He butchered a hog for her and taught her how to cure the meat into hams, salt pork, bacon and sausage. He wouldn’t accept payment from Naomi. Instead, they agreed that she would make several new shirts and breeches for him and his brothers. She was skilled with a needle and thread, and the McKenzie brothers had never looked finer, wearing the clothes she made for them.
As the weeks passed, he gleaned more and more tidbits of information about her past. Careful not to question her too openly, he gradually filled in the details until he had a sketchy idea of her life in San Francisco and why she had come to Oregon entirely on her own. He admired her courage. He was deeply grateful that she had come into his life. He wondered about the feelings she might still be harboring for her dead husband.
Naomi learned quickly, and her keen mind and healthy interest made her an apt pupil. Thanks to Aidan, she had mastered the basics of running a small farm, although she had yet to learn about planting or harvesting. Aidan brought her baskets of fall vegetables. She cheerfully pickled and canned jars and jars of vegetables and fruits. Soon, her root cellar and her cupboards were overflowing.
Each day, Aidan rushed through his chores on his own farm and then hurried to work at Naomi’s farm during the late afternoon and evening. Aidan spent the stolen hours of every night in her arms. However, he would always rouse before dawn to return to his own home. He would arrive back home just in time to emerge from his bedroom to greet his brothers and share breakfast with them.
Aidan could have saved himself the trouble of trying to hide that he was sleeping at Naomi’s house. His brothers were not idiots. Brian and Liam noticed their brother’s exhaustion, and they shared many grins and winks over his efforts to hide his night time activities. Still, they kept silent about it, allowing him to think he had fooled them. They knew him well enough to understand that his feelings for their neighbor were serious, and they didn’t want to say anything that would later cause her or Aidan any embarrassment.
Naomi was content with their arrangement. She hated the time when Aidan wasn’t with her, but she enjoyed every moment they were together. She didn’t like to think about the time when he would either tire of her or want more from her. She was satisfied to live in the present, happily taking each day as a lovely gift.
Aidan grew increasingly dissatisfied. Every morning when he left Naomi’s bed, the chore became more difficult. He wanted to claim her openly as his wife and wake up beside her every morning without having to rush off to hide their relationship. Sneaking off into the dark went against his very nature. It always made him feel dirty somehow, while he viewed his time with Naomi as anything but tawdry or shameful.
He loved her deeply, completely and to distraction. He suspected that she was beginning to love him. He dreamed of a time when he would know for certain. That’s when he would again ask her to become his wife.
*****
One morning in late September, Naomi decided to clean out the small storage shed. Aidan had mentioned that he was intending to do it, but he hadn’t had time yet. Naomi knew he was working extremely hard, with his own farm and helping her as well. She wanted to lighten his load.
The door to the shed hadn’t been opened for a long time. With humidity and time, it had become stuck. She strained and pulled, grunting with effort. It finally swung open forcefully, and she fell backward, landing on her bottom. Galahad loped through the open door, barking and growling.
She heard scuffling and chattering noises from inside the shed, and two large raccoons ran out the door. They were in such a hurry to get away from the dog that one of them ran right across her ankles. She squealed and scrambled to her feet.
The two raccoons ran up a nearby tree, and Galahad stood beneath, barking and scratching at the trunk. Once the raccoons were out of his reach, they turned and stared down at him, taunting him with more chattering cries.
Naomi breathed a shaky sigh of relief. She realized her ankle was stinging, and she looked down to see that the raccoon had scratched her while scampering over her to get away. There was a small trickle of blood, but the scratches weren’t deep.
“Mangy critters,” she muttered with disgust. “You won’t be making a home in my shed anymore. Not if I have anything to say about it.”
Galahad came trotting over and pressed against her leg. He wagged his tail, panting happily while looking up at her with adoring eyes. Naomi couldn’t help but laugh.
“You look mighty pleased with yourself,” she said, stroking him behind his ears. “You’re lucky you didn’t actually catch one of them. They may look cute, but they have sharp teeth and claws.”
Galahad looked entirely unconcerned. He yawned and stretched luxuriously and then laid down on the ground nearby, still keeping a watchful eye to make sure the raccoons didn’t come down from the tree.
Naomi peered into the shed and grimaced. The raccoons had clearly been living there for a while. Old leaves and grass were several inches deep on the ground inside the shed. The air reeked with the smell of droppings and urine. She shuddered with disgust.
“Well, no time like the present, I suppose.”
She brought a small wheelbarrow and a shovel from the barn. She tied a handkerchief over her nose and mouth and gingerly started removing the filth from the shed. It took several trips, but she finally managed to remove all the odorous debris and dumped it into a nearby ravine.
She could see where the raccoons had gotten into the shed. There were a couple of loose boards on the back wall. She found some nails and a hammer, and she secured the boards to keep them from returning.
“There,” she said with pride. She cast a glare up the tree where the raccoons were still napping. “That should keep you out.”
Naomi felt filthy after finishing. She returned to the cabin, stripped off her clothes and washed thoroughly from head to toe. She applied a healing salve to the scratches on her ankle and donned clean stockings.
When Aidan arrived later that afternoon, he noticed immediately that the door to the storage shed was standing open. Naomi told him what had happened.
“You should have left the shed for me to clean. Raccoons can be dangerous. You could have been bitten by one of them,” he said with a frown.
She hugged him around the waist and smiled up at him. “Well, I wasn’t. And I wanted to do something to lighten your work load.” She stroked his cheek. “I’m worried about you working so hard.”
In the face of her sweet smile, Aidan sighed and relaxed his rigid stance. “You don’t have to worry about me, Naomi. I’m fine. I appreciate you cleaning out the mess, but in future, will you promise to leave tasks like this to me? I don’t want you dealing with such filth.”
She stretched up and kissed him on the mouth, winding her arms around his neck. Her husky voice was full of desire. “I promise. But then you must promise to let me help you in other ways, alright?”
He grinned down at her. “I promise. In fact, I have a terrible pain, right about here.” He pressed his hips against her suggestively, letting her feel his arousal against her lower belly. “I promise that I’ll let you help with that.”
Naomi giggled with delight. She toyed with the hair at his nape, an action that always served to tease his senses.
“It will be my pleasure to help you with that.” She gave him one more quick kiss and then stepped out of his arms. “But first, we have to finish our work for today.”
“Vixen,” he said with a chuckle. “Unfortunately, you are right, but rest assured … tonight I intend to hold you to your promise.”
*****
About a week later, Naomi woke up with a splitting headache. Aidan had left a couple of hours before, and she moaned as she sat up in bed. Her entire body ached.
She rose and dressed slowly, groaning from the intense pain in her abdomen. It wasn’t time for her monthly courses, and she wondered whether she was reacting to something she had eaten the day before. She skipped breakfast, having absolutely no appetite.
She
went about her morning chores sluggishly, and as the day progressed, she felt worse and worse. By midday, she was running a fever. She alternated between feeling hot and feeling chilled. A terrible weakness set in, and she could barely walk.
She returned to her bed and curled into a miserable heap. Sensing her discomfort, Galahad trotted over and licked her face. His tongue felt cold against her skin, and she moaned. She rolled over to face the wall and fell asleep.
Aidan arrived late that afternoon, as usual. He was surprised when Naomi didn’t appear in the doorway. She usually greeted him with a smile and a welcoming kiss. He frowned as he dismounted and tied his horse to the corral fence.
“Naomi?”
There was no response, and worry began to blossom in earnest. He trotted up the stairs and opened the door to the cabin. Galahad greeted him, whining pitifully. Aidan glanced around and quickly spotted Naomi huddled on the bed. He ran and sat on the side of the bed, turning her over to face him.
“Naomi, what’s wrong?”
She frowned and opened her eyes to squint up at him. He noticed that her eyes looked bloodshot, and she looked flushed. She moaned, holding a hand to her abdomen.
“Aidan? Thank goodness you’re here. I don’t feel very well. I think I must have eaten something that didn’t agree with me.”
Aidan’s heart lurched in his chest. She had eaten the same foods he had, and he was feeling fine. He touched her forehead. She was burning up with fever.
“My God, Naomi. You’re really sick.”
She mumbled something in response, and then her eyes dropped closed once more. Aidan hugged her briefly, sending fervent prayers that she would be alright.
He quickly stripped off her clothes, leaving her in only the thin chemise. He laid her on the bed and ran to the well. He hauled up a bucket of cold water and carried it inside. He found some clean cloths and soaked them with the water. He laid one across her chest and another across her forehead. He sponged her entire body with cold water, murmuring soothingly to her when she moaned and tried to push his hands away.
“Be still, love. We have to get you cooled off.”
Galahad watched anxiously, occasionally whining with his own worry. Aidan patted the dog with his free hand.
“It’s okay boy. She’s going to be just fine. Don’t worry.”
He realized as he said the words that he was trying to reassure himself just as much as the dog. It wasn’t working. His mind was full of fear.
He wasn’t sure what was wrong with Naomi, but he suspected she had coon fever. He had seen it once before. He remembered that she had cleaned out the filthy shed just days before, and she could easily have contracted the disease from handling the animal droppings.
Aidan was wracked by guilt. He should never have mentioned his intention to clean out the shed to her. He should have simply done it when he had time. He pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind and continued bathing her with the cold water.
After a while, her fever settled, and she seemed to be resting easier. He didn’t want to leave her, but he needed to return to his own farm to fetch the medical kit and let his brothers know what was happening. He looked down at Galahad, who hadn’t left her side.
“Don’t worry, boy. I’ll be back just as quickly as I can.”
Aidan returned to his horse and raced as quickly as he could through the woods to his home. Brian and Liam were both in the barn when he came galloping up. They saw the look on his face and frowned.
“What’s wrong?” they demanded in unison.
“Naomi’s sick,” Aidan said grimly. “I just came home for the medical kit and to let you both know that I won’t be home for a while … at least until she’s better.”
“Do you want me to fetch the doctor?” Liam offered.
“No. I doubt there’s anything he could do for her. I’m pretty sure she has coon fever.”
Without another word, Aidan ran to the cabin to retrieve the medical kit. Brian and Liam exchanged a worried frown. They had known a childhood friend who died from the disease. It usually wasn’t fatal, but only time would tell. Aidan returned within just moments, and he quickly tied the medical kit to his saddle.
“Well, is there anything we can do to help?” Brian asked.
Aidan mounted his horse and spared a moment to frown down at them both. “Yeah, take care of things around here and pray for Naomi.”
Without waiting for a reply, he wheeled his horse and went running back through the woods. Brian and Liam watched until he was out of sight.
“Heaven help him if she dies,” Brian muttered. “I haven’t seen a look like that on his face since Pa nearly died of pneumonia.”
“Me neither. I just hope to hell she gets better soon.”
Brian gave a grunt of agreement, and they both returned to their labours.
The next few days seemed like an eternity to Aidan. Naomi was plagued by intense muscle aches and abdominal pain. He watched helplessly while she moaned and writhed in the bed. Her fever alternated between mild and severe, but it never abated completely. It always burned hottest at night, and in the wee hours, he struggled not to panic while he tried to cool her fevered body.
When the fever improved slightly, she would sometimes wake and reach for him. He was happy to hold her hand and kiss her forehead. But then, her fever would begin to rage once more, and she would lapse back into fitful sleep.
He coaxed fluids and broth down Naomi’s throat, murmuring words of love and reassurance to her. He plied her with tea made from yarrow, willow bark and honey, just as his mother had done countless times during his childhood. The combination helped with her fever and provided some relief from her headaches. There was little else he could do besides pray. He did that almost constantly.
Brian and Liam took turns visiting, bringing food and seeing to the needs of the animals on Naomi’s farm. They didn’t come inside the cabin. Aidan wasn’t completely certain that what Naomi had was not contagious, and he didn’t want to take any chances with his brothers’ health. Still, Aidan was grateful for their support. That and the steadfast company of Galahad were the only things that kept him from going completely insane.
The fourth night of Naomi’s illness was the longest night in Aidan’s life. She was literally burning up with a high fever, and she mumbled incessantly while he desperately tried to cool her body. Aidan heard her whisper her husband’s name several times, and his heart clenched. He wished it were his own name on her lips, but he continued to focus on nursing her.
Finally, near dawn on the fifth day, her fever broke. Tears filled Aidan’s eyes when he saw a film of sweat forming on her lovely brow. He swallowed hard and hung his head with relief. He sent prayers of thanks to the heavens. He was bone weary. He stretched out beside her on the bed and feel into a deep sleep, clutching her tiny hand in his own.
Several hours later, Naomi came awake slowly. She blinked her eyes open and lay still, trying to figure out why she felt so weak and tired. Every muscle in her body ached. She gradually became aware that Aidan was asleep beside her, and she turned her head to look at him.
From the light coming through the windows, she guessed it to be midmorning. Golden light filtered in, and it highlighted the gauntness in Aidan’s cheeks. There were dark circles beneath his eyes, and several days’ worth of beard was growing along his jaw.
She frowned, trying to make sense of the sight. Aidan was always so clean shaven and neat in appearance. She had never seen him like this. His shirt was rumpled and stained, and there was a definite, though not offensive odor of male sweat. It was obvious that he hadn’t changed his clothes or bathed for several days.
She had vague memories of her illness. Images of him tending to her needs flashed through her mind. She could remember him spooning fluids down her throat and bathing her with a wet cloth. She also remembered snatches of fevered dreams, during which she had relived her husband’s fatal illness. She shivered.
Aidan came awake instantly, and sat
up beside her. He searched her face for signs that the fever had returned. He felt her brow and heaved a relieved sigh when he noticed that her eyes were clear and lucid. He visibly relaxed.
“Thank God,” he breathed.
Naomi frowned slightly. “What happened?” Her voice came out as a dry croak.
“Let me get you some water.”
He rose and fetched a cup of cool water. Naomi gratefully accepted his help to sit up, and she drank greedily from the cup. When she finished, she sighed and cleared her throat.
“Thank you. What happened?” she repeated.
“You’ve been sick for several days. I think you got sick from dealing with the racoons. Sometimes, their droppings can cause illness. It’s called coon fever.”
“How long was I sick?”
“Five days,” he said, gently brushing her tangled hair back from her face.
“Five days! It seemed like only a few hours.”
“It seemed like an eternity to me. I was worried that I would lose you.”
Naomi’s face softened as she stared into his eyes. “And you stayed with me the whole time, looking after me?”
“Of course. I love you,” he said simply. “And so does Galahad. He hasn’t left your side.”
Hearing his name, Galahad jumped up and put his front paws on the bed. He whined for Naomi. She smiled at him and reached to cup his face between her hands. She petted him for several moments before reaching for Aidan. He hugged her, holding her securely against his chest.
“What a lucky woman I am to have two such handsome and loyal men in my life. Thank you, Aidan.”
Aidan couldn’t answer past the lump in his throat, so he merely dropped a kiss on the top of her head. He longed to hear her say that she returned his love. He was still shaken that she had repeatedly called for her dead husband during her illness.
Nevertheless, he remained steadfast in his goal. He would continue to shower her with his love. Hopefully someday, she would she would begin to love him in return, even if she could never love him as much as she loved the husband she had lost.
Second Chances: Aidan's Bride (The McKenzie Series #1) Page 16
