They would be leaving before the mercantile opened so Brock headed there to purchase Sabrina’s clothing while she rested. Since he had bought her clothes recently he knew her approximate size. Not sure exactly what all a woman needed, he enlisted the help of the woman behind the counter. He was more familiar with undressing women than dressing them.
“These are for your sister?” she asked looking at his hand for a ring.
“No, my wife; we are traveling and all of her clothing was destroyed.”
She eyed him skeptically as she walked around the small store. Since they were traveling she suggested a riding skirt and blouse as well as a dress that Brock thought would look better holding potatoes than Sabrina. Nixing the dress, he chose another skirt and blouse. The green in the skirt reminded him of her eyes. He hoped she would like it. When they got back, he would take her around Tulsey and let her pick out her own clothes.
He remembered catching her staring at a dress when they first met and shook his head ruefully. It was hard to think of Sabrina as Will. It was even more surreal to realize that she was his now.
Coming back to the present, he picked up some bloomers that she suggested and a night gown. She suggested one with long sleeves that buttoned up to her neck, since winter was on its way, but Brock chose a more shift like version. Some stockings, a pair of tie up boots, and he was set.
Returning to their room he was glad to see that Sabrina was still asleep. Laying his parcels in the corner he disrobed and climbed into the narrow bed next to her. She sighed in her slumber and nestled into his arms. Kissing her lavender scented hair, he followed her into sleep.
Chapter 20
Awaking automatically before dawn, Brock regretfully untangled himself from Sabrina’s still form and lit the lamp. Dressing quickly, he leaned over to gently shake her shoulder. She blinked a couple of times before sitting up, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. Still half-asleep and too tired to talk she looked around the room for her clothes.
Seeing her plight Brock sat her back on the bed and placed one of the parcels in her hand. She looked up at him in surprise, needing none of his encouragement to open the parcel. She held up the blouse and skirt in wonder. Tears filled her eyes and her lip quivered as she pulled him down for a hug. “Thank you,” she whispered.
“I didn’t think you felt like shopping. I hope they are all right.”
“It’s perfect. I’ve never seen a skirt like that before.”
“The latest fashion in London,” Brock said, trying to copy the saleswoman’s voice as well as her quote.
Sabrina giggled, feeling like a child on Christmas morning. Then the reason for the new clothes sunk in and she dressed hurriedly so they could be on their way.
They met Chase and Thomas at the stable. Chase had reunited with his painted horse. It was lovely with all of its glorious colors. If you could call a stallion lovely. Their horses were already saddled and Sabrina climbed on, feeling almost back to normal. She faced the last segment of their journey with new hope. The air was crisp and cold. They could see their breath in the early morning dawn and Sabrina huddled her jacket tighter against her.
The riding skirt was surprisingly comfortable and was made from a softer material than her dungarees. It made her feel more feminine. Will is gone for good, she decided. Most of the townsfolk paid her no mind anyway. It was only Mac and the Swanson’s opinions that mattered and she hoped they would understand.
The morning passed without incident. Chase drove them at a brisker pace than usual, which left little or no time to talk with Brock. It had been several days since they had been intimate and she found herself craving his touch. Although she needed the sleep yesterday, she would have gladly given up the extra rest to be with him. As if reading her mind he looked over at her and winked.
They had a short stop for lunch and were on again. The sun warmed the air and by noon the weather was quite comfortable. Brock rode up next to her, and told her they would be there in another three hours. She was about to reply when suddenly Thomas’s horse reared up spilling him onto the ground. Chase acted quickly to grab his horse, and she and Brock dismounted to see to Thomas.
By the time they reached him, he was on all fours gasping for breath. He held up a hand for them to stop.
“Knocked the wind out of me,“ he explained through short gasps.
Sabrina stayed with Thomas as Brock and Chase examined his horse. It was favoring its front leg. Chase held up the hoof and pulled out his knife, using it to clear away the dirt and rocks. Even from this distance, Sabrina’s experienced eye could tell there was a problem with the shoe.
Thomas was able to climb to his feet and he and Sabrina went over to the others.
“Lost a nail; the shoe slipped and bruised the pad. She can walk but should not carry any weight right now. We can take the shoe off and put it on later.“
“I can fix it,” Sabrina said, stepping up and examining the shoe closely. “If we take it off it’s gonna throw her gait off and possibly injure her. I’ll get my kit from the saddle bag.”
Chase raised an eyebrow as she hurried back to her horse. Brock grinned in pride, watching her quickly and accurately reseat the shoe. Just as she was finishing up Chase announced a rider in the distance. Glancing up as she put away her kit, she could make out the faint trail of dust.
As the rider drew closer, Chase groaned and Brock smiled. “It’s my sister.”
Sabrina watched nervously as Jaelyn rode up. She was beautiful like her brothers. Her hair was long and straight light Chase’s but more brown like Brock’s. Ignoring Chase, her twin, she rode right past him to throw herself off the horse and into Brock’s arms.
“I’m so glad you came. I was going stir crazy with all of the waiting and decided to see if I could meet up with you.”
“How’s father?” Brock asked, releasing her as Chase and Thomas came over to greet the newcomer. She hesitated, noticing Sabrina and Thomas for the first time.
“I’m sorry, this is my… Sabrina.”
Jaelyn gave Brock a look before greeting Sabrina warmly.
“And this is Thomas. He’s a doctor who kindly volunteered his services.”
She grabbed Thomas’ hand and squeezed it. “I don’t know if you can help or not but I appreciate you all coming.” Thomas was tongue-tied at being in the presence of such an exquisite creature and could only nod.
“He’s not doing well,” she replied sadly, looking at all of them. Her gaze lingered on Thomas for just a second too long before she turned away. “It’s really bad.”
Sabrina grabbed Brock’s hand, not sure how he would take the less than comforting news. He pulled her close and hugged her. Though she had just met Jaelyn, she liked her. She had Chase’s carefree personality that Brock had told her came from his father. He was more serious and practical like his mother. She just hoped she’d have the chance to meet him.
“We need to get going,” Chase reminded the group. “Thomas’ horse is lame. We’ll have to double.”
“He can ride with me. I have the freshest mount,” Jaelyn said. Thomas nodded in agreement since he was still unable to process a coherent thought. Sabrina watched with a sly smile as Thomas awkwardly climbed up behind the slender girl.
“Do you talk?” Jaelyn asked him finally.
“Yes, I do talk. My throat is a bit dry from the dust,” he explained as Jaelyn kicked her horse into a trot. He had to grab her waist to keep from falling off.
Chase snorted. “Don’t know why he’s so quiet now; he wouldn’t shut up the whole way here.”
Sabrina laughed and glanced at Brock to see how he felt about Thomas’ interest in his sister. She found him staring off into the forest ahead of them. His forehead was creased with worry and Sabrina said a quick prayer that they would make it in time.
With no more stops, the group arrived at the homestead before nightfall. It consisted of a small wooden structure that had been added on to make it larger. Even though the large group arrived
noisily, no one came out to greet them.
This worried Sabrina the most. She dismounted her horse and waited in case Brock wanted to greet his parents alone. After tying his horse he came up to her and took her hand. She nodded to him and together they made their way to the door.
Brock opened the door without knocking and stepped inside. He stopped as a foul odor washed over them. Had it been any other situation, Sabrina would have put her hand over her nose to block out the smell; but she did not want to be disrespectful. Stepping further inside, Sabrina could make out the front of the dwelling. It was set up like a store front with tables full of animal hides and goods. He led her to the back where they found his mother sitting at her husband’s side.
Seeing Brock she stood up and went to him, hugging him tightly. They spoke in a language Sabrina did not understand and she felt like an intruder in this tender family scene. The woman looked over at her and Sabrina realized that Brock had been explaining her presence to his mother.
She released Brock and took a step toward Sabrina. Desperately wanting her approval, Sabrina stood waiting for her to make the first gesture. She looked up at the taller woman and met her eyes. They were very dark and lined with fine wrinkles. Other than that and her graying hair, she could have passed for another one of Brock’s sisters.
“Sabrina, this is my mother Anna.”
“I wish we could have met under better circumstances. But I am pleased that Brock has finally found a mate.” The majestic woman spoke with just a hint of an accent.
“Um, thank you,” she replied nervously, glad for the dark room to hide her red face. Sabrina was not sure what she had meant by the mating part. She knew how horses mated and hoped Brock had not told her about them mating.
Smiling for the first time in a long time, the mother slipped quietly out of the room. Still hesitant Sabrina turned her attention to Brock’s father. He was a big barrel of a man. His curly brown hair hung to his shoulders and wrapped around to meet his bearded face. He seemed to be asleep. At least she hoped he was only resting.
Brock seemed unsure of himself; he didn’t know what to do. He did not know if he should try to wake him or let him rest. Knowing that time was their enemy, he reached his hand out and gently shook his shoulder.
“Father?”
Silence.
Another shake.
This one was a bit harder. Sabrina held her breath. Just as she was about to give up hope, his eyes fluttered weakly and then opened.
“Brock? What are you doing here, son?”
“I came to see you; heard you messed up your leg.”
A slow string of curses escaped his mouth. “My leg will be fine. I just need to stay off it for a couple of days. Maybe you can keep your mother from nagging at me.”
Brock forced a sad smile and Sabrina placed her hand on his shoulder to let him know that she was there to help him through this–no matter what path their future held.
“Do you mind if I take a look?” Brock said as he moved further down and started pulling up the covers from the bottom of the bed. The movement stirred up the air in the room and the most nauseating smell hit Sabrina hard. She felt bile moving up her throat. She was forced to take a step back and cover her mouth until she got herself under control. Brock looked at her grimly. She was awfully pale, but she waved a hand, signifying she was okay so he’d return to his father. It was dark in the room and he lit a lamp so he could better see the damaged leg.
Taking several long slow breaths Sabrina was back at his side. She placed a reassuring hand on his arm as he gritted his teeth. She forced herself to look down. The foot was a mottled black and blue color. His ankle had swelled to three times its normal size. The skin around the jagged wound fell open and you could make out maggots crawling inside. The darkness continued up his calf where red streaks ran up his leg past his knee. Brock laid the blanket back down without speaking.
He didn’t know what to say. He knew without even asking Thomas that the leg had to be removed. Reaching out for Sabrina’s hand, he held onto it tightly. She was keeping him tethered to reality. He could not face it on his own. He placed his hand on his father’s arm and was surprised by the heat emanating from it. He was burning up with fever as his body tried to fight off the infection.
“Father, your leg is not going to heal. There is no other choice, it has to be removed,” Brock said stoically.
“They aren’t taking my leg. I’ve seen men come back from the war leavin’ half of themselves behind. Might as well be dead. Can’t work or provide for their families. I will not be a burden. The leg will heal up or I’ll die with it.”
Brock stood there helplessly. He was supposed to be the one to fix this. His father was in complete denial. Perhaps the fever was affecting his mind. He felt Sabrina tighten the grip on his hand, trying to give him some of her strength through sheer will.
Sabrina was angry. Her father was dead and here was Brock’s father giving up his last chance at life for foolish pride. She couldn’t take anymore.
“That is the most selfish thing I have ever heard in my life,” Sabrina said, stepping in front of Brock so she was face to face with his father. “I have no idea what is going through your mind but I can tell you what is going through your family’s. They are doing everything in their power to save you and you are trying to take the easy way out. The coward’s way. I don’t know much about you, mister, but I know that Brock was not raised by a coward.”
“My leg is healing, it doesn’t hurt anymore.”
“Of course it doesn’t hurt, your leg is rotting off. I know you can smell it, half the county can smell it. Don’t feed me this bullshit. My father is dead. You don’t have to be. You have an option that he didn’t have. You have a chance to live. You cannot throw that away. Your family needs you. They love you. If your wife lost her leg would you think her worthless? No. Brock brought a doctor who can help you. The choice is yours. I hope you make the right one.” With that, Sabrina whirled and hurried out of the house.
There was silence in the room. Brock was not sure how to respond so he stayed quiet. Brock’s father looked at him after she left. “Who was that?”
Brock smiled wryly. “That is Sabrina, she is my intended.”
“Humph! She has a lot of spirit. She reminds me of your mother.”
Brock was somber as he sat down next to his father’s bed. He needed to go check on Sabrina. He had never seen her so upset.
“What are you sitting down for? You had better go call the saw bones. I intend to be at your wedding. She’s a keeper; you need someone tough to keep you in line.”
Brock rushed out before he could change his mind. He first went in search of Sabrina to make sure she was ok. He knew that she missed her parents desperately and would do anything to have them back.
Sabrina had fled into the forest and vomited. Her nerves and stomach could not take any more. A shadow passed over her and she looked up at Brock’s mother as she wiped her mouth.
“Are you all right? I know it’s very difficult.”
“I’m fine. I just needed some air.”
“I heard you through the window.”
Sabrina looked horrified. “I am so sorry. I went too far. My parents are dead and I just didn’t want Brock to have to live with the guilt that I feel.”
“You should not be sorry. I wish to thank you. You said what we have all been feeling.”
Sabrina shook her head. “I’m sorry–I don’t know what came over me. I was horrid.”
“You said exactly what he needed to hear,” she insisted.
“And if he still refuses?” Sabrina asked softly.
“There is a doctor here. We will knock him out and do the surgery anyway.”
Sabrina smiled.
They heard footsteps and they turned to see Brock hurrying toward them. He ran up and scooped her up in his arms, swinging her around in a circle. Normally this would not have bothered Sabrina at all. In fact, she loved it when he showed his playful si
de. However, being spun after being sick is never a good idea and she told him so. He sat her back down gently but still kept her in his arms.
“What on earth?” she exclaimed as he leaned down and kissed her. His mother looked on in amusement.
“He said yes! He will have the surgery. We have to find Thomas.”
“He’s over by the wood pile talking to your sister,” his mother stated with a gleam in her eye.
They found Thomas sitting on a stump talking to Chase and Jaelyn. Brock informed him of the news and he nodded gravely. By this time it was very dark outside and the temperature had dropped again.
Chase started a fire and Jaelyn decided to cook supper for the weary group to help keep her mind off things. Thomas, Anna, and Brock headed inside so that Thomas could examine Jonathan. Sabrina was not sure to which group she belonged. She wanted to go with Brock, but felt these were details the family should work out together. Settling herself on the vacant stump, she sat listening to the siblings’ friendly gibes.
Being with Brock’s family made her miss hers all the more. She wondered what Warren was doing and if he had received her letter.
Chapter 21
The man fingered the envelope nervously. He had plucked it from the mailbag as soon as he’d seen Warren Lovett’s name on the outside. There was no return address. His conscience wavered for an instant. It was his job to sort the mail and send out telegraphs. John enjoyed his job most days but it didn’t pay very well. He thought back to the first time the soft-spoken man had come in to visit him.
He was looking for information and he introduced himself as Mr. Ted Smith. He requested that John notify him of any personal correspondence that Warren Lovett received. In particular, he wanted to know if he received any letters from women. John was perturbed and immediately said no. He needed this job to help feed his family. He would not sacrifice his family’s well-being to help some stranger. The man simply accepted his refusal and left him a tip.
John stared long and hard at the money left on the counter. He had been given tips before, of course. Like the time he hand delivered a package to the hotel for which a guest had been waiting, but he had never received a tip for doing nothing. The door swooshed open, admitting another customer and John slid the money into his pocket.
The Stafford Collection, Historical Western Romances Page 17