Read Online The Color of Ivy by Peggy Ann Craig - Free Book Online Page A

The old fear had bubbled instantly and resurfaced.  She had begged him for compassion.  Mercy.  He gave her neither.
    As her entire life had been.  No mercy.  No one had ever show n her an ounce of compassion.  Except Moira.
    But she wasn’t that meek little girl anymore.  She wouldn’t sit back and let it happen.  She hadn’t survived this long to have some selfish cowboy drag her back to her sure death.
    Taking a deep sigh, she looked around for somewhere to sit.  She couldn’t afford to stop.  But her leg was bothering her horribly.  The throbbing she received when it knocked against her chair had subsided, but was replaced instead with a new, agonizing, pain received during the crash.  Bearing far too much weight while she plowed through the wilderness not to mention the frigid temperatures didn’t help the old wound.  Walking was almost impossible.
    She found a huge uprooted tree and perched herself on it. For only a moment, she promised herself.  She did not know how much longer before they came for her.
    After the train crashed , she thought it a godsend the door had snapped off its hinges.  Having already long discarded the handcuffs thanks to years of practice in the Earl’s own set of confinements, Ivy had slipped out of the car only to trip over a pair of legs.  They belonged to Sam Michalski.
    Outside, a fire burned from one of the cars.  More than likely , it was the locomotive with its hot coals used to fuel the engine.  With the bit of light it provided in the rear of the train, she was able to see the remainder of Sam’s body caged behind a rubble of iron and steel.
    Wanting to flee immediately, she paused long enough to watch his chest rise and fall in the darkness.  For a entire micrometer she contemplated killing him.  No one would be the wiser.  And she would be free.
    But instead she turned and fled into the night.
    She wasn’t able to make out any other passengers.  Not that she tried.  Her opportunity of escape had opened the door —nay, had blasted the door—to freedom and she wasn’t sticking around for the Radford’s indignation.
    Once Sam Michalski told them of her true identity and her past, she had no doubt they would have fired her on the spot.  They were upright and moral citizens.  They wouldn’t take kindly to her deception.
    A sound from the forest had her going still.  An image of wild animals flashed across her mind.  She spun her head around searching the thick underbrush for the source of the sound.  The morning sunrise had now fully cast daylight into the forest, but all she saw were bare branches.
    On wobbly legs, she pushed herself up and started back on her way.  Though her earlier words sounded brave, facing death at the hands of nature was entirely a different matter.  She didn’t fancy the idea of being some bear’s breakfast.  Getting to her feet, she limped forward; walking as best she could, she pushed herself onward.
    All of a sudden, a commotion broke from the trees and something dark, and large, lunged at her from out of the woods.  So unexpected, she didn’t have the second she needed to produce a scream.
    Her mouth opened, yes, but she was knocked to the ground so swiftly, the only sound passing through her lips was air whizzing out of her lungs.
    “Tracked ya down a lot sooner than I anticipated.”  Someone muttered in her ear.  She lifted her chin and saw Sam Michalski looming above her.
    “Get off me!” she growled, struggling to free herself.
    “Not so fast.”
    “I not be going back to Chicago.”
    “Yes, you be.”  He mocked her accent before reaching for her wrists and hauling her to her feet.
    Ivy tugged to release herself , but his fingers were like steel.  Though stronger.  “Let me go.  I be not going anywhere with ye.”
    “‘Fraid you are, ma’am.”  She heard the jangle of handcuffs.  He wouldn’t dare!  With effort, she struggled even harder, her breathing heavy.
    “Calm down, Ms.