Chapter Nine
"Everythin' go all right while I was gone?" The healer pulled out a chair and flopped into it.
"Nothing we couldn't handle." Josiah winked at JD and they both chuckled.
"Reckon that means somethin' happened. Ya gonna tell me about it, or make me guess?" Jackson sighed and slumped a bit in his seat. He rubbed at his eyes, yawning widely. "Don't think I have enough of my wits right now to do much guessin' though."
"When did you get back? Everything go all right? We were starting to think there must have been some trouble." The preacher eyed the black man with concern. He signaled to Inez to bring them all some coffee. "Mrs. Bailey and the baby all right?"
"Yeah." Nathan accepted the steaming cup from Inez and inhaled the strong aroma. "Ummmm… I really need this." He smiled up at the pretty barkeep before taking a cautious sip. "First babies are so unpredictable. By the time we got there, her pains had stopped. Turned out to be a false alarm, but I could tell she was ready. Thought it would be best to just wait it out."
"For six days?" JD asked.
"Took about three days before her pains started again, but then took all one day and half of the next before that baby got here." Nathan chuckled softly. "Once she got goin' though, things moved along right quick. The second one just took a few minutes."
"The second one?" The young sheriff cocked an eyebrow and studied the healer as he let that bit of information sink in. Suddenly his eyes grew wide and a huge grin threatened to split his face from ear to ear. "Twins!"
"Yup, twins." Nathan smiled at the younger man's enthusiasm. "A boy and a girl."
"Oh, how exciting!" Inez beamed happily at the good news. "Do you think she would accept a baby gift from me?"
"Why wouldn't she?" Dunn never could see the more realistic side of things. He always seemed to see things through the eyes of innocence.
"Son, there are all kinds of people in this world, and many of them hold some type of prejudice or another. The Baileys accepted Nathan's help in bringing the babies into this world, so Inez being Mexican probably wouldn't matter to them. But, none of us know them well enough yet to know how they would feel about Inez running a saloon. To some people any woman who works in a saloon is less than desirable to have as a friend." Josiah sighed heavily and looked apologetically at the young Mexican woman.
"I don't get it? Why would anyone not want to have Inez for a friend? She's one of the nicest people in town."
"JD, what Josiah was trying to say is that most people see all saloon women as whores." Inez watched as her words sank in and the young man's look of confusion was replaced with one of shock and then anger.
"Well, that just ain't right!" Dunn was totally indignant at the mere thought that anyone would look at Inez that way. "Anyone around here needs help, and you're one of the first ones to pitch in…" He stopped talking when he felt a slender hand on his shoulder.
"Thank you." The dark-skinned beauty bent and placed a chaste kiss on the young man's cheek. "It means a lot to me that you and your amigos do not see me in that way. But, other people can't help the way they feel. It is all right. I am used to it."
She turned back to the healer and cocked one brow in question. "Do you think she would accept something from me?"
"I think she would," Nathan responded after a moment's thought. "I reckon if they can accept a black ex-slave as a midwife, they're open-minded enough to be acceptin' of a Mexican barmaid."
Her smile brought a sparkle to her deep brown eyes. "Thank you. I will go visit as soon as I can. I can take them a couple baby blankets I made."
"You made baby blankets?" Nathan eyed her and could not help letting his gaze travel over her trim figure.
"Not for me!" She flipped at the healer's shoulder with a wet bar towel. "I like to knit before I go to bed; it soothes me so I sleep better. So, I make baby things. You never know when you might need a gift for a friend."
"Somehow I just can't see you sittin' and knittin'." The sheriff squinted at the woman and the shook his head in frustration. "I can't even get my mind to imagine it." At the somewhat hurt expression on Inez's face, he hurried on. "I don't mean that in a bad way. It's just that you're always so busy; just don't seem like you could ever find time. Seems like you would be fallin' into bed after workin' all day."
"Sometimes I do, but other times I knit for a little while before trying to sleep." She winked at the young man before turning to head back to the bar to serve another customer.
"If the babies got here two or three days ago, why'd it take so long to get back?" Josiah returned them to the original topic.
"I figured after havin' two babies, she might need some extra care for a bit. Wanted to be sure she didn't get 'childbed fever'. Sometimes it happens and this was the first time I helped bring twins," Nathan explained. "Now, you gonna tell me what happened while I was gone?"
JD dove into the recitation of his exploits with Josiah with both feet. By the time the tale was over all three were laughing heartily.
"I'd have paid good money t' see that performance." Nathan slapped Josiah on the shoulder and grinned. "Seems like I missed some fun."
"Just doing our job." The preacher chuckled. "As they say, it's a tough job, but someone's gotta do it."
"Yeah, mighty tough, drinking whiskey, and staggering around like a drunk," Nathan teased.
"It isn't as easy as you think to be convincing about it," Josiah insisted.
"Nah, reckon it ain't at that." The healer yawned again, so wide that the two men with him thought surely his jaw would get stuck like that.
"You should go get some sleep." Sanchez leaned a little closer so his voice would not carry too far from their table. "We all know that you think you're indestructible, but even you need to rest in order to function well."
"I'm goin'. Was goin' t' have a bath first, but I'd probably fall asleep an' drown in the tub." Nathan yawned again and stood to leave. "If ya need me, ya know where I am." With that he walked away and headed to his room over the livery.
"You think he's all right?" JD's eyes had not left the retreating form of their colleague as he left the room, a bit unsteady on his feet.
"Nothing wrong that several hours’ sleep won't cure." Josiah patted the young man's arm and then stood up. "He's had a busy week. Think I'll go take a turn around town." Sanchez was out the door in a few long strides, leaving JD to finish his breakfast on his own.
+ + + + + + +
Inez took a chance to go visit Mary while business was slow at midmorning. She had hired a new bartender and she wanted a chance to leave him on his own to see how he handled things. That way she was close at hand if he needed her, but not standing there watching his every move. Once she was sure he could do the job unsupervised, there might be a chance to visit Mrs. Bailey and see the new babies.
Mary was nowhere to be seen when Inez opened the door to the Clarion and stepped inside. She had not seen her out about town so far that morning either. Inez rapped on the door that joined the living quarters and the office and waited. No answer. She frowned and knocked again. This time she could hear footsteps coming down the stairs, moving at a slow halting pace. After several long moments the doorknob rattled and turned, and Inez got a glimpse of her friend's pale face through the small opening in the door.
"Mary? Are you all right?" The pretty Mexican was instantly alarmed by Mary Travis' actions.
"Yes." The blonde nodded, but the shakiness of her voice said otherwise.
"No, I think you are not." Inez pushed against the door to open it a little farther so she could see Mary better. "What is wrong?" She laid the back of her hand against Mary's pale, clammy cheek and was startled to find it very cool to the touch. Fever would not have been much of a surprise, but this was. Something was obviously very wrong.
Mary gave up her pretense and allowed herself to sag down to sit on the steps. Her legs were too wobbly to hold her up any longer, and the ache in her stomach was not as noticeable when she sat or lay down. "I don't know. Maybe I am coming down with something. I sent Billy over to stay with Gloria just in case." She reached up with shaky fingers to push some stray strands of hair out of her face.
"Have you eaten anything today?"
"No. I didn't feel like trying to stand there to cook. I gave Billy some biscuits and honey, but that's all I could manage." She looked up sadly at Inez. "Billy didn't complain, but I feel like such a lousy mother, sending him off with nothing but bread for breakfast."
"Gloria will see that he is well fed. You needn't worry about that. I'll stop by and make sure she knows, if that will ease your mind a little."
"Thank you." Mary attempted a smile, but fell short of her goal.
"Come on, let's get you something to eat and some tea. Do you think you can keep something down?" Inez took hold of Mary's arm to steady her as they walked the short distance to the kitchen.
"Maybe. I don't know. I think I can handle some tea." She flopped into the chair without a modicum of grace and leaned forward enough to rest her head in her hands.
It took several minutes to get the water warm enough for tea, but once it was done Inez added a generous measure of honey to it, and sliced Mary a piece of the homemade bread she had wrapped on the counter. She warmed it on the stove to soften it enough to make it easier to eat and then spread it with honey before handing it to her friend.
"You need to try to eat something. My mother used to make me bread and honey when I was sick. Maybe it will be all right for you, too." The Mexican barmaid took Mary's hand and placed the warm bread onto her open palm.
Travis eyed the bread dubiously for a few moments, but the sight and smell did not set her stomach to rolling, so she took a small nibble. Satisfied that it was going to stay down, she tried another larger bite. Bread had never tasted as good as it did right at that moment.
Inez fixed herself a cup of tea and helped herself to a slice of the sweet bread. It was still one of her favorite foods because it always reminded her of her mother. "Would you be able to eat some more?"
"No, not yet. I need to be sure that is going to stay put first." Mary sipped at the cooling tea, feeling slightly revived after getting even that small amount of food down. Suddenly, she frowned and looked Inez straight in the eyes. "Why are you here? Have you gotten word from Ezra?"
"No, nothing like that. And besides, he would contact you, not me. I thought it was time to leave Jacob on his own at the saloon for a little while, and I wanted to tell you the news if you hadn't already heard it." Inez smiled and waited for Mary's response. She did not have to wait long.
"News? What news?" Her journalist's curiosity overpowered her body's desire to go lie down.
"Mrs. Bailey had twins. A boy and a girl!"
"Is everyone doing all right?? Mary's eyes brightened for a few moments at the exciting news.
"From what Senor Nathan said they are. He was so tired that he went straight to bed." Inez grinned, enjoying the chance to spread a little harmless gossip. "He would never admit it, but he is just as proud as the papa. It was his first time to bring twins into the world, and he was practically giddy." She shrugged slightly and grinned before adding, "as giddy as he could be, seeing that he could not stop yawning."
Mary laughed along with her visitor, but the shaking the laughter produced in her stomach did not help how she felt. The ache came back with a vengeance and quickly graduated into full-blown pain. She pressed her hand to her abdomen and took a deep breath and held it for several long moments, hoping the discomfort would subside again.
"You are in pain?" Dark brown eyes clouded with concern as she watched Mary Travis nod without speaking. It was as if she were afraid to try to speak, afraid her voice would betray just how badly she really was feeling. "I should go get Senor Nathan. This is not right for you to be this way."
"No, don't." He voice wavered as she spoke, but she managed to get Inez's attention and stop her from getting up. "You said he was exhausted. I'll be all right."
"Mary, you are being stubborn, just like Senor Ezra." The Mexican woman admonished her, much like a parent scolding a child. "You know that Senor Nathan would be the first to be angry that you did not send for him."
"Inez, I know I can trust you. Right?"
"Of course." Inez caught Mary's eyes and held her gaze. "I have never betrayed any confidence you have placed in me. What's wrong?"
"I think I might be pregnant again." She waited, trying to gauge the effect her admission had, by watching the changing expressions on her visitor's face.
"I see. Does Senor Ezra know?"
"Not yet. He had already left when I first started feeling sick in the mornings." Mary hung her head, embarrassed at finding herself in such a sticky situation again. "We were planning to wait until April for the wedding, but I guess now we will have to have it a lot sooner." She grimaced when her stomach cramped and could not control a small gasp at the unexpected clenching of her muscles, muscles that were already sore from several rounds with the morning sickness earlier.
"I have not had a baby, but I have been around enough to know that you should not be feeling this kind of pain." Inez stood and held out a hand to help Mary out of her chair. "No more argument. I am going to see you get back to bed, and then I am going to get Senor Nathan."
She opened her mouth to protest but clamped it shut again when she felt another cramp starting. Inez was right; this was not normal. Reluctantly, she allowed herself to be tugged out of the chair, and instantly her legs started to shake, causing her to lean heavily against the barmaid.
It took several minutes to negotiate the steps up to the bedroom and to get Mary settled in bed as comfortably as possible. Clutching a feather pillow against her stomach was a little bit soothing, probably from the warmth it held to her body.
"Do not move from there until I return. Promise me…" Inez waited until she saw Mary nod, and then she rushed out to get Nathan.
At that moment she envied Buck his long legs that could take the steps two at a time, but she made quick time, getting up the stairs to bang on the door of the clinic. Inez bounced in place as she waited impatiently for a response from inside. After several seconds she knocked again, more insistently. The door opened just as she raised her hand to pound on it for a third time, and Nathan ducked backward to avoid being hit.
"Inez?" He shook his head trying to clear the sleep from his brain so he could concentrate on the person at his door. His eyes batted rapidly as he tried to get them to focus. When he finally could see clearly enough to see the worry on the young beauty's face, he found himself suddenly wide awake. "What wrong?"
"Mary is not well. Please, Senor Nathan, she needs you." Her eyes begged even more loudly than her words. "I am sorry to wake you, but I do not think this can wait."
"Come in. I need t' get some supplies." He stood back and let the young woman slip in past him and then quickly closed the door. "What seems t' be wrong with her?"
"I promised not to tell, but since you already know about what happened before, I am sure she will not be angry if I tell you." Inez wrung her hands nervously as she watched Nathan gather the things he thought he would need. "She thinks she is with child, but something is wrong. She's very ill and can barely stand up on her own. And…" Inez blushed and glanced away.
"And what?" Nathan asked. "I need t' know, so I know what I might need t' help her."
"When I helped her back to bed, there was blood on the back of her gown." Inez took hold of Nathan's arm and tried to tug him toward the door. "Please hurry!"
The healer grabbed a few additional items and added them to his bag, before dashing out the door. Once down the steps he quickly passed Inez and ran on ahead of her toward the Clarion building. He did not even pause to knock when he got inside and came to the door to the private quarters. Jackson bounded up the steps taking them two at a time and did not slow down until he was standing at the side of Mary Travis' bed.
It felt like his heart dropped straight to his heels when he saw Mary on her side, curled around the pillow she clutched to her stomach. Her back was to him, but from where he stood looking down at her, he could see she was crying.
"Mary," the healer spoke softly to avoid startling her. "Tell me what's happenin'." He glanced up for a moment when Inez came in the door, but instantly refocused on his patient. When he did not get an answer, he pressed on. "I gotta know what yer feelin', and what's goin' on or I can't help ya."
"Something's wrong…my stomach is cramping," she managed to get out between sobs.
"Let me check ya over. Might not be anything bad wrong, but I can't say fer sure 'til I can check." When Nathan flipped the cover off of her and gently took her shoulders to help her turn over onto her back he saw the large red stain on the back of her gown. "Just try an' relax."
"Inez, could ya grab some towels and a basin of warm water?"
"Si. I'll be right back." Rocillos hurried from the room and came back with an armload of towels, before going back for the water.
"Let's put one of these under ya." The healer made a thick pad of a couple of folded towels and helped Mary raise up far enough for him to slip it beneath her.
"Why do I need that?" There was fear in her eyes as she asked the question.
"There is no easy way to tell ya this. Yer bleedin' pretty heavy. " He patted her arm sympathetically.
"No, I can't be! I know I can't…I'm pregnant." Mary saw the sad look in the healer's eyes and shrank away from his touch.
"Could be, but from the look of things if ya are, there is a more than good chance that yer losin' the baby." He had managed to take her delicate hand in his larger, work-roughened one and then laid his other hand over the top of hers.
"No!" Mary Travis shook her head in denial and pulled farther away from the black man. "No…" She pulled her hand from his and stared at him like he had suddenly sprouted a second head.
"Ya gotta let me check you over," Nathan insisted.
"NO!" The blonde shoved his hands away when he reached for her.
"Mary, don't make me have to get Inez to come and hold onto your hands," Jackson warned and reached for her again.
"Don't touch me!" She scooted a little farther out of his grasp, but then stopped struggling when her stomach cramped violently.
Nathan did not say anything to Inez when she came back; he merely nodded toward the blonde's hands. He waited until Rocillos went to the opposite side and leaned across the bed to grab at Mary's flailing hands.
"I'm sorry, but you must let Senor Nathan try to help you." Inez tightened her grip when her friend almost pulled free.
Relieved of having to ward off a physical attack, the healer gently probed his patient's belly, and then steeled himself to check her more thoroughly.
"No!" Mary continued to sob as she tried to speak. "Don't hurt my baby…"
Chapter Ten
Ezra woke instantly when he felt someone shake him, and he jerked upright in the chair to find himself looking into Vin's blue eyes. "Mr. Tanner, I must apologize for allowing myself to drift off to sleep." He quickly glanced at the locked jail cell and breathed a sigh of relief to see that their prisoners were still safely incarcerated.
"'S all right, Ezra. I shoulda woke up sooner to spell ya. Reckon gettin' so wet an' cold really took it outta me. No harm done." Vin squeezed the gambler's shoulder to reassure him that everything was truly all right.
Standish suddenly remembered why they had stopped at this particular town and jumped up, nearly knocking the chair over in the process. "Mr. Larabee?" Ezra groaned when he realized that by dozing off he had also left their wounded leader unattended to.
"He's hangin' in there. Don't go beratin' yerself for fallin' asleep." Tanner gave him a stern look, knowing how the gambler's mind worked when he thought he had let them down. "Hell, Ezra, once ya got thawed out, it was normal for yer body to need t' sleep."
"But, I was the one who was supposed to be guarding the prisoners and keeping watch over Chris. I didn't hold up to the responsibilities that were given to me." Ezra was miserable at the realization that he had once again failed in the performance of his duties.
"And I was the one who said I would relieve ya in four or five hours, but I didn't wake up."
"If I had remained alert as I should have, I would have been able to ensure that you did wake up at the specified time."
"Would you two shut up!" Chris' voice was weak but he managed to make himself heard. "The two of you could wake up the dead."
Standish was at Larabee's side in only a few strides and knelt next to him. "I must say that it is a rare occurrence that I can say that I am glad to hear your admonitions." He fussed over the injured man, checking his bandages and feeling his forehead for any signs of fever. "Could you manage to drink some water?"
"Yeah, my mouth's so dry my tongue keeps sticking to the roof of my mouth." He tried to lick his lips to moisten them but it did no good.
"Here you go, pard." Vin fetched a cup of cool water and held it for Chris while Ezra helped Larabee to sit up far enough to drink.
"Enough." Beads of perspiration had popped out on Chris Larabee's face from the exertion and pain of sitting up. His breathing was ragged, coming in shallow gasps while he recovered from the ordeal. Finally, his breathing smoothed out again, and his brow furrowed in thought as he tried to figure out what wasn't right about this whole mess. When he realized what it was, he looked from one to the other of the men who stood hovering over him. "Where's Buck?
"Bucklin's fine. He went to the next town to get a doctor for ya. Reckon the doc didn't want to try to travel in the dark, but they should be here soon." Tanner picked up the cloth they had lying nearby, poured some cool water over it from his canteen and lightly wiped his friend's face with the cool rag.
"The Corbys?" Chris tried unsuccessfully to remember all the events that led up to him getting shot.
"The two we were hauling are locked up over there in the cell." Tanner nodded toward the opposite side of the room. "The two that tried to bust 'em out are over at the undertaker's."
Larabee gave a slight nod, indicating that he heard and understood what he had been told. "Think they have any other kin that'll be trying to get them out?"
"I think Sheriff Brody would have given us additional warnings if he knew of anyone else who might attempt to emancipate our prisoners." Ezra felt that although that old sheriff wasn't too book-smart, he was life-smart. He had learned from experience and he kept all the skills he had developed well-honed. The old man had been right when he said that he had not lived so long by being stupid.
Tanner and the gambler both instantly had their guns in their hands and pointed at the door when they heard the knob rattle and the door started to open slowly. Once it was open far enough, someone started to back in through the door. The man looped one foot behind the door and used it to push the door closed, then turned and stopped abruptly at the sight of two guns pointed at his chest.
Ezra was the first to recognized Sheriff McCann. His turned up coat collar and the hat pulled down as far as he could get it over his ears had made it hard to see his features at first. "Sheriff. I fear that we did not realize that it was you. I hope that you realize that we are understandably cautious."
"Sorry, fellas. I should'a thought it through a bit better and knocked before just shovin' the door open, what with ya guardin' prisoners an' all." He took the few steps to the desk and sat down the heavy tray he was carrying. "I brought breakfast fer ya and fer them too." He glanced toward the two men in the cell, who were now awake and standing staring at them through the bars.
"'Bout time. We ain't had nothin' t' eat since noon yesterday." Carl glared at them, but shut up when Joe jabbed him in the ribs with his elbow. "What the hell ya go an' do that fer?" he hissed at this brother under his breath.
"I believe your brother is telling you that it is not wise to antagonize the jailer before you have been given your morning sustenance." Standish quirked a brow at Joe and then turned his attention back to Carl, who now stood sullen and silent.
McCann uncovered the tray and studied the plates trying to figure the best way to get them to the prisoners. He scratched his head and reached into the drawer to get the keys.
"Sheriff, it would not be wise to open the door at this time," Ezra advised him.
"How else am I gonna get the food to 'em?"
"Reckon, ya haven't had that many here that ya needed to keep yer guard up with all the time." Vin spoke softly and tried to appear busy so that he could keep from looking McCann square on. The sheriff might not be too quick on the uptake, but he might have a good memory for wanted posters.
"Nah, can't say that I have." The sheriff shook his head almost sadly. 'Til now, I suppose the worst I've had here was a couple cattle rustlers. Ain't anythin' really worth stealin'. Stoney Ridge don't have a bank or much of anything else. There's a saloon an' a general store. We got a blacksmith, an' he tends to a small mill wheel too. That's about it. Don't usually get nobody here 'cept a drunk every now an' then. This here's the most excitement this town's ever had."
"Then it is time that you were educated as to proper precautions to take with prisoners of this caliber." The gambler put his best diplomatic skills to use. "For one, you never unlock the cell door without at least one man with a gun to back you up. Second, you never give them anything they can use as a weapon against you." He paused and let his words sink in a little. "Allow me to show you how you prepare this type of meal."
The gambler neatly sliced open two large fluffy biscuits and scooped up the fried eggs and placed them on one half of each biscuit, then he laid the bacon strips across the tops of the eggs and replaced the top half of the biscuit. After tying each one into one of the small cloths that had been used to cover the plates, he moved over to the cell.
"If you would both reach out, you may have your breakfast." Ezra waited until both had reached one hand through the bars before cautiously handing each of them one of the food filled bundles.
The two prisoners grabbed the offering and eased it back through the bars. They sat on the edge of one of the cots and untied the knot to get to the food. Neither said a word as they attacked the biscuit sandwiches like a couple of wolves at a fresh kill.
Standish picked up one of the remaining plates and handed it to Vin who was maintaining his vigil over Chris. "You think he's up to eating anything?"
"Not likely, but if there was any broth to be found, he might be able to drink some of it when he wakes up again." Tanner attacked his own food with almost as much enthusiasm as the two cellmates.
"I can ask Bonnie if she can fix somethin' up," McCann offered and quickly ducked back out into the cold. He was not gone long before he came back in rubbing his gloved hands against the chill.
Ezra looked up from his breakfast and waited for McCann to take off his coat and hat and hang them on the peg in the wall. "What did you find out?"
"Bonnie'll fix some broth and bring it over when it's done. She said she'd send over a basket of biscuits and butter too, in case any of ya are still hungry." Jake poured himself a cup of coffee from the pot he kept on the heating stove and joined Ezra at the desk.
"Hey! Don't we get any coffee?" Joe called out to them.
"When I have finished my own repast, I'll see to your coffee, but only if you both refrain from any type of disturbance while I eat." Ezra scooped up another bite of his eggs.
"I was wonderin' 'bout somethin'. Why did ya' make those two reach out t' get the food? Couldn't ya have just handed it in t' them?" Jake had been watching how these men handled the prisoners, and realized that they had experience that he lacked. "I figure if I got the chance t' learn a few things while yer here, I'd be pretty dumb not t' learn as much as I can."
"A very wise decision." Ezra popped the last bite of biscuit into his mouth and grimaced as he washed it down with a big gulp of the bitter brew. He never thought he would have welcomed a pot of Vin's overly strong coffee, but this made Vin's seem watered down in comparison. "If you reach through the bars, a prisoner can grab your arm and pull you against the bars, where he can get a stranglehold on you or grab your gun, as my associate can attest to."
McCann's mouth dropped open, and he looked at the gambler in awe. "I never woulda thought of that." He studied the longhaired man who still fussed over his wounded comrade. "Ya really had someone do that to ya?"
Vin turned his head just enough to catch Ezra's eye and glared at him with such reproach the he would have made Chris proud. He bit his tongue to keep from saying what he really wanted to say to the gambler and nodded. "Yeah. Made the mistake of thinkin' that just 'cause I knew the guy that he wouldn't try nothin'. He dang near killed me; he coulda if he'd really wanted to, but he just wanted to get away an' try to get to the man that killed his wife."
"You mean t' say that the killer was runnin' free an' this fella was locked up? Seems a bit backward t' me."
"Indeed it was, only we didn't know the full story at the time," Ezra pointed out, taking the focus back off of Vin, as he mentally berated himself for putting the tracker on the spot like he had. "The girl's father had said she had been kidnapped by one of the local Indians. We later found her dead, and the natural conclusion was that her kidnapper had been her killer. As it turned out, the two had secretly gotten married and the father had killed his own daughter in a fit of rage."
"Damn! You fellas do get a lot more excitement in them bigger towns." Jake was impressed with the lawmen who had been forced to stop in his town. "How'd y’all figure it out?"
Ezra was saved the need to continue the story when the door opened and Buck Wilmington stepped in just ahead of a middle-aged man carrying a doctor's bag. He had never been so glad to see the boisterous, boastful, ladies' man before.
"How's he doin'?" Buck asked as he closed the door.
"Still with us, and in considerable discomfort," Ezra offered.
"This here's Doc Carmichael. We couldn't start out until almost light this mornin'. He was off deliverin' a baby. Seems like everywhere ya look some lady is in a family way all of a sudden." Wilmington pulled off his coat and gloves and headed to the stove for a cup of coffee. He poured one for himself and one for the doctor.
They all watched and waited as Doc Carmichael knelt and took off Chris' bandages and checked the wounds. He checked his patient for any signs of fever or infection, wearing a poker face to rival Ezra's. Once he was finished he sat back on his heels. "Whoever took care of his wounds did a good job. I don't see any infection yet. There seems to be only a slight fever, but that's common after a severe injury of any kind."
"So you sayin' he's gonna be all right?" Buck's voice carried a hint of relief and a lot of hopefulness.
"I don't want to say definitely yes, yet. It is still early on and there is always a chance that an infection could still set in, but he's gotten through almost twenty-four hours without any complications, so I would say the chances are good that he should do fine. I want to keep him still and watch him for a couple of days before I say with any degree of certainty though." Carmichael opened his bag and started pulling out supplies. "This larger wound, where the bullet came out needs stitches. The one toward the back is closing up. It's a long way from healed, but I think it is best to leave it alone unless it opens back up."
"Doc?" Chris opened his eyes.
"Yes, Mr. Larabee?
"Reckon I could have a drink before you go jabbing me with that needle?" Chris was no stranger to pain, but like anyone else, he would rather avoid it if at all possible, or at least dull it some.
"If you would like, I can give you some ether. Then you won't feel it at all." The doctor started to reach back in the bag but paused a moment when Chris spoke up again.
"Don't want it. It makes me sick." Larabee tried to reach out to stop the doctor from rummaging through the bag, but he could not reach quite far enough.
"Mr. Larabee, this is going to be very painful, especially with the wound being a day old. I think you should reconsider." The doctor continued to pull bottles out of the bag and check the labels.
"No. The pain I can take, but can't take puking my guts up." Chris began to struggle to sit up. He would rather go without the stitches than to ever have ether used on him again.
Doc put one hand on his patient's shoulder and pushed him down on the pallet. "Very well. Does anyone have some whiskey?"
"I got a bottle tucked away." McCann got up and retrieved the bottle from the desk drawer.
"Thank you." Carmichael accepted the bottle and helped Chris to sit up far enough to take several swallows of its contents. He waited a couple of minutes and gave his patient more, aware that on an empty stomach the alcohol would kick in fairly quickly. After several more swallows, he began to see the telltale signs that the whiskey was doing its job. "I think that's enough." He settled the wounded man back onto the pallet on the floor and looked around.
"What can I do to help? Is there somethin' ya need?" Tanner glanced around but had no idea what the doctor was looking for.
"Yes. I need a basin of warm water and some soap to wash my hands, and then some fresh hot water to clean the wound."
"Shoulda thought of that. Nathan is big on washin' his hands and boilin' bandages an' all." He put aside his concern that McCann might recognize him and turned to the sheriff. "Where's the closest pump?"
"There's a bucket beside the door there, and the pump is out back. I don't have a washbasin here. I'll have t' see if Bonnie will let us use one." Once again McCann tossed on his coat and headed across the street to the Saloon.
By the time Vin was back with the water, Jake was back with the basin. The tracker poured a little of the water into the container and set it on the heating stove to warm. While it was heating, he located some unused coffee cups and filled them to heat also.
The washing up done, and some fresh steaming water in the basin beside him, the doctor set to work stitching the wound. In places he had to reopen it where it had scabbed over, so he could get to the intact skin beside it so the stitches would hold. Through it all, Chris groaned occasionally, but made no move to resist.
Doc Carmichael washed the area around the new stitches and then poured a small amount of the whiskey on a clean bit of cloth. He pressed it to the wound and left if for a couple minutes before removing it and deftly applying fresh bandages. "Now, all we can do is wait and see."
Chapter Eleven
Nathan hung his head as he washed his hands and dried them. There had been absolutely nothing he could do to keep Mary from losing the baby. The despondent look on her face nearly broke his heart. She had been through enough already and now losing a second baby in less than a year would undoubtedly take more than a physical toll on her.
It had taken Inez and him both to finally get her to submit to an examination, and by that time it was already too late. Within a few minutes she had expelled the small mass of tissue that would have developed into the baby, and the afterbirth. He could just make out the beginnings of some of the features of the fetus although it was very small.
Mary had quit struggling when she felt the mass pass from her body, instinctively knowing what had just happened. She lay there staring at the ceiling and had not uttered a sound since. Her apathy worried Nathan, and he sighed heavily as he turned back to the bed where Inez had helped Mary into a clean gown and removed the soiled towels. After placing some fresh padding under her, Inez pulled the covers up, then sat down on the bed and took Mary Travis' hand.
"I am very sorry. Please, don't blame yourself. There was nothing you could do to stop this." Inez waited but got no reply and no indication that her words had been heard, other than seeing a single tear roll down the side of Mary's face and drip into her ear.
Jackson pulled a chair up beside the bed and picked up a wet cloth he had been using to wipe Mary's face, folded it, and laid it across her forehead. "Inez is right. Ya couldn't have stopped it. This one just wasn't meant to be." There was still no reaction; she barely even blinked her eyes. "I know this surely must be one of the hardest things a woman has t' get through, but ya are a strong woman, an' I know ya can do it. Maybe it's best that it happened this early, b'fore ya got a chance to get as attached to it."
"Senor Jackson, you don't know much about women if you can think that is the case." Inez' eyes narrowed and turned dark with disapproval. "Even if a woman does not know she is in a family way yet, she is already attached. Her body knows even if her mind does not." She gave Mary's hand a light squeeze. "I will stay with her. Maybe you should go and try to get more sleep."
"I don't like leavin' her like this."
"I promise to come and get you if she needs you."
"All right. I'll be back later this afternoon," the healer acquiesced.
Jackson gathered his supplies and then stopped by the bed again. "Mary, I know ya don't feel like talkin' right now, but I'm here anytime ya need me." He glanced at Inez when there was still no comment from Mary. He gently patted her on the shoulder and passed on one last parting remark. "Don't forget, ya still got Billy, an' he needs his momma."
After the healer left the room Rocillos bowed her head and said a silent prayer for her closest friend. She had known of some women who never completely recovered from the emotional pain of losing a child, and now Mary had lost two.
"Leave me alone."
At first Inez was not quite sure that Mary Travis had actually spoken, or if she had just wanted her to speak and had imagined it. When Mary tried to pull her hand away from her, she knew then that it had not just been wishful thinking.
"I am afraid that I cannot do that. Senor Ezra would never forgive me if I left you alone, and I could not forgive myself." The barmaid leaned over enough to be sure she was in Mary's line of sight. "You may try to get rid of me all you wish, but you will not succeed." After a slight pause to let her words sink in, she began again. "Talk to me. I know you are devastated, but it is not healthy for you to keep it all bottled up inside. I think that right now you need a shoulder to lean on, and mine is here."
Inez let go of Mary's hand long enough to move to the opposite side of the bed where there was more room, and then she stretched out on her side facing the blonde. She watched as Mary's chin began to quiver and the struggle to keep a firm control over herself was lost. When the tears began, Inez was there to hold her while she cried. There were no silent tears this time. The sobs welled up from the deepest part of her soul as the pain of her loss overwhelmed her and she clung to Rocillos as if the Mexican woman were her only lifeline to keep her anchored in the world of the sane.
+ + + + + + +
"Brother Nathan, I get the feeling that you are keeping something from us." Josiah studied the grim expression on the healer's face. "Need to tell someone about it?"
"It ain't really my place to say anything." Jackson sighed and gulped down another large swallow of his beer.
"Might not be, but whatever it is it's eating at you. You know I can keep a confidence." The ex-priest was becoming very worried. Between Nathan's foul mood, Mary's complete absence, and Inez being away from the saloon so much over the last three days, he knew something serious was going on, and he did not like being out of the loop. "Would you rather go over to the church or to the clinic to talk?"
Jackson considered the idea for a moment and finally nodded. "Yeah, let's go over t' the clinic. I think I'm in over my head on this one."
The two walked in silence until they were behind closed doors. Josiah waited, giving Nathan a chance to compose his thoughts and to open up when he was ready. He pulled a chair over next to the one Nathan kept by the table he used as a desk, and sat there quietly.
"Ya gotta keep this to yerself," the healer began. "I know yer good at that, but I just want t' make sure ya know this is not fer anyone else's ears."
"I understand. Nathan, you know I am no longer a part of the church I was ordained in, but I still hold to some of the oaths I took. Confidentiality was vital and I still see it that way. I can't say I would never break it, but it would have to be something drastic, a life or death situation, to get me to and only then if there was no other way." Josiah had learned long ago, not to make an absolute promise in that regard. He never knew what could happen that would force him to have to break that promise.
"I know…It's Mary. She's lost another baby." Just saying the words seemed to lift a huge weight off his shoulders. At least now Nathan did not have to carry that burden alone. "She won't even speak to me when I go t' check on her. I have t' get all my information from Inez. Hell, Josiah, she won't even look at me. It's like she blames me fer it, but there wasn't anything I could do t' stop it."
"I'm sure you did all you could, and Mary knows that too. She's hurting right now. I can't imagine how hard this must have hit her. It took her quite awhile to recover from losing the first one, both physically and emotionally." Josiah took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I'm not even sure she was completely over that one yet, if any woman ever does fully recover emotionally."
"This really worries me, Josiah. I've never seen Mary like this, not even after that last time. There's something goin' on in that head of hers, an' she won't talk to no one about it. Not even Inez." Jackson ran his fingers through his hair as he fidgeted in his seat. He felt so helpless in the face of the emotional wreck Mary Travis had become. "Suppose I could talk ya into payin' her a visit?"
"I'll go now." The preacher resisted the urge to tell Nathan that he should have told him much sooner, before Mary became so despondent. The longer she stayed like that the harder it would probably be to bring her back out of it. He grabbed his coat and headed toward the door. "Don't worry, I'll do whatever it takes to help things get on the mend."
"Thanks. I appreciate it." Jackson watched the big man duck out the door and listened to his footsteps as he took the stairs down to the street below. He was not really a praying man, but he said a few silent words on Mary's behalf.
Josiah ambled toward the Clarion office, not wanting to draw any unnecessary attention to himself. The last thing Mary needed was for anyone in town to start asking questions or spreading rumors. He did not pause when he got to the door; he casually opened the door and stepped inside, just as he had countless other times before.
Once inside, his demeanor changed from that of nonchalance to determination as he strode the few step across the room to knock purposefully on the door to the living quarters. In a matter of seconds he could hear quick footsteps coming down the stairs.
Inez cracked the door open before the preacher had a chance to knock again. "Senor Josiah?"
"Inez." Sanchez nodded in greeting. "I need to see Mary."
"Senor, she is very ill. It would not be wise…"
"I know what is really wrong. I understand you wanting to protect her, but if you don't open the door and let me in, I'll have to push my way in, and I would rather not have to do that." The grave expression on his face must have been enough to convince the woman on the other side of the door that he would not take no for an answer because she stepped back enough to allow him inside.
"Please, Senor, she has been through a rough time. She does not need more upset right now." Inez hoped the big man would show some compassion for her friend. He was usually very understanding, but under these circumstances it was hard to tell what his reaction was going to be when he saw Mary.
"I only intend to try to help her through this." Sanchez smiled at the young Mexican woman. "She's very lucky to have you for a friend."
"Thank you, but I fear that is not true. I have not been able to do much to help her, except be sure she is not alone." Inez stared at the floor between them; certain that the preacher would realize that she had done nothing to really help Mary Travis.
"Inez." Josiah reached out and put one finger under her chin to tip her face up so she had to look at him. "Being here with her is the most important thing anyone could do for her right now. She needs to know that she is not alone. You have done that for her, and a lot more, I'm sure."
"I was just about to bring her something for lunch. I'll bring you both something. You may go on up." Rocillos tried to hide the embarrassment his kind words caused and headed toward the kitchen, leaving Josiah to see himself up to Mary's room.
At the top of the stairs he stopped to knock lightly on the half-opened door before he stuck his head in and called out softly. "Mary? Can I come in?"
Travis rolled over with her back to the door, hoping the preacher would go away. But when she heard her name a second time, she knew that was not likely to happen. "Yes."
The sadness and loss were so thick in the room they were almost a physical presence. They overwhelmed him as he stood looking at the woman curled up in a ball in the bed, her arms wrapped protectively around herself. Josiah turned the chair around so that he could sit beside the bed, facing toward the head of it, so he could see Mary's face. "Mary, I know what has happened, and I want you to know how sorry I am that you've had to go through this again."
The blonde shrugged one shoulder and buried her face in the pillow, unable to stop the flood of tears that erupted again at the sincerity she heard in his deep voice.
"Nathan is very worried about you," he continued. "I know you're hurting, but so is he. He feels like he has let you down, that you blame him."
"I don't know who to blame." The voice was muffled by the down pillow, and it was punctuated with sobs between nearly every word.
"Mary, no one's to blame. You know Nathan would never do anything to hurt you. Who else do you think might be responsible?" Josiah wanted to reach out and comfort her, but he did not want to cause her to retreat back inside herself.
"Me." She twisted the covers in her hands and sobbed all the louder.
"You?" Josiah was stunned. He had not expected that answer. "How do you figure that?"
Mary suddenly turned over to glare at him. "Why don't you leave me alone?" She lashed out at the preacher. "You couldn't possibly understand what I'm going through… Just leave me alone!"
"Mary! You mustn't speak to Senor Josiah like that." Inez sat the tray she had brought up on the bedside table and admonished the young blonde. "He is here to try to help you."
"It's all right; she's right. I can't possibly know what she is feeling." He had spared only a quick glance at Inez before returning his full attention back to Mary Travis. "I can't say that I know how you feel, or even that I can imagine how you feel because I can never experience what you have. I have known some great losses in my life, but no man can every fully appreciate the magnitude of the grief a woman must feel at the loss of a child."
Sanchez turned back to Rocillos for a moment. "Let me stay with her for a while. I'll help her with her lunch, and you can take a little break, maybe check in over at the saloon for a little bit." He hoped Inez would realize that it was not an idle offer.
"Thank you." Inez accepted the preacher's help with little hesitation. "I could use a chance to take a bath and change clothes."
"Take as long as you need." He listened to the footsteps receding down the stairs and watched Mary's expression turn sullen. Her body language was shouting that she wanted him to leave.
Josiah gathered his resolve and confronted the woman in the bed. "You can scream at me; rant, rave, threaten, or hit me if that is what you feel you need to do, but I am not leaving until Inez comes back."
The anger had drained out of her, leaving her eyes emotionless, and her shoulders drooping. "Josiah, I know you mean well, but you just can't help me with this." She tried to reason with him, but even that appeared to have no effect on him.
"Maybe not, but you never know. Maybe I can." Mary's wary look set off bells for the preacher. "Why are you afraid to let me try?"
"I'm not afraid."
"Well then, you shouldn't mind sitting and talking with me for a while." Josiah leaned forward and looked her straight in the eyes. "Let's start with why you think you might be the reason for this happening."
+ + + + + + +
Maude watched Inez hurry into the saloon and changed course to follow her. She stopped for a moment just inside the door, to allow her eyes to adjust to the dim light, and saw the young barkeep leaning on the bar talking to Jacob.
"Miss Rocillos," Maude began. "Might I have a word with you, please?"
"Yes, of course, Senora Standish." Inez turned back to her bartender for a moment. "We'll finish our discussion later, Jacob." Before joining the older woman at a table she took a slight detour. "I'll bring us both a cup of coffee," she called back over her shoulder as she disappeared through the kitchen door.
She returned carrying a tray with the promised coffee and two large slices of apple pie that had been too tempting to pass up. "How may I help you?" Inez took a seat next to the con-woman and waited to find out what she could possibly want to talk to her about.
"I simply wondered if you had seen Mary? I haven't seen her in three or four days. This town is hardly large enough for me to miss her in the crowd." Maude sampled the pie and smiled; apple was her favorite and this was truly a perfect pie.
"She is a little under the weather at the moment." Rocillos hedged on the truth, knowing that Maude would jump on the slightest hint of a lie from her. She busied herself with her coffee in an effort to avoid making eye contact.
Something was definitely wrong. The signals the younger woman sent out could not have been clearer if they had been painted in big red letters across the front of the building. Maude considered her options on how to approach Inez and decided to play along with what the younger woman said for the time being to see how things played out.
"Oh, dear! I hope she isn't too ill?" Maude Standish watched the veil of sadness fall over the young woman's pretty features.
"She will be well soon. She just needs to stay in bed a few days, is all."
"A few days? You surely must be downplaying the seriousness of her illness. Mary hardly seems the type to lie around in bed when she has work to do and her son to tend to." The con-woman wanted to satisfy her curiosity without seeming to pry, but she had dealt with Inez before, and the Mexican woman could be very strong-willed when she set her mind to it.
Rocillos carefully weighed each word in her mind before saying it. Maude's sharp mind could quickly pick her story apart. "She was very ill the first couple of days, but now she is…how did Senor Nathan put it?…mending. He said resting for a few days after an illness can help to keep it from returning." Inez inwardly flinched at that explanation, aware that it sounded lame even to her own ears. "As you said, she has Billy, and when Senor Nathan insisted that a little more rest now could save a lot longer…" She stopped when she noticed Maude sitting and shaking her head skeptically.
"Dear, you are usually a much better liar than that."
Inez's eyes went wide in surprise and her jaw dropped, leaving her speechless. She sat gaping like someone had just given her a swift punch in the belly.
"Don't go getting all indignant on me. I simply mean that when you are trying to protect someone you usually think up much better excuses. Now, why don't you try telling me the truth?" Maude sat back and crossed her hands over her chest as she waited for a reply. She watched various expressions and emotions travel over the younger woman's face, but did not press for more yet.
"Senora Standish, it is not my place to tell you what is happening with Mary. I respect her privacy, and I would not lose her trust to spread gossip." Inez unconsciously mirrored Maude's pose and added a good attempt at a glare along with her words.
"Then perhaps I should pay her a visit and ask her myself. After all, she's almost my daughter-in-law, and if she isn't well or if there is a problem, I would hope she would know that she could confide in me." She made a move to get up, but stopped when Inez spoke up again.
"It is up to you if you wish to visit Mary, but not now. Senor Sanchez is with her and he needs to talk to her privately. Perhaps you could visit later; it might help to brighten her day." Inez seriously doubted that a visit from Maude would do much for Mary's outlook on things right now, but it was worth a shot. Nothing else had worked so far.
"All right. Tonight after supper, or I could come and sit with her at suppertime and allow you a chance to take your meal uninterrupted." Maude waited for the barkeep to chew on that idea for a few moments, wondering what the final reaction would be.
"It is no trouble for me to take my meal with Senora Travis. Afterward is fine." Inez knew she had been trapped in a corner. If she protested too much there would be no throwing the con-woman off-track, but if she did not make an effort to keep Maude away she knew Mary would be upset.
"I'll see you then," Maude said.