The Stafford Collection, Historical Western Romances (44 page)

Knowing that he was busy, she immersed herself in her work. As hard as she tried to push everything out of her mind, things kept creeping back in. More blood had been spilt on this land. On her hands. Tears slid down her face as her heart ached for those that died and even more for those that lived. She felt a warm hand on her shoulder and instinctively turned into Brock
’s warm embrace as she sobbed away her pain.

Chapter 21

Thomas met them as they stepped into the lobby. The others were in the dining room and would wait for them to join them. Heading into their room, Amelia was surprised to find Sally hurrying to get ready.

“
Are you feeling better?”

“
Much!” She smiled as she pinched her cheeks to add some color. Amelia readied as well. She was starving. Moreover, it was not all for food. The more time she spent with Chase the more she wondered how she had survived all this time without him. She was not sure how he felt. He was quite different from Brock who seemed to be more serious and to the point. Chase’s carefree nature was more difficult to decipher. She thought he felt the same but she had been around enough men to know that looks could be deceiving.

It was as if she was at war with her emotions. She was frightened of giving away a piece of herself. Would she ever be whole again? She thought of her father who had become half of his former self since her mother died. Could she take the same risk? Was it worth it?

“Are you okay?” Sally asked as she laid her hand on Amelia’s shoulder to get her attention. Amelia took a depth breath before nodding. Standing, the two women headed down to eat.

Chase looked up from his conversation with Riley,
and spotting Amelia, he stood pulling out a chair for her. A trait he had learned from observing Warren. His heart fluttered a bit with her being so near him. The waiter appeared taking their orders. Amelia again ordered shrimp and he did the same. Warren ordered a T-bone steak as did Sally and Jaelyn while Thomas decided to try the crawdads, and Riley, who was looking peaked, ordered the shrimp gumbo.

Instead of the conversation picking
up once the women arrived, it actually turned more awkward. Sally completely ignored Warren who was watching her closely. She instead inserted herself into Thomas and Jaelyn’s conversation. Jaelyn was enthralled with the constant motion of the gulf. The waves were never ending. It never got tired.

Amelia piped in describing the magnificence of the ocean waves. Each one was unique. You could hear the roar as the energy and power built up behind them spitting them out onto the shore. She invited all of them to come visit her in San Francisco upon her return
home, her eyes lingering a bit longer on Chase than the others.

Again Chase was torn. It seemed as if his once steadfast family was being pulled apart, one by one, and he was not sure where his heart lied. The beating in his chest increased as Amelia
’s eyes met his; perhaps his body was making the decision for his mind.

The food arrived and Warren dug into his
steak, savagely stabbing it with his fork and cutting it as if it was his last meal, which may have been if looks could kill. Sally glared at him before cutting a tiny bite of her steak, popping it in her mouth, and letting out a small moan. Making a show of licking her lips, she winked at Warren before taking another small bite. All eyes were focused on her in various degrees of interest as she repeated the process.

Amelia giggled at her
friend’s audacity. Her friend? Yes, she supposed she would consider Sally a friend. Once you got past her annoying complaining. But she actually hadn’t complained since she arrived. Perhaps she was just doing it to garner Warren’s attention. Apparently, it had worked too well.

She turned her attention to Chase. He had been unusually quiet
that night. She watched as he carefully ripped the legs and shell off his shrimp, and popped the body into his mouth.

“
Good?” Amelia asked, placing her hand on his arm to gain his attention as she took a sip of water.

With a twinkle in his eye, Chase ducked his head down to whisper in her
ear, “It is good but I’m sure you taste sweeter.”

In shock, Amelia spewed the water out of her mouth. She coughed trying to catch her breath as Thomas jumped up to her aid.
Chase, in concern, rubbed her back trying to relax her. Her face turned from red to blue as she tried to inhale precious oxygen. Taking a small breath, she sipped some water trying to hide her embarrassment.

“
I’m fine,” she squeaked, waving Thomas back to his seat. She embarrassedly looked around the table; Warren was half out of his own seat, Sally winked at her, Riley just continued to sip at his soup, and when her eyes finally landed on Chase, he was a shade lighter than usual. His dark eyes saw nothing but her and his mouth was set in a thin line of concern. His hand had stilled but was still on her back and her skin felt one hundred degrees warmer there.

“
I did not mean to startle you.”

“
I’m fine,” Amelia repeated placing her hand on his thigh and squeezing to reassure him.

The unexpected action caused Chase
’s knee to jerk upward. It banged against the table and toppled Warren’s water glass over. They all watched as if in slow motion the liquid spilled into his lap. Cursing, he stood up and walked away, ignoring the snickers and laughter from the others.

Chase stood as well but Amelia pulled him back down.
“He’s a big boy. I think he can change his own pants.” Her concern turned to Riley who hadn’t taken notice of the last exchange even though his soup sloshed out of his bowl.

Standing she got up and felt his forehead.
“You are very warm. Why didn’t you tell me you weren’t feeling well?”

“
I’ll live,” he replied as he rested his forehead against the table belying his words.

“
Let’s get him upstairs,” Thomas said, taking a last bite of his meal. Embarrassed, Riley pushed away their help as he stood on his own power and headed up to the room. Chase pulled money out of his pocket to cover their meal to Amelia’s protest.

“
I am fully capable of providing for my family,” he said turning to assist Riley who was faltering on the stairs. Amelia followed them into Riley and Chase’s room. She sat on the bed next to Chase as Thomas assisted Riley in removing his pants. Sally, not wanting to intrude, headed to her own room. Jaelyn went to grab Thomas’s medical bag and brought it to him. She stood nearby in case he needed her assistance.

Amelia
’s hands were white with worry as she clenched them in her lap. She felt a hand on her knee and looked up into Chase’s dark eyes. “He will be fine. He is strong.”

He grasped her hands in his and she felt less anxious. She knew that Riley was receiving the best care possible. She just hoped it was enough. They should have turned around as soon as he was injured. She blamed herself for his refusal to upset her plans. Her father would be shattered if they lost Riley as well. He had to get better. She leaned against Chase for support and welcomed the warmth that spread through her as his arm encircled her shoulder.
Laying her head on his shoulder, she prayed and repeated the mantra in her head over and over until it calmed her.

Thomas asked for water and Jaelyn was at the basin with a fresh bowl before Amelia was even conscious of the request. Jaelyn started basking his brow with water to ease his fever as Thomas undid the bandages on his thigh.

Wanting to help, Amelia nervously took a step forward and Jaelyn nodded to her as she instructed her how to bathe his too warm body. Removing his shirt as well, they tried to expose his flesh to the cooler air, trying to control his body temperature for him.

From her new seat next to Riley
’s head she could look down and see the angry red wound. “Is it bad?”

“
I’ve seen worse. He is strong; he should pull though just fine. Animal bites usually get infected since they have many germs in their saliva.”

“
Germs?”

“
A phrase coined by a Frenchman, Louis Pasteur. They are like tiny bugs that make you sick. It is why it is easier to heal from some injuries than others. If they only had the knowledge during the Civil War, many lives may have been saved,” he added sadly as he thought of all the deaths that had occurred due to infection.

“
So he will be okay?”

“
I’m sure of it. I think it would be best to get him home as soon as possible. I have more medicine there.”

“
We will leave at first light. I can have the horses ready.”

“
Do you think he can ride?”

“
A wagon would slow us down; some roads are still damaged, and we would have to go another route if we took a wagon. Time is of the essence. I wish he had told us he was ill sooner. I should have noticed,” Thomas said with anger in his voice.

“
Don’t blame yourself. My stubborn brother should have told you he was doing worse. We will get him home and he will heal,” Amelia said with determination.

She sat bathing him until her arms ached and her eyes were gritty with sleep. She protested as Sally returned and took over the task. Chase suggested she lie in his bed so she could be nearby.
Exhausted, she fell into a fretted sleep. Chase slept on the floor near her side.

Checking in on his cousin, Warren came to the door. He was surprised to see Sally there and stood watching her work as he tried to come up with something to say. Taking a deep
breath, he took a step forward as he stammered, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean…” His eyes were apologetic as he held out his hand in a helpless gesture. Sally, still trying to come to grips with her own feelings, slapped the sopping rag into it as she left without looking back. In her room, she quickly packed her things and then Amelia’s before resting a few hours before dawn.

Chapter 22

Sabrina was wrapped in Brock
’s arms and she wanted to stay there forever. She knew that while he held her she was safe.

She felt like a coward. The old Sabrina would have been taking charge and barking orders. Instead, she was hiding behind the barn mopping. There were wounded to tend to, families to inform, funerals to
plan. It was her job, not Brock’s.

“
Are you okay?”

“
I’m fine, I’m just fine. I know it sounds silly, but that is partly why I’m upset. That I am fine, yet so many others are injured. Hell, two men are dead. In addition, I feel responsible. I should have been there. I should have warned them.”

“
Warned them about what? The dangers of ranch life? They were grown men. They knew the risk.”

“
I don’t know. I just feel so helpless, like I should be able to fix it. Like when my family died. I just hid in the bushes and didn’t do anything. I’ve always wondered that maybe if I had spoken up, if maybe I hadn’t of hid. Maybe they would have stopped. Maybe they wouldn’t all be dead. Maybe I could have saved them. Maybe I could have saved Lydia.”

“
Darling, you had no chance of saving your family. They would have killed them and taken you as well. Some people are just downright wicked, and sometimes evil wins—but not always. Let’s go check on the others. If you brush Justice any more he’s gonna have bare patches.”

Sabrina smiled up at him as she wiped her eyes. She must look a
mess, she thought. She took a deep breath and grabbed his hand as he led her up to the house.

They entered to find Samuel at the kitchen table with Jasmine next to him. His arm was in a sling but he looked content. She was sure that Jasmine was part of his contentment.

“You okay?” He asked Sabrina, noticing her red eyes.

“
Shouldn’t I be asking you that?”

“
I’ll live,” he said grimly.

“
And your arm?”

“
Still attached.”

“
Ya wouldn’t know it from all the hollering you did when Doc moved it back into place. Screamed like a little girl, he did,” Alma stated joining them.

“
I did not. I screamed like a man,” he said, winking at Jasmine and Sabrina giggled, glad her friend was okay.

“
How is Roger doing?” she asked almost fearfully.

“
He’s still breathing. Dr. Reynold thinks he’s got a good chance of making it. I heard we lost two.”

“
It was quick,” Brock added.

Samuel
nodded, deep in thought. Sabrina grabbed Brock’s hand leading him to the bedroom to check on Roger. His parents were still there.

“
Still sleeping. Dr. Reynold said he would sleep for a while,” Anna answered her unvoiced question.

“
He’s so pale.”

Sabrina moved closer looking down at his whitish face. His breathing was ragged due to his swollen neck but he persevered with each breath.

“He lost a lot of blood. You’re looking pretty peaked yourself. Why don’t you go rest for a while?”

Sabrina shook her head no.
“I need to keep busy.”

“
You need to rest,” Anna stated.

Sabrina looked up at the older woman
’s tone of voice. It was a tone that would not accept argument.

Sabrina nodded in agreement as she took Brock
’s hand leading him to the porch. They sat on the swing watching as the sun sank lower in the sky. Sabrina was glad this horrible day would soon be over.

***

Chase awoke before dawn. The sky was still black and he could hear the crickets singing out the open window. He moved into a kneeling position as he looked around the room. Sometime in the night Warren had left and Jaelyn and Thomas had taken his place. Jaelyn was sitting on the bed still at the task of bathing Riley’s forehead. At her brother’s movement she turned and gave him a smile. “Sleep well?” she asked with just a bit of sarcasm.

“
Could have slept better,” he stated with a glance at Amelia still asleep on his bed.

“
Ahh, yes the banshee. They do have ways of lulling one into a false sense of security. I suppose that is why you did not awaken when Thomas and I took over watch.”

“
I was aware. I was just pretending to sleep,” Chase lied.

“
Of course, your snores were very believable,” she said with a grin as Chase frowned.

“
I do not snore. I will get Warren and ready the horses while you rest,” he murmured, leaving to the sound of his sister’s chuckles.

He headed for Warren
’s door and rapped it lightly. It was soon opened by a fully dressed Warren. The man’s worth went up a notch in Chase’s eyes.

“
How is Riley?”

“
He will be fine,” Chase stated as if his words would make it so. “We need to get him home.”

Warren nodded following Chase out and
toward the stables. Chase chose Warren to assist him since he had more experience with horses than Thomas did. Warren did not let him down. He worked as hard, and almost as efficiently, as Chase as they saddled and readied the horses.

They each rode a horse while leading the others behind them. Chase went to wake Amelia leaving Warren to get Sally.

Warren took a deep breath before knocking on Sally’s door. It was opened a couple minutes later, and in the dim candle-lit hallway Sally’s golden hair shone like the sun. She was fully dressed and ready to go.

“
Yes?”

“
We… um, horses are ready.”

Sally smiled at Warren
’s flustered appearance. She wasn’t used to this well-spoken man floundering for words. “I’m ready,” she said moving to close the door.

Warren used his foot to keep it from slamming as he reached out to grab her arm.
“Sally… we need to talk.”

Sally looked up at him as she felt tears
welling up in her eyes as the pain and embarrassment from the other night came flooding back. “I think you’ve said enough.” Sally pulled away and closed the door as she took deep breaths trying to keep from crying.

Amelia was having
a horrible dream. She was on the beach staring at the water. She could see Riley in the water asking her for help. The water was boiling around him and then it turned to blood. Amelia sat up with a gasp. Chase’s hand was over her mouth stifling her scream. Reality came to her and she nodded to him as he removed his hand and helped her stand.

Her eyes immediately sought out Riley. She kneeled at his side and shook him roughly. His eyes opened wearily and
she thanked God in relief. “How are you feeling?”

“
A bit damp.” He grinned at her. His once fever-clouded eyes were bright and clear. She placed her hand on his forehead and was relieved to find it cool.

A shadow crossed over her and she looked up to see Thomas.
“He is good for now. We need to move quickly in case the fever comes back.”

She nodded as she grabbed a bag by the door and followed Chase with his load down the hallway. Warren was already at the horses and tying up their bags. Sally was outside as well and she came up hugging Amelia tightly.
“How is Riley?”

“
He is good. Thomas is helping him out. How are you?” Amelia asked, her gaze flickering to Warren.

“
I am stronger than I look,” she replied with a smile.

Warren called a huddle as they discussed riding assignments. With Riley injured he would not able to control his horse as well. They paired him first with Chase and he would switch off with Warren. They had the strongest horses and were capable of supporting Riley as well if the need arose. Sally rode with her brother Thomas while Amelia rode with Jaelyn. They tied Riley
’s horse to Warren’s saddle and set out for Montgomery. The group was far more pensive than when they had arrived.

Amelia could barely see through the darkness as they followed Warren
’s lead. The sound of waves could be heard in the stillness and Amelia hoped that Riley would make it through the journey.

The group was unusually quiet. Each lost in their own thoughts and worries. Chase felt Riley lean heavily on him and he was relieved to hear his deep breaths of sleep. He did not
want Amelia’s brother dying on his watch.

Each step his horse took seemed to lessen his time with Amelia. They would return, Sabrina and Brock would
marry, and then what? Amelia would return to San Francisco and he and his family would return to their home. His heart ached at the thought of not seeing her beautiful face every day. With a sigh, he rode into the darkness.

***

Morning at Montgomery came just the same. Sabrina pushed herself up, her heart heavy as she listened to the birds twittering outside her window. Did they not know about the lives lost the day before? Did they not care?

Feeling coldness creep into her from the
loss, she turned to Brock and was disappointed to find that he was not there. She knew he was taking charge of the ranch since Warren was gone and Samuel was injured, and she was so full of pride at his capabilities. He could handle anything that came along, but she still missed waking up in his arms.

She wiped a tear from her eye as she stood up and washed her face in the basin. Taking a deep rattled breath she moved to dress as she readied to face the day. Her first stop was to check in on Roger. Dr. Reynold was sitting with him. Like the rest of the
Reynolds, it was like looking at sunshine. Dr. Reynold sat in his neat suit, fully scrubbed and polished to face the dawn.

“
Good morning,” he greeted her cheerfully.

“
Morning. How is Roger?”

“
Too soon to tell but he is actually doing much better than I expected. He’s been resting well. We propped his bed up so it would be easier for him to breath. I’m gonna try to get him to drink some. Have you had anything to eat yet?” he asked his other patient.

“
Not yet. I don’t really feel like eating. I figured I would sit with Roger so you could rest.”

“
Well your baby feels like being fed. Go eat and then you can sit with him a spell,” Dr. Reynold ordered.

Sabrina
frowned but did as she was told. Stepping into the kitchen and smelling the bacon cooking and biscuits baking, she changed her mind. She was hungry.

She took a hot biscuit from the pan and took a bite. It melted in her mouth. Alma offered her
a glass of milk and she sat on the stool next to the counter watching Alma cook while she ate. It was like watching a painter create a masterpiece and Alma did it every day of her life.

Finishing her
breakfast, she headed back to spell Dr. Reynold. On her way to the room she noticed that they had set up the parlor. She frowned since she had not noticed it before. Some of the hands had built plain wooden caskets and the men were lain out for the wake. The funeral was set for tomorrow. The preacher would be out to speak over them. She needed to speak to Samuel about burial arrangements since Warren was away.

Her mind whirled with thoughts and emotions. She wondered how Warren and his lot were doing. Hopefully they would be home in time for the funeral. She knew that it was only right for Warren, the head of the
house, to be there. Neither had kin nearby, so Warren would need to pen letters to their families. She did not envy him of that task.

She was greeted warmly and motioned into a chair. Dr. Reynold gave her instructions to get him if there was any change. He would be in his room next door to catch up on sleep. Sabrina too nervous to sit still wandered around the small room idly
tidying things and pulling open the curtains. She didn’t know why people felt that gloom was better off for healing. She always believed that a cheery room with fresh air and sunshine did wonders.

She noticed the knitting basket in the corner. Anna must have been working on it while she sat watch
during her turn. Digging into it, she pulled out the small square that she had started days ago. It seemed so much longer. Returning to her post, she sat down and began knitting. She was grateful for the distraction and soon was able to clear her mind of nothing else.