by Alta Hensley
“Jewel and I will be in charge of that,” Gabriel called out.
“I’ll help boil water,” Nettie added.
“I can help wash the linens,” Callie, another former gem and now the reverend’s wife, said.
Anson nodded. “Try to keep the men comfortable. Wash their faces, keep them clean to the best of your abilities. They are going to be vomiting and losing their bowels. It isn’t going to be a pleasant sight. But I cannot stress enough the importance of washing your hands with clean, boiled water. Soap needs to be used, and all linens must be sanitized. But if any items are too far soiled, Callie, do not be afraid to discard them. We will find more. The men all are dehydrated and need water. Try your best to get fluid in them, but be prepared that it will come right back out. Just try again and again. If you come across a man who looks ready to pass, let Reverend Black know immediately so he can try to be present.” He paused for a few moments to scrutinize each of the volunteers’ expressions. “And if any one of you, even for a minute, start feeling ill yourself, you need to let me know immediately. Put yourself first even though you are here selflessly to aid others. Do not put your life and your health in jeopardy.”
“All right, let’s get to work,” Sheriff Justice declared. “Let’s save these men’s lives.”
Everyone nodded and dispersed to take on a task. Anson reached out and grabbed Della by the arm, pulling her close to him. “Do not overwork yourself. Take plenty of breaks. You are just recovering yourself.”
“I’ll be fine, Anson. I can do this. I’m here for you.”
He smiled and gave her a hug. “That is a very nice feeling to have. Thank you.” He pulled away and looked in her eyes. “We have a long night ahead of us. I think you will be perfect to go and wipe down the brows of the men who are close to meeting their maker. Your kindness and gentle soul will help give them comfort. You have a skill that will benefit them all.”
Anson left her there to continue his job as town doctor, leaving Della to scan the room. She found a man in the corner who laid with his eyes wide open staring at the ceiling. His pale face had fear washed all over it. Did he know he was going to die?
She walked over to him and pulled a nearby stool over so she could sit by his side. She reached for the rag that was resting on his forehead and dunked it in a bucket of water that sat between his cot and another man who was now sleeping.
Dabbing his head with the cool fabric, she said, “My name is Della.”
He turned his head to look at her. “I’ve seen you before. I have seen all you women before. You gals are the painted ladies at that saloon in town.”
Della nodded as she wiped down his head, noticing that his wet head was much cleaner than the rest of his body. “Yes.”
“Am I dead? Is this heaven?”
“Why would you say that?”
“Because you all look like angels here to help.”
Della smiled at him. “You aren’t dead, and you aren’t going to die. The town of Culpepper is here to help make sure of that.”
“Why are you all out here? You could get sick like me and die.”
“Shh…” she soothed. “You aren’t going to die. Fight the demons of death back. Be strong. Be strong.”
She sat there and held his hand as Nettie’s melodic voice broke out in song and others that could, joined in.
Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind but now I see.
Shout, shout for glory,
Shout, shout aloud for glory;
Brother, sister, mourner,
All shout glory hallelujah.
* * *
Hours turned to days, and men died. Even more men got sick, including a few that had appeared healthy when it all began. From the relative safety of town, Rebekah and a few others cooked and arranged for the food to be taken to the volunteers. Della had never been more proud of the town she called home. Three days of rotating shifts, quick naps in the nearby volunteer tent, each person worked themselves to exhaustion. Day and night, everyone worked, and not a single person complained. Della had held many a hand as they took their last breath, hoping she had given them the care and love they deserved on their last moment on this earth.
Her only contact with Anson was from afar. He worked continuously and went from cot to cot. He led the volunteers and had everything flowing seamlessly. Della had never been so proud of anyone before in her life. She missed him. Longed for him. But she knew soon he would be hers again. As she scrubbed her hands in the recently boiled water, she struggled to keep her eyes open. Just as they were starting to close, she heard his voice.
“It’s time to get you home. You need rest. We all do. We both need a real bed and not just cots for a few quick hours of sleep. It’s not over, but I think the worst of the cholera outbreak has passed. They can be without me for a short time.”
She looked up to see Anson towering over her where she was squatting. “Home? With you?” The idea sounded heavenly. Not only to go lay in bed and sleep, but to be in that bed with Anson.
He had already tried to get her to go back to The Red Petticoat several times, and she’d held her ground. She wouldn’t budge one bit. He asked nicely, he ordered, and he even warned. Nothing would pull her away from him during a time like this. She was here, and she wasn’t going anywhere without her man.
He nodded. “Yes. I want you to go lay in my wagon and wait for me. I need to make sure I can leave for the night. I’ll also tell Gabriel that you are coming home with me so no one worries.” He helped her stand. “Go to the other tent and shed your clothing. Put something clean on. I don’t want to contaminate the house and risk giving this to Stone.” He kissed her forehead when she nodded in agreement. “Go wait for me. I shouldn’t be long.”
As she was entering the volunteer tent to change her soiled clothes, she nearly ran smack into Charlie, who captured her gently in his arms.
“Whoa there. For someone who has been working nonstop for days on end, you sure are moving pretty fast.”
Della smiled and took a minute to snuggle into Charlie’s arms. With everything going on, she hadn’t had much time to speak with him. “Is it awful of me to say that I’m anxious to get out of here for awhile? Anson is going to take me home for some rest.”
“Good. You need it.” He pulled away from the embrace and examined her face. “You look tired. Are you feeling all right?”
Della huffed and playfully punched him in the arm. “I am tired. And you don’t look that great yourself.” She smiled. “But I’m fine. Sleepy but fine.”
He flipped her hair like an irritating brother would do. “Going home with the doctor huh?”
Della giggled. “That I am.”
Charlie stopped smiling and his expression grew serious. “I’m happy for you, Della. This has been a long time coming. You deserve a man like him. I didn’t know the doctor well, but the way he has handled himself these past few days, and the way he is with you, well, he’s a good man in my book.”
“He is,” Della agreed. “He’s my hero.”
“Well, after this outbreak, he’s the town hero.” Charlie leaned in and gave Della a quick peck on the cheek. “Go get some rest and take care of yourself.”
She yawned as if on cue. “I will. Between my screaming body and Dr. Norwood’s over protective ways, I don’t have much of a choice.”
Chapter Eleven
Anson led the horses off the main road and followed a rocky path that Della remembered walking the evening she followed him to his cabin. She was still pretending to be asleep, taking the secret opportunity to peek at him through the small slits in her eyes. At his suggestion, she had curled up under his heavy jacket and ultimately floated off to sleep in his wagon while he made sure the patients would manage for the night. Rest was something they both needed desperately, and Della could only imagine how tired he must be. She was exhausted, and she had
n’t been working nearly as hard or as long as he. The need for both of them to close their eyes and drift off into slumber needed to happen desperately, but not nearly as much as they needed each other.
Three days had passed since she first arrived at the camp. Many died, few survived, and there were still some who were fighting for their lives. She cleaned rags, dabbed fevered heads, assisted Anson in whatever he needed, and she helped to the best of her ability. It wasn’t easy watching people die. Watching them suffer. She saw fear, acceptance, hope, and despair. But what she really saw was a small glimpse into Anson’s life. This is what he did. He healed, he calmed, or he aided in the transition to the other side. She saw Anson for what he truly was. A hero.
Anson smiled as he appeared to ponder how to wake her. Very softly, he whispered her name and kissed her warm cheek. Della pretended to begin to stir, a moan mixing with a soft sigh. Anson brushed his lips against hers. He pulled back enough to watch Della’s eyes gradually flutter awake.
“Are we there yet?” she asked huskily, while rubbing her eyes.
“We are.” He pointed at the cabin on his homestead. “Our home. Or it will be as soon as Reverend Black is free from the funerals of the dead to marry us. You will be my wife as soon as I can make that happen.”
Della’s smile widened and her eyes brightened, as she sat up all the way to take in the scenery. “What about your son and his grandmother? Will they be surprised to see me? Should you go in and prepare them? I don’t even know her name.”
“Willow,” he answered simply before leaning over and kissing her on the cheek. “When I heard about the cholera, I felt it was best for them to go visit Willow’s loved ones at a tribe nearby. We didn’t want to take any chances with Stone being so young.”
Della’s tummy flipped at the idea of an innocent child such as Stone coming down with something as awful as cholera. Not that anyone should have to endure such and awful sickness, but the thought of a child… Anson’s child… she couldn’t even imagine. She better understood why he’d kept Rebekah from volunteering, allowing her to help by making food and sending it to the tents with Jeb.
“That would be awful if Stone were to catch it. I heard children rarely survive.”
Anson sighed. “True.”
“I’m happy they left then. Will the Indians accept him even though he is part white man? They wouldn’t hurt him right?” Fear laced her voice.
“Some would,” he stated flatly. “But I trust Willow to keep him safe. She wouldn’t put his safety at risk. She loves that boy.”
“I can’t wait to meet him and her. I like the way your eyes light up when you speak about him.”
Anson tapped the empty wood of the seat between them. “Come closer to me,” he softly commanded as he enclosed her under his strong arm, snuggling her close. Della nuzzled her head against his chest with a soft sigh. She lifted her face as though she read his mind. As though she could hear how badly he wanted to kiss her. Her lips parted, inviting his mouth, beckoning his touch. She positioned her body closer to him, pressing tight against his strength. He gave her a passionate kiss, a kiss like the days before. A kiss that reminded her of why—why they were meant to be. He tightened his hold, pulling her into his arms to keep her from slipping away. Their love felt whole again, strong again, even sickness could not keep them apart. Three days with very little time alone was too long. She selfishly wanted him all to herself.
They sat in silence until the entire sky changed from a copper flame to a dark ember. They held each other, occasionally kissing, stroking, and relishing their love. Alone in front of his cabin… their cabin once they were married. This place would soon be her home.
He broke the spell of her fantasy world when he hopped out of the wagon and walked around to where she sat waiting. Anson swept Della off her feet and held her cradled in his arms. Della smiled at the gesture as he carried her toward the wooden house engulfed in pine trees. She secured her arms around his neck, her breath catching.
“You know I’m perfectly capable of walking.” She laughed lightly. “You seem to be making a habit of carrying me.” She nuzzled her head to his chest, listening to his heart pound beneath her ear.
“If I could carry you all the time, I would. I love having you this close.”
There was seduction, dripping with desire, about the way Anson held her when he carried her into the cabin. Not rushed, not aggressive, but hungry enough for her to feel the need he exuded as she pressed against the heat of his chest. Her body melted with his. She felt wanted, desired more than she had in ages, craved by the man who even in three days of saving lives, she so desperately missed.
She laid her hand on his chest, soft hair peeking from beneath his cotton shirt, plenty of solid muscle, and felt his heart beating against her palm. She lifted her head and kissed the crook of his neck, the smell of pine, antiseptic from the days passed, and man taking over her senses. She wanted to keep now just as it was. Just the two of them with nothing to worry about. Cholera be damned.
Once Anson carried her across the threshold, which was something she actually hoped he would always do throughout their marriage, he placed her gently down while turning on a nearby lantern. Instant warmth filled her core as she looked around.
The stone fireplace took up an entire wall in the main room. A large wood table, chairs, and a rocking chair were the only furniture in the room. An artistically designed rug covered much of the pine-flanked floor. She wondered if Willow had woven it herself. Dried jasmine hung by bundles from the ceiling, and Della smiled at the fact that Willow’s special touch added a whimsical charm to the place. The entire house was a delicious combination of comfort mixed with functionality.
Anson noticed her taking stock, and smiled. “It looks like you’re happy with what you see.” He walked over to the fireplace and started to build a fire. Once the flames were ablaze, he stood up and wiped his hands on his pants. “I’ll go fetch us some fresh water.”
Della stood in front of the fire, mesmerized by the dancing flames. She stood in a foreign place, and yet she didn’t feel like a stranger to the home. If she closed her eyes and imagined real hard, she could hear the sounds of children’s laughter and the sounds of a loving household. Maybe it was the dreamer hidden deep inside of her, but she could actually imagine this cabin in the woods as her home. She would be a ma, a wife, and have a true home for the first time in her life. Everything her ma had imagined for her could actually come true. She could make the words in her mother’s letter become a reality. All with the man who worked to serve her only a few steps away. The sound of Anson placing down a bucket of water snapped her back into reality. Looking over her shoulder, she casually said, “Would you like me to fix something for supper? I don’t know what Willow has, but I am really good in the kitchen. Nettie has taught me well.”
“I have something else in mind,” he told her, taking her elbow in a firm, yet loving grip. “If I remember correctly, I promised you a spanking once I got you home.”
“I was helpful right? So I should have earned myself out of one,” she pointed out, her voice strained as she struggled to remain calm with Anson’s glare sparking a heat that infused her neck and face. “Can’t I be out of trouble this once?”
“No. I specifically gave you an order, and you disobeyed it. I’m not angry with you, but I don’t think starting off our marriage with you thinking that my rules can easily be broken is a good thing.” He smiled. “Well, at least not for me. It’s a matter of respect. You have to learn to trust me, and you have to know that there are consequences for doubting or going against what I dictate. I only said it to protect you. To protect the woman I love.”
“I wanted to help. I wanted to be there for you.”
“And you did. I really was grateful for your assistance. But that does not mean you are off the hook. I am a man of my word. I told you that if you stayed, you would be punished, and you still held firm. No harm came of it this time, but I will not have a marriag
e that is a battle of wills. I want you to trust my word.”
“I do. I don’t need a spanking to make that happen. And technically we aren’t married yet.” She smiled and tried batting her eyelashes. Maybe if she was extra cute, he would go easy on his stance.
His eyes narrowed, and without responding to her question, he ordered, “I want you to go into the bedroom and get undressed. Find a corner and go stand in it.” He pointed in the direction of the room.
Della stood in silence for a moment. “What? You want me to go stand in the corner? In your bedroom?”
“Now.”
Della winced at his sharp and direct order.
“Can’t you just spank me and get it over with? I don’t think I need time in the corner to think about what I’ve done. I know,” she challenged.
“I said, now.” Anson’s brows dipped further in warning. “So, go get undressed and stand in the corner and wait for me. Just like before. I mean it, Della.”
His tone and the look on his face made it very clear that she better do just as he asked. “All right.” Her voice was a whisper, and she turned shamefully away to do just as he ordered.
Her mind was spinning, trying to make sense of what he was making her do. This was the second time he had asked her to stand in the corner before a tanning. She didn’t like it. Hated it, in fact. Walking away, alone, made her feel absolutely awful. Clearly this was the way he began a punishment session, and she knew she might as well accept that fact. Although, she would much rather feel the burn of his hand against her bottom than the cold of walking to the room by herself. The anticipation made it all the worse.
Blinking back tears, she went to the bedroom and walked to the empty corner on the right side of the bed. His room didn’t have the same female touch as the rest of the house, and it was quite clear that Willow had left his room alone. There was a certain level of coldness mixed with masculinity. She made a mental note that she would soften this room immediately with a new quilt, some flowers, and maybe she could even convince Willow to weave a small rug to cover the pine planks.