“You could have died. You will die if you aren’t willing to do what you’re told—if you won’t learn to respect the land and the danger she hands out.”
“Then I’ll listen and learn,” Karen promised. “Just please don’t be angry with me for loving you.”
He pulled back, still holding her fast. “I could never be angry at you for loving me, but I swear I’ll be tempted to wallop the tar out of you if you ever pull another stupid stunt like that again.”
She grinned. “You won’t wallop me, Mr. Ivankov.”
“Don’t bet on it.”
She ran her finger over his upper lip, playfully toying with his mustache. “If you wallop me, I won’t marry you.”
“What makes you think I want to marry you?” he asked, finally offering her a smile. The twinkle returned to his eyes.
“Hmm,” she said, gazing sidelong, “maybe you should tell me. Unless, of course, you don’t want to marry me. And if that’s the case, then I think you should stop caressing my neck and step away.”
“You are the most aggravating woman I’ve ever known,” he said, bringing his mouth toward hers. But before he kissed her he added, “I’ll have to marry you just to keep you from hurting yourself—or me.”
Karen’s heart soared on wings of delight as Adrik kissed her most passionately. She was in love, and though the future contained many unanswered questions, she knew the answer to the most important question. Did Adrik really love her? The answer was most assuredly yes! And that made all the other uncertainties in her life seem rather unimportant.
Adrik continued to hold her as he trailed kisses across her cheek to the lobe of her ear. “So will you?” he whispered.
Karen giggled, feeling a dozen years younger. “Will I what?” She wanted to hear him ask her properly.
“Will you marry me?” He straightened and let go of her. Stepping back, he locked his gaze with hers. “Will you?”
Karen nodded enthusiastically and threw herself back into his arms. “Yes! Yes! A million times yes!”
JACOB BARRINGER MOANED softly as he rolled to his side. Opening his eyes in the fading light, he watched the trees swirl in circles overhead. Whoever or whatever had hit him on the head had done a real good job. Struggling to keep his eyes open, Jacob thought he heard the muffled barking of dogs. Maybe someone could help him. Maybe there was a chance they’d hear his call for help.
Pushing up on his side, Jacob cried out in pain and collapsed against the bank of the river. An icy cold washed over him, and all at once Jacob realized he was partially submerged in water.
By nothing more than sheer will, Jacob struggled to inch himself out of the water. He would freeze to death if he stayed there, and only God knew how long he’d already been there. He touched his aching head and noted that his hand was sticky with blood. Jacob’s stomach gave a lurch at the sight.
The sound of the dogs seemed to fade and grow muffled. Jacob strained again to take in his surroundings. Tall spruce stood guardian around him, and jagged rocks lined the river on the opposite shore.
“Where am I?” he wondered aloud. He couldn’t remember a thing. He couldn’t imagine why he was here at the edge of this river. What river was it?
He heard the dogs again and called out, “Help me!” His voice sounded weak and unnatural. Straining to sit up against the trunk of a nearby tree, Jacob tried again. “Help!” He closed his eyes and thought to pray, but blackness surrounded him and there was nothing more.
When Jacob opened his eyes again, he was surprised to find himself warm and comfortable and inside a room he didn’t recognize. He tried to remember what had happened, but his memory failed him. Then after a moment he remembered traveling on the river with a group of companions. He had worked to earn his keep.
Yes!
He thought for a minute, closing his eyes.
I was headed to Dawson for gold. But what
happened?
“So you’re awake.”
Jacob looked up to find a grizzled old man staring at him from a doorway. “Where am I?”
“Back room of the Mud Dog Saloon,” the man said, then spit on the dirt floor. “Found you on the side of the river.”
Jacob nodded with a brief recollection of the icy water. “I don’t know how I got there.”
“Well, I figure you were either coming through the rapids and got thrown overboard, or someone jumped you and left you for dead. Either way, you weren’t in good shape.”
Jacob reached his hand up to his forehead and felt the knot that seemed to throb with every beat of his heart. “I don’t remember what happened, but I thank you for your help.” He looked to the old man who seemed no bigger than his own five-foot-six-inch frame. Jacob’s father might have called the man wiry. He was skinny but muscled in a way that left Jacob little doubt he could fend for himself.
“So what town is this?” Jacob asked.
“Whitehorse.”
Jacob remembered the name. He had been headed to Whitehorse—that much he could remember. But why couldn’t he remember what had happened?
“I know I was coming this way,” he told the man, “but . . . well . . .” He shrugged. “Guess I’ll never know.”
The old man shook his head. “Don’t see as it much matters. It’s done happened, and you can’t very well take it back.”
Jacob nodded. “Did I have anything with me? My pack?”
“Nah, you barely had the clothes on your back.”
Jacob eased back against the pillow. “Well, I thank you for what you did, mister. I’m beholden.”
The man started to leave, then turned back around. “The name is Cec Blackabee. When you get to feeling better, we can talk about you working to pay me back.”
————
Karen put aside her happiness over Adrik in order to concentrate on Leah and Grace. Neither one looked well. “Adrik says we’re stopping in Whitehorse. He wants you both to see the doctor.”
“Nonsense,” Grace replied. “I’m fine. A decent meal or two and I’ll be back on my feet.”
Leah gave her a solemn nod. “Me too. I don’t want to stop now. We’ll never get to Dawson before the snow if we don’t keep moving. I have to find Jacob.” She fell into a fit of coughing that ended with the teen gasping for breath.
“Yes, I can see that you’re just fine,” Karen replied. “Nevertheless, I promised Adrik I’d heed his wishes.”
“Well, that’s a first,” Grace said, moving to sit beside Miranda.
Karen thought her pallor rather green as they floated down the river on their way to Whitehorse. “Well, now that I’ve agreed to marry him, he thinks I owe it to him.”
Miranda smiled. “I’m so happy that you’ve found each other. I sometimes despair of ever finding true love.”
Grace patted her hand gently. “You will. Never fear. God has a special man out there for you—somewhere.”
“That’s right,” Leah said softly. “Who knows, maybe he’ll own a big old gold mine, too.”
“It couldn’t hurt,” Miranda said with a laugh.
“Maybe he’ll be European royalty,” Grace said, nudging Miranda good-naturedly. The younger woman blushed but said nothing.
Karen smiled. “Well, either way, we’re tying up in Whitehorse, and I’m to see you two to the doctor.”
“It’ll just cost more money,” Grace protested. “We’ve already spent so much of what we started with. The taxes, extra supplies, the boat, and the tramline—it’s all taken far more than we’d ever dreamed.”
“I know exactly how much it’s cost us,” Karen answered, “but we’re stopping and that’s final.”
Whitehorse was already a booming town with businesses and riverboats lining her shores. Ferry service was for hire to take you all the way up to Dawson, if you were of a mind to part with your cash. Tents were staked in every conceivable nook and cranny, and saloons and gambling halls abounded.
Karen was almost disappointed to be set again in such civilization. She’d rather come to enjoy the isolated ruggedness of the life they’d been leading.
“Miranda, if you don’t mind staying here with Crispin,” Adrik said as he came ashore with the others, “I’ll escort these ladies to the doctor. We can all go exploring later, but I’d just as soon have someone keeping an eye on the boat. We don’t really know much about this territory, and I wouldn’t want to see us lose everything now.”
“I’d be glad to stay,” Miranda replied with a glance toward Crispin. “I’ll have Mr. Thibault entertain me with stories of his youth.”
Crispin bowed low. “Always a pleasure, ma’am.”
Karen grinned and looked at Adrik. “I don’t think either one will be too put out with the arrangement.”
Grace turned to Adrik, as well. “I really don’t need a doctor, but I do think we should have one look at Leah.”
Adrik put his arm around Grace’s shoulder. “There’s no sense in taking any chances. You haven’t been feeling well. You might as well see if there’s something wrong.”
Grace shook her head and looked from Adrik to Karen. “I know what’s wrong, and the doctor can’t help me. At least not for several months.”
Karen eyed her friend curiously. “What are you saying?”
Grace’s face reddened. “I’m going to have a baby.”
“What!” Karen exclaimed. “Why didn’t you say so sooner? How long have you known?”
Adrik looked positively stricken, but Grace reached out to touch his forearm. “I’m sorry for not telling you, but I knew you’d leave me in Dyea, and I couldn’t let that happen.”
“You mean to tell me you’ve known about this since then?” Adrik questioned. “You climbed the Chilkoot carrying a child?”
Obviously uncomfortable with the personal nature of the conversation, she could only nod. Karen, scarcely able to comprehend this information, stepped forward to embrace her friend. The news left her completely speechless, as it did the others.
Karen looked past Grace to Adrik’s accusing expression. Shaking her head, she whispered, “I swear I didn’t know.”
Grace pulled away. “Look, I know this is a shock, but there’s only a couple of weeks left at most and then we’ll be to Dawson City.”
“But that’s just the start of it,” Adrik replied. He brushed back his dark hair and looked to the sky.
“I can’t believe Peter just ran off and left you there, knowing you were going to have his child.”
“He didn’t know,” Grace replied, tears coming to her eyes. “I barely knew the truth of it myself. I fully intended to tell him, but he never came back.”
At this, Miranda rushed forward to take Grace in her arms. “Oh, poor dear. Never worry. We’ll make a way. I’ll be there to help you through this.”
Karen felt a twinge of jealousy at the way Miranda seemed to cut in on her friendship. She had been like a mother to Grace for over ten years. If anyone would see Grace through this, Karen intended for it to be her own duty.
“We will all help you, Grace. But more importantly, we need to find Peter. He must be told about his coming child.”
Leah began to cough. She’d said nothing up until that time, but the fitful spell brought all attention to her. Adrik put his hand on Karen’s shoulder. “I’d suggest we get Leah to a doctor and discuss this matter with Grace upon our return.”
Grace nodded. “Yes, please. Get Leah some medicine and then come back and we’ll talk. I’ll stay here with Miranda. You’ll see, I’ll be just fine.”
Karen hesitated. She didn’t like being dismissed from her friend’s side. Nevertheless, as Leah’s guardian, she had to see to her responsibilities. Looking to Adrik, she saw the deep concern in his expression.
“Come along, then.” She reached out to pull Leah to her side. “We’ll be back as soon as we can.”
————
Adrik couldn’t believe the turn his life had taken. He would never have seen himself playing escort to a boatload of women. Only Crispin’s presence kept him from being completely befuddled. And now . . . now he had to face the responsibility of a pregnant woman being among their group. What more would he endure before the trip was finished?
God
, he prayed as he wandered the street outside the doctor’s tent,
I don’t know what you have planned, but it sure looks
like quite a confusing load. I find a woman to marry, even
though I never figured to be marrying. I find myself taking on
the care of not only a wife, but a young girl—and her brother—
if we ever find him
.
He paused and looked back toward the river.
It wasn’t
what I planned on
. The turmoil settled sourly in his stomach.
And now this. Grace Colton is going to have a baby. What more
can be heaped upon us?
The real fear in his soul, however, had to do with their rapidly depleting finances. He was almost afraid to check the ledgers and see what exactly they had left. They’d all been good to pool their money and supplies, but there was only so much to go around. He’d hate to have to ask Crispin for help—or anyone else, for that matter.
“Oh, there you are!” Karen called as she came from the tent with Leah. “The doctor said her lungs sounded clear, so it isn’t pneumonia.” The petite girl’s blue eyes were as big as saucers against her milk-white face.
“Well, that’s good news,” he said, forcing a smile for Leah’s benefit. “I guess it’s sheer orneriness that’s making you cough.”
Leah smiled, as he’d hoped she would. She leaned toward Adrik, rather embarrassed. “The doctor said I had to drink whiskey.”
“What!” Adrik roared without thinking. “What in the world . . .” He saw Karen shaking her head as if to show her disapproval at his reaction. “What is she talking about?” he asked, calming considerably.
“He doesn’t have any medicine. At least nothing that isn’t laced with opium. I won’t have her taking that. It’s addictive,” Karen answered. “The doctor suggested we give her whiskey instead. Just small amounts to help the cough dissipate.”
Adrik calmed.
Of course
, he thought. That made sense. “I’ll have to scout out some.” He leaned toward Leah and nudged her gently. “You’ll be the scandal of us all.” She laughed, but this sent her into a fit of coughing once again.
Adrik straightened. “Look, I’ll walk you two back to the boat and then go after a bottle.”
“We could use some other things, as well.”
“Make me a list, then. I’ll get whatever I can find.”
Adrik left the women safely in Crispin’s care before heading back to the main part of town. Crispin and Miranda had already begun to set up camp not far from where the scow was docked. Adrik was glad they’d have a few days to rest and make repairs. The boat was holding up well, but there were places that had been damaged by the journey through Miles Canyon, and this would give him a chance to strengthen and improve their lot before heading back toward the Yukon.