Jake spoke from his position by the front door. “Did they follow you?”
Mr. Porter took the cup Leah offered him, his hands shaking. “No, they were long gone by the time I came to.”
Mrs. Frontz eased Mr. Dalton out of his coat and shirt. Molly ran to her, holding out the rags. The little girl stood staring down at the gaping wound in the man’s shoulder.
“Molly, come help me with the water,” Leah called, to get the child’s attention.
Molly didn’t move.
Jake walked to Molly and gently picked her up. “Come on, sweetheart. Let’s go help Leah in the kitchen.”
Molly buried her face in her uncle’s neck. His long legs carried her past Leah, who held the kitchen door open. He gently sat Molly down on the stool she’d occupied earlier. “Are you all right?” Jake knelt down in front of her and swept the hair off Molly’s forehead.
She nodded. Big tears filled her eyes.
“He’s going to be all right, you know. Mrs. Frontz and Leah are going to take good care of him. Aren’t you, Leah?” Jake turned to look at her. His eyes pleaded with her to help him comfort the little girl.
Leah moved to stand beside him. She dropped her hand to his warm shoulder. “We sure are. How would you like to finish your dinner in here with your dolly?”
Molly nodded her consent and picked up her doll. She hugged it close and stared at the two adults in front of her.
Leah removed her hand from Jake’s warm shoulder and turned to see if the water was boiling. It wasn’t, but she thought it might be hot enough to clean the man’s wounds. She used the dipper and scooped water into a clean bowl.
“That’s my girl,” Jake said. He extended his hand for the bowl. “I’ll take the water to Agnes if you want to get her settled in here.”
She handed it to him. “Thank you.”
His hand brushed her cheek and he lowered his voice. “Are you all right?” he asked.
“Yes, I’m fine. Just a little startled, is all.” Leah tilted her head slightly, leaning into the calluses of his palm.
They scratched as he pulled away. “Good.” He walked out the door leaving her feeling bereft. There was no other way Leah could describe it.
Remembering that Molly was in the room, she turned to face the little girl. “I’ll be right back with your beans and corn bread.”
Molly clutched her doll and whispered in her ear. Leah wished the child would talk to her. She scooped up another clean bowl for Mr. Porter’s dinner and carried it to the table.
Two express riders were already back in their seats eating the rest of their meal. Leah placed the bowl in front of Mr. Porter and grabbed a clean spoon from her own place to give to him. “Please eat something, Mr. Porter. It will make you feel better.”
“She’s right, Dan. You can’t help him now. Let the missus take care of him. You’ll need your strength when we go get the coach.” Mr. Frontz sat back down in his spot and nodded to Leah. She saw pride in his eyes and wondered if it were meant for her.
Before she headed back to the kitchen, Leah walked over to where Mrs. Frontz and Jake were tending the bullet wound in Mr. Dalton’s left shoulder. “Is there anything I can do to help?” she asked, and once more her stomach rolled.
Agnes’s gaze darted up to her. “We’ll need to rip up one of the older sheets to make him a bandage. Would you mind seeing to that for me?”
“Not at all, I’ll take Molly her dinner and then go get the sheet.” Leah turned to leave.
Ike stood a few feet away, watching. “Miss Hollister, I can take care of the girl, if you’ll allow it,” he offered in his soft voice.
She looked to Jake, who nodded his acceptance. “Thank you, Ike. That would be most kind. Would you mind eating with her?”
“I’d be happy to.” He walked toward the table scooping up the two bowls. “Will, would you carry mine and Miss Molly’s drinks to the kitchen for me? I’m going to have dinner with her this evening.”
“Sure,” Will said around a mouthful of beans and bread. He grabbed the remainder of what Ike and Molly would need for their meal then followed Ike through the kitchen door. Satisfied that the young men could handle the rest of dinner, Leah hurried up the stairs. At the top she took several deep breaths to calm her nerves.
Leah hoped Agnes wouldn’t need her to help clean the bloody wound. She’d seen the bullet hole in Mr. Dalton’s shoulder. Her stomach did a sort of fish flop at the thought. She inhaled deeply and told herself that if Agnes needed her, she’d do her best not to get sick at the sight of blood.
She found what she needed and then returned quickly with the sheet. Leah handed it to Jake, who stood a few feet away, watching Agnes wash Mr. Dalton’s wound. The sight was ugly, to say the least. Leah looked away. “I’ll go get a room ready for him.” Leah silently prayed Agnes would dismiss her.
At the older woman’s nod, Leah hurried to the kitchen door and looked in on Ike and Molly. He glanced over his shoulder at her.
“I’ll be back as soon as we get Mr. Dalton in his room,” she said, hoping Ike wouldn’t think she was checking up on him.
He nodded, and said, “I was just telling Miss Molly a story. As soon as she’s done eating, if it’s all right with you, I’d like to take her out to the barn so we can comb down Ole Bessie.”
“Ole Bessie?” Leah asked.
Ike grinned. “Yeah, she’s Mrs. Frontz’s old mare. I take care of her, and tonight I could sure use some help.”
Relief filled Leah. She’d been afraid Ike and Molly would eat in silence, that a young man would not understand the need to fill the silence so Molly would be reassured. Her respect for him grew and she smiled her thanks. “I think that’s a good idea. Thank you.”
He tipped an imaginary hat.
Molly jumped down and ran to hug her. Then she ran back to Ike and grabbed his hand. He stuffed corn bread in his mouth but allowed her to pull him to the back porch.
“Make sure she’s bundled up good,” Leah called after them. She picked up Molly’s doll and smiled.
Ike answered, “I will.”
“Where you going?” Jake spoke right behind Leah and she jumped with a hand on her heart.
“You scared me.”
He placed an arm around her shoulder, but looked questioningly at Ike.
“We’re going to rub down ole Bessie.” Ike seemed to wait for instructions from Jake or for permission.
Comprehension dawned on Jake’s face and he nodded as he saw Molly’s hand clutched in Ike’s. “Good idea.” He ran a hand over his face. “Take a couple of the guys with you. Better to be safe.”
Leah drew in a sharp breath. She hadn’t even thought of the danger surrounding them. It felt good to have someone watching out for her and Molly. She felt an urgency to confide in him, to share her feelings. She turned grateful eyes to Jake. He studied her face, feature by feature, and she never spoke the words. But Leah knew from what passed between them that he understood more than she could ever have told him.
She reentered the main room and moved with haste and purpose toward the stairs. As she passed the couch, she heard Agnes say, “Let’s move him to the table. That bullet has to come out.”
Leah stopped and turned. The men were already clearing off the table and carrying things to the kitchen. Thankful to escape, she hurried up the stairs. Once there, she wasn’t sure what to do. She and Agnes had already swept, dusted and changed the sheets on the beds. She didn’t know which room Agnes wanted him in.
Leah did know that she didn’t want to head back downstairs. The last thing she wanted to witness was a man getting a bullet dug out of his shoulder. She bowed her head and took a moment to silently pray for Mr. Dalton and Agnes.
She finished and raised her head. There were only four rooms on this floor. The one she and Molly occupied, the library and two other guest rooms. Leah heard Mr. Dalton groan loudly and, not wishing to hear more, hurried to the last room down the hall.
It was the farthest fr
om the room she shared with Molly. She told herself he would be more comfortable several doors down from a little girl’s room. Molly tended to run and jump about a lot, and he’d need his rest.
The truth of the matter was that she couldn’t bear to hear him in pain. She closed the door behind her and looked around. It was a nice room that appeared almost identical to hers. Chills ran up her arms. Even with the door left open all day, the rooms still remained cold. She reopened the door to let the heat from downstairs rise.
She moved to the bed and pulled back the covers. Next, Leah fluffed the pillows. Her gaze moved about the room once more, but everything seemed to be in order. She checked the water pitcher and saw that it was empty. Since she’d put fresh water in the pitcher in her own room earlier, Leah hurried to retrieve it. On her way out the door, she tossed Molly’s doll onto the bed.
Another look about the empty bedroom proved there wasn’t much more she could do. Taking a deep breath, Leah headed back down the stairs. She approached the table slowly and felt the blood siphon from her face.
Agnes was placing a big white cloth over the wound and said, “The bullet is in deep, it might even be in the bone. We’ve decided to wait until Doc can take it out.” She handed Leah the bowl, now filled with bright red water.
Leah tried to not look at it. Her stomach felt queasy again. She prayed she wouldn’t get sick and hated this weakness of not being able to stomach the sight of blood.
Jake took the bowl from her shaking hands. “I’ll take care of this.” He gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze. “You all right?”
“Yes, thank you.” She took a deep breath while laying a hand over her upset stomach. “I’m just not good in these situations.”
He patted her shoulder and turned to dispose of the water. “Is Molly back?”
Leah followed him to the kitchen. “No, she’s still out in the barn.”
“Good. I for sure didn’t want her to hear the noise Dalton was making. That bullet is buried pretty deep.” He walked out the back door.
She eased onto Molly’s stool, feeling faint. Poor Mr. Dalton. Leah could only imagine the pain a bullet would cause.
Jake returned with the empty bowl. “We better go help Agnes get him upstairs, and then Mr. Frontz wants to go get the stagecoach. It’s going to take all us men to get it back.”
“Mr. Porter is going, too?”
He shook his head. “He has to.”
“But he’s hurt.”
Jake nodded. “Yes, but he’s the only one who knows where the coach is.” Jake must have seen the concern on her face because he pressed on. “He’s not hurt that badly. I cleaned his head wound. Thankfully the bullet only grazed his temple. His head hurts, but he’ll live.”
Leah sighed. “Well, I hate that you are all going out in the storm.”
He stopped and gave her an encouraging smile. “We’ll be fine, you’ll see.”
She nodded, still not liking the thought.
They entered the main room, where Agnes carefully finished up Mr. Dalton’s dressing. “We need to get him upstairs. Which room did you prepare?” she asked Leah.
“The one with the green quilt on the bed.”
Cold air filled the room as Will entered the front door. “We’re about ready to leave, Jake.”
“Help me get Mr. Dalton up to bed and then we’ll join the others.” Jake moved to the wounded man’s head while Will hurried to grab his legs.
As they carried him up the stairs, Agnes fussed about like a mother hen. “Be careful, don’t jostle him too much,” she warned. “I don’t want him to start bleeding again.”
Leah hurried up the stairs in front of them. She held the door while the men carried Mr. Dalton to the bed and laid him down.
Agnes checked Mr. Dalton’s shoulder. She tsked as she fussed with his pillow. “Jake, before you leave I’ll need help getting him out of the remainder of these soiled clothes.”
Leah backed out the door and shut it behind her. She heard Molly running up the stairs and was grateful that it was time to put the child to bed. Leah didn’t know how much more of this day she could endure.
Molly’s appearance caused her to smile. The little girl stood in front of her wearing a man’s overcoat. A straw hat that covered her whole head flopped about as if she were a scarecrow in the wind. Leah expected the child to tell her everything she’d done while they were apart, but Molly peeked up at her from under the brim of the hat and beamed a smile. No words came to explain the joy on her face. Leah wondered if Molly would ever talk.
The doctor had said she’d hold her own council until she was ready, and until then just to be patient with her. That was easier said than done. Leah returned the little girl’s smile. “Come along, Molly. Time for bed.”
Molly came forward and grabbed Leah around the legs. The hat fell to the floor as she tilted her head to look up at Leah.
Ike came up behind Molly. He picked up the hat and put it back on Molly’s head with a grin. “I think she had fun.”
“I think so, too, thank you.” Leah hugged Molly against her leg. “She appears very happy.”
“Do you know where Jake is? Mr. Frontz is ready to go.”
Leah pointed to the bedroom. “He and Will are helping Agnes get Mr. Dalton into bed. But Jake has already said that as soon as they are done they will be right down.”
Ike nodded. “Thanks. I’ll let Mr. Frontz know.” He turned and took the stairs back down two at a time.
Molly released Leah’s leg and hurried into their room. She pulled off the borrowed coat and hat, tossing them on the bed. Leah followed her and shut the door. The little girl’s skirt spun about her as she danced around the room before scooping up her doll.
Leah watched her romp with the doll for several moments before calling a halt to her fun. “Time to settle down, Molly.” She picked up Molly’s nightgown and held it up for the little girl to see that she wasn’t teasing.
After she got her undressed and into her nightgown, Leah put Molly to bed and kissed her forehead. Molly held her rag doll up for a goodnight kiss, too. While she waited for Molly to fall asleep, Leah sat by the window and read from her Bible.
She turned to the book of Ruth and began at chapter one. As she read, her thoughts swirled. To Leah, Ruth’s life story seemed quite different from her own, and yet in some places they were exactly the same. Ruth ended up marrying a man she’d just met, simply so she could survive and not have to return to her homeland. Leah felt as if she were in a similar predicament. Ruth wanted a new spouse so that she could take care of her motherin-law; Leah was marrying Jake so that Molly would have a secure home. Ruth and Boaz ended up falling in love. It was there that Leah stopped the comparison and closed her Bible. But, try as she might, she couldn’t help but feel a bottomless peace and satisfaction at the turn of events in her life. She wondered briefly if Ruth had experienced the same emotion.
Steady breathing told her that Molly was finally asleep. Leah pulled the covers up to the little girl’s chin as her mind chased her private daydream. Would she and Jake fall in love? What would it feel like to know the love of a good man? Leah pushed the thought from her mind. If her own parents hadn’t loved her, how could Jake?
The desire to go to bed pulled at her, but in good conscience Leah couldn’t go just yet. She needed to check on Agnes and Mr. Dalton. The older woman was probably just as tired as Leah felt. Plus, she wanted to know when the men returned with the stagecoach.
She slipped out the bedroom door and walked the short distance to Mr. Dalton’s room. The door was ajar so Leah stepped inside. Agnes sat beside his bed. Lamplight illuminated her face. In sleep the older woman looked much younger.
As if sensing her presence, Agnes jerked awake. She sat up and looked at Leah for several moments as if trying to remember where she was.
Leah whispered, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you.”
Agnes brushed the hair off her forehead and looked to Mr. Dalton, who appeared to sleep
peacefully. “That’s all right.” She felt his forehead and sighed. “Good. He doesn’t have a fever.”
“Would you like for me to sit with him for a while?” Leah asked, stepping closer to Agnes and the bed. She looked down on Mr. Dalton. He was a little pale but otherwise looked fine.
The older woman shook her head. “No, child. That wouldn’t be decent and you have to watch over Molly. I’ll be fine until the men get home and then I’m sure me and the boys can come up with a schedule of sorts so that we can all get some rest.” She walked over to the window and looked out.
Leah followed her. Snow blew against the house and the wind howled at the window. She hadn’t noticed it before, but now felt a shiver sweep over her at the sound. “I wonder how much longer they’ll be gone.”
“Hopefully not much longer,” Agnes whispered back. “Charlie took all the men so that they could make quick work of righting the coach and getting it back here.”
They stared out at the falling snow for several minutes. Agnes searched the yard and surrounding area with her eyes. Leah could tell she was worried about the men, too.
Agnes turned from the window. “Why don’t you go get some sleep? I’ll be fine until the men return.” She patted Leah’s arm. “That youngin will be up bright and early, and will want you up, too.” She walked past Leah and returned to her chair beside the bed.
“All right. If you need me, don’t hesitate to wake me.” At Agnes’s nod, Leah slipped out of the room.
Leah went to the kitchen and got a fresh water pitcher for her room. She’d hate for the child to wake up and want a drink.
The house creaked as she descended the stairs. Leah hurried to the kitchen, found the pitcher and filled it with fresh water. Looking about she realized that the kitchen hadn’t been cleaned and rolled her sleeves up. The last thing Agnes needed was to come in in the morning and have to clean up dirty dishes.
As she worked, Leah realized the men would be freezing and a hot cup of coffee would make them all feel better before going to their beds. She set the coffee to brewing and continued to work.
Love Inspired Historical November 2014 Page 55