They rode on together, without speaking, for another couple of hours. Ginny was amazed to find out they had only gone about twelve or fifteen miles from the ranch. It seemed like they'd been riding for days and should be near Denver by now. Fifteen miles in her time period usually meant less than twenty minutes by car, not four or five hours by horse.
The swaying of the horse was lulling her into a false sense of security. She kept looking around for any sign of Nate, but truthfully, she didn't know what to look for. Short of a large sign saying, “Over here,” she was lost.
The only sound besides the rain was some distant thunder. Although they were in the woods, Ginny still worried about lightning. There certainly wasn't any thing she could do if one of them were struck.
As if conjured by her own mind, a flash of lightning struck one of the trees, directly behind Ginny. A large chunk of wood and leaves came crashing down next to her, spooking the horse so bad that he took off like a jackrabbit. The only thing Ginny had time to do was hold on tight. The horse passed Colby, who was able to keep his horse from taking off.
They were racing through the forest, dodging branches. Ginny kept her head down and was screaming, “Whoa,” for all the good it did. The horse, clearly unhappy at his task as it was, was even more displeased at the prospect of lightning and falling debris.
A low lying branch slashed across Ginny's face, knocking off her hat and scraping her cheek. Ginny hoped that the forest would open up so she could sit up and pull back the reins. She didn't dare try it now, or she might be taken off the horse by all the branches.
Suddenly, Ginny saw Nate. He was crouched by the river, trying to fill his canteen. Before Ginny could scream, the horse stopped up short, bucking on his hind legs and sending Ginny to the ground. With the wind knocked out of her, she barely registered the fact that her escapade had caught Nate unaware, making him fall into the river.
With what strength she had left, Ginny ran down to the river, ripping off her coat as she went. She spotted Nate heading toward her on the fast moving water. Without any time to think, Ginny jumped into the water, grabbed Nate and reached out to grab hold of a tree that had long ago fallen into the river. She and Nate were pressed against the side of the tree, with the water pushing them against it, keeping them from moving. The pressure was tremendous. They had to get out of the river.
Ginny moved so one arm was draped around the tree, then she could use her other hand to help Nate climb on top of the log. The current kept trying to pull him under, making her job all that much harder. The river was cold, slowly sapping what little strength either of them had.
With a mighty heave, Ginny pulled Nate up by his belt. She was screaming at him to climb up, but the rushing water drowned out most of the sound. Nate turned his head, and she saw raw fear in his eyes. After all, wasn't this how his parents had died?
Putting on a confident face, she said as loud as she could, “Nate, you have got to climb up. Use all your strength.”
“But what about you?” he asked, tears forming in his eyes.
“As soon as you're out, I can get out. I can't move with you here.” It was a lie. Ginny didn't think she'd be able to climb out regardless, but she needed him to get out. Without a thought of herself, she would do anything to save the boy.
Nate nodded his understanding and started to climb. Ginny pulled as hard as she could, not feeling as though she was getting very far. Just as she thought they were making headway, something cracked and Ginny got sucked under the log.
Miraculously, she was able to grab a branch on the other side, barely pulling herself back to the log. The current was a little softer, with the log taking the brunt of the force, but she didn't think she'd be able to hold on for long. Nate had both arms over the log, with his chest plastered against it. He was crying, not able to move.
“Nate, please try again. Try to pull yourself up.”
His eyes flew open, and Ginny realized that he thought she was gone. After seeing her there, still clinging to the dead tree, he found a small reserve of strength and started again to pull himself up. Meanwhile, Ginny held onto the branch, praying she could hold on just long enough for Nate to pull himself out.
No matter what Nate did, he couldn't get his legs up. The current under the tree was too strong. Ginny tried to pull herself closer, but was pulled away by the same assault. Just when she thought they would have to let go and try again down river, Colby appeared by the river's edge. Reaching down, with one hand he pulled Nate to the shore. From the cold and terror, Nate could only flop down on the ground.
Colby leaned out on the tree and reached out his hand. Ginny was afraid to let go, knowing she had only one chance to grab his hand or be swept down river. Looking up at his face, she saw something she hadn't seen on him before: fear. Before she could say anything, it was gone, replaced by determination.
“Ginny, grab my hand. I swear I won't let you go.” He must have been shouting, but over the sound of the river, Ginny could barely hear him.
Knowing that this could only end one of two ways, and generally speaking, heroines didn't drown, Ginny reached out and grabbed his hand. Colby pulled her up, onto the log, then helped her onto the river bank. She flopped next to Nate, who had his eyes closed and was breathing steadily.
She touched his cheek, and he turned and looked at her. Smiling, he started to cry and shake. He grabbed her and wrapped his arms around her.
“It's okay, Nate. We're all okay.” Ginny held the boy until he calmed down. By then, she felt like she could stand. The three moved further up the bank, away from the river.
Colby knew he had hurt his family by ordering Ginny to leave. Seeing her under the tree, crying with worry over his little brother, he realized that she could no more leave than he could. His family needed her, and it appeared that she needed them as well. Not remembering who she was must be frightening, and Colby hadn't made it any easier on her.
As they rode together through the forest, he kept stealing clandestine looks. She paid him no notice, her worry etched in her face. They would find his little brother, but then what? Could he make it up to his family, to Ginny?
He hadn't been fair, and he was even less mature. After all, he'd brought her here to be a mother to his brothers and when she was, he got jealous of her. Colby wasn't the warm and fuzzy type. And since being forced to return, he hadn't even been the nice type. He wasn't willing to sit with his brothers as they fell asleep, and he wasn't going to listen to his sister ramble on about suitors.
But Ginny was willing, able, and more than capable. So why had he wanted her gone so badly? The answer hit him and made him catch his breath. He was falling in love with her. She was strong and independent. She was smart, funny and beautiful. Ginny had everything he was looking for. But, she was unavailable. She had suggested the original idea of keeping things professional. She wasn't interested in a relationship with him.
The more he thought about it, the more he realized why she'd made the suggestion. Hadn't he been standoffish? Hadn't he made it clear that he wanted nothing to do with her because he thought she was only there to take advantage? Faced with that, Ginny had made the proposal in order to save herself. It was either him or the whorehouse, and what woman would choose a brothel over being a governess?
Then she came, and she never once complained. She did the job he'd assigned her. Maybe her methods were strange, but one thing was certain, she had gotten through to his siblings. They trusted her, liked her and maybe even loved her. Nate definitely did, or he wouldn't be out traipsing the countryside to live with her instead of him.
Ginny even earned Nizhoni's friendship and trust. An accomplishment that Eloise had never been able to do. Everyone seemed to take to her as soon as they met her. Vas liked her immediately, although Colby knew that Vas liked most women immediately. Seeing them together that night in the dark with Ginny in only her nightgown, had nearly sent him over the edge. He hated to admit that he was somewhat relieved when Vas chose Georgia instead of Ginny.
Having finally come to terms with his feelings, Colby wondered how he would make it right with his family. Obviously he wouldn't send Ginny away. But could he make her love him as much as he was starting to love her? Or had that ship sailed away on his bitterness and anger? He couldn't imagine her ever wanting him now, but he was determined to show her the other side of Colby Miller. The one that could be nice, sweet and generous. He would even marry her again before Reverend Thomas, to make it official.
As Colby was setting plans in his head, he heard a loud crack, followed by an even louder crash. Without thinking, he set to calm his spooked horse down. As he tried to keep his horse from throwing him, he saw Ginny fly past him on her own horse. It was obvious that she had no control over the animal.
It took a moment to get his own horse calm enough to go after her. By that time, she was gone, hidden from view by the trees. He couldn't even hear her with the sound of the rain. He went as fast as he could, through the trees, worried that he would be pulled off if he went any faster. That was his biggest fear for Ginny.
It seemed like a long time before he spotted her horse, eating some grass he'd found in a small clearing. But where was Ginny? He hadn't passed her, he was sure of it. Looking around frantically, he saw her coat, lying on the ground. He ran over to it, and then saw a sight that froze his heart. Both Ginny and Nate were in the river, holding onto an old tree.
As he ran towards them, Ginny went under. Colby felt his heart stop until he saw her come up on the other side of the tree, still clinging to it. Colby didn't think he'd ever be as scared as he was at that moment. Two of the most important people in his life were in mortal danger. If either let go, they would be swept away and would surely drown. He didn't want to imagine his life if that happened.
Reaching the river's edge, Colby grabbed his brother and pulled him on shore. The current had been sucking him under. It took a lot of force to get him out, like sucking a watermelon through a straw. Then he turned and saw Ginny. She looked relieved. It finally hit Colby that Ginny had become a true mother to Nate, willing to surrender her own life in exchange for his. In that moment, Colby knew that he couldn't lose her, not to the river and not to his own bitterness.
Reaching down, he held out his hand. “Ginny, grab my hand. I swear I won't let you go.” He had never meant anything more in his life. It occurred to him as he pulled her out of the water, that he would gladly exchange his life for hers.
Walking back to Colby's horse, Ginny held Nate in her arms directing him where to step so he wouldn't fall. They were both bone cold, exhausted and soaking wet. As Colby went to pick up their possessions, Ginny examined Nate for any injuries. He wasn't talking, just staring into space.
When Colby returned with Ginny's coat and Nate's backpack, Ginny gave him a worried look. “I think Nate is going into shock. We need to get him warm and dry as soon as possible.”
Colby stood up and looked around. “I remember an outcropping not too far from here. It'll be dry, and I'll be able to build a fire to keep him warm.”
Colby put Ginny and Nate on his horse and walked them to Ginny's horse. Climbing up on the other animal, he set off in the direction of the shelter. It took less than a half hour to reach it, but by the time they arrived, Nate was shaking.
Ginny dropped from the horse after handing Nate to Colby. She surveyed the outcropping. It was just what she expected, a thick, flat piece of rock jutting out to provide a small shelter underneath. The space went back underneath, surrounded by rock walls, making a small cave. Fortunately, it was both dry and unoccupied.
The ground had some rocks lying around, so Ginny moved those out of the way. Using her long coat, she laid it down on the ground. Then she found her saddlebag that contained a clean shirt. She removed Nate's clothing and put him in the clean shirt. Colby handed her the blanket from his horse. Although the edges were wet, most of it that was under the saddle was still dry. Ginny took it and covered the boy.
Colby set out to find some firewood. Ginny laid down next to Nate and wrapped herself around him. She had removed her outer shirt and pants, hanging them from a rock to dry out. She had only a pair of long underwear that Georgia had given her to keep her warm. They were soaked as well, but Ginny wasn't about to go naked.
Colby returned and started a fire. The small shelter soon filled with its warmth and Nate stopped shaking. As Colby built the fire, he could hear Ginny talking to Nate, telling him how everything would be alright, that he was alright. Colby took a deep breath and told his brother the one thing that he thought would calm him more than anything.
“Nate, Ginny's not leaving. I was wrong to try to make her go. If she wants, she can stay as long as she wants.”
Nate's eyes cleared for a moment as he looked at his brother. “Really?” he asked, voice earnest.
Smiling a sad smile, knowing that he had caused the boy so much pain, he answered, “Really.”
Turning to look up at Ginny, Nate asked, “Are you gonna stay, Ginny? Please say you'll stay.”
With a sincere smile, she answered, “Of course. I can't think of anywhere else I'd rather be.”
With a sigh of relief, Nate cuddled under the blanket and fell asleep, as if the news was all he needed to hear to be comfortable again. When his breathing evened out, Ginny moved to sit with her back against the wall of the small cave. She was a little chilled, but the heat from the fire helped keep her from shivering.
Colby, who had retrieved his saddlebag, was busy making a spot for her to get comfortable. He pulled out his only clean shirt and handed it to her. Ginny was grateful for the extra clothing. He motioned for Ginny to join him. They sat side by side, backs against the cave wall, Nate only a few feet away, fast asleep.
Ginny figured this would be when they had it out. That all the nice things Colby had said were only to placate his brother. She would be able to stay, but he would still be the same stubborn, prickly individual he was before.
Handing her a flask, Colby said, “I don't think I've ever been as scared as when I saw you two in the river.”
Ginny gladly took a long draw of the whiskey and replied, “It wasn't too great being in the river either.”
Colby chuckled. Ginny was surprised that he actually took something she said correctly, not jumping down her throat for being a smart ass. “No, I can't imagine it was.”
The two fell silent for a moment, when Colby finally resolved to have his say. Turning toward her, looking into her eyes, he said what needed to be said. “You are the most incredible woman I've ever met. I can't believe that you would risk your life for my brother when you've only known him a few weeks. I doubt I could ever repay you for that.”
Her smile was weak and cautious. “You don't have to repay me, Colby. I did it because he means so much to me. Your whole family means that much to me.”
Looking down, scratching his forehead, he whispered, “Everyone but me, right?”
Ginny, who hadn't taken her eyes off him, replied, “You haven't exactly ever made me feel welcome, you know.”
Still avoiding eye contact, he said, “I know. I feel pretty awful about that.”
Ginny turned to watch the rain drops fall from the leaves of the nearby trees. The sounds were soothing, like listening to one of those CD's of nature sounds, with waves crashing, crickets chirping and rain falling. All they ever did for her was make her have to pee. But now, it was nice.
Not sure how to broach the subject, but knowing this was to be where they would forge new ground, find their way, she asked, “Why didn't you... what could I... what happened?” She stammered, not knowing what to ask or how to ask it. Mostly, she was afraid of saying the wrong thing and setting him off again.
“Three years ago, I finally got to leave the ranch. I wanted to be a lawyer. My parents always said I could argue anything to death. So, when the ranch was doing well, and my parents had enough help, I went to Denver and started apprenticing with a local lawyer.
“His name was Barney Strohman, and he taught me a lot. But in the end, I decided to enroll in a law school back East. Part of me wanted to learn as much as I could, but there was also part of me that wanted to be away from here. I wanted to live an exciting life in a big city. So, I saved every penny I could, and with a recommendation from Barney, I got accepted to Columbia.”
“Wow, Columbia. That's a good school, huh?” Ginny knew that it was a good school in her time but not so much about it in this time period. Still, he obviously wanted to get very far away, and New York City was really far.
“Yeah, I guess. There's not too many law schools to chose from. Anyway, I was set to leave when my parents died. I received a telegram two weeks before I was supposed to leave. Needless to say, I rushed back to the ranch. It wasn't long before I realized that I wouldn't be able to leave again.”
“Why never again?” Ginny asked, trying to keep him talking.
He finally turned and looked at her again. “How can I leave? My brothers can't handle the ranch, and it wouldn't be right leaving it to strangers.” His voice held that same old exasperation, but Ginny bit her tongue. Some habits die hard.
“What I mean is... your brothers will eventually grow up and will be able to take care of themselves. If none of you want the ranch, you could sell it and move on. It's just a setback, Colby. It doesn't have to be forever.”
Shaking his head, he said, “My parents worked so hard. All they wanted was to leave us something when they were gone. Wouldn't be right to sell the ranch.”
Staring out at the trees once again, Ginny thought about what he said. “Your parents did give you something, Colby. If they were like any decent parents, they just wanted you to be happy. Besides, I don't think Frank will ever leave this valley. You can see it in his eyes. He couldn't picture himself anywhere else in the world.” A smile came across Ginny's face.
Seeing that smile, Colby said, “How did you do it? How did you get so close to them so quickly?”
“I don't know. Frank tried so hard to shock me with the cursing. It only made me laugh. When he saw that I could give him what he wanted, I guess he decided I wasn't so bad. And Nate... well, he's just such a special kid.” Ginny turned and looked him in the eye. “He needed someone so bad, and so did I. He just managed to crawl into my heart, I guess.”
“Nate has a way of doing that, even when he was younger. I remember the day he was born. He had these big, blue eyes. He grabbed my finger and held on so tight.”
Ginny's breath caught in her throat. He sounded like a father, and she couldn't help but love the sound of it. She knew he loved his family, but this was the first time that she'd heard it in his voice. Before, she had only seen the side of him that looked upon his brothers and sister as a burden.
Not being able to help herself, Ginny asked, “Do you ever want your own children someday?”
Colby stared out at the dripping trees and smiled. He would remember that question as the first thing Ginny had ever said that could mean that she would be willing to have him. “Yes. I would like to be married to someone special and have kids of my own.”
He turned his gaze to his feet and muttered, “Don't know how good a father I would be, though.”
Seeing how forlorn he looked, Ginny replied, “I think you'd make a great father. You're obviously a good provider and an excellent protector. You're willing to sacrifice yourself for your family. Sounds like some great qualifications to me.”
Turning his gaze to hers once again, Colby felt like he was home. Just staring in her eyes, he felt complete. He would have to do anything and everything in his power to make sure that this woman was his forever.
“Thanks,” was all he could say. Not taking his eyes off hers, he reached over and brushed her cheek with his thumb. Ginny's tender look turned to shock.
In for a penny, in for a pound
, he thought as he broached the topic of her staying as more than a nanny.
“I was wondering if you might like to... alter our original arrangement.”
Squinting her eyes in suspicion, she asked, “Our original arrangement?”
“Yeah. You know the one about our marriage being in name only. You earning back what I paid for you, then leaving.” Colby's eyes were intense, knowing that her rejection would devastate him.
Ginny turned to look over at Nate. He was still sound asleep, breathing steadily. She realized what this was. This was her ticket to sex and moving on. Judging by the look in his eyes, he was already in love. Just as the romance novels dictated.
Taking a deep breath, she looked back at him and asked, “What did you have in mind?”
Colby let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. She hadn't rejected him outright, so he still had a chance. “I was thinking that we consider our marriage valid. Or...” he stumbled a bit when her expression looked doubtful, “I could court you proper. Then we could say our vows again, before Reverend Thomas.”
Ginny turned to stare out at the trees again. She thought about what he said. If he were to court her proper, as he put it, it could take weeks or months before she had her best sex ever. On the other hand, if they were in love, would she leave again quickly? Turning once again to gaze at Nate, she didn't want to leave this family. Her heart broke a little knowing that she would eventually have to do just that.
Steeling herself against the inevitable, she made her decision. “Not that I'm opposed to you having to be nice to me to convince me to remarry you, but I don't think I want to wait.” Ginny knew she would have to leave eventually, but she didn't want to drag this storyline out and make it even more difficult on herself.
Now it was Colby's turn to look shocked. “What do you mean, exactly?” he sputtered, not believing what he may have just heard.
“Can't you take me home as your wife? As if you really did just marry me?”
Colby was breathless. If he wasn't completely fantasizing this entire episode, he had just heard her ask him to take her to his bed. A prospect that made him hard.
Testing the water to make sure he wasn't going crazy and hearing things, Colby bent his head down towards Ginny. When she didn't pull away, he brushed his lips against hers. Still, she didn't pull away. Taking his hand, he caressed her cheek, and used his thumb to pull her lips apart. He needed no further invitation to taste her mouth with his tongue. She tasted of whiskey and a sweetness that could only be his Ginny.
When he pulled away from her, Ginny had a glazed look in her eyes. He smiled smugly. Colby realized that for the first time in his life, he was at peace right where he was. He didn't feel the need to move on or away. He felt like he was right where he was supposed to be.
Seeing the smug look on his face, Ginny said, “You can knock that grin right off your face, Colby Miller. You're not that good a kisser.”
His smile only grew more radiant. “How would you know? How many men do you remember kissing?”
Truth was she could remember every man she'd ever kissed, from her real life through all her romance lives. Not that she could explain that to Colby. Regardless, she had kissed one other man, that she could remember as Colby put it, while living in this body. And she was not about to tell Colby about it.
Allowing him this one victory, she conceded, “Fine. It was a nice kiss. But without anything to compare it to, how do I know there isn't something better?” Ginny raised her eyebrow in challenge.
Growling, Colby muttered, “You'd better not go around finding out, Mrs. Miller.” When the words left his mouth, Colby got a flash of their future. It was a name he would pass down to his children. Again, he felt only peace.
Pulling his wife toward him, resting her head on his shoulder, he said, “Get some rest, Ginny. We'll set out tomorrow back to the ranch. It will be a long day trying to find a suitable spot to cross that swollen river.”