The Cripple’s Bride_Family of Love Series_A Western Romance Story Read online

  Adam nodded. “I thought so, too. He sings her praises, Sam. I think he’s gonna be stickin’ around for a while.”

  “I think so, too. Rachel… Well, it seems to me she’s already got it for him.”

  “He said in his condition, making her dinner was the only thing he could think of to repay her in some way for what she’s done for him. He says she saved his life.”

  “That storm was bad. I’d say she probably did. You think the weather is gonna clear up? Please tell me it is.”

  Adam nodded. “According to our calculations, we should be looking at sunny days from here on. It will melt the snow, we’ll deal with the mud and then it will be back to normal.”

  Sam shook his head. “I don’t know how you do it, but I’m glad you live in the same town as me.”

  Adam laughed. He lit the pipe clenched between his teeth and blew out a puff of smoke.

  Sam looked at him with one eyebrow raised. “I thought you came out here for some fresh air?”

  “I thought you heard me say Rachel doesn’t want me smoking my pipe in the house?”

  Both men laughed.

  “So you got to spend some time talking to him,” Sam said. “What do you think?”

  “Well, he’s already got credit because he’s related to the Samuels. You know he’s Rebecca’s brother, right?”

  Sam nodded.

  “That’s a good family right there. They’ve been here over a year and have been nothing but an asset to our community.”

  “I think so, too. But you of all people know that siblings are not always alike. Most of the time, it’s the bad ones we hear about.”

  “That’s why I don’t want to judge him too soon. I think he’s worth giving a chance. Rachel seems perfectly comfortable with him. As if they have known each other for a long time.”

  “He sure looked comfortable on her couch.”

  Adam smirked. “I don’t think so. I think he looked like he’s in a lot of pain.”

  “Yeah, that’s true. I suppose I gotta give him a chance. Not like Rachel would listen to me anyway.”

  “Funny, that’s what I told him earlier when he asked if I thought you’d approve. But when I think about it, your opinion is probably more important to Rachel than anyone else’s. Fortunately, I don’t think you’ll need to worry in this case. He seems like a good guy.”

  “I hope so. If he isn’t, Rachel might shoot him.”

  They both laughed.

  “And what might you two be laughing about?”

  Both men turned when Rachel’s voice behind them caught their attention.

  “Nothing,” Sam said.

  “Just men stuff,” Adam said, blowing smoke away from them.

  “You and your pipe.” Rachel shook her head. “You know I keep telling you tobacco makes you stink.”

  Adam nodded. “I remember. In fact, you might like to know that I’ve switched to herbs. This is some sweet herbs Alice put together for me. What do you think?”

  He held the bowl portion out to Rachel and she leaned over to sniff lightly. She looked up as if she was contemplating what she thought and then nodded. “I approve, Adam. If Alice put it together for you, I’m sure it is fine.”

  “But does it smell good?”

  She smiled. “It does. She did a good job. What do you think of Daryl? I’d really like to know your opinion. Were you here long?”

  Adam took a step to the railing of the porch and tapped his pipe against the side of it to loosen the herbal flakes in the pipe. “I like him,” he said, looking down in the pipe and then up at her. “I am glad you saved his life. He is very appreciative.”

  “I can smell his appreciation in the air,” Rachel replied, grinning.

  “Somehow that didn’t sound right,” Sam said. Rachel slapped his arm playfully.

  “You know I meant that roast he’s cooking.”

  Sam laughed, rubbing his arm. “I know. It smells delicious.”

  “I hope you will all stay for dinner.”

  Adam shook his head. “You know I can’t. I have to get home to Alice.”

  “Would you like to bring her? I only had one roast and it was a big one. There’s no way the two of us…” She looked up at her brother. “Or even the three of us will be able to eat it all. I hate to think it might go to waste.”

  “I do like the sound of that.”

  “And please bring the children, if you like.”

  Adam nodded. “We’ll be bringing Carrie, if Alice is up for going out. She hasn’t been feeling well.”

  Rachel frowned. “Oh no. What’s wrong?”

  Adam pressed his lips together and took on a blank look. “I think she’s pregnant again.”

  Rachel opened her mouth and sucked in a deep breath. Her eyes lit up and she clapped her hands together. “Oh, Adam! How exciting!”

  Sam pounded on Adam’s shoulder. “Congratulations!”

  Adam didn’t look as pleased as either of them would have liked. They lost their joy, turning it into concern.

  “That’s… not a good thing?” Sam asked, gently.

  Adam shook his head. “This one is different. She’s been… weak. Can’t keep down any food. She’s getting weaker by the day and we don’t know why.”

  “Oh, Adam!” Rachel exclaimed. “How do I not know this already? Why haven’t you told anyone?”

  “She didn’t want anyone to know until we… figured it out.”

  “But it could be too late by then! Has she seen the doctor?”

  Adam nodded. “Dr. Campbell is out at our place a few times a week checking on her.”

  “I must take some food to her.” Rachel’s eyes lit up again, this time for a different reason. “When the roast is finished, we will bring it to your house. How does that sound? She doesn’t need to cook. You don’t need to cook. And you all still get fed. That is, if that’s what you’d like to do. I don’t mean to invite us all to your place like that.”

  Adam shook his head. “I don’t think Daryl should be moved yet, do you? It’s still bad out here. It’s better not to risk it. Alice has her good days. Perhaps today will be one of them.”

  “All right, Adam. And I will be by to check on her very soon. You tell her I’m praying for her.”

  “I will. Thank you.”

  Sam shook his head. “That’s why I haven’t been seeing you in town a lot. I should have known something was wrong.”

  “No, don’t go thinking that. This is something Alice wanted. No one should take the blame for not knowing something it was impossible for them to know.”

  Sam rested his hand on Adam’s shoulder, gently and squeezed. “If I can help in any way, please let me know. I’d be happy to pick up your family for the dinner tonight if Alice is up for it.”

  “There’s no need. It’s better if I take our carriage, so that if she needs to leave quickly, we can go.” He looked at Rachel. “And if that happens, dear, please don’t fault her. When she is overcome, the only thing she wants to do is be at home in her bed.”

  Rachel nodded. “Of course, I understand. Maybe some fresh air will help.”

  Sam grinned at Adam. “Yes. Fresh air seems to help for a lot of things.”

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  FROG HUNTING

  FROG HUNTING

  Rachel watched the wagon pull off as Sam and the doctor went back to town. Sam would be back in an hour or so. He would let her know then what Alice had decided.

  She turned away from the open door and looked at Daryl. “What do you think?”

  He gazed up at her, admiring how the cold had made her cheeks and nose pink. It gave her face such color, contrasting against the dark color of her hair. It curled around her cheeks, with most of it pulled back into a large ribbon. He ran his eyes down over her dress. It fit her perfectly.

  She watched him scrutinize her, wondering what he was thinking. From the look on his face, she could tell he approved of her. Or he could just like the color of her dress.

  She gri
nned. “Daryl?”

  He looked back up at her eyes, his own grin spreading across his face gradually. “You have a lot of men who want to protect you, don’t you, Miss Rachel?”

  She chuckled, stepping over to her chair and sitting down. “I reckon I do.”

  “That’s admirable. Only a woman with class has men like that watching out for her.”

  “Why, thank you.”

  He enjoyed seeing her blush. He planned to make that happen as often as possible. He had no problem giving out compliments. It made him feel good to do so.

  “So what do you think?”

  He chuckled. She wanted an in-depth analysis. He gathered his thoughts. “Adam Collins. Nice man. He was ready to shoot me. He really was. But he waited to find out who I was first. I’m sure I don’t look like a gentleman right now, but I promise you, I clean up nice.”

  She laughed. “I’m sure you do, Daryl.”

  “So we talked for a while, not too long, before you three came back from town. I can see why he’s so well-respected. And the doctor. He’s a curmudgeon. Straight and to the point. I like that in a doctor. No fiddle-faddle, no doc talk. He lets you know how it is without a problem.”

  “And that’s a good thing, yes. I am like that.”

  “You do it with tact,” Daryl replied. “He’s just blunt. Doesn’t care how you take it.”

  Rachel nodded. “I reckon he is like that. I never thought about it. And what did you think of my brother?”

  Daryl nodded. “He’s a lot like you.”

  “You think so?”

  “I do. And I’ll tell you something. I watched you talking with him and it reminded me of the way me and Becky are. We play with each other, we tease each other. It’s kind of like the way you and I are.”

  “Maybe that’s why. They trained us for each other.”

  Daryl laughed. “That would be fate right there, I guess.”

  “I reckon it would.”

  They smiled at each other, quiet for a moment, each one admiring the other.

  “Thank you for making dinner for us tonight. Is there anything I can do?”

  Daryl blushed. “I haven’t made biscuits before. I was hoping you would make some. What’s a big hunk of meat without some bread?”

  She shook her head. “Still just as delicious, in my book. But yes, I’ll make some biscuits. What else is cooking?”

  “Got some potatoes in there, with carrots and celery and some herbs and spices. Some onions.”

  “It smells delicious.”

  “I hope you think it tastes just as good,” he replied.

  “I invited Adam and his family to come have dinner with us. And Sam, too.”

  Daryl nodded. “That sounds good. I like a family dinner party.”

  She smiled at him. “I do, too. I don’t know if Alice will make it though. That is, if she doesn’t come, none of them will. And I doubt Max and Riley will come. I’m sure they will be busy.”

  “They are the older children?”

  “Yes, late teens. They are each promised to someone and I rarely see them without each other. I rarely see them anyway, but it seems when I do, it’s always the four of them.”

  “I like to hear that. It’s important for siblings to get along. Family is important.”

  “Which reminds me. When are we going to tell Rebecca you are here? She’s got to be worried sick.”

  Daryl nodded. “Maybe tomorrow. I just don’t want her to see me this way. It would frighten her. She’s already got enough to worry about without me showing up in this condition.”

  “But don’t you think she’s wondering why you haven’t shown up yet?”

  He shook his head. “If Adam didn’t hear anything, I’m willing to bet they think I waited till the storm passed to come. They are more likely to be waiting for a telegram from me saying I am coming than thinking I’m caught out in the storm. Better not to worry her needlessly.”

  Rachel thought about that for a moment. He was right that Adam would surely have heard. But if she thought Sam was coming, she would be worried if he didn’t show up. She’d want to know her brother was safe and sound.

  She said nothing more about it. It was Daryl’s decision and she wasn’t going to infringe on his wishes. “All right, then, let me go mix together some biscuit dough. Do you want to sit in the kitchen with me?”

  He smiled. “I sure do.”

  It turned out to be a good day for Alice. Daryl watched as Adam helped Alice down from the wagon and then held out his hand to the young girl in the back. She laughed and jumped down without his help. He tousled her hair and Daryl heard Alice scolding her husband in a light-hearted tone.

  Rachel went out to greet them while he watched from the couch. Sam wouldn’t be far behind. He had left the saloon in the capable hands of Daryl’s nephew, Allan. Sam told Daryl that Allan was a hard worker, despite his poor health and lack of physical strength.

  “He’s got a lot of heart,” Sam told him. “Seems to run in the family.”

  His compliment meant a lot to Daryl. He was feeling more comfortable with the two of them as the hours passed.

  “I’m grateful, Lord,” he murmured aloud, watching as the family approached the front door. In the distance, he could see Sam’s wagon coming down the road. “You’ve put me right where I needed to be. I’ll try to make of this what You want me to. Lord, help me not to mess things up.”

  The door opened and Alice came in, followed by her daughter, then Rachel and Adam came in behind them.

  “Alice, this is Daryl Parker. Daryl, this is Alice and Carrie Collins, Adam’s wife and daughter.”

  The long explanation seemed funny to Daryl. He leaned out to shake Alice’s and Carrie’s hands. “So good to meet you, Alice and Carrie, Adam’s wife and daughter.”

  Carrie giggled.

  “I hope you’re not bored here, Carrie. There’s no one else here your age. If you want, I can try to act your age. Would you like that?”

  Carrie giggled again and shook her head. “No, I don’t like boys my age.”

  They all laughed at that. “Come on in and sit down.”

  Sam came through the door as the rest of them were taking seats around the living room. They all greeted him and he sat next to Adam on an extra chair Rachel had brought in from the kitchen. Almost immediately, they struck up a conversation. Daryl watched as Rachel and Alice began talking. He smiled, turning his eyes to Carrie, who was seated on the floor next to the couch, between her father and him.

  “It looks like it’s you and me, little miss. So you don’t like boys your age, huh?”

  Carrie scrunched up her nose and shook her head. “They are so dumb. They pull my hair, push me and put frogs in my desk at school! And what makes it worse is that I have to sit with that Betty. She gets on my nerves. And she is terrified of frogs, so when they do that, she screams and it hurts my ears. I’m not afraid of frogs like her. I’m not afraid of them at all.”

  “No?”

  “No. I think they are interesting.” She gazed at his face to see his reaction.

  He tilted his head and then nodded. “I think they are interesting, too.”

  “Did you ever put a frog in a girl’s desk at school?”

  He shook his head. “I sure didn’t.”

  “Then I like you.”

  He chuckled. “Well, if that’s all it takes, you’ll probably find a lot of boys are likeable. They don’t put them in your desk to frighten you… Well, maybe some do. But if they do it more than once and see that you aren’t bothered by frogs, there’s a different reason why they’re doing it.”

  Carrie sighed. “You’re going to tell me it’s cuz they like me, right?”

  He smiled and nodded.

  “Well, that’s what Mama says, too, but I don’t care. I don’t like them. I want them to stop.”

  “You know what you should do, Miss Carrie?”

  “What’s that, Mr. Parker?”

  He reached out and touched the end of her n
ose. “Tell them. It will make it a lot easier on all of you. You don’t have to yell it at them. Just go up to them before school or during recess and tell them you like frogs and you want to know where they got them so you can go frog hunting. You might make friends with them. You might even find out that they aren’t as bad as you think.” He tapped her nose once for each of the last words in his sentence.

  She grinned at him. “I like that idea, Mr. Parker! Thanks! And I do want to go frog hunting. None of the girls do. Now I can ask the boys to go! I bet they will.”

  He chuckled. “I know they will. But I’ll warn you, too, you’re a pretty girl, so don’t you let those boys do anything you wouldn’t let your brother do.”

  She raised her eyebrows. “Max?”

  “If the boy doesn’t want to protect you, he isn’t your friend. Okay?”

  She nodded. “I understand, Mr. Parker. And I’ll just sock him one in the nose if he tries anything I don’t want.”

  “Oh, so you have one in mind, do you?”

  Carrie’s cheeks flushed and she looked down.

  “You don’t have to be embarrassed.” He leaned closer to her and whispered in her ear, “There’s somebody I like, too. So we have something in common.”

  She turned her head so that she could whisper back and he’d be the only one who heard. “Is it Miss O’Connell? Because Pa and Ma were talking about that on the way here. They know you like her.”

  Daryl’s first instinct was to get as much information about that from the girl as possible. He had to bite his tongue to keep from asking her what they had said. He didn’t need to ask. She was a fountain of words.

  “Pa likes you. He told Ma he almost shot you. Did he really almost shoot you, Mr. Parker? I’m glad he didn’t. He said you looked like you were in so much pain, he couldn’t help but do something to help you. He said God told him to. Do you believe that, Mr. Parker? Do you believe in God?”

  Daryl smiled. “I sure do. He’s a friend of mine.”

  Carrie nodded. “Pa says that, too. But he said that he talked to you and then to Mr. O’Connell and Miss O’Connell and that everyone agreed you were a good man. But they are still being cautious. That’s what Pa said.”