Lincoln County Series 1-3 (6 page)

The robbers attempted a run for it but didn’t get far against Thomas’s men. Thomas fired and wounded the ringleader, shooting him clean through the side. He then walked over, gripped the leader by his hair, snapping his head back as he pulled him up. Blood drooled from the corner of the man’s mouth. Cameron watched it all in horror while biding her time for it to stop so she could get to Jake.

“Hurts to stand, doesn’t it?” Thomas curled his lip in disgust, stretching the man upright even more. He spat at the man’s feet. “You picked the wrong town to mess with and now you’re going to hang.” He threw him down the steps, much like what had just been done to Jake, who now had several people hovering over him.

Cameron made her way to him and in the process found Thomas’s disturbed gaze on her. She halted as he took her in. There was nothing of acceptance in his expression, and if she wasn’t in such a state, she would probably have been crushed, but her concern was for Jake. She watched as her brother continued his mission of punishing the criminal. Apparently he was judge and jury.

She got to Jake as two men rolled him onto a thick, wool blanket. Then followed as they carried him to the doctor. Jake’s face was stark white and he was covered with so much blood Cameron couldn’t be sure where he’d been shot.

For some reason, Thomas was making his way to them. He frightened her and she wondered how her mother could have born such a soul. They were nearly to the doctor’s when he must have had a change of mind, because he’d turned away.

Chapter Nine

Cameron took turns caring for the patient and the restaurant. Business had picked up since the newest train line opened, bringing tourists and new settlers through Lincoln County. Now it was time to check on Jake, still recuperating at Dr. Colvin’s infirmary. She arrived along with a slice of spice cake left over from the noon meal. “How is he doing today, Dr. Colvin?”

“He’s spending more time awake, but he’s not going to be a good patient once he’s awake long enough to get bored. So far he’s slept most of the time, which has been heaven sent I’ll tell you. It’s a shame to say this, but it’s a blessing he’s weak from losing all of that blood. It’ll make him rest and stay in bed. I started weaning him from the laudanum yesterday. His last dose was during the night. The pain’s going to kick in if it hasn’t already. I haven’t checked on him this morning with the rounds I’ve had to make. Since you’re here, I’ll give you the pleasure and be on my way.”

“Take your time, Dr. Colvin,” Cameron offered.

The doctor grabbed his black leather bag and opened the door. “I’ll do that. Good day.” His eyes twinkled at her mischievously. She wondered at the look for a moment before going in the back room where Jake was healing. She sat down in the chair next to his bed. He was sleeping so she pulled out a book to pass the time.

She smoothed out her skirt and read until she heard his voice. “You’re so different than Lacey.” He scrutinized her with bruised, yellow-black eyes. “It’s a wonder you two get along so.”

“Good afternoon, it’s nice to see you awake and talking. You’ve been a worry to us all.”

“I’m sorry to have been a bother,” he teased. “By the way, what day is it? I’ve been coming in and out of sleep forever it seems. And each time I looked around, I got that old goat shoving some horrid tasting stuff into my mouth!”

She smiled, grateful she could enjoy his humor again. “It’s only been three days and he was giving you something for your pain. You nearly died with all your blood loss.”

“Just from the blood loss, huh? I feel like I’ve been trampled by a hundred horses!”

“You might have been better off if you had. Those bank robbers almost did you in, but I don’t want to talk about that.” Her eyes watered. She distracted herself by returning the book to her basket and asked if he could handle some food.

“I’m starving. Doc hasn’t even given me bread crumbs,” he said lightly, wincing as he tried to sit up.

“Here, let me help you. Are you sure you’re ready?”

He nodded.

She held all of his upper body weight with one arm, while trying to pull out the pillows from under him with the other. Her hair was coming loose. She imagined it was tickling his face and wanted to pin it back, but then she heard his intake of breath.

*** *** ***

With pleasure, Jake breathed in her sweet smell. Instantly his lungs protested the sharp inhale and punished him, making him cough hard, and painfully. He had paid the price for enjoying femininity and would no doubt do it again—just as soon as the opportunity presented itself.

“Maybe it’s too soon to sit up. Please lie down.”

“All right,” he sputtered. “Only for today.”

Cameron adjusted the pillows and gently eased back his throbbing head. They were close, and she stayed a moment longer than necessary before moving away, to his near undoing.

“I’ll get some water.” Abruptly, she removed herself and went to the kitchen where he heard her shuffling around. When she sat down to spoon-feed him some water, he saw no mockery or teasing about her, only pure sincerity. He was a prideful man, but a thirsty prideful man, so he allowed her assistance.

After swallowing the first taste of water he said, “Just tell me what happened, and then we won’t talk about it again, I promise.”

She hesitated. His request clearly was not something she cared to relive. She set down the cool water. “The doctor removed a bullet from here.” She traced the bandage above his collarbone. “And you’ve got three broken ribs here, and one here. He had to sew up your head a bit and your nose was broken.”

“So I’m lookin’ pretty good am I?”

Steadily, she looked at him. “Yeah, a real prizefighter.” She picked up the water to give him another mouthful.

“And are you my prize?” he teased, pushing a little.

“Jake, I...”

“I’m jesting. No more water. I apologize, but I’m getting tired.”

“Certainly.”

She sounded hurt at his dismissal, but her presence was making him physically uncomfortable.

She gathered items, placing them in the basket and prepared to leave.

“Cameron?”

She turned, bright hazel eyes looking at him, hair still falling out of its metal clip.

“Come by tomorrow if you can. I’ll be here.” He grinned.

“I will. I would like that.”

He fell into a restful sleep for the first time without laudanum. Pain forgotten temporarily as images of a tall, slight girl with messy wheat colored hair and golden eyes pleasantly filled his dreams.

Chapter Ten

The hotel maid, Patsy, poured the last drop of water into a porcelain tub and took her leave. Cameron locked the door behind her, quickly undressed and climbed into the water. It turned out to be lukewarm so she hurried her washing. Earlier that morning, Doc Colvin had breakfast in the hotel and informed her that Jake was good enough to go home. She smiled at the thought of being the bearer of good news.

She was sitting at the vanity table in her room wearing a white cotton shift when she heard a knock on the door. Cameron went over to unlock it and Patsy came in, holding hairpins, combs and a metal curling iron. “Would you like me to fix up your hair? I saw a particular style in one of those French magazines. It would look beautiful on you.”

“Why, Patsy, I can’t imagine you looking at magazines from France. Where did you ever get one of those?”

“Lacey gave it to me when she was finished with it. How do you think she always knows the latest styles?” She danced gracefully around the room, imitating Lacey’s elegant moves.

“I hadn’t thought of it. So, you can do a miracle with this?” She held a fistful of ratted hair towards Patsy. It would be a nice change from the regular style of her pulling it back and tying it at the nape of her neck.

Patsy answered her with a beaming smile and by grabbing the hairbrush.

She brushed, twisted and pulled Cameron’s hair up and around with surprising expertise. She provided Cameron the choice of a gold comb with red faux rubies lining the edge or a pearl comb. Both were beautiful, but Cameron chose the one with pearls; it was simple, like herself.

Patsy seemed pleased with her work. “There. Don’t you look fetching if I don’t say so myself!” She giggled.

Cameron’s fingers gently followed the loose curls that slightly teased her slender collarbones. Both sides were pulled up, twisted into the comb she guessed, since she couldn’t see it. Patsy left the length of her hair cascading down her back.

“What can I do to thank you?” Cameron asked thoughtfully, looking at her stylish self.

“You enjoy yourself with that Jake Collins is what you can do! I’m off to see Mr. and Mrs. Kline. They’re about to check out so I need to help them and then clean their rooms.”

Cameron tugged on her black stockings, went to her small wardrobe for a dress and found that nothing fit her new, vivacious mood. With no other choices available than what she had, she chose a deep green dress with a row of button closures down the bodice. It had a wide, U-shaped neck, allowing the eye to take in her slender neck, namely, Jake’s eye. She pinched her cheeks to color them and went to the man who stirred up foreign feelings in the pit of her stomach, in a tender place beneath her ribs.

Warm sunshine and a light breeze met her as she stepped outside of the hotel. The town was buzzing with people. Most everyone seemed in a pleasant mood, sending greetings to Cameron as they passed, men tipped their hats to her, causing her to feel confident. She’d finally been accepted and found her place in this town. Those who knew her stopped and chatted a few moments.

“What’s this?” she asked when Amy and Mary Swanson handed her a piece of paper. Printed on it was news about the Fourth of July Annual Celebration.

“Fundraisers for the growing town,” Mary informed her.

Cameron blocked out the two chatty girls as she read the flyer, plans for picnics, bands playing and even a kissing booth.

The sisters began to argue about where they were going to have the lemonade and pie booths. So they didn’t miss Cameron as she eased away, absorbed in the flyer’s contents. She had never been to an event like this. The only thing she could remember enjoying was the wedding of her mama’s friend, Joanna, and she was only a small child then. Her pa hadn’t been around that day to keep them from attending so her mama told her they could go to the wedding. Madeline braved the wrath of her husband as she danced and danced at that party. Cameron still remembered her mama laughing like she had not a care in the world. Reality hit them when they got home to face a furious, drunken Paul Engel. When her mama tucked her in that night, she had a swollen, pink cheek. She didn’t realize at the time what her mama meant when she said, “Darling, I wouldn’t change today for the entire year, because your pa can’t take it away from me, no matter what he does.”

Quietly, she opened the door to Dr. Colvin’s. Her skirts swept against the table by the front door as she set down the basket of food. This trip in, she took her time and looked at the three large oval pictures hanging on the wall above a green velvet sofa, framed in beautifully carved cherry wood. On the left was the doctor at a younger age, in the middle was the doctor and a young woman whom she knew to be his deceased wife, Rose. The piano in the corner was also lined with smaller frames of all shapes and sizes, each placed carefully on crocheted doilies.

Lightly, she touched one of the keys, imagining Rose playing once upon a time. The feeling of love filled this room. Dr. Colvin had left it with his wife’s touch, and it was well dusted and in good order.

“Who’s there?” she heard Jake ask.

“It’s me—Cameron.” She took the basket and the flyer with her to the back where patients were kept.

“Good afternoon, sir,” she said with a smile as she turned the corner to his room. The smile faded. “What are you doing?”

Jake was sitting on the edge of the bed straining to pull on his boot. “I can’t stay here any longer. I miss my horse, I miss the outdoors—and I miss my own bed!” He slapped his current bed.

Her eyes widened for a brief moment.

“Woman, you blush so easily.” He peered at her curiously. “And you’re even prettier than I remember.”