Gerda's Lawman

by Dooley, Lena Nelson

  When August opened the door again, Gerda and Anna entered. Frank looked pale and his eyes were glassy. Gerda tucked the napkin into the neck of his shirt. When the back of her fingers brushed against the warm flesh of his throat, her hands trembled. To be so close to him—and he was so drowsy he didn’t even seem to know who was ministering to his needs. Anna set the tray down and went toward the door.

  “Where are you going?” August put his arm around his wife.

  “I think we’ll need to spoon the broth into his mouth. He won’t be able to hold the mug and drink.”

  “I’ll go.” He dropped a quick kiss on her forehead and glanced down at her abdomen, which was beginning to protrude. “You just wait up here.”

  A pain shot through Gerda’s heart at this display of affection. She wanted to be married, and Frank had even asked her, but she still didn’t know if he was aware of doing so.

  ❧

  The next day, several people came to check on Frank and bring him something to eat. He sort of remembered Gerda being here the first day, but he wasn’t sure. The laudanum really clouded his mind. He hoped he hadn’t done or said anything to offend her, because he was pretty sure she hadn’t returned. Of course, many people in town wanted to help him. Someone probably worked out a schedule, to keep them from all coming at once.

  By evening, Frank decided not to take any more laudanum. The pain had lessened some, and he would rather be able to think straight, even if he hurt. Mrs. Olson came the next morning. Frank was thankful she’d brought a more substantial meal for breakfast. He would never gain the strength he needed if all he did was eat broth and soup. The bacon with scrambled eggs and hot biscuits were the best he had ever tasted. Of course, it could be just because he hadn’t had any real solid food since he was shot.

  After Mrs. Olson left, Frank got up and dressed himself. He took his time, and although it hurt, he was able to slip into his clothes and boots. He didn’t mind putting the sling back on when he was finished. His shoulder needed relief from the pressure. He made his way down the stairs and out to the stable. He planned to feed the horses, but they were already munching on grain when he went into the building.

  “Whom should I thank for that?” he whispered as he rubbed the saddle horse’s neck.

  He stepped back outside. The morning air was pure and fresh, and he filled his lungs with a large breath. It was a bright, sunny day, but it hadn’t gotten too hot yet. In the trees above him, Frank could hear birds chattering as they hopped from branch to branch. The two kinds of chirping suggested there were baby birds in a nest up there. It gave him a good feeling, so he decided to try to take a walk. He could always turn back if he needed to.

  After going a couple of blocks, he circled around to the other side and made a complete loop back to his house. Although he felt a little tired, he knew it wouldn’t take him long to regain his strength. He was determined that this wound wouldn’t keep him down.

  The next morning, Frank went all the way to his office. He moved slowly as he stepped up onto the boardwalk before opening the door.

  “What are you doing here, Sheriff?” Deputy Clarence Wright got up from his chair so fast it almost fell over. “I didn’t expect you for several more days.”

  Frank smiled. “Just thought I’d check and see if everything is all right.” He sat at his desk and sorted through the papers on top.

  When he got up, he went back to the cell where the young man who shot him was being held. “Where you from, young man?”

  The scruffy man turned away from Frank. He clenched the bars in the window so tight that his knuckles turned white. He was just a kid.

  “What’s your name?” Frank waited awhile for an answer that never came.

  Frank walked back into his office. “What’s being done for the prisoner?”

  “I’m making sure he is fed.” Clarence glanced back toward the belligerent youth. “My wife fixes extra, so I know it’s good food.”

  Frank nodded. “I’m sure it is.”

  “I’ve wired the U.S. Marshals to see if the kid is a known criminal.”

  “Did he tell you his name?”

  “Naw. I just used a description.” Clarence shoved his hands into his back pockets.

  Frank reached for the doorknob and nodded. “You’re doing a good job, Deputy.”

  Frank crossed the street and headed toward the Dress Emporium. No one was in the front room, but the curtains parted immediately after he closed the door behind himself.

  “Frank! What are you doing here?” Gerda’s voice sounded breathless.

  He smiled. “I couldn’t wait any longer to come see you.” For a moment he studied her face, drinking in the appearance of her creamy complexion, corn silk colored hair, and full, red lips.

  An expectant look dropped into Gerda’s blue eyes. She seemed to be waiting for something.

  “I wanted to ask if you would let me take you to dinner tonight. . .at the hotel.”

  Her expression changed to one of concern. “Are you sure you should be out yet?”

  Frank walked over and leaned his good hand on the counter. “Gerda, I’m a strong, healthy man. It doesn’t take that long for me to heal. I don’t want to just lie in bed. It’ll make me weaker.”

  A smile lit Gerda’s face. “I’d love to go to dinner with you, Frank.”

  ❧

  Gerda closed the shop a little early and went to her apartment to get ready. She wanted to look her best tonight. She just hoped that Frank wasn’t overdoing it. When he said he was a strong, healthy man, she’d wholeheartedly agreed with him—in her mind. It was hard to believe that the man was wounded. He was an imposing presence in the midst of all the feminine wares in her shop. He wasn’t wearing a hat, so his curls were a riot framing his handsome face. His eyes were bright and clear, and the sling didn’t detract from his virility.

  Surely there was a special reason he wanted them to go out tonight. Maybe he was going to say something about his proposal. Or maybe he was going to tell her that he had been delirious. That thought caused Gerda to stop and sit down. Please, God, don’t let him be sorry for what he said. I don’t think I could take it if he is. Please let him be the man You want for me. What a change from all those months she’d prayed to be freed from the temptation he presented! Now she was asking God to keep him in her life.

  Gerda had just finished putting her hair up in a new, soft style when a knock sounded on the door. She patted her coiffure and took one more look in the cheval glass. She was pleased with her reflection.

  “Frank.” When she opened the door, she had to hold on to it to keep from trembling. Tonight, he looked devastatingly masculine. His muscles filled out his shirt in a wonderful way.

  He continued to stand on the landing outside the door. “If you’re ready, we can go.”

  When they arrived at the restaurant in the hotel, Frank asked to be seated as far away as possible from the other diners. After Molly took their orders, he reached across the table with his good hand and took one of Gerda’s. He gently rubbed his thumb across her fingers, and a sparkling sensation shot up her arm straight to her heart. As their clasped hands rested on the white linen tablecloth, they sat and gazed at each other. Gerda felt the same strength of connection she had felt that first day in the hotel lobby. What was it about this man that he had that kind of effect on her?

  “Dear, dear Gerda,” Frank said in a husky whisper. “I must tell you what I feel for you.”

  With each word, Gerda’s pulse accelerated until she was sure her heart would jump out of her chest. Breathlessly, she waited for him to continue.

  “I’m sorry I blurted those words in the street.”

  Gerda felt as if she had slammed against a wall. She dropped her gaze to their hands and started to pull away, but he held her fingers in a tight grip.

  “I’m not sorry for the words, just for the time and place. I was frightened for you when I heard that robber had a gun on you. I felt I had waited too long to express my
love to you.”

  Gerda raised her eyes and saw love radiating from his face.

  “I’ve felt a strong connection with you since the first time I laid eyes on you. I believe you felt it, too.”

  She nodded. “It scared me.” She could barely get the words out past the anticipation that had invaded her entire being.

  He chuckled. “Me, too. I didn’t understand it. It was more than just a physical attraction. Oh, don’t get me wrong. I saw how beautiful and desirable you were.”

  Gerda felt a blush stain her cheeks. She ducked her head.

  “Look at me, Gerda.” Frank’s expression was earnest. “I didn’t really understand the connection until after I accepted Jesus into my heart. I believe that God saved you for me. He knew that the best way He could reach me was for me to stay here and become a part of this town. I learned from you and all our friends the truth as it was lived out every day. If I hadn’t felt that connection with you, I would have moved on. It was part of God’s great plan for my life.”

  Gerda could believe that. “All my close friends and family had someone special, and I had been praying for God to bring me a man to love. Although I felt the connection to you, I knew you weren’t the man He would want me to marry. I even thought that you said you’d accepted Jesus just because you knew I wanted to hear it. I’m sorry for that.”

  Frank smiled. “What made you change your mind?”

  “August told me about the Sunday you talked to him and Gustaf. I knew you wouldn’t have asked all those questions if you were just doing it for me. I recognized that it was real.”

  The waitress came with their food, so Frank let go of Gerda’s fingers. He couldn’t eat with one arm in a sling and the other holding her hand.

  They savored a portion of their tender roast beef, potatoes, gravy, and hot buttered rolls, but soon they continued their discussion.

  “What I feel goes way beyond the physical. I believe that God created us for each other.”

  Gerda nodded her agreement.

  “I felt my love for you grow every time I saw you. You were an honest, godly woman in every situation. I saw how you treated everyone you came in contact with. When I bought that house, even before I knew you had wanted it, I dreamed of you sharing it with me. . .as my wife. I can’t imagine any other woman in my life.”

  Gerda put her fork down on her plate and rested her hands in her lap. “I must confess that I prayed earnestly for God to remove you from my life because you were such a temptation. I would never marry an unbeliever, but you were never far from my thoughts. That’s why I tried so hard not to be around you. Did you know that I was hesitant when the rest of my family wanted to help you?”

  Frank laughed and laid his good hand on the table. “It’s funny, but it was as if I could sense so much about you. I knew, and I wondered about it. Little did I know that you felt I was a temptation.”

  Gerda reached across and touched his hand. “That first night after I saw you in the hotel, I dreamed about you.”

  Frank turned his palm up under her hand and gripped it. “I dreamed about you, too. You were waiting for me to come home. When I woke up, the dream disturbed me so much that I couldn’t go back to sleep. I didn’t think I had anything to offer a woman like you, and I really didn’t at the time. But now I do. Gerda, will you marry me and share my home. . . and be the mother of my children?”

  His proposal took her breath away. The images it brought to mind flooded her whole body with heat. Gerda wondered if he could feel it through her hand. She couldn’t take her eyes from his intense gaze. She welcomed the love pouring from him into her heart, and she hoped he could feel hers radiating to him. The sound of voices and silverware against china faded away, and it was as though they were the only two people on earth. For a moment, Gerda felt as if the windows of heaven had opened and God was pouring His blessing on their relationship.

  “I love you so much.” Frank’s words penetrated her heart. “And I will love you until the day I die. Please don’t make me wait too long for the wedding.”

  Gerda gave a soft laugh. “Why, Frank, how could I?”

  ❧

  When they had finished eating, Frank wanted to get Gerda alone, but he also wanted to protect her reputation. “Do you feel like a stroll this evening?” He eased her chair back as she arose from the table.

  She looked up at him. A smile gave a gentle glow to her face. “Of course, the evening is beautiful.”

  He wondered how she could know that, since she hadn’t even glanced out the window the whole time they were in the restaurant. Maybe she felt the same way he did—that all was right with the world now that they had defined their relationship.

  As they walked along, talking about nothing and everything, Frank was oblivious to everything but the beautiful woman by his side—the woman who would soon be his wife. He hadn’t planned to go anywhere in particular, but he wasn’t surprised when they arrived at his house—soon to become their home.

  Frank was glad he had hung a porch swing near the trellis he’d built for the climbing roses he’d planted earlier. They weren’t very tall, they were already blooming. Every morning the fragrance of those roses, touched with dew, reminded him of Gerda. Although it would cause tongues to wag if they went inside the house, he knew they could sit on the porch and talk as twilight deepened.

  Once they were seated in the swing, Frank reached into his coat pocket. He pulled out a velvet pouch and handed it to Gerda. “The first time I saw you, your delicate features made me think about this cameo. It belonged to my mother. I hoped the day would come that I could give it to you because you were going to become my wife.”

  “Thank you, Frank.” Gerda opened the pouch and slid the brooch into her hand. The gold filigree that framed the stone gave it a delicate design. “I will wear it on our wedding day.”

  Frank gently rocked the swing with one foot. “How long do you need to plan a wedding?”

  “Well, I’m sure all my family and friends will want to help.” Gerda smiled up at him making his heart beat double-time.

  He didn’t want to wait any longer than necessary for the wedding. “Are you going to make me wait a long time?”

  Gerda ducked her head. “No, Frank. I’m as anxious as you are.”

  Even in the waning light of day, Frank could see the blush that stained her cheeks. “Can you be ready in a month?”

  Gerda nodded and looked into his eyes. “How does the last Saturday in September sound to you?”

  “Just fine.” He slid his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close into his embrace.

  By the time they arrived at that decision, twilight had disappeared, and the summer night sky sparkled with a million bright stars. Frank was glad the moon was shining from the other side of the porch, casting the two of them into the shadows. He felt as if he had wanted to kiss Gerda all his life. Now the time had come, and he wanted her to experience all his love for her, wrapped up in that kiss.

  ❧

  When Frank pulled her against his side with his good arm, Gerda knew what was going to happen, and she welcomed it. She turned her face up toward his. In the shadows, his eyes shone brightly. She gazed into them, and her throat went dry. Without thinking, she moistened her lips as his face drifted toward hers. She closed her eyes so she could savor every nuance of her first kiss. When his lips gently touched each of her eyelids, she felt tears pool under each lid at his tenderness. As his lips feathered across her cheeks, his soft mustache tickled in a most delicious way. The anticipation building inside her made her feel as if she might explode with delirious happiness.

  Finally, his lips touched hers tentatively as though he wanted her to become familiar with the shape of them. His wonderful mouth finally settled firmly on hers. When the kiss eventually deepened, Gerda felt as if their very essence mingled in an indefinable way. She gave herself up to the kiss, pouring all her love for this man into it.

  When their lips parted, Gerda gazed into the face of h
er beloved. “I’m glad God sent a lawman to capture my heart,” she whispered.

  Frank pulled her closer and settled his chin against her hair. “I am, too, Gerda. I am, too.”

  About the Author

  Lena Nelson Dooley is a freelance author and editor who lives with her husband in Texas. During the twenty years she has been a professional writer, she has been involved as a writer or editor on a variety of projects. She developed a seminar called “Write Right,” and she hosts a writing critique group in her home. She presently works full-time as an author and editor. She has a dramatic ministry, an international speaking ministry that crosses denominational lines, and an international Christian clowning ministry. When she and her husband vacation in Mexico, they enjoy visiting and working with missionary friends. Her Web site is www.LenaNelsonDooley.com.

  Dedication

  This book is dedicated to my youngest granddaughter, Amanda. You are a joy and treasure. I look forward to seeing what God is going to do in your life. And every book is dedicated to my husband, James, who has showered me with his love for most of my life.

  A note from the Author:

  I love to hear from my readers! You may correspond with me by writing:

  Lena Nelson Dooley

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