The Marshal Takes A Bride (9 page)

She almost gasped at the sight of the poor girl’s bruised and swollen face, but managed to restrain her outcry.

“Hello,” she said, trying to recover from the surprise that it was a girl and she was so badly beaten. “Can I help you?”

The girl just stared at her.

“Do you need medical attention? I’d be happy to take a look and make sure you’re all right,” she offered, trying to let the girl make the first move.

The woman-child opened her injured mouth and tried to say something. A tear rolled down her cheek. “Hur...t. Don’t let...hurt me.”

Sarah wanted to take her in her arms and comfort her, but was afraid any sudden movements and the girl would bolt. And she could see only the young woman’s face. What did the rest of her body look like?

She laid her hand on the girl’s arm and touched her gently. “Come inside with me and let me help you. I won’t let anyone hurt you, I promise.”

“Wo Chan, he will find me. He will hurt me,” she said, her words halting and mumbled through swollen lips.

Sarah shook her head. “Come in. We’ll go through the back door. No one will know. I’ll keep you safe. You have my word.”

The girl stared at Sarah, and the lady doctor saw the pain and bewilderment in her dark eyes. Slowly the girl nodded in agreement, and Sarah hustled her as fast as she could through the back door of the doctor’s house.

***

Tucker knocked on the door of Doc Wilson’s office, astonished it was locked. He glanced up in surprise as Sarah peeked through the window at him. He heard the lock turn and watched as she opened the door for him.

He glanced at her, puzzled. “Are you so afraid of my mother now that you lock the doors?”

“No.” She motioned for him to come in the door and then quickly shut the open portal behind him, turning the key in the lock. “I’m so glad you came by. There’s something I need to talk to you about.”

He smiled, noticing for the first time she appeared tense. “Well good, because I needed to tell you about your first date.”

He cringed inwardly at the thought.

She shook her head, her blond curls swaying. “Later. First I have to tell you about Kira.”

“Who?” he questioned, gazing into the blue softness in her eyes. God, why did he always feel the urge to take her in his arms when he saw Sarah?

“This afternoon after one of my patients left, I noticed this young boy standing outside by the back of the house in the bushes. Only it wasn’t a boy; it was Kira.” She paced back and forth across the small office, her skirts swishing with a quick rhythm.

“Who is this Kira person?”

She raised her hands excitedly. “She’s a young Chinese girl. Tucker, you’ve got to do something. She works for Wo Chan, and he beat her badly.”

 Tucker swore and felt the hair rise on the back of his neck at the name of Wo Chan.

Sarah pleaded with him. “She can’t go back there. I had to put stitches in the cut above her eye, and I think he broke her nose. She’s frightened, and I told her she could stay here as long as she liked.”

He tensed as fear suddenly lodged in his throat. Wo Chan ran an opium parlor on the west side of town. Several times Tucker had tried to close down the opium den, but had been told by the members of the city council that as long as the man paid his fines and his taxes, to leave him be. Though Tucker disagreed, one of the reasons he got along with the council was because he listened to their suggestions.

And now Sarah wanted to risk her life by keeping one of Wo Chan’s girls with her. He shuddered to think of what the man would do if he found out. Somehow he had to convince Sarah that this was one do-good project she should leave alone.

“You can’t keep her here.”

“Why not?”

“Because he’ll find out, and then he’ll want her back. She’s one of his girls, and he’s not going to let her go.”

“He beat her until she could hardly stand. It’s a wonder he didn’t kill her, and you want me to send her back? She’s sixteen years old!”

God, this was all he needed. Sarah had always had a bleeding heart; it was one of the reasons she had become a doctor. And now she was turning her attention to a young girl who was working for a man who would do anything to get back what he thought belonged to him. Unfortunately this man was known for beating his girls into submission, and there wasn’t much Tucker could do to stop him.

“Look, it’s a damn shame, but unless she decides to get away from him, there’s not much I can do. He’s not going to let her go,” Tucker said bluntly.

Sarah grabbed his hand. “I’ll pay him for her, and then she can be Lucas’s nanny. I’ve been considering hiring one for months and just haven’t done it. She can watch over him.”

“Sarah, listen to me. He’s going to be insulted that you interfered. He’s going to want her back. He won’t take your money, but he will hurt you.”

Somehow he had to talk her out of helping the girl. Somehow he had to keep Sarah from getting involved with someone like Wo Chan. Somehow he had to protect Sarah at all cost.

“Well, he’s not getting her back. And if you don’t want to help me, then fine.” She released his hand. “Now excuse me.”

Damn! He didn’t like Wo Chan hurting the girl, but his concern was for Sarah.

“Wait! I didn’t say I wouldn’t help you. Let me see the girl.”

Sarah led him through the office area down a short hall to the clinic beds. When they stepped into the room, he gasped at the sight of the young girl’s face. Her eyes were red and puffy with rings of black and purple surrounding them. Her lip was cut and swollen, and she had a bandage across her left brow.

Tucker clenched his fists, the urge to leave and find the person who did this to her almost overwhelming.

“Kira, I’d like you to meet my friend Tucker Burnett. He’s the marshal.”

The girl’s eyes grew large with panic, and she glanced at Sarah as if she had betrayed her.

“It’s okay,” Sarah assumed. “He’s a friend of mine. He won’t hurt you.”

Kira watched him, her eyes wary, never letting him out of her sight. Tucker nodded to the girl. Someone had hurt her badly, and the sight of her blackened face left him furious.

He took Sarah by the elbow and guided her out into the hallway. “Okay, I understand why you want to help her. Hell, I want to help her, but I’m telling you, Wo Chan is going to try to get her back.”

“Well, he can’t have her.”

“Are you willing to endanger yourself, your grandfather and your son? Are you willing to risk their lives for hers?”

Sarah frowned. He could see her thinking rapidly and watched as her blue eyes reflected her worry. He didn’t like the thought of Sarah being in danger. He didn’t like Sarah taking chances. But what could he do?

She stood before him, her blond hair pulled up off her neck exposing her slender throat, her blue eyes gazing up at him with resignation.

“I don’t have any choice. I can’t let another human being go back to a situation like that. He’ll eventually kill her. I’ll keep her safe until I leave. When I return to Tombstone, she can go with me.”

Tucker groaned. He knew she was right and even thought her decision a fair evaluation, but that didn’t mean he had to like it any.

“Okay. But you’ve got to be careful. Maybe he won’t find out who has her until then, but I doubt it. For now, keep her indoors and don’t let anyone else know that you are protecting her.”

“All right. I’ll start being extremely cautious.” He stared at her, his hand reaching out involuntarily and brushing back a loose curl. He took a deep breath and released it slowly at the feel of the silken tendril beneath his fingers.

Why was he feeling so much anxiety about the dinner he had arranged for Sarah? This was what he wanted? He had suggested this stupid idea.

“The reason I came by was to tell you about your first courting.”

“Oh? Who is it?”

“Neville Smith, the schoolteacher.”

***

Sarah James stood in the doorway of the restaurant and glanced around the room. What was she doing here? The temptation to turn around and go home was intense as she gazed about the crowded dining room.  If  Tucker could set her up with another man
,
then she was going to at least meet him, just to show Tucker she could play his game and beat him at it.

Though she wished to God it wasn’t so, there was still this attraction between them. She could feel it, and she knew he did, too. And while she didn’t like his mother’s tactics, Eugenia wasn’t the main reason Sarah had agreed to see other men.

She glanced around one more time and almost groaned as she saw a man heading toward her. He wasn’t bad looking; he was about average, though short and thin with a hairline that receded into next week and spectacles that covered his dark beady eyes.

“Mrs. James?” he asked.

“Yes,” she replied, reminding herself that looks weren’t everything.

“I’m Neville Smith. Tucker said you would have dinner with me tonight.” He pushed his spectacles back up his nose.

“Yes,” she said, swallowing, a fixed smile frozen on her face. She resisted the urge to run the opposite direction as fast as her legs would carry her.

“I went ahead and took the liberty of getting us a table. You don’t mind, do you?”

“Oh, no,” she replied, thankful at least that maybe this dinner would be swift and she could escape back to the hotel.

He took her arm and led her to their table where he pulled out a chair for her. The dining room was filled with people, and hopefully someone in this room would take the news back to Eugenia. That was the reason she was doing this, right?

“I’m so pleased to make your acquaintance, though I must admit you’re not at all what I was expecting,” he said, gazing at her with an almost shocked expression. “You’re much better.”

What had he been anticipating?

“Thank you. I’m going to take that as a compliment.”

“Please do,” he said. “I hear you’re filling in for Doc Wilson. I’ve never heard of a woman physician before.”

Sarah felt her nerve endings rise to attention. “Yes, I’m filling in for the doctor. But back in Tombstone I have my own practice.”

“How is the doctor?” he asked, ignoring her response about her own practice.

“He’s doing better.”

“Good, then he should be back to work soon.” He picked up the menu. “Let’s order. The pot roast is very good and so is the meatloaf. I’m getting the meatloaf and would recommend that you do the same.”

She glanced at the little man sitting across the table from her. He would recommend that she do the same? “I was considering the pot roast.”

“Too greasy,” he informed her.

She frowned at him, just as the waitress walked up. “We’d like two meatloafs,” he replied, ordering for her.

They had known each other less than five minutes and already she was annoyed. “Excuse me, I don’t want meatloaf. Make mine the pot roast.”

He frowned, clearly irritated. “If you insist.”

After the waitress walked away, she glanced at him. “I detest meatloaf.”

“Well, for the price difference, you were better off with the meatloaf.”

She was astounded by the man’s actions and couldn’t help but wonder if this was the reason he had yet to find a companion.

“I’ll pay for my own if it’s a problem,” she said, growing more and more certain that this dinner was a huge mistake.

“No. I just try to be thrifty with my money. A teacher’s salary is small.”

She nodded, grateful for the opening to change the subject, determined to find something positive to talk about. “Tucker told me you teach school. That must be a rewarding experience.”

He shook his head. “Teaching these children is like trying to whip dogs into shape. Their parents obviously have not disciplined them. They send them to school and expect me to try to make something out of them.”

He took out a handkerchief, held it to his nose and blew noisily. “Spare the rod and spoil the child, I always say.”

“Children have such active minds; I would think they would be extremely enjoyable to teach,” she said, refusing to think that teaching could be such drudgery.

“Mrs. James, it’s obvious you know very little about children. They are rude little buggers who get into things, run screaming and yelling, and engage in the biggest tiffs with one another. They have no manners.”

Sarah sat there a moment feeling rather stunned at the audacity of the man. “You’re absolutely correct, Mr. Smith. I know nothing about children. But my two-year-old son teaches me new things every day, and even a bad day is more wonderful than the last.”

He sat back, disapproval in his beady eyes. “You have a son?”

“Yes, didn’t Tucker tell you?”

“No.”

Just then the waiter brought their food and placed their plates in front of them.

“Does it make a difference that I had a child with my husband?” she asked. “Since you teach school, I wouldn’t have thought it mattered.”

She took a bite of her pot roast and felt her stomach recoil.

“Well, I only have a two-bedroom house, and my mother takes up one room, so it would be difficult.”

Sarah shuddered. They had just met.

"I see. Well, since we’ve just met it’s not something that we need to worry about at this point,” she said, knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that this would be their only meeting.

She picked at her dinner, pushing around the entre on her plate. Why had she agreed to do this? Wasn’t it bad enough that she had decided to stay in town an extra month? But now she was playing some kind of game with Tucker to outsmart his mother, and she was the one suffering.

“The meatloaf is excellent!” he said. “It’s the most economically priced item on the menu, and you get the most for your money.”

“How nice. Are you always this frugal, Mr. Smith?” she asked, thinking this was just more insight into his character and not liking what she saw. It was certainly one thing to be economical, but this man was downright cheap.

“A wise man knows where every cent goes,” he said. “So eat up, you’ve got plenty left there on your plate. You need to clean your plate and not waste all that food.”

She was going to kill Tucker Burnett. String him up and strip pieces of hide off of his muscular body while she slowly replayed this evening’s event for him.