She pushed the sad thoughts away. God had led her to Cottonwood Springs. Her stepmother had forced the issue, but nothing happens without a reason, so Rebecca decided God had brought her here just as He’d led the children of Israel to the Promised Land.
She went for the Bible and checked on Seth. True to the doctor’s word, the marshal continued to sleep. Rebecca carried the Bible to the kitchen table and waited for Doctor Clark to return.
At midnight, Rebecca realized he wouldn’t be returning. She knew the town gossips would have a field day with the knowledge that she’d spent the night at the marshal’s house. She prayed, “I won’t leave him, Lord. He needs someone here with him.”
The sound of light tapping pulled her from her prayers. She closed Seth’s bedroom door and then walked to the front door. In a lowered voice she called out, “Who’s there?”
“It’s me, Eliza.”
Rebecca jerked the door open and allowed her friend inside. “I’m so glad you are here.” She pulled her to the couch, where they both sat.
“I began to worry when you didn’t come home. Mrs. Tucker said the marshal has been shot. Is it true?” She continued to hold Rebecca’s hands in hers.
Eliza must have known it was the truth since Mrs. Tucker’s husband, Dan, had helped to hold Seth down while the doctor dug out the bullet, but Rebecca nodded anyway. “It’s true.”
“Lord, have mercy. Is he going to be all right?” Eliza asked, squeezing her hands.
Rebecca removed her hands from Eliza’s. “I believe so. The doctor was supposed to be back by now but he hasn’t returned.”
Eliza looked over her shoulder at the shut door. “We won’t disturb him, will we?”
“No, the doctor gave him something to help him sleep. Would you like a cup of coffee? I don’t have any tea here.” Rebecca stood and headed to the kitchen.
Eliza followed just as Rebecca had known she would. “Coffee is fine.”
A smile pulled at her lips. Eliza wasn’t like the town gossips but she did enjoy hearing the details, even though she’d never repeat them. “Do you know what happened?” Eliza asked.
There it was. The question Rebecca had known was coming. She poured two cups of the strong brew. “No, only that Reverend Griffin found him.”
Eliza took a sip of her coffee and crinkled her nose. Rebecca passed the sugar bowl and a teaspoon to her. “Try that. It helps.”
“I know, but can the Marshal afford the amount I’ll need?” Eliza laughed as she spooned sugar into her cup. She took another sip and sighed. “Much better. Now, did the reverend say anything about what he found?”
Rebecca shook her head. “No, as a matter of fact, I never even saw the reverend today.” Why hadn’t he come with them to bring Seth home? Maybe he had other business to take care of and would come tomorrow to check on him. She hoped so. Rebecca had questions to ask him, too. Like did he think the Evans gang had been behind this attack? Or was someone else gunning for the marshal? Such as, the same person who had killed Janie’s parents. A shiver ran down her spine.
* * *
The next morning, Eliza headed back to her house to get dressed and open her shop. Thankfully, her friend had agreed to spend the night. Rebecca made Seth a light breakfast that he never woke up to eat. She waited for the doctor to arrive.
Someone knocked on the door and she went to answer it. Mr. Tucker stood with his hat in his hands. “Good Morning, Miss Ramsey. The doctor sent me over to tell you he’s busy bringing another Rutherford into the world this morning. He’ll come by as soon as he can.”
Rebecca smiled at him. “Thank you, Mr. Tucker, for stopping by and letting me know.”
He nodded. “’Welcome. If you need anything, send word and I’ll come arunnin’.”
Rebecca saw Mrs. Miller huffing up the walkway. She pushed past Mr. Tucker and came right on inside the house. “That’s mighty nice of you, Mr. Tucker, but I’ve already made arrangements for Miss Ramsey to have help.”
Rebecca’s jaw dropped. “Mrs. Miller?”
“What? You thought we’d let an unmarried woman stay alone here with the marshal? No, ma’am. I’ve arranged for Mrs. Brown to come stay here for a few days with you and the marshal.” She came into the sitting room and dropped onto the couch.
“Well. Then I’ll be on my way,” Mr. Tucker said.
Rebecca hurried to the door and called after the blacksmith. “Thank you for your help.”
Then she turned to Mrs. Miller. Anger flowed from her like honey from a beehive. “Why would you do such a thing without talking to me first?” she demanded.
“I care a great deal about you.” She met Rebecca’s gaze with gentle eyes.
Rebecca shook her head. “I don’t understand.”
Mrs. Miller patted the cushion beside her. “Please sit down for a few minutes.” When Rebecca sat, Mrs. Miller continued, “The gossips have already started talking. They know you spent the night here last night and want to make you look bad. So I talked to Mrs. Brown. She’s fond of Janie and you, so we decided that as long as you have to stay here with the marshal, she’ll stay, too, as a chaperone.”
“I wasn’t alone last night, Mrs. Miller. Eliza Kelly stayed with me.” Rebecca wanted to shout that it was no one’s business but her own if she stayed to take care of Seth, but knew she’d just go hoarse and the ladies’ tongues would continue to wag.
Mrs. Miller sighed. “I’m glad to hear that. We can set them straight now and no harm will be done.”
* * *
Seth woke up. Heat traveled up his thigh and seemed to burn into his brain. He remembered waking earlier to find the good doctor digging for the bullet and seeing Hank and Dan, who both had firm grips on his body. The pain had been so intense that he had quickly fallen back into the black abyss of no pain.
His gaze moved to the lantern beside the bed and landed on Rebecca, sitting in the rocker he’d bought for her and Janie. She was slumped to the side and her golden hair reflected in the lamplight. She looked beautiful, he thought, before once more drifting into the sweet chasm of sleep.
The next time he awoke, morning light shone through the window. He tried to sit up but felt as if he were on fire. His throat rasped out Rebecca’s name. Just as her sweet face came into view, he passed out again. Lord, help me. The prayer never left his lips.
Why couldn’t he open his eyes? Seth tried to swim to the surface of the black sea that held him under. Cool moisture touched his brow only to evaporate in a wisp of air. If only he could swim to the surface of the inky blackness, he’d be fine. At least that’s what he told himself.
A sweet voice called his name and Seth stopped his movements to listen. Was that Clare? Had he died and gone to heaven?
“Seth, can you hear me?”
He tried to answer, but no sound came from his parched mouth. If only the sweet voice would give him a drink of water, then he would be able to talk. Had he spoken the request aloud? A trickle of sweet, cool water crossed his lips. But no sound exited his throat.
He inhaled the fragrance of vanilla. The woman was not Clare, but Rebecca. Her voice whispered. “Seth, don’t fight it. Try to sleep. You have a fever and I’m working to get your temperature down. Please relax and let me cool you off.” Her sweet breath caressed his tired mind. He continued to listen. Seth knew that he would do as she asked.
“I think he’s sleeping again,” Rebecca said.
Next he heard Mrs. Brown. “That’s good, child. Keep sponging him off. The doctor should be here soon.”
A cold shiver crawl up his spine. Oh, please not the doctor, he prayed. The tremor continued to shake his body. He couldn’t stop the movement. Seth reached out a hand and grasped something cool, and then Rebecca’s reassuring voice came to him again. A baby cried.
“Stay with him. I’ll tend to Miss Janie.”
Rebecca’s voice filled his ear again. The soft whisper sounded on the verge of begging. “Seth, let me keep sponging you off. We’re fighting a fever. Yo
u and me, you’re not alone.”
Had she meant you and me as if they were a couple? Or a team battling his sickness? Seth groaned. He prayed it was the latter. The last thing he wanted was for Rebecca to start going soft on him.
“Seth, can you hear me?”
He tried to nod. That action cost him as a flash of light blew into his brain and then Seth sank into the bitter darkness once more.
Chapter Eighteen
Rebecca tiptoed into his room. She’d heard Seth thrash about on his bed and went to him. She carried a fresh glass of cold water from the well. Thankfully his fever had broken earlier in the day. Three days of a high fever were three days too many. The doctor had said not to be surprised if Seth awoke but didn’t make sense. He wasn’t sure how having a high fever for that many days would affect Seth mentally.
She had remained by his side all three days and nights. Rebecca felt as if her eyelids were full of sand, but she couldn’t go to sleep, not until she was sure that Seth would be all right.
His gruff voice pulled to her in the darkness. “I’m awake.”
Rebecca set the glass on the table and lit the kerosene lantern. Seth’s pale face glowed in the light. “How are you feeling?”
He barked, “How do you think I’m feeling?”
A laugh made its way up her throat and between her lips. “Like your old self. Grumpy.”
She was surprised when he chuckled, too. “Not very grateful-sounding, huh?”
“No, but I didn’t expect grateful. I’m just glad you are alive.” She moved closer to the bed. “Would you like a drink?”
Seth tried to sit up.
Compassion for him led her to bend down and gently lift his shoulders, while holding the glass to his lips. She watched his throat move with each drink. When she felt him move his shoulders, Rebecca pulled the glass away and laid him back down.
“I feel as weak as a newborn calf.” His cheeks filled with color at the admission.
She put the glass back onto the table. “I’m sure you do. You ran a fever for three days. Doc and I were getting very worried.”
He moved his arm and winced. Then his hand moved to the bandage on his head. “How bad am I?”
“Not as bad as you feel.” Rebecca prayed she was telling him the truth. “Doc says you need to stay in bed for at least a week. He’s making you a cane to get around with, too.”
“A cane?” Seth looked both frightened and angry.
Rebecca eased into the rocker that still sat beside his bed. “Yes, a cane. You won’t be able to walk on your own for a few weeks yet.”
Seth yawned. “I don’t know about that. I’ve got outlaws to catch and a town to take care of.”
“Maybe so, but Doc appointed Mr. Miller as acting sheriff until you get better or until Sheriff James gets back.” She pushed her feet and set the rocker into motion.
He chuckled. “You mean Bob.” Seth closed his eyes.
Rebecca stopped rocking. She’d expected him to get angry and say that he was well enough to do his job. But Seth hadn’t. Was something wrong with his brain? The marshal she knew would not want to lie in bed while someone else did his job. She opened her mouth to ask if he was feeling all right, but a soft snore rose from his chest.
Mrs. Brown looked up from her sewing when Rebecca entered the sitting room. “How is he doing?”
Rebecca sat on the couch. “I’m not sure. He seems all right, but when I told him that the doctor appointed Mr. Miller as acting sheriff, he didn’t react the way I thought he would.”
“What were you expecting?” Mrs. Brown worked the needle back and forth through the fabric.
Rebecca laid her head back on the cushion of the couch. “I thought he’d put up a fuss.”
“And he didn’t?”
She closed her eyes. “No.”
The clock ticked, filling the quiet between the two women. At any moment she’d be lulled into a deep sleep. She couldn’t allow that. Forcing her eyes to open, she stood. “I’ll go start dinner.”
“Already done.”
She stopped midstep. “Oh, then I’ll go check on Janie.”
“Done.”
Rebecca yawned. “I guess I could take a broom after these floors.”
“Or you could go take a nap.” Mrs. Brown looked up from her needlework. “Now that you know he’s going to be all right, it’s time you started taking care of yourself again, young lady.” She shook the needle in Rebecca’s direction.
Her gaze moved to the guest-bedroom door. “What if he wakes up again?” Rebecca heard the weariness in her own voice.
“Then I’ll come wake you.” She bent her head back to the fabric.
Rebecca looked down at Janie. In the past few days, she hadn’t devoted much time to the little girl. “Maybe I’ll stay up and play with Janie when she wakes.” Janie slept in her basket. Rebecca gently swiped hair off the baby’s forehead. Her heart swelled with love and she leaned over and kissed her soft cheek.
Mrs. Brown shook her head. “I’ll call you when she wakes up. Rebecca, go to bed.”
There was no mistaking the no-nonsense tone of the older woman. A yawn overtook her and she made the decision to obey Mrs. Brown. She opened the guest-room door and walked into the room.
The quiet of the room and the gentle ticking of the clock on the side table encouraged her body to relax. With Seth on the mend, the baby sleeping peacefully and Mrs. Brown on watch, Rebecca finally let her guard down.
She turned to the bed. It looked inviting with a light blue and white quilt that reminded her of fluffy clouds in the deep blue sky. She sat down on the edge and sighed. Rebecca took her shoes off and leaned back on the soft mattress. Her tired body sunk into the warmth of the covers. She pulled a lightweight quilt over her and closed her eyes.
“No!” The roar of Seth’s voice pulled Rebecca from a deep sleep. Again he yelled, “No!” She jerked herself off the bed.
Rebecca passed a wide-eyed Mrs. Brown as she walked into the sitting room. Janie howled her fear. “Take care of the baby,” she ordered as she moved to Seth’s door. Rebecca paused long enough to watch the older woman snap out of her fright and scoop up a screaming Janie. Within moments the little one quieted.
Seth thrashed about the bed. Sweat poured from his body. Had his fever come back? Oh, Lord, please don’t let that be the case. She moved to his bedside and laid her hand on his shoulder. “Seth?”
“Stop!” he yelled, jerking away from her hand.
Fear threatened to choke Rebecca. Her eyes filled with tears. She moved away from the bed as he punched into the air, fighting invisible villains. Then he quieted. In his sleep, he spoke. “Oh, Clare, I am so sorry. So sorry.” A sob broke from his throat and Seth rolled to his side. His shoulders shook with unshed sobs.
Rebecca approached the bed again. Her hand moved to his cool forehead. No fever. He didn’t flinch away. His breathing had returned to normal.
She sank into the chair. As her heart rate slowed down, she watched him sleep. What had she just witnessed? A nightmare? Who was Clare? And what did Seth have to be so sorrowful for?
Confident she could stand again, she returned to the sitting room. Mrs. Brown was just opening the door for Doctor Clark.
“What’s going on here?” With his bag in his hand, he entered the house.
His eyes trained on Rebecca.
How did the doctor know something was going on? Her gaze moved to Mrs. Brown. “Young Josiah was passing by. I sent him to get Doc,” Mrs. Brown said.
Rebecca nodded. She returned her attention to the doctor. “I think he had a nightmare.” She held out her arms to Mrs. Brown, who placed Janie into them. While hugging the baby close, she explained what she’d witnessed. But held back what Seth had said.
The doctor patted her on the shoulder. “I’ll go examine my patient now. Hopefully he didn’t pull any of my fancy stitchwork.” He offered her a soft smile. “Stop worrying—he’ll be fine. Why don’t you sit down for a spell?”
/> She nodded and then watched the doctor hurry to Seth’s room and shut the door.
“I’ll go check on supper,” Mrs. Brown said, shuffling from the room.
Janie cooed up at her. Rebecca smiled down at the baby. Seth’s loud voice had awoken her, but she now looked no worse for wear.
Who was Clare? Was she Seth’s wife? No, someone would have mentioned a wife. And if Clare was his wife, then she wouldn’t allow another woman to take care of him. No, not his wife, but who?
Rebecca realized that she’d been relying on God but had decided His plan for Him. First, she’d thought God had wanted her to marry Jesse. Then after his death, Seth had taken an interest in her well-being, so she’d assumed God was leaning in that direction for her—a husband and family. Now she didn’t know what to think. Clare, whoever she was, held a part of Seth that Rebecca had never seen before. She sighed. Lord, I don’t know what Your plans are, but I sure wish I did.
* * *
Seth wanted freedom. Freedom from his bed, freedom from the house, and most importantly freedom from too many people coming to visit. Didn’t they understand that when a man was down the last thing he wanted was people coming and going out of his room as if it was a church social? The one person he wanted to see only came in when he needed something.
Over the past few days, something had changed in Rebecca. What was it? She helped him when he called, brought food for him and made sure his dressings were clean. But she didn’t stay and talk. She acted as if she couldn’t get out of his room fast enough.
Somewhere in the house he heard Janie cry. Seth pushed back the covers with his good arm and decided he would not lie in bed for one more day. He didn’t care what Doctor Clark said. Enough was enough.
He set his feet on the floor. Its coolness felt good. This wasn’t going to be so hard. Careful not to push off with his bandaged arm, Seth pushed upward. He stood. His vision blurred. Pain shot through his side and leg. Darkness came faster than a racing stallion.
The Marshal's Promise Page 13
