He stood for another few minutes, admiring the length of the cross and picturing in his mind exactly what the cross meant. He wasn’t raised in a religious family. However, he knew what the Bible was all about. Moreover, people who prayed didn’t always get what they wanted, and he understood that. They got what they deserved. They got what they worked for on their own. God’s influence may not truly have been what was needed.
He shook his head to clear his thoughts. “Help me, God,” he said once more before turning away from the church. He stopped in his tracks, seeing a woman hurrying toward him. She was clutching a book to her chest and staring down at the walkway as she went, her eyes never leaving the ground. She almost ran into him and when he tried to step around her, she stepped in the right direction.
Being the gentleman, he stepped to the side and stopped until the lady passed. She looked up at him.
“Oh, pardon me.”
“It is my pleasure, miss. Can I help you with anything?”
“Oh no, I am managing, thank you. It’s just a book,” she giggled.
He liked the sound of it. It was a pleasure for sore ears. “I wouldn’t mind carrying it.”
The woman looked around him at the horse, causing him to look at it, too. “Why are you not riding your horse, might I ask?”
“I am… I am too tired to get up in the saddle. I have some severe wounds and I don’t want to treat them unless necessary.”
“If your wounds are severe, you must come inside the church with me and I’ll show you want we have. I don’t mind helping you. How far are you from home?”
“I don’t… don’t have a home.”
She nodded. “A drifter, are you? Well, let’s get you cleaned up and talk about that later, shall we?”
She held out a hand to him and he took it, albeit rather reluctantly. She led him up the steps, stopping to wait for him to tether his horse. She put her hand on his back, looking at the way he held his left arm against his chest. She held it as they went through the front door.
He was surprised by how much the warm feeling of having her hand on his back overwhelmed him. He looked around the inside of the church. It was a large building with two stories. The first story was the place where they gathered to worship, called the sanctuary, with a few doors to the side indicating there were additional rooms. The other rooms on the second floor were likely used for business purposes, like office meetings and nurseries for the babies.
“This is a nice church.”
“Thank you. When was the last time you went?”
“I haven’t been in some time.”
“Would you like to attend with us this Sunday?”
Jake smiled. “I would like that.”
“Come, sit down in the office and let me help you.”
“Thank you for helping me. My name is Jake, by the way.”
“I’m Marie. I don’t mind helping. That’s what I’m here for. Tell me your story while I fix you up. If you don’t mind, of course. I don’t want to pry into your business.”
“I have been down on my luck for some time now,” Jake said, losing his smile. “It’s been a long road for me. I used to have a wife and a house out in Louisville. I… I lost them.”
Marie looked at him as she dabbed some of the blood from his hair. “Someone else has already started cleaning you and bandaging you,” she murmured.
He nodded. “Yes.”
They were silent for a while. Jake knew she had to have many questions, but was too polite to ask them. “Will you tell me who did this to you?”
“A man at the Horse N Saddle.”
“Over a card game, I suppose?”
Jake nodded weakly. He wished he had a beer to calm his nerves.
She leaned down and looked at his forlorn face. “You’ve been drinking a lot tonight, haven’t you?”
Jake nodded again, but couldn’t find the words to express how he was feeling.
She gave her own quick nod and continued cleaning him. She wasn’t going to question him. He would give her answers when he felt comfortable doing so… or not at all. It was up to him.
Her heart was filled with compassion for the beaten man. She helped him undress to his long drawers and folded the dirty, torn clothes over her arm, giving him a large towel to cover himself. “There is some men’s clothing in the back that has been donated for those in need. Why don’t you come and see if any of them will fit you?”
Jake followed her quietly. His head was still spinning, but the craving for another beer had him in a tight grip. If he had one, he wouldn’t have to feel the nausea, the pain in his head, or the spinning in his mind.
“Would you like to take a bath? We have a bathhouse in the back.”
Jake nodded. “Is that for the indigent, too?”
She smiled at him. It was the most beautiful smile Jake had ever seen. He was suddenly struck by her beauty and it sobered him some. His eyes focused on her face, how her blond hair waved around her shoulders, the upper portion held back in a band to keep it out of her face. Her eyes were an intense hazel. Her lips were supple.
“It is,” she replied softly and turned back to lead him to the clothes closet.
He scanned her body as she walked in front of him. Her dress rested against her hips and they swayed as she moved. She had a nicely-shaped body. He licked his lips and tried not to keep looking at her. He’d been drinking. Surely the alcohol made her look much more beautiful than she really was.
He found a pair of pants, a shirt, and a pair of suspenders in the clothes closet. When he made to put them on, she held out one hand. “Take your bath first. Try to relax in there and give your bruises and bones time to heal. I will bring in some fresh hot water later, if you like. Here are towels to use. It’s right this way.”
“It’s going to take some time for the water to heat up, isn’t it? I’d like to stay with you until it has heated sufficiently.” Jake hoped he didn’t sound weak. He felt weak. However, he didn’t want to sound weak. Not in front of a beautiful woman. His angel.
“You are right. Come to the kitchen.”
Once they were in the kitchen, Jake took a seat and watched as Marie swiftly took out several very tall, large pots and set them on the pot-bellied stove. She bent over to put wood in the oven and light the fire.
Jake admired her from behind, hoping she wouldn’t glance back at him and see him staring at her. He felt a pull toward her, but knew enough to keep his hands to himself. She was helping him. He was certain she wouldn’t be thinking the same thoughts about him. He was tall, too skinny for his own good and not much of a fighter. Considering how many fights he’d been in, it was a wonder he didn’t try harder to build some muscle and learn to fight back. He usually just took the hits and got away as fast as he could.
He, in fact, was nothing much to look at. In addition, he was completely certain Marie was thinking the same thing about him. If she’d even been thinking about it at all.
She turned back to him once the fire was lit and sat across from him at the table. She smiled at him. “I do not have anything here to help take away your pain, Jake. We have no liquor here and no herbal remedies for pain.”
He shook his head. “I have a high pain tolerance,” he lied. He was in a tremendous amount of pain and was anxious to feel the warmth of a hot bath. He kept himself from asking if they had any ale or any beer on the premises. It was a church. Of course there wouldn’t be.
“So tell me, Jake,” she said in a soft, caring voice. “You said you are from Louisville. What brought you to Wickenburg?”
“I have a cousin who lives here. Adam Collins. Do you know him?”
Her face brightened. “I certainly do! He, Alice, and their children are here regularly for church. They attend the bazaars and parties and volunteer often. They are active members here.”
“What a coincidence.” It was all Jake could think of to say.
Marie laughed, a light twinkling sound that make Jake want to reach across the table
and kiss her full on the lips. “It’s not really. Wickenburg is a small town and there are only two churches to choose from. One is on this side of town and the other is off down yonder. They live up the path, so it doesn’t surprise me that they come here. Are you staying with them?”
“I was,” Jake replied. “But I don’t think it’s going to work out now. I… I didn’t act properly. They don’t want me to be around the children.”
Marie pressed her lips together, losing her smile.
“I’ll help you carry the water.”
Marie shook her head. “Not with a broken arm, you won’t. You sit there and relax. The water has some time to go.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
MARIE DECIDES TO HELP JAKE
MARIE DECIDES TO HELP JAKE
Marie closed the door softly, leaving Jake alone to lower himself into the steaming tub. She had bandaged his arm tightly, putting in a small flat board to keep it stiff. As soon as she closed the door, she moved to the office of the church and took her long coat from the hook on the wall. She put it on and tied the sash around her. It wasn’t very cold out, but she was feeling vulnerable. Jake obviously had a lot of troubles. She couldn’t deny that she felt compelled to do what she could to take care of him.
She left quietly, hurrying down the side of the road, stepping lightly through the grass. It was somewhat damp from the early morning dew. She didn’t mind, but the grass made her ankles itch. She’d only slipped on a small pair of shoes. It didn’t give her much protection from the moisture.
She thought about his wounds. He had truly been severely beaten. He had cuts and scratches all over his body. His arm was definitely broken. She was not a nurse, but it seemed that his elbow had been twisted in such a way that it either was broken or fractured.
She was surprised by how much concern she felt for the stranger. He wasn’t the most handsome man she’d ever seen, though he had compassionate, kind eyes and wide, kissable lips. She giggled to herself. It was the first time in a very long time she had thought of anything like that.
She thought of Adam Collins. He was a good man. If he’d had to tell Jake to leave, Jake must have done something terribly wrong. Something he didn’t want his children exposed to. She found it hard to believe that Jake could be that kind of man.
She giggled again. She didn’t even know Jake. In fact, she knew so little about him, she might come back to find all of the church property stolen and Jake gone.
She shook her head. Not with a broken arm. Not with those sad eyes. The man was in a lot of pain and down on his luck.
It didn’t take long to get to the doctor’s house. She went up the steps, her heart beating hard. It was so early in the morning. She hated to bother him. As she lifted her hand to knock on the door, Marie thought he probably got called out in the middle of the night often.
It took a few knocks and at least five minutes for the door to be opened. The old man looked like he had just been through a tornado. She took a step back and he pushed open the door.
“Marie,” he said in surprise. “What’s wrong? Are you hurt?”
She shook her head. “Not me, Doc. There’s a man at the church who has been hurt and needs your help. Will you come?”
He held the door open and waved her in. “Come in while I get my coat and shoes on. Tell me about him.”
“I found him outside the church. He was walking with his horse. I asked why he wasn’t riding and he said he was too tired to get on the horse, but he was severely wounded and I believe he has a broken arm. I put a splint on it and bandaged him up, cleaned him up. But he is so very beaten, Doc, and seems to be in a great deal of pain.”
“If his arm is broken, I am quite sure he is in terrible pain. What is he doing now?”
“I left him taking a bath in the back of the church building.”
Doctor Harold Browning nodded and looked up at her as he pulled on his boots over his pajama bottoms. “Taking a bath is a good thing. I hope the water is very hot.”
“It was. It will cool down and I offered more hot water. But I thought it best that you come and check him over. It looks like he may need a long time to recover from these injuries, but I don’t have the expertise you do. I want your opinion, Doc,” she said and lowered her voice as if someone else would hear.
The doctor was a bachelor at 60 years old and had no plans to change that. He seemed to like things the way they were. “Not only on his wounds, but also his character.”
“I am contemplating taking him in.”
The doctor stopped moving and looked at her. “Into your home?”
Marie nodded. “Yes, I have an extra room and he is going to need a lot of care.”
Doc Browning shook his head. “You should be careful, Marie. You know nothing about this stranger. This could turn out badly for you.” He stood and grabbed a large black bag from next to the door.
She nodded. “I understand that. It’s why I want your opinion of him.”
“I don’t know him, that I know of yet, any better than you do.”
“I know. But you have excellent judge of character skills and I would like to know what you think of him before I offer my home.”
“All right, my dear. I’m ready. Let’s go.”
Marie rode behind the doctor on his horse as they traveled back to the church. They didn’t say anything and the trip was short. Marie went into the church before the doctor and led him to the back, where Jake was still taking a bath. She knocked on the door. “Jake?”
“Yes,” he called from the other side.
“Are you in need of more hot water?”
“I’m about to get out. Thank you anyway.”
He sounded better than he had when she’d left and she was glad of that. She looked over her shoulder at the doctor. “I brought the doctor to look at your wounds. We will be in the kitchen. Take your time.”
“I have to,” he responded. “Can barely move as it is.”
Marie looked at the doctor with sympathetic eyes. He nodded.
“Would you like some coffee, Doc?” Marie turned to go to the kitchen.
“That sounds lovely. Help me wake up.”
Marie smiled at him. “We wouldn’t want you to do your work half asleep, would we?”
Doc Browning laughed. “That is right, dear.”
They were waiting for him in the kitchen, chatting over coffee, when he came around the corner and passed through the doorway. He was wearing the pants but not the suspenders, and his shirt was unbuttoned. He looked sheepish and ashamed. “I… I can’t button this shirt or put on the suspenders. I did the best I could at keeping your bandaging out of the water. My arm hurts like the dickens.”
“I’m sure it does.” Marie stood and went to him, buttoning his shirt for him and helping him put on the suspenders. “I suppose you don’t want to put on the same socks.” She giggled. “I’ll go get you some while the doctor looks at you. This is Doc Harold Browning. Most people in town just call him Doc. I’m sure he won’t mind if you do, too.”
“Of course not,” Doc stood and went to Jake with his hand outstretched. They shook hands, Jake smiling at him.
“I guess there’s at least one thing I can still do since it’s my left arm and not my right.”
“Come and sit, Jake. Let me look over you.”
Marie left the room to search the clothes closet for socks. Jake sat on the chair and watched as Doc took his large bag and set it on the counter behind him. He took out several items, folding his stethoscope around his neck.
Jake’s eyes focused on the bottle of rum the doctor took from his bag. His heart skipped a beat and he stared at it. He knew it would taste like fire running down his throat, but he was certain it would stop the pain. At the same time, he would avoid the shaking that always came when he didn’t have alcohol for extended periods of time. Sometimes they came on faster than other times. The thought of feeling that way scared him. The thought that Marie might notice scared him even more.
&nbs
p; He looked up at Doc when the older man turned around. He didn’t have to wonder long whether Doc had seen him looking at the rum.
Doc nodded. “Yeah, you’ll want that, I’m sure. It will help you with the pain. But I want to do some tests and wrap your arm again professionally before I let you get drunk.” He chuckled, approaching Jake, taking the stethoscope from his neck and placing the ear pieces in his ears. He pressed the cup to Jake’s chest and told him to take a few deep breaths. He grunted a few times.
“What is it?” Jake asked.
“You have a slight rattle in one of your lungs. I will give you a round of antibiotics for that. It could be an infection. I don’t think that has anything to do with your other wounds. You didn’t sustain any permanent damage, but I would bet that it will take a while for your arm to heal.”
“How long? I need to find work.”
“What do you do?”
“I am a carpenter by trade, but will do general repairs when needed. I have to work, Doc. I have no money and nowhere to go.”
“Why are you here in Wickenburg?”
“My cousin lives here. Adam Collins.”
Doc raised his eyebrows, leaning to look directly at Jake. “Oh? Adam is your cousin? I don’t see a family resemblance.”
“I’m not lying,” Jake said defensively.
The doc shook his head. “I didn’t say you were, son. I just don’t see the family resemblance. I haven’t seen Adam for several weeks. That is a man that never gets sick. His wife, Alice, brings the children in if they need to be seen. They are a healthy family.”
Both men smiled.
“I think you are in good shape other than the broken arm and the lung situation. I think you will recover nicely. Especially in the hands of a good woman.”
“Marie doesn’t owe me anything. She doesn’t know who I am. She doesn’t need to care for me.”
Saved By An Angel Page 6