Worthing, he hadn’t turned up in Jamestown, so the search party was heading into the woods around the plantation and along the shore of the James, just in case Cameron was following the river. The barracks were too far away from the house, but Genevieve could swear she heard the barking of dogs and the neighing of horses as the men prepared to leave, eager to hunt their prey. Even though most of the search party was made up of other indentured servants, they wanted to prove that they were loyal and deserved to be treated fairly, not punished for the actions of one man. Cameron’s escape could affect all of them adversely, and they were scared. If he got away, the master might feel compelled to implement stricter rules and take away their little freedoms. The men were angry and determined, and it scared Genevieve, for God knows what they would do to Cameron once they found him. Genevieve huddled in a corner, her aching head resting against her knees, arms wrapped around her legs. She’d been so happy yesterday when Lord Sheridan had been freed, but now she felt as if her world was falling apart. Where was Cameron, and why had he suddenly run away? Or maybe it wasn’t sudden, and he’d been planning this all along. He gave no indication that he was planning an escape, but he was a man who was in control of his feelings, and could have easily fooled Genevieve into thinking that everything was as it should be when his mind was whirring with plans and possibilities. Of course, had he been planning his escape, he might have asked Genevieve to bring him some food or something he could trade, but he asked for nothing. Had something happened to set him off? Had he been mistreated by Worthing or Barnes? The men were forbidden to beat the workers or deny them food, but if Cameron had done something they considered unforgivable they might try to punish him on the sly while her uncle was away, and Lord Sheridan imprisoned. If caught, he could be punished to the full extent of the law, and although she couldn’t imagine that Lord Sheridan would have him flogged, or worse, she was still scared to death. Did he have a plan or was this something he did on the spur of the moment, suddenly unable to bear another day of servitude? And what about her? Had she meant absolutely nothing to him? Had he used her to assuage some of his loneliness and anger, never meaning for their relationship to be anything more than a quick roll in the hay, or in their case a dip in the lake? They’d made love a few more times since that first time, and Genevieve suddenly froze with terror, realizing that even at that very moment Cameron’s baby could be growing in her womb. Oh God, what would she tell her uncle? What would he do if she found herself with child? Deep down, she knew he wouldn’t throw her out, but he would assume that Cameron forced himself on her, and that simply wasn’t the case. He’d be branded a rapist and sentenced to death if caught, and it would all be her fault.
