A Heart's Gift

by Lena Nelson Dooley

  “I wonder where sh...Miriam got our horse. I was disappointed when you brought Mike’s body to me, but you didn’t have his horse. I guess I figured someone had stolen him. Maybe even his killer. But maybe not.” As she kept moving the brush over the horse’s coat, removing loose hair and debris, the horse’s hide began to take on a healthier glow, but his bones were still too near the surface of his coat.

  When she glanced at Franklin, his face took on the expression she recognized as one he had when he was pondering something. Funny how she’d learned to read so many of his moods. Other times, she had no idea what he was thinking or feeling.

  “If she obtained him in a legal way, I’ll buy him back for you. If not, I’ll make sure you get to keep him.” He moved around to face Golden Boy’s head.

  Since the feedbag was now empty, Franklin removed it and started on the horse’s forelock.

  Lorinda enjoyed this time alone with her husband, but she was fearful of what changes Miriam might bring to their household. Why had that woman come here? Her heart quaked within her. She didn’t want to lose her husband. Not when things were getting better between them.

  Chapter 28

  Lorinda peered out the front window for what felt like the thousandth time today. An equal number of times, she’d opened the door to the bedroom where Miriam rested in the bed that had been Lorinda’s before her marriage. Each time, the woman still slept, but her breathing was more even and less labored that it had been earlier in the day. That gave Lorinda a bit of faith to cling to.

  Franklin had left her and Mrs. Oleson to watch over the frail woman while he went out to work, but often when she looked out, she noticed him working close enough so they could call to him if they needed his help. Of course, he would be worried about anyone under his roof that was in as bad a shape as Miriam, but Lorinda hoped that was all of his interest in their guest. For a moment, a stab of jealousy entered her heart, but she pushed it away. Franklin was her husband now.

  When Charlie returned with the message that the doctor would come as soon as he could, Lorinda hoped it would be sooner rather than later. Now most of the day had passed, and the sun moved ever closer to the western horizon.

  All this waiting reminded her of the day her son was born. The doctor couldn’t come because of the mine cave-in. She’d been terrified, and the fear rose up inside her again, as it did that day. She hoped nothing would prevent him from coming now. Mrs. Oleson had been able to help her while she was in labor and after Michael was born. But she doubted she could do much to help Miriam. Even Mrs. Oleson didn’t know exactly what to do with someone this bad off.

  What if Miriam died before the doctor arrived? What would they do next? She turned away from that line of thinking. It would only make her more unsure of herself.

  Mrs. Oleson had started boiling beef bones early in the day. She told Lorinda she wanted some of the rich broth when Miriam woke up. And she kept the teakettle on the stove, ready to brew weak tea for their patient or Dr. Winston.

  Miriam hadn’t moved since Franklin laid her in the bed. Occasionally, Lorinda went close enough to her to make sure she was breathing. When she saw the faint lifting of her chest, she turned away. Once she even placed her hand on the woman’s brow to see if she was still cold. Thank goodness, her skin had warmed once out of the chilly wind.

  On her next trip to the front window, she noticed a buggy coming down the lane. A buggy just like the one Dr. Winston drove. Lorinda heaved a sigh of relief. Their patient was still alive, and help was on the way. She hurried to the kitchen.

  “Dr. Winston is almost here.”

  “Praise the Lord.” Mrs. Oleson threw her hands up before she moved the teakettle closer to the middle of the range, so it would heat even more. “The doctor may need some really hot water while he’s taking care of Miriam.”

  Lorinda headed back to the bedroom. She tiptoed across the room and leaned close to the patient’s face to check her breathing again.

  Miriam’s eyes slowly opened. She had a blank stare, and Lorinda didn’t want to move and startle her. After a moment, she focused on Lorinda’s face.

  “Who...who are you?” The words rasped between her dried and cracking lips.

  Lorinda quickly straightened, clasping her hands in front of her to keep them from shaking. “I’m Lorinda Vine. Franklin’s wife.”

  The hint of a smile flitted across Miriam’s face as her eyelids slowly slid closed. “I’m...so glad…Franklin found someone...to love him.”

  The words that had seemed so hard for the woman to say brought an ache to Lorinda’s heart. Yes, she loved her husband, but he didn’t love her. And he had no idea that she loved him. Her life had never been so complicated. Now Miriam brought another unknown complication into her uncomfortable existence.

  A knock sounded on the front door. Lorinda hurried from the bedroom to answer the summons. “We’re so glad you’re here, Doctor. Our patient is not doing very well.”

  “I’m sorry to have taken so long. We almost lost Mrs. Philpot. I just couldn’t leave her until I’d done everything I could. I hope you understand.” He handed her his hat, and she hung it on the hall tree.

  Lorinda led the doctor down the hallway. “Does this mean Mrs. Philpot will be all right.?”

  “I believe so.” As they entered the bedroom, he swiftly approached his patient. “Miriam has been gone from this area for quite a while. What seems to be the problem?”

  “We don’t know.” Lorinda wrung her hands as she talked. “She’s very weak, and she is...with child. Mrs. Oleson made beef broth in case she needs some, but the woman has slept almost all the time since Franklin brought her into the house.”

  Dr. Winston pulled the only chair in the room up beside the bed. He took his stethoscope out of his bag and held the metal bell in his hand for a couple of minutes. When he reached over to place it on Miriam’s chest, she tried to pull away, then settled back down, never opening her eyes.

  “Sorry this didn’t warm up more.” His voice sounded soothing.

  Lorinda wondered if he used that tone for all his patients and if Miriam could even hear his words.

  After moving the bell of the stethoscope around on Miriam’s chest, he turned his attention to the baby in her womb. “Both her heartbeat and the baby’s are strong, so whatever is wrong with her hasn’t affected the little one...yet.”

  Lorinda gave a sigh of relief, but she still worried about the woman being able to give birth. She remembered how hard it had been for her, and she was much stronger than Miriam.

  “Mrs. Oleson was wise to plan for when Miriam awakened.” The doctor folded up the instrument and stowed it again in his bag. “I believe she’s dehydrated. We need to encourage her to take the broth and as much water and weak tea as we can get down her. Has she had a fever since she arrived?”

  Lorinda shook her head. “She was almost freezing when she got here. It took her a while to get warm. Do you have any idea when her baby is due?” Lorinda hoped it would give them time to build up the mother’s strength.

  “From the looks of her, I’d say it won’t be very long.” He frowned.

  “Do you think she’ll have any trouble giving birth?” Lorinda’s voice trembled. What would they do if he said yes? Would he stay with them until the impending birth, or would he go back to town?

  “I’m not sure. We really need to start building up her strength. In addition to the liquids, I’m leaving you a box of Carter’s Little Liver Pills, a bottle of Hensel’s Tonic, and a bottle of Manola Tonic. These should help strengthen her.” He dug in his bag and pulled out a small rectangular box and two corked bottles sealed with wax. He held out the box to her. “Give her one of these in the morning and one at night.”

  Lorinda took the box and laid it on the table beside the bed. “Let me get paper and a pencil, so I can write down your instructions.”

  Within a minute, she returned. She listed the pills and dosages on the paper.

  Dr. Winston next gave he
r the Hensel’s Tonic. “Mix one teaspoon of this into a quart of water. Have her drink a glass twice a day.”

  While Lorinda wrote those instructions, she kept glancing at Miriam to see if there was any change. When she finished, Miriam opened her eyes.

  “Hello, Miriam.” The doctor leaned close to her. “Do you remember me?”

  She gave a slight nod.

  “Are you thirsty?” He continued to study her.

  “Yes.” The whispered answer was so soft that Lorinda almost thought she’d imagined it.

  “Good.” Dr. Winston turned toward her. “Please have Mrs. Oleson bring some broth and water.”

  As she left the room, the doctor leaned closer to Miriam. “Do you know when your baby’s due?”

  Lorinda didn’t hear the answer.

  She and Mrs. Oleson rushed to the bedroom with the requested items. The doctor lifted Miriam’s head and held the glass of water to her mouth. The patient tried to gulp the cooling liquid.

  He pulled it back after the first mouthful. “You need to take it easy. It’s been quite a while since you had water, so you must sip it at first. Then I’m going to let Mrs. Oleson spoon-feed you the broth.”

  After a few sips, he continued to hold up her head while the housekeeper added another pillow under her. Then she started dribbling the broth between Miriam’s lips.

  Even though some color had returned to Miriam’s cheeks, she was still much too pale. Her gauntness made her look so frail she might fall over if a person blew a small puff of air toward her. Lorinda wasn’t used to being around anyone so ill.

  Dr. Winston turned back to Lorinda. “Here’s one more liquid medicine I want you to give her. She should have one tablespoon of this Manola Tonic before each meal and at bedtime. I’ve had good results with it, so you need to follow my instructions exactly.”

  “Thank you. I will.” Lorinda watched him pack up his bag and get ready to leave. “I’m not sure where Franklin is. He stayed close to the house much of the day, but I haven’t seen him recently.”

  “That’s fine. He can pay me next time he’s in town. I trust him.” He went out into the hallway, took his hat, and left through the front door.

  She glanced out the window to watch the doctor leave. Franklin met him at his buggy. The men started a conversation. The expression on Franklin’s face showed great concern.

  Pain shot through Lorinda’s heart. Was her husband sorry he’d married her? Was he wishing he’d waited for Miriam to return? And his former fiancée carried a child who could be his heir as easily as Michael could. Does he realize that?

  Lorinda wondered if she would get to the place where she truly trusted Franklin.

  She wouldn’t give up hope.

  But...

  Chapter 29

  Franklin went to the house to see if Lorinda and Mrs. Oleson needed his help taking care of Miriam. They assured him they didn’t. He studied Lorinda while he was talking to them. He tried to see if she was upset with Miriam being in their house. He sure hoped not. Lorinda was his wife. The woman he loved more than anyone else. But he’d never told her that. She couldn’t tell what he felt. She was concerned about Miriam’s weakness and her condition, but was she concerned about anything else?

  The rest of the day, he couldn’t keep his thoughts from drifting toward the three women, wondering what was happening. When he finally finished making sure all the horses had plenty of hay, he left the rest of the chores to his cowhands. He made sure all those standing watch were fed in the chow hall, and a new set would take over for the night shift. The cattle rustlers could still be nearby, and he wanted his women protected from the scoundrels. At least he had been able to get the herd he wanted to sell all the way to Frisco without the drive being attacked. If only they knew who was stealing the cattle.

  When he thought about the women in his house, he couldn’t help being concerned with his ex-fiancée. What had happened to her? He was glad the Lord had removed her from his life before he made the mistake of marrying the wrong woman. But why had the Lord brought her back into his household at this time? Just when he was falling so deeply in love with the woman he felt God had planned for him all along. Miriam was helpless, and he had the means to help her, but he didn’t want her presence in their house to affect the way Lorinda felt about him. Somehow, he had to make sure his wife knew he loved her...and only her.

  When he went into the house after work, Lorinda was sitting at Miriam’s bedside, and their patient slept peacefully.

  “How is she doing?” His voice must have startled Lorinda, because she jumped a little, then looked at him, her eyes hiding her feelings from him.

  “She’s resting. That’s good.”

  He hoped she’d say more to him, but she turned back toward her patient and ignored him. They had been having comfortable conversations when he came to the house after work. He wanted that to continue. Lord, please don’t let Miriam come between Lorinda and me.

  He heard Michael and Mrs. Oleson laughing in the kitchen, and he headed down the hallway toward them.

  Mrs. Oleson had supper ready for Franklin. While he played with his son, he ate the delicious beef stew and hot biscuits, sneaking Michael pinches of the bread and bits of the soft potatoes from the rich broth. When he finished, he gave the baby back to Mrs. Oleson. He couldn’t let things stand like they were this evening. He had to let Lorinda know he didn’t want anyone but her for his wife, but he wasn’t sure how to do that.

  “I’m going to check on Lorinda.” With a nod to Mrs. Oleson, he headed toward the baby’s room.

  His wife sat with her back to the door, reading a book by the light of the oil lamp on the table by the bed. He stared at her, his heart beating double-time as it often did when he saw her. Her blonde curls were caught up and pinned at the top of her head, looking like a golden crown. His gaze slid toward her exposed neck above the top edge of her dress.

  He had the strongest urge to tiptoe over and kiss the tender milk-white skin. In his imagination, she turned and welcomed his caresses. Her arms went around his neck, she pressed her soft body against his, and every curve fit at just the right place. Desire rose in him, and his palms began to sweat. He brushed them against his shirt.

  “Franklin?” Her soft word brought his eyes to her again. Lorinda must have heard him, and she studied him intensely. “Is something wrong?”

  “No.” Liar. Everything was wrong, and it was all his fault. “I wanted to check on Miriam...and you.”

  She put a ribbon in the book and placed it on the table.

  As Lorinda arose, he tried to discipline his features so she wouldn’t know what he had been thinking. She came over beside him and leaned close. Her feminine fragrance almost made him lose control. He wondered what she would do if he clasped her against his chest as he had imagined.

  “Mrs. Oleson and I were able to clean up Miriam and dress her in one of Mrs. Oleson’s warm flannel night shifts. After giving her broth and the medicines the doctor left, she settled down and went right to sleep. I think she’s completely exhausted.”

  He could stare into her blue eyes for just one more minute. “How are you holding up?”

  “We’ve taken turns caring for Michael and staying with Miriam, so I’m fine.” She glanced toward the book on the table. “I’ve even started a new book that’s quite interesting.”

  “I’m glad.” Not that she was reading the book, but that she was fine.

  Franklin could never have imagined something happening like the events of today. He hoped Miriam would get better quickly, so they could find out why she was riding Mike Sullivan’s horse, where Marvin was, why he wasn’t with her, and even if he was the father of the baby. If he wasn’t, that could open another Pandora’s box, and the ramifications could be far-reaching. He hoped Lorinda wouldn’t get hurt by having Miriam in their household. He needed to treat his wife with great respect and special tenderness until they were out of this situation.

  As he dressed for bed, he heard Lo
rinda and Mrs. Oleson as they awakened Miriam and gave her more medicine. The two women left the bedroom before he was ready to lie down. He heard the housekeeper start up the stairs before Lorinda quietly entered her bedroom. She didn’t notice him standing in the doorway to the dressing room, so he cleared his throat.

  She glanced toward him, then over at the sleeping baby. “You startled me, Franklin.”

  Her soft whisper warmed his heart. He loved the way she pronounced his name. “I wanted to see if you were all right before I went to bed.”

  “Yes, I am.” She crossed her arms over her chest.

  “You look tired.”

  She nodded. “I am, a little. But Mrs. Oleson and I agreed that since Miriam was sleeping normally now, we could spend the night in our own beds.”

  “I’m glad.” Reluctantly, he turned away before he made her more uncomfortable.

  As he closed the door, her whispered, “Thank you,” followed him.

  Three different times during the night, he heard Lorinda tiptoe into the hallway to check on Miriam. After a few minutes, she would return to her room. His wife shouldn’t have to be taking care of his former fiancée, but if he tried to take her place, she might misunderstand.

  He hoped Miriam would quickly recover, so she could be on her way.

  Lorinda took care of Miriam for the next full day and night. By then, the woman had been asleep for almost two days and nights. Because she was sleeping so much, Lorinda had plenty of time to take care of Michael and clean the house. Mrs. Oleson cooked the meals.

  When Lorinda went into the bedroom with the morning medicine on the third day, Miriam’s eyes were open, and she was much more alert.

  “Good morning, Mrs. Vine.” Even the woman’s voice sounded cheery.

  “And a good morning to you, Miriam.” Lorinda set the tray on the bedside table and sat in the chair. “Are you hungry?”

  “Yes, for the first time in days.” She flashed a sweet smile toward Lorinda. “Thank you so much for taking care of me.”