“Come in and join us,” Jordan called through the door to Liam. “Leave your gun belt on the hitching rail.”
“I’m coming in and I’m unarmed,” Liam called from just the other side of the door.
The door eased open and Liam stood there in all his magnificence, arms raised.
“You have me, now let her go.”
“I don’t think so. Sit in the chair.”
“Let her go,” insisted Liam.
“Sit in the chair or watch her die now.” Jordan moved the knife. She felt the nick and knew blood trickled down her neck.
Liam moved into the room and sat on one of the chairs at the table.
“Now, my dear Eleanor, take that rope that you wore so nicely, and tie your husband to that chair.”
“Why should I? You’re just going to kill us anyway. Why should we make it easy for you?”
Anger flashed across his otherwise handsome face. “I should have done you when I could,” his eyes narrowed, “but I just so enjoyed talking to you. It was nice to have some civilized conversation. Now, however, I see my mistake.”
Before she could step away, he took the knife and stabbed her, then pushed her toward Liam.
“I’m sorry, my dear,” he said as he ran through the back door.
She heard Liam shout, saw him jump up from the chair. He caught her as she fell, before she hit the floor.
The pain wasn’t as great as she had imagined. There was a burning in her side but she could handle it.
“Liam.”
“Don’t talk, Ellie. It’ll be all right. Let me see.”
He unbuttoned her blouse and unlaced her corset opening both. Then he took his knife from his boot, slit her chemise up the front and pulled it back so he could see the damage Jordan’s knife had wrought. There was a long, deep slice along her rib but no puncture. Her corset has saved her life. As much as he hated the dang thing, he’d never let her leave home without one again.
“Liam, you called me Ellie. Am I going to die?”
He laughed. “No, my love. You’re not going to die. You have a slice in your side, but the knife glanced off one of the stays in your corset and slid over your rib instead of through it. You’re going to be very sore but you’re going to be fine.”
“I don’t feel fine.” She cocked her head looking at him as if she’d never seen him before. “Liam, are you crying?”
“Am I?” He reached up and felt the wetness on his cheek. “I guess I am.”
He looked down and smiled at her but she had passed out. Checking her wound again, he saw it was bleeding more than he would like and realized he needed to stop the blood flow.
“Eleanor. Eleanor.” He used his sternest voice and patted her cheek until she awoke.
“I’m sorry, I am just so tired all of a sudden.”
“Eleanor, I want you to listen to me. Sit up. I need to wrap your ribs and stop the bleeding. We have a long ride ahead of us.”
“Of course. Help me up, please.”
He pulled her gently to her feet and helped her to remove the rest of her clothes on top. Taking her chemise he tore part of it into strips and wadded the rest of it into a bandage to cover the wound.
“Hold this bandage tight to the wound and I’ll bind it to you,” he instructed her.
He wrapped her as tight as he dared and then helped her back into her blouse.
“You can’t carry me all the way to town,” she quipped.
Glad she could still tease him, he scooped her into his arms, her wound to his chest. “Pick up your corset off the table.” He bent down so she could. “I’m keeping that as a reminder of what could have happened. I may not be able to carry you to the doc’s place but I can carry you to my horse.”
He set her in the saddle and climbed on behind her. They ran into Jake and Zach just as they were leaving the clearing.
“You found her. Ellsworth told us what happened. Who was it?” asked Zach.
“I don’t know,” said Liam. “He stabbed Eleanor and ran before I could find out.”
“I know,” said Eleanor. “It was Richard Jordan. He wanted to kill Liam and me for sure, but I got the feeling that he wants to kill all of us. He was so polite before he stabbed me. It was all so strange.”
“Stabbed you!” said Jake. “What are we doing here talking? Let’s go. We can talk at the doc’s place.”
“Jordan,” spat Liam, “ran out the back. He’s in the wind.”
“The man has ruined all of us,” said Zach. “Killed once that we know of and tried to kill again. You two have family to think of. Babies and kids, wives. I’m going to track him now. You don’t need me to take Ellie to the doctor. I’ll see you soon.”
They watched Zach ride toward the cabin.
“He’ll be back,” said Liam. “He’s right. Now he’s the only one who can go after Jordan. And he knows what he looks like, so he won’t be fooled.”
Jake nodded in agreement. “Let’s get her to Deadwood.” He turned his horse and walked alongside Liam’s.
Liam was afraid to gallop with Eleanor wounded, though he wanted to get her help as soon as possible.
“Liam, we need to go faster, I don’t think I’m going to be able to sit up much longer,” said Eleanor.
“Jake, hold up. Ellie, I want you to put your arms around my neck.”
She did as he asked.
“That’s right sweetheart, now I’m going to move forward into the saddle and put you on my lap. Then I’m going to hold you and we’re going to ride like the wind.”
After they made the switch, she leaned into his chest and relaxed against him. He wondered if she could feel the pounding of his heart…pounding with fear as he felt her grow weaker.
He held her tight and galloped to the settlement and the doctor, praying to God that He not abandon him this time.
CHAPTER 16
Eleanor regained consciousness after about five minutes and had been valiantly trying not to show her pain. She buried her face into Liam’s chest and he heard her sobs. He knew the horse ride was rough on her but it couldn’t be helped. She need to get to the doctor as soon as possible.
“Doc! Doc!” shouted Liam as he reined his horse to a stop in front of the doctor’s office. “Doc Cochran!”
He handed Eleanor down to Jake, until he could slide out of the saddle. Then he took her back into his arms and ran with her to the front door. He kicked the front door, rattling the hinges.
“I’m coming,” said the doctor as he opened the door. “What in the world is so urgent…”
“It’s Eleanor,”
“Bring her inside,” said Doc as he moved back into the room and held the door open for Liam. “Set her on the table.”
A plain wooden table stood in the middle of the large room. Shelves were full of bottles of different colored liquids and dried herbs, with more plants hanging from the ceiling. A small cot was at the other end of the room next to a cook stove. The doctor lived and worked in this cabin.
Liam laid her down, cushioning her head as he did, so it wouldn’t bang on the table.
“What the hell happened? Why is it whenever I see you two together you’re always carrying her and she’s injured? Nevermind. Let me see her,” said Doc.
“She was stabbed by someone who wants me dead,” answered Liam.
Doc opened Eleanor’s blouse, cut through the bandages and pulled the pad away from the wound. Liam was glad she was passed out and couldn’t feel the pain of it being ripped away from what dried blood there was.
“I didn’t think it looked that bad, but she’s bled a lot and then passed out. Is she going to be all right, Doc?”
“I can’t be sure yet, but I think so. She probably passed out from shock.”
“Of course, I passed out from shock,” sobbed Eleanor. “I’ve never been stabbed before.”
“It’s all right, sweetheart. Doc will take good care of you.”
“Mr. Anderson, I know you’re worried, but it would be better i
f you,” Doc looked over his shoulder at Jake, who stood just inside the door, “and your brother would wait outside.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” said Liam. “Eleanor is my wife. She needs me.”
“I’ll wait here, too,” said Jake. “I won’t be in the way, just over here by the door.”
Eleanor turned her head away from Liam. “I’m going to be fine, now. You can leave me in the doctor’s care. I know you have other things you have to do now that are more important than me.”
“Eleanor, I want you to take this laudanum. It’ll ease the pain I’m going to have to put you through,” said Doc before Liam could answer.
She took the two teaspoons of the vile tasting stuff and hoped it would work quickly. Anything to make her pass out again and not have to look at Liam.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” said Liam as he watched the doctor clean the blood away from her wound. “Eleanor, we’ll discuss this later.”
She nodded, too tired to argue. Her eyelids felt like rocks were tied to them weighing them down. The laudanum was starting to work its magic, taking her pain away, but she hadn’t told Liam what she thought about his excuse of not being able to love anymore. She’d have to remember, later. Now she wanted to sleep. She let her eyes close for just a moment.
“Eleanor, wake up, sweetheart.” Liam patted her cheek.
“Liam.” She blinked her eyes slowly open.
“Yes, it’s me.”
“Am I all right now?”
“You’re going to be fine, Eleanor. I put twenty-five stitches in your side to close the wound but you’re going to be right as rain in a few weeks,” said Doc Cochran. He turned to Liam, “I want her available for me to check the stitches. If you need to, you stay at the hotel, so I have access to her. If she gets a fever or if the wound gets red and swollen or starts to bleed, you send for me right away. In the meantime keep it dry and change the dressing every other day.”
“Becky and I finished our house in town, Doc. They can stay with us for as long as they need to,” said Jake.
Doc nodded. He turned to Liam and handed him a small clear bottle with a pale yellow liquid in it. “Give this to her every four hours. Ten drops in water. You can give it to her a little more often if she needs it, but I don’t think she will.”
Eleanor watched Liam and the doctor. Liam was paying close attention to what the doctor was saying for her care. He was probably going to relay the information to Becky so she could take care of her. Then he could take the children and return to his life, forgetting about Eleanor.
She knew she was under the influence of the laudanum. Her vision was blurred and she didn’t care about much of anything.
“That’s right. Take me to Becky’s and leave me. I’ll be fine. She’ll take care of me.”
Doc rolled his eyes and said to Liam, “She’s liable to be a little more verbal and chatty under the influence of the laudanum.”
“I’m right here, gentleman, I can hear you,” she said in a sing-song voice
“She may also be a bit belligerent. The drug loosens the tongue,” the doctor said with a chuckle.
Liam picked her up in his arms.
“I don’t need to be carried, Liam. My legs are not broken.” She automatically put her arms around his neck.
“I don’t want you to strain yourself or perhaps trip because you’re under the influence of the medicine. Now hush and let me get you to Jake’s.”
“Hmpft. I will for now because I’m tired, but when I get my strength back, I’m going to let you have it. I’m not going to be ignored.”
“Alright,” he said, smiling.
“Don’t you smile at me. I mean it. I’m going to tell you what’s on my mind. You’re not going to ignore me or not love me. You will love me. I’m going to make you. You see, I’m going to be the best wife and mother you’ve ever known and then you’ll love me and we’ll be happy together.”
He continued to grin. “You can tell me whatever you want. But I already love you.”
“Fine. Now, I think I want to sleep. This stuff seems to make me very tired…”
Liam looked down at the sleeping woman in his arms and then over at the doctor.
“Will she remember any of this when she wakes up?”
“Not likely. She’s going to be hurting, but she won’t remember what she said.” Doc raised an eyebrow. “Or what you said back. She doesn’t think you love her, I take it. Why would that be?”
He felt a bit sheepish, “In my mistaken belief that I couldn’t feel love again, I told her I would never love her. I know now that was wrong. I do love her. I just didn’t realize it until I nearly lost her.”
“That’s the way it is sometimes, son. We never know what we treasure until it’s nearly too late. You have a second chance, I guess you better take it. Good news, if she takes it as such, will help her to heal.”
“I intend to, Doc. I’m going to make sure she knows how much I love her every day for the rest of our lives.”
Doc nodded. “Good.”
Liam spoke to his brother, who had quietly waited the whole time Doc was caring for Eleanor. “Thank you for staying, Jake. Would you go ahead and tell Becky and the kids we are coming, and would you take my horse with you? We’ll be along in a bit.”
“Sure thing,” said Jake. Then he smiled. “You’re a stubborn cuss. The rest of us have known how you feel about her for a month or more.”
“Why didn’t someone clue me in?”
“You wouldn’t have believed us. You were determined not to love. I guess she worked her way under your skin.”
Liam smiled. “I guess she did. I’m no different than all the children she teaches. I adore Mizz Ellie.”
His brother mounted his horse and left him to walk to the west side of town. He went through Chinatown and then turned right. Jakes house was two blocks off the main thoroughfare, backing to the mountainside. The front porch faced east at Becky’s insistence, so she and Jake could watch the sun rise together over their coffee on summer mornings.
He walked up the porch steps where Jake and Becky greeted them with an open door.
“Take her to the room off the kitchen. We don’t have any help living in yet and it will be easier for everyone. Plus it affords you both a little privacy,” said Jake.
“Thanks, you two.”
“Yes, thank you both,” said Eleanor. “Liam, would you please put me down now? I can walk.”
“Very well.”
He set her on her feet. She swayed a little bit. He reached for her and she swatted him away.
“Just give me a minute to get my bearings.”
“You lost a lot of blood, you’re liable to be light headed and weak,” said Liam.
“I know, but the best way to rebuild my strength is to move around on my own. Thank you for carrying me. I don’t know that I had enough strength to walk here from doc’s. It’s a fair distance.”
“That it is. Let’s get you to bed. Becky do you have a nightgown Eleanor could use?
“I sure do,” said Becky. “Already on the bed, waiting for your arrival. There’s a robe, too, and I’m making some tea. It’ll help sooth you.” She cocked her head in the direction of the kitchen. “Come on, follow me.”
They got to the lovely room off the kitchen. This would be for the cook and housekeeper, or in Becky’s case, because she loved to cook, it would be just for the housekeeper.
The room was set up simply, but it was charming. There was a double bed with brass head and foot rails, and nightstands on either side. A beautiful, brightly colored quilt graced the bed. The closet was built in and the door was opposite the bed. There was a bureau and a tall boy dresser along with a commode. All of the wooden pieces matched and were done in dark wood, maybe walnut or mahogany, Eleanor wasn’t sure. Becky had the wall done with paint and wallpaper. A pale green brocade wallpaper went down to the chair rail and the rest of the wall was painted a cream color below the rail. The effect was gorgeous.
“I do love what you’ve done with the room. It’s delightful. A wonderful place for me to recover. To that end, I think I’d like to get into bed now and,” she said to Liam, “perhaps take some of that laudanum the doctor sent over with you.”
“Of course. I’ll help you get undressed and get into bed, then get the medicine for you.”
“Becky can help me while you get the laudanum.” She wasn’t ready to be alone with Liam. Right now, after having nearly died, she wasn’t so sure what she felt about him. He said he couldn’t love her. If that was true, could she live her life with a man she loved who didn’t love her back?
Liam looked at her strangely, then smiled. “Becky, Jake, would you excuse us, please?”
“Sure thing. Becky, let’s get dinner going,” Jake looked over at Liam, “or better yet, why don’t we get a cup of coffee and sit on the porch for a spell.”
“But…” sputtered Becky as Jake shuttled her out of the room.
“Later,” he whispered to her.
Becky looked first at Eleanor and then at Liam. “Oh,” she said with sudden clarity. “Right. See you both later.”
Liam closed the door after them and leaned back against it, gazing at Eleanor.
“What do you want now, Liam?” She tried to wrap her arms around her waist, but her side hurt her.
“I want to know why your upset?” He said, not moving.
“Well, where should I start? I’m kidnapped by a lunatic who wants my husband and his entire family dead, including me. Then I get stabbed and think I might die…” she was sobbing now, and that was not what she wanted to be doing. “…without ever knowing love. You see my husband has already told me that he can never love me, and I love him so much it hurts. I don’t know if I can live like that.”
He shot off the wall and was by her side in a second. “What did you say?”
She turned away from him. “I don’t know if I can live like that.”
He turned her back to face him and lifted her chin with his knuckle. “Before that. What did you say before that.”
She sniffled. “That I love him so much it hurts.”
“That’s the part.”
Liam Page 15