Falling into Your Arms (Love in the Old West Book 3)

by Bess McBride

  “I remember talking to you, Dr. Barker, but nothing after that.”

  “I repeat again that I am concerned about that. Miss Chilton, I wonder if you could work with Jeremiah on remembering some details of your conversation?”

  “Really?” she asked on a gasp.

  “No need for that, Doctor,” Jeremiah said hastily. “Surely a short lapse in memory isn’t cause for concern.”

  “That depends on how often it occurs. Please keep an eye on that and report back to me when I visit tomorrow, Miss Chilton. In the meantime, despite your embarrassment, I do wish that you would help him recover a bit of memory.”

  “Yes, Doctor,” Sarah said obediently.

  Jeremiah could have smiled to see her so docile. She was not normally so. He could have smiled, but he did not feel like smiling.

  “Very well. I’ll stop and see you tomorrow.”

  “I need to return to the hotel today,” Jeremiah said.

  “No, I do not recommend that you travel today,” Dr. Barker said.

  Jeremiah looked at Sarah, whose face fell. “I am sorry, but Sarah and I need to return to town today. I will come to your office tomorrow for a visit. Would that be acceptable?”

  Dr. Barker looked from Jeremiah to Sarah. “You two!” He shook his head and turned to leave.

  “I think I angered the good doctor,” Jeremiah said as the door shut behind him.

  “I think you did too. I think we probably both did. Are you going back to town because of me? I can’t imagine you being jostled around in a bumpy carriage with your headache. I wouldn’t want the bleeding to start again. I think that’s a terrible idea. I can go back on my own.”

  “No!” Jeremiah almost shouted. Searing pain shot through his head, and he clutched at it.

  “Jeremiah! Calm down!” Sarah said, rushing to his side and taking his other hand. “Don’t get riled up! Whatever you need me to do, I’ll do! Just relax.”

  “What I need you to do”—he gritted his teeth in pain—“is let me accompany you back to town, gather some funds and escort you to the train station to purchase your tickets. Then I need you to let me see you off on the train tomorrow. Those are the things I need.”

  Sarah’s jaw hung open, and he couldn’t stop himself from rolling his eyes. He knew what he had said the previous night. She knew what he had said the previous night. There should have been no doubt in her mind how he felt about her. She needn’t stand there and act like she was surprised at his vehemence.

  “Okay,” she said in that surprisingly docile way she had used with Dr. Barker.

  “Okay?” he verified.

  “Okay, Jeremiah. I said okay.” She sat down and crossed her arms.

  “Do you intend to request the carriage to take us back to Benson?” Jeremiah asked, unusually irritated.

  “I’m sure it’s waiting for us. I told Samuel last night that I was leaving.”

  “Last night? Did you then have supper with Samuel Treadwell?”

  “Why do you say his last name like that? We all know his last name. And no, I saw him in the hallway on my way to the bathroom.”

  “Did you eat anything at all?”

  “Yes, of course. I had some soup. They brought it to my room.”

  “Yes, of course. I remember now.” He looked at her scratched hands. “How are your hands? The doctor should have looked at them this morning.”

  “Well, I’m sure he was too unhappy with us to remember. They’re fine.”

  “No, he should have looked at them. You must have them looked at before you leave. You were dehydrated, as I recall. You fainted when you arrived.”

  “I’m fine!” She firmed her chin in a mulish way.

  “Did you eat breakfast this morning?”

  “No, not yet.”

  “Then you must eat something. And drink more tea. Is there any tea left in that pot?” He nodded to the tea service on the table by the window.

  Sarah shook her head. “I drank it all.”

  “Then you should order more.”

  A knock on the door caught his attention, and he called out to enter. As if on cue, a maid entered with a tray of food and tea. Samuel and Serena followed her in. The room suddenly felt crowded.

  “Good morning,” Samuel said.

  Serena echoed his greeting. The maid set the tray down on the table and left the room.

  “Good morning,” Jeremiah replied. “Thank you for everything you have done for us. I am beholden to you.”

  “It was nothing,” Samuel said. “Sarah told me that she wishes to return to Benson today, but Dr. Barker asked that I use my persuasive powers to encourage you, at least, Jeremiah, to stay for another day. He is concerned the trip might be too much for you.”

  Jeremiah didn’t sense that Samuel was enthusiastic about extending his visit. He eyed Sarah often, but Jeremiah had news for the old widower. Sarah was leaving...both of them.

  “Thank you again,” Jeremiah said. “Both Sarah and I need to return to Benson. We would be so grateful for the use of your carriage.”

  “Of course. It is ready and waiting. Do first eat breakfast.”

  “I wish you would reconsider, Jeremiah,” Serena said. “You look so pale. Jostling about in a carriage cannot be good for you.”

  Jeremiah’s lips twitched, and he looked at Sarah, as if she had prepared Serena’s remarks.

  “Did I say something humorous?” Serena asked.

  Jeremiah shook his head, then clutched at it, the movement having pained him again. He really must learn to keep still.

  “No, I am sorry. It is just that Sarah used those exact words to coax me to remain.”

  “She is right,” Serena said.

  Sarah jumped up from her chair abruptly and crossed over to the table to sort through the breakfast dishes.

  “I must return,” Jeremiah said. “I really must.”

  Serena glanced at Sarah’s back before returning her attention to Jeremiah. “But can’t Eric and Nancy manage things for just another day?”

  “I really must return, Serena. I am so grateful to all that your family has done for me...for us.”

  Serena sighed but seemed resigned.

  “We will leave you to breakfast,” Samuel said.

  Jeremiah nodded again but closed his eyes against the pain. The door opened and closed, and Sarah spoke.

  “Here,” she said, handing him a plate of food. “Eat.”

  He took the food from her and eyed it with a twist in his stomach. “No, I do not think I can.”

  “Eat a piece of toast anyway,” she said, bringing two cups of tea and placing them on the nightstand. She then retrieved her own plate and sat down to eat with a healthy appetite.

  “Yes, all right,” he said. He watched to see that she drank the tea. For all that she had fainted the night before, she looked very well, not at all peaked or pale.

  They ate in silence, and when done, Sarah pointed to his clothing on a dresser.

  “The bathroom is down the hall. I’ll help you get down there and then back here so you can get dressed.”

  On the point of shaking his head, Jeremiah chose instead to verbally protest. “No, I can manage to get down to the washroom.”

  “I’m not going to watch you, Jeremiah. I’m just going to escort you down there to make sure you don’t fall over. That’s what I’m going to do. So get up now.”

  Jeremiah, embarrassed to be seen in a nightshirt, even borrowed, balked. “I am not dressed.”

  “Does that nightgown go down to your knees?”

  “This is not a nightgown. That is for women.”

  “Mm-hm, well, it’s a far cry from what men in my time wear. Anyway, does it cover everything it needs to cover?”

  “It does not cover my legs.”

  “That’s fine. I’ve seen legs. Get up.” She tugged at his arm for emphasis, her grip quite strong for a small thing.

  “Very well!” he snapped. He rose, making sure that the hem of his shirt fell as quickly
as possible over his backside. He grabbed the bedpost again as a wave of dizziness struck him.

  Sarah wrapped an arm around him, her head barely reaching his chest.

  “Come on. I’ll help you.”

  Jeremiah could do nothing but accept her help and be grateful for it. They managed to get down the hall to the washroom, where she left him at the door. He shut the door and completed his toilette by propping himself against the sink and toilet. The mirror revealed that his hair needed washing and he needed a proper shave, but he would delay bathing until he reached the hotel. He could not have Sarah stand in the hall and wait for him, nor was he certain he wouldn’t faint and drown in the bathtub.

  Sarah helped him back to his room, where she left him to dress. It took him much longer than was normal, and the final insult was bending over to lace his boots. His head throbbed from all the movement.

  Dressed, he lay back down, leaving his booted feet hanging off the bed. He thought only to rest his head, but he must have fallen asleep. When he awakened, he found the quilt laid over him. Wondering what was keeping Sarah, he fumbled for his pocket watch and checked the time. Two hours had passed. It was almost noon.

  He pushed himself upright, a mistake, as pain racked him.

  “Sarah?” he called out. He threw off the quilt and rose, well used to grabbing the bedpost to steady himself. Had Sarah fallen asleep in her room?

  He pushed off and walked unsteadily toward the door. He leaned a hand against the wall as he walked down the hall and knocked on Sarah’s door.

  “Sarah?” he called out. “Are you in there?” He sagged against the door to await her response.

  “Jeremiah!” Serena hurried down the hall. “What are you doing out of bed?”

  “What do you mean? We agreed that we were leaving this morning. I must have fallen asleep and am just now looking for Sarah. Could you see if she is in her room? I wonder if she too fell asleep.”

  Serena slipped an arm under Jeremiah’s arm to support him, but he would not leave the wall to give her his weight.

  “She has gone,” Serena said. “Didn’t you know? Didn’t she tell you?”

  “Gone?” he repeated. “Gone where? What do you mean?”

  “She went back to Benson in the carriage.”

  “Without me?” Jeremiah realized how pathetic his question sounded.

  “Jeremiah! You can travel back tomorrow. You really look very unwell. Let me help you to your room.”

  “No,” he said, disengaging himself once again, though only to continue leaning against the wall. “No, I must return to Benson. She has no money.”

  Serena walked around to peer into Jeremiah’s face. “I don’t understand. What has that to do with you? What is the nature of your relationship with Miss Chilton?”

  “It is not what you think, Serena. No, I must go. I hope that I may use your carriage?” He pushed off the wall and waited until his dizziness eased. It did not pass, but it eased.

  “The carriage has not returned yet. The driver was to pick up some supplies while in town.”

  “No carriage,” he murmured. “Then perhaps I could borrow a horse?”

  “Jeremiah, I really don’t think you could even stay seated on a horse. No, you really must go back to bed.”

  “I will not,” he said. “May I speak to your father?”

  “He went into town with Sarah.”

  “No!”

  “I beg your pardon.”

  “Forgive me. I do not mean to shout. I must borrow a horse. If you will not lend me one, then I will walk.”

  “You are behaving outrageously, Jeremiah,” Serena said, her normally composed demeanor fraying. “Very well. I will help you downstairs and have a horse brought round for you. You will regret this. I already do.”

  “Thank you, Serena.” Jeremiah allowed Serena to link her arm under his, but she truly had no skill at supporting a man. As tall as she was, she lacked the smaller Sarah’s strength and determination—his beloved’s obstinate determination.

  Jeremiah had no fears that Sarah would disappear on the train. It was not due until the following day at the earliest, but had he slept through the day and night, he might have missed her departure the following day. He shuddered to think of losing her without even a proper goodbye.

  He managed to get himself down the hall and the stairs with Serena doing little more than holding his arm. She seated him on a chair in the foyer while she went to arrange for a horse. Pain was his constant companion, but he had to press on. Serena returned shortly.

  “The horse is ready. I have asked one of our hands to accompany you—in case you fall off.”

  “That was kind, Serena. Thank you. And thank you for your hospitality.”

  “I wish you would reconsider,” she said.

  “I cannot.”

  “Why does that woman mean so much to you?” she murmured as he rose.

  “I love her,” he said simply.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Sarah parted ways with Samuel at the hotel, her tattered clothing rolled into a bundle under her arm. She had fought with herself off and on during the ride back to Benson about asking Samuel for a “loan” to buy her train ticket, but the idea had galled her. She never borrowed money, and she certainly had no way to pay him back.

  “Then you leave tomorrow,” he said upon dropping her off.

  She nodded. “Yes, I do.” She wasn’t sure how, but she was leaving. She was sure that Jeremiah wouldn’t return to Benson until the next morning at the earliest, given the deep sleep she had left him in, and she had no chance of “borrowing” the money from him for her train ticket. She only hoped that she saw him before she left. She couldn’t bear the idea of leaving without saying goodbye to him.

  “I do wish I could have known you better,” Samuel said, bowing over her hand on the boardwalk in front of the hotel.

  “Thank you, Samuel,” she replied. “As I said on the ride, I’ll have Tabitha’s clothing returned to her. I’m so grateful to her for loaning me her dress.”

  “I wish you well. If you ever need anything, please call on me.”

  “Thank you, and thank you for rescuing us.”

  “I did little, I am afraid, but I was responsible for what happened to you. I think I will go to the jail to make sure Larry and Del are properly locked up and the key thrown away.”

  Sarah shook her head. She didn’t want to think about the robbers, and it bothered her that they were even in the same town as she. “Goodbye, Samuel.”

  He tipped his hat and climbed back into the carriage. The driver drove farther into town.

  She entered the hotel, and Eric looked up, then rushed out from the counter and stopped short in front of her.

  “Miss Chilton! We heard about what happened to you. Are you well? Where is Jeremiah?”

  “He is still at Samuel Treadwell’s ranch resting.”

  “Resting? Jeremiah? I didn’t not know he did such things.”

  “His head injury was pretty severe,” Sarah said, in no mood for joking. “He probably has a concussion.”

  “I’m not sure what that is. Is it serious?”

  Sarah shook her head, then nodded. “Well, it can be. Anyway, he needed to sleep. He wanted to come back with me, but even the doctor said he shouldn’t move.”

  Eric’s face paled.

  “I think he’ll be fine, Eric. He just has to take it easy.”

  “And you, Miss Chilton? How can I be of assistance? Do you need some tea or food in your room?” His eyes dropped to her hands. “Elias said you were injured and that you had fainted.”

  “I’m fine. I have to run across the street to the train station, but I would like a cup of tea when I get back. I might take a nap myself.”

  “The train station? There is no train today. Did you hear about the explosion?”

  “Yes, I did, but I heard it might be fixed in two days from then. That’s tomorrow, right? I really need to talk to Henry and find out when it’s going to be
fixed and the train running.”

  “I heard that the train will run tomorrow at its normal schedule. Are you planning to leave us so soon? That is too bad. Somehow, I thought you might stay longer.”

  “No, I’m sorry. I can’t. I was on my way to Los Angeles when I missed getting back on the train. I never really intended to come to Benson.”

  Eric’s face dropped. “Do you dislike it here so much? I know it is dusty—my family came from New England—but I have grown to love it. I love the wide-open vistas of the mountains. Do you not?”

  “I do love it!” Sarah hastened to say. “It’s so different from Virginia. I do love the unimpeded views of the mountains, but I’m just not from here.” As in 1890, Sarah thought.

  “You could be,” Eric said with a warm, enticing smile.

  If Sarah hadn’t been in love with Jeremiah, she might have fallen in love with Eric’s golden looks and easygoing personality. “I could be,” she said with a smile. Eric did not know about her time travel. “My mother was from this area. She loved it.”

  “There! You see? You are home then!”

  Sarah shook her head. “I have to go to the train station,” she added, putting an end to his coaxing. “Can I just leave these behind the counter?”

  “Certainly,” Eric said, taking the bundle and setting it down.

  Sarah nodded and turned for the door. As soon as she stepped outside, an unexpected wave of dread hit her, and her body started shaking. She pressed up against the hotel wall and closed her eyes. Was she still dehydrated? She thought not. She opened her eyes again to see horse-drawn wagons and single riders moving along the street. Pedestrians traveled the boardwalk.

  She scanned the building signs for a place called “Jail” just like she’d seen in Western movies but couldn’t see one. She realized then that she was alone outside for the first time since Elias had found her in the desert. What she felt was fear. Fear and anxiety.

  She breathed in and out slowly, focusing her attention on the train depot. All she had to do was run across the street without getting run over. “That’s all I have to do,” she said. A couple passing by arm in arm eyed her curiously but only nodded in greeting.

  “Sarah?” a familiar voice called out. “Sarah, my dear! We heard what happened. Are you well?”