Quinn's Promise

by Agnes Alexander

  “What time is it?”

  “It’s a little after eleven.”

  He started to get up, but the pain wouldn’t let him. “What’s wrong with me?”

  “You were shot in the side and it wasn’t a simple wound, so please quit trying to get up.” She tucked the cover back around him. “Now I’m going to get you some broth and some coffee. Be a good patient and don't try to get up.”

  When she returned, she again put pillows behind his back, the towel on his chest and handed him the bowl. “I’ll be glad to feed you, if you like.” She almost hoped he'd accept her offer.

  “I can do it.” Ashe lifted the spoon to his lips and took a drink. He immediately spewed it out and turned to her. “What the hell is this?”

  “I told you it was a broth.” She grabbed another towel and moved beside him. “Look what a mess you've made.” She wiped his arm and took the bowl from him.”

  “It tastes like dish water.”

  “I don’t care what it tastes like, you need to drink it. It’ll give you strength.”

  “I have enough strength. Give me the coffee.”

  “Not if you’re going to spit it everywhere.” She cocked an eye at him.

  He looked sheepishly at her. “I promise I won’t spit it out.”

  She handed him the cup. “Remember you promised.”

  Ashe sipped the coffee. She’d made it strong and brought it to him hot. He grinned. “It’s good.”

  “I’m glad you approve.”

  “I’d approve of a hunk of bacon and some scrambled eggs.” He picked up the bread and took a bite. “Now this is food.”

  “Ashe, the doctor said to keep you on simple foods until you got your strength back.”

  “How does he expect me to get any strength if you feed me dish water?”

  “It’s chicken broth.”

  “Where was the chicken?”

  She had to smile. “Oh, all right. I’ll go scramble you an egg, but you’re going to have to forgo the bacon.”

  “Before you do, let me ask you something.” She nodded and he went on. “How are the others who were shot?”

  “Mr. Coddler is hanging on. The doctor said he had a strong constitution. The little boy wasn’t hurt badly. He was able to go to the hotel with his parents.” She looked away. “The bank employee is still unconscious.”

  “Damn.” He sat his cup down. “How about the outlaws? Were either of them able to talk?”

  “They both died.”

  He sighed. “I guess that’s not going to help us catch the others, is it?”

  “Probably not, unless the posse catches them. One of them was wounded, but he managed to ride away with the rest of the gang.”

  “As great as it is having you here to take care of me, I need to get out of this bed and go help them, Quinn.”

  “Don’t be silly. They left yesterday afternoon. You have no idea where they are and you’d be out there only harming yourself.”

  “I feel helpless lying here.”

  “When you get well, then you can go running after anybody you want.” She stood. “Now let me go scramble an egg.”

  As she left the room there was a knock on the front door. Quinn expected to see the doctor. Instead, she was surprised to see Lola Norwood on the other side of the threshold.

  “What the hell are you doing here?” Lola demanded in a shrill voice.

  “I’m taking care of Ashe.”

  “Well, you can get your hat and leave. I’ve come to take care of him. Where is he?”

  “He’s in his bedroom, but—”

  “Which way?”

  Quinn lifted her eyebrow. It dawned on her Lola hadn’t been to Ashe’s house. She’d know where the bedroom was if she had. “It’s the second door on the right down the hall.”

  Lola pushed Quinn aside and swept down the hall. Quinn shrugged and turned to the kitchen. She wondered why Lola hadn’t come yesterday when the shooting happened. Well, at least the woman cared enough to come today. She wondered if Ashe would be happy to see her, then realized of course he would. Why wouldn’t he? She was, if not his girlfriend, at least his lover.

  She hoped Ashe wouldn’t want company and send Lola away, but she doubted he would. She’d probably be the one to leave.

  Maybe it’d be better if she did go. She’d been here since the shooting. When they arrived at the house with the wounded sheriff, Cal asked her to stay here as long as Ashe needed her. Quinn promised him she would.

  Deborah came by last night and brought her supper and a skirt Marlene wanted her to hem. She hadn’t finished the job until Ashe’s nap this morning because he’d been restless most of the night. She’d sat in the rocking chair by his bed to make sure his fever didn’t get high and since he’d awakened, she’d been busy trying to keep him in bed.

  Shaking her thoughts away, Quinn plopped an egg in the pan and scrambled it. She then turned it out on a plate, buttered a slice of bread and got a fresh cup of coffee. Since she’d left the tray in Ashe’s bedroom, she carried the plate in one hand and the coffee in the other.

  When she entered the bedroom she heard Lola saying. “Oh, darling I’ve been so worried about you. Why didn’t someone come get me? You could’ve sent Quinn Stockton for me and I’d have been here sooner. What’s she doing staying here with you anyway? You know I want to take care of you.”

  Quinn watched as Lola leaned over and kissed his lips. “Nobody can take care of you as good as I can. Want me to lie down beside you and hold your hand?”

  “No, Lola.” His voice was a little sharp.

  “Why not? I know you’d feel better if I could…”

  “Ouch. You hurt my shoulder.”

  “My goodness. You’re such a baby. I heard you only had a scratch.”

  “Excuse me,” Quinn said. “Here’s your egg, Ashe.”

  Lola whirled around. “I told you to leave. Now put it down there and I’ll feed it to him. You’re not needed here any longer.”

  Quinn didn’t like the tone or the content of Lola’s voice. She took a deep breath. “You’re welcome to visit with Ashe for a few minutes, Mrs. Norwood, but you’ll have to leave soon. He needs his rest.”

  “How dare you say that to me! You’re the one who’s going.”

  Quinn ignored her. She handed Ashe the fresh coffee. “You need to eat before your egg gets cold.”

  “Thanks, Quinn.”

  “I’ll feed it to him.” Lola jerked the plate from Quinn’s hand, spilling a little on the bed.

  “Give me that damn plate, Lola. I can feed myself.” Ashe sat his coffee on the side table.

  “Darling, I don’t mind—”

  “I said, give it to me, and don’t call me darling.” His voice left no room for argument.

  She sat the plate on the towel across his chest. “I’ll hold your coffee so you can drink.”

  “I’ll hold my own coffee.”

  “Well, if you’re so self-sufficient what do you need with her?” Lola snapped.

  Ashe ignored her and began eating his egg. “It’s good, Quinn,” he said.

  “Thank you.”

  Lola bent over Ashe and Quinn knew he had no choice but to look at the ample breasts which were practically hanging out. “Sweetheart,” she said in a loving voice. “Wouldn’t you rather have me here to see to your needs than miss prim and proper?”

  “I don’t need anyone looking after me.”

  “But darling, you’ve been shot. I know it wasn’t bad, but—”

  “He was shot a second time and there’s a serious wound on his side. It has to be cleaned and dressed twice a day. There’s a lot of blood and the hole the bullet left isn’t pretty.”

  Lola cringed. “Well, I could get the doctor to come in and change it. I’m sure that would be better than an amateur like you or me.” She glared at Quinn.

  There was another knock on the door and Quinn left the room without answering. She decided to let Ashe deal with the brazen Mrs. Norwood.

&
nbsp; “Hello, Doctor Wheeler,” she said when she opened the door.

  “I’m here to check our patient, though I know you’re taking good care of him.”

  “My nursing time may be limited.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Lola Norwood showed up a little while ago. She says she wants to take care of Ashe.”

  “We’ll see about that.” He chuckled as entered the bedroom. “Well, Ashe, my friend. How’re you feeling today?”

  Before Ashe could answer, Lola said, “He’s doing great. See he’s eaten all his egg and I told him I’d make him something else. I think he’s fine because I’m going to take good care of him.”

  Doc Wheeler looked over his glasses at her. “And where did you get your medical degree, Mrs. Norwood?”

  Lola turned red and spurted out, “Why, I never—”

  “That’s what I thought.” The doctor took her arm and pulled her away from the bed. “Now if you’ll get out of my way, I’d like to examine my patient.”

  Quinn fought a grin. She refused to look at Lola, and instead she glanced at the doctor. He winked at her as she moved to the foot of Ashe’s huge high-backed bed.

  The doctor threw the covers back enough to expose the bandage on Ashe’s shoulder and his lower left side.

  “When can I get out of bed and get back to work, Milburn?”

  “Whenever I say you can.”

  “He doesn’t seem sick,” Lola said.

  The doctor turned to her. “Mrs. Norwood, either keep your mouth shut or get out of here. I don’t abide interference when I’m working on a patient. Do you understand what I’m saying to you?” He pointed a finger at Lola.

  “Ashe, are you going to let him talk to me like that? He has no right.”

  “I talk to anybody in the sick room anyway I want to. Don’t you realize when I’m working on a patient, nobody questions what I say or do?”

  “Ashe, I said are you going to lie there and let him—”

  “Be quiet, Lola. Let the doctor do his job.”

  The doctor removed the bandages. “Looks pretty good.”

  “I told you he was—” Lola started.

  The doctor whirled around. “Woman, if you open your mouth one more time, I’m going to drag you out of here physically. Do you understand?”

  She nodded, though her eyes were shooting daggers at him.

  “Then heed what I say. Can’t you see how cooperative Miss Stockton is? Take lessons from her. Of course, I don’t think you could ever do anything as well as Miss Stockton.”

  “Why you rude…”

  Everyone ignored her.

  The doctor turned back to Ashe. “I’m going to put some more of this powder on the wounds. It’s going to burn a little.”

  “Whatever you say, Doc.”

  “Quinn, please come around here and help me. You need to hold his arm as steady as you can because it’s going to jerk in spite of everything he does to keep it still.”

  “I’ll help.” Lola moved to the bed. “I’m his girlfriend and I need—”

  The doctor stood and took hold of her arm. Without a word he dragged Lola to the door, shoved her in the hall and slammed the door in her face.

  “She’s going to be furious, Doc.” Ashe chuckled.

  “She’s already furious, but I don’t give a damn. Never could stand her and I don’t understand how you can.” He didn’t wait for Ashe to answer. He turned toward the foot of the bed. “Now, Quinn if you’ll assist me, we’ll get this done.”

  Quinn wouldn’t meet Ashe’s gaze as she moved to the side of the bed and took hold of his left arm. She was careful not to put her hands on the shoulder wound.

  The doctor poured the fine powder and Ashe did jerk. “Hell, Doc. What kind of Indian medicine are you using now?”

  “Some Indian cures are better than ours.”

  “Do you have to try out the new ones on me?”

  “Ashe, this isn’t an Indian cure. I’ve been using it on gunshot wounds for some time. Never found anything better.”

  When Quinn had to put her hand on Ashe’s hip she again avoided his eyes. She didn’t want him to know it made her feel funny in the pit of her stomach to touch him in such an intimate area of his body.

  The doctor finished and handed her a bandage. “You do his shoulder and I’ll take care of his side.”

  Quinn was wrapping the shoulder when she heard the door open and Lola step into the room. At that moment, though she wished he hadn’t, Ashe looked up at her and said, “You’re a good nurse, Quinn.”

  She waited for Lola to say something, but the woman kept quiet.

  “I do what I can,” Quinn mumbled and finished the bandage.

  “You still have plenty of the other medicine I gave you?” The doctor looked at Quinn.

  “Yes.”

  “Good. Remember if he needs it, give him a little.”

  Quinn nodded.

  Lola spoke up. “You’ll have to tell me about it so I can give it to Ashe.”

  Before Quinn could say anything, Ashe said, “Lola, Quinn knows how to take care of my wounds and give me the medicine. I think it’d be best if she stays with me.”

  “How could you prefer her to me?” She screwed her pretty face into an awful position.

  “She knows what she’s doing, Lola.”

  “But—”

  “You heard him, Lola.” The doctor stood. “Now I think he’s had enough of you. I’ll see you to the door.”

  Under protest, he escorted Lola out of the bedroom and to the front door. Quinn followed them.

  “Send somebody for me if you need me,” the doctor said.

  Lola turned and looked at Quinn. “I’ll get even with you for this. You have no right to be here alone with my man.”

  “Don’t let her words bother you, Quinn. There’s been a parade of men going in and out of her house ever since she came to Tornado. I don’t know why she’s set her cap for Ashe.”

  “You mean bastard!”

  “Shut-up, Lola. I don’t care if you do manage to trap Ashe Montgomery, you’ll always be a tramp.” He pulled the door closed and Quinn stood there with her mouth open.

  Chapter 24

  It was still early when Winnie slipped up to the back door of the saloon and knocked on the door. Nobody came and she knocked again. This time a little louder. After the third knock, the door swung open and a Chinese man in a white apron almost to the floor and a long braid down his back stood before her.

  “You at wrong place, lady. Nobody here you want.” He started to close the door.

  “Please. I have to see Mr. Stockton.”

  “Boss man still sleep. He work late. No want company in early morning.”

  “It’s almost ten.” Winnie moved forward, causing the cook to back up. “Please tell him I’m here.”

  “No. Boss not like I wake him. You go now.”

  “If you don’t want to wake him, I’ll sit right here in your kitchen and drink coffee until he comes for breakfast.”

  “He not come. I take food to him.”

  “Good. When you take it, I’ll go with you.”

  “No. No. Boss not like.”

  Winnie spied the tray the cook had sitting on the sideboard. “I see you’re fixing his breakfast now. Don’t let me hold you up.”

  The Chinese man seemed to realize he wasn’t going to win the argument. “Why Boss have to make me handle all the crazy ones,” he muttered as he turned to fill the plate with ham, eggs, biscuits and potatoes. He sat a jar of preserves on the tray and took a coffee mug from the cabinet. “Ling Sing have no time to fight with fat lady. Women be down soon and want food. I should go back to China. Women know place in China. No argue with Ling Sing. Women here argue all the time.”

  “So Ling Sing is your name?”

  He whirled around and looked at Winnie. “How you know?”

  “You called yourself Ling Sing.”

  “You not ’posed to listen.” When he finished filling the t
ray he turned to her. “You stay here. I tell Boss you here.”

  “No, Ling Sing. I’m coming with you.”

  “Boss be mad.”

  “I don’t care.” She looked at the tray. “Take an extra cup. I want some coffee, too.”

  Ling Sing shook his head, but he did reach for another cup.

  Winnie followed him up the back stairs and down a long hall. They passed several doors she knew housed the women who worked the saloon trade. When they reached the end of the hall, Ling Sing opened a door and they went down another short hall.

  He paused beside a door. “Boss stay here. Nobody come here. He be mad when he see you.”

  “He’ll get over it. Now, you knock on the door or I will.”

  “Not your job.” He rapped three times.”

  “Come in, Ling Sing. I’ve already unlocked the door.”

  When the cook hesitated, Winnie said, “Go on. He invited you.”

  “He gonna be more than mad. You see.” He opened the door. “Boss, I sorry. I try to keep her back, but she come.”

  Hank whirled around. He was shaving and half his face was still covered with foam. He had on his pants, but he was shirtless. Winnie couldn’t help noticing that for a man his age, he still had muscles rippling up and down his back and chest.

  “What are you doing here, Winnie?”

  “I have to talk to you, Hank.”

  “Well, you’re going to have to talk to me later. I have things to do this morning.”

  “I don’t think so.”

  “I don’t want to be rude, but you need to leave. I’ll come to Mrs. Potter’s and speak with you when I have time.”

  “It might be too late, Hank.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous. What’s so important?”

  “Your niece.”

  Hank looked as if he’d been shot. He turned to his cook. “You can go now, Ling Sing. I’ll talk with the lady now.”

  Ling Sing frowned, but he didn’t argue with Hank. He bowed and hurried out the door.

  “Have a cup of coffee and I’ll be with you in a minute.” He turned back to his shave. When he finished, he wiped his face on a linen towel and took a blue silk shirt from his wardrobe. He slipped it on and tucked it in his pants. He then walked over to the table where his breakfast sat. He picked up the coffee and looked directly at Winnie. “Now, tell me what you have to say.”