Adam nodded. Indeed, she must have gone through a lot. He wished he could stay to make sure she was fine, but he needed to find out more about the raid. He ought to have something to tell Olivia when he came back.
He shot to his feet. “Boone, I need to carry out more investigations about the raid.”
Boone nodded and said, “Adam, I know you mean well and believe that the law is the ultimate solution to every problem. But please be careful. A lot of the townsfolk are set in their ways. They don’t appreciate changes.”
Adam’s forehead creased in a frown. “What do you mean?”
Boone shrugged. “Just a warning. I don’t want you to end up like the former marshal.”
Before Adam could ask his foster father what happened, Boone rose, patted him on the shoulder, and headed toward the house.
Adam just stood there staring after him.
What happened to the former marshal?
Chapter 5
The tweeting of birds on the tree beside her window woke Olivia up the following morning. A smile spread across her face as she lifted her hands above her head and stretched.
With her eyes still closed, she snuggled deeper in the bed, covering her head with the quilt. Any minute now, White Bird would burst into her teepee and drag the quilt from her body.
They would both struggle for it, laughing, and White Bird would eventually win. Still engulfed in hilarity, Olivia would rise and they would go to the river to fetch water from the creek.
Olivia smiled as she waited for her friend. However, when White Bird didn’t come in a short while later, she grew worried. She removed the quilt from over her head and opened her eyes.
“White Bird?”
She blinked when she realized she wasn’t in her teepee, but a small room.
And then everything came back to her.
She let out a groan and closed her eyes. She wasn’t in Standing Tree’s village. The Stanfords had opened their home and their hearts to her the previous day.
Tears glazed her eyes as she thought of her Indian family. Where could they be? What was going on with White Bird and her family?
White Bird’s mother, Singing Clouds, was the one who found her that fateful day in the forest and had taken her to the others. Her husband Black Storm had readily agreed for her to be a part of their family while their children had rejoiced that they were getting a white girl for a sister.
“I miss them so much,” Olivia whispered. “Lord, please keep them safe until we meet again.”
Olivia pushed back the quilt and slowly rose from the bed. She felt so refreshed after a good night’s rest on a soft bed. Cora had offered her a dress and a nightgown the previous day after she had washed up.
Olivia smiled at the memory of washing away two days of dirt from her body in a tin bath of hot water. It had felt so good soaking up in the bath for a long time.
And then Cora had fed her with a chicken broth so nourishing, Olivia had finished every single drop. Cora, bless her sweet soul, had offered her some more and although she had been embarrassed, she had devoured it as well.
Olivia had slept deeply after that, and Cora had woken her for dinner. The beef stew with vegetables had been absolutely delicious, along with the cornbread Cora served with it.
She had felt herself adding a few pounds from the rich meals she had consumed the day before.
Olivia went on her knees beside the bed and closed her eyes as she folded her hands together.
“Father, I thank you for another beautiful day. Thank you for the gift of life. Thank you for sending Adam to my aid. Bless him. Thank you for the Stanfords. Bless them for their generosity and love. I pray also for my Indian family. Please keep them safe and help me find them soon. Thank you, Lord, for everything. Amen.”
Olivia opened her eyes and smiled. Praying always filled her with peace.
She looked at her cotton nightgown that fell below her ankles because of Cora’s petite physique. She liked the feel of the soft fabric on her body. The last time she had worn a white dress was when she was ten years old.
It brought back memories of her time with her parents. Her mother had sewn. Olivia had enjoyed watching her make dresses for them.
