Courting Kate (40 page)

“Can you take me to him?” Kate asked, trying to keep the desperation out of her voice.

“I’ve already got the horses outside.”

He tied Kate’s carpetbag on behind the saddle, plus several things Madame Jeanne thought the doctor might need. Within minutes they were heading up the mountain.

Although Kate tried to be optimistic, she knew Tanner’s injuries were serious. She took comfort in the fact that Dr. Thomas was with him. She was also determined to do what she could to aid his recovery.

Seeing riders ahead of them, Kate frowned. She had never seen anyone up here before. At the switchback, she turned to glance behind her. A steady stream of men were coming up the trail. “Chauncey, who are all these men, and where are they going? Is there a new gold strike?”

The old man chuckled. “They’re going to Tanner’s.”

“To Tanner’s? Why?”

“Honey, Tanner has helped out pert’ near everybody in these parts. Now they are going to return the favor.”

“I don’t understand.”

“The timber contract.” Chauncey grinned. “We found out it has to be finished right away or Tanner will lose the mountain. He didn’t tell anybody. The boys found the papers. That man’s so danged proud he probably wouldn’t stand for it if he knew what we were doing. But we ain’t gonna give him a say in the matter. It was Doc’s idea to get him some help. I’ve jest been passing the word.”

Tears stung Kate’s eyes. The boys and the mountain meant everything to Tanner. The loss of either of them would destroy him. She knew he had been worried about the contract, but she didn’t know the situation had been so desperate. And she, unknowingly, had put even more pressure on him. Now her actions seemed vain, petty. With the loss of his home hanging in the balance, no wonder he hadn’t come to see her. She wouldn’t blame him if he never wanted to see her again.

At least now he wouldn’t have to fret about the contract. Now he could concentrate on getting well.

* * *

Although the trip up the mountain seemed to take forever, Kate knew they had made it in record time. When they finally arrived at the house, little John and Fluffy burst through the door to greet her.
 

“Kate, you d-did come b-back,” the boy cried, wrapping his arms around her. “I kn-knew you w-would.”

She gave John a big hug and kiss, then patted the whining dog’s head. “How’s Tanner?” she asked, almost fearing to hear his answer.
 

“Sleeping.” John frowned. “He got hurt, you know.”

“I heard.”

“I’ll put the horses up, Kate,” Chauncey said. “You go on in and check on your man.”

My man.
Needing no encouragement, Kate raced up the steps.

Matt and Luke met her at the door. After giving her hugs of welcome, Matt took her to Tanner’s room. Luke went to help Chauncey. She found out that Mark was out guiding an earlier group of men into the woods.
 

When she entered the sickroom, Doc Thomas looked up from the bedside. “Thank the Lord. How did you know?”

“I sensed he needed me. That’s why I came back.” She moved to the bedside.
 

Tanner lay unmoving. His pallor and the bandages sent a bolt of fear tearing through her chest. She stared at the strips of cloth running from the bedposts to his hands and feet. “How is he?”

“Holding his own. He’ll get better now that you are here. He’s been calling for you. Every time he regains consciousness, he tries to get out of bed. That’s why he’s tied down. He’s been fretting about the timber.”

She smiled. “Thanks to you and Chauncey, and every able-bodied man in the area, I hear that’s being taken care of. Dozens of men are on their way here now.

“Tanner’s got lots of friends. They are glad to help out when they can.” He looked at her and smiled. “He’s also got a woman that loves him. That makes him pretty lucky, I’d say.”

“I do love him, but I’m not sure the feeling is returned.”

“Words don’t come easy to a man like Tanner, but he loves you. You have my assurance of that.” The doctor rubbed his neck, then yawned and got to his feet. “Now that you’re here, I think I’ll take a little nap. Oh, if you’d like you can untie him, he’s sleeping sound enough that he won’t be going anywhere.”

“What if he does wake up?” she asked. “Is there anything I’m supposed to do?”

“Seeing you here would be the best medicine I could prescribe. Just make sure he doesn’t try to get out of bed.”

“Don’t worry about that. Tanner Blaine isn’t going anywhere until I tell him he can.”

Chuckling, the doctor left the room.
 

Kate took the seat he had vacated and pulled it close to the bed. She untied the straps, then lifted Tanner’s hand. Scarred, rough—and those blisters... She bent and pressed her lips to his palm. Once she would have thought such a hand denoted commonness, a lack of breeding. Now it represented strength and integrity, as well as gentleness—everything she could ever want in a man.

As she stared at Tanner, she wondered how she could ever have imagined she could leave him. “I love you,” she whispered. As if she had reached into his consciousness, Tanner opened his eyes. “Kate,” he called weakly.
 

“I’m right here.” She smoothed his hair back from his forehead and gently kissed his brow.
 

“I’m not dreaming?” he asked, trying to raise his head.

She pushed him back against the pillow, then touched her mouth to his cracked lips. “Does this feel like a dream?”

“You’re here. You’re really here.” He closed his eyes, then opened them again. “Don’t leave me, Kate.”

Tears welled in her eyes. “I’ll never leave you again.”

* * *

Several more times that day, Tanner opened his eyes, searching the room until he found her. Then, apparently satisfied, he went back to sleep.
 

Kate stayed by the bedside even though both Matthew and the doctor urged her to get some rest. She had given Tanner a promise. She would not leave his side.

Despite her good intentions, in the wee hours of the morning exhaustion claimed her. She was still asleep when Matt carried her to the other room and tucked her into bed.
 

* * *

The next day, Tanner seemed to gain strength, his lucid periods growing longer. Twice Kate even managed to get him to swallow some broth.
 

“He’s getting well,” Dr. Thomas said from behind her when Tanner had gone back to sleep.
 

“He seems better, but I was afraid to hope,” she said, taking comfort from the physician’s words. “How long will it take him to completely recover?”

“The bones have to knit, and he will probably have headaches for a while. Couple of months and he ought to be good as new.”

The doctor took a swig from his coffee. “He’s darn near worked himself to death, so the rest will do him good. The problem is keeping him down until he gets healed.”

“That doesn’t seem to be a problem,” Kate said, looking at the man on the bed.

“Right now the laudanum is keeping him asleep. But I am cutting back on that so he can get some nourishment. The next time he wakes up might be a problem.”

* * *

Two hours later Kate saw what he meant.
 

Tanner fought to raise himself in the bed.
 

Kate gripped both shoulders and tried to push him back. “Doc. Help me!”

“I’ve got to get up,” Tanner insisted.

“You are not going anywhere.”
 

“Kate? What...” Dr. Thomas took one look and rushed to hold Tanner down.
 

His brow beaded with sweat, Tanner sagged back against the pillow. “Damn it.”

“Curse all you want. I won’t have you undoing all my work, young man,” the doctor said sternly. “You are going to stay in this bed—and you are going to behave yourself.”

“And I’m going to see that you do,” Kate assured him.
 

“Bossy,” Tanner mumbled.
 

“You haven’t seen anything yet, Mr. Blaine.” She tucked the covers back around him. “First you are going to eat some broth, then you are going to take a nap. And you are not going to think about getting out of this bed.”

“Broth? Uh, Doc?...” Tanner glanced at the doctor, then at Kate. “I need to...”

The doctor chuckled. “Kate, I think we need a little privacy.”

She glanced at Tanner, taking note of the almost pleading expression on his face. “Oh....” Her face flaming, she left the room.

She entered the kitchen to find Chauncey and Matt sitting at the table. “How are things going in the woods?”

“The men sent a batch of logs down the skid chute this morning. They should be all finished in a day or two.”

“Wonderful. Tanner will be glad to hear that.”

“Uh, Kate, I don’t think we ought to mention it yet,” Matt said. “If Tanner finds out someone else is doing his work, he’s sure going to try to stop them.”

“He’s got to know sooner or later,” she insisted.

“We’ll tell him,” Chauncey said. “Just as soon as the work is done.”

“That might be best at that,” she agreed. By that time, it wouldn’t do him any good to get up. There wouldn’t be anything left for him to do. “Has Tom Fuller said anything about the contract?”

“His men are up here helping skid the logs. Tom’s a good man, and he figures it’s partly his fault Tanner had the accident,” Chauncey said. “He had no idea Tanner was trying to do the whole thing all by himself.”

“Tanner is proud—and stubborn.”

“Yeah, and right now, I hear him yelling for you,” Matt said with a grin. He handed her the tray he had prepared.

Kate carried it into the sickroom. “Your broth, sir.”

Tanner scowled. “Again? There’s nothing wrong with my stomach, Kate. Can’t you get me some solid food?”

“You must be getting better.You’re cranky. That’s a sure sign you’re getting well.”

“I’d get well a lot sooner if you’d give me a kiss,” he said huskily.

She leaned forward and pressed her lips to his, then she moved away and filled his spoon. “Eat all of this, and I’ll give you more.”

“More broth, or more kisses?” he asked.

“Both.”

“Like I said, I’d get well a lot faster if I had something more substantial.”
 

From the look in his eyes, she knew he wasn’t referring to food. “For now, sir, you’ll settle for broth and a kiss. I won’t have you making promises you aren’t able to keep.”

He gave her a wicked grin. “Bring on the soup, Kate. I have a feeling that I’m going to need my strength.”

Her heart fluttering wildly, she shoved a spoonful into his mouth.

Chapter 27

“Is everybody deaf?” Tanner yelled, pulling at the ropes that had him bound hand and foot; strapped down like a calf ready for branding. “A man can’t even break a leg without somebody taking advantage of him.”

“I can see you’re feeling better,” the doctor said wryly from the doorway.

“Cut me loose, Doc. I can’t stay here. I’ve got work to do.”

“No, you don’t.” The doctor felt his forehead. “No fever. That’s a good sign.”

“Then I can get up?” Tanner said hopefully.

“Not on your life. I didn’t ride all the way up this mountain to have you end up killing yourself.”

“You don’t understand.”

“I know all about the timber deadline. And it’s being taken care of.” The doctor smiled.

“Did you get an extension?”

“No, better than that. It’s being cut right now as we speak. The boys—”

“No!” Frantic, Tanner yanked at the ropes. “Please, Doc. I’ve got to stop them.”

“The kids are fine. They aren’t the ones doing the felling. But Mark and Luke are helping strip the trees. Matt has gone out to take the men some food.”

“What men?”

“Only every able-bodied man that can swing an ax.” He named off several people Tanner knew, and some more he’d never heard of.

“I don’t accept charity, Doc.”

“Charity, hell. You didn’t think it was charity when you helped them out.”

“I was only being neighborly.”

“They appreciate the chance to return the favor.”

“Tanner! You’re awake,” John cried as he and Fluffy burst through the doorway.
 

“Hi, sprout.” Tanner looked from the boy to the doctor. “Cut me loose—please.”

“All right, as long as you promise to stay put. You’ve had a concussion, along with broken ribs and that broken leg. I don’t want you undoing all the doctoring Mark and I have been doing.”

“Mark?”

“He set your leg and got you back here to the cabin. I want to talk to you about that boy later, but right now I expect you could do with something to eat.”

“You’ve got that right.” Tanner hesitated. “Doc, where’s Kate?”

“Sleeping. I gave her a dose of laudanum. It was the only way she would leave you.”