Wildcat Bride

by Lauri Robinson

  His mind searched for an assuring answer. But only one thought remained on the forefront. “I’m sorry, darling. I’m sure not having a baby is hard for a woman, but I can’t take the chance of losing you.”

  “You want me to have the surgery?”

  He nodded. “As soon as possible.”

  “But last night you said you wanted children.

  Three of them.”

  Now was not the time to tell her about the orphans. “I want you more,” he admitted. “I’ll always want you more.”

  Tears fell from her eyes. “I’m so sorry,” she sobbed.

  His next actions came without thought. Careful, so he wouldn’t jostle her too much, he crawled onto the bed and slid one arm beneath her neck and the other over her stomach. He aligned his body with hers and held her tight as she cried. Tears stung his eyes as well, whether for her or with her, he wasn’t quite sure.

  Chapter Eleven

  By the next morning, the cramps were little more than slight nuisances, and though Eva felt better, besides stiff from lying around too long, her heart was direly heavy. The smell of coffee brewing lured her from the bedroom. She had no idea who might be in the kitchen, but had thoughts of who she wished it would be.

  Before he’d left, Doctor Weston had given her some pain powder, insisting she swallow a dose.

  She’d slept then, but fretfully. A smile touched her lips. Every time she’d opened her eyes, Bug had been sitting beside her bed. They’d talked in small increments, before she’d doze again, but neither brought up the subject of children. It held too much pain.

  Slipping her arms into a dressing gown, she stopped in the upstairs water closet. Her flow was much more manageable this morning, and after padding herself from the stack of ironed rags she kept in the room for that purpose, she made her way down the stairs.

  Ma sat at the table of the otherwise empty room.

  “Good morning,” she greeted. “Have a seat. I’ll get you some coffee.” Ma paused then. “Or maybe you should be back in bed. I can bring it up to you.”

  “No. I’m fine today. The coffee smells good.” Eva walked across the room. “I can get it.”

  “No, you sit down. I’ll get it.” Ma took her arm, and shy of wrestling the woman, Eva knew there was no arguing with her.

  “I’m not an invalid, Ma.” Eva had to say it, if for no other reason than to convince herself.

  “I know you’re not. But I’m here to take care of you.” Ma turned to retrieve a cup and saucer from the cupboard. “I had Snake bring me some things.

  I’ll stay here with you until you leave for Wichita.”

  Eva glanced around.

  “Bug went to get you some beef liver from Kid,”

  Ma stated before Eva had a chance to ask.

  Eva took a sip of coffee, and then ran a finger over the rim of the fragile bone china, contemplating how long it would be before Bug returned.

  “Not long,” Ma said, reading Eva’s mind.

  A rattle in the yard made Ma stand up again and move toward the front room. “Not even Bug is that quick.”

  Eva followed, but hung back as Ma opened the front door. “Hello, Doctor.”

  “Mrs. Quinter,” Doctor Weston greeted. “Aw, Eva, you look much better today. How are you feeling?”

  “Fine.”

  “I doubt that, but better I’m sure,” he insisted.

  “I’d like to examine you again. I sent a telegram to Dr. Robb yesterday afternoon, and he replied with some questions.”

  “When can he see her in Wichita?” Ma asked.

  “As soon as she can get there. That’s another reason I need to examine her again. Dr. Robb is afraid the hemorrhaging could renew itself.” Dr.

  Weston nodded toward Eva. “If the examination is good, as I suspect it will be judging from how healthy you appear this morning, then we could see about passage on the afternoon train. It would put you in Wichita early tomorrow morning.”

  “Tomorrow morning?” Eva asked. She’d thought there would be more time to get used to the idea of—of all of it.

  “Get to examining then,” Ma said. “I’ll pack us a couple of bags.”

  Dr. Weston’s examine was thorough, and Eva had just slipped her nightgown back over her head, when the door to her room flew open. Dr. Weston, with his back to her while he replaced his instruments in his black bag, spun to the door, catching it as it swung wide.

  Bug glanced between her and the Doctor. “What happened?”

  “Nothing—” she started, wanting to erase the concern covering his face.

  “I needed to examine her again,” Dr. Weston explained. “I’m going to secure passage for her and Mrs. Quinter on the afternoon train.”

  Eva flinched at how Bug exclaimed, “The afternoon train?”

  “Yes, Dr. Robb wants her there immediately.”

  Dr. Weston snapped his bag shut. “My examination proves she can travel.”

  Bug bolted into the room, putting himself between her and Dr. Weston. “I’ll be traveling with her.” Dr. Weston moved to the doorway. “Well, then, young man, I suggest you go pack.”

  Eva held her breath. Bug shrugged. “I’m ready.”

  He held up a package and a basket. “I even got her beef liver.”

  The doctor chuckled. “Fine, she can eat it before you leave. What else do you have there?”

  Shrugging again, Bug set both packages on the bed. “Strawberries. Lila says Eva has to eat them with the liver. Something about the vitamins in the berries will help her absorb the iron in the beef.”

  The doctor lifted his fuzzy eyebrows. “That’s correct. Who is this Lila? Is she aspiring to join the medical field?”

  “No, Bug said. “She’s just Lila, my brother Skeeter’s wife.”

  Eva agreed with a nod. Lila had probably read more medical journals than Dr. Weston. She was always reading them. Last night Lila had assured everyone that she’d heard of Dr. Robb in Wichita, and from what she’d read, was thoroughly impressed with what she called his track record.

  “Hmm,” Dr. Weston said thoughtfully. “Is Lila the tall redhead? The one that made me wash my hands before I entered the bedroom yesterday?”

  Eva and Bug nodded.

  “Smart woman.” He winked at Eva as he picked the package and basket off the bed. “I’ll go prepare the liver, and see you downstairs.”

  She peeked around Bug’s shoulder, resting a hand on it as she said, “Thank you, Dr. Weston.”

  Before the door had shut, Bug turned around and gathered her into his arms. She went willingly, thankful for his presence. The thinness of her gown offered the slightest barrier. Her breasts flattened against his hard chest, and the heat of his body quickly penetrated the cotton. His wonderful hands rubbed her back, making big circles that soothed her inside and out. The fantastic scents of outdoors, leather, and him, all breathtakingly superb, filled her nose pressed near the hollow of his neck. Eva closed her eyes, snuggled in, and reeled at the encompassing sensations.

  He rested his cheek on the top of her head, and sighed as heavily as she. “It’ll all be fine, Eva girl,”

  he whispered. “As long as we’ve got each other, everything else will fall into place.”

  Eva held her silence, praying he was right, that the day he’d regret loving her would never come.

  ****

  There wasn’t a private car on the afternoon train, so the three of them, Eva, Bug, and Ma, sat in the coach with the couple dozen other folks. A crying baby couldn’t be hushed near the back of the car, and though the baby’s squalls didn’t bother him, Bug could see the agony rippling Eva’s fine features. He racked his brain, trying to remember what Mrs.

  King had done to quiet the babies on the orphan train.

  He snapped his fingers, and then dug in his shirt pocket for the peppermint sticks Dr. Weston suggested he purchase for Eva. The doctor said it would settle her stomach if needed. Perhaps i
t would help the babe as well.

  “I’ll be right back.” Bug patted Eva’s shoulder and rose.

  The rocking of the train had him holding onto the backs of the seats as he made his way to the far end of the car. The Atchison-Topeka-Santa Fe Line was an offshoot of the Santa Fe Railroad. Therefore the cars were smaller and rough. In Great Bend most of the passengers would catch a Santa Fe passenger train that would go to Kansas City. The ride would be much smoother and quicker, but he, Eva, and Ma, would stay on this one. Which meant, their ride all the way to Wichita, would be on this bone jarring, loud, and sooty train.

  When he stopped, catching his swaying by grabbing the seat in front of the woman holding the baby, he nodded a greeting.

  She gave an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry for the disturbance. He’s teething.”

  “Maybe this will help.” Bug held out one of the peppermint sticks.

  “Oh, my.” She glanced at the candy and back up at him.

  “It might help,” Bug repeated. The little tyke’s face was scrunched up and beet red. Bug brushed the tip of the candy stick across the babe’s mouth.

  Instantly, the baby stopped crying and smacked his lips together. “I think he likes it.”

  “I think he does, too.” The woman took the stick and let the baby suck on one end. Little arms and legs started going at once. “Yes, I’d say he likes it for sure.” She glanced up, smiling. “Thank you. Thank you very much.”

  Bug patted the baby’s soft head. “You’re welcome.” Turning around to make his way back to the front, he froze.

  Eva, looking at him quite quizzically, bit her lip, and spun to gaze out the window beside her. His heart might as well start living in his boots, since that’s where it ended up more often than not lately.

  Grabbing the backs of the seats again, he practically pulled himself all the way back to his seat since each step got to be a bit harder to make. He’d only wanted to calm her anxiety, not add to it.

  The rattle and clank of the wheels rolling along the iron tracks made talking a useless feat unless you wanted to yell, so after sitting down, he tugged his hat over his eyes, and continued to scold himself for his behavior. It was just like him to point out someone else’s baby while she was fretting about never having any.

  With the whistle screaming and the wheels screeching, the train arrived in Great Bend with a jolt that uprooted some of the passengers. Bug set his feet hard against the floor, and prepared for the thrusting, uneven bump. He stretched an arm in front of Eva, bracing for when she jerked forward.

  She caught his arm with both hands, and smiled her thanks.

  Passengers, carrying bags, boxes, and other traveling gear, crowded the narrow center aisle, waiting for the porter to open the front gate. The woman, with her infant tucked safely in her arms, paused near Bug’s seat. “Thank you, again.”

  “Sure,” Bug said. The babe peeked his way, and Bug swore the kid grinned at him.

  “You’re a lucky lady,” the woman directed at Eva. “You husband is very kind.”

  Eva’s smile was bright and friendly. “Thank you.

  And yes, he is.”

  Bug’s insides swelled, he arched his back, giving the warmth more room. Then he glanced at Ma, wondering if she was going to set the woman straight on him and Eva not being married. She just stared back, with one brow slightly arched.

  “Good day,” the woman offered in farewell.

  Moments later, she and the babe disappeared through the door.

  “What did you give her?” Eva asked in her quiet and gentle tone.

  Bug dug in his pocket to show her. “A peppermint stick. Doctor Weston said they’d settle your stomach if need be. Do you want one?”

  “No. Thank you, though. That was very kind of you.”

  “I figured the trip would be shorter without a baby wailing the whole time.” He gulped. The lump in his throat felt as if it was made of glass shards. “I thought it was upsetting you.” Aw, hell, nothing came out sounding right.

  “It wasn’t upsetting me. I just felt sorry for him.”

  “Me, too,” he admitted, tugging his hat back down.

  The delay in Great Bend wasn’t long. Soon the train was chugging its way toward Wichita, and Ma dug out the basket of foodstuff. They ate, commenting on how good Randi’s cooking was. Bug found himself wondering about Eva’s cooking. Ma’s wasn’t anything to brag about. Not that he was one for complaining, he’d never gone hungry. But it really hadn’t been until Kid married Jessie that he’d tasted food. Before that he’d simply ate whatever Ma put on the table. When Jessie first moved into Kid’s house, she made the best cookies he’d ever eaten.

  Not even Randi, who made food taste so good you wanted to hug her after every meal, could make cookies like the ones Jessie had.

  He’d eaten over at Eva and Willamina’s before heading out east, but he’d never wondered if Eva had cooked or if Willamina had. The food must have been all right, since he didn’t remember it being awful. Maybe Jessie would teach Eva how to make those cookies—if she hadn’t already.

  He handed his napkin to Ma, so she could stuff it in with the others. It was an odd thing to sit here worrying about. Then again, eating was something he did quite regularly, and liked when the food was palatable. Besides, it kept his mind off other—not so good—concerns.

  “Eva.” Ma’s voice interrupted his musing. “You should try to sleep again, keep your strength up.”

  Eva nodded, smiling, but didn’t make a move to settle in for a nap. Bug had an urge to wrap his arm around her and let her rest her head on his shoulder, but with Ma here…Frowning, he changed the route of his thought. Who cared if Ma was here? Eva would soon be his wife, and then his mother wouldn’t have the right to say a peep about anything.

  He ran his hand along the back of the seat and let it fall onto Eva’s opposite shoulder. Tugging her closer while he scooted nearer to her side, he leaned back against the seat, giving her as much space as possible to rest her head on him. Grinning up at him, she cuddled in like Jerome—when he was a pup—had done to August.

  With his other hand, Bug tipped the brim of his hat over his eyes, blocking out the stare he assumed Ma was giving him.

  Their arrival in Wichita happened in the wee hours of the morning. A night sky, still hosting a million twinkling stars met them as Bug aided first Eva and then Ma off the metal steps. He kept them on the platform for a moment, gathering his bearings. The depot was in the center of a spider web of train tracks. The clanking and banging echoed loudly in the dark. Damn, not even New York had been this congested with trains.

  “Mr. Quinter? Mr. Quinter?”

  Bug spun about, looking for where the sound came from. A man, with a shirt so white it caught every angle of the moon, jogged closer.

  “Mr. Quinter? You are him, aren’t you?”

  “Yes.”

  “I got a wagon ready. Right this way.” The man snatched up two of their traveling bags and started jogging off again.

  Bug lifted his bag, the one the man had left, and herded the woman, one on each side, in the direction of the fading white shirt. They arrived at a two-seated buggy as the man stuffed the bags in the cargo hold. Bug plopped his bag in with the others, and then assisted Eva in while the man helped Ma into the back. With the women settled in the rear seat, Bug climbed in next to the driver.

  Snatching up the reins, the man explained, “We’ll take Miss Reynolds to the hospital, and then you to your hotel.”

  “Miss Reynolds?” The name raked Bug’s nerves.

  “Who are you?”

  “Buddy Murphy. Mr. Houston hired me. I’ll be at your service as long as you need.”

  “Is Jack here?” Eva asked. The hope in her voice didn’t do Bug’s nerves any good, either.

  “He told me to tell you he’s on his way, ma’am.

  He’ll be here as soon as he can. He’s arranged everything at the hospital as well,” the d
river explained as he released the brake.

  Bug grabbed the awning brace as the buggy surged forward. He hadn’t wired Jack, and wondered who had. He liked the man, a lot, he’d still be rotting in jail in New York if not for Jack, but he wanted to be the one to take care of Eva. Not everyone else.

  The buggy jerked to a stop. Men carrying red-globed lanterns littered the train tracks like cow chips in a pasture. They waved for buggies and wagons to cross some tracks, while they made others stop as trains barreled along the iron rails. When one of the men waved them forward, the driver instructed, “Hold on, the tracks are rough.”

  Bug had ridden broncos that hadn’t bucked as violently as the buggy did when the wheels bounced over the uneven rails. They crossed several sets, and while the springs were still jostling everyone around, the driver flayed a whip in-between the two ponies hitched in front. They picked up their hooves, and thankfully, as their gait evened out, so did the bouncing.

  “It’s not far to the hospital, and your hotel is only a block away from there.” Buddy flashed a grin that showed a gap between his front teeth the size of a dime.

  “Dr. Weston didn’t say she’d go to the hospital tonight. We have an appointment with Dr. Robb tomorrow. You can take us all to the hotel,” Bug instructed.

  “No.” The driver weaved around a slower moving rig, making the buggy swing unevenly as it swayed back over before colliding with an oncoming one. The traffic could rival that in New York.

  “Slow down, would ya?” Bug asked before he added, “And what do you mean, no?”

  “Mr. Houston arranged for her to be admitted tonight. The surgery will happen first thing in the morning.”

  Bug had chomped his teeth together so long his jaw ached by the time Buddy pulled up in front of a big brick building. Two women wearing funny hats ushed out the front door. “Is this Miss Reynolds?”

  “Yeah,” Buddy said, leaping from his seat.

  The women were at Eva’s side before Bug had crawled out.

  “Right this way, ma’am, we’ll get you all settled,” one of them said.