A Noble Groom (Michigan Brides #2)(65)

Apparently Ward still had his sights set on building his mill on her land.

The shiver crawled up to the back of her neck.

She wanted to drag herself out of bed, chase after the man, and tell him the land wasn’t Ward’s and never would be. But what good would that do? Her words wouldn’t mean anything to him.

She’d just have to show Ward she was serious, that he wouldn’t be able to intimidate her.

If only Carl hadn’t left. If only he’d been there to defend her in that way he sometimes had about him.

An angry squeal came from the barn.

Annalisa sat forward.

The sow. Her squeals echoed in the morning air, the unmistakable sign that something was threatening her piglets.

Had the bear returned?

The sow was especially vicious now that she was protecting her piglets. She didn’t mind when they admired the piglets from a distance. In fact, she’d flop to her side, twist up her belly, and invite her piglets with loud grunts to come and eat almost as if she were putting on a show for the bystanders.

But the mother pig would open her jaws wide and show her sharp teeth if anyone got too close. She could mangle a hand or arm in one bite if she felt her babies were threatened.



Why was the bear bothering the pig this time of year when the surrounding woodland was full of berries and the river abounding with fish? The attack was understandable in the spring when the wild creatures were still struggling to find enough to eat. But such an attack today made no sense.

No sense whatsoever.

With a moan Annalisa pushed herself up from the bed. Shuffling like a crippled oma, she made her way to the doorway.

Carl was nowhere in sight. And neither was Ward’s sawmill manager. Yet the barn door was open a crack.

She strained to hear anything beyond the sow’s angry squeals.

The bang of a gunshot reverberated through the air from the direction of the barn. Her muscles tensed, and for a long moment she didn’t move.

Then she saw a waft of smoke rising from the roof of the barn. She stared at it, trying to make sense of the thin gray stream that rose against the bright blue summer sky.

What was it? A fire?

The gray puffs coming from the roof began growing into large clouds.

“Carl?” Her heartbeat slammed against her chest.

Old Red’s distressed neigh was the only answer she received. She stepped outside, knowing it was much too soon for her to be out of bed, but she had to do something. Her barn might be on fire.

As if sensing her distress, Sophie squirmed and started wailing.

The smoke above the barn spiraled into black curls. Suddenly the bright finger of a flame shot up.

“Gott, help us!” The barn was burning.

She kicked over the basket of strawberries she’d picked what seemed like years ago, but was only the previous morning when Herr Pastor had brought them the devastating news about Mutter. She deposited Sophie inside the empty basket and tucked a blanket around her securely.

The baby was squalling hard now.

Annalisa’s aching body wrenched with the need to comfort the baby. But panic prodded her feet forward, and she stumbled toward the barn. “Carl!”

A flash of movement in the woods behind the barn caught her attention.

“Carl?”

But it was Ward’s man. He lunged deeper into the brush without turning to acknowledge her.

A spurt of new fear pushed her onward toward the barn.

What had he done to Carl?





Chapter

14





Annalisa wrenched open the barn door. Intense heat swept over her. Smoke swirled in thick clouds. Fire climbed up the back wall, devouring the dry wood like a famished dragon.

Carl’s hat lay on the floor in the dusty hay.

“Carl!”

In the stall with her piglets, the sow screeched. Old Red gave another frightened whinny. And Mathilda the cow let out a bellow.

Outside, Sophie’s cries escalated and begged Annalisa to retreat to safety.

She glanced at the roof, to where the fire had already weakened the structure. The speed with which the fire was ravaging the wood meant there was little time before the barn collapsed in on itself.

She needed to find Carl. Now.

She examined the depths of the barn and the stalls. Where was he? Fear nudged her forward, even though her aching, weak limbs protested. She covered her nose and mouth with the crook of her arm and plunged into the haymow.



The smoke stung her eyes. But with blurry vision she made her way to Old Red’s stall. She unhitched the post and swung the gate open wide.

A beam along the wall cracked and sent sparks flying.

The horse reared and his nostrils flared.

“Come on, old boy.” Annalisa smacked the horse on the flank, and he darted forward, head down and tail streaming.

Her stomach cramped, and she knew she shouldn’t be exerting herself, but desperation wouldn’t let her turn back. She unlatched the gates that held the cow and pigs captive and prayed they would have the common sense to get out before they were buried alive.

Another rafter cracked and swung down, bringing a shower of sparks and smaller pieces of burning timber. Flames erupted in the hay near her feet, and she jumped back. Smoke churned in a fresh gust around her.

She had to get out and save herself. Her daughters needed her. She couldn’t allow herself to get trapped in the burning inferno. But she couldn’t leave . . . not yet, not without finding Carl.