Both men were frantically trying to bring down the now sagging bubble of air before darkness and the storm were fully upon them. Perry, not knowing how to help, stood like a stone statue propped in one comer.
A tiny light danced in the woods before her like a huge firefly. As it moved closer, a farmer materialized carrying a lantern. He waved in excitement as he ran toward the balloon.
Hunter's command was a single word-'Abram!'-but it sparked terror in Perry's heart as she watched the huge black man spring into action. He dropped the ropes and darted toward the farmer, as though the friendly stranger meant them great harm.
In one mighty bound Hunter was out of the balloon. 'Climb out fast, kid!' he shouted in a tone that left no room for questions.
She stepped on a box and lifted herself carefully over the basket's edge. Motion sickness, bruises, and fear hampered her progress. Hunter's impatience startled her as he scooped her into his arms and ran away from the balloon as though she were weightless in his arms.
Perry clung tightly around his neck as he darted toward a clump of trees. His strong arms held her firmly to him. She could hear the rhythmic pounding of his heart beneath his cotton shirt and his breath against her neck.
As he reached the trees he slowed his pace. 'Stay here, where it's safe,' he whispered as he lowered her behind a tree. 'If there's a fire, you'll be out of range.'
She had a hundred questions, but she knew there was no time for answers. She could see Abram talking with the farmer in the distance and was relieved the huge man hadn't attacked, as she'd feared he might at Hunter's command.
Hunter signaled Abram, then slowly walked back to the balloon, as if there were suddenly no danger in the peaceful field.
Sitting quietly among the trees, she watched as Abram and Hunter deflated the balloon by moonlight. A small crowd of farmers gathered to watch but came no closer with their lanterns.
A chilling rain began to fall by the time Hunter and Abram were finished. Perry sat cuddling her knees to her chest under a tree. Finally, through the curtain of rain, she saw Hunter walking toward her. His clothes clung to his muscular frame, and his blond hair lay dark with rain. He knelt down beside her under the shelter of the tree.
'We got the
'The farmer said we can bed down in his barn tonight. It'll be dry, at least. We've had to sleep in worse places. These people seem real friendly.' Hunter leaned nearer and added, 'I'm sorry if I startled you, but we had to get away fast from the balloon. One of the biggest dangers when you're deflating a balloon is having someone with a lantern get too close. The whole thing could go up in flames.'
Leaning back against the tree, he rambled as he always did when he was trying to calm her. 'Professor Wise told me that once an interested spectator ran up with a lantern while he was trying to deflate. Within the blink of an eye the balloon was a huge torch. Wise was burned pretty badly, but within weeks he was going up again.'
A chill went through her at the thought of him being burned. For the first time she wished this quiet man would talk about something beside ballooning. But his low voice was soothing, and she knew they could share little more.
'Perry, you're shivering. Come over here.' He opened his arms and waited. 'I'd move nearer, but I have no wish to frighten you.'
She slowly moved beside him. Hunter's arms gently encircled her shoulders, as though he were afraid of hurting her with his touch. Perry sensed there was no passion in his gesture, only kindness. She relaxed, lying back on his chest. A comforting feeling surrounded and warmed her.
Hunter continued talking. His low baritone voice was a melody of tranquility around Perry, even though she didn't understand all he said. 'You know, Wise and Lowe are the two best balloonists in this country. But they are as opposite as day and night. Wise is tall and spidery, while Lowe is younger and a handsome devil. Old Wise can talk to anyone on any level and loves to throw caution to the wind. Lowe, on the other hand, is cold and scientific, with a sharp tongue. President Lincoln was about the only man I've seen who really enjoyed talking with him.'
Hunter searched the night for Abram. She stopped shivering and relaxed as he continued talking. 'Funny thing is, Wise and Lowe both have the same dream. They both want to cross the Atlantic in a balloon. Too bad they can't work together.'
She wanted to talk with Hunter, to ask him questions, but there were too many barriers between them. She knew the sooner she could disappear from his life, the better it would be for him. He was engaged to another. Besides, it would aggravate the bad blood between him and his only cousin if Hunter knew the truth about her. How could she start a relationship with a man that she'd done nothing but lie to? Above all, he was an honest man; she could feel it all the way to her heart. How would he react to having been lied to?
Yet for the moment she felt wonderful as his arms held her, molding her into the curve of his body. The clean male scent of him surrounded her, intoxicating her thoughts with dreams of passion that could never be.
The sound of horses approaching drifted through the sheets of rain, swishing her dream away as easily as morning pushed night into hiding. Hunter stood and pulled her up beside him. He darted toward the wagon, with Perry only a step behind. Hunter and Abram loaded the basket onto the wagon bed, with Perry trying to help. The balloon was neatly stuffed into the basket. Hunter lifted her into the wagon bed before climbing up beside Abram.
'The barn's only a quarter of a mile away,' Abram yelled above the storm as he slapped the horses into motion. 'I didn't tell 'em Perry was a woman. They call themselves 'friends,' so I'm guessing they're like those Quakers we met a few years back. Thought they might ask questions if they got too good a look at our girl.'
'Good idea,' Hunter shouted. 'They looked like nice folks, but she'll be safer with us.'
Within moments the soaked threesome pulled the wagon into a large, dry barn. The farmer's wife had left a stack of towels and blankets on a barrel just inside the door. The barn was half filled with horses. The clean, fresh smell of hay came from a haystack in one corner. Perry had heard stories of Quakers and their tidiness, yet this barn surprised her. The barn was cleaner than many farmhouses shed seen.
Hunter handed her a towel and blanket. 'You can sleep over there in the hay if you like. We'll see to it that no one wakes you.' He looked away, as if not knowing what else to say. For a moment she thought she saw the uncertainty of a boy in this strong man.
Perry accepted the blanket. 'Thanks,' she whispered as she moved away, not wanting to see more. He was already going to be so hard to leave, she didn't want to fall in love with another side of him as well.
The men were already beginning to strip their wet clothes off, having forgotten her presence. She glanced over her shoulder and saw Hunter's damp back reflecting the lantern light with a golden glow. Her fingers opened and closed as she fought the urge to touch him once more.
Crawling behind the hay, she wrapped the blanket around herself. Her coat was damp and her hat drooped with rain, but rest seemed more important than drying out. As she drifted into sleep, Perry could hear the muffled sounds of Hunter and Abram talking on the other side of the hay. They were making plans for morning, but she was too tired to follow the conversation. She pulled the blanket tighter around her, wishing she could be in Hunter's arms.
Perry slept, curled in a bail, hardly moving all night. Just after dawn, Abram working with the horses awakened her. As she climbed over the hay she saw both Hunter and Abram dressed and ready to leave.
Abram spotted her first. 'Mornin', Miss Perry. Help yourself to some of the breakfast the farmer's wife sent out.' He motioned with his head to a small basket propped on a post in the corner.
As Perry moved close to the basket the smell of coffee engulfed her. She discovered an old black pot sitting on the ground under the breakfast basket.
She poured herself some of the rich brew before examining the breakfast. To her delight she uncovered huge sourdough biscuits, still warm from the oven. Each one had been split in half and a piece of sausage added to the middle. As she bit into one she found to her surprise that the sausage had been dipped in honey.
As Perry savored each bite she heard Hunter laugh behind her. 'Those are mighty good. After no supper last night I believe it's the best breakfast I've ever had.'
He turned to Abram. 'Maybe I should ask the farmer's wife for the recipe. Jennifer could fix them for me after we're married.'
Abram's voice was low. 'I doubt if Miss Jennifer even knows where the kitchen is.' Hunter didn't see the frown
