Wildfire Creek (37 page)

“Billy, we were so worried about you.” Margaret, his younger sister, ran up and wrapped her arms around him. At seven, she was the youngest in the group, was devoted to him, and was the reason Billy had stayed in the Crow camp for three years. She’d just turned four when they were captured. Her age and small stature never would’ve allowed her to escape before now.

“Lydia is still sick. She’s been vomiting, won’t eat, and feels hot. I don’t know what to do.” Lydia’s fourteen-year-old brother, Samuel, ran both hands through his long hair, then clasped them behind his neck. “Were you able to find anything to help her?”

Billy cast his gaze at Lydia. Her younger sister, Selina, sat cross-legged on the hard ground, gripping her sister’s hand, eyes full of worry. He looked back at Sam. “No. They caught me. I wasn’t able to get away until this morning.” He took a few steps toward Lydia, noticing her red-rimmed eyes. He felt his stomach clench as he turned back toward Sam. “We have to leave. I’m sure they’ve followed me.”

“Leave? Lydia can’t move and won’t eat. We can’t take her out of here.” Sam paced a few feet away, then swung back around. “What are we going to do?”

“You’ll come with us. We’ll help you.”

The deep voice got everyone’s attention as Dax walked into the cave, followed by Luke and Gabe. He didn’t stop until he stood over Lydia, looking down at her prone form. He dropped to his knees, causing Selina to scoot away, although she didn’t drop Lydia’s hand. He placed a hand on her forehead and shot a look at Luke.

“She’s holding her stomach and has a fever. We have to get her to Doc Worthington.”

“You’re not taking her anywhere.” Billy stepped between Luke and Dax, daring them to interfere. “She’s not leaving.”

Gabe strode forward, fixing Billy with a hard look. “She’s sick. Dax’s wife is a nurse, her uncle is the town doctor. They won’t hurt her, but you will if you insist on keeping her in this damp cave without adequate food and medical supplies.”

Samuel stepped forward, grabbed Billy’s arm and spun him around. “Lydia needs help. They’re offering and I think we should accept it.”

Billy scrubbed a hand over his face, his stomach knotting as his eyes settled on Lydia. He didn’t want to count on help from the type of white men they’d encountered over the last few months, yet these men hadn’t turned them away. They’d taken him into their home, fed him, and given him a place to sleep. Now they were offering their help again.

“You’re right, Sam.” Billy glared at Dax and took a step closer. “You’d better not hurt her.”

“She’ll be fine. You need to trust us.” Dax wrapped the blanket edges around her, taking care to keep her feet and hands covered. “Does she have a bonnet?”

Selina jumped up and pulled an old, worn bonnet from a leather bag, handing it to Dax. He fitted it over her head and tied the strings under her chin, catching her watching him.

“Hello, Lydia. I’m Dax Pelletier. This is my brother, Luke, and our friend Gabe Evans. We’re going to take you to a doctor.”

She closed her eyes and swallowed, not making any effort to answer.

“Gather your belongings,” Gabe said to the others while Dax prepared Lydia for the trip. “We have five horses, enough for everyone to ride double down the mountain.” He waited a moment and when no one moved, he grabbed a nearby blanket and tossed it at Billy. “You take this and whatever else you can carry. Now. Everyone else pick up what you need. We’re leaving as soon as Lydia is ready.”

Samuel, Margaret, and Selina scrambled to do as Gabe asked, grabbing their meager belongings and stuffing them into grimy sacks.

“You, too, Billy.” Gabe eyed the boy, not at all sure what to expect. He might leave with them or he might try to run. Gabe hoped he’d choose to leave. If he ran, they didn’t have enough men to follow him. Their primary obligation was getting Lydia to Doc Worthington.

Billy fought conflicting emotions, knowing he had just one choice. He’d never leave Margaret, and he’d formed a strong bond with Sam, Selina, and Lydia. He swung away from Gabe and began to gather what he owned—an old hat, an extra pair of moccasins, and a few other items still inside his worn, leather sack.

“We’re ready.” Dax lifted Lydia into his arms and caught Luke’s attention. “You go through the opening first, then I’ll hand her to you.” Both knew he’d never be able to make it through the slim gap holding her.

Gabe led the way through the tunnel, which opened into the first cave and passage to the outside. He glanced over his shoulder to make sure no one had stayed behind, and slipped through the opening.

“Noah, Bull…”

They appeared within seconds, both sets of eyes narrowing when they saw the group following Gabe.

“There are five, so we’ll double up. Luke is carrying a woman who’s ill. It might be best to have her ride with you, Bull.”

Bull nodded. He owned the biggest of the five horses, an easy-going roan gelding named Abraham—Abe, for short.

“Selina, you ride with Luke. Margaret with Noah. Bull’s going to take Lydia.” Gabe glanced at Samuel and Billy. “Samuel, you’ll ride with Dax, and Billy with me.”

“I’ll walk,” Billy bit out.

Luke handed Lydia to Bull, then glanced down at Billy’s bare feet, already bleeding from his trek up the mountain. “You’ll ride behind Gabe, either seated or tied to the back. Your choice.”

Billy shot Luke a killing look, then reached for Gabe’s hand and swung up on the back of Blackheart.

They moved at a slow pace down the icy slope, stopping a few minutes at Luke’s house, then onto the ranch. Every so often, Samuel would turn to look at Lydia nestled in Bull’s broad lap. The thought of losing her terrified him. She’d been the one to hold them together over their last year of living with the Crow. Compared to stories they’d heard of other tribes, the Crow’s treatment of them wasn’t harsh. They were worked hard from before sunrise until late at night. Unlike Billy, who’d been allowed to train with the young warriors and men, Sam had been relegated to work alongside the women. He wanted to find a home in the world they’d been taken from and return to the customs of the whites.

Luke reined in next to Bull as they came to a stop by the barn. “I’ll help you with Lydia.” He swung a leg over Prince, helped Selina down, then reached up as Bull lowered Lydia into his arms.

“She sure doesn’t weigh much.” Bull slid from Abe and followed Luke up the steps to the house.

Doc Worthington opened the door and stepped aside to let the men pass. “Take her to the back bedroom where I’ve been staying.” He’d almost closed the door when it was shoved open, Billy pushing past the doctor to follow Bull and Luke, behind him were Sam, Margaret, and Selina. “Wait up,” he called before they disappeared down the hall. “You, too, Billy.”

“I’m going with them.” The hard edge of his voice almost broke.

“All of you will wait out here.” Charles focused on Billy, already knowing the boy didn’t back down easily. “I know you’re worried, but I can’t have anyone else in the room except for my nurse. Understand?”

“Her name’s Lydia. She’s my sister.” A boy he didn’t recognize spoke in a quiet, nervous tone. The slump of his shoulders told the doctor of the worry he’d been holding inside.

“What’s your name, son?”

“Samuel. This is my other sister, Selina, and Billy’s sister, Margaret.”

“I’ll do everything I can for her, Samuel. How long has she been sick?”

“It started last night after we ate the last of the food.”

The doctor glanced up to see Ginny standing a few feet away. “Can you find something for them to eat while Rachel and I check on Lydia?”

“Yes, sir. Follow me and we’ll get some food in you.” She watched as each took a reluctant step toward her, then walked the rest of the way into the kitchen. She scooped generous portions of stew into bowls, setting one in front of each, then sliced thick pieces of cornbread. “There’s more in the pot if this isn’t enough.”

They sat motionless, not picking up the spoons Ginny set next to the bowls.

“Sam?” Selina asked, looking at her older brother.

He knew they were starving and the smell of the stew was too tempting to pass up. Sam picked up his spoon and dug in. Before long, all the bowls were empty and only crumbs remained of the cornbread. Without a word, Ginny grabbed the bowls and ladled more stew into each. Except for Margaret, they devoured every bite.

“How are you doing in here?” Luke stood in the doorway, his gaze landing on Ginny first before noticing the satisfied faces at the table. Even Billy appeared to be somewhat relaxed, allowing his guard to slip a little.

“It was real good. Thank you.” Sam wiped a sleeve across his mouth before carrying his bowl to the sink.

“Billy and Samuel, I’d like you to come with me so we can talk. Margaret and Selina can stay in here with Ginny.” Luke shot a quick glance at Ginny before turning to follow the boys from the kitchen. “In here.” He gestured to the study.

Dax walked around the desk, resting a hip against the edge and crossing his arms. “We want to know everything. How you came to live with the Crow, how you escaped, and where you were headed.” His eyes bored into Billy’s. “And we want the truth this time.”

Chapter Twenty-Six

“What do you think it is, Uncle Charles?” Rachel continued to apply cold cloths to Lydia’s forehead in an attempt to bring down the fever.

“With her fever, stomach cramps, and vomiting, I suspect she ate something tainted.”

“I still have a little apple cider vinegar.”

“Get it. She’ll need to drink plenty of water, too.”

Charles had Lydia sitting up when Rachel returned with the vinegar, a spoon, glass, and pitcher of water.

“Help me get a couple spoonfuls of vinegar down her, then we’ll see if she’ll drink some water.” Charles put a hand behind her neck to help steady her. “Lydia, you need to drink this and not spit it out.”

She did as the doctor asked, almost gagging at the taste of the vinegar, then drank a little water before Charles helped her settle back on the bed.

“We’ll give her another spoonful in an hour. I need to speak with the other children to see what she may have eaten.”

“I’ll stay with her.” Rachel lowered herself into a chair, watching as Lydia drifted off to sleep. She knew if the food poisoning were mild, the vinegar should help her improve within hours. Then they’d need to make a decision about what to do with them. She turned her head at the sound of the door opening.

“From what the two girls, Margaret and Selina, remember, Lydia ate the last of the chicken they’d cooked a few nights before. No one else ate it.” He felt her forehead, which remained warm. “Appears she ate spoiled meat.”

“Then she should pull through,” Rachel said.

“How’s she doing?” Dax stood in the doorway, looking at Lydia, then moving his gaze to Rachel and her tired features.

“Seems to be food poisoning. We’ve given her vinegar, and I expect she’ll start feeling better within a few hours.” Charles moved toward the window and peeked out at the darkening sky. “Clouds are moving in. I think I’ll spend the night, then ask you to take me back to town tomorrow after I’ve made sure Lydia is doing better.”

“I’d like both of you to come to the study. We need to talk about what to do next.” Dax held out a hand for Rachel. “Then you need to take a nap.”

Walking into the study, Dax closed the door behind them and motioned for them to sit down. “I’ve got Bull watching Samuel and Billy. I doubt either will try to take off as long as Lydia is sick.” Dax sat next to Rachel and grabbed her hand. It took him little time to tell them about the group’s journey across Montana. “From what the boys tell us, they don’t have any relatives who could help. No aunts, uncles, or grandparents. The question is, what do we do with them now?”

“Do you think anyone in Splendor would take them in?” Rachel asked, already suspecting the answer.

“It’s doubtful, but I’m willing to check.” Gabe watched out the window, keeping an eye on the boys grooming the horses, Bull standing nearby.

“I wonder if the Frey brothers would take Billy and Margaret. They’re always in need of help, and Billy says his sister can cook and clean.” Luke crossed his arms.

“My understanding is she’s only seven. I’m not sure she’d be much help. Maybe the Tolberts would take them in, give Billy a job and let Abby help with Margaret.” Noah knew Abby needed something to keep her mind occupied. She’d grown tired of being relegated to the role of mistress of her father’s house.

“I’d like to see the day King Tolbert volunteers to help someone who doesn’t offer an immediate benefit to him.” It was no secret neither Luke nor Dax had any use for the man and his tactics.

“It would be worth asking him.” Rachel thought Abby would love to have Margaret live with them. “Billy would be a handful, though.”

“He’ll be a handful for anyone.” Gabe turned from the window. “You ready to head back, Noah? Looks like a storm is building.”

“You’ll be okay with having them stay here until we work something out with the neighbors?” Noah asked. He had an uneasy feeling it would be much harder than anyone expected to find homes for the five.

“We’ll get Sam and Billy on horses and out with the men. Can you find chores for Margaret and Selina?” Dax squeezed Rachel’s hand.