Chapter 26

“Jump out the window,” Jack ordered Nora, nodding his head to the window.

“I beg your pardon?” Nora arched a brow at him.

“There is a haystack just below. Jump out the window, go get the horses, and come back. I’ll be right behind you,” Jack said pushing her along to the windowsill.

“I will break my neck!” Nora objected. “I—I don’t think I can.”

“You climbed up and down a tree a few days ago. We don’t have time to argue.”

“I’m sorry, Jack, I cannot just—”

They didn’t have much time and he knew he had he had to act fast. At the same time, he had an overwhelming urge to comfort her fear. On impulse, he wrapped his arms around her, hugging her to his chest. She felt incredible in his arms and fit like she was made to be there. He sucked in a breath, whispered, “You will be all right, I promise,” then yanked the window open and shoved her out. She shrieked as she fell and landed in the hay.

“I’ll be paying for that later,” he muttered as he quickly checked to see her stumbling out of the hay, seemingly unharmed. He tossed their packages down after her, ignoring the glare she shot his direction as she scooped them up before sprinting for the stables.

Jack could hear the cavalry boots thundering up the stairs now and the crack of splintering wood as the soldiers checked the other rooms. He moved to the doorway, standing to the hinge side, and unsheathed his sword and knife. The first soldier pushed the door open and rushed into the room. Jack let him enter then sliced down directly onto the soldier’s neck. As the soldier crumpled to the floor, Jack pivoted, slid past him, and hooked his knife precisely between the ribs and into the breast of the second soldier, who likewise went down, leaving the third soldier. Eyes wide, the man frantically tried to level, cock, and aim his carbine at Jack.

Jack found himself scanning their faces to see if anyone looked familiar from his dream. He knew Nora needed to find the Fox and the Healer, as well as her Warrior. Satisfied they were not, he hurled himself over the two bodies with his sword extended. The cavalryman managed to fire a round off, causing Jack to drop and roll out of the way, letting go of his sword in the process. The hallway was really too narrow for sword fighting anyway. The soldier dropped his carbine and scrambled for his pistol. Jack slammed his shoulder into the trooper’s chest, dropping them both to the floor as they fought for control of the weapon. Hampered by his position, the solider managed to land a blow on Jack’s jaw, and he saw stars for a moment. Jack stopped trying to get the gun and managed to get a grip on the soldier’s throat. He squeezed and tried to knock the man’s head against the floor. The man struggled, clawing at any part of Jack he could reach, but Jack applied more pressure until the man fi-nally passed out.

Shoulders sagging in relief, Jack slid off the soldier’s limp body. After checking to make sure all three were indis-posed, Jack rifled their purses, gathering several gold and silver pieces between them. Moving quickly in case more soldiers followed, Jack gathered up all guns, his knife and sword, the carbine, and all the powder and shot the soldiers carried, then ran for the window. Without stopping, he launched himself out of the small opening, breath catching for a moment as he hung suspended in the sky.

Then scratchy hay surrounded him as Jack plunged into the haystack below. Ignoring the jab of the weap-ons into his stomach, Jack struggled to disentangle himself without losing anything.

Shaking his dark and mussed up hair to remove loose hay, Jack tucked a pistol into his waistband. The other two others he placed in a saddlebag and handed Nora the carbine with an unceremonious, “Here.”

“What is all this?”

“We can skip the blacksmith now,” Jack replied flatly, mounting Charlemagne. “Let’s get out of here.”

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

DARKNESS HAD FALLEN by the time Nora and Jack made it back to the Ramseys’ farm. They opted not to wake the house-hold, but to retrieve Running Bull and be on their way. As they approached the barn where Running Bull hid, Jack let out a bird’s call, with a response coming quickly. They moved to the last stall and Jack removed the hay bales blocking the secret door. Running Bull sat on the cot inside with his feet propped up on the table, reading, lit lamp nearby.

“Are you ready?” Jack asked. Running Bull didn’t respond. “Running Bull?”

The Indian held up one finger for silence. “When I am finished with this chapter.”

Jack and Nora exchanged a confused glance. “Is this a jest?” Jack asked.

His future chief, usually so calm and composed, turned quickly and threw the book at Jack, hitting him squarely in the chest. “I have been locked up in here all day! I want to be free immediately.” Running Bull rose and pushed past Jack, breathing in deeply once he was inside the barn.

Jack turned to Nora and found her looking most amused. “Somebody is in a poor mood,” Jack noted.

“He is entitled,” Nora said with a shrug. “This could not have been pleasant.”

They followed Running Bull, who stood impatiently waiting for them. “I want to know everything.”

“We went shopping, Nora got a dress, we had lunch, we were set upon by British soldiers in the inn, I killed them, we escaped. We are better armed and better funded now,” Jack said, as he began to replace the hay bales. “We shouldn’t linger. I don’t believe we were followed, but I don’t wish to impose on these good people any more than we already have. We need to find a place to rest tonight.”

“There’s a chapel in the far corner of the property that will do,” Nora said, heading for her horse.

“You were set upon by soldiers?” Running Bull asked. “You needed me, and instead I was locked in this prison.”

“It was nothing I could not handle,” Jack said. “It took very little effort on my part.” He ached from the punches and scratches that last soldier had landed, though he would not let that on to Running Bull. “As you can see, we are fine.”

“I understood your reasoning, brother,” Running Bull said, “but I will not do that a second time. We are warriors, and we protect each other. I will not allow you to defy me again.”

Jack was surprised at Running Bull’s effort to pull rank. The future chief always saw himself and Jack as equals. They were as close as brothers. They were blood brothers, and

Jack would lay down his life for his leader. It was a testament to Running Bull’s strong feelings of being locked up that he now took this position with Jack.

“If some part of you didn’t agree with me, brother,” Jack said, “you would have never allowed me to do so. I am your warrior, and I will protect my chief, even when he does not ap-prove of my methods in doing so. The tribe needs you more than I needed you in Philadelphia.”

Running Bull grunted. It was the best Jack was going to get from him.