Northern Star

Chapter 35

Perry dug with a vengeance at the brown weeds in the garden. Three days had passed since shed seen Wade, and still there was no word from Hunter. She'd done everything she could to stay busy. Finally, when the house was spotless, she turned her nervous energy to the overgrown garden. She cared little that spring was far away and the day cold. At least here she could be alone and think. Andrew had hired several extra men around the place, and all wore holstered guns as they worked. He'd given the order that anyone seeing Wade on the grounds was to fire one shot. Perry found herself praying that that one shot would pierce his heart and put an end to her fears.

The order and the guns should have made her feel safe and protected, but instead she was on edge, half expecting a shot to ring out at any moment. She felt like a prisoner being constantly watched.

The sun melted into the dormant earth, giving the ground a golden glow. Storm clouds huddled to the north, dressed in radiant violet hues. But she hardly noticed, for she dreaded another night without Hunter. She was like the cold earth and he was her sun. When he touched her, life had a golden glow, yet when he was gone, life seemed cold and dead.

Finally she stretched and looked over the garden wall. Two of the men Andrew hired to help out were coming slowly toward her. They were rough, hardworking lads who seemed thankful enough for a job. The country was running over with men now, compared to only months ago, when most had been away fighting. From the look of them these two were brothers. Except for one being several inches shorter than the other, they were a matched set of grimy bookends. Both wore filthy uniforms and bored, lifeless expressions that seemed engraved into their faces. As they approached the garden's edge they both waved their hands in a childlike gesture to catch her eye. Perry remembered someone calling the shorter one Brub, a nickname given him by his younger brother, Cleve.

"Miss Perry!" Brub yelled. "Miss Perry, could we speak with you a minute?"

Perry smiled at the two oafs. Since one carried a large bag over his arm, she guessed they must have found something of interest. Probably a rabbit or a turtle. From the silly grins on their faces she could tell they were planning to scare her. Dropping her hoe, she grabbed her cape and moved closer, prepared to play along with their game. It would be something interesting to tell Andrew at dinner.

As she stepped over the ruins of the garden wall she asked, "May I help you?"

"Please, miss," Brub said, "me brother, Cleve, wants to show you somethin' we found."

Perry turned to Cleve as his beefy hands pulled the opening wide. For a moment she was too repulsed by his dirty fingers to look past them into the bag. Whatever the contents of the sack, it couldn't possibly be as ugly as his filthy, misshapen hands. If bathing brought on illness, as many believed, these two must be very healthy.

To Perry's surprise the sack was empty. She glanced up at Cleve in time to see him nod at his brother. "Now, Brub!" he yelled, the smile gone from his dirty face.

Both men sprang toward her. She opened her mouth to scream. Before her cry could escape, Brub grabbed her and stuffed a soiled rag in her mouth. Cleve slid his huge hands down from her shoulders and pinned her arms firmly against her sides. The sun passed uncaringly beneath the horizon as she struggled between the two men.

Fear flowed through her like quicksilver as she realized she was being abducted. Her mind whirled, searching for a reason to their madness. She knew times were hard, but surely these men realized Andrew didn't have enough money for ransom. In panic she looked around for help, but no one was in sight.

With every ounce of her energy she kicked at Cleve's legs. He danced in front of her, yelling each time her foot met its mark.

"Quiet down, you dummy!" Brub ordered. "You makin' too much noise. Get the bag over her head and let's get outa here."

Cleve pulled burlap over Perry, cloaking her world in darkness. She continued to struggle and kick, but he only grunted at her attack. The dirty smell of the sack, mixed with the filthy taste of the rag in her mouth, drove her to fight even harder.

In a sudden movement Perry was thrown over Cleve's shoulder like a load of grain.

"Get her in the wagon," Brub whispered as they jogged across the grass toward the trees.

Within minutes she felt herself being lifted off his shoulder and placed on her stomach in the bed of a wagon.

"Cover her with hay," Brub ordered, and Perry felt the wagon sag with their weight as they climbed in. A moment later she felt the jolt as the horses were slapped into action.

The wagon rocked across the uneven ground as she battled to free her hands. The coarse ropes dug into her flesh, and each time she twisted, her wrist grew raw with pain. She kicked at the hay around her, knowing she must be knocking some out of the wagon and hopefully leaving a trail. Her mind kept returning to the weapon in her pocket.

She struggled until she lay on her side, but she couldn't reach the knife. The wagon bumped along for what seemed hours, bruising her shoulder and cheek without mercy.

Eventually, when they were well away from the plantation, Brub broke the silence. "With the money we get for this little lady, we can make a nice start in California or Texas."

"Ya, we'd have to work a year to make this much," Cleve answered. "She's quite a looker. She's a lady, too, not like the others we've taken him."

"That's why we're gettin' so much."

"What you reckon he does with these girls we keep bringing him?" Cleve's voice was low, almost childlike.

"Ain't none of our business. We gets paid well, don't we? He don't kill 'em or nothing. I think he even gives 'em money to help their families out when he turns 'em loose. Whatever he does to 'em, the girls keep their mouths closed about it."

"Who knows? Maybe they likes it." Cleve laughed in a hiccuping sound that sent cold terror up Perry's back.

"He may keep this one a little longer." Cleve's voice grew loud. "She's small, but I seen the way her chest pushes out. She's a ripe one, that's a fact. Ready for the pickin*."

Fear froze her mind for a moment, blocking out all other thought. She could do nothing but listen to the two men above her.

"You think he might let me have a turn after he's finished?" Cleve asked excitedly.

"No," Brub answered sharply. "We'll need to get on the road, won't have time to wait. You know sometimes he takes two or three days to get his fill of a girl."

"How about we pulls off up here and have a little fun with the lady before we deliver her? Couldn't hurt nothin'. I seen some men once during the war tie a nigger gal spread-eagle in a wagon. They was sharing with anyone who wanted some. The girl didn't even scream after a few times. She just laid there wide-eyed, like she didn't care anymore. Why, some of the fellers even took seconds, and she didn't say nothin' or even try to fight them."

"I don't know…" Brub hesitated. "It looks like it might rain any minute." Yet to Cleve's delight he slowed the wagon."But I guess you're right, couldn't hurt nothin'. You ain't gonna give the lady nothin' she ain't gonna get plenty of where she's going."

Cleve was so excited, he was hiccuping again. "Captain might thank us for warming her up for him."

Perry cringed in fear as the wagon stopped and she felt one of the men jump down. She could hear Cleve telling Brub all about what he was going to do.

She lay very still as Cleve's hands felt in the darkness for her form in the hay.

"Now, Miss Perry," he said, laughing in his excitement, "don't you fret none. I ain't gonna do you no real harm. I'm just gonna get you ready. We taking you to a gentleman who likes young girls, and we'll just have a bit of fun with you for a while. Then he'll let you go home with enough money to buy yourself a real purty dress."

Cleve jerked the sack off Perry's face. His huge fingers hooked her collar and pulled downward. Buttons flew as her blouse tore open. She moved her head from side to side in agony, not believing what was about to happen. His beefy hands pulled at the material of her blouse, trying to get beneath her clothes. The rag in her mouth held her screams inside her mind, blinding all else from her thoughts.

"Cleve!" Brub yelled nervously. "Don't mess with that, just pull up her skirts and get on with it. We don't have all night."

Cleve grunted in disappointment. "I was looking forward to squeezing a ripe one. It's been so long since I had my hand full of somethin' soft." He rubbed his hands down her blouse, trying to satisfy himself. Grabbing her breast, he pushed hard and rolled his palm over her blouse.

When she jerked, he repeated the action like a child torturing a tiny animal, unaware of any pain he caused.

Perry tried to roll away, but he pushed her against the rough wagon floor. "You be still, little lady. I'll be finished in a minute. We ain't gonna hurt you more'n we have to." Grabbing her ankles, he pulled them toward him.

He shoved her skirts up almost to her waist in one movement. She heard his sharp intake of breath as the moonlight shone across her bare legs.

Perry studied his outline in the darkness. She could hear him fumbling with his pants. When he looked down at his belt buckle, her mind and body reacted. With all her strength she kicked her leg. Her boot flew toward him with a quick swishing sound. If she missed, there wouldn't be another shot.

She hit the mark solidly and Cleve fell backward in shattering pain. Blood squirted from his nose like a fountain, splattering her clothes with crimson.

"What is it?" Brub yelled as he ran to the back of the wagon.

"She broke my nose!" Cleve whined as blood filled his hands. "The little bitch broke my nose!"

"I thought you said you knew how to do it." Brub pushed his injured brother. "I knew this was a bad idea." He seemed more upset about the waste of time than about his brother's bleeding.

"Blood's comin out fast!" Cleve cried. "Whatta I do?"

"Get back in the wagon," Brub ordered in disgust. "We'll get her delivered and go find some cold water. Serves you right for thinking."

Brub slapped the horses into action as Cleve whimpered like a two-hundred-pound baby. Within a few minutes Perry felt the wagon slow once more. She tried to recognize her surroundings, but it was too dark. All she could tell was that they were at the back of a house. She could see no other homes nearby.

Brub whispered above Cleve's sobs, "You wait in the wagon. I'll take her in to the Captain and get our money."

Brub went around the wagon. He pulled the sack back over her head and shoulders, then lifted her up into his arms. He walked up the steps and kicked the door with his foot.

"Come in," a voice snapped, and Perry saw dim light through the burlap.

"Stand her up at the bedpost and tie her to it before you remove the sack," the voice whispered. She thought it sounded familiar, but her heart was pounding so violently in her throat that she wasn't sure of anything but the biting ropes at her wrists.

Brub checked the ropes, then jerked the bag from her head. Terror exploded in her mind like fireworks as she blinked in the sudden light.

The room was large and richly furnished. A man dressed in black stood in the shadows, smoking a cigar. The tip of the cigar pointed toward her as the man whispered, "What's all this blood?"

"She's a wildcat, Captain." Brub saw no reason to tell the truth. "She broke Cleve's nose while we was puttin' her in the wagon."

A cruel laugh sounded from the corner, filling the room like a foul odor. Perry's eyes widened in terror. She recognized his voice even before Wade stepped into the firelight to pay Brub.

His evil gaze never left her. "She's a woman worth taking."

Brub nodded, more interested in the money than in any woman. "You want me to take the gag off?"

"No, I think not. I need her to keep quiet for now." He moved closer, as if examining his treasure. "I love seeing those huge eyes so full of fear," he whispered into her ear. "I've had my fun with several local girls, but I've never killed one. You, my dear, are going to be the first." He smiled as if he'd just paid her a compliment.

Wade turned, remembering Brub. "You may go." Brub hesitated. "You ain't going to hurt her, are you, Captain?"

"No. I'm just going to detain her for a few hours. Don't worry. In a little while I'll send her home. Here." He pitched her cape to him. "Lay this across the railing outside so Miss Perry can retrieve it as she leaves. And make sure the lantern is left outside the door."

Brub nodded, then disappeared.

Wade moved closer. "Well, I'm glad you decided to drop by tonight." He slowly blew smoke from his cigar in her face. "You'll forgive the lie I told to that idiot. You and I both know you'll never leave this room alive."

He moved a few inches closer.

She could smell the whiskey on his breath. A spark of insanity lit in his eyes as he rambled on.

"My original plan was to disgrace you and have Hunter shot as a traitor in Raleigh, but somehow he escaped. My guess is that he'll ride straight to your brother's house. If I know him, and I do, he'll go wild when he discovers you've vanished. He'll have no trouble following the trail those two dullards left."

Wade stepped away and moved back into the shadows by the door. "This time there will be no mistake. I'll personally see that Hunter dies."

His voice was that of a madman, utterly pleased with his own cleverness. "Hunter will see your cape and break the door down. He'll see you here in the center of the room, tied up and frightened. As he runs to his love I'll cut him down from the darkness."

The cold steel of Wade's gun flashed in the firelight. She realized that if Hunter rushed in from the darkness he'd only be able to see her, no more. Wade would kill Hunter before he even realized his cousin was in the room. Tears spilled over and rolled down her cheeks as she saw how carefully Wade had planned Hunter's death.

Wade laughed as he moved nearer. "I'll leave your lover bleeding on the floor while I bed you," he taunted as he moved the tip of one gun barrel along her jaw.

"Tomorrow I'll explain to the authorities how Hunter found us and killed you. Then, of course, I killed him." He delighted in seeing her tremble.

He studied her carefully. "I need to make sure he sees no one but you when he breaks in." Wade moved his hands to her blouse and ripped off the material, leaving only her white camisole to cover her breasts. She was breathing rapidly in fright, and for a moment he watched her breasts moving up and down. In haste he jerked the band of her skirt and it ripped free. With it went her only hope of escape: the knife.

"That looks better." He smiled. "All white, like you would have been on our wedding night." He rolled the torn clothes up and moved into the darkness.

Perry heard the door creak open. "If you'll excuse me, my love, I'll get rid of these," Wade said, leaving the room.

She twisted violently, not caring that the ropes Were digging into her flesh. She had to get free. But the bonds were impossible to break, and she only succeeded in causing herself pain. From somewhere outside the door she heard Wade call Noma's name.

Perry listened as she heard him order her old servant to get rid of the rags. Tears rolled down her face as she heard Noma's voice. For a moment she prayed the woman would help her, then she prayed Noma wouldn't discover her. For Perry knew it would only mean Noma's death as well.

Wade dismissed the servant and returned to Perry. He paced before her, slapping his fist against his open palm like a fighter impatient for the round to start. "We have a few hours to wait. Much as I'd like to have my fun with you now, I feel your cries will be so much more meaningful when your lover lies at the foot of our bed.'' He moved closer so that his words stung her damp cheeks. "With the rumors I've spread about you today, all you'll be fit for is whoring. And tonight you'll be my whore while I spread Hunter's blood over you."

Perry fought to keep from throwing up as he whispered all his plans in her ear. He didn't touch her. He didn't have to. He was whipping her senseless with his words.