Gold Rush Baby (Alaskan Brides)

by Dorothy Clark

  That would be amusing, if she weren’t envious. Viola caught Goldie’s baby hand before she could grab her hair, kissed its pudgy palm. “I wish I knew how to use a gun. Things would have been much different.” She bit off the bitter words, afraid she had revealed more than she intended.

  Frankie grinned. “That would have surprised the kidnapper for sure.” Her face lit up. “I could teach you if you want. I got time. No reason for me to be home, with Lucy and Margie gone.”

  Viola stared, shocked by the offer, then intrigued. She would never have to be afraid again. Not of Dengler and his thugs, the kidnapper’s partner, any of her male customers or any other man. She would be able to protect herself. She curved her lips in what she was afraid was a rather grim smile. “I would like that, Frankie. When Mr. Stone is recovered, I shall buy a pistol and you can teach me how to use it.”

  “Good. You let me know when. Now I’ll go down to the smithy and check with Duncan. If he’s got a couple good, sturdy locks in stock, I’ll come back and put them on your doors tonight.” Frankie opened the door, paused. “If not, I’ll have him make you some. It won’t take him long, if he’s not busy. And if he is, I’ll see to it he gets to them fast as possible.”

  Viola nodded. “Thank you, Frankie. You have relieved my mind a good deal.” More than you can possibly know. “Tell Mr. MacDougal to put the locks on account. I will stop by and pay him as soon as Mr. Stone is well enough for me to leave him.” She closed the door, lifted Goldie into the air and smiled up at her. “There, sweetie. Now you will be safe…and so will I.” She lowered the laughing baby to her chest, held her close and hurried to the bedroom to check on Thomas Stone.

  “How are you feeling, Thomas?” Jacob Calloway set his black bag down, then pulled back the covers. “That light-headedness and nausea any better?”

  “Somewhat. It’s not a problem so long as I don’t try to…lift my head.” Warm fingers circled his wrist. Thomas slid his gaze to the watch in the doctor’s other hand, waited. The watch was tucked back in a vest pocket with no information offered. “Well?”

  “Steadier and stronger. It should be back to normal soon, as long as you follow my instructions and drink plenty of water and take broth often.”

  “And I’ll be able to get out of this bed then?”

  “It’s going to be a few days, Thomas. Aside from the weakness due to your loss of blood, you need to limit movement and give this wound time to begin to heal. I put in some deep sutures to stop the bleeding, but only a few loose ones at the surface. You’ll have quite a scar, but any infection will be able to ooze out.” Jacob leaned down, peered closely at the bandage on his shoulder. “Hmm, we’ve got some seepage here. I’ll cleanse this and apply a new bandage.” He turned his attention to removing the bandage.

  Thomas sucked in a slow breath, gathered his strength to talk against the pain. “Look, Jacob, I respect your skill, but—”

  “No buts, Thomas.” Jacob delved into his bag, splashed liquid from a bottle onto a clean white cloth. “Hold still now.”

  The cloth touched his shoulder, cool and moist. And then the burning started. He gritted his teeth, willed himself not to flinch away.

  “There, that’s got it. Now for the bandage…” Soft cloth covered his wound. Jacob’s fingers brushed against his sore flesh, secured the bandage in place. “You will stay flat on your back in that bed until I say you can move, Thomas. Unless you want to rip that wound open and make everything worse. Now, let’s take care of your personal needs, then I will go back to the clinic. I’ll come check on you again tonight.”

  A few more days until he could get out of this bed. And then, how long before he could go home to the solitude of his hut? How long must he be here with the baby? And with Viola? The woman pulled at his emotions in a way he had never experienced before, not even with Louise. She was eye-catchingly beautiful it was true. But it was something else. Something he couldn’t put a name to. But it was there all the same. When he’d first looked into her eyes he’d felt that sudden, sure connection. And it hadn’t gone away. It had gotten stronger.

  Thomas pulled in more air, set his jaw and stared at the chimney stones against the opposite wall. It didn’t matter how long he stayed, or how strong the draw he felt toward Viola Goddard. He had made a vow to never again subject a wife to the primitive living conditions necessary to his missionary work with the Tlingits and the men swarming up the Chilkoot Trail to the gold fields. He intended to keep that vow. Being the cause of Louise’s and Susie’s deaths was enough guilt and regret to carry.

  Chapter Five

  “Sorry. So sorry…”

  Viola started, opened her eyes, blinked and stared into the darkened room. Who was Thomas speaking to?

  “I’ll carry them— Auugh!”

  “Mr. Stone, no! Don’t move!” She threw off her blanket and rushed to the bed, placed her hand on his good shoulder to stop him from trying to rise. “Lie still. You will injure yourself!” His eyes opened, his good hand lifted, clamped around her wrist. She jerked, grabbed for his fingers. “Let go of—”

  “Don’t try to stop me, Seth. That’s my wife and child. I’ll bury them myself.”

  He was dreaming. Viola’s panic died. She stopped pulling at his fingers, stared into his unseeing eyes. The reflected, low flame of the oil lamp gleamed in their green depths, revealed shadows of pain.

  “Do you want me, Viola? I thought I heard you call.”

  She jumped, glanced over her shoulder at Hattie standing in the doorway in her rumpled nightgown, her gray hair hanging down around her plump shoulders, and shook her head. “Thank you, Hattie, but no. Everything is fine. Mr. Stone was dreaming.”

  “Night, then.” Hattie yawned and padded off into the other room.

  Viola took a calming breath and turned back. Thomas Stone’s eyes were closed, his mouth parted slightly in slumber. She tugged gently at his fingers. His grip tightened. She fought back resuming panic, the queasiness rising in her stomach. The man was sleeping. He didn’t know what he was doing. No matter, he was injured and Hattie was near. She was safe. She took another breath, tapped his cheek. “Wake up, Mr. Stone.” He blinked, stared up at her. She held her voice steady, tapped his hand. “Please let go of my wrist.”

  His gaze dropped. He stared, frowned. “What…” He sucked in a breath, pressed his lips into a tight line.

  “You were dreaming. And thrashing about a bit, which has probably increased your pain. I’ll get the medicine.” She pulled at his fingers, slipped her wrist from his grasp while he was still confused. His hand dropped to the bed.

  Viola stepped back, moved to the window and pulled the bottom of one curtain back a slit. A narrow streak of midnight sun spilled down the wall and washed over the commode stand. Please, Almighty God, don’t let him have hurt his shoulder. Please don’t let it bleed. She opened the bottle, filled the spoon and turned back to the bed, on his wounded side. She would not make the mistake of standing by his good arm again. “Here is your medicine, Mr. Stone.”

  He opened his eyes, fastened his gaze on hers. “I’m sorry for…whatever happened, Miss Goddard. I hope I didn’t hurt you.”

  His voice was tight with pain. She shook her head. “You were dreaming, Mr. Stone. And I am fine.”

  His eyes darkened. “No, you’re not. You’re trembling.”

  The words came out from between his gritted teeth. She looked down at the quivering medicine in the bowl of the spoon. Never admit fear. “I guess I am more fatigued than I realized. You had better take this before I spill it.” She held the spoon to his mouth. He swallowed. “I will get you some water in a moment. But first I must look at your bandage.”

  “No. That upsets you.”

  How did he— Oh, when she had washed his hand. Viola stared down at him, uncertain of how to respond to his concern—if that’s what it was—then turned and laid the spoon on the medicine tray. “I cannot deny that is true, Mr. Stone. But this is no time for such foolish weakness.” She
turned back, reached for the covers.

  “Please, don’t.” He slid his good hand toward her.

  She jerked back, caught herself and leaned forward. He could not reach her unless he turned onto his wounded shoulder. “I’m afraid I must. The doctor warned me that if you moved you could cause your wound to begin bleeding again. If that happens, I am to go for him immediately.” She braced herself and lifted the covers, let out a relieved sigh. “There is no sign of bleeding.”

  “You’re brave…”

  His words were halting, slurring. “Don’t go to sleep, Mr. Stone. You must have some water. Doctor’s orders.” She replaced the covers, poured water into a glass and picked up the spoon. She managed to coax half of the water into him before sleep overcame his will. She gazed down at his face, taut with pain even in slumber, then slid her gaze to where his hand rested on top of the covers. Had he really tried to stop her from looking at his bandage because he had noticed it bothered her? She could not remember a man ever showing concern for her feelings. Not even her father. He had been only a distant figure of authority.

  She put down the glass, stared at Thomas Stone’s bared arm. She had to cover it. From the other side of the bed. His good side. The queasiness returned to her stomach. She rubbed her wrist, erasing the feel of his grip, strong even in his weakened state, and studied his face. It would be all right. He had slipped into a deep sleep. She tiptoed to the other side, lifted his hand enough to free the covers beneath it, pulled them over his arm and shoulder and hurried back to her chair. He hadn’t even blinked. He would sleep quietly until the medicine wore off.

  She picked up the blanket off the floor, shook it out and covered herself, leaned back and closed her eyes. So Thomas had a wife and child who died. What had happened to them? Odd that he had never spoken of them. Of course, they were only acquaintances because of the circumstances, and they weren’t exactly having conversations. He was sleeping most of the time.

  She turned her head and studied his face, shadowed by the low light of the lamp. Is that why he had helped her when Goldie was kidnapped, because he had once had a child? And had he refused her offer to come to her home and let her care for him because he felt it was a betrayal of his dead wife?

  She huffed out a breath, closed her eyes again. She, of all people, should know better than that. Many of her repeat customers at Dengler’s “house” had been married men. And marriage vows had not kept them from their pleasure—not even in the beginning, when she had begged and cried.

  The familiar tightness clamped around her chest, inched up her neck into her face. She forced herself to relax, to slowly pull in air. Simply because Thomas had been considerate of her feelings over the bandages was no reason to ascribe him high motives for everything. No. He may have shown consideration for her feelings now, when he was weak and needed her to care for him. But she must stay wary and watchful, and be very careful. His strength was beginning to return.

  Viola bent, picked up a bright red leaf and twirled it between her finger and thumb. “I’m sorry Mr. Stone was sleeping when you stopped on your way to the clinic to check on him, Teena. But I’m glad you suggested a walk. The fresh morning air feels wonderful.” A worm of guilt squiggled though her. And that fear that never quite left her made her glance back at her cabin. “But I shouldn’t go too far. I want to be back before Goldie or Mr. Stone wakes.” Or someone comes.

  “We will go only to the woods that hide my village from the town, and then return.”

  Viola nodded. She would be able to keep her cabin in sight the whole way. She took a deep breath and glanced over at her friend. Teena looked as calm and serene as ever, but there was a new, happy glow in her dark eyes.

  She sniffed at the air, enjoying the blended scents of the towering firs, the moist, grassy undergrowth and the dirt path they trod. “The air here is so fresh and untainted by the smells of the campfires and trash of the swarms of stampeders.” She frowned, twirled the leaf faster. “Everywhere you go in the area around town, from the harbor to the mountains, the land is covered with the garbage and discards and the broken equipment of the miners. Why is it clear here?”

  “Most of the whites do not travel the path to the Tlingit village. They stay far from my people.” Teena glanced over at her. “There are only a few who come. And they are respectful of our ways and our lands.”

  The happiness was in the soft lilt of her voice, the gentle tilt of her lips. The picture of Teena looking up at Dr. Calloway the night of Goldie’s kidnapping flashed into her head, and she knew. Her stomach knotted. She tossed down the leaf and looked back toward the cabin, searching for a way to put off her friend’s confidence. “Like Thomas Stone?”

  Teena Crow’s long black braids glistened in the sunlight as she nodded. “Yes. Like Thomas Stone. He is good to my people. And he is good for my people. He leads them to God, so their hearts may be healed.” Teena paused at the edge of the woods and turned toward her, her face aglow. “And like Jacob.” The name was a soft whisper of love and hope and trust. “Jacob helps heal my people when they are sick, as I help him heal his people when they are sick.” She smiled, held up her hands and clasped them. “Our two hearts have become one. We are to go to Skaguay and marry. I wanted you, my friend, to know.”

  Viola sucked in air, dared not speak. Teena was so quiet, so serene standing there, bathed in her happiness, she refused to destroy it with the truth of what men really were. Please don’t let him hurt her. She dredged up a smile, hugged her friend and forced joy into her voice. “I’m so happy for you, Teena. I pray you will find every happiness your heart seeks.”

  “It will be so.” Teena gave a soft laugh, stepped back and placed her hand on her chest. “My heart knows this.”

  She nodded, turned and started down the track toward town, searching her tumbling thoughts for an appropriate change of subject. She did not want to talk about the false hope of love. “Will you live at the clinic, or in the house with your people?”

  “My father is with his ancestors. My brother will bring his bride to the house to live with our people one day. It is right that he does.” Teena smiled. “I will go where Jacob wishes to be. For that is right, also.” She gave another soft laugh. “You see, already I find that the hearts of our peoples are not far apart.”

  What had Hattie said? There is good and evil in the world, and bad things happen because of it. It was no doubt the same with the Tlingit people. Hearts are the same in all people. Was there no place to hide? To be safe? She smiled as they reached the point where the road divided and Teena would continue on toward town. “Thank you again for stopping to share your news, Teena. I will tell Hattie as soon as I get home. I know she’ll be delighted for you.” She turned toward the faint path that led to her cabin, looked over her shoulder and smiled. “Come again soon. I enjoyed our walk.”

  “Much better, Thomas.”

  “I feel better.” Thomas watched the doctor put his stethoscope back in his bag and pull his watch from his vest pocket. “I can draw breath easily. And I can speak an entire sentence without gasping. So when can I get out of this bed?”

  “Ah, it’s always a good sign when the patient becomes impatient and starts complaining. Of course, in your case, that does not apply. You have been complaining since you awoke after surgery.”

  “Very funny.” Thomas looked from Jacob Calloway’s grinning face to the fingers circling his wrist. “Well?”

  “Back to normal.”

  He waited, frowned. “And?”

  “And now I check the bandage.” Jacob lowered the covers to his waist. “More good news. There is no seepage.”

  He fought the urge to grab the doctor’s shirtfront and shake an answer from him. As if he could. “Which means?”

  “Which means I must speak to Viola and see if she has more pillows I can use to prop you up a bit. If you give me your word you will not try to lift yourself higher, sit up or move about.”

  “Fine.”

  The doctor’s l
eft brow lifted toward his dark hair. “That sounded a little sour, and came a bit too quickly, Thomas. I will have your word as a man of God.”

  Perhaps twisting Jacob’s shirtfront and choking him would be more satisfactory than merely shaking him. Thomas took a breath, nodded. “All right. I give you my word.”

  “Excellent. Now let me go and find Viola and see about those pillows.”

  Thomas watched Jacob go out the door, tried not to envy him the freedom of movement. There was finally some progress. Not as much as he would like. But it would be good not to have to lie flat on his back and… In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. The scripture flowed into his thoughts, brought him up short. He closed his eyes and opened his heart. “Forgive me, Lord, for murmuring and complaining. I thank You for Your care. Please heal me quickly, so I am not a burden to Miss—”

  “These pillows will work perfectly, Viola.”

  Thomas opened his eyes, slid his gaze toward the door, listened to the footsteps approaching. Surely Jacob was not bringing Viola Goddard in here. His bandages! He braced himself for the pain he knew would follow and groped for the covers, froze when Viola, carrying a pillow, entered the room followed by Jacob Calloway, his arms wrapped around more pillows.

  Viola looked his way, her steps faltered, he looked at her eyes, followed her gaze to his uncovered chest, and clenched his hand on the edge of the blanket. Choking was not fit punishment for Dr. Calloway. He would have to think of something more dire.

  “You stand there, Viola—” the doctor dropped the pillows on the bed and indicated the spot next to his wounded shoulder “—and I will go around to Thomas’ s good side and lift him. When I have his head and shoulders high enough off the bed, I want you to place the pillows—two beneath his head and one beneath his shoulders. Thomas—” Jacob looked down at him, no longer friend, but all doctor “—do not tense your body, and do not try to help. All right, everyone ready? I shall lift on three. One…two…three.”