It was his turn to laugh. “You need to eat and soup is all you should be eating right now. No meats yet. You’ve lost a little weight, I think. But you can put it back on as you get stronger.”
She nodded. “I will. Thank you again, Mike. I wonder, might I be able to go out in the living room soon? I have taken your bed for so long now.”
“I don’t mind, but yes, I’ll take you in there in a moment. Let me make it comfortable for you. There is a nice fire in the fireplace, too. You will be warm and cozy.”
“Will you stay with me and talk to me today? I know you have probably neglected your regular schedule taking care of me, but I would love some company today.”
“I am sure. Yes. I will. Stay here, I’ll be right back.”
She laughed. “Where would I go?”
He was not gone very long. She listened to him banging around in the kitchen and couldn’t help smiling. He was so excited to see her better. He had left the door open and when he moved into the living room, she could see him. He hurried to set up the couch, making it comfortable for her by removing all of the items he had spread on it and laying out a blanket to cover her and a large pillow for the end of it so she could prop herself up.
He returned to the room and pulled the cover down.
“Look,” he said, gently lifting her dress to show her how her knee had recovered. “It looks a lot better, doesn’t it?”
When she pushed herself up on her elbows, the first thing she thought was that her right arm had apparently healed up because she felt only a little bruised pain where the crack had been. She gazed down at her knee and nodded. “I suppose it does look a lot better.”
He pulled the dress back down and smiled. “You didn’t see it at its worst. It was very bad but you have healed well. That’s a very good thing. Hopefully, you will be healthy enough to have your baby.”
They smiled at each other. He held out his arms and she reached for him. He picked her up and carried her through the doorway, pretending for a moment that he might not make it through with her in his arms without banging her against the doorjamb.
“Oh, you better not,” she said in a teasing voice.
He laughed. “I would not. I truly would not.”
When he laid her down, she adjusted herself so that she was sitting up some but was comfortably rested against the pillow behind her. He had the fire roaring and she could smell a delicious scent in the air from the soup he was cooking.
“I can’t wait to have something more substantial than soup,” she grumbled in a light-hearted way.
“In time, dear, in time.” He was still moving about the room, picking up clothes from the floor and draped across the back of chairs, moving his boots from one place to another. She watched with amusement as he picked up a broom and swept the kitchen floor. It kicked up a cloud of dust and he looked embarrassed.
“You don’t have to do that, Mike. When I’m better, I’ll clean up for you. It’s the least I can do for you, after what you’ve done for me. You saved my life. Please. Just come and sit with me. Talk to me. Tell me about your life here.”
“I… Are you sure?” He scratched his beard, looking down at the dirty floor. She nodded.
“Please, come and sit.”
“Let me get the soup first.” He was back at the stove, using a thick pot holder to pick up the pot of soup and pour a good amount into two separate bowls. He brought her one, a spoon sticking out of it, and set his own on the table he had situated so that it was close enough for her to reach without moving too much. He pulled a chair closer to the table and picked up his bowl, setting it in his lap.
“You are going to eat soup, too? I hope you haven’t been eating soup this whole time just because I have.” Sarah picked up her own bowl and held it under her nose, breathing in the delicious smell of cabbage and spices.
“Trust me,” Mike shook his head. “I’ve been eating well. I killed a deer a few days before I found you and I’ve been eating that. Do you like deer meat?”
“I do,” she nodded. “Jason used to cook some delicious steaks for my mother and me. He stopped doing that when she passed on.”
“He doesn’t sound like a very good man. I am surprised you were fooled by him. He must have been good at what he was doing because you are not a stupid woman.”
“Thank you. I’m not. He is just very clever.”
“And quite good at play acting. I suppose he stopped doing a lot of things for you when your mother passed away?”
“Well, it took him a few months to woo me and convince me to marry him. He is older than I am and I didn’t think it would be the way it was. I thought he was a mature, strong man with a good heart. But I was wrong. I was very wrong about him.”
“That is obvious and terrible.” Mike said. “I am sorry you have had to endure such hardships. I suppose he made it seem like he was the best man you would ever find. Wickenburg is small. There are plenty of men around, but I’m sure you were closest to him, with him working there with you all the time.”
“Yes.” Sarah sipped soup from the side of the bowl, instead of using the spoon, which was a bit too large for her small mouth. Mike noticed and was on his feet quickly, retrieving a smaller spoon from a drawer in his kitchen. He brought it to her and she thanked him.
“How many years did he work for you and your mother?”
“About five years before she died. She died last year. We have been married less than a year.”
“Do you mind if I ask what drove him to do what he did to you? Is he just an evil man or was there something that set him off?”
“He didn’t want children. He was angry because I am pregnant. He was already cruel to me and was becoming more and more abusive toward me. But during a fight, I revealed that I am pregnant to keep him from hurting me and it made the situation much worse.”
Mike was already shaking his head, frowning deeply. His mouth worked in silent frustration as he chewed on his mustache. “He sounds like a man that needs a good beating.”
Sarah could picture Mike beating on Jason and was ashamed that it made her feel good to think of it. She dropped her eyes to the soup and could say no more.
“I suppose he doesn’t realize it was his own fault that you are pregnant. It’s not something a woman does all on her own.”
“He didn’t care.”
“He’s not too stupid to realize it. He is a bad man. I am sorry, Sarah. I am truly sorry. You don’t deserve to be treated that way.”
Tears came to Sarah’s eyes. His kind words touched her heart. She looked up at him. “Can we talk about something else?”
“Have you thought of names for your baby?” He asked, forcing a smile. The question lightened her heart and she grinned at him.
“I am tossing several around in my mind but haven’t settled on anything yet. I like the name Nicholas for a boy. I think perhaps Juliet for a girl. I’m really not sure yet.”
“I like both of those names.” He said heartily.
She laughed. “I’m glad you approve.”
“Rachel and I planned to have children,” Sarah was glad his voice didn’t change when he mentioned his late wife. She knew it was a sad subject for him but he seemed to be speaking about her with some amount of closure. “But it sadly didn’t happen.”
“You wanted children?” Sarah couldn’t help being a little surprised. Mike seemed like so much of a hermit, she couldn’t imagine him being married, much less having a family in this cabin out in the woods.
“Oh, yes. Rachel was a lovely woman. She would have been a very good mother. Like you. You will be a good mother, I am sure of it.”
Sarah blushed. “Thank you.”
“Oh, I know you will.”
Sarah wondered if he was thinking the same thing she was. She didn’t plan to raise her child with its father. She didn’t even want to return to Wickenburg. At first, she had been determined to return and claim her house and her land. Now, she wanted to stay with Mike in the cabin and
live a peaceful life. Mike had been open to such a thing in the past, but it was with a woman he loved. He knew her all of five days and she was thinking about staying with him in his cabin forever.
She giggled.
“What are you thinking about, woman?” Mike asked, smiling at her.
“Oh, I don’t know. I guess it’s just strange to think of a mountain man like you having little children running all around you, pulling on your ax handle while you try to cut wood, and helping you strip a deer.”
He threw back his head and laughed loudly. “Nothin’ strange about that! It happens all the time. Do I look that rough to you?”
“You do,” she said. “But I think you might be a big soft hearted bear.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
She nodded. “You should. After all, Rachel sounds wonderful and sweet. She wouldn’t have chosen a man like you if you weren’t good to her. I’m positive of that.”
She enjoyed it when Mike’s cheeks turned a dark red and he looked down at his soup, which was nearly finished.
“You flatter me.”
“I’m sure you deserve it, Mike. You saved my life. How could I speak any differently about you?”
“Do you want some more soup?”
She spooned up the last bit of the soup and handed him the bowl. “I think I’m good for now. I’d like to sit here and enjoy the fire. Is it cold outside?”
“The temperature has dropped, yes. Winter will soon be upon us. You may want to return to Wickenburg sooner before it hits. We might have a bad storm and be trapped up here. I’m sure you don’t want that to happen.”
“I’m in no hurry to return to Wickenburg.” Her voice dropped deep. He stopped and looked down at her. She was nervous for a moment, wondering if he was thinking he didn’t want her in his cabin to take care of. After all, she was not Rachel and he had already done so much. He had lived on his own by himself for a very long time. She looked back at him. “But if you think it best that I return there, I will go when you want me to.”
He hesitated before saying anything. “I don’t want you to do anything you don’t want to do, Sarah. I just thought you might want to get back to your own home before wintertime.”
“Jason is there. I don’t want to fight with him. I am afraid of what he will do to me.”
“Then you must stay. You are welcome to stay here as long as you need to. Do you hear me?”
She was looking straight at him. It was a strange question for him to ask. She nodded. “I hear you, Mike.”
He nodded once. “Good, then we understand each other.”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
SARAH RECOVERS
SARAH RECOVERS
The days became colder as the next week passed. When Sarah was able to move her left leg comfortably without too much pain, she began to walk around the cabin to stretch it out. Mike fashioned a crutch for her to lean her weight on. Too much stress on it, he said, could tear the healing skin and cause another infection. That was the last thing she wanted, no matter how anxious she was to start moving around again.
Sarah sat on the porch, in a swing he had made while she was unable to walk. It was tied to the porch roof with rope and hooks. Mike had been gone for longer than usual and she was watching for him to return, hoping he was okay. It seemed funny to her that she would be worried about him. He was a survivalist who had lived by himself in the cabin for years. He didn’t need her worrying about him. She was the one who needed to be worried about. She knew nothing of living without the comforts of the town, her neighbors, and her home.
He had taught her many things about living in the woods so far from civilization. There were many things he had to do to get by without having to rely on others. He repaired his own saddles, cared for his two horses better than anyone she’d ever seen in town, and churned delicious butter. His cider was something to speak about, too.
She pushed the swing with her good leg, letting the other one hang. She kept her eyes on the surrounding woods, watching for him, listening for the sound of him approaching.
When she did hear sounds coming from the woods, it sounded like Mike wasn’t alone. Her heart sped up and she gripped the arm rest of the swing tightly. Had he gone all the way to town? Had he come up on Jason, looking for her, and brought him back?
Surely he wouldn’t do that.
She licked her lips, resisting the urge to get up and go inside the cabin to hide. She kept her eyes in the direction of the area she heard the sounds from. After listening to the bustling sounds of fallen leaves and crunching twigs, she spotted Mike’s large form heading toward the cabin. He had a big smile on his face and waved to her. She waved back.
“We’ve got a new friend!” He called out. He turned and pointed at a large black dog bounding toward him.
Sarah stood up abruptly, forgetting about her leg for a moment. She grabbed the crutch and leaned on it to move to the edge of the porch, a wide smile on her face. “Oh! Would you look at that!”
He held up one hand. “Don’t come down those steps, Sarah! I don’t want you falling! Hold on there and we’ll come up there.” He whistled to the dog and jogged to the porch, going up the steps, where he knelt down and held one hand out to the dog.
It came up the steps and tackled Mike, licking his face and wagging its tail vigorously.
“Where did he come from?” Sarah asked. “He must not be more than a puppy! He’s big but I bet he’s going to get a lot bigger.”
“Yes, I think so, too. He just came up on me in the woods while I was hunting. He’s very friendly. I don’t know what he was doing out there but if he is lost, he’s gonna need shelter for the winter.”
“And you’ve been here alone for long enough,” Sarah added. “Now you have a friend so you won’t be lonely.”
He looked up at her. “I already have a friend here.”
She pulled in a deep breath and smiled at him. “Yes, you do. But a good dog is always nice to have around. And he does look very friendly. Looks like he’s been fed. I wonder if he ran from Wickenburg out into the woods and got lost.”
“That’s what I imagine happened. If he wants to stay here, he can. I’ll feed him.”
“Of course!” Sarah bent over and held out one hand to the dog. It looked at her for a moment before turning to jump up on her.
“Whoa, whoa!” Mike laughed, grabbing him and keeping him from knocking Sarah down. “She’s hurt, boy, you gotta be careful with her.” He rubbed the dog’s face. It licked him but its eyes were focused on Sarah to the side. They both laughed.
“Come here, boy,” Sarah said, leaning down again. She rubbed the dog’s face and patted him gently. She moved her hand to his side and pounded lightly on it. He sat down and grinned at her. “Oh, look at that, he likes me.”
“Yes, he does!” Mike sounded pleased. “What shall we call him?”
“I have no idea. Hmmm.” Sarah looked into the dog’s eyes. “He’s so friendly. We could call him Buddy.”
Mike looked contemplative for a moment. “I like that. We’ll call him Buddy. Are you thirsty, Buddy? Come on in!”
Sarah followed Mike and the dog into the cabin. The animal responded to them as if he had always been their pet. He ran around the cabin, sniffing, and bowing down with his rear end in the air. Sarah and Mike laughed, watching his antics. She shuffled inside and sat on the couch to watch him more comfortably.
Buddy slowed down, looking at her. She smiled at the dog and he approached cautiously. Sarah tilted her head to the side and looked up at Mike with her eyebrows raised. “I don’t know if he likes me, Mike,” she said, sadly. He shook his head.
“No, I don’t think it’s that. I think he can see that you’re hurt. Or perhaps he senses that you are with child. He doesn’t look upset to me.”
“But how do you know? You just met him.”
Mike smiled. “Give him time, Sarah; I don’t think he will bite you. He doesn’t look aggressive. Just wait and see what he does.�
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Sarah calmed her beating heart, looking back at the dog, watching him move toward her. He was large enough to meet her knees when she was sitting. She reached out, holding her hand lower than his chin so that she could scratch him when he got close enough. He sniffed her hand and allowed her to scratch him and pet him. To her surprise, he sniffed all around her and inspected her bandaged leg. He rubbed the side of his long nose on her but so gently that she knew he was consoling her, rather than curious about what it was.
“You see?” Mike came over and sat next to her on the couch, reaching out to give the dog a pat on the head. “He’s a good boy. You’re a good boy, aren’t you?”
Sarah smiled at him and gave the dog a kiss on the snout. Mike laughed.
“I don’t know if I’d do that until I have a chance to give him a bath. He’s probably covered in parasites.”
“Oh!” Sarah exclaimed, pulling away from the dog and looking at Mike with wide eyes.
“No, don’t be too worried. I’m exaggerating. He looks like he’s been taken care of. He doesn’t look like he’s starving. He’s probably not as dirty as you’d think he would be after spending time in the woods.”
“So you think he ran away from his home in Wickenburg?”
“Or one of the nearby towns. Or maybe he was with his family and got lost. Either way, he’s here now.”
“Should we try to find out where he belongs? Who he belongs to?”
Mike pressed his lips together. “I think it would be best if we stay here, keep him here. The weather is turning quickly and I don’t want to risk a trip into town just to search for the owner of this dog. We’ll take care of him as long as he wants to stay here.”
Sarah giggled. “Who would want to leave once they get here?”
Mike looked directly in her eyes, his lips twitching in amusement.
“You rest here with the dog while I stoke the fire. I have some more chores to do outside.”
Sarah nodded and patted the couch next to her. Buddy jumped up and laid himself down next to her, his nose on his paws and his eyes moving all around as he took everything in. Sarah pulled her legs up so they were stretched out over the length of the couch. Her pain was less than it had been. She was grateful that Mike had remembered the herbal remedies Rachel had discovered. They had done wonders for her healing.
An Uncivilized Romance (Family of Love Series) (A Western Romance Story) Page 12