by Sara Jolene
JT nodded. “Yes. They brought in just the two of them. Seems the mine was empty. All the men had gone home. Matter of fact, the way Wheeler made it sound was like they’d just left. They’d told him they felt and could see the blast and fire from their spots on the hill. They’d all started to race up when Wheeler and the Marshal came riding in.”
Nessa didn’t say much. She just let all the information settle into her mind. “Can I see him?” JT looked at her. Examining her. Nessa could tell he was checking to make sure she had her wits about her. That she wasn’t distraught and upset. She offered him a reassuring smile, which caused him to nod. “Rachel, could you show Miss Dobbs to your patient, please.”
Nessa looked up at Rachel just in time to see the color drain from her face. She was suddenly pale white and appeared to be having difficultly responding. “Of course. This way,” she told her, her voice trembling as Nessa followed behind her.
Nessa wasn’t sure what had spooked Rachel. She obviously could handle herself around those that were injured, otherwise JT wouldn’t have her there. She followed the girl over to where Dutch was lying on a cot. Nessa closed her eyes before taking the last few steps toward him. She held her breath and let it out slowly as she opened them a fraction, afraid of what she’d see.
Shocked, she opened both eyes fully. He looked completely fine. His clothes were dirty, and she could see where there were a few spatters of blood, but she could tell he’d been well taken care of. “Thank you.” She looked up at Rachel, who shook her head while staring at the floor.
“No. Really. Thank you.” Still Rachel said nothing. She stood there quietly staring at what, at first, Nessa had thought was a spot on the floor, but now she realized she was staring at Dutch. She smiled to herself.
“Do you think he’ll wake up?”
Rachel finally lifted her head. She straightened her spine and tried not to look concerned, even though it was evident she was. She nodded. “I believe he will. He’s a good man, and Creede needs good men.”
Nessa smiled and moved to come around to Rachel’s side of Dutch’s cot. She stood next to the girl she’d met just that morning at the bank for the very first time. She reached down and picked up her hand and held it in her own. “He is a good man, and you’re right, Creede does need good men.”
Rachel looked over at her. Nessa could feel the girl’s eyes on the side of her face as she looked down at her dear friend. She waited to feel uncomfortable or feel anything other than sadness that her friend had been injured but nothing came, which told her all she really needed to know. “I think he’ll wake up.” She turned and faced Rachel. “Want to know why?”
Rachel nodded, but it was stiff and hesitant.
“I think he’ll wake up because he knows that there’s a beautiful young lady tending to him. Being kind to him and caring for him. He’ll want to know her.”
Every muscle in Rachel’s body stiffened.
Nessa smiled. “He’s a dear friend.” She shook her head and smiled hugely. “Nothing more. I think it’s wonderful that you’ve taken a shine to him. You’d be good for him.”
Rachel’s cheeks flushed, and her eyes moved over Nessa’s face quickly, making sure that she was telling her the truth, that Nessa wasn’t interested in Dutch.
“People think things, but they don’t know other people’s business the way they think they do.” She looked down at her friend, who could have been sleeping if she’d not known better. “Freddie and I have been through a lot together, and it’s true that my family wants us together, or rather my father did and now my sister does, but I don’t love him, and more importantly, he doesn’t love me.” She lifted Rachel’s hand and picked up one of Dutch’s. She brought them together. “He could love you though.”
Rachel smiled and started to thank Nessa, but then Dutch squeezed her hand. She gasped and looked down as her free hand flew to her mouth and covered it.
“Telling tales are you, Ness?”
Rachel couldn’t take her eyes off the man lying before her, but she heard Nessa’s strangled laugh. The relief was evident in her voice. “Tales no taller than the man whose boots you’re wearing.”
Dutch smiled, and though his head lulled back and forth a little, his eyes remained open. She held his hand tighter as she called out for the Doctor. “JT… Dutch is awake.”
Dutch had kept his eyes closed longer than he needed to. But then again, Holden was once again whispering in his ear. His friend had told him to stay put the moment he’d become lucid. He wasn’t sure how he’d known he was conscious, but he had. He’d recognized Nessa’s voice immediately. It warmed him that she was there but also concerned him. He hoped she hadn’t been hurt and in need of care. Then a warm hand had been placed in his, and it felt like he’d been sucker punched in the belly. Tingles ran up and down his arm and into his back. He’d opened his eyes just a bit. Enough to peek so he could try to gather who it was that was holding his hand. He was surprised to see Nessa standing there. They’d touched before. He’d held her hand. But he’d never felt anything like he was feeling now. Then he opened his eyes fully and realized that it was indeed not Nessa whose hand was in his but the girl he’d told to run off the night before. The one he’d found cornered behind the mercantile. “Told you that you needed to skip whatever else you were doing last night.”
Dutch shook his head. He tried to do it purposefully, but it felt more like his head was flopping around on his neck. He smiled. “Telling tales are you, Ness?” He asked as he gently squeezed the dainty hand within his before the doctor came over and switched his hand for hers. Dutch felt himself deflate. The way she was making him feel had sparked life into his tired and sore body.
“How are you feeling, Dutch?”
He could feel JT checking out his joints and lifting his limbs. He was having a hard time keeping his eyes open. “Been better, Doc.”
JT laughed. “I imagine so. Can you remember what happened?”
Dutch thought about it for a moment. He remembered being on the hill with Ab, but after that it was a blur other than sound. He still wasn’t hearing properly. Everyone’s voices were muffled. Like he had a pillow over his head. “Nah. Not much. Is Ab here too?”
“Ab?”
“Yeah. He was right beside me when the blast hit. I figure he’s here somewhere.”
There was a silence that fell over the room. It made Dutch’s stomach churn.
“I’m sorry, but he’s not here.”
Maybe he was remembering wrong. Maybe that had been a different day.
“It’s just you and Wade. They brought you in together.”
Wade…that was how he knew. None of this had been an accident. Wade was nothing but trouble. He was dim and desperate, two things that made people the most dangerous. Dutch shook his head. He could feel himself drifting off. He tried to focus on Rachel before sleep pulled him under completely. He locked eyes with hers and held them. “Stay?” he whispered. He closed his eyes just as she reached toward him and ran her hand down his cheek.
Chapter Four
The night had been long, and Rachel was nodding off in the chair she’d pulled to Dutch’s bedside when JT came and startled her. “You should go home. Get some rest. We have rounds to make tomorrow on the outskirts.”
Rachel’s eyes immediately went to Dutch.
“He’ll be looked after. Nora will be here, and from what I can tell he mostly just needs rest. His memory seems fine, and all his limbs are working. I think he’ll be up in a day or two.”
Rachel sighed and looked at the floor, silently saying prayers of thanks. She looked back up quickly and over to where Wade lay on a cot a few feet away. Having him there made her nervous. She had heard stories. The ladies talked when they got together, and they sometimes would gather at the clinic when they’d come to visit Nora and the children. Beatrice was one of her favorite of the women. She always had delicious baked goods, and her baby was sweet, even as she was toddling around and getting into things.
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“He’ll be up and around before too long as well.”
Rachel felt unsure if she should voice her concerns, but her fear overcame her sense. “Is it safe to have him here?”
Doc nodded. “Both KC and the Marshal know he’s here. It would be the height of stupidity for him to harm anyone while the law knows right where he’s at.” He put a reassuring hand on Rachel’s shoulder. “He’s a criminal.” He tossed an errant look toward Dutch as well, causing Rachel’s back to tighten. “But as most criminals do, they live in the shadow and move in darkness. He’s harmless here.” He locked eyes with Rachel, the look on his face making her skin prickle. “It’s the evil that lives in the light that we need to be worried about.”
Rachel knew what the doctor was implying, but she couldn’t find a single place within her that thought his suggestion could have any merit. Dutch was as good man. She could feel it. She nodded to the doctor, letting him know she understood.
The sun had just started to rise as she mounted her horse and started to ride out toward Creede. The small cabin she shared with her father was on the other side of the town, just as you’d head toward Topaz. She found it interesting the way people came and went through the small towns. Creede was a hub of activity, where you could gather supplies or any other thing, but then one could stretch their legs and head to Bachelor or Topaz and be back out where there was nothing but cattle and chickens. She liked being able to live in both worlds. Traveling with the doctor had shown her more of the area as well. She was looking forward to rounds later in the afternoon.
Kara shook her head. Nessa ignored her and kept walking. “You shouldn’t have left. What will people think? What will Freddie think?”
Nessa stopped and spun on her sister. “Freddie prefers to be called Dutch. You know that, but you insist on calling him by his given name for some unknown reason, and he understands why I’m not there. As for everyone else, it doesn’t matter.”
“But of course it does. The two of you are practically married.”
Nessa was having a hard time controlling the anger welling inside her. Her sister wasn’t listening, as usual, which tended to end up in Nessa shouting. “We aren’t even close to married. We’re not engaged, nor are we even courting. He’s an old friend. One that, had our lives taken a different path, might have one day been my husband, but that isn’t the life I have anymore.” She glared at her sister. “You of all people should know that!”
The moment the words left her tongue she regretted them, but she stayed silent as she watched the hurt cloud over her sister’s eyes. Kara nodded. “I do know. Which is why I want to make sure you have someone that can look after you. Dutch is strong enough for that.”
Nessa shook her head at the emphasis her sister had put on his name. As if she was doing him and Nessa both a favor by not calling him by his Christian name. “You sound just like father. Neither of you ever have seen me for who I am. I realize he won’t get the chance, but I thought you would have seen it by now.” Nessa turned and started to walk away, knowing her sister would follow her. “Even here in a wild and raw place like this, you haven’t noticed that I can take care of myself. I’m doing just fine. I don’t need Dutch or anyone else to look after me.” Having to say the words cut Nessa. Kara not seeing the changes she’d made was painful, but more so was the fact that Kara had no ability to see that she’d raised Nessa to be the woman she was. Their father had babied her. She knew that now. Lillian had been harsh with her to make up for the lack of discipline from their father, but Kara, she’d taught Nessa how to be a woman. She’d shown her with her actions that strength wasn’t physical. It was mental and emotional. Nessa knew that she hadn’t always shown Kara how well she understood certain lessons that Kara had unknowingly taught her, but she was trying now. She’d been trying from the moment they’d untied her and helped her from the cabin.
Nessa had reached the barn doors and turned back before she opened them. “I’m not going to marry Dutch. I’m sorry, Kara.” Her sister stayed silent as she opened the doors and went in to saddle her horse.
Dutch opened his eyes and immediately started searching for her. He still didn’t know her name. She’d stayed with him through the night. He’d felt her when he’d woken briefly before drifting off again, but now she was gone. Nora, the doctor’s wife, was there instead. “Good morning.”
Dutch tried to nod. She was awfully cheery for it being so early. Tiny little fingers reached up and started to poke at his arm. He shifted and leaned over to find he was looking into deep brown eyes. “Now, Joy, let’s leave Mr.… Mr.?” Nora looked down at him.
“Holan. Freddie Holan.”
She smiled. “Let’s leave Mr. Holan to rest so he can feel better and get back to his family.” Nora took the little girl by the hand. “Mr. Holan, if you need anything please let me know.”
Once again Dutch started to nod but then opened his mouth before his brain could catch up with it. “The girl that was here before…where is she?”
Nora smiled. It lit up her whole face. It was a knowing smile. If Dutch had been a different sort of man, he probably would have blushed, maybe had a butterfly or two flapping in his stomach, but he wasn’t that type of man. At least that’s what he told himself as his cheeks got hot and his gut started to flip.
“Rachel?”
Her name was Rachel. He liked it. It was pretty. Wholesome. It was pretty and wholesome, just like she was. A pain shot through his belly, causing him to crunch together in pain. Nora dropped her daughter’s hand and rushed to his side. “What is it?”
He shook his head. He wasn’t sure how to convey that he was fine even though he was in physical discomfort. He knew it had nothing to do with his body or his recovery. It had everything to do with knowing that now that he knew her name, he’d never forget it, even though him forgetting her as well as her name was the best thing for her.
Rachel slept for a few hours and had lunch laid out for her pa as she was packing to meet JT for rounds. “I was hoping I’d get to see you today. I worry when you don’t come home at night.”
Rachel ushered her father to the place she’d set for him at the table. “I apologize. There was an explosion yesterday. I had to stay on to help out.”
Her father nodded as she kissed the top of his head and he tucked into his food. Mouth full, he said, “Marshal stopped by on ‘is way. I knew where you were at.”
Rachel was grateful for both the Marshal and his wife. Hannah had been a great help to her, and she was looking forward to learning from he. And since they lived in Topaz, her husband had taken to checking in on her pa when he knew Rachel couldn’t. Working for the doctor had been great for her as well and helped them to buy food, but it had taken a lot of her time away from him.
“How’s your ankle today? Mr. Sterling and Mr. Casey don’t have you doing too much, do they?”
The builders had been wonderful to her father after he’d fallen on the job and been hurt. They’d helped both of them however they could, and now that her pa was up and moving, they’d given him work. He still couldn’t do the job he’d been doing before his injury, but they’d made it so he felt useful and made a wage.
He shook his head before taking a bite of the thick, buttered bread she’d served him with his stew. “Off ‘gain, are ya?”
“I have to go on rounds with the doctor. He’s taking me out to the Circle C this afternoon. I’m looking forward to meeting Mrs. Clark and the twins.” She hugged her father over the back of his chair. “Be careful over there at the new pub. No one knows yet what happened at the mine yesterday.”
Her father nodded but said nothing as he took another huge bite of the bread. She shook her head as she watched him. He wasn’t refined in any way. She often wondered why he hadn’t met another and married after her mother had disappeared. She worried about him. She’d always dreamed of someday having a family, but watching him now she wondered if that was possible. She couldn’t leave him alone. She’d been caring for him
for so long she wasn’t sure he could care for himself. Trying to shake off the feelings of guilt as images of Dutch danced trough her mind when she thought about marriage and having a family, she left the small house and rode toward Creede, where she’d promised to meet the doctor at the Marshal’s office.
“Mrs. Clark’s pregnancy went surprisingly well, but I still like to keep an eye on her and the babies to make sure they’re thriving. Hannah delivered both the babies and checks in on them often as well.”
Rachel loved to watch Hannah work. She hoped that someday she too could deliver babies and help mothers. Rachel knew that her fascination with family came from her having grown up without a mother. She’d only been four when her mother had left. Rachel didn’t remember much. Just that her mother had been sweet and soft-spoken the last time she’d seen her. She’d tucked her into bed, telling her she loved her after they’d said prayers together. That had been their nightly ritual. She’d dress in her nightgown, and her mother would climb into bed with her and they’d make up stories together before they’d pray and Rachel would drift off to sleep. She’d woken the next morning to a cold oven and her father sitting at the table, his red face in his hands and dirt still covering his clothes. She still remembered his exact words as he’d lifted his face from the pit he’d created to bury it in. “Your mother left us.”
Rachel remembered wanting to scream at her father. To tell him it couldn’t be true. Rachel knew her mother and she would never leave her. Just the night before, she’d told her how much she loved her. But she’d said nothing. Ever. They never talked about it again. Both of them went about their lives and hadn’t spoken of her. Rachel spent her days with a nanny, waiting for her mother to return until she was old enough to start handling the cooking and cleaning. Rachel never stopped hoping though. Even when she took over the household duties and the nanny was no longer needed. She still didn’t believe her mother had left her willingly and secretly hoped her father didn’t either.