Candle Glow and Mistletoe: Romance on the Oregon Trail Book 5

by Ball, Kathleen

  “I already cut them down the middle so I could get the bullet out.” He took the blanket off her and sat her down. “I’ll help from the back.”

  Luella looked amused. She eased the top off while Swift Eagle balanced Rhetta from behind. Luella took one look and shook her head. “I’ll be right back.”

  What did she mean? She’d left him with a half-naked girl, and not just any girl, but Rhetta. He clenched his jaw and hoped Luella returned quickly.

  “Here, this has buttons, which will make changing the dressing easier.” Luella held up a big shirt.

  “Big Red’s?”

  “Yes. It’ll swallow her, but I think it’ll work out better.”

  “I think you’re right.”

  Luella put the shirt on Rhetta and rolled up the sleeves. Then she shimmied the buckskin pants off and lifted her bare legs onto the bed. “She’ll need another quilt in a while. Did you get something to eat?”

  “I can cook. I’ll take good care of Rhetta. She is a good young woman with a kind heart.”

  “That she is.” Luella put her wrap on. “I’ll be by in the morning.”

  He nodded, wishing he had the right to hold her in his arms just once more. “Good night.”

  Chapter Four

  “What happened?” Rhetta came awake and glanced around. Swift Eagle was sleeping on the floor next to her bed. She sat up. Pa wouldn’t like — Searing agony exploded in her shoulder. Land sakes! How had she forgotten? She’d been shot. Where was Tara? Had she found little Hannah?

  “Swift Eagle, wake up.” Her voice was extra loud; she didn’t have time to wake him gently.

  He sat up and stared at her, already alert. “How do you feel?” Then he stood and put his hand on her forehead and cheeks.

  “Where’s Big Red? Did Tara make it back? What about Hannah?”

  He looked as though he was trying to figure out what to say.

  “Just tell me,” she demanded, as annoyance overshadowed her pain.

  He nodded and sat on the chair that was near the bed. “Big Red and I found you and brought you back. Tara followed fairly quickly. They went back out to find Hannah. They went with lots of good supplies, and you know they can take care of themselves. You were shot, and I took the bullet out. I also packed your wound with herbs. I will stitch you back up probably tomorrow. I did cut your buckskins. I made a fine cut down the middle so it can be resewn.”

  “Who got me out of my clothing and in…” She looked down at Big Red’s shirt. “… this?”

  “It was Luella who put clothes on you for bed, and I didn’t see a thing.”

  “How long have I been out?” How long had Big Red been in the cold?

  “Just overnight. So far no fever, and you slept peacefully.”

  “What aren’t you telling me?” She cocked her head to one side and listened. Faint sounds of howling wind filtered through the windows. “It’s storming out, isn’t it?”

  He nodded. “It is.”

  “They are all I have, Swift Eagle. Big Red is my pa and Tara has been like a ma to me. And sweet, sweet little Hannah… what about her?” Tears started to flow.

  “You have to have faith. I know it’s easier said than done, but I find praying helps. You have a huge family you’ve made for yourself. Everyone living nearby loves you.”

  “You’re right.” She pushed herself into a sitting position only groaning a few times as the pain burned into her shoulder. “This isn’t a time for pity. It’s a time for action. How fast can you saddle me a horse?”

  He blinked and then he stared. “I knew I was right. You are half crazy.”

  She scowled at him. “Don’t you know better than to call a person crazy? What if they really are crazy? Maybe they’d take a knife to you.”

  “Is that what you’re thinking of doing to me?”

  “When are you leaving?” She tried to cross her arms in front of her but when her shoulder burned, she ended up groaning instead.

  “Listen, with your injury you’d be more of a hindrance especially in the storm.”

  Rhetta sighed. “I hate being wrong. It doesn’t happen often, you know.”

  His lips twitched. “I believe that to be true.”

  “At least help me out of this bed.”

  “You’ll be in that bed for at least a week.”

  She shook her head. “I have too much to do. Chores won’t do themselves, and Christmas is coming and I have nothing ready.” Panic washed over her, followed quickly by remorse. “And Hannah… If they don’t find her—” Sadness brought on tears. How odd, she had not cried in a long time.

  “You can do nothing for Hannah except wait and pray… and keep faith,” Swift Eagle admonished. “Show your faith by preparing for Christ… mas and believing they will find young Hannah. Now, what do you have to do? I believe it involves a tree. You can look out the window and see plenty of those.”

  “I volunteered to make the fruitcake this year. And I always make snowflakes for the tree. Big Red and I were going to make a doll house for Maura and I was going to fashion a few handkerchief dolls for both her and Hannah.” She closed her eyes and bowed her head. “What if Hannah isn’t here? And something could happen to Tara and Big Red.” She shivered.

  “Faith,” Swift Eagle reminded her as he pulled the covers up to her neck. He was a sweet man.

  Raising her head, she held his gaze. “You will stay through Christmas, won’t you?”

  He hesitated and then glanced away. “I can do that for you. Now rest.” He turned back to her, frowning with confusion. “How do you make snowflakes?”

  “It depends on how much cloth I have. I have enough for the dolls, but if I have extra, I cut the cloth and starch it. Sometimes I use whatever paper we have around. One year I made them from brown wrapping paper.”

  “I’ll help, if I can. I know nothing about doll houses. I could probably do the cake thing.”

  “I appreciate the offer. We have everything ready for the house. We just have to finish putting it together. Pa always carves animals out of wood. I have almost any animal you can think of.” She gasped as a sudden thought struck her. “Where is Swifty?”

  “You mean the wolf you think is a dog?”

  As if he had been waiting for her to miss him, Swifty ran into the room. He craned his neck looking from one to the other and then he jumped on the bed and circled until he curled up on Rhetta’s lap and settled down.

  “You’ve been feeding him, haven’t you?” She eyed Swift Eagle. Surely he wouldn’t let the wolf pup starve.

  “Yes!” He laughed, and his nearly black eyes crinkled on the sides. “I have been feeding, watering, and cleaning up after that wolf. So far I haven’t been bitten.”

  She couldn’t help the smile that spread across her face. He was halfway fun, she supposed.

  “I’ll let you rest now. I want to check on the others and see if they need anything. Dawn should be over with her broth. She checked in last night, but you were sleeping. She brought Maura, who is absolutely heartbroken. Maybe she can help with the starch thing.”

  She wrinkled her brow. “You mean the snowflakes?”

  “That’s what I said.” His eyes twinkled as a smile lifted his lips.

  “Good idea. Send her over.”

  He stared at her as though she was crazy again. “After you’re stitched, at least, or your wound might bleed again.” He got up and left.

  That man was touchy and thought he was right all the time. Bossy too. She frowned. He was also the most handsome man she’d ever seen. A sigh slipped out. He didn’t seem to mind that she wasn’t prissy. He also admired her skills. That just about decided it. She had to keep him there. If he left, her chance for a marriage would go with him. Surely, she could cure his bossiness.

  * * *

  Swift Eagle stopped at Zander’s house first. He was probably anxious about his wife and daughter. The door swung open before he knocked and Maura ran out into the snow crying. She ran until she crumpled, her sad wails
revealing true sorrow.

  Immediately, he went over and squatted in front of her. He lifted her chin with his hand and gazed into her eyes. “None of this is your fault. You know that, right?”

  “No, it is my fault, and Zander lit into me. I’m careless, undependable, immature, lazy, and an all-around bad person.” She started crying harder.

  His heart hurt for the girl. He sat next to her and hugged her. She clung to him, and she didn’t act as though she would let go of him soon. He glanced at Zander’s house, spotting Dawn and Heath standing on the porch. They both gave him a nod. A nod was usually a good thing, but did it mean thank you but bring her right back or stay with her until she was finished crying? He’d taken great pains learning the English language, but dealing with white people had him at a loss. He rocked Maura back and forth for a bit and then lifted her into his arms. Now what? Big Red’s house or Maura’s house?

  He carried her toward Big Red’s house. “Dawn, will you bring the broth? Rhetta is awake.”

  She smiled kindly. “I’ll bring it over.”

  He carried Maura into the house and set her on a chair. “Let’s get these wraps off you and get you warm.”

  “What’s going on out there? I hate being in this bedroom. Any sign of Big Red and Tara? What about Hannah? You weren’t gone very long. Are you sure you gathered all the information?”

  He poured Maura some tea. “See what I go through? She needs to know everything.”

  “Who’s out there with you? Swift Eagle, are you listening to me?”

  “Yes, I hear you, and all of Oregon has probably heard you too. I’ll be right there.”

  Maura smiled and was perhaps on the verge of laughing.

  “I might have to ask you to rescue me.” He ambled to Rhetta’s room. “They should have named you Patience.” He heard laughter from Maura.

  “Who is here?”

  “It’s Maura. I was going to see Zander when she ran from his house in tears and fell in the snow. He’s blamed the whole thing on her and unjustly so. Those men would have taken someone. Dawn will be here with the broth soon. Can I send Maura in?”

  Rhetta nodded. Leaning down, he brushed her hair away from her face with his fingers and then kissed her on the forehead. After seeing her expression, he quickly left. What had he been thinking? She had looked at him as though she wanted him for her own. Yet she was still a child, as her pa had made sure to warn him. She didn’t know she looked at him like that, she couldn’t.

  He showed Maura to Rhetta’s room and left the two alone. He heard whispering, crying and finally a bit of laughter. When a knock came on the door, he answered it and ushered Dawn inside.

  “I think Rhetta is making Maura feel better,” he whispered as he took the pot of broth from her. He set it on the warm cook stove. “Dawn, would you like some tea?”

  She nodded and removed her wrap and gloves. “It’s been rough. I feel for everyone in this situation, and I’m so afraid they won’t find Hannah or someone else will get hurt. I know we all feel that way but my heart breaks for my daughter. I know Zander is upset, but he shouldn’t have taken it all out on Maura.” Tears filled her eyes and spilled over.

  “It’s easiest to blame someone who is defenseless. I’m sorry you are all going through all this. Have you thought of who it might be?” He broached the subject that had been weighing heavily on his mind. “Whoever did this didn’t just ride by and snatch a child. They were waiting for the right opportunity.”

  “Someone we know? How can that be possible?”

  “Maybe you and Heath can figure it out or mention it to Cora and Harrison and Luella and Declan. Could be someone might know something. If we knew who, you might figure out where they took her.”

  He set the tea in front of her, and Dawn nodded her thanks. “It really is wonderful to see you. Tell me, have you been happy since I saw you last?”

  “In my own way. I bought a white captive from my tribe and learned English and other things such as ladies like tea. I see you cringing. We were friends, and I never beat him. He turned out to be a good hunter, and when he bested Kills Many in a hunt, Kills Many was unmerciful. I rode in and thought he was dead. That was when I knew I could not hold my tongue anymore where Kills Many was concerned. I was next in line to be chief. The chosen one. But that wasn’t to Kills Many’s liking. He wanted bloodshed, and I wanted peace.” He drank his tea.

  Without saying a word, Dawn sipped hers.

  “One night I had a dream to come here,” Swift Eagle continued. “Luella was pleading with me to come. I didn’t know what to make of the whole thing. I took my captive to Fort Hood and we were sad knowing we’d never see each other again but he had a wife waiting. There was a great uproar about my actions and every chance he got, Kills Many made me look weak. To him compassion was weak. Then there were so many wagons going across the land. No one wanted peace. They just wanted them all dead. I knew I’d find a knife in my back soon enough from Kills Many.”

  Dawn shuddered. “Yes, his temper was… ugly.”

  Swift Eagle remembered well Dawn’s mistreatment while with the Lakota. Though he wouldn’t ever admit it to her, from the time he had rescued Dawn from the cruel hands of Kills Many and his family, Swift Eagle had been in danger. “I had a very long discussion with my father, and he too thought it best I leave for my survival. I had the same dream two more times and I came here.”

  “I’m glad you’re here.” She swallowed hard and drew a deep breath. “You put your life in danger to save me. You’re a good man. If Big Red and Tara don’t find Hannah, will you go look?”

  He was honored by the trust in Dawn’s eyes. “Yes. Once I get a map drawn, I can go. I didn’t think they’d take her far, but Big Red and Tara have not returned, and there is a big storm coming tonight.”

  “I saw the signs too.” She glanced at her daughter, seated near Swifty and petting the wolf pup’s head. “I’m glad Maura came here. It sounds like it helped her.”

  “I will be busy making presents for Christ’s holy day. Would you know where I’d get fruit for the cakes?”

  Dawn put her hand over her mouth and muffled her laughter. “In the root cellar. I suggest you move Rhetta’s bed here near the fire so she can see what’s going on. She hates to be alone.”

  “A good idea. I need to learn how to make dolls too.” He grinned at Dawn as she laughed.

  “I need to get Maura back before the storm hits. Keep them in your prayers. Someone will be back to check on you in the morning.” She tilted her head and studied him with a smile gracing her lips. “You know about Christ’s birthday?”

  “My captive had a Bible. I found it to be a trustworthy book. I would like to help celebrate, as I think of Jesus as my friend.”

  “Maura, honey, we need to go. It’s going to storm.” Dawn put her wrap on and kissed him on the cheek. “You are a strong, kind man. I’m glad you’re here.”

  Maura’s eyes were wide. “What’s Pa going to say when I tell him about the kiss?”

  Dawn glowed in the presence of her daughter. “I know he wouldn’t mind one bit. Swift Eagle is the one who rescued me and brought me to your pa.”

  The door opened with such force it hit the wall behind it. “I thought I’d walk my girls home,” Heath yelled above the loud wind. “Best bring in extra wood!”

  Swift Eagle bid them goodbye. After they left, it took a lot of force to get the door closed against the blustery wind.

  * * *

  Rhetta pushed her eyes open and then wrinkled her brow. Why was she in Big Red’s bed? She started to sit up and had to bite her lip to keep from screaming at the intense burning ache in her shoulder. Lightheadedness overcame her, and she closed her eyes for a moment.

  Swift Eagle rushed to her side. “You all right?”

  “Not really. Why am I in here?”

  He patted her arm and then sat on the bed and let her lay her head against his shoulder. “I’m moving you into the main room by the fire. I do not know
of half the things we need for Christmas, and I thought we could work on them together. You’ll have your privacy when you want it. The bed is made. Ready?”

  Why not? She hated being alone all day, and this wound was going to take a while to heal. “Yes.” She hissed in a deep breath through her teeth when he picked her up.

  “I know it hurts. A few more steps.” He laid her down with the gentlest of care and put her quilts over her. “I have made oatmeal for breakfast.”

  “I appreciate how good you’ve been to me. This is much better. Now I can see everything.”

  “I figured someone who is bossy would want to know what everyone is doing.” He smiled at her. “I’ll get the food.

  Bossy? She was not the one who was bossy. Maybe because she was in charge of the little ones often it seemed so, but it wasn’t her true nature. While she gazed out the front window, her heart dropped. “It stormed last night.”

  “Yes.” He put a tray on her lap. “Big Red is a mountain man, yes?”

  “Yes, both he and Tara are from the mountains.”

  “They’ll be fine. You have to have faith.” He smiled, making her breath catch. “And a prayer or two would be good.”

  “I’ll try. I’m almost afraid that if I pray for something it’ll go the opposite way from what I want. I try not to pray because my prayers have become curses.”

  “That simply isn’t true,” he murmured. “God gave you Big Red and Tara plus all the others here. You could still be with the Indians. You know the real love of a family. I don’t know the reason behind your parents not coming to take you back with them, but it was wrong. Have they written to you?”

  “No…” She put her spoon down. “I tried writing them, but they moved after I was found. I guess they really didn’t want me to find them.” The subject of her old family just depressed her, and she felt shame. Shame from living with the Indians and shame her parents didn’t want her back. She constantly thought and thought about what she could have done to them for them to disown her. Tears welled and she clamped her mouth shut.