by Lynn Landes
"Look out!" Someone screams as the remaining half of the bridge falls flaming to the river below. People run screaming from the water, those on the river banks weep. The men are concentrating on pulling the survivors out and back away from the wreckage, while the women take orders from Bronnah. She works tirelessly, helping where she can and comforting those who need it.
“Bronnah, help has arrived from the town,” Chase points and pulls her to his side as they watch reinforcements arrive. Trembling from exhaustion, Bronnah steps away and gladly lets the doctors take over. Local townspeople are offering their homes to the wounded and Chase thankfully accepts shelter for them at the Doctor’s local farm.
Chase watches the Sheriff arrive with his deputies and sighs with relief. Now, he can focus on Bronnah. Wagons are waiting to carry those that are fit to travel, he moves to Bronnah’s side and pulls her further away from the wounded towards the river.
“Let me look at you," he whispers, cupping her face in his hands. Love filled eyes seek his, and she doesn't bother to swipe at a stray tear that streaks a path across her muddy cheek.
“I’m well, Chase, thanks to you.”
“We will see. I plan on checking you over thoroughly later,” he teases softly. Bronnah grins up at him but can’t quite find the energy to banter. Instead, she drops her forehead to his chest taking comfort in the feel of him.
"What are we gonna do now?" she whispers hoarsely.
Chase tilts her chin up, “Let me see those beautiful eyes,” she smiles up at him. “We are going home. I want you with me, Bronnah-mine, and not just to testify. I want you to be mine, truly mine. Marry me?” He asked gently.
Standing in the morning sun on the banks of an unnamed river, Bronnah's smile could rival the dawn. "Aye, I'll marry you, Chase Rivers," she sobs and throws herself into his loving arms. Chase lifts her from her feet, oblivious to the noise around them. His kiss holds the promise of a lifetime of joy, passion, and dedication.
Chapter 30
"She's alive!" A female voice screams out, drawing their attention. Chase slowly lowers her to her feet, and they turn to watch two men drag a female body from the edge of the river to the shore.
“Let me through,” a doctor ordered. He drops to his knees beside the Asian female and flinches. “Dear God, half her body is burned.” What once was a silk dress, is now melted into her scarred body. Rippled flesh and silk are now part of her skin.
“No,” Bronnah utters. Panic sets in and she whirls around to face Chase. “That’s the women who drugged me. We need to go now!” She grabs his hand and drags him when he stops, she releases his grip and keeps going.
Chase follows quickly, grabbing her by the shoulders.
“I need to question her, Bronnah.”
"No, she doesn't work alone, Chase. If she's here, there may be more of them. We have to go!"
“I need to question her and find out. You don’t have to come with me.”
Bronnah glances back at Eve. When she starts to scream, Bronnah gasps in horror and turns away from the sight of Eve's badly burned body. Her beautiful black hair is completely burnt off on one side of her head, leaving only hot red ripples of flesh. One-half of her face and body is completely melted, and she is trying to scream through half-melted lips.
"I'm not leaving you," she snaps.
"That's my girl." He takes her hand, and they hurry back to the doctor.
Bronnah moves closer and Eve reaches out a hand to her.
“Hep... me…” Eve groans.
“Do you know her?” The doctor asked as he demands blankets to cover her with.
“Only by her first name, Eve.”
“Eve, can you hear me?” The doctor asked, laying a woolen blanket over her body. The moment it touches her body a guttural scream of agony rips from her melted mouth. Immediately they remove the blanket and the doctor snaps. “Bring me some morphine.”
“Please, Chase, can we go?” Bronnah turns into his arms.
He squeezes her arms gently and pulls her away carefully. “You go with the Higgins family and get cleaned up. I will join you as soon as I can.” Bronnah is shaking her head no before he finishes his sentence.
“I’ve already told you, I’m not leaving you,” she snaps.
“I want to question her, Bronnah. It won’t be pretty. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
“Of course. Get to work Marshall,” she pushes him away. “I will continue helping with the wounded. I am a trained nurse.” Chase doesn’t argue as she returns to the doctor.
“Eve, take this,” Dr. Higgins offers the morphine.
Eve moans and thrashes about pushing at his hand shoving the morphine away. “No! Drops! Where… drops?” She groans.
“What is she talking about?” The doctor asked Bronnah.
Bronnah frowns, "I believe she's talking about Opium. I don't know her very well, and the only time I did know her, she was supplying opium."
The doctor frowns, “Well, I don’t have that in my bag, I can assure you.” Eve moans and tries desperately to sit up and crawl away.
"Give me the medicine, I can get her to take it," Bronnah demands. The doctor hands it over, and they sit back to watch. Bronnah balls the small bottle up in her hand and leans over Eve.
“Miss Eve, look, I found your drops.” She holds the bottle over her nose and Eve stops moving and glares at it with wild eyes.
“Drops!” she mumbles and reaches for them. Bronnah gently pushes her hand away.
“I can help, open up,” Eve sobs out but does as asked. Bronnah drops two full droppers of morphine and looked at the doctor who nods.
“That will help calm her, I’ll get a stretcher, so we can get her out of here.” Dr. Higgins leaves quickly, and Chase drops beside them.
“Eve, I have some questions to ask you.” Eve moans and closes her eyes turning her face away from him.
“Jonas? Where’s …Jonas?” she murmurs.
“Who’s Jonas?” Bronnah asked.
"Ch…Chen sent him," Eve opens her eyes and stares at Bronnah, fully lucid for a moment. "I killed them all, and I kill you!" Eve lunges at Bronnah, and Bronnah leaps backward away from her. "Kill you! Die!"
When Chase pushes her back down, she screams out in pain just as the doctor returns. “Damn, keep her still! Eve, this is going to hurt, but we are taking you to safety.”
Chase pulls Bronnah out of the way as Eve murmurs, "No… such… thing," she murmurs, and her words begin to slur as the morphine hits her.
A makeshift stretcher is placed beside her and when they lift her onto it, Eve screams. It echoes out, sending birds scattering to the sky. When Eve passes out from the pain, it's a relief to all trying to help her.
“I’m taking her to my home,” the Doctor states.
“Doc, I am a U.S. Marshall. This woman is a witness in a Federal case, I need to question her,” Chase demands.
“Then come with us, but I warn you, she must remain calm.” They both nod and follow quietly behind them. After they load her in a wagon, it's a long and strenuous ride back to town. Eve wakes up twice screaming, only to faint from the extreme pain. Bronnah is struck by sympathy for this creature, even though she knows Eve would never show the same for her. She pushes back the thought that Eve had something to do with this crash and wonders about this Jonas she spoke about.
Chase watches Bronnah tend to the woman who tried to destroy her future, and he's struck with pride for her. Her heart is as beautiful as she is, and it will be an honor to claim it for himself. He grins, and she looks up at him and is shocked to see a beautiful smile.
“What?”
“I’ll tell you later,” he replies as the doctor pulls his wagon down a dirt road to a large two-story home in town.
"Let me just warn my wife," the doctor climbs down slowly and hurries inside as Chase leaps down and lifts Bronnah to the ground. Bronnah stares at him, getting a clearer glimpse of him for the first time and she's shocked by his condition. His hands are c
ut and bloody from the glass he scrambled across to get to her.
"Chase! Your hands are…" he stops her by pressing a soft kiss to her mouth. A sweet, gentle kiss that is nearly her undoing.
"You can tend to my wounds later. We are safe, and that's all that matters now."
Dr. Higgins returns with his wife at his side. “Mr. and Mrs. Rivers please meet my wife. Anna Higgins.” Anna is tiny at less than five feet tall, with dark brown hair and kind chocolate eyes.
“Welcome. Please come inside. We will get you cleaned up and fed.” Bronnah smiles as she gently guides them inside.
“I’ll help carry the patient inside. You go with Mrs. Higgins,” Chase tells hers.
“Thank you,” Bronnah is too tired to argue. Her muddy dried dress is hardening, and every bone in her body is hurting.
The next few hours pass in a flurry of activity. Mrs. Higgins is as good as her word. The large farmhouse has two bathing rooms, and they fill both bathtubs quickly for them to clean up.
Two of their daughters are ready to help. One readies the guest room while Anna helps Bronnah. “Did you have any bags with you?”
“Bags?” No! Bronnah’s hand flies to her mouth as she remembers the ledger. “All the baggage was burned with the car which contained it. The rest is resting at the bottom of the river. The destruction was complete.”
Anna comforts her quickly, reassuring her, “Don’t worry, you look to be my daughter’s size. I’m sure we can find something for you to wear while you bathe.”
“Thank you,” Bronnah whispered and follows her into the bathing room to clean up. After a hot soak and scrub, she’s happy to wear a clean dress, though large on her, it feels good. Her ribs are bruised, and she is positive that a corset is out of the question right now.
“If you don’t mind, Mrs. Higgins, I’d like to rest for a little while.” Bronnah is exhausted.
“Of course, the guest room is ready. I’ll show your husband to you after he is fed and cleaned up.”
Bronnah sleeps and dreams fitful dreams of fiery trains, explosions, and drowning. Chase joins her sometime later, and when he wraps his arms around her, she rolls into his chest and sleeps peacefully for a few hours. He watches her sleep grateful to have survived the wreck.
Tomorrow will come soon enough. He sleeps holding her securely against his chest.
Chapter 31
Chase wakes and watches her sleep fitfully. He traces the shape of her shoulder and jaw with his fingertips, and her eyes flutter open. Bronnah gifts him with a sleepy smile, "Good-mornin' handsome."
“Good morning, beautiful,” he replies and kisses her tenderly before climbing from bed to dress. Bronnah leans up to watch him pull on his denims.
“Are ya leavin me then?”
“Not hardly,” he turns to stare at her as he puts on his gun belt. “I have a lot to do.” He sits heavily on the edge of the bed and pulls on his socks and boots before turning to her. “Bronnah, it would make me feel better if you carried this with you at all times.”
Chase hands her a beautiful knife, and she gasps as she takes it. "It's exquisite, Chase. Where did you get it?"
“I’ve had it since I was a child. It was a gift from a friend. It’s carved bone and inlaid with turquoise stones.” Bronnah traces her fingertips over the leather cording, wrapping the handle and notices every detail down to the carved symbols that run beneath the cording.
“I can’t accept this. This is an heirloom,” she pushes it back at him, but he’s shaking his head.
“Bronnah, please keep it in your boot. It would make me feel better knowing you had some way of protecting yourself.” Bronnah smiles softly at him and clutches it to her heart.
“Tell me how you came by this and I will consider it,” she said.
"It was a gift from a gift. My best friend growing up was an Indian in the tribe on our land. My first hunt with the tribe I brought down a bison, and he carved this knife for me from one of the bones. The stones were set by his father, the Chief, and the symbols are supposed to hold a special prayer of protection. It has never failed me and now, I would like to know it's protecting you." Bronnah lets the sheet fall from her body and climbs onto his lap, sighing when he wraps his arms around her.
“I would be honored to carry your knife, Chase.”
“Thank you,” he whispered into her hair.
The next two days pass quickly as they heal and help with the injured and dead. Townspeople open their homes to tend to those who are too injured to travel. They bury the dead and Chase plans while Bronnah assists the doctor.
Bronnah slips from the room early in the morning and hurries downstairs to the Doctor’s office at the back of the house. She can hear Eve’s moaning as she approaches the room. After a quick knock, she enters and finds a very exhausted looking Dr. Higgins.
“Good morning. Dr. Higgins, I can sit with her while you rest,” Bronnah offers.
“Mrs. Rivers, you are a Godsend, any doctor would be thrilled to have such skilled help.” Dr. Higgins climbs slowly to his feet and hesitates as he looked at his patient. “The morphine isn’t working very well, she’s due for another dose in about thirty minutes.”
“I understand, how’s her respiration?” Bronnah asked, looking over at her with a critical eye. Eve groans and thrashes about in her sleep
“Rapid, I’m afraid. The lungs were damaged in the explosion. Infection is already setting in.” He stifles a yawn and smiles at Bronnah. “If you’re sure you don’t mind, I could use some sleep before seeing to my other patients.”
“It’s the least I can do, your family has been so kind. I’ll send for you if there are any changes in her condition.”
“Excellent, her bandages will need to be removed and fresh ones applied soon, followed by another ice bath to keep her pain at bay.” Bronnah walks him to the door.
“I’ll see to it. Go rest, while you can.”
"Yes, thank you," he hurries from the room, and Bronnah turns to look at Eve. She's sleeping fitfully on her back. Her breathing is rapid with short, wheezy, breaths laced with moans of pain. Bronnah glares at her and struggles to find sympathy for the woman who tried to destroy her future. During the last few days, she had avoided Eve as she nursed and helped where she could with the injured in town. Now, staring at Eve, her hands tremble with barely restrained rage. Bowing her head, she prays to ease the fury in her heart and asked for mercy for the injured. She stops short of offering her forgiveness.
Bandages are covering the rippled, red scars and blisters, but it's the morphine that allows Eve to rest. Unfortunately, it requires a higher dosage each day. Her movement grows more restless as the medicine begins to wear off.
A soft knock has Bronnah looking up in surprise as the Sheriff smiles.
Not him again, inwardly Bronnah sighs.
"Good Morning, Mrs. Rivers, I need to ask you some questions." Sheriff Rex is beginning to annoy her. He's been hanging around the past two days hoping to interview Chase and Eve.
“I’m not sure now is the time, Sheriff Rex,” she turns back to check on Eve who is moaning and thrashing again.
With a snarl he steps behind her, only to freeze at the deadly calm voice behind him.
“What do you think you’re doing,” Chase asks with narrowed eyes. Bronnah whirls and finds them squaring up. Both men stand eye to eye and if they fight it will not be pretty.
“Mr. Rivers, as I have said for the past two days,” the Sheriff starts to say, but Chase interrupts him.
“Marshall Rivers.”
“Right, Marshall. I have some questions for your wife. The Doctor said she was friends with the burned girl.”
“No. Bronnah said she met her once, not that they were friends.”
“Well, I’m sure you understand that we need to interview your wi…”
“No. As soon as my wife is well enough to travel, we will be heading home to Wyoming. I’m sure you understand she wants to forget about this and heal.”
�
�Chase, I can speak with the Sheriff. Let him ask his questions, I have nothing to hide,” Bronnah insists.
"Fine, but if I don't like where this is going, I'm calling it." Inwardly the Sheriff is jubilant, but externally he doesn't show it.
“I understand. How did you know the victim?” Sheriff Rex avoids looking at the burned girl.
“Well, as I’ve explained on two separate occasions now, we met at a hotel in New York. She was working for the matrimonial company. Her job was to make the young women presentable. That’s it, Sheriff. I don’t know anything about her except that she provided a drug which was used to make the women more receptive.”
“I see, and this drug, did she give it to you?”
“What does that have ta do with the train wreck?” Bronnah stands and faces him while Chase grins in appreciation. The poor fool has no clue what he is getting into.
“Mrs. Rivers, if that is your name, you have clearly stated you were with a matrimonial company and using medication, so your word is…”
"We're finished, Sheriff" Bronnah snaps. "Your line of questioning is irrelevant to the train wreck. My past and choices since coming to America are none of your concern." Chase steps behind his wife and glares at him.
“I certainly understand if you are overwhelmed by the past few days. If you can think of anything to add to the investigation, please let me know.” He excuses himself from the room and stomps to his horse.
Chase glanced down at Bronnah who is rubbing her neck. “You missed lunch,” he holds out a cup of hot coffee and hands her a biscuit. “Dr. Higgins is still sleeping. Has she spoken?” He asked sipping on his black coffee.
“Thank you.” She drinks and eats the biscuit. “No, just moaning.” Bronnah stares at Eve and her coffee cup trembles in her hand. Rage flutters through her mind as she remembers each of the girls she managed to rescue.
Chase nods and glanced at her. His messages to the U.S. Marshall's office and one to his family were sent earlier in the week. It's time to go home, but first, he needs to interview Eve.
