Into the Wind_A Love Story Page 8

  “Shouldn’t my behavior the first twenty six years of my life count for something? What about that reputation?”

  Gerhardt nodded. “There is that, son, there is that. Maybe it will be enough.”

  “It has to be. There are more important things to worry about. I have a ranch to run. A life to live. And I’m two weeks behind now as it is and she still needs care and to be taken back. I can’t worry about the rest of them. Tell me where I’m at here. How much more hay is to be cut?”

  Brekka woke up in Lije’s house to hear men’s voices in earnest conversation somewhere outside the room and she wondered what they were talking about. She was so hot! She pushed back the covers on his bed, turned over and put her foot down to a cooler place on the sheets. Why was she so hot all of the sudden? A little while ago, she’d been freezing.

  She pulled Lije’s feather pillow over under her cheek and breathed in the scent of him that lingered here in his bed. His pillow smelled wonderfully like him. It was so good of him to bring her here to his home. She closed her eyes again, enjoying the sweet sense of security she felt here.

  It was mid afternoon and Brekka still hadn’t appeared from behind the closed door of his bedroom and Lije was beginning to get worried. She had to be hungry by now. He finally knocked softly on the door and then when she didn’t answer, he opened it and stepped inside, completely uncaring about whether it looked bad. He’d been serious about having more important things to worry about than appearances and gossip.

  Brekka was still asleep, her hair loose and streaming across his pillow and her eyelashes dark against her cheek. She lay on her stomach with the blanket tossed back and he saw the flush of her face and hoped it was just the dimness of the room and not the pink of her fever come back. Stepping to the side of the bed, he put a gentle hand to her forehead and felt dread settle into his gut when he knew that she was indeed running a fever.

  Her eyes opened and then blinked before she turned onto her back and gave him a sweet, tired, sad smile. Looking up at him, they both knew what was going on and she turned her head back against the pillow. “Sorry, Lije. Please forgive me.”

  “No. No, Brekka.” He shook his head and said gently, “I’m the one who’s sorry. I shouldn’t have dragged you through the rain and the night. I was trying to get you to safety, but it was a bad decision.”

  “No it wasn’t. I am safe. And it feels heavenly. I can’t even explain how much that means to me after… After it all. Those Indians… I was so frightened. Safety is more important. Thank you. I so appreciate you bringing me. I guess being shot has tired me. Please don’t apologize. You’ve been so much more than kind. Let me rest for a little longer and I’ll go into town and get a hotel room.”

  He grimaced at her and rolled his eyes and then carefully encouraged her onto her side and gently pulled the night shirt down so he could see the hole in her back. He couldn’t tell if it was inflamed again or not. Pushing her back gently, he pulled the sheet up over her. “Forget the hotel until you’re better. I’ll send for the doctor right now and then bring you something to eat. Heidi brought peaches. And there’s cream. I’ll bring you some.”

  She nodded tiredly. “Peaches would be wonderful. Anything is fine, Lije. Thank you.”

  Walking back out through his house, Lije felt absolutely sick inside. He’d thought they were past this. On thinking about it, he went back into his room, dropped to his knees again and asked for some divine intervention for her, then went in search of Heidi and Lars. With Heidi headed to find the doctor, he and Lars went back in to administer to Brekka.

  Lars gave him about the same look Heidi had as Lije knocked quietly on Brekka’s door and then let the two of them in, and Lije would have laughed at his expression if he hadn’t been so worried about her. Stepping into the room, he asked, “Brekka, would you mind if Lars and I gave you a blessing?”

  With that same sweet, tired smile she said, “I would love that, Lije. I’m sure that will help me feel better soon. Thank you so much. So this is Lars.” She struggled to sit up and offered her hand. “It’s good to finally get to formally meet you. He’s talked about you so much. And I thank you for your help in escaping that night. We would never have made it without you. Thank you.”

  Lars simply nodded and then Lije explained about the consecrated oil and Lars anointed her head and then he and Lije blessed her. For once, Lije wasn’t happy with what he felt he should say. He’d wanted to bless her that she’d be healed instantly, but all he’d been able to say was that she would have the strength to handle any trials that came to her. It made him as sad as just feeling that heat coming back had.

  After Lars left, Lije was preparing the food for her when she appeared in the kitchen, dressed back in the new dress he’d bought for her in Monroe. As glad as he was to see her up, he knew she wasn’t up to it and said, “Brekka, go back to bed and I’ll bring it in to you. Stay down and maybe you can lick this thing before it gets worse.”

  She shook her head. “I’ll be fine, Lije. You don’t need to serve me and I must write to my father immediately anyway. I need to let him know I’m okay in case someone else has told him what happened to me. Also, he had some business dealings with Luther. It is imperative that he knows Luther was involved with the slave trade. My father would never knowingly be a part of any enterprise involving something so heinous. He must find out as soon as possible.”

  As he placed the food in front of her, he said, “Luther is in town here. I don’t know how he knew you were with me and where I was from, but he has been asking my family what I have done with his ‘well-to-do fiancé’. Are you two to be married?”

  She nearly choked on the glass of milk he had given her. “Luther survived and he is here? And he said I was his betrothed?” Lije nodded. She set the milk glass down and said with more spirit than he’d believed she had just then, “Oh, no. Never! He’s hinted around and I know he has spoken to my father, but he has to have realized I would have nothing to do with him after finding out about his slaving and after this whole last couple of weeks. Doesn’t he?”

  Lije shrugged as he brought a loaf of the bread Heidi had delivered to them when she’d come earlier. “I’m sorry, Brekka, but I don’t know anything about how things were with you, or what happened before. You are welcome to have friends come see you here. Do you want someone to send for him?”

  He didn’t necessarily want to see her with another man, especially not someone of questionable character, but it wasn’t his business and he wanted her to be sufficiently comfortable to stay here long enough to be able to get better. Not only that, but if she truly did need to end this relationship with someone with few scruples, here where there were several able bodied men to protect her was probably a good idea.

  She must have been thinking along those same lines because after a moment of looking thoughtful, she nodded. “Would you mind? Would anyone be around in case he came here alone? I was never afraid of him, but now I do not trust him. He knows I will influence my father to invest elsewhere. At least he should know that, and he won’t be happy about it.”

  Nodding, Lije said, “I’ll go for him myself. When do you wish it and I’ll make sure some of us are around. I’ll post the letter to your father at the same time. Do you want to see any of the rest of them?”

  “The rest of whom?”

  “The others from your wagons made it out. Three women and a man from back east. They’re in town as well. I’ll take a message to them, too, if you wish.”

  She sighed tiredly. “Thank you. I would appreciate that. It would be good to see if they are all well. I have wondered this whole time if they arrived safely back in a town. Would this evening be too soon? It would be good to know and to get speaking with Luther over with.”

  “Heidi said they reported losing everything in the wagons, but that may have just been talk. She also said the three women from back east were in beautiful dresses, so some of your things may be somewhere. I’ll check on that when I’m in
town as well.”

  She waved a non-committal hand. “It doesn’t matter. I have wondered if any of my clothing was salvaged or if I’ll need to send for what was back in Salt Lake City, but in truth, I don’t feel good enough to worry about my things today.”

  Setting pen, paper, and ink well on the table beside her, he put a gentle hand to her forehead again and sighed. “Fevers do make you feel so miserable. But you ought to at least have something comfortable that fits you to sleep in. You’ll rest better. By the way, Percival didn’t die. I thought you’d want to know.” He didn’t add that he would probably die soon; knowing the idea of shooting him in the first place was horribly troubling already.

  She looked at him with an incredibly sober face and then nodded. Finally, she asked, “Will he try to come here?”

  He shook his head and reassured her, “Never. He wouldn’t dare. People won’t put up with him harming a woman. He’d know that if the sheriff doesn’t arrest him first, then I’d be coming after him for what he did. Don’t worry about it for a moment. He’d never dare come here.”

  She closed her eyes and took a deep, sad breath. “Good. Thank you.”

  He gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze. “Finish here and go back to bed. Dr. Newell should be here shortly.”

  It turned out that Dr. Newell was detained and Heidi came back without him, so Lije went straight back in to town to post Brekka’s letter and find this Luther and the others for her while Heidi agreed to stay with her. He’d made sure that Brekka was headed back to bed, but he still didn’t want her to be afraid. He stopped at his father’s house to round up some of the hands to have them come out to his place and work the two year old colts in the front corral as well. He wanted there to be a very visible masculine presence if this Luther did agree to come visit.

  In town, he stopped at the sheriff’s office and reported what had happened to Brekka at the hands of both Percival and the Indians. He’d believed what he said to Brekka about Percival not coming there, but just in case he did survive and got any ideas, Lije wanted the sheriff to be aware of what had happened.

  Next he posted Brekka’s letter, and went in search of the others, and Heidi had been right, the three young eastern women were indeed beautiful, although in Lije’s opinion, none of them were as exquisite as Brekka. He ran into them and the gentleman who had helped them get back to town in the hotel dining room where Lije went to look for this Luther. They had heard that Brekka had made it back to Rock Creek and he asked after Brekka’s clothes. One of the woman assured him that a few of her things would fit Brekka, and that she would bring some and they would come out to visit her first thing in the morning so they didn’t overtire her that night.

  Heidi had also been right that Luther was as unmasculine as the new school master. He was definitely well dressed, and smooth talking, and Lije could possibly see how he had been able to lull Brekka and her father into believing that he might be respectable. On the other hand, there was something about him that got Lije’s hackles up the second he approached where Lije was talking to the others at their table and interrupted them to ask in accented English, “Are you Elijah Lauritzen?”

  Lije nodded. “I am. And you are?”

  “Luther Olafson. I believe you know where my fiancé, Brekka Toft is. I demand you take me to her immediately.”

  Steeling himself to be polite after that, Lije raised his eyebrows, inhaled a deep breath and paused so he didn’t say something that would make the situation worse for Brekka. In that moment, the man, Ian, at the table with the ladies said almost reprovingly, “Ease up, Olafson. The man has spent two weeks of his life rescuing her. Show some decorum and at least thank him. This situation would have ended even more tragically but for him.”

  Without changing his scowl or his tone of voice at all, Luther said, “Of course. My apologies. I didn’t mean to appear ungrateful. I’m just so concerned, you see. I truly must see her immediately.”

  Lije glanced to Ian who only rolled his eyes as Lije said evenly, “Certainly, Mr. Olafson. I believe she wished to see you to try to resolve this situation as quickly as possible as well. She said you had been shot. By one of your trusted guides. How are you doing?”

  Luther had the gumption to look guilty before he said, “Yes, well, he turned out not to be so trustworthy. At any rate, he missed killing me.” He put a hand to the top of his shoulder near his neck. “It is an ugly flesh wound that has been miserable, but I have had the care of your good doctor and am quite hardy, thank goodness. Had I expired, poor Miss Toft would have been left completely protectorless.”

  At that, Lije couldn’t help rolling his eyes at Luther as well. What a weasel. Completely protectorless. As if it was hard to tell immediately that Clive Percival was the worst kind of renegade. Lije truly did hope taking Luther to Brekka was simply a case of getting it over with.

  Trying not to shake his head, Lije turned to the others at the table. “It was a pleasure meeting you. I hope the rest of your visit out west goes more smoothly. Please, feel free to visit Miss Toft anytime.”

  Nothing was said as Lije waited for Luther to bring his rented buggy around or on the trip back to Lauritzen Valley. Once there, Lije invited him in, but Luther obviously wasn’t very happy about being left in the parlor while Lije went into the other part of the house to see if Brekka was truly up to doing this. She was still dressed in the dress, but she was lying down and she definitely looked tired and wan when she finally made it to the parlor.

  Luther showed surprise when he first looked at her. He rushed to her and went to put his arm around her, but she deftly avoided him and then sat down wearily on the settee. It was all Lije could do not to insist she go right back to bed, but he knew she felt she needed to do this.

  After helping Brekka to the parlor, Lije went into the adjoining room where he did his books and was attempting to work as Brekka spoke to Luther, but after going on in Danish about his own gunshot wound, it was only a minute or two later that Luther began to pester Brekka about letting him take her away to the hotel. Lije could hear the fatigue in her voice as she replied, “I’m not up to traveling any more right now, Luther, but thank you for your concern.”

  Trying to focus on his book work, Lije attempted to stay out of Brekka’s business, but gave it up when Luther replied, “Well, I can only imagine after what you’ve been through with that farm hand. He should have brought you straight back into town like a gentleman instead of leaving you to the elements like he did.” Lije rolled his eyes and thought, better the elements than the renegades and Utes like you did, buster.

  Leaving his paperwork for later, Lije went back into the parlor and stood lazily leaning against the doorway where Brekka gave him a sweet, exhausted smile and Luther glowered at him and said in English, “We would appreciate some privacy, if you don’t mind, man. After all, she has been entrusted to my care and her father and I have an understanding where she is concerned.”

  Lije simply shrugged. “It would seem to me you failed at fulfilling that trust, big boy. You failed her miserably and she’s had to pay dearly for your stupidity. This is America, my friend and she’s a woman grown. Here she gets to decide for herself what she’s about, especially with her father half a world away.” Lije glanced at Brekka and asked in Danish, “Do you want more privacy, Miss Toft? Or do you just want to lie back down until the doctor gets here? Your fancy guardian here can come back later if you wish it.”

  Luther’s face turned red and he began to bluster, “Now see here, you simpleton . . .”

  But Brekka only shook her head and stood and interrupted him, “Luther, don’t. I’m far too exhausted to engage in verbal sparring. Go on with whatever business was so pressing that you couldn’t return to town when I asked the day before I was taken, and let me go back and rest. I was shot after being abducted and beaten by an Indian warrior, you know, and frankly, I don’t feel well. I’m perfectly happy and respected and cared for here. There’s no need to travel further than I already h
ave these last days. Thank you so much for coming to check on me.”

  Still red faced, Luther burst out, “But you are here in a man’s home without any supervision. That’s absolutely unacceptable, Brekka. Your father wouldn’t have it!”

  Tiredly, Brekka turned for the door as she replied, “At least I’m in a home and not a tipi, Luther. Would that you had been so anxious about my well being a couple of weeks ago. And my father would have the dignity to thank Mr. Lauritzen from the bottom of his heart for my safety and my virtue. Do have a lovely evening.”

  As she passed Lije, she sighed and said, “Would you mind seeing him out, Lije. I don’t seem to have the energy. Thank you.”

  She went back into the bedroom and shut the door while Lije still stood there near the doorway and looked expectantly at Luther, who seemed not to have a clue how to react to what she’d said in front of both of them. He finally got up and fairly stomped past Lije and out the door as Lije shook his head and chuckled. Poor, dumb lout. She’d been brutally sweet about completely raking him over the coals for his failure to safeguard her.

  With Luther gone, Lije went out onto the porch to watch him head back down the valley and then he stood and studied the country all around. Luther was obnoxious, but that Indian was out there somewhere and he was far more of a problem than Luther. At length, Lije went back to her room, quietly knocked on the door and opened it as she told him to come in. She was lying on top of the blankets, still fully clothed, her face still flushed and glanced up without moving anything but her eyes as he looked in on her in concern and asked, “You okay?”

  She still never moved anything but her lips as she tried to assure him, “I’m fine. Just a bit tired.”

  She was a pretty good liar, for all her graciousness and he sighed as he said, “Just rest, Brek, and the doctor should be here. Is there anything I could bring you, or do for you?”