God, you’ve got to help me. I can’t do this. God, please?—
Thump.“Mr. McKenzie, you all right?” Charlie called through the rickety pine door.
Charlie. Ben swung his legs over the side and sat up. The room spun. He ran a shaky hand over his hair and pushed off the bed. “Coming. Just a minute.”
Ben leaned against the doorjamb to steady himself as he opened the door.
Charlie blinked up at him. “Cora sent me to see if you’re feeling up to coming to supper.”
“Tell her I thank her kindly.” The words scraped his parched throat. “But I won’t be able to make it this evening.” It’d taken him all day to struggle through breakfast.
“She cooked a chicken for you.”
For him. What had happened to the woman ready to shoo him out of her house yesterday for helping her out? “I’m honored, but tell her not to trouble herself on my account.” His head throbbed to the point of nausea.
“I got to wring its neck. It was a chubby little Dominique hen, and it tried to waddle…”
Ben couldn’t handle another minute on his feet. He drifted back to his bed as the boy finished his story.
He sank onto the straw tick. “I hope you and Cora have a fine meal. Save me a little for later.”
“She won’t let you get away with not eating.” Charlie meandered into the room, pivoting a full three-sixty on his heels as he surveyed the place. “She’s worried about you.”
Cora Scott worried about him? Almost enough to make him smile. But he’d come here to help, not add another burden on her shoulders. “Tell me, Charlie, how are you set for supplies? For instance, does your sister have enough flour and coffee?” He laid his arm over his forehead, peering beneath it.
Charlie ambled to the saddlebag on the table and fingered the leather flap. “She’s always saying how we have to be very careful and only use a little at a time. So our food will last until harvest.”
When Ben got better, he’d ride into town and buy them a month’s worth of supplies. What if he didn’t get better?
Charlie threw back his shoulders. “Now that you’ve whipped Mr. Coffin, we could go hunting.” He turned to Ben and grabbed the stool from beside the washstand. “Kill a big deer for her. Then she wouldn’t have to worry.” Eyes bright, he carried the stool to the bedside and plopped down on it. “Even better if we could find us a buffalo. Cora doesn’t think we can do that, but we could show her.”
The edges of Ben’s mouth tugged upward. “We’ll work on that.”
“I could show you the best hunting places. I have Comanche uncles. I don’t remember much about them, but I’m sure they showed me how to hunt buffalo. Maybe if I dream about it, I’ll remember more…”
Comanche uncles? The boy looked Indian, but with gray eyes. And Cora called him a brother. A half brother by blood? Or merely adoption? Ben settled back on his pillow as the boy talked. The throb in his head lessened. But his tongue felt like gauze. “Charlie.” He interrupted during a pause. “Could you fetch me a glass of water?”
“Sure.” Charlie hopped up. “You need to get well. So I can show you how to hunt with a bow and arrow. I bet you don’t know how to do that.” He poured a glass from the pitcher on the washstand.
“I’ve never tried archery.”
“Well, I’m good at it. I know how to shoot a gun, too. Maybe some time, you could show me your carbine. I see it over in the corner.” Charlie handed him the glass.
“Sometime. Leave it be for now.” Ben rolled up onto an elbow and gulped down a few sips. Too much too fast. Air burned his throat. “I’ll tell you what.” He lay back down after a couple more swallows. “We can work out a bargain. You do a few chores for me, like fetching water from the well. And I could pay you as I did yesterday for my saddlebags.”
Elbows on his knees, Charlie settled his chin on his fists. “Cora says I’m not to take more money from you.”
Hmmm.“All right. This is what we’ll do. You do a few chores for me, and I’ll take you hunting and show you my carbine when the time comes.”
“That’s a deal.” Charlie sat up straight. “And maybe your Colt revolver too?”
“Only if you find me a buffalo.” He teased.
“I’ll do it. You just watch and see…”
Ben lowered his forearm over his eyes as the boy talked about the adventures they’d have.
A mockingbird trilled through the open window. Ben shuddered. Olivia’s pet mockingbird, Delilah, could imitate more than two dozen bird songs. Olivia loved to have Delilah by the piano while she played… A world of silver and crystal, scrolled trim, imported furnishing, and fancy gatherings. A world away from here.
