“He’s in bad shape, miss. Someone clobbered him good.”
She took off at a full run toward the trail to town.
“Wait! Miss Jankowski!”
But she kept running. If Walter wasn’t there at the gate waiting with the carriage, she would run the whole way to Jacob’s if she had to.
The door to his room creaked. Jacob forced his lids open but couldn’t push them up very far. Through the haze of his lashes, he spotted two figures. But in the dark, they were just shadowy blobs.
Had they come to finish the job?
Closing his eyes, he tried to shift in his bed, but that didn’t work. A moan pushed its way out of his lips. His heart picked up its pace.
“Jacob?”
If he wasn’t dreaming, that was Martha’s voice!
“Hm? Martha? Is that you?”Please, God, let it be her.
A match was struck and he heard the sizzle of the flame coming to life. Then a gasp. “Oh,Jacob!”
He forced his eyes to open again, but he could only see through little slits.
She’d lit a lantern, and an unknown man stood beside her. “Jacob, I’m so sorry this happened to you, but I brought help. This is Doctor Murton. He’s going to help you.”
Jacob told his tongue to move, but his lips were swollen and cracked. It was hard to get words out. “A doc in town ... came to see me...”
“You still look like this after a doctor tended to you? That’s shameful!” The doctor came closer, set his bag down near Jacob’s feet, and opened it up. “Well, Miss Jankowski has hired me to make sure you receive the best of care. And I shall do precisely that, son.” He turned and washed his hands in the washbasin. “Miss Jankowski, I need to ask you to step out of the room for a few minutes so I may inspect all of his injuries.”
“Is it all right if I speak with him for just a moment, Doctor?” The sweet concern in her voice melted his anxiety. He relaxed into the bed and swallowed.
“Certainly. I’ll wait out in the hall.” The man walked away leaving the door open.
“Martha—”
“Jacob—”
They spoke at the same time.
She shook her head. “Just listen for a moment, please?”
He nodded and winced. Every movement hurt.
“I’m sorry. So sorry. I know how I treated you was abominable. I trust you and know you didn’t do anything to harm me. If anything, you were trying to protect me, and I appreciate that. Will you please forgive me?” She grabbed his hand.
Even though it hurt like the dickens, he welcomed her touch. “I will. As long as you forgive me.”
Another shake of her head and her hair tumbled around her shoulders. He’d never seen it down before. It was lovely, even if it was in disarray.
She released his hand and reached up to tuck her hair back up into her hat. “I must be a mess. I ran as soon as I heard you were injured and didn’t care what a mess I made of myself. And there’s nothing to forgive. You didn’t do anything wrong. I know that.”
When her hair was safely in place, she took his hand again. The warmth of her touch seeped through him.
“Jacob, life has been a struggle for me lately. And I’m ashamed to say that I’ve taken out my tumultuous emotions on everyone around me. I’m sorry for that too.”
“Martha...”
“I care about you, Jacob Duncan, and I couldn’t bear the thought of anything happening to you.” Her words were almost a whisper but they smoothed over him like a healing balm. Their hands trembled together.
