Tenderness (31 page)

“Is she bad?” Mrs. Frony asked.

“I don’t know. The bullet went in about here”—Wade put his hand on his chest—“and came out the back.”

It seemed hours before Doctor Forbes told Wade he had done all he could for Jesse here and that they had to get her home.

“She’s going to be all right, Wade. We were lucky that I was close by.”

“A wagon will be too bumpy. That buggy of yours has good springs. I’ll hold her, if Susan will ride in the boot.”

“Then let’s get going.”

Wade and Susan wrapped a blanket around Jesse before Wade lifted her off the table. Susan looked anxiously at her sister’s
pale face and began to cry again.

As he was carrying Jesse to the buggy, she moved her head.

“Wade…”

“I’m here, sweetheart—holding you. You’re going to be all right. Your Papa said so, and you told me that he’s the best doctor
in Tennessee.”

“Wade…” she said again, and lapsed into sleep.

Wade held her as the doctor drove. The precious bundle in his arms was his life. His mind raced ahead. If the bullet had been
a few inches lower, she would be dead now. Dear God, there was no way he could have lived if he had been the cause of her
death. Wade held her tenderly. Her head rested on his shoulder, and, unmindful of her father, he kissed her forehead again
and again.

“Why did Merfeld shoot at you?” Doctor Forbes asked.

“He didn’t want his kids vaccinated. Mrs. Merfeld did, so I brought them.”

“That’s a pretty flimsy reason to shoot someone.”

“There’s a little more to it than that. I’ll tell you sometime. As soon as I know Jesse will be all right, I’ll go to Marshal
Wright and let him handle it. Although if I know Merfeld, he’s scared that he’s killed Jesse and he’ll hightail it out of
the county.”

“What will his family do?”

“They’ll get along. The kids do most of the work anyway, and the neighbors will help them some.”

The main street of Harpersville was filled with wagons, buggies, bicycles and farmers who had come to town on Saturday night.
All gawked at the doctor’s buggy as it passed.

What was Simmer doing in Doctor Forbes’s buggy? And whom was he holding?

Wade had flipped the blanket over Jesse’s head. He was sure that she wouldn’t want her pale face and loose hair exposed to
the curious.

Doctor Forbes drove the buggy to the door of the surgery. Susan ran around and yelled for Jody and Todd to come take care
of the horse. The doctor got down and opened the surgery door.

“Need help, Wade?”

“No.” He didn’t want to surrender his precious burden before he had to. He wanted to hold her for the rest of his life.

Jesse’s father directed him to a small room off the surgery where there was only a washstand and a single bed placed on blocks
so that it was waist-high. Wade laid Jesse on it. She appeared to be in a deep sleep.

“Doc,” Wade said anxiously. “Is it normal for her to sleep this long? It’s been a mighty long time.” His worried face turned
to the doctor.

“Sometimes. She’s lost a lot of blood. I’ve got to be careful that she doesn’t go into shock.”

Pauline came rushing into the surgery. “What happened? What happened to Jesse?”

“She was shot, but Papa says she’ll be all right,” Susan answered.

“Oh, my goodness. Who did it? And why?”

“It was Otis Merfeld. But Wade will have to tell you why. Don’t ask him now,” Susan whispered. “He’s wound as tight as a fiddle
string. He even kissed Jesse right in front of everyone.”

Louella, her dress and apron freshly ironed and without a single strand of her high-piled hair out of place, stood in the
doorway to the surgery. When she saw Wade, she looked at him as if he were manure on her white shoes, then tilted her nose
and went past him to the doorway of the small room where Jesse lay. She clucked her tongue in a gesture of sympathy, returned
to the surgery and surveyed Susan’s tear-streaked face with a small grimace.

“Is Jesse’s condition serious, Hollis?” Louella asked as the doctor was checking Jesse’s bandages.

“Gunshots are always serious.”

“Well… she’s a strong girl. Worrying won’t help. Supper will be at the usual time,” Louella announced and placed her hand
on Doctor Forbes’s arm to get his attention. She spoke the last sentence in a confidential tone as if to exclude Wade.

“All right. Thank you, Mrs. Lindstrom.”

Still Louella lingered as if reluctant to leave for fear she would miss something.

“What happened, Hollis? What in the world has that girl got herself into now? My, my, it’s just one thing after the other
with her. She just can’t seem to settle down, act her age, and learn the ways of a lady as befitting her station.”

“She didn’t get herself into anything of her own making,” Susan spoke in a heavy sarcastic tone. “Someone shot her.”

“Well, what can you expect with her going up there and traipsing around with that kind of… folks?”

Wade had to bite his tongue to keep from telling the old biddy where she could put her opinion of hill people. Godamighty!
He would never fit in here. Why in God’s name had he ever imagined he would?

Susan had no such restraints about expressing her feelings. Her temper erupted with the force of a tornado.

“You nasty, mean old thing!” Susan blurted in a loud and angry voice. “You’ve no right to come in here shootin’ off your bazzoo
about my sister or what she does or does not do! You’ve been trying to make it so miserable for Jesse that she’d marry that
sissy old Edsel just to get away from home. Flitter! We know what you’re up to. You’re after Papa.” Susan’s voice rose even
higher. “You plan to feather your nest right here and you’d be glad if all of us kids got shot!” She paused to take a breath
and saw the grin on Wade’s face. It goaded her to say more. “I’d rather have Wade and Jody as my friends than a hundred bigoted,
mean old women like you and the Harpers. So there!”

“Well, my land! Someone should take a hand to this rude undisciplined child. You need to be taught some manners.” Louella’s
usually white face was red with anger. She longed to slap the silly girl’s face, but didn’t dare. She had pressed too hard
already.

“It won’t be you,” Susan replied nastily. “I’ll leave home first.”

Doctor Forbes came from Jesse’s room. “That’s enough, Susan. Go back to the kitchen, Mrs. Lindstrom.”

“You’re right, Hollis. I’m terribly sorry about Jesse. You know that. Susan, I’ll expect your apology before you come to dinner.”

After Louella left the surgery, Susan continued to sputter. “Cows will fly before I apologize to that old hen. I’m sick of
her, Papa. She’s a mean old white-faced fart-knocker.”

The doctor’s face showed a brief flicker of sadness as he surveyed the angry face of his younger daughter. He stood with his
hands in his pockets rocking back and forth on his heels.

“What’s that?” Pauline asked trying to bite back her grin.

“What’s what?”

“What you just called Mrs. Lindstrom.”

“I don’t know, but that’s what she is. I wish you would get rid of her, Papa. She hates Jesse and makes her life miserable
when you’re not here. Todd stays away from the house because she’s always on him for his stuttering. One day she had him cleaning
out from under the back porch because he sassed her. There wasn’t even anything there but a few weeds. He’s just a kid and
needs time to play.” Susan’s voice was a pathetic croak at the end and tears began to flow again.

Doctor Forbes put his arm around his youngest daughter. “I didn’t realize you were so unhappy with her, punkin’. Be patient
just a little while longer and we’ll work things out. Hmmm?” He went back into the room to stand beside Jesse’s bed.

Wade wiped his forehead with his sleeve. He was embarrassed to be a witness to what was a family affair. Things were going
on here that he didn’t understand, especially the part about the housekeeper’s dislike for Jesse. Susan had said that the
housekeeper hated her. Now he understood why Jesse didn’t want to move out of the house and leave her brother and sister at
the mercy of the woman.

“Wade,” Doctor Forbes called from the patient’s room. “Jesse’s awake and asking for you.”

Wade’s feet couldn’t carry him fast enough. He was beside the bed in a half-dozen strides. Doctor Forbes left the small room.

“Wade… are you all right?” Jesse’s eyes were concerned, and she looked as if she would cry.

“I’m fine, sweetheart.” He took her hand and held it to his lips. “Not a scratch on me.”

“I’m so glad. I was worried about you.”

His heart flooded with love for her. Not since his granny had anyone worried about him.

“I was the one who was worried half out of my mind. I never dreamed that being with me had put you in danger.”

“I… loved being with you.”

“How do you feel, sweetheart? Are you in pain?”

“I’m not in pain. Papa gave me something for that. I just feel like I’m all by myself and lost in a fog.”

“You’re not lost, honey. I’m here, your father’s here… and Susan and Pauline. Everyone is anxious about you.”

“I wanted to see you before I went to sleep. I was afraid the bullet hit you before it hit me. It was Mr. Merfeld, wasn’t
it? I think I heard you tell Papa it was him. Why did he shoot me, Wade?

“He meant to shoot me, honey.”

“Oh, no!” She squeezed his hand and tried to lift it to her lips.

“Don’t worry, love. He won’t try again. He was mad because I brought his kids and Mrs. Merfeld to the store to get the vaccinations.
He knows that everyone will be up in arms about what he’s done to you. I bet he’s left the county by now.”

“Poor Mrs. Merfeld.” She began to doze. “Wade, I love you.” Her voice trailed but she forced her eyes to stay open so she
could see him.

“I love you too, sweetheart.”

“Kiss me—”

He leaned down and gently pressed his lips to hers.

“That was… nice—” she murmured. Her eyes drifted shut and she didn’t open them again. Soon she was sleeping soundly.

Wade stood for a minute looking at her. She seemed so small and fragile with her hair loose and pulled back from her face.
He spread it on the pillow, recalling how silky it felt when he had buried his face in it. Jesse’s eyelids were thin and blue-veined.
They seem too fragile to hold the heavy weight of her lashes. Her mouth was relaxed and sweet. One arm was secured below her
breast so that she couldn’t move it. He kissed the hand he held and placed it on the bed beside her. He looked at her a minute
longer, then bent and kissed her lips again before he left the room.

“Doc, why is her arm bound?”

“The bullet went through her shoulder blade. She must keep her arm from moving so that it will heal.”

“Are you sure she’s going to be all right? She looks so pale. And her voice is… weak.”

“Of course she’s weak. She lost a lot of blood, but not as much as she would have if you hadn’t acted quickly. She’s a strong,
healthy woman. I see no reason why she can’t recover completely.”

“Lordy! Those are soothing words to my mind, Doc. I was never so scared in all my life as when I saw the blood on her dress.”

“It’s natural. Shook me up some too.”

“Doc, listen. While she’s asleep, I’m leaving. Tell her that I’ll not be back. Because of me she was almost killed. I failed
to protect her. A hill man can only bring her trouble and heartache.”

“You’re not thinking straight, Wade. Come back and spend the night.”

“Thanks, Doc. But coming down out of the hills, holding her in my arms, made me realize that there are a million miles between
Harpersville and the hill country. It’s best to end it now so Jesse can get on with her life.”

“Jesse will be hurt—”

“Better a quick hurt now than years of hurt later. Would it be all right if I borrowed a horse to go home? Jody’ll bring it
back in the morning.”

“Take the horse, Wade. I just hope you know what you’re doing.”

Dusty Wright sat behind his desk, a cup of coffee in his hand. From the look of him, he could have been sitting there since
the last time Wade was in to see him. Dusty was a man who did a lot of thinking before he took any action.

“Come in, Wade. Figured you’d be down to tell me what happened to Miss Jesse.”

“You already heard about it?” Wade poured himself coffee from the pot on the round wood stove.

“No, but I got eyes. Miss Jesse left here this morning with Doc and Miss Susan. They came back with you holding someone that
had to be Miss Jesse because Susan was in the boot.”

“Jesse took a bullet meant for me.”

“She going to be all right?” Dusty asked hastily.

“Doc says so. Bullet went into her right breast and out through her shoulder blade. Dammit, Dusty, it was that blasted Otis
Merfeld. His mule had wandered out onto plowed ground and I saw him running for it. He was at the edge of the timber when
he shot.”

Wade told Dusty the history of his run-ins with Otis and they discussed the possibility of his running scared.

“He could do more damage with that rifle. What’s he got to lose?” Dusty moved his chair back and his feet left the desk. “I’d
ride up there tonight, but it’ll be pitch dark in a few hours and I don’t like the idea of that bastard standing behind a
tree with his sight on me. I’ll leave at dawn.”

“Don’t worry, marshal. He’s not a very good shot.”

“That’s comforting.” Dusty snorted. “Now I’ve got a would-be murderer running loose as well as a pervert.”

“Any closer to catching The Looker?

“Got a couple of things in the wind.”

Wade rinsed his cup and turned it upside down on the shelf and headed for the door.

“So long, Dusty.”

“Tell Miss Jesse I’m mighty sorry about the shootin’.”

Wade nodded and stepped out the door.

The marshal watched him mount the doctor’s horse and ride toward the hills. If Miss Jesse was going to be all right, what
had caused that dejected slump to Wade’s shoulders and the look of misery in his eyes? He looked as if he didn’t care if the
sun came up tomorrow or not. He had been a changed man since he met Miss Jesse. There was no doubt that the man was totally
in love with her. He had been glad for Wade. The boy, man now, had had a rough life, and it was time something good happened
to him.