by Barbara Goss
“None at all. Stop worrying. Put your mind to more useful things, like whether we should tell Rose about Quinn.”
“I thought about it while you were massaging my shoulders,” Jonas said. “I think it’s an excellent idea. You won’t be able to nurse him, and I can’t be here continually, either. Rose can be his nurse, and if things work out the way I pray to God they will, maybe she’ll be the one to bring him back to us.”
Ivy smiled and nodded. “I’ll send one of the stable hands to get her.”
Rose had just returned from the cemetery when a stable hand from Jonas and Ivy’s rode up, and announced that Ivy needed her. She rushed to pack a bag. She wished her mother were here to tell, because she was certain Ivy must have gone into labor. Instead, she wrote her a note saying she was called to Jonas and Ivy’s. She thought better than to say more in case the labor was false.
While she rode her horse to Ivy’s, she thought about her trip to the cemetery. She went to visit her father often, but always in the back of her mind was the hope that Quinn would be there again. Regrettably, he never was. She’d already set her mind to try to forget him, but it just wasn’t possible, so she savored his kiss instead, because it put a longing smile on her face. She relived it over and over.
Rose tied her horse and took the steps leading up to the stately home, two at a time. She opened the door and ran from room to room until Ivy met her in the sitting room. “Rose, come and sit down.”
“What? Why aren’t you upstairs in bed? I thought you needed me?” Rose said, refusing the seat.
“I’m not in labor, Rose, but I do need you.”
Rose shook her head. “Why? Are you sure you’re all right?” Before Ivy could respond, Rose exclaimed, “Is it Jonas or Zoe? What’s happened?”
“No, we are all fine. Zoe is with her Gram Papa and Nana Armstrong for a few days. I don’t know how to tell you this without you falling apart, but—”
“Oh, Ivy, you’re scaring me. What is it?”
“It’s Quinn Iverson.”
Rose gasped. “Quinn? Is he all right? Tell me!” Rose grabbed hold of the chair she’d been standing next to. “Tell me, quickly.” Rose closed her eyes, and prayed she’d not hear something horrible.
“He’s here.”
Rose let out a breath of relief. “Oh, thank God. I was afraid you’d tell me he was dead or something.”
“Rose, he’s been shot.” Ivy took hold of her shoulders and led her to the sofa. “Sit.”
“Is he alive?” Rose asked, lingering on each syllable. “Is he?”
“He is, but it’s serious. He’s been unconscious since he came here. He passed out on his horse while riding here. We don’t know who shot him, or any other details.”
“I want to see him,” she said.
“And you shall. That’s why I called for you—he needs nursing and I’m in no condition. Jonas and I thought maybe you wouldn’t mind—”
“Of course I don’t mind. Where is he? I’ll start right now.” Rose jumped up from the sofa. “Where is he?”
“Come with me.” Ivy led her to the spare bedroom at the back of the spacious first floor.
Ivy opened the door and peeked in. Jonas was still reading at Quinn’s bedside. Ivy opened the door wider and escorted Rose in.
Rose looked at Quinn and felt faint. His face appeared pale. He was shirtless with blood stained bandages wrapped around his midsection. A sheet covered him from the waist down. “Oh, Quinn,” she whispered.
Jonas stood, and explained to Rose what needed to be done, and what to watch for. Rose nodded at each instruction. She turned to Ivy. “I’ll need an apron, and plenty of fresh drinking water—I don’t want you to fetch it, just tell me where those things are. I want you resting. We don’t need two patients.”
“Precisely,” Jonas said. “I’ll show you. And you,” he pointed to Ivy, “go upstairs and rest.
Rose tried to force some water down Quinn’s mouth occasionally. She felt his forehead constantly. When she wasn’t doing those things, she was wringing her hands. She tried to relax, but thoughts of him dying kept haunting her. She sat back in the chair and prayed.
The room slowly turned dark as night approached, and she lit the lamp. She sat down and tried to get some water through his lips, again, his beautiful lips, the ones that had thrilled her so. Now they were dry, cracked, and lifeless. She rubbed some water on them, wishing he would awaken and be all right again. She smoothed his hair and kissed his forehead, and suddenly alarm filled her. He felt warm. She felt his forehead with her hand. Was she imagining it? Were her worst fears coming to fruition?
She opened the bedroom door and yelled for Jonas. Within minutes, he was there.
“He’s feverish!” Rose exclaimed.
Jonas ran to the bed and felt Quinn’s forehead. “Dagnabit!”
Chapter 6
“Could you fetch the doctor?” Rose asked, wringing her hands.
“Yes, I’ll go now,” Jonas said, “but meanwhile, sponge him with cool cloths. I’ll see if the general store is still open and bring back ice from their icehouse.” Jonas hit his head with the palm of his hand. “Agh, I can’t take the buggy. It'll only slow me down. I’ll have Caleb get the ice. I’ll stop in to tell him on my way to town.”
“Hurry!” Rose said.
When Jonas was gone, Rose took the flannel that Jonas had given her, soaked it in the cold, spring water, and laid a sheet of it on Quinn's head, and another on his chest, legs and feet. The cold seemed to revive him because he began to thrash about, which made it challenging for Rose to keep the rags on his body. She was kept busy replacing them as he tossed and turned, moaning as he flayed about. All Rose wanted to do was to hug him, but she didn’t have time. She had to find a way to break his fever.
Jonas came back before the doctor did. “He’s on his way. Caleb’s got the ice, but he’s traveling a bit more slowly. How is he?”
“Burning up,” Rose cried, tears running down her cheeks. “What else can we do?”
Jonas put his arm around his sister-in-law. “Calm down, Rose. The doctor will know what to do.”
At that moment, the doctor burst into the room. “I was afraid of this,” he said. “Everyone out! Bring in the ice as soon as it arrives.”
Rose and Jonas stepped out of the room. Rose sat down in the sitting room and cried. Jonas sat beside her on the sofa. “So, I hear you’re in love with Quinn. Is that right?”
Rose nodded, dabbing at tears that wouldn’t stop falling.
“I had no idea. He was always a good man. We just need to find him again,” Jonas said. “I’m thinking you just might be able to reach him—with your love.”
“I’ve tried, Jonas. He does care, but he says I’m too young and innocent for him. But I’ll keep trying. He’s worth it.”
“You need to find a way to explain to him that just because his prayers weren’t answered it doesn’t mean God doesn’t care about him,” Jonas said.
Rose nodded. “I’m praying that I get the chance to.”
Caleb burst into the room. “I need a hand with the ice.”
Jonas patted Rose’s hand. “Keep praying.”
Rose wasn’t allowed into the room for the ice bath. They stripped Quinn and packed ice around his whole body. Jonas watched Quinn’s body shivering, even as sweat poured off his body. “More ice!” the doctor kept yelling.
Jonas and Caleb kept bringing in more ice. What they didn’t use immediately they took down to the root cellar. They kept up the ice baths, running out for more ice, and packing it around him, all night long.
Jonas looked in on Rose a few times, but she’d fallen asleep on the sofa. He covered her with a blanket, turned off the lamp and let her sleep. She’d need it for nursing tomorrow—he prayed there would be a tomorrow for Quinn.
Rose jerked awake when she heard Jonas and Caleb saying goodbye to the doctor. She sat up, rubbed her eyes, and ran into the kitchen.
“How is he?” she asked, feari
ng the worst. Had the doctor left because Quinn had died, or because they’d broken his fever?
“The fever has broken, for now,” Jonas said. “The doctor can’t promise it won’t return, but for now, Quinn’s cool. He was even awake for a few minutes.”
“Did he say anything?” she asked, her body relaxing in relief.
“He just groaned a lot and asked if he still had a leg. He was a bit out of it, and some of his words didn’t make any sense,” Caleb said. “Something about daisies, and his livery.”
“I’ll grab a quick cup of coffee, and then sit with him. Are there any other instructions?” she asked.
“No, just keep trying to get him to drink,” Jonas said. “I’ll bring you something to eat. You can’t nurse Quinn if you’re too weak.”
“I’m going into town,” Caleb said. “I’ll check on his livery, and let his men know what’s happened. Hopefully, they can run the business for him while he’s recovering.”
Ivy supplied Rose with some yarn and knitting needles so she would have something to do while she sat with Quinn. He was fairly still all morning, but around noon, he started thrashing about again. Rose began to feel panicky. She felt his forehead, and then sighed with relief. He was still cool. Then he opened his eyes.
“R-Rose?” he asked. He looked as though he was trying to focus his eyes.
She smiled. “Yes, it's me. I’m here to take care of you. I need you to drink some water.” She lifted his head with one hand and held the glass to his lips with the other. He drank several good swallows, and closed his eyes, again.
Rose thought he’d gone back to sleep, but then he spoke, startling her.
“Daisy wasn’t a flower, and her husband shot me,” he mumbled.
Rose held his hand. “Try to rest, Quinn.”
“How bad am I?” he asked, looking up at her.
“It’s been hit and miss, but today you’re much better.”
“What are my injuries?”
“You have a bullet hole in your stomach, but nothing vital was injured. You have another bullet hole in your left thigh.”
“The bullets are out?” he asked.
“Yes. You spiked a fever all last night, and the men had to pack you in ice.”
“Men? Where am I?”
“Jonas, Caleb and the doctor. You’re at Jonas’s. He said your horse rode down the lane with you hanging from it.”
“I remember now. A drunk helped me onto the horse. We have to return that horse. I don’t know who it belongs to.”
“Don’t worry, Jonas or Caleb will return the horse.” Rose could see his eyes slowly trying to close. “Sleep, Quinn. We can talk later.”
He reached over and took her hand. “Stay with me?”
“I won’t leave you,” Rose said. “Ever.” She wasn’t sure if he’d heard that last part, as he seemed to have already fallen back asleep.
Ivy brought meals into the room for Rose, since she refused to leave Quinn, now that he was awake every now and then. She didn’t want to miss a single minute of him being conscious. Broth and juice were brought in for Quinn, in case he woke up again.
Rose was diligent in checking his temperature. Her worst fear was that he’d spike a fever again, and she’d lose him forever.
Jonas stuck his head through the open doorway later that afternoon and asked Rose, “Do you know when the Iversons are due to return home?”
Rose shook her head.
“I had hoped to move him to their house before the baby came,” he said.
“If he continues to improve, I can take him home,” Rose said.
Jonas smiled. “No hurry. I just worry about every phase of becoming a father. I want it all to be perfect.”
“None of the women in our family has ever had a problem birthing, if that makes you feel better, Jonas.”
He sighed. “It does, thank you, Rose.”
Just then, Caleb walked into the room. He nodded at Rose. “Can I see you in the sitting room, Jonas?” he said.
“More bad news, I take it?” Jonas said as they settled in the sitting room.
“Yes,” Caleb said. “Someone's cleaned out all the stock in the livery, trashed the office, and…well, there’s nothing left. I sent all the workers home.”
“That’s terrible. I wonder what Quinn was into.”
Caleb shrugged. “Who’s going to be the one to break that news to him?”
“I don’t think we should. I don't think we should even mention it to Rose for now. She’ll worry.”
“Why would Rose worry?” Caleb asked.
“She’s in love with Quinn, has been since she first laid eyes on him, or so she says.”
Caleb shook his head. “Interesting. Little Rose is in love!”
“I’d be happy for her,” Jonas said, “if things were different with Quinn.”
“Maybe this is exactly what he needs—if he reciprocates her love, that is.” Caleb moved toward the door.
Jonas stood and followed him. “I hope so.” He slapped Caleb’s back. “Thanks for all the help, brother. Give my regards to Julia.”
Nighttime seemed the worst for Quinn. That’s when he’d start his thrashing and moaning, and Rose had to try to keep him still so as not to injure his stitches.
“I have to get to the livery,” Quinn cried. “They took my keys. Let me up!”
Rose pushed him back down gently. “You aren’t going anywhere until you’re well.”
She struggled with him almost the whole night through. By the time the first streaks of sunlight had began to creep into the room, Rose was exhausted. She couldn’t keep her head up any longer, but there wasn’t a place in the room for her lie down. She looked at Quinn, finally sleeping peacefully in his bed. She edged herself onto the bed, curled up beside him, and fell asleep.
Sometime during her sleep, Quinn’s arm went around her waist and he pulled her close.
“Rose!” her mother’s sharp voice tore through her sleep like lightning through the sky. Rose sat up so fast she felt dizzy.
“I don’t believe this!” Lavinia said. “If anyone outside of the family had witnessed this…well, you’d be married by nightfall.”
“It would be all right with me,” Rose said.
“Get down off that bed and come with me.”
“But I have to care for him. He has no one—”
“Jonas will have to hire someone. You are leaving, now.”
Rose turned to look at Quinn one more time, but he'd slept peacefully through it all. She turned back to her mother, and followed her out of the room, and into the sitting room.
“Wait here,” her mother ordered.
Rose couldn’t remember ever seeing her mother this angry. She didn't know why; she'd done nothing wrong.
A few minutes later Lavinia appeared with Jonas and Ivy. “Everyone sit down,” she said.
“I don’t want Rose caring for Quinn Iverson another minute. I found her lying in bed with him. He had his arm around her. Do you realize what trouble a scene like that could cause?”
Jonas and Ivy sat there with stunned expressions, looking back and forth between Lavinia and Rose.
“I’m sure Jonas can afford to hire a nurse for Quinn, am I right, Jonas?”
Jonas’s mouth opened and closed as if he were trying to think of what to say. “Yes, sure, but…” he said at last.
“But what?” Lavinia asked.
Ivy tried to explain. “Rose is in love with him, and we thought if she nursed him, maybe she could reach him. We’ve all been unsuccessful getting through to him, but Rose? She actually has a chance at reaching him, I know she does.”
“At the price of her reputation? Ivy, what were you thinking?” Lavinia asked.
Ivy shrugged.
“Rose is seventeen years-old! And you leave her to tend a man who is twenty-five and presently a drunk and womanizer?” Lavinia shook her head.
“I wish I'd seen Rose’s note sooner. She left it on the table, but the window was open, and
must've blown it onto the floor, and I didn’t spot it until this morning. I thought for sure you were in labor, and I rushed over to find…this?” She pointed her hand at Rose.
“On top of everything else, I have to find a place to live. The new minister is planning on moving in as soon as possible, and we'll no longer have a home.” Lavinia paced the room.
“Caleb still has the house on Eden Road. I’m sure he’d let you and the girls live there,” Jonas said.
“That would be perfect. I’ll stop by and see him today. When Ivy goes into labor, send someone for me, and I’ll stay as long as you need me.”
“Thank you, Mother,” Ivy said.
“Rose,” Lavinia said, “you’re coming home to help me pack.”
Rose shook her head. “I need to make sure Quinn is all right. I can’t just leave him,” she said.
Until you're eighteen, you'll do as you’re told, young lady,” Lavinia said.
A feeling of defeat enveloped Rose. She felt like crying, or screaming, or just pounding on something. She hated being forced into something against her will. She didn’t know how far she could push her mother, since she’d never seen her quite this mad or determined before.
“Please, Mama? If I promise not to lie on his bed—and even then, I only did it because I was exhausted and there was no other place to rest.”
“If anyone other than family had seen you…” Lavinia said.
“I wish they had,” Rose cried, and she ran from the room.
Chapter 7
Rose didn't speak to Lavinia, not even once. Rose covertly wiped away tears as they rode home. An empty, hollow feeling overcame her, and had she not been brought up properly, she’d have refused to leave Quinn's side, but she had too much respect for her mother to do that, especially with her father gone not even a month yet. She was filled with what could only be described as hopelessness.
.
Upon arriving home, she was sent to her room to pack her things. “Where’s Violet?” Rose asked before heading for her room.