Fired Up (4 page)

Dare left, and she smiled, liking the idea of sharing a secret with him, for some reason. Then she turned to find her coat and saw Paul staring after Dare, frowning. . . . No, it was more than frowning. It was suppressed rage.

Glynna quickly wiped the smile off her face before her son could think she had the slightest liking for Dare Riker—the nice, handsome man who'd saved her life and set her free from purgatory.

“Ruthy! How are you?” Glynna as good as yelled at Ruthy, but she yelled in what she hoped was a perky, friendly way.

Truth was, she spied Ruthy reaching for a rock bigger than her head, and she'd called out to distract her friend from lifting the heavy stone.

Ruthy straightened and smiled. Her red hair was still neatly pulled back, and her dress was clean. Glynna hoped that meant Ruthy hadn't been hauling rocks for long.

Luke and several other men were working at the rock pile. Speaking too loudly himself, Luke said, “Ruthy, you should take Glynna into the house. It's too cold out here . . . uh, for the children.”

By the way Luke spoke, and the way Ruthy glared and plunked her hands on her hips, Glynna suspected Luke had been objecting to Ruthy helping from the minute they'd started.

“It is a bit chilly, and we're not bundled up very well.” Glynna turned to help Janny down from the back of the wagon and whispered, “Try and look cold.”

Janny let a grin peek out, her second that day. Glynna prayed it was the second of many more to come. Wiping away the smile, Janny crossed her arms over her chest and did a serviceable job of shivering.

“It was colder than I thought it'd be on the ride out.” Janny stuck her bottom lip out and it almost looked like her baby girl was fighting tears. “But I will stay out here with you if you want me to help carry stones, Mrs. Stone.”

Paul, jumping down from the wagon behind Janny, muttered into Janny's ear, “Carry stones, Mrs. Stone.”

Glynna saw the spark of humor in Janny's eyes and turned to face Ruthy in such a way as to block the sight
of her supposedly distressed daughter—who looked to be on the verge of giggling.

“I'd be glad to stay and help,” Paul announced and then walked toward the jumble and began heaving rocks out of the way. It struck Glynna that her son, though still not broad-shouldered, was as tall as some of these men and nearly as strong.

“Maybe after we warm up, we could come back.” Glynna did her best to sound doubtful, which was no hardship. She would help pick up rocks if it was needed, of course. She wasn't afraid of hard work. But there were, with Jonas and Vince and Paul, and Luke's hired men, a large crowd of men to do all this heavy lifting. Glynna thought she would probably just get in their way.

“And I think Dare should come inside, too.” Glynna waited to be overruled by the stubborn doctor, but he surprised her.

“I thought I'd have more strength, but I need to get off my feet for a fact.” Dare walked toward the rubble, sounding like he meant every word.

Luke had made headway clearing a narrow path, but not even a horse could get through it yet, let alone a wagon. On foot they'd have to climb over a few of the big flat rocks.

Ruthy gave the pile of rocks an almost comically frustrated look as if she couldn't bear to leave such a mess. Then her good manners took over. “Yes, of course. Anyway, I need to get a good meal on for everyone.” She raised her voice. “Luke, I'll make enough for the men, too.”

“Nope,” Dodger said, shaking his head. “I've left Tennessee behind in the bunkhouse this morning. His joints
ache something fierce in the cold, but Old Tenn ain't got any pride if he can't help somehow. At least let him make the cowhands a meal. Reckon he's already started it anyhow. Just plan on your family and friends, Mrs. Stone.”

Glynna recognized gray-haired Dodger Neville and gave him a smile. He'd helped save her, too.

Dodger touched the brim of his hat, then went back to heaving rocks.

Glynna directed Janny ahead of her. They followed Dare through the debris and headed for the house. Glynna kept waiting for Dare to find a way to go back and prove a mountain falling on his head couldn't keep him from work, but instead he went with them toward the house. He looked a little pale by the time they reached the two-story log-and-stone cabin.

Once inside, Ruthy said, “Come on into the kitchen. I heard about the cut on your back, Dare. You can straddle one of the kitchen chairs and not put any pressure on your stitches. I've got coffee left from breakfast. You can have a cup, and there are sugar cookies. We can visit while I get a noon meal started.”

“Ruthy,” Dare said, reaching out to stop her from leaving the room, and suddenly his weight shifted and Ruthy was holding him upright. “Is there somewhere I could lie down for just a few minutes?”

Glynna rushed to Dare's other side to help bear his weight. She looked at Ruthy across the broad expanse of Dare's chest, each of them with one of his arms around her neck.

“We've got a spare bedroom right this way.” Ruthy guided them to the room Glynna had slept in alone. It
was now unused, and Ruthy had done her best to give everything in it to Glynna just yesterday. But Glynna had enough bedsteads, and so she'd refused to take this one. Now she was glad of that.

Glynna, mindful of Ruthy's possible condition, tried to bear more than her share of Dare's weight.

Ruthy quickly stripped back the blankets, and the two women eased Dare to a sitting position.

“I'll just rest a few minutes,” Dare said. His head drooped forward, and Glynna steadied him. Then he seemed to gather his wits and reached for his boots.

“What were you thinking coming out here, Dare Riker?” Ruthy said.

Glynna brushed his hands aside and pulled his boots off, reminded of the times she'd tended her first husband when he'd come home battered.

After dropping his second boot with a thud, Glynna looked up from where she knelt at his feet to smile. It was wasted on him because his eyes were already closed. Glynna and Ruthy helped him to lie facedown on the bed, and then Glynna pulled a blanket over him.

Janny had followed at a distance, and she now stood in the doorway.

“Should we leave him?” Glynna asked. She thought he'd fallen asleep too fast. “Is he unconscious?”

“No reason he'd pass out,” Ruthy said. “He's just exhausted and wounded and needs more rest, the half-wit. Why'd he think he could come out here today?”

Glynna, feeling like she was betraying Dare, shook her head as if confused. “Men are just stubborn, I reckon.”

“We'll look in on him from time to time.” Ruthy guided Glynna away, and the three headed for the kitchen, closing Dare's door behind them.

“Let's get coffee,” Ruthy said. “I'll do some quick work to start a meal and then we'll sit in the front room.” She bustled toward the stove. “We're close enough to him in the kitchen that we might wake him with our chatter.”

Glynna loved the idea of chatter. She and Janny ate a few delicious cookies while Ruthy worked with amazing speed and skill. Ruthy pulled the coffeepot close to the edge of the stove and lifted it to serve Glynna.

“Is the coffee all right?” Ruthy wrinkled her nose. “I might've let it boil too long.”

Glynna's stomach had been turned by coffee when she was with child. “It smells fine to me.” Taking the cup from Ruthy, Glynna took a sip. “It tastes fine, too.”

“I'm going to have tea instead, I think. Janny, do you want a glass of milk?”

Once Ruthy got everything in order, they followed her to the front room, which held ugly memories for Glynna. As they settled into soft chairs and shared their drinks and talked, some of those memories faded a bit, replaced by this pleasant interlude. It was perilously close to normal.

“You slept all morning?” Luke asked as he rose from the kitchen table. “Why'd you come if you were feeling so puny?”

“I underestimated how beat up I was, I guess. I felt pretty decent when I first woke up, but after the ride out here, I was all done in.”

Glynna thought Dare looked much better after a long nap, and he'd done more than his share of eating, so he must be feeling better. She also knew he wasn't ready to discuss Ruthy's special condition.

After spending the morning with her, Glynna knew almost certainly Ruthy was expecting. Between the perfectly tasty coffee upsetting Ruthy's stomach, and her moving at about half the usual speed—which was still faster than anyone else—and right now Ruthy looking a little pale. But then she was fair-skinned, so it was hard to judge. All in all, though, Glynna felt sure that Dare had diagnosed Ruthy correctly.

Glynna hadn't known for a while when Paul was on the way. But none of that could be mentioned as the reason Dare had come.

“I'm feeling better now. I can help some,” Ruthy said.

“Nope, all the stones a man can lift are gone now,” Luke replied. “We're tying a team of horses to bigger ones and we're getting in each other's way. Even with the horses, a few of the rocks can't be moved. I'll send a man into town to get some dynamite. By the time he's back, we'll have only the huge boulders left. We'll do some blasting this afternoon, and that'll be about it.” Luke stood to get back to work. “Ruthy, don't be surprised at the racket.”

Jonas, Vince, and Paul rose to head out with him. Dare poured himself another cup of coffee. Glynna noticed the man was still barefoot and doubted he'd had any intention of heaving rocks with the men.

As Luke swung the back door open, thundering hoofbeats came from the trail to the south, the direction away from the avalanche.

Glynna and Ruthy rushed to peek out and see what was going on, Janny crowding in beside them. A pinto pony came galloping toward them. The horse had a rider slumped over its neck.

Luke charged out with the men on his heels. Jonas and Paul weren't armed, but the other two had their hands steady on their guns, ready to draw.

A crowd of armed cowhands came boiling out of the bunkhouse, Dodger in the lead.

The man, nearly lying on his horse's neck, was dressed in a deerskin shirt and fringed leggings. He had feathers hanging from two long black braids. His unsaddled horse wore a bridle with no bit.

An Indian.

As the horse tore into the ranch yard, it skidded to a stop and reared. Luke rushed forward but didn't get there in time to stop the rider from tumbling off and landing on the hard ground. A puff of dust kicked up, and the horse leaped over the unconscious man and charged off the way it'd come.

Luke dropped to his knees beside the man, then looked up sharply. “Get Dare.”

Glynna whirled and raced back to the house. She hoped Dare was up to this.

“Dare, we need help!” Glynna shouted. “A doctor's help.”

When she slammed the door open, Dare was already pulling his boots on. “What happened?”

“An Indian, outside. He's hurt. Luke needs you.” And those words,
Luke needs you
, seemed to put starch in his backbone.

He strode from the room. “I brought my doctor bag. It's been left behind in the wagon on the far side of the gap.”

He was outside so fast he got past Glynna, and she had to hurry to keep up with him.

“Vince!” Dare barked orders as he rushed toward the unconscious man. “Get my doctor bag out of the wagon. Don't go alone. Where there's one Indian, there can be a whole band of 'em.”

Vince slapped Jonas's arm, and the two of them sprinted for the wagon.

Dropping to his knees beside the collapsed man, Dare knew what was wrong instantly. “Measles.”

Almost by reflex, he disarmed the man. There was a
hatchet hanging from the left side of his belt and a knife tucked in a scabbard on the right side. Dare tossed them out of reach.

His gaze swept everyone gathered around. “Who's had measles? It's contagious. Anyone who hasn't had them should get back and stay as far away as possible.”

Rolling the man over onto his back, Dare studied the red spots that covered his face, neck, and hands. Looking up, he saw that no one had backed away, except he didn't like what he saw in Luke's eyes.

“Have you had measles?” Dare asked.

Luke shook his head. “People get them all the time and they get over 'em fine.”

“True enough. But not Indians. This might be deadly for an Indian. You'd likely survive it, but there's no sense spending time sick if you don't need to.”

Luke nodded, then looked at Ruthy and got to his feet. “We should go inside.”

“I've had measles,” Ruthy said. She stepped up to Luke's side. “I had them twice as a child, as a matter of fact. I was told there are two different kinds, and I've had them both.”

“Get Luke out of here, Ruthy. And have him wash his hands in hot water with lye soap.” Dare looked between the two, and finally, with Ruthy almost dragging Luke, they headed back to the house.

Dodger turned from talking with his cowpokes. “We've all had measles. There's not a man here who's been spared. We can help however you need us, Doc.”

“I've had them and so have both of my children.” Glynna came and knelt across from Dare.

Luke stopped and spun around before he'd gone too far. “I remember the Kiowa boys I played with when I was young talking about a disease going through their tribe. It was before my friends were born, and before my family moved here. Pa said later that from the description, it sounded like cholera. Some said it nearly wiped out the whole Kiowa and Comanche nations. Measles aren't like that, are they? Not when so many here had them and survived.”

“Measles aren't usually serious for whites, but they can devastate an Indian tribe.”

“That makes no sense.” Luke looked again at the man, who was now lying faceup. “Red Wolf?” He took a step toward the man, but then Ruthy grabbed his arm and held him back.

“You know him?” Dare asked.

“I think so,” Luke said. “I recognize that scar on his arm.” He then pulled his sleeve back to reveal a similar scar on the underside of his forearm. “We were blood brothers along with Gil Foster. We cut a little deep and ended up with matching scars. I haven't seen him since before the war, but this is Red Wolf, I'm sure of it.” When Luke spoke the name a second time, the man's eyes fluttered open. “Red Wolf, is that you?”

“I h-heard you come home, Luke Stone. My . . . my tribe is dying of these red spots. I h-hope for help. My tribe, many are sick . . . some dead.” Then the man's eyes fell shut again and he lapsed back into unconsciousness.

“Get out of here, Luke,” Dare ordered. “You're no good to me if you're sick, too. We'll take care of Red Wolf and see what his people need.”

Dare looked at Luke until finally Luke managed to tear his gaze from Red Wolf.

“There are other ways to help without getting too close,” Dare added. “I've got a little willow bark in my bag, but I'm going to need more—what I've got in my office back in Broken Wheel and all they've got at the general store. I ordered more, and it might be in. I'll have to make a poultice, and there are a couple of books I'll need, and . . . well, I'll write it all down. Ruthy, get me a paper and ink, then get some water to boiling. I can make one poultice with supplies I have in my bag, enough for Red Wolf but not for a whole tribe. Luke, you can get to town in half the time if you ride instead of taking the wagon. But I'll need enough things that you should take a pack animal.”

Ruthy turned and rushed for the house. Dare regretted making her run. Probably he should tell her about her condition before she set to work saving the whole Kiowa tribe.

“We'll need plenty of men if we're riding into an Indian village. Just because they're sick doesn't mean they're friendly.” Dare shook his head, imagining the extent of what lay ahead. “Believe me, there are plenty of ways to help.”

Vince came running through the narrow passage with Dare's bag and Jonas close behind him.

“Red Wolf is Kiowa.” Luke looked with a furrowed brow at his unconscious friend. “We always got along, but I'd better ride to the village with you. I know about where they'd be camping because I saw some buffalo yesterday, and their village would be near the herd. But I haven't talked with them since they've moved into the area. I didn't
know Red Wolf was among this band. Have I got time to get to Broken Wheel and back? If I don't, Vince should go, because I have to ride with you. I speak a little Kiowa, enough to explain what we're doing. It'd be different if Red Wolf was riding with us, but he's not going anywhere.”

“I'll be a while working with Red Wolf,” Dare said, “and we can't head to the village until you bring me my supplies. You should go. I can keep Vince busy here and he's already had measles. But you'll need help getting everything on my list.”

With a hard jerk of his chin, Luke said, “Jonas, come with me. Let's get saddled up.” He strode toward his corral.

Jonas headed after Luke without question.

When Luke was far enough away, Dodger said under his breath, “He's right that his family always dealt well with the Indians. Most folks in Broken Wheel trade with them.”

“I've never seen an Indian in town.” Dare dug through his satchel, looking for supplies.

“It's done quietly,” Dodger went on. “Tug Andrews at the general store meets them in the countryside and trades with them. There's some of 'em speak passable English. But Greer wasn't smart about the native folks. He was afeared of 'em and ran 'em off. And he had enough gunmen that they couldn't stand up to him. Luke may find them not as friendly as they once were.”

Glynna, kneeling beside Red Wolf, exchanged a glance with Dare.

Dare shrugged one shoulder. “Reckon we'll find out what we're up against soon enough.”

Ruthy came out of the house carrying a large pail of
steaming water, using a towel to protect her hands from the hot metal handle.

“Paul, help her carry that,” Glynna said to her son.

Dare should've known Ruthy would be carrying the heaviest bucket she could find. He only needed a few cups.

Paul moved fast and grabbed the pail out of Ruthy's hands so quick she didn't have time to fight him for it, which her glare said she'd have done. Ruthy didn't expect anyone to do a job she could do herself.

“I'm going to make a poultice.” Dare looked up. “But he'll need a bed. Ruthy, can we bring him inside?”

Dare knew folks who would forbid an Indian from coming in their house. If Ruthy was such a woman, he'd make a bed in the barn for Red Wolf.

“I should have thought of that. You told me to heat up water, but I didn't need to bring it out here. Give me back the bucket, Paul. We'll move Red Wolf into the room Dare took his nap in.”

A mild flush heated up Dare's cheeks. “I wouldn't exactly call it a nap.”

Ruthy gave him such a withering look, he figured he'd offended her by even hinting she might not let Red Wolf inside. That made Dare like her more than ever.

“Paul, take the water back in. Ruthy . . .” Dare then reeled off a list of ingredients he needed for his poultice, which sent Ruthy scurrying back to the house. Not a single thing heavy in that list.

“I'll send out a scout to find the village,” Dodger said. “We'll be able to make good time when Luke gets back.” He snapped out a couple of orders, and the cowhands split up.

Dare saw the look in the men's eyes. They'd be riding along and they'd go armed. Dare wondered if he should put up with going on a doctor visit with an armed escort.

“Get a horse for me, too,” Glynna called after Dodger.

Dare flinched when he heard Glynna's determined voice. “No, you're not coming. It could be dangerous.”