Christmas at Dove Creek

by Scarlett Dunn

  She kneeled down beside Thorpe and felt his forehead again. He still felt warm so she dipped the cloth in the water and placed it on his forehead. She felt more comfortable observing his masculine features without him staring back at her. His weathered skin showed lines around his eyes and creases at the corners of his mouth. He had a few gray hairs at his temples, making him look older than she thought him to be. Without a doubt, he was the most attractive man she’d ever seen.

  After she pulled her eyes from his face, she decided it would be a good time to check his wound. She picked up his knife and cut the bandage from his shoulder. She washed the front of his shoulder and gently scrubbed the blood from the hair on his chest. She was just about to yell for Jedidiah to help her turn him over so she could wash the back of his shoulder when Thorpe opened his eyes.

  “That feels good.” Thorpe awoke while she was washing his chest, and it felt so good he didn’t want her to stop. He could barely remember the last time someone took care of him. It must have been when he was fifteen when he’d caught a fever and his mother tended him. That was just a year before she’d died.

  “Your wound looks good. If you can turn on your side I’ll wash the back of your shoulder.”

  When he turned on his side his eyes landed on the big dog lying next to him. “Who is this?”

  “That’s Blue, and you should feel flattered.”

  Thorpe reached out and rubbed the animal behind his ears. “Why is that?”

  “Blue doesn’t take to many people.”

  “Well, I’m glad he likes me. He’s a good sized dog and I’m in no condition to tangle with him right now.”

  “He’s a wolf.”

  Thorpe’s hand stilled over Blue’s head. “A wolf?” Blue was big even for a wolf.

  “Yes, I found him nearly dead from a gunshot wound last year. I guess you could say he adopted me after he recovered.”

  Thorpe looked into his blue eyes as he stroked his head. Intelligent eyes, he thought. “I guess he’s friendly.”

  “Sometimes.”

  “I’ve never seen a wolf with blue eyes.”

  “I hadn’t either until I found Blue.”

  “How long have I been out?” He felt a bit foggy, as if he’d been asleep a long time.

  “A few hours. I thought it would be best if we got out of that area and we just stopped for the night.”

  “Did you see any braves?”

  “No.” She soaped up her cloth again and started washing the back of his shoulder. Noticing the many scars on his back, it was evident that arrow hadn’t been his first encounter with danger. “You aren’t bleeding so I’ll leave the bandage off for a while. I’m boiling some water for another poultice.”

  “Thanks for taking care of me.” Thorpe had to admit that it was nice to have her looking after him, if for no other reason than he liked watching her.

  “How do you feel?”

  “Much better.” His wound hurt, but he wasn’t going to confess that to her.

  “Dinner is cooking and I’ll bring you some coffee.” She dried off his back and Thorpe slowly turned over.

  Lily reached for a quilt and folded it several times to make a pillow and placed it under his head. “How’s that?”

  “Good, thank you.” Thorpe noticed she hadn’t changed her clothes and his blood was on her white shirt. “I think I ruined your shirt.”

  In her haste to find his horse and get out of the area, she hadn’t thought one thing about her clothing. “I need to get cleaned up.”

  “I must be in your wagon. I can sleep outside.”

  “That’s not necessary. I’ll clean up in one of the other wagons. You stay put. It’s going to be a cold night.” She moved toward the flap and turned back to him. “I found your packhorse. Actually, I think he was trailing us.”

  “Miss Lily, you are a surprise. But you shouldn’t have put yourself in further danger.” He couldn’t believe she’d gone to the trouble to find his horse, especially not knowing if those braves would be waiting.

  “I was very careful, and as I said, I didn’t have to go far.”

  There was no way he could express what it meant to him that she’d found Shadow. “Smoke and Shadow are good horses and good friends. It means a lot to me that you found him.”

  “I could tell your animals are important to you. You don’t have to worry about them. I’ve already brushed them down and fed them. Jed set up the makeshift corral right by the wagon so they can hear your voice. I figured they’re used to your voice and it would calm them to know you’re near. Jed and I put your supplies in our supply wagon so Shadow can take it easy for a while.”

  “Feel free to use whatever you need from my supplies.” He thought that was the least he could do considering she’d done so much for him.

  “Thank you. I’ll be back in a little while with some food.” She glanced at Blue, but he didn’t seem inclined to move. In a way it hurt her feelings that Blue didn’t leave with her; he always wanted to be by her side.

  Seeing the direction of her eyes, Thorpe said, “I think he’s warm. I put off a lot of heat.”

  “Yes, you do.” She’d noticed that when she touched his skin.

  When she left the wagon, Thorpe put his arm around Blue. The wolf rested his head on his chest. “You’ve got quite a lady there, boy.” He appreciated Lily’s thoughtfulness to corral his horses near him. She was right when she guessed his voice would calm them down. He was the one that always checked on the horses before turning in at night, so his voice was the last thing they heard. It was such a relief to know Shadow was unharmed. When the arrows started flying and he had to let Shadow go, he knew he would go back to find him once he was able. He wouldn’t have left him behind even if it meant tracking down those braves. But Miss Lily saved him that trip.

  He hadn’t been delirious when he saw her earlier, because she was definitely a looker. He was curious to know why the four of them were making such a trek across country at this time of year. He didn’t feel right plying her with questions from the start, but he wanted to know why in God’s name they only had one man with them. And if he remembered correctly, Jedidiah wasn’t even wearing a gun. Granted, Lily was an excellent shot with a rifle, but if they ran into trouble, they’d need a whole lot more than one person with a gun. He hadn’t wanted to travel with other people as he preferred going at his own pace, but it seemed Providence had intervened. All things happened for a reason, and while Miss Lily might have saved his sorry hide, he had a feeling they might need him more than he needed them.

  * * *

  Thorpe was starving by the time Lily returned to the wagon carrying three plates. Jedidiah was standing outside the wagon holding cups of coffee for them.

  “How are you feeling, Mr. Thorpe?” Jedidiah asked through the open flap.

  “Much better, Jed. Thanks for getting that arrow out.”

  “You’re much obliged. Here’s your coffee, Miss Lily. And I have Mr. Thorpe’s saddlebags here if there’s something he might need.” Jedidiah placed the saddlebags in the corner of the wagon along with Thorpe’s bedroll. “Mr. Thorpe, your saddle is in the supply wagon.”

  “I’m indebted to you, Jed. You and Miss Lily have done more than enough for me. I’ll be up and around tomorrow to help you out.”

  “There’s no hurry, Mr. Thorpe. You just let yourself heal.”

  When Lily put a plate in front of Blue, Thorpe was surprised the wolf didn’t start eating right away. He was eager to get started on his dinner, but Lily wanted to put a fresh bandage on his shoulder first. Thorpe noticed she had changed into a clean white shirt and she smelled so good, even Blue was sniffing her.

  Lily handed him his plate and a cup of coffee when she finished with the bandage. “I bet you’re hungry.”

  “Yes, ma’am, I am. And the coffee smells almost as good as you.” It wasn’t his intention to say that, but he wasn’t sorry he did. He couldn’t help but smile watching her cheeks turn pink. Glancing at the food
on the plate she offered him, Thorpe knew he could eat twice that amount, but he didn’t want to appear ungrateful. It made him wonder if they were low on supplies. He really liked the fact that she’d brought her plate to have dinner with him, but the small amount of food on her plate didn’t seem sufficient for a woman who had been so busy all day. He took a large sip of his coffee. “Do you think I could have some of that whiskey in my coffee?”

  She grabbed the whiskey bottle and poured some in his coffee. “It probably didn’t help your shoulder bouncing around in this wagon, but I wanted to get out of the area. Are you in a lot of pain?”

  “You did the smart thing. My shoulder isn’t that painful. Besides, your bed is real comfortable.”

  Lily sat near him on a quilt and picked up her plate. “Isabelle made dinner, and when she cooks it’s usually good, especially the biscuits.” Lily had piled five biscuits on Thorpe’s plate along with a huge helping of stew.

  Thorpe started to pop a biscuit in his mouth, but when Lily bowed her head to pray over her meal, he dropped it back to the plate. He’d often finish his meal before he thought of saying a prayer. He noticed Blue didn’t touch his food until Lily raised her head. It shamed him that the wolf had better manners. Picking up the biscuit again, he took a big bite and chewed. “These are good.” He handed a biscuit to Blue. “What do you think, boy?” Blue made quick work of the offering, and Thorpe grinned at Lily. “I think he likes them.”

  Lily had a hard time keeping her eyes on her food; they seemed to drift to Thorpe’s face or his bare muscled chest like they had a mind of their own. “Blue likes all food. I’m afraid I’ve ruined his hunting ability.”

  “He probably wouldn’t be happy in the wild again or he would take off. You don’t keep him tied.”

  “No, I don’t tie him. I wanted him to do what he wanted once he healed. No animal or person should be forced to stay where they don’t want to stay.”

  That statement made Thorpe wonder why she was leaving her home for Wyoming. “Where exactly are you headed in Wyoming?”

  “Fort Steele. Isabelle is to be married to a soldier. She needs to be there before Christmas.”

  Thorpe knew the military was dispatched to the fort to protect the rail workers. “What does her future husband think about her traveling with two women and one man all the way to Wyoming?” He couldn’t imagine any man worth his salt allowing his fiancée to take on such a journey.

  “Ah . . . I’m not sure.” She didn’t want to reveal too much about the reason they were going to Fort Steele and have him think ill of Isabelle.

  “Why does she have to be there by Christmas?”

  Now she’d done it. She didn’t know what answer to give him. “It’s personal.”

  She doesn’t want to answer, Thorpe thought. “Are you sisters?”

  “No, we’re all friends.”

  “Are you from Missouri?”

  “No, I’m from Texas.”

  Thorpe knew there was a story here, more than she obviously wanted to reveal, but he wasn’t going to keep asking questions. He wasn’t a man to pry, and if she wanted him to know she would tell him. He just hoped this odd foursome wasn’t wanted by the law. “My ranch is west of Fort Steele.”

  Lily was thankful he stopped asking so many questions. “Is Wyoming as beautiful as everyone says?”

  “I think so. The weather can be harsh, and we get a lot of snow, but a man can ride for days and not see anyone.”

  “It sounds wonderful. Do you have a large ranch?”

  “It’s not the biggest, about one hundred thousand acres.”

  “Oh my, that sounds so large. What brought you to Missouri?”

  Thorpe didn’t want to discuss the reason he came to Missouri. “I needed to take care of some business.”

  Lily heard the change in his voice. She thought he might not feel like talking. When she finished eating, she scraped the remainder of her dinner on Blue’s plate. Grabbing her coffee, she leaned back and took a sip. “Jedidiah makes the best coffee.”

  “It’s good and strong, just like I prefer.” He finished his dinner and put his plate aside.

  “Mr. Turlow, you are welcome to travel with us if you are of a mind.”

  He wondered if that was what she wanted, and more importantly, how she knew she could trust him. “Call me Thorpe. You don’t know anything about me. How do you know I can be trusted?”

  “I assure you I am not an empty-headed female. I know a great deal about you.”

  Thorpe arched a dark brow at her. “How so?”

  “It’s been my experience that one can learn a great deal about a man by how he treats his animals. When I put your horses outside this wagon and they heard your voice, they both perked up. Then, there’s the fact that Blue likes you. That tells me all I need to know, because Blue doesn’t care much for anyone but me. If you have his trust, then I’m sure I can trust you.”

  Thorpe liked her thinking. He often judged people by the way they treated their animals. There was no denying he wanted to know more about Miss Lily and the reason she was going to Wyoming. “Are you married, Lily?” What on earth made him ask that question? As much as he told himself he was going to stay away from women, he wanted to know all about Lily. Still, he felt the need to explain asking such a personal question. “I was wondering what your husband would think of a man traveling with you.”

  Her eyes moved over his handsome face. “Jedidiah is a man.”

  Their eyes locked. “I’m a different man.”

  Was he ever! She’d never seen another man who was as physically appealing. “It won’t be a problem. I’m not married.”

  He couldn’t believe a beautiful woman like her wasn’t married. Even though she came to the right conclusion that he could be trusted, he didn’t think she should be so trusting of any man that happened along. A woman that looked like her should be more careful before she invited a complete stranger to join them. The wrong man could do what he wanted with these women once Jedidiah was out of the picture. Perhaps they thought Jedidiah offered enough protection by his presence, but he wouldn’t be much of a deterrent if someone was intent on doing them harm. Miss Lily may not know it, but she definitely needed his protection.

  Chapter Three

  After Lily left the wagon for the night, Thorpe poured himself another cup of whiskey to help him relax. He thought about the reason Lily gave him for their trip to Wyoming. What kind of soldier would encourage his fiancée to travel with two women and one man from Missouri to Wyoming? That explanation didn’t make sense to him. Why did they leave Missouri so late? Couldn’t they have waited until next spring? Was it possible Miss Lily was as duplicitous as his former fiancée?

  He sipped his whiskey slowly and thought about the situation. He had no reason to jump to the conclusion that Lily was being deceptive. Was he judging her because of Evelyn? Maybe he hadn’t been able to put Evelyn’s betrayal behind him like he’d thought. She hadn’t been on his mind recently and he considered that a good sign. And he wasn’t happy that he was thinking about her now. Rationally, he knew it wasn’t fair to compare every woman he met to his lying fiancée. It made him realize he was still harboring anger and he needed to let it go. Forgiving Evelyn wasn’t for her benefit, it was for his. Evelyn hadn’t asked for his forgiveness, but he knew it was important to forgive, or he would be the one to pay the price. Easier said than done.

  He closed his eyes and the past filled his mind. He’d met Evelyn five years ago when her father purchased a ranch that shared a boundary with his. The first time he saw her she was sitting on her front porch wearing a yellow dress. At seventeen she was already a beauty with dark hair, golden eyes, and a figure that made a man take notice. Word spread as fast as a raging wildfire about the beautiful rancher’s daughter, and she soon had her choice of men trying to court her. Thorpe hadn’t staked his claim early on, running his ranch occupied most of his time, and he wasn’t ready to marry and settle down. But Evelyn’s father approved o
f Thorpe, and in an effort to encourage the relationship, he’d invited him often to the ranch for dinner.

  The Tremayne ranch wasn’t the only place Thorpe spent his limited free time. He wasn’t as taken with Evelyn as she was with him, and he occasionally accepted dinner invitations from other single women in town. There was no denying Evelyn was the most attractive woman he’d courted, but Thorpe had a difficult time understanding why she wanted to marry a rancher when she seemed to hate ranch life. He couldn’t quite figure out how she spent her days. She didn’t cook; her father employed a cook. She didn’t ride horses, because she said they were smelly, and she was adverse to chores, telling him that was why they had hired hands. Taking her own words into consideration, he didn’t think she was the logical choice for a rancher’s wife, if he’d been looking for a wife. Evelyn’s mother had died when Evelyn was a young girl, and Thorpe thought her father spoiled her to make up for their loss.

  Evelyn didn’t have the same hesitation about Thorpe. She’d set her sights on him from the first day she saw him. Thorpe always thought she wanted him because he could offer her a comparable lifestyle to what her father provided. Her major complaint about Thorpe was that he was too much of a gentleman because he refused to succumb to her feminine charms. It took him over four years to agree to marry her even though she’d been bold enough to ask him several times. The very night he’d agreed to marry, she’d immediately set the date. Three weeks before the wedding was to take place, Evelyn came to his ranch and told him she had a surprise for him. It had been an unforgettable night. She told him to sit in his favorite leather chair and close his eyes. When she allowed him to open his eyes he was stunned to see she was nearly undressed. He believed her when she said she would be too nervous on their wedding day to enjoy their first night together. Maybe he just wanted to believe her. When she sat on his lap and started kissing him, he didn’t resist. She’d stayed until the early morning hours. He’d regretted his rash decision that night, thinking he should have politely refused and taken her home before things got out of hand. But it happened, and wishing it hadn’t was a waste of time. That one night sealed his fate. He was determined to do the right thing by her, and that meant showing up at the church three weeks later. His sense of honor wouldn’t allow him to call off the wedding even though he was having doubts before she’d spent the night in his bed.