Elizabeth sat up with a start, her eyes wide. She gazed in terror toward the open cell door. Then she gasped with surprise as she saw Strong Heart rush into the cell toward her.
“Strong Heart?” she said, tears spilling from her eyes as he gathered her into his arms and began carrying her from the cell. She looped an arm around his neck and clung to him. “I should’ve known that you would find out and would come for me.”
When Four Winds moved past her and Strong Heart, toward the door that led to the office, her eyes widened. “And Four Winds is here also?” she asked, looking questioningly into Strong Heart’s eyes. They stepped into the office, the shouts and cries of the other prisoners a loud rumble behind them.
She then paled as she looked down at the deputy with blood streaming from a gash at the back of his head. Strong Heart hurried toward the door that led outside. “Is he dead?” she asked, her voice hushed. “Did you have to kill him to set me free?”
“He is only slightly injured,” Strong Heart said, heading outside toward the cover of the forest.
Elizabeth held on to Strong Heart as he carried her away from the awful prison. She pressed her cheek against his chest, then looked quickly over his shoulder. The wails of the women who had been left behind sent shivers up her spine.
“Those poor women,” she cried, reaching a hand out toward the prison. “We must go back. We must set them free! You don’t know how so many of them are forced to live! I was left alone. I was one of the lucky ones!”
“There is no time,” Strong Heart said, running up to his horse and quickly placing her in the saddle.
He jumped before her into the saddle, then looked over at Four Winds who was astride his horse. “Four Winds, would you say that the town is deserted enough for us to make our escape through it?” Strong Heart asked, his horse pawing at the ground nervously. “Climbing the steep butte will slow our escape. I feel that it would be much faster to ride through the city and lose ourselves in that stretch of forest that is not so hilly.”
“Ah-hah, I feel that you are right,” Four Winds said. “And for the comfort of the woman, I think that escape is best.”
Strong Heart nodded, then flicked his rawhide reins and sank his moccasined heels into the flanks of the roan, sending it out into the open, and down the steep grade of street beside Four Winds’s horse.
When they reached First Avenue, they slowed their pace, not wanting to draw undue attention from those who still lingered along the boardwalks and those who swayed drunkenly outside the saloons.
Elizabeth clung to Strong Heart’s waist, fearing capture. Then her attention was drawn to someone besides the loitering drunks. She drew in a breath when she recognized a young lady walking out of a saloon, steering a man who teetered alongside her.
“Maysie!” Elizabeth gasped, stunned to see how gaudily Maysie was dressed, and how thickly painted her cheeks were with rouge. The bright red dress that Maysie was wearing was cut short above her knees, with layers upon layers of lacy petticoats beneath it that bounced as she walked. The bodice was cut low, revealing all but the nipples of her breasts. Her hair was tied up in a loose chignon, with a few curls of hair that coiled down on each side above her ears.
Elizabeth’s heart sank at the sight. It saddened her to see that Maysie had gone back to whoring. Yet she was at least relieved to know that Maysie was alive, if one could call that sort of life living.
Then Elizabeth’s attention was caught when she heard Four Winds gasp as he saw Maysie being escorted from the saloon. She could hear him utter something under his breath as his eyes became filled with hurt, and she had to wonder what Maysie was to him.
Had they met in the brothel? Had he bought time with Maysie, and then fallen in love with her?
She dispelled these thoughts as she remembered the urgent matter of their escape. Strong Heart headed toward the forest, away from the direction of her house.
“You aren’t returning me home to my father?” she asked, then realized how foolish the question was before he even answered her. If she returned home, the sheriff would come and get her again as soon as he knew about the escape. She had to hide from the sheriff. She was now a fugitive, along with Strong Heart and Four Winds.
She knew that a speedy escape now was of the essence, not only for herself, but for the man that she loved. He had risked his life again for her.
Oh, but how could she ever truly repay him? How?
Strong Heart looked over his shoulder at her. “You are going to my village again, and this time not as my prisoner, but as my beloved! I was foolish to leave you behind. This I will never allow again! You will be at my side at all times—even during those times I am called away to serve as speaker for my people. My la-daila, you will never be in danger again. Never!”
Tears streamed down Elizabeth’s face and her eyes gratefully shone at Strong Heart.
Then as Strong Heart turned away from her, she hugged her arms more tightly around his waist, locking her to him. She pressed her cheek against his back, knowing that words were easy—but not always so easily kept.
Although Strong Heart was with her, that did not mean that she was safe. Should the sheriff form another posse and set out on a search for them, could they escape forever?
She closed her eyes tightly, trying to block out such fears.
At this moment she was safe, and she would revel in it. And she was with her beloved again!
Chapter 23
Ah! What is love?
It is a pretty thing.