Frontier Gift of Love (American Wilderness Series Romance Book 5) (24 page)

“You’re right about that. I hate to send Miss Henk to retrieve the mid-wife, but I can’t bear to leave you right now. Do you think she would be all right? No, on second thought, I should go.”

“I want you here with me Sam. I’ll be frightened without you. But don’t send Miss Henk. She’s a bit faint-hearted and not an experienced rider. But Artis is, send her.”

“Are you sure? Mrs. Smith’s hamlet is easy to find, and Artis should be able to get there and back before dark, but still. If something happened, Bear would never forgive me. And I wouldn’t blame him.”

“Nothing’s going to happen. She’s an experienced rider and I get the sense she is well used to taking care of herself. She seems to be one strong lass.”

“Aye, I am a strong lass,” Artis agreed, coming into the room with Mrs. Wrigley behind her. “Are ye worried about me goin’ to fetch the mid-wife?”

“I was. Only because you don’t know these woods,” Sam admitted. “I should go.”

“Nay, ye stay with Catherine. She needs ye now more than ever,” Artis
argued.

Mrs. Wrigley moved them both away and bent over Catherine. “What are you feeling dear lady? Is it the same pain you’ve been having?”

“No. This was different. My entire stomach felt like someone grabbed it with a strong fist.”

“Has it happened again?” Mrs. Wrigley asked.

“No, not yet.”

“If it’s going to happen again, it will be soon. If it doesn’t, then ‘tis just a false alarm. It happens often,” Mrs. Wrigley said, sounding wise and motherly.

“Then should we wait to see if it happens again before we go get Mrs. Smith?” Sam asked.

“That would be wise,” Mrs. Wrigley advised.

“Well, if ye need me to get the midwife, just say so,” Artis said.

“A full moon or approaching weather can bring on practice contractions,” the cook explained. “I suspect that is what’s happening. Let’s wait and see. Would you like some of my mugwort tea?”

“That would be most welcome,” Catherine said. “Mrs. Wrigley where is baby Samuel? Is he all right?”

“Oh, Miss Henk is have a delightful time caring for the little one. I’ve never seen her so happy. And the other three children are entertaining one another in the front room, warm and cozy. The last time I peeked in, Mister John was showing his cousins a rock speckled with ‘diamonds’.” Mrs. Wrigley chuckled and then left, her skirts swooshing as she hurried out the bedroom door.

Catherine turned her eyes to Sam. “Mrs. Wrigley’s tea always makes me sleepy. I just need to rest a while. Why don’t you take the girls out to see the new foal? I’ll send Artis for you if I have another pain.”

“You’re sure?” Sam asked.

“Yes, Sam. Kiss me and then leave,” she said smiling.

He made Artis promise to come get him at any sign of Catherine growing uncomfortable, then kissed Catherine and left.

After they donned their coats, Martha, Polly and Little John marched behind him in a row as he headed for the barn, praying for a miracle.

Bear rode beside William, behind the wagon so they could keep an eye on the two miserable prisoners. Rory rode the horse Jane had ridden, and Stephen rode beside him. The two men conversed about anything and everything, mostly politics and Stephen’s cattle operation. It was unlike Stephen to be so talkative, but Bear guessed that his mood was buoyant now that Jane was safe.

Jane now sat beside Kelly, holding Nicole. The two women chattered excitedly, barely pausing to take a breath. Bear smiled, certain Kelly and Jane were torturing the prisoners with their endless jabbering.

“How far do you think we are now?” William asked.

“We’re gettin’ close. Na more than an hour,” Bear answered. “I’ll be pleased to share a wee droppy of brandy with ye when we get there. Nothin’ like it to warm a man’s insides.”

“I won’t be going to Sam’s just yet,” William said. “I promised Stephen I would escort these two weasels to Fort Harrod. In fact, isn’t that the turn off up ahead?”

As William pointed to the Harrodsburg road, Bear noticed four men riding toward them. “Look,” Bear said.

“It must be Sam’s men,” William suggested. “He probably sent them to help you and Stephen recover the prisoners.”

A few minutes later, at the fork in the road, the four hands pulled their horses to a stop in front of them.

“Sam sent us to help apprehend the prisoners,” Garvin said. Both he and the other men and their mounts were breathing hard.

“Too late,” Stephen said, “They’re hog-tied in the back of William’s wagon.”

“Mrs. Wyllie, are you hurt?” Garvin asked.

“No, Mr. Cotter, I am well, thanks to William,” Jane said.

“Well, we’ll take the prisoners off your hands and get them to Fort Harrod,” Garvin offered. “Captain Wyllie wants us to escort them to the jail and then take our Christmas holiday there.”

“Your help will be welcome,” William said, “but they are my prisoners now. I will be turning them over to the sheriff at Fort Harrod.”

“Anything you need us to do, we’ll do it,” James said. The other three men nodded their heads in agreement, appearing eager to help.

“Perhaps I should come along too,” Bear suggested.

“No, Bear. I want you and Stephen to guard my family and Jane,” William said. “I’ll be back in two days with an armful of presents.”

“Aye, I’ll stay with them. But if I’m na goin’, I need to ask ye to do me a favor.”

“Of course.”

Bear motioned William aside to speak to him privately. When they were a fair distance away, Bear said, “Since we left in such a hurry, I did na get a chance to buy Artis a Christmas gift. What I want to give her is a big black dog. Of course, it will na be big when it’s a pup, but I want it to grow to be a big one. She had to leave her dog, Wilson, behind in Scotland and she still grieves for him. Mind ye, it has to be black and big.”

“Fort Harrod is a large settlement. I should be able to find one. Anything else?”

“Ye brought the presents for Little John didn’t ye?”

“Yes, they’re in the wagon.”

“Did ye get any for the lasses?”

“Yes, I brought them too.”

“Thank ye. That should be all then. Are ye sure ye do na want me to come too?”

“The trip would be more entertaining for certain, but Artis is probably worried about you and Sam could use your help with all his hands gone.”

“Aye, the lass does na like bein’ separated from me.”

“And I don’t blame her after all she’s been through.”

The two hurried back and William told Garvin, “I’ll help you load the prisoners on the mounts they stole from you men, and then we’ll be on our way.”

“As you say, Sheriff Wyllie,” Garvin said. “This time we’ll keep our weapons out of their reach!”

“Bear, Stephen, keep your pistols on Dixon and Crowell until they are securely tied onto their horses,” William ordered. “They will not be escaping again on my watch.”

“If they do, they’ll be dead escapees,” Stephen warned, glowering at Dixon.

Chapter 24

“U
ncle Sam, where do foals come from?” Polly asked as she and her sister left the barn and hiked back to the house with Sam and Little John.

“They come from inside their mother’s stomach, just like we do,” Sam said smiling.

“But how do they get there?” she insisted.

Sam cleared his throat.

“How did the baby get inside Aunt Catherine?” Polly asked.

“Well now…that’s a good question. Your mother should answer that for you.” As soon as he said it, Sam regretted it.

Polly stopped and planted her booted feet in the snow. “She’s gone!” she wailed. “And I don’t know if she’s ever coming back.”

Sam picked Polly up to carry her and drew Martha close to his side. “She will be back. And soon. I promise.”

“Promise?” Polly whimpered.

“Promise!” Sam said, and gave her a kiss on the tip of her nose.

As they started walking again, the four glanced up to see a wagon and three riders approaching. Seated next to Kelly, Jane held Nicole in her lap. Stephen, Rory, and Bear all rode beside the wagon. He gazed heavenward
and released a deep breath of relief.

“There they are!” Martha yelled.

Little John and Martha took off running toward the wagon and approaching horses.

“You sure keep your promises fast,” Polly told him.

“Especially for you, little one,” Sam said, looking into eyes that looked exactly like Stephen’s.

“Put me down, please. I want to go see my mother,” Polly said.

He did and she shot toward the wagon running as fast as she could. Sam followed behind her, hurrying toward the new arrivals.

As he approached, Sam took a good look at Jane. She appeared to be unharmed, thank the Lord.

“Mother!” Martha yelled as the girl neared her mother. “We were so worried about you.” Stephen must have trained his girls well, because Martha wisely stopped running well short of the horses so she wouldn’t spook them and Polly halted beside her. But they both couldn’t help hopping and clapping excitedly.

“Martha, Polly!” Jane called to her daughters as she got off the wagon. Jane moved away from the horses and then motioned the girls to her. “Come over here!”

The next moment the girls were hugging their mother and all three were talking at once.

Looking as excited as everyone else, Riley jumped out of the wagon and ran around all of them, barking, and wagging his long tail. It didn’t take long before Little John was chasing him. Then Riley was chasing Little John, who deliberately let the dog overtake him so they could both fall down and romp in the snow.

Watching the two play, Sam decided it was time to get Little John a dog. He was old enough now to care for it properly. Perhaps he would use his limited artistic skills to draw a picture of one and give that to Little John
for Christmas. He could write a note on it promising a pup in the near future. The idea made him smile.

“Where’s Samuel?” Stephen asked Sam.

“He’s with our housekeeper, Miss Henk. He’s fine,” Sam answered. “Did you have any trouble apprehending the prisoners?”

“Nay,” Bear answered. “William had already captured and tied them up. He and your hands took the scoundrels on to Fort Harrod. We’ll fill you in with all the details later. Where’s Artis?”

“She’s with Catherine,” Sam answered and then turned toward McGuffin. “Rory, welcome back.” He extended his hand to Kelly’s father and Rory shook it vigorously. “And there’s Kelly and Nicole. My word, that child has grown!”

“That’s what happens to children in a year,” Kelly said, reaching up to hug Sam’s neck. “Nicole, this is your Uncle Sam.”

“Unc Sam,” Nicole said, pointing a tiny finger at him. Her sweet face, framed by golden locks, was a soft pink color. The little girl was exceptionally pretty, like her mother.

“That’s right, Little Nic,” he said. He touched her soft cheek, realizing he would be just as happy if Catherine bore him a girl as he would if she delivered a son. He just wanted it to be all right.

He swallowed his emotions and turned toward the others. In a voice loud enough for all of them to hear, he hollered, “Why don’t you women and children go in and get warm while we men take care of the horses?”

The group of them, followed by Riley, all stomped up the porch steps, chattering and laughing. It pleased Sam to have them all here again. The noise would take some getting used to, but they were family—his family.

He turned to Stephen, Bear, and Rory. “Let’s unload William’s wagon and then you can tell me what happened while we head to the barn.”

They sat all the luggage, packages, supplies, and furs on the front porch, then led the wagon team and mounts to the barn. Rory told Sam
how William shrewdly recaptured the prisoners and how smart Jane was to play along. Then he described by what means Riley provided an astute opinion of the two men.

After they all had a good laugh, Stephen told Sam how he and Bear came upon William and his family and how William finally managed to talk Stephen out of hanging the two. “William was right, of course, but those men deserve to hang,” Stephen said adamantly.

“I agree whole-heartedly. But William did the honorable thing,” Sam said.

“Aye. ‘Tis William we can count on to follow the law,” Bear agreed. “The rest of us would have hung the wretched horse’s arses.”

“He’s a principled man,” Rory said. “I’m proud to have him be my son-in-law. My Kelly girl deserves a fine man like William.”

“Bear tells me you are a physician,” Sam told Rory. Desperate for help, he peered expectantly at the man.

“I am. I forgot that for a while. Along with a lot of other important things. But I’m practicing medicine again now. I take over for Dr. McDowell every other week and, in between, help Kelly and William with chores around Whispering Hills.”

“I’m sure you’re an enormous help to them and to the townspeople of Boonesborough,” Sam said. “It’s fortunate that you’ve come. Your help may well be needed here.”

“Why?” Rory asked.

Stephen and Bear, who both already knew why, looked at each other, their faces somber.

Sam strived to remain calm as he described Catherine’s difficult pregnancy during her first marriage and how she lost the babe. He also described the discomfort that beset her lately and the most recent ache she felt this morning.