Chapter 29: The Sickroom

~The art of being sick is not the same as the art of getting well.~ —Tony Snow

“Are you sure?” her uncle asked in some surprise.

“More than sure. Jake brought me here, even though I couldn’t pay him. I guess you could say I owe him. I’ve never nursed a wounded man before, but I have looked after sick people, and I know how to follow instructions and do whatever I am told.”

“Very well. I’ll have the men move him to the spare room.”

Dannie scrubbed her hands clean and changed into fresh clothes. Coming to the spare room, she found Grace had already made up the bed. Four men carried Jake over and carefully laid him down. Dannie brought her sewing from her room, and Mack helped her set up a table and chair not far from the bed.

Roy tried his best to stay with his mistress, but was dragged out by Grace. The sickroom was no place for a dog.

“If his breathing becomes irregular, call me at once,” Mr. Martin told Dannie.

“Sam…” Mr. Martin turned to an older man who had remained with Jake throughout the entire operation and now stood at his bedside. “You’ll have to inform Clay Walkers that Jake is in no condition to be moved back to the Cora Belle. His life is hanging by a thread, and moving him will only make it snap. Dannie here has offered to nurse him, and until he makes a turn for the better, he must remain on my ranch.”

“Thank you, Mr. Martin. I’ll have one of the boys take the message to Clay.”

Mr. Martin put a hand on the man’s shoulder and departed from the room.

Dannie stared at the figure lying on the bed. How different Jake looked now, covered in bandages, his face all swollen and beaten up.

“So, you’re Danielle Preston?”

Dannie lifted her gaze to the man Mr. Martin called Sam. If his voice had not been so gentle, he would have intimidated Dannie. He was of tall stature and large bearing, not to mention covered in dirt and dust.

He didn’t seem very old, but gave the impression of someone who had been through more than most people. His complexion was worn, and his blond hair was graying in far too many places. But the pale blue eyes were kind, and the slightly unshaven face shone with warmth and care.

“Yes, I am Danielle Preston,” Dannie said. “Who are you?”

“Samuel Carthwrite is the full name, but most people call me Sam. I’m the foreman at the Cora Belle. Jake here spoke of you a little last year, said somethin’ about taking a British girl named Danielle Preston from Clearbrook to Hopewing ’cause she was supposed to be the new teacher at the reverend’s school.”

“Jake mentioned me?” Dannie felt her cheeks going a little hot.

“Yup, had us all shocked beyond words. Jake ain’t exactly the sort of person who would take a woman anywhere, if you follow me.”

Dannie nodded.

“I was actually hopin’ to meet you at some point, but in the past year I’ve only been to the town three or four times. Each time I was so occupied that I didn’t have the chance to go lookin’ for you. Heard a lot from the townsfolk though, and I’m right pleased to make yer acquaintance now. You really have to be some woman to be able to convince Jake to do anythin’ fer you.”

“What happened?” Dannie plucked up the courage to ask.

“We were driving cattle when we were attacked by a band of rustlers. There was quite a fight, an’ Jake got the worst of it. In fact, he was the only one who got hurt.

“Seems to have gotten quite physical. His face is all beaten up, not to mention those knife wounds. I didn’t see it happenin’, I just remember callin’ for him an’ then stumblin’ upon his body in the dust.

“Oh lady, I thought he was dead, and that was enough to nearly stop my heart. I’ve known Jake for over three years, an’ the idea of him dead was more than I could handle. Luckily he was breathin’, but I knew time was runnin’ out. We were near the Circle 4 an’ I know Chris Martin is quite handy when it comes to medicine, so we brought him here.”

Dannie nodded and turned to look at Jake again. “Did you lose the herd?”

“I’d say we lost ’bout half of it, but to hell with that. Cattle are cattle; we can buy more. But Jake can never be replaced. If you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to get word to Walkers. He’ll be worried as hell. Jake and him are as close as brothers. Nice meetin’ you though, just wish it was under more pleasant circumstances.” Sam nodded to Dannie and left the room.

Dannie haltingly reached out and placed her hand over Jake’s. “You have to make it, Jake,” she whispered in an urgent voice. “You’ve survived so many things in your life already. You fought in a bloody war when you were still a boy; surely you can pull through this.”

***

“Dannie?”

Dannie turned at the sound of Sophie’s voice. “Hello, Sophie, back already?”

“We’re a day later than we planned. Goodness me!” Sophie’s wide eyes blinked at the figure of Jake. “Daddy said it was really bad, but this is worse than I expected. How do you think he’s doing?”

“He’s still alive,” Dannie said with a sigh, “which is good news, but he has hardly stirred in the past three days. His leg wound picked up an infection, and it was quite an ordeal to clean it out. I’ve seen your father shake his head a couple of times. We still don’t know if he is going to make it. All we can really do is wait and hope.”

Sophie motioned for Dannie to scoot over and perched on the same chair. “Daddy says you’ve hardly left his side all this time.”

“I said I’d look after him, and with you gone, there wasn’t much to do.”

“Do you want me to take over so you can stretch your legs a little?”

Dannie shook her head. “Thank you Sophie, but I’ll stay with him.”

“Danielle Preston, if you keep to this room day in and day out, you’ll get pale and sickly. Come on, it’s not like I have any less experience when it comes to nursin’ someone. Two years back, Caleb had a terrible accident when he fell from a horse, and I was the one who pulled him through it.”

“Oh Sophie, I’m sure you might even be a better nurse than I am. The only people I’ve nursed were elderly folks who were one step away from death. But I can’t leave him, I just can’t.” Dannie looked tenderly at the wounded man.

“Dannie?” Sophie took Dannie’s hand. “Are you in love with Jake?”

“How can I be when I hardly know him?” Dannie’s face flushed. “I mean, I journeyed with him for four days, and after that he disappeared out of my life. I haven’t seen or heard from him in a whole year. I can’t say that I’m in love with him, but—” Dannie felt her face become even hotter as she reached out and stroked the reddish-blond hair. “Sophie, I think I could love him if he’d only give me the chance. However, for reasons only known to him, he doesn’t seem to want to do that.”

“I believe this means you have completely forgotten Paul.”

“I think I’ve been over Paul for a long while already,” Dannie said, still stroking back Jake’s hair. “I mean, I’ve scarcely thought about him once in all this time. But it was only after Jake’s accident that I realized I am ready to love again. I just hope…”

Dannie’s voice trailed off, but Sophie got the message. Dannie was hoping that this all wasn’t too late, and that Jake wasn’t gone for good.

Sophie looked over at the unconscious form and shook her head.

“I pity Sheriff Grant and Cal Jennson. They’re so busy competing with each other, they don’t even realize who their true rival is. Don’t worry, Dannie, I’m sure Jake will come through—and hopefully give you some sort of explanation for his long absence. But even if he doesn’t want you, I wouldn’t worry. There are so many fish in this sea.”

Dannie gave an absent-minded nod, hardly noticing that Sophie had left. All her energy was occupied with thoughts of Jake and constant prayer that God would be merciful and allow him to pull through.