Love by Dawn Read Free Page B

had lost all respect for his
father at that moment. Being raised in the woods far from reality,
he had no idea, only heard stories from his mother. How some men
were whipped and mauled by dogs. How woman were raped by their
owners to produce light skinned children. But they were only words.
That awful night he saw for himself the horror of those words.
Hunter swallowed the despair in his throat as terrible regrets
assailed him.
    So ashamed for his actions, he believed he
deserved whatever was waiting for him.
     

 
    THREE

    Casey sighed. She was tired when she reached
the post where she knew the slaves would be brought; glad she had
overheard her father talk with Hunter the night before they left.
It was deserted now, but there had been men here only a short time
ago, the campfire was still smoldering. She searched the empty
barracks for some kind of clue and was just about to give up when
she spotted a piece of paper on the floor. It was part of a journal
on what had taken place here. Her eyes scanned at the first few
lines where it said that a prisoner was taken to Fort Tate.
    Her brows knitted. Fort Tate? Why would they
take a prisoner so far west of Georgia? And a federal fort? Were
they afraid some southerners would try to free him, especially if
they heard that one of their own boys was captured? Many folks
hated the abolitionist and what they were doing. Whoever was in
charge of prisoners was not taking any chances, she thought with
anger, but luck was with her that day. Rolling the paper into a
small ball, she threw it to the floor and turned quickly on her
heels. She was probably a day or two behind her brother, if he was
the prisoner. She could only pray he was. Casey trusted her
instincts, they were usually right; it had to be Hunter.
    Two days later, she found herself wearily
camping by a tree-shaded lake. She had pushed herself hard and was
gaining on them fast. The two riders left good clues along the way
and thanks to her father’s insistence that she learn to track. She
unsaddled Sadie and removed her clothes. A quick dip in the cool
lake was just what she needed and she didn’t waste any time in
doing so. The water made her shiver but it eased her aching bones.
Not wanting to chance catching a chill, she didn’t wash her hair
for fear it wouldn’t dry in the cold night air. Hand picked wild
berries were her main diet since the jerky she took from her
father’s saddlebag was finished. She hated leaving the saddle and
turning his horse loose but there had been no other options.
    Glad her father never traveled without
coffee and an old pot, she brewed the last of the beans. A small
fire relaxed her and soon she was asleep with a rifle by her side.
She woke before dawn serenaded by a meadowlark. Since the cheerful
bird made her mind up for her, she got an early start and covered
about a mile before Casey saw smoke in the distance. Unsure whether
it was Hunter and the man taking her brother to the fort, or
drifters; she was cautious and walked through the thickets quietly.
Dry leaves crackled under her boots and a few twigs snapped in her
wake; other than that, it was quiet.
    Carefully, she peeped over a bush and noticed
a young cowboy who rose from a bedroll and lazily stretched. He
slept in buckskin pants and his chest was bare and she couldn’t
help but admire his long form and muscular arms. Curiously, she
watched sinewy arms extend. His broad chest made her skin crawl
with peculiar sensations. Casey shook her head and wondered what
was wrong with her. It wasn’t as if she never had seen her father
and brother many times in their long johns. But this man before her
was a magnificent specimen. He flexed his muscles and her throat
went dry. As he moved around to limber up, she saw his back ripple,
drawing her eyes to his narrow waist and hips. She knew it was evil
to spy on him but she couldn’t take her eyes from gazing down his
long lean legs. She had not yet looked up to see his face wondering
if she