“He took nothing,” Elizabeth revealed solemnly. “Only gave.” She met his gaze suddenly. “He called you... I think it was ‘Notsemah-em.’ “
Another ripple went down his spine. “My blood,” he translated for her, his voice little more than a hoarse whisper.
Elizabeth understood what a gift those words were, but the look on Cutter’s face revealed just how magnificent a gift it truly was. “I never meant to blame you, or your people, for my mother’s leaving,” she told him, knowing instinctively that he needed to hear it. “My mother left because she wanted to, and for no other reason. Forgive me,” she pleaded, her hand reaching out to brush lightly against Cutter’s jaw.
Her words brought a jolt to Cutter’s heart. They meant more to him than even Life-Taker’s recognition of their kinship. “No need to ask,” he assured her, pulling her down atop him. He didn’t give a damn who saw them, not Elias, the men who rode with him, Katie, or even God Himself. “I forgave it the moment you said it,” he told her. And though he hadn’t realized until that moment, it was the truth. He knew as soon as he said it that it was.
Still, he wasn’t going to let her off so easily...
He began to devise ingenious ways for her to make it up to him every day of the rest of their lives. He kissed her earlobe tenderly, nuzzling his head into the crook of her neck, and inadvertently peered over her shoulder... Beginning later, he decided with a groan of regret, when they didn’t have an audience. He whispered something into Elizabeth’s ear, and she bolted upright, her hand flying to straighten her hair.
Together they watched the riders approach; Cutter grinning broadly, and Elizabeth pink-cheeked.
As long as she lived, she didn’t think she’d ever understand what happened to her senses when Cutter touched her! Nonetheless, she was certain she would enjoy pursuing the answer to that question.
And pursue it, she would.
Diligently.
Epilogue
Elizabeth had had very few customers; with two new physicians in Sioux Falls, the competition was just too great. And it didn’t help much that she was in the last days of pregnancy. The women seemed not to be bothered at all by the fact. The men, on the other hand, didn’t seem able to look her in the eye without blushing. Most of them seemed hesitant to come to her when either of the other two male doctors suited them better. At least it seemed they thought so.
So when Jo rushed in, supporting Dick Brady so that he wouldn’t fall on his face, Elizabeth was naturally ecstatic. She rose as quickly as she was able from behind her little desk and waddled toward them, her smile enormous. A white-faced Katie scurried in after them.
“He tripped over Shiftless,” Jo exclaimed.
“But he scared ‘im, that’s why!” Katie added plaintively. “And that’s why he bited him, too!”
And it didn’t take much to deduce where, Elizabeth thought, her brows furrowing, as she inspected Brady’s face. Canine teeth marks ringed his bulbous nose, but only one of the puncture marks was of any consequence, and it was bleeding very little, if at all.
“Snake-headed dog,” Brady muttered drunkenly. “Blamed thang yelped ‘n’ turned on me—made no never mind that I was flat on ma face already. Iffen ya ask me, I say he was bent on bitin’ me!” He grinned suddenly and winked. “But I tol’ Miss Jo here you’d fix me up right fine, ‘n’ here I am.”
His disclosure thrilled Elizabeth, though she tried not to show it. He’d actually chosen to come to her? She had to remind herself not to be too delighted. The man was suffering, after all. She put on her most solemn expression. “Does it hurt very much?”
Brady shook his head, then nodded.
Elizabeth’s brows lifted in confusion. “It does? Doesn’t?” He shook his head. “Does?” she tried again, and Brady nodded. “Oh, you poor thing!” she said, giving him her compassion as she glanced down at Katie. There was so much of herself she saw in Katie, more each day; from the way she watched, wide-eyed, while Elizabeth treated patients, to the way she defended those she loved, even when they were in the wrong. Yet, as doting of Katie as Elizabeth was, she forced herself to give her niece a reproachful frown.
“But Aunt Lizabeth!” Katie protested. “Shifless was just taking a nap! That’s all!”
Cutter appeared in the doorway, filling the room with his presence. He didn’t have to speak for Elizabeth to know he was there. She sensed him and glanced over her shoulder, giving him a welcoming smile as she lifted the lid from a small glass container of gauze pads. He was wearing black trousers and a black shirt, but no guns, and no hat, and the grin he sported as he leaned against the doorframe gave him an almost boyish appearance.
He winked at her, raking a hand through his hair. “Wrasslin’ bears again, Brady?” he asked casually.
Surprised by the statement, Elizabeth gave Cutter a baffled glance. How had he known about that? And then she recalled, and her gaze flew to Brady. Brady’s expression was so comically confounded that she pursed her lips to keep from giggling. He twisted his fingers together as he stared down at the wooden floor, and suddenly Elizabeth couldn’t contain her mirth. She envisioned him stabbing and wrestling with nothing but himself, and began to giggle, softly at first and then with hilarity, clutching instinctively at her abdomen. Suddenly she gasped as a searing pain tore through her, doubling her over.
At once both Jo and Cutter hurried to her side. Despite the fact that Cutter was farthest, he reached her first. “Elizabeth!”
Jo’s face paled with concern. “Are you all right?”
Katie’s face paled, as well.
Together, Cutter and Jo began to lead Elizabeth up the stairs to their apartments above the office.
“No!” Elizabeth gasped, pushing Jo away as another pang shot through her. “Stay—stay with Mr. Brady! Don’t let him near—” she tried to whisper a warning into Jo’s ear, but another pain came, making it sound more a shriek “—the knives!”
When Elizabeth doubled over, Cutter swept her into his arms, carrying her up the stairs and straight to the room they shared, leaving Jo downstairs with Katie. He laid her gently upon their bed, and then removed the shiny new spectacles he’d ordered for her.
