setting a bad example," he said. "If you fell off for some reason, these skirts would all go over your head." He raised an eyebrow and tilted his head, smiling, "Of course, they might also break your fall..."
Elizabeth took a deep breath. "Could we stop talking about falling, please?" she said, looking a little distressed as she visually measured the distance that now stretched out between herself and the ground.
Nathan looked up at her and smiled. "I won't let you fall," he said softly. They had another of their moments, and Nathan suddenly realized he had his hand on her knee again. He pulled back as if he'd been burned, and after a self-conscious moment, they both laughed. "Honestly, Elizabeth," he said, shaking his head and moving her foot back into the stirrup. "I've always been fairly awkward around women, but being around you..." he looked up at her in consternation, "...it's just a whole new level of awkward. Why do you think that is?"
She looked at him tenderly. "Because it matters?"
Nathan's eyes were very blue as he gazed up at her. He didn't speak, but he smiled and nodded. His heart was pounding in his chest. Yes, it matters. More than I could ever have imagined for myself.
Finally, Nathan managed to break the grip her eyes had on him. In truth, he wanted so badly to put his arms around her right now that getting away from town was foremost in his mind.
"Alright. Remember, with a horse like Sarah, you could probably let go of the reins and she would just do what was best. You only need to give her a little direction. This for left, this for right. She'll go slow, unless you put your heels in her flanks, so keep your feet away from her..." Nathan held on to Elizabeth's boot and pulled it just slightly away from Sarah's sides, "...and she'll take you on a nice, easy walk."
Elizabeth nodded. Nathan's eyes softened and he put his hand over hers on the reins. He smiled and said, "She knows what to do." He took hold of Sarah's bridle and led her around. "You remember where we'll meet? I can keep an eye on you from the trees."
"Yes," Elizabeth said, her voice a little higher than usual.
"I'm going to get Newton. She'll stay right here until you let her know you want her to move."
Within moments, Nathan was beside her astride Newton. He touched her hand again and smiled at her. "You look good on her, Elizabeth. We may need to get you your own horse someday."
Elizabeth's eyes were excited. "I'd like that," she said, feeling more confident now that Nathan was beside her at eye level.
"Okay. You take her out. I'll go around the back and meet you. But I'll be watching."
Elizabeth took a deep breath. "Thank you, Nathan." Then she smiled at him. "You're not a bad teacher yourself, you know?"
He smiled back at her and made a clicking noise. Sarah moved slowly into a walk, and Elizabeth turned around and looked at him, her eyes wide. "I want to learn how to make that noise," she said.
"One thing at a time, cowgirl," Nathan said, laughing, as she moved out of the large livery door. He eased past her and took Newton at a run around the back of the livery.
Elizabeth breathed deeply and touched Sarah's neck on the left side with the reins. The horse turned easily and walked toward town.
I'm riding a horse. By myself. Nathan was right, Sarah knew exactly what to do. Elizabeth thought it really wasn't difficult; a little like sitting in a chair. Just one that was moving.
There weren't many people out at this hour, so she managed to get from the livery to the road out of town without meeting anyone she knew. Elizabeth started to relax and she settled into the saddle as she found a rhythm. She loved it immediately.
The birds were in the trees, there was a glorious blue sky with cotton clouds above her. What was surprising was how quiet it was out here on the road with just the sound of Sarah's footfalls.
"Sarah," she said softly, reaching down to touch her mane and feel the sleek coat at her neck. "You and I are getting along just fine, aren't we?" They were getting further from town, with the pond on the right and a large meadow on the left that ended at the continuous stand of trees that bordered it.
Elizabeth squinted and tried to see Nathan, but of course he wasn't wearing his red serge. Elizabeth loved his civilian clothes, and she realized that he favored the colors of nature, so very different from the brightness of his uniform. He wore browns and greens, with a splash of the blue sky every now and then. She loved the look of them, but she realized she would never see him camouflaged in the trees. He would just blend in, like some sort of woodland creature.
That made her laugh softly, and it got her thinking about the fact that very soon, they would finally be alone. A tingle started down the back of her neck and she took a deep breath.
Today is the day.
To be honest, if he didn't kiss her, she might just have to kiss him.
Nathan had found a good spot close to the road, but still in the trees. He smiled to himself. He had to admit he didn't always mind all the cloak and dagger they were being forced into right now. It certainly made things interesting.
He looked out at the road and saw her in the distance. She was swaying slightly side to side along with Sarah's easy walk, and he realized he was right about Elizabeth's natural grace. The woman had never been alone on a horse out in the country, and she looked as if she belonged there.
It was a spectacular afternoon. Just the right temperature because of a mild breeze. Nathan knew exactly where he was going to take her, and then, finally, they would be alone. The thought of it heightened his senses to such a degree that he took a deep breath and forced himself to focus on the lone figure out in the middle of the road.
Nathan had chosen a spot at a turn, so that he could see both ways down the road. Elizabeth could only see up to where he was.
And then, something happened that Nathan hadn't anticipated, but he realized he should have. There was only one car in Coal Valley, and it belonged to Henry Gowen. It usually spent time parked either outside the mine or on the edge of town where Gowen lived.
What sounded at first like the buzzing of bees around him got louder and made him turn his head. The wind was blowing against the sound, and all of Nathan's tracking instincts kicked into high gear.
The noise didn't reach him until the car was almost at the turn, and Spurlock was driving fast. Nathan's heart went into his throat.
Not again, was the thought that entered his mind before he had a chance to push it away. Not again. The terror that filled him was almost like a current of electricity, coursing through his veins. And Nathan did what he did best. He leapt into action.
Nathan jumped Newton out of the trees, choking on the dust cloud that trailed behind the car, and then he pulled alongside. Newton could race at about thirty miles per hour for a short period of time, and Spurlock was probably going just about that fast.
Gowen was giving Spurlock instructions about something, and the Pinkerton looked into the backseat to talk to him. Nathan pulled ahead and yelled, "Stop!" He pointed frantically in front of him at Elizabeth in the middle of the road, but Spurlock only sneered at him, thinking it was just the Mountie telling him to slow down.
Elizabeth saw this unfold so quickly, it was hard to know what was happening. But she was transfixed by something on Nathan's face, a stricken look in his eyes as he sped toward her that held the same pain she'd seen before. So primal and terrifying that she knew in an instant that this was not the first time he'd experienced this. And then, because she was so connected to Nathan, she knew intuitively that he had watched Colleen die.
Spurlock laughed and looked forward, and then he saw Elizabeth. He didn't slow down, but he did pull slightly to the left to avoid her, missing by inches. Sarah was gentle, but no horse should be expected not to react to a near-miss with an automobile, and she reared up.
Nathan saw Elizabeth grab hold of the horn on the saddle, and for a moment it looked as if she would be able to hold on, but her hands slipped off. He was right behind her and he vaulted off of Newton so that when Elizabeth tumbled over the cantle and off Sarah's rump, Nathan was there. He put his arms around her and fell backward, taking the brunt of the fall as she landed squarely on his chest, knocking the wind out of him completely.
He lay there gasping for breath and Elizabeth was lying directly on top of him, completely unhurt. And then, to his utter amazement, she started laughing. If he had been able to breathe, he would have had some choice words for her, but in truth, while one half of him struggled to stay alive, the other half was absolutely, ecstatically, enjoying the moment. It was almost too much to take in.
"I...said...I...wouldn't...let...you...fall," he managed to choke out. Elizabeth's hair had come undone, and her curls fell around his face in a cloud of lavender. If he could get some air in his lungs, he was sure this would be one of the happiest moments of his life.
Elizabeth was having trouble catching her breath as well, but it was because she couldn't stop laughing. The picture she imagined of herself going heels over teakettle from the back of a horse, petticoats flying, and landing directly on Nathan just wouldn't leave her.
And then she looked at him, his face so close to hers. Now that he had managed to take a few breaths she could see the smile starting to form on his face too, and then she felt him laughing under her. She would be grateful later, and there would be muscles in his body that would ache, but for right now, the two of them only wanted one thing.
Elizabeth looked at him for a moment and she saw the fire start in his eyes again. That was all it took. She moved a short distance until her lips were on his and his arms came quickly around her back as he responded with a soft sound like a sigh.
Whatever she imagined it would be like to kiss Nathan Grant, she had never imagined this. And it wasn't that they were lying in the middle of the road that was surprising, it was how it felt to finally, completely give herself to him and to feel him throw caution to the wind and do the same.
Nathan felt her fingers on the back of his neck, and all of the terror of the last few moments channeled into a hunger he'd underestimated. He had to admit that when he'd imagined kissing Elizabeth he thought it would be sweet and tender, and it was, but there was so much more, for both of them. There was a heat that neither of them expected.
But there was also the fact that Nathan hadn't fully recovered his breath yet, and now his heart was racing as well. Reluctantly, he moved his lips to her cheek and felt the softness there. "Need to breathe," he said, his voice low and rough. The extreme emotions of the last few minutes had him completely undone.
He rolled gently to the side so that her weight was off of his chest, and Elizabeth nuzzled her head into the hollow of his neck. She laughed softly, self-consciously, abundantly aware that she had just kissed him in a way that might not be described as ladylike. "Sorry," she whispered.
Nathan rolled on to his back, breathing deeply now. "Don't ever be sorry. If I had the breath to say it, I would tell you that was a truly outstanding first kiss."
Elizabeth smiled. "It was, wasn't it?" She turned and looked at him. "I was so nervous," she said. "But I guess it's like riding a horse..."
Nathan laughed out loud. "Which you do so well..."
He managed to raise his head and could see that Newton had moved into the protective stance of a trained Mountie horse when his man was down. Yeah, I'm down alright, Nathan thought, allowing his head to fall back onto the dirt. I may never get up again. On the other side of them, Sarah had done the same, whether through some equine telepathy or her own training. Protected or not, Nathan thought it would be a good idea for them to get out of the middle of the road.
But maybe just one more, he thought, turning to Elizabeth. She was so beautiful, even with dirt on her face and her hair disheveled. He laughed softly, "This is how I met you," he said in wonder, rubbing his thumb across her dirty face.
She smiled back at him, her eyes dancing. "Always the damsel in distress..." Nathan couldn't wait any longer and he pressed his lips to hers, this time more tenderly, taking in the way she first yielded and then pulled him toward her, running her fingers into his hair. After a long moment he moved away and held her, his face buried in her curls, and whispered, "We should probably get out of the road..."
Elizabeth sighed deeply. "Are we in the road?" she said, her voice dreamlike.
Nathan laughed softly. "Yes, and we should move." With a burst of supreme willpower, he pulled himself away from her and took her hand. When he stood, he could feel every muscle in his shoulders and back wrench, reminding him of the hard fall he took. "You okay?" he asked her, putting out his hand to pull her up.
She looked up at him and smiled. "Mmmm-hmmm," she said. Nathan pulled her up and she went naturally right back into his arms. They both stood there for a time, breathing together, listening to the birdsong in the trees.
And then it wasn't just birdsong. There was a voice calling from the direction of the town and they both turned to see Ned Yost running toward them. He stopped for breath, putting his hands onto his knees.
"Constable!" he managed to say through deep breaths. "We need to organize a search party."
Nathan took Elizabeth's hand and started walking toward Ned. "What's happened?" he said, shading his eyes from the lowering sun.
"Rosaleen Sullivan. She's missing."