Forget Me Not (The Heart's Spring) Read Free Page B

clawed at her heart as she sat up and took in the details of the room. David’s bedroll was gone. One of the cupboard doors was open, and there was nothing behind it. The room seemed hollower than it had before, like there were other things missing she just couldn’t place. Had David abandoned her? But why?
    Then she realized that the fire was still burning. He could have simply forgotten it or left it going as one last gesture of kindness. But somehow the crackle of the flames on the logs reassured her. He would return.
    She placed her stocking-clad feet on the cold dirt floor and wrapped the quilt around her shoulders. Standing in front of the fire, she pushed worries about Sarah Anne away, opting instead to wonder about her brother.
    Was he a miner? Maybe he had found some silver, enough to provide for them to live comfortably as a real family. He might already have a family of his own. The thought of little nieces and nephews only made her smile, though. She would have a big family.
    Of course, Sarah Anne had said Jacob might have moved on from Virginia City. It had been nineteen years after all. But surely someone there would know where to find him.
    The door suddenly opened, and Elizabeth spun around. She squinted at the bright rectangle of daylight silhouetting David.
    “You’re awake,” he said.
    “You’re here,” she replied with a smile. He was going to keep his promise. He was going to take her to her brother.
    “I’ve just been gettin’ things ready. The only thing left to pack is you.”
    He walked with purpose toward her, and she laughed. “Are you just going to throw me over your saddle, then?”
    “Something like that.” He stopped in front of her. His brown hair brushed his ears, like it had been a while since it had been trimmed. But his face was freshly shaved, and she was glad for it. His chin and cheeks deserved to be shown off instead of covered behind a beard. Her own cheeks heated at her wayward thoughts.
    “I’ll just put your bed to rights, then.”
    She turned to set the quilt back on the bed, but he put a hand to her arm. “Just fold it up, and we’ll take it with us.”
    With a nod, she proceeded to do as he asked while he went to put out the fire.
    When she had run her fingers through her hair and grabbed the items David asked her to gather, they went outside and shut the door behind them. As they walked through the dewy grass, around the cabin to the lean-to, she asked, “What about your cabin? Will it be all right while you’re gone?”
    She glanced over at him in time to catch his one-sided smile. “I don’t think it will go anywhere, if that’s what you’re asking.”
    She shook her head and smirked.
    “If someone needs to use it while I’m away, I don’t mind.”
    He led Liberty out of the lean-to as Elizabeth stood waiting, holding the supplies. “What if someone takes it over? Will you—will you fight them for it?”
    He laughed. “Fight for it?” Taking the items from her one by one to add to the saddlebags, he gave her another smile. “I doubt it would come to that. I doubt many people will come up this way, anyway. But who knows what the next few weeks will bring?”
    Indeed.
    “You ready, Elizabeth?” He held on to the horse’s bridle. The question carried an underlying weight she didn’t want to consider, so she didn’t respond. She pulled herself up onto the saddle, her legs to one side, and he swung on behind her. They set off across the mountains together.
    ***
    The early afternoon sun burned away the remnants of the storm as they rode through the foothills. As they headed down into a summer-browned valley, patches of wildflowers spread out before them. David felt the tension leave Elizabeth at a rapid pace as she leaned back against him, and his heartbeat picked up a similar stride.
    “Are you hungry?” He was sure they could both do with a meal and a chance to stretch their legs.
    “Food would be lovely.” She sighed, and he smiled.
    He