Into the Wind_A Love Story Page 9

  Her lips curved into a sad, tired smile. “In some ways, I wish we were still back in that spot on the mountain where we didn’t have to conform to society and you could hold me without anyone getting worried about it. It was incredibly sweet. Wasn’t it?”

  “It was, Brek. It absolutely was.” He brushed the hair back from her brow. “Just rest now and soon you’ll be feeling better.”

  Dr. Newell eventually showed up, but she was broiling hot and sleeping fitfully when he finally made it. Heidi had come back with him and she and Lije waited outside the bedroom while Dr. Newell checked her out. Heidi seemed to understand how gravely worried Lije was, because she didn’t say a thing as she sat there beside him on the settee. The physician came out of the room with a grim face and Lije’s worries escalated even further.

  Going to the pump at the kitchen sink, the physician proceeded to wash his hands and then turned back to them and said, “She’s sick, Lije. She’s terribly sick. But then from what she said, you already know all about that. How you ever got her away from Indians and across that mountain and down with a bullet in her back and with the weather we’ve had, I’ll never know. The good Lord must have ridden with you.”

  Lije nodded wordlessly and the gray haired doctor went on, “Keep doing just what you’ve been doing. Let her rest and keep her warm and safe and feed her. Lots of fluids. Maybe some sunshine if she’s up to it. Don’t let visitors get out of hand. Just tell them I said to let her rest. Hers is an exciting story, but visits could do more harm than good. And keep asking for divine intervention. There’s not much else I know to do. Her body is fighting off something fierce, but I can’t tell you what it is. I just know that’s a high fever and it’s going to take an even higher power to fix it. I’d have you bring her in, but more travel is the last thing she needs.”

  They thanked him and saw him out the door and then went back to the settee, where Heidi was still strangely silent. After several minutes, she asked, “Lije, before Mama died, did she have a fever like this? I was too little to remember.”

  He felt a chill go up his spine as he thought back to when their mother was in about the same shape as Brekka was now, and he wished he didn’t have to answer the question. “Yeah, Heidi, she had a fever like this.”

  Heidi stayed the night and helped Lije to look in on Brekka and Lije was grateful she was there when the two Orland girls showed up bright and early to visit. They said they had stopped at Gerhardt’ house and he’d told them they’d find Heidi at Lije’s. Heidi was helping him to get breakfast and he was disgusted with how long it took to eat and get busy with both of them “helping”.

  He was just buckling into his chaps when there was another knock. When Heidi answered it, two of the women from back east came in as well. At least these two weren’t quite as irritating as the Orlands and they weren’t offended when he told them Dr. Newell didn’t want Brekka woken. Still, Lije was impatient for them all to let him get to work so he could accomplish something before he would need to come back and check on Brekka.

  As frustrated as all of these chatty women could be, the expression on Myrtle Orland’s face made the delay worth it when one of the eastern women handed Lije a satchel and said. “We brought some things that will hopefully fit Brekka, even as tall as she is. Just a couple of nightgowns. She probably won’t need more until she’s better, but at least she won’t be completely without until she’s up to going to the dressmaker’s. I don’t think any of our other things will fit her.”

  Lije had to stifle a chuckle as he saw the easterners out and helped them back into their buggy. Myrtle had been flat scandalized. As the buggy pulled out, he laughed right out loud and then shook his head and sighed as he headed for the corral. His father was bound to hear about that one and would be even more upset at Brekka staying here at his house.

  He was right. Gerhardt braced him before lunch time about the nightgowns and what people were saying and Lije was once again disgusted with the local gossips as he tried to placate his father. “Da, settle down. I don’t have anything to do with her sleeping attire. She’s just a sick, sick girl. Don’t let these unchristian women make you harm Brekka because they have twisted minds.”

  Shaking his head, Gerhardt said, “You are the one harming her, Lije. You’re ruining her reputation.”

  “She’s too sick to move. Dr. Newell doesn’t even want her to be woken up. How in the world can she be doing something questionable when she’s that ill? These people should have some concern.”

  His father nodded. “You’re right, son. They should. We all should. But we mortals aren’t always what we should be. Reality is seldom the ideal. Keep having Heidi stay with you and as soon as she’s well enough, bring her up home.”

  Lije agreed, although he’d wanted to remind his father that he was, in fact, a very single man as well. Lije couldn’t see how that was any improvement.

  When Lije got back to his house in the afternoon, Dr. Newell was just stepping out of the bedroom and Lije didn’t even have a chance to ask him how she was before the doctor shook his head sadly. “I’m sorry, Lije, but she’s even worse. I’ve given her something to help her feel better, but we simply don’t know how to knock something this severe down easily. I wish we did. Keep watching over her and I’ll be back in the morning again. Perhaps by then the fever will have broken.”

  Heidi had indeed stayed and she was a help in trying to bathe Brekka’s face with a cool cloth, but in the middle of the night, when Brekka was not only burning up with fever but then began to have a horrible nightmare as well, the happy seventeen year old hadn’t a clue how to help. Lije heard Brekka begin to cry out and launched out of his own bed, knowing exactly what was happening because it had happened every time Brekka had closed her eyes back up on the mountain. Heidi got to her just as he did and was shocked at the Danish girl’s obvious state of distress.

  Brekka’s beautiful new night gown took Lije back for a second, but then he simply picked her right up out of her bed and took her to the padded chair in the parlor, where he held her and talked to her until she was able to relax from the dream. She opened her blue eyes and wiped tiredly at the tears that escaped and then put a hand to her chest as if to slow her racing heart and tucked her face right into Lije’s neck. For some reason that seemed to help her and Lije stroked her arm and whispered to her as he gave Heidi a sad, apologetic smile.

  After several minutes, when Brekka had calmed and then gone back to sleep, Heidi asked in a whisper, “What’s wrong with her, Lije? Is she crazy?”

  He gave her the barest shake of his head and answered quietly, “No. But being taken by Percival and then the Utes makes her have terrible dreams. Holding her helps.”

  Heidi ran a hand through her tousled hair. “I can see that. I’m so glad. Seeing her fear was awful. Will they ever go away? The nightmares?”

  “I hope so, Heidi. I hope so.” He sighed tiredly. “She’s an amazingly strong girl. I learned that over and over up there. Still, for her to come here and have such a horrible experience is a shame.”

  Lije took Brekka back to her bed after a few minutes of her sleeping peacefully, but he was back out with her in the chair only an hour or two later. Heidi sat beside them again in her robe and placed a cool clothe on Brekka’s searing brow. She met Lije’s eyes as he quietly spoke to Brekka and Lije knew she was as torn as he was about how best to help her through this fever and scarring dreams. The fact that Lije was able to help Brekka when she was so frightened was indisputable, but they both knew their father would be troubled.

  Lars seemed to know innately that he was needed because he showed up at first light the next morning and helped Lije administer to Brekka again and then met his eyes with the same worry that Lije was feeling to his marrow. Lars had only been six when their mother had passed away, but no doubt he was as aware as Lije was of just how much Brekka’s fever seemed like their mother’s had been.

  Leaving Brekka with Heidi, Lije spent the morning beside both Lars a
nd his father branding calves and colts, then when they broke for lunch, they all three went up to Lije’s house to check on her. Her face was still flushed with fever, her eyes huge and dark, and even though Heidi joined them at the table for their meal, it was a somber affair.

  Later, as Gerhardt stood beside Lije helping him grease a threshing machine, Gerhardt quietly asked, “Do you love this girl, Lije?”

  Lije looked up at him before looking back down to the machinery he was working on. “I’ve only known her what? A little over two weeks.”

  They worked quietly for a few moments before his father replied, “I didn’t ask how long you’ve known her.”

  Lije glanced up again and then shook his head and said, “She was hurt and afraid and sick and far, far from home, Da. Not to mention in completely primitive conditions. She lives in Denmark. How we feel can’t truly be considered realistic.”

  Gerhardt stopped working and turned to him. “She feels the same way toward you then?”

  Without looking up again, Lije said, “She’s not a member, Da.”

  “But she appreciates the priesthood blessings. And she has a wonderful spirit about her.”

  “Have you forgotten where Denmark is?”

  “In twenty six years I’ve never seen you at peace with a woman, Elijah.”

  At that, Lije looked up and said almost angrily, “You think I’m at peace? She’s lying in there fading away! What I feel is not peace! I have only known her for a short time, but it’s killing me as well. Every time I look at her I see Mama slipping away again. All because of men who were more animal than human. She can’t even rest because of the horrible dreams. And they are still out there! I feel seething anger, not peace!”

  His father went back to working on the thresher and said evenly, “When you care about someone to your soul, Lije, it brings a range of deeply felt emotions. Even the anger and fear is better than being alone.”

  Lije thought about both the fact that his father knew about this anger and fear far better than he did himself, and then he thought about how the last two weeks with Brekka had completely changed his perspective of his life and he had to agree with his father. Even with the worry and sorrow he was feeling for what she was going through, he was more at peace with his life since he’d met her.

  Late that night with her in his arms again in the big chair, he thought back on the conversation with his father as he brushed back her hair and gently wiped her forehead with the cool cloth. She opened her eyes and looked up at him with gratitude in their weary depths. He had no idea what his emotions were as he held her. He only knew that they were right and good and were incredibly warm in the vicinity of his heart. He knew she was strong from their experiences on that stormy mountain, but he also knew she was desperately fragile right now. And that he was able to bring her comfort and security, and that she truly appreciated that from him. It was remarkably empowering.

  They were still there in the chair, with Lije fighting both her demons and the raging fever as well as he knew how, when his father and Lars came in early the next morning. Doctor Newell wasn’t far behind them and his less than encouraging prognosis was probably the only thing that kept Lije’s father from unleashing a stiff lecture about Lije holding her in her nightgown. As it was, Gerhardt still let it be clearly known that he wanted her moved out of Lije’s house at the earliest opportunity. At least Dr. Newell’s curt reply that that was out of the question in her condition kept Lije from unleashing a stiff lecture of his own.

  When the three of them cleared out, Heidi brought Brekka breakfast and Lije gently woke her. When her eyes finally opened, he asked, “Are you up to eating?”

  Sounding infinitely weary, she replied, “Truly, no. But it is necessary.” He helped her to sit upright and then handed her the glass of milk Heidi had placed on the hearth beside them. She drank half of it down and then leaned back against him and sighed. “Thank you, Lije. I’m sorry I’ve kept you up so.”

  He shook his head. “Don’t be sorry. If it helps you rest, then it’s worth it. It seems like it would be harder to overcome this fever when you can’t relax and sleep.” He handed her the bowl of oatmeal. “Just focus on feeling better and don’t worry about anything else right now, Brek.”

  She ate several bites and then closed her eyes and nodded. “I’m trying to recover and I do so appreciate your kindness, Lije. Thank you. For everything.”

  Smoothing the long, thick gold braid that hung down her back and wiping her brow once more, he cuddled her closer. “You’re welcome.”

  Luther came back that afternoon. Lije was in the round pen beside the house working a green colt and got off and came inside just as Heidi was headed out the door to get him. In a voice only Lije could hear, she said, “He keeps bullying her to let him take her into town. He’s the one who kept accusing you of kidnapping his fiancé. I don’t know what to do. Help.”

  When Lije came in the door wearing his rough cowboy garb and came to stand at the door of the parlor much as he had the time before when Luther was here, Brekka gave a quiet sigh of relief and relaxed for a moment. Lije would send Luther away without her having to battle him anymore. Her head ached and she was chilled even in the midday heat and cotton dress she’d put on to receive Luther. She leaned her head against the back of the settee and glanced up at Lije. He looked absolutely masculine in his boots and a plain buttoned shirt and the leather chaps she’d seen the cowboys here in the west wear.

  Looking from Lije standing there so nonchalantly in the doorway to Luther sitting beside her on the settee in his black suit, ridiculously elegant brocade vest and neatly knotted pocket scarf, she was surprised at the vast difference in the two men and also in how she viewed them and felt about them.

  After her experiences here in the territories, Luther with his elegant clothing and snooty demeanor appeared almost effeminate in comparison to Lije’s overt masculine solidness and reserved confidence. She looked up and met Lije’s beautiful, calm blue eyes. It was incredibly nice to be able to lean on him right now.

  She glanced back at Luther as he reached for her hand and sighed again and pulled her hand away. Struggling to stand, she moved from the settee toward the big padded chair near the fireplace she’d come to love and said over her shoulder. “Luther, I’m not up to moving into town just now, but thank you anyway. Please go. The Lauritzens have been caring for me wonderfully.”

  After a quick look at Lije, Luther countered, “Brekka, I must insist. Your father would insist as well. You know he would want you away from this place and secure in my care. You hardly even know these people.”

  At his comments, Brekka looked up and met Lije’s eyes. The look that arced between them was powerful and she didn’t even have to say anything, Lije just advanced into the room and began to walk her back toward her bedroom as he said to Luther, “Doctor Newell has given strict orders that she not travel or even be distressed as ill as she is. I’m sorry, but you’ll have to go now.” He didn’t say anything about Brekka being far more secure right where she was than in Luther’s care, but she knew he was thinking it, as was she as she let Lije lead her across to the bedroom.

  Behind her, Luther stood and burst out at Lije, “How dare you countermand my wishes! I am the one to whom her father has entrusted her and you have no place forcing her to stay here. We’re practically betrothed. Her father and I are in business together. I can bring the sheriff if need be.”

  Wearily, Brekka leaned heavily on Lije as she turned back to Luther. “Mr. Olafson. I am officially relieving you of any mistaken responsibility you seem to feel toward me. And do not speak of betrothals. I am ill enough. Please leave and do not come here again. You’re embarrassing me in front of these wonderful people who have been so kind. If my father were here, he would say the same thing, only much more forcefully, and you know it. Spare us both any further discomfort and go back to Baltimore without me. I insist upon it.”

  Luther puffed out his chest like a banty rooster. “I shall
do no such thing! Leave you behind! Why, your father would be outraged!”

  Almost conversationally, she said, “Oh, he’ll be outraged All right. When he finds out first how you put me at risk and then that you have been involved with shipping slaves, he’ll be more than outraged. I am certain your business dealings with my father are at an end. In fact, it would be best for you if you never have to confront him. He’s a very powerful man. Goodbye, Mr. Olafson.”

  Lije opened the bedroom door for her and she went into it and didn’t look back. She hated to be rude, but she really wasn’t up to any of this. Her skirt caught on the arm of the chair that sat next to the bed and she staggered and would have fallen if Lije hadn’t lunged into the room and caught her.

  He lifted her and gently set her onto the bed as Luther looked into the door, obviously wondering why Lije had suddenly dived into the room. She hardly even glanced at Luther; just let Lije kneel to remove her boots as he called out for Heidi. She was so weak and so cold. She put a hand forward onto Lije’s shoulder and he looked back up at her and then called more stridently for Heidi.

  Brekka had all but collapsed after speaking to Luther and the afternoon had been miserable with worry. Dr. Newell had been in to check on her again and Lije almost wished he hadn’t because his sober admission that she continued to worsen only confirmed Lije’s gut feeling.

  Heidi had moved right into his house and Lije still tried to see to the ranch, but he’d delegated anything that was at any distance from the house and checked in on Brekka every short while. In the four days since they’d been back in Lauritzen’s Valley, she had gone from ill to deathly ill and he knew she was worse even than when he’d feared she would die up on the mountain.

  They didn’t need to wait for that blasted Indian to steal her. This horrid fever was going to get to her first.