Loving Madison

Forty-One

Madison's head spun around as if the world was tilting. Someone had whacked her over the head and she had passed out. The pain in her skull caused her stomach to churn. She gagged, quickly coming alert to her surroundings.

Madison's body jerked in a steady motion, which didn't set well with her stomach. Something was wrapped around her head, and her arms were tied in front of her. Immediately, panic consumed her, and she struggled to breathe. She'd never been able to tolerate such enclosed spaces.

Fear clutched every nerve in her body. Her stomach lurched and she gagged again. Terror turned into desperation, and she brought up her hands, yanking at the covering to pull it off. The fabric was wool...and smelled like horses. Must be a horse blanket.

Thankfully, she was able to remove the barrier. The bright sun made her squint, but at least she could breathe easier. However, her head continued to pound which made her stomach lurch.

She was lying in what looked to be the back of a farm wagon as it jolted her body back and forth. What had happened to her? The last thing she remembered was walking outside the house and turning the corner on her way toward the garden in the back. Pain had rushed through her head for a brief moment before darkness invaded her thoughts.

She tried to lift her head, but the throb on the back of her skull wouldn't let her move. Breathing deeply—in through the nostrils, out through the mouth—she tried to bear the pain. Confusion ran amok through her mind, but the one thing she did know was that someone had taken her against her will. Who would do something like that?

Finally, she could look around without it being too painful. Trees waved from overhead as a small wind blew through their branches. Birds flapped their wings in flight. They were definitely not in town. Her guess would be they were far from civilization.

Doing the best she could, she scooted around to get a look at the driver. Seeing only the back of his head wasn't going to help her to know his identity. But his hair was a darker shade of chestnut and long enough to brush the collar of his black overcoat. Nobody sat beside him on the seat. By the rhythm of the wagon, she assumed they were going pretty fast.

Relaxing her body, she tried to calm her fiercely beating heart. Why would anyone want to kidnap her? Was it because she knew so much due to her visions? And yet, the only people who would know this would be Cameron, Rosie, and Alice. The only bad people she was aware of were Gaynor and Heath, and Gaynor was in jail...

She hitched a breath. But Heath hadn't been arrested at all. He had a violent nature because in Madison's vision, he struck Rosie across the face.

Madison lifted her head again and studied him better. Although she hadn't been able to see him well in her vision, she recalled what he'd looked like when she and Cameron went to Mr. Bailey's house. Chestnut hair...slender...black overcoat.

She'd bet money this was Heath. A cold shiver raced through her. She wasn't meek like Rosie, and if this fool lifted a hand to her she wouldn't hesitate to punch him in the face. But if he kept her hands tied, that method of self-defense wouldn't be an option. However, she did have strong legs and she knew of ways to kick that could make a mule groan in agony.

Finally, the wagon slowed and turned down a deep slope. She slid on the wagon, but thankfully, not very far. The road became uneven, jolting her back and forth. Gritting her teeth, she fought against the pain in her skull. The movement, combined with her throbbing head, made her nauseous again. If only she had something in her stomach, she'd gladly deposit it all over her kidnapper.

The wagon came to a stop. Her driver set the brake and jumped down. As he walked to the back, his gaze locked on hers. Just as she figured, it was the devil himself, Heath Langston.