Free Winter of the Passion Flower (The de Vargas Family) by Annie Seaton Page B

no one could leave.”
    “You’re the mariner,” Indigo whispered in
frustration. “What do we do now?” She disliked feeling helpless and being
dependent on another, especially a man did not sit comfortably with her.
    “Wait here.” Zane disappeared up the muddy
bank before she could stop him.
    A few moments later, he scrambled down the
bank carrying two long sticks.
    “We’ll pole down the river. The current
will be with us on the way back.” He passed one of the long sticks over. “I
trust you have some strength left to help?”
    “I will try,” she replied shortly.
    Zane pushed the barge away from the bank
using the pole to steer out into middle of the river. The swift current swept
them along and all was quiet in the villages they passed. The moon rose and the
small bays and inlets were faintly visible to them, and it was with great
relief that Indigo finally recognized the bay where their journey had begun.
    She grabbed his arm and pointed before they
swept passed it and Zane turned the barge into the short pier. Indigo slumped,
exhausted, across the back of the barge, and carefully cradled the stamens as
he secured the boat. He held out a gentle hand her to as she stepped onto the
bank and she grasped on to him tightly as he led their way to the deserted
building.
    * * * *
    Zane woke with a start when the morning
orchestra of the jungle roused him from a deep sleep. Rolling over, he peered
down to the lower bunk where Indigo was still fast asleep. After swinging down
off the top bed, he gently shook her bare shoulder, running his fingers down
the scratches on her arm. Indigo woke slowly, her face rosy with sleep. Smiling
sweetly as she reached for him, she pulled him down for a most satisfying
meeting of their lips.
    “Thank you, Captain Dogooder, you worked
hard yesterday.” Her lips were soft against his and he pulled back reluctantly,
aware they had to leave soon.
    As Indigo used the radio in the building to
contact the expedition base and advise them of Luis’ fate, Zane carefully
packed the stamens into two plastic crates from the storage area. He groaned
softly when he reached into the back of the Land rover; his muscles sore from
the exertion of the day before. Pulling on an old shirt he found in the back of
the vehicle, Zane smiled at the look on Indigo’s face as she came out of the
building.
    “At least it covers the scratches,” he
said.
    She seemed very unsure of him since their tryst
under the waterfall. Although she now accepted his decisions, he was still wary
of her temper.
    Unease settled in his chest when she
climbed into the driver’s seat. “Are you able to drive one of these vehicles?”
    “As you are unable to drive—” she snapped
“—I will have to manage. Come on, we are running out of time.”
    The acceleration pushed Zane back in his
seat when she pressed the pedal to the floor. He put both hands over his eyes
as the Land Rover slewed toward a steep ravine. Indigo held tightly to the
steering wheel, her knuckles white, as the vehicle slid sideways down the
steeper hills. A couple of times, when it shuddered sideways through the
corrugations on the road, Zane gripped the sides of the seat. Each time he
cringed, Indigo threw her head back, laughing as she took great delight in his
reaction.
    “Keep your eyes on the track, woman,” he
growled. “We have come this far. I don’t want to die in a vehicle that’s not
even steam-powered.”
    Her driving skills and the steep descent
enabled them to complete their journey down the mountain road in a much shorter
time than the outward journey.
    “What time is it?” Indigo slowed the
vehicle as the outskirts of the township appeared. “See if you can raise Mr.
Grimoult for a revised departure time.”
    Zane did not move and looked across at her.
    “Please,” she added.
    He flipped open the chronometer and a
series of dots and dashes clicked away. The reply was instant.
    “First window for departure is in