“Come on,” Mac said, loosening his grip to put his arm around Jillian’s shoulders.
Trembling from head to toe, Jillian now realized she had an entirely different matter to deal with. She had to face Mac and learn the truth. But maybe more importantly, she needed to tell him the truth herself.
TWENTY-ONE
WATCHING JILLIAN CLOSELY, Mac opened the door to his home. Their home. Without a word, he lifted her into his arms, smiling as she gasped in surprise.
“It’s tradition to carry the bride across the threshold,” he said softly against her ear. He could hardly believe she was really his wife, the very desire of his heart.
Jillian said nothing, and even after he set her back down and turned to close the door, she remained silent. Turning, he found her scrutinizing him. She backed up a step as if afraid, then licked her lips.
“Mac, I’m so sorry about my father. I had no idea this was going to happen. You have to believe me. I would never have allowed this. In fact, I was sure you were going to stop it.”
She rambled on and on in her nervousness, and Mac might have laughed had the fear not been so evident in her eyes.
“I don’t know what to do now. I feel awful. This only started because I wanted my mother to leave off with her matchmaking. I took advantage of you and that was so wrong. I appreciate what you did for me, but, Mac, you can’t just marry someone to take them away from bad circumstances. My father is overbearing and ruthless, but you shouldn’t have let him force you into a marriage you were only pretending to want.”
He stepped forward at this and put his finger to her lips. “No one could ever make me marry anyone. Your father knows that. He offered me a great deal of money to leave you, but he also offered me money to marry you and return to Kansas City. I turned him down, just as I mentioned earlier, on both counts. I married you because I wanted to.”
As if to show her proof, he took her into his arms and kissed her long and passionately. She yielded easily, but Mac couldn’t help feeling a little guilty. After all, just because he wanted to marry Jillian didn’t necessarily mean she wanted to marry him. Suddenly her outbursts took on a new meaning to him. Perhaps she was saying all of this because she was unhappy with him for forcing himself on her.
Mac broke the kiss and looked at her for a moment. Her eyes were still closed as if she were lost in the kiss. Slowly, she opened her eyes and met his gaze. She seemed content enough.
“Jillian, I know this is probably confusing for you, but we can make this work.”
“I thought you never wanted to marry again. I thought the pain of what you suffered with Abigail had put you off of the idea of ever sharing your life with another person.”
He nodded. “I thought so too.” He grinned and reached up to touch her cheek. “Then you came to town.”
“So you don’t mind?” she asked weakly, almost fearfully.
Mac laughed. “Mind? Being married to the most beautiful woman in the world? Should I mind being married to such a loving and generous soul who fights with such fervor to right the wrongs of injustice?” Tears formed in her eyes, and Mac released her to offer his handkerchief. “I didn’t mean to make you cry.”
She sniffed and dabbed at the tears. “It’s not your fault.”
He could see she was still shaking and so he led her to the sofa. “Here, sit down and talk to me about this.” He squatted down beside her and took hold of her hand. “Is it really all that bad? Is the idea of being married to me so terrible?”
She looked up at him with such an expression of disbelief that Mac wasn’t at all sure what she would say. But Jillian never had the chance to speak because the sound of a bell clanging from the far end of town brought both Jillian and Mac to their feet.
“Fire!” someone shouted in the stillness of the night.
“Fire?” Jillian barely breathed the word.
“Stay here and I’ll find out what’s going on,” Mac instructed. He disappeared into his office, then grabbing up his black bag, he went to the door. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
He left her standing there and rushed out into the night. In the distance he could see the red and amber glow against the star-dotted night skies. Running at full speed, Mac rounded the corner coming onto Main Street just in time to hear Mr. Everhart shout that they were under Indian attack.
This halted Mac in his tracks. Indians? The Navajo? He looked around him at the gathering crowd of hysterical people. Men toted rifles and shotguns, fully prepared to do whatever battle became necessary to defend their loved ones. Mac felt almost silly carrying his doctor’s bag as he noted the glances of the other men as they acknowledged his presence.
“What’s going on?” he finally asked the nearest man.
“Injuns set fire to the jail, is my guess. The wind has spread the flames. It’s gonna be hard to keep it from burnin’ us to the ground.”
“Get your buckets!” someone yelled. “We ain’t gonna stand by and let them savages burn us out.”
Cheers went up from the crowds as women and men scrambled for every available bucket and watering can. Mac moved off down the street toward the jail. Zack Matthews instantly came to mind, and he wondered if Bear had somehow overpowered the young sheriff—or worse yet, killed him.
Glancing out of the corner of his eye, Mac tried to be wary of any movement on the side streets or between buildings. He could distinguish moving shadows but had no idea to whom those shadows belonged. They could be Navajo, they could be townsfolk. Either way, knowing the jittery nerves of his neighbors, someone was bound to get hurt before it was all said and done.
As he approached the jail, Mac could see the flames. He prayed that no one was still inside, knowing that it would be impossible to survive. Coming around the side of the small building, Mac made out the shadowy form of someone lying in the alleyway. He rushed to the body and rolled the man over. In the dancing glow of flames, Mac easily identified the man as Zack.
“Matthews!” he called out, feeling the heat from the fire. “Wake up, Matthews. Talk to me.”
Zack groaned and seemed to try to open his eyes, but he quickly fell silent. Mac had no idea what was wrong with him but knew he had to get Matthews away from the intense heat. As he slipped his arm around Zack’s body, Mac instantly became aware of a wetness. He held his hand up to the light of the flames and saw that he was covered in Zack’s blood.
By now other people were starting to gather around. He stood up and motioned to Zack. “I need some help getting the sheriff to my office. He’s bleeding pretty badly.”
A couple of men came forward, and one man took hold of Zack’s arms while the other grabbed his legs. Mac nodded. “If anyone else is hurt, come to my place.” He left the rest of them fighting the fire and hurried after the men. Mac feared the shock of seeing Zack might be too much for Jillian, so he quickly bypassed the men and raced to his door.
“Jillian!” he called out. “We’ve got an injured man.”
Jillian stood in the middle of the room, apparently pacing. She stopped, however, and looked past Mac as if expecting the man to be right behind her husband.
“It’s Zack Matthews,” Mac said.
Jillian’s expression changed to one of extreme concern. “Is he badly hurt?”
“He’s bleeding,” Mac replied, as if that said it all. He turned and motioned. “In here, men,” he instructed as the two men maneuvered through the door with Zack’s body. Mac stood between them and Jillian, hoping to protect her from witnessing something that would further upset her. He knew how she was about the superstitions regarding death. How in the world would she face the possibility of watching this man die?
“I’ll get Gwen,” Jillian told Mac.
He nodded. “That’s probably a good idea.” He forgot about his arm and hand being stained with Matthews’ blood as he reached out to her. She paled instantly.
“Is that from him or are you injured?” She trembled noticeably but held her ground.
&nbs
p; “I’m fine. It’s Zack’s blood.”
“I’d better hurry,” she managed to reply. Mac would have loved to have comforted her for a moment, but there was no time. Sooner or later she’d have to learn that as the wife of a doctor, there would be many unpleasant moments where life and death hovered in the balance of his actions.
He went to work lighting several lamps and placed them around his examining room just as the men managed to deposit the goodsized sheriff onto the table.
“Thanks,” Mac told the men. They left as quickly as they had appeared, and Mac set to work on his patient.
Examining Zack’s head, Mac found a gash about three inches long on the back. Someone had hit him hard, knocking him unconscious and leaving him for dead.
He set to cleaning the wound, causing a fresh oozing of blood, just as Jillian and Gwen returned to the house.
“Mac!” Jillian called out as she entered.
“In here,” Mac replied. “Come and help me.”
Jillian came into the room with Gwen close on her heels.
“Is he all right?” Gwen questioned, sobbing at the sight of her fiance .
“I hope he will be,” Mac told her, “but I can’t be sure. Someone has hit him pretty hard. I’ll know better when he regains consciousness. Jillian, I need a basin of hot water and some towels. You should find everything you need over in that cabinet, but you’ll have to set a fire in the stove and get some water on to boil. Can you handle that?”
Jillian nodded. “I can do it, and Gwen can help me. Come on,” she said, pulling at her housemother’s arm. “Mac can handle this part without us.” Gwen refused to move, however, and Jillian went to the cabinet to retrieve the needed items without her.
Mac glanced up to give Gwen a reassuring nod. “He doesn’t look too bad, but I need to get his head stitched up. Go ahead and help Jillian.”
Gwen nodded and reluctantly joined Jillian. No sooner had she gone than Zack moaned, twisting away from Mac’s hold.
“Whoa now, Zack. You’re safe,” Mac told him.
Zack’s eyes opened and closed very quickly in succession before he finally managed to hold them open. “What happened?”
“I was hoping you could tell me.”
Zack closed his eyes and shook his head. “I don’t remember.”
“I figured as much. It’s not a problem. You have a bad gash on the back of your head. I’m going to have to stitch it up. Gwen and Jillian are getting me some hot water.”
“Gwen’s here?” he asked weakly. “Thought I wouldn’t get to see her again.”
“Nah, you’re too hardheaded to pass on from a mere blow.”
“How’d you find me?”
“Someone set fire to the jail. I’m presuming it has something to do with your Navajo guests. I’m hoping they escaped before the fire was set.”
Zack opened his eyes and looked up at Mac. “I figured they were up to something. They were just too quiet. Cooper came and tried to talk sense with them, but apparently it didn’t help matters.”
Mac nodded. “Just try to rest. You aren’t bleeding too badly right now, but you’ve lost a good bit of blood.”
Zack let out a long breath and closed his eyes. “You’re the doc.”
“You need any help in there?” Mary Barnes called out before entering the examination room. Her hair was knotted in a hasty bun and her clothes showed marks of soot.
“Have they managed to contain the fire?” Mac questioned.
“For the most part. Ain’t a whole lot close enough to catch fire since they moved the livery away from the jail.”
“Do you know if anyone else is injured?”
“Didn’t hear anyone say they were,” Mary admitted. “They know you’re here working on the sheriff, so I figure they’ll come here if needed.”
“Mac, this water is hot. Where would you like it?” Jillian announced as she came into the room with Gwen right behind her. “Mary! Are you all right? Is Hope all right?”
“We’re both fine. I left Hope with Kate and came on over here to see if Mac needed help. I figured you’d be with your folks.”
Jillian shook her head. “It’s a long story, Mary, but one I promise to explain.”
“Right now we need to get this wound sewn up. Jillian, you may put the water on the counter here and then you and Gwen rest in the other room while Mary helps me.”
Jillian looked as if he’d somehow hurt her feelings, so Mac quickly added, “Mary’s done this before, but soon I’ll train you to help me.” She nodded, seeming to understand, then reached to take hold of Gwen’s arm.
Gwen moved forward, then turned away and went quickly to Zack’s side. Leaning down she pleaded, “Oh, Zack, please don’t die.” Tears slid down her cheeks and onto Zack’s face.
Opening his eyes, he gave her the tiniest smile. “Can’t die. I’m gettin’ hitched tomorrow.”
Mac laughed. “See, there’s too much orneriness in him to die. Everything is going to be just fine.”
“Couldn’t hurt to pray, though,” Mary told the women.
Jillian smiled. “Mary’s right. We should have done that first thing. Come on, we’ll get started.”
After she and Gwen left the room, Mac turned to Mary. “You best say one for me, as well.”
Mary laughed. “You’re a fine doctor, Mac. What has you so stirred up?”
He gathered his instruments and sat down at the head of the table to work on Zack’s head. “I’ll explain it all later. Suffice it to say, God has His work cut out for Him.”
TWENTY-TWO
BY THE TIME MAC FINISHED UP with Zack and felt confident about putting him to bed in a room just off the examination room, it was nearly two in the morning.
Yawning, Mac suggested they all get some sleep. “Morning’s going to come before we know it.”
“I don’t want to leave him,” Gwen announced. “Please let me stay here with Zack.”
Mac nodded. “There’s another cot in that room. If you don’t think it will tarnish your reputation too much, you’re welcome to stay.”
Mary yawned. “Well, I’m heading back to the hotel. You want to walk with me, Jillian?”
Jillian looked at Mac, uncertain what she should say. She opened her mouth to speak, but Mac took charge.
“Jillian will be staying here as well. We . . . ah . . . well, that is to say,” he stammered, actually looking ill at ease. Blushing like a schoolboy, he blurted out, “We got married tonight!”
“What!?” Both Gwen and Mary declared.
“It just sort of happened.” He grinned sheepishly and shrugged as though that explained everything.
“Well, not exactly,” Jillian replied, feeling the need to explain more. “I don’t know exactly how to say this, but my father forced our plans. He found me talking to Mac and unfortunately assumed the worst.”
Mary chuckled and Gwen hid a smile. “Well, this is some wedding night,” Mary said. “You sure you wouldn’t like me to stay here with Zack?” She looked directly at Mac as if Jillian had no say in any of it. “You two could go take my room at the hotel.”
Jillian swallowed hard and turned away. She’d tried unsuccessfully not to think about those moments when she’d have to be alone with Mac. They hadn’t finished their conversation, and she still longed to tell him all that was in her heart. She hoped he would believe her when she told him how much she loved him. But what if he didn’t?
“We’ll stay here, Mary,” Mac announced. “I want to be close in case Zack needs something more.”
Mary nodded. “Well, I guess I’ll see you in the morning, then.”
After Mary left, Mac arranged Gwen in the sickroom, leaving her with extra blankets should Zack grow chilled in the night. He quietly came back through the examination room and took Jillian by the hand.
“I know this is a difficult situation and it’s very late,” he said, pausing by the bedroom door, “but I feel there are some things that must be said.”
Jillian kne
w he felt her trembling. Why did she have to be so obvious in her fear? Although it wasn’t really fear—it was more an anxiety of sorts. She hadn’t expected this turn of events, and now she wasn’t at all sure what was expected of her.
“I don’t have any of my things,” she offered weakly. It was all she could clearly think of to concentrate on.
“That’s all right. You can use one of my nightshirts.” He said it as though there was nothing at all unusual about having a woman share his things.
He opened the door to the bedroom and gave Jillian a light nudge in the small of her back. “Sorry for the mess.”
Jillian smiled at the sight. Medical journals stacked haphazardly around the room vied for space with thick dusty books. Clothes had been strewn carelessly over the back of a chair, the end of the bed, and on the bedpost itself.
“I’m not much for housekeeping, I guess,” Mac said, turning her to face him. He studied her for a moment, making Jillian quite uneasy. “I don’t want you to regret this. I know you didn’t plan on becoming my wife. I know this was all a game to you, but now it’s not. Now we’re married, and I don’t believe in divorce. I guess I should probably have told you that from the beginning. I know some folks get them, but I won’t be one of them.”
Jillian lowered her head to keep from smiling. She wasn’t about to get a divorce from the only man she’d ever fallen in love with. “I understand, Mac,” she said softly.
He gently touched her chin with his finger. “Look at me, Jillian.” She did and found his expression almost pained. “I want you to be sure about this. I know you started this out to put an end to your mother’s meddling, but now it’s gone beyond that.”
“I know that, Mac. I’m not a child,” she said, feeling slightly irritated at his speech.
“No, you most certainly are not a child,” he said, his voice low. “I want you to be sure about our marriage. I want you to share my bed, but only when you can say that you love me.”
A Veiled Reflection Page 23
